Solo Game - The Eastern Deserts

[Volthawk]

Setting (for easy access)

It's a massive island, surrounded by lava, with a huge pit in the centre, that nobody's ever got to the bottom of, as they often never come back out of the pit. The North is where civilization is starting to establish itself, where most cities are independent, with many alliances, some of which are starting to create true countries. The North has a temperate climate, and many rivers and lakes, and is the main source of food and water to the rest of the island. The East, however, is desert, but has many ancient ruins around it. There aren't many settlements there, but the kobolds have many expansive lairs there, as there are many minerals under the sands. Gnomes have also started to settle, generally around the ruins, as they investigate. These settlements attract many mercenaries, as the gnomes always need protection, and the settlements are often places of conflict, as the ruins have many secrets, and they seem to mostly be bad. For the gnomes, at least. The Central Zone is mostly uninhabited by humanoids, as it is the realm of the aberrations. Huge Illithid cities have been reported by the few who return from there with their minds intact, and many phasms have been reported to have spread out of the Zone. It is reported to be very changeable, with an area being a forest one day, and a lake the next. The only settlements there are sparse research camps, with the largest by the Pit, which is theorized to be the cause of the strangeness of the Central Zone. However, many have not been heard from for weeks. The West is a huge forest, mostly unexplored, even by the inhabitants, who stay near the edges of the forest. The South is separated from the rest of the world by a large, wide chasm, from one side of the island to the other, and all attempts at teleporting in have failed, as it seems to be secure against all methods of entry. Sometimes, being resistant to fire have tried to enter via the lava, although they never return. One place along the chasm, in the Central Zone, seems to be a major city of some creature or other, although nobody really knows. The chasm is also patrolled by unknown creatures, nicknamed Hellspawn, which fly around the chasm, killing any who try to fly across. The South has many rumours about it, from some saying it is where the gods live, to others which say that the Pit is the only way in.


You wake up, with a wet head, and a gnome standing in front of you, bucket in hand.

"Hey, you! Wake up! You're blocking the road!"

Behind him, you can see a tall spire, made out of some kind of black stone. Around you, you can see sand, although you are lying on stone.

[Nanoblack]

Digneus takes a second to gather himself, taking in his surroundings. He looks to see who else is around him besides the gnome and then checks his pockets for his familiar. Finally he runs his fingers along any open wounds he might have (Charnel Touch) before getting to his feet.

"Where am I? Who are you? And What is that?"He says this while gesturing to his surroundings, the gnome, and the spire respectively.

I can't remember what I was doing before I got here... something must be wrong.

[Volthawk]

The gnome groans.

"Oh, great. Another one. Well, you're in the desert, the East. I assume you know what the East is. As for who I am, I am Dallun. I keep things from falling apart here. The spire....well, we don't know. Anyway, come with me. The boss will want to see you."

[Nanoblack]

Still quite dazed from whatever force that was capable of rendering him unconscious he stumbled along, following the gnome to their destination while checking his equipment for continued functionality.

He stays silent, lost in thought, until they reach their destination.
Possibly a research team or salvagers... whatever their purpose, it definitely has something to do with that spire. I'll have to give it a closer inspection after speaking with their "boss". Lets hope he's wise enough to avoid making demands for rescuing me...

[Volthawk]

The gnome leads you to a large tent, with strange animated suits of armour guarding it. Inside, there are notes strewn all over the place, with a few strange things around as well. Sitting in the middle of it, inspecting a stone sword, is another gnome. The gnome you followed coughs.

"Herl, we got another one."

The gnome looks up.

"Ah, right Dallun. Right, so what's your name stranger?"

[Nanoblack]

He glances around at a few of the notes before answering. "You may call me Digneus." He looks over to one of the suits of armor. "What brings your group all the way out to the eastern deserts?"


Best to avoid confrontation, I doubt many of my spells could affect those animated guards.

[Volthawk]

"Ah well. That's an easy question"

Dallun pipes up.
"Yeah. For greater knowledge!"

"Precisely. We come here to learn about those who came before us. For example, I saw you eyeing our Dread Knights. Dallun here reverse-engineered them from the originals we found in the ruins."

"It's quite easy really. The toughest part was determining the right spells to go into it."

[Nanoblack]

When you say ruins, I'm assuming you mean the massive black spire outside. Also when you say "those who came before us" who are you referring to?"

He leans over to more closely inspect the notes which Immediately made him wish he had learned gnomish and not the ridiculous tongue of the leafbloods...

[Volthawk]

"Well, when I said those who came before us, I meant whoever built these ruins. We don't know for sure, but whoever they are, they must have had a lot of genii, as even Dallun has trouble understanding some of it, and he's a Paramind! As for the ruins, the spire isn't the only part. It streches underground, like a lot of the others we've found. People we send down there either don't return, or return...different to who they were before."

