13th Age: Halloween

Salutations!

I, Sargoo the Sapient, would like welcome you to yet another one of my rousing treatises on our World and it's many Ages!

With Autumn fully throttling the life out of Summer, it only seemed appropriate to explore my absolutely favorite holiday: Halloween!

And I assure you I'm not alone, for in my travels across this Dragon Empire I've met legions who share my viewpoint (but of course)!

However, I'm often surprised (not really) at their ignorance of and full meaning to this Hallowed night (pun intended).

You see, in the closing days of the the Dead Wars, the Dragon Emperor and the Great Gold Wyrm were forced to negotiate a treaty with the Lich King to quell the tyrant's campaign.  While the Lich King had realized he could not win, he was well prepared to drag the conflict out for as long as it suited him.  And he had noticed the burgeoning of conflict between the Emperor and the High Druid on the edges of the Empire.

It was this leverage that allowed him to demand his sacrifices and the tending of what he viewed as his, as opposed to the Emperor's, boneyards.  But the Dragon Emperor is no fool and relied on his old friend, the Great Gold Wyrm, for aid in writing the Treaty of Threshold to finalize the cessation of hostilities.

The Great Gold Wyrm knew that giving in to the Lich King's demand would weaken the Empire in the eyes of its other enemies and was well aware of the High Druid, lurking like a tiger in the jungle waiting to pounce.  So he contributed a hidden clause within the Treaty to remind friend and foe alike of his cunning and reach.

You see, the Wyrm was aware of that Samhain was a day when the veil between the living and the dead was at it's thinned.  And just as importantly it was the nadir of the High Druid's power, a secret she fully believed no one else knew.  And so the Treaty allowed that on that precise day each year and in every Age to follow, that the Dragon Empire would be free of the Lich King's tributes and tendings.  A day that the Wyrm knew with absolute certainty that the Druid would immediately notice what day was chosen, Samhain.  Quietly, as if in the eye of a terrible hurricane, the Wyrm reminded both the Lich and the Druid that their opposition was subtle in it's movements and profound in it's achievements.

And so, the Emperor, both as a matter of morale after years of war and as challenge to his enemies, made that day a national holiday.  Halloween.

The one day in the year where the Dragon Empire and it's citizens were freed from the yoke of serving the dead, and choosing to celebrate life.  To walk both boldly into the dark, even amongst the deepest of woods and know that Dragon Empire hand not simply endured, but prevailed.

Closing Out October

Its been a good month.

I've kept up with a post count equal to every other day and I've continued to run 13th Age (it's a great game and I have a great group), play DnD Next and run Feng Shui.

I keep looking at The Strange RPG from Monte Cook, but I still need to run/play Numenener before I can jump in, AND I experiencde some major hiccups in Monte Cook Games' order fulfillment.  They made everything right, were prompt and polite and great to talk to, but I didn't get my book until the beginning of october.  So, I'm just a little uncertain.

I'm really digging the 13th Age Bestiary Hatchling edition and continue to be impressed with how Fire Opal and Pelgrane Press do business.

We're off for a few days to enjoy Halloween and then will begin the quick march to Thanksgiving and Christmas and all too soon, I'll be posting about closing out 2013.

Happy Halloween!

A Guest Post Later This Week

One of the players of my Tales of the 13th Age (Inquest) game, the incredible Rob Hall of the Pumpkin Society and Zero Fortitude, will have a guest post related to his character's One Unique Thing.

It will go live friday around Noon EST time.

I'm very excited.

13th Age: The Montessi Blades

Harkness Montessi was a treasure hunter turned monk turned monster slayer during the 10th Age.  At the tender age of twelve, he set off with "Rabid" Rob Robair, a tomb-raider, to seek fortune and fame.

After close to two decades working together, the pair unwittingly unleashed a fiend named Turaskian J'ten who had been imprisoned during the 6th Age.

While Rabid was slain, Harkness was found by monks from the nearby Monastery du Priles where he traded in adventuring for a quiet life.  Montessi spent his days tending their gardens and his nights studying fiends and monsters of all kinds because his sleep was plagued with nightmares of J'ten and Rabid's destruction.  After several years Harkness finally grew tired of cowering in fear and now had the knowledge to hunt the many terrors that plagued the 10th Age.

However, he knew he needed weapons to aid him in his quest and Montessi set about having the monks help him craft several powerful swords whose legend would live on for untold Ages.

Vex 

Greatsword made from the feathers of the Angel Eptham.
Default bonus: You gain a +1 to attacks and damage (adventurer); +2 (champion); +3 (epic).

