I just thought I’d take some time to catalogue all of the realms and locations that we’ve fleshed out since starting this game. I have some key blurb behind each of these which I’ll post at a subsequent date (in the next few weeks)
Grand Stair Locations
Grand Stairway Section 0 - Proximate to Home Realm - first introduced in Session 1
Grand Stairway Section 1 – Near to Shadow Earth - first introduced in Session 2
Grand Stairway Section 2 – Further Afield - first introduced in Session 2
Grand Stairway Section 3 - The Approach to Marindar - first introduced in Session 14
Grand Stairway Section 4 - The Factory - first introduced in Session 20
Grand Stairway Section 5 - The Approach to Arcadia - first introduced in Session 24
Grand Stairway Section 6 - The Approach to Ineswitrin - first introduced in Session 24
Grand Stairway Section 7 - Marble Halls - first introduced in Session 26
Grand Stairway Section 8 - The Shadowed Passages - first introduced in Session 26
Grand Stairway Section 9 - Guarded Landing - first introduced in Session 26
Grand Stairway Section 10 – Proximate to Xalya - first introduced in Session 4
Realms
Realm 0 - Shadow Earth 1986 (Brown Door) - first introduced in Session 1
Realm 1 - The Middle Kingdom (Red Door) - first introduced in Session 1
Realm 2 - Middle Earth (Grey Door) - first introduced in Session 1
Realm 3 - Tyndam (Green Door) - first introduced in Session 1
Realm 4 - The Curiosity Shop (Brown Door) - first introduced in Session 2
Realm 5 - The Bar (Brown Door) - first introduced in Session 2
Realm 6 - The Alleyway (Grey Door) - first introduced in Session 2
Realm 7 - The Dragon Hoard (Green Door) - first introduced in Session 2
Realm 8 - Abandoned Building (Grey Door) - first introduced in Session 2
Realm 9 - Forest Retreat (Green Door) - first introduced in Session 2
Realm 10 - Versais (Blue Door) - first introduced in Session 2
Realm 11 - Xalya (Brass Door) - first introduced in Session 4
Realm 12 - City Seven (Green Steel Door) - first introduced in Session 4
Realm 13 - Hell World - first introduced in Session 8, Part 2
Realm 14 - Heavenly Garden - first introduced in Session 10
Realm 15a - The Gateway to Marindar (Grey Door) - first introduced in Session 14
Realm 15b - True Marindar (Grey Door) - first introduced in Session 16
Realm 16 - Cepharus 7 (Metal Door) - first introduced in Session 20
Realm 17 - Einland (Rustic Brown Door) - first introduced in Session 20
Realm 18 - Arcadia (Green Door) - first introduced in Session 16
Realm 19 - Nebraeska (Brown Door) - first introduced in Session 24
Realm 20 - Frigia (Stone Door) - first introduced in Session 26
Realm 21 - Shatterlight (Gold Door) - first introduced in Session 16
Realm 22 - Elara (Blue Door) - first introduced in Session 16
Realm 23 - Skamino (Blackened Door) - first introduced in Session 16
Realm 24 - Telluria (Wooden Door) - first introduced in Session 16
Realm 25 - Peladon (Metallic Door) - first introduced in Session 16
Realm 26 - Aperre (Oaken Door) - first introduced in Session 16
Realm 27 - Ineswitrin (Wooden Door) - first introduced in Session 16
Grant and Ethan
Grant (left) and Ethan (right), with Macavity the Cat
Sunday, 2 March 2014
Friday, 28 February 2014
GM Commentary
Session 26 was run this evening. I'll post the writeup in the next 1-2 days. Ethan has left Arcadia and is back on the Stair ....
Wednesday, 26 February 2014
Feedback from L'riot
A good read as always.
As for the quoted part I think the designers won't disagree. Sorcery, especially teleport spell (actually almost all Summon spells), clearly bypasses Stair.
This thing - telportation - was always a problem in Amber games that I run cause it allowed to bypass a need to use Pattern/Logrus for movement and I think the same "problem" can exist here, as in "why use Stairs more then once to get to some location if you have a spell that after visiting a world/place once lets you go there in a friction of time comparing to w walk to Stairs, through Stairs and from Stairs to your destination". In this a Sorcery ability to reach across Worlds is very powerfull.
As for the quoted part I think the designers won't disagree. Sorcery, especially teleport spell (actually almost all Summon spells), clearly bypasses Stair.
This thing - telportation - was always a problem in Amber games that I run cause it allowed to bypass a need to use Pattern/Logrus for movement and I think the same "problem" can exist here, as in "why use Stairs more then once to get to some location if you have a spell that after visiting a world/place once lets you go there in a friction of time comparing to w walk to Stairs, through Stairs and from Stairs to your destination". In this a Sorcery ability to reach across Worlds is very powerfull.
Session 25 - A Private Audience
GM Observations
- This entire session was one long conversation with a single Lord of Gossamer, but it was a great opportunity for Grant to broaden his view of current and past events. This is also why you rarely drop PCs in a room full of experienced Lords - because the amount of information that they can acquire is potentially huge. It’s better to introduce the Lords one by one.
Realm 19 - Nebraeska (Brown Door)
Enter Mordecai
- Grant continues his conversation with Mordecai at some length in his command tent. They share tea which Mordecai pours from a metallic flask. Grant can tell by the state of the grass on the floor of the tent that Mordecai has not been here very long - the blades of grass are not yet trampled.
