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7/16/2019 9:17 pm  #41


Re: A Crow's Nest Upon Bleak Shores

lige wrote:

Nice write up! Session 9 has definite Barrier Peaks crossed with Event Horizon vibes. What was the “Origin Story”?

Thanks!  The "Origin" story that Regulus told them was that they were all related to some university of higher learning called "Miskatonic" or something similar.  Some in teaching roles, some staff, some students.  All had embarked on a ship crossing a mysterious body of water called the "Atlantic" and were driven off course in a bad storm, a hurricane maybe and being driven quite south they entered a unique triangle called "Bermuda" and through an opening of worlds due to the storm and a rift of reality, they were shipwrecked and awoke on Hyperboria.

By the way, "Regulus" is not his real name, nor is Maximus the real name of the other demon, the PC's will have to dig deeper to get that information!

That "may" be true, if demons (especially a Type VI one) is telling the truth.  However since this is an active Type VI demon who may be a long term villain for the PC's it's up to them to discern truth from lie.  I specifically told them NOT to give me a back story as we started session 1, but that I'd welcome one anytime after that session.   Since no one gave me one, this may or may not be true.  They'll have to see if the PC's get their "memories" back, great question again!  Hope your campaign is going well!

Now, onto session 10!

Last edited by MrManowar (7/16/2019 9:46 pm)


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7/16/2019 9:43 pm  #42


Re: A Crow's Nest Upon Bleak Shores

Session 10 part one!  The feeling of pursuit and uneasiness dogged the crew as they evaded and clambered through the Kimmerian Steppe and abruptly turned direction northward after they had traversed a river south of a great lake leaving the memory of terrain containing Mount Forp behind.  With incredible perseverance they managed to keep going northward on the other side of the body of water, stopping only to partake of the dwindling food and drink and lay quick traps for the large creatures still on their trail.  After more days of travel and more days of the necromancer hearing one sided conversation in his head from Regulus, they found a larger plateau that had the beginning of construction of a war camp.  However this camp was clearly suited for larger humanoids whilst mimicking a facade of human like propriety and homeliness.  Cutting and tooling implements were present along with tents made of multiple cloaks of fallen wanderers and sounds of domesticated farm animals were heard.  The bard and barbarian went forth to investigate.  (The ranger, my only missing player, stayed with Rianorix and his family.  The latter insisting they were close to his kin.)  As the PC's took their time encircling the camp, noting the start of walls and the grisly remains of bodies and a large pit they dared not look into at this time, the more alert of the group motioned for them all to hide, and fast!

After taking cover and hunkering down, within minutes, the hulking form of mountainous apes, horrific ogres began to filter into the camp expressing confusion after tracking their prey here only to lose them amidst the surroundings.  The bard stealthily slipped off to the last tent to see the glittering of coinage and gems within.  As he took cover there, he noticed coins sliding about and shifting as he watched by the curtain to see what the ogres were doing.  All at once, as the cryomancer launched a spell and the necromancer sent his flesh golem out, the bard saw the chitinous form of a giant scorpion free himself from the coin pile with a blackish dripping stinger that forebode death to the recipients of it!  The runegraver and paladin were at the ready as the barbarian launched a full assault to one of the ogres!  The few remaining zombies under the necromancer's sway were easily crushed to death as the largest ogre of all wielding a terrible spiked mace leapt from the pit and bashed the hapless forms to the ground grunting at his companions to slay the others.  As this happened the farm animals (presumably food for the ogres were cut loose and spread like maddened beasts concerned for their own survival!)  The bard summoned a convincing illusion of a terrible elemental of earth that sent one ogre running while a more courageous one fought back.  The paladin, barbarian, runegraver, necromancer and cryomancer dealt death to the other ogres.  (In this entire campaign, I as a Referee have never rolled this poorly; SEVEN natural one rolls went to the ogres as what I thought would be a tough fight turned easy.  Apart from surprise rolls and a few others,  I roll in the open.  The screen hides my notes and minis.  I also had a bunch of 2 thru 5 rolls also.  Ogres and a giant scorpion that couldn't hit the ground if they tried.) 

After the largely one sided melee was done and the ogres bested, a thorough investigation was formed and much coinage was discovered.  After securing the goods but finding no edible food that would be delectable to human taste it was decided to soldier on to the town.  Along the way they saw one older but strong looking human, clearly armored but also bearing the sigil of Apollo, they hailed him to see what he had to say...
End Session 10 part one, part two to follow!
 

Last edited by MrManowar (7/16/2019 9:54 pm)


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7/22/2019 10:11 pm  #43


Re: A Crow's Nest Upon Bleak Shores

Session 10 part two!  The older man stood tall and imposing and identified himself as Brother Antonius the Lawful, priest of Apollo.  He told them of a town he was integral in growing that was under siege from wicked hyena men.  The town was Helios, on the other side of the lake far from Mount Forp.  (As an aside, I saw the town/village icon on the map didn't have a name so I decided to flesh this one out).  He told them of the Abbey of the Sun and the Grove of the Wood, twin areas of worship to Apollo and Artemis both under the sway of disuse and capture by the fiendish hyena folk snarling and befouling all they took over.  He asked for their assistance.  Wary of how Regulus and Maximus took them by surprise, the PC's took no chances and interrogated him thoroughly and upon satisfaction of all queries, they proceeded forth especially after Rianorix told them all that's where his kinsmen resided.

Proceeding onward in the company of the elder cleric, they surveyed the town.  They decided to pursue the underground sewers and pathways to emerge above ground so the sentries and other guards wouldn't notice their arrival.  Emerging in the town on the streets they cautiously went their way spreading out in different avenues whilst still keeping each other in sight.  Soon the hulking form of the necromancer's flesh golem couldn't keep cover and the hyena men drew in to fight!

A sorceress was among them and as magic hit the air, some PC's were hit with dark energies as the bard fired back a colour spray that neutralized three of their foes!  The ranger and runegraver delivered powerful blows dismembering opponents as they were only hit with minor wounds.  The paladin and his newfound comrade Antonius shrugged off their wounds as they struck down more hyena men.  The necromancer casually took in the scene ordering his flesh golem to assist as he heard more dark whispers from Regulus in his mind.  The cryomancer had some tricks up his sleeve as ice as well as other attacks assailed the foes in other streets.  (Due to once again my accursed luck rolling dice this session thus far, the hyena men despite their large numbers fell like cattle, more natural ones and such...)  Most of the PC's had sustained some wounds, but they were routing the hyena men from Helios.  Soon the hidden and wary townsfolk came to assist as they observed that real heroes were on the horizon and fighting back!  Once the cryomancer decapitated the sorceress, the other PC's descended on the remaining hyena men that didn't have the sense to flee like a sickle to overripe harvest.  Once the bloodshed was quenched, the sounds of victorious instrumentation was heard as laurels of congratulations were handed out!  It was then that the PC's observed that when Antonius healed anyone, he seemed to get a little older, a little sicker, a little closer to the grave himself...

Most of the rest of the night and ensuing days were spent clearing out the town, but their mission wasn't over.  There was one last area requiring their attention, the ghastly ominous graveyard on the hills overlooking the town from the north where the mountains were.   Eerie lights were spotted as well as lightning that didn't hit the normal colour spectrum flashed about.  In dread, the townsfolk implored the PC's to investigate and assist... and they refused!  Actually that's a lie... they did investigate indeed and those perils will be discussed in part three!  Coming soon!

