Winds of Vesperia
Epic battles! The near-deaths of millions! Treason and trickery! It's all in a day's work for Our Heroes of Vesperia (tm).
[Signs that it'll be an unusual game.]
Kyn the GM: "Today you don't need to worry about dying."
Julei: "I think that's the first time you've ever said that."
[We do some investigations into Incose as a force to be dealt with. They don't go well.]
Kyn the GM: "The Mage Corps sent through one of their most powerful members, surrounded by the most powerful spells they could muster. The thing is, when your opponent thinks at the speed of a god, it only takes a split-second for him to do near-unspeakable things. I say 'near-unspeakable' because your men spoke of it. At length."
[On the up-side, Incose hasn't started tossing horrifying planar creatures at us just because he thinks it would be funny.]
Kyn the GM: "His rifts are only for travel. Or to steal moons. Whichever."
[Not everyone looks forward the achievement of our mission with unbridled happiness.]
Mika: "Once the fleet comes through, we're back to being rank-and-file."
Amber: "Some will be rank-and-file. I intend to make archmage from this."
[We have sent reports through the rift to the rest of the fleet. Some of us focus on different matters than others.]
Admiral Vash: "After seeing your extensive reports on leaves... branches... grass..."
Kyn the GM: "You know it's a pre-recorded magical hologram, but somehow he manages to stare directly at Tam."
[Selene is holding court. For certain definitions of 'court.']
Kyn the GM: "With leaf pixies, it's intense. The debate has been raging for..."
Pat: "Seconds."
Tony: "Minutes!"
[Tam visits Selene at court.]
Tam: "How are you?"
Lady Selene: "Good! Getting ready for autumn. I know we haven't had one in... ever..."
[Amber checks on the status of Incose as we make plans to bring the fleet through his rifts.]
Kyn the GM: "Incose is waiting, stalking, ready to pounce."
Pat: "He suspects, doesn't he?"
Kyn the GM: "No, it's a butterfly."
[Incose watches Amber set up the beacons for the fleet.]
Incose: "Ah! Incose likes parties! Is this the day Incose ravishes you?"
Amber: "No, but this is the day that Incose gets great battle."
[Amber tells Incose that they will be bringing 'many' people through the rift.]
Incose: "Incose wishes to know: how many is 'many'? This many?" *holds up hand with 5 fingers*
Amber: "More than that."
Incose: "This many?" *holds up second hand*
Amber: "More than that."
Incose: "This many?" *third hand appears*
Amber: "You'll need... many more hands."
Incose: "Incose can do that."
[Incose enjoys simple pleasures.]
Incose: "Excellent! Incose will eat, and battle, and fuck! Though Incose should really fuck before he eats."
Amber: "Incose should battle first."
[Long story short: the plan works. The human fleet sends a dreadnaught to distract Incose while four frigates, two destroyers, and another dreadnaught pass through the massive rift Incose has made. Meanwhile, Incose has torn the first dreadnaught into barely more than scrap metal. Nessa manages to convince Amber to teleport aboard the bridge and rescue as many people as possible.]
Kyn the GM: "Roll Will and Fort saves."
Julie and Tony: *succeed on their rolls*
Kyn the GM: "You have entered Incose's divine presence. Your minds are not warped. You do not enter a berzerker rage. Woo-hoo."
[We manage to teleport everyone but the captain off the first dreadnaught. Amber and Nessa have been able to tell that the dreadnaught has been building up power for... something.]
Lieutenant: "You're right -- Incose is far, far, far too dangerous."
Amber: "I don't think you can do what you're planning on doing."
[The dreadnaught encases Incose and his entire grove in a field of pure magic crystals, freezing them all. Almost immediately, the mages who have come through with the fleet begin to prepare for a massive ritual, being led by the Necromancer Archmage.]
Julie: "You think you've seen Amber condescending? You ain't seen nothing yet."
[The mages start conducting a hugely powerful ritual, commandeering all ships for their purposes.]
Captain Jason Keeneye: (concerned) "Lieutenant?!"
Nessa: "The Mage Corps have orders... apparently..."
