tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29843509584186232372024-03-13T22:38:18.171-05:00The WilderlandersThe Wilderlands on DCC RPG and Castles and CrusadesMatthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10458880725936645938noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2984350958418623237.post-53988811013045812302015-04-21T14:42:00.001-05:002015-05-07T19:06:57.853-05:00Session #4 - Griffin Island - "Up the Shaft and the Room of Holes"<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Unaware that Andres,
Adam, and the frozen Thracian perished while Bam and Hark are alive but trapped
in the tomb, Xan and Barbara return to the ship for additional resources.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Eldwin, Cad, and
first-timer lock pick extraordinaire Cory return to the ruins without Barbara
or Xan. On the way, they spot a four-armed white ape deep in the jungle
but not far from camp. The creature avoids them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The three take the usual
route through the ruins. They find the Gnoll and Minotaur guard posts
empty and the trap door leading to the frozen hallway held open by a rock from
a nearby crumbling wall. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Upon reaching the tomb
area, they see the cut rope and Eldwin immediately spots Bam looking down at
them. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">They throw a new rope up
and tie it to the gargoyle statue as before. The three climb it pulling
the rope up behind them. Then they hear the tragic water trap story and
see the evidence of the frantic digging into the two-foot thick stone doors.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The group quadruples their efforts finally breaking through. A river of water torrents out the
hole creating a river of water that waterfalls into the statue room below.
Eventually, the torrent subsides into a small but continual flow as the
vault empties. Eldwin spots Andres’ ring float by and scoops it up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The hole is now big
enough for Eldwin to enter. He sees the grisly twisted and melted bars
formally blocking the ceiling chute and the three corpses of his fellow
explorers. The group works the hole so it is big enough for all to pass.
The thief deactivates the original trap mechanism and then they
investigate the chute.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Cory climbs up and
hammers in pitons to reach the landing where the Thracian met his fate.
The elf follows in support. They take out the adamantine snake
construct and begin inventorying the treasure it guarded. They leave the
chest with the king’s dinner set, copper coins and demonic-looking ring, but remove all the other
Thracian coins, a golden magical bowl, and an awesome-looking golden glaive.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Thinking the shaft up
might lead to the surface, the thief scales it to a forgotten secret trap door.
Opening it, he emerges into a circular room of decadent Thracian design.
Standing guard in a Deathwalker wearing a skull painted facemask and
exorbitant Thracian plate mail. Cory sneaks up from behind and slits his
throat killing him in seconds. He then peers behind the mauve curtains
and witnesses a tall black statue of the god Thanatos. He closes the
curtains and returns to the others. As he closes the trap door, he slips
almost falling seventy feet, but a piton provides stopping power as it gashes
his chest. Saved and bleeding, Cory climbs down and joins the others.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">About this time, they
decide to avoid the minotaur, gnoll, and dog brother war band waiting in the
rivulet-divided statue room below. The group avoids the beastmen then investigates the unexplored web-clogged stairwell leading north.
They use torches to burn the web and quietly make their way to the top of
the stairs. Who knows when or if the Beastmen will follow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">From the top, they open
an ancient door closed for millennia into a hallway lit ghastly green from the
glowing eyes of skulls mounted every five feet down either side of the hall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">They turn left to an
empty chamber with a 40’ ceiling. Once they step inside the room,
everything changes. A near blinding column of golden light shines down directly
on a pedestal on the rooms opposite side. None of the light touches
anything but the pedestal, but illuminates the room. They see the walls
decorated with ornate fresco paintings showing activities of unknown gods and
heroes. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Basking in the light
lounging on the pedestal is Ontussa (a gynosphinx) as she introduces herself.
She riddles them about what knowledge they seek. The immediate
answer is not to her liking so she requests gold for their naivety. She
wants all the Thracian coins she detects they carry. The group, not immediately
forthcoming and somewhat taken aback by her rudeness, hesitates. She
symbols a sign of sleep; Cory, Harkness, and Bam drop to the floor snoring.
Eldwin and Cad remain awake.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Cad bows in fake
sincerity then swings a sneaky mace uppercut surprising the gynosphinx.
Battle ensues. The two heroes finish the haughty sphinx then wake
the others.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">At this time, the door
behind the sphinx’s pedestal opens revealing a glowing blood red hall beyond.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">They investigate and a
werelion statue at hallway’s end animates transmuting through the stone floor
as it attacks them. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">After destroying the
living statue, Cory peers behind the set of curtains to see what the werelion
guarded. He finds a circular room with two remarkable and large holes:
one a central pit possibly leading to the abyss and the other a strange black shallow
darkness containing a chest. It is at this moment Cory realizes his hands
are affixed to the curtains!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">They burn off the gluey
curtains terribly scarring Cory’s hands. They now look ghastly but remain
functional.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The session ends after
they detect chest’s contents and hole it sits in are both magic.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vOgvFMZ2xHc/VTaokP7-uOI/AAAAAAAAF_4/zKSAu6qoJiw/s1600/portable_hole_600x430.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="229" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vOgvFMZ2xHc/VTaokP7-uOI/AAAAAAAAF_4/zKSAu6qoJiw/s1600/portable_hole_600x430.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10458880725936645938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2984350958418623237.post-45705254652993555132015-02-02T17:16:00.001-06:002015-02-03T18:01:49.081-06:00Session #3 - Griffin Island - “Waking King and Queen E’Head to the Wily Water Trap”<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Session note: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The only players for the session were James, Brad, and Scott. We also were missing some character sheets specifically Xan (Rogue), Cad (Cleric), and Barbara (Barbarian). We played it this way: Xan, Cad, Eldwin the Ranger, and Barbara returned to the ship for supplies. They met up with Harkness and Bam on way. Hark and Bam learned the route to the crypt and met today's characters there. Xan left his magic rope so the party had a way in and out of the elevated crypts. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Harkness and Bamard rejoin while Eldwin, Cad, Xan, and Barbara return to the ship. After solid rest and some reorganization, they renew their explorations. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Andres casts a light spell and someone has a torch burning as well. Harkness the Fighter, Bam the Dwarf, Daneus the ‘ancient’ Thracian Monk, Adam the Bard, and Andres Zaris, mission leader and Wizard gather to decide what to do about the gladius that lay beneath the crystal lid. They note it has a well-preserved leather-wrapped handle suggesting magic. Determined to explore on without aid of the holy man or lock pick, they ask Hark to pry the lid off with his two-handed sword. He tries, and of course, the worst happens, he stumbles and loudly smashes the lid to pieces. An instant later, the sound of undead awakening surrounds them. There feel smashing and crashing. They hear maniacal crying and homicidal screaming. There is a wall of sounds deriving from the known secret vault doors. However, they hear the loudest and angriest noises coming from the opposite side near the northeast corner. All around them, there are undead things filled with rage and hate coming for them. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">They move into a defensive circle. One by one, undead emerge from the vaults. First a Barrow Wight, then armed skeletons, and then from the furthest western vault behind the locked iron bars, a skeleton queen emerges donning a golden crown not unlike the design of the throne. The banging from the north though is different. They now see past what must have been an illusion. They clearly see heavy stone doors where there once was a solid wall before. Furthermore, there is a huge oaken beam and a Thracian King’s wax seal across a door lock blocking any exit of the entombed. Someone is not supposed to get out apparently.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Daneus, Hark, and Adam immediately engage the Barrow Wight while Bam guards the northern door. The oak beam splintering from the force of whatever it is trying to breakout. With battle raging, the queen sits upon the throne, casts some sort of magic circle, and then silences Andres who had just cast lightning bolt at her. Adam then disengages leaving Daneus and Hark to finish the wight and skeletons. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">They see a mummy behind the sealed doors carrying a black sword. He occasionally swipes at the beam and punishingly smashes his body into the door. This beam will not hold for long. Meanwhile Andres runs toward the queen. She is behind the bars and locked door so this prevents a direct attack with anything but long weapons. Andres stands up to the queen at the locked gate so she lies in the radius of her own silence spell. Rendered mute, she angrily goes for Andres’ throat who does his best to stand just out of her reach. This is when the mummy, King E’Head, breaks out. Bam stands his ground while Hark closes in. The two of them cut down the mummy at about the same time Adam severs the queen’s neck.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">With no casualties, they search the various tombs. They find much magical treasure and precious ancient Thracian coin. After resting and consuming healing potions brought back by Hark and Bam, Andres identifies some of the collected load. They find that the gladius below the crystal is cursed. The mummy’s black sword is magic and absolutely evil and he has a ring that resists fire. Hidden away in the Barrow Wight’s tomb they find a mithril set of Gauntlets of Ogre Power and a six magical golden shurikens in an ancient urn. The queen’s golden crown is magic, but pure evil. From her vault, among a treasure of brass, coin and a ruby, they discover a magic dagger of Mage Bane with a matching sheath that permits one to see invisible things once a day.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Later during their investigation, a noise comes from the tomb’s forty-foot tall echoing entrance hall alerting them. The dwarf investigates since he does not need light. Instinctively looking behind as he approaches the upper ledge, completely on the other side of the room, he glimpses a faint bluish light creeping below the mauve draperies on the far west wall. Then, he turns his attention back toward the sounds from the east. He looks down when he reaches the ledge between the gargoyle statues and sees what look like a group of sneaky little dogmen conversing covertly and about to point upward. Bam pulls his head back and relays all this information to the group. Then they all hear the unmistakable sound of a snipped rope, followed by a second of silence, followed by the sound of something crashing to the floor. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">They move toward the dog brothers as Daneus calls them. Twenty-five feet down they only see a litter of bones. Attached to the southern gargoyle, they find remnants of a severed rope! Without a way safely down, they turn their attention to the faint blue light</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">They take down the mauve curtains wary in case another Ochre Jelly hides. Behind the curtains, a magnificent pair of stone doors carved to resemble the face of a beneficent man stand before them. The face glows with a very subtle blue light. Without a thief at hand, Bam reviews the doors to be wary of any oddities. He does not detect a lock or even a door handle. The group carefully pushes the double doors inward.