Transition Epilogue: Eoshim's Journal

It has been said, by my scribe teacher, Fildan, that the thoughts of a troubled man written down, are clarity a moment later. Indeed I am troubled, and searching for a kind of clarity that my most fervent prayers beseech the heavens for.

The letter

This is the expanded text of the letter you read while in the crate, the morning you wake.

Dear Nelix, Oriana, Cassius, Gruva'gnot, and Kayra,

By the time you wake up, you will stowed in a 7'x'7 crate in the bowels of a ship. I want none of you to fear, you are not dead, this is not a version of the ninth layer of hell. For those of you who do not know me, my name is Nalech, I am or perhaps was the leader of the Omachian Thief's guild. The person who you thought to be named Deathwisper is now dead, I took his place in rounding you up with a few magical disguises. I did this to both protect you as I could, and find out about this mysterious organization me and my colleagues thought may exist.

An old dwarven friend of mine, who is a retired prospector, has offered to take you in. By offered, I mean believes you are the theif guild's most talented team. I told him he'd find a crate in his boat with you in it, because you needed to get the authorities off of you for a while after your most recent rousing adventure. I told Ialdo, that he'd be getting a mighty body guard, a capable medic and cleric, a cunning tracker and hunter, a learned and skilled arcanist, and finally, as quality lock-pick as the theif's guild can provide. If you value your lives, I suggest you play your part as well as you can.

This old friend of mine, Ialdo, used to do some adventuring back in the day, long before you or your parents (with the exception of Sabellion) were born. We parted way, and followed our own endeavors. Since he retired the prospecting business, he has been trying to find ancient Dwarven areas, using bardic texts from times before TR. (5000 years or older) I know you and your friends may think that many things can not last that long, but if anything can, it would be dwarven structures. Between their reclusive tendencies, and subterranean locations, he may just have some luck. However with the aforementioned qualities of dwarven civilizations they prove nearly impossible to find. Think of the sunken city of Istar, that fell into the ocean, and was in part built by dwarves. Some of your parents found it nearly intact!
[the text continues on in Elven script]

As I sit here on the docks, in hiding, I can't help but feel my elven heritage coming forth. The sunrise is beautiful, the tide is coming in and Omach is still the shining jewel of this land. However I feel the cloud of another evil. You and I both know what evil this is, I dare not write its name in the even this letter is found by prying eyes. The people here, their smiling faces, love for their queen, and many endeavors, I have watched for many generations. They have survived the exodus from Istar, an assault from a dragon army, and the loss of life that made my people weep in lands around the world. It would seem, just another problem is rearing its head. However I have lived here long enough to know, that every person is resilient enough to weather the storm.

[text comes back into common]
I apologize for the switching of texts, but this feeling hits me in my soul. It saddens me greatly to know that I will need to leave this great place. My home, and my love, it seems so sudden. Other peoples may be able to run for their lives, but elves have great pain in leaving a place they call home, for more than a hundred years. I suppose any person would, but few of us have the blessing and the curse of life that long. I will likely go to my place of birth, Beltodelril, I have family that would take me in, but that land may too be in he taint of the evil. Hopefully my disguises may help me find a safe place.

Perhaps the greatest sadness is seeing the guild have to disband. Only a small handful of our agents can be trusted, and once they find Deathwisper dead I know our organization will be a target. The knowledge of what happened to Rannick will be able to reach the ears of parties that need to know. Whether it was these “cleics of Nuitari” or “black robe wizards,” remains to be seen, I could not tell if that woman was weaving elaborate lies, using this invisible menace as a front, or perhaps telling the truth. In either case the guild stands for creating good in people's lives despite who is in power. Normally our benign leaders have tolerated us, I think our “real” leader will have no mercy for us. Tara, any family of the heroes of Omach that are still living, and guild members we can still yet trust will be in exodus from Omach. We are not turning our backs on the city and people we love, we are instead running to life, and embracing it.

I guided this guild through tough times, and we always survived. That is my sentiment I wish to leave you with children. Survive... Life is the gift we must protect will all our being. Bring with you the sacredness of life, a life is not a rung on a ladder to personal gain like that of our enemies. I know what each one of you decided with the question that was posed to you. I will not speak to the wisdom of those decisions, if you think you chose poorly, then here is another chance to rectify that, and if you think you chose wisely, then I pray you are never offered the choice between death or slavery again. Remember, if you think that I should have killed you, then I would have.

Perhaps you have heard too many stories of the Heroes of Omach. You can never be them, because they were never as they appear in those stories. No one is that good and wonderful, they had their foibles, even Maieve. What we remember is the good works they did. So as it is with them, so it is with you. No one will remember momentary weakness, if you can still make the world a better place, but in making the world a better place you should never leave a wake of dead innocents.

