Reload

[Magnus]

Date: Autumn, 432 ca., Campaign Day 4
Time: 17:00
Weather: 45 degrees; drizzling
Location: FIST OF THE FIRST MEN
**************************
The party, in two separate groups, reaches the FIST OF THE FIRST MEN.

Vorsyin immediately looks to update the Lord Commander to the encounter at the Steading and the meeting with Croweye after. He tries to forget the pain in his body.

The mage finds the Lord Commander in his tent pouring over a table-sized tactical map. The grizzled veteran widens his eyes as he sees the horrific wounds suffered by the mage. He sits Vorsyin down and calls for a healing salve. Vorsyin consumes it. He feels the worst of his wounds begin to close and the pain ease - somewhat.

V recovers 15 HP

The Lord Commander then listens intently to the new brother's briefing, nodding intently. The perceptive mage catches a flicker of fear and indecision in the Commander's eyes as his story concludes. But the veteran holds his brave face as he responds to the mage: "Assemble with your group and recommend to me your course of action. If we truly face numbers that great, and terrors that exotic, the remainder of us must stand ready to repel any forces that stand to move from the Steading out towards the Lands of Men."

Ethan sits down for a conversation with his new follower, hoping to learn where he came from, and what, if anything, he knows of the lands beyond the wall. Is he a person with a history and free will, or is there something strange and sinister about this servitude?

Ethan and his new companion become acquainted over an ale. Ethan learns that his follower is a young man from a family who lives in a small hamlet within the Blacktyde holdings, making a healthy but modest living crabbing in a cold, brackish inlet. Marcus is a strong, hearty fellow, gifted with some talent in the art of swordsmanship and a brave heart. However, his family is too poor and common to send him to serve as a knight.

Discontent with the life of a crabber, Marcus had ventured with several companions to an unmapped island shrouded by a strange fog and spoken about in superstitious whispers. While there, the party discovered a ruin several levels deep. After battling their way into its depths, they made their way into a temple of sorts containing an strange altar in the shape of the Wheel of Fate. Marcus had stood before it, and wished to become a knight in the service of a great house. Just has the words crossed his lips, he blacked out. The next thing he knew, he was standing before Ethan.

Ethan knew in his bones that the boy would follow his every word -- short of suicide.

This conversation concluded, Ethan seeks out a Maester Llewyn in the Maester's tent to see if he can learn anything about the demon he has angered.

Maester Llewyn's eyes progressively widen as he hears the story. He digs in a chest to retrieve a book...

[continued below]

[Eulalios]

"Gaerys, we need to find out what this axe is good for. Let's borrow one, and spar a bit."

[Zhym]

"You know I'm always up for a little sparring. Do you want to use the new axe, or should I?"

Gaerys will also go shopping for a small hand mirror, to be used in peering around corners when scouting ahead.

[Magnus]

"You know I'm always up for a little sparring. Do you want to use the new axe, or should I?"

Gaerys will also go shopping for a small hand mirror, to be used in peering around corners when scouting ahead.

The fighters determine that the keeper's weapon is a +3 Great Axe. (Same damage as a great sword--- and is also a two handed weapon.)

Gaerys easily acquires an item as mundane as a hand mirror.

[NJWilliam]

Antheris

Upon returning to the Fist, Antheris' connection with the surrounding area seems to be more important to him.
The depth of the evil encountered in the past days and the reports of the Valyrians both dead and alive, only serve to reinforce it for him.
While still quite jovial at camp, a definite curtain of seriousness hangs over him.
He sets up a small shrine off in a somewhat secluded part of camp and the time that he is not seeing to the party members healing, he is either there or walking the nearby woods. The sober demeanor even appears in Blue, and Mingan, the dire wolf, is a staunch guard of the Druid. Antheris is seen speaking with both Blue and Mingan often (Speak with Animals).

He also makes it known to Gaerys, the ranger (who he senses may have the ability to use some druidic magic), and Hollis, who has shown interest in the Old Gods, that they are particularly welcome in his "investigation" into the surrounding area.

