DnD Desert Raiders Campaign Rafa

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Background

RAFA: Variant spelling of Hebrew Rapha, meaning "feeble, flaccid, weak," i.e. "a shade" living in Hades, void of blood and animal life; therefore weak and languid like a sick person, but still able to think.

For weak goblins to survive they have to make sure the stay in the shadows. One goblin did this so well that he started to bond with it. Rafa has found a way to harvest this shadowy power to make his enemies regret attacking him.

He knows very well that he will never be as strong as some of the wizards that use incredible power. But he is happy with he thought that he is less likely to blow himself up with that incredible power.

For a long time Rafa lived in a goblin village under the mountain with his faithful familiar Senka (Serbian name meaning "shadow."). that was until one day there was need of a volunteer to get some special herbs.
Rafa volunteered himself immediately by being thrown over the heads of his fellow goblins. No one stopped to consider that Rafa had no knowledge of herbs, no knowledge of where to go and no interest to remember what was asked from him in the first place.
It wasn't long before Rafa forgot what herb he was looking for or how to get back to his village. Now he tags along with random groups of creatures that might tolerate him so he can find what he personally wants.
preferable creatures that look better prey them himself.

Dislikes: Rafa really dislikes anything that shines like metals and fire. He knows the value of coins, gems and gold to other people and will collect them to trade, not to keep.
When safety allows it he will try to keep out of the radius of lights, or block them by other means.
Rafa also dislikes noise, anything that disrupts the serenity of the shadowy illuminations.

Personal Quest

Fascinated by his shadow Rafa set out to find the origin of it all. No one appreciates the shadows as he does. So he should find a way to collect them all so they will be his forever.
In order to do so he must find all he can over the shadow's most powerful creations
Starting with Tenebrion, god of shadows.

weakness

• Playing a shadowcaster (not a shadowmage, big difference). Of the millions of people playing D&D no one has ever posted a build that was considered workable. The general belief is "a sorcerer with less spells then a wizard, less spells known then a bard, no bonus spells for high cha and no free familiar"

• RP weakness: Great dislike to light and glittering.

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Sheet

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Elemental

• shadow elemental's actions never go against a direct order of Rafa

• the shadow elemental always delays to after Rafa's turn in combat. (unless something living or light giving comes within 40ft of Rafa)
• The shadow elemental is highly aggressive and hates all sources of light and life, unless ordered not to it will try to end its duration. it cannot leave Rafa's side for more then 40ft but will attack the light or living creature when it comes close enough.
• It will never communicate with anyone, not even its master.
• the shadow elemental will generally linger in the floor (unless his legs stick out the bottom).
• If unable to end the duration of the light souce it will try to keep in something shadow, its masters preferd.
• anything else not made of light and more then 40ft from Rafa will be ignored totally.

• it follows its master's command, if it understands this or if its is just part of the magic is unknown.

command:

• heal master when dying.
• don't attack Priest, Eric, Tick, Torch or Scragg unless they come within 1ft or orderd to.

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Notes

Items wanted:

• Ring of darkhidden (DotU)
• Bag of holding I
• Orb of shadow lvl 1 (ToM)

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log

06-01-2010

This afternoon while I went to take cover from the ever burning desert sun I found myself trapped by a cave-in. with the exit totally blocked I could only go deeper into the cave. It wasn’t a natural cave that I could tell, but I don’t think many people come here these days. Thick layers of dust and rubble litter the floors.
Using my spells to scout for me I silently made my way deeper into the tunnels when I suddenly came to a hold by the sound of approaching footsteps.
Turning into a side turn I find my hard beating faster. Just in from of me I can hear the sounds of a sleeping monstrous beast.
As quickly and silently as I possibly could I made my way back to where I came from. If I had any luck the approaching people might wake the creature and they can kill each other. Or at least they feed this beast so that I wouldn’t have the will to come after me.
I held my breath as the armored person came closer. With a loud snarl and heavy footsteps I could hear the beast moving. It had heard them to and was going to have breakfast. As I looked around the corner I could see a glimpse of a armored desert goblin trying to fight the creature off. I was halfhearted to help him, I prefer goblins over big hungry creatures anytime. But as I made ready to attack they disappeared around the corner. No need for me to get involved then.

Seeing this opportunity I went to loot the creatures lair while it ate. Searching its nest I found some gems, I don’t know what happened to the previous owners but I can make a good guess. As I counted my findings I was alerted by a sound I didn’t except. A last cry from the creature followed by the happy sounds of goblins. They actually managed to kill it. They did better than my own group, who I just saw disappear in the belly of a hyena as I came back from scouting the area.

As I hear them approach I try to make myself look weak enough not to be a threat and powerful enough not to anger. One by one they came into the room. Looking totally unsurprised to see me standing in the corner.

The first to enter was a armored desert goblin by the name of Eric the Cleric. As I fought my laughter I saw him walking past me and he stuck his hands straight into the largest pile of feces that could be found. As I looked over his shoulder I could see him pulling out a dirty golden ring.

Behind him came a rather shaky looking goblin. I later came to understand that his name is Tick and that he was still trying to get over the loss of his close companion Torch the Emberling. I never saw the use of getting distressed over death. Eider you live or die, it makes no difference in the end.

