The last of the 7 Sands Campaigns in character recaps. Trying to do Laera Melodie Part 2 was trying to remember a game lost to the mists of time itself. I found that it was virtually impossible to remember everything that had happened nine years earlier to make the next one.
7 Sands Campaigns
Volume 5: Laera Melodie’s Journal Part 1
"Hey why do I always get picked last?"
● Rognar Barland ●
Spoiler
Alert: The following journal contains spoilers of the FASA adventure Mists
of Betrayal. You have been warned!
A Brief Foreword From the Author
This
journal deals with my first campaign that I was the sole gamemaster. We started
with Mists of Betrayal, a quest I was very well familiar with, having been part
of four TPKs (Total Party Kills) trying to play the adventure (Even one with
Straight 18 characters!). It was
considered a player murder campaign in our gaming group. It was obvious it
would take a skilled gamemaster with a heavy dose of gamemaster fiat to pull
the adventure off as written. Laera Melodie is definitely a heavy dose of
gamemaster fiat herself, a windling troubadour with a 20 Charisma specifically
inserted into the group to deal with the spectral dancer late in the scenario
who had been the death of two parties herself. Since I only had three players
and Mists of Betrayal required six minimum players, I ran three NPCs during
this campaign. Laera Melodie was a required character, and the players had a
pick of the other two from Han Olveran, Jelde Urik, and Rognar Barland. The two
they talked to first in the starting tavern would join up. I left the NPCs
pretty underdeveloped since I expected the players to carry most of the
roleplaying load, with them only really having traits from the personality
system, and some early flaws. Over time, Han Olveran evolved into a player
favorite in spite of this.
CAST (PCs and NPC Allies)
In Order of Appearance
CALABAN FASTHAND
Player: Shawn Pitman
Race/Discipline/Circle: Elf
Thief First Circle
Homeland: Tureem
Passion: Chorrolis
Organization: None
Character History: An orphan whose adventurer parents left him in
the relative safety of Tureem on their way to a dangerous mission in Parlainth
that they never returned from. His struggle for survival led him to become a
Thief adept. He is a troublemaker and risk taker who often gets in trouble with
the local guards. He dreams of stealing treasure, then gambling it to make even
more money, and being surrounded by elf women.
Long-term Goals: To make as
much loot in as little of time as possible and then double it again.
CHRIS DIVINE
Player: Robert Egli
Race/Discipline/Circle: Elf
Nethermancer First Circle
Homeland: Tureem.
Passion: None
Organization: None
Character History: A former
gravedigger who had turned into a Nethermancer adept. He spent some time
examining the dead in the Tureem cemetery studying death and decomposition as
well as looting them of valuables. While
rotting in jail for grave robbing, he met Calaban Fasthand, and the two fast
became friends.
Long-term Goals: To gain
power by studying the boundaries between life and death.
RAVIN DEATHBRINGER
Player: Joshua Murphy
Race/Discipline/Circle: Troll
Sky Raider First Circle
Homeland: Caucavik Mountain
Range
Passion: Thystonius
Trollmoot: Shrieker
Character History: Ravin Deathbringer was a Shrieker
who left the trollmoot to seek an adventure that would get him noticed by the
trollmoot, similar to what his idol Can’N the Jaw accomplished. The first town
he found was a hamlet called Tureem en route to Haven. He joined the party
after showing up at the Common House.
Long-term Goals: To become a
crewmember of a Shrieker drakkar and destroy the Stoneclaws personally.
HAN OLVERAN (NPC)
Player: Steven Black
Race/Discipline/Circle: Elf
Archer First Circle
Homeland: Jungle near Tureem
Passion: Astendar
Organization: None
Character History: Han Olveran fled the elf tribe in
the jungles near Tureem after hearing rumors of monsters living in the jungle.
These monsters later slaughtered his elf tribe and Han was wracked with guilt
for his craven act. He joins the party to redeem himself for his cowardice and
free the jungle of the creatures that killed his elf tribe. He is known to have
a weakness for elf maidens.
Long-term Goals: To become a
legendary Archer.