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This opens into a ten foot wide, thirty foot long stone walled hallway. The walls maintain the same dim blue light as the face on the doors. The ceiling is also stone some fifteen feet up. On the far western side is a pair of unmarked massive stone doors with exquisite brass-wrought door handles. Bam and Hark stay back whilst Andres, Adam, and Daneus investigate. After looking around and carefully examining the handle, Adam attempts to open the door.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The doors open upon touching them. A river of water torrents from behind. The force of the water makes them nearly impossible to close. Simultaneously, the eastern doors slam shut and lock. Immediately the hall begins to flood.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Adam, Daneus, and Andres attempt to close the western doors but do not have enough strength. Outside the trap, Bam and Hark, smash at the outer doors. They knock off the beneficent man's nose, but this amounts to nothing. Inside the three nervously look for a way out.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The water rises quickly, they estimate about a minute before it reaches the ceiling. Daneus has no trouble staying afloat but the others are not so skilled. Daneus does what he can to keep them afloat but Adam struggles as his chain shirt weighs him down. Then as the ceiling closes in, they all spot a shimmering three foot circle area above that changes appearance to an iron grate as if a mirage. The grate blocks a chimney leading up. Daneus leaps out of the water, grabs the bars, swings his feet to the ceiling and pulls with all his might. When close enough, Adam pulls as well, but they are unable to do more than bend the bars a few inches. Andres calls them off and unleashes a massive lightning bolt directly at the bars. Andres’ spell unblocks the chimney by destroying the bars but electrifies everything else. Andres and Adam do not survive the blast; Adam gulps water as his last breath. Still alive, but now in complete darkness, Daneus floats up the chimney with the rising water. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After about twenty feet the water stops rising and Daneus makes out a golden light from a shimmering Glaive thrust into a pile of treasure. The treasure room is in a cave accessible through a small tunnel leading south just above the water level. The chimney continues up far beyond the monk’s vision. Eyes back to the treasure, the glaive is magnificent, possibly a holy weapon. Also upon the pile of gold and silver coins is a massive bejeweled chest. Then, from behind the chest an adamantine mechanical snake, coils and springs across the chamber into Daneus’ head. The construct rips Daneus’ carotid artery killing him instantly.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Not knowing any of this, the lone survivors - Bam and Hark, pound and smash on the outer doors.</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RJN1SlWPktQ/VNAGjZwD_bI/AAAAAAAAF4k/wUq1y5fDr3M/s1600/mummy.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RJN1SlWPktQ/VNAGjZwD_bI/AAAAAAAAF4k/wUq1y5fDr3M/s1600/mummy.png" height="320" width="283"></a></div>
<span id="docs-internal-guid-0d0f2053-4c94-5c74-9f26-80ea2e8c54c7"><br></span>Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10458880725936645938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2984350958418623237.post-64554431843307407942014-12-23T14:11:00.002-06:002014-12-23T22:43:53.954-06:00Session #2 - Griffin Island - "Frozen Thracians to the King's Crypts”<div dir="ltr" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #17365d; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;">The adventure begins with the party entering the frost vault. Twenty inches of caked ice and snow pack the room’s surfaces. Two Thracian bodies lay on the floor: a female armored seductively and a male in monkish-type robes. Xan fearing they might be frozen demons or zombies loses an arrow into the unarmored male. Still motionless, the party drags the frozen bodies back toward the chute. Careful for any sign of evil or violence, they debate what to do. Andres confirms the clothing and armor appears genuine Thracian. Before long, the bodies miraculously begin thawing more rapidly than expected. Perhaps the cold in the frost vault is of magical nature.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #17365d; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #17365d; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Surprisingly, the robed male stirs as if awaking from a long sleep. He immediately animates, speaking in ancient Thracian about a Beastmen revolt. He must find the Beastmen base to save good King Agamemnos. While Andres interprets, Xan readies his weapon for the kill, as he did not trust this awakened Thracian. The monk says his name is Daneus, and begins speaking in a more understandable Ancient common tongue that is still odd sounding. His female counterpart, Epicaste, thaws as well, but does not awaken. She is dead. Daneus covers her body while Andres and Xan inventory her possessions for later collection. Over the next hour or so, the party convinces Daneus that he has been frozen for over millennia, the King is long dead, and that the Beastmen have already taken over. Daneus cautiously joins the group.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #17365d; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #17365d; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Xan uses the flame tongue sword to thaw ice from the vault walls. Eldwin the Elven Ranger stands beside, looking for doors, traps or other secrets. After about 30 minutes, half of the Eastern wall ice is a puddle on the floor. Xan touches the wall and a supernatural door with glaring eyes manifests. The door attacks the party with elemental cold and charm magic. The party attacks back. Some of them become charmed and subsequently try touching the door only to suffer severe frostbite. Cad the Cleric identifies this living door as chaotic and evil. The others hack it down.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #17365d; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #17365d; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Beyond is a forgotten dusty hallway that leads north and south. To the north, up about thirty feet, they find a stairway leading east. At the landing thirty-feet up, they spy the back of a secret door on the north wall. Beyond they hear Beastmen converse and the growling of what sounds like bears. After some debate, the party agrees to leave the Beastmen and return to the secret sub-level. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #17365d; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #17365d; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">At either side of the dust-filled north/south hallway, they find secret doors. Carefully, behind the northern secret door they discover another dusty hallway turning 90 degrees to the east. On the opposite side of the north door, it is not secret. In fact, there is a Thracian warning written on it: “It is not given that man should interrupt the sleep of his ancestors. Do not transgress beyond this point.” Knowing they have already “transgressed”, they close the door leaving the hallway beyond for another time.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #17365d; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #17365d; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The southern hallway secret doors opens down the middle, each side sliding into wall recesses. Beyond is a massive room of flickering lights and mythical statues. Ten columns support the ceiling twenty-five feet up, they flicker a strange ambient torch-like light throughout the room. Eerie sounds dart here and there making the statues all the creepier. On the far eastern end, entry stairs rise ten feet to a pair of double doors. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #17365d; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #17365d; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Without warning, every couple of minutes, the columns begin flashing brilliantly in unison, temporarily blinding anyone looking directly at them. After a few moments, the lights stop strobing and become like torches again. After a while most of the party realizes there is a pattern and knows when to shield their eyes or look away.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #17365d; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #17365d; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The statuary with estimates of gem values includes: (A) a sphinx carved of porphyry with huge quartz sphere eyes (200 gp each); (B) an eight-headed hydra carved of black marble with amber eyes (25 gp each); (C) a minotaur carved from soapstone with jade eyes (400 gp each); (D) a dryad carved of black basalt with small citrine eyes (50 gp each); (E) a griffon carved of glistening white marble with fire opal eyes (350 gp each); (F) a manticore carved from black marble with red tourmaline eyes (200 gp each); (G) a harpy made of green marble with brilliant cut green emeralds (400 gp each); (H) a black lava hippogriff with small peridot pupils (50 gp each); (I) a satyr carved from pink granite with eyes made of rubies set on diamonds (1,000 gp each); and a white marble centaur with aquamarine eyes (300 gp each).</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #17365d; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #17365d; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Xan carefully pries one of the eyes from the satyr. After removing, a loud crashing sound comes from below to the west. Everyone looks in that direction. A sound comes again, seemingly as loud as to shake the dungeon. Edwin notices plaster falling from the middle part of the western wall; He can see the outline of a door secreted behind. BOOM! Another thunderous crash that could wake the dead and closer this time. Something big slowly approaches from behind the western wall. Some of the party positions themselves behind the columns or to either side of the western secret door. Others find the eye baubles too irresistible to leave alone, and continue prying more out. The crashing becomes angrier. Instead of waiting for it to crash through the wall, Barbara opens the secret door and they see it. Behind the door, there is a flight of stairs leading down. Coming up is the Stone King! </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #17365d; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #17365d; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The eight foot tall, Stone King appears to be a regal man wearing a black crown whose eyes and mouth burn with orange flame. The crown has three, large violet gems. The Ranger shoots arrow after arrow into it as it methodically moves forward. The King emerges from the hall. It attacks by breathing fire and pounding its massive fists. The internal magics that give it life magically slow some of those close enough. Near the back of the room, Bam and Harkness continue pulling gems from statue’s eyes! With each gem removed, the Stone King’s countenance darkens and bits of broken and chipped stone heal. About halfway through the battle the room’s pillars begin flashing blindingly again. By this time, most of the party knows better to look directly at the pillars. Still, the king smashes Adam into crippled unconsciousness. Saving the day, the elf’s magic arrows strike the monster’s head in succession felling it. It collapses to the floor. </span></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-26bfe2b5-78c3-9f1e-1cca-27b8f81cbf8f" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #17365d; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Post battle, the group revives Adam and explores down the stairs from where the Stone King came. About forty feet down there is a huge circular room lit with a bright violet light. The walls of the room appear to be on fire with cold violet energy. Flanking the base of the stairs is a pair of placid pools of water. Every so often, the water ripples and moves as if something lurks below. They leave the room alone. After the Rogue and Ranger return to the rest of the group, Daneus removes the golem’s head with an amazing series of punches. The jeweled head rolls down the stairs and falls into an undiscovered pit right between the pools of violet water. Not wanting to explore the pit, they save the head for later. It is at this time, Bam and Hark leave the group to report to B.T. back at the ship. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #17365d; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #17365d; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Next, they remove what gems remain in the statues and turn their attention to the entrance doors on the far eastern side of the room. The doors open into a 30’ square room that is very tall - almost forty feet. To the north, a ten-foot wide stairwell choked with spider webs leads up. Lining the room’s blank stone walls are human skeletons, a total of sixteen. Each skeleton’s eyes glow with an eerie orange light. Directly above the entrance appears a landing or ledge that is just out of line of sight.