[The Yardbird flies south through the Worldspine Mountains battling the weather as well as creatures and their mysterious opponents, sometimes at the same time.]
[This session took place September 21, 2002. We were playing Champions 4th Edition with the Second Edition Fantasy Hero supplement.]
Player Characters
Tim, a Wizard - male human from the Free City of Freegate, graduate of Outlands University
Dangar Stonekleaver - male dwarf from the Northern Dwarven Kingdom
Kyle Logan – male human thief and stowaway on the Yardbird
Wendell Dorshield III – male gnome, Captain and Architect of the Yardbird
Malwyn – male High elf fighter and military expert
Darkfox – female human thief from Freegate, secret ID of socialite Karlyn Gryphshaw
Session Begins
August 3, 18 IC
Early in the morning the Outlanders said their goodbyes to the dwarfs and boarded the Yardbird. The Yardbird retracted its anchors and increased the volume of aether in the gas envelopes, increasing its lift. It then turned away from Karak-ud and flew south.
August 5, 18 IC
A couple days into the flight, the Yardbird was attacked by a flight of three griffins. This was not a particularly unexpected thing. What was unexpected was their behavior during the attack – the griffins landed on the Yardbird and started ripping in to it! Several of the Outlanders went out onto the top of Yardbird to fight the griffins.
After a brief but fierce struggle, the griffins were killed. However, due to the actions of the griffins, one of the major aether cells was ruptured and needed to be repaired. The Yardbird made a sprint as best it could to exit the area it had been spotted in and to find an area in the mountains where it could land to make repairs.
To fend off further Griffin attacks, one of the ship’s repeating ballistae was remounted on top of the Yardbird. [The Yardbird had three repeating ballistae aboard, all mounted underneath as the only envisioned enemy attacks were expected to come from below.] While repairs were under way, Tim investigated the body of the griffin that made its way into the aether cell and discovered it was wearing a magical collar. Tim was able to determine that the collar both controlled the griffin and allowed the controller to sense what the griffin saw and heard. Further, it appeared to still be active! Tim quickly wrapped it in thick cloth and shut it inside a small chest. He then had it buried in the ground away from the Yardbird.
Periodically throughout the rest of the flight through the Worldspines, griffins were spotted circling in the distance, but they never attacked again.
August 7, 18 IC
During the night of August 7th, the Yardbird stopped to shelter from high winds and a storm. An exploration party from the Yardbird set out to search the area for anything useful. Instead they ran across a “winter worm”, a 64 m gargantuan worm covered in fur. During the fight, through means unknown, Tim caused a magical effect wherein the exploration party and the worm were englobed by a sphere of pale blue light, blinding all for a short period of time. [I believe he missed a spell casting roll and this was the side effect – a large Area of Effect Flash.] The light also provided a beacon for a rescue party from the Yardbird, who were able to arrive in time to help put down the winter worm.
August 14, 18 IC
While flying through the Worldspines, the Yardbird was attacked by a small team laying in wait along the Yardbird’s flight path. An unnamed wizard cast Fireball spells at the Yardbird, setting the airship on fire! Tim eventually returned fire with his Arc Light spell, causing an avalanche that killed the attackers.
After searching for and then searching of the bodies, the Outlanders were able to determine that their attackers were mercenaries and had been paid to attack the Yardbird and bring it down. Unfortunately, the letters hiring the mercenaries and identifying the Yardbird did not identify their enemy. The opposing spellcaster had a Ring of Warmth that Tim acquired.
After the surprise attack and all it suggested, Wendell chose to plot an alternate path in order to exit the Worldspines as soon as possible. Wendell charted a route through a pass that was almost too high for the damaged Yardbird to fly through to leave the mountains by the next dawn, rather than several days later. Merriwether, Wendell’s best pilot, was able to fly the Yardbird through the pass, only scraping the bottom of the Yardbird a little at the pass’s highest point.
August 15
The Yardbird exited the Worldspine Mountains and sailed out over Gruen Bay in the early morning hours.
Session Ends.
NPCs Met
Alfred – gnome from the Yardbird’s Security Detail
Benjamin – gnome from the Yardbird’s Security Detail
Chaz – gnome from the Yardbird’s Security Detail
Dwain – gnome from the Yardbird’s Security Detail
Edward – gnome from the Yardbird’s Security Detail
Felicity – gnome from the Yardbird’s Security Detail
Merriwether – female gnome, best pilot on the Yardbird
Happening Off-Stage
[Nothing in my notes.]
DM Discussion
[Clearly, Lord Thezmothete’s plans were in motion. By leaving the mountains early, The Yardbird avoided two more ambush attacks. The Betdmuans still had more plans in action, but it would be a while before the Outlanders learn of them.]
[In the meantime, Tim’s player wanted to experiment with a different character from another part of the world, one with a very different relationship with the gods. We worked out their history along with some additional material about higher level magics. Next session his new character, “Oliver”, will make an appearance.]
Flight of the Yardbird
Previous session: Session 7
Next Session: Session 9 [not edited yet]
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