Dark Age of Eracost Session 11

 Party

• Baron Fingol Innes, Navgarine Keeper of the Stars 4

• Tavenna, Navgarine Keeper of the Stars 3

• Kilosz the Cataphract, Fighter 3

• Baron Gregoire, Paladin 3

• Saporobir Caan, Explorer 3

• Bartosz, Fighter 2

• “Lord” Kramrakir, Tratkean Thief 2

Recap

From my perspective, playing Fingol.

August 26, 427

After their swift and painless eradication of a nest of luminous beetles the day before, Fingol and Saporobir were eager to spend more time clearing the wilderness around Vigilant Keep.

Fingol’s fellow oligarch, Baron Gregoire, arrived after being delivered from the power of the cursed ring he found in the north. Fake-baron Kramrakir meanwhile, left to take care of some business in Amtolosz. Fingol took little notice, figuring it was no doubt some kind of slanderous self-aggrandizing nonsense.

In the afternoon, Sapporo spotted some hide tents. Getting closer, he found that the inhabitants were undead skeletons! The party dispatched the boneyard without issue, but the fight didn’t go as they expected. While Gregoire was able to turn the skeletons as expected, some of them also faltered as the fight began to go against them, and fled as if in fear. This went against everything Fingol thought he knew of undead.

Inspecting the tents, they found something very strange. On loose sheaves of paper was a crudely written testament of sorts.

We walked the Void, until we were torn away. Torn away by a dark power, wielded by a man. We fought against him, but he escaped, and we fled. Soon we will return to the Void, and find the Silver Fields.

It seemed that these skeletons were animated by souls taken from the Void (roughly purgatory) and remained self-aware, unlike other undead. The party decided to investigate, and Saporo set to tracking the skeletons back to where they came from.

August 27

After camping overnight, the party continued following the trail until it met the road north to Amtolosz. Here they crossed the path of a group of Tratkeans, who greeted the group aggressively. Upon hearing of the two Barons' rank, they demanded money. When Fingol warned them to back down with a display of Navgarine lightning, they showed no fear, but rather attacked, transforming into some kind of hounds.

These apparent lycans lacked the feared immunity to normal weapons, but they were quite sturdy. They may have overwhelmed the war dogs if not for a flanking attack by Gregoire’s hunting bear, and Kramrakir, who arrived from the north with uncanny timing. Fingol repaid the insults of the Tratkean leader by personally choking him with the violent wind control of his Navgarine Natural Power.

Strategic Overview

Experience

Reserve xp: 346

Fingol Keeper 4 10395 / 14560

Tavenna         Keeper 3 4114 / 7280

Kilosz Fighter 3 4811 / 8000

Domain

Vigilant Keep

Barony of 1 6-mile hex

Population: 0

Stronghold value: 60,000gp

Mercenary garrison (282gp / month):

• 10 light infantry

• 14 heavy infantry

• 6 bowmen

Notes:

• 1000gp has been invested in clearing farmland. Population should begin to grow at the end of August.

• Keep contains an alchemy lab worth 4100gp

Expeditionary Force

Fingol and Tavenna on Riding Mules

Kilosz on Medium Warhorse with backup War Mule

Animal handler with 2 hunting dogs, 5 war dogs

Baggage train of 7 draft donkeys

Mercenary squad of 3 crossbowmen

Dark Age of Eracost Session 10

 Party

• Baron Fingol Innes, Navgarine Keeper of the Stars 4

• Tavenna, Navgarine Keeper of the Stars 3

• Kilosz, Fighter 2

• Saporobir Caan, Explorer 3

• Bartosz, Fighter 2

• “Lord” Kramrakir, Tratkean Thief 2

Recap

From my perspective, playing Fingol.

August 9, 427

The party arrived back in Amtolosz, bearing significant treasure. Most of the treasure was turned over to Gino (the venturer), but Fingol stored the dragon’s monster parts in his cottage, and donated the ancient scrolls to the Keeper Academy.

Having significantly pushed their limits, Fingol and Tavenna both sought the Keeper Academy to learn new Natural Power techniques. Fingol picked up one new technique, but Tavenna had unlocked the capacity for four!

While they studied, Recesil the head Keeper of Amtolosz approached in a fury, hurling the scrolls at Fingol and accusing him of slandering the Keepers and the Navgarine people. The scrolls contained a controversial legend that the ancient Navgarines had been corrupted and become dragonmen. Fingol assured his superior that this was a legitimate discovery, not a forgery on his part, and swore to keep it a secret from the general public.

