Strange things seem to be afoot in Clear Creek Crossing. Upon returning from a conference on the microecology of the Greater Servos Northern Spotted Dung Beetle, a very nicely made letter written on embroidered cloth was waiting for me - an unusual sort of thing, I should say. It was written by Strorbout Cragbringer, a Dwarf Questor of Chorollis known to have spent years restoring and enhancing a pre-scourge shrine to Chorollis in Clear Creek Crossing, which of course is a crossroads for a number of different trade routes.
The invitation was a little vague, but as Cragbringer was promising payment and publishing new research is expensive I figured I'd show up and see what was what - after all, it isn't that far and I can catch up on the latest almanacs. Incidentally, I got my research in just under the wire and was able to get into this one just ahead of that oaf Kelricson, who had been trying to horn in on my research relating to 3 new species found in the Ah-Shi-Sle-Pah liferock region since the scourge receded, all showing signs of adapting from the scourge environment to a post-scourge environment. There is more work yet to be done! But I digress.
Anyways, on my way to the Crossing I was interested to come across some of my fellow Adepts - Strata, Truck, R'edtarian and Elisen specifically. It seems they also had received invitations from Cragbringer, on differently-coloured cloth and containing slightly different messages. How curious. A caravan travelling the opposite direction from us mentioned seeing more travelers with the appearance of Adepts ahead of us as well. We split up when we reached the town and started looking for Cragbringer, who it turns out was in the local inn (Elisen found him... I confess I got distracted by a market stall displaying a variety of stationery when I noticed I was down to my last 2 reams of paper, and they had a new interesting variety out of Irondelve that is said to be unusually sturdy, although it requires a special ink as well - a fine investment if I do say so myself).
In due course of time it came out that a local seer, Elder Mirium, had foreseen great destruction coming to the settlement and Cragbringer was attempting to buy his way out of the problem (as you would expect from a devout follower of Chorollis) by hiring as many Adepts as he could get his hands on... 24 in total it seems had answered his call, although he had sent to many more. I should ask him where he got that fancy embroidered cloth paper, I bet it would make my publications stand out in a crowd. Oh right, I suppose I should add that the Elder had advised that the hastily-constructed palisades the locals were building should be facing inwards (to be honest, I probably wouldn't have noticed they were facing the wrong direction if R'edtarian hadn't mentioned it).
Elder Mirium was also a local apothecary it seems and so it was easy to strike up a conversation with her that would not arouse suspiscion (this was necessary because Cragbringer didn't want to trigger a general panic at their impending doom). When nobody else was in the shop, we were able to discuss her visions and Strata spoke to Earth and was able to get a glimpse himself. Teeth swiftly flying about sounded like a symbol of some sort of gnasher to me (as they devour anything), but Truck suggested a different variety of horror, something called a wingflayer. I expect with a Name like that, Windlings would be more likely to know about them after all. Also, before that there would be tentacles (which doesn't narrow things down very much, horror-wise), and after them a bright light and some sort of powerful being.
Around this time, I also noticed that the Astral in the region was unusually polluted for a Namegiver settlement, extending even into the restored shrine to Chorollis strangely enough. I decided to take some time and attempt to really zero in on the centre of the corruption (it was obviously somewhere in the central market square), but there was not enough time left in the day before night fell and we had to prepare for a potential invasion. While I was doing that, I believe the others arranged with Cragbringer to get the villagers out of the area that was likely to be threatened by horror invasion, I believe with a story about some sort of outdoor festival that they were going to hold.
We had just assigned watches and I was just about preparing to get some rest when the first watch already spotted something - piles of rubbish that had previously either not been there or avoided notice were turning into some sort of creeping, tentacled plant things. I am uncertain what they are called (it is outside my area of specialization, though I have been thinking to myself lately that perhaps I should broaden my horizons a little more since the horrors most definitely don't seem to be entirely gone, but in any event Truck said they looked like Qural’lotectica, more commonly found in the Servos), but fortunately we were more than a match for them and our more martially inclined party members made short work of them. More concerningly, we could hear sounds suggesting the same was happening elsewhere, and that the other groups of Adepts assigned to protect other areas of the town might not be doing as well as us.
