Initiates - Revision history

Johnm: /* To Thronos */

2022-09-23T19:51:16Z

To Thronos

← Older revision		Revision as of 15:51, 23 September 2022
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	They're right. 2000' below, at the bottom of a great rift in the island, a dot of utter blackness is surrounded by about 50 hellions/souleaters/voidbringers. Some are working to build a weird warship near where the rift opens to the sea on the eastern coast.		They're right. 2000' below, at the bottom of a great rift in the island, a dot of utter blackness is surrounded by about 50 hellions/souleaters/voidbringers. Some are working to build a weird warship near where the rift opens to the sea on the eastern coast.

			=== Timber! ===

			Having learned a thing or two about ''flying'', the team decides to have Sajad scoop up the other two and magically fly-fall off the cliff and directly into the hellgate.

			But first, they engineer a catastrophic rockfall. A ton of beach-ball and smaller rocks cascade down the precipice, smashing the ship-builders and their vessel.

			Upon entering the hellgate, the team immediately tumbles through thick dust, and find themselves in a weird new world of gray ash and dust, distant peaks scarcely visible through the blowing cinders.

			After pausing to dust themselves off, they are taken aback when two roughly humanoid blobs rear up from the dust. The waist-high creatures have no facial features and make no sound, but after some attempts at communication the party comes to believe that when their 'heads' glow blue, that's a "no" or sadness/negativity, and red is "yes" or joy/positivity.

			Harold's ''Wild Talent'' reveals that these are the ancient inhabitants of this planetoid, this demi-plane of shadows, and that there's a large city just five miles away. The creatures, which the party dubs 'the grays', seem to be pleased to lead the party to this city. The creatures also take an interest in touching the copper armbands that each of the teens wears.

			From GM Notes:
			<pre>
			Lording over the concentration camp - voidbringers with long forks,
			accompanied by spiders larger than horses, that are plucking grays
			out of the crowd and putting them on a conveyor system, which is
			powered by the efforts of many more grays, at the top of which the
			creatures drop into a vat with rotating gears on the side. A burst
			of gray vapors bursts from a stack every few seconds. A system
			of chutes directs the pulverized results, a glowing purple ichor,
			in branching channels that lead to...
			Area 1 - the base of the vine/tree, where 'arteries' of purple snake up
			the sides of the main trunk. Watch this long enough and an armed bad
			guy will lean against the trunk, the trunk will accept and begin
			peristaltically pushing him up up up... And .. watch the pods long
			enough and a naked skinny voidbringer drops out.
			Area 2 (far side) forge - thousands of voidbringers forging weapons, armor
			Area 3 (directly in front and to your left) the concentration camp
			Area 4 (in front and to your right) the majority of the ichor goes
			this way, to a series of mansion-sized vats, connected by pipes,
			steaming and bubbling, and then into a dodge-van sized smaller stone
			vessel. An assembly line of voidbringers are removing the evident
			whitish final product with buckets to dozens of long work benches
			on which voidbringers are carefully sprinkling the white powder
			into thick crossbow bolts.

			The grays throb with a deep blue glow.. :(
			</pre>

			While hatching a plan, Sajad's danger-sensing butcher knife teleports into his hand. He spins around to see a fast-approaching voidbringer atop a spider the size of an elephant.

			While the other two teens split left and right, Sajad rushes forward , ''under'' the spider's mandibles, and jams a sword though the carapace abdomen, where he then holds it in, wiggling about as the beast thrashes and the rider tries in vain to stab with a long spear.

			The rider jumps down -- only to be skewered by Darcy's rapier.

			Threat extinguished, the party turns to infiltration. The plan is to mask themselves with an illusion of a rockfall, and slide down the wall of the crater to join the grays in the massive camp.

			It works. Next, they abscond with a crossbow and sack full of the explosive white powder, and use another of Darcy's illusions to mask it as a voidbringer at the base of the towering crystal vine.

			After stealthily retreating a short distance away, Harold aims and fires.

			'''BOOM'''

			And the crystal vine cracks at its base and begins to fall, its thousand-foot-high bulk splintering into a billion pieces and setting the voidbringers' efforts back many centuries.

