Session 212 - Wise of the Wampyr!

The rise of the undead Apocalypse Dragon, long foretold!

Everybody who is a vampire gains a translyvanian accent!

Gifflewim gets hit by a Guber in a terrible hit-and-run accident!

Basically lots happened and WE'RE BACK!

I forgot to put these in last week so I'm chucking them in here, so sorry Carter!

Apparently the POWERLAD canon is now rich enough to have some Elseworlds stories, courtesy of Carter - "On the apex of the dragon’s spine Powerlad fends off against Cyrus, the Vampire Lord. Forced backwards a sweep of Cyrus’s glowing red sword cuts through Powerlad’s armour leaving a bleeding gash across his chest. Powerlad falls to a rib below, barely catching it with one hand, his hammer falling to the distant ground. “There is no escape. Don’t make me destroy you” Cyrus calls, floating down to stand on the wide bone. “Powerlad, you do not yet realize your importance. You’ve only begun to discover your power. Join me and I will complete your training. With our combined strength we can end this conflict and destroy the Mass Dragon.” “I’ll never join you!” Powerlad bellows as he tries to pull himself up. “If only you knew the power of Undeath. Guido never told you what happened to your father.” “He told me enough, he told me you killed him” “No, I am your father” Tales from the Otherverse --Powervlad meets Cyrus

Session 212 - Wise of the Wampyr!

Campaign Date:

Saturday, 21th June, 1601

Moon Phase: Full Moon

Zenith: Oberon

Zodiac: Gemini

New Character:
- Sepulchre, a former grifter who joined the Resistance in Fate early on and now chosen to be Styx’s chosen Doom Knight.

New Backstory:
- Oliver Snels comes from a long line of doomsday preppers who put most of their food in storage for the end times, when they saved too much and didn’t have enough to eat Snels shared the food they had evenly. (Everyone heals +1 HP when they eat to heal and you’re around)
- Sepulchre was being pursued by his old troupe of con artists. When they entered the village he was hustling, he helped the locals run them out of town! (Once per session, cause a morale check to fail)
- La Romantica once quit a substance cold turkey because she wanted to (+2 to resist addiction)
- Galaxy RJ is scared of the dark because he’s seen interstellar terrors with his own eyes. (+2 Awareness in pitch black)

Treasure and Equipment:

- Bag of super-seeds.
- Broken plate armour.
- A jar of lard.
- 3 standard rations - Cheese

Total: 0 exp

Enemies Defeated:

- Gifflewim, again (1000 exp) - The vampire coachman (1000 exp)

Total: 2000 exp

Exploration:

- Travelled a long way! (240 exp)

- 1 Random Encounter (50 exp)

Total: 290 exp

Events:

--- Where Next?

- In Fortress-City Fate, now mobile and controlled by the Goblin King Styx, the party discusses next steps. Dumbledorris, in particular, is avid that they get moving. (50 exp)
- After much discussion they choose the Barrowmaze over investigating the Prime Tentacle. The Ascendant Styx, for his part, is going to take the city to Mt Death Frost and grab those survivors. (50 exp)
- POWERLAD takes a little time to induct Dumbledorris into the Drakencult of Ninhursag, granting her power! (50 exp)

--- Road Rage
- They travel for two days by Guber, using POWERLAD’s psuedo-nightvision to navigate during the hours of pure darkness. They keep passing tentacles frozen by god beams from above. (50 exp)
- They drive past Salisburgh and continue on. The enormous green Apocalypse Dragon Ninhursag looms overhead, getting closer and closer. (50 exp)
- They crest a rise in hilly territory and see a strange figure running towards them! He’s got a massive backpack on and is chucking seeds from a bag over his shoulder, trees pop up where they land! Behind him come several Drakencultists on green wings. (50 exp)
- POWERLAD flies up to the cultists to ask what’s going on, but the guy he talks to is very rude and doesn’t believe he’s POWERLAD! (50 exp)
- Sepulchre, meanwhile, just drives straight into the running man. At the last moment before the car hits, POWERLAD recognises him as Gifflewim. (50 exp)
- He shouts “stop!” but the guber is going to fast. It hits, and Gifflewim suddenly vanishes. Sepulchre looks around confused, he’s sure that he hit that guy. (50 exp)
- Up above, the Drakencult’s leader is absolutely mortified that his underling was so rude to a High Priest of the cult! He apologises profusely, and offers to let the party stay the night with his group. (50 exp)
- Sepulchre finds the bag of seeds and tries to surreptitiously pocket some of them… but has to quickly fling them away when they seeds begin to sprout! He chucks them and they burst into a tangle of trees, very out of place in the world these days! (50 exp)
- The Drakencultists create a bunch of stone igloos to stay the night in, POWERLAD helping create an extremely big one that can fit pretty much everyone! (50 exp)

