D&D Dynasty: 3rd Path of King Alzar the Mighty - FINISHED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! [Archive] - Page 3

Abe Sargent

10-26-2015, 12:16 AM

He nears the library. The short bent over (slightly) man is talking with another man. The female elf has apparently left the library about 30 minutes ago. The older distinguished gentleman moves in and enters the library. About 10 minutes later he leaves, looking furious. Alzar heads out and drops the hat and enters the library himself a few minutes later. He can easily cover up entering the library as himself, a well known lover of books from all over.

Alzar finds an assistant librarian here. Alzar asks her about the various collections they have and such, and then slips her a few gold pieces,

“Mr. Vasiliev didn’t have any luck getting a card. Such a pity when he wanted something so unusual..” The librarian reaches her hand out for more coins and the pauses...she then waves Alzar away.

At the door is Boris Vasiliev, the man Alzar saw some in recently, and who was talking to the hunched over one. Boris is looking over at the two of them very pointedly. He walks up to the counter and asks if he left his walking stick. The assistant librarian says that there has been no stick turned into lost and found. Ah well, and Boris begins to leave, but Alzar tells him to hold up.

“Hello. I’m Alzar, Marquis of the Mighty, a March in service to the King of Norwold.”

“Pleased to meet you. I am Boris Vasiliev, a famed clavier player. Perhaps you’ve heard of me? No? Disappointing I suppose. I’m here at the flying city on holiday, getting a break from my nerves. Anyway I must be getting on.”

“Hold on good sir. First of all, let me welcome you. See, I noticed something odd when you came in and started talking with our good library here. See her eyes? She now regards you with a great deal more friendship and warm regard than before. Are you familiar with a charm person spell or effect perhaps? Hmmm…let’s see. As a cleric, I know a good Detect Charm spell. Here’s my prayerbook, let’s try it out, shall we? See that? Looks like someone just charmed her. And before you waste time protesting meaninglessly, let’s go ahead and cast my own Charm on her. Here we go. Ah yes, the charms have broken, and she’s back to normal.

(Alzar passes a Necrology check)

Now let’s see here. You cast a charm spell with your gaze, and you are clearly humanoid. Vampire? No, I can sense your necrotic nature, but not Vampire. Something similar though. Can cast reflections, drinks blood I can see, and charms. A nosferatu? Ah yes, that’s it. Got it in one. Well look here Mister Nosferatu. I just figured you out in one conversation with you. You do not want to mess with me, and you certainly don’t want to cross paths with me. I will go public, and that’s not a road you want to go down.

This woman is under my protection. If she winds up dead, missing, or even a bit anemic I will take you down, publicly, loudly, and whoever sent you here with you. Understand? I won’t interfere with you, so long as you aren’t the cause of whatever I’m tracking down, but you are not going to cause any problems.”

After an angry stare that lasts minutes, Boris retreats.

Alzar turns back to the library. She tells him about the books that Boris was interested in - the Shroudwell Collection, a powerful group of tomes on Necromancy. Alzar gives her some items to protect from a potential Nosteratu attack, and will have Ak’Kabar stalk her back to her home and ensure that she is okay.

Night passes, and Boris misses a performance at the Imperial Hostelry this evening. Some of the guests are suitably upset. They wanted to hear him perform live!

Abe Sargent

10-26-2015, 12:37 AM

Morning arrives and Alzar heads back out and the librarian is safe. He heads back to the mansion of Heydrech and the Star detects some magical traps that weren’t there before on the grounds. . Someone noticed someone was spying, either Alzar or the man. Alzar has folks check on the house that the “human” went to yesterday, and there are no additional or obvious defense.s So Alzar begins to prepare ways to penetrate the house.

A quick note:

A class that dual-classes to a new level cannot use the weapons or abilities of that class. But they can use any non-weapon proficiencies. For example, as a fighter, Alzar learned reading and writing. When he turned to a mage, he didn’t forget how to write. The same is true of things like fire-building or riding a horse.

So Alzar can use any non-weapon proficiency and be okay. He can use Necrology, Investigation, Trailing, Blind-Fighting, Genie Lore, and such. So Alzar can use Fine Balance and Camouflage, which give him some abilities. Alzar dons:

Set – 1 Black Cloak, Black Boots -75% to move silently

And swaps off the Boots and Cloak for those.

He gets to use Camouflage and Fine Balance to for things like climb walls.

He also grabs:

Potion of Invisibility, Rope of Climbing, Chime of Opening, 5 vials of acid, Ring of Spell Turning along with Free Action, Medallion of Proof Against Detection, Girdle of Many Pouches, Helm of Telepathy, Warp Marble, Iron Bands, Dust of Appearance, Dust of Disappearance, Stone of Diminution. Gem of Magic Missile Protection, 50 charges, Gem of Delusion, Scroll of Portals

And those things are readied for him to break into the house.

Alzar uses his Ring of Invisibility and stores it. He heads in.

Abe Sargent

10-26-2015, 06:42 PM

He waits for a while, and two people leave the house. Alzar scouts with the Ear Ring. He doesn’t notice any noise at one wall. He opens the Scroll of Portals and put sit up against a wall of the house and it creates a Passwall effect and a hole is in the wall. It opens into a pantry off the kitchen, and no one is in either. He grabs the Scroll on the far side and the hole disappears (he can Passwall with it 2x/day). He rolls and he is now moving quietly. He slips into the kitchen.

And from there he spies a living room and the opening room Ear rings show people in both. He waits for a chance, and slips behind the doors of both. Eventually one clears out and he head through it and into a dining space. Beyond this is a study, currently empty. No doors are closed.

Alzar slips into the study and waits, gently closing the door a bit, but not all of the way, The desk drawers are locked, and he has to use the Chime - acid leaves behind too much proof. But the chime makes a little noise. Alzar uses the Chime after making sure no one is in the Dining Room and it makes a noise…..no one hears. He uses it twice more while he can to Knock open all three locks.

Alzar uses the Star of Mo’Pilar to search for any traps, or anything worth noting.

He finds some gold, some magic items of non-value (Stuff like minor potions). But he also finds a journal and begins to read it quickly.

There is a secret organization Nagpa called the Grey Front, with 9 Nagpa in it, and the guy who runs this house (Baraith) is one. Another is Heydrech. They want to take Serraine for themselves and overturn the government, in a coup. Heydrech is researching and experimenting on making more powerful undead that can turn the tide and bring down the city.

Alzar wants to take the book with him, or at least make a Bookcopy, but he doesn’t have the materials. (He’s need a wizard with the scroll and a blank book - he has neither). But he doesn’t want to implicate folks. At first he wants to return everything to the way it was. Ak’Kabar says that it’s clear outside, so he uses he Scroll of Portals here, and then exits. But what if the nagpa Baraith knows someone has been here? They will destroy the evidence? Can Alzar risk losing this evidence?

Nope. He takes the journal. To make it look like a theft, he grabs some books, magical items, gems, gold, and everything of value in the study that he can…

The Study - Check it out later

This is probably what’s been happening to the tourists, being killed for bodies or experiments of some kind.

Abe Sargent

10-26-2015, 08:00 PM

Alzar heads back out . With this information, he knows a lot more than before. The next place he wants to check is the library. He puts the sash on and heads back to the library. The librarian from last night is still okay. She looks very healthy

If Alzar can find out what the books that Heydrech accessed have in them, then he’s in a good place. He takes a meeting with Matazumi, the skull druj librarian. Matazumi is odd looking, and is always happy to frighten someone, but Alzar is immune. Alzar’s application will only be accepted if he can provide references from three people in the city of note. Alzar points out that as a visiting ruler of welcome, that this is something he could be granted, and that he’ll pay the fees as well, thus making money for the city. But Matazumi is unmoved. What about the Mayor then? Could he count as all three? No. Alright, Alzar has the mayor, and Dunbar, the captain of the 2nd Squadrom of the Top Ballista is also good enough for 1 reference. Alzar only needs one more,

He heads back out and spends some time considering his options. He decides to make for the Onyx Tower and meet up with some of the human mages there.

An hour later, Alzar is in the narthex of the tower, and someone mentions that Erik Helsing, the leader of the ,mages here, would love to meet with him. Erik brings Alzar into his study and introduces himself.

Erik looks haggard and paranoid. Something has been going on. After introductions, Alzar tells Erik, flat out why he’s here. He wants access to the city’s library, and he needs a 3rd reference. Erik will be happy to provide it. But Erik also can use some help and aid as well. He has an apprentice write up an official letter of support for Alzar’s application.

Erik is very suspicious of someone who recently arrived at the flying city, name of Boris Vailiev and came with a man named Yagotr. Both have been suspicious every since they arrived, and have acted very oddly. Alzar tells Erik that he met Boris yesterday, and that he can give Erik some information about him. Boris is a Nosferatu undead.

Erik doesn’t look as surprised as Alzar hoped he would.

“You already knew!”

“Well, I did say he was suspicious after all.”

“He’s been doing some serious investigations on the Grey Front member Heydrach.” Alzar informs the council member Erik of what he has uncovered. Eric makes a copy of the book with a magical quill he has, in case Alzar dies or loses it. He agrees to bring it to the council and supper Alzar if needed. And then Alzar heads out to the library and has the third reference from Erik

Alzar now has access to the library.

Abe Sargent

10-26-2015, 08:25 PM

Alzar looks into restricted sections won’t be allowed for a new applicant, no matter who he is. So Alzar can’t get to the Shroudwell Collection. But he is now able to access books as needed which can have value later on if he needs to do some research.

After Alzar assessed all of the potential things, and knowing how quickly the break-in will move things along, he needs to assault the mansion.

He noticed:

Time to assault the house.

What does Alzar have?

Creature wise:

Figurines
Can summon Animal Spirits to attack
Can summon Zephyrs from 2nd Level Dust Devil spell

As a priest, he can blow the Horn of Valhalla to summon 2d4 level 2 berserkers for him

Can use items like Rope of Entanglement, Warp Marble, Bands to capture someone

He grabs a few one shot items and moves to penetrate the mansion.

Before midnight, he heads to the UnderCity for a few moments. He uses Hold Person to find….5 kobolds, kills them, and then Animates Them:

Then he mediates post-midnight…

Alzar’s forces

5 skeletons -
6 hp each

5 figurines

Alzar grabs the Amulet of Proof vs Undead for potential turning.

Abe Sargent

10-26-2015, 08:44 PM

There are two hell Hounds patrolling the grounds at night invisibly. Alzar can make them both out. His first desire is to take them out. He swaps a Spell Turning ring for the Fire Resistance one. With his immunity to fir,e this should be pretty easy he hopes.

Alzar;’s mace, shield and self moves onto the grounds. The hounds coalesce, and breathe fire…

Alzar takes…6 and 4. 10 damage

70/80

They move to bite. Alzar moves to punch

They have 31 and 33 hp. Alzar keeps his people back, he doesn’t want to cause a ruckus. He slowly moves away from the grounds. Bringing them with him.

Here’s what happens. They have a THACo of 13, Alzar’s AC is -2 for Cloak, AC3 base, -6 shield, -1 boots -1 stone. They need an 20. Only a 20 on a d20 hits. They get one bite.

Let’s fast sim this

Both are dead, Alzar was hit precisely once for 4 damage

66/80

Alzar’s regen heals the first, and he casts Cure Light Wounds to heal the fire damage

80/80

Alzar has 4/5/3 spells left

Alzar swaps the Fire Resist ring back off

2500 XP for Hell Hounds

Abe Sargent

10-26-2015, 09:00 PM

Alzar heads in, with skeletons in tow, and figurined creatures behind.

The Star shows a few minor traps he skips. A door opens into a study, and there is an Amber Golem here. It’s not moving. Alzar heads to OtherSpace and returns with the Whistle of Golem Control and blows it.

Amber Golem rolls a 4 and fails, and Alzar controls it for an hour. Nothing else is here on this floor, or the upper one. Alzar will search up later. Alzar has the Amber Golem leading.

There is a secret door down from the upstairs only, and skips the main level - no entrance. It’s opened by a skeleton.

Alzar reaches out and can sense undead down there of some sort. Alzar casts Summon Animal Spirit, and then blows the Horn, and 6 berserkers arrive. Someone shouts and they begin to assemble a defense, and Alzar and his team head down the stairs.

They arrive in a room with 2 skeletons and 2 wights. Alzar tires ot turn them but it’s harder here. All creatures that would be turned get a save. The skeletons save and one makes it, the other fails and flees. The wights move in. Alzar has creatures that won’t be effected by energy drain in eh front, - skeletons and the Animal Sprit.

In one round of battle, the wight skill a skeleton, and many weapons kill a wight. Alzar’s mace is out and he pushes into the dead skeleton’s space on the front line

4 vs 6

Alzar’s mace smashes on the Wight’s body and hits it for 8 damage. The Wight switches to Alzar and misses (cloak). It takes 19 damage from the figurines and dies. The skeleton falls as well.

The star reveals one secret door in the right wall, and there’s a door to the left. The secret door opens to a medium size chamber that serves as the council chamber here for meetings of the Grey Front. Alzar orders people to open the next door and they head in

Abe Sargent

10-26-2015, 10:01 PM

This is an experimental chamber. Both Heydrech and his assistant an evil skygnome are here, with defensive spells cast. They have a Bone Golem, 4 Wights, 3 Wraiths, 8 zombies, and a homunculus.

Knowing that’s spell will expire in a few rounds, the Animal Spirit is the first into the room, and the Amber Golem beside it, the cats hitting. Alzar orders the Spirit to attack the zombies to tie them up -they won’t be able to hit it (immune to non-magical attacks). The Amber Golem heads to hit the Bone Golem and to take it off the table for now.

The berserkers are sent to the two wizards, the skeletons to guard Alzar, and the figurines to hit it some stuff. Too many energy draining foes here and creatures that need magic to hit.

Battle begins

6 vs 5

The gnome, Tarras, casts Magic Missile at Alzar and three missiles fly out. Alzar redirects them at the Bone Golem. It takes 11 damage. The golem attacks the Amber golem 4 times ad hits 3 for 1d8 each time - 13 damage. Heydrach casts Cause Moderate Wound on Alzar and hits his Ring. 90% is redirected back (roll d0x10) and Alzar takes 2 and Heydrach 18. Two of Alzar’s skeletons are slain. 3 left

The Amber Golem attacks back and…hits twice for 2d6 and 2d10. 9 and 12. 19 damage dealt. Dead golem. Alzar orders the Amber to hit wights and wraiths next. The berserkers near the wizards. They hit 2 Mirror Images of the gnome. The spirit bites and slays a zombie. Alzar uses his Bottle on a nearby Wraith and….it’s captured in the Iron Flask.

Wraith in Iron Flask

3 skeletons lefts

Amber Golem 31/44
Heydrach - 68/86
Alzar 78/80

7 zombies left

6 vs9

The Amber bites at a wight and needs a 12 to hit with three attacks for 2d6, 2d6, and 2d10. They have low hp though, with 13, 7, 18, and 10. The Amber slays the first with all of its attacks. The Animal Spirit kills another zombie. Alzar summons another Spirit by the first one over at the zombies. Seeing Alzar’s protections, they stop casting spells at him. The rest of the Mirror Images are down. The gnome casts Magic Missile again, this time at the Golem, and hits for 12 damage. The wights take out Kithog and the Wraith a skeleton. Heydrach casts Burning Hands and four Berserkers drop.

4/5/1 spells left

Wraith in Iron Flask

2 skeletons lefts
3 Berserkers left

Amber Golem 19/44
Heydrach - 68/86
Alzar 78/80
Kithog Dead

6 zombies left

3 wights left

4 vs 2

The gnome uses a Wand to fire more magic missiles (2) and the golem for 6 damage. Heydrach adds a Flame Arrow and the golem dies. The wights hit and kill Zadaxx, and then the wraith kills another skeleton. Two berserkers hit the gnome and their weapons bounce off, and he laugh.s. Uh oh. He’s immune to something. 2 zombies die, and the first animal spirit dissipates. Alzar summons a Dust Devil on top of the wights to keep them bothered this turn.

4/4/1 spells left

Wraith in Iron Flask

1 skeletons lefts
3 Berserkers left

Heydrach - 68/86
Alzar 78/80
Amber Golem, Kithog, Zadaxx Dead

4 zombies left

3 wights left

2 vs 6

Alzar casts Dispel Magic at the gnome. A berserker hits for 5 damage. The spirit misses. A wight is wounded by the Dust Devil, and Zadran hits for 4 damage and finishes it. The Wraith finishes the final skeleton on it and moves to Alzar. Heydrach uses Acid Arrow on the Dust Devil to take it down. Tarras, the gnome quaffs a healing potion.

4/4/0 spells left

Wraith in Iron Flask

3 Berserkers left

Heydrach - 68/86
Alzar 78/80
Tarras - 42/42
Amber Golem, Kithog, Zadaxx Dead

4 zombies left

2 wights left
1 Wraith left

7 vs 8

Two berserkers hit for 7. A zombie dies to the Animal Spirit. Alzar tries to hit the Wraith and this with a 12 for 7 damage - 6 left. The Zadran hits a Wight for 2. One of the berserks add another damage. Tarras grabs the wand and fires it at a berserk and hits for 7 damage, Heydrach casts Cause Light Wounds and drops a berserker. The wraith attacks Alzar and missies (cloak). The obsidian steed dies.

4/4/0 spells left

Wraith in Iron Flask

2 Berserkers left; 1 2/9 left

Heydrach - 68/86
Alzar 78/80
Tarras - 31/42
Amber Golem, Steed, Kithog, Zadaxx Dead

3 zombies left

2 wights left
Wraith 6/13

6 vs 1

More missiles fly in and slay the wounded berserker. One of the last spells Heydrach has is Cause Light, and he uses it to finish off the final berserker. The wraith misses Alzar badly. The wights miss. Alzar’s 11 hits and kills the Wraith. Zadran misses.

4/4/0 spells left

Wraith in Iron Flask

Heydrach - 68/86
Alzar 78/80
Tarras - 31/42
Berserkers, Amber Golem, Steed, Kithog, Zadaxx Dead

3 zombies left

2 wights left

1 vs 4

Alzar grabs the Gem of Delusion and intones it. Heydrach rolls a 17 and makes his save, Tarras a 7 and fails. Tarras is stunned for 4 rounds, and Heydrach is just feebled for 3. Zadarna hits a Wight for 4 damage. The anima spirit slays a zombie, Then Zadaran falls and the Wights move to Alzar. Alzar mentally orders the Spirit to head to attack Heydrach. Heydrach quaffs a pot of extra healing. Heals 25 HP. The zombies move to Alzar

4/4/0 spells left

Wraith in Iron Flask

Heydrach - 86/86
Alzar 78/80
Tarras - 31/42
Berserkers, Amber Golem, Steed, Kithog, Zadran, Zadaxx Dead

2 zombies left

2 wights left

6 vs 7

The spirit doles out 6 damage. It’ll leave this turn. Alzar tosses the Warp Marble at Tarras, who fails the save since he’s stunned. The undead miss Alzar this turn

With just four undead left and Alzar mainly unwounded and basically untouchable, Heydrach chooses to flee, and uses the Ring of Spell Storing’s Dimension Door to flee.

4/4/0 spells left

Wraith in Iron Flask

Heydrach - 80/86
Alzar 78/80
Tarras - 31/42 - in Warp Marble
Berserkers, Amber Golem, Steed, Kithog, Zadran, Zadaxx Dead

2 zombies left

2 wights left

The spirit dissipates

Does Alzar get drained? I use random.org and…nope. Wights never hit him (they need a 20). He regens the other damage.

Alzar gains

Zombie - 250 XP
Hell Hounds - 2500 XP
Wights - 2600 XP
Wraith - 3000 XP (Alzar pops the other out and slays it)
Bone Golem - 3250 XP
Amber Golem - 5000 XP

Alzar will do a full inventory of this place later. But for now he’s pursuing Heydrach.

Abe Sargent

10-26-2015, 10:59 PM

And he’s level 6!

16,600 XP gained

He gains an extra 3rd level spell

Alzar heads back outside to begin tracking the fleeing Nagpa. He comes across an odd scene.

Boris Vailiev is fighting in the streets in a magic duel against Erik Helsing. Erik already hit the servant with a Power Word Stun spell, so he’s down. Erik asks for help against the vampiric murderer.

Alzar moves in. He has an extra 3rd level spell, and he casts Dispel Magic at Boris while Erik slings his next spell, and the defenses drop. Seeing Alzar as a potentially easier kill, Boris switches targets as Erik has some spell-shields in place. Boris casts Lightning Bolt at Alzar which hits the Ring of Spell Turning and….40% is redirected. Alzar takes 60% - 10d6 (34damage total - Alzar is assigned 20 and Boris 14. Save for half). Boris makes his save. Erik casts Melfs Acid arrow and hits for 7 damage now. Alzar casts Cure Moderate Wounds for 20 damage. (Undead take normal damage from Cure spells, and none from Cause spells) Boris is reeling.

7 vs 6

Boris casts a special spell from his Ring of Spell Strong - Anti-Magic Shell. Erik is out of anti-magic stuff and closes, Alzar slides on a Spellcache Ring for the Free Action one and casts Dispel Magic. The Shell drops.

Alzar 60/80

1 vs 5

Alzar casts another Cure spell for 20 damage. Acid for 6. Erik;s wand is up and he knows this could be the final blow, so he holds no punches and churns serious charges into the Wand of Fire for a Flame Strike spell, which this for 39 damage, and Boris dies.

They split the XP (5500 for Alzar alone) (Note Alzar does get 10% EXP bonuses for having a high WIS)

Alzar and Erik meet at the body. They split his stuff 50/50

Alzar gets:

Ring of Spell Storing (Used Anti-Magic Shell, Breach)
+2 Scimitar

Erik gets a Wand of Paralyzation, Ring of Pro, and +1 dagger

Abe Sargent

10-26-2015, 11:25 PM

Alzar gives Erik a quick rundown of what’ happening, and Erik suggests getting a gnome vessel to chase him down, he’s likely fled the city,

Alzar grabs his Carpet and flies to the landing strip, and there are no gnomes on duty that he knows. But over at the tavern that the pilots use, is Dunbar. He grabs his crew and they are ready to fly 6 minutes later and the plane lifts off!

Alzar is readying the big giant crossbow and getting ready to fire it at folks. A red dragon, surprised by the plane and curious, moves over, but flies away after a lazy moment. Kind of bored really.

Alzar and the skygnomes make out Heydrech’s plane heading low. They are above a different place on the world - Blackheart, an infamous place in Alphatia. The Heydrech plane has virtually crash landed. Dunbar lands and lets Alzar out. They can stay until something attacks, and then he leaves and returns in four increments for another 24 hours after that.

There is a clear trail heading north. The sun is out, and it’s early morning. The major issue is that Alzar is bereft of his tricks - no more berserks for a week, all of his figurines but Balo are dead and out for a similar amount of time.

Alzar does some prep on his way in, and swaps his stuff like Jelly Beans and Beads and grabs the Necklace of Missiles for some splash damage. He readies many Wands and well.

Alzar has 4/2 spells left

There is a foul creature - a crocodile with four heads that snaps at him as he nears. But the magical deformity is so severe that it can’t move quickly, an Alzar is easily able to fly over with the Carpet. It snaps at him with evil hatred as he passes over head.

There is a great black tower that opens here in the Dark Heart of the Woods. Made of a obsidian-like substance (but not that, precisely) there is an electrified fence of iron that crosses it, and two pools of deadly fish. Alzar flies over. There is no gate or way through the fence.

The door is broken open and Alzar heads in. In a moment, he hears the sound of a mage shouting out in anger “You led someone here? You no longer deserve to live!!!” Cracks of eldritch energy cascade into the creature. Alzar needs to be in his anti-Magic best.

Ring of Spell Turning, Free Action
Spellcache Ring of Anti-Magic Shell on his waist
Gem of Magic Missile Deflection

He has these Ioun Stones:

Pale Lavender Ellipsoid (Absorbs spells up to 4th level, 20 charges left);
Deep Black Sphere (See in Non & Magic Dark)

Handy are Rings of Warmth and Pro Fire if needed

Typhus - INT 11, EGO 16, CN, can only be handled by clerics without bad stuff happening, +3 mace, immune to disease, every hit causes disease per the spell unless a save is made. Can cast cloudkill and wither once/day, and gives +1 to level for turning or commanding undead. -1 STR and CON to any non cleric who tries to wield it. Each time uses a spell, moves more towards CN. When removed, turns to normal Align, or regains lost STR/CON after one week.

Abe Sargent

10-26-2015, 11:40 PM

Let’s go. Alzar hears the sound of spell casting down stairs and moves quickly but efficiently with the the Star clearings a path. Alzar heads down. Two spells are cast by the time Alzar arrives…

His foe has summoned, and he has cast Protection from Good, 10’ Radius

6 Crab-Ogres - The mage here, Kavel, has twisted and warped these ogres by splicing onto them chitin, crab claws, and such. The result is a creature that is angry at life, gets -2 AC to hit, deals more damage in combat, get’s +1 to hit with it’s sharp claws, but which has 50% the hit points of an ogre after going through such vile and nasty changes

Kavel

Alzar’s Warp Marble drops a wounded and puzzled Tarras on the ground near the mage and he shouts to Tarras to “Kill our foe, and you’ll get his spellbook as we agreed!”

Kavel shouts back, “So you’ve betrayed both your master and me have you? I think we have all seen that coming!” Kavel orders the crab-ogres to base Tarras, and casts Power Word Stun on Alzar, but the Ring of Free Action makes him immune

Round 2:

3 vs 6

Tarras has no idea what’s happening, but he gets people attacking him, so he shoots an C-O for 8 damage. Alzar’s mace is up and he attacks the wounded Crab- Ogre and needs a 11 to hit and hits for 7 damage himself. The Crab-Ogre is diseased and gets minuses to attack and damage. Kavel casts Disintegrate on Alzar.

So here’s how the Spell Turn Ring works.

Alzar rolls to see how much is deflected -

50% is deflected. So both have ot make a save or be Disintegrated, and it’s a weak spell, so they get a +5 bonus on the spell. Alzar gets a 8, normally a fail, but he makes it. His foe an 11 and makes it. One crabby hits for 8 damage.

4 vs 9

His wand finishes the wounded Crab-Ogre off. Alzar grabs a Wand from his Waist and fires - the damaging Wand of Salt, from Hamedh.

2d4 damage this turn. And then 2d4 damage every turn until he spends a full turn doing nothing but drinking. 6 damage

45/51

Alzar wants to save his splash spells for when Tarras dies. Seeing Alzar’s protection and not wanting to waste any more good spells on him. The mage casts Polymorph Other on Tarras, and turns him into a chicken. The ogres beats and slay him.

3 vs 2

The ogres of all things crab move to Alzar and attack and miss (cloak) The mage is quic, heads to the cistern in the room and drinks. Alzar grabs the Gem of Delusion and orders it.

Results

Crab-Ogres drop 12, 6, 10 and are all stunned. 13 by the mage, who si just feebleminded for 1d6 turns - 3. He can’t cast magic, so he quaffs a Potion o Freedom that gives him Free Action for the rest of the combat.

Round 1 of the feeble -

2 vs 4

Alzar hits a mage with a 19 and deals 5 damage and diseases him. He uses a potion and heals 10.

50/51

Round 2 -

Alzar swigs and hits again for 9 damage. Final healing potion quaffed - none left.

Round 3 -

Alzar swings and tosses a 11 and hits for 10. He moves around to a new place- feeble mind is over

41/51

Round 4-

6 vs 4

He casts Dispel Magic at the Crabs to free them and it works. They can move next turn. Alzar tosses a Missile from his necklace into the middle of the room, hitting everyone (himself included) for 6d6 damage

He tosses 3, 3,4, 1, 4, 6 -21 damage

Save available for half damage:

Crabby Ogres - 3 made for 11, 2 failed for 21

Mage - tosses a 2 and fails

Alzar takes half always (11)

20/51

Alzar 69/80

5 vs 9

Alzar got lucky. If he had a Ring of Quick Action he would have used it there. But nope. He senses the Mage is reeling. But a mace isn’t going to end this. Wand of Salt? Nah. Alzar lobs in another missile.

6, 4, 4, 3, 1, 4 - 22 damage

The ogres die. Alzar takes 11

Now, can the mage make his save? If he can, then he survives, and he’ll dimension door out.

He tosses a 9. I think that makes it, but I need to double check. Hold on…

Yeah, he needed an 8. Made it by 2. He takes 11 and is at 10/51, and then casts Dimension door.

58/80

Abe Sargent

10-27-2015, 12:38 AM

That won’t take him too far. Alzar grabs the Wand of Salt again and the Gem and begins to scour for him/ He’s not on the ground or basement levels. He hears some noise upstairs, and down comes his foe:

Quaffed a pot of EHeal:

35/51

And cast a scroll of Monster Summoning II and has 2 carrion crawlers

Alzar uses the Wand on Him. He casts Shield on himself.

He takes 4.
\
2 vs 1

He quaffs water this round. Alzar is missed by the Carrion Crawlers, who can’t harm him anyway (Free Action ring). Alzar uses a Wand of Lightning to fire a Lightning bolt for 1, 1, 5, 3, 4, 3 damage - 17 saved for half - 8 damage

24/51

3 vs 1

He wanders into melee battle with Alzar apparently cast haste on himself upsaitrs as well.

+2 quarterstaff, with 2 attacks. Misses first (cloak) tosses 12 on second attack Alzar doesn’t have shield so….misses. Needs 13. Alzar swings his mace and tosses 14 and hits for 4+3+2 - 9 damage

15/51

5vs 4

He tosses a 20 and this Alzar for 7 and then a 16 and hits for 7 more - 14 on Alzar -

44/80 Alzar

Alzar misses with a 5

2 vs 4

Alzar grabs the Wand Lighting and discharges again for…2, 4, 4, 2, 3, 4 19 damage and….tosses and3 and fails and dies.,

Alzar finishes the crawlers.

Alzar’s XP:

2400 Crab-Ogres and Crawlers
10000 for Mage
3500 for Gnome

He just made it to level 7 - needs 55000 and has 55,200

THACo drops two

Abe Sargent

10-27-2015, 07:49 AM

Alzar does some searching here in the Tower and comes up with:

Tarras had:

Wand of Magic Missiles - 7 charges
+2 Dagger
+3 Leather Armor
Potion of Invisibility, Flying
Ring of Invisibility Detection

Tarras’s spellbook (Not Decoded):

It’ll at least have Magic Missile, Charm Person, Read/Detect Magic, Pro Evil, Mirror Image, Dispel Magic, Fly, Polymorph Object, Melf’s Acid Arrow, Cone of Cold

Heydrech had:

Amulet of Spell Storing - 2x Dimension Door, Fly
Girdle of Fire Resistance
Ring of Protection +2
Staff of Harming, 19 charges
Scroll of Trapping

Heydrech’s Traveling Spellbook (Not Decoded):

It’ll at least have Magic Missile, Burning Hands, Charm Person, Read/Detect Magic, Pro Evil, Mirror Image, Dispel Magic, Fly, Polymorph Object, Melf’s Acid Arrow, Pro Evil 10’ Radius, Animate Dead, Polymorph Other

At home, Heydrech is going to have two major items. Get ready for later

On Kevel:

+2 Quarterstaff
Cloak of Displacement
Wand of Magic Missiles - 16 charges
Scroll of Dispel Magic

Three are pieces of a dead golem by the feet of Heydahl, and it looks like he took it down as he died.

Kevel’s Main Spellbook:

It’ll at least have Magic Missile, Charm Person, Read/Detect Magic, Pro Evil, Mirror Image, Dispel Magic, Fly, Polymorph Object, Melf’s Acid Arrow, Pro Evil 10’ Radius, Animate Dead, Polymorph Other, Disintegrate, Detect Invisibility, ESP, Haste, Protection from Normal Missiles, Shield, Power Word: Stun, Feeblemind, Hold Person,

Kevel’s Necromantic Tome:

Kevel’s Book of Life Shifting:

6000 gp in assorted art and furniture

Scroll of Spells - Dispel Illusion, Remove Curse, Stone to Flesh

12000 gp of Alchemical Equipment

12000 gp Necromantic and Anatomy Library

1200 gp
250 pp
7900 gp gems
Emerald and Ruby Neck Pendant, 9000 gp

+2 Longsword, casts Fly 1/day
Crystal Ball
+1 Warhammer
Featherchime
Lance of Piercing

Alzar either puts everything in OtherSpace or Bags of Holding. He grabs the body of Heydrach, and binds it with Bands of Bilarro. He casts Cure Light Wounds (it was at HP0) and he regains conscious, stripped of everything and fully bound. He returns to the plane, and then flies up to the flying ship., and begins to inspect the mansion

Abe Sargent

10-27-2015, 10:51 AM

In Heydrach’s Mansion:

Meistercloak - Gives the wearer the powers of a 10th level thief for one hour/day. +5% to every skill for people already thieves.

Lamp of the Shroud -

Powers are by user’s level

5th level - Once/day, animate dead 1 hd/level of user, of 12+4d6 hours, uses normal oil, makes skeletons/zombies
7th level - Same as above, no bodies needed for animation, requires half pint of human corpse fat
9th level - Once/day, animates 2d4 shadows or 1d3 wraiths, from human corpse fat until next sunrise
11th level - Twice/week can animate 1d4+1 spectres, remain until following sunrise, requires pint of human corpse fat oil and special fetid incense cursed by evil cleric
13th level - Once/week can animate 1d2 vampires, remain until following sunrise, requires rendered human fat, special incense, and blood from a living human baby

The Lamp is very evil to use, and using it by a non-evil person shifts their alignment. All undead are turned at the level of their animator instead of their own.

Rest of the House:

14000 gp furniture, art, etc

Other Planar Works, 2000 gp
Info on How to Make Obsidian Golem
Corporeal Animation & Secrets of Ye Necromancie

Alzar slays some undead in the basement. One is an undead Pegataur casting spells. The other a beast that was an amalgam of other parts from a sphinx and a chimera.

16 Rare tomes on Necromancy
42 Rare tomes on Hybrid and Mutant Monsters
Notes on how to Animate Dead a monster and keep it’s spells

10000 gp Library of Arcanology and other Magics

There are also several books that indict Heydrech as well. They name many of his friends. Only two people of the Grey Front are named though.

4000 gp
815 pp
8250 sp

8000 gp of gems

+2 shield
+4 Lance
+3 Studded Leather

And get ready:

+4 Mace, can only be used by Lawful, Casts Cure Light, Cure Moderate, Cure Serious, and Cure Critical Wounds once/each/day if wielded by lawful Cleric.

Which Alzar is. In case you were keep the math. Alzar will switch to this new Mace from Typhus. He names the Mace “Woundhammer.”

Took from the other House:

152 Books on History of Serraine, Nagpa, Pandius

1652 gp of coins

1 Diamond, 5000 gp

Potion of Levitation, Cold Breath, Sustenance

And that’s everything Alzar got - which is a lot.

The mayor, and Erik bring him in for a quick meeting. For saving Erik in the battle against Boris, Alzar gets a special Commendation from the City. For helping them deal with both the missing tourists and some undead issues as well as punching the Grey Front. One was captured, another fled, and Heydrach is sitting in prison, and doing his time.

Alzar is given a waiver for the library, and can now access the Library any time he wishes, even the sections normally sealed off.

End of Top Ballista

Abe Sargent

10-27-2015, 11:01 AM

And that ends that adventure. Whew!

This adventure would really have jump started Alzar as a mage. But he’s not that anymore, and the only major power increase is his mace, Woundhammer, and the subsequent healing that could come from it.

Alzar can now use these 4th level spells:

4th Level - Tongues, Focus, Uplift, Join with Astral Traveler, Cloak of Bravery, Free Action, Heroism, Imbue with Spell Ability, Gloomcloud, Recitation, Smiting, Detect Lie, Divination, Lair Divination, Omniscient Eye, Windborne, Protection from Elementals, 10’ Radius, Adamantite Mace, Earthmaw, Magnetism, Warp Stone or Metal, Produce Fire, Lower Water, Reflecting Pool, Abjure, Dimensional Anchor, Animate Statue, Lesser Guardian Seal, Psionic Barrier, Neutralize Poison, Cure Serious Wounds, Fortify Healing, Compulsive Order, Defensive Harmony, Exorcize, Suspended Animation, Unfailing Endurance, Spell Immunity, Protections from Electricity, Undead, Traps, Gas, and Lycanthropes; Elemental Control, Fire Purge, Weather Stasis, Surelock, Entrench, Leadership, Tanglefoot

Alzar has only been a cleric for a short bit, around 3 weeks or so since he came back from the first round of the Hut of Baba Yaga. There’s more to go. But starting now, Alzar can begin to do some exploring and such.

Alzar now has a high enough level to get him through the level lock…

Abe Sargent

10-27-2015, 04:50 PM

Begin The Dancing Hut of Baba Yaga again.

Thanatos is still missing.

The last time Alzar was here, he didn’t even need his party. He fought two battles against a Minor Death and a minor devil. That was it. So he can head back all day long.

One of Dunbar’s friends flies Alzar down to the March and collects the first stuff in trade of Serraine. Due to his diplomacy skill, Alzar got an additional 5% in tariff reduction.

They head over. The skygnome Questrix is back as well, and the two of them will head into the Hut. Alzar’s levels can open the seals on the higher levels.

They arrive, and get some info about the Hut. There have been a few sightings of a giant rolling kettle or cauldron that repairs the trees afterwards. A few disappearances have occurred, and some children were taken by Baba Yaga.

Alzar spends a half hour scouting the place, and it seems little has changed. As before, the front door is open and ready for him to enter…

Alzar spends some time getting ready again, and he has brought some technical items that can be useful in helping, and the Android Bodyguard is with him, plus it carries some blasters, grenades, and such. Alzar spends a bit of time demonstrating to Questrix how to use them as well, since technology works inside the Hut of Baba Yaga, it only stands to reason that these weapons and items will work fine inside. Alzar hides them mostly, in backpacks and such as an emergency preparedness.

The good news is that Alzar and Questrix enter the hut. Questrix shows Alzar how to get to the room with the Cyclops in it on the first floor. They meet the Cyclops and it’s been captured here, and kept prisoner in a room with exits too small for it. Alzar offers to take it out in his Iron Flash. It heads in, and then if Alzar and Questrix need assistance they’ll pop him back out for help and otherwise, they will release him. He’s been here for months, so he agrees readily, and Alzar puts him in the Flask:

Cyclops - AC2, HD13, 64 hp, THACo 7, 6d6 damage from punch, ahs a magical Club of Smashing like a sword of dancing. Can only be used by 18 str or more. Chaotic evil.

The goal here is to create a magical shock troop for Alzar and Questrix to use since they can’t conjure or summon while in the Hut.,

Questrix leads the way, using the knocks he knows to get the, to the room, the Observatory, which is next to level 2. There are some secret stairs behind a panel, and now Alzar can get through and hit level 2

Abe Sargent

10-28-2015, 11:46 AM

They walk up the stairs to a square shaped chamber with a octagon in the middle. There are a few holes in the wall, and doors flank the left and right sides. A secret door is revealed in the far wall by the Star of Mo Pilar. As they pass into the octagon, there are four gargoyle statues here with faerie fire on them that scintillates with different colors. There are the four glass beads in their eyes, which Questrix knows are the scrying network for Baba Yaga. There are 10 paintings displayed here and they are of different humanoids - hag, kobold, and more. One of them looks like Questrix and would pass for a portrait. There is a Mirror of Life Trapping here as well, and Alzar has had one before and knows about it, so they turn around and back away from it (Thanks Mo’Pilar!)

The open the left door and it arrives at a large city set in the future, with futuristic rockets, and airplanes buzzing around and more. They are attacking a gigantic monster that is invading their city. And the city is shrunk down to a small diorama. Alzar decides not to head in and get between one and the other,

The right door opens into a area filled with splashing water. Alzar and Questrix have to shout to be heard. There are 7 fountains lit up, each one has a colored water of one color of the rainbow flowing out towards the center where a giant pool rests and the water swirl in a rainbow pattern.

It’s a bit of an odd looking pattern. There’s nothing else in the room though, so Alzar opens a door and they teleport out of the fountain room.

Alzar arrives into a room that doesn’t even look like it’s in the Hut. It’s massively hot in here, searingly so, and there jets and gouts of flame from the floor. In front of Alzar is a lair with a few smaller caverns of it, two doors to other places in the Hut, and something really bad.

Alzar does a quick check with the Star, but there’s no illusions in the room, and nothing has been polymorphed, these are four, authentic, pit fiends:

http://img1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20080925083250/forgottenrealms/images/thumb/c/ca/4e_pit_fiend.jpg/500px-4e_pit_fiend.jpg

Each of these four has an oddly shaped collar on their necks.

Pit Fiends are among the most powerful devils, only dukes, and then Archfiends themselves are higher. One Fit Fiend would prove a problem, but would be kill-able for Alzar at level 25 wizard. Two would be rough. Four? That’d do some damage.

Alzar talks to the Pit Fiend in front of him. He knows the lower plane common languages (Sage Knowledge and Netherworld Knowledge nonweapon profs). These collars aren’t normal. Alzar speaks to him and they have a rough communication.

The Pit Fiends here are Baba Yaga’s heavy force for battles. Alzar asks about the collar. It has a permanent Disintegrate effect, so they won’t leave or disobey her. Only a Wish can free it they’ve tried. The other three Pit Fiends fly or walk over, and Alzar is now talking to all four.

Abe Sargent

10-28-2015, 12:38 PM

One of them looks at him - “We haven’t been commanded to attack you, but I’d still kill you right now, except you have been marked, and out of respect for that, I’m letting you live.”

Alzar looks pointedly at him “Why are you taking orders? Is it that collar too? If you die here, it’s fine, you return to your plane. But a disintegration is permanent. How long have you been here slave?”

There are some roars and Alzar has pushed some buttons. A 3rd answers, 254 years.

“That’s 254 years that the Blood War has missed your power. That’s 254 years you’ve been bored. 254 years you haven’t had you freedom. So here’s what I’m willing to offer you.”

Alzar reaches down to his belt and grabs a special ring and puts it on.

“I can cast two Wishes. That’ll remove the collar for two of you right now. You can leave here and go home. Then those two that are freed attack the two with collars on. Eventually 3 of you will die and go home. If the last one left has their collar gone, then they can leave. If not, I’ll finish them off myself, so they die too.”

“Now, spending a Wish is very expensive, and very rare. You could easily be here another 254 years, so I want to trade. I get the true names of two of you, the two I free. Then I can summon you later and then the Wishes will be used, and you can go.”

They negotiate for a while. Alzar will use both Wishes, free two, they will fight, and the 4th one dies if necessary, Alzar uses one Wish, and then gets one true name of a Pit Fiend. Then after using his 2nd Wish, they will give him the truenames of 4 major devils, but weaker than Pit Fiends. Agreed.

Wishes resolve, and Alzar gets the information. The Ring of Three Wishes is now fully used up and disappears.

Alzar sits back and watches as an unusual battle resolves. 23 minutes later, the last Pit Fiend is one who was freed, and it heads off.

A Pit Fiend gives 33000 XP, and for using his best deus ex machina for freeing them and overcoming this extremely difficult encounter., he deserves some serious XP reward. Normally, if a good character uses a wish for roleplaying purposes to heal someone, free someone, or such, you’d give a huge XP bonus and full XP for the encounter as well. Alzar can’t get RP bonuses (since I’m solo’ing this), but what he can do is get XP bonuses for the Pit Fiends. If Alzar dominates a creature and uses it to kill another creature, and this it dies in battle, he gets XP for both. By the same logic, a wish should give the same result but….man, giving him 66k (and Questrix 66k for just being here) is huge.

We’ll do it -

66k for Alzar

Abe Sargent

10-28-2015, 01:16 PM

They head left. The door teleports them…

They arrive in an area that is an orchard. There are numerous apple trees, a deep stream of silky cream, with banks of pudding. There are scattered bushes, a large hedgehog, and a giant tree in the middle which is really a Treant…

http://elementalawakening.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/2309dccb8bde3ca58689069e63e6d972-d55ayv2.jpg?w=474&h=389

There are a few portals leading out of this room/place/orchard

The Treant looks at Alzar suspiciously, and Alzar addresses I ,but it refuses to answer. The hedgehog moves to him and begins to speak. She says that the Treant usually just talks to her. He hates Baba Yaga and suspects anyone that comes through here of being in league with her, and there aren’t many visitors on this level, so most are allies of her. Alzar and Questrix aren’t though.

She was once one of the servants or slaves of Baba Yaga and she refused an order, and was polymorphed into a hedgehog until her two years were over That was around 11 months ago. She has a little more than a year left. She knows the 1st floor well, but not any of the 2nd floor knocks. But she does know about a 3rd floor above this one, and she thinks it’s the last one though.

She knows there is a library, stables, and bedchambers on this floor. The portals from here head to a fire pit and stables and stairs.

They head to the stairs…

Abe Sargent

10-28-2015, 04:53 PM

This area is designed to clearly defy 3-dimensional thinking. There are crossed stairs, and multiple doors, and all in a winding twisting set that come back to each over in loops that make no sense. Alzar decides to unfurl the Carpet of Flying from his Backpack and they fly instead of getting caught in the stairs, and they open a door - and it leads to the bottom of the stairs. A door on the side leads to the other side, and so forth. 8 doors in all, each wraps around. The Star finds nothing either, other than the whole thing is magical. All of the doors open. Alzar tries a few things, and then eventually tries Dispel Magic, which works….

This room is filled with a dozen glass-fronted display cases of varying sizes. Each holds a motionless (and possibly stuffed) animal in a diorama of its natural setting. A hallway bisects the room with doors on the sides. The Star reveals a trap they avoid. Alzar inspects them carefully and there is something peculiar about their mouths. Alzar skips the room and heads right and….

When Alzar heads in, there is a 50x50 room with stone walls and floor and a door in the center of each wall. Alzar and Questrix disappear from each other, and there is nothing in the room, and then in Alzar’s room there is a group of traps on the floor. The Star reveals that they are in a room with a large watery trap on the base, and no doors out.

It’s odd switches. Can the Star be misled? Alzar puts it back on his belt, and then the water is gone and the two traps are here. Alzar grabs his mace and begins to cautiously poke and move his way across the room. the great watery trap doesn’t trigger, and he moves around the traps he sees, and gets to the side of the wall, and feels and finds a door. He opens it, and….

Questrix and Alzar appear in an odd place. There are three glass eyes that are invisible and floating, Alzar can see them with his INT. These are more scrying devices for Baba Yaga. There are three doors here, and cabinets, with wizard locked doors. There are tables and chairs, and rooms with various effects, damages, jagged gashes and more, and they have a variety of ages There’s even a bloom of mushrooms in the back. Alzar guesses that this may have been the place where they tested various spells or magical items or trained apprentices. There is a damaged magical staff on a pedestal, There is a secret door out of here in addition to the normal doors. They try it but it won’t work - it’s a door to level 3. They aren’t able to crack it. They head to a normal door:

They arrive at an oddly shaped room with suits of armor from a variety of worlds arrayed all around. Different suits of armor abound. One is a plastic suit of power armor, much like the one that Alzar had. There are mannequins inside each of these suits of armor, and a couple of doors arrayed around. Suddenly a ghostly spirit (A ghost, proper) animates one of the suits of armor and begins to move towards Alzar and Questrix menacingly. Knowing that spiritual undead are often tied to one location, Alzar pushes the gnome elsewhere and then leave out of a nearby door and teleport to….

Back to the room with the creature cabinets. Alzar takes the other exit from here….

Abe Sargent

10-28-2015, 05:29 PM

To the stables. There is a dimly lit room here with a huge pile of silver shavings (probably worth thousands of gp), and an ugly twisted figure with the features of a dwarf, rat, bird and snakelike skin is shoveling this treasure through the open door of one of the horse stalls in the rear of the room - three stalls are here in total. The Star also detects a secret door here as well as the normal two.

Alzar talks to the creature, who introduces himself as Jolnag. He was once a duergar bodyguard d of Baba Yaga’s, and was experimented on and turned into his form as punishment for stealing. There are three mounts in here kept for the three servants that serve Baba Yaga recently - Night, Day, and Twilight. He lets them know about one knock that will send someone to the clockworks, but that’s all he knows

Alzar doesn’t want to death with the death steeds or nightmares or whatever problematic steeds these personifications are using, so they head out and…

This room has floor to ceiling bookshelves, accessed by three ladders that roll around the perimeter of the room. There are two floors here, and 2 secret doors in the back and to the left. Thousands of books are in the room from many different planes and worlds. A table in the middle has a few recently used books. Alzar sits down and begins to review them.

One is titled The One Thousand Names of Death; while another is a book on the various forces of nature, and more. The forces of nature are 4 good, 4 evil, and 3 neutral and are listed, and day, night, and twilight are three of the forces given. Alzar hands that book to Questrix for review and he looks through the Death tome. It’s a book on the different aspects of Death on various planes, and begins with the Reaver name, and then the last page is….

Thanatos

And it gives information on Thanatos here on Pandius in quite a compelling amount of detail.

It mentions that Death, in any incarnation, should be able to prevent death by default of that definition.

Is that what Baba Yaga is seeking? Not to die? Immortality?

Abe Sargent

10-28-2015, 06:57 PM

Alzar goes into the two secret rooms.

The first is a room with blank bookshelves and the Star reveals an illusion, and behind it are countless spellbooks. Questrix finds his three spellbooks in here and takes them. He now is fully loaded again. Alzar skips the rest. There are scrying devices allover, and he suspects that one of the reasons Baba Yaga may have been so lenient with him is that he hasn’t taken anything of hers yet. Another might be she is studying him to find out more about the path to immortality.

The next secret door opens into a map room. With maps of numerous planes, planets and more. There are extremely detailed maps of Pandius on the top of a table, and Norwold is zoomed in to. A crystalline device focuses on one part of the map and zooms it - but whether magical or technological he can’t say.

There is a book on the table as well that entices him:

How to Make, Use, and Enjoy Your Own Warp Marble

He grabs it and flips through it and there are recipes and chatters here on making a Warp Marble. The whole process is laid out. As someone who really likes his Marble, this is something he really likes. He sits down and pulls out the Lens of Speed Reading from his backpack. He looks over at a scrying device. “I want to take this with me, make a copy, and then bring it back. I haven’t stolen anything of yours here. I promise that I will bring this book and only this book back. Is that okay?”

After a moment, an Aerial Servant floats into the room from somewhere else. It points at Alzar and then points to follow it. They head out. The Servant leads them out of the Hut, with the book intact….

That day, Alzar gets the Magist to use Bookcopy on the book, and then heads back and returns the original about an hour later. The Aerial Servant is in the first room past the door in the Hut, and Alzar hands it the book and it heads back up.

Alzar heads back out.

End of The Dancing Hut of Baba Yaga. Again

Abe Sargent

10-28-2015, 08:46 PM

Alzar has gained another level and is now level 8. He gains one more 4th and 3rd level spell.

He now has three weapon proficiencies that he has not used he is holding onto.

Questrix also gains a level and is now level 11.

Morena appears again. With what Alzar has learned, he has confirmed that Thanatos was likely taken by Baba Yaga and is on the 3rd level of the Hut. Again, he needs to be of a certain level to get there. So they have accepted the 2nd leg of the first rung of getting the Sphere of Matter’s Path

These are the 6 requirements:

1). 10 non-weapon profs - Alzar has gotten 14 since then. DONE
2). Must find the same artifact twice after resetting as thief and as cleric. DONE
3). Must get Fighter, Thief, and Cleric all to level 12. He gets all of the classes back. About to begin.
4). Must be accompanied by one member of each class - Ongoing.
5). Monument erected in his name. Not done

So what is about to happen is really, really odd. Alzar gets all of his classes that he needs to level to 12. He is a 8th level fighter, 8th level cleric, 9th level thief. He even get sMage back

There are no rules for how this works precisely. So I’ll make it up and be fair. He can gain a level in any class by gaining that XP. But XP has to be assigned on an adventure basis. In other words, Alzar can’t assign one encounter’s XP to thief, and then another’s to fighter and so forth. He can only assign it all to one class at the time.

Abe Sargent

10-28-2015, 08:58 PM

Get ready for a big and overly complicated character sheet for Alzar!

As a Polymath, Alzar can now mix and match stuff. Alzar takes the Specialization in Missile Fire. This lets him move half movement and get full fire rate or full movement and half, as well as -1 AC vs missile fire when firing. . Then he double specializes in it as a Fighter, and gets full movement and fire rate and -2 AC. He also combines skillset with items. For example, he can use Bright Barrier with the weapon/shield style he learned as a rogue with the specialization of the Axe. He saves his final weapon prof for now.

Here’s another. His AC. He doesn’t wear armor. He can wera the fighter-only Helm of Selinor again, He’s now wearing the thief-only Cloak of Shadows again, Bright Barrier, AC bonuses from thief, etc…

Without the Barrier normally, Alzar has a typical AC of…Bracers - 2, -3 Cloak, -1 Helm, -3 Rogue: -5 AC and that’s without using a Ioun Stone or Boots of Striding and Springing. With Barrier he gets -5 AC to -10 AC. Higher level campaigns do embrace ACs less than -10, so with the Stone, with Bone Block spell, with Boots, etc. And then dn’t forget that the Evade thief ability hits for the first attack each round that would normally miss. Now he’s no longer getting the free round of misses with the Cloak of Displacement, but that’s still Alzar in a good place.

Abe Sargent

10-28-2015, 09:05 PM

I’m just giving you the character sheet. No spells, spellbooks, items, etc:

Alzar the Polymath; Alzar the Mighty, Lord of Wood and Fire, Marquis of March of the Mighty

Alzar, Level 8 Cleric, Scholar Priest, (Level 9 Thief, (Investigator); 8th level Fighter (Myrmidon), 26th level Path Mage (Fivefold Mage))

Lawful Evil
Human

Str: 18/23
Dex: 13
Con: 11
Wis: 17
Int: 21
Cha: 17

Hit Points: 80
THACO: 16
AC: -5 (Cloak of Shadows; Bracers AC2, Helm. If using Barrier, -10. Ioun Stone, Boots, could drop -2)
Age 63, Body - 29

Cleric XP - 145000, 225k to level 9; Thief XP - 126,200 (160k to 10th); Fighter XP - 180k, 250k to level 9; Mage XP - 6156490 (Level 27 at 6,250,000);

Non-Weapon Proficiencies:

Myrmidon:

Tactical History 15
Fire-Building 18

Riding 14
Swimming 12
Reading/Writing 16
Survival 16
Blind Fighting
Etiquette 17
Endurance
Heraldry 13
Hunting 12
Fishing 15
Weather Knowledge 12
Orienteering 18

As a Necromancer/Fivefold Mage

Necrology 16
Netherworld Knowledge 16
Herbalism 17
Alchemy 15
Poison Use 13
Ancient Languages 11
Spellcraft 13
Ancient History – 17
Bookbinding – 16
Papermaking - 16
Sage Knowledge: Outer Planes, Inner Planes – 13
Divining: 15
Genie Lore: 17
Riding, Specialization: 10
Research: 13
First Lore – Aleph I: 8
Riding, Air: 13

As a Thief:

Information Gathering: 15
Trailing: 16
Set Snares: 13
Tracking: 13
Locksmithing: 11
Fine Balance - 11
Camouflage - 12

As a Cleric:

Scribe - 12
Religion - 10

Investigation - 11
Healing - 14
Hypnotism - 9
Administration - 16
Diplomacy - 14
Court Intrigue - 13

Languages – Thorasian - Typic, Sis’sharr, UnderTypic, Kuo-Toa; Hamedhi – Arjuni, Sand Mire Common – Pandius - Pandius Prime,

Traits:

Empathy
Fast Healer
Precise Memory
Obscure Knowledge

Weapon Proficiencies:

Bonus Kit Specialization:

Battle Axe

Battle Axe
One Handed Weapon Style x2 (-2 AC when using one weapon in combat)
Crossbow
Battle Axe Weapon Mastery
Spear
Dagger

Total with normal battle axe - +3 to hit, +3 to damage, -2 to AC. An additional +1 with the axe and +1 damage for strength

Mage - Staff

Thief Weapons:

Short Bow, Short Sword
Short Bow Expertise - Fires at rate of Specialization
Specialization in One Handed With Shield - -1 AC and can Shield Bash

Cleric:

Mace

Polymath:

Double Specialization in Missile Fire --2 AC at range vs ranged weapons, can move 100% movement and fire everything

Class Abilities

Fighter Class Abilities:

Specialization
Leadership (Alzar can command the tactics, strategy, logistics and more that a large force requires)
3 attacks every 2 rounds

Mage Class Ability:

1). Alzar can control undead as an evil Priest of the same level, and this ability extends to extra planar beings which are considered undead with the same hit dice for this purpose.
2). One Extra Spell/Level is Gained, must be Path.
3). Fivefold Mages reduce the spell level by one when researching spells in The Path.
4). Chance to Learn spell in The Path increased by +15%
5). Saving Throw of Targets when targeted by spells from The Path at -1.
6). No more than one spell per level can be from the group: Abjuration, Alteration, Alchemy and Geometry barring a highly unusual and temporary circumstance.
7). Fivefold Mage must invest a focus item as the method through which magic is cast. (Signet Ring from Hamedh, kept on necklace.)
8). Must have a lab and library and workbench with 1,000 gp value per level, and an upkeep of 50 gp/level/month
9). They can store spells like an Artificer, but cannot begin to do so until level 6
10). Fivefold Mages have a chance to identify a magical item by spending a turn peering at it closely and examining it - chance is their level times 5.
11). Fivefold Mages never suffer from a negative reaction penalty due to controlling or animating undead.

Thief Class Ability:

Cannot use Armor
Without a Trace
Defensive Bonus- -3 AC when unarmored
Backstab - x4 damage from level 9-12: +4 to attack

Open Locks: 45
Find/Remove Traps: 95
Move Silently: 80
Hide in Shadows: 80
Climb Walls: 70
Read Languages: 5
Evasion: 55

Cleric Class Ability:

Cannot use Armor
Fire Immunity - Alzar is immune to fire. Any non-magical fire, flame, lava, or heat won’t affect him. He always makes his saves against fire spells and effects. And if a fire spell doesn’t have a save, he gets one.
Protection from Energy Drain - +2 on saves vs energy drain effects, and grants a save when there is none
Cold Resistance - +2 on all saves vs ice-based and cold attacks. Effects without a saving throw are not given one

Major Access to these Spheres: All, Healing, Astral, Law, War, Combat, Charm, Divination, Guardian, Necromantic, Protection, Summoning, Wards, Elemental

Immune to starvation

Can cast ESP once/week

A Wish Resulted in - An interdimensional Pocket which only he can access by reaching out his hand, or concentrating to send himself there. It’s sort of like a giant Bag of Holding. It can hold up to 500,000 coins of items, and it’s the size of a large room. Due to the size and volume, it cannot be accessed as readily as his items in a Bag of Holding can be, and therefore, he cannot find items during combat from it. He also can’t step into it during combat, it takes a minute of meditation to translocate his form there.

Alzar may move and survive in the following planes at will: Tarterus, Acheron, The Abyss, Elysium, Arcadia, and the Astral Plane and Positive Energy.

+2 to all saves against fear/awe effects

Cleric Spells - 5/5/4/2

Wizard Spells - 7/7/7/7/6/6/6/6/5

Special Books Already Used – Tome of Clear Thought; Tome of Leadership and Influence; Libram of Ineffable Damnation; Tome of Understanding; Tome of Quickness of Action; Manual of Puissant Skill at Arms; Manual of Bodily Health; Manual of Gainful Exercise;

Longevity Potions Drank – 2; Wishes used for stats - INT, WIS

Younger - 1

Abe Sargent

10-28-2015, 09:36 PM

Its Month 8, of Year 6. Alzar is back to being a magic-user. He spends 65,000 of his own gold to begin construction on a hugely pimp monument, statue, with columns, some permanent magic effects, and more

Back to Dancing Hut..

Alzar spends the next 6 days doing research, and bringing in allies. An off-hand remark by a Pit Fiend has clued him in strongly - he can summon them on Pandius even though they died, because the Hut is actually a sub-plane. It was a pocket place made by Baba Yaga, so Alzar can do pretty much anything outside.

Alzar has summoned various allies from the area, to head one major assault on the Hut, and by Hut he means plane, of Baba Yaga. With his levels restored, he can get to the final level and unlock it. The rest can come with him.

He clues them in on various ways to hit her. For example, in the various legends, she is immune to metal completely. So if someone uses a metal magical weapon against her, and it doesn’t work, then they’ll need a non-metal weapon to continue.

Alzar reminds everyone that they are here for one reason only - to attack. Not to steal or loot or drive her away. But merely to free Thanatos. Maybe they can do that peacefully. Maybe not. But do not antagonize her needlessly.

You can’t summon aid or anything, so Alzar will be heading back in with:

Forx the bard, now level 9.
Questrix the gnome Illusionist, level 11
Rachlann, level 7 fighter
Rogren, level 8 fighter
Racala, level 9 cleric
Adentium, level 8 wizard

Aleph, Bronze Golem
Android Bodyguard
Azzil, Imp Familiar

It’s time. They head back in. Alzar learns a few different spells, like Wish and Greater Malison.

The doors are not open, and the hut is dancing. Not a good sign. Alzar has given everyone the best he has - magical weapons and armor and more. Missiles fly into the two legs and drop the hut from past the fence, and the door flings open. They move in and head in.

Abe Sargent

10-28-2015, 11:37 PM

After moving around the first level melts, and the 2nd arrives. They head to the right room and then use the secret door here, which works…

They arrive at the bottom of three rooms. The room is cascading with energy from the Negative Plane, and there are four huge mirrors that are arrayed around the legs of a giant figure. There are two more rooms above this one, and the legs are probably those of Thanatos himself Alzar recognizes the mirrors as the same substance as that of his Warp Marble.

There is still a ceiling above this room, and stairs heading up on the far side. The next floor is the middle trap, and there is a temporal shift here. The group is captured by it, but Alzar’s Time Stop spell cancels it for a turn or so. The midsection of the Immortal is here, and the Temporal Energies are coming from four great pedestals. The room is laid out like a giant four-point star.

They head up the final staircase to the final room of this prison. Here positive energies are cascading from the Positive Energy Plane. Again, there are four Warp Marble-esque giant mirrors. This room has the great head and shoulders of the Immortal, and he is imprisoned here.

There is one door that leaves here. The Star of Mo-Pilar has is trapped and locked. Alzar’s Chime of Opening cancels the Wizard Lock spell on it, but it’s still held. Alzar rolls and disarms two mechanical traps. There is a magical one here too. He casts Dispel Magic (as cleric, not the more powerful Wizard version) and drops the trap. The Door can now be opened….

Abe Sargent

10-28-2015, 11:49 PM

The Control Room is dominated by a large, high-backed chair carved from ivory and inlaid with jade and silver. The chair is inscribed with a variety of runes that are inlaid on a variety of shelves. Books and magical items are there. On the far wall is a large number of mirrors, more than 30, and they are revealing the various glass eyes around the Hut in its various rooms.

On the floor is a large broom, a cauldron, and a hound from Mordenkainen’s Faithful Hound spell, who alerts the occupant in the seat. Baba Yaga is seated in the chair, which she spins to face Alzar and his group.

Alzar officially introduces himself and Baba Yaga merely nods. She is a bent over wizened old crone who’s probably more than 2000 years old. Alzar tells her that that are not thieves not looters, and not bandits, come to steal and wreak havoc. They just want something returned - Thanatos. He thanks her for letting him loan the book, and offers her a pouch of 3000 gp as payment, about 3x what a book like that would cost. He grabs a pouch from his shoulder, and places it on the ground.

