Company of the Hardened Anvil Pt 3

"Company of the Hardened Anvil" Pt 3

1. Investigate the tent of Darras for details on patrols? (DC 12) Roll 1 - Required DC 12 (+2) = 24
2. Can the wizards gain any inkling into the area, tunnels or Tower? (DC 12 / 15 / 18) Roll 2 - Required DC 12 / 15 / 18 (+2) = 11
3. Any weapons or equipment they can find that could be useful?  Roll 3 - Required DC 15 (+3) = 20

Vassano was excited as Caventh told him that there was a tent belonging to his church. His faith more so then the others was not an adventurers one, most of the clergy spent their lives in the towns and cities, serving the needs of the common citizen. They helped to organize and protect, or, that's what his brethren did. Churches, even those worshiping the same deity, often focused on different aspects of the god's portfolio, so not every priest had the same list of prayers or spells or rituals. While rarely enemies they did not always help each other. Certainly the other good faiths had much more specific requirements from their members, even for the visiting clergy from afar, but his, at the very base of belief, was to share, so he believed that many of his own parties most common simple needs would be covered.

The young celestial man made his way towards the small tent that was the centre of the Brown Lancers, the organizing militia group for his faith. Brown, was the colour of the faithful, as all gods had a colour associated with their groups. He realized that the tent was so much farther out, as there were large stables surrounded it. The first soldiers he saw around it wore gold and purple in their insignia, followers of Quanna and Japeth, other Quadrane, or good-aligned gods.  The stables had large openings near the top, griffon stables.

He dropped a small offering into a pot placed near the opening of the shared tent as he entered the tent that help fewer than a dozen men, far smaller than many of the others around the Tower.  A young priestess, Lei-Lanna, dressed in a simple brown tunic came over to welcome him, and after a short discussion he realized their job here was but to serve the other groups near-by, especially the couriers. Their conversation drifted and he learned bits more about the customs and processes of the various groups, with her help, he could find someone to help them skip the queue, get into the Tower relatively quickly. In the middle of the talk, both of their holy symbols, universally worn as neck medallions, both glowed brightly, he looked around to find something  or someone different coming into the area, something of considerable power, Lei-Lanna closed her eyes and smiled. She promised that she would give him the names of contacts in a day or two that would assist.

After being told bits about of the area, Unnos the Sorcerer and Ènnoss, the monk were both nervous, something was very wrong about this place. Unnos was a student of spells, and the other, an eater of magic, someone that could steal mana or magic energy from items, they worked together for longer than any of the others in their group.  Spellcasters should be more obvious, as there was no Obelisk to act as a central focus. In cities, even without magical academies, wizards could utilize the magic being emanated from the churches obelisks to cast their spells, even if they never came physically near one, the magic was everywhere. Here the energy was everywhere, the same as being on holy ground, but there was no central focus. It would make sense if it came from the Tower,  but it should be glowing brightly with the spiritual or even arcane energies, but it wasn't, there was no signs. So where was this mana coming from. And was anyone controlling it?

They made their way around the various compound, as Unnos had cast detect magic, hoping to find another large obvious sources in the camps. While he found dozens of sources, but they were like him, low level spouts, there shouldn't be enough mana here for him to recast his spells continuously, yet even without an obvious source, he had the energy. Ènnos came to the conclusion that if there were any cabals of spell-casters, they were inside the Tower, as none of the tents, none of the humanoids emanated the energy required.  They decided to keep the facts to themselves, they needed to get deep inside to learn more.

Rillo and Caventh did their best to scout around looking for some vendors selling more rare items. As soon as they saw the three red ogres outside a delicate silver tent, they knew they had found what they were looking for. They came in to see a copper coloured dwarf, dressed in scarfs covering his body, a small axe by his side and a whistle around his neck. In most cities, a Zinth, or Sand Dwarf was often the best source of magic, but there was usually a catch, they only traded enchanted items, they cared little for the gold or silver pieces most others groups used. Jor-Cannah spoke at length, about places from far and wide, of the deals he had done. But his conversation was slanted, asking questions about them and their needs.  They settled on two magical items, an Astral Stone (which opened portals) and a Scream Stone (which screamed in the presence of predetermined objects, such as gold or myricke) and the payment was five bright feathery plumage of Zaooriche, an elegant land avian they had hunted in the Zoork desert. Their last question for him, left them bewildered, as he wouldn't state when he would stay in the spot, travelling was his response.

By the early evening the team regathered at their tent, to share their info and plans. They needed to get below, they didn't have many days before their opportunity was lost.
 
