Difference between revisions of "Act 3"

Latest revision as of 00:05, 14 March 2022

Act 3: Lords and Ladies

Party at the Seagul

The gang is invited to celebrate their victories aboard the Royal Seagull where they discuss the futures with Bethany Rogers and the crew.

Evilphina

Seraphina travels into depths of the forest, where she is granted magical revelations, and must battle an evil version of herself. She perseveres with the help of the crew, and is granted a living wood dryad arm as a replacement of her lost limb.

My acres of a land, I have achieved

he gang travels to Darkcrest Village to survey their newly acquired land holdings and meet the local villagers.

The crew settles in and makes plans for renovating the old mansion, and improving village defenses. Harland and Bilbido discuss re-opening the old abandoned Morningwood Lumber mill located at the far edge of the property.

IRL Disney Princess

The crew spends time bonding with a likeable NPC who is definitely going to be fine and not die a horrible death anytime soon.

In which Seraphina explodes a bandit chief

The heroes meet the local bandit crew who were planning to terrorize Darkcrest Villagers. Seraphina tries to negotiate a peaceful solution. Her opening argument involves evaporating several bandits using her Eldritch Blast. Harlan helps by going full stealth and slitting several bandit throats while no one is looking. It's super effective. The bandits scamper into the woods, definitely never to be seen again.

The Morning after, aka Fuck This Game, We All Quit

Memorial

The bandits exact their revenge under the cover of the night.

The likeable NPC the crew has bonded with dies a horrible death at their hands in a cutscene.

No one expected this. Everyone is upset.

The crew holds a memorial for their fallen friend.

Morningwood Massacre

The crew tracks down the bandits, who have been squatting in the ruins of Morningwood lumber mill. They embark on a search and destroy mission, with the emphasis on destroy.

Bandits are dispatched with extreme brutality.

There are no survivors.

This is not a place of honor. Only revenge.

Dragon Fell

Dragon Fell

The crew leaves Darkcrest Village and embarks on a journey to return to Castle Summers.

On the way they find a wounded golden dragon that fell out of the sky near an inhabited village. The villagers are none too pleased by the beasts presence.

The crew defends the dragon from an angry mob of villagers. There's also a mega-druid guy here, also trying to save the dragon. He might become important later.

Zory summons a horde of magical wolves to aid in the battle and with their help the heroes save the magnificent creature from being made into a stew.

In the process they make a powerful new allies in the form of the good dragon and the druid.

Hobnob with the Hobgob

Back at Lord Aiden's Mansion the gang meets a delegation from the Silver Kharnate.

Hobgoblin Khan seeks to forge an unprecedented alliance with the eastern kingdoms against the new dark scourge plaguing the continent. The talks are going fairly well and the heroes manage not to cause a major diplomatic incident.

At some point the hobgoblin diplomats pick up a magical distress call from their comrades at the Howling Pass. The gang offers helps to organize a rescue mission using the fastest means of locomotion known to man: the only ship capable of sailing the air and bypassing the mountains: The Royal Seagull.

You're a Wizard, Harlan

Harlan receives secret message from the Academy of Magics in Zorandon. His unique talents are being recognized and he is invited for an interview with the Research and Analysis Development.

Battle at the Howling Pass

Battle at the Howling Pass

The gang packs up and boards the Royal Seagul. They rush towards the Howling Pass. The trip is uneventful.

Upon arriving they find surviving hobgoblins surrounded by hordes of undead. The heroes mount a successful rescue but the Seagull is heavily damaged in the battle. They manage to escape and leave the undying armies behind.

Stupid Sexy Tyranus

While limping away from the battle, the Seagull finds itself trailed by a flock of giant eagles. It is soon revealed they are ridden by elves, and seem to harbor no ill intentions towards the crew. The leader of the group boards the ship to talk to Zorry.

The tall, handsome elf introduces himself as Tyranus and reveals he is Zory's betrothed. He tries to convince her to abandon adventuring and return to her homeland with him. Zorry refuses Tyranus eventually gives up and leaves, sexily.

Harlan reveals that he too has people from his past who he hopes not to run into in his adventures, namely his estranged father who left the family to become a sea pirate.

Swamp Camp

The Seagull must make an emergency crash landing in the local swamp to make repairs. It appears the swamp is inhabited and the local evil creatures don't take kindly to visitors.

