Post Journals / Story / Notes / adventure talk here (December 2015) Old Fort On The Coast "Awa Avignon"

December thread for Journal entries about game sessions this month! Remember that Session XP and Treasure/Loot is cataloged in another thread, <a href="https://app.roll20.net/forum/post/1861516/treasure...F" rel="nofollow">https://app.roll20.net/forum/post/1861516/treasure...F</a> Journal XP Bonus is awarded for this thread. Post your Journal entries here. (You may also copy your Journal to your Character's personal logbook thread, but the XP award is based on posting it in the monthly Journal thread in the chronological windows of time, week to week between sessions.) Please write your own Journal XP Bonus proposal in chat. I'll review it and approve the XP amount and description. We'll use this thread for all sessions taking place in the month of DECEMBER 2015. This is the 10th consecutive month of Player Journals for this homebrew world. Link to Journals / Story / Notes / adventure talk (March 2015) Link to Journals / Story / Notes / adventure talk (April 2015) Link to Journals / Story / Notes / adventure talk (May 2015) Link to Journals / Story / Notes / adventure talk (June 2015) Link to Journals / Story / Notes / adventure talk (July 2015) Link to Journals / Story / Notes / adventure talk (August 2015) Link to Journals / Story / Notes / adventure talk (September 2015) . Link to Journals / Story / Notes / adventure talk (October 2015) Link to Journals / Story / Notes / adventure talk (November 2015) . Link to Journals / Story / Notes / adventure talk (December 2015) . Opening the Window for Journals of December 7 session. PC2 party convened and set-out on a 110-mile road-and-path journey to the coastal town of Awa which has an old fort near-by on the outskirts. Next game: &nbsp;Meet the people of Awa, locate Crom and look for Kaz, find out what's up with Sethus who got the disease/plague, and start to explore the Old Fort on the Coast!

OK, a little behind timewise, but I found that Monty Python had commentary on when Horukh was Cursed to speak in rhyme:

Rajhad Journal 12/07/2015 Travel atop a Minotaur.... who ever would have thought i would live that dream!!! the view is amazing and the speed is like nothing i have ever experienced. After a few days though, things took a turn for the worse... Giant Ants, every halflings nightmare... i found myself nearly defenseless under one before any of my Guardians could react! After fighting my way from beneath one, i was so covered in ichor, my sling flew from my hand as i tried to save that dog... then the minotaurs dragon fell to their jaws.... it was a bad day, although we did overcome the trial. the worst was the giant skunk..... need i say more?

Baradin's Journal - Late Autumn I arrived at the Giant's Beard Inn, as requested by Count Horukh, and took a seat by the bar. A stout dwarf was working behind the bar and quickly served me a pint of beer. Behind him, a massive mountain of a man labored effortlessly; carriying up fresh kegs from the basement. An elven woman circled the inn floor entertaining guests with singing and dancing. In a far corner, an aloof frogman watched her display with curiosity... Count Horukh arrived a few hours later and gathered up the crowd. He produced an announcement. A quest to investigate an old ruin and help locate an old companion. With little other duties owed to Sir Harlapen, I immediately voiced my interest... I have joined several others in undertaking a quest to locate this "Kaz". My party consists of a diverse and uncouth group. First is the minotaur. A "woodsman" and pathfinder; traveling with a small fire drake. Second is a female elf, who appears to some kind of fighter and magic practioner. Last is a halfling (initially mistaken for a human child) whose character is very questionable... Our benefactors have provided us several enchanted items. The dwarf gave me a shield and long sword. Both will serve me well. However, the giant provided an extremely valuable gift: A suit of magical plate mail! This sturdy armor is sure to ward of even the deadliest of blows... After several days of travel we camped along the roadway leading to the nearby town of Alwa. Unfortunately, we were beset by several giant ants. The creatures quickly overpowered the minotaur's pet and even attacked my horse. All my attempts to defeats these beasts failed miserably... Thankfully the other party members were more successful in their endeavors; slaying the insects... We resumed our journey traveling down the roadway towards Awa. Using this good terrain, I scouted ahead on Javen; hoping to see what's ahead. During this period, the party was ambushed by a giant skunk; that sprayed them with a foul smelling liquids. Immediately I turned Javen around and charged the beast with my lance. However, the stench was so overwhelming I missed scoring a hit...&nbsp;

