The Drow War Book Two. The Dying Of - RoseRed

The Drow War Book Two. The Dying Of - RoseRed The Drow War Book Two. The Dying Of - RoseRed

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this way. This amount can be split among many jumps, but each one, no matter how small, counts as a ten-foot increment. Defensive Roll (Ex): Once per day, when Brexel would be reduced to zero hit points or less by damage in combat (from a weapon or other blow, not from a spell or special ability), he can attempt to roll with the damage. He makes a Reflex saving throw (DC = damage dealt) and if successful takes only half damage from the blow. He must be aware of the attack and able to react to it in order to execute his defensive roll. If he is in a situation that would deny him any Dexterity bonus to Armour Class, he cannot attempt a defensive roll. Possessions: +2 dagger, +1 rapier, +4 studded leather armour, 10 crossbow bolts, masterwork heavy crossbow. Brexel’s Shadow: CR 3, Medium undead (incorporeal); HD 5d12; hp 32; Init +2; Spd fly 40 ft. (good); AC 14, touch 14, flat-footed 12; Base Atk +2; Grp —; Atk +4 melee (1d6 Str, incorporeal touch); Full Atk +4 melee (1d6 Str, incorporeal touch); SA strength damage; SQ darkvision 60 ft., immunity to turning, incorporeal traits, undead traits; AL LE; SV Fort +1, Ref +3, Will +5; Str —, Dex 14, Con — , Int 6, Wis 12, Cha 14. Skills and Feats: Hide +8*, Listen +9, Search +4, Spot +9; Alertness, Dodge. *The shadow gains a +4 racial bonus on Hide checks in areas of shadowy illumination. In brightly lit areas, it takes a –4 penalty on Hide checks. Strength Damage (Su): The shadow’s touch deals 1d6 points of Strength damage to a living foe. A creature reduced to Strength 0 by the shadow dies. This is a negative energy effect. Create Spawn (Su): Any humanoid reduced to Strength 0 by the shadow becomes a shadow under the control of its killer within 1d4 rounds. The shadow has a +2 racial bonus on Listen and Spot checks and a +4 racial bonus on Search checks. Plot Event: The Lines Are Drawn This event is the crux of the entire campaign. Here, the nations of Ashfar decide whose side they will be on in the coming drow war. Some support Jehannum, others sympathise with the drow and still others attempt to remain neutral. Archimandrus (and any other allies) will urge the Player Characters to find a way to attend the summit meeting, even if they have to use magic or stealth to get in. The sooner they know how the nations have chosen, the better; if there is any hint of private dealing, intimidation or even magical manipulation, the Conclave needs to know about it. Even if the Player Characters do not attend, they will find out the results of the meeting soon enough. Those who are present at the meeting can observe the delegates as, one by one, they summarise their positions regarding the crisis in Jehannum. Once the meeting is over, they can attempt to speak to the delegates. Brexel, Fangthane Barbiculus and Warwolf Val Hakk immediately decamp to Barbiculus’ ship, grinning like conspirators. They refuse to talk to the Player Characters. Information: What the Player Characters Need to Achieve During this section, the Player Characters should form a clear idea of what they have to do in the course of the coming adventures. Their objectives fall into two broad categories. Form an Alliance Against the Drow: As an ongoing task, the Player Characters have to help assemble a force large enough to retake Jehannum from the drow. To do this, they must negotiate with the representatives of the various countries. This is essential and will not happen unless the Player Characters make it happen. Unless there is mass military opposition to the drow, they will continue to occupy Jehannum and exploit the human populace. It is important that the Player Characters know what this will require. One of their allies, such as Tammas Brandobast, can spell it out to them if they are unsure: To have a fair chance of recapturing the city of Crom Calamar, without which there is no hope of retaking the rest of Jehannum, they will need approximately 100,000 troops – twice the number of drow warriors estimated to be in the city. To even stand a chance of victory, they will need at least 50,000; any attempt made with fewer than that is doomed to failure from the start. This is a loose estimate which does not take ‘weapons of mass destruction’ such as Scallandriax the black dragon into account. Some other means of dealing with that creature must be found. To begin with, the Player Characters can procure offers of 25,000 troops from the Topaz Dominions, 10,000 Ibon Presno Gonzalez (order #73006) 8 111