Heatwave 

Khopesh forged from the heart of the volcano Tepestku.

Default bonus: When you miss with an attack roll this weapon deals an additional 5 fire damage (adventurer); 10 fire damage (champion); 15 fire damage (epic).
Quirk: It complains it's freezing unless it's within 10 feet of an open flame.

Vesper 

Long Sword made from the bones of Saint Superior.
Default bonus: Attacks and damage when using the weapon: +1 (adventurer); +2 (champion); +3 (epic).

Shroud 

Scimitar made from the Eye of Death.

Default Bonus: You gain a +1 to all Defenses (adventurer); +2 (champion); +3 (epic).
Quirk: Insists on saying a blessing over fallen foes.

Voltaic 

Short Sword made from the teeth of the Storm Giantess Bes.
Default bonus: You gain a +3 to Initiative rolls (adventurer); 

+5 (champion); +10 (epic).

Thunderbolt 

Bastardsword made from Winds of Kon.

Default Bonus: While the Escalation die is odd, you deal 1d8 Sonic damage to an additional 1d3 foes Nearby (adventurer); an additional 3d8 (champion); 5d8 (epic).
Quirk: Brags to you where lightning is about to strike, precisely 5 seconds before it's visible to you.

My RPG Person Profile

Zak S. came up with this and I thought I'd partake:

I'm currently running (at home): 

13th Age, using the Tales of the 13th Age Organized Play Adventure Paths.

I'm currently running (at a store): 

Feng Shui, for the Alpha Test.

Tabletop RPGs I'm currently playing (at home) include: 

13th Age, New World of Darkness.

I would especially like to play/run: I

'd love to play ADnD.  I'd love to run Numenera, Night's Black Agents and Rotted Capes.

...but would also try: 

Pathfinder, any DnD, Champions, Call of Cthulhu, any D100 game, any GUMSHOE game.

I live in:

Northern Kentucky.

2 or 3 well-known RPG products other people made that I like: 

13th Age

Old World Bestiary

Over the Edge

2 or 3 novels I like:

The Name of the Wind

Salem's Lot

Ghost Road Blues

2 or 3 movies I like:

Big Trouble in Little China

Pacific Rim

Monster Squad

Best place to find me on-line:

Here or on G+

I will read almost anything on tabletop RPGs if it's:

I'm open to everything.

I really do not want to hear about: 

I'm over Indie games for the most part and am content with enjoying traditional RPGs with hit points.

I think dead orc babies are ( circle one: funny / problematic / ....well, ok, it's complicated because....)

...well, ok, it's complicated because it depends on the group and the game.

Free RPG Content I made for 13th Age and DnD: 

http://crossplanes.blogspot.com

I talk about RPGs on Google + under the name Mark Craddock.

I talk about RPGs on  forum.rpg.net under the name Sunsword.

Inquest: Holly Ray Clowney [13th Age]

Holly Ray is the daughter of farmers living many leagues outside of Old Town.  She never thought much of her Ma and Pa's life before they had her or the hard yet peaceful life they all led together, tending their farm.  Holly Ray simply knew that her parents quietly loved her and they kept her safe and that was more than enough.  

It never seemed odd to her that on the nights of the full moon, her Pa would lower Ma into an old well that had long ago dried up or that he and Holly Ray would lock themselves in the old root cellar for the night.  For all three nights, in fact.

And so things went this way for the first fourteen years of her life.  Until the storms rolled in for close to two weeks straight, flooding the nearby creek and even causing  the old well to fill, once again.  She watched her Ma and Pa argue about it, until finally her Pa relented as Ma begged him to help her, that thing would be fine.  Hours later a monster out of nightmares ripped through the root cellar door, Pa shielded Holly Ray from the creature that faced them, while begging it to get away from them.  But, Holly Ray was overcome with fear and somehow set the creature ablaze...with her mind.  She couldn't tell if Pa was more worried about her or the monster as she fell into unconsciousness from using her newfound ability.

Holly Ray never got to ask him though, the next day, she woke up riding in the back of a wagon, driven by a soldier, headed for parts unknown.  She could just barely make out her family's farm far in the distance.  Her skin was covered in strange tattoos and she had a terrible headache that wouldn't go away.  A man in a dress uniform sat across from her, and when she asked where her family was, he sadly responded that something terrible had happened and it was best not to dwell on it.  When she questioned him about her parents, he sadly shook his head and told her to think about her future, it could be bright indeed, if she wanted it to be.

