The Red Dragon Inn - home of the Audalis campaign setting.  Online D&D gaming, art, poerty, stories, advice, chat, and more

Support the Inn! If you are doing holiday shopping online, please use this affiliate link for Amazon.
You pay the exact same prices, but the Inn earns a small referral fee. Thanks!

We currently have 4066 registered users. Our newest member is vibechecker628.
Online members:
Username Password Remember me
Not a member? Join today! | Forgot your password?
Latest Updated Forum Topics  [more...]
Q&A Threads - Shadows of the Empire Q&A (posted by breebles)Shadows of the Empire Q&A
Dungeons and Dragons - Shadows of the Empire (posted by t_catt11)Shadows of the Empire
Entertainment - Neva (posted by breebles)Neva
Common Room - Cringeworthy players... (posted by Eol Fefalas)Cringeworthy players...
Spamvertize - Twitch Links (posted by breebles)Twitch!
Latest Blog Entries
Revenge of the Drunken Dice
Latest Webcomics
Loaded Dice #80: Priorities
RPG MB #15: Master of the Blade
Floyd Hobart #19: High School Reunion IV
There are currently 2 users logged into DragonChat.
Is the site menu broken for you? Click here for the fix!

You are here: Home --> Forum Home --> General Forum --> Q&A Threads --> For Whom the Bell Tolls Q&A
Parent thread: In Memoriam [Recruitment]
Related thread: For Whom the Bell Tolls Epilogues
    Messages in For Whom the Bell Tolls Q&A
RDI T-shirts!

NPC
Price: $14.00



RDI T-shirts!

Knights: Not Only for Breakfast
Price: $19.00

Vorrioch
Chaotic Hungry
Karma: 38/6
406 Posts


That could actually be quite interesting…

If Aliira’s sacrificing someone and Emmerus is trying to put a group together to stop the dryad then that could actually make a pretty entertaining adventure in its own right. (I’d probably run both at the same time, with Aliira tracking her victim while the Minster group are setting off from town). Oddly enough, I actually finished statting up the land spirits last night.

Otherwise, I’m happy to rule that she’s quite capable of taking down one of the trappers or furriers who work in the woods every day (most of them are just 0 level humans), stabilising them and then dragging them back to Immuriel.

Bishop Abner will certainly be willing to approve the venture and might even insist on accompanying the expedition himself. You’re left with the distinct impression that a force was already being put together for this very purpose. If you ask for guides among some of the local woodsmen and hunters then you’ll probably also end up being accompanied by a torch-carrying mob.

If everyone could PM me with what they’re doing then it would be really helpful. As things stand we have at least two groups and it could be good to know where everyone stands. If anyone feels particularly inclined to start a third group up (say, to try to mediate between the two factions, or to take advantage of the confusion to rob a building in town) then it can only add to the fun

I’ll PM you all with your characters’ sides of the scenario just as soon as you let me know what’s going on.

Kaelyn: I’ll get back to you about those spells later.


Posted on 2008-03-28 at 15:37:48.

Vorrioch
Chaotic Hungry
Karma: 38/6
406 Posts


...

Thanks again to everyone who’s messaged me already. I’ve just sent out a round of PMs asking everyone else where their characters stand and it would be great if you could all get back to me by Friday.

I’m really looking forward to this week’s game and have had a few ideas for the adventure already. It would be great to see a few more player-led adventures in the future- so if you ever decide that your characters would ever want to head off and do something without waiting for a plot hook then just let me know. It can only improve the fun of the game. (Obviously, it would need to be something that your fellow PCs were willing to agree to).

Kaelyn:

1. Am I correct in understanding that the point of Transfer Spell is basically to give up one of your third level spell slots to allow another party member to “carry” a charge of Cure Light Wounds for you? If so, I’ve certainly got no problems with accepting it.

If I’ve misunderstood and you were intending to use it for anything else then I’d appreciate it if you could let me know. The description seems a bit vague and I’d just like to check that we’re on the same footing with this one.

2. As far as I’m aware, the closest thing to a first level spell for enchanting weapons would be Shillelagh.

If you’d prefer to house-rule something closer to the 3rd ed version then how does this sound?

