The Defenders, Vol. 2, Issue 10 - Enter...Sentinels!

While searching the boxed items that the Reavers had been moving from the temple, Kurt discovered chest plates for warforged marked with an unusual emblem with a serpentine neck leading down to two upraised wedges and a three-pronged arrow pointing downward. None of the heroes could imagine what it symbolized, and so kept it fresh in their minds for when they were able to think on it more. At the moment, finding civilization was the foremost concern.

And so, after a quite hefty trek through the woods, which was relatively incident-free, the group emerged from the jungle into a small town that abutted a river, there to be greeted by friendly locals with funny accents. The locals offered the heroes free food and lodging within a barn, since they had no formal inn. In addition, the group brokered the usage of one of the village's rafts and draft lizard in exchange for seeing cargo downriver safely.

A fine, restful night was had by all, but on the following day, when preparing for their voyage to Newthrone, the capital city of Q'barra, danger came streaking down to earth like a comet in the form of an eight foot tall construct, ordering the band to stand down, and telling them to prepare for their own extermination as a breach of the natural laws of Eberron!

When it lands, the group can see that it has the strange emblem on its chest plate and immediately surmise that this thing was constructed in the temple ruins before the operation pulled out. Further chatter with the thing also revealed that it identified itself as being associated with something called the "Sentinel Legion".

Since it was intent on eradicating our heroes, battle was commenced. Dr. Crane approached the thing and cast Darkness on it, shrouding the construct in a bubble of inky shadows, which the others used to guess its location as they attacked it from range. Isaiah backed from the thing while Henry moved forward to engage it, taking several solid blows as the others attacked the general area.

Then, screaming from the sky came another of the Sentinels, this one hovering in air and firing force beams at the party. The first of the powerful warforged was felled, leaving the group to deal with the one in the air. Many tactics were tried to engage the thing in melee in mid-air, but were ineffective. Finally, the use of the cargo meant to be taken downriver as missile weapons against the thing proved enough to damage it enough that it flew off from whence it came.

An apology was made to the villagers, and they accepted, helping the group prepare for their trip downstream - quite possibly just to hurry up getting the Extranormals out of their town. Henry inspected the fallen warforged, and tried to pry out small dragonshards used to focus its force blasts, but broke both of the delicate crystals, then gave up after doing a bit more study of its construction.

Cast of Characters
Jean Grey, Elan Psion (Kineticist) 6|Wilder 6  - Angela
Bennet du Paris [Exodus], Human Psion (Nomad) 6|Spellthief 5/Cerebrex 1 -Taylor
Henry [Beast], Artificer 6|Anthropomorphic Ape 2/Monk 4 - Paul
Kurt Wagner [Nightcrawler], Rogue 3/Fighter 2|Totemist 2/Wizard 3 - David
Kitty Pryde [Shadowcat], Wizard 5|Ninja 5 - Sam
Dr. Isaiah Crane (Scarecrow), Sorceror 4|Cleric 4 - Jon
Johnathan Blaze (Phantom Traveler) [Ghost Rider], Flaming Bone Creature 2/Warlock 2|Fighter 4 - G2

Bonus Feature: The First Limitations
I'm a session behind writing this up, but during the playing of Issue 11, just how powerful the special ability I gave to Scarecrow is came up. Initially, I had said that Baselines - that is, any creature or person without the Extranormal subtype - would not be granted a saving throw against Scarecrow's spells and abilities with the Fear descriptor. This is, very obviously, severely broken.

And so, I have made the following errata for Dr. Isaiah Crane/Scarecrow's granted power:

No Baseline creature or character may save against Dr. Crane's spells or abilities with the Fear descriptor, unless they meet the following criteria.
- Dragon or Outsider type. This does not apply to Native Outsiders.
- All inclusive types (unless they have levels in a PC class, see below) get saves, as normal, if their Hit Die is double Dr. Crane's level.
- Any creature or character with levels in a PC class may make a save against the aforementioned abilities or spells if they are at least 4 levels higher than Dr. Crane.
- All creatures normally immune to Fear effects, either from type or ability, retain this ability as it concerns Dr. Crane's abilities or spells.
- Those within a Paladin's Aura of Courage, if they would be affected by Dr. Crane's granted power, gain the ability to make a saving throw, but do not benefit from the +4 bonus normally granted by that aura.