Ken (GM): allllllllllrighty then

fiss, updated sheet?

Fiss: Sent. Only big changes were adding the magic skills

Ken (GM): …email?

>look of shame

THE IT GODS LOOK DOWN UPON YOU

Fiss: Well, my Downloadableshittoyourbrain.com implant is malfunctioning

Ken (GM): curse your cheap saskatchewanian knockoffs!

shakes leg

Syviis: [Elfmode engaged]

Ken (GM) Where last we left our Heroes of the South!

Ken (GM) The Sun rises on a cool morning. Mist cloys to the hills around you and burns in the rising sun. For a few minutes, the world is aflame with radiant light. Your camp rises, eager to put down the chaos of the High Lord Jadeite, but where are his forces? Where have the people of the land gone? So far, aside from risen dead and shuffling ghouls, no Greyholders have come from the ruins of Academ…

Ken (GM) The militia grows more sturdy everyday; they have a discipline throughout that is unfettered by the madness you draw them into. The elven priests of the land give them hope, and their faith in you is unwavering. They see Roderick as the gleaming example they should strive to serve. The Dwarven knights paragon forces of power. Syviis, a tempest of elemental power. Gray, the greatest and most noble of the Scorned.



P.P. A.: probably not a high standard :^)

Ken (GM) The city of Greyhold twinkles on the horizon now, across the valley from Hoddleton and the farms and villages between. Mist curls about the land, blasted and aflame, ruined by some tragic and massive event, unseen. The castle at Greyhold floats, twinkling like a jewel in the morning sun. Rumors abound at it’s fate.

Gray rises and washes up, then eats and spends a while in meditation and prayer before collecting his arms and armor, examining his things for wear and damage before he gets suited up for the day. He thinks he makes a poor symbol, but works to avoid disappointing the beast blooded that seem to look to him. He finds the others in the morning mist, a mug in his hand. “Good morning, all.”

Suðri Skornbrekker can be seen eating some robotic limb he was experimenting with earlier, while looking thoughtfully towards Greyhold.

Ken (GM): [the things I didn’t think I’d see, so many games ago…]

Doc: this shit is why I had to take Unfazeable, you cost me 15 points!

P.P. A.: :DDDD



(To Gray): Looking to get a replacement shield, to swap out on the one you lost?

(From Gray): Hadn’t thought to yet, but it’s a good idea. Yes



(To Syviis): The mystics are going about the morning rituals and you notice, the elven wrap you wear? The ‘fashion’ is spreading among the scorned. Lots of folks wearing something similar in camp

(From Syviis): though slightly embarrassed, tries to set forth a good role model example for those who wish to see her as one.



(To Roderick): Your army is doing well, morale is still high. The Dwarf Captain reports that its likely due to some ‘unfounded faith in that weird hokey druid crap the elf teaches’ but he’s confident the men will take orders



Gray looks to Suðri, surprised at.. well, that, then looking north. “Hoddleton might still have some people that have escaped the reckless, dangerous magic they’ve unleashed. It’s our next goal after we get to the river crossing. Hopefully the bridge is still intact, there aren’t a lot of great options to get to the east bank otherwise.”

Suðri Skornbrekker: “I hope we find…something there, in addition to survivors. Perhaps they left a portal to inside Greyhold there, though I would not count on such a stroke of luck.”

Syviis: “With these portals active, they could be anywhere…but the lack of anyone suggests a larger spell, larger forces at work here.”

Roderick: “Hoddleton would be sensible if they intend to feed anyone in Greyhold.”

Suðri Skornbrekker: “Here is hope that those who remain in Greyhold still need to eat… food.”

Syviis: “Agreed…let’s hope the feeding isn’t all going into these dammed spells of evil.”

Gray nods again. “We should move then, once people are rested and ready.” He says on that grim note. Turning to check the supply wagons near the coach marked with Roderick’s colors. Seeing if they’ve got any decent shields among the weapons and equipment.

Bomrek can be heard in the distance, pissing, muttering “Fucking wizards”

(To Gray): Your men have been hard at work supplying the army and keeping things in shape. They have also been hard at work making sure you’re supplied too. A forward-thinking dwarf-smith went to work ‘upgrading’ a discarded kite shield for some extra surface area for you. a nice SM+1 replacement

Ken (GM) The morning rituals go on; men rise, shifts change, and the night fires are extinguished in preparation for the march past Academ. As you mill about getting ready, one of the scouting teams returns from the town, the last one, but not as empty handed as all the others. When the dwarven Commander gets your attention to the issue, it’s apparent he’s at a loss and needs your direction

Suðri Skornbrekker comes over.