Antheris, each day the party is not returning to the steading will cast Commune with Nature, learning all that he can about the 4.5 mile radius of the spell, focusing especially on the Steading area. Facts he will focus on in particular are: the course of the water and stream into and nearby the Steading, the inhabitants of the area - animal, magical (such as Crowseye and the Treants), wildlings, and giants and their ilk (numbers, if possible), caverns underlying the area, both natural and manmade, fauna especially any healing or poisonous, and fungi with a very intense search for the location of the healing fungi they have come across in the giants' possession.

He will also use his innate ability to identify plants, animals, and pure water in the course of his walks in the wilderness with Blue and Mingan, to increase his knowledge and connection with the area. He will also cast Speak with Plants to learn more about the area, water courses and inhabitants as well, and will Call Woodland Beings simply to speak with those summoned for information about the giants, hornfoots, and activities at the steading, especially any comings and goings and any other groups that the inhabitants of the Steading have been in contact or communication with.

Finally, Antheris will watch for any animals of great spirit and courage that he believes would be of aid to their purpose and mission, and will keep an Animal Friendship and Speak with Animals spell ready at all times to hopefully bring them into their group. (ooc: at 9th level Antheris can have 18 hd of animal friends, not sure if Mingan counts since she was identified as a follower, maybe something with thief skills like a giant lynx, but a bit more durable?)

If time allows, Antheris will speak with the blacksmith and leatherworker about fashioning some protective armor for Mingan, with those pieces that Blue has as an example. He will also look into obtaining a new spear, possibly one of exceptional quality for which he would pay well.

[Zhym]

Gaerys reports to Lord Commander Snow to brief him on events during which Vorsyin was not present. He will also seek training in his new—skills? Abilities? The word "magic" doesn't quite fit.

When that is done, assuming the Lord Commander has no new orders for him, Gaerys will gladly join Antheris's investigation of the area. The "investigations" would help him practice his enhanced forestry abilities. "These skills are new to me," he tells Antheris. "Which one of them would help you most in our investigations?"

Truthfully, Gaerys would much prefer to be outside the Fist than in it. The Fist has too many people in it. Brothers though they be, he doesn't get along with most of them. If Gaerys had his way, he'd camp in the forest in view of the Steading until the party was ready to return. Daytime investigations of the surrounding lands will have to do as the next best option.

[NJWilliam]

Antheris

Antheris gives Gaerys a handful of mistletoe and explains that for his spells to work best he should have mistletoe that he harvested himself. With luck there may be a full or new moon while they are back at the Fist, and Antheris will take Gaerys out to show him how to harvest it, as well as to add to his own ample stores. He will also show and explain how oak leaves can be used, and each of the spells Gaerys can choose from (Antheris can memorize seven first level spells at a time).

"For gathering information, Speak with Animals can be very useful, but you may also wish to see what sort of animal you may be able to befriend, they can be a great asset."

[Computer +1]

Vorsyin thanks the Lord Commander and retires to plan and study. He spends his time memorizing his spells before seeking out the Maester.

[Magnus]

Date: Autumn, 432 ca., Campaign Day 4
Time: 17:30
Weather: 45 degrees; drizzling
Location: FIST OF THE FIRST MEN
**************************

Maester Llewyn pulls a large, very old tome from the chest. He sighs and begins to leaf through it. As he does so, he explains:

"I am but a small man, Lord Blacktyde. I can tell you what I have read, what has been told to me, and what conclusions that I can draw from my studies."

"As an educated Lord yourself, you surely are aware of some of the basic teachings of the Higher Mysteries...principally that our universe is one among many, surrounded by aether and drifting in an astral sea. Many of these other universes are manifestations of a certain element, certain alignment, or other tangible aspect of principle. Among these universes dwell many terrible and powerful beings...though most are content to remain entangled in the affairs of their native planes.

The maester then finds the pages that he was looking for...and shows them in turn to Ethan. The yellowed, faded pages are written in intricate runes, in a language that Ethan has never seen before. The Maester continues:

But one group, the OBYRITHI, also known as well as the Great Old Ones, have long sought to return existence to the state of primordial ice, fire, chaos, and darkness from which it came. I can only guess that one of these beings are your adversary.

He turns page by page, each page showing a large symbol in its center, and reads the name of each of the fearsome beings, along with their symbol and element.

