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Ancient Gamer's Smithy - Coldforged Table Top Scenarios
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Ancient Gamer's Smithy - Coldforged Table Top Scenarios
#1[TO ADMINS: DON'T MOVE THIS TO THE MAIN SITE. I WILL MOVE IT PERSONALLY EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE]
This will be my primary location for fleshing out upcoming table top sessions with me and the gang.
Let the madness begin! (Meaning I am gonna jump right to basic brain storming... NOW)
- A Circle Unbroken, Once you are in the cabal, you do not leave
- Through "The Passage of Muir" once again, this time they will not meet the Cadaver Priesthood (living priests infested with living maggots (psionic parasites controlling them)), but they will find traces of their passing
- The Unkaralth Summoning is well on its way and the horrible vision that the Oracle had has not yet happened
- The Oracle is still within the body of the Elven Priest
- The Elders have pondered the vision and pinpointed the likely source of such an attack. The characters are begged to launch a pre-emptive strike against the Muir Cabal. -
Re: Ancient Gamer's Smithy - Coldforged Table Top Scenarios In the Making
#2- The Three Laws of Hiding must be mastered (cryptically told by the Oracle)
- The Devourers cometh: The horror vision of the Oracle was true and everything is turned upside down. The sanctuary is destroyed, the saviour is killed. The adventurers barely survive and awaken to ruin.
- The soul of the saviour is still alive and must be carried in a crystal decanter filled with ether wine to the shrine of Sanctpurii
- The Devourers are travelers through time and space and they will hunt the PCs down. To survive they must use all their skills and the Three Laws of Hiding.
- The Third Law of Hiding is a ritual that allow them passage to a pocket dimension stronghold (complete with cool stuff that will make the players go "WHEEE"). The Third Law is also where an intense battle between the Devourers and the PCs will take place -
Re: Ancient Gamer's Smithy - Coldforged Table Top Scenarios In the Making
#3- The Devourers defy the laws of time travel. They are "Other Ones", outside the Gods' creation, and the laws of the universe do not apply to them. This should get some clever PCs to begin speculating.
- The Devourers are a special strain of Other Ones, a race that has the Eternals as their ancestral enemies. The Devourers are specially trained assassins, operating in squads of 5. During the attack on the sanctuary they will strike unexpectedly and the attack will involve 20 squads.
- The Devourers are adept at stealth and marksmanship. They use poisons. They are humanoid-ish, with 6 arms and 2 legs, which sometimes make people think they are some kind of spiderspawn. In addition their joints allow more rotation than the joints of humans, making it possible for them to use all six arms effectively in swordplay.
- The Devourers can teleport within a limited range of 15 meters. Doing so drains essence/magic points and they use it primarily to relocate themselves behind enemies.
- The Devourers sometimes use their claws in close combat. They ritually dip their claws in poison before combat.
- When 5 or more Devourers, as well as one Devourer Magii, are present they can travel through time and space using certain rituals. This is no instant affair, but rather day long rituals that tax the Devourers tremendously.
- The Devourers always wear masks - a sign of their renounciation of self. These masks are often very elaborate and grim.
- the Devourers tattoo one small crescent moon on their neck for every Eternal they have participated in hunting down. Only a few of the Devourers have one crescent, but one of them, an individual larger than any other and with only 5 arms, actually has three crescent moon tattoos.
- All Devourers know a little magic. They are creatures of Prime Creation and can convert life energy into magic essence. This means that they gain magic power for every life they snuff out. They consume this strength by casting spells, teleporting and traveling through time and space (by using their powerful rituals).
- A Devourer appears like a 7 foot tall humanoid, slightly bent and with jet black skin. The Devourers communicate with a deep vibrating bass sound that changes pitch slightly. The PCs will feel this sound resonating through their solar plexus whenever they communicate. The Devourers never speak before they have revealed themselves.
- The Devourers have high body temperatures, in excess of 70 degrees celsius. The air they exhale seems like a thin veil of smoke.
- The Devourers know that Eternals do not die even if their taken bodies does. Even a half-Eternal such as Camhol cannot die, and therefore they have specially crafted Soul Prisons - Brass Bowls with mirrored insides and a particularly thick lid. They will approach the body of a fallen Eternal with this device, and then they will force the dead eyes of the Eternal open, often carving out his eyes with their claws. The eyes will then be dropped into the device and some words incanted. There will be some minutes of staggering wind, and then smoke will appear from the corpse and be drawn into the device. When the smoke is in, the lid is put on and locked. The Eternal has been trapped. The Oracle will tell the PCs of the Pillar of Repent, wherein thousands of such devices have been sealed for all eternity. It is imperative that the Devourers do not escape with the soul of Camhol. -
Re: Ancient Gamer's Smithy - Coldforged Table Top Scenarios In the Making
#4...Woah. That last one caught me. NOW I'm interested. -
Re: Ancient Gamer's Smithy - Coldforged Table Top Scenarios In the Making
#5;)
Clarification: These posts actually relate to two different but related plots. The plots will be played on the 12th and 13th of October (the last plot is the opening of the third and final "Prophecies" campaign.
Plot # 1: "The Ghost Cabal of Muir"
This scenario is basically a wild goose chase; the result of a mistake made by the Elven Council of Elders - As their decision to send the PCs there was based on too little and too poor information. It will remove the PCs from the sanctuary during the initial stages of the Devourer attack, but it will also give the PCs access to otherworldy information and the First Law of Hiding. The Ghost Cabal itself will be somewhat unnerving.
Scenario Type: Otherworldly Wonder and Horror
Plot # 2: "Unkaralth Undone"
The PCs return to the Unkaralth Citadel, the Sanctuary of the Last Elves, only to discover it in total chaos. Explosions erupt and towers fall, the once beautiful UnderGardens are aflame and there is street to street fighting, humans and elves versus Devourer teams. The most intense fighting will be in the Citadel Keep, where Camhol and the Elder Council are under siege. When the PCs arrive Camhol has been slain and his eyes are being dug out. Only an Elven ArchMage still lives, encased in a protective sphere and surrounded by 4 Devourers that unravel the sphere layer by layer with their magic.(The Arch Mage is a former PC: The Conjurer Mabulon from "The Prophecies of Redemption").
After the PCs rescue Mabulon, the Oracle hiding within the flesh of the PC Elven Priest will tell them of the Shrine of Sanctpurii and that they must carry the soul of Camhol there. At this stage the PCs will hear the deep bass sounds of several Devourer Squads approaching.
Other info: There are pockets of resistance remaining. While more than 120 elves and 50 humans have been slain (nearly half the colony), large groups have organized and are fighting in the streets, while a major group has barricaded inside the Cethelion Tower (The Citadel Armoury) and have actually made the Devourer squads retreat from that part of the citadel.
Mood: Fires and smoke. Explosions and ruins. Corpses of friends and loved ones in the streets (Nearly all the PCs have friends, kids and wives here. Possible loss of sanity points and temporary madness such as berserker rage).
Scenario Type: Part 1: Creepy street to street fighting against daunting adversaries. Part 2: Revelations inside the Citadel. Part 3: Decision making and travel (must have some handy locations ready).
Continuing beyond the rescue of Camhol:
1. The PCs and the Oracle have NO idea where the Shrine of Sanctpurii is. There are some groups that may have some knowledge though (list 7 groups; covens, knighthoods, temples and libraries that might have some intel).
