Eilistraee's Champions

My very first attempt at a ‘minigame’ within D&D to give my players something to do during their down time between attacks during a siege. No small surprise that some loved it and some hated it.

It was so simple, it seemed a sin to call it a designed system.

Enchanted glass boxes, set up at different ranged like an overgrown carnival game.  Pay one gold, get ten arrows. Ten arrows capable of breathing through the windwall the game’s staff used to ensure that an outside source can’t help the current player cheat. The first box is a fair distance away but within a single range increment.

Each successive box is a full range increment further.  So each successive box gets a little harder, and statistically has a little bigger reward. The last one at a total of just over 10 range increments instead of 9.

Each box has 1 HP, so as long as it’s actually hit it will break.

The first few boxes are going to have some simple coins, then the next few boxes will have randomly generated low price items. The final box will contain a masterwork ranged item of some sort. Typically the weapon of choice for this game, or  a stack of appropriate ammo.

The boxes are lined up so one can only fire at the lowest tiered box. 10 arrows, 10 boxes.  So one can’t fire on box 8 until box 7 is broke. So a single miss and box 10 is technically lost. But if one scores a critical hit, then the arrow can break one box and continue to the next applying any leftover damage onto the second box.

So while Ranger types would have an advantage in this sort of event, even the most bland average commoner with the most base line everything, still has a 50/50 chance of hitting the furthest box.

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Much of the lore of our land is lost. Journals and letters discarded to the winds due to their relevance feeling short lived. However, when trying to understand the past, those that survive provide key details to how life was before Gold Star was formally a spot on the map.

While we surmise that Rumireg is the offspring of the original leader of what became Gold Star, the letters we find mearly mention The Dragon, but not the name of the progenitor.

However, The Dragon is less approachable when ground was being broken. Originally, it was envisioned that the Scar would be used to fund all that would become Gold Star. Thus, those who would convert the treasures found would need a safe place to work, and those who can sell those converted treasures.

However, the distance proved to be problematic and rulers had trouble controlling the miners in the Scar. Concern about what made the Scar, what lurked in its depths, and the sounds that carried from below led to an insurrection. The Dragon, having a casual view of the shortness of life ended the riot in short order, gutting the population. Conservative estimates put the mining population at nearly five thousand at the time. After resolving the riot, The Dragon told those who followed it to resolve the population issue and begin extracting gems once more.

If The Dragon knew what made the Scar in the first place, it did not say, not would it speak to the concerns miners brought up. Ultimately, the followers decided that perhaps having some physical presence to focus their misery at would help the miners overcome the superstition. To date, this has generally worked. There are references to several other miner riots, but the complaints in the record appear to relate to the overseers and not concern over the Scar itself.

With the trouble to the north resolved, and a steady stream of treasures resolved, The Dragon demanded the first temple built. While it would be rebuilt and moved several times, Gold Star remained the central point for worship of Bahamut. The first temple however attracted attention from the south. While The Dragon felt entitled to lay claim to the region, another had already claimed out in the mountains. Both one with scales of burnished copper, and one as black as the night sky. The Dragon was dismissive of the copper colored one, but objected to the dark colored one.

Demanding the humans raise an army while also building the temple and still trying to populate the mines nearly broke the people. They had come seeking to claim land, and earn treasures and thus far only seeing hardship.

The Dragon however would not hear of it, and instead demanded all things on its time table. Most of the population fell in line, making weapons and armor, building seige engines of the era. Traveling by river and sea to find ships they could conscript and enslave to send to the mines or as part of the army.

The records then are missing for a significant portion, and pick up some 50 years later. The town has been flourishing, trade with nearby cities has been formalized, and The Dragon has become less prone to flights of anger. Thus far, no records have been found for this period.

My very first attempt at a ‘minigame’ within D&D to give my players something to do during their downtime between attacks during a siege. No small surprise that some loved it and some hated it.

It was so simple, it seemed a sin to call it a designed system.

Enchanted glass boxes, set up at different ranged like an overgrown carnival game. Pay one gold, get ten arrows. Ten arrows capable of breathing through the windwall the game’s staff used to ensure that an outside source can’t help the current player cheat. The first box is a fair distance away but within a single range increment.
Each successive box is a full range increment further. So each successive box gets a little harder and statistically has a little bigger reward. The last one at a total of just over 10 range increments instead of 9.

Each box has 1 HP, so as long as it’s actually hit it will break. The first few boxes are going to have some simple coins, then the next few boxes will have randomly generated low price items. The final box will contain a masterwork ranged item of some sort. Typically the weapon of choice for this game, or a stack of appropriate ammo.

