Earthdawn: Adventure Log 44 - Deadly Expedition to Care-a-Lot

This is the forty-fourth Adventure Log in an ongoing series about Earthdawn. Introduction and Index.

Adventure Log – 044 Deadly Expedition to Care-a-Lot

Written By: Ting V'strimon the Merciless of Urupa

Date:  22 Doddul -  Doddul, 1508 TH
Group Name: Mismatched Steel

Group Members

Bongani the Scout
Honeysuckle Sunspray the Warrior
Ting the Swordmaster
Uriel the Illusionist

I got bored. Bongani is taking - FOREVER - guiding us through the entrance of this kaer. There are several huge statues along the maze room to the entrance. They're pretty badass lookin', like 40 foot tall musclemen. I wanted to get a better look at one while we're trudging thought this place. I rocked a pretty slick leap flip up on the shoulder of the nearest guy, planning to hang out for a while. Problem being, they were some kind of guardians and came to life.

Fight started rough. Guy flicked me off his shoulder and stepped on me. Honeysuckle and Uriel stepped up and carried the fight till I could get back in there. Bongani, meanwhile, spent his time setting up some stupid trap and kill-stealing. The stupid rope trap did not work. We whittled them down to rubble and then went back outside to rest. Not worth messing with those guys.

Bongani goes back in by himself, while the rest of us heal up above. He encountered some sort of tentacle monster with really long feelers. he got away, but I suspect this will be our next fight. We plan and bonfire, and get ready for this thing.

We pop in and start wandering around. No surprise, it picks me as its target, and its first attack is murderous, but it's its only attack. Claws drained blood and poison me(1), and after Bongani kill steals - AGAIN - I have to sit around for a while to recuperate. We then follow a distant light to find a huge, shimmering crystal. Saw one of these ages ago, a trap to entrance Horrors(2). And there was a cloak standing right up against it. It was creepy as all get out. Bongani was the only one wanting to mess with it, and went up to get a look at it. The noise was also awful. Its face was blank, and the cloak was moving around(3).

We all skedaddled through the archway where there was another battery of traps before we came to a door. Using a kernel of True Water, we were able to chat with the folks on the other side of the door(4).(5)

*     *     *

(1) Sounds like a qural'lotectica. 
(2) This is recorded in Adventure Log 07, from over two years ago. It feels like it has been so much longer.
(3) What is this? It doesn't sound like anything I have heard of before, maybe Zamrica knows more.
(4) Wait, what? This is a living kaer? I feel that maybe this moment could have been met with a little more detail. A little more gravity. Perhaps acknowledging how big of an event this is. Though, I do wonder how the people of this kaer (if they're not all horribly corrupted and Mismatched Steel doesn't put them to the sword for "reasons") are going to get out of the Badlands. 
(5) Received and edited by Ela Pono

The payoff continues and more subtle clues are dropped. It is worth noting the fight with the massive stonemen was pretty brutal - they have a particular combination of attributes that make them pretty nasty to deal with. Which is to say, they functioned exactly as I hoped (their stat blocks are presented below).

This session started to show just how long they have been away, as some of their key consumables are reaching critical levels; notably, healing aids and absorb blow charms. Though, now they are "safe", so nothing should go wrong, right?

Massive Stonemen

Challenge: Journeyman (Seventh Circle)
DEX:  3      Initiative:                 3      Unconsciousness:    NA
STR:  14    Physical Defense:   6      Death Rating:            110
TOU: 15    Mystic Defense:      12     Wound Threshold:  22
PER:  6      Social Defense:       12     Knockdown:               16
WIL: 10    Physical Armor:     15     Recovery Tests:         4
CHA: 6      Mystic Armor:         8
Movement: 12
Actions: 2; Unarmed: 17 (26), Trample: 17 (24)
Powers:
Awareness (13): Heat Sight
Hardened Armor
Immune to Fear
Resist Pain (6)
Special Maneuvers:
Earth-Shattering Headache (Massive Stoneman, Unarmed): The massive stoneman may spend two additional successes on an Attack test to strike their target on the top of their head, causing him to be Harried until the end of the next round.
Overrun (Massive Stoneman, Trample)
Slowpoke (Opponent, Blunt Weapon): If the opponent has sufficient movement, he may spend one additional success on an Attack test to quickly move behind the massive stoneman before he can react. The massive stoneman is blindsided against the opponent until the end of the round.

Earthdawn: Adventure Log 43 - Little Bear Went Over the Mountain

This is the forty-third Adventure Log in an ongoing series about Earthdawn. Introduction and Index.

