Haven: Starting a War

On September 12th, Year 6, Randall and Stephen have conversed, sharing their separate intelligence on a dragon attack on a gnomish traveler on the north road. Stephen had interviewed the traveler and believed he had encountered a drake while under the influence. The birds had informed Randall of the incident, calling it a dragon as well. Ragnvaldr joins them hoping to end the attacks.

• Ragnvaldr (TrS): Level 10 Human Fighter
  • Neville, Level 4 Toad Familiar
• Stephen (EnS): Level 9 Human Thief
  • Animus, Level 1 Hawk Companion
• Randall (HuS): Level 8 Human Druid (Level 3 Grove)

While they discuss, a cry goes up from the norther walls and they rush there to see a dwarf and a halfling fleeing from the woods as a dragon swoops down on them. The herdsmen in the fields flee toward the city as the dragon catches the hunters and the grass starts to burn.

Biweekly Item-Bigby’s Grappling Hand

This hand-shaped grappling hook can be easily attached to the end of a rope and thrown like any other grappling hook. It improves on a normal grappling hook by converting “catching and slipping” results into “catch” results (see the Dungeoneer’s Survival Guide, pages 16-17, Table 3 and Table 5). This is generally a 4-6% improvement in chances, but it also removes the worst case where the grapple seems secure and fails later. It also caries the advantage of being audible at only 1/10th the distance (10-40 yards on a successful throw, 20-80 yards on an unsuccessful throw).

Experience Point Value: 1,000
G.P. Sale Value: 5,000

You might be able to tell I’ve been reading the Dungeoneer’s Survival Guide in preparation for an AD&D campaign for the night group some day. I can’t use this name if I publish it, but I like it enough for the blog.

Biweekly Monster-Wendigo (AD&D)

FREQUENCY: Very Rare
NO. APPEARING: 1
ARMOR CLASS: 4
MOVE: 15″
HIT DICE: 5 + 5
% IN LAIR: 30%
TREASURE TYPE: S, U
NO. OF ATTACKS: 3
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-6/1-6/2-12
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Ice burst, surprise on a 1-3, see below
SPECIAL DEFENSE: Impervious to cold, never surprised
MAGIC RESISTANCE: See below
INTELLIGENCE: Very
ALIGNMENT: Chaotic evil
SIZE: L (8′ tall)
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
Attack/Defense Modes: Nil

Haven: The Blight of Vale Lake

On September 5th, Year 6, Verdis and Rovert have rested for a week and are ready to return to the Vale Lake giant facility. This time, they use a smaller amount of water breathing and seeing potion and ride Rovert’s undead fish to the door and teleport through.

• Rovert (TrS): Level 18 Human Necromancer (Level 3 Tower)
  • Drej, Level 5 Pseudodragon Familiar
  • Undead Obscurapus
• Verdis (HuS): Level 14 Human Fighter (Level 2 Keep)
  • Phineas, talking rock

On their previous visit, they didn’t enter the airlock they find themselves in, but with a magical light, they are able to make their way across the airlock, stepping over the deep, dark drain vents every few feet. They teleport through the far door and find themselves in the entryway of the facility they have seen before. They approach one of the hanging towels to dry off.

Biweekly Item-Pin of Hearing Little People

These ear-shaped pins were commonly used be the Refi and the Nefil to more easily hear their worshipers and servants among the little people. Such a pin can perceive even quiet speech within 120 feet, far enough for a 60-foot-tall Refi to hear things up to 100 feet away on the ground, and repeats the speech loudly enough to be heard clearly by the wearer.

A mere humanoid will find the pins large enough that with minor modification they can be used as a kite shield and receive the benefit of hearing speech within 120 feet, though the repeated speech is not hard to understand by anyone within 10 feet of the pin and can be heard as if the pin were speaking normally.

Its been an interesting challenge to devise items magic and otherwise for these massive giants that are still usable by regular humanoids.

The Book of Jex-Chapter 6

And as we did set forth from the river crossing, we sought a place to make camp. And behold! By the grace of Torm Brother Grigori did spy a trail leading from the road, much used, but not for some time. We did follow it, hoping to find shelter there, and lo, a cave!

Haven: The Vale Lake Facility

On August 22nd, Year 6, Verdis and Rovert prepare to investigate the fortress Randall has reported at the bottom of the Vale Lake, nearly a mile down. They make a stop at Jared’s Alchemy Shop and pick up generous quantities of water breathing and water sight potion to get them there:

• Rovert (TrS): Level 18 Human Necromancer (Level 3 Tower)
  • Drej, Level 5 Pseudodragon Familiar
• Hunter (HuS): Level 14 Human Fighter (Level 2 Keep)
  • Phineas, talking rock

While Verdis hires a fisherman to take them out for the night, Rovert finds some rocks to encharge with death magic and teleportation, since he won’t be able to cast with verbal components under water. Once they believe they are over the facility, they down enough potion for half an hour and start to sink.

Biweekly Monster-Wereshark

Weresharks invariably live near the cost. They probably make a living as a sailor, fisherman, or dock worker with a reputation for being self-centered and rough around the edges. The wereshark has a dark side that it hides, using it only to disguise its identity for piracy, robbery, or other criminal activity.

Primordial Frontier S32: Jail Break

After freeing Tiernan from mind control, Bilbil attempts to use one of the alien devices to navigate the city. Without a signal in the tunnels, and failing to navigate the map accurately, they wander a bit before getting to the surface where they can use a signal to start navigating toward what they believe is a prison (Rathdar and undead wearing alien armor and Amhran transformed pretending to escort Bilbil as a prisoner).

• Rathdar (ByW): Level 10 Human Vampire Paladin of Vardor
• Bilbil (RiH): Level 10/7/1/1 Harpy Thief/Alchemist/Technician/Tinker
• Amhran (BiW): Level 10 Fey “Pucca” Cleric of Emedia (God of the Dead)
  • Clarence: Level 15 Four-armed Skeleton Gunner with Revolvers
  • Mazzur: Level 9 Dead Lord
  • Several Undead Estrei (aliens)

Eventually, the device locks them out and they realize they are being tracked. They give the phone to an undead and send it running a different direction and continue on their way. Eventually, they realize they are off course again and steal another device from a passerby, eventually reaching the prison.

Biweekly Item-Lightning Master’s Gauntlets

Lightning Master’s Gauntlets
Wondrous item, very rare (requires attunement)

While wearing these gauntlets, your unarmed strikes deal an additional 2d6 lightning damage. You are immune to lightning damage.

The gauntlets have 10 charges. While wearing them, you can expend 1 or more of its charges to cast the call lightning spell (save DC 15) from them. For 1 charge, you cast the 3rd-level version of the spell. You can increase the spell slot level bu one for each additional charge you expend.

You can sense when lightning is about to strike within 100 feet and use your reaction to move in that direction up to your movement speed. If lightning strikes within 5 feet of you, you can expend 1 charge to grab the lightning and ride it into the clouds; you can bring 1 other willing creature with you. Any time lightning strikes thereafter, you can ride it back down to where it strikes; again, you can bring the willing creature with you.

The gauntlets regain 1d8+2 expended charges daily at dawn. If you expend the gauntlets’ last charge, roll a d20. On a 1, lightning strikes you and you suffer 4d10 lightning damage. The gauntlets vanish from off your hands.

Another artifact of Garim, the orc/goblin god of sky and sea in Haven. In Mind Weave the gauntlets use the Potential rules for creating lightning and the strikes are random, so these are significantly stronger, but keep the heart of the concept.