Chain of Worlds

Posted by Anonymous at 8:31 PM 0 comments  

Labels: Baern, Summary

Father Kurn,

I pray to you, at this dark time to explain why we need your assistance in our lives.

We had overcome the spiritual dragonborn and dwarves that battled endlessly in the temple, taking from them what some believe to be the Gortius Cube… even though it appears to be an orb… and the box of which there was some debate as to whether we should open it our not.

My brother was, unfortunately, less than helpful in the discussion as he was still ‘identifying’ his new mystical instant campsite. ‘Fondling’ is perhaps a more appropriate term. Had I still contact with my compatriots from my misspent youth I might have tried to get him laid… the Holy Family knows he certainly could use it.

No! I must cleanse my mind of such distractions! Back to the issue at hand, oh heavenly Father of us all.

Proceeding onwards deeper into the caverns, we used the egg shell provided to us by the Blue Dragon to guide our path. The area appeared to have once been a well constructed and inhabited part of the Dwarven Hold, but time and violence had apparently done it much injustice. The main path was still well traveled and lit by arcane glow-globes, but when we explored some side tunnels we found them dark and empty. They had been looted and forgotten. We did find an exit to the Chasm, and so marked that point as a place to retreat to if need came around.

Seeing nothing of use in the side tunnels, we proceeded down the main path until we entered a great chamber. Shadows hid the walls so we could not tell the size, but in the darkness off to the left we heard the sound of marching feet. Dousing our light we put our backs to the right hand wall, watching through the darkness as dozens of goblins and hobgoblins came down a grand set of stairs and trooped past us down the way we had just come. If we had been a few minutes later, it would have been disaster!

In the darkness a voice whispered to us, “Are you the ones that freed the workers?” Trusting in your benevolence to reward just actions, Father Kurn, we replaced to the voice, and found it to be an escaped slave. He offered to take us to a Mayor Clearbrook, leader of the escaped slaves and workers. Needing more information about this place, we agreed.

He took us down side tunnels to another chamber where many dwarves, Halflings, and goblin cast-offs lived in squalor. He led to us Mayor Clearbrook, and to our surprise it was a goblin! Oh how Fenor the Son likes to laugh! Turns out Mayor Clearbrook took the name to throw off the hobgoblin masters; who, after all, would expect a Halfling for a Clearbrook.

We spoke at great lengths with the Mayor, learning much about the situation we found ourselves in. The prophet leading our enemies was the Lord of Teeth, who commanded several goblin clans and forcing his new religion that venerated something called the Lord of Chains. No doubt a false god, one held up in blasphemy before your family’s great might, Lord Kurn.

The clans were not a cohesive force, and many grievances still lingered under the surface. Mayor Clearbrook himself worshiped the old goblin gods, and had been cast out because of it. This could serve our purposes, but for immediate need, we had to find where the dragon eggs’ were being held. We asked, in a most convoluted manner, where such items might be kept, but did not receive a definitive answer. Quests must be difficult, in order for your children to grow, Father Kurn.

In the end we retired, with plans to help the runaways by freeing some of their members from the hobgoblin’s harsh mill work. However, before anything could be decided, the hobgoblins attacked the refugee camp! Pandemonium! In the face of such forces, we withdrew, following Mayor Clearbrook’s son. However, after leading us down may paths, we were separated from him, and were forced to take refuge in a hallway in order to escape from a hobgoblin patrol.

At the end of the hall was a storeroom, filled with mining equipment and supplies. Savin found a magic circle, but before it could be examined a hobgoblin patrol came in through a door we had not discovered!

It was a harsh fight, with mighty strikes and fearsome magics being employed by both sides. Eventually however, we triumphed over our foes, slaying them. During our rest, we discovered that the door they had entered through led to a tunnel beside the entry tunnel: with arrow slits and guard rooms. Another check of the magic circle showed it to be a teleport pad.

Examining the guard tunnel, we found it lead to the main room, where a whole host of hobgoblins had assembled! We were trapped in the entry chamber! Quickly we retreated to the chamber, where Savin and Baern were certain they could activate the teleporter, given adequate time.

My brother and I proceeded to fortify the entry way, but I must say, all things considered we did not do a particularly good job of it. Yulia scouted around for a time, and it was during this that our location was discovered by the hobgoblin main force. We were now under siege!

The first wave was repulsed by us, and we inflicted significant losses on their side. However, I doubt it was more than a detachment of their main force.

Behind me, Baern continues his chant, attempting to activate the teleport pad and provide us a method to flee this dead end. In front of us, I can hear them outside the doors, the cries of battle, the sound of weapons, the thunder of many metal-shod feet. Drums beyond our torch-light.

Unless Baern is successful, we can not get out.

We can not get out.

Drums in the darkness.

Posted by Darren at 4:45 PM 0 comments  

Labels: Olen, Summary

I have always questioned the usefulness of the familiars that other scholars of the arcane arts seem so fond of. They expose their owners to greater risk while offering little in the way of advantage. It is true that a simian companion dexterous hands would be helpful on occasion, but I have never considered the slight advantage to outweigh the downside.

