Author: Dave Clark

  • Lorebooks

    Lorebooks

    Lorebooks, and the search for them, are a large portion of the questing nature of early adventures in the Land of the Everflow. Rumors abound that there is a person, or persons, that have the Book and they know why the Awakening happened. Before the Awakening these were merely thought to be great tomes of knowledge, describing history that goes back thousands of years and even to a time before companionship. After the Awakening some sought them only for knowledge, others soon learned that they are also repositories of power.

    Actual photo of Encyclopedia Genetica by Ryan Somma at https://flic.kr/p/a6yTFZ
    Actual photo of Encyclopedia Genetica by Ryan Somma at https://flic.kr/p/a6yTFZ

    The Five have learned that there are more than just the Lorebook they hold. They also learned that Cortez refers to other scholars around Kin that communicate and hide these books from those attempting to use them.

    They do not know how these Scholars are using the books. Chorl was once a student under Cortez and clearly sought to use the book to advance the cause of Nak. Trapped between this contest for control of the Lorebook they witnessed Cortez cause a volcanic eruption and probably destroy Chorl and his cultists. As Cortez laughed at his power The Five fled the area with the tome.

    Now they head towards Telse with the Book in hand and somewhat aware of the powers contained within it.

    The Lorebook
    wondrous item, legendary

    Half of each Lorebook contains a history of Kin that starts at an event called The Uncoupling. This event is not described. The book that the Five hold talks about the Western Wildes and various empires that rose and fell throughout history – Qin, Mira, Bell’an, Telse and Sheljar. That history ends about 10 years prior to the Awakening with Sheljar ruling the West. The introduction includes a summation of the People of the Land, the Land of Az and Sel, Ahid’s Home, the Green Isle, Gallinor and Lake Country.

    Any intelligent peoples within 100 feet of the Lorebook are able to cast divine spells at standard casting times. Arcane spells do not climb the wild magic spectrum as is standard in Kin. If a Lorebook is attuned to a thinking person that person gains +1 INT while in control of the book. When attuned the Lorebook’s range becomes 100 feet times the attuned user’s Intelligence modifier. The attunee can also, as a bonus action, choose to limit the effects of the book to only their allies, limited to a number of intelligent peoples by their intelligence modifier. These effects do not override cantrip casting, only leveled spells.

    Finally the Lorebook can also act as a spellbook as the final half of the book contains hundreds of spells.

  • Post-Awakening Spellcasting in Kin

    Post-Awakening Spellcasting in Kin

    In the lands of the Everflow there was no magic, only legend. Those legends were of immense powers, wizards and priests, dragons and gods. They are a fiction. All magic was a fiction, until just a generation ago. When the Two Day Moon came things changed. Power flowed through people in ways that they don’t yet understand. Every single intelligent peoples of Kin have a cantrip, but they are still learning how to activate these tiny spells.

    A few release themselves to the powers that flow through the land. These Wild Sorcerers barely control the magical powers that surge in their system. Others have discovered that the through careful practice and faith in the gods, or the lands, they can accomplish little moments of divine influence.

    The newly magical lands and people mean that there are some changes to the baseline magic system in 5th edition.

    Cantrips

    Everyone can learn a single cantrip at the age of maturity. They often manifest during any bonding ceremony. When a player builds their character they pick from the appropriate list (Halfling-Bard, Goliath-Druid, Human-any except warlock; lists from PHB 207-210). An NPC could role randomly, or the DM would select what is best for the story. A character that takes the Magic Initiate Feat (PHB, 168) gains the two cantrips per the following modified rules. They also get the single 1st level spell once per short rest.

    Cantrips in the Land of the Everflow are not at-will spells. The peoples have not yet gained the education to channel magic in such a way. Instead any Kin can cast any cantrip they know once per short or long rest, plus their character level, plus the controlling attribute bonus of the cantrip (determined by the class list from which they learned the cantrip). The controlling attribute also grants a damage bonus based on that controlling attribute’s bonus.

    Example: Gregr is a 3rd level Goliath Ranger who knows Poison Spray. His is a wise Goliath with a 16 Wisdom. That +3 modifier means he can cast Poison Spray 7 times per rest. When cast it produces a cloud that does 1d12+3 poison damage.

    There is also one new cantrip available to any character. First Aid replaces Spare the Dying.

    First Aid
    Evocation cantrip.
    Casting Time: 1 action
    Range: Touch
    Component: V, S
    Duration: Instantaneous
    A creature with zero hit points that you touch regains 1 hp and gains 1d4+casting modifier temporary hit points for the next minute or until they take damage that removes temporary HP. It is most often used so an injured companion can retreat from battle. This spell does not work on undead or constructs. At 5th, 11th and 17th level another d4 is added to this effect.

    Divine Casters

    Through the communities of priesthood or the druidic circles clerics and druids have learned more about how to channel their faith and call on the influence of their gods. Both clerics and druids prepare spells per the PHB, but they cast all non-cantrips as rituals. The only exception are the spells that they gain through their domain or circle and their cantrips. All cantrips are cast per the Kin modified rules.

    Paladins and Rangers are mundane in Kin.

    Arcane Casters

    Warlocks and Wizards are not present in Kin. This is also true of Eldritch Knights and Arcane Tricksters.

    Bards are mundane and only learn the College of Lore.

    Wild Magic Sorcerers are those people of Kin that opened themselves to the weave of magic and barely control what occurs. Their spells are not rituals. The primary change is that their Wild Magic Surge (PHB 103-4) chance increases by 1 every time they cast a non-cantrip. This surge meter resets on a long rest. At 2nd level these Sorcerers can also choose to spend sorcery points to remove two steps from their surge meter. A Wild Magic can also choose to risk a surge by taking four steps towards surging and gain a sorcery point.