Surface Traits: Courteous,
Proud
Hidden Traits: Cowardly,
Lustful
Flaws: Addiction (Elf Women)
JELDE URIK (NPC)
Player: Steven Black
Race/Discipline/Circle: Human Warrior First Circle
Homeland: Tureem
Passion: Thystonius
Organization: None
Character History: Jelde Urik
was known for having a bad temper as a child in Tureem. He wanted to leave the
town and seek adventure elsewhere. He trained as a Warrior, and tried to
discipline himself to control his temper, but it didn’t work very well.
Long-term Goals: To become a
legendary Warrior.
Surface Traits: Aggressive,
Energetic
Hidden Traits: Impulsive
Flaws: Berserker.
LAERA MELODIE (NPC)
Player: Steven Black
Race/Discipline/Circle:
Windling Troubadour First Circle
Homeland: Jungle near Tureem
Passion: Astendar
Organization: Troubadour
Guild of Tureem
Character History: Laera
Melodie fled the jungles near Tureem after unknown creatures wiped out her
clan. She joined the party to gain revenge on the monsters who killed her clan
and lover. She is known to have a weakness for strong windling men.
Long-term Goals: To become a
legendary storyteller and Troubadour.
Surface Traits: Extroverted
Hidden Traits: Lustful
Flaws: Addiction (Strong
Windling Men)
ROGNAR BARLAND (NPC)
Player: Steven Black
Race/Discipline/Circle: Dwarf
Weaponsmith First Circle
Homeland: Tureem
Passion: Upandal
Organization: Merchant Guild
of Tureem
Character History: A
Weaponsmith of Tureem who wanted to go on an adventure and gain his own forge.
He instead stays in the tavern and drinks all night. He complains about
headaches when hammering at work all day, then drinks all night and starts the
process over again.
Long-term Goals: To become a
legendary Weaponsmith and obtain his own weapon/armor shop and forge.
Surface Traits: Drunkard
Hidden Traits: Creative
Flaws: Addiction (Alcohol)
CAST (NPCs/Enemies)
In Order of Appearance
HIERMON
Race/Discipline/Circle: Human
Wizard Seventh Circle
Homeland: Haven
Passion: Chorrolis
Character History: See Mists
of Betrayal page 91. See Parlainth: The Forgotten City page 23. IMB,
Hiermon is a cranky, cursing, greedy Wizard (and was a PC favorite for
it).
For the others, see the Cast of
Characters section on page 87 of Mists of Betrayal.
Laera Melodie’s Journal Part 1
Mists of Betrayal
Tureem
Strassa 1, 1511 TH
I remember being happy
once. My clan lived in the jungles near a remote village called Tureem. We
survived by gathering berries, and hunting small game. We lived as a small
community, but it felt like a large extended family. My father, Galba, was the
clan elder, and my Troubadour mother, Cerise, was the clan historian. I worked
at foraging food and herbs during the day while the men hunted. At night, we
sang, we danced, and we told stories. I loved the stories best, and begged to
learn the oral history of our tribe from my mother until she finally relented.
I soon became a Troubadour adept and one of the best storytellers and singers
in the clan.
One day,
while looking for food in the jungle, I was startled by a lizard in the brush.
I tried to fly away, but it was already too late. From behind me, I heard a
sizzling sound. As electricity charged the air, my hair stood on end. Then
there were two flashes of light accompanied by the crashing of thunder as two
bolts of lightning coursed through my entire body. The shock of the blow forced
me to the ground and I lay there stunned, with the smell of charring in my
nostrils. I must have looked a mess and I could only stare out as I felt
consciousness slipping away. Then seemingly out of nowhere came Azoul, a
firebrand windling hunter of our clan famed for his fearlessness in taking on
prey much larger than himself. He swooped down and landed a glancing blow at
the side of the lizard’s head with his sword and placed himself between the
lizard and me. As he distracted the lizard, the other hunters circled around to
the back and stabbed the lizard with their spears connecting with its
vulnerable tail. The lizard was unwilling to die for a meager meal of a wounded
windling, and surrounded itself with an aura of crackling shards of lightning
to serve as a warning to the windlings not to attack, and then it fled. I don’t
know if they got the lizard, as I passed out.
