Entry 3 - Autumn:
With our victory secured, Team Revenant is now ready to move on to the next town! Dumar and Zenji overslept... Ten'Gu does not have time for their tardiness! They will just have to catch up with us.
With little money for airship fare, we decided on the more economic option of taking the train. Ten'Gu enjoys the classical mystique of trains!
Fortunately for us, our "representitive" aqcuired free tickets for us. Ten'Gu was kind enough to leave two for Dumar and Zenji... although he briefly considered scalping them. The tickets, of course, not Dumar and Zenji. For now, the strength of allies is a more wise investment than gold.
Unfortunately for our "representitive," he met an... untimely end. It is a pity when an investement is no longer profitable, but we must all learn when to cut our losses...
Entry 4 - Autumn:
The train is crowded, packed with both tournament spectators and participants, and it seems as if Ten'Gu has attracted some unwanted attention from a rather demonic looking fellow, flanked by his bloodthirsty cronies.
What followed was a daring battle atop the moving train. The demon's goons were dispatched rather handily, although one struck Elenna as his unconcious body careened off the back of the speeding train. Ten'Gu thought this was rather humorous... Elenna has a habit of rhyming her words, and it was beginning to grate on Ten'Gu's polite demeanor.
Junior and Rhogar kept the demon engaged... until the train came to a tunnel! All three of them ducked just in time, but Ten'Gu, in my obsessive need to show my skill in agility, waited too long to duck and was barely clipped by the tunnel, which rightfully incapacited Ten'Gu for a moment.
When Ten'Gu recuperated, he saw the demon escaping, flying past the front of the train! The Raven Queen would not be denied the soul of this one! Ten'Gu struck the demon's wings with avenging shackles, impeding his flight and sending him careening to the tracks below, where he met a gruesome end. Raven Queen be praised!
This had, of course, the unfortunate side effect of slightly derailing the train, leaving us stranded in the mountains. But with a little diplomacy, Ten'Gu's sincere... manipulation of the assets at hand proved valuable. As did Rhogar and Junior's more brutish approach of threatening the train's gaurds.
At the very least, the train's patrons now think of us as heroes. Hearts and minds.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Ten'Gu's Adventure Log - Entries 1 and 2.
Ten'Gu is told that you ape creatures find Ten'Gu's constant mention of his name peculiar or annoying. Ten'Gu does not care.
Entry 1 - Autumn:
Ten'Gu is traveling with Zenji the monk man, Rhogar the lizard creature, Elenna the woman creature, Junior the warlord man, and Dumar, the frustratingly ferocious muscle of the group. We are representing the Edici Banking Company in a tournament of champions. Our benefactor wishes for us to gain the favor of a noble house, which will allow our "bank" to extend its... insurance policies, if you catch Ten'Gu's drift.
After "acquiring" tickets, we proceeded to a small farming village where the first event was being held. Ten'Gu signed his group in for tournament, Zenji provided us with our team name: "Team Revenant." Ten'Gu likes, very catchy.
When asked for a leader, Rhogar wisely suggested that Ten'Gu lead the group, and Zenji followed suit. These followers of Tiamat are indeed wise... all the more reason for Ten'Gu to watch his back (and his pocket book).
Our group seemed to attract a bit of attention at the local inn, where tournament champions are apparently rarely seen. Ten'Gu performed a little song and dance, while Dumar, Rhogar, and Junior impressed the crowd with a few feats of strength. Hearts and minds, Ten'Gu thinks. We will use villagers as a new financial venture, of sorts. Tomorrow, I think our investment will pay off.
Entry 2 - Autumn:
Ten'Gu and Team Revenant entered the arena to find a simple slime creature opposing us. This slime-thing was surrounded by a low retaining wall, which it could not pass. Ten'Gu wisely took to the outer reaches of the arena, assuming a rapid-fire stance with his trusty bow and arrow, while the rest of the team approached cautiously. The crowd, as Ten'Gu had planned, seemed mostly encouraging, shouting words of wisdom to us!
