2.07.2015

The Defenders, Vol. 2, Issue 22 - He Got The Stuffing Knocked Out Of Him

The heroes rush out toward the bay, attempting the best they can to help those in danger under the flying rock and magma from the newly formed volcano and determine the source of this new (un)natural menace.
Stormhome.

After deciding that anything they do on the surface won't be able to affect the volcanic activity, they immediately try to find an outfitter that adventurers would use and begin to question him about the surrounding territory, most notably any tunnels below the city, even if they might connect to the local sewers. The man tells them that there are more than a few natural sea caves in the surrounding region, and sketched them a map of the ones he could recall on the spot.

The heroes spend many hours searching through caves, but finally find one that ranges deep and leads out under the bay, and eventually connects to larger tunnels, much older and, though eroded, showing signs of having been worked in ages past.

Further they went until they were ambushed by chill shadows, intent on stealing the life force of the band! Though the undead were dispersed, the Scarecrow lay dead, so the group gathered their fallen comrade and made their way back to Stormhome with the thought that they must return to those tunnels, as they felt they were on the right track.

Next Issue - Meeting Your Destiny!




Cast of Characters
Jean Grey, Elan Psion (Kineticist) 12|Wilder 12  - Angela
Bennet du Paris [Exodus], Human Psion (Nomad) 12|Spellthief 5/Cerebrex 7 -Taylor
Kurt Wagner [Nightcrawler], Lesser Tiefling Rogue 3/Fighter 8/Swashbuckler 1|Totemist 2/Wizard 3/Umbral Disciple 2/Telflammar Shadowlord 4/Soul Caster 1 - David 
Kitty Pryde [Shadowcat], Human Wizard 10|Ninja 10 - Sam
Sean Cassidy [Banshee], Dragonfire Adept 7/Green Lantern 3|Bard 10 - Paul
Johnathan Blaze (Phantom Traveler) [Ghost Rider], Flaming Bone Creature 2/Warlock 7|Fighter 5/Lasher 4 - G2
Dr. Isaiah Crane [Scarecrow], Sorceror 6|Cleric 6 - Jon (deceased)


Bonus Feature: The Green Lantern prestige class
When Connar died, Paul had tossed around a few ideas, but nothing seemed satisfying to him. Ultimately, he settled on Banshee, but asked if I would be ok with him also being a Green Lantern. Since the Lanterns are an organization and not a unique individual, I said yes and began developing a prestige class. 

My goal was to reflect some of the classic powers of the Green Lanterns, but not make them a highly exclusive organization and stifle one's character development if they wanted to try to join. It came across with the right flavor, I think, but perhaps not as powerful as a player might like. Paul and I were both happy with the class, so he ran with it, and seemed to enjoy it immensely.

The Green Lantern
Lantern battery and power ring.
Prerequisites: Base Will save +4
Concentration 10 ranks
Iron Will feat

Hit Die: d8
Base Attack Bonus: Medium (As Cleric)
Saves: Good Will, Poor Fort and Reflex

Abilities: 1st level - Fear Vulnerability (Su) A Green Lantern's greatest fear is fear, itself. Upon taking the first level of this class, and only while wearing their power ring, the character suffers a -4 penalty to saves versus fear-based abilities and spells. In addition, the Reactive Shield ability is ineffective against attacks that have a primary or secondary effect that can cause a fear effect, and Willful Weaponry and other abilities of this class automatically fail against creatures that have a fear aura.
Fly (Sp) The Green Lantern can fly, as the spell, except with a continuous duration. Move action to reactivate if dispelled. Caster level equal to character level.
Lantern Battery When a Lantern is first accepted to the ranks of the order, they are given a magical lantern that not only stands as a symbol of the order, but also functions to charge the magic of the Lantern's power ring. The power ring must be charged at this battery once a week, and the battery must be charged at the Great Battery twice a year. Since the lantern battery is so important to their continued power, most Lanterns take great pains to hide their personal batteries.
Power Ring  Upon entering the ranks of the Green Lanterns, the character is gifted a power ring. This ring is the medium through which the character channels the powers of this prestige class, and loses all abilities of this class if the ring is ever taken off or is sundered. The Lanterns guard their rings viciously, and a Lantern that loses or has their ring destroyed loses much face, and may be cast out of the order.
Reactive Shield (Su) 3+Wis modifier times per day, the Green Lantern may raise a physical manifestation of their will as an immediate action to grant themselves +4 shield bonus to AC against one attack.

2nd level - Reactive Shield (Su) Also grants a cover bonus against spells and effects that allow a Reflex save and can have their effect reduced due to cover, such as fireball.
Willful Weaponry (Sp) As a standard action, the Green Lantern may create a weapon formed fully of force and powered by the will of the character. This effect is similar to the spiritual weapon spell, except that any weapon type can be chosen, and the weapon begins as medium and the weapon formed is one size category larger with each Green Lantern level beyond 2nd.

