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    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    BardGuy

    Join Date
    Aug 2011

    Default Cattle Driving Conquerers:Campaign Journal

    Around sixteen months ago I pulled the trigger and resumed my evil mega-dungeon campaign. Playing time isn’t what it used to be but we found a consistent enough schedule to get everyone involved and running relatively smoothly. Faced a lot of new challenges this time around, we retrained characters and I worked individually with each player to customize or alter a sort of Template/Prestige Class for their specific character. Across the board they concurred on doing a dungeon delve campaign with the expressed understanding that at some point their alliance would be sundered and ultimately they were going after each other. I genuinely think that we spent so much time with the gang and got so immersed in the evil aspect that they felt compelled to see their backstabbing, murderous band of miscreants fulfill their destinies.

    If you didn’t follow the long running recap that preceded this you will largely feel lost. The shortest summary I can provide if you don’t want to read the whole thing is as follows:

    We ran a campaign where magic items, and stronger creatures/characters had been culled from the world by Planar Travelling Mind Flayers. These Mind Flayers had an Ark of sorts that they used to collect interesting specimens and sort of lobotomize the potential dangers on the Material Plane. In the course of researching the unusual Radiation of the Underdark their ship’s Elder Brain became corrupted by Great Old Ones (Hastur, Chuthulu etc) and it badly crippled their ship. The ship became almost self aware and an Intelligence known as Jaze took full control and basically mind wiped the Illithid. They went to extreme lengths to imprison Jaze and shut down the Ark. Thousands of years later the ship’s doors opened and people began locating objects lose to myth and legend. Our group of PC’s went full blown evil and even went to the point of driving actual cattle into the dungeon. They would stampede said cattle, and then animate dead the corpses to attack a second time. Eventually they began to fight against the freed intelligence and managed to destroy it and seal off the breach that would have let the Great Old Ones back into our realm. They extorted the returning Mind Flayers into giving them control of the now partially repaired Ark and more or less blackmailed them in to a 100 hundred peace treaty. In the intervening century each character went their separate way and consolidated power in their own fashion. The 100th anniversary is approaching and the gang agreed to get back together to see what the second round of diplomacy would result in.

    Characters were retrained to start game at level 25, and allowed to reacquire stats, skills, feats, equipment etc. Owing to several boosts given within the campaign I gave everyone the choice to take a 40 point stat buy and they all took it. Everyone was allotted 2,000,000 to outfit their personal characters and their entourages. I put the personal primary gear of which player in the following breakdowns, I added a few minion items that were worth highlighting. There is also a litany of lesser items, minion equipment, and odds and ends that I didn’t specify.

    The Characters:
    Spoiler: general
    Show
    Seraphim: Gravewalker 20/Three Fold Queen 5 (vampire template)

    A necromancy/elements heavy caster with lots of minions and behind the curtain power for several territories. Very much a puppet master who is seeking to carve out additional domain and consolidate power. Her interests are starting to clash against Ares and his expanding empire.

    As a Three Fold Queen Seraphim is able to take advantage of extensive spell lists that incorporate added spells from Cleric,Druid and Wizard tables along with being able to prepare certain spells from her Coven. Her spell poppet is now animated and sentient. Resembling a macabre raggedy anne doll it is a grotesque companion to the would be Queen. Her TFQ class also limits or removes some of her drawbacks from vampirism.

    Seraphim: Str:18 Dex:20 Con:- Int:36 Wis:22 Cha:32 AC:39 Fort:-Ref:18 Will:25 HP:363

    Feats:Skill Focus Diplomacy, Spell Focus+GSF (Necro), Spell Pen+GSP, Intensified Spell, Persistent Spell,Spell Specialization, Split Hex, Spell Perfection, Piercing Spell, Thanatopic Spell, Improved Init, Leadership

    Hexes: Cackle, Evil Eye, Coven, Retribution, Misfortune, Agony, Dire Prophecy, Summon Spirit, Natural Disaster, Eternal Slumber

    Gear: Read the +4 Int and Cha tomes, Truesight Goggles, Cloak of Resistance+5, Pale Green Ioun Stone, Ring Greater Energy Resist (Acid and Fire), BracersArmor+8, Amulet Nat Arm+5, Headband Mental Perfection+6, Boots Striding/Springing, Cackling Hag’s Blouse, Otherwordly Kimono, Belt of Stoneskin

    Minions: 17th level Drow Cleric (vampire), 16th level Human Druid (vampire), 16th level Elven Wizard (vampire) 20th level Human Witch (ghost)-Cohort, 6 Fast Zombie Pit Fiends, 1 Fast Zombie Ancient Silver Dragon, Alchemical Golem.


    Coffin:
    Seraphim is by nature extremely cautious and paranoid. She has taken multiple precautions to safeguard her coffin. Adding virtually every protective spell and means through which to disguise it. She has six decoy coffins prepared and ready to travel at all times. Each of the decoy coffins opens to a permanent demiplane. Each of these demiplanes is a Dead Magic, Zero Gravity Plane, with no air. There is a fixed Planar Portal that requires a password to operate within.


    Ares: Antipaladin20/Aspect of War5 (Graveknight)

    A fearsome warlord nagaji, and now a graveknight with a half fiend red dragon mount. He has carved out a powerful and aggressive empire and styles himself a horsemen of War come to the Mortal Plane. Always looking for a fight and to sow destruction and chaos. Recognizes the subtle manipulations of Seraphim and views her as an adversary despite their past alliances.

    Aspect of War adds the ability to attract powerful followers who seek to serve a true Warlord. It also enhances certain aspects of the antipaladin’s touch of corruption and bond to a companion principally the ancient red dragon who serves as his partner Veritas.

    Ares: Str:36 Dex:14 Con- Int:10 Wis:24 Cha:40 AC:43 Fort- Ref:30 Will: 41 HP:525

    Feats: Power Attack, Cleave, Furious Focus, Death from Above, Channel Smite, Leadership,Weapon Focus Scimitar, Mounted Combat, Command Undead, Vital Strike, IVS, GVS, and Devastating Strike.

    Gear: +5 adamantine keen scimitar of speed, +5 full plate unrighteous, Read +4 tome of Str+Cha, +5 large steel shield ghost touch, Cloak of Resistance+5, Belt Giant Str+6, Amulet of Nat Arm+5, Ring ERG (Sonic) Ring Protection+5, Headband Wis/Cha+6, Horns of Naraga.
    Veritas (half fiend ancient red dragon) +5 full plate (greater energy resist cold) and custom Horseshoes of Crushing Blows+5 ghost touch.

    Minions: 3 Level 17th level AntiPaladin GraveKnights (Black, Blue, Green Old Dragons), 4 Fast Zombie Ancient Silver Dragons, 5 Fast Zombie Ancient Red Dragons, 2 Bloody Storm Giant skeletons.

    Doctor Lovebones: Barbarian1/Scarred Witch Doctor9/Eldritch Knight10/Draconic Champion5

    An Orc who was altered with Giant Template and Half Dragon Template. Has amassed a horde of his descendants far to the north in the abandoned wilderness. Loves a good fight and has a massive sense of loyalty and duty to his tribe. Recognizes that he will eventually make his people strong enough to invoke the attention of Ares and or Seraphim. Holds a decent working relationship with Azzie. Was built from original Orc Racial Archetype Scarred Witch Doctor which used Con as primary casting stat, this was changed but we let him use as originally designed.

    Draconic Champion emphasizes the dragon aspect of the witch doctor’s biology. Augmenting and increasing his path towards evolving into something far beyond an Orc.

    Doc: Str: 46 Dex: 18 Con: 46 Int:11 Wis:12 Cha:7 AC:41 Fort:40 Ref:26 Will:23 HP:588

    Feats: Weapon Focus, Greater Weapon Focus, Weapon Specialization, GWS (Greataxe), Spell Focus Abjuration, Spell Penetration, Power Attack, Cleave, Vital Strike, IVS,GVS, Devastating Strike, Extend Spell, Improved Init, Leadership

    Gear: Orcish Fetisk Mask +5 luck bonus to AC, +5 luck bonus to saving throws, Cloak of Resistance+5, Amulet Nat Armor+5, Ring Prot+5, Bracers Armor+8, +5 adamantine greataxe corrosive burst+undead bane, Belt Of Physical Perfection+6, Read +4 Con Tome, Ring ERG-Fire, Robe of Gates, Adamantine Golem x2

    Minions: Shango (Giant Half Dragon) 17th level Scarred Witch Doctor (Son), Grom (Giant Half Dragon) 17th level Barbarian(Son), Midnight (Giant Half Dragon) 17th Level Life Oracle. (Grand-Daughter)

    Azzie Azborne: DireBard15/Agent Of the Grave5/High Priest Hastur5

    An aasimer dirge bard, who gained the vampire and shadowlord templates. Bit of a nutjob and head of the Cult of Hastur. Views himself as the frontman of a band more than a cult leader.

    As a high priest of Hastur he casts spells as a 19th level Bard and as a 22nd Level Cleric with domains of Madness and Destruction. The Yellow Eye also provides several dangerous protective elements to those who seek to spy or glean information from him.


    Coffin: Refers to his Coffin as the Green Room, aside from one blessing of Hastur placed on his coffin carries no decoys or further protections.

    Azzie: Str:24 Dex:32 Con:- Int:30 Wis:28 Cha:42 AC:35 Fort-Ref:32 Will:34 HP:516

    Feats: Spell Focus Necro, Skill Focus-Diplomacy and UMD, Leadership, Extend Spell, Empower Spell, Improved Init, Iron Will, Imp Iron Will, Spell Penetration, Greater Spell Penetration, Lightning Reflexes, ILR

    Gear: Cloak of Resistance+5, Books read +4 Int, Wis, Cha, Dex, Belt of Physical +6 Str/Dex, Mental +6, Rings ERG (Fire+Acid), Mithral Chain Shirt+5 GT, adaptive comp shortbow+5 brilliant energy, Crystal Ball-True Seeing, Bracers Archery Greater

    Minions: 5 Fast Zombie Tarn Linnorn, 1 Fast Zombie Young Blue Dragon, 1 Fast Zombie Ancient Red Dragon, Level 16 Slyph Rogue (vampire), Level 17 Dwarf Druid (vampire) Level 17 Human Cleric (vampire), Level 20 Human Ranger (shadowlord) specializes in undead and dragon slaying, outfitted with +5 kukri undead bane, flaming burst (cohort) x2


    Hades and Pluto: Undead Lord 20/Undead Ascendant5

    Twin dhampir clerics and liches. More scholars than conquerers. Their knowledge of undeath is drawing attention from potent forces and their research has exceeded nearly any other pursuit of lichdom.

    Undead Ascendant allows certain undead controlling abilities and spells to function equally on intelligent undead as it does mindless undead, it also augments their lich template.

    Lich Phylactery:
    The Liches Phylacteries are secured in a very creative fashion which I wont spoil here. Its worth waiting to find out.

    Hades/Pluto: Str:14 Dex:22 Con- Int:26 Wis:36 Cha:32 AC:42 Fort:-Ref:19 Will:34 HP:388

    Feats: Spell Focus, GSF Necro, Spell Pen, GSP, Selective Channel, Improved Channel, Undead Master, Echoing Spell, Ectoplasmic Spell, Maximize Spell, Piercing Spell, Thanatopic Spell, Iron Will, IIW.

    Gear: Breastplate+5 ERG-Fire, Large Steel Shield+5 ERG Sonic, Ring ERG-(Acid), Ring of Protection+5, Cloak of Resistance+5, Staff of Power, Rod Metamagic Greater, Rod Negation, Book of +4 Wis+Cha, Belt of Dex+6, Headband Mental+6

    Minions: 4 Nightcrawlers, 1 NightWalker, 2 Wyrmwraiths, 1 Level 20 Ghost Cleric (Domain Sun), all of these times X2 except for the ghost cleric.





    The Vault Hook:

    In attacking the concept of a post level 20 evil themed campaign and in an effort to build off the Illithid Ark/Megadungeon adventure I really battled with several competing concepts. Ultimately I decided on something resembling a prison break adventure but with competing “hooks” Each of the six characters was given a hook in the form of a visit from a powerful outsider who urged that character to take action for the PC’s benefit within a Vault. Some were urged to free the prisoner held within, others to kill the prisoner, others to ensure it remained a prisoner. I set about trying to create a series of neigh impossible to bypass safeguards to keep this VIP prisoner secured. I wanted to challenge ultra-high level characters and create turmoil amongst each other in the process.

