[LP] DestinyQuest: The Legion of Shadow

SGamerz · Post by **SGamerz** » Thu Dec 15, 2016 1:36 pm

Take a look at the other town.

angelfromanotherpin · Post by **angelfromanotherpin** » Thu Dec 15, 2016 2:48 pm

Once again we replace fashionable headgear with an animal's face. Sometimes I despair of you people. I'm going to break the tie in favor of visiting the other town.

The dirt path takes you through cool dark forest, eventually bringing you out into a sunlit clearing. A number of tents have been set up around its perimeter - one of which houses a crude-looking laboratory. From inside, there is a series of bangs and flashes, followed by the acrid smell of ammonia and rotten eggs. A bald-headed man in white robes is hurrying from one workbench to another, adding chemicals and ingredients to a row of brass bowls, balanced over small magical flames.

'Bah, that's not right at all!' snaps the man, peering at one of his concoctions through thick glass spectacles. 'Tanner, get me more bronze filings from the crate.'

A short blond-haired girl in brown overalls leaps to attention, and hurries over to a set of crates, where she begins picking through a selection of packets. 'Are you sure we have some bronze left?' she asks worriedly, almost disappearing inside one of the crates as she roots through the contents.

The bald scientist is about to answer when he sees you approaching. He squints at you through his spectacles, the thick glass magnifying his eyes to twice their normal size. 'Good day, I'm Totsvig Hellen. Can I help you?' he asks, a little abruptly. 'I am rather busy. Very important work.'

• Ask what he is doing here?
• Ask about Jenlar Cornelius?
• Ask if he has anything for sale?
• Hand over a corrupted seed pod?

Running through the tree...

'I work for the Royal Botany Society,' explains Totsvig, clearly looking delighted to be able to talk about his work. 'I moved here with my team two weeks ago to study the local flora and fauna.'

He lifts up one of his copper bowls, which contains tiny fragments of black rock. 'A meteorite hit down here, just south of the forest,' he says, poking at the contents. 'The devastation was fairly significant, but of greater concern to the society are the changes that have been occurring sing. I've observed and recorded several cases of mutations. The rock appears to have brought with it some kind of reactive agent. In all the areas where we have found traces of the rock, we have seen the localized wildlife changing - and not for the better. One of my assistants is currently investigating a hotspot to the west. In fact, I'm starting to grow a little concerned. She should have been back by now, although she is easily distracted from her studies.

• Offer to help (requirement: mage)?
• Continue to question Totsvig?

'Why, I know Cornelius,' says Totsvig, his magnified eyes widening even further. 'The greatest scholar in his field. His musings on transmutation are absolutely second to none. Blew me away - and that research paper on petrification, the art of turning living tissue to stone - wow, compulsory bedtime reading.Yes, a bestseller that one. I may even have a copy of it somewhere...' He glances around at the cluttered workbenches, where books, scrolls, and makeshift equipment cover every inch of space.

Not wishing to waste time searching for a book, you ask him if he can direct you to where Cornelius lives.

'Where he lives?' he asks, looking surprised. 'Well, I've never actually met the man. I know his work, as does every scholar worth their salt. So, he lives around here? Gosh, if you do happen t cross paths with him...' he puts his hands together pleadingly. 'Could you get his autograph for me? Please?'

You give him a reassuring nod, trying your best to hide your disappointment. Finding Cornelius is not going to be as easy as you first thought.

'Yes, yes of course.,' says Totsvig, brightening up suddenly. 'All donations to the Botany Society will be gratefully appreciated.' He rummages underneath one of the benches, then reappears moments later with a case filled with flasks and bottles. You may purchase any of the following for 40 gold crowns each:
Gourd of healing (backpack) Use any time in combat to restore 6 health.
Elixir of invisibility (backpack) Special ability: vanish (co; prevent your opponent from dealing damage until the end of the round)
'My assistant, Tanner, is a promising young herbalist,' says Totsvig, smiling proudly at the small girl. 'You mgiht find her skills useful, also.'

The young girl beams at you excitedly. 'Hello! I'm Tanner,' she says. 'You're looking for things to buy, right? Let's see - I do have a couple of interesting books for sale. I've read them both six times already!'