Until now.

With the meta-mystical recordination that have recent shifted the organizational stasis of the magical fields on a sub-form level, I have lost access to much of the abilities I was able to wield but a short time ago. I have been able to reestablish or adapt several spellforms to give me some limited abilities, but my powers remain woefully under strength.

It is my belief that a familiar might aid in this problem. Serving as a secondary node for the stabilization of etheric constructs, I should be able to amplify my evocative potential by more then fifty percent. If the familiar was a construct (rather then an animal as is common) formed of a conjurally stable material (such as adamantine) this could reach an eighty percent or greater increase.
Unfortunately, I have not studied the rituals for creating and / or binding a familiar. Even if I was, the new mystical landscape would require significant meta-geometric alterations to the rituals before they could be used. This bears further study...

Posted by Savin at 8:22 PM 0 comments  

Labels: Savin, Theory

We have come into possession of a powerful orb and what appears to be a containment box for another artifact. Some of my companions seem to be of the opinion that this box is designed to contain the orb.

I do not share this stance for two reasons:
1. The ectoplasmic emanations that we encountered referenced two different objects, one of which was the Grotius Cube.
2. This is clearly an orb NOT a cube. Unless... No, even accounting for third order etheric convergent geometries this could not be considered a cube.

I would like to get the orb away from Voss so that I can examine the effects that magical shifts have had upon an item of artifact level power. So far Voss has not been forthcoming with the object, however. Typically one would expect a greater level of obedience and respect from a student.

As we continued through Steirhold, I noticed meta-lothic fractures in the stone. I assume these fractures are a side effect of the event that caused the Trench. The fractures appear to be of a Furloughian Divine nature though without my instruments I am reluctant to make a definitive call.

We reached the Trench that divided Sterihold. Fortunately there has a rope bridge that had been erected to allow the current Goblinoid residents to cross the gap. After dispatching the guards I noted that the bridge did not have a proper parabolic hang.

There appeared to be at least a 2.3% deviation from the expected gravitational effect. I can think of several causes for this effect:
1. A side effect of the magical field shift has lessened the effect of gravitational effects
2. A constant etheric updraft caused by residual energy from the formation of the rift.
3. Magically charged components inadvertently used in the bridge's construction.
4. Measurement inaccuracies. As I mentioned before, I am currently without my instruments. As a result, my observations are within the margin of error of the crude devices I am currently using.

Reluctantly, I accompanied my party away from this fascinating edifice and, after dispatching another group of Goblinoid guards, we came to an entrance into the second half of Steirhold.

I find my reduced evocative abilities a constant irritant. Not only are my measurements woefully incomplete, I am thwarted by obstacles that would have been but minor distractions before everything changed.

Posted by Savin at 9:22 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Savin, Summary

Here is the DM's summary of the last game session. This is just a place holder until someone chooses to replace it with their own, on a first come, first served basis.


At the end of the previous session, the players were successful in opening the doors to free the flood waters, and (somehow) managed to avoid having any of the party swept away like the zombies you were fighting.

After the battle, Savin looks at some of the zombie corpses that were not swept away, to find that they belong to a barony allied with Ascension. The corpses are severly waterlogged and their clothing dates back to the time of the God War.

Also while the waters subside, the players again look at the charts found on Gregore's skeleton. Their best guess is that the flooded areas you crossed were likely flooded by the waters of a cystern located above, which was likely ruptured by the blast during the God War which destroyed Treffenholm and created the Trench.

The players proceeded down the stairs, the water still flowing past their ankles. They got to a landing, where one more staircase led up, and another down. The staircase leading up was scattered with the old bones of fallen warriors of all races, though predominantly dragonborn, kobold, dwarf and halfling.

At the top of the stairs were a pair of large copper plated doors, similar to those you openned to let out the flood waters. Engraved on the left door where the father, mother and daughter, the other the son. Voss remembered the doors to the great cathedral in Ascension being very similar, but with all 4 Gods on both doors.

Past the doors was a cathedral, but one which had been the site of a battle in years long past. Bones were piled in heaps where battle lines had clashed and warriors fallen. As the characters walked past the detrious of an ancient war, two ghostly voices could be made out, apparently arguing with each other. The also noticed a strong source of magic coming from the far end.

At the end of the room was a dias, with an altar on it. Dwarfing the alter however was a giant bolder, which had pinned the remains of some dwarven noble of long past. The bolder was unlikely what killed him, however, as an axe (in surprisingly good condition) was solidly lodged in his skull. Here the voices were particularly loud. Although Baern and Olen had been giving the fallen the Rights of the Fallen as they progressed, Baern decided to halt at this point to attempt to quell the angry spirits.

The others pressed on, noticing a large hole about 15 feet up the wall at the end of the cathedral, the mysterious source of magic radiating from that hole. Climbing up the wall, they notice a vault on the far side. In the vault were statues of the 4 Gods, as well as a dias with a powerfully magic orb on it. In investigating the room, the three find that the floor was inscribed with intricate magical symbols, designed to focus mystical energy inwards towards the orb and then into the astral (aka Divine) realm.

