Since Daisy has become a fixture at the Orphanage, she has made a vigilant effort to reduce her intake of alcohol. While she has not completely rid herself of the constant craving of the slight burn down her throat, she has resisted it, drinking only occasionally and always when the children are not around.
However, for some reason, on this night back in the Gilded Goblet, she seems unable to control herself. Whether it be the warm burning she felt from the candied spiders, the thrill of the moonlit discovery or the stories of the old Dwarf joining the party, she is unsure what has caused this sudden and urgent craving, what she is sure of is that she needs the ale in the mug in front of her. All of it. And more.
Daisy drinks till beyond she can remember. She awakes sleeping on the bench where she first met Fletcher. She immediately feels there is something she needs to remember, but has no idea what it is...good, bad...or very bad.
Thursday, December 18, 2014
Friday, June 6, 2014
outer reaches rumors: greymarsh
While away from the others, Kragh has been in the nearby town of Greymarsh, hoping to discover some clues about the goblin illness, as well as to consult other healers in the town about possible remedies.
Though he was unable to turn up information of much use to that situation, he was made aware of the encroachment of the swamp to the east of town. It has been expanding for years, perhaps by a few yards, but the last two years especially have shown rapid growth of the swamp's borders, and those within the town have begun to worry. Several parties of scouts, along with a few knowledgeable trackers and herbalists, have been sent to investigate--each time, however, they are turned away by aggressive swarms of bees before they are able to penetrate the swamp's borders.
There are rumors of a local druid, the Keeper of Bees, and some blame him for the swamp's expansion. Others claim that danger lurks within the swamp, and that only he is able to keep it at bay--the bees are to protect those who would otherwise be in danger, by keeping them out of the swamp.
In any case, no one has been able to contact the Keeper of Bees for several months, and many have begun to worry. At the current rate of expansion, it could be as soon as two or three years before the swamp overtakes the road, and begins to eat away at Greymarsh!
Though he was unable to turn up information of much use to that situation, he was made aware of the encroachment of the swamp to the east of town. It has been expanding for years, perhaps by a few yards, but the last two years especially have shown rapid growth of the swamp's borders, and those within the town have begun to worry. Several parties of scouts, along with a few knowledgeable trackers and herbalists, have been sent to investigate--each time, however, they are turned away by aggressive swarms of bees before they are able to penetrate the swamp's borders.
There are rumors of a local druid, the Keeper of Bees, and some blame him for the swamp's expansion. Others claim that danger lurks within the swamp, and that only he is able to keep it at bay--the bees are to protect those who would otherwise be in danger, by keeping them out of the swamp.
In any case, no one has been able to contact the Keeper of Bees for several months, and many have begun to worry. At the current rate of expansion, it could be as soon as two or three years before the swamp overtakes the road, and begins to eat away at Greymarsh!
outer reaches rumors: sylvan tomb
Once the group returns to Riverside, they gather Kanaen and discuss their findings in the Spiderwood, and begin to plan a second trip to investigate the forest tomb.
Kanaen, while absent, had actually encountered another dwarf, who is visiting Riverside from the dwarf kingdoms in the mountains far to the north along the Whitewater River. The dwarf is an elder of the merchant caste, and is named Olin. He listens attentively as you share the details of the tomb, and shares his knowledge on the matter.
"Dwarves did not always toil beneath the ground--at least, not all of them. Several clans lived on the surface, farmers and shepherds, same as those folk who call Riverside home today. Our race has declined, and now shuns the surface, but this land once rang with dwarven hammers and speech.
The elves also inhabited this land long before humans came, and built their treehouses atop dwarven ruins, long since claimed by the forest. Not all of these ruins have faded with time, however, and some were repurposed by the elves, serving as homes, temples, that sort of thing, before the elves themselves were driven away. It sounds like you may have stumbled upon such a ruin, and one of significance! I would be interested in seeing this ruin myself, if you've a mind to have me along! My arms may be too old to wield an axe with much skill, but my legs still work, as do my eyes!"
