Cynical Pi RPG
These are ideas for the Independence Day Special.
My idea is for it to tie into Xeik's and Alex's intercontinental War story.
In that story, Xeik is forced to go to Qeteshrhea and be with Alectoris Barbara Aegypticus, or Qeteshrhea will goto war with the West which is unprepared for such a conflict.
After a while, Xeik get's rescued by forces in the west, against his will, which starts said war.
Now i can easily make a full campain around this... PC's are the ones saving Xeik... starting the war and fighting in it...
However... I need to fit the special in one, maybe two sessions at most.
My idea was freeing the West from the East invasion, thereby solidifying the Independence day aspect of the special.
Perhaps I can bridge the gap so to speak from the begining of the war to the end.
Here's the Idea...
PC's are the ones that go retrieve Xeik. A new NPC sends them on this quest. The NPC is the princess that arguably ended the two century war using powerful arcane powers.
So they go get him. There might be a fight against Xeik. (That could be cool, trying to take down a high level Paladin without killing him)
In doing so provokes a war from Alectoris and all of Qeteshrhea.
The next bit will be a short sequence where the Forces of Qeteshrhea overwhelm the Western Forces.
There will be little the PC's can do about it, because Alectoris is fighting them on a different front. She is using her powers against them in some way. Perhaps she finally gets around to fulfilling her promice to ruin Aiden's life by imprisoning the PC's for 5 years. They would have been there for all eternity if it wasn't for some mysterious help from above. (will be implied that it was Tordek that helped them.)
Anyways, they get freed and can confront Alectoris in some way.
Perhaps the epic battle will be between the PC's and the Prime Ralios, a Bird of Prey headed individual who occasionaly apears in the Ra'sek games, but this time is being the protector of Alectoris. (The remainer of the Seven Handles is fighting on the front lines back in West Continent.)
This fight will be kind of cool, since Alectoris can't hinder the PC's because some force is holding back her powers, leaving the Prime Ralios to fight the PC's.
Xeik will show up afterwards, using an artifact that he obtained durring his stay in Qeteshrhea. He along with the PC's, confront Alectoris. (maybe along with the new NPC).
Xeik has news though and he wants both sides to stand down on their attack.
Alex and (the NPC) ask why and Xeik shows everyone the Oreah Blade. It was glowing black.
Xeik explains that there was only one cause for the Blade of Oreah to discolor so on its own. Wodahs' aura.
The fact that it is glowing everywhere Xeik goes does not bode well. That means that Wodahs' aura is everywhere now.
The Great Intercontinental War provided the last bit of energy that Wodahs needed to Rebirth and Regernerate his body. The Oppression on such a scale tiped the scale.
Wodahs is returning. More powerful than ever.
To be Continued... (in a later special) Halloween perhaps?
I am writing this after we already did the easter special, and have writen the Independence day transcript.
the campaign one shot starts off with a bang.
in the middle of the 10th aniversery banquet to comemorate the end of the two century war, the First Hanuris with his dozen or so guards starts a fight.
While the 12 Qeteshrhean guards pale in comparison to the First Hanuris, they are not mince meat. Everyone should have a difficult time with these guards.
In the Room, we have many people. Mirdan will zap all the civilians and important people away on his first turn to keep them from getting caught in the crossfire.
we have Mikku, an epic level rougue
Oris, Epic level Druid.
Argus, Epic level dragoon
Mirdan, Epic level Wizard
Felinara, Epic level Blue Guard
Xeik, Epic level Dragon Paladin
Kor'qall, Epic level Fighter
Qrom, Also an Epic level Fighter
Jaymus, Epic level Bard
Taliana, Epic level Order of the Bow
Phacia, Epic level Cleric
Aura, Epic Gold Dragon
Aiden, Epic Time Wizard
Kaveroth, Epic Artificer
Anui and the Silvard Wings are not present(?)
Now, very first round.
Hanuris and Xeik are locked in one on one combat.
People start panicing and backing away.
Mirdan casts a spell and everyone civilian and VIP (below a certain hit dice) are transported away. He also summons his phoenix.
Mikku signals to Oris and delays her action.
Felinara Draws her duel oten blades and leaps into action against one of the guards.
Oris casts a spell and all the lights in the room wink out.
Mikku disapears from the lack of direct light and charges into battle.
Argus pulls out his musket and fires a shot at Hanuris trying to balance the tables for Xeik. After the bullet is deflected, he drops the musket and jumps into the air.
