Has it really been that long?

Apologies for falling down on keeping up the blog. Life in the Harrison household has been interesting this summer between storms, car maintenance, family tragedies, the Galactic Cowboys reunion, and all manner of other distractions. I hope to get things back to normal with regular updates.

For those of you who follow the events of the Warlords of Aros game, let me briefly sum up what has happened since June:

Arriving in Gamelon, the heroes were hailed by the Imperial Court and awarded for their service to the Jade Throne. They were invited to join the Emperor for a night at the opera and an afternoon of gladiatorial games.

During the games, the heroes decided one of the intermission events, where a score of Hradi children were offered up to a half dozen green tigers for sport, was in poor taste and made quick work of those tigers. They did not stop to consider that these animals, imported from the distant Rainwilds of Azumia, were practically priceless. Nor did they consider that the merchant who owned them would demand compensation. He offered them a compromise: capture a mythical scather from the Zin Marshes and he would consider their debt paid in full.

Our heroes journeyed to the Prophet Tree before setting out into the marsh to hunt for a scather. There they learned the tree had ceased speaking with the dru this many months, causing a schism amongst those otherwise peaceful folk that threatened to destroy their entire civilization. Mysteriously, when the Prophet Tree did speak, it was too a banduri, a chosen of Loki, to whom it offered another piece of the prophecy that has been unfolding before the heroes.

Now the heroes push further and further into the shadowy Zin Marshes, seeking to capture monstrous specimens for the games and hunting the elusive (and deadly) scather.

Weekend in Gamelon

It's been a long time since we updated the blog, but things have been continuing apace as our intrepid heroes continue to dig their own gra...errr...continue on their valiant quest to preserve the Empire!  So in preparation for the journey ahead, I will try to sum up what has taken place quickly and briefly.

The heroes returned to Gamelon at the prodding of their new wizard friend.  Despite their "problems" in Endbriar, a good word in the right ear carries a lot of weight.  In this case, it bought them promotions and a meeting with Emperor Xo himself.

As a reward for their service, the Emperor invited the company leaders to share his box at the Imperial Opera House of Gamelon, where they were treated to a masterful performance of The Magus.  Some members of the company were surprised to discover the opera was based on true events, and in researching the truth behind the story learned of the mysterious Singing Mountain in the northern Kossaks.  But what really drew them was the prospect that the wrecked air ship, Reliant, might still rest at the mountain's summit.

The Emperor also invited the company to join in for the gladiatorial games at the Imperial Coliseum.  During an intermission, a pack of green tigers were unleashed on a score of adolescent hradi slaves.  While the crowd reveled in the blood sport, the heroes found the circumstances appalling and leapt to the aid of the defenseless children, much to the irritation of the possessing hradi merchant (and the embarrassment of the Emperor).  Despite the tigers' ravenous attacks, the heroes managed to prevail and win the support of the crowd, which might have a lot to do with the Emperor's soft rebuke later.

The merchant was not so kind.  Green tigers are elusive beasts found only in the distant Rainwilds, and considered nearly priceless to him (certainly more valuable than a handful of hradi brats).  He demanded just compensation for his loss.  Unable to make recompense, the heroes agreed to capture an even greater prize for him: a scather from the twisted depths of the Zin Marshes.  Scather are dru who have turned away from the Prophet Tree, twisted and corrupted by a daemonic force believed to dwell in the heart of the marsh.  They are as vile and evil as the dru are innocent and good.  But they have never been encountered by outsiders, let alone taken captive.

Sensing an opportunity, the heroes found investors for their expedition among gladiator manager and underworld managers of the pit fighting arena in Gamelon's red-light district.  They received temporary leave from military service on condition that they return with detailed maps of the heart of the marsh.  

And so, attached to a traveling merchant caravan, the company set out for southern Vinlo where they hoped to acquire men and supplies for the expedition.

To be continued...

Congratulations

We would like to congratulate the winner of our 2009 Adventure Design contest: Sam Everheart.  His adventure, The Shadowed, was a fine entry in a long tradition of spirited dungeon crawls.  As the winner of the contest, Sam will not only get a portrait drawn of his Warlords of Aros character (or another character of his choice) by the esteemed Storn Cook, he also wins a copy of Fear Effects from 12 to Midnight, and a copy of the forthcoming Hellfrost Bestiary from Triple Ace Games.

Of course, it’s not all rose and sunshine for Sam.  He now must run his adventure for the Warlords of Aros group.  Having seen what’s in store for them, I suspect they won’t share our enthusiasm for Sam’s adventure for long.

Congratulations, Sam.