This is yours for the book. (He doesn’t want her to hold having loaned him the book against him) We just ask that you release Thanatos.”

“As I have told him. His freedom is on his own head. As soon as he grants me a minor boon.”

“Immortality.”

She just smiles at Alzar’s statement.

“That’s more than a minor boon.”

“Not for one of his power, it isn’t”

“I stand corrected. But still, I request that you return Thanatos.”

“No. I grow bored of this conversation. You were dedicated enough to return to my Hut multiple times, you brought a lot of friends with you with nice sharp weapons, you managed to take care of my Pit Fiends, you managed to pierce my defenses, and, like you stated, you haven’t really been a bother to me. But now let’s test you resolve even more.”

And with that she begins to rise and her hound heads out to nip at Alzar.

Abe Sargent

10-29-2015, 12:43 AM

http://th06.deviantart.net/fs70/PRE/f/2013/246/4/a/baba_yaga_by_katemaxpaint-d6kvfni.jpg

Baba Yaga - 150 HP, THAC0 3, 3 attacks for 4d4+9, 4d4+9, and 2d10+9. AC -4. She is immune to non-magic weapons, poisons, metal weapons, spells, cold, fire, with a 75% Magic Resistance. She regenerates 3 hp/round. She gets +4 to spells against the mind, she is immune to a metric to of spells, and illusions, she is a Godlike intelligence of 25, and no one can outwit or out plan her, not even Alzar’s normal 21 INT and experience and skill set. +2 to saves vs anything that would deal more than damage (disease, contagion, etc). She cab cause fear for a turn ,and force everyone to save, poisons someone with the first two physical attacks (with her nails)

She can use a variety of thief abilities, knows a ton of priest and wizard spells (she’s a level 25 mage, a level 12 priest, and a level 11 thief). She also has a variety of magic items as well to assist.

She casts Time Stop….

Time Stop gives you 1d3 rounds, and you don’t know how many. She casts Monster Summoning V and IV and then it ends. The spells resolve and now she has 1d3 level 4 and 1d3 level 5 monsters, randomly determined, arrive. 2 and 2 of each. These arrive:

2 Hook Horrors (AC3, HD5, HP 28, THACO 15, 3 attacks for 1d8/1d8/2d6, 175 XP)
2 Giant Spiders (AC4, HD 4+1, HP 26, THACO16, 1 attack for 1d8, 650 - uses Web once/battle)

Alzar points some folks at the Horrors, and others at the Spiders. He suspected Hold Person spells or styles perhaps, so many have Rings of Free Action - those work on Webs too, and he always wears his. Spell Turning on the other.

Racala uses the Iron Flask to grow and expel the Cyclops right beside Baba Yaga and Alzar tells him to get revenge. (Iron Flask works by shrinking and physically moving to the flask and then putting a stasis spell, not a summons or an extra-dimensional space, which cannot be accessed here)

Abe Sargent

10-29-2015, 04:47 PM

Alzar leads with Greater Malison, this does not have a save so its guaranteed. It forces the target to get -2 to all saves for 1 rnd/level - so 27 rounds -basically all battle long. (Alzar gets +1 to spell level for Azzil, his imp - he also has 75% magic resistance from the Amulet and Azzil). Alzar has the Bronze Golem and Rogren hit some Hook Horrors, the Android and others on the Giant Spiders. Forx casts Color Spray and….4, 16 - one Horror is dazed, Baba is immune, spiders aren’t intelligent enough. Questrix leads with Melf’s Acid Arrow and she shrugs it off and a magic metal crossbow bolt from Rachlann proves that she is metal immune and it passes through her.

Battle truly begins

8 vs 6

Baba Yaga casts and summons an Invisible Stalker. Attacks from her minions (Hound, Horrors?) hit twice on Rogren fpr 11 damage. The Giant Spiders ;launch Webs. Racala, with a Free Action Ring casts the Free Action spell on everyone and the Webs are ignored. The Cyclops swings and…..hits for 11 damage on Baba Yaga (his big, giant magical club is certainly not metal). Adentium casts Magic Missile at her and they hit her Gem of MM Protection, much like Alzar has, and are redirected to Alzar for 6 damage. Forx casts Glitterdust and that reveals the Invisible Stalker to everyone to attack later. The Android Bodyguard fires a blaster at Baba Yaga and misses. Damage dealt to a Horror. Alzar decides to speed this up. He casts Wish at Baba Yaga and Wishes that her immunity to metal be removed for a day. Alzar ages 5 years.

Rogren 52/63
Alzar -75/80
139/150 - The Big One

3 vs 4

Alzar casts Strip Resistance. Will it break her Resistance? Nope. It will keep working until it Strips her resistance down 27% . The Cyclops tosses a 5 and misses. Forx grabs the Drums and starts playing. Next turn, everyone gets +2 to hit and damage. The Golem tears the head off a Horror and it dies. Blasters hit the big bad for 8. Adentium uses Burning Hands and slays the spiders. Seeing the need for more allies now, she reaches into her own Hut and opens a phase door to another room and out pour for Clay Golems. The Stalker hits Rogren.

Rogren 44/63
Alzar -75/80
131/150 - The Big One

9 vs 4

Baba Yaga casts Stone to Flesh and petrifies the Cyclops. The Clay Golems flank, two around her and two to head to Alzar and swing. One gets a 19 and hits for 13 damage and no evasion by him . Alzar nods at Forx and he drops the drums and grabs a ring on his belt and uses a charge from the Ring of Depetrification to bring the Cyclops back. No bonuses for ,the drums though, The Strip hits this round and her MR is now 48%. Questrix casts Acid Arrow on the Stalker for some damage, and Aleph punches it too. The final Hook Horror bites it from Rogren’s blade. Rachlann’s crossbow led with the Hasp hits Baba Yaga once for 5 damage. We need a tank, and after dropping Baba Yaga’s immunities and opening her up, Alzar can now be that tank, he grabs his Axe, and Shield and wades in and swings at a Clay Golem. 17, 8 and 14 - he hits twice for 36 damage it dies (35 hp for it). 3 golems left

Rogren 44/63
Alzar -63/80
126/150 - The Big One

Abe Sargent

10-29-2015, 05:02 PM

6 vs 3

Baba Yaga is done with this She’s tired of trying to keep her summoned creatures alive and decides to switch tactics. She can tell that she’s losing, and there’s no sense to stick with a losing strategy of summoning creatures. She casts the 5th level spell Cloukill for the entire room:

This is a nasty spell that:

Lasts 25 rounds
Kills everything level 5 or lower
Saves for level 6 to die
Everyone else takes 1d10 poison damage a round No saves

This will begin to erode at Alzar’s team. This turn, everyone takes 7 damage - she is immune to poison (as is the Android Bodyguard and Imp) and golems too. Clays attack the Cyclops and hits for 9 damage. It’s take 16. The Stalker misses.

Alzar swings and slays a second Clay Golem - 2 left. Racala casts Cure Moderate Wounds and Rogren heals 20, and Questrix Dispel Magic on the Cloudkill specifically, in order to kill it and it’s gone. The Cyclops swings and 17 and hits Baba Yaga for 8. 5 more from a bolt.

Rogren 57/63
Alzar -56/80
113/150 - The Big One
Forx - -7
Questrix -- 7
Rachlann, level 7 fighter - 7
Racala, level 9 cleric -7
Adentium, level 8 wizard -7

Aleph, Bronze Golem - 7
Android Bodyguard
Azzil, Imp Familiar

2 vs 6

Alzar moves and carves and finishes off the Invisible Stalker. Forx is playing the Drums again. The Cyclops tosses an 11 and hits for 7. No one else targets her. Questrix and Racala hit the Clay golem and it’s almost dead. Her clays miss. The Cloudkill didn’t really work. She activates a Contingency spell and three magical shields hit her:

Protection from Magical Weapons
Spell Turning
Baba Yaga’s Mantle

The Mantle is a spell she created, and if any spell comes in to drop her protections, that caster takes 20 damage and only the Mantle falls.

Rogren 57/63
Alzar -57/80
113/150 - The Big One
Forx - -7
Questrix -- 7
Rachlann, level 7 fighter - 7
Racala, level 9 cleric -7
Adentium, level 8 wizard -7

Aleph, Bronze Golem - 7
Android Bodyguard
Azzil, Imp Familiar

3 vs 7

The damaged clay golem dies and Alzar kills the healthy one - and now Baba Yaga is alone, and Alzar is next to her. The Cyclops would have hit her but rebounds off the protection. A Dispel Magic flies in from Racala, and she takes 20 damage and just the Mantle falls. No one else hurts her this round. She casts Wish herself and orders that her Metal Immunity be restored. And it will be.

Abe Sargent

10-29-2015, 05:20 PM

1 vs 4

Alzar shouts to hold off and casts a powerful level 27 Dispel Magic and drops her protections. Racala heals herself of 20 damage with CModWnds. Questrix casts Protection from Evil, 10’ Radius. Others adjust or such. After her final spell defense falls, she casts a spell - 4th level Baba Yaga’s Poison Ball, a spell that is identical to Fire Ball, only it’s level 4, poison, and has a poison save. Everyone takes 10d6 damage, save for half (she’s immune). 32 damage

Rogren 41/63
Alzar -41/80
113/150 - The Big One
Forx - -23
Questrix -- 39
Rachlann, level 7 fighter - 39
Racala, level 9 cleric -23
Adentium, level 8 wizard -23

Aleph, Bronze Golem - 39
Android Bodyguard
Azzil, Imp Familiar

5 vs 7

Alzar casts Maze at her. Can she make her Magic Resist? 51%, nope, 3 above the 48%. There’s no save. But her massively high INT keeps her out for just one round. Alzar orders everyone to heal and switch items as appropriate.

Racala casts Cure Medium wounds and heals 30 from Questrix, who is almost dead. Healing Potions are quaffed by 4 people. This was a successful hit, so she’s likely to use ranged magic again. Alzar orders Aleph to retreat. With the metal immunity back, and no ways to hit any summoned creatures, it’s just sucking up space and taking hits. Aleph heads into the first room. Questrix readies the Scroll of Catching.

Rogren 51/63
Alzar -41/80
113/150 - The Big One
Forx - -13
Questrix -- 9
Rachlann, level 7 fighter - 29
Racala, level 9 cleric -23
Adentium, level 8 wizard -13

Aleph, Bronze Golem - 39
Android Bodyguard
Azzil, Imp Familiar

5 vs 4

She returns and wins initiative. She casts Cone of Cold at the room. Only the Cyclops beside her won’t be caught in it, but Questrix has moved in from of her and positioned himself and catches the spell in the Scroll. The spell, Cone of Cold, is now written on the Scroll. Alzar reaches out and casts Vampiric Touch and….evades her MR and he sucks 25 hp from her. A sling stone hits her for 3. The Cyclops tosses an 11 and adds 8.

Rogren 51/63
Alzar -66/80
77/150 - The Big One
Forx - -13
Questrix -- 9
Rachlann, level 7 fighter - 29
Racala, level 9 cleric -23
Adentium, level 8 wizard -13

Aleph, Bronze Golem - 39
Android Bodyguard
Azzil, Imp Familiar

5 vs 2

She’s done. She casts teleport and flees…

Abe Sargent

10-29-2015, 05:28 PM

Alzar has Racala, and then him, use the Rod of Health to heal everyone. Over the next few rounds, in case she decides to return, but she doesn’t. Alzar looks around the control room. Thanatos is still here. He heads to the Control Seat, as it’s the only thing other than the mirrors here. He sits down and the Hut tries to dominate him, and it has a personally score of 55. That’s hugely powerful. Alzar has a lot more though and dominates the Hut instead.

From here he can force the Hut to move (physically, teleport, or Plane Shift). Alzar can control the Hut, and there’s not a lot controllable. However, the Death Trap is one, and Alzar releases Thanatos. After a moment, the Immortal disappears.

Now Alzar could earn the eternal enmity of Baba Yaga by looting her stuff. But he’s been fine. No reason to do so now. Alzar and company head back out.

End of Dancing Hut of Baba Yaga

JAG

10-29-2015, 06:32 PM

Alzar really needs to find the Anchor of Space-time or the spell Tracker for all these pesky enemies with dimension door / teleport (I know those are probably only ToME 2 items / spells, I don't recall a D&D equivalent).

Abe Sargent

10-29-2015, 09:38 PM

Wouldn' t that be cool!

Abe Sargent

10-30-2015, 07:00 PM

They only get 38k for the combat. So I’m giving every participant one full level.

Forx the bard, now level 10.
Questrix the gnome Illusionist, level 12
Rachlann, level 8 fighter
Rogren, level 9 fighter
Racala, level 10 cleric
Adentium, level 98 wizard

Alzar puts the level into Cleric

Alzar gets 1 level 5 spell, and another 1st and 2nd.

5th Level - Atonement, Commune, Quest, True Seeing, Meld, Prepare Enchantment, Plane Shift, Flame Strike, Magic Font, Consequence, Air Walk, Cloud of Purification, Control Winds, Nature’s Charm, Shatter Stone and Metal, Sink into Earth, Spike stones, Strengthen Stone, Transmute Rock to Mud, Animate Flame, Wall of Fire, Cloud of Purification, Produce Ice, Calm Water, Geyser, Dispel Evil, Unceasing Vigilance of the Holy Sentinel, Golem, Page Guardian, Cure Critical Wounds, Champion’s Strength, Impeding Permission, Raise Dead, Cure Insanity, Anti-Plant Shell, Impregnable Mind, Protection from Fiends, Petrification; Adaptation, Dimensional Translocation, Barrier of Retention, Elemental Forbiddance, Grounding, Shrieking Walls, Undead Ward, Disguise, Illusory Artillery, Righteous Wrath of the Faithful

2 hours later, the Hut of Baba Yaga plane shifts when the owner returns. After having his life be seriously derailed by a well coordinate strike by the demon prince and princess over the Orb of Golden Death artifact, he understand the lengths some would go to in order to wreak vengeance. He could never really rest easily worried that Baba Yaga would return to hit him and get vengeance. And nothing in the hut that he found is worth that risk, not when he’s doing quite well.

Alright, let’s head back to the March for a bit.

Abe Sargent

10-30-2015, 07:39 PM

Month 8, Year 7 -

Month 8 - Mid-Summer Convocation – 10% of income that month - is held this month

The Silver from the Foundry is ready for enchanting and Alzar spends a month making another Silver Golem,

Nothing else major happens this month

Month 9, Year 7 -

Alzar has finished casting Dispels and Remove curses on the five spellbooks that he sequestered:

Tarras’s spellbook:

Magic Missile, Charm Person, Read/Detect Magic, Pro Evil, Mirror Image, Dispel Magic, Fly, Polymorph Object, Melf’s Acid Arrow, Cone of Cold, Monster Summoning I, Detect Invisibility, Protection from Good, 10’ Radius, Chill Touch, Icelance

Heydrech’s Traveling Spellbook:

Magic Missile, Burning Hands, Charm Person, Read/Detect Magic, Pro Evil, Mirror Image, Dispel Magic, Fly, Polymorph Object, Melf’s Acid Arrow, Pro Evil 10’ Radius, Animate Dead, Polymorph Other, Polymorph Self, Teleport Object, Flaming Sphere, Glitterdust

Kevel’s Main Spellbook:

Magic Missile, Charm Person, Read/Detect Magic, Pro Evil, Mirror Image, Dispel Magic, Fly, Polymorph Object, Melf’s Acid Arrow, Pro Evil 10’ Radius, Animate Dead, Polymorph Other, Disintegrate, Detect Invisibility, ESP, Haste, Protection from Normal Missiles, Shield, Power Word: Stun, Feeblemind, Hold Person, Anti-Magic Shell, Pierce Magic, Demi-Shadow Monsters, Ghoul Touch

There’s nothing in these three that entice him. Pretty standard stuff. But the next two?

Kevel’s Necromantic Tome:

Animate Dead Animals, Preserve Dead, Undead Servant, Undead Mount, Bone Knit, Animate Dead, Animate Dead Monster, Death Spell, Teleport Dead, Finger of Death,

Kevel’s Book of Life Shifting:

2nd - Embalm, 5th - Graft Flesh, Magic Jar, Nulathoe’s Ninemen, 6th - Graft, 7th - Bloodstone’s Frightful Joining, 8th - Clone, Enhance, Life Force Transfer, 9th - Life Force Exchange, Lifeblend, Trap the Soul

Those have some serious game. In fact, some of those spells are infamous. Lifeblend is one of the most evil spells available for wizards. It’s what made the crab-ogres at Kevel’s labortary.

Lifeblend - 9th level - take two creatures and cast Lifeblend and then roll some dice and you blend the two creatures together based in part on the dice. You create a brand new race of creature or monster based on this spell. It’s nasty, and takes around 6500 in components (1500 of which is reusable) and the wizard can’t cast anything for a day afterwards. But this is just serious power, but Alzar’s not a super big fan.

Graft Flesh and Graft enable a wizard to graft a limb to replace a lost one, and you could give someone an octopus tentacle for that arm, or something similar. Both are pretty nasty as well.

You might recall that Alzar knew and used Embalm on Thorasia, it takes a freshly killed corpse and keeps it fresh until used later, requires 100 gp and any zombified creature animated fro that remains gets +2 hp per HD. But he has it again. The Nineman is a better version of that spell.

Life Force Transfer moves a spirit from a body into a prepared item, like a weapon or a sword. Or vice versa. It’s permanent. The body remains spiritless, alive, and unable to do anything until killed, controlled, or it expire s(usually takes a week or so). You can seal the Transfer with a Permanency spell to finish off an item or something. It’s a way to make intelligent weapons. But…

Life Force Exchange swaps, permanently, the spirits of two living creatures. Alzar could swap his body with a younger or more powerful one, and keep his skills, spells, abilities, and memories, and gain a brand new body. But that’s not the best spell here…

Enhance - When a wizard cast enhance, they cannot cast any other magic for a week, and they lose 1d4 constitution points permanently. One statistic of the target, chosen by the caster, rises by one permanently. Capped at 22 per score. So Alzar could swap 1d4 CON for 1 INT point, right now. But who cares? Right? So what you could do is put it on Scrolls an then force people to read it and cast the scroll spell, and then Alzar gets stronger.

Bloodstone’s Frightful Joining - 7th level spell, wizard transfers lifeforce to an undead, dominating it, and save if intelligent. Lasts 1 turn/lvel. Caster can use all of the attacks and such of the undead, as well as his own. So for example, Alzar could dominate a Skeleton ,and then move with the Skeleton like his own body, fight, cast magic, etc as if the skeleton was his own body, if It died, nothing happens to him he returns to his comatose body and takes 4d6 damage (save for half) damage.

He grabs Enhance, Life Force Transfer and Exchange, Nulathoe’s Ninemen; Teleport Dead, Animate Dead Monsters, Preserve Dead, Frightful Joining. Clone too.

Abe Sargent

10-30-2015, 08:42 PM

The Assassination of Alzar

Normally I run everything out of the modules. I only do things between an official TSR or WOTC module, adventure, campaign, magazine, or something else. I try to link various modules and adventures into the ongoing campaign and I like to combine elements and have a character in one make it to others, or introduce something in one module that matters later on. Little changes like that make the world feel more breathable.

But I am about to go off script a bit. I’m penning a quick little sidenote to what has been happening. I want to push Alzar off his comfort level, and this is one of the best ways that we can do that.

On the 5th day of the 9th month of the year, an extremely attractive woman in her mid 30s arrives at the March of the Mighty. She is a great bard, namely Athala the Precise, known as one of the great chanters of the day. She is a vocalist who chants at length about major subjects. Having heard the stories of Alzar, she has come to proclaim the greatness of Alzar through chanting.

For almost week, Athala the Precise has been heading through different towns and prefects in the March. After arriving in the capital and spending two days extolling the various virtues of Alzar, including some bawdy comments about his virility, the people are beginning to want Alzar to host her in an official capacity. Alzar comes back from a trip to Serraine, on the 11th. On the 12th, they set up a lunch, and she will perform and meet Alzar officially.

During the lunch, she looks at him hungrily, and longingly. She has naked sexual desire on her face, and her chants grow increasingly salacious. After another round of music, and applause, she asks to meet with Alzar privately. He turns her down, but she can come to his court tomorrow, when he meets with everyone.

She looks very disappointed. But she agrees.

Abe Sargent

10-30-2015, 10:35 PM

Alzar doesn’t trust her. That night he has one of his lycanthropes trail her. He is never heard from again.

The next day, she comes to court, wearing a massively revealing outfit. She walks to Alzar’s throne and sits down in front of him, wanting to make of herself as appetizing a delight as possible. After the entire crowd is quieted and dumbfounded, she asks Alzar to marry her.

She will be the best he’s ever had, he needs to start having children soon to continue his line, and more. He can have her far longer than any other has. That’s an odd phrase and it triggers Alzar’s Sage Knowledge and Netherworld Knowledge. He tells her to keep talking in order to delay her, and then mentally commands Azzil to fly over, in the shape of a raven, invisible, and to use the Star of Mo’Pilar on her. Azzil confirms it.

She is not a human.

She is not from Pandius.

She is a Succubus.

Alzar then interrupts her, in the court, and in front of everyone.

“I’ll make you a deal Athala. You show me your true form, and then I will let the people here vote on whether or not to allow us to marry.”

She looks surprised and acts like she doesn’t know what Alzar is talking about, but he casts a Priest Spell and now everyone in the room sees her reveals as she is.

http://th07.deviantart.net/fs70/PRE/f/2011/039/e/b/succubus_by_fatalis_sacristia-d394dos.jpg

She looks over at Alzar and smiles seductively, “Are you sure?”

Alzar nods, and the people are cowering in fright.

With almost a hint of sadness, “Very well, but I wasn’t lying about marrying you and being with you. Well, remember that we did offer you the nice way first.”

And she disappears and returns home to the Abyss.

Abe Sargent

10-30-2015, 11:44 PM

The next day later, Alzar gets another guest. This time, he comes naked - no keeping things hidden, just nasty and powerful. It’s another demon.

http://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/criticalrole/images/c/ca/Bezilak.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20150809174640

This is a Glabrezu, a true tanar’ri or demon. One of the most powerful.

“I am sorry about the mixup with that Succubus, Marquis. I should have realized that you were a person of power, not of sexual appetites. Unless they run another way? Would you prefer an Incubus? No? I thought not.

Although if you do want her, I’ll give you her true name. You can summon her yourself and ensure her loyalty that way. She is a bit enamored with you. No? How about ten Succubus? No? I didn’t think so, but if you change your mind.

I am here to give you the one thing you have been questing for all of your life. The one thing you need more of. Power. Naked, pure, power. You can bind me with any spells or magic items that you want, I will take them. I will be your advisor, for as long as you’ll have me. I’ll give you the true names of a 100 demons. You can raise an army in a month that will decimate this plane. You can conquer nearby lands and take the Kingdom of Norwold for yourself in months.

You are on a quest for immortality. This would speed you up considerably. You know the history of this plane. People who get immortality do something amazing. They usually wage and win major wars and wrest crowns from the losers. They have power and they use it to conquer, to slay, and to carve a name for themselves in the battlefield. And you are a fighter, and you understand power. That power could invest you with immortality in mere months instead of years.

And you get power. I offer you power and nothing in return. You need not give me, or demons, or anybody I associate with anything. I ask nothing of you, and I offer so much. In one breath, you can ascend to higher levels of power than you’ve ever known before. I can give you a Maralith for leading your troops or cadre of Vrocks as shock troops. All here to march at the command of Alzar the Mighty. At your command…

So, what do you say?

You say no? You refuse my gift, even given freely? I will take any test you wish to prove that I want nothing back. And yet you still wish to decline?

I offer you power once more Alzar…

Very well then. But we offered you a line and a wife and all of the delights and passions that come with that. And I offered you power, naked unadulterated power, to take what is rightfully yours. And you refuse both. You refuse to see reason. Very well then. I am disappointed, but this was not unanticipated…”

A moment later, the demon leaves

Abe Sargent

10-31-2015, 08:27 AM

The 22nd night hits, and an unknown force begins to ripple through the lines. At night, a strike force of three Bar-lgura demons arrive at a place around 15 mile away from Alzar’s home in Evenarrow. They drop three eldritch devices to the ground, and a huge gate opens up between Pandius and the Abyss. After a few lesser demons come through to ensure that everything is working properly, larger demons begin to break through the Gate and within an hour, more than 30 demons have arrived, by morning, a strike for of 120 demons has crystallized and begins to mount up.

At roughly seven hours past midnight, the first cry of something wrong penetrates the area, and Alzar’s attention is brought to bear.

Alzar casts Mount and then teleports himself and his griffin over, high above the gate. There is a sprawling amount of demons below, and they have come to hit him. Hard. He needs to stop the Gate. After spending around 5 minutes reviewing it, a Chasme demon sees him and suddenly a variety of teleporting and flying demons teleport up to him to attack. Alzar casts Teleport again and returns to the castle and begins to order defenses erected.

They are going to be here in an hour at most, maybe a lot sooner.

The demons are pushing hard against him for some reason.

Alzar heads to the summoning circle he was preparing over the last few days. It’s not finished, but under the circumstances it doesn’t seem necessary.

He uses one of the true names that were given to him, and summons a greater devil called a Cornugon, a lawful evil blood enemy of the demons

http://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/phaeselis/images/b/b7/Cornugon.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20140505150936

As this extremely power devil arrives, Alzar just tells him frankly that a demon invasion is coming before they do the normal power dance to establish dominance. They are an hour away tops. The Cornugon was told by the Pit Fiends that he would likely be summoned any time and was given a message for Alzar.

The Blood War has a long history of having the lawful, organized, militaristic, but lesser-numbered devils, (aka the Baatezu) against the chaotic, disorganized, but huge numbers of demons (aka the Tanar’ri). The Blood War has been mostly a standstill, but ever since Alzar freed four Pit Fiends, that are the most powerful of the powerful devils, the power has shifted back their way in the almost 2 months since. The demons know what happened. They know all of the individual Pit Fiend and where they were, getting four back at once from service after more than 250 years away is a major blow to them, They are hear as a strike force.

The Cornugon tells Alzar how to shut down their eldritch gate. They scry the area, and see that only 10 demons are there holding out. The Magist teleports Alzar and the devil over, and five minutes later, the gate is destroyed and they come back.

Abe Sargent

10-31-2015, 09:10 AM

But battle is about to begin…

Their foes:

1 Marilith leading them
15 Bar-lgura
10 Babau
5 Cambion
15 Chasme
40 Dretch
5 Hezrou
10 Nabassu
20 Rutterkin
5 Vrock

126 in total

Alzar needs friends to fight them back now. He hands some summoning items to the Magist to use, and has a local ally, Gwifa, the Shadow Mage, assist as well. She grabs local mages and other clerics, and essentially summons all of his allies, the Magist summons some on, and Alzar begins to grab some other allies. Alzar has folks distributing magical weapons to every soldier and guard.

Alzar needs to get his friends some time to summon, call, and get ready, the demons are at the walls in 15 minutes. So he takes the various allies he has summoned that can hit a demon (they can only be hit by magic)

Alzar
Cornugon Devil
Invisible Stalker
1 Greater Earth Elemental
1 Normal earth Elemental
4 Elementals from Face of Xenous - 16 HD beaters

Alzar also has two scrolls of Protection vs Demons, and he hands one out and puts the other on his belt. He keeps the face on during his skirmish in case he needs to use it’s abilities, in order to save his magic for later.

His goal is to hit the edges of their force, and then slow them down as his allies get into place. He has a surprise though, and it ready for it, away from peeking eyes.

They head out and the demons see him with six elementals, a devil, and they can see the Stalker as well, and they immediately move to hit him. He surrounds himself by the Elementals, and battle begins…

And then it stops. It Time Stops. Alzar casts his first spell - Worldwalk, and opens a Gate to another place, but this time it’s here in Pandius, and a huge gate is opened to a special chamber that he has… created and secured in the mountains, and out from that chamber come 6 Death Tyrants, animated Beholders that serve Alzar completely. He also has time for another spell, and casts Wail of the Banshee.

And then the Stop ends. And Alzar’s Wail occurs…

The Marilith is not dumb . She knows that Alzar has a few spells to use against her troops, so she has the disposable cannon fodder of the Dretch and Rutterkin in the first row, hitting Alzar’s elementals from all sides and then Chasme’s flying above to hit him aerially. The Wail only hits nearby Dretches, very low level demons whose main value is in dying- when they do, some hard-to-breathe gases emerge that make holding the point hard. But Alzar’s strike force can ignore that they are undead, can’t breathe or immune.

17 of the 28 creatures Alzar targeted near him die, and all 17 are Dretches.

But the Death Tyrants? Those are something new and unexpected…

Death Tyrant - A C 0, 50 hp, THACO 9, 2d4 bite, 4 of them still have a central eye with anti-magic, each is missing 1d4+1 eyes total,

Normal Rays:

1. Hold Person (used to be charm)
2. Hold Monster (used to be charm)
3. Sleep
4. Telekinesis
5. Flesh to Stone
6. Disintegrate
7. Fear
8. Slow
9. Cause Serious Wounds
10. Death Ray

The one that is really feared is Disintegrate. A fiend slain by that spell is permanently dead. Alzar orders his Tyrants to unleash their rays.

Let’s fast sim this

6 rounds later:

36 demons are dead
Alzar’s elementals and Stalker are dead. The Devil, 4 Death Tyrants are left. They have pushed back and decided to march on the city of Evenarrow in order to force Alzar over there. The Death Tyrants head back into and through their gate

Abe Sargent

10-31-2015, 11:23 AM

He delayed them for another 20 minutes or so.

Heading back:

They have:

Amber Golem
Bronze Golem
2x Silver Golems
Android Bodyguard with a Blaster

1 Fire Elemental
2 Earth Elemental
2 Water Elemental

Those Elementals are from Alzar’s summoning devices he loaned them plus:

2 Aerial Servants
1 Invisible Stalker
18 Shadows
5 Slow Shadows

Alzar has Racala with the Rod of Health in the middle of a large group of fighters, armed with magical swords. Racala can heal each once/day for free with the Rod. It’ll keep them in the fight longer and help to reduce injuries and deaths

Nearby is the Ghost Draconus, ready to help defend his area as well.

As they are about five minutes away, Alzar flies up with the Flying Carpet and the Scroll in hand, and he reads and uses his scroll, and then drops into the middle of their formation with his Axe, Bright Barrier, +1 AC Ioun Stone, and Boots of Springing and Striding giving him a hugely hard-to-hit AC. -12.

These are chaotic people, and they soon roll over Alzar in an attempt to defeat him

A few rounds pass before they are called off. Alzar killed a Hezrou, Bar-lgura and Nabassu. The Maralith orders the rest off. Alzar needs to kill the Maralith. They are the generals, the attackers, and really the only thing resembling order in demon-kind. As they pull off, she orders the forces at the city, knowing Alzar can’t stop them all…

The Carpet flies up, and he swings and hacks a Chasme and slays it as it comes in close. Then Alzar has a line of sight and casts Flesh to Stone at the Maralith. It needs to break her Magic Resistance and….fails. Ah well.

Alzar’s troops are in formation, and since the battlements won’t have any use against an attacking foe that can teleport, fly, and is immune to the artillery and fortifications, they used the time Alzar bought them to make formations outside of the area, and about 30 yards from the walls and gates ,which are wide open

The summoned creatures are in the center, and front, where the heaviest fighting is expected to be. Forx has begun to play the magical Drums. Racala has cast a spell Aid to give his side +1 and the enemy side -1 to their stuff.

Abe Sargent

10-31-2015, 12:26 PM

Battle opens.

The fodder that’s left slams into the Elementals and undead and Servants. The golems are being held in a reserve. The demons begin to edge their better troops around the edges of their formation, in order to flank if the opportunity presents itself. But their formation isn’t tight. The Maralith is certainly a good planner of strategy, but Alzar is really good (recall he has a variety of skills and proficiencies on warfare and tactics) and Alzar’s troops follow his instructions. As melee continues, and the demons look to break the edges, Alzar orders the archers to rise, and 40 troops on the battlements rise, all with magical arrows aided by spells like Flame Arrow, begin to fire. Many miss, but they are aiming at the flanks and force folks back. As they do, Alzar flies into the rear of their force like a one-man tank. With his protection, low AC, and multiple attacks, his axe is cutting a swath of destruction and two demons fall in two rounds to him.

Most of the canon in the front of the locals have died, only a few undead, and one Aerial servant remains, but the fresh troops behind them have stepped in, and aided by healing magic, fewer are suffering mortal wounds, while the demons can’t stay the same. Their spells like Magic Missiles and such are missing, as magical protections and wards established in this place are keeping them down.

But these are tenacious demons. And even on the wrong battlefield, with the wrong tactics, and the wrong side of spells, they are extremely strong and powerful. 15, and now 25 humans have fallen. A polymorph spell here turns a human into a sheep and is then slain. A hold spell there does something different. And soon, the demons know they have lost, know they have been rerouted, and it doesn’t matter. They keep coming.

Soon enough Alzar has carved a path to the Maralith, in the front of the fighting. She turns and faces him, leading with magic first, but his Magic Resistance of 75%, high saves, and Ring of Spell Turning keep him safe from the minor magics she has left, and Alzar slays her.

And after a few more minutes, the golems are freed to come in and assist, and the battle is won.

54 human troops died. Alzar reaches down and casts Raise Dead twice and brings them back to life. Just 5 will be resurrected - most high level magic was used this day for summoning allies.

But they won. To a demon, the 126 were slain.

I’m giving Alzar the one’s he soloed for XP. 57550 XP for him. He is now a level 10 Thief

Open Locks: 50
Find/Remove Traps: 95
Move Silently: 90
Hide in Shadows: 90
Climb Walls: 70
Read Languages: 5
Evasion: 60

Current abilities. He maxed Evasion.

Abe Sargent

10-31-2015, 01:15 PM

He lost today. Some folks come over and celebrate his victory. They turned back an attack by demons. His realm confidence rises by 10. But he knows that this was a loss.

The demons didn’t lose anyone. All of their people just went back the Abyss, and they are banished from Pandius for a century. That’s it. They can go anywhere else, and they can still fight in the Blood War. Nothing will stop another demon offensive tomorrow or the next day, and each time they can hit with 126 more demands, or 252 demons or whatever. They have huge numbers on their side. Alzar lost men, used up magical items, lost some people like Death Tyrants, and they are down. Alzar can’t summon elementals with the Face or his items for a week. There’s nothing they can do next time. Now, if the demons were just playing with him, warning him, or whatnot, then that’d be one thing. But it’s not. This feels serious. The succubus? Glabrezu? Launching a full-out assault? This doesn’t have the feel of a weak little slap. This feels like a lot more.

So he needs to do something different.

He needs to punish back.

Alzar is going to go back to The Abyss and slay some demons. Once he’s done that, he can hopefully keep the rest away. The one thing where the devils outnumber the demons is with Pit Fiends to Balors. Both are the rulers and planners of their kind, but the Pit Fiends are strong, powerful, and nasty. But the demons really don’t have the power to have too many leaders, since each is really for themselves, and if they splintered themselves, then their power of numbers would also go. If they had 10,000 Balors, then they’d each have considerably fewer troops and power to use against other demons and devils alike. So fewer numbers on top are key. In fact, there are slightly fewer than 1000 Pit Fiends known to exist, but around 100 Balors.

So if Alzar can kill a Balor on the Abyss, that’s a not-insignificant power shift. It would also demonstrate that Alzar could and will penetrate your plane and kill your folks permanently.

Alzar begins to review his spells, items, and such on preparing to head out to the Abyss

1st level Priest Spell - Astral Celerity - Lets him adjust to another plane’s environment and such for 1 hr/level
5th Level Priest Spell - Plane Shift, moves Alzar to another plane (or a target and up to 8 friends)

Worldwalk - Alzar can open a gate that lasts for hours from one world to another, and anyone can cross

Amulet of the Planes - Alzar can use this to move to, and survive on, various planes of existence.

Alzar can innately move to and survive on Tarterus, Acheron, The Abyss, Elysium, Arcadia, and the Astral Plane and Positive Energy.

One of those planes is the Abyss. He can return as well from there.

Alzar’s Teleport without Error crosses planer borders as well.

The Necklace of Adaptation allows him to breathe in hostile environments

Some of his magic shifts in value and import.

Abe Sargent

10-31-2015, 02:12 PM

Alzar arrives at the top level of the Abyss, of 666 layers, Pazunia, one of multiple layers ruled by the demon prince Pazuzu. Alzar has no desire to head out and take on a Demon Prince, he just wants to hit some bad guys here and then head back home

“The uppermost layer of the Abyss, known alternately as the Plane of Infinite Portals, Pazunia, The Plain of Yawning Pits, The Palace of 1001 Closets, The Wasteland of Gates, etc., is a barren wasteland of unrelenting heat and blistering winds, cut through by the infamous River Styx.

Even with the demon armies, inhospitable terrain and unrelenting heat, this layer attracts travelers from across the planes. They seek the pits that dot the landscape – pits that lead to nearly every other layer of the Abyss itself. Thus, the first level becomes the entrance to all that is below.

The largest of these pits is known as The Grand Abyss (the interior of which is separately counted as Level 4). Some pits are two way, others via astral magic only delve down. Some lead directly to another layer, others change destinations on a daily basis, some lead nowhere and are merely deep pits that contain creatures worse than the layers themselves, and it is these pits that sparked the Blood War, remnants of which sit strikingly alongside the pits. Iron fortresses which once held vast armies (emptied and abandoned, as the Blood War continues deeper within the Abyss) now hold the physical bodies of Demon Lords during astral travel. These demonic princes, lords, and queens have holdings on deeper layers. Most of the rulers of these fortresses are balors, mariliths, nalfeshnees, succubi, nabassus. advanced fiends, archdemons, and every once in a while, a lesser demon lord (like Aldinach, Ahazu, Baltazo, and Laraie) These creatures often wage war amongst each other, laying unrelenting siege to impregnable fortresses of dark magic and demon armies.

There are a few landmarks within this barren warzone – The Town of Broken Reach (ruled by a succubus called Red Shroud) and a region of Lakes of Molton Iron, known to be the birth of many a weapon in the Blood Wars, guarded by demon armies. Beside this lake lies the Fortress of Ferrug.

Other sites and fortresses of note include: Battle Not With Monsters, the Iron Fortress of Mithrengo, The Edge of Sanity, Raazorforge, Styros, Sonu-Aar'ri, The Tower of Chiryn, The Dolorous Keep, Fortress of the Fallen Stair, and Gallowsgate (ruled by the marilith Jaranda).

This layer is under undisputed rule by Pazuzu, The Prince of the Lower Aerial Kingdoms. Demons pledged to him call the realm Pazunia.”

Alzar has been here twice before when exploring after getting the powers, so he has a rough map in his head. The gravity where he arrives is around 25% more than normal, and his Flying Carpet still works, so he unfurls it. There are no major people in any places, just loads of rocky boredom. A few unintelligent large insect-ish creatures are here and borrowing into the ground.

Alzar turns invisible with the Ring of Invisibility, and there are multiple new items he has out to use. He’s sticking with Ring of Spell Turning and Free Action. He has a few protections from charms and such. Many creatures here can see through invisible, but there’s no reason not to, just in case.

He pulls up and up and looks over. There is a cloud of flying demons, lower level sorts to his left. There are lots of creatures down here that aren’t demons. For example, there is a herd of Stench Kows that can be seen to the far left.

Abe Sargent

10-31-2015, 02:47 PM

Alzar flies tangentially to the flying demons and far enough away that they don’t make him out. After almost an hour Alzar flies around to a large demonic fortification with about 200 demons of various sorts. About 140 are simple scouts or fodder, low level demons, and the other 60 are higher levels. Alzar casts Protection from Fiends, a 5th level cleric spell. It’s not as good or complete as the scroll, but it’s pretty good. (From the spell description, “Unlike most other protection spells, protected individuals may launch their own attacks and spells from inside.”)

And he drives down on top of the demons on the outpost aiming for the only one true demon here - Hezrou and slaying it. Without their leader, they attack Alzar mindlessly, and Alzar takes the intelligent ones first

After they try spells, they try other stuff, but to no avail. It’s not until about 10 minutes later with almost 50 dead demons that they think to call in for help.

Gates begin to open up. Out come dretches and a horde of manes. Manes are the weakest and one of the least powerful creatures here - like great orcs. Alzar tosses a pair of Fireballs from his Wand of Fire to clean them out. Soon enough a few more gates open up, and this time, greater demons begins to come out. A handful of babau arrive first. And they open up gates for more. Babassau follow. And suddenly Alzar is now facing more powerful demons, but still ones he can kill easily. A Wail of the Banshee spell drops 13. Magic Missiles fly at him and rays of enfeeblement. And then it happens…

Out from the next gate steps one of the strongest true demons, a Glabrezu. And it knows some spells. It casts Dispel Magic and drops Alzar’s protection. Alzar is still at -12 AC, and he’s fully healed and has numerous spell protections on, so he doesn’t stop. He slices and slays a Babassau this round for 44 damage. The Glabrezu tries Power Word Stun, which fails on the Free Action he has

Alzar’s axe slays another demon. And the Glabrezu gates in three more. And instead of casting Power Words themselves they gate in 7 more. And suddenly Alzar is facing too many Glabrezu to handle. These are harder to hit with a -7 AC, and Alzar starts taking some minor scratches as numerous attacks some his way, most demons of any power have 2 or 3 attacks, and he can’t fend them off forever. So he casts the Disintegrate spell from a scroll he grabbed, and targets a Glabrezu and…

It brakes his MR and….he tosses a 7 and dies. One Glabrezu dead, one Hezrou dead, and Alzar has slain more than 200 demons today. He shouts out that if they come after him again, next time, he’ll take out a lot more, and after he takes 8 damage from a claw, he leaves, and rturns to Pandius, three hours later.

Alzar has gained 185,000 XP. He is now a level 10 Cleric!

He gains a 5th level spell and another 4th as well.

Abe Sargent

10-31-2015, 04:31 PM

Alzar wants to push his point home. In the book he obtained called the Demonomicon of Iggwilv, there are numerous true names of various demons, including three demon princes. One demon prince was summoned and trapped in the Prison that Alzar procured, along with this book.

The Prison of Zagig only works if the truename of an individual is known. You have them in your room, use the true name, and then if the creature’s magic resistance and save fail, they shrink and pop inside the cage, with no magical abilities able to be used, and no need for food or drink. They cannot free themselves with magic or abilities. Prison is immune to damage or magic from both sides (in and out) and only a wizard of at least 4 levels o more of the one who seals it (in this case Alzar is level 27 for spells, so 31) could break it. Or a Wish spell. That’s all that can crack it. This exact Prison was used to imprison a demon prince, Graz’zt, that was summoned from spells via the Demononicon and the Prison.

Alzar could try to do the same. Alzar’s never really bothered with demons. They are unreliable, constantly struggling to fight you, and looking for a way to get out of any contract you make with them. Demons pretend to be a fast track to power, but never really reveal how much a caster loses by grabbing them. Alzar has no desire to summon them.

But now he wants to follow up the message.

He spends a few days creating a powerful summoning circle in a room that is not next to anyone. He carved it in a mountain hundreds of miles from his home, chosen randomly, with magical spells. He brought Gwifa over once to verify his circle was correct, and she did. He has checked it 10 times. The Circle should hold. Additionally, he has Protection from Evil, Chaos, and Demons ready to fall back on.

Unfortunately there are no Balor in the Demonomicon. That’s sad. But there is something else. Alzar doesn’t want to try a demon prince.

So he summons a Glabrezu

A few minutes later, it arrives, and Alzar prepares a Disintegration spell. He looks at the Glabrezu and casts a Spiritwrack spell. It writhes in pain for some time, and then Alzar ends it. The demon’s eyes are angered. But Alzar shows the scroll. He will disintegrate the demon and it will die, permanently, right here. Or, it can head back and keep other demons from coming after him. If they do, he’ll summon this Glabrezu here again, and disintegrate it. And remember, since Alzar knows your truename, you better do it!

Alzar sends the Glabrezu back. And then once/day for the next two weeks, Alzar will teleport there for a summoning, punish the demons, and send the message back. No more. Hopefully they get the message this time.

Only a Demon Prince or a Balor would have the power to authorize the attack on him. So he may have to aim highly.

End of the Assassination of Alzar. For now?

Abe Sargent

10-31-2015, 07:25 PM

Month 10, Year 7 -

Month 10 - Harvest Festival - 15% of income that month

There’s a little more growth before Winter finally sets in.

Back to Bestiary…..

Viridis and Deforesting

One of the local Pathfinders in the local forests near the town of Rostock comes to Alzar to inform him of a dangerous sighting. A green dragon has been destroying the forest completely flying about and using its breath weapon as well as spells.

“That’s not really normal for a green dragon. They are very territorial normally. Maybe this isn’t its home? Have you seen this particular dragon before? You are sure? Then I need to track it down and find out what this stranger is doing in my realm.”

After securing the area with his crystal ball to ensure nothing dangerous there, he casts Mount, and then teleports the Griffin and himself over the forest, and they fly around exploring. They head out scouting. Azzil and Ak’Kabar peel off as well, giving him more eyes in the skies.

After a few hours, there was a green dragon sighted languishing in the forest, basking in the last rays of the sun before it peters out. Alzar spends some time scrying from afar. He has Zandran, the Serpentine Owl figurine head out and land on a nearby branch to put someone on location.

While holding up, a flock of harpies can see Alzar and fly up from the forest from a different angle. As they scream at him, the dragon hears the noise and moves off. Flying up and away. Alzar turns to face the harpies while the flyers head off to scout and keep the dragon in sight. He flies down to cast Wail of the Banshee as they arrive in range ,and most die. The others flee, and Alzar casts Death Spell to drop the rest. 14 harpies die.

Alzar begins to circle back to the dragon, and something else begins to fly up to the dragon. It’s another human, using Flying magic of some sort to rise. She reaches the dragon and orders it to grab her. She leaps on top and then whirls it around and swings back to Alzar, casting a spell and touching the dragon, it suddenly moves more quickly and seems to grow a bit. As she gets closer, she begins to cast spells:

Parin, Level 32, AC-4, 56 HP, THACo 14, 1d6+2 damage. Wears Ring of Pro +4, Quarterstaff +2, Ring of Air Command, Wand of Domination - 32 charges;

Green Dragon - Viridis - AC -5, 102 HP, ThAO7, deals 18d6+9 damage breathe, knows some magic too

Abe Sargent

10-31-2015, 08:43 PM

As they approach, an Air Elemental she summoned before is also coming towards Alzar and his Griffin. Alzar pauses and swaps the griffin for his flying carpet, and send sit off.

Alzar pauses to cast Protection from Electricity (Cleric Spell) and then they reach extreme range.

4 vs 2

She leads with a Power Word Kill, aimed straight at Alzar - but his HP is too high for it. Alzar casts Mordenkainen’s Disjunction, and any potions, spells, or anything else she had is down.

The dragon Viridis breathes at him, a nasty poison gas, and he is immune, and takes no damage.

3 vs 8

Alzar casts Time Stop. As he concentrates, he casts…Strip Resistance and then Flesh to Stone on the dragon…and then….Banishment on the Air Elemental…Time Stop falls.

Results -

Banishment works - gone Air. Strip Resistance? It has 40% MR and it works, and drops the MR to 13%. Flesh to Stone needs to pass by and gets 71 to no MR, and then a save. Toss a 5 and its petrified and begins to fall to the ground very quickly

Alzar was hoping her Fly spell or effect would be up post-Cleaving, she must have a different way of flying. (Her Ring)

6 vs 9

Alzar wants to keep his foe from casting a spell to help the dragon before it’s too late. He needs to distract her, and casts Maze at her. She disappears for 3 rounds, and in a few seconds, the dragon falls, cracks some trees, and breaks in multiple places.

Dead dragon.

He spends the next couple of rounds flying in to where she was and preparing to melee her on arrival.

7 vs 4

She pops out and gets the first spell off and casts Time Stop herself. She gets two rounds and she casts Power Word Blind and she grabs a gem and cracks it, summoning the demon that she used Trap the Soul on, and demands that it attack Alzar.

End of Time Stop

Power Word Blind - automatically works on someone with 100 or fewer hp, and for 1d4+1 rounds. Alzar’s Ring of Spell Turning gets….20% back forcing a save by both. She make sit, he does not. Alzar is blinded for 3+1 - four rounds.

Alzar is now facing a Chasme demon as well.

Abe Sargent

10-31-2015, 10:31 PM

2 vs 5

Alzar can’t cast anything, but his blind fighting proficiency allows him to keep fighting. She has pulled back, so he focuses on the Chasme. 10, 19 and 3 tossed - hit with Axe twice for 9+30- 39 damage. (5 for enchantment, 3 for skill, 7 for STR). The chasme misses him, and she casts Finger of Death at him. He reflects 30%. She gets a save at +7 and him at +3. Both make it.

5 vs 1

She casts and summons a greater Air Elemental to attack . Alzar swings,....2, 14, 4 -hits once for 19 and slays the chasme.

3 vs 4

Alzar pulls over at the Air and swings and….hits with shield and axe once each. 28. The Air swirls around him for 14 damage. She switches tactics and casts Dispel Magic at the area around Alzar to drop his defenses.

66/80

5 vs 3

A Lightning Bolt is cast and Alzar reflects back 60% but she is immune. Alzar takes 40% damage of 10d6. 34 rolled, and Alzar takes 14 save for 7. The Air misses. Alzar hits the Air just once for 20..

59/80

6 vs 1.

She casts a 4th level Acid Blast spell at him, and again he redirects back…50%. She rolls 46 damage., each take 23, and no save is allowed. The Air hits Alzar for 11. Alzar uses his final round blind to attack and tosses a 7, 16, and 12 and hits twice for 21.

25/80

5 vs 6

Alzar can see again, and casts Cure Critical Wounds and heals 40. A pair of Wyverns are summoned by her with a Monster Summoning Spell. The Air hits for 11 again.

54/80

3 vs 5

Alzar casts the Priest spell Abjure on the Greater and…..it fails. Ah well. The wyverns can’t get close to hitting him, and the Air missies to.. She quaffs an extra healing pot this round to fully heal from the acid burst

1 vs 2

Alzar casts Polymorph Other on a Wyvern, to turn it into an elephant. It rolls a 4 and fails, and it’s probably going to die when it smashes into the ground in a round. Alzar is attacked and…3 by the wyvern, 16 by the Air - take 13 damage, and she casts another summoning spell and calls forth a trio of air grue - an Ildriss

Ildriss - AC 2, HP 24, Thaco 17, 3d4 damage, always win initiative and attack first, need _2 weapon to hit. NE

41/80

5 vs 8

The grues attack first and they all need a natural 20 to touch him. None do. Alzar casts Hold Monster on the Wyvern and….it works. Paralyzed wyvern, also begins to fall from the sky. G Air gets…a 10 and that misses. (needs an 11). She flies over to Alzar and casts Shocking Grasp on him for 18 damage

23/80

1 vs 6

The grues miss. Alzar casts Cure again for 40. That’s his last 5th level cleric spell. She casts Wish to age five years, and strips Alzar of the magic protection of his rings for the rest of combat. The Air misses.

63/80

He heard the wish. What to do? Flee? Remain here without the Spell Turning of his Ring? She’s good. He’s fighting in her domain, with all of the aerial spells and allies she has, he suspects she’s an Air Elementalist. It’s time for him to flee.

5 vs 3

The grues misses. The Air hits for 13. She casts Disintegrate at him for…nothing - he makes his save. He casts Teleport without Error and flees

50/80

Abe Sargent

10-31-2015, 10:43 PM

XP -

Chasme - 14000
Wyvern - 1400x2
Dragon - 18000
Air - 4500

39300 XP total

Alzar is now a level 11 Thief

Open Locks: 50
Find/Remove Traps: 95
Move Silently: 95
Hide in Shadows: 95
Climb Walls: 80
Read Languages: 15
Evasion: 60

He spends the day recovering after teleporting back home. The pathfinder sends a few others here and there to check for any signs of anything antagonistic towards the forest. After a few days, nothing has been reported. Perhaps, without her dragon, she has chosen to leave?

Parin is new to the Norwold, coming from mainland Alphatia and was simply looking to eliminate locals from the area, nowhere near civilization, in order to level stuff, and clear it out, in order to build a tower and home there. Since Alzar showed up and indicated a high level of magical command, she decided to research him, found out who he was, and felt that there was nothing her for her and she is long since gone. Parin was NE, and therefore content with the moral victory of driving Alzar away, despite losing her dragon, and leaves.

End of Viridis and the Deforestation

Abe Sargent

10-31-2015, 11:18 PM

After spending time with them, doing more research and such, Alzar is gaining the Dragon Lore proficiency.

Month 11, Year 7 -

Growth has ended for the year. King Ericall announced the birth of his first child, Princess Luzanne. Alzar heads to the capital for eight days of feasting and celebrations. There’s a few tournaments held in her honor.

Alzar is participating in three - archery, jousting, and melee.

Archery -

Because Alzar is now good with a bow, he may have a better shot than before. He is randomly assigned Allisa Patrician, a fighter, to bow against in the first round. He is using a short Bow and arrows provided. Allisa is using a long bow. After they each fire, thy check their scores. Alzar hits the target 1, 2, 3, 4 times, misses once, and hits the bullseye once. She makes all of the shots, and hits center twice. Alzar is out.

Melee -

Fighters are given non magical weapons of their choice - Alzar’s axe vs a cavalier in the service of Fergus the Justifier She is using a long sword. Magic detection is used to ensure nothing else is being used. After a few rounds, Alzar finishes the cavalier off.,

Alzar advances. Next he faces a Knight of King Ericall’s who is using a scimitar. After battle, again Alzar advances. In the third round - with 16 entrants left, Alzar is facing another sword user - this time Allisa, who also advanced. She narrowly loses, and Alzar advances to the quarter finals.

These are the finest melee fighters in the land. The first is Sir Ernest Day. Alzar faces him, and Ernest is using sword as well. And…..Alzar loses. Pretty badly too. Ernest has like 120 hp and 18/77 STR naturally, a much better THACo, and has greater expertise in his weapon than Alzar has in his trusty axe

Jousting -

Alzar’s expertise in riding, and his specialization therein, enable him to win the first round, despite not being proficient in the lance, but he’s dropped in the next round.

At the end of the tournament and celebrations, the King announces a few new baronies and dominions are being awarded.

Abe Sargent

11-01-2015, 12:03 AM

Month 12, Year 7 -

No major incidents in the domain other than a cold snap that brings a blizzard near the end of the month. With magically provided warmth in places that need it, it’s survivable.

Alzar applies the XP he learned this year as a ruler to his Fighter class. He’s almost ready to level up.

Alzar has a bunch of spare weapon prophecies he could learn. His Scholar Priest kit lets him spend weapons as non-weapons for free if he wants.

He gains:

Steady Hand - Penalties for firing at long range are now just -2.

He’s also improving his Aleph Proficiency, to max. He can now use it, without fail, to modify the duration, range or give a target a -2 save to his spells (just one/spell)

Alzar’s year of studying with the Shadow Mage Gwifa is at an end, and here are the spells that he gains from her:

4th -

Gloom Ravens - Conjuration, 2 rnds/level, summons 1d4+1 huge ravens from Demiplane of Shadow, Sent up to 1 mile away after summoned, Alzar can se through their eyes, no need to concentrate,

Guardian Shadow - Summoning, Necromancy, 1 day/level; - Binds an undead shadow to the caster’s actual shadow. A melee attack aimed at the caster’s back will prompt to the guardian shadow to attack, and take the hit meant for Alzar, fight to the death afterwards.

5th -

Transport via Shadow. Alteration, caster and stuff can hop from one shadow on a plane to another. It works by pushing the caster into the Demiplane of Shadow, and then emerging from any other shadow on the plane unharmed. And, as Alzar arrives, he can choose not to come out of that shadow, due to too many people there and such, and instead head to another shadow the next round. Otherwise, works precisely like teleport.

6th -

Shadowtheft - Charm, Alteration, 1 day/lvel. Target’s shadow is removed and placed I an container. Lose half of their CON value. No save, at twilight, caster can summon a shadowy duplicate of original with half level and skills, and no memories. Performs tasks as ordered for one full night, and then dies at dawn and the shadow returns. Duplicate looks like target.

Summon Slow Shadow - Conjuration, Remains until slain. 1 slow shadow summoned. Casting time is 3 hours. Cast just once/month. Can attack too.

7th -

Death Shade - Necromancy, every living human, humanoid, and such within 1 mile/level takes 1 damage. Cannot be healed save by magic.

Slow Shadow - CE, AC8, HD4 ThACO 17, 1d4+Slowed (as per spell) and -1 DEX drain. Attach secretly to someone’s shadow, and then hit automatically each round. +2 or better to hit. Dead victims become slow shadows.

Gloom Raven - N, AC 6, THACo 19, HP 5, (10 at dusk.dawn), never surprised, used 1d6 shadow images like mirror image.

Alzar drops a Guardian Shadow and summons his first Slow Shadow this month.

Abe Sargent

11-01-2015, 01:48 AM

By the end of the month, here is the March’s finances:

648733 Income

EXPENSES – 33,330 + Tithe, Taxes

Military – 17,590
Navy – 2750
March Staff - 3,420
Specialist Staff – 8050
Stronghold Staff - 7160
Taxes to Ericall – 20% (13100)
Tithe to Matter Temple – 10% (6500)

End of Year 7

Abe Sargent

11-01-2015, 07:32 AM

Army of Trolls

As Alzar begins one of the first days of Year 8, he hears about a large group of ice trolls that have moved into the nearby Ljallenvals. The peaks have always have a bit of an icy frost and ice creatures there. But there is a family moving in under the cover of the recent blizzard. Alzar decides to check it out, first with his crystal ball

After verifying and scrying their location, Alzar waits until evening. Here’s the bas of what he sees:

Ice Trolls are very small, extremely intelligent versions of a troll. Smarter than an average human, and just a weaker 2 hd creature, they learn to subjugate other creatures that aren’t; as smart. They are NE to a troll’s normal CE. There are 12 or so here. Additionally, there is a mated pair of Giant Two-Headed Trolls there as well, acting as muscle. There are some Winter Wolves that they’ve tamed - roughly 15 or 20, animals that are tamed, some scavengers that they use for cleaning - 2 Crystal oozes, and a few others.

The Winter Wolves ar the major threat. Each can breathe a nasty cold-based attack that deals 6d4 damage per wolf. Alzar needs some Cold Protection.

Alzar leads by casting the Priest Spell - Resist Cold. He also swaps the Ring of Spell Turning for one of Warmth. The spell gives him +3 on cold based saves, and he takes half damage if he fails and ¼ if he makes his save. The Warmth ring acts as +2 vs cold based stuff and -1 damage per die rolled. So the combination means that a Winter Wolf, as one example would do:

+5 to save for ¼ damage, ½ otherwise
Would deal 6d4-6 damage

Alzar teleports over to do a quick inspection/ He flies around with the Flying Carpet. He notices something in the far distance., on the plane north of here about 25-30 miles, but he stays here for now.

According to the various things he saw, the cave inhabited by the Ice Trolls is about 5 natural caverns and gentle slopes. He spies a pair of Ice Trolls on patrol, with two wolves each.

The first room in the complex is big, and has the giant two headed foes both there. There are two corridors off it, and neither can fit down them. These are Alzar’s first foes. The Winter Wolves are a problem, but 6d4 damage would average 15 a toss. -6 is 9. Half that is 4/5 damage normally, and 2/3 if he makes his save. Alzar won’t be taking much here.

Alzar flies down and casts Wail of the Banshee as he does, wanting to hit the guards and the giants. Everyone in the complex hears him, and they shout out and manage a defense.

Abe Sargent

11-01-2015, 07:48 AM

Meanwhile the giants are find, but two ice trolls and 3 wolves are dead. The last one breathes on him and he takes 6 damage from it.

74/80

Dead - 2 ice trolls; 3 w wolves;

6 vs 7

Alzar leads by casting Power Word Stun on a giant troll and….it is stunned for 3 rounds. The other one roars both heads at him and smashes, but misses. Ice trolls and wolves are pouring out of both exits and will be fighting next round.

9 vs 1

Alzar takes 6 breath attacks from 6 wolves that emerge and takes 2, 3, 3, 2, 5, and 4. The troll misses, and Alzar takes one stab from an ice troll for 4. More foes peel out. Many ice trolls are throwing icicles at Alzar and attacking him from afar, Alzar cast Death Spell and drops 7 ice trolls dead. Every one here died.

51/80

Dead - 9 ice trolls; 3 w wolves;

1 vs 6

Alzar grabs his axe and tears into the stunned troll and hits for 51 damage and….it has 31 left. Alzar is hit buy four more wolves that emerge for 3, 6, 5, and 2. One wolves from the first round snaps and hits him for 4.

34/80

2 vs 9

Alzar finishes the stunned giant troll. He is it twice for 8 total damage.

26/80

3 vs 7

Alzar casts Vampiric Touch, and kills a wolf to heal himself of 27 damage He takes a giant smashed for 12 and a bite for 3.

Dead - 9 ice trolls; 4 w wolves; 1 giant 2 troll;

38/80

7 vs 8

Alzar casts Cure Critical and heals 40. No one hits him this turn

78/80

5 vs 3

Alzar takes 8 from two bites. The giant misses. He hoists the axe and carves into a giant for 34 damage. The other giant is almost regenerated back to health. The ice trolls need to be immersed in water to heal. They are pretty weak.

70/80

8 vs 6

Alzar is missed by wolve,s and takes a giant club with the giant for 15. Alzar finishes it off.

55/80

5 vs 9

In order to finish the trolls off this turn, Alzar casts Produce Flame and makes a small fire that lights up the two dead trolls. It deals no magical damage or anything, but it consumes them both - no regen. He is missed/

7 vs 4

Alzar takes 3. Then he spins and grabs the skull of a ice troll and casts Skulltrap and drops in right where he is. Alzar and the various wolves here all take - 38 damage. Save for half. Alzar takes half. Any wolf that fails is dead. 6 die, 4 flee. Alzar casts Evard’s Black Tentacles on those fleeing to hold them, and they all die.

After slaying these, he heads into the caves. Three ice trolls fled, and Alzar runs into the oozes, and slays them from afar with his bow. With his specialization, he is able to move faster than they do and fire half his normal rate.

He has cleaned out the group:

13 winter wolf pelts (each is worth 2000-5000 gp for size and sheen after being cured and such)

Ice Troll blood is good for things like Cold Resistance potions or other anti-cold stuff, he grabs some of that too.

He finds:

1089 gp worth of various smaller coins.
A few beat up weapons and armor of various sizes shred and scattered, cloth, and ore.

Alzar casts Animate on the two skeletons and moves them to Ith-Khinax

XP - 20, 300. With the 10% XP bonus, Alzar is now level 9 as a fighter!

Abe Sargent

11-01-2015, 08:42 AM

Alzar flies out to check on the thing he saw earlier, and it’s a giant Cryohydra, a cold-based Hydra that has a ton of heads and lives up here.

Cryohydra - 11 heads, 88 hp, each head can breathe 8 hp steam of frost, 11 attacks for 2d4 damage, THACo 9, AC 2.

Nasty thing. Alzar resets the Resist Cold spell before getting in range, and then heads in

Alzar will take 4 save to 2 with the Spell on. So at most 44 and at least 22.

