I get the feeling that Marceline and Johnny may get on well.
Mainly because he plays Guitar.

Finished all of the Shingeki manga that has been released. And all I can say is I don't know how to hold these feels. Especially since I really liked Reiner as a character. He seemed so caring.

There might be some tension there, since Johnny is a gigantic sadsack, but yeah.

We gotta get a jam session together or something.

If we can get Animal from the Muppets, we've got an entire band!

But Jack Black said no drums! Do we really want to ruin years of progress just for this?

Yes.

Will reply tomorrow, people. As for Eclipse and Sifuri, consider my characters temporarily on hold - given that I just took on a gargantuan rewrite project, time is something that I do not have much of.

Still in, though. Just sleeping.

Speaking of not having time, I'm not going to be around in August from the 8th-15th, or at least I don't think I'll post in the RP. I'm going to France, I don't think I'll have time or internet.

Where in France?

A place called Lile. Its a place where my grandparents are a few times in the summer.

Lile? Not Lille?

I don't know the spelling in other alphabets. Only in Hebrew.

Both sound the same. But if it's up North and rains all the time, that's Lille.

Rains all the time?

Not all the time, but a lot.

I'd say the idea of splitting the group is good.

Guilmon should go in the combat oriented group.

edited 9th Jul '13 7:03:19 AM by LiorVal

It's indeed Lille.

Is it just me or did the forum change the layout for around a minute and then returned to the original?

Okay... remember that thing I mentioned about answering your own questions with common sense and looking around?

edited 9th Jul '13 9:21:04 AM by GameSpazzer

In my book, and Johnny's book, nocturnal undead = vampires.
Dn D might be different.

Thanks for mentioning it.

Now for another subject, should we actually split into three different groups, one for each problem. Which group do you think your character should be in?

edited 9th Jul '13 9:32:15 AM by LiorVal

Ranmaru is probably best suited for either Undeateam or Lizardmen, but from an IC perspective he'll follow Jack.

Danse Macabre Codex

Locations

• Riverrock—a great walled metropolis, and the central hub of this particular challenge. Riverrock is faced with three crises: a plague ravaging her streets and people, rising tensions with the lizardfolk tribes to the south, and the encroaching threat of the undead to the north. Resolving these three crises are key to completing the challenge.
  • Riverrock is divided into nine districts, with eight of them radiating from the city center—called Crown Quarter'—like the spokes of a wheel. Southernmost is the foreign district, where the city's lizardfolk population lives and an embassy to the Scaled Nations can be found. Southwest is the military district, where the City Watch has its headquarters and criminals are kept imprisoned. West is the arcane district, where practitioners of the magical arts gather to study and ply their craft and buy tomes and components for their spells. Northwest is the university district, where the city's libraries, archives and centers of (non-magical) learning may be found. North is the temple district, where the gods of the Ennead have their shrines and fanes and where the faithful go to worship. Northeast is the artisan district, where goods are made and craftsmen practice their trades. East is the mercantile district, where ships coming down the river Brandt from the coast can dock to offload or take on goods. Finally, southeast is the Vagabond district, where the various wants and needs of the coastal sailors are catered to.
• The Scaled Nations—a loose confederation of lizardfolk tribes and nations, located some distance to the south of Riverrock. Relations between the city and the Scaled Nations have never been entirely friendly, but they have been peaceful; of late, however, these ties have become increasingly strained, to the point that some lizardfolk tribes might push for war with Riverrock. What is the cause of this sudden aggression, and can it be resolved peacefully?
• The Gogol Plains—a vast wilderness to the north of Riverrock that goes on for hundreds of miles; no man has ever seen what lies beyond these sweeping grasslands. It is untouched by civilization, save for the ancient burial sites of the nomadic tribes that wander the steppes. Several of these tribes have come south to the city, seeking refuge within the walls; they are pursued by the vengeful dead, who rise with the setting of the sun to stalk the living at night. What has caused the undead to rise, and how can they be stopped?
• The Marshes of Ia-Kong—a vast swampland and jungle that lies to the west of Riverrock. The river Brandt originates somewhere within or beyond this place, and the crumbling, vine-choked ruins of an ancient civilization poke through the dense canopy in places. Ia-Kong is an extremely dangerous place, and those who venture into its depths seldom return; those few who do are so traumatized by whatever they experienced that they refuse to speak of it. Its deadly reputation has made the Marshes of Ia-Kong a byword for unknown terror in Riverrock, and frustrated mothers will threaten their children with lurid tales of the marsh beasts to make them behave.
• The Nethergloam—another plane of existence, composed of darkness and evil. It is the domain of the Nightshades, otherworldly horrors with power over death.

