Charles Plemons' Blog

Game summary for August 12, 2010; present characters included Ayoli (human rage cleric), Kanaka Kohola (darfellan storm druid), Laka Pokukeliki (human fighter/rage cleric), Palu (human ranger), Puinsai (cecaelia warder), and Vollintine (human berserker).

After licking their wounds from the tyrannosaurus attack, the team continued seeking Chiron’s lair. Before long, they encountered a patrol consisting of four ophidians, an awakened dire viper, and a snakeman huntsman. Kanaka wisely slowed the bulk of the attackers with an entangle spell. Some of the ophidians made it through, and they made good use of their shark-toothed warpaddles, scoring deep wounds and breaking teeth off in the wounds. The huntsman used wall of thorns to split the party, but the Keiki Manuahis were not overly hampered. Vollintine arrived on scene and slashed away with his great maca, taking the head from one of the ophidians. He also assisted Laka in slaying the viper after the priest dropped a comet on it with his magic. Bolstered by the divine magic of Ayoli, Laka, and Kanaka, the patrol was quickly cut down with easily recovered injuries on the part of the heroes.

Soon, Palu and Carmine returned from their scouting mission and led the group deep into the jungle. After a short hike, the Spear of Auku began glowing in Kanaka’s hands once again, signifying the approach of more ophidians. The casters unleashed enhancing magic while vipers, ophidians, huntsmen, and a shaman closed in. The huntsmen augmented themselves with barkskin and began laying down layers of wall of thorns. The shaman activated a draconic aura, causing anyone who struck him or allies to suffer a blast of acid damage. One of the dire vipers poisoned Vollintine with a precise strike. Kanaka activated menacing tentacles and flailed at his foes violently. Puinsai’s deadly club powered through the shaman’s defenses, crushing skull and spine in a horrendous blow. Palu and Vollintine cut down several other foes while Laka went toe-to-toe with an ophidian chasing him. Fortunately, the rage cleric slipped a shot past the serpent creature’s defenses, ending its life. Kanaka took advantage of an opening and lined up a shot on the remaining snakemen. A maximized empowered steam jet scalded the scales from the last two foes.

Emboldened by their victories, the team set out to find Chiron and defeat the snakeman leader. The team knows they have made good progress toward his lair and believe he will share the fate of his minions.

Game summary for August 5, 2010; present characters included Ayoli (human rage cleric), Kanaka Kohola (darfellan storm druid), Laka Pokukeliki (human fighter/rage cleric), Palu (human ranger), Puinsai (cecaelia warder), and Vollintine (human berserker).

With another victory under their belts, and a wedding recently completed, the Keiki Manuahis sit back and relax. However, heroes never truly get to rest. Before long, word arrives that the serpent races are waging war against the Kanaka and the Darfellan. The battles are going poorly, and if they fall, the Koahine and Panahi will certainly be targeted next. The team learns the serpent races are led by a warlord named Chiron. They theorize that killing the warlord will cause the snake people to fall back into infighting. So, they board the great canoes of the Panahi and set out to the island of the Kanaka.

Once on the island, Ayoli begins making inquiries about the war effort. She discovers that the serpent people are using arcane magic to transport around and engage in brutal skirmishes. Palu begins investigating the serpent folk’s island and finds that he cannot locate anyone who has actually been there. He does learn that the serpent races are comprised of several distinct species: the arcane-wielding snakemen, the serpent-like naga, the slave-race ophidians, and the supreme rulers, the psionic yuan-ti. The team prepares for jungle survival and bribes a fisherman to take them to the serpent island under the cover of darkness.

The group sets off into the jungle blazing a trail with Laka’s ring of blades. After approximately an hour, the group is deep in the jungle at night with a fresh cut trail, 15-feet across, leading to them. The team decides to make camp, and Laka and Ayoli climb up a tree to sleep. Soon thereafter, they fall asleep, and then fall out of the tree. During the commotion, a pair of fiendish tyrannosauruses stampede into the camp. One swallows Kanaka nearly immediately. Vollintine charges directly into the battle, and Puinsai scampers onto the back of the one digesting Kanaka. Palu and Carmine the crocodile wade in, while the clerics unleash magic.

In moments, the group learns the monsters are resistant to both fire and cold, and magical spells seem to shatter against their spell resistance. Blood flows freely from all the combatants as the massive reptiles swallow people left and right. Palu carves himself out of one of the stomachs using a dagger. Undaunted, he gets right back into the battle. Laka finds himself depleted of spells and trapped in the gullet of a rex along with Kanaka. Meanwhile, Puinsai discovers a weak spot and drives her handaxe deep into behemoth flesh, cheered on by Vollintine. One tyrannosaurus swallows Vollintine and snatches up Carmine in its maw as well. In moments, Vollintine slices his way out as well.

