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  1. - Top - End - #1381
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    BilltheCynic's Avatar

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    Default Re: Cattle Driving Necromancers-Bizarre Campaign Journal

    Our Lord Kaveman has returned unto us! Truly he has seen our sacrifices and deemed them worthy!
    Why yes, my avatar is a gelatinous cube swashbuckler. It is from the excellent webcomic Rusty and Co.

    I'm two magic items!


  2. - Top - End - #1382
    Titan in the Playground
     
    Kane0's Avatar

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    Nov 2011
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    Waterdeep
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    Default Re: Cattle Driving Necromancers-Bizarre Campaign Journal

    Wow, i just realised this has been going two years. Thats one long subscription
    Roll for it
    5e Houserules and Homebrew
    Old Extended Signature
    Awesome avatar by Ceika

  3. - Top - End - #1383
    Bugbear in the Playground
    Join Date
    Oct 2013

    Default Re: Cattle Driving Necromancers-Bizarre Campaign Journal

    Here we go. Almost though we'd end up with a second thread for a while there. Would have been funny.
    I'm a Prestige Class! Thanks Zaydos!

  4. - Top - End - #1384
    Ogre in the Playground
     
    GrayDeath's Avatar

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    Default Re: Cattle Driving Necromancers-Bizarre Campaign Journal

    Well....there may be a second one with their adventures 30 years after mostly taking over the world,..... no? ^^
    A neutron walks into a bar and says, “How much for a beer?” The bartender says, “For you? No charge.”

    01010100011011110010000001100010011001010010000001 10111101110010001000000110111001101111011101000010 00000111010001101111001000000110001001100101001011 100010111000101110

    Later: An atom walks into a bar an asks the bartender “Have you seen an electron? I left it in here last night.” The bartender says, “Are you sure?” The atom says, “I’m positive.”

  5. - Top - End - #1385
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    BlueKnightGuy

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    Nov 2013

    Default Re: Cattle Driving Necromancers-Bizarre Campaign Journal

    Quote Originally Posted by Cernor View Post
    Bricks?! The great Kaveman has no regard for ziggurats made of mere bricks.

    *Hands you a bag of skulls*

    These will work better.
    ;)
    That better be a really big bag of skulls.

  6. - Top - End - #1386
    Titan in the Playground
     
    Inevitability's Avatar

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    Post Re: Cattle Driving Necromancers-Bizarre Campaign Journal

    Quote Originally Posted by SorenKnight View Post
    That better be a really big bag of skulls.
    Bag of Skulls of Holding

    This item appears to be a common cloth sack about 4 feet by 6 feet in size. However, it opens in a nondimensional space: it's bigger on the inside. Treat it as a Type III Bag of Holding with ten times the listed maximum weight and volume for all purposes except as listed here.

    The bag has one important restriction: all non-bony matter is immediately expelled from it the moment it is no longer held or carried by a creature.

    Creatures can attempt to enter the bag, but they must make a DC 20 constitution check or have their skeletons (if they possess any) ripped out and pulled into the bag while remaining outside themselves. This sets their strength and dexterity scores to 0 and deals 20d6 points of damage. The damage can be healed normally: the lowered ability scores are only returned to their previous value if the creature's complete skeleton regrows, whether by natural regeneration, a Regenerate spell, or any other effect able to do so. A creature without bones is incapable of entering the bag. A creature that consists solely of bones (such as a skeleton) can enter the bag

    Moderate Conjuration; CL 11th; Craft Wondrous Item, Black Bag, Fleshshiver

    Bag of Flameskulls of Holding (Cursed)

    This item functions as a Bag of Skulls of Holding and appears to be one when subjected to most forms of magical identification. However, it has one major difference: if a skull that used to belong to a spellcaster is placed within the bag, it transforms into a Flameskull (Lost Empires of Faerun). The next time the bag is opened, the Flameskull bursts forth and attacks the creature to open it to the best of its ability.

    Multiple flameskulls can occupy the bag at the same time.

    Moderate Conjuration; CL 11th; Craft Wondrous Item, Black Bag, Create Undead

    Bag of the Skull Harvester

    This item functions as a Bag of Skulls of Holding and appears to be one when subjected to most forms of magical divination. However, it has one major difference.

    If no skulls have been placed in the bag for 24 hours, the next intelligent creature that touches it must make a DC 25 Will saving throw or be compelled to kill the nearest creature and place its skull in the bag as soon as possible. After completing this task, the creature loses all memory of its atrocity.

    Moderate Conjuration; CL 11th; Craft Wondrous Item, Black Bag, Modify Memory.
    Last edited by Inevitability; 2016-10-08 at 10:49 AM.
    Creator of the LA-assignment thread.

    A new Junkyard Wars round is up! Come join Weapon Bond + Weapon Specialization - Fighter!

    Interested in judging a build competition on the 3.5 forums but not sure where to begin? Check out the judging handbook!

    Extended signature!

  7. - Top - End - #1387
    Dwarf in the Playground
     
    PaladinGuy

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    Default Re: Cattle Driving Necromancers-Bizarre Campaign Journal

    Kaveman has returned unto us, fellows!
    Truly, he shalt bring forth his tales created,
    and lo, we shalt be enlightened!
    As a paladin, fluent forsooth 101 is a required prerequisite. We just ignore it.
    Can I say it loud enough?
    }{ /-\ /_ /_ {~ /_ !_! _| /-\ }{ !
    I worked hard on that. Speak as you find.
    Thank you for reading this, and I hope you have a better day!
    Last edited by IntelectPaladin; 2016-10-08 at 11:27 AM.
    By Shoreward.

    Spoiler: My RPG title, somehow.
    Show

    {]GNU Terry Pratchett.[}

  8. - Top - End - #1388
    Pixie in the Playground
     
    Kobold

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    Default Re: Cattle Driving Necromancers-Bizarre Campaign Journal

    Yay im so exited... 40 pages that is rough. Speaking of how many pages total does that make this tale?

    Anyway if anything i'm way more exited for the maps than anything else (been waiting on those forever) will give me a good idea on how to run a megadungeon of my own (though nothing as complex as this one).

  9. - Top - End - #1389
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    BardGuy

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    Aug 2011

    Default Re: Cattle Driving Necromancers-Bizarre Campaign Journal

    With free time about non existent I decided to summarize elements of the end game in an effort to post the completion of the campaign. This is a full conclusion to the campaign albeit somewhat abbreviated. I may fill section that I skimmed over at some point and I will add a player built further epilogue within next few days.

    The Finale

    Spoiler: undefined
    Show
    Ko: I can’t deny the truth of my own words, especially given the knowledge that I knew they could be stripped or altered from me.

    Seraphim: We have good news and bad news on that front. The good news is that as an undead you can’t be tampered with or overwritten. The bad news is, he can still read your mind. So nothing we can design will come as a surprise. He knows the punch is coming and we will still need to find a way to hit him.

    Ko: As manipulative and elusive Jaze has proven to be, how can that even be possible? I don’t think I have the ability to make him stand still.

    Ares: He is slippery and tricky, he knows where to duck and how to evade, so we can’t out think him we need to back him into a corner and force him to trade best shots with each other.

    Their conversations mostly lean towards utilizing the gems which contain souls and how they can subvert them to aggressive weapons within the prison space. Worth noting is that while I have conceptualized a good deal of how the Space Between is supposed to operate, with Shoggoths obviously able to tag a long, I didn’t anticipate their Lich-Submersible and attempts to go Fantastic Voyage using the demilich as a ride. From a metaphorical standpoint, by immersing their mental essences within the confines of the Demi-Lich they will create a brighter point of light within the prison space, the greater the mental power concentrated the greater their presence within the domain. The souls held by Ko’s gems will act as boosters for their metaphysical vessel with the ability to detonate or expel a soul like a torpedo or flare. This also fit with the narrative of Jaze being swarm of fireflies annoying and distracting Volcanus. If they are able to flush him out of the prison and back to the Ark then a confrontation to destroy his physical form can be attempted.

