The Tyrant
When the tyrant arrives upon the scene, he seems a mere boy. Young and as impetuous as the PC’s liege Ludwig, he seems a child among giants next to the players. But even in the first encounters he speaks with eloquence, emotionally manipulating his listeners with skill. After speaking to him, most feel used, that that they have agreed to do something that makes them feel dirty. With his innocent appearance he makes an appeal to his audience’s vanity, be it to their morals or desire for power, offering them a course of action that is presented as furtherance of that goal and plays them like an apprentice’s lute.
When next they meet him, during the war for Aguies County he is with the Count Aguies, and outfitted in the regalia of war. His shield bears a gold guantlet holding 3 swords on a red field, and he wears a holy symbol of Hextor.
Trent ✦ Level 9 Paladin (Soldier)
Medium natural humanoid ✦ XP 400
Initiative +5 Senses Perception +4
HP 83; Bloodied 41; Healing Surge: 20; Healing Surges: 1
AC 28; Fortitude 22, Reflex 23, Will 23
Speed 6 (10 on warhorse)
Powers
triple-headed flail ✦ At-Will, Standard Action, melee weapon, melee basic
Attack: +13 vs. AC
Hit: 1d10 + 6 damage
Enfeebling Strike ✦ At-Will, Standard Action, Melee, melee weapon
Attack: +12 vs. AC
Hit: 1d10 + 8 damage. If marked, the target takes -2 to attack rolls until the end of Trent’s next turn.
Divine Challenge ✦ At-Will, Minor Action, Close burst 5, Divine, Necrotic
Effect: the target is marked, taking a -2 penalty to attacks that do not include Trent as a target, and the first time the target makes such an attack it takes 8 points of necrotic damage.
Lay on Hands ✦ 4 times / Encounter, Minor Action, Melee Touch Divine, healing, Divine Reverence ✦ Encounter, Standard Action, Close burst 1Divine, Necrotic, implement
Attack: +12 vs Will
Hit: 1d8 + 8 necrotic damage, and the target is dazed until the end of your next turn.
Necrotic Pulse ✦ Daily, Standard Action, Ranged 10
Divine, Necrotic
Attack: +12 vs Fortitude
Hit: 1d10 + 8 necrotic damage, and make a secondary attack
Secondary Attack: +12 vs Fortitude on each enemy adjacent to the primary target.
Hit: 1d10 + 8 necrotic damage and the target is pushed 3 squares.
Sustain Minor: repeat the secondary attack.
Wrath of the Gods ✦ Daily, Minor Action, Close burst 1, Divine
Trent and each ally in burst gain +5 to damage rolls until the end of the encounter.
Alignment neutral Languages Common
Skills religion +9, bluff +13
Str 16 (+7) Dex 12 (+5) Wis 10 (+4)
Con 11 (+4) Int 14 (+6) Cha 21 (+9)
Equipment: layered plate mail (A.V.), heavy shield, cape of the mountebank +1, triple-headed flail, holy symbol of hextor, heavy warhorse
Posted in 4th edition Dungeons & Dragons, Character, Creature and tagged Campaign: Heir of Soguer, subplot:The Tyrant by Adam A. Thompson with no comments yet.
Traveling to Minwood
After the battle of Clommel Bridge the players and their liege, Ludwig Staledwo, take their army in pursuit of Count Aguies and his protege, Trent. The most direct route is the road through Minwood. Once there they must decide how to deal with the hostile lord of Minwood, and possibally Oltorf as well.
Encounters
- Treatment of prisoners – if the players captured any Knights in the previous encounters (such as Ilúvënis, the haughty Eledrin Lord of Linton, and Jack the young human son of Lord Erding) they must decide how they are to be treated.
As you survey the battlefield that Aguies has just fled, one of your troops approaches, looking uncertainly back at Iluvenis and Jack, the knights who have surrendered to you. “What should I do with these two, m’lord?”
If given general liberty, good food and wine and otherwise treated as guests they will be social with the players, riding and talking with them, and may be disposed to ally with the party’s liege Ludwig later. If kept harshly they may try to escape or stir up trouble – Iluvens can teleport, so keeping him prisoner will be hard. If killed their families will greatly resent Ludwig during the reconciliation later.
Skill Challenge Level 5, complexity 1, XP 200, 3 successes before 3 failures –
Primary Skills (DC 12); Diplomacy, Intimidate to make friends or control the prisoners, can be carried out over the course of the journey to Castle Aguies.
Success – the players make a good impression on their prisoners or frighten them into submission.