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #17365d; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #17365d; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cad raises his Lords of Orhan holy symbol and seven skeletons immediately cower. The party engages the rest and in moments destroys all sixteen. Directing their attention to the ledge twenty-feet up, they see statues of green gargoyles on either side. Between them is a passage leading west that is directly above the flashing pillars room.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #17365d; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #17365d; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Xan scales the wall to the ledge and investigates. The gargoyle stone is harder than any he has ever seen. He lets down his magical rope so the others may climb and they do. They make their way into the unlit room past the green gargoyles. They discover the upper works to be a crypt. With Andres and Daneus decrypting clues, they reason this to be tombs of dark kings and nobles that were worthy of burial. They think it has been over a thousand years in this place since the last visitor. On the south wall fallen bits of the decorated plaster walls reveals numerous hidden burial vaults and crypts. Andres explains that the darker Thracians interred here were the vilest Thracian society had to offer. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #17365d; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #17365d; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">At the west end, they find a green drapery blocking the rest of the room ceiling to floor. Xan carefully peers inside, waves his flaming sword up and ahead and sees something astonishing. Beyond the drapery is a wall of thick iron bars with a 10-foot wide locked cage door in the center. Beyond the bars is a crudely constructed gold plated throne. Monster faces and undecipherable runic symbols decorate it. The throne radiates moderate magic, chaos, and evil.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #17365d; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #17365d; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">With everyone ready for anything, Xan picks the gate door lock and steps aside for others to enter. Barbara makes for the throne as if to challenge the power of the place. He sits and waits for something to happen. Nothing, however, happens, at least anything noticeable. Meanwhile, a monstrous ochre jelly engulfs Adam after he examines what is not a maroon tapestry behind the throne. The bard, once again, begins taking catastrophic damage. His clothes burns, his papers and notes become worthless, and his skin scars. Andres and the Ranger pelt the blob with missiles while the warriors try not to split it into too many pieces with their swords. The Thracian Monk makes killing blows on each of the remaining entities with his quarterstaff ending the battle. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #17365d; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #17365d; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">They leave the caged throne area and investigate the secret vault doors beginning with the easternmost door. The first door pushes in easily revealing an empty stone vault. On the far wall Andres reads the Thracian script to the others that says, “I have been waiting for you.” Carefully Xan and Eldwin enter. Shortly after entering, each hears a voice (fully understandable) that says, “Ahhh…it’s been a long time! I have been waiting for you to come! Ha ha ha.” With that, the vault door begins closing on its own. The Rogue and Ranger attempt a hasty retreat back to the main room, Barbara and Daneus hold the door just enough so they are successful. The vault door slams closed. Ok, moving onto the next door…</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #17365d; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #17365d; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">They open the door and enter the next room. Against the far wall, there is a chest of stone with a transparent crystal top. Apparently carved out of the bedrock, the chest appears immovable. The next instant, a spectre materializes above the chest. It begins some incantation, but before finishing, Edwin manages to pierce it with a magic arrow, while Daneus, the Monk, steps up and hammer strikes the energy-sucking creature in the face annihilating it in one blow. No one here has ever seen a man do this to an undead with bare hands…</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
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<span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #17365d; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">End of session #2. </span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7Wn2zxWiff0/VJnMSlwpMHI/AAAAAAAAFyQ/ZnuNIMBPF0k/s1600/stoneking.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7Wn2zxWiff0/VJnMSlwpMHI/AAAAAAAAFyQ/ZnuNIMBPF0k/s1600/stoneking.jpg" height="320" width="143" /></a></div>
<br />Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10458880725936645938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2984350958418623237.post-37961645300877574562014-11-21T22:21:00.002-06:002014-12-23T22:38:13.071-06:00Session #1 - Griffin Island - "From Ship to Chute"<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 15pt;">
The uneventful voyage
from Warwick to the misted coastline of Griffin Island’s Thracian Bay required
two weeks. The group took the time getting to know one
another and the layout of the ship.</div>
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<span style="color: #17365d; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #17365d; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The protagonists today
are mission leader and Wizard, Andres Zaris; Adam the Bard; Xanlannan the Rogue;
the mysterious Barbara the Barbarian; Eldwin Aladar an Elven Ranger; the
Fighter, Harkness the Menacing; Cad the Cleric of Orhan; and Bamard the
Beardless Dwarf Fighter. A few other “adventuring types” stayed onboard
with Captain B.T. If not, they went
ashore to oversee the reconstruction of the wooden base.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #17365d; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #17365d; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The eight heroes made
their way to the ruins first light. Apparent in the rainforest were the
multitudes of interesting flora and fauna. Following Milo’s map (yeah, he
stayed back…) and about halfway to the ruins, they came to an ancient Thracian
bridge spanning the sixty foot wide river and appearing quite solid. On the Western
side, they see mounds of sickly white feces. The field of dung
appears to be a demarcation between the Western forest and the road to Thracia.
Eldwin finds numerous giant ape tracks near the piles as well. Not
wanting to dither, they cross the bridge and march on to the ruins.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #17365d; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #17365d; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A couple of miles past
the bridge they find the lost city nestled between a large swamp and two sheer
cliffs. The sedimentary cliffs soar almost 1000 feet above, shading the city <span style="background: white;">until midday.</span> A magnificent torrent of water bursts from the
cliff about 300 feet up between the cliff faces. This feeds a beautiful waterfall
down to the river and through middle of the ruins. There are narrow treacherous stairs winding to
the top of each sheer cliff face. Thracia appears the typical “classic ancient
ruin,” with fluted, toppled columns and ornate marble buildings carved with
bas-relief images of Greek mythos gods and warriors. The roofs of the buildings
are flat or triangular. Many buildings no longer stand and there is little left
of them save stone foundations overgrown with thick bushes and clinging vines.
Trees are beginning to grow in many places as well, as the rainforest
slowly reclaims Thracia.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #17365d; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #17365d; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Eldwin’s pure blood elf
ancestry provides the party a tactical advantage visually in the misted
afternoon air. A large villa to the south billows smoke. Seen leaving it
are men painted as white skeletons... “Deathwalkers…” Andres mutters. They decide not to investigate the villa
choosing to cross the nearest bridge to the other side. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #17365d; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #17365d; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Xan takes the lead,
sneaking from one ruin to the next. First, a prison-type structure that reeks
of the freshly dead. Then a <span style="background: white;">burnt-up</span> warehouse with <span style="background: white;">blackened </span>doorways piled with skeletons. They also spot a nearby <span style="background: white;">arena</span>/amphitheater slopping into the earth some
one hundred feet. As a group, they decide to search the warehouse: a
place with potential to be a safe house. Cad detects two undead swaying near
the top of the stairs. Xan climbs
an exterior wall to the second floor and decapitates what turns out to be a
wight. The rest take out the other
coming from the stairs below. There is no treasure to speak of, but the
place does seem safe enough for a rest now that the undead are gone. It appears the bodies near the doorways
may have been offerings to the wights. The party rests and takes in the <span style="background: white;">city</span> view from the second story.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="color: #17365d; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">They see a couple of
long reflecting pools possibly populated by giant crocodiles; some fallen
temples, one apparently patrolled by beast-like men; what appears to be a
library, a gaping twenty foot diameter dark hole and many other interesting
structures all across the <span style="background: white;">city</span>.
They decide that the <span style="background: white;">arena</span> is close
and might lead to the underground entrance Andres is so interested in finding.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #17365d; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Vines and other
vegetation choke the a<span style="background: white;">rena</span>. They
find no underground entrances, but they do find two 50-foot assassin vines.
Barbara epically takes out one of them instantly. The group
finishes the other off in a few seconds. There are corpses near their
lair and they discover a magical flame tongue short sword. The party
decides Xan can make best use of it and he agrees.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="color: #17365d; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Next, the band formulates
a sneak attack against the patrolling beastmen. As they approach more
closely, the elf sees beneath the foes a dark opening to the depths below.
The party ambushes and finds a minotaur amidst them hiding down a twenty-foot
wide flight of white marble stairs. The party slaughters the lot without
much trouble. They lean two gnoll corpses against the ruin walls so, from
a distance, as to appear still at guard.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #17365d; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">After some eighty feet
down into the blackness, by torchlight they see the stairs turn black with
guano. Bats cover the buttressed ceiling and flutter about in the smoke
and fresh torchlight. There are three possible ways for the party to
take: left, straight, right. They follow
the beastmen tracks to the right (which is east). The passage winds north and then west until
Eldwin and Barbara trip into a double spear trap nailing them each. They quickly
slay a pair of guard gnolls coming around the corner. Then then finish off the
room of six gnolls a bit further down the hallway. They do not find much
of anything good, so move on. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #17365d; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Eldwin spots a secret
door. Xan manages to crack it open after some time. When open, they
surprise a room with four lizardmen sleeping in makeshift cots. Piles of muck
cover the floor especially each corner, the smell is awful, but does not prevent
their quick deaths. The normal door across the room leads to a great
hallway, the floor deep in guano and even more bats. Worse, across this
open hallway, clusters of giant centipedes make straight for them. Not
wanting to fight them standing in slippery dung with hundreds of bats above,
they close the door. They are back in
the lizardmen lair. They camp for the night taking turns for watch.
