Max Looks for a Magic Sword
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| Maximus the Minotaur, war leader of the Moo Crew |
Maximus the Minotaur, leader of the Minosian brute squad dubbed the "Moo Crew", spent some time casting about for a magic weapon.
Previously we leaned on the ACKS market availability to constrain availability of items for purchase including magic items. I hated this in general, but when the game started some thousand days ago I never thought any group of players would accumulate enough money to just buy magic swords.
And if you read Gary's advice in the DMG, NPCs are not willing to part ways with their magic items. I suggested the following procedure:
Buying Magic ItemsMagic items are rare and the owners are typically very unwilling to part with them. Check the table below based on the listed GP value of the item. Before a buyer will part with the item, the purchaser must have a positive reaction roll (including adjustments for length of time known, alignment, reputation, racial antipathy, etc) - an uncertain result means the price must be increased by +d20%. For each cost band above 10gp, the reaction modifier is additional PENALTY d20%.
In the short term this had the intended effect - the players would have much better luck ripping the enchanted blades from undeserving humanoids and other monsters than they ever would cashing checks in downtown Aeravir.
Maximus, being Lawful Evil, was unable to convince any non-evil aligned NPC to sell their sword and wasn't willing to commit violence just yet to get them. But now he knows which NPC does have that +1 two-handed sword...
RETVRN to Castle Gretchley
The players had identified the accursed ruins of Castle Gretchley as their next target, chasing again a very old rumor that a magic sword was said to be beneath the top level. With the Nighthawks in tow, the columns marched up the road north and then swung northeast into the grasslands near the ruin by the evening of day 1086.
Mindful of the roosting hippogriffs, the company decided to try and enter via the cave on the southern side of the ruin mound the next morning. Aewdil the ranger hottie had determined that the cave stunk of bear and there was scat and other bear-sign. Despite this the group pushed into the place.
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| Aewdil ranger/cleric of Kementari. She has a fan club. |
The players presented me with their marching order, and look at this would you? I sure hope no one throws a grenade...
The hirelings (0-lvl, aka "normal men") refused to go into that cave, so this is actually just levelled NPCs (henchmen) and the PCs themselves.
The cave wound the right around a bend, and the infravision endowed characters saw not one but two brown bears approaching. There is a volley of missile fire but bears are charging right at them. The melee is not long - the Moo Crew is easily able to kill the bears before anyone is harmed.
Now begins a general debate on what to do with the bear corpses. The players want to drag the bodies outdoors for processing. This will take some time as each bear weights perhaps a ton.
Meanwhile Franz and Gerolt head further in and found a large brass door with the half-devoured body leaning against the door "frame". The body is still holding a scroll tube or so it appears. Franz sees a shadowy figure trying to pull the scroll tube out of the corpse's hand.
At first the players are now shouting back and forth at each other, but I insist that they are so far away they can't see any of this. And they are still dragging those bear bodies out. Tasso the cleric is close enough that he tries to turn the creature. The attempt fails. More excitement!
Franze hears in his mind "It's ok, come close, I just need to anchor on you." But Franz's player is having none of this. Everyone is now running out of the cave, bear hides be damned.
Sadly, the players abandon this place for the forseeable future. They head east, towards Xuc, in hops of easier paydays.
High Priest Winvid Gives the Nighthawks a Mission
Arriving in Xuc on day 1087, they learn that the town is being set upon by rebels hiding in the woods north of the settlement. With the recent draw of troops to fight the fishmen the locals do no have the firepower to clean out the rebels. They players are promised money to do the job, which they agree to.
After tracking a rebel patrol an ambush is laid. The dice land well for the players and they earn several segments of surprise, which is well used by their missile troops to slaughter many of the rebels, unhorsing many and sending the rest in full retreat.
The players get in close to the encampment, following the retreating horsemen. Mr. Fixit infiltrates the place and poses as a carpenter looking for work. He is made to build outhouses as a trial. Finally the revel camp is ready to move out and storm Xuc itself in retaliation. Mr. Fixit declares himself "available" for more than carpentry and asks for a place in the army. The leader doesn't care too much for this dwarf and indicates that Mr. Fixit will be roughly handled for his attitude.
Mr. Fixit, however, boasts exception strength, and grapples then concussed 2 of the brigands. The leader has a change of heart. He can use a man (dwarf?) of this caliber and agrees to use him in the fight, offering him a share of any loot from Xuc if he fights with them. Mr. Fixit agrees, but really is just waiting to cause more mischief.
All this time the Nighthawks again positioned themselves in the woods along the trail where the main force of rebels would emerge for their revenge. And again, the players got a great surprise roll, earning a volley of deadly missile fire. But there are hundreds of rebels crossing the ground.. until they meet a sudden arrival of 100 or more minotaurs! This was of course, the ultimate cheat - phantasmal force cast by Franz the illusionist.
The casualty losses combined with the impending overrun by the minotaur infantry sends the remaining revels into flight, with many of them surrendering when they see their camp burning in the night. Mr. Fixit, it seems, was busy setting fire to their fortifications! The group of prisoners were marched back to Xuc to the authorities. The rebel leader escaped along with his top lieutenants.
The players nabbed about 670gp in personal effects from their prisoners. They also received a nice 3000gp payout from the High Priest for the speedy resolution of the issue.
XP and Ratings
Gerolt F1
Tasso C1
Franz I1
Giselleta F3
Charles T1
Mr Fixit T1/F2,
Max F1
Bro Fighten F2
Total 2015XP for defeating the bandits, or 251XP EACH.
Treasure was divided post game.
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