Start of Chapter 4:
Orbius & the Cagewrights - their overall goal is still to:
• capture Terrem, Zenith, etc
• use them in a ritual that will free Levistus
• Free Levistus!
One of their lieutenants, Triel, had her own idea about flooding the city and causing thousands of deaths in Levistus' name to release him. (Whose lieutenant was she?)
The Cagewrights were skeptical, and had personal reasons for not really wanting this to happen (low ranking member upstaging them, etc.) However they let her do it because if she succeeded the end result would be Levistus free, which they did all want.
Now that she has failed (they aren't surprised) they are returning to their original plan. For this, they need Zenith, who is missing. Orbius, their local connection, figures to get two birds with one stone by hiring the Stormhammers to do it.
- Test their true abilities
- If they fail, oh well, less interference from heroes in the future
- If they succeed, the Cagewrights still get Zenith and now they know a lot about the Stormhammers' abilities
Orbius is going to use the Umber Hulk attack as an "excuse" to hire the Stormhammers, and he is also using it as a way to weaken another potential snag, Maavu.
Fighter using a dead hollowed-out goblin as a bag to hold his magic biscuits?
Wizard hurling bottles of poop and eggs instead of fireballs?
Frenzied berzerker being slowly and agonizingly drowned by a giant clam?
Time for a Madness Check.
Showing posts with label campaign. Show all posts
Showing posts with label campaign. Show all posts
Prelude #2
Characters:
Gaara (Human Warblade, Shaun)
Jeppy (Human female Barbarian, Corey)
Gaara is from a far-off, eastern land. He was banished after trying to redeem his family name, but failing because he wasn't strong enough. He is traveling to get stronger and to possibly redeem his family name through great deeds. He is confident like Sasuke, even arrogantly so, but this is because he is scared of failing again. He traveled to the west on a ship with no possessions, and earned enough doing odd jobs to buy a katana. Unfortunately the blacksmith had never seen one, so Shaun described it the best he could and he ended up with a shoddy, inferior katana for now. His upbringing was a rigid household full of rules, so he still is quite officious and lawful.
Jeppy is a large, muscular human female. Her parents died when she was young, so her aunt & uncle reluctantly took her in. (Uncle is a wealthy councillor in Paradise, aunt doesn't do much.) They have a son, Pimchee. Jeppy was very neglected growing up (think Harry Potter), and while she wasn't abused, she wasn't loved by her adoptive family either. Pimchee is a slovenly boor who is fat and doesn't do much, and likes to harass her. Jeppy was picked on as a youth, because she didn't fit in with anyone. She was too athletic for the smart kids, and too smart for the jock kids. As a result, she got in a lot of fights. Because she got nothing from her family, she worked at a farm to earn some cash and develop her muscles. One kindly farmer gave her a baby piglet on her birthday a few years back, and she has taken care of it ever since (and named it Pig.) She tends to be wary of other people because of her bad experiences with them, but trusts animals freely. Jeppy also carries around a huge barrel on her back.
Gaara was roaming around for a while and ended up in Paradise, where he met Jeppy (and assumed she was a male, something he still believes and Jeppy has not corrected.) She saw a new face that did not judge her, while Gaara was impressed with her doting nature towards Pig, a sacred animal in his homeland. They became friends. Gaara is also trying to find purpose in his life/travels, while Jeppy just wants out of this town.
Months later, they were having a friendly duel to hone their combat skills. Fang witnessed the fight (and the ensuing chaos it caused to an old man and his two mules, who were dragging a cart of logs). Fang gently reprimands them for dueling in town, and then suggests that if they are restless, Ogilvie (a merchant who passes through every couple months) needs escorts for his trip to Cauldron. Gaara and Jeppy agree.
They go to the tavern and speak with Milo, the bartender for a bit. They have some drinks before calling it a night (Shaun gets hammered, his guy doesn't drink very much.) Shaun sleeps on some bales of hay behind the blacksmith, who he helps during the day to earn his keep. Jeppy goes home and takes some mild abuse from Pimchee, who she scares away easily.
The next day they meet Ogilvie, a middle-aged out of shape man wearing blue robes and a big blue hat. They immediately suggest making a dummy out of straw and Ogilvie's robes and hat, and putting it on display on the wagon (being pulled by a single horse), and stuffing Ogilvie in the barrel and putting it in the wagon. Ogilvie, who has a load of carpets and rugs to sell, balks at the idea of being in the barrel and says how about he just lies down in the wagon under a blanket instead. Gaara and Jeppy reluctantly agree. They also put the barrel in the wagon.
It's a seven day trip. On the first night they decide that Gaara will take first watch and Jeppy the second. Gaara just sits, alert. Jeppy plays with Pig.
Second night they reach the three farmsteads and stop for water, and buy a few veggies.
Fourth night Jeppy is on watch when she sees three figures walking down the road towards them. Still far off. She hides in some nearby bushes and ties a rope into a lasso. They get closer, she can see that they're all wearing leather vests and have swords. All are men. Two have scruffy beards while the third's face is obscured by something on it. They walk up to the wagon and look around. Jeppy tries to send Pig out to investigate but Pig balks...so she tosses Pig out onto the road. Pig squeals. The three men draw swords and one thug comes to investigate, the other thug and the Last Laugh man poke around the wagon and are deciding what to do.
Jeppy doesn't make any noise to wake Gaara or Ogilvie but instead puts the rope around her neck as if she was going to hang herself, and steps out. The thug tells her stop, but is confused, but eventually conveys that he will attack if she takes another step. Gaara wakes up but remains still, listening. The Last Laugh man says to just kill her and he'll take care of Gaara and Ogilvie, then they can steal the carpets. He walks over to stab Ogilvie, but Gaara springs up and slashes away his sword. When the rogue walks into the light of the campfire Gaara can see that his face is painted black and white like a yin/yang. The loud clang fails to wake Ogilvie. Meanwhile, the thug by Jeppy stabs at her, but she slaps it away with the rope she's holding and draws her spiked maul.
The other thug leaps up onto the wagon and stabs Gaara in the shoulder. Gaara responds with a swift strike on both the thug and Last Laugh, taking out the thug but missing the Last Laugh.