Adventure Log – 043 Little Bear Went Over the Mountains

Written By: Honeysuckle of Glenwood Deep

Date:  03 Doddul - 21 Doddul, 1508 TH
Group Name: Mismatched Steel

Group Members

Bongani the Scout
Elmod the Nethermancer
Honeysuckle Sunspray the Warrior
Ting the Swordmaster

Beware the sandstorms! Believe it or not, the Badlands can actually get worse(1). The sandstorm rages on without an end in sight. It's almost like the sandstorm is alive and starts to speak to you(2). About seven days into this part of our journey, we managed to make our way out of the storm to overlook a glistening lake with a large mountain rising above it(3). In this ever worsening wasteland, you wonder if it's a mirage.

Making our way off the cliff's edge so we can investigate this mountain is going to be a challenge. Elmod has summoned an earth elemental that takes the shape of a sandstorm, fitting for this place. Elmod successfully negotiates with the elemental for it to take us to the bottom of the cliff. We continue toward the mountain and the Badlands keeps putting obstacles in our way. Tonight there was no twilight. Just a change from the blistering heat to darkness(4).

Three days walking toward the mountain and we encounter large bones lain into the ground. Bongani seems to think they are cave troll bones. Elmod claims the bones are part of a spell pattern. Elmod says this is not just the largest bone circle he's ever heard of, but this is also a Named spell. We have stumbled on something of legend(5).

The bones begin to shift and come together. We send Elmod forward in the hopes of speaking the spirit of this bone circle(6). This plan does not seem to be going our way as five cave trolls made of bone come up from the ground to attack.

Skeletal cave trolls proved to be no match for Ting and I as we disposed of them.

Taking stock of our options and resting a bit leaves us with the question of going around the circle, or through it.

Going around the circle, it takes three days and looking ahead, it appears we will be walking into the sandstorm again.

We have decided to leave the investigation at this place for another time and continue looking for the keys to the disappearing city.

It takes another seven days to clear the other half of the sandstorm.

You wouldn't think that the scrub of the Badlands would be a welcome sight, but it was after the time in the desert.

Looking for the keys to the city takes us to this odd shape on the map. Even stranger is the physical features of the land match the shape on the map. We head to the center and find a giant that isn't a rock. It's the entrance to a kaer(7)!

We descend into the first outer room. The pillars are massive stone warriors and the room is huge - so large that Ting starts great leaping around and lands on the shoulders of a stone warrior who then turns to look at Ting. The other warriors turn to look at Ting...(8)

*     *     *

(1) I believe it. Things can always get worse. They usually do.
(2) That's a bad sign no matter where you are. In the Badlands, it's even worse. Basically, it's a miracle this log ever made it back to me.
(3) What? I think there are some other accounts that make mention of something like this. If this is what I think it might be, this could change the political landscape of Barsaive. The Eye needs to know about it. 
(4) That's not a good sign. I think I'm right.
(5) My knowledge of Nethermancy is only cursory, but this could be a Named spell withing a Named bone circle, using it to power the nether breach... thing. They "keys" the group is chasing are probably the pattern items to at least one of these Named spells and can be used to dispel it, them, whatever. This needs to be run by some people who know more about such things. Just cannot let Fastoon or Mestoph get wind of it.
(6) Of all the stupid-!
(7) This could either be the first unbreached kaer from the Badlands, or very, very bad things.
(8) Received and reluctantly edited by Ela Pono

In many ways, this was a payoff session. Not a payoff in the sense of treasure, but the pieces of their adventure starting to come together. A glimpse at the larger pattern at work and how to progress. While the woods are lovely, dark and deep, they still have promises to keep, and miles to go before they sleep.

Since I'm not inclined to reveal much more about the events of the session, instead I'll give the stats for what they fought (which kinda makes this like a bonus Anatomy of a Creature). The petrified cave trolls were made by combining cave trolls with one of the skeletal templates (clearly, the petrified template). I have to admit, these templates make creating custom and varied encounters so much easier.

Petrified Cave Trolls

Challenge: Journeyman (Seventh Circle)
DEX: 8       Initiative:                7       Unconsciousness:    NA
STR: 14     Physical Defense: 16     Death Rating:             75
TOU: 10    Mystic Defense:    16      Wound Threshold:  15
PER: 5        Social Defense:     9       Knockdown:                16
WIL: 6       Physical Armor:   8       Recovery Tests:          2
CHA: 2       Mystic Armor:       5
Movement: 14
Actions: 2; Cave Axe: 18 (24)
Powers:
Enhanced Sense [Sight]: Heat Sight
Fury (2)
Resist Pain (4)
Special Maneuvers:
Brittle (Opponent, Blunt Weapon): Opponents attacking the gaunt ape with a blunt weapon gain an additional success on a successful Attack test.
Provoke (Opponent, Close Combat)

Earthdawn: Adventure Log 42 - The Key to Happiness

This is the forty-second Adventure Log in an ongoing series about Earthdawn. Introduction and Index.

Adventure Log – 042 The Key to Happiness

Written By: Elmod from the Other Side of the Well of Glenwood Deep

Date:  03 Borrum - 02 Doddul, 1508 TH
Group Name: Mismatched Steel

Group Members

Bongani the Scout
Elmod the Nethermancer
Honeysuckle Sunspray the Warrior
Ting the Swordmaster

I revived Ting at the last moment of opportunity, saving her from certain death.