    Some points that we agree upon:

    *10 Souls can be housed in gem form
    *Five “Minds” can be concentrated within Ko’s demi-lich form. Ko, Hades, Pluto, Seraphim is four so they need a fifth.
    *A subjugated Mind can be the fifth, so a thrall would suffice
    *Ko has three gems already lit from respectably powerful entities.


    Hades: We would like you to attempt harvesting The Sleeper as a gem. He should be a mental juggernaut.

    Ko: He is, I helped imprison him. I sense a great trauma has befallen him. I can feel the shards of his soul, but it is no longer intact. Whatever happened should have obliterated his corporeal and spiritual essence but the bindings of his prison are preventing the death stroke so to speak. He is locked in a state between life and death. I can’t capture that which is shattered.

    Seraphim: Then we need to harvest seven more. The Devil, Lau-Rain, Matron Domina, Ra-Gan, Infrit, The Survivor, and Teranthrope are the seven strongest potential targets we are aware of. The drow, vampire, and illithids are already trying to kill us so taking them reaps double benefits. Would also still love more sizeable bodies.

    Ko: You also need to ensure that the original leak is secured. If you destroy Jaze in physical form and prevent him from reentering the prison as a sanctuary he may return to that which formed him.

    Azzie: So we need to vanquish a murderers row of powerful nemesis, secure the most dangerous spot in all of creation, and move a ship that is broken for thousands of years, and then ambush an unsurpiseable foe on his home turf. F**K me this just keeps getting better.



    The Devil:

    The imprisoned Devil volunteers to take part in the Soul Harvesting Illithid Termination Experiment. He requests only that his soul once released be returned to Hell. He elaborates that was a potential outcome of his assignment and is prepared for the transference.

    Vlad Jejai-The Survivor:

    After a series of full scale sweeps and constant evasion they manage to trap the escaped prisoner in the animal showroom where they in essence carpet bomb the heck out of the entire area in an effort to stop anything from escaping. They completely destroy every trace of the corpse for precautionary purposes.

    The Teranthrope:

    I may flesh out this sequence and give it justice someday time allowing cause I enjoyed it a lot. Basically the teranthrope was a shapeshifter styled after The Thing from The Thing. It assimilated new forms and left a shard of it’s mind to control the host until dominating and replacing it. It’s prison was a bizarre matrix like place filled with intentionally déjŕ vu inspired head trips. Once they got the jist of what the creature was doing and how they went full scale radiation treatment on the place and used negative channeling to start full scale extermination. They also “self destructed” anyone that could be returned to ensure no “stragglers” stayed connected to themselves. Doc…well Doc as a living non coffin/phylactery type person got some rather abusive shock treatment. They tied him down and lit him up electric chair style and dropped him into negatives half a dozen times to try and make sure he was clean. They also kept a very close eye on him for some time after.

    Lau-Rain:

    The vampiric barbarian returned within seventy two hours of his exile to the Shadow Plane. I played it off as the creatures of the Shadow Plane got tired of being needlessly slaughtered so they kicked him back. Once returned he fanged his way into a small entourage of illithid thralls and set out to vanquish the party. They had several very close calls due to his immense damage output and ungodly will saves. Eventually Seraphim conceived a neat trap where she drew him to the undead graveyard and basically played whack a mole body hopping from undead to undead while using Bestow Curse and a few other choice spells until they finally managed to cripple him and then force him into one of Ko’s Gems

    Infrit:

    Never located.

    Lean-Cohn+Ra-Gan

    Lean-Cohn and several Illithid staged a heavy and extended series of skirmishes against the party and managed to hammer them back with authority. Ko+ Hades managed to ambush an isolated Lean-Cohn and Gem him while the rest of the party got their clocks cleaned but they called it a collective win as they also managed to snag Ra-Gan.

    Matron Domina:

    The drow matron was the entity they struggled with the most to locate. All trace of her drow and spider forces from their perspective had vanished. They could find no trace of her whatsoever. It reached a point where they decided to abandon their search with the assumption that she jumped ship (literally and figuratively speaking). With the majority of their souls acquired they prepared to ship Sirra as the last soul gem and utilize an illithid thrall as the last mind within the ship entering the prison if they secured the Leak Chamber without finding her. As is often the case…the evil drow matriarch is found in the last place you look, the radiation source itself.

    They geared up to secure the Leak Chamber and when they throw open the door they find a pulsing spider web of real and seemingly ethereal gossamer cords tied directly to the leak itself. The Dragon-Spider offspring of Icy-Eights have latched their webs to the source and are drawing it’s strength directly into themselves…cocooned at the center of the room is the Matron herself…now dramatically evolved. Resembling more Drider than Drow thick cords of spider silk pulse and feed her as she seems to hover at the heart of the web.

    All of the multi eyed spider dragons…now huge in size and also looking more like demonic driders…turn as one to face the group. With one voice they all chant:

    Spiders: Burn them All.

    Matron Domina: Lloth deceived us. Hers was never the true source of power, she hoarded this force for herself and allowed us the barest trickle. I have seen the true Mistress…a being who surpasses the gods themselves. His voice calls to us with clarity and strength. The Great Lord comes and we will burn this world and cleanse the path for his arrival. Join us and be born anew…drink from his nectar and feel your potential realized. Oppose us and your ashes shall tumble at the winds of destiny.

    Seraphim: You have gotten a whole lot preachier since we last chatted. And unfortunately you now seem to have crawled in bed with Jaze’s family. So we are going to have to go with opposed.

    The Matron bows her head ever so slightly as in respect and the spiders begin detaching themselves from the webs…the tendrils still clinging to them transform into tentacles very similar to the Shoggoth and suddenly each spider has an additional eight arms on it’s top half, each has a beak at the end and various elemental energies crackle from each added arm.

    Everyone in the group makes a break for it and scatters back from the room. As they retreat Azzie puts a trio of arrows into the lead spider-dragon and all sixteen of it’s limbs seem to shriek as it crumbles and curls up into a fetal position.

    Azzie: They are pushovers…

    A voice…distinctly that of Volcanus erupts from the spider in it’s death throes…

    Volcanus: All must be burned.

    …and the spider explodes in a concussive blast that shatters the previously unshatterable walls.

    Hades: We need to run…

    Seraphim: We already started running…

    Hades: Then we need to run faster!

    The spiders attack with suicidal and reckless abandon, The group is racing in stages to try and delay and explode from a safe range but the collateral damage to the structure is staggering. As they turn a corner for safety the corner is obliterated by an exploding spider leaving them directly in the line of sight for icy harpoons and tentacle breath weapons.

    Eventually they manage to circle back towards the Leak Chamber and find more spiders hatching from the webs left behind and growing to full size in a matter of minutes.

    Doc: If we don’t cut her out of the heart I think she is just going to pump out more exploding babies.

    Ares: Draw off as many of the spiders as you can. Seraphim get ready to transform. We are going for the matron while the clerics and Doc pull off the spiders. If we can incapacitate her maybe we turn off the faucet.

    Doc, Azzie, Hades and Pluto play Benny Hill with the combusting spiders while Seraphim goes gas form and floats to the ceiling, Ares does his best to act subtle while the spiders give chase. Once she is directly over the matron seraphim returns to her natural form and transforms to drop from on high onto the matron while Ares charges her with a furious rally of slashes. As they fight desperately…

    …Azzie notices that when a spider explodes they always chant Everything Must Burn…and for a fleeting second when they do the resulting explosion seems to pull back the curtain on Volcanus’s prison…for the briefest of seconds the interior of the prison becomes visible.

    Azzie: You all seeing that too?

    When the next spider explodes they confirm it with the bard.

    Hades: That is really bad. I think they are inadvertently releasing him from the prison.

    Azzie: We can’t risk killing more of them. Got to draw them to the vaults and lock them in. Hope they can’t commit full suicide while we lock them up.

    Doc: That’s a long run.

    Azzie: Yep.

    Seraphim and Ares fight with as much aggression and focus as they can muster more attacking the bonds the matron has to the web than her, but within seconds of engaging her half formed and grown spiders rip themselves from their umbilical webs to attack them and peel them off.