1 vs 5

Alzar remains out of range, and then Teleports next to it. The fastest way to deal with a Hydra is to melee it. Any extra damage just slays one head. So a lightning Bolt hits one head, and kills it, no matter how much damage is dealt. The Hydra breaths and Alzar takes 33 (I decded to skip the dice and just average it)

47/80

5 vs 9

Alzar’s axe is out and he slashes one, and then bashes another, missing one - 2 heads are head, now just 9 attacks. They hit the 19 needed to hit three times for 5, 4, and 3 damage. 12 total

35/80

7 vs 4

Alzar takes 9 from two hits. He casts Cure Critical and uses his last level 5 spell and heals 40

66/80

5 vs 2

Alzar takes 18 from 3. Then he destroys two more heads

48/80

2 vs 8

Alzar kills three this time. 4 left They miss.

9 vs 3

Alzar takes 1 hit for 7. He kills two heds

8 vs 4

Alzar slays the monster after being missed

He’ll heal via regen again. Yay for Ioun stones. 11k for the Hydra, again, it has to go to fighter.

He skins it too and heads back.

End of Army of Trolls

Abe Sargent

11-01-2015, 10:52 AM

Two days later Alzar teleports to Barkal the Red’s barbarian camp and checks in with them. The huge numbers of Frost Giants have once again crossed the ice covered bays to the north and are raiding, and like normal, ever since Alzar brought the barbarians together, hit them hard, and keep them from begin a major menace.

Alzar wants to launch a major raid, solo, using his new found powers. He has memorized a special anti-giant slate of spells, and wants to use them to bring down as many giants as he can. There is a raiding party of 240 frost giants in a nearby crevasse, and Alzar is going to head over and smash them.

Alzar -

Pulls Aleph out of a Warp Marble
Pulls Android Bodyguard from Iron Flask

The bodyguard will be firing a crossbow of speed, and Aleph moving in to punch and smash

Alzar builds a fire and then summons:

Earth and Greater Earth Elementals from his spells
4 16 hd elementals, one of each, from the Face of Xenous
1 8 hd Water, 1 8 HD fire, 1 12 HD air and 2 Earths from his items
Invisible Stalker
Searing Serpent
Pack of 6 shadows
5 berserksers from Horn
All figurines
Some Animal Spirits

Alzar moves his army with Mass Teleport over and on the Frost Giants and battle begins!

Alzar casts Time Stop, flies to a side away from the creatures he dropped, and casts first Protection from Normal Missiles and then Wail of the Banshee and he gets a 3rd spell and its Mass Domination

Alzar is immune to their thrown boulders, and the Wail kills many and he dominates more and orders them to attack their former colleagues. He simultaneously flanks them. On one side are dead and dominated giants, and on the other is his elemental horde and friends. Let’s toss some dice

By the end of the day, the Frost Giants have fled, and Alzar kills 112. A pair of Frost Giant priests Abjured the elementals and prevented it from being a great catastrophe.

I am halving the amount of XP Alzar would normally get (he would get 800,000) just to keep things sane.

Welcome to level 10 as a fighter (Getting close to level 11)

Frankly, Alzar could kill probably 50 frosts a day for the next week, and gain enough XP to finish his quests and get to 12 in everything. But nah. I feel, as a GM, that this is too similar to how he’s operated in the past. Alzar has killed so many giants ,and I always give him reduced XPs for these major battles as well. (I mean, if I gave Alzar 800k today, and then 450k a day for a week, he’d get 3 mill XP by the end of the week, and after all of that, Alzar would gain a ton of mage levels even, and be roughly level 36. (375k is one level for mage). He would max out.

We can’t have that. I want Alzar to experience some amount of danger and to push him.

So instead, he’s getting closer and closer to 12th in everything - 10th in fighter (almost 11th), 11 thief, and 10 cleric.

Abe Sargent

11-01-2015, 12:37 PM

Later this month, the College of Wizardry has agreed to promote a journeyman necromancer that Alzar was helped tutor to full blown wizard. Alzar sees this as a bit of a sign, and he Wolrdwalks over everything that he has or procured from that tower in Khaibar. In particular, he brings over the golem making equipment, backup gold and coins and potions, and moves them all into a secret location on Pandius. Then he turns over the tower back to the city. He spends a few hours flying of the Sand Mire. The river to the east that he brought back is running smoothly, and water, and life are springing back there. Plants have returned over there, and habitation at a few towns and cities are occurring. The Oasis of the White Palm’s troops have helped restore order and dervishes protect new trading routes.

The first of what will likely be more Shadow Magi that are seeking the illusive secret for turning somebody, including themselves into a Shade has arrived. Gwifa found out that Alzar knew, and told others he was willing to trade. Alzar has made a few bookcopies of the info, and is willing to trade for stuff. Most Prime Material planes have the secrets and rites to making a shade either not known at all (Pandius) or lost in the mists of time (Thorasia). On Hamedh, Alzar found it when a newly-turned-shade began to attack him. Alzar tells the seeker that he’ll either trade it for extremely rare lore that helps him, or alternatively, has a list of a few magical items he’d swap it for. Examples of rare lore include how to animate and all about unique undead, or unique constructs, that sort of thing/.

The first one has precisely the sort of item he’s looking for. A Manual of Steady Pilfering. A thief or other rogue who reads it automatically gains one level. Alzar wants to keep it for now, until he’s finished his quest as a polymath, and then use it to gain a free level. He’s already used the ones for wizards and warriors, so only an evil cleric is left. (That one is called the Book of Vile Darkness)

Alzar hires a pair of sages and wizards who are collectors and lovers of books. Their job is to head out and try to acquire valuable and rare books on behalf of Alzar. Alzar teaches them his Bookcopy spells, and then his Bookmend spell as well. Then they head out and purchase a book, they make a copy for themselves, and then Alzar gets the original. Their pay is the spells, and their copy of these books. Alzar only pays for the price of these books and that’s it.

He is expanding the paper making and book binding industry in Evenarrow, his home town. This expansion comes from the treasury of the March.

He is also expanding the Alchemist in Saffir, the town to the north that makes a bunch of potions. She made the Acid Breath potions for him. Her facilities are improving. Meanwhile, the next round of silver and mercury for a 3rd Silver Golem is almost ready.

After this, Alzar will have the foundry move to making the body of a Stone Golem instead, using the stuff from Hamedh that he brought over.

Abe Sargent

11-01-2015, 02:10 PM

Month 1, Year 8 -

Year’s End Divine Liturgy – 5% of income that month

Begin Adventure Pack I

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/99/I13_TSR9202_Adventure_Pack_1.jpg

The Weird Woods of Barony of Hvittland

One of the new Baronies in Norwold is Hvittland, south of the capitals estate by about 15 hexes, just south of the Wyrmsteeth range, east by five-ish hexes of Oceansend, and south of places like the Barony of Twolakes Vale or other places Alzar has been.

Hvittland has a lot of woods, and ever since he arrived about 6 weeks ago, Trent il Bianco has begun to have issues with extremely weird things happening in the nearby woods. As Alzar has developed a bit of a local reputation of a problem solver, Trent has sent for aid with one of his councilors. Alzar agrees and teleports both down to take a look.

Alzar flies around the Barony a bit, and it’s defiantly raw. It’s trying to create a living from harsh wilderness in places. There is one main community, on the border of the woods, and the Barony is two hexes large.

Alzar gets some info on the fledgling barony. Baron Trent il Bianco did not meet with folks prior to creating his Barony or checking it out. Instead he sort of just looked at a map. He had dreams of carving out his Barony from the wilderness, and looked forward to leading his men in battle against the wilderness

Instead of an enemy that can be attacked and defeated, the woods themselves have been acting oddly and strangely. Plants have attacked and slain. Animals that are normally peaceful plant eaters are attacking. There’s no army, no evil enemy, nothing

Abe Sargent

11-01-2015, 02:32 PM

Alzar grabs his crystal ball and scrys the area out for a half hour. There are a few odd places - ruins, an old black tower, and more. The baron doesn’t have too much info on them, but they could be the keys to unlocking the issues.

Alzar wants to experience it for himself, so he gets a quick roughly-drawn map that includes the odd areas that are acting up. This will give him a perimeter to check on the ground.

He turns the Obsidian Steed figurine into a war charger horse, and then heads out, looking like a scout or mage.

About an hour after he leaves their settlement, he begins to notice a slight tinge of change on the colors of some of the plants that are flanking the path. He descends from the horse for a better look and moves around. They have a yellowish cast to them. But he’s not an expert in plants, botany, plant lore or anything else, and these aren’t Herbs.

There’s a small path to the left, and Alzar checks it out. As he does, a nearby tree gently bends a limb towards him, almost like it’s moving in the breeze, but it loops a branch around Alzar’s neck like a noose and pulls him up off the ground!!!

http://www.lomion.de/cmm/img/spc/planinte.gif

This is a Hangman Tree. It looks like a thick oak, but tries to pull victims up and kill them. Alzar takes 4 hp damage in actual damage to his neck, but is mostly fine, and won’t suffocate easily. It releases a relaxing perfume in order to put its prey at ease, but Alzar is immune. It begins to pull him towards a stomach of acidic qualities. He can’t reach the axe on his back, so he reaches down to grab a spell component instead, a bit of flint. Alzar concentrates and casts Flame Strike (Priest spell). The tree takes 31 damage, and it has 20% magic resistance and….43 rolled, fails, fails its save and….it’s still alive.

It sends another hangman noose to secure Alzar, and grabs his leg. Alzar grabs the dagger Unifex from his belt and begins to hack at the branch and vine on him. After a round, he has hacked himself free and then stabs his axe into the tree once to finish it.

XP 1400

Abe Sargent

11-01-2015, 03:03 PM

As Alzar moves out there’s a shaking in the plants, and a tri-flower frond fires a group of sharp, acidic, petals at him. He takes 11 acid damage. Alzar has fought these before and recalls how to finish them. As he’s securing stuff form a Bag of Holding, another hits him for 10. Alzar grabs a Thunderpot and drops it into the area and cleans out three tri-flower fronds, and a large 20’ diameter area

1260 XP

Alzar casts Cure Moderate Wounds and heals 20 damage (Regen won’t help acid damage)

79/80 after his regen is over

After a few moments, a trio of deer are moving over to the left. As they close, they break towards Alzar. They cast spells at him! Magic Missile, Lightning Bolt, and Flame Arrow fly out and he doesn’t have his Magic Missile Deflection gem out. He takes 21, 33, and 26 damage (Saves for half and makes it for the Bolt)

He does have his Amulet on though, like normal, with a 50% MR and….all three hit (rolls11, 11 and 14 - 10 or less on a d20 would have worked).

15/80

As the magical energies cascade into him from three deer, Alzar heals 40 (no more 5th level cleric spells.

2 vs 3

Alzar casts Skulltrap and destroys the deer. He swings over to check them out. They have been dead for a few days. There are remnants of a plant, Oblivax, in them. This is a moss that kills and moves a dead creature around, and it has the memories of anything killed by the Oblivax, including spells. Alzar swaps over to the Spell Turning Ring.

XP - 1500

Abe Sargent

11-01-2015, 03:50 PM

Alzar spends some time checking things out more cautiously. He also has regened the non-fire damage, but healed that, so he’s back to 80/80

After an hour, only a few rabid rodents were slain. Nothing else of note.

However, all of the sudden, 13 snakes burst forth from various points of the path. Some some from trees ,one from underground, and others from the left, right, front and behind. All of these snakes are quite large, and although some aren’t dangerous, they are moving to attack with bite or constrict.

Quick dice.

He is barely touched, everything regens, and he slays them

1300 XP

The path is winding and twisting towards that black tower he saw before.

About 30 minutes later, Alzar comes across something downright nasty. A Choke Creeper:

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3h35yC1p9WY/T6fO9RBcYeI/AAAAAAAACkg/yamozRuz5yc/s1600/Treant_by_Nikaleles.png

This is one of the largest plants Alzar has ever seen, and certainly the biggest dangerous one. It’s a huge tree, that can move, with a huge number of vines that has been sprawled among trees for around a mile, and they can lash down from any of those trees for about a mile diameter around the central tree. Here are it’s stats:

Choke Creeper - AC 6 for vine, 5 for body; HD 25, HP150, Thaco - 2, # of attacks - 4/tree; 2d4 damage per attack; Immune to elemental damage (fire, cold, electric, etc) -24000 XP - Vine has 10 hp

(I made it more powerful than normal, but most of it is as described)

Alzar’s never encountered one of these before

Four vines slash down from a nearby tree. With their great THACO, they only need a 7 to hit Alzar unaugmented. He’s hit three times for 5, 6, and 3 - 14 damage in an ambush

66/80

Roll for init

4 vs 2. Alzar takes 19. His Axe is out and he slashes and slays two vines.

1 vs 3

Alzar finishes the last two vines. But slaying them does not damage the main tree. There are countless trees here. Alzar sits down and scrys out ahead. He finds the head tree. The ones all of these vines are heading too. This is a nasty nasty tree. He returns the horse to Obsidian and swaps to his flying carpet. He gently floats out from this tree, at the edge of the territory of this choke creeper.

49/80 (After regen starts)

Alzar floats up above the canopy. Then he heads up some more. He wants to get to the main tree and take it out. He flies over, and moves towards it. Some vines change direction to hit him in the air, and stab up from the trees, and he has to fly up higher after getting hit twice

41/80

From up here Alzar casts Cure Serious Wounds and heals 30, and then grabs Unifex and casts teleport from it and heads to the base of the tree. Time to fight.

72/80 (Regen)

3 vs 8

Alzar begins by trying to hack and slay it. It takes 45. Alzar takes 21 damage from vines. He dodges one with evasion too.

51/80

4 vs 3

Alzar fails the dodge and takes 14. Another 39 is doled out.

37/80

1 vs 9

Alzar casts Vampiric Touch and drains 26 and then takes 19

44/80

6 v 8

Alzar hacks for 40 even. Fails his dodge and takes 16.

28/80

7 vs 2

They hit him for 17 and he doesn’t know how many HP this thing has, so to play it safe, he quaffs a potion of super healing. Gains 50.

61/80

6 vs 4

Alzar dodges and then takes 14 from two hits.

Alzar carves into it and ….its dead

47/80

25000 XP

Vines fall down from trees all over. The Choke Creeper is dead.

Abe Sargent

11-01-2015, 04:54 PM

The Creeper blocked off a huge grove to the back and Alzar now sees it.

It’s the bodyguard….

There in the grove is a druid that is currently empowering some animals to become stronger…

Druid Orchid - Level 19 Druid, N Ac -2, hp, 110, THACO 5, 1d8+3 from +3 Scimitar;

Bodyguards:

2 Brown Bears:

1 Dark Treant:

3 Animated Trees:

12 hd Earth Elemental

10 giant beetles

Orchid casts Call Lightning and a Lightning Bolt cracks down from the sky on Alzar for…..41 damage and….40% is redirected and….none hits his MR. Alzar takes 13 damage from his save. Orchid took 10.

The various bodyguards close on Alzar.

2 vs 8

Alzar isn’t ready. He’s at 39/80 hp, and hasn’t readied.

So he casts Time Stop

Wail of the Banshee, Cure Moderate Wounds, and….he casts Banishment on the Elemental….

Resolve:

He heals 20
Wail kills 7 beetles, and the bears make their save (plants and elemental are immune, druid not in range).
Banish…..it tosses a 5 and it is banished.

Gone

59/80

7 vs 4

Animated trees smash into Alzar once for 8 damage and the beetles miss, and one of the6 attacks from bears scratch him for 3. The druid casts Creeping Doom and assembles a huge swarm of insects more than 1000 strong. They begin to move out to Alzar. Since they are small and non-magical, Alzar casts Anti-Vermin Barrier to keep himself safe from them.

48/80

1 vs 6

Alzar casts Blastbones and does 11 necromantic damage in a pretty big area. He takes 11 too. It clears out the insects, and kills the beetles, and wounds the trees, and bears. The Treant casts Entangle at Alzar, but hits his Magic Resistance. Alzar dodges one tree blow and is clawed twice for 6. The druid thinks Alzar is kill-able and casts Cause Critical Wounds, which would normally do 40 damage. So, let’s check Magic Resist first - tosses a 9, stopped. 50% chance of hitting it.

33/80

4 vs 7

Alzar casts the stored spell Vampiric Touch from storage and drains and slays a bear. He gains 18 (all that it had left). A tree attacks and hits and…he dodges. The dark one casts Entangle again, and this time it cracks his MR, but he is immune with Free Action. The druid casts Dispel Magic on Alzar and drops his spells.

51/80

3 vs 4

Alzar’s spell Evard’s Black Tentacles at the Dark Treant and Druid do some damage and tie them down. He takes a tree-smash for 9. The druid casts Dispel Magic and dispels the tentacles. The Dark Treant moves closer to melee range with its big tree branch

42/80

9 vs 5

Alzar dodges a tree, hits a claw, and that’s for 5 damage. The druid casts Cure Serious wounds on himself. Alzar’s axe is up and he kills one of the animated trees and shield-pounches a wounded bear for 14.

37/80

6 vs 8

Alzar slashes and finishes the wounded bear and badly damages a tree. No one even hits him in melee, and the druid casts another Cause Critical Wounds and….Alzar tosses 16 and it hiuts through his MR. Ring of Spell turning? 50/50. Alzar takes 20, and the druid does as well

17/80

Abe Sargent

11-01-2015, 05:52 PM

8 vs 7

The treant hits Alzar for 15 but…..he tosses a 29 and dodges. The 3rd tree can’t touch him. The Druid tries to finish off a badly wounded Alzar and casts….(no more 6th level magic, sad) Flame Strike. All he has left that’s reliable. Alzar tosses a 15 and it penetrates his MR. 60% reflected. He takes 16. Alzar should take 12 but….he has fire immunity and…..saves auto for half and can….yup saves and has just 6. With a badly wounded body, and no strong healing magic left, and both Vampiric Touches gone, and his Time Stop used up, Alzar needs some healing strongly. Alzar uses his stored Teleport spell. He teleports home to his castle in Evenarrow, and just outside of the temple, he orders some healing and in ten rounds Alzar has been fully healed, and his Magist is here. Alzar scrys and checks things out, and then is teleported back.

The druid, tree, and dark Treat were fully healed as well while he was out. Alzar casts Major Globe of Invulnerability and moves in.

3 vs 1

The Dark Treant animates another tree, the animated one misses him, the druid calls him a coward and casts Dispel Magic at Alzar’s Globe. Alzar’s axe smashes and slays the tree. One left.

1 vs 2

Alzar’s axe carves into the summoned tree and finishes it. He steps close to the dark treant. It smashes him for 14 and….27 - he dodges. The druid shifts to a powerful form of a huge earth elemental and moves to melee Alzar, with different stats now.

9 vs 3

Alzar is misses by the Treant, and smashed hard by the Elemental/Druid and….tosses a 93 and misses his dodge - he takes 2. Alzar’s axe smashes the dark treant for 41

59/80

9 vs 5

Alzar is missed. And then the Elemental misses too. Alzar’s axe smashes and slays the Treant.

4 vs 3

The druid smashes and….hits for 17 and….Alzar tosses a 53 and dodges. Alzar hits for 40 even.

5 vs 1

Realizing that this is over for now, the Druid shifts, and intones a word and his ring glows, and he disappears. Word of Recall? So this grove is not his normal home?

Alzar checks over things. Here’s nothing left from the battle.

22600 XP

Alzar spies a small cave entrance at the back of the grove and uses the Star to check things out. There’s a magical trap in the front (Symbol), and a mechanical one after. Alzar avoids one and disarms the other and moves in.

Abe Sargent

11-01-2015, 06:50 PM

The cave has multiple traps in it. There is food, accoutrements of living, like furniture and such, and a few decorations in here. At the back is another trap - Fire Trap, and an altar, with the druid here, fully healed., and with a scroll in hand.

Alzar casts Dispel Magic (as a priest) at the traps and they disappear. The druid reads a scroll and casts Holy Ground. Any creatures fighting against him here lose any magic resistance. Alzar loses his MR.

4 vs 8

Alzar moves in and slashes with his axe and….hits the Druid once, and destroys his protection spell, and then again for 22 damage. The Druid casts Ironskins, basically a druid version of stone skin.

88/110

2 vs 8

Alzar casts priest Dispel again to drop it. Alzar’s not letting that through. The Druid looks over at Alzar and smiles. He casts a spell from the scroll, begins to shift to Earth Elemental form, and says, “Gotcha”

He casts Earthquake….

And Alzar is missing his MR

The druid is immune to the effects of the spell

As they are underground, the ceiling collapses. Alzar takes 5d12 damage. 7+8+1+5+7 - 28 damage (nosaves or anything either)

52/80

Alzar is pinned, and this is something that free action won’t help with (much like it didn’t help with a noose around his neck earlier). Alzar can’t move his arms for somatic components, o material ones, for casting a spell. He can cast verbal-only magic. He casts the stored spell Vocalize. It’s normally used to cast spells user a Silence effect of some sort, it truns all spells into vocal-only

6 vs 4

The druid merges with the earth and moves next to Alzar and punches him - 22 damage - it’s a free auto hit. Alzar casts Conjure Greater Earth Elemental, and suddenly he has an ally more powerful than the form attacking him. And better suited for the environment.

30/80

2 vs 8

Alzar conjures an Earth Elemental while the greater one pushes back the druid and swing and misses. The druid can’t get to Alzar with his earth bodyguards and pulls back He can’t fight two elementals at once.

Alzar’s elemental frees him and drag him out, while the greater chases down the druid, who can’t flee by heading into the earth from this foe.

Alzar casts two Cure Light wounds in these rounds to heal 10 each.

50/80

Alzar sends the other Earth against the druid.

The druid pops back to the corridor, shifts back, and then tries to outspell the elementals but he has no Abjure spells left (all level 4 spells were used) that would send one back. In a few rounds, Alzar and his elementals win.

Alzar gains 27800 for the druid

In the rest of the caves that survived he finds:

Ring of Ironskins - casts the spell once/day

About 25000 gp worth of exotic gems, rare ores, and such.

107 texts in druidic runes on nature, animals, plants, and earth

And that’s it. Mostly various accoutrements of druid life, that have no value.

Alzar flies back to the Baron and certifies that the area has been cleared out and the animals and plants will end. The druid probably just didn’t like that. After verifying everything is good to go, Alzar casts Mass Teleport for just himself and heads back to his dominion.

End of The Weird Woods of Baron Orchid

Abe Sargent

11-01-2015, 07:02 PM

Alzar gained 79460 -= enough to level up as a Fighter, or to get close as the others. He takes the level

Level 11 Fighter

Each time Alzar levels up as a fighter his THACo rises, by the by. It’s gone from 14 to 11.

That druid was strong. Stronger than Alzar expected. He’s blown through combats with wizards much more easily than that stupid druid. (I increased his level from 11 ot19 and figured Alzar would still walk through him, and wow did he not. I tossed the dark treant and its trees in for the final confrontation as well as some animals, but it went well. )

Alzar replaces the three stored spells with the same (Teleport, Vocalize, Vamp Touch)

End of Adventure Pack 1 for now

Abe Sargent

11-01-2015, 07:17 PM

Alzar moves back and two days later is ready for another adventure. He casts Worldwalk and returns to Thorasia, and the rock he took is from the Isle of Dread. That’s where he pops up. The island is still extreme with dinosaurs and such. Alzar wants to check on something.

He arrives and flies around, looking for a good target.

He sees some dinosaurs below. He lands and fights an Allosaurus, and slays it with Finger of Death. An angry ground pounder moves in as well, and Alzar slays it too. A pack of raptors are nearby and Alzar kills most with Wail, and the rest with death spell, but those aren’t why he’s here. The raptors are too big,

Then he sees it. A pterodactyl. Alzar flies up to it and grabs it’s attention. This one likely would have skipped him by, but Alzar pulls it down, and then tries to capture it with Power Word Stun, and that works. Alzar heads over and the neck is small enough, and he puts the Animal Control collar over it. And…..

Dinosaurs count! They are animals too! He wasn’t sure if they would. After flying around and slaying a trio of firedrakes, he finds another pterodactyl of the opposite gender and this time uses Hold Monster and catches it and collar it.

Pterodactyls (2) - AC7, HP 21, THACo 17, 2d4 damage/attack, 1 attack/round, get +4 when swoop down

Alzar gains 29500 for slaying stuff

He grabs a few more dead dinosaurs before heading back, in order to give himself some additional; XP/

10k more

He applies it to cleric

Alzar begins to research another immortal. He is getting close to finishing this path, and he sees the Energy path at the easies to the four for him, so he looks to find a sponsor from it.

There is one immortal who is becoming increasingly impressed with Alzar, from the Sphere of Time actually…

Vanya

Abe Sargent

11-01-2015, 07:30 PM

Alzar heads out and arrives at Serraine. They let him come into the library sometimes and use his Bookcopy spell on some books and then leave. Today there is an issue in the UnderCity and he decides to head down and check it out.

(Fast sim, with some dice)

Alzar finds a huge chamber in the UnderCity quite early in his exploration that is being used as a launching pad for an attack on the city proper

There are a huge number of undead down there, being prepared by the Gray Front to attack and take over the city - most are mindless. Alzar controlled more than 350 zombies and skeletons and had them attack each other, or some nearby undead as well (shadows and such) and now more than 505 undead are fully dead. He heads back up and reports.

This undead nest was cleared out. There are a lot more tunnels and nests down there obviously, but this is a huge setback

Alzar also secretly sent 30 skeletons to his underground city. He gains 56k for his efforts and again, applies them to cleric

He’s almost level 11

Abe Sargent

11-01-2015, 07:55 PM

This is how powerful he is now. He literally teleport from one hot zone to another, blow out everything that’s here, and head somewhere else. With his flying carpet, ability to control undead, reusable items, hugely low AC, regeneration from his Ioun stone, massive amounts of spells, and so forth, Alzar can literally blow in and just level a problem, and then blow out again. And he can do it anywhere

Alzar may move and survive in the following planes at will: Tarterus, Acheron, The Abyss, Elysium, Arcadia, and the Astral Plane and Positive Energy.

He can move to the evil plane of Tartarus (sometimes called Carceri) and then smash the locals and head back out. He could do the same with Acheron and has already done so with the Abyss

He hasn’t seen any demons recently, so no need to stir up any more trouble there. His Amulet of the Planes would take him anywhere, and he can cast some spells to survive, from the Astral sphere of spells he has as a priest.

Alzar arrives at Carceri to check it out again. He’s on the first layer, and there are some Abyss Ants near by and he clean them out (slew 152, 100 XP each) with some Wailing and Death Spelling. And then his axe finished the group.

But there are just some humans and humanoids around for the most part, nothing major here. He slips to Acheron, but there’s nothing about there. He heads back home.

Alzar spends the next two weeks teleporting to places to slay and handle local issues - giants, dinosaurs, drakes, undead of all sorts, an orc invasion, some yugoloths (daemons), and more. He goal is to head out, clean things up, and then return. He wants to get level 12 in all three classes. He spends 4-6 hours a day hunting, and the rest running his March and such.

And on the 29th day of the 1st month of year 8, Alzar has gained level 12 in everything else

After Alzar gets level 12 in everything, he spends a few days with his book, and gains a level as a thief to 13

Level 12 is supposed to be the end of his advance in those classes, and he is now a full polymath

Alzar now can cast 2 level 6 spells from the priest list

Level 6 - Speak with Monsters, Bestow/Remove Major Curse, Otherworld, Command Monster, Feeblemind, Metal Skin, Spiritual Wrath, Superheroism, Word of Recall, Word of Vengeance, Find the Path, Stone Tell, Alter Luck, Divine Event, Seal of Destiny, Seek, Whirlwind, Anti-Animal Shell, Conjure Fire Elemental, Call Phoenix, Fire Seeds, Part Water, Transmute Water to Dust, Conjure Water Elemental, Conjure Air Elemental, Blade Barrier, Forbiddance, Greater Guardian Seal, Heal, Legal Thoughts, Aerial Servant, Animate Object, Conjure Animals, Crushing Walls, Dragonbane, Land of Stability, Gravity Variation

Note that Conjure Earth is a level 7 spell and can’t be cast. But this is the level when Alzar catches up to his wizard spells. He can Conjure 2 elementals, cast Heal, Word of Recall, and Aerial Servant. All of those are powerful spells - Aerial Servant is basically the cleric version of Invisible Stalker.

Alzar cannot cast level 7 spells, but if he gets to level 13, he’ll be able to cast one, but without a WIS of 18, he can’t anyway So for now, this is the highest level of magic he can reach

Alzar gains:

Weapon -

Non-Weapon Profs:

Spy Intrigue - 14
Anatomy - 15
Glassblowing - 10

Abe Sargent

11-01-2015, 07:58 PM

Here he is:

Alzar the Polymath; Alzar the Mighty, Lord of Wood and Fire, Marquis of March of the Mighty

Alzar, Level 12 Cleric, Scholar Priest, (Level 13 Thief, (Investigator); 12th level Fighter (Myrmidon), 26th level Path Mage (Fivefold Mage))

Lawful Evil
Human

Str: 18/23
Dex: 13
Con: 11
Wis: 17
Int: 21
Cha: 17

Hit Points: 80
THACO: 10
AC: -5 (Cloak of Shadows; Bracers AC2, Helm. If using Barrier, -10. Ioun Stone, Boots, could drop -2)
Age 63, Body - 34

Cleric XP - 900k, (1.15 mil to level 13); Thief XP - 685000 (880k to 14th); Fighter XP -1 mill XP (1.25 mill to level 13); Mage XP - 6156490 (Level 27 at 6,250,000);

Non-Weapon Proficiencies:

Myrmidon:

Tactical History 15
Fire-Building 18

Riding 14
Swimming 12
Reading/Writing 16
Survival 16
Blind Fighting
Etiquette 17
Endurance
Heraldry 13
Hunting 12
Fishing 15
Weather Knowledge 12
Orienteering 18

As a Necromancer/Fivefold Mage

Necrology 16
Netherworld Knowledge 16
Herbalism 17
Alchemy 15
Poison Use 13
Ancient Languages 11
Spellcraft 13
Ancient History – 17
Bookbinding – 16
Papermaking - 16
Sage Knowledge: Outer Planes, Inner Planes – 13
Divining: 15
Genie Lore: 17
Riding, Specialization: 10
Research: 13
First Lore – Aleph I: 20
Riding, Air: 13

As a Thief:

Information Gathering: 15
Trailing: 16
Set Snares: 13
Tracking: 13
Locksmithing: 11
Fine Balance - 11
Camouflage - 12
Steady Hand - 13

As a Cleric:

Scribe - 12
Religion - 10

Investigation - 11
Healing - 14
Hypnotism - 9
Administration - 16
Diplomacy - 14
Court Intrigue - 13

As a Polymath:

Dragon Lore - 13
Spy Intrigue - 14
Anatomy - 15
Glassblowing - 11

Languages – Thorasian - Typic, Sis’sharr, UnderTypic, Kuo-Toa; Hamedhi – Arjuni, Sand Mire Common – Pandius - Pandius Prime,

Traits:

Empathy
Fast Healer
Precise Memory
Obscure Knowledge

Weapon Proficiencies:

Bonus Kit Specialization:

Battle Axe

Battle Axe
One Handed Weapon Style x2 (-2 AC when using one weapon in combat)
Crossbow
Battle Axe Weapon Mastery
Spear
Dagger

Total with normal battle axe - +3 to hit, +3 to damage, -2 to AC. An additional +1 with the axe and +1 damage for strength

Mage - Staff

Thief Weapons:

Short Bow, Short Sword
Short Bow Expertise - Fires at rate of Specialization
Specialization in One Handed With Shield - -1 AC and can Shield Bash

Cleric:

Mace

Polymath:

Double Specialization in Missile Fire --2 AC at range vs ranged weapons, can move 100% movement and fire everything

Class Abilities

Fighter Class Abilities:

Specialization
Leadership (Alzar can command the tactics, strategy, logistics and more that a large force requires)
3 attacks every 2 rounds

Mage Class Ability:

1). Alzar can control undead as an evil Priest of the same level, and this ability extends to extra planar beings which are considered undead with the same hit dice for this purpose.
2). One Extra Spell/Level is Gained, must be Path.
3). Fivefold Mages reduce the spell level by one when researching spells in The Path.
4). Chance to Learn spell in The Path increased by +15%
5). Saving Throw of Targets when targeted by spells from The Path at -1.
6). No more than one spell per level can be from the group: Abjuration, Alteration, Alchemy and Geometry barring a highly unusual and temporary circumstance.
7). Fivefold Mage must invest a focus item as the method through which magic is cast. (Signet Ring from Hamedh, kept on necklace.)
8). Must have a lab and library and workbench with 1,000 gp value per level, and an upkeep of 50 gp/level/month
9). They can store spells like an Artificer, but cannot begin to do so until level 6
10). Fivefold Mages have a chance to identify a magical item by spending a turn peering at it closely and examining it - chance is their level times 5.
11). Fivefold Mages never suffer from a negative reaction penalty due to controlling or animating undead.

Thief Class Ability:

Cannot use Armor
Without a Trace
Defensive Bonus- -3 AC when unarmored
Backstab - x4 damage from level 9-12: +4 to attack

Open Locks: 70
Find/Remove Traps: 95
Move Silently: 95
Hide in Shadows: 95
Climb Walls: 95
Read Languages: 55
Evasion: 60

Cleric Class Ability:

Cannot use Armor
Fire Immunity - Alzar is immune to fire. Any non-magical fire, flame, lava, or heat won’t affect him. He always makes his saves against fire spells and effects. And if a fire spell doesn’t have a save, he gets one.
Protection from Energy Drain - +2 on saves vs energy drain effects, and grants a save when there is none
Cold Resistance - +2 on all saves vs ice-based and cold attacks. Effects without a saving throw are not given one

Major Access to these Spheres: All, Healing, Astral, Law, War, Combat, Charm, Divination, Guardian, Necromantic, Protection, Summoning, Wards, Elemental

Immune to starvation

Can cast ESP once/week

A Wish Resulted in - An interdimensional Pocket which only he can access by reaching out his hand, or concentrating to send himself there. It’s sort of like a giant Bag of Holding. It can hold up to 500,000 coins of items, and it’s the size of a large room. Due to the size and volume, it cannot be accessed as readily as his items in a Bag of Holding can be, and therefore, he cannot find items during combat from it. He also can’t step into it during combat, it takes a minute of meditation to translocate his form there.

Alzar may move and survive in the following planes at will: Tarterus, Acheron, The Abyss, Elysium, Arcadia, and the Astral Plane and Positive Energy.

+2 to all saves against fear/awe effects

Cleric Spells - 6/6/4/3/2

Wizard Spells - 7/7/7/7/6/6/6/6/5

Special Books Already Used – Tome of Clear Thought; Tome of Leadership and Influence; Libram of Ineffable Damnation; Tome of Understanding; Tome of Quickness of Action; Manual of Puissant Skill at Arms; Manual of Bodily Health; Manual of Gainful Exercise; Manual of Steady Pilfering;

Longevity Potions Drank – 2; Wishes used for stats - INT, WIS

Younger - 1

Spells:

Alzar’s Prayer Book, 8/7/6/3/2/2

Major Access to these Spheres: All, Healing, Astral, Law, War, Combat, Charm, Divination, Guardian, Necromantic, Protection, Summoning, Wards, Elemental

Bonus Spells - 2 1sts, 2 2nds, 1 3rd

Abe Sargent

11-01-2015, 08:19 PM

On the 30th….

Morena appears and tells Alzar that except for the monument being up for 10 years (just 6 months or so thus far), he has completed his Matter Path.

Alzar has an idea for where to go next…
Alzar’s researches have found a powerful member of the Sphere of Energy that he believes would be a very intriguing patron. He grabs a book of his, and heads to the secret place.

Month 2, Year 8 -

Month 2 – Tax-Free Month

Tax Free Baby!

Abe Sargent

11-01-2015, 08:30 PM

A week later, Alzar arrives at the lower level of a tall mountain, nowhere near Norwold or in fact, the Known World. Instead, he is ascending a peak in the Hollow World, near the ancient kingdom of Nithia, moved down here from above as it was about to fall.

Here is the person that Alzar identified:

http://www.pandius.com/5649004632_1b11c9a8fd_o.jpg

Pflarr:

(Jackal-Head)
Patron of Hutaaka, Patron of Nithia, Patron of Magic, Guardian of the Living and the Dead

Level, Alignment, Sphere: 25th (Eternal), True N, Energy

Symbol: a jackal head with human eyes

Portfolio: magic, knowledge, protection, hutaaka, magical experiments

Worshipped in: Savage Coast (Renardie), Hulean City-states, Hollow World (Hutaaka, Nithians)

Appearance: a 7' tall humanoid covered in fine brown fur and with a jackal head, wearing a simple Nithian linen tunic covering his thighs and hips.

History: Pflarr wasn't born but rather created by a powerful Nithian wizard centuries before the Nithian empire climbed to its greatness. Pflarr was created with the purpose of being the ultimate bodyguard, but the experiment wasn't very successful since Pflarr's master was killed shortly after his creation. After avenging his master by slaying his killer (a rival wizard), Pflarr was left alone with two huge magical libraries at his disposal, so he did the only possible thing: he started to learn magic. With time he became an accomplished magic-user and eventually he discovered the Path of the Paragon, beginning his climb to greatness under the sponsorship of Rathanos.

First he conquered the respect and trust of many different villages thanks to his magic prowess, introducing himself as the divine herald of Ra, come on this world to rule in Rathanos's name. With the help of all the constructs he had previously built, Pflarr created a powerful army and conquered a great part of the Alasiyan Basin. He then fortified his borders to keep away the warring neighbors and using his magical knowledge he built the first Monoliths (artifacts which absorb the power from the dead and the living to create specific magical effects), which allowed him to turn the swampy and arid lands of his duchy into fertile plains and grasslands. After a few decades Pflarr's duchy became prosperous and strong and its inhabitants worshipped both Ra and Pflarr as divine beings. Pflarr created then the Puissant Pyramid as part of his testimony, and after defeating all the spellcasting rivals in the Nithian valley (the last of whom was the sly Apophis, stepbrother of Chardastes), he finally became immortal in the sphere of Energy in BC 1540, the first "Nithian" to reach this status, followed by Maat shortly thereafter.

Also, because he had helped Chardastes in reconquering his kingdom, Chardastes imposed Ra's and Pflarr's cult (as well as Maat's) as Nithia's official religion, which became the basis of the future Nithian pantheon. When Nithia turned from Kingdom to Empire, Pflarr was already established as one of the main deities of the region, patron of all magic and right-hand man of Rathanos.

In BC 1500 Pflarr shaped a race after his own image and thus the hutaaka were born. He gifted them with a broad magical knowledge, but he completely failed to pay attention to the Nithian politics and ethics. His only interests were that his followers kept worshipping him and that magical research was brought forward. For this reason he too was caught unaware by the sudden turn that the Nithians took and when he noticed the threat that Nithia had become for Mystara, Thanatos's corruption was already too deeply rooted to be cleansed without major casualties. So he worked in team with Rathanos to save some of the Nithian communities still loyal to the old ways and helped by Ka and Ixion they placed them inside the Hollow World, before the Immortals unleased the punishment on the outer Nithian empire erasing it and its memory from the surface of Mystara. Pflarr obviously didn't forget his beloved hutaaka, and saved the wisest of them, abandoning those who had grown too decadent and stupid in their secluded valley on the surface world.

With time however, he took a particular interest in lupins, a race of humanoids who later interbred with gnolls and hutaaka, and he helped them spreading all over the world trying to get their worship.

Nowadays Pflarr's cult is almost absent on the outer world (he's worshipped only in Thothia, the only surviving Nithian colony, and among some lupin communities) and for this reason he pays much more attention to the affairs of the hutaaka and Nithians of the Hollow World.

Personality: Pflarr doesn't think like other immortals, probably because of his origin. What he's mostly interested in are magical research and respect in the form of worship that he feels his followers must give him. When he notices some of his followers doesn't pay him the due tributes however, he doesn't intervene to punish them: he gives them a chance to make penance and take the right path, and if they refuse, he simply abandons them without hesitation, forgetting them in no time. He prefers to concentrate on the loyal worshippers or to create a new cult somewhere else than trying to win back lost followers. In his mind, he owes nothing to his worshippers, but rather it's the contrary: they must spend time to worship him and show him respect for all the blessings they receive.

The only being that really drives Pflarr out of his mind is Ranivorus, a permanent sign of the Nithian attempt at creating another Pflarr (emulating the hutaaka race) and failing miserably. Pflarr hates Ranivorus with all his heart for the role he played in destroying Nithia and causing harm to his worshippers all over the world, and he doesn't refrain from hindering his plots whenever he can.

Patron: Rathanos
Allies: Rathanos
Enemies: Ranivorus, Thanatos
Classic D&D Stats:
Followers' alignment: any; clerics must be Neutral
Favoured weapons: khopesh (allowed all bludgeoning weapons)
Clerics' skills & powers: +1 bonus to Intelligence, hear noise as thief of same level, +5% bonus to magical research of warding and protective spells

So, he’s a god of magic, magical research, and still has an interest in old Nithia and Hutaaka. Alzar likes him for a lot of reasons. He likes magic and research, spells and items, and he cares more about that then he does anything else, like politics and such. He has two enemies that go back millennia, and few allies either. Outside of Nithia and Hutaaka, he doesn’t really care about world, and he doesn’t get a lot of people wanting to use him as their patron either .

Abe Sargent

11-01-2015, 08:46 PM

So let's pause for a moment to talk of Immortals, and my take on them.

Numerous questions have been asked about them, and key people in the course of creating Mystara (Aaron Allston, Frank M.) have said that the two different interpretations are really up the DM.

So I'm running them as weaker, Olympian sort of characters. They don't die, and they have lots of power, but they have the foibles and strengths and weaknesses of real people. That's my take. And it's one of two that's encouraged (the other is to make them full-on god level characters)

There is a book called Codex of the Immortals that lists a metric ton of immortals. This part of the world was fleshed out later, and some immortals were introduced in this book that I will be retconing into the campaign later.

We have lots of odd immortals. We have an intelligent snake, tons of humanoids (many of which come from evil tribes and are, surprisingly, not usually in the Entropy Sphere), we have a troll that ate thousands, merfolk, and more. Pflarr is basically an intelligent golem that gained immortality. We even have a few that accidentally became immortal without walking the path and going through the normal process.

The book goes into detail about the simple fact that there are tons more immortals. So I intentionally added Morena to my campaign to fill a few holes. There's just one listed dwarf immortal, and that felt wrong, so I added a second.

Morena's quick bio:

Lawful neutral, Morena was a dwarven crafter and priestess who was a major creator of items of value among the dwarven species. She was one of the first dwarves, and helped to carve a nation with the weapons and armor she forged, and the magic that protected others. Morena was the first dwarven immortal and one of the older immortals in the Sphere of Matter.

(Basically, I created Morena to be a female replacement of Moradin, a common dwarven god from other planes, so in modules that involve Moradin, I just replaced it with Morena, and then I fleshed her out in a typical Pandius way)

Abe Sargent

11-01-2015, 09:04 PM

Alzar has arrived at the sacred mountain of Pflarr, and has wound his way up, the slow way. There are seven tests at each sacred site when heading for support on the path. Rarely are they combat, and Pflarr isn’t either.

The first test is a gate with ancient hieroglyphics on it. Alzar deciphers them with magic and moves on. The next few tests are like that as well, and Alzar’s 21 INT serves him well. He then heals, rather than fights, a wounded but prideful Hutaaka, and then faces a nasty magic golem, who Alzar forces down. These tests are designed to reveal Alzar’s character and potential.

At the top, Alzar begins to mediate in the ancient ruins of an outpost that overlooked Nithia. Alzar is on the mountain for a few hours…

And something arrives.

Let’s find out how he did.

Roll d10 and add these modifiers:

-5 - Alzar’s alignment is not favored by Energy
+7 - successfully passed each test
-2 - Different alignment from patron and Alzar

Alzar is a cleric of Matter, and that’s opposing to Energy, so no bonuses there

Here we go - you just get the naked result….

(anything from 3 to 0 will work, only a 1 or 2 fails here)

Alzar tosses a 4. Pflarr sends a magical signal that he agrees, and will arrive in…23 days.

After 23 days of meditation later, Pflarr arrives to meet with Alzar

Pflarr slowly appears. He’s not a braggart, but has some humility - so he slowly reveals himself like the coming of dawn. And soon, he is in front of Alzar…

Alzar leans his head down in respect and then rises, and speaks to Pflarr. He asks to be supported for his quest, and he gives the spellbook, with one copy of every spell that he ever made in it

Roll another d10 and add

+3; +1 for class synergy, +1 for an appropriate gift

+5 -

Toss 7 +5 12

Pflarr takes the gift and gives Alzar a token of favor (magical token). Pflarr outlines the path he must do in great detail, and then will appear to him once again when he has completed them all. He’ll then send Alzar home magically.

Abe Sargent

11-01-2015, 09:08 PM

Alzar’s ability to craft spells is good, but these spells were made prior. So Alzar must do the following:

The Path of the Paragon

1. Alzar must create a brand new spell of all 9 levels that serve the cause of Pflarr
2. Alzar must create a brand new, never before created, magical item that serves the cause of Pflarr.
3. Alzar must transform the land in his March, giving the area a unique feel and appearance
4. Alzar must find and defeat at least 8 Mages or Clerics of 25th or higher level, in solo combat.
5. Alzar must create a brand new species of animal, monster, or humanoid
6. Alzar must attract 10 new apprentices

I changed the path a bit to suit Pflarr. For example, energy does not require the species or spells, but instead requires you to quest for and find a lost artifact of energy’s sphere. But I didn’t see that as fitting Pflarr. Instead, I gave him two that fit - he created the Hutaaka, and furthermore, one of his lesser areas of influence is “Created species.” I also made this path harder than normal.

Like before, Alzar can do them in any order. And, even with the harder path, this could be done very quickly.

Let me walk you through how:

It takes 2 weeks/spell level to research a new spell. That’s 90 weeks for research the various spells he needs to do. Seems like a lot, right? But don’t forget that Alzar has the Research proficiency. That halves time. 45 weeks - a little less than a year. He also has the Lamp of Creation, and the Greater Ring of Sustenance, so he has a full 24 hours a day and can work on two things at once with the Lamp.

So Alzar spends 45 weeks making those spells. He’s done roughly around the end of year 8

Then, he can also:

Research and create a magical item. I already have an idea of an item that would be really cool. It would cost around 6 months to research, and about 6 to make. Half the research, and the item and research would be done in about 9 months.

So by the end of the year, Alzar has done both the item and the spells. Easy enough to do. Then he can create the species too. Now the species has to be just that. A species, not one individual
thing. That could be done in a month with the right spells (which he can make…) He can teleport out and face guys in solo combat and defeat them anytime. Alzar has had some folks come in to be apprentices of his, but he turned them down due to his regular travels. He just needs to bring them in. The only one in there he’s not sure about is the transformation of his area

Abe Sargent

11-01-2015, 09:53 PM

Well, might as well get started…

Here are all nine spells tonight:

Alzar’s Ingenious Understanding (Divination, Enchantment/Charm)

Level 4
Duration: 1 turn/level
Casting Time: 4
Components: VSM
Range: 1 target
Save: Neg

The target of this spell gains an Intellect of 21. This can help them see through illusions or learning spells. The target usually will voluntarily save a throw, but they not want it the spell. The physical component of this spell is a quill from any species of an albino bird.

It’ll take a month to study and learn, and it takes 4000 gp in additional library space.

Alzar’s Speciation (Necromancy; Alteration)

Level 9
Duration: Permanent
Casting Time: 1 hour
Components: VSM
Range: 1 target
Save: Neg

The caster creates a model of a physical creature which does not exist. It must resemble an existing creature in some way, and have a known and workable anatomy. The caster must find a living creature that resembles the size, weight, and rough dimensions of the desired creation. After casting the spell, the target creature must make a save - failure to do so turns it into the species selected. No matter the result, the model is destroyed.
The model costs 15000 gp to make with rare incense, items, and such, and takes 1 week to prepare. Based on the model, the target’s save changes. Rough? +5 to the save. Not realistic? +5. Target too big or too small? +3 If the model is made with a detailed understand of anatomy, -3 to the save; -5 if it's already worked once.

That takes 9000 gp and will require 9 weeks of research

Those are his first two.

Alzar’s Grand Effects (Alteration), Artifice

8th Level
Duration: Permanent
Casting Time: 1 turn
Components: VSM
Range: 1 target
Save: N/A

This is an upgraded version of the 6th level Special Effects spell. Alzar chooses one object. For 100’x100x100’ feet of that target (wall, building, etc) that target can have any chance made to its Smell, sight, touch, and so forth. So Alzar could make a house smell like chocolate or a wooden wall feel life leather. It does not change the physical aspects of the target - a stone wall that feels like a pillow won’t suddenly fail saves like a pillow. This is a permanent change, and not an illusion. The material component is a picture of the target with it’s changed effect.

As this is an upgrade of an existing spell Alzar has (Special Effects is a level 6 spell). It takes ½ the research time normally, and then research applies, so Alzar knows it in 4 weeks, 8k gp sent

And as a bonus, Alzar can use it to help make his area a bit different.

He’ll first use it to make his monument more monumental, and then he wants to create some attractions like Serraine had for Evenarrow. And he can use it to give his area a unique feel.

He starts with this one to research, and then he’ll slide into the Speciation spell

Alzar lets some criers know that he’s looking for apprentices for the first time since he arrived here.

Alzar’s Bookread (Enchantment/Charm)

2nd Level
Duration: 1 turn/level
Casting Time: 2
Components: VSM
Range: 1 target
Save: N/A

The enchanted creature reads at an accelerated rate based on the caster’s level. 1-5 - 2x; 6-10 - 3x; 11-15; 4x; 16-20 - 5x; 21+ 6x. Comprehension is not affected by this spell, just the speed at which something is read. The material component of this spell is a monocle.

This is a great spell to give apprentices and researchers for a quick bout. So, as an example, a 6th level mage casting this gets 3x speed level for 1 hour - or two extra hours of research in a day. Alzar casting this on himself would get 6x reading speed for 28 turns, 4 hours and 4 minutes. So he would read the equivalent in that time of about 28 hours of reading in that time. That’s pretty saucy.

Again, 2 weeks, 2000 gp

Alzar’s Attract Apprentice (Enchantment/Charm)

3rd Level
Duration: 1 day
Casting Time: 3
Components: VSM
Range: 1 mile/caster level
Save: N/A

After casting this spell, the likelihood of attracting an appreciate for the range of this spell increases considerably. If there are any suitable candidates in range, they arrive to seek apprentice ship within a day.

3 weeks, 3000 GP

Alzar’s Shadowshift (Alteration), Shadow

1st Level
Duration: 1 turn/caster level
Casting Time: 1
Components: VSM
Range: 100’
Save: N/A

The darkness in one room is shifted from light or dark to shadowy. It lasts for up to one/turn caster level. The shadowy level of light cannot be illuminated or darkened by non-magical means. Any form of magical light or darkness will cast out the shadows permanently. This spell requires a blindfold as its material component

Alzar’s Relearn (Divination)

5th Level
Duration: NA
Casting Time: 5
Components: VS
Range: NA
Save: N/A

After failing to learn a spell, the caster may cast this spell and try again. If they fail this roll as well, then they cannot try again until they learn a level.

That’ll probably be the last one Alzar creates. It good to give folks.

Alzar’s Item Delve (Divination)

6th Level
Duration: NA
Casting Time: 1 turn
Components: VSM
Range: NA
Save: N/A

The caster chooses a magical item to research. Then choose and sacrifice a magical item of at least an equivalent level of gp. After that item is destroyed, the method for uncovering how to create the chosen item is found. For smaller level items (like potions or scrolls) the item’s recipe is known entirely. Otherwise, the correct tomes and locations to search are instead.

Alzar’s Divinatory Summons (Conjuration, Divination, Enchantment/Charm)

7th Level
Duration: 1 rnd//level or until 3 questions are answered
Casting Time: 7
Components: VSM
Range: 1 plane of existence
Save: See Below

The caster chooses an intelligent creature to summon. If it is on the same place as the caster, That creature makes a saving throw, and then if it fails, it is summoned to the caster’s location where is must answer any three yes/no questions asked of it. If the caster knows the creature’s truename, then no save is allowed. The magic of this spell prevents either the caster or the one summoned from being harmed or attacking. If the caster tries to violate that by attacking, casting a spell, having someone else attack, summoning the creature over lava, and such, the magic dissipates, and magical feedback hits the caster for 10d10 damage. Once the final question is asked and answered, the creature is safely returned. The material component for this spell is a gem of at last 1000 gp value which is crushed as the spell begins.

And there we are, a full slate of 9 spells. I go ahead and pull the 45k from Alzar’s bank. After doing Speciation and Grand Effects, I’ll probably have Alzar grab Apprentice Attraction, and then Item Delve to help with that.

Abe Sargent

11-01-2015, 10:12 PM

Alzar has also begun to sketch a potential species. He wants to use his mated pterodactyls as a base level of understanding, and using anatomy proficiency he is working on a model to have a flying, pterodactyl-ish humanoid.

Alzar heads out and begins grabbing some folks and such. None of these require any major adventuring save for the slaying of the magic-users

Here’s the magical item he wants to make:

The Hourglass of Impossibility

This Hourglass has 25 hours of sand in it. When this Hourglass is turned, the user of that Hourglass gains an extra hour that day, by increasing their speed just a bit across the entire day. It doesn’t affect anything like damage dealing, weapon speed, or anything else, it just gives the user enough found time for one extra hour. At the end of the day, the sand is used up and must be replaced. The sand is a specially prepared mixture that costs 1000 gp to grind from rare rocks and a magical process. It takes one week of work to prepare a dose of sand, although 5000 gp must be spent on the special equipment to do so. It doesn’t require active work to make it go, however.

There’s the item. I put two brakes on it - the sand is gone after a day and costs money to replace, and the grinding of the sand, with an initial investment of 5k ,and 1k per use. And if you want to get a bunch of extra hours, then you need 7 sets of equipment making seven sets of sand - 35k +7k per week - that’s a lot of money. Over the course of a year that’s 400k in gp. I’m not sure that one extra found hour is worth that investment. This item has never been made, ever. I’m giving it a GP value of 5000, and an XP of 35000. I am ruling that this item requires:

Sand from the Elemental Plane of Earth
Washed in a solution of tears from a quickling
Forged into glass in the fires of sadness
Cleaned by a cloth made from the hair of a night hag, freely given
Bound by Wood, carved and shaped from Yggdragsil the World Tree
Shorn by Brass Decorations made from brass ingots personally excavated from one’s own future
On the final product, cast Enchant an Item, Haste, Permanency

And I think that’s good enough - that’s a large number of really hard to get items and

Researching this method will take 3 months, and then Alzar can begin making it and the equipment and sand to put in it. That’ll take 6000 gp for equipment and first batch of sand, and then 15k for research. 21k total, but everything has been paid, now, and he begins

Abe Sargent

11-01-2015, 10:29 PM

Month 3, Year 8 -

In the middle of this month, Alzar’s Grand Effects is finished. He begins using it. He also has his first apprentice:

Sorvana Fasterfetters, level 1, LN, Fivefold Path Mage

At the end of this month, the Silver Golem body is ready for enchantment, so they begin to work on a Stone Golem.

Alzar teleports out and is looking for a foe o the right level to face. \He has to solo them, so he can’t go in with allies, but he could summon elementals or such, that’s fine.

He is looking for another member of the Gray Front to take out, maybe the leader this time, over at Serraine… But it’s just too hard to knock down that train. There are a few other possibilities that intrigue, Does a dragon count? What about a lich? Alzar’s best guess is that a creature with 25 or more HD that is primary a spell caster works, but which does not cast spells primarily does not. So yes to a high level lich, but no to something like a dragon turtle.

In fact Alzar should be able to find tons of qualified mages over in Alphatia. They have a ruling council of 1000 36 level mages. Their entire infrastructure is built on magic users. Alphatia, in their major cities, have special forms of magic dueling as well, but Alzar’s not sure that counts,

But the rules are to defeat, not to kill. So Alzar decides to start things locally

Alzar teleports to the capital of Norwold, Alpha, to check and see if Madeira is available. Madeira is the advisor to King Ericall, and she is level 29 now. She is a politically minded mage, neutral, and sees this as a way to get to the council.

Alzar challenges her to a magic duel, with no other people. His apprentice is watching, and she can have spectators. He goes over the rules - no killing, each person must casts spells to maim only. And then magic battle begins. She agrees after Alzar agrees to give her 10000 gp if h loses. They each spend a day prepping new spells and begin the following day

Abe Sargent

11-01-2015, 10:56 PM

Alzar vs Madeira

Neither are allowed to have any active spells at the beginning of the match, but can be wearing any items they desire. Magic spells only, no melee. Alzar can’t axe or bow his way to a victory.

Here we go:

4 vs 2

Madeira starts things off by casting Lightning Bolt. Alzar has 50% Magic Resistance, and then Ring of Spell Turning on. 79 - cracks the MR, and then 30% is sent back. 40 damage is dealt, and Alzar takes 28 of it, and she takes 12. Both makes saves Alzar casts Major Globe of Invulnerability/

Alzar - 66/80

Madeira - 54/60

5 vs 2

Madeira casts Dispel Magic and drops his Globe. Alzar casts True Seeing to see what magical items she has. She has a Ring of Spell Storing (doesn’t know the spells), one of Spell Turning, and a Cloak of Freedom, which gives Free Action and immunity to any senses being nmullified (Blind, Deaf, Mute, etc)

8 vs 5

Madeira casts Time Stop. She casts Conjure Greater Earth Elemental, and gets another turn and casts Monster Summoning VII and gets 3 Nightmares, and then casts Monster Summoning VI and gets 2 trolls.

And suddenly Alzar is surrounded by 6 strong foes. And no melee.

2 vs5

Alzar casts Time Stop and casts Banishment on the Elemental, and Abjure on a Nightmare and then….it ends. Both work. One hits Alzar for 9 damage. She casts Major Globe.

59/80

8 vs 7

Madeira casts Conjure Earth Elemental. Wail of the Banshee drops….Nightmare and elementals are immune….trolls die. They’ll take turns to come back.

4 vs 7

Alzar casts Abjure on the Earth, and it bounces back. A Nightmare bites and he dodges. She casts Acid Burst at him and….64 cracks MR and then60% is redirected, Alzar takes 15, and her 24. No save on it.

45/80

20/60

3 vs 1

She cracks a potion and quaffs it. She heals 25. Alzar casts Vampire Touch on the Elemental for 26. No one can crack his AC

72/80

55/60

3 vs 7

Alzar casts Power Word Kill and slays the Nightmares. The Elemental punches and….29 he dodges. She casts Invisible Stalker rand sends it over.

6 vs 2

Her side missies in mêlée, and then she starts using her sensory deprivation spells, since she’ll be unaffected if they bounce back. Power Word Blind leaves. 10 - Alzar’s MR stops it. Alzar casts his final Abjure at her Earth and it makes its save and remains.

5 vs 3

She casts the Blindness spell at him and….56 - It gets past his MR and then 60% redirects ,so he saves with +6 bonus/. Only a 1 or 2 will fail. 15. An Elemental punches him and….26 - dodge. Stalker misses. Alzar casts Conjure Air Elemental with his 6th level priest spell and sends it over

4 vs 7

Alzar casts Conjure Greater Elemental and has it begin to battle the normal one. The Stalker finally connects for 8 damage, 88 rolls no dodge. She casts Banishment on his Greater Earth, not his Air and…..drops it. Her earth is moving back to him

1 vs 9.

Alzar’s Air Elemental misses. He casts Dispel Magic (as priest) to drop her Globe.. Alzar dodges an elemental punch. She casts a 6th level spell - Power Word Silence on Alzar. He tosses a 62 and misses his MR. he normally would have no save, and just be silenced but his Ring forces it. 30% redirects, so he gets a +3 save. He tosses a 3 and that’s…a fail. Ah well. Alzar is now Silenced. She make the save (or doesn’t who cares)

64/80

1 vs 4

Alzar uses his stored Vocalize. His Air connects for 9 damage. She casts Finger of Death on the air and…it dies. Alzar dodges a Stalker blow.

46/60

1 vs 5

Alzar conjures an Earth Elemental and sends it against the one on him. She casts Magic Missile at him. You check MR for each missile - 4 hits, and he sends 80% of them back to her - he takes 4, and her 12. Alzar casts Vampiric Touch and absorbs 22 and slays the Earth. He earth moves to her.,

34/60

80/80

3 vs 7

Alzar casts and summons an Invisible Stalker to head out and face her. His Air misses. She has one spell left - Dominate, and tries it on Alzar naked. 26 - nope, doesn’t even cut through his MR.

She concedes. She has his Earth Elemental and Invisible Stalker, and has no tricks left.

For slaying summons and winning against her, Alzar gets 44500

All XP goes to his Wizard stuff again

1 Wizard/cleric down, 7 to go

Abe Sargent

11-01-2015, 11:22 PM

Unfortunately, two leaders that Alzar gets on with, Claranasa the Seer and Sandralane the Cleric aren’t at level 25 yet. Sandralane is 22 and Claranasa 19.

Is there anywhere that Alzar should head next? Anywhere that he needs to check in to see what’s going on?

Not really. Things are pretty peaceful here. Alzar does want to expand his navy again, so he teleports to face pirates off the coast about 350 miles away and hits 4 more vessels with spells like Virus Charm, Mass Domination, and such. They bring them in and begin to build them up. Alzar also hires a bunch more soldiers too.

We’re adding 100 heavy foot, 100 crossbow, 100 more light and heavy cavalry, and some more support staff.

Alzar teleports to King Ericall. He wants to expand his March into the entire Ljallenvals Mountain Chain at once. He has flirted with it, and has two hexes of the chain. Saffir and the dwarves in Stormhaven. This is 8 full hexes of mountains, and a bunch of smaller coastal areas too. No one else is close, and Alzar, who has been teleporting around for a few years and taking out sites of monsters and such in the peaks could now have an opportunity on scaling things back there. That’s the goal.

This is not an area that King Ericall desires, or that anyone else wants, but it’s a large land grant request. Alzar has supported Ericall at times, but there’s some tension from them going back to Ericall’s military annexation of the local Kingdom of Oceansend. Ericall is not a great leader. And he’s not really that interested in helping Alzar unless he needs to. He’d rather keep Alzar down by having him want to expand than vice versa. Alzar doesn’t get one meter of new land.

Alzar also sends out criers challenging any magic-users or clerics to a non-lethal duel. They get 10,000 gp if they beat him fairly.

You know what? Let’s host a tournament!

Alzar will host a tournament next month, with Jousting, Melee, Archery and….Magic Dueling, non lethal, and the winners of each round get 5000 gp for the Magic Duel, and the winner overall gets a spellbook of spells that Alzar penned/ Joust? +1 shield, Archery, +4 short bow, and melee: +1 long sword,

Alzar reveals that one of the spells in the spellbook is his Golem Heal Spell. That should help to get folks here!

Abe Sargent

11-01-2015, 11:43 PM

Month 4, Year 8 -

Alzar’s week long tournament and celebrations begin! A ton of people are here How bow is much better than normal for a prize, having all magical items for prizes is strong, and many are here for the magic user prize as well!

Alzar got the word out through some allies and friends, like people on Serraine and such, to get folks here.