Bringing up the rear was a very old and small desert goblin. He introduced himself as Loak. Behind him lingered a air elemental. I never found out if it had a name or not.

As the three strange goblins entered I tried to convince them that the ring was actually mine and that I should get it back. they didn’t seem impressed by my quick tong. Also they didn’t seem to care at all.

We set up camp in the small lair and talked a bit about where they came from. As it turned out they were all members of different groups but as there traveling companions died they made new alliance. Two of them knew each other for a couple of days the cleric they met only a couple of minutes before. It wasn’t an unexpected story. I myself have been with 5 different groups in the last month. The biggest time I spent alone.

The following morning we set out to the exit. I decided to join them for now, the armored one will be slower than me so if we run into anything he will make a good distraction.

Eric and I spend a while looking at Tick. The crazy goblin started to build a large fire outside the entrance. I don’t think there is need for more heat, but then again there is also no need for me to stop him.
I only saw that Loak didn’t followed us when his elemental came to get us. As we followed the creature we saw Loak hiding in a doorway. Looking into the room I could see a large bookcase filled with old books. In the center of the room was a desk upon a rug and behind it some kind of undead creature. If I have to make a guess I would say it’s some kind of mummy.

13-01-2010

With a bit of encouragement from Loak I shot the mummy with an black bolt. To my surprise (and as it turned out not to Loak’s) it felt like it hit me instead of the mummy. The mummy spotted us and started to come. Focusing on my amulet I gathered the items power to summon a huge scorpion right in the mummy’s room. The scorpion grabbed the mummy and started to squeeze it. I could see the scorpion dying as it did so and took that opportunity to make a run for it. Turning around I saw that Eric and Loak where nowhere to be seen. Running to the exit I could see a group of goblins waiting there. Eric was talking to a two rather large goblins.

The first one was a guy named Raven. He was a whip wielding goblin that was traveling with Eric for a very short period.

The second one was a jungle goblin covered in weird hides. His name was Scragg, a very hairy claw fighting goblin.

• Mummy lured
• Bookcase
• Pit
• Large door
• Death of Raven

20-01-2010

• Rejoining of the others
• Finding Priest
• Getting attacked by zombies
• Getting attack by mummys
• Finding a golden tomb
• Trapped chimney
• Getting burned
• Climbing outside

03-02-2010

Alone and cold I stared at my familiar. I once learned a spell that would make him more powerful. Up until then I never was able to cast it correctly. Senka 1, Senka 2 and Senka 3 didn’t make it. But as I was sitting in the snow I was sure I could do it this time. So I took Senka 4 (I failed to mention to him that he was my 4th familiar) and started the ceremony. I watched as the little rat shriveled up while his shadow grew at an alarming rate. Towering twice my height I stared at me for a short period and then dropped into the ground till only his head was still visible.
I still smile when I think back at that moment. I finally did it, I had summoned a Shadow elemental. I knew the basic knowledge about shadow elementals but it took me a while to find out how to command it. To be honest I’m still unsure how I command it, but I do know that it follows my orders. Unafraid with my new guard I set out to find a way out of this enoing blizzard. While I walked I shouted commands and rules to the shadow.

After wandering around in the snow for about a day I found myself at the entrance of an old looking building. Looking at the walls I could tell that people really put some effort into them, they where all made of polished rock. Not like the goblin tunnels back home that where only carved at the spot where eider some nothing goblin worker thought a tunnel might be handy or some creature had burrowed many years before.

Looking back to the open field I saw nothing but snow and ice. Everything outside a 40ft distance from me was totally white. In the distance I could hear voices calling to each other. I recognized one of them as Priest. That guy sure is loud for a scout.
As I went to him to see who he was yelling to I spotted Eric popping out of nowhere, behind him Scragg and Priest where walking to him. Before I could call out to them, the shadow shot out from underneath me and attacked Eric. As I called the elemental back I saw Eric recovering from the blow and walking up to me. Furry in his face told me one thing, revenge. It was all too clear that he wasn’t gonna let this rest till he hit me back so I didn’t bother to doge his mace. With my gem sucking up most of the blow I hardly even felt it.

Like myself they thought that the temple was most likely the exit of this place, it was at least the warmest place.

Silently we entered the pitch black hallway of the temple. Up frond was Priest scouting ahead. 15 feet behind him my elemental and I followed to give support if needed. Priest and Scragg waited at the entrance, there light dependency would make them a real hindrance in this darkness.

It was pretty hard backing Priest up. I wasn’t able to see him with darkvision so I had to rely on my elemental to stop me when he stopped.
At the end of the hallway I could see dead donkey. Judging from the decomposed state it was in it was a good thing I don’t have to smell anything. I watched as something began to search the donkey’s pack’s. I always hope it is Priest when things like that happen, it would have been a bad thing if something ells invisible was in the room.
Minutes went by as Priest emptied the backpack on an old wooden table. The last thing he took out of the backpack was an old dirty oil lamp. He seem to think it was very important because I took the lamp and went to show it to the others. It sure was a strange sight, seeing a oil lamp floating by on its own accord making sound of footsteps as it went. After a short reinsuring that there was indeed no danger the other came with priest to the old table. Scragg was given the lamp, it always makes me smile thinking how he can’t see a thing in the darkness.

