3/25/2018 0 Comments How to Train a Griffonby Liana (Teri W.)TLDR: The griffons are trained in basic commands to approach us when we’re on the grounds, to lay down so we can mount them, to patrol overhead so they are able to be called back to the rider, kill what we point at, rise up to fly and to land. They are also comfortable with the trainer’s touch and to accept weight on their backs. Since this is in the form of a letter we can share the verbal commands and hand signals in another post. Dear Mama and Papa, I know I haven’t written in a while. So much has been going on that I’ve barely had time to sit. First, I found my animal companion. His name is Cinder and he’s a beautiful and big black panther. We sort of found each other and now we travel together. I hope this puts your minds at ease somewhat. Second, today my companions and I traveled to a place called Griffon’s Roost. If you remember, my very first mission was there to secure it as a point of light and a place of refuge for the Firbolgs for the war that was coming. Since then the war with the hags was waged and won. Only recently did a group of brave heroes win back Black River Island, which had been lost prior to the start of the war. So, today my companions and I went back to Griffon’s Roost with the intention of establishing a relationship with the griffons who nest there and to tame them so we can use them in the future. With me was Ayten, Jerwyn, Scaro and Kellen. When we arrived, the griffon’s eggs had hatched and there were now three fledglings. They are cute for predatory creatures. We met Rock Swiftwater who has been working on the roofing, Opal, a Tortle who likes strange things, Rolf Brightshovel a Dwarven Miner and Sister Helena Radkey of Torn who is using her holy cleric skills to cleanse the taint from the grotto below so it can become a place to worship her deity, Torm. She is nice but very focused and we didn’t really get a chance to talk with her. We approached the griffons and Ayten began to speak with them. We learned that there are more griffons in the north, which sounds promising. They also told us they were uncomfortable with so many people being in the roost with all the construction and the noise that comes with that activity. We also learned they stay on the western ridge because the eastern ridge, we assume, is the home of a dragon. We spent seven days getting the griffons comfortable with people. We decided Ayten would be the trainer since he already had an established relationship with them, and Jerwyn and I would be the handlers. We sent a Merchant Agent, a female wood elf names Irien Eledir, to Sanctus to have some saddles made but with research on how to make one for a griffon and to actually have them made they won’t be ready and delivered to Griffon’s Roost until later in the Spring. We only ordered two saddles made as the fledglings are still too young to be ridden, they have to be at least two years old and they won’t reach that point until next spring, in April. We spent three weeks with the griffons teaching them some basic commands and we used a special language to ensure they can’t be taken by just anyone. We call this the Language of the Riders, which will be shared with other friendly adventurers. I won’t put it in this letter in fear it could fall into the wrong hands but it will be shared individually as people are trained to ride. The commands were taught to all the griffons so when the fledglings mature they’ll already know what we’re asking them to do. We also spent this time getting the griffons used to being touched by the handlers and carrying weight. We then took them out to hunt and practice what they’d been taught. We were attacked by four shambling blights, which took us by surprise. We chose to fight them on our own and not use the griffons to ensure they weren’t killed and so they watched as we did battle. I’m not sure what they made of that! We fought hard and utilized a good strategy. Ayten and Jerwyn kept the terrain under control and Kellen did battle up close. He fell once but Ayten was able to get him back on his feet. He fought bravely and took the brunt of the blights attacks. Ayten took on his large snake shape and was able to deal damage and grapple the monstrous creatures. Jerwyn also fell but I came to his aid and also got him back into the battle. Scaro fought hard using his monk skills but came close to dying and so took up his bow and dealt good damage from a distance. Everyone worked together so well and we were victorious. After the battle, Scaro wanted to know more about the blights as Ayten believed these had been creatures summoned and under the