Khara Thel

Every Summer in my home city we expect a few days where it gets very hot: 40deg. C (104 deg. F); and a day or two where it is scorching >42 deg. C (>107.6 deg. F). That’s not really very comfortable for me to sit at a table running or playing an RPG in a space that has no air-con. Sure it’s “possible” but it is hard to enjoy being hot and sweaty while sitting quite still for a 4-hour stint.

So I put it to my group that I’ll game any day it’s 32 deg. C or less. Which ought to be pretty common since there’s a weird pattern in my city where the weekends tend to have the “worse” weather (ie. rainy and colder than the weekdays).

As the party travelled Dom’ realised their food supplies were low. One harsh blizzard could see them trapped for long enough to run out of edibles. Dom’ led the party to gathering surplus off the land and storing it for later use. The cold climate aiding the preservation of foods. However, they still had to balance their firewood requirements should it become harsher – and it would.

As they entered the woods a blizzard approached. Felghanis suffered that night. They ran out of fuel and he could not be roused. Being cold to the touch they worked at getting him warm and gathered around him & the fire. He had been travelling in just simple outdoor clothes and not the thick quilted cold-weather gear the rest of the group had been wearing.

“I just had to leave my uncle,” Felghanis managed to excuse himself.

“We’ll make you a suit out of skins,” Dom said.

Kalista chipped in, “I can sew and craft leather. We can do this.”

“Only question is how long until we have enough skins,” Dom’ cautioned. “Let’s hope there’s not another blizzard like that one.”

Crossing the forest to the margins of the moorlands took two days. Two days later they saw skulls pinned to trees. Garren! Keeping to the margins they trekked north and just before sunset found a partially razed cabin some months old with a cluster of skulls fixed to the boles around. The arrows were long, over a yard, and fletched with strange material that could only be compared to insect wings. Moving hastily away the made to set camp a half mile or so further north.

Barely had they stopped to begin the preparation of their camp when Dom’ spotted a bear out on the moors. A small black bear on its own for its first winter. The hunt was on. They stalked the bear and got within 40 yards when it scented them. Alassiel’s psi-crystal charged forward scoring a nasty wound on the bear. Dom’s hound went to the bear’s rear-flank and Dom slung stones at the beast. The bear seized the psi-crystal with a lucky grab and started trying to maul it. Hard as iron the psi-crystal was undamaged but it was unable to attack from the mighty creature’s grasp. They brought the bear down with a few more attacks and the psi-crystal sprung free. Much meat was had after the bear was skun and dressed.

Returning to their chosen camp site they set their tent and fire. Dom’ noticed wolverine tracks at a puddle and they set proper watches instead of relying on the psi-crystal and Dom’s hound. Later that night the wolverine was heard seizing the largest haunch of bear-meat. The camp awoke and the wolverine ran off with the meat; settling down a hundred feet away to eat it with loud pleasured growling.

Kalista charmed the creature with a spell but it still was wary and aggressive towards her companions. Then she realised that the spell would not last a few days, as she thought, and they sent it off to the bear’s carcass back on the moors.

Three more hard days they travelled but with the large supply of meat they did not need to forage for more than the first. They camped and Felghanis was seen with a strange book. Alassiel and Dom’ had both interest in the volume that seemed to absorb Felghanis’ attention every night. This night Felghanis leapt up in excitement.

“That’s what he’s looking for!”

“Who?”

“My uncle. He’s looking for Kanii’s key and the Bell of Thullemon.”

Kalista had heard of these things. “They’re undead related. The key unlocks the Halls of the Dead, it is said. And the Bell animates all the dead that could hear its toll.”

“Yes. Now you see why I had to get away from him.”

They talked more and Dom’ questioned Felghanis.

“How can this be? How can this man who employed my family be a necromancer?”

Felghanis tried to explain but Dom’ was suspicious.

“What is that book made of anyway? It looks like human skin!”

“It is. That’s what kind of man my uncle is.”

“It will attract evil spirits. We should burn it right now.”

“No. Without it I can’t figure out what my uncle is doing; what he is plotting.”

“Then keep it away from me. I will not sleep knowing it is within fifty feet of me.”

Felghanis resolutely setup his bedroll at roughly the distance Dom’ stated he needed for a clear mind to sleep.

On Dom’s watch he heard the crunch of snow underfoot. Reacting quickly he spied a humanoid shape in the pale light behind a tree. A large bow and long arrows with the odd fletching he could just make out using his fey powers. Dom’ shouted to wake the camp and the figure fled. When all were awake he checked the tracks. They were uncannily shallow in the snow and as he searched a break in the clouds revealed a small faerie ring marked with stones.

