2nd Campaign, Session 6. 4/1/25

Icemonth the 3rd, 11:45. We doled out a little healing (like just enough) before we moved ourselves around the sanctuary in order to surprise the next ogre who we assumed would be right along. By 3 PM, we were stiff, bored, and frustrated – the ogre did not come and we did not want to meet him on his location or terms. We decided – there is another door in here – let’s move on. The half-orc agreed to carry the paralyzed Halfling for now.

The door was rechecked one more time (no traps or sounds) before we forced it open. It was at one point the monastery’s library – but was now in terrible repair. 3 walls of shelves with remains of books and assorted garbage, and a mound in the middle of the floor at least 6’ wide and almost 2’ tall in the center. The gnome fired a couple of sling stones at it, expecting to see some rats jump out – but nothing. There was another door on the east wall, south of the door we are entering.

We came in, lit 2 torches, and split up, a few hung by the 2 doors, a third went to check the shelves, and the last third looked over the garbage pile. We did stumble upon an ivory tube that took 4 of us to unscrew – revealing 4 clerical scrolls (detect magic, 2 CLW, and a bless). Otherwise everything else was pretty much a mess. We went to the east door and after some doing, got it open.

Was the dining room. Would seat 60, many long trestle tables and benches. Covered in yellowish-green mold. The smell was heady. There was as door on the south side of the west wall, and 2 door across on the east wall. The decision by the druid was don’t touch the damned mold! Good advice.

We went to the closer door first, Nevah the gnome leading the way. There was a faint cool breeze coming from the gap below. We did enter though. It was a novitiate barracks. Would sleep 60. Wooden pallets for sleeping and a few boxes. Place had been tossed and the few windows on the south wall – 8” wide, and 2 and a half feet tall, two panes of glass, had been busted some time ago – right now snow and cold were blowing in, making the room unpleasant. We gave a short look over and then decided we were done.

Back to the dining room we crossed the hall to the other side and (we tripped into the mold, no issue just gross) we listened to both doors – neither was trapped or had any noise. So Nevah opened the northern most door.

And 8 giant rats the size of large cat/small dog boiled out and attacked the gnome. He was scratched, buffeted, and bit at least 4 times (luckily no disease)! We moved around to help, the druid casting charm animal on one of them, getting it to come to his side. A few more bites followed before the last rat was finally killed. A little more healing was passed out before we looked into the room.

It was the monastery’s kitchen. Just about nothing was usable anymore, oven was a rusted cold mess, broken pottery and a pile of trash the rats had been using as a warren. A few of the party went through it an might or might not have found some coins and a gems…and maybe a platinum unmarked bar or not. All good! It was after 5 now but we wanted to press on – one more door.

Getting it open we could see it was another initiate’s barracks, smaller and in better repair – would sleep 20. Sleeping pallets and chests – and a large cabinet on the east wall. Halfling was able to groan and get some feeling back, but still couldn’t freely move. So the Half-Ogre borrowed his thieves tools again (poor Gun!) and got the lock picked.

Two bronze statues to Aine, vestments, holy symbol, bow and some arrows – and one of the 3 tomes we needed to find! Booyah! A detect magic followed by the wizard Atlas and we could tell the bow was magical (to hit only), the arrows were 2nd order magic and might be reuseable, and the vestments had a 4 tier protection weave through it. We split up the treasures, bagged the statues and tome, and figured we’d head back to the garrison outside to rest.

As we made our way through the dining room, the library, and to the door to the sanctuary – we were dismayed to hear hooting and chirping and monkey noises. Damn it – we did not want to fight any big apes or the like. We left the area, went back to the small barracks and figured we’d sleep here for now. The druid took out her lantern, and we lit it, so we’d have some light during the night. We ate cold rations and then fitfully fell asleep.

We awoke the next day Icemonth the 4th 6 AM. We spent an hour studying and praying, broke our fast, and packed up ready to go. We figured if the sanctuary was clear, we’d head off to the Ogre area and get that taken care of. We entered the sanctuary and could see it was still snowing above (25 hours so far of snow?!?). We went through the secret door and the paladin detected evil – sensing 18 goblin pings beyond the door. Nope, moving on.

To the T intersection and then behind the sanctorum. We approached the Ogre door beyond there and the paladin again detected evil – getting the ogre ping again…and 2 hobgoblin ones as well!

It was Icemonth the 4th at 8 AM and we knew we were going to come in this way but were going to come up with a plan first.

Meet 118, Adv 15, 3/29/25

Plantmonth 5th, 289, 29th age, 10:20 PM. After fleeing from the lizardman camp/keep, we set up Leomund’s Hut in the wild and went inside. We discussed an option to do tomorrow, referring to the map we had. The thought was either head northeast to Borut, north to the river, or northwest to Bork Lake. For now, we thought due north was the best bet. We slept well, woke up on the 6th and after studying and prayers, were ready to leave by 8ish.

