House Rules

Hugh’s recovered from our last campaign, but he’s quite thoroughly done with Eberron. So as not to penalize the party for their efforts, he’s starting us with a new group at 3rd level (32 point buy) and full starting gold for a character of that level (2700 gp). Books to be used are Greyhawk campaign setting stuff— the 3.5 “brown books” for the most part:

PHB 3.5
DMG 3.5
Greyhawk Gazetteer
Complete Arcane/Adventurer/Divine/Warrior
Races of Stone/Wild/Destiny
Stormwrack/Sandstorm/Frostburn

Materials from other WotC 3.5 books may be used on a case-by-case basis (not from other worlds such as Eberron or Forgotten Realms!).
Some Dragon Magazine articles, approved on a case-by-case basis.

Character sheets will be in PCGen format (give your changes to Kristin so she can add them to the DM’s roster) or elsewhere on this server so that the DM has access to them as needed. Journals will not be needed for this campaign, though Kristin will set them up for you if you wish to write them. A good character bio should be given to Hugh prior to the campaign.

Your character can be from anywhere in Greyhawk (no evil characters). Immediately prior to our campaign, your PC leaves a seaport in Nyrond, on a ship sailing to Gryrax (capital city) in the Principality of Ulek. The PCs have just met during this long sea voyage.

Monster Roster

Uncharted Desert Isle

Loot

Uncharted Desert Isle
Telescope, Triaa
Masterwork Scimitar, Morwenna
Journal of Mirval Kojar, Dora

Cave and cove
400 gold pieces
200 silver pieces
2 amethysts (130 gp each)
2 potions of cure light wounds, Triaa
1 potion of invisibility, Dora

Plateau and Ruins
12 silver pieces
20 copper pieces
Adamantine “diamond”

*stuff in this color has already been used or divided up for funds
**stuff in italics hasn’t quite been identified....

Morwenna's Bio

Morwenna Thistlewood was taken at a young age by the local Temple of Yondalla to train as a cleric. Part of her training involved an extended excursion via wagon traveling back roads and exploring other communities before returning to the halfling community in Radigast City. On the trip however, the group encountered a quasit that the clerics could not turn; fortunately a paladin that rode with the caravan smote it. At that point, Morwenna realized that she wanted to serve Yondalla in that capacity, protecting halflings and other good races from threats from outside, rather than looking inwards to care for the community as the clerics she rode with tended to do. Her family is quite proud of her decision, even though it means she’s often away from home for lengthy periods.

Morwenna recently left the Temple of Yondalla in Radigast City on a trip to visit a smaller one in Ulek, and has elected to go via ship rather than caravan, as she has never traveled by ship before. She has the distinct impression that the vessel is not headed in the right direction.

Character sheet: Morwenna Glynese Thistlewood [Halfling Paladin of Yondalla]

Triaa's Bio

My story is very old. In fact my story started hundreds of years before I was even born. Let me explain that and why I am recording this journal. My name is Triaa Silverflame, and I am the last member of a proud and strong family. At age 10 my mother, father, brothers and sisters were killed by a demon named X’rious. That day all of my extended family was slain also by this beast with no mercy.

This story has to go back farther for you to understand. My father’s father’s father’s father was a great warrior of some fame. He was known for his great heart and great sword, and his ability to use both. His name was Kr’sian, and his magical sword was named T’riar, whose powers are only known by rumors in this age. Kr’sian had a good friend who was a loyal adventuring companion with admirable skills in magic. The name of this friend has been lost over the years, but this tragedy began with these two men. After an adventure which had uncovered a summoning device. They both misjudged its power.

With the mage having decided that he could control whatever he summoned and Kr’sian having decided he could defeat anything that may break through the mages spells, they decided to use the item. Relic would be the proper word for this device. It is said that the first few summonings went uneventful, but the Relic was just playing with them. One evening they did the normal preparation, the wizard with his intricate spells of protection and Kr’sian with his sword T’riar stood ready. X’rious was waiting.