2. The PCs will know that they need two more Laws of Hiding (A law of hiding is two things: A Magic Ritual and an actual location or effect).
3. While the Devourers will retreat as mysteriously as they arrived (They have an unknown critical weakness and always retreat before it is exposed), there is no doubt that they will return for the soul of Camhol. The Sanctuary is not a safe place anymore, with the Elder Council slain and the fortifications in ruin.
4. There are other ways in which to survive. The Shrine of Sanctpurii is one option, but it will only resurrect Camhol, not bring an end to their problems. Other options include:
A) Staying on the run
B) Taking up residence in the Ghost Cabal's River Island Mansion. (The nature of the pocket dimension, Muir, makes it immune to detection by magic means). This is a temporary solution, as the Devourers will find them even there. (They have time on their side, so they will eventually come and flush out the PCs). The Mansion should prove a nice location for resting and recuperating for short periods however. The Mansion is also where the two remaining rituals can be found... once the PCs learn how to locate them. (Separate methods for the two remaining Laws of Hiding).
C) Flee with the refugees of the Unkaralth Citadel (This will bring danger upon the survivors)
D) Head down into the lowlands and start the quest for knowledge about the Shrine.
E) Head farther into the mountains and seek out the Karakaral Dwarves in their Hidden Temple of Stone and Iron. Perhaps they can help.
F) Throw the soul into a deep well and hope it isn't found
Complications:
- The Father of Camhol, the very Eternal that got Marion pregnant, slumbers in his Sepulchre not far from the Unkaralth Citadel. His presence will be picked up by the Devourers and, as he is a far more important prey than Camhol, he might prove a diversion as they spend some time trying to imprison him. This will be revealed by the Oracle to the PCs.
- The Oracle has an agenda of its own.
- Marion will go permanently insane as she discovers that Camhol has been slain.
- Two new factions join in on the party: 1) The Empire has sent their Rat Sorceror and his cadre of Shadow Acolytes to find and kill the "Saviour" (Which would be Camhol, but in the visions of the Emperor's Seer Concubines he is revealed as the Bringer of Doom) and discover the reason behind the new and powerful rift in the northlands (created by the Devourers). 2) The Hexenjeagers have sent detachments to the region as the patients in their asylums have begun muttering and droning about "the doom from the mountains". They would normally not have bothered, but the frequency and intensity of these madman rambles have caught their attention. That several different asylums report the exact same ramblings has only helped in their decision to send the Hexenjaegers to the mountains.
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Re: Ancient Gamer's Smithy - Coldforged Table Top Scenarios In the Making
#6Extremely engrossing!
Camhol, the brass bowls, the Rat Sorcerer, and the rest. My compliments! -
Re: Ancient Gamer's Smithy - Coldforged Table Top Scenarios In the Making
#7Oh my! People actually read these threads!
:D -
Re: Ancient Gamer's Smithy - Coldforged Table Top Scenarios In the Making
#8The Ghost Cabal Unearthed
- Eight members: Anctari, Purapus, Sehnohl, Malasus, Eidonos, Kanktara, Meors and Cical.
- Each cabal member exists dually: Their spirit and body are separated. The body is human (gaunt negroid with narrow noses and thin lips), while the spirit is milky translucent and has what seems like searing eyes. If the body dies, the spirit dies but not vice versa. The spirit is very hard to kill, while the body is that of an ordinary human. That is why the body can only be found in the Hall of Devotion at the heart of the Cabal Mansion.
- The chief protectors of the cabal, three armour clad half giants, patrol the hallways of the mansion.
- The cabal members travel the mansion, and Muir itself, as ghostly spirits. These spirits are capable of speech, magic and has a chilling touch that deals frost damage and temporary paralyzation. The spirit of Anctari is rumoured to have a gaze that turns victims into statues of salt, and thus a group of four saltine statues of Cadaver Priests can be found close by the river island of the cabal.
- The spirits can be exorcised for 24 hours by powerful priests, fire damage and powerful magic weapons (during that time the body will exist alone, in terrible pain, anger and misery. All the cabal members feel the pain of the exorcised spirit and are likely to be enraged should they find the PCs).
- The Hall of Devotion is a circular chamber with balconies in ten levels up to the steel and crystal dome above, where the thick yellow haze of Muir gives it a singular sheen. There are circular mosaics on the floor, and in the center is a text describing the ritual known as the First Law of Hiding. By doing certain things in this chamber, the texts for the second and third ritual will appear for some 24 hours.
more to come... -
Re: Ancient Gamer's Smithy - Coldforged Table Top Scenarios In the Making
#9Why yes, people DO read your stuff. This stuff is becoming quite interesting. Just reading the rough plotlines makes me shiver from the tense excitement and fear the story evokes. I'm sure your players are gonna love it. -
Re: Ancient Gamer's Smithy - Coldforged Table Top Scenarios In the Making
#10I hope so. Action-Horror is my genre. The trick is to mix the horror with a feeling of accomplishment. If I overdo the horror they feel like worthless sods and begin complaining, so I need to give them "coolness" ®© (Meaning awesome cinematic sequences in which they butcher the bad guys).
Then again: To invoke horror they sometimes need to feel so afraid they barely dare to move.
Thanks for the interest Cm. -
Re: Ancient Gamer's Smithy - Coldforged Table Top Scenarios In the Making
#11A little detail doesn't hurt:
Guardians of the Muir Mansion:
There are three half giants that patrol the corridors of the Ghost Cabal. Their skin is pale, nearly bone white, and they have maori style tattoos covering their entire bodies and faces. They wear chain armour on torso and legs, as well as a breast plate. They are too proud to cover up their lower arms and face as these areas show the most important tattoo elements (lower arms: Strength Tattoo. Face: Soul Tattoo).
The half giants are of the Lasaka Tribe and were bought from their chieftain for a vast sum of gold. They are honor bound to serve with the cabal for another 15 years, or until they are too disabled to fight. They have been taught that the self is not important, it is the tribe that matters, and will fight like madmen to protect each other.
They all fight with an immense spear and an amazingly huge target shield. The spears are made of grey-black rustwood with steel spear heads inlaid with bronze patterns. Their round shields are made of oak and steel and the steel has the same inlaid bronze patterns as the spearhead. The wooden part of the shields have been lacquered black and any cuts and dents are always removed and any worn colour replaced.
While the half giants patrol alone, they are quick to bellow for assistance when they encounter intruders. It will take a minute or so before the others come rushing to the scene, though the cabal never bothers to assist while intruders are in the corridors. Any intruder that is detected close to the Hall of Devotion is another matter, and will be in for a world of hurt.
The half giants are 2.5 to 3.1 meters in height and they weigh between 250 and 400 kilos. There are two normal sized and one huge half giant. Their names are Lasaka Grak, Lasaka Sirokh and Lasaka Minaurk. -
Re: Ancient Gamer's Smithy - Coldforged Table Top Scenarios In the Making
#12- Need aat least three random locations for the saturday all day long game fest. We will game for four times our usual duration.
- Location idea: Mountain tribe village being raided by slavers. Corpses strewn about, women being raped, men and women being chained, children crying, isolated fighting. The players can choose to intervene. The village is quite large and actually has four streets. Street to street and cottage to cottage fighting is possible. There are a total of 50 slavers, but if the PCs free villagers they will fight on their side. The villagers are poorly equipped to battle the chain wearing slavers though. The slavers themselves hail from Silmar and one Hexenjaeger is among them. At the present he is busy torturing the tribal shaman in the chieftains long hall. If the shaman is rescued he will liberated he will sense something otherworldy over the PCs and provide a main quest clue.