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT!  Back the new Kickstarter for AS&SOH!  IF you don't, Regulus, the Crow-Man Priest and Lady of Chains may be coming for you!.... Or so they tell me!


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9/12/2019 11:02 pm  #44


Re: A Crow's Nest Upon Bleak Shores

At long last, sorry for the delay... Session 10 part three.

Howling winds and pouring rain torrents washed over and pushed back as an ominous bulwark warding off intruders as the PC's made their way to the graveyard wherein the earliest founders of Helios were interred.  Upon their arrival at said gloomy locale they could see a skeletal speaker giving orders to vicious ghouls whose slavering tongues and frantic gestures indicated a charismatic speaker riling up a monstrous audience driven by emotion and instinct.  The paladin through his enchanted communication with his sword knew these ghouls were from the far flung plateau of Leng.  How did they get here?  Earth and grass was shoved and mislaid as new warriors rose up to answer the rhythmic chanting.  Even the crows fled this hideous gathering of unlife and hope itself retreated to more hospitable environs.  The necromancer had his flesh golem and the ever present commentary of Regulus pattering away.  No words needed to be spoken at this abomination despite the frenzied pronouncements of the undead speaker directing this horde when malevolent eyes turned on the PC's.

Action sprang from all sides as the barbarian and runegraver and necromancer fanned out whilst the paladin was first in the fray as the bard surveyed the battlefield.  The flesh golem bashed it's way through as the speaker summoned more foes from a realm most dreadful.  Nightmarish creatures began to fill the gated confines as the PC's struck down some foes and absorbed blows delivered from the necrotic realms of the grave!  Soon, the speaker sensed another overwhelming presence as Regulus whispered in the ear of the necromancer that he would get the necromancer a new grimoire of spells.  As rain lashed down the PC's were weakened by the slashes although most avoided the paralyzing effects of the ghouls.  The necromancer was not so lucky as in his paralyzed stance he directed his golem to smite.  All the remaining PC's struck down foe as they came near to the end of their lives however the golem bore the brunt of the attacks as it was the biggest target.  The speaker cried foul searching the skies and landscape in vain for the mysterious benefactor who aided the PC's unaware that it was a being more evil than it was.  As the last blows fell, so did the golem.  The speaker then retreated to another dimension vowing to revisit harm on the PC's as the last vestige of evil intent was driven from the town of Helios.  As the other PC's made their way back to Helios to tell of victory, the necromancer remained behind trying to assemble and reanimate the golem.  "Having some trouble son?" Regulus asked.  "I procured a grimoire for you."  The demon exclaimed pointing to the speaker's book.  "Yeah, you didn't really help at all!" The necromancer responded then gestured towards the fallen golem; his powerful asset.  "You want that back?  It'll cost you, a finger or a toe.  Your choice." Regulus stated.  The necromancer extended the hand that he didn't use for his somatic gestures and the demon smote a finger from it and then the golem arose, seemingly as good and sturdy as it ever was.  The cackling laughter was all that broke through the rain. 

Meanwhile, once the PC's arrived at town they saw that the rallied townsfolk had driven out the hyena men and celebratory functions were beginning.  Then, a stalwart guard rushed a figure covered in leathers that appeared to be flayed human skins now in bonds to the PC's.  He identified himself as the new voice for the Lady of Chains and that she wished to broker a deal with the PC's.  Flabbergasted at this new turn of events but wary of what it forebode, the PC's ordered the constabulary to take him into custody.  Tonight was a night of reward, the town was free.  As the festivities began the necromancer and flesh golem slunk back into the town as lurkers avoiding defeat.  End Session 10, Session 11 soon...

As in I need to get that up quickly as Session 12 is coming up in a couple of weeks!


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9/12/2019 11:42 pm  #45


Re: A Crow's Nest Upon Bleak Shores

Session 11, part one.  Three weeks have passed as the strengthening and rebuilding (not to mention the gathering of goods) since the melee at the cemetery.  The PC's have made new allies including a tinkerer who was rather forceful in romantic inclinations with the cryomancer, a wainright who believes in the paladin's cause of Apollo, a minstrel whose biting prose and song favour the necromancer instead of the bard, the lone sage who has been quite the source of education for the bard and a stabler who has taken quite the liking to the ranger and has allowed the PC's use of horses.  Rest and recuperation along with hard work has been the theme as the town prepares for the winter as we move to that portion of the Hyperborian 13 year cycle.  Far better reactions are here versus when they were in Calencia.  All skills were shared to some degree as the necromancer and golem are still shunned and whispered against.  All this time, the envoy of the Lady of Chains lay in prison.

Finally it was decided to approach the reprehensible individual.  With the paladin and bard being the lead spokespeople, the others gestured for the guard to close the cell as interrogation began.  Once the door clanged shut, a feminine voice was heard as the male prisoner went slack.  The guard morphed before their eyes as the Lady herself appeared.  She laid out their problems: the Crow Man and his "death to all, the crows eat" scenario, offered the necromancer release from Regulus and an offer to aid to fight said demon as long as they all agreed to terms, a contract signed in blood or skin.  She also gave them a quest dealing with one "Lond Von Kilyanovar" and his "brood" in exchange for information regarding the Repository of Illysaes that the bard and sage had uncovered information about.  This was a focal point of history and lore predating the Green Death that would aid countless.  The paladin felt overwhelmed as he literally had to pick between evils.  In the end a contract was signed by all parties with the Lady agreeing to aid the PC's on their quest(s) as long as they didn't impede her impending plans of carving a kingdom out for herself.  Most pertinent was the curses portion of the contract.  Each side was to name a curse; bloodbound and enforced by higher or lower power or perhaps time and chance.  The PC's stated that the Lady's curse was as follows: You are forbidden to attack Helios, forbidden to attack ours, forbidden to assail us upon forfeiture of your powers and you devote the remainder of your days serving Apollo.  The PC's on the other hand agreed to this: You are forbidden to attack my kingdom, forbidden to interfere with my plans within my kingdom upon pain of leprous sores, bereft of all allies and no succor for the remainder of your lives, undeath without dying.  After quibbling about some details, the PC's reluctantly (the paladin most vociferous against this) agreed to her terms.  She smiled and then her illusion was back to a guard and time went on as normal.  "I'll help, beginning with this... beware of the performers." she stated with no inflection.

A major autumnal festival in Helios was due to begin.  End part one.  Part two to follow as this sets the stage.


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9/27/2019 10:21 pm  #46


Re: A Crow's Nest Upon Bleak Shores

Session 11, part two.  The autumnal festivities commenced quickly as night fell and reverie was underway.  The Lady of Chains would appear periodically, as a forthright strumpet or a high backed noble whispering advice under her illusory nature to the PC's.  Soon, the "Merrie Band of Mice and Men" began their acrobatic display and foray into Helios proper enthralling and enrapturing the crowd with a display most delightful as celebratory natures took over before the onset of an upcoming winter.  As the night progressed (nights were much longer than days now), soon the minstrels and entertainers moved to a square of Helios that to the PC's began to look like a classic combat enclosure and their sense of unease grew.  Without warning amidst the drunken crowd, the band lifted masks and veils showing they were rat men and women!  They mobbed the PC's and combat broke out.  The crowd thought this was "part of the entertainment" and drinks were passed around.  Quickly, shouts of help were heard from upper stories and the bard noticed that his new friend the sage inhabited one of the houses now cordoned off from their egress.  As the crowd drank, imbibed, hurled curses, shouted or spat encouragement or derogatory comments, combat albeit subdued occurred. 