Things quickly escalated out of control, as the slime multiplied twice for every time it was struck! Ten'Gu tried to rally his team in a single corner of the arena, but Zenji was trapped, and the slime had quickly spread to over half of the arena. Dumar, for better or worse, was completely impervious to the slime, and recklessly tore a swath of destruction around him. Still, things were looking grim, and Ten'Gu prepared his soul to beg forgiveness from the Raven Queen herself should he fail in this most unglamorous challenge.
But oh, the profit Ten'Gu made from winning the hearts of the citizens! They informed us, through their rebellious shouting, that the retaining a wall was indeed a modular installation! The strongest of the group each unearthed a section of the wall, and fenced the slimes into smaller and smaller spaces, until Zenji and Ten'Gu were able to obliterate the remains.
A small and foolish victory, but a net gain for Team Revenant.
Slime wrangling!
Entry 1 - Autumn:
Ten'Gu is traveling with Zenji the monk man, Rhogar the lizard creature, Elenna the woman creature, Junior the warlord man, and Dumar, the frustratingly ferocious muscle of the group. We are representing the Edici Banking Company in a tournament of champions. Our benefactor wishes for us to gain the favor of a noble house, which will allow our "bank" to extend its... insurance policies, if you catch Ten'Gu's drift.
After "acquiring" tickets, we proceeded to a small farming village where the first event was being held. Ten'Gu signed his group in for tournament, Zenji provided us with our team name: "Team Revenant." Ten'Gu likes, very catchy.
When asked for a leader, Rhogar wisely suggested that Ten'Gu lead the group, and Zenji followed suit. These followers of Tiamat are indeed wise... all the more reason for Ten'Gu to watch his back (and his pocket book).
Our group seemed to attract a bit of attention at the local inn, where tournament champions are apparently rarely seen. Ten'Gu performed a little song and dance, while Dumar, Rhogar, and Junior impressed the crowd with a few feats of strength. Hearts and minds, Ten'Gu thinks. We will use villagers as a new financial venture, of sorts. Tomorrow, I think our investment will pay off.
Entry 2 - Autumn:
Ten'Gu and Team Revenant entered the arena to find a simple slime creature opposing us. This slime-thing was surrounded by a low retaining wall, which it could not pass. Ten'Gu wisely took to the outer reaches of the arena, assuming a rapid-fire stance with his trusty bow and arrow, while the rest of the team approached cautiously. The crowd, as Ten'Gu had planned, seemed mostly encouraging, shouting words of wisdom to us!
Things quickly escalated out of control, as the slime multiplied twice for every time it was struck! Ten'Gu tried to rally his team in a single corner of the arena, but Zenji was trapped, and the slime had quickly spread to over half of the arena. Dumar, for better or worse, was completely impervious to the slime, and recklessly tore a swath of destruction around him. Still, things were looking grim, and Ten'Gu prepared his soul to beg forgiveness from the Raven Queen herself should he fail in this most unglamorous challenge.
But oh, the profit Ten'Gu made from winning the hearts of the citizens! They informed us, through their rebellious shouting, that the retaining a wall was indeed a modular installation! The strongest of the group each unearthed a section of the wall, and fenced the slimes into smaller and smaller spaces, until Zenji and Ten'Gu were able to obliterate the remains.
A small and foolish victory, but a net gain for Team Revenant.
Slime wrangling!Monday, April 12, 2010
Friday, April 9, 2010
Break Time!
Rolith's campaign starts on my Monday, and I've got my character all rolled up and ready to go! Here's a sketch, which I'll color later:
Ten'Gu weilding the "Black Feather of the Raven Queen"
His name is Ten'Gu, and he's an Adjudicator of the Raven Queen. His race, Kenku, is actually classified in the Monster Manual instead of the Player's Handbook. Kenkus are adept at attacking enemies in "flocks" (i.e. flanking with allies) and can mimic sounds and voices whenever they want! Ten'Gu has a penchant for worthless baubles and shiny trinkets, and is fiercely devoted to his goddess.
"Adjudicator" isn't an official class either; it's a hybrid class I created using the Dungeon's and Dragons Character Creater program. It combines the ranged multi-attacks of a Ranger with the controlling, single-target accuracy of an Avenger.