Blessed Weapon
Level: 1
(Enchantment)
Sphere: All
Range: Touch
Components: V, S
Duration: 6 rounds
Casting Time: 1 rd.
Area of Effect: 1 weapon or 10 projectiles
Saving Throw: None

By means of this spell the caster is able to call upon his deity’s power to enchant a normally non-magical weapon, permitting it to harm monsters and other supernatural creatures not normally damaged by weapons of less than +1 enchantment.

The blessed weapon gains a +1 bonus to attack rolls and to damage. If cast on a missile weapon then it will grant an attack bonus but no bonus to damage and bestow no ability to harm creatures impervious to normal weapons. If cast upon a quiver of arrows or other ammunition then it will grant a damage, but not an attack, bonus and be capable of causing harm to creatures not normally harmed by weapons of less than +1 enchantment.


Posted on 2008-03-30 at 16:08:25.

Ayrn
RDI Fixture
Karma: 122/12
2025 Posts


Derry...

The halfling will NOT be sacrficing any folks... but neither will he heading out with Emmy.

Not sure yet what he is doing, but I'll look over the epilogue again and choose a little adventure.


Posted on 2008-03-30 at 19:07:41.

cdnflirt
Angel Reincarnated
Karma: 87/22
1159 Posts


*shrugs*

I have no idea where I'll be, because yeah, I'm not able to play friday/saturday.


Posted on 2008-03-30 at 20:42:30.

Kaelyn
Dragon Fodder
Karma: 80/19
2264 Posts


Spells:

I thank you for the Blessed Weapon spell.

The Transfer spell would be ideal for transfering a cure ight wounds, a lame blade, or even now, a Blessed weapon spell to another party member. (seeing they are all level 1 or 2 spells.) At the trade off of losing a third level spell, it helps with a little more flexibility.


Adventure.
You know Emmy's stand on the matter.


Posted on 2008-03-30 at 22:15:41.

Ginafae
Kool Killer Kitty
Karma: 64/6
1685 Posts


Spells:

I'll probably change Aliira's spells around for Friday. But I'll get her new spell list to you before the game.

Oh and you know, of couse, what Aliira wants to do.


Posted on 2008-04-01 at 15:00:15.

Vorrioch
Chaotic Hungry
Karma: 38/6
406 Posts


Whose Woods These Are [Prologue]

Faith and Fire
A sharp northerly wind blew through the Minster parade ground. A storm was gathering overhead, a tempest of clouds, grey and swollen with the promise of a heavy downpour, brewing above the waiting foothills that encircled the town. Somewhere far above, hidden in the wood-strewn heights surrounding Bridhvale the dryad Immuriel was waiting, and a bloody vengeance in the name of Pelor and for the sake of their murdered townsfolk was to be exacted upon her once she could be found.

Two squadrons of the Bishop’s templars- ten men and two women in all- stood neatly arrayed in the middle of the square as though awaiting inspection, their well-polished mail gleaming brightly in the thin flicker of overcast sunlight. The templars stood stock-still, their faces half-hidden beneath the masks of closed visored helms, betraying little sign of trepidation or anxiety at the fight ahead of them. All twelve counted themselves Pelor’s chosen warriors, veterans of his wars and honed by many years hard training, sworn to follow where his Bishop would lead them, unto the very gates of the abyss itself.

They were not alone. Sheriff Woodshall and his five sons had arrived earlier that morning, their own arms and armour concealed discretely beneath heavy, water-proofed coats and wide-brimmed hats that leant the group a vaguely inquisitorial look. The shrieve himself, a broad set man of middling years who sought unsuccessfully to conceal a ruddy face and mess of varicose veins beneath a handsome handlebar moustache, was already making the rounds, passing around a battered hip-flask and bantering with the assembled townsfolk. His sons, heavily built youths of a somewhat thuggish demeanour, clung clannishly together in a tight cluster, heavy bastard swords swinging loosely at their sides. Over the past hour an angry mob of townsfolk, many of whom appeared to be family or friends of the late Arthur Bridley- the murdered woodcutter- had been milling in small groups into the courtyard. It appeared that a good handful were also veterans of the XIXth, Sheriff Woodshall’s old regiment and that of Bishop Abner before him. Before long the air was thick with their pipe-smoke, with ruminations on old campaigns and with angry talk of the hanging to follow when the tree-witch who’d blighted their town was finally brought to justice.