[Note that the ritual being conducted is intended to destroy the elven mithal surrounding Incose, but will also have the side-effect of killing all creatures connected to it, which in this case might be millions of people. Amber and Mika have sabotaged the ritual so it won't work, hopefully in a way that makes it look like an accident instead of deliberate tampering.]
Julie: (to Kyn the GM) "I allow you creative license in how Mika and I did what we're doing, but we did do what we're doing."
[As the necromantic energy reaches its peak, the mages channel it downward towards the mithal... where it sputters and fizzles out.]
Tam: "...Well, that was anti-climactic."
[We reflect on what might have happened if the ritual had worked.]
Julie: "This had the potential to kill millions of innocent people."
Tony: "Millions of innocent people and a few who deserved death."
[Amber is summoned by the Necromancer Archmage.]
Tony: "Everyone's promoted! I'm captain, Amber's colonel..."
Julie: "Not for long. I'm totally being demoted for this."
[Due to some remarkable dice rolling, the Necromancer Archmage doesn't figure out what Amber has done. Thankfully, Amber's got the Transmuter Archmage, her boss, on her side.]
Transmuter Archmage: "Colonel!"
Amber: "Yes, Archmagus?"
Transmuter Archmage: "Did you do your utmost to succeed in your goal?
Amber: "Yes, Archmagus."
Transmuter Archmage: "Well, I'm convinced."
[There's apparently some in-fighting within the upper echelons of the Mage Corps.]
Transmuter Archmage: (to Necromancer Archmage) "You should probably report to Admiral Vash and explain to him what happened. You did promise him stunning results."
Nessa: "They were visually stunning."
Transmuter Archmage: *stares daggers at her*
[Lady Selene has realized the type of magic being used in the ritual, and also how strong it was.]
Lady Selene: "You tried to use death magic."
Tam: "Some in our ranks tried."
Lady Selene: "It looks like all your ranks."
[Selene tries to convince Tam how important it is that something like this does not happen again.]
Tam: "I will. I'll do something. Right now! And I know exactly who to talk to."
Kyn the GM: (as Tam) "Nessa!"
[Just when things appear to be calming down...]
Kyn the GM: "Alarms start blaring."
Amber: "Come on, Mika. They may need us now that we're drained of all our spells."
Mika: "I could throw spitballs!"
[It turns out the alarms are caused by the arrive of Jass's new ship, the Savage Storm. It pulls up directly alongside ours.]
Ray: "He's either going to board you, or he's waiting for us to offer him some wine."
[Jass comes aboard our ship, which you might recall we captured from the githyanki.]
Jass: "Where'd you get this? I've been trying to steal one of these for 200 years."
[Kyn the GM gives us our first impression of Jass.]
Kyn the GM: "You've seen elves. You've never seen this elf."
[Most of us are smitten by Jass, none more so than our navigator, Barbara Astralwind.]
Jass: "I'm sure my navigator would be pleased to speak with you."
Barbara Astralwind: "Is he as pretty as you?"
Jass: *scoffs* "No."
[Ray takes Jass on a tour of our ship.]
Ray: "This is a door, son."
Jass: "Even after 200 years, you're still my mom."
[Jass brings the PCs aboard his ship.]
Crew Member: "Are we supposed to be nice or scary, Captain?"
Jass: "Uh... a little of both?"
Crew: (halfheartedly shouting) "Arrgg--uh?"
[One of Jass' crew members is a catfolk.]
Tam: "Oh! It's like the catfolk village we were at."
Jass: "Which one? Abyssinia?"
Tam: "Yeah, with the geyser!"
Jass: "Is that where you came in?"
Tam: "Uh... look at that shiny thing!"
[Admiral Vash parleys with Jass. It is revealed that while Jass used to be a Falan admiral, he is now a pirate.]
Admiral Vash: "Frankly, I would have preferred speaking to an admiral than to a pirate."
Jass: "I could pretend to be an admiral. I do it well."
[The parley continues.]
Admiral Vash: "You seem to be an honorable man."
Jass: "Honor among thieves, Admiral."
Admiral Vash: "We are not thieves."
Jass: "We are."
[Admiral Vash raises a pertinent question.]
Admiral Vash: "Will having you with us incur the anger of the Falan queen?"
Jass: "I think everything I do now angers her."
