Reign of Winter — Game Session — 049

by: Charles Plemons - November 28th, 2017   Filed under: Gaming, Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, Reign of Winter Add Comment

Game summary for November 28, 2017, Reign of Winter campaign, Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, for Phoenix Gaming Club. Session included: Denessia Rapidarma (Dwarf Gunslinger/Paladin played by Casey Scruggs), Deska Starseeker (Half-Elf Druid played by Kaliegh Averdick), Svala Alehorn (Orc Unchained Barbarian played by Todd Hughes), Ten-Penny Tacey (Halfling Rogue played by Shane Bradley), and Tulvur Xandersen (Dwarf Fighter played by Taylor Averdick). Game Master for this session was Charles Plemons.

The team was summoned with haste to one of the keep walls.  They could see an enormous siege tower being pushed up the hill by a pair of seven-headed war hydras.  Two frost drakes circled to provide protection.  The team had only moments before this tower would arrive up against the wall providing a way for the Drakelands barbarians to swarm into Spurhorn.  Tulvur used his engineering skills to recognize the tower might be toppled backwards if the rear wheels were destroyed due to the steep angle of inclination.  The group decided they did not have time for that.  Instead, Ten-Penny gave Deska a potion of flying, and she wild shaped into a mastodon.  She then catapulted herself off the keep walls and slammed into the top of the tower!  The massive mastodon’s collision shook the tower and toppled it over!  It hit a drake and hydra on the way down.  Deska was a bit stunned by the impact and crashed prone to the ground.  Svala, having also imbibed a potion of flying, entered a rage and charged through the air to hit a drake.  She was successful initially but then crashed into it, plunging both to the ground.  After impact, Svala, still prone, rolled over and mightily lopped off the drake’s head!

Tulvur went flying out toward the other drake and bull rushed it away from Deska.  Greta, unable to fly, dropped off the wall and just tried to roll with the impact.  She was somewhat successful and rushed into the fray.  Ten-Penny did the same and ended up hiding in Deska’s mastodon fur hoping to surprise her foes.  The hydras proved devastating with their massive number of attacks, and the remaining frost drake unleashed its frigid breath weapon.  Denessia unleashed a barrage of fireballs from atop the wall using her newly purchased necklace of fireballs.  Deska cast baleful polymorph and turned one of the hydra’s into Triaxus’ first hamster.  Tulvur killed the other drake, and then he stepped over and killed the remaining hydra.

The team scrambled back up into the keep and healed their injuries while the defenders of Spurhorn cheered them on and hailed them as heroes.

Ruins of Undermountain — Game Session — 018

by: Charles Plemons - November 25th, 2017   Filed under: Gaming, Harm Incorporated, Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, Ruins of Undermountain Add Comment

Game summary for November 25, 2017, Ruins of Undermountain campaign, Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, 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 entered a smoky chamber occupied by a death ettin and a pair of ghoul stalkers.  The smoke caused the party to cough and choke a little, but it was not too dangerous.  The death ettin breathed a blast of disease across the party and infected two of them.  The ghouls rushed in and flanked some of the team.  However, one was cut down quickly.  Astoundingly, the death ettin yelled “Arise!” and raised it back to unlife!  Boran stepped up and sucked the life out of the ghouls with undeath to death.  The team then was able to unload upon the death ettin, with Rumbald finally cutting it down.  The group looted the bodies and found some scattered coins as well.

They entered a natural cavern and found glowing yellow corpses attached to the walls.  A trio of glowing starlight wasps descended from the ceiling and charged in!  Despite numerous stings, none of the party succumbed to the poison.  Kalil unleashed a volley of impressive spells like lightning arc, fireball, and scorching ray.  The team closed ranks in around him for defense and cut loose with slashing blades.  It did not take long to defeat the wasps.  The team then found a side tunnel and located a closed chest at the end.  Rumbald and Paddy immediately began picking the lock and triggered a hail of arrows that injured them terribly.  They decided it was worth the pain after finding a small fortune in gems and jewelry.

Exploring, they found a fissure in the wall that led into a corridor.  One end was blocked by a cave-in, but the other led to a door.  On the other side they found two mummy clerics and a mummified gynosphinx.  The auras of despair and fear emanating from the horrors put the team off their game.  A flame strike eliminated one of the mummy clerics, and Boran stepped up to do battle.  When the gynosphinx inscribed a symbol of stunning, most of the team fell victim.  The gynosphinx then pounced Boran and ripped into him with front and rear paws while under the effect of burst of vengeance.  The cleric was unable to withstand the onslaught and fell unconscious and dying.  Moments later, the gynosphinx performed a coup de grace, and as Boran died, his body disintegrated into dust!  Fortunately, Kalil shook off his fear and unleashed magical destruction into the room and eliminated the monsters.

