Ongoing Games (In-Character)Play-by-post games are going on in this forum as we speak (well, read). All threads on this board are actual games, so please, only post on a thread if you are a player of that game.
As this forum deletes the Recruitment and OC threads after a certain time, here are the first posts of both threads.
Recruitment
Spoiler
The Red Hand of Doom
The dry hilltops danced with fire.
Throughout the heart of the wild badlands the humans called the Wyrmsmokes, great bonfires had been kindled atop the ridges overlooking Elsir Vale. There thousands of warriors had gathered -- hobgoblins in armor dyed scarlet, thick-thewed bugbear berserkers, goblin worg riders and skirmishers and archers, and the scaled ones as well, who often towered over the rest. For so long they had fought each other, tribe against tribe, race against race, engaged in the endless test of battle, feud, and betrayal. But tonight . . . tonight they stood together, hated enemies shoulder-to-shoulder, shouting together as brothers. And they saw that they were strong, and together they danced and sang and shook their blades at the smoke-hidden stars overhead.
"We are the Kulkor Zhul!" they shouted, and the hills shook with the thunder of their voices. "We are the mighty warriors! Uighulth na Hargai! None can stand before us!"
One by one the tribes fell silent. Armor creaked as thousands turned to look up to the Place of Speaking. There, a single champion emerged from the assemblage and slowly climbed the ancient stone stair cut into the side of the hill. A hundred bright yellow banners stood beneath him like a phalanx of spears, each marked with a great red hand. The warpriests holding the banners chanted battle-prayers in low voices as the champion ascended.
On the hundredth step he stopped and turned to face the waiting warriors. He was tall and strong, one of the hobgoblin chieftains, but he had an aura of power about him. "I am Azarr Kul!" he cried. "Hear me, warriors of the Kulkor Zhul! Tomorrow we march to war!"
The warriors roared their approval, stamping their feet and clashing spear to shield. Azarr Kul waited, holding his hands aloft until they quieted again. "The warpriests of the Doom Hand have shown us the way! They have taught us honor, discipline, obedience -- and strength! No more will we waste our blood fighting each other. We will take the lands of the elf, the dwarf, and the human, and make them ours! Under the banner of the Red Hand of Doom we march to victory and conquest! Remember that you stood here this night, warriors of Kulkor Zhul! For a hundred generations your sons and your sons' sons will sing of the blood spilled by your swords and the glory you win in the nights to come! Now, my brothers -- to WAR!"
The burning hills were too small to hold the shout the Kulkor Zhul gave in answer to their warlord's call.
War is gathering in the dry brown hills known as the Wyrmsmoke Mountains. As midsummer settles over the land, smothering everything in heat and dust, the fierce warriors of the Kulkor Zhul gather beneath the dreaded Red Hand banner, ready to sweep down out of the Wyrmsmokes and conquer the human lands below. Your player characters face an onslaught of fire and steel the likes of which few have ever seen.
About the Campaign
Spoiler
This game will be set in Faerun, the Forgotten Realms and will take place in a region called Elsir Vale, in the Shining South, between the Misty Vale and the Forest of Amtar.
The wilderness will play an important part in the campaign, but there will be enough interaction and urban episodes for social characters, as well. In fact, certain challenges will require good roleplaying and negotiation, as well as quick thinking and stealth rather than combat tactics only. But there will be plenty of combat, as well, so a battle-hardened warrior will feel right at home, too.
Elsir Vale
The setting of the adventure is a thinly populated human frontier known as Elsir Vale and the surrounding wilderlands. The vale stretches almost 250 miles east to west and averages about 70 miles north to south. Several small mountain ranges and dense forests form the vale’s borders.
The scattered human towns and villages of the area grew up along the Dawn Way, an important east-west trade road linking the heavily settled lands that lie northwest across the Endless Plains (aka The Shaar) with the exotic kingdoms and goods of the coastal lands lying to the southeast. Much of the Dawn Way was built by an ancient dwarf-kingdom that spanned the Wyrmsmoke and Giantshield Mountains (aka Rathgaunt Hills) more than a thousand years ago. While the dwarves are long gone, their roads, bridges, and cisterns remain in use to this day. After the dwarf realm passed, the presence of various monsters and raiders kept traffic along the Dawn Way light for many years; few caravans dared the long and dangerous trek. Few humans lived in Elsir Vale during those years – only scattered settlements of druidic folk who left behind little more than grassy barrows and stone circles on the hilltops.
About five hundred years ago, the nearby city of Rhest came to control the vale and a large swath of land north of the Giantshields (aka Rathgaunt Hills) as well. Soldiers from Rhest secured the roads all the way to Dennovar and beyond, creating a safe passage for trade. More and more traders traveled the Dawn Way, and the kingdom of Rhestilor grew wealthy on the tariffs exacted from the passing merchants. Under the kingdom’s shield, the towns along the Dawn Way – Brindol (aka Rethmar), Talar, Terrelton, and the rest – grew up from tiny hamlets of lonely soldiers’ posts to flourishing human settlements.
The kingdom of Rhestilor eventually collapsed under civil strife, monstrous incursions, and magical blights. Almost two hundred years ago, the city of Rhest was burned by a savage horde out of the Wyrmsmoke Mountains. Although the warriors of Rhestilor killed many of the goblins and their kind, the city was abandoned and the already weakened kingdom broken. The locks and canals surrounding Rhest fell into disrepair, and the Blackfens swallowed the ruined city.
In the years since the kingdom’s fall, the towns of Elsir Vale have come to look after themselves. Most of the local lords, such as Jarmaath of Brindol (aka Rethmar), still hold titles derived from the old kingdom of Rhestilor. While everybody knows that the kings of Rhestilor are long dead, no new realm has arisen in the vale.
Settlements
Brindol (aka Rethmar) One of the largest settlements in the vale, Brindol is a prosperous farming community and caravan stopover located along the Dawn Way on the south bank of the Elsir River. Orchards of apple and pear trees follow the river’s winding shores, while broad grain fields and farmlands surround the town for miles in all directions. Brindol is the home of Lord Kerden Jarmaath, and his small keep and the city walls are the only fortifications of note this side of Dennovar.
Dennovar: A trade-city located on the shores of Lake Ern, Dennovar is the largest community in Elsir Vale. It’s the eastern gateway to the vale, the first bit of civilization a weary traveler encounters after crossing the Golden Plains. Lady Yisel Bristeir is the titular ruler here, but in practice the city is governed by the Merchants Council – powerful oligarchs primarily concerned with keeping the city a good place to do business. Dennovar is also noteworthy for the dozens of temples, both minor and major, that dot its streets.
Drellins Ferry: The small town of Drellins Ferry is the western gateway to Elsir Vale. Once a dwarf-made bridge spanned the Elsir River here, but it was destroyed during an epic flood about a hundred years ago. Since that time, travelers on the Dawn Way have crossed by means of a ferry, from which the town gets its name.
Hammerfist Holds: In the high foothills of the Wyvernwatch Mountains lie the Hammerfist Holds, a half-dozen dwarf clanholds that sometimes trade with the humans of the vale. Each of the holds is a hamlet or village, home to a hundred or more dwarves.
(these are the most important settlements – I’ll follow up with the rest when we start the game)
Combat
Spoiler
I will use the GIMP to create and update combat maps, such as this one (note you don't have to use GIMP or any other software. I'll update the maps and post them for you):
About The Red Hand of Doom
Spoiler
The Red Hand of Doom was listed as one of the ten best 3rd edition adventures and is generally mentioned as one of the best D&D adventures. In fact, it is a mini-campaign designed to take characters from levels 5 to 11 (for the sake of prestige class entry, we will start this campaign at level 6).
Numerous spoilers are available online, so please don’t go searching the web for stuff.
I guess there are different attitudes towards spoilers. I, for my part, tend to not watch the trailers of movies I am interested in, because often they contain information I'd rather not want to have when the film starts.
You may be different. Still, for the sake of the other players' fun, please do not include spoilers in your posts.
Possible Characters and Hooks
Spoiler
I am looking for a balanced party that has the primary roles filled. Often, in play-by-post games, people go for exotic builds that they “always wanted to play”. For this campaign, exotic characters should be the exception, because it is important to work with and fit in a normal, predominantly human, D&D community.
Therefore, I have listed six roles the party should cover – note you don’t have to choose such a role, you’re absolutely free in what kind of character you create. In case we have a lot more applications than spots however, I will likely choose from builds that address the basic roles first.
Role
Race(s)
Class(es)
Caster (Divine)
Any
Cleric or Favored Soul
Caster (Arcane)
Any
Wizard or Sorcerer
Scout
Elf, Half-Elf, or other
Ranger, Druid or Scout
Social
Any
Any (good social skills)
Specialist
Any
Rogue or similar
Warrior
Any
Fighter, Paladin, Martial Adept or similar
Please note that several roles could be addressed by one build (obviously, any class that requires high charisma could also be built to fill the social role, for instance). Also, taking a role does not mean the others will have to step back: I would expect every character to roleplay during negotiations, etc. – and I am likely to let the quality of the posts direct the outcome rather than the Diplomacy roll. However, at certain stages, social skills will be necessary, and a party that has no “nice guy” will face difficulties.