You may purchase any of the following for 20 gold crowns each:
Lorinwold's Field Guide to Herbs, Roots, and Leaves (backpack) This handy guide will allow you to pick herbs for use in potion-making
The Compendium of Dwarven Lore (backpack) This pocket-sized tome will help you decipher Dwarf runes
Tanner points to one of the workbenches, which contains a jumble of glass vessels, tripods, and mixing bowls. 'If you find any herbs on your travels then I can mix up some potions for you. I'll even do it for free, as it's great practice. One day I want to be the best potion-maker in all of Valeron!

Tanner runs through the potions that she can make, and the ingredients she will need to make them. If you have the ingredients written on your hero sheet, then Tanner will make the potion for free. However, you must remove the relevant ingredients from your hero sheet afterwards. All potions are backpack items and have 1 use only.

Ingredients Potion
Bramble thorn and root grass Restore 6 health in combat
Bramble thorn and thimble sage Restore 10 health in combat
Bramble thorn and taponica bulb +4 brawn for 1 combat round
Spider leg and fire grass +4 speed for 1 combat round
Ghoul hair and black orchid +2 armor for 1 combat

• Buy stuff (specify)?
and/or
• Take the unexplored blue option?
• Make for the easy quest?

Name: Trellis
Path: Mage
Speed: +9, Brawn: +2, Magic: +6, Armor: +6
Health: 40


Slot	Item	Speed	Brawn	Magic	Armor	Ability
Head	Horns of the Bull	+1			+2	Charge
Necklace	Trophy of Bones			+1	+1	Charm
Cloak	Bat Cape	+1			+1
Main Hand	Ancient Sword	+1	+1			Bleed
Left Hand	Stone Shield	+1			+2	Slam
Gloves	Embroidered Gloves	+1		+1
Chest	Hellfire Robes	+1		+1		Trickster
Feet	Rune-Forged Greaves	+2		+2
Talisman	Spindle's Eye	+1				Charm
Ring 1	Traveler's Ring		+1	+1		Charm
Ring 2	Circle of Thorns					Thorns


Backpack	Item
1	Pot of Healing (1 use) Use any time in combat to restore 4 health.
2	Gourd of Healing (1 use) Use any time in combat to restore 6 health.
3	Spider's Leg
4	Ghoul Hair
5	Ragged Boots

Fine Silver Key
Money Pouch: 76 Crowns

Darth Rabbitt · Post by **Darth Rabbitt** » Thu Dec 15, 2016 5:38 pm

Hey, I agreed that the tricorn hat was the cooler headgear.

Blue option; maybe we'll learn an actual path now.

Omegonthesane · Post by **Omegonthesane** » Fri Dec 16, 2016 12:08 am

Blue option.

SGamerz · Post by **SGamerz** » Fri Dec 16, 2016 1:48 am

Blue is the best colour for mages. That's why Disney's Merlin is always in Blue.

angelfromanotherpin · Post by **angelfromanotherpin** » Fri Dec 16, 2016 2:18 am

Totsvig sets you to work - to test some fragments of the black stone with a number of separate chemicals. He watches you intently as you record the results of your investigations. It appears that the rock reacts strongly to anything it comes into contact with, giving off a foul-smelling green smoke. It also appears to introduce mutations into the compounds that are created.

Totsvig is clearly impressed by your findings. So much so, that he offers to teach you some of the basics of his profession. As a mage, you may now learn the alchemist career.

The alchemist has the following abilities:
Good taste (pa): Each time you use a backpack item that raises magic in combat, roll one die and add the result to the item's benefit. For example, if you use a pot of magic (+3 to magic), and you rolled a 5, you would benefit from a +8 to your magic instead.
Midas Touch (pa): Every time you destroy an item of equipment (by replacing it with a new item), you gain 30 gold crowns. This ability does not work on backpack items.

So, unlike paths, careers can be abandoned at will, and picked up any time you visit the trigger site. As a result, there's no reason not to become an alchemist here. if we find another career we like better, we can switch to it without penalty. So done.

• Buy stuff (specify)?
• Make for the easy quest?

