[Campaign] The Last Dominion

[Manic Typist]

Re: [Campaign] The Last Dominion

 

So when do we get a fricking update instead of inside references?

 

I will not hesitate to sit here and fume impatiently if I have to!!

[Eosin]

Re: [Campaign] The Last Dominion

 

Sorry - I've been building characters for the pbp game and dealing with a sick wife (meaning that I have to pull duty as the kiddie shuttle). I'll try to get it Friday or Saturday.

 

Randy

[Savinien]

Re: [Campaign] The Last Dominion

 

Sorry - I've been building characters for the pbp game and dealing with a sick wife (meaning that I have to pull duty as the kiddie shuttle). I'll try to get it Friday or Saturday.

 

Randy

 

All is forgiven!!!

 

W00t!

[Eosin]

Re: [Campaign] The Last Dominion

 

Chalk another day to testing on the wife at the hospital. The good news is no surgery which is what we were looking at... The bad news is mystery meat. We have a problem but don't know what to call it yet.

[TheQuestionMan]

Re: [Campaign] The Last Dominion

 

Throw everything out, sterilize home, and buy from a difference vendor.

 

Check garbage for old meat wrapping and submit to doctor for testing.

 

QM

 

P.S.: Best wishes

[Eosin]

Re: [Campaign] The Last Dominion

 

Day 59

After the gruesome early morning battle the companions speak with the Sheriff, one Jago Penhallow before heading towards Tharad. Penhallow seems to be a competent fellow with a professional curiosity about where such skilled warriors come from. As they ride from town the party spots several members of Borgrim’s mercenaries — the same men who took contract with Liddia Vanderboren 2 months ago to return her sister from Chandra.

 

Little more than an hour has passed and Tharad looms on the horizon even in the hot summer sun the city vomits dark clouds of inky smoke into the sky. A coach passes bearing the heraldry of none other then house Vanderboren. Quickly the party overtakes the carriage and call for it to stop. Inside Lidda calms the nerves of her suitor Bonn Rittle.

 

Lidda and the party have a happy moment together before discussing the current situation. Lidda received word from Borgrim that her sister was in Sandpoint and that Lidda needed to come there with the funds to satisfy the contract. Arron dislikes this idea — he dislikes Borgrim in general. It is quickly decided that the party can delay the return to Tharad until this afternoon to accompany Lidda to Sandpoint. Also, during this conversation Kaid Wingate reveals to Lidda that he is now the Duke of Ormond one of the most powerful men in the Kingdom of Middea. Needless to say she is a bit overwhelmed to discover that the men who have aided her these last few months include the son of the late Duke Wingate.

 

The meeting at Sandpoint is a trap. Battle ensues but Borgrim’s men were not equipped to handle such a competent party. That fact was lost on Bonn Rittle who spent most of the battle inside the carriage alternating between screaming for his life and losing his water.

 

The two leaders were taken into custody by Sheriff Penhallow after being defeated by Arron & Torean — both men are exceptionally gifted combatants (Daihan, the knight and Orloch, the barbarian). There was no sign of Borgrim or Lidda’s sister. Under duress, Daihan commented that he had been sent by Rafn to dispose of Lidda since Borgrim had already wed the younger sister and cut a deal with the Prince. Liddia is now under even greater pressure to be wed before the Prince’s lackeys replace her with Borgrim and his child bride.

 

Aria and Legato have a little sport with Bonn Rittle who curses them and swears that they will know his wrath. The shame of his mewling was enough to drive him into hiding for years but to have it taunted by a woman was more than the his pride can bear.

 

The return trip to Tharad is quiet save for private discussion between Arron and Lady Vanderboren. Arron will live on her estate for the time being while she searches for a husband who can shield her from the rapacious appetites of the crown.

Day 60 to Day 70

Party down time. The players settle back into the routines of Tharad.

 

Kaid & Aria: Manage to start the process of buying the lease of the Rosewood Estate out from under the Vlaadams. Aria is quite the horse trader and coupled with Kaid’s knowledge of nobility and a little direction from Liddia Vanderboren they are able to make slow and steady headway.

