The Adventure Log Forums [Games 6-10]

Game 6: Feathergale Spire

14 Aug 2016
Players: Jason Weeks, Charlie Lane, Logan Turman, Kyle Smith; Nicholas Vaughn

Downtime and OOC

Orion spends time and effort building a barracks for the town guard with a cost reduction from using Hew.

Coryn spends 1,000gp of his own wealth to increase the strength of his personal vineyard in Edermath's Orchard. He has created his own special vintage of the camusin berry wine. He has also discovered a method to create rare bottles of the wine. Each of these bottles functions like a goodberry potion and takes 1 day and 25gp to create.

Coryn also sets up the Tribe of the Jaguar in Lance Rock, formerly held by the necromancer. The Tribal leader wields a massive spiked club decorated to look like a giant jaguar arm with claws. Lance Rock is roughly 3 days east of Salvana's Oasis and resides directly on the main road (path) to Port Town.

Doake begins to use the Toolbox, a magical teleportation device that allows him to retrieve small items from the Jeweled Cities in order to help his endeavors in Merata.

Doake firmly establishes Halia Thornton, mayor of Salvana's Oasis (as set by the PCs') as the Patrician with the Jeweled Cities.

Oberon is placed in the Inn with Coryn setting a watch over him to bathe, feed, and care for him until he can be cured of his comatose state.

The Lords of Qezcahal (the Wild Growth) reach out to the PCs in an effort to draw them into the Adventurer's Guild run by Tyrant. The PCs pause to give some consideration to the matter and do not yet decide.

Prisoners of Tezzicteca
Tuchapal (brass dragonborn sorcerer; leader of Kalakhan's Spear, a Hunapu (lizardfolk) tribe) was kidnapped by Tezzicteca because the green despised the worship of the brass dragons. The remnants of the tribe are led by Tuchapal back into the Wild Growth.

Rakara, a halfling bard of some renown out of Port Town, seeks the party's endorsement to join the Lords of the Qezcahal as the primary bard for that group. The party is still mistrustful because they know she is keeping something hidden, but otherwise endorse her to Tyrant.

Strange Weather
The weather in and around Mictlan and the lower portions of the Qezcahal (Wild Growth) has grown worse over the past few weeks and months. Strange storms appear out of nowhere. Tidal waves and tsunami crash upon the shore. Minor tremors and quakes rock the foundations of ancient ruins. Deep in the jungle rumor escapes of an entire Cheowakahl (Human barbarians) village discovered burned to the ground by a wildfire.

The Game

The Bound Knights
Gahstellan the Lawkeeper is a paladin in exile from the realm of the Living Goddess, Zadra of the Mind. He was sent away for being overzealous in his pursuit of criminals; this led him to attempt to arrest a superior in the Church of the Mind for having direct ties to the criminal underbelly of his city. Gahstellan and his loyal knights were banished from the kingdom and sent to Merata. He arrived in Port Town, saw the lawlessness running rampant, and knew he must correct it. Gahstellan set to work immediately gathering likeminded individuals to form a faction called The Bound Knights. They seized a vital fortification north of Port Town and renamed it the Tower of the Iron Will, known colloquially as The Irons. It serves dual purpose as a defensible fort and a prison. The Bound Knights hold court in the Irons for criminals collected in Port Town and the remainder of Merata hoping to impart what Gahstellan refers to as "the Just Punishment."

The Bound Knights have a particular aggression for criminals ejected from the mainland of Rhetaea and tossed upon the shores of Merata. "Just because you were sent away does not mean you have escaped justice."

Their symbol is an Iron Fist with spikes holding scales. (The Fist of Justice).

Three Bound Knights in service to Gahstellan arrived at Salvana's Oasis on the main road from Port Town. They demanded to speak to the party and the leadership of the town. Their captain, Culver the Godless, tacked up a pristine white charter signed by Gahstellan which declared Salvana's Oasis to now fall under their jurisdiction.

"There. Will. Be. Order." Culver stated. "We demand you present to us any recent visitors to your village. We have reason to believe former prisoners and criminals out of Charm, the Nexus of the World, have infiltrated your ranks. They must be punished. Behind us a few days on the road are a dozen more knights and men-at-arms. We will take control of this town."

