Pukana La’Aina – Polynesian D&D 3.5 – Game Session 9

Game summary for July 29, 2010; present characters included Kanaka Kohola (darfellan storm druid), Laka Pokukeliki (human fighter/rage cleric), Palu (human ranger).

The party enters a massive chamber with several natural springs and animal skins scattered about for bedding. Several cult members await within and release a dire inferno frog against the party as well. The team steps forward into the fray and slaughters cultists left and right. Palu’s new animal companion, Carmine the crocodile, is ordered into the melee and establishes himself as a formidable foe. In mere moments, the cultists are wiped out, and the party is advancing into a labyrinthine portion of the catacombs.

In the flickering flames of a single sconce, a slaymonger approaches. She moves with incredible grace and slips into the group’s midst, sliding her obsidian daggers into vulnerable flesh. So accurate and violent are her strikes, it rocks the team back. They begin to resist, and she disappears into the shadows. The next several minutes are spent playing cat and mouse as she pops out to brutally stab before tumbling away or hiding. Eventually, Laka hits her with a comet, which also crushes the only source of light. Kanaka remedies this by casting a light spell on Carmine. The slaymonger puts the pressure on Laka, sinking stab after stab and forcing him to flee for his life. Eventually, the woman is brought down, unable to withstand the team forever. After searching the area, Laka discovers a secret door.

The new area was dimly lit with high ceilings. Upon a blasphemous altar, priests of the frog god had bound Princess Ayoli. They were in the midst of a ritual designed to summon an aspect of the frog god and impregnate the princess with a godling. The party disrupted the ritual and brought the full wrath of the priests upon them. Curses and prayers traded back and forth, while one priest veiled himself in shadow and conjured a whirling cloud of steel blades. This priest charged into battle only to be blasted into charred bones by Kanaka and Laka. Palu wasted no time barging in toward the altar, dropping a tendriculos seed along the way. The seed sprouted into a massive plant monster under his control. The creature wrecked havoc while the remaining priest supported his Doomwarden guard by unleashing blistering flame strikes. Kanaka’s summoned fire elemental closed in on the caster, and Laka used air walk to get around behind him. Meanwhile, Palu cut Ayoli free and leaped upon the altar to attack the remaining priest. Laka was staggered by a thrust from the priest’s acidic spear. However, the team prevailed, chopping the man down under their rain of blows.

With the enemies defeated and cultists slain, the team returned to the surface of Ashenford where Laka wed Princess Ayoli. With his lovely new bride in tow, the group left Ashenford to seek adventure and wealth elsewhere.

Pukana La’Aina – Polynesian D&D 3.5 – Game Session 8

Game summary for July 22, 2010; present characters included Laka Pokukeliki (human fighter/rage cleric), Palu (human ranger), Puinsai (cecaelia warder), and Vollintine (human berserker).

The team regroups and recruits a rage priest of Ahi named Laka to the cause. They continue searching for the princess beneath the town and come across a particularly talented protector of the frog along with his cronies–a priest and a doomwarden. Bloody chaos ensues. The frog cultist priest begins laying curses and prayers, while Laka counters by doing the same. Puinsai and Palu begin working over the doomwarden, allowing the protector of the frog to land several blows before they realize what a threat he is. Things get even more dangerous when the priest shields his allies with a powerful deflective magic, making it very difficult for the team to land shots. The doomwarden is dispatched in short order once Vollintine rejoins from scouting. The frog cultist priest summons a roaring column of flame that scorches Vollintine, but the others escape most of the damage. Laka counters by summoning a blast of pure divine energy and blasts the priest. The protector of the frog takes advantage of Vollintine’s injuries and clubs him to death’s door. The priest is driven back and slain while Laka drags Vollintine away from the melee. While Puinsai and Palu flank the protector of the frog, Laka heals Vollintine’s most grievous injuries. After a moment to shake off the worst of his travel toward the light, Vollintine rejoins the fray. The protector lands many more telling blows with this rock-spewing magic club, but he proves too weak to handle all of the team at once. In moments, he joins the priest in the Great Swamp, or wherever frog cultists go in an afterlife. A search of the area reveals a magical belt that tremendously enhances strength. Puinsai dons the belt, surging with magical might.