Torean: The bard spends much of his time uncovering and unlocking the mysteries of the noble society within Tharad. The 10 ruling families he uncovers quickly but there remain hundreds of other noblemen in the city in some complex web. Nobles from the occupied duchy of Seacrest and the war wracked Eastern Marches have both fled to Tharad in large numbers with money and titles but little else. Other have fled from Chandra where Rafn reins supreme. Still more come from foreign lands to conduct trade or at least this is what they claim. Torean also spends a day digging up information about Garm Halstead the eccentric older noble who met with Kaid and Aria while they were in Orenstone. The Halstead family has a checkered past that seems centered around the family ancestral lands and estate. Garm currently resides in Orenstone while extensive repairs are done on the estate.

 

Legato: Studies with the Kratian Battlelords hoping to find clues to his past. He also begins to have flash backs and brief feelings of déjà vu.

 

Arron: Spend his time with Lady Vanderboren as her guardian. Isolde comments to Torean that she believes Arron is smitten. Lady Vanderboren needs a powerful noble suitor, someone like Kaid if she is to survive. Poor Arron.

Freya: Returns to work in Ragan Varri’s forge but as a master. Duke Wingate gave him the rights to work in Northrun as a master smith and Ragan honors that here. Freya also learns that the priest is looking for him.

 

Day 61

Nestor Smallwood, a Kratian Battlelord, approaches Arron just after mid-morning. It seems there have been murders in Sandpoint, murders that forced the Sheriff to seek the assistance of the Kratians. Two multiple murders have occurred in the last 3 days with the latest occurring this morning. Nestor was in town when the bodies were found just before dawn. Once he assessed the situation he rode here — it seems that the Sheriff recalled Arron traveling with a female companion named Aria. The killer left her a note.

 

After reading the note Arron rounds up the party and they travel the 6 miles to Sandpoint.

 

Late Evening

Sheriff Penhallow greets the party as it rides into Sandpoint. Last night there was a double murder at the sawmill — one of the victims was the daughter of the count. Citrina Thron ran the local estates for her father until she was wood chucked last night. The other victim was Ban Harker one of the mill owners. While Citrina’s dismembered corpse was bad at least she died quickly, Ban wasn’t so lucky. He was hung from tool hooks before his hands, feet, and jaw were cut off. Then he was marked with some sort of arcane rune and finally allowed to die. It took hours.

 

Before heading to the sawmill Sheriff Penhallow questions Aria about her whereabouts and whom her acquaintances might be… then he gives her the note.

 

“You will learn to love me, desire me in time as she did. Give yourself to the Pack and it shall all end.”

 

The inspection of the barn turns up very little save for a foul odor that matches the odor on the ichor stained note. There were some questions such as what was the daughter of a count doing in the sawmill and why didn’t she have the rune carved on her chest. It was also apparent to Aria that whatever did this crawled out of the river onto the pier when coming and going. The creature also climbed the outside of the building to gain entrance into the work rooms above.

 

Kaid, Sera, and Freya remained in the sawmill with the body. The mages felt a pulsing darkness emanating from the rune. They summoned the priest to bless the body before they began to untangle this pulsing darkness. The others went to interview Count Thron who had arrived in town only two days ago. The only other person of interest was Ibor Vinder the other miller and partner of Ban Harker.

 

Count Thron snapped when he saw Arron. He screamed obscenities and charged the deadly swordsman without heed to danger to himself. Arron had indulged in his youngest daughters charms now Thron screamed, “it wasn’t enough. You had to kill my little girl. You chopped her up. You sick bastard.” Arron knocked him out at that point seeing that the conversation could go nowhere with the psychotic nobleman attacking him.

 

Torean felt that something didn’t add up and wanted to speak with the major domo and the manors serving girls to find out what Citrina was up to and who might have wanted her dead. The conversation led him to believe that Citrina was, like her sister, a little indiscrete with her charms. In this case, she was knowing of the miller against her fathers wishes and knowledge.

 

By this point it is late. The body of the miller has been taken to church ground where it is blessed and then cremated but the darkness continues to pulse. Sera speaks with the other wizards offering the opinion that such a dark footprint must be removed from the world for it is likely an arcane anchor from which a summoning or banishing spell might be cast. The decision reached means that come morning all three will begin a prolonged ritual to unravel the magic.