Not too far away, a little to the side of the square, the Bishop himself was being helped atop an enormous brown stallion, the beast snorting indignantly at the weight of its armoured rider. The old warrior’s plate mail clung loosely about his withered shoulders and chest, he’d evidently been a somewhat larger man when the armour had been crafted for him, but Abner seemed in high spirits nonetheless. “I’ve fought demons of this sort before,” the Bishop spoke off-handedly to Iskandel, interrupted by a sudden wince of pain as he was lowered into the saddle. “But they were weak and cowardly spirits, the dregs of their kind you could say. Those with the will, the rude arrogance, to fight,” he breaks off coughing, “had long since been dispatched from this world but a handful yet clung on: spineless, vampiric things hiding in the trees or streams of the forest far from Bridhvale… content with the harvest sacrifices brought to them by ignorant farmers, with stealing the lives of those poor unfortunates who wandered a little too close into their waiting jaws. This wood-spirit, I suspect,” the Bishop’s voice is firmer now, taking on an almost steely tone, “will be stronger, perhaps one of the most powerful of its ilk: a creature of dark and terrible sorcery.” Abner reaches inside his overcoat to throw the paladin a simple pendant, tarnished with age and inscribed with the image of Pelor’s holy fire. “Here, take this. The tree-demons have a magic of their own but they’re hard-pressed to harm those so protected.”

Walking the horse easily enough into the middle of the square, Bishop Abner calls the assembled townsfolk to order. Their chatter is immediately cut short at the sound of the Bishop’s voice, and as the dozen templars neatly fall in behind him. The old priest still cuts an imposing figure in his armour, snowy white hair tousled to and fro in the sharp wind, his age-lined face framed by the scars of old battles. Abner’s expression sours slightly at the sight of Sheriff Woodshall, and the shrieve looks away, unable to meet the Bishop’s frosty gaze, though his five sons glower defiantly back. “Pelor has given us this land,” the Bishop begins, his voice hoarse with a scarcely suppressed emotion before he finds his pitch and it broadens into a deep, booming roar. “In days long past, when the Kingdom was new, your forefathers and mine claimed it in his name. With sword and fire and the blessings of the almighty the dark places were cleared: the foul demons which clung to its trees and rivers were vanquished one by one and flung back into the furthest reaches of the black pit. Brothers, Sisters, the time for brave deeds is upon us once more.” A ragged cheer erupts from the crowd, half-heartedly echoed by the Sheriff and his sons, the templars remain silent. “By means of a foul ritual I had thought long since forgotten a she-demon, a pale vampire of the woods, has been stirred from its slumber and day by day it gathers strength on the stolen blood of your kinsmen.” The townsfolk fall silent, hushed by the ominous mention of sorcery, a taint of sorts- a suspicion- has hung over the forest for longer than any of them can remember, though they have only whisperings of old, half-forgotten tales of its true cause. “Arthur Bridley, may our lord Pelor rest his soul,” the Bishop’s great voice is quieter now, in a heartfelt reverence for the dead, “has been martyred, robbed of life and blood to sate its dark and unnatural appetites. We go now to avenge him. Be bold, be vigilant and, as Pelor be my witness, let our efforts not be in vain!” The clouds above him hang grey and pregnant, a storm is brewing in the air overhead and there will be a heavy rain to fall before the day is done.

Oak and Iron
Daybreak creeps slowly across the sleeping forest, a cool breeze sending the first autumn leaves spinning- red and yellow- through the trees, dancing to some unknown tune. The wolves rouse and stir themselves from sleep, stretching like dogs and sniffing the air judiciously, as the first pale tendrils of sunlight weave through the forest canopy. A strange odour cleaves to the air- a smell of blood and steel and sweat and fear all together- it is the smell of a hunt and a greater hunt than any have yet known. A fight for merest hope of survival is upon the woods and the pack is stirred, along with the forest’s other denizens, to meet its siren call.

Aliira cannot say whether she leads or follows but soon she, along with the wolves of her pack, find themselves mounting the trail through the hills back to the old elven burial mound. Even the sounds of the forest about her as subtly altered: the woods march to a drumbeat of falling leaves and pounding feet as the forest is summoned to war.