From differing places, the bard, paladin, ranger, necromancer (due to civilities kept his flesh golem back) and cryomancer engaged with the rat men whose numbers showed an all out assault!  Within minutes, the sewers were spewing forth hordes of giant rats and a swarm of them of which the necromancer quickly webbed up the grates to protect against more of this disease ridden vermin from infiltrating the town.  The paladin was bitten, but was immune to the lycanthropic disease they spread.  As pitched battle progressed, and rat men were cut down and the PC's took wounds but did not contract the same moon driven affliction, the crowd in a drunken frenzy began to get involved thinking it was a strange play performance that encouraged others to engage.  One hapless crowdman drunk on glory and ale tried to aid the PC's but only succeeded in setting himself on fire and dying a horrifying death in flames with a smile on his lips.  As the PC's were whittled down bit by bit, they struck down rat man after rat man, then the paladin looked up to the upper stories.  It appeared a mysterious flying creature was directing this attack.  Other shadowy creatures lurked above from rooftop to spire.  The rat men were merely a decoy.  Winged evil took flight to one house in particular at the end of a street and it was clear that whatever was in that house would not be safe.  Moving the crowd aside, the PC's dispatched rat men left and right and took up positions to assail the house.  Then, the bellows and shouts from the scribe could be heard!  He was a prisoner there and the winged creatures seemed to be moving to execute him!  The PC's knew they needed his intellect to find the Repository of Illysaes!  Gritting teeth and holding weapon and readying spell, they moved in!

End part two, part three soon... then Session 12 as we play this weekend!


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11/08/2019 11:05 pm  #47


Re: A Crow's Nest Upon Bleak Shores

Session 11, part three!  Doom descends!  The winged vaguely humanoid shapes with faces devoid of features descended to assail the PC's as the maelstrom of combat surged towards that last manor house which was a flurry of activity.  Bolts, arrows and other missile projectiles flew out from multiple stories to hamper access into the building as pleas for help could be heard.  The PC's sent steel, magics, and honed skills to cut into the ranks whilst avoiding the drunken revelry of the masses who still cheered and sneered at the combatants thinking it was a masquerade of a play they viewed.  Winged shapes and other rat-men launched a final assault on the PC's as they broached the front doors.  Carnage and ruin was inside the manor house as sword and blade struck home.  The winged creatures were horrific to behold, each acting in concert with companions air bound.  Nightgaunts!  Here!  In Helios!

All the PC's mustered battered the foes back as they made their way to the second story of the manor.  Therein they espied a troop of rat men guards who had a caged prisoner, the sage!  Only this time with backs against the wall, the rat men began trying to escalate harm to said prisoner as they discerned that he was of great interest to the PC's.  The bard, paladin, cryomancer, ranger, and barbarian continued their brazen offensive against the intrusive vermin to Helios whilst the necromancer aided in his magic albeit covertly so as to not horrify the bystanders with visions of unlife.  After a quick few moments and with foes indoors, the nightgaunts spirited away to the dark skies above away from the surveying eyes of the PC's.  The rat men were struck down and convulsing and twitching in death throes as the weary PC's stabilized the manor house and freed the sage.  The bard knew the sage as he had begun a tutelage under said learned aged man.  After hurried conversation and need to resume a semblance of normalcy amidst the festivities outside, they skulked about the back exit and shadow laden alleys to secreted room to engage in findings and inquire about the Repository.  Much learning was in store in the future!

End session 11, session 12 write up starting soon!


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11/09/2019 12:05 am  #48


Re: A Crow's Nest Upon Bleak Shores

Session 12, part one!  And so the study begins... In the aftermath of the great autumnal festival, the PC's spent time in serious study with the sage trying to decipher the true locale of the Repository of Illysaes.  The rest of Helios spent their time harvesting and gathering as the winter years would soon be upon them all.  Already fell swift black winds swept down the crevasses and crags of the Spiral Mountain Array.  With an erudite scholar at their disposal, the more learned of the PC's were able to canvass many olden texts and while the more well traveled PC's were able to proffer information that filled in gaps the tomes were missing.  After much chance and heated discussion alongside veritable texts that made informed decisions, the PC's located the general region of the Repository.  Now, they had to set out amidst the gathering cold and frost as some flakes swirled about in the air.  After conversing with the stabler and wainwright, it was agreed horses would be employed as well as the stabler as travel was hastily planned north of Helios to a tendril of the Spiral Mountain Array.

A cold blustery morning greeted the PC's as they departed Helios for the north towards the foreboding Spiral Mountain Array determined to find the Repository of Illysaes.  Feet tread over cracked land as progress north was made inexorable.  An occasional shiver or grimace was seen as cold settled in and curses were muttered at the rapidly dwindling light of day.  After days of travel with ill hunting conditions, the few creatures they saw kept their distance and own agenda.  At long last they found what appeared to be a man made plateau of sorts although weather and erosion had left damaging marks.  There were pillars and stonework, ruined sculptures and signs of what may had been a great artistic center.  Now, they noticed tracks of wolves and their scat and bones of lesser mammals that probably was the meals of the former.  As the early night descended upon them, howls began to envelop the PC's.  Soon from all angles a wolf pack slunk toward them, three quite large wolves with reddish eyes led the pack of fang and claw and slavering jaw toward the PC's.  The bard quickly settled into arcane babbling wherein he was able to converse with the other wolves.  He learned of the disease/sickness/necrotic insanity that drove the larger wolves in their midst.  Battle broke out as the flesh golem battered wolf body and the PC's concentrated attacks at the bard's direction avoiding the "normal" wolves.  The ranger picked off some with well aimed bowshots while the barbarian, runegraver and paladin engaged in melee with the sickened and maddened wolves.  The necromancer directed the flesh golem to destroy while the cryomancer kept the pack at bay with magics that accelerated the wintry conditions to create a buffer zone. 

Before long, the diseased wolves fell slain and warily the normal wolves approached and offered guttural snarls and yelps and howls that the bard understood and quickly conveyed to the other PC's.  A lonely cellar was found stuffed with the bones of lesser animals who probably entered here but never escaped.  After thorough investigation of the cellar, a coin was found of curious mintage, one bearing the bust of Illysaes on the obverse and archaic language amidst runes on the reverse conveying welcome passage to the Repository.  Convinced they were in the right place, they checked against the maps they had.  After some conflicting information on their outdated maps was corrected, they dug and found a cylindrical chamber with mysterious buttons.  Only one could enter at at time and so it was they descended the cylindrical chamber to a mysterious underground chamber.  Ruin and debris were strewn about.  Once the PC's cleared the rubble and righted the track of the chamber, smallish wheeled almost human robot like contraptions beeped and whirred as they began a "diagnostic" that launched a repair sequence on the claustrophobic chamber they traversed upon.  Dank smells, no light, multiple passageways met them down below.  It appeared much had changed topographically compared to the old maps they had.  Nothing to do but thrust ahead, but which way?

End part one of Session 12, part two coming.


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11/21/2019 11:09 am  #49


Re: A Crow's Nest Upon Bleak Shores

I'm really enjoying your write-up!  I am even more impressed with your dedication to keeping it up and reasonably current. Trying to write a recap in an evocative prose style like you are doing is WAY more work than the "Entered the room, killed 4 orcs and a giant rat" style.  Keep it up!