As the summoning began the mage and Kr’sian were feeling confident, until it began to materialize. X’rious began to appear and they immediately knew the doom of their actions. First it is said the front paws appeared, massive and powerful, they not only appeared but reached right out and crushed two of three small urns that helped the mage focus his protections. Quickly, too quickly the beast fully came to view: the form of a great panther of enormous size, whose flesh was that of lava. Breathing fire and hatred the beast killed the mage before Kr’sian could react. Kr’sian came to his senses as the beast turned on him. The battle was recorded as one of the greatest of its age by our people. Through the walls out into the streets of winter snow the battle raged. Many came to Kr’sian’s aide only to be slain by the beast. Some say half of the community was killed that night trying to stop the beast, all the while Kr’sian fought with everything he had.

The battle went on and on, the beast never tired. It raged through the community and into the woods, Kr’sian trying to take the battle away from his friends and family. Into the woods and up the hills it continued neither getting an advantage over the other, great paws versus T’riar, evil soul versus kind heart. It continued.

It could have lasted forever, until Kr’sian saw his eldest son Tarsil running to his side to help. Knowing his son stood no chance against this beast Kr’sian had to take a chance to defeat this beast before his son was slain. Feigning a powerful lunge, Kr’sian reversed T’riar’s direction and spun into a flurry of short slashes at the beasts flank. Many hits struck true, deeply wounding the beast. Sadly the attack was not enough to down the beast and left Kr’sian with his defenses down. The giant cat struck with power and speed unimaginable. The battle was over; Kr’sian lay on the ground with seared gashes across his abdomen and back, the latter which showed the severed back bones. Kr’sian was alive, but dying. X’rious looked into his eyes, as if reading his soul. Without any warning X’rious turned and charged Kr’sian’s son. Minutes later X’rious brought back the body of Kr’sian’s son in his massive jaws. It dropped the son at the father’s feet, all to see the pain in Kr’sian’s eyes. With all of his physical strength gone, Kr’sian summoned a force from the greatest depth of his heart as he lifted T’riar up and single handedly launched it into the great cat’s eye.

The scream of the cat could be heard for miles. The beast finally freed the sword from its skull and turned back to finish Kr’sian, but it was too late for the final effort he had given had taken his life too.

It is said by onlookers that remained hiding and watching this battle that the beast then changed forms, to that of a human. X’rious then lifted the T’riar in his hands and began casting a powerful spell. The spell ended when he thrust the mighty sword deep into what was left of Kr’sian’s chest. Looking over his shoulder and speaking in common, X’rious shouted to the watchers that he knew to be there, that this sword has been cursed, and that only the descendents if any of Kr’sian may carry it. It will lead them to X’rious when they think they are ready. The powers of the sword have been defeated, and it now carries the mark of X’rious. The beast is said to have bowed once to Kr’sian in respect to the great battle he had fought, then changed back to his fiery cat form and ran off.

Kr’sian had a wife, two sons and two daughters that survived that night. The oldest surviving son took the sword and the quest to avenge his father and his people. As did his son after X’rious had slain him many years later. The great cat returned every so often to test the skill and heart of the sword bearer. Each time many good elves died in the attempt to help.

Finally we get back to where I fit into this story. My family was on the picnic, not far from our home. I remember seeing a man walking toward us, and seeing my father pull the T’riar from its sheath, and hearing the screams the sword makes when it is drawn. I remember the black mist that surrounds T’riar when it is drawn. I remember my father and brothers, and finally my mother and sisters draw their weapons and attack this man. I remember the awe when it changed form. I ran to my family, trying to join them and not knowing why. I will not reveal here the horrors that I saw next, for it is enough that they haunt me. When the battle was over the beast stood over my crying body and pressed his paw into my chest. To this day I have a great scar from the heat and pressure. Then the beast walked away, only to come back to me and drop T’riar on my chest. It then spoke to me. It told me that it could never be defeated. It told me it was going to seek the others today, and when the day is over I will be the last one. It mocked me and said to rebuild my family as the others have.

