tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3260588866410070838.post5617075354340050227..comments2023-10-31T11:35:53.848-04:00Comments on Beneath the Screen: Runelords D&D: In The Hook's ShadowStorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10543093412299841092noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3260588866410070838.post-12036282048190312692008-09-13T12:04:00.000-04:002008-09-13T12:04:00.000-04:00... and expect a remittance soon to be taken as pa...... and expect a remittance soon to be taken as payment for your trouble in advance. I've noticed a disturbing trend among my comrades to consider utility before humanity. In a battle with a spider Shalelu was slain. After the battle Nakor offers to sell her farther, a scraggly prisoner our Scroll of Raise Dead! While the weak accept what they must, I think we should do what we can. This is not the first time they have failed to show any kind of empathy, but I would have thought recovering resources would come second to raising our own. I know my time is finite and considering my particular focus a premature end is assured. I wont leave it to them to decide how much an arcanist is worth.<BR/>- letter from Kiikii-Jiikii to Kei Takahashi, Academy RectorKiikii-Jiikiihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05662251161092164957noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3260588866410070838.post-41850868153886891392008-09-13T11:57:00.000-04:002008-09-13T11:57:00.000-04:00Jaime Farstrider - chosen of IomedaeBy the hands o...Jaime Farstrider - chosen of Iomedae<BR/><BR/>By the hands of the Gods I press through this time of darkness. The extent of the inner evil of these <I>creatures</I> has been revealed to me through these ogrekin. Iomedae has given me the guidance to enhance myself while His sun shines above and with His strength we proved victorious. The first few 'kin were easily dispatched. Like flys writhing around the dung heap of the out post they were easily swatted.<BR/>The spider was another story.<BR/>As I walked into the joining room, I was overwhelmed by what I saw. The sheer size of the webs, almost as thick as the braces on my forearms, was beyond comparison. To my luck I entered on the opposite side from the needy prisoners. Just as I was about to break through the bars in my way this monstrosity loomed up from its womb of darkness. Without Slavla and his <I>'pointy stick'</I> I was impossible to reach the beast from its perch centered on its nest. As I stepped out onto the web the weight of my breastplate proved too much and I fell through to the ground below. The blasphemous pit of bones and remains I fell into made my heart sink for the souls lost there.<BR/>This was clearly a place of evil.<BR/>I bided my time below while I heard the agonizing screams from Nakor above. As I heard his anguished cries I could hear both his physical pain as well as mental. Surely they must all regret being tied to that witches strands of fate.<BR/>I laughed to myself, hearing Slavla's cry just as the spider fell. I could imagine the expression of his face as he ran into the room flailing his ranseur and then realized he wouldn’t be able to butcher anything that day with his <I>'pointy stick'</I>.<BR/><BR/>Immediately post-battle I was bombarded with requests for healing and restoration and raising. I was wary at first, feeling that the strength of my God would be needed during the night, but while the sun had not risen yet, I still held the Iomedae's strength from the day before. I used the rest of Iomedae's grace to mend the broken warriors before me. The rangers I felt much respect for. Giving their lives up for their own retribution is both honorable and courageous. I was unsure of how wise it was to use that scroll on the elf. It was through sheer respect and gratitude for her help in Sandpoint that I rose her from the afterlife back into our mortal realm. I felt almost disgust towards Nakor. He has such a great need for his own strength that he was almost ripping for the belt we recovered. He utter disrespect for my worship was shown when he almost demanded I forgo my normal prayer ritual in order to restore him to his full strength. He acts as though the rest of the party is inferior, but his lack of respect for both Gods and men is pulling me towards the end of my long rope.<BR/><BR/>My fears were proven true when we were waylaid during the night by the infamous <I>Mammy</I>. I awoke as the last of the guard, deep in sleep. My dreams were filled with children’s horrors, only to wake up to a nightmare made flesh. This gruesome ogrekin defied nature itself. Her gigantic stomach filled the air, five copies flying in unison. I could see a look of recognition on Nakor’s face. I understand his magical prowess and this look would only mean these floating balloons of flesh were spirited through some corrupt rituals. As I woke I pounded on the door leading to our injured guests, hoping to wake our resident archers to take down this floating behemoth. Jakardros showed the true prowess of the Black Arrows by landing some solid blows. I felt almost inept firing my crossbow bolts.