Things look bleak for the party, with several grievously injured; however, Vollintine follows up the efforts of his allies with brutal efficiency. Using his razor-sharp obsidian dagger, Vollintine succeeds in disemboweling one of the dinosaurs. The other attempts to flee with the casters in its belly, but Puinsai, riding on top, continues to rain down blows. Vollintine sprints through the dark jungle, flips his obsidian blade in his hand and hurls it toward the beast. The knife sinks between the scales and buries in an artery. It takes several moments for the beasts’ dying gurgling screams to end, but the group wastes no time in cutting free their remaining allies.

Thus ends the second hour on the serpent island. What further horrors await?

Game summary for July 29, 2010; present characters included Kanaka Kohola (darfellan storm druid), Laka Pokukeliki (human fighter/rage cleric), Palu (human ranger).

The party enters a massive chamber with several natural springs and animal skins scattered about for bedding. Several cult members await within and release a dire inferno frog against the party as well. The team steps forward into the fray and slaughters cultists left and right. Palu’s new animal companion, Carmine the crocodile, is ordered into the melee and establishes himself as a formidable foe. In mere moments, the cultists are wiped out, and the party is advancing into a labyrinthine portion of the catacombs.

In the flickering flames of a single sconce, a slaymonger approaches. She moves with incredible grace and slips into the group’s midst, sliding her obsidian daggers into vulnerable flesh. So accurate and violent are her strikes, it rocks the team back. They begin to resist, and she disappears into the shadows. The next several minutes are spent playing cat and mouse as she pops out to brutally stab before tumbling away or hiding. Eventually, Laka hits her with a comet, which also crushes the only source of light. Kanaka remedies this by casting a light spell on Carmine. The slaymonger puts the pressure on Laka, sinking stab after stab and forcing him to flee for his life. Eventually, the woman is brought down, unable to withstand the team forever. After searching the area, Laka discovers a secret door.

The new area was dimly lit with high ceilings. Upon a blasphemous altar, priests of the frog god had bound Princess Ayoli. They were in the midst of a ritual designed to summon an aspect of the frog god and impregnate the princess with a godling. The party disrupted the ritual and brought the full wrath of the priests upon them. Curses and prayers traded back and forth, while one priest veiled himself in shadow and conjured a whirling cloud of steel blades. This priest charged into battle only to be blasted into charred bones by Kanaka and Laka. Palu wasted no time barging in toward the altar, dropping a tendriculos seed along the way. The seed sprouted into a massive plant monster under his control. The creature wrecked havoc while the remaining priest supported his Doomwarden guard by unleashing blistering flame strikes. Kanaka’s summoned fire elemental closed in on the caster, and Laka used air walk to get around behind him. Meanwhile, Palu cut Ayoli free and leaped upon the altar to attack the remaining priest. Laka was staggered by a thrust from the priest’s acidic spear. However, the team prevailed, chopping the man down under their rain of blows.

With the enemies defeated and cultists slain, the team returned to the surface of Ashenford where Laka wed Princess Ayoli. With his lovely new bride in tow, the group left Ashenford to seek adventure and wealth elsewhere.

Game summary for July 22, 2010; present characters included Laka Pokukeliki (human fighter/rage cleric), Palu (human ranger), Puinsai (cecaelia warder), and Vollintine (human berserker).

The team regroups and recruits a rage priest of Ahi named Laka to the cause. They continue searching for the princess beneath the town and come across a particularly talented protector of the frog along with his cronies–a priest and a doomwarden. Bloody chaos ensues. The frog cultist priest begins laying curses and prayers, while Laka counters by doing the same. Puinsai and Palu begin working over the doomwarden, allowing the protector of the frog to land several blows before they realize what a threat he is. Things get even more dangerous when the priest shields his allies with a powerful deflective magic, making it very difficult for the team to land shots. The doomwarden is dispatched in short order once Vollintine rejoins from scouting. The frog cultist priest summons a roaring column of flame that scorches Vollintine, but the others escape most of the damage. Laka counters by summoning a blast of pure divine energy and blasts the priest. The protector of the frog takes advantage of Vollintine’s injuries and clubs him to death’s door. The priest is driven back and slain while Laka drags Vollintine away from the melee. While Puinsai and Palu flank the protector of the frog, Laka heals Vollintine’s most grievous injuries. After a moment to shake off the worst of his travel toward the light, Vollintine rejoins the fray. The protector lands many more telling blows with this rock-spewing magic club, but he proves too weak to handle all of the team at once. In moments, he joins the priest in the Great Swamp, or wherever frog cultists go in an afterlife. A search of the area reveals a magical belt that tremendously enhances strength. Puinsai dons the belt, surging with magical might.