Ken (GM) the party returned with a cart, heaped with several crates. Two of their light horses strapped in as haulers, it’s filled to capacity with wooden blocks all labelled in strange bright red runes



(To Suðri Skornbrekker): Dwarven symbols for “Black powder” are mixed in with stuff you don’t recognize in the writing

(To Roderick): Dwarven symbols for “Black powder” are mixed in with thaumatological wards that seem to be stabilizing “Red Dust”

(To Syviis): Your magic vision sees the telltale radiance of magic power; several concentrated forms of elemental power. Like boxed storms, winds, earthquakes and flames…



Gray seems glad to find a well sized shield, running a thumb along the marker’s mark and lifting it in salute to one of the smiths with the militia before putting it across his back on the leather gauge. He walks to the scouts and looks at the cart, then calls Memory to him, the black raven appearing at his shoulder like an inky shadow. “Anything you recognize?”

Suðri Skornbrekker: “Be careful with that, some of that is black powder,” Suðri instructs the people handling the cargo.

Memory: “New and old, Gray, these do not bode well. Strange Arcana and workings of men”

Roderick: “Red dust and black powder… Your new weapons may already be outclassed.”

Gray: “Not all of them. We’ve still got a volcano in a bottle we don’t want to use.” He jokes with Roderick somewhat grimly as he walks closer with Suðri, lifting one of the wooden blocks. “An explosive?”

Suðri Skornbrekker strokes his beard and walks over to take a closer look at the crates.

(To Suðri Skornbrekker): You recognize the telltale scent of home; Fine powder crafted by dwarven gunsmiths. As well, many of the crates look like standard gun-carriages; they likely hold muskets



Ken (GM) The scouts are wide grinning like bandit kings, but they wisen up at Suðri’s instruction. They carefully bring in the cart and present you with the cargo.

The scout leader goes on to explain; they found a building un-ruined in near the academy grounds. Inside was a warehouse seemingly untouched from the madness of the rest of the town. Several bloody circles on the building walls seemed washed out, on the exterior. Inside, they found the crates and loaded them up for you.



Syviis: “More caged elementals and powers…”

Gray nods to Syviis, setting the block down carefully and respectfully. “Aye”

Memory: “I do not understand; these auras and scripts… what have the wizards of Greyhold done…?” She trails off

Suðri Skornbrekker smiles. “We need to take some time out to train our troops, methinks—these here are muskets and shot for them! Imported from the mountainhomes too, so they ought to be good quality.”

Bomrek: “These boxes… a warehouse of dwarven goods… I think this is a shipment of arms the merchants have been looking for! Some of our brethren in Timberkeep asked me to keep an eye out for them, to ensure the dwarves and goods were unharmed…” Bomrek searches his pack, and comes out with a tin plate, with a dwarven seal emblazoned on it. In a short search, he finds a corresponding seal emblazoned on the boxes, in the bottom corner.

Suðri Skornbrekker ‘s expression darkens. “Right… I was hoping we would find the merchants themselves, too…”

Bomrek: “Scheiße”

Gray nods to Bomrek and Suðri, his hand lifting to pet the raven soothingly. “They might still have survived.. weapons then? It’s good we captured them.”

Bomrek: “WE wouldn’t make these” he says a bit hotly, indicating the swirling magical script in blood red on the boxes

Gray: “How have they been changed?” He asks, then shakes his head as he realizes the question is likely one Bomrek can’t answer. “Should we open one and see then?”

Bomrek: “Do what you like; I’m going to ask these men if they saw anything else important they ‘forgot’ on the way” He stalks off, and you see him begin to grill the scouts as they have a late meal.

Gray opens one of the boxes carefully, giving extra space in case it proves ‘volatile’.

Ken (GM) the lid of the box comes free with a simple peg-latch. As the top lifts off, a glow of telltale magic power shimmers in the morning light. Inside is loose-packed straw and wrapped packages of gunpowder… bundled inside packages of paper with swirling arcane script… inside human skulls.

Suðri Skornbrekker also pries one open, as carefully as necessary. “…what the [Dwarven expletive]…” He is aghast “I take it back, this cannot be a free Dwarf’s handicraft.”

Ken (GM) the other box contains what appear to be well made human-crafted Greyhold muskets. The wooden stocks and iron barrels swirl with brass filigree and strange protrusions. And the wheel-locks are modified to carry a large red stone as well as the mechanism arm.

Syviis frowns

(To Syviis): The powder bundles glow hot with arcane might; fire, acid and mighty explosions are bound in them. A maelstrom of chaos and black magic auras. They are FRAGILE

Syviis: “These are definitely not standard dwarven products. Dark magic permeates these deeply.”

(From Syviis): anything the mages and I can do to try to reverse-engineer / investigate?



Suðri Skornbrekker: “Where the Dreugar had faced us with crude implements, it seems our enemies in Greyhold have successfully welded together gun-smithing technology with their dark red-stone magic.”

Gray: “Death magic. Modified to make use of red-powder..” He shakes his head, studying the paper inside the skulls. “I’m tempted to make a bonfire of the whole thing. Whoever was sacrificed for this deserves to rest in peace.. but.. ” He sighs. “We should see how they work, at least. We are likely to face these in battle.”

Gray nods in agreement with Suðri, grimly examining one of the muskets then taking a ‘cartridge’ to load it. He doesn’t bite the bullet, breaking from the normal routine to instead pinch the round and tear the paper open.