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12/12/2019 10:10 pm  #50


Re: A Crow's Nest Upon Bleak Shores

Thanks for the kind words Hackhamster!  I'm trying to keep the same feel throughout the write up.  Here goes the next part of Session 12.

Session 12 Part Two!  The lambent torchlight cast eerie shadows as the misshapen room was revealed.  Seismologic shifting had definitely produced the strange layout alongside what must have been vigorous digging by things trapped beneath.  Three gaping portals were seen in the dusty gloom.  Skittering, scraping and dripping noises emanated from all passageways.  It was chosen to go right relative from the transportation tube.  Cautiously making their way, the PC’s found various fungi, some giving off faint luminescence, others exuding a deathly odor.  Puddles of murky liquid dotted the uneven floor as giant leeches lumbered and slid toward the PC’s eager for a taste of blood!  Melee broke out and soon the PC’s had slain the loathsome creatures feeding them only a little before the final smite of death.  After the sounds of battle had died down, two more distinct passageways were discerned.  One sharply upended and angled downward in a ruinous dead end but some locked chests were found but not all could be opened.  The decided not to risk the contents and eschewed hacking or bludgeoning them open and instead brought them back to the transportation tube area.  The other passageway led to a narrow tunnel of sorts with watermarked erosions and patterns in the tight wall space.  A rolling noise in a repetitive pattern was heard ahead.  With the ranger in the lead, he quickly leapt across the path of an oncoming boulder that promptly smashed into the runegraver.  With the runegraver toppled back, the cryomancer and bard discerned it was a magical trap that reset itself once the boulder reached the eschaton of its trajectory.  The paladin, bard and barbarian used their combined might to break off a stalactite and other larger rocks and block the path of the boulder.  Once that barrier was in place, the PC’s wound their way in a line down the narrowing cleft.  This too ended in a dead end as the “walls” seemed to have smashed together.  Debris collected there and amongst rotting fabrics, broken statues and a bashed in trunk, another of the coins of Illysaes was found. 

Now the PC’s had to backtrack again to the initial room with unexplored paths.  The dust had been disturbed alerting the PC’s that something was in here after they left and marks and tracks led both ways.  The paladin boldly moved to the centermost passageway intoning Apollo as he strode.  A large red colored being with gleaming teeth and stump like wings and elongated nails and claws tore at him from the shadows and the strikes ran rivulets of blood as the PC’s jumped back in alarm!  As the battle ensued with red coarse haired nail/claw/teeth monstrosity other degenerate gibbering humanoids with bulbous eyes and deadened faces moaned as they raised crude weaponry that still had bits of bone and brain and hair on them from their last kill.  Eldritch energies swirled about as the color spray from the bard blinded the newcomers and the battlelust filled PC’s engaged the terror the paladin faced whilst the necromancer, cryomancer and ranger methodically struck down those bereft of sight.  Ere long, the PC’s slew the coarse haired red creature whose deadly nails were slick with the blood of the PC’s it mangled.  Draughts of healing were passed about as the PC’s caught their breath and wondered what lay beyond in the unexplored territory.

Being as stealthy as they could, the slow traversing saw them find one gaping hole that looked like some rather large forgotten thing under the earth had haphazardly gouged forward was a choice better left undisturbed.  They then move on the fragmented ground that sloped and staggered downward as if granite icebergs of varying heights had crashed and coalesced to form a rudimentary staircase that led to a passage with a large pool and a waterfall that had water runoff from above pouring its contents into the cold depths.  From the far side of the pool crab men were feeding humanoid appendages to something beneath the murky surface.  The ranger was incensed as some of his favored enemies in their presumed arrogance to be alive in his presence had him reaching for bow to send a torrent of arrows at the offending beings!  Giant crabs began to emerge and the bard frantically began speaking to them in the clacks and clicks of the claw to try to get them to stand down.  The necromancer sent the newly raised gruesome pallid degenerate folk at the crab men to buffer the attacks while the PC’s advanced.  The barbarian ran, plunged into the water and swam to the shore by the waterfall toward the crab man leader whose torso was struck by arrows from the ranger.  The cyromancer sent a powerful blast of cold that bestowed death to those whom the ranger did not shoot, the paladin did not smite and the runegraver did not hack.  At last the bard was able to get the normal oversized crabs to not behave in a hostile manner to the PC’s and they lumbered off into the depths of the pool not to be seen again that night.  Meanwhile the barbarian noticed shining luminescence beyond the waterfall.  As the PC’s passed under the drenching cold water, they noticed that gone was the uneven rock, earth and misshapen ground.  In its stead was the top of a broken staircase that gradually became hale and complete with a platform containing a closed door as well as an armored living being with a canine head but completely humanlike athletic body and a golden orb that gave off striking bluish light that cast the room in its tones.  “Have you come to visit the repository?  Do you have the tokens of invitation?” the strange guard asked in almost regal tones.  The PC’s produced the coins and the guard nodded in approval and opened the portal to a field of mystic energies and led them a building within a maelstrom of colors that looked nothing like architecture seen on Hyperboria.  “Welcome to the Repository of Illysaes” the canine headed guide intoned as he unlocked the front door and led them into the cavernous reception hall with the gilded blue orb hovering beside him…
End Session 12, Session 13 to follow soon!  The Repository of Illysaes is found!

Last edited by MrManowar (12/12/2019 10:10 pm)


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12/13/2019 12:21 am  #51


Re: A Crow's Nest Upon Bleak Shores

Session 13 part one!  The PC's gazed up in awe at the magnificent opulence of the reception hall with it's marbled floors and exquisite sculptures as well as it's well tended mineral gardens whereas plants seeming made or carved of precious gems and masterwork artistry assailed their senses.  They were met quickly by tall hulking iron automatons whose every action exuded deliberate precision as well as impregnable defense.  "Good day to you all" one bowed slightly and began to pronounce the terms they would have to agree to to peruse anything in the Repository of Illysaes.  The PC's quickly discerned they were in another time, another plane, some other state of existence that predated the "Green Death" as if a memory in a bottle was preserved and sealed off from the intruding eyes and senses of a hostile world.  The summation of the iron automaton's cordial but stern welcome explicitly stated the terms they would follow.  Namely thus, they had to wear a headband and wrist shackles that would kill them instantly should they deface, steal or cause other violence to the texts contained therein.  Pincers and stingers would rest against their bare flesh to minister death to any who wished to cause harm or depletion to the Repository of Illysaes.  The coinage only granted entry, but not perusal.  Also, the PC's were informed that time passed differently here.  There was only chronological order, not time measured in increments as they were used to.  As such, they would not need food, water, sleep, etc. unless they wished it however in their own world time would pass as normal or even at what would seem a quickened rate the longer they stayed to research.  The PC's realized the gravity of the situation and agreed to the terms.  Each was assigned a scribal entity who would take notes or even produce a perfect copy of a tome, codex or papyri or skin they happened across in their research.  It was also clarified that they were in another plane of existence that was well defensed and maintained.  The PC's then hatched a plot of donating the crow man's apocalyptic book they acquired so long ago to this vast esoteric collection!