Sigma The Minotaur's Rumbly Thoughts. This journey was doomed to fail. If I’d gone alone, I’d have gone through the swamps and saved a week. But, I gave my word to the heroes of Portlandio that I would find their missing heroes. They wanted me to take the others. Taking them meant going around the swamp.&nbsp; I prefer to work alone. Alone except for Furnace. Furnace does not mind what I am or how I smell. Even after the ruins and mud of Portlandio. But my Furnace is hurt now. He was hurt so badly. Giant Ants are relentless. They have the kind of violence that only comes with being stupid. Furnace was bitten again and again. His screams hurt me more than it would feel to burn alive. I tried to control my rage and save him.&nbsp; My resolve broke and I went full bestial and charged his attacker, tearing it in half. I don’t like to feel that way. I try to be civilized, but I am a monster to settlers in villages. I am at my best out in the hill country. Few see me there. Few judge me. I know I am ugly and smell bad, but I try to serve all the woods and hills. Furnace was on his last embers when I got the healing elixir into his gullet. I poured it down his broken neck.&nbsp; It stoked his fires as he absorbed it. I bandaged him as best I could, but it burnt me and I don’t think he liked it. The elixir soothed his pain though, so he did not spit at me or bite. It would have destroyed me if I had lost Furnace I think. I have killed many times and known animals that were killed, but Furnace is close to me. I could not be Sigma without Furnace. I would become a real monster. I sit and think a lot anyway about life and its mysteries, but I am very broody now. I talk less now. The others riled a Giant Skunk and it sprayed them. I tried to skin and salvage the Giant Skunk’s musk glands, so we could have some way to gain money from the encounter, but I failed and nicked a gland. Now we all stink. It is worse than my vinegar concoction can help. We have no way to sneak up on anything now. My tracking by scent is useless. We are failing at this task. I am not a hero. I am helping heroes find missing heroes, but the Knight is in charge. All I am good for now is being told where to shoot and what to push over. The rest of the time I am sad. And I hold Furnace. To make us both feel better.

Closed window for Journals of Monday Dec 7. Thank you Players! Opening window for Journals of Dec 14 session HERE On the road, wilderness exploration and overland travel to the town of Awa, and the Old Fort you've learned is called Awa Avignon, on the coast. This week the party with 3 players cleared out a Bridge Troll and found his muddy lair treasure!&nbsp;

Definitely not the Party Leader!

Rajhad Journal 12/14/2015 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; I am unsure of what possessed me, but the damn troll would not come out to be speared properly... so i danced and cajoled until it came after me and nearly tore my chest out with a single bite!!! That ring came in handy tho, allowing me to jump off of the bridge and drink a potion, before bonking it with a few sling bullets, again aiding the "warriors" in felling a foe... anyway, i have faced a troll and overcome...

Okay!&nbsp; Like the thread title says, " Adventure Talk Here ."&nbsp; Jen has just left the group, leaving us even more short-handed, and thus leaving Gold even more at risk of streak-breaking.&nbsp; So let's work out what we can do right now. I recall the party needs an elf of some kind for this adventure.&nbsp; I can come up with that, I think.&nbsp; Sigma is a character built with a lot of potential for down the line, but he is pretty one-note as he stands now.&nbsp; I can come up with an elven cleric-something with a compelling story Right Now, and we can shunt Sigma and Furnace to support roles, seldom seen.&nbsp; Sigma is, essentially, a relentless hunter, in hill country, and we're headed to a place that needs smarts and is set pretty much not-hills-at-all.&nbsp; Also, a PC that can fit in a normal hallway would be good, yes?&nbsp; :)

i enjoy Sigma a lot, however your right. lost our elf, and i don't think our human, halfling, or Minotaur lead into the story Gold has us moving forward in..... i recall Dwarf being one of the races that could be a lead in as well..... if Larry wants to pull Sigma/Furnace through, i can set Rajhad aside, in favor of a dwarf/elf healer as well..... Thief is ok, but i feel a Cleric would be more beneficial in the long run, we could always hire a trap finder, healers tend to be a bit more useful for beginning adventurers. Plus, i like Larry playing the brooding brute, its a fresh change from his strong brained healer :P also, im very good at on the fly character making, i can always run with Rajhad rolls, just swap em around

I'd wait to see what Gold feels about it. We can easily use Jen's character as an NPC.

