Welcome to the Season 1 finale of the Adventures of Team BAJA! I want to thank all our fans and readers who have kept up with our adventures up to now. This game session ended in November of 2015, the team received almost 3 months of a break from the game due to holiday, work, and familial obligations. Now you may we wondering about Season 2 and what other content may be on the blog in the meantime? I will be posting an announcement some time this week regarding my plans for the blog moving forward as Team BAJA undergo the trials of Season 2. Now, without further adieu! Last time, our heroes managed to get onboard a mysterious vessel in the hopes to rescue their halfling rogue, Rainer. The team was forced to aid the halfling in completing his contract with the mysterious Timeaus Randor, his proxy, Cecil was to accompany the party to insure the completion of their agreement. The party found themselves on the mysterious and ominous isle of Nim Rock. They stumbled upon a network of ancient catacombs and descend further into its depths with the hope of finding the fabled Rod of Nim.
The team, along with Cecil and the gnome engineer continued their descent down towards the lower halls and chambers. The party was reunited with a flabbergasted Thia, the elf ranger followed the party to the best of her abilities, with the aid of a magical coin given to her by the vice-captain from the Lady. The reunion was short-lived, the team wanted their business on Nim Rock finished so that the hold on Rainer could be withdrawn from his employer, if only temporarily.
Cecil eventually took charge and guided the party along the long-forgotten corridors, bypassing ancient traps and even magical wards set by the ancient magocracy. The team had grown rather suspicious of their observer but her recent contributions to their combat prowess foretold of her formidable nature. Though much of her ability was still hidden and the team viewed it unwise to confront an unknown entity. The gnome engineer was largely harmless for the most part, taking stock of useful trinkets they have found in nearby storage rooms along their journey. Eventually, Cecil instructs the engineer to make his return back to the wreckage of the ship, as the danger ahead was far greater than the angry malevolent spirits that wandered the island’s forests and dirt. The gnome nodded in agreement and said his farewells to the party before fading into the shadows of the hallways prior.
The party battled with animated armored suits in an abandoned armory, the instability of magic grew more profound the deeper the team descended into the catacombs. Aydan and Arcaelus felt the full blunt of these uneasiness, while Cecil and Jimmy exhibited signs of discomfort akin to motion sickness. Brightiron and Rainer remained unaffected by the effects of the island though they were uncertain how long that would last.
Armory was structurally unstable and the ground beneath the team began to crack and crumble, the entire room sunk into the unknown depths. The groups sustained minor injuries from their fall, a relative 20-foot fall from their estimates. Cecil suggested to the party to press forward, the instability of magic continued to worsen another hallway or two before they found a large 20-foot tall doorway. Dozens of ancient arcane sigils and wards were laced along the stone doorway, it took Cecil a few moments to undo the magic that sealed the door. Once the doors were opened, nothing but complete darkness awaited them in the room beyond, a magical darkness where none of that possessed superior vision could look past.
The darkness etched forward into their vision and soon the individual members of Team BAJA found themselves in the dark.
Arcaelus found himself in a familiar cottage, the smell of food on the hearth and scented candles permeated the place. A sense of bittersweet nostalgia overtook him, the distant sound of a young girl’s laughter outside beckoned him outside. He found himself in the tall grassy meadow, it was lit aflame, the cottage was in flames as well. The wizard was surrounded by flames and screams, the sound of spells and incantations echoed against the roar of the raging fires. Eventually Arcaelus heard a soft voice whisper into his ear, “it’s alright, you are forgiven,” the sensation of an entity embracing the wizard from behind quell his anxiety and soon the flames died down and Arcaelus’ vision faded into black.
Brightiron found himself on the tops of a frozen mountaintop, he was exhausted for an undetermined reason, even with his athleticism. The barbarian turned and saw a mob of angry goliaths in full charge for him, he turned and continued to run. Eventually, the barbarian found himself traversing down the slopes of the mountain until he reached a large icy ravine. Suddenly, the ground shook and molten lava filled the large gap between Brightiron and his possible safety. He turned and saw the mob from behind him, the choice of molten lava or angry goliaths made the barbarian go into a running jump for other side. As the goliath was mid-air, the ravine and the lava widened and Brightiron found himself fall into the molten lava. But it did not burn, nor did it cause great discomfort. Instead the goliath found himself sink into the lava flow until eventually he became consumed by it. The words, “AWAKEN”, rang within the barbarian as the lava began to cool and solidify.
Jimmy found himself in a pristine and well furnished room, the furniture were intricate filigreed wood with gold trims. The half-elf found himself before a tall, thin figure draped in golden and green robes. “Do you know where you are going?” The figure asked, the druid instantly recognized the figure as his father, a man he had not seen since his departure to live out in the wilderness. “Do you believe this is the correct path?” The figure continued to question the druid at every turn, but Jimmy remained steadfast in his choices and believed in the goddess Lystrata to show him the path he would need to take in the future.
Aydan found herself in a desert encampment, it was mid-afternoon, the sun was hot that day. The camp grounds had proven boring for the young tiefling, she remained rather inquisitive with her exploration of the trinkets and tools that were left behind at the campsite. Soon a tall burly man approached the young Aydan, a look of sadness and regret on his brow, he knelt before the child and simply said, “I’m so sorry, Aydan.” Her parents were gone, lost to the world she was informed, the child grew angry and resentful, believing in their promise to return to her safely. In a fit of rage she fled, eventually the scene changed and a now older Aydan found herself in a forest crossroad with three adjacent paths before her. A dark and tall smoky figure stood in front of Aydan, “want do you want?” it simply asked. Aydan wanted power, power to never fail again, to prove that her parents were not strong enough.