After submitting to the terms and allowing the contraptions of death to be procured on their bodies, the PC's began to research... The bard was interested in the decline of Hyperboria and soon settled in reading the "Codex of the Hyperborian Eschaton", a massive tome detailing entropy and decay theorized by researchers investigating into the acts of Yikkorth and Xathoqqua.  The ranger, barbarian and cryomancer noting the lack of divine help apart from the paladin huddled around a study table taking copious notes from "The Botanical Annals of Solomon" as they learned of lotus beneficial and detrimental as well as various other medicinal cures.  The runegraver, who earlier had brewed a potent drink with the assistance of a distilling brewmaster of Helios stumbled through a reading of "Budo's Treatise of Inebriation" to deal with the toxic side effects of the drink they had quaffed and to try to discern a clearheaded benefit to the potent offering.  The cryomancer wanted to try to craft other magic items, but to his sorrow upon reading "Yalblain's Lamentation of Creative Loss" discovered that making new magic items was largely a lost art; however the mysterious snake men and other eldritch races may know the lost secrets.  That book was a newer acquisition to the library and answered many of his queries but also gave him some ideas.  The necromancer looked for and found documentation on how to "heal" his rapidly decaying flesh golem left back at the surface.  The paladin was single minded in his search of the oldest of tomes to grant ideas on how to defeat once and for all the demon he unwitting released.  The papyri scraps of Dionysius' Daemonicon told him of the origins on Phobos and other worlds and hidden in acrostic spellings, he (perhaps illumined by Apollo) was able to possibly guess at "Regulus"' true name.  They also learned of a female bard who vanished pre-Green Death who now lived here and saw a snake man scholar who shunned them with hostility at every chance meeting.  Since physical confrontation/violence was forbidden they kept perusing tomes.   Then they presented their tome: the Apocalypse of the Ravening Crow-God.  The sentries and attendants then took the offering to presumably Illysaes himself as the PC's never saw him, only a ghostly image in peripheral vision.  A coinage credit was given to them due to the unique nature of the book being a one of a kind and sealed off from Hyperboria, well... the PC's being PC's and all...  (out of game, let's cash in to get a Manual of Strength or whatever from the magic item list!)  Having procured some valuable tomes of that kind as well as other esoteric nature they began to plot their course.  That soon led to them pondering how much time really passed in the outside world.  Also, the necromancer and paladin looked up information on the Lady of Chains, only to discover the books were blank.  Erasure by magical means.  Alarms sounded as the iron automatons dispatched an assassin to kill the offender who dared to wipe clean information contained in the Repository of Illysaes.  With bemused expressions, the PC's were almost jovial as they planned their course of action with information obtained and where to proceed from here...

End part one of Session 13.


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1/02/2020 10:20 pm  #52


Re: A Crow's Nest Upon Bleak Shores

Session 13 part two: Ultimately, with the newfound knowledge gained, the PC's decided to head back to Hyperboria leaving this wondrous library behind.  Before leaving, they conversed with the bard who had stayed to reside in the enclave of books and other tomes of lore.  She told them of frost giants who attempted to gain egress, but were repelled.  With that in mind, the PC's departed and entered the chamber with the dog-headed muscle bound guardian to go back to the ruins of the cavern that led them here.  After farewells were exchanged, the PC's strode beyond the waterfall to a scene quite different than the corpses of the crab men they left behind upon entering the Repository.  Gone were the carcasses and in their stead was a coven of fish-men cultists babbling incoherencies to Xathoqqua while grotesquely limbering about giant frogs that were stationed about the pool.  With the macabre ceremony interrupted, the shaman gesticulated wildly and arcane energies filled the air and the cultists turned their ire on those who would dare disrupt the festivities!

Combat ensued immediately as water splashed and hissed about.  The giant frogs attempted to consume the PC's and several had to cut their way and sever tongue and mouth amidst the foul saliva-like goo they were covered in.  The bard and the ranger and necromancer kept the shaman and his sorcery at bay as the paladin, runegraver and barbarian smote death down on the cultists.  The ranger then turned his attention to the fish men after taking a wicked spear thrust to the torso.  The shaman's frenzied magic affected them all to harm, but eventually he was slain as the PC's triumphed over the cult.  Blood and gore infected the water and the PC's were sure the sounds of battle probably alerted whatever other nameless horrors were lurking.  How long had they been gone anyway?  Unsure of the answer to that question, they groped about in slow progress wary of potential danger.  They could see remote signs on the floor and walls of their previous passing, but also new signs indicating some other beings not even remotely humanoid must have traveled the paths of the eerie cavern.  After winding through the same paths they went in an earlier time, part of the ceiling "came alive" as stalactites began falling upon them!  After some were pierced, the PC's hacked away at these creatures who struck with harm from above.  It was only then that the PC's noticed the strange fungi that weren't there before.  After hurried and tense conversation, it was determined that some fungi emitted a dust that could kill the PC's (a fate the necromancer wasn't averse to the others experiencing) and some fungi if they moved close enough; would shriek a wail to awaken the dead and living alike that the PC's realized their precarious situation.  Careful maneuvering would be required to avoid the perils that seemed innocuous in their almost serene stillness.  The plan they concocted almost worked until one of them set off the piercing shrieking thing at the end of the cavernous path.  Deafened and paranoid, they ran heedless of anything wishing to get back to the main room where the strange cylindrical chamber could take them above ground and to freedom from the dark depths.  Out of breath and hearing of a slow pursuit behind them they were surprised to see that the "diagnostic" metallic creatures not only cleared away the rubble, but fixed all but the superficial damage to the chamber.  Automated heads swiveled at the PC's arrival as the little animated creatures began to usher them one by one to the surface.  The paladin exited last in time to see the chamber door close on a vision of tentacle and teeth...

Once back at the surface, they encountered their stabler looking starved and frantic, the horses lean and gaunt, but that was not what surprised them most.  That awesome sight belonged to a large squarish entity seemingly made of muscle and sinew close to the horses that clearly seemed to be leaving the northern harsh climes for more hospitable lands much warmer in the face of the oncoming winter.  With only an hour or two of daylight left, the PC's decided to rest and comfort the stabler and feed the animals and themselves with the meager rations they had left.  The bard worked on communicating with the massive beast resembling a crude flesh waggon as the necromancer reunited with his flesh automaton which was as implacable as ever. 

Instead of heading back to Helios however, the PC's decided to head further up this tendril of the Spiral Mountain Array to investigate the rumor of frost giants.  With the few hours of daylight they had, they made their way up.  The PC's found a solitary frost giant seemingly guarding a cave of sorts along with a languid large wolf.  Both seemed to be quite relaxed and not on alert.  The PC's then hatched a plan of surprise and moved into position.  Shortly thereafter, weaponry sprang to life as the PC's attacked the unsuspecting wolf and giant!  The giant roared in fury and smote the runegraver to the ground bleeding out in death throes as the ranger and barbarian assailed the wolf.  The flesh golem and paladin valiantly flanked the giant to engage him in exchanging blows.  The necromancer eschewed healing the runegraver in favor of summoning a scythe that could remotely hack at the giant.  The beleaguered paladin quickly ran to lay hands on his fallen comrade before death could finally take him.  As the melee was ongoing, on a higher cleft face, more and more frost giants were gathering to watch the spectacle.  Also, more winter wolves crept to the cliff face, all watching in rapt attention.  Soon an especially large frost giant and his hideous wife strode forth to observe.  Not a word was said as the PC's slew the wolf below and after sustaining many grievous wounds, the PC's ultimately slew the giant.  At last, the hulking titan of the giants stood up and bellowed loudly "YOU WHO HAVE SLAIN ONE OF OURS!  YOUR DEATH AWAITS!  IN THE THROES OF WINTER YOU SHALL FALL,  I HARALD EVENDAEREN PROCLAIM IT TO BE SO!  WE WILL BATHE IN YOUR BLOOD AND YOUR ANCESTORS WILL RUE THE DAY THEIR PROGENY ESCAPED THEIR LOINS!  WE COME!  WE COME!  WE COME!!!"  A raucous chorus of battle cries emerged from the frost giant clan from above and the PC's knew the only recourse was to run.  They fled and tumbled in their haste down the slopes as some flakes fell before seeing the large frost giant and his wife kiss in some bloody embrace while hoisting weapons up high!

