Charles Plemons' Blog

Game summary for July 27, 2021, Classic Quest campaign, Dungeons & Dragons BECMI / RC Edition, for Phoenix Gaming Club. Session included: Garadal Davster (Halfling played by Parker Harmon), Grozzadeth Boulderback (Dwarf played by Kaliegh Belda), Katarina Magdanov (Magic-User played by Casey Scruggs), Koehan Rumisar (Elf played by Peyton Harmon), Levi Ackerman (Thief played by Andrew Renfrow), and Valor Eagleclaw (Fighter played by Preston Harmon). Game Master for this session was Charles Plemons.

The group charged in to try and save the bear.  The group spread out a bit and unleashed arrows and began swinging swords.  They dropped one of the Hound of the Iron Ring who had a rope around the bear.  The bear spun about and mauled the other slaver behind it!  More heavily armed Reavers charged in, and one dealt a terrible blow to Koehan.  He fell back while Kalana began healing him.  Katarina blasted off a magic missile before getting hit with several hard shots.  She fell back and cast shield while Koehan cast web to imprison one of the Hounds.  Grozz and Levi tore into the enemies, and Valor’s mighty sword cut a swathe of destruction.  Garadal peppered the battlefield with arrows.  Eventually, the team was left around the webbed Hound.  Knowing he was a slaver, Grozz mercilessly lit the webs…

Game summary for July 6, 2021, Classic Quest campaign, Dungeons & Dragons BECMI / RC Edition, for Phoenix Gaming Club. Session included: Arminious Ironkeep (Cleric played by Chris Harmon), Felix Stonebrook (Halfling played by Shane Bradley), Garadal Davster (Halfling played by Parker Harmon), Grozzadeth Boulderback (Dwarf played by Kaliegh Belda), Katarina Magdanov (Magic-User played by Casey Scruggs), Koehan Rumisar (Elf played by Peyton Harmon), Levi Ackerman (Thief played by Andrew Renfrow), and Valor Eagleclaw (Fighter played by Preston Harmon). Game Master for this session was Charles Plemons.

The team escaped from Xitaqa and sped back toward Sukiskyn.  The first evening, Levi noticed they were being watched by the centaur far in the distance.  The second evening, they arrived at Misha’s ferry.  There they encountered Misha’s fearsome cave bear!  Arminious bravely went up and fed the bear, gaining a measure of trust.  Grozzadeth also fed the bear and then began playfully wrestling with it.  Before long, the bear was happily romping around with the party… until Garadal approached.  The bear remembered Garadal as one of the party members who fought against it weeks ago!  Gradually, they calmed the bear down and followed it into the woods.  It led them to Misha’s body.  Levi went over and slipped her coin purse into his own while examining the body.  He determined she had died of arrow wounds, but it had taken a while.  She had tried to bandage herself but had eventually died of her injuries.  The team realized there is a good chance they could have saved her life a month ago when they first encountered the bear.  Arminious and Valor dug a grave, and the priest performed a traditional Traladaran burial rite using a makeshift thurible.  The team then entered Misha’s home and realized it had been open to the weather and animals, so it was in much worse condition than when they were last here.  Grozzadeth fashioned a scarf for the bear out of Misha’s blanket. 

The next day, the team departed for Sukiskyn.  They tried to convince the bear to follow, but it would not leave Misha’s grave.  Once at Sukiskyn, Pyotr threw a great feast in honor of their success in rescuing Stephan!  He gifted each of them with a valuable gem for their help.  After the meal, Stephan and the party placed the silver needle and golden thread on the tapestry, and it quickly stitched a map!  They stared at it a while and tried to reconcile it with landmarks they knew.  They decided it led to a location somewhere in the mountains north of Threshold.

With Stephan and Pyotr, they developed a plan for their next steps.  They would take the 24 white horses to Rifllian like originally planned and sell the horses to the elves.  Taras and Stephan would accompany them.  Taras would then return with half the money for the Sukiskyn residents.  Stephan would continue on with the party.  The group would avoid Kelvin in case Golthar had spies looking for them.  Instead, they would utilize a ferry operated by gnomes to stay further afield.  After selling the horses, they would then travel north to Threshold and then into the mountains. 

The group set out to Misha’s ferry once again. As they arrived, they found Iron Ring slavers trying to capture the bear!