Important Terms

• The Plague—a horrible disease that has ravaged Riverrock for the last few weeks. Its primary vector is contaminated water, and unfortunately the city's main water supply, the river Brandt, is rancid with it. Riverrock is now forced to import drinkable water from the Scaled Nations in an effort to limit the spread of the plague; in addition they must what little of the river's waters they are able to purify. Dealing with this plague is one of the main goals of this challenge.
  • The plague's symptoms manifest within hours of drinking tainted water. It starts with a wet hacking cough that grows worse and worse over time. The disease causes the body to break down into a mucosal sludge, starting with the lungs; the process is slow and horrible, and normally it takes days for the infected to die. This sludge is highly infectious, and taints all of a victim's bodily fluids; without protection, coming into contact with them will spread the infection.
  • The source of the plague was revealed to be the black dragon Praxidiometes, who was forced to pollute the river Brandt by stagnating its waters with his magical powers. With his death the corruption will eventually be washed away, ending the plague and leaving the river safe to drink again.
• The Brandt—a river that bisects the city of Riverrock; it originates somewhere in the sprawling Marshes of Ia-Kong to the west of the city, and flows east to the sea hundreds of miles away. In more peaceful times it serves as both a water supply and an inlet for trade from the coast; now, however, her contaminated waters bring death.
  • With the death of Praxidiometes, the contamination will eventually be washed away. The Brandt will then be safe to drink from once more.
• Masks—these wooden masks cover the lower half of the face and are carved in the shape of a smiling face with a long, curving nose. They are magical in nature, featuring a protective enchantment that makes whoever wears them immune to all natural forms of disease as well as some supernatural ones; it must be worn over the face to take effect. It does not cure the wearer of any diseases they may already be suffering from, however.
• Purse of plenty—a wondrous item, similar in principle to a bag of holding but smaller in size and meant specifically for carrying items that can be used as currency like coins or precious gems. Like a bag of holding, a purse of plenty opens into a nondimensional space; its inside is larger than its outside dimensions. Stalgrim gives one to Samus containing five thousand gold pieces (5,000 GP).
• Maerwen's journals—three small books belonging to the librarian Maerwen; their pages contain sketches of and notes on the wildlife of the Marshes of Ia-Kong. Sazh currently has them on his person, having borrowed them from her so the marsh team can better prepare itself for their quest.
• Hajóföld—a type of vehicle used by some of the nomad tribes of the Gogol plains; in their tongue, its name means 'land ship'. It resembles a small sailing ship mounted on large wheels, and is controlled via a censer of controlling air elementals. The nomad refugees allow the zombie-hunting Champions the use of their last remaining hajóföld to reach the burial complex where the dark force that animates the dead every night seems to emanate from.
• The Urizen—a term used by some of the undead encountered in the Gogol plains; what it refers to is at this point unclear.
• The Nightshades—An evil force from beyond the pale, the Nightshades are beings of darkness and death made manifest. Lurking on another plane of existence called the Nethergloam, they loath the light of living souls and wish to see that light extinguished forever. They cannot freely enter the material plane, but they can ensnare the minds of mortals to act as their agents; they whisper terrible knowledge and secrets into the minds of men, secrets they use to spread the curse of undeath.
• Wighthammer—a sacred warhammer used by the clerics of Eshvolem. This holy weapon is made of adamantine, one of the strongest metals known, and is enchanted with a ghost touch effect that allows it to strike (or be carried by) incorporeal creatures. It is a bane of evil beings, dealing extra damage to them, and its touch disrupts the undead; a single blow from wighthammer can destroy all but the toughest of the undead.
  • Wighthammer was carried by the tiefling cleric Arael before her death. She has entrusted it to the Champions' care, imploring them to return it to the temple of Eshvolem in Riverrock.
• The Animus Orb—a sphere of black crystal bigger than a grown man, which radiates vast amounts of negative energy. This gem, and the negative energy it gives off, is what has been causing the dead to rise in the Gogol plains.
  • The Animus Orb was guarded by the Tzitzimitl, a monstrous creature from the stars summoned by the Urizen. Though the monster put up a ferocious fight, both it and the Orb were destroyed by the Champions.