Discouraged by the loss of Boran, the team summoned their merchant friend Ludovic Snerd and sent him search of magic to resurrect Boran at any cost.  Meanwhile the team went through another door.  They found a workshop of horrors where some madman had been stitching together flesh golems!  Two golems attacked the team immediately!  One was a bit more power, a fleshreaver golem!  The fighting was intense, but fortunately the team figured out fire and cold magic would slow both golems.  This bought them time while Paddy and Kalil cast numerous enhancements including haste, good hope, bear’s endurance, and enlarge person.  Rumbald stepped up and held the creatures at bay as this magical defense network was layered on.  Paddy then stepped in and began fighting the flesh golem while Rumbald stayed toe-to-toe with the fleshreaver.  Both were being pretty successful until the fleshreaver finally managed to grapple Rumbald and began replacing its injured flesh and organs with hunks ripped off the dwarf!  The team was horrified and redoubled their efforts.  Finally, the constructs were overcome!  The team found several treasures in the room.

Shortly thereafter, Snerd appeared with the magic necessary to restore Boran Gibbs to life!

Reign of Winter — Game Session — 048

by: Charles Plemons - November 21st, 2017   Filed under: Gaming, Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, Reign of Winter Add Comment

Game summary for November 21, 2017, Reign of Winter campaign, Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, for Phoenix Gaming Club. Session included: Denessia Rapidarma (Dwarf Gunslinger/Paladin played by Casey Scruggs), Kenwrec Battleglaive (Kobold Slayer played by Peyton Harmon), Magnus Erlingsson (Human Cleric played by Chris Harmon), Svala Alehorn (Orc Unchained Barbarian played by Todd Hughes), and Ten-Penny Tacey (Halfling Rogue played by Shane Bradley). Game Master for this session was Charles Plemons.

The team landed upon Spurhorn, and with the help of Efrixes and Bescaylie convinced the defenders to give them audience with Commander Pharamol and the council in the morning.  They team rested in a guest room and met with the council.  After being grilled over their story, the team won over the council’s trust.  They also demonstrated the summoning of their mercane contact, Zilvazaraat.  The Commander was overjoyed at the prospect of a ready resupply line.  The team agreed to help fend off this siege in exchange for the two-headed eagle possessed by the Commander.

The next day, the Drakelands marauders attacked!  The party was dispatched to a tower to rescue the soldiers there and save the siege weapons from destruction when a frost drake landed and breathed upon them.  The party swarmed in and focused fire on the drake.  Svala decapitated it with her furious waraxe!  The group then turned on the pair of Drakelands barbarians that had ridden up on the drake.  The pair were no match for the party and were quickly cut down.  A cheer and huzzuh! went up from the defenders in support of the party after their resounding victory and saving of ten Triaxians!

Small Adventures — Game Session — 009

by: Charles Plemons - November 18th, 2017   Filed under: Gaming, Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, Small Timers Add Comment

Game summary for November 18, 2017, Small Adventures campaign, Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, for Small Timers. Session included: Elsbeth Blackburn (Half-Elf Druid played by Maddy Smalling), Goshik Trakar (Elf Sorcerer/Dragon Disciple played by Jack Smalling), Kyras Sonata (Half-Elf Monk/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 team advanced into Pilvi’s tower and discovered an armory.  The group noticed a suit of articulated armor in time to avoid a surprise!  It attacked with its axe, and its chest cavity opened to reveal an auto-loading crossbow!  It attacked Kyras with the axe and shot a volley at Valetin.  Kyras dented the armor with his fists, and Valetin pelted it with sling bullets.  Elsbeth and Gretchen began casting enhancement spells such as bull’s strength, barkskin, and bless.  Goshik used magic missile while Reth moved up and utilized his punching dagger.  In short order, the team brought the automatron down.  Searching the area, they found several weapons and one of particular interest for their halfling paladin, a +1 air outsider-bane longsword!

In the next room they found a pair of large lightning elementals who rushed forward to target party members using metal weapons or wearing metal armor.  It seemed to attract the creatures and make them more accurate in their attacks.  Valetin discovered his new sword was particularly effective against these creatures, and the team quickly took them down.  Under a loose flagstone they discovered a stormward amulet.  Next, they explored the water closet.  There was nothing of interest.