Culver attempted to use a power of his class to force a challenge from Orion, but the elven paladin was able to resist. However, he agreed to a fight and the two met in single combat. Unfortunately, Culver opened using command and demanded that Orion drop his weapons. Again, Orion defeated the forced coercion and came in swinging.

Doake created a minor illusion of a field of clouds between the three knights and Culver and filled it wth the sounds of wind. Orion hit Culver with a thunderous smiting strike while Coryn used entangle to bind up some of the knights. A few broke free and Doake used hypnotic pattern to confuse the warriors. One of their horses kept charging and the knight with twin swords fell to the ground.

The archer knight drew his bow and upon the wind a whisper was heard: "The leaves...are bright and powerful..."

In short order the party and Orion defeated the invading knights. A discussion was had on what to do with the prisoners and how to answer the Bound Knights challenge. Halia drew remarks from the group and it was eventually decided. Culver's sword hand was removed and he and the archer Yalan were sent back to respond (in the negative) to Gahstellan. The remaining two knights (Gessipi and Redwyne) would remain as prisoners of the town.

Orion took Yalan's special quiver (see rewards).

Culver, Gesssipi and Yalan (Bow with quiver)

Goodbye Varik, Hello Creegan
An earthquake signaled the arrival of a small invading force out of the Cult of Black Earth. The party responded by charging into the jungle around Salvana's Oasis and came upon a sight of blood and destruction. Numerous former prisoners, escaped from Yuacta, lay strewn about dead and destroyed. Nearby, upturned earth and claw marks revealed creatures that traveled below the earth. Varik the Witcher stood stock still, turned to stone, blades out and bloody.

As the party examined the scene Orion discovered that one of the prisoners remained alive. Creegan the Scarred lay bloody and beaten, wrists still bound in manacles, chains hanging down from his body. He rose with a roar of confusion and for a time he and the party faced off in aggression. Tense conversation back and forth revealed that Creegan and his mates had been held at Yuacta, now called Sacred Stone Monastery by the Cult of the Black Earth. They barely escaped when the Cult and their dark elf ally made a momentous discovery (Wave Echo Cave).

The party healed Creegan to full and moved Varik's petrified form back to Salvana's Oasis. Over an evening of conversation Creegan revealed what he knew of Yuacta. Doake sent off to his allies in the Jeweled Cities who gave him a tip for fighting the medusa, should he cross its path:

"Look not into its eyes, but fight blind. Use mirrors. Blind it. Powerful divine magic needed to purify."

Game 6, Part II
For some unknown fuckery, I cannot post this entire log in one go. So, here is part II.


What Creegan Knows (of the Black Earth Cult)

- He was Taken by the Black Earth
- Master is Marlos Urnrayle. Other PCs (specifically Agrykos) know that Marlos is a disgraced noble out of Charm who once threw wild, orgiastic parties wherein he required people to wear hideous gold-plated masks so that he would be the most beautiful person involved).
- The Black Earth despise mining and want to find and collapse Wave Echo Cave as it is an insult to the purity of Earth.
- They have made alliances with a group of aggressive, dark dwarves of the Onyx Clan. These dwarves once served the Clockwork Dragon, the Mechanus, in the Barrowlands on the mainland of Rhetaea.
- There also appears to be an alliance with a man called Izzukahl, the Lord of Night.
- The Black Earth has a particular interest in the Stoneseer brothers and has tortured one of them to death already.
- Wave Echo Cave was once a home to the Vikubix, the Emerald Clan of dwarves who were once allies of the Sylvar’rhem.
Qarbo, second-in-command; Hellenrae the Abbess; Miraj Vizzan, the Mud Sorcerer; Marlos, Prophet of Earth.
- Quiet recruitment of natives and individuals from Port Town and other adventurers.
- Monks’ wear gilded tin masks with ugly faces on them that look expensive
- Creegan overheard one of the cultists refer to a strange sigil as "the Elder Eye" and say "the whispers in the leaves protect the Hidden Worlds, but once we have the Night Diamond the Elder Eye will open."

Doake Offered a Deal
A strange and strangely knowledgeable man arrived at Salvana's Rest where Doake worked tirelessly to establish a merchant's hall. The unusual man said that his master, a "mysterious benefcator" sought to offer the gnome 10,000gp in exchange for Doake signing a contract. The contract stated that Doake would offer 25% of all future profits to this benefactor in exchange for his offering. When Doake exhibited some reluctance, the strange man stated that he was to furthermore offer his own services and proceeded to shapeshift into a small gnome.