Important Characters

• Stalgrim—a half-orc paladin and Captain of the City Watch; has kept Riverrock safe from threats without and within for ten years. A no-nonsense kind of man, his gruff exterior hides a deep-seated sense of justice. He greets the Champions as they arrive at the city's South Gate.
  • Alignment: Lawful Good. Class: Paladin 18.
• Praxidiometes—a fearsome black dragon that once menaced Riverrock and the surrounding lands. He disappeared abruptly some eighty years ago, and has not been seen since; whether he died or simply moved on to greener pastures elsewhere remains unclear.
  • In truth, Praxidiometes is still alive. The dragon has been magically enslaved by the Urizen, and is being forced to pollute the river Brandt with his innate water-corrupting powers. Arael implores the Champions to kill Praxidiometes and put him out of his misery.
  • The Champions descend into the depths of the river ziggurat and do battle with Praxidiometes in the dragon's lair. After a ferocious battle, he is mortally wounded, and spends his last moments being used as a puppet for the Urizen to taunt the Champions. They proceed to harvest what resources they can from the corpse and give Praxidiometes a Viking funeral.
  • Ancient black dragon. Alignment: Chaotic Evil. Challenge Rating: 19.
• Maerwen—a young drow woman who works at Riverrock's Library of Natural History in the University district. Though polite and demure, she possesses a love of nature and an adventurous streak, and has made several forays into the outermost parts of the Marshes of Ia-Kong; her expeditions have given her a greater insight to the wildlife and hazards of the marshes than most people in Riverrock possess. She gives the marsh team her journals to help them prepare for their expedition.
• Nana Karas—a gnarled, stooping old woman dressed in brown robes who carries an equally-gnarled staff. Nana Karas doesn't seem to be quite all there, and might be either senile or crazy; she might also be a witch. She encounters the Champions in the Arcane district.
  • Shockingly, Nana Karas was once a Champion herself; she participated in a previous Game of Gods long before the original game, where she served as Champion to the Nomad Rho. When Rho was transformed into the monster    ECHIDNA   , Nana Karas was sent back to her world; however, the close bond she shared with Rho caused her to feel Rho's anguish and drove her insane. She felt Rho's return to normalcy at the end of the first game, and thanks the veteran Champions for bringing an end to her misery.
  • Nana Karas joined the Champions in delving into a burial complex deep within the Gogol plains. She proved invaluable and a great help, but ultimately this would be her last hurrah. When the Champions reached the deepest level of the complex and discovered both the Animus Orb and the Tzitzimitl guarding it, Nana Karas sacrificed herself to shield them from a meteor swarm spell and was killed.
  • Alignment: Chaotic Good. Class: Sorceress 30.
• Lyla Sharro—an aloof aasimar woman with silver hair and golden skin, who dresses in black and carries a halberd. There is a whiff of brimstone about her, hinting at something unpleasant. She was following Link at the marketplace.
  • Sharro appears again in the Marshes of Ia-Kong, confronting the Champions when they've settled in for the night. She proves hostile to the party, and attacks them with unholy power before retreating; she is next seen reporting her failure to the Urizen.
  • Alignment: Neutral Evil. Class: Warlock 16 / Hellfire Warlock 3.
• Shinuaq'tan—an elderly lizardman and chieftain of the Dalanuwok tribe. He is very old, and may be the oldest living member of his race in these lands. It is said that he favours peace with Riverrock and is one of the most influential chieftains in the Scaled Nations; perhaps the Champions should go to him if they want peace.
  • This is only a façade, however; Shinuaq'tan is revealed to be in league with the very powers that seek Riverrock's destruction, and has been covertly using his political influence and more underhanded methods to push the Scaled Nations toward war with the humans.