“We have to leave. It was a Garren.”

Felghanis wanted proof since there were no typical territorial markers. The tracks were as described.

Kalista heard the creak of bow string, “Duck!”

A long arrow streaked past Felghanis’ head and embedded in the tree without the arrow-shaft even shaking. He looked at the arrow trying to figure out if it would have pierced his skull had he not reacted.

“Run!”

They sprinted back to camp. Another arrow struck a tree in sight of the fire. They hastily packed their equipment and supplies. Then fled their campsite in the flickering light of their improvised hearth. Snowflakes were drifting about them and they were in the deep dark of night.

In the village of Felk Bay the seer-woman, grandmother of the Alderman, made a prophesy. The young unmarried folk were expected to step forward to save the village and its children. That’s where the players stepped in.

Line-up:

Alassiel – creepy little girl with psion powers and a horror-build of a psi-crystal.

Dom’ – has a much longer name but this shepherd boy is a doughty specimen with a secret pact to a fey witch.

Felghanis – a budding dread necromancer that wants to turn the dark-arts to help people; mainly by preventing his uncle & mentor from achieving nefarious goals.

Kallista – animist mage with a large pool of power that can boost spells. She studied with Felghanis’ other uncle affectionately called the Codger.

There was a large celebration for the four heroes-to-be. Drinking and plenty was had even though times were harsh. Next morning they said goodbye to their families. Food was gifted to them all and spare quilted woollen blankets. The Alderman gifted each with an amethyst on silver chain – a phylactery. And advice to go to Iron Foot City as someone there might know what 5 fingers of stone refers to.

They set off the next morn and travelled in poor weather heading up into the mountains towards Iron Foot City – or what might remain of it.

Next morning they came across a limping hungry bear. The psi-crystal destroyed the creature with impunity. Reaching Iron Foot city the next day they found a recluse who was happy to talk to them – that day. He told them the five fingers of stone were in the range far to the north.

“What dangers are there?” Dom asked.

“Some say there’s Garren in the woods.”

“The wood-wraiths slay all who enter their realms. Other races are toxic to them so they do it to protect their children. We must avoid them.” Felghanis and Kallista say.

Most of Iron Foot City was in ruins, since many buildings were little more than tents when it was abandoned. One building was still strong – the offices of administration for the mines. Once run by the church and the feudal magnates. They made camp inside a smallish office, with the pony, and spend a night sheltered from the blizzard outside. Felghanis found a map of the whole island amongst claim notices and records.

They went back to the recluse who was not happy to see them but traded preserved goods for fresh ones that they carried. Then the party headed north to find the mountain ranges on the map that the Five Fingers of Stone were meant to be within.

The group has come together to try a new adventure. This time with preparatory talks about how the players have come to trust each other enough to adventure together. The framework will be to drive party continuity; that is, there are game-mechanics in play to prevent PC death. We’ll be using Fate Points (qv. WHFRP) and in-game phylacteries to allow a soul to return to a body that is “repaired” within a time frame and a resuscitation check is succeeded (qv. Rolemaster soul departure).

I pitched to play in Kiltayre. A land that I’ve not visited in-game for many years. Partly, in hindsight, because I’ve set it up as more politically complicated than I knew I was ready to GM for. And partly because it’s not as well fleshed-out as it could be. This is a double-win for me because I, one) get to flesh it out more by GM’ing, and two) get to have a more mature attempt at GM’ing in this politically complicated setting.

Ostensibly it will be a straight-forward quest. The GM style I’ve pitched to the players is far softer than I’d normally run, in terms of combats, but I will be using the environment as a dangerous thing. Kiltayre’s harsh winters will be an enemy that they will be constantly at war with. With that element of survival-gaming introduced I hope to steer the players to a position where they can better appreciate my gaming-preferences, and even just experience the way I like to game a little better, and see if we can get even more firmly concordant in how we prefer to game in the future.

This is the pitch I put to the group:

The lands of Kiltayre are in a pall of hunger and despair. Winters have been coming early and harsh for four years and famine threatens the people. Some say if it weren’t for the Church of Saint Fergus and their charity many more would have starved. And so the villages are emptying as the people leave their frost fields to be nearer the large churches and cathedrals so that their children may be fed.