* Image by Dennis Darmond
Part 1 - Agents of the Enemy
- Grant outlines what he believes to be the Enemy’s new strategy - the use of agents and intermediaries. Mordecai asks as to whether Grant’s statements are fact or opinion, and Grant offers evidence from his experience in the Middle Kingdom. He makes mention of Shimrod (whom he assumes that Mordecai would know) and also says he encountered and personally slew a Dwimmerlaik. Grant shows the blade that he is carrying as proof. Mordecai asks why the Enemy were taking interest in the Middle Kingdom and Grant reveals that they were hunting for Mithrandir. Mordecai asks whether the Enemy found him and Grant says that he doesn’t believe so.
- Grant goes on to suggest that the current dispute between Lords, Narsaug’s attack on Marindar and even the fact that Icons have been removed from Marindar is all likely to all be part of a plan hatched by the Enemy to divide and conquer, using intermediaries and agents to sow dissent.
Part 2 - Grant’s Interest in Marindar
- Mordecai asks about Grant’s interest in Marindar, and Grant reveals that ‘a girl’ is the reason for his interest. Mordecai does not pry further but asks where Grant came from and whether he was ‘a King’. Grant admits that he was not royalty and that he received a red robin, sent as a messenger bird, which led him to Marindar.
Part 3 - More on the Fall of Shatterlight
- Grant asks Mordecai further about how Shatterlight fell. Mordecai describes Shatterlight as being a place of hope and peace. He speaks with some reverence when he talks of Shatterlight, and of the Lady Vala. He says that she was the bright light when things were darkest during the last Great War. She forged the alliance in those dark days which “saved us all, even those who did not deserve it.”
* Image by Jason Rainville
- Mordecai goes on to say that his agents uncovered evidence that the Enemy had returned, and that Drake was consorting with them. He was surprised by this as “no one hated them more than Drake. No one.” He chose to reveal this to Vala, but she did not counsel him to take any action. She simply gave one of her inscrutable smiles and said nothing. Shortly after, his agents reported that Shatterlight was under attack, and being invaded by Drake’s armies. Mordecai was not there when the attack first came, but he was there shortly after. Mordecai has since responded by targeting Drake and his generals. Grant asked what had happened to Vala and Mordecai confirmed that she was dead.
Part 4 - More on the Agents of the Enemy
- Mordecai then changed the topic and said that he himself had not seen the Dwimmerlaik return, and he inquired further about the realms that Grant had seen where the Enemy had sent its agents. Mordecai seemed keen to know the location of those realms so that he could send his own specialists in to investigate but Grant was adamant that he had destroyed them and there was no evidence left to be seen.
- The conversation then shifted to whether Grant had knowledge of current events in Marindar and Mordecai evaded the question, refusing to confirm or deny as to whether he had agents in Marindar.
Part 5 - The Other Lords of Gossamer
- Mordecai then asked about the other Lords of Gossamer, but Grant had little to share. Mordecai confirmed that Lords of Gossamer are very rare. Grant did reiterate that Ethan is in Arcadia, visiting the Arcadian Queen - and Mordecai did not inquire any further. Grant shared a little more about the current events in Marindar and Mordecai expressed interest in Morrison, saying that Grant’s account made him sound like “a useful chap”.
- Grant asked after the other Lords and Mordecai shared a little on each. (the following list came from way back in Session 16 as part of this post).
- Mordecai asked if Grant wanted to join him, and said that other Lords had benefited from his knowledge and protection. Grant politely declined and said that he intended to return to Marindar and investigate the agents of the Enemy that must surely be there.
- The conversation then shifted to how cross-realm war is fought and Mordecai explained calmly to Grant that scouts are of limited use unless one knows where one’s enemy is. However, a Lord of Gossamer with Wayfinding can find his enemy far more easily. Grant didn’t seem to understand so Mordecai spelt it out that letting Grant go was a risk. If he could find his way back to Marindar, he could most certainly find them again. Mordecai then warned Grant that if Grant crossed him, Mordecai would remember it.
- Grant took in the implied threat, and asked what Mordecai would suggest. Mordecai offered two of his men to take Grant back to Marindar via the Stair, but he would remove his army immediately in case Grant could not be trusted. Grant accepted the proposal, and Mordecai offered him the name of a contact in Marindar (“Theros”) who would help Grant if he mentioned Mordecai’s name. Mordecai took Grant outside and bade him farewell. He then initiated an Icon contact to an unseen party, and once the contact was activated, a spell was triggered which teleported the entire army away in a flash, leaving Grant beside the canvas tent with two of his soldiers.
* Image from Google Search (source unknown)
Returning to Marindar
- Grant was pretty stunned by this. He had never imagined that an Icon contact could be used as coordinates for a Sorcerous spell. (GM’s note - I can’t see a reason why this wouldn’t work, but perhaps the game designers will chip in here and disagree. I fully agree that allowing PCs to bypass the Stair isn’t a good idea, but Mordecai is meant to be a military specialist so surely he would have a mechanism for getting his ‘elite armies’ from place to place without trooping through the Stair.)
- Grant made his way overland to the nearest Door with the two troopers and opened the Door. They then started making their way back along the Grand Stair back to Marindar. Grant’s mind mulled over how he would find the agents of the Enemy in Marindar. He could not think of a way of finding them through investigation, only by creating a situation to flush them out. (GM’s note - and here is Grant’s revelation - he realises that he cannot achieve the objective by being passive. He needs to ‘become a player’ in the game, not merely a pawn.)
And the next session will either be the Marindan Ball, or Ethan’s search for Lucian (which Lurker37 will be running).
- This entire session was one long conversation with a single Lord of Gossamer, but it was a great opportunity for Grant to broaden his view of current and past events. This is also why you rarely drop PCs in a room full of experienced Lords - because the amount of information that they can acquire is potentially huge. It’s better to introduce the Lords one by one.