While Cad slept, he dreamt of a time when Thracian was not in ruins.
When the beastmen were slaves. When the real city of Thracia was
actually in a great cavern beneath a magically lit sun.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="color: #17365d; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sneaking back through the
secret door, they heard gnolls back in the room where they just slaughtered
eight. This time is turns out to be five gnolls and a brutish minotaur comically
wearing a man-sized Thracian breastplate. This gaggle did not last long.
Finding the breastplate and a cheap ruby necklace on the minotaur, they
continue past the secret door. The hallway turns west and slowly begins
descending. After over 200 feet, the hallway turns south and then a granite
staircase leads down further than anyone can see. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #17365d; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Down they go. After
60 feet down, the passage opens into a large cavern, the floor carpeted with
rats. Light came from a lit temple of some Thracian god on the far east
side of the cavern. There are gnolls and other beastmen creatures over
there. Continuing in front of them is a
passage to another room. Xan moves ahead leading the investigation.
He finds the room has one door and hears gnolls chattering to themselves
behind it. The floor is thick with garbage. Xan calls them over, be
quiet, but be quick. The whole group manages their way across the open
cavern to this room. Eldwin steps on a
rat, but it is of no consequence; no one seems to notice. All in the room, they notice an area where the
garbage sinks a bit lower than in the rest of the room. Xan locates a
trapdoor beneath the garbage at this spot. After a quick trap check, they
open it and, using Xan’s magical rope, lower the Ranger down the sloping chute.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #17365d; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">About twenty feet down
the forty-foot chute, Eldwin notices the walls covered in archaic and crude paintings.
The paintings depict hunting hippopotamus in a river and the god Zeus directing
the people to a hidden cave. Within the next ten feet down chute, frost clings
to the walls. Near the bottom where the chute flattens into a hallway, the
ice is almost two inches thick. Relaying status above, the group decides to
take their chances in the chillsome hallway rather than face gnolls and
possibly minotaurs from either side. They close the trap doors behind
them.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #17365d; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">All eight, ready and rested,
gather in this frozen hallway, ready to take the next step. </span></div>
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Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10458880725936645938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2984350958418623237.post-90087843482603380212014-10-18T22:48:00.000-05:002014-11-21T22:24:09.931-06:00Griffin Island Campaign Setup - Castles and CrusadesWe're switching from DCC RPG to Castles and Crusades. The world stays the same: my take on the Wilderlands. I rip off classic Judges Guilds modules also the best stuff from Shadowworld, Greyhawk, Glorantha, etc.<br />
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The DCC group remains on the hunt for Macrobius. A tale that may continue some day.<br />
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Further north, a different band of heroes find themselves cruising from the port city of Warwick to the lost ruins of Thracia.<br />
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Their expedition leader is Andres Zaris. This story begins after his recovery of a 100-year-old map created by the great hero Aigonus Windsword. This map of Griffin Island obviously holds many secrets. <br />
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There is a single place name on the map of interest to Andres Zaris and that is the Ruins of Thracia. Being a renowned antiquarian of Thracian artifacts, with the map in hand, finding and exploring this lost city became the pursuit of his career. He then hired a ship, crew, and exploration team. This was almost two years ago. <br />
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Upon arriving at Griffin Island, they docked at the town named Soldier Port, stocked up on supplies, and fished for rumors. Then they sailed to the bay near the ruins. After mooring ship, the various teams went to work. Some carpenters from Soldier Port built a cabin near the shore while an investigation team set out to find the ruins. Only one man from that team made it back alive. <br />
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The lone survivor told that a group of natives known as “Deathwalkers” had ambushed them before they set foot in the city. However, the survivor did discover that the ruins were vast and beautiful with waterfalls cascading into a river flowing right through the middle of the city. There were artifacts and statues, aged and covered with layers of moss and debris, all obviously ripe for collecting. Milo, the survivor, did manage to pocket a few broken bits of pottery later verified as authentic Thracian. Nevertheless, the Deathwalkers with their frightening deathmasks and poisoned javelin tips put an abrupt end to further explorations. <br />
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Obviously, this crew was not up to challenge the ruins. Andres Zaris ordered the cabin boarded up for later use and the teams to return to the ship. They left Griffin Island for another day. The second exploration effort would have far more resources, a seasoned captain and multi-talented crew with a larger ship to load with Thracian artifacts. Lastly, he hired a powerful band of adventures to fight the Deathwalkers, explore dangerous ruins, and make the place safe for more exhaustive investigation.<br />
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Today, two years later, Andres Zaris is again on his way to Griffin Island. This time in a larger ship, a cog named “Trahan’s Queen” captained by the very capable Burumir Thurumir Hammerhund (B.T., as he is known). These two leaders and their men sail now with a seasoned team of adventures some of whom have their own secrets, agendas, and other connections to Griffin Island. <br />
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This is how the story begins; each player character is one of the hired adventures. You are all sailing toward Griffin Island, which is about ten days away. Andres Zaris shared his map of Griffin Island and a rough sketch of the region surrounding the ruins. Maps in hand, mission ahead, it is time for the adventure to begin.<br />
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Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10458880725936645938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2984350958418623237.post-57839349754288611972014-06-16T20:28:00.004-05:002014-06-18T17:03:21.483-05:00Session #13 - The Search for Macrobius’ Lair - Year 4433, Day 106 - 107<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The group of six hill giants and five ogres marched toward the keep. The orcs, still in full retreat more frightened of the hill giants than </span><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">anyone</span><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> imagined. Keep archers train every missile attack at their disposal on the giants. Before the giants and ogres enter ballista range, something in the woods distracts them. The giants spot the Elves! The giants change direction, move toward the woods and begin shaking trees. Those with night vision witness at least two elves shaken from a tree and then pounded </span><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: 17.25px; white-space: pre-wrap;">horribly </span><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;">. With this single violent event, the other elves scatter. Emboldened the lead hill giant swings his massive serrated two-handed sword in the air directing the ogres to lead the way to the keep! Just as the ogres enter range, the Castellan takes aim and let loose a ballista round pinning the lead ogre to the same tree the elves fell from. The hill giants, perhaps seeing the keep well-manned, alert, and occupied with magic missile casting wizards, avoid it completely and instead follow the road southeast right behind the orcs.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The keep peoples celebrates the giant’s disengaging after the Castellan’s winning shot but the moment is brief. Everyone returns to the problem at hand: dealing with the aftermath of Macrobius’ invasion. The group and Castellan talk strategy. Find Macrobius’ lair, enter it, and slay him once and for all? Or, as the Castellan boldly suggests, take on the Steading of the Hill Giants by surprise. The Steading is in a difficult to reach vale some 15 miles southwest in the Stoneheart Mountains. The Castellan says that the giants are stronger today than ever and are now in league with other types of giants as well. In the end, everyone agreed Macrobius is the immediate threat. The giants, however, may be the next.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Morning arrives. The party travels the to where their records say the barrows should be between the Caves of Chaos and Blueheart's Tower. They take the path straight through the Fellgrim Forest following the trail of undead that retreated from battle the night before. About halfway through the forest, they clash with a traveling band of four mutated ettins! The warriors engage and wizards let loose their magic. The Ray of Enfeeblement once again shows its usefulness deadening the power of one ettin. Nilbog’s Scorching Rays of Mitra sets two of them aflame. In the end swords, arrows, magic missiles, and sleep magic put all the ettins down.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Before searching for Macrobius’ barrow they make plans to construct a quick base in Blueheart’s old tower. Before moving too closely to it, they spot orc tracks everywhere and find the windows shuttered from the inside. They forget the base and head toward the supposed location of the barrow. To the southeast, about six hundred feet, they find a set of five earthen mounds one of which is in the Fellgrim. Each has dugout entrances leading underground. The center mound is about twenty feet high and sixty feet in diameter. Then there are four satellites about ten feet high and twenty feet around. The group searches and finds skeleton and zombie tracks emerging from the outer mounds. The center mound has all sorts of tracks leading to and from it. They decide to explore larger central mound.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">About twenty feet down the passage opens into a dark cavern. There is a stench of death and decay. A pack of feral giant hedgehogs attacks the party. The party takes them out sustaining a few minor quill injuries. They continue exploring the passage the leads deepest and the cavern path takes them to a set of stairs. Being careful, they find themselves in a maze and sense a familiar presence. Winding through the maze they stay in formation. Despite this, the elephant-headed minotaur-man beasts still manage to surround the group. Faldalf, Rothaga, Darthon hold both sides while the spell caster’s and Chopper finish them off. They find a pile of about 500 gold pieces in the creature’s lair.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">They discover another set of stairs leading even further underground. They pass a couple of intersections and find themselves in a room full of old broken statuary and furniture. Heaps of junk lie everywhere and there is a reinforced wooden door on the left side of the room. The next thing anyone realizes, fungaloid-tainted men creep from the clutter and engage the party.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">To be continued in session #14.</span></div>
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<br />Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10458880725936645938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2984350958418623237.post-82182061562740634372014-05-24T20:29:00.001-05:002014-05-30T18:07:16.397-05:00Session #12 - The Battle for the Keep - Year 4433, Day 105-106<div align="left" class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The party re-groups in the red masked orc cavern and decides to go back to the keep. By way of the teleporter cavern, they arrive on the keep rooftop in minutes. They find everything and everyone sleeping: people,
beasts, insects, and plants, nothing stirred.