Just as we were cleaning up the last of those foul horrorspawn Strata plugged the well just in time to slow down the escape of several large-ish flying mouths attached to sharp claws everywhere, followed by him slowing down the escape of a cloud of fast-moving shards of metal. As it turns out, my speculation about gnashers was right - the Gyre variety, I am told - and so was Truck's speculation about a Wingflayer. They all looked like a nasty piece of business, but in the end were no match for our brave little group. I was pleased to be able to take down the Wingflayer after it had been severely weakened by our warriors, and as had been predicted by Truck it did indeed seem quite vulnerable to air magic and was struck down collapsing in a shower of metal bits when struck.
Yet another shock awaited us as the shrine of Chorollis started to glow brighter and revealed itself to be a disguised crystal entity. I feel quite embarrassed to have missed such a thing, but I suppose at least I didn't spend the last who-knows-how-long not noticing it. The first thing it did was to attack Elisen and their mount Jacint with sleep magic, knocking them down on top of it (they had been hovering over the roof). This proved to be unfortunate for the pair, as Strata and Truck bludgeoned the accursed thing to death and they fell several yards with the rubble, crashing into the unforgiving earth.
Having dealt with every horror fool enough to show its face (or nearest equivalent) in our vicinity, we rushed off to help the other Adept groups who were also defending the town. All but one made it out alive, a fellow Elementalist by the name of... well, I just copied this down, Sperethiel is also not one of my strongest points, but "Duouquirai Svlaniculcor" was apparently his name. Perhaps Elisen will compose a song or story about him, I'll have to listen in some time. Around morning, the villagers and Cragbringer returned and were devastated to find their shrine destroyed.
They were quite taken aback to discover that it had been taken over by a crystal entity (this explains why the spread of the corruption was not hindered by the shrine of a Passion, though), which incidentally is entirely at fault for the destruction of the shrine I should like to point out. Everything that was ruined was already ruined before we even entered the town, contrary to the grumbling I heard from some of the locals (and most appallingly the Elder who in my opinion should be setting a better example). I'm not sure what they wanted us to do - just leave the crystal entity to rip them open with crystalline spikes and turn their corpses into horrorspawn, I suppose?
This still leaves the question of how a crystal entity was able to so thoroughly infiltrate the town and particularly the shrine, which one would think should be under the protection of the Passion Chorollis. I should think it wise to also put some time into investigating the well, from which a number of horrors sprung, to ensure that it has not been poisoning the locals or slowly corrupting them.
Statistics:Posted by Sharkforce — Thu Feb 17, 2022 3:59 am
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I had a quite journey south and spend some of my travels with a family traveling south to explore their options in the world. It was a nice peaceful experience one I don't get to enjoy to much any more. Once I arrived at Clear Creek I noticed the walls that they had built were oriented inwards rather than outwards which means someone thinks the threat is from the town rather than to the town, strange. In the market I noticed several of my friends from previous adventures, Turk, Strata, Orlam and the most recent companion Elisen.
We spoke with Craigbringer briefly about the threat he mentioned in his letter and he indicated that the town's seer has had visions of the town being attacked. He doesn't know that much about the threat just that Elder Mirium was convinced the town was in dire danger and thus he sent out letters asking for aid. There are apparently more adepts in town who I only know in passing who are here to assist in defending the town.
We went to talk with Mirium to see if we can get any additional information about her visions so we can have a better idea of the threat to the town. She shared with us her visions but they were vague. Strata "talked" with a stone about her visions and was able to get some clarification on the threat. Strata told us about flying teeth and tentacles, which made us all worried about a Horror attack. After learning more about the threat we figured it would be easier to protect the town if we didn't need to also protect the civilians at the same time. Since Mirium indicated that the attack would happen in the next couple of days we recommended that the townspeople evacuate. Craigbringer took some convincing but Elisen was able to explain that the town needed the people to thrive and that we weren't going to rob them.