What next steps should the party take:

1. Implore the tent of Darras for permission to enter the Tower in one of their patrols? (DC 11)

2. Can they find a way to sneak into the tunnels or Tower? (DC 15 / 18)

3. Can they make a connection in one of the pubs? (DC 18)

4. Any other suggestions?

2nd monster listing

Here is my most recent listing in the last year and a bit. Many of them were created for a local con in which I intended to run a series of my version of Candyland Adventures, a mixture of silly and dangerous creatures. It didn't end up going the way I wanted to, but I did get some sessions in, so that was fun. Much of the blog are updates of creatures that fit into my game world or to update them to various HD levels so I can use the monster in a more varied way than the standard beast.


Spire Giant - The most typical Giant in my world
Novarin - Dungeon Caretakers
Maedar - Male Medusae with HD levels
Iron Salamander - In replacement of the Fire Giant
Ferrasil - Forest neutral aligned Minotaur,with horns that grow and do higher damage
Heeler - Healing Snake
Jackalla - Undead Hunter
Inhuman Subtype
Aether Mist - Powerful Hunting Mist that can be summoned
Dral - Shadow Elves, Good & Honourable Dark skinned Elves
Oompa Loompa - Candyland Theme from Roald Dahl's Willy Wonka
Cupid - Small Angelic Figures & Candyland Theme
Eggston - Egg Man; Candyland Theme
Winged Monkeys, Wizard of Oz; Candyland Theme
Tin Man - Wizard of Oz; Candyland Theme
Teddy Bear Golem -  Candyland Theme
Bon Homme  - Candyland Theme
Gourd Men (Scarecrows) - Wizard of Oz; Candyland Theme
Pinnochio - Candyland Theme
Munchkin - Wizard of Oz; Candyland Theme
Card Soldiers - Wizard of Oz; Candyland Theme
Care Bear - Candyland Theme
Candyland Witch - Wizard of Oz; Candyland Theme
Thorne-Kin  - Sentient Plant Humanoid
Fiddling Cat - Candyland Theme
Zunnel - Hair Beast (Rapunzel`s Daughters) Candyland Theme
Night Gremlin - Candyland Theme

Moother Goose  - Candyland Theme Boss Lady

Strangling Jack - Candyland Theme
Nighttime Lurker - Candyland Theme
Little Piggies - Candyland Theme
Advanced Flumph - Flumph with monster HD levels
Phaetox - Powerful Lawful Aligned Humanoids with fire wings
Candibodies - Magical Dr Who / Sci-Fi Themed Version
Clockwork Clicker - Wind-Up Clockwork Animal
Nyssian Choker - Creature with humanoid levels
Blue Bees - Magical Bees
Smurfling - Candyland Theme
Vined Soldier - Low Level Plant Creature
Jann - Advanced Version with HD levels
Snoopy - Candyland Theme
Infected Lycanthrope Template
Chund - Hunger Beast Head with tentacles
Doposylla - Dr Who / Sci-Fi Themed Version
Fuul - Pokemon / Candyland Theme
Restless - Undead Template
Nyssian Sylph - Leveled Fey Humanoid with wings
Displacerus - My Displacement Beast
Snow Cloakers - My snow version of a cloaker
Nutcracker - Candyland Theme
Aspect of Bacchus - Magical figure representing the musical god

"Company of the Hardened Anvil" Pt 2.

Play by Post Game
"Company of the Hardened Anvil" Pt 2.

Roll 1 - Required DC 12 (+2) = 22
Roll 2 - Required DC 15 (+2) = 7
Roll 3 - Required DC 18 (+3) = 15

With very little prodding, Caventh was lucky, finding some old friends of his in one of the few small tent pubs set up to serve the soldiers. Bowyers he fought with years before, who gave him a good inkling of the groups found here. Officially the Savinyon Kingdom required every family to send no fewer than two male children to serve for two months (100 days) every Cycle (Year) in the military. Almost half served with the religious groups that came, from all of the good and lawfully aligned faiths. The Quadrane, the four holy gods of good alignment were the most worshiped and represented here, and Vassano, one of his own group served, Darras, Lord of the Downtrodden.

After the human churches, the dwarven military consisted of the next highest in number and might.  Apart of a multitude of families and clans, coming in here in equal numbers to serve a Power or to collect a pay - unlike the human volunteers who served their kingdom. Many of them hundreds of years ago were the workers and warriors that were stationed here. Their tents were larger in size and stayed to themselves mostly. Unlike the humans who helped to patrol both the tower and the ground around it, the dwarves stuck to the lower reaches. Considerably smaller in size, an elven and tenderfoot (halfling) and jahlen (ram-humanoids) also sent soldiers to serve alongside either dwarven or human counterparts.