    Seraphim turns tactics and sinks her fangs into the matron who begins unleashing torrents of energy against the pair. Ares is faring better with fire, cold and electric immunity and he puts negative healing into the witch who is holding on for dear life with a death grip to maintain the bite and drain.

    Azzie and company get creamed trying to stay ahead of the spider horde and the twins are juggling like mad to prevent player deaths, it becomes a roll by roll live or die every round for them.

    Azzie: Doc…break off and try to get back to Veritas and the Giants. We are going to need them.

    Doc: You want to leave the coffins and Ko vulnerable?

    Azzie: A chance of losing the coffins is better than a certainty of losing us.

    Doc: Aye Aye.

    Ares ends up going down to a swarm of spiders and torrential drow clerical magic. Seraphim squeezes tight and ignores the masses of damage she is taking in a drastic effort to get the last drop of blood exsanguinated from the matron. A final whisper of crimson seems to melt away with her physical form as she is reduced to gas and exiled to her coffin, but as she is destroyed the matron slumps over in the webs now turning dark and the half formed spiders fall to the ground.

    Doc at a sprint comes crashing into the room where they fortified Ko, Sirra, Ackshale, Breitag and Veritas to protect the coffins and phylacteries of the group. He stumbles into a mass ball of chaos as Psionic Demons and Illithid are staging an assault against their cache of priceless objects. The Giants and Dragons are holding their ground, but under heavy assault.

    Doc: Well so much for pulling you guys in as cavalry.

    The Witch Doctor lays into Jax-Uh and absolutely tears the Enclave member to shreds in ambush.

    Hades and Pluto being the slowest split off from Azzie who has some better evasive capabilities he is falling back to see if he can double back and help Seraphim and Ares while the twins pull a suicide mission to trap the spiders in a vault. The Clerics manage to reach a larger main vault where they are swarmed and torn to shreds by the evolved spider dragons…their last action is to close the vault and trap the creatures inside.

    Azzie finds the matron dead and the leak chamber vulnerable. After a brief assessment and with a head scratch he drapes the drow matron’s corpse over the shell of Ares armor and basically uses the armor as a sled to pull the matron’s body back to home base.

    Doc and Company manage to hold their room by are getting constantly peppered and nickled down. As time drags on and they begin absorbing heavier and heavier attacks an angry Seraphim bursts from her coffin now reformed and healed and joins the fray. She basically suicides for a second time to draw enough time for the assembled forces to recover and is exiled to her coffin again.

    By the time Azzie shows up the main assault has been stopped and they are pressing with staggered small probes, just enough to keep everyone off balance. Azzie pops an animate dead to create some back up for the sieged party and NPC members and then uses Dance of the Dead to reanimate a second batch outside the room to muddle up the attackers, a sudden influx of additional attackers throws everything already a mess into a much bigger mess. The remaining Illithid break off and flee with their demons and Azzie manages to reunite with Doc. A short while later Seraphim joins them and they work frantically to fortify and protect themselves until the clerics and graveknight can reform.

    Jaze’s troops are relentless and continue to attack with added reinforcements, never giving them time to fully recover. Virtually spell empty and ability depleted they mount a heroic defensive effort and Doc’s buff spells are probably the difference between a TPK and a success. The little bonuses here and there add up to extra hits and damage from their disposable minions and some narrow misses are converted to timely kills. They hold out long enough for Ares to reform and with the graveknight back in the mix the Illithid break off and retreat. A short time later sees the twins return and everyone is about spent from the sequence of encounters.

    Over the course of events they actually get to level 15 and Azzie approaches Seraphim with a grin that would make the Cheshire Cat blush.

    Azzie: Hullo luv. Would you mind sucking me dry dear?

    Seraphim: Thought you had a thing against blondes.

    Azzie: not like that dear. I fink it’s time that I join the ranks of the undead. Vampire me up baby. Drain me like a pro.

    Seraphim: You sure about that?

    Azzie: You want the wrist, throat or something more mutually beneficial? *wink wink*

    Seraphim: Wrist should be fine.

    They end up having to restrain Azzie not from his fighting but from his incorporealability. Once restrained he stays substantial and hums to himself “Crazy Train” while Seraphim drains him dry. Once he keels over she turns to the group and wipes her mouth.

    Seraphim: Should I release him when he turns or keep him a thrall?

    Hades: A thrall Azzie could be amusing for a little while. For giggles at least.

    They jokingly agree to haze the vampire bard before releasing him and are much chagrined when the bard gets up and acts completely of his own accord.

    Seraphim: WTH?

    Azzie: Agent of the Grave…fifth level bonus is that I always come back as a free willed undead mate. Its why I waited.

    So:

    *The Soul Gem’s are filled from Ko. Sirra is used to fill the last slot
    *The Five Voyagers will be Ko, Seraphim, Hades, Pluto, and Domina…
    *Azzie now has an animate dead pool, A vampiric thrall pool and Dance of the Dead temporary pool along with the Highest HD capacity owing to Agent of the Grave.
    *Everything is relocated to the Leak Chamber as a base of operations.


    End Game:

    With the teams fully filled out and a battle plan prepped they initiate their final preparations and begin the last stage of their dual pronged assault. Seraphim and company meld into Ko and use the Dembella as a backdoor into the prison metaphysical while Ares and company march to the prison physical.

    From within the metaphorical prison it is obvious that the walls are failing. The lights are approaching much faster and the Jaze fireflies are no longer enough distraction to keep Volcanus attention. The dragon’s fire extinguishes light after light but is fighting against the infinite…Jaze has slipped to the side….all of his lights gathered together in preparation of the Group’s arrival.

    On the physical side The remaining Enclave Masters and whatever Illithid they have managed to rouse and rally along with a host of Psi-Demons are massed to protect the prison proper.

    Ares: Ahhh…a true clash of strength and will. I love an old fashioned smash mouth battle.

    Azzie: I would like it more if we had our casters here.

    Buffed Undead Giants and Illithid clash against their foes and a straight up slugfest begins.

    The Jaze lights taunt and flicker amidst the void…they realize quickly he is much more maneuverable then they are. As they try to cut him off or corner him he pulls distant lights directly to him and places them in their way…where they burst and coalesce into the realm physical…something visible through the thinning barriers. They watch as a Shoggoth materializes and begins sowing havoc in the battle between Enclave and Ares

    Seraphim: Damn…if we miss we are adding reinforcements against our second half.

    Jaze: Vexing is it not? To have your clumsy haymakers turn into punches against your brethren?

    Hades: The big lights are getting here way faster than we expected. There are more lights than there are souls to fire.

    Pluto: We can burst a flare of power, he can’t evade that…

    Seraphim: Also unlikely to do much harm against him either.

    Hades: I have an idea…probably one of those Prychic Victories those.

    Seraphim: I’m all for it.
    Hades: We need to remove targets for Volcanus to be distracted by.

    Seraphim: You have an idea for how?

    Hades: We drain away the mosquitos so he can focus on the cockroaches.

    Pluto: You want to intentionally launch Shoggoths and their kin through the portal. You are basically saying Everyone not in the demi-lich is expendable.

    Hades: I said Prychic not Ideal.

    The Shoggoth is wrecking everything in it’s path both Illithid and Undead. As they try to get their arms around controlling the situation Another Shoggoth comes through, and then a third.

    Ares: Alright that does it. Let’s bug out. No need to secure the prison if they are pouring through.

    Doc: If we abandon the prison yard Jaze can slip through.

    Ares: I don’t see how we can hold back a trio of Shoggoths.

    Azzie: Four!

    Ares: Alright. Azzie take Ackshale and Breitag as body guards…try to split them up, if we can isolate one at a time maybe we can fare a bit better. Drag them through the corpse piles and just keep them occupied.

    Doc: A fifth one just tumbled through.

    Ares: What the Hell is going on in there?

    Pluto: they are royally screwed but not panicking, not thinking this is going to work.

    As they keep trying to corner Jaze a lance of dragon fire cuts off his retreat and causes him to emit an audible yelp…Volcanus is targeting him now.