We on to a glowing room of three white stone depictions of a Passion: arms extended, crossed, and offering(1). This is also the home of the spiders, a small bounty within their bolus of spider stash. A few fine gems, oddly minted coinage(2), and a fine gem that is a pattern item for a Named spell(3). Also, a fair bit of fernweave and thorny weapons(4). And a wand. We leave for Sanctuary after establishing the rest of the kaer is vacant.

We return to Sanctuary and revive ourselves and meditate on our talents. Also spending some time with many of the items in our previous stash. I wandered outside of town to find materials for blood charms. I found a fine vein one day and promptly got to work on an absorb blow charm, but on the fourth day, the makeshift cauldron I had made collapsed and the charm was lost(5). We dare not stay any longer(6).

We follow the river downstream until it goes off the map we have, Bongani reckoning the river continues and completes and connects to other rivers south on our current map(7).

Desiring to be on the other side of the river, I decided to summon a water elemental to aid in spreading the water of the river for us. We selected a narrow section of river, though the task of summoning such a powerful enough elemental seemed quite difficult(8).

As such, first I summoned an ally spirit to aid my elemental summoning(9).

The muse spirit I summoned was quite beautiful, prismatic and scintillating. I bought its services with, after deft negotiation, only a small portion of blood(10) and a song and dance routine done with a wooden carving I lavishly costumed. The spirit liked our Badlands theater - it was quaint and lovely(11).

With the spirit's help, I summoned a delightful and belligerent(12) water elemental that did as we requested for the negotiated price of a kernel of true water from our party treasury.

The Badlands continue to stretch before us as we make our way to the moated pyramid(13) and the symbol of the Polaris beyond(14). I am trepidatious about the latter(15).(16)

*     *     *

(1) This sounds like it is probably Garlen portraying helper and protector. I wish there was more detail to determine some ideas of this kaer's customs. Any details beyond white, female, has arms and knows how to use them.
(2) How is it odd? There is so much you can tell from a minting, it's almost never "odd". Clueless or deliberately obtuse?
(3) Very interesting. Also: MORE DETAILS. 
(4) This just sounds like blood elves with their own coinage who got messed up with a Horror. Which means there is a Horror around. Is there something along these lines that isn't being shared in these logs?
(5) Make. Shift. Cauldron? Is there anyway this could have gone right?
(6) Did something happen? Is this a scenario that ends with them leaving or someone getting married? Was it because of the makeshift cauldron's predictable end? Details!
(7) How many maps are we talking about in this scenario and how many rivers? It sounds like there is some kind of river valley hiding in the Badlands we have never heard about. This is entirely possible, given we haven't heard of this Sanctuary before either.
(8) This is so boring. And I listened to Zamrica tell a story today.
(9) And here we have all the unwanted details about something about which no one cares.
(10) Yeah, real deft. It only took your blood.
(11) I feel like half of this log is about crossing a river. Incredible details on how a river was crossed. The only logical conclusion is they are screwing with me. Me personally. No one can be this blindly self-involved.
(12) This may be the first time I have ever seen those two adjectives together without a trace of irony. Delightful and belligerent.
(13) WHAT IS THIS!?! This is the first anything of this kind has ever been mentioned? Is this the thrice-damned city for which they are searching?
(14) AND AGAIN! What is this? What is he talking about?
(15) WHY? Explain yourself, Nethermancer!
(16) Received and reluctantly edited by Ela Pono

After big sessions, such as the previous one, I generally like to dial things back and have something a bit more low key. Normally there would be lots of social interactions, but Uriel's player was absent. Things were starting to go sideways and were aborted before they actually started going completely out of control and the only answer was to burn everything to the ground. Which has happened before.

The major pieces going on in the background of this session continue to move various plot elements forward. Some have been going for a very long time, others introduced more recently to begin connecting them together. In all: everything is falling into place.

As an editorial aside: there is a lot missing from the log. At times I feel like I should write a companion log to go with the in-character log, but that would ruin a lot of the fun. In part, it would almost certainly give away some details and connections given the perspective. I know some omissions are deliberate, while others are highly dependent on who is writing the log. Each player and character takes different notes based on what they feel is most important.

In all, it was a good session to have when down one player and started to provide a greater context for some disparate pieces. Others are still building.

Earthdawn: Adventure Log 41 - Will You Walk into My Parlor?

This is the forty-first Adventure Log in an ongoing series about Earthdawn. Introduction and Index.

Adventure Log – 041 Will You Walk into My Parlor?