			Darcy then uses intuitively the staff to craft a portal home. A moment later, the tree teenagers are in the inner sanctum of the Temple of Celeste in [[Cormire]]. After placing the staff back in its case, they ascend to the main temple, where the priestesses -- including all the teen' moms -- are engaged in prayer, which evidently works, because the children have returned.

			Elation and jubilation follows -- tinged with a bit of scolding for taking so long, having obviously poor hygiene and sunburn, and missing so much school.

			Afterwards, the teens step out on the bustling streets of Cormire, transformed by their experience and glad to be home.

Johnm: /* The Navel */

2022-08-02T17:40:36Z

The Navel

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:40, 2 August 2022
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	Splashing, chaotic battle ensues; Sajad slices off one of the creature's legs before climbing atop its shell and driving a knife through it. Harold slashes at eyestalks and vitals with some decent effect. But it is Darcy's fire magic that sends the beast into a panicked retreat, with Sajad affixed to its shell. Both disappear in a great frothing inundation of hot sea water.		Splashing, chaotic battle ensues; Sajad slices off one of the creature's legs before climbing atop its shell and driving a knife through it. Harold slashes at eyestalks and vitals with some decent effect. But it is Darcy's fire magic that sends the beast into a panicked retreat, with Sajad affixed to its shell. Both disappear in a great frothing inundation of hot sea water.

			=== To Thronos ===

			With great difficulty, Sajad sinks the giant crab, collects the loot on its shell, and awaits word from Darcy and Harold. They emerge from the underwater cave shortly, exhausted to the point of near drowning. Sajad himself must attempt swimming to shore while armored, and nearly sinks as well. Harold and Darcy drag him shore, where all 3 pass out.

			Hours pass, and Sajad only wakes up when the butcher knife he peeled off the crab shell appears in his hand. A wildcat runs off as he sits up, exhilarated. After some more rest, the party trudges the coastline north to regroup with Jaba and his peaceful tribe. Another feast is enjoyed, well-wishes exchanged, and the next morning the party rejoins the Wolves in the north lagoon.

			Confirming the intent to sail to [[Thronos]] as [[Academis]] and [[Brad]] advised, five days of open water travel commences.

			Along the way, the party receives additional martial instruction, and Darcy is approached by [[Neesha]] on several occasions to share information about her homeland - [[Thronos]].

			Armed with useful intel, the group decides to approach the island from the south, to rendezvous with Neesha's people and avoid the northerners.

			The southerners prove to be hospitable, and Neesha is able to rejoin her family, to everyone's delight. The community welcomes the strangers, but most of their discussions concern the upcoming 'Balancing', a ceremonial battle with the north.

			The party decides to trek up towards the center of the island, the high cliff that, they suspect, looks down upon the Hellgate.

			They're right. 2000' below, at the bottom of a great rift in the island, a dot of utter blackness is surrounded by about 50 hellions/souleaters/voidbringers. Some are working to build a weird warship near where the rift opens to the sea on the eastern coast.

Johnm: /* The Navel */

2022-08-02T00:09:09Z

The Navel

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:09, 1 August 2022
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	Harold decides to take a chance and withhold his next arrow until the last moment. His luck holds, and he's able to bury an arrow into the creatures brain via the eye socket. It crashes into the rocky hillside, tumbling as Sajad drives his shortsword into its ribs.		Harold decides to take a chance and withhold his next arrow until the last moment. His luck holds, and he's able to bury an arrow into the creatures brain via the eye socket. It crashes into the rocky hillside, tumbling as Sajad drives his shortsword into its ribs.

	With the beast slain, ~~Haold~~ and Sajad begin removing some of its tough scales for later use. Then, the party returns elderly [[Jaba]] to his village, where they are convinced to stay and eat and sleep and celebrate the victory.		With the beast slain, Harold and Sajad begin removing some of its tough scales for later use. Then, the party returns elderly [[Jaba]] to his village, where they are convinced to stay and eat and sleep and celebrate the victory.

