Cattle Driving Necromancers-Bizarre Campaign Journal

[arcane_asp]

Like so many others, been thoroughly enjoying this campaign journal! There is a definite sense of things building to a climax in terms of events

I've still been trying to get my mind around the layout of the ship - my mental map for what has happened so far is confused. I am right in saying that the whole dungeon/ship is basically disc shaped, with the centre of the 'wheel' being a key junction and the 'spokes' radiating out to the various areas? The upper levels protrude into the mountains with the doors opening to the three different camps around the entrances, whilst the lower levels narrow to the high security areas.

[Lord of Shadows]

Like so many others, been thoroughly enjoying this campaign journal! There is a definite sense of things building to a climax in terms of events

Ditto!

I've still been trying to get my mind around the layout of the ship - my mental map for what has happened so far is confused.

Kaveman has promised us a map. Until then, just play this little track over and over while they are rampaging thru the "dungeon."
.

[Kaveman26]

Think of a steppe pyramid with the wider base at the top. Lots of extra dimensional compartments and some dissonant designs for organization. I will post my map at some point.

[Kaveman26]

Psionic Blasts Buy One Get One Free:

Spoiler: undefined

Show

The witch does her best to explain the sudden and highly terrifying turn of events that led her to bringing a shoggoth back to the Material Plane. It also puts a hard stop to further attempts at reanimating a Dembella. It does not dissuade them from packing up one of the corpses and shoving it into Doc’s backpack. Staggered and bloody they get themselves together and reconfigure their plans for trying to break out.

Seraphim: Cravings are building again. Not sure I can go another full 24 hours without chewing on the Orc.

Hades: Don’t think we can sit another full day to recover spells and chance it. Hopefully they won’t realize we are about to make a run for it. Still need to make a beeline for the vault.

Ares: I’m thinking we pop the door and immediately send an acid breath from Doc and a fire blast from me. Not like we have a high chance of hitting friendlies. Then we go for it.

The whole party forms up with Ares at the front side by side with the half-dragon, the twins in the middle and Azzie and Seraphim at the rear. A round of buff spells and then they open the bunker doors sending a line of acid and fire through the still opening portal…and directly into the faces of three Mind Flayers. Doc manages to chase his own acid breath and charge the far right Flayer while Ares charges the far left. The two immediately engaged are tied up and begin trying to extricate themselves while the middle one reacts a bit faster…levelling a mind blast at Hades that knocks him through Azzie. Seraphim charges the middle one and hits him with a negative energy slam. Pluto swings a rarely used Morningstar and Azzie laces a trio of arrows into the center Flayer. As they tangle with their targets, two more Mind Flayers Enter from the nearest hallway and join in with psionic blasts…concussing the twins with psionic force. The Flayers tied up with Doc and Ares turn incorporeal and try to flee, Ares misses on his 50/50 but Doc connects and outright kills one of the three. The two reinforcements turn their attentions to Doc and attempt to mind control or compel him. The efforts seem to dissolve on contact though. The vampire overpowers the illithid she is engaged with and sinks her fangs into his throat….the blood is thick and nearly makes her gag. It is akin to trying to drink overcooked coffee when you are used to nectar. It feels good once it goes down and gulps greedily while they half pull her off to come after the two ranged attackers.

With two of the five dead, the remaining three fall back…only to be replaced by a new duo who were waiting in the hallway. They launch psionic blasts of a different nature, more of a burst effect and then the retreating comrades put up a wall of force. As they batter at the wall and await the twins to dispel it, psionic constructs spring to existence and engage from within. A pair of Mind Flayers seem to melt out from the wall and take form…levelling psionic blasts again.

Ares: They are trying to square dance us into chasing our tails. And Im afraid its working. Need some ideas fast.

Seraphim: One target. One Kill. We grapple or disable one at a time and we put everything into eliminating that one target. Get four bodies and we animate.

As they get hammered from all sides they maneuver themselves into reaching attack distance all at once against a single target within the room and they overwhelm it. This process is repeated and they kill a fourth as number’s 8 and 9 arrive. They reanimate the four dead ones and all four come back with psionic abilities. Seeing their fallen brethren turned undead seems to enrage the still living attackers, ESPECIALLY when they realize that the mind is still present.