Realm 19 - Nebraeska (Brown Door)
Enter Mordecai
- Grant continues his conversation with Mordecai at some length in his command tent. They share tea which Mordecai pours from a metallic flask. Grant can tell by the state of the grass on the floor of the tent that Mordecai has not been here very long - the blades of grass are not yet trampled.
* Image by Dennis Darmond
Part 1 - Agents of the Enemy
- Grant outlines what he believes to be the Enemy’s new strategy - the use of agents and intermediaries. Mordecai asks as to whether Grant’s statements are fact or opinion, and Grant offers evidence from his experience in the Middle Kingdom. He makes mention of Shimrod (whom he assumes that Mordecai would know) and also says he encountered and personally slew a Dwimmerlaik. Grant shows the blade that he is carrying as proof. Mordecai asks why the Enemy were taking interest in the Middle Kingdom and Grant reveals that they were hunting for Mithrandir. Mordecai asks whether the Enemy found him and Grant says that he doesn’t believe so.
- Grant goes on to suggest that the current dispute between Lords, Narsaug’s attack on Marindar and even the fact that Icons have been removed from Marindar is all likely to all be part of a plan hatched by the Enemy to divide and conquer, using intermediaries and agents to sow dissent.
Part 2 - Grant’s Interest in Marindar
- Mordecai asks about Grant’s interest in Marindar, and Grant reveals that ‘a girl’ is the reason for his interest. Mordecai does not pry further but asks where Grant came from and whether he was ‘a King’. Grant admits that he was not royalty and that he received a red robin, sent as a messenger bird, which led him to Marindar.
Part 3 - More on the Fall of Shatterlight
- Grant asks Mordecai further about how Shatterlight fell. Mordecai describes Shatterlight as being a place of hope and peace. He speaks with some reverence when he talks of Shatterlight, and of the Lady Vala. He says that she was the bright light when things were darkest during the last Great War. She forged the alliance in those dark days which “saved us all, even those who did not deserve it.”
* Image by Jason Rainville
- Mordecai goes on to say that his agents uncovered evidence that the Enemy had returned, and that Drake was consorting with them. He was surprised by this as “no one hated them more than Drake. No one.” He chose to reveal this to Vala, but she did not counsel him to take any action. She simply gave one of her inscrutable smiles and said nothing. Shortly after, his agents reported that Shatterlight was under attack, and being invaded by Drake’s armies. Mordecai was not there when the attack first came, but he was there shortly after. Mordecai has since responded by targeting Drake and his generals. Grant asked what had happened to Vala and Mordecai confirmed that she was dead.
Part 4 - More on the Agents of the Enemy
- Mordecai then changed the topic and said that he himself had not seen the Dwimmerlaik return, and he inquired further about the realms that Grant had seen where the Enemy had sent its agents. Mordecai seemed keen to know the location of those realms so that he could send his own specialists in to investigate but Grant was adamant that he had destroyed them and there was no evidence left to be seen.
- The conversation then shifted to whether Grant had knowledge of current events in Marindar and Mordecai evaded the question, refusing to confirm or deny as to whether he had agents in Marindar.
Part 5 - The Other Lords of Gossamer
- Mordecai then asked about the other Lords of Gossamer, but Grant had little to share. Mordecai confirmed that Lords of Gossamer are very rare. Grant did reiterate that Ethan is in Arcadia, visiting the Arcadian Queen - and Mordecai did not inquire any further. Grant shared a little more about the current events in Marindar and Mordecai expressed interest in Morrison, saying that Grant’s account made him sound like “a useful chap”.
- Grant asked after the other Lords and Mordecai shared a little on each. (the following list came from way back in Session 16 as part of this post).
- Bastiano - Mordecai heard Grant’s account that Bastiano had sent Narsaug to attack Marindar. Mordecai said that he would speak to Bastiano about this, implying that he knew how to contact him.
- Calais - Mordecai snorted and said that with Lucian gone that he had probably fled to some distant realm. Mordecai doesn’t seem to think much of Cal.
- Dayle - Mordecai didn’t know where Dayle is, but said that he had met her only in Shatterlight, normally in Vala’s presence.
- Declan - Mordecai said that he knew where Declan is but that he would not reveal it.
- Drake - Mordecai had nothing further to say.
- Kerran - Mordecai said that his agents had been successful in assassinating Kerran. He was definitely dead.
* Image by DCWJ on DeviantArt - Kipling - Mordecai believes him to be dead.
- Lucian - He disappeared before the fall of Shatterlight. Mordecai doesn’t know if he has retreated to his libraries or what.
- Mithrandir - Mordecai spoke favourably of Mithrandir but said that he had not seen him in a long time.
- Vala - Mordecai speaks reverently of Vala, but confirmed that she is dead.
- Mordecai asked if Grant wanted to join him, and said that other Lords had benefited from his knowledge and protection. Grant politely declined and said that he intended to return to Marindar and investigate the agents of the Enemy that must surely be there.
- The conversation then shifted to how cross-realm war is fought and Mordecai explained calmly to Grant that scouts are of limited use unless one knows where one’s enemy is. However, a Lord of Gossamer with Wayfinding can find his enemy far more easily. Grant didn’t seem to understand so Mordecai spelt it out that letting Grant go was a risk. If he could find his way back to Marindar, he could most certainly find them again. Mordecai then warned Grant that if Grant crossed him, Mordecai would remember it.