Autumn this year is already cold and the first frost has just fallen this night past. The seer-woman, grandmother of the headman of your hometown, has claimed a vision of why the winter is coming earlier and earlier. There is an evil afoot in Kiltayre and it must be stopped before it turns the whole island into an icy waste.
Five fingers of stone
Five swords of bone
Many yards of silk
Many of strange ilk
Two bears and three deer
Two trees and a titan’s tear

Her cryptic rhyme’s have not been forthcoming in over twenty years. Not since almost forgotten heroes of your hometown left on their epic quest that led to the discovery of the six swords of Kiltayre. Now you and all the other young unmarried folk stand before her and the town’s elders. They look on to you as the hope for the future of everyone’s children. Will you step forward?

Wychwood breweries make King Goblin – a powerful ale with well-balanced hops and malts. It is certainly potent at 6.6% and has a lasting richness in the taste. It’s also mildly heavy with an almost porter-like consistency. To look at, though, it appears more like a red ale (or very dark IPA).

Personally I wouldn’t work on one of these during a game session. It’s a bit heady and almost a pint of this at what amounts to roughly the strength of a mild Belgian dubel would make me a bit laissez-faire for a decent game.

Wychwood claim that this extraordinary beer of exceptional quality is brewed under a full moon and with that amount of balance and strength I have to say that it might explain why this is such a magical demi-litre!

Runjikol’s Score: 5/5 (it’s not perfect but I can’t tell you why)

This is an optional rule for increasing the usefulness of shields in d20.

When using a shield against an opponent who does not have a shield (bucklers do not count for this), add the shield AC modifier to your attack rolls against that opponent.

Modeling the versatility of the shield in this case it is about stressing its usefulness when one is fighting another who has no shield. The shield can take & deflect blows, and because of this allow effective counter-striking; since one has much better protection against sneaky things like sliding over the ricasso.

Try it out in your next d20 game and tell me what you think. Suddenly that 2 or 3 points of shield AC becomes very useful against all those beasts with stupidly high “Natural AC” bonuses.

It’s been a long time coming; the end of this campaign. The mighty evil was defeated.

My character, Hastus Rimechaille, was a diplomat and tax-investigator He was very well-suited to the game  because of the influence of nobility on the plot. In combat-style he was somewhere between a duellist and a traditional rogue, but he was quick to talk in most situations.

Hastus was also my first character built with Eclipse that I gamed with at the table. He was not very optimised but did have a lot of presence when I gamed with him. I think the other players quite enjoyed Hastus or at the least found him an identifiable character. Hastus survived the battle with an ancient evill dragon god and finished the campaign at level-12. He is one of my most favourite PCs of all time.

What comes next though it that toughest of things: deciding what kind of game we all want to take part in.

Hastus Rimechaille, tax-investigator to the Duke of Karrakis and secret-agent of the King of Kubuldar

Fraem’s house was ablaze. He smashed the door in and ran through the smoke trying to shield his face and purple eyes with his arms. He called for his wife, he called for his son, he called for his small daughter, but the only answers were the roar of flames.

Beaten back by the heat he fell to the ground, sobbing and blistered, “My family. No…”

Fraem knew who had done this. Ever since he took on the role of Sherriff the Bandit King’s harriers had been closing in on his family. Waiting for the time that he would not be there to protect them as dusk’s shadows grew.

“You should have taken the coin,” the gravelly voice said, coolly.

Fraem looked up. It was the Bandit King and with him that spindly spider priest of Zinthar Takima.

“I will see you dead for what you’ve done to my family,” Fraem stood and reached for his ancient yataghan.

“Only if it happens while you live cursed as the king’s Winterblade,” the spindly priest gestured at Fraem.

How he fought that magic but his will was not strong enough that day to throw off the effects of the curse. Fraem drew his blade and lunged towards the priest.

“Do not attack my ally,” commanded the Bandit King.

“Good bodyguard,” cooed the priest sarcastically.

The Bandit King smiled, a weird half-snarl of an expression, “You will never get to live your grief, Winterblade, because the pact has been made, by my force of will and guile.”

Fraem knew he should be mortally stricken with grief but he could feel nothing. The curse had set the Winterblade pact in place. Driven by necromantic magic and his own suppressed emotions Fraem’s future was a living hell he could only realise in an academic sense but never feel.

Summary Build

Dreenai are Genlei, elementally linke beings, who have a weakness to cold. For Fraem’s build we need the racial template:

Dreenai: +2 Dex (12cp), +1 to Balance, Move Silently and Tumble (3cp), Genlei Weakness: cold (<0 deg. Centigrade) (-9cp), +1 Int (6cp), Occult Sense: Nightvision 120′ (6cp)

Fraem is going to be level 9. He had Duties, through his whole life, that were quite binding: family, sherriff, and now this curse to the Bandit King. They’ll be a consistent 3cp/lvl.