<BR/>With the combined might of the dozens of arrows and rocks, Slavla’s reach attacks and Kiikii’s summoned fiend the illusions were dispatched, same tactic we used in Magnimar. The extent of this ogre’s rituals was shown when Slavla was struck blind. I both laughed inside at his almost comical state and felt a pang of annoyance realizing that my daily prayers would once again have to be adjusted for Slavla’s new ailment.<BR/>The battle was ended when Nakor used his magic to not grow himself, like he usually does, but instead grew Kraca. With a mighty leap the monk delivered a pulverizing punch and subdued the she-ogre.<BR/>After a relatively peaceful night I was finally allowed to commune with my Lord. Feeling his embrace I immediately went about restoring my companions. No matter how brutish he may seem, it is always amusing to watch Slavla as the power of His Grace flows around me. With Slavla’s sight restored along with Nakor’s strength we headed across the clearing to the barn house.<BR/>Even as I approached the house I felt deep in my soul that this was a house of evil. With every room more and more blasphemies were revealed. Even the ogre children lived a life devoid of gods and morals. As we moved through the house both my mind and heart felt numb to my surroundings. I knew in my heart that the once peaceful nature of this farming house needed vengeance.<BR/>And I was given my opportunity in the basement.<BR/>After traversing a conspicuously safe hallway, we walked face to… face with an elemental of horrible dimensions. As its vicious tentacles slashed through the air Kraca’s close combat tactics proved to no avail as he was swallowed whole by the beast. I was finally allowed to bring down the full retribution of Iomedae, empowered by His Grace, with a little help from Nakor’s magic. With my powerful blows along with Slavla’s fierce dragoon-style our sheer tenacity proved too great even for this beast’s magical regeneration. Where we slashed Nakor would pound with his Earth Breaker.<BR/>After summoning his centipede again, Kiikii commanded the demon to flay the elemental so Slavla could retrieve out hearty little friend.<BR/> Almost lost in my Lord’s power, I nearly ignored the wayward orgekin who tried to befell us. His prowess seemed greater than the gnats we had fought before, yet he stood no chance against the might of Iomedae, the Black Arrows and our resident <I>'pointy stick'</I>.<BR/><BR/>Filled with Iomedae’s sanctified retribution, I began my cleansing ritual. From the center of the house I consecrated the house, cleansing the great evil and hopefully letting some poor tortured souls rest. My ritual was finally completed with the razing of the house. I could <I>feel</I> the evil leaving this place.<BR/>As I walked back to the road I dropped my shroud of Iomedae’s favor, feeling as though this little area of peace actually means something. A rock of tranquility among the swirling eddies of corruption.<BR/><BR/><B>Looking towards the future:</B><BR/> As my experience grows, I feel I will be given greater tasks to serve in the name of Iomedae. He has given me guidance and as I pray to Him every day, I ask for retribution towards my enemy…my father’s enemy.<BR/> <B>Player note:</B><BR/> Stephen, I may be using Lesser Planar Ally when I level. I don’t have any allies in mind, so I don’t know what you could pull out of your hat.<BR/> Also I just wanna check that I can use persistence with Divine Power.Tylerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15612967588426230975noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3260588866410070838.post-61902493752335734762008-09-12T19:34:00.000-04:002008-09-12T19:34:00.000-04:00I still feel stiff from that damned plant, perhaps...I still feel stiff from that damned plant, perhaps I can release some of that tension by writing in you, my dear journal.<BR/><BR/>Last I left you, the party was preparing to assault Fort Rannick, but it seems that that will come another time. On the way, we encountered a bear in a trap. The elf recognized it as a trained companion, so with a mighty pull Slavla wrenched open the trap and freed the beast. My dear friend still amazes me with his feats of strength. And yes, I did mean to use the word friend. Slavla and I have done much together in the short time we have known each other, and I view him as a true partner, in combat and otherwise. I wish to feel the same about the others, but I feel that will require some atoning on my part for it to happen.<BR/><BR/>I digress, I seem to go of on these side trails quite frequently, they waste an awful lot of my time... As the bear was freed, five hunting dogs approached, apparently after the bear. The group dispatched them easily enough, and then turned our attention to the ogrekin who I assume they called master. He too fell with little resistance, and we followed the bear to a farm, where (after speaking with Deanda) we learned his master was being held. As we topped the hill another of the quite deformed ogrekin attacked, and again was dispatched with little effort.<BR/><BR/>Approaching the farm, we were presented with two choices: A barn, and the farmhouse itself. We chose the barn, and upon opening the door were confronted with three of the ogrekin. I went after one and it fell humbly beneath my fists, unable to strike me before dying. I feel I am getting stronger, and farther along the path to perfecting myself, so that no being can stand against me. And yet, I feel my journey for perfection is so far away, and I question if one could ever become perfect. Nonetheless, I can still become the best I can, and that will have to do.