Game summary for June 29, 2021, Classic Quest campaign, Dungeons & Dragons BECMI / RC Edition, for Phoenix Gaming Club. Session included: Arminious Ironkeep (Cleric played by Chris Harmon), Garadal Davster (Halfling played by Parker Harmon), Katarina Magdanov (Magic-User played by Casey Scruggs), Koehan Rumisar (Elf played by Peyton Harmon), Levi Ackerman (Thief played by Andrew Renfrow), and Valor Eagleclaw (Fighter played by Preston Harmon). Game Master for this session was Charles Plemons. This was a Roll20 session.

The group went up the stairs and found a room with two jade statues that animated and attacked!  One ripped into Levi, wounding him to the edge of death.  Valor smashed one with his sword when suddenly magic missiles ripped into the team!  Golthar fled through a secret door and up another stairwell while the remaining statue continued to rain down blows.  The second statue was shattered, and the group sped across the room in pursuit of the fleeing wizard. 

They got to the top floor in time to see Golthar flying off through a shattered window, and they lobbed ranged attacks at him but missed.  The group talked to Stephan and learned about a tapestry at Sukiskyn that might be part of a long lost map!  They ransacked Golthar’s quarters and found a chest filled with a huge fortune in gold and gems.  Levi was able to read an old scroll and confirm that the tapestry will reveal a map when combined.  In another container they found the silver needle and golden thread!

A crash resounded, and the team remembered the minotaur!  They debated strategy a moment and thought about trying to descend ropes outside the tower, but the 1,000 pounds of gold was a problem.  Levi set a snare under a sheet on the floor, and the rest of the team pushed the heavy bed to the window and tied the rope to it.  When the minotaur ascended the stairs, Arminious began taunting it and talking about its mother.  Enraged, the minotaur began to charge!  The pulled the rope, and the snare closed on its leg.  A mighty shove pushed the bed through the window, and for a moment the minotaur stared in disbelief.  It then found itself on its back and flying across the flagstones!  Its sword clattered down the stairs as the minotaur whipped out the window and followed the bed all the way down to the crashing ground! 

With the minotaur dead, the group packed up the treasures and fled down the stairs to try and escape the tower and Xitaqa!

Game summary for June 22, 2021, Classic Quest campaign, Dungeons & Dragons BECMI / RC Edition, for Phoenix Gaming Club. Session included: Arminious Ironkeep (Cleric played by Chris Harmon), Garadal Davster (Halfling played by Parker Harmon), Katarina Magdanov (Magic-User played by Casey Scruggs), Koehan Rumisar (Elf played by Peyton Harmon), Levi Ackerman (Thief played by Andrew Renfrow), and Valor Eagleclaw (Fighter played by Preston Harmon). Game Master for this session was Charles Plemons. This was a Roll20 session.

The team returned to the tower and decided to avoid the library.  They ascended a level and found lots of beds with polished iron manacles hanging above them.  One had a foot locker, and Levi picked the lock and opened it to reveal some coins, a silver belt, and some equipment with the Sukiskyn’s brand emblazed upon it! 

The group went up another level and opened the door from the stairwell.  On the other side was an empty room, but they could hear voices.  Suddenly, the voices stopped, the far door opened, and a skinny man in yellow robes briefly appeared and sneered at the team before slamming the door shut.  A disembodied voice cried, “Look out!” and a loud bellowing erupted from the empty air.  The team advanced into the room to discover anyone moving across the threshold turned invisible!  The group stumbled about a bit, running into walls and tripping over a bound man.

Levi determined the man to be Stephan, and he began untying him with haste.  Meanwhile, some massive monster stomped forward, bellowed again, and viciously attacked Garadal.  The halfling was able to sink an arrow into his unseen opponent before fleeing.  Levi got Stephan up and moving before they ran into a large muscular figure and fell down. Levi stabbed the unseen entity only to learn it was Valor!  Fortunately, the dagger glanced off his armor.

Valor took his two-handed sword and broke one of the glass walls to pieces which caused the invisible entities to begin blinking in and out of sight.  This revealed a massive sword-wielding minotaur!  Several of the group rushed across the room to the far doorway but cut themselves on the huge glass shards from the shattered walls.  Katarina was able to cast wizard lock on the stone door, and the group piled behind it and slammed it shut.  Arminious’ knowledge of lore clued them into the massive strength of minotaurs, so they are unsure how long the door will hold if the beast tries to pursue!   