(To Gray): You notice the ball is a finely formed sphere of some exotic color; greenish blue, polished down very finely



Ken (GM) the weapon behaves in Gray’s hand much like any other; the charge inserts in a break-open lock, and snaps closed firmly. When it’s loaded with the paper and ball, the stone on top glows ruddy with a color your eyes have a hard time processing…it hurts to look at.

(To Syviis): Thaumatology!

Syviis: (To GM) rolling 3d6 ( 4 + 3 + 4 ) = 11

(From Syviis): that’s a solid success

(To Syviis): so average: the gun is radiating with concentrated power in the lock; the charge is like a little tornado of power, twisting the power in a fine alignment along the barrel. The mix of magic power, you’ve never seen it before, but it’s stable and contained in the weapon. And dark with necromancy

Syviis: “The magic components are very standard.. nothing we’ve not encountered before, but the dark touch of death and evil was used here…perhaps a short cut to mass-produce?”

Suðri Skornbrekker takes one as well, hesitant to give it a shot. He tries to compare it to his ordinary musket, and to his ancient rifle, to see which one they resemble more.

Ken (GM): Suðri !Engineering: dwarfcraft roll please!

Suðri Skornbrekker: 14v12

(To Suðri Skornbrekker): You’re sure the underlying powder is dwarven mixed with red dust. The guns are human made, fine, modified with some crude semblance of the Magitek circuitry. The mechanism though…aside from having a heart-stone magic focus, you’re not quite sure at the specifics….



Gray: “Not lead.. breach-loading? The workmanship is fine.” He admits of the enemy weapon, studying it a moment, then lifting the ruddy weapon. He picks a target far from others, backstopped by a low hill, and settles the unfamiliar musket very firmly into his shoulder before he draws the trigger back slowly until the weapon fires.

Ken (GM) there is a little sound, like a soft PING of metal on metal and then a HIDEOUS SCREAM OF WAILING POWER; the gun bucks in Gray’s hand, as it twists and bends while remaining in place. A beam of the uncomfortable light sprays from the point of the barrel, and smacks into the hillside with a WHUMPF

and Then there is a secondary explosion!

Ken (GM): SCREEEEEEEEEEEAM WHACK BOOM

Syviis: “Well then… “

Ken (GM) in the echoing silence, you hear birds take flight, cawing and screeching in terror. Your heart races to catch up with your breath, and you realize you were frozen for a moment, unthinking, witnessing the mad magic power.

The camp around you, is silent. All eyes in your direction, mouths agape, work forgotten and hands idle in terror

Gray: “Fuck. Hopefully they don’t have more of these.” He says as he holds the daemon weapon, shaking his head to clear it after that banshee wail and unnatural light. Examining the musket in his hands.

(To Suðri Skornbrekker): After the shot, it becomes clear: The mechanism works just like yours. Except its not converting red dust into heat beams. Its making hellfire and terror…. elemental terror

Syviis: “Even if we can trigger the…ammunition…at a distance, this is a very…unwise …weapon. Perhaps we can figure out a way to stop the charges from igniting in the first place? But they are already barely contained.”

(To Syviis): You’re pretty sure you know why they’re packed in human skulls

Suðri Skornbrekker stares, more fascinated than shocked, and snaps his fingers. “They modified ordinary Dwarven muskets to work similarly to the ancient Dwarven guns we found, except instead of firing a beam powered by red dust, they… do some evil magic shit that produces this!”

Suðri Skornbrekker: “Maybe they’re torturing some elemental or something.” he ponders to himself, turning the gun over and over

Suðri Skornbrekker: “Actually…” he turns to Syviis and Bomrek: “are these red crystals in these muskets similar to the ones that were embedded in the hilts of the silver swords? I forgot which of you picked them up.”

(To Syviis): The stones are heart-stones. The dust…you can tell, has a human spirit force hovering on it.

Gray: “We could dissolve them in water if they weren’t bound magic. I wouldn’t trust them to not explode if we did it with those.” He says with a shake of his head. “More magic to feed into the ritual to restore the world. Too hazardous to use otherwise?” He’s careful about things like that. Frowning at the weapons and the potential they represent.



Syviis swallows back a lump in her throat. “The stones are heart-stones. The dust encapsulates a human soul, or what’s left of one.”



Bomrek looks grimmer than usual “And they’re neat and tidy packed away in human skulls.”

“Beim Allvater“

Syviis: “Yes…I’m thinking they’re less packing peanuts and… more a byproduct, or ingredient.”

Suðri Skornbrekker ‘s hands make fists, shaking a little. “Can we… release them in some manner?”

Gray: “Damn it..” He shakes his head, sighing as he sets the weapon down. “We will put them to rest, even if we can’t figure out how to now”



Roderick: (To GM) rolling 3d6 vs 13 thaumatology ‘to figure out how to… waves hands at problem’ ( 5 + 3 + 1 ) = 9

(To Roderick): The math all checks out. Humans sacrified to make X amount of red dust and a heartstone. Crafting the mix to bind elemental powers. Forcing the spell through the dwarven devices mounted to the manmade weapon…. A perfect product of dark magic.

