Story Notes From Spring 23
The Secrets of the Ashen Forest -
With the team now back together in Ashe, they will be contacted by Vladimir and the Knight of the Dead Rose. This tiny group of adventurers has been working in the Ashen Forest for decades.
The Knight of the Dead Rose is a cursed hero of the second age. His real name was Aramis D'Artagnan the Swift. He was a friend and swordbrother of Encealadus Calwyn. They fought in the Human Elven wars and both of them realized the true threat of the Dark One too late.
Aramis was defeated by Vernabogge and Electra at some point before or during the shatterfall of that era. Concurrently during the shatterfall was when the Dark One was imprisoned. Using the incredible power surge of the weave during that event a group of wizards (the precursor to the Assembly of the Weave) created the seals and banished the Dark One into a dark domain of his own.
To save the life of Aramis a sorceror polymorphed him into something small. A wild magic surge turned the spell into true polymorph and changed him into the miniscule Knight of the Deadrose. This also gave him a measure of immortality but also took away his ability to speak. His sword skills and mind remained the same however, just much diminished in size.
In the last few decades he has taken up residence in the Ashen Forest. Here there are many dangers and many secrets pertaining to the rise of the Dark One. It also holds the phylactery that empowers Vernabogge. Aramis swore that he would destroy Vernabogge and has finally found a way to do it.
The Ashen Forest used to be a forest on the scale of any of those in Oraheim. During the wars of the second age it was burned to the ground strategically. One of the last acts of Encealadus before the shatterfall. It was a way to destroy a large portion of the Elven forces in a slash and burn strategy that destroyed thousands of miles of ancient forest. At the beginning of the Third age over 3000 years ago the area was given the name the Ashen Forest due to it's stark desert like appearance of Ashe and spindly black tree husks. In the last thousand years the forest regrew and became the incredibly lush vegetation that it is now.
During that time the manor of Vernabogges orginal identity, Victor Rasmussen Allesandre, was buried under thousands of years of ash and dirt. It remains there now deep under the Ashen Forest. Inside is a painting of Victor, a thin Tiefling man dressed in resplendent fashion. It is the phylactery that grants Vernabogge his power.
This Week on Liters of Tomorrow -
A celebration in Ashe of the heroes of the Ravine. Perfect timing for the regrouping with Triss, Archos, Bon Vee, and Wes. From there they will be contacted by Vladimir the mouse telling them that they are needed and are still his sworn vassals.
He will take them into the Ashen forest where they will witness the Green Dragon fighting Manticores. They will be met by one of the Kormirra sisters who will demand that Wes join her. When he refuses she will attack them with Moss treants and wolves.
After they will be led to an underground cave system and meet the Knight of the Deadrose and his companions the Order of the Green Rose. Once they camp and prepare they will head into the cave system and eventually find the buried manor. After facing several deadly foes they will find the treasure room of Vernabogge and the painting. The painting will be protected by an evil magical shield and several traps. The only way to release the shield will be a key that Vernabogge possesses in Copenhaus. At the base of the wall that holds the painting will be a pentagonal shape. A stone fits in here, a key that unlocks the shield. Once the painting is destroyed Vernabogge is vulnerable and will lose his great power.
Let's add in Willwug Leafside into the Ashen Forest Story
Kestlerender / Vickander Kent
ASHEN FOREST WAR for the Orb of Lifeseed
The Orb is a powerful artifact, sometimes known as the Elliteria device. Legend has it that it has the power to control all life in the Ashen Forest. Both creatures and plant life. Imagine commanding an army of insects, Tree horrors, or wolves to Marshall against your enemies. Truly the power to take over the world if handled properly. Also it would have the ability to fight the Dark One’s forces of undead if necessary.
The Orb is hidden in the Dark Realm or maybe even in between the two Dimensions. It explains Wes’s importance to all of the forces of the Ashen Forest. He holds the key to easy travel between dimensions. He is the key to finding the Orb.
The Will of Hellenox - +2 Sword Turn Undead Once per day. Action to cast Cure Wounds. 6 charges. Radiant Blast - 1 Charge for 1d8 radiant damage
The Faith of Hellenox - Shield +1 Use a charge to change spell damage to Radiant
Turn Undead Once Per Day
To attune Hellenox will come to the wielder in a dream, pulling the PC into the Dreaming Realm. There her avatar will ask them several questions and peer into their heart judging if they are worthy or not.
