CR 571 September 21st to 28th
GM Notes: Here is the rest of September and the beginning of New Frontiers!
September 21st -
(The Frontier) The Seekers go back down the shaft to where they fought the undead beholder. The remains of the beholder is still there, but the opening has been sealed. Using a Detect Magic, Padraig notes that the new wall is magical and dispels it. The opening leads into a huge cavern that is filled with zombies. Finrod throws a Fireball at the approaching horde, slaying many of the zombies. Claudius adds his own Fireball and odd zombies are spotted: zombie giants, zombie ogres and even a rust monster zombie. The regular zombies go down quickly, but the larger ones prove more troublesome. Close to being overrun, the group withdraws back through the tunnel to limit the number of zombies that can attack them. Claudius casts a Web in the smaller tunnel to slow the zombies down and then ignites the Web with a Flaming Sphere. Padraig follows up with a second web and the Flaming Sphere ignites this one too. The strategy is repeated a third time and finally only lone zombie giant makes it way through the barrier. It quickly falls to the Seeker's blades. While discussing what to do next, a Fireball explodes among the Seekers. The Seekers withdraw and use the pillars to return to Gateway to rest and recover.
Lord Vanarkus discovers the note Lord Sherwood left and announces that he is has been summoned home and will be leaving in the morning. Padraig offers to teleport him back the next morning after he regains the spell. Lord Vanarkus accepts and then makes a tactical report to General Logan Rowan concerning the pillar artifact that evening. Padraig compares notes with Lord Sharadin concerning the pillar artifact as well. That evening, Tania arrives at the Seekers front door and asks to join the group followed by Rooster and Dani.
Back in Gateway, Omni is awoken the next morning by a servant screaming. She discovered Sheba snuggled near Ross. The familiar asks Zynara if this was in her and if Ross will shed his skin. Zynara answers her familiar's questions and works to calm the servant. Later Zynara works on spell research. Omni discovers that the words on the pillars in Mesilva seem to correspond to current cities and towns. Omni sets into motion a plan to get closer to Sherry or Terry in an effort to learn new spells. He learns that they sometimes frequent the Wizard's Familiar, a tavern for mages only. At the door Omni is asked to prove he can cast magic. The bard passes the test and goes into the club. He finds his target sitting alone and joins her, learning that it is Sherry. They talk but nothing comes of it. (TF#95-101)
Roster of the Seekers: (PL), Arocken, Bernice, Blod, Claudius, Dani Finrod, Mercy, Omni Tuens, Padraig, Rooster, Stephanie, Tania and Zynara.
GM Notes: At the time this happened, Validar being summoned home was just a way to get him out of the game temporarily. In real life he was moving cross country and would be off Q-Link for what was thought to be a few weeks. It ended up being months and he never did return to the game. Years later this thread was picked up and became the basis for New Frontiers.
What is not commonly know is that New Frontiers was not the first attempt at doing this. There was a few Email type of games tried that never got anywhere. But there was a live game version that did last for a while. The plot line was similar to a point, but the companion adventurers were different. None of them were anyone who has re-appeared yet. In fact Artur and Arkane became part of his group! I don't recall it going past the events of Twin Forks.
(Sword of Doom) The Company receives Ehlonna's Gift and are transported to the gates of Karn's Keep. They appear on a wide road that winds up the cliff side. A town can be seen down below and the Company assumes that it is Northending. Riding up to the fortress, the Company finds the drawbridge up. Argent casts a Knock Spell and the drawbridge slowly comes down. However, a giant-sized portcullis bars their way. Selarin climbs the fortress' wall and manually raises the portcullis. The Company enters into the fortress courtyard. The outer walls are some 30' high and 25' wide! Everything here seems giant-sized in scale, nearly three times larger than expected. A huge set of doors gives entry to the main keep. The doors are 20' high and 15' high, but there is a normal sized door inside the larger doors. As the Company takes stock of their situation, a group of owlbears attacks them. The Company defeats the owlbears easily enough. Shortly after doing so, the small door into the main keep opens and an ordinary man and woman come out. They thank the Company for defeating the owlbears as they had trapped them in the keep. The strangers introduce themselves as Corley and his wife Ariel. Several of the Company are suspicious of the pair but they shrug off any concerns. Entering the keep, the Company finds a gigantic hall complete with a giant-sized throne. Corley and Ariel announce that they will get food for the group as a way of thanking them. The Company takes a look around the immediate area and finds a converted chapel featuring the gods Mystra, Tymora, Heironeous and Azrella. Several gigantic tapestries are on the walls of the great hall. While the Company takes all of this in, Ariel comes out from the Kitchen and says dinner is almost ready. She asks Crandor for help and much to everyone's surprise he agrees. Armon and Argent move off and the Invoker uses her Crystal Ball to scry Crandor. Argent finds Crandor and before her startled eyes, Corley's form shifts to that of Crandor and the real Crandor is told to attack anyone besides Corley or Ariel who enters the kitchen. The disguised Corley walks back towards the group and Arathnasis attacks him from surprise, but doesn't hurt Corley. Eliza also attacks and the damage done is enough to force Corley to revert to his true form: that of a creature with a humanoid torso and a snake-like lower body. While that is going on, Ariel appears on a balcony overhead and hits Lord Flamehilt with a Flame Arrow. Argent goes to help with the fight against Corley, as she's out of ranged spells. The Invoker hits Corley with a Color Spray and it stuns the snake-man. Eliza and Arathnasis easily slay it. Lord Flamehilt rushes up to where Ariel is and tackles her over the edge of the balcony! The two land in a heap and Ariel goes down fast after that. Perrel asks Crandor to come out of the kitchen and the charmed ranger complies. Crandor is sent outside to help get the horses stabled for the night. Argent works on making dinner in the kitchen while the others explore the keep. Several strange crystal daggers are found. That night the Company bunks in the barracks off the kitchen. (SoD#32-39)
GM Notes: Ariel was another old name being reused. Corley must have been in the back of my head when I made the other Corley. Karn's Keep is based on the Nighthold in the Castle's Boxed set.
