Dragonbane: Alone in Deepfall Breach 14- A Deal with the Ferryman
So far, Aleric has made excellent progress towards Acheron Isle. He's in
the home stretch, but before he gets there he's going to have a cost to
pay for the Ferryman!
6. The Wailing Shores
Exiting the maze, Aleric finds that the flowing water he’s been following thus far begin to coalesce into a winding river. He follows slowly, knowing that in the end they will come to a seemingly unending lake. The final separation between the land of the living and the land of the dead. Souls come through this same path seeking the ferryman to take them across into their final resting place. “A price to be paid… I wonder what the ferryman will ask of me. I have little to give, though my soul is a price too high to pay. Hopefully he’ll be amenable to some other form of payment to take me to the isle that I seek.” He presses forward, following the stream that quickly becomes a strongly flowing river. Finally off in the distance he sees a mist covering the distance. The river opens up into its own final resting place, a massive lake stretching as far as the eye can see.Coming to the shores of the lake, Aleric spots a blurry figure seemingly floating out of the mist into view. An unnaturally tall and gaunt figure materializes into view, wearing tattered and loose robes. In an almost ethereal, wispy voice, the figure calls out to Aleric. “Wolfkin, you do not belong here just yet… Now is not your time to be making the passage across my lake. Return later when you’ve lived your life and find your just ending.”
Aleric responds to the challenge. “Ferryman! I come seeking passage to Acheron Isle! I have a great need to procure sap from the soul tree so that my allies and I may reforge a mighty weapon to fight back against the evil forces that would wreak havoc on the breach and the land of the living above! Please, name your price and I shall gladly pay it to cross prematurely. I swear that I’ll leave just as quickly and return only when my time above has run its course!”
The ferryman gives pause to this claim, thinking for a long moment. Finally he lifts his gaze back to Aleric. “This is a dire task that you have undertaken. Though it may not be your time, you very well could meet your end on the other side of this lake. Though I suppose if you meet your end now, I won’t have to carry you across this lake a second time… Fine I will do so. Though I hope you are aware that there is a price to be paid, living or dead, to make use of my services. What do you have to pay for this trip?”
Aleric lifts his empty hands and gestures to himself. “Name your price! I do not have worldly riches, but anything that I have on my person I will gladly part with to pay for your services!” The ferryman takes a moment as his boat drifts closer to the shore. He gives Aleric an appraising look. His piercing gaze chills Aleric, who quickly regrets giving such carte blanche to this mythic entity.
GM Note: What does
Aleric have to pay his way across? Aleric does not have much beyond the
weapons and armor he carries. His wooden momento is a personal token that
means much to him and has proven useful in his current journey. But will
that be enough of a payment to appease the ferryman? I’m going to roll on
the inspiration table to see if I can come up with some justifiable price
that must be paid for Aleric to cross.
Oracle: Inspiration
table(Action/Attribute/thing): 14- Scavenge, 1-Ancient, 11-Leader
GM Note: Well only one thing really fits that description. The ancient
longsword that Aleric took from the skeletal champion during his first
venture down into the breach. A high price to pay. Thankfully Aleric has
kept his old trusty broadsword on him through all his adventures…
The
leering eyes of the Ferryman seem to dissect Aleric where he stands. After a
long moment, the pale eyes of the strange figure fall upon the longsword at
Aleric’s hip. “That sword there. You recovered it here in the breach, yes? I
can sense the soul of the previous owner. It belonged to a mighty warrior, a
powerful leader of men in his time. When he fell, on the field of battle,
his soul began the journey through the breach to find his final rest across
this lake. But some power trapped him and held him above in the breach.
Though you may have defeated what was left of his body, his soul remains
trapped in the breach, unable to pass across to the afterlife. In payment
for your crossing, I will take the sword and bring it across as well,
finally laying his soul to rest. What say you to these terms?”