 

Day 62

The mages spend the next 6 hours in meditation unraveling the anchor. They unleash forces so powerful that the effect is felt dozens of miles away by those with wizard sight. Yet the pulsing remains.

 

The swordsmen are interested in another killer who plagued the town a decade past known as “Chopper.” This bogey man like killer operated out of a small shack where he made stained glass for churches. The building is totally unremarkable. Search after search reveals nothing until Aria thinks to check out the heavy glass forge in the center. It seems the smelter is mobile but only with all four of them shoving on the heavy apparatus. Underneath is a doorway leading down a darkened stairwell. Legato heads down. Underneath is a natural cavern with sections of worked stone. Two large chambers connect with the distant one holding a seven pointed rune similar to the one carved into the chest of Ban Harker — similar to the seven pointed star on Legato’s weapons and his tattoo. Both of which seem warm.

 

Aria has joined the warrior but feels uneasy in the place. No one has been here for some time but there is a palpable evil. Finally, Torean joins those below. He isn’t down here long before he becomes overwhelmingly cold and feels “pushed.” Torean quickly surmises that his armor which defends against the attacks of spirits and ghosts has repelled one of the intangible beings. With that knowledge he decides to return topside. The return up the stairwell reveals silvered runes engraved around the exit.

 

Below, Legato steps on the crystal rune and has a vision. He is also bewildered for a moment [meta game — the other players think he was mind controlled, if so the result was a +48 EGO roll].

 

Eventually, Kaid, Sera, and Freya join the others at the glassworks. Kaid and Sera enter the cavern but magic seems dulled in this place. Kaid quickly discovers that his magic is being sucked from him toward the crystal rune. There is a quick moment of decision when the rune is shattered and the party runs for free skies. The climb up the stairwell tells a different mystery — the silvered runes have corroded.

 

Lunch is a quiet affair. Many pondering what exactly is going on and what they can expect next. They speak with the sheriff and talk of the other murders. Three con men from the city found slaughtered at the Bradley winter barn and one survivor a crazed thug called Grey. The bodies are burned, each a pulsing mass of darkness. They do not exude magic. Sera theorizes, the pulsing is a rent between our world and the realms of hell. A web of holes that when complete will allow the contents of Murgost to pour into the world.

 

The party treks 2 miles into the country side to an isolated glade where Grey has been remanded to a sanitarium — Haven.

 

We are heading into creepy territory. I hope to have it finished tomorrow. I'll come back and edit this thing as well.

[Edsel]

Re: [Campaign] The Last Dominion

 

We are heading into creepy territory. I hope to have it finished tomorrow. I'll come back and edit this thing as well.

Yep... It gets much more creepy. I bought Torean some PRE defense after this session.

[Eosin]

Re: [Campaign] The Last Dominion

 

Habe, a member of the Order of Apathos, attends the players when they arrive. The bizarre healer balks at allowing them to see Grey who is in a delicate way and very ill. After some innuendo and threats to return with Sheriff Penhallow if needed the players are let in. The sanitarium is quickly surmised to be a retreat for the rich of Tharad. Several noble women recline in the sitting room while they are attended and massaged as needed. Deeper in the bowels of the starkly whitewashed mansion is a section guarded by large men immune to the screams of the insane.

 

The wooden sign above the door is engraved with the number seven. Unlucky or simply coincidence? Inside a gangrenous man lies in body fluids and filth that assails the nostrils even through the tiny portal. He is restrained but in truth looks more than half dead judging by the gaunt greenish tinge. The restraints around the right shoulder ooze a pustulant fluid that quickly saturates each new bandage.

 

Inside the room, Grey mutters. “Teeth, oh god the teeth…. So very sharp… so shiny. The Skinsaw man is coming… His fever is among us… The razors… the Skinsaw….”