(An Avenger, for those that don't know, is kinda like a stealthy, cloth-wearing Paladin)
It ended up being a pretty interesting class. Most of my Ranger attacks are actually two attacks in one, and most of my Avenger attacks either slow or immobolize my target. Meanwhile, all of my Utility powers give me awesome evasion and mobility! Fun stuff.
I can't wait to try him out in combat on Monday!
Ten'Gu weilding the "Black Feather of the Raven Queen"His name is Ten'Gu, and he's an Adjudicator of the Raven Queen. His race, Kenku, is actually classified in the Monster Manual instead of the Player's Handbook. Kenkus are adept at attacking enemies in "flocks" (i.e. flanking with allies) and can mimic sounds and voices whenever they want! Ten'Gu has a penchant for worthless baubles and shiny trinkets, and is fiercely devoted to his goddess.
"Adjudicator" isn't an official class either; it's a hybrid class I created using the Dungeon's and Dragons Character Creater program. It combines the ranged multi-attacks of a Ranger with the controlling, single-target accuracy of an Avenger.
(An Avenger, for those that don't know, is kinda like a stealthy, cloth-wearing Paladin)
It ended up being a pretty interesting class. Most of my Ranger attacks are actually two attacks in one, and most of my Avenger attacks either slow or immobolize my target. Meanwhile, all of my Utility powers give me awesome evasion and mobility! Fun stuff.
I can't wait to try him out in combat on Monday!
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
SEASON FINALE (Part 2): PvP on the High Seas!
As the enemy ship sank, a crackle of magical energy ripped open a dimensional vortex, which appeared on deck before the party. Out of this portal stepped the crew of the enemy ship, with weapons drawn, ready to “commandeer” the ship that just sank their own vessel! The enemy party was as follows:
Cindersoul Genasi Swordmage (defender with dominion over dimensions)
Elven Dual Weapon Ranger (damage dealer with high mobility)
Kobold Chaos Sorcerer (damage dealer with devastating, but unreliable, spells)
Human Battle Cleric (damage dealer with healing powers)
Dwarven Crossbow Artificer (healer with draining attacks)
Human Bear Druid (the leader of the group)
(This party is actually the party from my other DnD group, which I also DM! Instead of using monsters, I actually used their character sheets to determine their stats and attacks! This ended up being a lot of work on my end, but it also was an extremely strategic and challenging encounter for everyone involved, with the tide of battle shifting back and forth very quickly.)
Our heroes elected to focus all of their attention on the healers, while the enemies split their damage between Artix (technically a healer) and Rolith (a defender). The enemies had several tricks up their sleeves; just as the party was about to finish off a healer, the would-be victim would either be saved by the other healer, or teleported to safety by the Genasi Swordmage. This was frustrating at first, but also strategically relevant, as they forced the enemy party to expend most of their heals early on the fight, while Ai No Miko conserved friendly healing with a summoned “Spirit of Healing,” one of her daily powers. It was her Spirit that ended up being a major component of the party’s success; without that spell, the party surely would have been worn down and defeated one by one.
There were several unfortunate failures on both sides during the bout. The Kobold Sorcerer critically failed on his first and most powerful spell, wounding himself and knocking his comrades off balance. The Dwarven Artificer also missed with most of his relevant attacks, although he was able to moderately heal his allies in the beginning. Conversely, Dumoose critically failed on an attack and sent an arrow soaring into Rolith… it seems like he used up all his luck in the naval battle!
Through attrition, the party was eventually able to down the Cleric, while the Sorcerer practically blew himself up with another critical failure. The Rangers in both parties missed with many of their special moves, but our heroes kept hammering away at the invaders. The enemy Druid kept Cysero, Artix, and Rolith dazed and wounded, and all three of them were knocked out at several points in the fight, although some quick healing and resourcefulness put them back on their feet.
Still, even with two of his comrades down, the Genasi Spellsword continued to confound our heroes with his trickery and damage mitigation techniques. The party focused on him next! Their rolls were fortuitous enough to eventually punch through his high armor and protective spells, but not before he reduced ALL damage from Dumoose’s critical hit with his “Firedeath” ability! Dumoose was certainly not happy about that, but it did indeed boost the party’s resolves (and ire!).