3rd level - Passengers (Su) The Green Lantern may take any number of other creatures along when flying, but each one imposes a 5' penalty to speed of the fly ability. Size of the creature does not affect this ability, and all creatures move at the adjusted speed of the Lantern's fly.
Reactive Shield (Su) When using reactive shield, the character may use either of the previously gained abilities, or may instead choose to gain spell resistance equal to 5+character level against a single spell that they are aware of.

4th level - Believable Survivability (Su) Starting at this level, the power ring also acts as a necklace of adaptation.
Reactive Shield (Su) The Lantern may, instead of previous abilities of reactive shield, choose to gain the benefits of the spell globe of invulnerability. This use of the ability acts just as the spell, except the effect only lasts until the start of the Green Lantern's next turn. Caster level is equal to character level.
Sustained Flight (Sp) The character can push the limits of their flight at this level, gaining the abilities of the overland flight spell. This ability works just like that spell, except it has a duration of 2 hours per Green Lantern level per day. This duration can be broken up, but each use eliminates 10 minutes of duration, no matter the length of use.

5th level - Reactive Shield (Su) The effects of the spell turning spell also become available. This ability works in all ways like that spell, except it lasts only until the start of the Lantern's next turn. The caster level of this effect is equal to the Lantern's character level.
Shared Survivability (Su) All creatures affected by the passengers ability are also under the effects of the believable survivability ability.
Will Into Existence (Su) At this level of mastery of their own will, the Green Lantern may create, from sheer willpower, structures and simple machines - such as a bridge or pulley-driven elevator - that can take up no more space/volume than five continguous 10' squares. This structure cannot be used as weaponry, but can be used to hinder movement or trap another creature. All structures created with this ability have walls/structure Wisdom modifier inches thick, have hardness of 5+Wisdom modifier, and hit points equal to the Lantern's Wisdom score per inch.


That's all the crunch for the prestige class. I would be interested in hearing comments and criticism on the design, if anyone has opinions.

I might post the fluff I had created for it soon. My Defenders version of Eberron is pretty rich with lore that I created that I haven't shared with anyone before.
 

2.01.2015

The Defenders, Vol. 2, Issue 21 - Leavin' On An Airship, Don't Know When I'll Be Back Again

Arriving in Sharn, the group immediately splits up to look into gaining all the answers they can. Bennet makes for the Asteroid to speak to Magnus, Kurt and the others go to Xavier's School and there meet Banshee, a colleague of the Professor and member of the Lanterns. Banshee has been alerted to Charles' extended disappearance by Wesley Dodds, the man left in charge of the School until the Professor was able to return.

Dodds had prompted Banshee to stay until the group made contact, but fortunately they had come to him. Long discussion, shared notes, and new research leads the team at the School to come up with some leads that they might want to follow.

Meanwhile, Bennet gets to the Asteroid and after some posturing with the Juggernaut, speaks with Magnus about the happenings in the Mournland, asking if Magnus had a part in anything, or if he knew who would, then begins talking about the Destiny Arms and what more they know. It's agreed that the giants need to be stopped and after getting no further, Bennet departs for the School.

Another day is spent in Sharn while everyone wraps up what they are doing and they are greeted by a familiar face. T'challa is also in Sharn and offers a little bit of information and a ride to Stormhome aboard his airship. From there the party wishes to embark for the Frostfell, where the League and the Defenders supposedly went when both groups came up missing.

When they get closer to Stormhome, however, the skies are darkened and thick with smoke and lightning. Off in the distance, it can be seen that a volcano has formed in the bay outside the city!

Next Issue, A Fearful Demise!


Cast of Characters
Jean Grey, Elan Psion (Kineticist) 12|Wilder 12  - Angela
Bennet du Paris [Exodus], Human Psion (Nomad) 11|Spellthief 5/Cerebrex 6 -Taylor
Kurt Wagner [Nightcrawler], Lesser Tiefling Rogue 3/Fighter 8/Swashbuckler 1|Totemist 2/Wizard 3/Umbral Disciple 2/Telflammar Shadowlord 4/Soul Caster 1 - David 
Kitty Pryde [Shadowcat], Human Wizard 10|Ninja 10 - Sam
Sean Cassidy [Banshee], Dragonfire Adept 7/Green Lantern 3|Bard 10 - Paul

Green Lantern is a custom prestige class that you will be able to see soon. I need to compile it and make it presentable from my handwritten notes. Look for it in one of the next couple of write ups for this game.


As a final note here, my janky notes I take for games might be off in some way or another. If any of my players ever wants to set me straight on anything, they are more than welcome.