Omegonthesane · Post by **Omegonthesane** » Fri Dec 16, 2016 8:15 am

Midas Touch would've been nice to pick up before the gladiatorial games. Good Taste meanwhile I am skeptical about the usefulness of, only because I'm not exactly convinced +Magic disposable items are worth the bother. Unless you're allowed to chug them after rolling to hit...

Anyway, easy quest.

angelfromanotherpin · Fri Dec 16, 2016 12:14 pm

You can only use one disposable item per combat round, but they're all 'use any time in combat,' so you can definitely chug after your hit roll, as little sense as that makes.

Darth Rabbitt · Post by **Darth Rabbitt** » Sat Dec 17, 2016 5:10 pm

Go for the easy quest.

angelfromanotherpin · Sun Dec 18, 2016 12:15 am

Quest: The withered glade

You make your way through the deep undergrowth of Mistwood, clambering over the thick roots and logs that litter the forest floor. Above you, giant trees, gnarled and withered with age, stretch their branches across the sky - blotting out the sunlight and plunging your surroundings into a perpetual murky twilight.

As you head further westwards, you find yourself wading into a green-tinged fog. The air has become thick and stifling, carrying with it the odor of rot and decay. Within moments, you have lost all trace of the path that you were following. Instead, the ground underfoot has become wet and boggy, sucking at your feet as you struggle onwards through the swirling mist.

Soon, you are wandering out into a wide open clearing, the bleak space punctuated with the rotten remains of dead trees. Most are little more than stumps, others lean sullenly over the blighted black earth, as if begging the land to finally take them.

At the center of the clearing, one tree still stands proud, seemingly unaffected by the blight that surrounds it. As you near, however, you realize that even this tree is fighting for its very survival. Much of its lower bark is rotted and black, and many of its winding roots are now dried and shriveled husks, belching a foul green smoke into the air.

You are about to turn and leave this sorrowful scene, when you hear a rumbling groan coming from within the tree. As you take a step back, you suddenly realize that the trunk is actually a wizened old face - a knobbly stump gives the appearance of a nose, a shabby growth of lichen forms a drooping mustache, and above the tree's deep set eyes rests a splintered crown of wood.

'Go! Leave this place,' croaks the tree, its lichen mustache rustling up and down. 'The land is lost. My brothers and sisters are gone... all gone!'

• Introduce yourself and ask the tree its name?
• Ask about what happened?
• Put the tree out of its misery and attack?

Darth Rabbitt · Post by **Darth Rabbitt** » Sun Dec 18, 2016 2:45 am

Ask the Great Deku Tree its name, and go from there.

Omegonthesane · Post by **Omegonthesane** » Sun Dec 18, 2016 8:22 am

While I appreciate this phrasing may be in poor taste, eat the exposition tree. Not the rotting tree.

angelfromanotherpin · Post by **angelfromanotherpin** » Sun Dec 18, 2016 3:51 pm

'My name is Woad,' says the tree. 'For fifteen centuries I have been a guardian of this forest, protecting it from those who would bring ill to this land. Once, there was many of us - brothers and sisters of the wood - sworn to guard these borders and keep the land safe. Now there is only me.'

The tree gives a heavy rumbling sigh. 'They are all dead now. Their spirits have flown, leaving bark and branch to wither away. That will be my fate also. My magic wanes and I have not the strength to battle this blight for much longer.'

• Ask what happened to the other trees?
• Put the tree out of its misery and attack?
• Offer to help the tree?

I'll take the non-committal, non-violent option.

'Two moons ago, a black rock blazed across the sky. A dark splinter of it broke away and pierced the heart of our glade. I know not the nature of its evil, but now my magic is waning also. I can feel it... being drawn out of my roots. Once my magic has gone I shall become like the others.'

The tree sweeps a branch through the air, gesturing to the other withered trees that dot the wasteland. 'That will be my fate.'

• Introduce yourself and ask the tree its name?
• Offer to help the tree?

This branch doesn't offer the chance to euthanize Woad, and I don't think we're going to abandon the quest pre-reward, so let's just get on with it.