"Yeah, and the fact that random people pop up here doesn't help much..."

[Nanoblack]

"Well in that case what do you need me for? I'm no archaeologist, unless something needs killing I don't see how I could be of help."

He glances around one more to keep track of everyone in the room. Digneus definitely wasn't one to ignore the makings of an ambush.

[Volthawk]

"Well, recently people have just started to...appear around the camp. We believe it has something to do with the ruins, and what's stopping our investigations. Also, I needed to know about you anyway."

[Nanoblack]

"I fail to see how the appearance of random persons could affect your operations. Unless there is something you need of me, I must be heading out as I don't wish to stay in the desert any longer than I have to.

[Volthawk]

"Very well then. Your best bet is waiting till tomorrow, as we're sending people to the nearest city then. You can hitch a ride with them."

[Nanoblack]

"I see, well in the meantime do you have a place where I can rest?" He waits for the reply before turning toward the entrance of the tent, hesitating for a moment to see if either of the gnomes have anything left to say.

[Volthawk]

"Rest? Oh, right, over in the huts, I'll show you there. Although considering your, uh, condition, why do you need rest?"

[Nanoblack]

"The desert is a harsh place and I'd rather not be turned to the equivalent of walking beef jerky before I take my leave." He looks to consider something for a moment. "Perhaps before I go, could I take a closer look at the ruins?"

[Volthawk]

"A closer look? Well, we have an expedition scheduled for 3pm, and it's 2 now, so you can join up. We always need more members, but most folks around here don't. Too fearful of dying. If you want to, go to the tent outside the spire ten minutes beforehand, and I'll fit you with a role."

[Nanoblack]

"Well then I suppose I'll be on my way."

He walks off to the meeting area and begins to wait.

[Volthawk]

After the hour wait, the rest of the group show up. The group consists of Dallun , some kind of construct canine, a human, with lots of varying tools on his belt, another person with medical supplies, and a hooded figure who you cannot see much of.

"Well, then. You're here. Ready?"

[Nanoblack]

"Lead the way. I must admit, sitting here all this time has got me curious about the contents of these ruins." His distrust of fellow casters gets the better of him so he makes sure the hooded figure stays within his sight at all times. Other than that he just makes small talk while walking.

[Volthawk]

"Alright then. Watch carefully."

Dallun walks to the enterance, which appears to be sealed, and pulls out one of the bricks, which was lighter than the other black bricks. He then puts his hand into the gap and pulls it out again, pulling a block out as well, which stops before coming out.

"This is the 'key' to the ruin. On this there are four separate pictures, of a man, scorpion, jackal and a sarcophagus, and a handle. Pull the handle to get the block out like this, and put your finger on the jackal. Got that?"

[Nanoblack]

"Interesting." He then mimics the instructions given.

[Volthawk]

Two huge blocks of stones slide inwards, before sliding behind the walls of the ruin.

"Well, here we are. Be careful. We don't know everything that's in there, and I think it sometimes changes in there. Well, time to go. Stay behind me, the others will be behind you, OK?"

[Nanoblack]

"Understood. Lets get this under way." He is still wary of the cloaked figure but sees no problem in walking behind Dallun.

[Volthawk]

As you walk in, you can feel that the temperature drops strangely, from the blazing heat of the outside desert to a milder temperature, still hot, but more bearable.

"We still haven't found the source of the temperature change. By the way, prepare to see nothing in 3...2...1..."

As he says, after the countdown the door closes behind you, pitching the area in darkness.

"Harry, if you would?"
"Sure thing, boss."

There is a scraping sound, and then Harrru, the man with all the tools, is lit up by the rod in his hand, which is providing plenty on light.

"Sunrods. Pretty nice things, eh?"

"Anyway, moving on. Pass the rod."

With Dallun leading the group, carefully checking the area as he moves, you progress through a winding tunnel until you reach a room.

"Alright, Harry. You and me will search the room, see if anything is around. Digneus, NM, keep watch. David, give everyone the basic medical stuff."

Everyone starts doing their assigned jobs. David, the man with the medical supplies, walks up to you and the hooded man.

"Well, I won't need to give you two anything. Just keep an eye out, OK? I don't exactly feel safe here, and you two are the guys keeping us from being killed by whatever lives down here."


In other news, time for me to design a new dungeon!

[Nanoblack]

"Just stand clear of any attackers... my spells tend to leave a mess."

He is still unsure about the hooded man but his curiosity gets the better of him as he starts to walk further into the room.

[Volthawk]

"Hey, I found something. Some kind of button." Harry seems to be pretty relaxed about this, and waits as the other members of the group start to come over to where he is, apart from the hooded man, who stays where he is.