(To Roderick): You also notice, the camp is looking at you all around the weapons, a bit wide eyed. There is muttering going on



Syviis: “We can try to release them like before… but again, this might be a hair-trigger so to speak. I don’t think they were engineered with a peaceful release in mind.” Determination intensifies “We can try, though.”

Gray: “A circle to contain the magic, then draw out the souls slowly… Memory, can you think of anyway we might do it?”

(From Syviis): I do have Magic Circles and Spirits training now!

(To Syviis): and a dozen witches or so to work with !

Memory: “There are some rituals I know, we could modify, but this abomination is so powerful! I fear what spirits they despoiled to fuel their machines”

Memory: “We will need to tread lightly, lest we anger their scions”

Suðri Skornbrekker: “I will leave that to you; magic and souls are not my domain, but ask me if you need any help with the technical aspect.”



Syviis walks over and chats with some of the other magic users, thinking of a plan

(To Syviis): You weave through an awestruck crowd, of men and women unaccustomed to hearing hell-screams

Gray nods. “Let’s do it then.” As he walks after Syviis. Pulling on that mask of his and looking to the powder and shot and rune-marked skulls. Trying to understand the bound spirits.

(To Gray): The souls are gone, the spirits bound in vessels arcane. The number unleashed might be a flood…

Gray frowns. “The Souls are gone. Or.. I can’t see them anymore. Tormented spirits remain, but they are legion. Undoing this magic safely won’t be easy.” He says with his voice growling from under the shamanic mask.

Roderick: “We will have to explain to them why we’re turning our noses up from such powerful weapons.”



Syviis turns to the crowd still glancing at the hillside

Syviis: “Enough! This is what we have to deal with. Our foes are counting on us being afraid. Don’t let them succeed! Like every other challenge, we will learn how to overcome this one, and we will do it WITHOUT the damned magics they use!”

Syviis turns to Gray and smiles

Syviis: “Easy? Nothing in life is easy, Gray… I used to think only death was easy, but our foes have changed my mind.”

Suðri Skornbrekker faces some of the troops, and the Dwarven commander. “Mighty though these weapons are, their might was bought with the lives of men. They are not fueled with gunpowder, but with the lives of men, their souls ground to dust, and set ablaze on ignition.”

Syviis turns back to the mages: “So lets’ get to work!”

Roderick smiles faintly at Syviis’s condemnation of the magic at work, looking back at the crowd to see if they heard her



Ken (GM) The men stand in wonder, the fear still on the fringes; you all have their attention.

Scattered cries of “By the light! NO!” and an uncomfortable murmur of fear rumbles along through the crowd.



Suðri Skornbrekker: “We wage this war to lift the darkness upon the land, to free the souls Jadeite and his Demons hold captive and torture. Let us not sell our own souls to those very devils by taking part in their villainy!”

“We will overcome the foe with the faith that burns in our hearts, not by burning the souls of our fellow men! Please understand, then, that we will destroy these vile weapons, and do our best to lay to rest the lives that were lost in their creation!”

Ken (GM) the druid disciples murmur assent in the crowd, the scorned and men alike taking on a grim determination. A low cheer of assent rolls out, and everyone gets back to work. Stamping down the fear and setting a grim tone

(To Doc): Your men seem in order again; Suðri crafted a good speech. You shouldnt need to manage them much



Suðri Skornbrekker: “I hope that worked,” Suðri says to himself as he goes to see if he can help any with the magic-stuff; else he just watches.

Gray: “It was a good speech.” He assures Suðri



Memory gets into the details of the rituals required; she directs Gray with the crafting of the circle, pure salt as a base and the chalk runes focusing the magical specifics, copied out just so. Syviis and Roderick will need to provide Power, and the druid acolytes would be helpful in doing some of the thaumatological heavy lifting

Memory selects a clear flat space, and asks the items to be unpacked and placed in the center of the circle

Gray goes to help with the work. Laying out the circle, then another line in heavy salt on the ground to contain the magic, symbols drawn in chalk inside. He has no illusion about the power of the circles and symbols to truly stop the blast if things go wrong, but it might at least reduce the damage.

(To Syviis): You notice several spots where gray and memory needs some help with the circle design.

Syviis pulls out an arrow and begins helping with marking and re-enforcing lines of power



Bomrek wastes no time in gathering the profane powder and guns, unboxing them from the wagon and making a tidy heap

Suðri Skornbrekker helps him.



Gray observes how very metal the pile of red powder, guns and skulls appears inside the carefully drawn circles of salt and chalk

Ken (GM): [accidental Finnish album cover]



Ken (GM): rod! Archaology roll please, and Alchemy as well

Roderick: rolling 3d6 vs 12 archaeology ( 5 + 3 + 1 ) = 9

Roderick: rolling 3d6 vs 13 alchemy ( 5 + 4 + 3 ) = 12

(To Roderick): The circle and symbols Memory is directing; shes invoking the Fae lords and presenting them a kind of ‘appeasement offering’. The circle is going to be ‘[a gateway to the green realm, a door to open aside from the walls of the world]’.