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Re: Ancient Gamer's Smithy - Coldforged Table Top Scenarios In the Making
#13Want some help with those locations AG? -
Re: Ancient Gamer's Smithy - Coldforged Table Top Scenarios In the Making
#14Feel free. They are basically fillers. Random locations that the PCs encounter on their way to or from the Unkaralth Citadel. -
Re: Ancient Gamer's Smithy - Coldforged Table Top Scenarios In the Making
#15Half Giant Sichon Pocteri:
The Half Giants carry pouches on their belts, their so called Sichon Pocteris. If one of the half giants is slain, the other two will yield and offer the victor his Sichon Pocteri. As the half giants have never lost before, and defeating one is not easy, the cabal does not know about this unexpected weakness in their guardians.
With the vanquish of a half giant, the victor is rewarded with the respect of the other half giants and the Sichon Pocteri will attest to his fighting prowess and personal skill. Any PC carrying a Sichon Pocteri will not be challenged by a half giant of that tribe, unless the tribe is led by a war chieftain that orders otherwise (not likely as it is a breach of custom).
The carriers of Sichon Pocteris are traditionally other half giants, but it is not unheard of for one of the diminutive peoples to carry one. It has happened at least once before in recorded history.
The carrier is entitled to right of passage, shelter, one free meal every day and intercourse with the widow of the fallen. As these three half giants never wed, the last is out of the question.
The Sichon Pocteri itself is a beautiful leather pouch containing the dried ears of the half giant's fallen enemies. -
Re: Ancient Gamer's Smithy - Coldforged Table Top Scenarios In the Making
#16Location Idea:
The Dark Circle
The Dark Circle was a sisterhood of witches that believed in a spirit called "The Lord of Seven Desires". This spirit, or demonic power really, was the center of their ritual prayer, their divinations and the one they praised during their ritual murder-rape of men caught in the woods.
The PCs have arrived at their forested abode, a medium sized brick building surrounded by a ramshackle wooden fence. In the trees surrounding the building the sisterhood has strung up chickens after their neck. This marks their territory and also acts as a boundary: That which is within is consecrated ground - holy to the Lord of Seven Desires and his flock. The newest chickens are now days old, and maggots and flies infest them.
As soon as the PCs approach the brick building, something will seem odd. There is a whining noise from within, like the sound of steam from a kettle (which it is). Not only that, but the walls seem to be splattered in blood.
The reason is simple: The sisters of the Dark Circle finally acquired enough magic prowess and knowledge to summon the Lord of Seven Desires, or what they believed to be him. To enable him to manifest, the head sister, Lataran of Salmore, offered her naked body for possession and was placed inside a summoning circle. What really happened is uncertain, but the entity they summoned was not their beloved Lord of Seven Desires, but a darker entity still - The Demon known as "Murder, scion of Psychosis" by the learned, or simply "Malarch" by laymen.
As soon as the PCs go through the fence gate they will notice ten naked and mutilated women heaped against the fence. Their skin seems burnt, or boiled, and they have been cut with a knife again and again: eyelids cut away, gaping rifts from crotch to navel and so on. The only ones reveling in this ghastly sight are the flies, of which there seems to be millions.
It will turn out that only sister Lataran still lives, the unhappy victim of demonic manifestation. The demon allows her to have control of eyes and mouth and she will stalk the PCs, crying and begging; madly, frantically muttering childrens rhymes (she has gone completely bonkers and her mind is often seeking solace and comfort in the memories of childhood).
She appears naked, excepting a huge butchers knife and a kettle that is steaming, even though it is not on a fireplace. Her body is covered in rifts and wounds and it seems she is scolding herself as well as her victims.
First sighting:
Sister Lataran will crouch naked in front of a deceased sister, singing a childrens' song and pouring boiling water onto her breasts. She will also be scratching something onto the cheek of the woman. When the PCs step closer, she turns around and runs into another room. When the PCs check out the corpse, they will discover that the words "You are next"
Supernatural abilities gained by the demon presence:
-Twice natural speed
-Can be utterly silent if it desires, but it thrives on the horror that the muttering and boiling steam instills in the PCs. It is also so arrogant it believes it cannot be defeated by mere mortals.
-Supernatural strength
-Immune to soul affecting magics
Limitations:
- Body is tougher than normal, but still feels pain (it is the enslaved spirit of sister Lataran that screams, not the demon)
- Arms hacked off stay hacked off (no regeneration)
- Organ damage is most likely fatal, though blood loss seems not so dangerous.
- Vulnerable to frost related magics and holy items and weapons
Tactics:
- Hit and run (The PCs will hear the sound of the kettle and the maddened crying and muttering ever "around the next corner" (she is using her superior speed to toy with them). She will then hit the PCs, preferably a lone PC, and try to murder him quickly. If she does murder him, she will also try to mutilate his/hers corpse and pour boiling hot water over his/hers carcass.
She will not tire until they are all dead or she is dead (or exorcised) herself.
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Re: Ancient Gamer's Smithy - Coldforged Table Top Scenarios In the Making
#17Ravens, insects, rape and murder plus a bottle of rum!
Hidey-Hooooo! Hidey-Heyyyyyyy!
Save a bottle of rum for the insects and meeeee! -
Re: Ancient Gamer's Smithy - Coldforged Table Top Scenarios In the Making
#18Benign encounters:
- Mountain Tribe Hunters: A team of seven huntsmen have set camp when the PCs happen upon them. While wary at first, they will invite any friendly PCs into the camp for a meal and a night of safe slumber. They consider the PCs additional security and seem somewhat agitated over something. Any PC prying might learn that the hunting party recently encountered a strange group of six armed black humanoids. Luckily they remained undetected, but a caravan of Silmarite Priests did not and paid for their error - They were butchered to the last man. (Foreshadowing the fall of the Unkaralth Citadel).
- The Hermit in the Tower: In the middle of the forest the PCs discover a low, square stone tower. Initial probing (shouting and knocking on the door) does not yield any results and the tower seems unoccupied. If they enter they will discover otherwise: Inside a man has torn open the floor and is currently digging a hole that has now reached some eight meters of depth. When hailed the man will look up, his eyes wild and gleaming. It seems he is digging for demons, for they are sure to have hidden somewhere below. Not only that, but if the characters have already encountered sister Lataran of the sisterhood recently, the hermit will smell "demonic scents" on them and he will begin to scream and run in circles (once he has climbed out of the "demon pit"). Unless the PCs have met with the demon possessed sister Lataran he will be quite harmless. Should they, however, have met with the demon possessed girl, he will smell the scent on them and follow them after they leave. He is adept at sneaking and it will be difficult to detect him. At night he will attempt to sneak up on a guard and hit him in the back of the head with his shovel. He will then proceed to do the same to the others... repeatedly. (Background: He once had a family that he loved very much. His wife grew bored and sought pleasure in the arms of another man and that man carried the demon taint. So the taint spread, from lover to wife to child after child. At last eight out of nine children, as well as his wife, were tainted by demonic possession and during an eerie family dinner the hermit slew them all, except from his youngest daughter which he sent to a convent nearby).
