Game summary for November 17, 2011, In Search of Adventure campaign, Keep on the Borderlands adventure; present characters included Nicholae Dragos (cleric priest) and Theobald Goblinbane (dwarf warrior).
With a mighty team assembled to face the bugbears, the group only had one remaining order of business: the use of the mysterious cold cube they had found in the caves. They had traded a wand of paralyzation to Ursula Botsaris in exchange for her research into the item. She revealed that it combined the powers of a mystical ice cube and a cube of abilities. Known for his clumsiness, Nicholae decided to risk the power of the cube of abilities and found himself gifted with far above average manual dexterity for his efforts! Encouraged by his good fortune the team, including retainers Archibald Baker (halfling), Decimus Kozani (cleric), Edgard Zeklos (fighter), Germanus Andros (fighter), Ma’Kala (cleric), Rusalka (elf), Ursula Botsaris (magic user), and Wuldric Mineshield (dwarf), set off to the bugbear caves.
Again, the team found the welcoming sign outside the cave giving directions. This time, the team went to the left instead of right. They found a single bugbear in a room with a glowing brazier. The bugbear tried to run up some stairs as the party filed in around him, but they cut him down quickly. They then continued up the same stairs and found a locked door. Unable to enter, they went to the second closed door. Within, they discovered a disheveled bedroom occupied by the massive bugbear chieftain and his favored mate. The two engaged the party in a vicious melee, both darting around the room to the consternation of the team. The goblinoids proved deadly, slaying Edgard with a crushing mace blow to the skull and a lethal stabbing of Rusalka the elf. Archibald found himself terribly injured, and Wuldric bled a bit as well. However, the team fought on and took down the two brawlers.
The group searched the room and found a chest atop a wall niche. Inside they discovered several pounds of silver and ivory as well as potions of healing. Theobald discovered a magical hand axe also. While searching, they found a secret door leading into the caves of the minotaur they had explored the previous day. Noting such on their map in case of emergency, the group then took the chieftain’s keys and entered the other locked room. Within they discovered heaps of food and drink along with a platter filed with catnip. Wuldric noticed some kind of leather strap sticking out of the catnip, and the group learned it was actually a shield +1!
With several new magical trinkets, the group collected their dead and moved further along. They encountered a guard room filled with spear-toting bugbears! Ursula slipped through the ranks and blasted out a cone of her wand of paralyzation to freeze two of the bugbears in place while Germanus cut down a third. The two unfrozen bugbears surrounded the magic user and impaled her on a spear, killing her instantly. The team moved in and dispatched the two rather quickly but too late to save Ursula’s life.
With three dead retainers, the team regroups. What further horrors and treasures await in the caves of the bugbears?
The above summary is for a game session of Dungeons & Dragons BECMI / RC edition played by the Phoenix Gaming Club.
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