News now from Mercedes Lackey is that she will step in and play an elven cleric for us, if we can handle most of the mechanics of Roll20 for her.

Larry D. said: News now from Mercedes Lackey is that she will step in and play an elven cleric for us, if we can handle most of the mechanics of Roll20 for her. Larry we could just have her play Jen's character; as it is already made and fleshed out... Either way, I'm good with whatever is decided.

Baradin's Journal - Late Autumn A troll! I never thought such a creature even existed... I remember the stories ol' Nan used to tell about the three billy goats gruff and the troll under the bridge. But, that was just a story she told to children... Who would have thought it would be more true than fiction? This is a strange land indeed!&nbsp; I digress... After exploring the surrounding wilderness, Sigma (my minotaur companion) found an old stone bridge. Underneath was a large troll; who had been extracting tolls from wayfarers crossing the river. Such a foul creature represented a dire threat to the refugees fleeing Awa. It had to be dealt with... Sigma and I taunted the beast. However, it stubbornly refused to leave its lair. The halfling, Rajhad successfully provoked it by crossing the bridge way.&nbsp;With a deft display of acrobatic skills, she lured the troll out onto the main. Using this chance I spurred Javen into a charge. With a loud thump, my lance speared the troll! Unfortunately the beast's tough hide snapped it like a toothpick! Quickly dismounting, I attacked the troll on foot while Sigma & Rajhad pelted the brute with missile fire. Sigma's fire drake, Furnace circle round breathing great spouts of flame. (I later learned that fire and acid are the only way to kill a troll; as it's regenerative powers can quickly heal all mundane injuries.) Together we harried the beast. Weakening it for a final blow from my long sword... The people leaving Awa should now be safer. Off to search for its lair... And whatever treasure we can find within.

SolidHybrid said: Larry we could just have her play Jen's character; as it is already made and fleshed out... Either way, I'm good with whatever is decided. I totally support her playing Millicent. She may want to create her own character though!

Misty would just come in as a pinch-hitter :)&nbsp;&nbsp; If Gold already has a waiting list of players they get priority, we figure.&nbsp; Misty hasn't played 2nd-Ed in... a long time, and doesn't know Roll20 at all yet, but she is willing to help out.&nbsp; Jen, Millicent is Millicent and Mora is Mora, and they're both totally you. :)&nbsp; Wouldn't be the same with someone else playing them.

DM Update, with a sly smile and tappy little fingers Everything is going to work out. I find that everything that's been said above by the different players is very cool and an honor to this campaign. Thanks Jen , Larry , Paul , Solid . &nbsp;The campaign will continue. &nbsp;I'm doing recruiting. &nbsp;(You all can recruit too, if you know someone, suggest them). We can bring in a couple new Players. Inviting a few new people to try out is appropriate. Get on the horn if you know anyone good. We can take more than 1. Mercedes is more than welcome, and encouraged to join. If that option works out, wonderful. Elf Cleric would be a great choice for this adventure. RainbowSilks will be joining probably this week (Tuesday 22 game session) for homebrew-world introduction, meeting the group, and character creation rolls. Chris is able to play on selected days, which will match the next 2 Tuesdays, so Wei-Ting the Flind Earthbender will be in-game tomorrow. Countdown... Less than 24 hours til game session time this week!

