Welcome to Terrenanda [Campaign Journal]

[MidgetMarine]

Hello GiTP. I've been In a campaign for several months now, and have been having a really fun time. And, having spare time on my hands, I decided to run up a campaign journal. Mostly for the purpose of posterity, but perhaps you might enjoy it.

Setting the Scene (Characters)
These are the characters as they appear when you first meet them.

The Two characters on the far right are not in the party at the start.
Mr.Small is not included in this image.

Mr.Small: A female gnome arms dealer, and genius inventor. Specializing in the first forms of firearms this world has seen. Slight sociopath but valuable resource. (A homebrew class similar to cleric called 'Inventionist' (which is what they're called in this campaign setting.but uses gadgets instead of spells))

Mr.Big: A human warrior and enforcer for Mr.small. Having died in battle, his soul is anchored to a metal body that Small one day hopes to use as a replacement body for his soul. Currently, the metal body is just an automaton without Big's consciousness inside it.

Xanthryl: The elven wizard (enchanter). Comes from a successful family mining business. Met Mr.Small over a business deal involving asteroid metal, dubbed 'star metal' that small believed could revolutionize the arms industry. The two became fast friend. Note: though highly dexterous and sharp as a tack, Xanthryl's physical prowess is vastly subpar (a 3 in strength)

Deraway Lynch: A young, by elven standards, elven rogue. Who has travelled the world with Walker for close to 10 years before meeting small. An artist with a bow or throwing knives, his talents are of value to Small. And is payed separately from Walker.

Walker:(this is going to require the most backstory, and I figured posting the full, several thousand word backstory wouldn't be appreciated, so i'll summarize) A tiefling born to the name 'Aazal Werzhak' (the werzhak are known to be particularly vicious) Walker spent most of his life being hated by society. However, at the age of 20, Walker met a tiefling named Ea and fell in love. Soon, they married. Ea became pregnant and 9 months later, their son Idros was born. Walker, not wanting his son to grow up under the same wrath that he did, convinced Ea to move away from society and raise Idros in a peaceful environment. Ea agreed and they made their home (a wooden cabin) inside a cave in the valley close to a small town. Their peace did not last. When Idros was 4, a plague came over the town they lived by. A cleric, desperate to save his people, found records of spottings of Walker and Ea in the forest and presumed these 'demons' must be the cause of the plague. He sent a hunting team to capture this demon. Unfortunately, at this time, Aazal and Ea had left Idros alone and asleep in the cave while they went to watch the sunset. Idros awoke, and (too young to understand the danger) left the cave to find his parents. The hunting group found him and captured him. Walker, hearing the cries of his infant son rushed after the hunting party. He reached the town and followed the cries to the church. Where he found the cleric in the middle of a ritual sacrifice of Idros in the hopes of saving the town. Walker snapped. He brutally murdered the cleric's assistants before, displaying a hitherto unknown talent, ran the cleric through with his mind blade. unknown to him, a choir boy witnessed the entire thing and ran to warn the town.Walker took his son back. However, upon returning to Ea, walker saw the results of the choirboys efforts. A mob had formed and was marching up the valley towards them. Walker, knowing that they could not all escape, told Ea to take Idros and leave. Walker on the other hand, ran past the crowd to the town, and, to divert the mob, lit the town on fire. the mob saw their town on fire and sprinted back to save their homes. Walker waited till they had seen him, so as to less them away from Ea and Idros, before stealing a horse and riding in the opposite direction from Ea and Idros. He took on the name of Walker to disguise his heritage shortly after. Walker is viewed as a liability by Small, as his anger can get the best of him. And in return for walker's unique skill set, Small works her contacts to find information on Ea and Idros, in the hopes that Walker can return to them.

Accidents Happen
Note: Lynch's player was new to the game, so we decided to teach him the basics of combat by running a few rounds. We added a small story premise. An arms deal had gone wrong and the merchandise (star metal) had been stolen, Walker, Small, Lynch, Big and Xanthryl's were attempting to recover it. Little did we know what a huge part of the story this would play.

We kick open the door to find several Gnolls standing over a pile of stolen merchandise (roll spot checks. All of us fail. This will become important)

Combat begins, Big gets the first move and charges in with his axe, taking a chunk out of one Gnoll. Small unloads her hand cannon (rudimentary firearm) into the same Gnoll. Half of his face peels away from the face and He goes down(or so we think). We're feeling good.

Walker throws his soul knife at one Gnoll, and does some damage.

Lynch decides to cut off their options by dropping caltrops on one section of the ground.

This is where things go downhill.

Remember that failed spot check? Yeah, what we failed to notice was the Gnoll who had gotten hit by the door and knocked down when we entered. He was back on his feet.

And poor old Xanthryl was right next to him. Axe comes up. Axe goes down. So does Xanthyrl.

The next Gnoll decides to jump the caltrops, aiming for small. He makes the jump. And crits on the attack. Rolling maximum damage. Small's severed head falls to the ground.

Two other Gnolls (one of them hit by Walker's mind blade) attempt to team up on Big, both missing.

Next round, Big misses his attack, Walker tries to charge the Gnoll that attacked Xanthry. Rolls a 1. And falls prone.

Lynch on the other hand, is content to fire at the Gnolls from a range, for now.

Now, it's the Gnolls' turn again.

The Gnoll that dropped Xanthryl turns to Lynch. And charges. And crits. Luckily not rolling max damage, but enough to knock him out.

Now, big is dealing with 2 Gnolls.

One has Walker prone at his feet.

Xanthryl and lynch are out.

And small is very, very dead.

Now it's our turn. Let's change our luck. walker tries to get up, provoking an attack of opportunity. And gets dropped by the Gnoll adjacent to him

Big's alone, In a room full of Gnolls, and his entire team is out or dead. This is where badassery insues.

He attacks the Gnoll previously injured by Walker, and slices his head clean off.
The remains 3 Gnolls congregate on the notorious BIG.

all three attacks miss. Thank the dice gods.

Big turns to the next Gnoll, swings his axe, and crits. (Praise Polyhedra!)

Gnoll falls like a little girl.

Gnolls attack. One hits and gives big a minor injury. The next rolls a critical failure. And falls prone.

Big's in a very bad mood now, and turns his attention on the standing Gnoll. His axe swings and takes a chunk out of its face.

The prone Gnoll attempts to stand up, provoking an AoO from Big.
The axe comes down with brutal force, and the Gnoll doesn't get up.

The last Gnoll takes his turn to retreat.

Big isn't having any of it and charges. Critting. Again (I have never seen rolls like this before) and Gnolls falls.

We think combat is over.

NOPE. The Gnoll who took the gunshot to the face? He gets up and tries to grapple Big. Big takes this Opportunity to punch him in the face. The Gnoll whimpers with pain and crumples.

Big rushes to Small's side. She's dead.

Taking her body in his hands, he makes to check on the others. But hears chanting from an adjacent room. Bursting through the door,big finds a group of Gnolls standing over an altar upon which is the body of a dead Gnoll, the stolen stair metal lies around him. Big is smart enough to know this is a resurrection. he takes care of the Gnolls without issue and , pushing the corpse aside, Lays small on the altar. Placing his hands where the Gnolls had theirs,he concentrates. A moment of silence,then Big collapses. as his vision fades, he sees small, fully healed, awaking on the altar.

This is how Big's soul became trapped in the metal body, small, after reviving the others, made it her mission to bring Big back. Almost all of her profits frm future deals went towards creating the perfect construct with which to house Big's soul, when she find out how to take it back. You ask why not hire someone to use raise dead or resurrection? All clerics she came to could not help, as this man was not fully dead. His soul had been anchored to a crystal that had been used in the ritual. This then became the power source for Small's automaton, but she had yet to figure out how to access the soul within.



Battle Circle
Timeskip forwards 6 months in game. Small Arms has been hired to deliver a load of star metal to anonymous buyers. Xanthryl expresses his nervousness about this job, as the contents requested seem mighty similar to those stolen during the deal with the Gnolls, that had gone terribly wrong.

It's agreed upon that Xanthryl is being unnecessarily superstitious, as we've done several deals involving star metal since then, and nothing has gone south.

The dealers are in a town far to the north of where we are, called Poz. We're faced with two options, charter a boat and make our way along the coast to the deal, however, this would take longer than overland travel.

Overland travel, however, presents its own problem. In between us an Poz lies a large swath of territory claimed by a militaristic barbarian tribe that demands a heavy toll to pass through their land.

Much argument ensues upon the topic. It is eventually decided upon that we shall risk the land, saving ourselves time and money, IF the barbarians don't tax us.

So we set off, with horse and wagon carrying star metal. Our initial progress into the territory is uneventful. However, about half way through, we encounter something unusual. Well, Okay, more than unusual.

A massive chasm has split the earth apart for miles, with an enormous river running through it. Now, perhaps this wouldn't be a surprise. But Walker had traveled through this area and was quite certain that this had not been there before. Xanthryl dismounts and comes to examine the chasm. Thanks to a beautiful roll, he instantly identifies the chasm as an illusion.

Upon revealing this information, the illusion vanishes and the land where it has been is perfectly normal again. We continue our journey. However, after a few minutes, we notice a barbarian following us. He does not appear to be aggressive, but, in fact, appears to be thoroughly confused. We stop the cart and Walker circles around to address the Barbarian.

"Why are you following us?"

The barbarian, thoroughly confused, looks up at Walker.

"Why am I?" He asks back, genuinely.

Walker, fast on his feet, responds quickly.

"Don't you remember?"

"Remember what?"

"You're our caravan guard. Your chief ordered you to escort us safely throuh your territory." *Roll Bluff check*

The barbarian, who had negative mental stats across the board, rolled a 4 while Walker rolled an 18.

He perked up, as if he had remembered this.

"RIGHT! FOLLOW ME!"

Rather proud of himself, Walker and the rest of the group follow the barbarian. Unfortunately, this barbarian, for the same reason he had been so easily convinced of this lie, misinterpreted Walker's orders. And led the party straight into the Barbarian home camp.

Well, ****.

Unable to turn around and book with so many barbarians nearby, we disembark and follow the barbarian guide as he brings us to his commander . Sasha.
I shall not describe her, but her catch phrase "Sasha gonna bash ya." should say enough.

Anyways, we talk with Sasha. And find out that only the 'chief' can let people through the territory, and they generally have to pay. The chief is also 'Great warrior. Win many battle in battle circle. Beat previous chief. Become chief.'

So, it turns out, this game 'Battle Circle' is a way of determining leadership, and if someone beats the chief, they gain power in the tribe.

Walker, thinking himself clever, asks Sasha to direct him to 'the boss'
Sasha leads him to an enormous human warrior, and Walker challenges him to Battle Circle.

Much to the excitement of the entire tribe, he accepts. And Walker prepares for battle, confident of his ability with his Mind Blade.

Xanthryl, in the mean time, has been talking to the tribe shaman, who has been drawing the actual 'battle circle' in the ground, and has been enchanting it.

He returns to Walker with bad news.
Walker can't use his Mind Blade. Not only is the use of magic of any form illegal in Battle Circle, but magic by anyone other than the shaman is considered blasphemy. He'll have to fight with something else.

At this point, Sasha approaches Walker and tells him that, as the challenger, he selects the weapon that both competitors will use.
Lynch, despite Walker's protests, decides for him.
Walker shall be wielding a sap against this opponent.

Just before the battle starts, Walker asks Xanthryl to make some sort of distraction, planning on using his racial darkness spell to lower the light in the ring and to give himself some advantage.

Walker and the 'boss' meet in the Battle Circle.
And we discover to our terror, that the 'boss' is not the chief. And Walker has, in fact ,just challenged a completely separate warrior to Battle Circle, and winning this match will not win him any power.
And just before they begin, Xanthryl uses Ghost Sound to make the sound of a young girl yelling for help in the nearby forest. Unfortunately for Walker, the barbarian doesn't look away.

And Battle Circle begins.
I won't go into detail here. But Walker fought dirty, knocking his opponent down, kicking dirt in his eyes and aiming for the family jewels.

During this spectacle, the chief of the barbarians sends a scout to go investigate the sounds of screaming.

Small, worried the Barbarian will somehow discover the ruse, sends Big after him to kill him. Big follows him into the forest, being unusually stealthy for an automaton. The only time the barbarian scout realizes he is being followed is when the axe is embedded halfway through his chest. And promptly dies.
Big hides the body in the bushes and returns to the camp.

Walker has won Battle Circle, and is very proud of himself.

He receives congratulations from Sasha and the chief.
The party attempts to bargain for free passage through the territory.
The chief agrees, on a condition.
"I sent a scout to investigate a call of distress in the forest, and he has not returned, please find what fate has befallen him."

Walker, high on his victory in Battle Circle, promptly accepts this mission and marches off proudly towards the forest to find the barbarian scout.

Lynch follows him, promising to Small "I got this."

Lynch finds Walker getting his CSI on.
And informs him that Big killed the scout.

Walker flips out. Basically just confused as to "WHY?!?!?!?!"
After calming down, Walker hatches a plan.

They return to camp, and Walker drags the body of the scout in front of the chief. And says "He was killed by Gnolls."

The chief is outraged but thanks Walker for his work and says they can go without paying.
As everyone else packs up, Xanthryl talks to the Shaman about the fastest way to Poz. The shaman shows him a map and points to a pass through a mountain.

Unfortunately, at this moment, Big shows up to tell Xanthryl it's time to go. As they are leaving, the Shaman stops them. He says big has a strange aura about him. Small comes over to find out what's going on and the Shaman suddenly starts to freak out.

"YOU." He says, pointing inbetween Mr. Small and Mr.Big "YOU HAVE HIS SOUL. PART OF HIS SOUL. INSIDE YOU. Magic....
BLASPHEMY! BLASPHEM-"

He is cut off as Xanthryl casts a well timed Charm Person.
The shaman calms down. And we make a group effort to GTFO out of the camp before the spell wears off.

And so we go, having somehow made it through, on our way to Poz, none the worse for wear.



What? They looked at me funny.
After escaping the camp, we make our way, as quickly as possible, towards Poz. However, The path we intended to take that night is submerged by water during high tide. So we camp out and cross the next morning. As we arrive on the other side of the path, we get attacked. A group of Skum emerge from the water and attack us. The fight is going pretty well, until Lynch gets flanked and dropped. There's only two or three left at this point, so clean up is rather easy. However, without a spell caster capable of healing, our only solution is to stabilize the barely conscious rogue and tie him to the horse. With a rather useless Lynch strapped to the back of the horse, we continue along our way. Several hours later we encounter an old man walking along the path. Formalities are exchanged and Walker asks if the man has anything that could help Lynch. The man digs a potion out of his pockets, and despite Small's attempts to intimidate the man into giving it to them free, pays the man 200 gp for the potion. So, Lynch is back on his feet and we make our way, without much incident to the mountain.

And that path that the shaman showed us?
Yeah, it's a dead end.
Just a path leading up to a small lake and a waterfall.

Walker's starting to get annoyed at their bad luck when Xanthryl realizes that the path isn't a dead end, that, in fact, a path leads into the mountain, but is hidden behind the waterfall.

We decide that there is no way we're taking the cart down there. So, much to our dismay, we transfer the cart's contents, not that much actually, onto the horses. A large boulder blocks the entrance, but we manage to push it aside. Then make our way along the path, which is more of a tunnel, and leads deep into the mountain.

The first thing we see upon opening the tunnel is a dead dwarf. Clutching to a map of the mines. He doesn't appear to have been murdered, as far as anyone can tell. But nonetheless, our hairs are on end.

Walker, as the mobile member of the party, scouts ahead, while the others keep a torch lit to see the way and carefully guide the horses through.

After a few hundred meters, it opens up into a large underground cavern.
Walker, actively looking for threats, doesn't see anything and gives the rest of the group the thumbs up.

As the rest of the group enters the canyon, we have a little surprise.
Arms reach out from the darkness and grab Xanthryl by the face, silencing him. Luckily, Big notices movement out of the corner of his eye and turns.

A choker has Xanthryl firmly by the face, and doesn't appear to be friendly. Big, not wanting to risk hurting Xanthryl, tries to hit the choker with a torch.
It doesn't do much, but the choker lets go.

After a few rounds of minor injuries to the Choker, it retreats.

Big, attempting to end conflict now, tries to intimidate it.

"You don't want to lose this fight."

The choker, much to our surprise, responds "Perhapssssss" and then retreats.

Lynch, upon hearing the Choker talk, just loses his **** and starts running into the mine. However, Walker is able to catch up with him and calm him down. They make their way deeper into the mine and find ourselves in some sort of basic common room. A spacious area carved into the rock, with what appears to be the remains of furniture.

Walker, being in front, is the first in.
And a pit trap opens up beneath his feet.
He manages to step back to safety as the ground beneath him crumbled.
Xanthryl, once again thanks to his elven acuteness, spots a hidden door.
he opens it and finds a dwarf, unconscious, lying against a chest. He calls Walker and Lynch over and the two begin to investigate. Xanthryl leaves the room and goes back to the common room. He looks down into the pit, to see if there is anything at the bottom.

And indeed, there is something in the pit.
The choker from before.

Xanthryl manages to get off "Not again. HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELP!"

Walker sprints out from the room to see the Choker reaching for Xanthryl.
He charges the choker and flying elbow drops the thing. Randy Savage style.
The choker takes a significant hit and falls to the bottom of the pit, along with Walker, taking falling damage.
It swipes at Walker, who slides away.
Lynch then follows Walker's example, by dropping the Choker from the top of the pit.
But, instead of simply relying on his weight, he drives a kukri straight into the Choker's head.
It has one moment of pain before its neck snaps under Lynch's weight.

This fight over, we haul ourselves out of pit.
And, in the distance, we can hear the sounds of something(s) approaching from the other end of the tunnel.




She's a beaut, aint she?
The sounds are coming from the end of the corridor. Basically everyone has taken to hiding. Except for Walker. Walker is standing at the mouth of the tunnel, and has taken the choker's blood and smeared it across his face as battle paint.

There is a pause as the sounds get closer, and Walker recognizes it as goblin. Just as he realizes this, the goblins emerge, a group of them. They are shocked by the sight of Walker, this demon-esque figure with blood smeared across his face. Walker hisses at them in Goblin.

"RUN."

Unfortunately, the goblins do not run, but instead begin to argue between themselves.

"You attack him."

"No way, You attack him!"

"NO YOU!"

At this moment, Small stands up and lets loose a round from her hand cannon. the goblin targeted by small absolutely eats lead, and falls down, dead. At this moment, Walker charges the goblins and uses his racial Darkness ability. The goblins are disoriented and surprised.Xanthryl unleashes a magic missile at one of the goblins who doesn't look to happy about this.
Lynch, still hidden behind some furniture, is waiting for a goblin to get within reach.
Big charges out and politely introduces one goblin the blade of his axe. A short and fast paced relationship between the metal and the create ensues.

In the meantime, The goblin in the darkness takes a swipe at Walker, but misses. Walker steps around the goblin, changing his position as another one runs into the darkness, swinging wildly. Because Walker changed positions, the goblin's blade hits only air.
And his companion. A critical hit from the poor little warrior achieves the exact opposite of what he probably intended. The first goblin goes down with a scream.

One goblin charges towards Big and Small, while another goes for Xanthryl.
The one running towards Xanthryl runs right past where Lynch was hiding. And eats Kukri + Sneak Attack damage. The blade slices clean through his neck as he falls to the ground, gurgling. Back at Big's end of things, the pitiful goblins both miss. He slams one into the ground. While the second narrowly avoids a deadly blast from Mr.Small.

Noticing his companions dire situation, the one who just survived a blast from small screams "BRING OUT SMASHER!"

Walker promptly finishes off the goblin remaining in the shadow.
Just in time for the Troll to charge out of the dark tunnel, barreling towards him. The troll slams its club straight down into the shadows, missing Walker by a few feet, but still frightening him.

Big, noticing the larger threat, charges the ogre, and deals him a good hit.

Xanthryl decides that he should come closer to help. But is one the other side of the pit trap. He attempts to jump it.

Remember how I said Xanthryl had a 3 in strength?
Yeah.
He rolled a 1.

Xanthryl trips on his robes, tumbles forwards, and lands, face first, in the pit. He groans in pain and rolls about on the floor, barely conscious.

Walker now has bigger things to deal with, quite literally. He decides to put faith in the 'the bigger they are, the harder they fall motto' and sinks his mind blade into the back of the knee of the ogre.

The ogre topples as Small plasters the ground with the inside of the remaining goblin's head.

Big takes a swipe at the Ogre, and his axe meets flesh. Lynch spends the round laughing at Xanthryl.