The Not-So-Complex Hook
In the blistering heat of summer, forest fires have raged across the plains of Elsir Vale. You have been asked by Lord Jarmaath of Brindol to check on the farmsteads in the west.
You could be a native of Elsir Vale who grew up on a farm or small town.
You came to Elsir Vale to visit a relative
You came to Elsir Vale to seek a teacher, scholar or specialist
You came to Elsir Vale following a treasure map
You came to Elsir Vale as a caravan guard or in similar service
Or develop your own.
Character Creation
Spoiler
38 point buy – this will be a challenging game.
6th level. Maximum wealth by level (i.e. 13,000 GP). Maximum hit points. All characters have one regional feat (a +2/+2 skill bonus feat or a regional feat from the Player’s Guide to Faerun). If you need to, you can have up to two flaws (which are subject to approval) and two traits, if you wish. If you play a core race, you will have one more regional feat. If you play a core class, you will have another one.
All 3.5 books, except for psionics (and no Dragon or Dungeon magazine). Please include all sources for non-core material, including, if you have at hand, the page number, so I can easily reference the sources you've used.
Most of the characters should be from core races. If you have to play something more exotic, your race should not go beyond LA+1 (and is subject to approval). LA-buy-off is available as per Unearthed Arcana.
Moderate level of optimization – create a character that is reasonably powerful, but don’t go for exotic race/class/feat combinations just because they end up in an ueber build. I will ensure party balance during / after character creation. If I have the choice, I am likely to pick the player who has designed a superb background over the one that has created the most advanced build.
I am looking for a balanced party. Try not to think about this exotic build you ever wanted to play, but think what the party could need and what makes sense.
For this game, I will not accept evil PCs, or PCs with evil tendencies. The majority of the party should be good-aligned.
Please include a link to a post which exemplifies your roleplaying in play-by-post. If this is your first play-by-post, please create an imaginary post.
Players I am looking for
Spoiler
I am looking for 4-6 players. Please note that this is not a first-come, first-served game -- I will pick the team once character concepts have been posted. This campaign will work best with players who would agree the following statements describe their background and style of play well:
Your emphasis is on roleplaying, and you enjoy writing a good post. You like player-NPC and player-player interaction (no, I don’t mean combat). There will be plenty of combat, but I want to make sure that first of all everybody contributes to creating a stunning atmosphere for this campaign.
You take care to create a detailed character, including personality, background and appearance
You are an experienced player and know how to develop and run a character in D&D 3.5
You are a team player – your character may have a unique motivation to be with the group, and he/she may be a loner, but you don’t play the backbiting PC.
You are in for the long run. You know play-by-post games are slower and can suffer from slow posting and pauses, but you can handle that. You can ensure a minimum of two posts per week.
If you have read the Red Hand of Doom, obviously, this campaign is not for you.
About Me
Spoiler
I am an experienced D&D player and DM for more than 20 years. I enjoy storytelling and long-running campaigns over one-shots or dungeon crawls.
My first PbP campaign has been running for 4 years and is ongoing. Therefore, I know that PbP can feel extremely slow at times, and I will adapt the traditional XP system to still reflect the effort you put into the game – so you will advance more rapidly than in a traditional XP game.
Most of the DM rolls will be done open by me.
I will be fair, but I will not pull any punches. I believe part of the excitement a game can provide is in the credibility of its threats.
My posting rate varies, and can be as high as five times a day, or as low as once a week, depending on circumstances.
Voilà, the 16:
Spoiler
1. What game system are you running (D&D, Call of Cthulu, Palladium, GURPS, etc.), and if applicable what edition (Original, Classic, Revised, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 10th, etc.)?
D&D 3.5
2. What 'type' or variant of game will it be (i.e. "Shadow Chasers" or "Agents of Psi" for d20 Modern)? What is the setting for the game (eg. historic period, published or homebrewed campaign setting, alternate reality, modern world, etc.)?
Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting
3. How many Players are you looking for? Will you be taking alternates, and if so, how many?
4 to 6
4. What's the gaming medium (OOTS, chat, e-mail etc.)?
GITP forums.
5. What is the characters' starting status (i.e. experience level)?
Level 6.
6. How much gold or other starting funds will the characters begin with?
Maximum wealth by level (13.000 GP)
7. Are there any particular character classes, professions, orders, etc. that you want... or do not want? What are your rules on 'prestige' and/or homebrewed classes?
A balanced party. I generally avoid homebrew, unless it is mine. See the Character Creation section, etc., above.
8. What races, subraces, species, etc. are allowed for your game? Will you allow homebrewed races or species? 'Prestige' races or species?
No homebrew races. Racial HD are fine, as long as the party is balanced over all. Background needs to give the characters suficient motivation to fit in and help the community. Party needs to be able to socially interact with a typical D&D community (which could be hard for an exotic party).
9. By what method should Players generate their attributes/ability scores and Hit Points?
10. Does your game use alignment? What are your restrictions, if so?
Alignment is a tool, not a straightjacket – it will serve as an expression of the characters’ personal belief system (i.e. ethics and moral values). For this campaign, I will not accept evil characters.
11. Do you allow multi-classing, or have any particular rules in regards to it?
Standard rules. I want the overall build to make sense mechanically, and, more importantly, story-wise. I’d prefer a good background story to explain the characters’ track record.
12. Will you be doing all of the die rolling during the course of the game? Will die rolls be altered, or left to the honor system? If players can make die rolls, which ones do they make, how should they make the rolls, and how should they report them?
I will make most DM rolls open using Invisible Castle. Players will be expected to roll using Invisible Castle, as well – with in-character registration. EDIT: we may just as well use the forum dice roller.
13. Are there any homebrewed or optional/variant rules that your Players should know about? If so, list and explain them, or provide relevant links to learn about these new rules.
Yes:
Each character gains of bonus feat from the list of regional feats
Spell Focus adds +2 to DC. Greater Spell Focus adds another +1 DC.
Cat’s Grace and similar ability buffs are 10 min / level, instead of 1 min / level.
You can have up to two flaws and two traits, but they have to be meaningful (i.e. have a mechanical effect in the game and fit your character’s background) and need to be approved by me.
14. Is a character background required? If so, how big? Are you looking for anything in particular (i.e. the backgrounds all ending up with the characters in the same city)?
A detailed background will be required, including:
Physical appearance – how would describe your character to a blind person?
Personality – what are your character’s beliefs, mannerisms, and behaviour?
Background – where has your character grow up, why did he/she choose his/her path (class, profession, guild, etc.) and how did you end up in this place?
I’d rather have excellent roleplayers than expert optimizers.
15. Does your game involve a lot of hack & slash, puzzle solving, roleplaying, or a combination of the above?
The emphasis is on roleplaying. Although the campaign will provide plenty of combat, as well as problem solving and diplomacy, the most important aspect of the game will be roleplaying, especially in terms of party/NPC and in-party interaction. I want to be curious for your posts and what you come up with. Make me smile, gasp, laugh, shudder and smile again.
Combat: There will be no plot shield. Failure is an option, and failing in a great way may be worth more remembrance than a meager success. Your enemies will act to the best of their abilities, according to their resources and level of intelligence.
16. Are your Players restricted to particular rulebooks and supplements, or will you be allowing access to non-standard material? What sources can Players use for their characters?
All official 3.5 material, except for psionics (and no Dragon or Dungeon magazine). 3.0 FRCS material is fine where it hasn’t been updated by 3.5 material.
Please state all non-core sources in your build (preferably with a page number), so I can quickly reference them.
Please go ahead and post your interest.
Interest List
A quick overview of who has posted their interest so far. This is not a list of selected players. Those who would like to jump on board or are still working on their sheets: not a problem.
EDIT: Due to the amount of interest, I will close this game for new interest today (Tuesday), 6 pm CET (12 noon EST).[/b] This concerns new interest only, and is not a deadline for completed sheets, so no need to rush your build.
EDIT: those on the two lists below are welcome to finalize their sheets -- please submit the completed version before Thursday, 6 pm CET (aka 12 noon EST). I will announce the selection soon thereafter. If you need more time, please let me know as early as you can.
Selecting a party was extremely difficult – all of you submitted excellent character concepts – I could see the characters come alive in the game, and I'd wish I could play with all of you. This has been a very close call, and not a pleasant task to make a selection, because it does not feel fair to reject such great concepts.
With 19 applications, it was obvious the majority could not play – and I am impressed all of you put so much work in your character’s design despite the odds. Taking only 4 or 6 didn’t feel right, so I decided to select seven.
This has been hard. For those on the list, my congratulations. For those who did not make it into the final few, congratulations, as well, because all of you did a great job. All the submissions are impressive, and I am sorry I can’t play with all of you. I know all of you knew of the odds, but even then, turning down so many great concepts feels awkward.
I have been accepted. What now?
Spoiler
The OOC is here. You can post there and choose your color of speech.