Endurance and sturdy constitution was needed to march through the night to get back to Helios.  In time they learned they were in the Repository almost two months although it seemed like hours or days to the PC's.  Worn out, barely upright and in some cases dragged or born by the fleshly waggon creature, they at last were behind the closed doors of the outer walls of Helios.  Frigid air exhaled, it was time to sleep.  Then time to contemplate what their actions had wrought....

End Session 13, Session 14 coming soon!  Happy New Year everyone.
 


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1/16/2020 11:34 pm  #53


Re: A Crow's Nest Upon Bleak Shores

Session 14 part one!  After a week of respite and recuperation in Helios a grim portent was slowly pervading the town. Illness.  A pestilent sickness was encroaching in upon the ill-fortuned citizens of Helios as coughing, spasmodic vomiting and other respiratory ailments were striking people left and right.  Even the runegraver caught sick from a virus of unknown origin.  The sight of solitary crows flitting about or landing on fenceposts or rooftop only added to the grim mood of the town as cold and the occasional snow added to the bleak outlook.  The last outliers of the frontier left their vigil and homesteads preferring the walled protection of Helios as well as the promise of food and warmth as the daylight waned and the night waxed stronger.  The newcomers also brought tales of wicked procedures at a ruined shrine of a bygone era as well as the notorious crossroads further south where the most heinous and awful criminals were hung in wrought iron cages left exposed to the elements to contemplate their impending deaths.  And the crows still flew.  And cawed raucously.  And plucked out eyes.

The PC's felt something was amiss as a presence of crows like this wasn't seen since the early days of their awakening on some god-forsaken isle.  After listening to some grisly tales and some fearful recounting of others they decided to investigate and lay to rest this ill omen before winter set in full.  After a period of deliberation they decided to journey to the ruined shrine some miles north and west as their may have been a religious or cultic aspect to this and that seemed to be the likely spot to draw denizens of that ilk.  The fleshly waggon itself was dying and fast.  So were others.  Brother Antonius himself seemed to be nigh on his death rattle.  Wrapped in furs and braced against the bitter wind, they traversed to the shrine location described in the feverish stories of the last travelers into Helios.  The gray tones which signified day soon gave way to the twilight of night as Phobos and Saturn leered down from the sky.  In the bright light of the stars above and the contrast of snowswept plains broken here and there they espied the shrine.  Tall pillars of rough hewn stone shone with eerie blue lights and a crude altar hastily erected was noted as attention was drawn to the multiple winged beasts flying about as well as the capering of ghouls and doglike creatures that had distinctive features not native to this part of Hyperboria! 

Battle schematics were hatched as the PC's recognized the nightguants and their foul allies engaged in some sort of diabolical ritual that only served to brighten the lights of the pillars and darken the altar.  Soon arrows and spells flew through the night air striking the fell creatures and battle was underway!  Flames, the flesh automaton and solid steel empowered by magics met the alien flesh of the creatures.  The stings of the nightgaunts' tails slowed down most, but not all.  The paladin slew one in his fury as the bard, ranger and barbarian cut down the ghouls (who it was later discerned came from Leng) whilst avoiding the paralyzing effects.  The necromancer was paralyzed, but his gruesome flesh automaton bashed and slaughtered all those who came close to the hapless spellcaster.  The cryomancer continued his assault as he assessed the situation to dispel the glowing ritual at hand.  At last, working in tandem, they were able to defeat the creatures without too much loss of their own lives although they all sustained some wound or another.  The dispelling effect was tremendous, shattering the pillars and the PC's then defaced the altar and left the unhallowed ground littered with the bodies of their enemies.  As the tumult ended, a lone crow fell lifeless to the ground.  It was clearly sick and diseased, a parody of the illness facing Helios at large.  With no sign to hail the passing of a magical sickness, the PC's then redoubled and felt a march to the forsaken crossroads was in order...

End part one, part two coming in the future!


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1/19/2020 12:11 am  #54


Re: A Crow's Nest Upon Bleak Shores

Session 14 part two...  Sickness and decay.  Death and finality of all mortality.  The grim march to the south towards the crossroads unveiled the picturesque setting of death, rot and decay... so thought the necromancer of the party.  The rest of the PC's were unsettled at the seemingly early demise and rot encroaching in on all quadrupedal and botanical specimens they encountered.  Even more shocking was the rapidity of birds plummeting from the sky to crash as a mess of flesh, feather and bone to the unyielding ground as cold and wind embraced all with their chill embrace.  While the snows were few, ice formed on beards and other clothing as the PC's trekked onward to the godforsaken crossroads.  No sign of life was seen as barrenness and emptiness was displayed, like an unsettling painting with no subject.  At long last in a kind of tragic somber journey they arrived at the locale that others shunned.  With cloaks and furs wrapped tight as if to ward off impending malicious superstitious attempts to make them succumb to the death they've seen, they at last came to the treacherous ground known only as "the Crossroads".  Unsure where the other hard tracks of road led to, the ominous creaking and swaying of the cages housing shapes and bones put them on heightened alert.  Two other things captivated the PC's attention.  Namely: the tall shape in a blackened cloak with an enormous scythe reaping dead crops as if it was casually cutting down people and a befuddled crow man, Costigan Bran himself talking to something that wasn't there.  All was not well with Bran, as gone was the musculature and bravado and surety of his spellcasting ability.  Now, a grim, gaunt creature with open sores and every third word spoken was punctuated by a horrific hacking cough that also saw a fluid mix of phlegm, blood and maggots and other parasitic creatures defile the ground with each emission.  While observing and planning strategy, crows began dying from above and with each carrion bird dead, the crow shaman himself grew stronger despite his frail frame.   The deathlike reaper kept reaping the surroundings and the PC's noticed an eerie emblem of a necklace it wore glowed and pulsated with a strange energy.  At long last, the PC's could endure this hideous spectacle no more.  Time for action.

