Saturday, December 29, 2012
Warriors of the Empire of the Sun: Epilogue
And so, the campaign comes to a close. Ssevar'nac is able to negotiate with Ethedril (variety of speak with dead), and learns enough about the group to concoct a plan. It's determined that Cast & Marshal do not have a reasonable chance to survive an encounter with a prepared Golden Lord. In addition, the campaign has lasted sufficiently long for a change of pace to be desired, especially as we now have two new players who wish to join.
And so, we have the campaign world fade to black, and I shall begin preparations, including details concerning the rules as they're designed.
Friday, December 28, 2012
Warriors of the Empire of the Sun: Session XX
They level up by this point, and are now level 9.
After having taken the damage, they decide it prudent to turn around and instead head for the capital to heal up the vile damage, and just send Ethedril's cleric to the kobolds. This should take about four or five days, and they pass through a couple small towns with warm welcome. On the third day, they encounter a hamlet that's been holed up as if under siege, and find out they've been attacked by a horde of ninja over the last three days (two attacks thus far, three dead).
Cast and escort travel to pick up the more isolated people who were trying to weather the assault in their cottages, and helps them suit up to leave by morning (~75 of 'em). When morning draws near, a score of Shadowed Hand genin charge, and 15 of the villagers are revealed to be chunnin in disguise in this attack. The party makes quick work of them, three rounds of Marshal's fast healing removing the marks made. Concerned of further treachery, Cast makes sure not a single villager has any weapons, and keeps his weapon readied at them. Once at the castle, the villagers are quarantined, and will be released after the party leaves.
At the castle, they get some information concerning the name they were given on the person who hired the Shadowed Hand to kill them; Ssevar'nac the Golden Lord, Plague Father, Master of Shapes. He is a disgustingly wealthy lord of a node in the Blackened Grove, known for his mastery of shapeshifting, ability to birth monsters, and curse people into all manner of shapes, and is also known to shape corpses (fabricate level) for the Grove's war machine. They get directions and convince the Empress to loan them two hippogriffs so as to swiftly reach the node (with a buff from Chantico), as well as a handful of fireball flasks to deal with swarms.
They travel long hours, but are a mere 10 miles from Ssevar'nac's castle when they make camp. In the middle of the night, Ethedril is awakened to the sound of an old man singing very off-key in some local dialect on a path that will go through the party; and hears him far enough away for Cast to put his armor on and ready a bow. When the old man sees the party, he barely has a chance to register their presence before Cast knocks an arrow and demands that he turn around and go the other way, stating that they are adventurers under siege. Old man, partially apologetically and partially crotchety, states he's just trying to reach a shrine that the party is on the way of; and if he could take his old knees and around far enough out to not be seen by either. Just the act of explaining nearly brings Cast into a rage (the insolence, near as I can tell), which Marshal manages to subdue him enough to not just slay the old man where he stands.
The old man backtracks a bit and takes the long way around the party, mumbling with crotchety annoyance at them and hoping that Ssevar'nac that turns them into stoats. Ethedril can hear this from the distance, which sorta surprises Cast that the old man knows of Ssevar'nac, tempting him to go and kill the obvious spy; Ethedril instead follows the old man to the shrine, which is dedicated to Kiransal. When the old man enters, Ethedril overhears him making confessions, which for Kiransal means confessing of every sin visited upon you; and money is exchanged for karmic vengeance, the party having been mentioned. The priestess inside exits the shrine to deliver the money and prayers to the greater church, who Ethedril sees to be a harpy.
Following the harpy, Ethedril goes awhile without being seen, but is eventually spotted. The harpy asks a question, getting a snarky answer with a hint of danger, so she sings her Captivating Song and Ethedril rolls a natural 1. And so, our drow is lead directly into the Ssevar'nac's estate, and brought before one of the accountants under the guard of two trolls. The harpy is paid and leaves, while the accountant questions Ethedril for a name and reason for being around. Ethedril delays for a short bit, then flies forward to cut the accountant down and attempts to batter a wall down to escape; but is grappled and rended unto death by the two trolls (reach is a powerful thing when you don't otherwise have the edge).
After four hours, Cast and Marshal decide to search for Ethedril, following the old man's tracks. They come upon the shrine with the old man outside and partially on his way away, where Cast demands to know what happened to his travelling companion. The old man states he hasn't a clue (Sense Motive checks state he's telling the truth) but does a short cackle at the idea, which is the last straw for Cast who charges and kills; revealing that the old man was an Obake, a lesser type of human-turned-oni with a bee hive in their hunch (minor shapeshifting hides this).
Marshal enters the shrine to ask the priestess for information, eventually being convinced to pay a small tithing (4gp), where she tells them she will call upon divine wisdom from Kiransal to lead them. She asks for them to follow, where they mount up and do so; Cast tries a few times with his helm of telepathy to start reading her mind, eventually getting through the Will save and finding out that she's leading them to the primary counting house instead of the ancillary because there were two of them.
At the central counting house, there are half a dozen dire vultures in gilded cages with three well-groomed gnolls in fine clothing caretaking the entire room. The floor is covered with ivory white marble expertly cut, the floor otherwise being fairly bare aside from the back end where three japanese-like men in kimonos write notes and keep track of numbers with an abacus, while formian workers work behind them to physically move money at their demand.
