Waterdeep Merch
2018-02-20, 05:46 PM
I've begun a grand experimental game involving Arthurian legends, knights, and old Celtic lore. There's a ton of custom rules in this beast (including a gestalt mechanic, as you'll notice), things that took a very lengthy session zero to sort through. We also played a bit of an introductory.
The Players
Prince Nicholas/Princess Nicole, Eldritch Knight 5//Bard 1. The crowned prince of Calyria, though actually a young princess whom she has a body double for when she and her "twin" both need to make an appearance. His/her mother, Queen Eidothea, has recently fallen under a strange malady, and her father, King Renier, has shut himself away from the world in the Marble Palace. He/she needs the help of the court wizard Ebidor the Inventor if the Queen is to be healed, but the old wizard went missing a year ago.
Sir Marrok Stonewright, Champion Fighter 5//Hexblade 1. A knight of common birth, returned home from the Crusades where he earned his knighthood. During his long absence, his father, a professor, had accepted the position of royal tutor for the crown prince before being mysteriously murdered.
Earl "Weyland", Wolf Totem Barbarian 5//Druid 1. An Oxgardr raider who killed the son of an earl before being shipwrecked on the lands he was from, where he was taken in by the earl due to both his remarkable resemblance to his son and to eventually exact revenge. The earl could never bring himself to do because of that resemblance, however, and ultimately kept the lie to his grave. Weyland, an alias, now travels Calyria in search of personal meaning.
Baron Farenthal Dathomir, Arcane Trickster 5//Wizard 1. The sole apprentice of Ebidor the Inventor, the last scion of an ancient noble house that has fallen to destitution. With the disappearance of Ebidor a year ago, the young apprentice finds himself as the new court wizard, and thoroughly in over his head as he has yet to understand even a fraction of the magical grimoires left behind by Ebidor.
Prince Patrick Mclenon, Cavalier 5//Paladin 1. The rightful ruler of the Kingdom of Ulford, he initially left the throne to his younger brother so that he could be free to explore and adventure around the world. In his absence, his younger brother was betrayed, murdered, and supplanted by one of his vassals, who then pledged his kingdom to the Duchy of Prabia and Duke Achille, the illegitimate half-Kriasnan son of King Renier and a claimant for the throne. He wishes to gather allies amongst Calyria to avenge his brother and take his rightful place as king.
As the story begins, Calyria is surrounded by danger. To the north, the isolationist Cigalla and the aggressive Didour have been at odds with Calyria since King Renier allied with Heilagrheim, an Oxgardr confederacy responsible for several raids against their nations. To the west, Prabia is ruled by Duke Achille and his mother, Princess Juliette of Kriasna, the long-time enemies of King Renier across the southern sea. The three counties of Darbur, Ulford, and Nanerine, while claiming themselves Calyrian, have backed Achille's claim to the throne and oppose the ascension of Prince Nicholas, a younger and comparatively less impressive warrior who cannot bring peace between Kriasna and Calyria.
To the east lies Yb, the last nation ruled by native Cirluhuuans left in the world. While allies of Calyria, Queen Eidothea having originally been an Ybian princess, their relationship is tense- Calyria practices Ganlitism, a faith that brokers no others, while the Cirluhuuans practice the fey-worshipping Old Ways. The Holy Zamoris Empire, far off allies of Calyria and the brokers of the current ceasefire between them and Kriasna, often sends inquisitors to Calyria to rile up anti-Cirluhuuan sentiment and pogroms.
A one-eyed monster has been prowling the Yb Grove that borders both Yb and County Dunham, a Calyrian duchy. It unleashes hunting dogs every night that have been terrorizing peoples of both lands. With King Renier locked away at the Marble Palace, his knights have become complacent and have failed to come to Dunham's aid. In response, Duke Juvan Le Ladd invited the Ybian King Borili to attend a tournament before a hunt against the foul creature.
To his surprise, Prince Nicholas himself arrived in Dunham for the tournament, alongside the court wizard Baron Farenthal. They met with the duke, his children Urloes II and Enora (who found herself enamored with the prince), King Borili, his wife, and his three finest warriors (Balatox, Teuto, and Caturicus), a cowardly old windbag named Earl Igneau III, and a foreign envoy from the Holy Zamoris Empire that happened to be in town, Landgrave Idas. The prince and Farenthal navigated a dangerous powder keg of intrigue, agreeing to watch the tournament before taking part in the hunt for the one-eyed monster.
In secret, Prince Nicholas and Baron Farenthal are here not to help with the hunt, but to search for Ebidor the Inventor. He was last heard heading to the Yb Grove, a place known to be connected to Flaumis, the world of the elves. If they can find Ebidor, perhaps Queen Eidothea can be healed.