(New Frontiers) Cereld of Heironeous reaches the main Keln road and begins to ride west to Gateway. (NF#104)
CR 571 September 21st to 28th
CR 571 September 21st to 28th
Try it and find out!
Re: CR 571 September 21st to 28th
September 22nd –
(The Frontier) After teleporting Lord Vanarkus back to Pyris, Padraig and Omni go to Lord Sharadin's residence for brunch. Carnery joins the Seekers. Padraig asks about a alchemist and Lord Sharadin suggests Pendral, a feisty old elf. Omni asks Lord Sharadin about his warrior career, and the Archmage recounts his adventures battling the red dragon Ember in a system of caves. They both fell into a Pool of Power and had their intelligence greatly enhanced. With Validar gone, it is decided that Stephanie and Claudius become co-leaders. Zynara develops the Colorful Identify Spell. Stephanie has her bow repaired. Padraig starts work on making a homonculus for himself. The group decides to rest for awhile and finish up other projects. Arocken leaves the Seekers and rides towards Pyris accompanied by Lady Gabriella Allonica and her companions Breeanna and Jamid. Arocken takes with him an enchanted suit of plate armor to give to Lord Vanarkus. (TF #101-102)
Roster of the Seekers: Claudius, Stephanie, (PL), Bernice, Blod, Carnery, Dani, Finrod, Mercy, Omni Tuens, Padraig, Rooster, Tania and Zynara.
(Sword of Doom) Schar dispels the Charm on Crandor. The front door of Karn's Keep opens up and a male half-elf enters by the name of Raith. He tells the Company that a pack of trolls attacked the band of adventurers he was traveling with. Later that afternoon, another adventurer who also survived the troll attack appears, a man named Gathis. Perrel, Schar and Crandor ride off to explore where these men came from and to see the condition of the trolls they were attacked by. Raith and Gathis accompany them. Crandor determines that there are 12 to 15 trolls in the band and that they have a lair in a cave further up the hillside. Schar, Raith, and Gathis ride back to the Keep to report to Lord Flamehilt. Scouting further, Crandor gets closer to the troll cave with Perrel following him.
Argent, Mastiff, Selarin and Arathnasis prepare to explore the area of the Keep where the doors are locked. Argent knocks the door and the group goes inside. The room beyond appears to used for magical training and experimentation. A part of the area has is curtained off to form four private quarters. Spiral stairs lead up to a huge library. Anyone leaving the stairs is picked up by some unseen force and carried back to the stairs. There is a book in the middle of the library underneath a glass case. Arathnasis gets the unseen guardian's attention while the others rush to the glass case. Arathnasis strikes the unseen guardian with a dagger and in retaliation it throws Arathnasis down the stairs. The others are carried back and set down easily like before. Argent knocks the entry door and the group reports in to Lord Flamehilt.
The rest of the Company do a quick search of the rest of the Keep. Down in a sub-basement, a strange collection of pillars are found. One has slots in it along its top that seem the right shape and size to hold the crystal daggers the Company has been finding. There are openings for six of the crystal daggers. Other pillars have different shaped slots and different number of them. Argent realizes that the pillars tie in with some of the tapestries in the grand hall. They need to find six crystal daggers to activate the pillar and take the group to a new location. In that location, they need to find the items to power the next pillar and so on down the line.
Schar and Argent report their discoveries to Lord Flamehilt at nearly the same time. Lord Flamehilt decides to deal with the trolls before worrying about the guardian in the mage library and the pillars in the basement. Argent is miffed that they are going after the trolls and stays behind. Plus her spell list was not set for combat. Oil is collected the and the rest of the Company ride off to confront the trolls. While Lord Flamehilt speaks to Crandor and Perrel, Eliza goes to confront the trolls. She calls out to them near the front of the cave. Crandor and Gathis reach Eliza and try to stop her, but she fights back. As the three struggle, the trolls emerge from the cave and attack! The battle is brutal and several of the Company are badly wounded. Arathnasis covers the cave opening with a Web Spell and then ignites it with Burning Hands. Oil is added to the fire and the trolls are dealt with. The Company returns to Karn's Keep. The wounded are healed and the group retires for the evening. (SoD#40-46)
Roster of the Company of the Sword: Lord Armon Flamehilt (PL), Arathnasis, Argent, Crandor, Eliza, Gathis, Jonathon, Mastiff, Perrel, Raith, Schar, Selarin and Tristan.