It was sunny and blue sky, over 3 miles visibility now on ground, and would be more from the air. This meant though that the lizardmen would see us as well, so we had to leave and with haste. Wilhelm (as raven) and Thalin would fly north and scout the area out to the Enderlyn River. Not confident for now, the two of them were turned invisible and then flew off while the rest of the group walked north.

Rising to a quarter mile, it took some time but about 7,8 miles or so north (estimated), they could see the Enderlyn River. There was a haze or a distortion over the mile plus wide river. About a mile of the land before the Enderlyn was swampy…soft ground and Cyprus/cedar trees. They had survived whatever the firestorm was that consumed most of the countryside, although all their leaves and upper branches had been blown away.

While they were looking around they did spy rising out of the swampy area, a dragon take flight. 80, 100 foot wingspan, 200 plus feet from snout to tail. Big. Like very big. It casually took flight and headed east along the edge of the River, casually taking flight and moving out. The two friends did NOT move, staying still a quarter mile up and waiting. The dragon did look up at some point but did not spot them (invisible or not, dragons can see invisible creatures at some indeterminate distance).

Once safe enough, the two of them flew back to the party and rejoined them. Both let the group know what was ahead – but more importantly, they were not out of possible visible range by the lizardmen. We’d have to travel on and be careful. The group sped up their pace and we hoped to make enough time to be out of accidental visibility.

Nate had been keeping a weather eye out though and let us know about 10:30 that the dest cloud behind us and closing indicated the lizardmen had indeed spotted us. We had 15 minutes tops time. And there was nowhere to hide.

Thalin gave Darius the Leomund’s hut, had invisibility cast on himself, mounted his broom, and everyone hid inside. He told them that in 1 hour he’d be here and to open the door then. They all went inside, wished Thalin well and closed the door.

Not realizing that this would be the last time any of them saw their friend again.

He floated upward to about 80 feet and waited quietly as the lizardmen patrol closed. 10 of them, fast moving, 3 long spears each. They were tracking obviously because they slowed and stopped right where the hut had been laid down and opened. Able to understand them, they were fanning out and marking the area, trying to get an idea what happened. Two of them had frills, making them a higher caste. They set up stakes with green fabric on the ends, pretty much where the door to the hut is…as well as about 30’ out all around it.

One of them took out a quartz disk and after a bit, broke it. Sparks came out and formed into the face of the fat lizardman we had seen earlier on the palanquin. Wanted to know what they had learned. Magic had been used during the escape last night – 3 spells, and some sort of artifact. The mage-priest wanted it.

Eventually a Blight was cast in the area, poisoning the ground and making noxious vapors rise from it. The lizardmen had moved out about 200’ from this area, set up a small camp. 6 of them were camped there and 4 were at perimeter, 60’ out and waited. Shit. As soon as the door opens, they’ll see the party as well as the poison problem.

So after a while, Thalin floated over the camp down to 25’ and while invisible, told them “They are not your enemy” – and then had the broom float wildly to the side. This had the lizardmen get up and weapons hot. They scanned (saw nothing), and engaged Thalin. “Whoa are you? You are not a stalitzian, you’re voice is all wrong. Working for the dwarves.” “No, I hate the dwarves.” “Right”

Each time he floated a different direction but still over the camp so they could not get a bead on him. But at some point the decision was made to hurl spears. And enough of them had a lucky shot, pegging the wizard hard. A few times.

Fuck.

He put on a burst of speed and floated out over 450’ from the camp until he could remove the spears and take stock of his diminishing hit points. Meanwhile, another 9 or so of the lizardmen arrived in a flash of rainbow tube light. Not quite on camp but close enough. They ran back to the others, one had a disk out and was scanning the area. Fucking hell.

Eventually the group did not find Thalin and the new group portalled using a Half League Bracer (like we had), 2 sets back – leaving 5 of the lizardmen left – assumption seems to be they had chased you off for now but were waiting to see if the artifact showed up again.

Damn it, no real time left. Thalin floated back to the camp and dropped a web right in the middle of them. He turned visible in doing so but managed to fully encase 2 of them, 1 was partially covered. But the two at the perimeter hurled spears, and the one that was partially webbed bib as well. And Thalin was hit 3 times, two of the spears went in deep.

He was down to a single hit point. Turning up he fired straight up into the sky, a quarter mile up. And looked. No healing potions. Bleeding bad. He pulled out both spears and drifted eastward – the lizardmen following him – leaving just 2 at the camp. Best he could do for the party. He drifted east at a good clip, the lizardmen running below to keep pace.

At 1 hour, Darius had Shim cast invisibility on him and the fighter opened the door and stuck his head out.

And got 10 points of caustic vaporous poison damage from his chest up to his face. “Ah. Fuck Fuck!” He shut the door, holding his invisible chest tight. “Damn, from my nipples up,” he muttered. Explained what happened. Didn’t see Thalin but there was some poisonous shit out there.