Once the evacuation was under way Orlam detected that astral space was corrupted in Clear Creek and covered all of the center of town which included a shrine to Chorrlis. While he was trying to find out more about this corruption we talked with the other adepts about patrolling different parts of town and we figured that the shrine being at the center of town would be ground zero offered to patrol there.
Soon after sunset the well in the market in the center of town started to glow and the winds picked up. While we were looking at the well several large plants sprung from the ground and started to attack us. They grappled with us with many tentacles and in short order we managed to cut them down without suffering any significant wounds. While we regrouped the winds picked up again and the well was shaking with energy. Strata quickly moved to cover the well to stop the winds.
Some Gnashers and a Wing Flayer flew out of the well to attack us. I faced off with the Wing Flayer, which is a metal tornado, while the rest fought the Gnashers. Just as we were finishing of these Horrors, Elisen fell from the sky and landed on the shrine as he succumbed to some spell from some other threat.
Strata jumped on top of the shrine and started to punch the roof. Turk also started to slash at the shrine while I moved to fight the latest creatures to be summoned this frightful night an Entrancher. As I was battling with this humanoid monster a large crash was heard behind me as Strata was able to fell the shrine and it collapsed with him and Elisen standing on top of it.
Once the dust settled we stood in the market of Clear Creek Crossing surrounded by the bodies of many Horrors and the remains of the shrine to Chorrolis. Hopefully we can explain the destruction of the shrine to the towns folk. We moved to assist the other adepts battling in other parts of town but we weren't in time to assist with everyone as an elven Elementalist, Duouqurai Sylaniculor, died.
Craigbringer was understandably upset about the destruction of the shrine but we explained that someone had built the shrine with pieces of a Crystal Entity and it was the cause of the threat to Clear Creek. He vowed to investigate how the shrine was corrupted by the Crystal Entity.
Clear Creek Crossing was saved from it's self? Or will whoever or whatever tried to corrupt the town try again. I'm not sure I would feel safe sleeping there in the future.
Statistics:Posted by redwraith — Wed Feb 16, 2022 7:49 pm
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The last two times I passed through Clear Creek Crossing I saw that they were (very poorly for a town with such magnificent buildings) building a wooden palisade. They told me that Elder Miriam has visions of the future, and that lately she had been having repeated and vivid visions of the settlement coming under vicious attack. These visions were apparently also brought to the attention of Strorbrout Cragbringer, the wealthy Throalish merchant and Questor of Chorrolis who funded the restoration and expansion of the shrine of Chorrolis there. He sent out a number of invitations to various adventurers to investigate these visions and to make Clear Creek Crossing safe.
On the way to CCC I passed or was passed by a number of other Adepts who were also traveling there. Upon arrival I quickly ran into Elisen, Orlam, R'edtarian and Strata all of whom I had adventures with before. After talking to Questor Craigbringer we teamed up and decided to guard the center of the town. Some 20 or 25 other Adepts also formed themselves into teams and guarded the town outskirts.
We talked to Elder Mirium, she was way too vague, but Strats did Psychometry upon an item she was holding when she had her most recent vision and learned a lot more. From Strats description we knew that multiple things would be attacking. He saw something with tentacles emerging from every dark corner (but with horrors and horror constructs that did not narrow it down near enough), and also something that looked like a tornado of flying teeth. I thought that sounded like wingflayers, but some others thought it might be flying gnashers. As it turned out we were all right. Mirium told us that she had insisted that the Palisade be built to lean inward to keep the horrors in. I decided she was both a pessimist and very bad at tactics. Of course if I had been having the visions she has been having for months, I might have become a pessimist also. We quickly detected an Astral Corruption inside the village. It covered much of the village but not the surrounding area. We tried to measure and find the exact epicenter of the corruption, but were unable to localize it beyond the central village area. We noted with interest that the corruption included the shrine of Chorrolis, which we felt was of note because we have previously seen that elsewhere a different corruption had been unable to penetrate (let alone overwhelm) a shrine to Upendal. We talked Craigbringer to convince the town populous to sleep outside the town, some went to nearby farmhouses and barns, but many just made a party of it in the nearby pastures.