- Grant took in the implied threat, and asked what Mordecai would suggest. Mordecai offered two of his men to take Grant back to Marindar via the Stair, but he would remove his army immediately in case Grant could not be trusted. Grant accepted the proposal, and Mordecai offered him the name of a contact in Marindar (“Theros”) who would help Grant if he mentioned Mordecai’s name. Mordecai took Grant outside and bade him farewell. He then initiated an Icon contact to an unseen party, and once the contact was activated, a spell was triggered which teleported the entire army away in a flash, leaving Grant beside the canvas tent with two of his soldiers.
* Image from Google Search (source unknown)
Returning to Marindar
- Grant was pretty stunned by this. He had never imagined that an Icon contact could be used as coordinates for a Sorcerous spell. (GM’s note - I can’t see a reason why this wouldn’t work, but perhaps the game designers will chip in here and disagree. I fully agree that allowing PCs to bypass the Stair isn’t a good idea, but Mordecai is meant to be a military specialist so surely he would have a mechanism for getting his ‘elite armies’ from place to place without trooping through the Stair.)
- Grant made his way overland to the nearest Door with the two troopers and opened the Door. They then started making their way back along the Grand Stair back to Marindar. Grant’s mind mulled over how he would find the agents of the Enemy in Marindar. He could not think of a way of finding them through investigation, only by creating a situation to flush them out. (GM’s note - and here is Grant’s revelation - he realises that he cannot achieve the objective by being passive. He needs to ‘become a player’ in the game, not merely a pawn.)
And the next session will either be the Marindan Ball, or Ethan’s search for Lucian (which Lurker37 will be running).
Monday, 24 February 2014
Feedback from BelleSorciere
I have a theory. Well, a few theories.
Looking forward to how this'll play out.
Looking forward to how this'll play out.
Saturday, 22 February 2014
GM Commentary
There was a friend that introduced us to Amber back in 1993 and none of us knew much about it except that it was Diceless, but that game grew to 3 GMs (simultaneously) and 14 players playing every week for a whole Saturday for almost two years. That friend did back the Kickstarter but he's been strangely quiet - I don't even know if he's reading the forums. I've lost track of the number of diceless campaigns that I've run or been part of - I think this might be No.16 or No.17 - but the critical factors have been a) a GM who knows how to run diceless and understands that the game is all about information and the quality of relationships between the characters; and b) mature players.
One of the most memorable games which spun out of that original game was an alternate Amber called "Jade". There were six of us, we used to go to the local pub for a few pints, and then stop gaming when the band came on. It changed the dynamic of the group from a gaming group to a group of friends who also did gaming. That's why I really like Diceless games - because you can play them anywhere, start and stop them whenever you like, and there is always a plot to explore, uncover or develop. The players get really good at spinning their own stories and GMing other players. But that's not something that you typically get from your average Dungeons and Dragons game - the players are there to play, not GM. In the best Amber (or now LoG&S) games, every player is a GM. That's an awesome concept where everyone can be a storyteller.
Lurker37 (David) is part of that original Amber group.
Anyway, Session 25 was completed this evening. Grant talked to Mordecai and learnt a lot, including about how cross-reality warfare works. He's been returned to Marindar, convinced that there are Dwimmerlaik agents in Marindar, and that Dwimmerlaik agents are responsible for destruction of Shatterlight and the conflict between Drake and Mordecai. I won't say if he's right or not because that would be a spoiler, but the truth is rarely simple. When Grant said that he thought Drake had been misled, Mordecai said that Grant does not know Drake, and Mordecai believed that Drake would challenge Vala herself if he believed he was right and there was no other way. So was Drake deceived into destroying Shatterlight, or did he knowingly do it? Did he do it because he's working with the Dwimmerlaik, or for some other reason. As Mordecai said, "No one hates the Dwimmerlaik more than Lord Drake. No one." If that's true, then why would Drake have done it?
Hmmmm..... there's a mystery there for sure! Stay tuned.
One of the most memorable games which spun out of that original game was an alternate Amber called "Jade". There were six of us, we used to go to the local pub for a few pints, and then stop gaming when the band came on. It changed the dynamic of the group from a gaming group to a group of friends who also did gaming. That's why I really like Diceless games - because you can play them anywhere, start and stop them whenever you like, and there is always a plot to explore, uncover or develop. The players get really good at spinning their own stories and GMing other players. But that's not something that you typically get from your average Dungeons and Dragons game - the players are there to play, not GM. In the best Amber (or now LoG&S) games, every player is a GM. That's an awesome concept where everyone can be a storyteller.
Lurker37 (David) is part of that original Amber group.
Anyway, Session 25 was completed this evening. Grant talked to Mordecai and learnt a lot, including about how cross-reality warfare works. He's been returned to Marindar, convinced that there are Dwimmerlaik agents in Marindar, and that Dwimmerlaik agents are responsible for destruction of Shatterlight and the conflict between Drake and Mordecai. I won't say if he's right or not because that would be a spoiler, but the truth is rarely simple. When Grant said that he thought Drake had been misled, Mordecai said that Grant does not know Drake, and Mordecai believed that Drake would challenge Vala herself if he believed he was right and there was no other way. So was Drake deceived into destroying Shatterlight, or did he knowingly do it? Did he do it because he's working with the Dwimmerlaik, or for some other reason. As Mordecai said, "No one hates the Dwimmerlaik more than Lord Drake. No one." If that's true, then why would Drake have done it?
Hmmmm..... there's a mystery there for sure! Stay tuned.
Feedback from BelleSorciere
I first picked up Amber Diceless and Shadow Knight in 1993 or so - I hadn't even read the novels at this point, but what I read in the RPG was pretty compelling. I played several sessions with another person (one on one play, with us sharing GM responsibilities similar to what you're doing here - we each had a couple of different characters too, in somewhat different storylines/campaigns), but after I moved away, I was never really able to convince anyone else to give it a go. Maybe I was just terrible at selling it.