    Pluto: Spoke to soon. Keep shuffling off the mosquitos. Our bull frog has eyes on the dragonfly.

    Jaze is now frantically maneuvering away from the sentry gun breath weapon that is Volcanus while also avoiding the Cannon that is Ko’s mental projection…they launch their first soul torpedo…their weakest previously held soul and it is like a comet racing through the heavens where it wings the presence of Jaze who howls in pain as his mental form wavers.

    Seraphim: Run em down! Taxidermy man is going to have a heart attack when he sees what I brought him!

    They keep assaulting against the Jaze and begin utilizing their spell pools to act as weapons.

    Meanwhile…

    Becoming overwhelmed by the multi tentacled beasts pouring from the prison Ares and his folks are forced to fully abandon the prison as nearly a dozen shoggoths are now rampaging throughout. The beasts attack with reckless abandon dismantling everything in their reach despite the frantic mental and physical shouts of the remaining mind flayers. Ares regroups with Doc and Azzie and they take the lull to reorganize themselves…most of their bigger undead are already toast including their Rune Giant.

    Azzie: We can’t beat that kind of firepower in a fair fight. They are mowing through the undead like corn.

    Doc: Then make it an unfair fight. Let’s pop the cork on the vault and let the spiders kamikaze into them.

    Ares: That will blow the prison wide open.

    Doc: A dozen Shoggoths have poured out…it is already open.

    Azzie: When the hole in the bottom of the bucket is lethal not much point in worrying about how lethal I guess.

    Ares: Right. So let’s plan on the spiders chasing a runner directly into the prison room, and hopefully the blast clears the whole room leaving us in control. We split up on either side of the corridor on either side of the prison so that if stuff goes bad we don’t all go down at once. Azzie is the fastest and as a vampire can reform after the explosion. He is the runner. Doc take the giants to the right I will take Veritas and the remaining undead to the left. Once the explosion clears we reconvene in the middle.

    The Clerics and Witch are getting a better feel for steering Ko through the prison plane, and are starting to get a good pattern running where they launch spells to pin down Jaze and then they launch a soul as a torpedo to strike with authority. With the majority of smaller lights pushed through to the physical they are landing solid hits that bear visual witness to progress. The lights now interceding and approaching are larger and more volatile, and the grand daddy of them all feels like it is looming ever closer and more substantial.

    They glance to see the Shoggoths killing the straggler Mind Flayers and then watch them organize a welcoming committee as the form up around the prison. They also catch Azzie running back in and start to question just what exactly is going on when a swarm of spiders bursts through into the room the spider’s scream of “Everything Must Burn” rattles through the void like a warning call and Volcanus turns to see reality behind him. They swear the dragon smiles as an explosion rocks the realm physical and metaphysical in an avalanche of force.

    The effect is much like a toilet flushing…Volcanus, Ko, and everything within any kind of proximity is sucked with a sudden and unavoidable speed into the real world…The Casters are all bodily thrown from their lich vessel and back into the physical world and a gaping hole between the two places is visible…They rush to gain their feet as they see Jaze frantically trying to stay within the prison…his light stretches and stretches trying to touch the greater presence that is Chthulu…and like finger tips just falling short he can’t quite connect…as he plummets out in the prison itself he makes one desperate last heave towards the next closest light and connects.

    His spiritual presence swirls around a massive humanoid form…much akin to a Mind Flayer but far larger and much more imposing. They witness his “soul” merging with the Star Spawn and the towering abomination emits speech in Jaze’s voice.

    Jaze: Perhaps not the body I had hoped to merge with, but this will suffice. I am now truly my father’s son and it is a child’s responsibility to welcome home his parent.

    Volcanus wordlessly expands it’s chest and unleashes a stream of pure hell. The dragon’s breath is ungodly in it’s potency and the torrent goes directly through the Jaze Star Spawn. Baffled everyone looks at the unharmed creature and are equally baffled when the dragon is sent bodily into the gaping hole of the prison. The projection of the Star Spawn vanishes and the true body of Jaze is revealed to be behind Volcanus. Before the group can react a surge of energy makes the room lurch and the prison hole is shrunk down enough to prevent the dragon from exiting. The exertion is apparent on Jaze as he stumbles to a knee in the process.

    Jaze: You have lost mortals. I have transcended the limitations of body and soul. I am timeless and free from the constraints imposed upon me. Your failure is complete. The prison is shattered, its warden bound to fight against a force even it’s fire can’t burn. Reopening the prison wide enough for Him to enter will be trivial given the time.

    Ares: Not if we kill you first.

    Jaze: Kill me? You? Laughable. The entire might of the Illithid’s finest could not kill me let alone conceive of my full glory.

    Ares and Doc share a wordless glance and both launch into full charge attacks from opposite ends of the room, Veritas unleashes his own dragon’s fire…substantially more volatile than ordinary owing to the proximity of Volcanus. A frenzy is present in the red dragon’s eyes as if the voice of his distant kin is calling to him much like it did the spiders.

    The Clerics both bolt from the room as Seraphim, Sirra, Ko, and Domina all launch spells of their own against Jaze.

    Hades: Just grab whatever is closest and send them in. Ill meet you back there.

    The Undead Lords both scatter and sprint towards their corpse caches spread through the closest halls. As Pluto reanimates a batch of creatures a battle cry precedes King Galud and his crusaders who are coming down the halls in force.

    Galud: Be gone foul creature! Back to The Grave Where You Belong!

    Pluto groans in frustration and flippantly tosses his scythe to the ground, he cups his hands around his mouth and shouts

    Pluto: Hey Dumbass! The world is ending right now! I don’t have time for this garbage.

    Pluto directs a few undead to form a red rover line holding hands and then grabs his scythe and starts to hoof it out of there, the charging crusaders barely pause as they obliterate the defensive line. He reconvenes with Hades who gestures to the approaching band of paladins and knights.

    Hades: We doing something about that?

    Pluto: Yeah…they can chase us back to the Star Spawn.

    The clerics are virtually overrun but do manage to reach the decimated husk of the former prison cell to find Jaze along with a Gated Shoggoth. The King rounds the curve and damn near throws himself out of the saddle in surprise as he sees the immense monsters hurling broken husks of undead and the two melee fighters like mice through the air.

    Pluto: You want to fight evil and put in a good showing for your god? Here’s your chance, and against a greater evil than us (I think).

    Most of the wounds against both Jaze and his Shoggoth seem to vanish almost as fast as they can be delivered. Only strength of numbers and the economy of actions make it a fight. Virtually everything is in disarray and as they try to blitz down Jaze the bulk of their heavy weapons are expended.

    A spell deprived Domina is sent directly at Jaze with fangs out and she sinks her teeth into it’s thigh and latches on until swatted away and dusted. Sirra soon follows suit, and even Ko’s gem laden skull is ripped asunder by flailing tentacles and gouts of psionics.

    A roar pierces the thinned prison barrier and they see flashes of an immense struggle as Volcanus is torn asunder by a presence far more imposing than Jaze.

    Jaze: He has Arrived!

    Hades: If that thing gets through we are screwed.

    Seraphim: Not like we fix the prison on the fly, and the goalie just got wrecked.

    Azzie: Then it’s back to Plan C. We got to move the net.

    Ares: You want to jump start a millenias dormant ship and repair it to a workable state mid fight against a supreme intelligence and an unimaginable force of evil?

    Azzie: I’ll settle for a single strong push to make the b**ch move far enough to make the forward miss. Let me take a crack at it with Doc.

    Pluto: Go fast.

    The dirge bard and witch doctor bolt for the engine room while Ares and Veritas dive back in against Jaze. Seraphim gets topped off from a harm spell and does likewise. The twins are reduced to strictly a support role as they try to keep pressure on the Star Spawn and keep his attention localized. The two NPC giants bolt from the fight not willing to throw their lives away.

    Azzie has the highest UMD which is what they were leaning on to try and bring the ship back online. They have witnessed a lot of the moving components and are aware that Jaze sabotaged things when pressured. An examination of the systems makes Azzie think he can create thrust without control…basically a blind lurch…but has no idea of the direction it will go. It if pushes them further into the mountain or directly down they are screwed. He sets to work barking out directions to the Orc as he preps the ignition.