Written By: Uriel

Date:  23 Teayu - 02 Borrum, 1508 TH
Group Name: Mismatched Steel

Group Members

Bongani the Scout
Elmod the Nethermancer
Honeysuckle Sunspray the Warrior
Ting the Swordmaster
Uriel the Illusionist

After our battle with the spider hordes, we retreated to Sanctuary. The citizens did not appreciate my new fashion designs, and so required me to stay in their purification hut. While it wasn't the treatment I'm used to, it did allow me solitude to study and refine my Illusionism. After a day of consideration, they realized their mistake and recognized my brilliance(1).

After a few days of resting, we headed back to the kaer to counter-ambush the spiders(2). The entrance has been covered by spider webs, so we found a secluded area and the others built a bonfire for some pre-battle ritual. Once everyone was ready, I made everyone unnoticeable before we headed in.(3)

The spiderwebs concealed metal threads which sand and most likely alerted the spiders we were entering. The marks which previously showed the correct path were defaced, but Bongani still knew the way. There are tiny spiders everywhere. Maybe we shouldn't have stayed away so long.

We decided to go back out and let Elmod throw balls of fire into the webs(4). It smells, but at least there aren't a ton of little spiders anymore. The inner doors were shut. Bongani set to work disabling traps, and Elmod dispelled the runes around the door. And by dispel, I mean set off an explosion in his face(5). The rest of us were safely around the corner. Bongani has better luck with the spears, pits, and rock traps.

Past that, more damn spiderwebs. Bongani crept inside to scout ahead. He came back and launched these fire arrows into the webs. Doors closed. Wait fifteen minutes. Enjoyed pie.

Okay, way fewer webs. Still more webs after a break. I'm beginning to hate spiders(6).

We found the spidertaurs. They seem to be focusing on Ting first. Elmod managed to ice chain their spellcaster and Honeysuckle laid into him. Thing left away from her attackers to slaughter the sorcerer.

Unfortunately, their warrior chased after her and gutted her. She fell with a fatal looking wound. Honeysuckle and I stepped up to avenge her.

This made me the new target of their wrath. Luckily, an arrow from Bongani felled the spidertaur warrior. I knocked the beastmaster down and Honeysuckle beheaded her.

Elmod knocked down the archer with his magic spear. However, the vile assassin struck me with a poisoned arrow, and I was rendered senseless for the remainder of the battle(7).(8)

*     *     *

(1) It's what I like most about this group. The humility. 
(2) I've been reading the exploits of this adventuring group long enough to know this sentence has all the makings of, "Well, that didn't go as planned."
(3) Where is the creepy little Horror thing? Did it wander off? Do they no longer notice it? Is this the new normal for them? I feel like this warrants some mention.
(4) And there it is.
(5) I laughed.
(6) I hate them right now.
(7) Someone needs to work on their craft.
(8) Received and edited by Ela Pono

Unfortunately, this session ended somewhat abruptly due to timing. What normally would be the payoff for the fight will instead be the beginning of the next session.

In all, it was a difficult fight, but one they could win. It marked a definite shift in tactics and provided opponents who adapted to the previous encounter instead of just being surprised when the adepts returned. Many talents and abilities that had never seen use previously were utilized - in short, it forced the group to bring their A game and there were more than a few moments when they didn't think they were going to make it out alive.

Especially the moment when Ting went down. She has typically been the biggest damage dealer and knocked the warrior unconscious during the previous encounter. The opposition forces weren't taking any chances with her. There was this moment of silence at the table when she died. Her damage is often the linchpin to many encounters, with the other adepts being more defensive.

Nonetheless, there where moments of excitement and elation. A sense of uncertainty and the unadulterated joy of beating the odds. There were some very lucky moments, such as when an Earth Spear, against all odds, actually knocked one of them down. Once I publish the knockdown values, this will make sense - all ones on a Step 18 test. Wow.

In all, it was a good session in how involved people got. Well, except for Ting. I do feel bad when a player effectively gets to sit out for much of the session, waiting to find out if they live or die. That was, in and of itself, tense. There was a lot of damage to heal and not many rounds to cast Last Chance - including a debate as to whether or not to raw cast it, or risk the time of potentially failing reattuning on the fly.

Earthdawn: Adventure Log 40 - Welcome to Sanctuary

This is the fortieth Adventure Log in an ongoing series about Earthdawn. Introduction and Index.

Adventure Log – 040 Welcome to Sanctuary

Written By: Bogani Kreskas

Date:  03 Teayu - 22 Teayu, 1508 TH
Group Name: Mismatched Steel

Group Members

Bongani the Scout
Elmod the Nethermancer
Honeysuckle Sunspray the Warrior
Ting the Swordmaster
Uriel the Illusionist

After a brief discussion, we decide to investigate the crashed airship (the one half-buried in the desert sands). Although the promise of riches is enticing, the threat of the brown espagra encourage us to take a long path around. Progress is limited at first, but we push on at a cautious pace. For five days we travel, searching for the site of the strange obelisk, but the Badlands confounds my senses. Uriel makes good use of the time, tying threads to our Pattern, making himself a greater spellcaster. What a useful fellow. At the site of the obelisk, we decide to go due west in an attempt to find the hills on our borrowed map.