This is a great introduction to LoG&S. If I had any potential players, I'd send them here for inspiration. Looking forward to more.
GM Commentary
You're welcome. I've been playing and GMing Amber Diceless for over 20 years and I fully understand how alien Diceless gaming can be to those who have never played Diceless. I am currently running AD&D as well (1st edition) with 7 players and they are chalk and cheese. Both fun but very different. I prefer Amber / LoG&S but you have to have the right players and the right GM.
Thanks Sovem, it is in Drake's write up that he consorting with the Enemy (he has an Ally) so I wanted to use that as a source of conflict between the Lords of Gossamer. One of the great strengths of the Amber universe is that the Princes/Princesses of Amber do not have aligned goals, and that those differences of opinion create conflict between parties. It creates intrigue and the potential for adventure. Hence I wanted to do the same for this LoG&S campaign. Most of the Amber and LoG&S game is not about fighting - it is about uncovering what is hidden. Hence I haven't made it easy for Grant or Ethan - they are having to piece together what is going on.
LoG&S Campaign 2 has already started, Session 25 of this campaign begins tonight, and the third campaign which Lost-in-Transit is running starts on Monday night.....
Friday, 21 February 2014
Feedback from Sovem
Interesting... Very interesting! I like how you are using the NPCs presented in the book, but assuming a number of years (and betrayals!) in the future.
I'm excited to see what you have in store for Lucien, and am curious as to whether Vala is really dead!Wednesday, 19 February 2014
Session 24 - Unlocking the Puzzle Box
GM Observations
- In a game such as LoG&S where there are few boundaries for the PCs, the GM needs to be very well prepared because sometimes there is sudden acceleration of events, or removal of barriers such that the PCs make large strides. It has been a long time coming as Grant is a relatively careful character, but he finally decided to follow through on some of the plot threads and see where they lead.
Realm 15b - True Marindar (Grey Door)
The Ambush in Central
- Whilst Grant remains at Meliander’s house, Ethan talks with Sophia about whether to seek out Morrison directly or to head to Arcadia in response to the Queen’s invitation. He re-reads the Queen’s letter to him and he feels there is an undercurrent of ‘need’ in her message. Ethan decides to head out into the rain and head to the Arcadian gate. Sophia goes with him.
- Just before the Arcadian gate, they are ambushed by a group of assassins dressed in water-repelling body armour. Their firearms discharge with a plastic clacking sound, and Ethan is hit. Whilst Sophia stands dumbstruck as her umbrella-shaft is shattered and the bullets whiz past her, Ethan runs for cover, catches his breath, and uses Sorcery to wrench his assailants off rooftops and pull them down to street level. The battle on the ground is brief and Ethan is ruthless in his response, leaving Sophia surrounded by bodies whom Ethan has cut to pieces with his lightsaber. (GM’s note - he still has the lightsaber as a 1 point item at this time) Ethan gives Sophia a moment, and he inspects the bodies. Sophia is able to identify them as offworlders, not native Marindans, but beyond that she doesn’t know. Quite shaken, she calls for assistance and some of her household arrive to clean up the bodies before anyone notices. Ethan asks about notifying Morrison’s group and Sophia says that she will inform the Defenders after Ethan has safely made it to the Arcadian Gate. Sophia asks that Ethan not mention anything to Grant about this (as she says that it would make him worry) and Ethan agrees.
- Ethan and Sophia arrive at the Arcadian Gate. There are two elves waiting for him. Sophia offers him the Key to the Door but Ethan refuses, saying that he doesn’t need a Key. He departs promptly, before she realises that he has in fact been shot.
Grand Stairway Section 5 - The Approach to Arcadia
- The section of the Grand Stair is ornate and decorative, almost like the corridor is inside a carefully hollowed tree. There are few Doors but one leads to Arcadia. The elves show Ethan the way. Both of them carry a talisman on their chests which Ethan can tell is giving them the ability to open these Doors.
Realm 18 - Arcadia (Green Door)
The Arcadian Door
- The Door to Arcadia opens on the side of a valley, looking down over a great forest. There is a small detachment of elven guards by the Door, but they show great respect and deference to Ethan. One of the elves tactfully asks about Ethan’s wound, and he accepts some aid. The bullet-wound is painful but Ethan does not think the wound is serious. However, he is quickly corrected - the bullet itself has fragmented and is already being absorbed into his body. Ethan suddenly does not feel very well and he asks if the Arcadians can help him. The elves advise him to travel to the Citadel with all due haste to see the Queen’s physicians.
- It takes hours to reach the Citadel on elvish steeds. The Citadel is in fact a great castle made of transparent crystal, like glass. It towers over the surrounding forests and is almost as high as the ice-capped peaks in the nearby mountain range. By time he has arrived, Ethan is feeling much better. He has used some ‘Jedi meditation’ (i.e.: using Eidolon on himself) to cure his affliction. Nevertheless, a trio of white-clad elven physicians inspect him and advise him to take a herbal remedy to help with his recuperation. His clothes are mended, the bloodstains removed, and he is offered wine, nectar, fruit and honey.
The Queen of Arcadia
- It does not take long before Ethan meets the Queen of Arcadia. (GM’s note - the template here is Aglaranna from the R.E.Feist’s Magician novels - I haven’t given her a name but I’m tempted to call her Aglaranna) She is beautiful and austere, but Ethan also senses a sadness and longing about her. Ethan treats her with deep respect, and they talk for some time. Ethan senses that she is holding back.