Bon Vee and Crashe -
Captain Marvel style body swap based on the gem. The wild magic surge of the teleportation and the trip through the portals has fused the gem with the eye. It now has the ability to swap their bodies position. Crashe is currently trapped in the gem but is able to see out through the eye and hear snippets of conversation. Bon vee can swap places with him with an intelligence check. Once they switch Bon vee can try to force a switch back with an intelligence check or a charisma check depending on the circumstances.
What is Exatron Saul Doing? Probably will try another hit on Finnix. He may join forces with Rega Ragnash
Copenhaus - the team needs the key to Vernabogge's Phylactery. Mausim's family is in danger too. This will be the goals and objectives that they need to complete. They will be trapped in the city due to the spell trap in the foyer of Allesandre Manor. Vernabogge will be aware of their presence {except Wes) and will begin a great hunt througout the city. Bounty hunters and other adventuring teams like the Bryce Dallas Five or San Cisco will join in due to the amount of gold offered. Reminder to create or use resistance groups to help the team. The Lion's wing is a group of Aarokocra mercenaries who are fighting back against Vernabogge. There may be a thieves guild who want Vernabogge gone as well. Set up several battles throughout the city, the team may use zoo animals to fight back or create chaos in the city. Mausim will have friends and family in the city and we should probably reintroduce Trick Redfern as they travel to Copenhaus. Reminder that though Trick was being honest about the smuggling deal he may be guilty of many other crimes in the Eigerlands.
Mausim Dream 05 - Encealadus completes a weapons deal with Lord Vedemire Darkhorse
Archos Dream? Archos took the small bag of stones from the Allesandre Manor, these are imbued with energy from the Dark One. He will start to become corrupted and a small resin like web will form around his left hand. This webbing will give him +1 to strength and begin to give him energy absorption powers. Some of his spells and attacks will siphon off HP from his targets. This will become more and more uncontrollable as time goes on. To the point where if he touches a man at an inn he could absorb someone’s entire life force.
“Archos as you fall asleep you begin to drift through a series of landscapes. First you find yourself floating through a sea of stars, a bright pink and yellow nebula spews gases in the distance. You fall through space brought down by a strange gravity well. Beneath you as you look down is a whirling storm of green clouds. You fall faster into the clouds and your stomach flies up into your throat, you struggle for breath as you move ever faster. A Black Forest rises to meet you at breakneck speed and you begin to panic bracing your self for the impact. Suddenly you hit soft fabric and pillows as you wake in a wide ornate bed filled with high thread count satiny black fabric sheets.
The many circular pillows are soft and comfortable. You still feel the cold sweat on your brow as you struggle to make out your surroundings in the darkness. You eyes adjust quickly as your darkvision begins to break down the room into flat grays. You look up to see the curve of a woman’s hip lying next to you. Moonlight from a nearby window alights upon the curve like a sensual painting.
As you begin to think of where you are and what to do next, the woman turns and a stunningly beautiful Tiefling woman looks at you hungrily. She smiles and leans in for a kiss. In dreamlike fashion you feel the initial charge of being kissed by a beautiful woman but it all turns to a nightmare as she begins to ingest you. Her form changes into a black resin that begins to flow all around you. It engulfs and encases you and as you reach for all of your magic powers to escape you awake in a cold sweat! It was all a dream, you breath deeply and find shallow, ragged breath as you take in your surroundings. Your companions all there where you left them and you catch your breath and calm down. When you look down at your left hand you see a strange webbing. A thin black resin has encased your hand in a web of black strands. Despite a wave of fear in the back of your mind it is quite comfortable and feels strong. You get +1 to strength.
The Red Wulves accuse Bon Vee of the murder of Crashe Spritzer. Archos will get a symbol matching the tarot card reading alerting him to the duplicity of Bon Vee.
Tannelmimic still has Wes's Face and will be committing murders
Charmayne Daedalus is still out there, Her new mercenaries are the Rhino, Junkrat, and Piggsy.
Revetan The Reclaimer
Trick Redfern Will be in whatever city they wind up going to. He will be in trouble again for stealing.
Vertagon Al'Reshi - A brass Dragon of the Vellikis Desert of Ventenheim From
Copenhaus - As they arrive the guards will be much larger than usual due to Vernabogge’s survival of the fittest philosophy. He is very much an analog of Apocalypse, he views everything through terms of strength. As they arrive he will set up a dinner party to greet them. He will tell them everything he is up to and list off Mausim’s crimes against Copenhaus. He will cheerfully explain that they are fugitives and criminals and must not leave the city BUT they are free to move about the city as they please. He has set up a game where bounty hunters and other adventuring teams will hunt them through the city. Survival of the fittest, he applauds their durability and the fact that they have defeated the worm known as Lord Vedemire Darkhorse. He explains that darkhorse was a business associate but he always deplored his weakness and his weak minded machinations and confidence man schemes. He serves the Dark One because of the Dark One’s strength. He explains that there is always a higher power, but one must never stop striving for being stronger and surviving.
