Saturday, January 26, 2008

XP Standings

Rudy, Gwendlyn, and Z advance a level. Nesta and Vin are closing in on 9.

Level 9: Rudy, Z

Level 8: Nesta, Vin, Daria, Kongu, Ortho, Gwendlyn

Level 7: Chiri, Newt, Druugen, Spanky, Medea

Requirements: New PC sheets for Rudy and Z
Pending work: Character sheet and background for Cleric, Bubba Minos, and Erin.
List of henchmen of the Sea Wyvern/Vicious Spanking (aka Purity's Prow) is ready for detailing of stat blocks/character sheets if anyone would like to earn some extra XP.

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

From the Diary of Rudolpho Milano

Dear Diary,

I fear that I am losing my passion for mindless slaughter.

Case in point: As we made our way further South down the trail, Nesta kept reminding everyone how close we must be getting to our journey's end and that seemed to greatly lift everyone's spirits. Nesta was still using Urol's old maps so I was merely cautiously optimistic.

Anyway, finally arrived at a great wall fifty feet tall and over two miles wide! It had been a few days since I had gotten a good opportunity to destroy something with my falchion and I figured that this wall looked like the perfect opportunity. But just as I began to haul back my blade, the damn door opened. Vin and Ortho had talked the natives into opening the door. What a ripoff!

We walked into a village of primitive losers. I was so bored I didn't even slaughter any of the locals. Not a one! Honest!

We trekked from that loser village down to another loser village on the South coast where we are now, ready to set out on a boat ride tomorrow for an island and the settlement of Far Shore.

Hello civilization! I can't wait to kick back and take it easy for a while. I want to collect my money that Lavinia owes me, maybe do some shopping and vacationing, and get my butt back to Sasserine.

Yep, I can't wait. Lavina better have my money.

-R

Monday, January 21, 2008

From the Diary of Rudolpho Milano

Dear Diary,

I killed the bat god!

After we battled the krakens in the pool room, we just sat it down right there and had a solid eight-hour rest. I was in a horrible dream that I was caught in an endless conversation with Vin when I woke to the sound of Vin's voice telling me that it was time to get up... My nightmares are becoming more real with every passing day.

As I was rubbing the crusties out of my eyes, Daria proceeded to open one of the three doors leading from the chamber. She's so good that she opened all three at the same time. Unfortunately, that revealed three ten-foot tall goat-headed losers with ranseurs kinda like the one that I picked up – only the size of a tree trunk.

After a short but painful battle, we left that room hauling those massive weapons. We tried the last unexplored section of that underground crypt. In the last room, we found some crappy religious stuff, pardon my being redundant. There was a big boring altar on a big boring dais in the middle of the room; there was a statue of that stupid bat god at the far end of the room; and there were a half-dozen dead loser storage boxes on the sides.

Seeing no losers to send to the great beyond, I decided right then and there lie down and have me a nap - my previous attempt at sleep having been rudely interrupted by you-know-who. The altar looked to be the perfect place - it was more than long enough for yours truly to really stretch out and relax while the academics puttered around and said smart brainy stuff and felt smart and brainy.

No sooner had I lied down when Daria starts bugging me; asking me if I want to play sacrifice or something. I didn't have time for her stupid games and told her as much. Then as I stretched out Ortho starts pestering me to quit fooling around and help. Help what?

Ortho told me to check out the altar – which I was. So I just showed him what I thought of the altar and the ancient Olman and their boring bat gods and their stupid goat losers and their entire loser-worship culture. I unfastened my breeches and proceeded to relieve myself on the altar.

Just then, my relief was interrupted (once again rudely) by Vin yelling for everyone to take up arms. Some tall, greasy black bat-shaped thing had appeared beside the statue. That pathetic bat god had finally showed himself! I fumbled with my breeches, grabbed my falchion and ran toward the battle.

The battle was unremarkable for the most part. As usual, I was doing all the major butt-kicking while everyone else took notes. Then, it happened. The bat-loser bit Vin a good one! There must have been some poison in those fangs because the next thing I know Vin's not looking too hot. Any human would have turned a pale green. Vin's not human though – he turned a kind of gray / yellow. He stagged back and everyone else finished the battle. A little bit after we killed the bat god, when everyone's forgotten about Vin, he says all pitiful sounding “Guys, I don't feel too good.”

Blood was starting to run out of Vin's eyes, ears, and mouth when Z grabbed him and started laying on the holy-healing. Vin survived but he's still not back to his normal healthy blue.

We got some OK crap from looting the sarcophagi - nothing too exciting. But I am happy that we killed the Olman's stupid bat-god.

On with the voyage South I suppose.

-R

Sunday, January 20, 2008

The Roof! The Roof! The Roof is on Fire!

Quick Vin, back to the Bat-Cave!

