Session 23 / Online Session 23 Notes (8/21/11)

Evelais (Saint's Day), Malarous 13th, 838 ID

The PCs continue on throughout the Grazelands, following the Great Westermarch Road to the city of Tarair, where they arrive in the evening. The gatehouses of the city's various districts each blaze with a tall fire, casting a great deal of light over the nightscape. Langston approaches the guards, asking for the location of Commander Vhelok, who he is told might be in a meeting currently for his fighting tournament (scheduled the following day). Langston takes Darkahn with him to find the Commander and pass on the Floivin writ, while the others travel outside the city to the Tarair Chantry of the Wizards Elite. En route, a barbarian woman from the Long North, one Ryit Silverhand takes an interest in the presence of the half-orcs, and decides to tail them. Meanwhile, Doorjamb and Mistlethroe have arrived at the Chantry's Transit room, where they are met by chancellor Prepostero, a local wizard. They decide to go in search of Mudgol at once.

It doesn't take long...as Mudgol, Slab, Luz and Odd Jon are arriving at the Chantry just as Doorjamb the pair are leaving! Odd Jon and Doorjamb embrace, old friends, and the group decides to go speak in one of the local inns, at greater length. Ryit follows the curious group, bored as she waits for the tournament the following day. She is confronted by soldiers who mock her and make unwanted advances upon the barbarian, and a duel erupts. But Ryit quickly makes short work of her oppressor's blade, and is granted access to the city. She follows the group to the Winking Barrel, in the NE district of Tarair. Langston and Darkahn have been told to wait at the Brass Archer Tap, in the SW district, when Commander Vhelok finally comes to greet them. He takes their writ, offers them the hospitality of the city and Fourth Eidolorn, but says he will need some time to think it over (at least until morning), as the tournament is taking up most of his evening plans. Langston sends for a courier boy.

Odd Jon notices Ryit enter the Winking Barrel, and nervously decides to get his 'mack' on, at the encouragement of Slab and Doorjamb, neither of whom are highly interested in the plain and admittedly fearsome looks of the barbarian. She agrees to join Odd Jon for dinner, and the PCs discuss their plans. Mistlethroe will need the PCs assistance in re-securing the Flabbergast Manor, which is currently somewhere on the Astral Plane and taken over by members of the score, including one 'Flaming' Fack and a Red Wizard, plus several mercenaries from the Astral. It is agreed that they will reconvene the day after the tournament to begin their planning and assault, once the gnome can pinpoint the castle's exact location on the other plane. The PCs all seem rather confused about what the hell he's talking about...until the courier arrives, and they all pack up to find Langston. Most of the PCs decide to stay either at the barracks or the Winking Barrel.

Aric, Malarous 14th, 838 ID

Our heroes scatter about the city on errands before meeting with Vhelok at around 10am. The Commander had asked if two of the PCs could partake in the tournament, since there are two slots open and no Last Eidolorn representatives fighting. It is agreed that Luz and Darkahn will give it their best shot. Slab visits a local jewel, Randolf, brother of 'Glimmerin' Timm' to procure a stylish alloy beard-comb and some beard-jewelry. Doorjamb tries Smallsword Abbey for curative potions, meeting Prelate Akstra. But the cost is too high. Mudgol and Mistlethroe head back to the Tarair Chantry, so Mudgol can buy some components (and a dispel magic scroll) off 'Breather' Bem. Ryit and Slab take baths. Hell, it's about time! The PCs then meet with Vhelok who informs them he will arrange a force of 600 men (archers, infantry, cavalry, and a handful of wizards and clergy) to march on Floivin Keep two days hence, as per the writ. He can spare no more. The PCs are invited to join the march, but they must decline, since Mistlethroe requires their assistance the following day.