Jeppy swings a massive blow that misses and destroys a nearby sapling, freaking out the rogue. He stabs Jeppy slightly but takes a big hit in return, knocking him into the tree stump. He turns to flee but trips over the stump, and Jeppy pulverizes him.
[cinema - POV of thug with Jeppy looming over, swinging down with her maul, and blood spraying up and covering her entire front.]
The rogue hits Gaara a second time, but sees the other thug get crushes and starts to panic. The rogue threatens to stab Ogilvie if Gaara doesn't back off. Gaara just attacks, he misses but the rogue only manages to cut Ogilvie's arm lightly. Ogilvie wakes up and screams when he sees what's going on.
Jeppy rushes over and tries to leap up onto the wagon, vault off, and smash the LL as she flies by. She leaps up and vaults off....and totally flies over the rogue, Gaara and Ogilvie, who all stop momentarily to watch her fly overhead.
[cinema - Gaara and the rogue fighting, Ogilvie on the ground, when suddenly Jeppy rushes up and vaults off the wagon, silhouetted against the moon with her giant maul raised and the other three gawking up at her]
Gaara is hard pressed, so Ogilvie grabs a log on fire and tosses it at the rogue. It burns him slightly and distracts him enough for Gaara to step in and finish him off.
The thug killed in the wagon is bleeding all over the carpets, but is still alive. Gaara questions him quickly, ignoring his pleas for medical aid. The thug reveals that the leader was a member of the Last Laugh thieves guild, and that they're just bandits. No ulterior motive. The thug passes out. Gaara lets him die.
They loot the bodies, try to console Ogilvie a bit over his bled-on rugs, and Gaara tells Jeppy to just wake them up next time. They get three shortswords, two daggers, two sets leather armor, one set masterwork studded leather, some cp and sp, and eight gp stamped with a jester face (though neither of them notice this.) Jeppy also takes a small wooden disk with a harlequin/yin yang symbol painted on it. Gaara advises him to keep it concealed. They also each take a dull brown cloak.
The next day they go down to a nearby river and wash out the rugs and carpets and manage to clean most of them. The rest of the trip is uneventful. They reach the Lucky Monkey inn a day away from Cauldron and stop there. When they are approaching, they spot a band of four or five baboons in the brush nearby, who stop foraging for food to watch them ominously as they walk up to the inn.
Inside they meet the innkeeper Orin, who chats with them for a bit. Gaara gives him a gp, and Orin frowns when he sees it has a jester face. Gaara groans and says to Jeppy that they're probably counterfeit. Gaara gives Orin a real gp instead. They ask about the Last Laugh thieves guild, but Orin doesn't know too much other than that he's heard mutterings about them. He does They rest, eat, and enjoy some bardic entertainment. Next day they proceed to Cauldron. They part ways with Ogilvie, who asks them what their plans on. (They say explore Cauldron.) Ogilvie says that when they're done, stop by the Drunken Morkoth inn where he is staying and see if he's still there.
(What I forgot to mention but should is that Ogilvie pays them each some money.)
Gaara (Human Warblade, Shaun)
Jeppy (Human female Barbarian, Corey)
Gaara is from a far-off, eastern land. He was banished after trying to redeem his family name, but failing because he wasn't strong enough. He is traveling to get stronger and to possibly redeem his family name through great deeds. He is confident like Sasuke, even arrogantly so, but this is because he is scared of failing again. He traveled to the west on a ship with no possessions, and earned enough doing odd jobs to buy a katana. Unfortunately the blacksmith had never seen one, so Shaun described it the best he could and he ended up with a shoddy, inferior katana for now. His upbringing was a rigid household full of rules, so he still is quite officious and lawful.
Jeppy is a large, muscular human female. Her parents died when she was young, so her aunt & uncle reluctantly took her in. (Uncle is a wealthy councillor in Paradise, aunt doesn't do much.) They have a son, Pimchee. Jeppy was very neglected growing up (think Harry Potter), and while she wasn't abused, she wasn't loved by her adoptive family either. Pimchee is a slovenly boor who is fat and doesn't do much, and likes to harass her. Jeppy was picked on as a youth, because she didn't fit in with anyone. She was too athletic for the smart kids, and too smart for the jock kids. As a result, she got in a lot of fights. Because she got nothing from her family, she worked at a farm to earn some cash and develop her muscles. One kindly farmer gave her a baby piglet on her birthday a few years back, and she has taken care of it ever since (and named it Pig.) She tends to be wary of other people because of her bad experiences with them, but trusts animals freely. Jeppy also carries around a huge barrel on her back.
Gaara was roaming around for a while and ended up in Paradise, where he met Jeppy (and assumed she was a male, something he still believes and Jeppy has not corrected.) She saw a new face that did not judge her, while Gaara was impressed with her doting nature towards Pig, a sacred animal in his homeland. They became friends. Gaara is also trying to find purpose in his life/travels, while Jeppy just wants out of this town.
Months later, they were having a friendly duel to hone their combat skills. Fang witnessed the fight (and the ensuing chaos it caused to an old man and his two mules, who were dragging a cart of logs). Fang gently reprimands them for dueling in town, and then suggests that if they are restless, Ogilvie (a merchant who passes through every couple months) needs escorts for his trip to Cauldron. Gaara and Jeppy agree.
They go to the tavern and speak with Milo, the bartender for a bit. They have some drinks before calling it a night (Shaun gets hammered, his guy doesn't drink very much.) Shaun sleeps on some bales of hay behind the blacksmith, who he helps during the day to earn his keep. Jeppy goes home and takes some mild abuse from Pimchee, who she scares away easily.
The next day they meet Ogilvie, a middle-aged out of shape man wearing blue robes and a big blue hat. They immediately suggest making a dummy out of straw and Ogilvie's robes and hat, and putting it on display on the wagon (being pulled by a single horse), and stuffing Ogilvie in the barrel and putting it in the wagon. Ogilvie, who has a load of carpets and rugs to sell, balks at the idea of being in the barrel and says how about he just lies down in the wagon under a blanket instead. Gaara and Jeppy reluctantly agree. They also put the barrel in the wagon.