	They arise before dawn and hike back up to "the navel", arriving at noon, and discovering the aperture is invested by large flesh-eating plants. Darcy drops a ball of fire into the void and roasts many of them -- the rest are placated with chunks of serpent meat as the party makes the dangerous descent into the mountain.		They arise before dawn and hike back up to "the navel", arriving at noon, and discovering the aperture is invested by large flesh-eating plants. Darcy drops a ball of fire into the void and roasts many of them -- the rest are placated with chunks of serpent meat as the party makes the dangerous descent into the mountain.

Johnm: /* Island Life */

2022-07-26T17:18:53Z

Island Life

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:18, 26 July 2022
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	They crest the peak with pink to the east, and as the light increases, spot a massive winged serpent, circling their location.		They crest the peak with pink to the east, and as the light increases, spot a massive winged serpent, circling their location.

			=== The Navel ===

			The wyvern swoops in, attempting a wing buffet, but everyone keeps their feet, spreading out cautiously. The next pass is met by an arrow to the vitals from Harold. Now the target of its ire, Harold quickly prepares another arrow. Sajad wraps his bolas around the beasts snout on the next pass, leading it to take a longer loop before returning, unencumbered.

			Harold decides to take a chance and withhold his next arrow until the last moment. His luck holds, and he's able to bury an arrow into the creatures brain via the eye socket. It crashes into the rocky hillside, tumbling as Sajad drives his shortsword into its ribs.

			With the beast slain, Haold and Sajad begin removing some of its tough scales for later use. Then, the party returns elderly [[Jaba]] to his village, where they are convinced to stay and eat and sleep and celebrate the victory.

			They arise before dawn and hike back up to "the navel", arriving at noon, and discovering the aperture is invested by large flesh-eating plants. Darcy drops a ball of fire into the void and roasts many of them -- the rest are placated with chunks of serpent meat as the party makes the dangerous descent into the mountain.

			A hundred yards down, the tube changes course, providing a slanted ledge upon which to rest and consider next options. Far, far below there's a dimly lit aquamarine pool. It takes a disturbingly long time for a dropped rock to splash down.

			Darcy then casts a spell, and Sajad gets the ability to... ''' fly!'''

			He deftly picks up both Darcy and Harold, and begins a rapid-but-not-too-rapid descent, splashing into chest-deep warm salt water just before the spell expires. It's an underground sea cave, populated by urchins and other sea creatures.

			After a moment, the real denizen returns through a tunnel to the outside -- a crab bigger than an ox, with various shiny bits encrusted to its shell.

			Splashing, chaotic battle ensues; Sajad slices off one of the creature's legs before climbing atop its shell and driving a knife through it. Harold slashes at eyestalks and vitals with some decent effect. But it is Darcy's fire magic that sends the beast into a panicked retreat, with Sajad affixed to its shell. Both disappear in a great frothing inundation of hot sea water.

Johnm: /* a */

2022-06-28T17:39:02Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:39, 28 June 2022
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	Azan says he might even show you, but he needs something from you, first.		Azan says he might even show you, but he needs something from you, first.

	=== a ===		=== Island Life ===

	In the morning, Azan and three spearmen lead the party a mile into the brushy jungle to meet [[Gorn]], the fat and filthy pig farmer. The farmer reports that he lets the pigs out of their pen at night to forage for a particular fungus upslope a bit, but now he's lost 16 pigs in 30 days to something big that leaves no trace but a splash of blood.		In the morning, Azan and three spearmen lead the party a mile into the brushy jungle to meet [[Gorn]], the fat and filthy pig farmer. The farmer reports that he lets the pigs out of their pen at night to forage for a particular fungus upslope a bit, but now he's lost 16 pigs in 30 days to something big that leaves no trace but a splash of blood.

Johnm: /* To Leros */

2022-06-28T17:38:47Z

To Leros

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:38, 28 June 2022
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	Azan says he might even show you, but he needs something from you, first.		Azan says he might even show you, but he needs something from you, first.

			=== a ===

			In the morning, Azan and three spearmen lead the party a mile into the brushy jungle to meet [[Gorn]], the fat and filthy pig farmer. The farmer reports that he lets the pigs out of their pen at night to forage for a particular fungus upslope a bit, but now he's lost 16 pigs in 30 days to something big that leaves no trace but a splash of blood.

			Sajad and Harold begin investigating. Azan and his spearmen withdraw to the village after telling Darcy that when Gorn brings him the head of whatever the beast is that's killing pigs, the location of the "navel" will be shared.