We had a few ideas, flaming sphere the ground to make a path, zone of sweet air, just running for it. Darius was going to have to risk another look though. He did so and took another 10 damage. Yep. 2 lizardmen. Camp. Nothing else. 30’ long area. So Captain Asher asked Maglubiyet to give him a delay of poison…and then he stepped out and cast zone of sweet air.

And then the rest of the party ran out to attack the 2 lizardmen.

Meanwhile Thalin was looking things over when the lizardmen got excited – the damned green dragon was flying towards them. He cast invisibility on himself from a scroll and waited. The dragon was talking to the lizardmen, 1 started jogging back to the camp, and the other 2 got on the dragon’s back. One had a quartz disk out and the dragon was flying up, looking around.

Fucking shit damn it.

If he flew faster than a slow jog, the broom will give off lights and a trilling noise. He tried to keep away from the ever rising dragon as it spiraled up, maintaining a quarter mile distance. But damn it, he was spotted and the dragon winged over and was heading right for him.

Fuck this. Thalin poured power into the broom and flew north east – towards the mouth of the Enderlyn River and hopefully Borut on the other side. And the dragon with the 2 lizardmen riders were giving chase.

The rest of the party assaulted the 2 lizardmen that were here, spears flying. Arrows were shot and magic missile filled the air. The lizardmen were tough and took punishing amounts of damage. They did not break morale and poured the fight to the group. 1 went down and the other was beginning to retreat.

Thalin was flying faster now. 25 mph. Then 30. The dragon was keeping pace and slowly gaining, increasing its speed as well. The distancewas shrinking. 900 feet, 800 feet. He turned the broom to its maximum speed (35 mph) and could see the river getting closer. 1,200 feet up he could see the 2 mile wide expanse and some city on the far side. The dragon hit the same speed and even faster now, distance was closing. 600 feet. 500 feet.

The river was under a mile away then half, then a quarter. The dragon was shouting something at Thalin but the wind tore its words away. It was trying hard to brake its speed as Thalin shot over the water, a quarter mile up and 35 miles per hour.

And the broom just fucking died.

The magic ended abruptly and Thalin was hanging on, trying to pull the front of it up and the water below grew closer and closer. The elven fighter mage poured every bit of his will into arresting his fall and getting the broom to rise once again.

All the way until he smashed into the roiling mouth of the Enderlyn River where he and his broom hit like splintering reeds before being washed under the water’s surface.

Back at the camp, the group was beating the fuck out of the other lizardman while we made sure the kids and everyone were out of the hut. And we could see a 3rd lizardsman running towards the group from the east, seeing us kicking us, and then turning south.

“Fuck that.” Connal growled and gave chase, at one point dropping Shim off so he could Jackie Chan punch and kick slam the fleeing lizardman. Combat was quick and ended swiftly. We all regathered and cleaned up as best we could the residue of the poison. Shim used a prestidigitation and blew the rest off. No one knew where Thalin was but we knew he would find us. We went north.

By 4:30, we were getting a bit wiped. Eoghan let us know that the land was swampy ahead and we had a better chance to navigate it in the morning. Still no Thalin. If we set up the hut and went inside there was little chance of him finding us again. We had no choice.

Once inside we ate the last of the food, some of us going on half rations so the kids had enough to eat for breakfast tomorrow. And by 6 PM, we fell asleep.

Awoke the next day, Plantmonth the 7th early. Shim had a vision from Seer Desmond again. Letting him know that one of the threads that had come back with us was no more. Lost to the flow of entropy. Thalin…was dead.

“Fuck.” Connal cursed. There were now only 2 members of the Vanguards of Ragnarok left from the original set up so long ago from the heroes who set off to Fingelt’s Mine for House Darbeard. Connal and Darius.

We emerged at 4:30 in the morning and then set off north. Eighan guided us over the softening earth until we came to places that could not be easily navigated. He lead us from dry patch to dry patch. The cedars and Cyprus trees gave some firm places for us to start and stop on.

And at 8:30 – we were at the River. It was a good mile wide, flowing at ¾ a mile per hour. Across the shimmering surface we could see more land…and a road. Hot damn.

But a spell cast had no effect. In fact all our magic was inert, although if we moved away from the river, it seemed to return. With too much a current and no easy way across, we opted to head west closer to Bork Lake and see if there was a boat there.

Two hours of hard walk and we could see the river slowing down and widening. And across the way. Bork Keep. It looked like we remembered from our time, only somehow cleaner and more stately.

Nate once again through was watching and let us know, lizardmen were approaching us again. This time from the east. At least 10. Damn. Nope, make that 16. Shit.

We dropped the Hut again and Wilhelm went inside with his animals and the 11 kids. The rest of us drew up battle lines and spears ready to receive charge. TO the west – we could see a speck in the sky. Coming closer. Dragon? No.

Airship.

It would arrive soon, but not until after the lizardmen did.

Closer and closer they came and then Godrick fired off his lone 3rd level spell.

