We are getting very close to a finished product here folks!
#9 Valient Vieno
Meet Vieno, a farmer trained by a traveling musician, afflicted by a fatal illness. He heard tell of the White Book of the Gently Healing Hand, which could save his life, so he set out to find it. Unfortunately, he was not able to get decent rations or find any Allies to join him.
Leaving the city, he passed the royal tombs where a swarm of diseased rats surrounded him. Vieno played his flute to charm the rats [parley], and they agreed to join him [recruit]! He then cross the temple grave yard and encountered a gray ghoul. The rats helped him converse with the dead man [parley], who revealed a secret that would help on his quest [bonus].
Vieno took a small ferry boat across a river and encountered a mindless fungus zombie, which he defeated easily with his axe [combat]. Then he harvested some healing herbs [plunder]. Soon after he had to cross a fragile rope bridge guarded by a tall muscular soldier. Vieno tried to sneak by the soldier with the help of his rats [avoid], but the rats tumbled into the ravine and Vieno was wounded. He then took a night to rest and recover.
Alone, Vieno found the bronze gates of the dark tower, guarded by a trained leopard. He played his flute and charmed the leopard [parley], who let him pass and told him a secret that would help him on his quest [bonus]. In the dungeon cells of the dark tower, Vieno stumbled upon a giant vulture‘s nest. The vulture was easily swayed to join Vieno’s cause [parley], hoping for its freedom from the cruel master of the tower [recruit].
Just moments later, Vieno bumped into the bewitched silver princess armed with a dream dagger. He tried to speak to her [parley], but the evil enchantment on her was too powerful, and a deadly battle began [combat]. With the vulture’s help, Vieno used the secret whispered by the leopard to defeat the princess [bonus]. And with the enchantment broken, she agreed to help Vieno as well [recruit]!
Finally, Vieno and the princess and the vulture confronted the master of the tower, a hovering psychic squid! The battle was swift and vicious [combat], and Vieno took a few wounds. But with his powerful allies he made short work of the Villain and found the White Book. Vieno and the princess flew back to the city on the vulture, where he found the book was genuine and used its magic to cure his fatal illness. Huzzah!
Notes: No notes. This was fun and smooth.
#10 Cursed Angel
Meet Angel, a merchant trained by a priest. At the tavern she learned of the Steel Rat of Trap Sniffing and Tripping. Might useful for someone dealing with a gambling debt! She tried to leave the tavern, but a drunk punched her in the face [combat]. She slipped into the shadows and rigged a snare [regroup], which caught the drunk. And then the drunk agreed to join her [recruit]! She also found a Lawful ring in a crack in the floor [plunder]. Then she hired a guide and they set out.
At the old dam, they ran into an escaped prisoner. Once again, Angel convinced the foe to join her party [recruit]. Then they spent the night in a yurt camp of pilgrims, but a galvanic drake attacked the camp with blasts of lightning! Somehow, with the aid of her friends, Angel persuaded the drake to leave the camp in peace [parley]. Perhaps she convinced the monster that they were all sickly and no good to eat?
The party (Angel, the guide, the drunk, and the prisoner) arrived at the living flesh drawbridge above a chasm of bloody spears, which led to the dark tower. A shadow elemental guarded the crossing, but Angel persuaded the creature to stand aside and let them pass [parley].
In the echoing halls of the tower, Angel found an ensorcelled knight. She used her Lawful ring to free the knight of the spell, and he whispered to her a secret about the master of the tower before he fled for his life [parley]. High in the turrets of the tower, Angel met the black widow maiden, whom she convinced to join her party, though this scared away the hired guide [parley].
Back down in the halls, they woke the Beast that slumbered in the pit. A huge white wolf burst through the floor and proceeded to hunt them by running on the walls! Angel tried to sneak past it, but the Beast sniffed her out [avoid]. They fought the wolf to death’s door, and the Beast agreed to serve Angel [recruit]! And she pulled a Chaos ring from the wolf’s fang [plunder]!
Finally they found the master of the dark tower, an undying saint armed with a soul-stealing sword! A terrific battle broke out [combat]. The party slashed away at the saint, but one by one it cut them down. First the escaped prisoner fell, then the white wolf, and finally the black widow maiden. Angel used her secret knowledge and her Chaos ring, and finally dealt the killing blow. Victory!
Utterly alone, Angel returned to the city, only to find her treasured steel rat was a cursed trinket that doomed her to lose every time she played at dice. Cruel fate!
Notes: I think we’ve got a winner here, folks. Time to work on some artwork!
Question for you… how is this game sounding now? Interested? Anything bothering you, off the top of your head?