(To Roderick): Also, the ceremony might be a bit… explosive? You suspect the reagents used, as they are now, are going to invoke a burst of power to punch through the doorway. Its not going to be a delicate invocation.



Ye Olde Chaine-Reactione

Roderick: “You might want to step back,” Rod directs anyone not involved in the ritual

Ken (GM): hah

Suðri Skornbrekker complies, magic is spooky.

Ken (GM): Is rod going to mark off a distance for folks? or just let Darwinism flourish?

Doc: Does he know the distance?

Ken (GM): there is some specific math involved, but yeah. Its about thirty yards

Doc: Unless he knows where “safe” is going to be he’s just going to let it weed out anyone who doesn’t figure out “the less close the better”

Gray draws back to watch from a comparatively safe distance and tells most people to take cover.

Doc: Perhaps a gentle nudge to anyone who looks like they’re too close

Ken (GM): lol

between their Lord asking folks to take cover, and Gray himself doing the same, a clearing is quickly evacuated.

Syviis is going to watch the flow of power closely, still thinking of future ideas

Memory: “I cannot lead the rites, as I am not a mortal being; Roderick, Syviis, each of you would be an appropriate choice. Who will direct?”

Syviis looks to Rod, but nods if he doesn’t

Ken (GM): >such confidence

Roderick nods in response to Syviis’s nod

Syviis steps forward and pulls out her elder’s staff

Ken (GM): ~waggly eyebrows~

Roderick is happy to fall into the role of Backup Wizard, being Main Wizard seems like a bad idea

Syviis: “It’s not so different than releasing the spirits from before… just a little more energetic.” said mostly to herself

Memory: “Stand here” she indicates the circle head, where runes congregate “Roderick, be ready with your men. The Lords of the Realm we invoke will be ready to receive us”

Memory directs the acolytes about the circle, speaking in low tones to each. A dozen of the elves and scorned ring the ceremony, each within a salt chamber of the circle itself

Memory: “Now Syviis, draw open the circle with your power. Invoke, and the power will flow as it has been designed. It will take nothing to make the breach, and everything else to contain it”

Syviis: “And remember…nobody sneeze the salt away.” grins

Roderick commands his men to stand ready



Gray helps how he can, the towering shamanic warden watching curiously. Ready for when they accidentally summon a uber-monster

Syviis closes her eyes and plants the staff next to the circle, not disturbing the runes, but connecting herself to it

(To Syviis): Your choice, you can tap in and let the circle flow through you, give the sacrifice of blood, or invoke another power altogether instead (like your storm)

(From Syviis): going to try the first option – Syviis has drawn and aimed the powers of magic before. If she could learn to be more of a lightning rod…safely…that would be ideal.

(From Syviis): and hey, if she explodes, at least she went out with a bang. lol

(From Syviis): basically, she’s going with the Lightning-Redirection bending option 😛

(From Syviis): [inner Iroh intensifies]

(To Syviis): Great; roll Will +3

Syviis: (To GM) rolling 3d6 vs 18( 5 + 1 + 3 ) = 9



Ken (GM) Syviis plants herself squarely, and lowers her hands to the circle. Sparks of her power arc out from the palms, and a beam of the pure white power creates a link from the circle to her and back. White begins to glow on the ring of power, and the acolytes each join the invocation. Soon, a swirling and spinning whirlwind of the white lightning is twisting about the offering on the ground, nearly blocking it from view entirely



(To Syviis): perfect; now, a flat 3d6+9

Syviis: (To GM) rolling 3d6+9 ( 4 + 2 + 5 )+9 = 20

Ken (GM) the power rolls, ebbs and flows, and Syviis directs it like a steady pillar; like the waters of a flowing river swirling around her, her figure a mountain in the storm. She lifts it up, and directs it inwards, the flow lancing and the sound like a thunderclap. There is a flash!

Syviis: [and everyone roll up new characters!]

Ken (GM) A bright burst of green light, and then nothing else, a twinkling, a dark shimmer. The heap of dead men’s remains and profane weapons are gone in an instant. In their place, a hole in the ground surrounded by the circle. The salt line unbroken, the acolytes firm and ready. The hole shimmers a deep velvet green, like a pond of growing waters, deep in an emerald depth.

Rising now from the pond, a form. Elegant and terrible.

Horns rise up, a crown, antlers,

all three mingled in a twisted but delicate display.

The brow below comes into view, an elegant alabaster face underneath. Shoulders, shimmering in silver armor, a cape of flowing color, sewn from living green leaves. The majestic body of an Adonis, a herculean body, a ten ton man, twenty feet tall.