[Nanoblack]

"Have you ever come across any traps down here? I'd rather not be decapitated by the careless press of a button."

He then looks for a position near the button where he can have his back to a wall while keeping his gaze firmly locked on the hooded man. His reluctance has only made him even more suspicious.

[Volthawk]

Harry begins to explain"Well there weren't any last time, but the ruins seem to change. This button wasn't here last time, for example. Hell, most this room wasn't here last time."

[Nanoblack]

"Care to test your luck? Standing around in this dank room doesn't seem very appealing."

Not once during this conversation has he taken his eyes off of the hooded figure.

[Volthawk]

"That's why we brought NM." Dallun grins, and then says in a clear voice, "NM, come!"

The cloaked figure walks over to him obediently.

"NM, stay!"

The rest of the group gets up and walks to where you are.

"NM, press the button!"

The figure reaches out a hand, and as some cloth slips away, you can see a steel hand. It presses the button, and one of the walls, the one behind you, slides open.

[Nanoblack]

"A construct..."

He grins to himself at his paranoia and walks forward into the new opening.

[Volthawk]

The contruct notices you, and runs over. It is very fast, faster than most people. It grabs your arm and says "No. Too dangerous. You stay until I clear it first."

[Nanoblack]

"Go right ahead."

He beckons the construct to continue.

[Volthawk]

The construct nods, and walks on. After a few metres, however, you hear a 'click', and the floor underneath it opens up. The construct falls in, and the floor closes again, with the construct still under it. As the floor closes, you hear a couple of 'crunch' sounds.

[Nanoblack]

I hope you have more of those. It seems that one was short-lived."

He scans the room with his darkvision and lifesight for any possible threats.

[Volthawk]

"No. We didn't just bring him for him to be destroyed. He was a nimblewright, for crying out loud! They have intelligence! He was supposed to be a bodyguard!"
Harry slumps down on the floor.
"Look, we may as well just leave now, come back when we have a replacement."

Looking around, you can't see anything with your darkvision, and your lifesense finds nothing either.

David starts to speak, a hint of resignation in his voice.
"Well, my friend, that isn't an option. When NM triggered the trap, the entrance to the room sealed up. It may not look like it, but I tried, there appeares to be something blocking it."

The entrance seems to be clear.

[Nanoblack]

"Dur check for magic."

His imp, in the form of a rat, climbs up to his shoulder and activates its detect magic; alerting him of anything interesting.

[Volthawk]

The imp flies about, looking around, sometimes taking more time on certain areas, before flying to your shoulder and whispering "I saw something. Something strongly aligned with necromancy. Under our feet, but it can't be that deep down."

[Nanoblack]

"Theres a great source of necromantic magic beneath us."

[Volthawk]

Dallun looks up, he had been inspecting where the nimblewright had been crushed "Really? Harry, pass the excavation gear."

Harry, who had been rooting through the packs, shouts back "Hell no! I'm using that stuff to get the hell out of here!" He then appears to be a lot less lively, feeble and wheezing. "Uhhh...what was that?" He then keels over, dead. Behind him are two incorporeal creatures, both cloaked, but just a silhouette.

"Damn it! Wraiths!"

[Nanoblack]

"Come Hither!"

He holds up his scythe which also functions as his holy symbol. At the top of the shaft is a skull, blade emerging from its mouth, with the preserved wings of a raven tacked on where the ears would be. The jaw begins clattering which is followed by a thick, oily wave of energy directed towards these new foes.

Turn check:[roll0]
Turn Damage:[roll1]

[Volthawk]

The wraiths start to droop, shaking and distorting. They still manage to get to David, but he manages to not get touched by them yet. Dallun pulls out a crossbow, and fires a bolt at one of the wraiths, who burn up in holy energy, but sill survives.

[Nanoblack]

"Obey!"

Command Undead on the uninjured one DC 17 will

[Volthawk]

The wraith looks at you, and speaks. "No...no I will not.". It then drains David again, and he drops, dead.

The two then glide into the floor.

[Nanoblack]

"No one mentioned this place had malignant spirits about."

He is visibly frustrated over his inability to control the wraiths but still calm enough to examine the bodies of the deceased.

[Volthawk]

"Well, there weren't before. Like Harry said" Dallun pauses, looking at Harry's body for a second "this place seems to change. We don't know why, or even how big this place is."

Dallun crouches down, looking at the floor.

"Didn't you say there was something necromantic down there? That may be the source."

Although Dallun hasn't noticed yet, you see two new wraiths rise up from the bodies of Harry and David. Their bodies are still intact, however.

[Nanoblack]

"More spirits! Get back!"

Dread necromancers are incredibly inept at combating undead.

[Volthawk]

"Huh? What?"

The two new wraiths seem to ignore you, instead flying over to Dallun, and missing him with their attacks.