    Ares and Veritas are getting their butts kicked. The Jaze Spawn is an immense combatant with a powerful psion build. The whole group is forced to abandon the prison territory and they elect to scatter. The moment they let up on Jaze it is like a light goes off and he immediately lumbers off directly towards the engine room.

    Ares: Seraphim, get ahead of him and slow him down. We are going to heal and re-buff and we will follow. Let’s try to play leap frog and keep him engaged if he gets to Azzie and Doc its game over.

    Seraphim: Doesn’t abandoning the prison mean game over too?

    Hades: Not if he can move the ship and change the entrance. Just because HE has arrived doesn’t mean he is through. The hole is hopefully small enough that we can still juke the finish line away.

    Seraphim sets out on a suicide run to cut off the Jaze Spawn and throws everything she has left at him. Right about the moment he rips her physical form in half and renders her to gaseous form the whole Ark vibrates as the main propulsion and engines come back on line with a sputter.

    Her temporary death buys Hades and Pluto enough time to get off their last animate dead spells and stand up a bunch of road blocks that literally function as just that…clutter to impede progress. Ares and Veritas leap frog the clerics and set up a final stand of their own just down the way.

    As the clerics push negative channeling to extend the timeframe on their line of undead the last few surviving crusaders led by Galud take a final organized cascade of charge attacks to the Star Spawn’s rear and then peel off to reform for a second round. As they wheel off a second Shoggoth is gated in and gives chase.

    The undead are mowed over and the clerics scatter in desperation hoping Jaze elects to follow one of them. He declines and continues an advance against the engines which are still sputtering back to functionality. In absolute fury he finds the next roadblock of Ares and in an anger fueled haze barrels into the graveknight…leaving himself wide open to counter attack from the dragon. A flurry of claws and snapping fangs leaves a heavy trail of damage against the Star Spawn. The clerics manage to catch up and throw in their remaining channelings and bolster the dragon as best they are able. The commotion is close enough that it is audible from the engine room…

    Azzie: Go throw in with them mate. I can take it from here.

    Doc: Alright.

    Doc arrives as Veritas is cast aside on the brink of death. Hades stabilizes the dragon but is out of juice and is unable to get him back up and operational. Pluto ducks in to throw his last harm spell on Ares and ends up getting taken out the following round by a massive blow and constriction from Jaze. A heavy focus of damage has finally resulted in apparent and potentially fatal harm against the Star Spawn, but Seraphim has fallen, Pluto is down, Hades is on fumes. Ares throws his last channeled smites into two handed power attacks trying to push through enough damage to sunder or break the physical form of Jaze. They go straight up Rocky IV slugfest toe to toe with Hades meagerly swinging with own scythe trying to find that last trickle of added damage.

    The Orc Witch Doctor pops his psionic lions charge and launches a full attack from out of nowhere that nearly takes off Jaze’s shoulder right at the neck joint. Bleeding profusely and staggered Jaze lands a killing (albeit temporary) blow against Ares. Doc wins the initiative for the last round and with massive axe in hand lands a swing that damn near severs the Jaze Spawn’s head…

    Jaze: Wait! I can offer you the world.

    Doc: I’ld rather mount your head on the wall.

    The last two swings fully decapitate the Spawn and throw it’s twitching body to the ground. Doc takes a fast glance around the room, lays a Cure Light Wounds on Veritas to get him awake and then grabs Ares armor from the ground and with a single word grunts at Hades.

    Doc: Azzie…

    Hades and Doc race back to the engine room to see Azzie running around like mad throwing levers and turning dials some of which seem to be invisible.

    Azzie: I think we just about got it.

    Jaze Voice: I am going to devise a special plane to torment you for all eternity. I will make you all immortal so as to extend your suffering.

    A collective groan issues from the group.

    Hades: Apparently we didn’t kill the soul.

    Doc: I know the body is dead. Made extra sure of that. The spirit stuff…not so sure.

    Azzie: Hey disembodied wanker! Watch this extend your suffering!

    The dirge bard throws one last switch and the entire Ark shifts thrown in some direction at high and sudden speed. Everyone goes flying and struggles to gain their balance.

    Azzie: Best I can do mates…we need to beat feet and get back to the prison opening and see if Big and Gruesome is getting through.

    As they sprint back to the prison the ship comes to a stop and sends them crashing back into the walls…with enough force to knock out the dragon.

    Azzie: Oh bollocks.

    The now trio comes around a corner to witness the disembodied Jaze (now resembling a cloud of electricity that is vaguely humanoid) straining to widen the gap where Chthulu is now visibly moving farther away with each second. From their first impression the ship moving was enough to force a course correction that will miss it’s target.

    Jaze: No father! Come back!

    Hades: Any ideas on how to stop him/it?

    Doc: Pushing him in somehow just resets the problem, and doesn’t close the hole.

    Azzie: Could go gas form myself and see if me flying into him scrambles his code. Or I could try to pop him to the Shadow Plane.

    Hades: That doesn’t close the hole or stop him from just popping back even if it works. Ko is probably the only one that could close the gap, and I don’t know he survived the initial encounter and is slowly going to reform or if he is dusted permanent.

    Doc: Well you and Pluto bound your phylacteries to his chains right?

    Hades: Yeah. I can still sense my soul inside and Pluto’s.

    Doc: Doesn’t Ko’s gems allow one to capture souls? Or did we go through all that pokemon soul catching for nada?

    Hades:Yeah we used them as fuel to power a weapons system that could affect Jaze’s metaphysical.

    *light bulb*

    Doc: Can you do that again?

    Hades: I am not sure. Would have to be inside to find out. Not sure how I can get back in…

    Before the sentence can be completed a trio of bone shattering axe swings devastates the completely unsuspecting Hades.

    Azzie just stares blankly at the Orc.

    Doc: What? Now he is back inside.
    The detached essence of Hades and Pluto manage a crude form of communication as their souls are intertwined amidst the wreckage of the demi-lich. Hades manages to empathically get the gist of FIRE EVERYTHING across to his brother and they make a force of will effort to jump the boundary of their phylactery back to the interior of Ko’s metaphysical space. Having been inside and privy to the workings of this strange space within space they manage a limited proxy control and hit the disembodied Jaze with the full force of every soul still captured. The mist like field is hit with a spasm of disruptive energy and the bodiless screams are deafening. Reaching more by instinct than direction they try to reverse the attack and pull the disabled spirit back to the confines of the gem. The most heavily disrupted fragments of the Jaze entity are pulled within a gem…and bit by bit more and more is pulled within until gem upon gem hits a blinding level of brightness. In all six of the ten gems are lit fully and the last whisper of Jaze vanishes within the sixth and final gem.

    Azzie and Doc watch the Jaze spirit get sucked into the shattered Ko skull and see the hole cease to widen. They look at each other and then around the room.

    Doc: So?

    Azzie: I think we just saved the bloody world.

    Doc: Well there is still a gaping hole to the horrific Space Beyond, and the whole Ark is in shambles, and there is still a pissed off super powerful fleet arriving in the near future, but yeah I think we are doing pretty good all things considered.

    A few hours later Seraphim and her vampiric thralls Sirra and Domina have returned from their coffins and find Azzie observing the prison hole and writing. Doc is M.I.A.

    Seraphim: What you writing Azzie?

    Azzie: Notes.

    Seraphim: On how to close the prison?

    Azzie: Not those kind of notes. Musical notes. Composition of Sound.

    Seraphim: Is that the best of your time given what could come through that gap?

    Azzie: I can’t do nothing about that, beyond my abilities. But I can write songs damn well.

    Seraphim: Where is Doc?

    Azzie: He took off and went back to hack the Star Spawn to smaller bits. He also said he was doing a patrol to check for any other dangers.

    Seraphim: I take it Jaze is dead?

    Azzie: Yeah Doc took his head off and I think the clerics managed to trap his soul in the shiny head baubles on ol Ko, so for now at least he is done for. The Big Gruesome skimmed close to our Plane but is sailing on now. Well at least he was. I been writing a song about his return for an hour now.