The dryad Immuriel sits, waiting within the circle of trees, poised on the hard earth of the tomb’s entrance. She seems smaller somehow than you remembered, willow thin and with a countenance as hard and brittle as river clay. And yet, a life has been breathed into the tree spirit, no less than that of the burgeoning, swaying oak branches around her. A tint of colour, of stolen blood perhaps, cleaves to the spirit’s formerly deathly pale countenance and the once wilted flowers about her tunic are blooming into sweet-scented flowers. By the dryad’s side sits Alendar, the spectre in much the same condition as you saw him last, never-drying rivulets of red dripping from his blood-stained bandage about his ruined eyes and down the slopes of his face. The elf seems at peace, however, or at least resigned to his fate, for he looks up at Aliira and smiles as the wolf-pack approaches, setting down the pipe (or perhaps it is merely the memory of a pipe) that he had been smoking on the grass by his side.

“We are glad that you have returned,” Alendar begins simply, and his words seemed sincere enough. “I had thought that perhaps…” he shrugs, leaving the thought unfinished, “but I was wrong to have doubted you.” The ghost smiles sadly, “the trees know you have watched over this place long enough.”

“The town will be coming soon,” Immuriel interjects, the soft lilting note Ito her voice in stark contrast with the tree-spirit’s steely tone, “and we must be ready. Once, we were without number here and the land was strong. And now, so little remains.” The dryad glances apprehensively upward, at the trees about her. “They will be coming again with axe and fire, and the words of their stone god- and they must be held back or the land here will perish.”

“You’ve won us one more throw of the dice, and we thank you for that,” Alendar continues smoothly, taking up his pipe once more. “The valley folk will be coming, as they did so many years before, but you’ll soon see the forest has tricks of its own. Once her people,” he gestures with the pipe towards Immuriel, “were as gods here, and our kind were happy enough- living about the rubble of our ruined cities. So little we knew of the ways of men back then,” he favours you with a wry smile, but there is a fierce anger about the elf’s dead face. “Five hundred blighted years on this cold hillside have helped me see that much. Make no mistake, it will take more than treacherous words and cold iron to rob us of this second, golden chance.”

The bark of the ancient oak to Aliira’s right peels open like a curtain and in a heartbeat a strange figure has burst through, the bark sealing up behind him as securely as ever. A being half as tall again as the tallest man, his hide as green as the long grasses which carpet the clearing’s floor stands before the druid. His head is that of a great stag, capped with antlers that branch into a great score of points and the wolves circle apprehensively about him, sniffing the air, before sinking back down again in a sort of knowing acceptance.

“This is Helvellian,” Immuriel introduces the huge, deer-headed figure, “reawakened from the heart of a tree-feller from the valley below. He is here to help you hunt.”

Helvellian’s ivy lips curl back in what could have been the parody of a smile or merely an expression of eagerness at the chase ahead. The forest avatar reaches with once arm back inside the tree behind him, re-emerging with a huge spear: nothing more than a vast bough of still-living, still-leafy wood capped with a jagged-edged cone of obsidian. The trees overhead rustle with a sudden chorus of birdsong, almost as though heralding the unveiling of this great, primeval weapon. Even after the passage of so many years, and for all the defiant, self-confident blaze of so many fires in the town below, here -in this clearing- there is life in the old woods yet.


Posted on 2008-04-03 at 09:30:37.
Edited on 2008-04-03 at 19:12:49 by Vorrioch

Vorrioch
Chaotic Hungry
Karma: 38/6
406 Posts


Prologue’s Up

Both Brianna and Dragon Mistress will now be joining the game fulltime, bringing us up to a grand total of 8 players.

If anyone would like to buy anything or memorise any spells before the next session then I’d be grateful if you could let me know by Friday afternoon. Depending on the choices you take the next session’s probably going to be quite tight for time anyway.

Ayrn: I’ll start writing up your side of the adventure just as soon as you let me know what Derry will be doing.

I’m really looking forward to this week’s game. Thanks again for the reawakened spirit plot twist everyone, I really didn’t see that one coming but it’s definitely going to have an impact on the chronicle as things progress.


Posted on 2008-04-03 at 09:38:40.

Ayrn
RDI Fixture
Karma: 122/12
2025 Posts


Good question

Um... I'm not too sure what Derry's options are.