Failure – the prisoners may attempt to convince some of the player’s troops to join them or they may try to escape (use Knight of the Realm stats for Jack, and Eladrin Knight stats (see Monster Manual) for Iluvens. - During the journey to Castle Aguies, the players may have a minor encounter if they want to attack the lightly defended Oltorf and Minwood – who may just surrender with a skill challenge. Lord Jared of Oltorf is still with Count Aguies, but Lord Toel of Minwood was injured at the battle at the bridge and is recuperating in his keep with his family and a small contingent of guards.
The trip to Minwood takes 2-3 days for the player’s army.
Description – they party comes upon the town, and it seems deserted – the keep is closed up and archers watch from their positions on the battlements / arrow slits. If parleyed with, they say that Duke Aguies rode by and warned them that Ludwig’s army was coming. They will gladly say that they will not attack the army’s flank in an attempt to convince the players to continue on (Insight or History DC 14 to realize that this is probably not ture).
Skill Challenge – Level 7, complexity 4 – xp 1200. 10 successes before 3 failures. Primary skills – (DC 14) Intimidate checks to bully them into surrendering, Bluff checks to trick them into giving up, Diplomacy checks to convince them they will not be hurt if they surrender, History to make the argument that Ludwig is the rightful lord of these lands, Stealth checks to sneak into the castle, Athletics checks to scale the walls.
Secondary skills – (DC 19) Endurance checks to keep watch while blockading them, keeping supplies from getting in or out, Nature to notice the spring feeding water to the keep, and to block or taint it, Stealth and then Acrobatics to squeeze in through the grate that lets the spring water in.
Success – The castle’s defenders surrender to Ludwig’s army and if they succeeded at at least one Diplomacy check, the Lord swears fealty to Ludwig. Otherwise they merely surrender and the party faces a dilemma – what do they do with the captured troops? The sword of war suggests conscription or execution.
Failure – The defenders refuse to surrender: to take the castle they must defeat the well-fortified 20 troops defending the place (see encounter below). If they do not take Minwood and Oltorf there is a counter attack from these troops during the siege of Aguies detailed below.
Development – given the opportunity, the Sword of War will make it’s bearer attack the keep.Encounter – Level 7 – XP 1400 –
If the players do not convince the defenders to surrender, they must defeat the well-fortified troops defending the keep. While the player’s troops help fight the rest of the forces off-screen (or are repelled by archers if sent in alone), the players make the main assault on the keep and fight:
Creatures
- Knight – xp 250
- pikeman – xp 250
- 3 x human guards (see MM) – xp 150 ea
- 6 x human lackeys (see MM) – xp 75 ea
Treasure – small money parcel as the keep and town are looted. Simple skill challenge to keep the looting from turning into pandemonium as their troops grab everything not bolted down, including livestock, furniture, erc. – the Sword of War tries to encourage the looting. Failure – flush with their loot, four of the player’s troops desert in the night.
Development – If they do not take Minwood and Oltorf there is a counter attack from these troops during the siege of Aguies (to be detailed later).
Posted in 5th edition Dungeons & Dragons, Encounter and tagged Campaign: Heir of Soguer, encounter: skill challenge level 5, encounter: skill challenge level 7 by Adam A. Thompson with no comments yet.
Armies of Count Aguies
After months of preperation and diplomacy the players recieve word that Aguies is on the march. Allies are gathered and battle is joined at the bridge over the Mistwash just south of the village Clommel.
Battle on the field with Aguies’ army
- Aguies outnumbers the heroes by a large margin, but many of his troops are conscripted peasants.
- When the Count’s army arrives, he will take some time to take stock of the situation.
You stand on the wooden bridge spanning the Mistwash River. The waters push up against the soggy banks, heavy with spring rain and melted snow from the Kitel woods far upstream. The troops of your liege, Ludwig Staledwo, are camped behind you to the north, weapons near at hand.Ahead, to the south, you see movement through the woods. Nearly a mile away a group of knights on horse ride out of the woods, at the head of a column of footmen. The shields and standards of the knight in the lead bears the red boar on a black field above three blue chevrons – Aguies’ coat of arms. Beside him is another black shield, this one bearing a gold crown over a red fist holding 3 swords.
The knights pull their horses to a halt and survey your forces.
Envoys may be sent, but their army makes camp and begins deploying or making some siege gear of their own while standing more or less at the ready. Their archers make a dozen tower shields / standing walls from which they can shoot. - The Count’s attack on the bridge will consist of several waves of attackers.