He looks… pleased

Syviis looks up from the circle, but does not break her concentration

(From Syviis): 10 feet tall, 10 tonnes….is this Washington?! lol

(From Syviis): ten tons heavy fuckin killin for fun

Ken (GM) He speaks, and the sound of grating stone, clashing weapons and bucking steeds come together in a great and terrible voice

“RODERICK. COME FORTH”



Roderick steps forward stoically



Suðri Skornbrekker props up his rifle, just in case. “One of your Fey ‘friends’?”

Gray scowls at the vision, the horned god some kind of Fae beast as Gray stands back, a hand on his sword and watching, then nodding to Roderick as the human bravely advances.



The Man: “YOUR GIFTS ARE WELL RECEIVED; MY TABLE WILL BE HEAPED WITH FLESH AND WINE TONIGHT. MY REALM WILL NOT HUNGER FOR YOUR WORK.

ARE YOU GLAD, BEDECKED WITH OUR BLESSINGS?”

His eyes turn, leveled on Roderick. He grins



Roderick: “They have proven most useful in dispelling the Darkness.”

Gray scowls at the horned figure, seeming to despise the talk of the dead being offerings.



The Man: “GOOD, GOOD. FINE TOOLS TO DO WORK OF THE GREEN” his eyes narrow, and his brow darkens “CAREFUL THEY DO NOT GO UNUSED”



HINT HINT: He’s talking about RODERICKS SWORD

Suðri Skornbrekker addresses the man: “Forgive my being impolite, but I would like to ask frankly: are you just another kind of demon, Green rather than Dark, squabbling with the Dark kind? Or what are you?”



Ken (GM): Syviis, roll Will! opposed check!

rolling 3d6 vs 20 ( 1 + 4 + 1 ) = 6

beat by 14

Syviis: rolling 3d6 ( 4 + 3 + 6 ) = 13

That is not a beat by 14

Ken (GM): no, but a 2

Syviis: Yep

Ken (GM): so +12 on me

Ken (GM) the sky darkens, dawn disappearing below a deep twilight. The titanic man steps forward, to the edge of the pool and in only one, he is at the edge. His cape shimmering to the side, and you see the underlay; a slicked cloak of raw skins, an endless multitude of the hunt. Prey, turned to his mantle.



A cloak of death.



His voice rumbles through and he presses a finger, pointed directly at Suðri through the wall of power Syviis holds

“I AM NO DEMON, CHILD OF THE EARTH; WE ARE THE FIRST SONS OF CREATION AND NOT TO BE INVOKED LIGHTLY”



Ken (GM): Suðri , please roll will

Suðri Skornbrekker: 8v12

Ken (GM): rolling 3d6 vs 12 ( 4 + 2 + 1 ) = 7

Ken (GM) A sliver of green lances out from the titan’s finger, and flies to Suðri. It showers him in that green light and POOF there is a puff of leaves and detritus, flowing in the wind.

Suðri’s armor is scorched with green marks.

A chunk falls off his chest piece with a CLANK.

P.P. A.: Crystal chunk?

(To Suðri Skornbrekker): You’re quite sure he just killed a piece of the elemental. Its writhing in pain.

(From Syviis): is Syviis still concentrating to hold the circle, or is all that done for now?

(To Syviis): You are, yes. It did NOT break when he pushed through it 😀 Good job there! Youre technically still in control.

Gray roars defiance at that, sword drawn and the beast growling at the godlike Fae.

Ken (GM) Gray’s blade bursts into lime fire! The length of it flowing like a torch in an unseen wind!

Suðri Skornbrekker looks appalled, but grinds his teeth to keep down his anger. “Thank you for clearing this up, then; now I indeed know whom I am dealing with.”

The man: “INDEED” his voice rumbles

Suðri Skornbrekker continues aiming at the green demon as he was before, whispering apologies to his armor; he eyes Roderick and his reaction, not wanting to embarrass him before his benefactors.

P.P. A.: [also that line had a lot of sarcasm behind it, if that wasn’t obvious]

Ken (GM): [Pretty sure it was a measurable physical force at this point]

P.P. A.: [Suðri was basically implying “ah,so you’re not a demon; but you shoot a beam at me killing part of my harmless helpful earth elemental, so you might as well be one, asshole”, however of course implied much much more diplomatically.

He doesn’t want to shoot Rod’s patron before Rod has had a chance to react though; he is however seething with rage now]

Roderick remains Unfazed, perhaps slightly perturbed



The Man: “GRAY, SON OF BEAST AND EARTH, DO WE QUARREL? SHALL I DEFEND MYSELF FROM YOU?”

Syviis glances at Gray, still focused on the circle

Gray shakes his head slowly. “You get one more offense against my brothers before we quarrel. I’ve worse things that I need to kill”

The Man: “I SHALL TAKE THE INVITATION GRAY; YOUR OFFERING IS FAIR”



(From Syviis): how’s the power flowing looking?

(To Syviis): Good; you established firm control at the start and kept it going. He barely got a sliver through and he did it without breaking your control. You’re looking at a roll vs 20 to maintain control right now, if it comes up.

(From Syviis): was this thing’s summoning due to the circle…or has it been watching and waiting for a dose of yummy power?