Depleted of spells and nearly dead, Keiki Manuahis know they must seek rest. They flee to the surface and hole up to nurse their wounds. Once recovered, they delve back into the catacombs spoiling for a fight. The frog cultists oblige when the party finds a room being used as a dining hall. Towering over the humans is a bright orange feral inshon. A berserker, witch, and protector of the frog are within as well. The berserker enters a rage and charges into the party, swinging his obsidian-tipped maca to and fro. The inshon follows him in, mauling Palu and poisoning him. Vollintine advances and brings the fight to the enemy while Laka lays prayers and blessings upon the group. The witch’s eldritch magic settles over the party, causing a slow effect on Vollintine. Palu’s hatred for inshon bubbles over, and he slaughters the feral beast in its tracks, his twin macas slicing its monstrous flesh to shreds.

Although brutal fighters, the berserker and protector of the frog were no match for the team bolstered by Laka’s healing magic. Quickly they are dispatched, and only the witch remains. The party swarms her, cutting off escape. She launches a storm of thorns, tearing into their flesh. It is not enough, however, as Puinsai’s newly enhanced power allows her to crush the witch beneath a barrage of club swings.

The group suspects they are getting close and presses on further into the catacombs.

Game summary for July 6, 2010; present characters included Kanaka Kohola (darfellan storm druid), Palakelei (human martial warrior), Palu (human ranger), Puinsai (cecaelia warder), and Vollintine (human berserker).

Upon returning to Ashenford, the team discovers the town partially burned and bodies in the streets. They learn that the frog cult, and their inshon minions, burst up from the ancient catacombs and slaughtered many, dragging many more down into the depths for sacrifice. Among the missing, Princess Ayoli, daughter of Chief Mukanu. The chief offers his daughter’s hand in marriage if rescued. The Keiki Manuahis decide marrying into minor royalty would not be an all together bad thing, the accept the challenge. They quickly find an apothecary and stock up on healing balms and anti-venom. Then, the delve beneath the city streets.

Not far into the catacombs, the team finds a tomb with a burning brazier occupied by two inshon and a trio of cultists. One cultist approaches, a mocha-skinned lithe athletic woman moving with the grace of a dancer, corded muscle rippling with every movement. Slender black-bladed knives twirl in her fingers, the light reflecting off the obsidian surface and moist liquid coating. Behind her, a massive dark-skinned bald man resembles a large frog himself. Animal furs cover his body, and human and humanoid skulls ring his waste like a belt. He carries a massive stone-headed mace. Traces of lightning play across the rock and handle. The inshon close in as the party advances, swarming to attack Puinsai and Palu. In moments, Puinsai finds herself surrounded by inshon and women armed with slick obsidian daggers. Kanaka unleashes a sudden stalagmite, impaling the massive man in the back of the room. Chaos ensues, with blood flying as the two groups collide. Bolstered by Kanaka’s magic, the Keiki Manuahis make fairly short work of the frog cultists.

The team presses further into the catacombs, discovering a large columned chamber with two other exits in the rear. More inshon and cultists flood into the room. One, a priest, begins layering prayers and curses upon the two parties. In moments, the Keiki Manuahis find themselves hampered by the power of the frog god. A massively muscled man, a protector of the frog, wielding an earth-based elemental club pressures the druid, Kanaka. Rocks flying, he begins clubbing away while another slaymonger works over the team with her deadly black daggers. The nearly mindless inshon begin attacking the flaming Vollintine, despite being burned with each claw and bite. Kanaka tries to use magic to swing the tide and finds himself clubbed violently for his efforts, losing his prayers under the protector’s beating. Palu, wounded terribly by inshon, charges the priest in an effort to stop his curses. The priest succeeds in getting one more spell cast, transferring the wounds from one inshon to Vollintine! Moments later, the priest is killed. With Kanaka driven into a corner, bones shattered by his clubbing, the protector turns on Puinsai. They go club-to-club, and the protector suddenly turns on Palakelei. The martial warrior fights bravely, but a powerful swing slips his formidable defenses. The deadly club crushes his skull, dropping him dead instantly. Moments later, the protector is slain by the party. The inshon are taken down quickly, while the slaymonger attempts to flee. Vollintine catches up to her and prevents her escape. Moments later, she lay dead on the ground.

Quickly taking stock of the situation, Keiki Manuahis is in trouble. They are injured and need a moment to recover, and their friend and ally Palakelei lay dead.

Game summary for June 17, 2010; present characters included Kanaka Kohola (darfellan storm druid), Palakelei (human martial warrior), Palu (human ranger), Puinsai (cecaelia warder), and Vollintine (human berserker).