 

Each member of the party takes a few minutes viewing without incident. Finally Aria steps forward to see the crazed man. Suddenly the ghastly man rushes at the portal slamming his head into the bars. “He said. He said you would visit me. The one that unmade me said so. He has a place for you. A precious place. I’m so jealous. He has a message for you. He made me remember it. I hope I haven t forgotten. The master wouldn’t approve if I forgot. Let me see… let… me… see… He said that if you came to his Misgivings, that if you joined his pack, he would end his harvest in your honor.”

 

“Why?” screams the wretched form in the cell. “Why does he love you more than me? Well, he cannot have you. He cannot taste your flesh. Your flesh… I shall embrace all that is you, consume it… become it… and the master shall love me all the more.”

 

Following the demented words the thing that was Grey sunders his restraints. Skitters up the wall like a rodent and unleashes the terrors of his mind on those standing in the hallway. Sera’s magic repels the eldritch? Assault but others suffer Grey’s delirium. Knives, blades, and spells shatter the room within but the thing that once was human continues without pause. “I must have her. Just a small piece. A succulent morsel.” His putrid hands rattle the impressive door on its hinges before his mouth flays open to unleash another scream.

 

Arron’s ear begin to bleed and he feels faint. Another such torment and he is sure that he will fall. Others feel the same. Unable to kill the beast from here the swordsman does the unthinkable — he opens the door. Slavering jaws lunge for Aria. Some alien orifice that grinds, rends, and tears flesh from bones spew fetid blast of ichors slobber onto her hand. Arron pulls the enchanted dagger and begins his grisly task. Each blow slows him more and addles his brain… the thing is killing him even as he lands blow after blow.

 

Finally, the jaws close for the last time as the thing that once was Grey dissolves into a putrid mass of goo.

 

All fall back, shaken by this thing that nearly was the death of each one. They turn to find the physician Habe scooping up some of the ichor into a clay urn. Medicine it seems must press forward. The party wants to be gone from this place, gone from that voice, gone from the thing that wanted to eat one of their own.

 

The ride back to Sandpoint was interesting. Sera worries over the mysteries surrounding Legato and Aria. Might they know something further than they are telling? Why does Legato rub his hands so frequently touching those accursed runes? It seems things are getting tense and strife is setting it’s claws.

 

Back in Sandpoint Aria checks her gear (swear to god she just decided to do it out of the blue — maybe she was creeped out?) She notes that two arrows are missing. There are some questions about where they might have been misplaced. No one in town has seen anything unusual and the innkeeper hasn’t seen anyone come or go who should not have.

 

Aria heads up to her room alone. She uses her skills as a ranger to check over the room. Noting a sour smell coming from the bed. Small things are missing; combs, personal affects, scarves. Most disturbing is her straw bed. Where she lay last night is now saturated with an ichorous pus. Whoever was hunting her had lain in her bed — presumably to become closer to her. Now he also had her stuff. Aria bolted down the stairs frantically searching for her companions. She relayed her findings in garbled and shaken speech.

 

From her on the party decided that she would not be alone. But could they protect her from this obsessed madman? Could they stop the harvest?

 

After a restless attempt at sleep, filled with dreams for some and dread for what the morning would bring for others, the party set out to investigate Bradley’s winter barn where the first murder took place. They set out as night came on full.

 

The trip to Bradley’s winter barn was filled with questions and suspicions. Legato probed ahead unseen or heard by his companions. An eerie silence from a man who claimed to know nothing of the symbol tattooed on his hand.

 

The barn yielded nothing but another note:

 

“Take the fever into you, my love—it shall be but the first of my gifts to you.”

 

Day 62

The party decides that they must speak with Hiblus the Black who is in Tharad. Early morning preparations to travel back to the city are underway as a man stumbles from the fields. A local farmer. He relates a tale of horror in the outlying farms. Scarecrows have come to life — ravenous things eating everything that crosses their path. “They even ate the damned dogs,” he sobs.

 

It looks like there will be a detour. Into the enormous fields of corn. The obscuring rows and the hidden things that might lie in wait.

