4th moon, 12th day, year 4553
After returning from exploring the demonic temple, the brothers returned home to the palace. They then spent some time training and bettering themselves.
4th moon, 19th day, year 4553
The T'orgh brothers were summoned to the T'orgh Temple. There they found their father alone. No guards, which was very unlike him. He told them once again, that he was very pleased with all they had done so far. He revealed that the scrolls they had found in the elven temple, seemed likely to be sacred scrolls of Asmodeus, scrolls written by his own hand, and said to hold great power. The T'orgh High Priest would keep them for now, to protect them and to find out how to wield said power. But he promised not to forget that it was the brothers that Asmodeus willed to find the scrolls.
He then had the guards enter with a kobold. The kobold, which had been tortured, told a tale of a tribe of kobolds fleeing some aggressive orcs, before settling down in some hills, about 10 days travel to the east. He told that they found a sleeping dragon they could not wake, surrounded by magical stones with weird magical inscriptions, according to their wyrmpriests. After having told the tale, the kobold was killed by Raheem, at the behest of his father.
Venar then ordered the brothers to travel east and find the dragon and make an alliance. He also told them that big things were afoot, that the Council were debating whether integrating dark elves with the rest of the world would not serve Asmodeus best. No matter what happened, House T'orgh would need all the allies they could get.
After getting things ID'ed in Scumtown (Chain mail +2, trident +1, Boots of Striding and Springing and a Wand of Fireballs with 14 charges), the brothers made preparations to leave Menzo.
4th Moon, 20th day, year 4553
After a couple of days of walking, the T'orghs ran into Uyark Hume, one of the younger nobles of House Hume. He was very curious about where they going and the fact that they had provisions to go far. He declined to answer about where he was going, but it was clear that he couldn't have come from far, based on his packs. After parting ways with Hume, Raheem took many precautions and the brothers conducted a lot of evasive maneuvers to make sure he wasn't following them.
4th Moon, 22nd day, year 4553
At night, while resting, the T'orghs were surprised by two giant spiders. They were quickly dispatched, but not before Raheem was bitten. Luckily he resisted the poison that would otherwise have killed him.
4th Moon, 26th day, year 4553
Still making way through the forest, but approaching kobold territory, the brothers stumble over an odd black rock with magical symbols, buried in a small hill. They dig it out, and determine that the runes are runes of binding.
4th Moon, 27th day, year 4553
Right after waking up, the T'orghs find a cabin, a mere 300 yards from their camp. An old man named Kirk is cooking, and invite them in for food. They start asking him questions, but when Raheem tells him about the location of the rock, Nalfein decides Kirk must die. As it turns out, Kirk is a magical creature, a djinn, but the brothers prove too much for him and he is soon dead
4th Moon, 28th day, year 4553
The next day, the T'orgh brothers arrive at the kobold caves, and after been lured inside the caves, the brothers find themselves victims of a trap, where the kobolds set off a chain reaction of exploding barrels of oil - killing all the kobolds themselves, but also almost permanently killing Raheem...
torsdag den 30. august 2012
Posted with Blogsy
6th session: The demonic temple
4th moon, 8th day, year 4553
After considering the big hole in the ground, the T'orgh brothers decided to climb down and check out the place. Climbing down, they found themselves in a big underground demonic temple. At the far end of the room, there was a demonic shrine. Inside they found a 8' maul, and were attacked by their own daggers. Strangely enough, the attacks only lasted for mere seconds, before the daggers once again became inert.
They proceeded to investigate the paired doors at the other end of the temple, but that was a dead end. A corridor stopped after a few feet, being collapsed.
The T'orghs moved down the stairs, and went to the left. There they found a crypt, with 23 stone coffins. They decided to wait with that room, and tried to get through a nearby door. Unfortunately, the door was trapped with a Fire Trap spell, and Ukerin went down like a sack of potatoes.
Not wanting to move on without their mage, they dragged Ukerin upstairs and rested for the rest of the day, behind the doors.
4th moon, 9th day, year 4553
After a good day and night's rest, the T'orghs left their hideout and once again moved through the temple. And once again, their own daggers attacked them and once again, Ukerin went down.
4th moon, 10th day, year 4553
After another day of rest, hiding behind the doors, the T'orghs went back out, and once again, got attacked by the daggers. This time however, they managed to deal with them, and no one was severely wounded. They went downstairs, to the crypt, and started destroying coffins. One of them held a Zombie Lord, which almost managed to kill Nalfein when he (once again) failed to turn it.
With their healer out, it was decided to rest some more. Lots of dice-playing got done.
4th moon, 11th day, year 4553
During the night, Tagar awoke hearing orc voices. Peaking out, he saw several orcs in the temple. They had found the entrance and were now exploring. It was only a matter of time before they found them.
The brothers surprise the orcs, and try to take them out quickly. Raheem manages to kill the orc trying to cut the ropes leading down into the temple and after sleeping some more, the T'orghs head down again.
They head back to crypt, where they find a chainmail amongst other things. They continue their exploration and find a pentagramed summoning-room guarded by some sort of skeleton wielding what will later turn out to be a magical trident. They dispatch the skeleton-guard, but find nothing else of interest.
They search through several rooms, finding some potions, a pair of boots in remarkable condition (Tagar bends some bars to get to them) and in the last room, they find a crumbled floor with a big hole leading far, far down. They decide to climb down, and Raheem goes up to buy a climbing ladder 100 yards long - or rather, the pieces necessary to build one.
Despite him being fairly adept at such things, something has gone wrong, and when Raheem starts his descent into the deep, the ladder breaks and Raheem narrowly escapes death. He remakes the ladder and tries once again, only for it to break again, once again almost sending Raheem to the Underworld. Eventually the brothers get down, and they explore the area. They realize they must be in the Underdark, but they do not encounter anything or anyone, and decide to leave it alone.
After considering the big hole in the ground, the T'orgh brothers decided to climb down and check out the place. Climbing down, they found themselves in a big underground demonic temple. At the far end of the room, there was a demonic shrine. Inside they found a 8' maul, and were attacked by their own daggers. Strangely enough, the attacks only lasted for mere seconds, before the daggers once again became inert.
They proceeded to investigate the paired doors at the other end of the temple, but that was a dead end. A corridor stopped after a few feet, being collapsed.
The T'orghs moved down the stairs, and went to the left. There they found a crypt, with 23 stone coffins. They decided to wait with that room, and tried to get through a nearby door. Unfortunately, the door was trapped with a Fire Trap spell, and Ukerin went down like a sack of potatoes.
Not wanting to move on without their mage, they dragged Ukerin upstairs and rested for the rest of the day, behind the doors.
4th moon, 9th day, year 4553
After a good day and night's rest, the T'orghs left their hideout and once again moved through the temple. And once again, their own daggers attacked them and once again, Ukerin went down.
4th moon, 10th day, year 4553
After another day of rest, hiding behind the doors, the T'orghs went back out, and once again, got attacked by the daggers. This time however, they managed to deal with them, and no one was severely wounded. They went downstairs, to the crypt, and started destroying coffins. One of them held a Zombie Lord, which almost managed to kill Nalfein when he (once again) failed to turn it.