As dusk fell, we adepts split the town into 5 sections and each party organized a night watch. Our party took the center of the town that included the Shrine and Market Square. Practically at full dark, before any of the off-watch had gone to bed, waves of horrors started to attack. First there were 6 Qural'lotectica that stepped out of piles of rubbish that seem to have appeared out of nowhere. I don't know if we simply did not notice the rubbish prior to the horrors appearing (it was the end of a market day) or if the rubbish appeared along with the horrors). We noticed something apparently coming out of a well, and were well prepared when 3 Gyre Gnasher and a Wing flayer flew out of it. Moments later, two Entrancher appeared, I don't know from where.
A spell was cast that sent Elisen and his Zoak mount asleep. Elisen fell off his mount and onto the roof of the shrine, which woke him up. You could have knocked any of us over with a feather when it became clear that the entire shrine was a gigantic Crystal Entity (casting sleep spells and other nefarious stuff). Earlier I had been standing my watch upon the chimney of that shrine! Strata with his fists, and me with my mace quickly attacked the Crystal Entity and shattered it (subjecting Elisen to still more falling damage as the shrine collapsed beneath him).
With the Crystal Entity masquerading as a shrine to Chorrolis destroyed, we quickly mopped up the last remaining Entrancher and hurried off to help the other parties clear up their own attackers, and to resuscitate those who had temporarily fallen. There was one we were unable to resuscitate, one Duouquirai Svlaniculcor elf Elementalist and Quester of Astendar. In the morning, when Questor Craigbringer returned with the rest of the townsfolk, he was really pissed that the shrine had been destroyed. When we showed him the crystal remnants he was shocked and could scarcely believe that a horror had taken over the shrine. When we talked to Elder Miriam how she felt about the future, she said something like "How can the future be bright if we need to destroy all that we built in order to survive" or something like that.
I don't think the problems in Clear Creek Crossing are nearly over. For starters I don't trust the leadership. Elder Miriam somehow, and for some reason convinced the town to build the palisade leaning inwards, for the express purpose that if the town was attacked, the inhabitants could not climb over the palisade to escape. Is she horror touched or simply senile? Are the townsfolk and other leaders simple minded to allow this? Or were subtle magics used to make them do something so stupid? Was it the CE that was manipulating their minds? Has the manipulations stopped?
Note: The following section is NOT turned over to Strorbrout Cragbringer as he requested that we do. It IS included in the version turned into the Great Library of Throal. It is also shown to several (other) Questors of Chorrolis in Throal.
And how long has the Crystal Entity been growing inside the shrine to Chorrolis? Since the beginning 9 years ago? How long does it take a Crystal Entity to grow that large? How could nobody notice that the walls were changing from Granite to Crystal? And Strorbrout Cragbringer? Was the shrine ever rededicated to Chorrolis at all? Or has it been dedicated to a Horror all these years? If he is a loyal Questor of Chorrolis, how can Craigbringer have failed to notice the CE? For that matter Chorrolis himself? Has he gone Mad like some of the other Passions? Has everybody simply failed to notice? Did Chorrolis fail to notice that a shrine supposedly dedicated to himself was being taken over by a Horror? Do none of his Questors ever bother to commune with him any more? Did Chorrolis think the matter was not worth mentioning? Things are very, very wrong on several levels.
Note: There could be some great follow-up rumors to this adventure, and/or several epic unlocks.
Statistics:Posted by ChrisDDickey — Wed Feb 16, 2022 12:47 pm
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Got a note from da Questor o Chorrolis down ta Clear Creek Crossin dat he needed some help wit somethin. Guy nama Strorbrout Cragbringer. Thought hmmm.
Met my human buddy Orlam da Elementalist walkin down da road from Throal, we had fun travelin together – good company. He was headin to check it out too.
Got ta town. Da wood spike wall dey was buildin round da town was backwards; looks like it was to defend against stuff inside rather than from outside. Huh.
Went to da market ta look for the guy. Got the feelin sometin was wrong as soon as I walked into the plaza. Odd.
Der was others there ta meet da Questor. Orlam knew ‘em all, n I knew some of ‘em. We ganged up with Elisen the windling chevalier and troubadour, Truck da windling warrior n Red’tarian da human warrior. Good folk, especially in a fight.