112 from Svarth and 10,000 from Caldraza (if the country in question is on the Player Characters’ side). The Games Master should only include this objective if the Player Characters are likely to enjoy the experience. If the Player Characters really have no taste for a campaign involving intrigue, politics and diplomacy as well as adventuring, they can leave the military side of things up to Archimandrus and their other allies. Investigate Possible Tactical Strikes: The drow only hold Crom Calamar because they were able to plunge the city into darkness and call upon an ancient dragon. If the odds are to be improved, the Player Characters must find out as much as they can about what the drow have been up to and what they plan for the future. Nimian Archimandrus and his conclave are their best source of guidance here. Archimandrus is happy to carry out research and send the Player Characters on quests to gain new information or to strike at the drow. See the section below on the Conclave. Event: Playing Politics After the tempestuous meeting in the Halls of Concord, it is clear that there are three sides: those in support of the drow, those against them and those who are neutral. Visk, Kandang and the drow themselves form an axis of powers; they immediately begin to make plans and bind themselves to a formal alliance. The anti-drow countries, by contrast, are not even allied. They all oppose the drow for their own reasons: Chillhame on principle, the Topaz Dominions through religious conviction and Svarth through loyalty to the humans of Jehannum. Caldraza may also be on this side, depending on how Book One played out. Unless there is a common rallying point, there is no chance of concerted action and victory will go to the drow. The Coalition: The Player Characters’ first task is to arrange an alliance. This means persuading the delegates of the anti-drow countries to meet and sign a treaty with one another. The Games Master should not make this an easy task. The dwarves of Svarth are suspicious of the sun-loving humans of the Topaz Dominions, while Chillhame and Caldraza have never been on good terms. Plenty of Diplomacy checks should be called for. The Games Master should bear in mind that the Player Characters, though heroes, do not have any political authority. Any one of the delegates can shout them down on the grounds that they are mere citizens with no right to represent anyone. If this becomes a problem, Lady Arigane steps down as Chillhame’s representative and gives the office to one of the Player Characters. Being spokesman for a small island is not much of an office but it does at least guarantee a seat in the Halls of Concord. If there are bored combatants in the group while all the politics is going on, the Shadow Troupe can always mount an attack! Successfully forming a coalition should net a story award equivalent to overcoming a CR 15 challenge, as it is such a critical objective. Bringing In New Countries: This is an ongoing task, not one that will be resolved in one session. As the war unfolds, the political map is likely to change and both the coalition and the axis will gain new allies. In order to bring a new ally onto their side, the Player Characters must of course meet with the country’s delegate and discuss terms but there are also hidden conditions that must be met. The list below explains what each country needs before it will even consider joining the coalition. The Player Characters must meet these conditions themselves and cannot look to the other countries to do so. For example, if a financial incentive is specified, they must provide the money out of their own pockets instead of asking a friendly country to come up with it. Every new ally that the Player Characters bring on board should grant them a story award equivalent to overcoming a CR 14 challenge. The game effects of these alliances are narrative rather than mechanical. They determine how likely the Player Characters’ assault on Crom Calamar is to succeed. Kahoor: The ruling Kahoori are chauvinists par excellence, totally convinced of their own superiority – a trait they inherited from the elves back when that race ran the country. The Player Characters must offer them tribute if they intend to open negotiations. Without a gift of at least 500,000 gold pieces in coin or items, the Kahoori will not spare them the time of day. King Parhav XXXI sees no obvious profit in helping the humans of Jehannum, who seem to him to be warlike. He does, however, want to expand his empire. The legions of Kahoor are willing to participate in an attack on Jehannum to drive out the drow, so long as they can retain one-fifth of Jehannum as a dependency of Kahoor once it is reconquered, along with the city of Dun Brondel. Naturally, the Player Characters cannot speak for the people of Jehannum but they can guarantee that Ibon Presno Gonzalez (order #73006) 8