With their healer out, it was decided to rest some more. Lots of dice-playing got done.
4th moon, 11th day, year 4553
During the night, Tagar awoke hearing orc voices. Peaking out, he saw several orcs in the temple. They had found the entrance and were now exploring. It was only a matter of time before they found them.
The brothers surprise the orcs, and try to take them out quickly. Raheem manages to kill the orc trying to cut the ropes leading down into the temple and after sleeping some more, the T'orghs head down again.
They head back to crypt, where they find a chainmail amongst other things. They continue their exploration and find a pentagramed summoning-room guarded by some sort of skeleton wielding what will later turn out to be a magical trident. They dispatch the skeleton-guard, but find nothing else of interest.
They search through several rooms, finding some potions, a pair of boots in remarkable condition (Tagar bends some bars to get to them) and in the last room, they find a crumbled floor with a big hole leading far, far down. They decide to climb down, and Raheem goes up to buy a climbing ladder 100 yards long - or rather, the pieces necessary to build one.
Despite him being fairly adept at such things, something has gone wrong, and when Raheem starts his descent into the deep, the ladder breaks and Raheem narrowly escapes death. He remakes the ladder and tries once again, only for it to break again, once again almost sending Raheem to the Underworld. Eventually the brothers get down, and they explore the area. They realize they must be in the Underdark, but they do not encounter anything or anyone, and decide to leave it alone.
tirsdag den 21. august 2012
Musings on Monster Design in dndnext
So I finally got some time to look at the Bestiary: I had saved this for last, as monsters are my favorite part of D&D. Also, after Mearls' Legend & Lore articles on the subject. Now, the monsters had plenty of positive notes, there was a lot that I liked. However...
Looking over the monsters in playtest 2 bestiary, I can not make much sense of what they are going with when it comes to hit points and hit dice. Basically, it seems from a non-designer's point of view that the there is no correlation between level and number of hit die for monsters. As to why, I have no idea. I have tried to organize things, so it becomes easier to see just how little structure there is ATM. It starts off decently at level 1 and 3, and then the system, if there is one, just breaks down. Take a look for yourself.
Level 1 monsters:
There are 9 level 1 monsters that all have 1 hit die. Small monsters use d6, medium use d8. So far so good. Then there are two level 1 elite monsters. Both small. They have respectively 4 and 5 hit die.
Level 2 monsters:
There are 3 level 2 monsters which (correctly?) have 2 hit dice. The small monsters still use d6 and medium use d8. Then there is a level 2 solo, which is large. It has 7 hit dice, and uses d10.
Okay, so far, looks like 1 HD per level, d6 if small, d8 if medium, d10 if large. And you add 5? HD if it's a solo. Okay, sounds decent.
Level 3 monsters:
One level 3 monster has 1 HD. Another two level 3 monsters have 2 HD. Yet another has 3 HD. We also have two level 3 elite monsters with 4 HD, two elite level 3 monsters with 6 HD and tthree level 3 elite monster with 5 HD.
Okay, no long sure there is a system. Still follows the 1d6/1d8/1d10 spread depending on size, but otherwise, I am at a loss.
Level 4 monsters:
One level 4 monster has 3 HD. One has 5 HD. One level 4 elite has 5 HD and another level 4 elite has 6 HD.
Level 5 monsters:
One level 5 has 2 HD(!!!), another has 3 HD, and the level 5 elite has 7 HD. Still following the size HD-rule though.
Level 6 monsters:
The level 6 monster has 4 HD and the level 6 elite has 7 HD. Still following the size HD-rule though.
So, what does it all mean? I am not sure. I like the d6/d8/d10/d12(?) HD depending on size, makes sense. However, it would make total sense if a regular monster had 1 HD per level. Apparently that is not the case. Then an elite monster would have twice that, and a solo 4 times that? Or perhaps that is too much. Perhaps the "modifier" should be different, an elite monster having *0,5 HD extra and a solo 2* HD. I do however expect a fixed modifier. Right now things seem arbitrary. Maybe it is the result of the monsters not being the focus of the playtest, or maybe it's because levels and such have been changed so many times they lost track of what needed to be edited. Either way, I hope we soon get some more info about how to build monsters in dndnext.
Looking over the monsters in playtest 2 bestiary, I can not make much sense of what they are going with when it comes to hit points and hit dice. Basically, it seems from a non-designer's point of view that the there is no correlation between level and number of hit die for monsters. As to why, I have no idea. I have tried to organize things, so it becomes easier to see just how little structure there is ATM. It starts off decently at level 1 and 3, and then the system, if there is one, just breaks down. Take a look for yourself.
Level 1 monsters:
There are 9 level 1 monsters that all have 1 hit die. Small monsters use d6, medium use d8. So far so good. Then there are two level 1 elite monsters. Both small. They have respectively 4 and 5 hit die.
Level 2 monsters:
There are 3 level 2 monsters which (correctly?) have 2 hit dice. The small monsters still use d6 and medium use d8. Then there is a level 2 solo, which is large. It has 7 hit dice, and uses d10.
Okay, so far, looks like 1 HD per level, d6 if small, d8 if medium, d10 if large. And you add 5? HD if it's a solo. Okay, sounds decent.
Level 3 monsters:
One level 3 monster has 1 HD. Another two level 3 monsters have 2 HD. Yet another has 3 HD. We also have two level 3 elite monsters with 4 HD, two elite level 3 monsters with 6 HD and tthree level 3 elite monster with 5 HD.
Okay, no long sure there is a system. Still follows the 1d6/1d8/1d10 spread depending on size, but otherwise, I am at a loss.
Level 4 monsters:
One level 4 monster has 3 HD. One has 5 HD. One level 4 elite has 5 HD and another level 4 elite has 6 HD.
Level 5 monsters:
One level 5 has 2 HD(!!!), another has 3 HD, and the level 5 elite has 7 HD. Still following the size HD-rule though.
Level 6 monsters:
The level 6 monster has 4 HD and the level 6 elite has 7 HD. Still following the size HD-rule though.
So, what does it all mean? I am not sure. I like the d6/d8/d10/d12(?) HD depending on size, makes sense. However, it would make total sense if a regular monster had 1 HD per level. Apparently that is not the case. Then an elite monster would have twice that, and a solo 4 times that? Or perhaps that is too much. Perhaps the "modifier" should be different, an elite monster having *0,5 HD extra and a solo 2* HD. I do however expect a fixed modifier. Right now things seem arbitrary. Maybe it is the result of the monsters not being the focus of the playtest, or maybe it's because levels and such have been changed so many times they lost track of what needed to be edited. Either way, I hope we soon get some more info about how to build monsters in dndnext.
fredag den 17. august 2012
5th session: The Oracle
4th moon, 5th day, year 4553
After being barely surviving the fireball attack, the brothers return home to the T'orgh Palace in a hurry.