Doake flat refused the offer and the strange man told him that his next visit would be to his rivals in Port Town.

Onward to Yuacta!
The party decided that it was high time to deal with the cult at Yuacta and made ready to journey through the heated jungle. Orion summoned forth a mystical elk using find steed and the rest of the party rode the commandeered war horses taken from the Bound Knights.

The party trekked through the hot jungle. Wet mud on their feet seeped into boots. With each step they squelched and squished and pulled at the soaking cloaks and clothing against their skin. The smell of rotting plants and raw earth was overpowering. They had to cover their mouths in the worst of it to stop the thick scent from dredging up the remains of dinner. As they walked in the cloying heat they became numb to the sounds of water and insects chirping, the distant call of howling monkeys and screeching birds. It all faded into the background amid the delirious heat.

And then they came out into the open of the jagged hills and spotted a strange sight.


Distracted by Birds
The party took note of a distant tower, miles away but visible because of the clear line of sight afforded by being at the top of a great hill. Above them, three individuals floated high and out of range of most attacks. Two of them wore strange balloons that held them aloft and floating while a third rode upon a giant vulture and was tethered to them. The trio observed the party and was clearly a part of the elemental cults.

After but a split-second of consideration, Orion drew back his bow. One arrow, then two and the balloons exploded! The two men fell screaming to the earth while the third rode higher, out of range, fleeing back to the distant tower.

Agrykos whispered a chant to the Queen of Air and Darkness while Doake muttered the strange syllables of arcane power. Orion vanished and lifted into the air to fly after the departing cultist incognito.

Long minutes stretched as the party chased after their ally, far behind on the ground. As soon as he came within range, Orion drew back, whispered a prayer to the Ancients, and fired upon the vulture. Two arrows and down the bird went, the cultist crying out on its back.

Thinking fast, Doake summoned up a major image of a green dragon that burst from the jungle making it look like the cultist was taken out by the Brood of Tlalo-Ka.

Once the party caught up with their flying knight they moved under cover of the jungle towards the distant spire.

The Sighing Valley
The PCs came upon the Sighing Valley and examined the strange domain. The distant tower was Feathergale Spire, but it was not the sole guardian of the valley. After only the briefest of conversations Doake mentioned that he could get the party down to the waiting ravine floor.

"Trust me," he whispered and leapt from the side of the ravine. "I like this gnome," laughed Creegan and followed. The party fell and Doake whispered the words of feather fall to slow their descent.

As they entered the valley they discovered a party of bird-men in the distance. As the aarakora came at the party, Coryn traveled down the cliffside in the form of a giant spider. He uncovered a manticore cave and rushed to the party. A mated pair of the beasts erupted from the cavern to attack the party and the bird-men.

Combat ensued. Orion fired an arrow, smiting the male while Coryn used the wand of magic missiles. Doake utizlied his illusionary dragon to make the female think it was being chased. Coryn shot his webbing, binding and pulling it to the ground where Creegan made short work of it with his blade.

Coryn ventured into the cave and uncovered the eggs the Manticore were jealously guarding.



Aarakora
The party made quick allies of the aarakora and discovered that they had ventured into this world through primordial air currents. They hate the Cult of the Howling Wind and have been engaged in a guerilla war with them for weeks. They agreed to help the PCs assault Feathergale Spire and to help Coryn speak with the Griffons upon on the plateau.

Sidenotes and Additions
Varik was placed in the Adventurer's Hall created under Agrykos's watchful care. The warlock currently uses his stone statue as a hatrack until he can figure a way to remove the petrification.

Encounters and Experience
The Bound Knights (2,100 XP)
Cult of the Howling Wind (800 XP)
Manticore (1,400 XP)

Total Experience Earned (per player): 860 XP
 
Total Earned for all Games:
Base (900)
Game 1 (1330)
Game 2 (1,090)
Game 3 (1,230)
Game 4 (720)
Game 5 (2,075)
Game 6 (860)

(8,205 XP) [Level 5]
 
Rewards

The Bound Knights: 4xhalf-plate and shields; 4xlongswords, 1 mace, an elven longbow, and 2xheavy crossbows. A potion of invulnerability hidden in Culver's palm. The Song of Leaves (see below).
 