The boxes are lined up so one can only fire at the lowest tiered box. 10 arrows, 10 boxes. So one can’t fire on box 8 until box 7 is broke. So a single miss and box 10 is technically lost. But if one scores a critical hit, then the arrow can break one box and continue to the next applying any leftover damage onto the second box.

So while Ranger types would have an advantage in this sort of event, even the most bland average commoner with the most base line everything, still has a 50/50 chance of hitting the furthest box.

This is another of the games that were to be part of the harvest festival. PCs and NPCs competing against each other once again. Functionally it was very same as the bake off, but was intended to be shorter and take up less time. Leaving more time for other activities and so on.

Cook off – This functions the same as the Bake off- except that all dishes are expected to be finished in 15 minutes so there is only A Single DC check.

1st place is A book of recipies that provide +1 to the type of cooking skill the player used
2nd place is a set of pots and pans that provide A +1 to the type of cooking the player used
3rd place is a set of utensils that provide a +1 to the type of cooking the player used

Some time ago, I had a game I was going to run that I had named 21 Trees. The campaign was supposed to begin with the party taking part in a festival where some of the players would be coming of age, as part of a harvest festival. During that harvest festival there were going to be lots of little games they could take part in. Carnival and Festival games alike that would allow the party members to get there starting gear items, with plenty of extra flavor.

One of these games was a bake off. It was intended to be played much like a pie baking contest, or so on. Where a PC could employ their choice of a cooking skill to compete again half a dozen, to a dozen NPCs. The rules I had were primitive and simple, but they were as follows.

Bake off – Series of 4 DC checks. DC to succeed and not ruin the baked good is 5. Each additional 5 in the check yields 1 point towards your score. You can raise the DC by 5 points, granting a multiplier to your points gain by 1x. This may stack as many times as you wish. The contest takes an entire hour. Each roll represents 15 minutes of effort.

1st place is A book of recipies that provide +1 to the type of cooking skill the player used
2nd place is a set of pots and pans that provide A +1 to the type of cooking the player used
3rd place is a set of utensils that provide a +1 to the type of cooking the player used

Left over journal entries from one of my old PCs from another game. For sentimental reasons, I don’t want to delete them completely.

23 of Alturiak, 1284; Year of the Dying Stars

Today I begin a new journal. I’ve kept a journal since I was capable of putting meaningful markings on paper but I’ve always started a new one any time a major event has happened in my life that’s big enough to change the direction my live moves.

This morning my chores were interrupted by the arrival of Renjevyssxara. I’ve known the name all my life but I thought of it mostly as being fancy tales. The name Renjevyssxara has been a reoccurring name in the history of my family since before Faerun’s oldest libraries. Since longer than any written records anyone in my family has access to. Is it the same Renjevyssxara? I doubt it. It’s far more likely that it’s a family of individuals that all carry the same name. This must be the hundredth in the family line or something along those lines.

When he arrived at first I refused him. It’s true my family has worked for and with him(Or his family?) for many thousands of years however there is nothing binding me to work for him. I have better things to do than running across Faerun with some old guy. I have classes to teach, I have weekly parties down at the taverns where I can hear and learn from the stories of adventurers and let slip useful information to help them with their adventures. I have libraries to tend I have things to do. But..He’s such A romantic. Bringing a girl ancient lost tomes so suddenly like that. I think I will work for him. As long as he can keep up a steady stream of those lost tomes.

I still have no pact with him but as long as he has books I think I can tough it out. I’ll have to check in on my libraries and classes from time to time. I’ll have to hire some people to fill in for me. But I think this might be fun for a while.

4 of Ches, 1284; Year of the Dying Stars

It has been a Tenday since Renjar’s visit and I have to say I am disappointed. I expected that when he came calling he would have need of my services immediately but he has not returned. After a few days of waiting I began to read the book he left with me figuring maybe the book was a clue or puzzle as to what he wanted of me.

I have to say what I found in this book is both terrifying and exciting. Then again the idea that it excites me terrifies me as well. This isn’t just some historical book or some text from some long dead scribe. Well actually it is, but the scribe that penned this journal speaks of power that is best left to-

This book must be a test. Renjar is testing my loyalty to the world and my loyal to knowledge. That is the only reason he would put a book in front of me that details the constructions of such an artifact. An artifact that could very well bring the destruction of the world. I will finish this book, I still study it all. I will learn every step that exists in this book and once I am certain I know all that this book has to offer then I will decide what to do with what I learned about a Proto-Mythallar.

What was Steel Tower?