August 16

Fingol, having finished learning Battering Ram, spoke with “Lord” Kramrakir, who asked him for an introduction to the Earl of Amtolosz. Since Kramrakir had fought well alongside the forces of Vigilant Keep, Fingol acquiesced. His status as Baron got them an immediate audience with Earl Ilcarion, who held court alongside his wife and the wife of Tarvon the bandit king, both of the bloodline of the heaven-daughters, and Recesil.

After having explained to the Earl the story of their recent adventure and the slaying of the wyrm, Fingol introduced Kramrakir.

Kramrakir spoke about a song he had commissioned (allegedly telling the tale of the dragon-slaying, but making Kramrakir himself the hero!) and a statue he intended to commission. After obtaining the Earl’s generous permission to build a monument, Kramrakir begged for a free parcel of land to build it on. Fingol intervened and offered 90 gp for a plot, on the condition that Kramrakir have inscribed the true story of the dragon slaying on the monument, not neglecting goodest boy and dragonslayer Esquire the war dog.

Fingol spent the following week looking for hirelings, and eventually found three crossbowmen and an animal handler.

August 23

Fingol went drinking with Saporobir who had been drinking heavily the entire week. Apparently his horse archer mercenaries had become local celebrities after being caught up in the dragon-slaying story and tried to demand much higher salaries, after which Saporobir had dismissed them.

He had also apparently had an encounter with a man by the name of Darszan, a member of the Unpledged. They had taken notice of our party’s recent accomplishments slaying Tarvon and the young wyrm. He solicited out help in preventing the corruption of the land by the heaven-daughters - claiming that they were the source of the corruption in Gadaszin and the river of blood (related to the fleshy plant abominations we’ve seen recently).

August 24

Not knowing what to make of this, Fingol and Saporo visited Tavenna for her historical perspective on Darszan’s claims. She gave us a few pieces of info:

• The Unpledged had by all accounts fought well against the corruption generations ago but had been quiet since then

• Szerfaila, the Queen of Gadaszin is a heaven-daughter.

• Szerfaila encountered the corruption of the Queen of Tiny Shells after losing her kingdom and birthright. Tavenna believes that her fall was merely human, not something inherent to heaven-daughters.

• Many fear the heaven-daughters and there are different approaches. Some rulers keep their power close. Others, like the Paladin Protectors of Rantal, keep them in seclusion.

Fingol and Saporo decided not to reach out to Darszan and set out looking for monster lairs around Vigilant Keep instead. At the last moment, Kramrakir arrived with a teen carrying a bloody short-sword who he claimed was “the chosen one”. This level of madness seemed par for the course with the Tratkean “nobleman”, so Fingol paid it little mind.

August 25

After spending a night at Vigilant keep, the party set out exploring, and came across a lair of luminous beetles. Fingol found this a perfect opportunity to show off his Flight technique, and the beetles were destroyed with lightning from above and arrows. The dead bodies inside the bug nest yielded a small amount of coin, some gems and a single potion of ogre strength.

Strategic Overview

Fingol’s Squad

Reserve xp: 346

Fingol Keeper 4 8945 / 14560

Tavenna         Keeper 3 4114 / 7280

Kilosz Fighter 2 4086 / 4000 (advances to level 3)

Domain

Vigilant Keep

Barony of 1 6-mile hex

Oligarchs: Fingol, Ambrogino, Gregoire

Population: 0

Stronghold value: 60,000gp

Mercenary garrison (282gp / month):

• 10 light infantry

• 14 heavy infantry

• 6 bowmen

Notes:

• 1000gp has been invested in clearing farmland. Population should begin to grow at the end of August.

• Keep contains an alchemy lab worth 4100gp

Expeditionary Force

Fingol and Tavenna on Riding Mules

Kilosz on Medium Warhorse with backup War Mule

Animal handler with 2 hunting dogs, 5 war dogs

Baggage train of 7 draft donkeys

Mercenary squad of 3 crossbowmen

Dark Age of Eracost Session 9

 Party

• Baron Fingol Innes, Navgarine Keeper of the Stars 3

• Tavenna, Navgarine Keeper of the Stars 2

• Kilosz, Fighter 1

• Baron Gregoire, Paladin 2

• Saporobir Caan, Explorer 2

• Bartosz, Fighter 1

• “Lord” Kramrakir, Tratkean Thief 1

Recap

August 6, 427

Continuing our delve into the ruined Navgarine keep, the party swept the first floor, and found a Tratkean prisoner bound hand and foot. After Fingol called off his dogs (all Tratkeans have a terrible fear of dogs) this prisoner identified himself as Lord Kramrakir. Apparently he was an exiled Tratkean Baron who had been usurped by his brother, and was being hunted. He asked to join our company in exchange for some information.