I will do a quick review of your character within the next few days. If there is anything that needs clarification, I’ll send you a PM.
I’ll set up an IC on Friday.
OOC
Spoiler
The Red Hand of Doom
OOC
Welcome!
Welcome to the Red Hand of Doom. Despite all the fun, setting up a play-by-post takes some work, and some ground-rules, as well. This is what the OOC thread is for, apart from our funny conversations and the hilarious comments I'm hoping for.
To define the ground-rules, we need a few decisions – often, I'll ask you for your opinion, as this game is our game (and not mine alone). Sometimes, however, I may simply take a decision. This may occur when I feel the significance of the issue does not justify a poll or discussion – or, if my opinion is firm and I regard the matter as falling into DM's judgment.
Please go ahead and choose a color for your speech. Please also look for a suitable character portrait / avatar for your character sheet -- which I will also use for your token, which will represent you on the battle map.
Posting
Example of a short post:
Spoiler
The wild-looking man offered a toothy smile that looked more like a baring of teeth - and dangerous-looking, pointed teeth they were, too. He looked from one seated person to the next, his light brown eyes alighting on each one in turn, briefly but intensely. The nostrils of his broad nose were moving, visible to those who were close enough, as he drew in air, scenting.
Strange people, big folk, small folk, smell of spirits and the sea, but Anders calls them friends. Hmm, pretty female. I will wait and see.
Without saying a word, he zeroed in on a free chair in a few leaping bounds, leaned a longbow and a gigantic axe against the wall behind him, and sat down, hunched over the table top, to silently stare at each of his dinner companions from under heavy black eyebrows. His face did not betray his thoughts; it rather exhibited the same expressionlessness as a cat's, or a bear's.
After a moment's thought, he picked up the cutlery to examine it, running a clawed finger over the blade of the knife, then pushed it away and put his own dagger onto the table in its place. For those who cared to look, the dagger looked well taken care of, clean and sharp.
A few general remarks regarding posting:
Please contribute to create a stunning atmosphere for this game by writing quality posts. Generally, the more elaborate your post, the better. Feel free to include your character’s thoughts, but also minor details, such a description of the dagger he’s nervously handling, or the tree she’s leaning against. To encourage interaction, include hooks in your posts for the other PCs and NPCs to act upon. Unless you overdo it, and as long as it does not affect NPCs actively led by the DM, you can even describe people’s actions and reactions to your character. Metagaming NPCs by giving them a distinct personality would probably be too much.
I’d like all of us to post in the same tense. Personally, I’d prefer we’d post in past tense, as in the example above. However, if the majority favors present tense, no problem for me, at all (please state your preference in your post here).
All mechanics, such as stating an action, die rolls, etc. should be in spoilers.
If an information addresses a specific person or persons, please indicate in the spoiler tags by using „@ Character Name“ or „@ Malachei“
Please choose a color your character speaks in (can be bold or not). NPCs will speak in red.
Thoughts should be in italics
I'd suggest that we use the forum dice roller. Please have a look here
to see the common issues (such as previewing or editing posts). If you prefer to use InvisibleCastle, this is fine for me, as well.
Posting rate
I understand all of you have commitments other than gaming. My posting rate can vary, as well. However, in order to advance this campaign, please try to ensure a minimum posting rate of 2 / week during general action (i.e. not round-based), and every other day during combat action (i.e. everything which is handled round-based). Please give advance warning of an extended absence, if you can.
During combat, we’ll have to find a way to deal with absences and initiative order. There are several ways to do this, and I'd like your opinion in this:
EDIT: During combat, there is a 24-hour time frame for posting. Within this time frame, you are expected to post your action. The time frame starts with the post which initiates the party's turn (i.e. usually the DM post completing the NPCs' actions). If you're unable to post within 24 hours, your character may be NPC'ed. This does not apply on weekends.
A) Handling Initiative
We could decide to use group initiative. Thus, we don’t have individual initiative. Both sides roll once, with the average modifier applied. This is hard on people who have high initiative modifier. However, it eliminates strict posting order, and thus can save an immense amount of time, because normally, people who are online have to wait until those with a higher initiative have posted.
We could decide to use individual initiative, but have the DM roll all dice for initiative. This would save us two to three days before the first combat round, because otherwise, we’d first have to have everybody roll initiative.
We could use the standard way and live with the delay.
B) Handling Delays
In combat, if a player has not posted within a certain timeframe (such as 48 hours – or how long should we wait?) ...
... the character delays
... the character is NPC’ed
... we wait for the player
Please state your preferences (such as: A1, B2, 36 hours, etc.) in your first post, below.
Other aspects:
The use of immediate actions can prevent the effects of actions and thus make it necessary to edit posts. In the interest of a fast-moving game, if you intend to use an immediate action, please state so immediately after the action occurred. If another character has already acted, I will still allow an immediate action, as long as it does not cause the other character’s action to be in need of editing. Example: The evil cultist shoots a magic ray at Mead and hits, heavily wounding the gnome (who has failed her saving throw). Toliudar has posted that Mead drinks a healing potion, and Grendus has Greg charge the enemy – if Myth would now want Arelwyn to cast Alter Fortune, an immediate action spell, it would probably be too late, since it would require the editing of several posts. However, in live-or-die situations, I will usually allow immediate actions even after others have posted.
The use of the delay and ready actions results in a significant slow-down. Please use these actions only when necessary.
Combat Block
During combat, please include a stat block in your OOC spoilers, such as this (thanks to Noblesse for the fine template):
OOC
Spoiler
Malachei (with link to your sheet)
Male Neutral Good Human Wizard 11 Ini +6 HP 72/50 (incl. 22 temp. (spell)) Speed 30 AC 20 Touch 16 Flat-footed 18 Fort +8 Ref +8 Will +13 Base Attack Bonus +5 Short Sword +1, flaming +6 (1d6+1, 19-20/x2 +1d6 fire) AC: Bracers of Armor +4 (+4 armor, +2 Dex, +4 shield (spell)) Save Modifiers: +3 (+3 resistance, abilities) Abilities: Str 10, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 22 (28), Wis 16, Cha 16 Condition: None Active Spells: Shield (P), Fly (X), Heart of EarthCM Prepared Spells Level 1:Shield, Orb of Fire, ...
...
X = Extended
P = Persisted
E = Empowered
M = Maximized CM = Complete Mage (you don't have to indicate a source for every spell, but if you can, referencing gets easier for me)
With every breath you took, you could feel the warmth of the dry air spreading out inside of you. There was no remembrance, not even the faint, distant memory of your childhood summers, which compared to this heat. It was only the 20th Kythron, the Time of Flowers, and Flamerule was yet to come. Your armor, your weapons, your backpack, even your clothing was a burden, and your footsteps grew heavy. You could not imagine how this summer could possibly get any warmer, and worse by that. When recruited by the officials of Brindol, you had not expected the short trip to be this arduous. Captain Lars Ulverth’s Lion Guard had their hands full with several mob brawls, which, they feared, might escalate and lead to civil uprising. The heat, it seemed, caused tempers to flare and fists to fly, and you had been sent to check on the western settlements, and return with news.
The grasslands of Elsir Vale spread underneath a merciless afternoon sun. All of spring’s humidity was gone in the arid season, and the dry shrubbery cracked under your stride. Still, the green, forested hills provided much appreciated shade.
The sparsely settled lands of Elsir Vale were already starting to grow monotonous, with a seemingly endless line of dusty flyspecks of towns. Drellin’s Ferry would lie a few miles ahead of you. It was a settlement hard on the borders of the Witchwood, and the best place to gather news of forest fires.
After trekking through the woods for the better part of the day Jin decided that this was an appropriate place to take a short break under a lone Acacia tree upon a hill, some of the others had mentioned something about taking a break a while back. He reached into his sack and pulled out an assortment of objects. Finding the most shaded spot next to the tree he placed a worn seat cushion embroidered by pastel colored lilies upon the the floor. Each time he held it he realized the truth behind his grandmother's words. Now don't you be going off unprepared now young man, your trip won't be worth no amount of gold pieces if it'll mean utter discomfort. Here, take this. Having a nice place to sit will do wonders for your composure. After reminiscing he sat down and rested his back against a slightly broad part of the tree trunk. Then he took a drink of his water-skin, the cool liquid revitalizing his dried out throat.
Closing his eyes he took in a big breath of fresh air. The heat hadn't quite destroyed the sweet smell of the plains. A slight breeze picked up bringing much needed relief to the traveler. Feeling a bit revitalized he began to eat his afternoon meal composed of water and a portion of his last remaining loaf of bread from back home. He offered some to the ladies and after all was said and done he decided that it would be best to be well rested before arriving, should they require anything of them at their onset, so he took a short nap.
Upon waking he immediately regretted having slept with his mithril chain shirt on. Despite it's weight and relatively cool nature, it still clung to his skin by the beads of sweat that had formed. Jin proceeded to walk off away from the group to take off his kimono and chain shirt and grabbed a towel and reached into a side pocket of his sack and pulled out another water-skin. Dampening the towel he cleaned his upper body and face. He was going to be meeting his employers soon and he had to be presentable. After drying himself and shirt off he re-equiped himself and put away all of his belongings. Boy do I feel refreshed. But oh what I would do for a bath and some home cooking. But I guess I don't have any right to complain. We haven't had any difficulties yet and that in itself is much to be thankful for. Gazing out across the land he saw their destination and a few other things of interest.