The ogre attempts to get up, and Walker and Big both take advantage of his moment of weakness. Walker drives his soulknife straight into the chest of the Ogre, who bends over in pain. Big takes this chance to bring his axe straight down on the ogre's neck. It connects with a sickening crunch and the ogre topples forwards. Walker only barely scrambles out of the way in time as the brute crashes to the floor.



Mr.Small, I presume.
The ogre falls to the floor, much to jubilation of our characters. Who promptly join in on Lynch mocking Xanthryl's miserable failure. With the pit being too high for him to reach the edge, and with his climb score being abysmal, we left him in there for a few minutes.

We return to the Dwarf, and loot the chest. Walker promptly realizes that this Dwarf is not dead. He's passed out. Several slaps on the face later, the dwarf is no more responsive than before.

So Small locks and loads, and fires a round into the roof of the cramped space.

Echoes happened.
All of them.

And Mr.Dwarf woke up.

"BYMORADINSHAMMERIMMATHROTTLEYEHAXLE! Huh? who're you lot?"

We explained that we were merchants, traveling through the mountain to save time. He nodded, then noticed his chest was empty.

"The goblins! They done robbed me blind."

"No. That would be us."

"Ye' theivin' rats, give it back!"

We managed to bargain with the dwarf that if it weren't for us, those goblins would have found and killed him. We asked that the contents of the chest be our payment for not only saving him but escorting him out of the mine, as what he claimed was a 'mining operation' appeared to be long gone.

He agreed and we made out way further into the mountain. Very little conversation ensued. We were almost entirely silent as we made our way down. However, part way through, Xanthryl and Small got into an argument about what to do when we got to Poz.

Walker and Lynch step in to try and settle the argument and are unsuccessful. The dwarf tries to settle the conflict and pipes up
"I'm sure you can come to an agreement, Mr.Small."

There is a pause.

Xanthryl turns to the Dwarf. "How did you know his name?"

Dwarf: Sh*t

The dwarf books it, but not before throwing some sort of device onto the ceiling.

We don't have much time to inspect the device, as it promptly explodes. And a good section of the roof collapses. Enough to stop us climbing over it any time soon.

Small isn't having any of this and attaches her equivalent of a breaching charge onto the rubble.

The rest of the party only receives a "Watch out."

Before this thing explodes.(That's two explosions so far for those keeping count at home)

The fresh debris are sent flying, as Small's charge blows a hole clean through the fallen rocks.

The Dwarf, who had only just begun to run, gets knocked flat on his face from the force of the explosion.

A rather unsuccessful attempt to interrogate him ensues. We find out that the device he used was a sonic charge that is meant to damage stone structures.

Until...

Walker asks "Why did you try to run?"

The dwarf lets out an insane laugh and says "I wasn't running. I was ringing the dinner bell."

At this moment, a growl echoes from behind the group.
Walker spins around to find himself locking gaze with a Stone Drake.

Walker has a split second to make a decision.

He can summon his mind blade and throw it, but that leaves the rest of the party as the closest targets to the Stone Drake.

So he breaks out into a sprint, leaps, and tackles the Stone Drake.

Walker and the Stone Drake break into a brutal grapple. Walker managing through pure ferocity to gain the upper hand, as he wraps both arms around its neck.

Xanthryl releases a volley of Magic Missles into the Stone Drake, not doing anything major, but definitely hitting it for something.

Small steps up, draws her hand cannon, and releases a round into the drake.
Mr.Big, assuming the others had this down, stepped up to the dwarf, who had suddenly dropped unconscious for no reason (Big didn't know this) and punched him in the face to keep him down.

Lynch steps up the dragon and slashes at it, but the Drake is thrashing so intensely that his blade tastes only air.

Walker keeps the Drake in check and actually manages to give it a good punch in the jaw.

Xanthryl decides to aid Walker by shrinking the dragon to the size of a dog.

Small has a stroke of genius and runs to the Dwarf's body, and begins to rummage through his packs.

In the mean time, both Big and Lynch land solid hits on the Drake.

Walker decides to release the drake now that its smaller, and less of a threat. And summons his mind blade, however, the Drake's new size made it harder to hit and Walker narrowly missed the slithering beast.

And the Drake spits acid at Small. Luckily, Small has found whatever it was that she was looking for and managed to roll of of the way. The unconscious dwarf, however, was less lucky, as his skin quite literally burned away

Xanthryl hits it once again with Magic Missile.

And Big and Lynch...miss.

Then Mr.Small, in all her glory, throws a small little device. The Stone Drake, angered, roars angrily and Lynch. And the device lands straight in its mouth. As the creature's jaws shut, there is a pause, its eyes widen with surprise.

And it crumbles to rubble.

Everyone looks at Mr.Small in amazement.

She grins, points over her shoulder at the Dwarf's body.

And says "Sonic charge."

The charges are made to do damage against stone, as mentioned.
And the STONE Drake, was, well, stone.

God, I love Mr.Small



Let's take a Poz PAUSE

After concluding that the dwarf is indeed dead and that the Stone Drake had also shuffled off the mortal coil, which wasn't hard AS IT HAD CRUMBLED TO RUBBLE. (Once again, I love Mr.Small.)

Walker is the first to speak and has 0 intent to stay here any longer. He basically starts walking deeper into the cave and tells them "Come along or be left behind."

The others accompany him.

Except for Lynch, who passes the crevice in the wall and notices something glitter. With unusual agility, even for an elf, he slips into the Stone Drake's passageway and emerges in its lair. Mostly just bones, the small cave is extremely cramped. However, he does find a series of scrolls AND a fancy looking hat with a glorious plume of feathers. He places these in his pack and makes his way to rejoin the group.

The group makes its way out of the mountain and emerge only a few hours from Poz. We make our way to Poz sans problem, check into an Inn just outside of the town borders and grab our much needed sleep.

The next day, we make our way into the town, and meet some Gnomish Merchants along the way. (OH RIGHT, We found a diamond in the mine.Forgot to mention that) They offer their services, and Lynch steps into their caravan and steps back out in his hat from the Stone Drake's layer, acting as if he had just purchased it.

We also manage to sell the Diamond for 5000 gp, to which there is much merriment.

Anyways, after dealing with the merchants, we make our way into Poz. The meeting isn't for a few hours. Walker brings the others to scout out the meeting place. It's a warehouse by the docks. Walker, as he's casing the place, notices something under the water. He slips under the docks to discover a hidden door carved into the rocks that appears to lead towards the meeting place. He alerts the rest of the group to this fact and gets Lynch to join him under the docks. With some difficulty, he attaches a blanket to the dock and the stone below the door. At his mark, Xanthryl uses Cone of Frost, which freezes the blanket and the water around it, to make a small barrier in between the door and the water so that only a small amount of water will enter the tunnel when it is opened. Lynch picks the lock with ease and Walker and Lynch scramble into the tunnel. The ice begins to crack and water begins to leak through. Walker tells Small "We'll wait here until the meeting." He is then forced to close the door, as the barrier is about to collapse.

Walker and Lynch discover themselves to be in a tunnel with another door at the end, they open it only to reveal yet another tunnel, this time with a smaller and thinner door at the end. They can hear voices inside, discussing the meeting.

Walker and Lynch hunker down and get ready for a long wait. Walker takes this time to meditate and change his mind blade's form.

The time of the meeting arrives. Small and Xanthryl arrive at the warehouse. Xanthryl has his animal familiar on his shoulder and as they arrive at the door, and knock on it. A slit slides open on the door in the door.

"Who is it?"

Small, annoyed, responds "Guess."

"You can't bring the hawk in here."

"Try and stop us."

There is a pause and the door slides open and they walk in.

At the same time, Lynch and Walker hear voices on the other side of the door.

And hear this.

"They're here, sir."

However, they are interrupted as Small, Big and Xanthryl walk down the flight of stairs to the room.

They arrive to find a room full of crates, with a desk at the end. Three thugs stand guard to a figure, whose face is thrown into shadow as he leans away from the desk.

"Good day." Says Small.

"Good day, Mr.Small" responds the figure in a high pitched voice.

"Hey, hey boss." Says one of the thugs, pointing at Mr. Big, "He looks like ya, don't he?"

The figure chuckles, "He should, we have a lot in common."

Small begins to speak "What do you..."

The figure leans into the light, cackling madly. He is hooded, and the cloth throws his face into darkness. "Don't you remember me?" He says, throwing back his hood.

A Gnoll stares Mr.Small straight in the face, cackling madly. Half of his face has been peeled off and his nose sticks out at an awkward angle. (You remember that Gnoll that tried to grapple big after being shot by Small? Yeah. He's back) And the part of his face that was shot off by Small has been covered in...what appears to be....star metal.

"YOU." Says Small, hand going for her revolver.

"Me."

Small breathes in, "We still have business to conduct. I have the star metal"

"Perfect. Hand it over."

"Not until I'm payed."

"Oh really?"

"Yes, Really. Walker?"

At this point Walker and Lynch kick open the door leading from the tunnel to the room. Walker's soulknife is on fire, the flames licking his palms.

"Let's all calm down here." said Walker, waving his knife in the air. "I want to kill you, but this is business. Small, give him the metal."

Small went into Big's backpack and pulled out the bag of star metal. He opened it up.

And found it full of sand, with a holy symbol of Pelor on top.

Now, I ought to mention that the priest who tried to sacrifice Walker's son was a cleric of Pelor. So walker is far less than approving of this.

The Gnoll flips out.

"YOU LIED! I NEED THAT STAR METAL! I NEED IT!"

And he is genuinely distressed, clawing at his face.

"Why?" asks Small.

"Because...I can hear him." He says, pointing at Mr.Big "In my head. Remember....remember when he brought you back? And He left? nononono. No he didn't leave. He's right here." He says, tapping his head. "Right here. And.

I.

Want.

Him.

OUT!" He screams, slamming the desk, quite clearly insane.

Walker looks at Small, waiting for orders.

"Is there a temple of Pelor in this town?" Asks Small.

"Yes. Yesyesyesyes. Yes."

"Walker, Lynch, Xanthryl, Let's move."

The group begins to walk out, but Big stays put.

"Big, come on."

Big stays still.

"He's not going anywhere. Not unless I tell him so." Says the Gnoll.

"What?" Asks Small.

"He's in you. And he's in me. We're the only ones who can give him orders. And he's been told not to listen to you."

"Why? We're getting you your star metal."

"I don't trust you. I'm sending Sigmund with you."

One of the thugs steps up, a bow in hand.

"We're not leaving without Big."

"So be it." Says the Gnoll and turns to Big "Get the star metal, Big."

Big nods and begins to follow us out.

Walkers eyes are set forwards, a vicious sense of justice burning in them.

And we set off to get back our star metal



My only son shine

So, we're on our way to this temple of Pelor. We walk up the street in the deep of night, and can see two guards standing by the doors. Small, as an offer, ***** her gun.

Walker shakes his head, "I've got a better idea. Play along."

He breaks into a run towards the temple. The guards spot him and step forwards. "Halt! What is your purpose?"

Walker throws back his hood "I've been cursed! Please!"

The guards recoiled.

"Demon!"

"Nonono, please. Please, I was cursed.
I'm not a demon.
I'm human.
Please."

At this point the others caught up.

"He was. A witch, in the forest. We trespassed on her land, she became furious, and cursed our friend here." Says Small, backing up Walker's bluff.

"Get your cleric. Please, he can help me."

One of the guards steps away from the door and returns momentarily with a cleric who walks up to Walker, and holds him at the other end of what is essentially a 10 foot pole.

"So, why did you come here?" Asks the cleric, as he examines Walker for a 'curse'

"To kill you." Says Walker, he grabs the pole, ducks under it, pulls the Cleric towards him and, summoning his mind blade, stabs it straight into the Cleric's throat.

The cleric, blood leaking from either side of his mouth, manages to choke out the words "You...look...like...him..."

"Who?" Demands Walker, grabbing the Cleric.

"Idros....." Says the Cleric before falling to the ground, dead.

Walker stands there, stunned, as the guards rush at him angrily. He doesn't notice as the temple guard charges him, but the feeling of the heavy mace slamming against his side awakes him from this trance.

Xanthryl leaps into action, sending a Scorching Ray straight into the chest of the guard that attacks Walker. The guard sprawls to the ground dead, his chest smoking.

Lynch, at the back of the group, only has time to sprint towards the church as the fight begins.

Sigmund pulls back his bow and aims at the other guard, the arrow catches him in the shoulder and draws blood, but does little else.

Small pulls the trigger on her gun, aiming at the second guard, but the round hits the wall a foot away from him.

Big, under the orders to "Find the star metal" charges towards the doors of the church and kicks them open.

The guard charges Lynch and swings at him but misses.

Walker charges into the church, noticing a cleric at the front of the room, and throws his mind blade at the cleric, but it misses.

I'm not going to go too in depth at this point, as it starts to get confusing.

Everyone EXCEPT for Small makes it into the church as the cleric summons a celestial lion.

Walker waits until the lion charges, then throws his mind blade up at the chandelier on the ceiling, and sends it plummeting down, onto the lion.

Small, not wanting to miss out on the action, places a breaching charge on the wall of the church, and blows a rather large hole in the stone wall, and the stained glass window beside it.

In the mean time, Xanthryl has gone invisible and is approaching the Cleric. The lion emerges from the wreckage, and Walker uses the AoO to punch it. In the face.

This led to about 10 minutes of "YOU JUST PUNCHED AN ANGEL LION IN THE FACE."

Big then put the lion out of its misery with a single axe blow.

The Cleric attempts to make the group bow before him.
And fails, rather badly.

Walker charges the Cleric, vaulting the altar at the end of the room and kicking him to the ground, Lynch joins in on the fun and soon the Cleric is on the ground ,barely conscious.

Walker decides to interrogate him.

It becomes apparent that the star metal is NOT in fact here and that these people had nothing to do with it.

However, Walker has a personal vendetta.

"Do you know the name Idros?"

"Ye..yes...."

"He is my son. Where is he?"

"I'm not telling you."

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH MY SON?!?!!"

"Go to hell."

"Already been there, where do you think I came from? Now, what have you done with my son?"

Following a rather impressive intimidate check, the cleric falters.

"He...he joined us...he joined the clergy...."

"My son would never do such a thing. He would never join you. NEVER. Your kind tried to murder him as a child!"

"Well, he did."

"What of my wife, then? She would never let him do such a thing."

"You are a demon, you could never have a wife."

Walker promptly punches him across the face.

"Where is she?!" He demands again.

"I do not know."

"Alright." Says Walker, summoning his mind blade "Your mistake, cleric, was coming in between me and my son."

The cleric looks at him, confused, "You are a demon....yet...yet I sense that you...you are genuine...that you care for this boy...why?"

"Because he is my son." Walker says, raising the knife above his head, "I take no pleasure from this, cleric. But when you go looking for a demon inside me, I shall oblige you." Walker then strikes downwards, his mind blade cutting into the man's chest, and the cleric goes still.

Walker stands up and makes to leave. But Xanthryl's ears catch a sound from behind a curtain. Walker approaches it and pulls it back. A small choir boy stands in the tiny alcove behind the velvet curtain.

"Hello, child." Says Walker, kindly, kneeling down.

"Please don't kill me, I'll tell you all I know." says the child, instantly.

"I am not going to kill you, child. Now, tell me what you know."

"About what?"

"Idros."

"Why?...He is my friend...."

" I am his father."

"Then why does it matter if he is in the clergy?"

"Because at the age of 4, the clergy of Pelor tried to kill him."

"That's terrible..."

"I know. Now, do you know where he is?"

"Snowdrift. It's a town in the far north. That's where they train us..."

"Train you for what?"

"To use the star metal."

Everyone is shocked by this "For what?"

"There is a group of clerics...a cult....they think tha-"

The child is cut short as an arrow flies past Walker's shoulder, pierces the holy symbol of Pelor around the child's neck, and runs the young child through.

His eyes widen, he looks at Walker for a moment, then dies.

The arrow had come from Sigmund's bow. Walker didn't even have the time to turn around as Lynch drew his kukri, grabbed Sigmund around the neck, and slit his throat. Sigmund fell to the ground, dead.

Walker knelt, and picked up the child's body in both his arms. He walks, silently and slowly, to the altar. He lays the child down on the altar, and, gently, pulls the arrow from his chest. He takes two fingers, and with a delicate touch, closes the child's eyes. He removes the amulet of Pelor from the child's neck, the clean hole made by the arrow scarring its surface.

Walker stands at the altar and, having found the cleric's bible, reads out the funeral prayer of Pelor.

As he finishes, he covers the child's body with a silver cloth and begins to walk away.

The group is silent as they exit the church, and the morning's first rays of sun splash through the stained glass windows and square onto the child's body.

They emerge from the church, and a crowd has formed, gawking at the damage to the church thanks to Small and at the group.

They begin to get angry, but Xanthryl, quick on his feet, casts a hypnotic spell, and they disperse.

The group makes its way through the empty streets, and, as they near the warehouse, Lynch asks

"What's the plan."

Walker turns to him, pain and furious wrath burning in his eyes,

"They die.


...


Screaming."




I hope you like it.
Cheers, Midget.

[MidgetMarine]

Any last words?
We arrive at the warehouse and enter, the thug usually on duty not present. We think nothing of it. We walk down the stairs to the storage room where the meeting first took place, and are greeted with an unusual sight.

The Gnoll and his thugs are standing off with a group of kobolds.

And a voice, not coming from anyone visible, speaks to the Gnoll.

"I'm sure you understand, after all, business is business. And that star metal is mine."

The Gnolls growls in anger.

Then the owner of the voice, wherever he is, spots us. And starts laughing.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH. Perfect timing."

Xanthryl stiffens at the sound of the voice.

"Siven...."

"Who?" Asks Lynch

"A competitor to my parents' mining business. And a trickster of a man."

"First off, I'm a prankster and SECOND, I am gnome." Says the voice.

"And you're a thief." says Xanthryl.

"What? That star metal? Oh, you weren't using it, were you? You appeared to have just, left it in the hands of my associates."

"Associates?" asks Small.

"The gnome merchants." concludes Lynch.

"Indeed. Well. Thanks for the star metal. My god will be very pleased."

"Your god?"

"Oh, don't you know, Xanthryl? Of course not, you're far too stupid. Star metal isn't just precious metal. It's the stuff that the gates are made of."

"The gates?"

"The gates that allow the gods to move in between here, and up there. This abundance of star metal isn't coincidence. Someone's tried to destroy the gates. And the gods aren't happy. Some of them are trapped down here. And some are trapped up there."

"Wait, what?"

"I don't have the time. Kobolds? Kill the Gnoll." Says the voice, before a faint skittering sounds of boots upon steps echoes through the room.

And this point, any light in the area around the Gnoll and his thugs vanishes, and Walker, flaming mind blade in hand, charges into the darkness, a snarling battle cry curling from his lips. With a vicious swipe, the blade tastes flesh, and the Gnoll cries out.

"HELP ME, BIG!"

Big begins to run towards the Gnoll, obeying his new masters orders.

Small yells to Lynch, "STOP HIM. AIM FOR THE CRYSTAL."

Lynch, having taken the bow from Sigmund's dead body, draws, and fires.

And Lynch, Beautiful, beautiful Lynch, strikes true.

The arrow smashes through the crystal in Mr.Big's chest, and Big falls, deactivated.

The Gnoll slashes blindly at Walker, and misses.
Walker slides away, just as a thug charges in, swinging his axe wildly.
And, once again, darkness proves Walker's greatest ally.
The thug chops into his boss, and the Gnoll howls with pain.

In the mean time, Xanthryl has used all his spells for the day, and reverts to firing his crossbow at one of the kobolds, who drops dead.

Two of the Gnoll's thugs attack the kobolds, and all the kobolds soon lie dead.

Small ***** her gun, takes careful aim, and proceeds to blow the brains out of one of the thugs.

The Gnoll orders to one of his thugs "OPEN THE DOOR, LET THE WATER IN!"

And one of the thugs begins to run for the tunnel doors.

Walker slashes at the Gnoll, and once again, earns success.

The Gnoll, not feeling so great, retreats to his desk, nursing his wounds.

The combat continues, without much of notice, Small's weapon backfires on her and she is knocked flat on her ass.

And Xanthryl decides to start looting the crates in the room for any loot. In the middle of combat.

Walker, seeing the thug in the tunnel opening the first door, charges the Gnoll with a pair of manacles, attacks one end to a drawer of the desk and tries to slam the other end of the manacle around the gnoll's neck.

He is less than successful.

The Gnoll bats his arms away with surprising strength and picks Walker up by the throat with one arm. Laughing.