The joust opens. Alzar hosts the event, and there are tons of people here. He has lawful clerics scan the crowds and capture any would-be thieves. Numerous bards are playing, and Forx is heading a concert. Alzar’s new spell is showing off, having been cast at many places around the city, the monument he made of himself and more. For today’s joust, Alzar has the stadium and watching grounds in a variety of colors. He has wooden benches that are literally as comfortable as down pillows. It’s a very interesting place as a result!

The joust’s opening round is held, and then the melee has its first round, followed by the numerous archers, rangers, soldiers ,and more competing. More than 100 people are competing in the archery completion, the largest they’ve had in Norwold.

And then they conclude with mage battles. Ahead of time, Alzar scans contestants, and they have to agree to geases or quests to force them to obey certain rules. And they do. Things look perfectly good. At the end of the day, Alzar’s treasury gives out 35000 gold to the 7 winners. Tomorrow, Alzar is going to duel one of the losers, and she has 26 levels. He’ll give her 10k if she beats him.

Abe Sargent

11-02-2015, 12:39 AM

Day 2 - More jousts, magic duels from the 7 left - 1 gets a bye, and 3 win - 15k more

The melee round is heating up, and rounds 2 and 3 of the archery completion are held

And then Alzar faces the best loser from yesterday at the end of the day

Tharlest Level 26 Abjurer, specializes in protection magic,

1 vs 8

Alzar leads by casting Major Globe, and she Dispels it. Casting True Seeing and other divinatory magic was disallowed. Also, you can’t use any magic that you aren’t wearing, in order ro speed things up - no potions, wands, etc.

1 vs 7

Alzar casts Time Stop to get this thing started, and drops two spells - Power Word Stun and Power Word Blind. She has a Ring of Free Action, and the first is avoided, and she is blinded by the second.

8 vs 2

She casts Power Word Blind on Alzar and 47 - it’s absorbed by his Amulet’s MR. How did she cast that? Alzar casts Dominate. She tosses a 14 and is fine.

2 vs 7

Alzar casts Mass Domination and…16 - she’s fine. She casts Time Stop back and casts Greater Globe and Mantle.

5 vs 3

She casts Flesh to Stone on Alzar 45 - hits his MR. He casts Flesh to Stone back. She tosses a 3 and is petrified. Alzar is declared the winner, and de-petrifies her.

Alzar gains 26000 XP

Abe Sargent

11-02-2015, 08:07 AM

Day 3 - The jousts are getting closer. There are just 4 people left The Archers are down to the last 10. The melee’s finals are today. In the mage’s completion, 2 win (payment of 10k). Alzar faces the strongest loser from Day 2 (2 qualify, one is a level 30 Evoker)

Stoth Hawkbeak Level 30 Evoker,

4 vs 6

Alzar starts with e Greater Globe, and it’s Pierced.

5 vs 7

Alzar casts Protection from Electricity. It’s dispelled

9 vs 4

Time Stop by his foe. Now that he has Alzar with no protections, he casts Lightning Bolt, Magic Missile, and Flame Arrow at him. 54 and 15. The Flame arrow doesn’t make his MR. Alzar takes 6 of the missiles. Now, of them, let’s roll Spell Turning…20% is directed back from the Bolt, and 30% from Missiles. His foe has a Ring that makes him immune to elements. He takes the Missiles.

Alzar takes 20 from the Bolt (he saves); his foe nothing
Alzar takes 16 and his foe 6 from the Missiles

46/80

44/50

3 vs 7

Alzar grabs Time Stop as well. He fires Power Word Blind and Stone to Flesh. The first one fails, due to immunity to blindness form an item. He makes his save with a 11.

5 vs7

Alzar casts Domination and….Tosses a 1 and fails. Alzar forces him to concede. Alzar wins.

Abe Sargent

11-02-2015, 11:29 AM

Alzar gains 30k

Day 4 - The joust semi finals are today. The archery finals will be tomorrow. They get today off. The melee is over leaving just the mage fights. Today is the finals of the mages battle The winner gets the spellbook of knows as he promised. Alzar battles another loser at level 25+

Jessinda Copperhand, Level 27 Force Mage

4 vs 8

Alzar leads with Time Stop this time.

Casts Power Word Silence instead of blind (chases it up in case foes are planning against him) and then Hold Person, a simple 3rd level spell. The first resolves and his foe is silenced. The second and it melts off ( Free Action magic)

9 vs 4

She casts Vocalize, and Alzar drops Maze on her. She disappears for two rounds.

Alzar casts Globe and then prepares.

She arrives back from maze

3 vs 9

Alzar casts Polymorph Other and…11 she makes her save. She casts Forcecage around Alzar.

3 vs 7

Alzar drops the Forcecage with a priestly Dispel. She casts Wall of Force around him.

3 vs 5

Alzar casts Dispel and drops the Wall. She casts Bigby’s Crushing Hand and a hand of force tightens around Alzar, hitting him for 1d10 damage - 4

76/80

7 vs 3

She casts Time Stop. The Major Globe doesn’t work against the highest level spells, so she drops a Mordenkainen’s Sword, and then Spell Turning. The Stop ends. The sword attacks Alzar for…7 damage and strips one defense from him. Then Alzar takes 2d10 for round 2 of the Hand.12 damage

19 total

58/80

1 vs 7

Alzar casts Dispel Magic on the Sword and it dissipates. He takes 2d10 - 9 from the Hand. She casts Power Word Stun while Alzar is engaged. 62 - it breaks his MR and….30% is redirected. She makes her save (immune to stunning) and….Alzar tosses a 2 and fails.

Alzar is stunned, And he is ruled out.

Jessinda the Force Mage won, and gets 10,000 gp.

She won in part by studying Alzar’s defenses, and using her specialty to come up with ways to hurt him and fight him without triggering his MR or Ring. She had every Bigby Spell available, and ready for him.

Congrats!

Abe Sargent

11-05-2015, 12:25 AM

While waiitng to return from a week long conference, let me sort of verbally go over my plan for the rest fo Alzar.

I want to hit up UK7 soon, it fits where he is and such.
Then maybe do one or two quick adventures that finish his magical item
I have two magi in mind for him to face to finish the 8 folks - one if the Ice Queen, and the other iss......?
The big bad of Nightmare Keep module
After that we'll be mostly done with the Path 2 - it;s teh easiest'

Then we begin what will likely be the final leg of our mega-campaign, as we move into M1, Into the Maelstrom. It moves the Norwold story forward considerably and is mpart of a trilogy is modules, including M2 nd M5 that all finish the stories, and then one left to fnish things up.

Meanwhile, I expect we'll do The Milenian Scepter as part of the quest for Immortal #3, and head back to Hollow World to do so. We'll have The Rod and the Stone somewhere, and there's an immortal path adventure on Bestiary of D and G as we go as well.

There are always a few others - I still want to run Labyrinth of Madness, and i just picked up A Paladin in Hell, which is pretty rough. And while I know and have mapped out paths 1-3 and 5 really well, I'm still uncertain about Path #4.

And we could totally do Tales from the Infinite Staircase and maybe even Vecna Lives.

Anyways, those are just some quick quick thoughts for y'all. Maybe i'll do a move to the planes for y'all with Well of worlds, planes fo Chaos, or some other quick adventure-ettes.

JAG

11-05-2015, 12:17 PM

Will be interested to see Into the Maelstrom as that's one I remember having (and Vecna Lives if you end up using it, enjoy Vecna lore, had that module but don't really remember it).

Abe Sargent

11-08-2015, 11:48 PM

Back to our joust thing, already in progress.

Day 5 -

The archery final is today, with a huge 10 person contests with moving targets and such. The winner is actually Baron Allisa Patrician, one of the folks Alzar regularly runs into. She gets the +4 short bow.

Alzar faces off against the 3rd place mage today.

Most people think this will be a walk in the park

Meet:

Oskarion Bronze, level 25 diviner.

No one knows how a diviner got this far, but he did. So congrats Oskarion, but they think Alzar has this one.

9 vs 4

The diviner leads with Time Stop as well, and target Alzar with Dream Globe, followed by Oskarion’s Single Mindedness.

The first, Dream Globe, captures someone and place them into a Dream Globe for a day. It;’s a divination spell. It’s 13 can crack his MR. What about his other spell? It forces the target to answer a yes/no question asked, and that person is forced to do what they answered the following turn. 51, just makes it past the MR. No save on it. Alzar is asked this question:

Are you going to dodge next turn? Alzar answers yes. That means Oskarion gets a free round, since Alzar can’t do anything else.

1 vs 4

Alzar dodges. Oskarion casts Time Stop from his Ring of Spell Storing. And then he casts his Single Mindedness from it, as well as Flesh to Stone. 69 on the Single M, an the82 onteh Flesh, and Alzar….gets an 18 and makes his save. The Question is the same. Again, Alzar answers yes.

5 vs 3

He casts Domination on Alzar. 12 - misses - mr. Alzar does nothing this turn - dodging.

2 vs 7

Alzar casts Time Stop, and then casts Power Word Stun and….

Nope. Immune somehow

3 vs 2

He casts Polymorph Other. 38 - nope. Alzar casts Flesh to Stone and…. Petrified. Alzar de-petrifies him and is declared the winner

25000 for him

Abe Sargent

11-09-2015, 08:11 AM

Day 6 - The joust final is today, and Alzar magic duels the 2nd place mage

Jaspern, Level 31 Mage

1 vs 8

Alzar casts Time Stop and drops Hold Person and Power Word Blind. Jaspern is blinded.

6 vs 3

Jaspern casts a Senses Restored spell and is healed. Alzar casts Flesh to Stone and….18 tosses - makses it

9 vs 1

Jaspern casts Flesh 2 Stone back at Alzar and breaks the Mr and Alzar tosses a 1 2and makes his save. Alzar casts Major Globe…

9 vs 7

Jaspern drops his globe, and Alzar casts Domination - no go. Something prevents any sort of charm or domination or suggestion effect from working.

8 vs 2

Jaspern casts Bigbys Crushing hand, since it worked before. Alzar takes 6 damage. He cast Dispel and drops it. He was expecting that trick

74/80

5 vs 2

Jaspern casts Maze on Alzar. It hits his MR. Alzar casts Polymorph Other and…it works (tossed a 2) and turns into a sheep. Alzar turns him back after being declared the winner

Alzar gains 30000 xp

Abe Sargent

11-09-2015, 08:39 AM

Day 7 -

Today is he battle between Alzar and the winner of the Mage contest.

Alzar saw this guy battle, and plans differently.

Blasnorn, level 30 Mage

7 vs 4

Blasnorn leads things off by casting Time Stop, and then…Bigby;s Crushing Hand, Magic Missile and that’s it just two

Alzar takes 3 from the Hand. And then he takes 5 missiles precisely, and then 60% bounce, but, the mage has a Gem of Magic Missile protection, and he absorbs them and restores a spell he used - Time Stop. Alzar takes 9 from the missils and 3

68/80

4 vs 8

Alzar casts Greater Malison, and that gives him foe -2 to save.s His foe casts Time Stop again, and….

Magic Missile from a Ring of Spell Storing
Spell Immunity - Alteration

And that’s it. Again, 6 missiles hit, 30% redirected, Alzar takes 14 and he restores his Time Stop spell. Alzr takes 10 from Hand

44/80

4 vs 2

He drops Time Stop again. Move to Alzar

Uses another Magic Missile from Ring
Casts Shocking Grasp.

Shocking Grasp? 25 hits MR. Ring? 4 missiles hit for….50/50 redirect, and….fuels Time Stop again Alzar takes 8 damage from missiles and 4 from hand

32/80

2 vs 5

Alzar gets init Whew! He casts Cure Critical Wounds and heals 40This guy just has a good combo. Alzar takes 3d10 now from the hand - 16 damage and his foe casts Time Stop…

He casts Greater Magic Missile - 8 missiles hit, and 7 are absorbed. (3rd level variant of MM that goes up to 15 missiles) 60% redirected. Alzar takes 13 more

43/80

5 vs 6

Alzar casts Dispel and drops the Hand. He is targeted by a Stone to Flesh spell - 85 - cracks MR and….70 is redirected, but he is immune to alteration - Alzar makes his save. Only a 1 would fail.

6 vs 2

He casts Polymorph Other at Alzar and….14 - absorbed by MR> But you can see his plan - use alteration magic’s to win, with no chance of hitting back from the spell turning - smart. Alzar casts Dispel Magic at him, it drops the immunity, and Alzar’s malison effect to.

6 vs 9

Alzar casts his own Stone to Flesh and….20 makes the save. Alzar blocks a blindness spell with MR.

6 vs 7

Alzar casts Vampiric Touch on him and drains 27 from him and heals it. He casts Major Globe.

8 vs 9

Alzar drops the globe with Dispel. He casts Feeblemind. Hits Alzar’s MR.

3 vs 5

Alzar casts Polymorph Other and….He tosses a 3 and turns into a sheep. Alzar wins

Alzar gains 30000 and has now defeated 6 25+ magi

Alzar is now level 27 for a mage

He gains another spell at 5/6/7 levels.

Abe Sargent

11-09-2015, 03:46 PM

They spent almost 175k gold from the treasury, and 5 confidence

The last day of the tournament sees two people come and join as Alzar’s apprentices as well -

Borth the Ready, LE, Level 1 Path Mage
Jectorn Asgood, LN, Level 1 Path Mage

Alzar has his builders and people work on a large tower beside his castle (30k for three levels of large towers and support) to start now and to finish in 3 months, They’ll finish around Month 7/8

Week 3, of this month sees Alzar finish his 9th level spell. The next the Attract Apprentice one.

Meanwhile, Alzar has been working on a model, and he grabs a pterodactyl and tries it….

It tosses a 12 and with the penalty it gets from Alzar’s anatomy…

It fails:

Dactyl Magnon

Lawful Neutral
AC 7,
HD 3+3
THACo - 17
# of Attacks - 1
Damage: 2d4 with beak or by weapon

The Dactyl Magnon is a humanoid take on a pterodactyl His has the head and beak, wings, and basic body outline of a Dactyl, but with elongated arms, hands, and articulated legs and feet. It tends to have yellow eyes. Dactyls can fly, and are intelligent. They tend to be lawful neutral, live around 45-50 years. A Dactyl Magnon gets +2 DEX, -2 CON, +1 WIS, -1 INT if created as a character.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/9a/XMEN-Sauron.jpg

It worked, so Alzar is make another to make a mated pair, and then make a few more over the next bit.

Abe Sargent

11-09-2015, 03:50 PM

A closer look at the next few modules:

Uk7 Dark Clouds Gather - Fits in perfectly with where and when- I've also done a bit of a set up for it already

FA2 Nightmare Keep -= I didn't realize that there was a generic high level dungeon in the Forgotten Realms line until a few weeks ago. I picked it up and will run it to push the story, and to hit another of the steps for the 2nd path.

The Ice Cave - Hitting a local place that is having issues with a long-believed dead Ice Queen and her area coming back. Another connection to all things Immortal.

Those are my next targets

Tellistto

11-09-2015, 04:47 PM

Nice stuff, Abe. Looking forward to the new modules, as I've never played D&D since some dabbling back in the college days, many long years ago.

Tell

Abe Sargent

11-09-2015, 06:39 PM

Nice stuff, Abe. Looking forward to the new modules, as I've never played D&D since some dabbling back in the college days, many long years ago.

Tell

Sure thing!

Abe Sargent

11-10-2015, 12:09 AM

Month 5, Year 8:

Growth hits strong this month, double growth for one month, due to the popularity of the tournament.

Because Alzar’s realm has such great Confidence, several things are happening right now:

Prosperous:

All income is 10% more

If a random check shows a disaster, reroll (this is why last year was quiet, by the by. I rolled an tornado that was rerolled into nothing)

Agents spying will be found on a monthly basis 35% of the time

The spying is one of the reasons that a lot of intrigue just hasn’t really been here. A few spies were found early on, and with Alzar’s understand of intrigue, and his internal spy network (the lycanthropes) and the people’s natural loyalty and desire to turn folks in, it’s pretty hostile against spies.

And that’s why it’s so on that on the 4th day of Month 5, Alzar’s counter-intelligence network finds and unearths a spy. Why bother? Why try? Why implicate yourself?

Alzar finds the spy and captures him and brings him in. He’s a low level magic user, 6th level, in service to the Barony of Qeodhar which is just odd. The Barony is a large island to the northeast of Norwold, and the northwest of the Alphatian Empire, and it’s in the Empire, and not anywhere near here. As members of the same nation-state, but not near each other, it’s odd that Qeodhar would be involved in this. Alzar does some magical investigations, casting spells like ESP, Detect Lie, and such, but they all come back the same. This man, who grew up in Qoedhar, was recruited to spy on enemies of the state, and came to Alzar’s March around 3 months ago, on his third assignment for the Barony.

Alzar gets ready for his punishment after finding him guilty. He explains it to the mage, and the Mage agrees to be geased. Alzar has the spy/mage cast Enhance from a scroll, and Alzar gains one Wisdom and the mage loses….2 CON. This is permanent. Alzar can now cast an extra 4th level cleric spell and can cast 7th level priest spells, in case it ever matters. And then Alzar casts Forget on him, and he forgets everything. The geas will keep him from working against Alzar’s realm or revealing anything, and the Forget spell removes his memory of being captured, interrogated or his punishment.

End of Week 2 Alzar’ Apprentice Summon is done. He teleports up to Serraine to cast it, and begins to work on the Bookread spell. His goal is to gain any locals as Apprentices. The next day, two ask to join:

Yeel, Gnome, LN Level 1 Path Mage
Xerrliax, Gnome, LN, Level 1 Path Mage

Alzar now has 5 Apprentices of the 10 needed.

Abe Sargent

11-10-2015, 03:49 PM

End of Week 4 - Bookread is done. Next up is the Item Delve spell.

Alzar spends this month casting his Effects spell (he can cast one/day) all over the various towns. Central fountains get a new color, and various buildings are colored and the odor of a privy is turned something nice like lilacs or another flower. And again, the goal of this is to give his realm a unique character.

Meanwhile, he now has 4 Dactyl Magnons, and he’ll make probably 6 more. He can make 4/month. He introduces them to his realm as a new race that he has found, and that are going to move in. He doesn’t want them feared or anything, but accepted.

Timeline of spells -

Item Delve finishes end of Week 2, Month 7.
Relearn begins. Finishes Week 3, Month 8
Shadowshift begins. Finishes Week 4, Month 8
Divinatory Summons begins. Finishes Week 3, Month 10
Ingenious Understanding begins. Finishes Week 3, Month 11

Alzar needs to hunt down some stuff…

Now he has finished researching how to have a fire of sadness. He just needs to put it into play

Meanwhile, the Sand was gathered from earth sometime ago, and then all magical elements were removed with the various enchantments he has to remove any magical taint.

Gathering the bronze ore was very easy. He just used his Temporal Cube to move to the future, and then mine them and bring them back. A local smelter turned them into ingots, and then Serraine gnomes turned it into various bronze decorations., And once those were done, he again magicked them to prep them.

He’s heard of Quicklings, they are evil fairy creatures. Chaotic as all get go as well. When he has a chance, he’s been tracking them down with scrying between other projects. Meanwhile, he used a magical dagger to carve eh wood, and is waiting until the sand is set and made into glass.

Abe Sargent

11-10-2015, 07:43 PM

Begin UK7 Dark Clouds Gather

https://img0.etsystatic.com/000/0/6682210/il_570xN.299586470.jpg

This will be the final in the line of UK modules. It slides into our ongoing chronology quite nicely, and it’s a solid adventure. But I’ll obviously jack up some of the difficulty in order to make this a feasible adventure for good ol’ Alzar

“Over two millennia ago, a tribe of horrible, winged snow demons known as the Ba'atun, fought a savage war against the ancestors of the aarakocra. Allied with the Snow Queen, a terrible frost mage, they had been empowered considerably and had many allies. Rapidly losing their struggle, the birdfolk begged succor from the archmage Devral and her allies, a family of cloud giants that lived in a floating castle. The wizardress, utilizing a fantastic magical vehicle of her own invention--the Skyfish--sought out and won a decisive victory against the evil Ba'atun. In the midst of this battle, she successfully cast a special Trap the Soul spell at the demon leader, a female shaman known as Yesorkh Pahyeh, known for her own prowess at possessing other creatures' minds. In the aftermath, knowing her mortal days were drawing to an end, Devral entrusted the great black gem that housed the vicious demoness to the care of the giants. Centuries passed and the gem's significance was eventually forgotten by the giants' descendants. Thirty years ago, however, a young giant named Lachlan was playing with some of his father's treasures and accidentally dropped the gem from their cloudy home, whereupon it smashed in the mountains below, releasing the long-imprisoned Yesorkh Pahyeh--who promptly fled to a magically preserved cache of eggs she had hidden away in ages past. Gathering her forces secretly over several decades, the snow demons recently launched a surprise attack on the giants (now headed by the adult Lachlan) and overwhelmed them, with Yesorkh possessing the cloud giant and thereby seizing control of the magical fortress. From this new abode, the revived Ba'atun have begun a campaign of slaughter (aided by the castle's unfettered mobility and capacity to control the weather around it), and have attempted to lay blame for the attacks at the feet of their ancient foes, the aarakocra.”

Abe Sargent

11-10-2015, 07:44 PM

http://www.zayix.com/Media/monster/baatun.pdf

Abe Sargent

11-10-2015, 08:37 PM

In the last week, some raids have occurred in the passes in and around the two trade routes through the Ljallenvals. They have all targeted merchants in the passes, and the last raid had two bodies of dead aarakocra among the merchants.

That’s odd of course. There have been aarakocra living in the mountains for millennia some time, but they are relatively xenophobic and keep quietly to themselves. In his time as ruler here, they have never sent an emissary to him or met with him about anything. It’s odd that they would be raiding.

It’s also noted that it’s become unseasonably cold in and around the mountains.

In the morning while he is working, the Sherriff of Saffir uses her Teleport Spellcache Ring to teleport to the castle and let Alzar know of something urgent. An aarakocra has flown down to Saffir and is looking for the Lord of Wood and Fire to assist with something major that he won’t speak of. The locals are being fired up by a local cleric, Bernhardt.

Alzar gets a Spellcache Ring to replace the one used, and teleports them over.

Abe Sargent

11-11-2015, 02:06 PM

Here in the city square of Saffir is an Aarakocra, a bird person, with the feathers on him being pulled off:

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qhi4N2vCRZY/VDjCQ8NbXkI/AAAAAAAAJRY/kxE7wtOnnV8/s1600/Monster-Manual-Aarakocra-CONCEPT02.jpg

Bernhardt is ordering the locals to attack and destroy this bird-man, as he is responsible for the raids, and his prophesied to destroy everything. Alzar orders the attack on the creature to immediately cease. Bernhardt, with foul smelling breath and a manic personality, protests, but Alzar silences everyone. Any punishment to be meted out must be done by a Magistrate, a Sheriff, or himself. That’s it, none others.

Bernhardt says that he has proof that the Aarackocra is involved. Alzar has him to go get it and he brings it back a few minutes later. It’s part of n old book his church has going back a long time. It has a picture in it of a winged creature with the following written below it, “The winged ones will return when the sky darkens and the sun is blotted out.”

Alzar asks Bernhardt how many winged humanoid species he knows of. Bernhardt narrows his eyes and does not answer. Ten? Fifteen? How many Bernhardt? He relents, and Alzar takes the image.

This isn’t even a humanoid. This is a ba’atun, a winged demon from The Abyss. See how it’s images are totally different? It doesn’t even look the same at this creature. Alzar orders the cleric to heal the creature’s damage, although the feather’s will be forced to grow back naturally and the creature will be unable to fly for now.

Alzar begins to talk to the creature and apologizes for it’s treatment. He has been sent from Tikka-ti-jarra, an aarakocra village in the area. All has been going well with his people until recently, about three months ago. Suddenly a great giant rode a skycastle on the clouds and spat great lightning and more. There are 7 aarakocra nests in the area, and three have been destroyed by the giant and his minions. The cloud sky has prevented his people from doing too much scouting

The leader of his village went and consulted their ancient divining techniques, eating hallucinogenic seeds to find out what to do next. The answer was simple – only the Lord of Wood and Fire could help. Knowing that such a person was nearby, they sent Tcho’eh here to scout and find the Lord.

As punishment for inciting a riot against this creature, and violating Alzar’s laws, Alzar decrees that Bernhardt must be punished and hands it out and then they move on. Bernhardt will have all of the hair torn from his body.

Abe Sargent

11-11-2015, 05:35 PM

His treatment at the hands of Bernhardt has forced him to behave very nervously, constantly looking around for danger. Tcho’eh and Alzar head out shortly after to find the nest and village that he spoke of. But Alzar also checks and research the potential foe as well:

http://www.enworld.org/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=62535&d=1404461721&thumb=1

The ba’atun

This demonic winged creatures are able to nest in various prime material planes and expand their sizes, and then can be used either to secure power there, or to send the spawn back to the Abyss for the Blood War. There are a few ranks of these creatures, from normal, wing sergeants, flight leaders, and swarm leaders. They are known to have priests and wizards among their midst as well.

Good flyers, they have some ice-based capabilities. Some higher ranks can fire a ball of ice shards from their body, web stones, ice javelins, and cold rays. They get three attacks each (claw, claw, bite) and are well suited for aerial combat, with very fast movement. They require a magical weapon to be hit. They can screech and all creatures in range must save vs spells or be stunned for one round. Immune to cold, water and ice magic, and take ½ damage from electricity. 15% Magic Resistance

They look like monkey-esque creatures with great batwings, but icy blue in coloration, with sharp fangs, and vile red eyes.

Abe Sargent

11-11-2015, 06:20 PM

Alzar and Tcho’eh move up the trade pass, sometimes called the Scarrabere, in the north that heads from Saffir through the Ljallenvals to make sure they are clear, after being stuck up with the raids over the last tendays.

About four hours after they have begin to head out, they come across the ruins of a destroyed caravan, a few days old, with various merchants, guards, and more strewn about. Alzar checks the area, and there are 11 dire wolves moving about and eating the remains. They move forward to keep their claim on the area, and Alzar orders Tcho’;’eh to hold back and he does.

Alzar flies over ot the wolves, and they move in to attack. A few minutes later, his Wail of the Banshee and axe and bow slew them all.

4400XP

Afterwards, Alzar heads down and grabs one of the bodies and casts the Cleric spell, Speak with Dead.

The caravan was attacked three days prior by a flying group of creatures that match the description of the ba’atun. There are two aarakockra bodies here as well, and they are from a destroyed nest. The aarakocra bodies were brought here, dead a few days longer than the rest, and placed here to prevent suspicion. Alzar casts the same spell on one of them and they were killed by white demons, the ba’atun, flying forth from a great castle in the clouds that softened them at range with lightning bolts, and great giants on the battlements firing long range weapons or throwing boulders.

Alzar heads on and moves up the pass. He saw movement on the ground a few miles along the pass.

After an hour or so, they find a man riding away from the caravan at great speed with a few mules, and about 8 dogs or so. Alzar lands and casts Charm Person on him.

His new friend, Kode Burwell, tells Alzar that he was fleeing an attack by dire wolves about three hours ago. They slew one of his hunting dogs. He hunts up here for furs and such, and then trades and sells them. Laying across one set of mules are some pelts. He has a cabin about 5 more miles away, and off the main road, and he was taking his collection from the day back. There are also some items he scavenged from the caravan. (Alzar’s quick use of the Star of Mo’Pilar shows nothing of value like magical items). Alzar quickly checks the stuff, but the things that were taken were of a practical nature - tools, weapons, clothes, and such. He left behind all of the personal items or money/gems for others family.

He gives Alzar a lowdown of recent events, including raids. He hasn’t seen any major events or incidents up close, but he did see some flying forms attack the first merchant who was attacked a little more than a week ago up the pass, the Scarrabere.

Alzar heads on and wishes his new “Friend” well.

Abe Sargent

11-11-2015, 08:02 PM

They find a small inn on the road a few hours later, the Fanjy Way-Station, a small community of around 120 people up in the pass, that are about 1 day’s travel from Saffir, and outside of the borders of his March. Alzar arrives and meets folks. They were attacked two days ago after clouds blocked the sky, and a group of howling “monkey-bats” attacked them. After slaying a few, a traveling adventuring party drove them off, and two were actually slain. Their bodies were hacked, and Alzar checks out one that was damaged as much, but taken to their trash pit and left there. The party left.

These are ba’atun as well. There is no question. Speak with Dead cannot work on other-planar creatures. Because these creatures were born here on Pandius, they are not anchored to the Abyss, and therefore, when they died, they are dead for good, but there is still a lingering aspect of that taint which prevents the magic from working.

Night falls, and Tcho’eh is very tired. Alzar casts a spell to strengthen him and it is like he rested a full eight hours. They have a version of infravision that is essentially ultravision – fully able to see at night under the stars, moon, or even in an eclipse. This does not extend to underground. They wouldn’t even need it.

As they travel on, there is a sudden swooping of wings and screeches, as three ba’atun fly down from the darkness to attack the village, and Alzar and Tcho’eh with it!

Alzar casts Power Word Stun on one and it’s held and falls to the ground. The others turn to Alzar and one shouts a cry in her language. (Alzar’s axe interprets it, “He has come too soon, flee!”) The two fly out and flee, and Alzar grabs his Rope of Entanglement and ties up the stunned one and teleports them away.

After it de-stuns, it is surprised to find itself inside of Alzar’s binding circle. Alzar shows it the various tortures he can cast on it, and forces it to relent. This is a child of the ba’atun leader Yesorkh Pahyeh. She has created a new brood of their kind, building their strength, finding new allies, and more. And she has begun to raid and destroy their ancient enemy, who lost their protectors including that nasty Devral and her powerful sky-magic and vessel. That’s all it knows.

Alzar orders it banished to the Abyss, and it won’t be able to return to Pandius unless summoned, which would require knowing it’s truename: doubtful.

They rest for a few hours to regain spells after he teleports back to the waypoint, and then head out at light.

Abe Sargent

11-11-2015, 09:32 PM

The rest of the pass is mostly quiet, with only a few creatures left. Only signs of attacked and dead creatures are left, and then Tcho’eh points out his home nest, Tikka-ti-jarra.

Alzar can fly, and a few aarakocka fly over to him to introduce themselves to him. And then Alzar, with his carpet, and Tcho-eh on, fly up with his escort to the nest!

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ztt97rbhPRw/UqYVMbXTEUI/AAAAAAAAB8k/hNG36zUbJiE/s1600/UK7+Thunder+on+the+Mountain.png

There is also an Air Elemental escorting them up to their roost as well.

They are about 18 miles from Fanjyr Way-Station. Welcome to tikka-ti-jarra, which means Place of the High Wind in their speech. Alzar can interpret their language with his Axe, Selinyr.

As they arrive, there is an electrical storm in the area that begins to meet them, pushing from the other flank of the nest. Great black clouds are emerging and rolling forth, and blocking the day. Visibility is being quickly reduced to just 60 yards or so. After lands in the nest, and there are around 50 or so Aarakocra, a few Air elementals they’ve summoned, and a leader, Kirraka and a shaman, Ikarrika are here and they greet Alzar. A few moments ago, an attack was forthcoming. They are as prepared as they can be. They have around 15 extra soldiers that survived or were away from the other nests that were destroyed,

Three are continual light spells up here that keep everything lit, and steep rocks on the cliff face. The sky temple of the nest is where Alzar and his escorts landed, and it’s where the red feathered Kirraka is now. Alzar is the one that Kirraka saw in a vision and he confirms that this is the Lord of Wood and Fire with them. Alzar tells him to trust him, and then bends down and conjures 2 Air Elementals as a priest, a Griffon from his Mount, Zadaxx and Zadran the figurines., Dust Devils, Wind Servant, Invisible Stalker, and more. He finally casts Air Walk and places the Carpet back for now.

Alzar heads out with his flying force in tow. After casting all of those spells, a giant cloud castle is about three or four minutes away. Some forms are flying down, and these are ba’atun and some others.

Strike Force:

1 Swarm leader
2 Flight Leaders
10 Wing Sergeants
50 ba-atun

(Yes, I amped it up).

They are flying in 10 wings, each with 5 ba’atun, and a sergeant, and in two major flights of 60 lead my leaders, with the swarm leader overall. Alzar’s in front and away from the nest, and he’s going to hit this air raid right now in mid-air just about 250 yards from the aarakocra.

Alzar’s goal is simple – tie them up, and slow them down. And kill a few as well. Expecting some ice or water magic, he swapped rings to have the Ring of Warmth in lieu of the normal Ring of Spell Turning.

They head out and flank the foe, Alzar’s Imp ordering them to places as he begins to cast a spell

3 vs 5

Alzar casts Wail of the Banshee. Only 7 are in range and effected and die. 1 Wing and 6 Ba’atun.

They fly and and attack him from a few angles as his other creatures are hit as well.

I’ma use random.org for this…

After five rounds, he’s slain 18 normal demons, 3 Sergeants, and 1 Flight Leader but the rest have flown and flanked him, and they are hitting the city now. He pulls back with just a badly wounded Air Elemental left.

The Aarakocra have some magically enhanced weapons that have been blessed temporarily by their two magic users and are using them against the demons. Then as the 6th round occurs and Alzar comes in from the middle, and readies himself, the cloud castle descends from the skies and suddenly a great lightning bolt rends the sky and crashes into the Sky Temple of the aarakocra and deals considerable structural damage to it.

Alzar needs to push now. He has used Time Stop, Power Word Stun, Death Spell, Skulltrap, and some others. Now he flies into the entrance into the sky temple and then casts Protection from Demons, which will protect around 10’ radius – 20 feet diameter and protects th e whole thing. He orders a phalanx of aaracockra to land and fight here. Yes, it’s away from the places where they are better, but here they are immune to the ba’atun’s attacks. Its the heart of the fighting currently.

Soon enough he lunches a Maze and sends one elsewhere for 11 rounds, turns another to stone and it falls and smashes to the ground, and more. Another lightning bolt cascades into the Sky Temple, but the aerial battle is losing, and after another round, a retreat is sounded, and all of the enemies that can fly do so. The Castle moves off.

Alzar has won the day.

Alzar gets 60000XP from the day’s fights

Abe Sargent

11-11-2015, 10:15 PM

21 aarakocra lay dead. Alzar leans down and uses his two Raise Dead spells to bring two back. He can only do it within one minute per level after they die, and they can’t do anything for a week. But two are back from the dead.

Several places around the city, and the Sky Temple was structurally damaged in several places. Alzar uses Stone Shape and Soften Earth and Stone to help repair the damage quickly. He also uses various Cure Light Spells to heal damaged aarakockra quickly.

The shaman of the tribe, Ikarrika takes the Charrikar nuts and heads into a hallucinogenic trance for a few hours, on a powerful and potent vision quest. When she emerges, she looks at Alzar and the others with great sadness.

“Deep have I quested within the spirit world; I have travelled further than ever before. The way is dark and unsteady. Black clouds obscured the light and howling winds brought ice and snow to my wings. As they grew heavier, I strayed often from my flight, and others were also buffeted by the foul winds, including the giant eagles. Soaring above me was a great creature of darkness, and it filled the sky. Suddenly, I was caught with strong talons grasping and piercing me. Then a light pierced the darkness just before I fell, a shining tower of ice that shone forth and thrusted through an old lake. I started to arrest my flight and my capture, and saw our saviors. Then the lake cracked open, and out from the hollow came a giant silver fish, flat, and with a purpose. It flew out and high and banished the darkness and the creatures. Then the vision faded”

She tells Alzar that the giant eagles have been historical allies of the aarakocra, and there is an aerie of them here in the Ljallenvals. The flying silver fish is also something that should prove able to ally and assist in their struggle, and she feels that both the eagles and the fish of the sky are vital to winning their struggle.

For the few hours she was having her vision, dire news arrived. One of the remaining nests has gone quiet, and 8 survivors from another have arrived, and just two are left standing. They struck very quickly, taking out three nests in one day, and Alzar suspects its because they saw him and knew him, and thus sped up their timetable.

They tell Alzar of the other nest. Unlike the other 6, its less of a home and a village, and more of a fortress. Tchitchi-kwaaka, the Last Refuge. They built defenses here that they never believed that they would need. They decide to being all of the aarakocra from here over to support that final defense, and hope to hold. Alzar will head out to the giant eagles, and thence to figure out where and what the fish of the sky might be found, summoned, dominated, or communicated with.

Abe Sargent

11-11-2015, 11:38 PM

Alzar mediated and studied new spells while the shaman was with her quest, and he is ready to head out now, Tcho’eh staying behind to help bring things to fruition. But he has an idea. He teleports to the flying city of Serraine after scouting it out with his crystal ball. He arrives and finds Rolane and tells him what is happening, and then meets with the mayor. After they inform the aarakocra of the city what is happening, Alzar gets a strike force of 25 pegataurs and 80 aarakocra to support him, but the city is currently near the southern waters, and nowhere near here, so they’ll need magic to get to Alzar and the defenses quickly. Alzar Mass Teleports whom he can, and the rest will join soon enough.

A few hours later, a para elemental from the plane of lightning arrives and begins to attack Alzar. He uses Abjure and sends it back home.

5000 XP

That’s the only major force he runs into on the flight to the Eagles Aerie.

A giant eagle lands at Alzar’s carpet and begins to communicate with him telepathically, and he tells them what he needs. He explains the need, the dream of Ikarrika and more. Everything is poured out.

After conversing with it telepathically, it gives him permission to approach. Three giant eagles meet Alzar at the bottom of their aerie, away from the rest. They ESP him and let him know that they great tower of ice and the old lake are known to them. They fly over it semi-regularly. He receives a visual picture of it from above, as they have seen. They aren’t sure what is going on with the castle, which used to be held by a kind, friendly, and protective family of cloud giants. But things change, and perhaps others have taken it.

They will meet in council for a while after summoning their kind and then take the aarakocra situation under advisement, and decide from there how to respond.

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-C6yeQzUC7tQ/UqYVKmDj5bI/AAAAAAAAB8Y/y29Y5yLxr4o/s640/UK5+Flight+To+The+Nest.png

Alzar scrys the area where the ice tower and lake are. Despite the time of year, the unusual cold has left the lake frozen. This is nothing like normal for the time of year.

It’s about 29 miles away, and Alzar folds up his carpet and everything and moves into a shadow of the nest he’s at and then Transport via Shadow to a shadow covered place in the area.

Abe Sargent

11-12-2015, 04:23 PM

There are considerable cold and powerful winds knifing through the area, again unseasonably cold. Alzar arrived in the mouth of an old silver mine in the area, and there are some dwarves here camping, and he introduces himself to them arms open. They aren’t from his demesne in Stormhaven. They are an adventuring group from another dwarf hold. They heard of the ice tower down there, as well as the old and abandoned silver and copper mines here, and wanted to see if they could be opened or if they could enter the tower and raids it’s riches. There are e6 mountain dwarves here, led by Barruk, a dwarven cleric. They tell Alzar about a raiding party of 10 frost giants and 10 winter wolves, that roam about the frozen lake and hunt in and about the are, all as one group. Alzar smiles. Is that all? He has the dwarves wait here.

One hour later, they are all dead. For someone who normally slays dozens of frost giants at a time, this was easy.

He used no magic spells, preferring to keep them free, and instead used his summon items to summon a horde of elementals (other than Airs, he suspected he might need those later) from his artifact the Face fo Xenous, stones and more. He also used up the Horn of Valhalla, and his figurines for now.

Alzar gains 22000 XP

8530 gp of gold and other pieces in their camp

The dwarves can take the wolves and make pelts from them, and take the various items from the camp that aren’t the coins he is procuring.

As Alzar moves closer to the Ice Tower, a handful of flying polar owlbears swoop down to attack him!

Alzar casts Death Spell and drops them. Then as he is cleaning up, two remorhaz burst from the surrounding ground and move to attack!!!

7900 xp

Random.org

Alzar’s axe carves and slays them both, the first attacks fine, and the second fled, but he ran it down and dropped it.

Alzar finds a few items of value in their lair:

Carved Ivory Scroll Tube – 300 gp
Dented Platinum Pot – 800 gp (worth 10x that if fixed)
Gems worth 8750 gp total

Permanent Flint and Steel – Magical item, always works, never wears out, and lights tinder on first try.

2 Remorhaz Eggs – No idea what to do with them yet so stores them for now in stasis.

Abe Sargent

11-12-2015, 05:05 PM

Alzar arrives at the island around the ice tower, from the ice lake. Alzar passes by some minor elementals that flee from him, and a small group of spriggans that decide to blink away and leave, rather than mess with him.

The ice tower is a great pinnacle of ice, like a giant icicle that breaks from the ground up, with two prongs off it sort of like a trident that towers hundreds of feet above him. And despite any attempts to find a way in, the Star and his scrying see no ways into the Tower.

Alzar grabs the Scroll of Portals to create a Passwall effect. He opens a hole in a wall and its dead ice, but inside is a tower.

This is the tower and home of the ancient mage Devral, why passed away long ago. She always flew or levitate here, and there is a central column that runs the length of the spire of ice, and then no other stairs or ramps or anything else.

The bottom room features a strange, silent chamber. It;’s pleasantly warm – a nice change from the bitter cold outside. Deep within the translucent icy walls, a few patterns pulsate and swirl. Floating down is a sparking silver ball with with a single golden eye about a foot and a half in diameter.

The ball states: “Welcome to the Citadel of Devral. Please hand your weapon and cloaks to the servants there and take a seat. I will inform the mistress of your arrival.” The ball vanishes and three unseen servants begin to tug at Alzar’s weapons and cloak. He takes them and tucks them into various extradimensional spaces and then hands some minor weapons to them just in case, and they point to some ice-based stools, and Alzar sits.

He decides to just wait. After ten minutes, when it is clear nothing is happening, he rises and heads up. (Because he complied, he unknowingly avoided some nasty ,magical traps and protections. Devral felt that anyone who wanted to invade her domain wouldn’t stop and turn over weapons or pause to wait for her)

Abe Sargent

11-12-2015, 06:50 PM

He flies up to the next room.

Glowing lights run around the curved contours of this level. They pulsate in various patterns and there are smaller subchambers in here made of screens and such, and used to divide the space. It’s one large laboratory, workroom, and summoning chamber.

The Star reveals hidden compartments in here as well, and Alzar finds and disarms two mechanical traps as well. He finds:

3 Potions of Cold Resistance
1 Potion of Flying
1 Potion of Human Control
Amulet of the Sphere
Crucible of Melting
4 Jars of Preserving

The equipment in here is long since destroyed or rusted other than the magical stuff. There were no wards and protections here. Alzar heads up.

The 3rd floor is dominated by the statue of a great griffon, made of glass. Alzar inspects it, and the Star reveals it is a magical item. It appears to be of a similar construction to his figurines of wondrous power. There are command words written in an old cant.

Glass Griffon:

AC 3, HD7, HP40, 3 attacks – 1d4x2, 2d6, THACo 13, N;

Command words to shrink, grow, give rider infra/ultra vision, turn to griffon, and return. Can be used 1/day to make a Griffon, with max hp, 4 hours/day, until slain, and then turns back to glass for a week, can be used to ride.

Abe Sargent

11-12-2015, 08:18 PM

The next room revealed by the vertical tunnel is…

A room that used to have a lot of magical wards on it, but they have faded. There are tons of books, bookshelves, and more. Podiums, tables, lots of stuff. However, Alzar can hear the sound of a small group of bookworms in here munching on the books, and they appear very damaged. He doesn’t want to kill the worms and leave the pages untouched with the magic he has available. He’ll return tomorrow with a Bookworm Bane spell to force them out, and then begin to restore them. One book is clearly magical, and he secures that. It wasn’t damaged.

But one large book on a podium discusses the battles that Devral fought against the ba’atun. She constructed a great flying ship that resembled a silver manta ray, and there are various passwords included as well, and Alzar memorizes them for later.

Room 5 is the center of a floor stands on a case of ice, with golden lines of a decorative circle. Suddenly the tower has gotten cold in this room again. There is an ice-paraelemental in her, and Alzar casts Banishment and sends it back home and it leaves the plane.

3750 XP

Abe Sargent

11-12-2015, 09:37 PM

After it leaves, a icy column in the room “melts” and disappears, and the above chamber can now be entered.

This is the final room in the center spire (the other two spires will turn out to have bedrooms for various folks, kitchen, stuff like that – all minor. Nothing magical in them.

Embedding in the ceiling of this chamber is the skyfish spoken of in the book and from the aarakocra’s seed-induced vision. Alzar checks the room for traps, and searches for anything else but there’s nothing left. So he intones the first command word, “Dom” the ceiling cracks and the ship begins to flex and move.

Icy, murky water underneath the lake is opening up as the ice cracks, and there are some enemies that are revealed and exploring – particularly four scrags – marine trolls.

Alzar moves in and slices with on with his axe and kills it in one round. (it has 30 hp). Another dies, and the third, and the fourth heads into the water. Alzar uses some fire to light and kill the trolls permanently with fuel from a flask of oil from his Bag of Holding and they die.

4200 xp

Abe Sargent

11-13-2015, 08:29 AM

Alzar heads to the ship and then intones more words and the skyskip begins to left off from the ice lake, and the tower is already reforming icy magically around it to fix the hole where the ship broke off.

The Skyfish flies smoothly, and is a great creation of magic and artifice. It’s a magical vehicle shaped like a huge, silvery manta ray which can fly above and below water, and in the sky. It has a magical shield that uses Airy Water, Water Breathing, Resist Cold, and Resist Electricity. Its 50 feet long, and 60 wide. It can fit up to 15 people on the oak paneled cockpit on the back. There is a bench in the cockpit and it features two magical gem eyes that can fire lightning bolts from them. A wizard can also spend a round mentally attacking with the great, 20 foot tail for THACo 12 and 2d6 damage with a save os Para or be stunned for 1d4 rounds if struck. It’s immune to magical fire, cold, water, electricity, but takes normal damage from acid. There is a magical Lightning Rod on it that absorbed any electrical attack that is directed at the way of a user.

As Alzar flies back to the final bastion of the aarakocra, he hits a wing of ba’atun searching for him that move ot attack. His Wail of the Banshee and Skulltrap clear them all – 9 ba’atun dead, 4 fled.

As they flee, a squad of giant eagles swoop in from multiple angles. They slay the fleeing fiends.

The ba’atun made the error of attacking the eagle aerie. Although the eagles lost around 15% of their numbers, they held their own and sent reinforcements to Tchitchi-Kwaaka to meet up with the defenders there.

Alzar’s great Skyship is escorted back to the fort, and they meet with the others. Unlike the other nests, this is not up on a peak, but in the base of a valley in the peaks where the only main way to attack from the sky is above, and only front and back are on the ground. While easier to defend, it also provides two potential retreat options from whatever flank is forced back. Aarakocra wounded, younglings, and elders that cannot fight were sent elsewhere and only fighting-condition people are left. Alzar’s reinforcements, around 30 giant eagles, and the various aarakocra hear are ready to go.

The Last Refuge has numerous magical ballista with an odd shape to them, ready to be used by local artillerists. Alzar is greeted by various leaders and magic users among their kind. Unfortunately, harassing attacks have slain the normal leader, and now Kirraka is fully in command of the remaining aarakocra. The skyfish is landed, and they celebrate it’s arrival, and the eagles are also greeted warmly as “allies of the feather” by the bird folk. The pegataur and aarakocra from Serraine, the flying city have all arrived, and are learning the battlefield.

Abe Sargent

11-13-2015, 10:26 AM

The eagles did some flying and scouting past the castle, and this is the same castle as before that was used by cloud giants and they saw cloud giants running it from the same family they knew. One giant in particular, Lachlan, rules the castle, and was bellowing orders of a dark nature. But Lachlan was never a dark sort of giant.

Alzar’s used to lots of ways to make folks do his bidding – possession, domination, charm, and more. It’s one of his specialties. So maybe that’s what’s going on. But after a war council, it seems like the best way to deal with this is to assault the cloud giant castle itself. They begin to plan it, and Alzar learns and mediates, with a new aerial special slate of spells, such as Conjure Air Elemental instead of his normal earth one.

After about 9 hours of preparations, and sleep, magical divinations and scrying detects the castle approaching quickly, and it’s about a half mile off, and closing – and should be here in about ten-ish minutes.

Alzar uses the Face of Xenous, and conjures four Air Elementals – wizard, priest, and Face. He adds the air force from before, minus the figurines. He also has his Android Bodyguard on the Skyship now as well, and with a +2 Trombash of Returning it will use to toss, and then get back, as a way to crack demon-skin. Mount spell summoned a griffin, and the glass griffon is out as well. This time he doesn’t need the Warmth Ring and swaps over that Spell Turning one again – with protections from the Skyfish already on.

It’s time to assault the Cloud Castle.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gG34frHDW8U/UqYVOqAWxuI/AAAAAAAAB8w/L0NT9RZyDos/s640/UK7+Death+In+The+Skies.png

Abe Sargent

11-13-2015, 11:56 AM

Attackers:

25 Pegataurs
Rolane
120 Aarakocra
25 Air Elementals
25 giant eagles
Skyship
Alzar

Alzar-s Dust Devils, Wind Servants, Invisible Stalker, Bodyguard, 4 Elementals, 2 Griffons,

Defenders –

100 ba’atun
20 wing sergeants
10 flight leaders
2 swarm leaders

132 total flying foes

On the battlements, 24 giants of different types are throwing boulders

Numbers are on our side. Clerics cast a bunch of Bless and similar magic to make the Aarakocra weapons work, and the eagles always can work, and the Pegataurs have magic. Everyone one of them can cast one Magic Missile spell – it’s pretty common as a way to open up battle.

The cloud castle is an odd construction. It seems ot be made of stone, and a thunder cloud as its base – but neither are true. It can act as both cloud vapor and as rock – lightless, hard to penetrate, and can be controlled to shift mentally by Lachlan, the owner of the castle. He makes lanes in the cloud or castle for a sortie to strike through. Then they head back.

We actually could resolve this battle with War Machine- both sides are really small armies. (I had to make them bigger to really push the epic scale, but you can see it here).

Alzar is going to lead with his four elementals, skyship, and folks, in the center of the attack, He wants his troops to do well initially, and he wants to push everyone into seeing where and how he is. Then he’ll do something a little unexpected. He’ll pretend that he’s out of magic, wounded, whatever, and begin to retreat to the back lines, and then cast a spell (Transport into Shadow) to slip inside a shadowed corridor that has to be somewhere in the castle while his Bodyguard keeps the ship in the rear and seen.

That’s his goal.

First, he wants to slay some bad guys.,

As he is in the lead, with no others around to face him, he casts Wail and drops 6 (they have spread out a lot to prevent area spells), and then Skulltrap and another 5. But the folks are moving away from him, after, as he expected, slaying his Elementals. But his front flank slew 2 more.

He heads back and uses the skyship to cast Lighting Bolt twice to slay two demons from range on two consecutive turns, and then he has retreated. Lightning also stabs out at his ship twice, but he is protected, and he takes…..13 damage from some cold attacks.

He casts Cure Light Wounds, the Transport….

And now he’s on board the castle…

Abe Sargent

11-13-2015, 12:56 PM

While the battle rages on outside.

(obviously, Alzar is taking a different tactic here, but you can see why I’m sure). Alzar uses a bit of Dust of Disappearance. He uses his ability to move silently to slip around.

As he does, the battle begins to turn a bit. A group of 8 Manticores hidden, invisibly as a reserve force fly into battle!

Alzar is now in a giant flying castle, and then rooms and accoutrements are of typical giant size. This is not his first time invading a giant’s home, that’s for sure!!

Alzar finds a great library, with a hill giant at the edge wheeling in more boulders to through for the troops at the battlements. A Finger of Death spell….slays it dead.

Alzar passes a music room, a nursery with some ogres in here guarding and watching over giant children, making sure nothing happens during the battle to hurt them, and then a great hall that has the camps of around 10 Verbeeg, a type of dirty giant. Alzar passes a giant’s laboratory and then an herb garden. Alzar comes across the kitchen, where a group of zombies are being armed by a Ba’atun priest and taken to fight. Alzar controls the zombies and then they begin to move against their animator. He reaches out surprised and wrestles them back, and as he does, Alzar slips over and unfurls his axe and two hits later and the demon has died.

Alzar’s dust is wearing off (with combat, spell casting and more)

Abe Sargent

11-13-2015, 03:50 PM

Alzar finds a cellar here and penetrates down. He passes a few work areas, and some traps. He finds and opens a secret door, and then he finds the end of a tunnel, with 4 ba’atun here guarding something, rather than out fighting. There are three giant lizards here as well, and a massively locked door. Alzar needs quiet. Time Stop. Death Spell. Death follows. No extra spells though.

Alzar moves to the door and uses his Ear Ring to check it out but nothing. He suspects he knows what is on the other side….

He uses the Chime of Opening to open the Wizard Lock and pass the traps on the door.

This is a medium sized resting chambers in the dungeon of the castle, once used for prisoners. This is now where a body rests – a large, ba’atun leader, female, ages old. This is Yesorkh the leader of the ba’atun here. She is in a state of suspended animation. Alzar needs to reload the invisibility spell, it’s off, but she is not in this body. Nevertheless, his form can be made out by magical and normal detections, and the opening of the door triggers a defensive function…

And in a second, a heartflash, she opens her eyes and rises…

She was possessing and controlling the cloud giant. But Alzar has forced her to return to her body. Surely, Lachlan will call of the battle immediately, and his giants will help the remaining attackers in slaying and driving off her Ba’atun children, and allies. Alzar has given her a solid defeat, and she means to take it out on him. There is no one else here, just Alzar and Yesorkh….

She is a lot more powerful than a normal member of her designation, and a major wizard. She has 55% Magic Resistance. Alzar has time for one spell, and casts Strip Resistance. If it breaks her MR, then she’ll lose 28 points. If not, every turn it attacks and tries ot to do until it works. 44 – it hits and no dropping this turn…

6 vs 4

Magic Missiles fly into Alzar and 2 penetrate his own MR of 50% and he uses the Gem to reflect them back to her and…both hit her shield – nothing happens. Lower Resist? 84 – it drops her MR to 27%. Alzar casts Greater Malison -= se gets -2 penalty to her saves

8 vs 4

She casts Lightning Bolt at him and…40% is sent back while 34 – hits his Mr and is absorbed. She takes 9 – save to half, and half for her race – 3 damage total. Alzar grabs a gem from his belt that he prepared and he casts….Trap the Soul….56 – breaks her MR and…..She throws a 6 and….

Wait what?

Abe Sargent

11-13-2015, 04:14 PM

Just a moment before the spell hits her, she brings a Anti-Magic Shell into being around her with a Spellcache Ring, which then dissolves. Alzar is close to her. He recognizes it. The Ring that Tairdo created, and whom Alzar slew years ago for Morena is in use with her. She casts teleport and disappears.

That’s odd. Alzar knows that Tairdo is dead, he used the Death Mask of Ptah on him. After someone dies, if you place the Mask on their corpse for 10 minutes, their spirit is taken to its final resting place and cannot return with raising of the dead or via undead. Alzar uses it on all of the dead major foes he slays, to prevent them from hitting him later.

He searches around and finds a skeleton of a great silver dragon in here. They slew it and raided it’s lair, and there is treasure in here from the caravans and other places.

The cloud giants have ended the battle and driven away and slain their foes. Local evil giants were also killed, like Verbeeg and ogres. Numerous members of the cloud giants were slain by the ba’atun who was controlled Lachlan’s body, including his lover.

By taking the castle from the inside, and by diverting the defenses with an assault on the castle, Alzar has won a lot of praise from everyone. The forces from Serraine only lost 12 people total, and the defenders lost a handful of giant eagles and about 20 aarakocra on the battle. They used summoned forces that were disposable as the first and then moved in behind, and thus few were actually killed. Alzar casts Raise Dead to bring back a Pegataur and an eagle.

Abe Sargent

11-13-2015, 05:35 PM

He grabs this stuff from the ba’atun treasury:

12000 gp
2500 ep
2250 pp
Platinum Casket – 3000 gp
Mahogany inlaid with Verite Jewelry Box – 850 gp
Diamond Tiara – 15000 gp
Diamond Necklace – 7500 gp
Pair of Ruby Earrings – 4500 gp
Emerald and Mithril Bracelet – 10000 gp
30 assorted piece sof jewelry worth 700 gp each
Assorted gems, worth total of 6650 gp

40 Flasks of Rare Wine – 150 gp each

50 crates of silks, furs, and fine clothing – 500 gp value/crate

10 sacks of rare spices – 300 gp each

2 Sacks of rare leather goods – 750 gp each

1 chest of rare monster parts turned into fancy cloths – 1200 gp

Blue Green Spindle Ioun Stone (Airy Water)
Trident of Fish Command, +3
Prism of Light Splitting
Scroll of Mapping
Needle of Repair
2x +2 Shields
3 Javelins of Lightning
+4 Leather Armor, Halfling/Gnome sized

Cleric Scroll – Commune with Nature, Pass Plant, Hold Animal, Hold Plant, Plant Door

The Prism works by being used for a full day. Cast Enchant an Item spell on it to get it to work, and then turn it so either red, blue, or yellow is shining on a magical potion or powder being made. Red = -2 to saves; Blue = Duration is doubled; Yellow = amount doubled (makes 2x)

That’s a potent item. Imagine a bunch of 2x duration potions, like Control or Fire Breath.

Trident controls nonmagical fish around him with a basic emotion (fear, adoration, anger, hunger, apathy, etc). This works constantly. Once/day can control any intelligent and fishlike monster with a save, for one turn, like a Domination spell.

When commanded, the Scroll will make a Map of the level of dungeon, castle, keep, or whatever currently on, including secret doors and such. It keeps it for one week, and then the map disappears, and can be used again

The needle is used to automatically repair non-magical items as long as it has the required string, gum, wax, sinew, leather, studs, etc.

Lachlan meets with him and thanks him. In an pledge of his loyalty, he dedicates his castle and the giants left to aid Alzar if needed. He gives Alzar:

Cloud Gem – Large Spherical gem with swirling mists inside, worth 30000 gp, Alzar just needs to concentrate on it to communicate with Lachlan, who will bring his castle to aid.

Alzar will return the wine to his castle for use there. Then he grabs the magical items and gold/gems/jewels and such for himself. Finally, he’ll use the goods to restock some venders in Saffir that were sending their stuff across the pass and elsewhere, and to some towns to the north, as well as the waypoint.

Abe Sargent

11-13-2015, 05:58 PM

He finds this book:

From the Long Dark - History of the Ba’atun, as penned in their language by Yesorkh.

The book he secured earlier is…

Book of Vile Darkness

He’ll read it and gain a level in priest. He also gained a wizard level.

Meanwhile, Alzar will be sending a number of folks to copy some books from Lachlan’s library that he likes. Most are novels and stories.

149 Tomes of Stories and Myths of the Cloud Giants

He also returns to the Ice Tower and spends some time restoring these books in the library. He also brings over the lab equipment as well. Here’s what he secures:

Book - How to Make Winged and Frozen Owlbears
4 books on the Skyfish – repair, creation, control, and such
655 books on arcane lore, spellcraft, creation of items, and such from Ice Tower
254 books on Ice Lore specifically – ice creatures, the Para Elemental Plane of Ice, magic items of ice, and more.

He also secured a pair of spellbooks, and then Dispels, and removes curses from it later, from Yesorkh

Yesorkhs 2 spellbooks:

1st – Read/Detect Magic, Identify, Mount, Protection from Evil, Armor, Sleep, Ventriloquism, Conjure Spell Component, Chromatic Orb,
2nd – ESP, Web, Wizard Lock, Knock, Tasha’s Hideous Un…Laughter, Protection from Paralysis, Scare, Invisibility
3rd – Dispel Magic, Gust of Wind, Lightning Bolt, Strength
4th – Ice Storm, Wall of Ice, Dimension Door, Wizard Eye, Polymorph Self, Rary’s Mnemonic Enhancer, Improved Invisibility, Illusionary Wall
5th Domination, Animate Dead, Hold Monster, Monster Summoning III, Magic Jar, Teleport, Cone of Cold

And while she left behind no specific spellbook, in the ice pages, Alzar finds some specific spells among the books.

Level 6 –

Conjure Ice Elemental

This summons an Ice paraelemental from the plane of Ice. It requires snow, or ice, nearby to summon.

The elemental is a 12 HD elemental always, and is a friend of the caster and will happily fight for him.

The aarakocra thank him. They are not going to pledge fidelity to him, that’s not really their way, but they are extremely thankful nonetheless. And having some friends up here can’t hurt either, right?

End of UK7. Dark Clouds Gather

Abe Sargent

11-13-2015, 08:15 PM

Let’s take a look at Alzar now:

New priest spells:

1 7th and 1 4th.

New Wizard:

1 8th and 9th

Alzar the Polymath; Alzar the Mighty, Lord of Wood and Fire, Marquis of March of the Mighty

Alzar, Level 13 Cleric, Scholar Priest, (Level 13 Thief, (Investigator); 12th level Fighter (Myrmidon), 28th level Path Mage (Fivefold Mage))

Lawful Evil
Human

Str: 18/23
Dex: 13
Con: 11
Wis: 18
Int: 21
Cha: 17

Hit Points: 82
THACO: 10
AC: -5 (Cloak of Shadows; Bracers AC2, Helm. If using Barrier, -10. Ioun Stone, Boots, could drop -2)
Age 63, Body - 34

Cleric XP – 1.2mill, (1.35 mil to level 14); Thief XP - 685000 (880k to 14th); Fighter XP -1 mill XP (1.25 mill to level 13); Mage XP – 6,800,000 (Level 29 at 6,750,000);

Non-Weapon Proficiencies:

Myrmidon:

Tactical History 15
Fire-Building 18

Riding 14
Swimming 12
Reading/Writing 16
Survival 16
Blind Fighting
Etiquette 17
Endurance
Heraldry 13
Hunting 12
Fishing 15
Weather Knowledge 12
Orienteering 18

As a Necromancer/Fivefold Mage

Necrology 16
Netherworld Knowledge 16
Herbalism 17
Alchemy 15
Poison Use 13
Ancient Languages 11
Spellcraft 13
Ancient History – 17
Bookbinding – 16
Papermaking - 16
Sage Knowledge: Outer Planes, Inner Planes, Potions – 13
Divining: 15
Genie Lore: 17
Riding, Specialization: 10
Research: 13
First Lore – Aleph I: 20
Riding, Air: 13

As a Thief:

Information Gathering: 15
Trailing: 16
Set Snares: 13
Tracking: 13
Locksmithing: 11
Fine Balance - 11
Camouflage - 12
Steady Hand - 13

As a Cleric:

Scribe - 12
Religion - 10

Investigation - 11
Healing - 14
Hypnotism - 9
Administration - 16
Diplomacy - 14
Court Intrigue - 13

As a Polymath:

Dragon Lore - 13
Spy Intrigue - 14
Anatomy - 15
Glassblowing - 11

Languages – Thorasian - Typic, Sis’sharr, UnderTypic, Kuo-Toa; Hamedhi – Arjuni, Sand Mire Common – Pandius - Pandius Prime,

Traits:

Empathy
Fast Healer
Precise Memory
Obscure Knowledge

Weapon Proficiencies:

Bonus Kit Specialization:

Battle Axe

Battle Axe
One Handed Weapon Style x2 (-2 AC when using one weapon in combat)
Crossbow
Battle Axe Weapon Mastery
Spear
Dagger

Total with normal battle axe - +3 to hit, +3 to damage, -2 to AC. An additional +1 with the axe and +1 damage for strength

Mage - Staff

Thief Weapons:

Short Bow, Short Sword
Short Bow Expertise - Fires at rate of Specialization
Specialization in One Handed With Shield - -1 AC and can Shield Bash

Cleric:

Mace

Polymath:

Double Specialization in Missile Fire --2 AC at range vs ranged weapons, can move 100% movement and fire everything

Class Abilities

Fighter Class Abilities:

Specialization
Leadership (Alzar can command the tactics, strategy, logistics and more that a large force requires)
3 attacks every 2 rounds

Mage Class Ability:

1). Alzar can control undead as an evil Priest of the same level, and this ability extends to extra planar beings which are considered undead with the same hit dice for this purpose.
2). One Extra Spell/Level is Gained, must be Path.
3). Fivefold Mages reduce the spell level by one when researching spells in The Path.
4). Chance to Learn spell in The Path increased by +15%
5). Saving Throw of Targets when targeted by spells from The Path at -1.
6). No more than one spell per level can be from the group: Abjuration, Alteration, Alchemy and Geometry barring a highly unusual and temporary circumstance.
7). Fivefold Mage must invest a focus item as the method through which magic is cast. (Signet Ring from Hamedh, kept on necklace.)
8). Must have a lab and library and workbench with 1,000 gp value per level, and an upkeep of 50 gp/level/month
9). They can store spells like an Artificer, but cannot begin to do so until level 6
10). Fivefold Mages have a chance to identify a magical item by spending a turn peering at it closely and examining it - chance is their level times 5.
11). Fivefold Mages never suffer from a negative reaction penalty due to controlling or animating undead.

