Difference between revisions of "Dark Sun - Sun and Stars Campaign"
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::''...Before Marda could explain further, a pair of Balican templars stepped onto the quay, leaving an escort of six half-giants behind at the ratany hedge. The sailors fell immediately silent, each man fixing his eyes on his work.'' | ::''...Before Marda could explain further, a pair of Balican templars stepped onto the quay, leaving an escort of six half-giants behind at the ratany hedge. The sailors fell immediately silent, each man fixing his eyes on his work.'' | ||
::''When the templars reached the group, one of them pointed at Agis. "You, How long have you been in Balic?" She was a hard-eyed woman with sour, harsh looking features.'' | ::''When the templars reached the group, one of them pointed at Agis. "You, How long have you been in Balic?" She was a hard-eyed woman with sour, harsh looking features.'' | ||
| − | -''The Obsidian Oracle'' | + | ::::-''The Obsidian Oracle'' |
During the thousand year reign of King Androponis (which is another way of saying he had reigned for as far back as anyone could remember), it was his Order of Templars who effectively ran the normal operations of local and state government. To hold almost any official office, one had to be a templar. Holding a near monopoly on public office, through these offices the templars held a near dictatorial sway over the city and its citizens, freedmen, slaves, and even the nobility | During the thousand year reign of King Androponis (which is another way of saying he had reigned for as far back as anyone could remember), it was his Order of Templars who effectively ran the normal operations of local and state government. To hold almost any official office, one had to be a templar. Holding a near monopoly on public office, through these offices the templars held a near dictatorial sway over the city and its citizens, freedmen, slaves, and even the nobility | ||
Revision as of 19:33, 27 March 2016
Contents
Player Characters
Current Party
Artan, 7th level/8th level dwarf fighter/psychoportationist
Tomak, son of Cassander, 5th level mul gladiator
Liktar Cozen, 5th level NG human ranger
(Nystrom, 3rd/3rd level fighter/psychokineticist)
Former Party Members
Zlo, 5th level halfling thief, mindwiped
Krors Ra Drugan, dwarf fighter/psychokineticist/thief, KIA
Korax of Balic, 3rd level human myrmidon slave-soldier, out of play
Braxius, 4th level noble human psionicist, out of play
Current Motives of the PCs
Major Arc Goals
Artan
-Return to the Astral plane and defeat the Lich of Tarona (Zhor/Focus)
-Rescue and somehow restore Ktandeo to life (Zhor/Focus)
-Help Ktandeo accomplish his goal (Zhor/Focus)
-Uncover the secret of the shadow soul and either harness its potential, or banish it
-Become the greatest warrior/practitioner of the Way that Athas has ever known
-Secure logging rights and procure wood for ship building enterprise
-Find a way to return Kasom to his home
Liktar
-Decide what class to Dual Class into
-Track down the defiler he confronted, but who escaped
Tomak
-Become a powerful political figure in Balic (and possibly beyond?)
-Develop a reputation as a gladiator to rival that of his hero, Rikus of Tyr
Minor/Roleplaying Goals
Artan
-Find adventurers who are willing and able to assist with restoring Ktandeo
-Learn from Tomak as much about the City State of Balic as possible (Completed)
-Ask Tomak about a possible merchant/trade connection to one of the major Houses in order to sell off some treasure and acquire liquid funds (Completed)
-Visit the Cerebran and find a psionicist to tutor him in the Way
-Convince, intimidate or kill those who speak out against Cassander leading up to his trial
-Establish a power base in the City of Balic
-Find a suitable home in Balic (Completed)
-Become a Balican citizen
-Start a private, legitimate enterprise with Tomak as a front or silent partner (circumstance dependent)
-Make contact with Zhor
-Speak with Elianda about possibly hiring her on as a household associate
-Find a safehouse in which to store valuable possessions
-Investigate possible investment with the owner of the Gilded Sail for exotic wines
Liktar
-Hire out on silt schooners in order to pass the time/be away from the throng of Balic.
Tomak
-Free his father from captivity and restore him to his previous position of power
-Hire a mul boy as a servant
-Make a deal with House Wavir to secure the release of his father
-Deal with Cassander's fanatical followers from the docks
Equipment and Ownership of Player Characters
Campaign Lore
Balican Lore
Templars of Balic
Introduction
- ...Before Marda could explain further, a pair of Balican templars stepped onto the quay, leaving an escort of six half-giants behind at the ratany hedge. The sailors fell immediately silent, each man fixing his eyes on his work.
- When the templars reached the group, one of them pointed at Agis. "You, How long have you been in Balic?" She was a hard-eyed woman with sour, harsh looking features.
- -The Obsidian Oracle
During the thousand year reign of King Androponis (which is another way of saying he had reigned for as far back as anyone could remember), it was his Order of Templars who effectively ran the normal operations of local and state government. To hold almost any official office, one had to be a templar. Holding a near monopoly on public office, through these offices the templars held a near dictatorial sway over the city and its citizens, freedmen, slaves, and even the nobility
In legend, the templars were the loyal knights of Androponis' army when he seized the city in the remote past. Even with the recent fall of the templars from power, there are modern templar families that claim descent from these ancient knights. Although the templarate often passes from parent to child, it is not required that a parent have been a templar, as many templars undergo Initiation.