Kanaen, while absent, had actually encountered another dwarf, who is visiting Riverside from the dwarf kingdoms in the mountains far to the north along the Whitewater River. The dwarf is an elder of the merchant caste, and is named Olin. He listens attentively as you share the details of the tomb, and shares his knowledge on the matter.
"Dwarves did not always toil beneath the ground--at least, not all of them. Several clans lived on the surface, farmers and shepherds, same as those folk who call Riverside home today. Our race has declined, and now shuns the surface, but this land once rang with dwarven hammers and speech.
The elves also inhabited this land long before humans came, and built their treehouses atop dwarven ruins, long since claimed by the forest. Not all of these ruins have faded with time, however, and some were repurposed by the elves, serving as homes, temples, that sort of thing, before the elves themselves were driven away. It sounds like you may have stumbled upon such a ruin, and one of significance! I would be interested in seeing this ruin myself, if you've a mind to have me along! My arms may be too old to wield an axe with much skill, but my legs still work, as do my eyes!"
Wednesday, May 14, 2014
outer reaches rumors: the master of songbirds
At the Gilded Goblet, in Riverside, after their venture into the Spiderwood...
Having sent her hawk, Huck, with instructions to seek out the Master of Songbirds, Granny waits anxiously for a response from the druid. Though they've never actually met, there's a mystical kinship between the two--it's almost as if the wilderness around Riverside has been shaped by the druid's presence, or perhaps is a reflection of it. All of these feelings lead Granny to believe him to be a warm, caring person.
Many of Riverside's folks have met him--he breezes through town on occasion, usually to consecrate the earth when a new farm is started, or to attend a local festival. And all tales of the Master of Songbirds tell of his namesake companions, a loyal flock of songbirds that fill the air with harmonies day and night when the Master is about.
The silence of the chill night air, after imagining the pleasant background noise of songbirds, is foreboding, and Granny can't help but fear for the safety of Huck. So it's not altogether surprising when the night's silence is disrupted by the awkward flapping of heavy wings, announcing Huck's return--and in an injured state.
Rushing immediately to examine the hawk, it's apparent that one of his wings has been pierced by a bolt, or perhaps an arrow. It's not a grave wound, and should heal in time, but explains the hawk's ungainly flight. Nestled gently in the hawk's talons is a tiny songbird, alive but weakened as with some malady, as well as a small bunch of purple flowers.
Granny recognizes the flowers immediately, having stumbled upon them in her wanderings with Kragh. The flowers are not native to the region, thriving instead in the wetlands further south, but the pair encountered several patches of them in the woods north and west of Riverside, perhaps a half-day's walk from the town.
The full context of the message, however--as clearly both the songbird and flowers were meant to serve as a message from the Master of Songbirds--remains a mystery.
Having sent her hawk, Huck, with instructions to seek out the Master of Songbirds, Granny waits anxiously for a response from the druid. Though they've never actually met, there's a mystical kinship between the two--it's almost as if the wilderness around Riverside has been shaped by the druid's presence, or perhaps is a reflection of it. All of these feelings lead Granny to believe him to be a warm, caring person.
Many of Riverside's folks have met him--he breezes through town on occasion, usually to consecrate the earth when a new farm is started, or to attend a local festival. And all tales of the Master of Songbirds tell of his namesake companions, a loyal flock of songbirds that fill the air with harmonies day and night when the Master is about.
The silence of the chill night air, after imagining the pleasant background noise of songbirds, is foreboding, and Granny can't help but fear for the safety of Huck. So it's not altogether surprising when the night's silence is disrupted by the awkward flapping of heavy wings, announcing Huck's return--and in an injured state.
Rushing immediately to examine the hawk, it's apparent that one of his wings has been pierced by a bolt, or perhaps an arrow. It's not a grave wound, and should heal in time, but explains the hawk's ungainly flight. Nestled gently in the hawk's talons is a tiny songbird, alive but weakened as with some malady, as well as a small bunch of purple flowers.