Six days later, we reach a valley between two mountain ranges. The cliffs in our map must be very close now! In the mountains, we find a smooth, sheer cliff, with life-sized carvings of man-shaped figures. A peculiar landmark, to say the least. Elmod and I find holes that seem to fit us precisely... We feel drawn to the niches, as if they were made for us(1). I must... must see what is within! However, my armor does not easily come off, so I reconsider. Luckily, Honeysuckle checks on of the other niches and discovers some concerning things(2). The team suggests that we head south, and I reluctantly agree.

We head south, trying to find the river. There is more life to be found in the mountains, but the espagra clearly mark their territory, which makes them easier to avoid. At least we reach the river, which cuts through the mountain valley. We follow the river east, seeking the kaer at its terminus. The river is unhealthy, but alive, with strange creatures breaching the surface. After a few days, we find crops. Actual agriculture, with stuffed effigies to scare away espagra. At last we find the outskirts of a town(3). Ting instructs Wendel to remain out of sight while I scout out the area. I find a town square, a well, a statue... and many people of various Namegivers. We decide to approach.

As we stride into town, we are stopped by the town guard, who are rightly suspicious. Luckily, Uriel is a quite effective diplomat! After the Greeting Ritual, they introduce their town as "Sanctuary" and invite us into their community. We meet with their wise woman, a hooded figure by the well. She sounds young, though her face is hidden. They worship a combined version of Jaspree and Lochost they call "The White Lady". The name clearly means something to Elmod, but he says nothing(4). 80 years ago, kaer "Ular" was opened, and this community was founded. She gives us directions to the kaer, several days to the east. We offer to help them with any tasks that are beyond them. Elmod notes purity and the color white are prominent in their culture, which is odd, but not concerning. The statue is of a motherly woman, robed and hooded, with her arms outstretched and her head tilted back. The village itself is astrally clear, in start contrast to the corrupted Badlands around us(5).

The tavern keeper is very friendly, but laments he cannot accept coin. Instead, we offer a trade of services. Honeysuckle words in the forge, while the rest of us pitch in for our supper. At night, the villagers come to the tavern, where the men find they are quite popular. The food is bland, but filling, and the beer is fine. The company is excellent. We dance and sing and drink long into the night. It is nice to sleep in a real bed!

In the morning we have a filling breakfast and leave town, heading east to find their forgotten kaer. The wise woman warns use of the danger of the place. We are concerned about her implications of the "will" required to maintain this place, but we do not push the issue(6). Perhaps the kaer will make things more clear. We find a well-trod area, as well as a pair of runed pillars. They look new and are marked with runes dedicated to the Passions Jaspree and Lochost. Before us, the entry to a kaer stands open. The door swivels on a pivot, and lays open before us. It is dark within, so we light our way and enter.

The traps sit unsprung, unused, as if the Horrors have never tread here. I am reminded of stories of kaers that survived the Scourge completely untouched thanks to the special attention of a Passion. Perhaps Jaspree and Lochost indeed look after these people(7). We notice an immense amount of spiderwebs. Carved into the walls are arrows guiding the way down(8). Deeper and deeper we go, for hours. Trying to find the ancient shelter. The arrows lead us to another pivoting door. Propped open by iron spikes. The webs are thick here, so we begin our search for the beasts that made them.

Creepy, alien eyes set in groups of eight watch use from the shadows. They cluster up in groups, much unlike spiders I have seen in the past. Each creature is the size of Harka, though not nearly as cute(9). Ting charges into battle, thrusting us into a furious melee.

As we venture towards a marble gallery with softly glowing light, four creatures drop from the ceiling. Part spider and part man, they have an alabaster beauty that mitigates their terrible forms in no way. The monsters descend upon us in a flurry of claws, mandibles, and twisted ivory flesh(10). The ambush survived, we run from the kaer and return to Sanctuary.(11)

*     *     *

(1) Because none of this is incredibly creepy and it doesn't scream "A Horror did this!" at all. This isn't the first we have heard about carvings in a cliff in the Badlands, but it is some of the most detail. 
(2) What concerning things?!? Details! I swear they do things like this just to irritate me.
(3) This is new.
(4) These people really need to work on their sharing. This not saying anything isn't helping anyone. Especially not me.
(5) This is huge. Why haven't we heard anything at all about this before? Part of me says this is all a trap and something is horribly wrong with the village, but I really want it to be real.
(6) Push the damn issue! What does that mean?
(7) I have to be a skeptic, but part of me really wants to believe.
(8) Helpful or ominous?
(9) I hate spiders. At least they're not jehuthra.
(10) Worse than jehuthra.
(11) Received and edited by Ela Pono

In many ways, this session was something of a curve ball for the group by defying many of their expectations to date. It played with wants versus fears and generally increased the weirdness of the Badlands. The final battle was designed to be very difficult and possibly marks the first time Mismatched Steel has retreated. After it is resolved, I will post the stat blocks of what they fought. 

