Saturday, June 13, 2009

Off to find a Coward and a Devil

Sunday, May 31st, 2009

Resuming the Kalamar Coin Trilogy, the group continues to find the ingredients to make their own coin of power, in order to fight back against Daresh and her own coin.

Two ingredients have been found already: a diamond touches by death and the breath of a dragon. The last ingredient is the blood of a devil spilled by a coward.

Halaan, the alchemist that is helping the group make the coin details the gathering of the last rare ingredient. The group wonders if any of their group qualifies as a coward.

"Deekin is not a coward, no sir," says Deekin. "I served the great dragon, which was fraught with peril! Deekin cleans dragon teeth. Only almost got eaten twice. Now, Deekin is brave adventurer!"

So the group goes to Geolain's hoping he has tracked down where to find a devil. The trip across town is uneventful but drenching, as the rain that came last night has continued on during the day, and people are avoided the streets.

Geolain says that there might indeed be a devil nearby, in the town of Xaarum. The group asks Geolain about the specific 'coward' requirement as well.

"Would the coward have to actually strike the devil to get his blood, or would something else work?" asks Raizix, while looking at Darwin.

"I am hypothesizing here, but I would say that if the required ingredient is blood spilled by a coward, then the coward need not land the killing blow. The devil could be killed prior to the blood-letting, or restrained in some way."

The group then sets out, deciding to save their coin and travel on foot rather than purchasing horses. The rain lets up just outside of Zoa, and the traveling is easy.

However, on the second day of their travel, they are suddenly ambushed by a group of orcs. The orcs swing out of the trees, riding logs designed to knock travelers into the muddy river below. This tactic works to some degree, sending Raizix into the river below. He begins to sink into the soft mud of the river bottom due to his weight and that of his plate mail.

As he struggles in the river, Darwin begins casting spells at the orcs, Ember throws daggers, and Jelena begins shooting arrows. Several orcs fall, but more spring from the trees.

As they are busy fighting the orcs on the west side of the river, Raizix realizes the predicament he is in when he hears a shout from the east side. He sees a bugbear wielding a wand, and then the mud surrounding him at the river begins to harden. He struggles and manages to extract himself before it solidifies, but barely keeps his footing on the now slippery rock on the riverbed.

In the fighting above, Ember and Darwin are holding off the orcs, and Jelena slips and falls into the river herself. She shots a well placed arrow into the bugbear, and he colapses in a heap. Raizix had just reached the east riverbank, when he sees a crocodile in the water coming towards Jelena. It snaps at her, but he wades into the water and quickly smashes it in the head with his greatsword, knocking it unconscious.

Ember and Darwin finish up the remaining orcs, and unable to communicate with one they kept alive for interrogating, leave him for dead.

Note: This was a somewhat short session, and I'm looking forward to the group entering a new city. They seem familiar with Zoa, and introducing a new city can be a fun experience.

The next game is tomorrow, so this is posted up just in time!

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

The plan

Friday, May 21st, 2009 - Part 2

After the Icarus exploded, the group goes back to ground level. Custer gets on the radio, trying to locate the mercenary he rescued and find out where he is.

“I’m at the site, looking for the boss,” Custer lands and begins walking around, using his optical imaging systems in his SAMAS to scan the rubble. Emergency personnel and equipment begins to arrive, and shortly a search and rescue operation is underway. “Dammit, this stuff isn’t supposed to happen! There were people in here, all types of people. Who’d want to blow up a building like that?”

“What’ll happen if the boss is dead?” asks Custer.

“Well, we’ll find the money and the company information in his safebox. You’ll get paid, don’t worry.”

“Hey, don’t worry about it. I don’t need it. You guy’s ‘ill need it more than me.”

“Well, I’ll let you know once we get things sorted here. If you can help, great.”

Maxwell and Veras are looking through the rubble too, trying to find any survivors, but as it gets later, Veras says they should be on their way to make the rendezvous.

They reach Riverfront Park Center early, in time to check things out. It appears what once was a park near the beach has become a bit of a shanty town. Some almost permanent buildings are interspersed amongst wooden buildings, where several people have taken up residence.

The group see two people leaning against one of the more permanent structures. One stands up and faces the other, and they turn away slightly from the three. They appear to exchange money for a small bag. “Hmm, not so different from Chi-town. Drugs are everywhere,” says Veras.

One of the guys walks away, and the other seems too absorbed in his new purchase to mind anyone or anything.

About half an hour later, a woman wearing a long coat walks by, flanked by two men wearing casual clothes but not appearing casual at all. “Follow me,” she says, just after passing the group, without making eye contact with them at all. Veras shrugs, and follows the three of them, and Maxwell and Custer follow suit.

They approach the building with the druggie, who stands up, looks suddenly sober, and opens a concealed door for the woman. The three walk in, and the doorman winks at Veras and says, “After you.”

Once everyone is inside, he closes the door and takes a seat. The other two men have already seated themselves as well. The room appears to be far more technologically advanced inside then it’s meager outward appearance would suggest. There is a large screen on one wall, several chairs facing it, and a lift going to what is presumably a basement level.

“Thank you for coming, take a seat anywhere you’d like.” Custer moves to the corner of the room, staying in his SAMAS, which crowds the corner. Maxell and Veras take chairs next to each other.

“You might be wondering why we’ve asked you all here. We represent various…interested parties in the city. They are concerned about a growing problem that you might have seen already,” she begins

“There is a severe water shortage in the city. People are literally dying of thirst. The DB’s are faring a little bit better, but not by much. The mayor claimed that he didn’t know why there was a water shortage or rather that he wasn’t withholding water. It’s too late to ask him now, as he died just a few hours ago when the civil government building was destroyed, as I’m sure you know.

“It’s possible that less forgiving groups have already targeted him for the water problem. Word on the street was there was five million out there for his assassination.

“There is a desalinization plant not far from here,” and on the screen appear aerial photographs of an area west of the city, “and we want you to investigate. Find out what is happening to the water supply, and fix it if you can. You’ve come highly recommended for what you do, and we’re prepared to pay you in kind.”

“So, I assume we can’t just walk in, right?” asks Maxwell.

“That’s right. There are bottweilers and borgs at the very least. There is a laser security system to detect intrusion as well. What was once supposed to protect the water supply will hamper our investigation, but won’t make it impossible.”

Everyone seems to make up their mind, and all nod in agreement.

“We’ll need a place to repair our equipment and get new supplies,” adds Maxwell, as if an afterthough.

“Don’t worry, we’ll have anything you’ll need.”

Paper Models


Paper Models 008
Originally uploaded by MelkiorWhiteblade
Well, I've been spending quite a bit of time during my lunch breaks working on paper models. These posted here are from Fat Dragon Games Deluxe Dungeon set, and so far, I think it's been worth it.

I've got several more pieces to make to have a complete set, but for now, I've got two rooms, and if I rearrange the pieces, I could have a few more I think.

They haven't seen actual play yet, but I'll find a use for them soon, perhaps for HackMaster Basic.