- The Red Sword Mercenary Company: This is a crack group of war veterans currently out of employment. They have broken camp and are heading for the lowlands, their half year long family reunion in the mountains now at an end. They are in a good mood, chanting and singing while riding at a low pace towards the lowlands. If the PCs desire they can hire them for 5 copper per head per day (in a low cash setting). Given that there are 53 mercs this means some two and a half gold a day (using the standard 100 copper for a gold calculation method). In my setting a farm worker earns 3 gold and 6 silver each year - The mercs are therefore rather expensive, but something that adventurers might be able to afford. -
Re: Ancient Gamer's Smithy - Coldforged Table Top Scenarios In the Making
#19Location Idea:
The Final Resting Place of a Great Shaman: While traveling in the mountains, a cave will come into view. If the PCs decide to explore, as PCs are wont to do, they will discover a pile of skulls near the entrance (the skulls of the shamans he enslaved on his path to becoming "Great Shaman" - when he died, so did they (against their will)). He did not hold any power over them in death, so now they are but skulls and pose no danger to the PCs whatsoever.
Inside they will find several flat slabs of stone have been formed into stairs of sorts and they lead up to a great chamber where the Great Shaman has been buried under a pile of rocks. Initially the chamber looks empty, save for the rocks and a small stream that trickles into a pool near the pile of rocks. Also there is nothing of danger in the chamber, except should the PCs disturb the resting place of the shaman, which will invoke the anger of the spirit companion he had while still breathing. This spirit is a powerful water spirit and manifests as a mist. Its attacks are performed with telekinesis and soon more stones will be flying around the chamber than the PCs would wish.
If the PCs do not disturb the grave nothing will happen. Even more: There is nothing on the bones of the shaman, nothing at all. There IS treasure hidden in the chamber however and a PC willing to dive into the pool will find it to be narrow and long. If he swims and climbs vertically down for 4 meters he will discover the bounty that the shaman brought to the grave. The cave is narrow and difficult to traverse to get down there and the bones of an unsuccessful looter will also be found here.
Treasure:
-Four thousand polished redbrand stones (the currency of the Haku People of the Mountains)
-A locked box containing the skulls of thirty infants (a powerful source of magic for the shaman, worthless and disgusting for non-shamans)
-A ritual flame dagger made of redbrand stone
- A lovely diamond necklace containing some 25 diamonds and formerly belonging to Kurfürstin Elana Hartberger who died in an ambush in the mountains. The shaman claimed it and loved the necklace so much he wore it every day for the rest of his life. The diamond necklace is a family heirloom of the family of Kurfürst Hartberger, who still mourns the loss of Elana. While the diamond necklace is priceless, it can be sold for thousands of gold pieces (it is worth much more). Indeed, the PCs will be hard pressed to find a fence that can give even a thousand gold. If they go to a jeweller he will instantly recognize it for what it is (the necklace is something of a legend) and he will inform them that it belongs to Kurfürst Hartberger. If the PCs go to him with it they will be rewarded well for their efforts, and the gratitude of a Kurfürst is a boon indeed. If they first go to a jeweller and then DON'T go to the Kurfürst, he is likely to hear of this and send hired help to retrieve it. -
Re: Ancient Gamer's Smithy - Coldforged Table Top Scenarios In the Making
#20*********************************************************************
Okay, the party failed the campaign. They finally understood that they have been manipulated for years and years of real time (decades in game time) and they froze. They fled. And they fled to the wrong place. They escaped to the sanctuary of the elves, thinking it a safe place and not realizing that they would be bereft of their property and isolated there.
So now the survivors are either: A) in exile, without their equipment, on a deserted island in the archipelago of the elves. Mighty magics prevent teleportation and translocation and they are too far from the mainland to escape by boat (not to mention the confusing mists that surround the archipelago. or B) treated as second rate elves (elves only), being assigned to temple service, or wiping the streets.
************************************************************
SO HERE STARTS A COMPLETELY NEW SERIES OF ADVENTURES: -
Re: Ancient Gamer's Smithy - Coldforged Table Top Scenarios In the Making
#21Okay, the first post here is about magic spells actually. The setting they are gonna play in is the Steppe Queen, the Steamwork City, wherein is the last bastion of the Ling People.
This here then is a brain storm for spells for the Ling People Shadow Mage that one of my players are gonna play (I don't use generic spells):
Note: He wants to play a combat oriented mage.
Power of Astenthur (Telekinetic Throw):
Telekinetic hands grapple the enemy (random body location) and attempts to throw him away from the caster. The strength of the throw is governed by the amount of essence the mage puts into it (Coldforged System Notes: cost - 15/MS, distance - ((MS-Weight) / 5), resistance: Potency vs Weight on resistance table).
Hands of Zakaneshna (Rip Organ Touch):
The hands of the mage beckon the internal organs of the enemy. On a successful touch, where he can put his palm on the body of the opponent, there is a chance the organs of the enemy burst through his skin, landing in the hands of the mage.
Head (1D4)
1. Both Eyes
2. Tongue
3. Brain
4. Throat (Larynx area)
Chest (1D3)
1. Heart
2. Lungs
3. Throat (Thrachea)
Abdomen (1D3)
1. Intestines
2. Pancreas
3. Diaphragm
Arms and legs:
- Main artery (colossal bleeding) -
Re: Ancient Gamer's Smithy - Coldforged Table Top Scenarios In the Making
#22Darkflame (Black flame)
A black flame, with a deep bluish core, appears in the favored hand of the mage. It won't do any damage to the mage, but can be used either in melee or be thrown by the caster. Either action requires a roll to determine whether the caster hit his victim. Note that the flame emits no light to speak of and can't be used as illumination.
If the flame connects with someone or something else than the caster, it will stick to that victim for at least 3 rounds.
Round 1: The flame sears into the skin, burning like acid, and delivers damage to that location. (CSN: 1D6/armour burn, cost 3, resistance: avoid)
Round 2: Unless doused, the flame spreads to nearby locations, dealing damage to all these locations.
Round 3: Unless doused, there is a 30% chance the flame continues to burn in each location. If so apply damage.
Sorcerous Healing (Necromantic Heal)
By cutting open a vein of his own, or that of a victim, the mage heals another's wound by perverting the life (white) essence found in blood. The blood must be splattered over the wound to be closed and will even mend bones.
Note: Any disease carried in blood can and will infect the one being healed. (CSN: 1 pt healing / MS)
Shadow Call
The Shadows seem to lengthen and stretch, enveloping the caster (unless the sun is straight above and no clouds). It almost seems as if the shadows hide portions of him, making him an extremely hard to hit target. This spell penalizes the enemies chance to hit and increases the mages chance to hide and ambush. (CSN: 3) -
Re: Ancient Gamer's Smithy - Coldforged Table Top Scenarios In the Making
#23New plotline intro notes:
Start with a bang:
-The PCs start in a hopeless situation, trapped inside the "Wailing Tower" located in "The Gloom", which is a district of the Steamwork City.
- They were there on an assignment gone horribly wrong. The circumstances of this assignment will color the future sessions of this thread of adventures.
- Weave these scenarios vaguely into their previous campaigns and throw in references and hints to those campaigns.