It's a seven day trip. On the first night they decide that Gaara will take first watch and Jeppy the second. Gaara just sits, alert. Jeppy plays with Pig.
Second night they reach the three farmsteads and stop for water, and buy a few veggies.
Fourth night Jeppy is on watch when she sees three figures walking down the road towards them. Still far off. She hides in some nearby bushes and ties a rope into a lasso. They get closer, she can see that they're all wearing leather vests and have swords. All are men. Two have scruffy beards while the third's face is obscured by something on it. They walk up to the wagon and look around. Jeppy tries to send Pig out to investigate but Pig balks...so she tosses Pig out onto the road. Pig squeals. The three men draw swords and one thug comes to investigate, the other thug and the Last Laugh man poke around the wagon and are deciding what to do.
Jeppy doesn't make any noise to wake Gaara or Ogilvie but instead puts the rope around her neck as if she was going to hang herself, and steps out. The thug tells her stop, but is confused, but eventually conveys that he will attack if she takes another step. Gaara wakes up but remains still, listening. The Last Laugh man says to just kill her and he'll take care of Gaara and Ogilvie, then they can steal the carpets. He walks over to stab Ogilvie, but Gaara springs up and slashes away his sword. When the rogue walks into the light of the campfire Gaara can see that his face is painted black and white like a yin/yang. The loud clang fails to wake Ogilvie. Meanwhile, the thug by Jeppy stabs at her, but she slaps it away with the rope she's holding and draws her spiked maul.
The other thug leaps up onto the wagon and stabs Gaara in the shoulder. Gaara responds with a swift strike on both the thug and Last Laugh, taking out the thug but missing the Last Laugh.
Jeppy swings a massive blow that misses and destroys a nearby sapling, freaking out the rogue. He stabs Jeppy slightly but takes a big hit in return, knocking him into the tree stump. He turns to flee but trips over the stump, and Jeppy pulverizes him.
[cinema - POV of thug with Jeppy looming over, swinging down with her maul, and blood spraying up and covering her entire front.]
The rogue hits Gaara a second time, but sees the other thug get crushes and starts to panic. The rogue threatens to stab Ogilvie if Gaara doesn't back off. Gaara just attacks, he misses but the rogue only manages to cut Ogilvie's arm lightly. Ogilvie wakes up and screams when he sees what's going on.
Jeppy rushes over and tries to leap up onto the wagon, vault off, and smash the LL as she flies by. She leaps up and vaults off....and totally flies over the rogue, Gaara and Ogilvie, who all stop momentarily to watch her fly overhead.
[cinema - Gaara and the rogue fighting, Ogilvie on the ground, when suddenly Jeppy rushes up and vaults off the wagon, silhouetted against the moon with her giant maul raised and the other three gawking up at her]
Gaara is hard pressed, so Ogilvie grabs a log on fire and tosses it at the rogue. It burns him slightly and distracts him enough for Gaara to step in and finish him off.
The thug killed in the wagon is bleeding all over the carpets, but is still alive. Gaara questions him quickly, ignoring his pleas for medical aid. The thug reveals that the leader was a member of the Last Laugh thieves guild, and that they're just bandits. No ulterior motive. The thug passes out. Gaara lets him die.
They loot the bodies, try to console Ogilvie a bit over his bled-on rugs, and Gaara tells Jeppy to just wake them up next time. They get three shortswords, two daggers, two sets leather armor, one set masterwork studded leather, some cp and sp, and eight gp stamped with a jester face (though neither of them notice this.) Jeppy also takes a small wooden disk with a harlequin/yin yang symbol painted on it. Gaara advises him to keep it concealed. They also each take a dull brown cloak.
The next day they go down to a nearby river and wash out the rugs and carpets and manage to clean most of them. The rest of the trip is uneventful. They reach the Lucky Monkey inn a day away from Cauldron and stop there. When they are approaching, they spot a band of four or five baboons in the brush nearby, who stop foraging for food to watch them ominously as they walk up to the inn.
Inside they meet the innkeeper Orin, who chats with them for a bit. Gaara gives him a gp, and Orin frowns when he sees it has a jester face. Gaara groans and says to Jeppy that they're probably counterfeit. Gaara gives Orin a real gp instead. They ask about the Last Laugh thieves guild, but Orin doesn't know too much other than that he's heard mutterings about them. He does They rest, eat, and enjoy some bardic entertainment. Next day they proceed to Cauldron. They part ways with Ogilvie, who asks them what their plans on. (They say explore Cauldron.) Ogilvie says that when they're done, stop by the Drunken Morkoth inn where he is staying and see if he's still there.
(What I forgot to mention but should is that Ogilvie pays them each some money.)
Fang, Sheriff of Paradise
Male half-orc fighter 4
LG Medium humanoid (half-orc)
Init +4 (+2 Dex, +2 Reflex); Senses Detect +2
Languages Common, Orc
AC 16 (standard), touch 13, flat-footed 14
(Dex +2, armor +3, deflection +1)
AC 26 (armoured), touch 14, flat-footed 25
(Dex +1, armor +8, shield +4 deflection +3)
hp 44
Resist none
Fort +7, Ref +3, Will +0
Speed 30 ft
Melee Hooktooth +9 (1d10+8/19–20)
Ranged shortbow +6 (1d6/x3)
Base Atk +4; Grp +7
Atk Options Improved Disarm (+13 disarm check)
Combat Gear 1 tanglefoot bag, 2 potions of cure light wounds (+2)
Abilities Str 16, Dex 14, Con 16, Int 13, Wis 8, Cha 10
Feats Exotic Weapon (Bastard Sword), Weapon Focus (Bastard Sword), Expertise, Improved Disarm, Weapon Specialization (Bastard Sword)
Skills Detect +2, Handle Animal +4, Intimidate +4, Jump +6 (+0 when armored), Ride +6
Possessions Hooktooth (+1 bastard sword), masterwork studded leather, shortbow, bracers of armor +1, 5 gp
Treasure +1 heavy steel shield, +1 fullplate, 50 gp
Notes
Hooktooth - this +1 bastard sword has a bladed hook at the tip of the blade that allows the wielder to effectively disarm foes. Fang get a +2 bonus on opposed attack rolls made to disarm an enemy (including the roll to avoid being disarmed if such an attempt fails).