(New Frontiers) Lord Validar Vanarkus is teleported back to his home in Pyris by Padraig. The mage does not linger and teleports back to the Seekers Mansion immediately. Surprised guards rapidly close in when the pair suddenly appear in the castle's courtyard. The guards relax upon seeing who it is. Officer Kerwin greets Lord Vanarkus, but is confused by his sudden return. Lord Vanarkus goes into the castle and finds his parents holding open court. Upon seeing him, the Baron closes the court and greets his son. Validar immediately realizes that the man before him is not is father. Baron Relon's form shifts and changes into that of Lady Jallarzi Sallavarian. The situation of the Baron being poisoned is explained to Validar while on the way to his parents' bedchamber. There, Lord Corley Rowan is standing guard at the door. Inside, Validar's younger sister Rachel sits with her father while Elspeth of Azrella works her art. (NFV#1)
(The Frontier) After teleporting Lord Vanarkus back to Pyris, Padraig and Omni go to Lord Sharadin's residence for brunch. Carnery joins the Seekers. Padraig asks about a alchemist and Lord Sharadin suggests Pendral, a feisty old elf. Omni asks Lord Sharadin about his warrior career, and the Archmage recounts his adventures battling the red dragon Ember in a system of caves. They both fell into a Pool of Power and had their intelligence greatly enhanced. With Validar gone, it is decided that Stephanie and Claudius become co-leaders. Zynara develops the Colorful Identify Spell. Stephanie has her bow repaired. Padraig starts work on making a homonculus for himself. The group decides to rest for awhile and finish up other projects. Arocken leaves the Seekers and rides towards Pyris accompanied by Lady Gabriella Allonica and her companions Breeanna and Jamid. Arocken takes with him an enchanted suit of plate armor to give to Lord Vanarkus. (TF #101-102)
Roster of the Seekers: Claudius, Stephanie, (PL), Bernice, Blod, Carnery, Dani, Finrod, Mercy, Omni Tuens, Padraig, Rooster, Tania and Zynara.
(Sword of Doom) Schar dispels the Charm on Crandor. The front door of Karn's Keep opens up and a male half-elf enters by the name of Raith. He tells the Company that a pack of trolls attacked the band of adventurers he was traveling with. Later that afternoon, another adventurer who also survived the troll attack appears, a man named Gathis. Perrel, Schar and Crandor ride off to explore where these men came from and to see the condition of the trolls they were attacked by. Raith and Gathis accompany them. Crandor determines that there are 12 to 15 trolls in the band and that they have a lair in a cave further up the hillside. Schar, Raith, and Gathis ride back to the Keep to report to Lord Flamehilt. Scouting further, Crandor gets closer to the troll cave with Perrel following him.
Argent, Mastiff, Selarin and Arathnasis prepare to explore the area of the Keep where the doors are locked. Argent knocks the door and the group goes inside. The room beyond appears to used for magical training and experimentation. A part of the area has is curtained off to form four private quarters. Spiral stairs lead up to a huge library. Anyone leaving the stairs is picked up by some unseen force and carried back to the stairs. There is a book in the middle of the library underneath a glass case. Arathnasis gets the unseen guardian's attention while the others rush to the glass case. Arathnasis strikes the unseen guardian with a dagger and in retaliation it throws Arathnasis down the stairs. The others are carried back and set down easily like before. Argent knocks the entry door and the group reports in to Lord Flamehilt.
The rest of the Company do a quick search of the rest of the Keep. Down in a sub-basement, a strange collection of pillars are found. One has slots in it along its top that seem the right shape and size to hold the crystal daggers the Company has been finding. There are openings for six of the crystal daggers. Other pillars have different shaped slots and different number of them. Argent realizes that the pillars tie in with some of the tapestries in the grand hall. They need to find six crystal daggers to activate the pillar and take the group to a new location. In that location, they need to find the items to power the next pillar and so on down the line.
Schar and Argent report their discoveries to Lord Flamehilt at nearly the same time. Lord Flamehilt decides to deal with the trolls before worrying about the guardian in the mage library and the pillars in the basement. Argent is miffed that they are going after the trolls and stays behind. Plus her spell list was not set for combat. Oil is collected the and the rest of the Company ride off to confront the trolls. While Lord Flamehilt speaks to Crandor and Perrel, Eliza goes to confront the trolls. She calls out to them near the front of the cave. Crandor and Gathis reach Eliza and try to stop her, but she fights back. As the three struggle, the trolls emerge from the cave and attack! The battle is brutal and several of the Company are badly wounded. Arathnasis covers the cave opening with a Web Spell and then ignites it with Burning Hands. Oil is added to the fire and the trolls are dealt with. The Company returns to Karn's Keep. The wounded are healed and the group retires for the evening. (SoD#40-46)
Roster of the Company of the Sword: Lord Armon Flamehilt (PL), Arathnasis, Argent, Crandor, Eliza, Gathis, Jonathon, Mastiff, Perrel, Raith, Schar, Selarin and Tristan.
(New Frontiers) Lord Validar Vanarkus is teleported back to his home in Pyris by Padraig. The mage does not linger and teleports back to the Seekers Mansion immediately. Surprised guards rapidly close in when the pair suddenly appear in the castle's courtyard. The guards relax upon seeing who it is. Officer Kerwin greets Lord Vanarkus, but is confused by his sudden return. Lord Vanarkus goes into the castle and finds his parents holding open court. Upon seeing him, the Baron closes the court and greets his son. Validar immediately realizes that the man before him is not is father. Baron Relon's form shifts and changes into that of Lady Jallarzi Sallavarian. The situation of the Baron being poisoned is explained to Validar while on the way to his parents' bedchamber. There, Lord Corley Rowan is standing guard at the door. Inside, Validar's younger sister Rachel sits with her father while Elspeth of Azrella works her art. (NFV#1)
Try it and find out!