    Players or DMs can use a d20 to track their surge chance.

    Magic Items

    Magic in the Lands of the Everflow is common at its lowest levels, but extraordinarily rare beyond that. This is also true for magic items. Beyond bottled Waters of the Everflow (acts as healing potion) and other blessed locations magic items are under the purview of ruling families, guilds, and faith groups. There is/are the Lorebook(s). Every Kingdom has a Sending Stone. Their partner stones may or may not be on Kin. The fallen Kingdoms Stones were collected by the conquering peoples. Each faith has a Blessed Robe that is passed from leader to leader. Characters know of these by making an INT (Arcana) DC 25 check or a INT (History) DC 30.

    Other magic items do exist. Their value is nearly immeasurable. Each has a story. Even a simple +1 longsword is named. Its owner can talk about how she earned it, and how that person earned it or how they died.

  • Session 7: Misplaced trust

    Session 7: Misplaced trust

    When we left The Five they’d reunited in the Glass Tower and held the Lorebook in their hands. That’s a huge advance in their goals. There were signs of trouble. Some kind of odd tornado laden, green/black cloud storm sat over the Cliffs of Gallinor. Out East there is a trickle of smoke. Almost due North is the volcano in which the village they just escaped sits in the shadow.

    Dark, dreary times with an invading party of 12-20 cultists and their bonds coming for them. The Five decided to stay and fight.

    Maurice left the Tower to hide in the same patch of trees where Mansaray helped The Five a few days ago. The idea is to flank Chorl and the Naks when they attempt to charge the entry. Shonie hides up on the ridge where she and Hilltop will perform a delaying action so that the archers and casters can support from the observatory. That’s the role of Cortez, Saffron and Behn. Their bonds go to the ground floor with Aamar and the still recovering Samul. The priest checks the door to from outside to the pantry, blocking it with the stove and then blocking the pantry to foyer as well. That will delay alternate entry paths, unless Chorl and his followers just try to burn the whole place down. That would suck.

    It’s a plan. Outnumbered the hope is to defend in depth and wear out the waves of wolves, eagles, humans and goliaths. It could even work.

    Saffron is at the window looking towards Nak and one of the two giant eagles dives down to ground level. They other speeds towards the Tower. Behn is reinforcing the shelves that Shonie put in front of the broken glass windows. He should be able to take some cover using his trusty crossbow. As he pulls some wood past Cortez he recognizes a little of the language of Ken coming from the ancient goliath. Behn has no idea what is being said, just that it has similar sounds to the title of the book that Mo took and most of the Lorebook.

    There is a boom – it is louder than anything anyone has heard. All are knocked to the ground. Saffron springs up quickly and checks the window. The top of the volcano is gone. No eagles fly as there is a rain of ash and rock and fear. There is also a wave of ash rushing towards them and down the valleys along the mountain.

    Saffron didn’t really see the fear, she more felt it.

    Behn rushes to the broken windows and shouts “Shonie, Mo! RUN!” Saffron can hardly hear him. Their companions are hundreds of feet away.

    Aamar calls out “What happened?” And Behn barely hearing him, “Get up here!”

    Rushing up the stairs as quickly as possible the human passes the window to the southwest and sees no more storm. The sky there is currently clear, and as he rounds a bookshelf he sees that wall of ash and the rain of stone to the North. They are seconds away from the Glass Tower getting hit by a few dozen feet of hot ash. Shonie and Maurice are outside with their companions.

    Cortez is no longer muttering.

    The wave of ash shakes the mostly wood tower. It remains standing. Most of the group is safe. The land outside looks like it was hit with a heavy snow, if snow was warm. There is no sign of Mo and Shonie. A falcon taps on the window to the West. It is a bond, not wild.

    Aarmar Speaks with the Falcon as Behn sprints down the stairs. Maybe, just maybe he can find the two halflings. Saffron looks towards where the village of Nak was. Most trees are gone. The ridgelines she’d just scouted are forever changed.

    From the falcon Aamar learns that Mansaray was in the little hamlet past the dark woods. It is where they left Saffron while she was ill. It is the town where one bandit was sent to serve and earn back honor. It is where Mansaray was when the ash flow hit. The goliath sent his falcon to Cortez’ tower to tell them that the hamlet is gone.

    Behn throws the main door open and ash flows into the building. It’s just a few inches and bounding towards him is Mo’s little fox. Behn sprints back along the easy to follow tracks. Where they end he starts digging and digging. Maurice is nowhere to be found. The fox and Mitzie try to help, but still nothing.

    Worried and excited Behn huffs and blows a Gust Of Wind. Clearing a space and then another space as the light ash blows out of the way. Maurice is under a large tree that seems to have protected him a bit.

    “Heeellllp! I’ve found Mo.”

    Aamar and Saffron join him. Aamar uses First Aid on the halfling and Maurice can walk again.

    “What about Shonie?” and Saffron runs off to the ridge and those boulders. There are no tracks, no signs of life. “Behn, can you do that thing that cleared the ash?”

    “Maybe?” and he does it again. Hundreds of cubic feet of ash are blown away from Behn. Shonie is huddled over Hilltop. The two tucked against those boulders.

    Aamar cures their wounds.

    Scanning the skies for any of Nak’s eagles they only see a trickle of rocks and ash. The Five (there are actually five since Samul is still exhausted from his day long rage) trudge back to the Glass Tower. Shonie and Maurice are in tattered clothes. Hilltop is a bit singed, but healthy and happy.

    Climbing the stairs to the observatory in the Glass Tower and Cortez they have questions. He’s old and wise. He could know what just happened.

    Behn asks “Did you do this?”

    “I guess I did. We decided that Chorl was gaining too much power and needed to be stopped.”