Description
• Personality: ??
• Black hair with streaks of grey, 6'4", 280 lbs., wears bland colors (browns and greys)
• 45 years old but still very muscular and in shape.
• Not very comfortable talking to people without military training.
• Has numerous scars, limps slightly, slight military style of speaking
Background
Fang was born in an orc clan, the child of a human slave the clan had captured. His mother died shortly after he was born. He was bullied and abused as a child, but he accepted his fate until he had the chance to kill his father while he slept and escape. He found acceptance in a mercenary army, where he sharpened his fighting skills. He became part of a special strike force used to quickly dispatch an enemy general or captain. He was forced to retire after being seriously wounded in the leg by an archer, and still limps slightly.
He moved to Paradise and quickly became known as someone not to mess with, which caught the eye of the sheriff, a female half-orc named _____. They had a son, Hofar. The mother died after ________ and Fang decided to become the sheriff in her memory. While maintaining order in Paradise Fang typically wears carries Hooktooth, a shortbow and his studded leather armor, but he keeps his heavy armor well-maintained at home in case of emergency.
Traits
• Unprejudiced: Fang is open-minded and treats everyone extremely fairly, regardless of race. Has a soft spot for orphans, outcasts and those who are exploited/picked on by others, and has no patience for those who victimize these people.
• Military Man: Genuinely likes Paradise and its people, but misses the excitement and strict rules of the military. As a result, sometimes gets annoyed with silly (in his mind) disputes and squabbles. Still uses military slang. Sees warriors and Hoof-Bite's friends as his new "peers."
• Proud Father: Unashamed of Hoof-Bite, despite his son's mental state, but is frustrated that he is unable to help him overcome his disability. Has taught Hoof-Bite how to fight well so that others will not pick on him (not really realizing that few would pick on him anyways, since Hoof-Bite is enormous) Appreciates his son's friends, as they are able to defend Hoof-Bite when Fang would feel bad doing so (against youths, for example).
LG Medium humanoid (half-orc)
Init +4 (+2 Dex, +2 Reflex); Senses Detect +2
Languages Common, Orc
AC 16 (standard), touch 13, flat-footed 14
(Dex +2, armor +3, deflection +1)
AC 26 (armoured), touch 14, flat-footed 25
(Dex +1, armor +8, shield +4 deflection +3)
hp 44
Resist none
Fort +7, Ref +3, Will +0
Speed 30 ft
Melee Hooktooth +9 (1d10+8/19–20)
Ranged shortbow +6 (1d6/x3)
Base Atk +4; Grp +7
Atk Options Improved Disarm (+13 disarm check)
Combat Gear 1 tanglefoot bag, 2 potions of cure light wounds (+2)
Abilities Str 16, Dex 14, Con 16, Int 13, Wis 8, Cha 10
Feats Exotic Weapon (Bastard Sword), Weapon Focus (Bastard Sword), Expertise, Improved Disarm, Weapon Specialization (Bastard Sword)
Skills Detect +2, Handle Animal +4, Intimidate +4, Jump +6 (+0 when armored), Ride +6
Possessions Hooktooth (+1 bastard sword), masterwork studded leather, shortbow, bracers of armor +1, 5 gp
Treasure +1 heavy steel shield, +1 fullplate, 50 gp
Notes
Hooktooth - this +1 bastard sword has a bladed hook at the tip of the blade that allows the wielder to effectively disarm foes. Fang get a +2 bonus on opposed attack rolls made to disarm an enemy (including the roll to avoid being disarmed if such an attempt fails).
Description
• Personality: ??
• Black hair with streaks of grey, 6'4", 280 lbs., wears bland colors (browns and greys)
• 45 years old but still very muscular and in shape.
• Not very comfortable talking to people without military training.
• Has numerous scars, limps slightly, slight military style of speaking
Background
Fang was born in an orc clan, the child of a human slave the clan had captured. His mother died shortly after he was born. He was bullied and abused as a child, but he accepted his fate until he had the chance to kill his father while he slept and escape. He found acceptance in a mercenary army, where he sharpened his fighting skills. He became part of a special strike force used to quickly dispatch an enemy general or captain. He was forced to retire after being seriously wounded in the leg by an archer, and still limps slightly.
He moved to Paradise and quickly became known as someone not to mess with, which caught the eye of the sheriff, a female half-orc named _____. They had a son, Hofar. The mother died after ________ and Fang decided to become the sheriff in her memory. While maintaining order in Paradise Fang typically wears carries Hooktooth, a shortbow and his studded leather armor, but he keeps his heavy armor well-maintained at home in case of emergency.
Traits
• Unprejudiced: Fang is open-minded and treats everyone extremely fairly, regardless of race. Has a soft spot for orphans, outcasts and those who are exploited/picked on by others, and has no patience for those who victimize these people.
• Military Man: Genuinely likes Paradise and its people, but misses the excitement and strict rules of the military. As a result, sometimes gets annoyed with silly (in his mind) disputes and squabbles. Still uses military slang. Sees warriors and Hoof-Bite's friends as his new "peers."
• Proud Father: Unashamed of Hoof-Bite, despite his son's mental state, but is frustrated that he is unable to help him overcome his disability. Has taught Hoof-Bite how to fight well so that others will not pick on him (not really realizing that few would pick on him anyways, since Hoof-Bite is enormous) Appreciates his son's friends, as they are able to defend Hoof-Bite when Fang would feel bad doing so (against youths, for example).