Re: CR 571 September 21st to 28th
September 23rd -
(The Frontier) Padraig sells the landshark parts scavenged weeks ago to Aron Steelforge, an old dwarven armorer. Stephanie and Finrod get into a shouting match and Fin leaves the Seekers Mansion. Seems he accepted a contract in a mercenary company without consulting Stephanie. She's angry for several days. (TF #102)
GM Notes: Above was another situation that came up to remove a character from the game. Finrod was always sporadic about his posting, since he was in the military. But he had been gone for a while, so them having a fight was a way to get him out of game for a time.
(Sword of Doom) The next morning, several of the Company go back to the troll cave to make sure they are all dead. Some minor treasure is found as well. Argent reveals her thoughts about the quest to find the Sword of Doom as it relates to the tapestries and the pillars in the basement. It is decided to fully explore the keep and remove the guardian in the mage library. Schar attempts to dispel the Wizard Lock on the entry doors but fails. Argent Knocks the door and the group goes in. Argent lets the guardian pick her up but then dumps flour on it. Enough of the guardian is visible for it to be attacked. The guardian throws Argent across the room, but the Company's swords and spells destroy it. Argent detects magic on the book inside the glass case and discovers it to be an illusion. Four books are found inside the base of the glass case and they are sealed inside a metal holder. The stairs leading up from the mage library end at a sealed hatch. Most likely Wizard Locked once more. (SoD#46-48)
(New Frontiers) While waiting for Sherwood to return, Validar inspects the troops. Also staying at Pyris Castle is one Lady Vera Ardel, the sole survivor of the family that once ruled the Barony of Stone Ridge. Lords Validar and Corley practice with their swords while Lady Ardel watches. (NFV#1)
GM Notes: Vera was a character that I used during the Borderlands 2 stuff, but other than the name this Vera ended up being nothing like the other one. That Vera was a pawn of the Lich Lords and had to do their bidding or be destroyed. Sort of like the situation with those being controlled by the Black Flame. My initial intent was to again use her as a pawn, but realized that she could still fill the role just by being unaware of what happened to those she recruited to free Ardelphia.
There was one very memorable line from the Borderland 2 era that I have to share. She ended up being captured by a player playing a Flind, an advanced type of gnoll. Anyway this player captured Vera and put an end to her evil schemes. The Flind was questioning her as he didn't understand human attractiveness at all. He asked her if she was pretty and seemed to be coming on to her. To all that Vera calmly replied, “I don't do dogs.”
At any rate all of that is no longer part of the game and some of the other characters involved in that were used elsewhere.
(The Frontier) Padraig sells the landshark parts scavenged weeks ago to Aron Steelforge, an old dwarven armorer. Stephanie and Finrod get into a shouting match and Fin leaves the Seekers Mansion. Seems he accepted a contract in a mercenary company without consulting Stephanie. She's angry for several days. (TF #102)
GM Notes: Above was another situation that came up to remove a character from the game. Finrod was always sporadic about his posting, since he was in the military. But he had been gone for a while, so them having a fight was a way to get him out of game for a time.
(Sword of Doom) The next morning, several of the Company go back to the troll cave to make sure they are all dead. Some minor treasure is found as well. Argent reveals her thoughts about the quest to find the Sword of Doom as it relates to the tapestries and the pillars in the basement. It is decided to fully explore the keep and remove the guardian in the mage library. Schar attempts to dispel the Wizard Lock on the entry doors but fails. Argent Knocks the door and the group goes in. Argent lets the guardian pick her up but then dumps flour on it. Enough of the guardian is visible for it to be attacked. The guardian throws Argent across the room, but the Company's swords and spells destroy it. Argent detects magic on the book inside the glass case and discovers it to be an illusion. Four books are found inside the base of the glass case and they are sealed inside a metal holder. The stairs leading up from the mage library end at a sealed hatch. Most likely Wizard Locked once more. (SoD#46-48)
(New Frontiers) While waiting for Sherwood to return, Validar inspects the troops. Also staying at Pyris Castle is one Lady Vera Ardel, the sole survivor of the family that once ruled the Barony of Stone Ridge. Lords Validar and Corley practice with their swords while Lady Ardel watches. (NFV#1)
GM Notes: Vera was a character that I used during the Borderlands 2 stuff, but other than the name this Vera ended up being nothing like the other one. That Vera was a pawn of the Lich Lords and had to do their bidding or be destroyed. Sort of like the situation with those being controlled by the Black Flame. My initial intent was to again use her as a pawn, but realized that she could still fill the role just by being unaware of what happened to those she recruited to free Ardelphia.
There was one very memorable line from the Borderland 2 era that I have to share. She ended up being captured by a player playing a Flind, an advanced type of gnoll. Anyway this player captured Vera and put an end to her evil schemes. The Flind was questioning her as he didn't understand human attractiveness at all. He asked her if she was pretty and seemed to be coming on to her. To all that Vera calmly replied, “I don't do dogs.”
At any rate all of that is no longer part of the game and some of the other characters involved in that were used elsewhere.
Try it and find out!