    No matter how everything plays out the alliances initially created are intended to be broken and there is full understanding on DM and PC sides that a PVP element will be encouraged and expected. They want the fall out as much as I do.

    The Vault itself is being designed as something that only “mortal” forces may access it. I put mortal in parentheses because most of the party as undead to an extent now count as immortal. Outsiders, Deities, and other Divine or Mystical agents are forbidden from entering the premise.

    I ran into several obstacles building out the physical location. I got used to juggling mountains of minions and 100’s of HD worth of undead thralls. The overall number of undead minions is substantially lower now, but the sizes are drastically bigger. I got caught between a rock and a hard place for space. Trying to design anything that can accommodate two dozen or more gargantuan or larger creatures is a burden. Not every room can be a cavernous mega space. Nor do I want to end up in a situation where nothing can move or be used.

    Here are the Hook’s:


    Spoiler: general
    Show
    Azzie:

    Hastur was not happy. The Yellow Eye was beginning to feel more like the Bitch Eye. The cult was going splendid and he was pleased with Azzie’s work as frontman of the show, but management was never satisfied. You could sell out a hundred virgin sacrifices and pack the asses in the catacomb pews, even sell out the cultists robes and they would ask what have you profaned for me lately?

    Not like the blighter would just come out and say it either. Had to bother him in his dreams and annoy him with visions. It was hard enough paying attention to what was real and what was delusion on a good day, but lately he couldn’t get a moment’s peace to himself.

    He finally had enough and called together a full band meeting.


    Azzie: So here’s the gig. I got a reunion tour next week with me old band. Word from Upper Management is that we are going to be offered a once in a lifetime chance to play a show that would put anything before it to shame. The Yellow Bastard has passed word on to me that this venue has an important V.I.P. backstage and he wants us to make sure he stays there. Wants to avoid shaking up the ranks in the higher offices and this bloke is a real shaker. So it’s on us to rock the joint and keep him from the centerstage.

    Most of the cult were hangers on. Groupies with some experience in the world, but not headliners. Azzie’s personal assistant didn’t fit that mold. He had been hand packed and nurtured specifically for some potential future engagements, in particular crowd control. A ranger who had spent his entire life as a destroyer of undead. Azzie had helped him hone those skills to a razor’s edge and had outfitted him with the finest other people’s money could buy. Azzie didn’t exactly trust Jedherya or Jed as he was prone to call him, but he put stock in his abilities and his ruthlessness.

    Jed: Any chance these former bandmates might be looking to steal the spotlight?

    Azzie: That is a distinct possibility.

    Jed: And you are ok with me escorting them out?

    Azzie: If it comes to it,Im afraid so.




    Seraphim:

    Seraphim hated making the first move in such an intricate dance, but it was time to put the wheels in motion. To her perspective events would unfold in any manner of scenario but in the end it would be Her against Ares. Gravewalker pitted against GraveKnight. Doc and Azzie could be bargained with or assuaged. The Twins cared little for the worldly conflict, so long as she didn’t interfere with their studies and research they would remain neutral. Ares had pushed his empire to the absolute limit of cutting into her own territories and knew that matters would become lethal between them.

    They would certainly treat each other with decorum and respect, but she was positive that only one of them would endure beyond the hostility. To that end she had started the first play in their chess match. Eternal Winter was hardly breaking new ground but it served a specific purpose to her mind. Coven after coven under her sway manipulated the elements and coaxed blizzard upon blizzard in the lands of her choosing. Any invading force would find nothing but permafrost and chilled barren land for miles on end. So caught in the reverie of her schemes was she that almost didn’t perceive the hunched over crone hobbling through the gale force winds as if they were a mere spring breeze.

    Had her heart still maintained the ability to feel cold, ice would have grasped it. There was no mistaking this woman for anything other than what she was. Old Knobby Legs, The Witch Queen. The name almost spilled from her lips as they trembled. Baba Yaga.

    Excitement and terror coursed through her all at once. Had the Witch Queen come to snuff out a rival? Surely Seraphim had grown in accomplishment and presence enough to warrant consideration. If she were dismissed outright or ignored…well her anger had led to more than one foolhardy and potentially lethal confrontation.

    She would be respectful, pride would not let her be submissive but she knew well enough not to provoke. Her curtsy was curt and prefunct.

    Seraphim: Wise Grandmother, you honor us with your presence.

    Baba Yaga: Is that why you tremble child? I see the conflict plain as day. You aren’t sure if I am here to kill you or ignore you. Both thoughts see to upset you. Such is the irony of youth. Oh much of your youth has faded, the change to vampire has that effect, you have recovered much of your grace and beauty but it will never be what it once was. The answer to your question is somewhere in between.

    Seraphim: I don’t understand.

    Baba Yaga: Well that is why I am here. I would ask a favor of a fellow witch. In a few days time you will receive an offer to visit a vault, there are those, your Orc friend included, who will be bidden to release a special guest from the heart of that vault. Circumstances as they are I am forbidden from doing this task myself. I would be indebted to the one who could travel in my stead.

    Seraphim: How would you know Doc’s intentions?

    Baba Yaga: You aren’t the only one with spies dear. An old friend of mine will visit him shortly. A former warlord who sought immortality from me. I granted his boon, but not in the manner he preferred. The shame of his deformity led him to the Abyss where he has made quite the name for himself. He will bid the witch doctor to retrieve a Torc from the vault, it holds a fraction of his mortal soul that I took in payment. I wish to see the vault’s occupant and that relic stay exactly where they are.

    Seraphim: And you trust me to see this course to it’s end.

    Baba Yaga: I trust you to look out for yourself. You are formidable in your own right, but with time and guidance…you could aspire to greater. I have had many daughters, but no heirs. None who would take my place when the time comes. Perhaps you may one day be worthy of a title greater than daughter. Perhaps Seraphim I may one day call you sister.





    Doc:

    Doc watched with pride as two of his “sons” locked claw and axe against each other in combat. Thar and Grom were amongst his most gifted warriors and brought strength and prestige to the bloodline. His oldest son Shango, heir apparent as Witch Doctor, stood nearby solemnly ensuring no lethal outcomes to the contest. It was Shango that caught his attention and broke him from his focus.

    Shango: A stranger will appear to you in your dreams this night father. Heed his words carefully for he will offer you a double edged blade.

    Doc: Do you say this as prophecy or as intuition?

    Shango: Somewhere in between. The vision is as clear a prophecy as one could hope, as for the meaning intuition is my only guide.

    Doc: You are the seventh son of my seventh son, that is a powerful omen and a great gift. The foresight is a glorious curse I am jealous and saddened that it is you who must bear it.

    That night as his son had predicted he was visited by dreams. Dreams of a horrific storm freezing the landscape and the cackle of a maddened woman. From the storm emerged a powerful and twisted version of giant. Doc recognized it from deep recess of ancestral memory. This was Kostchtchie. A former barbarian turned twisted demon lord. He crossed his enormous greataxe across his chest and stopped short a respectful distance.

    Kostchtchie: You have proven yourself a worthy warrior and respected foe. I would have you enter my service.

    Doc: I serve my clan and honor my ancestors. I do not bow to demons.

    Kostchtchie: I will never ask you to bow. I ask the opposite. Soon you will be asked to enter a Vault. I urge you to do so. At the heart of this vault is a Torc that is precious to me. Return this Torc to me and I will see your clan bestowed with strength and honor thrice fold.

    Doc: Why would I do this?

    Kostchtchie: Because you stand on the precipice upon which I fell. I was betrayed by a witch and cursed to this deformity. You too shall be betrayed by a witch. Serve me and I will ask you to follow but three commandments. Bow to no Woman. Let your vengeance be three fold to profane their accursed three fold goddess. Kill All Witches.

    Doc: You would have me destroy Seraphim.

    Kostchtchie: I would have you kill ALL witches. There are ones more powerful and dangerous than her. Should this Seraphim achieve her goals within the vault then her sisters will wipe out your bloodline from this world. Your ancestors will be forgotten and your race will vanish.

    Doc: Why should I trust you?

    Kostchtchie: I hold no favor or love for you. I simply hate them more. That is enough. As a token of my desire you will find a gift when you awaken.

    The following morning Doc was early to wake and slow to rise. He lay amidst the mammoth furs of his lodge ruminating on the dream visited. Shango was too wise to ignore. This was truly a doubled edged offering. It was Midnight their wise woman and Doc’s granddaughter who roused him.

    Nightshade: Father…something awaits you in the center of the village.

    Doc found the entire clan surrounding an enormous greataxe sitting in the middle of their bonfire…untouched by the flame. It was forged from a dark adamantine and it radiated power. On the reverse side of the axehead was a tapered wooden stake stained with blood. He felt the weapon’s anger and hatred even from a distance and knew this was a weapon put on the earth to kill witches. The stake was new and just as focused in purpose.


    The Twins:

    Trepidation was to be expected in circumstances where the risk was this high. They had taken every possible precaution but the tension was palpable as Pluto initiated the net from their newest discovery. Lichdom and it’s secrets were the absolute heart of their research. Ko had achieved a rare form of demi-lichdom with accompanying revelations. The twins were mostly certain that they could replicate that process, but they also were aware of even higher planes of existence. It was almost accidental that they had begun upon the path at hand.

    All liches maintained a phylactery. A sacred relic that housed a fragment of their soul. It was the anchor that allowed their self to reform on the material plane even upon the destruction or their worldly form. True oblivion would remain a mystery so long as their phylactery remained intact. In an effort to shroud and obfuscate the location of their own, a smarter question arose. How do we find the phylacteries of other lich?

    The answer to that question now existed, and as it was the first of it’s type they had severe misgivings as to what would happen once the device were activated. Would their brethren be alerted to this exterior intrusion? Would it trigger alarms and see them targeted by other necromancers? Few enough rivals could challenge them at this stage, but there were certainly kindred spirits whose abilities and powers outstripped their own.

    Every precaution they could conceive was in place and the curiosity and potential gain outweighed the risk. Pluto activated the scrying circle and from within the darkness of the pool’s surface small bundles of swirling “essence” formed. More than they anticipated but a surprisingly few. The device worked and no figures encroached upon their inner sanctum. Mental Focus allowed them to hone in on individual swirls and to their surprise once honed in far enough an image of the target and a vague awareness of their identity arrived.

    A particular swirl was visibly stronger than the rest. They focused in upon it to discover a figure that played a prominent role in their research. The Whispering Tyrant himself. A being strong enough to force the gods to intercede BEFORE he had crossed over to lichdom. They had locked him away and banished him once they deemed themselves unable to locate his phylactery. The swirling essence stared back at them and the image acknowledged them. Tar Baphon.

    Tar: You have delved too far. Some secrets carry too great a weight to uncover.

    Hades: Communication is possible.

    Tar: Quite. While I lack the ability to remove you from this world myself, I certainly maintain control over those would in my place.

    Pluto: You certainly could. But we also certainly know where to locate your phylactery. Can you genuinely destroy us before we counter such a stroke?

    Tar: Insolent Wretches!

    Hades: Wretches with the ingenuity to find that which is unfindable.

    Tar: You pierced a veil, you didn’t find the unfindable. Perhaps you would care to try though?

    Pluto: Try what exactly?

    Tar: Your device is bold in scope, but it is imperfect. There is one hidden to it’s gaze. Find him and I can provide secrets unimagined. Ascension without limitation.

    Hades: You threaten us in one breath and then bait us with immortality in the next?

    Tar: I lack the time to elaborate. Our kind are not prone to trust. I instead offer you proof of both. Proof that I can destroy you and proof that I wish you to succeed. Enter the vault. At it’s core you will find that which you have been seeking all your life.

    The image vanishes and two objects come hurtling through the surface of the device’s pool. Both twins jump back in shock as a severed hand and dismembered eyeball emerge.

    Ares:

    The death throes of the Balor shook the ground around Ares and he waited for the dust to settle before removing the demon’s thick blood from the blade of his scimitar. Veritas chuckled slightly to himself from the distance.

    Veritas: They are just going to continue. You are a prospect now. Now that you have their attention the offers and threats will simply continue.

    Ares: They can keep their Blood War to themselves we are still about business on this plane.

    Veritas: Does her existence torment you that much?