Granny recognizes the flowers immediately, having stumbled upon them in her wanderings with Kragh. The flowers are not native to the region, thriving instead in the wetlands further south, but the pair encountered several patches of them in the woods north and west of Riverside, perhaps a half-day's walk from the town.
The full context of the message, however--as clearly both the songbird and flowers were meant to serve as a message from the Master of Songbirds--remains a mystery.
Tuesday, May 13, 2014
outer reaches #2: rewards!
Here's a breakdown of the XP rewards from the second session. It was a short session, and there wasn't a lot of combat, though the group did cover a lot of ground and accomplished a fair bit.
Goblins: 81 XP total
Award for averting the lumbermen's attack on Magnolia & Petunia: 200 XP
Award for discovering the source of the goblin malediction: 750 XP
Bonuses: 250 XP
Total: 1,281 XP
Divided by four players at the session, result is 321 XP per player, plus any applicable bonuses due to ability scores.
No loot to divide, this time!
Goblins: 81 XP total
Award for averting the lumbermen's attack on Magnolia & Petunia: 200 XP
Award for discovering the source of the goblin malediction: 750 XP
Bonuses: 250 XP
Total: 1,281 XP
Divided by four players at the session, result is 321 XP per player, plus any applicable bonuses due to ability scores.
No loot to divide, this time!
Friday, May 9, 2014
outer reaches #2: spinning threads
Wherein the heroes make new friends in the Spiderwood, sample some tasty treats, and save some townsfolk from themselves.
Having come together again after a season of downtime, our heroes reconvene at The Gilded Goblet (this time, minus Kragh, who is off investigating the source of the goblin malediction) to discuss new plans.
After some discussion--spurred by rumors of lumbermen and townfolk who want to "burn the witches" out of the Spiderwood--the heroes decide that their own investigation is in order, if for no other reason than to save the lumbermen from a grisly end entirely of their own making. If they aren't witches, then the townsfolk aim to murder and if the they are, they're likely to be murdered in the attempt. Ultimately, the decision is made for the heroes to seek out these "witches," and to make their own judgment.
The Spiderwood is not nearly as ominous as rumored, though it is heavily populated by its namesake arachnids. Before striking into the wood, they meet with Ford--chief among the lumbermen antagonists who aim to confront the witches--to dissuade him from pursuing the task without further investigation. By virtue of the charisma of the heroes, they succeed in delaying the group--at the same time gaining maps to the forest trails, along with the location of the witches' hut.
The hut, situated in the middle of an unnatural clearing in the Spiderwood, is found in short order. In front of the hut is a bubbling cauldron, attended by a haggardly old woman who occasionally samples the contents of the cauldron with wooden spoon. Upon approaching the hag, her companion--a bubbly, gentle old woman--enters the conversation, and introductions are shared along with a tray of candied spiders, which everyone enjoys. Petunia and Magnolia are new to the area--they leave the source of their arrival, and of the hut & clearing, shrouded in mystery--and offer their help to investigate the goblins, claiming that to best do so, they need a live specimen.
Feeling that this is a task easily accomplished, the group leaves Petunia and Magnolia--only to find themselves shrouded in darkness, and that hours have passed outside of the clearing while they were only within a short while. Unable to explain the phenomenon, they leave the forest, passing by an iridescent trail of spider webs which seems to beckon the group further into the forest.
Following trails discovered previously by Granny and Kragh, the party heads to the barrens north of Riverside, to the last known location of goblin attacks. Knowing the goblins to be feral and vicious in their attacks, leaving the slaughtered and eaten corpses of their victims, Nash lays a trap for the goblins, which succeeds in drawing the attention of seven diseased goblin warriors.
