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Topics - whitesword

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31
Reluctant Heroes / Stalking in a Winter Nightmare Land
« on: June 22, 2020, 11:17:53 PM »
Planning until next Monday and then some online play.

32
Reluctant Heroes / A Task Accomplished; A Task Ahead
« on: June 16, 2020, 06:23:50 PM »
If everyone will send me or post their level I’ll award XP

The tower now stands a third of a mile inland, on the rocky northwest coast of Layraedia. To the west the terrain becomes broken hills and cliffs; to the south and East dense forest and to the north the sea. The door of the tower faces southeast. There is a 30’ circle around the tower of ground that clearly does not match the surrounding terrain but otherwise the tower appears as if it could have been here for centuries.

All of the shades stand in the sun, taking turns looking at the tower and the surroundings. The master says: “We can never repay you for what you have done. Though our ways may strange to you, if ever you are in need of aid, guidance or respite you are welcome here. We have much to learn of this world before we decide how best to find our place in it. We would be eternally grateful for any guidance you can offer.”

Turning to Asinjin: “Though we may never reconnect to the Kami here, I have no doubt you have fulfilled Ama-Tsu-Mara’s desire to see the tower reconnected with the remnant of our people. You are welcome to come to us anytime, to teach or to learn.” They all bow.

33
Reluctant Heroes / A Prison of Shadows
« on: June 02, 2020, 12:15:57 PM »
You have been in the tower for about ten minutes at this point.

The guardians of the tower are:

Shinjo Ide, the master of the tower. He appears to be the oldest. He is unarmed.

The enchanter is Gahres Inchi. He is mostly bald but with a top knot. He has a friendly face despite its slate grey color.

The warrior protector is Sakune Agashi. He is the largest of the group and more powerfully built than any of you including Roland. He wears the daisho and is in full samurai armor with his great helm under his arm. He looks to be in his late fifties and has a stone faced look.

The seer is Iyuko Kitao. He is the youngest by many years, early 40’s at most, and does not speak out loud. He has a very serene look at all times. He is dressed in robes as well.

The second oldest is Mirumoto Togashi. He is dressed in a gye but armed with the daisho. He has his hair cut short and is wiry in build.

The sword master is Kagetora Uso. He has the daisho and a light breastplate. His appearance is calm but ready. His age is difficult to determine.

The battle wizard is Kaiu Tingsho. He has a staff and a wakizashi. He appears to be in his fifties but has a shaved head and long goatee.

The room as described is packed with racks of weapons, mostly swords, spears and pole arms but also some exotic weapons unfamiliar to most of you. At the far end of the room there are racks of armor, mostly the samurai great armor but some lighter varieties as well.

Against the wall are the seven stands, five with complete sets of armor and weapons two with sets of clothes and weapons.

As you are deliberating, Gahres begins to examine Asinjin’s figurines with the same or greater admiration as Shinjo.  “These are magnificent. You would have a place of high honor at court. Or I suppose would have.,” he says sadly.

34
Reluctant Heroes / A Long Expected Summons
« on: May 26, 2020, 08:50:37 PM »
A long overdue update of what has transpired, and to a lesser extent what you have been up to, since you returned from the Outlands.

After your return Kerkley, Rubius, Thadeus and Benlin return to the Guardian Vale.  Ari had expected to oppose one of Nilas’anor’s servants, but much to his joy, has been sent to defeat a pair of would be heirs to Falan’s undead aspect. Parker has been working on his long overdue paper in the recovery of the Throne of Aruvatar (Allanda sends mental pricks every few weeks), doing a little teaching and whatever else Parker does with his time. Sha’ar reports back to the embassy in Portet and then makes the perilous voyage home to Layraedia where she receives a promotion in rank. The government sends her back to Portet by teleportation with the embassy’s new staff. Asinjin, who did not make the journey to the Outlands, has been sculpting at his secret home, but checks in with all of you from time to time. (And assisted with one of Ari’s quests).