Game summary for June 1, 2021, Classic Quest campaign, Dungeons & Dragons BECMI / RC Edition, for Phoenix Gaming Club. Session included: Bathory Battleblade (Dwarf played by Preston Harmon), Garadal Davster (Halfling played by Parker Harmon), Gordi Alebarrell (Dwarf played by Andrew Renfrow), and Koehan Rumisar (Elf played by Peyton Harmon). Game Master for this session was Charles Plemons. This was a Roll20 session.

The team decided to explore the door behind them and found a dusty stairwell descending into the depths.  On a landing below, the found another door.  On the other side was a clean, empty crypt.  The group moved in cautiously and found a gelatinous cube!  Gordi backed up to get a clear shot and was attacked by a second cube!  Bathory took a hit to the chest but shook off the paralysis!  The group ended up killing both the oozes and finding several valuable gems.  They also discovered a door leading out to another city street.

The group then went back upstairs and through the double doors to discover a web-shrouded library filled with books and scrolls written in a language Koehan could not decipher.  After standing around in the library a few moments, a pony-sized black widow spider dropped from the ceiling!  The monstrosity bite Gordi and injected him with venom!  The dwarf thrashed and frothed at the mouth for a moment before dropping to the ground in spastic death throes!  A second spider dropped out of a teeming nest and attacked Koehan who was able to fend it off and head back to the stairs.  The group was able to cut down one of the spiders, but the other drove its mandibles through Bathory’s armor and into his heart and lungs.  He died instantly, not even feeling the effects of the poison. 

In full retreat, the survivors dove through the library doors and slammed them shut behind them as the spider slammed into them trying to get through.  Fortunately, the stone doors are sturdy, and the spider cannot work the handles.  Temporarily safe, they debated what to do and fled back to the “safe house” created by Katarina’s wizard lock spell.

Game summary for May 25, 2021, Classic Quest campaign, Dungeons & Dragons BECMI / RC Edition, for Phoenix Gaming Club. Session included: Arminious Ironkeep (Cleric played by Chris Harmon), Bathory Battleblade (Dwarf played by Preston Harmon), Garadal Davster (Halfling played by Parker Harmon), Gordi Alebarrell (Dwarf played by Andrew Renfrow), Katarina Magdanov (Magic-User played by Casey Scruggs), and Koehan Rumisar (Elf played by Peyton Harmon). Game Master for this session was Charles Plemons. This was a Roll20 session.

The team decided they needed to recoup their spells, so they rested a while before heading out toward the tower.  As they approached, giant bats swooped down to the attack!  Some of the party were bitten, but the bats didn’t prove much of a challenge.

The group then ran up the steps to the tower and pushed through the great bronze doors.  In the entryway awaited nearly half a dozen Bloodhead hobgoblins!  Two of the hobgoblins were slain in moments, but the others put up a strong resistance.  Gordi found himself accosted by several at once and was severely injured in the ensuing melee.  Magic missiles flew about, arrows sailed through the air, and blades and hammers landed telling blows.  Finally, the hobgoblins were taken down.

After nursing a few wounds and searching the bodies, the team stormed on further into the tower.  They found an ornate room filled with statues and a fountain.  From behind a curtain emerged an ice wolf!  It breathed an icy blast and charged about the room.  However, the team proved particularly effective against it, landing some of the best blows they had ever swung!  The wolf stood no chance despite landing some devastating strikes of its own.  In the end, it could not withstand the party’s combined might. 

Game summary for May 18, 2021, Classic Quest campaign, Dungeons & Dragons BECMI / RC Edition, for Phoenix Gaming Club. Session included: Arminious Ironkeep (Cleric played by Chris Harmon), Bathory Battleblade (Dwarf played by Preston Harmon), Garadal Davster (Halfling played by Parker Harmon), Gordi Alebarrell (Dwarf played by Andrew Renfrow), Katarina Magdanov (Magic-User played by Casey Scruggs), and Koehan Rumisar (Elf played by Peyton Harmon). Game Master for this session was Charles Plemons. This was a Roll20 session.

Koehan recognized the language of goblins arguing over food, and he called out asking if they had room for one more.  After a shocked moment, a tiny voiced called back, “No!”  Garadal the halfling then tried to kick open the door of one of the buildings.  The big heavy stone door.  It did not budge, but his toe did.  The group then converged and found the door was unlocked and opened fairly easily.  Inside, five unsurprised goblins rushed to the attack!  The goblins landed several heavy blows, but the party was too fast and organized.  The goblins were quickly defeated and looted.