- Start low on hit points with some critical wounds. The session start itself will begin with a nightmarish dream (see "Of Dreams" on the main site) and then they will awake, bloodied and near death, their ears ringing and an explosion throwing them several meters away. A new scenario has begun :D -
Re: Ancient Gamer's Smithy - Coldforged Table Top Scenarios In the Making
#24The Lord of Beggars
Politics and background
The Beggar Maid
by Lord Alfred Tennyson
(1809-1892)
Her arms across her breast she laid;
She was more fair than words can say;
Barefooted came the beggar maid
Before the king Cophetua.
In robe and crown the king stept down,
To meet and greet her on her way;
‘It is no wonder,’ said the lords,
‘She is more beautiful than day.’
As shines the moon in clouded skies,
She in her poor attire was seen;
One praised her ankles, one her eyes,
One her dark hair and lovesome mien.
So sweet a face, such angel grace,
In all that land had never been.
Cophetua sware a royal oath:
‘This beggar maid shall be my queen!’
In the Thieving Halls, where the lord of the underworld holds his audiences, his new lady of the dark has started making appearances. She is a beautiful woman, the eyes of men, and some women, constantly upon her. But even as the world of crime holds its breath in her presence, she spun her web.
Now five years have passed. The lord of the underworld passed on, dying peacefully in his sleep.
The Lady of the Dark lay in a mournful heap, chest heaving, tears that cannot be stopped.
And in came the quartermaster, chief among thugs.
Milady, are you okay?
A sight of profound beauty, the lady did not respond. Her chest heaved, her tears ran, her face a glimpse of divinity.
Fighting his manly needs, the quartermaster did not know whether he should comfort her, or mount her.
How silken smooth her skin. How seducing her perfumed scent, her sad, sad eyes.
The Quartermaster found he wanted to quiet her sobs, replace them with moans.
Atop the fair lady the quartermaster found happiness.
"Say noble quartermaster, can you grant me one boon?"
"For you, my lady, I will do anything"
For men always do.
The quartermaster went, in came Shadowlord, chief among assassins.
"Say noble Shadowlord, can you grant me one boon?"
"For you, my fair princess, I would give my life"
For men always will.
Dreams Revisited
Plotline
A Moonlit Shrine & Sounds of the Quiet
Location
The Stalker in the Shadows
Character Weave
There is a prize on one of the characters' head (due to personal background). Not a vast sum, but enough to attract attention. After him is Xao Xiphoa, a bounty hunter of some skill. They will spot him once or twice and after a while he will make an appearance. This will happen while the party is asleep and any sentry must make the appropriate skill checks vs. Xao's stealth abilities (he is above average but not good).
If he is undetected, Xao will drug the character in question and make off with him. While carrying an adventurer, Xao should be easy to track.
This will play out in one of two ways: A) Xao is detected and must attempt to flee (he is no match for the combined fury of the adventurers) or B) he makes off with the adventurer and must be chased down. This will involve some downtime for the kidnap victim and should be resolved quickly to avoid boredom. If Xao reaches his safehouse he will have two lackeys to help him out.
-
Re: Ancient Gamer's Smithy - Coldforged Table Top Scenarios In the Making
#25You really should make a locked plot scroll out of this. You could include adventures you would of run, had your PCs not "left the map". It would be fun. You should do it. -
Re: Ancient Gamer's Smithy - Coldforged Table Top Scenarios In the Making
#26Beyond that, the rest of us were really looking forward to seeing how things turned out in the end. Because we all expected the players to be smart and make it to the end. -
Re: Ancient Gamer's Smithy - Coldforged Table Top Scenarios In the Making
#27They ain't half bad.
Though they should have seen the signs (I sure spread out a lot of clues), we only play once each third or fourth month. Old men and women tend to forget, for in between there are lots and lots of days of stress at work and home.
So, perhaps I am to blame. Perhaps I should rejuvenate their memory, jolt it, before each session.
I don't know really. It was easier back when we played all the time. -
Re: Ancient Gamer's Smithy - Coldforged Table Top Scenarios In the Making
#28Brain storm before I go to bed:
- Charge of the steppe hordes: The characters are caught in the poor section of town as the steppe hordes attack once again. The horsemen charge through the tents, decapitating and disemboweling, as well as skewering civilians on their lances.
"A beggar tried to run from a savage horseman, but it was an exercise in futility. Soon the mounted warrior was upon him, and the confused look upon the beggars face was almost ridiculous as the lance pierced his chest, ripping through the front of his skirt in a crimson geysir".
- Link to the Prophecies Campaigns: While stealthily entering the mansion of a mark, they discover an "Other One", an ancient being of evil roaming through the villa. This will probably utterly terrify them, but the Other One will soon depart (after achieving his goals). Chances for an easter egg and a future rescue of the adventurers they played earlier (now stranded somewhere in an island archipelago).
- Moral dilemma: The Dark Priests require a sacrifice for their Steam Golems (they are powered by human souls). These sacrifices cannot be just anyone, for only beautiful and pure virgins will do. As the characters walk on the thieves' highway they spot a crying maiden being dragged by black robed priests down on street level. If they rescue her she will be grateful and a future ally, but a Steam Golem will not be able to help the PCs out during a skirmish with the Steppe Hordes. Also they will kidnap and sacrifice a little child instead.
- In dreams they dream of a necromancer among the staff on Temple Hill Asylum. In their dreams they dreamt that he abducted inmates and twisted them into maddened undead servants - Gibbering ghosts or mindless zombie lackeys. If they choose to pursue this dream, they will discover more than they bargained for. (Unravel dark network at play in the asylum. If they are careless they will end up as inmates themselves). -
Re: Ancient Gamer's Smithy - Coldforged Table Top Scenarios In the Making
#29Include the following optional adventures:
1. A warning delivered: A young man has inherited his family business and proves to be unwilling to cooperate with the lady of thieves. His father was so much wiser, but the young man is but a youth. He will need to be warned of the consequences of his actions. The group needs to evade guards and either: A) brand his daughter with the crescent insignia of the guild, B) Capture the young man and remove his left pinky finger or C) steal the family heirloom, a painting by a famous painter passed down in several generations -
Re: Ancient Gamer's Smithy - Coldforged Table Top Scenarios In the Making
#302. At the Museum of Steam a certain relic resides. This relic is important to the loose organization of thieves, and to the lady of Shadows in particular. It is the mask of Zhengzhao, the first Master of Shadows. Reputedly granting shadow-merging abilities (this is but a myth). The new lady of shadows want that mask, and she wants it bad. She will use whatever leverage she has to force some thieves and cutthroats to get it for her.
Enter the PCs -
Re: Ancient Gamer's Smithy - Coldforged Table Top Scenarios In the Making
#31Around the lady of shadows men always use strange, noble speech. Coming from beggars and cutthroats it sounds most unnatural, IS most unnatural, but they cannot help themselves. They treat her like royalty.
The lady's beauty is breathtaking. Stunning. Men get wobbly knees, women feel plump and grotesque.
Do not expose her overmuch. Just a glance, eyes briefly meeting.
Everything she does, everything she touches is deadly. -
Re: Ancient Gamer's Smithy - Coldforged Table Top Scenarios In the Making
#32Friday the first of february, 2008:
Intro:
- Violent dream in which they "awaken" to the thudding of an explosion. They do not remember anything, but are thrown into a wall by a forceful blast. Inform them that their HP are ultra low.
- A dogged fight against madmen, screaming prophets, Other Ones (an ancient race the players fear) and finally a dark, hooded figure. This hooded figure will "kill" them, and they will awaken. They will not see his/hers face.