Addressing the rest of the group-"If you kind folk are all set, shall we begin again?"
M LN Human - Chondathan Scout4/Ranger2, Level 6, Init +7, HP 48/48, Speed 50 AC 19, Touch 14, Flat-footed 19, Fort +6, Ref +11, Will +3, Base Attack Bonus 5 +1 Composite (+2) longbow (20) +10 (1d8+3, x3) Morning star +5 (1d8+2, x2) Dagger +5 (1d4+2, 19-20) +1 Mithral Shirt (+5 Armor, +4 Dex) Abilities Str 14, Dex 19, Con 12, Int 14, Wis 14, Cha 8 Condition None
"Had a nice nap?" asked Gabriel coming from deeper woods. As was his habit he had used the time when others, unused to travelling the forests or worn down by too much armor for a quick reconnaissance of the immediate surroundings. Pulling out his mug he toyed with the idea of wishing for some ale. But he had learned his lesson. Fine ale was passable when drunk warm, the cheap stuff the mug produced was well, not.
Wishing for a mug full of water he was, as always rewarded by it. The water did little to drive back the unseasonal heat but little was better than nothing.As he packed his mug he took stock of the group and judged they were about ready to start again.
"I guess I better scout ahaed to prevent any unwanted surprises." he said to everyone and no one in particular. He took his finely carved bow into his hand and swiftly disappeared into the woods. Alone again. Not that Gabriel really minded solitude but he was kind of begining to see that after all this time alone on the road it was quite nice to have some company. Of course not when I am scouting in the forests, they'd only slow me down. He thought as he was making good progress through the woods while still mainting a minimum of noise and swiftly taking in every minute detail of his surroundings. "Nothing to report." He thought back to Mead as he left the range of her telepathy.
Spoiler
[Takes -5 on Move Silently for speed 45 and +3 (instead of +1) bonus for being in the forest Move silently 19]
[+3 bonus (instead of +1) for being in the forest Spot 31]
__________________
Anybody else want to negotiate? Korben Dallas
Mead was grateful when Jin called for a brief halt. On her previous travels in the Shaar, she had mostly travelled by night, when the summer wind cooled the sweat. But that wasn't going to work as well with these bigs.
A bead of sweat had been working its way down her scalp, under her tightly bound hair, for the last half hour. At times, it had driven her nearly to distraction. Now it seemed to have worked its way out to her neck, and was now joining other moisture that had gathered under her pack. The air now reaching her back felt heavenly. The heat here might be like a blast furnace, but at least it wicked the moisture away. She remembered, and none too fondly, a week spent up in a treetop in Chult, staring down at a long, slow yuan-ti mating ritual. She hadn't wanted to move more than she needed to, and remembered feeling the moisture of her own urine mingling with the rivulets of rain that washed down the tree branches, all over her. She also remembered losing most of the notes from that week to greenmold. Ah, the glamour of it all. If the folks back home only knew what they were missing.
She sought out a bit of shade, under that acacia, and settled her small pack on the ground next to her before plunking into a slightly creaky cross-legged sit on the ground. She could have sworn that her legs used to get closer to her butt when she sat. Well, no matter. She pulled out the bag of dried strawberries she'd picked up in her last visit to Brindol, and started passing the bag around along with Jin's bread, of which she accepted a small hunk with a polite nod. All washed down with a bit of water. Well, perhaps a bit more water.
She glanced up and around at the others. A quirky bunch, even by my rather relaxed standards. That nice archer from the northlands, with the scar he seems not to be quite used to yet. The mysterious elf-woman, Areelwin. Arlwyn. Something like that. That demon-ish warrior of Bahamut who mutters to himself in what sounds an awful lot like Goblin. That sweet boy Jin, who seems to have the look of Kara-tur about him - again, certainly more to him than meets the eye. Ricardo, that exhaustingly rigorous priest of Mystra. And of course, the delightful Miss Aria, whose respect for the importance of language of culture has been like a cool breeze blowing through my overheated brain, these past few weeks. But listen to me. I've been reading too much dwarven poetry again.
While Jin dozed, Mead pulled out a small notepad and added a few scribbles in her own indecipherable shorthand. A pity that there were no locals in the group, but at least the many small villages had given her ample opportunity to explore the lasting impact of the goblin invasion on human cultures. Thank goodness all of that was behind them now. The fires would be hard enough for these people to deal with.
It was past mid-day, judging by the sun. She toyed with the thought of using her magic to clear away the sweat and grime from everyone, but then she wouldn't have it for tonight, when she'd want to get clean and comfortable to sleep. Foolish old woman. What was she thinking? No, best simply to help keep up by using Oghma's Leg-Lengthener for the rest of the day. Pausing in her re-packing of her simple lunch, she wove her simple spell, and felt her old legs fill with energy, eager again for the road. Mead got to her feet. She took a moment to clean off her spectacles.
"Just so, Master Porter. Ready when you are. Master Gabriel is giving us the all-clear."
Spoiler
Spot: (1d20+11)[26] Listen: (1d20+9)[24]
Casting Longstrider. Mage Armour is already active.
Stat block, if needed:
Mead Ghelidia....ith
Female LN Rock Gnome Beguiler 5/Mindbender 1, Level 6, Init +0, HP 52/52, Speed 20 (30 w/ longstrider) AC 16, Touch 10, Flat-footed 16, Fort +6, Ref +6, Will +9, Base Attack Bonus 2 Cold Iron Dagger (4) +1 (1d3-2, 19-20) Darkwood Light Crossbow (10) +1 (1d6+1, x2) Mage Armour, +1 Mithril Buckler (2,000) (+4 Armor, +2 Shield, +1 Size, -1 Misc) Abilities Str 6, Dex 10, Con 16, Int 22, Wis 14, Cha 14 Condition Active Spells:
Long Strider
Mage Armour
__________________
Sorry for all of the games on which I'm behind. Health plus work nastiness. I'm now working to catch up.
Peridot avatar (complete with demon consorts) courtesy of the very talented Telasi.
Despair favours the status quo. It is a luxury we cannot afford. ~ Andrew Nikiforuk
As the group settled in for a rest, Aria followed her usual routine; she found a spot of shade away from the others, she delicately removed several sheets of parchment from her pack. She began, quietly so as to not disturb the others, chant the complex syllables of truespeak under her breath. Her art; though it was more of a science, the way she practiced it, was an especially finicky one, and she had to dedicate great time and effort to its study and use.
After a time she sighed and took out her pen and ink, and very carefully scratched out a few more symbols and letters, very sharp and distinct upon the beige paper. She blew gently on the sheet, allowing the ink to dry, and then replaced everything in her pack. She then, just as precisely and delicately, removed her waterskin from the pack, lifting it to drink.
It was unfavorably light, and she placed it back inside her pack with a bit of a frown. "I'll have to do something about that..." She muttered to herself as she closed her eyes and thought for a moment. She knew of no springs in the area off of the top of her head, but the power of her words may lend her a greater insight.
She began to speak, this time more loudly and distinctly, and her words of power hung in the air for a moment after she finished. She paused a moment, focused herself again, and then spoke a second utterance, this time with more precision and clarity. With these tasks finished, she focused once more upon the knowledge she was seeking. She stood, glancing at the people with her; a good group, though aside from Mead she was hesitant to truly trust them. She then turned to the land around her, and allowed her utterance-derived insight to speak to her.
Spoiler
Aria will speak the utterances Universal Aptitude and Hidden Truth, which have a DC of (15+6*2-4)=23 the first time she casts them on herself everyday, meaning that she automatically succeeds.
She will make a knowledge geography check to find a place where they could rest for the night, preferably one with a spring or clean pond. (1d20+25)[33]
I'm not quite sure how you would like to handle knowledge checks, but I assure you that I will be making many of them. Just let me know what you prefer.
While surveying the land she will make passive spot and listen checks, with Universal Aptitude still active.
Spot: (1d20+4)[8]
Listen: (1d20+4)[20]
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I'm currently recruiting for my Red Hand of Doom game set in Eberron. Come check it out!