Thick black smoke came porting out the lamp as Priest lit it. The smoke bellowed around until it had the vague resemblance of a human. The figure told us it would grant our combined desire if we could find our way out. He hinted about the doors to come and how some of the sign’s where lies. I never understood the use of making signs that lie next to sign’s that tell the truth. why would you give strangers the chance to dodge the traps? Why make dodgeble traps in the first place?
I took a long look at the other goblins, what would they want that I want? To stay alive and to find a way out? If we find the exit while still alive he will show us the exit and not kill us?
The figure went back into the lamp before we could get a logical answer. I can’t remember anyone helping me without a reason before so I can’t say I really minded.
Past the doorway we can see a small hallway leading to 3 doors. 2 of them claimed to be dangerous and one of them clams that one of the 2 doors lie. Thinking back to my days in the goblin lair I think they all lie and all are dangerous. But thinking about my time sneaking around elven cities, those signs always told the truth.

We were all thinking hard for while, Scragg probably wasn’t used to this because he kept hitting his head with the oil lamp. I wonder why his hair never caught fire.

There is only one way to solve a door riddle like this, have someone ells open the door to take a look. As usually there were no volunteers for this job, or a way to make the others go. so I told my elemental to open the door and travel through the hallway. He is pretty strong and immune to mast traps, of course there is also the fact that if he is not… well let’s say I was able to summon one, how hard can a new one be. Without even the slightest sign of detest to me the elemental floated forth and started his given tasks. A few seconds later he returned and dropped back into my shadow. At least there is nothing there that can hurt him, this was enough of a convincement for Priest to take a look.

The hallway behind the door lead to a new room with 4 doors. The smoky figure had told us that two of these doors would tell the truth.

• This door is not trapped
• Do not enter here, it’s really bad
• This door is trapped
• Door one is lying

I spend a few moments watching Scragg play with his lamp. He kept rubbing it, shaking it and then hitting himself on the head with it. After doing routine for a while he seemed to blame the lamp and tore it in two. He sure hates lamps for someone so dependent of light. It probably is a jungle goblin ritual, we should remember not to hand him anymore magical lamps in the future.

Priest and Scragg searched all the doors. As it turned out, they where all trapped. That sounded more like home, I also would just trap all the doors.
Seeing as door one lied and door three and four told the truth it had to be the second door that lied as well. Unless of course the smoky figure lied as well, something not totally unthinkable. True to our nature we all hid behind the wall as the elemental went forth to open the door. On the other side was the sound of a summoning going off and before him stood a large mouse. It couldn’t see the elemental he dark, if it had it probably would have cursed his summoner. The elemental took one look at the small creature and tore the life right out of him and returned to my shadow without a comment.
As the mouse died a bright light shown from the doorway. We had found the way out into the desert. I could see the elemental moving unhappy below me, it wasn’t hard to read that he had no desire to go out at any time soon. And neider had the rest of us, the bright light of the sun was a little to unfriendly for my taste.

We waited till night and set off to a large town called Alice Springs, I never been there myself but Priest seems to know the way. Even with his guidens it took us almost a week to get close traveling across familiar roads as much as possible. We were well aware of the possibility of being ambushed, but the annoyance of the sun was worse then that possibility so we took the fastest route.

We walked slowly across the open road looking how the city grew on the horizon when suddenly an ogre jumped out at us. Priest being closest to the ogre was hit hard and bolted to the rear of the party. Scragg took this opportunity to charge the ogre and slit his throat. Sudden movement in the distance alerted us of two more ogres sitting there. They had seen what had happened and started to run to us.

As the first ogre reached us he was taken down by Scragg. I could see the elemental wavering unhappy, he wanted to kill that one. The last ogre got second thoughts and bolted away. As none of us had the means of interest to go after him, we let him go.
I was told to stay back as Scragg and Priest searched the ogre. I wondered what was so special to him about this ogre, it seemed like a normal ogre to me. Oh well, might be a jungle ritual to.

We came to the city without any trouble. I wonder what the ogre told his buddy about what happened. Will he really tell them that he saw a group of goblins across the hills and ran away from them? Will he tell them that his two friends were killed by only one of them while the other three stood back looking rather bored? Well two looked bored, Priest might not be so happy about the hit he had gotten.

The first stop in the city was the magic shop, we identified and sold some items. As it turned out the others were indeed lying when they said we split everything we find in equal shares. I can’t say I am surprised at that, I am surprised I couldn’t tell they were lying back then.