--- To Helix
- The next morning they awaken to find a small but verdant glade around the fallen seed bag. Footprints lead away from the place Gifflewim got hit. Sepulchre grabs the bag and doesn’t try any funny business this time. (50 exp)

- They take their leave and continue on, going past a dead green drakencultist who was wrapped around a tree by some powerful force. They loot him and continue on. (50 exp)
- Soon they reach the village of Helix. From a distance it looks ruined, but as they move in to investigate they pass through an illusory bubble and find that it’s still intact! (50 exp)
- POWERLAD heads straight for the wizard tower, especially since rippling pulses of magical power are coming from it. He knocks on the door, and a very Jafar-y face opens it. (50 exp)

--- Mazzahs the Magnificent

- The old enchanter is well! They chat about the changes locally since they last met, most significantly the fact that the world’s about to end. (50 exp)
- He tells them that it’s his illusion that’s kept the village safe - from the outside it seems to be a completely looted and abandoned village. He’s had Undead sniff around nearby, but nothing major for some time. (50 exp)
- He tells them to be careful of vampires out there if they’re investigating the Barrowmaze, especially since it’s been a few weeks since Cyrus won the battle against the Rebel Dead here. He’ll find the Ossuary of All Bones soon, mark his words. (50 exp)
- Also important, the giant rot grubs that are everywhere these days keep harrying the feet of Ninhursag. It’s fine for now since its scales are so thick, but if Ninhursag is wounded there’ll be trouble! (50 exp)
- The party declines his continued offers of inconsistently labelled potions and take their leave. Luckily the Coachman is still in business, albeit he’s a vampire with ghost horses now, so as evening falls they go to see him. (50 exp)

--- The Coachman

- The Coachman pulls up at his usual stop outside the village illusion and is amazed to see living people waiting for him there! (50 exp)

- He is a vampire (or, as he says, “Wampyr!!!”) and has a translyvanian accent even though he used to have a normal accent, apparently it comes with the territory. (50 exp)
- He tries to exact a toll of blood from the party, and when newish character La Romantica offers to bite his neck in payment, he POUNCES! It was a trick! (50 exp)
- He bites deep into her neck and drains a level! A fate worse than death! She fights back and they go rolling under the carriage. The ghost horse whinny in terror! (50 exp)

- Sepulchre and Snels leap onto a ghost horse each and ride them away, while POWERLAD smashes off a wheel of the wagon with his mighty hammer, then jumps high into the air! (50 exp)
- The wheel careens off, the wagon totters on its remaining three wheels, the exposed axle splintered and sharp. (50 exp)
- La Romantica seizes the opportunity! With a powerful wrestle she rolls, dragging the vampire with her, and rolls off when he’s just under the splintered axle. (50 exp)

- “Looks like the stakes were too high motherfucker!” cries POWERLAD as he comes crashing down with his mighty hammer, smashing the roof of the wagon and sending the axle straight into the vampire’s heart! (50 exp)

- He screams eastern-europeanly and explodes into green gas. POWERLAD lands next to La Romantica and high-fives her, “Guess he fell off the wagon”. (50 exp)
- Galaxy RJ the mimic-man had managed to attack the vampire during the scuffle, taking on his stunning good looks. La Romantica is immediately besotted for some reason. (50 exp)