Generally
Campaign Chronology
Mercantile Monthly Calendar of House Wavir of Balic
Dominary – 30 days
Sedulous – 30 days
Fortuary – 30 days
Macro – 30 days
Dessalia – 5 days
Fifthover – 30 days
Hexameron – 30 days
Morrow – 30 days
Octavus – 30 days
Assalia – 5 days
Thaumast – 30 days
Anabasis – 30 days
Hoard – 30 days
Flagstaad – 30 days
Zenalia – 5 days
Campaign Events
Free Year 19, the 44th Year of the 190th King's Age, the Year of Guthay's Contemplation
12 Octavus, FY 19: Zhor, after ensconcing the dwarf in Xyestes' citadel, takes Artan into the Gray and to the bounds of the Astral Plane.
19 Octavus, FY 19: Tomak son of Cassander, in combination with the gladiator Akina, Goran the tarek, the thri-kreen Kreethak, and other allies, seizes the Silencer of Bodach, which is coveted by the Templars of Balic, elven rogues, and others. Tomak takes the Silencer and encasing it in a box, and deposits it in the Silt Sea for his father to salvage.
21 Octavus, FY 19: In an attempt to salvage the Silence of Bodach, the White Sail is destroyed by the magic and army of the Seven Angry Tembos, and the Silencer is taken by their mul fire cleric into the interior of the Balican peninsula.
22 Octavus, FY 19: : House Rees fleet of six schooners including the state flag ship the Omedon lands at Nithaea, with Tomak the son of Cassander accompanying them as a subaltern for House Rolt; evening of the 22nd, Zlo the halfling, an agent of Cassander, conspires to poison the House Rees admiral Mnaster, but fails.
23 Octavus, FY 19: The poisoning plot against admiral Mnaster is publicly exposed, with Cassander's son Tomak in attendance.
25 Octavus, FY 19: After several days of gather support from the local nobles from former House Tomblador aligned estates, the House Rees army under Prince Polydamus meets with another House Rees army under Master General Vandor at the port town of Abynon at the southwest corner of the peninsula, doubling the size of his force.
28 Octavus, FY 19: After several days of maneuvering and gathering further noble support, the House Rees army cornered the small but successful army of the Seven Angry Tembos, who had been marauding with the Silencer for a week now, devastating noble and freemen farms and estates. The confident House Rees army sealed off the valley that held the House Basilsaurius lands which the Angry Tembos then occupied, and forwarded its troops against the marauders who had taken the Silencer. Marching with House Rolt under the Rees banner, Tomak would have been in this engagement. Unfortunately for House Rees, once again the marauders, who called their small army the Seven Tembos, were underestimated. Their leader summoned a squadron of fire elementals at the mouth of the canyon, and sent the elementals after the Rees army. The farms, orchards and fields caught on fire, and there was great loss of life. The House Rees army broke up in terror, and when the smoke cleared, Tomak was but another footsoldier trying to get back to the city.
30 Octavus, FY 19: Charxes smashes the remaining army of the Seven Angry Tembos. After trevails, Tomak reaches Omedon's Rock late that night, and finds refuge with a client of his father, another ship captain named Galien. Tomak hopes to meet with his former thri-kreen mentor A'ket'k, the warrior-psionicist and silt cleric.
1 Assalia, FY 19: Tomak meets with the thri-kreen on mountain cliffs to worship the silt. Liktar stays with Eurolis that night. Eurolis had overheard that the thri-kreen intended for Tomak to poison waters in order to spoil the conviction of his father, and tries to convince Tomak not to do such a thing.
- Liktar Cozen and companions achieve the Citadel, wherein Artan is housed, and gain access to Artan's person.
2 Assalia, FY 19: The Balican militia under Praxian and the Free Army quartermaster force under Vykant reach the Citadel
-The local civic elections throughout the city-state are held.
2 Assalia, FY 19: Liktar Cozen discovers the bard/defiler Promethides at a play being held that night before the citadel. Tricked by his magic, Liktar fights briefly with Praxian, who is revealed as a preserver mage. Using his skill with the Way, Liktar finds access to the secret parts of the Citadel and fights Promethides with the help of the bard/preserver Rarnus. Rarnus is felled, but Liktar badly wounds the defiler before he escapes. Promethides appears to have been attempting to seize might magical stone texts in the secret chamber, which Liktar soon destroys.
-Artan's body awakens, possessed by the Pilgrim. He walks out into the night silt storm. Artan's Shadow manifests and destroys the garrison at the Citadel.
-the elections throughout the city-state continue, moving to the tribal level.
