Ruins of Undermountain — Game Session — 012

Game summary for December 27, 2016, Ruins of Undermountain campaign, for Harm Incorporated. Session included: Kalil Bakran (Human Sorcerer played by Parker Harmon), Paddy Brandywine (Halfling Bard played by Preston Harmon), and Rumbald Shieldcracker (Dwarf Ranger played by Peyton Harmon). Game Master for this session was Charles Plemons.

The team heard rumor of a magical treasure that could bring the dead back to life and it was being sought by drow and their allies.  Having just expended their magic to bring Paddy back from the grave, they knew they should restock their capabilities.  The team entered a cavern with a sandy floor and discovered a pair of trapdoor sand spiders!  Paddy was bitten and envenomed while Kalil and Rumbald swarmed in.  Scorching rays, fireballs, slashing axes, and swords soon brought down the arachnids.  Paddy bought himself some time to seek a cure with delay poison and a potion of lesser restoration.  At the bottom of one of the trapdoors, they found a body laden with some equipment they commandeered.

Next, the team found a short hallway blocked by a door with a puzzle.  They were stumped and started hitting combinations randomly causing blasts of fire to rip through the area.  However, Kalil’s fire resistance and Paddy’s evasion allowed them to escape mostly unscathed.

The group proceeded into a room and discovered a pair of driders!  One levitated into the air while the other cast mage armor.  Paddy slipped in to the side while Rumbald took the other side.  Kalil stepped up and blasted the aerial drider with a lightning bolt, but its spell resistance negated the magic.  The ground drider cast web at Paddy but failed to entangle him.  Rumbald quaffed a potion of fly and took to the air while Paddy cast hideous laughter successfully upon the airborne drider.   Brutality ensued as casters on each side of the battle hurled their nastiest spells.  Lightning bolts and fire snakes ripped through both sides.  Rumbald, hating aberrations, chopped away with his battle axe and scored a critical hit which activated his shocking burst!  The team soon overwhelmed the driders and cut them both down.  They discovered the driders had a sack of treasures including what the team sought:  three scrolls of raise dead!

Small Adventures — Game Session — 001

Game summary for December 26, 2016, Small Adventures campaign, for Small Timers. Session included: Delwyn Underhall (Dwarf Arcanist played by Jack Smalling), Elowyn Graycloak (Half-Elf Arcanist/Cleric/Rogue played by Noah Smalling), Reth Steelarm (Half-Orc Fighter/Rogue played by Luke Smalling), and Valetin Krupova (Halfling Paladin played by Jared Smalling). Game Master for this session was Charles Plemons.

The Small Timers adventuring group gathered together to seek their lost friend, Rusila Steelhelm.  She had set out with several dwarven companions in search of the lost Shield of the Foamflagon clan.  It is an emblem of the clan’s pride and legacy, and it went missing several years ago.  Rusila heard it had been seen hanging on the wall of a nasty ogre warlord named Scraggletooth.  She set out on an expedition to recover it, and the entire party went missing.  The team went out to discover her fate, and if possible, to recover the shield.

The team entered the cavern and found goblin, dwarf, and ogre tracks.  They saw webs and cocoons along the ceiling.  Reth Steelarm climbed one of the walls and used his spiked armor to slash some webs and drop a cocoon to the ground.  The group opened it and found a desiccated dwarven corpse!  They continued to move through the cave and found a pair of giant black widow spiders that shot webs at Valetin Krupova.  Fortunately, they missed their mark.  The team closed in unleashing magic missiles, blasts of a fire, and slashing blades.  The spiders stood no chance and were cut down in short order.

The group discovered an opening into a man-made chamber.  At the end of a short hallway the found an ornate door with a series of stone buttons.  The group also found scorch marks and surmised they needed to enter the proper combination of buttons to open the door.  They stepped back and hurled rocks and skulls to press the buttons.  The first combination resulted in blasts of flame ripping through the hall.  Fortunately, the team was well out of range.  The second combination was correct and opened the door.