    Ares: I seem to recall some strong words with dire consequence emanating from your maw.

    Veritas: Oh she will crumple to dust beneath my talons. I yearn for that day, but I don’t let it consume me the way it consumes you. When you have centuries ahead the hours seem less urgent.

    Ares: You are sure of that? Dragons still age.

    Veritas: Our time together has changed me. I feel it in my bones and see it in my reflection. The Abyss calls to you, it bids you take your place, and I think that call is reaching me now too.

    Ares: Is this a problem?

    Veritas: Well that is the rub. Had I realized it might happen our partnership would have ended. Now that it has happened, the mind alters with it. You have more company.

    The haze of flame that always surrounded the GraveKnight flared up, he was tired of these futile challenges and promises of glory. Another Balor materialized before him. The air was still stained with the debris of the previous challenger.

    Balor: I am not a challenger. I am a messenger. Stay your sword.

    Ares: Speak quickly.

    The balor placed a massive candle upon the ground and lit the wick with flames from it’s own body. The Demon Lord Demogorgon appeared in the flames.

    Demogorgon: Ares…I am pleased to meet you. The realms yearn for your inclusion to our worthy ranks. But this is not a job offer. Well…actually it is, but not in the way you think. The Planes are buzzing with possibility, a possibility that seems now a certainty. The Illithid will return and with them will come an offer to pierce a vault forbidden to the gods and demons alike. Each of your comrades is being enlisted by an outside agent with their own agenda. I too have an agenda one that allows our interests to coincide. The Vampire Witch has been approached by Baba Yaga herself with a request to keep an important guest inside the vault. I will provide to you the means to ensure her end, and to thwart her goals. Alone neither of you can enter the vault. It will take a concerted effort. Once inside a rare opportunity will present itself. I want you there to do what you do best.

    Ares: You want me to do your bidding? Like a lap dog fetching for it’s master.

    Demogorgon: Do whatever you want when that moment comes. Kill her, help her. It matters not to me. You will make your own choice. I just want to ensure that no matter the outcome chaos thrives in that moment.

    Ares: And just what will you provide.

    Demogorgon: Have you heard the legends of Kas? He who wielded the blade that took the eye and hand of Vecna?

    Ares: Tales. Nothing more.

    Demogorgon: I offer you the Sword of Kas. It holds a fascinating history. It was the blessed sword of a mighty champion. A knight and Paladin known as Lancelot. In the service of his king, Lancelot struck down a usurper…his lord’s bastard son birthed by the king’s own sister, a child of rage and incest. His holy avenger plunged into the heart of his enemy, an act of pure courage and service….only the usurper’s soul attempted to vanquish the blade itself. Such was the malice of this bastard that his death passed into the righteous blade and twisted it. In the hands of a warrior such as yourself it will be a blade to rival any other from antiquity. The usurper Mordred’s spirit will imbue it with hate and destruction unequalled. When wielded against the undead, the spirit of Lancelot will rise up to smite that evil from the world. It is a blade spawned in conflict and wrought with strife, I have cherished it for millennia and through ages untold. I offer it now unto you. It is forever more known as the Sword of Kas, but it once held a different name. Excalibur.


    The Parley:
    Spoiler
    Show

    There is nervous laughter and awkward small talk all around the room as the six meet for the first time in a full century. The tension between Seraphim and Ares is palpable, each has grown to embody elements of their class and character. Seraphim is every bit the Ice Queen and Ares radiates fire in a manner that outstrips his natural aura. Doc seems genuinely cheerful and the twins are eager. Azzie is best described as irritable but supportive of his fellow Necro-Ranchers.

    Doc himself has visibly changed the most. He is much more dragon now than Orc. The Orc facial features are present but he now has wings sprouting from his back, an extended tail with serrated spines, and resembles almost a draconic centaur, he is now a quadruped with fully formed arms and a torso.

    Azzie is the one to address the elephant in the room. The team decided on meeting without their respective entourage, and elected to meet within the Black Box room of the Ark.

    Azzie: Well we are in the least spyable location in existence so no reason to avoid talking freely. You two going to rip each other to shreds or not? If you are let’s get it over with it, otherwise let’s get down to business.

    Seraphim: You are going to invade the territories I hold dominion over.

    Ares: Yes. You have been manipulating the weather to hinder my dragons.

    Seraphim: Yes. I don’t see a reasonable compromise that both of us can live with. I propose that we agree to a continuance of further non hostility for at least the duration of the Illithid arrival. We had all agreed this is neutral territory and I see no reason that should change at this instance.

    Ares: I concur. Confrontation now could be seen as a vulnerability they elect to exploit. The Ark will continue to be neutral territory and I will not make the first aggressive act. We will continue to act nice at least until the conclusion of their visit. Would it be reasonable to say that the remaining four charter party members would act as enforcers to this truce?

    Seraphim: I support that. Should either of us violate the truce the four would unite with the aggrieved party for satisfaction.

    Ares: Very Well.

    Azzie: Glad that’s settled, now onto new business. I got a request from The Yellow Bastard himself to take up our soon to be arriving guests on an offer to crack a vault. Any of you in?

    Seraphim: How would he know what they are going to offer?

    Azzie: He’s a powerful godlike being I don’t question his prophecy.

    Twins: We too received something similar. Anyone else?

    Doc: Same.

    Ares: Something like that.

    Seraphim: I too received a similar invitation.

    Azzie: Bloody Hastur visited all of you? So much for feeling special.

    Ares: It wasn’t Hastur.

    Azzie: Well then who?

    Ares: Not relevant, what’s relevant is whether we work together. An agenda is at play where it seems we are wanted to infiltrate this vault. The fact that forces are manipulating our involvement indicates this is a matter of importance. I for one would prefer some leverage over a matter that seems this impactful. I don’t wish to be on the sidelines.

    Seraphim: Nor do any of us.

    Ares: I also don’t want to be looking over my shoulder the whole time.

    Doc: Then can we agree to extend your treaty’s terms a bit longer? At least until we are given an actual offer?

    Seraphim: I want to hear the Illithid out first. Don’t like agreeing to something on blind faith.

    Ares: Quite.

    Azzie: Ok. Then I guess it’s a matter of waiting for their arrival tomorrow. Got to ask for my own interest, what happened to the poor saps that you set to Scry on me? Whose where they? No hard feelings, just curious.

    Seraphim: I would confess to an apprentice seeking to view you for herself. I didn’t discourage her from the course but I forewarned there might be consequence. I admit this for my knowledge, because I would love to know just how exactly you reduced a single moment’s scrying to a gifted diviner clawing her own eyes out and severing her tongue to swallow and choke on.

    Azzie: I let her see the boss. He ain’t a fan of spies.

    Hades: We sent a ghost to observe you, strictly for academic proofs, it drowned itself in holy water after finding a priest to exorcise it. Was a fascinating display of behavior. We almost sent more just to replicate the process and see if we could transfer it.

    Azzie: Luv it!

    The Illithid ship arrives the following day at the precisely agreed upon time with a veritable skeleton crew. The Revered Elder Lea-Yun, chief envoy from the previous parley, has returned for the second. There is a noticeable droop and wrinkle to his tentacles, and there are age spots upon his skull, but he seemly hale and steady. He journeys to meet the team by himself in a sign of trust, or suicidal confidence.

    Lea-Yun: Greetings. I see the years have not been unkind to you. I am surprised you each endured for the full length of time.

    Ares: We have had our differences, but the areas we agree upon are greater than the ones that divide us. Are you ready for your inspection? By all our accounts the radiation remained contained.

    Lea-Yun: A mere formality. We have replicated and tested the majority of variables we needed to inspect and this visit is more social than critical in nature.

    Seraphim: I don’t see social visits as common.

    Lea-Yun: They aren’t. In your case we are making an exception.

    The Mind Flayer behaves strictly according to the terms of their previous agreement. He even shares details of various experiments he thinks may be of interest to us. As the last day of their visit there is still no mention of a vault and the group is starting to question whether they were tricked.

    Lea-Yun: I was advised against saying this, but duty dictates that I do so.

    Azzie: Speak your mind.

    Lea-Yun: We think the gems imprisoning Jaze will fail. We have had countless scholars and researchers test permutations of this “error” in controlled environs and we believe that at some point in the next thirty to forty years he will manage to escape the prisons set forth.

    Ares: And you have a solution?

    Lea-Yun: Well that is where my people differ. A sect believes we should wait and see. A second sect wants to see him free and treat him as a messiah. I am part of a third group that prefers we find a more permanent solution.

    Seraphim: You have found one we assume?

    Lea-Yun: Well we aren’t sure. I think you can help us find surety.

    The Illithid captain produces a memory crystal showing an isolated compound.

    Lea-Yun: This is a representation of a secured structure which we have been unable to pierce. It is shielded from all extraplanar and divine contact. The gods themselves are forbidden from entering or divining the interior of this structure. We have spent millennia piecing together details relevant to this anomaly. Some of us believe that this structure…which we refer to as an Eternal Vault could serve as a prison for Jaze. It is believed that once secured within, escape should be impossible. No one has ever penetrated to the Vault’s center, most deem such a venture impossible.

    Seraphim: You want us to stash Jaze in a theoretically inescapable prison?

    Lea-Yun: I want you to prove that is escapeable. It sounds too good to be true, but we need proof. I want you to break in and show that escape is possible.

    Ares: And if it isn’t, we are trapped. No way out right?

    Lea-Yun: It is barred from extraplanar or divine being, you are neither. We have devised a tool to act as an escape button, should you find yourselves stymied simply activate the abort signal and you will be returned to this your point of origin.

    Azzie: How would you know if this escape button would even work? Not like you could test it.

    Lea-Yun: Actually we have. Several times. For beings such as ourselves entrance is not the problem, it is penetration. There are powerful barriers to reaching the interior vaults, and cunning traps to be certain. Even the most powerful of our brethren have been blocked from reaching the deepest sections.

    Seraphim: You are basically saying that we are a greater power than your strongest kin. I can’t believe I am hearing that.

    The witch’s comment definitely pisses him off, the anger is naked and not even close to being masked.

    Lea-Yun: We are aware of our limitations. We are a highly specialized and evolved species, but we are also alive. That is a condition most of your kin do NOT share. You have shown survival and predatory instincts that are not standard for our people. Some of us feel that your particular set of skills are better suited for this test.

    Doc: Where is this Vault?

    Lea-Yun: It is held separate from all Plane’s of existence. The entrance will be made accessible from the Material Plane from this ship should you accept the challenge. As proof we would ask for documented access to the heart of the vault. We trust that your memories serve this achievement.

    Seraphim: We will need some time to confer.

    Azzie: Black Box?

    All: Yeah Black Box.

    The discussion is much deeper than I expected. While everyone is amenable to discussing their contact urging vault entry, everyone is playing their individual motive close to the chest. The logistics of such a quest seem to be the biggest obstacle to them taking the hook.

    Seraphim: We have to assume this is a one way ticket with a possible escape clause. I am more concerned with what happens should misfortune claim one of us. First and foremost, if I get dusted and sent packing for my coffin that mean my coffin will have to be nearby. Proximity means a guard, and a guard means its susceptible to intrusion.

    Hades: We are in the same boat. Both Pluto and I have gone to *cough* measures to protect and safeguard our phylacteries. Without too much detail bringing them along will counteract a number of safeguards and precautions. Bringing them is not required, but if we reform in a location wherein we are unable to reenter the vault that will be problematic.

    Doc: I would hope you all have noticed, but I have had quite the growth spurt and my lads can make me look small. How do we know they will even fit or get inside this place? I’m not keen on leaving them behind, and I would definitely like a trusted cadre at my back.

    Ares: I will see your half-dragons and raise you one colossal ancient red. Veritas can shapeshift into a humanoid form but he finds it insulting. Where I go, he goes.

    Seraphim: I mean do you realize how much of a stake in the ass juggling almost a dozen coffins is going to be?

    Azzie: You have a dozen thralls?

    Seraphim: Don’t be absurd…I have a fair share but we also have decoy coffins. I haven’t even factored in the coven *groan*.

    Azzie: So we are talking a shade under one hundred bodies. We really need more information on what we are looking at here. If the schematic and layout are in anyway shape or form close to scale we are going to have a serious spacing problem. I don’t see how we fit more than a dozen human sized bodies in this first room. Let alone what defenses or alarms are going to trigger the moment we set foot inside.