4th Moon, 6th day, year 4553
As they return to Scumtown, they run into R'azz who warns them that Red Skulls are not happy about the damage to their property as the Lusty Maid is on their territory. The brothers decide to square things with the innkeeper of the Lusty Maid, by giving him 140 gold for information. 140 gold is oddly enough exactly the cost of the damages to the inn from the fireball.
Ukerin head over to Al'zar, the wizard who identified their magical items, and pay him to learn Charm Person.
They then return to the T'orgh Palace to sleep.
4th Moon, 7th day, year 4553
The T'orghs return to Scumtown, and Raheem ousts some goblins from an appartment on the opposite side of the street from the Shadowknives' HQ/inn. From the window, Ukerin charms an orc, and then slips down and across, magically disguised as an orc, catching the charmed orc outside. He learns that Griark, an orc shaman is the leader, along with with the big Orog. Griark is the one who is on the lookout for the oracle, and it was also him that sent the T'orghs a "message". On the way back, the T'orghs hook up with R'azz and tell him about the oracle. As it happens, he knows exactly who the oracle is, and for an audience with their father, he agrees to show them.
Unfortunately, when they arrive on site, the orc family who had cared for the human girl and smuggled her into Menzo, are all dead.
A quick interrogation of nearby neighbors reveal that she was taken by orcs. It must have been the Shadowknives. Raheem attempts the impossible, and manages to find their tracks, thus figuring out which way they are heading back to Shadowknife territory.
The T'orghs run ahead, and ambush the orcs. Ukerin plows down a lot with a lightning bolt from the wand, while the others take care of the rest. The orc holding the girl escapes, and Raheem puts an arrow through his neck, but unfortunately, he falls over, landing on the little girl. Nalfein heals her, and at the same time, the Orog arrives with more orcs and quickly, both Tagar and Ukerin are dying on the ground from the orog's greatsword. Raheem manages to kill off the orog, and after Nalfein heals Tagar, they grab the loot (a bit of gold, a nice greatsword and a wand) they drag Ukerin back to the palace.
4th Moon, 8th day, year 4553
While at the palace, R'azz is introduced to father, and Ukerin gets back on his feet. The T'orghs decide to finish off the Shadowknives, and in the wee hours of the morning, they head back to the inn.
There they find about 10 orcs, which they quickly deal with. In the backroom they find a big hole in the ground. It seems there is a buried temple beneath the inn!
After being barely surviving the fireball attack, the brothers return home to the T'orgh Palace in a hurry.
4th Moon, 6th day, year 4553
As they return to Scumtown, they run into R'azz who warns them that Red Skulls are not happy about the damage to their property as the Lusty Maid is on their territory. The brothers decide to square things with the innkeeper of the Lusty Maid, by giving him 140 gold for information. 140 gold is oddly enough exactly the cost of the damages to the inn from the fireball.
Ukerin head over to Al'zar, the wizard who identified their magical items, and pay him to learn Charm Person.
They then return to the T'orgh Palace to sleep.
4th Moon, 7th day, year 4553
The T'orghs return to Scumtown, and Raheem ousts some goblins from an appartment on the opposite side of the street from the Shadowknives' HQ/inn. From the window, Ukerin charms an orc, and then slips down and across, magically disguised as an orc, catching the charmed orc outside. He learns that Griark, an orc shaman is the leader, along with with the big Orog. Griark is the one who is on the lookout for the oracle, and it was also him that sent the T'orghs a "message". On the way back, the T'orghs hook up with R'azz and tell him about the oracle. As it happens, he knows exactly who the oracle is, and for an audience with their father, he agrees to show them.
Unfortunately, when they arrive on site, the orc family who had cared for the human girl and smuggled her into Menzo, are all dead.
A quick interrogation of nearby neighbors reveal that she was taken by orcs. It must have been the Shadowknives. Raheem attempts the impossible, and manages to find their tracks, thus figuring out which way they are heading back to Shadowknife territory.
The T'orghs run ahead, and ambush the orcs. Ukerin plows down a lot with a lightning bolt from the wand, while the others take care of the rest. The orc holding the girl escapes, and Raheem puts an arrow through his neck, but unfortunately, he falls over, landing on the little girl. Nalfein heals her, and at the same time, the Orog arrives with more orcs and quickly, both Tagar and Ukerin are dying on the ground from the orog's greatsword. Raheem manages to kill off the orog, and after Nalfein heals Tagar, they grab the loot (a bit of gold, a nice greatsword and a wand) they drag Ukerin back to the palace.
4th Moon, 8th day, year 4553
While at the palace, R'azz is introduced to father, and Ukerin gets back on his feet. The T'orghs decide to finish off the Shadowknives, and in the wee hours of the morning, they head back to the inn.
There they find about 10 orcs, which they quickly deal with. In the backroom they find a big hole in the ground. It seems there is a buried temple beneath the inn!
torsdag den 9. august 2012
Cosmology
But there is something else. The Multiverse. There, but not really there, shifted out of sync with Era and the Universe, there is a place of fantastic locations filled with horrors, wonders and creatures of all kinds. This is where demons, devils, gods, the souls of the dead and much much more live out their endless eternities.
The Multiverse is an everchanging place, created by the fuel that is the souls of Era, a place where belief holds supreme, and where power and will can control the very earth and air around you. It is, by mortal standards a weird place to understand, and some areas are completely beyond the grasp of mortal comprehension.
The Multiverse is best described as a gigantic sea of astral stuff, infinite but yet finite. Two great continents oppose each other, the Seven Heavens and the Eleven Hells. In between those two infinite continents is the equally infinite Astral Sea. Souls float through the Astral Sea, but it is also possible to travel it by means of special-made ships. Technically, you can swim or rather fly through it as well, if you are incapable of tiring, because the voyage will likely be very long, and the hazards many.
The infinite Astral Sea is filled with islands, or dominions if you will (others call them planes or even realms). There are an infinite number of these, and they come in all sizes. Some infinite in themselves, others have finite borders, some are even as small as houses. Some disappear after a couple of years, others have been there always.
The most known of these islands (or realms) are:
The Underworld: This infinite dominion is where the dead souls of Era go to sit in judgement by the Raven Queen. After dieing, a soul breaches the Veil (the barrier between Era and the Underworld) and ends up in the Astral Sea. From there, it begins it's journey to the Underworld, to be judged and placed for eternity. The Raven Queen herself rarely participates in the judgement per say, and instead the Queen of queens has a bureaucracy to take care of all the mortal souls. Each soul is examined and weighed, seeing where he would fit the best. Every act a mortal has made during his lifetime is taken into consideration. The Psychomania, (The battle for man's soul) is always the fiercest here. The Underworld has no sun, caught in a perpetual state of twillight, and while you do not die from going there, almost everyone who goes there is already dead, on the way to be judged, or simply there, serving the Raven Queen for eternity.