Depleted of spells and nearly dead, Keiki Manuahis know they must seek rest. They flee to the surface and hole up to nurse their wounds. Once recovered, they delve back into the catacombs spoiling for a fight. The frog cultists oblige when the party finds a room being used as a dining hall. Towering over the humans is a bright orange feral inshon. A berserker, witch, and protector of the frog are within as well. The berserker enters a rage and charges into the party, swinging his obsidian-tipped maca to and fro. The inshon follows him in, mauling Palu and poisoning him. Vollintine advances and brings the fight to the enemy while Laka lays prayers and blessings upon the group. The witch’s eldritch magic settles over the party, causing a slow effect on Vollintine. Palu’s hatred for inshon bubbles over, and he slaughters the feral beast in its tracks, his twin macas slicing its monstrous flesh to shreds.

Although brutal fighters, the berserker and protector of the frog were no match for the team bolstered by Laka’s healing magic. Quickly they are dispatched, and only the witch remains. The party swarms her, cutting off escape. She launches a storm of thorns, tearing into their flesh. It is not enough, however, as Puinsai’s newly enhanced power allows her to crush the witch beneath a barrage of club swings.

The group suspects they are getting close and presses on further into the catacombs.

Pukana La’Aina – Polynesian D&D 3.5 – Game Session 7

Game summary for July 6, 2010; present characters included Kanaka Kohola (darfellan storm druid), Palakelei (human martial warrior), Palu (human ranger), Puinsai (cecaelia warder), and Vollintine (human berserker).

Upon returning to Ashenford, the team discovers the town partially burned and bodies in the streets. They learn that the frog cult, and their inshon minions, burst up from the ancient catacombs and slaughtered many, dragging many more down into the depths for sacrifice. Among the missing, Princess Ayoli, daughter of Chief Mukanu. The chief offers his daughter’s hand in marriage if rescued. The Keiki Manuahis decide marrying into minor royalty would not be an all together bad thing, the accept the challenge. They quickly find an apothecary and stock up on healing balms and anti-venom. Then, the delve beneath the city streets.

Not far into the catacombs, the team finds a tomb with a burning brazier occupied by two inshon and a trio of cultists. One cultist approaches, a mocha-skinned lithe athletic woman moving with the grace of a dancer, corded muscle rippling with every movement. Slender black-bladed knives twirl in her fingers, the light reflecting off the obsidian surface and moist liquid coating. Behind her, a massive dark-skinned bald man resembles a large frog himself. Animal furs cover his body, and human and humanoid skulls ring his waste like a belt. He carries a massive stone-headed mace. Traces of lightning play across the rock and handle. The inshon close in as the party advances, swarming to attack Puinsai and Palu. In moments, Puinsai finds herself surrounded by inshon and women armed with slick obsidian daggers. Kanaka unleashes a sudden stalagmite, impaling the massive man in the back of the room. Chaos ensues, with blood flying as the two groups collide. Bolstered by Kanaka’s magic, the Keiki Manuahis make fairly short work of the frog cultists.

The team presses further into the catacombs, discovering a large columned chamber with two other exits in the rear. More inshon and cultists flood into the room. One, a priest, begins layering prayers and curses upon the two parties. In moments, the Keiki Manuahis find themselves hampered by the power of the frog god. A massively muscled man, a protector of the frog, wielding an earth-based elemental club pressures the druid, Kanaka. Rocks flying, he begins clubbing away while another slaymonger works over the team with her deadly black daggers. The nearly mindless inshon begin attacking the flaming Vollintine, despite being burned with each claw and bite. Kanaka tries to use magic to swing the tide and finds himself clubbed violently for his efforts, losing his prayers under the protector’s beating. Palu, wounded terribly by inshon, charges the priest in an effort to stop his curses. The priest succeeds in getting one more spell cast, transferring the wounds from one inshon to Vollintine! Moments later, the priest is killed. With Kanaka driven into a corner, bones shattered by his clubbing, the protector turns on Puinsai. They go club-to-club, and the protector suddenly turns on Palakelei. The martial warrior fights bravely, but a powerful swing slips his formidable defenses. The deadly club crushes his skull, dropping him dead instantly. Moments later, the protector is slain by the party. The inshon are taken down quickly, while the slaymonger attempts to flee. Vollintine catches up to her and prevents her escape. Moments later, she lay dead on the ground.

Quickly taking stock of the situation, Keiki Manuahis is in trouble. They are injured and need a moment to recover, and their friend and ally Palakelei lay dead.