    Seraphim: Say what?

    Azzie: Look through the gap and you can see the light changing course, it is heading back our direction. Taking a wide path for sure, but it is turning and coming back.

    Seraphim: How? The Beacons are all dead, Volcanus is dead, the ship moved and Jaze is dead. There should be no more anchor left. Nothing for it to home in on.

    Azzie: Well either we missed part of Jaze or the big gaping hole is enough of a landmark amidst the empty void of nothingness to be a something-ness.

    Domina: The Radiation is still seeping in. It was not sealed off. Like a fox drawn to the scent of a hare it can sense the Radiation.

    As they converse Doc comes back in with the severed head of Jaze and plops it on the floor he also reports that virtually nothing is moving nearby. He found the body of the Shoggoth gated in to chase the Paladin King. Most of the crusaders are dead, but the King is missing. The doors to the outside world are open, and he hasn’t the foggiest clue of where the ship landed.

    Seraphim: Well we won but we might still lose.

    They fill in the witch doctor and then all stare into the abyss as the distant star continues to course correct after missing it’s target.

    Seraphim: Not sure how to fully seal off the Radiation.

    Azzie: Let’s pile up as much s**t as possible over it to try and dampen it. Then we need a decoy signal.

    Doc: I can start demolition and piling up crap over the leak area.

    Seraphim: Do we risk jettisoning a soul gem into the void in the hopes that it gets followed? Or does that hose us? Ko may be able to seal the gap, but I don’t know if he is coming back.

    Azzie: We got a few hours to spare, but the liches could take days to reform, and Ares at least another 20 hours. I don’t think we have time to spare like that.

    When Doc comes back to report that he has stuffed as much garbage over the leak area they notice that something on his chest is glowing. When probed over it he pulls out the necklace hidden from a vault ages and ages ago.

    Doc: Started glowing when Volcanus died I think. Not sure what that means.

    The scour their notes and wrack their brains recalling that it was a portion of a key that was meant to secure and lock the prison. They all have a scribble about a “fragment of the dragon’s soul” being tied to the amulet.

    Seraphim: So we need to chuck that through the hole and we can scramble the beacon.

    Doc: It doesn’t come off, has to be stuck to someone.

    The witch gives Azzie a look and slightly shrugs her shoulders.

    Azzie: Hold on luv, we ain’t tossing him through. Why don’t you step into one of your thralls and have them take it and make the leap.

    Seraphim: Well if you want to be BORING about it.

    Seraphim jumps into Sirra and takes the amulet from Doc and tries to pull a swan dive through the gap, but is stopped at contact. Nothing will pass through from their end. One Way Street.

    Azzie: Alright. I am going to open a Shadow Plane transport. Walk him through with the amulet.

    They transport Sirra to the Shadow Plane and leave the amulet with him. When Seraphim returns to her body they all rush to the gap and watch for any signs of redirection from the astral terror.

    The light is fading, moving away back from where it came.

    Azzie: Well that’s a relief.

    Seraphim: Still kind of a temporary solution, but time gives us more options.

    They manage to get the entire party back on it’s feet and recover spells and recuperate. Ackshale and Breitag along with Galud are all in the wind, but Veritas survived along with Domina. They spend a few days patrolling for any signs of stragglers or overlooked Shoggoths while monitoring the gap and trying to elicit basic repairs or operational control over the Ark.

    The brief excursions beyond the Ark’s confines inform them that they moved a sizeable distance in a very short time, as no one really knows where they are geographically. Of consequence…
    *The Sleeper is still mentally shattered and physically distressed but “alive”

    *Ko seems to be in a similar state. The stress of multiple minds riding through his consciousness or torpor state and sudden expulsion of said minds coupled with a sudden and violent physical destruction seem to have stranded his awakened self aside from his physical being. It is as he has been cast into an ocean and is unable to find his way back. Undeath/Life is still present but functionally he is comatose.

    *The Black Box was undamaged and is accessible.

    *The Engine’s thrust action has knocked out most systems and the main power source for the ship is offline, it takes a lot juryrigging to enable even partial function for limited areas at once.

    *There are four areas of inquiry they mark priority. First and foremost they want to consult all the Black Box/Dembella references for anything pertaining to the creation or maintanence of the inter-dimensional prison space. Second they consult the archives for any reference to how Jaze was able to excise memories or cut them from a subject. They specifically state seeking a way to reverse engineer that ability and apply it to undead subjects. Third they want a firm if not absolute estimate of when the Illithid Fleet would arrive. Fourth they look for a solution to plug the leak from the Underdark’s radiation.

    With little pushback they are able to locate steps to repair the thinned barrier between realities and shore up the gap connecting the Material Plane to Chthulu. They likewise manage to cap the leak and stop the underdark radiation from continuing, they do so by redirecting and containing it below ground where it will self contain based on the geography of the Underdark.

    With knowledge that the Fleet will arrive within a week’s time they pour every free second for that timeframe into honing a voluntary thought extraction process. When I press for details they remain cagey on what they are aiming for only insisting they are looking for some “insurance”

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  10. - Top - End - #1390
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    BardGuy

    Join Date
    Aug 2011

    Default Re: Cattle Driving Necromancers-Bizarre Campaign Journal

    Finale Part 2: Too Long to Fit in One Post:


    The Arrival:
    Spoiler: undefined
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    Six Ark’s all land and settle in a ring around the heavily damaged and crippled vessel. Long before any contact or approach is attempted they become aware of mental probes aimed at the ship and it’s interior. A scouting party of Illithid with heavily controlled beholders as “hounds” begins a cursory investigation of the derelict craft and encounter a trail of Dembella research crystals almost like breadcrumbs. Upon sight of these crystals the scouting party is pulled back and a much more authoritative party compromised of ranking officers from each of the six ships converge and begin examination of the crystals.

    Quite intentionally the first “breadcrumbs” impart some vital and classified details about events and how horribly wrong things went. A recently printed non Dembella crystal built by the party imparts some requests for negotiation and parley. It’s message is related thusly.

    “A rogue sect of your race dabbled in forces too great to control. They achieved a magnificent failure that nearly doomed all members of your species. That threat is contained for the moment. It will continue to be contained if certain conditions are agreed upon in good faith. We are firmly aware that diplomacy and concessions with races deemed inferior to your own is a ground you do not often tred upon. Once we present the full details of what has transpired we are confident you will make an exception to this tradition. What we seek to share is meant for only the most trusted Revered Elders. Take what you will of our knowledge of these honored and distinguished leaders. We seek not to insult or betray your protocols and await a response wherein we shall convene with good faith”

    In the end a group of six Mind Flayers, each the respective captain of their Ark and a proxy for the ship’s Elder Brain convene within the Black Box of the derelict Ark. They meet the six members of the group in a now empty vault. Revered Elder Lea-Yun speaks for all present.

    Lea-Yun: Why are the crystals removed from this safe location?

    Ares: Insurance. Should we fail to leave this location in control of our minds or bodies they will be shattered. Should aggressive action befall us the contents of those messages will be relayed on open channel to all vessels capable of receiving such communications. First and foremost of those messages will be the knowledge that a mind flayer who gives themselves to the Elder Brain has their personality and self erased and destroyed.

    Lea-Yun: Is such sacrilege how you respect our traditions? With hersey and threats.

    Ares: A precaution and one required based on the strength and power you command. It is our intention not to share this information we will respect your traditions and allow this information to be classified once we leave here unharmed. We are prepared to surrender all crystals intact and unmolested upon agreement to our terms. Your examination of the crystals will reveal with certainty the service we have done for your species.

    Lea-Yun: What do you seek?

    Ares: In a word Amnesty. This Plane and it’s inhabitants are to be treated as a Safe Zone. No contact or interference from your species is permitted on this planet. We will not be experimented upon, augmented or observed. This place is offlimits. Furthermore we require repairs to this vessel that allow full control of it’s automated systems and capacity, with the caveat that all extra planar and extra dimensional transportation capacities be fully disabled. Basically we want your ship intact and functional for our purposes but just as we need you to leave us alone we will do the same. Our interests will be confined to this Plane and this Plane alone.