The rest of the party can only watch in horror as the Gnoll reaches into his pocket, and pulls out a revolver, crafted by Small Arms Inc. and holds it to Walker's head.

Laughing manically, he ***** the gun. Walker is struggling for air, clawing at the Gnoll's hand.

"Any last words?" Asks the Gnoll, laughing.

Walker's eyes widen with surprise as a figure cloaked in black armor, materializes in thin air, behind the gnoll, a shining rapier raised high.

"Yeah," Spits Walker, "Behind you."

The Gnoll only has time to turn slightly as the Rapier is thrust through his throat. He gurgles slightly, before falling to the ground, dead, and releasing Walker.

The figure was an assassin.
And the Assassin had just performed a death attack.
And the Gnoll had rolled a 1.

"You're welcome" Says the Assassin.

Walker glanced up at the assassin, and then hears the sound of running water.

He turns to see the thug beginning to open the door.
Walker takes off, at unbelievable speed, towards the tunnel.

What does he do?

Does he take out the thug?
Does he close the door to the ocean?

No.

Walker reaches the closest thick door. And closes it. Locking the thug in with the water.

"GET MOVING!" He screams.

The only remaining thug sprints past Lynch, who embeds a kukri in his neck.

"Get big!" yells Small.

Walker sprints up to the Gnoll, slashes off its head, grabs its revolver and moves back to Big.

Walker motions to Lynch and the Assassin to help him pick up Big.

Water is now flowing under the door rapidly.

Lynch, the assassin and Walker all heft the heavy metal body of Big over their heads and sprint for the stairs.

Xanthryl, having apparently found a coat of some sort of value in the crates, grabs his new find and sprints after them.

As the group carrying Big arrives at the top of the staircase, they discover the door has been locked.

Siven. That bastard.

Walker and Lynch both attempt to use Big as a battering ram, and it works, But the assassin gets caught between Big and the door. The door is knocked off its hinges, and the assassin is winded.

Small is downstairs and, in an attempt to slow the approaching water, she throws up a sonic charge. The desired effect is achieved, as a section of the floor collapses. However, the disadvantage to this is that she just dealt this old warehouse significant structural damage. Small looks, sees the water approaching, sees the roof collapsing around her, turns to the staircase, and in a move of pure desperation

Loads a grappling hook into her hand cannon.
She fires. And the grappling hook flies up the stairs.

Luckily, Walker is right there as it appears. By instinct, he grabs and pulls, and Small is pulled up the staircase.

However, shoving a grappling hook into a hand cannon isn't what the hand cannon is meant to withstand.

So when the hand cannon exploded in Small's face, sending shrapnel flying point-blank in her face.

Walker does not pull up the smiling and happy inventor.
He pulls up the gnome female, barely conscious, bleeding for hundreds of cuts.

They have little time to think as the warehouse begins to shake and tremble.
Walker whistles, and his horse comes running. Walker quickly lays Small across the saddle, and Lynch and the assassin attach Big's body to the horse via ropes. As the finish, the roof begins to cave in, beams begin to snap and splinter, the floor beneath them shudders.

Walker hits the horse, which sprints for the entrance, and he, Lynch and assasin sprint for the exit. As they sprint, the floor is collapsing at their heels. The windows shatter as their frames bear the pressure of the roof. The entire warehouse is coming apart around them. Walker reaches the exit barely in time, and spins on his heel.

The floor suddenly collapses under Lynch and the assassin's feet. They leap for the exit as the walls collapse inwards. Walker's outstretched hands grab onto one of the assassin's arms, and one of Lynch's. He throws himself backwards, pulling the Assassin and Lynch with him. They land on the street outside the warehouse just as the entire enormous warehouse collapses in upon itself, becoming a massive pile of rubble.

Lying on his back, bleeding from his wounds, Walker starts laughing. Then remembers Small, and rushes to tend to the gnome. She's barely conscious. He quickly removes the shrapnel with manifested psionics (much to his own surprise). And then holds up the decapitated Gnoll's head, with the star metal covering up his wounds.

"Got the metal boss."

Small gives Walker the thumbs up before passing out.

at this moment, Xanthryl, who had been looting during the fight, who hadn't attempted to help with the removal of Big or Small. Who sprinted for the exit when the building began to collapse, without any thought for the others, closes the book he was reading and walks up to the three conscious members.

"Phew! That was close."

Walker, the assassin and Lynch exchange glances.

They start walking towards Xanthryl simultaneously.

"Guys, what's up?" Asks Xanthryl.

The answer came in the form of Lynch bringing his boot up into Xanthryl's groin, the hilt of the assassin's rapier smashing him in the ribs followed by two brutal hooks to the face courtesy of Walker.

The wizard wobbles for a moment, then collapses to the ground, unconscious.

Walker takes the jacket that Xanthryl had found from the unconscious elf's hands.

"This is mine now. Any complaints? No? Perfect."

He then turns to the asssassin, Lynch looking on.

"Thank you. You saved my life."

"You're welcome." said the assassin, smiling.

"May I have your name?" Asked Walker.

"Nazareth." said the assassin.

"Walker." Responds Walker.

"So, what were you doing there?" Asked Lynch

"I was on a contract. I'm an assassin."

"Who were you to kill?"

"You." Said Nazareth.

Walker's mind blade instantly appears in his hand.

Nazareth laughs "I'm not after you any more. Don't worry."

"And why should we believe you?"

"Because my employer just left me to die. I have no intention of helping a man who just tried to kill me."

"Siven?" Asked Walker.

"Siven." Confirmed Nazareth.

"Well then, we've got a common enemy." Said Walker.

"It would appear so." Says Nazareth.

"Well, your set of skills is a definite asset." Says Walker.

"I get that a lot."

"Well, we've got no idea where Siven went. But I have a feeling this won't be the last time we see that little prick."

"I should think not" said Lynch.

"And I expect you'll want revenge." Said Walker

"Correct." said Nazareth.

"Well, we're headed north to a town called Snowdrift. We're sure to encounter him some time along the way. So, Assassin, what do you say? Snowdrift or bust?" Asked Walker, extending his hand.

Nazareth looked at Walker's hand considering it.

"Fair enough, Walker." He said, shaking the tiefling's outstretched hand.

And thus, the newest member of the party joined the trail.

Nazareth, the human assassin.


1d6 Cinnamon damage
After knocking Xanthryl out, we now have two unconscious party members. Just as we're figuring out what to do, the sounds of people making their way towards the warehouse is carried on the wind towards us. apparently, the thunderous noise of an enormous warehouse collapsing can wake people up.

Walker helps Nazareth and Lynch tie Xanthryl and Small to the back of the horse, which is also pulling Big, and tells them to go around the village. He'll stay there and cause a distraction if necessary.

Nazareth and Lynch agree and make their way away from the mob and around the edge of the town.

Walker slips into the rubble, and as soon as he enters the shadows, disappears completely.

Nazareth and Lynch manage to stay out of the sight of the townspeople as a massive mob begins to form around the warehouse. Lynch is leaping in between trees, while Nazareth walks alongside the horse.

Suddenly a voice speaks up, "Hey. Hey Lynch. Kill the assassin."

Lynch looks around, trying to see who said that. As his head swivels, he sees the horse closing its mouth.

Lynch is convinced the horse just talked to him. And, ever since the incident with the crawler, has a fear of things talking when they shouldn't be able to.

With a scream like a little girl, Lynch loses his balance and falls out of the tree, and hits the ground 10 feet below with a THUD.

Nazareth looks at him questioningly "Why did you just...."

"THE HORSE WAS TALKING! THE HORSE CAN TALK! KILL IT!" Lynch draws his kukri.

Suddenly, the voice starts laughing again. Lynch looks again and sees the decapitated Gnoll head, which walker had hung from the horse, moving. The decapitated head is moving, and laughing.

Lynch punches it viciously and the head goes still again.

"We should go before that happens again." Says Lynch

"Agreed," Says Nazareth.

Back at the rubble, Walker is absolutely invisible amongst the rubble. The mob has now grown to considerable size. They seem more confused as to what could have happened than angry.
Walker makes his way to a corner of the rubble and prepares to make a run for it. His mind is racing in panic, he glances back at the crowd. And the torches explode in a blinding display of fireworks.

Walker, knowing that this was thanks to him, but not sure how, emerges from the rubble and books it.

most of the crowd has fallen to their knees, blinded. Those few who aren't blinded spot Walker and take off after him. Walker maintains the lead for a few hundred meters before diving through a thick series of brambles to get away. The sounds of his pursuers unsuccessful attempts to do the same echo after him. He glances forwards, and finds himself sprinting full force towards a building. Rather than go around, Walker leaps, tucking himself into a small ball, and smashes through the window. He unfurls and lands on his feet, in the kitchen of a bakery.

A short, plump Dwarf woman turns around in surprise to see a demon smashing through her kitchen window, and screams.

Walker spins, and out of pure reflex, kicks a large trolley of baked goods at her.

She manages to roll out of the way, and proceeds to start to chase this trespassing demon out of her kitchen. Walker sprints into the main bakery and dives out of another window. The baker smashes past the door and follows him. Walker, as he sprints for the town borders, feels something sticky and warm running down the side of his head.

He lifts his fingers to his temple and removes them, expecting to see blood. Instead, icing covers his hand.
Walker, in the course of diving through the window into the bakery, had skewered a cinnamon bun on one of his horns.
He grabs the pastry and hurls it at the baker in an attempt to slow her down.

DM: "Roll 1d6 cinnamon damage"

I proceed to roll 6 cinnamon damage.

It was glorious.

But the baker does not drop.
No.
Because that would be too easy.

No, she goes into a rage.
Walker yells and runs.

Lucky for him, Nazareth happens to hear this and starts walking towards Walker and the baker, as they run towards him.

16 seconds later, Walker sprints past him. "HELP ME!"

The baker points to Nazareth as she sprints nearer. "STOP HIM."

"No thanks." Says Nazareth, and brings his hand down on the back of the baker's head.

She drops to the ground, completely paralyzed. Nazareth grabs her by the legs and pulls her off into a nearby bush.

He stays in that bush for just a few seconds too long, and Walker pulls him out.

"If it's rocking, don't come knocking." Complains Nazareth.

"That's illegal. And just disgusting." Says Walker, grabbing Nazareth by the collar and dragging him along beside him.

They arrive back at the inn with Lynch, to find Small and Xanthryl have come to.

After a heated discussion, the group decides that they shall leave for Snowdrift the next day, but need time to rest and prepare for the voyage. They are not too concerned about the mob, as the inn is a fair distance from the town boundaries.

Several things happen over the following day, Walker purchases a cart from the owner of the Inn and decks it out for travel, Small gathers materials from the owner of the inn as well to repair Big. Walker spends all day preparing the cart before falling asleep in the stables, exhausted.

Nazareth chats up a lovely young lady at the bar, who is very interested in what happened at the warehouse. Nazareth has enough sense about him to not indicate any knowledge, and, ends up having no success with Sasha.

Yes. That Sasha. The barbarian Sasha, who is apparently looking for us.
Apparently our crime of performing blasphemous magic was enough to warrant hunting us down.

However, thanks to good timing, she doesn't spot any of the other
party members. Walker is asleep in the stables, big is the back of the cart, attached to the horse. Lynch and Xanthryl are grabbing their meditation time upstairs and small is out back smithing.

Anyways, the next morning, Lynch, Nazareth and Mr.Small risk a trip back into Poz. Lynch had attempted to disguise himself as a woman, and, much to his surprise, the hat he had looted from the stone drake transformed his body to look like that of a woman, magically. Walker wakes up once they've left and hitches the horse to the cart and prepares to leave.

As he is about to go follow the others, Xanthryl emerges from the Inn, and approaches Walker angrily. Seeking payback forums beating outside of the warehouse, he casts reduce person on Walker, hoping to reduce his potency.

Walker, however, is not amused. And, with a simple motion, summons a flaming whip into his hand that crackles with energy. Walker lashes out with the whip and sends Xanthryl flying, the elf hits the Inn wall with a crack, and falls to the ground unconscious.

Walker, despite the elf's constant difficulty and this attempt at aggression, walks over to his companion, and bandages his wounds, stabilizing the poor elf. He then loads the elf into the cart and heads into town.

As they approach the town, Xanthryl wakes up.

Walker glances back and sighs, "You've got a gift, kid."

Xanthryl turns to him, "what?"

"You've got a gift. Magic. Arcane energies and formulas, you understand them. You can use them. That's a significant gift. And significant power."

"I'm no psionic." says Xanthryl.

Walker laughs, "What? This?" his mind blade appears in his hand, "That's all I can do, summon a weapon. That's all I'm good for....killing. Violence.

You?

You could be anything. Your possibilities are limitless.

But what you become is up to you.

Thousands of wizards have come before you, wielding the same power that you hold in your hands. But that is not what distinguished them. It is what they chose to do with that power. Some chose to corrupt and destroy, becoming tyrants and villains. Some chose to aid and improve, becoming heroes and legends.

Which wil you become?

Because you cannot continue down this path of selfish acts and anger. Turn from it now, my friend."

Xanthryl ponders this thought, "I am sorry, Walker. I know I acted rashly. I promise I shall show more restraint in the future."

"that's what I wanted to hear." says Walker.

They arrive in the town square to find that the others have purchased horses for themselves. Walker hooks the cart up to one of the new mounts, a heavy war horse, instead of his light horse.

Just as the group is ready to leave, a voice speaks up from beside Walker's horse. "Behind you."

The party spins, and is met with a frightening sight. Sasha, wielding an enormous great axe, is standing at the entrance to the square, and the villagers from the mob have formed an enormous ring, leaving the party surrounded from every angle.

Small loads and readies her gun.

Xanthryl steps out of the cart, muttering an arcane spell.

Nazareth leaps onto his horse.

Lynch, still disguised as a girl, slips into the crowd.

Walker smiles and steps forwards, squaring off with Sasha, the whip of flame appearing in his hand. He locks eyes with the female barbarian.

"Battle circle?" he says.

Sasha raises her axe above her head and charges "BATTLE CIRCLE!!!!!"

And then the session ended.



Old Friends, New Enemies
Now, I would like to note the fact that the session actually ended on that cliff hanger note.

And then the DM left.

To Japan.

For a month and a half.

So the group had to wait a month and a half just to resolve that cliff hanger.

However, you, dear reader, need not befall such a fate.

Sasha charged, and the torch in the villager's hand beside her exploded. She stopped, blinded and stunned.

Mr.Small, quick as a weasel, pulls a small canister from her pack and drops it onto the ground, a seeping green mist pours out of the cylinder, enveloping the crowd in moments. There is a pause as the gas envelopes the entire square, and then the civilians start dropping like flies.

Not dead.

Just unconscious.

Luckily, the entire group, succeed on our fortitude saves to avoid being knocked out.

Walker, seeing this as an opportunity, raises his whip, which crackles with energy like never before, and hits Sasha straight across the face.

(In Game terms that's 1d8(Whip) + 2d6 (vicious) +2d6 (Psionic Weapon) + 2d8 (Psychic strike)) And to a level 5 character, that hurts.

Sasha eats fire, but manages to stay up. At this moment, another barbarian charges out of the now unconscious civilians and attacks Xanthryl, thankfully missing, as Xanthryl was at 1 hp.

Xanthryl steps back and hits the Barbarian in question straight out with a Scorching ray straight to the face.

Lynch, no longer having to conceal himself in the crowd, mounts his horse.

Nazareth, already on his horse, charges the Barbarian, and unfortunately misses.

Now, back on Walker's end of things, Sasha has shaken off the effects of the fireworks and takes a chunk out of Walker with her axe.

Walker, once again, hits her for rather massive damage (minus Psionic Weapon Damage) and Sasha reels back, barely standing up.

Lynch heroically charges into battle, pulling a torch from its bracket, he raises it above his head and smacks Sasha across the back with the flaming weapon.

He does 1 damage.

AND DOWN SHE GOES.

In the mean time, Xanthryl launches another Scorching Ray into the chest of the Barbarian.

And he goes down.

Small pulls out her pistol to Coup-de-grace Sasha, and Walker stops her.

"We've killed enough people in this town, Small. Leave her."

He then gets up onto his horse and begins to move out of the square "LET'S GO!" He yells to the others.

As soon as Walker's horse has gone a few steps, Small turns back to Sasha and, without hesitation, puts a bullet through her head.

Walker, back turned, hears the gunshot go off. Almost gets angry, then lets it go, just muttering "Goddamnit."

The group grabs the horses and the cart and leave Poz and a rapid rate.

Surprisingly, as we make our way towards the next village, Teak, nobody seems to have followed us.

However, we're passing by the forest, Walker begins to notice that the trees have wilted and died, as has the grass in certain areas. As we make our way further and further into the forest, this effect becomes more and more obvious and severe.

Walker stops the cart, and attaches his horse to it.

"I'll scout ahead." He says, and then steps off into the forest, and runs up a tree, quite literally, and disappears into the foliage.

The cart continues as it was, along the path.

Walker makes his way with inhuman agility through the trees. Until he hears voices up ahead.

He slinks through the trees to see a small caravan, and it's familiar.

The voices coming from inside it confirm his fears, its the cart of the gnomish merchants that had betrayed the group to Siven only two days ago.

As the caravan passes by, Walker drops from the tree, unnoticed, and pulls himself up and under the cart. He hangs there from the bottom of the cart for a minute or two until he sees the party's cart approaching. He lights one hand on fire and waves to them, luckily Xanthryl notices. Walker manages to get across the message to stall and Xanthryl pulls up beside the cart and greets the gnomish traders.

After a few minutes of talking, Xanthryl subtly uses charm person on one of the gnomes and leads him away to talk while his wife, the other gnome, is left in the cart. Walker drops from the cart silently and appears around the back of the cart, reaches through the cloth flaps to the cart, grabs her around the neck, covering her mouth, and yanks her out of the cart. He whispers in her ear, "If you scream, I will kill you."

He leads her deep into the forest and then begins to interrogate her.

I could go through the entire interrogation session, but it would be wasting time.

We basically discover that Siven used them to hire Nazareth to assassinate us and that, in fact, they hadn't stolen the star metal. Funnily enough, unknown to Walker, Nazareth had followed him and was watching the entire scene.

Back at the camp, despite a charm person, the gnome noticed his wife was missing. And, unfortunately, he knew what 2+2 meant.

"WILFRED!" He calls out, and Lynch, who was in the process of looting the cart, notices large chunks of stone moving.

The first indication the rest of the party had that something was wrong was Lynch running out of the cart yelling "************************************************" As he sprinted away from the caravan.

The cloth cover over the carvan burst open as a Shield Guardian stands up, and looks straight at Xanthryl.

Walker and Nazareth hear Lynch's cries of fear, and take off towards the cart.

Combat goes something like this.

Xanthryl and the gnome start hitting each other in the nuts.

No.

Yeah.

Called shots.

The shield guardian gets busy with trying to attack Lynch, before moving on to smack Xanthryl with a huge blow.

Walker, seeing Xanthryl about to go down, decides to grapple this thing.


I'm going to summarize combat.
Lynch has very little success against this thing.
Nazareth is hiding in the forest with the gnome woman, presumably to keep her safe.
But then again, you never know, it IS Nazareth.

Walker begins to grapple this thing, and Xanthryl gets the chance to get up and away.

The gnome runs for the forest. And the shield guardian summons up an enormous Wall of Force to block any pursuit.

In the mean time, Xanthryl has used Enlarge person on Walker, who has gotten the upper hand, and released the grapple.

Walker yells to Small "SMALL! SONIC CHARGE! NOW!"

Small pulls the sonic charge out of her bag and throws it.
And barely makes it 10 feet.
The sonic charge, still ticking, lands right in front of Walker.
Walker glances down at it, and yells.

Xanthryl, quick on his feet as ever, conjures up a mage hand, like a true man, and send the sonic charge up and away, straight into the face of the golem.

Which explodes.

Walker, using his new Elocater powers, runs up the wall of force, and tries to spot the gnome.

The crafty trickster has disappeared into the forest with no trace.
Walker curses and comes back down to clean up.

The group gets what information they can out of the gnomish woman before giving her one of her horses back, but taking the cart, despite the fact that most of the merchandise is destroyed due to the shield guardian forming.

Still shaken from the encounter, the group, now with two carts, begins to make their weary way towards Teak


Hit the road, Jack
The group, weary and a little tired of all the surprises, makes their way into Teak.

We enter the gates to the city, which are ,surprisingly, abandoned. Making our way deeper into the city, we notice that, just like the gates, the city appears to be entirely abandoned.

Soon nearing the center of town, we begin to hear voices.
Or rather, one voice, magnified magically, booming from the town square.
And It's one we recognize.

The barbarian Shaman.

