[CAMPAIGN] KoK Fantasy Hero

[Kenn]

Re: [CAMPAIGN] KoK Fantasy Hero

 

lezentauw finally started his Fantasy Hero campaign set in the Kingdom of Kalamar setting by Kenzer Company. The setting was created for d20 and has a LOT of material.

 

There were three players consisting of me, my cousin Todd (a HERO system n00b), and Kenn (long-time Champions player/GM). lezentauw was the GM. He's been working on and off with converting his system for a few years and I was happy to see a campaign finally kicking off.

 

We'd expected two other HERO newbies and didn't want the first session just to be chargen. So, lezentauw created all the characters ahead of time. He planned on having this initial group be more of a DEMO of the HERO system more than anything withthe option of either keeping these characters after the initial sotry arc, or building new ones with player input.

 

There was some miscommunication concerning who would be completing my character so, he wasn't done. We spent the first hour going over who was playing who while lez finished my charsheet.

 

CHARACTERS:

Crend - Village Blacksmith's son and apprentice

High STR character with a magic hammer

 

Shanko - Previous slave/man-at-arms

skilled fighter

 

Ithan - Hunter's apprentice

High DEX with WF: Bow and Spear

 

Glandal - Sorcerer's apprentice

Sorcerer/Runecaster

 

(charsheets pending)

 

SETTING:

The campaign started in the non-canon village of Narmaren. lez placed it a few miles north of Pompeldia, City of Thieves along the Trade Route with the northern countries.

 

So was it me who was playing Ithan and Todd was playing Crend or was I playing Crend and Todd played Ithan?

[Savinien]

Re: [CAMPAIGN] KoK Fantasy Hero

 

So was it me who was playing Ithan and Todd was playing Crend or was I playing Crend and Todd played Ithan?

 

You were the blacksmith's son with the BFH.

[Savinien]

Re: [CAMPAIGN] KoK Fantasy Hero

 

Real life sucks.

 

We still haven't done this and probably won't.

[AliceTheOwl]

Re: [CAMPAIGN] KoK Fantasy Hero

 

I'm sorry to hear it. It sounded like it was going to be a lot of fun.

[Savinien]

Re: [CAMPAIGN] KoK Fantasy Hero

 

I mistyped should have said, 'and probably won't this week either'. We haven't dropped it from the schedule completely, but being a responsible adult sucks.

[AliceTheOwl]

Re: [CAMPAIGN] KoK Fantasy Hero

 

Yep. Stupid real-life stuff taking precedence over fun!

[Savinien]

Re: [CAMPAIGN] KoK Fantasy Hero

 

Stupid work.

[Savinien]

Re: [CAMPAIGN] KoK Fantasy Hero

 

Cross yo fingers!

 

Another attempt at the KoK game tonight!

 

HMFH!

[Kenn]

Re: [CAMPAIGN] KoK Fantasy Hero

 

Well, I'm over at Savinien's... Now if Lez would just get here.

[arcady]

Re: [CAMPAIGN] KoK Fantasy Hero

 

Oooo... KoK campaign using FH.

 

How did I miss this one. KoK was the reason it too me so long to abandon d20 DnD... KoK was worth sticking it out over, even if the rules for using it were completely -not- to my tastes.

 

Hope you have fun, wish I was there for that one.

 

I used to have a KoK name generator online, but all backups to it were on the portable Iomega 100gb drive that I bricked over the summer, and topcities took down their free websites without warning... so I don't even have a compiled version of the thing anymore. Too bad too, it had every name published in every KoK book through mid 2003 - and would mix up the personal and surnames to give you a unique name fitting your character's language.

[Savinien]

Re: [CAMPAIGN] KoK Fantasy Hero

 

Oooo... KoK campaign using FH.

 

How did I miss this one. KoK was the reason it too me so long to abandon d20 DnD... KoK was worth sticking it out over, even if the rules for using it were completely -not- to my tastes.