Closed window for Journals of Dec 14. Bonus Journal XP was awarded and approved in-chat, I know it was for Baradin and Rajhad and hopefully for Sigma . &nbsp; Larry if it wasn't a story-post per se, I know you contributed at least a graphic (not party leader / Minion-otaur) and thoughts towards the game structure so we can rig up Journal XP if we forgot and skipped it today. Thank you Players! Opening window for Journals of Dec 22 session HERE First the PC2 party encountered a Wild Elf Witch named Cylara Silverbane near the former-troll's bridge. With all role-playing, exploring, tracking, and investigation, the PC2 party entered the village of Awa, Sigma rescued Crom the Sage from an angry mob at the stockade in the village square, Baradin assuaged the mob, Cylara provided relief to several people who had either winter-cold (cough) or "The Plague", the party interviewed the owner of the defunct Tiki Bar, and the Bard protecting the Burnside Bard's Bar, Rajhad cleared up sections of the map and discovered a money-lender / gemologist / magic items vendor, Sigma tracked the fake-illness stumbling path of the "Greek Cleric Sethus" who said he would go to the beach to die from contracting the plague. Wei-ting stalked and paced at the perimeter. Millicent went off into the forest of her own accord. Here is an area map that you've largely cleared up, (with a DM view into the 'black' foggy areas you have not explored yet), Next week on Tuesday: Explore into the old fort of Awa Avignon on the coast! This fort or keep was originally&nbsp;built by ancient human grand civilization some 1000's of years ago, later over-run by Orcs, and cleared by Elves, eventually re-populated to Orcs who then died off from a longstanding curse, said to be a plague, left for them by The Last Great Elf. &nbsp; Now the fort is undergoing excavation by Crom's team of archeologists (including Kaz the Minotaur, and Sethus). They were searching for an entry to a lower level that could contain valuable orc artifacts, clues, or treasures, when the following occurred: Kaz was missing for a couple days, leading to... Crom needed to go back to the village to get supplies... While Crom was away,&nbsp; Sethus must have breached the lower level and emitted the plague virus, because next thing the villagers saw, Sethus came back to town of Awa and went into the Tiki Bar and told everyone he had gotten the plague from the curse at Awa Avignon and the villagers should stay away, and flee. So said the knowledgeable Crom the human scholarly sage of orcish history and artifacts. Sethus "went off to die" by the beach. Sigma found that Sethus' tracks made a straight-line to the old fort Awa Avignon.

Minotaur Philosophy, and, Sigma's Thoughts. People think of a Maze as somewhere with walls and paths where there are either wrong or right choices. Some mazes are like that. The world is the Great Maze , and the walls and paths are usually unseen at the moment we encounter them. Each decision we make, whether to be cruel or kind, means we have made a turn in the Great Maze . What desires or lusts we give strength to determine where we place our hooves, step by step. If I decide not to throw someone across a river for offending me, will that be a wise step in the Great Maze , or, will it mean later that I am disrespected as weak? Does it mean I actually am weak? A Minotaur’s power over mazes is supernatural. It extends past walls and doors. It is like how a bat hears their world, or a spirit sees through buildings. I draw many mazes, of many shapes and even heights, for some mazes go deep as well as twist and turn.&nbsp; I contemplate them. When I make a new trail, I make a maze path, mindful that a straight line is not always best for people or animals. I know they need places to hide, long stretches to outrun predators, and places for predators to await them. It is not my place to make nature kind, for it will never be so, no matter who tries. What good I can do is to help others on their path to produce good in their lives, and for others.&nbsp; So there will be good song and food and children and stories. A Minotaur’s power over mazes is one of understanding likelihoods.&nbsp; Understanding the entire world as the Great Maze means a minotaur develops an intuition for aberrations.&nbsp; Things that are not right for the paths of the world.&nbsp; When the Troll was encountered, I did not hesitate. It needed to die because it was an obstruction of a path in the Great Maze . It would cause terror and misery upon those who traveled that bridged path. In the town, I saw the Sage being mobbed and knew that it was no time for words. A roar and a charge, and shattering stocks to splinters, made my point clear to the townspeople. I deemed Crom the Sage essential to my task of tracking my quarry, and that superceded these townspeople having him.&nbsp; What was happening to him was another unnatural obstruction to the world's paths, for me to rectify.&nbsp; Let them rebuild. I also caught no scent of genuine sickness in the town. All the usual town scents were there, but not that of a plague, or its residue. Soon, I tracked the missing “dying victim’s” tracks to the waterside, whereupon they straightened out into a run and crossed the troll’s bridge. Sethus appears to have fled as soon as he had no more witnesses to his faked death.&nbsp; The plague markings appear to have simply been paint. My quarry awaits at Awa Avignon . These others, short and tall and mounted and arcane, seem to want to go along. I hope they do not kill themselves or each other.&nbsp; It would complicate my task.&nbsp; I have stood in as a herdsman before as a favor to others, but I dislike the feeling.