    Seraphim: I can hopefully fill in those blanks. One of my retinue is a ghost. I can body hop from our side of the opening and pilot her through to the limit of my vision and then have her scout further if we are able. Should give us an idea if we can enter and exit and what sort of wards and barriers are in place.

    Ares: That would help a lot. Looks like if we bypass these first few sections the space opens up a lot more. You have some heist experience Azzie, what do you think of this layout? Best guess.

    Azzie: Assuming this is based on a traditional vault or secured array, and not on some metaphorical extra dimensional deal then it looks like the core vault lies at the center of a seven spoked ring. Seven access points in a circle around the main hub. Each of those seven spokes seems to have a similar load out. Cluster of four rooms, so potentially a teller station, guard stand and holding cell or possibly even safe deposit boxes. Looks like four larger areas on each compass direction line the outer ring, potentially sub vaults or guard stations/barracks. Each of those four hubs has several compartments lining the hall. To exit from any of the four hubs to the center spoke of seven we will have to bypass a gate. We would be coming in from the south hub and our best course would be to scout the larger barracks section before we assess the gate. We hold that guard station and then we have room to spread out. Hard to formulate too much without actual visibility though.

    Seraphim: If we pilot the ghost through and back without incident, I will follow by piloting a physical mindless host like a skeleton to make sure the door runs two ways. That will hopefully show us that we can exit at will.

    Doc: So we are doing this?

    Ares: With this much attention and so many vested parties I feel like whatever is in that vault is of extreme value. Would rather be in the driver’s seat with that information then on the receiving end.


    The Vault:

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    Seraphim’s ghost vanguard successfully crosses through the portal leading into the vault, from within the vessel the Gravewalker reports an uncanny sensation whilst passing. She is unable to pass through the walls of the first room she enters. Based on what is visibility her best estimation of the room she has passed through into is “closet”. Some scattered tools of an unknown purpose sit on shelves, and several unfinished projects sit against the walls. Everything is clean and organized. The ghost is unable to pass through the door, but from the survey possible the room matches their schematic from the Mind Flayers.

    Seraphim: Initial intelligence fits. Nothing is rushing to challenge me. Going to attempt to come back through and try with a skeleton.

    The ghost returns through the portal and Seraphim juggles bodies with a mindless skeleton which also is able to pass through unchallenged, the same unusual sensation accompanies the entry. The skeleton is able to turn the door handle and enter the hallway. In slow cautious progress it matches up several other locked doors that overlay with the map.

    Seraphim: Very limited access to the other nearby rooms. Still nothing challenging or investigating. Door is now open, so I can jump back to ghost and have the ghost proceed.

    Seraphim returns and this time has the ghost go of it’s own volition without tether. A longer than expected amount of time passes and the witch grunts.

    Seraphim: Ghost just wiped out in a single action. Didn’t even get a gauge of what happened, she just blipped.

    Ares: So there is something capable of eliminating a ghost, what level was she?

    Seraphim:…more than 10th.

    Ares: Well I would say let’s send an intelligent corporeal undead, but anything capable of nixing a 10th+level ghost should also be assumed capable of taking out a similar fleshie.

    Azzie: We can expect some sort of resistance fairly soon after entry and will have to confront that resistance before addressing the door and getting room to stretch our legs.

    Seraphim: How long can you keep this doorway open?

    Mind Flayer: A further 23 hours, then it will be some time before we can refocus our energies to reacquire the connection.

    Ares: I will have a chat with Veritas. He is not going to be a fan, but I can convince him to shift form.

    Seraphim: on the plus side, most of our “companions” are undead and can do just fine without oxygen so bags of holding can act as travel suitcases for our army.

    Doc: Mine can’t.

    Azzie: At least you have Pit Fiends, they take up a hell of a lot less space than linnorns, or dragons. Try shoving those in a bag of holding.

    Ares: I propose mine enter first. Followed By Doc. The living dragons will shapeshift their way through and we immediately secure the hallway running south to the section where the ghost got vaporized. Doc follows through with his dragon-giants and secured the hallway running to the locked gate. Everyone else comes in and fills in the middle. We keep the Sons as a rearguard while we focus on isolating and eliminating the forces in the opening wing. That can become a base of operation and we can explore based on outcome. There are enough separate rooms that we can allow some privacy and security of various “sentimental” items like coffins and phylacteries.

    Without over describing the logistics (they tend to obsess over these things) the whole outfit is deployed with a swarm of dragon wings and gouts of fire as the Azzie and Doc contingents break out to their designated areas. The remaining four lead Seraphim’s Alchemical Golem who is functioning as a pack mule through the portal and take up their respective positions in between the dragon two defensive lines.

    Azzie: I think that is everyone.

    Mind Flayer: Excellent.

    The portal immediately slams shut, and a series of sendings almost immediately follows.

    Mind Flayer: I do wish circumstances were different. But for all parties both divine and manifest this was deemed the most appropriate outcome. There are those who sought you dead, and those who sought you captive. All agreed that we could not reasonably expect you to remain contained, nor could we rely on you staying dead. So exile was the compromise solution. Enjoy the time together!

    Doc: Did we just get duped?

    Ares: For their sake they better hope this place really is unescapable.

    Campaign Logs:

    Spoiler
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  2. - Top - End - #2
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    BardGuy

    Join Date
    Aug 2011

    Default Re: Cattle Driving Conquerers:Campaign Journal

    The first Guardian:

    Spoiler
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    After multiple failed attempts to remove themselves from the vault they reconcile themselves to unraveling an escape from within. I also get several bitter looks and some mumbled obscenity.

    Ares mounted on Veritas leads the initial push towards the larger open section and discovers what they deem the first “guardian”. The Large circular room is well lit and free of ornamentation. A crevice in the far facing wall holds a talisman of some kind, and in front of the crevice is the fifty foot long body of a coiled dragon-like serpent with four arms. The first thought to Ares is Linnorn…the second thought is adamantine. The linnorn is not alive, it appears to be forged from an adamantine body, with pulsing magma held inside by some invisible force. As Veritas approaches the threshold of the chamber a rumbling clank of metal preceeds the metal serpent rising like a king cobra.

    Linnorn: This space is restricted. None are permitted entry. Turn back or be extinguished.

    Ares: How cordial.

    The graveknight reports back through the cramped hallway, and a weird version of “password” is enacted amidst undead and dragons as they relay the message and ask for a strategy.

    Ares: Care to offer any advice? You should have more familiarity with this kind then me.

    Veritas: Fire is useless. Some species are capable of infecting fire vulnerability to otherwise immune creatures, I am not certain if this is one such species. The metal body is confusing. It will be damn hard to injure and could even repair it’s own damage. I would barely fit inside the room, let alone allow enough room to maneuver others around it.

    Ares: It is indicating that we are to be ignored unless we breach the limits of the chamber. Let’s sweep everything else in the corridor and try the gate.

    The remaining rooms are suspiciously empty and dull. No ornamentation, no design or embellishment, just bare walls. The Gate itself is unbreachable. No amount of force or dragon breath can budge it. There is a conveniently shaped socket matching the talisman stashed in the metal linnorn’s crevice.

    Doc: Looks like he is the keeper of the key. Going to have to bypass him or destroy for that key.

    Azzie: Could just send a flood of undead to snatch the key and run.

    Seraphim: That would be ill advised, it is the only element we have encountered that poses a threat and something vaporized a mid level ghost. So it is the most likely candidate and can affect incorporeal undead.

    Doc: I can take my Golems and my boy Grom. We are the heaviest hitters and most likely to overcome DR.

    Ares: I can accompany them.

    The litany of buff spells that precedes their attack is obscene. Virtually ever spell list is represented amidst the minions and cohorts of the Necro-Ranchers and they don’t go stingy on prepping. The graveknight and Barbarian Orc/Dragon have a true strike charge power attack front loaded as does Doc. They swarm the linnorn in a single coordinated rush while Ares wades in between the tree trunk legs with his scimitar. The sound of the weapons striking the metal form of the linnorn are like thunderclaps. They are also highly ineffective. The linnorn lashes out with uncanny speed and it’s breath weapon alternates between fire and what can only be described as “light” like some combination of positive energy and divine damage. It wreaks Havoc on the undead, burning for rounds after impact. They sink everything they have into massive power attack fueled two handed swings and the Half-Dragon Orcs hit HARD. Littanies of negative energy are thrown to absorb the constant burning damage, but eventually they start cycling out combatants with a dance of Doc’s offspring weaving in and out to regain buffs, get heals and wade back in. In the end Doc takes the thing’s head off with a golf swing greataxe attack and the magma that seems to bind it goes cold. Within seconds of it being “killed” the internal furnaces seem to reignite and it starts repairing the damage to itself, the head pulling itself back to the body as it starts to fuse back on. Doc’s Warchief son and Ares continue to coup de grace back into temporary death while we try to determine a means to kill it. Azzie being Azzie grabs the talisman rather nonchalantly and without notice and just walks out of the room. As everyone debates how to finish it off he yells from the Gate.

    Azzie: It’s open!

    Seraphim: Son of a …

    Ares: Clear the room. Let’s see if it follows.

    Everyone clears out as Doc makes one final swing to resever the head. With the room clear the linnorn makes a 360 sweep and then seems to go back to sleep.

    Azzie: Well I don’t think we can rely on using that room as a base.

    A survey of the ring does not reveal any other major surprises, but it does introduce three additional hallways, each sealed off.

    Seraphim: OK. So presumably there are keys behind each of these other corridors, but the keys are locked inside.

    Azzie: The seven doors in the inner ring are all locked as well.

    After an exhaustive search of everything they can reach they finally double back to the linnorn chamber, now fully repaired they see it guarding the same crevice…only now the Crevice seems to be holding not a key but a keyhole for the talisman.

    Ares: So we “kill” it and open the door…once it heals the next lock is now behind it. So do we rekill it and put the key back?

    Doc: *sigh* yep.

    They repeat the process a second time and once more “kill” the linnorn. Azzie scrambles in and replaces the key…which relocks the gateway for the passage they are currently inside.

    All: OH COME ON.

    Seraphim: Let’s have someone wait outside the corridor and see what happens.

    They are forced to wait out the Linnorn fully regenerating a third time before the key/lock flip occurs. After killing it a third time they are able to observe from Seraphim a second corridor opening. Unfortunately the door’s are completely soundproof rendering them unable to communicate until the process is reversed after a fourth time…which also seals the second corridor.

    (I’m getting a lot of dirty looks at this point)

    They surmise that the exterior chambers are a series of fail safes and they will have to get creative to overcome the sequence. Their best assumption at this point goes something like this:

    1. Kill the linnorn to unlock the gate
    2. Place a second team at the second corridor to enter once the linnorn is slain a second time
    3. Enter corridor 2 and kill the guardian to unlock the second gate.
    4. Split a third team to corridor 3
    5. Re-kill guardian 2 to open corridor 3
    6. Team 3 kills guard 3 to open corridor 4
    7. Team 4 splits off.
    8. Team 3 rekills guard 3
    9. Team 4 kills guard 4 and unlocks the fourth corridor which hopefully disables the Catch 22 fail safe

    Concerns:
    1. Once a guardian is healed it resets its corridor. So they have to be kept down.
    2. They don’t know what the other three guardians are yet
    3. Going to require a lot of resources and they have already burned through a ton.
    4. It’s going to take some trial and error to figure out the team breakdowns room by room.



    They decide to call a timeout and regroup for the night, rebuilding prepared spells and establishing a plan of attack. Ares, Doc and the dragon offspring form team 1 with Veritas and Hades. They successfully bring down the Linnorn (again) and keep it down while everyone else escapes Corridor 1 and heads to the main causeway. The Linnorn Exterminators fall back and allow the Linnorn to regroup sealing them inside at which point they reslay it to open Door 2. The whole group sweeps the predicted empty rooms and identifies the guardian of room 2. It too is a Linnorn, but a hybrid-hydra linnorn, complete with seven heads.

    The Linnorn-ian Hydra is also incorporeal….and has no body. They discover that when a head is “killed” it reanimates two rounds later as a corporeal floating head. They are forced to kill all seven heads twice. Azzie along with Jed do quite well. . Having vanquished the second guardian they do the dance to allow the rest of the group out while Azzie and Pluto remain behind.