YMIR - three interlocking triangles - Ice

SURTR - a wheel with three points springing from it - Fire

DAGON - six spiraling tentacles around a fanged mouth - Chaos

NIGHT MOTHER - a black sphere with eight rays emanating from it - Darkness

You may have heard of the Long Night - a terrible time, thousands of years ago. I have long feared the return of such an aeon...and fear that we may be on the precipice of such a time...

This is but what I know from the books and tales. But perhaps your friends - the priest, the wizard or the druid - may all upon magics that provide a more...first-hand...perspective.

The maester then puts away the book and, with a solemn nod, turns away to attend to a few wounded Watchmen.

********************************

Antheris and Gaerys spend some time in the forest some distance from the Steading. Antheris instructs Ethan as to the control over basic manifestations of the forces of nature, their meets and bounds, and practical applications.

The two bond over their devotion to nature, and then turn their attention to the observations of Mingan and other wolves. The two learn that many of the animals in the area have begun to flee and the plants have begun to die. The wolves have heard low tremblings under the ground and feels as if life itself is being sucked from the area surrounding the Steading. It would seem that something more sinister than Hill Giants lies under the Steading, and the slaughter therein has only caused it to stir...

*********************************

Vorsyin finishes the briefing. He wishes to re-memorize his spells, so he retires to begin the necessary rest before he can do so.

*********************************

Could we please get a sound-off of HPs from everyone in the next post?

[Magnus]

Date: Autumn, 432 ca., Campaign Day 5
Time: 9:30
Weather: 45 degrees; rain
Location: FIST OF THE FIRST MEN
**************************
Current HPs

Antheris - 48/48
Ethan - 71/71
Kjelti - 42/56
Vorsyin - 36/48
Gaerys - 50/60
Hollis - 16/50
Blue - 29/48

[everyone gained 2 from resting.]

*******************************

The party wakes with a chill in their bones as a cold autumn rain pours down upon their tents.

The casters complete their prayer and study as the fighters break fast, limber up, and see to their weapons and armour.

Please update spell lists, then you can state what spells are cast, even if simply copied and pasted from above.

[Zhym]

Gaerys starts his morning with an unusual ritual: preparing a spell for the day. Not much of one for gods old or new, Gaerys mediates and communes with nature to prepare the ability to speak with animals for a short time that day. If the moon is right, later that night he will accompany Antheris at the right time to harvest the mistletoe he needs.

In the meantime, once Gaerys has received any healing for the day, he will ask whether any more patrols are heading to the Steading. If so, he will volunteer to join them. If not, he would set out to keep an eye on the Steading himself, returning in time for the mistletoe harvest if the time is indeed right for that. (This is not meant to draw out the number of updates needed while we're resting in the Steading. This mostly "flavor"—Gaerys would rather spend as much time as possible on patrol or staking out the Steading instead of sitting around in the Fist. Also, I did mention before that he would check in with the Lord Commander; I assume he got no new orders?)

Magnus, do rangers also use mistletoe for their druid spells, or do they invoke the power of their spells differently? I could play this either way: the ranger casts spells as druids do, or he has learned abilities that look to the outside observer like a spell.

[drpete]

As we work on recovering, Ethan will update everyone on their encounter with Crowseye, his new follower, and the evil whose attention he has brought upon them. He asks if any of the spellcasters has a way of determining what it is safely, or to safeguard against its minions.

I don't know if there's a spell that really applies. Divination, or contact other plane, maybe?

[Computer +1]

Assumming that everyone informs Ethan and Vorsyin about rescuing the Valyerian, has Vorsyin heard of the rescued mage?

[Magnus]

Date: Autumn, 432 ca., Campaign Day 5
Time: 12:30
Weather: 45 degrees; rain
Location: FIST OF THE FIRST MEN

*********************************************************

The casters receive their spells, cast the healing spells on the party as appropriate, and then the party catches up on all that has transpired over the last 24 hours.

The Lord Commander has given the party free reign to act against the Steading when they see fit, but demands that it be cleared and leveled before victory is declared. He is unable to commit forces to an assault into the Steading's second level, however, given that most of his troops would not last a second against a giant and are engaged with the hostile Wildlings (including hornfeet) and ogres intermittently in any event.

Follow-on patrols, conducted while the party rested, have not detected any activity surrounding the Steading. It seems likely that whatever is left of the Giant forces is indeed regrouping as suspected by the party.