The three accountants, looking close enough to be brothers, ask for their names. They are told the full titles, and that the two are seeking Ethedril. Notes are passed to a formian worker, who wanders off with it, and the head accountant tells them to wait a moment for them to receive permission. After a couple minutes, the formian returns with a message, which the accountant reads and informs the party that they can simply enter the palace to speak with Ssevar'nac for further information.
This does not sit well with Cast, who demands to know immediately where Ethedril is, which the accountants state that they cannot tell them. Cast begins walking towards them with the intent of blocking the back exit (which is 15' behind the accountants, the front door is on the opposite side over 75' away), where the gnolls move to keep him from getting too close to the accountants. Cast cuts down the gnoll, which sends the entire room into a flurry and a fight breaks out. The accountants prove to be expert unarmed combatants, pinning and disarming the two, but proving to be virtually incapable of scratching them (disguised Ogon no Oni from Creatures of Rokugan, 5000 koku on them). Once the first accountant is finally struck down, they surrender and beg to be spared, telling the two that Ethedril had been killed for slaying their brother and his corpse is with Ssevar'nac and is likely being interrogated.
Cast is tempted to slay the two anyway, though there exists the chance he would use the suggestion power in his telepathy helm, demanding the Ogon no Oni to both give up his money bag and to forgo any incoming saving throw (will immediately kill the oni if he doesn't forgo). But we end the session and debate there for next time, likely in two weeks because Cynic's coming down and wants a one-shot (aWoD).
After having taken the damage, they decide it prudent to turn around and instead head for the capital to heal up the vile damage, and just send Ethedril's cleric to the kobolds. This should take about four or five days, and they pass through a couple small towns with warm welcome. On the third day, they encounter a hamlet that's been holed up as if under siege, and find out they've been attacked by a horde of ninja over the last three days (two attacks thus far, three dead).
Cast and escort travel to pick up the more isolated people who were trying to weather the assault in their cottages, and helps them suit up to leave by morning (~75 of 'em). When morning draws near, a score of Shadowed Hand genin charge, and 15 of the villagers are revealed to be chunnin in disguise in this attack. The party makes quick work of them, three rounds of Marshal's fast healing removing the marks made. Concerned of further treachery, Cast makes sure not a single villager has any weapons, and keeps his weapon readied at them. Once at the castle, the villagers are quarantined, and will be released after the party leaves.
At the castle, they get some information concerning the name they were given on the person who hired the Shadowed Hand to kill them; Ssevar'nac the Golden Lord, Plague Father, Master of Shapes. He is a disgustingly wealthy lord of a node in the Blackened Grove, known for his mastery of shapeshifting, ability to birth monsters, and curse people into all manner of shapes, and is also known to shape corpses (fabricate level) for the Grove's war machine. They get directions and convince the Empress to loan them two hippogriffs so as to swiftly reach the node (with a buff from Chantico), as well as a handful of fireball flasks to deal with swarms.
They travel long hours, but are a mere 10 miles from Ssevar'nac's castle when they make camp. In the middle of the night, Ethedril is awakened to the sound of an old man singing very off-key in some local dialect on a path that will go through the party; and hears him far enough away for Cast to put his armor on and ready a bow. When the old man sees the party, he barely has a chance to register their presence before Cast knocks an arrow and demands that he turn around and go the other way, stating that they are adventurers under siege. Old man, partially apologetically and partially crotchety, states he's just trying to reach a shrine that the party is on the way of; and if he could take his old knees and around far enough out to not be seen by either. Just the act of explaining nearly brings Cast into a rage (the insolence, near as I can tell), which Marshal manages to subdue him enough to not just slay the old man where he stands.
The old man backtracks a bit and takes the long way around the party, mumbling with crotchety annoyance at them and hoping that Ssevar'nac that turns them into stoats. Ethedril can hear this from the distance, which sorta surprises Cast that the old man knows of Ssevar'nac, tempting him to go and kill the obvious spy; Ethedril instead follows the old man to the shrine, which is dedicated to Kiransal. When the old man enters, Ethedril overhears him making confessions, which for Kiransal means confessing of every sin visited upon you; and money is exchanged for karmic vengeance, the party having been mentioned. The priestess inside exits the shrine to deliver the money and prayers to the greater church, who Ethedril sees to be a harpy.
Following the harpy, Ethedril goes awhile without being seen, but is eventually spotted. The harpy asks a question, getting a snarky answer with a hint of danger, so she sings her Captivating Song and Ethedril rolls a natural 1. And so, our drow is lead directly into the Ssevar'nac's estate, and brought before one of the accountants under the guard of two trolls. The harpy is paid and leaves, while the accountant questions Ethedril for a name and reason for being around. Ethedril delays for a short bit, then flies forward to cut the accountant down and attempts to batter a wall down to escape; but is grappled and rended unto death by the two trolls (reach is a powerful thing when you don't otherwise have the edge).
After four hours, Cast and Marshal decide to search for Ethedril, following the old man's tracks. They come upon the shrine with the old man outside and partially on his way away, where Cast demands to know what happened to his travelling companion. The old man states he hasn't a clue (Sense Motive checks state he's telling the truth) but does a short cackle at the idea, which is the last straw for Cast who charges and kills; revealing that the old man was an Obake, a lesser type of human-turned-oni with a bee hive in their hunch (minor shapeshifting hides this).