The next room contained half a dozen goblins armed with bows and dogslicers.  The creatures were crouched behind crates and barrels and so gained surprise on the Small Timers!  They launched arrows and charged in swinging.  The goblinoids scored several good blows, but the party quickly rallied and pushed their way into the room.  Reth put pressure on one side of the room while Elowyn and Delwyn filled the air with magic missiles.  Valetin encountered some issue hitting the goblins with his sling because of low lighting conditions.  However, he kept hurling and started dealing some damage.  Soon, the goblins were laid low.  The group found several dwarven and goblin bodies that had died previously proving the sought after party had been this way.

The group entered another chamber to discover skeletons armed with bows and a number of four-armed skeletons with swords!  A brutal battle ensued with the skeletons proving resistant to several of the team’s attacks.  Reth proved strong enough to smash through their bones regardless.  Unfortunately, he accidentally sprung a trap and fell into a pit lined with spikes!  The skeletons began firing arrows down upon him as he sought to free himself.  Elowyn successfully channeled positive energy and obliterated some of the undead.  Once they were all defeated, the team healed their injuries and prepared to enter the next chamber.

On the other side of the door the team found a male and female ogre!  Behind them hung several gibbets, and within one someone moaned in pain.  They party could see a glowing shield hanging on the wall emblazoned with the emblem of a foaming mug of ale!  The Small Timers surged in, and the female ogre tagged Valetin with a javelin.  The male charged Reth and hit him solidly.  Elowyn and Delwyn unleashed a barrage of magic missiles and helped bring down the female ogre.  Enraged, the male ogre swung at Reth and crushed him beneath its club!  However, the powerful half-orc limped forward and slammed his punching dagger into the ogre’s skull, killing it!  The team rescued their dwarven friend, Rusila from the gibbet and recovered the infamous Foamflagon shield before retreating to the safety of the surface world.

 

Note:  This adventure included characters from the Instant Character product line from Black Falcon Games LLC.

 

 

Ruins of Undermountain — Game Session — 011

Game summary for December 17, 2016, Ruins of Undermountain campaign, for Harm Incorporated. Session included: Boran Gibbs (Human Cleric played by Chris Harmon), Kalil Bakran (Human Sorcerer played by Parker Harmon), Paddy Brandywine (Halfling Bard played by Preston Harmon), and Rumbald Shieldcracker (Dwarf Ranger played by Peyton Harmon). Game Master for this session was Charles Plemons.

The party came upon a battle scene and saw an unconscious dwarf being dragged by the beard by orcs!  The team rushed after him and found a locked door in the way.  They quickly picked the lock and went through to find orc scouts on the other side.  They unleashed flaming arrows as the party moved to engage.  Two stood to obstruct using battleaxes to fend off the party.  Kalil hit several with a fire snake while Paddy shot arrows back at the orcs.  Rumbald and Boran closed in on an orc while Paddy moved around to flank.  The team took down the orcs and went to the next door.  Paddy and Rumbald discovered a poison arrow trap and disabled it!

In the next room they discovered a shrine to Gruumsh emanating fell energy sapping their strength.  A pair of falchion-wielding orc warlords stood on the lower level while an orc witch doctor stood on a pedestal.  The witch doctor cast cloudkill and harmed the party.  They came moving through as the warlords entered rages and brutally attacked.  Kalil and Boran slipped out of the fog to the side as Paddy and Rumbald soldiered through.  Kalil and the witch doctor traded lightning bolt spells.  A nasty brawl continued between Rumbald, Paddy, Boran, and the warlords.  The witch doctor used a wicked hex and put Rumbald to sleep!  He then began cursing the rest of the party.   Kalil used numerous scorching rays as Paddy’s icy sword Frostburn inflicted grievous injury to the orcs.  The enraged orcs were not finished yet, as one stabbed Paddy through the chest, killing the brave halfling!  Eventually the team took the orcs down and tore down the statue of Gruumsh.  They woke Rumbald from his slumber, and Boran used a powerful divine scroll to raise Paddy from the grave.  The group consumed several potions and scrolls to restore their damaged constitution and life force.  Then, they plunged into the next chamber which they discovered filled with mud!