09-02-2010

As we all went our own way we agreed to regroup at the Bearclaw inn if we had any desire to travel together.
The first thing I went to do is sell off some personal items around town. The people here seem unbothered that a goblin is the costumer, money is money I guess.
With a full pouch of money and a companion to carry things set off to get some much needed supplies. Senka ,as I named my shadow elemental (I didn’t tell him his number), kept creeping back and forth in my shadow. I have seen this behavior before when we traveled to the town, at first I tried to ignore it but the thing just won’t keep still. I was already halfway across town when it hit me, I once heard about a devise that could create a shadow so strong that it could even dim the sun.
As I reentered the magic shop I could see the shopkeeper starting to smile. It makes me wonder how bad we were at haggling.
After some strong negotiation I had bought a blackish bleu lantern. As I lit it a beautiful grayish dusk filled around me. I watched as he elemental floated happily upwards.
A few minutes later I walked out of his store a happy goblin filled with magical trinkets. An extra amulet that can summon a scorpion to my aid, a cloak that can shield me from sight and two crystals to place on a shield.
One of them makes the shield harder to break and the other one protects me the flaming sun (and weird emberlings). If only I can find a way to place them on my shield at the same time.

I walked for a few hours till I visited all the stores and gotten my much needed (also the unneeded) supplies. A sturdy tower-shield was strapped on my back, it was made of wood with a gray layer of paint. I don’t think the armor smith was happy with my request but I can’t be walking around with a wood colored shield.

On my way back to the inn I hear people whisper as I go by. It seems that something bad is about to happen, ogres and snow started to act up in the desert. I never had much experience with ogres, but I did hear that they aren’t famous for running away from creatures less than a 4th there size. That’s probably what the rumor is about.

At the inn I find Tick and Eric waiting. They too had heard the rumors on the street. I watch as Tick an Eric get into a discussion about Ticks health. I never liked the looks of him but I have to agree, he does look a little bit lighter today. I listen as Eric discussed how this sickness was part of a greater threat.”The end of all life” I think he called it.

I turned my attention to Tick, if memory serves me right then he should still carry a expensive violin that we found on the corps of that whip-wielder Raven. To convince him of my trust I gave him a share of the ring we sold earlier. we said we would share it and equally and 160gp is a good price to buy trust.
I smile to myself as Tick gave me the violin to sell because he felt too sick to do it himself. A quick spell told me the violin was indeed magical so I took it to the magic shop and instrument shop. The magic shop didn’t wanted anything to do with it, so I negotiated with the owner of the instrument shop. I could see on his face that he was unsure if he should be happy or shocked. He seemed to think very highly of the violin but was shocked that is was in that poor a state. I wonder if he would have died if I told him what I think Raven and Tick did with it along the way. I also didn’t tell him how I kicked the violin when I had to climb on Raven’s back a while ago or how I broke a masterwork banjo by throwing it at a coffin (I also failed to remind Tick about this last fact).

He gave me the advice to have the violin repaired and then sell it for more. I considered it for a bit but I don’t like the idea of staying in this town for another week, especially now that I’m out of money. I can’t go and ask Tick for coins, the more I talk about the violin the more chance there is that he remembers the banjo. So I sold the violin for the best price I could get without too much trouble and returned to Tick.

Back at the inn I gave Tick his share without a word, what he doesn’t know won’t hurt him. At least not in a way that would make him distrusting towards me.

Tick really wanted to get cured before we set off to the next town so we went to a temple to get him cured, Eric was kind enough to help him in his search. As we walked I asked Eric about his knowledge of Tenebrion. A name I once heard to belong to a god of shadows.
He knew quite much about the subject but I could tell that it wasn’t his favored god. It’s a shame he didn’t know any priests from Tenebrion around here. But at least he gave me something to think about.

As we entered the temple of Neru, at least the priests said it was. I could see that the symbols in the temple where the same as Eric was carrying but what they mean I will probably never know. To be honest I don’t think I would ever really care eider.
The priest where very kind, he was more than happy to help Tick. For some reason Tick didn’t seem happy, he kept asking weird questions. In the end he just threw some coins into the offering bowl and went outside. On the advice of the priest we went to the Palor temple. Eric didn’t want to come but I didn’t mind joining Tick. It was also a good time to test out my new symbol of Palor.
Inside we could see the temple filled with symbols of sun and sunshine. Senka didn’t like it one bit and raised his lamp a bit, this didn’t have a very good reaction on the followers of Palor so I told him to get back into the ground with his lamp.
The priest closest to us came charging at us rather unkind. She flung her hand in a complicated secret hand sign. At this time it was clear to me that this situation had just turned bad, on the other hand what can happen. I don’t think they will just attack us in the middle of the town. But as I did my best to mend the situation I could tell see was only getting madder, I’m sure glad I didn’t need any curing from her. In the end I was asked to leave the temple. I can’t say I minded. This much sun was getting on my nerves fast.

While we waited for Tick I got the feeling that we had to get out of here soon. From what I could tell there was a rumor that goblins where involved in a event that would destroy the world. The rumors where probably true, only a few days back we totally desecrated an old temple of Ra, an ancient sun-god I have been told.

When tick exited the temple a bit later (with a much lighter money pouch) we headed to city’s north gates. Halfway there we were stopped by Eric who ran back to his temple. A few minutes later he returned looking very weird. I think that’s what it looks like if the ugliest goblin ever mated with the ugliest human.
At the gate we found an increased number of guards waiting. One human not much bigger than us looked like he was about to attack us (and faint while doing so). So I gave him a gold piece to get himself blessed at the nearest temple. Surprised he totally forgot what he was doing and let us pass.
Eric’s new appearance seemed to confuse him to, the other guards just looked mad.