The party emerges into the square, trying to keep a low profile.

The shaman is standing on a podium of sorts, a 10x10 stone pillar that has been thrust 50 feet into the air.

Lynch and Nazareth also position themselves in the crowd.

The shaman spots Mr.Small, but luckily not the others.

"AND HERE THEY ARE!" He says, addressing the crowd.

The party suddenly notices there are two other figures standing on the podium.

One appears to be a simple barbarian guard.

The other is Siven.

Siven notices Small as well and smiles, pulling a chunk of shining metal from his backpack and waving it in the air "Looking for this?" he laughs manically "Too bad though. I need this. For the gates."

"The gates. For the gods?"

"Yup. And the gods want this real bad. They're sending their servants to find it. Especially a certain little sun god.He's sending all his servants to find it."

"But...why do you want to keep it?"

"Because the gods stuck up there don't want the gates repaired.
They're the ones with all the power.
And my god...he doesn't want that to happen. He likes it up there. Less competition when other gods are stuck down here, y'know?

Ah, but I've said too much."

The Shaman looks to Mr.Small, and says "Small. Come here."

Small starts walking through the crowd towards the podium. As she passes Walker, he tries to stop her, Small doesn't respond. She reaches the base of the podium, and disappears and reappears on the podium.

Small's Player had been handed a note by the DM: It read "That was a Will Save. You failed it."

Walker starts running towards the podium, yelling for Small. Small, who has reappeared at the podium, hands the Shaman the decapitated Gnoll's head, which is laughing like a maniac.

The Shaman takes the head, and suddenly, the head stops laughing, the star metal implanted it its head melts off and coalesces in the Shaman's hand.
The Gnoll's eyes roll back in its head, and the last bit of life leave the head.

The Shaman lets the head fall.

Walker roars with Anger "SMALL!"

The Shaman notices him and conjures up a Wall of Force, which Walker starts running up.

"One last trick before we hit the road." Said the Shaman, pointing to a part of the podium, and a crackling ball of red energy begins to form on the podium.

The amassed crowd of people begin to flee for their lives.

By this time, Walker has reached the top of the wall. He looks down at the Shaman, from 150 feet in the air, and smiles.

"You want to hit the road? Alright."

And he jumps. From 150 feet in the air, he jumps.
He goes plummeting downwards, a red blur.
He extends his hands as he nears the podium.
The Shaman can't react in time.
Walker grabs his head and send the Shaman plummeting off the podium and down 50 feet straight into the pavement.


In the meantime, something unusual is happening back at the cart.

Big's body, which has been deactivated up until this point, starts moving.
It shakes and quivers, a strange, ethereal mist forming around it. Faint shapes form in the mist, moving and twisting. Outlines of beasts and creatures unknown dance around the metal form of Mr.Big.

Suddenly, the body moves. Sitting up, a metal fist strikes out at the creatures. And the mist dissipates.

As the crowd around them starts fleeing, a screaming mass, Mr.Big stands up and dismounts from the cart.

That's right, kids.

Mr.Big is back.

In the meantime, the Shaman slams into the pavement with a sickening CRUNCH, he moans in pain and struggles to get up.

Suddenly, the ball of chaos summoned by the Shaman starts to move.

Bolts of crimson lightning fly from the orb, lighting houses on fire, while others are striking down fleeing civilians, who are dropping dead. And promptly rising, the emptiness of undeath filling their eyes.

Lynch and Nazareth get to work, beginning to mow down undead, though more continue to rise.

Big, realizing that now is not the time for questions, takes his fists to the nearest zombies with brutal efficiency.

Xanthryl does his best to use illusions to fool the undead.
Which is rather unsuccessful.

Walker, back up on the podium, has just been attacked by the barbarian guard. His greataxe slashes across Walker's arm, leaving a deep gash.

The Shaman, in much pain from what appears to be broken bones, grunts a command word, and he, Siven and Mr.Small disappear in a burst of light.

Walker has bigger things to deal with, and, summoning his flame whip into his hand, charges it with destructive mental energy, and lays into the Barbarian.

In the mean time, more civilians are dying, and more undead are rising. The group is starting to be swarmed.

Xanthryl's illusions serve little purpose as the zombie civilians claw at his flesh.

He screams for help.

The Barbarian bodyguard, now raging, leaps at Walker, putting all his strength into a horizontal swing at Walker's head.

His axe is inches from Walker's skull when the tiefling moves.

Walker ducks, the axe swinging harmless over his head, and dashes forwards.
His sudden movement catch the barbarian in mid-jump.
Walker rams his shoulder into the warrior's feet, and the Barbarian is sent tumbling off the podium, into a group of gathered undead.

Walker hears Xanthryl's screams for help and sprints up the Wall of Force, reaching into his pocket.
He draws from his pocket a pill, and, reaching the top of the wall, throws it to Xanthryl.
Xanthryl catches it, and recognizes it.
It's a fake-death pill that we had looted from the dwarven miner all those many days ago in the mine.

He pops it in his mouth, and drops to the ground, in a fake comatose state.
The zombies, thinking him dead, begin to move on.

Big and Lynch have backed themselves up against walls to limit angles of enemy approach, and are taking out undead as quick as they can.

Nazareth, knowing that the undead will keep coming unless the orb is stopped, finds a section of the square that was blown away by the orb's bolts, and climbs under the Wall of Force.

Walker, in the mean time, observing the massive horde of undead in the square below. And, struck by inspiration, removes the Amulet of Pelor that once belonged to the choir boy in Poz from his neck.

Closing his eyes, Walker does something that goes against every molecule of his being.
He prays to Pelor.
He prays to the god whose followers tried to sacrifice his infant son.

"Pelor, father of light and healing, creator of truth and bravery, patron of heroes and rulers, enemy of injustice and cruelty. Hear my plea, to you. For the crimes of your followers. For retribution of their sins, I ask you, save these poor souls from the punishment of undeath. Shine your light upon this place, and release these souls from the grip of necromancy. Do not let these mothers and fathers, brothers and sons suffer. Guide their innocent souls to your gates."

Closing his eyes, he drops the amulet.

The golden necklace falls straight and true, and lands in the red orb.
The second it touches the crimson ball, it reacts.
The ball begins to modulate and change, the amulet appears to not have destroyed the ball, but to have destabilized it.

In the meantime, Nazareth has made it to the podium, and examining the orb, does something nobody saw coming.
He pulls down his pants, and pees on it.

NOPE.

YOU READ THAT CORRECTLY.

And, as his urine makes contact with this ball of chaos, it implodes. It completely destabilizes and implodes in upon itself.

The undead, who are starting to be a danger to Big and Lynch, drop to the ground. Dead.

But this time, they stay that way.

Walker, exasperated with Nazareth for his behavior, ignores the Assassin's actions and makes his way down to the others.

The party regroups and begins to plan things out.

They do discover something though.
Big has become autonomous.
Or rather, something happened that brought his soul back into that body.

The group has a little time to think as the bodies of the undead disintegrate.


SHOPPING TRIP
So, despite almost all the buildings around the town square being destroyed, there is one left standing, and its a magic item shop.

(This was basically the DM's chance to give us the chance to get those magic items we hadn't gotten the chance to buy yet.)

Here's the catch: Almost all of the items are cursed.

So, I'll spare you the unnecessary details and just give you a run-down of what happened and who got what.

Walker purchased a few items.
Walker bought:
Boots of Expeditious Retreat.
Benefit: +30 ft to speed.
Drawback: Cannot be removed and have to make will save every now and again to avoid strength damage

A Figurine of Wondrous Power:Silven Raven
This was going to be used to carry a message to Idros.
But Luck wouldn't have it.
Drawback: The raven does not actually transform.
Nor does it function as a raven.
Instead, upon command, the small figurine caws, and fires a magic missile from it's beak. (Walker got a good portion of his money given back for this)

Rings of Sending: These are intended to be used for Walker to contact Idros. The wearer of one ring can send messages to the wearer of the other ring.
Drawback: Walker, in order to gain the Ring's benefit, had to swear his allegiance to a sultan named Pali Talakatar, who hails from a far-off desert continent

Walker then uses Xanthryl's familiar (A hawk) to send a scroll, and one of the rings to Idros.

The letter, just in case it comes up later, says "Dear Idros. This is your father writing to you. I know you likely do not believe this letter. And you have no reason to. I cannot explain everything to you, and I know you will have questions. Take the ring and speak into it. I Shall hear you."


Lynch got a few things as well:
Quiver of Ehlonna: Once again, fate did not want this to happen.
Benefit: The quiver functions exactly like a Quiver of Ehlonna.
Drawback: Anyone hit by an arrow drawn from this quiver gains the benefits of the spell False Life. (It applies False Life upon hit)

Ring of Feather Fall:
Benefit: Cast Feather Fall once per day
Drawback: None. This was taken from one of the dead civilian's bodies.

Boots of _____: A pair of boots with symbols of wings carved on the boots.
Benefit: Unknown
Drawback: Cannot be removed. When the wearer attempts to use these boots, he unwillingly breaks out into dance.

Xanthryl got some objects.
Mage's Hand: This was a present from Walker, and is entirely to make his job as an Arcane Trickster-to be easier.

Immovable rod: I believe he purchased just one of these.

Scrolls: He also purchased assorted scrolls. Only one of which is worth noting

Scroll of Fog Cloud:
Drawback: While this scroll is on your person, you are unable to cast divine spells at all.

Nazareth made a clandestine agreement with the owner of the shop for a rather useful item.

The owner of the shop hired Nazareth, recognizing him as an assassin, to kill Pali Talakatar.
That's right.
The sultan Walker just swore allegiance to.

In return, Nazareth Received a Ring of Chameleon Power.

Ring of Chameleon Power:
Benefit: As item of same name
Drawback: The ring's powers no longer function when it is in sub-zero conditions.

Mr.Big didn't get anything.

In the mean time, Mr.Big has taken the time to talk to the local branch of Small Arms (Small Arms Inc. has branches all over Terrenanda and is a well-known new-tech manufacturer and dealer) And told the mercenaries that they are to hire new members and are to help return the town to its previous state.

(The sphere destroyed about 49% of the town's buildings)

When Big returns, and everyone has their items, the group heads up towards the castle, to tell the King about what happened and to promise the aid of Small Arms Inc. to rebuild the town.

Walker, after initially objecting to this, because currently, as he put it "Snowdrift is our only lead. Siven's gone. Small's been taken. And the star metal has been stolen. We need to get to Snowdrift" But after the others promise that they'll leave the town within the next few hours and head towards Snowdrift, he comes along.


Tiefling Flambe
The group makes their way out of the main area of the town and up towards the rich district. However, as we near the rich district, we realize that the gates have been blocked off by guards. A large number of civilians, panicked by the events at the square, are trying to get into the rick district for their own safety. However, the guards are denying everyone entrance.

Xanthryl promptly casts a sleep spell, and the crowd, guards and all, fall into a deep slumber.

"We're here to make peace. Not to cause any more trouble for this town" He explains.

The group makes their way up through the rich district to the castle.

However, we discover that the front doors have been barred from the inside.Big gets ready to ram the door, but Walker steps in front of him.

"I've got this." says Walker, kneeling in front of the door.

Walker extends one finger, and the digit bursts into flame. Lowering it to the crack between the doors, Walker carefully welds his way through the metal bars.

After about a minute, he stands back up, and pushes the doors easily open.

The group steps into the castle and find an unusual sight.

A sea of panicked nobles have amassed in the throne room, and the king sits at the end, in deep discussion with his consultant.It appears that they were panicked by the events at the square, as they should be.

Big looks over the sea of nobles and grumbles "I need an audience with the king"

Walker grins "Why didn't you say so?"

Suddenly Big disappears, as does the king's advisor.
With a small flash, Big appears where the advisor was and the advisor appears where big was.

The king, very flustered, demands the party to come over and explain their actions.

The group explains the events that happened in the square and Big promises Small Arms Inc.'s help, and having finished that, it looks like we're ready to leave.

Just at this time, the doors are thrown open once again a guard charges into the throne room.

"FIRE! THE BARRACKS ARE ON FIRE! THE BARRACKS ARE BEING ATTACKED!"

The king, presuming us to be 'great warriors' because we handled the square so well, sends us to go defend the barracks.

We rush out of the palace, and Walker, being the fastest, is ahead of the group when Xanthryl, looking towards the pillar of smoke rising from the east side of the city, spots something white moving amongst the black cloud.

"There's a dragon." He says, stunned.

"A what?" Asks Walker, having not heard him.

"A dragon."

"A what?" asks Walker, panicked.

"A dragon."

"A WHAT?!?!?!?!?"

"A DRAGON!"

"****"

Walker summons his flame whip into his hand, which has become less like the controlled strand of fire that it usually is, looks more like a tongue of uncontrollable inferno, and is writhing and lashing in the air of its own accord.

The group sprints off towards the barracks, Walker leading the charge.

The party arrives at the barracks just in time find an enormous white dragon landing beside the nearby lake.

The enormous drake is easily 20 feet tall, with massive muscles rippling under its scales.

Big, before anyone can stop him, charges the dragon. The drake swings at Big but misses, as the iron man ducks under the claw and smashes his fist into the dragon's knee with brutal force.

Walker takes after big the second he starts running, and ducks and rolls under an enormous claw as the dragon tries to attack him. He springs out of the roll and lashes at the dragon with his whip.

The second his whip makes contact with the dragon's skin, a massive curtain of flame roars out from the tip of his whip, bathing both Walker and the dragon in fire.

The dragon rears back in pain, roaring with anger and pain, the blackened flesh where the whip had hit him looks particularly nasty.

Xanthryl, realizing that the dragon must have a weakness to fire, yells to the group "Hit it with fire"

He then summons a Large Fiendish Centipede to aid in our combat.
In the mean time, Nazareth is continuing to study the dragon for any weaknesses.

Lynch tries to hit the dragon with an arrow, but has very little success.
I'm probably just going to cut Lynch's actions from this fight, as he doesn't hit the dragon even once. :smallannoyed:

Anyways.

Walker, noticing Big is in bad shape, asks him "Are you Okay?"

Big, barely standing, responds "I'm fine."

Walker isn't stupid enough to believe him and says "I'm not explaining to Small why we have another corpse on our hands."

And then starts running away from the dragon.
The dragon takes Walker's movements as an opportunity, and it's claw digs into his flesh as he darts past it.

Having reached a safe distance away, Walker turns and uses benign transportation (the ability that swaps places of two willing subjects. Walker reappears beside the Dragon, while Big is teleported to safety.

The dragon looks confused at Walker, unsure why he would 'come back for more'

Big draws a Small Arms Inc. Revolver from his jacket and fires at the dragon, the pellet bounces off the hide.

The Dragon roars with anger, opens its mouth, and slams its jaws firmly around Walker before lifting him into the air. Walker, as a reaction, makes his body burst into flames. The dragon keeps its hold as the red-hot tongues of fire burn at the inside of its mouth.

Xanthryl laughs as Big's bullet ricochets.

"Try magic bullets." He says, before firing Magic Missile at the dragon.
The bolts of force burrow into the dragon's flesh, obviously hurting.

Nazareth has continued his study of the dragon, and has noticed a section of scales missing near the dragon's upper thigh. He sprints from the bushes, crossbow in hand, and rushes towards the drake, his crossbow leveled.

Lynch misses. Again.

Walker, roaring in pain as the Dragon's teeth dig into his flesh, lights his fists on fire and screams at the dragon "COME ON!"

Before beginning to pound away at its snout with his pyro-encased fists.

The dragon rears in pain before sinking its teeth even deeper into Walker.

in the mean time, Xanthryl's giant centipede has body slammed the drake, much to Walker's chagrin.

Big manages to cause the dragon annoyance as a bullet sinks into its flesh.

Xanthryl, finally taking the chance to deal fire damage, releases a salvo of Scorching Rays into the drake's chest. The dragon stumbles, burned and bleeding, but stays on its feet.

Xanthryl's centipede is doing its best to attack the dragon, but its teeth cannot penetrate the armored scales.

Nazareth slides into a kneeling position, bracing his crossbow against his shoulder. He focuses then fires. The bolt flies through the air, whistling as it speeds towards its target with deadly precision.
It is a millisecond from the target when the dragon moves, and the crossbow bolt deflects off of the arctic-colored scales.

Walker, fueled by pain and adrenaline, throws a brutal uppercut into the Dragon's mouth. The drake roars in utter misery as Walker's flaming fist burns through its mouth, and all the way to its eye socket. It trashes wildly as Walker's gore-soaked hand grabs a hold of its eye. The beast's eye shrivels and blackens as it burns.

The dragon opens its mouth in a roar of pure pain.
And Big takes his shot.
The bullet speeds inches past Walker's ear, and straight into the Drake's mouth. A spray of gore hits the air as the projectile flies straight through the dragon's skull.
Walker barely manages to leap from the dragon's mouth before it topples to the ground, a bleeding and mutilated mess.

It hits the ground with an enormous CRASH.

Walker floats to the ground safely, holding his side as blood leaks from his wounds.

The dragon lies upon the grass in its death throes.
Xanthryl approaches, and in draconic, demands "Why did you attack this place?"

The dragon looks to him with its one good eye, and, with blood leaking from his mouth, the dragon responds "I have served my purpose."

Xanthryl asks "What is your purpose."

The dragon laughs, a terrifying sound, "How can an Ice Dragon start a fire?"

Walker, having had enough of this dragon, walks over, and with a flaming foot, stomps his boot through the dragon's head.

Xanthryl is stunned with fear as Walker rips a tooth from the dragon's mouth as a prize.

Walker notices his expression, "What's wrong."

Xanthryl looks at him with an expression of pure terror.

"We've been tricked."

And then an enormous explosion rips through the air.
The group turns to see an enormous gout of flame exploding outwards from the palace, as black smoke begins to float into the sky.

Big swears loudly and takes off, the others in hot pursuit

[MidgetMarine]

We're Dragonslayers No, we're not. Yes we are. NOT.
The group begins sprinting towards the castle. Big, realizing he has a bow back in the carts, decides to go get that before rejoining the other.

So we split the party.

The rest of us continued to make our way towards the castle. Walker, being more than twice as fast as the others, arrived first.

He notices a hole in the roof of the castle, where smoke is faintly trailing from.

He instantly sprints towards the front door to the castle. He throws the doors open, and activates a trap. The dart gun releases its payload, and Walker, despite attempting to dash out of the way, takes a poison dart in the arm.

He feels woozy, and his arms suddenly feel heavier, he stumbles fowards, ripping the dart from his arm.

He throws open the doors to the throne room, and is met with a terrifying sight.

An enormous red dragon is standing in the throne room, which has been reduced to a collection of rubble. Blood stains the floor, and rubble covers the stones.

Walker, thinking fast, sinks to his knees as the dragon turns to him.

"My lord. They have slain the other dragon."

The dragon growls, "Who are you?"

"I am an ally, my lord."

At this point, Lynch enters the room, having been slightly ahead of Xanthryl and Nazareth.

(In the mean time, Xanthryl and Nazareth are climbing up the wall of the palace, and makign their way to the hole in the roof.)

Lynch, seeing Walker on his knees, follows suit.

"You say they slew the other?"

"Yes. We need to leave now." Says Walker, "Before they come for you."

The dragon, still aggressive, looks unsure.

"I do not know you."

"I swear, my lord, I am your ally." [This Bluff check was a nat 20. :D :D :D :D]

The dragon nods.

"Alright. Come. We mus-"

He is interrupted as Xanthryl appears at the hole in the roof.

In the grandest voice he can muster, Xanthryl announces "WE KILLED YOUR ALLY" he motions to Walker and Lynch. "SURRENDER NOW." Brutally massacring any chance we had of bluffing our way out of the fight.

The dragon looks at Walker and Lynch and roars with anger.

Walker and Lynch both swear loudly at Xanthryl, and the fight begins.

In the mean time, Big has returned to where we put the carts, and has found them missing, except for a pile of discarded wares. Luckily, his bow is inside it. But Big decides to go looking for the carts.

He scouts around the town, until he sees a man sprinting towards the gates, he follows him and finds a pack of gnolls attempting to smuggle the cart out of the city.

Big quickly disposes of them.

(Sorry to make this so brief, but this is the one part that my memory is fuzzy on, and I don't want to take up too much space.)


Walker pulls the white dragon's tooth from his pocket, knowing his flames will do nothing against this beast, and charges. The bone weapon bounces harmlessly off of the dragon's hide.

Lynch sprints towards a pillar for cover, flinging knives from his belt at the dragon, the iron blades slash and batter the dragon, who looks annoyed more than grievously wounded.