By the virtue of Granny's forest magic and the shafts of the heroes, all but one of the goblins are defeated and the other is brought in due course back to the Spiderwood. Hoping to discern the nature of the seeming magical passage of time, the party splits to deliver the goblin--but this effort is fruitless. Is it some magic of the witches? Of the Spiderwood itself? Or is it some property of the candied spiders, eaten earlier?
Petunia, the haggardly witch, receives the goblin and, before anyone can react, unceremoniously dumps it into the cauldron, sampling the result. As a sign of good will, Granny also samples the "stew," and her stomach roils. Magnolia directs her to consume a tea of amaranth to soothe the ill feeling, and Petunia holds up her end of the bargain. She claims to have known the source of the problem all along--a foul, bubbling pit far to the north of Riverside--giving the party more clues as to the origin of the problem, if not much help as to actually remedy the problem.
The heroes make to part ways with the witches, and they offer their own task to the group, with promise of reward. They seek a bejeweled diadem, which apparently lies somewhere in the Spiderwood, and while sharing no information regarding the properties of the item, they express gratitude that the group may deliver information about the diadem, should they come across it. The group leaves on good terms, disappointed in that the temporal phenomenon does not happen again.
The party delays until night time, hoping to encounter the iridescent spiderwebs again--but are again disappointed. Not willing to give up quite so easily, the party investigates further and eventually Daisy--following a hunch about moonlight--uses her mirror to discover the strands, which the party follows to an old stone tomb, covered in shadows and overgrowth, deeper within the Spiderwood...
Having come together again after a season of downtime, our heroes reconvene at The Gilded Goblet (this time, minus Kragh, who is off investigating the source of the goblin malediction) to discuss new plans.
After some discussion--spurred by rumors of lumbermen and townfolk who want to "burn the witches" out of the Spiderwood--the heroes decide that their own investigation is in order, if for no other reason than to save the lumbermen from a grisly end entirely of their own making. If they aren't witches, then the townsfolk aim to murder and if the they are, they're likely to be murdered in the attempt. Ultimately, the decision is made for the heroes to seek out these "witches," and to make their own judgment.
The Spiderwood is not nearly as ominous as rumored, though it is heavily populated by its namesake arachnids. Before striking into the wood, they meet with Ford--chief among the lumbermen antagonists who aim to confront the witches--to dissuade him from pursuing the task without further investigation. By virtue of the charisma of the heroes, they succeed in delaying the group--at the same time gaining maps to the forest trails, along with the location of the witches' hut.
The hut, situated in the middle of an unnatural clearing in the Spiderwood, is found in short order. In front of the hut is a bubbling cauldron, attended by a haggardly old woman who occasionally samples the contents of the cauldron with wooden spoon. Upon approaching the hag, her companion--a bubbly, gentle old woman--enters the conversation, and introductions are shared along with a tray of candied spiders, which everyone enjoys. Petunia and Magnolia are new to the area--they leave the source of their arrival, and of the hut & clearing, shrouded in mystery--and offer their help to investigate the goblins, claiming that to best do so, they need a live specimen.
Feeling that this is a task easily accomplished, the group leaves Petunia and Magnolia--only to find themselves shrouded in darkness, and that hours have passed outside of the clearing while they were only within a short while. Unable to explain the phenomenon, they leave the forest, passing by an iridescent trail of spider webs which seems to beckon the group further into the forest.
Following trails discovered previously by Granny and Kragh, the party heads to the barrens north of Riverside, to the last known location of goblin attacks. Knowing the goblins to be feral and vicious in their attacks, leaving the slaughtered and eaten corpses of their victims, Nash lays a trap for the goblins, which succeeds in drawing the attention of seven diseased goblin warriors.
By the virtue of Granny's forest magic and the shafts of the heroes, all but one of the goblins are defeated and the other is brought in due course back to the Spiderwood. Hoping to discern the nature of the seeming magical passage of time, the party splits to deliver the goblin--but this effort is fruitless. Is it some magic of the witches? Of the Spiderwood itself? Or is it some property of the candied spiders, eaten earlier?