The Song of Leaves
(Usable only by Paladin) [Set Item*]
 
Thick jungle leaves curl themselves into the form of a slender quiver, empty save for the smell of summer rain. Woven in the veins of the leaves is a silver thread forming words in the ancient fey language of the Sylvar’rhem [Sylvan]. Twin names stand out, words of ancient power: the Knights of Summer and the Song Between the Leaves.
 
This quiver has 7 charges. Once attuned, with the quiver at your side, you may use an action to expend a charge. Each charge summons a silvered arrow within the quiver which remains until fired. These silvered arrows grant a +1 bonus to attack and damage and allow a paladin to use the smite ability at range.
While an arrow exists, the quiver’s maximum charges is reduced by one. The quiver regains 1d6+1 expended charges each day with the rising sun. If you expend the quiver’s last charge the seventh arrow created glows a vibrant gold. This arrow doubles ability and proficiency bonuses to attack and upon a hit is considered an automatic crit. Once this last arrow is fired, the quiver dries up and whispers away upon the wind.
 
*This item may grant further benefit if others of its kind are used in conjunction.
 
[Lost Faction] The Knights of Summer
Paladins of the Lady of Summer, the Queen of the Feywild and Seelie Court and a Benefactor of the Sylvar’rhem

Manticore Eggs (two)


Balloon and Flying Suit

Game 7: Yuacta
21 Aug 2016
Players: Jason Weeks, Charlie Lane, Logan Turman, Kyle Smith; Nicholas Vaughn
 
DM Note: asdf


The Assault on Feathergale Spire
-Aarakora
- Griffons
- Tezzicteca



Azer, Leader of the Aarakora
asdf

Forward to Yuacta and Glory!
- Shadows and Lies
- The Approach
- Gargoyles
- Qarbo Defeated

Down, Down We Go
- Stairs and the Caged Beast


The Tomb of Heroes
- Voice of the Queen
- The Sarcophogi
- Renwick the Lich
- A gift of a phylactery

Hellenrae and Hell
- Torture chamber
- Bringing down the house


Encounters and Experience

Plot Point (Nicholas): Economic Warfare (from previous game)
Plot Point (Logan): Pregnant Hippogriff
Plot Point (Nicholas): Qarbo's Keys
Plot Point (Jason): Knowledge of Marlos


Total Experience Earned (per player): # XP
 
Total Earned for all Games: Base (900)
Game 1 (1330)
Game 2 (1,090)
Game 3 (1,230)
Game 4 (720)
Game 5 (2,075)
Game 6 (860)
Game 7

(8,205 XP) [Level 6]
 14,000


Rewards

Feathergale Spire: asdf

The Spire

The Letter

Merroska,
We are pleased to hear about the outcome of your altercation with the Black Earth cult, and we praise you for the capture of one of hteir prisoners. This noblewoman from Charm has an interesting tale to tell and we shall enjoy interrogating her further. Keep a close watch on the Sacred Stone Monastery. I want to know what our enemy plans next.
 
Your beloved queen,
Aerisi Kalinoth
Prophet of Air

Renwick's Phylactery

The Sword of House ...

Game 8: Wave Echo Cave

4 Sept 2016
Players: Jason Weeks, Charlie Lane, Logan Turman, Kyle Smith, Nicholas Vaughn, Paul Lee
 
DM Note: asdf

TBD

Game 9: As Above, So Below (or "This Place is Full of Undead Wizards)

11 Sept 2016
Players: Jason Weeks, Charlie Lane, Logan Turman, Kyle Smith, Nicholas Vaughn, Paul Lee
 
DM Note: asdf

TBD

Two Good, One Bad

Players: Jason Weeks, Charlie Lane, Logan Turman, Kyle Smith, Nicholas Vaughn, Paul Lee
 
Agrykos (Jason Weeks)

G1
I establish a decoy port and build a temple to the Queen there. It is highly defensible and moderately functional as a port but does very little business as it is primarily meant to distract from what Vaughn sets up.

G2
In the process of setting up the cove/port, he has to clear out water cultists and discovers which prophet has the Night Diamond; the water prophet.

B1
As a result of his murder (explained in another post), there is an active faction trying to get rid of Agrykos in Salvana's Oasis.