Holly Ray had found her way into the hands of Colonel Clevon Imlikin, who told her he was a member of the Grey Masters.  That night as they made camp, he explained that he had been close to her farm the previous night, when her own terror had allowed her to burn the monster that attacked her and her father.  But while she had saved herself, her Ma and Pa had not been so lucky.  Further, he told her that if she would listen and work hard he would train her to use her power.  He also explained, that one day if she were disciplined enough, she might even be invited to join the Grey Masters.  Finally, he explained that the tattoos on her body were designed to keep her from using her newly discovered ability.

It was then that one his men brought a dagger to her throat, drawing blood and the Colonel immediately commanded Holly Ray to burn the man.  And to horror, she did, even though her head exploded with stars and the tattoos boiled off of her skin, she burned the man to ash.  As Holly Ray collapsed to the ground, Colonel Imlikin quietly explained that there were many in this world who hunted beings like them.  But he would prepare her, and then exhaustion claimed her.

Then next day, the Colonel, who looked at her with both awe and a tinge of fear, explained that she was a Torch and that she was part of a select few of beings born with the power of the mind.  When she asked if she was a magician, Clevon scoffed, telling her she was something much more than a mixed blooded mongrel or greedy scholar and quite possibly the key to the 14th Age.

The Colonel proved to be a fair yet stern teacher and he trained Holly Ray in all matters of subject, self-defense and most importantly her power.  She learned that the Colonel was a Spyglass and his senses were far greater than most and even extended into the past and sometimes the future, but most importantly they allowed him to find other's that shared their gift.  Finally, after nearly two years, the Colonel was set to present her to the other Grey Masters and he told her how proud he was of her.  And deep down, Holly Ray was proud, as well.

They were staying in a village outside of Horizon, at a small Inn run by a couple who doted on Holly Ray, as Clevon  prepared for her introduction.  They ate a wonderful meal of venison and potatoes and she laughed at the old man's stories until it was time for bed.  But it was also the first night of the full moon and Holly Ray's other heritage, on her mother's side, finally expressed itself.  That night, as the clouds parted and the full autumn moon hung high in the night sky, Holly Ray transformed into a werewolf just like her Ma.  There were no survivors amongst the carnage of the following morning, the old man, his loving wife and even the Colonel fell victim to Holly Ray, the monster and the Torch.

As dawn bathed the holocaust in harsh light, a group of men in red and black armor quietly approached her, they made no move to attack, and one of them simply took her up in his arms and cradled her there.  And so, Holly Ray let herself be quietly taken to the man who contracted the Rom Pharr to Find her, Baron Voth.

Voth was ecstatic he had snatched her from the clutches of the Grey Masters.  The Baron gleefully told her that she was essential to his Obsidian Gambit whenever he visited her in her cell whenever the moon was full.  Each time he promised her that she would do great things one day.  For him.  And then he would bring in some poor, terrified fool to keep her company until the moon would rise.

When the Company of Badgers found her in her cell, she tried to warn them to leave her, that the change was only a few days off, but they insisted she come with them.  As they clashed with guards during the final push of their escape, it almost seemed like Holly Ray stepped in front of the will o' the wisp that attacked them and stole her life away.

But a werewolf is far harder to kill than that, and Cash the Bard warned his group that odds were that she would return to the living at the first light of the full moon.  And so the group prepares, waiting to help a young girl and hoping to protect themselves in the process.

Meanwhile, in the city of Necropolis, Baron Voth ponders the possibilities of Holly Ray's future, a future that a sad, lonely girl believes will never be her own.

Dead AGE becomes Wyrd Science

I had a hoot running my Resident Evil inspired game using Green Ronin's Adventure Game Engine, but I haven't been able to get back to it in months and am not sure exactly when it will start back up.

However, as much as I like the AGE system I don't need the distraction of working on the story and working on new mechanics.  So that means finding a new system, which is another way for me to get distracted.

Right now I'm thinking New World of Darkness (I like the system, but it may be too lethal for the level of action I want), Feng Shui (this past friday I ran it for the store's Friday Group as part of Atlas Games' Alpha Test) or Rotted Capes (I'd like some elements of lower powered supers).

The game is not even slotted on my schedule yet, but Feng Shui and Rotted Capes are my contenders right now.

Since I'm moving away from the Adventure Game Engine, I'm changing the name to Wyrd Science.

Key elements to the game will be the Umbrella Corporation, New Edision Inc., bioterrorism, the League of Shadows, the Office of Scientific Intelligence, Frankenstein's Monster, the Si-Fan, and Fu Manchu and CHON.

I'm hoping to test character write-ups in Feng Shui & Rotted Capes soon.