 

Hope you have fun, wish I was there for that one.

 

I used to have a KoK name generator online, but all backups to it were on the portable Iomega 100gb drive that I bricked over the summer, and topcities took down their free websites without warning... so I don't even have a compiled version of the thing anymore. Too bad too, it had every name published in every KoK book through mid 2003 - and would mix up the personal and surnames to give you a unique name fitting your character's language.

 

That sounds cool! I'll post follow up journal entries and comment on the game later.

[Savinien]

Session 2 - Journal Update

 

Day 1 –

Avil has been kidnapped and Itchel, like the moon after the sun, has followed after. The Village Council has sent us after the kidnappers hoping to catch Itchel before he comes to harm. Others have gone missing from the surrounding area with no word or answer why. If Malvus and Fortren haven’t found them, what good are my friends and I?

 

Itchel is captured. Ithan pointed out the marks of a struggle in the grass, but I could not follow them. As Ithan would trust my knowledge of the healing arts, I will follow his words in tracking.

 

The trail ended at the Trade Road. The kidnappers must have headed north, towards Northford. They couldn’t have gotten the missing shepherds, nor Avil and Itchel back through Narmaren without someone recognizing them (we hope!).

 

We came across a half-dozen riders near Mid-day. These days the Trade Road is dangerous and un-patrolled and seeing the riders around a wagon had me wary. We saw them from a ways off and Crend identified their tabards as those of a Pompeldia Great House. Ithan covered us from high ground as we parlayed. They kept us from a wagon bedecked with dyed cloth and ribbon, the bridal wagon of a betrothed Prince, his bride and her guard gone missing like Avil and Itchel. The Man-at-arms promises to meet with us in Narmaren in one week as we forage ahead, searching for the kidnappers. It is possible the wagon held more clues, but they disallowed closer investigation.

 

We’ve all been blooded. Just after Mid-day repast, we happened upon Hobgoblin slavers from Norga-Krangrel on their way to the Market in Pompeldia. Shanko parleyed, knowing the Norga-Krangrel tongue. The talk was short and ended with drawn blades. I had never used my sorcery against any, but Malvus and only in practice. I was forced to today. We killed two of their number and subdued two more. The last two surrendered their arms.

 

As far as I can tell, they had nothing to do with our prey so we sent them desert-ward in their wagon-bed shackled in their own irons. Presumably, their fled comrades will catch them well after we’re well beyond them.

 

We’re currently resting beneath tarps as Ithan suggested. The heat is stifling out here and a rest has done me good. Hopefully, we can catch up to Itchel and these kidnappers.

 

Later, that afternoon-

 

We are overlooking the remnants of Prompeldia’s independence and the possible future of Brandobian sovereigncy once more. An hour farther north up the Trade Road, Ithan spotted horse tracks leaving the road and heading towards the river. We followed their tracks, cresting a hill above the final battle between Prompeldia’s rebel houses and Brandobian forces. In the middle of the valley rested a small outpost of new construction.

 

I could see on my friend’s faces the fear of confrontation and I plan on coercing Ithan into returning to Nameren to bring word of what we found. I can see their horses from here and I have little doubt these are the captors of Itchel and Avil.

 

Early Morning Watch-

 

Last night we rescued Avil and Itchel and took a Brandobian captive. I hope this writing will help me come to terms with what transpired in that little outpost last night. Blood still feels sticky on my hands and cloak, though I washed them as best I can.

 

Ithan refused to leave us and wished to help free our friends and who was I to refuse him. It was fortuitous as we needed his skill with bow and axe. We waited until nightfall before creeping across the valley floor, remnants of an old battle still stirring beneath tufts of grass.

 

The Brandobians were in the midst of a magical ritual when we crept up on them. Their leader, some sort of necromancer or priest led them. Ithan took him as his words of powers began to draw energy, Avil bound helpless before him. Luck was with us and we struck as one, halving their numbers before they could rally.