Aleric reflexively takes a step back, his muscles tensing as his hand drops to the hilt of the ancient blade that has been at his side throughout his time in the breach. He has the urge suddenly to pull the calling stone from his pack and return to Stone-Gaze empty handed, leaving his task unfinished. But just as quickly he stops, his hand relaxes as he falls out of his defensive stance. His shoulders slump, as he nods his head in acceptance. “This blade has been by my side all my time delving into the breach. It has done well to protect me from cultists and monsters alike. But the tale you tell is quite a sad one. If my soul were trapped above, I would hope that a wondering warrior would do the same for me, taking my blade to pass across this lake and letting me find peace in the afterlife. If this is your price, then I say it is an easy one to pay. Though I will miss it’s weight at my side, knowing that the soul of that brave warrior will finally find peace will lighten the cost.” He unstraps the scabbard from his sword belt, holding the longsword out in offering to the Ferryman. “May you take this as payment for carrying me across the lake, and may you also help the soul of this warrior find peace and rest.”
Aleric reflexively takes a step back, his muscles tensing as his hand drops to the hilt of the ancient blade that has been at his side throughout his time in the breach. He has the urge suddenly to pull the calling stone from his pack and return to Stone-Gaze empty handed, leaving his task unfinished. But just as quickly he stops, his hand relaxes as he falls out of his defensive stance. His shoulders slump, as he nods his head in acceptance. “This blade has been by my side all my time delving into the breach. It has done well to protect me from cultists and monsters alike. But the tale you tell is quite a sad one. If my soul were trapped above, I would hope that a wondering warrior would do the same for me, taking my blade to pass across this lake and letting me find peace in the afterlife. If this is your price, then I say it is an easy one to pay. Though I will miss it’s weight at my side, knowing that the soul of that brave warrior will finally find peace will lighten the cost.” He unstraps the scabbard from his sword belt, holding the longsword out in offering to the Ferryman. “May you take this as payment for carrying me across the lake, and may you also help the soul of this warrior find peace and rest.”
Oracle: Does the
Ferryman respond favorably to Aleric’s honorable action in giving up his
longsword so that the ancient leader might find rest? (Yes/no oracle: D6)-
4; Yes!
The Ferryman nods, a slight smile spreading across
his face. “You have proven to be quite an honorable warrior, Aleric. And for
your honor I will offer you a more fair trade.” As he speaks, the Ferryman
holds out his hand. From the misty air, it seems as if the dense mist begins
to pull together, finally materializing in a beautifully crafted longsword.
“For your honorable actions, I will leave my own longsword in your care. If
you promise that when your time comes, you will return it to me as payment
for your own soul to cross this lake and pass on into the afterlife. What
say you? A fair trade in my eyes…” Aleric’s eyes go wide as the Ferryman
offers out his own sword. Dropping to a knee and bowing his head, Aleric
responds. “You give me too much. Any warrior would have gladly paid the same
price to see the soul of a fellow warrior laid to rest. But if you would see
this honor returned in kind, I certainly will not refuse such a gift. I will
take this sword and gladly return it to you when it is time for us to meet
again!” Aleric hands over the ancient longsword that he had taken from the
skeletal champion so long ago, and in return the Ferryman hands over his own
ancient ornate longsword…
GM Note: Well this turned out better
than I was hoping for Aleric I think! The Ferryman’s longsword is a magical
sword. Because the Ferryman has put so much weight on the honor of Aleric’s
actions, I am going to say it has the following effect: So long as the
wielder of the longsword is acting honorably, the bonus damage die (ie the
strength bonus die) of the wielder is increased one die step. For Aleric,
with a strength of 18, this means his bonus melee damage with this sword
will go from a D6 to a D8. In total, the ferryman’s longsword will deal 3D8
of damage in Aleric’s hands! A very fair trade to get Aleric across to his
final goal in the underworld in my mind!
Item lost:
Ancient Longsword of the Fallen warrior
Item Obtained:
The Ferryman’s Longsword.
Ancient Longsword of the Fallen warrior
Item Obtained:
The Ferryman’s Longsword.
With the deal done, Aleric steps onto
the Ferryman’s boat, not as an unwelcome guest but as an honorable friend.
The Ferryman nods to Aleric before silently taking up his long pole and
gently pushing the ferry across the lake to the underworld, Aleric’s final
goal on this delve into the Breach.
Aleric turns towards the interior of the isle. The ground is littered with sun-bleached bones and skulls. Towards the center of the Isle, Aleric spots a hill with a massive glowing tree resting atop it. “Must be the place. Well, I’d best go introduce myself to my hosts.” With that, Aleric tightens the straps on his pack, draws his new longsword and shield onto his arm, and he begins the trek towards the mighty Soul Tree. As he nears he yells out a challenge, not wanting to even try to approach the harpies stealthily, “Alright you undead monsters! I’m here for some sap and you’ll only be getting in my way. Come out so I might finish my task in peace!” As he yells out, the pile of bones at the base of the tree begins to shake loose as the Raven Sisters emerge from the ground, flying into the air and charging at Aleric!
