Warlocks
An episodic campaign alternative to HotZone.
Setting
In the remote high country of Sorcerers Isle, the Iron Circle retrieves powerful artifacts from the hands of those unfit to understand them, usually by force, but sometimes through guile.
You are members of an elite team in service to the Iron Circle, responsible for seizing artifacts desired by the organization.
Characters
- Aslar Ambrose, - Mel
- Óðinn, - Dan
- Cloch Mearog, - Jess
- Shota, - Traci
- Amanda Mordred, - John
- Tara., - User:Nate
Character Creation
Points
- 350 points to spend
- max 50 in disadvantages
- max 150 in primary attributes
Race
You may be human or elven, using the following template (from GURPS Fantasy):
Attribute Modifiers: ST-1 [-10]; DX+1 [20]. Secondary Characteristic Modifiers: Per+1 [5]. Advantages: Appearance (Attractive) [4]; Magery 0 [5]; Perfect Balance [15]; Telescopic Vision 1 [5]; Unaging [15]; Voice [10].
Background
You have all been working in the service of the Iron Circle for a decade or more. Prior to that, your backgrounds can be as diverse and mundane or fantastic as desired. What draws you together is a shared profound belief in the mission of the organization: that magic belongs in the hands of mages, and must be collected from those unfit to wield or understand it. This isn't "good" or "evil", so you are probably not a black-hearted demon nor a cherubic do-gooder.
The Iron Circle has little respect for individuals lacking significant magical awareness, and so everyone should have a minimum of 2 levels of Magery. You also should know at least a couple spells, but can focus your points on brawn and gear if desired.
By taking a 10-point Unusual Background and having a backstory for it, you may also each have one Exotic/Supernatural advantage, subject to GM approval. These all have the little lightning and alien icons next to their titles in the Characters book.
Spells
Spells can get complicated fast. Limit your spells to one or two colleges. Be familiar with your arsenal, and be ready with a 'standard operating procedure' of how you use your favorite spells (maybe just one or two) so we don't get too bogged down with spell mechanics.
Equipment
- Consider having a Wizard's Staff as describe in Magic on p 13.
- Specialized adventure gear and magical items from Dungeon Fantasy - Adventurers are fine. Magic items must be purchased with character points, at a cost of 1 point per $1000 cost.
- You may buy power stone(s) by spending 1 character point per power level, with no maximum. Spending 20 points gets you a single 20 point powerstone, or two 10-point stones, etc.
Episodes
Gargoyles
Thendar's Belt
An afternoon on a broad stone balcony overlooking the rocky peaks of Sorcerers Isle, sipping green aloe wine and enjoying a pyrotechnics display by Grazik Mordred, is interrupted with word that the location of an artifact has been discovered. Gravik leads the team to the Iron Gate and provides a quick overview:
Intelligence has been received from a dwarven mystic that a band of warring orcs in the Forbidden Steppes now has giants among their ranks, and there's reason to believe that Thendar's Belt, an ancient artifact that gives the wearer the power to dominate giants, explains the "alliance". The team is to interview the mystic, approach the orcs, and seize the belt. Each team member is (as per usual) given an iron ring to wear upon their middle finger that, if twisted to and fro in a complex pattern, will transport the wearer back to the Iron Gate.
Grazik drones a few words and the gate begins to resonate with harmonic readiness. One by one, the team leaps through, dissolving into mist and leaving a scent of rainstorm ozone in the room.
They emerge near sunset fatigued and dehydrated (as usual) atop a 40' high round boulder at the bottom of a sparsely treed rocky slope and adjoining a broad and dusty plain. A few hundred yards up the hill, a narrow wisp of smoke snakes up from the trees.
Shota sends her floating crystal eyeball up to inspect the smoke. It comes from a small cooking fire in a shallow cave. A bald dwarf lies face down in the back, and two orcs are laughing at a third who appears entangled in a raspberry bush.
After some discussion, Cloch Mearog magically bends the stone to his will, creating a narrow trough and chute that nearly reaches the ground. After he and Óðinn descend, Aslar Ambrose tumbles down it but is unhurt, and Shota levitates herself down.
The two young warriors begin charging up the hill. Cloch arrives first, and subdues the laughing orcs with ease. Óðinn arrives shortly afterwards and beheads the one in the bush
Meanwhile, the elders have stopped to provide aid to an elderly white wolf with a spear wound.
Once everyone has convened in the cave, the beaten dwarf is awakened, and Shota interrogates a blinded orc while Aslar discusses spruce-raspberry-honey brandy production with the dwarf. It is learned that the orc encampment is two miles south. The orcs are dispatched by a bloodthirsty Óðinn.
Rejuvenated by magical raspberries and a few minutes rest, the team marches south along the boulder strewn plain as sky darkens into night. Upon setting up camp, Cloch runs recon and discovers the orc encampment, complete with a 15' tall giant. He returns, and all sleep until a bit past dawn.
The orcs are on the move, creating a dust cloud visible a mile away. The young warriors begin a direct intercept course, while the elders take a more cautious approach, intending to come upon the war party from behind.
Some minutes later, at a range of just a few dozen yards, Óðinn and Cloch are spotted, and the orcs attack. Aslar and Shota break into a run to try and catch up while the battle rages. Cloch turns to stone, and wooden spear tips bounces uselessly off him. Óðinn has the questionable privilege of engaging the enslaved giant, and is nearly killed after grievously wounding the towering foe.
Shota arrives and fires ice daggers into multiple combatants as the orcs' morale is broken and they begin to scatter.
Cloch strips the orc leader and finds the fabled belt, worn ignorantly by the primitive subhuman.
The team twists their iron rings to return to base, leaving the two dozen bloodied orcs and nearly slain giant behind on dusty plain. Mission accomplished.