Sometime after 5 PM, they begin waking keep leadership starting with the
Castellan. From there, the Castellan leads Morgan to each
important area of the keep, providing names as he wakes them individually. Morgan curses himself for the condition he
placed on that sleep spell. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The name identifying and
waking process goes on until sunset around 7:45 PM. Most of the officers are awake but there only
limited crews’ man the walls. The vast majority
still sleep. Nilbog’s visions show him undead, humanoids, and
other demonic creatures invading the keep, led by Macrobius. At the urging of Nilbog and the party, Morgan
beseeches his Elven patron Cilborith to dispel the sleep magic he
unleashed. Cilborith answers by waking
everything up but neuters Morgan’s legendary Sleep spell permanently in return. It was no matter, all at once, slowly, the
place became alive again. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Castellan leads a
disciplined soldiery. The men are fully
aware of the Orcs of the Purple Claw refuges massing at the Caves of Chaos this
past month. They knew that undead of the
barrows walked again. And they fear Macrobius. They all fear the lich.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At sunset, the orc drums and
war cries become discernable. Nilbog
senses evil creeping in from behind. Undead
are coming through the forest Nilbog warns.
Just then, about thirty elves from Pale Wood arrive. They hide in the trees, prepared to ambush monsters
and aid humans. They learn from the elves
that the Gnomes of Lightelf are helping as well. The gnomes are spreading the word throughout
the region. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At about 9 PM, the orc
war party assumes a tactical position outside ballista range. They ready their crude battering rams and
ladders. The shamans cant and the wicked
barbarians rage, over 100 orcs all told, ready to take the keep. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Minutes later the elves
shout word they see approaching undead. They
spot a pack of spider ghouls and a barrow wight leading a hoard of skeletons and
zombies. There must be well over one hundred
undead. The elves know of the spider
ghouls and their climbing abilities. The
spider ghouls climb the trees and attack the elves. The skeletons and zombies make way for the keep’s
eastern side to the drawbridge led by the barrow wight. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The keep soldiers fire at
anything resembling undead within range.
About then the orcs make their move toward the keep using whatever cover
they find. Also at this time, the lich Macrobius
emerges from keep fortress into the inner yard where the party is assembled. Following him are two Set-faced Death
Knights, two wraiths, four elephant-headed minotaur’s, and three fire-breathing
devil boars! No one accounted for the secret underdeeps passage!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So Macrobius takes off flying
and from about fifty feet up throws down a massive fireball right in the middle
of the party. Then the whole inner ward
erupts in melee. For the next three
minutes a most epic battle takes place. The Castellan and about forty of his
men occupy the same courtyard as the party.
The party warriors Darthon, Fema, Rothaga and Fardalf Wydigast fan out with
the Castellan to engage the strongest enemies.
Chopper, the thief, stays mobile, firing magic arrows at Macrobius
repeatedly. Cleric of Mitra Nilbog launches
more than one holy bolt and also heals many of the wounded. The wizard’s Morgan, Baum, and Melkin pepper
Macrobius and the rest with magic missiles and other spells. All the while, keep forces engage in battle
all around. Darthon and Melkin suffer
tragic injuries eventually resolved in battle by Nilbog. More than a few battle scars for most everyone
involved.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Macrobius continues
throwing down massive high-level magic and flies even higher avoiding arrows
and spells. The enemies focus on the Castellan
for much of the battle, but he never falls. Melkin casts a powerful magic missile that
reaches the lich five hundred feet up. This
one hurt. Macrobius retreats via
teleport, probably back to his as of yet undiscovered lair. The surviving Death Knight and minotaur beast
blink out as well. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Most of the undead now retreat
upon Macrobius’ departure. The orcs retreat
as well, but for a different reason. Down
the western road obvious to everyone, a squad of hill giants and ogres, about
ten of them, head and on their way to the keep in obvious conquer and pillage mode. Apparently orcs don’t think much of hill
giants and they route back to the Caves of Chaos. The elves see their retreat will be interrupted
by a band of orc-hating lizardmen from the Baleful Bogs. Perhaps the gnomes alerted the lizardmen? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Meanwhile the giant’s… Not looking for prey just yet, they
sought boulders and other large objects with which to lay siege. The elves already pivoted from the spider
ghoul slaughterfest to the forest edge near the giants, undetected, waiting to
hit and run. Keep personal not involved in healing or dying, rush to defend
the keep. The giants are 675 feet away. We will
see what happens in session #13<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the end, the estimated
body count is as follows:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoTableGrid" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="266"><div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Enemy Forces<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
<td style="border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="266"><div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Total<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
<td style="border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="266"><div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Deaths<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="266"><div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Lich, Shang Macrobius<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="266"><div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="266"><div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">0<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="266"><div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Wraiths<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="266"><div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="266"><div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="266"><div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Death Knights<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="266"><div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="266"><div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="266"><div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Elephant-Headed Minotaur’s<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="266"><div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="266"><div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="266"><div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fire breathing Swine<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="266"><div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="266"><div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="266"><div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Barrow Wight<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="266"><div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="266"><div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="266"><div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Zombies<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="266"><div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">50<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="266"><div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">50<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="266"><div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Skeletons<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="266"><div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">50<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="266"><div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">22<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="266"><div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Spider Ghouls<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="266"><div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">20<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="266"><div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">20<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="266"><div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Wights<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="266"><div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="266"><div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="266"><div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Orc War Priest<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Orc Leaders<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">10<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Orc Shamans<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Orcs<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">95<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">23<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Total<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">248<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">112<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Keep Forces<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Total<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Deaths<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Party<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">9<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">0<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Castellan<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">0<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Captain of the Guard<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">0<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sergeant of the Guard<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bailiff<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">0<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Corporal of the Guard<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Corporal of the Watch<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">0<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Guardsmen<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">94<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">20<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Medium Calvary<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">18<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">6<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Heavy Calvary<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">12<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Men at Arms<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">61<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">15<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Townsmen/Adventurers<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">28<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">10<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lackeys<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">15<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Total<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">242<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">61<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10458880725936645938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2984350958418623237.post-69657675857103025002014-04-29T20:28:00.000-05:002014-05-30T14:56:08.667-05:00Session #11 - The Big Sleep - Year 4433, Day 100-105<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">Baum did not adventure with the group this time. Instead,studying the keep’s historical notes and tomes kept him busy. All will be revealed once the party deals with the aftermath of session #11!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #404040; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #404040; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">The Castellan’s nephew arrived from Bard’s Gate by caravan a day prior (Year 4433 Day 115). A seasoned, disciplined warrior, Fardalf Wydigast, immediately offered his sword in arms to his uncle, the Castellan, as it was obvious to him evil was all about. The Castellan introduced Fardalf to his heroes disclosing everything. Fardalf thereby joined the band representing the Castellan. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #404040; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #404040; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">With Fardalf accompanying and Baum buried in books, the party descended below the keep. They continued past the teleport chamber. One of the elves found a secret door on the northern wall. As Chopper and the others took a closer look a Roper abomination found them. Its 50 foot strength-draining tentacled arms flung out from the darkness and snatched various party members dragging them them into its hungry maw. The strength of the monster was overwhelming. This is until Morgan pulled out his Wand of Enfeeblement and zapped the thing. Luckily the magic was great and the roper succumbed collapsing to the ground in a heap of gelatine weakness. Chopper leap for the helpless creature, blade flaming and he gutted it. If not for the miraculous wand, some of them would have died for sure.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #404040; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #404040; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">After the battle, they retreated to Ogden’s secret base. They had to restore strength drained by the Roper. After many hours they returned to the scene. Not a moment later, Rothaga was attacked by some invisible creature. Nilbog cast detect magic revealing its thousand teeth. The wizards took the thing down with magic missiles moments later. They then turned their attention back to the secret door. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #404040; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #404040; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">Nilbog detected an evil presence pacing back and forth about 80 feet to the north and twenty feet down. Chopper opened the secret door. They found a narrow hallway of descending stairs beyond. They proceeded carefully until discovering an undead spectre chanting in front of a statue of the evil god Set. There was also a smaller 2 foot pillar in front of the statue. The pillar was made of the same black rock similar to what they found inlaid all throughout Blueheart’s tomb. The spectre chanted: “Set, Set, Merchant of Death, let us all feel your soul chilling breath!” Interrupted, it turned to them and let out a frightening scream and attacked Chopper. Chopper resisted the fear and the party took it out. They then destroyed the statue but could not deface the 2 foot pillar of Necrostone.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #404040; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #404040; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">They continued past the Roper lair. They detected fresh air coming from the southern passage and found it led to an open chimney to the surface some 120’ up. Weak light filtered down to the floor littered with debris and bones. They searched for an hour, considered climbing up but instead turned their attention to the southern passage.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #404040; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #404040; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">That other passage led to deeper caverns. Now more and more phosphorescent fungi populated the walls. The light is not enough for humans to see per se, but enough to get a sense of the extent of caverns and movements and the like. The elves see perfectly up to 90’ when this glowing light source is present.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #404040; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #404040; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">Continuing downward to the sound of an underground river, they found another massive cavern. A 20 wide deep river ran through the cavern with no bridge or means of crossing to be seen. Water flows north to south. The party had enough time to see the extent of the cavern, probe the water depth, and for Chopper to stumble upon some sort of fleshy gibbering crawly thing. This is about when they realized the structure across the river was the grand entrance to the lair of the Red Masked Orcs. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #404040; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #404040; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">The arrows did not begin all at once, but when they began only more and more came. The orcs had murder holes at almost every possible location in the cave wall across the river. The party braced themselves for battle, knocking away this or that arrow. Four cave trolls emerged from the entrance of the orc lair. The trolls didn’t stop at the edge of the river; they kept coming. This is about when Fardalf actually tried blocking an arrow with his neck! A moment later Nilbog’s reassuring hands pulled it out of his neck in one smooth motion. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #404040; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #404040; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">So here is the situation, there are possibly twenty orcs shooting arrows, four massive pissed-off regenerating cave trolls already across the river, and a gibbering mound of flesh thing just coming around the corner behind them. This is when Morgan cast an all-time epic sleep spell. All the orcs dropped. The trolls dropped. The gibbering thing dropped. The humans dropped. Morgan set the wake condition to be Morgan saying one’s name. They quickly awoke the humans in the party and then rather than celebrate, Morgan worried, he knew the range and scope of his spell was massive and likely included all persons in the keep. Nilbog senses Macrobius knows the keep sleeps. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #404040; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #404040; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">What the party does from here we will find out in session #12.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;"><span style="color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4/5/14</span></span>Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10458880725936645938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2984350958418623237.post-86048362668978058832014-04-29T20:26:00.000-05:002014-05-24T22:33:27.124-05:00Session #10 - Castellan Ogden's Secret Base - Year 4433, Day 98-100<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">After a few days’ rest, they ventured past the hallway of pillars below the keep. More gargoyles awaited their doom including a rather large gargoyle prime beyond the pillars. The party moved on. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">The cavernous hallway branched to the southwest and north. They found the northern passage blocked by a massive set of iron doors with a triple-ascending lock mechanism. Spider webs clogged the passage the other way. They put themselves on guard while Chopper began picking the lock. After his fifth or so failure, three panic-stricken orcs burst from the webbed stalagmites. There were four giant scarlet funnel spiders in pursuit from behind them. Without much trouble, they put down the red skull masked orcs somewhat mercifully and dispatched the spiders quickly as well.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">Back to the locks, Chopper picked them less than an hour later. The hallways beyond appeared lifeless and abandoned. Probably for years. With the immediate area seemingly secure, the party re-locked the doors and investigated the next immediate threat: the spiders. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">The webbed passage continued farther than any of them could see. In front of them, they saw a steel bridge ripped and melted in some areas but still intact about 20 feet above. Spider webs draped the whole thing. There were passageways on both sides of the bridge – each was web-filled. An epic battle followed. Ten more giant funnel spiders destroyed along with a gigantic mother spider. Spider goo dripped from everywhere. Not a single spider bite amongst them thanks to well-used sleep spells.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">The gigantic spider came from the southern way, so that is where they investigated next. The next room bathed in a dull blue light emanating from the pillars that surround the map scribed on the floor.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">There is a matching light at locations on the floor next to each pillar seemingly matching sets. The map rendering is accurate though rough. It is 50 x 15 feet in an oval.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">The center dot is the Keep they can plainly see. The wizards read the dwarven scripted labels for the others:</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">• The southwest dot reads “Harhassan’s Tower”. It is glowing. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">• The southeast dot reads “Falon Castle”. It is glowing.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">• The northeast dot says “Sulzannarg Lighthouse”. It is glowing.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">• The northwest reads “Gnomeport Dock” but is not glowing.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">• The last is in the middle of the maps and reads: “The Keep”. It glows as well.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">One of the party members touches the pillar representing the keep. Indeed, they find the device teleports one to the open rooftop above the Castellan’s chamber. Back to the group they made their way out of the teleportation chamber and back to the triple-locked doors.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">Beyond the doors, they found the secret underground base for the original Keep’s creator: Castellan Ogden. The base was ghostly quiet. Many discoveries and quiet rooms waited: an armory and training area, bedrooms, a privy, a meeting room, treasure room, and, oh yeah, an evil temple with an active gate to the abyss and a trapped Xolotl demon that slaughtered Ogden and two others in his party. However, we get ahead of ourselves. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">Before the party moved on the evil temple to confront the demon, two important events occurred: The party discovered the bones Ogden’s Curate: Theseus. There found a poisoned dagger in his back. Then the spirit of Theseus spoke to Nilbog. He explained what this place was and how a band of dwarves help build it and the keep. He told of their wizard Shang Macrobius’ treachery. The gate built and demon summon while Ogden’s party fault against an invasion of giants from the southern hills. Ogden and band never had a chance in melee with the demon. Nilbog saw that the bones were properly laid to rest in the keep boneyard. He feels Theseus will speak to him again.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">The second important event is they told the entire story to the current Castellan. There was no hesitation; he offered his personal services in battle. Along with four of his sergeants, they all took to the deep to engage this demon. They burst through the sealed door alerting who knows who and entered Shang’s secret place. They saw the thing, a ten-foot humanoid monstrosity with emerald skin. It was a muscular nightmare with claws of jade, his neck ended in a glistening orifice ringed with razor-sharp teeth and four pale blue tentacles. Droplets of lavender-scented saliva clung to his neck and dripped down his chest. The demon diseased all the humans right off; they all began bleeding from every orifice. If not for epic the wizard’s epic magic missiles and a thunderous holy bolt summoned by Nilbog, the battle could have been much worse for them. The only one who had a chance to be hit was the Castellan who tripped and fell face first 20 feet away in front of it.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">After slaying the thing, Nilbog had to lay hands on all the bleeding humans. Blood was everywhere. He did not make it to the sergeants in time. All four perished. After the battle, they searched the odd cavern and wondered how Ogden could not have known. The found powerful magic items belonging to the former Keep leaders. The current Castellan offered the underground base and any treasure found in it for the party’s allegiance. The keep now needs protection from below and fears what might be waiting.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">The names of the originators of the keep are:</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">Castellan Ogden - Paladin</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">Curate Theseus - Cleric of Mitra</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">Shang Macrobius – The Corrupted Wizard</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">Captain Jeddak - Ogden’s right-hand</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">Dugar the Delver – Security…</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;"><span style="color: #404040; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">3/15/14</span></span>Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10458880725936645938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2984350958418623237.post-32730263008863658062014-04-29T20:23:00.001-05:002014-05-24T22:34:37.047-05:00Session #9 – The Chimera Prime Below the Keep - Year 4433, Day 95-98<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">The party rested a week or so. The nightmares began early in the week for Nilbog. His dreams were about an evil lich named Macrobius. In them, Macrobius awaits in a barrow between Blueheart’s tower and the Caves of Chaos. Nilbog prayed and Mitra commanded. Nilbog must exorcise Macrobius to become Mitra’s chosen Curate of the Keep. With Macrobius gone, elves, gnomes, and men will, once again rule the Fellgrim Forest region providing another stronghold against the Prince of Evil, Orcus who resides in Rappan Athuk about 15 miles east off the coast.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">They received several reports of activity at the caves. The Orcs of the Purple Claw are augmenting their ranks from the wild coast. And, they are moving into the goblin and hobgoblin caves the party cleared out. Nilbog thinks they are being drawn to Macrobius (whether they know it or now). The forest rangers, mostly high elves and wood elves, banded together and strike the orcs daily. About sixteen of them engage the orcs daily; mostly hit and run ambushes outside the caves.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">All rested up, they went to dig up Zoltar. You remember they buried Z in a shallow grave outside Blueheart’s tower. Worm-food now, of course, they did find three magic items as Chopper promised they would: a ring of protection +1, a wand of returning, and a wand of ray of enfeeblement. They reburied Zoltar, ending this grisly little side quest. Before they returned to the keep, Chopper said a few words for Zoltar since Nilbog, who tending to matters in the Temple of Mitra back at the Keep, was not present. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">Upon returning, they found the keep in turmoil. Guards were on high alert. The Castellan summoned them to his inner ward and reported that his men discovered a secret passage in lower cold storage. He explained that he then sent an exploration team, but they returned minutes later fearful and in literally in flames. All of their uniforms blackened by intense fire. Two sergeants did not return. The found a deep cave guarded by a fell beast. Descriptions of the thing were vague, but most reported it had the body of a lion and a snake tail that breathed fire (at them!).</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">The party knew what was next. Yes was the answer. Of course they would (try to) slay the beast for the Castellan. They stocked up on mostly free supplies and began their descent soon after. They found the stairs to be terraced and narrow; a combination of natural and man made elements. It appears there has been about 50 years of inactivity in this lost place.