- The dream takes place in the Tower of the Maddened Moon, the infamous tower of Temple Hill Asylum.
- When the PCs awaken, they will hear receding footsteps. They will find leather dolls on their chests and a bowl of cat piss under their beds.
- During breakfast they will be approached by a member of the shadow guild, Tornhat, who will inform them that they are requested for a number of assignment. He will carry an unusually large leather pouch. As it turns out it is filled with GOLD, as opposed to the usual bronze and rare silver.
Mission One: 15 gold
A warning delivered (see earlier this thread)
Mission Two: 30 gold
Museum Theft (See earlier this thread)
Mission Three: 50 gold
Assassination in the slums: A rogue organization has been operating in the slums. It is led by Black Veran, a northern city-stater with a reputation as violent and brutal. His band is small, but well organized. They operate from the red pavillion in tent town. They are armed with crossbows, daggers, clubs and short swords. They favour brown clothing and grey cloaks.
The PCs will have to kill Black Veran and his three lieutenants at the red pavillion, a huge tent in the slum. Fortunately crates filled with contraband and loot has been stacked inside the tent and sneaking is an option.
Epilogue:
- Going to sleep, the PCs will "awaken" in a cell somewhere (the Temple Hill Asylum). The hooded figure will approach the bars of their individual cells and inform them of their imminent deaths. They will see maggots falling from the shadows of his hood. Then he disappears and the doors to their cells are open (if they check). After fighting some madmen they face the hooded figure again and once more they are "killed". This time they notice blonde hair under his hood. -
Re: Ancient Gamer's Smithy - Coldforged Table Top Scenarios In the Making
#33Saturday the second of februrary, 2008:
Recap:
After having frightening nightmares (foreshadowing the overarching meta plot) the party chose only the first mission (listed above), instead letting the remaining two be taken by other thugs.
The mission was a success, the players buying noble silken clothing for 7 gold and getting a body rub at a public steam bath for 3 silver. Fully dressed like natives of the Ruler City (where the mark lived on the outskirts), they entered the gardens of the mechant. The Shadow Mage called to shadows which created unnatural darkness, the shadows stretching and embracing the assassins as they climbed the facade of the mansion before entering on the second story of the building.
They came into a nursery chamber where a worried mother sang a sad lullaby for her four year old daughter. Choosing not to harm the daughter they exited the chamber and ascended the stairs. Evading one guard and garrotting the second they entered the chamber of the master of the mansion. His entertainment was in the form of young boys, which both were knocked out quickly. Using a rope as a garotte they choked the young master of the mansion until he fainted. Then they removed both his pinky fingers, robbed him of jewelry and escaped.
Consequences:
The Lady of Shadows have now chosen the adventurers as her champions, even though they do not know that. They only know her by reputation as a frightening and beautiful woman (she is using all her female charms to keep control, she is spreading mysterious rumours about herself and creating connections wherever she can. She wants to know who killed her beloved Beggar King (while some people think she did it, that is entirely false). The PCs will likely think she is false and dangerous for a good while, this is not true however.
As told they opted to save the girl and instead went for her perverted father. This impressed the lady of shadows and told her volumes about their character. These are skilled men that are able to do some grisly tasks, but they are not homocidal maniacs. These are men (and women) that may be of use.
Intro:
Today's adventure starts with the epilogue listed above (we did not manage to get that far). Once again the PCs will die in dreams. The Shadow Mage has discovered that the leather dolls and cat piss is in reality abjurational - protective magics in place to shield them against soul warping dream magics.
When they awaken they will eat gruel for breakfast (unless they use some of their new wealth to buy something more filling) and then there will be someone knocking on the door. It will be Thornhat coming to congratulate them and tell them a new assignment is ready for them. They will need to show up at Punishment Square in the Gloom, 5 o'clock sharp. (Punishment Square is where convicts are lashed and hung. You can also buy fruit there).
Five minutes later the someone knocks again. This time it is trouble; family members have arrived. This is fat, bald uncle Aure and thin, sour lipped aunt Araxia. In tow they have their three fat, spoiled sons, Po, Pei and Pu. They insist on sleeping over, "just for a night or so" (of course it will be for longer). Soon aunt Araxia will begin to complain about the smell (cat piss under the beds, as it is protective magic they won't remove it) and she will attempt to tidy up. I will play these relatives as pesteringly as I can and they simply refuse to leave. The truth of the matter is that uncle Aure's caravan company went bankrupt, the old drunkard unable to detect massive embezzling and fraud. So, while uncle Aure raids the adventurer's licquor stores, thugs are out to collect the family dues. As family members the PCs better pay up! (of course they won't). -
Re: Ancient Gamer's Smithy - Coldforged Table Top Scenarios In the Making
#34Optional Mission:
When they arrive at Punishment Square they will witness a public flogging, enthusiastic bystanders cheering and eating fruit. It is the Yu Wong, a sometime colleague, that gets twenty lashes of the whip by a masked muscle man.
Shortly thereafter, as they grow somewhat restless, they are approached by an elderly old woman bearing apples in a basket. She will give them each an apple, and once they have paid she will direct them to an alley by the market.
In the alley they meet a short, wiry man wearing a dark grey cloak. He will applaud them on a mission well done, though he will say it was unfortunate that a guard had to die.
He will then give them each an unremarkable iron ring. "A gift from the lady of shadows", he proclaims with a shrug.
He cannot answer any questions about that, simply saying that he knows as little about the lady as they do. He does however have an assignment for them. An assignment that requires the utmost discretion.
One of the former lieutenants of the Beggar King, Shan "The Terror of Fish Market" Leng, has gone rogue and no longer supports her cause. However there is an ally within his organization and the lady of shadows wants the PCs to assist him in taking over the guild operation at Fish Market. Of course there are several fish markets in the city, but there is only one "The Fish Market".
They will not get to know who the contact is. All they need to do is to kill Shan Leng, an obese elderly man with a long, white beard and bald pate. The members of his bodyguard are fair game, being easily distinguishable in their black lacquered chain mail. Their orders are to avoid harming anyone else.
Fish Market Base:
The thugs at Fish Market dwell in the "City Supervisor Office", Shan Leng being a corrupt official. Every individual inside that building has both an official and an illegal affiliation. Officially they supervise the quality of the merchandise and the price requested by the merchants. Illegally they extort, bribe and demand extra fees from merchants and local residents. Even the guards are members of the city watch as well as members of the shadow guild.
Special Requirement:
The Lady of Shadows wants the head of Shan Leng. She wants it wrapped in the linen of his bed and she wants it within one week.
Reward:
They will be rewarded with 80 gold pieces upon completion of the assignment. They are also allowed to loot the Supervisor Office. It is important that it looks like a murder robbery.
Twists:
- The lady's man wasn't promoted. It seems the Steam Council elected to send an official from another department to take charge of the Supervisor Office. Time for the players to get their hands dirty... again!
- The lady's man was murderer! Those PCs forgot the words of caution and what do you know? They actually managed to kill the poor sod. Now they are out of her good graces and the GM can fast forward half a year with no assignments and dwindling fortunes. After half a year later they are approached once again.
- Pestering uncle: Ol' Uncle Aure is in dire need of help and has stalked after the PCs to the Supervisors Office. At a critical moment he intrudes, asking for money and booze (he knows what they are doing and he picks just the wrong moment so they will be stressed and give him what he wants).