Within, a sure-footed giant frilled lizard charged to attack along with a pair of ugly cave giants.  Kalil launched a fireball as Paddy cast freedom of movement on himself to be able to traverse the mud.  The fires hurt the creatures badly.  Sure-footed Rumbald rushed in and planted Ragnarok, his giant-slaying axe, into a cave giant’s chest, killing it!  The frilled lizard charged Paddy and shook him up with its terrifying display.  The group managed to swarm in and defeat the remaining two monsters, with the last giant dying by Paddy’s tiny sword, Frostburn.

The group entered the final room to discover the dwarf lying on a carpet, still unconscious.  A trio of hobgoblins and a pair of orcs loomed over him.  One of the hobgoblins cast righteous might and surged with power!  Boran smiled and cast the same spell!  Flaming arrows flew toward the party, and the team moved in to engage.  The orcs and hobgoblins forced the team into a corner, and the battle priest hobgoblin hit them all with a flame strike!  The group could not withstand the onslaught though, and they were defeated.  The team healed the dwarf.  He introduced himself as Fescus Foamflagon, and in gratitude for saving his life, he gave them an ancient handaxe made of mithral that was allegedly enchanted in long-lost Gauntlgrym!

Reign of Winter — Game Session — 011

Game summary for December 13, 2016, Reign of Winter campaign, for Phoenix Gaming Club. Session included: Argun Longtusk (Wereboar-Kin Druid played by Parker Harmon), Kenwrec Battleglaive (Dwarf Slayer played by Peyton Harmon), Magnus Erlingsson (Human Cleric played by Chris Harmon), Svala Alehorn (Dwarf Unchained Barbarian played by Preston Harmon), and Tulvur Xandersen (Dwarf Fighter played by Taylor Averdick). Game Master for this session was Charles Plemons.

The party donned the clothing of the slain Pale Tower guardsmen and bluffed their way in the front gate of the Pale Tower.  Within they found a courtyard with an elaborate ice dragon sculpture surrounded by kennels.  A large female ice troll emerged from one and began to sniff the party.  She attacked in a rage when she realized dwarves were among them.  Her rending claws caused horrific damage, and the team’s blades cut its flesh, but its regeneration quickly healed them.  The team rallied and beat her to the ground where Argun was able to use produce flame to burn it up.

The team rushed through the doors into the tower proper.  They stood around for a few moments allowing a force of guards to rally and attack.  The sergeant stepped up and went toe-to-toe with Magnus.  He was impressed with her stature and moxie right up until she ran him through with her blade.  It broke his heart, but he had to cut her down.  Svala drank her flask of whiskey and charged recklessly into the fray as Argun grew tusks and started goring with wild abandon.  Kenwrec and Tulvur swept across the room taking out the rest.

From beyond another door, they could hear men struggling into armor.  Wasting no time, Magnus kicked open the door, and the team swarmed through.  The team fell upon the disadvantaged guardsmen and cut them down as they pulled swords from scabbards.  The fighting was one-sided and swift leaving devastation in its wake.

Reign of Winter — Game Session — 010

Game summary for December 6, 2016, Reign of Winter campaign, for Phoenix Gaming Club. Session included: Kenwrec Battleglaive (Dwarf Slayer played by Peyton Harmon), Magnus Erlingsson (Human Cleric played by Chris Harmon), and Tiswichtt (Orc Witch played by Casey Scruggs). Game Master for this session was Charles Plemons.

The team looted the bodies of the fallen fey and discovered a lock box in the troll’s cave filled with gold, silver, and jewels!  The team debated what to do next when a black-clad rider emerged from the swirling portal!  His horse disappeared in a swirl of black mist, dumping the man to the ground.  The team could see he had been stabbed by a blue bolt of ice and was nearing death.  He removed his great horned helmet and revealed himself as a frail old man.  He looked up on the slaughtered fey and troll and beckoned the party closer.  He told them he is known as Black Midnight, the infamous Black Rider of Baba Yaga.  The Queen of Witches’ daughter, Queen Elvanna has betrayed Baba Yaga, slain the Red Rider and White Rider, and stolen the Dancing Hut.  The evil queen plans to plunge the entire world of Golarion into a frozen eternal winter!  The Dancing Hut has the ability to locate Baba Yaga by retracing her steps.  She must be found, for only she can undo Queen Elvanna’s magic!  Operating the hut requires the use of keys, but Elvanna’s magic disabled them.  The Rider announced he could recharge them if the party would agree to take up his quest.  The team agreed, and he pulled forth a lock of white hair and a plague doctor mask.  He held them aloft and slashed his own throat with a dagger!  As his lifeblood spilled across the items, they surged with power.  The man crumpled to the ground, dead.