    “We?” Aamar interrupts.

    “I and the other Scholars at the libraries around Kin. We decided to end his time. It may have worked.”

    “Wait – you blew up a mountain to stop Chorl?” Saffron is stunned.

    “Yes, he’ll be slowed down at worst. He may be ended. Even if he comes back, others will now have the powers he has.”

    Aamar asks “Powers?”

    “Pray to Quar, you will find he has more to offer you now. Saffron, your words are more potent. Behn, you will be able to do things that surprise and amaze. As Chorl’s Awakening leaked some magic into Kin, this broke the cage. It will also let the Others into Kin.”

    The group exchange glances. Cortez just wiped out at least one hamlet and probably more, changing the landscape of the Western Wildes to maybe stop a former student. That and this talk of even more magic. When the Awakening (now the Minor Awakening?) came tens of thousands died. Kingdoms like Sheljar fell.

    “Do you need the Book?” Aamar asks the old man.

    “No, it is just a history of Kin with some spells. I have that here among my other books too.”

    They back away from Cortez. Trust between them is dead. Sure, they have the book they wanted, but he’d wiped minds clean of others that hunted the Lorebook and blown up a volcano to trouble one man.

    Without a mule, they load up Mitzie and Saffron’s dog to pull Samul on a sled behind them. The going is slow. Devastation surrounds them. Passing through the forest that was once dark and spider ridden is relatively easy. Then they round the bend where they’d seen that waterfall and see what the town was. It was in a valley from the once-high mountain. Now, it is desolate with only a single barn’s rough above the flow of ash.

    Those with axes hack their way into the barn. It is warm, there is hay in the loft and five cattle on the ground floor. No people live. None of the cattle were bonded. The Five (back at six) settle in for the evening. Saffron sings a Song of Rest. They are all refreshed, even Samul.

    In the morning they tear down some of the flooring to take the cattle on their journey to Telse. They have the Lorebook, five cattle, a story none will believe and a trail left behind them that anyone could follow.

  • Simple Shield Options

    Simple Shield Options

    One of the things I want to do is provides some spell-less class options for the people of Kin. Since the continent and its associated islands have been without magic for millenia the standard Bard, Paladin, and Ranger builds make little sense. Current characters were built knowing that they will eventually get spells, but they do not know when. Some players made the choice to make their characters knowing that. But with the mundane ranger out there in the wild, this option makes a ton of sense for gaming in the Everflow.

    The Paladin build is a bit more difficult. In order to fit the Kingdom of Kirtin’s Shield the 5th edition shield rules need to be tweaked. There needs to be a wider variety of shields for a shield expert to use. But one of the blessings about 5th edition is that it starts on a simple foundation compared to other rule-sets in Dungeons & Dragons history.

    by Arctic Wolf at https://flic.kr/p/bREyzg
    by Arctic Wolf at https://flic.kr/p/bREyzg

    As the Basic Rules outline there is one type of shield, not the nearly dozen that existed in previous systems. To add options and keep it simple, I chose to mimic the armor system – light, medium and heavy. The base shield would be medium and the rules unchanged. That keeps the general rules simple enough. Most shields work like this.

    The heavy shield, or tower shield, is that massive portable wall that an archer’s companion or shield wall would carry with them in order to protect the archers, siege operators or polearm users (often peasants). It is heavy (45 pounds, requires a 15 STR to use), expensive (30 gold) but provides a strong AC bonus of +4. A shield that large also reduces movement by 10 feet, in addition to any encumbrance issues. One ally of the wielder, or the wielder, can use an action to take full cover behind the tower shield. Only Fighters, Paladins and Clerics (War domain priests of Ahid, Az, Sel and Nuk) are proficient in this shield.

    The light shield, or buckler, is tiny. It is strapped to the forearm and can allow for dual weapon fighting. It isn’t great at protection and it can hamper the ability to fight with two weapons. Weighing only 4 pounds it costs 20 gold and provides just a +1 AC bonus. But there are limits. If the character is using both weapons they do not get the defensive bonus. If the player commits their character to the defensive mode they can use their shield hand in a reaction. Bards, Rangers, Rogues, Clerics and Fighters start with proficiency in the buckler.

    Here’s a not fancy table (also the first table on Full Moon Storytelling).

    Type Cost AC STR Classes in Kin Effect Weight
    Buckler 20 +1 – Bard, Cleric, Fighter, Ranger, Rogue +1 to AC and use that hand for a reaction or can use that hand for an action with no AC bonus. 4 lb
    Medium 10 +2 – Cleric, Druid (non-metal), Fighter, Paladin, Ranger  – 6 lb
    Tower 30 +3 15 Fighter, Paladin, Cleric (War) Reduces movement rate by 10 feet. Can be used as total cover by giving up an action. 45 lb

    Again, the goal is to add some shield options with significant differences from the baseline rules, but to keep things simple for those that want to play simply. Many people clearly enjoy that 5th edition does not have rules bloat.

  • Teegan’s last day at home

    Teegan’s last day at home

    Korlot is a small walled town along the hillside in the Lothian Highlands. Every morning Teegan and her little brother leave the Upper Gate with the handful of goats their family collected. They head out to the managed clover fields with their fences. The family cannot dedicate time to herd goats, not today. Dad will work the rye and barley with Ried today. Mom is working on the cheese this morning. In the afternoon she will be trading family mohair for a shield for Teegan and Rohan

    The family isn’t rich enough to buy two shields, and like many who raise two children so close together their weapons-of-age are hand-me-downs. Teegan’s already started practicing with Pa’s hammer. It is light and natural to her hand. She would also take Dad’s halberd.

    Rohan hasn’t practiced. His friend Spence helped him create a pike. It was cheap and simple. Spence found a bit of iron to shod the staff. Hopefully the pike keeps the boy ten feet further from trouble.