Keiki Manuahis pushed on toward the heart of the inshon-infested swamp and was accosted by a dedicated force attempting to drive them out. As the inshon approached, Kanaka unleashed an entangle spell, slowing several inshon and entangling two dire frogs. The rest of the team took good advantage of the delay by drinking their anti-toxins in preparation for the approaching venomous inshon. Blood spilled quickly as the groups finally clashed. The bulk of the inshon came in from the swamp side, while another flanked around the back. The dire frogs struggled in the grasping weeds while the party killed inshon after inshon. Puinsai and Palakelei provided assistance to Kanaka as the flanking inshon bandit finally made it around and pressured the druid. By the time the dire frogs freed themselves from the plants, Keiki Manuahis had dispatched all of the inshon.

Eager to find more inshon blood to spill, the party charged deeper and found the ruins of an old temple. Protecting the ruins were an inshon warlock, an inshon brawler, a venomous inshon, a brutal feral inshon, and a mysterious frog cultist priest. Puinsai charged forward to tackle the warlock and take him out of the fight. Palu and Palakelei unleashed havoc upon the venomous inshon, and Vollintine took up the fight against the feral inshon. The frog cultist laid a curse upon the party and a prayer upon friends and foes. Puinsai found herself in trouble when the warlock cursed her strength, allowing the inshon to slip free.

The venomous inshon went down in a spray of gore beneath the onslaught of Keiki Manuahis, and the warlock cursed Puinsai even further, making her awkward, clumsy, and unskilled. The frog cultist blessed his allies and protected them with a legion’s shield of faith. Kanaka established his presence by blasting the feral inshon and inshon warlock with a steam jet, scalding the warlock to death. Enraged, the feral inshon grabbed hold of Palu and began rending and raking, disemboweling the ranger. Puinsai limped back to her team and engaged the brawler along with Vollintine and Kanaka. The storm druid unleashed a molten blast on the brawler, encrusting it in hardening lava. Palakelei brought the fight to the frog cultist who had been dropping blistering flame strikes and other deadly spells upon the party. The cultist surrounded himself with a whirling ring of blades, which cut deeply into Palakelei. The martial warrior landed several solid blows of his own, however. As the feral inshon and brawler died, Kanaka moved in on the cultist and began a prayer to call lightning. The cultist launched a final darkbolt at Palakelei, but the shot went wide. Kanaka’s prayer ended, and charring electricity crackled from the sky, burning the cultist to cinders.

Keiki Manuahis spread out and searched the ruins, discovering the cultist here was following orders to recruit the inshon for a cult operating out of Ashenford! The group tended to their wounds and reincarnated Palu into a Kanaka human, again. With that, the team prepares to return to Ashenford to root out this den of evil!

Game summary for June 10, 2010; present characters included Kanaka Kohola (darfellan storm druid), Palakelei (human martial warrior), Palu (human ranger), Puinsai (human warder), and Vollintine (human berserker).

Divine energy surged up from the earth and through the druid’s hands, reincarnating Palu as a human! No longer was he of the Panahi tribe, however, but of the Kanaka. Although somewhat disturbed to be in a different body, Palu was happy to be alive.

The Keiki Manuahis pressed deeper into the fetid swamp, still battling the stinging insects. They soon uncovered an inshon raiding party consisting of three bandits, a brawler, and four dire frogs! The team moved in for the attack and laid waste among the creatures. Kanaka electrocuted several while Puinsai tangled with a massive frog. Palakelei put his cascading strike to good use, pummeling the monstrous beasts. It was Palu, however, whose fierce hatred for the inshon led him to the most brutal and effective attacks. His twin macas carved a bloody swathe through the ranks as Vollintine arrived to help mop up the rest.

Palu had broken some of the obsidian in his weapons during the fight and sat down to repair them. After an hour of work, another group of inshon arrived and attacked! This group was assembled for war and brought elemental dire frogs, a warlock, and a venomous inshon along with bandits and brawlers. Water boiled around the feet of one of the frogs, while ice crystals formed around the other. The warlock unleashed an onslaught of sickening blasts while the poisonous secretions of the bandits began taking its toll among the party. Vollintine found himself beset by the vicious venomous inshon who injected him with a strong paralytic poison. Vollintine was able to shrug off some of the effects but was hampered by sluggish movement for the rest of the fight. Kanaka cast menacing tentacles and waded into the fray toe-to-toe putting the glowing spear of Auku to deadly use!

Palakelei put himself in harm’s way, using his tremendous defensive skills to occupy several of the inshon. Puinsai found herself in trouble flanked by two inshon bandits. Using numerous sneak attacks, they brought her down, and one killed her on the ground before closing in on Palakelei. Palu had not recovered from the first encounter and had to fall back to nurse his wounds. He used the time to move around to the side and came into the fight with a vengeance! In moments, the warrior inshons all lay dead, but the frogs and warlock remained. The warlock continued firing sickening blasts but could not withstand the concentrated might of Keiki Manuahis. The team then fell upon the frogs and finished the battle.

With the fight completed, Kanaka began to summon the powers of the earth and reincarnate Puinsai. After an hour of ritual, a new body formed for Puinsai, that of a cecaelia!