(To Syviis): This is The Erlking, the master of the Hunt, Lord of Faerie. He is a visitor, and this ritual his gateway. You gave him a gift, and he has come to pay respect

Syviis clears her throat “We are not here to make enemies. But perhaps you can understand our reluctance to hear of feasts and sacrifice when our true foes rely on such vile magics to feed.”

Suðri Skornbrekker: “Who, moreover, are also wont to torture innocent Earth elementals,” Suðri adds with a grudge.

Ken (GM) He regards you all with a smirk, and as he smiles his fangs gleam in the dark, white as moonlight. He steps back from the edge of the portal, centers himself, and bows slightly, respectfully dipping his crown of horns to you all.

“TRUTH, SPOKEN BY THOSE WHO KNOW SO LITTLE OF IT. I AM HUMBLED.

SPEAK THEN OF YOUR TROUBLES; BEND MY EAR. MAKE AN OFFER AND SEE US PARLEY. WHAT DO YOU NEED?”

Gray bows in return. Lowering his head fractionally to match the gesture and be polite, even as the beast holds back a growl and allows the others to do the talking.

Suðri Skornbrekker does not bow, and keeps quiet.

Syviis looks up at the Lord of the Hunt and then to her friends “We are willing to bear this task… none of us are afraid to rid the land of the darkness growing upon it. But what we need is allies. If not allies, then tools. And if not tools…at least…information on the true nature of this truth you speak of. We are seeing only with mortal eyes.”

Syviis: “For much of the battle, we have been too late to save those being consumed… not by the glory of a hunt, the natural ebb and flow of prey and predator… but by the all-hungry void who has found foolish and willing allies here. We must know more if we are to stop it.”

The Man: “TRUTH IS A GIFT I MAY GIVE FREELY; YOU ARE VESSELS OF THE EARTH AND I MIGHT FILL YOU UP WITH THE SPRING OF KNOWLEDGE”

He stands again, regal and dark

“THE POWER YOU FACE, THE HUNT YOU ARE UPON, IS FUTILE. IMPOSSIBLE. THE FOE IS NOT MORTAL, THE QUARRY EVERYWHERE AND NOWHERE AT ONCE. YOUR REALM IS NO MATCH FOR SUCH A CREATURE. “

“TO FACE IT AS AN EQUAL, TO WOUND IT AS A MORTAL FOE, DO NOT MISTAKE YOUR TASK AS THIS. INSTEAD, SEEK TO DESTROY ITS PURCHASE IN THIS REALM. BREAK THE BONDS IT HAS FORGED, FREE THE SLAVES AND LACKEYS IT HAS BENT TO ITS WILL.

CLEANSE THE DARKNESS FROM THIS WORLD FIRST

THEN, HEAL THE WORLD.

YOU KNOW OF THIS AND YET YOU HAVE STRUGGLED TO ACHIEVE IT SO. THE ARTIFACTS YOU HAVE COLLECTED, MORSELS OF POWER FORGED BY MORTAL HANDS OF EARTH AND AIR; THESE MUST BE USED TO RE-POWER THE ANSIBLE. YOU HAVE BEEN CLOSE TO ACHIEVING THIS GOAL SEVERAL TIMES BUT SQUANDERED YOUR RESOURCES SEEKING THE WRONG GOAL.

THE SONS OF THE EARTH, THE FIRST OF THE PRECURSORS, THEIR WORKS WILL ALLOW YOU A PATH. WALK THE WAYS, BREAK THE BONDS, AND FUEL THE ANSIBLE.

THIS WILL SAVE YOUR REALM.”

Gray nods grimly at the words, the Beastman remembering the witch saying much the same. “We need the sword of the kingdom. Any path to restoring the Ansible runs though Greyhold and the usurper”

The Man: “YES, THE GRAY BLADE, A SYMBOL OF THE LAST OF THE GREAT MORTAL KINGS OF MEN. YOU WILL FIND IT IN THE USURPERS HAND. FOLLOW THE WAYS AND YOU WILL FIND HIS THRONE.” He lifts a hand, and turns it in the air, making a circle with one finger.



WINK WINK, NUDGE NUDGE, KNOWHATIMEAN?



The Man: “do you understand me, mortals?” His voice lowers, a quiet rumble, the pool below him shimmering to life again. He sinks, slowly, inch by inch, silver clad and terrible.

(To Syviis): He is leaving, and peacefully

Roderick nods. “Indeed.”

The Man: “Good. Survive then, mortals. Hunt well. Your enemies will not be able to resist you, if you heed the words of The ERLKING”

Syviis holds her focus on the circle steadily, absorbing all she can in the chaos of power, will and magic

Gray watches the hunter go, putting away his sword at last.



Ken (GM) he sinks, flows, and disappears. The horn tips plunging below the deep green waters of the gate, and then the gate disappearing in a SNAP of power. The whirlwind of white lightning gone. The acolytes tremble, then collapse, most of them sweating and gasping for air,exhausted, or just plain terrified of what they saw

Things return to normal….