Re: CR 571 September 21st to 28th
September 24th –
(Sword of Doom) The Company begins to explore the keep with a fine tooth comb. Several more crystal daggers. One of the Wizard Locked doors to the mage library is knocked and then removed from its hinges, leaving the way permanently open. The hatch leading up to the next level of one of the mage towers is knocked. Beyond is a reception area and a better stocked mage laboratory. (SoD#48)
(New Frontiers) Lord Sherwood arrives at Castle Pyris and meets Lord Vanarkus and Lord Rowan. The two talk about the situation and agree to meet at first light at the Western Gate. Sherwood excuses himself to go to the Green Forest Inn and meet the adventurers he recruited for this mission. (NFV#2)
(New Frontiers) The adventurers that Sherwood recruited start to arrive at the Green Forest Inn. Lilliathelionn Allandros of Clan Grunalf is the first to arrive, followed by Kylie Lanthorn and Ivy of Azrella. Laucian of Ehlonna, Sherra, Grondar of Berronar and Chareos round out the group. Near the end of dinner, Sherwood arrives and explains the situation to the adventurers. (NFA#1-2)
September 25th –
(The Frontier) Stephanie, Omni and Padraig test the pillar artifact underneath Gateway. Pad powers up the pillar facing due west and it takes them to the ruins of Mesilva. They then return to Gateway the the same way. Fiben Bolger joins the Seekers. (TF #103)
Roster of the Seekers: Claudius, Stephanie, (PL), Bernice, Blod, Carnery, Dani, Fiben, Finrod, Mercy, Omni Tuens, Padraig, Rooster, Tania and Zynara.
(Sword of Doom) The next hatch in the mage tower is knocked and it gives entry to the quarters of a female sorceress. The hatch in the other tower leads to a huge reception area. However, there is no normal way to reach the level above. More information about Karn and the Sword of Doom is discovered. (SoD#48)
(New Frontiers) Sherwood and his adventurers meet up with Lord Vanarkus and Lord Corley at the Western Gate of Pyris early in the morning. They follow the High Road to the west for several hours, but then turn to the southwest before reaching Timberline. Sherwood leads the group down a lesser used path towards Twin Forks. At the end of the day, Sherwood casts Leomund's Secure Shelter for the evening. (NF#3)
GM Notes: I ended up having to pad several areas of New Frontiers to get the timeline to sync up with the other games. Fortunately, adjusting the travel times solved the majority of the problems. The trip to Twin Forks took a little bit longer, the trip to Sherwood's Tower took longer, and the trip to Elcadan took longer to spread things out. The reason for this padding right now was so that Arocken could make his overland trip from Gateway to Pyris accurately. It takes about two weeks, so his arrival in Pyris has to be a minimum of two weeks after he left Gateway.
(Sword of Doom) The Company begins to explore the keep with a fine tooth comb. Several more crystal daggers. One of the Wizard Locked doors to the mage library is knocked and then removed from its hinges, leaving the way permanently open. The hatch leading up to the next level of one of the mage towers is knocked. Beyond is a reception area and a better stocked mage laboratory. (SoD#48)
(New Frontiers) Lord Sherwood arrives at Castle Pyris and meets Lord Vanarkus and Lord Rowan. The two talk about the situation and agree to meet at first light at the Western Gate. Sherwood excuses himself to go to the Green Forest Inn and meet the adventurers he recruited for this mission. (NFV#2)
(New Frontiers) The adventurers that Sherwood recruited start to arrive at the Green Forest Inn. Lilliathelionn Allandros of Clan Grunalf is the first to arrive, followed by Kylie Lanthorn and Ivy of Azrella. Laucian of Ehlonna, Sherra, Grondar of Berronar and Chareos round out the group. Near the end of dinner, Sherwood arrives and explains the situation to the adventurers. (NFA#1-2)
September 25th –
(The Frontier) Stephanie, Omni and Padraig test the pillar artifact underneath Gateway. Pad powers up the pillar facing due west and it takes them to the ruins of Mesilva. They then return to Gateway the the same way. Fiben Bolger joins the Seekers. (TF #103)
Roster of the Seekers: Claudius, Stephanie, (PL), Bernice, Blod, Carnery, Dani, Fiben, Finrod, Mercy, Omni Tuens, Padraig, Rooster, Tania and Zynara.
(Sword of Doom) The next hatch in the mage tower is knocked and it gives entry to the quarters of a female sorceress. The hatch in the other tower leads to a huge reception area. However, there is no normal way to reach the level above. More information about Karn and the Sword of Doom is discovered. (SoD#48)
(New Frontiers) Sherwood and his adventurers meet up with Lord Vanarkus and Lord Corley at the Western Gate of Pyris early in the morning. They follow the High Road to the west for several hours, but then turn to the southwest before reaching Timberline. Sherwood leads the group down a lesser used path towards Twin Forks. At the end of the day, Sherwood casts Leomund's Secure Shelter for the evening. (NF#3)
GM Notes: I ended up having to pad several areas of New Frontiers to get the timeline to sync up with the other games. Fortunately, adjusting the travel times solved the majority of the problems. The trip to Twin Forks took a little bit longer, the trip to Sherwood's Tower took longer, and the trip to Elcadan took longer to spread things out. The reason for this padding right now was so that Arocken could make his overland trip from Gateway to Pyris accurately. It takes about two weeks, so his arrival in Pyris has to be a minimum of two weeks after he left Gateway.
Try it and find out!
Re: CR 571 September 21st to 28th
September 26th –
(The Frontier) Padraig's homonculus is finished. He later names it Sean. Bright Eyes, Mercy's owl companion, and Sheba, Zynara's snake familiar, note Sean's presence with their superior senses. The scouts, Stephanie, Omni and Padraig teleport to the ruins of Mesilva first and then use the southeastern facing pillar to teleport to a new location, an island in the great Southern Sea. The trio arrive to find the artifact is outdoors in a large plaza in the ruins of an ancient city. The island is in the tropics and much hotter than the group is used to. The ruins are very old and the jungle has begun to reclaim the ancient city. No one seems to be around, but right after they arrive a Magic Mouth spell is triggered and it shouts something in an unknown language. No threats appear, so the scouts return to Gateway. (TF#104)
GM Notes: The language would have been the ancient Nithian tongue, since was the ruins of one of their cities.