Looking across the open desert I could see a storm coming this way, I don’t know much about nature and sand but I can tell that I won’t be a happy weather. Very unwilling to go back into he city (if we where even allowed to) I took out my map to search for a smaller town. Just north of us was a one, its name unreadable by some unfamiliar smear. It seems it wasn’t a good idea to give a map to a familiar to hold.

None of us where very good at finding our way in the desert so we decided to follow the road. For hours we found nothing but sand and rocks till our minds where drawn to the sound of a conversation. Looking up I could see tree large ogres staring down at us. The middle I recognized as the same ogre that ran away the day before.
He was telling his friends about the terrible goblins that attack his last party. I wondered if he was talking about us, Tick wasn’t even there last time and Eric and I never lifted a finger. One of his friends who was laughing got it in the face by one of Ticks spells. It looked painful but the ogre didn’t seem to react. His other friend told them to wait for a moment while he killed us.
He charged forward and swung his club wildly through Senka. The poor elemental probably didn’t have a clue what he was trying to do so he reacted in its most natural way. It slashed at the ogre, trying to end this annoying life inside him.
I took a few seconds to take a good look at the “battlefield”. Eric disappeared into thin air again and Tick ran backwards. Torch who tried to follow his master probably failed to see the large ogre in front of him and turned around. The ogre didn’t like being ignored and broke the emberling into small rocks. Happy with his kill the ogre started to grow to twice his size. And went to get Tick.
Senka didn’t seem to do too much damage to the ogres so I went to help him. Shooting rays of shadow at him. This triggered the second ogre to help his friends and it went for me.
It took a few steps forward and vanished like Eric. I was alerted to danger when Senka flew close to me and started to attack something in thin air. I could hear the ogre scream in pain right in front of me. I didn’t need any convincing that this was a bad thing. So I hid behind my tower-shield and summoned a huge scorpion around me.
The ogre swung hard against the scorpion while his buddy knocked Tick to the ground. Eric had also become visible again and had seemed to be distracting the ogre from Tick. The 3th ogre who recognized us was gone. He had left to tell his tribe about us again.
I took a step back shot the ogre in front of me while I send Senka to heal Tick stable. If more ogres are coming we better have him cast 1 more spell to help.
I could see the ogre facing Eric fall to the ground at the same time I killed mine. So as Senka went to heal Tick I took a security shot at Eric’s ogre to make sure it was dead.

Eric and I made checked if the ogres had anything valuable on them. But all I found was a money pouch. The ogres pans however seem to be pretty valuable, jugging form the quality it probably was worth 50gp. Tick didn’t seem to be interested to much, he was probably confused that he survived and sad that Torch didn’t. looking back I’m also a bit sad that I send Senka to heal him, there are no more enemies nearby so I could have let him die.

17-02-2010

I divided the money among the other two, I took a bit of Tick’s share. It felt fair as I had to use healing on him. It crossed my mind to skip him fully but I might need him later. Need as in “be bait” while Eric and I become invisible and sneak away.

Tucking away my loot I look up to see Eric waving like an idiot. As I looked over his shoulder I could see the familiar shape of Scragg running in our direction. It seems those weak humans weren’t even able to kill him properly. Judging from his story they merely stood there calling him names. I wonder if Priest survived to then.

Driving the unimportant thoughts from my mind I focus once again on the situation at hand. We need to find a resting place before that ogre returns with his buddy’s. standing here nearly spell-less isn’t my kind of a good time.

It took us a few minutes but we found a small cave nearby. It was big enough for the four of us to sleep comfortably. Knowing that Senka will attack anything that approaches us I have no trouble sleeping. I doze of listening to the arguments of the others about who should keep watch. Half asleep I see though my eyelids how Tick is staring at some old stone. He always gets a bit weird when his emberling dies so I give it no more thought. I can see Scragg holding the watch, im not sure if that comforts me but at least they stopped arguing.

Several hours later I wake to the sounds of screams. Insite the cave I can see Tick still staring at his rock. Slowly I make my way outside, there I find the weirdest happening.

Senka was hitting some really ugly woman dressed in filthy rags, if she can still be called a woman. Even the mere sight of here made me feel weak and shaky.

Scragg and Eric were playing with an ogre. Scragg was wrestling it while Eric hit it with an mace. Really annoyed for waking up in the middle of my sleep I maximized an life fade spell. Hitting it full in the chest it dropped Scragg and went to sleep. At the same time Senka ripped the life out of the woman.

Reluctantly I search the woman when I hear splatter behind me. Looking around I see Eric and Scragg tearing the unconscious ogre into pieces. All is fair in the war of a goblin. Returning to my search I find some money and a pretty clover ring. Eric who was looking over my shoulder explained that it was a magical ring.
At the same time I can hear the ring talking to me, asking me to wear it. I don’t mind wearing magical rings, but one that talks? As we look at the thing it started to change shape. Where the ring used to be was now a little man.