Marshal enters the shrine to ask the priestess for information, eventually being convinced to pay a small tithing (4gp), where she tells them she will call upon divine wisdom from Kiransal to lead them. She asks for them to follow, where they mount up and do so; Cast tries a few times with his helm of telepathy to start reading her mind, eventually getting through the Will save and finding out that she's leading them to the primary counting house instead of the ancillary because there were two of them.
At the central counting house, there are half a dozen dire vultures in gilded cages with three well-groomed gnolls in fine clothing caretaking the entire room. The floor is covered with ivory white marble expertly cut, the floor otherwise being fairly bare aside from the back end where three japanese-like men in kimonos write notes and keep track of numbers with an abacus, while formian workers work behind them to physically move money at their demand.
The three accountants, looking close enough to be brothers, ask for their names. They are told the full titles, and that the two are seeking Ethedril. Notes are passed to a formian worker, who wanders off with it, and the head accountant tells them to wait a moment for them to receive permission. After a couple minutes, the formian returns with a message, which the accountant reads and informs the party that they can simply enter the palace to speak with Ssevar'nac for further information.
This does not sit well with Cast, who demands to know immediately where Ethedril is, which the accountants state that they cannot tell them. Cast begins walking towards them with the intent of blocking the back exit (which is 15' behind the accountants, the front door is on the opposite side over 75' away), where the gnolls move to keep him from getting too close to the accountants. Cast cuts down the gnoll, which sends the entire room into a flurry and a fight breaks out. The accountants prove to be expert unarmed combatants, pinning and disarming the two, but proving to be virtually incapable of scratching them (disguised Ogon no Oni from Creatures of Rokugan, 5000 koku on them). Once the first accountant is finally struck down, they surrender and beg to be spared, telling the two that Ethedril had been killed for slaying their brother and his corpse is with Ssevar'nac and is likely being interrogated.
Cast is tempted to slay the two anyway, though there exists the chance he would use the suggestion power in his telepathy helm, demanding the Ogon no Oni to both give up his money bag and to forgo any incoming saving throw (will immediately kill the oni if he doesn't forgo). But we end the session and debate there for next time, likely in two weeks because Cynic's coming down and wants a one-shot (aWoD).
Friday, December 21, 2012
Warriors of the Empire of the Sun: Session XIX
Our player for Plank finally returns to his home. And thus, the game has returned to three once more. The game also got started late because one player slept in and got enthralled playing Dragon Age on his computer, that and when conversation began he got bored and drove off quickly for food (very common behavior for him).
After a day of holing up in their room in town for nearly 24 hours to await their meeting with the Shadowed Hand (avoiding the townspeople like crazy), the shadows in their room coalesce into a figure to inform them to go north to the dojo for the meeting. At about noon, they reach the place, and they enter the area that looks much like the Plane of Shadow. They can see the building built into the bottom of the cliff, and the front gate to the grounds is guarded by a pair of orc vampires. The guards open the gate slowly into impenetrable mist, request that the party wait a moment for the path to be shown, in which a gust of wind from the other side of the fog parts the way so the party can swiftly walk across and into the building.
Inside is a dark room with interior paper walls, the largest one being a long table with cushions all around. At the head of table is Shadowtongue (two ninja guards behind him), and on each side of the table are individuals that Shadowtongue introduces as representatives of two other ninja guilds to witnesses to the proceedings. One is a ghoul-like bugbear named Jabb, who leads the Barghest's Maw. The other is a human with a deathly blue flame coming from his eyes, wearing samurai armor made of stone, representing the Scratch. Shadowtongue introduces himself as a negotiator for the Shadowed Hand itself.
Talk about what the party wants is laid out, the contract to be ripped up under threat of violence, the contract to be nulled by a competing offer, or the name of the individual who bought the contract. Negotiation is slow at first because the player for Cast doesn't like the idea of giving the Shadowed Hand anything; 2000gp is his initial limit for buying out the contract (basic magic items are generally worth that, and Cast himself pulls in ~8k a month from taxes). Eventually, Ethedril brings up the idea of giving up the wizard tower they obtained back in the Valley of the White Dragon, with the extra bit that Ethedril will inform her kobold followers to put it back in place (and repaired). This would be in exchange for the name of the person who hired the Shadowed Hand. One Diplomacy check later, and things work out.
Shadowtongue tells them they must wait until tomorrow to leave due to the nature of how they entered the place, and provides the party access to the guest wing. He promises that they will not make any attempt on their lives until nightfall the next day (giving them half a day's travel of seperation from the base), as part of a general pact of hospitality that comes with a ninja negotiation. Inside the guest wing, they are offered a wide selection of food and women and are told they can ask for any other diversion for the day. They all forgo any pleasures, Cast specifically asking for a white room for him to sit and ignore everything in, though Ethedril tries out the food and discovers that it's illusory (30% real because it's a shadow illusion). The next day, they suit up and leave for the Valley of the White Dragon to inform the kobolds to undo what they've done to the tower so far.
They push themselves to the limit of fatigue to avoid getting ambushed in camp right at nightfall, delaying it until about 4am, where half an hour into their rest they are interrupted by a wall of fire forming on them, dealing vile damage (yay Carnage domain). Marshal manages to spot something above the party, nearly 200' above them with wings flapping utterly silently, while releasing a bird to begin diving towards the party. While Marshal and Cast jump out of the fire, Ethedril charges upward to chop the bird in half mid-flight, discovering that it was a very simple conjuration that holds a scrap of real paper. At the winged creature's turn, with a flap it seems to fold itself into the night and disappear (Ethedril cannot sense it). The message tells the party that while they are not yet at the level for his full attention, they are worth a visit to soften them up for the rest of the guild, and it is signed from the Crow.