Petunia, the haggardly witch, receives the goblin and, before anyone can react, unceremoniously dumps it into the cauldron, sampling the result. As a sign of good will, Granny also samples the "stew," and her stomach roils. Magnolia directs her to consume a tea of amaranth to soothe the ill feeling, and Petunia holds up her end of the bargain. She claims to have known the source of the problem all along--a foul, bubbling pit far to the north of Riverside--giving the party more clues as to the origin of the problem, if not much help as to actually remedy the problem.
The heroes make to part ways with the witches, and they offer their own task to the group, with promise of reward. They seek a bejeweled diadem, which apparently lies somewhere in the Spiderwood, and while sharing no information regarding the properties of the item, they express gratitude that the group may deliver information about the diadem, should they come across it. The group leaves on good terms, disappointed in that the temporal phenomenon does not happen again.
The party delays until night time, hoping to encounter the iridescent spiderwebs again--but are again disappointed. Not willing to give up quite so easily, the party investigates further and eventually Daisy--following a hunch about moonlight--uses her mirror to discover the strands, which the party follows to an old stone tomb, covered in shadows and overgrowth, deeper within the Spiderwood...
Monday, March 24, 2014
in-character comments and replies
First, a general update. Things are going well with the newest addition to our family, Lucile, and I'm hoping to be able to host a game some time in the coming weeks. More on that as details become available.
Second, regarding in-character posts and comments. Several players have posted character backgrounds or stories, and I have provided XP rewards for this. I encourage anyone interested to submit their own!
Some have also replied in-character to some of my posts, and I've followed up to progress the story. In doing so, however, I have learned that players don't necessarily receive notifications of new comments, only new posts. So if you've responded to a post at any time in the past, please check in to see if I've managed a response. You can subscribe to each post, if you're interested, when leaving comments. I've tried to create interesting new story threads--whether or not these make it into the next session, or whether they're discarded is entirely up to you guys.
I'll send out a pre-session recap with any new developments resultant from the blog comments, so that you guys can decide on a course of action prior to the session.
Second, regarding in-character posts and comments. Several players have posted character backgrounds or stories, and I have provided XP rewards for this. I encourage anyone interested to submit their own!
Some have also replied in-character to some of my posts, and I've followed up to progress the story. In doing so, however, I have learned that players don't necessarily receive notifications of new comments, only new posts. So if you've responded to a post at any time in the past, please check in to see if I've managed a response. You can subscribe to each post, if you're interested, when leaving comments. I've tried to create interesting new story threads--whether or not these make it into the next session, or whether they're discarded is entirely up to you guys.
I'll send out a pre-session recap with any new developments resultant from the blog comments, so that you guys can decide on a course of action prior to the session.
Tuesday, March 18, 2014
daisy and fletcher
The time in town is initially hard for Daisy as she is not a conversationalist and does not make friends easily. She spends her time at night in the local tavern, but during the day she sits quietly on a bench watching for her goddess to show her how to give service.
After a week, a child begins to sit next to Daisy. Fletcher first just sits next to her, about the same height as her, he lets his legs dangle from the bench, mimicking her posture. He looks around, squinting his eyes, making the same faces as she does, but not realizing that she is monitoring the movements of those who control the town.
Once this pattern has been established for a few days, he asks her "What are you looking for?" His voice almost startles her. She knew he had been there, but had been used to his silence. "How do you know I'm looking for something?" He simply replies "We are all looking for something"
With that answer Daisy looks at him. She can see he is an old soul in a young body, no more than 6. He explains he knows the look of someone looking for something because he has seen that look on adults who come to the orphanage, looking for their child. He says no one has had that look in their eyes when looking at him.
They form a friendship, one that is good for both of them. Daisy begins to mentor Fletcher. Its clear to both of them that Daisy should not be a mother and could never adopt Fletcher, but she has much she can teach him.