Ricardo Soldato
male LN Lesser Aasimar (PGtF 190) Cleric/Church Inquisitor (CD 26), Level 3/3, Init +1, HP 60/60, Speed 20 AC 23, Touch 12, Flat-footed 22, Fort +6, Ref +3, Will +10, Base Attack Bonus +4 Morning star +1 +8 (1d8+4) Shield bash +8 (2d6+4) Full attack +6/+6 (1d8+4/2d6+4) Full plate, Bashing Spiked Steel Heavy shield +1 (+8 Armor, +3 Shield, +1 Dex, +1 Misc) Abilities Str 16, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 12, Wis 19, Cha 14 Condition None
Spells
Spoiler
0 level
Detect magic x2
Light x2
Mending 1 level
Obscuring mist
Bless x2
Divine favour
Silent Image* 2 level
Energized Shield, Lesser (SC 79)
Silence
Hold Person x2
Minor Image* 3 level
Dispel magic
Magic Circle Against Evil
Knight's move (SC 129)
Detect thoughts*
*Domain
Inquisitor Soldato stood at ease slightly apart from the group as they took their ease. He stood with legs apart and his free hand held behind him at the small of his back. He faces away from them, surveying the land before him with a dispassionate but attentive eye. Apart from a red blush on his neck and cheeks he gave no outward sign of distress at the intense heat made immeasurably worse by his armour. However despite his best efforts to appear nonchalant there is no mistaking the wet tangle his hair is becoming as it soaks through with sweat, anyone who viewed him closely would also note the moisture gathering amid his immaculately trimmed goatee. But if a portrait of him were taken as he stood stock still people viewing it later might think he stood listening attentively in some cold quiet hallway having come out of the rain or by the coastline after swimming as the breeze came over the sea, so rigorous is his control of his expression. It would be unseemly to be seen suffering from the elements.
When Jin speaks he nods quietly and goes to collect Bryagh, who he had left to graze as he would. After letting the horse nuzzle him a for a while he mounts up and quietly falls into file, saying nothing until Gabriel has disappeared into the brush 'May Mystra watch over you.' Although he carefully controls his voice, speaking in neutral tones, there is no mistaking the real emotion and concern in his gravelly bass voice. He resumes his silence and when Mead voices the all-clear he kicks his heels into Bryagh and starts forward at a slow trot, knowing the others would take up position behind him.
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Spoiler
The Human Spirit also by KP. The Raynnverse lives!
Vagrant and Seal by Smuchmuch
Vagrant by Darth Raynn
Sentient #6 Avatar by kpenguin. Clearly the best picture of a M&M character named after a Nevermore song there has ever been.
Arelwyn do Neañthel
Lawful Good Female Sun Elf Conjurer 3 / Master Conjurer 2 / Incantatrix 1 Ini +7 HP 42/42 Speed 30 AC 17 Touch 13 Flat-footed 14 Fort +4 Ref +4 Will +9 Base Attack Bonus +1 Longbow 1d8 ×3,Piercing, attack bonus +4 (1 BAB + 3 Dex) Abilities: Str 8, Dex 16, Con 16, Int 20, Wis 8, Cha 8 Condition: None Active Spells: [Extended] Mage Armour Prepared Spells 0 level: Caltrops x 2, Detect Magic, Mage Hand, Prestidigitation 1 level:Mage Armor, Wall of Smoke, Grease x2, Expeditious Retreat, swift (Sc), Arrow Mind, (Sc) 2 level: Glitterdust, Web, Rope Trick, Baleful Transposition (Sc), Slide, Greater (Sc) 3 level: Stinking Cloud, Haste, [Sculpt Spell] Glitterdust, Fly
Arelwyn stopped with the others and all too willingly found some scant shade below a Northern Acacia tree, though there was nothing Northern about this patch of backwater country. The Wizard woman was glad she was a Sun Elf and as such, her bronze skin was largely used to sunshine. Some of the paler Humans here were beginning to blush with the red marks of sunburn. They would have trouble sleeping tonight.
She had kept to herself mostly, wondering why in the name of the Sledarine was she trekking along this dusty road, and what possible need for an Incantatrix there was here, of all places on Faerûn. There was no evil looming in the hot, dry air (in fact said evil probably retreaded from the ungodly heat), no Demons, Devils or Undead lurking about the dry, thorny bushes. Only heat, dust and sweaty brows.
When it came to sweat Arelwyn held a special part of her heart, filled with the utmost loathing, for this necessary process of nature. Despite her long, wheat coloured hair being tied in the tightest possible bun at the back of her head, the Sun Elf still felt it as a heavy, damp towel. Her green and gold dress was made of fine cotton and silk, and yet regrettable spots of sweat had already formed beneath her armpits. "How revolting." she thought as she observed them.
Her companions ware a strange lot, but interesting nonetheless. Seing them perform various weaves of the Art, Arelwyn thought it best to join the displays of magical aptitude. Reaching in her Harversack she produced a smooth, 2 feet long rod made of gray steel. It was refreshingly chilly to the touch, having rested in the extra-dimensional space of the sack.
Reaching in the spell component pouch she had selected for today, the Sun Elf produced a small piece of cured leather and gripping it tightly, she declared the magical words in a loud and stern voice, running the stream of magic trough the rod and extending it's duration.
Arelwyn casually glanced over the group and noticed that everybody was doing something autonomously. They were a gathering of individuals rather than a team, and that was a tactical disadvantage that had to be remedied.
The Wizardress stood up, with all the Elven grace that came naturally to her, and perhaps some more added to combat the uneasy feeling that she was sticky and wet in all the wrong places. She approached the solemn priest as she heard his blessings, and produced her locket - it was a small silver pedant with Correlon's and Mystra's Holy Symbols, and it had been Arewlyn's for all of the 144 years of her life.
"Inquisitor Soldato, I would speak of religion with you, should you have a few minutes." her voice was level and devoid of unneccesarry emotions, although Arelwyn wanted to seem friendly. It was hard to be friendly with someone she did not know and who was not Tel'Quessir. The man was still a handsome one, and with the apparent heritage of a holy Aasimar. And he was, after all, a priest of Mystra.
Spoiler
Spot: [roll]1d20+1[/roll]
Actions: Cast Mage Armour, extended via Rod.
Guys can we have a gathering of all the PCs sheets, in particular I'm interested in the backstories and physical descriptions of your characters. My sheet has all of the info in it, but those using myth weavers or similar services should perhaps post in the OOC?
Soldato turned in his saddle to regard Arewlyn coolly, his gaze frank and open he studied her as if he had never laid eyes on her before. His expression unreadable his eyes travelled down over her blond hair and golden skin before settling on the pedant that dangled from her lithe fingers with an artfulness that he judged almost certainly unconscious, he had long ago observed that Arewlyn was possessed of the effortless grace typical of her people. 'Our journey is far from done and I would be pleased to offer any knowledge you might require Miss do Neañthel... If I may?'
Moving slowly to give her time to voice an objection he reaches down and lifts the locket up to the light to examine it in greater detail, all the while highly aware of how clumsy his gauntlet made the gesture 'I must confess I have not seen these two symbols displayed in such a way before.' Whatever thoughts might be going through his mind he kept them to himself, after a few moments of intense scrutiny he lets the locket drop back into her hand 'A beautiful piece, and one well suited to you Lady.'
__________________
Spoiler
The Human Spirit also by KP. The Raynnverse lives!
Vagrant and Seal by Smuchmuch
Vagrant by Darth Raynn
Sentient #6 Avatar by kpenguin. Clearly the best picture of a M&M character named after a Nevermore song there has ever been.
Grushnarg (Greg) the Redeemed
Male Lawful Good Hellbred Paladin, Level 6, Init +2, HP 78/78, Speed 20 AC 21, Touch 9, Flat-footed 21, Fort +11, Ref +5, Will +7, Base Attack Bonus 6/1 +1 Lance (-) +10/+5 (1d8+4, x3) Masterwork Heavy Pick (Least Crystal of Return) +10/+5 (1d6+3, x4) +1 Full Plate (Restful Crystal), +1 Heavy Wooden Shield (+9 Armor, +3 Shield, -1 Misc) Abilities Str 16, Dex 10, Con 16, Int 12, Wis 14, Cha 16 Condition None
All background information has been moved to the notes section, and I'll move the link to my sig before the end of the day.
Also, I have to apologize for the quality of writing in this post. I'm terrible at storytelling when I'm tired.
Greg awoke from dragon back as they approached the hill. He prayed a silent thanks to Bahamut for a mount that was intelligent enough to travel autonomously, then conveyed his gratitude to Styga before staggering awkwardly to the ground. "Restful crystal. Worth every penny... though I probably should have asked for something to help with the heat," he mused, feeling the steel slide uncomfortably over his sweaty torso. Through their empathic link, he sensed Styga's hunger as she wandered over towards a promising cluster of not-quite-as-withered grass. Clanking his way over to the tree, he removed his helmet and began to dig into his backpack for a large iron mug.
He tapped the mug four times with his off hand, then watched with bemusement as beer began to flow down the sides and into the bottom. His expression turned into disgust after the first sip. "Portable inn my 'grohiick'," he spat, reverting to goblin briefly. A useful language, goblin... for swearing anyways. While common used a few choice swear words and then described them with others, goblin had curses for almost every occasion, and even for a few that almost never happened (they had a curse specifically for when a divine cow lands on your house, though it could be adapted for a cheating wife or a goblin with certain... bovine perversions). "Any innkeeper who watered his beer this much would be in danger of winding up in Baator." The accidental reminder of his situation sobered him a bit, and he drank the remainder of his beer in silence before mounting Styga again and preparing to continue.
