Shackled City: ECL 11 Korinth the Protector Silverbrow Human Cloistered Cleric 5/ Radiant Servant of Pelor 5/ Contemplative 1: Entry 24

Journal Entry 5259

" Behold the Shining Light, and cower at Pelor's Might!  I banish your darkness, and release your hold over the Abyss!"

How many servants of the Shining One can claim such wonderful joy as I have?  To use the power He gives me with such incredible results.  To destroy such a powerful creature.  A lich, a servant of Vecna no less.  We faced him and held our ground.  My companions giving me the time I needed to insure my channeling of the positive light of Pelor was strong enough for such a foe, and we succeeded.  Of course I understand that since we did not find and destroy the lich's phylactery, he will return.  Had time and circumstance allowed I would certainly have done that service to the cause of good.  But I guarantee that the next time that undead filth sees me, he will think twice before facing my knowledge and power of good vs. evil.

DM Entry: Letter to Xerxes

A draudnu (a species of obyrith demon) approaches Xerxes, and telepathically communicates that he has a letter for Xerxes, drops it on the ground and leaves the area.

To the dreadful and magnanimous Demon Lord Xerxes, ruler of Occipitus,

Oyer and Terminer. In the interest of peaceful cooperation, I humbly offer my obeisance to thine eminence in the sincere hope that I may continue to study the nexus that liest within thy Smoking Eye Citadel. I believe it is, in fact, a planar rift to the Negative Energy Plane. In return for thine indulgence, I offer to share whatever knowledge comest of my studies of the nexus, as well as defend thy citadel with whatsoever feeble means that I do possess.

May this letter find you in pleasure and good health,
--Myaruk, thaumaturge, lich, and servant of Vecna

DM Note: Important Info for Shackled City PLEASE READ

We have ended chapter six.

The party has 3 months of free time before the start of chapter seven.

During this time, you may shop, craft, create, or just kick back.

Other than that, nothing significant or important happens during this time.

Xerxes (Dan) has the lesser amulet of the planes, so plane traveling is easily done, once a day. Please limit such travel to Occipitus and the City of Greyhawk for this period of 3 months. Save exploring other places for game time.

All shopping, creating, and crafting needs to be done before the next session.

Use the comments below to document all such activities for your character. (Comment by clicking the Comment link below).

Selling: If you plan to sell, follow the normal rules for selling, 50% plus 1% per achievement. Jewelry and Art is sold at 100% plus 1% per achievement. (Unless you have taken the floating bonus option, then use a flat 50% or 100%). If you don't know if something qualifies for art/jewelry, just reply to this with a comment about it.

Buying: You can buy items up to your item level. You buy at 100% minus 1% per achievement. (Unless you have taken the floating bonus option, then use a flat 100%). Remember that you can buy items that are one level above your item level at double the cost.

Character level 9th (item level 9) max 5,000 gp

Character level 10th (item level 10) max 6,500 gp

Character level 11th (item level 11) max 8,000 gp

Character level 12th (item level 12) max 10,000 gp

Character level 13th (item level 13) max 13,000 gp

Character level 14th (item level 14) max 18,000 gp

Crafting: You make weekly checks. Normally there is a penalty for failure, but for this special situation, instead of rolling, take 10 on your rolls. You have 12 weeks (3 months) of creating time. Be sure to note items you are crafting and the materials and costs of materials.

Item Creation: You have 84 days (3 months) of creating time. Be sure to note the items you are creating and the materials, xps, cost, and spells you have to cast. If you can't cast a certain spell for the item, you can pay someone to cast it (check the Aryathan Jiil Shoppe.pdf on the google drive for Spellcasting costs), or you may be able to ask one of your party members for the spell to be cast (in which case, add it into the comments below).

Important Note: Any shopping, crafting, or item creation that is not done in the comments below before the next game session will have to take place during game time, and this will likely be very limited because of events in chapter 7.

Shackled City: ECL 10 Osiris Eloah Elf Generalist Wizard: Entry 25

For once, a short reprieve was granted as I had an "opportunity" to visit Greyhawk in order to upgrade a few essentials. As we embark on the final leg of our quest I feel a dark sensation, a certain clarity and focus that takes over my entire being. Woe to those creatures foolish enough to stand in my way. And they will weep: "For the Angel of Death spread his wings on the blast, And breathed in the face of the foe as he passed; And the eyes of the sleepers waxed deadly and chill, And their hearts but once heaved, and for ever grew still!"

Shackled City: ECL 11 Korinth the Protector Silverbrow Human Cloistered Cleric 5/ Radiant Servant of Pelor 5/ Contemplative 1: Entry 23

Journal Entry 5258

Oh the Glory!  How long it has been!  We were in that miserable place known as the Abyss for what seemed like forever.  Then, finding we had the ability and necessity, we traveled back to the Material Plane.  We visited City Greyhawk.  Probably the biggest place I've ever seen.  After lightening our physical burdens of some of the more unusable items we have collected on our adventures; we went shopping and were able to find many items to aid our quest.  I was actually able to find someone well versed in the use of holy magic items and they were able to enhance my holy symbol so that my ability to affect undead is far greater now than it has ever been.
But the highlight of our visit (for me at least) was spending the night in the Cathedral of the Shining Light.  The house of Pelor in the city.  It had been so long since I was able to confer with members of my church and sleep in the comfort of Pelor's grace and hospitality.

DM Entry: Minus 10 and Half It

I stumbled upon an easy formula that you can use to quickly determine the modifier for any ability score.

Ability Score minus 10, then divide by 2 (round down).

It works for all ability scores, those with positive and negative modifiers.

For example,

15 - 10 = 5.....then 5 divided by 2 = 2.5 (rounded down to 2)....so ability score 15 has a modifier of 2.