"Sick, so sick" Bran half spat/coughed out the words... "the book, gone!  The Crow God must come..."  Arrows filled the air from the ranger and the ice-focused caster of the group aided with a magic dispel.  To the shock of the PC's Bran laughed and informed them he had performed the spells needed hours ago.  A dying crow god raised itself from the summoning circle, it too afflicted with leprous and scabbed over flesh and dying and the reaper turned from its monotonous task to fell the PC's or anything that should be swept under its blade.  The necromancer sent its flesh automaton into action as the paladin's sword intoned on how these devilish being must be destroyed!  The barbarian and bard launched shots from bow and strange ballistic object the bard had recovered in the previous adventure.  Auras of illness and manifestations of harm arose as the battle ensued.  Bran himself hurled epithets alongside spells as his rapidly decaying body seemed to fall to illness as the PC's discerned he was attached to the book they had left at the Repository of Illysaes, another plane of existence.  The flesh golem stolidly took attacks as it doled out harm to the reaper even though its commander the necromancer was not able to overcome the spells of Bran and dropped unconscious bleeding out.  The barbarian and ranger focused attacks on the summoned crow god thing from beyond as the bard and paladin closed in to Bran.  The ice flinging cryomancer dodged pursuit and flung spells as though fortuitous and fickle luck was entirely on his side.  A pervading sense of dread struck all but the grim determined paladin and the cryomancer laughing while frozen cold spells as well as a greatly timed melee strike aided the group.  The crow god in dying throes stuck the paladin and bard grievously and the bard stumbled away from the god-thing close to the reaper.  The barbarian summoned the meteor strike from his enchanted weapon as the ranger went down to spill his life blood on the hardened ground.  The strike was amazingly successful as the reaper wailed in anguish and as it died it's emblem released what looked like glowing sparks of comet/star-like life to careen away.  With a dextrous maneuver the bard managed to snag one of the tiny fiery creatures in a trap and it behaved like a trapped wasp, but not damaging the bard.  At last, the paladin cut down the crow god summoned as he tried to hold his own wounds together knowing that only victory or death awaited him.  As if though Apollo smiled upon the cryomancer who was not a worshiper but somehow evaded most of the harmful effects; said cryomancer unleashed a killing magical ray that brought down the crow shaman into a pile of parasitic death and fraying crow feathers.  The remaining PC's hobbled to their downed comrades as the the cryomancer (who surprisingly didn't get hit much) surveyed the bleak and unwelcoming crossroads.  Then the flakes of snow began to fall.

A hurried trek home to Helios ensued.  Items were snatched from the decaying bodies but it was far more preferable to recount stories of glory by a roaring fire than to mumble tales of triumph in bitter cold.  The flesh golem carried his weakened master as the other PC's assisted the wounded ranger and barbarian.  When the comforting walls of Helios were spotted on the next cold day, the PC's didn't expect to see a younger frost giant there.  The bald headed giant with a long beard and many arcane sigils and runes carved across his massive chest was dictating a sort of lex talionis judgment to the citizens of Helios in light of the PC's slaying one of their own.  He guffawed loudly seeing the wounded and bedraggled state of the PC's and announced in seven days the frost giants would answer should the town not sacrifice one of their own for the death of the giant.  As the giant spellcaster teleported out, the necromancer changed his physiology and morphed to a cloudlike gaseous form to observe what went on when the teleportation was complete.  In that incorporeal state, the necromancer learned that the frost giant clan would inevitably break their word and attack the town.  The question was when.  Then the spellcasting giant whirled about knowing they were watched and sent out eldritch energies to close the vaporous incorporeal trail to Helios.  The necromancer escaped the closing exit just in time and collapsing on the ground in front of his comrades and town leaders, he informed them of an upcoming dire peril...

End Session 14, Session 15-A transitional session to follow soon!


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3/28/2020 6:51 pm  #55


Re: A Crow's Nest Upon Bleak Shores

Session 15, the next steps of the campaign!  A somber mood had engulfed Helios and its citizens.  Hurriedly with as much gusto as could be mustered, the townsfolk began fortifying defenses as much as they could with the PC's assisting and offering aid wherever they could.  A couple of days ticked by with little light as the night of the wintering year kept torches ablaze and other lights to ward off the impending darkness and gloom.  In the dim predawn snow scattered day, a fiery object was seen in the sky hurtling towards the ground and crashed some distance away.  As multiple people saw it and wondered what it portended, the PC's gravely determined to investigate it despite the ominous threat of frost giants.  The ranger opted to stay and defend Helios should need arise (missing player).  Being cautious in their departure, they left Helios and trundled through the snow to traverse the miles to the crash site.  Not much was noted in terms of tracks or other life activity in the swirling snow, but as they clambered ever closer to the wreckage as now it was plainly seen to be some sort of transportation thing, it appears the PC's were not the only ones curious by the mysterious fallen object from the sky...

Hyena-men, bedecked in winter furs and snarling in the wind were there first and sending troops inside the wreckage!  The bard and barbarian stealthily made their way closer as their comrades closed the distance later.  After some hyena-men had clearly departed the fallen object with goods and such, the barbarian loosed arrows at this vestige of foes so close to Helios as it was their kind that assailed the town a while back.  Howls and yelps ripped the air as the doglike wretches returned a volley and others wielding cudgels, spears and blades advanced towards the PC's as they were intent on reaching the secrets and perhaps prizes of spoils held within the wreckage.  The paladin, barbarian and the flesh automaton charged to the thick of the fray as the ice-slinging spellcaster, runegraver, bard and necromancer made up the second wave of offensive hostility towards the bestial fiends!  Soon thick combat was locked as the PC's felled more of the hyena-men and although they sustained wounds, the death toll to the evil doglike visaged hyena-men was high.  Eventually, the remaining hyena-men slunk off in defeat in search of easier prey.  Then the PC's approached the burned shell of what fell from the sky.

They encountered a metal unlike anything they had previous seen on Hyperboria.  What strange alloy was this?  The deceased bodies within were all wearing some strange apparel and masks of a sort.  All dead due to fire or the impact of the crash.  Strange devices like an odd pad with a toggle and buttons were gained as the runegraver picked one up.  Pressing buttons at random revealed nothing except some lights turning on or off or on a screen an eerie pictorial lit up with with almost holographic images of the PC's themselves as if some capricious machinery had detailed their images and displayed them in a digitized pixelated format that mimicked what they did as if if was some kind of grotesque mockery of a mirror.  Thoroughly unsettled, the PC's grabbed some objects, included some things that looked like ray guns that they had heard about but did not see before except the broken one the cyromancer had been tinkering with.  The walk took time, and the PC's knew that the precious daylight time was running low so they had to get back to Helios immediately.  As they marched back, the runegraver was still toying with the device he grabbed.  Suddenly in a field of snow bereft of tracks, a gaping portal lit up just opened from the ground when he pushed certain buttons!  The PC's took note of this as it was remotely away from the crash site, peered in quickly, but decided to close it off and explore this later as safety behind the walls of Helios was deemed higher importance.

With about a mile to go from Helios, ice trolls marauding with large creatures with them assailed the PC's thinking them to be easy prey!  A giant weasel and another quadrupedal beast made their way to the PC's with the bard using his uncanny ability to speak with animals calming them down and reasoning with them as best he could.  Open melee began betwixt the other PC's and the hideously ugly ice trolls, who looked like a male and female in revolting apparel made from bone and skin of multiple victims.  The guards upon the walls of Helios were treated to a dazzling display of the PC's prowess in battle with the ice trolls as magics and steel scored flesh and bone from both sides.  The bard managed to convince the hulking animals to leave, and as they did, he noted they had body parts or bodily supplements of the same kind of mysterious metal seen at the wreckage as well as the portal/man-made underground cellar of sorts the PC's closed off.  Slashed, bleeding and grimly determined, the PC's slew the would be marauders leaving their corpses for the carrion eaters as darkness again enveloped the land for another long Hyperborian night.  Frost lined breath exhaled as they were safely back in Helios with as yet: no sign of the giants.  However, what was that opening in the ground?  What did it have to do with the crashed object from the sky?  Questions with no answers as yet.  Time to rest and recover.  And next, decide on the portal....