The Casino: One of the smaller dominions, about the size of a small town, the Casino is the home of none other than Mask, one of Era's nine gods. Why he has chosen this very small dominion baffles many sages, but knowing what Mask stands for, there is surely a reason they haven't figured out. The focal point of the Casino is the House, a huge building where every type of gambling and vice can be satisfied. It is also a safe, neutral ground, where both angels and demons rubs shoulders. Be warned however, the immortals have no use for coin, and rarely bet for gold or gems. Instead, souls, memories, futures, children and many other things are at stake here. Some have even claimed that once in a while, Mask himself plays against those who have defied the odds and won extraordinarily many games, with nothing less than his godhood at stake, against the life of his opponent. Needless to say, no one has beat Mask yet. The Casino has a few gates to various establishments on Era. Noone knows for sure how many.
The Eternal Bazaar: Just like the Casino, the Eternal Bazaar is a relatively small dominion where neutrality rules with an iron fist, making it possible to encounter both agents of ultimate good and evil. No one knows who is in charge of The Eternal Bazaar. There are no laws, and thus a_n_y_t_h_i_n_g can be bought or sold. But fighting is forbidden and struck down quickly by intelligent golems (called Pacifiers) that teleport in whenever trouble starts. The Bazaar is basically just a huge, city-sized marketplace, where you can buy anything. Inns abound as well, since those trading rarely stay just a day or two. Even though you can buy anything, it can be a challenge to find what you need to buy, or a seller to buy your goods. Short of magic, patience and heavy use of market-scouts (people who make it their business to be well-informed about other people's needs) are the only ways to get a deal done. Traders from all over the Multiverse come here with their goods, and sell them, and with the no fighting rule, you could have to deal with a mind-flayer or a celestial angel.
The Three Pillars of Order: Assuming that the Seven Heavens and the Eleven Hells are on a north-south axis (although there is no such thing as north and south in the Astral Sea), then The Pillars are located far to the west. Rising out of the Sea, these enormous pillars are said to have been there since before Creation, before the gods arrived. Moradin lives here, with his followers and other creatures of Order, working on the laws of the universe and such. Moradin lives on the top of the central pillar, and according to some angels, he can gaze at the world from the top of the tower, seeing everything that happens in the Multiverse. The Pillars themselves are divided in an infinite number of floors, each with corridors, rooms, halls and much more, precisely arranged and built for whatever purpose said part serves. Maps of each floor are plentiful, and you move between the floors by using gargantuan elevators that go to where you need to go in the blink of an eye.
The Elemental Chaos: If the Pillars of Order are to the west, then the Elemental Chaos is to the east. The Elemental Chaos is the raw material of creation, that from which the universe was made. Perhaps the only thing older than the Pillars of Order and mostly untouched by outside influence, the Elemental Chaos is a roiling tempest of matter and energy. All the elements can be found here and despite the chaos, sometimes areas coalesce into shapes and terrain, but most of the time, much of the Elemental Chaos resembles a stormy sea of churning destruction. On the edge of the Elemental Chaos, you can find the greatest city in the Multiverse, the City of Brass. A city whose size dwarfs all metropolises elsewhere, the City of Brass is home to perhaps the most cruel, brutal and intelligent race in the Multiverse, the Efreeti. From there, the noble houses of the Efreetii raid the Multiverse for gold and slaves to finance their eternal powerstruggle to impress their Sultan.
The Faerie: Some call it the Feywild, some call it Elfland but the real name is the Faerie. As of the of the few dominions that are in direct conjunction with Era, it is the one we know the most about. Plenty of gates exist, and it is thus the "easiest" way to access the Multiverse. Of course, this does not mean that the Faerie is not a dangerous place, because it is very much so, despite it being a place of beauty. Above ground rule the Kings and Queens of the Faerie folk, and they are very capricious and careless about humans. Below ground rule the formorians, one-eyed giants infused with magical powers and sadistic madness. Being without souls, the fey have no stake in the Psychomachia, other than perhaps selling those that have a soul to the devils or the angels. And if the fey folk were not enough to have to contend with, you need to account for the dominion itself. Time flows differently in the Faerie, sometimes grinding to an halt, sometimes speeding up so much that you will be meeting up with your loved one's grand-grand-daughter instead of reuniting with the love you left behind before venturing into the land of the fey.
The Dread Realm: The Dread Realm is a place of eternal twillight, a place of no colors, a place of desolation and despair. Imagine an endless world made of large rocks and mountains, with no plants, no water, no sun, no animals and most of all, no living beings at all. Here lives only those that do not need to feed, those that could not find a place elsewhere, even in the Underworld. Here comes those that did not believe in anything, in anyone, to torment each other for eternity. Visitors are advised to be armed, powerful and get out as fast as possible. No one survives there for long.
The Seven Heavens: In some ways, the Seven Heavens remind a lot of the Faerie. They are both beautiful places, filled with beautiful people. But where the Faerie is an endless forest of serene meadows and wild streams, the Seven Heavens incorporate every type of terrain and a far wider range of creatures. Also, in the Seven Heavens, you are never cold, hot, wet nor hungry. You always feel well, and you are never sick. or The Seven Heavens are, as per the name, divided into seven realms, seven hills (as in, the terrain goes upwards) of sorts, each ruled by either a god or an archangel. At the top of each hill sits the capital and palace of that realm. The seven realms and their respective rulers are as follows: Nirvana (Mika'el), Arcadia (Ra'fael), Elysium (Ga'briel), Olympus, Arvandor (Corellon), Celestia (Bahamut) and Hestavar (Pelor).
The Eleven Hells: The first thing that hits you when you enter the home of devils and demons, is the heat. While it is not a heat that kills, it is a very unconfortable to spend much time. And as if the heat wasn't enough, nature (if you can call it that) itself seems to want to kill you. Rocks are razor sharp, clouds rain acid, lightning storms kill and destroy everything in sight and the water is poisonous. As the Seven Heavens, the Eleven Hells are divide into eleven realms of their own. Each realm is a series of underground caves, where devils and demons live in shelter of the lightning storms and acid rains of the barren above. Each realm is widely different, but one thing they do have in common, is that they each have a god, an archdevil or a demon lord in charge and their capital is found in the deepest part of the caves. The eleven realms and rulers are as follows: Pandemonium (Dispater), Tarterus (Bel), Hades (Asmodeus), Gehenna (Mephistopheles), Avernus (Tiamat), Acheron (Mammon), Chernoggar (Bane), Tytherion, Azzagrat (Grazz't), Thanatos (Orcus) and The Abyss (Demogorgon).