			It's concluded that the beast is big, flying, and has claws and maybe a tail spike. A bit more discussion with Gorn turns up the fact that there's a path from his farm to highest point on the island -- a good vantage to spot a big flying creature. A plan is discussed, concluding that first the party should check in with the Wolves on the north shore.

			While hacking through the brushy jungle, Harold experiences a flash of inspiration (''ADV: Wild Talent'') and has a solid grasp on the geography of the island. He knows the best way to the north shore, the location of a den of giant spiders, and that there are a few minor settlements elsewhere on the island.

			By evening, the party sets camp on a brushy hillock overlooking the northern lagoon. The Talathesian vessel is visible a mile or two out to sea.

			After saying a prayer to Celeste, Darcy drifts off to sleep after dark, and Harold briefly spots a large winged serpent in the twilight... but then loses it in the darkness.

			In the morning, the group rendezvous with the Wolves, gets rejuvenated and resupplied, and declines their offer of armed assistance with the beast.

			The Wolves head back out to sea, and the party treks along the coast to visit a settlement that Harold intuits is just a mile or so away.

			He's right, a settlement of 30 or 40 tall, thin, dark-skinned humans are here, wearing bright red-colored garb and jewelry, contrasting with the pale, white-clothed people of the much larger village on the western shore. The party is welcomed warmly, with the children insisting on touching Darcy's straight smooth hair, so different from theirs.

			[[Jaba]], their gray-haired elder, invites the party to share in boiled crab stew and exchange stories. The settlement is evidently descended from the legendary Panther and his ilk, but has an enduring sense of shame that their ancestor arrived on this island as invaders. They have remained a small and reclusive culture ever since.

			Jaba offers to show the party the pit where the Panther and his compatriots chose to hurl themselves rather than be captured or killed by the mob that rose up to counter their oppression. He insists on going alone, over the objections of some of the younger men, because the site is forbidden, a place of sacred and solemn shame.

			The hike begins late in the afternoon. After dark, Jaba suffers some sort of stroke, and Sajad begins carrying him. They hike through the night, avoiding snakes and enormous insects in the dark.

			They crest the peak with pink to the east, and as the light increases, spot a massive winged serpent, circling their location.

Johnm: /* To Leros */

2022-06-28T01:28:52Z

To Leros

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:28, 27 June 2022
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	=== To Leros ===		=== To Leros ===

	The battle commences, with the scrawny pirates taking massive losses. Julius uses the swinging boom to launch across to the deck behind the pirates and immediately deals death left and right. A chained-up young woman screams through most of the combat. [[Sajad]] boards, hacking through bad guys and finally using one skinny pirate as a shield and club. Alas, [[Cassia]] the Wolf falls (and later receives a burial at sea by her brothers).		The battle commences, with the scrawny pirates taking massive losses. Julius uses the swinging boom to launch across to the deck behind the pirates and immediately deals death left and right. A chained-up young woman screams through most of the combat. [[Sajad]] boards, hacking through bad guys and finally using one skinny pirate as a shield and club. On board the home vessel, a spell-exhausted Darcy lunges with her beloved rapier to pierce the spleen of a rabid pirate about to harm Harold. Alas, [[Cassia]] the Wolf falls (and later receives a burial at sea by her brothers).

	When all is quiet but for the waves and wind, some cheap pirate booty is collected, [[Neesha]] is unchained and invited aboard, and a somber party sails south as the corpse-littered pirate ship smolders and sinks.		When all is quiet but for the waves and wind, some cheap pirate booty is collected, [[Neesha]] is unchained and invited aboard, and a somber party sails south as the corpse-littered pirate ship smolders and sinks.

	Passing other islands ([[Skiros]], [[Santorini]], and [[Milos]], the Wolves offer brief comment before divulging, on approach, they have no intel on [[Leros]] at all.		Passing other islands ([[Skiros]], [[Santorini]], and [[Milos]]), the Wolves offer brief comment before divulging, on approach, they have no intel on [[Leros]] at all.