control of the hags. Therefore, Ayten moved the earth aside and we saw a mass of roots that were still moving and had started to burrow back into the soil. So Kellen used his sword to cut the roots to pieces and they stopped moving. I think these blights are well and truly dead now but are there others out there still? Scaro took a sample to test and see if he can learn anything about them that could tell us more. We made it safely back to Griffon’s Roost and are heartened with the work we accomplished. I’ll be staying at Griffon’s Roost for a little while just to be sure all is well. I think we’ll eventually need to go north in search of the other griffons and perhaps persuade them to work with us. I miss you both very much but know that I’m safe and happy. I’ll write again soon. I promise. Liana
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by ayten gilrin (Vera d.)TL;DR: A new party led by Koltalon return to the caves underneath the Tainted Falls (through the tunnel excavated by the last party - DO NOT GO THROUGH THE FALLS AND DOWN THE 100 FT TUBE INTO THE ROPER'S LAIR). They investigate a drow dungeon of the Underdark and do not find live drow (only dead ones), They discover a trio of cyclops who don't like the drow, a gang of trolls and ogres, plus two undead beholders defending their lair. The party cleared most of it but a team needs to investigate the tube going 100 ft up from the lair, and a door at the end of the first corridor. Recommend: Giant fluency, climbing/thieves tools Dear Eilis, I know you went off to the northwestern spire to pursue rumors of undead in a drow temple; I decided to accompany the Shield warrior, Koltalon, my friend, Morgrimm, the Jinn, and Chat, the gnomish rogue, in clearing the caves under Tainted Falls. We saw the elven house that crashed from the surface, plus the undead beholder that Roscoe, Bennie, Merelda, and Koltalon had previously killed. What we encountered underneath was even worse - two undead beholders protecting their lair, trolls, ogres, a vampire, and three cyclops. We slayed the trolls and harvested their parts; I plan to make a wand of healing with The Jinn's help, while Koltalon took their blood, the Jinn their hearts and livers. The cyclops we encountered had a torch and would turn to stone when it was lit. As it extinguished, he became fleshy and he would relight it. We watched him do this over three hours. We had thought pretending to be drow would endear us to the cyclops (named Arlak) but he tried to kill us instead. He said "wrong elf" when he saw Koltalon and it appears he was driven to exterminate drow. We disabled him and locked him back in the room with two other cyclops. Chat is quite sneaky and helped us avoid most traps in this drow stronghold. The Jinn's fireballs proved helpful in hurting a lot of the monsters we encountered and we worked well as a team. The undead beholders were behind a door with a spider handle. They were both slow and we fortunately outran their rays of death and disintegration. Since we had spent about three nights clearing most of this place out, we decided to recuperate back at Fort Providence and return at a later date. Your brother, Ayten by Michael D.
by Quest (Jason M)TL;DR: Killed mind-flayer, intellect devourer, drow warrior; rescused Kathra; drow mage escaped. More drow and ilithid in city below; basilisks around. See Amaranth's Recap | See Kathra's Recap
As told to Remith... I went down there with the intention of rescuing my friends; too bad I was ineffectual in battle. Hopefully my account of the events will be of some use to you. We reunited with the group deep below, where they had recovered from their initial fight. They all sported glowing weapons, so clearly some things had gone right. What went bad was Kathra being dragged away by a mind flayer. !!! Yes, I know. Just… let me finish. We headed deeper to find our missing friend. There were three tunnels that became one leading to an underground chamber with duergar statues. Not carved, frozen in stone. Basilisks, someone said. We continued deeper to a room bisected by a raging river. A brittle bridge spanned the rapids. I never even made it across… I digress. There were three figures, four if you count poor Kathra, two drow and an ilithid; they’re working together. One a warrior with runic armor and another a sorcerer who disappeared almost immediately. More on him later. The ilithid stood at the far end of the cavern in front of Kathra who was chained to the wall. 3/13/2018 0 Comments Golden Apple Returned - Far reachby (Steve b.)TL;DR – The Golden Apple Returned, Kathra Kidnapped. Kathra rescued. Drow/Ilithid City found.