In the intervening time much has happened in Icefia. Arion and Lira announced the birth of their first child, Alcios , on the Day of Light 789.  Though not public knowledge, Lira is again with child and expected to give birth in late 790.

As the Kingdom’s navy saw little action in the war against the Scaled Elves, Arion has sent two fleets East to patrol the sea lanes between Icefia, Port Springs and Port Talp.  Relations with Kathow-Tio-Horari are poor, particularly after the supposedly pacifist nation entered an alliance with Thalmeret.  The last fleet remains patrolling the southern coast of Icefia, especially the approaches to Portet.

In the west, a clear division of the lands has emerged. The lands firmly in control of the Kingdom are stable and relatively peaceful. They remain a protectorate of the Kingdom. High General Amana Rosetree succeeded Ari as governor and has managed well. There have been talks of granting the elves their own government but no clear leader has emerged. North of the protectorate there are a few hundred square miles that are unsafe for travelers. Those lands are home to dozens of elven settlements and the remnants of the elven army. The folk of the west have taken to calling them the Strifelands.

At the northern border of those lands lies Greysnows. None venture there and the army is in no shape to invade. A perpetual wall of blizzard intensity snow, along with thunder and lightning, clearly marks the border. 

None of Nilas’anor’s servants have been seen since the Severing.  The leaders of the Kingdom, the Guardians and their allies are concerned but thus far no plan has taken shape to challenge them.

In one piece of good news, all of you learn at some point that the captives who were taken to the Abyss for use in the ritual that allowed the Tanari to take their places on Habololy have been rescued.

It is now the first month of 790.   

On the last day of the first week, Ari, Parker and Sha’ar receive a sending from Maglore Ovet. Greetings, Asinjin will be contacting you with the time and location of a meeting.

Everyone gets 160xp per level.

35
Reluctant Heroes / The Great Debate
« on: August 11, 2016, 04:11:18 PM »
For those who made the last two sessions 2000 xp.

Please continue the debate here if you can.

If Hero could post the names of the powers in the conversation that would be a big help.

36
Reluctant Heroes / Powers and Perils
« on: July 26, 2016, 10:48:44 AM »
Dispatching the remaining Loths (piscoloths, and mezzoloths in addition to the cano's) is accomplished in a few minutes. None flee as they know they can't escape so the bloody all of you a bit but never place anyone's life in jeopardy.

The charioteer and "his" pack approach. The massive hounds sniff each of you up and down and growl menacingly at Parker. The master does not speak but gestures towards the town square where there is a standing stone.

37
Reluctant Heroes / A War in The Heavens
« on: July 13, 2016, 11:00:54 PM »
The Warmaster's tower has a more pragmatic feel than the other towers.   It has many training rooms, some for teaching aspiring Bladelords to mix ores to make steel, others to practice at the forge and those to fence and spar.  It also houses several armories, containing an arsenal of enchanted weapons, forged by the Bladelords over the centuries. The greatest of these houses only Kovan's work.  Most of the remainder of the tower is divided into small apartments where young apprentices reside.
  The first floor like all of the towers contains an auditorium used for meetings and more commonly teaching. The floor directly above holds the warmaster's chambers and an archive room.  The archive room is like nothing most of the Habololians have ever seen. It is dominated by a huge table, it top composed of nine interchangeable tiles (squares and rectangles, no nonagons).   The tiles are made of ordinary glass, obsidian or gold, all mirror polished and meticulously etched with the movement of troops in battle. The shelves of the room contain thousands, perhaps tens of thousands, of the tiles. When laid out on the table the history of an entire war can be shown or a new battle planned. The gold tiles show victories for the forces of light and good; the obsidian a triumph for darkness. The plain glass for those not yet resolved.