    Lea-Yun: Anything else?

    Ares: Yes. The last piece is the tricky piece. Without going into the full details we have Jaze’s spirit/soul contained within a series of gems. We intend to hold them as a safe guard for this pact. There are ten gems in total, six contain his essence. We have scattered these ten gems across the world and placed a series of contingencies upon them. Do not attempt to intervene or locate these gems under any circumstance. The results would be bad.

    Lea-Yun: We sense no trace of these contingencies or location of these gems. You are lying.

    Ares: Nope. We are telling the truth. We just excised the memories of their locations and the contingencies from our minds. Should a contingency trigger the memories will be restored. A neat trick we learned studying Jaze. We have for you a series of crystals to back up what we are saying. We encourage you to view and study them for their contents and authenticity here. The tale they reveal is dangerous if made public.

    The illithid process the crystals and an extended period of discussion endures through which they marvel at the horrors perpetrated. When they reconvene there are several addition requests made of the group.

    Lea-Yun: This radiation. We wish to examine it in person.

    Seraphim: We can arrange for a single captain to be escorted and be allowed confirmation of it’s existence and containment but no more. It’s what started the chain of events.

    Lea-Yun: Second we require proof of the remaining crystals safe status.

    Hades: We will not disclose their location until we have a binding agreement. We can arrange for you to see them and confirm visually they are intact. But you will be allowed access or possession until we have an accord.

    Lea-Yun: We accept the conditions of the first two stipulations. Our last condition is the most vital and will determine if we have an agreement. For one week each century we must be allowed access to this Plane to monitor and ensure the thinned barrier and the gems containing this “error” you call Jaze are still functioning as safeguard. Our agreement will endure for as long as you do. We will hail each of you once a day for one week prior to our arrival, should none of you respond the agreement is void. If you respond we will not interfere or overreach the prescripts of your terms provided we are assured the barrier and gems still hold fast.

    Seraphim: We accept that stipulation and thank you in advance for your knowledge and diligence.

    The transfer of the crystals is processed without treachery, as is the examination of the barrier and radiation. The Mind Flayers make a few pointed suggestions for strengthening both and work quickly to effect repairs on the ship. A few days later a final meeting is held to confirm details and arrange the means though which communication can occur. Upon the Illithid Fleet’s departure there is a final parley amongst the group itself.

    Ares: I think this concludes our business within the Ark itself. Perhaps the moment has arrived where we part ways.

    Seraphim: I think we have achieved everything we had anticipated and more. I agree.

    Hades: We concur.

    Azzie: Aye

    Doc: Ok?

    Pluto: Hades and I have a proposition. As our interests in the future may coincide or clash we propose that the Ark itself be a neutral territory. A non-hostile location where differences can be negotiated. Once per century we all converge to discuss events and prepare for the Illithid Arrival. My brother and I wish to remain within the vessel for the time being to conduct research and see if there is a means to revive Ko and The Sleeper. We offer our services as a neutral party to maintain and protect the Ark as a sanctuary for the party in the years to come. Does this sound reasonable?

    All seem on board with this arrangement.

    Hades: Our plans have been declared, anything of interest you all have in mind?

    Ares: Veritas and I have talked and determined there is an empire with a power vacuum and lack of leadership. Seeing as how Ko, Sirra and the majority of their ruling leaders have perished we are setting out to conquer and fill that void.

    Azzie: As for me I plan on setting myself up as the head of a new church and expand my cult. Figure I can set up a harem and a good old religion where I am at the top.

    Seraphim: I intend to track down the Good King Galud and either drain him to a husk or set him up as a puppet ruler. I also plan on recruiting and organizing a suitable coven.

    Doc: Well you undead type can plan for centuries. I don’t know how long a Giant Half-Dragon psionically altered Orc can plan on living so I guess I am going to have to just enjoy myself and see if I can’t raise a nice family horde. Although, I am curious, where did we hide the gems?

    Pluto: We felt it safer to not know. When one of the contingencies is triggered we will know.

    Seraphim: Well it is midnight. Time for me go. We will be in touch



    Epilogue:

    Over the proceeding century the world comes under a great period of despair. The Legion Infernus led by the ferocious and unquenchable Ares atop his massive red dragon incinerate and lay waste to all who oppose his rule. His domain stretches for leagues and his will is law.

    The once noble king Galud has changed and is still hale long past the age when most of his men submit to their ailments. The official word is that is righteousness and piety preserve him as a means for the gods to hold back the dark by the faith of his light. The gossip on the street is that he is possessed by a witch.

    Most of the nobility who may have once united to stand in opposition to ever more progressive and tyrannical declarations have themselves been drawn into a world of shadow and decadence. Drawn to the mysteries and pleasures that is the world of The Yellow Eye. A charming and unseen messiah leads his flock to the joy of the Unseen Eye where hedonism and excess are expected.

    The expanses of wilderness once a hotbed for humanoid raiding parties have gone quiet. Border towns once the subject of constant tension lay unmolested. The scouting parties sent into the deep wilds never return and unrest grows with every passing season.

    Where there were once whispers of a vanishing citadel that seemed to vanish and move on it’s own there are now confirmations of the stronghold that moves. The Travelling Dungeon one a story shared with doubt is now a fixture viewed with awe and terror. Those who enter vanish and the scant few who emerge are changed. Memories and personalities altered and crippled.
    Campaign Logs:

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  11. - Top - End - #1391
    Ogre in the Playground
     
    Flumph

    Join Date
    Sep 2013

    Default Re: Cattle Driving Necromancers-Bizarre Campaign Journal

    Thank you for this excellent campaign, Kaveman. With one of your updates, could you potentially give designer notes as to how you played out the metaphysical battle against Jaze? Or was that more "what seems right" compared to actual rule set?

  12. - Top - End - #1392
    Ogre in the Playground
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Gender
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    Default Re: Cattle Driving Necromancers-Bizarre Campaign Journal

    Beautiful. I want to thank you for putting so much time and effort into writing out this story and sharing it with us. It was a great ride, and I am both happy and sad to see its end and know that the adventures of the Undead Cowboys have moved on to bigger and better things.

    I'm sure I speak for the Playground when I say this story was truly amazing and we'll miss it dearly.

    Three cheers for Kaveman!
    My Homebrew:
    WIP
    The Fortunar Base Class: A Fortuneteller wielding a minor Deck of Many Things. Mid T3.

    Completed Classes
    The Grandmaster : A master of animated stattuettes and tactical magic. High tier 3.
    The Hidden Word: An infiltrator with a wide range of abilities that works best in small teams. Tier 2-3
    Web-Spinner: A martial class based around using webs. Mid T3.
    The True Warrior: A swift mundane martial combat class that can dodge and slice their way to victory. Low Tier 3.

  13. - Top - End - #1393
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    GnomishPride's Avatar

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    Default Re: Cattle Driving Necromancers-Bizarre Campaign Journal

    *gives standing ovation*
    A job extremely well done, I must say. What an end to a magnificent story. Many thanks, Kaveman.
    I do homebrew now, apparently!
    Oath of Asceticsim (5e Paladin Archetype)

  14. - Top - End - #1394
    Ogre in the Playground
     
    GrayDeath's Avatar

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    Default Re: Cattle Driving Necromancers-Bizarre Campaign Journal

    That was an amazing adventure....although if it was me playing (popr DMing) I would want to meet again and play every passing century or so....if Iw as undead that is ^^


    Thank you for sharing!
    A neutron walks into a bar and says, “How much for a beer?” The bartender says, “For you? No charge.”

    01010100011011110010000001100010011001010010000001 10111101110010001000000110111001101111011101000010 00000111010001101111001000000110001001100101001011 100010111000101110

    Later: An atom walks into a bar an asks the bartender “Have you seen an electron? I left it in here last night.” The bartender says, “Are you sure?” The atom says, “I’m positive.”