(Sword of Doom) Argent awakes from her sleep as she finally realizes something that has been nagging her the past few days. Karn's diary said that he 'sailed the sword to its hiding place'. The invoker fears that the Sword of Doom is actually a flying ship! She relays her theories and fears to Lord Flamehilt who is dismayed to hear that their quest might be misplaced. He asks Argent to keep her findings to herself. Later that day, Argent knocks the metal frame holding the four books found underneath the glass case. She then opens the lock and is struck by a Fire Trap. (SoD#48)
(New Frontiers) Sherwood and company are off the next morning, riding towards Twin Forks. Sherwood creates his magical house for the evening after an uneventful day of overland travel. (NF#4)
GM Notes: Above is a sample of an extra day added to pad things out.
(The Frontier) Padraig's homonculus is finished. He later names it Sean. Bright Eyes, Mercy's owl companion, and Sheba, Zynara's snake familiar, note Sean's presence with their superior senses. The scouts, Stephanie, Omni and Padraig teleport to the ruins of Mesilva first and then use the southeastern facing pillar to teleport to a new location, an island in the great Southern Sea. The trio arrive to find the artifact is outdoors in a large plaza in the ruins of an ancient city. The island is in the tropics and much hotter than the group is used to. The ruins are very old and the jungle has begun to reclaim the ancient city. No one seems to be around, but right after they arrive a Magic Mouth spell is triggered and it shouts something in an unknown language. No threats appear, so the scouts return to Gateway. (TF#104)
GM Notes: The language would have been the ancient Nithian tongue, since was the ruins of one of their cities.
(Sword of Doom) Argent awakes from her sleep as she finally realizes something that has been nagging her the past few days. Karn's diary said that he 'sailed the sword to its hiding place'. The invoker fears that the Sword of Doom is actually a flying ship! She relays her theories and fears to Lord Flamehilt who is dismayed to hear that their quest might be misplaced. He asks Argent to keep her findings to herself. Later that day, Argent knocks the metal frame holding the four books found underneath the glass case. She then opens the lock and is struck by a Fire Trap. (SoD#48)
(New Frontiers) Sherwood and company are off the next morning, riding towards Twin Forks. Sherwood creates his magical house for the evening after an uneventful day of overland travel. (NF#4)
GM Notes: Above is a sample of an extra day added to pad things out.
Try it and find out!
Re: CR 571 September 21st to 28th
September 27th –
(The Frontier) The Seekers depart Gateway as a group using the pillar artifact. They travel directly from Gateway to the tropical island. Scouts are sent out to explore the area while the rest of the group looks for a shelter to use as a base of operations. They find one building cover with vines still in relatively good shape. Padraig uses a Wall of Iron to cover the largest hole in the base's wall. Some of the group rests in the shelter while others go out to explore. The explorers spot a group of primitive lizard men. While the scouts are hiding from the lizard men, Stephanie inadvertently calls out to them getting the lizards' attention. Battle ensues and the lizard men go down easily.
Pad sends an invisible Sean off to explore from the air. The homonculus spots three yaun-ti off in the jungle. Padraig flies off and hits the yaun-ti with a pair of Fireballs, slaying them.
Back at the base a beautiful silver hair elfin woman appears and asks the group who they are and what they are doing here. Dani says that they are explorers and the elfin woman warns him that the jungle is dangerous and filled with lizard men and yaun-ti. She then leaves.
Back at the pillar artifact, Bernice appears having re-joined the Seekers thanks to Lord Sharadin's magic. She is greeted by Zynara and Sheba. They walk back to the others.
Sean flies back to make sure the yaun-ti are truly dead and finds the mysterious elfin woman there. She spots the invisible homonculus and tells it to tell its master that she will return to speak to the Seekers after nightfall.
Several hours later, the elfin woman appears and introduces herself as Silvarn. She says that she is guarding something precious in the runes and would like their help in dealing with the yaun-ti and lizard men and their master, a small red dragon. Silvarn reveals that she is protecting a female couatl who is about to give birth. The male couatl has been killed by the enemy forces and the female refuses to leave her lair. The Seekers agree and will march to the couatl's lair come morning. (TF#105-109)
GM Notes: As per Isis' curse, the lizard men and the yaun-ti were descendants of transformed Nithian People. The more malevolent the person, the worse the form they became. This was also the first appearance of Silvarn in game.
(Sword of Doom) The Company prepares to make use of the pillar artifact to move them to the next portion of the quest to find the Sword of Doom. Supplies are gathered up and a plan to bypass the quest that Karn set up is decided upon. The Company will use the Pillars to take them to the first location of the quest which they believe to be the Island of Everwinter. From there they plan to travel south to a port and hire a ship to sail them to the Graveyard of Ships where they believe Karn hid the Sword of Doom. (SoD#49)
(New Frontiers) Sherwood and company continue their ride to Twin Forks. Near midday Laucian spots an ambush up ahead. The group splits up to deal with the bandits. A few are slain, but many are captured. Sherwood captures the bandit leaders before they can flee. The bandits are sealed into a cave by their camp while Sherwood summons another Leomund's Hidden Shelter. The leaders are charmed to learn more about Lothar's organization. This group of bandits is a training group where new recruits are shown the ropes. Once they show enough skill, they are sent to other bandit groups. Until a few days ago, this group just hit easy merchant targets. But now Lothar wanted them to ambush the adventurers as they approached. Lothar seemed upset about something and has been dealing with the newcomers back in Twin Forks, a warrior named Artur and a wizard named Arkane. (NF#4-8)
(The Frontier) The Seekers depart Gateway as a group using the pillar artifact. They travel directly from Gateway to the tropical island. Scouts are sent out to explore the area while the rest of the group looks for a shelter to use as a base of operations. They find one building cover with vines still in relatively good shape. Padraig uses a Wall of Iron to cover the largest hole in the base's wall. Some of the group rests in the shelter while others go out to explore. The explorers spot a group of primitive lizard men. While the scouts are hiding from the lizard men, Stephanie inadvertently calls out to them getting the lizards' attention. Battle ensues and the lizard men go down easily.
