- For a long time I don’t think I’ve been able to challenge Grant. Grant has 1st rank (PC rank) Warfare and 1st rank (PC rank) Strength, and a 16 point sword (Gorgorin) - so how do I challenge such a character? Well, I’ve given it a lot of thought, and I found a way to make things very challenging for him indeed.
- ‘The Legendary Realm’ is based on the realm of the same name from Werewolf RPG (by White Wolf), but there are no Werewolves running around. It’s designed to be a place where heroes are needed, and to challenge them, there are some very very nasty villains. Effectively the realm creates villains to challenge would-be heroes - at least that is the theory. But something has gone awry, altering the balance of power. I can’t reveal that here because Grant hasn’t figured it out yet. But it’s coming. Anyway, in this realm, it’s perfectly normal to encounter adversaries of Paragon Level and Ranked Level - it is after all ‘The Legendary Realm’. There are a lot of things which are a serious challenge to both of them.
- The Barony of Two Lakes, and the adventure in general is based on D&D Companion Module CM2 “Death’s Ride”. Most of the Companion Modules are pretty good, and yes, I’m using an actual paper copy not a PDF version. The module may be 21 years old but it’s still a goody, especially when I chuck in some malicious Umbra masters who are behind the deathcloud. (that’s not a spoiler as they’re not the only ones with nefarious plans here).
Realm 59 - The Legendary Realm (Red Door inlaid with Gold)
Part 1 - One Tree Hill
- Opening the Door, Grant and Ethan are presented with a thin mist. The Door opens into a valley, but they can see a green hillside rising up in front of them. On top of the hill is a single green tree, and beyond, there is blue sky. Grant steps out and realises that the Door is part of a high wall that extends off into the mist in both directions. It’s not clear what the wall is part of, so they decide to climb the hill for a better look.
- As they ascend it becomes very clear to both of them that this place is quite different. Both of them feel that their wayfinding has been restrained somewhat. The Door is very hard to sense behind them. Ethan comments to Grant that his magic doesn’t seem to work here - he can’t seem to activate it. Grant attempts shapeshifting, and although it works, it requires more concentration than usual. The realm clearly has its own natural laws here.
- They reach the tree and both realise that that their garb has changed, shaped by the realm. Grant’s own outfit is still of the same colours, but he is dressed more like a warrior from the middle ages. His armour is now of fine chain mail, and even his wrist blaster is now a serpent-headed knife. Ethan is dressed in off-white, but he still carries his elf-blade. No modern items have been left as they were - all have been changed or have vanished. Ethan frowns - he remembers the last time that something like this happened was in the Nightmare Realm.
- Looking beyond the tree, there is no sign of blue sky anymore. The entire valley is filled by a blue-black cloud which Grant can tell is strong in Umbral energy. The cloud hangs only a few metres above the landscape, seemingly hugging in the land. There is something very very wrong here. Grant looks back and can hardly feel the Door - it’s not that he can’t find it, it’s just that it requires a lot of concentration to locate it.
- Ethan comments that this whole place is strong in Umbra. That’s why he can’t activate any spells - he uses Eidolon to hold some of the structure in place, but here that just isn’t working. As soon as he tries something, the spell collapses. He looks up at the deathcloud and doesn’t like the look of it.
- Meanwhile Grant is looking at the tree on top of the hill and decides that it is a marker for the realm - a key transition point. Looking around, he finds evidence that there has been a battle here - he finds torn cloth, a broken shield, and a lot of blood but no body. Grant decides that it was some sort of ambush, for he can see a crude roadway further down the slope, and he locates a satchel with a broken strap. Opening it up, he finds some gold coins bearing an eagle and the name of King Eric IV, and he finds a missive bearing the King’s seal. Given that the King’s seal has already been broken, Grant sits down to read the letter from the King to “Sir Maltus”. In the letter, the King asks the knight to travel to Baron Fharo’s estate at Twolakes Vale and find out why no taxes, caravans or messages have been sent in seven months. Apparently this is not the King’s first attempt to find out what has happened - a small body of troops was sent by the King two months ago to investigate, but none returned.
- Ethan looks at the letter doubtfully - it seems odd that something like this would be found so close to the Door. He wonders if it has been planted to lure them into danger. Grant suggests that they explore a little further, but agrees that it seems suspicious. Ethan pulls out his Icon (a locket) of Abbie to tell her what they plan to do. The contact is brief, the Icon begins smoking and there is a sudden flash. Ethan is most surprised - he felt the connection, but then something else interceded. Concentrating briefly (using Wayfinding), he confirms that Abbie is now in the realm - somehow the realm pulled her through.
- Grant is surprised that Ethan is able to find her so easily. Ethan nods in agreement - Wayfinding seems to work here, but not the same way as they normally expect. The realm seems to want them to go forward, not go back. Ethan knows roughly which direction to head to find Abbie, so they start heading down the road to lower ground.