Syviis sighs and closes her eyes for a moment before turning to Rod “Clearly, we are being watched by powers a lot larger than just The Darkness.”

Suðri Skornbrekker exhales as the tension leaves along with the Erkling. He takes a deep breath for a moment, and then unleashes a flurry of [Dwarven insults]. “He might be the enemy of our enemy, and so are we to him, and he helps us in that function, but [more Dwarven expletives]!”

Gray shakes his head as if to clear it, taking a deep breath then nodding to Suðri. “He’s an asshole. Lord of the Fae, God of the Wild Hunt, Protector of the Green, and a fucking asshole.“

Bomrek sits down, drinks deeply from a flask, cusses, then pours out the flask “aye, fuck’em”

Syviis goes over to the Dwarf to check his armor and see if there is something that can be done with the elemental

Suðri Skornbrekker eats some metal to help it heal.

(To Suðri Skornbrekker): the meal is helping, but its the equivalent of losing a finger. Its wounded.

Syviis: “We are walking through a minefield of demons, gods, and elemental forces… some may not even know how to be polite in mortal terms. Even so…”

Syviis swears impressively in Elvish, something about [‘uninvited guests telling you your table wine is 2nd rate’]

Roderick: “We are little more than ants to them. Blades of grass to be trod upon without a thought. Submitting to our courtesies and morality would be… nonsensical.”

Suðri Skornbrekker looks to Syviis: “It is definitely hurt— no, more like wounded.”

Gray: “From the stories I’ve heard that was literally the most polite we could ever hope to get from him.” He assures Syviis, walking close to look to the salt and runes burned into the ground. “Should have made a ring from iron, but I suppose we didn’t have the time.”

Syviis smiles at Rod

Syviis smiles and nods at Gray

Ken (GM): [oh god, trapping the erlking…?!]

Doc: >ring of iron

bigthink.jpg

Syviis: “Still…now we have confirmation. Cut the fingers The Darkness is using…and we push it back away from our reality. Nothing we hadn’t guessed at already…but a bit clearer and defined now, I suppose.” Syviis turns to the group of clerics, witches and druids, all the mystics who helped.

Syviis: “We couldn’t have done that without everyone working together.” She bows deeply

Ken (GM) the acolytes are recovering; most of them feel a bit used today, but they’re no worse for the wear.

Syviis spends a moment speaking to each of the acolytes, then returns to the group.

(To Syviis): they appreciate the followup: PER roll!

Syviis: (To GM) rolling 3d6 ( 1 + 3 + 2 ) = 6

(From Syviis): 6 on 13

(To Syviis): The acolytes auras have all been tinged with the purity of your power. Its not an afterimage, your sure they’re each sanctified now

Gray: “I don’t think we could tear out IT’s heart and devour it. For now we will have to settle for banishing it and closing the paths IT uses to bother our world.”

Bomrek: “He wants us to use the Ways, as well” he shudders ” I don’t relish that idea”

Gray nods to Bomrek in agreement and takes a deep breath. “We won’t have a choice, I don’t think.”

Bomrek: “Unheilig, verboten….tabu“

Suðri Skornbrekker: “It might be too early for this, with the Darkness still holding the world in its grasp, but in the long run I feel we ought to worry about these Fae as well.”

Suðri Skornbrekker: “Unless they really only wish to undo what has been done and to shut the door behind them.”

Syviis: “Rod. Everyone. I think action would help ease everyone’s stomachs. We should break camp and move.”

Gray nods to Souri, then streaching a bit. “Let’s do it then. Time to move.”

Roderick walks back and nods to the captain. “We march.”

Ken (GM): “Neat show; where we headed now boss?” the dwarven commander is obviously hiding behind bravado after that spectacle



Suðri Skornbrekker slowly gets up, mindful of his armor. He tries to ask it if there is something he can do for it, other than feed it more metal.

Ken (GM): [nah dawg, jus take’er easy yo]

[git a fowty fo showty]



Joush M.: Sorry to go early, but I’ve got to check out about now. Thank you very much for the game, I’ll try to read the logs and catch up later

Ken (GM): GASP the airport beckons!



Ken (GM) the morning brightens, the dark ritual complete, and your men drum up the march to action! Will the path to darkness lead through the light? Or will the deep green bleed to black in the end? TUNE IN NEXT WEEK TO GRIMWYRD



Fiss: The Elf has built the Grand Temple. Religion spreads at double rate to nearby magic users!

Ken (GM): will saves versus corruption gain a +4! Fashion spreads with each new trade route at double rate!

Fiss: Wooo!

Ken (GM): 4XP ya dirty buggers. Thank you for surviving a day of heavy RP and little action 😦

WALL OF CAPS LOCK EXPOSITION

Fiss: CRUISE CONTROL FOR SUPERNATURAL COOL

P.P. A.: Thanks for the session!

Fiss: Yeah, lots of fun! I never balk at good RP.

Ken (GM): wipes nervous sweat off brow

oh thank god

GOOD NIGHT DETROIT