Kor'qal pulls out two Great Axes, duelwielding them and charges at the closest Qeteshrhean Soldier giving out a battlecry (giving all allies a +20 moral bonus to attack, damage and saves against fear), entering combat with the soldier.
Qrom pulls out the sword of Chawk'Trro and charges at another soldier.
PC's do what they wish
Second round, Mikku summons his phoenix, which drops a tear into the middle of the room which gives everyone regen and greater haste. (This works like how we origionally thought haste to work, gives everyone a second standard action)
Mirdan then casts Mass Elemental Orbs on everyone.
This gives protections by way of elements.
Earth gives everyone immunity to Lightning
Fire gives everyone immunity to Fire
Wind gives everyone immunity to Sonic
Water gives everyone immunity to Cold
Life gives everyone immunity to Acid
Force gives everyone immunity to Force
Darkness gives everyone immunity to negative energy
Light gives everyone 150 temporary hitpoints, or leaves them with 150 hitpoints against instant slay effects
Void gives everyone damage reduction of 20/- to all other types of damage
Felinara Drops one of the guards and moves on to the next.
Oris summons her animal companion, a Giant Green and brown Owl with antlers protruding from it's head. She then uses wildshape to transform into a Primal Sky Dragon. She quickens its breath, as well as shaping it to not affect allies within it.
Mikku attempts to make a death strike upon Hanuris, however, he saw her comming and countered it with his own death strike by biting her.
Upon getting struck by the fangs, Mikku mummifies on the spot and drops down dead with her soul being sucked into the first Hanuris. The First Hanuris Disapears (Aquiring Mikku's ability).
Emotions ensue i am sure.
Argus strikes the First Hanuris with his epic jump strike. However, the first Hanuris counters against him as well, only this time with his halbred, and injecting a magical poison into him. Argus drops to the floor unconcious.
Kor'qall uses his two great axe's to scissor one of the guards heads off.
Qrom uses greater cleave to decapitate 3 more.
Again PC's can do whatever they want. the First Hanuris is being protected by Alex so few things can actually hurt him, aside from holy energy.
The First hanuris can make a full attack with his halbred AND attack twice with his bite.
Xeik starts pulling out the stops by smiting evil and power attacking, doing the most damage to the first Hanuris.
Third round.
The First Hanuris sacrafices the souls of all the remaining soldiers in the room to give himself an epic buff. (note: he should turn invisible after killing Mikku)
Mirdan's Phoenix shoots a beam of holy fire at Hanruis. Fire doing nothing, but holy doing damage. He then shoots his Xell Fire at Hanuris.
Oris reverts to her elf form and attempts a staff of life on Mikku, with no effect.
Mikku gets up off the floor in a mummified state and attempts to deathstrike Xeik to no avail. Xeik counters.
Kor'qall charges at Hanuris and attacks him.
So does Qrom.
And Felinara.
Anyone that comes within range of Hanuris gets aoo'd and get sent to outside his range.
At the end of the third round, Xeik holds up the Oreah blade. Oreah blesses the sword, it turns gold. Xeik Lunges at Hanuris. He attempts to block, but the blade breaks his halbred and he gets impaled in the chest with the blade.
The red glow in Hanuris' eyes flash gold before turning back into a dim maroon. He falls onto his knees.
"The... Pharaoh Goddess... will not stop... until she has... you... Bost...a...mun..." The First Hanuris says before he collapses onto the ground, the light completely faded from his eyes.
"I can't revive Mikku," Oris says with a tear in her eye.
Mirdan responds, "It seems that the First Hanuris had the ability to steal the souls of people that he killss to increase his own power. I'm afraid that Mikku's soul was taken with the First Hanuris' wherever it went."
"I think we just killed an Avatar." Xeik adds, "The First Hanuris was a diety's Avatar."
"Hanuris," Qrom started, "Is the god of Death in Qeteshrhea. He usually serves as Alectoris' personal guard. For him to be here away from her means he was serving as a General for her now."
"Gen'rral?" Argus asks, "Fer anae arrmy?"
Qrom answers, "Not just any army. Qeteshrhea's army."
Kor'qall asks, "Qeteshrhea is that city you said you fought in the arena for a few decades, isn't it?"
Qrom replies, "Qeteshrhea is not just that big city, the Empire controls that entire continent."
"Continent... the one to the East?" King Tiernas asks as he reenters the room.