Nazareth, not discouraged by his previous failure, begins to study the dragon.
He looks to Xanthryl and points at the Dragon, "Weaken it for me."

Xanthryl nods and summons an enormous viper, which uncoils, appearing from thin air, beside the dragon.

Walker is doing his best job to be a distraction, slashing at the dragon with his fire whip, knowing it will do very little to no damage to this beast.

Lynch is in his element, ducking and dodging between piles of rubble, sending daggers like iron bolts of lightning into the dragon's flesh.

Xanthryl's snake leaps at the dragon, and sinks its teeth into the beast's neck. The dragon roars in pain as the snake's venom saps at its strength. The red beast claws at the enormous serpent, which withdraws, so as to avoid the slashing claws.

Walker looks to Nazareth, as the snake lunges again, its deadly poison seeping again into the dragon's system.

Nazareth stands up on the roof, his black cape billowing in the wind, and nods to Walker.

Walker disappears, and Nazareth takes his place. The dragon only has time to look down in surprise as the black-clad figure materializes.

Nazareth leaps up, climbing like a trained acrobat up the dragon's neck, avoiding its deadly claws. He scales the enormous beast, quick as lightning, and reaches the head. He raises his rapier high before sending it stabbing downwards. Once. Twice. Thrice. He stabs viciously at the Dragon's skull, the beast roaring in pain. And on the fourth stab, his arm disappears into the flesh as he plunges it deep into the beast's brain with vicious force.

The dragon roars one last time, a roar of pain and defeat, before crumbling to the ground.

(In game-terms, We had used the snake's poison to do fort damage and lower the dragon's save, so Nazareth could succeed on the death attack easier. To add to our luck, the dragon rolled a 2 on the fort save against the death attack)

The group is celebrating when Walker drops to his knees, almost unconscious. The poison's secondary effects had hit him not a moment too late. If the battle had been any longer, he would have been unable to fight.

As the group begins to theorize on why these dragons would attack this village, Big bursts through the doors, followed by a militiaman.

He spots the dead dragon, and looks at the rest of the group, "This may seem less important right now, but this city is about to be invaded."

In the distance, the sound of Gnolls howling carries on the wind, a haunting sound

Looters
So, Big runs into the room, announcing that the city is about to be invaded.

And over the noise, with an inhuman feat of perception, Xanthryl hears the sound of footsteps headed towards the door.

And there's nobody there.

"WALKER! THERE'S SOMEONE HEADING TOWARDS THE DOOR.

Walker sprints towards the door, before lighting the ground on fire as he goes.

As he closes off the only exit, a great sword appears in the air, and slashes at his face.

Walker, stunned, stumbles sidewats as the great sword, quite literally, shaves the hair on his neck, less than a centimeter from slitting his throat. Walker summons his whip into his hand, ready for a fight.

Suddenly, the figure appears, an ogre mage.

The ogre mage raises his hands into the air, "I surrender."

Walker knocks him to the ground, "Why shouldn't I kill you?"

"Because this city is about to get attacked. And I can help."

"How?"

"I have allies. I was here to kill the dragon. I can get the giants to help."

Walker, weighing the option, pulls the mage to his feet, throws him out the door and says "If you're lying. I'll kill you."

The ogre mage nods and sprints off towards the exit of town.

Soon afterwards, Big informs the group that the gnolls have gathered an enormous force to assault the city.

WHY?

No idea.

Anyways, Big manages to get a call out to nearby militia companies, and we begin to prepare for a battle.

The group is meeting in the throne room, planning out strategies, when the doors suddenly slams open.

The group turns, Walker lighting his hand on fire as a reflex.

However, no figure stands by the entry way.

A small raven stands in the door frame, looking at us. It caws then takes off, flying up into the rafters. The group follows it with their eyes, it stands in the rafters for a moment, gazing at them.

Then the shadow falls over them.

The group swivels, to see an amazing sight.

A man, bordering 7'5", strides into the room.

He is built like a bear, with bulging muscles and angular features. He wears a mithril set of plate armor with a design of a raven's head emblazoned on the chest. He holds an enormous scythe in his hands, the blade almost as tall as Nazareth. He stares down at the rest of the party, his cold grey eyes examining them.

"I'm here for the undead." He says, in a deep bass voice.

Let's Meet: Lazarus Cormack
Lazarus Cormack, Goliath Favored Soul/ Knight of the Raven

Lazarus Cormack is a goliath born into a human community. Raised by a single father, Lazarus lost his only family member when highway bandits ambushed them. His father sacrificed himself to keep the young Lazarus alive.

Years later, Lazarus, having adopted the nomadic lifestyle of his people, travelled through a town called Duvik's Pass, which was besieged by a plague. [Yes, the exact same town that Walker lived by.]

He became infected with the plague, and died a long and painful death, while the villagers left him to die, more concerned for their own health.

And so Lazarus Cormack died.

Well, not exactly.

Instead of passing on, Lazarus was met with a strange vision, a beautiful woman, with charcoal hair, cloaked in a dress of black feathers.

The Raven Queen. The goddess of death.

She spoke to him, told him that he would be more use to her alive than dead. And that she could grant him life again, should he swear his allegiance to her and become a champion of her cause.

And so Lazarus Cormack was brought back to life, as a Favored Soul of the Raven Queen.

Ever since, he has been championing her cause, spreading her teachings, slaying her enemies.

But, a few short months ago, she came to him in physical form.
A beautiful woman, in the dark of night, spoke to him.

"Find the fire that hates the sun." She said, "Aid him.

...

Aid Me."

Ever since the gates that allowed passage between the celestial realms and the earth were destroyed, a few gods were trapped on Terrenanda, deprived of their unworldly power. The Raven Queen was one of them.
She knew of Aazal and the rest of the group's fate, and sent her best asset to achieve her goal.

And so Lazarus was sent, on a wild-goose chase, for this 'fire that hated the sun'

Until the day he reached Teak, entered the destroyed castle, and found a tiefling, glaring at him from under a hood, his hand on fire.

He knew he had found his mark.


Walker looks the newcomer up and down.

"They're long gone." he says, turning away.

"It looks like you could use some aid." Says Lazarus, looking at the map of the town that the group is using for battle plans.

Walker, reluctantly, nods.

Okay.
It would take a small novel to recount the entire session.

Let me give you the general idea.

So, it turns out the gnolls have united and are attacking the city.
So we set up some defenses. Including what is essentially a Howitzer cannon, thanks to Big and the local smiths.

Walker has an evil plan involving the river that leads into the city, and Lazarus is using his raven (as a Knight of the Raven) to scout out the enemies.

Two days later (the day before the gnoll army is expected to attack) a group of trolls arrive at the gate.

(At this point, I should make passing mention to why this chapter is called what it is. We had some guest players in this session, taking the roles of militiamen. Anyways, one of them was determined to spend what he thought would be his last night alive drinking and making love to women.

Upon declaring this, Xanthryl's player pipes up "So, you're going to the D&D equivalent of Hooters.

When I heard this, I looked up from my character sheet to Xanthryl's player and just stated "Looters."

This became a reoccurring joke that ran ALL session.)

The party arrives to solve the problem, because the guards don't want to let trolls into their city.

Walker walks over on the city walls, and looks down on the trolls.

"Why are you here?" He asks.

"HELP." Says one of the trolls, bluntly.

Walker raises an eyebrow, noticing one of the trolls with his head tilted, as if he were listening to someone.

"You're here to help?"

"Yes. here help. Friend send to help."

Walker, suspicious, doesn't respond.

This frustrates the troll, who begins slamming on the doors to the city.

"LET IN! LET IN!"

Walker shakes his head "Promise me that you are here to help and shall do no harm."

After a pause, the trolls all agree.

Lazarus, his face stone cold, turns to Walker and whispers, "They're lying. They're not here to help. It's written all over their faces."

Walker grimaces "I was afraid of that. But we can't just ask them to leave. And I don't want to start a fight. How can we get rid of them?"

Lazarus smiles "I have an idea."

The enormous man turns back to the trolls, and from atop the 150 tall wall, speaks to them.

His voice rumbles like thunder over the plain, as his shadow expands to a dozen times its size, covering the trolls in darkness. He gazes down upon them, his scythe planted in the earth beside him.

"STAND DOWN.", he says, his deep voice sounding like a war horn.
One troll shrinks under his shadow, becoming meek and scared.

Lazarus appears to grow, yet his size does not change, he looms over the trolls from the fortified walls.

"GO." He commands, the sky darkening, and the clouds swirling violently as his deep voice roars through the air, full of wrath.

Two of the trolls growl at him viciously.

The third runs, screaming like a child, away from the wall as quickly as possible, a distinct trail of urine following him as he goes.

Walker nods to Lazarus, but finds it hard to see, as the light has just been dimmed. He looks up to the sun to see a large silhouette of something blotting out the sun. A second later, he realizes that this thing is plummeting towards him.

Walker, with lightning quick reflexes, tucks himself into a roll as he throws himself sideways.

Lazarus glances up, notices the incoming projectile, and, pushing off and backwards with his scythe, stuck in the ground, leaps out of the way of the boulder just in time as it slams into the ground.

Walker summons his whip into his hand with a roar, and yells to the others "KILL THEM!"

Lynch acts before Walker has finished his sentence, pulling a kukri from his belt, Lynch runs along the battlements, before skidding to a stop, releasing all the momentum from his movement into a single throw. The kukri whistles downwards at blinding speeds.

The Troll only has time to gasp in pain as the Kukri embeds itself in his neck.
He looks down briefly in surprise, as a fountain of blood pours from his pierced jugular vein.

"Oh." Is all he manages before falling to the ground, dead.

Xanthryl is quick to obey, with a wave of his hands, a set of snow white clouds appear above the remaining troll. He glances up in confusion, and then the clouds crash with thunder, and hailstones the size of catapult ammunition fall from the misty ethereal constructs.

The troll sinks to his knees as the blunt objects batter and bruise him. Then a rock the size of a halfling smashes into his head, and the troll lies still, his head crushed in upon itself

Suddenly, something slams into the walkway beside Walker and Lazarus.

And Umber Hulk had just dropped out of the sky onto the wall.

Okay, well that's not entirely true.

The Umber Hulk had been dropped onto the wall by a Dragonne which had been flying above us unnoticed. Walker scrambles backwards, taken completely by surprise as this beast plummets from the sky.

Luckily, one of the militia men sees the Umber Hulk land and reacts instantly. With a bellow, he charges, slamming his entire weight into the enormous monster. The Umber Hulk, taken by surprise, stumbles backwards one step, two steps....

On the third step, its foot catches only air, as it stumbles backwards off the enormous wall.

It hangs there for a moment, fighting frantically for balance, before plummeting downwards, and smashing into the ground with a sickening, fleshy CRUNCH

Walker glances around to see the Dragonne, flying around them in a wide circle.

He looks to Lazarus and says "Get ready." Before disappearing without a sound. In his place appears the Dragoone, who is thoroughly confused.

Lazarus, powered by the divine might of his deity, charges the beast with a wild cry. His feet leave small craters in the stone, as he barrels towards this vile thing. His scythe raises into the air, and comes down with brutal strength.

The bloodthirsty edge of the scythe slices clean through flesh and bone, and one of the beast's wings falls to the ground, severed from its owner.

It roars in pain and terror as it falls to the ground, crippled.

Another of the militiamen draws his bow and hits the beast square in the eye it stumbles about, confused and wounded.

Nazareth, focusing in on the beast's weakness, runs up and slashes it across the stomach. The Dragonne is thoroughly disoriented as the group teams up on him, and, as Nazareth's blade dissects it, it drops to the stones, dead.

At this moment, the Ogre Mage from the throne room reappears, floating several feet above the wall. He raises his hand, and a gust of lethally freezing wind slices at those in the way.

Xanthryl grits his teeth as the icy wind slashes his flesh. He closes his eyes to focus, then, with a shouted arcane word and a hand gesture, sends some Scorching Rays towards the Ogre Mage. Both slam into the evil magician, who reels backwards, barely keeping himself aloft.

Walker, fire whip in hand, throws it with all his strength, focusing all his psionic power into this single attack.

However, that psionic power was the some one that was allowing to not plummet towards the ground at deadly speeds. As he releases the whip, Walker stops floating gently towards the ground, and suddenly plummets downwards.

The whip sails far past the Ogre Mage as Walker plummets towards the earth from 100 feet in the air, flailing and screaming.

Lazarus turns, sees the Ogre Mage and squares off. Raising one hand, he addresses the orc in a booming voice "In the eyes of the raven queen, I find you guilty."

The ogre mage grips his head as a thousand voices inside his head scream all the crimes he ever committed. Blood seeps from his ears and in between his fingers as he grimaces with pain and terror.

Lynch, smiling, pulls another kukri from his belt and lets it fly. The ogre mage glances sideways in surprise as Lynch's kukri slices his hand clean off. He roars with pain, his mouth open in a cry of utter misery.

And one of militia takes his chance, pulling a repeating crossbow from his belt, and with expert accuracy, lets two bolts fly.

The ogre mage falls to the ground, his eyes wide in surprise, two thick crossbow bolts protruding from the back of his head.

Walker, still plummeting towards the ground, screams in pure frustration. And flames shoot from his hands and feet, jets of pure fiery rage. Righting himself, Walker, fire shooting from his limbs, lowers himself safely to the ground before flying off, back to the wall.

He returns to the gruesome sight of the slaughtered Dragoon and the Ogre Mage.

Lynch is walking away from the ogre mage, holding a kukri with an impaled hand upon it, grinning like a child.

"Hey, Walker. Check it out!"

Walker chuckles and Walks over the to corpse of the Ogre Mage. He points to the dead Dragonne.

"Chuck 'em over the edge."

He says before heaving the the body of the Ogre Mage over his shoulder, walking to the edge of the wall, and throwing the limp cadaver over the ledge.

To his left, he can hear the sound of the militia men pushing the Dragonne over the battlements.

Walker notices the severed wing, and looks to Lazarus.

"Good job, Cleric." He says, impressed. "Now, let's get back to business, we have a city to defend.


The Battle of Helm's Teak

The day of the battle had arrived. Our scouts informed us that the gnoll army was mobilizing for war.

An hour before the battle was fated to commence, the group had gathered in the throne room around an enormous wooden table, going over tactics one last time.

Walker strode into the room, and looked at the others.

"This is it." He said, softly.

Everyone turns to look at Walker, the room is silent.

Walker strides to the end of the table, places his hands on the wooden surface, and breathes it.

He looks up to the others, his eyes determined and set.

"It comes down to us." He said, softly.

The others look at him, confused.

Walker continues.

"It comes down to us.
As it has a thousand times before now.
And as it will a thousand times more.
It comes down to us.

There is an army out there, threatening your land. your homes. your wives and children. YOUR CITY.

And we can turn tail and run to live another day.

Or we can stand.
And fight."

Walker's voice rises and becomes more fierce.

"Because today is the day that we decide how history views us. How will your descendants remember you?
Will the sons of your sons, and maybe even their sons, look back upon this day and remember you as the cowards that fled, tail between their legs?
Or will they hold the chests high, knowing they are the grandchildren of the men who held the city of Teak at all costs?
The grandsons of HEROES!

Perhaps the greatest stories of our time will be of Dereway Lynch, Nazareth, Mr.Big, Xanthryl, Lazarus Cormack, Brian and Sigmund, the mercenaries!" He says, his voice echoing in the empty hall, motioning to each person in turn as he says their name.

"Perhaps even Walker." He chuckles.

"But today is when you decide.

how will history remember you?

I ask you, fight!

Take up your fists and your swords!
Take up your bows and your knives!
Your guns and your axes!
Your spell books and your holy symbols!
Take up arms!
AND FIGHT.


I ask you


ARE.


YOU.


WITH.

ME?!!!?!?!?!" He yells, throwing his fist in the air.

The group cheers, excited.

(NOTE: Yes, this was done IC, and yes I did actually yell, and do hand motions. It was a lot of fun!)

As the battle begins, the group has several defences set up.

The numbers on either side of the battle are as such

Gnoll Army: 413 members strong

Teak Defenders 167 strong. Oh.
AND A HOWITZER.

We were outnumbered and outgunned, but we'd be damned if we let them win.

I'll give you the run down of what the plan was and where the party members were.

Teak was divided into three sections by walls.

The first, and largest section being the True City, as the locals called it. The True City contained all the markets and the pubs and the shops and the normal peoples' houses.
Further up on the hill that Teak is situated on is the Nobles' Quarter. The Nobles' Quarter is the home to the rich and high-born families that have taken up residence in Teak.
And, upon the peak of the hill is the Palace. Its name should speak for itself.

The True City had been evacuated, and the civilians had been moved into the Nobles' quarter. The plan was that the combined forces that were defending Teak (Composing of the party members, several contingents of militia, about 4 battalions of archers, a group of nordic barbarians, a squad of dwarven defenders, a psion, and several foot soldiers) would attempt to hold Teak as best as they could. If the enemy conquered the True City, they were to withdraw to the walls around the Nobles' Quarter, and hold the gates there. The Squad of Dwarven Defenders had been positioned at the gates to the Nobles' Quarters for reliable defence if the need should arise. The red dragon's corpse was also mounted upon the wall to the Nobles' Quarter, and was to be dropped onto the enemy forces if they tried to take the Nobles' Quarter.

If the Nobles' Quarter was taken, everyone was to withdraw to the Palace and attempt to hold the throne room, several barricades had been built in the throne room.

In the case that we failed to hold even the Palace, all remaining forces were to barricade themselves in the King's tower, the last room in the Palace, and fight to the death. Everyone hoped that we didn't have to do this.

Now, where are the individual party members?

Mr. Big is operating the enormous artillery cannon mounted on the wall of the Palace with the aid of several smiths (we dubbed it 'Das Uber-Kannon') While using a psion that lived in teak to communicate telepathically between him and Walker so that that the psion and/or Walker could call out where to fire.

Walker is sitting at the bank of the lake which is at the end of the river which leads through Teak's walls and into the city, with his palms submerged. His face is contorted in concentration, as if he is holding some enormous force back. The plants around the banks have shrivelled and died, presumably from whatever Walker is doing.

Lynch is on the opposite side of the city from the gnoll army. Expecting flanking, Lynch has moved himself, a contingent of musket men, and a squadron of elven archers to the rear wall of the city, to dispose of any trickery on the Gnoll's part.

Xanthryl is standing upon the walls, in charge of several squads of elven archers, as is Lazarus.

Nazareth is at the main gate to Teak with a garrison of Nordic Barbarians (Our scouts had spotted a hill giant headed for the main gate. And, because of the experience with the trolls, we had dubbed it hostile and it was to be killed.)

And so the battle begins.

The gnolls, along with the collection of other monstrous force that they rallied together, begin their charge. The archers draw their bows as the Gnolls near the walls.

The archers nervously wait as the gnolls get nearer and nearer.

Lazarus, whose voice is magically amplified a thousand fold, roars over the noise of the charging army, "HOLD YOUR FIRE."

The gnolls get closer, almost at the walls.

several groups of lizard-men has swarmed into the river and are making their way downstream and into Teak.

Lazarus repeats the order, watching the Lizard men, nobody makes a move. The gnolls have reached the walls, and are preparing to mount ladders when the lizard-men pass under the wall, and enter the lake.

Over the clamour of the enemy forces, Lazarus' voice booms over the battlefield.

Two words.

"NO SURVIVORS."


And that's the signal.

The archers loose their arrows, the gnolls by the walls falling by the dozens as the expert marksmen rip through their ranks.

Xanthryl unleashes a brutal hailstorm above a squadron of minotaur, who fall to the ground in pain as ice chunks the size of a fully grown man rain from the sky, breaking bones and crushing skulls.

Back at the lake, Walker hears the signal, and withdraws his hands from the water, which had begun to smoke.

And, with a roar like some primal beast, the river bursts into flames. The water goes from slightly warm to boiling in a matter of seconds, a wall of fire races across the lake and up the river in the blink of an eye, black clouds of smoke choke the air. The smell of burning flesh and the pitiful screams of dying beings scar the air, as over 90 lizard-men are boiled alive in a matter of seconds.

Up on the wall, the psion has begun to call the shots for Big. The enormous cannon fires, the sound of its payload screaming through the air barely audible of the cacophony of the battle. The enormous explosive shell plows into the ground by a group of gnolls attempting to prepare ladders, and the entirety of their ranks are sent flying as this brutal machine of war strikes true.

Within minutes, the giant has arrived at the gate, and is followed by a series previously unseen squadrons of Gnolls.

The giant arrives at the gate, which has been secured with a dozen enormous bars, and kicks it open like it was nothing. The gates are thrown off the wall as the giant's blow sends them exploding outwards. The Nordic Barbarians make their way to swarm the giant.