The guardian places a branch on your shoulder, the twig-like fingers curling round to grip it tightly. 'Thank you,' says the tree, its eyes misting with sap. 'I had given up hope... but perhaps, I was wrong to be so hasty. See, over there.' The tree gently turns you to face the far side of the clearing. Ahead, billowing out of a deep crater, is a plume of green smoke.

'That is where the dark splinter landed,' explains the tree. 'It was the black rock that brought the evil and menace to this land. I have seen things... the creatures of the forest, corrupted and mutated by its power. I fear that it was one of these creatures - a parasite - that has eaten away at my brothers' and sisters' roots. Even now, I feel my own magic seeping away. Soon all my magic will be gone and I, the mighty Woad Brightbough, will cease to be.'

The tree gives a shaky wavering breath. 'If you would investigate the black rock for me, then the forest would forever speak your name.'

You promise the tree that you will do all you can.

You scramble down into the crater, your eyes stinging from the thick green smoke. At the bottom, you discover a jagged splinter of black rock sticking up out of the charred soil. It glows as if alive, each pulse giving off more of the green putrid-smelling smoke.

The rock is far too large for you to pull out of the ground. It also looks to thick and strong to break. As you ponder your next move, you suddenly notice a large burrow-like tunnel to the north, winding away into darkness.

• Examine the black rock further?
• Enter the earthen tunnel?

Omegonthesane · Post by **Omegonthesane** » Sun Dec 18, 2016 3:56 pm

Continue to stare at the rock. Maybe our career choice of "the one most associated with knowing shit" will help.

SGamerz · Post by **SGamerz** » Mon Dec 19, 2016 11:56 am

Study the interesting rock.

angelfromanotherpin · Post by **angelfromanotherpin** » Mon Dec 19, 2016 2:48 pm

As you get closer, you become aware of an irregular humming sound coming from the black rock. On each hum, a green light pulses along the veins that branch through the rock, moving from the top of the stone to its jagged half-buried tip. Warily, you place a hand against the side of the rock - and snap it back quickly, surprised at how deathly cold it is to the touch?

• Take a sample of the rock?
• Leave the rock and follow the tunnel?

Omegonthesane · Post by **Omegonthesane** » Mon Dec 19, 2016 7:56 pm

LOOT THE THING and ditch ragged boots if needed.

Darth Rabbitt · Post by **Darth Rabbitt** » Tue Dec 20, 2016 8:56 pm

Try to take the rock.

angelfromanotherpin · Post by **angelfromanotherpin** » Tue Dec 20, 2016 9:44 pm

You attempt to chip away at the black rock. However, the moment your weapon comes into contact with the rock, it begins to vibrate, sending your weapon spinning out of your hand. When you go and retrieve it, you see that it is now blackened and charred, giving off a faint green smoke. (You must lower either the speed, brawn, or magic of your main-hand weapon by 1 point.)

Shaken by your experience, you decide to keep your distance from the infernal rock. Clearly it is not something of this world and you can't even begin to fathom how to destroy it. Perhaps, by exploring the tunnels beneath the glade, you will learn more about this peculiar rock. You head into the northern passage.

OMG, a persistent consequence! I assume we lower brawn because it has no effect on our actual combat stats.

The rough-hewn tunnel slops downwards, opening out into a small cave. Above you, breaking through the ceiling of the cave, you can see the withered roots of the trees, forming a natural roof of snaking tentacles. Most of them are split and cracked, their insides glowing with a sickly-green luminescence.

Two tunnels lead out from the cave. One heading north and the other heading east.

• Take the north tunnel?
• Take the east tunnel?

Darth Rabbitt · Post by **Darth Rabbitt** » Wed Dec 21, 2016 12:19 am

East.

Omegonthesane · Post by **Omegonthesane** » Wed Dec 21, 2016 1:16 am

East, agreed that ancient sword loses its Brawn bonu.

angelfromanotherpin · Post by **angelfromanotherpin** » Wed Dec 21, 2016 2:14 am

The tunnel broadens out, becoming a huge cavernous chamber filled with giant peak-topped mushrooms. You haven't traveled far into this peculiar forest before you become aware of a drumming skittering sound coming from up ahead. It sounds like hundreds of fast-moving legs, beating and scuffling against the earth. As you scan your surroundings, your eyes come to rest on something black and snake-lie, zigzagging between the mushrooms.