Arelwyn do Neañthel
Lawful Good Female Sun Elf Conjurer 3 / Master Conjurer 2 / Incantatrix 1 Ini +7 HP 42/42 Speed 30 AC 17 Touch 13 Flat-footed 14 Fort +4 Ref +4 Will +9 Base Attack Bonus +1 Longbow 1d8 ×3,Piercing, attack bonus +4 (1 BAB + 3 Dex) Abilities: Str 8, Dex 16, Con 16, Int 20, Wis 8, Cha 8 Condition: None Active Spells: [Extended] Mage Armour Prepared Spells 0 level: Caltrops x 2, Detect Magic, Mage Hand, Prestidigitation 1 level:Mage Armor, Wall of Smoke, Grease x2, Expeditious Retreat, swift (Sc), Arrow Mind, (Sc) 2 level: Glitterdust, Web, Rope Trick, Baleful Transposition (Sc), Slide, Greater (Sc) 3 level: Stinking Cloud, Haste, [Sculpt Spell] Glitterdust, Fly
The blond Elven woman smiled and her emerald eyes, dotted with small spots of gold, shone at the priest. It was refreshing to know that not all Humans were as brash as the dockers and sailors in Waterdeep's harbor, nor pompous as the high nobility of Amn.
"It is a family heirloom, and though not as old as some of my other possessions, i hold a special sentiment for it. My mother is a priestess of Corellon Larethian and my father is a very devout explorer of the Art and it's High Magic. They thought it best to bestow the blessings of both Corellon, father of the Elves and Mystra, Goddess of Magic, upon me and my brothers and sisters. I have read some works on theology, Jonaleth Skoll if you are familiar with his "The workings of Gods and men", but the Human scholars seem to disagree whether one can worship two deities equally so that they can both be his patrons. Back on Evermeet there are no such controversies, as our Queen Amlauril Moonflower is Chosen of all the Seldarine and she reveres them with equal passion."
Arelwyn paused as she unclasped the pedant, revealing miniature portraits of her parents inside it. "There they are, the current heads of House do Neañthel. I am astonished and pleasantly surprised how well you pronounce my rather difficult family name monseigneur Soldato. Do you perhaps speak Elven?" Wording a honorific used by the nobility of the Western human kingdoms of Faerûn, Arelwyn hoped to best relate to the man. She was indeed happy that someone didn't frown over her name and decide to just call her Ariel. She disliked that Human name - Ariel. It was made for light headed serving wenches, not for Elven High Wizardresses. And Arelwyn was going to become one some day.
As the group got underway, Mead sent her thoughts forward towards Gabriel, watching for him - or anything else - in the shadowy realm of the witspace.
Witspace. That world where only the flickering candle-light of the mind appeared. Each of her companions shone in the witspace - some more brightly than others, and each with their own distinct colour. She had been surprised, when first meeting him, that Greg showed up as a kind of royal blue in witspace, rather than anything suggesting the nether realms. And his fascinating steed, a glittering silver, tinged differently than the grey of most animals. Arelwyn and Soldato both had different shades of yellow-orange to them, while the others had a solid, warm brown hue. They moved around her, reassuring in their faint but steady light.
She had developed her understanding of the witspace, thinking of its applications in tracking population groupings and to observe pairings in a less obtrusive manner. She'd never imagined that she'd be using it now to help keep track of the scout for a deputized group in a state of national emergency.
Mead felt the heat of the day penetrate again once they were up and walking. She glanced up at Aria, eager for a distraction from the exhausting sledgehammer of the sun.
"If it is not impertinent to ask, Miss Aria - the craft that you have mastered, the art of names, it is not one that I have read more than a passing reference to in the annals of the academy back in Lantan and even those have only brief and sometimes contradictory descriptions, it's primal and fundamental to the forces of the world and also tightly constrained and impossible to master, it is as fascinating for the diversity of accounts as for the art itself, I would say, but this is presumptuous in the extreme, what I had meant to ask was how did it first come to appeal to you?"
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Sorry for all of the games on which I'm behind. Health plus work nastiness. I'm now working to catch up.
Peridot avatar (complete with demon consorts) courtesy of the very talented Telasi.
Despair favours the status quo. It is a luxury we cannot afford. ~ Andrew Nikiforuk
Soldato allowed himself a small smile, briefly flashing perfect white teeth through his thin lips 'I am gladdened to hear my pronunciation is correct.' he replied in Elven 'Elven is a common language back home, though there are few elves to speak it. I must confess I have been reluctant to speak in your mother tongue in your presence lest I give offence or make a fool of myself.' He paused and cast his eyes to the others, when his gaze returns to her he speaks common again, his tone is slightly apologetic 'Elven is the language of magic, so it is a poor Halruaan who does not speak at least a few words. But it is all learned from ancient books, it is good to know my clumsy tongue does not betray me.' He flashes his best charming smile 'And please, call me Inquisitor or Soldato. Or Ricardo if you prefer. Halruaa has no nobility.' He leaned down in the saddle to examine the portraits presented to him 'It seems I spoke truer than I realised when I named your pendent well suited to you. Truly it is a wonderful piece, it must be a comfort to have your parents always so close to heart. Seeing it I wish I had taken the time to study the ways of your people further.' She inherited her father deity from her mother, and the mother of magic from her father. There's a duality few can boast... Oh! But where are my manners?
He dismounts and starts to loosen the straps of his saddle's harness, with his back to her he continues As it happens I am familiar with "The workings of Gods and men." Hardly required for my profession but Skoll wrote well, I finished it in little time. His arguments regarding duality of faith are compelling. I agree completely that no man can hold two gods in equal regard in his heart of hearts, even if the one in highest regard can change from moment to moment. However Skoll misunderstands the nature of patronage. Even if, for example, you held Mystra highest in your heart I do not believe this means that Corellon Larethian will turn his back on you.'
__________________
Spoiler
The Human Spirit also by KP. The Raynnverse lives!
Vagrant and Seal by Smuchmuch
Vagrant by Darth Raynn
Sentient #6 Avatar by kpenguin. Clearly the best picture of a M&M character named after a Nevermore song there has ever been.
You had been travelling for most of the day, with frequent pauses required due to the heat. Your path was a rough part of the Dawn Way, the east-west trade road. Little more than a gravel road, it wound along the edges of the Witchwood.
Even in this peaceful area with the paralyzing heat, Gabriel had been scouting ahead. Often, he vanished into the woods and reappeared much later to make sure the road ahead was safe. To your left and right, dense forest framed the way, and spent shade, but also caused the warm air to amass on the lower1 way, with no breeze to ease your breath. All of you were tired already, longing to reach Drellin’s Ferry or another place to rest for the night.
As your scout was carefully approaching a road intersection, he waited for you to close the gap. Raising and waving his hand, he indicated that a way led off to the right-hand side. Slowly, he advanced...
A sudden silence, and then a startled flight of birds rushed off into the afternoon sky. Gabriel could make out a shadow hushing in the woods nearby, and Jin’s keen ears picked up a cracking noise to his left. A figure coming towards her from the corner of her eyes, Mead turned to the right, while Aria stood back-to-back with her, facing whatever caused the cracking sounds to her left.
Map:
Spoiler
OOC:
Spoiler
1 = As you can probably see on the map, the way is lower than the forested area, and the slope is not only steep, but is also covered by light undergrowth (i.e. each square counts as 4 squares).
Ambushed!
There are multiple sounds and shadows moving, some of them closing in fast. As you notice them, most are approximately 10’ to 20’ distant.
You cannot make out details of your enemies yet, except they appear humanoid.
Character
Skill Result
Information
Arelwyn
Spot success
a figure to your left, maybe 20 ft. distant, approximate position: H-3
Aria
Listen success
a cracking sound to your left, maybe 20 ft. away, approximate position: H-3
Gabriel
Spot success
a figure moving in the forest ahead and to the left, about 30 ft. distant, position: S-13 (slightly off the current map cut)
Greg
No success (surprised)
Jin
Listen success
a sound to your left, perhaps 20 ft. distant, approximate position: L-5
Mead
Listen, Spot success
a figure coming out of in the forest, moving fast, about 10-15 ft. distant, approximate position: A-6
Ricardo
Spot success
a figure moving to your left, about 20 ft. distant, approximate position O-7
Gabriel sprung into action with a yell of "AMBUSH!". In the moment it took him to assess the situation he saw the group was in a bad position. The only solution wass to get to the top, however unhealthy that may prove to be. With all his strength and speed he scrambled up the slope. Every step was either looking for safe footing or breaking through dry brushes damndamndamndamn but his advance was inexorable. As he cleared the top of the slope he took swift stock of the situation.