The others retrieved the Golden Apple from the Scarlet Abbey and the ghost of Queen Fesnora while I checkout out my new char. I spent maybe a little too long in it, Quest took a letter to Queen Fesnoras grave and burned it, and it seems I missed something else. The chair though, is quite comfortable. Finally, when I roused myself out of the chair, I found my sword belt fit a little tigher. I’m going to have to limit time in the chair… We were to return the Golden Apple to Delabotta, the dryad. While preparing, we were introduced to a couple of new comers from Sanctus, Talafor a Tiefling magic user of somekind and Norman, a gnome I think. Somehow these two newcomers discovered that the huge fountain in Cavaliers Watch is enchanted with the water having magical benefits. As we were being introduced to the newcomers, we were caught by a man named Negleis, a curator at the library here in Cavalier’s Watch. He says a book has been stolen, with the thief moving to the rooftops and running away. Having climbed the roof Negleis claims to have seen the thief upon, I could find no trace of movement or activity. Negleis does state he thought the book was taken to a specific house, which I will investigate soon. Off we went to the Dryad Delabotta. She wasn’t happy to see us, or to hear about the death of queens Fesnora, she’d hopped to torture the lady. Delabotta seems unhinged, in a bad bad way. But she let us access the alter as she said, and down we went. The steps lead into a pretty typical tomb area, with a large table and a drape of fabric over the top. Fortune favors the bold, and I stepped up and pulled off the drape, revealing a number of weapons, a battle axe, a longsword, a staff and a Warhammer. After a quick prayer, Kathra lifts the Warhammer, which begins to glow softly. I retrieve the longsword, Dildon grabbed the staff, I’m not sure who grabbed the battle axe. There were two armed reliefs on the wall with weapons pointed toward the table, but after Kathra’s prayer, they stood down. I feel like Kathra keeps us out of some trouble with her holy ways. |
AuthorThe journal entries here are provided by the active player characters participating in the Detroit Marches. Archives
July 2018
CategoriesAll Abaza Amaranth Aredhel Lethe Astrid Gilrin Atuji Of Clan Greatscale Audra Ayten Gilrin Basil Benedict Greenfield Black River Swamp Blackscale Brea Daergle Brynn Bryn Naikaho Cavalier's Watch Chat Clan Shimmerscale Crimson Surgeon Cylowboborow Nonsoon Demogorgon Diamondshard Banwyze DILONDORG KAAL Doros Doross Dorros Dredge Dufdor Dwain Eilis Eilis Gilrin Eladrinne Escobar Fagan Far Reach Fort Providence Gator Rock Genji The Wererat Glin Ybendawien Droat Golden Apple Great Cataclysm Griffin's Roost Grildor Trueforge Haldor Kemleigh Ham Hamilton Hekili Nalani HEYKITD GETOFF MELAYN Icegate Jerimiah Jerwin Jinn Kanyu Il Senya Kathra Kegrove Kellen McCall Kenku Kiera Lyssandria Kohaku Ruim Koltalon Kresh Krolan Kunyata Kar Leatherhead Liam Buckham Liana Lindir Lizardfolk Longtail Lucretzia Borgia Makani Pahili Malmir Merelda Meznen Midden Heap Mindartis Morgrimm Naill Amakir Namfoodle Nehi Xum Nehi-Xum New Cadeni Njord Noric Synphase Noxochiyotl Obelisks Of The Bayou Omgar Onen Peter The Wolf Phoncledeh Player Character Journal Entry Polar Bear Polg Pollen Quinzli Rabbits Ralthor Rawq Elrid Rhogar Roscoe Greenfeld Rotten Morgan Bonecrusher Rube Lastname Ruins Salazar Sang Woo Ser Mathius Shaena Tosscobble Silent Mockingbird Som Sorrel Summerport Syndar Beratos Tabaxi Tainted Falls Teddy Bear Tharrus The Fist Theobold Peacekeeper Thur’a’ugh Tormund Firehammer Tortles Treewalker Truss Stacianodel Udoroth UDOROTH THAMMILIDAAR Umberlee Underdark Valaquaraptors Vandil Varron Greensleeves Vengir Duskhallow Verloren Yuan Ti Zorak Dreadmast |