The PCs head off to the 5th Annual Tarair Commander's Cup tournament where they will fight and bet. Several of them, including Slab, Doorjamb and Langston come out with quite a bit of extra coin in their pockets. Darkahn makes it to the second round after killing a half-ogre Treeg by accident, while Luz makes it to the third round, losing at last to one Doughboy the Dreaded, who continues to beat on the half-orc after Luz surrenders, until stopped by the Wizards Elite referees. Doughboy goes on to win the entire tournament, defeating Baxter the Mighty in the final round. Luz, Darkahn, and Doughboy will not be invited again (Luz also accidentally slew an opponent, Lt. Vapri Thel of Melethesz). The complete results are listed below:

The Fifth Annual Tarair Commander's Cup

Round the 1st:
Lt. Bergothe the Boar > Linsey Cutforth (surrender)
Ryit Silverhand > Sgt. Wim Skithers (surrender)
Darkahn Gradak > Cpt. Treeg (slain)
Baxter the Mighty > Cpt. Dash Lagarr (surrender)
Luz > Lt. Vapri Thel (slain)
Pvt. Puj > Pvt. Rigley (knockout)
Lt. Strenna Knelrave > Lt. Harmon Shast (surrender)
Doughboy the Dreaded > Smote Nightling (knockout)

Round the 2nd:
Lt. Bergothe the Boar > Ryit Silverhand (surrender)
Baxter the Mighty > Darkahn Gradak (knockout)
Luz > Pvt. Puj (knockout)
Doughboy the Dreaded > Lt. Strenna Knelrave (surrender)

Round the 3rd:
Baxter the Mighty > Lt. Bergothe the Boar (knockout)
Doughboy the Dreaded > Luz (surrender)

Final:
Doughboy the Dreaded > Baxter the Mighty (surrender)

PCs: Darkahn, Doorjamb, Langston, Luz, Mudgol, Ryit, Slab

NPCs

'Breather' Bem (human male): A hunched figure with a ghastly presence, he has severe facial damage from what appears to be acidic burns. These have caused him to blind in his left eye, skin to stretch, hair to be sparse in graying wisps, and several holes in the sides of his jaws. He constantly gasps for air through these additional orifices, while his unkempt, long nails clutch at a necklace of bone beads, and a gnarled walking stick with the head of a ram. Bem belongs to the Wizards Elite of Tarair, and specializes in trading spells and components to interested peers and students (Wizards Elite, Arkana Arkiva, and other Eidolorn magic institutions).

Captain Dash Lagarr (human male): A handsome man in his late 20s, with a perfectly kempt mane of sandy blonde hair tucked beneath his helmet, a broad smile and greenish, watery eyes. His longsword is of immense quality, with a copperish tint to the blade and an ornate pommel. He bears the symbol of Eleste both on his shield and tunic, and walks with a humble but deliberate swagger. The popular paladin, from the Second Eidolorn in Rothe, surrenders to Baxter the Mighty in the first round of the Tarair tournament.

Captain Treeg (half-ogre male): A towering brute of roughly 8 feet, this ruddy skinned titan had a series of ornate earrings and piercings dangling from his face, and a carefully oiled and braided beard which hung below his neck. His eyes were reddish-brown, and his face pocked with a large number of scars and whiskers. The greatclub he wielded is carved of fine wood and engraved with scenes of battle, and his bulk nearly bristled forth from his scale armor. Treeg was an officer of the Fourth Eidolorn, slain unintentionally by Darkahn Gradak in the first round of Vhelok's tournament.

Commander Vhelok (human male): A tall and narrow man deep in his middle years, Vhelok has a well-oiled, enormous moustache that is braided half-way down his chest. His graying-black hair is also tied back in a top-knot and an array of rings hang from it, jangling when he turns. A scar runs from his left ear up his cheek to across his forehead, and his brows appear to have been singed off, with some burn residue. He wears a suit of spiked splint mail with a regular issue halberd, scimitar and crossbow. Vhelok leads the Fourth Eidolorn out of the city of Tarair, and agrees to lead an army of 600 to help retake Floivin Province, after being approached by Lt. Langston with the official writ.