When you arrive one obsidian tile is in place but the rest, only three more, are plain glass. Around the table are Escalon, Tania Falconsoul, Acure Edana  and a figure that towers over all the rest of you, even mighty Moebius. Over nine feet tall, with a chain mail vest that reveals impossibly muscled arms protected only by admantium vambraces. On its back are two scimitars. Where Escalon is fair skinned and silver haired, this creature is all gold skin, fur and hair. It's face even at rest is fierce but not feral with clearly feline features.  It examines each of you as you enter the room with an appraising eye.  When it looks down at Rubius you cannot help but feel as if he is looking at a mouse.

Escalon says "Gentlemen, and lady, may I present Verconis, son of Talisid, greatest of the war pride leaders of Eylsium.  He comes with ill news that requires our attention."

The mighty Leonal turns to face you. "Greetings to you all. Many of your names are known to me. Lord Arishimoto and Sir Thaddeus, word of your recent victory in depriving the dark powers of the Throne of Aruvatar has begun to spread among the champions of the light. Though I fear Stasis will find some of the goodly powers can be jealous.

Lords Kerkley and Isolder and Moebius and Lady Alyssa, I cannot express to you how deeply honored I am to meet you and perhaps fight beside you. Your names have been sung for centuries by followers of the righteous ways and cursed in dread by our enemies. That you have returned to us is already a great victory."
 
Escalon motions all of you over to the table. "The tragic events in the Great Forest are having unexpected consequences. The "walls" of the Beastlands are weakening and word of it has reached the infernal planes. What you see before you is the gate town of -Faunel  For the past several months they have seen an increasing number of fiends trying to enter the Beastlands. This has been a problem for eons as wicked creatures love to hunt in the Beastlands. The fiends that have been captured were clearly scouts, not hunters.   In most other towns, this would have been a cause for great alarm; Faunel however, is among the most anarchic of all the gate towns and it is only through word of mouth among travellers that any news of it spread."

Verconis says: "Five nights ago the vanguard of a Baazetu army assaulted the town and seized the gate.  The Verdant Guild, who nominally govern the town, sent out a call for aid.  Though they can be infuriating to deal with, their hearts are devoted to good and they have aided both the Guardians and Guardinials on many occasions. My father dispatched my war pack and we assaulted the devils before they could entrench. We fought them for three nights and retook the gate. Yesterday gnomes from Bytopia and Elves from Arborea arrived and we regained the heart of the town. Now though the Baazetu host approaches and it is clear they mean to destroy the town and invade. 

My father and the Guardian council have called upon all that would defend the upper planes to fight. "

Escalon says "I cannot ignore this summons, nor deny my brethren here this chance to do battle against the fiends. Most of us will be going. I have spoken with those high clerics of the goodly powers who would grant me or Midan an audience and we will be taking representatives of many powers with us."

38
Reluctant Heroes / Epilogue/Prologue
« on: August 13, 2015, 08:18:52 PM »


A week passes. The Icefian fall seems as if it will give way to winter with little resistance. The wind blasts the city with nearly frozen sea air in the mornings and as the sun sets often turns and howls from the north.  The ship captains are thrilled with the weather as they hope to make one more run before the ice moves to cut the sea lanes. Many in the city, however, seek shelter earlier than one would expect in the dusk.  The north wind has a foul feel and seems to bite more deeply than it should.

The residents of the city, at least those that have lived there since before the blockade was lifted, react quickly to the events outside the temple. The followers of Han Sui and Gruweas set a watch around their temples and patrol the areas inhabited by their followers. For the small minority faiths, and cults, they look to the followers of Tfop and Stasis for protection. 

Rumors of the events inside the temple race through the city and are further reinforced by the arrival of a steady procession of Falan's clerics. The clerics mostly come from the cities and towns of Icefia, with a few ship chaplains added to their number.  Nearly all of the clerics have a dazed look about them when they arrive. Most make their way directly to the temple regardless of what time they arrive or how long their journey had been. A few linger in the city for a day, seeming reluctant to trek up to the temple.

At the end of the week, with no word from either Wilar or the Marshal, the first of those clerics that arrived depart from the Temple. Most seem elated and book passage out of the city with no regard for cost. A few others leave with the same dazed look they wore when they entered. Fewer exit than have entered in the first week and new rumors spread of dark rituals being performed within.