Prelude #1
Characters:
Jamie (Changeling Rogue)
Mike (Human Fighter)
Justin (Half-Elf Sorcerer)
Ryan (Half-Orc Barbarian)
Keenan (Dwarf Cleric)
Jamie and Mike are twins. They had a Changeling mother, and a human father. Not sure how this happens, but a neighbour discovers the mother shapechanging, and the father dies. Everyone assumes that it is a doppelganger monster that has killed their real mother and has taken her place, and so she is run out of town. She has taught Jamie to always appear like Mike, so everyone thinks they are both regular humans. They are taken in by the owners of the town's inn, a married human couple named _______ and _______. Mike and Jamie eventually convince them to change the name of the inn to "The Thirteenth Step", even though it sits flat on the ground and there are no steps at all. Mike has a temper and Jamie gets into trouble, but no one holds it against them because of their tragic childhood.
Justin is a half-elf, elf father, human mother, both still alive and living in town. He was born in an elven city and trained early on to be a warrior, but he proved more adept at spellcasting, to his father's disappointment. They moved to Paradise when Justin was young, and being a mischievous and prankish type, he became friends with Mike and Jamie and hung out with them a lot.
Keenan is a ward of the church, having lost both parents to _____ attacks at an early age. The elder priests (two of them, a male Halfling Elya, and a female human Kira) are both quite old, so it is his job to make house calls and be the village's everyday cleric. He felt sorry for Mike and Jamie when their parents died/left, having gone through that himself, so he became an uncle figure to them (which became a big brother role as they matured and became closer to his mental age.)
Ryan is the dumb but strong, lovable oaf who everyone in town knows and takes care of. He is exceptionally strong because he is always performing heavy-labour chores for people and helping them. His nickname is Hoof-Bite because he used to work regularly in the stables and livestock farm, until the farmer caught him trying to bite a horse. His father Fang is the town's sheriff, and loves his son without shame. Jamie is particularly loyal to Hoof-Bite because Hoof-Bite once saved him from an angry bear after Jamie harassed it.
Tavern - owned by two human sisters, Hanra and Shanra. Hanra is the cook, Shanra is the barkeep, they also employ a number of girls as barmaids.
Three farmsteads on the outskirts of town:
#1 - Stella & Eyon, humans, 2 kids, livestock
#2 - Domo, old human male, vegetables and fruit
#3 - Var & Millie, human and half-elf, 3 kids, wheat, corn, grains
5 thieves
Mazer, male human - tough, gruff, stubborn
Lipp, male human - pathetic, sneaky
Erol male half-elf - dumb
Hemmel, male elf - fanatical but has no idea what is really going on
Seris, male halfling - ...nothing
Dead Trader = Jasper, human male (middle aged)
Male Trader = Orlar, middle aged chubby human, balding. Runs Orlar's House of Magnificence in Freeport (gems and jewellery.)
Female Trader = Mara, middle aged, chubby, jolly
=================
Orlar and Mara are robbed by 5 thieves, party arrives on scene just in time to see them fleeing on horseback. The party rounds up four horses (Ryan runs) and using Justin's raven familiar, tracks them down to a farming community 2 hours ride from town. Three farms. Jamie fills his bag full of ears of corn.
They poke around and eventually find three of the thieves, with five horses, hiding in one of the barns. Justin summons a fiendish centipede to scare them, they run outside and are knocked out by the waiting party. Mazer, Lipp, and Hemmel are the three. Mike questions them, and asks where the others are (reply: Gone to get food.) Meanwhile, Jamie tries to coerce Lipp into accepting a "deal" if he'll just blame it all on Mazer. (He later tries to convince Mazer the same thing.) During this whole time Jamie looks like an orc.
While interrogating Mazer, no one notices Lipp edge up on the hay bales he's sitting on and leap for the window. Mike grabs a pitchfork and hurls it at him, just missing him. However, his landing is heard by Ryan, who strolls over and punches out Lipp as he is trying to hop away.
They question Erol, who is dumb and panics and reveals that he didn't take the amulet. When questioned farther, he tells them that Hemmel and Seris took an amulet with a blue stone because it would "light their way."
Outside, Justin and Ryan meet Domo, who is suspicious of them and tries to shoo them away, but later offers them food. He gives them apples, apologizing for the lack of their regular meal, soup, because the well was strangely low today when he went to get the water. They go inside and discuss.
They decide to tie the three thieves to horses and send them back towards Paradise, and then explore the well. Jamie drops down into the well and finds an underground/water passage into a small cavern. He gets everyone else (Ryan holds the rope, and then climbs down). Jamie morphs into Mazer now, and walks into the next room while the others wait for a signal. There are 2 men in leather armor and one cloaked, hunched figure facing away from him. The 2 men attack, injuring Jamie, who had leapt up on a table. He flips off the table and runs away, flipping his bag of corn at one of the men. The two men pursue him around the corner, only to be chopped down in a cleave by Mike.
Mike flips the cloaked figure around, it's a dead man, stripped to the waist and a strange symbol carved into his chest. Jamie searches the room and finds the blue-stoned amulet, and he puts it on. When he holds the gem, he can see through illusions, and spots a secret door (and its triggering mechanism on the wall.) They go through, find a storeroom in one direction, and a closed door in the other. Justin casts silent portal on the door and Ryan charges in.
Inside are a halfing and an elf, both armed with chain shirts and better gear than the other thieves they've met so far. There is also a large rug in the center of the room. Ryan ducks back around the door and says "PEOPLES!" Mike charges in as the halfling drinks a potion of blinking, both halfling and elf draw their weapons (dagger, longsword). Mike and quickly wounds the elf, while the halfling is attacked by Jamie, Ryan and another centipede by Justin. While charging at the halfling, Ryan almost falls into the concealed pit trap under the rug. The halfling blinks in and out constantly and most of the party's attacks keep missing him, even Justin's ice shard spell. The elf surrenders, and Keenan pins him to the ground and strips him of weapons, revealing a brooch with the same symbol.
Meanwhile the halfling sneak attacks Ryan, then runs for the door, dodging Justin's clumsy trip attempt. Mike charges after him but misses as the halfling blinks out of view again, but Justin summons a giant fire beetle which bites the halfling, then he is impaled by Ryan, charging and stabbing with the spike on the end of his greataxe. He runs out of the room and all the way down the hall before finally smearing the halfling on the ground.
They search the place and find some okay treasure. They return to the surface after knocking Hemmel unconscious.