<BR/> <BR/>Journeying upstairs and into the next room, I spotted three of the Black Arrows in a cage at the end of a catwalk. I also noticed a giant funnel web in the middle of the room. I picked the lock on the cage and opened the door just as the creature that called this web home appeared. It was truly a monstrous thing, and was too far from the catwalk to attack directly. I landed a few hits with my sling, but as the spider turned in the direction of Shalelu and sunk its fangs into her body, I watched her fall to the wood under her feet. Quickly checking her pulse to see if there was any life left I found nothing, and realized I would have to fight directly. After seeing Jamie slip and fall through the web I was slightly concerned of the same fate, but felt I had no choice. I climbed onto the web and beat the spider with my fists. However, Nakor was the hero of this battle, and with venom mixed in with his blood and his strength quickly fading he crushed the spider beneath his might, felling it forever. I aspire to be as determined as him, and hope to find favor in his steel gaze.<BR/><BR/>I happened to be carrying a magical scroll for resurrecting the dead from my adventures with Slavla. The fighter showed amazing compassion, arguing with the others about how we should save her. I mentioned that it was his scroll to use, and handed it to Jamie to use. The elf's eyes fluttered and the breath returned to her lungs. There was a tearful reunion as Shalelu was reunited with the man she knew as father. It was little awkward to tell the truth, but we all settled to sleep, with Slavla taking first watch. <BR/><BR/>I awoke to the sounds of the door slamming open, and five disgustingly large ogrekin women. In my dazed state it took me a moment to realize there was only one and four copies. I sprang up and joined the battle, slinging away the copies as Slavla hacked away as well. But the mother blinded Slavla, leaving him out of the battle. I, however, had a very enjoyable time. I had never been enlarged before, and... yes... needless to say "Mammy" ogrekin was slain. We finished out the night and awoke the next morning. <BR/><BR/>We made our way to the farmhouse and went into the lower door. Upon opening it, the smell of rotting meat assaulted us. Three of us explored the room, while the rest recuperated outside.<BR/>We made our way through the house cleaning out the upstairs and ground floor, before heading down into the basement. The house itself was grotesque, with blood and body parts and signs of slaughter everywhere, even in the playpen of the youngest ogrekin. It was a disgusting sight.<BR/><BR/>We made our way downstairs, and came to a hallway looked prone to attack anyone who walked through. I went first and sprinted through the door at the other end of the hall. It turns out there was no trap, just a vicious plant poised to strike. It grabbed me before any of my companions could come in. I remember landing one blow, and then the world went black...<BR/><BR/>The next thing I remember is waking up on the floor with the beast beside me. I haven't heard the story yet, but I'm sure there will be a bit of joking at a dwarf's expense for being too hasty... funny really.<BR/><BR/>Kraca<BR/><BR/>Player Notes:<BR/>Thanks Stephen for FINALLY putting this up.<BR/><BR/>What I liked: Combat is just fun, but we as a group need to become more efficient in combat. I'm excited for Fort Rannick, because a good skullbashing of ogres (and a racial bonus against them) is fun.<BR/><BR/>What I think is funny, but could have ended badly:<BR/><BR/>Fake traps...<BR/><BR/>IanAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3260588866410070838.post-71750282150614325902008-09-12T15:57:00.000-04:002008-09-12T15:57:00.000-04:00The power of the card reading is unquestionable. I...The power of the card reading is unquestionable. I now have no doubts on my Standstill fate.<BR/><BR/>After dispatching some ogrekin, my party entered the barn and removed another small contingent of the beasts. What they have in strength they match ten-fold in stupidity and cruelty. Their disorganized rabble was crushed easily by our disciplined group. However, in the adjacent room we found three black arrows imprisoned in a cage with the webbing of a giant funnel spider enveloping the room. Within moments the huge monster climbed from below and set itself upon our party.<BR/><BR/>We quickly learned the terror of this vermin, seeing it remain a safe distance away from our blows while still capable of striking us from afar. The webbing seemed sturdy, so we attempted to set across it to enter combat with the creature. It was able to withstand my enlarged weight and Kraca's small frame, but Jaime had less luck and plummeted to the ground below. Missing a member of our party, we did what we could to set upon the mindless creature. My mighty swings with Mjolnir were true, but with each bite from the spider I could feel the venom slowly sap away at my strength. Kiikii used his new found knowledge as a Malconvoker to summon forth a fiendish centipede to combat our foe, but the creature didn't even serve as a distraction against the spider. That one seemed to have eyes only for Shalelu and me. It was not long before the elven ranger fell to the spider's bite, killed outright. Enraged by her death and my uselessness in preventing it, I swung Mjolnir with my last bit of sapping strength and crushed the great spider beneath it.