End Session 15.  We did play session 16 before our state shut down due to malignant coronavirus.  I'll try to get Session 16 written up soon.  It may be a while before we can play Session 17.  Hope all is well with you Hyperborian community!  Stay healthy and stay safe, take care.


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3/28/2020 6:54 pm  #56


Re: A Crow's Nest Upon Bleak Shores

Session 15 was played in early February and if it seems like a shorter writeup, it was a shorter session by my decision.  We were due to get a major snowstorm that night so I called the session earlier so those who drove didn't have to contend with the oncoming storm.  Session 16 will be a longer writeup as we played that session on Feb. 29 I think.  I'm setting the stage for some other things that will introduce new adventures as well as weave back into the story earlier things that were left alone, for now...


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3/31/2020 2:45 pm  #57


Re: A Crow's Nest Upon Bleak Shores

MrManowar wrote:

Session 15 was played in early February and if it seems like a shorter writeup, it was a shorter session by my decision. We were due to get a major snowstorm that night so I called the session earlier so those who drove didn't have to contend with the oncoming storm. Session 16 will be a longer writeup as we played that session on Feb. 29 I think. I'm setting the stage for some other things that will introduce new adventures as well as weave back into the story earlier things that were left alone, for now...

Ice Trolls sound very apropos for that weather event!  Glad to see you still updating.  That battle with the crow god was great - very spooky!  Are you looking into trying to play online with your group?

 

7/28/2020 10:16 pm  #58


Re: A Crow's Nest Upon Bleak Shores

Long time no write up, mea culpa indeed!  I have the Session 16 notes but haven't had a chance to add them here yet.  As to the question Eli, playing online... didn't work out as I'm just not a great technical person.  I tried Zoom for simple things and realized I just didn't have the patience to try that.  Also, due to several of us working from home online, we realized just from talking to each other we didn't have the patience to sit for a gaming session like my normal ones.  They ranged from the shortest (about 4 1/2 hours to the longest almost 9 hours) as we play once a month. 

Having said that, we will be playing Session 17 this weekend, in person, in a socially distanced place meaning not my Manowar gaming room where the first 16 sessions were played.  So, about that session 16 writeup huh?  I better get that going or else Ghul will fulfill the KS dice set before I post SOMETHING about this... hahaha!  Here better get going...

Last edited by MrManowar (7/28/2020 10:59 pm)


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7/28/2020 10:57 pm  #59


Re: A Crow's Nest Upon Bleak Shores

Session 16 part one!  With the PC's curiosity definitely piqued due to due the mysterious portal and fallen wreckage of the object of the sky; it was easy to determine the focus of their dreams and queries.  At once, they resolved to brave the cold and briskly picking up snowfall to venture to the fallen object; especially with the runegraver's newfound property of a strange device with toggles and buttons that occasionally lit up or emitted sounds.  Pushing against fell winds and blinding snow they plowed onward one step at a time to make their way to the crash site region and the mysterious portal that opened to a sequential button pressing on said device.  After a hush of silence, the appropriate sequence was entered and again egress was made this time allowing a generous portion of snowfall to spill into the chamber which was now exhibiting a strange blue light.  Time to investigate in the days before the frost giants would return to exact their tribute spoken earlier.  The blue lights as well as the metallic sheen of the walls showed the PC's not all was quite right in this chamber.  To make matters more infuriating, it seemed to be a single passage leading to a dead end of a diminutive room that's only remarkable feature was a tall solitary pillar apart from the strange runes and sigils in the place that all were giving off a lambent bluish glow.  Nothing living, nothing remarkable.  Then, the bard climbed the pillar to get a survey of the room.  When he clambered to the top of the pillar he found something peculiar.  A domed object, like a big manor house or small keep was inside a dome, a snowglobe of sorts only this strange house/keep/dwelling place was upon a rock or piece of land that rested on nothing and the "snowflakes" appeared to act like miniature stars, twinkling and moving like a slow breath through water as the globe was manipulated.  The bard brought down the curious object intent on studying further.  Annoyed by the inaction, the ranger just went ahead to touch the globe itself rather than the base and abruptly vanished without a trace.  A foreboding silence filled the room.  Finally mustering courage, the paladin and barbarian moved forward to touch the globe and they too vanished.  Then the runegraver noticed two things, observations passed on to the remainder of the group.  First of all, black specs corresponding in number to their vanished comrades now appeared on the broken bridge/walkway to the manor house in the snowglobe and strangely enough, the device he held now lit up with three red lights corresponding again to the number of their disappeared friends.  The ice lord began to get spells ready as the necromancer, runegraver and bard had a brief discussion.  Once the cryomantic precautionaries were in place, all the remaining PC's touched the globe and soon all were present to experience strange sensations.

None were prepared to be standing on the decrepit ruins of a bridge of what looked like a small landmass clearly holding a manor house/small fortress were hurtling through space, at least high altitudes with stars above and around them, air thin and difficult to breathe as all looked about only to see the ice wielding warrior-magic user was not there!  They were unaware of his invisible presence and he chose not to make himself known to his friends as he spied about for potential threats.  With breathing getting to be an ordeal, the plan was made to move to the door, especially since the snowglobe went with them showing the specks now much larger with them inside with the point of view of the snowglobe now shifting so they were like aquarian fish looking at the outside would from the confines of their tank!  They stalked to the door and found it unlocked and went in (except the as yet unnoticed invisible PC who was garnering information and secreting it away).  The door inside opened to a stark well cleaned room with tidy neat "just right" furnishings with no dust, all the artwork on the walls at perfect angles, the temperature of the wall sconces and heat looking and feeling just the right shade of comfortable, flowers in vases looking a bit too fake and the air sterile and chemically clean.  At once a middle aged gentlemen lowered the papers he was reading and give them a kindly smile.  As he stood and asked in an unfamiliar accent, "Are you here to see the doctor?  Have you an appointment?", the PC's noticed the closed door and lack of any real life signs apart from this individual.  "Ah, my apologies, where are my manners!" the man exclaimed as the PC's cautiously approached as some of the more astute PC's realized a threat written on the letter runes of the welcome mat.  "My name is Silas, the doctor is very busy at the moment, I ask again: do you have an appointment?"  As the PC's pondered this the cryomancy aided warrior-wizard PC's slipped in quiet as can be and too his shock and horror saw beyond the welcoming hospitable figure and in it's shadow saw the sickening distended body with enlongated claws clenching fists around a wicked looking trident and prehensile tail with what looked like a poisoned stinger in the shape playing against the walls.  After hurried conversation the PC's sans their invisible ally convinced Silas they had an appointment with the doctor.  Silas then gave them a wide smile, opened the door and gestured inside a lit room filled with operating tables, stranger apparatuses and some things that looked like butchering stalls and others with chemicals arcane with sights and smells and sounds to assail the senses alongside some living forms moving about.  "Right this way then, the good doctor will see you soon." he beamed as the PC's marched forward with the invisible cyromancer's inner alarms rising fast but not wanting to give away his cover should the potential element of deception be lost....

End part one, part two the doctor's laboratory coming soon!


Other bands play, Manowar kill!
     Thread Starter
 

7/30/2020 7:22 pm  #60


Re: A Crow's Nest Upon Bleak Shores

It's nice when they bite on the hook!  I like that shadowy foreshadowing.

 

Board footera






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