    Seraphim leads a contingent of the remaining forces to the third room where they find yet again another linnorn, but this is one is drastically different. Diminutive to the point of invisible and lightning fast…it utilizes a prismatic spray breath weapon that is like a focused laser. She dances in and out in attack but with less overall impact. The dragons refuse to over engage without Ares present. She eventually retreats and awaits an appointed time for everyone to fall back to the reset position.

    Everyone compares notes and they wait a further day before juggernauting room 3 to figure out what is in room 4. The 4th room is called the Tanning Room. A celestial linnorn (their best guess) permeates a perpetual aura of positive energy and light from the center of the room. Everything is soaked in positive energy in a high enough concentration to disintegrate any undead who set foot within the room.

    So…

    Adamantine Guardian-Need huge physical damage to overcome DR and keep “slain”

    Hydra Guardian: Need to offset a boatload of attacks and keep multiple targets all “slain”

    Firefly Linnorn: Need to target a fast moving high single target damage dealer (fire breath works really well)

    Tanning Room Guardian: Undead can’t survive within the room.

    Azzie: We have to have Doc and sons against the Celestial beastie. No one else can tolerate it.

    Doc: But I’m also the one making it possible to clear the Adamantine.

    Ares: With the dragons I can take the firefly.

    Doc: You are also making it possible to take out the metallic one. We pull the two of us out of there, can any other combination clear it?

    Seraphim: Well an undead swarm with some ability to impact ghosts can clear 2. I could solo 2 with my vampires and ghosts if we can swing some extra ghost touch.

    Hades: That leaves us and Azzie to take out the metallic one, which is not exactly our strong suit.

    Seraphim: If we can convince the dragons to take on the firefly solo, then I can support Ares against the metallic.

    Ares: Not going to happen. I am not stepping in against some mechanical beast while I have YOU to watch my back.

    Seraphim: We have an agreement, where’s the trust?

    Ares: I trust you to look after your self interest, not mine. Our agreement may fall to the side if I am in bad shape with no witnesses near by.

    Seraphim: I mean I can’t really argue that.

    Azzie: *sigh* So Doc and Son’s against the Celestial. Seraphim and the Graveyard against the Hydra, Dragons and Company against the Firefly, leaves Ares in the wind against the metallic.

    Hades: We can allow the dragons to heal from negative energy…can channel bomb the Firefly room to help the dragons clear.

    Doc: My girl can aid Ares.

    Pluto: I will go with Ares, between the witch orc and myself we can keep him standing. It might take some time, but we will overcome.

    In the end Ares, Pluto, Midnight (Doc’s oracle daughter), and his three “riders” tackle the metallic linnorn. Seraphim and her retinue of undead tackle the hydra with Azzie buffing her undead, The Red Dragons with Hades attack the Firefly Linnorn, and Doc with his Sons attack the Celestial Linnorn. Everyone is able to mass in the Metallic Linnorn room to start the chain reaction, so it falls quickly the first time, after which it comes down to Are’s and company dispatching it a second time. There are a few too close for comfort moments on the second go around, but they get the job done (barely). Seraphim and her vampire clan make quick work of the hydra and the dragons with their lich backup also dispatch the firefly with ease. The fourth goes down in a flurry of axes and talons and a mechanical reorganization sees all four doors open, as the second layer of the vault turns itself openings the pathways to the second ring of seven rooms.

    The antechambers for The Ring of Seven also realign, the cluster of four rooms now each show a solid stone facing with an engraved relief which holds the four keys. When each key is placed within the relief a tunnel leading to one of the seven rooms opens. A warning message is also displayed flashing between languages every few seconds.

    “Entry restricted. Exit forbidden. Egress permitted only upon completion of Custodian’s task”

    Azzie: Well that seems patently vague.



    Custodians:

    Spoiler
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    The whole gang rests up once again and then they begin filing down the hallway en mass…as they walk the tunnel begins to turn at an imposible angle, and it continues to loop around in a circle with a single stairwell descending down in the middle. Finishing the loop brings them back to the entrance…now locked from the outside. They are stuck in an infinite loop where they can go in circles always coming to the now locked entrance, or descend the staircase.

    Seraphim: I guess down it is.

    The stairwell opens up into a macabre casino. Tables lined with human skin instead of felt, stand upon legs of bone. It looks like Vegas morphed in the Abyss….at every table is the spectral outline of sentient creatures from all planes and alignments. They aren’t ghosts or anything else remotely familiar…they are simply echos of those who sat down at the tables and apparently lost. At a smaller table near the back is a lone Imp. He is adorned like a casino dealer and his burning eyes are supernaturally bright. Decks of cards swirl around him floating in and out of his reach as he shuffles and flips them while grinning at the arrival of the group.
    Imp: I see we have some fresh gamblers. Step up to the table and let the cards reveal your destiny.

    Hades: I think those are Decks of Many Things.

    Imp: Nothing so mundane here friend. I have Tarot Decks, Foretelling Decks, Decks of Many Things, even Decks of Eternal Delight…but those are for the tourists, not high rollers like yourselves.

    The Imp claps his hands and the various decks all fly high overhead swirling like a cloud above the Imp. A lone card drifts down and sets upon the table facedown.

    Imp: This is the Deck of All Things. It is the backbone of the greatest game ever played.

    Azzie: What game is that?

    Imp: The game of chance of course. Can’t leave everything to chance unless EVERYTHING is possible.

    Ares: What’s the Con?

    Imp: This is no Con. This is about letting you take control. Draw a card and find your path. You control nothing but your ability to take the chance. The cards have no memory and no bias. They are as honest as can be. You can’t rig the deck when the deck has a chance to be everything.

    The Imp flips the card face up and a tranquil meadow is shown on the back of the card he throws it into the air where is stops midflight opening a portal to an actual tranquil meadow.

    Imp: Step through and spent an eternity is peace and euphoria.

    Somehow there is still a card face down on the table and he flips that one up as well…throwing it to reveal a portal to the heart of a volcano…

    Imp: Or perhaps something hotter. The choice is yours…never mind.

    Doc: We aren’t looking for an exit…we are looking for the entrance. How do we reach the center of the vault.

    With a snap of his fingers the portals to the glade and volcano vanish and the room grows heavier…denser and drastically more confined.

    Imp: Of my…I didn’t realize we wanted to play THAT game. The stakes for that game are high…too high even for esteemed guests like yourselves.

    Seraphim: Do you mean for our souls?

    Imp *chuckles*: Souls are pocket money compared to my bankroll girlie. I’m talking universe’s for opening, whole planets for ante and the fate of all for raising. You want to play the Big Game you better be ready to risk everything…and I mean EVERYTHING.

    Seraphim: Elaborate.

    The cards all begin swirling faster than the eye can register. The cards dance in and out of his grasp and accelerate with every word.

    Imp: Step up to the table and draw a single card. Win and you can go forward, lose and stay at one of my tables forever.

    Azzie: How will we know what winning consists of?

    Imp: The cards speak, not me. They will have to answer that question. I am merely the dealer.

    *Team Huddle*

    Ares: Let’s just kill it. It’s an Imp.

    Seraphim: I am all for trying, got a feeling it won’t matter.

    Ares: Why not?

    Seraphim: Because none of them could kill it and there at least half a dozen “Ghosts” that could mop the floor with an imp.

    Azzie: I think we are stuck playing out the cards mate.

    Hades: Ok…but just so we are clear…this is a terrible idea. A deck of many things is a bomb that could explode in your hand and we are amplifying that factor by a sum I can’t even conceive.

    Azzie: Alright Deal it up partner.

    Imp: That’s the Spirit…

    All the swirling cards slam into each other and a single card is placed face down on the table.

    Imp: Who would like to draw first?

    Azzie: Wait…first? We all have to draw?

    Imp: Naturally.

    Ares: I will draw first.

    Imp: Pick Your Card…

    Ares draw forth a card from the deck and see a painted image of a starry night with a mass of darker black in the center.

    Ares: I don’t understand…

    Imp: For the astrologers in the room…well I mislead…this has naught to with astrology and everything to do with gravity. Enjoy the Caress of the black hole.

    In an instant Ares seems to twitch and then collapse in on himself until he vanishes…the sound of his armor crumpling to the floor is drowned out by the Imp’s laughter.

    Imp: Who’s next?

    Hades: I guess it could have been worse…the armor endured so he should be able to return.

    Doc draws the second card, it shows a knight kneeling before his armor in vigil, a swirling stone of purest white circles his head.

    Imp: Aww…a fantastic choice, the Solemn Oath Ioun Stone. Forgo a single night’s sleep in vigil to activate it’s powers.

    Doc: What powers?

    Imp: Spend the night in prayer to find out.

    Hades draws next and his card appears to be a sarcophagus themed Nesting Doll. Hades is instantly replaced by a lifesized nesting doll version of himself.

    Imp: To find one’s center you must peel back the layers. But a word of caution…no more than one layer a day or you might break the center. *cackle*

    Pluto draws next and discovers a card with the maiden of justice…blindfolded holding her scales.

    Imp: True justice is blind and deaf…and so shall you be.

    Azzie follows next and draws forth an image of an angel’s halo….

    Imp: You have got to be kidding me? The cards never lie…but sometimes I swear they have a sense of humor.

    Azzie blinks and finds himself surrounded by a nimbus of pure light emanating from the halo upon his forehead.

    Seraphim draws last…and produces a card laden with chains.

    Imp: As you are bound to your ambition you will now carry the weight of your ambition til you shed yourself of their burden.

    Seraphim: Great…Doc gets an ioun stone, Azzie is now apparently part angel or some nonsense, Hades is a damn child’s toy, Pluto is blind and deaf, and Ares got crushed while Im stuck looking like a weird fetish version of Jacob Marley visiting Scrooge in some sort of BDSM Christmas Carol.

    Imp: I enjoyed that game thoroughly. Have fun visiting the other Custodians…unless you feel like turning back…

    The Glade appears again…

    Seraphim: Shove the deck up your glade…we don’t quit. Someone pick up the armor and let’s go.

    The witch finds herself reduced to a move speed of 5 feet per round and Doc ends up leading Pluto who is holding his brother’s doll. They are able to reach the gate which now has the four keys placed inside and successfully exit the first Custodian’s domain. They wait out a few days as they peel back layer after layer of the Hades nesting doll, Ares does manage to reform from his armor and on day 7 Pluto’s eyesight and hearing are restored. Seraphim’s chains fall off while Doc’s Ioun Stone and Azzie’s halo remain. Through experimentation they determine that standing vigil for a full night causes any “buff” spells to persist for a 24 hour period, at the cost of 2 Con. So Doc can keep any buff spells active for a full day at the cost of Con. Azzie’s halo allows him to summon a Planetar “servant” for one hour each day and Angel’s apparently automatically act friendly to him. Most of Seraphim’s chains fall off, they still limit her mobility and provide a Dex penalty, but nothing critical.

    They advance to the second seal and find it…well…sealed. They circle around the entire ring and end up back at the first seal containing the Imp Dealer and see that it is once more awaiting their entry.

    Seraphim: What the Hell.

    Ares: You got me, it’s like we never even touched it.

    Doc: Well in keeping up with the theme of no choice…do we go back down?

    Azzie: *Sigh*

    …….

    Imp: Ahhh, return customers. My initial offer of escape still stands.

    Seraphim: What happened to us being allowed to move forward?

    Imp: I should have clarified you must do so within twenty four hours or the deal is void.

    Ares: I am NOT drawing first this time.

    Seraphim draws first…and is suddenly leaner and more predatory. Her Str and Dex both receive a +2 bonus.

    Azzie draws second…and sprouts straight up devil horns. Much like the Halo he able to gain the services of a Pit Fiend for 10 minutes per day and Devils are automatically friendly upon meeting him. This was strictly chance…I had built a table much akin to a Deck of Many Things and through pure happenstance Azzie hit this section twice.

    Doc draws third…and is almost instantly wrapped in a cocoon falling to the ground inert.

    Hades draws fourth…and is cursed with all elements of a Bestow Curse spell

    Pluto draws fifth…and sprouts gills.

    Ares draws last…and his fire based aura turns blue…burning twice as hot. (This was supposed to allow someone to radiate fire but since he already did I amplified it)

    Ares: This could have been much worse.

    It takes the combined efforts of such just about everyone to drag the cocoon’d orc back up the tunnel, and they do so with a sense of urgency as they are now fighting the clock to reach Custodian 2.