Later that night when some of the remaining villagers found me and took me back to their home, I realized that the beast had kept its word. And my life began its quest. I have not followed the beast advice; I have dedicated myself to learning to fight. I have not followed the family traditions of developing a kind heart, for I will not let this beast take another family member to keep its game going. No, this game will end one way or the other. I have traveled for many years now, trying to learn skills to fight the beast. Trying to find more out about it. Eking out an existence as a hired sword, traveling from place to place. I do not know how long my journey will be, nor how it will end.

I began this journal so that if I fail in my quest, some other may read this and know of the torment the beast has caused. And maybe, they will be better armed with this knowledge to someday kill the beast X’rious.

Character sheet: Triaa Silverflame [Wood Elf Fighter]

Alexander's Bio

As a young boy, Alexander yearned for knowledge. He would spend hours at different libraries reading everything he could about a variety of different topics. Some things like magic interested him more than others, but to everyone’s surprise, he never developed the talent to cast spells. Both his parents were wizards and even his younger sister could cast certain spells at will. Alexander, however, was never able to even cast the simplest of arcane spells. It was at his 16th birthday that he went to see some clerics of Bobcob. After hours of discussion, and some debating, it was mentioned that he might try to become a cleric. For Alexander there couldn’t have been a better option, and his training began.

A few days ago Alexander left his mentors and went off on his own to search for Knowledge, Understanding, and Wisdom. These three thing are above all else in his life. So with the blessings of his family and friends he bought a ticket on the first ship that had a spare room. Unfortunately, it was on a doomed boat.

Character sheet: Alexander Von Heilenmen [Human Cleric of Boccob]

Dora's Bio

A mysterious dwarven female that’s not going home again until she can make her family proud of her accomplishments!

Character sheet: Dora Helisi [Dwarven Rogue / Cleric of Olidammara]

Mysterious Island

Growfest 1, 593 CY, unknown island

Yondalla knows I don’t mean to complain, but I’m stranded on an island during Growfest— and not only am I not at a celebration of the Provider’s bounty, but there seems to be a distinct lack of food of any sort! In fact, all of my belongings, other than my precious silver holy symbol, have been swept away by the sea, hence my starting of this new journal, as a testimony for future paladins of our Nurturing Matriarch.

I am appreciative that Yondalla left me hale and whole to continue questing in Her name, and that she provided me with three of the taller folk to aid in my quest, wherever that shall take us. Strangely, at least two of them claim to be clerics of other deities, but who am I to question Her will?

The ship that was to take me to Ulek was lost at sea during a fierce storm, or at least, that’s what I’m assuming from the fact that I’m on some strange beach surrounded by waterlogged timbers. Three shipmates, Dora (a dwarf), Alexander (a human) and Triaa (a wood elf) are the only other survivors to wash up on this particular stretch of sand. Off in the distance is a jungle, and beyond that, a mountain. To our west we noticed a lighthouse; Dora and Alexander agreed to check it out with me while Triaa chose to remain on the beach rummaging around in the remains of our ship.

The lighthouse appeared to be deserted; we found some table lamps near the entrance, and then proceeded to peek in each room on the first floor. Then we found some steps and headed upward. As we passed a window, I looked out along the beach to where Triaa was still collecting wood from our ship, and saw movement in the jungle tree line! He couldn’t hear our yells through the glass window, so I ran down to the beach while Dora ran upward. I screamed and waved my arms, and heard Dora above me yelling as well (she also noticed that the light on top of the lighthouse is not in working condition). We never got Triaa’s attention, but at least the movement in the trees ceased. We ran down the beach and let the elf know what we’d seen. Taking some driftwood he’d collected, we headed back to the lighthouse, figuring we’d be safer indoors.

I’m not sure about this place. I can take care of myself, Yondalla willing, but I have three big people to watch after too!

First off, we are not completely alone in this building. Upon opening a door somewhere in the middle of the tower, the tall people were attacked by stirges! They tried to pull the big bug things off as they began to attach to the tall folks’ necks; I grabbed a wooden mallet off of a nearby table and smashed the things off of them; the ones that have fed exploded! Though we are without food, no one was keen to feast on something that was so recently trying to do the same to them.