Lumberjacking

The seagull needs serious repairs. Luckily enough the lumber needed for the repairs can be acquired from the dark and creepy forest nearby. The gang is tasked with protecting the work crews that volunteered to cut down and transport the needed materials. Things do not go as planned.

Harlan's Battle Nap

In The Swamp

Harlan is injured in an ambush and takes a heroic battle nap, while the rest of the gang tries to fend off angry denizens of the swamp forest.

For the Horde

After completing the repairs, The Seagull arrives at the mobile encampment of the nomadic horde. They drop off the diplomats and the survivors and resupply for the journey home. The gang is approached by one of a human slave who wants their help to escape bondage and seek new life in Westmarch. The gang briefly considers helping, but worries that this might be an underhanded trick to throw a wrench into the diplomatic negotiations between the hobgoblin and human nations. Later Harlan drunkenly tries to seek out the slave, with the intention of smuggling them aboard in secret, but is unable to locate them.

Scary Terry

The gang meets Scary Terry. He is a magical guy.

Khan Tastic

The gang meets the Great Khan of the hobgoblin hordes, who expresses gratitude for their aid in the Howling Pass, and looks forward towards future diplomatic relations with Westmarch.

Richard's Life Story

On the way back home Scary Terry notices Harlan has a dormant spell upon him. Harlan was previously unaware of the spell, and wants to be rid of it. Terry offers to dispel it, and Harlan agrees. As soon as the spell is gone, Harlan is flooded with memories of Richard Oddenheim. It turns out the mage has implanted these memories in Harlan's mind during the Siege of Fairhaven and the spell was in place to block access to them.

Harlan vividly re-live's Richard's entire life, from his childhood, growing up in the same village as Kylee O'Ren, his studies at Zorandon Isle, his many adventures and culminating in the mission during which he successfully rescued king Richard Helmsworth from imprisonment in Underdark but also inadvertently freed some eldritch, primordial beast and unleashed it upon the earth. The memories also reveal Richard's unrequited love for whatsherface ^(?) and her tragic death during the final mission.

Deal With the Devil

While Harlan lies down to have a quick cry after the traumatic memory flood, Zorry and Seraphina are visited by Ikky who wants to collect on the deal they made in Koda. He wants the heroes to get of the ship in a nearby forest clearing and lay an ambush on a courier carrying an important message. He stresses that if the message is delivered, or destroyed in transit, results would be disastrous. He wants the protagonists to intercept the message and deliver it to him, while at the same time eliminating all the witnesses.

The heroes reluctantly agree. Both Harlan and Zorry have qualms about killing an innocent person, so they decide to stage the ambush as a mundane highway robbery, and spare the courier after relieving them of the message and any other possessions. They make up some excuse about having to retrieve some stashed equipment from their last adventure, which Steven buys without batting an eye. The ship drops them off in the clearing, and they set a trap.

Worst Highway Robbery in History

The heroes take positions in the clearing and take steps to make themselves appear as common criminals and highway robbers by covering their faces and hiding any identifiable insignia or valuables. Soon they spot their target: a red haired priestess of Skonis Asteri.

She quickly notices Kaya and Zorry who are not as good at hiding as Harlan. Kaya emerges from the bushes and tries to engage the priestess in conversation. Harlan attempts to flank the target, but Kaya's attempts at small talk freak out the priestess who starts to retreat into the forest away from Harlan. This goes on for a whole, until the rogue decides to emerge from hiding and tries to convince the girl she is surrounded and that she should just peacefully hand over her belongings.

The priestess does not buy it, and starts slinging magic missiles. She turns out to be formidable foe, especially because the heroes take care not to hurt her to much, and Kaya abstains from fighting and tries to reason with the woman.

Eventually the priestess succumbs to her wounds, falls to her knees and begins to pray.

Suddenly Demons

The priestesses prayer opens a portal to a demonic plane. The heroes must face overwhelming extraplanar forces. The gang manages to seal the portal wit the help of Ikky who turns out to be more powerful than a mere imp. He reveals he was a pretty big deal in the Fiend hierarchy before he got demoted, and how he plans to reclaim his rightful place using the gang as his pawns.

Circling to Zoranden

Back in Castle Summers the crew learns that the news about Sam's true nature reached the Mages Guild. There is a growing concern about a vampire being a Duke of Westmarch. A delegation of mages arrives accusing Sam of various inhuman crimes, and insists he should stand trial. Sam agrees to this voluntarily to show good faith, and he vows to abide by the results of the trial, even if it means his destruction.