    The second tunnel is ornately decorated with a series of Mosaics depicting a lost event from the first moments of the Material Plane’s creation. It depicts the following…

    “As the world is created and the gods coalesce from the ether of chaos and oblivion, amongst their first creations were the Angels. Divinity given physical form and purpose they are set aside from certain mortal concerns…first and foremost bearing children. A single Solar, a prototype of her kind is granted the ability to conceive in order to measure the effects of how it would alter her personality or purpose. The initial attempts to conceive are futile. Other beings come into existence, rivals to the gods themselves…Titans. Their clashes against the pantheons of the world are legend and amongst the most savage and proud is the Thanatonic Titan Beowulf. His prowess is so awe inspiring that the name has reverberated through all realities. The Solar offered herself unto Beowulf in the hopes of dampening the flames of his ambition through the act of love itself. To an extent her gambit was successful. She became pregnant and the pregnancy thrived. Beings whose very existence put them at odds with each other came to a common accord, the child being carried by this Solar could not come to be. On this point alone they agreed. Stuck at a crossroads where those that had created the expectant mother refused to take her life, or end the life of her unborn child they elected to place her in a secured location unreachable by either party. In this place she and her suitor who would remain secluded and forever awaiting the birth of their child. Tread lightly all ye who may enter”

    Seraphim: Well that was informative and terrifying.

    Azzie: So are we supposed to kill her? Free her?

    Ares: It doesn’t give us a clue as to what needs to happen, only forewarns what to expect.

    They creep slowly deeper into the tunnel leading to the next Custodian and the sound of weeping grows louder. They discover a large open room with a single walkway leading to a massive golden statue of a blindfolded woman holding golden scales. In her left hand is a resplendent Solar woman, clad in black funeral lace, stomach swollen with pregnancy. In her right hand is the massive armored form of a thanatonic titan straining against the cage of his scale. Both are in tears unable to reach the other or free themselves from their scale. Each scale is suspended mere inches above a swirling mass of unknown liquid. At the center of the blindfolded woman is a crib…awaiting an infant. Visible beneath the crib is a switch that Azzie handily identifies as a release dropping both the left and right scales into the liquid below.

    Their best assumption leads them to believe that in order to escape the room they must place the infant upon the crib which would jettison the parents into the substance they are currently suspended over, but to do so would almost assurdly tip the scales causing them to lose one or the other, which would also cause the loss of the second.

    The Solar catches sight of them and tries to stifle her sobs.

    Solar: Please…you must help me.

    Beowulf: Save our child and I will reward you with power beyond compare.

    The team falls back and tries to gameplan…

    Falls out something like this:
    *Kill the Solar and do a posthumous C Section and place baby on crib…plan fails because as soon as the scale tips, Dad and Mom along with baby all fall into the swirling vortex of bad liquid.

    *Kill Dad and Mom dunk tanks into the vortex of bad liquid.

    *Need to find a way to deliver baby without transferring or removing weight.

    *What happens when the baby is delivered? How bad is this going to turn out?

    *When an Outsider like an angel dies…will the body return to it’s native Plane, upsetting the scales and leaving us stuck?

    *Who thinks up some jacked up craziness like this anyway? Were you smoking crack? Taking acid? I mean really this is some messed up Catch 22 nonsense…so far all of this has been some messed up Catch 22 nonsense.

    Seraphim: We really need to test the liquid to see what it does.

    Ares: You think it does something other than obliterate whatever touches it?

    Seraphim: Well won’t you feel like a moron if it doesn’t?

    Ares: touche.

    They force a skeleton to take a walk into the strange substance and it vaporizes on contact.

    Seraphim: Ok…predictable sure, but also now confirmed.

    As a second experiment they flip a small coin onto the angel platform and the scale tips ever so slightly.

    Ares: ok, small margin for error here.

    They elect to return to the chamber and query the Solar and Titan further.

    Azzie: Would love you to help you out lass…any idea of just how we do that?

    Solar: Sadly there is only one way to help us, sacrifice. The liquid is my child’s amniotic fluid, it must absorb enough lifeforce to allow for him to be born. Only a voluntary sacrifice can diminish it’s presence and allow him to come. Once the floor is drained we will be free.

    Azzie: So suicide?

    Titan: No…a volunteer’s lifeforce is drained not destroyed. It would eventually restore on it’s own. But the process is intense, none of my kin would weaken themselves in this way and none of her kin would allow this miracle to happen.

    Azzie: Right…any takers?

    Hades: I am already diminished and likely for some time, so I can go first.

    The cursed lich very gently touches his fingers to the liquid and we see it rush into him, body withering and dessicating even further, the strength of his necromantic aura wanes and he frantically pulls back after only a few seconds…the touch effectively draining 15 levels from his character. The liquid level is lower and the Angel seems even more pregnant.

    Azzie: Right…

    In time and with some reservations each party member takes their knocks from the pool of level draining and as the five capable of volunteering have all drained themselves to near critical levels there is still liquid at the bottom of the chamber.

    Seraphim’s closest cohorts volunteer to assist as do Are’s closest bodyguards and their contributions are nearly enough. Eventually Doc’s children all volunteer in his stead and they clear the last of the fluid from the pool. The scales vanish and the Titan sweeps up the Solar in his massive arms carrying her to the crib.

    The Solar gives birth with none of the pain or forced labor one might expect…and the infant seems to be stillborn….a fact that does not diminish the parents excitement.

    Ares: He doesn’t look too well.

    Beowulf: It took sacrifice to bring him into the world and now it will take conquest to let him thrive. I thank you for self sacrifice…know that when I take the souls from your shattered bodies it will be only to nurture him.

    The Titan brandishes an axe and immediately takes a swing at the badly crippled Pluto. The level drained and diminished cleric is quite literally cut in half. All hell breaks loose as the Necro Ranchers scatter, their cohorts and followers fight gamely (but not fanatically) and they manage to organize a loosely coordinated retreat back up the tunnel as the Titan pursues. It’s not pretty. Seraphim and Azzie both go gaseous leaving Hades, and Ares more or less on their own. Hades manages to flip the dragon’s to negative energy healing and Ares chips in from his own spell pool to scatter heal the dragons and riders as they try to harry and occupy the Titan. While each of the riders is powerful in their own regard they are getting man handled by the Titan.

    Just as it appears that they are getting their feet under themselves the Solar comes swooping from the hallway…still dressed in funeral black and wielding a scythe in place of greatsword. She decapitates Ares who once more clangs to the ground as a hollow suit of armor. Hades is similiarly dispatched in a meteor swarm, followed by axe and scythe. Sera and Azzie who both bugged out yell for the remaining riders (two are reduced to armor like Ares) and their dragons along with any remaining survivors to head for the Metallic Linnorn corridor. Once Doc’s children (along with their dad’s cocoon) and the rest are inside they trigger the gate to lock themselves in.

    Veritas: How very courageous of you Witch…to flee so adroitly.

    Seraphim: Discretion is the better part of Valor. We couldn’t win that fight.

    The remaining group is hardly cohesive or civil but no violence transpires as they elect to wait out the regenerations of Ares, and the liches. After the usual amount of time passes and no Undead Lords of GraveKnights reappear they decide to breach decorum and seek out the phylacteries of the twins. Ultimately they fail to locate the receptacles, but do discover faint telepathic voices emanating from the twin’s chambers.

    Scream Louder…I think they almost heard that last cry.

    Azzie: Yeah we did hear it.

    The child Graendal has been fed our souls. Good news is that we are giving him a nasty case of infant titanic upset stomach….Bad News is that we are unable to reform. Souls are being stretched too far. Ares essence is also trapped within.

    Seraphim: Anything we can do to help? We are going to be locked in here for days before all the negative garbage wears off.

    Well, the cure might be worse than the ailment. There is a fifty/fifty chance that bringing our physical phylacteries close enough to the infant will give us a boost to free ourselves. The shock might kill it, which right now we would consider a bonus feature. But getting to our phylacteries could be problematic. Might be better to wait it out.

    Seraphim: Well just tell us where the phylacteries are and we can run enough interference to get them close to the child. Maybe Ares armor will work a similar way.

    We realllllly think you might be better off waiting.

    Azzie: How bad can it be?

    They are each stored away inside a pocket dimension demi plane heavily trapped and guarded. The whole place is devoid of atmosphere, and is essence a library with lots of flowing rivers between the bookcases. It is heavy gravity, always high noon with bright sunlight and has Limited Magic access. There are fifty “cocoons” at the bottom of the waterways, our phylacteries are hidden within two of the fifty. They will only open to an outsider if they locate the password which is hidden in a book, but the book is set to change every six seconds, so you have to search the thousands and thousands of books inside. Also we are unable to get Ka-Mun-Ra to stand down. He is a high level Ghost Cleric who specializes in Searing Light,and he hates undead. Only Sun based or Light Based magic will work within the demiplane. We can give you the password to exit the permanent portal, so that’s a bonus.

    Seraphim: Sounds like you went to great lengths to keep out of there.

    Well yeah.

    Seraphim: I’m flattered. Pissed off too. But flattered.
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  3. - Top - End - #3
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    BardGuy

    Join Date
    Aug 2011

    Default Re: Cattle Driving Conquerers:Campaign Journal

    Knotty Souls:

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    Azzie: I’m confident that we are not going to recover the phylacteries for Hades and Pluto. I am certain that doing something is better than doing nothing. As it stands right now we are stuck in here for some time and once we manage to get out we are faced with prospect of traversing the Dealer Imp again along with the crazed baby mama and baby daddy.

    On day 7 Doc emerges from his Cocoon. He is mostly unchanged aside from now possessing slightly more gossamer wings and a subtle Fae quality. He is filled in on current events and chuckles whole heartedly over the anti vampire demiplane.

    Everyone is geared up and ready to rock with their negative status ailments removed, they are also expecting all kinds of animosity from the moment the door is popped open. The metallic linnorn gate is opened and they find the hallway empty, and the door leading to Graendel’s parents locked. Once more the Dealer Imp tunnel stands open.

    With the interior ring of seven once more sealed they are faced yet again with the prospect of facing the Dealer Imp.

    Imp: good to see you again, welcome back.

    Azzie: Anyone else pass through here recently?

    Imp: I don’t share my clients business.

    Seraphim: we are pressed for time so just deal.

    The witch draws a haunting card... sporadically throughout the day a ghost will come to torment her. When the ghost arrives she basically just wrestles control and commands it into servitude.

    Doc is afflicted with acid vulnerability despite being acid immune.

    Azzie literally spouts eyes in the back of his head with an accompanying perception bonus.

    Seraphim: I can deal with this one.

    They hightail it to the second ring and buff themselves and their minions to the gills. When they burst back they find a spectral form of Hades and Pluto hanging in mid air in the cages previously holding the Angel and Titan. Suspended in the Crib is Ares Spirit. The Angel and Titan along with a hovering newborn are suspended above the trio apparently locked in some sort of limbo. Despite their level best attempts to intercede or affect the situation all their actions are in vain. It is as if the whole mess of them are somehow separated from reality.

    Twins: We may have a hypothesis on predicament. It is our best guess that the Solar and Titan attempted to use their own souls as fuel to kickstart the infant. As voluntary contributions it didn’t work as intended, coupled with them trying to cash in on our souls which are currently already holding liens. There is a sort of twisted knot of souls causing everything to be stuck in a phase state.

    Azzie: How do we cut the knot?

    Twins: Well if you were to introduce a new soul from a different angle you should be able to directly disengage the tangle. Perhaps if you attempted to shift Seraphim to the Shadow Plane and had her attempt to magic jar one of us, could trip her into the same phase state and allow her to act as an independent agent. All speculative…but plausible.

    Seraphim: That means one of you will have to voluntarily enter my control.

    Twins: We are prepared to accept the risk.

    Azzie is unable to move the witch to Shadow Plane, but he is able to shift her body to a more shadowy state, and when Hades lets the witch take control of his being the intended effect is achieved. The gravewalker finds herself in a weird “Frodo wearing the Ring” type in between phase and is able to see the tangled mass of souls interceding at the infant overhead. The cleric’s souls are being pulled into a tube of sorts, but it is as if they are covered in barbs and can’t be pulled in without tearing the conduit and rupturing the conquered soul umbilical cord. Ares is very similar but his seems larger and stronger. The Angel and Titan’s soul threads seem to be in the process of being rejected. The pulsing mass at the center is upset and it’s distress is apparent.