Pad sends an invisible Sean off to explore from the air. The homonculus spots three yaun-ti off in the jungle. Padraig flies off and hits the yaun-ti with a pair of Fireballs, slaying them.
Back at the base a beautiful silver hair elfin woman appears and asks the group who they are and what they are doing here. Dani says that they are explorers and the elfin woman warns him that the jungle is dangerous and filled with lizard men and yaun-ti. She then leaves.
Back at the pillar artifact, Bernice appears having re-joined the Seekers thanks to Lord Sharadin's magic. She is greeted by Zynara and Sheba. They walk back to the others.
Sean flies back to make sure the yaun-ti are truly dead and finds the mysterious elfin woman there. She spots the invisible homonculus and tells it to tell its master that she will return to speak to the Seekers after nightfall.
Several hours later, the elfin woman appears and introduces herself as Silvarn. She says that she is guarding something precious in the runes and would like their help in dealing with the yaun-ti and lizard men and their master, a small red dragon. Silvarn reveals that she is protecting a female couatl who is about to give birth. The male couatl has been killed by the enemy forces and the female refuses to leave her lair. The Seekers agree and will march to the couatl's lair come morning. (TF#105-109)
GM Notes: As per Isis' curse, the lizard men and the yaun-ti were descendants of transformed Nithian People. The more malevolent the person, the worse the form they became. This was also the first appearance of Silvarn in game.
(Sword of Doom) The Company prepares to make use of the pillar artifact to move them to the next portion of the quest to find the Sword of Doom. Supplies are gathered up and a plan to bypass the quest that Karn set up is decided upon. The Company will use the Pillars to take them to the first location of the quest which they believe to be the Island of Everwinter. From there they plan to travel south to a port and hire a ship to sail them to the Graveyard of Ships where they believe Karn hid the Sword of Doom. (SoD#49)
(New Frontiers) Sherwood and company continue their ride to Twin Forks. Near midday Laucian spots an ambush up ahead. The group splits up to deal with the bandits. A few are slain, but many are captured. Sherwood captures the bandit leaders before they can flee. The bandits are sealed into a cave by their camp while Sherwood summons another Leomund's Hidden Shelter. The leaders are charmed to learn more about Lothar's organization. This group of bandits is a training group where new recruits are shown the ropes. Once they show enough skill, they are sent to other bandit groups. Until a few days ago, this group just hit easy merchant targets. But now Lothar wanted them to ambush the adventurers as they approached. Lothar seemed upset about something and has been dealing with the newcomers back in Twin Forks, a warrior named Artur and a wizard named Arkane. (NF#4-8)
Try it and find out!
Re: CR 571 September 21st to 28th
September 28th –
(The Frontier) The Seekers move out to the pyramid holding the couatl. They meet Silvarn there. Along the way Dani searches for a tropical bird to make a pet. Dani sees his bird, but it's spotted by a jaguar. He casts an Animal Friendship spell on it, charming the wild cat that he comes to call Kitten.
After some discussion, the Seekers decide to take on the dragon, but have to travel across the ruined city to reach its lair. The yaun-ti also inhabit the same area. The more powerful Seekers head out on this quest while the rest guard the couatl ruins. Rooster inadvertently activates a trap and is crushed by a falling wall. This attracts the attention of several yaun-ti. One of the yaun-ti casts a spell on Stephanie and turns her into a snake! The yaun-ti are defeated and the group manages to capture the transformed Stephanie. With Stephanie down and many spells used on the yaun-ti, the Seekers withdraw.
Back at the couatl's pyramid, Fiben spots lizardmen approaching. The newer Seekers bravely fight them and are aided by Finrod who arrived via the pillar artifact just recently. He as following Stephanie's trail and it led him here. The older Seekers return with “Stephanie the snake” in a bag. Night begins to fall and the jungle is filled with movement, but they are not attacking just yet. A red dragon is spotted flying overhead. Finrod is enraged at Stephanie's current state and goes to attack the red dragon. The Seekers manage to drive the dragon off and its followers leave soon afterwards. Blod also returns. (TF#110-115)
Roster of the Seekers: Claudius, Stephanie, (PL), Bernice, Blod, Carnery, Dani, Fiben, Finrod, Mercy, Omni Tuens, Padraig, Tania and Zynara.
GM Notes: All those people who had been away came back around the same time. Finrod picked a great time to return with Stephanie changed into a snake!