With victory firmly within their grasp, the party brought down the hulking bear Druid, who was still charging around the battlefield, disrupting our heroes' defenses. The enemy Ranger, threatened by Cysero, tried to take an unconscious Rolith hostage in a desperation move, but she was thwarted mid-swing by Artix and his “Fearless Rescue” ability! It was that timely act of heroism that put the Ranger out of commission for good. The Artificer, seeing his comrades fall, stoically accepted a warrior’s defeat, and went down swinging.
And so, our heroes were triumphant! It was a long, hard fight, but they had come out victorious. Their destination appeared over the tranquil night horizon, and they landed on an outcropping of obsidian rock off the coast of Thalassia. It is here that they will begin a new adventure, exploring an unfriendly foreign land. What perils await them? What secrets will they discover? What will Rolith get by, and what will Artix roll a one on next?!
Find out soon, in Season 2!
Cindersoul Genasi Swordmage (defender with dominion over dimensions)
Elven Dual Weapon Ranger (damage dealer with high mobility)
Kobold Chaos Sorcerer (damage dealer with devastating, but unreliable, spells)
Human Battle Cleric (damage dealer with healing powers)
Dwarven Crossbow Artificer (healer with draining attacks)
Human Bear Druid (the leader of the group)
(This party is actually the party from my other DnD group, which I also DM! Instead of using monsters, I actually used their character sheets to determine their stats and attacks! This ended up being a lot of work on my end, but it also was an extremely strategic and challenging encounter for everyone involved, with the tide of battle shifting back and forth very quickly.)
Our heroes elected to focus all of their attention on the healers, while the enemies split their damage between Artix (technically a healer) and Rolith (a defender). The enemies had several tricks up their sleeves; just as the party was about to finish off a healer, the would-be victim would either be saved by the other healer, or teleported to safety by the Genasi Swordmage. This was frustrating at first, but also strategically relevant, as they forced the enemy party to expend most of their heals early on the fight, while Ai No Miko conserved friendly healing with a summoned “Spirit of Healing,” one of her daily powers. It was her Spirit that ended up being a major component of the party’s success; without that spell, the party surely would have been worn down and defeated one by one.
There were several unfortunate failures on both sides during the bout. The Kobold Sorcerer critically failed on his first and most powerful spell, wounding himself and knocking his comrades off balance. The Dwarven Artificer also missed with most of his relevant attacks, although he was able to moderately heal his allies in the beginning. Conversely, Dumoose critically failed on an attack and sent an arrow soaring into Rolith… it seems like he used up all his luck in the naval battle!
Through attrition, the party was eventually able to down the Cleric, while the Sorcerer practically blew himself up with another critical failure. The Rangers in both parties missed with many of their special moves, but our heroes kept hammering away at the invaders. The enemy Druid kept Cysero, Artix, and Rolith dazed and wounded, and all three of them were knocked out at several points in the fight, although some quick healing and resourcefulness put them back on their feet.
Still, even with two of his comrades down, the Genasi Spellsword continued to confound our heroes with his trickery and damage mitigation techniques. The party focused on him next! Their rolls were fortuitous enough to eventually punch through his high armor and protective spells, but not before he reduced ALL damage from Dumoose’s critical hit with his “Firedeath” ability! Dumoose was certainly not happy about that, but it did indeed boost the party’s resolves (and ire!).
With victory firmly within their grasp, the party brought down the hulking bear Druid, who was still charging around the battlefield, disrupting our heroes' defenses. The enemy Ranger, threatened by Cysero, tried to take an unconscious Rolith hostage in a desperation move, but she was thwarted mid-swing by Artix and his “Fearless Rescue” ability! It was that timely act of heroism that put the Ranger out of commission for good. The Artificer, seeing his comrades fall, stoically accepted a warrior’s defeat, and went down swinging.
And so, our heroes were triumphant! It was a long, hard fight, but they had come out victorious. Their destination appeared over the tranquil night horizon, and they landed on an outcropping of obsidian rock off the coast of Thalassia. It is here that they will begin a new adventure, exploring an unfriendly foreign land. What perils await them? What secrets will they discover? What will Rolith get by, and what will Artix roll a one on next?!