Doughboy the Dreaded (human male): Clad in the thickest suite of full plate you’ve ever seen, nicked with a number of dents, this tall and broad-shouldered man doesn’t seem as if he wants to take any chances. His helmet remains shut, and he wears a tunic with the emblem of a hearth. He carries a heavy shield and a massive, block-headed warhammer of stone and steel. His introduction to the Tarair tournament read that he was the son of a poor baker, out to prove that even the most common man can wage heroic battle. Not once throughout the tournament did he show his face, not even after defeating the other finalist Baxter the Mighty. He defeated Smote Nightling and the Violet Whisper before facing Luz in the third round, but would not accept the half-orc's surrender, taking some cheap shots at him before the Wizards Elite restrained the armored clod. He was thus disqualified (along with Luz and Darkahn) from future entry to the tournament, but regardless he went on to defeat Baxter the Mighty in the final round, and claim the 5k gold prize and key to the city.

Kliko Moss (human female): A full-figured, middle aged woman whose hair is tied back in braids, her gray-green eyes seem sad, though she bears a near constant, nagging smile. She dresses in deep olive green robes over a leather corset, and has a scar on the right side of her neck from her shoulder to ear. The same ear seems to have been mildly gnawed upon. Kliko is the barkeep and part-owner of the Brass Archer Tap in the Tarair military district. A somewhat charming woman, she is nonetheless hesitant to allow the half-orc PCs into her establishment, but relents after Luz threatens to burn it to the ground.

Linsey Cutforth (half-elf male): A girlish waif with refined, brittle elfin features, he wears a suit of fanciful leather armor worked in floral patterns, and carries a daisy between his teeth. His pale blonde hair waves in even the slightest of breezes, and he gestures with his rapier as he speaks and bows. Somewhat of a local hero in Nobbish, Cutforth is a swashbuckler and the twin brother of a renowned officer (Leanne Cutforth) in the Third Eidolorn. He travels with his bard companion Smote Nightling, dancing and entertaining. Linsey entered the Tarair tournament but was made quick work of by Lt. Bergothe 'The Boar' in the first round.

Lt. Bergothe 'The Boar' (human male): A middle-aged man of enormous jowls and bristling mutton chops, he is only barely contained by the suit of black stained half-plate he sports. Well over 300 lbs. His right eye is covered with a dark cloth patch, and his ample brown hair tied off in a series of top knots. His teeth are browning but filed off, and the threatening heavy flail he carries has a reptilian appearance with a clawed pommel. 'The Boar', an officer in the Fourth Eidolorn, fought well in the Tarair tournament, defeating Linsey Cutforth and Ryit Silverhand before suffering defeat at the hands of Baxter the Mighty.

Lt. Harmon Shast (human male): A short and sturdy middle-aged man with a bald scalp and blocky face, his splint mail is adorned with studs and ribbons of commendations for his militia service. He carries a heavy pick in his left hand, and a shield in his right with a band of cheap jewels around its border. A local officer of the Fourth Eidolorn, Shast was defeated in the first round of the Tarair tournament, by The Violet Whisper.

Lt. Strenna Knelrave (human female): A woman of 30 something summers. She draws her name from both her unusual, natural eye tint and the hair she dyes up in a fanciful bun, but there is no doubt that her cool and appraising features are strong and attractive. She wields a pair of cruel morning stars with their hafts wrapped in leather bands, and a suit of gleaming chain. Strenna is a Third Eidolorn officer of some repute from Nobbish. She defeats Lt. Harmon Shast in the first round of the Tarair tournament, but surrenders to Doughboy in the second.

Lt. Vapri Thel (human female): Wrapped in deep blue garments which cover a shapely but lithe figure, this bronze woman’s eyes glinted out from beneath her turban with a playful and seductive lightness. A pair of scimitars with jeweled hilts were slung across her back, and a water-horn by her side. Thel was an officer in the Sixth Eidlorn of Melethesz, who entered the Tarair tournament. The dervish was unfortunately slain (though not intentionally) by Luz in the first round.