As it nears, you see it is a giant centipede - its long segmented body giving off the same sickly green hue as the black rock and the withered tree roots. With startling speed, the multi-legged creature is upon you, its serrated mandibles clicking together hungrily:
Speed Brawn Armor Health
Centipede 6 5 3 60

Special Abilities
- Downsized: For every 10 health that the centipede loses, one of its body segments is destroyed, reducing its speed and brawn by 1 each time.

Negative special abilities are the best special abilities... for enemies!
Round 1: Us 8+9+2, It 5+6; 1+6-3 damage, it's at 56. *DOTs* It's at 54.
Round 2: Us 11+9, It 8+6; 1+6-3 damage, it's at 50. *DOTs* It's at 47.
Round 3: Us 8+9, It 3+5; 4+6-3 damage, it's at 40. *DOTs* It's at 36.
Round 4: Us 8+9, It 8+4; 2+6-3 damage, it's at 31.*DOTs* It's at 26.
Round 5: Us 10+9, It 7+3; 2+6-3 damage, it's at 21. *DOTs* It's at 15.
Round 6: Us 9+9, It 7+2; 6+6-3 damage, it's at 6. *DOTs* Centipede defeated!

you chop the centipede down to size, each blow sending plumes of green gas billowing out into the cave. Finally, the creature lies dead in a smoldering pile of legs and body parts.

Heading deeper into the mushroom forest, you come across the body of a dead adventurer. It looks as though he tried eating one of the mushooms and it poisoned him, as several chunks of the strange fungi lie next to his outstretched fingers. You search the body and find 20 gold crowns. You may also take any/all of the following items:
Deerskin boots (feet) +1 speed, +1 brawn
Shiny dirk (main hand: dagger) +1 speed, +2 brawn
Skull cap (head) +1 speed, +1 armor
Determined not to share the same fate, you decide to keep your distance from the strange mushrooms. You quickly cross to the other side of the cave, where you take another tunnel heading north.

The passageway winds through the earth, eventually ending in a wide cavern. Again, the ceiling is covered in a tangle of withered tree roots, which leak a thick green smoke into the air. You spot several black beetles scuttling amongst them, chewing at what is left of the rotted wood.

Underneath this smoky canopy, you see a group of grey hairless humanoids, seated around a camp fire. They are licking their lips hungrily as they watch a line of skewered beetles slowly cook over the flames.

As you enter the cavern, one of them looks up, snuffling the air. Quickly, it grabs a flint-tipped spear and starts towards you, its companions following suit. Although spindly and slow-moving, the creatures are clearly accomplished hunters. They spread out, cautiously forming a circle around you. Then they attack, jabbing at you with their spears:
Speed Brawn Armor Health
Cave trogs 6 7 3 40

Round 1: Us 4+9+2, Them 12+6 (trickster'd) Us 9+9+2, Them 7+6; 4+6-3 damage, they're at 33. *DOTs* They're at 31.
Round 2: Us 10+9, Them 5+6; 5+6-3 damage, they're at 23. *DOTs* They're at 20.
Round 3: Us 2+9 (charm'd) 5+9, Them 6+6; 5+6-3 damage, they're at 12. *DOTs* They're at 8.
Round 4: Us 9+9, Them 10+6; 3+6-3 damage, they're at 2. *DOTs* Cave trogs defeated!

You search the bodies of the dead trogs. You may now take any/all of the following items:
Trog spear (main hand: spear) +1 speed, +3 brawn (requirement: warrior)
My precious (ring) +1 armor Ability: vanish (1/combat, after losing a round, prevent combat damage)
Beetle-shell garland (necklace) +1 speed, Ability: charm
A qick examination of the creatures' camp turns up very little - just a few tatty blankets and some gnawed bones. If you have Lorinwold's Field Guide to Roots, Herbs, and Leaves then you find 2 root grass growing at the side of the cave. You may pick these. (Make a note of the herbs on your hero sheet.)
Another tunnel leads out of the cave, heading north. You decide to take it, heading deeper into the underground network.