Fireball.

Cooked half of the lizardmen, didn’t kill them, but hurt the hell out of a number. Arrows and missile fired, We poured on the attacks doing all we can to keep them focused on the front line (Rhygar, Darius, Nate, Captain Asher, Connal). They were fighting with spears which meant back ranks could hit as well. We tried to focus on the most wounded first, taking them out by ones and twos.

A few looped around and came to Eogahn, Shim, and Godrik. The dogs attacked and held the scaly beast off while we shot and fired and hit. A few shields splintered and we were holding on pretty well when the skyship finally hove close enough. 10 ton battlewagon with copper clad siding. They did not want to fire into the party and hurt them but we told them to angle the most north and 20 flatbow bolts went out, scything half the lizardmen down immediately.

And another 10 were running up.

They hurled climbing nets over the side and the party started to climb. Darius ordered Rhygar to get the kids up and to safety and then get the Leomund’s Hut. The last few lizardmen did their best but they were overwhelmed as our tired fighters took them down at long last. Before the lizardmen 2nd group could arrive they were hit with a barrage of fire again and we all climbed up.

Where gnomes were running about. A group of huddled people badly burned and dirty were here – 8 of them, obviously also saved. The man who was rescuing us? A dwarf, gorokian. Wide eyed and friendly. And a well groomed noble looking orc with blackish cast to his skin.

“Welcome about the Haverton Tenton! We’ve been looking for you for almost 4 days!” The dwarf thumped himself in the chest and shook Eoghan’s hand warmly. “So glad we finally found you. That is the Kaiser Steelheart Randari,” he indicated the towering orc.

“And I am the Nornian Priest Fenix Donnegarten. Thank the fates I was finally able to track you! So glad we could save you.”

Donnegarten. What the fuck now?

Meet 117, Adv 15, 3/22/25

Plantmonth the 4th, 289 of the 29th age. 2:50 in the AM. 202 plus years into OUR past. We pulled out the Leomund’s Hut and maneuvered everyone inside. It was tight but we had enough food and water to last us about..3 days (with the extra mouths to feed). And with the blasted landscape, we were going to need it. We got a fitful sleep and were up and out of the hut by 10ish in the morning.

The kids were between the ages of 5 and 8, each of them a saved child of Lathandar, and there were 11 of them (2 8’s, 4 7’s, 3 6’s, and 2 5’s). The oldest were named Tindal and Margaret (boy and girl) and they were scared (they all were) but wanted to help. We set up buddy systems and each of them agreed that if anything went wrong – they should go right to Eoghan as they know him the best.

The sky was a burned mass of low moving black smoke, that blew the wrong direction,  moving east to west. We assumed there was a fire source in that direction but the entire sky was scarred. Looking at the map and the fact that we were in some sort of hills, We assumed we were in the Passian Hills, maybe east of Maronia. Tilani would be in that direction, east. So that’s the direction we started walking.

Walking across burned out landscape was mind numbing. And it was hard to breathe, air was full of a toxic smell. We made slow go with the 11 kids. At one point we came up a dead giant, 23’ tall, burned and hunched over. Was shielding a young one in its arms. Both dead. We kept going and by 5:30, figured we had gone enough. At least half the group was dragging and the kids were wiped. We made maybe 7-10 miles.

We set up the hut again and after going in for a rest we crashed. Our food stores were down another day – 2 days left.

Plantmonth the 5th. We broke our fast and the sky was clearing. The amount of black clouds were decidedly less. Wilhelm changed to a raven and Thlain took out his broom. The party kept walking east (visibility was about 3 miles now) and the hills were ending in that direction. The two fliers went up about a quarter mile, then a half – and then flew east. Given the limits of Thalin’s broom time in the air and not wanting to wipe Wilhelm out, they set themselves up for 15 miles east and then would turn back around.

After almost the limit of their flight they could see the horizon – and it was blue. Lots of blue. The Borbuta Sea. We are nowhere where we thought we were. In fact on the other side of the Enderlyn River. The two of them flew back and once we were all together, discussed the new wrinkle. Closest place/town to here was Borut, at the mouth of the Enderlyn and Borbuta Sea. Wilhelm was from near there. It was a turn to the north and quite some distance away but we marched on.

It was a bit after 12 that to the west, at the rise of a hill, was the smoking remains of a keep of some sort. The architecture was all wrong, walls seemed splayed and built odd. But it was the first structure we’ve seen so we detoured closer. 60’ square, 4 towers, large central building, 12’ walls. Trench around it covered in remains of punji sticks. Drawbridge up, scarred and burned but whole. Every wooden part seemed to have been burned away. Connal climbed the wall and verified no one was within. No stables either. Strange. Two doors to the inner keep. Remains of a crossbow/ballista on top.

We lowered the drawbridge and then set about to look around. Nate kept watch. 2 doors in, 1 main, 1 side. We opened the side door. Small antechamber, two wide handled spears here. Table, some chairs shoved aside. 4 more spears by front door.