Prelate Akstra (human male): A tall, spindly man knotted with wiry muscles, he wears a white shift and cloak each bearing the symbols of the clergy of Eleste. He seems rather young, perhaps in his late 20s, with blondish hair and thick, brown eyebrows above his hawk-like visage. A silver-hilted longsword hangs at either side of his belt, and he carries a basket and horn slung over his shoulder. Akstra is in charge of the Smallsword Abbey of Tarair while his superior, Bishop Blaun is off fighting in Wintersbreath with the 4th/5th/Last Eidolorn host.

Prepostero (human male): An elderly man with an excess of long, snow-white hair, and a lengthy beard braided to resemble a ladder. Through this ‘ladder’, a mottled tan and silver tamarin swings and plays. The stone faced man seems not to pay any attention, often wiping his chalky hands upon his violet and brass-trimmed robes, or adjusting his mirror-faced spectacles. Prepostero is chancellor to the Tarair Chantry of the Wizards Elite, and also responsible for the comings and goings of the local Transit Chamber (which each Wizards Elite compound maintains for fast access to their peers).

Pvt. Puj (human male): Though he sports the tunic and emblem of a Fourth Eidolorn soldier, this young man is complete unarmed, wearing little more than a peasant’s attire and a lopsided cloth hat, though he appears otherwise to be in good shape. He grins cheerfully, with a muss of brown hair that hasn’t been clipped in many months, and some stubble forming on his cheeks and chin. Puj managed to defeat his fellow solider Private Rigley in the first round of Vhelok's tournament, but was taken down instantly in the following round by Luz.

Pvt. Rigley (human male): A young man in his late teens, sporting woodsmanlike colors above his studded leather armor. His dark blonde hair is tied back in several braids that hang below the neck, and he has a number of silver piercings in his ears and brow, which accent his green eyes. He carries a finely carved longbow and a short sword tucked into his belt. Rigley is a Scout of the Fourth Eidolorn, and entered the Tarair tournament, only to be defeated by his fellow solider (and monk), Private Puj in the first round.

Sgt. Wim Skithers (human male): A seasoned veteran in his 50s, wearing a heavily abused chain shirt and a glaive with several silvered goblin skulls adorning its haft. What remains of his hair is a graying black, his skin is reddish tinted from days of training out in the sun, and his nose is scarred and broken a few times over. His left eye is slightly milky, the right a piercing greenish-brown. Skithers hails from the First Eidolorn in Carbadi. He surrenders in the first round of the Tarair tournament, surrendering to Ryit Silverhand.

Smote Nightling (halfling male): A handsome halfling with amazingly prim sideburns and greased black hair, and a ruddy face of character upon which a pug nose and glimmering brown eyes shine. He wears a decorated chain shirt and carries a skillfully worked ranseur, with a dagger tucked into his belt. Smote is an orator and singer of considerable skill, and a kindly fellow, but probably had no right entering the Tarair fighting tournament, in which he was easily brushed aside by Doughboy the Dreaded in the first round. Smote hails from Nobbish, and is known to travel with the half-elf Linsey Cutforth.

Online Session 22 Notes (8/17/11)

Here is a link to a .RAR bundle which includes all the .html transcripts for AIM online sessions 1-32.

PCs: Doorjamb

Session 22 Notes (8/5/11)

Essel, Malarous 11th, 868 ID

After awakening, the PCs gather some supplies and prepare to hit the road once more for Tarair. Outside, Odd Jon questions the faith of Luz, who then proceeds to begin preaching in town, near the mad, babbling vagrant they encountered the day previous. Since he has very little idea of even his own religion, the babbling beggar maintains the attention of the crowd, who pity him and shower him with copper coins. Enraged, Luz makes as if to smash in the beggar's skull, but Langston and Odd Jon stop him in the act. Meanwhile, Betrys is mistaken for an armored harlot by Mudgol's 'roommate' the night before, a cloth-swathed two-hand sword wielding warrior who introduces himself as 'Baxter'. Betrys turns down the offer of coin for a gauntleted handjob...