On the field before the tournament, Sir Marrok meets Earl Weyland and become fast friends. They use their funds to supply the children that came to see them with pigberry pies and warm milk, working up the crowd. They meet with Sir Gallig, an elderly knight who knew Marrok as a commoner child, surprised to see him return as a knight. Prince Patrick has his manservant speak with Prince Nicholas' butler in order to set up a meeting between them.
The first contest of the tournament is the duel. Sir Marrok, Earl Weyland, and Prince Patrick all take part, alongside the three Ybian warriors, Sir Gallig, and nine other knights. During the first fight, Sir Marrok battles Sir Gallig and proves himself in a fast, decisive win. Earl Weyland faces the inexperienced Sir Melan, a boy of 15, and does his best not to embarrass and insult him as he claims victory. Prince Patrick fights the mighty Teuto, a spear-wielding giant of a man, and wins after a grueling match.
Before the second round, Prince Patrick gained his audience with Prince Nicholas, and discussed arranging a potential alliance in the future. Patrick also made some attempts at courtly romance towards "Princess Nicole", though he was ultimately rebuffed. On the field, Sir Marrok was confronted by Caturicus, wielder of twin axes, who was only bested after a fearsome fight. Earl Weyland fought the popular Sir Heneg, a favorite in the tournament circuit, and after a long, hard fight that nearly caused him to lose his temper in a panic, Earl Weyland proved victorious. Prince Patrick fought the seasoned Sir Suliag, a knight renowned across Calyria, and barely lost after a difficult match. After claiming his victory, heavily injured himself, Sir Suliag dropped from the tournament.
Sir Marrok approached Baron Farenthal between the second and third rounds, interested in meeting an actual wizard. Farenthal uses his magics to repair and clean Marrok's damaged armor, becoming the court wizard's favorite in the process. He takes the knight's name back to his prince as a potential ally. On the field, Earl Weyland yields to Sir Marrok due to the injuries he sustained against Sir Heneg, allowing Sir Marrok to move on to the final bout. On the other end, Balatox moves uncontested to the final round after the secession of Sir Suliag.
In a tense, bloody confrontation, Sir Marrok manages to defeat the dangerous greatsword-wielding Balatox, becoming the champion of the duel. Prince Nicholas presents him with his prize, a golden "sword" worth 1,000 gold pieces, and also a smaller purse of 50 gold pieces to Earl Weyland for placing in third. Prince Nicholas and Baron Farenthal discuss eliciting the aid of Sir Marrok, Earl Weyland, and Prince Patrick in their group to both hunt the one-eyed monster and search the Yb Grove for Ebidor. A brief respite is then announced before the archery contest begins.
Meanwhile, a strange creature searches the tournament grounds, seeking assistance. Something is amiss...
The Players
Prince Nicholas/Princess Nicole, Eldritch Knight 5//Bard 1. The crowned prince of Calyria, though actually a young princess whom she has a body double for when she and her "twin" both need to make an appearance. His/her mother, Queen Eidothea, has recently fallen under a strange malady, and her father, King Renier, has shut himself away from the world in the Marble Palace. He/she needs the help of the court wizard Ebidor the Inventor if the Queen is to be healed, but the old wizard went missing a year ago.
Sir Marrok Stonewright, Champion Fighter 5//Hexblade 1. A knight of common birth, returned home from the Crusades where he earned his knighthood. During his long absence, his father, a professor, had accepted the position of royal tutor for the crown prince before being mysteriously murdered.
Earl "Weyland", Wolf Totem Barbarian 5//Druid 1. An Oxgardr raider who killed the son of an earl before being shipwrecked on the lands he was from, where he was taken in by the earl due to both his remarkable resemblance to his son and to eventually exact revenge. The earl could never bring himself to do because of that resemblance, however, and ultimately kept the lie to his grave. Weyland, an alias, now travels Calyria in search of personal meaning.
Baron Farenthal Dathomir, Arcane Trickster 5//Wizard 1. The sole apprentice of Ebidor the Inventor, the last scion of an ancient noble house that has fallen to destitution. With the disappearance of Ebidor a year ago, the young apprentice finds himself as the new court wizard, and thoroughly in over his head as he has yet to understand even a fraction of the magical grimoires left behind by Ebidor.
Prince Patrick Mclenon, Cavalier 5//Paladin 1. The rightful ruler of the Kingdom of Ulford, he initially left the throne to his younger brother so that he could be free to explore and adventure around the world. In his absence, his younger brother was betrayed, murdered, and supplanted by one of his vassals, who then pledged his kingdom to the Duchy of Prabia and Duke Achille, the illegitimate half-Kriasnan son of King Renier and a claimant for the throne. He wishes to gather allies amongst Calyria to avenge his brother and take his rightful place as king.