Azoul had
carried me back to the village and his mother, Kashaya, our clan healer, saved
my life with a healing ointment that soothed my burn injuries. It took a long
time for my skin to grow back where the lightning struck and Azoul and his
mother were my constant companions. I craved that companionship, and I needed
them to hear my stories and my songs or else I would have gone crazy from
loneliness. I had also found out that
Azoul was a worthy partner, strong enough to protect and feed a family, and a
good listener. Azoul confessed his feelings for me when I became well enough to
fly from his tree-house, and I confessed my own mutual feelings for him. After
finally recovering from my wounds, when Azoul and I were out supposed to be
gathering food and hunting, we were often making love in the woods instead. No
one said anything about our light harvests, but by the looks in their eyes they
knew the source. I still wonder if I’d
be betrothed or married by now to Azoul if not for the tragedy that struck our
clan next. The night that made all of this seem like a happy dream that had
never existed.
One night, we were telling stories by a small fire like
usual. That’s when the jungle seemed to grow thick before our very eyes, encircling
us like viny fingers. Then we heard the blood-curdling screams of our hunters
and guards. I ran from the campfire screaming out Azoul’s Name. I almost wish I
had never seen Azoul that night. I found him on the ground, with his entrails
hanging out of his gut, which had been opened by a rending claw of impossible
sharpness. As I knelt close listening for breath and feeling his pulse for
signs of life, he whispered out to me, “Laera fly.” He pointed with his index
finger at a small opening in the jungle that had enclosed all around us like a
trap. I hesitated and looked back to Azoul, but he had already moved on. I
heard a cacophony of screams from my village. I knew at that moment that I was
the last one of my clan still alive. I took flight for the small opening, and
contorted my body to make it through the narrow space. Halfway through, I felt
something strike the back of my leg, but I made it. I flew as fast as I could
and when I could bear no more, and rested on a tree branch. I tore off the sleeves
of my dress to make a tourniquet for my leg to stop the bleeding as I learned
from watching Kashaya bandage the hunters of my village from bleeding wounds. I
flew down to the ground and tested my wounded leg. I could still stand and
walk, but running was out of the question. I walked to the edge of the jungle
and saw the town of Tureem. Across the open plain, I decided to fly to my new
home.
I was a refugee and
Tureem was my sanctuary. Tureem’s healer, Graka, healed my leg. But my respite
was short-lived. The creatures had followed me to Tureem and began to stalk new
victims in the town. I even wondered if they had left me alive just to chase me
to another hunting ground. Am I cursed?
They were picking off
the villagers one by one. We were all wondering by this point—would this night
be my turn to die in my bed? I for one would not die like that. If I were to
die to these monsters, I would do it with my boots on and sword in hand.
It began as a normal
night at the Common House. I was singing and dancing to earn my keep; biding my
time and waiting for a chance at revenge on the abominations who had killed my
family, my clan, and my beloved. I was not alone in my determination for
vengeance. Han Olveran had fled the jungle and his elf tribe as well because of
the monstrosities. It was like I was just waiting for the opportunity, the
spark, which would set events in motion. This just happened to be the night
that a massive troll walked into the Common House. He was hairless, and white
as a ghost carrying a scythe. The Common House that had been bustling with
activity and noise became still with silence as if everyone in the room were
viewing an apparition, or perhaps the Passion Death returned in troll form. The
troll strolled through the room casually as if he hadn’t noticed everyone’s
reaction to him, or he was so used to this reaction by now that he was numb to
it and even expecting it. He took a stool at the bar and ordered some dwarf
stout ale. With his back turned, most of the bar patrons decided to make for
the door. I resumed my performance while keeping my eyes on the entrance.
I finally saw what I
was looking for, as the local overseer of Tureem, Turan, entered the room.