Teams hunting the players : Exatron and the Ghora’s Mask San Cisco Bryce Dallas Five, need new characters for this since it’s 30 years later Whistling Bird - A group of Vanara and Tabaxi monks Crimes against Mausim are as follows: Grand theft Aerial, a griffon “True Grit” Instigating an Escape, Felony. The escape of Prisoner 4428 Trick Redfern 27 counts of Assault on duly deputized soldiers of Copenhaus Tax Avoidance to the sum of 458 gold. Treason and Sedition - Joining the underground resistance movement known as Catspaw. Associating with an enemy of the state Unacather Baramus Plot Points in Copenhaus! Vernabogge has created a bomb, a thermonuclear device that he will detonate in the Underdark. He is fomenting a war not just between the five houses and the city states but his grand plan is to start a war with the underdark and the surface world. All to create death and chaos for the Dark One and to create stronger survivors for his survival of the fittest mentality. The Lion’s Wing resistance group is focused on this. There should be a chamber with a massive hole underneath it leading into the Underdark. The bomb construction is taking place on a platform above this hole in the ground. It uses a large amount of shardrock and other accelerants. The Catspaw resistance group led by Mausim’s sister is focused on getting political prisoners out of prison before they are killed in the gladiatorial games. Specifically her father who is being held in high security prison. The team also needs to find the key that unlocks the shield around Vernabogge’s phylactery. That should be hidden in the manor house that he is using as his home base. Archamemnon looking for the Sunderblade Ryan's OneSHot - need hermit character that lives in a swamp infected by demon from Faerealm. My character will be the demon that is feeding off of the swamp itself. Humanoid level 6 a demon that is terrified of the Dark One. Because he is trapped too. If this character dies the curse will be lifted. Just south of the Rootborn river there is a swamp that is being overtaken by the evil of the Dark One.
The Knight of the Dead Rose is a cursed hero of the second age. His real name was Aramis D'Artagnan the Swift. He was a friend and swordbrother of Encealadus Calwyn. They fought in the Human Elven wars and both of them realized the true threat of the Dark One too late.
Aramis was defeated by Vernabogge and Electra at some point before or during the shatterfall of that era. Concurrently during the shatterfall was when the Dark One was imprisoned. Using the incredible power surge of the weave during that event a group of wizards (the precursor to the Assembly of the Weave) created the seals and banished the Dark One into a dark domain of his own.
To save the life of Aramis a sorceror polymorphed him into something small. A wild magic surge turned the spell into true polymorph and changed him into the miniscule Knight of the Deadrose. This also gave him a measure of immortality but also took away his ability to speak. His sword skills and mind remained the same however, just much diminished in size.
In the last few decades he has taken up residence in the Ashen Forest. Here there are many dangers and many secrets pertaining to the rise of the Dark One. It also holds the phylactery that empowers Vernabogge. Aramis swore that he would destroy Vernabogge and has finally found a way to do it.
The Ashen Forest used to be a forest on the scale of any of those in Oraheim. During the wars of the second age it was burned to the ground strategically. One of the last acts of Encealadus before the shatterfall. It was a way to destroy a large portion of the Elven forces in a slash and burn strategy that destroyed thousands of miles of ancient forest. At the beginning of the Third age over 3000 years ago the area was given the name the Ashen Forest due to it's stark desert like appearance of Ashe and spindly black tree husks. In the last thousand years the forest regrew and became the incredibly lush vegetation that it is now.
During that time the manor of Vernabogges orginal identity, Victor Rasmussen Allesandre, was buried under thousands of years of ash and dirt. It remains there now deep under the Ashen Forest. Inside is a painting of Victor, a thin Tiefling man dressed in resplendent fashion. It is the phylactery that grants Vernabogge his power.
This Week on Liters of Tomorrow -
A celebration in Ashe of the heroes of the Ravine. Perfect timing for the regrouping with Triss, Archos, Bon Vee, and Wes. From there they will be contacted by Vladimir the mouse telling them that they are needed and are still his sworn vassals.
He will take them into the Ashen forest where they will witness the Green Dragon fighting Manticores. They will be met by one of the Kormirra sisters who will demand that Wes join her. When he refuses she will attack them with Moss treants and wolves.