(Sword of Doom) Arathnasis tests the pillars to see if they are safe to be used. All six of the crystal daggers are placed into the pillar and miniature blue lightning bolts surround the artifact. Arathnasis walks into the glow and vanishes. He reappears at another formation of pillars, but these ones seem to be in the middle of a blizzard! These pillars are high up in the mountains and Arathnasis finds an icy path leading down into a cavern. Argent scries Arathnasis to follow his progress. Seeing that Arathnasis is relatively safe, the rest of the Company follow him through the pillars with their mounts. The Company and their mounts move down the ice tunnel and deeper into the mountain and out of the blizzard outside. After traveling deeper into the mountain, the Company discovers a large cave with a sleeping white dragon in it! The dragon seems to be blocking the way further down the mountain. Scouts go closer to explore and find many icy pillars that the dragon uses to store its treasure and future meals. After much discussion, the Company decides to attack while they still have the advantage. Several move to get behind the dragon, but find it already awake! The dragon breathes a wave of cold, wounding many of the Company. Numerous spells and weapon attacks follow, wounding the dragon. The dragon then flies off! The Company waits for it to return, but it does not. Fearing that it might stalk them and discovering that their mounts are falling to the cold, the Company decides to return to Karn's Keep then keeping going on through Everwinter. They open up the icy pillars holding the items needed to power the pillars to the next destination and take some gold and treasure. Retracing their steps back to their arrival point, the Company enters the pillars and are teleported back to Karn's Keep. Once back at the keep, Lord Flamehilt tries to resolve the conflict between Crandor and Eliza. (SoD#50-56)
(New Frontiers) Ivy of Azrella casts Know Alignment on the bandits and finds only two of them are not evil. Those two, Po and Saladin, are set aside from the rest of the group. Sherwood then uses an illusion of a hellish mastiff he calls Diabolicus to scare the bandits to rush back to Pyris and turn themselves in. The terrified bandits rush off in compliance. The adventurers continue to ride towards Twin Forks. (NF#8-9)
GM Notes: And that brings us to the end of September. October's recaps will be huge. It's nearly double the size of September!
(The Frontier) The Seekers move out to the pyramid holding the couatl. They meet Silvarn there. Along the way Dani searches for a tropical bird to make a pet. Dani sees his bird, but it's spotted by a jaguar. He casts an Animal Friendship spell on it, charming the wild cat that he comes to call Kitten.
After some discussion, the Seekers decide to take on the dragon, but have to travel across the ruined city to reach its lair. The yaun-ti also inhabit the same area. The more powerful Seekers head out on this quest while the rest guard the couatl ruins. Rooster inadvertently activates a trap and is crushed by a falling wall. This attracts the attention of several yaun-ti. One of the yaun-ti casts a spell on Stephanie and turns her into a snake! The yaun-ti are defeated and the group manages to capture the transformed Stephanie. With Stephanie down and many spells used on the yaun-ti, the Seekers withdraw.
Back at the couatl's pyramid, Fiben spots lizardmen approaching. The newer Seekers bravely fight them and are aided by Finrod who arrived via the pillar artifact just recently. He as following Stephanie's trail and it led him here. The older Seekers return with “Stephanie the snake” in a bag. Night begins to fall and the jungle is filled with movement, but they are not attacking just yet. A red dragon is spotted flying overhead. Finrod is enraged at Stephanie's current state and goes to attack the red dragon. The Seekers manage to drive the dragon off and its followers leave soon afterwards. Blod also returns. (TF#110-115)
Roster of the Seekers: Claudius, Stephanie, (PL), Bernice, Blod, Carnery, Dani, Fiben, Finrod, Mercy, Omni Tuens, Padraig, Tania and Zynara.
GM Notes: All those people who had been away came back around the same time. Finrod picked a great time to return with Stephanie changed into a snake!
(Sword of Doom) Arathnasis tests the pillars to see if they are safe to be used. All six of the crystal daggers are placed into the pillar and miniature blue lightning bolts surround the artifact. Arathnasis walks into the glow and vanishes. He reappears at another formation of pillars, but these ones seem to be in the middle of a blizzard! These pillars are high up in the mountains and Arathnasis finds an icy path leading down into a cavern. Argent scries Arathnasis to follow his progress. Seeing that Arathnasis is relatively safe, the rest of the Company follow him through the pillars with their mounts. The Company and their mounts move down the ice tunnel and deeper into the mountain and out of the blizzard outside. After traveling deeper into the mountain, the Company discovers a large cave with a sleeping white dragon in it! The dragon seems to be blocking the way further down the mountain. Scouts go closer to explore and find many icy pillars that the dragon uses to store its treasure and future meals. After much discussion, the Company decides to attack while they still have the advantage. Several move to get behind the dragon, but find it already awake! The dragon breathes a wave of cold, wounding many of the Company. Numerous spells and weapon attacks follow, wounding the dragon. The dragon then flies off! The Company waits for it to return, but it does not. Fearing that it might stalk them and discovering that their mounts are falling to the cold, the Company decides to return to Karn's Keep then keeping going on through Everwinter. They open up the icy pillars holding the items needed to power the pillars to the next destination and take some gold and treasure. Retracing their steps back to their arrival point, the Company enters the pillars and are teleported back to Karn's Keep. Once back at the keep, Lord Flamehilt tries to resolve the conflict between Crandor and Eliza. (SoD#50-56)
(New Frontiers) Ivy of Azrella casts Know Alignment on the bandits and finds only two of them are not evil. Those two, Po and Saladin, are set aside from the rest of the group. Sherwood then uses an illusion of a hellish mastiff he calls Diabolicus to scare the bandits to rush back to Pyris and turn themselves in. The terrified bandits rush off in compliance. The adventurers continue to ride towards Twin Forks. (NF#8-9)
GM Notes: And that brings us to the end of September. October's recaps will be huge. It's nearly double the size of September!
Try it and find out!