Well, it is a location from an RP from a setting where one of my friends revolved much of their stories around. One Avuna Arkenneld was the mistress of the setting. I fell in love with her portrayal of the setting. As such wanted to include it in a Neverwinter Nights module, back when I had a couple friends to help me build such a module. So I got a description of the tower itself from her, and planned to put it in the module. That fell apart.

So I kept the notes and figured I would find a chance to use it in my D&D 3.5e games. But that too has fallen apart. The more D&D I run the more I find myself moving away from the Forgotten Realms setting. I don’t think I will ever get the chance to use these notes, but I do not wish to simply delete them. So like a sentimental fool I am going to post them here. Then they will be out of my way for now. Only to stumble upon them later.

Steel Tower
The Tower Levels and Outbuildings
Eighth Level-Top of the Tower, summoning area/landing area/scrying area (Accessible by a private stairway)
Seventh Level-Lord and Lady’s chamber, VIP Chambers. (Accessible by a private stairway)
Sixth Level-Family chambers (Accessible by a private stairway)
Fifth Level-Seraglio, training rooms, and common area.
Fourth Level-Mage chambers, guest chambers, and common area.
Third Level-Servants’ chambers and common area.
Second Level-Library, reading rooms, classrooms.
Ground Level-Main entrance, main hall, kitchens, dining hall.

Sub Level One-Clothiers, Infirmary, and laundry.
Sub Level Two-Storage area, wine cellar, liquor, ales, and beer pantry, food pantries.
Sub Level Three-Bathing Chamber, Archmage’s summoning room(warded), relic room(warded), Szinimar’s Chamber, private entrance.

Outbuildings
Barracks, seraglio, training grounds, armoury, blacksmith, stables, gardens.
Kalefein Guard Captain, Psionist. Longsword and Shortsword. Bracers of Blinding Strike.
Eldest Battlemage Valinid. Ring for resistance to fire, Ice, Lightning, Sleep and Spell Resistance. Staff infused with Dragon’s Blood. Scimitar.
Sharzaer Second Fightera huge battleaxe, his armour, gauntlets, helm, and boots, are made of dragonscale, and, he is muscular and tall.
Zakneth Youngest Fighter twin spiked maces, armour, boots, gauntlets, and helm, are of dwarven make. He, too, has Driz’ build.
Akorriia Eldest Daugher Archer Healder Ebonwood Longbow, Hunter tip arrows, Chain whip. Healing magic and apothecary skill. Light elven armor.
Lelorina ( To young)
Maya(to young)

A minor artifact created by the one known as Feedil the Creator. 127 of these are known to exist in the world at this time, by a tally kept on a magical chalkboard in Feedil’s old office. While Feedil himself has been gone for millennia, much of his work still remains. This particular type of artifact being amongst the most interesting. Twenty versions of this exist, each citing a specific year of a Wizard’s training on the path to Archmage.

Feedil was the original creator, founder, and educator at the original Wizard’s school in M’Kal. At that time the school lacked a stationary location. Instead, Feedil would transport the entire school and all of it’s students from city to city. Taking them to places where they could ply their trade to find work, to make the money needed to continue their own education. As the school moved about, students would join, students would leave, and students would learn new talents.

Those that completed one full year of training within Feedil’s School would get one of these artifacts. The Artifact was said to contain all of the knowledge a student should attain in their first year.

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When a character is holding this scroll in hand, they gain a circumstance bonus of +1 to Concentration, Craft, Decipher Script, Knowledge, Profession, and Spellcraft checks.

Additionally, the scroll will have a spell on it. The scrolls begin with all wizard cantrips, then all first level wizard spells. These are sorted alphabetically after all since these were mass produced a simple organization method was required.

Only one spell is visible any time on the scroll. Each time that spell is cast, there is a cumulative 10% chance that spell will be spent, allowing the next spell to take it’s place. That is to say the first time you cast the spell there is a 10% chance it will go away, the second time you cast it there is a 20% chance, and the third time is a 30% chance. When the final spell has expired, the scroll will burn up.

All spells on this scroll are deemed to be Caster Level 1, as if being cast from a level 1 character. Special abilities that attempt to modify the behavior of scrolls will be rebuffed by the artifact.

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DMs, if you intend to use a copy of this artifact to give to an NPC or player, let me know so I can update the number remaining.

Sadly the art’s owner did not give us a name for this gal. But you can visit BlackNyappy to find out more about her.

So this is something I have been wanting to do for a long time. Post some art. Not only to expose some new and interesting artists but to expose the players here to some potential new ideas. That being said, feel free to suggest other art or what not. There is one absolute requirement. The source you suggest needs to include who the artist is. Preferably access to an artist page of their’s as well.

Grimalkin the Witch Assassin by Julia Kovalyova

What ideas does this character inspire for you?