Kramrakir revealed that the beastmen had been digging beneath this building, evidently looking for something, and that the lower-ranked beastmen had even been prevented from raiding due to the urgent orders to dig.

After some discussion, we went up to clear the second floor, and ran into 10 kobolds who were dispatched quite handily by our frontliners. We swept the floor and found mostly nesting/sleeping quarters of beastmen. One room had held a collection of scrolls, and we recovered a few valuable historical documents that hadn’t been destroyed.

Gregoire climbed onto the roof of the building and surveyed the surroundings - more ruins within a few hundred yards to the east and north.

We investigated the basement through a trapdoor, and got hit by a dart trap at a locked door. Eventually Kramrakir got us through that into a prison. Inside one locked prison cell was a narrow crack leading to a larger cave. Our thief got us in there as well, and we killed two giant ferrets who burst out.

Gregoire explored beyond the crack, observing some unknown beastmen (possibly gnolls?) and a number of other tunnels. He was spotted and barely pulled back through the crack in time to escape. The beastmen seemed unwilling or unable to follow through the crack, and we retreated upstairs. At this point we decided to retreat all the way to our camp, and made it out safely, walking carefully past some giant centipedes who had arrived to devour the dozens of slain beastmen we left.

August 7, early morning

On 3rd watch, Fingol and his squad had a sudden and terrifying encounter. The reptilian head of a dragon appeared from the trees and charged toward the camp! With practiced precision, Fingol and Tavenna began the Navgarine’s signature natural power technique: Lightning Bolt. The dragon charged with a roar and tore apart Tavenna’s war dog, Spike. Two powerful bolts of lightning slammed into the beast, sending it tumbling backward.

Now was the chance to attack, and Kilosz lowered his lance to charge alongside the remaining war dogs. But at the last moment the fear of the beast was too great, and his focus slipped. His lance glanced harmlessly off the dragon’s scales.

Esquire, the largest and fiercest of the war dogs, had no such fear. While the dragon’s eyes were on Kilosz, he ran beneath the beast and locked his jaws around the dragon’s throat. With a savage twist and spray of blood, the young dragon died.

August 8

The party surveyed the treasure they had already gained, and decided to depart for Amtolosz.

Fingol’s Squad

Reserve xp: 125

Fingol Keeper 4 8771 / 14560

Tavenna         Keeper 3 4114 / 7280

Kilosz Fighter 2 3999 / 4000

Richard Cloventree

Richard Cloventree is a traveling tale-teller who appears in various times and places across Novalia. His appearances are unpredictable and often defy explanation. Years pass between sightings, and then witnesses will swear to his presence on opposite sides of Novalia on the same day. Histories mention him generations ago, yet he appears no older.

If questioned about his mysterious appearances, he will only respond that psychotronic powers allow him to travel the vasty deep at will.

Rick loves nothing more than telling tales. If a party is not obviously chaotic, he will always be amiable toward them and spin some tale. His tales take place in myriad different worlds, but all of these are told with the same ring of authenticity as his tales of Novalia. In all of these tales, he appears as an omniscient observer who takes no direct part in the story.

Even if you can't be the ultimate DM, you can still add him to your game!

Get the full pdf here, including 5 classic magic items from Rick "Not a Killer DM" Stump, now converted to ACKS II by yours truly.

Dark Age of Eracost Session 8

 

Party

• Baron Fingol Innes, Navgarine Keeper of the Stars 3

• Tavenna, Navgarine Keeper of the Stars 2

• Kilosz, Fighter 1

• Baron Gregoire, Paladin 2

• Saporobir Caan, Explorer 2

• Æredan, Navgarine Warrior 1

From my perspective, playing as Baron Fingol Innes.

Recap

August 6, 427

Previously, we had halted near a broken down stone wall, where we had slain a small party of kobolds.

Now the party moved up to the wall and found an overgrown compound beyond. A stone keep dominated the grounds, with two ruined outbuildings and some plant growth that appeared to be infected with the evil of Gadaszin. That is, it was part flesh, much like the creature disguised as a sheep we had slain earlier.

The outbuildings were a dirt mound with a wooden door, and a crumbling stone foundation. Although everything was badly overgrown, there were clear trails between these structures.