<BR/><BR/>Kraca and Slavla found a scroll of resurrection when they were exterminating the goblin tribes around Sand Point and Jaime was able to use it to bring Shalelu back among the living. While I feel that this stands in the way of the natural order of death, it is worth it to revive a valuable and useful companion. Much work must be done to quell the forces at play, and I'm ready to even use chaos in order to do so. More importantly, this is twice now that a companion of mine has fallen beside me in battle. This is twice now that I have ultimately proven powerless to stop it from happening. Is this my curse. Am I to find myself at a Standstill while my allies die around me. I killed the spider just as I killed the flesh golem, too late to save the women of my party.<BR/><BR/>I refuse to let this continue. I will forge myself into an indestructable force. I will charge into battle, empowered by magic and strengthened through training to withstand any blow. For each attack an enemy throws at me my allies will not be hit. Even if an enemy can break through my layers of defenses, I shall be tough enough to withstand these blows. And to match my defense I will employ the strongest of offenses to crush the enemy before they are even given the chance to kill.<BR/><BR/>Despite my new found resolve, I found myself too weakened to even stand and collapsed on the floor. While I technically wasn't standing, this too felt an awful lot like what I now view as the curse of Standstill. I was too incapacitated to defend myself, much like other members of my party. Jaime was capable of restoring my strength, but he would have to pray to Asmodea in the morning to be granted the guidance to do so. The group decided to spend the night at the barn so that we'd be prepared for morning. I fortunately discovered that one of the belts we discovered magically enhanced my strength, granting me the ability to at least walk around and function.<BR/><BR/>During the night, a revolting ogrekin witch presumably called mammy flew into the barn, accompanied by her mirror images. Slavla and Kraca managed to destroy her images before the remainder of our group finally awoke. The witch flew high into the air and blinded Slavla, limiting our strongest attacker in the fight. One of the black arrows, Jekardros, proved himself particularly useful with well aimed spear throws. That man proved himself well as the leader of the their band and represents the discipline I've heard of the black arrows. Kiikii was able to summon forth a fiendish ape to swing at her from the walls and I enlarged Kraca to reach the flying witch from below and defeat her. With no more interruptions, we were allowed proper rest where Slavla's vision was restored and my strength was nearly brought back to full by our cleric, Jaime.<BR/><BR/>Jaime and Kraca, the only two in my party with a questionable history of use are starting to change this. Jaime's healing, restoration, and divine magic have proven to be enormously useful within these encounters. Kraca, too, is slowly showing himself to be a more powerful force in battle. However, the fact remains that when the battle got tough, they ran without the rest of the group. That is not a tactical retreat. That is abandonment. I will have to approach them and make certain that I can trust them to hold the formation in battle. If we are to be a truly disciplined and effective group, this is something we must overcome.<BR/><BR/>That morning we set into the farm house, if it could even be called so. The entire building was filled with grotesque compilations of human flesh, warped and distorted into what would be an ordinary object. The house itself was a mockery of life and order, a structure that I was all too happy to raze after we searched it. In the basement we found another monstrosity that these ogrekin were evidently keeping as a pet, an enormous plant that would regrow when we cut into it. <BR/><BR/>The huge creature snatched Kraca up and swallowed the Dwarf whole. Kiikii resummoned the fiendish centipede to grapple the plant and stop it from snatching up more of my allies into it's gullet. That left the remainder of the group to feverishly attack the monster before it could digest Kraca, before we'd lose yet another companion. Mjolnir dealt a final crushing blow to end its regeneration and Kiikii's centipede tore the plant open to retrieve the paralyzed Kraca from its stomach acids.<BR/><BR/>After Jaime gave some last words, we burned the house and left for Turtleback Ferry to prepare for the upcoming battle to retake Fort Rannick. As I suspected, the ogres in the area were unified and organized by another force, and I would have little surprise if I found this force was directly linked to Malfeshnakor. He appears to be imposing order to the chaotic and using them to destroy the established order of Magnimar. Is that his purpose? Is there a connection between him and Thassilon? Magnimar undoubtedly has corruption, but nowhere near the extent to warrant a purging. He couldn't be fighting for a greater order. Could he?