After stopping in at Hosspotch Holdings for supplies, Langston pulls his troop together and they travel ever East. As the DM could not locate his random encounter tables, the journey went smoothly through the remainder of the Blue Barrens, with the PCs camping a few miles off from the Eastern Toll of the Fogspan.

Ivric, Malarous 12th, 868 ID

In the morning, they arrived and met with the Taxmaster Niffleguff, who lectures them on the rules of their crossing. Then the PCs travel for several hours until they find a dead, beheaded body and various signs of struggle and damage to the bridge. Char marks in the wooden surface. Searching the body, they find that the dead man carried a writ of the Gorgers' Guild, inspectors and carpenters who patrol and repair the Fogspan. They decide to take his body.

A mile or so later, the PCs are ambushed by a pair of small black dragons, who instantly use their acid breath in conjunction to wreak havoc in the ranks. Darkahn's animal companion Bloodwing and Betrys Othen are both slain in the encounter, but they manage to kill the sister dragon and then drive off the younger brother in defeat. Slab searches around and discovers a nest and treasure cache suspended below the Fogspan in that general vicinity, made of ivy, plants from the Gorge below, tattered rags and corpses. Bones, coins, and several valuable items lie about, including a scroll, a bone wand, and a buckler. They take the goods with them, including a strange leathery sphere, and then decide not to light the nest ablaze, as it might damage the bridge and attract the young dragon's mama. Sad at the loss of the priestess, they trek on several more hours to Wattlewinch.

When they arrive, Slab instantly pounds a bottle of Braulish whiskey he purchased at the House on the Barrens in Traeger. He becomes roaring drunk in short order, pissing off just about everyone. Langston returns the body of the dead Gorger, 'Mildrix' to the Guild, who offer him a reward and take the news of the dragons. They also speak with Lt. Despon, the local Fourth Eidolorn leader. He takes Betrys' remains to be interred at a graveyard down in the Gorge. Then they head to Cuffer's Cup, a run down, rotting alehouse and inn from which Slab is very quickly dejected for excess rowdiness. Slab the Inebriated, Luz and Langston all stay at the Fourth Eidolorn barracks while Mudgol and Darkahn take rooms at the cup, as does Odd Jon, after unsuccessfully trying to hunt rats for a new stew...

Evalais (Saint's Day), Malarous 13th, 868 ID

The PCs awaken, Slab severely hung over, to discover that the warrior Baxter the Mighty has arrived, the cloth-armored man Betrys and Mudgol encountered in Traeger. He has a flock of followers, who are excited to meet him, mostly children but some adults. Turns out Baxter will be competing in a friendly fighting competition at the city of Tarair, hosted by Commander Vhelok of the Fourth Eidolorn. Several slots are always held for skilled warriors outside of the Eidolorn, so Vhelok can test his troops' abilities against versatile fighting forms. The PCs attempt to hire Vhelok but he is too costly, and humbly declines. They then head over to Slute the Lender in order to try and pawn the treasures they've found, and he offers a lump sum, plus a pearl and 7500 gold (a veritable fortune) for the 'leathery sphere', i.e. black dragon egg. After Slab goes to Cuffer's Cup to apologize to the barkeep, he meets up with Langston and the PCs who have already left. After clearing the Gorge at last, they enter the Grazelands of Toul Tabor, stopping briefly to take tea and purchase potions off a traveling gnome apothecary, D'Loss Tarr of the Bederoon.

PCs: Betrys, Darkahn, Langston, Luz, Mudgol, Slab

NPCs

Baxter the Mighty (male human): A large human with impressive jowls, he wears only black cloth armor padded about his figure, and wields a two-handed sword. Baxter is something of a celebrity in Toul Tabor, at least in villages surrounding the city of Tarair. He is known for his competitive fighting, and is often present at Commander Vhelok's fighting tournament in the city, where he is headed when the PCs encounter him twice...

Brackenmaw (male black dragon): A young black dragon 'defending' its nest from passersby on the Fogspan, he and his sister Ebonrood laid an ambush for the PCs during their crossing to Wattlewinch. Brackenmaw escaped the battle, flying down to the cover of Foggy Gorge, though heavily wounded.