Earthdawn: Adventure Log 39 - Smells Like Victory

This is the thirty-ninth Adventure Log in an ongoing series about Earthdawn. Introduction and Index.

Adventure Log – 039 Smells Like Vicotry

Written By: Ting V'strimmon of Urupa

Date:  25 Riag - 02 Teayu, 1508 TH
Group Name: Mismatched Steel

Group Members

Bongani the Scout
Elmod the Nethermancer
Honeysuckle Sunspray the Warrior
Ting the Swordmaster
Uriel the Illusionist

After going over the stolen map and notes(1), we make our way back into the Badlands(2). The notes are very vague. I don't understand why they won't make a map without making clear notes on it? We've decided to start by going back to the research cube (or where it was) to orient ourselves, as it shows on the map. Probably why there's no treasure inside.

Oh for fucking, fuck's sake, Wendel is back(3). On the plus side, he's covering his brain(4). With a pot. And seems more coherent. On the super bad side, he's wearing a rotting meat suit covered in maggots. It smells atrocious. So, so bad(5). I actually spent time talking to him to try and convince him to take it off so I wouldn't have to touch him to get it off. I know there is no getting rid of him. But since that didn't work, I had to hold him down while we stripped him and burned that shit.

So an odd shaped airship sped overhead. Bongani said it was Thera's Sword(6). A while later three smaller wooden airships came by following the same-ish path, way slow though. After a day or so, they passed overhead and got eaten by a giant tentacle beast. So that exists. One got away. I wanted to check out the wreckage, but was overruled. My party members have no vision sometimes. We ended up giving it a wide berth.

Even still, we ran into some survivors just as they were walking into an espagra nest. We fought off the monsters, but the survivors were still devastated. Of the 40-some folks we first saw, there was maybe a dozen. We spent some days salvaging one of the crashed ships for supplies so that we could send these folks on their way. We made them water skins, gave them one of our mules, and pointed the way out.(7)

*     *     *

(1) Based on the dates of this log, two weeks have gone unrecorded. Based on this statement, I am forced to wonder if this omission wasn't deliberate. If they're saying up front they stole things - what did they deliberately leave out? Also, there seems to be a new member of their group? What happened to Coriolis, he was pretty easy to look at?
(2) That didn't take long. Most people make it a point to never, ever go back to the Badlands once they have been there. I am one of those people. Based on this, it seems they didn't leave Travar, or at least didn't go far. There was quite an event during that time, which corroborates the earlier theft. A local antiquities dealer (aka hoarder) was murdered. His estate was put up for auction and contained a lot of stuff, but his offspring were upset about how it was being divided. Family drama. While being cataloged and held for the auction, a lot of adepts got the idea to steal things, rather than buy them during the auction like chumps. Apparently they pulled it off. I can only assume the new addition had a significant role to play in this because a) Illusionist and b) I have read all of their adventure logs - this is not their wheelhouse. Or they jumped someone who did steal it or purchased it. That would be in their wheelhouse. What I'm saying here is they aren't a whole lot better than thugs. Definitely better, just not a lot.
(3) This is somewhere in the middle of the Venn diagram of horrifying, fascinating, and adorable.
(4) Now more horrifying and less everything else. Why was this not mentioned previously? That seems like a detail which should have come up previously.
(5) Now just horrifying.
(6) We've been collecting reports of Thera's Sword's movements across Barsaive. Admiral Lokrun isn't just patrolling our skies. He seems to be looking for something. This needs to get passed along to the Eye.
(7) Received and edited by Ela Pono

It wasn't specifically mentioned, but this continues their long search for a potential lost citadel within the Badlands. The previous two sessions had some intrigue within Travar that built up to venturing out once more. Also, one of the players moved and was replaced by a somewhat similar character (Uriel). His introduction has changed the dynamic of how the group approaches problems since they don't just have a hammer anymore.

Like so very often, this had some foreshadowing. There was a lot of foreshadowing. 

Earthdawn: Adventure Log 36 - Message in a Bottle

This is the thirty-sixth Adventure Log in an ongoing series about Earthdawn. Introduction and Index.

Adventure Log – 036 Message in a Bottle

Written By: Elmod from the Other Side of the Well of Glenwood Deep

Date:  21 Sollus - 10 Riag, 1508 TH
Group Name: Mismatched Steel

Group Members

Bongani the Scout
Coriolis the Swordmaster
Elmod the Nethermancer
Honeysuckle Sunspray the Warrior
Ting the Swordmaster

What a lovely, horrid place we have wandered into. The strange Horror construct defeated; the gestalt Horror construct body made of obsidiman parts defeated. We don't feel rested when trying to inside the labyrinthine Horror obelisk(1).