    Seraphim: Can you hear me at all Azzie?

    Azzie: Barely…you seem verrrry far away.

    Seraphim: I’m going to tinker a bit, shout if anything profoundly bad happens.

    Azzie: aye aye

    The witch tries to physically untangle the threads or even pull them free with no success. She then tries casting directly at any of the parties so trapped, once more no effect. She then elects to attempt to bite the soul threads as if blood draining them. THAT does have an effect. There is a thrashing and pain spread throughout the whole entanglement and the central mass begins to reject and push away it’s attachments to each of the bound characters. Seraphim latches on and starts to drain with as much gusto as she can manage.

    Azzie: Alright SOMETHING IS HAPPENING…THEY ARE BECOMING MORE VISIBLE. THE ANGEL AND TITAN NOT OUR BOYS.

    The five threads all snap as one and the spectral images of the clerics and graveknight vanish. The Angel and Titan are returned to their corporeal forms along with Seraphim. The infant seems to disappear entirely. A fact that arouses terrible anger in his mother and father. Their temporary dismay at their child being lost is verrry quickly replaced with rage and aggression. The Benny Hill music kicks into high gear as they begin an epic game of tag throughout the inner ring’s hallways. The minions manage to tie up the Solar quite effectively and Azzie is taunting the Titan like a pro.

    Azzie: You mucked up this whole fatherhood thing in a hurry mate…kid wasn’t even born and you already lost it. Maybe the old lady’s family snatched and run on you. Wouldn’t be the first time eh mate?

    Seraphim actually manages to get herself behind the Solar and she puts a potent energy drain into the angel. Between the Doc offspring, Veritas and Seraphim they manage to kill the deranged Solar.

    Azzie is using every tool at his disposal to evade the Titan, and he manages to stall long enough for the whole horde to turn attention against Beowulf. The thanatonic is much harder to corral and he unleashes all kinds of havoc against the assembled horde. Seraphim goes beast mode and tries to stand toe to toe and fails miserably. As the tide is turning against them the twins seem to glide into the fray and their added spell casting turns the tide and sees the Titan dispatched after a brutal fight.

    Hades: No time to stand and celebrate we need to hit the third seal before we run out time.

    The assembled horde puts itself back together (Ares armor strapped to the back of Veritas-straight up Chewbacca carrying the dismantled C3PO imagery for me) and jogs/heals/buffs their way to the next seal. The third door opens to a medium sized hallway…Veritas shifts to a humanoid shape along with several other dragons…Doc and his prodigy all Reduce themselves and somehow they manage to form a train leading in. The hallway spills out to the upper rung of a Windmill. They wind their way down and emerge in an open field, where they immediately witness an armored knight atop a massive horse. Instantly several “unusual” items are noticed.

    *The Knight is Huge and seems to extrude heat.
    *His Armored Destrier is black and aflame and virtually gargantuan.
    *His lance is heavily barbed and serrated.
    *He is wearing black armor head to toe with a flaming skull emblazoned on his shield.
    *He is attacking the Windmill spokes.

    Seraphim: Is that a Balor mounted on a nightmare pulling a Don Quixote?

    Azzie: It would seem to be exactly that. Read about this once….

    Hades: You read about a greater demon tilting against windmills?

    Azzie: Nah…that would be insane. I mean shared hallucinations.

    Pluto: I think this is real.

    The “knight” catches sight of them and wheels his horse around…gouts of flame spewing from the nostrils and tail.

    Balor Quixote: Ho there puny mortals! Tremble before my terrific might! I will rend your skulls…oh damn I did it again. Sorry. The olds ways die hard eh? Greetings and Salutations. I am Grexiztheragran.

    The Balor pulls a metallic scroll from a small tube mounted on his shield and reads in a very scripted voice:

    Grexiz: I am a Balor. I am responsible for the corruption and destruction of over 2,000 mortal souls. I have done very bad things. With patience and support I hope to find redemption and tranquility and be the best me that I can be.

    Seraphim: Grexiz…Gretzky…greaser…Quixote…I am calling him Quixote. You seem to be jousting with a windmill. Is this considered normal?

    Grexiz: I have been given the unique opportunity to find tranquility and shed my demonic outer self. I always felt like I was meant for a different role in life…something more helpful and less soul flaying. The Creator of the Vault took compassion and empathy to a whole new level and designed this place to help me achieve my goals. He said that all who entered would aid me or be stuck forever. Few have tried to help.

    Azzie: We have to redeem a freaking Balor to unlock the next seal. Who the Fugging Hell makes this part of the equation?

    Hades: Someone who wants to make an impossible to penetrate vault.

    After surveying the countryside they come to a further conclusion…

    Azzie: There is nothing around for miles except wheat and this windmill.

    Grexiz: Indeed! I feel that has contributed to my attempts at conquering this windmill. It is a step up from grass in terms of a challenge.

    Pluto: How far have you ranged beyond this point?

    Grexiz: Hundreds of miles in all directions. Just more wheat.

    Seraphim: This is scratching an itch from history…can’t quite place it yet.

    Azzie: Kind of like the end of Gladiator? “Stay away from the wheatfield Maximus!”

    Seraphim: Uhm…exactly like that. Roman Elysium. The golden grasslands as far as the eye can see. I think this is some sort of purgatory.

    They do a thorough top to bottom mundane and arcane search of the windmill and uncover no extra dimensional additional spaces or encounters. Just a sturdy windmill. For their own curiosity and confirmation of the Balor’s tale they send dragons in all directions to scout and by the time they report back Ares has been fully reformed and filled in on events.

    Doc: We are running short on time. Within the next ten hours the whole thing will reset and we will have to circumvent the Imp again.

    Seraphim: Nothing like a time crunch to amp up the challenge factor on something that is already impossible.

    Hades OOC: Well let’s think about this. He isn’t going to give us a puzzle without a solution, and presumably all the pieces we need are already here. Windmill…Don Quixote allusions (heavy)…Elysium…Balor Seeking Redemption…Creator Placed Him Here with Compassion…Consumed 2,000 Souls.

    Pluto: The imagery is fairly obvious…a Balor seeking Redemption is just about as insane as a old man jousting windmills and rescuing barmaids as damsels in distress. We are just missing the damsel…

    *blink blink*

    All turns to Seraphim…

    Seraphim: I am not a damsel.

    Pluto: Neither was the damsel in Don Quixote.

    Seraphim: What the hell is he supposed to rescue me from? The Wheat?

    Ares: We have an evil knight on a dragon…is that fitting the mold close enough?

    Seraphim: Are you suggesting that you try to pretend killing me and the Balor rides in to save “dainty helpless little old me”

    Ares: Take out the word pretend and we are on the same page.

    Without a further word a gout of dragon fire from Veritas engulfs the witch and leaves a swathe of scorched trench behind her. The rest of the dragons follow suit and almost before anyone can react Seraphim is being incinerated and beset by a host of attackers.

    Azzie: Didn’t we sign a contract to avoid doing this?

    Hades: Well yeah, but this in service to a mission…not like they are seriously killing each other.

    Pluto: I wouldn’t be so sure. Hey! Grexiz get your big butt in there and save the poor damsel.

    Grexiz: Oh right!

    The Balor turns the nightmare around and lets fly a hearty challenge as he charges Veritas…the dragon deftly lifts itself from the ground to gain altitude and steer clear of the lance, only to see the Balor’s nightmare redirect to a flying intercept route the lance seems to compress against the dragon’s chest and then emit a powerful burst of force energy sending Ares skyrocketing through the air and the dragon tumbling in a rapid spin.

    Undead pour out of the windmill and hurl themselves at the assembled dragons and their associated riders. Azzie, Doc and the Twins all seem stuck on the fence for what they are supposed to do. Seraphim is badly charred and wobbling, but the temporary reprieve sees her already beginning to fast heal. Her primary coven’s sisters join her in a small circle and almost before a finger can be raised gale force freezing winds and hail chunks like cannon balls begin pummeling the windmill’s landscape. The Balor having dismounted to engage Ares in “fair combat” is holding his own and then some. The Nightmare and Veritas swirl around each other in aerial combat…the dragon badly shaken by the concussive force of the lance charge.

    With no real conclusion seeming to present itself there is a halt to the hostilities and definitely some angry looks being exchanged. The “save the damsel” plan seems to be a failure.

    Grexiz: I appreciate the effort, but it feels futile. Saving one voluntary maiden does not atone for centuries of corruption.

    Seraphim: We have different definitions of voluntary.

    Hades: The weight of 2,000 souls is a heavy burden.

    Pluto: Indeed…a lodestone on one’s own soul.

    Hades: If only we could remove that burden from you.

    Grexiz: That is impossible. They are bound to my own soul. Like a legion of ghosts they will haunt me.

    Seraphim: Just how accurate is that metaphor?

    Grexiz: I don’t follow?

    Seraphim: We may be uniquely equipped to assist here.

    They hatch a plan where Seraphim “possesses” a soul attached to the Balor via her magic jar like ability, and then the twins bind the soul to themselves. As they get moving there is visible confirmation of an effect, the Balor and his steed’s appearance alter with each soul removed. It takes the better part of 4 hours and the last several souls are anything but easy to shift but as the last soul is unbound from the Balor he is for all intents and purpose human. The Windmill swirls and reforms as a Cathedral. The Balor relays a feeling of being compelled to kneel in vigil within the cathedral and therein we locate an exit back to the main vault.

    Seraphim: We are almost out of time.

    Ares: We need to at least see what the fourth Custodian entails.

    The fourth hallway is so plain it practically inspires panic. A simple room with a mirror, next to the mirror a plaque with a simple inscription: To move forward you must start from the beginning. Touch the mirror to see yourself.

    Hades: So who is first?

    Azzie: I love to see myself, ain’t nothing more interesting. So I’ll have a go.

    The dirge bard steps up to the mirror and touches the glass, he sees himself exactly as he is, but finds himself someplace else. Present with him are five strangers, foreign yet hauntingly familiar. A demure and buxom half elf looks around and is the first to speak.

    Seraphim: I have been here before.

    Hades: As have I, but this is different. Pluto…

    The lich turns to find his brother and find him he does…but not as he is known now, instead as he was well over a century ago.

    DM: Congratulations, you have accepted the mirror’s condition. Please remove your character sheets from the table and replace with their level 1 counterparts. The mirror didn’t deceive you are exactly as you were only from the beginning. The place is familiar because it is the first hallway from the Mind Flayer Ark. The door has just closed for the first 30 day period and to continue you need to survive for one month in the interior of the maze.


    The level 1 foray back into the endless dungeon system plays out drastically differently with the severely depowered and non prepped characters. They still largely operate very similiarly to their original selfs but with a lot more frantic running and terrififed huddling in barricaded rooms. They manage to survive the month and return to find that only a few minutes has passed in real time.

    They frantically sprint to the fifth Custodian and find a solitary crystal ball. The ball speaks to them telepathically.

    Your journey is spurned by ulterior motives. A single question you may ask, and an answer I shall give. Be forwarned the answer to your question will not be provided to the one who asks. Only you will know the question you asked.

    I have to elaborate for an excessive period of time but it boils down to this: any question…guaranteed answer.

    Doc: No Catch 22? No impossible task? We just ask a question and someone else gets the answer. This is easy.

    Ares: It is not so simple my friend. Suppose one of us asks a question for which the answer could prove embarrassing?

    Azzie: So we keep the questions on the level and share ahead of time.

    Seraphim: this is an opportunity for an answer to any question. Some of which we may never have a chance to ask so straight forwardly.

    Here are the questions they end up asking:

    Azzie: How do we escape the Vault? Answer: Once the prisoner is set free or killed the vault will open.

    Hades: How does a lich ascend beyond demi-lichdom? Only one has ascended to the status of lich-eternal. Only one may exist. To take his place you must make him whole and destroy the only thing he loves.

    Pluto: What is hidden in the Vault? Vecna

    Ares: What are the circumstances and location of Seraphim’s coffin? Answer: Elaborates the decoy coffins and nature of demiplanes, along with the password to access and leave Cherafim.

    Seraphim: How can I kill Baba Yaga and keep her dead? Baba Yaga’s final death is held in her lover’s lips, her death will be returned to her with Vecna’s kiss.