The Far Beyond: The Far Beyond is actually not a part of the Astral Sea. It is instead another dimension altogether, wrapped all around the Multiverse. It is said to be a place that defies even godly logic and comprehension, that here rules creatures taken from the nightmares of gods, and should they ever open a portal to the Multiverse, it would be the end of it. It is a place that can not be accessed by mortal means. Some sages speculate that is can somehow be reached via the infinite space that surrounds Era, but no one has managed to prove this yet. While no human, dwarf or elf has ever returned from The Far Beyond, the dimension of madness sometimes spills over, slips through cracks of reality and touches men, women, monsters and beasts. Those that are only grazed by madness incarnate only lose their mind, while those that are truly touched become something else. Mind-flayers, beholders, aboleths and foulspawns are all products of various creatures who once was something else, before they were touched by the madness of the Far Beyond.
onsdag den 8. august 2012
Scumtown
You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy.While the quote above could certainly apply to all of Menzo, it is perhaps even more true when talking about Scumtown, the humanoid ghetto of Menzo. Located in the south-east corner of the dark elf city, Scumtown is a claustrophobic place, due to it's narrow streets, the 3-4 stories buildings everywhere and the fact that 20.000 orcs, goblins and other assorted races live here, on a very, very small area. There are literally people everywhere, and it is hard to walk down a smaller street without constantly bumping into people, without constantly being accosted by vendors, beggars and whores.
Scumtown is filled with noises, with smells. It is a place where you can almost taste the struggle of every soul you find there, you can almost hear the anguish in people's voices. This is where all the humanoid slaves of Menzo go, when they are not working the fields or killing for the noble houses. It is a brutal place, as the dark elven masters care little what happens to their slaves. After all, there are plenty to go around, and should they need it, they can always get more.
While there are no dark elven guards in Scumtown, at least not on a regular basis, that doesn't mean the dark elf masters do not know what goes on down there. Their iron grip is as tight as ever on the lesser races. But yet, they allow for three guilds of sorts to control the day-to-day rutines of Scumtown.
The Nightravens, The Red Skulls and The Shadowknives all fight for supremacy in Scumtown. And they do it brutally and without mercy. No one has dared oppose them, and no one interferes with their brutal way of life.
4th session: Scumtown
3rd Moon, 30th day, year 4553
After dispensing of the orcs, the T'orgh brothers tried to find the tracks of the dark elf who had disappeared, but with no luck. So instead, they continued their journey south, towards Menzo.
4th Moon, 1st day, year 4553
As they travel south, Ukerin suddenly senses that they are under magical scrutiny. When he tells the others, Nalfein mentions he noticed something similar some days ago.
4th Moon, 2nd day, year 4553
Almost arrived at Menzo, they are ambushed by some dark elves. The fight is short and brutal, and ends with the T'orghs having a captive, courtesy of Ukerin's Sleep spell. They try to get him to talk, but to no avail, and decide to take him to the T'orgh Palace, so that he can be properly questioned. One of the dead dark elves has a wand on him.
The T'orghs move on, and soon after, Ukerin notices again that someone is spying magically on them. Doesn't help much, but an hour later, they are again ambushed by some dark elves seemingly unrelated to any of the noble houses. Once again, the fight is quick and brutal, and while Ukerin is floored, the others manage to deal with the attacking dark elves. One of the dark elves has a warhammer on him.
Later, they arrive to Menzo, and once at the palace, they send the prisoner away to the dungeon.
They then hurry over to see their father, High Priest Venar. He is pleased that they resolved the goblin incident as he wanted, and is very curious about the 3 scrolls and the magical markings when shown by Nalfein. Venar decides to keep them, to find out what they are. The brothers are told that they are now worthy of getting their insignias enchanted. Then they are dismissed.
4th Moon, 3rd day, year 4553
The T'orghs head down to Scumtown, in order to find a discreet mage that can identify their new items. They simply do not trust their uncle or any of his underlings enough. They also want to see if maybe someone call tell them about the map and buy their gem and their art object.
After looking about around in the chaos that is Scumtown, they run into a dark elf named R'azz, who offers to help them. After trying a bit on their own and not coming up with anything, they decide to see what happens and follow him. He leads them to the home of Al'zar, and his pet goblin Goff.
They pay him 300 gold to identify the 3 items, and wait while he does so. It turns out to be:
- Shortsword +1
- Warhammer +3
- Wand of Lightning with 78 charges
Meanwhile, they have also had the time to check out the last two scrolls:
- Scroll protection from acid
- Scroll protection from gas
They head home, and find out that their cousin, Mistress Quira, has had her hands on the prisoner, and he has admitted that he was sent by House Mizzrym.
They briefly talk with Re'var about the map, but since it doesn't fall under his areas of expertise, he recommends they visit one of the 3 "independent" sages in Menzo and see if one of them can help them. He tells them to visit Zyr'kha
4th Moon, 4th day, year 4553
Zyr'kha, who resides in a small tower between House Tuin and House Jhalavar, turns out to be a young, arrogant and dirty female. She does quickly find out that Arthur the Ox is a human nickname for Aru'tha Argith, a former Weaponsmaster for House Argith. He died in 4402, before the map was made. He was a hero of the last war, the nickname given as a testament to his size and prowess in battle. She tells them that the map probably starts at his grave. Unfortunately, it is not widely known where it is, and asking House Argith probably won't do much good. She could probably find out where it is located, but that would take a month and cost them more than 3000 gold. Instead she recommends that they visit Zz'arc, one of the other sages. He knows more of such matters.
As it turns out, he doesn't know either, but he can probably find out in about 10 days. The T'orghs decline for now.
The same evening, once back at the T'orgh Palace, they are summoned by their father. He has had a vision from Asmodeus, and there is now an oracle in Menzo, somewhere in Scumtown. He doesn't know what form this oracle takes, it could be everything from a newborn babe, to an old man, to a goblin. He wants the brothers to head down and find the oracle. Without attracting any undue attention to the House.
4th Moon, 5th day, year 4553
So the next morning, the brothers head back to Scumtown. They ask around a bit, but with little luck. Then Ukerin tries again, this time magically disguised as an orc, and he learns that someone in the Shadow Knives talked about an oracle not one day ago. They quickly find R'azz at the Lusty Maiden where he normally hangs out. He tells them to be vary. Scumtown is under the control of 3 guilds, the Nightravens (run by a trio of bugbears), the Red Skulls (run by a hobgoblin) and the Shadow Knives (run by an orog), and not much happens without their knowledge or agreement.
The brothers decide to head down to the Shadowknives' HQ, an inn called the Green Hare. Going in, they find themselves starred down by 20-ish orcs. Nalfein loudly proclaims that the brothers want access to the oracle, and that they are willing to pay for it, hoping that at least one of the lesser creatures will feel tempted. They quickly return to the Lusty Maiden and await.
And the wait is not long. After about 30 minutes or so, as they sit and get a drink, someone tosses a Fireball into the Lusty Inn. Ukerin manages to turn the table to protect himself, but still almost dies. Nalfein survives the blast and quickly heals Tagar so that he doesn't die a crispy death.
After dispensing of the orcs, the T'orgh brothers tried to find the tracks of the dark elf who had disappeared, but with no luck. So instead, they continued their journey south, towards Menzo.
4th Moon, 1st day, year 4553
As they travel south, Ukerin suddenly senses that they are under magical scrutiny. When he tells the others, Nalfein mentions he noticed something similar some days ago.