Seraphim: Oh that’s right. You think undeath an abomination. Too bad your commanders never told you what REALLY happens when you oh so nobly donate your brains to the Elder. They consume your psychic energy and take your knowledge, but your personality, your soul is discarded like rancid dung.

As she taunts the attackers, Lean-Cohn one of the Enclave members appears and almost instantly begins to refute her statement.

Lean-Cohn: She lies. They have invaded our holiest of sanctuaries. These are marauders to be eradicated.

Seraphim: I have you there. You recognize the crystals upon my head as those created by the Dembella, your very own infallible sources.

As the fight continues Seraphim triggers the crystal recounting the Enclave discovering the fate of those who sacrifice themselves for the preservation and expansion of the Revered Elders. Lean-Cohn is astonished to witness himself experiencing a truth cut from his own mind. He seems badly shaken and right on the cusp of reacting to their benefit when a blankness grips his mind and he repeats his same retort.


Lean-Cohn: She lies. They have invaded our holiest of sanctuaries. These are marauders to be eradicated.

Ares: For those of you who are paying attention you can see with your eyes and your minds the tampering taking place.

All of the remaining mind flayers take on the same blankness and then resume their attacks.

Hades: Well if that isn’t confirmation that he is playing active puppet master I don’t know what is. He is trimming the weeds we plant just as fast as we plant them.

Azzie: Let him. The round where he took the brain eraser to them they couldn’t act. We burn a single power point each round and they stand there drooling. He can’t leave that memory to them or they will raise hell. Well they are already raising hell, but it will be hell that he can’t funnel. Bottom line, put that crystal on replay.

A dramatically different chase takes place where Stop-Go-Stop-Go sees the group freezing in place their pursuers round after round as they attempt escape and Jaze keep sweeping clean the slate. After five or six rounds as they are about to truly find a good straightaway his voice comes to them through the ship’s walls.

Jaze: Well done. I knew you had potential from our first meeting. Like what you have done to your minds. I actually had to STRAIN to dig through the surface. You learned so much in a short time. And Seraphim…my dear sweet girl. You found a backdoor to the prison. Even I didn’t know such a thing existed. Marvelous. I do hope you enjoyed the Shoggoth. There are plenty more where that one came from. As for our little game of cat and mouse right now, well let’s just say that I can do this all day. You will expend your meager reserves long before you can escape pursuit. Delaying the inevietable is hardly a victory, am I right? Better to surrender now and we can reach a compromise. You see the end game, you know the deck is stacked against you, let me cut you in on the game and we share the jackpot. With your commitments to assist and my knowledge of their sincerity we can all come out ahead. You want this world? Keep it. As long as the Fleet is destroyed so that I don’t need to be on guard for all eternity you are entitled to the planet as compensation. You help me in freeing Volcanus and steer him to eliminating the cavalry and I will go into the void to meet my brothers half way. I will close the door behind us and we all come out happy.

Ares: I believe you. And you know that I am genuine. I believe that you would leave us the planet and go about your own business. You also are making this offer because we would legitimately ponder going along with it. I think you already know the sticking point in this proposal though. We can’t trust what is coming. Even if you shut the door behind you, they now are aware that a door is there. The only way to shut the door for good is to remove the key entirely. Convince us that such a disposal is possible that doesn’t require your destruction and can parley further.

Jaze: I want you to understand something. I have a high level of respect for you. I took out at least a dozen adventuring parties with my animated furniture hijinks. A few actually managed to escape. None turned the tables as ruthlessly as you did. You kept the whole place off balance for months and let me get down to the serious work. I admire your unintentional helpfulness. But sadly all good things come to an end. It’s been a pleasure.

As the voice fades a figure turns the corner and stands alone at the end of the straightaway. It is Lau-Rain. Slung over his shoulder is a greatsword of fearsome size…the strength of it’s enchantments strong enough to be felt from a great distance. Gore and blood drip from it’s edge and the vampire warrior is drenched in the fluids and entrails of all that has stood in his way. His serpentine face is caked in still wet blood from where he has gorged himself. A gruesome mockery of a smile is visible through the viscera.