We would also like to take the moment to thank all of our sponsors for this contest: Triple Ace Games, 12 to Midnight, the Savage Worlds Explorers Society and Pinnacle Entertainment Group.  Thank you so much for your support.  We are happy to count you as friends of the program.

2009 Adventure Design Contest

Hey everyone!

This is your last minute reminder!  Monday we kick off our 2009 Adventure Design Contest, where you get to design an adventure for the group for fun, prizes, and infamy!  Some people just take it personally when their character falls into a deathtrap you created.  Go figure.

This year, we are trying a few things differently.  And one of those is an Adventure Writing Workshop!  Come out to the library this Saturday and we will teach you how to create an RPG adventure to amaze and traumatize your friends!  If you are thinking about entering the contest, you should really come out and participate.  During the workshop, not only will we teach you tricks and techniques for creating a memorable adventure, you're going to get to make one!  That's right, everyone is going to leave with a finished adventure of their own design!

The workshop begins this Saturday at 1 pm and should last until 4 pm.

Then be there Monday for the Warlords of Aros game to get your copy of the rules for the Adventure Design Contest!  Just like last year, the first place winner will get to run their adventure for the group, and the best will be published in Sharkbytes, the unofficial Savage Worlds e-zine!

See you all Saturday!

Tom

Remembering Gary Gygax

Today marks the one year anniversary of the death of Gary Gygax, author, history enthusiast, and wargamer. As the co-creator of Dungeons and Dragons, his was a powerful voice in shaping the roleplaying hobby.  It is remarkable that so many of his early works stand up favorably even today. Without his contributions to the hobby, this program would never exist. Neither would many of my closest friendships. And so, for all of that, I still give thanks.

E. Gary Gygax

1938-2008

R.I.P. 

Avoiding the Inevitables, part 2

Crossing the rope bridge, the group set out to explore the winding stone labyrinth beyond.  Eve, the dru pirate who had developed magical powers since being drawn into the elemental plane of fire while defending Tosca from the Firebrand Cult, did much of the advance scouting transformed into a small bat.

They soon came upon a large chamber dominated by another group of five statues.  These were identical to the previous group, but much larger, standing almost twenty feet in height.  The group examined the statues and their base carefully, but found nothing harmful or noteworthy beyond what appeared to be a single keyhole.

Once more, the group moved into the labyrinth.  The passages became more and more complex as they moved easterward.  Shyla Ozarka led the way, carrying the strange scepter the group had discovered in the first chamber.  All about her, the fungus glowed, offering a welcome light.  The rest of the group huddled close behind her, conscious of the grasping shadows.

Suddenly a dark shape leapt from the gloom, grappling Shyla in eight spiny legs.  The massive spider pulled her into its web.  As Shyla struggled, the group set into action.  Bows were readied, axes were thrown, but it was the efforts of a sorcerer that did the trick.  Erupting from the earth beneath the struggling pair, a monstrous fly trap lashed out and squished the spider, leaving Shyla covered in cool, yellow goo.  But there was no time to rejoice in this victory as other spiders, smaller than the first but no less deadly, fell upon the group.

After a quick but savage battle, the group took a turn to the left and found themselves in a maze of smooth carved walls.  As they began to explore this new section of the complex, they were alarmed by the sound of heavy footfalls.  With a screetch of fury, the group found itself set upon by winged gargoyles, soaring through the air high above them and setting upon them in a rush of fangs and claws.  Once more, they drew up close, girded for battle.

...to be continued

Special Announcement!

Because You Demanded It!  A New World of Adventure in March!

As of today I would like to announce we are expanding our Library Roleplaying Program to four nights a month.  Beginning in March, John Williams (no relation to the conductor) will be taking the reigns of a new game on the second and fourth Monday of each month.  I will continue running my game on the first and third Mondays.  Don't worry guys and gals, Warlords of Aros is still going strong and that story has a ways to go yet.

John will be running adventures using the Dungeons and Dragons game.  Pregenerated characters will be provided and no knowledge of the rules is necessary to join in the fun.  The new game is open to new comers and current players alike!  

I would like to take this opportunity to welcome John to the team.  If you have any questions about the new game nights, please feel free to email me or comment here.  In March, we will be premiering a sister blog dedicated to John's game.

In additional news, I would like to announce we are cutting back just a bit on our time, from 9:00 pm (when the library closes), to 8:30 pm.  This is being done for the sanity of the librarians above all else.  And since we already try to start wrapping things up by around 8:30 as it is, you should notice no real difference in play time.  So we are cutting back, but not as much as you may think.  We're not being kicked out 30 minutes early.  This will also give us more time to collect MVP votes, handle XP, and help you with your leveling ops.  