Creegan (Charlie Lane)
TBD

Coryn (Logan Turman)

Good
using long term affect of Plant Growth spell along with farm tool proficiency to create more farms and to double the yield of all crops for the city.

Good
Training exotic animals from birth to serve as mounts for the city guard as well as building stables to house them. Mounts include: hippogriff (for the captain of the guard), 4 giant eagles, 2 Brown bears (for the guards at the entrance of the town), and a pack of 6 Dire wolves (for scouting and patrolling the town ). Coryn will be spending his own money to provide saddles and barding and retrieving saddles and wing suits from Feathergale Spire for the guards on flying mounts.

Bad
The 3 manticor eggs in the cave near Feathergale Spire hatched before Coryn could go back to collect them. They learned his scent from when he was in the cave and will be seeking vengeance for their parents' deaths at some point in the future.

Orion (Kyle Smith)
Two Good, One Bad II: Electric Boogaloo

Good
Orion develops positive repoire with the Song Between the Leaves, learning their language and spending time studying the ancient Sylvar'rhem culture. He seeks to earn their respect for being an outsider who wields Aurelia'kae, the Silver Thorn by proving his prowess. He seeks to learn about the jungles of Merata from the Song and joins them on their patrols so he becomes more familiar with the surrounding lands of Sylvana's Oasis.

Good
Orion leads an effort to expand the defenses of Sylvana's Oasis by constructing a wooden wall around the town after ordering the edge of the jungle being pushed back with logging efforts.

Bad
While exploring with the Song Between the Leaves, he drew the attention of a dragon that smelled the dead green dragon on him. The dragon was much larger and older than Tezzicteca and did not give chase when the Song and he fled. However, it vowed vengeance on those who had slain its kin.

Doake (Nicholas Vaughn)

1st GOOD
Black Lion Trading Co. explodes thanks to the discovery and rekindling of the Spell Forge. The company begins shipping minor magic items and other curiosities back to the mainland in earnest, along with being the sole proprietor of Goodberry Vineyards. The company gains considerable popularity within the Jeweled Cities as the preeminent supplier of oddities from the Isle of Merata and the jungles known as the Wild Growth.

Burgher Doake, knowing the importance of expanding the influence of the Radiant Accords on Merata, uses a large portion of the profits from his company and fills the coffers of Salvana's Oasis. In turn, Patrician Thornton uses these funds to subsidize purchases that the commoners make from the various trademens that have been steadily cropping up in the Oasis since Doake sent word of the threat Port Town posed. By her actions, the cost of plows, wheels, wagons, and all manner of day-to-day goods required for the newly-arrived settlers to fashion themselves a homestead is dramatically reduced. Patrician Thornton calls it the "Founder's Festival" and says it is a reward for those brave souls who were willing to colonize this savage land. These initial inhabitants are all being colloquially called Founders by the Patrician and her staff as an indication that this city is now under the Radiant Accords and will become so much more than it was in the past.

Lastly, Doake will also use his authority within the Radiant Accords and will offer to make Grissa Stoneseer a Burgher of the Radiant Accords, tasking the dwarf with the expansion of trade within this fledgling empire. In particular, Doake will charge Grissa with helping establish relations with the Deep Gnomes of the Underdark. The gnome is curious about these peoples, what they might teach him and the others about Merata and its secrets, and ultimately, because he suspects there is a lot of economic gain.

2nd GOOD
Doake used the map from Momex and discovered a pathway to the Deep Gnomes of Merata. Their love of illusions, coupled with them being cousins (in a manner of speaking), allowed Doake to gain a least an initial friendship with them. He spent some time with them and eventually the two groups agreed that they could trust one another. At this point, they aren't ready to sign on to the Radiant Accords, but between the stories Doake told of his exploits in Merata (and some fact-checking on their end), the Deep Gnomes began to trust him.

As a way to test out their tentative arrangement, the Deep Gnomes agreed to help facilitate some trade between Salvana's Oasis and the outside world. The Deep Gnomes weren't interested in actually taking part in it, not yet, but they were willing to give Doake an assist. If he was able to keep his end of the bargain, they would be willing to share a bit more with the "Lord Sunshine" as they took to calling him in what he thought, nay hoped, was a term of endearment.