4th Moon, 2nd day, year 4553
Almost arrived at Menzo, they are ambushed by some dark elves. The fight is short and brutal, and ends with the T'orghs having a captive, courtesy of Ukerin's Sleep spell. They try to get him to talk, but to no avail, and decide to take him to the T'orgh Palace, so that he can be properly questioned. One of the dead dark elves has a wand on him.
The T'orghs move on, and soon after, Ukerin notices again that someone is spying magically on them. Doesn't help much, but an hour later, they are again ambushed by some dark elves seemingly unrelated to any of the noble houses. Once again, the fight is quick and brutal, and while Ukerin is floored, the others manage to deal with the attacking dark elves. One of the dark elves has a warhammer on him.
Later, they arrive to Menzo, and once at the palace, they send the prisoner away to the dungeon.
They then hurry over to see their father, High Priest Venar. He is pleased that they resolved the goblin incident as he wanted, and is very curious about the 3 scrolls and the magical markings when shown by Nalfein. Venar decides to keep them, to find out what they are. The brothers are told that they are now worthy of getting their insignias enchanted. Then they are dismissed.
4th Moon, 3rd day, year 4553
The T'orghs head down to Scumtown, in order to find a discreet mage that can identify their new items. They simply do not trust their uncle or any of his underlings enough. They also want to see if maybe someone call tell them about the map and buy their gem and their art object.
After looking about around in the chaos that is Scumtown, they run into a dark elf named R'azz, who offers to help them. After trying a bit on their own and not coming up with anything, they decide to see what happens and follow him. He leads them to the home of Al'zar, and his pet goblin Goff.
They pay him 300 gold to identify the 3 items, and wait while he does so. It turns out to be:
- Shortsword +1
- Warhammer +3
- Wand of Lightning with 78 charges
Meanwhile, they have also had the time to check out the last two scrolls:
- Scroll protection from acid
- Scroll protection from gas
They head home, and find out that their cousin, Mistress Quira, has had her hands on the prisoner, and he has admitted that he was sent by House Mizzrym.
They briefly talk with Re'var about the map, but since it doesn't fall under his areas of expertise, he recommends they visit one of the 3 "independent" sages in Menzo and see if one of them can help them. He tells them to visit Zyr'kha
4th Moon, 4th day, year 4553
Zyr'kha, who resides in a small tower between House Tuin and House Jhalavar, turns out to be a young, arrogant and dirty female. She does quickly find out that Arthur the Ox is a human nickname for Aru'tha Argith, a former Weaponsmaster for House Argith. He died in 4402, before the map was made. He was a hero of the last war, the nickname given as a testament to his size and prowess in battle. She tells them that the map probably starts at his grave. Unfortunately, it is not widely known where it is, and asking House Argith probably won't do much good. She could probably find out where it is located, but that would take a month and cost them more than 3000 gold. Instead she recommends that they visit Zz'arc, one of the other sages. He knows more of such matters.
As it turns out, he doesn't know either, but he can probably find out in about 10 days. The T'orghs decline for now.
The same evening, once back at the T'orgh Palace, they are summoned by their father. He has had a vision from Asmodeus, and there is now an oracle in Menzo, somewhere in Scumtown. He doesn't know what form this oracle takes, it could be everything from a newborn babe, to an old man, to a goblin. He wants the brothers to head down and find the oracle. Without attracting any undue attention to the House.
4th Moon, 5th day, year 4553
So the next morning, the brothers head back to Scumtown. They ask around a bit, but with little luck. Then Ukerin tries again, this time magically disguised as an orc, and he learns that someone in the Shadow Knives talked about an oracle not one day ago. They quickly find R'azz at the Lusty Maiden where he normally hangs out. He tells them to be vary. Scumtown is under the control of 3 guilds, the Nightravens (run by a trio of bugbears), the Red Skulls (run by a hobgoblin) and the Shadow Knives (run by an orog), and not much happens without their knowledge or agreement.
The brothers decide to head down to the Shadowknives' HQ, an inn called the Green Hare. Going in, they find themselves starred down by 20-ish orcs. Nalfein loudly proclaims that the brothers want access to the oracle, and that they are willing to pay for it, hoping that at least one of the lesser creatures will feel tempted. They quickly return to the Lusty Maiden and await.
And the wait is not long. After about 30 minutes or so, as they sit and get a drink, someone tosses a Fireball into the Lusty Inn. Ukerin manages to turn the table to protect himself, but still almost dies. Nalfein survives the blast and quickly heals Tagar so that he doesn't die a crispy death.
fredag den 3. august 2012
House T'orgh
The T'orgh House holds a significant number of nobles (around 35), and more than 110 drow swear allegiance to it. The T'orgh nobles have about 600 orcs and goblins to use as cannon fodder, if need be.
The T'orgh House used to be much more powerful, but in the war against the humans, many of it's most powerful nobles died at the hands of the humans. Especially Venar lost a lot, including more than 6 high priest sons and several brothers. The T'orgh House has just not been the same since then.
But they are slowly getting there. With Venars almost surreal ability to produce sons (he has had more than 21 sons and no daughters over the years) it is but a question of time before House T'orgh makes a bid for a higher position in the Council. Unless someone manages to stop them, of course.High Priest Venar - Your father and the head of House T'orgh. Old beyond measure, even for dark elves, Venar is a devoted cleric, a high priest of Asmodeus. Always dressed in the high priest robes, the one-eyed patriarch looks almost fragile, with his bony hands and thining hair. But he is still the leader, and no one has dared challenge him for supremacy of the House for hundreds of years.
Brother Hu'ar - The eldest living son of Venar, and your eldest brother. Hu'ar is 252 years old, a cleric of Asmodeus, soon to be High Priest, if he passes the test. Hu'ar is calm and merciless, and thought to be a fitting crown prince of the House, even though his rise through the ranks of Asmodeus in way no has been spectacular. He is not afraid to speak his mind, but never goes against the wishes of High Priest Venar.
Brother Ty'var - The secondboy, second eldest son of Venar. Ty'var is 227 years old, a priest of Asmodeus. While considered a great talent when he was young, Ty'var has never achieved the heights that were expected of him, and is thus no where near becoming a high priest. Ty'var is youthful and energetic, and even though he is certainly no saint, he always manages to act friendly. The only of your brothers that have ever had time for you. Whispers in the kitchens say that Ty'var is afraid of power, that he can not hack it.
Brother Re'var - Third in line to take over the mantle of Venar, most agree it would be the end of House T'orgh as a House on the Council if disaster struck and left him in charge. Barely approaching 200 years, Re'var has always been split between the divine call of Asmodeus and the arcane studies. While he is certainly knowledgable, Re'var clearly prefers the company of books over that of other dark elves and the scheming that comes along with being a noble of House T'orgh. Re'var spends much more time with We'kar than with his father, High Priest Venar.
Ze'kar - The youngest of the eldest, Ze'kar is something of a nutbolt. Considered amongst the most promising of his generation, he is 128 years old, still fresh out of the Temple, but is already making a bit of a name for himself. Then again, the fact that he removed his own eye, just to be more like Venar does say a lot about it. He is utterly fanatic about Asmodeus and his teachings, even to a point where few other priests and High Priests not always follow. He is said to know all of Asmodeus' sayings by heart, all 666. He should soon become a Brother of Asmodeus, according to gossip.