The team then explored further and found a heavily traveled passage through a building to another street.  The group was walking along when a door opened, and a shocked goblin cried out, “Intruders!”  The party swarmed in and defeated him, his ally, and their pet rock baboon.  They then piled into the small dwelling, and Katarina cast wizard lock on the door.  Outside, they could hear the goblins and baboons running about looking for any intruders.

A while later, Koehan was listening at the door, and he could hear two deeper voices, speaking Hobgoblin, talking about moving up a timeline with a prisoner and informing Golthar of the disturbance.  The team then faced a dilemma.  Do they rush out and try to find this prisoner, or do they rest and nurse their wounds? 

Game summary for May 11, 2021, Classic Quest campaign, Dungeons & Dragons BECMI / RC Edition, for Phoenix Gaming Club. Session included: Arminious Ironkeep (Cleric played by Chris Harmon), Bathory Battleblade (Dwarf played by Preston Harmon), Garadal Davster (Halfling played by Parker Harmon), Gordi Alebarrell (Dwarf played by Andrew Renfrow), and Katarina Magdanov (Magic-User played by Casey Scruggs). Game Master for this session was Charles Plemons. This was a Roll20 session.

The group crossed the river and headed toward the Xitaqa ruins.  Along the way, the came upon a troop of wild rock baboons!  The creatures swarmed in hurling rocks and swinging clubs.  The vicious animals landed several solid hits among the entire team, but the group fanned out and brought the fight to the simians.  After a pitched battle, the baboons were defeated.

The team then proceeded to the ruins and started up one of the ravines serving as a street.  They entered an abandoned building and found some broken pottery much like what they found in the werewolf lair.  They then moved further into the city and opted to leave numerous buildings unexplored.  About a block in, they heard loud arguing noises coming from one of the buildings! 

Game summary for May 4, 2021, Classic Quest campaign, Dungeons & Dragons BECMI / RC Edition, for Phoenix Gaming Club. Session included: Arminious Ironkeep (Cleric played by Chris Harmon), Bathory Battleblade (Dwarf played by Preston Harmon), Garadal Davster (Halfling played by Parker Harmon), Gordi Alebarrell (Dwarf played by Andrew Renfrow), Katarina Magdanov (Magic-User played by Casey Scruggs), and Koehan Rumisar (Elf played by Peyton Harmon). Game Master for this session was Charles Plemons. This was a Roll20 session.

The team spent some time sorting through the various weapons and treasures they had acquired over the last several weeks and divided them among the party.  They then set out toward Xitaqa. 

Nearing the river, the group came upon a gang of Iron Ring hounds and a reaver!  The men jumped out and released a volley of arrows.  The party returned fire, and the groups ran amongst one another firing missile weapons at close range.  Several of the arrows struck the party members, but they began protecting themselves with spells and mounting a united onslaught.  They focused their attacks on the reaver and took him down.  They then chased the hounds back and forth.  The party offered a chance for parley, but the fanatical slavers fought to the last.    

Game summary for April 27, 2021, Classic Quest campaign, Dungeons & Dragons BECMI / RC Edition, for Phoenix Gaming Club. Session included: Arminious Ironkeep (Human Cleric played by Chris Harmon), Bathory Battleblade (Dwarf played by Preston Harmon), Garadal Davster (Halfling played by Parker Harmon), Katarina Magdanov (Magic-User played by Casey Scruggs), and Koehan Rumisar (Elf played by Peyton Harmon). Game Master for this session was Charles Plemons. This was a Roll20 session.

The team continued looking through the caves and discovered a battered priest tied up in a back corner.  This man, Arminious, joined up with the team and began helping them clear the area.  Closer to the entrance, the mother werewolf returned and attacked!  Fortunately, Bathory had a magical blade with which to fight.  Unfortunately, Garadal was standing with him in the dark because the only torch was with the rest of the party deep in the caverns. 

The group swarmed back down the cave as the sounds of battle echoed through the chambers.  Arminious used magic to enhance the party’s capabilities.  Meanwhile, Katarina pulled out her flute and began playing and singing a taunting song about the werewolf and her slain son.  Enraged, the werewolf stopped tearing into Bathory and charged Katarina.  In spite of the vicious attack, Katarina danced around and continued taunting and dodging the werewolf.  Call it divine intervention, divine favor, fae luck, or esoteric mystery, but suddenly everyone’s weapons were able to harm the werewolf!  She was quickly defeated, and the team was able to take proof of the werewolves’ vanquishment back to the moors. 

The group met with Loshad, and he updated their map with the location of Xitaqa!