- First some footmen will be sent across supported by the archers.
level 7 – 1200 xp
10 x human lackey – xp 75 ea.
4 x guards – xp 150 ea. - Another wave of footmen, with some skirmishers in the group.
level 9 – 1575 xp
1 x human lackey – xp 75 ea.
3 x pikemen – xp 250 ea.
3 x light infantry – xp 250 ea. - A wave of knights will attack – trying to bull rush / trample their way through the defenders. Trent will be a part of this wave, and will show Hextor-like power once bloodied – he gains resist 10 to all damage. The priest of Hironeous will beseech his god to help, and one of the players will get Herionous-like power too – allowing that character to ignore Trent’s resist 10, and be able to turn the tide. Trent turns and runs once reduced to 1/3 HP.
level 9 – 1625 xp
Trent – xp 400
4 x pikemen – xp 250 ea.
3 x human lackey – xp 75 - A final wave of Knights and foot attack with Aguies leading the charge and some controllers to help take the bridge. Aguies turns once it is obvious they are loosing. At this point the Count’s forces are re-grouping away from the bridge and the players have the opportunity to counter-attack.
level 10 – 2375 xp
Aguies – xp 700
Trent – xp 400
War-Sorcerer – xp 400
2 knight – xp 250 ea
5 x lackey – xp 75 ea - If they counter-attack there is a final battle with mixed forces and a weakened Aguies and Trent, who flee, with the army in a rout, when bloodied.
level 9 – xp 2000
Aguies – xp 700
Trent – xp 400
War-Sorcerer – xp 400
Pikemen – xp 250 ea
light infantry – xp 250 ea - If they do not counter-attack, and take a 5 minute rest or longer, the opposing army gets an opportunity to regroup & heal, and the next battle is much harder. The players can either counter-attack, or wait until the next day when Aguies will attack again – this time supported by a small catapult they built overnight. This encounter should be fairly overwhelming, perhaps a level 13 encounter.
Pikemen ✦ Level 6 Soldier
Medium natural humanoid ✦ XP 250
Initiative +7 Senses Perception +3
HP 71; Bloodied 36
AC 22; Fortitude 18, Reflex 16, Will 15
Speed 5
Powers
Pike ✦ At-Will, Standard Action, Reach 2
melee weapon
Attack: +13 vs. AC
Hit: 1d10 + 4 damage, and the target is marked until the beginning of the pikeman’s next turn.
Pike Push ✦ Encounter, Standard Action, Reach 2, Recharge (5,6)
melee weapon
Attack: +13 vs. AC
Hit: 1d10 + 6 damage, and target is pushed 2 squares.
Crossbow ✦ At-Will, Standard Action, Range 15/30
ranged weapon
Attack: +12 vs. AC
Hit: 1d8 + 3 damage.
Alignment neutral Languages Common
Skills athletics +11, endurance +10
Str 16 (+6) Dex 15 (+5) Wis 11 (+3)
Con 15 (+5) Int 10 (+3) Cha 13 (+4)
Equipment: chain mail, pike, crossbow, 10 bolts
Medium natural humanoid ✦ XP 250
Initiative +7 Senses Perception +3
HP 71; Bloodied 36
AC 20; Fortitude 16, Reflex 18, Will 15
Speed 6
Powers
Short Sword ✦ At-Will, Standard Action
melee weapon
Attack: +11 vs. AC
Hit: 1d6 + 6 damage.
Backstab ✦ Encounter, Standard Action, Recharge (5,6)
melee weapon
Attack: +11 vs. AC
Hit: 3d6 + 4 damage, and target is dazed until the end of the Light Infantry’s next turn.
Shortbow ✦ At-Will, Standard Action, Range 15/30
ranged weapon
Attack: +12 vs. AC
Hit: 1d6 + 3 damage.
Fleet of Foot✦ At-Will, Move Action, Personal
Shift 1.
Alignment neutral Languages Common
Skills athletics +11, endurance +10
Str 14 (+5) Dex 16 (+6) Wis 11 (+3)
Con 15 (+5) Int 10 (+3) Cha 13 (+4)
Equipment: leather armor, shortsword, shortbow Knight of the Realm ✦ Level 6 Soldier
Medium natural humanoid ✦ XP 250
Initiative +7 Senses Perception +3
HP 71; Bloodied 36
AC 24; Fortitude 18, Reflex 16, Will 15
Speed 5 (10 on warhorse)
Powers
Lance ✦ At-Will, Standard Action, Reach 2
melee weapon
Attack: +12 vs. AC
Hit: 1d12 + 5 damage, and the target is marked until the beginning of the pikeman’s next turn.