Some piles of ash around each weapon. Someone turned to dust? Burned away? Chairs had holes in the back and were wider based. Looking upstairs room for 6 to 10 more. Lizardmen? They aren’t native to the area around our time, but maybe in the past/now? We took some time verifying all we could about the place when Nate started yelling we had company coming. And moving fast.

Lizardmen, a few miles out and closing. 20…30…50 of them? And one was riding some palanquin…carried by a 3 horned giant dinosaur looking lizard thing.

We’re gone. Too many to fight and the kids were too close to harm. We had to go. But the lizardmen were fast, like horse fast. We evacuated the place, ran around the back and then Thalin opened the Leomund’s hut. We all ran in then he closed the door and we waited. We knew we had 12 hours tops. We rested as best we could and discussed plans.

Spring now, sun goes down about 6ish or later. We were going to make Darius invisible and he would step out and make sure the lizardmen had moved on. He emerged at 7 – and after stepping out was dismayed to see the lizardmen were still there. All of them. Some had taken up residence within the keep but at least 25 and the triceratops were situated outside. Plus they had a 6 count of pairs walking picket around the place at a long bow shot away from the keep. He came back in, closed the door, and told us what we knew.

We came up with a multiprong idea. Wall of fog the keep to obscure us, silence to keep us quiet, and then a fog cloud to disperse the picket long enough for us to slip through. We split up, made sure to carry the 6 youngest of the kids, the others were linked up. And at 9:30 we fired off our first spell.

Leaving the hut very fast we ran, Thalin going last to pick it up. We ran on as cries behind us rang out trying to figure out what’s happening. Wilhelm slowed enough to call to Shakak to send a fog cloud ahead and a burst of winter followed, further blocking the pickets from seeing us. We ran on very fast, trying to stay together. We know they were looking around but they do not have infravision so were opting to stay behind.

We ran until exhaustion took more than half the party. A good mile plus north, we set up the Leomund’s Hut again @ 10:20 PM on Plantmonth the 5th. We had a day of food still remaining and assumed we were not too far from the Enderlyn River.

2nd Campaign, Session 5. 3/18/25

Icemonth the 3rd, 9 AM. We reclosed the storeroom and then wrapped the chain 4 times around the door handle and C clamp on the wall before the assassin relocked the padlock. No reason to alert anyone we had been here. From here we listened (it was quiet) and made our way back down the hall to the 1st door on the south wall.

Listening to it and checking it for traps, we went to open it but it was stuck. Took a few tries to get it open and when we did it was a sizable chamber – 50 x 60? What it was used for in the past we did not know as the room was devoid of everything. Windows, furnishings, markings, paint – only about ¾ of an inch of dust on the floor that was slowly wafting about as the door had been opened.

Party was torn on searching it but the half ogre opted to go in. He quickly disturbed the dust, making a cloud that surrounded him as well as billowed further ahead, blocking vision, and then eventually the hall as well. We were backing up as the half ogre was coughing and gasping – eventually losing consciousness and falling down about 2/3rds of the way in. the paladin went in to save him, covering his mouth with the edge of his cloak soaked in water. He got the half ogre and was dragging him back, slowly, and he too was succumbing to the dust. At this point then the half orc held his breath and raced in, helping to drag them both out. We closed the door and poured water on faces, hands, and hair to get the worst of the dust off. Eventually everyone was able to gasp and breathe.

“Find anything?” The half ogre was asked. “Um..brian…nothing.”

“Oh, want to further check out the room?” “Um…brian…no, I think we can safely say this room had nothing in it we need to look for.”

Good call.

The next chamber further down the hall was also opened, and it was at one point a prayer room. A large 8’ tall granite statue of Maglubiyat was at the south end, two small windows were in the room, foot and a half square, 7’ off the ground. There had been pews in here bolted down but had been removed. The floor bolts here still here, mortared into the ground. We gave the room a solid look over. No secret compartments, statue was one solid piece and had to be carved in here at some point some time ago. There was a blank section of the wall the assassin said his map might lead to another room but after a solid check, we were sure there were no secret doors in this chamber. The torch was getting dim so at 9:50 we swapped it and left the room.

At the end of the hall area by the secret door we had taken from the sanctuary we could go east (door on the north wall halfway down, hall ends another 25, 30’ past the door), or go north behind the sanctuary. We discussed it and opted to go east.

The door on the north wall had us stop and the paladin detected evil – getting a dozen solid pulses of evil. All of them tasting like sweatsocks and bananas to him, and half of them also having a spicier flavor like cayenne. Goblins. And maybe…hobgoblins? The gnome wanted to take them out but cooler heads prevailed – 12 goblinoids versus us seemed like too much. We did note the hall here had lots of traffic marks on the floor and did not want to get caught. For now we’d go back to the north corridor and make our way behind the sanctuary.

