Biweekly Item-Well of Lost Reflections

“Delvirin?”

“He was going into the temple. He took the ring.”

“That ring. He goes to the temple only to justify wearing it. He’s become obsessed with it.”

“Can you blame him? It’s a powerful tool.”

“It makes him reckless—” A third drow appeared at his shoulder, a mirror on a chain around his neck, a ring held near it.

“What does the temple justify?”

“Delvirin! Our, um, our presence here.”

“We were discussing intentions to reassign us.”

“Quite. I dislike how hard the Well makes it to eavesdrop. Until I can get a convex mirror, I shall have to practice. Please, keep talking.” He put a ring on his finger, again vanishing.

The Contaminated River

Adventurers continue to make their way to the temple in Enoch to join the mission to Haven. 

On Monday, July 22nd, three more adventurers are gathered in the temple at Enoch to go through the portal:

• Verdis the Prickly: a bandit whose band was down on its luck and hiding in the wilderness. (Level 1 Human Fighter with tracking from backstory.) He received an axe that burned him to touch. He is leaving his band of bandits and a special lady friend to go to Haven and continue his efforts taking from the pompous rich.
• Lonir: a pick pocket who grew up as a lonely urchin in Enoch itself. (Level 1 Elf Thief with climbing, hiding, and lying from backstory.) He received a crystal that glows or doesn’t at his will. He leaves his few friends looking for a second chance at a better life.
• Lash: a son of a farmers who took to stealing to care for his family in a desperate year. (Level 1 Human Thief with riding, natural empathy, and lying from backstory.) He steals a mysterious and ornate dagger from a surprisingly deep pock at finds it brings him luck. He leaves his family and friends at the promise of adventure.

Play Report-Aftermath

With Benquil exhausted from wounds and magical healing, the party looks for a place to eat and rest a while. They follow their footprints in the ash back to the giant door at the bottom of the temple. Once there, they eat and Lamila takes a 5 hour watch during which she hears a brief rushing wind and sees the door shake. She tells Benquil about it when she wakes him and he takes a 3 hour watch with nothing of note. During Leo’s 5 hour watch, he hears the wind twice more, but nothing else.

Biweekly Monster-Phase Rat

“What do you mean the rations are gone?” Captain Irilae glared furiously at Quartermaster Garius. They were halfway to Vardeia. The closest port they could divert to was Corva, four days away and not a place they would be well received. “We had magical preservation measures in place and thick sacks. Did you not mete it out correctly? Or did you fail to observe pests entering your stores.”

“Pests, sir.” Garius answered sheepishly. “When I opened a new sack this morning, I found it full of droppings only. But sir, none of the bags were damaged. There’s no sign of the pests even now. I’m sorry, sir, but there’s nothing I could have done.”

Phase rats are perplexing pests because of their ability to sense food (50 foot range) and teleport toward it. They often travel in large groups, devouring as they go. Twice per hour they can teleport a short distance (1 foot or less). Once per week they can teleport to within 10 feet of the nearest significant body of food, up to 100 miles.

The Troll Bridge and the Will o’ Wisps

A little over 2 years ago a portal appeared in the temple at the city of Enoch. It was decided that Matthias of the Seventy would lead an expedition to colonize what lay on the other side of the portal. His first group of settlers found a fertile land and new volunteers have been going to colonize it until now there are 5 villages with a total population of about 1000 souls.

Going into the third summer of their colonization, unique issues have arisen and Matthias has prayed for adventurers to be sent to the new colony (Haven) to aid with these problems. He has prepared rooms for them in the boarding house near the Regional Hall in anticipation of their arrival.

On Monday, July 15th, four adventurers are gathered in the temple at Enoch to go through the portal:

• Simon: a hermit survivalist, retired from the military after losing his command in an ambush and atrophied from depression and malnutrition. (Level 1 Human Druid, tracking, direction sense, and trapping from backstory.) He received a blessed necklace of bear claws as a sign to go to Haven. It allows him to see into the (often painful) truth of things. He goes to Haven seeking inner peace.
• Thorn: an army medic with healing magics. (Level 1 Dwarf Cleric, Casting Focus, Tend Wounds, and Weapon Skill from backstory.) He received a plain silver disc blessed to give him a sense of strength. He put it on a necklace and left his comrades to go to Haven out of a sense of duty.
• Legolas: a child leader of a crew of pickpockets. (Level 1 Elf Thief, Lie and Gather Followers from backstory.) He received a dragon engraved short sword that spews an illusory gout if flame. Despite inactivity in the local church, he brought the sword to the bishop and having been called to repentance by the flashy blessed weapon accepted the call to Haven, leaving behind his wealthy crew and friends.
• Barfollowmew “Loamie”: a young man from a military family just starting his career. He dislikes violence and is aiming for a chaplain position. (Level 1 Half-Elf, Half-Human Cleric with Shield Mastery and Spear Mastery from backstory.) He received a wooden tower shield that rings loudly when stuck. He is leaving his family and career and going to Haven to escape the army.

Taurkiev: Vale of the Faithful

Once the capital of Margon’s kingdom, Taurkiev is now largely in ruins, including the wall and Margon’s Palace. The only area maintained is the space surrounding the temple to Margon, where the werewolf priests of Margon live and perform their rituals. The undead linger in the unoccupied spaces of the ruins, especially the palace and the temple. Wild wolves, some of them massive, also roam the empty streets and dwell in Margon’s old palace.

Biweekly Item-Amulet of the Ravenous

“That’s a disturbing piece,” Pahrn fingered an amulet on display. The distorted face depicted on it was partially feathered and conveyed desperation.

“Ah,” the shopkeeper became excited. “Found in a gnomish tomb at the base of the ospryte cliffs. It grants marvelous bird-like flight to the wearer.”

“Flight? How much?”

“1000 gold arils,” the merchant replied, seeming perhaps too eager.

“A little cheap for good flight, what’s wrong with it? Time limited?” Pahrn had been looking into such a tool.

“No, no time limit, but it does make you think you’re a bird. And- and it’s a bit… sticky, you’ll need some friends to help take it off.”

“Still, unlimited flight at that price… I’ll take it.”

Play Report-Blood on the Temple Stone

Having finally found some drow in the temple, Benquil rushes up the stairs toward the drow. Leo hears him going and calls out to him, “where are you going?”

Negative Possibility Space at the Table

I’ve recently described being a Game Master (specifically those of us who built our own world and write or own campaigns) as similar to being a game designer, a game designer whose resources are extremely limited, whose content only gets played once (in general), and who can hotfix the game on the fly in response to player actions. That last distinction is a potent advantage I want to discuss today with respect to what Extra Credits calls Negative Possibility Space:

Biweekly Monster-Firework Shroom

“Why are we waiting for them here?”

“Because they don’t carry light and I need a clear shot. Quiet, I think they’re close.” Halen had heard some shuffling in the cavern below his overhang. He strung an arrow and stared into the darkness. Suddenly lights flared up in the dark below, starting small as he drew the arrow back and flashing into explosions of color as he released his shaft toward the startled silhouette.