Thief Class Ability:

Cannot use Armor
Without a Trace
Defensive Bonus- -3 AC when unarmored
Backstab - x4 damage from level 9-12: +4 to attack

Open Locks: 70
Find/Remove Traps: 95
Move Silently: 95
Hide in Shadows: 95
Climb Walls: 95
Read Languages: 55
Evasion: 60

Cleric Class Ability:

Cannot use Armor
Fire Immunity - Alzar is immune to fire. Any non-magical fire, flame, lava, or heat won’t affect him. He always makes his saves against fire spells and effects. And if a fire spell doesn’t have a save, he gets one.
Protection from Energy Drain - +2 on saves vs energy drain effects, and grants a save when there is none
Cold Resistance - +2 on all saves vs ice-based and cold attacks. Effects without a saving throw are not given one

Major Access to these Spheres: All, Healing, Astral, Law, War, Combat, Charm, Divination, Guardian, Necromantic, Protection, Summoning, Wards, Elemental

Immune to starvation

Can cast ESP once/week

A Wish Resulted in - An interdimensional Pocket which only he can access by reaching out his hand, or concentrating to send himself there. It’s sort of like a giant Bag of Holding. It can hold up to 500,000 coins of items, and it’s the size of a large room. Due to the size and volume, it cannot be accessed as readily as his items in a Bag of Holding can be, and therefore, he cannot find items during combat from it. He also can’t step into it during combat, it takes a minute of meditation to translocate his form there.

Alzar may move and survive in the following planes at will: Tarterus, Acheron, The Abyss, Elysium, Arcadia, and the Astral Plane and Positive Energy.

+2 to all saves against fear/awe effects

Cleric Spells - 8/7/6/5/2/2/1

Wizard Spells - 7/7/7/7/6/6/6/6/5

Special Books Already Used – Tome of Clear Thought; Tome of Leadership and Influence; Libram of Ineffable Damnation; Tome of Understanding; Tome of Quickness of Action; Manual of Puissant Skill at Arms; Manual of Bodily Health; Manual of Gainful Exercise; Manual of Steady Pilfering;

Longevity Potions Drank – 2; Wishes used for stats - INT, WIS

Younger - 1

Spells:

Alzar’s Prayer Book, 8/7/6/5/2/2/1

Major Access to these Spheres: All, Healing, Astral, Law, War, Combat, Charm, Divination, Guardian, Necromantic, Protection, Summoning, Wards, Elemental

Bonus Spells - 2 1sts, 2 2nds, 1 3rd, 1 4th

These are the spells he can cast:

1st Level - Bless, Combine, Detect Magic, Orison, Astral Celerity, Speak with Astral Traveler, Command, Remove or Cause Fear, Sanctuary, Magical Stone, Light, Detect Evil, Detect Poison, Wind Column, Strength of Stone, Firelight, Log of Everburning, Create Water, Blessed Watchfulness, Sacred Guardian, Cure Light Wounds (Cause), Protection from Chaos, Protection from Evil, Dispel Fatigue, Invisibility to Undead, Endure Heat/Clod, Ring of hands, Call Upon Faith, Courage, Morale, Antivermin Barrier, Weighty Chest, Aranen’s Divinational Armor, Read Languages, Rainshield,

2nd Level - Chant, Mystic Transfer, Sanctify, Astral Awareness, Ethereal Barrier, Enthrall, Charm Person/Mammal, Hold Person, Snake Charm, Music of the Spheres, Aid, Spiritual Hammer, Augury, Detect Charm, Find Traps, Dust Devil, Soften Earth and Stone, Fire Trap, Flame Blade, Heat Metal, Produce Flame, Watery Fist, Cure Moderate Wounds, Slow Poison, Calm Chaos, Restore Strength, Resist Acid, Resist Fire/Cold, Withdraw, Draw Upon Holy Might, Messenger, Emotion Perception, Rally, Frisky Chest, Zone of Truth, Silence, 15’ Radius, Wyvern Watch, Protection from Charm, Enhance Turning, Purify Water, Spring, Iron Vigil, Resist Turning, Death Prayer,

Level 3 - Continual Light, Dispel Magic, Remove Curse, Astral Window, Etherealness, Dictate, Emotion Control, Prayer, Unearthly Choir, Detect Spirits, Locate Object, Extradimensional Detection, Speak with Dead, Wind Servant, Zone of Sweet Air, Thunderclap, Meld into Stone, Stone Shape, Flame Walk, Protection from Fire, Pyrotechnics, Water Breathing, Water Walk, Water Window, Glyph of Warding, Cure Blindness/Deafness, Cure Disease, Hold Poison, Repair Injury, Rigid Thinking, Strength of One, Feign Death, Negative Plane Protection, Remove Paralysis, Line of Protection, Magical Vestment, Protection from Evil 10’s Radius, Summon Animal Spirit, Caltrops, Fortify, Efficacious Monster Ward, Invisibility Purge, Squeaking Floor, Thief’s Lament, Heroism, Death’s Door, Remove Paralysis, Animate Dead

4th Level - Tongues, Focus, Uplift, Join with Astral Traveler, Cloak of Bravery, Free Action, Heroism, Imbue with Spell Ability, Gloomcloud, Recitation, Smiting, Detect Lie, Divination, Lair Divination, Omniscient Eye, Windborne, Protection from Elementals, 10’ Radius, Adamantite Mace, Earthmaw, Magnetism, Warp Stone or Metal, Produce Fire, Lower Water, Reflecting Pool, Abjure, Dimensional Anchor, Animate Statue, Lesser Guardian Seal, Psionic Barrier, Neutralize Poison, Cure Serious Wounds, Fortify Healing, Compulsive Order, Defensive Harmony, Exorcize, Suspended Animation, Unfailing Endurance, Spell Immunity, Protections from Electricity, Undead, Traps, Gas, and Lycanthropes; Elemental Control, Fire Purge, Weather Stasis, Surelock, Entrench, Leadership, Tanglefoot

5th Level - Atonement, Commune, Quest, True Seeing, Meld, Prepare Enchantment, Plane Shift, Flame Strike, Magic Font, Consequence, Air Walk, Cloud of Purification, Control Winds, Nature’s Charm, Shatter Stone and Metal, Sink into Earth, Spike Stones, Strengthen Stone, Transmute Rock to Mud, Animate Flame, Wall of Fire, Cloud of Purification, Produce Ice, Calm Water, Geyser, Dispel Evil, Unceasing Vigilance of the Holy Sentinel, Golem, Page Guardian, Cure Critical Wounds, Champion’s Strength, Impeding Permission, Raise Dead, Cure Insanity, Anti-Plant Shell, Impregnable Mind, Protection from Fiends, Petrification; Adaptation, Dimensional Translocation, Barrier of Retention, Elemental Forbiddance, Grounding, Shrieking Walls, Undead Ward, Disguise, Illusory Artillery, Righteous Wrath of the Faithful

6th Level - Speak with Monsters, Bestow/Remove Major Curse, Otherworld, Command Monster, Feeblemind, Metal Skin, Spiritual Wrath, Superheroism, Word of Recall, Word of Vengeance, Find the Path, Stone Tell, Alter Luck, Divine Event, Seal of Destiny, Seek, Whirlwind, Anti-Animal Shell, Conjure Fire Elemental, Call Phoenix, Fire Seeds, Part Water, Transmute Water to Dust, Conjure Water Elemental, Conjure Air Elemental, Blade Barrier, Forbiddance, Greater Guardian Seal, Heal, Legal Thoughts, Aerial Servant, Animate Object, Conjure Animals, Crushing Walls, Dragonbane, Land of Stability, Gravity Variation

7th level – Gate, Astral Spell, Confusion, Exaction, Holy Word, Divine Inspiration, Conjure Greater Elemental, Wind Walk, Animate Rock, Conjure Earth Elemental, Earthquake, Transmute Metal to Wood, Anti-Mineral Shell, Symbol, Regenerate, Mindkiller, Restoration, Resurrection, Sphere of Adaptation, Succor, Spirit of Power, Call Avatar, Tentacle Walls, Inner Sanctum, Illusory Fortification, Shadow Engine,

Alzar’s Combined Spellbook, 7/7/7/7/7/7/7/7/7:

First Level:

Alarm
Alzar’s Undead Porter
Armor
Animate Dead Animals *
Cantrip
Charm Person *
Chill Touch *
Chromatic Orb *
Comprehend Languages
Conjure Spell Component
Create Divining Rod (D229)
Dance Macabre
Detect Magic
Detect Undead
Emrikol’s Question
Enlarge
Friends *
Identify
Innocent Bearing (D271) *
Hypnotism *
Light *
Locate Remains
Mount *
Organize Spellbook (D262)
Preserve Dead
Protection from Bookworms (D262)
Protection from Chaos *
Protection from Good
Protective Amulet
Read Magic
Sleep *
Spoil Holy Water
Talon’s Waterproof
Unseen Servant *
Wandbane *
Warning Trumpet
Wizard Mark

Second Level:

Alzar’s Axethrow
Alzar’s Bookcopy
Alzar’s Bookmend
Alzar’s Familiar
Attract Ghoul
Baltar’s Lightening
Blastbones *
Bone Block (D271) *
Choke
Continual Light *
Continual Wind
Death Armor
Embalm
Empathic Control *
ESP *
Forget
Ghoul Touch *
Hold Person (Hamedhi) *
Ink Transfer (D262)
Knock *
Leomund’s Trap
Locate Object
Melf’s Acid Arrow *
Ray of Enfeeblement *
Ray of Ondovir *
Scare *
Skeletal Hands
Spectral Hand
Speak with Dead
Summon Swarm *
Tasha’s Uncontrollable Hideous Laughter *
Tenser’s Hunting Hawk
Undead Mount
Unpickable Lock
Vocalize
Wall of Gloom
Wild Swing (D271)
Wizard Lock
Zala’s Lifeforce Guardian

Third Level:

Alamir’s Fundamental Breakdown
Bands of Sirellyn
Bewilder
Bone Knit
Control Bats
Curse Tablet
Dire Charm *
Dispel Magic *
ESP Barricade (College)
Explosive Runes
Fly
Genie Contract
Haste
Hold Undead
Ink Luminance (D262)
Leomund’s Tiny Hut
Lesser Rhabdomancy (D229)
Lightning Rod (Volo)
Mummy Touch *
Proof Against Teleportation
Protection from Chaos, 10’ Radius
Protection from Good 10’ Radius
Searing Serpent *
Sepia Snake Sigil
Slumber *
Skulltrap *
Suggestion
Teleport Object (Volo)
Tongues
Undead Summoning I
Vampiric Touch *
Watery Double

Fourth Level:

Alzar’s Quest
Alzar’s Scrollmend
Alzar’s Undead Expertise
Backlash
Bestow Curse
Charm Monster *
Confusion *
Contagion
Control Death Tyrant
Detect Ensorcellment (D229)
Detect Scrying
Dig
Dimension Door
Disfigure
Dweomerflow (Volo)
Enchanted Weapon
Evard’s Black Tentacles *
Fire Trap
Gloom Ravens (D July 99)
Greater Malison *
Guardian Shadow (D July 99)
Instruct Spectator
Itemmeld
Magic Mirror
Merald’s Meld (Volo)
Merald’s Murderous Mist *
Minor Globe of Invulnerability
Mordenkainen’s Faithful Phantom Shield-Maidens *
Obar’s Lesser Purification (Volo)
Otto’s Tin Soldiers
Polymorph Other *
Putrefaction
Rain of Terror
Ray of Oblivion
Rary’s Mnemonic Enhancer
Remove Curse
Ritual of Renewal
Special Effects
Summon Lycanthrope
Swordshun
Unburn
Vorthala’s Undead Turning Immunity
Wall of Evil

Fifth Level:

Alzar’s Far Summons
Andrui’s Baneful Backfire
Animate Dead *
Chaos
Conjure Earth, Air, Fire or Water Elemental *
Contact Other Plane
Control Gargoyles (CM8)
Damage Link (D262)
Deathmaster’s Vial
Dismissal
Dolor
Domination *
Eternal Flame (Volo)
Fiendform
Feeblemind
Focal Stone (Volo)
Greater Rhabdomancy (D229)
Hold Monster *
Magic Jar
Mnemonic Negation
Mordenkainen’s Faithful Hound
Nulathoe’s Ninemen
Passwall
Presper’s Moonbow
Prying Eyes
Spell Trigger (Magister)
Stealweb
Summon Shadow *
Teleport
Teleport Dead
Temporary Youth (D260)
Transmute Rock to Mud *
Transport via Shadow (D July 99) *
Veladar’s Vambrace (Volo)
Vile Venom
Xult’s Magical Doom

Sixth Level:

Alzar’s Backtrace Teleport
Alzar’s Golem Heal
Alzar’s Spellbookmend
Animate Dead Monsters *
Anti-Magic Shell
Bind Tabi
Conjure Ice Elemental
Crown Meld (Volo)
Curse of Lycanthropy
Death Spell *
Dimensional Blade
Døkkálfar Teleport
Dwoemer Divest (D229)
Enchant an Item
Ensnarement
Flameproof
Geas *
Globe of Invulnerability
Invisible Stalker *
Legend Lore
Lich Touch
Recharge
Seizure *
Special Effects
Spell Mirror
Spiritwrack
Stone to Flesh *
Shadowtheft (D July 99)
Summon Slow Shadow (MC Annual 4)
Summon Soul Eater
Summon Least Yugoloth
Teleport Other *
Transmute Bone to Steel
True Seeing
Wizard Seal
Wondrous Web (Volo)

Seventh Level:

Amorphous Blob
Awakening (Volo)
Azundel’s Purification (Volo)
Banishment *
Blood Link (Volo)
Bloodstone’s Frightful Joining
Cacofiend
Conjure Greater Earth Elemental *
Consume Knowledge
Create Crypt Thing
Death Shade (D July 99)
Descry (College)
Finger of Death *
Hold Golem
Mass Teleport (Volo) *
Negative Plane Protection
Planar Door
Power Word, Stun *
Prismatic Spray *
Return to Alzar
Semi-Permanency
Simulacrum
Spectral Guard
Steal Enchantment (Volo)
Teleport without Error *
Torment
Vanish
Wardmist (Volo)
Younger

Eighth Level:

Abi-Dalzim’s Horrid Wilting
Analyze Dweomer
Binding *
Clone
Create Death Tyrant
Create Spectral Wizard
Demand *
Enhance
Hornung’s Random Dispatcher
Life Force Transfer
Major Globe of Invulnerability *
Mass Charm *
Maze *
Monster Summoning VI
Otto’s Irresistible Dance
Permanency
Power Word, Blind *
Summon Fiend
Symbols Normally and Spell Loss, Entrap as well
Trap the Soul *

Ninth Level:

Astral Spell
Blade in the Soul
Disruption
Energy Drain
Estate Transference
Gate
Immunity to Undeath
Imprisonment
Lauthdryn’s Cleaving (Magister) *
Life Force Exchange
Mass Domination *
Mordenkainen’s Disjunction*
Power Word, Banishment
Power Word, Kill *
Programmed Amnesia
Strip Resistance (College)
Terminate Scrying (College)
Time Stop *
Virus Charm *
Wail of the Banshee *
Worldwalk

Key to Spell Locations:

Volo – Volo’s Guide to All Things Magical
Magister – Secrets of the Magister
College – College of Wizardry
D followed by number - Dragon Magazine. So, for example, D229 is Dragon 299 and D262 is Dragon 262.
CM8 – Spell from module CM8

A few days later, Alzar purchases 30 griffon eggs from Serraine for 2k each – 60k total from the treasury to build up his aerial corps, seeing what he can do.

He also gains a new apprentice:

Jashorn, 1st level LN, Path Mage, half-elf

6/10 done with those.

A week later, Alzar finishes working on a ,major skill

Sage Knowledge: Potions

He has an immense wealth of knowledge on potions and making. He knows at least one receipt for every standard potion, one for every uncommon potion, and can make a check for rares. Potions tend to have multiple ways to make them.

Abe Sargent

11-14-2015, 11:19 AM

Alzar is pretty meticulous and prepared. Don’t believe me? He has created two hidden caches of things here in Pandius in case his castle and home are overthrown. Each has a full extra set of spellbooks, some of his most important books, some supplies, potions, wands, scrolls, and a few redundant items. They are used in an emergency Each one is magically carved from the rock, inside a seismically stable rock. They are reinforced both magically and mundane, with some traps and such set. It’s just one room – no ways in or out. Alzar knows where one is, and can teleport there any time. He also has a non-magical rock from the 2nd room, and it’s used in his study as a paperweight, in a normal, conventional setting. There is nothing special, valuable, or magical about it – it’s just a heavy rock. After setting up the 2nd emergency room, Alzar grabbed this rock, teleported back, and then cast the Forget spell on himself and voluntarily failed the save. He had forgotten it’s location, and he has not jotted down some code or something. Nope. Nothing that can be tracked. But he can use the spell of his own creation, Alzar’s Backtrace Teleport, to teleport back to where he found the item. The location can’t be pulled from his mind. That’s how meticulous he is.

He prepares

Abe Sargent

11-14-2015, 11:49 AM

Begin FA2. Nightmare Keep

http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0888/9738/products/12_465bdf24-50ed-415b-873b-49e9817b59be_1024x1024.jpeg?v=1433830938

While I spent some serious time making Dark Clouds playable, by amping up the ba’atun seriously (Can you believe that they have just 2 hd each? I increased their power considerably.) But this module is designed specifically for high level characters. So let’s see what we can see, right?

Abe Sargent

11-14-2015, 12:47 PM

Here’s what local historians know right now about all of the things going on.

Almost 1770 years ago, the primary apprentice of the Ice Queen, who styled herself Icelia, set up shop here in the Wyrm’s Teeth Range. In order to get away from the Ice Queen’s control of the Ljallenvals. She created a defensive structure of some considerable power, and then brought in allies and weapons and created creatures of various sorts. Icelia longed for nothing less than control of the entire Norwold region. After almost 250 years of increasing her power and dungeon, her life force was running down. She decided to make the transition to lich and became a powerful lich. She knew that other liches had tried and failed before to create a lasting nation of the world, and were always pushed back, so she spent some considerable amount of time studying and gaining allies and such, and preparing.

Around 1005 years ago, Icelia made a major play for power of the area…but she was put down by another evil force, her Mistress, the Ice Queen. After a great battle with both forces, they exhaust many of their resources, but Icelia falls. She Icelia leaves history. None know what happened to her. Did she die in that battle? Was her Phylactery found? Has she passed away since? Is she still undead and working for her designs? Did she head to another plane? Was she captured magically? No incident of her is recorded, and her area was lost in the dark folds of the mountains.

Meanwhile the Ice Queen also would leave history around 20 years later, and many believe that Icelia exhausted her too much, or perhaps had one final say against the Ice Queen.

Around 780 years ago, a kindly young male wizard named Amthor built a tower in the northern part of the Wyrmsteeth Range. He was dedicated to studying farming and agriculture, and he was sort of a Farming Mage, who relished bringing good weather to the local farmers in three different towns in the nearby plains, and was serving the local community by magically creating hybrid crops that were better.

He created a vegetable hybrid that could be grown from the soil of the nearby foothills, and a small farming village arose near his tower. He opened it up to nearby folks, and had a magical manger that seeds could be used in to strengthen. Meanwhile his veggies were resistant to the cold, and had shorter growing seasons while increasing more and more food was made, and many feasts were held in his tower to celebrate their good fortune

However, all of that turned decades later. The mage didn’t believe in ,magically extending his life, so he was reaching his natural age of death, around 70 or so, and it’s almost 725 years ago. A magical attack from some unknown forces attacked his tower and the local village was killed off, and the wizard Amthor was also never heard from again either.

Powerful and nasty green plants, vile and magical insects, giant magical vipers and more moved into the area began to haunt it with their lethal embrace. The area suffered considerably from choking and such. Despite the local weather, everything is still fine.

Much much later, the old tower of Amthor, battered and bruised, began to attract local myths and legends. Amthor’s magical manger was never found, and the tower supposedly held treasures that still laid there, ready for the first adventurer to come and collect them. Never mind that Amthor threw the doors open to his tower regularly, and spent much of his money on the construction of it and the various goods that were used to enhance the locals. Never mind that the tower was pretty small and had very few places to explore. All that matters is that local custom became to have local explorers swing by to check out the tower. And as nobody ever returned, its aura of mystery increased as well.

Abe Sargent

11-14-2015, 01:21 PM

Alzar receives a visitor from King Ericall. He is Balko, and he has been sent to secure Alzar’s aid with a national matter of some importance.

He has Alzar take him outside the court and they fly out to a nearby park and then set down. Balko has a box form Ericall, and Alzar, as always, casts some magic to verify Balko;s conversation. He suggest Alzar open the box to see for himself and he does…

http://members.tripod.com/~JBs_Place/Misc/lichling.jpg

Inside is a odd dried remains of a bizarre creature, about six inches long, with the body of a cockroach, and then skinny human arms and legs, and ragged gauzy wings, and a grinning human skull for its head. It has antennae and more.

Balko tells Alzar that it was found along the corpse of a dead horse and ranger in the foothills of the Wyrmsteeth range nearby. Both corpses were badly mutilated, and it appears that this thing slew them. The courts mages and sages have unanimously agreed that if this nasty thing spreads at the speed that insects do, that it could get really bad really quickly.

Balko takes the creature, and then grabs a few insects from the nearby plants, and then takes a pouch from his waist, and then takes out a small lizard, and then moves the insects to the lizard. As the lizard gulps down the living flies, the beetle creature twitches. The creature is still, and then begins to rock violently. The sages at the court think that this creature feeds on fear, much like others feed on flesh or water. This is an evil, unholy, foul thing.

The insect was found semi-near an old Tower that used to be run by Amthor, a mage who specialized in farming techniques, but now is overrun with many nasty plants, insects, and more. Suspecting that that tower and this creature could be related, they sent multiple groups in to check it out. A mighty knight of the realm went in, a dwarven fighter headed in, a few rangers, and then finally a full on squad of soldiers and a big army. More than 100 people entered the tower in the last 6 weeks. None have been heard from again, and no scrying magic can penetrate the tower at all. Divinatory magic like Commune and Contract other Plane have been all unsuccessful. They have no way of knowing what is there.

There are a few things Balko wants to find out:

1). What happened to the people who went in. He is offering a personal reward for that, he has a troop that he used to command sent in, and they are totally gone.
2). Find out what happened to the Knight specifically, his family has posted a reward for bringing him back.
3). Find and stop the creatures, and whatever is behind them, and end whatever else is going on. If Alzar can do all of that, then King Ericall will give him either the entire Ljallenvals range, or two land hexes of his choice to expand his holding. If he does less, than less is rewarded.

Alzar asks why he wasn’t brought in first. As he knows while the relationship between him and Ericall isn’t frosty, it’s not exactly warm and fresh either. Plus, this isn’t in the range that Alzar has been cleaning up, the Ljallenvals, but in another range to the south.

After scanning the area and such with a Crystal Ball, he heads out.

Abe Sargent

11-14-2015, 01:24 PM

Let’s make a quick map to show you stuff

The black circle shows the March. You can see the Ice Tomb on the map to the west of the Ljallenvals, the former home of the Ice Queen. I placed a yellow dot where Saffir is instead out area of control and then the yellow dot to its northwest is where the Waypoint is, as well as the aarakocra and the northern pass, and the inn ,and such. The Ice Tower and Lake are to its immediate south.

The Wyrmsteeth Range in the brown mountain chain to the south past the bay. I have pointed out, in black the three hexes where the Barony of Moonland is. That’s the closest neighbor. where the Tower is. Finally a great red dot is where the Tower is. It’s in the mountains near us. It’s in the mountains, near the green space between us. The capital city of Alpha is to the west

http://i1371.photobucket.com/albums/ag295/AbeSargent/Norwold%20with%20Tower%20and%20Ice%20ower_zpsz5zc0ygg.jpg

Abe Sargent

11-14-2015, 02:54 PM

Alzar heads over to a nearby town that was once bustling. They have erected a giant monument outside of the temple to honor the dead, and they list the name of everyone who had entered the tower or the nearby area over the decades, and Alzar looks at it, trying to see if he identifies anyone.

He sees his own name at the bottom of the list, carved into the stone. That’s odd. The Star reveals that it was just an illusion, it must have been a really high level to have affected him though.

Alzar checks in with the locals, and then moves towards the tower.

As he does, he is struck asleep for a while, and his Imp wakes him up, While asleep, he has a vision of a huge amount of riches inside the tower. Then as he moves closer, there is an illusion of glittering gold by some rocks, near some dark plants. Clearly, the area has some sort of hold and wants to entice folks in, so he slows down, scrying the outside of the tower.

There are empty acres of fields that were once tilled. There are numerous antagonistic looking dangerous plants, some of which Alzar is now familiar with. He flies past them rather than deal with them, and arrives at the entrance to the building.

There is an old stone tower before, empty, dark, and grim looking. Windows were long since shattered, and a copper door tarnished and ajar. Steps are here, and numerous people have been this way, so the danger up to here has to have been minimal, but there are no signs of the beetlish fear creature that Alzar saw elsewhere.

After scanning, Alzar heads in.

Abe Sargent

11-14-2015, 03:48 PM

The inside of the tower is dull, rotten, and long past its sell by date. Clearly the structure was originally built well, and there were some magical supports here and there but that has ebbed with the ages. Amthor’s Tower is dead. There is a musty, fungal odor that permeates the floor, and it lost its war with existence. Molds, plants, mushrooms, insects, and more have all made the place their own. There are old destroyed doors, and only the rock and foundation continue its futile attempt existence.

The place is down. Luckily Alzar’s Necklace of Adapation is here. Numerous footprints from –passage recently comes through the foyer and heads into places deeper in the structure.

Alzar heads and finds an old entry way, with a pair of once-golems that have faded, magically, over the centuries. Ancient mechanical traps have long since been sprung, and an acid jet trap is depleted.

Empty iron hooks on the next closest suggest an old cloak room, with the tatters of garments long since gone on the floor. Alzar is using the Star, and finds nothing here. Nothing magical or hidden. Alzar does find an old iron black key on the floor and secures it.

They pass a room used to hold old wood, firewood, and plants. A furnace is next with rusted iron rods, and such. It has a chimney that heads up throughout the tower and kept the entire place warm in winter. But Alzar passes an old threshold and enters an old study.

Looters and the passage of time has had their way with this room. Against the south wall are what originally were chairs, tables and bookshelves. Now they are piles of sawdust and rotten planks. Entropy took this room long ago, and all that is the bones. A large oaken desk has been pulled out and broken, with contents on top of a heap, only a few disused buttons and such remain recognizable. Parchments were destroyed, and books have been mixed, and aren’t even recoverable with his spells.

There are a pair of megalocentpiedes in here that are nesting and protest his presence

Two rounds later, both are dead from axestabs.

Abe Sargent

11-14-2015, 04:43 PM

Alzar has others (his Imp Azzil) search the debris pile, and find four books that were magically protected from age and damage:

Amthor’s Diary
Notes on the Accelerated Growth of Local Herbs
Tome of the Tubers
On Insects and Their control

The final book has Notes on a project to develop predator insects that would feed on insects that were dangerous to crops, but otherwise harmless to living life. Amthor had created a Rod of Immobile Insects that would assist in keeping them from hurting things. The insect that Amthor was developing was from a cockroach, and it’s feasible that the animal they found, and the creature he had been working on were connected

The next place is an ancient library. Alzar finds a handful of tomes that are feasibly reparable later:

The Gentleman Farmer
Modern Alchemical Fertilizer Techniques
Husbandry Basics
Advanced Chicken Keeping
Guide to All Things Green

On the far side of the library is an old dilapidated quarters, and then a closet, kitchen, pantry, and lavatory, all with nothing in them of any concern

What’s upstairs?

Abe Sargent

11-14-2015, 05:14 PM

The stairwell is holed and questionable, so Alzar uses magic to fly up them.

Up here is a recently slain man, with yellow hair, blood stains around him, normal armor, and a damaged shield with the crest of Norwold on it. This is one of those who must have penetrated the tower recently. And died here.

To the left is a large room where Amthor performed many of his experiments. It’s disuse had led to the destruction of a lot of stuff. There are a pair of giant angry grey squirrels on the far wall, and they move in. Alzar’s axe slays them both very quickly.

They appear to have been eating some seeds on the ground. (Tracking proficiency for the win) Small normal sized squirrel tracks led in here, and then it appears that they ate these seeds. Alzar grabs some and takes them with him for later analysis.

They hit a dissection room next, used for dissecting animals and checking on experiments that failed. There are bones and remains of numerous animals here. The next room is for plant experiments, and a storage room beyond it. Experiential fertilizers and insecticides are there. There is a metal barrel that is knocked over, and a violet residue is coming out. Alzar’s Necklace keeps him from being affected by a potential magical gas in here. There are glass fragments on the floor of broken bottles.

What’s upstairs?

Abe Sargent

11-14-2015, 05:38 PM

Yet another laboratory opens up. Artificial sunlight here is still made by a magically enhanced disk on the ceiling, and there are a variety of plants, long since gone wild, that dominate the entire level. They are moving, and there’s no wind, and two bodies are dead on the ground, recent kills. Alzar has no desire to penetrate them.

There are a great pair of Wasp hives, on the far side of the wild greenery, and insects are buzzing around, but a metal of on the wall between hem is keeping the insects from crossing over. The rod is magical, and Alzar grabs a Ring of TK from his Bag, puts it on, and grabs the Rod with the Ring’s Telekinesis power, rather than risk moving into or through the plants

Rod of Immobile Insects

The Rod keeps any form of insect, normal, large, or magical, from getting within 30 feet of it.

There is an old floor-based trapdoor on the right, and the black key works in the lock and it’s opened. The trapdoor is unlocked, and there are several powerful, magical wards and traps that r still active. Alzar casts Dispel Magic (as a priest) at the stairwell, and then he decends. And Descends. And Decends.

And now he is below the first floor of the tower, and there is a secret area down here….

Abe Sargent

11-14-2015, 06:30 PM

There is an immense cavern of jagged black granite, with deep lake, misty depths, and more. Patches of phosphorescent fungi break the darkness. There are some ghostly white bats flitting around, moving away from Alzar and his descent. Numerous bodies line the bottom of the cave, and several soldiers were slain here.

There is a granite bridge at the base of the ladder that crosses a few gulfs, but Alzar is leery of potential traps, so he floats and sails over it with his Flying Carpet out. By doing so, he keeps the bridge from spinning or falling. There is a golden door on the far side, and has fake door handles of pyrite. The whole thing is one giant death trap, and Alzar simply skips it, and flies over to a concealed door about 10 feet to the left and past the granite bride. He gets past, and moves through the wall.

The construction down here is totally different and extremely ancient, much, much older than the tower above. It’s immensely older. There is a great sigil on the wall marking it, and it’s the one made famous by Icelia long ago. Is this her old stomping ground?

Alzar makes sure to know the local history of all of the ancient powers, mages, priests, and more, in case he stumbles into something. He looks like he stumbled into Icelia’s ancient keep. He puts himself on extra careful guard. This place has the look of something much more dangerous.

He takes out the Scroll of Mapping and orders it to diagram this floor

http://i.imgur.com/Z7dbNJP.jpg

This floor has a large laid out number of rooms and chambers Alzar can now make out. There are about 40 different rooms or sections.

This section of the old keep feels downright ancient. But it’s also a bit labyrinthine as well, and it’s not designed super well either. Like there is something odd about the way it braches out and then back in. He can’t suss it out though.

The features are of a black granite, and haven’t been carved, but instead crafted, with stone shape or transmute rock to mud or somesuch. Ceilings are wide, and passages tight. The temperature is a constant 60 degrees the entire level, magically consistent. The air is musty, dry, and devoid of any of the fungal, mold, etc. The area exhibit a degree of sensory displacement and phenomenon, but Alzar can see through it with his INT.

There are some small holes around 8” diameter in a few places in the level that the insect/bug/undead fear eater creatures will be using to pop out of and use.

Abe Sargent

11-14-2015, 07:21 PM

Alzar arrives in a small dimly lit room with some glass tiles that are glowing and dozens of bodies piled here. There are some skeletons here as well as recently ones. Alzar reaches out and detects nothing of a necrotic or undead nature with the bodies or anything else. He casts Animate Dead and raises 28 skeletons from the pile. He’ll have some cannon fodder if needed. There are nine doors here, and there is a water trap that will fill the room if triggered. Alzar doesn’t care. He grabs the door, wrests it open, the trap begins but leaves him and the undead fine, clans out the room ,and leaves behind a way.

He passes a draining and recycling system for the trap and then there are corridors of shadow with an unusual web across the pathway, a Memory Web, like the one he slew in Hamedh once. Alzar slays it from range and then moves through and past it. He disarms and picks a nearby door and cracks it open.

There are some corridors here, and Alzar has rushed through and a bunch of piercers attack and fall and miss. The room has a variety of jagged green glass on the ground, and the remnants of stalactites and stalagmites. As Alzar moves around, suddenly out of the side that creature fires out. Alzar can sense that the creature is undead. He reaches out to control it but it resists and shrugs it off. It’s immune to control/turn/destroy attempts. At least here. It flies and tries to hit Alzar and misses.

Alzar’s axe follows and smashes it twice and slays it.

He continues and breaks into a deeper room and there is a mage that has been trapped underneath tons of fallen glass and such. He’s unconscious. Alzar casts Cure Light wounds to revive him, and he is back. He claims he is Jharold, the leader of the adventuring party that penetrated this Tower recently to hunt down the creature that was found. Alzar casts magic to verify his story. He is not lying. His party was killed on this level, and only he survived. He’s extremely haughty, arrogant, honestly believes the gods have sent him on this plane to solve all such problems and deluded about it and likely a problem. Stupid Neutral Good. Alzar casts Teleport Other and sends him back to Alpha, the capital city to recover and let Ericall know what has happened.

A bit later down the oddly shaped and secret passage, there are a spear trap, glass pit, and more that Alzar detects and disarms with his newly found thief powers. Another of those creatures flies out of a small 8” diameter hole to attack Alzar, and he finishes it.

A needle trap that fires poisoned needles from the wall is disarmed. A few magical traps are next along this area, and Alzar uses another Dispel Magic at the area and drop them.

A collapsed exit off the corridor heads to the left and hits nowhere. Blue glass is broken, and a discharged trap is here. Mist begins to seep into the air and ground, and another of the creature flies out of another hole.

Abe Sargent

11-14-2015, 08:18 PM

Alzar slays it, and the next one that follows. Is there some central place they are coming from? Are they going to keep popping out? Alzar has Azzil invisibly fly into them and there are winding, twisting, and go on for a while, but they all link up. And it’s not on the Scroll of Mapping, so it’s on another level. Alzar decides to drink a potion of Polymorphing and shift into the form of a bat and then fly out to Azzil.

Almost 15 minutes later, he arrives.

On the next floor (he skipped the rest of this floor, for now at least.)

(Alzar has pushed past a lot of the adventure, not the first time he’s done so either…)

“The blood pounds in your temples as your head clears and you open your eyes. You are sprawled on a beach of bone meal staring upward at a black void. An icy wind stings you with a barrage of icy needles, and the odor of salt. To the east, wisps of gray mist rise from a dark sea, its rolling waves lapping gently against an ivory shore. Chipped cylindrical bones, the size of huge logs, litter the shore with other bones that look like long oversized finger joints, human robs, and teeth. Large black fan shaped objects stick up from the sand , look like he shred winds of dead insects.”

“Sheer cliffs of black rock enclose the cove west of the seashore, extending as high as you can see, shiny curtains of black specks cover every square inch of the cliffs. The curtains ripples and are above. They’re made of thousands among thousands of motionless insects!”

Alzar passes his Anatomy check. This chamber is the shape, and basic construction of one, giant, great head.

“Near the far west wall are the remains of an immense cockroach-like creature, nearly 80’ long and lying on its back in the sand, surrounded, by piles of shattered bones and shredded wings. The corpse is not much more than a black shell with tattered wings, and two tattered wings. Two enormously long human arm bones and a pair of bent and twisted human leg bones extend from the corpse’s shell. The creature has a human skull for a head.”

“An image appears like a mirage on the surface of the mist sea about 30 yards from the shore. A ghostly humanoid stands on the bow of a gleaming ship made of human bones. The ship has tattered sails of black gauze. As the ship nears the shore, pinpoints of light flare in the ghost’s every sockets and it raises a fist to the sky. “Icelia” it cries, “fresh food for your children!” From high above, comes a rumble of thunder. The ghost cries to the insects on the cliffs, “Prepare to feed!”

Abe Sargent

11-14-2015, 08:55 PM

There are dozens of the small holes in here, and from there these creatures move out to feed and attack. The cliffs extend for more than a mile and there are at least 10 or 20 thousand of these creatures in here. Perhaps more.

The great corpse is identical in size and shape to the lesser creatures. Alzar’s Star reveals that the boat is actually a polymorphed skull. The skull seems…..familiar…. A wave of emotion of fear begins to hit. Alzar casts Remove Fear, the priest spell. There is nobody else for the creatures to feed off of, so they cannot strengthen or feed off him.

The ghost sees Alzar cancelling their magic, and begins to move in. A great lightning bolt rends from the ceiling of the skull/room, and electrifies thee dead creature, and it begins to rise, all 80’ feet of it.

The Animated Corpse: 150 hp, AC-7. HD20, Thaco 3, 3 attacks for 2d10/2d10/4d6; immune to a ton of stuff.

Ghost – AC0, 60 hp, 10 hd, THACo11; ages, immune to tons of stuff

The ghost and corpse move towards Alzar and engage.

7 vs 1

Alzar heads out. They attack, and he dodges one connection from the corpse, and then is hit for 14, but dodges the ghosts. Alzar’s axe slashes and….hits the ghost with an attack of 11 and 9 for 4 and 6 + 48 damage, and then the Bright Barrier…gets a 17 and….4+2+8 – 14 more damage – 62 damage. Dead ghost. Boom!

68/82

4 vs 3

14, 5, 11 – it hits twice and…Alkzar’s dodge hits again with a 58 and he takes one more for…..3, 1, 3, 3 – 10 damage. Alzar tosses 3, 20, and 2. He hits once for 22.

59/82

The sea beneath the bone ship boils, and the polymorphed vessel cracks. A skull is left, hovering, with withered and rotting flesh. Intense pinpoints of light shine from the black eye sockets. This is the skull and remains of Icelia.

Alzar recognizes it with its full powers revealed…

Abe Sargent

11-14-2015, 10:44 PM

This is a demi-lich

http://vignette1.wikia.nocookie.net/forgottenrealms/images/5/5c/Monster_Manual_5e_-_Demilich_-_p48.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20141111110849

Alzar has slain one, long before – Acererak in the Tomb of Horrors. They require a different way to slay them, they are almost impossible to kill.

Icelia screams out a wailing scream that’s a death ray to Alzar….

If he fails to save, then he dies, right now. Now, because it’s not targeted, the Ring of Spell Turning is not applicable. The MR does kick in though. 84 rolled, Alzar has to make a save…

5. That’s it, a 5. Now, to be fair, Alzar is a really high level and just needs a 4. But that was close.

5 vs 3

Icelia casts Trap the Soul on Alzar to suck him into a gem on her teeth. This hits his MR and won’t hit him. The creature hits Alzar once for 9. He has moved to Icelia. A +5 axe should be able to hit her.

He’ll only deal the magic – 5 points of damage/hit. There are a few spells that will hurt the demi-lich, but only a handful. She has an AC of -6. He gets 20, 7, and 4 (Actually, the Shield can’t hit, even as an artifact, never mind). He needs a 5 to hit her. So he deals 10 damage.

51/82

7 vs 4

The creature missies Alzar twice, and he evades the 3rd attack. Alzar is cursed by the Demilich and will get -2 to hit, and saves, and such. It’s an area effect, and his resistances against it are much weaker. 14 and 3 – 5 more damage

4 vs 9

Alzar gets6 and 18 – one miss (due to curse) and one hit for 5 damage. He takes 11 from a slash and casts Power Word Kill on Alzar. 52 rolls, breaks his MR and….80% redirected – its immune so Alzar gets a +8 to his save and saves. Only a 1 fails Alzar this for 10 more damage.

She yells out that if Alzar slays her, her children, her lichlings will destroy him, and then the plane. Beams of violent light stream from the skull’s yes and begin to sweep over the cliffs, and the wings of the dormant lichlings there are rising.

42/82

6 vs 9

Alzar’s axe hews and destroys Icelia’s skull. It crumbles to dust, and its gems burst forth. The death of the creature animates the entire cavern, and the numerous creatures begin to animate. A great giant orange gate opens in the water. Alazr takes 8.

35/82

2 vs 5

Alzar casts Cure Critical Wounds. He dodges one attack.

76/82

3 vs 1

The creature misses. Alzar heads to the gate and grabs the Rod of Insect Immobility and drops it here, to keep back the horde from attacking him or heading through the gate, whether it opens up.

2 vs 6

Alzar carves the giant 2x for 45 damage and bashes once for 16 – 61 damage. He takes 14 and 15 from two hits but dodged the first, creatures have begun to swarm around the diameter of the Rod.

63/82

5 vs 6

Alzar smashes and destroys the creature with 51 damage. Dead giant.

Abe Sargent

11-14-2015, 11:33 PM

With their master destroyed, and her life forced converted to help them (rather than flee to a phylactery and keep her alive), Alzar can begin to control them. But there are more than 33000 of these things here, swarming all around for more than a half mile.

They only have an animal intelligence of 1 so Alzar uses a round to grab some stuff from a Bag of Holding, and then uses a pair of Thunderpots to clear out some. A few die. The swarm pulls back for a moment, and then hits the edge of the protection from the Rod again. Alzar casts Time Stop, and then throws three more pots, and then when things return, multiple explosions fire off. They retreat, and he’s slain a few hundred. But that’s it for now.

Alzar casts Protection from Undead, and then grabs his weapons and moves out….

17 hours later he has slain the horde the hard way, using cleric magic to bolster his strength. The horde is destroyed, and 50 were controlled by Alzar and he Mass Teleports them to the city.

He grabs the Rod and begins to explore the rest of the keep:

The next level he I son is shaped like a giant lich – Icelia. She grew her body to tremendous size to use as a base of operations for her lichlings, and then only her core, the Demilich remained.

Carefully, with the skeletons leading, and his Star of Mo’Pilar being used, he scours the area, particularly after summoning various elementals and such to help.

Alzar finds the dead knight who was killed on the 1st level he was exploring, and grabs his body to take back. He slays some glass golems, glass skeletons, purple wurm, giant slug, and such. There was even a unique Ivory Hydra that was created to defend a certain area. It’s now dead too. Alzar also finds:

+3 Dagger, +3 Scimitar
Ring of Jumping
Beaker of Plentiful Potions
Circlet of Underwater Speech

Stonesplitter, +4 Axe – Acts as a Vorpal Battle Axe and a Spade fo Colossal Exavation

Platinum and Ruby Armguard – 5000 gp

45,000 gp of gems

12 juju zombies he controls

The Circlet works as you’d expect and constantly. Not a whole lot in here

XP?

Alzar has to gain a level. The sheer amount of XP from this would stagger a mule, so I’m capping it at just one more level. New spell of levels 1-4.

And slaying the Demilich counts as he has now slain 7/8 of the high level foes he needs to….

After securing the area, returning the dead knight, and ending this problem, Alzar is awarded the rest of the Ljallenvals Range.

But before he can enjoy it….

End of Nightmare Keep

Abe Sargent

11-15-2015, 12:05 AM

I swear that the Barony in this next mini-adventure looks like it was lifted whole cloth from the Companion Book series. In fact, as I review the Barony of Caryll, I’m reminded of the Barony of Two-Lakes Vale that Alzar helped out in one of the early CM adventures. For a six page vignette, it’s pretty well detailed.

Begin Adventure Pack I Again

Reign of Triumph

As King Ericall continues to expand the strength of Norwold by awarding small landholdings to people, a recent addition to the landscape in the Barony of Caryll.

Caryll has been formed roughly 18 months ago or so. The Barony is a one-hex holding in the foothills of the Wyrmsteeth Range. The 130 families here work two major trades. The first is wine making, and this agricultural wine is made both from local grapes and black berries, with two wines produced and sold. Meanwhile, there are small amounts of gold in the local streams and rivers, and a few small amounts under ground near the top soil.

A small dwarf village is at the headwaters for the local river that feeds the Barony, and heads by the capital town of Caryll. They held this area and then Ericall just gave it to Baron Lan Jasper. Baron Jasper is a human given this land by the human King, none of whom are recognized by the dwarves, and neither of whom talked with them first, so the dwarves are not happy. That there are a few elves with Caryll is even worse.

They have issued a decree that 50% of the gold mined or panned must be turned over to them, or they will shut off the river. As of right now, Baron Jasper has been giving them some of the processed gold after it has been smelted, but not enough for the dwarves to keep back.

Alzar is summoned by King Ericall to his side, as a thanks for the ending of the issues it the Tower and to report. At that meeting, the King gives Alzar the rest of the chain officially as part of his March, and then also orders Alzar to head to the Barony and give Jasper a hand. Alzar is one of only a handful of human rules of the Kingdom that the dwarves respect, and he understands the land, the people, the dwarves ,and the kingdom – he is a natural choice for diplomat to head over and try to solve the issues in the Barony of Caryll.

Abe Sargent

11-15-2015, 01:05 AM

Baron Lan Jaspar has three children:

21 year old Caldara, was unmarried when he was given the Barony. In order to continue the lineage, he married her in a political alliance with another Barony with Shamus, 3rd born prince, 25, of another Barony in Norwold. While Shamus is a nice person, and perfectly adequate, he is not a man of action, nor of experience, nor of adventuring, and he’s just a 0th level human. Caldara is too. She is heavily pregnant

17 year old Zarah, priestess of a local immortal of the sphere of thought, and 4th level in her services. LG in alignment.

16 year old Ariel, 6th level thief, N,

Alzar grabs a quick meeting with a dwarven priest of Morena to get some more information about the dwarves in this area. He says that they are not really considered “true” dwarves, and Alzar will soon see why. They aren’t interested in real dwarvish things. When Alzar tells him about their edict he just sighs, shakes his head, and points that as proofs. No self-respecting dwarf would do that. They’d just mine the gold themselves. But there are a lot of them. Probably about twice as many dwarves as humans and elves together.

Alzar decides to head into the Barony and scouts it a bit and then teleports to the edge, while the Baron remains in Alpha talking with Ericall.

Alzar heads into the barony, and there is a young dwarf eating a recent kill off the main road into the Barony. He gives Alzar a quick rundown of the basic happenings in the Barony. Alzar heads up the road, and past two hills.

Abe Sargent

11-15-2015, 08:44 AM

After travelling for a while, Alzar notices a group of four people by a small pond that are exploring and talking.

A young blond haired woman is splashing in the small pool, and splashing water at two elves, one a half-elf actually, who are nearby and playing with her back. There is also a darker haired young woman dressed in red behind a tree spying on those three, and the women appear to be related.

Alzar moves forward and introduces himself. At first, the blond woman and the elves are scared by Alzar’s presence, and then shocked by the other woman, and then the two elven adults hide behind the blond woman. After Alzar re-introduces himself again, as the Marquis Alzar, they visibly relax. The blond is Ariel, and the red-adorned brunette is Zarah, and they are the children of the local Baron.

They agree to escort Alzar to the local town of Caryll, but as they move, a glint of gold in the hair of one of the elven hairpieces moves Zarah to chastise her younger sister for wasting gold. They are wearing fine silks, and golden jewelry, but the elves are simply clothes.

They arrive at the village and show Alzar around, but it’s pretty small. There just one inn here, the Gray Dove, and then a few normal shops, plus a goldsmith, who both smelts and crafts the gold that comes in. A pair of wineries are here as well. A large group of people are here, moving their things to the recently finished castle. They fear a dwarf attack. Alzar swings by the goldsmith, but he’s stopped working, the Baron took all of the gold and secured it for now.

Alzar grabs a room in the Gray Dove, and as he settles down. A small group of villagers come to him and warn him about a potential dwarf attack. After eating dinner, he heads to the castle just as Ariel bursts down the road looking for him. She has heard that the dwarves could be coming to attack tonight.

Abe Sargent

11-15-2015, 10:06 AM

He heads to the castle and meets with Zarah, and a bunch of elders. They discuss a potential dwarf attack. Zarah wants to negotiate peace, and Ariel wants to a preemptive attack right now. Shamus, the son-in-law of the Baron, is not really helping, his wife is near labor, and he is too scattered to be of any help.

Some of the villagers look to Alzar for aid. Each of the sisters has persuaded some of the locals to their side. Zarah grabs some gold and head out for a peace mission with the dwarves while Ariel will begin to muster their strength.

Alzar wants to head out with Zarah to meet with the dwarves. It won’t be a long walk. A dwarven force is already assembled, and about twenty minutes walk from the village. They have around 120 dwarves here, ready for battle. Alzar and Zarah are accosted by ten dwarves, and taken to their leader, Rewin.

At first, Alzar thinks the lead 10 that grabbed them may have been arrayed different to blend in or scout around, but as they enter the war camp, these are not normal dwarves. They clearly live above ground, with sun-drenched tans and brighter beads and hair. They have animal skins as armor, stretched leather hides over bone frames as shields, and simple weapons like spears and axes. They have no metal weapons, armor, or anything else. They have gone very primal.

The leader shouts to Alzar in a pidgin, heavily accented Pandius Prime, He is happy to have secured the daughter of the Baron as a hostage! Alzar speaks back to him in perfect dwarven speech. He can’t even understand it.

He addresses Zarah, and she wants peace. She offers more gold, but he wants more. She reaches into her backpack and pulls out some recently found gold ore for him, but he doesn’t want it. They can’t smelt it. So they are here to attack and defeat the humans, and then force them to find, and smelt the pretty ore, and then refine it further and make their metal weapons and objects for them.

Alzar speaks up now, for the first time.

“And you are willing to kill some of these dwarves here to do it?” They all nod, willing to die for the gold-fever that clearly has possessed them. “You have lost your inheritance as dwarves! I’ve never, in all my life, come across such as you. Dwarves that can’t even smelt ore? Dwarves that take petty prisoners? Dwarves that won’t craft? Dwarves that are essentially bandits? You are no dwarves! I can see why your own kin disown you!”

At that the chief of the dwarves snarls and orders the ten dwarves to attack Alzar. His axe, a beautiful dwarver made axe is out, and he swings it around. “This is what you used to be capable of! Are you ready to die at the length of its blade?”

Seeing the dwarven runes, and hearing Alzar’s chastisement of them, they begin to back off, weapons ready, circling the pair of them

Abe Sargent

11-15-2015, 10:34 AM

And then a catapult tosses a rock from the castle and hits nearby. The dwarves scatter, and grab weapons. Ariel decides to attack early. Alzar grabs Zarah and teleports back to the castle.

They soldiers of both forces are moving to battle, but the town folk are overwhelmed in numbers. Alzar orders then to form up by him, and casts some spells for the first time. He knows War Magic, priest spells that are good in war, and he summons multiple illusionary artillery and battlements. And these aren’t exactly the sharpest dwarves in the toolshed. Meanwhile, the real artillery is also bearing down on them. Alzar casts spells to make the fighters much much better and to buff the for battle.

Finally he casts spells like Tasha’s…Laughter and Mass Domination to wrest the battle from the dwarves.

In 45 minutes, the humans, with about 15 elves and Alzar, have finished the battle against the dwarves. Alzar and Zarah heal folks that are injured on both sides, and Alzar even raises a few folks that were slain.

After the battle, the dwarves having lost around 50 of their number, have agreed to drop their demands to 20% of the gold, and have agreed to officially become a part of the Barony, increasing their numbers and taxbase considerably. Alzar has significantly increased the Barony’s cachet in the Kingdom, with just a quick defeat over the dwarven forces.

The entire time Alzar stayed in the Barony of Caryll, Ariel continued to essentially make it known that she would willingly seek to become Alzar’s wife and Marquess, she has a serious crush on him. While she is certainly appealing(CHA of 17), and the Baron would of course consent, that not really who Alzar is. He cares about a lot more than having another person to share his bed and crown with.

A few days later, Shamus and Caldara have a baby body, healthy, and looking good. The line continues.

End of Reign of Triumph And Adventure Pack I

Abe Sargent

11-15-2015, 11:50 AM

The next bit is going to be pretty major. Get ready.

Since Alzar has now been given the Ljallenvals chain, he has to do some damage dealing and infestation clearing. He already had two hexes in the mountains that included the dwarves of Stormhaven and the people of Saffir, both of whom he sort of absorbed without much worry. Over the next couple of years, Alzar regularly headed out and took out giant posts, humanoid caves, the undead spawning cemetery, and more. Dragons, giants, snow trolls and demons all fell before him. And the area has gotten a lot tamer. Meanwhile he’d added allies in the Aarakocra, some gold and black dragons, and a few others here and there.

There’s really just one major spot left. One place that he sort of skipped over. It’s on the other side of the mountain chain from his own. It’s the former home of the Ice Queen herself, a level 36 Frost Mage who ruled this area completely and totally. Even though she disappeared from history around 1000 years ago, the old Ice Caves, now said to be her crypt, is still the central launching pad and base of operations for multiple powerful ice, cold, humanoid, and nasty creatures of various sorts. All Alzar needs to is head over, clean them out, and then the rest of the mountain chain is pretty quiet.

Abe Sargent

11-15-2015, 12:13 PM

Begin the Ice Caves

(Like the Assassination of Alzar, this adventure is not anywhere. I tried to find a suitable module that I could run to take this down, and none worked. It’s the major location and place ot deal with in a chincey little gamebook from the 90s called Rogues to Riches:

http://www.gamebooks.org/gallery/firstq/firstq_rogues.jpg

Here is the rough plot of the novel, as found on Pandius.com

: The two escape from the Landfall's dungeon (guarded by half-orcs) and seek shelter in a tavern (the Green Door Inn) owned by a friend of them (Wade). Here, the two rob a scroll from a couple of very idealistic Heldannic Knights (Noren and Vald, the latter being the senior knight of the couple). The scroll explains that King Lernal will offer a "treasure" to any knight who will accept a difficult quest in Northern Norwold (without specifying the details of the task).

The thieves, attracted by the treasure, manage to stun the knights with a poisoned drink (two glasses of "Milk Mickeyes" added with some sleeping powder) and rob their armours. After an escape from the knights themselves (who woke up to early) and from a group of "Madkap" women (see below) they hurry to Castle Landfall and introduces themselves as the two Heldannic Knights, hoping to receive at least part of the treasure in advance and hoping to sell it in the city.

King Lernal explains that they have to free his young and beautiful daughter Erise - also called the "Hearth of Norwold" for her kindness - that is kept in the Ice Tomb, the castle of the evil witch Frota. The princess was kidnapped five years ago, and recently a group of adventurers managed to enter the Ice Tomb and slay the evil witch. They saw the body of Erise encapsulated in a block of unbreakable ice (as most of the monsters and minions of Akra in the castle). Some divinations showed that it was not possible to free the body in the ice by using physical strength or magic. The only way to break the block is to touch it with a still alive rose from the garden of Erise (the princess is an exceptional gardener and she loved so much her garden in castle Landfall that the garden itself was named "The heart of the Heart of Norwold").

The king make the two knights swear that they will bring a rose to the Ice Tomb and that they will bring back Erise. Lernal's mage, a man called Faldron, brings them a rose in a glass recipient: the rose is still alive and the glass case is prolonging its life force, even if the flower is still slowly dying. Moreover, the rose is cursed. Together with the swearing, it obliges the two thieves to complete their quest: if they try to turn back or to distract themselves from their task, some events - a road block, a ship sinking, a landslide, etc. - will happen forcing them to proceed to the Ice Cave. Luckily, the curse also helps the thieves to pass through some obstacles, if they are en route to the Ice Cave.

So, the two thieves (pursued by the two Heldannic Knights who explained the truth to King Lernal and now wants revenge) are obliged to accomplish the mission, and they travel to Oceansend, Alpha and to the Ice Tomb. In Oceansend they are reached by Noren and Vald: they lose the armours and the rose and they are imprisoned. Soon the thieves realise that the curse is still in action due to their swearing, and so they have to reach again the rose and finish their task, otherwise they will be struck by bad fortune and possibly they will die. They evade from the dungeon and continue their travel.

They are joined by Mara, the daughter of King Olaf Yarvikkson (and also a skilful ranger) and by Fruz, a young frost giant who was very impressed by Rengie and Tooles when they stumbled into the lair of his clan. Just before entering the Ice Cave, they reach the two Heldannic Knights, who agree to forgive the thieves and join the group.

In the castle the group manage to bring the rose to Erise and free her, but they soon discover that the body locked in the ice was that of the witch Akra, who self-entrapped herself and most of her minions when the spell used to kidnap the princess (and to build for herself a staff of immense power made from "the heart of Norwold") ran amuck. The princess, however, is still entrapped somewhere else in the castle. The minions of Akra are freed as well and the witch is able to complete the staff by using the rose from Erise's garden.

The group barely manage to escape from the Ice Tomb: the two knights bravely stand behind to cover the escape and they are lost in the castle. The rest of the group ran to Alpha to alert King Ericall that an army of humanoids and frost giants is assembling in the castle and will crush the city within days.

Akra's huge army arrives before Ericall manages to organise a strong defence: moreover, the witch tells him that - thanks to her new staff - she controls the minds of the people of Landfall and now an army of Landfall's peasants is marching to siege Oceansend.

Everything seems to be lost, but Rengie manages to trick Akra and her personal white dragon Niveous, pushing one against each other. During the fight he manages to get the staff and to break it, causing the sudden icing of the witch, the dragons and her minions. The people of Landfall are freed as well.

Moreover, the two Heldannic knights reach Alpha with the princess Erise (they hided in the castle and freed her in the ice Cave after the departure of Akra and her minions). Noren and Erise are in love and they plan to marry as soon as they will reach Landfall.

Rengis and Tooles are forgiven by King Ericall and they get a great treasure in reward. Rengis plans to use his part of the treasure to become a merchant, for which he feels to be skilled enough.

Whoa is that bad or what?

Abe Sargent

11-15-2015, 01:03 PM

Quotes from the book:

Farther north (from the northern shore of the sea strait of Alpha), the terrain slowly sloped up toward rounded, wintry mountains that huddled on the horizon. The rogues marched doggedly for these mountains, remembering that the Ice Tomb was said to be nestled amidst high crags.

(The Ice Tomb is found after 3 full days of travelling NE among the plains and the mountains from the coastline, so the tomb should be located somewhere in the mountains just north of the mouth of the Great Bay)
Tooles traversed the wide plain that lay below the camp and achieved the summit of a ridge on the other side. There... Tooles saw it.

Rising clear and glassy, a hundred great towers of ice jutted from the frozen moorlands below. The towers, thrice the height of towers in Landfall or Oceansend or Alpha, shimmered with cold beauty. They were tapered like inverted icicles, and their rippling walls reflected the fierce sun. The moors, frozen though they were, sent great columns of mist that draped the fortress like white veils.

The Ice Tomb turned out to be more a palace than a tomb. To be completely honest, it was more a mountain than a palace.

Only as Tooles and Fruz (a young frost giant) approached did they begin to see the true size of the thing. Portals that, from a distance, looked like dungeon windows became full sized doorways, then grand entries one could march an elephant through.

Spires that Tooles had thought wide enough for a single stair were in fact wide enough to hold a huge throne room. The curtain wall of ice was no mere 50 feet high, but a sheer 150.

Man, it was big.

As they neared the icy drawbridge, which lay across a steep-sided, frozen moat, Tooles got the sense that the Ice Tomb had once been a normal size castle that, after centuries of icy build up, had grown three times too large. Clearly, this was not the case; the walls themselves were translucent.
Its halls stretched on in a vague, formless way more like a cave than a building, and countless sets of stairs appeared seemingly at random across the walls.

Tooles and Fruz saw the princess. She was, indeed, beautiful. Not the way Mara was, with strong features, large lips and boyish cut, but the way a flower is, delicate, gentle, hopeful. As with all things in this castle she was encased in ice, though the sphere that surrounded her seemed more like crystal. The sphere hovered some 20 feet above the floor in the direct centre of the chamber, obviously suspended by some awesome magic.
Black hair haloed the princess's pale features.

Tooles quoted the immortal bard Don Ovan, saying: "That can't be good"

That is some bad writing. A novel wrote, “Man, it was big.” Are you kidding me? Anyways, you can get a sense of the thing. I’m amping up the power and the threat level of the area considerably for my go through.

Abe Sargent

11-15-2015, 02:56 PM

Two days after Alzar finishes helping the Barony of Caryll, he has finished scrying the area in and around the Ice Caves and heads over, all teleported, with a slightly different style of spell memorization in order to prepare for things.

When he stumbled into Icelia’s labyrinth, he was forced to face a foe he had not planned on doing, but now he can prep, despite being on his foe’s turf.

The Ice Caves have six entrances. All six are in the same vicinity. He has spied a variety of frost and ice-based creatures in here, including the snow and ice trolls, winter wolves, frost giants, ice paraelementals, as well as creatures that can live in the cold and snow.

Alzar heads over, and will be slipping into an unseen invisible form with Dust of Disappearance. He snakes into one of the lesser used entrances up from the ground

The entrance passes him. He will be using detection devices like the Finger Nail (Hold it up and think of a non-magical thing and it floats in the air and points) or Ear Ring (place it next to a wall or door, and put your ear next to it to hear what is going on beyond the wall/door). He’ll be moving silently, and he has the Slippers of Spider Climbing on, to walk above everyone in order to avoid traps and people.

The first chamber opens into a huge ice-bound room, about 200 feet long, and almost as wide, carved magically long ago. While the ceiling and walls are ice, the floors are stone, rock, and earth. There are a handful of orcs and such. The Star of Mo’Pilar reveals multiple magical traps, a secret door, and more. And she has placed traps and such on the roof and walls, just as much as the floor. She’s smart. Magical stuff and pedestrian, of various types. One magical trap is Explosive Runes, and another is Symbol. Alzar can walk around them, seeing them all, and be okay, so he does.