Find out soon, in Season 2!
SEASON FINALE (Part 1): Battle stations! Battle stations!
Season 1 of our adventure came to an end, with the party overcoming impossible odds and infiltrating the warring nation of Thalassia, where they will eventually begin Season 2. Battles were fought, difficult decisions were made, and Artix didn’t even fail a roll! Rolith did, however, still get hit in the head by friendly fire.
With the party wielding new magic items rewarded for their service to the nation of Chivil, they set sail on the only available sailing ship in a time of war, a derequisitioned bucket of bolts… rusty, leaking, and barely afloat. Its captain was a surly, one-eyed dwarf. Not quite the kind of person you’d want charting a course on open waters.
And sure enough, once they reached uncharted waters, they were spotted by a Thalassian scout ship! The dwarven captain, with a smile, flipped a switch on the control panel, revealing the rusty old ship’s literal secret weapons: a huge long gun on the forecastle of the deck, and three smaller cannons on each side of the ship! It was time to man the battle stations!
Rolith, the strongest of the group, fled to the engine room to help the chief engineer shovel coal into the ship’s massive steam reactor. Ai No Miko, overcoming her shyness and assuming a tactical role, aided the captain in the helm of the ship. Dumoose strapped himself into the massive main gun, ready for action, and Cysero, Alac, and Artix stayed on deck, manning the cannons and battening down the hatches!
For a while, the ships inched closer and closer to each other, preparing for a bloody battle. The Thalassian ship, with its superior naval technology, was at a distinct advantage against the ragtag Chivilian ship inhabited by our heroes. Rolith stalled the engine during the first turn, but Ai No Miko was able to steer the ship into a more tactical position once he got everything up and running. And then, Dumoose struck! Two turns in a row, with miraculous rolls, Dumoose not only found a weak spot in the enemy’s armor, but fired the main cannon for maximum damage. The Thalassian ship was smoldering and sinking before it even landed a shot! In a desperation move, the enemy ship attempted to maneuver out of reach of the main gun, but Ai No Miko was too quick for them! With Dumoose on the main gun, and Cysero and Alac dealing major damage from their cannons, our heroes made quick work of the Thalassian ship, despite unfavorable odds!
(to be continued...)
With the party wielding new magic items rewarded for their service to the nation of Chivil, they set sail on the only available sailing ship in a time of war, a derequisitioned bucket of bolts… rusty, leaking, and barely afloat. Its captain was a surly, one-eyed dwarf. Not quite the kind of person you’d want charting a course on open waters.
And sure enough, once they reached uncharted waters, they were spotted by a Thalassian scout ship! The dwarven captain, with a smile, flipped a switch on the control panel, revealing the rusty old ship’s literal secret weapons: a huge long gun on the forecastle of the deck, and three smaller cannons on each side of the ship! It was time to man the battle stations!
Rolith, the strongest of the group, fled to the engine room to help the chief engineer shovel coal into the ship’s massive steam reactor. Ai No Miko, overcoming her shyness and assuming a tactical role, aided the captain in the helm of the ship. Dumoose strapped himself into the massive main gun, ready for action, and Cysero, Alac, and Artix stayed on deck, manning the cannons and battening down the hatches!
For a while, the ships inched closer and closer to each other, preparing for a bloody battle. The Thalassian ship, with its superior naval technology, was at a distinct advantage against the ragtag Chivilian ship inhabited by our heroes. Rolith stalled the engine during the first turn, but Ai No Miko was able to steer the ship into a more tactical position once he got everything up and running. And then, Dumoose struck! Two turns in a row, with miraculous rolls, Dumoose not only found a weak spot in the enemy’s armor, but fired the main cannon for maximum damage. The Thalassian ship was smoldering and sinking before it even landed a shot! In a desperation move, the enemy ship attempted to maneuver out of reach of the main gun, but Ai No Miko was too quick for them! With Dumoose on the main gun, and Cysero and Alac dealing major damage from their cannons, our heroes made quick work of the Thalassian ship, despite unfavorable odds!
(to be continued...)
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