After they will be led to an underground cave system and meet the Knight of the Deadrose and his companions the Order of the Green Rose. Once they camp and prepare they will head into the cave system and eventually find the buried manor. After facing several deadly foes they will find the treasure room of Vernabogge and the painting. The painting will be protected by an evil magical shield and several traps. The only way to release the shield will be a key that Vernabogge possesses in Copenhaus. At the base of the wall that holds the painting will be a pentagonal shape. A stone fits in here, a key that unlocks the shield. Once the painting is destroyed Vernabogge is vulnerable and will lose his great power.
- Things to do: need monster stats for undead creatures
- Need a legendary weapon or item / Radiant damage, something to hurt the undead and heal.
- Maybe a sword and shield, or a mace. A
- Finish rooms in the underground manor
- A CREATURE that is unkillable that chases them around the manor. Once someone enters the Dark One's Temple room -
Let's add in Willwug Leafside into the Ashen Forest Story
Kestlerender / Vickander Kent
ASHEN FOREST WAR for the Orb of Lifeseed
The Orb is a powerful artifact, sometimes known as the Elliteria device. Legend has it that it has the power to control all life in the Ashen Forest. Both creatures and plant life. Imagine commanding an army of insects, Tree horrors, or wolves to Marshall against your enemies. Truly the power to take over the world if handled properly. Also it would have the ability to fight the Dark One’s forces of undead if necessary.
The Orb is hidden in the Dark Realm or maybe even in between the two Dimensions. It explains Wes’s importance to all of the forces of the Ashen Forest. He holds the key to easy travel between dimensions. He is the key to finding the Orb.
The Will of Hellenox - +2 Sword Turn Undead Once per day. Action to cast Cure Wounds. 6 charges. Radiant Blast - 1 Charge for 1d8 radiant damage
The Faith of Hellenox - Shield +1 Use a charge to change spell damage to Radiant
Turn Undead Once Per Day
To attune Hellenox will come to the wielder in a dream, pulling the PC into the Dreaming Realm. There her avatar will ask them several questions and peer into their heart judging if they are worthy or not.
Bon Vee and Crashe -
Captain Marvel style body swap based on the gem. The wild magic surge of the teleportation and the trip through the portals has fused the gem with the eye. It now has the ability to swap their bodies position. Crashe is currently trapped in the gem but is able to see out through the eye and hear snippets of conversation. Bon vee can swap places with him with an intelligence check. Once they switch Bon vee can try to force a switch back with an intelligence check or a charisma check depending on the circumstances.
What is Exatron Saul Doing? Probably will try another hit on Finnix. He may join forces with Rega Ragnash
Copenhaus - the team needs the key to Vernabogge's Phylactery. Mausim's family is in danger too. This will be the goals and objectives that they need to complete. They will be trapped in the city due to the spell trap in the foyer of Allesandre Manor. Vernabogge will be aware of their presence {except Wes) and will begin a great hunt througout the city. Bounty hunters and other adventuring teams like the Bryce Dallas Five or San Cisco will join in due to the amount of gold offered. Reminder to create or use resistance groups to help the team. The Lion's wing is a group of Aarokocra mercenaries who are fighting back against Vernabogge. There may be a thieves guild who want Vernabogge gone as well. Set up several battles throughout the city, the team may use zoo animals to fight back or create chaos in the city. Mausim will have friends and family in the city and we should probably reintroduce Trick Redfern as they travel to Copenhaus. Reminder that though Trick was being honest about the smuggling deal he may be guilty of many other crimes in the Eigerlands.
Mausim Dream 05 - Encealadus completes a weapons deal with Lord Vedemire Darkhorse
Archos Dream? Archos took the small bag of stones from the Allesandre Manor, these are imbued with energy from the Dark One. He will start to become corrupted and a small resin like web will form around his left hand. This webbing will give him +1 to strength and begin to give him energy absorption powers. Some of his spells and attacks will siphon off HP from his targets. This will become more and more uncontrollable as time goes on. To the point where if he touches a man at an inn he could absorb someone’s entire life force.
“Archos as you fall asleep you begin to drift through a series of landscapes. First you find yourself floating through a sea of stars, a bright pink and yellow nebula spews gases in the distance. You fall through space brought down by a strange gravity well. Beneath you as you look down is a whirling storm of green clouds. You fall faster into the clouds and your stomach flies up into your throat, you struggle for breath as you move ever faster. A Black Forest rises to meet you at breakneck speed and you begin to panic bracing your self for the impact. Suddenly you hit soft fabric and pillows as you wake in a wide ornate bed filled with high thread count satiny black fabric sheets.