 

Within the hour the tense member of the party are attacked as they puzzle over a moving scarecrow. The thing is strapped to a post but when sprinkled with holy water it exclaimed, “Stop it.” Forced into single file the back two members Aria and Kaid are tackled and brought to the ground by terrifying creatures similar to the thing that was Grey. As they scream, flaps around their mouth fly open revealing proboscis that probe for the succulent parts. The hard feeding tubes jab at the eyes and nose seeking the soft tissues inside. Aria is soaked in the pus and gore that comes from the beheaded creature as Arron once again uses his enchanted dagger. It ominously runs into her mouth and eyes. Her hair is matted with the sticky stuff. Kaid is only marginally better off as his wizard shield protects him from most of the damage.

 

Now that the two inhuman things have been dealt with the party returns their focus on the scarecrow. Legato stands before the headless scarecrow soaked in the spurting blood. His face puzzled. “I thought it was going to attack,” he says to the headless farmer before him.

 

Above the fray the wizard Freya notes movement among the cornfield. A dozen? The cornfield is alive and it is herding them towards a farm. They pass another living scarecrow who begs them for help. A bit of discussion leads the players to believe that the man is doomed — he was bit by one of the things. He does offer one piece of vital information, the things serve a master. He can describe the heraldry: Halstead.

 

Garm Halstead the eccentric noble who was smitten with Aria is the unholy master of these things… not that the information helps. They are surrounded.

[Eosin]

Re: [Campaign] The Last Dominion

 

"The thing that was Grey"

I'll post a CS when the scenario is done. I haven't thought of a cool name for them yet but the easiest way to think of them is as a cross between a really nasty ghoul and a mind flayer. Two big things on their attack that the party has discovered - they have an area of affect cone EGO blast. Wow, that sucks in a hallway. The second is their attack called "brains... brains... BRAINS" The creatures have skin flaps whips shelter their probsicus. When grappling food the juice straws savagely attack the face trying to puncture the brain (1d6 4 shot autofire armor piercing). The round after they launch this attack they start to dine on "the other white meat." The second attack is a 4d6 AVLD Does BODY... 1d6 per hit that inflicts BODY from the probiscus so if all 4 hit and do damage you are a gonner. Heck, if more than one hits it is likely that your character is out of the game.

 

The other thing the party has noticed is a progressive mental entangle when fighting with close quarters weapons (knives and fists). The ichor shorts your synapses -- just a little (1 hit) is a 1 DEF 1 BODY mental entangle. Two hits is a 2 DEF, 2 BODY entangle (but if previously escaped it only has a single BODY), the third ichor splash has yet to be tested.....

 

Fleshflayers? Help out with a name here. I've just been calling them the Hunters. They eat brains, give off ghoul fever, have wicked looking "Predator" or "Alien" style mouth and jaws. Emit a devastating mental attack and are covered in odoriferous pus.

[1EyedJack]

Re: [Campaign] The Last Dominion

 

 

As a Bard Torean is all for heroic exploits about which to write songs and wonderful tales. But really... pus-oozing half ghoul / half mind flayers are pretty hard to work into a melodic harmony. Ya gotta give me something to work with here. Dare I say... throw me a bone.

 

Watch out for bone showers

[Nagus Pantojan]

Re: [Campaign] The Last Dominion

 

you really could have used Nagus against these things. They sound very much like the hybrid vampires from blade II.

[Manic Typist]

Re: [Campaign] The Last Dominion

 

Harvesters? Scrimshawed?

 

 

And: I like!

[NightStick]

Re: [Campaign] The Last Dominion

 

you really could have used Nagus against these things. They sound very much like the hybrid vampires from blade II.

 

Woulda - Coulda - Shoulda - DIDN'T...

 

When this episode was all over, needless to say, a few of us will have lasting reminders of it!

[Eosin]

Re: [Campaign] The Last Dominion

 

Harvesters? Scrimshawed?

 

Hmmm, Harvesters has a nice ominous ring to it.

 

 

When this episode was all over' date=' needless to say, a few of us will have lasting reminders of it![/quote']

 

Garm Halstead and the Harvesters have been defeated with minimal damage. Several players were knocked out at various points in last nights game but nobody took any serious BODY Damage. Sadly, it appears that Garm was a lackey for someone else within Tharad (A note signed, Your Mistress). Now the party is hell bent on finding the perp.... They learned the name of the ritual Garm was working as well as discovering that he was only a single wheel in the cog of the great ritual. Overall I'd say it was a fairly rousing success.

