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Re: LFG: [8H] Invaders Part 2 (2020-07-19@19:00 GMT)

Posted: Thu Jul 16, 2020 12:43 am
by bronzemountain
Karl, Dubhan, Vlolkir, and Daldorer, join me for some Horror hunting!

Re: AAR: [8H] Invaders Part 2 (2020-07-19@19:00 GMT)

Posted: Mon Jul 20, 2020 12:52 am
by iceface9
Name of Mission: Invaders Part 2
Time: 2020-07-19@19:00 GMT
GM: Iceface9
Circle: 8
Difficulty: Hard

Player Rewards:
Dvarim: 28,000 LP, 1,350 SP, 5 TIPs
Vlolkir: 28,000 LP, 1,350 SP, 5 TIPs
Karl: 28,000 LP, 1,350 SP, 5 TIPs
Dubhan: 28,000 LP, 1,350 SP, 5 TIPs
Daldorer: 28,000 LP, 1,350 SP, 5 TIPs

Journal Rewards:
1400 LP, 337.5SP

GM Reward: Rose 4000LP, 475SP, 3TiP's

Downtime Actions Available:
Dvarim: Forge Weapon 9/22
Forge Armor 9/22
Craftsman (anything) 9/26
Design Enchanting Pattern 9/22
Enchant True Pattern 9/26
Item History 4/17

Dubhan:
Research Step 26 (Library access worth it for Warden items)
Alchemy Step 12 (Booster Potions, Small Light Crystals, Kelix' Poultice) (1 Day Downtime).
Creation of Spell Matrix Objects: 1,000 sp, 4 days for Standard, 2,000 sp, 5 days for Enhanced. And yes, that's the 1/2 off price. :D
Design Enchanting Pattern: Minimum 4 TIPs, 2 weeks Downtime, contact for details
Craft True Pattern (i.e. create Thread Item): Requires a Pattern. 3 TIPs minimum, 2 weeks Downtime, Silver cost varies, contact for details

Daldorer: Alchemy Step 8. Recipes: Booster Potion and Small Light Quartz
Research Step 20.

Karl: Animal Training (talent rank 7 step 16)
Forge Weapon (rank 5 Step 16, 3 successes if not forged, 2 after that)
Research (Rank 3 Step 14, or Step 17 with Library Access)

Researchers may spend 20 Silver for +3 Steps (the Haggle discount may lower this cost)

Further Information:
Defeated a Horror

The Journal of Dvarim Bolg, Warden Weaponsmith of Throal

Posted: Mon Jul 20, 2020 2:13 am
by bronzemountain
The Fenesthir Twist
Or, A Great Success

The Ardven Holdmaster is a well-known and well-trusted lock. Originally designed by Beffar Ardven, it was meant to replace the truly unfortunately named 'Garlen's Virtue' series of padlocks, which were even more unfortunately originally simply called 'The Chaste Solution'. The Holdmaster is tempered steel of a custom alloy composition that allows it to resist the elements particularly well, and so while it was originally intended for internal storage protection, it swiftly transitioned into use for barn and cellar doors and, sadly, became a favorite of kidnappers and slavers and other reprobates.

The difficulty in opening a Holdmaster (without, of course, possessing the key) lies in the infamous Nandover Ridge, a cunning bit of geometry in the third and fourth tumblers that foils most traditional lock-picking attempts. The Nandover Ridge, of course, is named after Geran Nandover, a locksmith of modest skill with a nose of horrible but compelling topology, as Geran was also an enthusiastic but rather less than excellent pugilist.

The Nandover Ridge makes it difficult to keep the third and fourth tumblers depressed simultaneously; to apply pressure to one is to release pressure on the other, and thus the Holdmaster is a difficult lock, indeed, and one that foils most lay practitioners. Thief Adepts, of course, are another matter entirely.

In 1387 TH, however, Ellana Fenesthir perfected a pick shape that would allow the lay expert to apply pressure to both tumblers at once. This tool specification and maneuver bears her name - the Fenesthir Twist.

On a recent outing, I had opportunity to utilize the Fenesthir Twist, and unlock the Ardven Holdmaster that was holding closed a cage in which was imprisoned a poor young human girl of some seven years in age. Her grandfather was very happy at her return, and the both of them are now employed and residing in Bolgenar.