The many circular pillows are soft and comfortable. You still feel the cold sweat on your brow as you struggle to make out your surroundings in the darkness. You eyes adjust quickly as your darkvision begins to break down the room into flat grays. You look up to see the curve of a woman’s hip lying next to you. Moonlight from a nearby window alights upon the curve like a sensual painting.
As you begin to think of where you are and what to do next, the woman turns and a stunningly beautiful Tiefling woman looks at you hungrily. She smiles and leans in for a kiss. In dreamlike fashion you feel the initial charge of being kissed by a beautiful woman but it all turns to a nightmare as she begins to ingest you. Her form changes into a black resin that begins to flow all around you. It engulfs and encases you and as you reach for all of your magic powers to escape you awake in a cold sweat! It was all a dream, you breath deeply and find shallow, ragged breath as you take in your surroundings. Your companions all there where you left them and you catch your breath and calm down. When you look down at your left hand you see a strange webbing. A thin black resin has encased your hand in a web of black strands. Despite a wave of fear in the back of your mind it is quite comfortable and feels strong. You get +1 to strength.
The Red Wulves accuse Bon Vee of the murder of Crashe Spritzer. Archos will get a symbol matching the tarot card reading alerting him to the duplicity of Bon Vee.
Tannelmimic still has Wes's Face and will be committing murders
Charmayne Daedalus is still out there, Her new mercenaries are the Rhino, Junkrat, and Piggsy.
Revetan The Reclaimer
Trick Redfern Will be in whatever city they wind up going to. He will be in trouble again for stealing.
Vertagon Al'Reshi - A brass Dragon of the Vellikis Desert of Ventenheim From
Copenhaus - As they arrive the guards will be much larger than usual due to Vernabogge’s survival of the fittest philosophy. He is very much an analog of Apocalypse, he views everything through terms of strength. As they arrive he will set up a dinner party to greet them. He will tell them everything he is up to and list off Mausim’s crimes against Copenhaus. He will cheerfully explain that they are fugitives and criminals and must not leave the city BUT they are free to move about the city as they please. He has set up a game where bounty hunters and other adventuring teams will hunt them through the city. Survival of the fittest, he applauds their durability and the fact that they have defeated the worm known as Lord Vedemire Darkhorse. He explains that darkhorse was a business associate but he always deplored his weakness and his weak minded machinations and confidence man schemes. He serves the Dark One because of the Dark One’s strength. He explains that there is always a higher power, but one must never stop striving for being stronger and surviving.
Teams hunting the players : Exatron and the Ghora’s Mask San Cisco Bryce Dallas Five, need new characters for this since it’s 30 years later Whistling Bird - A group of Vanara and Tabaxi monks Crimes against Mausim are as follows: Grand theft Aerial, a griffon “True Grit” Instigating an Escape, Felony. The escape of Prisoner 4428 Trick Redfern 27 counts of Assault on duly deputized soldiers of Copenhaus Tax Avoidance to the sum of 458 gold. Treason and Sedition - Joining the underground resistance movement known as Catspaw. Associating with an enemy of the state Unacather Baramus Plot Points in Copenhaus! Vernabogge has created a bomb, a thermonuclear device that he will detonate in the Underdark. He is fomenting a war not just between the five houses and the city states but his grand plan is to start a war with the underdark and the surface world. All to create death and chaos for the Dark One and to create stronger survivors for his survival of the fittest mentality. The Lion’s Wing resistance group is focused on this. There should be a chamber with a massive hole underneath it leading into the Underdark. The bomb construction is taking place on a platform above this hole in the ground. It uses a large amount of shardrock and other accelerants. The Catspaw resistance group led by Mausim’s sister is focused on getting political prisoners out of prison before they are killed in the gladiatorial games. Specifically her father who is being held in high security prison. The team also needs to find the key that unlocks the shield around Vernabogge’s phylactery. That should be hidden in the manor house that he is using as his home base. Archamemnon looking for the Sunderblade Ryan's OneSHot - need hermit character that lives in a swamp infected by demon from Faerealm. My character will be the demon that is feeding off of the swamp itself. Humanoid level 6 a demon that is terrified of the Dark One. Because he is trapped too. If this character dies the curse will be lifted. Just south of the Rootborn river there is a swamp that is being overtaken by the evil of the Dark One.
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