30 - 10 = 20....then 20 divided by 2 = 10...so ability score 30 has a modifier of 10.

18 - 10 = 8....then 8 divided by 2 = 4...so ability score 18 has a modifier of 4.

4 - 10 = -6....then -6 divided by 2 = -3...so ability score 4 has a modifier of -3.

1 - 10 = -9....then -9 divided by 2 = -4.5 (rounded down to -5...so ability score 1 has a modifier of -5.

So with this formula you can easily and quickly derive the ability score modifier for any ability score, without looking up charts. Even for numbers that are larger than what appears on the charts in the Player's Handbook.

Thor has a Strength score of 92.
92 - 10 = 82
82 divided by 2 = 41.
So Strength score of 98 has a modifier of 41.

I think this will make it easier to determine ability score modifiers on the fly for numbers that are unusual (like those not listed in the Player's Handbook chart).

So just remember:
Minus 10 and half it.

DM Entry: Notes for the Plane Shift Focus Component

The plane shift spell has the following focus component:

Focus: A small, forked metal rod. The size and metal type dictates to which plane of existence or alternate dimension the spell sends the affected creatures.

Below are the specific details about research and cost of these plane shift rods.

Plane Type 1	Research Cost 2	Research Time 2	Rod Cost 3
Inner Plane or Transitive Plane	500 gp/ 1,500 gp	1 week/ 6 weeks	100 gp
Outer Plane	1,000 gp/ 3,000 gp	2 weeks/ 3 months	300 gp
Demiplane	5,000 gp/ 15,000 gp	2 months/ 1 year	400 gp
Alternate Material Plane 4	750 gp/ 3,000 gp	3 weeks/ 9 weeks	250 gp
Your Home Plane 5	None	None	50 gp
1 The inner planes include all four of the elemental planes (air, earth, fire, water), all four para-elemental planes (ice, magma, ooze, smoke), all eight quasi-elemental planes (ash, dust, lightning, mineral, radiance, salt, steam, vacuum), the two energy planes (positive, negative), the 75 border regions, as well as the elemental plane of wood that exists where all of the other inner planes converge in the center. The transitive planes include the Astral, Ethereal, Ectoplasm, Mirrors, Region of Dreams/Nightmares, and Shadow.
2 The number before the slashes are the cost and time requirements for planes that are generally known by the campaign’s spellcasters. The numbers after the slashes are the cost and time requirements for destinations about which little is known in the home campaign.
3 The number is the typical cost for constructing one rod, provided that the proper materials are available. Rods made of extremely rare materials can cost considerably more.
4 Any material plane that is not your home plane. Although the phlogiston is what makes up most of the material planes, it is impossible to plane shift directly into the phlogiston. Therefore no rods exist for the phlogiston.
5 Your home plane regardless of whether it’s on the material plane or some other plane.

This information has been updated to 3.5 from 2nd edition. I'm not sure why this information was left out, while still indicating that such information is necessary in the spell description. This has been added to the Aryathan Jiil Campaign Setting.pdf and uploaded to the google drive.

Shackled City: ECL 10 Osiris Eloah Elf Generalist Wizard: Entry 24

Far too many times have I put my life, not to mention, the life of comrades on the line for this “Fiend” and some fool quest. Like most good hearted being, I will do what I can to help a person in need, despite my better judgment; however, I can’t shake this feeling of mistrust that I have for our new “Friend”. Stage two of this quest saw the Warlock turned to stone and the Duskblade felled! If not for the “Shining Light of Pelor” as my Cleric friend likes to say, it would have been the permanent “big sleep” for our friends. About the only thing I know to be 100% accurate is, I’m tired of not being able to get a goodnight rest.  Being attacked several times during the night, what is a wizard to do? No matter, I’m sure the reward is worth the pain. It better be. The final stage of the god forsaken quest is in site, and I for one can’t wait to leave this place and return to the mortal realm, where I can release my full potential! 

xerxes (beguiler) warlock9/cleric3 ecl 11

I was turned into stone!!!!! WTF.....I am illiterate .....WTF
I am in the abyss with Mr. Mcshady I remain with the group in hopes I can find my wizards killer,
no signs so far... oddly in the company of this new wizard I do take comfort and aiding him in his task brings me comfort, but should a chance arise to avenge my former master arise I shall take it.
the planes, the abyss, the angels, the devils.......non will save this vile beast that slew my master...

DM Entry: Paladin Class (house rule)

Paladin

Make the following changes to the paladin class.

Smite Evil: These are “per encounter” rather than “per day.”

Paladin Spells: Rather than preparing and casting spells, the paladin can spontaneously cast any paladin spell, much like a warmage. A paladin knows all spells on the paladin spell list. The paladin also gains a single domain, adding the domain’s spells to the paladin spell list, and is able to use the domain’s granted power. If a granted power has an ability based on cleric level, use your paladin caster level.

Lay on Hands: You may optionally remove this ability and replace it with Crusader’s Strike (as detailed below). Once this option is chosen, it cannot be changed.

Crusader’s Strike (Su): You may optionally remove lay on hands and add this class ability. Once this option is chosen it cannot be changed. A number of times per day equal to half your paladin level, you may declare any attack to be a crusader’s strike. If you successfully strike an evil opponent with this attack, you or an ally within 10 feet of you heals 1d8 points of damage, +1 point per paladin level (maximum +5). The foe must pose a threat to you or your allies in some direct, immediate way. You can use a crusader’s strike and a smite evil on the same attack, if you choose to do so. Rather than healing, this attack may instead deal 1d8 points of positive energy damage to undead, +1 point per paladin level (maximum +5) in addition to the weapon damage.

This information has been added to the Aryathan Jiil Campaign Setting.pdf and uploaded to the google drive.