Jamie (Changeling Rogue)
Mike (Human Fighter)
Justin (Half-Elf Sorcerer)
Ryan (Half-Orc Barbarian)
Keenan (Dwarf Cleric)
Jamie and Mike are twins. They had a Changeling mother, and a human father. Not sure how this happens, but a neighbour discovers the mother shapechanging, and the father dies. Everyone assumes that it is a doppelganger monster that has killed their real mother and has taken her place, and so she is run out of town. She has taught Jamie to always appear like Mike, so everyone thinks they are both regular humans. They are taken in by the owners of the town's inn, a married human couple named _______ and _______. Mike and Jamie eventually convince them to change the name of the inn to "The Thirteenth Step", even though it sits flat on the ground and there are no steps at all. Mike has a temper and Jamie gets into trouble, but no one holds it against them because of their tragic childhood.
Justin is a half-elf, elf father, human mother, both still alive and living in town. He was born in an elven city and trained early on to be a warrior, but he proved more adept at spellcasting, to his father's disappointment. They moved to Paradise when Justin was young, and being a mischievous and prankish type, he became friends with Mike and Jamie and hung out with them a lot.
Keenan is a ward of the church, having lost both parents to _____ attacks at an early age. The elder priests (two of them, a male Halfling Elya, and a female human Kira) are both quite old, so it is his job to make house calls and be the village's everyday cleric. He felt sorry for Mike and Jamie when their parents died/left, having gone through that himself, so he became an uncle figure to them (which became a big brother role as they matured and became closer to his mental age.)
Ryan is the dumb but strong, lovable oaf who everyone in town knows and takes care of. He is exceptionally strong because he is always performing heavy-labour chores for people and helping them. His nickname is Hoof-Bite because he used to work regularly in the stables and livestock farm, until the farmer caught him trying to bite a horse. His father Fang is the town's sheriff, and loves his son without shame. Jamie is particularly loyal to Hoof-Bite because Hoof-Bite once saved him from an angry bear after Jamie harassed it.
Tavern - owned by two human sisters, Hanra and Shanra. Hanra is the cook, Shanra is the barkeep, they also employ a number of girls as barmaids.
Three farmsteads on the outskirts of town:
#1 - Stella & Eyon, humans, 2 kids, livestock
#2 - Domo, old human male, vegetables and fruit
#3 - Var & Millie, human and half-elf, 3 kids, wheat, corn, grains
5 thieves
Mazer, male human - tough, gruff, stubborn
Lipp, male human - pathetic, sneaky
Erol male half-elf - dumb
Hemmel, male elf - fanatical but has no idea what is really going on
Seris, male halfling - ...nothing
Dead Trader = Jasper, human male (middle aged)
Male Trader = Orlar, middle aged chubby human, balding. Runs Orlar's House of Magnificence in Freeport (gems and jewellery.)
Female Trader = Mara, middle aged, chubby, jolly
=================
Orlar and Mara are robbed by 5 thieves, party arrives on scene just in time to see them fleeing on horseback. The party rounds up four horses (Ryan runs) and using Justin's raven familiar, tracks them down to a farming community 2 hours ride from town. Three farms. Jamie fills his bag full of ears of corn.
They poke around and eventually find three of the thieves, with five horses, hiding in one of the barns. Justin summons a fiendish centipede to scare them, they run outside and are knocked out by the waiting party. Mazer, Lipp, and Hemmel are the three. Mike questions them, and asks where the others are (reply: Gone to get food.) Meanwhile, Jamie tries to coerce Lipp into accepting a "deal" if he'll just blame it all on Mazer. (He later tries to convince Mazer the same thing.) During this whole time Jamie looks like an orc.
While interrogating Mazer, no one notices Lipp edge up on the hay bales he's sitting on and leap for the window. Mike grabs a pitchfork and hurls it at him, just missing him. However, his landing is heard by Ryan, who strolls over and punches out Lipp as he is trying to hop away.
They question Erol, who is dumb and panics and reveals that he didn't take the amulet. When questioned farther, he tells them that Hemmel and Seris took an amulet with a blue stone because it would "light their way."
Outside, Justin and Ryan meet Domo, who is suspicious of them and tries to shoo them away, but later offers them food. He gives them apples, apologizing for the lack of their regular meal, soup, because the well was strangely low today when he went to get the water. They go inside and discuss.
They decide to tie the three thieves to horses and send them back towards Paradise, and then explore the well. Jamie drops down into the well and finds an underground/water passage into a small cavern. He gets everyone else (Ryan holds the rope, and then climbs down). Jamie morphs into Mazer now, and walks into the next room while the others wait for a signal. There are 2 men in leather armor and one cloaked, hunched figure facing away from him. The 2 men attack, injuring Jamie, who had leapt up on a table. He flips off the table and runs away, flipping his bag of corn at one of the men. The two men pursue him around the corner, only to be chopped down in a cleave by Mike.
Mike flips the cloaked figure around, it's a dead man, stripped to the waist and a strange symbol carved into his chest. Jamie searches the room and finds the blue-stoned amulet, and he puts it on. When he holds the gem, he can see through illusions, and spots a secret door (and its triggering mechanism on the wall.) They go through, find a storeroom in one direction, and a closed door in the other. Justin casts silent portal on the door and Ryan charges in.
Inside are a halfing and an elf, both armed with chain shirts and better gear than the other thieves they've met so far. There is also a large rug in the center of the room. Ryan ducks back around the door and says "PEOPLES!" Mike charges in as the halfling drinks a potion of blinking, both halfling and elf draw their weapons (dagger, longsword). Mike and quickly wounds the elf, while the halfling is attacked by Jamie, Ryan and another centipede by Justin. While charging at the halfling, Ryan almost falls into the concealed pit trap under the rug. The halfling blinks in and out constantly and most of the party's attacks keep missing him, even Justin's ice shard spell. The elf surrenders, and Keenan pins him to the ground and strips him of weapons, revealing a brooch with the same symbol.
Meanwhile the halfling sneak attacks Ryan, then runs for the door, dodging Justin's clumsy trip attempt. Mike charges after him but misses as the halfling blinks out of view again, but Justin summons a giant fire beetle which bites the halfling, then he is impaled by Ryan, charging and stabbing with the spike on the end of his greataxe. He runs out of the room and all the way down the hall before finally smearing the halfling on the ground.