- Glimpse into the future: In one of the rooms on the second story a strange man is staying. His clothes are dark blue (a colour indicating demon worship in the Steamwork City), but he is not a demon worshipper. He has a sword on each hip and has even given them names (Laurang and Simmer). Should the PCs face him, they will learn that he is a master of the sword, specializing on dual wielding. (Of course they have already been cautioned against fighting others than Shan Leng and his bodyguards). If the guest, whose name is Lennars Kimoyhn (of the northern ports) detects the PCs causing trouble he will attack and might very well kill one or three before he falls or flees. Later in the campaign the PCs will learn more of blue clad envoys such as Lennars; members of the "Order of Ansmarch", an elite organization in the spirit of the "Illuminati". Of course the Order of Ansmarch is behind the defection of the Fish Market guild operation. -
Re: Ancient Gamer's Smithy - Coldforged Table Top Scenarios In the Making
#35Haha! To quote myself:
the Yu Wong...
elderly old woman...
and more!
:D
Side quests:
- Kidnapping (priests kidnapping young girl - see above)
- While walking on the thieves' highway, the PCs spot trouble makers in the streets below. Huge crowds are gathering and are torching hay carts and looting merchants. The crowds are getting bigger and bigger and after an hour a fully fledged riot is on its way. The PCs might make some easy money during the riot, if they choose to. The riot is also an excellent diversion for their assassination at the Supervisor Office. The cause of the riot is lack of fresh food (because of the ravaging steppe nomads that roam the steppes outside the Steamwork City). After about 9 hours of rioting, the combined might of the city guard and mercenary companies crack down on the rioters. The mercs get to keep whatever they can from their victims, so they will be wanton in their cruelty.
Colour:
- Domestic scenes:
-----> From their lofty perch the PCs discover a particularly noisy fight. Looking in the window they see an old couple scream and shout, the woman throwing pottery and the man stepping threateningly towards her.
-----> A young couple can be seen making love in an appartment
-----> A kid is playing with his wooden knights when the PCs run by. He notice them and after a second of thinking he continues playing.
-----> An old man is sleeping in his chair
- Street scenes:
-----> A thief runs through the streets, chased by a mob.
-----> A band of adventurers return from a mission. Their cart is filled with bronze and silver, several swords and shields visible atop the loot. One of the adventurers, a knight in battered armour, seem to be in considerable pain.
-----> A sword juggler cuts himself badly when his timing is off -
Re: Ancient Gamer's Smithy - Coldforged Table Top Scenarios In the Making
#36Aftermath:
The PCs decided to focus on their weird dreams. The assassination of Shan Leng went far easier than I had planned.
The assassination:
Approaching the granite building housing the Supervisor Office, the PCs opted to remain outside the Fish Market square, on top of the bordering buildings. For many hours they scanned and surveyed, having to relocate once as angry rioters torched the store they were hiding above.
Finally, after hours of waiting, they noticed Shan Leng in the window of the Office and the Shadow Mage unleashed telekinetic force, battering the hapless city official into his own office wall. The force of the impact broke his neck, shattered his bone and beat his right hip and arm into a pulp.
"How are you gonna retrieve the head now?", I sarcastically asked.
"Easy dear GM", the mage player replied, "we will wait until his body is carried to the temples for burial, and then we are gonna ambush his honour guard".
It was a flawless plan and the ambush went perfectly. Once again using his telekinetic power, the plan played bowling of sorts, using the rear guard as a ball which he throttled into the others. Three out of eight guards were out of play and the archers and crossbowmen of the group finished off another two. Then the Shadow Mage engulfed another guard in dark flames and the remaining two bodyguards broke and fled. Meanwhile the corpse of Shan Leng had fallen off his stretcher, the bare skin of the corpse visible beneath the white silken funeral sheet he had been wrapped in. Thus the PCs sawed off his head and went home, happily collecting the 80 gold they had been promised.
NOTE: While the PCs have learnt that the lady of Shadows favour them, they do not trust her. They are wary but unwilling to dismiss such a powerful potential ally. Their main guild contact is Hathorn, who arrives at about 6 am once in a while.
Troubling Dreams:
Their sleep remained troubled however, and each time they fell to sleep they "awoke" in the same location: The Tower of the Maddened Moon (also called the wailing tower). They discovered that the mysterious footsteps they heard around their sleeping bodies, actually belonged to the former master of the Shadow Mage. A visit revealed that the former master was in a coma, books about dreams and dreamscapes laying open upon his office table.
The Shadow Mage was learned in dream lore, so he lay down beside his master and fell asleep. Once more he "awoke" in the wailing tower, this time overhearing a conversation between "The Dark One", the character in charge of the dream tower, and a blue clad individual. Their conversation was about an inmate that had apparently slipped out of their grasp as he awoke too early.
Making his way to the top of the tower the Shadow Mage found his former master in the most secluded cell. He was unable to open the door, it having been shut from the inside rather than the outside. "Go away, I am not interested in your threats and offers", the master said, but when he discovered that his pupil had arrived, rather than the master of the tower, his disposition changed.
"Flee, flee for your life my son" he warned, but the Shadow Mage remained and they spoke briefly. Apparently some witch, Shinastra of the swamp, was learned in dream lore and maybe she could help. The master did not want to escape, for he knew it would attract the lord of the tower and they would both be dead. If they were to save the Irang, the Shadow Mage Master, they had to approach Shinastra and request her aid. "One more thing", he said, "know that this place is important. You always find yourself here, and that is for a reason".
Awaking in the bedroom of his master, the Shadow Mage took his friends and left for home. But not before he had spoken with the smith landlord and arranged with him that he'd feed and nourish the comatose mage with soup and water. For this service he would get a copper a day and one gold after 14 days. The overwhelmed smith gladly accepted.
Back home they once more fell asleep and with his dream lore skill, the Shadow Mage teleported them out of the wailing tower and to Shinastra's Swamp. There they discovered that Shinastra was actually a fair skinned, red headed foreign devil. She was also a beautiful woman. As witches are wont to do she bedded the men and then imparted her knowledge to them. They learnt of the three severing circles that, once drawn on paper or chiselled in stone, would sever the connection between sleeping body and dreamscape. The PCs had finally found a cure for their nightmares. "But", she cautioned, "the Dark One is a master of the dream arts and he can enter the dreams of others. He can make them rise in their sleep and thus even your neighbour might turn into a deadly assassin". Lastly she laughingly dismissed their belief that only cat piss would deter hostile spirits from controlling their sleeping bodies. "Any powerful smell will deter the dream spirits from controlling your body while you sleep", she said and thus the PCs got rid of their bowls of cat piss and started using perfume instead.
When they arrived at the Master's appartment, they found the smith dead with a slit throat, and the Shadow Master was dead as well. His lower jaw had been cut away, tearing a solid portion of the throat off as well. Later, in dreams, the Shadow Mage observed the Dark One triumphantly throwing the lower jaw to the floor of the master's former cell. "I told you you'd never escape", he said. To this a ghostly voice replied: "I curse you, dark one".
The Shadow Mage counselled with his friends and they brought Ang-Ansuhl, the sacrificial dagger, with them from the master's chambers. What Ang-Ansuhl really is, and how they utilize him, is as yet beyond their knowledge. (GM comment: They know it is teh cool, and that is enough :p).