Lau-Rain: Ahhh yesssssss. Right where I was told to find you.

[GrayDeath]

Ah yes....the refuge of the self-overestimating: Adding a new threat and saying goodbye ;)

[FocusWolf413]

Lau-Rain? Oh son of a {This string of expletives, while impressive, has been scrubbed for decency's sake.}

[Reboot]

Can't help but think the smart thing to do would have been to get back in the bunker as soon as Seraphim was fed and wait to regain spells rather than trying to fight their way through half-drained from the Shoggoth fight.

[Lord of Shadows]

J A A A Z Z Z Z E!!!

.

[Randomguy]

Can't help but think the smart thing to do would have been to get back in the bunker as soon as Seraphim was fed and wait to regain spells rather than trying to fight their way through half-drained from the Shoggoth fight.

I think the smart thing to do here would be to try diplomacy: Lau-Rain likes fighting. Give him the chance to fight Volcanus.

[Traab]

I think the smart thing to do here would be to try diplomacy: Lau-Rain likes fighting. Give him the chance to fight Volcanus.

The problem there is the fact that Jaze is a mind controlling, memory erasing puppet master of incalculable power in that realm. Its entirely likely they couldnt talk hima round even if he normally would be willing. On the other hand, keep in mind everyone is like 3 levels higher than they were the last time they met this guy, AND they have template stacking up the wazoo and better gear as well granting them boosts. Vamp boy probably needs that sword just to give him an advantage again. This is probably not the "lol nope" style fight the last meeting was. Of course, the real issue is defeating him once wont stop him. Vampire you know. He has a casket im sure he can return to. But at least it will give them the chance to move on. Though where they will go after a boss battle like this is hard to figure out.

[Kareeah_Indaga]

What ever happened to Icy's children after they hooked up with the drow? The last I recall was Seraphim asking after them and them not being there.

[Traab]

What ever happened to Icy's children after they hooked up with the drow? The last I recall was Seraphim asking after them and them not being there.

Those were the spider creatures used against them during the library siege where they were denying our party resources I think. I imagine however many are left are probably even bigger. I seriously dont like this. We havent heard from the drow faction in entirely too long. Im wondering if they got manipulated into working for jaze. That literally all this alternating attempts to get our party on his side and attempts to kill them are a smokescreen while the drow work diligently towards his actual goals.

[Reboot]

Anyone curious as to how long before they start summoning Shoggoths, chucking them at their enemies and running?

[Honest Tiefling]

Anyone curious as to how long before they start summoning Shoggoths, chucking them at their enemies and running?

I think it is not a matter of 'if', but 'when' and 'what's the body count'. I wonder if they are going to screw so much with this other dimension to make even Jaze try to pound his head against a non-existent wall. Annoying the crap out of their foes is one of their MO, after all.

[Inevitability]

Anyone curious as to how long before they start summoning Shoggoths, chucking them at their enemies and running?

Remember, the only time they actually summoned a Shoggoth was in a heavily fortified room where even Jaze couldn't influence anyone. I'm fairly sure he'd be able to take over his 'brother' if one was summoned now.

[Ice]

i finally caught up! Shoot i even made a account to reply to this thread.

That being said this adventure is amazing! Cant wait to see the map! I wonder if Kaveman will just keep teasing us with it like bait on a lure for a while. I cant even imagine how he made it. Especially to be able to have large scale battle using it. That is a talent i wish i had.

[Kahlendrrari]

No posts in a few days, I'm dying here...

[Reboot]

Let's remember...

So in addition to "Because I enjoy it" I can add the following reasons for why I continue to update...

1. Prevent Virgin Sacrifice
2. Prevent Non Virgin Sacrifice
3. Prevent anxiety over the thread being bumped as the result of something other than an update
4. Maintain sanity
5. Allow for even debate and discourse that does not devolve into something best designed for the darker corner of the net. I.E. centaur jokes and discussions of pyrophillia.