Combining out knowledge we decided this was a leprecon. It eider had a pot of gold near a rainbow or it would grand four wishes. It however was only interested in getting worn. so to shut it up I gave him to Senka to wear. The little leprecon however refused flat out to stay a ring and started to get away.
In the end I gave in and wore it myself hoping that would keep it quit. It didn’t work at all. The ring continued to talk about how it would stay with me and help me on my journey. I just hope this “help” isn’t like how the woman ended up.

The following morning I woke up fresh, powerful and annoyed that the ring talked to me again. So with most of us rested we set off with Tick talking about how he didn’t sleep. Goblins that lose sleep over pretty stones never survive to long so I stared to wonder what kind of stuff he carried with him and for how much I would be able to sell it.

After about another days travel we came upon a unfamiliar sight. Eric and Scragg halted us to look at some footsteps. These round markings in the ground crossed the road but ended on both sides into nothingness.
Looking in the distance there was nothing but sand so I gave up trying to find out why these marks where here. The others however didn’t want to move on yet. Tick summoned a creature and send it to the end of the tracks, as it passed the end of the tracks two more footsteps appeared. It seemed something was there. Only one way to find out.

Looking down I told Senka to shoot a bolt into the large creature. If he shot Tick his following I would know there was nothing there. But the elemental didn’t aim for the summoning. It aimed where the footsteps where last seen. As we waited he continued his order and shot another bolt. This one stopped in mid air with a soft thud, then it moved backwards and fell to the ground. Something was there, something smart enough to pull bolts out of itself.

As we all focused our ears we could hear three more creatures closing in on us, something told me that shooting them had put us on their bad side. I ordered Senka to throw some oil on the one he shot so we could see where it was and as we stood there trying to listen where the others where we nearly ripped our eardrums.
Tick it seems, felt that these poor invisible creatures could use some help so he cast some kind of spell that made a thumbing sound around us, not the best condition to listen for footsteps .

Then the battle begun, party members screaming as they where hoisted in the air, oil flying everywhere and us shooting and charging everywhere where we thought there might be a creature. After a good 40 seconds of total randomness Scragg and I finished the last one off by hitting it at the same time, making it burst into a cloud of slime. With more then enough damage to kill a young dragon I think it’s fair to say the creature was history.

There spell wore off as we listen to see if there were any more around. One by one the creatures became visible. As it turned out they here a bit like moldy horses with tentacles and a very large mouth. They where not much bigger then a shadow elemental.

Looking at my hand I am reminded of the rings words. I can’t help think that this magical ring does not help as much as it tried to sound.

24-02-2010

On our way to town we come across the goblin named Priest, he seemed under the impression that were interested in what the sun was doing at that moment. The fact that it won’t become any lighter or darker where I am doesn’t seem to comfort him. Some people are just natural panic spreaders.

As we walk towards the town my eye got distracted by something in the distance. It was like a immense large shadowy globe. It spread more than three thousand feet across and nearly two thousand feet high.
My mind started to race like mad. What could this thing be? Was it connected to this weird eclipse thing of the sun? why didn’t anyone tell me this was here? How do I take it along with me?

The other goblins also starred in the same direction. I could see the gleam in their eyes, could they finally have seen the beauty of shadows? We ran towards the globe as a mad horde that only goblins can make. Priest and Scragg arrived first. In my eagerness I ran past them but came to a stop twenty feet in front of them. Eager as a was, I’m not stupid. There is no reason to go first if other goblins are willing to do it.

Looking at sphere it looked like something that might have come from the shadow plane. Like a base or a ship. The walls looked like shadows but with a solid ring to them. Senka was able to enter and exit without any trouble but anything corporal was reflected without a bend. I was pretty familiar with using shadows as armor but not to build something this big. Only a god could have casted a spell this big.

Out of the corner of my eye I could see Tick walking off. As the old saying goes: “follow others when they go exploring so that you can mark where the traps went off”. Sneaking behind him we looked as he stared at a door. After a few seconds he walked back past us, unaware that we had followed him. Scragg couldn’t contain his laughter any longer when he past us the second time. His sniggering must have set off the ring again and it started to talk about stuff I will never remember.

I tried putting the hand with the ring in my pocked, this muffed the sound a bit but it was still clearly audible. The ring didn’t even seem to be aware of it. Remembering a tactic I once used so I didn’t have to share my food, I used the ring to scratch behind my male parts. I was born without the sense of smell but I have been told that the smell of the private parts of a goblin that hasn’t showered in month’s is enough to kill a cow.
The ring however kept on talking. I hate to lose a magical artifact but if I find a bottomless pit it might “slip” off my hand.

The others used this time to play with a door. As I watched I saw Priest use a mirror to walk backwards though the door. A few seconds later he emerged again unharmed. He isn’t too bad when he’s not talking about the sun and other nature stuff.
Holding up my own mirror I ordered Senka to do the same. With all five of us walking in a row we set off through the wall.

We found ourselves in a large hallway, it was over forty feet wide. Watching over the center where two large statue’s each fifteen feet long with here backs to the wall. They looked kind of like huge bugs.
There gleaming material reflected the flickering lamplight though the entire hallway.