They then put the smithy in which he rented the appartment on fire and ran away on the rooftops.
NOTE: The PCs do not understand why they are having these dreams, nor why the dark one troubles them so.
Family Trouble:
Uncle Aure and aunt Araxia arrived with Po, Pei and Pu. As it turned out there was a city law that stated that debts are held, also by the family. As it turned out two accountants, Tran Fei and Xau Trang, had embezzeled the caravan company for a considerable amount of money. The old drunkard, uncle Aure, had been too intoxicated to notice.
What this meant for the players was that Uncle Aure's debt of 14.000 gold pieces was also theirs (a preposterous sum, the players have only had as much as up to 1.000 gold pieces at any time in my two decades of GMing). The authorities could easily approach them and confiscate their home and property to cover for Uncle Aure's debt. The PCs were NOT PLEASED (they were having a great deal of fun though, but not IC). After leaving on a mission aunt Araxia had found their hidden stash of loot (she is used to searching for uncle Aure's bottles of licquor and is excellent at searching). She used two gold to buy a rocking horse for Po, Pei and Pu, as well as turkey dinner, new cutlery, new plates and perfume. The PCs were furious.
Thoroughly frustrated with their family problems the PCs approached Dao, a caravan driver formerly in Aure's employ, and he told them how Aure had been played for a fool. Apparenty Xau Trang had been the mastermind, manipulating the elderly Tran into transfering large sums of money to their own private property. Nowadays the two former accountants lived in vast mansions inside the "Ruler City", though they had severed all contact with their former friends (most of whom lost their jobs when Aure's Caravan Company went bankrupt).
At that point they began asking their shadow guild contacts for passes to enter the Ruler City.
The Order of Ansmarch:
- The PCs have noticed the blue clad guest of Shan Leng organize the bodyguards into an effective fighting force (versus the rioters).
- The PCs have spotted a dark blue clad envoy speak with the Dark One in dreams, but they did not make the connection.
- The Order of Ansmarch is as yet an unknown. -
Re: Ancient Gamer's Smithy - Coldforged Table Top Scenarios In the Making
#37Ending:
A thief guild contact told them that several factions were looking for them. Firstly city officials were looking for any relatives of Aure, formerly of Aure's Caravan Company. Secondly pale skinned northerners in chain mail were looking for the PCs in particular. "They looked like the murdering kind", the contact told them.
At the end of the session, the players went home after having torched the appartment of the Shadow Master. When they came home they were greeted by nervous family members.
As it turned out the city guard had walked down the street screaming about rewards for information leading to the capture of Aure and any relatives.
Later that night aunt Araxia spotted several neighbours gathering outside the PCs home in the Gloom. As it turned out they were dream controlled by the Dark One and soon their home was under attack. Uncaring about personal safety, the neighbours crashed through windows and shutters, armed with kitchen knives and pokers. While easy one on one, the sheer amount of neighbours proved to be too much and as the Shadow Mage tapped deeply into his magic, he accidentally created a magic rift. This rift was to both fire and dark essence and the fallen neighbours arose once more, this time as fiery undead. A three way fight erupted and the PCs were forced to flee.
The night ended with the PCs fleeing from their burning home. They gave 20 gold pieces to Uncle Aure and Aunt Araxia, plus the three brats Po, Pei and Pu. The hapless family members promised to leave town on the first caravan, and to assume new identities in the north. (REMEMBER TO USE THIS IN THE FUTURE) -
Re: Ancient Gamer's Smithy - Coldforged Table Top Scenarios In the Making
#38Ideas for the next session (April or something):
- The Elven Conclave (Do not expose them as elves. Only as mysterious cloaked individuals of extraordinary skill).
The purpose of interweaving elves (who are supposed to hide in their archipelago) is to mix the "Prophecies Campaigns" with the new campaign. To give a sense of continuity and familiarity. The Elven Conclave will include outcasts from the archipelago; wary, but good natured elven individuals. Keep them low key and keep the encounters rare).
- Night of the crimson tides: The Order of Ansmarch strikes through a pawn organization (come up with one), forcing the Lady of Shadows on the run (she and her retinue will approach the PCs for shelter. She will have means, so supporting her will be tempting. She is also a tremendous burden as the Order will stop at nothing). Shortly after the underworld has new rulers and a number of city officials are assassinated in quick succession. After this the order will withdraw their control, the city rulers will retaliate against the underworld and the Order of Ansmarch will place pawns in important positions throughout town. The PCs will be able to influence whether the lady shall regain power of the shadow guild, or wait. If they wait they will see the wisdom of their action as the city guard kills everyone of importance in the organizational structure. -
Re: Ancient Gamer's Smithy - Coldforged Table Top Scenarios
#39Preliminary brainstorm for the October sessions:
- Weave together the different shards into a coherent whole: The God-Wyrm, the Order of Ansmarch, the face-eaters and the nomad clans.
- Foreshadow the enemy within Dreams. Depict the Dreamer as a raging storm sweeping over the Dreamscape.
- Introduce the three ravens, the messengers of the Khuiros Coven.
- The Order of Ansmarch stages a coup against the ruling council. If successful the city will be without the support of the Steamwork Golems
- If the order is successful, the city will be sacked by the Nomad tribes whose raping, pillaging and razing will destroy many, many quarters of the huge city. (The militia will be in chaos, the Priesthood and their Steamwork Golems will be in hiding, the Golems inanimate, and the city watch will be reorganized by the Order)
- Allies! The Shadow Guild, as battered and torn as it is, will be approached by allies. Drawn by the unconscious beckoning of the Arch-Mage Black Icon, the Salt Star Mercenaries (Elves in disguise) and "The Gloom" City Militia commander will arrive, suggesting a temporary alliance and joining of forces.
- A favour owed! While fleeing the ravaging storm within dreams, the PCs will be approached by an avatar of the Goddess of the Moon. She remembers their promise, and she reminds them of their fealty. She will explain that "in troubled times that come, they must find the lost boy within the slums, and they must guard him with their very lives against all danger, until such a time comes, when the dead wakes and the darkness is lifted".
Random Encounters:
- The man by the mill: While traveling outside the city, the PCs encounter a man hanged in a mill. Maggots crawl from his belly, insects fly from his nostrils, but still he seems alive. In a moaning voice he barely manages to say: " 'ware the adders in the dark", before life flees him. Unbeknownst to the PCs the mill is haunted and the man is really a ghost. If they decide to stay (it IS nice shelter against that approaching storm, after all), the ghost will summon ghouls from the nearby graveyard at midnight (the ghost is a Deadspectre, a rich noblewoman (and not a man after all) who was killed here by her impatient heir. She can be put to rest only by the slaying of the descendant of her heir, one Eru Xu, the Merchant of a Thousand Swords). The ghouls will assault the mill, scaling its walls and entering through open windows, the cellar door or the front door. They will keep coming between midnight and dawn. If the PCs manage to bolt doors and windows, they will try to enter by tearing off planks on the leaky roof, then climbing, hanging upside down, descending the beams. -
Re: Ancient Gamer's Smithy - Coldforged Table Top Scenarios
#40What happens if the Order of Ansmarch isn't successful? Do the nomad tribes still assault the city (with the PCs more than likely getting caught and recruited to fight off the seige)? Or is the sacking of the city simply an attack of opportunity?