Longsword ✦ At-Will, Standard Action
melee weapon
Attack: +13 vs. AC
Hit: 1d8 + 4 damage, and the target is marked until the beginning of the pikeman’s next turn.
Heavy Lance Charge ✦ Encounter, Standard Action, Reach 2, Recharge (5,6)
melee weapon
the Knight charges and attacks with the lance
Attack: +12 vs. AC
Hit: 1d10 + 7 damage, and target is pushed 2 squares.
Crossbow ✦ At-Will, Standard Action, Range 15/30
ranged weapon
Attack: +12 vs. AC
Hit: 1d8 + 3 damage.
Alignment neutral Languages Common
Skills athletics +11, endurance +10
Str 16 (+6) Dex 15 (+5) Wis 11 (+3)
Con 15 (+5) Int 10 (+3) Cha 13 (+4)
Equipment: chain mail, heavy shield, lance, longsword, crossbow, 10 bolts War-Sorcerer of Soguer ✦ Level 9 Artillery
Medium natural humanoid ✦ XP 400
Initiative +7 Senses Perception +9
HP 72; Bloodied 36
AC 20; Fortitude 19, Reflex 21, Will 25
Speed 6
Powers
Burning Spray ✦ At-Will, Standard Action Close blast 3
Arcane, Fire, Implement
You fling your arm in a wide arc, casting liquid fire at your foes.
Target: Each creature in blast
Attack: +12 vs. Reflex
Hit: 1d8 + 8 fire damage.
Chaos Bolt ✦ At-Will, Standard Action Ranged 10
Arcane, Implement, Psychic
A bolt of many-colored light leaps from your hand and screams toward an enemy’s head.
Primary Target: One creature
Primary Attack: +12 vs. Will
Hit: 1d10 + 8 psychic damage.
Effect: If you rolled an even number for the primary attack roll, make a secondary attack.
Secondary Target: One creature within 5 squares of the target last hit by this power
Secondary Attack: +12 vs. Will
Hit: 1d6 psychic damage. If you rolled an even number for the secondary attack roll, repeat the secondary attack.
You can attack a creature only once with a single use of this power.
Chaos Storm ✦ Encounter, Standard Action Area burst 1 within 10 squares
Arcane, Implement, Lightning, Teleportation
A storm of lightning pounds your enemies. When the storm clears, everyone has teleported to new positions by your magic.
Target: Each creature in burst
Attack: +12 vs. Reflex
Hit: 2d6 + 8 lightning damage.
Effect: You teleport each target hit by the attack to any other space within the burst.
Contagious Curse ✦ Daily, Standard Action Ranged 10
Arcane, Implement, Poison
A cloud of poison gas coils around your foe, warding off help.
Target: One creature
Attack: +12 vs. Fortitude
Hit: 2d10 + 8 poison damage.
Effect: You slide the target a number of squares equal to your Charisma modifier. The target is poisonous to your enemies (save ends). While the target is poisonous, any enemy that starts its turn adjacent to the target takes 1d10 poison damage.
Wild Magic: If you rolled an even number on the attack roll, any enemy that starts its turn within 2 squares of the poisonous target takes 1d10 poison damage.
Unfettered Power: When you roll a natural 20 on an attack roll for an arcane power, you slide the target 1 square and knock it prone after applying the attack’s other effects.
Alignment neutral Languages Common, Draconic
Skills Arcana +9, Insight +9, Perception +9
Str 13 (+5) Dex 17 (+7) Wis 11 (+4)
Con 12 (+5) Int 10 (+4) Cha 21 (+9)
Equipment: staff, dagger, robes Trent ✦ Level 9 Paladin (Soldier)
Medium natural humanoid ✦ XP 400
Initiative +5 Senses Perception +4
HP 83; Bloodied 41; Healing Surge: 20; Healing Surges: 1
AC 28; Fortitude 22, Reflex 23, Will 23
Speed 6 (10 on warhorse)
Powers
triple-headed flail ✦ At-Will, Standard Action,
melee weapon
Attack: +13 vs. AC
Hit: 1d10 + 6 damage
Enfeebling Strike ✦ At-Will, Standard Action, Melee
melee weapon
Attack: +12 vs. AC
Hit: 1d10 + 8 damage. If marked, the target takes -2 to attack rolls until the end of Trent’s next turn.
Divine Challenge ✦ At-Will, Minor Action, Close burst 5,
Divine, Necrotic
Effect: the target is marked, taking a -2 penalty to attacks that do not include Trent as a target, and the first time the target makes such an attack it takes 8 points of necrotic damage.