Priest started to search the room for traps. Going step for step and rechecking each step a few times. It was a slow process. The wait was made worse by the nagging voice of the ring, Suddenly the boredom was broken by a fierce display of lightning. Priest who had just disarmed a trap had thought that he was done and walked towards the other side of the hallway. Two steps later he was suddenly stopped by the lightning that came shooting from both statue’s. No one reacted while he healed himself up with his belt and started to work on jamming the tile.
Spending another few minutes searching he finally made it to the other side of the hallway. There a large black portal was waiting.
He stepped though the portal bravely followed by the sounds of splashing water and screams. It seemed that he fell into something wet that burned him. Normally I wouldn’t bother to save a goblin that kept getting in trouble. But this one had already survived two traps, he might find many more this way.
As Senka and Scragg worked to get Priest back into he hallway I was left to watch Tick. I watched as he took a run and jumped face down onto the tile that Priest had just rigged. Light filled the room again as Tick was hit by many bolts of lightning. Crawling he made his way next to Scragg.

Still feeling weak from my encounter at the beginning of the day I decided not to try and jump. So I had Senka carry me across. There I healed Priest and he was ready to explore again. The rope I had Senka give to Scragg to help Priest was now five foot shorter with a bad melt mark at the end. It was a good thing that Senka had chosen to give the old robe and not one of my brand new once.

Using my pole Scragg tested the next hallway and jumped over the pit with Priest. As I stuck my head though the portal I could see a very large pit filled with watery acid below me. The bottom wasn’t visible but I could see that it was ten foot wide. In my condition there was no way I could jump that so I waited on this side while Scragg and Priest explored onwards.
Looking around I could see another portal twenty foot away from me. On eider side of the path where plants. They were about ten feet tall with vines lying everywhere.
Senka also spotted the plants and started to attack them. They threw there vines wildly as he made his way across but all they hit was air. Slowly he ripped at the nearest plants life with a calm motion.

Priest in the meanwhile had learned his lesson. he stuck his head though the portal. From the other side I could hear spells being cast. Scragg and Priest seemed eager to do battle but I want about to cross this pit without a fast way of getting back. I could of course teleport but there was no need for the others to know about that.
With more sounds of spell I set Senka to supported the others when they attacked. Tick summoned a slimy thing next to them and send it into the room. It gotten back looking allot worse than when it had entered.

Priest took a glance inside and started to shoot trough the portal as Scragg pushed the construct back into the room. Then he jumped though himself followed by the sounds of magical chanting and explosions. I wasn’t sure who Scragg was fighting but I sure was glad that I was on this side of the hallway right now.

Senka didn’t have his day. Unable to recognize the familiar sounds of battle he waited patiently. As I prepared to call him back he finally followed Priest though the portal. From the hallway we could hear the sounds of battle growing silent.

03-03-2010

Priest found some creature inside one of the plant creatures. It took Senka a few seconds to break it open and reveal a goblin inside. The goblin looked rather weak and filthy, even for a goblin. It took all my control just to keep Senka from killing it.

After a short interview we earned that this was the buddy of a guy named “Boris the blade” and that his specialty was being the lowest in the picking order.
We of course weren’t the worse kind of people so we offered him a job. The first job we tried him for was pack carrier. This didn’t go well at a. only a few hundred pounds of firewood made him buckle.
So we gave him a dagger and send him off to the frond. As we stood ready to follow him in he made a quick turn and ran past us towards the exit. Getting a grip on the situation I realized something very important, he still had my dagger. Sending Senka to find the goblin didn’t turn up anything. The thing was I really wanted that dagger back, but on the other hand I wasn’t about to go look for it myself. To be honest, I’m not sure why I carry daggers, I can’t hit anything with them.

Priest retook his position in the lead and we returned to our important task, finding out how this shadowy dome works. Priest, totally failing in his task, came back with useless information about Eric the cleric who had gotten himself chained to a wall in the center room. Every now and then we could hear the sound of someone hitting a chain echo through the dome.
Feeling brave I went to take a look myself, I could see two large creatures coming towards us. Remembering the ogres from before I went to hide myself at a earlier portal. This want the place I wanted to be right now. One side a gang of ogres and on the other side a deep pit that I can’t jump over. The exit that is behind this pit is also very much closed and trapped.

Hiding I looked for signs of ogres. If I could send an ogre into the plants they might keep it buzzy for a while. They might even be able to eat it.
A few moments later a giant ogre eye came looking thought the portal, before I could react I saw a arrow flying from where priest sat and hit the ogre straight in the eye. Roaring it pulled its head back out of sight. This must have given enough room for Eric to slip past. He looked kind of wear trailing a good three foot of chain behind him.

Sending Senka to finish the ogre I lost sight of things. I could hear the ogre scream so it must be going right. Also priest dropped his bow and with a arrow in his hand charged though the portal. From what I could find out later I could make out the weirdest battle scene. It seems that Priest used a arrow to stab a ogre to death.
Tick seemed to be just as relocked to enter as myself and send some disgusting looking constructs into the room. After a few seconds I went to join them just in time to give off a shot at the ogre before Priest killed that one to. On the floor I could see a crystal creature lying in pieces and from the corner of my eye I saw Eric and Senka kill the last little crystal creature.