Nazareth runs to Xanthryl, who is aiding in the defence on the main front, and asks him for help. Xanthryl agrees.

Walker, hearing the sound of the gate slamming open, takes off (At an insane speed (90 ft Base Speed (Running = 360 feet per round)) towards the gates, and the giant, as well.

In the mean time, word from our forces inside the True City inform us that undead have begun to rise from the town square where the shaman had caused them to rise before.

The moment he hears this, Lazarus takes off towards the square, pulling his enormous scythe from his back as he goes. Lazarus, as a champion of the goddess of death, has no tolerance for the undead. The Raven Queen sees them as aberrations that must be destroyed. And, as a Knight of the Raven, has commited his life to battling undead. Arriving at the square, Lazarus finds it swarming with undead, with more rising every second. With a roar, he charges the zombies, his scythe readied at his side.

He lashes out with his vicious blade, and severs the head from a zombie's neck. This gets their attention, and Lazarus is faced with a square full of angry zombies.

At this time, Xanthryl has cast Fly upon himself and Nazareth, and they have sped off towards the giant, who has begun to deal heavy casualties to the Nordic Barbarians. The gnoll squads that were trailing the giant have skirted around the barbarians, and are entering the true city.

Walker, communicating with Big telepathically, orders him to fire at the giant. Big turns and fires, but miscalculates for distance. The explosive shell slams into the barracks, lighting them on fire.

Lynch and his squads have spotted a squad of infiltrator gnolls attempting to climb the walls and enter the city unnoticed. They spring from their hiding places, and begin to gun down the stealthy enemies.


The giant is ripping the barbarians limb from limb when Nazareth arrives. He pauses, watching the giants movements, then speeds off, flying straight towards the giant. As he nears the giant, he extends his sword in front of him, and grimaces, preparing himself. With a fleshy and visceral ripping sound, Nazareth's sword plunges straight into the giant's neck, but he doesn't stop there. Nazareth keeps flying, and, using his sword as a makeshift drill, burrows his way through the giant's neck, before emerging from the other side in a shower of blood and gore. The giant falls to the ground with an earth-shaking crash, and lies still, dead.

Back up at the castle, big has begun to operate the cannon on his own, as the smiths have been sent to help hold the wall. From behind him comes a voice, a deep and dark voice, the voice of the ogre mage, somehow returned from the dead.

"Fire upon your allies." Demands the Ogre Mage, his words laced with magical power. Big pauses, his hand holding the firing lever loosely. Then he speaks.

"**** you." He growls, throwing the cannon's controls sideways, the cannon pivots 180 degrees in the blink of an eye.
The Ogre Mage only has one moment to gasp as he he is suddenly left staring straight down the barrel of the enormous gun.
The Mr.Big pulls the firing lever. The long-range high-powr round collides with the Ogre Mage at point blank range, and explodes. Mr. Big is thrown from the controls as the explosions rips outwards. The sound of the explosion roars over the battlefield. When he scrambles to his feet, all the remains of the Ogre Mage is a faint red mist hanging in the air like a crimson fog.

Walker, seeing Nazareth disposing of the giant, runs to intercept one of the gnoll squadrons. Speeding out of an alleyway, he emerges right in the middle of their ranks. Flame whip already in hand, Walker goes to town. Focused as never before in his life, Walker dodges artfully between the gnolls, his whip lashing out and killing Gnolls left right and centre.He dances in-between their blades, using their numbers against them, often switching places with unsuspecting gnolls to cause confusion and gain the upper hand.

Back at the wall, the gnolls are beginning to falter, they have been unable to get a single ladder up, as the archers have been working as a well-oiled machine, taking turns shooting and pushing the ladders back into the gnolls' ranks.

In the square, Lazarus is wreaking divine wrath upon the undead. Despite their overwhelming numbers, he is dropping them like flies. Standing in the middle of the square as the undead charge him, Lazarus remains calm. The zombies part to his scythe like the earth to a farmer's plough.

Lynch and his squads have arguably saved the day, having gunned down dozens of gnolls that would have otherwise entered the city unnoticed.

It has been not much longer than an hour when the gnolls begin to retreat, fleeing into the hills from which they came, their numbers crushed beneath the efforts of the defenders.

As the battle ends, as Walker clutches his wounds from his solo battle against thirty gnolls, as Nazareth takes a moment to wipe the blood from his robes and hair, as Xanthryl looses his last spell and as Lazarus drops the last undead, the total score is as follows.

Gnoll Army Members Killed: 345

Teak Casualties: 57

An impressive victory, by all accounts.

[MidgetMarine]

From Ashes To Ashes

The gnolls had fled back into the hills, leaving us no less confused as to why they had attacked.
The group was still nursing their wounds, Walker had been a few more wounds away from death after somehow managing to take on 30 enemy soldiers single handedly.

Lazarus had emerged unscathed from his encounter with the undead, having had to battle clumsy, fumbling corpses rather than prepared and militant soldiers. Lazarus had no way of explaining why they had risen again, but was confident that it would not happen again.

Big had taken some significant damage from the point blank explosion, but he was back to normal soon enough, thanks to the local smiths' help and his own ministrations.

Nazareth was unscathed, and after having bathed, was clean of the giant's blood and innards.

Xanthryl and Lynch were unharmed in even the slightest sense.
Lynch had stayed far away from any enemies while defending the rear walls, and Xanthryl, having been the walking artillery of the main front (While Big served the purpose of non-walking artillery), was even farther away from any enemies than Lynch, and didn't take any sort of damage, physical or otherwise.

The villagers of Teak awarded us with many prizes, to thank us for our service.
The most noticable ones being A Cloak of the Mantaray (Walker is wearing it) and an Eversmoking Bottle (Lynch has it) as well as what we suspect to be a brooch of shielding (Xanthryl has it)

After attending the funerals of their fallen comerades, a good section of which were the Nordic Barbarians who had the misfortune to face the giant, the group takes time to reflect. The living nords are proud are proud of their fallen bretheren's efforts, as without them the giant would have wreacked utter havoc upon the True City, and probably forced the defenders to retreat back behind the walls before Nazareth could have arrived.

The night after the battle, celebrations are held. The main square is turned into a site of massive jubilation.

The nordic men had organized several competitions to raise the spirits of the assembled crowds. Big has taken this opportunity to see if his metal body has the capability of becoming intoxicated, and is chugging beer after beer at the bar, to no effect.

The first competition in line was a log-tossing competition.

The group lined up to take their turns.

Xanthryl took his turn first.
Yes, Xanthryl, with all 3 points of a Strength score.
He swaggers up to the log, an air of unusual confidence.
He grabs the end of the log, and hunches over.
Before standing up, and throwing his arms into the air with a grunt of effort.

The log soars through the air, before landing on the ground a whopping 80 feet away.
The crowd goes wild, screaming and cheering, as Xanthryl bathes in their adoration.
Walker and the rest of the group know full well that Xanthryl had cheated somehow, but none can think of how.
His secret?He cast Greater Mage Hand with Invisible Spell applied, before using the magical force to send the log soaring a massive distance.

Walker steps up to the plate, and after a rather sad attempt to use his teleportation abilities to cheat, plays fair and manages to throw the log a distance of 10 feet.

Lynch manages 5 feet.

Lazarus manages 15.

And then the barbarian's chief steps up.
His muscles are thicker than Xanthryl's chest, he looks as if every tendon of his body was chiseled from stone. He stretches his arms wide, his wingspan reaches out a ridiculous distance. Grabbing the log, he squats, then stands, his arms sending the log soaring into the air. The log smashes into the ground, 40 feet away. A mere half the distance of what Xanthryl's trickery had amounted to.

The nords, as stunned as anyone else at the elf's success, award Xanthryl his prize, a magical axe. The axe, once swung against a piece of wood, can be released, and it will stay in the air and continue to chop at its target of its own volition.

Walker, knowing full-well that Xanthryl cheated, grabs a drink from the bar, and, scraping a chunk of gunk in one of the gutters of the square, throw it into the drink, and approaches Xanthryl.

Walker puts on a fake smile and approaches Xanthryl, arms wide open, “XANTHRYL! YOU. ARE. A. BADASS. THAT WAS AMAZING. DRINK UP!”

Xanthryl, high off his victory, doesn't sense Walker's intent, and grabs the drink from the tiefling's hand, before downing it in a single gulp.

Walker, despite his mirth, manages to step out of the way as Xanthryl loses his lunch into the gutter. Xanthryl mutters something about “goddamntieflings” before walking off the bar.

The next competition is a dancing competition.
Which is really just a dance-off between Walker and Lynch.
Walker, who has learned many forms of dance over his years of travel, has experience and practice under his belt.

Lynch, on the other hand, has his magical boots.

The two begin simple, a human jig, before getting more and more complicated.
Lynch ends up winning the competition through an impressive, by all accounts, knife-juggling/jig performance.
Lynch's prize is a coin from the Land of the Iron Sails, which he promptly gibves to Walker to repay him for the magic items from the shop. Walker smiles and claps Lynch on the back, “That was impressive, Lynch.”

[The Land of the Iron Sails is a far-off land, filled with mystery and might. The men of the iron sails used to sail to Terrenanda often, and when making an oath or agreement, would give the other person a coin. The coins represented essentially a bargaining chip, and is considered an exchange between two honorable people. Essentially, if you give this coin to someone else, it makes them more likely to believe you, as [generally] only the most honorable people possess coins from the Land of the Iron Sails]

The final competition is a drinking competition, which all members of the party, minus Big (Because of his immunity to the effects of alcohol) are participating.

The first round is a heavy scotch, each participant is given a tall mug, full to the brim.
The group scoops up their flagons, and go to work.

Xanthryl, already upset after his spiked drink courtesy of Walker, finishes his glass first, and slams it down. He stands up “Take that!” He says.

Before stumbling backwards, tripping over his chair and landing on the ground.

Lying on his back, he observes, in a very slurred voice, “Okay. Maybe I didn't.”

The next round is quite literally smoking, black smoke is curling off the top of the glass.
And once again, the group takes their cups, raise them high, and go bottoms up.
Walker is the one to fall this time, and, after finishing half of his glass, tumbles off his chair in a flailing mess of arms and legs.

The third drink emerges on a tray, and it glowing. The thick, almost gelatinous drink is glowing brightly through the clear glasses. The remaining contestants, Lynch, Lazarus and Nazareth, each get a glass. They go bottoms up. Lynch barely gets started before his face turns green and he rushes to the gutter, before spewing forth a cascade of glow-in-the-dark vomit.

And the final round arrives.
Lazarus, heavily intoxicated, is leaning on his Scyhe to stay on his feet, while Nazareth is almost passed out on the table, staring up at Lazarus, laughing giddily.

The barman pulls out the final challenge. And pours two shot glasses full of the concoction. It smells as if someone had just lit the bar on fire, the drinks burst into flames as soon as they hit the glass.

“Dragon's Fire Whiskey!” Pronounces the barman, proudly. “The winner gets a whole bottle of this stuff.”

Lazarus grabs his glass, and Nazareth follows suit.

The two lock eyes, before downing their glasses in unison.

There is a pause, as both men stare at each other, their eyes locked in fierce competiton, waiting for the other to break.
Then the corner of Nazareth's mouth twitches, and he lets out an enormous burp.
And from his mouth pours a gout of flame, exploding through the air. The flames stop mere inches in front of Lazarus' face.
Nazareth is in shock, staring at the air where the flames had been a moment before. He touches his fingers to his tongue slowly.

“Oh.

Dragon's Fire.

Right.” He manages, before passing out.

Lazarus is the center of attention as the bartender awards him with a bottle of Dragon's Fire Whiskey.
While the others were drinking, Xanthryl, absolutely hammered, sold his magical axe to a very drunk Walker for 1gp.
Looking around, Lazarus notices that the rest of the party is mostly passed out, or helplessly drunk. Realizing there isn't much else to do, he rents a room above the bar from the bartender, who gives it to him for free, and goes to get some much needed sleep.

The next morning, the group comes to, passed out in the main square. Lynch and Nazareth are both awake, and Big, not needing to sleep, spent the entire night sitting at the bar, continuing his attempts to become drunk. Lazarus, having the immune system of a bull, managed to find himself a bed to sleep in for the night at the local inn before returning to check up on the others. Xanthryl awakes to his hawk jumping about around him, squawking. Walker, having passed out nearby Xanthryl, rubs his eyes and sits up. Seeing the hawk, it takes him a moment to register what its return means.
The hawk had been sent to deliver the note and the other ring to Walker's son in Snowdrift. Suddenly, it registers. Walker scrambles to his feet, grasping in his pockets to find his ring. He pulls it out and hastily shoves it on his finger. Leaning against the wall of the bar, Walker speaks into his hand.

“Hello? Is someone there?”

There is a pause, then the tentative voice of a young boy echoes in Walker's mind

“Yes...” it says, unsure.

Walker, affording no time to let his guard drop, asks “Who is this?”

The young voice responds, “Why does it matter?”

“Who is this?” Asks Walker again.

“...Simon...” Says the voice quietly.

Walker swears under his breath, “Simon, how did you get this ring?

“A bird gave it to me.”

Walker punches the wall in frustration, Xanthryl's hawk had delivered the ring to the wrong boy.

“Where are you?”

“Snowdrift....”

“Are you in the temple?”

“Yes, how do you know this?”

“It doesn't matter. Simon, is there a boy named Idros there?”

“No...I don't know any Idros...” He says, nervous.

Suddenly, a chilling revelation dawns on Walker.

Any hint of happiness drops from his face, and instead of brightening his expression, the sunrise throws immense contrast onto his face, the shadows making his expression dark and distant.

“Simon....” Walker says, his voice shaking.

“Yes?....”

“You're not human....are you?”

“...W-what?”

“You're not a human. You're a tiefling. You don't know why, but you are. Your skin has an unusual hue, you have a tail, and probably horns too. ”

“You're making fun of me, just like the others, aren't you?” Says the boy, his voice cracking, “You're making fun of me.”

Walker's heart skips a beat in his chest, and his eyes begin to well with tears.
After 10 years of desperately searching the continent for his son, he had found him. He had finally found him.

But this realization was bittersweet, and more delicate than Walker had expected.
His son had been brought into the clergy of Pelor, the very ones that had tried to murder him at a young age. He had been separated from his mother, and had either had his memory wiped by some form of magic, or had blocked out the painful memories of his early life. The clerics had evidently given him a new name. Telling Idros too much of the truth would put his life in danger, as Walker had no doubt that the clerics of Pelor would go to extreme lengths to keep Walker from his son, so Walker had to sit there, on the verge of tears, not being able to tell his son who he was.

“Nononononono” Says Walker, quickly, “No. There is nothing wrong with you. There is nothing wrong with you.” He assures the boy. “There was never anything wrong with you.” He adds, too softly for the boy to hear.

The boy softly replies “...thanks...”

Walker, his eyes glistening, switches topics “What do you know of your father?”

“I never knew my father.

And I don't believe what they tell me.”

Walker's heart sinks.
There is only one thing he fears more than his son being told lies about him.

And that was his son learning the truth.

“You shouldn't.”

“Who are you?” Asks the boy, suddenly, “Are you Pelor?”

Walker responds, carefully. “No. I am an Emmisary of the Light.”

“Oh. Why today? Why do you contact me today, when the army is leaving.” Says the boy.

“What army?” asks Walker, frantic.

The boy doesn't respond. “I need to go, the priests wil be angry if they find me.”

Walker, realizing this may be the last contact he gets with his son before the group arrives at Snowdrift, races to find the last thing to say. Just before the connection is severed, Walker says into the ring,

“Watch for the man who arrives at midnight. He knows your father.”

“I will...” whispers Idros, before the connection is severed.

Walker looks up to the others, all of whom are now watching him. A sad smile spreads across his face. He locks eyes with Big, “I've found him.”

The group all congratulate Walker, all except Lazarus, who is watching Walker with interest.

Walker, shaking off the effects of last night, declares the group will be leaving within the hour. The group makes their prepartions, before setting off. The villagers of Teak are sad to see them leave, but are grateful beyond words for the party's actions.

Before the group leaves, Lazarus pulls Walker aside. (Now, remember, at this point the group only viewed Lazarus as a helpful cleric that had been of aid during the battle)

“I'm coming with you.” Says Lazarus, firmly.

“What?” Asks Walker, surprised.

“I'm coming with you.”

“No, cleric. You have done us enough aid.

Plus, the road we travel is not a place for a man of faith.”

“I am not some priest, wishing simply to spread his god's rhetoric.” Responds Lazarus.

Walker chuckles, “That much is clear, my friend. But we carry a heavy burden, and will most likely continue to do so for a long time. It is not your place to bear the weight of our past.”

“I bear my own burdens, Walker. And I am accompanying you, whether or not you like it.”

“Why are you so set in this decision?” Asks Walker.

“Because it is my duty.”

“What duty?”

“My duty to the Raven Queen.”

Walker glances at the man's thick plate armor, and the insignia of a raven's head painted in white upon the chest.
“What is..this duty?”

“To aid you.”

“How do you know it is me you are meant to aid?”

“I was told to seek 'The fire who hates the sun.'” Says Lazarus.

“I have no quarrel with the sun.” Lies Walker.

“Do not try and beguile me, Walker. Even I can see your hatred for Pelor.”

Walker does not respond, he simply nods, “So be it. We leave upon the hour.”

Lazarus nods, “Thank you.”

The hour comes and goes.

The party leaves Teak and begins the long ride to Snowdrift.

As they exit Teak, Walker looks to the others in the cart, and sighs.

“I have something to tell you, something I probably should have told you a long time ago.”

Everyone looks to Walker in interest.

“My name, as you probably guessed by now, isn't Walker. I took that name to hide from my past.”

And with that, Walker launches into a confession of his past, and the story of Idros, The Priest of Pelor, the Plague, lighting the village on fire, and how he discovered his unwanted talent for killing.

After around half an hour, Walker comes to the end.

“And so I took the name Walker. So I could hide from all that.”

Xanthryl, shocked by the story, pauses, “Then..what is your real name.”

Walker turns to him, and, with some regret, says “Aazal Werzhak.”

Nazareth's eyesbrows raise “Werzhak? But that means..”

“It means 'Burned at the stake' in Infernal. Yes. My clan is famous for doing exactly that to those who cross them.”

Xanthryl shudders involuntarily.

Walker notices and laughs “That's exactly why I moved far away with Ea. I did not wish to become one of them.”

Lynch nods in understanding, and the group begins to relax.

But then Lazarus speaks up.

“You burned that village to the ground?”

A shadow crosses Walker's face, and he replies softly “Yes.”

“The name of the village. It was Duvik's Pass.”

Walker's expression hardens, and he looks to Lazarus. He hadn't mentioned the name of the village.
“How do you know that?”

“I was there.”

A ball of manifested fire leaps into Walker's hand from thin air, ready for a fight.

Lazarus makes no moves of agression, “I have no love for that village.”

“And why should I believe you?”

“I was living the nomadic lifestyle of my people, when I passed through the town of Duvik's Pass. I decided to stay, to enjoy a week there. During that time, the plague came over the people.
And I fell ill with the same disease.

The villagers showed no compassion to me.

I died there.
I died a lonely, slow and painful death while the villagers tended to their own.”

“You..died...” Repeats Lynch.

“Yes.

But instead of being greeted by the sight of the shining gates to the afterlife, I was greeted by a woman.
She was beautiful, and cloaked in a dress made of charcoal feathers.
And the Raven Queen spoke to me.

She told me “Lazarus Cormack, your time has not yet come.

You would make such a useful servant, and I cannot afford to lose a follower of your potential. You are of no use to me dead. I can make you an offer: I will return you to life, and cure you of the affliction that ended your life. And in return, you shall become my champion.

You shall search out my enemies wherever they may be found, and you will destroy them.
You will spread my teachings to the true of heart and you will be mine to command.”

I accepted, of course, and she returned me to life.

And so I was revived.
But, the village I returned to was not the valley town I had arrived in. Very few of the buildings remained. All that remained of most of the town was smoldering heaps. The ground was charred and burned, and the men and woman cursed the name of a 'demon' that had destroyed their town.”

Walker's expression becomes stone-cold at the word 'demon'.

“And I have been serving the Queen every since.
But, not half a year ago, she visited me.
Not in my dreams, as happened on rare occasion, in the flesh. She stood at my door, in the roaring gale, and spoke to me.

'Find the fire that hates the sun, Lazarus.
Aid him.
Aid them.


Aid me.'

And then she was gone.
I have been searching ever since. And when I saw your powers the day I arrived at Teak, I knew I had found you.”

Walker's face becomes slightly softer.

