After agreeing to the deal with House Dresden, the group makes its way to the harbor to meet the ship hired out for their passage. The Sciola Mara is a small cog, captained by a halfling named Ramendo. His crew of Halflings has sailed the Nyr Dyv all their lives. Passage has been booked to Radigast City, which has a famous library and many famous wizards.
Typically on the voyage Relamn stays on the forecastle with the ballista (mostly there for show), Korton stays aft with the captain, Glirzem stays with the Halflings below (drinking grog and gambling), while Jeff and Lothar stay below poring over journals of the first expedition to White Plume from 20 years ago (provided by Dresden), in case they could glean anything useful.
The trip is expected to take a full week.
On the second day, one of the halfling hands is grabbed from the port side by a gigantic tentacle. Chaos ensues as it takes him up into the air, and the boat lists as a monster starts to emerge. The crew begin to shout about a kraken attacking the ship!
Roland grabs his bow, runs out, shoots at the purple mass of flesh in the water, and manages a hit (though it barely seems to register). Relamn runs down the sairs to the main deck and pounds the tentacle into the railing with his flail, freeing the caught halfling and saving his life.
The rest of the crew clears the deck in a panick, while the captain shouts orders and readies a crossbow. Glirzem fights against the stream of incoming hilflings to reach the maindeck, cursing his short gnomish legs. He reaches the deck and takes stock of the situation.
Korton comes down to the starboard side of the main deck, while unleashing a fireball that hits the terrible thing and its arms on the side rail. He’s quite proud of himself, until the captain’s cursing brings his attention to the ropes and cargo at the railing that he has blackened. Lothar runs out to the deck and, seeing the tentacles draped over the smoldering rail, casts freedom of movement on himself.
The monster pulls itself up towards the deck with its tentacles, and sends them out to try and ensnare some of the heroes. Several arms miss Lothar, but one of them manages to grab Raelamn. Roland fires twice at the beast, whose massive beak is now nearly at the railing, and connecting once, nearly at its eyes. The beast lets out an eerie sound, a sort of clicking howl. Raelamn, using one of his martial stances, manages to attack the monster despite being held, connecting again with his flail.
Glirzem manages a fireball off the side of the deck, which brings more pain to the beast without damaging the ship. Korton hastes the group on the deck, preparing to dig in for a major fight. Lothar steps up to the rail and attacks the tentacle holding Raelamn, chopping into it savagely with his waraxe. The beast, looking quite miserable, releases Raelamn and drops into the water. With a loud sound, it jets backwards, out of sight, and the threat is ended.
The next day, one of the sailors on watch atop the mainmast is struck down with a bolt of lightning! With a cry, the lookout falls to the deck below. A large four-winged bird streaks down toward the boat from out of the sun, screeching as he comes.
Hearing the commotion, Roland grabs his bow and runs to the deck, and manages to lose an arrow at the bird. Raelamn spots the threat, and manages to get armed with his guisarme. G makes his way to the deck from below, and tosses a lightning bolt at the avian threat. Much to his chagrin, the bolt gathers into the bird, seemingly without effect.
Korton comes down to the main deck, and hastes those present. The hawk swoops in, and returns a lightning bolt at Glirzem. Lothar gets to the deck and casts blindness on the hawk, but it seems to have no effect. Roland fires again, but can’t connect with two arrows. Raelamn waits for an opportunity to strike, while Glirzem tosses a fireball, but it doesn’t seem to be very effective. Korlon tries to cast a complex spell while moving, but he loses focus and it fails. The hawk moves in and engages Lothar, biting him despite his armor.
Raelamn goes after the hawk, trying to knock it out of sky, but can’t manage to pull it down with his polearm. Lothar shifts away from the melee, casting bull’s strength on Raelamn. Roland fires twice, and hits with both now that the hawk is right above the deck. Glirzem tries a fireball again, but it is obvious now that elemental damage is ineffective against this foe.
Korton uses a polymorph to became a griffon, taking the battle to the sky. The hawk tries again to bite Lothar, but cannot breach his shield. Raelamn steps up, and with the aid of Lothar’s dwoemer hooks the hawk and drags it out of the sky! It hangs over the rail, barely managing to avoid falling into the sea, as Raelamn follows up with another strike from his guisarme. Lothar channels the power of Pelor to activate Divine Armor, and strikes true with his axe.
A toss of the ship causes Roland to drop his bow, just as Glirzem fires off a few magic missiles. Korton, getting used to his new form, tries to circle around as a griffon, preparing to cut off any retreat. Desperate, the hawk tries to take to the sky, but is slain by Raelamn and Lothar, sending the body into the sea.