Aside from those, there are 6 more children, named Tagar, Nalfein, Taluzik, Raheem, Ukerin and ??. These boys are fresh out from the academies, and although they show great potential, they are still too weak to spend time on describing ;)
Master Wizard We'kar - Youngest but only living brother of High Priest Venar, We'kar is the unchallenged Master Wizard of House T'orgh and has been for a number of years. A bit more than 450 years old, he oversees all wizards and all things magical. He rarely leaves his chambers and even more rarely speaks, at least outside of the arcane wing of the T'orgh palace. Many consider him to be a parrot, always agreeing and doing the bidding of High Priest Venar, but no one in the house can match him when it comes to arcane power.
Brother Hsi'ra - At 354 years, he is the eldest of Master We'kar sons, Hsi'ra still some time away from becoming High Priest, although he is significantly older than all of Venars living sons, a fact that plagues him to no end. The very short dark elf with the red-dyed hair feels he should be next in line for the position as head of House T'orgh.
Brother Zamal - 321 years old, the second son of We'kar is also older than all the sons of Venar, but he has never shown the same want for power as Hsi'ra. In fact, he rarely if ever shows any emotions. Completely dispassionated, he does as he is told, without ever showing how he feels - about anything.
Brother Tooraj - Almost 300 years old, Tooraj once was a rabid follower of Asmodeus, but he had radical ideas, preaching co-existance with the drow, allying with them against the humans. Rumor has it that Asmodeus foresook him, left him with no magical powers. That turned Tooraj around, and for 101 years, he fasted and prayed in solitary to regain the trust of his one and only love. At last, Asmodeus relented, and Tooraj could once again call himself a cleric of Asmodeus. But the 101 years had taken it toll on the dark elf, and he was never quite the same afterwards.
Ra'jyk - Still considered a young dark elf at 200 years old, Ra'jyk is the public shame of Master We'kar. A son that failed the initiation as cleric, and opted to become a fighter instead. Regarded as dumb, Ra'jyk has none the less showed some aptitude for fighting. Unfortunately, for House T'orgh, he is constantly getting into trouble, as he often hangs out down in Scumtown, with cheap whores and questionable characters, not fit for the company of a noble dark elf.
Sister Ya'lira - The eldest daughter of We'kar, Ya'lira is the twin of Ra'jyk. But where Ra'jyk is almost considered a failure, no one denies the skills of Ya'lira. If she had been a male, she would soon be a High Priest of Asmodeus. Unfortunately for her, she isn't so she will be stuck as Priestess Ya'lira until the day she dies. Which could be soon, as many of the males of House T'orgh are jealous of her magical power.
Vanae - Second daughter of We'kar, Vanae is 180 years old and already an accomplished fighter. In fact, she is so good that she is second in charge of the fighters of House T'orgh. Along with Weaponmaster Ghi'raz, she oversee the training of all dark elves, along with the protection of the T'orgh Palace, overseeing both the dark elves and the orcs and goblins.
Mistress Quira - Third daughter of We'kar, Quira is 156 years old, and a very skilled mage. She is also a sadistic bitch, who enjoys torturing anyone. Whether it be with magic or physical utensils, Mistress Quira will get info out of a prisoner, if there is any information to be had.
Master Wizard We'kar is blessed with a lot of children, and aside from those mentioned above, there is also (in descending order of age) Viz'kar (wizard), Ra'mok (wizard), Zi'na (fighter, female), T'kar (cleric), D'zar (priest), Ri'quol (cleric), Vis'quar (cleric) and Quy'gg (cleric). While not fresh out of the Academies, these nephews and nieces of High Priest Venar are not powerful enough to approach getting a title. There are also 9 grandchildren (6 males, 3 female), but they are currently still at the academies or just out of it, and do not warrant mention at the time.
A little information about the titles.
Cleric/priest: At 7th level, you can earn the title of Brother (or Sister). This is not an automatic thing, you need pass the test set by the Temple and are found worthy by Asmodeus. Using the title without having earned it, is ground for immediate death, no matter whom you are lying to. At 14th level, you can become a high priest of Asmodeus. Once again, there is a test. Females may never become high priestesses.
Wizard/mage: At 7th level, you automatically earn the title of Master (Mistress) if you can prove your skill to the Tower and the Tower Master. At 14th level, you become Master Wizard (if you are male).
Figher (and other martial characters): There is no officiall rank, aside from the one held by the Weaponmaster. Fighters who are also noble are usually called Lord or Lady, the same title you use to adress a noble you do not know the real title off. Not using the correct title when known, is a griveous insult. High Priests wear special robes, as do Brothers of Asmodeus. Wizards are a little harder to know on sight.
onsdag den 1. august 2012
3rd session: The 3 scrolls
3rd Moon, 22nd day, year 4553
After taking a short rest, the T'orghs moved out and back towards the entrance. Unfortunately, they hit a pit trap almost immediately after leaving the room, a pit trap into which Tagar fell, because the others couldn't hold on to the rope he was holding. Hitting the floor 20' below, Tagar was knocked unconscious, so Taluzik had to climb down and get use his divinely granted healing to get him back on his feet.
Continuing on, the T'orghs made sure to walk the same side of the corridors as they had the first time. They soon got back to the entrance, where they decided to explore what was behind the closed door. It turned out to be a sort of mausoleum. When Taluzik opened the sarcophagus in the middle, a ghoul sprang up and hit him, sending him paralyzed to the ground. Nalfein tried to command the undead, but failed. Maybe this dungeon prevented the command of the undead inside? Luckily for the T'orghs, Tagar and Raheem (who by now was very adept at fighting undead) took care of the undead, and soon it lay on the floor, even more dead. Our anti-heroes found a small statue along with some scrolls.
After Tazulik awoke, the T'orghs moved south and west, and found some sleeping quarters, with nothing interesting in them. Not satisfied with the haul and sure there had to be more to this dungeon, they searched the mausoleum again, and managed to move the sarcophagus, revealing a hidden staircase down. Down there, they found a statue of Asmodeus, holding a scroll-case (see other post) and a wall full of big magical markings.
While Nalfein and Ukerin tried to find out what the markings were about, the other 3 took upon themselves to search the dungeon again, for secret doors and comparments. They found one, with an old, but clearly magical short-sword in it. Tagar quickly claimed said sword.
In order to find out more about the markings, the T'orghs decided to rest there, and try some magical stuff the next day.
3rd Moon, 23rd day, year 4553
After resting up, Ukerin tried to used Read Magic to decipher the markings on the wall, but to no avail. They were definitely magical, but he was no longer sure they were even arcane - and not divine either, according to Nalfein. But they did bear quite a few similarities with those two types of magic. Maybe it was something older, something else. In either case, they would have to settle for not knowing. They made a copy of the markings to bring with them. Nalfein kept the scroll-case, although Uterin argued that it should be left there.