After a day of holing up in their room in town for nearly 24 hours to await their meeting with the Shadowed Hand (avoiding the townspeople like crazy), the shadows in their room coalesce into a figure to inform them to go north to the dojo for the meeting. At about noon, they reach the place, and they enter the area that looks much like the Plane of Shadow. They can see the building built into the bottom of the cliff, and the front gate to the grounds is guarded by a pair of orc vampires. The guards open the gate slowly into impenetrable mist, request that the party wait a moment for the path to be shown, in which a gust of wind from the other side of the fog parts the way so the party can swiftly walk across and into the building.
Inside is a dark room with interior paper walls, the largest one being a long table with cushions all around. At the head of table is Shadowtongue (two ninja guards behind him), and on each side of the table are individuals that Shadowtongue introduces as representatives of two other ninja guilds to witnesses to the proceedings. One is a ghoul-like bugbear named Jabb, who leads the Barghest's Maw. The other is a human with a deathly blue flame coming from his eyes, wearing samurai armor made of stone, representing the Scratch. Shadowtongue introduces himself as a negotiator for the Shadowed Hand itself.
Talk about what the party wants is laid out, the contract to be ripped up under threat of violence, the contract to be nulled by a competing offer, or the name of the individual who bought the contract. Negotiation is slow at first because the player for Cast doesn't like the idea of giving the Shadowed Hand anything; 2000gp is his initial limit for buying out the contract (basic magic items are generally worth that, and Cast himself pulls in ~8k a month from taxes). Eventually, Ethedril brings up the idea of giving up the wizard tower they obtained back in the Valley of the White Dragon, with the extra bit that Ethedril will inform her kobold followers to put it back in place (and repaired). This would be in exchange for the name of the person who hired the Shadowed Hand. One Diplomacy check later, and things work out.
Shadowtongue tells them they must wait until tomorrow to leave due to the nature of how they entered the place, and provides the party access to the guest wing. He promises that they will not make any attempt on their lives until nightfall the next day (giving them half a day's travel of seperation from the base), as part of a general pact of hospitality that comes with a ninja negotiation. Inside the guest wing, they are offered a wide selection of food and women and are told they can ask for any other diversion for the day. They all forgo any pleasures, Cast specifically asking for a white room for him to sit and ignore everything in, though Ethedril tries out the food and discovers that it's illusory (30% real because it's a shadow illusion). The next day, they suit up and leave for the Valley of the White Dragon to inform the kobolds to undo what they've done to the tower so far.
They push themselves to the limit of fatigue to avoid getting ambushed in camp right at nightfall, delaying it until about 4am, where half an hour into their rest they are interrupted by a wall of fire forming on them, dealing vile damage (yay Carnage domain). Marshal manages to spot something above the party, nearly 200' above them with wings flapping utterly silently, while releasing a bird to begin diving towards the party. While Marshal and Cast jump out of the fire, Ethedril charges upward to chop the bird in half mid-flight, discovering that it was a very simple conjuration that holds a scrap of real paper. At the winged creature's turn, with a flap it seems to fold itself into the night and disappear (Ethedril cannot sense it). The message tells the party that while they are not yet at the level for his full attention, they are worth a visit to soften them up for the rest of the guild, and it is signed from the Crow.
Friday, December 14, 2012
Warriors of the Empire of the Sun: XVIII
Once Plank returns, the party suits up and heads for the NE in search of the base for the Shadowed Hand, in unclaimed territory where none travel. After about a week, they eventually pick up signs that indicate frequently traveled yet well-hidden paths. Following it, they come upon a village built to be as inconspicuous to any but those who practically walk straight in.
From afar, they see that the village is populated by humans, hobgoblins, and a minority of orcs of the Red Fang Tribe. It's a little past noon, so they decide to camp just out of sight and wait until noon. Once night rolls in, a very small bonfire is made and the party hears a song coming from near it; spoken in the Shadow dialect of Primal, telling a tale that the party is familiar with that involves the Empress and an ex-lover. It's a tale that likens their relationship between night and day, and how their separation creates the cycle as it is known. During this song, Cast and Plank receive something akin to a sending within their minds reminding them of their fate and to accept a swift death; though Plank received an additional message offering quarter if he came to their side (Bard's Siren Call, resisted). Readying their weapons for an imminent attack, none come, and the party eventually sleeps.
That morning, some hunters from the village are coming close to the party's camp, and the sound of Cast trying to put his armor on gets their attention. Concerned, one of the three hunters heads back to the village while the other two head towards the party (only seeing Cast and Marshal, the rest too well-hidden); wondering why unwelcome strangers are in the middle of nowhere. Cast declares that they come seeking information (never more specific than that) and they can't promise that they won't enter the village because of certain information they await. Eventually the third hunter returns and confers with the other two out of sight and from some distance, though Ethedril listens in with supernatural ears. They are worried about these vague and noncommittal adventurers, and decide to warn the elder of their presence. One of them returns, leaving the other two to watch the party, as well as a screecher arrow to warn the village if they're going hostile.