Turan had no doubt heard about the troll and saw the same opportunity as
myself. He took a seat at the bar and ordered a drink for himself and the
troll. He made an offer of sixty silver pieces to go into the jungles near
Tureem and slay the murdering monsters to the troll and any who would accompany
him. Turan knew that the patrons who remained after seeing this troll would be
courageous souls who could rid the village of its problem. The fact that many
of Tureem’s most brave souls were its worst troublemakers was just a bonus as
far as Turan was concerned. The troll decided to take the mission, as well as
the mischievous duo of the local miscreant, Calaban Fasthand, a tall and thin
elf Thief, and local grave robber Chris Divine, the short and stocky elf
Nethermancer, the temperamental but well-built human Warrior Jelde Urik, the
tall and frail elf Archer Han Olveran, and myself, the small and gorgeous
windling Troubadour Laera Melodie. A lone dwarf was the only other customer at
the bar remaining, and he spent the night drinking many mugs by himself. The
troll introduced himself as Ravin Deathbringer of the Shrieker clan, stopping
at Tureem en route to Haven. Turan gave us the run of the Common House, a
thirty silver piece advance, and fifty percent off vouchers redeemable at Graka’s
Hut and Turan’s Everygoods, and then left us to make our preparations for our
journey into the western jungle.
Calaban Fasthand
decided that if he might die the next day, this night would be especially
memorable. He flirted with the two human barmaids, and after a few drinks and
enough cajoling, got the short and perky brunette with long hair, Malisa, to
walk up the stairs with him. Chris Divine got the same idea and used the same
technique on the remaining barmaid; the tall and athletic blonde with her hair
in braids, Brynwar, but not the same results. A slap to the face is all that he
earned. Most women would do that if a man smelling of earth and corpses were
hitting on them. I know I would. If there were any worthy windling men around,
I’d probably be doing the same thing as them. These creatures killed my family,
my clan, and my beloved, Han Olveran’s jungle elf tribe, and many villagers of
Tureem; they could very well kill us all tomorrow. If you had only one night
before a possible death sentence the next day, you’d make that night count too.
We all partied as if it were our last night alive. I passed out after
overindulging in keesris wine.
Tureem
Strassa 2
We started the day by
shaking off our hangovers, and hangers-on in the case of Malisa and Calaban to
use our thirty silver pieces and fifty percent off vouchers at Graka’s Hut and
Turan’s Everygoods. I suggested we buy healing aids from Graka. At the low
price of twenty-five silver pieces apiece, booster potions would never be
cheaper or more necessary. After making the essential preparations, we six
adventurers set out to the west to hunt down the monsters.
Fortunately for us, Han
Olveran had experience in hunting and tracking and found the creatures’ tracks
leading into the jungle near Tureem, where my clan used to be. According to
Han, they had eight furry legs, and could be giant spiders. I knew these were
no mere giant spiders, but something far more dangerous possessing magical
powers, a cunning intellect, and strong sinewy muscles and sharper claws to
match. I knew what I was walking into, and yet even as the canopy of the jungle
I once called home enveloped me again, I did not turn back. We followed Han
deeper into the jungle.
Han led us to an alcove in
the jungle smelling of decaying flesh. I looked to the ground for the
accompanying bodies, but instead watched as thistles and briars from the ground
grew in an instant upward and above, encompassing me in a tunnel of thorns.
There was only one path, forward, with no retreat possible. Worse, I stared
down at the tunnel at the thing that was a spider—and yet was not—directly
ahead of me. A humanoid face stared back at me with vacant eyes, as one of its
spider legs scratched across its chitinous chest. Could this thing have once
been a Name-giver? Had it seen me? I brandished my windling two-handed sword
and dived at it, ignoring the pain of the flight caused by the thorny barbs
tearing at me. I delivered a glancing blow to its jaw, and turned up to near
the top of the maze, hoping that I could avoid its reach with its long legs.
That’s when it extended its leg that it had dragged across its chest towards
me, and all of a sudden an icy, barbed web ensnared me. The icy barbs pierced
my flesh, freezing me to the bone. Unable to move, my wings were unable to keep
me aloft and I started falling to the ground. I was so cold; I was surprised
that I didn’t shatter to pieces upon impact with the soil. I looked up to see
the Horror construct lording over me, with its forelegs raised in anticipation.