7. Acheron Isle
Aleric thanks the Ferryman as he departs onto Acheron Isle. “One last warning before I leave you here. The Raven Sisters will certainly sense your presence. There may be no use in trying to hide from them. My recommendation is to take them head on. If you kill one of them, I have a feeling that the other will flee. Though they won’t stay dead for long. The sisters will watch over the Soul Tree for eternity, damned to be its undead guardians. Drive them away, collect the sap, and leave as quickly as you can. Hopefully you’ll survive…” And with that last ominous suggestion, the Ferryman slowly departs back out onto the misty lake.Aleric turns towards the interior of the isle. The ground is littered with sun-bleached bones and skulls. Towards the center of the Isle, Aleric spots a hill with a massive glowing tree resting atop it. “Must be the place. Well, I’d best go introduce myself to my hosts.” With that, Aleric tightens the straps on his pack, draws his new longsword and shield onto his arm, and he begins the trek towards the mighty Soul Tree. As he nears he yells out a challenge, not wanting to even try to approach the harpies stealthily, “Alright you undead monsters! I’m here for some sap and you’ll only be getting in my way. Come out so I might finish my task in peace!” As he yells out, the pile of bones at the base of the tree begins to shake loose as the Raven Sisters emerge from the ground, flying into the air and charging at Aleric!
GM Note: Harpies act together in a fight. They will have actions equal to the
number of harpies still in the fight. Usually after half of a flock of
harpies have been defeated, the rest will flee. I will rule that once one
sister is defeated, there will be a morale check to see if the other sister
flees. Also, Harpies generally attack from the air and would be impossible
for Aleric to engage. I’m going to rule that since they are undead, their
wings are not in tact enough to fly so he’ll be able to fight them from the
ground.
COMBAT
Round 1
The sisters answer Aleric’s challenge, ready to dive into defense of the Soul Tree! The sisters attack as one, acting together in combat
Aleric (HP 17/17)(Army of one: Draw 2 Initiatives)-5/8
Sisters (HP 24/24)-4/9
With more speed than Aleric expected, the sisters rush forward with the foreclaws on their wings cutting gashes into Aleric as he is caught off-guard.
Mass Attack! (D8 per harpy; 2D8): 9; Aleric takes 5 damage as the claws cut deep past his armor.
Aleric quickly responds, slashing out twice at the closest harpy sister with his longsword.
Roll: Aleric- Swords(15): 13; Success
Damage(3D8): 7 slashing damage
Roll: Aleric- Swords(15): 5; success
Damage(3D8): 15 slashing damage
Aleric slashes down at one of the sisters with his longsword, stunning her for a moment with the quickness of his attack. In another flash, Aleric pulls his blade back and stabs directly into the harpy’s back. The blade runs the creature through and she falls in a heap of undead skin and bones. The remaining harpy strikes back as her sister is brutally cut down!
Coordinated Attack (2D6): 6 damage; Aleric takes only 2 points of damage as his armor protects him from the majority of the attack.
The remaining harpy shrieks out at Aleric, standing her ground even as her sister falls. Aleric curses under his breath “Guess the Ferryman had the wrong idea about these two… No matter, I’ll put you down just as I did your sister!”
Round 2
Aleric (HP 10/17)(Army of one: Draw 2 Initiatives)-8/9
Sisters (HP 12/24; one harpy remains)-1
The remaining sister charges forward in her fury to avenge the fallen harpy. Again leading with her razor sharp talons
Mass Attack! (Damage D8): 2; Alerics armor is sturdy enough to guard him against the blow
As the harpy’s claw glances off his chainmail, Aleric unleashes two more massive swings at the creature hoping to end the fight now!
Roll: Aleric- Swords(15): 3; Success
Damage(3D8): 13 slashing damage
Roll: Aleric- Swords(15): 9; success
Damage(3D8): 13 slashing damage
Aleric slays the Raven Sisters with a combination of powerful attacks!