We find a path outside and rest. Bongani makes a perimeter of the obelisk and brings back Wendel. We rest, heat food, and sleep.

Entering the obelisk again, we look for the useful things and I befriend the crystal orbs that sprout spindly legs(2). they collect sacks of alchemical materials and lovely things in the labs. We also find 10 sarcophagi made out of living crystal(3). I convince the crystal orbs to reassemble a few and we lug them outside. Spoils of war.

Then suddenly the whole place starts having gravity issues and we decide to leave immediately(4). I fall horribly and the orbs I had collected help me to get out on a spidery throne of living crystal(5).

Then the obelisk disappears completely. Wonder what happened to make it collapse?

Looks like enough living crystal to make a set of full plate.

We travel through the Badlands.

We were surprised by the sudden attack of a spider-tentacled beast hiding below the surface. I am summarily crushed by a tentacle, Honeysuckle nearly too. Bongani takes out several tentacles and Ting finally deals the fatal blow, eviscerating it, exposing many partially digested beings.

Ting and Bongani have a bonding moment over looking through the debris. They find some silvers and pocket change. I made a little camp and slumber party it up with Air Mattress and warm food. We feed the mules well too. Bongani decides it is a rare badlands antlion(6). I nurse my wounds.

We take another three weeks to return to Travar with limited incident(7).

In Travar, we spend time storing and increasing our talents. I research a few of Ting's items and find little. Honeysuckle gets up in the Haggle and looks for living crystal buyers.

We find a wealthy politician of Travar who buys it from us(8).

We train up and stay in Travar, spending lots of money to do so.(9)

*     *     *

(1) My internal research shows this place was not constructed by Horrors. This log is getting buried.
(2) I have heard of these things, but never actually seen one. They seem to be assistants for some of the dwarfs over in R&D.
(3) The statement is rather nonchalant. Am I the only one who feels like this is incredibly ominous? Just me?
(4) Internal research shows this is only going to happen if someone destroys part of the "crystal warding matrix" which maintains the "illusion of an extra-dimensional space". Look, I'm pretty damn smart and this quickly got beyond my ability to even write it down in a way that had all the right parts of speech. The gist: one of these yahoos was probably screwing around, looking for "spoils of war" and broke something important. It was probably pretty, and shining, and glowing, and looked expensive. This is why we can't have nice things!
(5) I'm more worried about the little crystal guys at this point. I hope they all made it out okay.
(6) These things are no joke bad news. They don't generally have anything of interest because they can digest nearly anything, including metal. Just glass will collect in there over time.
(7) With this crew, this could actually mean nothing happens, or they burned something large and important to the ground. I'm half serious. I wish I was less serious.
(8) Names! There are only a few merchants likely to have the resources and interest to make this purchase. Unless they let it go for a song. Which could happen. Unfortunately, all of the council members make this list. Which complicates things.

(9) Received and edited by Ela Pono

This was the denouement of this particular adventure, though also a significant setup for the next leg in their larger goal. Despite being comparatively quiet, there was still some action and a lot of questions. I was fully prepared for them to come back to this place, but they managed to break it.

There were some significant details which were omitted in this log. They were regarding the nature of the obelisk and what was inside of it, some items found (the session title gives a big clue here), and people and events back in Travar. These will all likely be showing back up very soon.

Earthdawn: Adventure Log 35 - Guess Who's Coming to Dinner

This is the thirty-fifth Adventure Log in an ongoing series about Earthdawn. Introduction and Index.

The Badlands are, as the Name suggests, a terrible place to visit. A blasted and desolate plain whose very pattern resists all attempts at healing. Easy to describe as lifeless, but my preferences run towards sparsely populating it with twisted versions of Barsaivian wildlife which has either been lovingly crafted by Horrors during the Scourge or adapted to the place - aided by the pattern itself.

It is a place of forgotten kaers because of the terrible destruction wrought there. Given the inhospitable nature, this is a good location to send adepts looking for people, places, things which have been lost. Not many others frequent the Badlands if they can avoid it. This also makes it the perfect location to hide things which you don't want anyone else to find.

Adventure Log – 035 Guess Who's Coming to Dinner

Written By: Bongani Kreskas

Date:  20 Sollus - 21 Sollus, 1508 TH
Group Name: Mismatched Steel

Group Members

Bongani the Scout
Coriolis the Swordmaster
Elmod the Nethermancer
Honeysuckle Sunspray the Warrior
Ting the Swordmaster

It is hot in the Badlands. The landscape is lifeless and endless, but we must continue on. We camp for a while, preparing threads for the coming battle. We venture northwest, following the Horror's invitation. After hours of traveling, we leave even the pathetic scrub behind. We find a camp much like the others. Many severed heads are formed into a pyramid.