3rd Moon, 24th day, year 4553
The next morning, the dark elves left the dungeon, climbed out of the ravine, and headed straight for the goblin camp.
3rd Moon, 25th day, year 4553
Late evening, after a couple of days of travelling with no significant encounters, the T'orghs arrived at Farlang's goblin camp. There they learned that the water was indeed drinkable, and they punished Rot for leaving combat. Rasheem killed him in combat, once Rot refused to be executed.
3rd Moon, 28th day, year 4553
After about 3 days of travelling south towards Menzo, the T'orghs ran into an ogre dragging around a half-rotten goblin. The ogre died quick enough, and on it, they found a large gem.
3rd Moon, 29th day, year 4553
Later the same night, as Tagar was on watch, the T'orghs were suddenly ambushed by 6-7 goblins. While they were able to dispatch the goblins with only minor casualties, the brothers were quite a bit in shock. Goblins who attacked dark elves??!!? The fact that these goblins bore markings that the T'orghs were pretty sure belonged to no local tribe did make it easier for it to make just a little sense, but still...
3rd Moon, 30th day, year 4553
As the dark elves were about to make camp, Tagar spotted some smoke rising from a couple of hundred yards away. They decided to go check it out, and found a lone figure in cloak in the middle of making garlic chicken. His horse was a bit off, tied to a tree. A short but hushed debated and the T'orghs decided to hit hard and fast. Ukerin tried to open with Sleep, but the lone figure heard him, and swiftly reacted by throwing daggers at him, putting him out of combat. The others were about to attack at the red-haired human, when he in elven said: Friend of House Argith. That put a damper on their killing lust, and a truce was reached. Thomas, as his name was, was apparently a merchant dealing in information, and on the way to Menzo with info for House Argith. He offered them to eat, and apologized for planting two daggers in their wizard, but the T'orghs did not want to eat with him.
The next morning, the T'orghs continued on their journey to Menzo. Around mid-day, they heard orcs. Taluzik snuck up, and saw 11 orcs waiting around. Soon it became apparent that they were waiting for a dark elf. He soon appeared and tossed a sack at the feet of the leader orc.
There was 1000 gold in the bag.
After taking a short rest, the T'orghs moved out and back towards the entrance. Unfortunately, they hit a pit trap almost immediately after leaving the room, a pit trap into which Tagar fell, because the others couldn't hold on to the rope he was holding. Hitting the floor 20' below, Tagar was knocked unconscious, so Taluzik had to climb down and get use his divinely granted healing to get him back on his feet.
Continuing on, the T'orghs made sure to walk the same side of the corridors as they had the first time. They soon got back to the entrance, where they decided to explore what was behind the closed door. It turned out to be a sort of mausoleum. When Taluzik opened the sarcophagus in the middle, a ghoul sprang up and hit him, sending him paralyzed to the ground. Nalfein tried to command the undead, but failed. Maybe this dungeon prevented the command of the undead inside? Luckily for the T'orghs, Tagar and Raheem (who by now was very adept at fighting undead) took care of the undead, and soon it lay on the floor, even more dead. Our anti-heroes found a small statue along with some scrolls.
After Tazulik awoke, the T'orghs moved south and west, and found some sleeping quarters, with nothing interesting in them. Not satisfied with the haul and sure there had to be more to this dungeon, they searched the mausoleum again, and managed to move the sarcophagus, revealing a hidden staircase down. Down there, they found a statue of Asmodeus, holding a scroll-case (see other post) and a wall full of big magical markings.
While Nalfein and Ukerin tried to find out what the markings were about, the other 3 took upon themselves to search the dungeon again, for secret doors and comparments. They found one, with an old, but clearly magical short-sword in it. Tagar quickly claimed said sword.
In order to find out more about the markings, the T'orghs decided to rest there, and try some magical stuff the next day.
3rd Moon, 23rd day, year 4553
After resting up, Ukerin tried to used Read Magic to decipher the markings on the wall, but to no avail. They were definitely magical, but he was no longer sure they were even arcane - and not divine either, according to Nalfein. But they did bear quite a few similarities with those two types of magic. Maybe it was something older, something else. In either case, they would have to settle for not knowing. They made a copy of the markings to bring with them. Nalfein kept the scroll-case, although Uterin argued that it should be left there.
3rd Moon, 24th day, year 4553
The next morning, the dark elves left the dungeon, climbed out of the ravine, and headed straight for the goblin camp.
3rd Moon, 25th day, year 4553
Late evening, after a couple of days of travelling with no significant encounters, the T'orghs arrived at Farlang's goblin camp. There they learned that the water was indeed drinkable, and they punished Rot for leaving combat. Rasheem killed him in combat, once Rot refused to be executed.
3rd Moon, 28th day, year 4553
After about 3 days of travelling south towards Menzo, the T'orghs ran into an ogre dragging around a half-rotten goblin. The ogre died quick enough, and on it, they found a large gem.
3rd Moon, 29th day, year 4553
Later the same night, as Tagar was on watch, the T'orghs were suddenly ambushed by 6-7 goblins. While they were able to dispatch the goblins with only minor casualties, the brothers were quite a bit in shock. Goblins who attacked dark elves??!!? The fact that these goblins bore markings that the T'orghs were pretty sure belonged to no local tribe did make it easier for it to make just a little sense, but still...
3rd Moon, 30th day, year 4553
As the dark elves were about to make camp, Tagar spotted some smoke rising from a couple of hundred yards away. They decided to go check it out, and found a lone figure in cloak in the middle of making garlic chicken. His horse was a bit off, tied to a tree. A short but hushed debated and the T'orghs decided to hit hard and fast. Ukerin tried to open with Sleep, but the lone figure heard him, and swiftly reacted by throwing daggers at him, putting him out of combat. The others were about to attack at the red-haired human, when he in elven said: Friend of House Argith. That put a damper on their killing lust, and a truce was reached. Thomas, as his name was, was apparently a merchant dealing in information, and on the way to Menzo with info for House Argith. He offered them to eat, and apologized for planting two daggers in their wizard, but the T'orghs did not want to eat with him.
The next morning, the T'orghs continued on their journey to Menzo. Around mid-day, they heard orcs. Taluzik snuck up, and saw 11 orcs waiting around. Soon it became apparent that they were waiting for a dark elf. He soon appeared and tossed a sack at the feet of the leader orc.
"Here is a 1000 gold pieces my ugly friend. And it's just the start. Are you sure you understand exactly what I want you and your orcs to do? Can you spread the word in time? And remember, if any dark elves in Menzo catches as much as a wiff of this, I might die, but before that, every single orc in Menzo will be sacrifices to the Lord of Light. Bear that in mind, before you even think a second of betraying me."After a bit of talking back and forth, the dark elf left. The T'orghs quickly debated whether to go for the dark elf or not, but decided taking on the orcs. Using Dancing Lights, they lured 4 orcs out in the woods, and dumped Darkness and Sleep on the rest. It was a tight fight, but they managed to kill them all.
There was 1000 gold in the bag.
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