Lay on Hands ✦ 4 times / Encounter, Minor Action, Melee Touch
Divine, healing,
Divine Reverence ✦ Encounter, Standard Action, Close burst 1
Divine, Necrotic, implement
Attack: +12 vs Will
Hit: 1d8 + 8 necrotic damage, and the target is dazed until the end of your next turn.
Necrotic Pulse ✦ Daily, Standard Action, Ranged 10
Divine, Necrotic
Attack: +12 vs Fortitude
Hit: 1d10 + 8 necrotic damage, and make a secondary attack
Secondary Attack: +12 vs Fortitude on each enemy adjacent to the primary target.
Hit: 1d10 + 8 necrotic damage and the target is pushed 3 squares.
Sustain Minor: repeat the secondary attack.
Wrath of the Gods ✦ Daily, Minor Action, Close burst 1
Divine
Trent and each ally in burst gain +5 to damage rolls until the end of the encounter.
Alignment neutral Languages Common
Skills religion +9, bluff +13
Str 16 (+7) Dex 12 (+5) Wis 10 (+4)
Con 11 (+4) Int 14 (+6) Cha 21 (+9)
Equipment: layered plate mail (A.V.), heavy shield, triple-headed flail, holy symbol of Hextor, heavy warhorse Count Aguies✦ Level 12 Fighter (Soldier)
Medium natural humanoid ✦ XP 700
Initiative +7 Senses Perception +9
HP 109; Bloodied 54; Healing Surge: 26; Healing Surges: 2
AC 32; Fortitude 31, Reflex 27, Will 25
Speed 5 (10 on warhorse)
Powers
Bastard Sword ✦ At-Will, Standard Action, Melee
melee weapon
Attack: +21 vs. AC
Hit: 1d10 + 12
Combat Challenge
Any target Aguies has attacked may be marked, and takes -2 to attack rolls that don’t include Aguies as a target. Aguies can make a bastard sword attack against any marked target that shifts or makes an attack that does not target him.
Sweeping Blow ✦ Encounter, Standard Action, Close burst 1
Attack: +24 vs. AC
Hit: 1d10 + 12 damage.
Reckless Strike ✦ Encounter, Standard Action, Melee
Attack: +19 vs. AC
Hit: 3d10 + 12 Damage.
Victorious Surge ✦ Daily (Reliable), Standard Action, Melee
Attack: +21 vs. AC
Hit: 3d10 + 12, and regain 26 HP.
Defensive Training ✦ Daily, Stance, Minor Action, Personal
Effect: Gain a +2 power bonus to Fortitiude, Reflex or Will defense.
Inexorable Shift ✦ Daily, Move Action, Personal
Effect: Shift into any adjacent square and push any target occupying that square 1.
Alignment neutral Languages Common
Skills athletics +18, endurance +12
Str 24 (+13) Dex 12 (+7) Wis 16 (+9)
Con 13 (+7) Int 17 (+9) Cha 11 (+6)
Equipment: wyvernscale armor, heavy shield, bastard sword
Posted in 4th edition Dungeons & Dragons, Creature, Encounter and tagged Campaign: Heir of Soguer, creature type: humanoid, creature: heroic skirmisher, creature: heroic soldier, creature: paragon soldier, subplot:The Tyrant by Adam A. Thompson with no comments yet.
Baldrik Ostov, Death Knight
A knight in dirt-encrusted full armor steps forward and levels a glowing black blade at you. His black shield is emblazoned with a white sword and a diagonal red stripe, faded with age and numerous gashes. He raises the visor of his helm to reveal a fleshless skull for a face, with red pits for eyes. He swings his sword and a wave of screaming, lurid green hell-flame sweeps forth.
Baldrik Ostov was once the head of the Knights of the Crimson Sash, an order who served the Duke of Oleander in the time before the fall of Soguer. When the capitol fell and the lords of Soguer’s provinces fell to warring for succession, Baldrik led the Duke’s armies to many victories.
Eventually he went the way of all men and was struck down during a battle to subjugate one of the Duke’s rebellious vassals. His body was brought back to the Duke’s castle and interred there. This proved to be too great of a loss for Oleander to survive, and the majority of his vassals seceded over the next several years, leaving the Duchy as a tiny portion of it’s former lands.
There are those who know how to make use of a mighty warrior after he has died, however. One such person, upon his return to the mortal world to serve his dark master, used foul rituals learned at the feet of the Prince of the Undead to raise Baldrik from his grave and bind him to service. Now Baldrik rides the land as a horrible skeletal warrior doing the bidding of his evil master.