“So you have no love for the village of Duvik's Pass.”

Lazarus nods “None.”

The ball of fire disappears from Walker's hand.

“Then I have no quarrel with you, Lazarus.” He says.

“Nor I with you, Aazal.”

Walker smiles slightly at the sound of his real name.

“I can see the embers of Duvik's Pass never left you.” Says Lazarus, looking at where the fireball was in Walker's hand not moments before.

“Nor the ashes.” Says Walker, darkly.

Suddenly a voice breaks the conversation.

“I don't mean to interrupt, young men...” Says the voice of an old man.

Big pulls the cart to a halt, glancing around for the source of the voice. He spots it, with much surprise. And old man in an old traveller's cloak, clutching a walking stick, stands beside the cart. The group all spot the man, and a ripple of recognition rolls through the group. And an expression of revelation begins to dawn on Walker's face.

We had met this old man before. He had been the old man we had met along the path towards Poz after the battle with the Skum. The old man who small had threatened, and the one who had given us the potion that had healed Lynch. (See: Let's take a Pause, I mention him briefly.)

Big addresses the man gruffly, “Then don't interrupt, old man. Be on your way, we have no time for vagabonds like you.”

The old man chuckles, and Walker, staring at the man the entire time, addresses Mr.Big.

“Curb your tongue, Big. I would not suggest insulting the god of travel.”

The rest of the group have mixed reactions of surprise, from audible gasps to shared unbelieving looks.

The old man turns to Walker, smiling.

“Farlanghn.” Greets Walker.

“Very astute, Walker.” Chuckles the old man. “Very, very astute.”

He turns to the rest of the group, “Yes, I am Fharlanghn.” He admits, giving a small bow. “And I WAS hoping to play with you for some time before revealing my identity. But it appears that this tiefling is more perceptive than I had accounted for.”

The rest of the group bows their heads deeply to the god, except Walker, who makes no move to bow.

“Perhaps choose a different guise next time.” Comments Walker, “An old man covering such an incredible distance in a few days arrouses suspicion.”

Fharlanghn nods, “I suspected it might. A shame that both times I encounter you, you are headed in the wrong direction.”

Walker chuckles dryly “I assure you, we are not headed in the right direction.”

“I suppose you are correct. A man can travel in the right direction on the wrong path.” Admits Fharlaghn, pensively.

“What do you mean.”

“No time to explain.” Fharlaghn suddenly turns to Lynch, “Deraway Lynch. Last time we met, I gave you something, I think it is perhaps I take it back.”

He steps forwards and places his hand on Lynch's forehead, and closes his eyes, focusing.

Lynch looks confused for a moment, before his entire body suddenly becomes vivid. His face becomes white, as if all the blood were being drained from his face.

Fharlaghn's face is tight with concentration, as if he were undergoing some great ordeal.

“What are you doing...” Asks Walker, his voice quiet.

Fharlaghn makes no response.

“What are you doing to him?” Repeats Walker, his voice rising.

No response.

“WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO HIM?!!” Yells Walker.

“Saving his life.” Says Fharlaghn.

“Bull****.” Cusses Walker, jumping from the cart, he lands beside Fharlaghn, and points a single finger at the god's temple. The tip of the finger lights of fire.

“Let him go.” Growls Walker.

Big draws his bow and takes aim at Fharlaghn, “You heard him, god.”

Fharlaghn, face still contorted with effort, responds through gritted teeth.

“If you do that, your friend will die and you will have no way to save him.”

Walker glances at Lynch, who looks deathly pale, and whose eyes have rolled back into his head.

“YOU'RE KILLING HIM.” Yells Walker, his finger glowing dangerously.

“DO YOU WANT HIM TO DIE?” Growls Fharlaghn through gritted teeth.

Walker is visually overtaken by inner conflict. Suddenly he steps back, his hand returning to normal.

“I swear...if you hurt him.”

Fharlaghn makes no response.

Suddenly, Lynch falls to the ground, limp.

“You bastard.” Growls Walker.

Fharlaghn holds up his hand, telling Walker to wait.

After a moment, Lynch's prone form rises.
And he turns to the others.

Walker gasps.

Lynch's skin has become almost transluscent, and his flesh has a gray-ish tint.

“What have you done to him?” Asks Walker.

Fharlaghn does not respond, instead placing a hand on either of Lynch's shoulders.

“I'm sorry, my son. But this was a necessity. I could not keep your bond severed for much longer.”

“My son? What is he talking about, Lynch?” Asks Walker.

“I was using a figure of speech,” says the god, “Your friend's life force is tied to the celestial realm.” explains Fharlaghn, before turning back to Lynch, “You must repair the damage that has been done, Lynch. You must return the gates to their former glory. Otherwise, you will die.”

“I'll die?” Asks Lynch, cautiously.

“Yes, but you can save yourself. Just repair the gates. I have faith in you.”

“And there's limited time?” Asks Walker.

“Yes.” Says Fharlaghn.

“Then we have little time.” Says Walker, “Everyone in the cart”

There is a pause as Lynch and the others arrange themselves in the cart. Walker stands by it, both palms planted on the wooden frame.

He looks to Fharlaghn, and smiles “Looks like I'll be taking a leaf from your book.”

Then the cart disappears, as if it were suddenly sucked inwards into some invisible hole by some enormous force.

Fharlaghn gazes at the empty spot where the cart was for a moment, before turning away and walking away, leaning on his walking stick.

Several hundred miles ahead, the cart repappears in a brutal blizzard.

The wooden transport appears suddenly in mid air, a few feet above a road covered in snow. It hangs in the air for a moment before gravity grabs hold and pulls it to the ground.

The group is glancing around in confusion.

The previously chilly forest had suddenly become a blistering blizzard. A ferocious wind flung snow in every direction, and the group struggled to see anything more than 10 feet away.

“What did you just do?” Yells Lynch over the howling gail.

“TELE-PORT-ATION!” Yells Walker back, climbing into the cart.

Suddenly Big's voice comes over the gale from the front of the cart.

“We've got company.” Yells Big.
The party peers out of the cart's cloth covers, and sees what Big is referring to. What appears to be a group of armored men is marching through the blizzard towards them. Walker can just make out a flag of Pelor waving on a banner.
A small, perhaps gnomish, perhaps halfling figure marches at the front. Nobody can make out specifics,

“WHO IS THAT?” Asks Walker.

Big gazes into the blizzard, his mechanical eyes adapting. After a moment, his technologically enhanced vision cuts through the snow.

“It's that gnomish merchant.” Growls Big.

“Get out of here.” Says Walker to the others.

“Xanthryl. Lazarus. I need help.”

The group of armed men is plodding through the snow, when suddenly two bright lights appear off to their right, beams of bright light slice through the blizzard.

A booming voice, easily audible over even the storm, commands them. “TURN BACK!”

Cries of “MONSTER! DEMON! DEVIL!” Come from the soldiers, who charge the mysterious figure.

Walker, standing to their right, deactivates the psionic ability 'My Light', and his glowing pupils dull.
As the soldiers charge, he slinks away, unseen, thanks to Xanthryl's Invisibility spell that the elf had cast upon him.

At this moment, the rest of the group is retreating down the road in the cart.

And, just as Walker dodges past the last oblivious soldier, a figure, invisible to the soldiers, hidden by the cover of trees, attacks.

Two enormous arrows, more the size of spears, speed through the snow curtain.
The first spear catches the unsuspecting gnome merchant by the chest, impaling him clean through. He stumbles back, in shock, the pain not yet registering.
The second drives itself through his skull before he even realizes that he should be in agony. The gnome's corpse is impaled into the ground upon these two pike-sized projectiles, like some gruesome trophy.

Seeing his duty complete, Big retreats from the forest, unseen, and rejoins the cart.

(Just in case it wasn't clear: Walker got Lazarus to cast Resounding Voice on him, and Xanthryl to cast invisibility before manifesting his one known power My Light [Thanks to Hidden Talent. [The GM Ruled that I got Hidden Talent instead of Wild Talent] and making a very big show of intimidating the enemies. The enemies charge where he was, but he deactivated My Light, becoming fully invisible, before slinking off. Big had taken cover in some trees, and then hit the Gnome Merchant with two crits on his custom bow. Then the two of them rejoined the group, who was slipping away into the snowstorm unseen on the cart while the soldiers degraded to a chaotic mess in the wake of Walker and Big's actions.)

There's a cream for that
The group slips into the cover of the snowstorm, leaving the group of soldiers confused and disoriented, and tending to their loss.

The horses make their way slowly up the road towards the gates to snowdrift. However, with every step, it becomes harder, as the snow is piling up at an unnaturally fast rate. Lazarus leans forwards to Walker, who is attempting to help Mr. Big navigate through the snow, and says loudly, so as to be heard over the wind “This storm. It's not natural!”

“What do you mean?” Asks Walker, loudly.

“It's like nothing I've ever seen. I don't know what's causing it. But It isn't a natural snowstorm.”

“Well ****.” Says Walker, glancing around for any form of shelter.

He spots an enormous tree, barely visible past the sheet of white and wind. Strangely, the ground around the tree seems to not be affected by the storm, in fact, Walker thinks he can see people under the tree.

“Lazarus,” He says, pointing, “What is that?”

Lazarus peers through the snow, “Some sort of protected grove. Probably druidic of some nature.”

“Is it safe from the storm?”

“I should think so, yes.” Says Lazarus.

“Alright.” Walker signals to Big to stop. He turns to the others and calls over the storm. “Grab your supplies. We're leaving the cart.”

The group nods and Walker motions to Big to unclip the horses.

The group has retreived all their supplies from the cart, and Big and Walker have pulled the cart to side of the road.

“Follow me.” Says Walker, motioning. He wraps his cloak tightly around himself, shivering, and begins to make his way through the enormous snow drifts towards the tree.

Big, gazing around, sees a series of floating lights off to his right. Motioning to Walker, he points “Walker, there's lights of up there. Torches, I think, moving on their own.”

Walker squints up to where Big was pointing and shakes his head “I don't see anything Big. And now's not the time.”

The wind drives against them, the snow slashing at them like bitter knives. Xanthryl stumbles, struggling to stay upright in the gale. Walker wades back to him and puts his arms across Xanthryl's back. “Arm around my shoulder, Xanthryl, we're not leaving you out here.” he says, helping the elf along.

Lazarus is helping Mr. Big lead the four horses through the snow, and are taking up the rear, as the animals are having difficulty moving in the heaps of snow.

After descending another immense collection of snow, Walker notices something. The drifts of snow aren't corresponding with the wind. In fact, they're erratic and nonesensical. No snow drifts would ever form like this. Their formations are so unusual, the way they curve and....

Then Walker feels a faint rumble beneath his feet.

And it hits him.

These aren't snow drifts.



These are tracks.

Walker's voice rings above the wailing gale, “EVERYONE GET BACK! THESE ARE TRACKS.” He bellows, his flame whip leaping into his hand a crackling with destructive energy.

Xanthryl, as a reaction, isntantly casts Fly upon himself and soars into the sky, despite the buffeting winds.

Everyone else just manages to draw their weapons when the snow a few feet from Walker is thrown into the air, spraying the group with cold powder. The enormous Purple Worm rears its hideous maw, its screeching cry audible even above the wind.

Walker was ready, as soon as the beast appeared, he lashes out with his whip. The flaming weapon tastes flesh and the Worm twists in pain.

And then the havoc begins.
Big, having accidently broken his bow shortly after assassinating the gnome, runs towards the Purple Worm, and begins to pound it with his psionically enchanced fists.

Lynch releases a series of throwing knives towards the worm, who turns to face him.
Xanthryl, 80 feet in the air, releases a lightning bolt that slams into the worm.
Lazarus charges his gauntlet with a brutally sapping energy, and marches towards the worm.

Nazareth is nowhere to be seen, and has disappeared into the blizzard.

The worm, having found Lynch to be the closest, lashes out, and closes its jaws around him. The elf flails wildly as the worm lifts him 40 feet into the air, like a ragdoll.

In reaction to this, Walker continues to slash away at the worm with incrased ferocity, doing signifigant damage, but the Worm seems focused on the elf in its toothy grip.

At this point Lazarus reaches the worm and launches fowards, with a brutal punch, his metal gauntlet shimmering. The worm twists to avoid the blow, and Lazarus' hand bounces off of the worm's scales. To his horror, Lazarus watches his gauntlet twist around, and his armored fist slams into himself.

Suddenly Lazarus feels as if the already considerable cold of the blizzard had tainted his muscles. His movements suddenly become sluggish and jerky. He stumbles backwards, as his armor begins to weigh him down. He stares at his hand in horror. He had just hit himself with the very spell he had intended to use against the Purple Worm. Shivering Touch.
(In game terms, that's 3d6 dexterity damage to Lazarus. Who has a dex of 10.)

Lazarus moves away from the worm in surprise, his movements rough and uncoordinated, barely able to keep his balance. His armor suddenly feels immensely restricting, as he stumbled backwards.

The worm, focusing on the tasty morsel in its mouth, pauses, then, with one enormous movement, throws Lynch into the air. Lynch has a single moment to scream before the worm lashes out, and swallows the elf whole.

“NO! LYNCH!” Screams Walker.

Walker bellows in anger, Xanthryl gasps, Big continues his attacks with newfound ferocity.

Suddenly, the worm pauses, standing completly still, obviously confused. Suddenly a fountain of blood erupts from the worm's armored body. The wound suddenly begins to elongate, and then a red shape tumbles from the enormous gash, falling rather awkwardly onto the snow, staining it with blood. The worm screams in agony, then topples into the snow, dead.

Lynch stands up from his roll, and spits out a mouthful of worm blood. “That was something.” he then collapses to his knees, gasping for air.

Lazarus approaches, wading awkwardly through the snow, cleans Lynch of the gore and eases his wounds, closing the major ones, as well as mending the skin melted by the worm's acidic saliva.

(Just to be clear (and also because this is AWESOME) here's what happened: Lynch was grabbed by the worm, and then swallowed. Now, after the worm had swallowed him, Lynch had his turn. Seeing as he was INSIDE the worm, it was denied it's dexterity bonus to AC. So that means sneak attack. Then, because a purple worm was more than 80 feet long, it was decided (by the DM) that Lynch had moved 15 feet down into this thing's gullet. And > 10 feet of movement = Skirmish Damage. Never before has being swallowed been so advantageous. And Lynch, as a Swift Ambusher, found these circumstances perfect. So, with Sneak Attack AND Skirmish on his side, Lynch dealt the 25 damage necessary to cut his way out.

And, funnily enough, 25 hp was EXACTLY the amount of HP the worm had left)

The group collects the horses, who scattered when the worm emerged. And make their way to the tree.

A twist in the plans
This is going to be really short and disjointed, because we didn't have a session for a while, and most of it was done over skype or text and then when we did have a session, I wasn't there. :P
But I'll give you what I can.

The group arrives at the tree, and finds, to their surprise, that it appears that many other people have taken shelter under the enormous tree. The group slips in without much notice. As we begin to set up our sleeping rolls and such, some of us go to search for a way into snowdrift.

As we're asking around, the group begins to catch snatches of conversation about "The Emissary of Light has arrived."

Walker, interested, asks about this Emissary of Light. One of the civilians point him and the others to a small, overweight and jovial man with a symbol of pelor across his large belly.

The group approaches, and the man notices them coming, and walks forwards welcomingly.

"Hello, Friends, how may I aid you?"

Walker gets straight to the point.

"Are you the Emissary of Light?"

"Yes, but please, call me Pali Talakatar."

That's right ladies and gentlemen.
The man who Walker swore to protect worships the god that Walker has sworn to take revenge upon.

Walker's heart stops for a second, and he promptly turns around, and marches away.

In the mean time, Lazarus takes over the diplomacy end of things

[MidgetMarine]

Enjoyed the read. Sounds like a very fun game.

Thanks. Just got another session up too.

[MidgetMarine]

Just saw this, I find it really awesome! Are you DMing? or are you one of the players? Also, is Ms. Small an NPC or a PC? I cannot tell lol :smalltongue:

No. I am not DMing.
I play Walker.
Small is PC.
And is played by the same Player as Mr.Big.
For now, that is.

[MidgetMarine]

Oh man! I've had too many close calls with chokers, even died to a couple.

Granted, I love using them as a DM.

Interested in more. Good stuff, Midget!

Oh yeah. tricky motherF***rs.
Thanks, Working on the next session now.

[MidgetMarine]

And another session up.

[Calak Jivan]

good recap walker, its big and small here. spot on re-cap! and amazing writing as usual :smallbiggrin:

[Amidus Drexel]

Ooh, another campaign log! I don't have time to read it right now, but I'll definitely do that later.

Subscribed! :smallcool:

[Zanthy1]

"Lynch spends the round laughing at Xanthryl." I love this. Way to own that ogre!

[MidgetMarine]

"Lynch spends the round laughing at Xanthryl." I love this. Way to own that ogre!

And he did. He looked the DM in the eye and said "I take a full round action to laugh at Xanthryl. Haha, yeah, owning the ogre was fun.

[MidgetMarine]

Okay.

Just got back from an absolute MONSTER of a session.

I'll do my best to try and catch this recap up over the next week.

However, that involves, approximately....10 session recaps just to get the session I just got back from. Wish me luck.

[Kol Korran]

Reading this with interest! I quite liked the part with the Bavaria tribe, though I still don't understand why you killed the scout try info barrier as n, or what did the e'er illusion of the character as and had to don't with everything... was it just random? I would love to hear how walker fought dirty in battle circle e'er in greater detail if possible. I'm intrigued how you simulated this mechanics wise.

Good read!

[Calak Jivan]

Reading this with interest! I quite liked the part with the Bavaria tribe, though I still don't understand why you killed the scout try info barrier as n, or what did the e'er illusion of the character as and had to don't with everything... was it just random? I would love to hear how walker fought dirty in battle circle e'er in greater detail if possible. I'm intrigued how you simulated this mechanics wise.

Good read!

[OOC] the table was a little rowdy with walkers fighting when big was sent after the scout. xantrhil actually motioned to the scout and than drug his finger across his neck.
small being trusting of the elf figured something was wrong when it wasnt.
ant thus sent big after him.
didn't work out so well, but it made for some fun, so hey! :smallsmile:

[MidgetMarine]

Reading this with interest! I quite liked the part with the Bavaria tribe, though I still don't understand why you killed the scout try info barrier as n, or what did the e'er illusion of the character as and had to don't with everything... was it just random? I would love to hear how walker fought dirty in battle circle e'er in greater detail if possible. I'm intrigued how you simulated this mechanics wise.

Good read!

Like Calak (Small and Big's player) Said, Tensions were high and the characters were very on edge.
Xanthryl got nervous and so sent big after the scout.

As for Walker fighting dirty, it involved called shots, where I took a -4 to my roll to accomplish a certain thing.

As for detail, I'll give you what I can remember, the fight started off normally, Walker got a good hit on the barbarian, while the barbarian missed.

Walker then took a five foot step, and took a called shot to the back of the barbarian's knee.

He succeeded and the Barbarian went down.

Walker then used his move action to 'kick' dirt into the barbarian's eyes with his tail.

The barbarian gets up (Provoking and AoO) and tries to hit Walker, connecting.

Walker hits back, and barbarian isn't looking so great.

Barbarian tries to grapple walker, provoking an AoO, and I used a called shot to knee him in the groin, once again succeeding.

And, as the barbarian bends over in pain, Walker used both fists to pound him over the head with a huge blow, knocking him out.


One called shot was to the back of the knee to trip him.

The next was to use his tail to knock dirt in the barbarian's eyes (giving him a 25% miss chance)

And the one to the 'family jewels' made the barbarian nauseated.

[Kol Korran]

thanks for the info! We never quite used call shots in our games, felt it might get way too out of hand, especially at higher levels when hitting stuff is fairly easy. nice to see they are working good for someone.

thanks for the added input!

[MidgetMarine]

No problem.

Well, the negative and the target get bigger the harder it is.
If i'm trying to take out a gryphon's eye with a bow, I'd be taking like - 10 to -15

[MidgetMarine]

New session up.

[Zanthy1]

New session up.

Where? Am I missing something?

[MidgetMarine]

Mr Small, I assume was incomplete. It is now complete.

[MidgetMarine]

And another Session up. Working hard to catch up.

[Deox]

Can't wait for more!

[MidgetMarine]

Can't wait for more!

So flattered that you enjoy it. :D

[Zanthy1]

Mr Small, I assume was incomplete. It is now complete.