    Doc: Who wants to betray me? All except Azzie

    Seraphim receives Hades Answer:
    Azzie receives Seraphim’s answer
    Ares receives Pluto’s answer
    Doc receives Ares answer:
    Hades receives Doc’s:
    Pluto receives Azzie’s:

    No one knows what anyone else asked, nor do they know the answer received save for what they were told.

    Seraphim: So how do we do this?

    Ares: everyone share their answer and we will try to line up the questions:

    Hades: I asked how to achieve a higher form of Lichdom.

    Seraphim: Only one has ascended to the status of lich-eternal. Only one may exist. To take his place you must make him whole and destroy the only thing he loves. That is the answer I received.


    Hades and Pluto Both: Interesting.


    Azzie: I asked how we escape:


    Pluto: Once the prisoner is set free or killed the vault will open. That was my answer


    Doc: I asked who can I trust?


    Hades: I was told “All except Azzie”

    Azzie: What the Hell? The damn thing is saying it knows our internal thoughts? I ain’t out to get ya Mate!

    Doc: It tells no lies Azzie. I feel safer now knowing your true feelings.

    Ares: I asked who is trying to infiltrate Seraphim’s coffin.

    Hades: All except Azzie fits that too…

    Doc: I was told “Her true coffin is marked with a small flower, the rest are decoys. Beware the Positive Energy.


    Seraphim: Well gee, I wonder what question that could tie into. I asked how to kill Baba Yaga…

    Azzie: Well I got the sneaking suspicion that not everyone is exactly being truthful, but I ain’t no rat. Baba Yaga’s final death is held in her lover’s lips, her death will be returned to her with Vecna’s kiss.

    Pluto: I asked what was hidden in the vault…


    Ares: I was told only one word Vecna…

    There is a collective moment of silence as it dawns on them that Vecna is the high value prisoner held at the center of the vault. It also sinks in that in order to escape they will have to contend with him.

    As an outsider this is so entertaining to watch unfold:

    Seraphim knows Doc is lying and that his answer must be something different. Which also means that one of the questions must be slanted.

    Doc knows that Azzie is actually the only one he can pseudo trust.

    There is definitely some manipulations and deceptions in place and they are trying to reason their way through it all but the spectre of Vecna looms large.
    Campaign Logs:

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  4. - Top - End - #4
    Ogre in the Playground
     
    AlexanderML's Avatar

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    Default Re: Cattle Driving Conquerers:Campaign Journal

    I missed the necro-ranchers, it's good to get to read about them more and the crazy things they are finding.

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    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    PirateCaptain

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    Default Re: Cattle Driving Conquerers:Campaign Journal

    Holy crap... I haven't logged onto the forums for quite some time. I'm so happy I'm just in time to catch your latest installments. :D
    Keep em coming Kaveman!
    The beatings will continue until morale improves!

    Vaz approval for the best backstory. Villainous Competition 16: Burn Baby Burn
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    Honorable Mention Villainous Competition 22: I Am The Night
    http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showt...e-Night!/page6 Xihu Ayame

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    OrcBarbarianGuy

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    Default Re: Cattle Driving Conquerers:Campaign Journal

    Yay, kaveman is back
    And what great timing! Just as I (and I assume lots of other people) needed stuff to pass the time.

    I loved all your journals so far. Thank yoi

  7. - Top - End - #7
    Pixie in the Playground
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    Default Re: Cattle Driving Conquerers:Campaign Journal

    Awesome start, always been an earnest reader of your games and this one doesn't disappoint in the slightest.

    Got me laughing a few times.

    Thanks for that :)

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    Orc in the Playground
     
    BardGirl

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    Default Re: Cattle Driving Conquerers:Campaign Journal

    Thank you for writing again Kaveman. Its already a great read.
    Any chance for map or rough sketch of the symmetry of the vault? I admit I'm having a hard time following that part.
    Quote Originally Posted by Incorrect View Post
    If you consider the RP aspect, you might want to consider alternatives to Tortle Str Ranger.
    I mean, why would the rest of the party trust this Tortal StRanger...

  9. - Top - End - #9
    Firbolg in the Playground
     
    Talakeal's Avatar

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    Default Re: Cattle Driving Conquerers:Campaign Journal

    Great to see you back! The original was absolutely my favorite campaign journal ever, and I really hope to see where this one goes. Thanks for taking the time to write this, and keep up the good work!
    Looking for feedback on Heart of Darkness, a character driven RPG of Gothic fantasy.

  10. - Top - End - #10
    Barbarian in the Playground
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    Default Re: Cattle Driving Conquerers:Campaign Journal

    No-one told me? Why did no-one told me? (j/k. Mostly.)

    Quote Originally Posted by Kaveman26 View Post
    Doc: Who wants to betray me? All except Azzie

    [...]

    Doc: I asked who can I trust?

    Hades: I was told “All except Azzie”

    Azzie: What the Hell? The damn thing is saying it knows our internal thoughts? I ain’t out to get ya Mate!

    Doc: It tells no lies Azzie. I feel safer now knowing your true feelings.
    I'm curious how this worked IRL - was this based on prior conversations with the players?

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    Chimera

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    Default Re: Cattle Driving Conquerers:Campaign Journal

    Loving this, just like all your journals, do you know when your next session will be yet?

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    Default Re: Cattle Driving Conquerers:Campaign Journal

    Kaveman returns! Rejoyce!
    Roll for it
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    RedWizardGuy

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    tongue Re: Cattle Driving Conquerers:Campaign Journal

    Wow, excited to see this epic campaign journal continue - the first part of the NecroRanchers was a great read and really inspired me and my RP group

  14. - Top - End - #14
    Halfling in the Playground
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    Default Re: Cattle Driving Conquerers:Campaign Journal

    Nice to have you back Kaveman, I can't wait to read about the shenanigans your group pulls this time.

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    PaladinGuy

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    Default Re: Cattle Driving Conquerers:Campaign Journal

    As this story has been revived, I too return!

    In all seriousness, hello everyone. It's been quite awhile.
    Good to see Kaveman back at it again!

    And I'll admit it, part of me is still hoping to see the Necro ranchers finally dusted,
    but we'll see how our old turned new story takes place!

    Edit: Yes, it's an inspiring sight to see this story continuing, with nostalgia in spades, no less!
    Last edited by IntelectPaladin; 2020-07-14 at 08:45 PM.
    By Shoreward.

    Spoiler: My RPG title, somehow.
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    {]GNU Terry Pratchett.[}

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    GnomeWizardGuy

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    Default Re: Cattle Driving Conquerers:Campaign Journal

    So excited to see this thread! Amazing stuff as always -- the imp card dealer on repeat is great as is the Q&A at the end. Wonderful set up and PCs!

    @Kaveman, if that map of the old ark/ship is still available, would love to see it one day!
    Last edited by Jonagel; 2020-07-21 at 06:01 PM.

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    Halfling in the Playground
     
    RedWizardGuy

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    Default Re: Cattle Driving Conquerers:Campaign Journal

    12 years lurker here. I knew I had to register to thank you for posting the follow up to that sick campaign!

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    Colossus in the Playground
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    Default Re: Cattle Driving Conquerers:Campaign Journal

    Wow, I only just now spotted this. What an interesting setup. I love how combat is playing a fairly small role in the thing, its more solving the puzzles and luck of the draw. Like the thing with the keys, yeah it had combat, but it wasnt a big deal so much as figuring out the pattern that let them get the keys and get in. And that imp shows me how much you love not being in control as you have no way of telling if they will be destroyed or turned into unstoppable monsters. Im certain that at any point one could roll the equivalent of snake eyes and get perma death. And to put them up against vecna himself? This is going to be fun.
    "Interdum feror cupidine partium magnarum Europae vincendarum"
    Translation: "Sometimes I get this urge to conquer large parts of Europe."

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    Traab is yelling everything that I'm thinking already.
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    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    BardGuy

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    Default Re: Cattle Driving Conquerers:Campaign Journal

    Been sitting on this for a while. Waffled for a long time on whether to post this or the manner in which I would post it. Finally caved and decided to put it up.



    When last I shared the necro ranchers experiences they had just uncovered the vault’s VIP was in fact Vecna. The seeds for backstabbery had firmly been planted in terms of the questions they had asked.



    Expectation:



    Spoiler: Spoilers
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    It was originally my intent to have them undertake a moment of sacrifice where in a member of the party would have to voluntarily destroy themselves body and soul (ala Soul Stone sequence in Endgame) in order to unchain the spectral form of Vecna. The twins would have smuggled in the missing eye and hand which would return him to corporeal form and he would have escaped back to the Material Plane. This would have been followed by a global scale war where Baba Yaga would have moved heaven and earth to keep her former lover from regaining his full strength. Ultimately I intended to have Saraphim surplant Baba Yaga and one of the twins to surplant Vecna. The graveknight would have been approached to take up a position in the Abyss and Azzie would have been approached to allow Hastur full unrestricted access to the Material Plane.



    Reality:



    Spoiler: Spoilers
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    The backstabbing took front and center stage with the party largely murdering each other while within the Vault. The contingencies they staged to try and out think each other reached the absurd with demi planes custom tailored to thwart threats real and imagined. Ares manages to completely destroy Saraphim’s physical form and her primary actual coffin, via the information he gathered from the vaults questions. What he failed to ask to glean was her in essence starting the campaign in a body that wasn’t actually her own. She had found, trained and vampirized a trio of body doubles and used magic jar ability to basically use false “base bodies” the end result being that the body he destroyed and the coffin destroyed vanquished one of her alternates but not the actual vampire spirit. The liches managed to not destroy the graveknight armor but to capture him within a demi plane that he could not escape.

    Saraphim managed to return from the dead while Hades was sacrificing himself to free Vecna and take out Pluto’s physical form. This left her with Azzie, Doc and a partially restored Vecna. The bard and the witch doctor locked her into the chamber with Vecna and systemically took out her cadre and began patiently destroying all her decoys and contingencies. They were able to salvage Pluto’s phylactery, and formed a pseudo truce with the lich and agreed to all work together to ensure Saraphim was eliminated permanently. With Hades destroyed beyond all reclamation Pluto was willing to allow Vecna’s execution so he could take over as Alpha Lich Lord. The trio fully eliminated the witch and managed to trigger the execution of Vecna. This would have allowed Pluto take over as Alpha Lich and ascend to a higher plane of Undead-Ness but Azzie and Doc at this point only trusted each other and they double crossed him rendering him back to his phylactery, they then jettisoned from the Vault’s escape hatch. Definitely didn't quite play out as I expected but was a fun ride.

    Azzie abandoned the Material Plane and took his show on the road to become the proclaimer of Hastur on other realities and settings and in essence imagined himself as a sort of Anti-Messiah who destroyed entire civilizations (rowdy shows) and was content to find hedonism and decadence across multiple worlds.

    Doc was left with a horde of giant/dragon hybrids which took over vast swathes of the known world and he saw himself eventually dying of extreme old age surrounded by generations of offspring now in full control of their own destiny. He made sure they looked for signs of the Vampire and the Graveknight ever returning or escaping the Vault.

    I sincerely felt let down at the time that the wildest group of characters they ever put together ended up in a near Total Party Self Kill, but in retrospect there was no other likely end for them. The tipping factor for posting this follow up after so long was getting deep enough into new hijinks and wanting to finish old business before describing anything fresh. After a long time behind the screen I got a chance to get back to the other side and thoroughly enjoyed the change of pace.
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    Firbolg in the Playground
     
    Talakeal's Avatar

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    Default Re: Cattle Driving Conquerers:Campaign Journal

    Very glad for an update, I had almost given up hope.

    Sorry to hear that it ended in such a disappointing manner, but in my experience it's very hard for an evil campaign to end in any other way. But, atleast you had an ending rather than everyone getting bored and the campaign just fading away and being forgotten.
    Looking for feedback on Heart of Darkness, a character driven RPG of Gothic fantasy.

  21. - Top - End - #21
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    Kane0's Avatar

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    Default Re: Cattle Driving Conquerers:Campaign Journal

    Absolutely the sort of end that I expected, wasnt that sort of the initial concept where eventually things would come to a head and dissolve?

    Either way, still nice to read things wrapped up.
    Roll for it
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  22. - Top - End - #22
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    BardGuy

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    Default Re: Cattle Driving Conquerers:Campaign Journal

    It was expected, just premature.
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