Resuming the exploration of the crypts, the three sets of doors in the Tentacle Room revealed Goat-Demons. Rudy's only only comment was "Why to these demons always smell like wet fur!?!". Wielding over-sized weapons, the demons pounded the party with a few quick strikes before succumbing to the party's enduring assault. With the final set of keys, the group wanders into the fourth area in the catacombs.

Behold, nothing says urinal like a subterranean alter. While the party was busy exploring the shrine of the Bat-God, Rudy was relieved by the presence of the alter. Responding to Rudy's relief, an aspect of the Bat-God appeared to repay the desecration. Paladins must be nice and crunchy, but Vin didn't seem too healthy after the Bat-God took a bite out of him. Kongu and Rudy took their lumps too, but in the end, the Bat-dude did not make it.

The overland journey reaches a milestone at a 50' stone wall spanning the width peninsula. Vin cautiously negotiated passage to Farshore. Vin also informed the party that the natives may not take too kindly for the looting, pillaging, and defeat of the Bat-God in his shrine. After a brief journey with a group of Olman guides, the party was ferried by canoe to the island where Farshore sets.

Anyone have a match?

Much to Rudy, Daria, and Kongu's chagrin, the small hamlet of Farshore was burning and under attack when they arrived. The Olman guides wanted nothing to do with the battle, dropped the party of at the edge of the docks.

Vin, Nesta, Gwen, and Z ran around playing heroes rescuing and healing villagers. Rudy, Kongu, and Ortho were obsessed with killing pirates. After being exposed to the fearsome Bat-God, Daria was taking a stealthy tact and sneaking around the pirates.

The Jade Ravens, Lavina and the town council were relieved to see the party arrive like the cavalry and save the day. Lavina really missed Vin. There were many a stifled groan when Lavina suggested that the group come over for dinner the following evening to catch up on all of the events that have transpired.

==========
Session Characters: Nesta, Daria, Ortho, Rudolpho, Vin, Gwendyln, Z, Kongu
Session Loot: 20 x 50gp gems, 300gp, 1 ivory statue of the bat god (150gp), wand of cure serious wounds (50), ring of force shield

Friday, January 18, 2008

XP Standings, Bounties

Level 9: none

Level 8: Vin, Nesta, Rudolpho, Z, Daria, Kongu, Ortho

Level 7: Gwendlyn, Chiri, Newt, Druugen, Spanky, Medea

Level 6: none

HARDCOPY UPDATED CHARACTER SHEETS REWARD: 50XP/character level
Character Diary Posts: 25XP/character level
NPC stat blocks: 50XP/player's character level
NPC party member stat blocks: 50XP/player's character level

Sunday, January 6, 2008

I'd like to be, under the sea, in an Octopus' Garden

Recovering from the last battle, the party cautiously explores the westward area of the crypts and a new challenge. A room open, devoid of anything except a statue of the bat god at the far end. Rudy races down one side of the room and discovers several pit traps. Daria races down the other side and finds a couple too. Bold Kongu charges and attempt to bull rush the statue. The statue prevails.

As the party explores the room, a success in moving the statue triggers the release of four shadowy beasts. Hovering over the open pits, they close and combat the party. Bubba Draco falls victim to the attack first. The combat continues, as party member jump and dodge the pits engaging the fell beasts. Slowly the party whittles down the opposition. Kongu seems a bit distracted as technicolored bears dance in his bionicle mind. After the last shadow beast falls the contents below the statue are revealed.

Moving on to the southward leg of the crypt, the party opens heavy double doors into a four-pooled room. A pool in each corner and two land bridges intersecting. Daria screams "tentacles", and retreats into the hallway. Vin jumps in to explore and a friendly giant octopus gives him a bit hug. The party scrambles to free Vin before his air runs out, and a second octopus strikes. The party makes quick work of the cephalopods. Even Daria leaps to action.

Three doors remain to be explored. What sinister things await? What horrors of the Bat God will the party find. All this and much much more in our next episode.

==========
Session Characters: Ortho, Nesta, Kongu, Rudolpho, Bubba, Vin, Gwendelyn, Daria
Session Loot: +1 silvered bastard sword, +2 vicious ranseur, 20 100gp pearls, 3 potions of cure moderate wounds, brass key, 400gp

This adventure sponsored by:
http://bionicle.lego.com/en-us/default.aspx
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/cephalopod
http://www.wishbear.net/
http://www.care-bears.com/25th/
http://www.vlasic.com/index1.html

Thursday, January 3, 2008

From the Diary of Rudolpho Milano

Dear Diary,

I think that an evil demon may still be impersonating Daria.

One of the few stone buildings in the village had a basement with four doors in it so we decided to investigate it further. We chose the north door and found an ancient crypt. As the rest of the party cautiously made their way down the sarcophagus-lined hallway, I charged to the end of the hallway to the bat statue at the end.