Antheris, accompanied by Gaerys for security, hike approximately one mile towards the Steading in order to capture the Steading's surrounding area within the effect of Antheris's commune. Antheris slips into a deep meditation and listens to the natural world speaking to him.

The whispers of nature reveal the following facts to Antheris:

1. The healing mushrooms are rare and grow beneath the ground. None are growing in the area at this time.

2. The stream previously explored by the party does indeed lead to caverns under the Steading. It flows under the ground for about a half-mile before it surfaces in such a cavern.

3. The natural caverns are connected by the stream (and not necessarily tunnels) and then via tunnel to the dungeon level of the Steading.

4. Various subterranean creatures, such as lizards, crawlers, bats, etc. dwell within the caverns.

5. The Steading was built upon a dungeon complex that is very, very old, and contains a source of power that lay dormant for centuries.

6. This source of power has been given "life" and force by Hill Giant activity and all the recent killing in the Steading, both the Hornfoot sacrifices (before and after the party's raids) and the party's slaughter. This has caused weird and malignant energies to seep out and over the Steading, which has begun to attract various bizarre and unholy creatures from deep underground and beyond.

7. The flora and fauna in the area are those typical of a taiga forest.

8. The plants in the area are just beginning to wither from the effects of this malign energy.

9. The animals in the area, sensing these strange and dark energies, have fled the area.

The druid wakes from his meditation, gravely aware of the blight to fall upon the forest and, eventually, the lands of man. He also realizes that his commune was a wise step in understanding the dangers facing the party and what they needed to do, but would need to, one way or the other, descend into the dungeon to learn anything further.

On the morrow, it would be time for action.

Rangers cast druid spells just as druids do, including through the harvest of mistletoe. There is no mistletoe in the area but Antheris has plenty.

[Zhym]

Gaerys frowns when he hears what Antheris learned from his communion with nature. "I don't like this talk of dark energies and blights one bit," he tells the druid. "Giants and hornfeet I know how to deal with. Cold steel does the job nicely. But I don't know how to fight energies and blights. Do you have any magics that would reverse the blight?"

"What worries me more," he continues,"is that our part in the killings is also feeding this energy. My orders are clear: the Steading is to be cleared and leveled. But, by doing so, are we making things worse, at least in the short term?"

Gaerys spends the afternoon fitfully wandering and pacing around the Fist, looking for any way to be useful. There's nothing more he can do until the party sets out again, but he hates sitting around.

[Computer +1]

Vorsyin nods at Gaery's words. Indeed our part in killing at the Steading and its effect on the evil there is disturbing but we must look to the greater picture. We weaken those around the greater evil so that we may destroy it. Each raid has taken us closer, we must see this task through.

[Zhym]

"Wise words, Brother Vorsyin," admits the ranger. "You are much more attuned to energies than I am, and I defer to your expertise in these matters."

Gaerys pauses in thought. "In fact...I wouldn't mind learning a bit of arcane magics myself, if possible. Would you be willing to tutor me in between our explorations and battles?"

[NJWilliam]

Antheris

"With death feeding this evil, perhaps we could concentrate on charming, subduing and perhaps trapping some of the giants and hornfoots. Charm, Hold Portal, Stone Shape, Wall of Stone, shackles and locks. I suppose everything we do not kill will not strengthen this underlying enemy. Can the blacksmiths work overnight to get use shackles for the hornfoots and whatever we need to use their own prison cells against them?"

"What disabling spells like sleep or hold person are available to us?" Antheris looks at the other spellcasters.

[Zhym]

Gaerys frowns. "That's a good idea, but I'm not sure it's compatible with my orders. The Steading must be 'cleared and leveled before victory is declared.' And have to admit, I would like to see Nosra skewered on the end of my sword."

[NJWilliam]

Antheris

"There may be no other way to deal with the evil of Nosra, but his death need not be before we deal with the ancient evil below."

"My command over insects has increased, and it may help clear a large part of the giants' underground part. I could summon insects, that if outdoors would be a cloud 160 feet in diameter and forty feet high, for an hour and a half. They would bite and sting every minute and likely cause many to flee either out of fear or simply for survival. The party could wait outside and disable, capture, subdue, or simply defeat the fleeing creatures.

"Of course I have another spell that would repel insects from those I cast it on, I could protect two in such a manner, also for ninety minutes."