They search the place and find some okay treasure. They return to the surface after knocking Hemmel unconscious.
things the party has done
Fang asks the party to take Hemmel to Freeport, and they travel there with Orlar who is on his way back as well. They turn the elf over to the authorities there, and Orlar buys them some fancy new equipment. They get to test this new equipment when they hear reports of zombies walking around near an abandoned mine in the hills. They travel there and find a necromancer cleric who has raised a small force of undead to excavate the mine. They attack the necromancer and dispatch the undead.
They are then asked to escort Hemmel AGAIN, this time to a major coastal city, as there has been interest about the strange symbol. They do so and Hemmel is jailed, but the next day he is found dead from unknown means, seemingly natural. The party is investigated, but eventually there are no clues and the case stops, and remains unsolved.
The party spends some time traveling around to small communities and ridding them of monster problems.
Freeport is besieged by a small army of hobgoblins, striking during a major trading convention. The party, alongside other adventurers and warriors, manage to hold the city against the force. Eventually the party sneaks out during the night and finds the army leaders, and kills them. The army falls apart after that and scatter.
When a band of gnolls attack a dwarven caravan and carries off a young dwarven girl, the party goes to rescue her. They discover that she is actually a dwarven princess, about 16 (in human years). She immediately develops a crush on Keenan, who politely declines her love.
One city tells the party that there is a trio of lizardfolk plaguing the farmers. They go to take care of them, and fall into an ambush by over 20 lizardfolk, and are taken prisoner to be eaten. They manage to escape after Jamie morphs into a lizardfolk and manages to assassinate the chief lizardfolk. In the ensuing chaos they manage to escape.
They explore the first two levels of a mysterious dungeon, but turn back before the third floor.
Due to his charming personality and good looks, Justin was asked to be an noblewoman's escort to a fancy ball. The rest of the party, suspecting a trick, decided to also infiltrate the party disguised as waiters. However, Mike got drunk and picked a fight with a duke, who happened to be the father of the young woman Justin was escorting. Meanwhile, Keenan got into a heated religious debate with another cleric who was attending, and got into a fist fight with him, and Jamie was attempting to rob the treasury. Also, Ryan was peeing in the fountain. The Duke demanded Justin help the guards round up the troublemakers, so he had to pretend to fight the others. Eventually he summoned a horde of animals, which overran the ballroom and sent all the partygoers fleeing out of the palace. There is now a bounty on Mike's head and the party is banned from the city.
They then started up a trading company in Cliffside, using the captured pirate ship from their earlier adventure there. They called it ERU (Extortions R Us). It failed because they tried to sell stolen goods and goods that weren't theirs, and also Jamie started a smuggling ring and was smuggling goods in and out of the country with the shipments. It ended when Jamie tried to sell stolen goods to an undercover agent, who busted the whole smuggling operation. Jamie, who did all his smuggling while looking like Hemmel, escaped. It was all traced back to ERU, and the party had to sell the entire operation to a rich wandering bard named Juneau, just to be able to pay for their bail and the massive legal fees.
After selling the shipping company, a gnomish shipping barge docked and asked what was going on. After finding out, they asked if the party wanted to come on a cruise with them, on their new, fresh off the design table cutting edge design craft. They agreed. It turns out the ship is submersible, and goes deep underwater. However, they are attacked by a giant squid, and the ship is defenseless. In disbelief the party asks why they don't have defenses, the gnomes reply that that task was the responsiblity of the weaponry department, who haven't been seen since they were testing their anti-dragon vehicular assault crafts, which were hot air balloons. Justin summons a giant squid to attack the other giant squid, and the gnomes and party escape during the diversion into the escape pod, a giant glass bubble that slowly sinks to the bottom of the ocean. They land on the bottom and are rescued by merfolk, who take them to their underwater city, which is encased in glimmering metal/glass sphere. The merfolk can breathe both air and water, but their city is air-based, not underwater, so the party is able to breathe there. They discuss ideas of escaping, such as traveling through the underground lava passages to the surface, increasing the buoyancy of the city so the entire city rises to the surface, and just drilling a hole in the sphere and letting the ocean suck everyone out. Since the city is so deep down, the water pressure would crush them if they left the city...by the same token the merfolk can't ascend since their bodies are used to the intense pressure. Justin theorized that if they went up to the surface their skin would flop out and become unsolid, and they would be like jellyfish.
Eventually the gnomes tell them they've been working with the merfolk architects and have devised a Buoyant Ascender Flotation Craft...which was a bigger glass bubble with pumps and handles on the outside. Their plan was to have Justin summon giant squids and propel the bubble to the surface. They bob to the surface and as luck would have it, are picked up by a ship captained by the dwarven princess, who had heard Keenan was missing on a sea adventure and had come out to rescue him. They climb aboard and immediately lock up the gnomes in the brig, for everyone's safety, and for theirs, as Mike is seething and ready to kill them all. On the way back to shore, Jamie morphs into Keenan, and seduces the princess. No one else discovers this. They get back to shore and part ways.
Hoofbite, after countless adventures and loyalty, speaks up and wants to create a place to help stupid kids. He names it The Centre for Children Who Can't Read Good and Want To Do Stuff Too. Their motto is "Take a bite out of dumb!" Amazingly, it succeeds because they hire someone else to run the entire operation. However, Jamie starts a smuggling ring operating out of the same building. The center's symbol is a horseshow with a bite taken out of it.
Somehow the party ends up with a broken scepter handle that radiates evil and is constantly compelling monsters to attack the party. The party can't seem to be rid of it, as it keeps re-appearing in their possession. They find out that it is one of three pieces of a very evil artifact, so they go on a big quest and find the other two pieces. One is in the ownership of a insane frost giant with a pet white dragon in the north, and the other is hidden deep underground in hands of a xorn hermit. They retrieve the pieces and then travel to a famous floating library, where a single sage lives with all the answers of the world. He tells them that each piece must be destroyed in a different fashion. One must be thrown into the heart of an active volcano, the other needs to be buried at the bottom of the sea (they travel to the gnomes and get them to make them ANOTHER bubble, but this time with whirling blades and protruding spikes and other assorted weapons, and an electric charge), and the head of the scepter has to be taken onto the shadow plane and thrown into the chest of a nightwalker.