Down another flight of steps, the team found a great library.  They explored a bit and turned up a formula for a long-lost spell called elemental surge.  They also found some glowing panpipes.  After some extensive study and examination, they unlocked the secrets of the pipes.  They transport the person playing them, and everyone touching him, to a location within the tower, the summoning chamber.  If played from within the summoning chamber it returns you to the library.

The group explored a bedroom and triggered a ruptured harmony trap on the wardrobe!  This caused Gretchen and Reth to attack the party!  Reth nearly killed Goshik, and Gretchen tried to finish the job.  Then, inexplicably, she healed him with magic.  The group figured out the discord came and went, and they used tanglefoot bags to glue Gretchen and Reth in place until the enchantment passed.  In the wardrobe, they recovered a robe of useful items.

Finally, the team played the pipes and entered the summoning chamber.  They discovered a half-fiend djinni trapped within!  It hit the team with unholy blight, and a second half-fiend djinni, previously cloaked by invisibility appeared.  Gretchen cast blessing of fervor, and Elsbeth cast bull’s strength on Valetin.  Goshik unleashed a fireball and then blinded one of the djinn with blindness/deafness.  The group thought things had fallen apart when another djinn appeared, but they soon figured out this one was a mere illusion.  Bolstered by his new magical sword and his paladin smite, Valetin led the way in vanquishing the twisted creatures.

With the tower cleared, the team was able to recover Pilvi’s spellbook, On Bluster.  They found it filled with wind and weather spells including three long-lost spells:  aspect of the four winds, thunderbolt, and wresting wind.  The group realized they can now use the tower as a base of operations utilizing the pipes, but now they have to figure out a way to get down from the flying tower!

Reign of Winter — Game Session — 047

by: Charles Plemons - November 7th, 2017   Filed under: Gaming, Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, Reign of Winter Add Comment

Game summary for November 7, 2017, Reign of Winter campaign, Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, for Phoenix Gaming Club. Session included: Denessia Rapidarma (Dwarf Gunslinger/Paladin played by Casey Scruggs), Kenwrec Battleglaive (Kobold Slayer played by Peyton Harmon), and Magnus Erlingsson (Human Cleric played by Chris Harmon). Game Master for this session was Charles Plemons.

The team climbed a ladder inside the storeroom and found themselves in a hut with a cauldron.  A trio of ravens took flight in the room and began to speak, “Baba Yaga has gone on, off to see her only son.  But a trail she left behind, if the breadcrumbs you can find!”  They knocked several items off the shelves on to the floor:  a stuffed two-headed eagle, a hand mirror, and an elephant tusk.  The team used the index to enter the library and found a name for Baba Yaga’s son, Grigori.  They figured out the items were not hut keys but clues to find others.

The team exited the hut and were stunned to find themselves in a snowy mountain range with an odd sky above.  After a few moments, Kenwrec determined they were on an alien planet!  They debated for a while what to do when a red dragon swooped down from above and circled.  They could tell an armored rider was on its back.  The dragon landed, and the rider approached.  The team found themselves speaking in Draconic to a white-furred female who seemed unsure what exactly they were looking at.  After talking awhile, they learned they were now on the planet called Triaxus and the woman had never seen a human or dwarf.  The woman is named Bescaylie, and the red dragonkin is named Efrixes.  Both are members of the Dragon Legion from the citadel of Spurhorn.  Their fortress is currently under siege by the barbarians of the Drakelands.  The team discovered the commander of Spurhorn has a pet two-headed eagle.  The group agreed to help the Dragon Legion defend against the siege in exchange for an audience with the commander and perhaps possession of the eagle.

The only problem was the team needed to cross the siege lines to get into the fortress.  They waited until dark and used flying ointment to try and cross.  Magnus boosted their speed with blessing of fervor to allow them to avoid a patrol of frost drakes.  They were unable to avoid the dimensionally shifting daemons in pursuit, however.  The greater ceustodaemons swooped in and breathed fire across the party.  Kenwrec hit one with a critical sneak attack.  Bescaylie and Efrixes charged another.  Greta hit the third with a critical as well.  The team swarmed around the daemons and finally brought them all down.

The group then landed on the walls of Spurhorn and were surrounded by crossbowmen.  Bescaylie let them know they party were friends, and the crossbowmen looked at one another and lowered their weapons.