	Like other islands in the region, the shoreline is made up of white cliffs and white beaches, with a greenery-covered interior highlands area. On its west side, a bay dotted with small fishing vessels is discovered and approached.		Like other islands in the region, the shoreline is made up of white cliffs and white beaches, with a greenery-covered interior highlands area. On its west side, a bay dotted with small fishing vessels is discovered and approached.

Johnm: /* To Leros */

2022-06-26T21:48:28Z

To Leros

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:48, 26 June 2022
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	The fishing vessels turn towards the beach as the Talathesian military ship approaches. As the ship gets closer, hundreds of barely-dressed locals come out on the beach, armed with 6' spears.		The fishing vessels turn towards the beach as the Talathesian military ship approaches. As the ship gets closer, hundreds of barely-dressed locals come out on the beach, armed with 6' spears.

	The Wolves warn that the bay is very shallow, and they could run aground at any moment. But the party persists, and gets just close enough to the small pier to disembark. The Wolves, fearing that a change in tides could beach the vessel, withdraw, agreeing to rendezvous with the ~~partt~~ on the north shore at dawn, daily, for a week. Good luck.		The Wolves warn that the bay is very shallow, and they could run aground at any moment. But the party persists, and gets just close enough to the small pier to disembark. The Wolves, fearing that a change in tides could beach the vessel, withdraw, agreeing to rendezvous with the party on the north shore at dawn, daily, for a week. Good luck.

	Before doing so, [[Darcy]] manifests a complex illusion that makes her appear as a supernatural mermaid queen, borne by the mighty scaled arms of Sajad-squid-god... The leaders of the village are wowed and agree to hear the purpose of the visit.		Before doing so, [[Darcy]] manifests a complex illusion that makes her appear as a supernatural mermaid queen, borne by the mighty scaled arms of Sajad-squid-god... The leaders of the village are wowed and agree to hear the purpose of the visit.

Johnm: /* To Leros */

2022-06-26T21:47:01Z

To Leros

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:47, 26 June 2022
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	Darcy and Harold tell the story, including the possibility that 'the Panther' visiting many years ago. A few details are exchanged, and [[Azan]], the mystic leader of this reclusive community, describes the Panther's visit as an invasion that was repelled by an enraged community that drove him and his clan to retreat to the highlands and finally hurl themselves into the "navel of the world" rather than be torn limb from limb by the mob.		Darcy and Harold tell the story, including the possibility that 'the Panther' visiting many years ago. A few details are exchanged, and [[Azan]], the mystic leader of this reclusive community, describes the Panther's visit as an invasion that was repelled by an enraged community that drove him and his clan to retreat to the highlands and finally hurl themselves into the "navel of the world" rather than be torn limb from limb by the mob.

			Azan says he might even show you, but he needs something from you, first.

Johnm: /* To Leros */

2022-06-25T19:59:00Z

To Leros

← Older revision		Revision as of 15:59, 25 June 2022
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	The Wolves warn that the bay is very shallow, and they could run aground at any moment. But the party persists, and gets just close enough to the small pier to disembark. The Wolves, fearing that a change in tides could beach the vessel, withdraw, agreeing to rendezvous with the partt on the north shore at dawn, daily, for a week. Good luck.		The Wolves warn that the bay is very shallow, and they could run aground at any moment. But the party persists, and gets just close enough to the small pier to disembark. The Wolves, fearing that a change in tides could beach the vessel, withdraw, agreeing to rendezvous with the partt on the north shore at dawn, daily, for a week. Good luck.

	Before doing so, [[Darcy]] manifests a complex illusion that makes her appear as a supernatural mermaid queen, borne by the mighty scaled arms of Sajad-god... The leaders of the village are wowed and agree to hear the purpose of the visit.		Before doing so, [[Darcy]] manifests a complex illusion that makes her appear as a supernatural mermaid queen, borne by the mighty scaled arms of Sajad-squid-god... The leaders of the village are wowed and agree to hear the purpose of the visit.

			Darcy and Harold tell the story, including the possibility that 'the Panther' visiting many years ago. A few details are exchanged, and [[Azan]], the mystic leader of this reclusive community, describes the Panther's visit as an invasion that was repelled by an enraged community that drove him and his clan to retreat to the highlands and finally hurl themselves into the "navel of the world" rather than be torn limb from limb by the mob.