Abe Sargent

11-15-2015, 04:47 PM

The corridor beyond is very wide, trapped, and more.

There is a large dining room beyond, with multiple ogres, frost giants, orcs, and more here. Normally, this many humanoid races would be at each other’s throats, but the snow trolls and winter wolves and more that he sees suggest one central ruler who has enough power to force everyone in line. He has seen that before, such as in the Glacial Rift of the Front Giant Jarl.

The kitchen is next to the dining room, and there is a large crack in the floor with a large Gelatinous Cube at the bottom, it can’t move out, and they feed it scraps, bone, inedible and spoiled food, that sort of thing.

The cooking is more like carving, than cooking. Most creatures are fine with raw foods, and more. This area has a lot of normal, usual living stuff – quarters, lavatories, hang out spots, and more. But there’s nothing of value or concern here.

Alzar penetrates deeper into the complex, and there’s temple behind this area. The Star reveals a giant magical area in front. It covers around 100 feet radius, and the whole area. Alzar can’t tell what it is. Other creatures are walking in and out of it without any issues. He waits until the area is clear, and drops it with a priest Dispel Magic

More are in the corridor to the temple. A whole host of magic areas, one after the other after the other. Again, Alzar can’t make them out, and there are too many to dispel. He skips it and heads back and around.

He finds two more exists from this area. The first leads to another entrance to the Ice Caves. Another leads to another section of living areas and quarters, and thence back out to a 3rd entrance of the Ice Caves.

Abe Sargent

11-15-2015, 05:27 PM

Alzar heads to the other three entrances and they have similar experiences, they pass over a huge barracks and living area, and then an armory, and then a repair station, but past that, lots of living areas again, and some storage as well for non-magical things. No doors, or anything else, suffers.

There is finally one path from here as well, and it heads to a giant temple as well. Not the same temple as before, but the paths are leading in the same direction as the one with the magical wards, and this one also has the large number of magical effects as well, and the locals continue to walk up and down the pathway. Too many to walk past.

There are no secret doors, - he looked – and no secret paths. Two paths to the same area, and with a large number of stacks magical some things there. They could be anything – a warning or alarm, a magical ward, lots of possibilities. He can’t get to where he wants, without going through them. He waits until just one orc is passing by, and then casts Charm Person and now has a new friend.

His new friend tells him about the area, nothing he didn’t already know, and he doesn’t know anything about any magic or spells. Down the corridor is the center of their complex – temples to three immortals of Entropy, one lawful, one neutral, and one chaotic. Beyond it are a dark complex of tunnels and such, bitingly cold, with lots of creatures from the ages.

The friend heads on. Alzar tries tossing objects into the zone, and nothing happens. He scans for anything that the people crossing the area could have – tattoos, objects, something that could mark them as safe, but nothing. Nothing has worked, so he grabs the ferret figurine and uses it to head into the first zone, and nothing happens. It crosses five more zones, and is near the temple. Nothing. Alzar tries his imp next, and this time, something happens. Like normal, his imp is invisible and in the form of a raven, in case something can see through invisible.

The first spell area?

Invisibility Purge

The imp is now fully visible, and can’t hide again for an hour. The raven flies back and then Alzar stores it in his bag. Well, now he knows what the first one does. He won’t be able to go further in stealth/invisible mode. But that’s okay. He heads to his OtherSpace to go in a different direction…

Abe Sargent

11-15-2015, 07:11 PM

Alzar pops back out with his thief-esque stuff on. He slips into the first zone of protection, and the invisibility dusts ends. He can’t go invisible for an hour either. But he’s moving silently, hiding in shadows, and keeping hidden as a thief, and moves only when the corridor is clear. There are a batch of non-magical traps here as well, so Alzar waits until the passage is clear, and then disarms one, and keeps going. The Star finds everything needed.

He slips to the tunnel, and suddenly a group of ice demon ba’atun fly through the tunnel, some coming near him. He uses the Without a Trace ability to climb, hide, and move all at the same time and to find a hiding spot no one else could, and keeps himself here, but seeing the ba’atun was not something he expected. He thought he cleaned out the nest, save for the leader, and she wouldn’t have been able to restock the group this quickly, so there must have been some here all along.

Is she here too? Is this where she fled to? It would make sense. They were supposedly allies long ago.

The temple opens to a large altar, with no services going on, but some decorated places – this is likely the neutral temple, it feels in between, to Nyx herself, a true N member of entropy. Nyx has night, cold, and various humanoid creature sin her purview, so finding her here in worship makes perfect sense. A Priest of Nyx is at the front of the temple, preparing for a service.

Alzar continues on past the Invisibility Purge areas

Almost an hour passes, after the time taken disarming traps, and he continues with another pick of Dust.

Alzar slips up on the walls, and there are some more wards, but these are different in nature. He still can’t figure them out, but this is different. Again, ;locals are moving through them without any change. There are 4 identical wards, each would require a separate Dispel to drop them.

No clue what they are though.

Abe Sargent

11-15-2015, 07:53 PM

Alzar again tosses and then tries to scout the zones. There is nothing. The area continue to wrap around, and the 3rd temple is here, and then a left turn into the deeper tunnels, and it would wrap around and meet the original entrance on the other side, also with Invisibility Purges on them

He cannot identify the enchantment. Just that it’s there…

The complex is too big to use something like Passwall or other magic to avoid the corridor. However, is there a way for Alzar to move through the earth safely? Perhaps. He can’t scry down here, it’s all blocked off. But he’s in a shadow now, and he could Transport via Shadow. And he’s not forced to come out on the other side if it’s really bad.

After verifying that nothing is coming, he casts the spell, slips into the Shadow Demi-Plane, and then moves to the shadow in the corridor deep into the complex. There are some folks here in a storage room, and he waits a few minutes, and then pops out, and verifies that he’s safely here. He scans the room, and there are more valuable items in here than above. Above had minor weapons and armor, basic food and such, but down here there are holy water, vials of acid, sprigs of wolfsbane, arrows with silver tips, and more. Special items in this room for taking out or damaging certain bad guys.

There’s another storage room next with herbs of various potency and value, and some poisons as well.

Alzar heads to the corridor and checks. Nothing here. He hides, and moves silently, wanting to remain non-invisible at first. He disarms a spear trap, and then one that would ring a non-magical gong if it went off.

This storage area hits a corridor and runs underground. Light is provided by Continually Lit stones placed at even levels along the rooms and corridors down here. It’s very cold, and the walls, and sometimes ceilings are ice, and floor not. The hallways are a lot smaller as well.

Alzar moves out and looks around. Nothing major, but the hallway he is in Ts, but there is a secret door at the intersection across from the hallway. The left and right end at doors quickly enough, and through each door is nicer decorated bedchambers for human sized folks. Clergy from the temples above sleep here. The secret door opens to reveal a corridor that heads down further and further.

Another magical patch is in front, and Alzar dispels it with priestly magic. He continues on. The temperature here past the secret door is so cold, that it’s well below freezing. Alzar can feel it. It’s bitter. Alzar is forced to slip on the White Dragon Skin Cloak – (+3 save vs cold, 50% less damage from cold sources); to keep from not being affected – he retains his normal rings - Spell Turning and Free Action remain on

The corridor winds, and he scouts ahead and sees nothing.

Suddenly from out of the walls come a ground of cold-based shadows, sort of like shadows with energy from the Ice plane. And a decade of 10 ba’atun fly in and out of two tunnels to the left and right of Alzar.

Alzar has been found.

He tries to control the shadows and can’t – too close to something that’s more powerful than him.

1 vs 3

Alzar Wails and drops a bunch of ba’atun. He takes 14 damage from some stabs and slashes

69/83

2 vs 6

Alzar moves to axe-based combat in order to save himself the spells for later, and hew hews and slays a ba’atun. A pair of ice javelins launch from two and miss, and he is hit stwice by folks, evades, one, and takes 4

65/83

4 vs 8

The 9th ba’atun dies to his blade and shield. He is missed. 9 vs 8. He akes 8. He finishes the final one. 5 vs 3. Alzar takes another 7, and then kills two shadows, and the others flees

46/83

Alzar regains his footing and scouts again, but heads down the tunnel where none attacked from. No sense in stealth now. A little Curative stuff follows.

The door flies open, and Alzar enters the Ice Crypt

Abe Sargent

11-15-2015, 08:05 PM

At the base of the dungeon lie a set of crypts for the most powerful allies of the Ice Queen that died over the century. This is also where she is, building plots far away. Her auspices are to capture huge segments of the Plane of Ice, so she has been concentrated much of her will there….

And thus her transformation makes sense. She researched and created a new route to lichdom. Alzar has to give her that as she rises from the central sarcophagus forewarned by her scouts outside.

The Ice Queen has become a Frost Lich!

While Alzar was moving towards her, she summoned and brought aid from the nearby chambers of the Crypts:

25 Ice Skeletons
5 Ice Frost Giant Skeletons
10 Ice Elementals
25 Ba’atun
The Ba’atun flight leader, the one behind it all, whom Alzar almost slew…
6 Cold Shadows that survived the battle and fled here

That’s an impressive array of might.

(My personal creation)

The Ice Queen, Frost Lich – Level 36 Frost Mage, AC -10, 100 HP, +1 weapon to hit, all normal immunities of undead, immune to every elemental attack save fire, including Acid. Take normal damage from magical fires only. Thaco 5, 2 attacks - Deals 3d10 cold damage from touch. Can cast spells as Mage. Can move to Ice Plane 3x day. Gains +2 to attack, damage, and -2 to hit where on Ice Plane. Gives off Aura of Cold that deals 5 cold damage a round, no save, to every character within 25 feet. (Her allies are all immune, btw)

This is going to be a rough battle.

Abe Sargent

11-15-2015, 09:12 PM

1 vs 4

Whew! Alzar casts Time Stop….

The good thing is that she hasn’t cast any protective spells yet, she was gathering allies. Alzar needs to get a quick hit in now to grab momentum. He needs fire magic. Wand of Fire launching Fireballs? That’s not bad. She and her undead are immune to the necrotic damage of a Skulltrap or Blastbones. The same is true of Death Spell and such. Any protection direction would be likely dispelled, such as casting Protection from Undead. He needs to take the advantage. The skeletons are meaningless. The various Elementals are rough; and of course, facing that many demons is tough. Alzar could banish, at most, three elementals. That would have virtually no effect on the foes in this chamber. He can’t rely on something like a Death Spell – the most powerful folks would be immune.

What’s left? What’s the most powerful damage dealing spells that could reliably work here?

He casts Maze at the Lich, and then….

Gets another round and fires a Fireball with the Wand and…

That’s it

The Lich is gone for 3 rounds. The Fireball hits the room for 6d6 (no 1s allowed) damage. (6, 2, 3, 3, 5, 3) 22 damage – Alzar makes his save for 11 damage.

Alzar 72/83

That’s enough to sweep the skeletons, and any shadow that fails their save is dead

Most of the others aren’t hurt mch

The ba’atun fire a bunch of ice based stuff at him, and then some attacks come his way….

Random.org

27 damage taken.

46/83

That’s a level of damage Alzar can continue.

1 vs 3

Even winning init. If he uses the Wand again and finishes the shadows, and even kills a ba’atun or three. Ba’atun are hurt by fire normally, if you’ll recall. 5 hd monsters (the normal ones, some are higher level) would be slain by a 2nd Fireball, but that’s risky. If Alzar takes another Fireball hit, and then another few hits from ice spells and punches and such, and if he loses initiative next round, he could die. And he can’t heal fully this round, and then take another 25-th and be at roughly the same level of health. What he really needed was a third round from the Time Stop, but that didn’t happen.

So what then?

Alzar fires another Fireball. 20 damage, he saves for half and takes 10

36/83

Now every ba’atun that failed their save before is dead. You can only make it if you make both saves (they have in the 20s hp.) 5 are around, and 4 higher level leaders are too. 9 are left. And then a leader too.

And then the cold shadows are done.

The Ice Elementals and Frost Giants have taken some damage

Yesorkh quaffs a healing potion and heals herself. Some more magic comes in, and Alzar takes 9 from it. A few hit manage to find him

15

24 total damage

12/83

Loving dangerously…..

1 vs 8

Alzar casts a healing spell and is fully healed (Heal).

62/83

The Lich comes back at the end of next round.

4 vs 6

Alzar uses another Fireball. 9 ba’attun die, and one giant skeleton and two elementals do as well. Alzar took 11 more, and then just 13 from other damage

35/83

7 vs 3

The Ice Queen casts Time Stop herself and then drops…

Repair Frost
Power Word Kill

And that’s it

The first is a spell she created that fully heals any ice creatures. The demons aren’t affects, but the others are fully healed. 35 tossed, Alzar’s spell hits the MR. Alzar casts Maze from his store spells at the Lich and she goes out fo 2 more rounds. Alzar takes 11 damage from attacks

25/83

Abe Sargent

11-15-2015, 09:28 PM

8 vs 2

Alzar takes 13, dodge,s and then Heals again

1 vs 4

Alzar has 8 elementals, the big bad demon, and 4 f g skeletons left. He casts Lower Resistance at the demon and…it works and strips her resist. She casts Magic Missiles and she takes 11 and him 7. He misses an evade and takes 9 form a punch

67/83

3 vs 4

Alzar casts Trap the Soul again and…..is cracks her lowered MR and….she tosses a 4, and again fails. He is trapped inside a gem he places on his belt punch. He dodges a punch, and that takes a sword swipe from the giant skeleton for 8

60/83

The Frost Lich returns

1 vs 5

Alzar is out of Mazes. He casts Greater Malison on her and gives her a -2 penalty to saves. She casts Major Globe of Invulnerability, and Alzar takes 17.

46/83

9 vs 5

Alzar heals 40 from Cure Critical Wounds, and then takes just 12 from two hits – he dodges a 3rd, and then she summons a Greater Ice Elemental that’s 20 hd monster.

72/83

3 vs 5

Alzar knows that Globe, he has the same spell. It protects from lower level magic – up through level 6. 7-9 hits fine. Alzar can’t use Power Word – the Stun, Blind, or Kill is immune.

Alzar needs to turn the tables now.

He’s losing. He’s out of Heal spells. She can keep summoning spells, and he can’t keep up. He needs to change the odds, right now.

He casts Wish

Alzar ages 5 years but wishes that all of the ice elements on the room return home, and sealed out for 1 hour. The 9 elementals are gone. Just one frost giant manages to connect and he misses the evade and he takes 8. The Ice Queen cast’s a 2nd level frost based version of Magic Missile (Snillo’s Magic Snowball) and Alzar takes 8, and she takes 0. (Spell Turning won’t hurt her – she’s immune to the damage

57/83

4 vs 3

Alzar is missed. She casts Magic Missile, takes 7, and deals 9. Alzar casts Evard’s Black Tentacles, which grab the Frost Giants for serious damage, and pull them down. One is wounded so badly it dies. 3 left.

Foe - 93/100
51/83

6 vs 7

Alzar casts Dispel Magic and drops the protections she has. That’s his 3rd Dispel. Two Frost giant free themselves, and the 3rd is too trapped. She casts Cone of Cold, and Alzar takes 11 (from Cloak’s proteciotn)

41/83

1 vs 3

Alzar casts Cure Critical, and that’s his last of those and heals 40. On Frost Giant frees the last one, and the other moves and swings and misses. She casts’ Anti-Magic Shell knowing that Alzar will be forced to bring it down and waste a turn.

82/83

Abe Sargent

11-15-2015, 09:57 PM

8 vs 1

She moves to Alzar and attacks, and 4, 13 tossed – 44 – Alzar dodges the hit and….5, 1, 8 – the giants all miss. Alzar’s axe is out and he hits and slays a wounded giant skeleton – 2 left.

83/83

5 vs 2

She gets 18 and 15, and hits twice for…09 – one dodge and… he takes 14. Two giants get 12 and 10. Alzar’s axe slays another giant. He’s content to take out her muscle while she’s behind a shell and can’t cast any spells either.

69/83

4 vs 5.

Alzar finishes the final skeleton. She tosses a 3 ad 17 and this for 66 – Alzar does not dodge and just a 9 – he got lucky

61.83

4 vs 2

She pops back and grabs a staff , and she slams it into the ground and creates an Earthquake that hits the ice and Alzar takes 13 damage from the ground. Alzar drops the Shell with a Disjunction spell.

49/83

2 vs 4

Alzar sees an opening, and with her getting -2, casts…Flesh to Stone…. One of his few spells that should work on her for an auto kill. Now she doesn’t get minuses to hit because of his school knowledge Flesh is an alternation spell. Normally she needs a 3 to make her save, not she needs a 5, and 4 or less fails – so there’s a 20% chance she dies right now…

19

Nope

She casts a spell to conjure an Invisible Stalker to move and harass him

50/83

5 vs 1

She uses her staff again and Alzar takes 12 this time. Her Stalker misses. Alzar heals 30 with Cure Serious

69/83

8 vs 3

Alzar takes 14 from the staff. It breaks his MR and Spell, since she is damaging the floor, and he’s taking damage from the projectiles. He casts Polymorph Other – again, one of the few spells that could work….

8 – she’s fine

56/83

8 vs 9

Alzar casts Prismatic Spray….and something random happens…

One random ray of 7 possible hit the Stalker and Mage

The Stalker is hit by green and…fails save and dies to poison.

She is hit by Orange…40hp damage = save for half and…9 she’s fine.

73/100

She uses her staff and hits him for 12

45/83

3 vs 6

A spell like Vampiric Touch won’t work. Too much shrapnel to get to her in one round now, without using a spell or item. Alzar tosses a Warp Marble and….she tosses a 3 and finally fails a save, and she’s captured for now. Alzar heads over the Marble. He’ll spend a day resting, and grab the perfect items, and spells. Then he’ll head to lava, where his fire immunity keeps him fine, and summon very powerful Fire Elementals and then release her. He’s cast Time Stop, and then cast Flesh to Stone, Polymorph Other, and Hold Undead. She tosses 2, 11, and 13, and then is petrified, and dies. (She’ll head to a phylactery that is in an unknown place – but she uses this as an opportunity to shed herself from Pandius completely, and relocates to the Plane of Ice, never to return.

Alzar wins.

Abe Sargent

11-15-2015, 10:18 PM

After capturing her, Alzar then heads out and teleports back. He conjures some earth elementals, and begins to use spells like Mass Domination, Virus Charm, Dire Charm, Suggestion, Death Spell, Power Word Spells, and more to just devastate the various humanoids in the complex. Frost Giants, ogres, snow trolls, orcs, hobgoblins, a pair of hill giants, and more are all slain.

Alzar teleports to the front of the complex ,where all six exists are, and keeps folks from running far. Air Elementals and his Invisible Stalker keep people back, and he summons aid with his Horn of Valhalla, Mount spell, and some figurines. Monster Summoning VI is used to bring some allies as well.

By the end of the day, Alzar has finished off virtually the entire establishment, and only a handful of people successfully got clear or survived.

Because the Ice Queen consolidated power so well, her fall leads to a power vacuum in the Ljallenvals that Alzar will fill with his growing March. Meanwhile the vast majority of major players died, or fled when they heard what happened. Infamy of Alzar and the power he wields was something already the talk of the area, but after he blows through the Ice Queen’s home in one day by himself, no one wants to mess with him. Survival is deemed more important than self-service. Chaotic evil foes who only understand the power of strength got the message. Lawful evil who understand the power of organization really see how powerful Alzar must have been to have taken down such as powerful one, and got the message. Neutral Evil? Get both!

The Ljallenvals are now safer than they have been in almost a century.

And Alzar’s name has rung high. Even to the heights of a certain Immortal of Time, one Vanya….

Alzar finds a few things in the Caves of interest. The first of interest are a variety of notes on the area by the Ice Queen. They describe where all of the creatures, lairs, and more can be found. Over the next few weeks, he’ll be teleporting to one or another to finish them off. One is one particular value. There is a Night Hag that lairs here, so Alzar heads to it, and allows her to leave unmolested in exchange for some of her hair. That’ll help him make his item. He weaves a cloth from her hair.

Meanwhile, he also begins to use all of the gems, gold pieces, and jewelry he finds here and send them to build small defenses around the new mountain chains, like forts and such. He puts several forts along the two trade routes, one in each hex.

He also gets a few other items. Not many, but a few.

127 Ice Queen Books – Making Ice Undead, Improving their Power ,and More
Notes on Becoming a Frost Lich

A handful of spellbooks, but none of her main ones.

3 unknown spellbooks

Influence on Solid Corpus –

Fool’s Gold, Transmute Rock to Mud, Transmute Bone to Steel, Fabricate, Item, Plant Growth, Animal Growth, Shape Change

Bricks of the Spiritual Fortification –

Wind Wall, Wall of Evil, Wall of Fire, Wall of Ice, Wall of Force, Wall of Stone, Prismatic Wall, Wall of Iron, Wall of Sand, Wall of Water, Wall of Fog, Wall of Bone

Ice Queen’s SpellBook –

1st - Snilloc’s Snowball 2nd – Icelia’s Magical Aura, Snilloc’s Snowball Swarm, Frostfire, 3rd – Protection from Cold, Icelance 4th - Bands of Ice, Hailcone; 6th – Conjure Ice Para-Elemental, Invisible Stalker 8th Conjure Greater Ice Para-Elemental;

After they are decoded, Alzar will only learn the Conjure GIP-E spell.

The unseasonable cold is gone. And the Ljallenvals are getting downright balmy compared to where they used to be.

End of The Ice Caves

Abe Sargent

11-15-2015, 10:37 PM

Let’s delve into Alzar’s latest acquisitions in the mountains

Alzar is annexing 8 full hexes of territory and then three partial hexes. We’ll focus on the 8 right now.

Let’s blow up the Map and give you some detail

There are three hexes that make up the northern trade route. The first is the yellow hex that’s Saffir, as always. Then you have the Fanjy Way-Station on the NE corner, and then it heads N out of the chain, and across some foothills, which Alzar does not control. This is shown as a yellow arrow, from Saffir, to Fanjy Way-Station, and thence to the foothills.

Saffir is still fine

The southern trade route begins and is protected by the dwarven hold at Stormhaven, with a blue dot. This trade route heads east, to a pass that’s protected by the keep that the gold dragons have, ruling out of Denstehn Keep, and then east again, and then finally, east once more, and then heads out of the area completely.

The blue arrow starts in Stormhaven, and reveals that path

Those are your keys. The Gold, hex next to Stormhaven’s blue dot is marked with a gold dot. That’s the keep of the golds, Denstehn

The next hex along the path has a small inn and village on the path, called Varner. We’ll refer to that hex as the Varner hex. The last one, to the SW of the Ice Tomb hex, has a small town called Ketherington, but that town was ravaged by local raids, and is mostly a ghosttown.

The hex between the Ice Tomb, Saffir, and the gold dragons, to the west of the forst where the small elf hold is, that is where the Ice Tower and Ice lake are, and that’s where a small number of dwarves have set up silver mines. There’s no name for the area, it’s the harshest place in the Ljallenvals ,but Alzar is naming it Silvercrest. There is a large gray blob in the center of that hex for you.

SW of the southern passage, and the Ketherington exit, by the water is a hex that includes some tribal and problematic elements. It’ll need some additional clearing. We’re giving it a red blob, for the small village of Rustborough, almost on the border with the small greenery to its mouth, and near the water, on a river that comes from the mountains to the Bay.

Finally, the Ice Tomb and Caves themselves are in the last hex in this vicinity. They are denuded of any population, and it’ll take a while for people to settle. The edge of the area is where the black dragons that Alzar befriended are living.

The hex above Saffir, and above the Northern pass is the single most valuable of the places Alzar took, and you’ll see why in a moment. This has the central town of Roselia, so I am giving it a pink blob.

These 8 provinces have all been added to the March, and a black circle surrounds it.

http://i1371.photobucket.com/albums/ag295/AbeSargent/Ljallenvals%20Take%20Two_zpsuggzourr.jpg

Abe Sargent

11-15-2015, 10:57 PM

Here are the provinces he just took, as well as the other two in the chain he already had.

The Ljallenvals:

Saffir - - This mountainous region has a central valley and the major northern route through the Ljallenvals. It is north of Rostock and northwest of Storn.

Village – Saffir – 291 families, they farm vegatables here and sell them on the trade route. 1 resource GP. Saffir has a castle just built.

Details - 449 families, 1 good – Farming

Monthly Income – Standard Income - 3320 gp/month
Tax Income – 332 gp/month
Resource Income – 332/month
Total – 5388/month (x12 multiplier)

Hammerhelm - - This mountainous region has a part of the southern route through the Ljallenvals. It is south of Rostock and southwest of Evenarrow. No humans live up here, just dwarves. Unlike other hexes, this one will not grow via immigration.

Dwarfhold- Hammerhelm – 346 families live in this dwarfhold, now the second largest in Norwold. They mine verite, several other ores, and harvest fungus. +9 resource GP.

Details - 346 families, 1 good – Farming

Monthly Income – Standard Income - 3460 gp/month
Tax Income – 0 gp/month Dwarves don’t pay taxes
Resource Income – 3114/month
Total – 6,574/month (x19 multiplier)

Roselia - - This mountainous region has a central valley and the major northern route through the Ljallenvals. It is north of Saffir and northeast of Fanjy Way-Station.

Village – Roselia – 181 families, they collect herbs here and sell them on the nearby trade route. There’s also some gems that are mined and found in the area as well - 4 resource GP. Roselia is quiet, and one of the safest places in the Ljallenvals.

Details - 249 families, 2 goods – Herbs and Gems

Monthly Income – Standard Income - 2490 gp/month
Tax Income – 249 gp/month
Resource Income – 249/month
Total – 3984/month (x16 multiplier)

Fanjy Way-Station – This small town in the mountains along the northern trade route has very few people. North-west of Saffir, north of Silvercrest, north and east of the Ice Tomb area, and southwest of Roselia. This is where the Aarakockra nests are found, but they are not a part of the domain.

Village - Fanjy Way-Station – 42 families – they Fish a local brook here. 1 good, animal. 1 resource GP.

Details – 51 families, 1 goods – Fish

Monthly Income – Standard Income - 510 gp/month
Tax Income – 51 gp/month
Resource Income – 51/month
Total – 622/month (x12 multiplier)

Silvercrest – This small, harsh area has little to lend itself. West of the elves (and Tabi) forest with Rostock, southwest of Saffir, and north of Gold Dragons, and south of Fanjy, south east of Ice Tomb, and east of Varner. Mostly dwarves live here, and work the mines.

Silvercrest – 22 families – they mine some local mines here, 1 good, mineral. 3 resource GP.

Details – 27 families, 1 goods – Silver

Monthly Income – Standard Income - 270 gp/month
Tax Income – 27 gp/month
Resource Income – 81/month
Total – 378/month (x14 multiplier)

Ice Tomb – No one currently lives here, makes taxes, or works any industry

Rustborough – This mountainous hex is the furtherest most west in the Ljallenvals, and southwest of Ketherington. It’s the most wild of the remaining places, and needs to be tamed more. Until it is, income from here is halved.

Rustborough – 69 families – On the river. They collect and grow various root vegetables, like carrots, and potatoes in the town itself. There is also an iron mine up river with 24 families working it.

Details – 105 families, 2 goods – Iron, Root Vegetables

Monthly Income – Standard Income - 1050 gp/month
Tax Income – 105 gp/month
Resource Income – 420/month
Total – 1575/month (x15 multiplier)

Dehnsten Keep – This mountainous hex is along the southern passage, and between Stormhaven and Varner. Although not a lot of people live here, the local keep, along the pass, help to keep things safe, and the local rules are a family of polymorphed and powerful gold dragons.

Dehnsten - 44 families – On the trade route. They hunt, kill, and skin various mountain animals like deer and goats for food and trade.

Details – 67 families, 1 goods – Animal Skins and Furs

Monthly Income – Standard Income - 670 gp/month
Tax Income – 67 gp/month
Resource Income – 134/month
Total – 871/month (x13 multiplier)

Varner – High in the mountains, along the trade route, Varner is hit more by aerial attacks that anything else. A small inn, and gathering station is the only civilization in the area. The only thing that’s not for mere survival is a chandlery in the town.

Varner - 28 families – On the trade route. They trade goods from local places, and make candles from various oils and fat.

Details – 33 families, 1 goods – Candles

Monthly Income – Standard Income - 330 gp/month
Tax Income – 33 gp/month
Resource Income – 33/month
Total – 396/month (x12 multiplier)

Ketherington – The final stop on the southern trade route is Ketherington. It’s in one of the healthiest places in the mountains to thrive and could be like Saffir or Roselia, but it’s value and proximity to the Ice Caves led to it being raided attacked, and kept down. It needs to have its infrastructure built back up, but it has the bones

Ketherington – 71 families - On the trade route, in the foothills, with a large town, but about 50% of the buildings and such are abandoned. Grows various grains, and with a mill, makes multiple types of bread and sells them. There are also extensive coal deposits that are mined and grabbed near the surface, and those are sold as well.

Details – 87 families, 2 goods – Bread, Coal

Monthly Income – Standard Income - 870 gp/month
Tax Income – 87 gp/month
Resource Income – 348/month
Total – 1305/month (x15 multiplier)
Total income from these 8 holdings is 9131 monthly.

76274 current income

Currently Alzar has four castles in his capital of Evenarrow, Saffir, Berghom Island, and Spearhold, on the other side of the Bay. He wants a 5th in Ketherington. He has a keep now in Dehnsten. So he wants a fort in Varner and Fanjy. With the blood money he gathered, and these expensive ice crystals and jewelry, he can build them all.

Abe Sargent

11-15-2015, 11:07 PM

He has to expand his staff considerably:

March Staff –

Chaplain – 500 gp
5 Magistrate – 1000 gp
15 Sheriff – 1500 gp
41 Provost – 820 gp
30 Warden – 600 gp
Reeve – 500 gp

He’s also hiring a bunch of new military:

March Military –

Light Foot Soldiers – 1000 troops, 20 leaders – 2000 gp – AC6, longsword + dagger
Heavy Foot Soldiers – 800 troops, 20 leaders – 2600 gp, AC4, longsword, spear, dagger
Light Horse Soldiers – 400 troops, 10 leader – 2600 gp, AC6, longsword, lance
Heavy Horse Soldiers – 500 troops, 10 leader – 8000 gp, AC 2, longsword lance
Crossbow Troops – 800, 20 leaders – 2800 gp, AC 5, heavy crossbow, shortsword
79 Officers – 790 gp, AC 2 better than troop they lead
35 Armorer – 3500 gp
15 Smiths – 300 gp
8 Equerry – 800 gp
Artillerist – 750 gp
2 Flying Equerry – 500 gp
55 Griffons and Pilots – 2500 gp

That’s +200 heavy foot, crossbow, +150 heavy horse

27140 current military costs.

We are currently spending 74515 and making 76274

Alzar is going to slow down a bit. He needs to spend some time building the holdings, meeting and hiring the new March staff,

Abe Sargent

11-15-2015, 11:14 PM

Alzar takes the sand washed and teleports to a red dragon in the Wyrms Teeth range. He captures the dragon, tortures it to cry, and then gets it to breathe fire while crying. He believes that will count as “forged in the fires of sadness”

After forging it, (Alzar know knows glassblowing, as a reminder) he cleans it with the hair from the night hag, and then begins to carve the wood from the world tree. He has the brass ore from the future smelted, and brass decorations are put into the wood, and then secured. The result is an hour glass, with a slide-able open section, currently without sand, and everything physically needed is done. Next Alzar will cast some spells to unify the items, strengthen it, and then to remove any magic taints from spells or other things that might taint the work.

After that, he’ll spend some time getting spells ready, and then cast Enchant, Haste, and Permanency. Normally that costs a CON point to spend, but Alzar knows an “Evil” spell that will force a target to lose the Con instead, and he’ll just make it one of the punishments on his criminals.

Abe Sargent

11-15-2015, 11:24 PM

Month 6, Year 8:

The next month begins, and it’s pretty quiet. No major events or anything else. Building has begun in earnest in a few places. Alzar is continuing spell and item research and creation.

While over in Serraine, Alzar reads about an old island off the Savage Coast. It’s called Jakandor. The Savage Coast is an area of Pandius that Alzar has wanted to visit for a while, he’s read about things that keep folks isolated there, like something called the Red Curse, and normal fighters have magical powers and such. But he hasn’t had the time. But this island off the coast might be right up his ally.

Jakandor is a home of an ancient technologically gifted and magical society that used ot rule much of the Known World thousands of years ago. After the spaceship exploded and the ancient empire of Blackmoor was ended, and long before the Alphatian Empire arrived on the scene about 2000 years ago, there was the Charonti civilization. These highly magical humans ruled from the island of Jakandor, until a massive plague that hit just them hit their empire, and wiped out virtually every single member and the remaining few fled back home.

It took the Charonti centuries to rebuild their homes and civilization, and much of that time was just spinning their wheels. There was tons of infighting, and the world largely forgot about he Charonti save in history books, since they didn’t really come out of their island.

Then around 150 years ago, a barbarian human society, the Knorr, arrived on the island and began to push the Charonti. They united for the first time since their dissolution, and began to push against the Knorr, and there was been a war ever since.

The chaotic, individualistic, and warmongering Knorr hate much about the Charonti. The lawful Charonti society s highly stratified, and labor is performed by undead Charonti – zombies, skeletons, and such, freeing everyone else to be in the trade, scholar, or noble castes. They are trying to search and find a unearth ancient secrets, reviving their dead powers. Alzar is intrigued by the civilization, so he scouts, and then teleports over…

Abe Sargent

11-15-2015, 11:45 PM

Begin Jakandor, Isle of Destiny

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51ZAY1EH5XL._SX258_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg

There are three books in the Jakandor arc, the first details the Knorr is great detail, and the second the Charonti. The last is a campaign arc that brings these two together.

There are a few reasons why Alzar in particular is interested by the Charonti. They seem to really value the Fivefold Path to Power.

In Charonti, magic is so common, that there is a non-magical, non-weapon proficiency to read magic. No living person is a laborer, everyone is a craftsman or above. Also, every person can turn or control undead like a level 1 Priest. That’s how essential magic and the undead are to their culture!

Every mage, and there are a ton of mages, specializes very heavily is one of the 8 schools of magic, and there are the normal benefits, but here, only specialists can cast that schools magic. They have a list of what they call “Elder Spells” that everyone can use. So only a Necromancer can cast a necromancy spell, unless it’s an Elder Spell. Want to cast Vampiric Touch? Only if you are a Necromancer. Want to cast Melf’s Acid Arrow? Only if you are a Conjurer. And so forth. So the spell Animate Dead is an Elder Spell, and every mage can cast it, but Necromancers can cast it as their bonus spell and such.

With their low population, they have to use undead, constructs, and summoned creatures to supplement who they are.

Each specialty is more than just a specialist though, they have an entire kit, philosophy, and purpose. For example, Evokers here are called Galvanic Mages, and they specialize in energy making, usage, and harnessing. Lots of common magic spells are still missing.

But there are three specialists that Alzar wants to meet.

After spending a few days here, Alzar has met:

Artificers – Specialists in the enchantment/charm school, who make things
Renders – Specialists in animating, creating, curing, and strengthening their undead
Callers – Specialists in Conjuration, who call forth various creatures to serve the Charonti cause

All three of these are highly decorated, and heavily invested, but the first two the most of any specialty

Abe Sargent

11-16-2015, 12:16 AM

Alzar begins to go over the tenants of his Fivefold Path to Power, and begins to discuss. He enjoys the viewpoints of these three, particularly the Artificers who find the Galvanists to be really haughty, and preferring flash over substance, and the Renders, who really dislike the Sandmen (Illusionists) who are more entertainers and artists, rather than the real students and helpers that are needed. Both of these segue with Alzar’s views of power as well.

And all three have been allies already, prior to Alzar’s visit. Alzar, as a visiting nobleman, is welcomed by the Queen, and gives their society a scroll of a spell he made (Alzar’s Undead Porter, a 1st level spell) that he thinks would be of especially useful value to them. It increases the carrying capacity of undead, so a society that uses them heavily for labor would likely find it to be pretty valuable.

The Charonti have some odd views. They don’t believe in the accumulation of wealth – everything belongs to the state, and similarly, there is no room for people working outside of the structure of their people.

Alzar wants to take back many people to train as Fivefold Mages, and she agrees to let him have multiple of their apprentices to take back that might be interested, in exchange for some information that he wants as well…

Alzar gains 3 Artificers, 1 Render, and 1 Call, all level 1 LN or LE people as Apprentices.

He now has 11

He gains some spells, and some abilities:

1st – Nefti’s Spell Recall, Conj
2nd – Ambulate Object (Ench/Charm), Repair Machine (E/C)
3rd – Enchant Automaton (E/C)

The first spell is amazing. If Alzar memorizes the Spell Recall as a spell of a certain level, then he can cast any spell he knows of that level. So, suppose he memories the Spell Recall as a 1st level spell. While he has it memorized, he can cast any 1st level spell he knows for his other spell slots. Right Now, Alzar can memorize and then cast 8 1st level spells. If he memorizes this as one of those slots, and then does not cast it, then the other 7 spell can be any spell he knows, not just the ones that he has memorized. Moreover, he can cast the Spell Recall at any level, and take multiple spells. Right now, Alzar can cast 8/8/8/8/7/7/7/7/7 spells. If he learns this spell at each level, then he can cast essentially 7/7/7/7/6/6/6/6/6 instead, but any spell he knows.

He still suffers the restrictions of Pandius (just one of each spell a day, so no 3x Conjure Fire Elementals, ) but that is very flexible for some levels. Now he may not do that with levels where he doesn’t have a lot non-specific spells to learn (8th and 9th for example). Many of his 8th level spells aren’t ones you’d cast that often. So he currently has memorized 7 of the 9 spells that he really would cast. So he’s likely to retain those 7. But the flexibility to cast any spell he knows at a variety of levels is very intoxicating. There are a lot of spells that he doesn’t often memorize ,like Hold Golem., which could prove good coming from a Spell Recall if needed.

Ambulate Object invests an object with 1/day of motor movement. And it will follow Alzar’s commands, so he could take a foot stool, carve feet on the legs, and then it would move anywhere Alzar wants at his command, so it would move with him. He can also use it to give a motive force to a creation of his. Repair Machine heals anything that was man made, from living constructs to non—living stuff. Enchant Automaton is great because it animates, and allows Alzar to control permanently, an Automaton he created…

Alzar is gaining the Clockwork Proficiency, and they will show him how ot make automatons, and he’ll give them new spells as well as unlock the ability to learn different schools of magic at the same time and yet to be a specialist

Since these apprentices are very young and naïve in some ways, he combines them with a course from the College of Wizardry. He teaches a course on Necromancy

End of Jakandor for Now….

Abe Sargent

11-16-2015, 12:40 AM

Month 7, Year 8:

We have a minor issue this month. A small attack is held on one of the Ljallenvals outposts that Alzar just took. He teleports over and takes them down. Minor damage was dealt

Meanwhile a bit of tainted and rotten food was found in Raider’s Point, and it infiltrated the drinking water of a lot of homes, and there are a few deaths there until the source was found and cleaned up

Alzar finds and hires an Alchemist for his realm, after verifying her background, for 3500 gp a month. She’ll use the lab that Alzar has, and work out of it, and Alzar and his realm provides all ingredients and materials, and she’ll make potions. For example, Alzar is going to take the ghost dust he took from Icelia’s major henchman, and bless it, and then give it to the Alchemist, because it’s one of the key ingredients in a Potion of Longevity. She can make those Potions of Acid Breath and such.

The March is now losing a bit of money, but with the Magist’s Spellcache Rings, constructs, potion-making and more, the local troops will have a strong element of additional power.

They’ll grow the taxbase to pay for her, but now the loss is brought in from the treasury.

Month 8, Year 8:

Alzar builds another Stone Golem this month after the foundry has finished the first.

Mid-Summer Convocation – 10% of income that month

There has been a choking mist that comes from far off the coast of Norwold, and begins to hit the area in a few places, but only intermittedly

No other major news, other than the holiday.

Month 9, Year 8:

Some early snows hit Varner, and the fort being built here is stopped for the season.

Alzar has been spending time modifying the area around the Ljallenvals with his Grand Effects spell, and then he has been building the Zero G park inspired by the one in Serraine as well in Evenarrow.

It’s almost completed. There’s a 7th level spell called Reverse Gravity, and it’s being made Semi-Permanent (lasts for 27 months, no CON loss, requires recasting and re Semi-P again then). A special reversed version of it will be used to give zero g. Ten such spells are needed to get the area ready. (creating a 150’x150’ area) and it’s in a big, giant structure that has rock walls that Alzar made soft as pillows with his Grand Effects spell.

Storms keep the mist from hitting the are too badly.

Abe Sargent

11-16-2015, 01:12 AM

Month 10, Year 8:

Harvest Festival - 15% of income that month. Alzar uses the Harvest Festival to open the Zero G Park and shows it off by having his tabi, Ak’Kabar fly and tumble all over it. Some of his Dactyl Magnons are also flying in and around it. Alzar finishes by having some kids roll around, and it should become an interesting tourist aspect of the capital of Evenarrow

Alzar also finishes his magical item this month as well. He invests in the 7 sets of equipment needed to churn out the sand at a high level if needed. That’s 35k. Now he can gain 1 hour/day when needed for 1k per batch of sand.

All construction will finish this month, the mountains hit snow and winds earlier.

This is the last month growth happens in the March

The mist begins to hit Alzar’s area, and a few people are chocking, and even die, although he raises them back.

Month 11, Year 8:

This month, Alzar finishes researching the last spell.

The mist is growing in strength.

At the 4th week of the month, Alzar feels a bit tingly. It’s time.

Abe Sargent

11-16-2015, 01:13 AM

Alzar teleports to the entrance to the Hollow World and heads down. Four days later he is at the mountain overlooking the Nithian Empire, where the great temple of Pflarr once stood. After waiting a few hours in meditation, Pflarr arrives.

This was Alzar’s task:

The Path of the Paragon

1. Alzar must create a brand new spell of all 9 levels that serve the cause of Pflarr
2. Alzar must create a brand new, never before created, magical item that serves the cause of Pflarr.
3. Alzar must transform the land in his March, giving the area a unique feel and appearance
4. Alzar must find and defeat at least 8 Mages or Clerics of 25th or higher level, in solo combat.
5. Alzar must create a brand new species of animal, monster, or humanoid
6. Alzar must attract 10 new apprentices

Alzar created the spells, created a unique and interesting magical item, has created a new species in the Dactyl Magnons, has used the Dactyls, the Effects spell, and the Zero G park to transform and give a unique feel, has defeated 8 wizards of 25th level at least, has 11 apprentices. He has met all six conditions, and gained enough levels and experience. Alzar has completed the Path of the Paragon, and now has finished the Sphere of Energy. As Alzar thought, it was likely to be the easiest anyway. As a mage who already wrote 12 spells prior to this challenge, and created items, it was not the most difficult thing to do. And since he had made golems of various types, and other aspects of artifice, Pflarr is perfectly content to recommend Alzar. Alzar is the first non-Nithian or non-Halruuan that Pflarr has sponsored all the way to the end.

On his way home, Alzar is approached by an envoy of Vanya, one of her priestesses. Vanya has been impressed, and might be open to an approach by Alzar for sponsorship in the Sphere of Time. But they’ll see soon enough… the priestess teleports Alzar back to the home, despite the issues with the Hollow World, because things have just changed, and we’ll see how Alzar does…

Abe Sargent

11-16-2015, 08:13 AM

Month 12, Year 8:

By the 4th day of this month, while Alzar was out the mists and such became downright murderous…

M1. Into the Maelstrom

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/03/M1_TSR9159_Into_the_Maelstrom.jpg

Get ready to hold onto your butts. I thought about postponing this until after Alzar did the Sphere of Thought. But it just fits right now so perfectly.

http://www.intelligatorsgamelair.com/9159bm.jpg

Abe Sargent

11-16-2015, 08:45 AM

This is the beginning of a hugely epic arc that includes M1, M2, and M5. M5 is the last of the Master modules and is close to the fitting end of this dynasty.

So what I want to do is begin this epic plotline, and then do other things after M1 completes and before M2 and then M5 hit. We don’t have to do them back to back to back.

This is officially the beginning of the end.

Now what’s happening behind the scenes of the module is that three Immortals are manipulating events in Norwold and Alphatia and other nearby areas for various reasons. During the course of the game, what happens, and what Alzar allows to happen or actions he takes, will shift the “points” that the immortals are scoring. Whoever ends up winning the scenario has certain things happen. However, at the time this was written, there were only a handful of Immortals that had been conceived and created, this is the first module in the M line after all. There are multiple Immortals that later on were added to the world, but who’s presence suddenly requires folks to ask some serious questions about who is who and why they aren’t in this M1 story.

So I’m adding them.

Here are the three key players, and then the ones I’m adding:

Alphaks – Alphaks is a (relatively) new Immortal in the Sphere of Entropy, and he was originally from Alphatia. He wants to destroy his old empire for reasons that are his own (but may become known as the story progresses). Alphaks is the primary mover of this module. He is Chaotic Evil to the T.

Koryis – One of the most powerful but extreme powers out there, Koryis is totally opposed to Alphaks plan in this adventure. Koryis is lawful good, and extremely pacifistic. He will do anything necessary to prevent war, violence, battling or anything else for that matter. He is also a former Alphatian, and wants to help keep them safe from Alphaks and his barely nuanced manipulations. Koryis is in the Sphere of Thought, and he’s so peaceful, that he annoys folks.

Vanya – Vanya is a true N power of the Sphere of Time. She is a patron of history, conquerors and war. In life, she threw herself at everything and everyone, and that’s what she wants from others. Being right or wrong is not as important as winning a battle. Sensing an opportunity to see some serious conquering about to happen, she is also a major player and at first will be allied with Alphaks’s goal, although not his methods of reaching it. She wants straight forward battling, not nuances

These are the original three working behind the scenes in M1. But why just these three? What do Alzar’s patrons thinks?

Morena – Morena is a patron of dwarves and artisans. Unless what is about to happen really pushes her people, she has no desire or care about what happens.

Pflarr – Pflarr cares about two things – the remains of the Nithian empire in the Hollow World, and the Halruaan people that he created in his image. Both are in the Hollow World. He could care less about this/

So, who does care?

Alphatia – A former Alphatian became an immortal in the Sphere of Energy, and is moderately powerful. She changed her name to reflect the Empire that she loves, and has become the patron of the Empire. Her LG self wants to protect the Empire, and is not really interested in helping it expand and conquer. One of her powerful enemies is Alphaks, and she’s one of the few allies Koryis actually has. She’ll be trying to aid Alphaks.

Bemarris – This chaotic good Immortal of the Sphere of Energy is a former warrior who carved his name across Norwold. Today, he is the primary church from Alpha, the capital of Norwold, and one of three Immortals recognized with a personal shrine by King Ericall. Bemarris is interested because he seeks to protect Norwold, and then to expand it. Any actions that increase Norwold’s power, will gain “points” with Bemarris

Liena – She helped bring the Empire of Thyatis to power, and installed her progeny in the ruler ship of that Empire – the great enemy of Alphatia. She founded Oceansend after leaving Thyatis in their hands, and then ruled for almost 20 years. She became an immortal 84 years ago, and is now in the Sphere of Time, and Lawful Neutral. Her patron was Vanya, and her goal is to keep Oceansend fine, and to weaken Norwold enough that Oceansend can be freed. She actively opposes Bemarris.

These six immortals are going to be involved in the upcoming campaign.

Abe Sargent

11-16-2015, 04:50 PM

The mists are getting deadlier, and coasting much of Norwold, and they are coming from the north-east.

There is a summons for all nobles and advisors in Alpha to meet with King Ericall about the issues that are ongoing, and new information that has come to light.

Alzar teleports over to the capital, and then heads into a session that’s ongoing. A courier from the Barony of Qeodhar, has brought a message and a missive from the Baron. The Barony is a large island off the northeast coast of Norwold, and northwest of Alphatia. It’s part of Alphatia, and the Baron owes fealty to them

Recently, Alzar found the spy in his realm from Qeodhar and forced him to cast Geas, Enhance spell on him and then followed with Forget before teleporting him back. Alzar tells the King of the spy he found a few months ago, and Ericall nods.

The Baron has admitted that the Mist is coming from his island, and that until Norwold has sworn fealty to him, and the King abdicate, the Mists are going to continue. Both the courier and the message agree, the message is signed by the Baron, and the courier has been scanned by multiple mages and priests.

“I can teleport over there now, and talk with Baron Norlan of Qeodhar. I can verify what’s going on by the end of the day for you.”

“No Marquis, we need to respond in strength.”

“So you want me to just teleport over there and start blasting? That may not be the most diplomatic solution.”

“No, you misunderstand me. I don’t want just one man to deal with this.”

“I can grab a strike team, head over and take them back a peg or two. I’d prefer to stealth in and hit them that way, but we can do in hot.”

“No, this is not going to end with magic. All of Norwold is threatened. All of Norwold has to respond, and I’m tired of magical duels or stealth-laden secrets. We will launch all of our naval assets, and remove this threat.”

“What? You want to launch a naval assault in winter? Here?”

“I am told that clerics can keep any ice away from the vessels and ensure a safe trip.”

“You don’t want to have magic take you to resolve this today, but you are willing to have magic help you get there the slow way? That’s an unwise decision. At the very least, let’s send some magic users over to scout, scry, and figure this out.”

“No, it time Norwold showed the rest of the world that we will not be bent. We will not bow. I want you to lead your navy from your March, along with the rest of the forces we can muster, and head over.”

“Alright, we’ll do it the slow way.”

Abe Sargent

11-16-2015, 05:55 PM

These fleets set sail:

Task Force One: Oceansend Combat Squadron, 102 BR, 4 lg galleys, 5 small galleys, 10 large sail ships, 2380 total hull points, 350 marines, 300 sailors, 1020 rowers, 1570 men, 45 leadership factor

Task Force Two: Royal Assault Squadron, 180 BR, 1 war galley, 6 large gal, 15 small gal, 2 troop transports; 2410 hull points, 875 marines, 340 sailors, 2280 rowers, 3495 people, 60 leadership factor. Every vessel here has artillery

Task Force Three: Norwold Invasion Squadron, 106 BR, 30 longships, 2100 hp, 2250 sailors and men in fleet too. 65 leader

Task Force Four: Fleet Support Squadron, 105 BR, 15 small galleys, 30 small sail ships, 4200 hull, 1350 sailors, and men in fleet to, 45 leader rating

All galleys here are carrying rams; all small sail ships have artillery

Task Force Five: The March’s Navy, 98 BR, 13 small galleys, 1040 hull, 130 marines, 980 men total, Alzar s LR is 80. All have artillery

Total number of ships here is 131

Norwold is going in hot

They head out a few days later.

Abe Sargent

11-16-2015, 07:56 PM

Two and a half days into the journey, the sun is setting. As ships sail along, the water is frigid, cold, and biting. No ice though, as promised. Suddenly though, from the waters themselves crack three large, lizard-like ancient, huge white dragons.

80% of the ships that are not in Alzar’s fleet turn back, not wanting to face or sail past these creatures. The dragons are not attacking, just hanging in the air, but rolls of Dragon fear roll off, and Alzar cast Remove Fear on some of his ships. Alzar flies up to talk to them. Since they have not made aggressive actions, he wants to talk to them first. Here is their words:

“This mighty fleet must return to its port at once, and wait until the wrath of the gods is appeased. The force of arms will not save your tormented land, but instead precipitates an even greater fate. If the rulers care at all for their people, they must obey the ultimatum, and Justice will take its course in the end.”

Alzar asks of them questions but they do not respond. The mist has died down since this morning. Alzar won’t be able to wrap up the entire fleet, it’s too big. He moves to attack the dragons. They use their wings to buffet the waters and winds to create a storm. But Alzar’s aerial flying is pretty good.

Abe Sargent

11-16-2015, 08:49 PM

Random.org

Alzar slays two, the third flees. He uses magic like Time Stop, Heal, Lower Resistance, and stuff like that Two dead.

He rallies the fleet a few hours later, gets them all together, and they head back. Due to his taking leadership under pressure, and with the dragon, he has taken the lead of the invasion force.

The day after, night falls a second time….

“The night is silent, regularly interrupted by the ships’ bows cutting through the swells. The lanterns of the fleet slowly wink in the night fog. As the watch is about to change, ships are sighted to the starboard, the sails full. The arms of the vessels are those of Qeodhar!”

They are near Alzar’s small fleet of 13 ships. As Baron Nolan sees the Norwold pennants flying, he panics and orders the fleet to flee.

Norlan’s Merchant Fleet – 10 small sail ships, artillery, BR 111, 100 sailors, 250 marines, 600 hull,

Their ships are faster than Alzar’s.

So he scans in front of them, and then teleports to one, and casts Virus Charm, and then Mass Charm and Mass Domination to grab another ship. Soon he has scouted out the head ship with Baron Norlan on it. He teleports over and orders the Baron to surrender. His fleet is coming in, Alzar has captured or taken two of his ships single handedly. The Baron offers single combat, and three rounds later, Alzar has taken him down so badly, he surrenders.

He drops to the ground, “a blind and hopeless love forced him to commit this act of treachery.” That sounds a bit odd to Alzar. He tells Baron Norlan that he wants to force them to help out and such, and he casts spells to read ESP and Detect Lie and such.

The Baron has gone to the Empress of Alphatia for the hand of her 5th daughter, they love each other, and it would strengthen their ties. However, he request was rejected, and the princess came with them. Absconded away. She is on the ship and with the man she loves. Baron Norlan of Qeodhar is not in any way responsible for what has been happening with the mist.

Alzar tells Norlan what has been going on, someone has been using his name for some seriously bad stuff. Norlan is upset, but there’s no reason for him to be restrained or anything. Alzar was told to bring back Norlan, so Alzar can accompany Norlan back, and let the fleet, and Princess Mariella, sail back to Farend, the capital of his Barony. Alzar returns the ships, and they return to the Barony, while Alzar, the Baron, and the fleet heads back

Abe Sargent

11-16-2015, 10:15 PM

The next day…

“Slowly the fleet comes to a complete stop, and begins to back up. Crewman are rushing about the ship and the rowers drums increase their beat. The sky has turned purple and a frightened roar thunders behind. With horror, the locals realize the vessels are dragged toward a huge gaping whirlpool. The crews raise all sails and row at maximum strength. Finally, the ships slowly move out of the colossal currants. But suddenly the sinkhole widens and moves behind the ships! Already some vessels begin to circle around the gigantic maelstrom. In an instant, the entire fleet is caught in the swirls of dark green water, there is a great confusion on board. Despite the stunning rumble of the cold darkness, from the deep of the sea, a vision appears at the bottom of the maelstrom, an opening….night….stars perhaps? An escape for sure. In this moment of terror, the shattered minds of locals, refuse the vision and pass out.”

Vanya herself has opened a vast gate. As a patron of both history and conquerors, she wants Alzar to both learn, and take control…

Baron Norlan was taken by Koryis and returned to Farend, with a missing memory of what happened, Alzar and his fleet arrive….

Into the Maelstrom

End of Chapter 1:

Vanya – 10 points
Koryis – 8 points
Alphaks – 5 points
Alphatia - 5 points
Bemarris – 7 points
Liena – 3 points

Alzar awakens with a powerful item from Vanya in his hand – a Rod of Victory – he already has one.

“You have done well my hero. Take your reward, and to further my might, bestow it’s powers in the name of Vanya!”

Abe Sargent

11-16-2015, 10:16 PM

When consciousness is restored, the sound of a storm replaces the inhuman roar of the maelstrom. The ships are still spinning however, a violent storm of snow and sleet prevents anyone from doing anything. It lasts a half hour, and every vessel has taken between 10 and 30% damage and casualties from the Maelstrom, but all are accounted for.

The light has gone. So has the ocean’s madness. Only a frightening silent void remains above and below the ships. In the dark, some distant stars twinkle, each of a different colors, and glows than the full moon and stars of Pandius. The air is cold, and some strange wind flutters through the sails. The oars won’t work to maneuver the vessels out here, and many sails were torn from the wind and ice that came from the whirlpool and Maelstrom.

They are drifting in a giant orbit, in the stars, somewhere out there, away from Pandius.

http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSWExA7q2RxLt30P6YoSBlWj6hOsvtwmc3kiooJjYnmM_6GEzt1

Abe Sargent

11-16-2015, 10:27 PM

But all 131 ships of the Norwold fleet are here, even though some are damaged. Alzar gets an assessment, and is officially declared Admiral of the expedition, with all ships, captains and fleet leaders reporting to him, until such time as they leave this area.

As the fleet drifts there is a large circular platform in the middle of the wake, and they are moving towards it. A glowing sphere of light surrounds the platform, and it appears to be an island covered with a thick forest, and surrounded by miles of actual, proper sea. Alzar has a longship scout, and they find that the sea can be navigated onto, and then from there, they can land on the beach. The platform has its own blue sky, which can only be seen on it. Alzar heads to the island

Hundreds of natives wearing loin cloths, colorful robes, feathers and flowers run to the beach, waving at the fleet. Muscular natives push dozens of large, winged canoes into the water, and already men rush to the fleet, with large baskets of fruit and flowers and no visible weapons.

Alzar meets with the first delegation, and talks with them There are 1500 of them on the island. They are friendly, and mean no harm, spells verify it. Their canoes have oars that work on the void. They end in large vegetable flowery leaves that are grown on the island. They bring heaps of a strawberry fruit called zzonga, that they offer as a welcome and greeting.

Alzar uses a few divination spells to try and suss out the fruit, the people, the oars, and the island. The fruit has poisonous aspects to it, but not lethally so, but they would put an eater into a blissful stupor. Alzar orders the natives back to the island, and furthermore that none of the fruit is eaten.

A day is spent cutting down the feathers and moving them to oars, and about 45 men eat the fruit anyways, and begin to head into a stupor. Alzar controls them with Mass Domination or Mass Charm and they return each time. He also uses geases, quests, d3tect lies, and more to hunt down fruit that are suck aboard. They taste really good, the island looks like a paradise to a lot of his folks.,, and the food is fresh – also important.

On the island are large statues of people who look like really old Alphatians. What connection do these people or this island have to Alphatia or old Atlantis, as the Crones called it?

Abe Sargent

11-16-2015, 11:45 PM

Two days later they set sail again. Now they can navigate:

Vanya – 10 points
Koryis – 13 points
Alphaks – 5 points
Alphatia - 7 points
Bemarris – 10 points
Liena – 3 points

They continue down the wake and area, and float along with the “tide”. A huge rock grows bigger and bigger, and Alzar’s ships moves around it. It looks like great rocky asteroid, with some vegetation in a few valleys, and some ragged stones on top. The fleet berths on the edge of the rocks, outside of dangerous areas, Alzar heads on to scout.

He finds:

The cave contains a monster sized bed, covered with mounds of straw. Everything is the cave is of huge proportions, forks and knives, chest as big as a skiff, and an empty wooden corral at the far end. A flock of huge sheep enter the cave, and behind them is heavy breathing.

Alzar hides using Without a Trace and there is a beholder who moves in and secures the cave, moving rocks around with telekinesis. It’s a huge, gargantuan beholder about 10 times the normal size of one. Alzar can’t hide magically. So the Without a Trade works for now, and then the hides under some sheep. One is eaten. As the creature rests, Alzar slips to search, and picks ht lock and finds inside the chest thousands and thousands of copper pieces:

Alphaks Face on one side, “Alphatia Above All,, - Emperor Alphaks I” on the other side. He secures a few for later.

Alzar uses his OtherSpace to hide for a while. Teleporting hasn’t seemed to work, but extradimensional spaces are not affected. They head out in the morning. Alzar follows, and slips out, heads back to the ships, and then they head away, quietly,

Vanya – 10 points
Koryis – 18 points
Alphaks – 10 points
Alphatia - 7 points
Bemarris – 10 points
Liena – 3 points

Abe Sargent

11-17-2015, 12:13 PM

Two days later a large silver cloud moves to block their path. Hundreds of miles and wide. There is a huge tower on top. They berth here, and Alzar heads up the cloud to the Tower. A brass door at the bottom of the tower opens and a man dressed in long white robes appears. He raises a hand to greet Alzar, and welcomes him to his kingdom. This is a fellow immortal, and this is his land. He is the Keeper of the Sky Winds, and he direct the winds and such for the stars here. He shapes the cloud into various forms for Alzar as needs, and Alzar heads in.

He offers food to feed the sailors, and creates it for them and sends it to their vessels. He is I n the same sphere as Koryis and was asked to check in.

A great empire once ruled this area, but they destroyed themselves long ago. A man named Alphaks was the final emperor here, and his people betrayed him. But even before that, he was utterly evil and self-serving. Alzar mentions the two places he passes, and he knows nothing of beholders, but the people on the paradise island are descendants of old prisoners. Koryis is involved in some battle with another immortal over some current things. There is a place across the void that has the ability to send the travelers back to their homeland, in a dense fog. Alzar asks for info, and he gives him a large lather bag that contains a powerful wind. Release the wind at the right time. Meanwhile, the winds on this path will push him to the right place, eventually. But he knows other immortals are here as well, and involved, not just his ally and the one he faces.

Vanya – 10 points
Koryis – 23 points
Alphaks – 5 points
Alphatia - 7 points
Bemarris – 10 points
Liena – 8 points
6

Abe Sargent

11-17-2015, 03:56 PM

Several hundred feet ahead, the cloud ends, and another is here. Sitting on it, her legs swaying in the void below, is a giantess, waving at the party’s ship., and she calls for help. She is a cloud giantess.

Alzar has two longboats head over to her and bring her in. She is Kenatha and was sleeping on the edge of her homeland when the cloud broke away and moved down the void. Alzar agrees to tow her back home. She begins to blow some wind into the sails that can work to gently push the correct direction. Alzar heads to the land of clouds, off the wake, and lands with her and the two head up…

Vanya – 15 points
Koryis – 23 points
Alphaks – 5 points
Alphatia - 10 points
Bemarris – 12 points
Liena – 8 points

Several hundred yards away from the ships, Alzar follows Kenatha as she steps onto a huge stairway that heads down into the clouds. Thunderous voices cry out her name, as she arrives and she walks to the head table of an older one wearing a crown, and he raises his hand and asks for silence, and she introduces Alzar

He grabs a fork and throws it at Alzar! It misses. The giants do not listen to Kenatha, and they refuse to heed her. They move in, ready to attack . And these are gargantuan giants, about 5 times larger than normal.

Alzar makes his Spellcraft prof, and something is off. But they are too big for Charm or Mass Charm. What about Dispel? He casts the priest Dispel Magic at one and her battle frenzy drops and she moves to flank Kenatha. Alzar Dispels another, but there are 10 giants here, and he’ll be out of Dispels soon. He tries the Disjunction, and it works, and his final Dispel is spent works too. 5 giants freed. That evens the numbers.

He is forced to slay two giants, two more are killed, and the king is captured by other freed giants. They hold him here, and Kenatha grabs some treasure from his pocket and gives it to him:

10000 pp
+5 Short Sword
Staff of Harming
Large Flying Carpet
+4 throwing hatchet

Vanya – 20 points
Koryis – 23 points
Alphaks – 5 points
Alphatia - 10 points
Bemarris – 14 points
Liena – 8 points

Abe Sargent

11-17-2015, 06:23 PM

More time passes. The fleet is beginning to run out of food. Alzar’s magic items can keep up with water, but nothing else.

Another of these sky islands moves in front of the fleet soon enough, and there put in on it. Alzar heads to the 10-mile ish place and there are lots of trees, water, and even a ton of turkeys, just randomly on the island. Needing to get some food, water, and wood for repairs, some officers authorize landing parties to the island, even though Alzar specifically said not to. He’s 13 ships don’t. They know better.