[While Jass and the Admiral are talking, Jass gets a magical sending from Sela, in Phalaborwa.]
Sela: "Our outriders have spotted a fleet."
Jass: "Do they look like giant rocks?"
[The admiral returns to his flagship. Amber expresses interest in how Jass' ship flies. Jass offers to give a demonstration.]
Crew Member: "I know that look. That look says we're gonna impress the hairy people."
Jass: "We've already impressed the hairy people. Now we're gonna really impress them."
Crew Member: "Oh, damn, there's a woman involved! Everyone strap in!"
[Jass gives a masterful show of flying that involves lots of acrobatic manoeuvres, even for his crew.]
Jass: "Do you not have faith in me?"
Crew Member: "I have faith we won't crash. I don't have faith my stomach will stay where it should."
[In the wake of the demonstration.]
Captain Jason Keeneye: "That was beautiful. You're beautiful."
Jass: "Thank you. You're handsome yourself."
[Amber was also impressed my the demonstration.]
Crew Member: "Captain, should I be preparing your sheets?"
Jass: "They're always prepared."
[Sadly, no one thought to tell Mika in the ship's library that Jass was gonna be giving this demonstration.]
Mika: "You're insane!"
Jass: "A bit."
[Mika and Amber discuss their experience flying.]
Mika: "The sheets didn't even move."
Amber: "The library was in his bedroom?"
Mika: "As far as I can tell, everything is in his bedroom."
[Afterwards, there's a meeting of the high officers to figure out the next stage of our campaign. Tam makes an impassioned plea for peace. The Necromancer Archmage tries to cut him off.]
Tam: "Let me say my piece, and then you may say your piece."
Admiral Vash: (to Necromancer Archmage) "He at least succeeded in his mission."
Julie: "Oh, burn!"
[Lady Selene enters the meeting.]
Kyn the GM: "The illusionist's eyes go wide, like 'That's a fey!'"
[In the end, it is agreed that we will try the path of peace. Not everyone is pleased about this.]
Kyn the GM: "The Necromancer's staring daggers at Tam."
Pat: "Spectral daggers."
At that's it for this time! Join us in two weeks as we fly to De Aar with our new ships, our new crew, and our shiny new 15th levels! Yay!
[Signs that it'll be an unusual game.]
Kyn the GM: "Today you don't need to worry about dying."
Julei: "I think that's the first time you've ever said that."
[We do some investigations into Incose as a force to be dealt with. They don't go well.]
Kyn the GM: "The Mage Corps sent through one of their most powerful members, surrounded by the most powerful spells they could muster. The thing is, when your opponent thinks at the speed of a god, it only takes a split-second for him to do near-unspeakable things. I say 'near-unspeakable' because your men spoke of it. At length."
[On the up-side, Incose hasn't started tossing horrifying planar creatures at us just because he thinks it would be funny.]
Kyn the GM: "His rifts are only for travel. Or to steal moons. Whichever."
[Not everyone looks forward the achievement of our mission with unbridled happiness.]
Mika: "Once the fleet comes through, we're back to being rank-and-file."
Amber: "Some will be rank-and-file. I intend to make archmage from this."
[We have sent reports through the rift to the rest of the fleet. Some of us focus on different matters than others.]
Admiral Vash: "After seeing your extensive reports on leaves... branches... grass..."
Kyn the GM: "You know it's a pre-recorded magical hologram, but somehow he manages to stare directly at Tam."
[Selene is holding court. For certain definitions of 'court.']
Kyn the GM: "With leaf pixies, it's intense. The debate has been raging for..."
Pat: "Seconds."
Tony: "Minutes!"
[Tam visits Selene at court.]
Tam: "How are you?"
Lady Selene: "Good! Getting ready for autumn. I know we haven't had one in... ever..."
[Amber checks on the status of Incose as we make plans to bring the fleet through his rifts.]
Kyn the GM: "Incose is waiting, stalking, ready to pounce."
Pat: "He suspects, doesn't he?"
Kyn the GM: "No, it's a butterfly."
[Incose watches Amber set up the beacons for the fleet.]
Incose: "Ah! Incose likes parties! Is this the day Incose ravishes you?"
Amber: "No, but this is the day that Incose gets great battle."