Also, we fought some Dreamers, Spire-something Gnashers, Bone Shamblers, cadaverous Swamp Ogres, and also some sort of massive ball of tentacles and mouths. We won.

Re: LFG: [8H] Invaders Part 2 (2020-07-19@19:00 GMT)

Posted: Mon Jul 20, 2020 4:32 am
by ottdmk
From the Journal of Dubhan Goronich:

So, I, amongst others (Dvarim, Karl, Daldorer, Vlolkir) was approached by city officials with news of Horror activity close (relatively) to Throal. Naturally, this sort of thing can't be allowed to continue. A less experienced group had encountered the enemy and had been run off. We were required to finish the job.

Now, I had been busy working on a new design, but, obviously, theory would have to be put on hold to deal with the real world. Off we went, guided by one of the earlier party. I wish I could remember his name... I guess I was distracted. You know, with thoughts of impending doom. Anyways, off we went. As usual in the wilderness around Throal, we were ambushed. Or, at least the creatures *tried* to ambush us. We spotted them, and made quick work of them.

We then encountered hideously changed Obsidiman called "Dreamers". Dvarim & Vlolkir had encountered their like before, and as we were forewarned by those who came before, we were prepared for them. Still, their strange abilities were very disconcerting... and very dangerous. At one point, I found myself in what appeared to be a netherworld of infinite torture and pain. Thanks to Dvarim telling me about this, I was able to use my Suppress Curse talent to get myself out of it.

After the Dreamers were defeated, we went into a cave seeking the main problem. Along the way we rescued a little girl who had gone missing. Finally, we confronted the Horror... a hideous mass of tentacles. Protecting it were three Bone Striders and a couple of Swamp Ogres. We were in for it on this one.

The tentacle Horror managed to grapple Dvarim, Vlolkir and I. This cut down our effectiveness considerably. Thankfully, Crushing Will doesn't require me to move. I managed to do quite a bit of damage to the thing, and lowered its defenses at the same time. Karl finally finished it off for me. He and that bear of his, Reuben, probably saved us all.

I'm glad we don't face the likes of that thing every day.

Re: AAR: [8H] Invaders Part 2 (2020-07-19@19:00 GMT)

Posted: Mon Jul 20, 2020 10:56 pm
by Shokunin
From A Loosely Tied Sheaf of Papers Titled 'Vlolkir'

I hunt horrors now. It is a thing which others say, and they are right. Much time and might I put in with the brothers of the path slaying the vermin that infest our world. I hear from rumors that Throal's library has found some. They had others go to kill the beasts in the hole where they hide. The others failed. It is the fate of the unprepared and the weak. I join with others, companions of many days, to go with one from the library to these caves to see the job done.

I would rather it were us alone, but the library must send someone it seems. And another clutches our hems as we ready to go, saying he has lost a young one and this is worthy of revenge. He says the young one was taken by ogres, great foul despoilers. He says the young one was alive. Maybe we will find it that way. We agree to do what may be done, and set forth. Our way is east into the mountains. In a way which I have gone before, in a way like to the caves of koilos, but our road diverges. I would rather take one of the great ships we now fly across barsaive, but the journey will be long through the mountains. As we walk, we hear sounds from along the path. None live here, none who would be friendly. We ready and are met by gnashers, filth of a type I have seen before. They leap upon us and I leap back. The secrets of the path grant my blows strength, and Crush and now Valorbane seek the thinnest strips of hide for a great bloodletting. With great fury we purge the creatures and continue on our way until sundown.

In the night we watch, and the others say they see a thing overhead in the night light. I see but I do not know what it is, and it does not come close so it is no matter. We rest and wake. Our walk continues and we reach the cave. As it always will be, we see things moving in the cave, and I recognize them. They are the stone brothers who were taken and made into spawn. Dvarim tells us again of how to fight the nightmares they send. This time their power is met by my own, and one after the other they fall. To axe and mace and arrow and spell they come on like the stone brothers in strength, but wrong and perverted. Their curse is ended and the cave is open before us. We go further in, and the taint grows. Dubhan says, at least. I still cannot see in this place. My eye is not strong enough now. But as we go, we do hear crying, and we do see a cage. It is the young one we were told of. There is a locked cage, and as we see and I turn to smash the lock, Dvarim runs forward and does a thing with his hands. The lock opens and the young one is free. It is open now I guess, and the others say the young one is not marked, so it is good that there is no smashing needed this time. We send the young one back to the follower of the library to be safe until we return.