Baldrik in your game: Baldrik could make a great climactic encounter for a group of 11th level PCs. He could almost even be used as a solo monster against them. Alternatively, for a group of epic tier characters you could use a bunch of “Baldriks” as an encounter.
Statistics
Baldrik Ostov ✦ Level 15 Elite Fighter (Leader)
Medium natural humanoid (undead) ✦ XP 2400
Initiative +8 Senses Perception +9; Darkvision
HP 256; Bloodied 128; Healing Surge 64; Healing Surges: 2 see also power reference
AC 37; Fortitude 34, Reflex 26, Will 27
Immune disease, poison; Resist 10 necrotic; Vulnerable 10 radiant
Speed 5
Action Points 1
Powers
Basic Melee ✦ At-Will ✦ Martial, Weapon
Bastard Sword +21 vs. AC; 1d10 + 5 and 5 necrotic
Cleave ✦ At-Will ✦ Martial, Weapon
Standard Action Melee weapon
Target: One creature
Attack: +21 vs. AC
Hit: 1d10 + 6 and 5 necrotic damage, and an enemy adjacent to you takes 6 damage.
Anvil of Doom ✦ Encounter ✦ Martial, Weapon
Standard Action Melee weapon
Target: One creature
Attack: +21 vs. AC
Hit: 2d10 + 6 and 5 necrotic damage, and the target is dazed until the end of your next turn.
Storm of Blows ✦ Encounter ✦ Martial, Weapon
Standard Action Melee weapon
Target: One creature
Attack: +21 vs. AC
Hit: 1d10 + 7 and 5 necrotic damage.
Effect: After the attack, you can shift 1 square and repeat the attack against another target within reach. You can then shift 1 square and repeat the attack against a third target within reach. After the final attack, you can shift 1 square.
Dragon’s Fangs ✦ Daily ✦ Martial,Weapon
Standard Action Melee weapon
Targets: One or two creatures
Attack: +21 vs. AC, two attacks against one target or one attack against each target
Hit: 3d10 + 6 and 5 necrotic damage.
Miss: Half damage
Unbreakable ✦ Encounter ✦ Martial
Immediate Reaction Personal
Trigger: You are hit by an attack
Effect: Reduce the damage from the attack by 6.
Last Ditch Evasion ✦ Daily ✦ Martial
Immediate Interrupt Personal
Trigger: You are hit by an attack
Effect: You take no damage from the attack that just hit you.
However, you are stunned and take a –2 penalty to all defenses until the end of your next turn.
Marshal Undead
Aura 10; lower-level undead allies in the aura gain a +2 bonus to their attack rolls.
Soul Weapon ✦ Necrotic, Weapon
When attacking with its melee weapon, the death knight deals an additional 5 necrotic damage to its target.
Unholy Flames (standard; recharge 5,6) ✦ Fire, Necrotic
Close burst 2; +17 vs. Reflex; 6d8 + Constitution modifier necrotic and fire damage to living creatures; undead creatures within the burst (including the death knight) deal an extra 2d6 fire damage with melee attacks until the end of the death knight’s next turn.
Alignment Alignment Languages Common, Abyssal
Skills Athletics +18, Endurance +18, Intimidate +13
Str 22 (+13) Dex 12 (+8) Wis 14 (+9)
Con 13 (+8) Int 18 (+11) Cha 11 (+8)
Equipment: Warplate armor, Heavy Shield, Bastard Sword (soul weapon)
Posted in Uncategorized and tagged Campaign: Heir of Soguer, creature type: undead, creature: paragon soldier (elite), subplot: Dead Kings Rise by Adam A. Thompson with no comments yet.
The Sword of War
Aryte Majak, or the Sword of War, is an artifact created when Malthalious the Inquisitive attempted to craft the ultimate weapon. A demon’s spirit infused the blade and now it lives for war.
Aryte Majak, The Sword of War – Heroic Level
The blade of this sword appears to be made of some type of smoky glass or crystal. The intricately carved iron hilt and pommel are covered with tightly packed mystic runes. As it is raised to strike a strange green glow gleams from within.
The Sword of War is a +2 sword. It can take the shape of any type of sword, depending on its wielder’s preferred weapon. By default it is a long sword.
Enhancement: Attack and damage rolls.
Critical: + 2 d12 damage.
Property: You gain a +2 Fear bonus on intimidate checks.