The sun is really coming in now my children, and soon I will have to depart. I will leave you with a poem.

[Elven script]
At starfade a time comes
When you see one brilliant star left behind
When the starry host has departed.
The star fades, the world does not wait.
Why do I linger and sing
Under this fading/mortal light?
There is a daisy among the refuse
To me it is fair.
There is a birch tree struggling
To me it is fair.
There is a butterfly above the water
To me it is fair.
A small star follows the sky
To me it is fair.
The leaves of the meldolil are numberless
One tiny leaf, one fading leaf
Holds my eyes. When will it fall?
The brilliant star is fading
Now it departs the heavens
Now I will depart the world
Holding a leaf in my hand.
[end elven]

~ Nalech Watercrest Eeldoney

How Magic Works in Shirley Hill Pathfinder Group's PFRPG

It has become important, due to various discussions with my PC's, to write a few things down about how magic works, and how the various classes approach said power in our campaign. Much of this is because we have a witch caster, but I thought the explanations might be helpful for future interactions with NPC's or perhaps new PC's or multi-classing.

Before I get into the nitty gritty, know that I am working on making a play-test beta version of various spells mentioned in last post. Thanks to Kayra's many suggestions, I will likely have them ready soon.

New Spells (Finished for Beta)

Hey gang I made some spells, I took the concepts from OLD TSR magic tomes. I am now done my 1st level effort enough to call these spells a beta test for 1st level magic (as that is the only type of spells you will all be dealing with for a while) It should be notes that a few spells are 2nd level for some casters, or are second level altogether. That happened because while making the spell I decided that it belonged as a second level spell.

You can add comments if you'd like, now that I am done. I am sure there will be some inconsistencies with format, spelling errors and syntax problems that make it hard to understand the spell. Really this was an effort to find some more spell options for our spell casters especially our witch, and to make the campaign setting more unique (note some of the names) Enjoy!

NPC Storytime "Gulak: A Loney Free Soul"

NPC's have backgrounds, sometimes they have stories onto themselves. Seeing as the party is usually more concerned with survival or being bad-ass, many intricately woven stories fall through the cracks, never to be heard or cared for. Well screw you guys, I took the time to conceptualize such things, and may the spirit of Gary Gygax be my witness when I say, “Here are the unknown stories of NPC's beloved, hated, ignored or otherwise.”

Gulak: A Lonely Free Soul

Final Showdown Rules

^^^Yeah its that badass ^^^

This is it! The final battle, the one to end it all. Everyone better be throwing in the kitchen sink into this one, there is no holding back. You have it upon some good authority that you will be facing the fearsome Tarrasque.

Just a quick note, we will be having our session on 17th of March, not the 12th, because I have dress rehearsal on the 12th. That is back to a Wednesday which was our old day way back when. Please try to make it, the finale won't be the same with out all of you there.

There are of course a few key points to go over about the scenery around you, what you will be fighting, and what are your available tools for the encounter.

Some Good News

So far in the campaign a lot of things are happening, and all at once. Maieve, Issryn (Maieve's husband), Sabellion, Newin, and Cordek are all spending some quality time at Fort Rannick, trying to enjoy what ever small time they have left with their loved ones. Raxt, is busily trying to make sense of the all out researching effort being done to discern where Gilean's Roost is, if it exists at all. Crimwinkle and Flidder are gallivanting about town, trying to give people some smiles, and looking into the peculiar event of night time riots. Finally, Sasha is spending time with her Aunt, and Father, with some very heavy knowledge of royal succession weighing heavily on her heart.

However there is some good news!

The Begining of the Final Plot Arc

Yes, its true, the campaign does have an end, and as the GM, this end is in sight. I pledge to make every moment exciting and intriguing as possible.

For the time being, we have some custodial pieces of information to go over. Historical markers, cohorts, and a possible lay over of an indefinite amount of time.

New Post, New Info

Hey look a planar diagram, showing in a visual sense the crisis between the planes. This picture will make more sense with the full reading of this post.

Hey Gang, back from the unannounced hiatus from the blog. I have a few things to cover, and a few things to toss out as discussion.

Magical Leak

Something happened a few days ago in Qualinesti, and it seems to be affecting the whole world. The stars and sun erratic form is obvious, but as the adventurers venture forth, magic a staple of adventuring power, is seemingly being leeched or drained. To clerics it seems as though their communication with their gods is intermittent and staticy. To sorcerers and bards, the arcane power that fills their voice and blood, seems thinner and less robust. To wizards, the spells they prepare occasionally are not able to be coalesced into their full potential. Were magic to be water filling a bucket, the bucket in the weave of magic has a leak. (picture related)

Loot and XP

XP is per PC, so no division is necessary
9600 xp for Mokmurian
3000 xp for dispersing a whole giant army