Avoiding the Inevitables, part 1

This adventure is actually the winning entry of our Adventure Design competition.  The writer has the opportunity to run his adventure for the group (with myself and Joe close by to assist).  The actual adventure will be published in full in an upcoming issue of Sharkbytes!

The heroes came too in a large, dank cylindric chamber.  The sound of dripping water echoed off the walls, which crawled with a strange moss that seemed to glow with exposure to even the most minute amount of light.  In the center of the room stood a gnarled wooden staff topped with a large ornamental stone.  Ayame Morrowind picked it up and found the moss and stone seemed to glow brightly when brought into close proximity.

Beyond the chamber was another  sculpted room, this one dominated by five masterly carved statues on a raised dias.  The statues were not carved of stone, but rather sculpted with metal.  In place of muscle and bone, gears and pistons stood out in alien contrast.  Some of the metal beings stood battle ready.  Others simply stood to attention.  The finest smiths of Dis would have found the work admirable.  After some poking and prodding, the heroes determined the statues were harmless and continued on into the moss-line labyrinth beyond.

The labyrinth emptied into a large square chamber with metal grates on three sides.  To the north, the room terminated at a deep chasm crossed by a simple rope bridge.  As the company explored this chamber, they inadvertently disturbed a nest of alarmingly large bullet ants, who came swarming out of the grates by the thousands.

The company quickly discovered their weapons had almost no effect on the ants, and that only fire seemed to drive them off. And so, while the dru woodshapers turned their powers against the swarms of stinging ants, the rest of the group retreated across the rope bridge, deeper into this forlorn labyrinth and into the unknown.

So Where Were We...

Some of our more casual viewers may have been wondering where we have been.  Let me assure you, the Lewisville Library Roleplaying program is alive and well and even looking forward to expanding.  More news on that later as we work out the details.  In the meantime, a lot has been going on.  Let me try to sum things up quickly so we can get back to regular updates.

Our heroes discovered there was quite a lot to the mystery of Endbriar.  After hiring a guide to help them track the bandits in the forest, they came to realize that their hireling and his children were much more deeply involved with the conspiracy.  There were, in fact, bandits in the woods.  But after a pitched battle, our heroes discovered the real bandits were little more than kids: hungry and angry over abuses by the provincial government.  The real threat came from a secret band of deserters, veterans of the Siege of Gamelon who owed their devotion to General Pratt.  Right under the nose of the Endbriar keep garrison, these veterans carried out assassinations of high ranking military officials – anyone they felt was unworthy or without honor – while using the real bandits as cover.

The heroes luck turned sour after another pitched battle with wild groats.  Horns sounded the approach of a company of Elysians Inquisitors who were hurrying to catch up with the escort for a high ranking military official passing through the woods en route to Gamelon.  When their path intersected with the heroes, they immediately recognized one of their number, a rather shabbily dressed wanderer whom the band had just recently encountered, as a warlock!  They also demanded the arrest of one of the dru who they suspected was under the fell influence of his sorcery.  Surprisingly, the company rallied around this new comer and defied the orders of the Elysian captain.  Their guide, Lobar, grabbed a bow from one of the heroes and, in a blur of action, fired off a salvo of arrows before disappearing into the forest.  "Run!" he said as he went.  

Harsh words and a barrage of sorcery ensued that neutralized many of the company's own sorcerers.  Again, the Elysians demanded compliance.  Finally, the company laid down their arms and agreed to discuss matters civilly.

Discussions between the company and the Elysians were cut short when a barrage of arrows flew from the surrounding trees.  Within seconds, the Elysian leadership lay dead, the soldiers fleeing for safer ground.  Caught between the two forces, the heroes hunkered down under cover until the shooting stopped.  Of their attackers they found no sign.  A few miles distant, they came upon a road and the remains of the Lord Commander's entourage, all dead.  The Lord Commander himself had been hung by the neck, presumably by the notorious "bandits of Endbriar."

The heroes returned to Endbriar to find the remains of the Elysian company had arrived first and assumed command of the outpost.  They were immediately arrested under charges of treason and consorting with the enemy.  

As they lay shackled in the brig, they received a mysterious visitor.  One of the Elysian sorcerers was an old friend of Tasselhof's.  He told the group the news was dire, that for their crimes they would likely be sent to the gallows.  The Elysians, for all their faith and piety, were unforgiving when crossed.  With a smirk he said, "you'll do," and cast a small black sphere into the cell that held the group.  A burst of magical energy rendered them unconscious.