Once noon rolls around, the village looks unchanged, so Cast decides and informs the two villagers that he's going to fly up on his hippogriff to just have a look around. The villagers warn against such, because their watch was not warned of him and would fire upon him; but would accept him if the villagers could spread the news. Not wanting to be delayed, he tells them that he'll weather the shots, understanding that the villagers can't prevent any harm coming to him. With a trot and flap, he begins flying upward, which convinces the villagers (who are seen to be worried) to fire their screecher arrow, which triggers Ethedril's readied action to charge and kill them before they can act; and does so.
Cast sees a bit north of the village a spot of forest that's appreciably darker than the rest of the area, despite a lack of clouds above or the angle of the sun allowing the hill to normally create such shadow naturally. Dodging arrow fire deftly, he returns back to the party and informs them, a little disheartened at the sight of the villager's death. They suit up and begin moving around the village as fast as possible to get to the shadowed area.
While moving, they begin to hear a sound akin to a tuning fork that fascinates Plank. Just as they break it, an unarmored elf with black eyes and tongue, wearing a ceremonial shield and an elven thinblade that he continually knocks onto something to continue its humming sound. Coming up from behind are eight silk-steel armor wearing ninjas (Ethedril hears six more out of sight that are slowly flanking the party). Introducing himself as Shadowtongue and representative of the village that the party attacked. Cast offers compensation for the villagers' death, but they must continue on their recon mission to a shadowed area to the north which he believes to be a base for the Shadowed Hand. Shadowtongue is disappointed, telling the party that there is a price for such knowledge, which is blood.
Marshal is infuriated when he discovers that something's enhancing Shadowtongue's Countersong to counter abilities that require targets to be able to hear (such as many of Marshal's buffs, or even Cast's designate opponent).
After a couple rounds of pain, all of the ninja are dead and Shadowtongue surrenders just before an attack is levied against him. He informs the party that the Shadowed Hand likely has an escape clause in their contract with the party (usually by ending up too expensive for the guild), but they'd have to have the leader of another ninja guild request a calling in order for any kind of safe negotiations to begin. As a favor, Shadowtongue tells the party he can make a few contacts to see if Marshal's request will count (he does command a dojo of trained ninjas, afterall), allowing the party to rest in the town for the day.
With a warning as he walks away, he informs the party that should they cause any more death to the village, then they must fear the wrath of the Crow itself.
From afar, they see that the village is populated by humans, hobgoblins, and a minority of orcs of the Red Fang Tribe. It's a little past noon, so they decide to camp just out of sight and wait until noon. Once night rolls in, a very small bonfire is made and the party hears a song coming from near it; spoken in the Shadow dialect of Primal, telling a tale that the party is familiar with that involves the Empress and an ex-lover. It's a tale that likens their relationship between night and day, and how their separation creates the cycle as it is known. During this song, Cast and Plank receive something akin to a sending within their minds reminding them of their fate and to accept a swift death; though Plank received an additional message offering quarter if he came to their side (Bard's Siren Call, resisted). Readying their weapons for an imminent attack, none come, and the party eventually sleeps.
That morning, some hunters from the village are coming close to the party's camp, and the sound of Cast trying to put his armor on gets their attention. Concerned, one of the three hunters heads back to the village while the other two head towards the party (only seeing Cast and Marshal, the rest too well-hidden); wondering why unwelcome strangers are in the middle of nowhere. Cast declares that they come seeking information (never more specific than that) and they can't promise that they won't enter the village because of certain information they await. Eventually the third hunter returns and confers with the other two out of sight and from some distance, though Ethedril listens in with supernatural ears. They are worried about these vague and noncommittal adventurers, and decide to warn the elder of their presence. One of them returns, leaving the other two to watch the party, as well as a screecher arrow to warn the village if they're going hostile.
Once noon rolls around, the village looks unchanged, so Cast decides and informs the two villagers that he's going to fly up on his hippogriff to just have a look around. The villagers warn against such, because their watch was not warned of him and would fire upon him; but would accept him if the villagers could spread the news. Not wanting to be delayed, he tells them that he'll weather the shots, understanding that the villagers can't prevent any harm coming to him. With a trot and flap, he begins flying upward, which convinces the villagers (who are seen to be worried) to fire their screecher arrow, which triggers Ethedril's readied action to charge and kill them before they can act; and does so.
Cast sees a bit north of the village a spot of forest that's appreciably darker than the rest of the area, despite a lack of clouds above or the angle of the sun allowing the hill to normally create such shadow naturally. Dodging arrow fire deftly, he returns back to the party and informs them, a little disheartened at the sight of the villager's death. They suit up and begin moving around the village as fast as possible to get to the shadowed area.
While moving, they begin to hear a sound akin to a tuning fork that fascinates Plank. Just as they break it, an unarmored elf with black eyes and tongue, wearing a ceremonial shield and an elven thinblade that he continually knocks onto something to continue its humming sound. Coming up from behind are eight silk-steel armor wearing ninjas (Ethedril hears six more out of sight that are slowly flanking the party). Introducing himself as Shadowtongue and representative of the village that the party attacked. Cast offers compensation for the villagers' death, but they must continue on their recon mission to a shadowed area to the north which he believes to be a base for the Shadowed Hand. Shadowtongue is disappointed, telling the party that there is a price for such knowledge, which is blood.
Marshal is infuriated when he discovers that something's enhancing Shadowtongue's Countersong to counter abilities that require targets to be able to hear (such as many of Marshal's buffs, or even Cast's designate opponent).