Looting the corpses we found two extra pair of large fancy ogre pants. We weren’t sure what to do with it but someone in town might be interested.
Going back I let Senka pull the fireball caster out of the plants. On him we found some magical rings and magical boll. At least Eric called them magical. I let them carry them for now, I already pocketed the last magical ring and I don’t want to look greedy. Never look greedy or people might think you steal from them. That would just make trouble when you steal from them.
As we check the body again for some remaining loot it suddenly became very bright. Not bright as in sun shining in your eye but bright as in no longer shadowy. The floor stared to cover itself in a layer of snow and the plants froze to death. The portals all disappeared giving view of the entire dome. Judging from the inside it was about 300ft diameter. The people we notehist in the center earlier where gone. Who was still there was a goblin who tried to get out. One command to Senka was enough to snap the bugger in two and have my dagger returned to me.

The exit was still sealed so there had to be a other way out. After all the other creators excited to. So dragging the dead goblin with us we went to the center. There we saw a circle surrounded by six large standing stone slabs. In each stone was a gem like stone and so were there six of them in the circle. As Senka pulled one free for me I appraised it to be around 500 to 1000gp each. Taking a ladder from Senka I waited on top of the large stone while I set him to collect all the other stones. This took him about 20 more minutes. As we waited I half listened to Priest who was telling us about the wolfs he could see. Being on top of a 10ft stone made me allot braver so I didn’t really care. I also didn’t have to much time to care, I had to focus my energy to give Senka enough strength to pull the stone free.
Having finished his job Senka returned to me and put the ladder back onto his back. On the stone we made a nice fire with the wood I brought. I watched as the others cooked the goblin. Filling my time I went to examine the stones more closely when a popping sound from the fire drew my attention. In this brief moment I dropped one of the stones where I was sitting and before I knew it I was in a totally different place.

08-03-2010

While I was a way the party had ran into a band of flaming nymph’s the size of a hand. After that they had encountered a swarm of snowflakes that killed Torch.

16-03-2010

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Shadow quest

Plane of shadow's

The Plane of Shadow is a dimly lit dimension that is both coterminous to and coexistent with the Material Plane. It overlaps the Material Plane much as the Ethereal Plane does, so a planar traveler can use the Plane of Shadow to cover great distances quickly. The Plane of Shadow is also coterminous to other planes. With the right spell, a character can use the Plane of Shadow to visit other realities.

The Plane of Shadow is a world of black and white; color itself has been bleached from the environment. It is otherwise appears similar to the Material Plane.

Despite the lack of light sources, various plants, animals, and humanoids call the Plane of Shadow home.

The Plane of Shadow is magically morphic, and parts continually flow onto other planes. As a result, creating a precise map of the plane is next to impossible, despite the presence of landmarks.

The Plane of Shadow has the following traits.

• Magically morphic. Certain spells modify the base material of the Plane of Shadow. The utility and power of these spells within the Plane of Shadow make them particularly useful for explorers and natives alike.
• Mildly neutral-aligned.
• Enhanced magic. Spells with the shadow descriptor are enhanced on the Plane of Shadow. Such spells are cast as though they were prepared with the Maximize Spell feat, though they don’t require the higher spell slots.

Furthermore, specific spells become more powerful on the Plane of Shadow. Shadow conjuration and shadow evocation spells are 30% as powerful as the conjurations and evocations they mimic (as opposed to 20%). Greater shadow conjuration and greater shadow evocation are 70% as powerful (not 60%), and a shades spell conjures at 90% of the power of the original (not 80%).

• Impeded magic. Spells that use or generate light or fire may fizzle when cast on the Plane of Shadow. A spellcaster attempting a spell with the light or fire descriptor must succeed on a Spellcraft check (DC 20 + the level of the spell). Spells that produce light are less effective in general, because all light sources have their ranges halved on the Plane of Shadow.

Despite the dark nature of the Plane of Shadow, spells that produce, use, or manipulate darkness are unaffected by the plane.

Champions of shadow

Tenebrion

(Intermediate Deity)

God of Shadow, Slavery, Secrets, and Art
Symbol: A field of Shadows with a red eye in the center or a ring made of black, white and green twisted together
Home Plane: Plane of Shadow
Alignment: Unknown
Portfolio: Shadow, Art, Thievery, Magic, Hidden Knowledge
Worshipers: shadow knights, shadow mages, penumbral lords, shadow dancers, thieves, explorers, shadow dragons, shadow fiends
Cleric Alignments: Any
Domains: Shadow, Knowledge, Trickery, Luck, Chaos, Secrets(RR2)
Favored Weapon: Dagger, rapier

The Shadow Tome of Tenebrion
This is a book that is holy to Tenebrion. Five known copies exist. Vulthois, the most infamous of Tenebrion's priests, used this tome as the basis for his Screaming Tome. The tome gives seven holy chants, known as Shadow Cantillates, to perform various ceremonies, and three summoning chants, known as Dhins. A referenced Barrier chant, the Raath-Syth, is not included in the Tome. Vulthais is said to have found part of this Barrier chant and included it within his Screaming Tome, but this is unsubstantiated.

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