Baradin: "What makes you think Crom is the source of this plague?" Peasant: "Well... He did turn me into a newt!" Baradin: "A newt!?!" Peasant: "I... I... I got better..." Baradin face in palm sighs wearily... Peasant Mob: "Rabble, rabble, rabble... Burn him! Rabble, rabble, rabble..." After much discussion about churches and small rocks floating on water; Baradin finally managed to persuaded the villagers to go home.

Rajhad Journal 12/22/2015 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Wander around looking for stuff.... wander wander wander.... ooo hey where is that minotaur going? Work the crowd some, ooo shiny! Wander more while boring talk goes on..... sheesh this town is poor! Wander more, ooo hey there goes the minotaur again, is he drunk? Walking in circles and such, ewwwww vomit on a rock and he sniffs it? Well, it got him to stop wandering, something about a fake plague..... wonder if he can get my clothes unskunked now.... Finally, off to treasure hunt!!!!!

The Elven Willow ~&nbsp; Four weeks walking and then, by Corelleon's Light, I found them. &nbsp;Near a creek with a bloody body, humans worried about sickness, and a healing brew made to calm nerves and seek answers. Unusual. &nbsp;Minotaur. &nbsp;Not what I see often. &nbsp;Halfling... must watch purse around. &nbsp;Human. &nbsp;Taller than I suspected. &nbsp;How has the sickness played out in this town? &nbsp;What is the cause? &nbsp;Are Elves to blame as the humans suggest? &nbsp;Are Elves the cure? &nbsp;My curiosity is piqued. &nbsp;Can it the rumors be true? Crom, the old sage, is hiding something. &nbsp;I know this. &nbsp;What is he hiding? &nbsp;Did his digs wake something in the depths? My new friends and I have determined to investigate the old keep to the East of the town. &nbsp;May Corelleon look upon our endeavors favorably.

Closed window for Journals of Dec 22. Bonus Journal XP was awarded and approved in-chat, all 4 PC's in the till:&nbsp; Baradin and Rajhad and&nbsp; Sigma and&nbsp; Cylara. &nbsp; Thank you Players! Opening window for Journals of Dec 29 session HERE The party discovered bloated rotten but recent orc corpses; and 2 secret doors down into the tomb level; fought orcs,&nbsp;defeated 2 of the new Rock Orcs (PICTURED) , and killed an Earthbender &nbsp;father-figure orc who summoned DirtBats to pester the party in their faces. They sprung a couple traps and found some minor loot, one magic dagger +2 elvish make. Next week on Tuesday (DM Birthday): Exploration of Awa Avignon continues. Where is Kaz (the XPC Minotaur Cleric who came down here with Crom's archeology team)?&nbsp; Where is "Sethus" (and who/what is he really)? Why does it smell like the stench of a plague down here? Will the smell ever go away!! What are Rock Orcs, where do they come from? Post your Journals, share your suspicions, motives, PC thoughts and impressions, or just tell your story and include a picture if you can! Just look at that cute little Rock Orc face. :: MAP SO FAR :: Awa Avignon ground-level mostly cleared

Sigma explains to Baradin about Witches Versus Wizards: Think of the breath you just exhaled. Now grab it. Push it towards that sand to move it. Wizards use what we can not see, but know to be there. That is how wizards affect the world. Now use your sword and poke at that sand. Move it around. That is how you and I affect the world. Now look carefully at the sand, ask the right questions about what is around the sand. Respectful, more like you and me than wizards. Ask the sand to move for you, and it does. That is how witches affect the world.