  • A vision into the past reveals that Shinuaq'tan loathes humans and their ilk because of an incident in his youth, when religious fanatics put his village to fire and the sword and left him the only surviving member of the Dalanuwok tribe. Shinuaq'tan vowed to see his people restored and his revenge enacted, and so he entered into an alliance with the Urizen.
  • Alignment: Lawful Evil. Class: Monk 20.
• Tethrasur—a brash and hotheaded lizardfolk druid. He is First Shaman of the Scaled Nations, and while young for the position he has the power to back it up. His animal companion is a megaraptor, and he carries a quarterstaff. He is mistrustful of humans and their ilk.
  • Alignment: Lawful Neutral. Class: Druid 18.
• Arawn—The Urizen's most loyal and devoted servant, an undead knight of intimidating stature and power. He approaches Pride in the Scaled Nations, spiriting him away to the border between the material plane and the Nethergloam in order to recruit him to his master's side; his efforts bear little fruit, however, and a fight appears imminent before the Urizen intervenes personally.
  • Arawn later returns to the Scaled Nations, sent there after the Animus Orb is destroyed to keep an eye on Shinuaq'tan. He confronts the Champions in the chieftain's office, intent on preventing them from finding any documents that could expose Shinuaq'tan's evil deeds.
  • Alignment: Lawful Evil. Class: Paladin 10/Blackguard 10/Wizard 5/Eldritch Knight 10.
• Sharkey—Another of the Urizen's servants, a goblin vampire with a snide and sadistic streak. His role in the scheme of things is not yet clear.
  • Sharkey has been stalking the streets of Riverrock as a serial killer, luring in physically fit men and draining their blood, then slitting their throats to disguise the bite marks. He has captured Johnny and has taken him into a series of tunnels below the city, which he claims to have dug himself over forty years.
  • Sharkey and Johnny are pursued by Captain Stalgrim of the City Watch, and though the vampire puts up a ferocious fight, he ultimately proves no match for the two of them and is staked and decapitated in his own lair, killing him for good.
  • Alignment: Chaotic Evil. Class: Rogue 12/Assassin 6.
• The Urizen—an entity that takes the form of a silver-haired elf dressed in a robe of silver scales. His eyes gleam like mercury, and his body radiates an aura of bitter, unnatural cold. He is apparently behind the events unfolding in and around Riverrock; they seem to tie into his "Grand Design", though precisely what it entails is not yet clear.
  • A vision of the past has revealed that the Urizen calls himself Karkarantharas. What connection he bears with the historical Karkarantharas, if any, remains unknown.
  • Alignment: ???. Class: ???
• Arael—a tiefling cleric of Eshvolem who ventured into the Marshes of Ia-Kong years before the Champions' arrival. Though mistrusted by others for her demonic appearance and heritage, Arael is a kind and heroic woman who opposes evil and stands up for the weak.
  • Arael received a vision from her god, warning of an impending darkness that would take root in Ia-Kong. She chartered an expedition into the marshes and located a pyramid straddling the river Brandt, where she discovered the sorry state of the dragon Praxidiometes; but before she could free the dragon from its torment, she was ambushed and killed by Arawn.
  • Despite her death, Arael lingered in the pyramid for years as a ghost, waiting for the day when someone would arrive and take up her unfinished mission. She drew the Champions to her by singing, and explained the situation to them as best she could; then she entrusted them to return her weapon wighthammer to the temple of Eshvolem in Riverrock.
  • With her duty discharged at last, Arael was finally able to pass on into the afterlife.
  • Alignment: Neutral Good. Class: Cleric 18.
• Karkarantharas—a dragonborn sorcerer who lived thousands of years ago. Karkarantharas was a contemporary of Reeshez when the god was still a mortal man; both were students at the Towers of Wizardry in the empire of Ancient Iskandria, and they were rivals with one another. The two men are said to have engaged in a competition over who could leave the greatest impact on the world, a competition that was ended quite decisively when Reeshez merged the nine moons into one and ascended to godhood. What became of Karkarantharas after this is unknown.