Tuesday, February 6, 2007
Information on White Plume Mountain
Twenty years ago, three powerful magical weapons were stolen from powerful noble houses in Greyhawk, all on the same night, with no sign of intrusion. It was flawlessly executed, and the houses combined to raise hell in the city trying to recover them. The Thieves’ Guild, normally untouchable, suffered major pains as the nobles cracked down on their activities, but they were not to blame. In a few days, letters were delivered to the families from a wizard named Keraptis, who taunted the families and dared them to try and retrieve them.
Investigation showed that Keraptis was the name of an old Flan sorcerer, who ruled as a tyrant over a city in the south almost 2000 years ago. A known follower of Nerull, he was removed but not killed, and he ended up destroying his former city from his new lair in White Plume Mountain. Upon receiving this information, groups were hired to retrieve these items from Keraptis.
Two of the groups failed and died in their efforts, but some of the third group returned with five weapons: Whelm, Blackrazor (a greatsword said to drink the souls of those it slays), Wave (a trident, the one the surviving group was hired to return), and Frostrazor and Seeker (which were not stolen, but were found with the other three weapons). Whelm, Blackrazor, Seeker, and Frostblade scattered, and Wave was returned to House Dresden in Greyhawk. They claimed to have slain Keraptis in the very heart of the volcanic mountain.
In the last year, each of these weapons has been stolen again, and left in its place, a scroll with the initial K. These jobs were inexpertly done, as some of the precautions were sprung this time around, and they weren’t stolen all on the same night. A few of the theories among the group: someone with knowledge of the other crimes is posing as Keraptis to gather these items; K wasn’t killed, and is gathering them again to return to power; K was killed, but has returned somehow.
Through investigation, the group got into contacted House Dresden. While initially rebuffed, they persisted in snooping around, using their contacts throughout the city. House Dresden finally offered to meet, and after much work and discussion, they offered assistance if they would quest to retrieve Wave for them once again. They have provided a map of the environs around White Plume, located at the western edge of the Great Rift in the Bandit Kingdoms. The travel will be dangerous, the contents of the lair are unknown, and the weapons might not even be there anyway. A finders fee of 10% of Wave’s worth will be offered to those who recover it (as well as all other treasures recovered).
Investigation showed that Keraptis was the name of an old Flan sorcerer, who ruled as a tyrant over a city in the south almost 2000 years ago. A known follower of Nerull, he was removed but not killed, and he ended up destroying his former city from his new lair in White Plume Mountain. Upon receiving this information, groups were hired to retrieve these items from Keraptis.
Two of the groups failed and died in their efforts, but some of the third group returned with five weapons: Whelm, Blackrazor (a greatsword said to drink the souls of those it slays), Wave (a trident, the one the surviving group was hired to return), and Frostrazor and Seeker (which were not stolen, but were found with the other three weapons). Whelm, Blackrazor, Seeker, and Frostblade scattered, and Wave was returned to House Dresden in Greyhawk. They claimed to have slain Keraptis in the very heart of the volcanic mountain.
In the last year, each of these weapons has been stolen again, and left in its place, a scroll with the initial K. These jobs were inexpertly done, as some of the precautions were sprung this time around, and they weren’t stolen all on the same night. A few of the theories among the group: someone with knowledge of the other crimes is posing as Keraptis to gather these items; K wasn’t killed, and is gathering them again to return to power; K was killed, but has returned somehow.
Through investigation, the group got into contacted House Dresden. While initially rebuffed, they persisted in snooping around, using their contacts throughout the city. House Dresden finally offered to meet, and after much work and discussion, they offered assistance if they would quest to retrieve Wave for them once again. They have provided a map of the environs around White Plume, located at the western edge of the Great Rift in the Bandit Kingdoms. The travel will be dangerous, the contents of the lair are unknown, and the weapons might not even be there anyway. A finders fee of 10% of Wave’s worth will be offered to those who recover it (as well as all other treasures recovered).
Dave's (Freaky Bug-like) Character
Korton, a human transmuter and another minor noble of Greyhawk, spent his younger career adventuring with Jeff. They went their separate ways some time ago, and Korton has spent that time in Radigast City, learning arcane secrets from ancient masters of that storied city. He has returned somewhat odder than when he left, with an infatuation with polymorphing.
He's lovingly refered to as "Crouton" by his good friends, the adventuring party.
He's lovingly refered to as "Crouton" by his good friends, the adventuring party.
Jeff's Character
Roland Shadowlark, a human rogue, he is the third son in a family of minor Oeridian nobility in Greyhawk. He is an amateur cat burglar, and has developed a minor obsession with a legendary crime that occurred 20 years ago (outlined in later posts.) While researching it, he came across the other PCs, and has gathered everybody together for the sake of their common interests.