Baradin explains to Sigma about Witches & Wizards: Sigma... My good&nbsp;Minotaur... That maybe all well and good in this realm. But where I hail from the physical use of magic is extremely controversial.&nbsp;Some even go as far to claim its blasphemous against the gods. Mortal hands being unfit and all...&nbsp; Me? I find some merit in both sides of the argument... I have seen Divine Magic heal wounds and cure disease...&nbsp;Witnessed Nature Magic bring rain to parched farmlands...Observed Animancy mend broken souls...&nbsp;All these are acceptable and good. However,&nbsp;I have also seen and felt what magic can do in the the wrong hands... Wildfire burning men to their bones...&nbsp;Necromancy&nbsp;raising the honored&nbsp;dead from their graves... The insatiable hunger of Blood Magic... Lest you forget, it was a witch that sent me to these strange lands. Who bound me with the dark arts... Cast me into darkness... And banished me half way across the world... All for seeking a cure for a plague brought on by the dread curse of another&nbsp;so-called practitioner.

Very good, Play-by-Post role playing between sessions! ^^ We will have to hear the elf Cylara's view and methods of Witchery as the thread & game progresses. So far I gathered it involves blood, and while it sounds bloody it's been used for good purposes. Baradin said: " Lest you forget, it was a witch that sent me to these strange lands. Who bound me with the dark arts... Cast me into darkness... And banished me half way across the world... All for seeking a cure for a plague brought on by the dread curse of another so-called practitioner ." DM: Which witch is which? See you all for the game later tomorrow/today (Tuesday), in which we will: continue deeper into the dungeon of Awa Avignon,&nbsp; searching for Kaz the Minotaur,&nbsp; "Sethus the Greek Cleric",&nbsp; and any clues about Orc movements and artifacts,&nbsp; What are Rock Orcs and where are they coming from? and encountering Earthbenders / Earthbending to find out what that is.

( and Larry says ) The way I reckon, blood magic is all about your style and your use of it.&nbsp; "Blood Carries Life," so to speak.&nbsp; But while blood magic can be used for evil by using blood to "take life away" in some form (meaning to use blood as a vessel, or means of transfer, for life magic), blood magic can be used for good by having blood "bring life to" some other use.&nbsp; For example, if a magic user cuts their arm to make a drop of blood fall onto someone else, and enchants that blood drop to be a carrier of life (and heal them), then that'd blood magic being used for good. The biggest danger of all blood magic, of course, is that it is so much easier to use it to do harm, because blood is plentiful, replacable, transportable, and versatile---and a LOT easier to get from the unwilling than finding anyone willing to donate.&nbsp; Bad guys can get unwilling donors by the hundreds.

Rajhad Journal 12/29/2015 wow, green gas and orcs..... guess they ate something a bit off, even for orcs. and we, smelling not only of skunk, but dead orc juice.... and the minotaur thinks sand will take the stench away. finally my size was a boon i was able to distract that damn archer from my friends.... i mean guards. *grumble- doing their job again*

Larry D. said: ( and Larry says ) The way I reckon, blood magic is all about your style and your use of it.&nbsp; "Blood Carries Life," so to speak.&nbsp; But while blood magic can be used for evil by using blood to "take life away" in some form (meaning to use blood as a vessel, or means of transfer, for life magic), blood magic can be used for good by having blood "bring life to" some other use.&nbsp; For example, if a magic user cuts their arm to make a drop of blood fall onto someone else, and enchants that blood drop to be a carrier of life (and heal them), then that'd blood magic being used for good. The biggest danger of all blood magic, of course, is that it is so much easier to use it to do harm, because blood is plentiful, replacable, transportable, and versatile---and a LOT easier to get from the unwilling than finding anyone willing to donate.&nbsp; Bad guys can get unwilling donors by the hundreds. Baradin sees blood magic similar to the practice seen in Dragon Age ... It's something used by nefarious casters. Usually involving human sacrifices or innocent victims...

Closed window for Journals of Dec 29. Bonus Journal XP was awarded and approved in-chat, Baradin and Rajhad and Sigma posted this week. Thank you Players! NOTE: DM will start a new thread for Journals of January sessions! Look for a New Thread to post Journals from the January 5 DM Birthday session deep in the eye & spear orc-dungeon of Awa Avignon.

We need to come up with a Meme for Larry's characters... They're always getting cursed or afflicted.&nbsp;

January Journal thread is officially underway on this link, <a href="https://app.roll20.net/forum/post/2809989/post-jou" rel="nofollow">https://app.roll20.net/forum/post/2809989/post-jou</a>... Awa Avignon adventure continues there...