    Little Alleway is out front of the goats. The yippy terrier is horrible herder, but Rohan loves him. Everyone in the family has a terrier, except Teegan. Everyone loves them, except Teegan.

    Last year, when she reached bond-age, grandpa was dying. Teegan provided his care for most of the season. She’d bring him tea and listen to the stories about when Korlot mustered out in the most recent attempt to take back Kirtin-on-the-Lake. He’d speak of loyalty and might, of failure and friendship, and of disappointment that the north could not defend themselves from Azsel and Kirtin needed help from the thieves of Daoud.

    As she listened Ha-Lim, the immense bighorn ram, would be at Pa’s feet. As Pa weakened Ha-Lim crept closer. During this time her friends were bonding with various dogs, ponies and cats. She did not go on a bonding journey. Pa had a few months and so many stories.

    by RLEVANS at https://flic.kr/p/6NZYBj
    by RLEVANS at https://flic.kr/p/6NZYBj

    So she listened. She learned. She brought Pa tea, goat cheese and bread. She started to bring Ha-Lim clover and grass. When she cleaned the room, she cleaned for the ram too. When she walked to the well for water, Ha-Lim followed. The rare times that she left the house to bring the goats in, Ha-Lim followed.

    When they buried Pa the ram was there, as usually happens when the person passes before the animal in a bond. He laid next the burial plot for a while and then trotted over to Teegan. Teegan never went on a bonding journey, never had a bonding ceremony. It didn’t matter. Ha-Lim is now her bonded partner in life.

    It’s a lot better than those damn yippy dogs. He’s horrible at helping herd the goats, eats the vegetables and grains when working the crops and the horns get in the way of cuddling. None of those things matter. Ha-Lim is quiet and elegant. Every breath reminds Teegan of Pa. And all those memories of Pa are also memories of Ha-Lim.

    Plus, when Rohan and his friends get too foolish threatening to have the ram bowl through their group tends to get them to change their focus.

    “Rohan! That billie is pissed off. Call Alleway back here,” she screams out. “And dammit, stop throwing rocks at the goats!”

    Tomorrow the four of them will be off to Kirtin-in-the-Sky. They will serve their not-Winter with the Shield of Kirtin. After a week or so of training they’ll head to the northern hills to show force against Azsel. Rohan is going to be trouble with a ten-foot pole, keeping that kid under control is hard enough. Giving him distractions like weapons and new friends will be a disaster, and a requirement of the law.

    “Alle, get here!” and he throws one final stone. ‘Throws one final stone’ could be Rohan’s middle name.

    “Rohan, here’s your bread. Eat, then go tell Ried to watch the goats. We have to finish packing.”

    That evening the town would hold Teegan and Rohan’s Service Feast. That celebration of their final step into adulthood ends their time as youth. The moment they take to the trails and roads to Kirtin-in-the-Sky they are adults. They will serve the Kingdom and starting with next Winter they will be ready whenever Kirtin needs them.

    Many meet their partner during Summer Service. Teegan just wants Rohan to come home alive. That’s probably going to be harder than meeting someone, even if Azsel doesn’t raid. Rohan can’t stop talking about Azsel-ite cavalry on dogback.

    He’s excited at the chance of battle and his bond is a tiny, yippy terrier. This is a horrible combination.

  • Session 6: Safety in stone, signs in the sky

    Session 6: Safety in stone, signs in the sky

    This session was different. Up to this point there’s been some rather standard role-play. All that three tiers stuff – exploration, combat and social interaction in some balance. Each session’s balance was different, but most followed a particular pattern.

    • Recap
    • Introduce problem in the episode
    • Try to solve the problem
    • End in a place of sanctuary

    That’s basic episodic style and necessary because the group of players has a core and others that drop-in for sessions when they can. Having a sanctuary enables simple entry points and doesn’t have to include a drop-in riding an axebeak from the horizon.

    In session five timing prevented an adequate sanctuary. Four characters raided the village of Nak and they were still there when we ran out of time. In order to create some permanency of play and not skip three or more weeks due to soccer schedules session six took place in just 90 minutes.

    And because of real-life schedules one of the four raiders was not present. One of the two more regular characters was going to be at this session. Again, the group of three-four is inside a town with multiple patrols and maybe other obstacles preventing them from leaving. We have 90 minutes of play.

    The solution was a co-operative narrative montage.

    Session six did not start in Nak. It starts with an out-of-game recap of situation as stands for each character after session five and then begines in the Glass Tower’s basement about 16 hours later. Cortez asks Behn how they got the Lorebook from the Cult of Nak.

    Behn described the battles and conflicts of session five when Cortez interupts, “But how did you get away?”

    Maurice responds that they had to sneak around the patrols that were between them. The discussion continues as Aamar describes an encounter with a bear at night. Shonie thanks them for returning and asks why Samul the Barbarian is exhausted. Another explains how fierce the barbarian fought, and Behn brings up that the two were shot with some kind of magic missile.

    Cortez no longer cares for the tale of escape and asks for the Lorebook. He sees a few pages that are mere remnants of themselves. “You found Chorl?”

    This ends the montage portion.

    The mostly confused group say “no.”

    “You said there were three patrols, but you only needed to avoid the two. Where did the other go?”

    “To the North, up the mountain,” Mo answers.

    The Five do not know if Chorl is present in that group, but Cortez seems confident that he was and he will be coming back to them. Chorl is a halfling and former student. He seems to have taught Anderson something as well. Anderson no longer breathes and cannot answer if this is true.

    Shonie interrupts, “they are coming to us. Should we stay or attempt to get back to Telse. Kellamon never sent a receipt message back to us.”