Fletcher decides Daisy could teach all the orphans...he decides this without discussing it with Daisy and brings a Monk from the orphanage to one of their bench chats. Brother Jerrik is happy to meet Daisy and insists he can see the difference she has made in a short time with Fletcher, and asks she come to work with all the children at the orphanage. He states "So many ignore the children with no home, your kindness would mean a great deal"
And with that statement Daisy knows Dearmad is showing her how to give service.
After a week, a child begins to sit next to Daisy. Fletcher first just sits next to her, about the same height as her, he lets his legs dangle from the bench, mimicking her posture. He looks around, squinting his eyes, making the same faces as she does, but not realizing that she is monitoring the movements of those who control the town.
Once this pattern has been established for a few days, he asks her "What are you looking for?" His voice almost startles her. She knew he had been there, but had been used to his silence. "How do you know I'm looking for something?" He simply replies "We are all looking for something"
With that answer Daisy looks at him. She can see he is an old soul in a young body, no more than 6. He explains he knows the look of someone looking for something because he has seen that look on adults who come to the orphanage, looking for their child. He says no one has had that look in their eyes when looking at him.
They form a friendship, one that is good for both of them. Daisy begins to mentor Fletcher. Its clear to both of them that Daisy should not be a mother and could never adopt Fletcher, but she has much she can teach him.
Fletcher decides Daisy could teach all the orphans...he decides this without discussing it with Daisy and brings a Monk from the orphanage to one of their bench chats. Brother Jerrik is happy to meet Daisy and insists he can see the difference she has made in a short time with Fletcher, and asks she come to work with all the children at the orphanage. He states "So many ignore the children with no home, your kindness would mean a great deal"
And with that statement Daisy knows Dearmad is showing her how to give service.
Thursday, January 23, 2014
off topic: is that even possible?
My friend Matt & I both run games using older editions--Matt is currently running an ADnD 2nd Edition game set in Ravenloft, and I am running the Outer Reaches campaign using ADnD 1st Edition rules. From time to time, we get players who ask why we choose to run games using the rules that we do--aren't there newer editions or different game systems that do things better?
Without getting into an argument about which edition or tabletop RPG system is "best" (the answer is, of course, that it doesn't matter--playing RPGs with your friends is fun, regardless of what rules you use), it is worthwhile, in my opinion, to share insights that help explain the "why" when choosing a system for our games.
This post is a recap of one particularly memorable session, from an unnamed campaign I ran with Matt & Rich, ADnD 2nd Edition rules set in the Forgotten Realms, some time between 1998 and 2000. Their respective characters were Cadazcar Trelorn, a transmuter, and Erik Estrada, a warpriest of the god Tempus. It was a defining moment in the campaign, one of the coolest moments in gaming I've ever been a part of, and one of the reasons why ADnD 2nd Edition continues to speak to me, as a game master.
At this point in the campaign, Cadazcar and Erik were somewhere around 8th or 9th level, and we were a couple years into the game (having started at 2nd level). The characters were looking for someplace to establish roots--Erik had a small band of followers due to heroics in the city of Scornubel, Cadazcar was actively pursuing spell research--and the nearby ruins of Dragonspear Castle seemed the perfect place for a warpriest of Tempus to establish a stronghold. Erik had worked with a smith in Scornubel to craft a magical maul, a talisman of his faith to the war god, and this was to be the symbol upon which the new stronghold would be built--the name given the maul was Making Friends.
It bears mention that I was never overly generous in the distribution of magical items. Cadazcar had authored a unique spell or two and was in possession of a +3 dagger and a few scrolls. Erik had a suit of +2 chainmail, won from a battle with undead at the site of the Battle of the Bones, and his maul--which at this point, if I remember correctly, bore a simple +1 or +2 enchantment.