"Indeed, your highness." Qrom replies.
"So, since you just killed one of their Dieties Avatars... how long till that army gets here?" He asks.
Mirdan, who's had his hand to his right temple for the past few moments, finally takes it off, "They are here now."
"!"
Mirdan continues, "Reports are coming in from the east coast of Wardrow. An incredibly large force has already made landfall."
"How large?" Xeik asks
"Atleast a hundred thousand men and beasts." Mirdan answers.
"A Hundred Thousand!?" Argus answered in astonishment, "Do we even have the manpower to combat such a force?"
"Me and Qrom with rally together the Chawk'Trro, and will gladly face them in battle!" Kor'qall anounces right on the spot.
Qrom nods enthusiasticly.
Felinara adds, "Me or Taliana can go rally the Otan Elf forces."
Oris, who had been crying over Mikku's body for the past few moments had grown silent, then finally added, "I will gladly go back to Dahj'neil and gather the remnants of the Elves to support our cause.
"So it's war then?" The King asks, "Are we really prepared for another war? Are the people really prepared?"
"No," Xeik states, "It wont come to that. I will surrender myself to them."
"And it wont come to THAT." A female voice announces.
The Scorcerer Princess had reentered the room. Some have said that she was repsonsible for ending the war. A simple girl from Wardrow... a country that produced no heroes since it was on the front lines for the entire war, birthed a girl with so much latent arcane powers that ultimatly tipped the balance of power to the Southern Alliances favor in the last year of the war.
"Xeik is as much apart of this kingdom as any of us. He should not have to be sacraficed. He has done too much for this world. I will gather together the Kingdom of Wardrow to go into battle. We will do whatever it takes to fend off this force."
Mirdan steps up, "I suppose I could go into Diortem and rally as much support as I can with their Arcane community. Together with the Wizards of the First Order, we should be able to provide plenty of magical support.
Argus stepped up, "Aye! And I can lead the Dragoons and rangers with the rest of the Tiernasian forces led by Xeik here."
The King was mentally counting to himself, "Hopefully even with such short notice, all those forces should be enough to combat such a force."
"I agree that we need to be prepared," Xiek starts, "But there has to be another way."
Xiek turns to you, "You've had dealings with this Alectoris before, have you not? You think you might be able to talk some sense into her? Or negotiate with her or something? The Future of the world is at stake."
The PC's may have different approches of getting to get in the same room as Alectoris... but the end result should be the same.
The Time has come for Alectoris to finally "Kill" Magnus.
As Powerful as Magnus, Kaveroth, and Taliana have become, Alectoris is still a Greater Diety. Without the First Hanuris by her side, the PC's may or may not feel more confident with this meeting of Alectoris.
However, Alex has a definite goal in mind, and is obsessed with reaching it. And since Aiden has his memories back, Alectoris is much less forgiving than before. It wont take much to set her off.
"I will do whatever it takes to have Bastamun here. There is no one that will stop me. Especially you, Magnus." She says with such anger in her eyes than even you have seen before.
"I will not allow you to interfere with my wishes. Not this time."
Should the PC's try teleporting, Alectoris has suspended interdimentional Magic around her and throughout her land.
Her face starts distorting until it becomes that of a Jackal.
"I'm sorry my love, but my patience with you has run out. Time to put you someplace until I decide on what to do with you."
She raises her hands and everything goes black.
She infact imprissoned the PC's in suspended animation underneith the earth, intending for all eternity.
However, that wont happen.
The PC's will be given visions in their imprissonment, even though they should not be aware of the imprissonment.
Flashes of the ensuing war happen.
The force that showed up on the Eastern shore was defeated by the Western forces. However it was revealed that the army that they drove off was nothing more than an expiditionary force. The Main army dwarfed the one that they encountered.
Xeik surrendered to prevent the West form being wiped out by the millions of Qeteshrheans ready to invade the West.
Durring his time with Alectoris, Xeik was trteated like a King. However that all changed when he tried freeing some slaves from under Alectoris' nose. She punished him by sending Xeik to the Ra'Sek games.
Xeik lost track of the battles he endured. However, he never lost his will and stayed true to being a Paladin.
He treated every battle like it was him versus the Pharaoh Goddess.
Alectoris finally had enough of him, so she paired him up with her personal Combatant; the Prime Ralios. A man with the head of a Bird of Prey.
Xeik was going up against the God of Light. However, he was still victorious after a difficult, yet impressive battle.