Upon trying to remove the orb, however, the 4 God statues sprung to life to attack the heroes, as well as two heavy crossbow traps. Though Olen had some trouble bringing himself to attack these representations of the Divine (and Voss quite some enthusiasm in doing so), the party was successful in vanquishing them. They then rested in the vault to refresh themselves for the nex day of adventuring. Baern joined them in their rest, but left before the others to make one more attempt to settle the spirits in the cathedral.

In the morn, the parties climbed back out of the vault, and began to leave. However, as they walked past the boulder pinning the deceased dwarven lord, two spirits rose up. One was that of a noble darwen warrior, the other of a Dragonborn warlord. Death had obviously not made them any fonder of each other, as they continued to yell at each other and exchange blows.

At this point, Baern was still attempting one last attempt to assuage the spirits and with their sudden stirring he became lost in their visions of the past.

Meanwhile, while Baern was stuck insensiate, the two spirits began calling reinforcement to themselves, reinforcements that arose from the dead. While they did so, the dwarven lord made clear that he would let no one take the Cube, while the Dragonborn war leader made equally clear that he would free "Adropov" (whoever that might be) if it was the last thing he did.

Unfortunately for the players, the two sides did not recognise the heroes as non-combatants, and fought them as well as their long dead foes. Eventually, however, they managed to hew down the two arch-enemies, which in turn caused their armies to return to the dusty piles of bones they had been previously.

Posted by Anonymous at 8:43 PM 0 comments  

Labels: DM, Summary

Often mistaken for the Azure Northern Dragon. Known for trickery and petty collusion with the evil races.

I certainly hope not since, if true, that might indicate that we are walking into a trap set with the dragon and the goblins.

Posted by Savin at 4:04 PM 0 comments  

Labels: Savin

At times, I am inclined to believe in a thing that lesser intellects call luck.

At times.

We had made our way to the Trench in order to look for possible routes across. In order to maintain the agreement with the North Haven Azure dragon that we had struck earlier, we needed to attempt to retrieve her cache of eggs from the hobgoblins who had stolen them and taken them into their Dwarven stronghold.

While performing this search, a child from the nearby town fell through the covered top of an old granary of the destroyed and abandoned Dwarven hold of Steirholm. After rescuing the child, we uncovered a large store or grain, much of it still well preserved (See Gothak Sortan's Treatise on Botanical decay for the intricacies of long term grain storage).

This granary offered us a backdoor into Steirhold and possibly a way to get closer to the bridges that cross the Trench. An interesting bit of trivia only except for Gregoir's Diary. Found amongst the treasure hunter's belongings, Gregoir's Diary seems to offer us a guide through the complexities of the hold. At the very least it was promising enough for us to take the chance that some degree of geographic correlation could be found.

Because the diary mentioned being stuck by a large body of water, we returned to town in order to seek a solution. I was forced to speak again to that Thaumological half-wit Marcus.

While Marcus remains trapped in a pre-Thamaic thought pattern, he has spent longer immersed in the new arcane realities of our world. This has allowed him to adapt some spellforms that I haven't had the opportunity to yet study. If only his notations weren't so Hetnian. The inefficiencies of his structures are astounding. A simple water walking form which would previously have taken mere seconds to cast, required orders of magnitude more time! Additionally, his overwrought forms required the consumption of an inordinate amount of highly prepared components. I am convinced that this does not reflect the change in the magical world but is, rather, simply Marcus' own inadequacies coming through. I am certain that, given adequate time, I will be able to adjust Marcus' forms to regain the lost alacrity and efficiency of material.

In any event, we made our way back to the entrance and entered the hold. This led us to the large underground lake that Gregoir's Diary had mentioned. While we were approaching from another direction, we could begin to see similarities to the Diary's descriptions. I set about casting the ritual to allow us to traverse the aquatic body (see above for the issues I had with Marcus' poorly wrought spellform)

Partway through the cavern, we came to a side set of doors the Gregoir's Diary indicate may lead to the Grotius Cube. While not our primary mission, the Cube seems to great of a prize not to investigate. The timeline with our Dragon ally is lax enough to allow for this.

While investigating the door, we encountered a large number of undead (I believe that would be classified as Zombies though their exact behaviour and physiological makeup differed from those I have studied). It appears that these zombies (the term will serve until a more accurate classification can be done) are mostly human. Strange that in a Dwarven hold.

We were able to open the doors to the deeper hold and drain the water (and the majority of the undead).

While we have no indication as to the Cube's true abilities, it is (or was) a greater artefact. I am curious to see what effect (if any) the rearrangement of the spellforms has had upon an artefact. In theory, it should be unaffected if the shift has been constrained to spellforms alone. If however, there has been a greater rearrangement, it is hard to predict what the effect will be. I am eager to have an opportunity to further my studies into our new magical landscape. Hopefully, the Cube will restore some of my woefully diminished magical abilities.

Posted by Savin at 5:00 PM 0 comments  

Labels: Savin, Summary