I watched through unblinking eyes frozen to the sight, as icy spikes formed on
its forelegs.
It started to plunge its forelegs down at me,
when it unexpectedly toppled over. A triumphant and bloodied Calaban Fasthand
stood up from underneath the monster with his broadsword dripping with guts and
blood in hand. When it had risen up to kill me, Calaban had slid underneath and
delivered a deathblow to its tender abdomen, disemboweling it instantaneously. 1
The icy barbs and thorny maze dissipated in an instant. As I got to my
feet, I watched the other one die after a berserk Jelde Urik slashed its head
off with his battle-axe.
It
was just like before with the lizard, I couldn’t do anything. Knocked down and
immobilized, I was just waiting for somebody to save me again. My chance for
revenge for my beloved, my family, and my village wasted on one mere slash of
my sword. But at least I was here to watch the pair die for their sins against
my tribe.
Calaban
and Chris looted the pair’s lair, finding a mysterious amulet on a silver chain
with a silver starburst pattern stained red in the middle. Chris was unable to
view into astral space yet, and asked me to see if I could determine whether it
was magical based on my natural vision into the astral plane. I looked into the
astral plane and could not see the pattern of the item, but could tell that it
was a magical item based on its astral aura. I told Chris and Calaban about how
the spider-like being’s magic seemed to work, and the duo removed their
forelegs and metallic deposits on the spider’s chests that looked like a metal
web. Ravin used his scythe to slice off the head of the other spider construct
and put both of the heads in a large sack. “Proof,” he said. I thought I was
going to be sick watching these three slice and dice these dead constructs.
We
returned to Tureem with the heads of the slain spider constructs and delivered
them to Turan, earning us an additional 30 silver pieces apiece. We asked Turan
about the magical amulet and the strange magic of the spider constructs, and he
told us that no one in the town of Tureem knew anything of magic. Chris, of
course, disagreed. Turan, perhaps seeing an opportunity to rid Tureem of its
troublemakers forever, then continued talking about a Wizard Named Hiermon who
lives in the Old Neighborhood of the town of Haven that borders Parlainth.
Turan told us that the wise wizard Hiermon could help us identify and use the
amulet, or at the very least appraise the value of the item and sell it at the
markets of Haven. He also told us that Hiermon could explain to us how the
spider construct’s magic works as well. He finally told us of the ruins of
Parlainth and the great risks and dangers there, but also of the great rewards
of treasure. Our greed, curiosity, and thrill seeking piqued, we asked for
Turan to give us directions and we made plans to head for Haven.
We
returned to the Common House for a night of debauchery, performance, rest, or a
combination thereof, depending upon our personal preference. Calaban returned
to Malisa’s bed, and I think Brynwar
had either too much to drink or too much euphoria and relief upon learning the
news of the death of the spider constructs, because she decided to take Chris
to bed with her! I guess persistence
does pay off sometimes.
Tureem to Haven
Strassa 3-4
We
followed Turan’s directions to Haven, and we were surprised to arrive in Haven
without difficulty after hearing Turan’s stories about the dangers of the area
around Parlainth.
The
ruins of Parlainth are both beautiful and terrible to behold. The shattered
marble and stone Theran capital spoke of the Theran mastery of Barsaive, and
how it all crumbled away during the Scourge. As well as the terrible price that
was paid by those who turned away from the proven Rites of Protection and
Passage to seek salvation from the Scourge to other unproven and unsavory
methods. And yet, there was a beacon of shiny alabaster walls within the ruins,
Haven. Can this Wizard, Hiermon, really tell us what magic lurks within the
amulet and the spider chests we possess? We’ll find out tomorrow, I guess.
Haven
Strassa 5
We
entered Haven and after a quick survey of the town, Calaban returned to tell us
that Hiermon lived on the second story of a shop called Brenula’s Arms. We made
our way there.
1 Surprise Strike for 48
with Step 18 Damage!
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