We go deeper in to the heart of the corruption. In the bottom of the cave it is found. There are the great bone piles that are used by horrors, and the ogres we were told of, and a horror I have not seen before or know of. As we come to the bottom we are faced by these, and make our stand. The bone constructs come, and hold us in the mouth of the tunnel. I move to stand before Dubhan so he does not get struck badly. In the darkness and the press we rain blows back and forth. I am hit, and in return lay waste. The thing of mouths and arms grabs Dvarim, and then grabs me, and then grabs Dubhan. And its arms have mouths, and we are chewed. As the ogres come they are in a fury, and it is desparate. I do not see what happens deeper in the cave, but some of the creatures fall in front of me. Then there is darkness and then I awake.

All has been purged in this cave. With hot flames the bodies are lit and nothing will remain of the evil we met with steel in this place. I am told later it was an arrow of Karl's which ended the horror of the mouths and tentacles. It was not by my hand and this is lamentable, but the thing is done so the journey is finished. We return to Throal in glory again.

Re: AAR: [8H] Invaders Part 2 (2020-07-19@19:00 GMT)

Posted: Tue Jul 21, 2020 6:10 am
by etherial
Dreamers. This is the Name given to a most troubling abomination created by the Horrors. When they have successfully breached a Liferock, they can fleshsculpt the surviving Obsidifolk into bicranial monstrosities, allowing their mental energies to act as psychic resonators, projecting nightmares into the minds of the innocent.

Another group of Adepts had discovered the location of a group of Dreamers and their Dread Master in the Throal Mountains, and it called to us Warden and Journeyfolk to free the Dreamers from their prison. My Nethermancy failed me in the sight of such, and while I was able to assist the others, to armor their Souls and Strain the patterns of our foes, my magical might was largely beyond my grasp. The Horrors defeated, the dead buried, one hopes the nightmares will end soon.

Re: AAR: [8H] Invaders Part 2 (2020-07-19@19:00 GMT)

Posted: Wed Jul 29, 2020 8:28 pm
by Aegharan
The Library of Throal inquired for seasoned Adepts to follow up on Horror Activity within the mountains of Throal. One Tohran had been on an excursion where they happened upon a Horror consisting of an endless array of sharp-teethed mouths and tentacles. They also reported some kinds of Gnashers and something that sounds suspiciously like a Bone Shambler, and speak of two-headed Obsidifolk.

Tohran also enlisted the help of Daldorer, Dubhan Goronich, Dvarim Bolg, and Vlolkir. I brought Reuben and Linus and we all set out.

Making our way through the mountains we come upon a pack of Gnashers. Evil, bloodthirsty, cat-like creatures the size of a horse charging at us. We did however make very swift process, between Vlolkir pouncing the beasts, Reuben grappling and tearing one apart, Daldorer and Dubhan unleashing raw magic, and Dvarim making an impressive display with his feet, pulling the attention of these corrupted beings and standing like a fortress. I quickly harvested a claw of these cat-like creatures to add it to my necklace, however decided against it. I do not want to taint my Wild Claw through horror-tainted creatures.

We rested some, continued on, rested the night and later found a cave system thanks to Tohran leading the way. Deep into the caves we find the Obsidi-somethings. I was again lucky to be able to shoot on a long range. For I could attack an nearly kill some before they even reached us, and I stood back far enough to barely be attacked. This was different for especially Vlolkir, who was easily tormented by these things attacking his mind. Together we finished the Dreamers quickly. Reuben acted strange throughout the latter half of the fight. Some of my friends also reported being transported to a realm of nightmares. Who knows what that poor bear must have endured. I just know that in the moment his eyes lost focus, he tore apart the Dreamer he had grappled, not attacking anything with real focus for the rest of the fight.

After cleaning the area up, thanks especially to some fire magic from both Dubhan and Dvarim, Tohran was satisfied and we made our way back to Throal.

I moved out of the thickness of Throal and into some woods nearby, where it's more quiet. Most people had gotten used to the sight of a massive Honey Bear, but now we have more peace at night. This should help Reuben sleep better.