- The Queen invites Ethan to stay as her guest and he accepts. It quickly becomes clear that although there is a King of Arcadia, the King and Queen are not a happily married couple. The King offers Ethan no greeting, and is noticeably absent when Ethan is formally greeted by the Arcadian court.
- Two days after Ethan’s arrival, the Queen’s tone changes. She asks after Lucien, Lord of Gossamer, and when Ethan says that he has not met Lucien, she begs Ethan to find Lucien and ‘bring him back to Arcadia’. It becomes obvious to Ethan that the Queen is in love with Lucien, and is genuinely heartbroken by Lucien’s disappearance. The arrival of Grant and Ethan to Marindar has given her hope that another Lord of Gossamer could help her find Lucien once more. Ethan offers to help, which brings tears to the Queen’s eyes. She says that she has some keepsakes which were once Lucien’s, which perhaps Ethan could use to find him.
Realm 15b - True Marindar (Grey Door)
Many Gifts
- Meanwhile, while the rains continue in Marindar, Grant and Meliander spend a number of days talking. Grant is amazed by the clever use of spell craft as part of the normal household routine, and Meliander teaches Grant some simple Marindan tricks. Grant encourages this, and Meliander finds that he quite enjoys teaching Grant. Clarabelle also notices the difference in her husband as Meliander teaches the basics of magic to his new friend. Meliander is an excellent sorcerer - like a professional violinist, he makes it look very easy. Meliander also shares a lot more about ‘the old days’ when the Lords of Gossamer were more active in Marindar, and Grant is left with the impression that the current political scene has become more activity as the Lords have been less involved. The balance of power has changed. Grant learns a lot more about the noble houses, their blood ties to the Lords and their interests. They also speak about Shimrod and his traitorous betrayal to the Great Enemy.
- Sophia occasionally checks on Grant. She is polite and asks about Grant’s welfare. On the third day she notes that Ethan has departed but does not say where he has gone, but that Ethan said he would be in contact shortly. When the storm passes, Grant decides to return to Central but he thanks both Meliander and Clarabelle for their hospitality and urges them to stay in contact.
- Returning to Central after the rains have cleared, Sophia presents Grant with a long list of parties wishing to meet him. Nobles, merchants, elves... the list is very long. There are a number of gifts, some magical, some ornate. The Heldonian Puzzle Box attracts his attention. About the size of a tea chest, there are a number of pop-out chambers which are easy enough to find, but the more Grant explores it, the more cavities he finds, to the degree that the interior must be much bigger than the exterior, and there are sections which should technically overlap and hence be impossible - but they seem to exist. Sophia comments that Heldonian relics are very rare. She notes that the sender is related to House Shapiro which has blood-ties to Bastiano. Sophia knows the individual who sent the box. She appears a little withdrawn, bothered by something. Grant can tell that she is distracted but she does not reveal what that is.
- Reviewing the rest of the gifts, he is intrigued by silver-bladed cutlass from a Kargan noble named Valaya, and by a simple pocket book from the Arcadian Queen which is clearly not of elven make. (GM’s note - Grant had paid points for an ‘ATM wallet’ similar to what Cal carried, but there was not an opportunity for Grant to craft it, or to have it introduced until now. In this case, the Arcadian Queen is presenting Lucien’s wallet to Grant - which had the desired result of getting his attention)
- Grant becomes quite distracted by the Heldonian Puzzle Box, and sets to work cataloguing all the compartments and the myriad configurations. However, during a break Grant notices that the interior of the residence is changing, and Sophia explains simply that the house is being extended to suit Grant’s needs. She takes him outside to make the point, and the residence is slowly expanding, pushing the nearby structures further away. Grant realises that even with the expansion that the interior is bigger than the exterior (GM’s note - Grant thought of the Tardis from Doctor Who, which is a plausible association to be made given that Grant comes from 1985 which was still the Tom Baker era)Sophia admits that some contemporary Marindan magic is based on Heldonian, but she notes that the Heldonites are long extinct.
- Grant becomes determined to solve the puzzle, and he uses Umbral Sight to accelerate the process. He reaches a point where the Puzzle Box reconfigures from a rectangular structure to a sphere, unlocking a second level of the puzzle. Grant begins again, but by this time more and more of the internal cavities are empty. Grant surmises that those of House Shapiro who gave him this gift have never delved this deeply into the puzzle. After more hours of unlocking, the Puzzle Box reconfigures into a pyramid, unlocking a third level. This time Grant moves more quickly and at last one of the points caves in and he is able to reach into the core interior. Inside, he finds a ebony black dagger, the hilt strapped in black leather (or something like leather). The pommel has a crest of a black raven on it on a blood red background. The instant Grant sees it, he feels silence descend on the area as if the blade is whispering to him that he should not share this with anyone. Grant can tell that the weapon is Umbral, and he decides that it is an assassin’s weapon. Grant decides to put it back in the Puzzle Box for the time being. He is both intrigued and perplexed by the dagger.
Investigations in Central
- Grant returns to the Central Library to find out more about the raven symbol on the dagger, and he finds that this is Mordecai’s symbol. Mordecai has been missing for over 20 years, but he is mentioned favourably in the texts, always one of the key Lords who has defended the realms against the Dwimmerlaik threat. Mordecai leads the Raven Legions, a fighting force which comes and goes as needed. The narratives speak of Mordecai as being a capable warrior and general.
- Grant also looks up Heldonian culture but finds that their realm was destroyed long ago. Nevertheless there is a puzzle box in the museum (but one which is much smaller than the one given as a gift to Grant).