Da Questor wanted folks ta defend the town ‘cause der was dis elder gal who could see da future. She said the place was gonna get trashed n convinced folks to build the palisade. Huh.
Went ta talk with the Seer lady; she told us what she’d “seen” n I talked with a stone mortar n pestle she was holdin when one of da visions hit her; tornado of teeth n a pillar of light destroyin da place one night. Mehr?
When we waz walkin out sometin wierd happened to my legs, like they broke but didn't. Blerg?
Elisen talked da Questor inta havin folks go sleep outside the town at a made up festival or somethin, so no one would get hurt if it came ta punchin.
Da astral waz all messed up. We figured out da plaza place where I got da heebie jeebies was at the center of it. Used some scrap wood to make a cover for da well just in case. We stood guard along with a couple dozen other adepts to see what would happen that night.
Dat night, tings went nutz. Some plant tentacle things came out to eat; punched ‘em. Next was the giant tooth tornado flyin fish tings with huge mouths tryin ta bite. Da top of da well exploded when dey came out n I slammed da lid as a tornado of flyin glass horror stuff tore up inta da sky. Den der was the oozy slime tings with lotsa eyes. Punched alla ‘em.
Den da whole shrine to Chorrolis lit up; turned out der was a Crystal Entity like da one dat tried to eat Ah-Shi-Sle-Pah; Oooo did I punch it. I was da one, n Truck was da two; thing shattered in a zillion pieces *satisfied fist smack*. We then ran round n helped da udder adept teams ta mop tings up. Were able to help a lot with da search n rescue; saved a bunch, tho one died – elf nama Duouquirai Svlaniculcor; an elementalist and questor of Astendar who died takin a bunch of ‘em out.
Afterwards, we asked Cragbringer who had seeded da crystal entity into da shrine, n why Chorrolus hadn't warned him somethin waz wrong wit da place. He didn’t know. Asked the Seer if things waz clear now, she just shook her head n walked away. Huh.
Tink Clear Creek Crossin has some tough times ahead between rebuilding da shrine n findin out what done it.
Strats
Statistics:Posted by Serespar — Wed Feb 16, 2022 5:33 am
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ECR: 8
Difficulty: Medium
Player Rewards:
Elisen: 19000LP, 800 SP, 3 TIPs, 1 Large Pot of Grumbah
Orlam: 19,000 LP, 150 SP, 3 TIPs, Half-Price Circle 7 Training
R'edtarian: 19,000 LP 500sp, 3 TIPs, Weapon smith training 5
Strata:19000 LP, 900 SP, 3 TIPs
Truck: 19000 LP, 720 SP, 3 TIPs, Half Price TOU training
Alt Rewards: Half-priced purchase of one item or service
Journals: 950 LP, 225 SP
GM Reward: Nyx (1400 LP, 275 SP, 3 TIPs)
Downtime:
[Alchemy] Rank 3, Step 10, lab available
- Kelix's Poultice
- Booster Potion
- Light Crystal)
[Forge Weapon] Rank 5 Step 15
[Item History] Rank 7, Step 22
[Research] Rank 7, Step 22
- Journeyman: 3 test or research knowledges / week
- Warden: 2 test or research knowledges / week, 3 with library access (+20sp)
- Master: 2 test or research knowledges / week
[Research] Rank 6, Step 26, +3 available for 20 sp in the Great Library,Knack gives two extra successes
Item History / Research:
Journeyman: 3 test or research knowledges / week
Warden: 2 test or research knowledges / week, 3 with library access (+20sp)
Master: 2 test or research knowledges / week
Summary:
The party was hired by Strorbrout Cragbringer, who was hiring Adepts to defend Clear Creek Crossing. They were told of visions had by Elder Miriem, who described horrors of a nearing future. The party convinced Strorbrout to evacuate the town. As night set, the party and 24 other Adepts were drawn into combat against numerous Horrors. The Shrine to Chorralis was destroyed, having been occupied by a Crystal Entity. The party checked in on the other groups of Adepts, assisting in reviving those who were fallen. Elven Elementalist and Questor of Astendar Duouquirai Svlaniculcor was the lone Adept who died in battle. Although the town was saved, the future didn't look any brighter than the visions told. As Elder Miriem put it, "How bright of a future can there be if we must destroy everything we build to remain safe?"