this way. This amount can be split among many jumps,<br />

but each one, no matter how small, counts as a ten-foot<br />

increment.<br />

Defensive Roll (Ex): Once per day, when Brexel would<br />

be reduced to zero hit points or less by damage in<br />

combat (from a weapon or other blow, not from a spell or<br />

special ability), he can attempt to roll with the damage.<br />

He makes a Reflex saving throw (DC = damage dealt)<br />

and if successful takes only half damage from the blow.<br />

He must be aware of the attack and able to react to it in<br />

order to execute his defensive roll. If he is in a situation<br />

that would deny him any Dexterity bonus to Armour<br />

Class, he cannot attempt a defensive roll.<br />

Possessions: +2 dagger, +1 rapier, +4 studded<br />

leather armour, 10 crossbow bolts, masterwork heavy<br />

crossbow.<br />

Brexel’s Shadow: CR 3, Medium undead (incorporeal);<br />

HD 5d12; hp 32; Init +2; Spd fly 40 ft. (good); AC 14,<br />

touch 14, flat-footed 12; Base Atk +2; Grp —; Atk +4<br />

melee (1d6 Str, incorporeal touch); Full Atk +4 melee<br />

(1d6 Str, incorporeal touch); SA strength damage; SQ<br />

darkvision 60 ft., immunity to turning, incorporeal<br />

traits, undead traits; AL LE; SV Fort +1, Ref +3, Will<br />

+5; Str —, Dex 14, Con — , Int 6, Wis 12, Cha 14.<br />

Skills and Feats: Hide +8*, Listen +9, Search +4, Spot<br />

+9; Alertness, Dodge.<br />

*<strong>The</strong> shadow gains a +4 racial bonus on Hide checks in<br />

areas of shadowy illumination. In brightly lit areas, it<br />

takes a –4 penalty on Hide checks.<br />

Strength Damage (Su): <strong>The</strong> shadow’s touch deals 1d6<br />

points of Strength damage to a living foe. A creature<br />

reduced to Strength 0 by the shadow dies. This is a<br />

negative energy effect.<br />

Create Spawn (Su): Any humanoid reduced to Strength<br />

0 by the shadow becomes a shadow under the control of<br />

its killer within 1d4 rounds.<br />

<strong>The</strong> shadow has a +2 racial bonus on Listen and Spot<br />

checks and a +4 racial bonus on Search checks.<br />

Plot Event: <strong>The</strong> Lines Are Drawn<br />

This event is the crux of the entire campaign. Here,<br />

the nations of Ashfar decide whose side they will be<br />

on in the coming drow war. Some support Jehannum,<br />

others sympathise with the drow and still others attempt<br />

to remain neutral.<br />

Archimandrus (and any other allies) will urge the Player<br />

Characters to find a way to attend the summit meeting,<br />

even if they have to use magic or stealth to get in. <strong>The</strong><br />

sooner they know how the nations have chosen, the<br />

better; if there is any hint of private dealing, intimidation<br />

or even magical manipulation, the Conclave needs to<br />

know about it. Even if the Player Characters do not<br />

attend, they will find out the results of the meeting soon<br />

enough.<br />

Those who are present at the meeting can observe the<br />

delegates as, one by one, they summarise their positions<br />

regarding the crisis in Jehannum. Once the meeting<br />

is over, they can attempt to speak to the delegates.<br />

Brexel, Fangthane Barbiculus and <strong>War</strong>wolf Val Hakk<br />

immediately decamp to Barbiculus’ ship, grinning<br />

like conspirators. <strong>The</strong>y refuse to talk to the Player<br />

Characters.<br />

Information: What the Player Characters<br />

Need to Achieve<br />

During this section, the Player Characters should form<br />

a clear idea of what they have to do in the course of the<br />

coming adventures. <strong>The</strong>ir objectives fall into two broad<br />

categories.<br />

Form an Alliance Against the <strong>Drow</strong>: As an ongoing<br />

task, the Player Characters have to help assemble a<br />

force large enough to retake Jehannum from the drow.<br />

To do this, they must negotiate with the representatives<br />

of the various countries. This is essential and will not<br />

happen unless the Player Characters make it happen.<br />

Unless there is mass military opposition to the drow,<br />

they will continue to occupy Jehannum and exploit the<br />

human populace.<br />

It is important that the Player Characters know what<br />

this will require. One of their allies, such as Tammas<br />

Brandobast, can spell it out to them if they are unsure:<br />

To have a fair chance of recapturing the city of Crom<br />

Calamar, without which there is no hope of retaking the<br />

rest of Jehannum, they will need approximately 100,000<br />

troops – twice the number of drow warriors estimated<br />

to be in the city. To even stand a chance of victory,<br />

they will need at least 50,000; any attempt made with<br />

fewer than that is doomed to failure from the start. This<br />

is a loose estimate which does not take ‘weapons of<br />

mass destruction’ such as Scallandriax the black dragon<br />

into account. Some other means of dealing with that<br />

creature must be found.<br />

To begin with, the Player Characters can procure offers<br />

of 25,000 troops from the Topaz Dominions, 10,000<br />

Ibon Presno Gonzalez (order #73006) 8<br />

111

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