[Amber tells Incose that they will be bringing 'many' people through the rift.]
Incose: "Incose wishes to know: how many is 'many'? This many?" *holds up hand with 5 fingers*
Amber: "More than that."
Incose: "This many?" *holds up second hand*
Amber: "More than that."
Incose: "This many?" *third hand appears*
Amber: "You'll need... many more hands."
Incose: "Incose can do that."
[Incose enjoys simple pleasures.]
Incose: "Excellent! Incose will eat, and battle, and fuck! Though Incose should really fuck before he eats."
Amber: "Incose should battle first."
[Long story short: the plan works. The human fleet sends a dreadnaught to distract Incose while four frigates, two destroyers, and another dreadnaught pass through the massive rift Incose has made. Meanwhile, Incose has torn the first dreadnaught into barely more than scrap metal. Nessa manages to convince Amber to teleport aboard the bridge and rescue as many people as possible.]
Kyn the GM: "Roll Will and Fort saves."
Julie and Tony: *succeed on their rolls*
Kyn the GM: "You have entered Incose's divine presence. Your minds are not warped. You do not enter a berzerker rage. Woo-hoo."
[We manage to teleport everyone but the captain off the first dreadnaught. Amber and Nessa have been able to tell that the dreadnaught has been building up power for... something.]
Lieutenant: "You're right -- Incose is far, far, far too dangerous."
Amber: "I don't think you can do what you're planning on doing."
[The dreadnaught encases Incose and his entire grove in a field of pure magic crystals, freezing them all. Almost immediately, the mages who have come through with the fleet begin to prepare for a massive ritual, being led by the Necromancer Archmage.]
Julie: "You think you've seen Amber condescending? You ain't seen nothing yet."
[The mages start conducting a hugely powerful ritual, commandeering all ships for their purposes.]
Captain Jason Keeneye: (concerned) "Lieutenant?!"
Nessa: "The Mage Corps have orders... apparently..."
[Note that the ritual being conducted is intended to destroy the elven mithal surrounding Incose, but will also have the side-effect of killing all creatures connected to it, which in this case might be millions of people. Amber and Mika have sabotaged the ritual so it won't work, hopefully in a way that makes it look like an accident instead of deliberate tampering.]
Julie: (to Kyn the GM) "I allow you creative license in how Mika and I did what we're doing, but we did do what we're doing."
[As the necromantic energy reaches its peak, the mages channel it downward towards the mithal... where it sputters and fizzles out.]
Tam: "...Well, that was anti-climactic."
[We reflect on what might have happened if the ritual had worked.]
Julie: "This had the potential to kill millions of innocent people."
Tony: "Millions of innocent people and a few who deserved death."
[Amber is summoned by the Necromancer Archmage.]
Tony: "Everyone's promoted! I'm captain, Amber's colonel..."
Julie: "Not for long. I'm totally being demoted for this."
[Due to some remarkable dice rolling, the Necromancer Archmage doesn't figure out what Amber has done. Thankfully, Amber's got the Transmuter Archmage, her boss, on her side.]
Transmuter Archmage: "Colonel!"
Amber: "Yes, Archmagus?"
Transmuter Archmage: "Did you do your utmost to succeed in your goal?
Amber: "Yes, Archmagus."
Transmuter Archmage: "Well, I'm convinced."
[There's apparently some in-fighting within the upper echelons of the Mage Corps.]
Transmuter Archmage: (to Necromancer Archmage) "You should probably report to Admiral Vash and explain to him what happened. You did promise him stunning results."
Nessa: "They were visually stunning."
Transmuter Archmage: *stares daggers at her*
[Lady Selene has realized the type of magic being used in the ritual, and also how strong it was.]
Lady Selene: "You tried to use death magic."
Tam: "Some in our ranks tried."
Lady Selene: "It looks like all your ranks."
[Selene tries to convince Tam how important it is that something like this does not happen again.]
Tam: "I will. I'll do something. Right now! And I know exactly who to talk to."
Kyn the GM: (as Tam) "Nessa!"
[Just when things appear to be calming down...]
Kyn the GM: "Alarms start blaring."
Amber: "Come on, Mika. They may need us now that we're drained of all our spells."
Mika: "I could throw spitballs!"