After 80’ passage kept going north 50’ and ended (no visible doors), and west with 2 doors here – north wall and west wall. We checked the north corridor first, expecting to find secret door or something but nothing was discovered here. So going back to the west corridor, we went to the end and could hear ogrish voices from behind the west door. Detect evil had us with 2 targets in that room, 30’ or so from the door in. Definitely ogres.

We backed up from both doors and discussed options. The long hall would be a place to force a fight but did not want to get caught behind. Also, 1 ogre we might take, 2 was a bad idea. We talked about the goblins and maybe waiting for night. Thobar did let he group know that after being a porter for 8 years, he ‘s learned a bit about monsters. And goblins were decidedly nocturnal – not liking day light.

That decided it for us. We went back down the long hall to the T intersection and spent some time sneaking back and forth, looking for secret doors. Discovering one, the half ogre was trying to get it open when he stumbled through and the rest of us saw a flash of daylight and it was dark again.

He was in the monastery’s gardens. The walls were about 20’ tall and the ceiling was missing. Floor was thick loam grass and flowers, 9 big birch trees stretched up. No snow, 20’ up the snow was falling, hit something unseen melted and ran off to the left and right. Oversized font here, Aine statue in the middle, feeding off to a long pool that ran north over 100’. The place was undisturbed and still holy to Aine. Single door here on the west wall, south of the secret way in. He marked the place he pushed on the wall with a dagger and went back through to let the group know.

Thobar and the paladin Yandr opted to go last as the heaviest armor and most largest of the group. And we ran down the hall, hitting the secret door one at a time and getting flipped through. We did make enough noise and most likely alerted the goblins, but the party had moved quick enough that if they did come and investigate, we were long gone for now. After a few minutes and sure we were not going to be accosted we looked around.

The trees were tall and in good health, no bad plants anywhere. Fountain had some old markings on it, talking about judgement and rewards and good intentions. The half orc decided to dip his mug into the water, brought it up, and took a drink. And got 2 permanent new hit points.

Whoa!

The group all took turns drinking, it wasn’t until the halfling that things went bad as he drunk and was paralyzed for 9 hours. We had a variety of good things occur (more good than bad), the wizard actually getting a +1 on all his ability scores. But between the druid, the gnome, and the halfling – they shared 3 poor results from the font.

We looked over the entire place, sure that the other door here was the only way out and the druid was shocked as the secret door opened and an ogre was there with an empty bucket. “HEY!?!” Combat ensued as the group shot, fired, and attempted to finish off the Ogre. A summoned badger and a manes demon helped join the fight but the party did fairly well and the ogre was eventually killed.

We took a key from its neck, some coins (gold and copper), and the half ogre took its fur clothes to maybe use to wear to trick the other ogre if need be. It was almost 12 noon on Icemonth the 3rd and we had about 8 hours to go before the halfling could move.

Meet 116, Adv 14, 3/15/25

Ragnarok. I've had a random check every 5 days on a D30 and on this day in game time, Ragnarok hit. I rolled off  the tome and we ended up with 9:05 AM. And here it went:

Workmonth the 10th. We awoke early enough and by 8ish were ready to take care of whatever missions we needed done. Firstly, Wilhelm and Gryg left the homestead, took the trip to town, waited to get in through the Rot Gate and then proceeded to return to the party’s home block.

Not wanting to tip off if the place was being watched, Gryg led the druid throughout the nearby alleyways looking for a cat. They found one but it ran off before they could get closer. Hunting some more they found it a second time along with 2 others. Wilhelm approached with care and after casting a speak with animals, learned the cat’s name was Marko. He explained that he was eventually going to give it a job, a job to watch the party’s house. And if anyone entered it for any reason, it was to find him and tell him no matter what. Once he got it across, he cast Animal Messenger and then the two of them were discussing what to do next. The thought was to go to the Adventuring Guild and maybe get some healing potions.

Then Darius, Rhygar, and Connal were heading to town. They were going to get at least a cord of wood and maybe get a few axes as well. They bid Eoghan, Nate, and Asher good luck and moved on. Eventually they arrived to town, entered though the Rot gate and got some direction to the local North timber and lumber yard. Once there they ordered the wood, gave the address, and arranged to have them delivered today. They then purchased a few worn and used axes and after that left, looking about to figure out where to go next.

Back at the house, Thalin, Godrick, and Shim (invisible) then spent some time writing some scrolls. After that Shim went back to his reading. As for the other 3 outside, Nate and Eoghan were working hard on getting the fallen wood and bracken to the house while Asher was watching. Supervising. He did say the wood was dirty and should be cleaned – making the other two just sigh. He went off to the homestead across the street where the widow there let us use her well.

However once there, he sort of lost track on what he was doing and instead joined the widow and her two adult sons for a second breakfast, enjoying the sunshine and laughing with them at some general jokes.

At 9:05 Am exactly on Workmonth the 10th, 191 of the 30th age, something happened.