The previous caretakers of this lighthouse had attempted to make a happy home, as evidenced by the various comforts found throughout the rooms of the lighthouse. Unfortunately, we also found three of the four previous occupants, a human woman, and presumably, her young son and daughter, had been gruesomely killed sometime well before our arrival. The murderer had slit their throats. I was particularly affected by the children, who I had at first mistaken for halflings. We will tend to their remains, either by burial, or, if the sand does not permit that, by fire. We also found one other creature in the tower— an animated cloak, or “raiment” that was bent on strangling Triaa! I smote it once, and then attempted to stab at it with some found knitting needles. Triaa had other plans, and endeavored to burn the creature as it wrapped itself around his head. Alexander cast a spell to put out the fire with water, as it appeared that Triaa would be killed along with the undead creature! The four of us eventually rendered the thing motionless. Poor Triaa’s long red hair is now just burnt stubble, but we were able to heal him otherwise.

We found many interesting items— many astronomy books and a telescope, wood, glass and metalworking tools, clothing, kitchen knives— just no food. Now, I need only deal with the minor annoyance of not having a way to pay proper homage to Yondalla during this Growfest season!

Wet and tired….

T’riar is gone!! I have awoken on a beach, half in and half out of the water. Head spinning and muscles strained from the swim I barely was able to pull myself up. When I reached for T’riar, it was gone. It appears all of my posessions are gone, and the ship that carried them. This is not good.

I look around to see debris from the boat, mostly driftwood. It appears others have survived, they came over and talked a little. I began searching the beach and sea for my sword and anything I may need to survive. After a good bit of time I had collected a large amount of wood, at least there will be a fire. Suddenly the three I mentioned before came running up to me screaming. I prepared to defend myself from the obviously mad trio, when they stopped and said that there was something in the tree line that had been moving towards me.

The three led me to a lighthouse were we could bar the door and gather our senses. I was told their names, but I do not yet remember them. A Human, Dwarf and Halfling, this is going to be painful I can see it now. Oh, and to make matters worse, the three are all symbol toting fools from different churches. One claims to be a paladin, can you guess which one, yup, the littlest one.

We searched the lighthouse for anything useable, I told them we need weapons, so what do they do, they listen to the Halfling and keep talking about food. I need my sword.

Well, we found a couple of dead bodies, of no concern to me. Then there was one room, with the strangest creature in it, which of course since my name is Silverflame, it attacked me. It was as if an evil spirit controlled an old shirt or cloak. This cloth covered in dried blood came after me, and wrapped itself around my neck. Not knowing what to do I wrestled it to the window where I threw the blind off to let the sun in. Didn’t work.

Then I noticed my new companions, the symbol carrying trio, where coming to my aid, and for a moment, I though it a good thing. As the creature began strangling me, I asked the little one to get flame, that is the only universal answer to undead I have ever known.

Nope, she tries to smite it, with what,…., a knitting needle. She hit it, and barley missed my left eye in the process. I continue to struggle and look for help or fire. Well, after what seemed like forever, I walked passed them to the lantern the Human had set down next to him. I lifted the lantern as the creature continued to strangle me, and then I lit it on fire.

I know how much damage I can take, let’s see how much it can. The flame is instant, I can feel the intense heat and smell the flesh cooking. I can feel the difference in the creature, it does not like this. Then what happens. My new companions, you know the ones that are supposed to help people, the Human cast water and puts the flame out. Instantly the creature strengthened its resolve and twisted tighter on my neck.

After some swings from the trio of …. helpers, I managed to get the cloth off my neck. The Dwarf found a saw and began cutting the beast. Did I metion the point when the Dwarf tried to take the saw to the cloth when it was on the Human’s head?

Finally with a shot from the Human, the cloth died. I had to leave the room to keep from strangling one of them. I think I may have been stranded with some of the special folk. I need my sword.