Power: (Encounter, Fear): Standard Action You can use Cause Fear (Cleric Attack 1) as an Encounter power. The attack roll is Wisdom bonus + 1/2 level + the sword’s enhancement bonus against the target’s Will defense.
Goals: Ayrte Majak’s only purpose is to wage war. The demon within this blade revels in the deaths of mortals, and only on the field of battle can its thirst for blood be properly slaked.
Roleplaying the Sword of War
When Ayrte Majak speaks its voice can be heard in the mind of its wielder, or the one it intends to be its wielder. Those nearby may hear a low, rasping whisper, but the words are difficult to make out.
Ayrte Majak is new to the world, but it burns with the desire to kill. Having seen the carnage of the battlefield it knows in its soul that it must taste the joy of that slaughter again. The Sword will ask, or failing that, compel, its bearer to go forth, raise up armies, and lead them into battle.
Possession (At-Will, charm): If Ayrte Majak’s wielder is not complying with its wishes, it can use its powers of possession to force the wielder to act. Any time Ayrte Majak’s wielder disobeys its commands it can make a +10 attack against the wielder’s Will Defense. A hit indicates the sword takes control of the wielder’s actions (save ends).
Fated Blade (At-Will): Once the Sword of War has chosen a bearer, it has the power to place itself in their possession. Leaving the sword behind or giving it away result in it simply magically transporting itself back in their scabbard, or the next time they draw a weapon they mysteriously find that it is the Sword of War.
Concordance
Starting Concordance 5
Bearer recruits for war +2
Bearer dismisses troops -2
Bearer engages in a battle involving at least 20 participants +1
Bearer engages in a battle involving at least 40 participants +3
Bearer engages in a battle involving at least 80 participants +5
Bearer spends a week not actively engaged in warfare -2
Pleased (16-20)
“More souls for my thirst! Charge!”
Enhancement bonus and Intimidate bonus raise to +4, critical becomes +4 d12.
The Sword’s Cause Fear power becomes an At-Will power.
The Sword’s acid power becomes an Encounter power.
The Sword’s Possession attack becomes +8 vs Will.
Satisfied (12-15)
“Ahh, the bload-soaked fields. This is what is good in life!”
Enhancement bonus and Intimidate bonus raise to +3, critical becomes +3 d12.
The Sword gains the following power: Power (Daily – Acid): Free Action. Use this power when you hit with the weapon. Deal an extra 1d6 acid damage, and the target takes ongoing 5 acid (save ends).
Normal (5-11)
“These skirmishes will never do… we must wage WAR!”
Normal powers as listed above.
Unsatisfied (1-4)
“We must raise an army and destroy our enemies!”
Enhancement bonus drops to +1, Intimidate bonus drops to +1, critical becomes +1 d12.
The Sword’s possession attack is raised to +12 vs Will.
Angered (0 or lower)
“Die at his hand that I may drink fresh blood!”
Enhancement bonus drops to +0, Intimidate bonus drops to +0, critical becomes +0 d12.
The Sword’s possession attack is raised to +14 vs Will.
Any time Ayrte Majak’s wielder encounters a warrior who could wield it the sword will make a Possession attack against the wielder’s Will Defense. On a hit the wielder will be forced to attack the target. In this way Ayrte Majak hopes to be transfered to a more warlike bearer, once they have defeated its current wielder in combat.
Moving On
In the hands of someone who persistently refuses to wage war, Ayrte Majak will force its bearer to challenge those they encounter until they are struck down and it had a new hand to wield it.
Redemption
If the sword is made to suffer, perhaps by being imprisoned, and then used in a just war, it can then be redeemed and turned from an instrument of slaughter into one of good.
Aryte Majak in your game: The Sword of War is meant to be a recurring NPC in a long campaign set in a war-torn land. During the story the sword changes roles from villain to victim and then to hero. The sword’s character and path explore the theme of an individual’s relationship to war.
First it comes into the player’s possession and forces them to wage war against their will, or to go to excess in the name of war. Eventually it is taken from them and they see it several more times on battlefields, or hear of its exploits, and it continues to menace them. Later they learn of its imprisonment and eventually even have a stolen moment when it eloquently pleads with them to free it: it was built to wage war and is tortured by it’s inability to do so. Finally, they realize that they need its power to defeat a dangerous general who is marching on their homes on the field of battle. They rescue it and it takes on a heroic role.