Arelwyn do Neañthel
Lawful Good Female Sun Elf Conjurer 3 / Master Conjurer 2 / Incantatrix 1 Ini +7 HP 42/42 Speed 30 AC 17 Touch 13 Flat-footed 14 Fort +4 Ref +4 Will +9 Base Attack Bonus +1 Longbow 1d8 ×3,Piercing, attack bonus +4 (1 BAB + 3 Dex) Abilities: Str 8, Dex 16, Con 16, Int 20, Wis 8, Cha 8 Condition: None Active Spells: [Extended] Mage Armour Prepared Spells 0 level: Caltrops x 2, Detect Magic, Mage Hand, Prestidigitation 1 level:Mage Armor, Wall of Smoke, Grease x2, Expeditious Retreat, swift (Sc), Arrow Mind, (Sc) 2 level: Glitterdust, Web, Rope Trick, Baleful Transposition (Sc), Slide, Greater (Sc) 3 level: Stinking Cloud, Haste, [Sculpt Spell] Glitterdust, Fly
Arelwyn frowned and her elongated Elven ears trembled with the rustling sounds of advancing enemies. She presumed enemies as no friendly or neutral party would see it wise to simulate an ambush.
Her first order of business was to make sure her group had a vantage point. Since the terrain was so unfavorable she had to take action immediately. Reaching in her spell component pouch she produced a small feather of a white dove and speaking in the melodious tongue of her ancestors, she channeled the weaves of a Fly spell around herself and took to the sky.
She had to estimate the positioning and numbers of the enemy and warn her allies.
Spoiler
Casts Fly, flies up directly. She will let the others know as soon as she can see something (talking is a free action right)
Also, Malachei, for each encounter from now on assume Arelwyn will burn a charge on her Wand of Nerveskitter
Jin Porter
Male Neutral Good Human Swordsage 6, Level 6, Init +10, HP 58/58, Speed 45 AC 25, Touch 19, Flat-footed 21, Fort +5, Ref +10, Will +9, Base Attack Bonus 4 Katana+1 +10 (1d10, 19-20/x2) Mithril Shirt +2, Wisdom to AC, and +1 luck bonus from LoH, +2 Ring of Protection (+6 Armor, +4 Dex, +1 Deflect, +4 Misc) Abilities Str 8, Dex 19, Con 14, Int 14, Wis 16, Cha 8 Condition None
Company. Most likely hostile. Dangerous to stay down here. Must protect the party. All of these thoughts rushed through Jin's mind in an instant. Hurriedly he scrambled up the steep slope as to try to negate as much of the terrain advantage as possible before they closed in for an attack, drawing forth his katana as he moved.
Sword in hand Jin's tension died down just a little. This blade had seen him through many hardships, just as it had his grandfather. Surely, it would do the same today.
Spoiler
Swift Action : Stance ->Child of the Shadow (grants myself concealment if i move 10 or more feet)
Move Action: to H-6 (40 feet of movement)
Counter: If struck in melee, will initiate "Fire Riposte" as an immediate action to the attacker, should I not be struck, disregard this counter all-together. (1d20+8)[15] Melee Touch Attack (dex due to finesse) (4d6)[14] Fire Damage
When Soldato sees the figure disappearing into the shadows of the forest he closed his eyes and tried to find the still calm center within himself. His listened to the breeze blow through the foliage and the silence of his companions and allowed himself to hope, just for a second.
It was, he would later reflect, a very good second. It was spoiled entirely by Gabriel shouting 'AMBUSH!' Frustrated he blows air out of his nostrils in a sigh of a kind and grinds his teeth.
When his eyes flicked open a moment later they were drained of the good humour and patience his companions had come to expect from him. Instead they were flinty, hard and ready to shoot sparks. He reined Bryagh in and reached his shielded arm high in the air. Although he does not shout his voice still carries far 'Mystra benison be with us.'
Spoiler
Casting circle of protection, evil
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Spoiler
The Human Spirit also by KP. The Raynnverse lives!
Vagrant and Seal by Smuchmuch
Vagrant by Darth Raynn
Sentient #6 Avatar by kpenguin. Clearly the best picture of a M&M character named after a Nevermore song there has ever been.
Noticing the motion in the woods around them, Mead closes her eyes for a moment and focuses on the witspace. Catching fleeting images, candles around them. As quickly as she can, she sends what she learns to her colleagues.
"Excuse me but I'm picking up four distinct groups of three humanoids each, there are groups about twenty feet to my left and right, and there's nother group is almost directly adjacent to Gabriel, and a fourth group about twenty feet to Greg's right."
Jamming her hand into a pouch at her side, Mead pulls out a bit of licorice root and tosses it into the air, turning the motion into a quick, complex loop. A burst of energy sweeps through her colleagues.
Spoiler
Mead casts haste on the group, except Gabriel. Sorry - can't quite reach you!
Mead Ghelidia....ith
Female LN Rock Gnome Beguiler 5/Mindbender 1, Level 6, Init +0, HP 52/52, Speed 20 (30 w/ longstrider) AC 17, Touch 11, Flat-footed 17, Fort +6, Ref +7, Will +9, Base Attack Bonus 2 Cold Iron Dagger (4) +1 (1d3-2, 19-20) Darkwood Light Crossbow (10) +1 (1d6+1, x2) Mage Armour, +1 Mithril Buckler (2,000) (+4 Armor, +2 Shield, +1 Size) Abilities Str 6, Dex 10, Con 16, Int 22, Wis 14, Cha 14 Condition Active Spells:
Haste
Long Strider
Mage Armour
__________________
Sorry for all of the games on which I'm behind. Health plus work nastiness. I'm now working to catch up.
Peridot avatar (complete with demon consorts) courtesy of the very talented Telasi.
Despair favours the status quo. It is a luxury we cannot afford. ~ Andrew Nikiforuk
Female Lawful Good Human Truenamer 6, Level 6, Init +2, HP 42/42, Speed 60
AC 18, Touch 13, Flat-footed 16, Fort +3, Ref +4, Will +4, Base Attack Bonus 4
Masterwork Spear (1d8+1, x3)
+1 Chain Shirt, +2 Dex, +1 Dodge (Haste)
Abilities Str 13, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 18, Wis 8, Cha 16
Condition: Haste
Aria was prepareing to answer Mead when she heard a snaping twig off to the side of the clearing. She took a moment to react to the noises around her, distracted by her thoughts. She quickly apologized after Mead cast her spell;"I am very sorry about the disruption, Mead, but I promise to answer you later."Under the effects of the Haste spell, she surges up the side of the embankment, looking about for her target. She sees him, heavily concealed, and she prepares herself for combat.
Spoiler
I make a move action from E5 to F4, and them use a Moderate Word of Nurturing.
(1d20+28)[32] The target DC is 15+2xHD.
Damage, if it works: (4d6)[17]
Sorry about that. I missed the bit about only a single action.
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I'm currently recruiting for my Red Hand of Doom game set in Eberron. Come check it out!
LGBTitP
Thank you to Akrim.elf for my beautiful avatar.
Last edited by RaggedAngel : 01-17-2011 at 10:30 PM.
The woods echoed with fierce battle cries. Blades were drawn, and mysterious chanting began. From the sounds of undergrowth breaking coming from all directions, you expected a large force. Then you could see the first ambushers, as they left their hiding places. They were tall humanoids, with wild hair and colored faces.
One was shouting ”Mech daan dhuc och dekar!”1, and was answered by the hissing sound of arrows cutting the air, aimed at flying Arelwyn.
From the dense forest, Gabriel could hear a bowstring being released, and an arrow struck a nearby tree, its shaft shivering from the force of impact. ”Shogaan o!”2 came an angry, evil growl. The same instant, a tall, strong figure jumped from the brush. His face was colored red, his hair kept in wild braids, and he wore a chainmail and carried a heavy shield. As the warrior came swinging his sword at you, you recognized him as hobgoblin! Instinctively, you ducked underneath the strong creature’s thrust, but the edge of its sword still pierced your shoulder. You clenched your teeth in pain.
Ricardo, just having spread silver dust on the ground, rose to see an arrow coming at him from the forest. It hit him, but was not able to pierce his strong armor.
From two sides, arrows were being shot at Styga, and one pierced the noble steed’s side, though not deeply enough to hurt the beast.
Mead was surprised to see an arrow hit the ground nearby, and one of the creatures came running at her. Simultaneously, Aria was fired at, and the arrow pierced her side.
A shrill voice called out, ”Uth-lar! Shuulkaan duun dhec daan okaalkec!”3
Female Lawful Good Human Truenamer 6, Level 6, Init +2, HP 37/42, Speed 60
AC 18, Touch 13, Flat-footed 16, Fort +3, Ref +4, Will +4, Base Attack Bonus 4
Masterwork Spear (1d8+1, x3)
+1 Chain Shirt, +2 Dex, +1 Dodge (Haste)
Abilities Str 13, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 18, Wis 8, Cha 16
Condition: Haste, Universal Competence, Extended Moderate Word of Nurturing
Aria stares at the arrow for a moment; the blow had been powerful, though slightly dampened by the gently glowing gem set into her armor. It was the two hundred and thirty second time that her power had not been enough to protect her. "Time to explain their mistakes in detail," she thought quickly as she gazed upon her attackers. They were hobgoblins, she knew that much. She focused for a moment, the Utterance of Universal Aptitude still active, and all the tiny bits and details she possessed concerning the fierce, warlike goblinoids coalesced in her mind. Aria paused for the briefest of moments, her mind racing. She then chanted out a Moderate Word of Nurturing, adding an inflection to increase its duration, filling her with vitality and mending her wounds. As the utterance wrapped around her she withdrew from her pack, sticking out for relatively easy access, her spear, well-made but nonmagical. She hated that spear. It was a good weapon, and had saved her many times, and for that she despised it. It was a brute's tool, a tool for murder and nothing more; and yet she carried it, and would continue to carry it, until the day that it was unnecessary.