- Grant investigates Mithrandir, and finds him referred to as a meddler, but a well regarded one. Frequently absent, he has a knack for being in the right place at the right time, and the accounts speak highly of him. He also seems to be a bit of a storyteller - Grant finds fragments of text which are attributed to Mithrandir’s stories in which he tells tales of Hobbits and Servants of the Great Enemy. At this point, Grant forms the opinion that Middle Earth could well be Mithrandir’s favourite place and he resolves to go back to Middle Earth in the near future.
- Finally, Grant looks into Bastiano and he finds that Bastiano used to take a keen interest in the House of Shapiro. He has sired many offspring over the last few hundred years with those of House Shapiro so the House is a collection of multiple bloodlines rather than having a single key bloodline. Bastiano is recognised as being shrewd, canning, and charismatic. Grant gets the impression that Bastiano takes a keen interest in being seen in the best possible light.
Contact with Ethan
- Two days after arriving back in Central, Grant receives an Icon contact from Ethan. He is well. He says he is with the elves in Arcadia. They have received him well, and he has spoken to the Queen at some length. He does not wish to say much, even via Icon, but he thinks he has a way of finding Lucien. However, he also says that he thinks that not everyone in Marindar is happy to see the Lords return - he admits that he was attacked when he left Grant's residence for the Arcadian portal. Even though the ambush was a poor one, it has made Ethan wonder if someone is testing him. Ethan also says that last night there was a bright red shooting star which streaked across the Arcadian sky and landed in the mountains. He’s almost certain that it’s landed somewhere near the Door on the Arcadian side and that surely cannot be a coincidence. The Queen has sent scouts to investigate, but Ethan has a bad feeling about what they will find. He asks Grant not to approach the Arcadian Door, but instead to keep in contact via Icon.
- On a more cheery note, Ethan says that he has a surprise for Grant when they next meet. He does not say what it is, but says that Grant is sure to like it. On that note, the contact ends.
Cromwell and the Danger Room
- That afternoon, Grant’s new military advisor arrives. Cromwell is clearly not Marindan, appearing more like some of evil-eyed wolf, but Sophia explains that he has been her ally for a long time and he is both a capable warlord and an able tutor for a young Lord of Gossamer. 
* Image by OchreJelly on DeviantART
- Cromwell is grouchy when Grant first meets him, and seems more interested in inspecting the facilities than spending time with him. Sophia shows Cromwell to a newly constructed chamber which appears to be open to the elements (but Grant can tell is not), and is flanked on all sides by pillars and steps leading down to an arena floor. In the room there are two gladiators practising with wooden swords and bucklers. Grant guesses that it is a training room, and Sophia illustrates what the room is capable of by summoning a black cat. The black cat appears from behind a pillar, leaps down the dais to the floor and runs over to Grant. Grant picks up the cat and strokes it - the cat purrs. It feels like a real cat. Sophia then dispels the spell and the cat vanishes, leaving Grant astonished. (GM’s note - David badly wanted to say the word ‘holodeck’ but couldn’t do so in character as Star Trek The Next Generation wasn’t released until 1987, and in the current timeline it’s only 1986. So he settles on calling it the Danger Room (based on the X-Men comics of the time) He realises that the cat, the gladiators and the pillars are made from the same material (he can tell with Umbral sight) but there is a powerful enchantment on the room.
- Grant asks if he can fight the gladiators, and Cromwell signals for them to stop their private sparring and engage him. Despite being weaponless, Grant easily takes them both and recovers a wooden sword. Cromwell releases more gladiators, who appear from behind each of the pillars, but Grant easily defeats more than a dozen of them, demonstrating that he has both aptitude and skill with a weapon. Grant points out that he is having to hold back because otherwise the weapon would break, and Cromwell acknowledges this with a stroke of his wispy beard. Cromwell sends in another fighter, this one more experienced who is not felled with a single blow, but Grant still takes him. This continues for another two hours, with Cromwell sending a variety of opponents against him. Some use different weapons, some use different styles. In the end, Cromwell ends the session and says that he is tired from the trip. Grant asks Cromwell his opinion, and Cromwell admits that he is good, but could be better. He makes it clear that his aim is to improve Grant’s survivability, and that extends beyond simply being better in a fight.
The Raven Dagger
- Feeling good about his first training session with Cromwell, Grant showers and changes, then sits down with Sophia for a good evening meal. But he is distracted. Grant has decided that he will take the dagger from the Heldonian Puzzle Box and test it out in the Danger Room. After dinner, he excuses himself and returns to the room where the Gifts have been laid out for his perusal.
- Opening the Puzzle Box is easy once you’ve opened it once, and it takes Grant only a few minutes to reach the Raven Dagger. Immediately feeling a blanket of silence descending over him, he wraps it in a blanket and heads back to the Danger Room. He avoids being seen, but notices that there is a time distortion in carrying the dagger. The walk should take him 5 minutes to reach the Danger Room, but he covers the distance much more quickly than that.
- In the Danger Room, he pulls out the dagger from its sheath. The Umbral weapon gives him the creeps. It feels cold, and he can tell that the sheath is creating a spell effect around him. There is a strange feeling like being close to the sea, with the waves crashing against the shoreline - a shoreline that he cannot see. With the blade in his hand, Grant can tell now that the dagger is in fact an Icon, and he concentrates to make contact.
- The Raven in the pommel shifts against the red background, looks at him, and asks him to identify himself. Remembering the advice given to him earlier by Sophia and Meliander, he introduces himself as Grant, Lord of Gossamer. He can feel a powerful presence on the other side. At first it is surprised by his answer, but then it begins testing the strength of his mind - to test the truth of Grant’s claim. Grant asks who is he addressing and, speaking through the Raven, the presence identifies itself as Mordecai, also a Lord of Gossamer. Grant is now both excited and surprised - he has finally met one of the greater Lords of Gossamer.