“Do Pythagoras”

We moved into the crumbled foundation first, and dispatched a small group of goblins apparently keeping watch, then turned to the mound. Inside we could hear boisterous feasting and beastman language, so we threw military oil inside and held the door against them. This plan worked well and the 24 kobolds inside were nearly all killed. We dispatched the remaining few without trouble. The kobolds had a decent bit of treasure including an old, apparently enchanted, bronze navgarine sword.

Finally we approached the keep doors. A scouting attempt was noticed by the orcs inside, and they came boiling out, straight into an earth’s excrescence that caught nine of them. There were enough to make it a fight, and Æredan went down.

As the orcs were mopped up, Tavenna applied horsetail and Æredan recovered. He awoke with voices ringing in his ears, saying “they must not find the staff!” We don’t know what staff this referred to but I’m guessing it’s related to this incursion of evil fleshy plants. A follow-up cure light injury from Fingol got Æredan back in fighting shape.

Looting the orcs, we came up with another enchanted Navgarine sword. Quite a haul for our frontliners.

At this point I had to leave, but there was a bit of further action after I left the session. Apparently some rooms in the keep were checked, and more kobolds killed with caltrops and fire. 

Fingol’s Squad

Reserve xp: 125

Fingol Keeper 3 4271 / 7280

Tavenna Keeper 2 1864 / 3640

Kilosz Fighter 1 1769 / 2000

New Published Product: The Garden of Flesh and Blood

This week I'm finally publishing the ttrpg project I've been working on for the past four months or so - a new wilderness adventure site for ACKS II. Unlike my previous project which was a small 2-page dungeon, this one is 15 pages of content, complete with maps, art, six different sub-locations, new monsters, NPCs and unique magic items.

While progress on the project was slow because I'm a father of three with a baby and a full time job, I'm really happy with how it came together. My wife, Brooke, did some great original art that really brought it to life, and I was able to really delve into the customization tools in ACKS II to build out new monsters and magic items that are balanced and ready for sandbox play.

The adventure site is called The Garden of Flesh and Blood, and it's a dark, faerie-themed location with horrible monsters, tragic backstory, high danger and great rewards for the successful adventurer. Check it out on Drivethru RPG and support me if you're interested!

Dark Age of Eracost Session 7

 Party

• Baron Fingol Innes, Navgarine Keeper of the Stars 3

• Tavenna, Navgarine Keeper of the Stars 2

• Kilosz, Fighter 1

• Baron Gregoire, Paladin 2

• Baron Shevayron, Tratkean Fighter 2

• Saporobir Caan, Explorer 2

• Æredan, Navgarine Warrior 1

Recap

July 28, 427

The party spent a week in Rantal. Yet more war dogs and spiked barding were purchased, Tavenna learned her new spell (a lightning bolt spell that’s custom to this setting) and Saporobir hired a 1st level explorer named Bartosz, along with some mercenary horse archers. A new PC met us here, replacing Draeo - Æredan the Navgarine Warrior.

August 4

Party travelled north to Amtolosz along the road, meeting no trouble.

August 5

We set out north to investigate reports of kidnappings and dragonmen attacks. Farmers and traders met along the road indicated that the dragonmen attacks were further east, but they were very concerned about local disappearances.

Our hunting dogs alerted us to a strange smell along the road and we found a herd of sheep. One sheep acted strangely and stared at Shevayron. When he tried to zap it with a lightning cantrip, it transformed into a twisted plant creature. The creature was immediately torn to shreds by our war dogs.

We inspected the creature, found it was intentionally growing in the shape of a sheep to blend in. Tavenna, our historian, revealed that these monsters had been seen in part wars with Gadaszin, but had never taken stealthy forms like this. Ravenna, also being our animal expert, inspected every sheep but found no more monsters. We collected some ichor, and set our hunting dogs on the trail of the plant creature, which led us east into the forest.

Later in the day, Greg spotted something shiny in the grass… a diamond ring. He decided to try it on. Fingol cast protection from power on him in case of a curse, but it wasn’t enough. Greg was cursed and his strength halved!

Near the end of the day we came across some old Navgarine ruins. This had been a city of carefully grown trees, now overgrown and ruined. Æredan found some inscriptions, which allowed Tavenna to identify the ruins as the ancient city of Blessed River. We camped here after spending an inordinate amount of time convincing the noble paladin Gregoire not to intentionally get killed in the forest at night or try to start a forest fire.

August 6

We explored some paths through the dense forest ruins. We came across small groups of goblins and kobolds, and both were dispatched without much danger.

The goblin group was camped around a broken statue plinth. Our Navgarines read the inscription, which named an ancient Keeper famously slain by dragons.

After slaying the kobolds we approached a stone structure, which we guessed to be the keep of the ancient Navgarine city.