I had just got there when Daria began to poke about in the individual tombs for loot. She managed to awaken three mummies. I left my current project to help in the battle. A combination of Vin’s holy powers and good honest bladework ended the battle quickly. While Z cured Daria’s sandy coughing, Kongu and I moved the statue to reveal a treasure chest and a bunch of gushing water. As the water began to rise in the hallway, Daria opened the chest. Vin estimates that there is almost five thousand pieces of gold in that chest. Finally! A reward for all my diligence, hard work, and good deeds!

I swam up the water channel to come out in a room that was rapidly draining of water. I swam back to report this, as the party was trying to get through one of the side doors off of the crypt hall. While Daria worked on opening one of the stone doors, I bashed the other one down.

Vin and I entered a room with a sole sarcophagus as we opened it, we were assaulted by a vaporous loser. With a couple of spells from Ortho to back us up, Vin and I made short work of the loser and found a melon-sized pearl.

Daria was not having much luck removing the lid on the sarcophagus that she had found so Kongu and I removed it for her. Inside was a single dagger that Daria somehow imagined that we didn’t see. She grabbed it and took it to Z to identify.

After all of the hoopla, the entire team ventured through the water pipe and into the cistern room. From that room, we ventured into some kind of ceremony chamber. Daria casually asked for the pearl and placed it on an altar as the rest of the team gathered in the room, but were careful to stay outside of a figure drawn on the floor.

As soon as the pearl was in place, an eight-foot-tall frog guy, much like the one that fought on the deck of the Sea Wyvern, appeared. Daria mumbled something to it and then motioned in Kongu’s direction. Then, everything got crazy with the beast attacking Kongu and us attacking the beast, eventually I decided to fake Kongu’s death by cracking him over the head with the broad side of my falchion and pronouncing him slain when he fell down.

Gwen used this momentary distraction to talk to the thing and found out that it I was here to claim a sacrifice. I took Kongu’s still-living form and placed it on another altar. My fake-out didn’t work because all the beast did was summon a brother and renew his attack. It was a tough battle but we prevailed. As of right now, we are resting, trying to figure out what that was all about, and what to do with Daria.

-R

Wednesday, January 2, 2008

From the Diary of Rudolpho Milano

Dear Diary,

It is true that the tarrasque is immortal.

She caught up with us today almost settled an old score with Vin. The battle was a replay of the last time that we fought her with Vin taking his turn as the tarrasque’s chew toy.

After a short fight, we started the boring work of searching the village. My feeling is that I won’t ask the searchers to do the fighting for me if the searchers don’t ask me to do their searching. So, I pretended to search while I snuck off to take a nap in one of the bungalows.

I must have really drifted off in the warm afternoon breeze coming off of the ocean because I had started to dream that I was the chief of a little tribe of islanders that traded in fermented cocoanut wine. My reverie was interrupted by the voice that is the bane of my existence. Vin shouted “We found something!”

Nesta had found a diary of some sort. No one could decipher the chicken scratch and I was just fine with that so I left. I later heard that Z took the writing to study it and used some magic to translate it. In the common tongue, he copied the last page down on a piece of paper and handed it to Daria just as I was ending my latest search effort.

Daria promptly copied the writing on another piece of parchment and handed original to Nesta. Nesta looked confused for a moment and then passed the note to the rest of the party. The note made absolutely no sense but, there it was - in Z’s handwriting - so I just added “Kongu smells funny,” to the end of the note and gave it to him.

-R

Tuesday, January 1, 2008

Curiosity Kills the Kongu

After exploring the village, the party is left with several questions: Who are they? Where did they go? What's this stone building here?

The stone building led down into a crypt. Olman writings hint of troubles with the town, the bat god needing appeasement. Rudy was happy to see the return of his favorite walking dead, MUMMIES! This time no one got the heebee geebees. At a four way section, the party takes the northward leg and discovers a wraith, and a small bit of treasure. Daria eyes a large pearl with unusual intent.

After springing a water trap, the party manages to move forward into the hidden part of the crypt. After a long narrow passageway, there is a strange ritual room. Daria seems to move with inspired cause as she quickly placed the large pearl on a pedestal .

Daria must have been swearing in halfling, because the monster that popped up immediately started attacking Kongu. The green frog-demon was really mean and after a few round of pounding the party, invited a friend over some fun. Then things started getting really bad, Kongu took a nap, Nesta took a nap. Nesta woke up. Things were going badly. Someone even offered Kongu as an offering, but no luck. The party survived the encounter, but only just.

==========
Session Characters: Gwendelyn, Vin, Rudolpho, Daria, Kongu, Nesta, Ortho, Z
Session Loot: Oil of Magic Vestment, potion of Resist Energy Fire 10, potion of Reduce Person, 3 oils of moderate damage, +2 ranseur of viciousness, +1 mithril buckler, +1 ghost touch dagger, brass key, 4800 gp (after 200gp finders fee)