There was a blast that seemed to rip across the sky from the distance, a clarion call that rings out somewhere to the east and north. Its sound is so unearthly, so unnatural that everyone felt compelled to stop what they’re doing for a moment and glance that way. And then the heavens themselves caught fire, lit from below a yellow red and white ball of smoky flame reached straight up, striving to touch the sky like an expanding wavering mushroom cloud.

Ragnarok

The air shimmered as cascading waves of rippling superheated force raced across the atmosphere and the horn blast turns to a rumbling tooth jarring vibration of deafening cacophony before the pressure blast hit the city; blowing out windows, shattering stone, and knocking everyone down and back on their ass. The ground itself actually dropped…and then slammed UPWARD, further driving air from everyone’s lungs and causing the nearby structures to shake and crack.

The pressure wave raced away, filling the entirety of the Randari lands as the last call from Gjallarhorn echoed forlornly across the torn heavens. A glance skyward shows a blossoming wave of hot stones the size of oxen and larger flying out and across the firmament. But it’s the smell of fire that alerted the party to the closer problems as every candle, lantern, torch, and oven in Erylond had set the city on fire. And through the slowly growing sounds, you can hear screams and cries for help.

Help in a land that is torn asunder, help in a land where the end of time is slowly blotting out the sun behind an expanding mushroom cloud, and the sky is vomiting bolts of prismatic lighting from a roiling aurora colored cloud deck.

Nate regained consciousness first. Seeing Eoghan unconscious and the rising heat to the east, he lifted the ranger up and ran for the cottage, the roof of which had already begun to fall in. Godrick, covered in blood from the busted window, dragged Thalin and Shim into the next room. Wilhelm in the city looked over his cats, the 2 smaller ones had passed out. He managed to lift Gryg off the floor and move south, hoping to find some safety. The mage’s district was closed, the mages rising up and covering the area in prismatic shield, blocking lighting bolts that were tearing down from the sky.

Asher awoke as the adult sons of the widow were begging for help., The widow was dead, head at a strange angle. He suggested they run as he took off charging across the street to the house but multiple strikes of lighting tore from the broken sky, bracketing the Captain before he was hit with a bolt that struck down not 12 feet from him. Electrified his feet smoked and he was blown up and forward, knocked unconscious.

Thalin awoke and the thought was to get to the Orphanage as fast as possible. He called for his broomstick and then worked on getting Shim tied to his body.

In town Connal dragged Rhygar and Darius to the wood cutter. There were bodies trapped under the wood but he had no time. He wrote a fast note and stuck it in the fighter’s belt. He then ran off, but there was a chasm in the street here as the road split and the land lifted up.

Nate ran out of the house and charged to Asher, daring the lighting bolts as he scooped up the fallen Captain and hoofed it back, bracketed by lightning flashes. Fires were chewing through the city and then portals started opening up, as citizens from Grymeria were fleeing – but all the zombie types lost their higher brain functions on arrival in Erylond – and instead started eating the people! Wilhlem ran on, sobbing under Gryg’s weight.

At the cottage Shim awoke and the party was discussing the best way to go. Broom? Bracer? Eoghan had a scroll of dimensional folding and wanted to use that. Asher awoke, hurting but up. A huge stone, torn from the Donnegarten Stronghold whistled as it fell from the sky, plowing into a building and then smashing into the wall of the city. More fire sprung up. Darius and Rhygar couldn’t understand the note but they immediately took to freeing the closest woodworker buried under the wood. Connal showed back up, warned about the zombies, and then took off.

Gryg was up now and the two men ran south, Wilhelm using Longstrider to speed himself up, charging for the inner gate, his cats with him. The barbican had fallen away but he climbed up and over the wreckage and made the 30’ long tunnel. Gryg could see it but he could also see another huge stone blowing towards him and he ran south as it ripped through the top of Innergate and then smashed an entire block of houses down, killing 60 and setting more of the city on fire. Inside the tunnel, the druid lurched forward and was stunned but still alive – but trapped by the fallen portcullis.

Eoghan used the dimensional folding scroll hoping to get the group inside the orphanage but failed – getting them outside the orphanage and aging everyone 1 year from temporal wending. The scroll failed because the orphanage was on fire in the back and part of the roof had caved in. They had to get the door open, and the smell of burnt veal was heavy in the area.

Darius was slinging stones at zombies as Rhygar was supporting him, the two of them seeing the chasm and not sure they could cross it, instead moved eastward to the Northern Inner gate. Connal had climbed the nearest building and jumped the chasm, running south through the streets. Gryg went back to the gate, covered now and unable to go through. He called to his god and gave himself to climb, Atlas and him hitting the mound of stone as Connal arrived. The two of them, happy to see each other alive, climbed up the mass of broken stone.

At the Orphanage, they managed to tear the front door open and began funneling smoke and kids out. 11 of them in total succumbed to smoke by the entrance but still alive. Once there they got low and entered, making their way to the ruined vestibule.