  15. - Top - End - #1395
    Dwarf in the Playground
     
    PaladinGuy

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    Thumbs up Re: Cattle Driving Necromancers-Bizarre Campaign Journal

    A story that took two years to tell.
    A single post will never be enough.
    Hence, why you've added two.
    On this day,
    October 9th, 2016,
    One of the most interesting stories of the forum ended.
    ALso one of the most detailed, and horrific.
    Thank you, Kaveman.
    Your stories have inspired and terrified.
    We wish you good luck in your life, and with your dice rolls.
    And I hope to have finally learned from all this. Hoo, boy.. How do we fix this?
    Thank you for reading this, Kaveman26, and I hope you have a better life!
    {EDIT}: I hope I contributed, and I hope to see you all again.
    Last edited by IntelectPaladin; 2016-10-09 at 03:37 PM.
    By Shoreward.

    Spoiler: My RPG title, somehow.
    Show

    {]GNU Terry Pratchett.[}

  16. - Top - End - #1396
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    BardGuy

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    Default Re: Cattle Driving Necromancers-Bizarre Campaign Journal

    Quote Originally Posted by GrayDeath View Post
    That was an amazing adventure....although if it was me playing (popr DMing) I would want to meet again and play every passing century or so....if Iw as undead that is ^^


    Thank you for sharing!

    The player epilogue is the 100 years later reunion as they each envision it. I committed to picking it up from that point provided I had recovered sufficiently from the trauma of managing this mess and if Starfinder felt like a good fit for moving forward
    Campaign Logs:

    Spoiler
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  17. - Top - End - #1397
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    BilltheCynic's Avatar

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    Default Re: Cattle Driving Necromancers-Bizarre Campaign Journal

    *Standing ovation*

    Brilliant, as the others have said, and as epic a conclusion as any of us could hope for. We should get a thread solely for the compilation of all of your campaigns, similar to this one for Silverclawshift's campaigns.
    Why yes, my avatar is a gelatinous cube swashbuckler. It is from the excellent webcomic Rusty and Co.

    I'm two magic items!


  18. - Top - End - #1398
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    PaladinGuy

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    Default Re: Cattle Driving Necromancers-Bizarre Campaign Journal

    *Standinng Ovation*

    Well done good sir! Thanks for sharing this with all of us!

  19. - Top - End - #1399
    Halfling in the Playground
     
    Flumph

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    Default Re: Cattle Driving Necromancers-Bizarre Campaign Journal

    Amazing. Just amazing. I have no words.

  20. - Top - End - #1400
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    WolfInSheepsClothing

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    Default Re: Cattle Driving Necromancers-Bizarre Campaign Journal

    But I'm busy tonight....


    In all seriousness, thank you Kaveman. I look forward to it.
    Fallen London: http://fallenlondon.storynexus.com/Profile/Acliabides

    Quote Originally Posted by Fibinachi View Post
    Raxtel would like to quick-draw his grapnel and line gun and try to reel in Sarge like some particularly authoritive fish before we lose him in the middle of the rebel infested, colder-than-space tundra.
    Only War Jungle of Sin: Darrien Holt

  21. - Top - End - #1401
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    RogueGuy

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    Default Re: Cattle Driving Necromancers-Bizarre Campaign Journal

    Thank you Kaveman, for all the work you put in to make this story happen and for choosing to share it with us.

    *joins the standing ovation*

  22. - Top - End - #1402
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    Kane0's Avatar

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    Default Re: Cattle Driving Necromancers-Bizarre Campaign Journal

    Bravo Kaveman, have yourself a rest well earned!
    Roll for it
    5e Houserules and Homebrew
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    Awesome avatar by Ceika

  23. - Top - End - #1403
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    Flumph

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    Default Re: Cattle Driving Necromancers-Bizarre Campaign Journal

    This was an absolutely epic journal. Congratulations on some great DMing (and some quite creatively annoying players!)

  24. - Top - End - #1404
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    DwarfFighterGuy

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    Default Re: Cattle Driving Necromancers-Bizarre Campaign Journal

    What a story, and what a finale! Hats off to the Undead Necroranchers and their stupendous cosmos-defying antics; and to Kaveman for sharing them with us. Thank you from the bottom of the blackened and charred cinder that passes for my heart for inspiring us with your saga!

  25. - Top - End - #1405
    Halfling in the Playground
     
    SwashbucklerGuy

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    Default Re: Cattle Driving Necromancers-Bizarre Campaign Journal

    Thank you, Kaveman, for an excellent story and a wild ride.
    High intelligence low wisdom: how to make bad choices very efficiently

  26. - Top - End - #1406
    Bugbear in the Playground
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    Default Re: Cattle Driving Necromancers-Bizarre Campaign Journal

    I wish I had players that awesome in my group. Of course, I wish I was as good as DM as well. I salute you Caveman. Very well done.

  27. - Top - End - #1407
    Ettin in the Playground
     
    GreenSorcererElf

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    Default Re: Cattle Driving Necromancers-Bizarre Campaign Journal




    It takes its place above the mighty, climbing just past the titans which came before. If it can be equaled, this will surely not happen for some time.


    Spoiler: commentary on epilogue
    Show
    And might I just say, that Ares and Veritas put every single "badass rides a red dragon just because" where they belong, one their knees before a pair that actually earned it. Doc's apparent desire to remain mortal provides the needed counterpoint to all the rest, and reminds us that indeed as well as they have got along now, time will bring change. And while it sounds a little unambitious at first I would guess that Azzie's cult following might be intended to reach some level of godhood, if it's possible in that world, which would put his aims higher than the rest.
    Fizban's Tweaks and Brew: Google Drive (PDF), Thread
    A collection of over 200 pages of individually small bans, tweaks, brews, and rule changes, usable piecemeal or nearly altogether, and even some convenient lists. Everything I've done that I'd call done enough to use in one place (plus a number of things I'm working on that aren't quite done, of course).
    Quote Originally Posted by Violet Octopus View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by Fizban View Post
    sheer awesomeness

  28. - Top - End - #1408
    Ogre in the Playground
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    Default Re: Cattle Driving Necromancers-Bizarre Campaign Journal

    Excellent campaign!

    Quote Originally Posted by IntelectPaladin View Post
    And I hope to have finally learned from all this. Hoo, boy.. How do we fix this?
    Well the biggest obstacle to my mind is the 'Illithid fleet will invade if the Necroranchers stop answering calls' facet. So killing them outright would be unwise without some kind of contingency. I see a couple options:

    --Deal with them Helm of Opposite Alignment-style; they already researched the spells necessary to alter undead minds...maybe find those spells, then start injecting feelings of regret for destroying so many lives, souls etc. Try to convert them over to the side of Good. (Good luck with that, but I leave it open as a possibility.)

    --Find a way to fake their transmissions to the Illithids. Then kill them all.*

    --Build up a big enough power base to deal with the Illithids after the Necroranchers stop answering calls. Then kill them all.*

    *I suppose technically you don't have to have the power base or transmission-faking ready BEFORE killing them; if you time it right you'd have about a hundred years to set it up afterwards.

  29. - Top - End - #1409
    Pixie in the Playground
     
    DrowGuy

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    Default Re: Cattle Driving Necromancers-Bizarre Campaign Journal

    I am a very grateful reader. This has enthralled me from the beginning and you have given me a lot of inspiration as well as many long smiles. It takes a great deal of work to do what you have done. It speaks well to your character how you give your time to us humbly. I hope life treats you well and I look forward to your next project. I second the ideas that this story be archived similar to the Silverclaw format.

    You've added a lot of joy and needed fantasy relief to a lot of stressed out peoples lives. You really should be paid for this. I hope you write a book.

    Thank you so much.

  30. - Top - End - #1410
    Ettin in the Playground
     
    Griffon

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    Default Re: Cattle Driving Necromancers-Bizarre Campaign Journal

    Quote Originally Posted by Fizban View Post
    That appears to be a slow handclap, i.e. a complaint not a compliment.

    I did like this overall, the waits were torturous, overall I liked it, more please.
    The end of what Son? The story? There is no end. There's just the point where the storytellers stop talking.

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