His victory won the crowd over.
Alectoris later threatens Xeik that if he did not Marry her, she would go ahead and wage war on the West anyways, which there would be no hope for them.
Xeik finally breaks down and complies with her wishes.
This doesn't last however, as the West used a ruse to "Rescue" Xeik led by the Sorceror Princess. Xeik resists, but is rescued forcfully.
Afterwards he tries going back to Alectoris, however it was too late. She was commited to a War with the West, and told Xeik that he knew the price for leaving her.
The Next few years, the East started thier invasion of the West. No ammount of resistance could messure up to the overwhelmbing force of the East.
The West was simply unprepared for a war on such a scale.
While this was going on, the Church of the Creator spread far and wide, especially to the areas to the north. Because of the war, never has there been so many followers of the Creator. However, it seemed to be the only beacon of hope. For the first time, the entire West was unified under one banner.
Even the secluded Yakfolk of the far north, joined the Western Alliance. Humans, Dwarves, Elves, Otan Elves, Chawk'Trro, Troblins, Yakfolk all together against the overhwelmbing forces of the Qeteshrhean Empire.
Even with such a united force, it did not look good for the West.
Many died.
-This is when the visions change-
However... this is only a prelude on what's to come.
You wake up.
You are back in the throne room of Alectoris. Your presence freaks out the Guards in the room. They were not expecting you to show up.
"Alert the Goddess!" One of them says in Qeteshrhean.
Crack! The noise of Alectoris apearing in the room.
"How did you overcome my Imprissonment I imposed on you!?" She barked.
She raises her hands, but nothing happens.
Shocked she looks at her own hands, "What!? How are you doing this?"
"Ralios!" She yells.
Light blinds the room. When the Light subsides, Ralios Apears.
This encounter will be different than the one with Hanuris.
Ralios uses those wierd cycles. His powers are like a reverse necromancer. Instead of animating dead beings, he resurrects people to fight for him. He also has the ability to smite whatever alignment he desires. Law, Chaos, Good, Evil, Neutral.
Need to think of awesome things for Ralios to do.
Maybe his physical attacks double as ranged and area of effect attacks. So he uses the same mechanics as melee, but he doesnt have to be next to someone to attack them. Maybe it has to do with line of sight. So if "Ralios' light" can hit you, than so can his attacks. Maybe instead of an airblade, where one cuts the air, he is cutting the light and the light travels to the target.
He dual wields and has all the duel wielding feats, so he can attack 8 times with his arms, then once with his beak. that combined with his light range, he can make a full attack against as many people as he can see.
to between his main and his off hand, then his beak, and his lazer eyes. Ralios has 10 attacks per round.
For someone not to get hit by his ranged melee attack, they must have total concielment, however they can still get hit with the smite shockwaves.
Rules of this encounter use the Antilord engine for the purposes of sucsess and failure.
Anyhoo, when they finally defeat Ralios.
Ralios fades away the same way he entered... bright light.
"How are you defeating my powers? Why can't I affect you? What did you do to come out of Imprissonment after all these years? You shouldn't have even been aware."
"Wait..." She hesitates, "It's not just you..."
"I can't see anymore..." "Why Can't I see my people?"
Just then sparks start flying out of the ground not to far away. It quickly turned into a fountain of sparks. Soon the sparks subsided, leaving only Mirdan and Xeik standing there.
"Bastamun?" Alectoris asks, "Are you doing this? Have you found yourself?"
Xeik speaks, "You must have your army stand down. We must both tell our forces to stand down."
"Why should I?" Alectoris barks back in tears.
Xeik draws the Oreah Blade. He holds it out for everyone to see.
It was glowing Black.
Alectoris' eyes widened.
Xeik spoke, "It's glowing on its own... and it glows wherever I go."
"The Oreah Blade glows after reacting to certain kinds of aura's. There's only one reason why the blade would be Glowing Black."
Someone might say Lukimea.
"Not Lukimea... even his aura originated from a higher source."
Then who?
"Wodahs."
"The Fact that the sword glows everywhere it goes does not bode well. It means that Wodahs' aura is everywhere now."
Mirdan speaks, "The Great Intercontinental war provided the last bit of energy that Wodahs needed to Regenerate and Rebirth his body in this realm. The oppression of a war on such a scale tipped the balance for him."
Before anyone could ask, Xeik answered, "Wodahs is coming... More Powerful than ever."
To be Continued...