Cuffer (human male): The barkeep and proprietor of Cuffer's Cup in Wattlewinch, the run down, rotting local inn and tavern. Looks to be in his 50s or later, with a massive underbite and fading crop of messy white hair. Cuffer knows local rumors and doesn't take any crap, as Slab discovers on a drunken stampede after the loss of Betrys.

D'Loss Tarr (gnome male): A tiny man with a frilly crimson shirt over black silk breeches and a leather top hand adorned in brass belts drives a large pair of burly, baying hounds along the road, from the front of a gaudy miniature wagon. Bells, lanterns and other accessories jangle and shine from the cart, and the balding gnome grins a lot from between wispy white mutton chops. An incredibly polite traveling apothecary from Melethesz who encounters the PCs en route to Tarair on the Great Westermarch road in the Grazelands. After sharing lemon tea, he sells the PCs some curative potions.

Ebonrood (female black dragon): A young black dragon 'defending' its nest from passersby on the Fogspan, she and her brother Brackenmaw laid an ambush for the PCs during their crossing to Wattlewinch. Ebonrood was slain during the fight, hurled off the bridge by a volley of magic missiles from Mudgol, but not before slaying Betrys and Darkahn's hawk Bloodwing in the encounter.

Jordyn Hosspotch (halfling male): An incredibly fat halfling adorned in fine garments of the merchant class, he has beady eyes and incredibly rare, sandy blond hair for his race. Jordyn runs the Hosspotch Holdings trade post in the mining town of Traeger in Toul Tabor.

Lt. Despon (human male): A stoic, middle-aged, droopy eyed soldier in the Fourth Eidolorn, he commands the detachment at Wattlewinch.

Mildrix (human male): An inspector for the Gorgers' Guild in Wattlewinch, he was slain while performing a routine sweep of the Fogspan for defects and damages. An earlier victim of the black dragons who later fell upon the PCs. Lt. Langston returned his corpse to the Guild and earned a small reward for his troubles.

Slute the Lender (human male): An almost skeletal looking human with numerous sores and false teeth, he is also bald and wears a fancy cap. The PCs question whether he's even alive, but Slute deals a lucrative business in buying, trading and pawning both legal and illicit items out of Wattlewinch. He purchases the black dragon egg the PCs found, reaping them a small fortune.

Taxmaster Niffleguff (halfling male): He's the toll-taker on at the East side of the Fogspan in Foggy Gorge, Toul Tabor. A robust halfling male of 50 summers, he wears a wide mantle and flowing gold-spun cape along with his glittery, white and gold robes, giving himself a broader sense of authority. Too-small, green tinted spectacles are perched on his upturned nose, and wisps of white hair adorn a neatly trimmed goatee. A pair of jewel hilted daggers are tucked into his belt, and a few scars grace his chin and fingers, the left pinky of which has been removed, though the half-dozen rings on each hand draw the eyes away.

Online Session 21 Notes (8/2/11)

Here is a link to a .RAR bundle which includes all the .html transcripts for AIM online sessions 1-32.

PCs: Doorjamb

NPCs

Mersaun (human male): An elderly, hunched man who serves at the barkeep for the Leaping Knuckle Lodge. Keeps some whiskey and a club on his belt. Doesn't claim to know the woman 'Eyrene' who Doorjamb spoke to at the Lodge one evening...

Old Codge Myron (human male): A senile old mule-rider who is the last man to stay behind when Livenoak is assaulted. Doorjamb does not actually 'see' Codge, but here's him shouting about how he's going to destroy all the invaders single handedly. Has a gimp old mule with a wooden placard denoting his ownership.

Private Mackaraw (human male): A young Eidolorn solider stationed at Halehusk to guide refugees and stay alert for enemy troop movements. He remains behind when Pvt. Teckle rides off with Doorjamb to pursue the strange fugitives outside of Floivin Keep.