    Behn asks Aamar if he can use his Stone to talk to Telse. “The Stone does not connect to Telse. It’s messages are vague, but certainly not from Telse.”

    A basic map of the small mostly wood tower.
    A basic map of the small mostly wood tower.

    Cortez and The Five start to discuss the options of defense in place, noting that Shonie repaired some of the damage to the observatory windows. It would be better than running, since Cortez would need help and does not want to abandon his books. As the group is discussing a trap involving a flanking operation with missile support from the observatory Aamar heads to that highest of floors. Maurice followed closely and asked the wise cleric of Quar if he could read the book that Mo took earlier. Aamar says it is “The Creation and Use of Transmutation Stones During the First Age.”

    All but Samul follow. He is on the first floor in the guest room recovering from his exhaustion. From the windows on the 3rd floor of the observatory they look out at the skies. Towards Nak they see three giant eagles in the air. They seem to be circling and searching rather than heading straight to the Glass Tower. Just beyond those eagles the volcano appears more active than typical.

    Aamar asks Cortez “is the volcano normal?”

    “It is more active than in my lifetime.”

    To the southwest past the Cliffs of Gallinor is a storm with that sickly greenish-grey. To the east is a thin trickle of smoke out over the Bay of Sheljar. Nature looks ominous and the Five, with their allies, believe that soon the rest of the Cult of Nak with their leader Chorl will be coming.

    Chorl and his followers are willing to destroy the Lorebook. The group know Chorl had 10-16 people with their bonds of wolves and eagles on patrol. The Five don’t know when they are coming, just that they took the Lorebook once and will almost certainly try again.

    This 90 minute or so session moved the story along while regrouping the various participants inside their “homebase.” Using a small amount of available time assured that the tale will still be told, even if in smaller chunks than are typical.

  • Piyu returns to a hut

    Piyu returns to a hut

    The clouds overhead are dark and gloomy. Winds have picked up enough that Fani is staying close to Piyu. She’d rather not fly and that bird certainly isn’t made for walking. As hail falls Piyu knows that he must stop running and find shelter. His escape didn’t include clothing for a run through the mountains and this type of storm.

    * * * * *

    He took the opportunity to escapte when he earned his weekly hour with Fani. The Scoques were kinder than most other halflings, in that they allowed their goliaths to visit their companions on occasion. Most of the birds on the ranch didn’t even have their wings clipped. The treatment of bonds like Fani, the quality of life for Piyu and his friends and the lack of aggression in enforcing Azsel policies meant that most accepted their place.

    Scoques Ranch became the new tribe. Most of the others considered the Scoques themselves the new tribal leadership and went about their business. It was the better of awful situations with which the border tribes along River Crinth dealt. Many were in fact settled. They were going to get sold or forcibly bred. They could choose their own family and even occasionally would be allowed to participate in local festivals celebrating the Everflow, or Harvest, or Migration.

    While much of the Azsel/Crinth relationship is about a quest for power through slavery versus freedom for the Scoques family it may be something more like servitude, though none earn their freedom. It is supposedly possible. Piyu doesn’t want possible. He wants his bird on wing and his feet sitting in a cool mountain pond while the two of them fish together. Piyu wants to be free, even if that means less well off.

    So Piyu left. He ordered Fani away and followed. Just walking off Scoques Ranch Piyu heads towards the hills. He does not break into a run until he crosses the fence on the ranch. Then his huge stride opens and he runs and runs and runs.

    It is the worst escape plan. At this point he’s committed. He runs through the afternoon and the night not resting until the next morning. Fani brings him back some fish. The two find a crevice and nestle in for a short rest. Goliath and bird will need to get up soon and keep running.

    * * * * *

    Piyu heads back to the hut he’d passed a while ago. It’s the only cover he’s seen since he escaped the settled lands. He thinks he’s still far enough ahead that shelter makes more sense than pushing through this type of storm. Hail is starting to fall, even though it is the Summer. There is also a wicked green tint to the clouds back over River Crinth.

    There’s just one problem. Someone is in the hut.

    Correction there are two problems. A small group is climbing up the slope behind that hut. They are about a half mile away. Three small halflings and too many dogs to bother counting now.

    Three problems – there are tiny sparks flashing back and forth across the river. They are red and gold. Smoke starts to billow out from a ranch near Scoques. Even smaller are the hints of blues and greens in the distance. What is this?

    The storm opens in full. Hail and winds and a tornado off in the distance. It does not matter now that the tiny building is occupied. Fani needs shelter. So they open the door and stare at Master Kellamon Scoques Lady Harsop and Bastos. Piyu can’t see Latarza, but that may not matter. He’s face-to-face with someone who though friendly will be taking him back to the Ranch.

    Lightning splits the tree behind him. Fani gives a soft cry. The peel of thunder shakes their souls.

    “I can’t run through this.”

    “Come in,” Kell says. Moving back. “You don’t have weapons?”

    “No. I just wanted to get away,” Piyu, despite having a huge size advantage speaks with a hint of fear. The Scoques don’t use whips, and rarely even nets, but the natural order is that halflings are in charge, even when alone.

    “I’ll start a fire.” Kellamon begins to gather some dry hay into the fire pit.

    “No!” Piyu shouts quietly. The little halfling raises an eyebrow and looks back. “There’s someone else coming Master Kellamon.”

    “Slavers? We wouldn’t hire slavers!”

    “They almost certainly are, but I didn’t get a close look. Master Kellamon today is going to change our lives.”

    “Yours will be worse for it.”

    “No, this isn’t about me and trying to leave. This storm is different. It will last through the day, maybe the next.” And in front of Piyu’s hands a greenish cloud, hail and a tiny tornado appear.