- They follow the road under the deathcloud for about three miles before Grant gets the impression that something moved above the cloud. Something that cast a shadow through the cloud. It is very quiet under the cloud. There is little sound of life in this subalpine landscape. Everything seems muted. Then, finally there is a stone bridge as the road crosses a stream and beyond, they can see a farming township beside a lake. There is smoke rising from some of the chimneys so it is clearly inhabited.
Part 2 - The Bridge of Alicor
- As Grant sets foot on the bridge, the stones begin shaking and a great shadowy apparition rises through the bridge to block their way. It is carrying a massive black scythe. Beneath its shadow cloak is a skull-face with enormous jaws. The creature has no legs - it is floating. Grant pauses as the creature reeks of Umbra - and he can detect no immediate weakness in the creature. The creature gives a fiendish hiss and pounds the butt of its scythe into the ground. BOM! BOM! BOM!
* Image by Deligaris on DeviantArt
- The noise echoes across the valley, and Ethan spots a number of other creatures moving in their direction across the valley floor. They are humanoid, but supernaturally fast, bounding and leaping in great strides to close the distance quickly.
- Grant takes lead and attempts to cross the bridge. The shadow-creature rushes at him - the speed of the creature surprises him but he manages to block the scythe. Gorgorin stops the blow but does not shatter the weapon. The creature is strong - very strong. A melee ensues. Grant manages to get a blow on the creature, but Gorgorin passes cleanly through as if there is nothing there.
- Meanwhile, Ethan prepares himself as a total of ten zombie-like gaunts descend on them. They come from all directions, leaping across the river to get at him as if inspired by The Incredible Hulk himself. Ethan uses raw sorcery to blast three of them into fragments, and then the rest are on him, stabbing and hacking at him with a variety of different swords, spears and axes. Ethan is a master swordsman and he is able to keep seven from overwhelming him, but he has to give up a lot of ground. Even when he manages to cut one of them down with his elven blade, the gaunt gets back up again and keeps coming.
- Grant notes that Ethan doesn’t seem to be able to stop the creatures and he resolves to finish the fight quickly. Recognising that the shadow-creature has no body but it is clearly able to hold a corporeal weapon, Grant decides to go for its skull-face. He does so, managing to smash its head, and the creature vaporises.
- Grant then goes to work to support Ethan and the two of them manage to destroy the remaining gaunts. Gorgorin is very effective at killing them. Ethan breaths hard and asks jokingly “Can I go home now?” (GM’s note - yes, Ethan has 1st PC rank Endurance, but he was pressed)
Part 3 - Separate Ways
- Grant and Ethan cross the bridge and make their way into town. They spy the occasional body of a dead sheep amongst the fields. None of the village inhabitants can be seen but Ethan can sense that they are being watched, and the townspeople are scared. Looking around, Grant and Ethan find that the jetty over the lake has been burnt down and all of the boats destroyed by fire. It looks like the only way into the village is via the bridge that they crossed, and Grant notes that the path did carry on around the side of the lake (unless one crossed the bridge).
- Ethan advises Grant that they need to talk to some of the inhabitants and find out what has happened here, and he picks a house to make inquiries. The villagers are scared but Ethan convinces them to let him in by saying that he is a healer (which he is, but it’s the first time he’s described himself this way). They talk to an old man named Flint who tells them that the fog rolled in a many months ago and that a great dragon destroyed all of their boats. Flint assumes that King Eric sent them both, and advises them that it’s not safe to travel here. He tells them that the dead are restless here - anyone who dies quickly rises again, and they ‘walk’. He’s also seen giants and scorpions on the move but no one here in Alicor has been brave enough to investigate. Any who leave do not come back.
- At Ethan’s request, Flint draws them a map of the valley in chalk, showing them where the two lakes are, the townships and any other notables. Ethan decides that Abbie is most likely in Gollim, to the north-east, but the most direct route is cross-country around the southern side of the two lakes and this will mean climbing over rough terrain. Grant asks about where Baron Fharo would be, and Flint advises him that he would be in his castle at Skullheim, which is to the south (back the way they came).
- Grant wants to investigate Skullheim, but Ethan’s first priority is to find Abbie. Reluctantly, Grant agrees to go separate ways, but before they do, Ethan tries an Icon contact to Grant. To his surprise, it works. Pleased by this, Ethan attempts to contact Abbie via her Icon, and he makes contact with her. A few seconds later, Ethan tells Grant that Abbie has also been ‘changed’ by the realm. She doesn’t remember him, nor does she appear to remember where she came from. She is in the town of Gollim, and she says that it’s under attack. There are enemies all around the village. Ethan decides to set off at once, but Grant reminds him that his weapon wasn’t very effective against the creatures here. Regardless, he decides to leave, saying that he’ll figure something out on the way.
- Before Grant leaves, he writes himself a message in case the realm starts to affect him and he begins to forget who he is. Then he heads back across the bridge and to the south, back to where Flint advised that the castle of Skullheim lay.
… and that’s where we left Session 62. Next session, there are multiple Umbra Masters….
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