By AWizardInDallas on 5/25/2007 2:23 PM

We've not played in a short while because we all (myself plus my wife, our friends, oldest kiddo...a.k.a. the players) attended the 4th Annual ReaperCon, in Denton, TX!  My wife and I even wore our Reaper hats, sweet swag from all the minis we've purchased. 

Walking into the huge production facility where they make all those most excellent minis was almost a religious experience.  My jaw was just about on the floor at seeing all that Dark Heaven (the green blister packs) in one place!  I'd also never seen the CAV miniatures (was strange to see the red blister packs for a change) in a retail store.  I'm considering picking some of those up for table top war games... I may even take a look at the CAV 2nd Edition rules.  Drop me a line if you've played?

I've never seen a display of miniatures so long, large and orderly...and we paid homage, believe me.  Hahaha!  The wall of miniatures must have been about 40'-50' long and, again, all in catalog order.  Most of my new acquisitions can be seen in my miniatures gallery under monsters.  We're planning to take a few short breaks to paint miniatures for our campaigns but not to worry... we have more games scheduled.  We're just getting started!

By AWizardInDallas on 5/23/2007 7:55 PM

The fellowship had earlier done battle with the hobgoblin hunter, Balsag, and his "hunting hounds", Grip and Fang (dire rats).  They'd won.  They'd decided thereafter to forge on, hoping to find Shawn in another part of the lower Citadel...but to no avail.  Now they had come full circle… they stood back at the entry chamber leading toward the hobgoblin's quarters.  The grove level now seemed to be empty of all threats.  Even the invading kobolds were now dealt with.  So they came back to investigate a tunnel at the back of Balsag's quarter's, a tunnel they'd almost blissfully forgotten.  They started down the narrow passage, confirming with Erky that he'd be willing to go a little further with them; he'd earlier expressed a desire to return home after a year in goblin captivity.

They passed a shallow pool of water with only tiny white minnows to greet them. They rounded a slight corner and walked down a small flowstone stair between two stalactites toward an ancient rusty iron door.  They noted a metal basket pinned to the cavern wall with an iron spike next to the door, its purpose a mystery.  They observed immediately that the door was not of goblin make due to its great height and girth and its having been forged of solid iron.  Shadow examined the door for signs of treachery. Finding none, she cut through the crude heavy lock with her rogue's skills like a hot knife through butter.  She stepped aside allowing Thamior a chance to scout ahead.  He was greeted by the sight of alabaster white walls.  The corridor too was wide and tall...too roomy for goblins, which had obviously controlled this part of the complex.  The halls were definitely outside the skills of kobolds too.

In stark contrast to the clean white walls there stood at the end of the corridor an octagonal chamber filled with all manner of unpleasantness.  An octagonal pit ... Read More »

By AWizardInDallas on 5/11/2007 12:15 PM

The ratmen had come to Dondurran bearing foul words, sharp rapiers and designs on murdering meddlesome Saille and her friends.  They ended up leaving behind valuable clues on a bloody bar room floor.  Captain Harrak had also previously indicated that the fellowship should look for the second sliver of Slaughtergarde on Surrinak land.  He had no proof though.  He also couldn't move the Luminary Order against the Surrinak noble family due to potential political and financial pressures that could very well spell the end of the order.  So he asked the fellowship to help him in a meeting they'd mutually agreed never took place.

Now, with a crude ratman map in hand, the fellowship knew where to look.  Riding for the northern edge of the Redbark Grove, they sought out a game trail leading through the forest toward the Surrinak family hunting lodge.  Finding the trail, grimly marked by a Surrinak cemetery, the fellowship rode through a cloudy day and into nightfall.  They soon found themselves camping near the southern edge of the grove by the dawning light of a full moon, with the expectation of riding to the lodge the next day.  Unfortunately, Hilda's near-midnight watch was interrupted by the attack of two great cats - krenshar seeking what they thought would be an easy meal.  Hilda watched as a krenshar pealed back the skin from its skull revealing the muscle and bone in its face, casting supernatural fear upon her.  She ran into the woods in a panic, her friends searching for her even after th ... Read More »

By AWizardInDallas on 5/7/2007 7:52 PM

If any doubts remained that the uneasy truce between the kobolds of the Citadel and the fellowship was at an end, the kobolds banished them this night!  Little did the fellowship know that as they stood stirring the dead embers of the evil Gulthias tree, the kobolds had taken advantage of the elves' victory over the goblins and hobgoblins.  The scaly, horned brutes wandered down recklessly into the lower halls and into the grove level.  The fellows find them looting Belak's library, obviously placing no value on the written word from the torn paper and displaced books strewn about the tiny room.  Shadow's seasoned company quickly kills the tiny brutes as one flees screaming in a panic down the long hallway leading back toward the stairs.

Giving chase, they round the corner to find two more kobolds standing at the top of the stairs.  After a brief exchange of bow and javelin fire with Thamior another survivor flees to the far stairs going up.  Thamior misses as the kobold runs back toward the crimson dragon shrine.  Once more giving chase the fellowship finds an ambush lying in wait for them under the red glow of the dragon statue!  Perhaps bolstered by their supposed kinship with the dragon race, the kobolds form a javelin firing line designed to kill Thamior's steps further into the room.  Thorne then strides forward angrily, unamused by the wild goose chase the kobolds have so far lead them on through the dungeon hallways.  Grabbing one of the kobolds by its scaly arms he bats a second as Thamior, Sh ... Read More »

By AWizardInDallas on 5/1/2007 8:14 PM

Found on road dead... The fellowship decides to go back after defending the dead bodies, abandoned wagons and cargo of a commoner convoy bound for nearby Seklitir.  The goblins, defeated in a quick horse battle, are left to rot on the road as the fellowship

Saille: 3rd Level High Elven Monk

turns back with only the night pressing against them.  Knowing that the burden of reaching Tulvercross with the cargo in tact might be a serious stretch, they break the outskirts of town and make for the local inn.

After a brief discourse with a slightly inebriated and apathetic bartender, they are directed to a man named Jasp, the local constable.  The commoners were unarmed yet still possessed of coin purses and cargo; the fellowship registers its suspicions over their demise prior to meeting up with goblin raiders.  The constable confirms that the wagons had been expected and that it's escorts, a man named Traeban and some of his men, had passed quickly through town a day before, apparently abandoning the wagon masters to their fate.  Traeban is of course the self same bandit the fellows rescued from bladelings during their return to the Slaughtergarde Laboratory (a thousand year old sliver of demonic Mount Slaughtergarde).  Satisfied at having lawfully returned the carts and having belatedly finished the journey of strangers, and with a modest reward in their pockets to boot, the fellows get a good night's rest in Seklitir.

Gr ... Read More »