I determine the Horror killed these six men in under a minute. Clearly we are dealing with a dangerous creature. We continue on our way - there is nothing more we can do for these men. Elmod experiences the final moments of the poor souls as they are torn to pieces by the gestalt Horror. I find the tracks, like a thousand turtles moving in a herd(1). 

A large black rock looms in the distance. I leave the party for a time to check the feature, fearing if might be our quarry. Elmod comes with me, in case something unexpected happens. The obelisk is a void in the sky, giving off no heat or light(2). Elmod turns into a creature of the night and scouts the object.

I find out later at the camp, a strange many-jointed creature with large ears and an exposed brain approaches. It has shark-like teeth and a rather friendly disposition. It speaks as well! What a charming fellow. His "mother" has an interest in our safety. He starts to following Ting around the camp, much to her displeasure.

Coriolis helpfully Names him "Wendel", much to the little fellow's excitement.

We return to camp and meet Wendel. Elmod believes it to be a Horror construct of some sort(3). "Wendel feels hungry for FEAR and PAIN." We are not sure what to do with the little fellow, so we set our watch and wait for dawn. During Honeysuckle's watch, Wendel moved over to Ting, but didn't harm her in any way that we see. Ting spoke with Wendel and found that "Father" creates things from hard things. He hates flesh, preferring other things. Mother and Father are trying to discover what life is. Mother has a Name, but she has killed all who knew it. Father's Name is "Robber of Twenty Candles"(4). Mother is angry at Father for stealing her favorite child(5).

Wendel is ever more horrifying in daylight. He tells us it used to be a liferock(6). He sticks to Ting and leads us to the stone. The stone separates, revealing a hallway marked with glowing runes. Elmod identifies the runes as being magical, but far beyond his ability to understand. Wendel leaves us as we continue on. The runes provide plenty of light, but still we are uneasy.

This terrible maze makes no sense! We eventually must follow the maddening droning until we notice the runes turn into circles, then spirals. Elmod turns his hand before the runes, revealing a door. Within we find a laboratory of some sort. There are benches, equipment, well-labeled jars. Elmod identifies the equipment as alchemical gear. The laboratory has been abandoned for at least six months.

We return to the hallways and find more spirals which leads to other rooms. Some are the floors and ceilings. We discover research laboratories, laboratories, and many more rooms, but they are all cleared out - abandoned(7).

Why would he lure us here if there is nothing. The sounds begin to make sense. "Follow the sound of my voice and I will give you answers." We follow. We are not hungry, not tired... How long have we been here?

We come to an audience chamber, well lit by quartz. There is a podium at the end of the room with a small figure performing some sort of operation. Lightning arcs to the creature on the table, bringing it to attention and he responds with a beautiful, haunting melody of his own.

He is bald, wearing a white coat. Tall and thin, I take him for an elf at first. He claims he saw us when he was born. He has no Name, and is not a Namegiver. We ask him to come down and speak with us, and we see that his flesh is marble, like a strange obsidiman. Father told him to come here and clear out the dwarfs(8). He has been here ever since. He claims the dwarfs of Throal used to conduct experiments. He claims to be a liferock, a very living, corrupting thing. He is pleasant and polite, but the reality of his existence cannot be ignored.

He found the obsidimen who lived here, and changed them into other forms. The gestalt Horrors are their new form. There is nothing else to say, so we fight. The fight is a swirling maelstrom of madness. We leap from wall to wall, flying and falling as we battle the Nameless Horror. His obsidiman construct strikes out, following us. I lead him to his doom. The Nameless construct tries to flee, using a magic field of magic to cover his escape, but we give chase.

Floating in mid-air, Ting grapples with the construct, and renders it to its ragged components with a flurry of slashing blows.(9)

*     *     *

(1) The adorableness of this description is a juxtaposition with how horrible the rest of it is.
(2) This is very strange.
(3) Of course they befriended and Named a Horror construct.
(4) This is very bad. From the stories, those "Twenty Candles" are for the twenty kaers this Horror was responsible for snuffing out during the Scourge. Of course, it didn't stop at twenty.
(5) I think this may be our first solid lead regarding what is going on with this group. This entry needs to be "lost" and moved to the Eye.
(6) And it gets even worse.
(7) This is incredibly elaborate to just abandon. Also, who even has the resources to create something like this? Only Iopos, Thera, and Throal are likely. Maybe a dragon?
(8) Now this sounds like a Throalic black project. Someone not involved with this department needs to know about this.

(9) Received and edited by Ela Pono

This could be considered the climax of the arc, but there is still quite a bit going on with some of the reveals in this story. The biggest, which wasn't much of a pressing concern at the time of this entry, is the nature of the obelisk in the Badlands.

In all, the pacing of this session was good and the climactic fight scene was a lot of fun. Characters with Great Leap got to do a lot of cinematic repositioning as they learned to take advantage of the variable gravity in the amphitheater. It was very dynamic and fluid, though not easy by any stretch. At the end, the adepts were victorious, but they worked hard for the win.