Oh! haha awesome! I love this story so far :smallbiggrin:

[MidgetMarine]

Oh! haha awesome! I love this story so far :smallbiggrin:

Haha thanks. :D

[Zanthy1]

Just a quick question, how did the DM work out the control of Big? I have been tinkering with ideas for that but haven't come up with something really practical

[MidgetMarine]

Just a quick question, how did the DM work out the control of Big? I have been tinkering with ideas for that but haven't come up with something really practical

Big is generally controlled by the same player as Small. And, in the church incident, it was once again controlled by that player, he just chose actions that reflected the gnoll's control.

ALSO NEW SESSION IS UP.
And one of my most favorite sessions.

[Zanthy1]

Big is generally controlled by the same player as Small. And, in the church incident, it was once again controlled by that player, he just chose actions that reflected the gnoll's control.

ALSO NEW SESSION IS UP.
And one of my most favorite sessions.

"They die.....screaming."

I GOT CHILLS!

[MidgetMarine]

"They die.....screaming."

I GOT CHILLS!

Oh yeah. That moment was pure gold.

We were in character, and Lynch's player actually turned to us and asked what the plan was.

and I looked him straight in the eye and, in the darkest voice possible, said that.

It was awesome. One of the best IC moments of the campaign.

[Zanthy1]

Oh yeah. That moment was pure gold.

We were in character, and Lynch's player actually turned to us and asked what the plan was.

and I looked him straight in the eye and, in the darkest voice possible, said that.

It was awesome. One of the best IC moments of the campaign.

I wish I was playing this campaign, its so fantastic!

[MidgetMarine]

It is great.

The GM is great and all the players are a lot of fun to play with.

I'm working on the next session now.

And, as a teaser, a new member joins the party.

[Zanthy1]

It is great.

The GM is great and all the players are a lot of fun to play with.

I'm working on the next session now.

And, as a teaser, a new member joins the party.

:thog: THE PLOT THICKENS!

[MidgetMarine]

:thog: THE PLOT THICKENS!

Indeed.

The perverted assassin arrives.

[Zanthy1]

Indeed.

The perverted assassin arrives.

:belkar: No way, that sounds too goo to be true

[MidgetMarine]

:belkar: No way, that sounds too goo to be true

Yeah...

No...

Sometimes I wish it wasn't true.

But it's definitely fact.

[Zanthy1]

Yeah...

No...

Sometimes I wish it wasn't true.

But it's definitely fact.

I look forward to the next journal entry! :smallbiggrin:

[MidgetMarine]

I look forward to the next journal entry! :smallbiggrin:

You now have the...pleasure..of meeting Nazareth.

[Zanthy1]

You now have the...pleasure..of meeting Nazareth.

The poor wizard :smalltongue:

[MidgetMarine]

He asked for it.

[Axinian]

What are your guys' levels and builds at this point? I thought you were lower level considering how often people were getting knocked out, but then the assassin did a death attack and that means he's at least level 6.

Enjoying this a lot by the way.

[Calak Jivan]

What are your guys' levels and builds at this point? I thought you were lower level considering how often people were getting knocked out, but then the assassin did a death attack and that means he's at least level 6.

Enjoying this a lot by the way.

cant remember the builds of anyone else.
dm has a rule you can sacrifice class features for feats though
so i have sacrificed a lot of class features i dont see big as using IC [and a few useless ones] for a ton of feats. also for the first time for me [and the dm]. the doors have been flung open 'any source book, any mag, just okay it with me first' also multiclassing penalty's have been removed because in the dm's exact words 'there just st*****d'

big is: ranger 1/psy war 2/zen archer2/scout 2
i char reasons for this. big was a mercenary before he met small ranger.

he was a excellent hunter on his family farm before he moved out [scout]

bigs body had to be able to accept -all- possible forms of resurrection [psywar]

and zen archer, because big was always good with a bow. and while he was 'dead' he was still linked to the material world, so not on the ethereal plane, but not out of it either. he found a group of monks who allowed him to train with them during his down time.

he is also the lowest level char in the campaign currently. :smallsmile:

[Zanthy1]

cant remember the builds of anyone else.
dm has a rule you can sacrifice class features for feats though
so i have sacrificed a lot of class features i dont see big as using IC [and a few useless ones] for a ton of feats. also for the first time for me [and the dm]. the doors have been flung open 'any source book, any mag, just okay it with me first' also multiclassing penalty's have been removed because in the dm's exact words 'there just st*****d'

big is: ranger 1/psy war 2/zen archer2/scout 2
i char reasons for this. big was a mercenary before he met small ranger.

he was a excellent hunter on his family farm before he moved out [scout]

bigs body had to be able to accept -all- possible forms of resurrection [psywar]

and zen archer, because big was always good with a bow. and while he was 'dead' he was still linked to the material world, so not on the ethereal plane, but not out of it either. he found a group of monks who allowed him to train with them during his down time.

he is also the lowest level char in the campaign currently. :smallsmile:

I agree that multiclassing penalties is dumb, and I really like the idea of trading class features for feats, thats really awesome! Judging from what I've read, the party is level 7 (big) through level 9? or maybe just 8 im not sure lol.

[Kol Korran]

Good stuff! I lIke the way your small incorporates a character's past and motivations so nicely. I also love the heavy use of called shots, do you happen to have some rules written down?

Walker feels like a very dominant figure in the tale (compared to Lynch for example). How do the others take to it?

[Zanthy1]

Good stuff! I lIke the way your small incorporates a character's past and motivations so nicely. I also love the heavy use of called shots, do you happen to have some rules written down?

Walker feels like a very dominant figure in the tale (compared to Lynch for example). How do the others take to it?

I think that it is because MidgetMarine is the player of Walker, so much of the story is from his viewpoint? Although the story with the search for his son is certainly more focused on him, I feel that Big and Small also have very large parts in this story.

I know that I have 2 friends who when I DM them they are usually the main characters of the campaign (because they are the only people who are constantly available to play) other players who join usually cannot make it to every session, and thus are either NPC'd or the character just doesn't partake in that session. It makes it easier, especially if there is comprehensive backstory.

[Deox]

"Because he is my son." Walker says, raising the knife above his head, "I take no pleasure from this, cleric. But when you go looking for a demon inside me, I shall oblige you."

This is what I'm talking about.

*turns popcorn machine on*

[MidgetMarine]

What are your guys' levels and builds at this point? I thought you were lower level considering how often people were getting knocked out, but then the assassin did a death attack and that means he's at least level 6.

Enjoying this a lot by the way.

Well, at that session, we were level 4.
But the Assassin is completely new to RPGs as a whole, and so the DM gave him early access to the PrC.

As for builds: During the Last Words session, we were level 4.

We're currently levels 6-8 (Level adjustment and bonus XP)

Walker (As of the latest session ive played, not posted) Is a soulknife/Pyrokineticist/Jaunter/Elocater (Manifesting Prereq removed)
And I plan on gaining levels in Shadowlord of telflammar (Psychic strike counts as SA for the prereq.) And Dervish (So I can teleport into enemies,shadow pounce FAA (Whirlwind strike + Improved whirlwind attack) and Dervish Dance away on the Improved Whirlwind attack attacks.

Xanthryl is a Wizard/Rogue/UnseenSeer aiming for Arcane trickster next level

Lynch is a Rogue/Scout Swift ambusher aiming for Master thrower and invisible blade

Nazareth is Rogue/Assassin with not much else planned.

Small is homebrew.

Big is exactly what Calak said.

[MidgetMarine]

Walker feels like a very dominant figure in the tale (compared to Lynch for example). How do the others take to it?

walker is definitely one of the, if not the, dominant character. This is owed to the fact that I am the most experienced RPer there and have more experience RPing and leading the story than the others do.

Xanthryl, Lynch and Nazareth are completely new to RPGs

Small and Big's player has some experience but not as much as me.

Also, the story's main arc is focused on Walker's son. For now.
I expect you will find Walker becomes more even with the other characters as the other RPers come into their own.

[MidgetMarine]

"Because he is my son." Walker says, raising the knife above his head, "I take no pleasure from this, cleric. But when you go looking for a demon inside me, I shall oblige you."

This is what I'm talking about.

*turns popcorn machine on*

That quote was very under-appreciated when I said it. Glad you like it. :D

[MidgetMarine]

also love the heavy use of called shots, do you happen to have some rules written down?


well, at early levels it's pretty easy. A standard called shot is a -4 to your attack roll, while a 'forced crit'. (you multiply the damage of your roll as if you had crit) is a -8.

At later levels, a standard called shot stays at a -4 while hoarders ones escalate as per the DMs judgement

[Averis Vol]

Great read so far. I always love hearing other groups stories; entertains the hell out of me. Keep up the good work :D

[MidgetMarine]

Great read so far. I always love hearing other groups stories; entertains the hell out of me. Keep up the good work :D

Thanks man. It's so nice to know people like it. :D

[FrostSurf]

1D6 cinnamon damage...

I'm in love with this Campaign Journal.

[MidgetMarine]

1D6 cinnamon damage...

I'm in love with this Campaign Journal.

Yeah. It happened.

I am god.

[MidgetMarine]

Also, for other readers, New session.

[Zanthy1]

Also, for other readers, New session.

How could it end with battle circle!? Evil cliff hanger, evil! :smalltongue:

[MidgetMarine]

How could it end with battle circle!? Evil cliff hanger, evil! :smalltongue:

Tell me about it!

That was the last session before my DM went to Japan. FOR A MONTH AND A HALF.

So we ended there.

And I had to wait a month and a half just to resolve it.

You won't have to suffer the same fate, I'm working on the next session now.

[Zanthy1]

Tell me about it!

That was the last session before my DM went to Japan. FOR A MONTH AND A HALF.

So we ended there.

And I had to wait a month and a half just to resolve it.

You won't have to suffer the same fate, I'm working on the next session now.

Yay!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Deox]

Battle Circle?
Battle Circle.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AphxyjrH4SE

[MidgetMarine]

Battle Circle?
Battle Circle.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AphxyjrH4SE

So much yes.

[Calak Jivan]

Once again Walker, thanks a ton for doing this. your memory and writing are amazing.

Regards. Calak

[MidgetMarine]

Once again Walker, thanks a ton for doing this. your memory and writing are amazing.

Regards. Calak

My Pleasure, Calak.

[MidgetMarine]

After many hours of work, I have finished my Walker avatar, I'll have to resize it to fit better.
But I'm proud of myself.

[Zanthy1]

After many hours of work, I have finished my Walker avatar, I'll have to resize it to fit better.
But I'm proud of myself.

Very cool! Red, thats interesting lol, for some reason I was thinking black, but I can totally dig red :smallsmile:

[MidgetMarine]

Very cool! Red, thats interesting lol, for some reason I was thinking black, but I can totally dig red :smallsmile:

And now I have the better version up.

Yeah, Walker's red.

[Zanthy1]

And now I have the better version up.

Yeah, Walker's red.

Looks great!

[MidgetMarine]

Looks great!

I suggest you check out the update to 'Setting the Scene'

Unfortunately, Lynch's image got ****ed up in importing and has a background, I'll fix it later, though.

[Kol Korran]

cool image! my group usually go through lots of pics to find suitable candidates for one of the players to rework by photoshop ( his little hobby). looks good!

[Zanthy1]

I suggest you check out the update to 'Setting the Scene'

Unfortunately, Lynch's image got ****ed up in importing and has a background, I'll fix it later, though.

I love that! No Mr. Big though? or maybe later...?

[Calak Jivan]

good job with the pic, walker.
two things though.
bigs bow should be bigger than him (not important though)
image badly needs resizing.

otherwise. good job though,


EDIT: spelling errors.

[MidgetMarine]

good job with the pic, walker.
two things though.
bigs bow should be bigger than him (not important though)
image badly needs resizing.

otherwise. good job though,


EDIT: spelling errors.

Alright. Writing again. :D

[MidgetMarine]

I will have the campaign caught up by this coming friday.

:D

[FrostSurf]

I will have the campaign caught up by this coming friday.

:D

Yay! Thanks for keeping us updated.

[MidgetMarine]

Old Friends, New Enemies is complete.

Expect the next session later today.

[Deox]

I demand satisfaction *glove slap*....


..or more for reading.

[MidgetMarine]

I demand satisfaction *glove slap*....


..or more for reading.

In an attempt to stimulate your appetite before I satiate it, let me say this.


Multiple Dragons happen.

Within the next 4 sessions.

[Deox]

I like dragons.

I like them much much.

[MidgetMarine]

New session and a half. Sorta.

[MidgetMarine]

I love that! No Mr. Big though? or maybe later...?

Mr.Big is there.

He's the grey, robot-looking one with the bow. Beside Walker, I believe.

[Deox]

Cursed items are so much fun, and the raven token? That's pretty amazing.

Just curious, but at what caster level is the magic missile?

Interesting ideas come to mind for the arcane trickster to play some awesome pranks.

[MidgetMarine]

Cursed items are so much fun, and the raven token? That's pretty amazing.

Just curious, but at what caster level is the magic missile?

Interesting ideas come to mind for the arcane trickster to play some awesome pranks.

Magic Missile is Caster level 9.

Yeah.
When I saw the item description, I knew we had to get it for him.
It'll save a ton of spell slots.

[MidgetMarine]

**** THIS.
I just lost an entire session worth of text because the ****ing computer logged me out while I was typing.
**** **** **** **** **** *****************

[Calak Jivan]

F*CK THIS.
I just lost an entire session worth of text because the ****ing computer logged me out while I was typing.
**** **** **** **** **** ************

there is a keep me loged in check box *hehehe*

okay, done being a smart @**


EDIT: censored quote.

[MidgetMarine]

Tiefling Flambe is now complete.

[MidgetMarine]

AND ANOTHER SESSION UP.
I AM DETERMINED TO CATCH THIS UP.

Also, I need to do a biography for Nazareth.

Anyways.
NEW CHARACTER NEXT SESSION! :D :D

[Zanthy1]

YOU GO NAZARETH!!!! I love it when death attack actually works! The last time I played an assassin, before the 3 rounds were up the guy I was targeting would be dead, and the one time he lasted long enough, he rolled a nat 20 on his save.

[MidgetMarine]

Yeah, when faced with a big enemy, we definitely try and let Nazareth take it out by weakening it.

[MidgetMarine]

New Character Has Arrived: Lazarus Cormack

[MidgetMarine]

I will have the war session done by tonight.

[Zanthy1]

I like the new guy

[Doorhandle]

YOU GO NAZARETH!!!! I love it when death attack actually works! The last time I played an assassin, before the 3 rounds were up the guy I was targeting would be dead, and the one time he lasted long enough, he rolled a nat 20 on his save.

You'd think they'd give you some seriously sick bonuses to the D.C for that.

Also, I am also enjoying the camping log greatly.

[MidgetMarine]

You'd think they'd give you some seriously sick bonuses to the D.C for that.

Also, I am also enjoying the camping log greatly.

Thank you. Great to hear that you're enjoying it.

In other news, we did allow Nazareth to take a feat to reduce his studying time to 2 rounds.

[MidgetMarine]

I like the new guy

Oh yeah, Lazarus is a bit of a badass.

[Zanthy1]

Thank you. Great to hear that you're enjoying it.

In other news, we did allow Nazareth to take a feat to reduce his studying time to 2 rounds.

Was it a homebrew feat? Cause if not PLEASE TELL ME WHERE IT IS! Because I really really want that lol

[MidgetMarine]

Was it a homebrew feat? Cause if not PLEASE TELL ME WHERE IT IS! Because I really really want that lol

We homebrewed it.

It may exist.
But I do not know of it.

Honestly 3 rounds feels excessive.
Plus, no player wants to have to sit around for three rounds saying "I guess I keep studying then."

This means you only have to do it twice. Most GMs would be reasonable to let you take it though, I think.

[MidgetMarine]

Alright. Looters session is finished.

I'm splitting up the War session into two different sections, so it's a little less Wall-of-ForceTEXT-y

[Zanthy1]

Next time I play an Assassin, I will certainly inquire. Also, where are Lazaraus' race and classes found? (Where is goliath and raven mainly lol, I almost way to play him combined with Nazareth)

[Calak Jivan]

love what your doing so far walker.

big builds some artillery. and a howitzer...

[MidgetMarine]

Next time I play an Assassin, I will certainly inquire. Also, where are Lazaraus' race and classes found? (Where is goliath and raven mainly lol, I almost way to play him combined with Nazareth)

The Goliath Race is found in Races of Stone.

Knight of the Raven is from Expedition to Castle Ravenloft.

Also here: http://dndtools.eu/classes/knight-of-the-raven/

But we refluffed it.

[Zanthy1]

The Goliath Race is found in Races of Stone.

Knight of the Raven is from Expedition to Castle Ravenloft.

Also here: http://dndtools.eu/classes/knight-of-the-raven/

But we refluffed it.

Awesome! I like :smallsmile:

[MidgetMarine]

I almost way to play him combined with Nazareth

That'd be Damn near impossible.
You'd need to be really really MAD (Int for Assassin, Wis and Cha for Favoured Soul) And then you're probably not much good in a melee.

Plus with Assassin being a completely different prereqs than KotR, you'd have to take around 5 levels of Rogue + 5 levels of Favoured Soul + 5 Levels Assassin + 5 Levels KotR.

And that would not turn out well.

[MidgetMarine]

Battle of Helm's Teak up.

[Zanthy1]

I love what Big did to that Ogre Mage! I can see it so vividly in my mind, and its the coolest thing!!

[MidgetMarine]

It was pretty awesome. not gonna lie.

[MidgetMarine]

Headed of to a short session now.
Still have 1 full session and two half-sessions to catch you up on. Expect updates later today

[MidgetMarine]

That session fell through.
There is HOPEFULLY another one today.

[Calak Jivan]

I love what Big did to that Ogre Mage! I can see it so vividly in my mind, and its the coolest thing!!

thank ya vary much! you should have seen the dm's reaction...

me: 'i turn the cannon towards the mage'
DM: '.... YOU WHAT!?!?!?!'

[MidgetMarine]

Work on updating this resumes today

[MidgetMarine]

New Session Up: From Ashes To Ashes

Warning: It's a long one.
and it is a BIG ONE.

[MidgetMarine]

Next session up later today. I hope.

It Involved a Purple Worm.

[Deox]

I was running a game once where the party fought a purple worm.

Crazy dwarf cut out its heart and ate it. That bonus to poison barely saved him.

[MidgetMarine]

Yeah, this fight involves a rather unusual kill too.

[MidgetMarine]

“I can see the embers of Duvik's Pass never left you.” Says Lazarus, looking at where the fireball was in Walker's hand not moments before.

“Nor the ashes.” Says Walker, darkly.

I would also like to point out that this was probably my favorite roleplay moment of the entire campaign so far.

[FrostSurf]

I would also like to point out that this was probably my favorite roleplay moment of the entire campaign so far.

Mine too.

I haven't properly introudeced myself have I?

I'm the player in control of the new character, Lazarus "Vathievathea" Cormack.

[Vknight]

Good campaign journal... Will you ride the Sandworm is the most pressing question

[MidgetMarine]

You mean the purple worm? But same basic idea.

Yeah.
Um.
Stuff happens.
I wouldn't call it 'riding' but.
Stuff happened.

[MidgetMarine]

I'll have the purple worm session up later today hopefully.

However, I am sad to announce that the campaign journal is going to have no further updates until probably around the 19th or 20th.

A lot of stuff has been going in the group, and over the past few weeks, we haven't had a full length game session

Added on top of this is the fact that I am headed out to Quebec/Ontario for a week and a bit, and so next week's session won't happen.

However, I'll try and see if I can keep your guys' appetites satiated by bringing in some of the others players so you can talk to them about campaign questions or really anything.

[FrostSurf]

-snip-
I am headed out to Quebec/Ontario for a week and a bit, and so next week's session won't happen.

However, I'll try and see if I can keep your guys' appetites satiated by bringing in some of the others players so you can talk to them about campaign questions or really anything.

I will be one of those players. Even though I'm new, I do know a decent amount about what happened before.

[Calak Jivan]

we will probably be having another session later this week, the OP wont be around RE:trip to the other end of the country.

that being said if anyone wants i can try and write up a lil sumthin sumthin.
not that i would do walkers writing any justice, or that my lack of spelling and grammar would break your brain!

[MidgetMarine]

OKAY.

I touched back down today.

and I'm ready to roll. Expect a full catch up by friday

[MidgetMarine]

I'll start working on the next one.

We had a session two days ago.

AND IT WAS A BIG 'UN.

[FrostSurf]

Yeah the moment we realized the snow drift were tracks was a really tense moment

Also I'm lucky I rolled so low on my Shivering Touch dex damage, Only got 6 total.

[MidgetMarine]

Now that the forum is back, expect updates.

[MidgetMarine]

Purple worm session is up.