<BR/><BR/>Speaking of Thassilon, I've been studying the tome of the Phantom Knights and I've finally uncovered a large portion. With this knowledge I am officially a Phantom Knight, revived from the ancient days of the Thassilonian empire. Not only does it provide the perfect balance of strength and spells, the order protection and speed in addition. With my knowledge of phantom steeds, I can bring one forth in seconds without even preparing the spell. Furthermore, arcane signs are much more complicated than they need be. With some simplification, I can easily cast spells even while armored. I am proud to say that this is only the beginning. There is still much of the tome I do not completely understand and so much more to improve upon.<BR/><BR/>May Nethys guide my journey through magic,<BR/>Nakor IssalaniMarkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16386384129775464410noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3260588866410070838.post-86118629620564029962008-09-12T15:31:00.000-04:002008-09-12T15:31:00.000-04:00From the pen of Slavla, Dragon Slayer, Fighter and...From the pen of Slavla, Dragon Slayer, Fighter and Barbarian extraordinaire:<BR/> Slavla very upset for missing killings inbred ogry people, but thought made up for it by guarding barn and waking up all when very ugly ogry attack. She frighten slavla, not know anybody could be so…fugly (slavla invent word). Only got rid of extra fake ones, then got blindeded. Was all for going into house alone and taking care of the enemies, but rest of friends not let me. Just wanted to prove self. Slavla getting very annoyed by party’s lack of trust in my intelligence. Not so dumb that can’t do most things. I gladly challenge any to fight better than slavla, dragon slayer. Slavla like giving paper thingy with spells to elf who died. If was around spider would never of killed.<BR/> Slavla saw bloody icky kitchen relatively calmly. Blood no longer scare. House trapped, but silly traps. Kraca and me get by worse. Little ogry people annoying, wanted to break of the shiny jaw off little one. Slavla fight against weird plant thingy tough, wonder if something better to hurt. Every time I stab it regrow hole, no blood. Had to save Kraca though so no giving up. Soon everybody gone and dead and black arrers join us to retake fort. We will kill all big ogry people for them, everybody will remember Slavla and how he fight.<BR/><BR/>Further Enlightenment into Slavla (because he has trouble speaking for himself)<BR/> As Slavla grows as a character he realizes more that he is strong, and possibly one of the strongest, adventurers and wants to be the best he can be. This includes taking responsibility for speaking for himself. He becomes greatly annoyed as everybody treats him as supremely inferior intelligence when he isn’t actually that dumb. His battle prowess is excellent and intuition superior as well. In the upcoming battles he will be doing more and more to be the strongest, including losing his humanity in his attempts to kill his enemies. <BR/> Slavla showed up late to the battles, missing some entirely, and was very upset at the loss of possibly glory and a test of his strength, this is the reason he loves to fight so much. He would have loved to be the only one guarding the barn all night and would of tried to take out any enemy without waking up the rest of the party. Chances are he would have been killed because of his blindness caused by mamy ogrekin. He was more than happy to give the scroll of raise to sheleluu assuming it wasn’t going to be a waste and the party was going to get something from it in return in a way. Not that he was trying to turn a profit, but he wanted to make sure it would best be used in the situation. <BR/> Walking through the house which was covered in the butchery and gruesome spectacle of the ogrekin would frighten most, but had little effect on Slavla. It was sickening to see such brutality, but he had seen worse, much worse. He got his revenge for what the family had done, one ogre at a time and the weird plant thing, the brother, as one ogrekin put it. As slavla attacked the giant plant monster he found himself lacking, not only in power, but his weapon as well. He will continue to search for the best weapons available as well as try to get stronger. Though Slavla would have preferred not to burn the house he was glad to see it go down, it would simply be a harbor for more evil if left to stand. Though he was rather sad to see the beer all go up in flame too. <BR/> Next the party will be going to the fort to retake it. Slavla will be trying to take the lead as always with kills. He not only wants to save the fort from the ogres he wants to punish them for taking it at all. The pain he inflicts on one he wants to rebound on the entire race. The black arrows seem worried about the strength of the opposition; slavla sees it only as a chance to win glory. He will be the best and the strongest hero. He will live up to the tales of Slavla the Dragon Slayer.Slavla, The Dragon Slayerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01164378243139640498noreply@blogger.com