- Snels and Sepulchre return with their ghost horses. Despite being translucent ghosts with eyes like smouldering coals, they’re tangible and act like normal horses, weirdly enough. (50 exp)
- Some quick repair work with the wagon’s spare wheel and some rehitched horses later, and they’re off towards the Barrowmaze. Hurrah! (50 exp)
- The success is short-lived. The timing could not have been better… or worse. As the wagon approaches the black obelisk that marks the wagon’s usual drop-off point, there is a rising tremor in the earth. (50 exp)

--- Atop the Bone Dragon!
- The ground begins to move and crack. The ghost horses, already skittish, start to gallop. Rising from the earth, cracking the entire maze around it, the huge head of a titanic skeletal Apocalypse Dragon rises! (50 exp)
- Standing on its skull, holding aloft the golden monstrance of the Ossuary of All Bones, is Cyrus Carnithrex Maximus! (50 exp)

- Galaxy RJ, in his vampire guise, turns into an enormous bat and flies up to the skull. He lands as a vampire and falls to one knee, complimenting “the Boss” on the culmination of his plans. Hail Cyrus, Lord of Lords! (50 exp)
- When Cyrus turns to gloat, RJ attacks! The mirror-magic activates, and suddenly Cyrus is facing himself! But Cyrus is too quick, he deflects the blow and throws RJ-Cyrus off the skull! As he falls, he turns back into a giant bat and flaps his way back upwards. (50 exp)
- POWERLAD soars overhead, planning to dive at the lone Cyrus. Riding up the spine, near vertical, Sepulchre urges the ghost horses faster and faster towards the scene! (50 exp)
- The ghost-wagon flies along the spine, rattling it like a xylophone, and crashes straight into Cyrus! But he turns, almost lazily, catches the wagon on his armoured wrist, and flings the whole thing off the dragon’s head. The horses scream as they fall. La Romantica, within, probably dies off-screen. (50 exp)
- The distraction is enough! Bat-RJ swoops down and tears the Ossuary from his hands! He commands Cyrus to kneel, seeing as the Ossuary controls the Dead, and Cyrus falls to his knees. (50 exp)
- He yells, “Stop! I need the Ossuary in order to destroy Ereshkigal before it can destroy the Earth!” and POWERLAD is suddenly struck with indecision. (50 exp)
- Sepulchre stabs Cyrus, but RJ’s mirror-magic swaps their places! Overhead, the now bat-formed Cyrus bursts into a cloud of green mist and tries to escape. (50 exp)
- POWERLAD plinks him with a beam to try to swap their locations back but it doesn’t work. Cyrus-RJ bursts into a cloud of mist of his own and blasts up into the sky in pursuit. (50 exp)
- We end on a cliffhanger! RJ pursues Cyrus into the sky! What will happen next?! Find out next week! (50 exp)

Total: 3250 exp

Misc:

- Aggressive Negotiations bonus (50 exp)
- Antagonist Antagoniser bonus (50 exp)
- Balls to the Wall bonus (50 exp)
- Brutal Kill bonus (50 exp)
- Classic Charles bonus (50 exp)
- Diplomancy bonus (50 exp)
- Dramatic Battle bonus (50 exp)
- Enmity Inciter bonus (50 exp)
- I Immediately Regret This Decision bonus (50 exp)
- Long Deliberation bonus (50 exp)
- Noblebright bonus (50 exp)
- Pundemonium bonus (50 exp)
- Pyrrhic Victory bonus (50 exp)
- SpoOoOoky bonus (50 exp)
- Tactical Fighting bonus (50 exp)
- What Could Possibly Go Wrong bonus (50 exp)
- WWE bonus (50 exp)
Total: 850 exp

Party Roles and Individual Exp:

- Remembrancer (Carter / Sepulchre - 100 exp)

- Caller (Kitty / POWERLAD - 100 exp)
- Mapper (Carter / Sepulchre - 100 exp)
- Treasurer (Carter / Sepulchre - 100 exp)

- Guard (George / Oliver Snels - 100 exp)
- Tracker (George / Oliver Snels - 100 exp)
- Art Attack (Carter, Charles - 100 exp)
- Artapalooza (Carter, Charles - 100 exp) - Attacco d'Arte (Charles - 100 exp)- Fiction Fanatic (Carter - 100 exp)
- Hummus Hero (Timothy - 100 exp)
- Chippo Champion (Carter*2 - 100 exp ea.)
- JÜGBRINGYR bonus (Kitty, Timothy - 500 exp ea.)