    Kellamon’s jaw drops. Bastos whimpers. Fani tucks her head under wing. Piyu just stares in wonderment at the model of the weather that somehow appeared in front of him. He’s never done this before today.

    “Close the door.” Kellamon’s authority is slightly weakened. The door closes, untouched by goliath hands.

    Piyu is startled. Maybe it was the wind, acting in concert with the words? The visual model of the storm disappears.

    “Let’s settle in and hope that those slavers pass don’t notice the hut. If they do I will try to pay them off.”

    It is the night when things change for Piyu, Kellamon and all of Kin.

  • The Meta-Game: Hows and whys of adventure creation

    The Meta-Game: Hows and whys of adventure creation

    Every few weeks, by the time the players can’t act on spoilers contained within, I’ll review the gaming sessions. These reviews will not be a review of the performance of the PCs, but a explanations as to what hooks were given, how the flavor of Kin leaked into the gaming conversation and attempts to give an impression of a larger world.

    Prelude to a discovery

    Most of this is a stock opener that can be used for two other concurrent adventures that could be run in the future. That ends at “You, you, those two, that one, her and her see Elder Sealm when we are done.” During the opener the establishment of Telse as a place that has religious powers in influential positions, as well as an elder non-political/religious leader is inserted into the storyline. And, there is a bare mention of Nils.

    There the three groups break out. With The Five, who were supposed to be a seven, and eventually are, we immediately get a snapshot that there is tension in the area among the people of Telse. All tension creates potential hooks.

    Notice, that the establishment of a “party” is hand waved. They are there because they want to be there. Shonie and Aamar know of each other, but are not friends. Each is working towards personal goals, but the quest for the Lorebook is just a path towards those more personal desires.

    Sealm hands Aamar a Stone. It is a minor magical item. His directions are bare-boned. At this point the group could follow those vague instructions, though the behavior of Nils intrigues them. As the DM I also prepared a couple concepts if they went totally off the Western path or following Nils. Those sketches included mapping a swath of area outside of where they were “supposed” to go, ready descriptions of a few locales and creating a few custom random encounter tables, empowering sandbox play.

    All of those details are also relevant when considering the possibility of expanding The Everflow into a robust campaign setting or writing fiction within the same setting like Chasing Piyu.

    There was a concentrated effort in this melding of our zero session and session one in talking about how every person of Kin (goliath, halfling, human) has a companion. These are mentioned as often as that bonded animal is within sight. Domesticated animals and the bond developed with them is a key part of this tale. Repetition of themes makes it feel important.

    The mostly Halfling group does not have a pack mastiff, so they purchase a mule to carry supplies on their journey.

    Now, that’s kind of a lie. Behn’s companion is technically a pack mastiff, but he does not use Mitzie in that manner. That’s also part of the flavor. A bonded animal that is merely wheelbarrow isn’t interesting. A wheelbarrow that becomes a key companion in life is.

    Day wolves, night wolves

    This opens with them being part of the Born Generation. Each is a character born with small magical abilities. This makes them late teens. A typical age for coming-of-age stories told through gaming. It is also a reminder that their parents grew up in times before the Awakening, when social and political systems were stable for many centuries.

    As they leave Telse they encounter but do not engage followers of Obscon. This was not designed as a random encounter, and if they left Telse through any gate, but not Upper Telse, they would have met that group. This allowed me to describe the political maneuvering of ghetto control.

    The rest of this first day of travel mostly involves descriptive narrative of the Western Wilde. They pass a tower complex being built as an early warning and defense system for the growing community. As they move along the road they leave civilization.

    When the wolves attack them at night this is actually a random encounter, but since it is custom built it fills some knowledge about what’s happening in Kin. There is a huge wolf as one of the five that attack the group. Animals of that size are new to every member of that group.

    That’s a seed of information planted. Even random encounters should plant information about the world space, if not the actual adventure.

    Finding and Defending the Tower of Glass

    Maurice’s entry into the group is the first time the nature of playing an episodic series of adventures comes into play. Unfortunately due to real life it doesn’t happen in a village or base, but on the road. That could have been handled better, but was necessary for real life. We meet almost every Sunday (Sounders games permitting) and those who can come do. Saffron’s operator couldn’t make this session so she came down ill. The group put here on mule and they made way.

    They also learn of something disastrous off towards Telse. They choose to not investigate. Using the few words to describe the smoke near where they passed the being-constructed tower let’s them know that there is a breathing world beyond just their quest. Always make the world breathe. This can leads to future hooks.

    In the upcoming battle at the Glass Tower three players were unavailable. Saffron remained ill, Mo was knocked out while alone when the attack started, Shonie guarded the companions as a reserve force. All are things that could happen. New entry Mansaray comes to the Tower in a wary fashion, not knowing which side is his enemy until he’s just missed by an arrow.

    The spider attack is something from the random encounters table. It is the mildest of attacks and done just to remind the players that there is not safety.

    When The Five get to the Tower of Glass there is a role-played interrogation that gets interrupted. The interrogation is actually the break point for our 3 hour real world session.

    The session with the attack is also only to be about three hours, it opens with conflict. The pace is a mix of fast and slow as the group learns/relearns combat. It is complex and in waves. Having four different waves forces the players to manage their resources. They know they will not have time to rest. Waves also provides both sides the opportunity to retreat, which one does.

    Retreat should always be an option. Just as a total party kill is wrong to do to the players, it is something that a group of NPCs will actively avoid. In this case the leader and two sub-bosses get away. Their minions and their minions’ companions all perish.

    Side Mission

    Only two players could make the next session. This was handled by creating two possible side missions. They picked one through role-play, rushing off to track down the raider who fled on foot. The other choice was to send a message to Telse, past that area that had been spewing smoke a few days prior.