Geoff's (Awesome) Character
Raelamn – A human warblade, he is a martial devotee from the proud land of Perrenland. His people earn honor solely through martial accomplishments, so he has spent time fighting as a mercenary across the land. He was in Greyhawk looking to be hired. His time spent hunting in the Bandit Lands could prove valuable on this trip.
His hobbies include fish, plankton, sea grass, and protein from the sea.
His hobbies include fish, plankton, sea grass, and protein from the sea.
Zach's Character
Glirzem, a gnome sorcerer, is a battle mage trained in the Abbor Alz. He served as an officer to one of several groups whose sworn duty is to protect the Greyhawk region from bands of evil humanoids (his group frequently hunts evil derro dwarves). Recently, his group came across a collection of scrolls of tremendous power, allowing spells to be enhanced from normal levels, seemingly without cost. However, he noticed that use of the scrolls was accompanied by nightmares, while some of his fellow mages began muttering and suffering delusions. Finally, his superior claimed to be a mage named Keraptis, and began instituting a plan of tyranny with the help of some of the mages. They were put down, but Zach has been sent to Greyhawk to discover the origin of the scrolls, and the name Keraptis.
Ryan's Character
Lothar Sunborn – A Dwarf Cleric, he was raised amongst the hill dwarves in Ulek (an area to the south where dwarves mix with humans above-ground). He chose to worship the Flan god Pelor, and entered into a special order of his clergy known as the Radiant Servants. A fairly high-ranking cleric, he is taking time off to travel in search of an ancient dwarven artifact, the hammer known as Whelm. Tracking it brought him to the city of Greyhawk.
Now, some will tell you that Lothar of the Hill-Dwarves was a dwarf . . . raised in the wild by men . . . who in turn were raised in the wild by dwarves. It probably isn't true, but it lives on as part of the myth that is . . . Lothar Sunborn.
Basic Background
The world is known as the Oerth. The continent is known Oerik, and the civilized area is called the Flaeness.
Human tribes and languages
Flan
The Flan are one of the oldest tribes; they very nature- and elemental-based in their deities (Pelor the sun god, Obad-Hai the druidic god, etc.). Flan distrust arcane magic, in general. The largest remaining independent Flan nation is Keoland.
Oeridian
The Oeridians are a warrior people from the North, who moved in and formed the largest continental empire, known as the Great Kingdom. Border territories splintered off to form other nations, until eventually the desperate imperial family consorted with devils to restore order in their lands. Since then, several kingdoms have tried to restore the ideals of the Old Kingdom, but the Devil-princes of the line of Ivid remain in the heart of the Great Kingdom.
Suloise and Baklunish
The Suel and Baklunish empires were powerful magical empires long ago, but they destroyed each other in a border war that involved twin cataclysms, the Invoked Devastation and the Rain of Colorless Fire. Their former lands are now the Sea of Dust and the Dry Steppes. The survivors have since migrated throughout the rest of the Flaeness.
*Common is a language that blends elements of all four of these languages.
Heartbreak
Everyday when I'm practising my manuaeaiouaeuaiovers, I check this site and there's NOTHING!!
I'm a sad panda.
I'm a sad panda.
Friday, January 26, 2007
House Rules
This is a low-wealth and high-feat campaign. Players can use anything from the PHB, and outside material is strictly by review only.
Wealth does not follow the prescribed table from the DMG, it will be approximately half that value.
PCs gain a feat every level instead of the progression in the PHB. They receive a Stat Bonus at 3, 6, 9, . . . instead of the normal rate. They get +2 Skill Points per level (x4 at first).
Wealth does not follow the prescribed table from the DMG, it will be approximately half that value.
PCs gain a feat every level instead of the progression in the PHB. They receive a Stat Bonus at 3, 6, 9, . . . instead of the normal rate. They get +2 Skill Points per level (x4 at first).
Welcome to Drexel Greyhawk
This is the blog for our Greyhawk campaign. It will be used to keep the campaign information online where everyone can get it, and I will try to post "Story Hour"-style descriptions of the campaign as it proceeds.
First, I'm going to post the House Rules, then the Player Backgrounds, then get into the Story Hour.
It should be noted that this campaign is set in Greyhawk, or rather, my version of Greyhawk. I have only a few resources of "Canonical Greyhawk" background, so it may have little resemblance to official Greyhawk history beyond the names on the maps, a handful of organizations, and the racial groups. I'll try to add in some historical posts to put all of this in context.
First, I'm going to post the House Rules, then the Player Backgrounds, then get into the Story Hour.
It should be noted that this campaign is set in Greyhawk, or rather, my version of Greyhawk. I have only a few resources of "Canonical Greyhawk" background, so it may have little resemblance to official Greyhawk history beyond the names on the maps, a handful of organizations, and the racial groups. I'll try to add in some historical posts to put all of this in context.
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