They are then asked to escort Hemmel AGAIN, this time to a major coastal city, as there has been interest about the strange symbol. They do so and Hemmel is jailed, but the next day he is found dead from unknown means, seemingly natural. The party is investigated, but eventually there are no clues and the case stops, and remains unsolved.
The party spends some time traveling around to small communities and ridding them of monster problems.
Freeport is besieged by a small army of hobgoblins, striking during a major trading convention. The party, alongside other adventurers and warriors, manage to hold the city against the force. Eventually the party sneaks out during the night and finds the army leaders, and kills them. The army falls apart after that and scatter.
When a band of gnolls attack a dwarven caravan and carries off a young dwarven girl, the party goes to rescue her. They discover that she is actually a dwarven princess, about 16 (in human years). She immediately develops a crush on Keenan, who politely declines her love.
One city tells the party that there is a trio of lizardfolk plaguing the farmers. They go to take care of them, and fall into an ambush by over 20 lizardfolk, and are taken prisoner to be eaten. They manage to escape after Jamie morphs into a lizardfolk and manages to assassinate the chief lizardfolk. In the ensuing chaos they manage to escape.
They explore the first two levels of a mysterious dungeon, but turn back before the third floor.
Due to his charming personality and good looks, Justin was asked to be an noblewoman's escort to a fancy ball. The rest of the party, suspecting a trick, decided to also infiltrate the party disguised as waiters. However, Mike got drunk and picked a fight with a duke, who happened to be the father of the young woman Justin was escorting. Meanwhile, Keenan got into a heated religious debate with another cleric who was attending, and got into a fist fight with him, and Jamie was attempting to rob the treasury. Also, Ryan was peeing in the fountain. The Duke demanded Justin help the guards round up the troublemakers, so he had to pretend to fight the others. Eventually he summoned a horde of animals, which overran the ballroom and sent all the partygoers fleeing out of the palace. There is now a bounty on Mike's head and the party is banned from the city.
They then started up a trading company in Cliffside, using the captured pirate ship from their earlier adventure there. They called it ERU (Extortions R Us). It failed because they tried to sell stolen goods and goods that weren't theirs, and also Jamie started a smuggling ring and was smuggling goods in and out of the country with the shipments. It ended when Jamie tried to sell stolen goods to an undercover agent, who busted the whole smuggling operation. Jamie, who did all his smuggling while looking like Hemmel, escaped. It was all traced back to ERU, and the party had to sell the entire operation to a rich wandering bard named Juneau, just to be able to pay for their bail and the massive legal fees.
After selling the shipping company, a gnomish shipping barge docked and asked what was going on. After finding out, they asked if the party wanted to come on a cruise with them, on their new, fresh off the design table cutting edge design craft. They agreed. It turns out the ship is submersible, and goes deep underwater. However, they are attacked by a giant squid, and the ship is defenseless. In disbelief the party asks why they don't have defenses, the gnomes reply that that task was the responsiblity of the weaponry department, who haven't been seen since they were testing their anti-dragon vehicular assault crafts, which were hot air balloons. Justin summons a giant squid to attack the other giant squid, and the gnomes and party escape during the diversion into the escape pod, a giant glass bubble that slowly sinks to the bottom of the ocean. They land on the bottom and are rescued by merfolk, who take them to their underwater city, which is encased in glimmering metal/glass sphere. The merfolk can breathe both air and water, but their city is air-based, not underwater, so the party is able to breathe there. They discuss ideas of escaping, such as traveling through the underground lava passages to the surface, increasing the buoyancy of the city so the entire city rises to the surface, and just drilling a hole in the sphere and letting the ocean suck everyone out. Since the city is so deep down, the water pressure would crush them if they left the city...by the same token the merfolk can't ascend since their bodies are used to the intense pressure. Justin theorized that if they went up to the surface their skin would flop out and become unsolid, and they would be like jellyfish.
Eventually the gnomes tell them they've been working with the merfolk architects and have devised a Buoyant Ascender Flotation Craft...which was a bigger glass bubble with pumps and handles on the outside. Their plan was to have Justin summon giant squids and propel the bubble to the surface. They bob to the surface and as luck would have it, are picked up by a ship captained by the dwarven princess, who had heard Keenan was missing on a sea adventure and had come out to rescue him. They climb aboard and immediately lock up the gnomes in the brig, for everyone's safety, and for theirs, as Mike is seething and ready to kill them all. On the way back to shore, Jamie morphs into Keenan, and seduces the princess. No one else discovers this. They get back to shore and part ways.
Hoofbite, after countless adventures and loyalty, speaks up and wants to create a place to help stupid kids. He names it The Centre for Children Who Can't Read Good and Want To Do Stuff Too. Their motto is "Take a bite out of dumb!" Amazingly, it succeeds because they hire someone else to run the entire operation. However, Jamie starts a smuggling ring operating out of the same building. The center's symbol is a horseshow with a bite taken out of it.
Somehow the party ends up with a broken scepter handle that radiates evil and is constantly compelling monsters to attack the party. The party can't seem to be rid of it, as it keeps re-appearing in their possession. They find out that it is one of three pieces of a very evil artifact, so they go on a big quest and find the other two pieces. One is in the ownership of a insane frost giant with a pet white dragon in the north, and the other is hidden deep underground in hands of a xorn hermit. They retrieve the pieces and then travel to a famous floating library, where a single sage lives with all the answers of the world. He tells them that each piece must be destroyed in a different fashion. One must be thrown into the heart of an active volcano, the other needs to be buried at the bottom of the sea (they travel to the gnomes and get them to make them ANOTHER bubble, but this time with whirling blades and protruding spikes and other assorted weapons, and an electric charge), and the head of the scepter has to be taken onto the shadow plane and thrown into the chest of a nightwalker.
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