- The conversation is brief but fruitful. Grant wants to know what happened to Shatterlight, and he explains that Marindar that has come under attack from Narsaug, one of Drake’s servants, who was himself duped by Bastiano. Grant also explains that he has met and slain a Dwimmerlaik who was looking for Mithrandir. Mordecai is very interested, but also concerned by what Grant has to say. He says that Shatterlight was brought down by a betrayal ‘most foul’, and that Marindar is neutral ground and that no Lord of Gossamer would violate that by bringing conflict to it. Grant explains that things are not well in Marindar and the Doors have ‘stopped working’. Mordecai wants to hear more and suggests that they meet. Grant agrees, but before Mordecai commits, he asks for Grant to swear to him that he has not spoken to any other Lord of Gossamer about this. (GM’s note - Grant is young and doesn’t see the danger in what Mordecai is asking) Grant admits that there is another who became a Warden at the same time. Mordecai asks where the other Warden is, but relaxes when Grant tells him that Ethan is in Arcadia. Grant agrees to contact Mordecai again.
- Cutting the Icon connection, Grant realises that the sheath not only silences the conversation but also makes him invisible so that the conversation can truly be held privately. He finds this interesting.
Departure from Marindar
- Despite it being late in the evening, Grant speaks briefly with Sophia as she is about to retire for the night and explains that he will be back in a few days. Sophia is concerned and encourages him to take some guards with him. Grant is surprised by this, and Sophia reveals that she was present when Ethan was ambushed. She admits to having to ‘clean up’ the mess that Ethan left behind, making Grant wonder how much Ethan has not been telling him. Finally Grant reassures Sophia by telling her that he will use shapeshifting to reach the nearest Door, and he will not be easily caught. Sophia wishes him well, and lets him go.
- Grant heads to the Ineswitrin Door in a variety of forms and is not ambushed. He heads through the Door and out onto the Stair.
Grand Stairway Section 6 - The Approach to Ineswitrin
- This section of the Grand Stair is one giant circular stair with no apparent bottom or top - both up and down lead to darkness. The Doors here are old wooden doors, their paint cracked and peeling. Grant does not linger here - he takes out the Raven Dagger once more and contacts Mordecai.
- Again the Raven speaks to him and he accepts the connection to be pulled through the Icon to Mordecai’s location.
Realm 19 - Nebraeska (Brown Door)
Enter Mordecai
- Grant finds himself on a hillside, looking down across open fields filled with modern battle tanks bearing the standard of the Black Raven on a Red Circle. Behind him is a canvas tent, and the old soldier Mordecai waits to meet him.
* Image by Dennis Darmond
- Mordecai does not waste time. He invites Grant inside and offers him a drink and a seat. They talk.
The Fall of Shatterlight
- Mordecai says that Shatterlight was betrayed by Drake. He uncovered evidence that Drake was colluding with the Dwimmerlaik, but even when he presented that evidence to Vala herself, she refused to take action. He does not know the reasons why, nor why Drake would seek to engage with his most hated enemies. Nevertheless, Mordecai is convinced that Drake is a traitor and the reason for Shatterlight’s fall. Mordecai tells Grant that he was not there, but from his agents on the ground, the fall was sudden and brutal. Vala is gone, and he holds Drake responsible for her death. Mordecai makes no secret that he wants Grant with him in seeking revenge on Drake.
Attacks on Marindar
- Mordecai cannot fathom why Bastiano would endanger Marindar by attacking it.
The conversation with Mordecai continues …..
Tuesday, 18 February 2014
Monday, 17 February 2014
GM Commentary
Well Session 24 was run this evening and .... yippee! .... finally Grant has met another Lord of Gossamer who is part of the larger plot - Mordecai. I'll do the writeup Tuesday or Wednesday but we have just had a major step forward. Grant now knows why the Lords are absent from Marindar. He also has information to trade (about the Dwimmerlaik that he and Ethan faced in Session 8), and he knows where Mithrandir (Greywalker) is....
As a GM, I'm relieved that we have had a breakthrough. David has gathered lots of information and lots of clues but hasn't followed through some of these threads to their ultimate conclusion. Grant is no longer skating around the main plot - he's now literally surrounded by it (more on that cryptic quote when I do the writeup).
Sunday, 16 February 2014
GM Commentary
Okey dokey, it has been two weeks.... so what's happening?
Firstly, David/Lurker37 and I will be playing Session 24 tomorrow night (Monday night) so hopefully I'll have a session posted up on Tuesday or Wednesday. The story is continuing. There have already been a series of emails but we now need to go over that content and see what Grant does next. Ethan is already in Arcadia with the elves, and things aren't going so well. (GM's note - he is a Bad Stuff character after all)
Secondly, Adam/Lost-in-Transit and I will be co-GMing a new Lords of Gossamer and Shadow game over the next few weeks. Session 2 will be this week, and we already have a number of local players very keen to play.
Thirdly, Adam/Lost-in-Transit is already planning a third Lord of Gossamer and Shadow game with a limited three-session story arc. The premise is that we are the gods/incarnations of a particular realm, but time has advanced sufficiently such that it is now an "Age of Reason", and the locals have had enough of us and our bickering and used 'science' to expel us from our home domain onto the Stair. Adam is using Tarot cards to find out what archetype we start with. The whole point of this game is to introduce the local players to Lords of Gossamer and Shadow before we go for the above game which would be a continuing story-line.
Sunday, 2 February 2014
Feedback from Sovem
That seems an odd choice... Given how much ability a Lord of Gossamer has to change the setting. What led you to that decision? And if Lurker37 is not playing, then who?
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