END COMBAT
Round 1
The sisters answer Aleric’s challenge, ready to dive into defense of the Soul Tree! The sisters attack as one, acting together in combat
Aleric (HP 17/17)(Army of one: Draw 2 Initiatives)-5/8
Sisters (HP 24/24)-4/9
With more speed than Aleric expected, the sisters rush forward with the foreclaws on their wings cutting gashes into Aleric as he is caught off-guard.
Mass Attack! (D8 per harpy; 2D8): 9; Aleric takes 5 damage as the claws cut deep past his armor.
Aleric quickly responds, slashing out twice at the closest harpy sister with his longsword.
Roll: Aleric- Swords(15): 13; Success
Damage(3D8): 7 slashing damage
Roll: Aleric- Swords(15): 5; success
Damage(3D8): 15 slashing damage
Aleric slashes down at one of the sisters with his longsword, stunning her for a moment with the quickness of his attack. In another flash, Aleric pulls his blade back and stabs directly into the harpy’s back. The blade runs the creature through and she falls in a heap of undead skin and bones. The remaining harpy strikes back as her sister is brutally cut down!
Coordinated Attack (2D6): 6 damage; Aleric takes only 2 points of damage as his armor protects him from the majority of the attack.
GM Note: Aleric was able to quickly cut down
one of the sisters. Does the remaining sister stay and fight to avenge her?
Aleric has taken a decent amount of damage. There’s still a chance he falls
to this remaining harpy! We’ll say since Aleric killed her sister, this is
going to be an oracle roll with a boon to indicate the harpy will stay
Does the harpy flee? (D6; boon for a No): 2, 3; No she certainly does not.
Does the harpy flee? (D6; boon for a No): 2, 3; No she certainly does not.
The remaining harpy shrieks out at Aleric, standing her ground even as her sister falls. Aleric curses under his breath “Guess the Ferryman had the wrong idea about these two… No matter, I’ll put you down just as I did your sister!”
Round 2
Aleric (HP 10/17)(Army of one: Draw 2 Initiatives)-8/9
Sisters (HP 12/24; one harpy remains)-1
The remaining sister charges forward in her fury to avenge the fallen harpy. Again leading with her razor sharp talons
Mass Attack! (Damage D8): 2; Alerics armor is sturdy enough to guard him against the blow
As the harpy’s claw glances off his chainmail, Aleric unleashes two more massive swings at the creature hoping to end the fight now!
Roll: Aleric- Swords(15): 3; Success
Damage(3D8): 13 slashing damage
Roll: Aleric- Swords(15): 9; success
Damage(3D8): 13 slashing damage
Aleric slays the Raven Sisters with a combination of powerful attacks!
END COMBAT
With the
same practiced assault as his previous attack, Aleric slashes across the
body of the harpy as her attack fails to pierce his armor. As she is reeling
from the attack he drives the point of his longsword through her chest. He
feels the harpy struggle for a moment as the life essence driving her to
defend this Isle slowly drains from her body. The harpy falls limp to the
ground. Breathing heavily, Aleric winces as he feels the deep gashes in his
side from the pair's initial attack. Though it is deep, he wastes no time
pulling a heavy glass vial from his pack. He approaches the Soul Tree,
cutting open the bark, and quickly collecting the sap as it leaks from the
tree. With his task done, he corks the vial and stows it in his pack.
Pulling out the calling stone he focuses his mind to activate its power. In
a whoosh of air, Aleric feels himself vanish from the underworld and appear
at the top of the stairwell where he starts all his delves into the breach,
in the basement of Stone-Gaze’s chapel.
Advancement:
GM Note: No rolls of a 1 or 20 in this mission, so Aleric will get the opportunity to advance 5 skills. Lets see if there's any improvement for him!
Advancement rolls (roll
above skill)
Awareness (13): 14; Awareness+1
Evade (13): 4; No advancement
Healing (8):3 ; No advancement
Spot Hidden (8): 16; Spot Hidden +1
Swords (15): 8; No advancement
Awareness (13): 14; Awareness+1
Evade (13): 4; No advancement
Healing (8):3 ; No advancement
Spot Hidden (8): 16; Spot Hidden +1
Swords (15): 8; No advancement
Aleric has made it back to Stone-Gaze with the sap of the Soul Tree in hand. Only one more mission for Aleric to complete to aid in reforging the worldbreaker!
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