Alzar finds a sorceress on the island who casts a spell at him, but it hits his MR. He casts Time Stop and moves in, casting Flesh to Stone and Power Word Kill, both fail, and she smiles, and stops.

“Welcome pet of Morena. She really adores you, brags about how the Sphere of Matter we are in together is going to get much stronger after you join our ranks.”

She introduces herself as Kersia, another immortal of Matter, like Morena. She lives here on the sky island. After introductions, she tells Alzar that about 20 of his men came onto the island, and were turned by herself into turkeys. It’s just protections. She shows Alzar where, but a bunch of the turkeys were taken back and are being eaten right now.

Alzar heads to the beach, where a variety of turkeys are being slaughtered, and more are being cooked. Alzar tells Kersia to wait, and talks with her somemore. Not wanting to reveal himself.

Turkeys are being used as food, carving, being stored for later, and fruit from the island, but normal food, and wood is being stored too. Alzar asks if they can stay for a few days, after he reminds the crew who is in charge, and she’s fine – doesn’t see a lot of company.

After waiting about 90 minutes, Alzar “reruns” to the fleet.

“The first party that left the ship has disappeared. I found them after some searching. I left clear instructions, that no one was to leave the ships until I scouted the area, and then returned. Want to know what happened to those people? Here I’ll show you.” Alzar casts Dispel at one dead turkey and it turns into one of the crew. “You are eating them. The first group to come ashore, in violation of my direct instructions not to was turned into food, and you ate them. They died. We’ve been on multiple dangerous islands, and the fact that I scout first keeps you alive. You do not embark without clear and specific instructions from me. 20 of our people have died, I hope you enjoyed the meal. The four officers who approved you to head to shore are demoted and stripped of their rank, and will be left here on this island after we leave. ”

A few days later, Kersia and Alzar are discussing the are, and she suggests that he go to the Underworld section of this area, and shows a secret path down there, and secret steps. There is someone down there that can direct Alzar safely.”

Vanya – 20 points
Koryis – 28 points
Alphaks – 8 points
Alphatia - 10 points
Bemarris – 14 points
Liena – 10 points

Abe Sargent

11-17-2015, 10:44 PM

Four days later, Alzar has a favorable wind to get to the Underworld which is not of the normally course, and he takes just one ship, and leaves the others here to repair. Not trusting the four officers, he brings them with him

The way to the underworld narrows until it’s a thin black line with about four hundred feet of clearance on each side Then a large magical longship, steered by shadows and captained by a great roaring demon sails up to the ship, and calls out to Alzar The demon tells Alzar that only his special ship can reach the Underworld, and tries to convince Alzar to leave his ship, sent it back, and then get aboard the shadowy vessel. Alzar doesn’t leave, and the demon tries magical domination, but that fails to. So it attacks

Roaring Demon – 16 HD, AC -5, 80 hp, THACO 5, 1 weapon in each hand, +3 damage, 80 MR.

It flies over to Alzar’s longship, and his axe heads over to and they meet.

Alzar kills it in 3 turns.

The shadows dissipate, but ht magical longship. They tow it and move on. They arrive and pass a gate. Rising of the dull black water is a small island of dark earth, and they berth here. There is an alate,r and in front of it a deep pit. The pit opens onto the Sphere of Entropy. Alzar follows the instructions given by Kersia, and a bunch of undead rise, move, and bathe in blood that is flowing from the altar, drinking it and strengthening. A spirit arrives later, and this is the soul of a dead character, a lawful neutral ghost.

“Hear me now my friend, for your path is difficult and many forces oppose your endeavors. Alphaks has become an immortal after betraying his primary philosophy He is the one who desires your death, Alzar, and the destruction of mankind on Pandius. He plots vengeance against his own kin. Beware of his wrath, for you have drawn yourself too high, and are subject to his sight. His eternal hatred is potent. If you survive his desire for your deaths, you may return to Norwold, alone, in a foreign ship Do not hurt Vanya’s sheep, on Tharl. You do not want to make enemy of that one.”

The spirit lingers. Alzar casts Resurrection o nit, and

Theyrex ,LN, level 14 Mystic, AC -4, 4 attacks a round – fist, fist, foot, foot – 5d6x4, STR 14, INT 14, DEX 17, CON 16, WIS 15, CH 13. No items anything.

Theyrax comes with Alzar as a useful ally

Vanya – 25 points
Koryis – 33 points
Alphaks – 8 points
Alphatia - 10 points
Bemarris – 14 points
Liena – 15 points

Abe Sargent

11-17-2015, 11:24 PM

They return to the island that they left, but a full month has passed, as time goes in different directions there. They have left the island. Kersia gives Alzar instructions about two dangers ahead – a great flat sea with three small kingdoms, powerful wandering rocks, and two horrible monsters, one that makes whirlpools.

Alzar’s two ships continue on after grabbing some provisions.

Beyond the remaining space ahead, expends a titanic horizontal spiral of water, spreading curing arms all the way to the rim. The center forms a great flat sea that seems navigable, and covered with the dome of light and such like normal. Above and beneath the great spiral are and endless region of vast floating clusters of rough stones tumbling about,

Sail on the sea? Sail in the empty spaces between the flat spiral and the stones? Sail under the sea spiral? Alzar chooses the rocks.

A multitude of jagged rocks are here, and Alzar casts the occasional spell to push them back or to change the speed of his vessel. One slips his defenses, hits the ship he is in for 13 hull points of damage. He remains on the course and makes it across. Forewarned by Kersia, he actually wound up taking the safer way. (The others are guarded by creature sand such). They also skip a bunch of encounters in here too, by taking the fast way out.

Vanya – 30 points
Koryis – 33 points
Alphaks – 8 points
Alphatia - 10 points
Bemarris – 14 points
Liena – 15 points

On the far side, the sky turns black and wind pickup. Ground swells rock the vessels as huge rolling waves appear roaring at the horizon, and the storm grows increasing violent. Alphaks is so upset that his special trap for Alzar was defeated that he sends this storm, and won’t let Alzar past. More and more swells hit his ship until…..

It’s destroyed.

Vanya – 35 points
Koryis – 33 points
Alphaks – 18 points
Alphatia - 10 points
Bemarris – 14 points
Liena – 15 points

Abe Sargent

11-18-2015, 12:25 AM

Alzar doesn’t lose anything – and the others don’t either. Something fights back, letting htem kepe their stuff (Koryis). They float along on wood and such, and then arrive at a small platform, where the winds of the void and the local tides drop them off.

It’s a madmade wooden platform, and rocks a stone observation tower with an unknown flag atop and a faint horn that can be made out, when a small and study skiff arrives to the platform.

There are a group of men and women that are a part of the Delthan garrison, and their leader, a lietenant named Torrick is a 20th level paladin, commissioned by his superiors to hold the tower. They are invited up to the tower, and fed and washed and more. The tower is simply built, with a Spartan appearance to it. There is a large fleet that sailed by their tower recently, and the Delthans are pretty worried about it. They think it belong sto one of their foes, the Gammarians. There are also Belthans here as well. A new war could begin if that fleet was theirs. Frictions are commond, and the truce is weak.

Alzar can wait here for the next small sail ship, and a truce flag, that will get him port in Delthar, and is given a written permit. It would be a month. But he doesn’t want that. He offers to buy the one ship they have, and take it, and they can wait for a month. After negotaion, they spend 10000 gp for it.

They set sail and As they do, a large fleet comes sailing towards him with more than 100 vessels in it. Alzar spies the flag of Norwald and his own people, and this is their fleet. Alzar and the fleet rejoin, and only 6 vessels, plus Alzar’s one, were destroyed, so they have 124 left (Bemarris didn’t want the fleet of Norwold destroyed up here, so he moved the fleet in time ahead, so it would avoid the obstacles and be reayd when Alzar needed)

Vanya – 40 points
Koryis – 38 points
Alphaks – 18 points
Alphatia - 12 points
Bemarris – 17 points
Liena – 15 points

Vanya creates a spirit of heroism and all of the fleets and battles Alzar faces for the rest of the module get +20 BR.

End of Chapter 2…

Abe Sargent

11-18-2015, 11:08 PM

Welcome to the star kingdoms, the three small hemisphereical realms here in the sky.

What’s really great about this is that the first Chapter plays like a Choose Your Own Adventure. If this happens, so to that section, if that happened instead, go here… The second section is basically a “Play in this order” chapter since the encounters have to be done in order. But this one? Pure role playing. They have three star kingdoms, some pirates ,and the merhcants guild all here. Everntaully you need to find and get to the mists, that take you back. It’s all good stuff. You have the full flexibility to do anything you want.

There are:

Delphans – These folks lie between the fleet, and the far side of this area, which likely has the Mists on it. There is a large central city with a capital of this lawful society, the most powerful paladin, rules, and countess towers are outposts that float about, guarding and protecting them.

Belphans – These neutrals have the biggest of the areas, with a council that is ruled by many, and are to the right, with a large military, navy, and base of operations.

Gammarians – These chaotic folks live on a rock and have a base of operations to the left. They are ruled by the strongest mage, and have the smallest population. These three spheres of control block off the area. You can’t get through without going through at least one of their areas.

Merchant Guild – Beyond the spheres is a netural rock that’s floating out in space, and allied with , and used by, all three of the star kingdoms.

There are also some space pirates that raid and such as well.

It’s unlikely that any of these three areas would allow a a big giant fleet to cross their space uncontested. Alzar orders the fleet to hold up here, outside of the space, and then takes the sailship to the Delphan, since he has a writ for them

Abe Sargent

11-19-2015, 12:48 AM

Alzar passes by their borders, shows them the ship and his passage from the tower they passed, and they let him arrive at their central location. After three hours, Alzar has secured a meeting with the ruler with Diplomacy and Court Intrigue proficiencies and such.

Alzar meets with King Korwant, a 36th level paladin, who leads the Delthar forces. And kingdom. There are 50000 people that live here in Delthar, similar to the sky islands seen before, but much bigger, covered with rich farmlands and several villages in key points. A powerful church council rules the LG nation state, and the place is more of a theocracy than a true kingdom. After one king dies, the church council selects the next – it’s not hereditary

He wants access for his fleet, food and other supplies, and information for the local area. After talking and negotiating, here is what he is given:

1). Alzar’s fleet will be resupplied by merchant vessels from the Delphan folks. They had out, escorting Alzar back.
2). Alzar’s fleet is denied the right to move through their zone of control.
3). Alzar is given information, supplies, and more, in exhcnage for agreeing to not violate their space

Alzar meets with various sages and such, and learns more.

As suspected, the plane they are on is the former home of Alphatia, which the current people call Old Alphatia. A planet that was their home was destroyed, and only these islands and civilizations are left. In fact, the star kingdoms are all descendants of the original folks. Emperor Alphaks I was ruler when a major rift began, and he sided with the wrong side, and lost. Alphaks opened a great rift in the mists here, and fled with the Alphatian navy to the other side. They show Alzar where the mists are,and he gets the information needed.

Abe Sargent

11-19-2015, 01:35 PM

He gets a good feel for the entire area, and they suggest that he go after Gammar, the central area of the Gammarian folks. Their fleet has roughly 12 special ships called Phase Ships, and these are the descentants of the people that forced Alphaks out, and they suspect that the current leader, the CE Halzunthram is not abiding by treaties with other states.

Alzar pushes the relationship with Delthar. Both Belthar and Gammar will move against Delthar, because they fear the larger andmor eorganized Delthan forces.

He returns to the fleet, and gets the promised aid for his ships. Three days later they find themselves at the border of Gammar.

Alzar draws up attack plans if needed, and then sends a signal to a ship on the edge of their space that he would like to parley. After a day of waiting, no vessels have come, so he orders the fleet to cross into Gammar space, but instead of going after their capital, he moves to angle the fleet to the right of their capital, so they can pass their territory and get to the Merchants Guild and then the Mists.

After two days, the Gammarian fleet has arrived to harass them They have special magical Phaseships they call “Skysharks”

http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads6/PhaseDemo.gif

They can phase in and out of the plane, and then dodge attacks, and then fire artillery. They can fly, phase in to fire their ballista, and then phase back. They have 15 ships, but 5 are on missions, 10 are here. Due to their special powers, that are hard to track down, and more of a harassing force than anything else.

Abe Sargent

11-19-2015, 07:38 PM

They like to phase in, concentrate their ballistas on just one vessel, and then phase out. It’s a pretty powerful design. They destroy a galley from phasing in as Alzar orders the fleet to turn about and head for their capital, the floating asteroid of Gammar. Thye phase in to hit vessels far from him, so he casts Mount, boards the flying Griffon, and then flies over to check things out. They phase in and after a few rounds, a small ship is badly wounded. Alzar is almost to them, and they phase out again, like phase spiders or blink dogs.

They phase in, and Alzar flies over a tad to get into range and then casts Mass Domination, and 14 of the 20 crew are now following his command. They attack and kill the other 6, and 2 of them die, 12 left. That vessel stops, and then Alzar lands on it. The other phaseships leave and don’t return. Alzar gets a full rundown of the vessel and it’s powers. The best way to take it out is with magic, not weapons.

Gammar is a tiny spherical asteroid, no more than 80 miles in diameter, with a variety of terrain typres, and the economy is well developed, with agricultural goods, mining and crafts of various sorts all sold, and about 30000 people here as well./ There are some dragons flying about, protecting it, and a full 14 phaseships are here, the others returned from their scouting missions.

As Alzar’s fleet arrives at the central nation, there is a fortified city of 10000 in the center of the their star kingdom. In order to attack it, the fleet would have to land on the seas, and then move traditionally.

They need to get through 4 dragons and the phaseships in order to land, and then sail to the capital. The Oceansend fleet is in the vanguard position, and Alzar orders it to push against the dragons and ships. He’s nowhere near close enough for the battle. The longships and his navy will land, and hold their position, and the support fleet will use artillery to hit the dragons, while the Royal Assault Squadronm their best fleet, is kept in reserve

3 vessels are destroyed while landing from the Phaseships, and 9 ships are destroyed as three dragons fall, and the 4th flees. But as they do…

Around from the far side of Gammar comes a pirate fleet!

Pirates – 71 BR, 50 small sail ships, artillery on every vessel, 40 Leadership factor, 4000 total hull points. Alzar orders the Assault Squadron to hit them, with the Support Fleet using artillery and the damaged Oceansend fleet to retreat.

Abe Sargent

11-19-2015, 08:49 PM

Let’s play the Sea Machine version of War Machoine (rules are in the module)

They toss a 22, plus the difference in BR and….

The Assault Squadron loses 20% of its fighting force and wins (10% is recoverable later) and they lose 60% (20% is recoverable by us). They flee, and Alzar orders the Assault Squadron and Oceansend Fleet to hold up here, and heal and protect, and the support fleet lands, and the three fleets move on Gammar

A bunch of war canoes and ships head out from small islans and such, and a small force of around 32 smaller ships moves to protest his presenc,e and are easily swept away, at the cost of just 6 of his vessels.

They arrive at the fortified city, and it fires some catapults at them. But he has 47 catapults on his ships, so they more at them. A few phaseships arrive to push him away, but he refuses to move his ships away, and focuses his longships on the phaseships. 4 dead longships later, the walls have been crushed, and their artillery silenced. They surrender a few moments later.

Alzar has taken Gammar

Alzar’s losses:

46 ships total, 11 recoverable

Destroyed – 16 ships recoverable

27 ships replacing the destroyed 46

Alzar spends a week repairing, refitting, and restocking.

Abe Sargent

11-20-2015, 01:58 AM

Meanwhile Alzar gets to use Gammar as a base of operations, but Belthar is moving their fleet over from their territory to hit Alzar. Alzar finds a writ of alliance with the pirates from the ruler’s things, and they were readying to attack both Delthar and Belthar with their phase ships, have each attack look like the other, and start a war.

He has a message ship sent to the Guild of Merchants, neutral space where everyone is free and may not be attacked. He wants to let them know about Gammar’s treachery. Meanwhile, he orders the Royal Assault Squadron and Support squadrons to hit and take out the pirate headquarters, now that their forces have been denuded. 9 days later, he gets news that they captured the headquarters, lost 17 ships permanently ,(after salvage and such) and then 450,000 gp is bought back, and various documents, items, food, and more is secured.

Using scrolls of communication with their leder, Alzar orders the destrouction of their base ,and they come back with everything else.

As Alzar is a high level wizard himself, Gammar doesn’t push back against him fir the roughly month that he and his forces are here. The Council at the Merchants Guild from both Belthar and Delthar hear the evidence, and Belthar agrees to send their fleet back. Additionally, they will both commit a fleet of 10 ships to Alzar’s cause ,and they will head through the mists to attack. Apparently, it’s not a one way trip. Smepirate raids go through the mists, and then return.

The pirates were desendnats of Alphaks’ loyalists. They had a shrine to him as an immortal. So Alzlar had it destroyed, and their most holy of relics, a jar of Alphaks’ blood from when he was Emperor is secured and Alzar takes it.

They will set sail with 10 phase ships, 10 ships each from the Belthar and Delthar navies, and then their own salvaged ships, now repeaired. Alzar grabs plans for making his own phaseships – they are pretty good.

Five and a half weeks after arriving at the Star Kingdoms, Alzar sails out….

Koryis gets +20 for diplomacy with Delphans, Vanya +40 for attacking and conquering the Gammar and pirates. Bemarris gets +20 for 50% of the Norwold fleet surviving, Alphatia gest gets +20 for Alphak’s secret being found out, and hurting him.

Ends of Chapter 3:

Vanya – 80 points
Koryis – 58 points
Alphaks – 18 points
Alphatia - 32 points
Bemarris – 37 points
Liena – 15 points

Liena heals and resurrects the Oceansend navy as they pass through the mists and head back, even bringing back dead vessels. She insures they will emerge fine. Gammar wants Alzar to rule them, as he would fix their internal squabbling by having a strong wizard who conquered them at their head, thus no one internal party is strengthened or preferred. But he can’t promise that he’ll be able to return, and he heads back.

Abe Sargent

11-20-2015, 05:12 PM

Slowly the star mist clears, and the Norwold navy, with the reinforcements from the Star Kingdoms is on the sea, off the coast of Norwold as before. Fresh salty winds attack the lungs and force out the unhealthy air that was breathed in on the other side.

A large volcanic island is off the fleet’s front, and a sickening smell can just be made out, as the poisonous mist that assaulted Norwold is coming from the volcanic island, and then heading to the nearby coast of Norwold. It’s not coming from the Barony of Qeodhar. The lookout cries out!

A huge fleet, of undead creatures manning them, with great ironclads, large galleys covered with dark metal, that are create by Alphaks to protect his volcano at all cost, emerge and move out.

This will not be easy:

The Dreadnaughts of Death – 214 Battle Rating, Elite, 120 ironlads, 24,000 hull ponts, 12000 undead troops on the vessels, Commander is a lich with 60 leadership.

Alzar has combined his forces into one, giant force:

Combined Norwold/Star Kingdoms Fleet – 130 Battle Rating, 116 vessels, 6400 hull, Alzar has 70 leadership

Now – two bonuses – Alzar gets +20 from Rod of Victory and +20 from Vanya’s spirit of Heroism. That gives him a 170 vs 214, but they have a ton more ships, hull, forces, and a better BR.

With a -41 br, they need to roll really well.

Abe Sargent

11-20-2015, 08:53 PM

Here we go:

The Dreadnaughts win, and they lose 10% of their ship, And Alzar’s 25%.

Alzar orders the fleet to retreat, and he slips into the water, and with his Necklace of Adapation, can survive. He summons a 16 HD Water Elemental wth the Face of Xenous, and it’ll protect him and be a bodyguard. They move towards the island, as the Dreadnaughts are pursuing the defeated fleet. He emerges from the water.

This dry rocky mountain is bare of vegetation, and was thrust from the water less than a year ago. A narrow part leaves the shore, roumnds the base of the crater, and there is no visible activity. Although it likely won’t matter, Alzar uses a pinch of Dust of Disappearance anyway.

The narrow ledge is mounted, with a water elemental in tow, and it does back down tht ewater level, and Alzar’s star, scout the entire area, finds a secret door in the rock, and his Chime of Opening forces it open. This door leads into a partially underwater passage, and Alzar moves to the ceiling with Slippers of Spider Climbing.

This corridor arrives at a small round cavern, with a dark, calm water filling it, and a pair of small islands in the middle, with a portcullis blocking the passage on the far side. Rather than play Alzar walks up the ceiling over the islands and avoid hitting dragon turtles and fighting here. He uses the Chime, the portcullis raise, and he moves on

The floor past the portcullis is clen of water, and roughly rectangular. It opens into a large drydock in the center of the volcano, with a exit for the Dreadnaughts on the far side. There are a variety of rails, chains to wheel the ironclads onto metal frames for repair, winches, and more here. A few ledges are here, and Alzar heads up, and finds a small door and enters an oddly shaped corridor.

This is a tube shaped corridor, with mists and fog obscuring much sight, and 7 platforms floating above a portal to a Plane in the Sphere of Entropy at the bottom. At the top of the 7 platforms is a teleportation arch, similar to ones Alzar has seen before.

The water elemental heads down the tunnel, and then moves to the first platform, and then heads to the next and so forth. At the top, nothing has happened, but the whole area detects as magic, so Alzar needs to make sure he’s not falling and heading down. He conjures a greater stone elemental to be here and grabs him if he fails or is pushed off or something.

Alzar makes it to the top, and the trio of them teleport….

Abe Sargent

11-20-2015, 09:14 PM

A 10 foot tall hourglass with white sand flowing down and turning black is this room’s sole decoration. Turning and smiling at Alzar is the avatar, and material form of Alphaks, as a Roaring Demon. Two large windows overlook the sea below, and they have teleported near the top of the volcano.

“Welcome mortal. Finally you have reached the end of your journey. Congratulations Alzar! But you have put a false faith into the designs of spheres of Matter, Time, or Energy. Everything ends. Everything dies. Everything dissolves. That is the truth of Entropy. You are evil, you know what I speak of. Some seize power as the world ends. I have. You have served your purpose well, and helped to bring the end of Norwald, Alphatia, and others, but now, it is time for a reward. But what will it be? I can be your patron, bring you into Entropy, and you can forswear your allegiances to that dwarf bitch and your jackal lover. Or I can kill you, and end the path to immortality of Alzar right now, and you will be a footnote in history. Is’s your choice.”

Alzar denies him. He snaps his fingers and Alzar’s elementals are destroyed, roares, and two weapons teleport to him, and he attacks:

Avatar of Alphaks – AC-10, HP 110, THACo 1; 2 attacks, +5, +10 vs human Long Sword of Slicing; +5, +10 vs human Dagger of Draining; +3 or better to hit, 80 MR, can cast some priest spells.

Alright, there you are. The Sword will slice off a leg or arm if it rolls a 19 or 20, and the Dagger will drain a level from Alzar each time it hits. (Alzar can wound Alphaks because he has Alphak’s mortal blood in a Bag of Holding)

Abe Sargent

11-20-2015, 10:36 PM

6 vs 2

Alphaks wil hit on anything not named a 1. He hits twice for 1d8+10 and 1d4+10 – 25 damage total. Alzar loses a level, a HP with it. His axe attacks twice back, but he needs a 6 to hit. 7 and 3 rolled, and the Barrier gest 5 and misses too. Alzar deals 21 damage back

Alzar – 57/82
Alphaks – 89/110

4 vs 3

Alphaks stabs Alzar and Alzar loses 27 hp and another level. Alzar casts Time Stop, and then Heal, followed by Lower Resistance. The spell resolves, he is healed, and the spell doesn’t work

6 vs 1

Alphaks hits twice for 24 and another level. Alzar slashes and tosses 19, 8 and 8. Misses with the Bright Barrier but doles out 42 damage from axe.

56/80
47/110

7 vs 5

Alphaks casts a Heal spell too. Alzar’s LR spell misses again, and then he tosses a 10, 5,and 16 and hits with the axe and shield for 31.

57/80
79/110

4 vs 8

Alzar finally wins init, slashes and…15, 8, 3 tosses – Alzar hits for 45 damage. Lower Resist fails, and then the avatar casts Heal agan.

1 vs 5

Alzar stabs and hits for 8, 8, 17 – 62 damage total. Alphaks hits for 27 more

31/79
48/110

8 vs 2

Alphaks wins and tries to finish off Alzar – If his hits with both, and tosses 11 damage (out of a possible 12) then it would work. He hits, and tosses 2 an nd 6 – 28 damage. Alzar casts Cure Critial Wounds and heals 40.

43/78

6 vs 9

Alzar slashes out and hits with a 19, 3, and then 15 for 24 and 11 damage – 35 total. Alphaks is just too wounded, and teleports away for good.

After forcing Alphaks away, Alzar explores the room and windows, and there is a portal here that opens to other places. The mist is coming from it. Alzar chooses to flip the hourglass, the the portal begins to close. The volcano, raised by Alphaks, now gone, and supporting portals that are beginning to close shakes, and Alzar teleports out.

But it doesn’t work. The area is teleport locked. He casts Mount, leaps through the window to the back of the Griffin, and moves to fly away.

Final Score:

Vanya – 80 points
Koryis – 58 points
Alphaks – 18 points
Alphatia - 42 points
Bemarris – 47 points
Liena – 15 points

Abe Sargent

11-20-2015, 11:31 PM

A great earthquake hits the ground, and tsunamis roll outward, and will move towards the Norwald fleet to drop it. Storm clouds roll in, and in two rounds, lightning begins to fire from the clouds, crashing into the island and punishing it. A great Lightning Bolt cascades into Alzar and hits him for 46 damage, no save – it’s immortal magic, unfettered by the boundaries of someone taking physical form. The bolt slays the griffin, and Alzar begins to fall to the ocean. He has two rounds before hitting, and uses one to enter OtherSpace, grabs some potions, casts the Fly spell (did not memorize it, but is using the Spell recall spell) and then leaves, flying under his own power.

A great maelstrom has formed, one more, with a giant whirlpool, earthquakes, electrical storms and more. While the Dreadnoughts of Death have returned to their place of creation else-where and else-when the Norwald fleet is being pulled back, soldiers are in the water from ships and boats that were broken, and the full frenzy of the immortals against Alphaks is catching the Norwald bystanders up. Alzar flies over to search, and suddenly..

The Maelstrom is over. The sea, sky, and others are all calm. No remnants of the island. A small merchant fleet from the Barony of Qoadhar is saling by, and Alzar spots it and flies over. Baron Norlan is on board, sailing to Alphatia on secret business. He introduces himself to Alzar, and Alzar takes him into a cabin in their ship and speaks behind closed doors and away from prying eyes.

Is Baron Norlan heading to the capital? Yes. To solidify his relationship with them? Yes. “To ask for Princess Mariella’s hand in marriage?

Baron Norlan looks very suspiciously at Alzar, and doesn’t answer. Don’t worry Baron, I have a good spy network in the capital. The Empress Eradne is going to say no. Alzar asks about the spy Baron Norlan sent to him recently, and he’s not sure what Alzar is talking about. Must have ben sent by Alphaks, not Norlan. In order to keep Baron Norlan of Qeodhar from going to Alphatia and causing a diplomatic issue, he agrees to initiate relations, and to give the Barony most favored trade status, which will result in a loss of tariffs for their goods in his March, but in increase of trade with his merchants, so they get ore wealth, but he gets less.

Abe Sargent

11-20-2015, 11:52 PM

Alzar teleports back home, and as he does, he is interrupted by Vanya.

He won with more favor from Vanya that the others. She gives him +1 to his main stats (INT), restores his lost levels, and meets with him.

In order to save the Norwold forces, Vanya, who is in the Sphere of Time, reversed time, and restored Alzar and others to 2 weeks before he left ,as Baron Norlan was heading out. Only Alzar, immortals, time-sensitive people like Chronomancers, and immortal sensitive folks like other immortality seekers will know. But most won’t know what or why.

Immortals are not allowed to directly act on mortals on Pandius, that’s against the rules of the game. Immortals sometimes bend the rules, that’s allowed. But they need to steer clear of direct intervention like he performed. That’s what keeps things interesting.

There is a council of immortals that protects the plane. They intervened, and he was punished. Alphaks is banned from Pandus and from retruning. Alzar should not see him again, although he had a few allies, but not even Entropy likes him that much. His sponsor was Thanatos, and even Thanatos has left him.

Alzar gains a level from the XP - he gains +1 5th and 6th level spells.

Abe Sargent

11-21-2015, 12:12 AM

Vanya goes ahead and agrees to sponsor Alzar now. She’s not really a wait-and-meditate can of Immortal anyway, she wants action, action, action. Here is the path Alzar must hew for the Sphere of Time

The Path of the Dynast

1. Alzar must create a realm with a human population of at least 50000 or demi-human of 15000.
2. Alzar’s March must gain independance from Alphatia and Norwold, and stand on its own
3. Alzar must quest for, find, and destroy artifacts from the Milenian Empire.
4. Alzar must create a dynasty that will endure from his realm, and his successsors must rule for at least 20 years
5. Alzar must travel into the future to three separate times, and secure his realm and dynasty’s future
6. Alzar must face and defeat 4 major challenges to his rule

Vanya will leave Alzar to it. She has swapped some over. Normally you would need to quest for an artifact that allows temporal travel,but he already can, so she has moved to something more personal.

End of M1. Into the Maelstrom

The other plane, Old Alphatia, did not have its time reset, and Alzar still conqured Gammar and the Pirates, but the mists are closed and the portal gone. He can’t get there in a normal way. But he can with another. He has some rocks from there. He can cast Worldwalk and open his own gate teo Gammar from Pandius.

Alzar heads over with Worldwalk. The locals had their ships restored by the Immortals, and Alzar brings back five phaseships from Gammar, and begins to build a set of shipyards here in Evenarrow, in addition to the drydocks already here.

Abe Sargent

11-21-2015, 12:27 AM

By the end of Year 8:

The March of the Mighty

Ruler – Marquis Alzar

Hex #1(Evenarrow) – Villages – Evenarrow - 331 families – On the southern coast of the little jutting peninsula, this village fishes south in the Great Sea and the entrance there brings in some nice saltwater fish. With a small set of docks, Alzar will be expanding Evenarrow into the capital of his March. It’s in the perfect place. The rest of the Hex is really small villages here and there or individual shepherds and there is large area, near the mountains on the western part of the hex that has Cassiterite deposits that can be opened to mine.

Details – 758 families
7 resource gp

Monthly Income – Standard Income - 720 gp/month
Tax Income – 72 gp/month
Resource Income – 504/month
Total – 13644/month (x18 multiplier)

Hex #2 (Storn) – North of Evenarrow is this highly populated hex, southeast of the mountains, and with some amount on the Alphatian Sea. Forest and some hills.

Villages – Storn – 409 families, inland, center of the hex, they grow grapes on the hills here.
Riverton – 204 families, On a small river from the mountains to the sea, shepherds

Details – 922 families

Monthly Income - Standard Income - 890 gp/month
Tax Income – 89 gp/month
Resource Income – 267/month
Total – 12,908/month (x14 multiplier)

Alzar will be building up Storn here as well, later on.

Hex #3 (Augustia)– East of Evenarrow and Storn, and flanked by the coast, this hex is the last full hex in the area in the waters. Lead has been mined before just south of Farhome and there’s open mines there ready to be used, if they are cleaned out and reinforced.

Villages - Augustia – 191 families, on the northern coast, fish the Alphatian Sea
Farhome – 70 families, grapes, on hills by western edge of hex
Asantia – 104 families, farmers in southern coast of hex.

Details – 618 families

Monthly Income - Standard Income - 540 gp/month
Tax Income – 54 gp/month
Resource Income – 378/month
Total – 11124/month (x18 multiplier)

Hex #4 (Rostock) –, this heavy forested hex is next to the Ljallenvals and has an elf-hold of 122 elves living here too.

Village – Rostock – 139 families, they have a small quarry here they use to harvest stone and rocks of quality and send them elsewhere. 3 resource GP

Details - 344 families, 1 good – Stone

Monthly Income – Standard Income - 560 gp/month
Tax Income – 56 gp/month
Resource Income – 168/month
Total – 4816/month (x14 multiplier)

The Ljallenvals:

Saffir - - This mountainous region has a central valley and the major northern route through the Ljallenvals. It is north of Rostock and northwest of Storn.

Village – Saffir – 291 families, they farm vegatables here and sell them on the trade route. 1 resource GP. Saffir has a castle just built.

Details - 479 families, 1 good – Farming

Monthly Income – Standard Income - 3320 gp/month
Tax Income – 332 gp/month
Resource Income – 332/month
Total – 5748/month (x12 multiplier)

Hammerhelm - - This mountainous region has a part of the southern route through the Ljallenvals. It is south of Rostock and southwest of Evenarrow. No humans live up here, just dwarves. Unlike other hexes, this one will not grow via immigration.

Dwarfhold- Hammerhelm – 346 families live in this dwarfhold, now the second largest in Norwold. They mine verite, several other ores, and harvest fungus. +9 resource GP.

Details - 346 families, 1 good – Farming

Monthly Income – Standard Income - 3460 gp/month
Tax Income – 0 gp/month Dwarves don’t pay taxes
Resource Income – 3114/month
Total – 6,574/month (x19 multiplier)

Roselia - - This mountainous region has a central valley and the major northern route through the Ljallenvals. It is north of Saffir and northeast of Fanjy Way-Station.

Village – Roselia – 181 families, they collect herbs here and sell them on the nearby trade route. There’s also some gems that are mined and found in the area as well - 4 resource GP. Roselia is quiet, and one of the safest places in the Ljallenvals.

Details - 261 families, 2 goods – Herbs and Gems

Monthly Income – Standard Income - 2490 gp/month
Tax Income – 249 gp/month
Resource Income – 249/month
Total – 4176/month (x16 multiplier)

Fanjy Way-Station – This small town in the mountains along the northern trade route has very few people. North-west of Saffir, north of Silvercrest, north and east of the Ice Tomb area, and southwest of Roselia. This is where the Aarakockra nests are found, but they are not a part of the domain.

Village - Fanjy Way-Station – 42 families – they Fish a local brook here. 1 good, animal. 1 resource GP.

Details – 51 families, 1 goods – Fish

Monthly Income – Standard Income - 510 gp/month
Tax Income – 51 gp/month
Resource Income – 51/month
Total – 622/month (x12 multiplier)

Silvercrest – This small, harsh area has little to lend itself. West of the elves (and Tabi) forest with Rostock, southwest of Saffir, and north of Gold Dragons, and south of Fanjy, south east of Ice Tomb, and east of Varner. Mostly dwarves live here, and work the mines.

Silvercrest – 22 families – they mine some local mines here, 1 good, mineral. 3 resource GP.

Details – 29 families, 1 goods – Silver

Monthly Income – Standard Income - 270 gp/month
Tax Income – 27 gp/month
Resource Income – 81/month
Total – 406/month (x14 multiplier)

Ice Tomb – No one currently lives here, makes taxes, or works any industry

Rustborough – This mountainous hex is the furtherest most west in the Ljallenvals, and southwest of Ketherington. It’s the most wild of the remaining places, and needs to be tamed more. Until it is, income from here is halved.

Rustborough – 69 families – On the river. They collect and grow various root vegetables, like carrots, and potatoes in the town itself. There is also an iron mine up river with 24 families working it.

Details – 117 families, 2 goods – Iron, Root Vegetables

Monthly Income – Standard Income - 1050 gp/month
Tax Income – 105 gp/month
Resource Income – 420/month
Total – 1755/month (x15 multiplier)

Dehnsten Keep – This mountainous hex is along the southern passage, and between Stormhaven and Varner. Although not a lot of people live here, the local keep, along the pass, help to keep things safe, and the local rules are a family of polymorphed and powerful gold dragons.

Dehnsten - 44 families – On the trade route. They hunt, kill, and skin various mountain animals like deer and goats for food and trade.

Details – 76 families, 1 goods – Animal Skins and Furs

Monthly Income – Standard Income - 670 gp/month
Tax Income – 67 gp/month
Resource Income – 134/month
Total – 975/month (x13 multiplier)

Varner – High in the mountains, along the trade route, Varner is hit more by aerial attacks that anything else. A small inn, and gathering station is the only civilization in the area. The only thing that’s not for mere survival is a chandlery in the town.

Varner - 28 families – On the trade route. They trade goods from local places, and make candles from various oils and fat.

Details – 36 families, 1 goods – Candles

Monthly Income – Standard Income - 330 gp/month
Tax Income – 33 gp/month
Resource Income – 33/month
Total – 432/month (x12 multiplier)

Ketherington – The final stop on the southern trade route is Ketherington. It’s in one of the healthiest places in the mountains to thrive and could be like Saffir or Roselia, but it’s value and proximity to the Ice Caves led to it being raided attacked, and kept down. It needs to have its infrastructure built back up, but it has the bones

Ketherington – 71 families - On the trade route, in the foothills, with a large town, but about 50% of the buildings and such are abandoned. Grows various grains, and with a mill, makes multiple types of bread and sells them. There are also extensive coal deposits that are mined and grabbed near the surface, and those are sold as well.

Details – 102 families, 2 goods – Bread, Coal

Monthly Income – Standard Income - 870 gp/month
Tax Income – 87 gp/month
Resource Income – 348/month
Total – 1530/month (x15 multiplier)

Raider’s Point -

This hex is the far point on the peninsula that is across the channel from Evenarrow and Bergholm Isle. It’s just four hexes from the Barony of Moonhold, where Sandralane is. It has two resources – fish and salt.

Raider’s Point – This hex is the far point on the peninsula that is across the channel from Evenarrow and Bergholm Isle. It’s just four hexes from the Barony of Moonhold, where Sandralane is.

Villages – Raider’s Point - 101 families – This coastal village is on the bay to the east of the province, and brings in a lot of salt.
Havendrop – 39 families – this northern village is near the tip of the hex. It fishes north. Defenses built here.

Details – 481families
3 resource gp – Fish and salt

Monthly Income – Standard Income - 690 gp/month
Tax Income – 69 gp/month
Resource Income – 207/month
Total – 6734/month (x14 multiplier)

Hex #5 - (Spearhold) – This hex is southwest of Raider’s Point and northeast of the mountains in Eagles’ Barrier. With just two resources, it has only grain and potatoes here.

Villages – Spearhold - 60 families – Virtually everyone lives in this farming village, growing either potatoes or grains.

Details – 287 families
2 resource gp – Grain and Potatoes

Monthly Income – Standard Income - 680 gp/month
Tax Income – 68 gp/month
Resource Income – 136/month
Total – 3731/month (x13 multiplier)

Bergholm Island –

Although it spreads across via two hexes, it’s really the size of one full hex, and we’ll treat it as such. Heavily mountainous and with very few places to do stuff.

250 Families; 2 resources, 1 mineral, 1 vegetable – Copper mines and berries.

Just one village: Bergholm Villa – 176 families, they are on a river where it meets the Great Sea, and the place is elevated too. Form here they can reach both some copper mine and harvest the numerous berry bushes that grow all over.

Monthly Income - Standard Income - 290 gp/month
Tax Income – 29 gp/month
Resource Income – 116/month
Total –3750/month (x15 multiplier)

78303 Income

EXPENSES – 43105 + Tithe, Taxes

Military – 27140
Navy – 4215
March Staff - 4920
Specialist Staff – 11550
Stronghold Staff - 7160
Taxes to Ericall – 20% (15900)
Tithe to Matter Temple – 10% (7810)

Treasury – 409,922

Abe Sargent

11-21-2015, 01:25 AM

Vanya

(Belbion, Faña, the Grey Lady, the Inquisitor, Matera, Varellya)
Patroness of War and Conquerors, Patroness of the Heldannic Knights, Patroness of the Kubitts
Level, Alignment, Sphere: 23rd (Empyreal), N, Time

Symbol: two short swords crossed over a vertical spear or a black rampant lion on white field (the Heldannic Knights' standard)

Portfolio: war, conquest, victory, pride, honour, strength, feminine power, birth (only in Milenia)

Worshipped in: Cestia, Davania (Arypt, Brasol, Hinterlands, Meghala Kimata, Pelatan), Isle of Dawn (Ekto, Furmenglaive, Kendach, Redstone, Shadow Coast, West Portage, Westrourke), Hollow World (Kubitts, Merry Pirate Seas, Milenia, Oostdok, Stonehaven), Known World (Karameikos, Heldannic Territories, Thyatis), Norwold (Landfall, Oceansend), Savage Coast (Bellayne, Narvaez, Texeiras, Torreón, Vilaverde)

Appearance: a human woman of medium height with brown eyes and long brown hair worn in a single braid, wearing a red armour with scales of a red dragon, horseman's clothes and spurs on the boots, and carrying a pair of weapons always fastened at the belt (long sword or short sword and spear).

History: Vanya was a brave warrior princess of the Kerendan tribe, who lived in Davania around the VII century BC. Fleeing before the marching forces of the Milenian Empire, Vanya led her own people northwards, together with the ancestors of the Thyatians and the Hattians, looking for a refuge where the Milenians would not pursue them. When it was clear that the only hope lay beyond the ocean and that they needed to abandon their homeland, Vanya formed a battalion of brave soldiers, and with hit-and-run raids she delayed the Milenian troops enough to allow the three tribes to build the ships and to sail northward. This sacrifice cost her freedom, since the survivors of her warband were captured and enslaved by the merciless Milenians. After years of serving her hated enemies as a slave, Vanya was sent near the southern border of the Empire, in the Lower Arypt. Here she found an unlikely ally in a Milenian cleric of Khoronus, who admired her indomitable will and eventually fell in love with her. When her master threatened to kill her when she refused to submit to his sexual desires, the Milenian cleric organised her escape and followed her heading southwest in the uncharted wilderness. After days spent marching, they arrived near the coast where Vanya helped many Neathar tribes living here to withstand the might of the rakasta raiders. Thanks to her wits and military prowess, as well as to the superior knowledge she learnt from her Milenian captors, she taught her Neathar allies to build better weapons and armours and trained them in more efficient military tactics. In a decade she became the warleader of a large clan, and later the overlord of a whole coalition of tribes, building a fortress as her seat of power that would have later be renamed Vanya's Rest by the Heldannic Knights that discovered the keep in Lower Arypt. Once the simbasta threat was dealt with, Vanya convinced her allies to plan a massive raid against the northern Milenian outpost she fled many years before. This way she would have halted the Milenian expansion in the south and avenged all the years of slavery she had to endure. Vanya's troops obtained a crushing victory and the city was completely annihilated. Following this success, Vanya returned among his allies and in BC 586 she was proclaimed Queen Varellya (using the name the Neathar gave her, which meant "Victory"). In the following years she faced two major threats to her kingdom but she was ever victorious, until one night Khoronus appeared in her dreams and asked her to abandon her people and to follow him: only in this way she could have earned true immortality. Vanya abdicated in favour of her son and went on a quest, looking for an artifact to travel through time. Thanks to this artifact, she assured her dynasty a firm grip on the Kingdom of Varellya for the centuries to come, and after building the new capital of the kingdom turned Empire in the middle of the Vulture Peninsula (using a fake identity), she finally managed to become immortal in the Sphere of Time around BC 380, leaving her mortal body in the ancient fortress of Vanya's Rest.

From that moment Vanya became patroness of war and victory, and she extended her protection first over the Varellyan Empire, and then over the Thyatian Empire (founded by the descendants of her people, and therefore considered with a special attention). The last consequence of her machinations was the war that led the Order of Vanya to migrate from Thyatis and conquer the Heldann's Freeholds, thus establishing the new theocracy called the Heldannic Territories in AC 956. The Heldannic Knights were then guided by Vanya to find Vanya's Rest and take possession of the Star of Vanya, a priceless artifact the Knights used to improve their military might and impose Vanya's will all around the world.

Personality: Vanya is the perfect example of a person who lived by heaps and bounds. During her mortal life she launched herself without restraint in every war, battle, adventure, challenge, and even personal relationship. As an Immortal she sees with favour all those individuals who live their life to their maximum as much as she did. Vanya appreciates above all those followers who do not hesitate in front of the danger, but are prepared to test their faith and their force of will against impossible challenges. On the other hand, she despises cowardice and does not hesitate to punish the cowards and the traitors. For Vanya war is an art that must be appreciated, practiced and undertaken seriously. She believes in fact that war and conquest are the major forces that influence the history and culture of any society. War tests people's willpower and resourcefulness, where only the best survive to improve the world. At the same time, conquest stimulates progress, since it brings together different civilisations (the victorious and the defeated ones) and forces them to confront each other, mixing elements of both to generate new ideas, new possibilities and new paradigms. Vanya knows that war brings also destruction and desperation, and that if the conqueror is not wise the risk of cancelling all the benefits of the conquest with its dysfunctions (tyranny, abuse and indolence were the mark of the Milenian conquerors to her) are high. Therefore only those who master the art of war will be capable of choosing the future of the world, and for this reason she trains her followers to cover this role. Vanya does not like to maintain the status quo, since her vision of the world reflects her personality: ever changing and full of possibilities, much like any battle. She blesses the winners: she does not care the purpose of the battle, she just cares for victory and the glory that comes with it. Vanya shows no mercy towards the losers or the weak ones, and she does not care to promote kingdoms or laws that will eventually led to stagnation and therefore to indulgence and sloth. She encourages battle and war to strengthen her followers and shape healthier future generations, so that the more skilled (not just the stronger) will be victorious.
Remembering her distress under the Milenians' yoke, Vanya has never forgiven this lot and fights with passion against those Immortals who protect the Milenians (Halav and Petra above all), adding to her enemies Rathanos because of his male chauvinist pomposity.

Patron: Khoronus
Allies: none
Enemies: Rathanos, Halav, Petra, rivalry with the Eternal General
Classic D&D Stats:
Followers' Alignment: any
Favoured weapon: short sword and spear (allowed longsword, bastard sword, dagger, gladius and two-handed sword)
Clerics' skills and powers: free Fighting Instinct general skill; +2 bonus to two general skills among the following (not free): Alertness, Ride, Authority, Military Tactics, Courage, Danger Sens, Terrorise
Avengers' and Paladins' skills and powers: Lay on Hands, free Authority general skill
D&D 3E Stats:
Domains: Time, War, Strength, Courage
Preferred weapon: sword (one type to choose among: longsword, short sword and two-handed sword)

Abe Sargent

11-21-2015, 12:18 PM

Vanya lives her life by moving from one side to others, and not really worrying so much about the concepts of right and wrong. She throws herself with abandon at stuff. Because of that, she doesn’t really have a lot of enemies. Alzar’s desire to go on front and attack, while also mastering tactics, appeals to her, unlike a lot of mages. As you can see from her bio, Vanya has no major allies, and also no major enemies either, outside of one Entropic person, and the two major supporters of the Milenian Empire.

The Milenians were the major force that fought against Vanya when she was alive, and now the fact that part of them survives in the Hollow World when they died on the surface galls her to no end. She believes that war comes to all, and the rightful end of the Milenian Empire should have removed it from the maps. After Liena, she had no current immortal pursuers – the last one died unsuccessfully a few years ago. Vanya sees Alzar as an opportunity to deliver a major blow against the Hollow World’s remnant of the Milenian Empire.

I know that I am looking at:

The Milenian Scepter
Labyrinth of Madness?
Savage Coast stuff?
M3 Twilight
I could run M2 anytime, but I feel like it’s a good conclusion to the 3rd path

And then post-Vanya, and during Thought I want to do:

Vortex of Madness
Night of the Comet
Bestiary of….
M4 Five Coins for a Kingdom
Not sure when to do M5
The Seven?

Post Thought – Wrath

And then Path 5 begins- Entropy

Vecna Lives?
Finishes with Stone

What about Planes of Chaos boxed set? Well of the Worlds? Planes of Law? Return to WPM?

JAG

11-21-2015, 09:13 PM

M4 Five Coins for a Kingdom I had that one! That will be a fun one with Alzar.

Abe Sargent

04-16-2016, 08:35 AM

The next day, its’ time. After Alzar saw how bad Ericall was with the show of force and the ridiculous decisions he made, it’s time.

Alzar teleports to Alpha the next day and sits down to have a conversation with King Ericall. They need to have the talk. Alzar tries to convince Ericall to abdicate. Not using any magic, no force implied, not leaving for Alzar or anyone else in particular, but after more than 10 years of being King, and still making major mistakes and such, Ericall just isn’t well suited for kingship. Ericall obviously refuses, so Alzar instead offers to take just the northern lands and leave Norwold behind. Not one Count, Baron, or anyone else has settled north of the Great Bay or higher. Ericall wouldn’t lose one holding. And the barbarians and demi-humans of the area don’t acknowledge any human authority from Ericall anyway, so he could lose a lot of headache, and focus on the southern and central portions of his nation. And Alzar will even pledge his loyalty to Alphatia, so they won’t lose any land.

But, of course, Ericall says no.

So Alzar sends a diplomat to meet with the Empress Eradne, and Ericall’s mother, to make her the same offer, and to go over her head. She meets with him two days later. She’s a level 36 wizard, and an accomplished Politician, who always puts Alphatia first. Alzar reminds her of his loyalty to her and how he helped Alphatia to keep Norwold in the War of the Crown.

He also lays it all out there. From the initial issues with Alak Dool, after Alzar found him attacking nearby leaders of other states outside him realm and Ericall refusing to do anything about it, and Dool’s fighting against Ericall in the War a few months later, to many subsequent failures. War declared on his state by another, was not censored or sanctioned, and many more citations, all the way through the Maelstrom and the idot display of power that led to the issues that occurred.

King Ericall has proven himself a poor leader.

She agrees with the basic idea, but not the details. Alzar is made Grand Duke of the Mighty, and given all of the northern territory that was unclaimed, but he still owes his fealty to Ericall. Now due to the large land grant this comes with, Alzar is expected to work to build it up, and his fidelity to Ericall won’t be needed for a bit as he does. But he’s still under the aegis of King Ericall

Alzar has gained the northern fourth of Norwold. Now, that’s not wealthy, and that’s not civilized, but he can built forts, create sub-dominions if he wants, expand himself and so forth.

Here’s a rough map of his new area:

http://i1371.photobucket.com/albums/ag295/AbeSargent/The%20Grand%20Duchy%20Year%205_zpsevjqsiiz.jpg

Abe Sargent

04-16-2016, 12:37 PM

After annexing the area, Alzar needs to spend some time annexing, building, and more. But that’s not really Vanya’s style.

As a reminder:

The Path of the Dynast

Alzar must create a realm with a human population of at least 50000 or demi-human of 15000. DONE
Alzar’s March must gain independence from Alphatia and Norwold, and stand on its own
Alzar must quest for, find, and destroy an artifact from the Milenian Empire.
Alzar must create a dynasty that will endure from his realm, and his successors must rule for at least 20 years
Alzar must travel into the future to three separate times, and secure his realm and dynasty’s future
Alzar must face and defeat 4 major challenges to his rule

So before Alzar gets all carried away and everything, Vanya has him sent, mystically, to the Hollow World, and arrives in the Milenian Empire…

Abe Sargent

04-16-2016, 02:21 PM

Begin the Milenian Scepter

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51w-WQs0X3L._SX258_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg

This module is set in the Milenian Empire, in the far-flung Hollow World. We’re changing the backstory a bit, adding a character to it, and more, but the basics of the adventure are really going to be copied whole cloth. There are only a handful of adventures set in the Hollow World proper. (I think it’s just 4, this one and the “Night-“ trilogy; and then a few that might come down to the Hollow World as part of their assignment).

As you might recall, the major issue Vanya has with the Milenian Empire is simple. Back when she was human, it was the only major opposition she faced. They blasted her hard. Then post-immortality, the Milenian Empire was taken out on the surface by various folks, and the immortals who really liked it moved part of it to the Hollow World to “Save” the Empire. This did not set well with Vanya. She’s the immortal of conquerors and history. She understands the value and need for change. So to save your pet empire after they lost just irks her to no end. She’s never saved any of her supporters after they lost wars or battles. That’s not…right. At least not to Vanya.

So now she sends the various sponsorees of her Dynast Paths to specifically take out artifacts that are precious to the Milenian Empire.

Abe Sargent

04-16-2016, 04:26 PM

As a reminder, because of the various world shield that protect the Hollow World, lots of magic here works differently. These don’t work –

Holding - Hold Person, Hold Monster, Ghoul Touch
Charming and Domination - Snake Charm, Charm Person, Charm Monster, Geas, etc
Summoning - Invisible Stalker, Conjure Elemental. Monster Summoning III, etc
Coming Back To Life - Raise Dead, Resurrection, Reincarnation
Instantaneous Travel - Blink, Teleport, Dimension Door, Gate, etc Changing travel speed or things like Fly and Levitate work.
Divining with other People - ESP, Know Alignment, Commune, Speak with Dead, etc. Objects like Identify, Detect Magic and Detect Traps still work.

Alzar moves into his OtherSpace for a bit and grabs a few objects and swaps them over. He’ll memorize a slightly different slate of spells tomorrow. But these days, Alzar memorizes Nefti’s Spell Recall at levels 1-9. So he has the ability to cast any spell he knows there in those schools and doesn’t have to memorize anything else.

(With Nefti’s memorized at those levels, he essentially has - 7/7/7/7/7/7/6/6/6 – with the Ring of Wizadry, he has 14 spells at 1st and 2nd level to cast) This also enables him to drop a lot of daily meditation and study time, since he doesn’t cast the Spell Recall, and he just holds it in memory, and doesn’t need to memorize anything else either.

Alzar grabs the Hat of Disguise and tosses it on. He’ll appear closer to a Milenian.

Let’s look at bit at the area:

You can check it out here:

http://pandius.com/milenian-empire-8.png

You can also grab the pdf here:

https://dnd.rem.uz/Advanced%20D%26D%20%28unsorted%29/HWQ1%20The%20Milenian%20Scepter.pdf

Abe Sargent

04-16-2016, 05:23 PM

Welcome to Corisa, the capital of the Milenian Empire.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rdEKJ2ssRxk/TymAb6eWO3I/AAAAAAAASdM/rUcSQbqJSM0/s1600/IMG_6335.gif

The people here speak their own languages, but with his axe Selinyr, he can speak any languages. He spends an hour or so getting basic directions and doing some basic walking around. He checks into a local inn, and then spends some time getting to know the lay of the land.

As a reminder, the Hollow World has a lot of oddities to it There is no horizon. There are continents floating in the sky orbiting a central sun, which never leaves, giving constant light to the area.

Around six months ago, the sun darkened and went silent. That was unheard of! The Emperor Adronius was heading to the Senate to discuss what was happening. The people had already embraced chaos and were destroying and attacking at will. A mob saw the Emperor moving, attacked, and slew the Emperor and his guard.

A sorcerer of some ill-repute appeared before the Senate. He was known as a follower of a local immortal, Nyx. He proclaimed that anyone who followed Nyx was blessed, and that the sun would only be fixed and restored if he were elected Emperor by the Senate. Without any other options, the Senate voted in Corcarnomnos as Emperor and the next day, the sun was restored. (There are no days here in the Hollow World, but it was about three days total of darkness).

Because of the restoration of the sun, Caracomnos was able to retain his leadership over the Empire. He’s been a bit, dictatorial, in his rule. Emperer Adronius wasn;t the best Emperor they’d ever had, but he was okay. His line was removed from the rulership one.

With Caramemnos fully ensconced in the Empire, and with some new harsher rules coming, things are very taut in the Milenian Empire right now

Abe Sargent

04-16-2016, 05:54 PM

There are multiple immortals invested in the Empire. The obvious two are Halav and his wife Petra. They have another strong ally, Zirchev. All three are very involved in the proper running of things and the various aspects of military, ,administration, and such. All are major immortals worshipped here in the Empire. Recently, Nyx has decided that she wants to increase her worship here and elsewhere. She has been pushing hard here and elsewhere.

Basic Info on the players here:

Nyx – NE, formerly an undead, Sphere of Entropy, areas of influence include darkness and dreams, undeath and necromancy

Halav – LN, Thought’s Sphere, King and warrior, areas of influence include warfare, strategy, tactics, willpower. Very anti-humanoids, fanatically so. Enemy of Vanya.

Petra – LN, Sphere of Time, was a queen and priestess, areas of influence include patriotism, safekeepinging, and defense – enemy of Vanya

Zirchev – N, Sphere of Energy, former elf mage, patron of hunters, survival, self-reliance, hunting

And those are the four major players in the Milenian Empire these days and who are vying behind the scenes. The current Emperor is a servant of Nyx and openly is increasing her power and worship in the last six months.

(We’re going to be reversing the script. In the actual module, you are questing for the Scepter to restore the life of deceased Emperor (artifacts can do things normal magic can’t here) and then unseat Caracomnos. That’s the major story. But Caracomnos has actually not done anything wrong. He’s a bit dictatorial, but he’s not issued any evil edicts. He’s not involved or implicated in the death of the former Emperor, nor are his followers. He simply took advantage of the mood of the day. So instead of fighting for the rebels of Halav/Petra/Zirchev and their roles, we’re doing something else).

Abe Sargent

04-17-2016, 08:53 AM

As sleep begins, and folks retire, the sun continues to beat down. In the street a pair of muggers attack and break the face of a local merchant, who was retiring. Alzar and a few others from the inn hear it and step outside. Alzar is about to head over, when a few folks shake their heads and silently tell him not to. As the muggers are focused on their work, there is a strong sound coming from the south and a chariot pulled by a manitcore and driven by a majestic woman arrives. She grabs the spear from her side, and flings it and it lances through the first mugger, and return to her hand magically. The second mugger jumps up in fright, and the spear takes him down as well before he can do anything.

This woman has coal black skin, piercing red eyes, a youtheful vigor and appearance, and Alzar senses something from her. And she does from him as well. A familiarity….

She halts the chariot and leaps down and ignores the crowd and comes to Alzar.

“Hello fellow seeker of immortality. I am Vix, daughter of Nyx herself, the great warrior and adventurer of my mother and myself. I do not know you, and thus our leader does not as well. Come with me to meet the Emperor, to find out why you are here in our city.”

She has the blood of an immortal in their veins, and the power she exudes is like no other mortal on Pandius. Alzar walks up to the chariot, and they fly away, led by the obedient manticore.

She’s a bit like Vanya, actually. Brags, throws herself at other things, and acts before thinking. But there is an intelligence and wisdom there as well.

After a moment, they arrive at the Emperor’s quarters. Alzar and Vix unload and head to meet him.

Caramemnos walks down and greets them in a moment after they arrived. His shrewd eyes try to penetrate and gauge Alzar’s secrets and presence here. They sit down and speak. Caramemnos has cast a spell on the chamber which forces truth to be told by any here. No lies are possible.

Alzar tells some of his story. He was sent here by his immortal sponsor, Vanya, to find and destroy a local Milenian artifact as a way pushing his own path to immortality. Caramemnos smiles at this…

“I wonder if she knew…”

Vix interrupts

“My mother knows of you. I am informed of many entrants of immortality right now. There are a few immortals of entropy watching your push for power with glee, and several are looking at potential sponsorship of you as well. One of those, of course, is Thanatos, after you rescued him from the witch;s hut. Another is Nyx herself. She sees a lot of similar energy with yourself and her, and she also is rivals with Thanatos after he has pushed her interests and undead to the side. Nyx knows you”

“And that is a very high compliment indeed my wizard friend” Caramemnos adds

Caramemnos lays out everything that has happened behind the scenes.

Nyx’s longterm goal is darkness. She is warmed by it, and embraces darkness. She blotted out the immortal sun for three days as part of her own testament to power. During that time, the Milenians saw her power, and then rebelled against their order. Their well-timed riots killed the Emperor himself. A nice happenstance. Caramemnos told them to elect him or else the sun would remain blotted. They did, and then Nyx restored their sun, in order to, in part, grow her cult and worship here, and in part because other immortals were starting to get angry at her flexing her muscles.

Anyways, a few folks that were loyal to the Emperor took his body, and have now preserved it. Normally mortal magic cannot raise the dead down here. But artifacts can. And there is one holy artifact called the Milenian Scepter which used to be a major power here for the Emperors. The previous Emperors served Halav, and this Scepter was created by him. The Scepter went missing after a previous Emperor, Olynthos, went a little selfish and used it inappropriately. Both were removed from office.

The loyalists to his predecessor have started to bring in people of influence to scour the Empire and the city for any sign or note of the Scepter. Caramemnos doesn’t want the Scepter at all. Not only does he doubt he could use it, but it’s sign of Halav’s approval and the old lines is not one he;d want restored. Plus, finding it would remove the potential for raising the dead of the old Emperor.

Tellistto

04-17-2016, 05:00 PM

Nice to see you back at it, Abe! Looking forward to the stories!

Abe Sargent

04-17-2016, 10:32 PM

thanks!

Abe Sargent

04-18-2016, 08:24 AM

So Caramemnos and Vix are on board with Alzar’s path and Vanya’s orders. Find out what’s happening, and then find out find and secure the Scepter for himself. And then he can take it anywhere or destroy it.

The Emperor puts him up for the night. Some servants and aides are here as well, and Alzar spends some time interviewing folks and getting some more info:

Did you know that?

Vix was born fully born from her human mother?

That Nyx took the form of a human male to seduce and force a female to become pregnant and to bring her to term?

That Vix has some additional immortal-spawned abilities beyond her obvious skills at war?

That Caramemnos created the potent magical spear for Vix and then gave it to her, and asked for her hand in marriage. And she declined?

That her chariot is a very powerful magical item with near-artifact levels of potency, created and given to her by Nyx?

That Vix is the greatest warrior in the Milenian Empire? (She’s level 27).

Abe Sargent

04-18-2016, 10:02 AM

Alzar heads out to explore and get a feel for Corsica and the Empire.

After almost an hour, Alzar arrives at the steps of the Senate House, where a philosopher named Epaminos is giving a talk to the people. He is stirring up anti-Caracomnos sentiment, with language like, “No mortal can control the sun!” He forced the Senate to give him his power! Let’s have a new election!

Around 100 Milenians have gathered. A handful are nodding in sentiment, and with whispered agreements Another handful are disagreeing adamantly. And the rest are either just watching or looking about worriedly.

As the philosopher continues to rant, a dark globe appears in the sky and blots out the sun. A few folks in the crowd see this as proof of his errors, and one picks up a stone and hurls it at Epaminos. Alzar sees a nearby cleric of Nyx, Icademus, with a small guard, who has cast Darkness on a sling stone and hurled it up and blocked the sun for a moment. The crowd surges forward, and around 16 folks are stoning, the rest leaving or watching. After a few rocks are tossing and Icademus is wounded, Alzar interrupts, and nods to the cleric, who nods to him. The people disperse, and Epaminos will be taken away by his students The point was made. The cleric tells Alzar afterwards that the temple certainly don’t want to make martyrs of these handful of rebellious leaders. So they let them talk, and don’t interfere directly, but they do what they can to break up the support.

(In the main line story, you can follow Epaminos, prove yourself an ally of the rebellion, and then this is where the on ramp is).

Abe Sargent

04-18-2016, 11:20 AM

After a short while later, Alzar heads into a main plaza of the city. There are booths here selling a lot of things, and an auction is above. There are a handful of slaves being sold here, and a group of nobles and wealthy folks buying slaves, as well as a throng of commoners watching. One of the last cages, with a curtain down around it, is drawing curiosity. Some are whispering this is the Griffon of Daskus himself.