Before we proceed, do we want to take the precious and/or the garland? If you want the precious, indicate which ring you want to ditch for it.

Name: Trellis
Path: Mage
Career: Alchemist
Speed: +9, Brawn: +1, Magic: +6, Armor: +6
Health: 40


Slot	Item	Speed	Brawn	Magic	Armor	Ability
Head	Horns of the Bull	+1			+2	Charge
Necklace	Trophy of Bones			+1	+1	Charm
Cloak	Bat Cape	+1			+1
Main Hand	Ancient Sword	+1				Bleed
Left Hand	Stone Shield	+1			+2	Slam
Gloves	Embroidered Gloves	+1		+1
Chest	Hellfire Robes	+1		+1		Trickster
Feet	Rune-Forged Greaves	+2		+2
Talisman	Spindle's Eye	+1				Charm
Ring 1	Traveler's Ring		+1	+1		Charm
Ring 2	Circle of Thorns					Thorns


Backpack	Item
1	Pot of Healing (1 use) Use any time in combat to restore 4 health.
2	Gourd of Healing (1 use) Use any time in combat to restore 6 health.
3	Spider's Leg
4	Ghoul Hair
5	Ragged Boots

Fine Silver Key
Money Pouch: 96 Crowns

Omegonthesane · Post by **Omegonthesane** » Wed Dec 21, 2016 8:24 am

We're an Alchemist for the moment so we htave an incentive to swap items whenever reasonaby practical.
That being said take the garland & ignore the precious, I'm not losing either charm or thorns for that shit.

SGamerz · Post by **SGamerz** » Wed Dec 21, 2016 11:37 am

Take the garland.

angelfromanotherpin · Wed Dec 21, 2016 12:41 pm

We alchemize the Trophy of Bones into gold. Nice.

The circular tunnel ends in another wide cavern. Along one side of the cave, a forest of tangled roots hangs down from the ceiling, as dried and withered as all the other roots you have seen. To the north and to the east, you see more tunnel openings.

As you contemplate your next move, you become aware of a wet slurping noise coming from the eastern tunnel. You creep cautiously forward, intrigued as to what it could be. Then you see it - a giant brown blob of ooze, moving slowly along the tunnel. Everything it comes into contact with gets sucked up inside its gelatinous body - rocks, stones... you can even see several skeletons hanging in the mass of ooze, as well as some swords, helmets, and other odds-and-ends of equipment.

The creature is slow-moving. It wouldn't be difficult to cross the cavern and take the northern passageway, avoiding the ooze before it even reaches the cave.

• Hurry across the cave and head north?
• Wait for the ooze and then attack it?

Name: Trellis
Path: Mage
Career: Alchemist
Speed: +10, Brawn: +1, Magic: +5, Armor: +5
Health: 40


Slot	Item	Speed	Brawn	Magic	Armor	Ability
Head	Horns of the Bull	+1			+2	Charge
Necklace	Beetle-shell Garland	+1				Charm
Cloak	Bat Cape	+1			+1
Main Hand	Ancient Sword	+1				Bleed
Left Hand	Stone Shield	+1			+2	Slam
Gloves	Embroidered Gloves	+1		+1
Chest	Hellfire Robes	+1		+1		Trickster
Feet	Rune-Forged Greaves	+2		+2
Talisman	Spindle's Eye	+1				Charm
Ring 1	Traveler's Ring		+1	+1		Charm
Ring 2	Circle of Thorns					Thorns


Backpack	Item
1	Pot of Healing (1 use) Use any time in combat to restore 4 health.
2	Gourd of Healing (1 use) Use any time in combat to restore 6 health.
3	Spider's Leg
4	Ghoul Hair
5	Ragged Boots

Fine Silver Key
Money Pouch: 126 Crowns

Ingredients	Potion
Bramble thorn and root grass	Restore 6 health in combat
Bramble thorn and thimble sage	Restore 10 health in combat
Bramble thorn and taponica bulb	+4 brawn for 1 combat round
Spider leg and fire grass	+4 speed for 1 combat round
Ghoul hair and black orchid	+2 armor for 1 combat