Thursday, April 5, 2012

Blood Moon - 10 "Adventure Wrap Up"

As sometimes happens, we wrapped up this adventure and never wrote out the last session notes for it. Working the old brain-matter to remember the details was interesting, but I think I got the most important points, so here's our exciting, better-late-than-never wrap up.

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Upon reaching the ritual chamber, the order was faced with the evil shaman, Ahnfal, and Orbeus, protected within the rune carved lines of a magic circle. From the streams of energy pouring into the circle, they knew their time was short. Though Orbeus seemed to be totally absorbed in the ritual, Ahnfal was free to defend, and the circle itself provided a great deal of physical and magical protection, right up until Rowen and Cinder discovered the means of destroying it.

But therein lie a dilemma. Destroying the circle would ruin the ritual and leave Orbeus and Ahnfal unprotected, but it would also unleash a deadly amount of energy, and have unknown other consequences. Still, it had to be done unless they wanted Orbeus to lay claim to the power of the Huntress. Giving over the Shaman's staff to Weylin, who could best stab Orbeus with it, they broke the circle, and all hells broke loose.

A scream that was both Orbeus and something else tore from the Bloodwolf leader's throat as Weylin attacked. Ahnfal, still shielded by his own personal magic, sent a deadly blast of energy that caught the fighter full in the chest, killing him instantly. the same blast sent Fathak flying. As planar energies warped the air, Rowen, Cinder and Khabsha destroyed Ahnfal with a barrage of magic and arrows. Orbeus began his change and the group despaired.

Then the planar energies did something unexpected. The old bear's staff exploded with energy, and In a blinding flash of greenish light, the scene changed. Those still living and those freshly dead were transported to a lush, verdant forest glen.

On the ground were Weylin and Ahnfal's body, and standing before them was the towering beast form mentioned in the ritual. Before anyone could react, a horrible cacophony filled the forest and a look of horror entered the beasts eyes. With a powerful loping stride it disappeared into the green, apparently pursued by other beasts unseen.

And so, the surviving adventurers were left in a mysterious forest, to mourn and bury their dead, and to puzzle out what happened, and how they were to get home. Of Scrim and Fathak there was no immediate sign. They could at least take some satisfaction in the fact that they succeeded in stopping Orbeus, and avenged the Old Bear.

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As session notes they work great. A master novel it's not. But I think we all had fun, and the Aeranos system worked to my expectations. Sorry to see Weylin bite the sling bullet, but the system proved something there too. While it's not a regular occurance, even with fate points and survival points, PC death is possible. That it happened during the climactic finale is also fitting, since Ahnfal had some of his own fate points to throw around.

Stay tuned for another Aeranos session in the near future.

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