After a couple rounds of pain, all of the ninja are dead and Shadowtongue surrenders just before an attack is levied against him. He informs the party that the Shadowed Hand likely has an escape clause in their contract with the party (usually by ending up too expensive for the guild), but they'd have to have the leader of another ninja guild request a calling in order for any kind of safe negotiations to begin. As a favor, Shadowtongue tells the party he can make a few contacts to see if Marshal's request will count (he does command a dojo of trained ninjas, afterall), allowing the party to rest in the town for the day.
With a warning as he walks away, he informs the party that should they cause any more death to the village, then they must fear the wrath of the Crow itself.
Friday, December 7, 2012
Warriors of the Empire of the Sun: Session XVII
The party waits three days for Sarou to return from his fact-finding mission. He returns with a mention that he will need to get more poison. The 'escaped' ninja had laid low for two days before contacting his superiors, at which point Sarou followed the superior who would know more, only to discover that he was expecting to be followed and Marshal's cohort was ambushed. Fortunately, his training allowed him to escape with a fair number of them dead. After escaping, Sarou researched more on the fact one of the ninja in the ambush was an unusually pale orc that proved particularly resilient to Sarou's techniques.
In his own research, he determined that it was very likely to have been a vampire orc, and the source of vampiric orcs is from the Red Fang Clan to the east (prior mention had been made of them). Culturally, Red Fang vampires are incredibly reluctant to ever be farther than three nights' travel from their clan, which hinted of at minimum an outpost near the wastelands about a week's travel east.
After some discussion, the party decided a more solid lead would be to the dojo north of Naught Hill from their captured ninja. Thanks to Plank's plane shift and the royal maps, they were able to shift within 3 days travel of the dojo. They were interrupted by a pair of noble hill giants along the way (wore quality gear rather than random sticks), but convinced them that Imperials going through the land was for peaceful purposes and continued onward.
The dojo was built into a plateau that was being strip mined very slowly by hand (literally) as a method of training for the humans there. It took a moment, because Cast was trying to speak first and he doesn't know Giantish, but one of them knew the Imperial tongue. Only those sufficiently enlightened in their ways could actually receive training or wisdom of any kind from the He Who Supports the Firmament (head of the dojo). One of the higher ranking monks (titled Bellower, who spoke softly and squeakily) informed them that there existed two 'quick' ways of wisdom in their ways.
Our first method was to show that could be an immovable object, by staying true against the force of Shifting Glacier, a Jotun (half-giant stats) monk with the Juggernaut feat. After Cast was almost casually bull-rushed, they opted for the very dangerous second test, to prove themselves (individually or as a whole) as an unstoppable force. This test was to utterly defeat a stone golem without receiving a single point of damage, which the party agreed to. An unknown entity from behind a gauze curtain in the dojo seems to stare with glowing eyes, causing nearby debris & slag to rise and become a stone golem (concentration duration, close range). Thanks to Cast's ability to fight defensively and his Draw Fire ability, this was done readily enough.
Speaking with He Who Supports the Firmament, who is a Stone Giant Elder (switch transmute for the golem ability and increase by one or two HD), he informs of a group of recruiters attempting to encourage his disciples to "act like the rolling avalanche rather than the shifting earthquake". After learning of Firmament's displeasure of this practice, he suspected they recruited students who had left the dojo. As a favor, Firmament told the party that he would speak with gravestones of the recruiting ninja about their clan. The next morning, they were informed that this ninja clan was called the Shadowed Hand, and had four five fingers throughout the land, and one of these fingers lay on the border of the Empire of the Sun and the eastern wastelands. Also, this finger could only be seen under the light of the noon sun.
Bidding farewell, the party did the plane shift trick to get within three days of Cast's castle to recoup, and had Sarou do a fact-finding mission on what they've learned thus far.
Were this dojo to actually be veiled except under a noon sun, would imply a shadow well and very likely a node along such a theme. This made such an outpost quite likely the clan's HQ and guarded by shadows due to the node's theme. Considering the danger, they decide to rest for a week or so and call in some magic items to be constructed for themselves (since Cast will go in with his sun plate instead of adamantine carapace).
While resting, in the dead of night, numerous ninja from the Shadowed Hand attacked the party. One of their high elites (level 4 Samurai) managed to get into Cast's bedchamber without being heard (even after one-shotting the guards), and the surprise round + normal round, Cast was sent into the negatives. Thinking quick, Gina used her skill-based fascinate/suggestions to convince him that he'll bleed out and to leave her in her grief (which works). The rest of the party was similarly ambushed, but they were attacked by 'regular' elites (similar to the Barghest Maw regular ninja); three elites on Marshal, two on Plank and Ethedril each. With less skilled assaults, the rest of the party survived and repelled the attacks readily. Ethedril in particular managed to hear the ninja before they even got within melee, but pretended to remain asleep and killed all three the moment before they made their melee attacks.
This convinced Cast to rearrange the bedchamber arrangement so that any stealthers would have to go by Ethedril's room to reach any of the other party's, and to use the higher level followers for the guard patrols.
In his own research, he determined that it was very likely to have been a vampire orc, and the source of vampiric orcs is from the Red Fang Clan to the east (prior mention had been made of them). Culturally, Red Fang vampires are incredibly reluctant to ever be farther than three nights' travel from their clan, which hinted of at minimum an outpost near the wastelands about a week's travel east.
After some discussion, the party decided a more solid lead would be to the dojo north of Naught Hill from their captured ninja. Thanks to Plank's plane shift and the royal maps, they were able to shift within 3 days travel of the dojo. They were interrupted by a pair of noble hill giants along the way (wore quality gear rather than random sticks), but convinced them that Imperials going through the land was for peaceful purposes and continued onward.