Background: This sentient weapon is the result of a wizard’s attempts to create the ultimate weapon. The reclusive sage Malthalious the Inquisitive, who discovered the mixture of diamond and adamantium from which the sword is made, forged it and was imbuing it with magical powers. An evil spirit, a balor fiend of possession, heard of the weapon and attempted to steal it. A group of heroes foiled the demon’s theft and slew it. The incomplete sword was a perfect receptacle of malevolent destructive energy, and was made sentient as the dying fiend’s soul entered the sword in desperation. As the two fused, the descruction of the balor’s body in the demi-plane where Malthalious lived caused the sword to be flung through the spaces between the worlds. It emerged two generations later on a field of battle where two armies were readying to fight over the scraps on the once-great nation of Soguer.
Now it is the cause of strife and war wherever it goes. It raises it’s owner’s personal ambition to the level of madman, and then often leaves them dead on the battlefield, to be itself carried off be their slayer.
Eventually during the course of these wars the sword fell into the hands of a tyrant who was able to establish dominance over the northern remainder of Soguer: Muret, Oleander, and the mountains. From his position of strength this follower of Hextor began to fortify and build his kingdoms up. Believing the Sword of War to be his symbol of power, and fearing that it would be stolen and that he would be defeated, he had a special vault built for it from whence it could not escape. At that point Aryte Majak became the unwilling victim and prisoner of this strong-willed tryant, and his purpose of waging war was stymied.
Later Aryte Majak is rescued from his imprisonment by a group who need its power to wage an important war or fight an important battle. A rogue general is marching on and pillaging the player’s king’s lands, or perhaps an army of the dead. During this time, the sword shines as a hero – striving with it’s rescuers to defeat a horrible evil in battle. In this way, by first having suffered itself, and then fighting in a just war, the Sword of War may be redeemed and a new purpose found: to fight for good and freedom against tyrants and those who would slaughter for power.
Encounters with Aryte Majak
Finding the Sword on the field of death – 5th level encounter, xp 1000
In this encounter the party comes upon a battlefield where all are dead except the wielder of the sword. He attempts to press the party into his service and, if they refuse, attacks them.
Description: Walking through a wood on an overcast day, the sound of crows ahead is muffled in the gray light. Coming out of the wood, a battlefield stretches out before you, covered with the dead and dying. One single surviving soldier sits in the middle of the field of corpses, his head hung low, a strange sword held limply in his hand.
At the sound of your approach he look up, and then jerks to his feet. He raises the sword above his head. In the dim light its blade seems to be made of some type of smoky crystal. As the man begins to speak a greenish light can be seen within the sword’s strange blade.
“Good, more recruits! Come, swear fealty to me, for you shall be the start of my new army! Now that I have the sword, we shall crush all that stand before me!”
If the players refuse, the soldier will make one more attempt to intimidate them into service
“As we joined battle against Lord Steig’s men this sword appeared in a flash of flame in the middle of the battlefield. I knew right then that it must be mine and that I would carry it to victory in battle. One of Steig’s men picked it up, but was quickly cut down by one of our pikemen. Their footmen took it back, but I ordered our archers to shoot them down. Man after man kept taking it, until I finally cut the last of them down and took it for myself. I have defeated all who stood before me! It is my destiny to conquer Lord Steig’s lands, then then all of the surrounding lands, and then the world! You shall join my forces or you shall also die!”
Any reaction other than offering themselves as his vassals results in the maddened soldier attacking the party.
Mad Human Veteran – level 5 Solo Soldier
Medium natural humanoid – XP 1000
Initiative +2 Senses Perception +2
HP 192; Bloodied 96
AC 25, Fortitude 19, Reflex 17, Will 19
Speed 5
Action Points 2
The Sword of War – (standard melee; at-will)
+12 vs AC; 1d10 + 7 damage (+3d12 on crit)
Soldier’s Fury (standard; at-will)
The soldier can make 2 basic attacks.
Combat Challenge (at-will)
Alignment Evil
Languages Common
Skills: Athletics +10, Intimidate +12
Str 19 (+6) Dex 16 (+5) Wis 10 (+2)
Con 13 (+3) Int 10 (+2) Cha 16 (+5)
Equipment scale mail, large shield, Aryte Majak
Tactics: The soldier will simply attack the nearest enemy, laying about with the Sword of War until all are slain or have submitted to his leadership. He will fight to the death.
Development: If the party manages to defeat the soldier they should take Aryte Majak with them. If they decide to leave it behind the Sword will magically place itself in the possession of the strongest warrior in the group.
Posted in Magic Item and tagged Campaign: Heir of Soguer, equipment: artifact weapon, subplot: The Sword of War by Adam A. Thompson with no comments yet.