:p

[Rabidmuskrat]

Welp, guess it's time to bring out the Pyrophilia...

So... who remembered the matches?

[FocusWolf413]

Who's enough of a slut to sacrifice?

[GnomishPride]

*sigh*
Hello Dr. Psychologist? I think I'll have to schedule a few* more appointments.

*few: a lot

[Kane0]

I do believe the withdrawal symptoms derived from lack of Kaveman are anxiety, delusions, sleeplessness, RSI from F5ing and a tendency to stare into the middle distance

[Recherché]

I do believe the withdrawal symptoms derived from lack of Kaveman are anxiety, delusions, sleeplessness, RSI from F5ing and a tendency to stare into the middle distance

Can't forget pyrophilia as a symptom!

[Tenmujiin]

Damn you all, I got so excited...

[Kaveman26]

Back to the Shadows:

Spoiler: undefined

Show

Ares: Alright. For giggles everyone that can command undead please attempt to do so.

No commands make it through.

Doc: Hold at Bay?

No effect.

Azzie: Alright, my turn.

The dirgebard swaggers to the front of the group and whips out his guitar, he begins strumming it while talking to himself and then looks up at the vampire.

Azzie: Alright you trumped up spoiled rancid piece of s**t, come here and let’s get this over with you tosser! I got me something wooden that I can stick you with!

The vampire lets out a wordless growl and charges…clearing the distance fair faster than they expected….and as Azzie hits a last power chord on his guitar and thrusts his hips…A Gate to the Shadow Plane opens up in front of him…Lau-Rain runs directly into it, and with a flourish the gate is dismissed.

All eyes turn to the bard…

Azzie: Wut? I wasn going to fight him. Now about that running away we was doing?

Laughs abound as they resume their egress from the flayer’s assault and I am left shaking my head.

They manage to reach one of the travelling circles and find it under heavy defense in the form of a quartet of earth elementals, only each of the lumbering mounds seems to be glittering with an array of psionic crystals. They launch a barrage of missiles and spells in the hallway ahead only to watch the elementals dissolve into the ground and vanish. Not entirely sure how to proceed they have Ares the chamber first and as he does an elemental emerges from the ground forming itself into a wall and then a pair of arms erupt to batter the graveknight. Doc begins to charge in after him when a second elemental forms itself into a row of spikes like a instantly appearing line of pikemen forged from razor sharp stones and crystals.

Ares takes scimitar in hand for a two handed power stroke and slashes with all his strength, only to find his sword sinking into a rapidly oozing pile of mud.

Seraphim: Shape Changing Psionic Earth Elementals…seriously?!?

They furtively try to combat the ever shifting elementals who cycle between forms and maneuver themselves through the floors and walls. Eventually they form a tight formation and inch their way to the circle itself and send themselves through. As they take a quick assessment on the other side and find it defenseless they start a mad dash for the vault. In the process of their flight the familiar roars and howls of Veritas grab their attention as they watch a series of highly modified lions race down a hallway where the telltale heat and light of dragon breath originate.

Azzie: We stopping to help the dragon?

Seraphim: He can take care of himself.

Ares: I think we need to assist. We need him as an asset.

Seraphim: Are you insane? We leveraged his pride as means of soliciting help once, he isn’t going to fetch that same bone twice.

Ares: Let me worry about that.

Seraphim: You can worry about it. I am not about to divert from known controllable assets that are virtually in reach to run off after a dragon that wants my head on it’s wall.

Ares: Please.

Seraphim: Uggggghhhhhhh. Five minutes.

The whole group pulls a ninety degree turn and wheels after Ares who is hellbent on locating Veritas. In short order they find him fending off a swarm of psionically mutated animals while Ackshale and Breig are holding their own against a mind blasting hydra.

Seraphim: If we throw in now against Veritas we can bring him down, Ackshale will see this as the opening.