    There are two encounters in this session. Both earned experience, even though only one involved death. During the second encounter when Saffron and Aamar escape from a patrol searching for them they won.

    They were rewarded with xp for doing so. The reward was not quite as large as if they had killed the patrol, but that was because they were not fully successful. The patrol knew that someone was nearby. The partial success resulted in half xp given.

    If xp is only given out for killings you create a game that is all about death. To this point every character earned xp for finding the Lorebook (a storypoint) and every character earned xp for winning a battle even if some of the enemy retreated. Saffron and Aamar also earned full xp for the man they captured and sent into servitude. Creating rewards for the type of play you want to see encourages that play in the future.

    We’re in middle of the battle of Nak right now, so I’m not going to dive into how the first few waves were used.

    Instead I’ll end pointing out that we are using the variant rule Gritty Realism (267 of the DnD5e DMG). That change was made during the play sessions and has had no effect on play. What it did was create a more narrative style of game that paced to one or two hard/deadly encounters on a typical day. The long rest will need to be in a place of sanctuary (say the Glass Tower, or semi-permanent encampment build with help of an outdoors specialist).

    Since we are doing just a 3-4 hour session averaging every other weeks this less video-game like pace suits the group. It also means that they worry about the death a bit more. Having players worry that characters die is good. It encourages play that is both cautious and courageous. Knowing that you won’t die means you have no courage, something the DM does will save you. Most of the group already know what they want their next character to be.

  • Session 5 Raiding the Cult of Nak

    Session 5 Raiding the Cult of Nak

    Returning from their scouting trip Saffron and Aamar share their findings. The group left behind tells a quick tale about how Cortez trained other scholars, including a man named Chorl. Cortez expected the Cult of Nak to have Chorl at its head, but as of now, Chorl’s whereabouts are unknown.

    In side voices the rest of The Five tell the scouts that in the past Cortez wipes the minds clean of those that find the Tower, the Lorebook and himself. Only those judged worthy of carrying on knowledge of ancient ways can know what they’ve found. None know if they are worthy, but their quest is to get the Book. Maybe they don’t need to bring it back to Cortez.

    They are going to sneak to that small village. Violence is fortunately certain, and so only Bernie the bear cub and Samul’s bearded dragon Boo come along. Bernie can provide help in the realm of violence. Samul and Boo are a pair. It isn’t an issue of trust, for Shonie and Saffron will stay back with the other companions. Behn and Mo round out the group.

    Travel during daylight is easier. The volcano looms, there is less smoke than usual, but still small signs of something happening soon. They come to the first ridge, where Aamar and Saffron killed the escapee and interrogated his rear guard. There is more caution this time.

    Mo heads to the top of the ridge and pokes his eyes over the edge. There is a group, they found one of the arrows. Mo indicates to his companions that they should stop and ready their weapons. This opposing group is masked, includes a goliath and five humans. There are two eagles and four wolves. Mo is a bit tense.

    Good fortune! They follow another path, and head to the Mo’s right. It’s slow, but The Five can wait. That group heads off and is now distant. Another group of five or six, with their bonds, walks along the next ridgeline. They head towards the mountain.

    The Five think they can slip into town now while those two are away. That would roughly be about a third of the populace, and now Mo notices a smaller group of three across the lahar valley and climbing the distant volcano. Maybe they can get into the largest building and snag the Lorebook.

    Working their way through brush, trees and gullies they make their way to the west edge of the two. Two small cottages sit along the entry path that walks towards a stream. There are bits of forest along the hillside. Mo rushes through the underbrush and gets to the edge, leaving the less stealthy group behind him with about 60 feet of path and grassland in between him and the others.

    Another patrol from the Nakists is in Maurice’s sight. Things could get hairy. This group has an eagle as well and a giant eagle too. Three humans, a goliath and two wolves round out the patrol. Mo takes cover, but not quickly enough. The giant eagle spots him. As it swoops down in an attempt to attack, little Maurice ducks underneath a branch. That bird will have to circle back or find a new target.

    Spotted Mo knows that he will need support. He has it, as the rest of the group surges forward. Between blades, bolts (magical and natural), birds, bears and wolves there is blooding flowing quickly. Only one human from the patrol gets away and flees to the largest of the houses, a two story building that can host a few goliath. A single eagle flies off. The Five are slightly wounded, but move forward.

    They are a few dozen feet behind that patrolman. He slams the door shut behind them and the loud noise of door bar is heard. Samul smashes through the door. His pit chain ripping through the soft woods. Just behind him are Aamar, Behn and Bernie. The brawl will continue. They force their way into the building.

    It is a large gathering place. About 45 feet away towards the back of the long house is a stairway. A man in chain mail holds a large book, the Lorebook, in front of him. There are obstacles. A couple more patrolman and a goliath with an eagle mask, but no eagle block the way. It is a pitched battle. The weakened patrolman doesn’t go down first, but the all fall.

    Anderson commands his group forward. They attack and The Five (but there’s only three and the bear cub. We’ll get to Mo in a bit) respond. It is another swirl of violence and chaos. Bolts of magic slice through the air with two hitting both Behn and Samul. It is a new kind of magic. Off to the side of their vision they notice a poof of smoke from the book.

    The people are handling the guards so Aamar releases his bear cub on the leader. Bernie charges Anderson, the man with the book and wrestles him. It is a man in chain, a huge book and a bear cub throwing each other about. A fortunate claw rips into Anderson, he falls unconscious at roughly the same time as his remaining guards.

    As those three charge into the house, Mo decides to try the second floor. He’s had enough of the violence. His first handhold gives out and a spear flies down past his shoulder. The second time he gets every hold, rushing to the window. Stabbing into the window with his rapier he skewers and throws aside that guard.