Statistics:Posted by predajey — Wed Feb 16, 2022 4:59 am
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Date of Last Game Played: 2022-2-2
Circle: 7 ECR7
Discipline: Warrior 7 / Weapon Smith 4
Unique: The best defense is a great offense.
Downtime: Research Rank 3 Step 9 (step 12 with library access)
Downtime: Item History Rank 3 Step 13
Downtime: Forge Weapon Rank 5 Step 15
Statistics:Posted by redwraith — Wed Feb 09, 2022 7:14 am
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Name: Strata
Date of Last Game Played [ Character ]: "I punched a horror tryin ta eat a liferock tother day..." [ December 18, 2021 ]
Circle: ECR 8, Circle 7, BoS 4
Discipline: Obsidiman Gauntlet ( Journeyman Rank )
Path: Brother of Stone ( Novitiate Rank )
Not so unique, but useful: "I punches stuff, n don't mind bein an aircraft carrier"
Downtime: Talents and Skills that other characters can use over downtime;
*Strata can speak with inanimate objects ( Item History, Rank 7, TN 17 )
Primary character
Statistics:Posted by Serespar — Wed Feb 09, 2022 5:22 am
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Last played on: 2022-02-01
ECR: 9 (403830lp)
Discipline: Cavalier 9 / Troubadour 7
Quote/Unique: Deliverance flies on silent wind
Notable Abilities: Inspiring Sparkly Zoak power!
Downtime: Animal training step 17 (rank 6; 13 + karma), Item History 22 (rank 7; 14 + 2 karma), Research 22 (rank 7; 14 + 2 karma)
Item History / Research:
- Journeyman: 3 test or research knowledges / week
- Warden: 2 test or research knowledges / week, 3 with library access (+20sp)
- Master: 2 test or research knowledges / week
Statistics:Posted by sigfriedmcwild — Mon Feb 07, 2022 8:28 am
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Date Player last played: Feb 1st (my rumor)
ECR: 8
Discipline: Warrior 7th circle, WindMaster (3), Scholar (3) - Windling.
Quote/Unique:
Notable Abilities: Slice and Dice, with a bit of investigation on the side.
Downtime: Item History rank 4, step 14 (Rank + Karma). Research(rank 6, ESR 26 (Karma, Knack gives two extra successes, +3 step if pay 20 sp library access).
Statistics:Posted by ChrisDDickey — Sat Feb 05, 2022 7:00 pm
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Date of Last Game Played: Feb 1 (may change)
Circle: ECR 7
Discipline: Elementalist 6 / Scholar 2
Unique: healing boosts, combat buffs and debuffs, comfort, navigation, and evidence analysis. (downside: he sucks at damage).
Downtime: Item History (Talent, Rating 6, step 17)
Research (Skill, Rating 2, Step 9, +3 available for 20 sp in the Great Library).
Alchemy (Rating 3, Step 10, lab available) (Kelix's Poultice, Booster Potion, Light Crystal)
Statistics:Posted by Sharkforce — Sat Feb 05, 2022 4:22 am
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GM: Pub
Difficulty: 8M
Rumor Source: Truck
Rumor: At Clear Creek Crossing, Elder Mirriem is reporting repeated and vivid visions of the settlement coming under vicious attacks.
Strorbrout Cragbringer, who is a Wealthy Throalish Merchant with many interests in Clear Creek Crossing and is also the Questor of Chorrolis who funded the restoration and expansion of the shrine to Chorrolis there is hiring Adventurers to investigate these visions and to guard Clear Creek Crossing until the situation is safe again.
Location: Clear Creek Crossing
Alt Reward: Strorbrout Cragbringer is willing to sponsor any who answer this call (half price on your next single item purchase, service, or training. One item, service, or training).
Note: 4-6 Players
Statistics:Posted by predajey — Sat Feb 05, 2022 2:05 am
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