Ares: No. We need them. They are amongst the few people we have history with. The clock is ticking and we need allies. These are the strongest ones we are likely to find. I will convince Veritas and once he agrees the giants will fall in. Start lacing the hall with AoE, Doc and Twins you help the giants. Azzie…strike up the band once we have bodies hitting the floor.
Seraphim and Ares chase their own fire spells as they launch into the swarm of beasts and the twins each pick a damaged giant to aid in healing while Doc gleefully rushes in to smash multiple hydra heads. Azzie laces arrows into any wounded targets and as the animals fall in number he uses dance of the dead to bring them back up and turn on their former allies. Sheer numbers force them to give ground but they turn the territory into a growing charnel heap of corpses. The dragon is extremely leery of their arrival and “assistance”, he constantly shifts to prevent them from getting to his flanks or rear and is specifically watching the giants for any erratic behavior. When they force a retreat he is still guarded and cautious.

They do their best in summing up their recently uncovered knowledge and fill in the NPC’s on the dire situation they face.

Seraphim: As we are telling you all this, he is listening and aware. That is unavoidable.

Veritas: A fantastic and incredulous tale. Why should we believe a word of it?

Ares: Because we have proof. A proof that I NEED you to see. We are no longer dealing in treachery. We are dealing in doomsdays. You are powerful and you know us. For what we intend it will take strength in numbers and a ferocity of purpose.

Veritas: What possible proof could you have?

Ares: This.

The graveknight holds in his hand a resonance crystal.

Ares: This is the journal of their draconic experiments to cross red with gold species. Watch and understand the weight of our words.

Veritas watches as the crystal replays a dozen different dragons being experimented upon and ultimately destroyed while they search for a solution to their cross breeding. As the Illithid catalog the names of each doomed dragon Veritas winces with familiarity. The rage that has boiled so close to the surface for so long vanishes and a stillness sets in.

Ares: They took fourteen dragons in total. 12 were destroyed, 1 became Volcanus, and 1 was stashed on the floor as a trophy. Choose to follow your own path and you could very well end up back in stasis as an amusement for millennia to come, or you could end up the building block in a twisted experiment. Or join us. Truly and fully and we will avenge the one injustice that outstrips any we have inflicted upon you. They shattered your race and made a mockery of your kind’s heritage. Help us visit the same calamity upon them.

The dragon sits looking at the last images as they fade. With a calm that leaves everyone ready to dive for cover he dips his head to the graveknight and kneels on his good forelimb, all to look Ares in the eye.

Veritas: I will join you. Together we will end these invaders. Partners we are now and until the hour of our destruction.

Seraphim: Good to hear.

Veritas: Not you witch child. To him I vow brotherhood and vengeance. I will suffer the rest of you for the time being. Deal?
Ares: Deal.

[Lord of Shadows]

Back to the Shadows:

"Ares: Deal."

Wow, now things are really getting serious. The Undead Cowboys are rounding up a Wrecking Crew.
.

[GnomishPride]

Duuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuude... cool.

[ImperatorV]

...If they both survive those two are going to turn into an absolutely terrifying dragon-and-rider duo aren't they.

[Reboot]

I'm curious as to why Veritas went so far with his oath to Ares. I can see why he bought it - either it was true, or some mega-suggestion spell that involved the whole story being devised by the red dragon's own subconscious - but "Partners we are now and until the hour of our destruction." rather than just promising to work with until the situation's resolved or they're dead?

(Especially since Graveknights are not only especially hard to kill, but have a tendency to go obsessively, monomaniacally insane with the passage of time!)

Also, I presume "fourteen dragons" was fourteen red dragons, given the survival of the blue, silver, icy, Onyx, etc?

[Mith]

I'm curious as to why Veritas went so far with his oath to Ares. I can see why he bought it - either it was true, or some mega-suggestion spell that involved the whole story being devised by the red dragon's own subconscious - but "Partners we are now and until the hour of our destruction." rather than just promising to work with until the situation's resolved or they're dead?

(Especially since Graveknights are not only especially hard to kill, but have a tendency to go obsessively, monomaniacally insane with the passage of time!)

Possibly because Ares is the most straightforward and honourable of the UC, and is closer to a "respected enemy" than Sera, Doc, or the twins.

OOC reasoning I can see is that Ares comes across as the most trustworthy of the party, one whose word can be trusted, and who can hold vows given. The others (aside from Doc), not so much.