As the story begins, Calyria is surrounded by danger. To the north, the isolationist Cigalla and the aggressive Didour have been at odds with Calyria since King Renier allied with Heilagrheim, an Oxgardr confederacy responsible for several raids against their nations. To the west, Prabia is ruled by Duke Achille and his mother, Princess Juliette of Kriasna, the long-time enemies of King Renier across the southern sea. The three counties of Darbur, Ulford, and Nanerine, while claiming themselves Calyrian, have backed Achille's claim to the throne and oppose the ascension of Prince Nicholas, a younger and comparatively less impressive warrior who cannot bring peace between Kriasna and Calyria.
To the east lies Yb, the last nation ruled by native Cirluhuuans left in the world. While allies of Calyria, Queen Eidothea having originally been an Ybian princess, their relationship is tense- Calyria practices Ganlitism, a faith that brokers no others, while the Cirluhuuans practice the fey-worshipping Old Ways. The Holy Zamoris Empire, far off allies of Calyria and the brokers of the current ceasefire between them and Kriasna, often sends inquisitors to Calyria to rile up anti-Cirluhuuan sentiment and pogroms.
A one-eyed monster has been prowling the Yb Grove that borders both Yb and County Dunham, a Calyrian duchy. It unleashes hunting dogs every night that have been terrorizing peoples of both lands. With King Renier locked away at the Marble Palace, his knights have become complacent and have failed to come to Dunham's aid. In response, Duke Juvan Le Ladd invited the Ybian King Borili to attend a tournament before a hunt against the foul creature.
To his surprise, Prince Nicholas himself arrived in Dunham for the tournament, alongside the court wizard Baron Farenthal. They met with the duke, his children Urloes II and Enora (who found herself enamored with the prince), King Borili, his wife, and his three finest warriors (Balatox, Teuto, and Caturicus), a cowardly old windbag named Earl Igneau III, and a foreign envoy from the Holy Zamoris Empire that happened to be in town, Landgrave Idas. The prince and Farenthal navigated a dangerous powder keg of intrigue, agreeing to watch the tournament before taking part in the hunt for the one-eyed monster.
In secret, Prince Nicholas and Baron Farenthal are here not to help with the hunt, but to search for Ebidor the Inventor. He was last heard heading to the Yb Grove, a place known to be connected to Flaumis, the world of the elves. If they can find Ebidor, perhaps Queen Eidothea can be healed.
On the field before the tournament, Sir Marrok meets Earl Weyland and become fast friends. They use their funds to supply the children that came to see them with pigberry pies and warm milk, working up the crowd. They meet with Sir Gallig, an elderly knight who knew Marrok as a commoner child, surprised to see him return as a knight. Prince Patrick has his manservant speak with Prince Nicholas' butler in order to set up a meeting between them.
The first contest of the tournament is the duel. Sir Marrok, Earl Weyland, and Prince Patrick all take part, alongside the three Ybian warriors, Sir Gallig, and nine other knights. During the first fight, Sir Marrok battles Sir Gallig and proves himself in a fast, decisive win. Earl Weyland faces the inexperienced Sir Melan, a boy of 15, and does his best not to embarrass and insult him as he claims victory. Prince Patrick fights the mighty Teuto, a spear-wielding giant of a man, and wins after a grueling match.
Before the second round, Prince Patrick gained his audience with Prince Nicholas, and discussed arranging a potential alliance in the future. Patrick also made some attempts at courtly romance towards "Princess Nicole", though he was ultimately rebuffed. On the field, Sir Marrok was confronted by Caturicus, wielder of twin axes, who was only bested after a fearsome fight. Earl Weyland fought the popular Sir Heneg, a favorite in the tournament circuit, and after a long, hard fight that nearly caused him to lose his temper in a panic, Earl Weyland proved victorious. Prince Patrick fought the seasoned Sir Suliag, a knight renowned across Calyria, and barely lost after a difficult match. After claiming his victory, heavily injured himself, Sir Suliag dropped from the tournament.
Sir Marrok approached Baron Farenthal between the second and third rounds, interested in meeting an actual wizard. Farenthal uses his magics to repair and clean Marrok's damaged armor, becoming the court wizard's favorite in the process. He takes the knight's name back to his prince as a potential ally. On the field, Earl Weyland yields to Sir Marrok due to the injuries he sustained against Sir Heneg, allowing Sir Marrok to move on to the final bout. On the other end, Balatox moves uncontested to the final round after the secession of Sir Suliag.
In a tense, bloody confrontation, Sir Marrok manages to defeat the dangerous greatsword-wielding Balatox, becoming the champion of the duel. Prince Nicholas presents him with his prize, a golden "sword" worth 1,000 gold pieces, and also a smaller purse of 50 gold pieces to Earl Weyland for placing in third. Prince Nicholas and Baron Farenthal discuss eliciting the aid of Sir Marrok, Earl Weyland, and Prince Patrick in their group to both hunt the one-eyed monster and search the Yb Grove for Ebidor. A brief respite is then announced before the archery contest begins.
Meanwhile, a strange creature searches the tournament grounds, seeking assistance. Something is amiss...