Alzar asks some locals about more information. There was a small riding cavalry elite unit with around 20 riders and griffons called the Griffon Riders, who were known for their loyalty and bravery. They refused to accept Caracomomnos as ruler, so he ordered them to disband. They refused, and they flew out their leader, Daskus, stayed behind to fight off pursuit and to guarantee his people’s freedom.

The man on the stage lifts the curtain, and reveals a highly trained griffon. As the griffon is revealed, a “peasant” in dark grey robes flings them off, and reveals a powerful suit of armor, and weapons. Someone cries out, “it’s Daskus” and he grabs for the auctioneer’s keys. They are batted away and land near Alzar. Some of the locals are joining Daskus, and there are attacking the 6 guards here protecting the slaves and the seller.

Alzar grabs the keys and puts them into a Bag of Holding. He casts Friends to increase his charisma to 23. He steps onto the stage and shouts and bangs, until he has everyone’s attention. He uses the Bright Barrier to Command folks to stop fighting for a few rounds, and the Hypnotism spell adds to that order.

He then uses his enhanced charisma:

“What you are doing right now, is illegal. Daskus, I don’t know what you are doing. Are you seeking vengeance? Justice? The people who slew your Emperor, the one you were pledged to serve, were the locals. The mob. The commoners of this city. They did it. Are you going to start your vengeance there? Are you going to kill the people here in this area first, and then create a swath of blood around the whole plaza? “

Daskus looks insulted by the question. But others in the area are beginning to look more uncertain. Some of his allies are wavering.

“Of course not. My grievance is with Caramemnos!”

“But why? The people rose up and slew your leader. Therefore ,by right, you should be going after them. They killed your leader. Not Caramemnos. He wasn’t anywhere near. Then you refused to swear your allegiance to the new leader who was elected by the Senate. The lawfully elected leader. What did this lawfully elected leader do? Did he have you killed? Did he toss you in jail? Did he torture you until you caved in? Did he threaten you? No, he responded in kind. If your unit won’t declare fealty to him ,then everyone needs to worry. How does he know you won’t take out your fury on the people? How does he know you won’t take out the duly elected leader of them either? He doesn’t. So instead of doing something unfair to you, he just tells you ti disband your unit. That is fair. That is just. That is a reasonable response That Is your proof that he is capable of ruling. And then what did you do? Refused, fled, and now rebel. Where is your loyalty to the Empire? TO its people? And without that loyalty, how do the various people here in the streets know that you won’t turn against them next as you have against everything else here. You are a traitor.”

Alzar casts Power Word, Sleep, drops Daskus, and purchases the griffon. He grabs it, saddles it, and rides away with it and drops back in the palace and unloads Daskus.

Abe Sargent

04-18-2016, 01:16 PM

Alzar meets with Caramemnos and makes a suggestion to radically change the Empire and his legacy.

Ban slavery.

Caramemnos and him talk. The Emperor has never used slaves – preferring created creatures like constructs and undead. Slavery was an institution here for as long as people can remember. The nobility and upper class merchants care, but the commoners either don/t care at all, or dislike it. Right now there’s a lot of dislike against him. But previous rulers needed the nobility’s support via the Senate, and Caramemnos is in a unique position. He’’ll keep his position as long as he has the sun as a threat over the Senate. But that won’t stop the mobs from killing him like they did his predecessor. Nor will it help them long term. He needs the people on his side. So get them to ban slavery.

Oh, and don’t kill Daskus, just imprison him. Caramemnos shows Alzar the jails, there are lots of folks here and capital punishment is allowed here, but not commonly used. Fair enough, Daskus just joins them.

Alzar spends the day looking over his griffon, which is very highly trained and one fo the best he’s seen. – they have griffon riders in his March/Grand Duchy as well, and he’s trained to ride aerially. He’s very familiar with riding griffons especially, since he uses the Mount spell to summon one constantly.

He is building up some contacts as well. He can’t make friends instantly with charm magic or domination, but he can influence with spells like Hypnotism and such.

Abe Sargent

04-18-2016, 02:31 PM

Alzar befriends folks and hears of a ongoing secret meeting at the Bath House of Lucratia. A handful fo guards will be there soon. Alzar flies over with his griffon and lands. They are already in, but just 6 guards went in, and there is a battle going on with a pair of senators, some of their allies, and fighters as well. A few higher level fighters are here, and they are brandishing the symbols of Halav in their weapon. A cleric of Halav heals one of them. The guards who were attacking are driven back a few times and two are disarmed. Alzar heads over to help. His axe in hand.

In two rounds, he’s slain a warrior, the first to die in the battle. That turns the battle a bit, darker, and now folks are trying to kill each other. Alzar drops a Power Word Blind on a senator and she drops to the ground. The rest of them begin to pull back, and escape. Alzar grabs the red haired woman and the dead guard and flies them back. Using Speak with Dead he gains information from the dead fighter about who was meeting and why. They were planning to locate the Scepter and talking about who and what – they told where they had searched and come up empty. Alzar turns over Senator Tassia to the Emperor

Alzar heads down to the one place in the city they haven’t searched yet. The sewers and undercity crypts – he suggests to Caramemnos to delay the rebellion’s search y doing something like meeting to discuss an exchange of prisoners or something. Whatever is needed.

(We will be skipping the chapter in the story where our heroes, sent out from the city and joining the rebellion arrive at the oracle of Halav and then find out where the Scepter is and then head back to where Alzar is now going – also in the main storyline you are joined by Tassia, who’s a cleric of Halav, I promoted her here, and the Griffon Riders who jump in and help you as a useful set of allies. Instead Alzar gets Vix in a similar role.)

Abe Sargent

04-18-2016, 06:38 PM

Alzar has been in a lot of sewers before, and he knows they are usually serious mazes. So he uses the scroll of mapping to create an actual map of the entire area, and he can go from one place to another exploring, sees secret doors and passages, and more. Alzar pulls out Aegis to defend him.

Alzar hears some screaming an a diminutive sewer rat of a guy is running from a large monster, and towards Alzar. Tentacles slash up and out of the water, and pull him. This is not like any creature Alzar has ever seen before:

Lyadrachnus –

AC - -6
HP – 140
Attacks – 1 bite, 6 tentacles – 3d10 bite, and 2d6 tentacle and secured.
ThACO – 5

I increased this beast’s numbers considerably to make it a real threat. Alzar sends his golem, Aegis, to protect the small man and then moves in to hit the main beast. Before he does, he casts Bone Block, which gives him four bone arms that will block attacks on him for -1 AC each. Then he heads in.

Battle begins

4 v 5

Alzar crashes with the axe and this for 28 total damage. Because he no longer has the Cloak of Displacement, he can be hit on the first turn. With his low AC he forces a 17 for each attack - and they have…..1 tentacle wraps him for 8 damage. He is not entangled, and cannot attack the body.

4 vs 7

Alzar slashes and destroys the tentacle. His golem punches and frees the man and moves to protect him. The creature bites Alzar for 11 damage

5 vs 2

They miss Alzar. (One tentacle is done). Alzar slashes the beats for 39 total damage with shield hitting as well. Out from a sewer grate on top drops a blacked warrior with a dark bronze colored magical spear, and she pierces the beast for another 24 damage. The next round they slay the beast.

6500 XP each for Alzar and Vix

Alzar slashes and takes some of the creature with him for later experiments and information (like
blood).

Abe Sargent

04-18-2016, 09:31 PM

VIx and Alzar greet each other. The rat-laike man is a small thief ,around 4’10”. He captured rats,a nd sells their meat above. He’s a valuable guide up here as well. His name is Kleom, and he’s been here for more than a decade surviving in the sewers. He agrees to be a guide for them, and with te map and guide, Alzar is confident about finding the MIlenian Scepter pretty quickly.

Kleom is 18, deformed, and an escaped slave, who is trying to get money for his mother’s purchase, 100 gp. Alzar grabs 100 gp from his belt pouch and will pay him for his services today. His eyes widen, and he agrees.

They run into some poisonous gas. Alzar is immune with Necklace of Adaptation, Vix is immune with her immortality, and even Kleom is unbothered due to his long exposure. They continue. A few giant leeches are in their way, and Alzar sand Vix slay them at range with short bow and spear.

A few rats are found and secured for later by Kleom, and he stores them in small cubbies in the wall

After a few more turns, they run into a small farm of neo-otyughs, sessile scavengers that regularly line the floors of sewers. They eat the sewage, clean it, have various tentacles to defend themselves and catch food, and more. They are potent defenders, and there are three fully grown ones and one younger one in this large chamber. Alzar has Vix to split up. She heads to the left, and him to the right. Her spear starts lancing at them, and they move their tentacles at him. Alzar then casts Death Spell on the room and two die outright.

4 vs 7

As a reminder Alzar can now fire 6 shots with his short bow a round, and can move his full speed. His moves and fires in a ton of arrows. They pepper the wounded one and slay it. Vix savages another. Tentacles fire out and hit Alzar once for 7 damage

6 vs 2

Alzar takes another 5 damage from another tentacle. Then their missiles fire and slay it.

The damage Alzar has been taking has been healed with regeneration magic (The Iuon Stone one, he keeps the Wizardry and Free Actions on most times when adventuring).

12000 to each of Vix and Alzar

There is nothing of value here.

Abe Sargent

04-18-2016, 10:59 PM

They push on. Kleom suggests a pair of places in the sewers that might have what they are looking for. The first is a small chamber off the sewer and a bit unusual in design. It’s about two hundred feet from the farm they just took out. A door here is in an odd place, and the map shows a secret door in here too.

They send in and search. The secret door is opened. They are below the Acropolis of the city, and Alzar suspects the underground crypts are here.

Alzar spies a couple of traps in front of them. He uses his thief skills to check and disarm them. Then they head on. They arrive at a small triangular shaped room, with a statue in it. Alzar’s Star/Gem of course shows that it’s magical, animated, and likely to attack as they close. VIx throws her spear, and dents it. It’s a stone golem.

Two turns later, they’ve killed it.

5500 XP to each

After finishing the golem, they find a secret door in the back that heads to a passageway and up. A few traps later, they arrive in a crypt with a large arched ceiling. There is a scepter on the far wal, glowing, and standing below it is a fearsome warrior,with with an full set of armor, weapons, and there are six skeletons on the floor that were killed long ago, with one recent corpse as well.

“Behold the folly of those who came before you!” the man cries. “They were not worthy of the scepter. Are you? Can you end the torment of Olynthos the Undying? Let’s find out!”

Olynthos? Like the same one who abused the Scepter and was let go later?

I am bumping him up a bit, but here is is:

18th level fighter, AC -3, 123 hp, 2 attacks with short sword, dealing 1d6+5 – due to specialization and sword. THACO 2.

He has a flashing sword and shield. Kleom is huddled in the doorway, far away, while Vix and Alzar move to battle.

2 vs 1

Alzar is hit once for 9 damage. Vix guts him for 17 and Alzar for 31,

75/83 – Alzar

4 vs 1

Alzar takes another hit for 7 damage – he gains 7 hp back after activating his sword. They smash him for 52 total.

69/83

5 vs 9

They finish the ex-king.

As they do, the Scepter floats down, touched the corpse, and then it reanimates and attacks them again, fully healed!

Okay, that’s an annoying trick.

4 turns later, they slay him again and…..yup, another reanimation. Alzar slips into OtherSpace for a round to grab a Ring ad Vix fights.

When he returns, he uses the Ring ok Telekinesis to grab the scepter from the sky and then secure it. They finish the battle, and Olynthos will not be brought back anther

Alzar uses healing magic to heal Vix of damage

They gain 18000 each

Alzar was not damaged when he held the Scepter. It seems like it cares about law more than good or evil.

Abe Sargent

04-18-2016, 11:10 PM

They find another pair of vaults back here and Alzar raids them and finds:

2x Talisman of the Living Statue (Like Talisman of the Golem, can steal a Living Statue construct, which are weaker, but there’s no save to steal, you can do it automatically)
Diamond Circlet – 4500 gp
Ruby Studded Belt – 2250 gp
Verite Scepter – 6500 go, looks similar to the actual Milenian One, and may have been made as a fake.

An old wooden wand of magic that Alzar’s can’t fully detect

Helmet - -1 AC
Shield of Olynthos = +3 AC and can hit one attacker for 2d10 damage once/day
Gladius of Olynthos - +4, and can be activated to make a vampiric strike by will 3/day

They return to the city above, and Kleom has purchased the freedom is his mother.

The next day, Caramemnos is holding his monthly games. At the end, the ruler normally makes a few decrees, and also grants the boon of the winner.

Today, the winner demands that Caramemnos block out the sun. After consulting with others, Caramemnos grants the request, and about an hour later, Nyx turns off the sun here for a few minutes, before turning it back on again.

With this renewed view of their power, they have solidified themselves. Caramemnos also passes an edict to stop demanding him to turn off the sun. A third time could be it off for good.

After meeting with folks, he passes the following edict:

1). As of today, all children born to slaves are free
2). As of today, no saves may be sold
3). In three years, all current slaves will be freed and released

That gives current slave owners time to make changes without a major shift in the economy.

He has Alzar show the Milenian Scepter to everyone. This is what people were questing for The rebels hoped to find it, and raise the dead body of the former Emperor. But at what cost? What if they weren;t happy with him and raised another? And another? Do we want that sort of civil war? That sort of anarchy? One Emperor dies, another is elected by the Senate. That happened. And now it’s time for these treasonous thoughts to leave. Time to move on.

Time to be loyal to the state once again.

Advised by Alzar, Caramemnos has grown into a much more long-term tinker. With the captured Scepter, demonstration of the sun, and more, he has solidified his hold. Other laws to rally the people will follow, and he’ll be known as a very popular Emperor a few years later, an Nyx has the first nation to support her in centuries.

Abe Sargent

04-18-2016, 11:56 PM

Alzar has the Milenian Scepter.

Sphere of Thought
Greater Artifact – 380 power points
Cause Critical Wounds – 35 pp
Detect Lie – 50
Mind Barrier – 80
Pro oEvil – 10
Raise Dead Fully – 85
Remove Geas – 45
Victory (as Rod of Victory) – 75

You spend PP up to its current amount, and then you gain 20 pp back a hour.
With these restrictions – Anytime using a power, flat 1 in 4 chance to fumble it.
Anybody chaotic who holds it takes damage, anyone who uses its powers takes some serious damage.
Chance for Cause to backfire and instead Cure
Chance to age user when Raise Dead is used

That’s it. Artifacts here on Pandius are built and run differently than other places.

Alzar has also secured a tome called Prophecies of Phaistos and they discuss the powers of the Scepter, other Milenian artifacts, and dials folks into things.

This artifact was created by Halav to help the Milenain Empire build itself and survive down here shortly after being moved from above to the Hollow world. It’s precisely the sort of stuff Vanya detests.

Destructions of artifacts are often brought about by doing the opposing thing the artifact wants. Here are three potential means of destruction the book mentions. All of these are hypothetical

1). Destroy the Milenian Empire
2). Take it above world and destroy it by utilizing anti-thought techniques (The opposing of thought is matter.)
3). Have entropy create a unique Un-Creation Anvil, and break the Scepter on it

These are all just major theories based on research. As it was created for the specific purpose of helping a unique empire underground, removing either the empire or the underground aspects should prove enough to weaken it. The last is just theory crafting.

Alzar needs to figure out how to destroy the Scepter.

Abe Sargent

04-19-2016, 12:16 AM

Alzar has a major issue with the Path of the Dynast. He needs children. Descendants. A line to last. But the problems of that are obvious. Alzar is pretty a-sexual, as we’ve discussed before. He views sex as similar to eating and sleeping. Mere physical requirements for continued existence so that he can continue to do what he really cares about – learning, creating, and gaining more power.

But now Vanya is interfering a bit with that parabola. Now he has to get married, have sex, and raise children. And that’s required as part of him gaining more power. That’s not really his thing.

So where does he look for a consort? A wife? A queen? Who would suffice?

He could bring in a modest human wife from Pandius, someone with political connections and thus a martial power grab. That makes sense. But this is about creating a dynasty. Will some random human woman do? Is that a true dynasty?

So what about Vix? She can hold her own, their children would have immortal blood in them, they would likely have some significant advantages. Now, neither Vix nor Alzar are exactly the parenting type. Both are seeking immortality. Both are adventurers and more. It’s not like either of them will settle down for 10-20 year to have a home and care for children. But Vix does make more sense than anyone else he knows.

Alzar heads to Vix and proposes marriage, and furthermore, an alliance with Nyx, who has just made out and is growing in power.

(I’m not sure what to do here. Let me explain.

I was going to have Thanatos become Alzar’s patron. The first and most powerful Immortal of Entropy. One of the big bads. And his path was simple, with just one requirement. You have worked against Entropy ever since you arrived. You created. You made. You brought people together. You fought against chaos. So for your final Path, you have do destroy, to de-create, and to bring down at a level far above what you have ever made, to undo the work you’ve done. And to do that, I was going to turn Alzar into the big-bad of the story of various high level adventures, like Veca’s Lives, with Alzar as the antagonist.

But now the Nyx things really appeals to me. It segues into an adventure we had to do for Vanya. She’s already an ally. Vanya will love Vix a lot as a potential consort. It seems like a natural alliance, and moreover, a future patron from Entropy.)

They agree.

Vix
Neutral, Human-ish, Female
Level 27

On the path of Entropy following her mother Nyx

STR 18/96
DEX 18
CON 17
WIS 13
INT 11
CHA 17

AC: -5
HP – 144
THACO – 2
Age – Appears 26, unknown actual age (Born fully adult)

+4 Spear, returns when thrown, can be used 3/day to blind the target hit
+4 Banded Armor

Abilities – As a half-immortal –

Immune to:

Normal weapons, normal elements (fire, cold, poison, lightning, etc)

+2 saves vs magical throws

Skills:

Spear Weapon Mastery
Throwing Expertise
One Handed Weapon Expertise
Polearm mastery - +1 to hit and damage with polearms
Dagger

Non-Weapon –

Charioteering
Reading/Writing
Riding
Swimming
Blind-Fighting
Riding, Air
Survival
Hunting
Tracking
Endurance
Running

Speaks 6 languages

Chariot of Vix – Any animal tethered to it obeys all commands, levitates, flies, carries 3 human-sized passengers, animal tethered to it gets the benefit of a haste spell at all times, has 120 hp, AC of 0, and takes no damage from area attacks or spells – must be actually attacked to damage it. Can be magically restored only. Vix has no magic to restore (only priests of Nyx could) but Alzar’s spell, Repair Machine, will heal it a bit.

After four days they fly out and past the world shield, and then Alzar teleports them back to Evenarrow, the capital of his now Grand Duchy.

End of Milenian Scepter

Abe Sargent

04-19-2016, 01:15 AM

I'm not sure that Nyx would be the next patron for Alzar's Entropy, but she does seem like an interesting choice. Take a look:

Nyx

(Nin-Hurabi, Na-al, Zargos, Night, Our Lady of Darkness)
Patroness of Darkness, Princess of Night, Patron of Undeath
Level, Alignment, Sphere: 33 (Hierarch), NE, Entropy
Symbol: a solar eclipse
Portfolio: darkness, night, shadow, undeath, necromancy, secrets, magic
Worshipped in: Known World (Thyatis), Alphatia, Isle of Dawn, Savage Coast (Nimmur, Dark Jungle), Hollow World (Milenia), various outer planes

Appearance: a minute pale woman that looks very attractive and charming, with oriental features, long raven hair and pitch black eyes, dressed with shapely long dark robes. The second manifestation form is that of a wizened old scholar with long white beard, eyes completely black (without the white part of the bulb) clad in a large weathered robe.

History: Nyx was born in a faraway plane from a race similar to Mystaran humans. She was taken when she was still young by a vampire-like creature and became a living dead. After centuries in this new condition Nyx began to like her new state and after gaining freedom from her former master, she started building a mighty empire of undead creatures. There she embarked on the path of Entropy and attained immortality under the sponsorship of a mysterious immortal, after creating and spreading a new race of night creatures.

From that moment, she has risen in power inside her own sphere, even if she doesn't sport the raw chaotic nor the overtly evil nature of her fellow members, and is constantly trying to give way to the undead races in the Prime.

Personality: Nyx is a creature of darkness, and as such she is obsessed by her ideal of beauty and natural order which obviously puts darkness and undeath above all other things. Many of her followers are intelligent undead and necromancers, and she is usually bent on creating some new undead race and devise some grand scheme to cast whole worlds into darkness and under the undead's yoke (this is her renown purpose among the Milenians of the Hollow World, for example, where she's sometimes worshipped as Zargos). Nyx is not cruel or sadistic, but she embodies a cold form of evil that wants to give to the Multiverse a kind of order that normal living creatures find aberrant, where undead dominated and night is eternal. To Nyx, the universal order should have undeath replace life, and she tries to push on her own vision by increasing the power of necromancy and of the creatures of darkness. Since she's so obsessed with the opposite of normal order, she is Ixion's bane, who in contrast is the embodiment of Light, Sun and all that is Good. They are at the opposite ends of the circle of life, and as such they oppose one another not just philosophically but also in concrete, interfering with each other's schemes whenever possible.

Nyx is also on bad terms with Thanatos (the rivalry with Thanatos dates back to the Taymor empire), because the demon pushes the undead to give way to raw chaos and use them sadistically to further their plans instead of protecting them, something that Nyx cannot bear. Undeath (much like Life for Ixion) is sacred to Nyx and must be preserved.

Patron: unknown [likely: Hel]
Allies: none
Enemies: Ixion (and all immortals enemies of undead), Thanatos
Classic D&D Stats:
Followers' alignment: any
Favoured weapons: none (allowed short spear, mace, sling and short sword)
Clerics' skills & powers: permanent 60' radius infravision; they can freely cast darkness once a day at 1st lvl, twice at 2nd lvl and 3 times at 3rd+ level; control undead as liege with same HD as same level; +2 bonus to necromancy general skill. Nyx's clerics are buried with a special ceremony which allows them to raise as priestly mummies after their death ; some others try to attain lichdom or become vampires during their life.
D&D 3E stats:
Domains: Entropy, Evil, Death, Magic, Darkness
Preferred weapon: short sword
Sources: WotI, HWR3, M5, IM1, IM2, OHP, Immortal set

I italicized areas of particular interest or resonance with where Alzar is.

Abe Sargent

04-19-2016, 08:25 AM

Month 1, Year 9:

As the new year dawns, Alzar announces the impending marriage of himself and Vix. They will get married in two months time. They begin to plan and initiate the various things needed.

Meanwhile, Alzar contacts the dwarves in the various local areas. There is a nearby artifact he wants to try out. If you’ll recall, Morena gave the dwarves here in Norwold five magical artifacts. One of them is the Anvil of Songs. Alzar gets permission to use it, and he grabs the scepter, and puts it on the Anvil of songs and tries to break it. It’s not working. So he spends a day heating it up in the EArthheart Forge, another of the five artifacts, and then brigs it to the Anvil of Songs, and here, with it hotter than possible, and away from the depths, it breaks.

The Milenian Scepter is destroyed

Abe Sargent

04-19-2016, 12:21 PM

Month 2, Year 9:

Everything is being invested in preparing for the wedding. Alzar and Vix aren’t doing anything too grandiose, or inside. They are preparing for a nighttime wedding to take place outdoors at sunset. As the daughter of Nyx, they will have a priest of her at the ceremony, as well as one of Morena.

Alzar has chosen Barkal the Red as his Man of Honor, and the other Barbarian leaders as the ones in charge of food, festivities, and more. Alzar has major delegates from the Halfling holds of Leeha the Baron Norlan of Qoedhar, the various rulers here, and the “King” of Oceansend, who now owes allegiance to Norwold are all attending. Huge dwarven delegations have already arrived.

Alzar will also have allies from places like Thorasia and Hamedh here as well. From the College of Wizardy to people like Carum and Valia, they will show. In fact, his old adventuring buddies from Hamedh’s sand mire like Fahd, Pashtun, Locinda and Volcifar are all coming.

Milos is going to be the major entertainment, and he’ll be teleporting over his circus, with the great automaton that he has as well, the Earthshaker

The wedding is more down-to-earth and blue collar. Food for everyone, all peasants and commoners invited, games and sport and such, the food, entertainment, and more are less expensive noble food and more like wholesale bone-sticking food.

Alzar is also spending time bringing in jousts, performers, and more. Him and his team are using a variety of magic to ensure the key players are not spies, and he has the various lycanthropes that serve his as his secret police on a hard lookout.

He is also investing time in creating the infrastructure of his newly built realm.

We’ll be skipping going over the detail of all of those hexes like we did with his own. You can get the idea of the sorts of things done here that resemble others. The barbarians are in part of the new Grand Duchy, as are elves, dwarves, Halflings, gnomes, and more. He needs to expand, build defenses, clean places out and such, and this will be the major focus on the new while.

And Vix and him have already spoken, and they will likely have her out and leading expeditions to some places on the map.

We are going to assume that, from here on out, Alzar is bringing in money and spending it in roughly equal measure to administer the new Grand Duchy. That the various magistrates, sheriffs, and courts and such are roughly equal to the cash brought in.

Because I don’t want to spend 8 hours breaking down every single hex :( He went from around 20 or so to more than 400. And I’m not doing that :)

Besides, you wouldn’t read it anyway – you’d just skip over it

With his rank and space, Alzar can create sub-dominions if he likes as well

Month 3, Year 9:

The first week of the month sees the marriage of Alzar and Vix. Again, they have a number of people from their various pasts, and Alzar from his adventures, planes, and more. Alzar is now married to a god-born child with obsidian black skin, red eyes, and powerful presences.

It’s a suitable match.

A week passes of festivities and tournaments. Alzar spends 167,000 gp on the various stuff. There were two assassination attempts on him, both quelled. The ceremony occurs, and the two betrothed are now one.

And then, as the final wedding vows have occurred, and Milos’s Earthshaker is nearby, it happens.

Abe Sargent

04-19-2016, 01:40 PM

Begin Doomgrinder

http://thumbs3.picclick.com/d/l400/pict/260810364930_/Dungeons-Dragons-Greyhawk-The-Doomgrinder.jpg

This is a fairly by-the-numbers adventure, especially since it’s core concept was already done better in Earthshaker.

About two hundred miles away in his newly gained territory on the farside of Llajallenvals lies the foothills that go on for miles and miles. There are countless ruins and more out here. One is an old rocky windmill with a famous legend attached to it. That legends speaks of a very valuable treasure that was buried in the great ancient windmill. But, unfortunately, the rubble fell across the entrances and windows long ago. Many adventures have headed out and tried to dig through it, use magic, and more, but none has been known to piece and penetrate the secrets of the windmill

Abe Sargent

04-19-2016, 03:00 PM

http://www.wizards.com/rpga/images/lg20071003a_doomgrinderc.gif

Around a hundred years ago, a group of subterranean humanoids of a vile nature heard of the rumors and began to look for a way under the windmill to see what lay under it. After about a half year of building tunnels and exploring, they opened up and discovered what lay under the ancient and ruined windmill. They built up the system here, and moved their whole tribe to the under-Windmill area, and closed off the tunnels they used to get here, preventing anyone else from following.

Over the decades, this tribe of evil humanoids, known as Derro, a magical offshoot of evil dwarves, explored, and spent learning of the various defenses and machines of the area.

They were flummoxed by a lot of the machinery and how it worked until a few years ago, when Milos entered the region with the giant automaton construct called the Earthshaker as part of his carnival . Parts of the sub-windmill area, the Derro named the Doomgrinder, began to operate and flash. With renewed activity, their machine began to illuminate and move around, and they then had a few exerts in the Doomgrinder from their race enter the Earthshaker in order to get some advanced knowledge.

That was enough to get the Doomgrinder almost operational. But not quite.

After using the stuff they learned, and verifying many of the piston, power source, control room and more all worked for the Doomgrinder, they then had more questions. They need a few more answers. The more than 2000 Derro are ready to go, but they need a little more technical help.

And then, Milos arrives again, with Earthshaker, and opens it up for the public to come in and take tours.

And it’s time.

Abe Sargent

04-19-2016, 06:45 PM

The day after Alzar’s wedding the party of Derro disguised as simple dwarves arrives and inspects the Earthshaker. They secure the appropriate information needed, and then are magicked back to the Doomgrinder for a final run through.

After 36 hours, the Doomgrinder rises.

The “windmill” is actually generating energy for the creation. This is Doomgrinder, a weaponized, giant, moving fortress/automaton/machine thing.

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ji0ALP7a5PI/TdeRyNLzXiI/AAAAAAAAAIk/lWC73QwngdI/s1600/doomg1.JPG

The Doomgrinder:

1). Parts of the Doomgrinder come from the City of the Gods and the various spaceships that were here, including its weapons. The weapons of the Doomgrinder are giant guns, with magazines and powerpacks.

2). Bone Melter – One of their great weapons – cone shaped blast of white light, ll beings save. IF they fail, they die. Otherwise they have 4d10 damage. It liquefies bones in people’s bodis.

3). Flesh Eater – Another weapon. Fires beam of greenish light, Must save. Thos who mae it take 3d8 damage and get mummy rot. Those that fail take the same damage, but take another 2d6 disease damage a round as their flesh melts and dissiolves, until dead or cured by Magic.

4). Shadow Thrower – When fired, this weapon calls forth 2d4 slow shadows to attack their target

Due to their age, these weapons only have a handful of charges left, but there are multiple weapons across the Doomgrinder points at foes

5). There are countless arrow holes used by the Derro to rain death on folks. Boiled oil vents as well.

6). Doomgrinder is 100% Magic Resistant

7). It moves via great wheels, and is more of a moving castle or fortress than a traditional automaton like Earthshaker. This means it’s more stable, and you can’t stop it by simply knocking it over or something

8). It’s a different construction than Earthahker, and thus the control sphere for Earthshaker that Alzar controls won’t work for the Doomgrinder.

9). It’s airtight ,and can move under water.

10). It uses steam, magic, and similar internal mechanisms to Earthshaker, so it’s something that can e understood easily

Abe Sargent

04-19-2016, 08:31 PM

Day 1:

Doomgrinder moves two miles. No one has noticed

Day 2:

Doomgrinder moves 6 miles. It’s about 18 miles from Fort Leman. Fort Leman is on the far side of the Ljallenvals, and it’s heading right for it.

A small commander in the Fort, recently brought into Alzar’s demesne reaches out. A local magic user teleports to Alzar’s court and informs them of the danger. Alzar confirms it and heads out. They launch an aerial assault on the thing, and Milos is brought in as an advisor. No magic penetrates it.

That night, shortly after the sun sets, Alzar launches a major assault with summoned elementals, undead, controlled creatures, spells and more. The sort of assault that sent an army of giants back in defeat. The sort of assault he used in ancient time to stop to Oerd alien race that wanted to conquer their planet and end magic. He holds nothing back. An hour later, it came to nothing. There is no evidence of any damage, or any slow down of Doomgrinder

Scrying magic can’t see inside it.

Day 3:

Doomgrinder raises its speed and moves 12 miles

Alzar needs to board it. That’s the only way to stop this thing - to get inside and shut it down.

“Is it always like this up here?” Vix asks in part astonishment and part joy. She is ready to board a giant, rolling fortress/golem thing, take out bad guys, and do something epic.

Alzar is going to approach from one direction on his flying carpet and Vix another with her Chariot and Manticore steed. They spied a few entrance points, way up on the ‘grinder.

Meanwhile, a group of local mages and clerics have summoned a variety of creatures to assault the Doomgrinder again, with the intention of pulling the Derro’s attention forward. Alzar has a few of his folks using some alchemical, non-magical fumes and chemicals to create a foul-smelling mixture and brew. They don’t have many. But they launch a few of them at the front and sides, and many arrow holes are closed to keep them out.

Alzar has grabbed a different set of items and allies. For example, he has some of the grenades he took from those ships and their high tech nature, plus his Android Bodyguard is along for the ride. Vix’s chariot lands on top, she leaps off, uses her spear to force open a bolthole, kills two Derro inside, and penetrates their defenses. Alzar arrives at the rear about 270 feet in the air, uses a Rope of Climbing to grab hold of the back bolthole, but it fails to grab hold (magic) and uses a normal grappling hook instead. He pulls it out, his Bodyguard fires shots from a crossbow of Speed at the defenders and they die.

Abe Sargent

04-20-2016, 02:07 AM

They are both on board

Alzar grabs a nearby Derro and casts Speak with Dead and uses the Scroll of Mapping.

Here’s a basic rundown of the construct:

There is a central column that runs down from the windmill to the bottom. This central column provides power. There are more than 200 genies captured and working in there, including Dao and Efreet . This driveshaft turns and powers the motive power for the wheels.

There are numerous modules that are repeated around the area, and then a set of corridors splits them. Control room, engine room, kitchens, living, and more, all across 4 decks.

Alzar heads out, trying to head up to where Vix entered. He encounters a party of 4 derrro moving through a nearby corridor, and slays them with a Death Spell.

As they die they announce a pre-fabricated call for help, and more Derro begin to arrive into the corridor. More and more are pouring out.

Alzar vs the horde

5 v 8

Alzar casts Time Stop. He drops Wail of the Banshee, Mass Domination, Stop ends.

13 Derro die, and 6 are Dominated and ordered to attack others. A few Magic Missiles and such heads his way, but his Magic Resistance of 75% from Azzil and the Amulet is compelling. He takes very little damage. Let me roll some dice….8 damage total

76/83 – Alzar

7 vs 4

Alzar takes 11 damage from spells, and his dominated minions are mostly dead. Around 30 living Derro are left. Alzar casts Mass Charm and 10 Derro step to the side, drop their weapons, and refuse to fight their friends. His android hits one Derro for 14 damage

66/83.

8 vs 3

They win init. Alzar takes another 8 damage from various spells. They are pulling back. Alzar drops Prismatic Spray on them as they retreat. Some die to damage, some are blinded, some take damage, etc. The corridor is mostly cleared.

59/83

Two rounds later, Vix arrives from the upper floor, having slain a bunch of derro on her way down.

They took out around 50 Derro and another 10 are charmed – Alzar has the charmed ones to head back to their rooms and quietly wait.

The corridor is a bit tight, but with the Map and without a bunch of undead/constructs/summoned stuff, it’s manageable. The derro made most of this stuff work for their size of over the years.

The entire area is shaking, in motion, and smells musty.

Alzar heals himself with a Cure Moderate Wounds spell

Abe Sargent

04-21-2016, 01:18 AM

The closest room of interest near their location is the driveshaft, and you have the engine room below them. They head to the driveshaft.

About half way there they turn and spy some derro built defenses across the main tunnel, hastily constructed. There are at least 25 derro here, with tables flipped up, weapons ready, and they fire some fiery missiles. Alzar and Vix are both immune to the normal fire, and she throws her spear as Alzar casts Skulltrap and cleans out the defenses after launching the trapped skull.

They head on

They arrive at the driveshaft entrance on this level after passing by more rooms and entries. Noncombatant derro like children and old ones are fleeing. The entrance is wizard locked, and Alzar’s Chime of Opening cracks it open.

There are narrow walkways inside, with giant great gears that are moving swiftly. There are arcane symbols all along the shaft, and a huge number of genies here providing counter energies to the windmills above, and creating the energy necessary to push the juggernaut.

Alzar is able to make out the various runes and symbols. They are here to control the summoned genies. Alzar heads into his OtherSpace and grabs a pair of curious rocks, once badly molten..

He returns and waits. In about three minutes, an efreet sees him, a curious human here, and not the derro, and stops and talks with him. Using his genie lore proficiency, he is able to convince the Efreet to help him if they are freed, and he does.

He casts Worldwalk and opens a passable gate to the Elemental Plane of Earth. Then he casts Protection from Evil, 10 Radius and bends up and damages the closest symbol.

As he does, the area begins to shudder and close. The central hold shaft inside the driveshaft area that holds and channels the genies breaks, and is rent all over. The various genies explode, and 120 dao and 80 efreet are suddenly free. The dao see the planar entrance and head over and free themselves, barely noticing Alzar, Vix, and the android on their way.

A handful see him, and he tells them what happened. They head out to kill some of the derro in revenge, and 350 derro warriors are slain in vengeance from the dao before the head back to the Earth Plane.

When the driveshaft stopped, the Doomgrinder did as well, and everyone took 1d6 damage, and 74 noncombatants passed away as well.

Abe Sargent

04-21-2016, 09:47 AM

Alzar casts Genie Contract and binds one of Kazeem’s younger enemies, Tazeer. Kazeem gets the efreet to slay another 450 derro and clean them out. Alzar grabs a scroll of Worldwalk, opens up, and the efreet head home. Alzar grabs some more rocks from their world to use

This leaves around 850 derro in the fortress.

Tazneer
Efreet
LE, 54 hp ,AC2, THACo 11; 3d8 damage;

Can use Invisible, gaseous form, enlarge, detect magic, wall of fire, polymorph self, create illusion, pyrotechnics, and produce flame all once/day and give wishes 3/day.

Tazneer is the youngest of the 80 efreet captured and imprisoned on the Doomgrinder for thousands of years. As part of agreeing to free the genies, Alzar gained the service of the weakest of them, with a Genie Contract spell. Tazeer is a powerful ally of Alzar’s, and can great wishes. Once he grants three wishes to Alzar, his contract will be over. Until then, Tazneer is one of the allies Alzar has available to him.

Alzar’s first and foremost goal is to clean the Doomgrinder of all remaining derro. It shouldn’ be too troublesome. There were originally 1048 warriors, 150 savants, and 600 non combatants. Since they didn’t attack the efreet or dao, the non-coms were the ones mostly saved, so they were not killed. That means of the roughly 800 left, about 450 are non-coms. So just 350 are non-coms.

Alzar finds one and casts Dire Charm on her and lets her head back and interact with others for a bit. Then he heads out and uses Charms and Dominations and such to grab some combatants.

By the end of a couple of hours, they took out 60 more combatants, and brought 40 more to their way of thinking, us the 10 Alzar already had.

The result is that Alzar has that group of 50 or so head out with a general evacuation order. By the end of the day, all but a handful of the derro are left, the rest fled, and those are easily rounded up by summoned Invisible Stalker, Aerial Servants, and such.

Alzar and Vix split 350k XP

Alzar only needs around 50k to level up

Alzar has a powerful, almost mobile fortress, denuded of inhabitants.

He teleports to Serraine and grabs around 75 skygnomes ,and then brings them back to start coming up with a technical answer to the drive system, rather than the current magical one. He also hires some of the gnomes from the Earthshaker to head over and help out. He also teleports to Jakondar and hires one of the best clockwork mages from the Chontae. Then he ensures their loyalty to the project with Detect Lie and such.

Abe Sargent

04-21-2016, 12:55 PM

That day Alzar finishes exploring, and he found these treasures:

Clanbooks of the Doomgrinder Derro – Include research on the Doomgrinder, spells for Derro savants to learn, information on Derro secrets and more. All of the common spells from levels 1-5 (In the PHB) are in the books. There is one new spell, and Alzar learns it:

Mere’s Conjure Sandlings – 5th level, Conjuration

Use up a ruby to summon a number of sandlings equal to the caster’s level plus 1d6. Last 1 turn/level, require an amount of sand to summon. Sandlings are 4 HD creatures, and bringing in 30 or so is a hugely powerful spell at Alzar’s level.

72 Books on Arcane Theory
Manual of Ineffable Damnation

4 Flesh Eaters
6 Bone Melters
3 Shadow Throwers

Alzar invests the cash from the various gems, jewels, and coins into the hiring of folks to run, fix, and research it. He brought in another 32k gold, offers to split it 16 with Vix, but she doesn’t care.

In the chapter on the runaway Doomgrinder, a bunch of villages, forest, and more are described. We are going to use those to flesh out the areas Alzar recently added to his demesne

He needs to add some defense right now that could wind up being more

End of Doomgrinder

Abe Sargent

04-22-2016, 12:50 AM

Begin The Rod of Seven Parts

Hold on to your collective sphincters.

http://tsr.bothgunsblazing.com/tm/tm-rod.jpg

The mega boxed set campaign mega-venture has begun. Get ready!

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9UI13Zwk-zA/UZZSXWRkbkI/AAAAAAAAChY/-_4-gIaq2II/s1600/RodAssembled.jpg

http://i.ebayimg.com/images/i/201475952935-0-1/s-l1000.jpg

Abe Sargent

04-22-2016, 09:19 AM

The next day Alzar heads to Fort Leman to check and see how they are doing. After checking in with locals to make sure everything is okay, he spends some more time getting to know the area. As one of the many places newly under Alzar’s rule, he likes to teleport about, check on folks, and more. He’s been here twice before. But this time, he really wants to do more than just put in a quick appearance.

The fort is around 1200 people strong, and it’s on the far side of the northern pass through the Ljallenvals, basically the main stopping point there. Alzar is walking up a street and heading to an inn that is famous here, The Golden Cockatrice, a place Alzar’s not been before.

And he spies something…odd.

http://www.lomion.de/cmm/img/hounofla.gif

Across the street from the Golden Cockatrice is a large yellow mangy looking dog, staring fiercely at the Inn. It’s very healthy, bit dirty. Alzar’s Sage Knowledge for other planes kicks in. Hm….is this? Alzar’s Star of Mo-Pilar verifies it. This is the physical manifestation of a Hound of Law. These are otherplanar guardians of law. They have a noncorporeal form as well, and are ideal trackers, and can track down creatures that have moved about magically like with teleport or dimension door. The same holds true of folks who cross to other planes.

Alzar uses his Axe to speak the otherplanar language and talks with the Hound of Law.

It’s been sent here to guard the Inn. There is something dangerous and chaotic here, and the doorman smells funny. Alzar pats the Hound of Law a few times, and then moves to the Inn

Abe Sargent

04-22-2016, 11:22 AM

The doorman here is a normal human, with a scowl and an apparent hangover from last night. Alzar against uses the Star and sees this is not the true form. This is a demon, polymorphed as a human.

That deems the Hound of Law’s presence as something obvious

Alzar heads into the Golden Cockatrice. This Inn has a lot to offer. He spends some time checking around the various sights:

1). A cage of four live cockatrices in the corner, fed by locals, with a petrified drunk who tried to feed them once, a long time ago, as a warning to other. They are the mascots of the Inn

2). Gambling tables of various types, including dice, cards, and table games.

3). About 20 patrons in the tavern room proper

4). Stables

5). Inn above with two floors

6). Kitchen

7). Privies

A lot of these are separate from each other, the gambling areas are mostly outdoors, and under some awnings, the privies are separate, as are the stables. Inn, tavern, and kitchen together but open in the front, with a fence around the property and the main gate with the demon guard. None of these others appear to be anything different.

Alzar sees a local pickpocket working the crowd, but the locals are all winking at him, and he seems to have their support. Someone else is accused of cheating and getting kicked out.

Alzar heads down and grabs a seat. As he does, a waitress comes over to take an order for food, and he just orders some alcohol. It’s midday, between lunch and dinner.

Abe Sargent

04-22-2016, 12:13 PM

In a moment, the guard from the main gate comes to him, smelling him oddly.

“I’ve actually found it? I am going to be rewarded so well!” He then shifts back into his normal form and Gates and out come some more demons…

Gated in 5 kakkuu
And himself, a Lycosidilith

They are Spyder-Fiends

Spyder-Fiends are a race of demons, and there are five different sub-races of them. They tend to be servants of spider styled Demon Lords like Lolth or Miska.

The Kakkuu are demon spiders with a bit of wolfish look to them. They are the weakest of the five. They have 4 HD, 17 THACO, 2 AC, 2d4 damage with poison which failure forces the target, after 1d4 rounds to collapse unconscious. Magic Resist of 15%

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZIjGyCnMc9U/VcukT-y-YWI/AAAAAAAAFFE/Ofe924uZt4g/s1600/258spyder.jpg

The Lycosidilith is one of the more powerful, 3 attacks, 2d10, 1d8, 1d8, and poison too, 10+ 6 HD, 9 THACO, AC -4. Standard demon abilities like teleport at will and such. 60% MR

Alzar’s axe is out

7 vs 4

Alzar is hit once for 7 damage by the Lyco, and 1x by another for 6. Alzar carves for 28 damage.

71.83

6 vs 4

Alzar is hit and takes 17 damage total. He smashes the Lycosidilith for 36 damage and it dies. It has 52.

55/83

3 vs 4

Alzar kills one Kakkuu and is missed by the other fou rand their lower THACos – they only hit on a natural 20.

In the next four rounds, Alzar takes one hit for 7 damage. The rest die –

25K + 5kx5 – 50k for the demon slaying fun times

They disappear as they die, banished back to The Abyss for a while.

The Hound of Law came through the gates and was biting one at the end and helping Alzar. As they fall, it heads around searching the area to make sure it’s all clean. After verifying, it bids goodbye and heads off, shifting back home

Alzar’s battle has no evidence other than the wounds in the ground and himself.

A short while later, he heads home after finishing things up.

Abe Sargent

04-22-2016, 08:37 PM

Waiting to greet him is the ghost, Draconus, from the Temple underground that he brought back after cleaning it out. Draconus is a level 20 LG ghost who is a servant of law and has the magic from him as a level 20 wizard.

As he told Alzar, Alzar was about to be a servant of Law in a major cross planar battle.

That war has arrived.

Alzar has been a major force for law. One of the greats. So something found Alzar and he now has something serious, and that’s where the attack came from.

One of the most common artifact tales across the planes is the Rod of Seven Parts. Here is its history.

“Aeons ago, in the Age of Legends, a great war arose between Law and Chaos. The roots of the conflict are obscure, shrouded in the mists of antiquity. Suffice to say the Great Powers of Law and Chaos waged war on worlds beyond comprehension. No thought was given to Good or Evil, for this was a conflict for dominance untainted by any other considerations. “Arrayed on the side of Law were the Wind Dukes of Aaqa, scions of an empire already ancient at the war’s beginning. The champion of Chaos was an enigmatic being known only as the Queen of Chaos. And her champion was Miska, the Wolf-Spider. “He was a demonic force unlike any other, as powerful as any of the ancient tanar’ri lords, and he led the Queen’s forces to victory time and time again. Sensing defeat, the Wind Dukes forged a weapon of Absolute Law to slay Miska, a Rod of black metal. At the battle of Pesh, (on another Prime Material Plane) the Captains of Law drove a wedge into the ranks of Chaos and smote Miska with the Rod. “Stricken, the Wolf Spyder wailed in anguish and his screams were so terrible that every soldier on the battlefield fell in agony. As he writhed in agony, his foul blood covered and permeated the Rod and, as the absolute Law imbued in the Rod mingled with the absolute Chaos in Miska’s blood, the fabric of the multiverse was ripped asunder. The Rod shattered into seven pieces and Miska was cast through a planar rift. “The sundering of the Rod spared Miska from death, but a portion of his being remained in the Rod, leaving the general crippled. When the Wolf Spyder retreated to a citadel of Chaos, the Wind Dukes struck, imprisoning him in a cocoon of pure law and casting him into the depths of Pandemonium”

Abe Sargent

04-23-2016, 06:36 PM

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RDZ7-XKObpI/VcuaC6NFfLI/AAAAAAAAFCk/UfApf8MXapw/s1600/258finalpiece.jpg

Alzar grabs the unidentified wand he found in the Hollow World. This is the first segment of the Rod of Seven Parts. Alzar is told the command word by Draconus, and now he can use it 5xday for a Cure Light Wounds spell. So let’s delve into the Rod of Seven Parts fully.

Draconus has presented Alzar with a book from his collection he secreted away, and Alzar makes a bookcopy and consumes it to know what it says immediately:

Rod 1 – Cure Light Wounds
Rod 2 – Slow Effect
Rod 3 – Haste Effect
Rod 4 – Gust of Wind Effect
Rod 5 – True Seeing
Rod 6 – Hold Monster
Rod 7 – Heal

Those are the individual powers of the segments.

As they are brought together, they will have additional powers. Those aligned powers differ based on their current plane.

Meanwhile, here are other things you need to know:

Holding one part of the Rod and concentrating on the whole item, will lead one to get a feeling for where the next one is. Whenever two pieces come within a mile of each other, one teleports away to a newly chosen place randomly.

Alzar needs to craft special glyphs that prevent this from happening, one special glyph for each piece he wants to bring together, 6 total for the rod. It takes around a week to do this for each.

Abe Sargent

04-23-2016, 07:37 PM

Rumors are that on the last world, you got fly with two pieces then 20% MR, control winds, shape change, wild walk ,and restoration. But if you assemble in the right one, one through seven you get the resonant power, and that’s more powerful stuff.

The rod’s bearer becomes more and more lawful over time as powers are used and the rod grows. Each day a power of the rod has been used, the Queen of Chaos as a 5% chance of finding the user. She’ll dispatch a huge group of Spyder-Fiends.

Alzar spends some time gathering the materials for, and creating a special glyph.

Alzar grabs the part of the Rod and verifies it’s the right one, and then he concentrates and feels a pull towards a familiar place. Underground. Near the dead Beholder city he took over called Ith Khin’ax, where he stores his undead and other secrets, and uses as a hidden base.

Alzar teleports over and checks it out. There are a few burrowing creatures that opened up and arrived, and he slays them easily. Then he closes up their methods of getting here. But try as he can the first part and the pull can’t find anything here. Or nearby. Hmmmm…..

The pull ends in a particular location. But nothing in here,

Hmmmm….

Where is it?

Or is the right question…when is it?

Alzar teleports back and grabs some technical stuff, including the Temporal Shifting Cube he took from the downed spaceship and it’s ruins. This Cube enabled him to shift through time, face the various Oard challenges, and then hit the downed Beagle spaceship in the ancient Blackmoor kingdom and the Cult of the Temple of the Frog that was growing up around them.

Alzar can use the Cube to move himself through time. So he grabs it, and heads back to the dead city, and then prepares and uses it…

And he arrives into the city 77 years in the future…

Abe Sargent

04-24-2016, 12:20 AM

In the future, the ancient beholder city is fully lived in. There are any number of people, undead, and slaves here. And beholders are floating overhead. They have retaken the city, and around 40 or 50 beholders total live above, and hundreds of slaves, servants, and more are around the area.

At the top, by the central stairs, a Hive Mother is calling out a challenge to the various inhabitants. Alzar can understand her.

He shifted ahead in time, and the second piece is in front of him, like he thought it would be, in one of the ex-beholder passages. Alzar slips the glyph to them, and snaps the first and second pieces together, and they snap together like two magnets.

He places the Rod in his Bag of Holding, and he starts to use the Cube again, but waits….what did the Hive Mother just say

They are about to attack and take out Evenarrow! The area above is considered holy by the beholders, and the line of Alzar has been deemed impure.

Alzar can’t fight everybody here. He grabs a crystal ball and scrys his home. He sees it considerably built up and the statue is still there, as a testament to him (thus he has now finished, technically, the last step of the first path of matter, to have a monument up for at least 10 years).

After that, he writes a message, in his own script, signs it with his symbols and signet ring. He casts Teleport Object to send it to the throne room, and then gets ready to soften the invasion force a bit.

Alzar secures his anti-Beholder stuff (technological items like grenades, and anti-anti magic stuff) and then gets ready.

Alzar leaps out of the window and falls down to the ground two levels below, with Boots of Striding and Springing on instead of his normal stuff. He lands fine, and the lock of elven hair becomes the material for a Wail of the Banshee spell and about 20 humanoids and slaves are killed, including orcs and hobgoblins.

The Beholders immediately turn their attention to him, with a variety of anti-magic rays truning his way, to prevent any further magic. He grabs an explosive grenade from his belt, tosses it, and cleans out about 16 more bad guys.

Two more explosive grenades follow, and the Beholders begin to shift from anti-magic to other rays as no can get near him. Finally, to allow their own magic rays to work, the Hive Mother orders their anti-magic to look elsewhere. As they do, a bunch of eye stalks turn to him. Alzar suffers a variety of Disintegrate, Cause Wounds, and other attacks to come his way. So, how could he survive them all?

1). Amulet of Power - Detect Magic, Read Magic at will; Fireball (12 HD) 1/day; Teleport w/o Error 1/week; gives the wearer 50% Magic Resistance. Any non-wizard donning it is feebleminded.
2). +25% MR from Azzil
3). Ring of Spell Turning on one hand, instead of the normal Free Action one
4). Luck Charm - +2 saves
5). +3 Cloak of Protection instead of normal one, gives +3 to saves

The result of this is +5 to saves, 75% of spells stopped with MR, and those that aren’t are weakened by the Spell Turning Ring.

Any spell that gets through the magic resistance is resisted on a 2 or more on d20, and weakened by the Spell Turning ring as well.

Even if Alzar fails a save, he’s taking less effect, such as a reduced Cause Serious Wounds. Killing. Petrifying. It’s not likely to work. Plus don’t forget his various immunities as well . He’s not in the conversation.

5 vs 1

Alzar’s foes fire a bunch of rays and…..random.org…..none get the combo of 25% crack and 1 in 20 d20 save. Alzar casts Skulltrap and kills a pair of beholders near him that were wounded. Seeing the rays and eye effects not working, they secure him under the central anti-magic stuff, and order missile fire. That’s much more likely to crack the shell.

3 vs 2

Alzar takes 34 damage from various missile effects. Alzar’s summoned creatures (Invisible Stalker, Aerial Servant, Air Elemental) hit invisibly from behind at his mental command to give him some breathing room. He tosses another grenade and runs, killing some more slaves and foes, and slaying another wounded beholder.

50/83

5 vs 8

Some turn to face the others, and Alzar retreats into a nearby building and then casts his deus ex machina here underground – Earthquake . He can only cast one level 7 spell a day as a priest – their most powerful magic. The area collapses, and then slows down pursuit, and tons of folks take damage and a few more deaths follow.

After verifying the damage to the city, and the lack of immediate pursuit, Alzar slips the Temporal Cube back and uses it.

Alzar’s dynasty will manage to arrive in a few hours and clean up the rest of the army that was going to attack them….

Abe Sargent

04-24-2016, 01:07 AM

Current Path of the Dynast –

Alzar must create a realm with a human population of at least 50000 or demi-human of 15000. DONE
Alzar’s March must gain independence from Alphatia and Norwold, and stand on its own
Alzar must quest for, find, and destroy an artifact from the Milenian Empire. DONE
Alzar must create a dynasty that will endure from his realm, and his successors must rule for at least 20 years. MAYBE
Alzar must travel into the future to three separate times, and secure his realm and dynasty’s future – ONE COMPLETED
Alzar must face and defeat 4 major challenges to his rule – ONE COMPLETED

As Alzar heads back home, something happens to interfere with his temporal shift and he winds up in the Temporal Sub-Prime, a dimension of time that runs under the main existence that Chronomancers and other time-based magic uses.

The chronomancer that brought Alzar out of Hamedh and escaped the curse of the Demon Lord Jubilex and his consort Zuggtmoy is here. And he’s a bit miffed at Alzar’s rampant run through the timestream.

It was one thing when he was heading back to face off the Oard at various points they were attacking Pandiu’s past to change its present and future. That’s in bounds. That’s what chronomancers do. And also helping out in Blackmoor at the bequest of the immortal agents to fix up some of the stuff in their own timeline works too. That’s fine.

But if Alzar is going to start mucking about in time for small stuff like what he just pulled, the chronomancers have an issue with him.

Alzar’s temporal cube has been taken. Alzar won’t have that available to him. In order to complete his tasks for the Sphere of Time, the chronomancer gives him three unique pieces of incense. Burn one, and you’ll head to the time if you choice until the incense finishes, and then you’ll return. Short, guaranteed safe time hops, rather than the full blown stuff Alzar just did.

(I changed chapter 2. In real life, it’s underground, in an Aboleth lair, and you can scout, figure it out, and secure the 2nd piece very quickly. I wanted some more epic, bigger, and more Pandius-feeling.)

Abe Sargent

04-24-2016, 02:59 PM

A week later, Alzar heads out with another glyph prepared. We uses the two connected pieces he already has to show him the 3rd piece. He heads up to his flying Griffon, with Vix and her chariot there too. He concentrates and let’s himself be pulled gently in the right direction.

About 6 hours later of moving south, they arrive in the northern hills of the Heldann Freeholds hundreds of miles to the south. They feel the pull coming from a pair of ruined tower by each other from the hills, and begin to land. As they do, the Rod in Alzar’s grip vibrates, and suddenly the 3rd piece flise away.

Despite the glyph, prepared as the book stated, once Alzar came within a mile of it, it still teleported away randomly. That’s annoying. He needs to do some additional research

End of the Rod of Seven Parts for a bit

Abe Sargent

04-24-2016, 03:31 PM

So here’s what I’m feeling right now:

Finishing the Rod counts as ending a major threat for the Dynast Path.

Typically, the Sphere of Thought, the next one, is all about questing, artifacts, and such. It’s pretty short comparatively. Find a major artifact of Thought and return it. Track down, find, and destroy an entropy artifact. Find and train a successor. Create a legendary weapon. Complete one epic quest. Thought is all about doing some things grandly. Obviously, any sponsor is free to alter and shift the path around. Pflarr did a bit, for example. But that’s the basic core of things.

I’m not 100% sure who his Thought Patron would be. I have two or three on the plate I like – Noumena, Ssu-Ma, maybe he ex-Orc Karaash. I don’t think Halav would be interested… :) There are some interesting ones out there, like former elf LE Ruaidhri Hawkbane who hates and wants to slay all lycanthropes, and will ally with anyone, even Entropy, to do it.

Anyways, here’s my core time line:

Crypt of L the Mad
M3 Twilight
Finish Rod of Seven Parts
M2. Vengeance finish the Time Path, Path #3,

Labyrinth of Madness somewhere?
Night of the Comet?
Vortex of Madness somewhere
Return to WPM?

Path 4 –

The Shattered Circle
M4 – Five Coins
AC7 – Bestiary, interaction with a dragon
M5, Talons of Night – Finish the Thought Path, Path #4

Wrath

Path 5 – Stone? Vecna Lives? Reverse Dungeon?

Others that might be on the queue:

Isle of the Ape
Greyhawk Ruins
For Duty and Deity
A Paladin in Hell
The Star off Kolhapur
Return of the Eight
Mordenkainen’s Fantastic Adventure
Other Planescape or Other Planar Stuff
Dungeonland? Beyond the Magic Mirror?

Month 4, Year 9 –

Vix is taking care of various lairs and such. She just solo’d a dragon.

Alzar is now level 31 – he gains an extra 1-3 level spell

Abe Sargent

04-24-2016, 06:11 PM

Begin the Book of Lairs II Again

A few days pass and Alzar has a local sherrif in the Ljallenvals use up a Spellcache Ring to teleport to him. Alzar’s Magist immediately replaces it. They have some bad news

If you’ll recall, a small set of silver mines were restarted recently by dwarves in a hex Alzar just took in the Ljallenvals recently called Silvercrest. It’s near the Ice Tower they took out. Around a week ago, a pair of ink-black dragons flew in and took it over and ousted the dwarves.

(I’m not making up the perfect fit, we already had silver mines in the mountains, with many nearby dragons right here, and the lair in the book of lairs perfectly met that. I had to toss that here when I saw it!).

Black dragons aren’t bad. Ever since Alzar worked with the Black Dragon mother and helped hatch their eggs, he;s been on good relations with the evil dragon kind. He could ask them to leave. Alzar grabs a Crystal Ball and begins to scry. He finds the caves, and then heads in mystically. Inside he verifies that there are a mated pairs of dragons, but they aren’t black ones. They are shadow dragons.

They have created makeshift structures to block out the light, might quick earthworks and such. There are some recently deceased dwarves here as well.

Alzar grabs some items to make him more anti-shadow dragon, like the Iuon Stone that lets him see in any darkness, even magical. They have little treasure, it looks like just enough for one or two passes late at night, or just what they could bring with them. Alzar uses his Dragon Lore proficiency to ensure he is doing everything right, he’s only slain a couple of shadows before as they are pretty rare and from another plane of existence.

While still day, Alzar teleports over

Alzar arrives at the entrance of a cave and uses the Star of Mo-Pilar to assess things. He spies a Magic Mouth spell at the corner of the entrance about 20 feet in, and the Alarm spell a little further in, and casts Dispel Magic to drop them. Silver ore glints in the light, some of which is recently mined.

Alzar id’d the male as old and the female venerable.

Abe Sargent

04-25-2016, 08:05 AM

Alzar spends some time here, outside the chamber, about a few thousand feet outside, spending around 5 minutes Scrying it. Alzar casts Negative Plane Protection to save from the Energy Drain effects they sometime have, mentally activates his Zoster of Zeal, and then he casts Dimension Door and steps through it to emerge on the other side.

Alzar casts Strip Resistance on the female. This should reduce her MR. She has a MR of 45% .and……it works, the MR is dropped to single digits. The pair is up and the female breathes at him and the male casts Mirror Image. Alzar takes 5d4+2 and save for half. He takes 10 after the save

75/84

7 vs 9

Alzar casts Temporary Youth on the female and she loses 3 age categories and drops to mature. Her stats drop as well. She casts Mirror Image and the male breathes and hits him for 4d4+2, save for half. He takes 7.

69/84

7 vs 1

The female casts Magic Missile at him, and he takes 8 damage (after the MR of himself clicks in). The male flies and swoops over at him and breathes as he flies. Alzar fails his save and takes 16. Alzar casts Cure Serious Wounds and heads 30.

83/84

6 vs 1

The male attacks him. He hits once for 8 damage with a claw. The first time someone hits Alzar with a melee attack each round, his thief skill Evasion kicks in and he has a 60% chance of dodging it. Yes, it works. No other hits follow. The female flies over, and breathes (male is immune) and Alzar takes 7. Alzar’s Axe is out )(he always has Bright Barrier the shield in fights, as he can cast spells while he has the artifact equipped if you’ll recall). He slashes the male and needs to hit his -8 AC and that requires a THACO of 10 +8- 19 – 4 for STR, -3 for weapon mastery,e -2 for Zoster, -5 for Axe 7 total. (usually I’m doing the math for things like evasion and bonuses to hit behind the scenes, but I thought you’d like to see it this once). Alzar tosses a 6 and a 10, and hits once for 1d8 plus a ton of bonues. 18 damage. Then he can shield bash with the shield. Doesn’t get the Axe or mastery onuses, needs a 12 to hit, tosses a 14 and hits for 1d6+ STR and Shield bonus for….10 damage – 28 total. Alzar gains one.hp a round with his regen ioun stone.

84/84

He’s immune to the energy drain of their breath and its blind effects.

4 vs 7

Alzar hacks at the male and adds two axe hits for 41 damage and it dies. That’s the weakness of these things. Very hard to hit, higher MR than other dragons, Mirror Image is a powerful defense they all have at a young age, powerful breathe, but weaker hp compared to other dragons. Alzar is immune to mirror images, he can see through illusions up though level 4 due to his 22 INT. These are a lot lower. The female, enraged, and weakened, but wise, and not that loyal to her mate, begins to rise and fly away from their cavern, breathing on Alzar as she does. He takes 16 from another failed save. Stupid saves!

69/84

6 vs7

Alzar casts Power Word Kill. With her reduced hp due to losing age categories and Alzar’s strip of her resistance, and the lack of a save if she qualifies, she drops dead. Alzar carves them up into pieces and scales and such.

Alzar grabs from the cavern:

+3 dwarven sized shield
+2 dwarven Warhammer –
Various dwarven armor, weapons and such, returned to the remaining miners, not kept for himself.

He also gives them all gems and coins and jewelry he finds of non-magical nature

There are a handful of small magical items -

1 Pearl of Power, 6th level
1 Gem of Brightness, 44 charges

But that;s not the best…

Under the female are five, recently laid, shadow dragon eggs. Alzar places them in stasis and stores them for now.

Alzar gains 42k XP

End of Book of Lairs II Again