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">They entered a large cavern that was absolutely dark. The humans couldn't see an inch in front of them. There was a torch and a spot lantern for light. As a group they crept along the right-side wall until they saw it: a massive chimera prime, awake and upset; body and head of a lion, another head of a single-horned bull, a fire breathing serpent tail and in other places grotesque tentacles wiggled out of it.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">Chopper began climbing to see if he could hide, but fell to the ground, missing a foothold. The others did what they could before its tail breathed fire on them all. Burnt and clothing blackened as a group. Morgan practically died and now has permanent facial scarring. Only a sleep spell from Melkin slowed the thing. It provided just enough time for the group to heal Morgan and disengage. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">They regrouped upstairs and reported to the Castellan. The cone of fire caught their attention. They spent the next day healing and planning a return attack.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">On the second attempt the chimera appeared to be sleeping. The humans stayed near by the entrance while Baum and later Melkin quietly explored the surrounds. Ultimately they awoke the chimera, but before that they found a room of yellow mold and another with a sinkhole to the abyss. In the Chimera battle, Morgan cast a remarkably powerful sleep spell that knocked the chimera out (along with most life forms in a 1500 yard radius!). The magic users slew the thing with a flurry of magic missiles. They took its heads to the Castellan and the celebrations began. The Castellan encouraged them to continue their investigations and use his keep as a base as appropriate. Keep guards keep watch at the secret entrance 24/7.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">Next time down, Baum summoned a magic disc to convey him and Melkin on a reconnaissance mission around the cavern’s perimeter. Morgan stayed back keeping watch with the darkness-limited humans. The other two exploring found the passage nearest to the chimera lair led to an underground stream and then across it, a well-hidden intricately locked secret door followed by a cavern possibly filled with ghasts. They were on the run from the ghasts at first. When they found the things stopped, swaying, seemingly helpless to cross the stream, they calmed their pace. Continually the pair’s investigations they flew to the other side of the chimera cavern. They found another sinkhole and the narrowing cavern transformed into a pillared hallway.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">From the top of front facing pillars four gargoyles slowly spread their wings and made it straight for the elves. They used their quickness, back peddling and knocking them off one by one with magic missiles. Morgan stepped out and nailed a few as well. There was only one gargoyle left by the time it made it near the humans. Darthon simply stepped forward, swung his blade, and severed the stone creature’s neck is a very casual fashion.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">With the gargoyles dead they grouped up and investigated. The pillared hallway led to some sort protected structure. Was it some lost temple? Possibly it led to the crypts of the original keep builders? Maybe it was something else completely? </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">The party retreated to research and rest. They visited the place a few hours later to find a six inch high ten foot wide swath of vicious goo smeared across the cavern floor from the far sinkhole to the chimera’s nest. They thought better of it and decided to leave, but were determined to return.</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FOjiWGxXOC8/UvfSqBlHRlI/AAAAAAAACm0/3p1qeagEBD8/w620-h827-no/2014-02-09" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FOjiWGxXOC8/UvfSqBlHRlI/AAAAAAAACm0/3p1qeagEBD8/w620-h827-no/2014-02-09" height="320" width="239" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;"><span style="color: #404040; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">2/8/14</span></span></div>
Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10458880725936645938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2984350958418623237.post-75433579280983412972014-04-29T20:16:00.002-05:002014-04-29T20:19:24.206-05:00Session #8 - Evil Chaos Temple Sacked - Year 4433, Day 92-95<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">With Baum back, they powered up for another run at the evil temple. Rothaga put down his sword and took up the spear. When they arrived, the temple occupants were ready. Rothaga found his new spear glowed in the presence of undead. Even with this help, they failed everything else they attempted. Outnumbered and floundering, the party wisely made a retreat back to the keep.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">They went back the next day and found the entrance unguarded. They found a bedroom with four evil priests and killed them. They destroyed many evil writings in the room as a bonus. The grand hallway continued, Baum, just happen to notice outlines a secret door on the northern wall. Nobody else noticed this hard to see entrance. Chopper quickly managed entrance and found the back of another secret door just inside. He breached both and the party entered the plush evil bedroom beyond befo-re anyone noticed. The evil bedroom had a chest, but they found it empty. Beyond the normal door to the room was a room with four zombies who lurched forward to attack. The party slew them and ventured forth. They found a huge temple room with tapestries, a throne, an altar, and a huge bell covered in evil depictions. On the far side of the room, three priests in black robes saw the party and began to attack. The party quickly saw they were actually zombies programmed to ring the bell! That is just what one of them managed to do before the party took them out.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040;"><span style="line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">The striking of the bell initiated an epic battle. Without relating every exact action during the battle, I will say this: the head evil priest entered through the secret door to his bedroom while his horde of undead swept from an unexplored chamber on the far side of the temple. From it poured a score of powerful zombies and skeletons and a large wight (taken down by one of the wizard’s explosive magic missiles). The party cleverly positioned themselves between the priest’s chamber and the temple and exploited this to their tactical advantage. In addition, before Morgan cast a sleep spell that put all the priests into Goldilocks mode, the evil priest managed to summon a demon from the abyss. It was a spider creature with poisonous lobster pincers. Darthon almost died fighting the thing. They did manage to finish the demon, sleeping head priest and kill all the attacking undead. The room on the other side of the temple contained what might be undead spawning or creation machines. The devices were dim and not working when the party investigated. Taking no chances, the team toppled them over. Then they made their way to the exit fully intending to return and explore the reported megadungeon lying between the old tower and the caves.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">Upon return to the Keep, the Castellan rewarded them 1200 gp in gems as promised and told them to keep his magic spear. The party re-grouped in their private (and now free) apartment to begin planning their return to the Caves.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;"><span style="color: #404040;">12/31/13</span></span></span>Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10458880725936645938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2984350958418623237.post-72541960432988321042014-04-29T20:14:00.001-05:002014-04-29T20:14:13.616-05:00Session #7 - Evil Chaos Temple - Year 4433, Day 87-92<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">The day began with the group resting in the relative safety of the old tower. Two High Elven wizards appeared from the woods. They were searching for any trace of the Baum’s Elven war party. In addition, they had news from Baum’s brother Bernard. He left Lightelf just two nights ago and asked them to deliver this spell book straight away. With Baum’s brother’s book in hand, and no treachery detected, both groups re-grouped at the Keep. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">The High Elves, Merkin and Morgan, joined our party in a plan to destroy the Orcs of the Purple Claw at the Caves of Chaos. Baum chose, instead, to study the tome. The rest made their way to the caves after three full days’ rest.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">Arriving at the caves, they approached the orc lair. They witnessed something unexpected on the other side of the cave-filled ravine: two red-robbed evil priest types ducked into the entrance they knew as “evil temple”. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">The party did not attack the orcs just yet. They re-positioned and moved toward the priest cave. They heard groans and cries inside. Melkin threw his voice down ahead of the moans. This fooled undead lying in wait just inside the entrance into following the sound. The party ambushed their flank; battle ensued. In the end, nine dead zombies and more moans coming from either end of the grand vaulted hallway entrance. More battles followed, including a surprise of four evil priests entering the complex from behind. The lead priest was none other than the Head Curate of Mitra at the Keep! They battled the priests to the death,though one of the priests managed to blind one of the party with a curse. They chased the traitor outside the complex. Chopper finished him with another well-placed thrown dagger. After that, they fought more buffed up zombies, skeletons with strange glowing broaches, and evil human priests of Orcus, Prince of the undead. One of the priests escaped the last battle. The party left to recover and collect Baum. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">Leaving the cave, about 200 feet southeast, a group of gnolls spotted the party, called out and made pursuit. The party elected to move to the tower for tactical advantage. When safely away from the ravine, they engaged the gnoll scouts: a shaman, a captain, and two grunts. Morgan bound the shaman to the tree with his rope trick. The others performed well in dispatching the beasts. At the tower safe, they continued on to the Keep. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">There they straightened matters with the Temple of Mitra. Nilbog, by virtue of his rank in the church, took charge of the temple. Then the band met the Castellan of the keep who encouraged them and offered his spear of undead maiming in appreciation for their efforts. He also promised a reward if they could take down the leadership of the temple.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;"><span style="color: #404040; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">12/30/13</span></span>Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10458880725936645938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2984350958418623237.post-55716117747210682032014-04-29T20:12:00.000-05:002014-04-29T20:19:46.292-05:00Session #6 - Blueheart's Tomb - Year 4433, Day 85-87<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">Because of the odd schedules kept by adventuring types such as we have here, they were well-rested and ready for action about 9 PM Wilderlands time. They made their way down to see if that sound they heard upon the death of the undead minotaur was from one of the sealed stone doors. The NECROMANCY doors remained sealed, but upon pressing into the BLUEHEART southern doors, the slabs slid into pockets on either side of the opening. Beyond was a twelve foot tall ten foot wide black basalt hallway. It was covered in inscriptions and tales of Blueheart’s life. Telling information the group possibly found Blueheart's tomb.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">The hallway opened into a four-way intersection. Ahead the hallway stretched into the darkness. To the right (West), stairs winding down, to the left (East) maybe 100 feet ahead the party made out a dimly lit temple of Orcus (suspiciously similar to the cover of the AD&D 1st Edition Player’s Handbook). Before the temple, the hallway widened with niches on each side. Baum made out that there were armed skeletons within each.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">The party formed into position fully expecting the skeletons to animate and engage. They did and battle ensued. The Cleric turned one who scurried back to the temple area. The team handled the remaining five. About that time, a wight crept from the stairway behind forcing another battle. The party killed it, but not before it managed to suck memories of the past few days from Darthon with its freezing, experience draining touch.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">Before delving further down the stairs they checked out the hallway that led straight from the entrance. Chopper found a pit trap. Unable to disarm it, he warned the others. Baum could see that the hallway ended with a room with a fountain-type structure. Chopper and Baum sneaked past the trap and found the fountain contained a blackish liquid. Not tempted, they turned around and headed down from where the wight came.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">When at the bottom of the winding stairs, the hallway opened into a grand room. The light dimly revealed a sarcophagus twenty feet in front of them. It is at this time a ten-foot square stone slab slid across the hallway blocking their exit. Trapped in this tomb, the crypt burst open. A tall armored skeleton with a dim bluish glowing 2-handed sword that wore jewelry rose up. He let out one of those creepy throatless skeletal howls and attacked the party. It hit hard with that sword in a frantic battle. In the end, another epic kill shot from Chopper. They gathered its treasure and determined his sword and armor were magic. On either side of this crypt were stone doors. The party unlocked the eastern one.