 

What sort of men were these? They traveled with skinless animated skeletons, bringing to life horror stories of my youth. I had believed Malvus’ stories just that, but now I know different. The smell of blood fills my nostrils and my hand still shakes from bone-jarring impact of axe with the flesh of another man.

 

Only Ithan was wounded, but that by one of the skeletons foul blades. As I tended his wounds I feared an unholy festering, thankfully it looked like any other. We have a captive and an amulet of bone, etched with an unknown glyph. All of the men wore one. I wanted evidence for the Council while Crend wanted only to destroy them.

 

As the ink dries as I write, I hope the memories of the battle and after will fade. The presence of the living dead pushed our hand towards lopping a foot from each of our opponents and pushing them into the cellar. If they rose again, they would not be catching us.

 

One of their number escaped, fleeing on one of the horses but leaving the rest for us. The stand nearby, restless as I am, stamping their feet against the cold and breath wreathing unnaturally about their heads. I wonder how the escaped Brandobian fares in the night, his leg busted by Crend’s hammer. I wonder what story he will weave for his Masters and how long it will take them to send another group towards Prompeldia and Narmeran.

[Savinien]

Session 2 - Commentary

 

It had been 9 months since that first session and we lost one of the players. So, with a GM, two players, and some home-made chili we returned to the Kingdoms of Kalamar last night.

 

The role-play was sketchy, but I think we had fun. It is oft times tough enough to RP with a group, let alone only two players. With the lack of RP, the cludgy letter combinations were less distracting. There was a bit of retconning done by the GM which helped the overall story and better caught the feel of the KoK subject matter.

 

I find it interesting the players had a couple facts drilled into their heads:

 

Hobgoblins are not monsters to be killed on sight. They just another race with the good and the bad. Why then, did the first group we meet IC pretty much attack us on site?

 

This is a low magic setting. Why then, is my character a spell caster? Why does one of our number have a 'magic' hammer? Why were our first opponents spell casters accompanied by undead?

 

Don't get me wrong. I had fun, I just see a lot more potential.

[arcady]

Re: [CAMPAIGN] KoK Fantasy Hero

 

I'd be interested in seeing your GM's notes for magic.

 

Did (s)he use killer shrike's DnD magic conversions, the FH grimoires, or something unique?

 

Tossing my players back into Kalamar, but using Hero, might be a way to get them to try FH. Probably not, but I could try to brow beat them with it.

[Savinien]

Re: [CAMPAIGN] KoK Fantasy Hero

 

The GM (lezentauw) on here did quite a bit of discussion about the subject with Killer Shrike while developing it when the system was being created.

 

Killer Shrike has his version of this magic system with a nod to Lezentauw in it:

 

http://www.killershrike.com/FantasyHERO/HighFantasyHERO/MagicSystems/Spellweaving.shtml

[Savinien]

Re: [CAMPAIGN] KoK Fantasy Hero

 

A new KoK campaign is on the horizon. The locale is Pekal and I'm playing a sort of investigator for the Magistrate. We're looking at it as sort of like a US Marshal. My character, once part of the Pekal Military force was granted prestige and made Honorable.

 

Now, he moves about his District promoting the Magistrates wishes and dealing with troubles (either percieved by the magistrate, or requested by a mayor or fiefdome). I'm curious to see how the game works out. The other players hasn't made a character yet, but he'll likely be support for the 'Magistrate's Hound'.

[TheQuestionMan]

Re: [CAMPAIGN] KoK Fantasy Hero

 

"Arise!!!"

 

 

Thread Necromancy brought to you by

 

QM

[Savinien]

Re: [CAMPAIGN] KoK Fantasy Hero

 

I wish I had something to offer, but we haven't played the game yet. We got side-tracked with my Age of Reason game. We're supposed to play this Thursday. I'll mention an interest from here (other than my own) and see if we can't get this campaign going again!

[Kenn]

Re: [CAMPAIGN] KoK Fantasy Hero

 

Birdman wants to run it, I'm there.