The dojo was built into a plateau that was being strip mined very slowly by hand (literally) as a method of training for the humans there. It took a moment, because Cast was trying to speak first and he doesn't know Giantish, but one of them knew the Imperial tongue. Only those sufficiently enlightened in their ways could actually receive training or wisdom of any kind from the He Who Supports the Firmament (head of the dojo). One of the higher ranking monks (titled Bellower, who spoke softly and squeakily) informed them that there existed two 'quick' ways of wisdom in their ways.
Our first method was to show that could be an immovable object, by staying true against the force of Shifting Glacier, a Jotun (half-giant stats) monk with the Juggernaut feat. After Cast was almost casually bull-rushed, they opted for the very dangerous second test, to prove themselves (individually or as a whole) as an unstoppable force. This test was to utterly defeat a stone golem without receiving a single point of damage, which the party agreed to. An unknown entity from behind a gauze curtain in the dojo seems to stare with glowing eyes, causing nearby debris & slag to rise and become a stone golem (concentration duration, close range). Thanks to Cast's ability to fight defensively and his Draw Fire ability, this was done readily enough.
Speaking with He Who Supports the Firmament, who is a Stone Giant Elder (switch transmute for the golem ability and increase by one or two HD), he informs of a group of recruiters attempting to encourage his disciples to "act like the rolling avalanche rather than the shifting earthquake". After learning of Firmament's displeasure of this practice, he suspected they recruited students who had left the dojo. As a favor, Firmament told the party that he would speak with gravestones of the recruiting ninja about their clan. The next morning, they were informed that this ninja clan was called the Shadowed Hand, and had four five fingers throughout the land, and one of these fingers lay on the border of the Empire of the Sun and the eastern wastelands. Also, this finger could only be seen under the light of the noon sun.
Bidding farewell, the party did the plane shift trick to get within three days of Cast's castle to recoup, and had Sarou do a fact-finding mission on what they've learned thus far.
Were this dojo to actually be veiled except under a noon sun, would imply a shadow well and very likely a node along such a theme. This made such an outpost quite likely the clan's HQ and guarded by shadows due to the node's theme. Considering the danger, they decide to rest for a week or so and call in some magic items to be constructed for themselves (since Cast will go in with his sun plate instead of adamantine carapace).
While resting, in the dead of night, numerous ninja from the Shadowed Hand attacked the party. One of their high elites (level 4 Samurai) managed to get into Cast's bedchamber without being heard (even after one-shotting the guards), and the surprise round + normal round, Cast was sent into the negatives. Thinking quick, Gina used her skill-based fascinate/suggestions to convince him that he'll bleed out and to leave her in her grief (which works). The rest of the party was similarly ambushed, but they were attacked by 'regular' elites (similar to the Barghest Maw regular ninja); three elites on Marshal, two on Plank and Ethedril each. With less skilled assaults, the rest of the party survived and repelled the attacks readily. Ethedril in particular managed to hear the ninja before they even got within melee, but pretended to remain asleep and killed all three the moment before they made their melee attacks.
This convinced Cast to rearrange the bedchamber arrangement so that any stealthers would have to go by Ethedril's room to reach any of the other party's, and to use the higher level followers for the guard patrols.
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
Gravity: A Heavy Subject
Looking through the various Monster Manuals, the creature with the greatest lifting capacity is the Tarrasque, who can stagger around with a blue whale in its arms. While bench-pressing a blue whale is epic, it's not terribly impressive at level 20.
A tangential problem is the rules for falling objects. Thanks to shrink item, you can deal 3d6 every two levels by using rocks in the countryside, and the damage triples when wall of iron comes online. Some DMs will 'solve' this by removing shrink item, which we all know to be short-sighted at best.
To fix both, we need to nerf gravity.
As it stands, one of the major ways to fix dropping things on people is to not have falling object damage be a linear relation to weight. The simplest method would to base it off the improvised weapon rules.
Once you get 20+ Strength, you stop caring about encumbrance from your active adventuring gear. At 19, you can wear full plate, a tower shield, a bastard sword, a longbow w/quiver, and have room to spare without broaching medium load. Keeping in tradition of prior D&D editions (assuming 18/XX = 19), we can make 20+ the minimum to qualify for an alternate carrying capacity.
A tangential problem is the rules for falling objects. Thanks to shrink item, you can deal 3d6 every two levels by using rocks in the countryside, and the damage triples when wall of iron comes online. Some DMs will 'solve' this by removing shrink item, which we all know to be short-sighted at best.
To fix both, we need to nerf gravity.
As it stands, one of the major ways to fix dropping things on people is to not have falling object damage be a linear relation to weight. The simplest method would to base it off the improvised weapon rules.
Once you get 20+ Strength, you stop caring about encumbrance from your active adventuring gear. At 19, you can wear full plate, a tower shield, a bastard sword, a longbow w/quiver, and have room to spare without broaching medium load. Keeping in tradition of prior D&D editions (assuming 18/XX = 19), we can make 20+ the minimum to qualify for an alternate carrying capacity.
Super Strength & Super-Size Meals
There are many elements that go into damage dealt by objects falling from the sky. However, falling debris is just an attack on your person by physics, and attacks are already abstracted heavily in lieu of the staggering array of variables to account for. Therefore, we seek to better abstract the rules with the goal of play-ability in the genre of heroic fantasy.