• The Ennead—a pantheon worshipped by the people of Riverrock. Its ranks include the following deities, and one other 'god of malevolence' represented by the symbol of a clenched fist with blood running down its palm:
  • Vyraiah—a goddess worshipped by the people of Riverrock, and a member of the Ennead; she is also referred to as the Ivory Queen and the Blessed Lady. Vyraiah is the goddess of the Sun, Motherhood, and Honourable Conduct in Battle, and she is said to have created the elves. Her symbol is of a sun with a violet eye in its center, and she is depicted as a beatific warrior woman with amethyst eyes. Her alignment is Lawful Good. She manifests before the Champions in the Scaled Nations, granting Jack the ability to heal with his touch like a paladin.
  • Tamress—the goddess of Beauty, Love, and Freedom, and sister of Vyraiah. She is also called the Onyx Princess. Her symbol is a pair of mating serpents. Her alignment is Chaotic Neutral.
  • Torrdinek—the god of Justice, Architecture, and Fortifications, and father of the dwarves; he is the consort of Vyraiah the Ivory Queen. His titles include the Furnace-Hearted, and his symbol is a pair of brass scales over crossed swords. His alignment is Lawful Neutral.
  • Eshvolem—the god of Life, Death, and Rebirth, who despises the undead and sees them as abominations. He is also called the Eternal Companion; his symbol is a blue ankh within an ouroboros. His alignment is Neutral Good.
  • Reeshez—the god of magic and the moon, who was once a mortal man before transcending his mortal coil and rising to the firmament. He is known, fittingly, as the Ascended, and his symbol is the waxing moon. His alignment is True Neutral.
  • Kor-Bel—the goddess of guile, hunting, nature and safe passage. She is also known as the Horned Lady, and her symbol is the heads of a goat and a wolf over a maple leaf. Her alignment is Chaotic Good.
  • Nalmenox—one of the three gods of malevolence, Nalmenox is the god of storms and the creator of dragons and their ilk. Once he was the most powerful member of the Ennead, but he unwittingly weakened himself by making his dragons so large, strong, and powerful; he believes that the other gods tricked him into this, and so hates them. He is the most vain and capricious of all the gods, a fickle and destructive being who brings ruin upon sailors that fail to show him the proper tribute. His alignment is Chaotic Evil and his unholy symbol is a raging cyclone with a dragon's head in profile emerging from it.
  • Gezthirith—one of the three gods of malevolence, Gezthirith is the goddess of Destruction, Evil, Law, and Madness, who embodies corruption, malice and despair. Her titles include the Dominator, the Herald of Ruin and the Master of Puppets; she is depicted as a tall and imposing woman in spiked black armour, wearing a horned helm and a smoking mantle and carrying a cat-o'-nine-tails with live cobras for lashes. Her alignment is Lawful Evil, and her unholy symbol is a crumbling tower before a solar eclipse. An avatar of hers appears before Envy when he enters her temple, claiming to have known he would come and offering him a proposal.

edited 26th Jun '15 5:24:37 PM by SullenFrog

I'll probably be indisposed the 14th to the 18th

And as promised, I have started up the Danse Macabre Codex; now you can find all the important terms relating to this challenge without having to scroll through pages upon pages upon pages of discussion thread. All you have to do to see it whenever you want or need to is to click on the link in my signature!

Convenient, n'est ce pas?

I'll also be adding to this as the challenge goes on, to reflect whatever new information the Champions learn; whenever this happens, I'll let you peeps know.

edited 9th Jul '13 9:47:31 AM by SullenFrog

@Rayman: yeah, he can still stay limbless.

Certainement.

Now that all the threats are clearly identified I wish to propose this sequential metaphor, and indeed clamor for events to prove it accurate.