Spoiler
I use Knowledge Devotion, a free action when I see an enemy. The knowledge roll in question is Local, for humanoids; though I believe that the DM does have discretion. (1d20+15)[25]
EDIT- This means a +2 against attack and damage for Goblinoids. Let me know if there is some other type of opponent, so I can make a check for those as well.
As a standard action I utter an Extended (+5 DC) Moderate Word of Nurturing. The Fast Healing 5 does not start working until my next turn, I believe. (1d20+28)[34]
The -5 for Extending is canceled by the +5 from Universal Aptitude.
I use a move action to draw my spear.
Universal Aptitude has 3 rounds left.
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LGBTitP
Thank you to Akrim.elf for my beautiful avatar.
Last edited by RaggedAngel : 01-18-2011 at 01:07 AM.
Jin Porter
Male Neutral Good Human Swordsage 6, Level 6, Init +10, HP 58/58, Speed 45 AC 25, Touch 19, Flat-footed 21, Fort +5, Ref +10, Will +9, Base Attack Bonus 4 Katana+1 +10 (1d10, 19-20/x2) Mithril Shirt +2, Wisdom to AC, and +1 luck bonus from LoH, +2 Ring of Protection (+6 Armor, +4 Dex, +1 Deflect, +4 Misc) Abilities Str 8, Dex 19, Con 14, Int 14, Wis 16, Cha 8 Condition Haste (+1 to hit, +1 dodge ac, +30 movement)
Child of Shadow (concealment 20% if 10+ feet moved that round)
Greater Invisibility (cloak of deception)
Maneuvers Readied:
Counter Charge (B)
Fire Riposte (C) Cloak of Deception (B) using this round
Insightful Strike (S)
Fan the Flames (S) Death Mark (S) using this round
It's as I feared. They aren't friendly. Luckily for me they either haven't seen me, or they don't consider me a target. Yet. Quickly summoning the shadows around him he dashed forth on his newly invigorated legs through the brush. Twirling his blade gathering flames he approached his mark. Upon arrival Jin executed a vertical slash to the heavens. The target burst forth in searing ball of flame scorching not only himself but his unsuspecting allies beside him.
Spoiler
Swift Action: Initiate Cloak of Deception (pg 76), greater invisibility, end of turn
Move Action: H6 to G3 (75 feet of movement available)
H6->H5->G4->G3
Standard Action: Initiate Death Mark (pg 52) to target in H2
Attack Roll: (1d20+13)[24] (+2 for being invisible, +1 for haste)
Damage Roll : (1d6)[3] (normal damage) (6d6+3)[27] Fire Damage (+3 from wis, desert wind insightful strike)
10 foot radius aoe (if target is medium) or 5 foot radius (if the target is small) Ref DC 16 for half fire damage. (I am immune to this damage)
If struck in melee combat somehow
Initiate Fire Riposte (pg 53) as an immediate action
Melee Touch Attack : (1d20+11)[25] (+1 haste, +2 invisible)
Fire Damage Roll : (4d6)[12]
Mead Ghelidia....ith
Female LN Rock Gnome Beguiler 5/Mindbender 1, Level 6, Init +0, HP 52/52, Speed 20 (30 w/ longstrider) AC 17, Touch 11, Flat-footed 17, Fort +6, Ref +7, Will +9, Base Attack Bonus 2 Cold Iron Dagger (4) +1 (1d3-2, 19-20) Darkwood Light Crossbow (10) +1 (1d6+1, x2) Mage Armour, +1 Mithril Buckler (2,000) (+4 Armor, +2 Shield, +1 Size) Abilities Str 6, Dex 10, Con 16, Int 22, Wis 14, Cha 14 Active Spells
Haste
Long Strider
Mage Armour
Mead flinches away from the arrow buried in the ground at her feet. Darn. It had been nearly a full year since anyone had shot at her. Orienting on the three up the rise to her right, she used what she thought of as the "find them easier in the dark" magic on the three hobgoblins clustered there. If any manage to clear their eyes, she hits that one with the "don't follow me" magic. Then, she considered the choices for position and decided that having all of them clustered in one spot was not conducive to their collective health. She beetled off back up the ridge.
Spoiler
Standard action: cast Glitterdust, centred on A7. Will DC 18 to negate.
Swift action: if any of the hobgoblins in that cluster seem to still be able to see, she casts Hesitate on them. Will DC 22 to negate, new save each round. If all three seem affected by the Glitterdust, she will instead target the nearest hobgoblin not already incapacitated or dead.
Move action: move to B0.
__________________
Sorry for all of the games on which I'm behind. Health plus work nastiness. I'm now working to catch up.
Peridot avatar (complete with demon consorts) courtesy of the very talented Telasi.
Despair favours the status quo. It is a luxury we cannot afford. ~ Andrew Nikiforuk
Facing the enemy, Aria called out in a strange language, which carried ancient power.
Jin rushed into the forest and vanished from sight. Even his shadow was not visible to the eye anymore. Suddenly, there was a cry, and Aria could see the area right in front of her erupt into flame. The three tall humanoids were ablaze, and, in wails of agony, were burnt alive – and died, staring in disbelief at Jin, who reappeared out of nowhere.
Turning to the other side, Mead sprayed a golden dust into the air, and it rained down over the enemies, like the golden glitter of the elven forest myths. All three hobgoblins raised their hands and cried, blinded by Mead’s spell.
Gabriel Strazza
M LN Human - Chondathan Scout4/Ranger2, Level 6, Init +7, HP 45/48, Speed 50 AC 19, Touch 14, Flat-footed 19, Fort +6, Ref +11, Will +3, Base Attack Bonus 5 +1 Composite (+2) longbow (20) +10 (1d8+3, x3) Morning star +5 (1d8+2, x2) Dagger +5 (1d4+2, 19-20) +1 Mithral Shirt (+5 Armor, +4 Dex) Abilities Str 14, Dex 19, Con 12, Int 14, Wis 14, Cha 8 Condition None
These bushes are severly annoying thought Gabriel as he just barely touched the little charm shaped like a sun on the horizon. The charm glowed with the color of the setting sun and in the blink of an eye Gabriel moved through the undergrowth staying at the edge of the wood. Before the hobgoblins have had a chance to reposition themselves Gabriels bow was aimed at the hobgoblins and the bowstring began to sing its deadly song. One arrow and then another flew towards the hobgoblins.
Arelwyn do Neañthel
Lawful Good Female Sun Elf Conjurer 3 / Master Conjurer 2 / Incantatrix 1 Ini +7 HP 31/42 Speed 30 AC 17 Touch 13 Flat-footed 14 Fort +4 Ref +4 Will +9 Base Attack Bonus +1 Longbow 1d8 ×3,Piercing, attack bonus +4 (1 BAB + 3 Dex) Abilities: Str 8, Dex 16, Con 16, Int 20, Wis 8, Cha 8 Condition: None Active Spells: [Extended] Mage Armour, Fly Prepared Spells 0 level: Caltrops x 2, Detect Magic, Mage Hand, Prestidigitation 1 level:Mage Armor, Wall of Smoke, Grease x2, Expeditious Retreat, swift (Sc), Arrow Mind, (Sc) 2 level:Glitterdust, Web, Rope Trick, Baleful Transposition (Sc), Slide, Greater (Sc) 3 level: Stinking Cloud, Haste, [Sculpt Spell] Glitterdust, Fly
Arewlyn growled with the sting of the crude arrows fashioned by her primitive foes. She had hoped they wold be lacking in ranged power when she flew, and her hopes had turned her into a priority target. One who had not prepared Protection From arrows at that. "Me and my "who would shoot at an emissary from Evermeet?""
Seeing as how her allies quickly reacted with adequate spells, the Elf decided the best course of action was to disable the third group to the South-West and then fly towards the big figure that lurked to the South-East.
Producing the ever persistent ground mica from her pouch, Arewlyn stated "Ncoar vyel ahalee!" and sprayed golden dust at the attackers, after which she flew diagonally towards the last remaining enemy.
Spoiler
Casts Glitterdust at C12. Flies diagonally towards Q11, meaning she flies both at the square but also upwards to further the distance between herself and the ground.
All three hobgoblins held their eyes, when Arelwyn's magic overcame them as another rain of golden glitter, this one original elven sorcery, appeared. Blinded, they howled in fear, and stumbled into the forest.
Meanwhile, Gabriel fought hard in the woods to gain ground and a clear shot against the armored warriors. One swung his sword at him, but the ranger easily dodged the thrust. Turning, he sent a deadly arrow flying at his foe, penetrating the hobgoblin's throat. The warrior dropped his sword and fell to the ground, rasping. His second shot, however, missed his mark.
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