Size categories are an excellent way to increase damage in a system that already uses it for its weapons. Let's get started with a few new definitions
The base damage is 2d6 for Large size weight, following the rules for weapon scaling from there (1d6 for Small, 1d8 for Medium, etc).
When an object falls onto someone, it deals damage based on its abstract weight and the distance fallen. Every 10' fallen increases its size category for damage by one, and deals one size category less than normal if it falls less than 10'. The except is for objects of Medium weight or less. Every category smaller than Large doubles the increment it must fall to deal damage (20' for Medium, 40' for Small, 80' for Tiny). This damage increase ceases after 200', so a Tiny object can only ever deal 1d6 from falling, even if dropped from a skyscraper.
Lifting with your legs
The carrying capacity rules largely work, so long as you don't try to recreate something with super strength. The Strength necessary to recreate the likes of Superman (77 to lift a 747 over his head) would synergize with the rest of the system into some kind of fanfic supervillain.
In order to recreate said individuals with extreme powerlifting techniques while preventing their fists from turning into miniature spheres of annihilation, we need to pull them off the chart into something more narrative.
The super strength quality changes carrying capacity to instead be based off of abstract weight and level. The character's max load is equal to his own size in weight, increased by one category per 3 character levels (rounded up); so a 7th level strong man can lift an object of Gargantuan weight over his head. A light load is anything at least a full size category smaller than your max load in weight, and you can push/drag an object 5' as a full-round action if it's one size category larger than your max load.
You can use any object that's a light load as an improvised weapon. If it's absolute size is equal to or larger than you, than it's always a two-handed weapon. If the object is roughly club shaped, then it can used as melee weapon with a reach equal to its absolute size, but you do not threaten with it. The weapon deals base damage as if its abstract weight were equal to the character's light load (can swing it faster/harder if less than, so it equals out).
If an object is too bulky to count as a club, it can still be used as an area attack from range or melee. It covers an area equal on its absolute size, the damage subject to a Reflex save for half damage (DC 10 + 1/2 level + Str modifier)
The range increment of the weapon is 10' for every size category smaller than the character's max load. The character makes a normal attack roll against any one target in the area of the attack, automatically dealing normal damage if he hits. Even if he misses, the target and everything in the area of the object must make a Reflex save for half damage (DC 10+1/2 level+Str mod).
Size categories are an excellent way to increase damage in a system that already uses it for its weapons. Let's get started with a few new definitions
- Absolute size is the basic size category of the object, generally determined by the length of its longest dimension
Abstract weight is to very roughly describe how heavy it is, also described in terms of size categories
- Fills most of the volume of its size, such as a crate (+1)
- Stone or similar density (+1)
- Metal or similar density (+2)
- Thin and barely fills volume, such as a club or stick (-1)
- Noticeably less dense than wood, such as cloth (-1)
- Hollow shell (-1)
The base damage is 2d6 for Large size weight, following the rules for weapon scaling from there (1d6 for Small, 1d8 for Medium, etc).
When an object falls onto someone, it deals damage based on its abstract weight and the distance fallen. Every 10' fallen increases its size category for damage by one, and deals one size category less than normal if it falls less than 10'. The except is for objects of Medium weight or less. Every category smaller than Large doubles the increment it must fall to deal damage (20' for Medium, 40' for Small, 80' for Tiny). This damage increase ceases after 200', so a Tiny object can only ever deal 1d6 from falling, even if dropped from a skyscraper.
Lifting with your legs
The carrying capacity rules largely work, so long as you don't try to recreate something with super strength. The Strength necessary to recreate the likes of Superman (77 to lift a 747 over his head) would synergize with the rest of the system into some kind of fanfic supervillain.
In order to recreate said individuals with extreme powerlifting techniques while preventing their fists from turning into miniature spheres of annihilation, we need to pull them off the chart into something more narrative.
The super strength quality changes carrying capacity to instead be based off of abstract weight and level. The character's max load is equal to his own size in weight, increased by one category per 3 character levels (rounded up); so a 7th level strong man can lift an object of Gargantuan weight over his head. A light load is anything at least a full size category smaller than your max load in weight, and you can push/drag an object 5' as a full-round action if it's one size category larger than your max load.
You can use any object that's a light load as an improvised weapon. If it's absolute size is equal to or larger than you, than it's always a two-handed weapon. If the object is roughly club shaped, then it can used as melee weapon with a reach equal to its absolute size, but you do not threaten with it. The weapon deals base damage as if its abstract weight were equal to the character's light load (can swing it faster/harder if less than, so it equals out).
If an object is too bulky to count as a club, it can still be used as an area attack from range or melee. It covers an area equal on its absolute size, the damage subject to a Reflex save for half damage (DC 10 + 1/2 level + Str modifier)
The range increment of the weapon is 10' for every size category smaller than the character's max load. The character makes a normal attack roll against any one target in the area of the attack, automatically dealing normal damage if he hits. Even if he misses, the target and everything in the area of the object must make a Reflex save for half damage (DC 10+1/2 level+Str mod).
Girdles and Power Lifters
A magic item that boosts strength should retain relevance, as should attempts by players who will undoubtedly attempt to increase their size once they obtain super strength; the method of which I leave to the reader as an exercise. As a rule of thumb, any item that boosts the user's super strength shouldn't boost it by more than one size per four levels.
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