Dragonspear Castle, however, was not currently fit for habitation. A small band of priests, also followers of Tempus, resided therein. Their task was to keep a lid on demons that were coming through a breach in the tunnels below the castle--a task which Erik immediately took upon himself to help accomplish, dragging Cadazcar along with him. This was a common enough occurrence--the warpriest's zeal was the source of many plots throughout the campaign.
After some investigation in the ruins above ground, Cadazcar and Erik encountered a pair of demons--a cambion, which is essentially a cross between a dark elf and a demon, and an alu-fiend, a female demon with the appearance of an angel with feathered wings. Spells were slung and Making Friends brought to bear on the fiends, but the battle was not going well for the heroes--the fiends conjured spheres of darkness that could not be countered by Cadazcar, and the fiends had summoned lesser demons to the fray. The cambion was seemingly unaffected by the darkness, striking Erik several times from behind, rapidly depleting his health. Both suffered several wounds, Cadazcar was nearly out of spells that would contribute to the fight, and Erik was at the ends of his strength.
Suddenly, Matt (playing Cadazcar) remembered that he had a scroll that I had rewarded him very early on. He'd been holding on to it for a few levels, as the spell was well beyond his ability to cast. Hesitantly, Matt announced "I take out my scroll and cast Mordenkainen's Disjunction."
To those of you not familiar with the spell, this is a Big Deal. It's a 9th level spell, well beyond Cadazcar's ability to safely or reliably cast, and it essentially erases all magic within a certain radius. It doesn't just dispel spells or temporarily shut down magic items and affects like dispel magic--it undoes magic. It can even destroy artifacts, which are typically "throw it into the fires of Mount Doom" difficult to unmake. What this means in actual play likely varies from DM to DM, but here's how I ruled it...
"Is that even possible?" It was the only question I could come up with--all of us had pretty much forgotten about that scroll, it was actually rolled randomly off an encounter ages ago, and I don't think that anyone ever thought it would play such a big role in the campaign. We scrambled for rulebooks, calculated chances of disastrous failure (due to the power level of the spell, relative to Cadazcar's own level)--the chances of something really bad happening were high, 55% if I remember correctly. That, and I wasn't even sure what would happen IF the spell were cast successfully. The spell description is vague as to how it actually interacts with stuff like summoned creatures or creatures from another plane, leaving much to be decided by the DM. With little other recourse or hope of survival, however, the roll to cast the spell was made...successfully!
Decisions were made on the fly as to what the spell's resolution actually meant in play. I mean, it's a 9th Level Spell, so it should be awesome...right?
Almost instantly, there was an implosion of magical energy. Cadazcar's dagger and Erik's weapon and armor, including the maul Making Friends, which was a cornerstone to his identity, disintegrated. The spheres of darkness were dispelled, the lesser demons summoned by the cambion and alu-fiend banished...leaving the fiends themselves. I had no idea what to do with the spells effect, but it made sense at the time that it would force them back to their home plane, so that's what happened.
Completion of the spell left Erik & Cadazcar beaten, battered, and practically unarmed...but it worked. Their foes were driven off. The battle was over, and they would live to fight another day.
Without getting into an argument about which edition or tabletop RPG system is "best" (the answer is, of course, that it doesn't matter--playing RPGs with your friends is fun, regardless of what rules you use), it is worthwhile, in my opinion, to share insights that help explain the "why" when choosing a system for our games.
This post is a recap of one particularly memorable session, from an unnamed campaign I ran with Matt & Rich, ADnD 2nd Edition rules set in the Forgotten Realms, some time between 1998 and 2000. Their respective characters were Cadazcar Trelorn, a transmuter, and Erik Estrada, a warpriest of the god Tempus. It was a defining moment in the campaign, one of the coolest moments in gaming I've ever been a part of, and one of the reasons why ADnD 2nd Edition continues to speak to me, as a game master.