Black faerie magic swirled and rushed into the members of the party.  They realized the Black Rider, Herald of Baba Yaga the Queen of Witches, had passed on his mantle into each of them!  They were all now bound to Baba Yaga and the quest.  They realized they had a deep burning drive to fulfill their mission and suspected they would be unable to resist the urge long even if they wished.  They did not gain the full power of a Black Rider as the power was diluted among them all; however, the energy did bolster them greatly and enhance their natural aptitudes!

The team plunged through the portal and stumbled upon travelers besieged by a giant praying mantis!  The team defeated the mantis and befriended the travelers led by a ranger named Nadya Petska.  She invited them to travel with them to shelter from the approaching storm.  They learned they were now in Irrisen, land of the White Witches.  They also discovered the witches were looking for the Black Rider to finish him off.  In the evening, as the storm approached, an exotic stranger named Mierul Ardelain walked into camp.  The bizarre woman was obviously faerie but seemed something else as well.  She certainly made Nadya very nervous.  Mierul is a well-known bard and agent of the White Witches, and she was subtly asking for information about the Black Rider.  Nadya lied about the party being from a border town instead of being foreigners, and they believe she bought the tale.  After a while, she walked off into the swirling storm unconcerned by the ice and cold.

The next day the team continued toward the small town of Waldsby.  Along the way, a murder of crows swarmed the party!  Nadya and her friends threw tarps over the team to hide them from being spotted by the crows, notorious spies of the witches.  Once in Waldsby, several of the townsfolk figured out they were foreign.  However, the team managed to make a few friends and learn more about the movements of the soldiers of the Pale Tower of a White Witch named Nazhena Vasilliovna.  They had been sent out all over scouring the land for signs of the Black Rider.

Later in Nadya’s cabin, she told them her youngest daughter, a blond seven-year-old named Thora, had been kidnapped by Nazhena after she insulted the witch in the marketplace.  She had hoped to bribe the witch for the return of her daughter with a shipment of food, which the party had helped protect from the mantis, but it had not worked.  Suddenly, Pale Tower guards arrived at the door demanding entry!  Nadya urged the party to hide while she went to talk to them.  They began to arrest her for conspiring with foreigners, and the party emerged to fight the guards.

A terribly brutal fight ensued.  Kenwrec charged in and landed a telling blow as Ten-Penny shot another guard in the throat with a crossbow bolt, killing him instantly.  Kenwrec was suddenly swarmed by guards and quickly cut down, bleeding onto the snow.  Magnus charged in as well, but he just couldn’t land a solid shot with his greatsword.  Tiswichtt cast chill touch and began sapping the strength of one of the guards.  Meanwhile, Nadya broke free and picked up a longsword from a fallen guard.  Magnus fell under a barrage of blows as the ladies moved in to help Tiswichtt.  The three were able to slay the remaining guards and dump a potion of cure light wounds down Magnus’ throat.  The revived cleric then channeled lots of positive energy to heal the party.  With the guards dead, Nadya said she had only two remaining choices:  abandon her home leaving Thora behind or storm the Pale Tower and try to kill Nazhena to rescue her daughter.  The team agreed to help her storm the tower.

She invited them back into her cabin where she revealed a domovoi fey living in her home!  His name is Hatch, and he once worked in the Pale Tower.  He had fled and taken refuge in Nadya’s home.  He knows the layout and was able to give the party information they needed, including the pass phrases to activate the teleportation crystals between several levels since the tower has no stairs.  The team revealed to Nadya they are collectively the Black Rider, and she beamed with encouragement at the thought of going into battle with the enemy of her enemy!  She retrieved her bow, axe, and pick and told the team to rest up, it was going to be a bloody day.