[It turns out the alarms are caused by the arrive of Jass's new ship, the Savage Storm. It pulls up directly alongside ours.]
Ray: "He's either going to board you, or he's waiting for us to offer him some wine."
[Jass comes aboard our ship, which you might recall we captured from the githyanki.]
Jass: "Where'd you get this? I've been trying to steal one of these for 200 years."
[Kyn the GM gives us our first impression of Jass.]
Kyn the GM: "You've seen elves. You've never seen this elf."
[Most of us are smitten by Jass, none more so than our navigator, Barbara Astralwind.]
Jass: "I'm sure my navigator would be pleased to speak with you."
Barbara Astralwind: "Is he as pretty as you?"
Jass: *scoffs* "No."
[Ray takes Jass on a tour of our ship.]
Ray: "This is a door, son."
Jass: "Even after 200 years, you're still my mom."
[Jass brings the PCs aboard his ship.]
Crew Member: "Are we supposed to be nice or scary, Captain?"
Jass: "Uh... a little of both?"
Crew: (halfheartedly shouting) "Arrgg--uh?"
[One of Jass' crew members is a catfolk.]
Tam: "Oh! It's like the catfolk village we were at."
Jass: "Which one? Abyssinia?"
Tam: "Yeah, with the geyser!"
Jass: "Is that where you came in?"
Tam: "Uh... look at that shiny thing!"
[Admiral Vash parleys with Jass. It is revealed that while Jass used to be a Falan admiral, he is now a pirate.]
Admiral Vash: "Frankly, I would have preferred speaking to an admiral than to a pirate."
Jass: "I could pretend to be an admiral. I do it well."
[The parley continues.]
Admiral Vash: "You seem to be an honorable man."
Jass: "Honor among thieves, Admiral."
Admiral Vash: "We are not thieves."
Jass: "We are."
[Admiral Vash raises a pertinent question.]
Admiral Vash: "Will having you with us incur the anger of the Falan queen?"
Jass: "I think everything I do now angers her."
[While Jass and the Admiral are talking, Jass gets a magical sending from Sela, in Phalaborwa.]
Sela: "Our outriders have spotted a fleet."
Jass: "Do they look like giant rocks?"
[The admiral returns to his flagship. Amber expresses interest in how Jass' ship flies. Jass offers to give a demonstration.]
Crew Member: "I know that look. That look says we're gonna impress the hairy people."
Jass: "We've already impressed the hairy people. Now we're gonna really impress them."
Crew Member: "Oh, damn, there's a woman involved! Everyone strap in!"
[Jass gives a masterful show of flying that involves lots of acrobatic manoeuvres, even for his crew.]
Jass: "Do you not have faith in me?"
Crew Member: "I have faith we won't crash. I don't have faith my stomach will stay where it should."
[In the wake of the demonstration.]
Captain Jason Keeneye: "That was beautiful. You're beautiful."
Jass: "Thank you. You're handsome yourself."
[Amber was also impressed my the demonstration.]
Crew Member: "Captain, should I be preparing your sheets?"
Jass: "They're always prepared."
[Sadly, no one thought to tell Mika in the ship's library that Jass was gonna be giving this demonstration.]
Mika: "You're insane!"
Jass: "A bit."
[Mika and Amber discuss their experience flying.]
Mika: "The sheets didn't even move."
Amber: "The library was in his bedroom?"
Mika: "As far as I can tell, everything is in his bedroom."
[Afterwards, there's a meeting of the high officers to figure out the next stage of our campaign. Tam makes an impassioned plea for peace. The Necromancer Archmage tries to cut him off.]
Tam: "Let me say my piece, and then you may say your piece."
Admiral Vash: (to Necromancer Archmage) "He at least succeeded in his mission."
Julie: "Oh, burn!"
[Lady Selene enters the meeting.]
Kyn the GM: "The illusionist's eyes go wide, like 'That's a fey!'"
[In the end, it is agreed that we will try the path of peace. Not everyone is pleased about this.]
Kyn the GM: "The Necromancer's staring daggers at Tam."
Pat: "Spectral daggers."
At that's it for this time! Join us in two weeks as we fly to De Aar with our new ships, our new crew, and our shiny new 15th levels! Yay!