Rainer found himself in front of a two-story house within the seedier section of the district, the door was broken with the pieces scattered along the cobble stoned street. The halfling approached the threshold cautiously with blades drawn, as he ventured deeper into the household, the furniture and fixtures were overturned and broken into pieces along the various lower level rooms. The rogue followed a trail of blood up along the stairs, the trail lead him to the second floor landing to source of the blood. A halfling woman and a small girl wrapped in her dead woman’s arms laid on a blood-soaked rug. Their lifeless eyes glared out toward some unknown void, Rainer knelt before them and closed their eyes. “Do you wish for revenge?” A voice spoke out, the halfling sensed the possibility of a mental assault and stabbed himself with his blade. The halfling fell over the floor, the now-dead halfling woman opened her eyes, pitch black and soulless, “avenge us” the two corpses cried out.
As color began to restore in the rogue’s vision, there he spotted the prize before him, a rod nearly 3-feet long wreathed in dark shadow wisps. A voice bellowed deep within the halfling’s head, “what would you do if you had power? Do you want revenge?” The halfling took cautious steps toward the rod, unsure of what sort of latent traps or defenses. The shadows coalesced around the rod and began to take a large shape, the shape of large bronze dragon.
“I am Nimphandrix, I was once a proud and noble warrior of the Delmair Conclave, we had sought to protect the realm from the enemy. We fought, and fought, until we were down to the last battalion. They fought so hard perhaps in vain did they perish.” The creature spoke towards the rogue.
“Are you the rod itself? Or are you its protector?” The halfling inquired, his blades remained sheathed.
“No, I am nothing but a memory, an echo now. I was entrusted with the rod from an old friend and comrade, but the item began to become corrupted from the fear and despair the soldiers suffered. In time, it began to affect their minds until it was I, who remained. This power corrupts, it taints the very soul.” The dragon proclaimed, its maw remained an uncomfortably close distance to the halfling.
“I simply wish for the rod, will you help me acquire it?” Rainer implored.
“Yes, I can assist you in that task. I’ve been here for a very long time, will you do me the honor? The corruption has been kept at bay for now, but I ask of thee, warrior to warrior.” The dragon’s eyes offered no remorse but rather a glimmer of faint hope. The rest of the team began to compose themselves, except for Cecil and Thia, who were still stuck in their trance. The rest of the party tried to reason with the dragon but its sanity began to wane and the corruption on its soul began to drive it wild with fury. Cecil managed to finally emerge out of her trance and rushed to Team BAJA’s aid by tossing a large diamond orb, a bright golden light encompassed the entire room.
The large shadow dragon unleashed a breath of charged lightning at the group, but Rainer and Brightiron led the charge with their blades drawn. Jimmy assumed the form of a large brown bear, with a mighty roar he began to grapple the dragon. Arcaelus retrieved the gold coin from his duster, the image of the fiery cottage remained fresh in his mind, the words: “all is forgiven” echoed within. A surge of arcane energy surged through him and he unleashed a flurry of spells at the dragon. Aydan entered into her mind-space, there she found her other self sitting on the white metal table in the forest clearing. The two made a mutual pact, temporary, but enough to give the tiefling a moment of power to aid in her struggle. Aydan’s eyes became filled with purple flames and an aura of shadowy electricity flowed around her form. When she unleashed her first spell, it became wrapped in chaotic energy and unleashed a torrent of magical effects in addition to the spell itself. The tiefling looked at her hands, now sure of her powers and potential, and charged into the fray with her friends and comrades.
Cecil retrieved a trinket out of her cloak and began to chant words from a long dead language, the team became infused with divine light and became empowered by it. A flurry of teeth and claw, gusts of wind, swipes of leathery wings and spiked tails, the dragon continued its assault on the team, through the power of the glowing orb, it was not as efficient or as powerful for a creature of such nature. Brightiron charged into the underbelly of the dragon and channeled an unknown power through his greatsword, black flames emerged to wrap the blade in its eldritch power. The goliath made a clean-cut and ran the blade through the length of Nimphandrix. The shadow dragon’s form faded into mist, the rod fell to the ground.
Rainer reached out for the rod, the unstable energies that surrounded the island began to shift and stir. From where the dragon stood, the space began to twist and warp, a black circle emerged and began to drag everything into it. The party tried their best brace themselves but not even the mighty Brightiron could hold on from the gravitational forces that pulled on them. The entire Team BAJA, along with an unconscious Thia and Cecil, were all pulled into the portal.
Aftermath
Aydan and Jimmy awoke and found themselves in a different place, gray clouds covered the entire sky, the world was cast in a shades of gray and black. The wild winds were cold and merciless, it wailed like a mournful ghost, and the ground felt moldy and decayed like graveyard soil.
Rainer, Brightiron, and Arcaelus awoke and found themselves in a hot and desolate plateau, the winds blew hot gas, the occasional cloud offered a meager shade against the nearly unstoppable beams of fiery sunlight. Rivers of lava and views of volcanic mountaintops littered their field of view, they covered their faces to avoid their mouths from becoming dry from the arid, blasted landscape. The ground was hot to the touch, the hot air assaulted their form with every step they made in their attempts to find shelter.
To be continued in Season 2
That’s it! The season finale of the Adventures of Team BAJA! Thanks again for all of your support and viewership, it has been an awesome journey so far. We hope to give you guys insight on our wayward adventures for season 2, please follow us on Facebook and/or Twitter. Season 2 will not be posted for some time so what will take up my Wednesday spot of entertainment? I’ll be posting an announcement this week so please subscribe or follow the blog to get our update. If you have any questions or comments, please post them down below. Wish the players of Team BAJA luck on their journey through Season 2! Trust me, they’re going to need it!
Death By Mage 