[Nanoblack]

"Lets try this one more time... OBEY!"

Turn Check:[roll0]
Damage:[roll1] <- this roll should be 10 higher, I put in the wrong modifier

[Volthawk]

Again, they seem to ignore you, even though they should normally be controlled by now.

You hear one speak "No....our new Lord protects us..."

They both strike out at Dallun, and both hit him, although he doesn't seem to be weakened by them. He fires at close range and hits one, although he doesn't stop it. Then, behind him, the original pair pop up, slashing him from behind, an both evidently weaken him, as he now wheezes, barely able to stand.

[Nanoblack]

Knowledge (religion): [roll0] to see if death ward would protect against their attacks.

If it does then I cast it on Dallun, if not then I attack with my scythe: [roll1] Damage:[roll2]

[Volthawk]

Death Ward would have no effect.

Your slash destroys one of the wraiths, one of the ones Dallun had fired at, but the rest are still intact, and try to swipe at Dallun, although only one connects, and that doesn't seem to weaken him. He fires at another wraith, and destroys it as he had shot it earlier.

[Nanoblack]

Again Digneus swings his scythe [roll0]
Damage:[roll1]

[Volthawk]

The wraith dodges your scythe, but misses Dallun, as he was trying to dodge you. The other two hit, however, and Dallun drops to the floor, dead.

[Nanoblack]

"Who is this new lord you speak of?"

[Volthawk]

"You....shall....see...."

They all go back into the ground, and after a few seconds, a new shadow rises out of Dallun's body, and that goes as well. You are in this room, with your exit blocked, a necromantic item underground, and a passage which seems to be trapped up ahead.

[Nanoblack]

He calls out to no one in particular. "This isn't going to end well for anyone!" He then turns to his imp. "Go through their belongings and gather whatever is magical."

He starts patting himself down in search of spell components.I forgot to include onyx gems on his character sheet could I "buy" some now?

[Volthawk]

The Imp flies back to you. "Well, the guy by the entrance had this rope. It's some kind of transmutation effect. The other guy had this belt, which is conjuration. The leader, that gnome, had this monocle, which is a divination effect, and this cap, which is also some kind of transmutation. There's also that necromancy thing underneath us."


Yeah, you can "buy" any components with costs. Less bother that way.

I see where this is going...

[Nanoblack]

Adding to my inventory: 500gp in black onyx gems

haha i saw what that trap did to the construct. I'd rather not risk it. :smallbiggrin:

He leans down and places a gem in Harrys mouth."So much for a tour of the ruins." He places a second gem in Dalluns mouth. "Let it be know your sacrifice wasn't in vain." He laughs to himself then casts animate dead on both to make zombies.

Afterward he commands Harry to walk into the next room.

[Volthawk]

Harry walks through the passageway, setting off no traps. He then stands, staring blankly, in the middle of the next room.

[Nanoblack]

"Deeper in we go." He nudges Harry to continue onward with a poke of his scythe making sure he stays 10 ft ahead.

[Volthawk]

Harry once again lumbers down the next passage, before dropping to the floor with no evident cause.

[Nanoblack]

"Dur. Detect magic. What just happened?"

[Volthawk]

The imp flies over, then flies back.

"All the necromancy in it is gone. Your animation was terminated. Strange."

[Nanoblack]

Are there any other paths to take?

[Volthawk]

Looking around, apart from the main corridor, you can see a hole in the ceiling, a large stone door with no apparent way of opening, and trapdoor in the corner.

[Nanoblack]

"Dur, go check out that hole in the ceiling while I investigate the trapdoor."

He approaches the trapdoor and attempts to open it.

[Volthawk]

Dur flies back after a second, saying "It's blocked. It only goes up for a few feet, then it stops."

The trapdoor won't open, and you can see that it is being held by rusting hinges.

[Nanoblack]

Never being big in the grace department, he begins to bash the trapdoor with his scythe.

Should I make attack rolls? He's quite persistent.

[Volthawk]

Well:

If you're trying to break the trapdoor, it's a Strength check.

You can attack it, or parts of it, if you want to just destroy it.

[Nanoblack]

He's going to hack at the hinges, if they're visible. Failing at that he starts hacking into the door itself.

[Volthawk]

OK, going to assume you used the scythe and was quite persistent (as the scythe only does damage if you roll max damage.


After some time hacking away at the hinge, the trapdoor drops down the hole it was covering. After a few seconds, you hear a thud. Looking down, you can see a slightly rotting rope, going from the top of the trapdoor down the pit.

[Nanoblack]

He straps the scythe to his back and peers down the hole. "Dur, see whats down there."

[Volthawk]

Dur goes down the trapdoor, and you feel great pain through the empathic link, which suddenly stops. Dur doesn't come back out the hole.