The gang travels the Zorandon Isle via a teleportation circle. They arrive in the city of Zul fate is to be decided. This is the home of the Academy of Magics and the capitol of the island.

You're like a spy now. A super spy.

Harlan goes to R.A.D. HQ in Zorandon Isle where he meets with Ms Madoxx. She reveals that RAD is a top secret spy organization that keeps tabs on supernatural threats and tries to prevent world ending events. They seek to recruit Harlan as their newest covert operative.

Harlan agrees, and chooses Sparrowhawk as his codename. He is outfitted with some standard issue magical James Bond gadgets.

Casino Royale

Casino

The gang decides to blow off steam by visiting the world famous Zul casino. They play various games of chance and hilarity ensues. They notice being tailed by some shady characters, but everyone keeps cool and there are no major incidents.

Sam's Trial: Objection!

Sam's trial begins. The gang testifies on his behalf. It turns out the prosecution doesn't really have good evidence. Their smoking gun involves atrocities committed by a tall and heavily armored warrior whose description vaguely resembles Mr Clatterby.

The gang is able to clear Sam's name, and the vampire is allowed to live, though must agree with some restrictions on his freedom and must submit to routine monitoring and assessments buy the guild, which may decide to terminate him should his condition deteriorate and should he slide towards evil.

There's also some magical shenanigans and wizard politics going on. Some traitorous faction tries to stage a coup, but in the end the situation is contained.

Sparrowhawk's Very First Assignment

Harlan is given his first assignment as the agent of RAD. He is to travel to Fynwell to investigate a missing shipment of magical weapons, which, should they fall into wrong hands, could cause a lot of damage, and cause a lot of ill will towards the guild.

Chains of Love

Charles Knoxton

After being briefed by R.A.D. the heroes are allowed to visit Charles Knoxton. The boy now lives and studies in the Academy of Magics. When the heroes see him, he is bound with magical chains that are supposedly used to dampen his wild magic powers. Knox tells the heroes he is being treated well here. His room is lavishly furnished compared to what he is used to, and he fed very well, and allowed to eat what seems to be extravagant and exotic foods. He also has plenty books to study and practice, but he does not get out much. The mages think he is still a danger, and mostly keep him confined to his quarters. He does have a magical ball which lets him spy on what is going on in the city as a form of entertainment.

Harlan disapproves of his treatment and voices his complains to Ms. Maddox. He recommends that they let the boy out of his room more, and let him make friends with other students. Zorry agrees and warns them that the boy may grow to resent this treatment. Maddox assures the heroes the precautions are necessary and that the boy must undergo more training. She assures them that once they are confident of his control he will be given full autonomy.

Free Company (not actually free, it's mercenaries)

The gang travels back to Fynwell to help overseeing the formation of the Fee Company which will aid the princess defend her claim to the throne. The company turns out to be a bunch of cutthroat mercenaries who require coin to even lift a finger. The gang goes about trying to source funds or find alternative ways to recruit fighters.

Richard Harlan, Agent of Fulcrum

Harlan enlists the help of his friends in investigating the missing weapons shipment. The trail leads them to their old adversary and accomplice Rando DeButt who is building a new crime empire in Fynwell. Rando is of course implicated in trafficking illegal magical weapons, but after some negotiations agrees to help the gang.

The reveals that the operation is handled by Reapers gang.

Not Starting a Bar Brawl

The gang heads to the local tavern frequented by members of the Reapers. A group of elves and halflings sticks out like a sore thumb in a bar frequented mostly by Żiw natives. When covert methods fail, the gang ends up in a standoff which turns into a bar brawl.

Trevor Corey, Dragon Slayer

Fresh off the brawl with Żiw Reapers the gang takes a break to celebrate Day of the Dead, a big local festival. They promptly get themselves kidnapped by a serial killer and imprisoned in some musty basement despite having a combined power level of over nine thousand. It's ok though, because it's technically not cannon, except when it is.

They have to be rescued by Trevor Corey who gets help from Mr. Barkley, Teebeede and Treeodore. What ensues is a very special halloween episode during which the sidekicks stumble through an adventure and almost by accident rescue the heroes.

At some point before stumbling upon the killer's den, Trevor Corey manages to drop a dragon egg at a festival stall (and names himself a dragon slayer). He also visits a fortune teller who turns out to be a demon or a hag. It is revealed that Trevor is a very special boy. Also, Ikky is involved somehow.

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