    Leaping into the window he sees a goliath with bird on shoulder. It’s an unfair fight, but Mo tries. He’s weakened the other, but falls with a blow to the head. An unconscious Mo is becoming a regular occurrence, as is the slightly halfling’s success at using his rapier.

    After taking Mo to the floor the goliath heads down the stairs in time to see Anderson fall victim to Bernie. Casting First Aid on Anderson the two are prepared to fight. Behn rushes the wounded leader. With a quick swing he falls again. Sacred Flame flows from that goliaths hands. The Lorebook and Behn take the holy fires.

    The rest of the group offs the petulant goliath. Action is swift, but he gets another Flame towards the Book. Behn shields it from most of the fires, taking the heat himself.

    There are no noises in the house. The large greeting and eating area has fur, feather, blood and fire about it. No one knows where Mo is. A quick Aamar shouts “UPSTAIRS?!” and heads there. Samul pops his head out the entry. Behn protects the Book.

    Aamar finds Maurice just at death’s door. The priest of Quar casts First Aid and Mo is back among the living.

    They’ve won! They have the Lorebook, as long as no one else is in the town, or discovers them as they head back to the Glass Tower and/or Telse.

  • Side Mission: Aamar and Saffron go on a chase

    Side Mission: Aamar and Saffron go on a chase

    As most of The Five (now at seven) recover from combat and put out fires Aamar and a freshly healed Saffron rush to the rock outcropping where the group of Nak’s followers leadership seemed to be. It is dark, the embers of the burning trees and corpses does not provide much light.

    Aamar mutters a few words and light emanates from his shield. The rocks don’t reveal much. From Mansaray they learn that a man in chain mail grabbed the book and took flight on one of the massive eagles, but there are tracks. Another man, probably the bowman, fled on foot. There is no light ahead as he scrambles through the rocks and brambles.

    Both chasers and chasee will be slowed for different reasons. There is a chance they can catch him, if they run. And they do. They rush through the night, guided by a bit of Light on that shield the human, halfling, bear cub and sled dog are on chase. They are off in the night, a small group charging after a man with a bow.

    For the most part the trail from the runner goes along the paths of the local deer and elk. At best guess they are roughly maintaining distance. After a couple hours the path crests a small ridge.

    An arrow whistles past Aamar’s shield.

    Just over that ridge are three men. The one with the longbow is familiar. The other two are new. Both have crossbows.

    Aamar, Saffron their companions rush forward. The ambush failed, and they must take advantage. A rapid exchange of blows with the leather clad crossbowmen ensues. The longbow user starts to run. Aamar is off in chase.

    Bernie, Saffron and her dog off one of the two remaining. Aamar’s chase only lasts a few dozen feet. He closes to within a couple feet. The runner takes two swings with a short sword, both miss. Aamar’s small axe cleaves through the runner. There will be no interrogation of that one.

    After Bernie and Saffron take out one of the two that oppose them the other surrenders, begging for his life.

    Here, there will be an interrogation.

    There are a few learnings from this one. He’s poor and willing to soldier for money. He explains that “Anderson asked us to hold here in reserve to protect the retreat.”

    Further along they find that Anderson is not the bowman, but a higher up, perhaps the one in chain that fled on the eagle. Aamar and Saffron discover that just down past this ridge is an encampment of Nak, and Anderson is merely a leader, not the leader. The bandit is sent back to the small village near the Glass Tower to serve Nima, matron of the family that cared for Saffron during the illness.

    They pick through the leavings of the fallen soldiers. Take the money off the one that lives. After creating some distance from the violence Aamar and Saffron finally rest.

    In the morning they trudge along towards the valley and the community of Nak. Now, under the soft light of a partly cloudy day they work towards an active volcano. They move slowly through the cover, not wanting to be ambushed again, and no longer having a reason to hurry. It is close enough to the Glass Tower that they should be able to see the size of the community, its location and still get back to their compatriots. That assumes that everything goes to plan (ha!).

    And now they see the smoke of an active outdoor fire, as well as the thin trickles from household stoves. Saffron, Aamar, and their companions slow the approach even more. Now they creep through scrub, find bushes, scamper in little troughs of land.

    A multi-racial group heads there way. All have companions, eagles and wolves accompany the mixed group of humans, halflings and a loan goliath. Saffron had separated from the Aamar and Bernie. She’s alone with very little cover. The six people of Kin are moving towards the members of The Five.

    Saffron makes a little run to hurry towards another hiding spot. The group of six pause, chat and three return to the hamlet/camp. The other three, including the goliath walk towards where Saffron was. They’ve spotted the heroes.

    A rustle of noise, like a flock of birds comes from a copse of trees off to Saffrons left. The goliath sends his eagle off to investigate. One of the humans, a woman, sends her dog as well. Another rustle and their full attention is drawn.

    Aamar mutters and gestures. The little cantrip did its job. Saffron joins him. And now, thirty seconds later Silence surrounds them. They run, no ears can see and the cover is enough. They’ve managed to escape unharmed, but not unknown.

    The return to the Glass Tower is safe.

    Cortez is surprised to learn that Anderson is a leader, he had expected it to be his former student Chorl. He is also surprised that a semi-permanent settlement would be inside that valley, as it is a lahar. The two saw four small cottages, a medium sized building built to allow goliath entry and a larger structure clearly with a few rooms. There was at least one other building hidden behind a ridge, as there was a trail of smoke coming from that area. Saffron draws a quick map.

    This place probably has the Lorebook. The leadership and most residents (maybe all) are parts of the Cult of Nak, a group that wants the companionship between beast and people to become even stronger, maybe even as one. There is a chance that something within that Lorebook could help that happen.

    Telse is three or four days away. A messenger pigeon was sent, but The Five and Cortez have yet to hear back from the large town.