He'll definitely not be involved in sacrificing a human for the Dryad spirit.

He does not feel as though he should get involved with the Bishop to destroyed the Dryad spirit. The Bishop and Co. seem set on destruction once again... not trying to make amends.

Derry's not the type to go rob a place.

So what are Derry's options?

I could maybe see him trying to mediate in the middle of the two groups, trying to find peace.

He could also just be hanging around the town, helping some farmer, or tanner, or innkeeper with chores and some adventure happens to come his way.

Finally, Derry's a wanderer... I definitely conceivable that Derry is planning on heading off to the next town, and is "interrupted" by whatever adventure.

So... yeah... I'm pretty okay with any of the above options.

Does that help?
Are there other options for a solo?

Thanks!
Ayrn


Posted on 2008-04-03 at 12:20:48.

Ginafae
Kool Killer Kitty
Karma: 64/6
1685 Posts


...

That's an awesome prelude Vorrioch!

I'll get Aliira's spells to you tonight.

Oh, and what time will we be starting? UK time is at GMT+1 now (as you know of course), so are we starting at the same time or a little earlier?


Posted on 2008-04-03 at 14:37:26.

Kaelyn
Dragon Fodder
Karma: 80/19
2264 Posts


Prologue

the Prelude to the game is phenominal, I can only give so many Aplauds.. and searching through other threads I'm not even in just to give one is hard sometimes lol.

I've pm'ed you about spells.

See you tomorrow.


Posted on 2008-04-03 at 14:45:39.

cdnflirt
Angel Reincarnated
Karma: 87/22
1159 Posts


Guess What!?!?!

There is a possibility I can rp tomorrow for a while!! I found out I only have to spend the night there because they are leaving at 3 or 4 in the morning. So I can rp for a couple hours, depending on what time it starts. As long as I don't get called into work like I did today. I'm working 3:15 - 9:15


Posted on 2008-04-03 at 15:15:17.

Vorrioch
Chaotic Hungry
Karma: 38/6
406 Posts


Adventure thoughts

We’ll be starting at the same time as usual (10 pm GMT/ 5 pm EST). I'll post here about half an hour before the game starts, just to remind everyone.

Oddly, enough I knew about the daylight saving… which is why I haven’t been turning up for things an hour late this week

EDIT: Just to make it absolutely clear, I think it's 18:53 at the moment. The game will be starting about 27 hours from now.

cdn, good to hear that you might be able to make it to this week’s game. Which group would you prefer to join?

Ayrn, if you’d like to try to mediate between the two groups then that’s definitely an option. I imagine that it would be a thankless and difficult task but not impossible by any means.

Alternatively, if you’d prefer to head off and help some random villager then we can definitely run with that. I think I’ve still got an adventure on file somewhere from my last tabletop which could work with a few modifications.

Also, just to let you all know: Brianna and Dragon Mistress will both be joining the group fulltime now. That brings us up to a total of eight characters… more than I’ve ever DMed for before

And thank’ee for the Applaud… whoever that was!


Posted on 2008-04-03 at 17:41:05.
Edited on 2008-04-03 at 17:53:46 by Vorrioch

Kaelyn
Dragon Fodder
Karma: 80/19
2264 Posts


muhahaha

You're very welcome.


Posted on 2008-04-03 at 20:31:57.

Jozan1
RDI Fixture +1
Karma: 67/14
1556 Posts


.

I cant make it tonight >.<




Me and four other people have just been invited to join into a surprise movie/dinner party for our foriegn exchange student from Thailand, and I cannot miss it. Also tonight my Girlfriend, three friends and brotehr are all playing DnD all night. I'm sorry I cant join in, but big things are happening here. Please, dont let Iskandel miss this and NPC him if you wish. It seems all to important to just have him skimp out.


Posted on 2008-04-04 at 14:25:40.

   


  Partners:       Dungeons and Dragons resources, from 2nd to 4th Edition gamegrene.com | for the gamer who's sick of the typical Dungeons and Dragons Adventures, #1 resource for D&D Dungeons and Dragons 4th Edition  
View/Edit Your Profile | Staff List | Contact Us
Use of the RDINN forums or chatrooms constitutes agreement with our Terms of Service.
You must enable cookies and javascript to use all features of this site.




Page loaded in 0.063734 seconds