Active Businesses:

- Blood Honey Healing 4 U (Co-dependent businesses)

--- Honey Healing. Safe. 1095sp. (Bertha)

--- Blood Honey 4 U. Safe. 10515sp. (Sir Robyn)

Rumours:

-

Death Toll and Injuries:

- La Romantica lost a level to a vampire bite!

Exp Totals:

- Kitty / High Priest POWERLAD!, Level 8 Muscle Wizard: 158929 (Level up at 288000)
-- Devotee of Ninhursag, Bond 11 (-55% exp) 

- Suzie / Dumbledorris, Level 6 Inheritor: 51234 (Level up at 72000)
- Timothy / Galaxy RJ, Level 6 Martian Inheritor: 39846 (Level up at 72000)
- Jorge / Oliver Snels, Level 5 Barbarian: 24529 (Level up at 32000)
- Carter / Sepulchre, Level 5 Fighter: 20056 (Level up at 32000)

- Charles, ??? Romantica, Level 4 Barbarian: 13365 (Level up at 16000)
*LEVEL DRAIN!* -1d8 HP! -perks! -1 round of rage!

Absent or Retired:
- James / Abhor Global, Level 6 Extras: 25443 (Level up at 48000)
- (Styx's Disciples)
--- Dominique, Level 4 Necromancer: 9395 (Level up at 18000)
--- Ilda, Level 4 Fighter: 8466 (Level up at 16000)
--- Heriael, Level 3 Elf (Hauntling Glister): 6395 (Level up at 12000)
--- Zam, Level 2 Fighter: 2395 (Level up at 4000)
--- Hrundlfrust, Level 2 Specialist: 1895 (Level up at 3000)
--- Blixxer, Level 2 Specialist: 1895 (Level up at 3000)  
- Tim D / Mortlocke, Level 3 Necromancer: 5350 (Level up at 9000)
- Kitty / Bertha, Level 4 Necromancer: 10892 (Level up at 18000)
-- Devotee of Ninhursag, Bond 3 (-15% exp)   
- Kitty / Andromeda, Level 5 Muscle Wizard: 23376 (Level up at 36000)
-- Devotee of Ninhursag, Bond 8 (-40% exp)
- Timothy / Sir Robyn, Level 6 Magic-User: 62159 (Level up at 72000)
- Ollie / Flaming Fury, Level 6 Dwarf: 49511 (Level up at 70400)

-- Devotee of Ereshkigal, Bond 4 (-20% exp)
- Charles / Galaxy Johnson, Level 6 Reincarnated Shadow-Elf: 53575 (Level up at 96000)
-- Devotee of Ereshkigal, Bond 3 (-15% exp)
- Jevgeni / Antez, Level 2 Necromancer: 3571 (Level up at 4500)
- Grecia / Glycon, Level 2 Elf (Sloomit Waghorn): 3571 (Level up at 6000)
- Ollie / Synthia, Level 5 Inheritor: 24881 (Level up at 36000)
-- Devotee of Ninhursag, Bond 3 (-15% exp)
- Henry / Witchfinder-Sergeant, Level 5 Cleric (Unorthodox): 14963 (Level up at 28000)
--- Erstwhile, Level 2 Muscle Wizard: 3105 (Level up at 4500)
- James / Ratimir, Level 6 Ratman: 33991 (Level up at 48000)
- Andy / Carrie Meleste, Level 6 Termaxian Cleric: 52811 (Level up at 56000)
--- 4 Henchmen Undeserving of Names, Level 0 Bootlickers
- Kyle / Gimlass the Brave, Level 2 Dwarf: 2257 (Level up at 4400)
- Ollie / Tremendo Picante, Level 2 Ratman: 2654 (Level up at 3000)
- James / Raaf van Held, Level 4 Fighter: 14838 (Level up at 16000)