Lastly, there were the scum, the lowest file, the mostly human mercenary bands that came for the legendary hordes of riches found in years past. Quite a few of the bands had an open place on their ranks, but most of them would have conflicting views with his own party members. There were dozens of these groups, almost as small as his own, that found a way to wedge themselves into the patrols and hunts.

If stuck, Caventh believed the faithful of Darras were the most obvious way to get permission to enter the Tower.  They would probably have to wait from two to three weeks on their own before being permitted to go into the Towers below...unless they could make some sort of arrangement.

Many stories have long been told of the Dark Tower as it has been a source of both legends and struggle for more than two hundred bloody years. soldiers first came to fight creatures that periodically emerged, then once the initial waves were pushed back, they mortals went inside, only to find more otherworldly creatures, which would eventually come back out in hordes. This up-down struggle kept on, as the mortals have never been able to find the primary portal to end the eternal dance. Students of the magical arts came here, some seemingly able to cast spells without effort, without losing the spell in their memory, but other times, in other places, lost spells or unable cast anything at all. Finders came with both of these, to find the unlost magic trinkets from other worlds. It was Bards that were favoured here in camp and in the tunnels, as songs were often heard in many of the rooms with no apparent musician or instrument. In camp, it was unlucky to refuse a favour. The musicians often called this place the Tower of Song. Clerics often came to the site, but many preferred to stay outside in the camps to care for the faithful instead of inside the Tower.

Rillo and Vassano go to the soldiers logs, where postings and messages were listed. This was where different groups were looking for servants or soldiers to join their ranks. None of them showed promise to get them closer to their goal  to enter the tunnels beneath the Dark Tower. Most were to run patrol or messages on the outside, not their preferred task. They gave up rather quickly, to have a few ales.

What next steps should the party take:

1. Investigate the tent of Darras for details on patrols? (DC 12)

2. Can the wizards gain any inkling into the area, tunnels or Tower? (DC 12 / 15 / 18)

3. Any weapons or equipment they can find that could be useful?  (DC 15)

4. Any other suggestions?

Company of the Hardened Anvil - Play By Post Style Game

"Company of the Hardened Anvil"
Twenty days to get through the Lair of Sancgen

A small company hired to find a new entrance to the Sancgen, an infamous dwarven site, abandoned years ago for an unknown reason. Dark, evil creatures are rumored to infest the site. The Tower is an infamous site of many battles, but it is the mountainous lands underneath that the party is much more interested in.

Party

Rillo -short haired human female, can appear as a male...quick with blades, heavily tattooed, a former slave with city contacts. Role: Finder (Rogue)

Vassano - male, naive face, halo around his head at certain times, comes from a noble family. Follower of Darras. Role: Spiritual and Combat

Caventh -Hunter - Jahlen ranger, without his golden horns...looking for a way to them to be reborn, has a helmet that copies his innate shape. Role: Animal Trainer and Pathfinder

Unnos - Mystic, bald human male, robed, snake for a familiar that never leaves his arm: Role: Sorcerer

Ennoss -Slender, blue skinned humanoid female with white hair; thin rapier, two daggers. Role: Combat

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The Black Tower loomed high over the cascading camps - dozens of organized groups of soldiers hunkered down in their tents. War had come again and again for the soldiers here, as each generation a new monster, a new threat emerged from the depths. Each city and many other had sent small groups here, both to help in the defending and the reaping, to find the unlost treasures among the hordes.

The town of delvers concerned itself with the comings and goings into the Tower, to the Sancgen, where the lost riches of the Dwarven peoples reside. This was the center of the Trade, trails into the heart of the mountains. The tunnels is where many an adventurer are pulled to make their name and find riches.

This party, this small circle of five, came to search, using secret knowledge known only to themselves, of a cache of riches. They assigned themselves jobs here on the surface to learn what they need before going below. The only one among them who had been here before, Caventh, went among the ramshackle tents, to see if he could find a tavern, or a place to find rumours.  Rillo and Vassano went among the soldiers, looking for any contacts or connections. Ennos, the otherworldly wanderer and Unnos, the sorcerer, stayed behind in their wagon, trying not to cause commotion.

What next steps should the party take:

1. Find a contact to learn about the camped soldier groups

2. Learn more about the legendary Dark Tower

3. Look for an ally

4. Any other suggestions?

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