Hit Dice; d10 for first two levels, then d8. (2d10+7d8+Con mod, for Fraem we get 91)

BAB: +9

Saves: base, Fort 4, Ref, 5, Will 6 (a Winterblade must be focused).

Fast learner; spec’d for skills, gives 2sp/lvl.

Winterblades need to move fast, have a powerful single melee weapon (ancient yataghan) and be able to land devastating blows to keep them from being outnumbered for long (Feint). They have uncanny perception and are very difficult to fool, trick, or bluff. Therefore:

Celerity +20ft, corrupted: light or less armour (6cp)

Aug. Dex to Str for melee hit, corrupted again for light or less armour (8cp)

Specialist: spec defense only, spec+; disarm, sunder, trip, grapple: +8 (12cp)

Fast Learner: skills (6cp)

Imbuement (6cp)

Imbuement: focused (6cp)

Imbuement: improved (6cp)

Imbuement: superior (6cp) – giving 6.5 pluses

Aug. Bonus: add Con to Level for Imbuement pluses (6cp)

Enhanced Strike: Whirlwind (full attack against all in reach) (6cp)

Skill Emphasis: Tumble, +2 (3cp)

Aug. Attack: sneak attack, spec: only feint (add 6d6 damage)(9cp)

Reflex Training: Improved Feint, feint as move-action (6cp)

Split Movement: melee (6cp)

Skill Emphasis: perception, +2 (3cp)

Lunge: +5ft. Threat (total 10ft reach) (6cp)

Aug. Bonus: add Con to Wis, spec: Perception only (physical discipline prevents common lapses in alertness) (6cp)

Block: melee DC 20 (6cp)

Multiple: 2/round, melee (6cp)

Combat Reflexes: +Dex AoO (6cp)

Opportunist: make AoO against anyone wounded within reach (6cp)

Expertise: make feints with Perception, instead of Bluff (3cp)

Expertise: Perception in place of Sense Motive, to resist Feints (spec) (3cp)

Total of 294cp, and 24 skill points.

Combat abilities.

Let’s be straight-forward, a great deal of RPGs are about combat.

Traem is adding 18 to melee. Iterative attacks are 18/13.

Imbuement is fixed to: Speed (3 pluses), Bane: mannish (1 plus), Keen (1 plus) and +1.

Damage yields are moderate until the feint on a mannish target is successful.

Base: 1d6+3

Crit: 2d6+6

Mannish target: 3d6+5

Feint on mannish target: 9d6+5.

And the ultimate damage Fraem can inflict; a critical strike with feint on mannish target, 10d6+10.

Somtimes failure happens to the most promising. The one they say has all the talent and gifts, even divine favour. Failure is what gutted Hathane of his passion; magic. Of all the students at the Arcane College he was considered the best, the most brave, the smartest, and the most potent.

It was in summoning that Hathane met his failure. Combining the binding with the actual summoning was difficult at least and he approached it with all due care. It was a mistake. As honest as a small child taking a cake from a vendor’s stand because they don’t realise it is not theirs. The thread of power Hathane seized was not his – it was the overlord of the creature he was summoning – and it burned his soul scouring it of magical aptitude leaving a scar where he once had a beautiful growing talent.

Quick action by the collegiate masters saw little other harm come to Hathane. He was not even scarred – visibly – except with the bitterness of loss.

Unable to turn his hand to any profession he continued trying to study. "With enough work I can regain the magic!" It was an ardent wish and about as successful. As it became more and more obvious that he would never regain his talent Hathan became more and more bitter. Turning to alcohol, then drugs, then witchcraft; stealing others’ soul-energy so that he might feel like a magician again. It was short-lived and he was tried for his crimes. If he didn’t have a small reserve of power in a crystal he had swallowed just as he was arrested he would never have escaped the flames (re; psion power). The next morning, in the fine mist of dawn, he fled naked from the city.

Hathane has become a wanderer. Selling his knowledge, and his sword, as well as others’ purloined goods. He is a vagabond struggling with his past and how it can never be undone. Running from his bitter failure and wishing for a solution – because the only thing left is normalcy, and that is not Hathane; he is the special one, the most gifted, the smartest, and most potent. He is a mage.

A friend and gaming-buddy was linked to by the author of Eclipse, whose net-handle is Thoth. It’s a good thing to get some recognition from someone who has such a solid grasp of gaming and has produced such a great product such as Eclipse: the Codex Persona, and others.

Check out the commentary on Chris’ articles here and the articles on his blog.

Compare them to Thoth’s own builds, and the builds of a few others, on this long page.