The Deep Gnomes escorted Doake back to Salvana's Oasis entirely underground. In doing so, they introduced him to a river that flowed beneath the town and was, in fact, partly responsible for why the site above was such a great spot for a settlement. In short order, Doake was able to establish a crane system for cargo to be loaded up and down from the cave system that existed underneath Salvana's Rest.

BAD
During his expedition to discover the Deep Gnomes, Doake's party (not made up of other Player Character's), stumbled upon some long unused passages. Though the party was able to reorient themselves and eventually find the right way to go, their presence in those passages awoke the attention of something which had gone undisturbed since the initial "disappearance" of Merata many centuries ago. Thus far, this "awakening" has not been noticed by the Deep Gnomes.

Audun (Paul Lee)
TBD


Two Bad, One* Good
DM: Chris Hand


BAD: War in the Ranks of the Crushing Wave

The elemental cults are not the most cohesive organizations at the best of times and the party’s actions upon arrival in Merata has only served to increase their disunity. The PC’s have interrupted a sacred ritual by the Crushing Wave, turned former slaves (Kang warriors) into allies of the party, and seized command of two different fortifications (Feathergale Spire and Yuacta). In this environment of chaos, sub-commanders and aggressive elements have risen up to seize power and authority. Most have been put down by the Prophets, but not so in the Cult of the Crushing Wave.

Gar Shatterkeel met with his ally, the Captain Ferra Aquillon of the Yellow King on the shores of the Broken Smile. He ordered her to be more aggressive and to use her profits to hire mercenaries to take down Salvana’s Oasis. She had other ideas. Capt Ferra’s utter religious devotion to Olhydra, a Prince of Elemental Water, granted her a valuable rapport with the monstrous creatures of the ocean.

There, on the shores of the Broken Smile, she utilized that power.

A veritable army of sea devils (Sahuagin), sharks, and other elemental creatures attacked Gar Shatterkeel and his mostly humanoid allies. They made short work of the weaker elements and Capt Ferra herself struck down Gar Shatterkeel and took up the mantle of the Dark Prophet of Water. She seized the trident Drown and assumed command.

Not long after the Eternal Flame launched a counterattack on the party at Salvana’s Oasis, Capt Ferra launched a salvo of her own. She released the full power of an orb of devastation upon the city of Port Town and attacked. The humanoid members of the cult fought alongside the sea devils and other monstrous sea beasts. Port Town’s own minor defenses, used to dealing only with the occasional incursion by angry natives, was no match for the coordinated assault. Yet, even with her power, Ferra’s numbers were not enough to assume total control.

In the days after the fighting the ruling merchant council of Port Town sat down with Capt Ferra in private. Knowing that there could be no profit while her navy held the only major port, they struck a deal. They declared her Admirable Ferra Aquillon and gave her rights over the town as Governor.  In return, the city would operate much as it had in the past and the merchant council would guide policy and assist in decisions. Finally, the other elemental cults would leave Port Town alone and focus their aggression on other, less defensible villages, towns, and especially any Oasis they might find.

Major Outcome: Admirable Ferra Aquillon, Prophet of Water, Governor of Port Town
- Sea devils control all of dockside, Port West, and Port East.
- Admirable Aquillon spends most of her time in her massive warship docked outside the bounds of the arms of the Port.
 
BAD: Arrival of the Black Company
After the takeover by Admirable Aquillon, the merchant council of Port Town met in secret and hit upon a plan. With the vast wealth they have acquired and faced with a very real threat to their future in both the elemental cult and Salvana’s Oasis’s existence, they decided they require assistance.

They used sending and various acquiantances in the ever-growing Black Company to request an envoy from that (in)famous mercenary band. Lt Tolic boarded the Red Raven with 50 men, all highly specialized and skilled members of the Company. They arrived a few months back and are currently in the final stages of formalizing a contract with the merchant council.

It seems a part of the Black Company mercenary band is coming to Merata.

Note: Agrykos was once a member of the Black Company and worked side by side with Lt Tolic. Their specialty involved engaging with an enemy ahead of time and either setting them at ease (deescalation) or sending them into a rage (escalation). Tolic was the Insight to Agrykos’s Persuasion/Intimidation.
 
GOOD
I had too many mini-ideas so I simply created a single good thing for each character. However, I will not post them until the events of the next game. A few things for a few PCs might change in that game.

TBD