At this point in the campaign, Cadazcar and Erik were somewhere around 8th or 9th level, and we were a couple years into the game (having started at 2nd level). The characters were looking for someplace to establish roots--Erik had a small band of followers due to heroics in the city of Scornubel, Cadazcar was actively pursuing spell research--and the nearby ruins of Dragonspear Castle seemed the perfect place for a warpriest of Tempus to establish a stronghold. Erik had worked with a smith in Scornubel to craft a magical maul, a talisman of his faith to the war god, and this was to be the symbol upon which the new stronghold would be built--the name given the maul was Making Friends.
It bears mention that I was never overly generous in the distribution of magical items. Cadazcar had authored a unique spell or two and was in possession of a +3 dagger and a few scrolls. Erik had a suit of +2 chainmail, won from a battle with undead at the site of the Battle of the Bones, and his maul--which at this point, if I remember correctly, bore a simple +1 or +2 enchantment.
Dragonspear Castle, however, was not currently fit for habitation. A small band of priests, also followers of Tempus, resided therein. Their task was to keep a lid on demons that were coming through a breach in the tunnels below the castle--a task which Erik immediately took upon himself to help accomplish, dragging Cadazcar along with him. This was a common enough occurrence--the warpriest's zeal was the source of many plots throughout the campaign.
After some investigation in the ruins above ground, Cadazcar and Erik encountered a pair of demons--a cambion, which is essentially a cross between a dark elf and a demon, and an alu-fiend, a female demon with the appearance of an angel with feathered wings. Spells were slung and Making Friends brought to bear on the fiends, but the battle was not going well for the heroes--the fiends conjured spheres of darkness that could not be countered by Cadazcar, and the fiends had summoned lesser demons to the fray. The cambion was seemingly unaffected by the darkness, striking Erik several times from behind, rapidly depleting his health. Both suffered several wounds, Cadazcar was nearly out of spells that would contribute to the fight, and Erik was at the ends of his strength.
Suddenly, Matt (playing Cadazcar) remembered that he had a scroll that I had rewarded him very early on. He'd been holding on to it for a few levels, as the spell was well beyond his ability to cast. Hesitantly, Matt announced "I take out my scroll and cast Mordenkainen's Disjunction."
To those of you not familiar with the spell, this is a Big Deal. It's a 9th level spell, well beyond Cadazcar's ability to safely or reliably cast, and it essentially erases all magic within a certain radius. It doesn't just dispel spells or temporarily shut down magic items and affects like dispel magic--it undoes magic. It can even destroy artifacts, which are typically "throw it into the fires of Mount Doom" difficult to unmake. What this means in actual play likely varies from DM to DM, but here's how I ruled it...
"Is that even possible?" It was the only question I could come up with--all of us had pretty much forgotten about that scroll, it was actually rolled randomly off an encounter ages ago, and I don't think that anyone ever thought it would play such a big role in the campaign. We scrambled for rulebooks, calculated chances of disastrous failure (due to the power level of the spell, relative to Cadazcar's own level)--the chances of something really bad happening were high, 55% if I remember correctly. That, and I wasn't even sure what would happen IF the spell were cast successfully. The spell description is vague as to how it actually interacts with stuff like summoned creatures or creatures from another plane, leaving much to be decided by the DM. With little other recourse or hope of survival, however, the roll to cast the spell was made...successfully!
Decisions were made on the fly as to what the spell's resolution actually meant in play. I mean, it's a 9th Level Spell, so it should be awesome...right?
Almost instantly, there was an implosion of magical energy. Cadazcar's dagger and Erik's weapon and armor, including the maul Making Friends, which was a cornerstone to his identity, disintegrated. The spheres of darkness were dispelled, the lesser demons summoned by the cambion and alu-fiend banished...leaving the fiends themselves. I had no idea what to do with the spells effect, but it made sense at the time that it would force them back to their home plane, so that's what happened.
Completion of the spell left Erik & Cadazcar beaten, battered, and practically unarmed...but it worked. Their foes were driven off. The battle was over, and they would live to fight another day.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)