Kerkley is advised of these things and asked by Adux to return to the city to advise Ari after five days.  The Vale seems more tense than usual. Tania, Acure and Cynias Curath are always seen together and only for the midday meal.  Weapons instruction is handled by the senior bladelords rather than Cynias, which Kerkley and Rubius have not seen in their time there.

On the eighth day, Ari, Shaar and Kerkley return to the temple of Tfop to find Wilar Tel'cu waiting in the warmth of the fireplace. Ari and Shaar have seen more than a few Sakor'Aki in their lives. Most keep their wings pinned back completely. A few, like the Marshal, wrap their wings around themselves like a cloak. Wilar is the only one you can recall who keeps his partially unfurled at all times, making his tall, slim frame appear much larger.  Wilar's wings appear like tough leather, rather than a supple membrane, and are crisscrossed with scars and healed punctures. His light green scales have a muted quality and his dark scales resemble thousands of forest green emeralds. His war mask is adamantium, engraved with a detailed battle scene. His white sword, a cross between a great scimitar and a bastard sword, is sheathed between his wings.

"May I sit my lord?"

39
Making History part 2 / New Moon Order
« on: February 20, 2015, 09:38:13 AM »
In the interest of completeness:

Yvngrr's first act after consolidating power is to find a way to restore all the statutes in the medusa's lair to flesh. Even if it takes a while. 

His second act is to get his Con point back.

40
Reluctant Heroes / Circle of (sort of) Death
« on: December 16, 2014, 11:28:57 PM »
Discuss

41
Constables of Icefia / Welcome to Chaos
« on: November 16, 2014, 03:11:38 PM »
The morning of the first day of the tenth month begins early.  The southern horizon is obscured by sails of hundreds of ships form a multicolored tapestry across the entire view of the sea visible from the docks.

The navy, four frigates and two battle cruisers, established order overnight. Each ship was given a brightly colored flag and permitted to sail into the harbor when their color was displayed by the harbor master.  Early on, two Horarian ships tried to use fake flags of their own make but we're spotted and driven out of the harbor with closely placed warning shots.

More than two thirds of the ships are Horarian, the rest a mix of independent Icefians, Layraedians, Undrile and various city states.

The debarkation process is not orderly. Your fellow constables are asked to assist the marines in processing the entrants. You are assigned to patrol behind the piers and watch for anyone trying to slip through. It seems an impossible task.

Feel free to ask questions. We will start here.

42
Reluctant Heroes / Prisoners in a Palace
« on: September 27, 2014, 07:32:16 PM »
Haskra flys above you as you walk back to the temple of Tfop. Ari feels better as soon as he exits, the claustrophobic effect on your senses relieved.

Allanda seems to get stronger as you walk. Parker has a slightly euphoric feeling in her company.

About half way to the temple she stops and squints against the sky. "Marius' spies are watching us."  She points to black specks over a mile away, most likely ravens.

Upon arriving the clerics pay you no mind as they have become accustomed to Ari's coming and going. You enter the room Ari has been using as an office and find Ullik dozing, and snoring, in an overstuffed chair. Allanda smiles for the first time and moves to shake him but thinks better of it. "I suppose I might startle him to death.  I will take the Captain into another room to see if I can revive her. Haskra would you send to Escalon and Lord Metakae. They need not come, though I am sure they will, but I don't want them searching for me unnecessarily."

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This thread is to keep track of the various locations and people you encounter. Keep actual action in the session threads. Between now and the next constable session I will try to introduce new locations and "people".

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Reluctant Heroes / Visitors Unwelcome
« on: September 10, 2014, 12:40:46 AM »
You all won initiative so feel free to post your first round action.

Note that the high level sessions will use this thread, not the constables.

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Constables of Icefia / Meet the New Boss . . . Not the Same as the Old Boss
« on: September 04, 2014, 11:53:14 PM »
500xp to start

Assume you can continue your activities while we visit the other characters.

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