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #404040;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">Beyond was another crypt. The narrow room had five large niches along the east wall. Shortly after opening a shadow creature came out of nowhere and attacked them. It drained the cleric’s strength before the party killed it. Then they found two secret doors on either side of the room. One led to an area of evil previously detected by the cleric. The other, on the northwest wall, they opened first. Chopper found a secret hallway that turned right. He discovered an elaborate trap after the turn that involved two portcullises that would trap someone in a field of spears. Unable to disarm, Chopper directed the party around the trapped floor stone. Impossibly, Chopper and Nilbog almost stepped on the floor plate, but luckily they managed to avoid catastrophe. Beyond the trapped hallway they climbed a steep stairwell that led to the hallway near the temple of Orcus. They didn't look in the temple nor for the skeleton Nilbog turned, instead they headed to the surface and began resting in the tower.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;"><span style="color: #404040;">12/14/13</span></span></span>Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10458880725936645938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2984350958418623237.post-77146590299926615342014-04-29T20:09:00.002-05:002014-04-29T22:09:36.457-05:00Session #5 - Maze of Blueheart - Year 4433, Day 78-84<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">The party camped the tower over the next couple of days. Early in the camp they spotted a Grey Elf Wizardly type scouting the tower from the woods. They party opened some windows and shouted out. “Who goes there?” The elf responded he was on the run from a pack of werewolves that slew his entire party. His name, Baum. He was on a mission from Lightelf to attack the Orcs of the Purple Claw at the caves. Of course, that attack never came to pass. Knowing they needed a wizard and Nilbog not detecting any obvious evil, cautiously invited the grey elf into the tower. Shortly thereafter, they were exchanging tales of deeds and adventures. Baum offered his services as a member of their band and the party accepted. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">Not wasting time, after the party healed, then made their way to the tombs below the tower. They proceeded directly to the room with three doors where the last battle took place. The one that ended Zoltar. The dungeon was as they left it, they inspected each set of double stone doors more closely. The northern one had the wizard symbol for BEAST. The Eastern doors have the symbol for NECROMANCY, and the southern doors, BLUEHEART. Blueheart is a name repeated throughout the place. The party assumes this place was once owned by this person.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">They investigated the doors closely. The only door with any locking mechanism or obvious means of opening were the BEAST doors. After finally picking the lock, the stone doors collapsed onto them rather than opening as expected. Chopper’s leg was badly scraped and luckily wasn't crushed. With the doors permanently open they found a fifty foot stairway descending beyond. At the bottom they found the stone to be stark black basalt. The hallways branched out into all directions forming a triangle-like pattern after deeper investigation. The party made good use of Baum's nightvision by covering the lantern so he could report what lied deeper beyond where the humans could see. After a series of bull roars from different directions, a mummified undead minotaur emerged from the darkness engaging the party from behind. The warriors lined up, blocking the creature from the spell casters and thief. The party dealt an epic amount of damage and withstood its diseased attacks. As the end neared for it retreated mysteriously floating back almost escaping, but Chopper ended him with an arrow to the brain. After the thing collapsing to the floor, an audible click emanated from somewhere in the dungeon could be heard by all. They could not make out the direction for certain.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">They investigated the rest of the maze, bypassed an electrical trapped room of sorts, and went through a teleportation mist to get to the minotaur’s lair. Here is the treasure they found in two huge chests: gold and electrum pieces from over 100 years ago, a magic staff, magic plate armor, three potions and three very valuable pieces of jewelry. With the maze seemingly cleared, they headed back to the tower to rest. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">After a rest they headed to the keep to identify the loot they found. The potions turned out to be gaseous form, healing, and growth. They are plate armor was definitely magical (+1) and very light. And it was a staff of healing with a limited amount of charges, however the device is rechargeable. They went back to the tower the same day and prepared for another foray below.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">12/13/2013</span></span>Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10458880725936645938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2984350958418623237.post-70014061379067877382014-04-29T20:06:00.002-05:002014-04-29T22:09:18.280-05:00Session #4 - Below the Ruined Tower - Year 4433, Day 76-78<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">Several days of rest back at the Keep rejuvenated the party. They wondered what the "Old Watchtower" marked on their map might be. And why was it so close to the caves?</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">They decided to explore the tower to find out for themselves. They also heard rumors there might be a crazy hermit holed up in the place.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">An Ogre attacked them a few miles into Fellgrim Forest that the party dispatched quite easily.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">With the tower in sight, they decided against walking straight to it. Instead, they sneaked through the edges of the forest. About 200 feet from the tower an old hermit and a vicious Dire Mountain Lion ambushing them from the trees surprised them.. In a matter of seconds it was all over – the party killed both of them. Whatever secrets he knew about the tower, he took with him to the grave. Speaking of graves, the party buried the hermit in the woods… (After taking the ring from his finger and adding it to their combined treasure).</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">Entering the tower, they found the hermit lived well. Gardens outside, cleaned dishes, secured door, maybe he was not so crazy after all. They also found a magic dagger under his bed. The upper tower levels were in ruin (evidence of past dragon attack). At the base of the stairs on the southern interior wall, was a heavy iron-banded door barring whatever was below. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">The party carefully journeyed down. The first underground room did not follow the tower plan; it was a much larger squared room not a circle like the tower. Evidence of a larger dungeon complex perhaps? Around the walls were pillars. To the East and South led passageways. It was at this time, eight skeletons burst from the walls, plaster flying everywhere. They attacked the party. An excellent battle, all eight were dispatched but not so easily. Working in the darkness was challenging with Zoltar doing his best to keep his lantern on the targets in the heat of battle.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">It was time to investigate the passageways. The Southern one, led to another heavily barred door against a natural cavern wall. Behind it was an immense cavern lit by luminous fungus. Not far in, maybe 100 feet, it began descending east steeply. The party closed the door, barred it again and went to investigate the other passageway.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">That Eastern passage ended in thirty feet. Along the walls were strange faces with telltale holes for mouths. An obvious dart trap perhaps? The thief, Chopper, found and removed three trapped floor flagstones. With the trap removed, he went to examine the door down the 30-foot hallway. It was inscribed with a riddle in common tongue. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">Ye who enter. Thieves and Knaves</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">Shall find the terror of my grave.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">Oar, ye enter, if ye will.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">Beware! Your blood I seek to spill.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">If ye seek my burial tomb</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">Where wealth untold pervades the gloom.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">Up, up. up thrice past the Beast</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">Who waits alone, on you to feast,</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">Not much farther ‘til you’re free.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">But first you’ll have to deal with me.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">Enter further, if you dare,</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">But, one day hence, you’ll have no air! </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">Chopper, not finding any traps, pushed the stone slab that was the door inwards. The hallway beyond led eastward into the darkness. The air was stale and dusty. The door must have been sealed for years. Further down the hallway were empty alcoves on either side of the passage. Beyond that, the passage began sloping downward. It led to a very large 80’ x 80’ square chamber. Other than doors on the North, East and South walls, the only thing here was heaps of bones and garbage.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">From the bones and debris rose twelve skeletons that immediately began attacking. One of the skeletons was different than the rest: Dark armor and a nasty looking sword… The battle was both epic and chaotic. The party got separated and the weaker characters were surrounded leading to the death of the Wizard Zoltar. A sad day. In the end, the surviving members of the party finished off the undead and headed back to the surface. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">They buried Zoltar behind the tower and re-grouped inside. What to do next? It began to rain; luckily, the tower was rainproof. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">Here is where the party begins next session. What, is that two elves in the woods scooping out the tower??? To be determined in Session #5.</span>Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10458880725936645938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2984350958418623237.post-48279278901013845202014-04-29T20:03:00.001-05:002014-04-29T22:09:25.578-05:00Session #3 - Goblincide- Year 4433, Day 75-76<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">The band cleared out the Goblin / Hobgoblin complex. Destroyed a curious party of Orcs of the Purple Claw including a wickedly evil shaman thanks to Zoltar’s powerful spell of sleep.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">At the end of the session, Darthon and Zoltar made level 2. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">The band finished session three eager for more.</span>Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10458880725936645938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2984350958418623237.post-85001874087296296822014-04-29T18:38:00.004-05:002014-06-27T12:29:33.161-05:00Session #2 - The Caves of Chaos - Year 4433, Day 70-75<span style="color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">In the first few forays into the Caves of Chaos, the band discovers the Goblin and Hobgoblin lair and begins the typical extermination process. After the first battle, the party faces the Ogre (Bree-Yak) and destroys it. On the third exploration mission an epic battle with the Goblin King and a host of goblins/hobgoblins ensues. The party ultimately wins out, including Darthon taking the goblin king's magic scimitar, but not without sacrifice. The Cleric (Omar Yyn), the thief (Carter) and henchmen Agathor and Amef all perish in the battle. Darthon and Zoltar fill their pockets with all they can and head back to the Keep.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">Upon their return, Darthon and Zoltar see more followers of Omar Yyn’s religion waiting in the Traveler's Inn their caravan having arrived. The arrivals include four adventures eager to explore. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">The new members include a band of Lawful adventurers: a thief (Chopper), a cleric (Nilbog) and two warriors (Rothaga & Fema). The four join the two making a party of six again. The new party sets out for the Caves. In addition to more scores of dead goblins and hobgoblins, the party snuffs out an Owlbear and more….</span></span><br />
<br />Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10458880725936645938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2984350958418623237.post-45165078474657218652014-04-29T18:36:00.003-05:002014-06-27T12:12:40.701-05:00Session #1 - The Keep on the Borderlands - Year 4433, Day 70<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Carter (a thief) and Darthon (a warrior), journey to the Keep on the Fellgrim Borderlands to seek their fame and fortune slaying monsters and looting the fallen. How they met or knew each other is a bit of a mystery, but no doubt will be revealed.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">Four other adventurers also planning their foray into the Fellgrim wilds: Zoltar (the wizard), Omar Yyn (the cleric), Agathor and Amef, warrior henchmen. The groups meet in the Keep Tavern / Traveler’s Inn. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">With the Caves of Chaos their shared goal, they bond and set out.</span>Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10458880725936645938noreply@blogger.com0