3 Assalia, FY 19: Liktar tracks Artan across the peninsula and the House Enkesson valley. Artan returns to his body, and encounters a powerful defiler. Tomak's friendly Eurolis is killed by the defiler, and soon after Liktar sees the defiler and challenges him. A fight ensues in which Artan, Tomak and Liktar partake. The defiler summons a powerful dwarven banshee, but the defiler is nonetheless killed. The banshee seizes an enormous diamond from the defiler's robe, and soon after de-materializes. The elf Sentinel of House Wavir Nystrom is driven mad by the banshee, and starts attacking Artan. The party meets the halfling Oloko. The party moves to the House Enkesson estate proper, and there meets with Naramus, commander of the Sentinels. Naramus is suspicious of Artan for supposedly being involved with destroying his garrison, but is supportive of the other heroes. Artan gifts each of his twin swords, taken from the Elven chief and his brother, to Liktar and Tomak respectively.
4 Assalia, FY 19:
5 Assalia, FY 19: The party meets with Xal Gren briefly. Nothing much is accomplished, but he is made aware of their presence in Balic. The party, such as it is, arrives in the City State of Balic. They stay at the estate of Tomak's family.
1 Thaumast, FY 19:
-Amphthero, president of the hetaireia of the Red Kylix, and his wife Laethona and some of their young cousins, visit Tomak at his home. They meet Artan, and offer their sympathies regarding the incarceration of Cassander. Amphthero makes comments that shortly after the arrest of his father, there were at least two popular discussions of Cassander's case before the Ekklesia, the People's Assembly. At one such session of the Ekklesia, a man named Empretho of the tribe of Theles whipped up the Assembly against Cassander, making them outraged that an arrogant metic such as Cassander would dare try to poison not just a citizen of the city, but an admiral during the exercise of his office. Amphthero and Laethona also mention that Branthos, one of the Forty (a circuit judge or deme justice), came with Archers of Coryxth (armed servants of the state), looking for Tomak roughly a week prior, not long before the elections, and shortly after the arrest of Cassander by House Rees.
-Artan makes contact with the man Thylix at the Gilded Sail, and gives him a gold piece with the aim of initiating the sale of valuable items via the Balican underworld . Later, the woman Solia appears at the Gilded Sail, and offers that Artan meet her just before midnight by the statue of Ancleon the Half Giant. Artan eventually meets with Solia, and is led to a building where he encounters Solia with some of her associates. Artan offers to Solia a magical rapier from Sengroza, the Teniente of the Secret Police of the astral city of Tarona, in the hopes that she can initiate the sale of the weapon, perhaps through the agency of an individual named the Trittiarch.
-Tomak meets with the sun cleric Mnenides, the president of his fraternity, the powerful Potters and Artisans of Arxestayn. Mnenides offers his support to Tomak, and they speak of Cassander. Mnenides also speak of the deme justice Branthos, and Tomak responds by requesting that Mnenides facilitate a meeting between Tomak and Branthos.
-Branthos the deme justice meets with Tomak at the Gilded Sail. At length, Branthos tentatively decides not to have Tomak arrested for accused complicity with Cassander in an attempt to poison the admiral Mnaster. Branthos states that he intends to clarify the matter with the House of Rees.
2 Thaumast, FY 19:
-Artan meets with Solia, and gains a date with her to the symposium to be held on 3 Thaumast at the townhouse of the "Basileus", a former templar named Morion Gythes.
-Tomak encounters his father's long-standing First Mate, the veteran half-elf sailor Andronica, who claims she is organizing a group of sailors loyal to Cassander in an attempt to free the dwarf from his House Rees captors on the 7th or 8th of Thaumast. She says that she has the support of several captains and an unnamed admiral, and mentions that a meeting between some of the conspirators, intent on freeing Cassander, is to be held at the Wyvern Sail Tavern, the center for the Wyvern Sail dwarven clan (friends of Cassander), which was the traditional gathering place for Cassander and some of his crewmates. After a concern for security voiced by Tomak, Andronica proposed the Silver Reed Inn, a handsomer establishment on the other side of the street of the Wyvern Sail, although she offered this location absentmindedly.
-responding to an incident at a taverna in the Arxestayn called the Owl's Watch, Tomak and Artan arrive to find a draconic monster that is tearing apart the establishment. Demanding the appearance of a man named Praxion, who apparently had recently left the city and sail with his crew to support the Free Army, the baffled citizens of the Arxestayn were struggling to subdue the beast. Artan used the Way to calm it, eventually influencing the mysterious creature to collapse. Artan and a tavern keeper named Elianda began to transport the beast to the Veteran.
-having left the city and passing ruins on the way to the Cerebran, Artan's shadow began to lengthen and absorb his intellect. Fearing the manifestation of his shadow-self, Artan gave instructions and support to Elianda and the monster Kasom to continue their way to the Cerebran, where it is hoped Kasom might find peace and hope.
3 Thaumast, FY 19: STATE OF PLAY for Artan and Tomak
10 Thaumast, FY 19: Cassander is to be tried for conspiracy to commit murder at the Oraculum by the dikasts.