 

OK, well... Three players have enormous tumors growing out of the sides of their necks, eyes, and face. And I guess the mold growing in their mouths is worrisome. That it came on one day after defeating Garm and that best healer they know said, "I am not sure that this can be cured." May have a few players unkindly recalling the fight down in the well. They won't have to worry long... I am sure the Mold-Tumor Disease is rapidly fatal.

[Edsel]

Re: [Campaign] The Last Dominion

 

OK' date=' well... Three players have enormous tumors growing out of the sides of their necks, eyes, and face. And I guess the mold growing in their mouths is worrisome. That it came on one day after defeating Garm and that best healer they know said, "I am not sure that this can be cured." May have a few players unkindly recalling the fight down in the well. They won't have to worry long... I am sure the Mold-Tumor Disease is rapidly fatal.[/quote']

They need not worry. Torean & Legato can see they get a proper funeral.

 

But you are just kidding right? The others will be Okay?

[Manic Typist]

Re: [Campaign] The Last Dominion

 

Where are the write ups, man?!??

[Nagus Pantojan]

Re: [Campaign] The Last Dominion

 

Yes, write ups. Having to live vicariously thru the party exploits.

[TheQuestionMan]

Re: [Campaign] The Last Dominion

 

Yes' date=' write ups. Having to live vicariously thru the party exploits.[/quote']

What he said!

 

LOL

 

QM

[Nagus Pantojan]

Re: [Campaign] The Last Dominion

 

Write ups, please help me. I am jonesing for more.

[Savinien]

Re: [Campaign] The Last Dominion

 

I think Eosin pulled a Hammie and needs to devote all his time to the continuing exploits of his online game.

 

nuff said.

[mayapuppies]

Re: [Campaign] The Last Dominion

 

I think Eosin pulled a Hammie and needs to devote all his time to the continuing exploits of his online game.

 

nuff said.

Speaking of online games...stop posting here and get back to the Grey Crowns! Meeester Ominous...

[Savinien]

Re: [Campaign] The Last Dominion

 

Speaking of online games...stop posting here and get back to the Grey Crowns! Meeester Ominous...

 

I can flick in at this forum and post to my heart's content in a few moments. Or, the single game I play at Pencil Pushers. Unfortunately, Hero Central loads much slower and I have more obligations there.

 

I was just telling Mastermind I could totaly get into a properly scheduled chat game twice a month, though.

 

Now, back to The Last Dominion!

[Edsel]

Re: [Campaign] The Last Dominion

 

I hate to bear bad news but...

Eosin's work schedule has been killing his ability to run his face-to-face game. He has been coming out of long ER shifts and then having to run games immediately afterwards. Our group's current plan is that this Saturday will be a wrap-up game to put the Last Dominion campaign at a good stopping point. Hopefully some day in the future the game will resume when his work schedule is better. Our group plans to go back to a Champions campaign that has been on hold for several years.

[Eosin]

Re: [Campaign] The Last Dominion

 

I've been pulling a large number of extra shifts for the last few months which dramatically cuts down on my free time to get the history done. That said, after last nights adventure I am going to have to catch the game up to date.

 

We finished the Skinsaw Murders but the ending was botched. A combination of things led to the bad gal getting away without being identified or injured. She will continue her plan elsewhere - at best it was a delay and the loss of a few good dupes. Still, the party met with some success and they think that the bad guy was run out of town.

 

The funniest part was when the party found a hidden nook in the mantle where the Garm Halstead had left some paperwork that would reveal some of the clues needed to puzzle the whole thing together and lead them to the next phase. It was something like a primitive safe. Unable to see what was in the arm sized hole the party decided that it must actually be a room. Well, at that point they decided to shove a torch in there to help them see how big the room was.... "poof," papers, clues, and backstory all ignite in a well contained inferno. Quick thinking had the fire safely out so I allowed some of it to be scavenged but that was as much mercy as a desire to see the party actually stop the Skinsaw Murders before the game went into hiatus.

[Savinien]

Re: [Campaign] The Last Dominion

 

Haha! Silly players!