Wilhelm cast Crumble on the side wall of the portcullis blasting out a large enough area for him and his cats (wounded but still alive) to get through. He looked around the mess of the area and caught his breath before looking to head east. Marko the cat showed up to tell him that an ugly gnome and a demonic looking bald dwarf were at the party’s house. Fucking shit – the doppelganger and Dizzy? Now is NOT a good time. Connal and Gryg showed up and they all caught up. The heavens shook again and the mushroom cloud had been replaced by the sinuous shape of Jormungdr, the world serpent. And just like that – every bit of divine magic stopped as the Asgardians were now locked in a battle with the great beast. Clerical magic just ended.

Running east, a lighting cel burst open over Darius and Rhygar, the two of them buffeted and scored by electric blasts. They continued to run off to the east, getting to the Northern Inner Circle gate and then passing under.

The same lightning cel tore across Wilhelm, Connal, and Gryg – and sadly, Gryg was hit with a direct stroke, immolating the dwarven ranger and Atlas in a single concussive blast, leaving a 20’ circle of glass with his boots burned and scored in the middle. Holy fuck. They ran on. Inside the orphanage, the party could smell fire and in the distance, an orange glow. But another pressure wave hit and part of the ceiling fell down – burying Thalin and Nate under a ton of broken beams, 2nd floor, and roof. They had to be dug out. But we were running out of time. Eoghan offered to go on with Shim to the Temple and check out the font of Lathandar. Where was Connal?

Connal and Wilhelm arrived at the Sunrise Rabbits, and using the blade of sharpness, tore through the gate locks. They entered the orphanage and could hear the group on the other side of the rubble. They climbed their way up and over. Some of the group was digging out the 2 party members who were getting crushed to death.

In the air over the Inner Circle near the mage’s guild, Darius and Rhygar watched a 30’ diameter gate rip open and a gnomish airship power through. 9 gnomes ran out of the guild and ran for the ship which threw ladders over. As they were climbing up, other non gnome mages came out but 45 crossbow bolts sprung out from the rails of the gnomish ship, leveling them flat. Bolts of lightning tore from the sky and hit the ship but they were channeled through the fins and stored into lightning canisters, doing no damage. Not wanting to be involved or killed by gnomes, the fighter and his squire ran off towards the orphanage.

The font had partially fallen through the floor and was leaning at a 30 degree angle. The edges of the floor were in bad shape and looked like it could collapse any moment. Eoghan, Shim, and Connal were trying to figure it out. Rope was tied to Shim but there was not nearly enough water. We needed more. The group had shifted enough of the rubble to take the pressure off Thalin and Nate, but they were still buried. The fire was getting closer and the Connal went back to get Wilhelm, hoping the druid could create water.

However, his connection to Frey was gone. BUT, his connection to Shakak, Lord of Winter, was still alive! The very distant god managed to shove a splinter of power through for the druid and standing over the font, caused a rip to appear near the top and 10 more gallons to run down to the puddle below. Shim had tied the Desmondian Diamond to his hand and holding tight, cast Read Magic as he was lowered to the water below.

The diamond and water glowed blue and from outside a 120’ diameter circle of prismatic light arced down from the hellish sky, encompassing a large part of the Orphanage and its grounds. Darius and Rhygar charged through the gates and entered the circle, calling to their friends.

The diamond pulsed and flashed and the world seemed to stretch and bend, everyone sparking in agony and then…

Nothing.

When we came to, we were in the Orphanage still. The fires had been blown out and it was dark and quiet. We sounded off, everyone hurt and worn out. Some of us down to single hit points. Gryg was gone, Shim and Thalin had almost none of their gear. Darius was without most of his. The Orphanage was a broken mess and not all of it was here. We were not in Erylond. In fact we were on some hill somewhere in the wilderness. The sky was dark and black clouds were moving across it, making it impossible to see stars or moon. What damned time was it?

When Asher and Wilhelm tried to contact Tyr and Frey – there was nothing there. Nothing. But Asher could contact Maglubiyet. However, the goblin god did NOT know Asher and had no idea who he was. He could feel the connection but did not know him. And Wilhelm had the same problem with Shakak. They were able to get some healing out and prove their worth, but it was difficult. We healed what we could and then Captain Asher tried a Know Time spell.

And got…2:50 AM, Plantmonth the 4th, 289 of the 29th age.

202 fucking years in the past.

What the fuck. And we also found out the 11 unconscious kids had portaled back with us. Fucking hell damn it. We were fucking tired and did not know where we were. Eoghan was able to tell us which was north was so that was something. Also, anything that had a date on it was wiped clean – our coins were slugs no date stamp on them. Thalin opened up the Leomund’s Hut and it was tight for everyone , 11 kids and all of us and animals, but for now, it would have to do. Plus there was enough food in there for 6 days (maybe 4 now with all the kids). We would get a good night’s sleep and look into this entire mess tomorrow.

And there it was, epic Ragnarok night – after almost a year of talking about in real life.