Treasure of the caves
Non-currency (Sold for half price) number is in GP

Silver Incense Burners with Mithral inlay = 400 (10 lbs)
Silver Incense Burners with Mithral inlay = 400 (10 lbs)
Manual on how to disembowel humanoids with gorgeous artwork = 500 (1 pound)
Scroll of Remove Curse = 375 (neg)
Small Sized Half-Plate = 600 (25 pounds)
Medium Sized Masterwork Breastplate = 350 (30 pounds)
Medium Sized Chain Shirt = 100 (25 pounds)
Medium Sized Chain Shirt = 100 (25 pounds)
Medium Sized Chain Shirt = 100 (25 pounds)
Medium Sized Chain Shirt = 100 (25 pounds)
Medium Sized Chain Shirt = 100 (25 pounds)
Medium Sized Chain Shirt = 100 (25 pounds)
+1 Ghost Touch Gauntlets = 8302 (l pound)
+1 Shocking Longbow = 8375 (2 pounds)

Currency Based
Nothing, everyone took their gold and ran.

New Character, New Direction, New Enemies

That is what the sun now looks like ^^^

Hey gang,

Well last session was certainly fun, and it was great to have Tim there too. One of his first combat actions, basically counter spelled a 6th level spell. First impressions are everything, and that was a good one. Word on the street is that a Wizard will be soon joining as a PC, the party no doubt knows the value of arcane users, as Sasha has gotten you out of many jams, and is merely a cohort.

Cosmology

Our campaign has literally been strung along by a loose semi-pantheon. I always wanted to get something on paper about these figures, and at the very least get some names down. I will be listing several images that explain the origin story of Krynn, and the gods that are represented therein. Feel free to ask questions about deities, stories, and other religious detail. If anything is not here that you think should be let me know as well, I purposely left some more room for after the fact gods. Enjoy!

I found a gauntlet, did some one throw it down?

Baleful Polymorph ^^^

Let me get right to the skinny of this blog post. Your PC's are mortals. Amazing mortals yes, but indeed at the end of the day you all can expire. I bring this up not for the purpose of stating the obvious, but because PC death is starting to look like a very real thing. Before with PC death, the casualties were limited to two and there were willing and able bodies ready to aid in the resurrection process.

Advice Posters

Some may have seen advice posters, they are a bit of a "meme." It is an easy formula to replicate. Place an illustration or picture of the person giving the advice. Then plug in two phrases, that go together, in a quasi-advice like way. Sabellion and I were having fun making them. Thought I'd post a bunch, because D&D may be serious business, but we can always have LOL's. Enjoy.
(I did Crimwinle, Sabellion, and Maieve)

Lamias and my first home made feat!

As you well know, lamias are likely to make an appearance. You certainly had fun with Lady Lucretia, one of a slew of intelligent evil NPC's that ran away, and got away. Maieve has personal beef with a lamia that charmed her husband and banged him like a 2gp whore, in front of Maieve. Maybe Maieve can have a hate bonus like a ranger, but only for lamias.

READ CAREFULLY: Actual Storyline In Game Stuff

^^^^Kinda what Magilacutty Looks like, based off of my favorite wizard, Raistlin Majere

GM: Exhasted and frustrated at the cliff cave some 200 feet up, the party settles in to their newly cleared wyvern cave. The smell of the draconic beasts is hard to be rid of, Flidder's annoyed disposition is the greatest evidence of this. It is a warm summer night, even for the normally cold climes of the Qualinesti plateau. The cool cave offers a bit of air conditioning, and traps moisture well, a nice break from the arid region.

Cubic Feet and Encumberance

That's Osmium, shit is remarkable ^^^

Its getting a little strange around the party in my opinion. There are/were two members in the party with bags of holding. There is also a muscle-bound elf carrying way more than is humanly (elfily?) possible. So like all things that are awesome and go unchecked, I have decided to make some rules, and enforce ones I have been ignoring.

Climbing Rules, and Staves

A cliff? ^^ Like the campaign name, "Cliffs of Qualinesti"

I am going to have a series of three posts, I am separating them to help people, who need to find information within them. The first is about climb DC's, and the party's general predicament with cliff scaling.

Let me start by saying that I more or less estimated Climb DC's and rules about speed. Now that I am staring at the "Core Rulebook" we can go back over these things, and do them correctly, without me being half-awake and guessing.

New Formulas, Reformulated

Attacks of Opportunity are kinda like ^^^^^^

I am excited about today, you are nearly to "The Valley of the Black Tower," where the enigmatic Mokmurian makes the home for his vast giant army. The group must leave Galduria, make their way up to Wolf's Ear, then head further north to Ravenmoor. There, the group will likely part ways with mounts, and start afoot towards the towering plateau that houses the "Black Tower."

I am writing this post as a reminder, and a reference for people about avoiding attacks of opportunity.