The party got a chance to introduce Kyle's new character finally, a replacement for the good Puck who was on the wrong end of a Call Lightning spell. And they made the new guy's life a living hell. Started off being rude and surly, demeaning, belittling, and threatening. Makes you wonder why anyone would want to associate with them.
They also were going through some of the records they had found and say that Fengarth's Tower (the same place they ran out of 3 months ago) was on the list of places that according to Tehpaguar was warded with the same bronze headed wolf amulets the party had acquired. So they figured they would go back there and take another look around (and some payback on the troll that they failed to slay earlier).
There was a place of interest in the sub-basement (which is why the bad guys kept going there) which had some strange effects - but a simple one was that it could recharge/repair any one magical item once. I am VERY against this sort of "reset" button under normal circumstance because I know that PC's are like software pirates and will keep abusing a situation. However in this case I covered my bases fairly well by having it not only be a one time effect for any item in question - but also a one time effect for any person.
But as any DM knows, PC's will find ways of circumventing your well laid walls and barriers and drive a Sherman through your carefully constructed plot devices.
Write up follows:
We spent the majority of the next 3-odd weeks going through the numerous gemstones, pieces of jewelry, trade goods, herbs, elixirs, and coinage we gathered from our time against the Circle of Thorns; Karis and Gwyn taking care of much of the selling, turning as much of it as possible into coin. Once we had done so, we divided up the treasures amongst the group. It was decided to give Evian a full share since she certainly performed her part admirably. We also gave Kalarig his quarter share, which had the flunky-cum-archer very happy with us and told us that he would certainly be available should the group need him again.
Most of the other treasures we kept and either added to the "group" fund or decorated our home with it. The last things of interest were the numerous amount of potions that needed to be divided up, and we waited a few weeks to accomplish that. We talked with our trainers and other personages around town. The harvest was proceeding apace and the roads between Orihalcus and Ironmine were now safer and in better repair.
We tried to talk to Sir Walter about possibly absolving our bondsmanship and learned that was not a possibility. A bondsmanship cannot be absolved and must be performed to the end of the time in question. There was a possibility of money mentioned but it was quashed swiftly. Sir Walter promised the group that he would find some reason to have the party take a trip to Cymbarton, and they just needed to be patient.
We had all found our skills to be growing and around the 8th of Earthmonth were looking for a reason to go out and exercise our abilities. A meeting was called and one of the first things brought up was Hedonim's friend Coruth'tae, the grey elf. It was talked about including him and getting him here and talking to him to let him know what's what and how the party works.
Detheron offered to go to the Blue and Dancing Minepick Tavern and find the grey elf and bring him back. On the walk back however, the druid stopped in the middle of the street and flat out cajoled and told the wizard that if he did anything against the group at all, he would make his life a living hell. Just what I'm sure Coruth'tae wanted to hear.
Then at the party's home, he was given the run down about the Sundered Chains and who Puck was and the respect the party had for him and that they don't trust him and he has to bleed and show that he is one of them and earn their trust and then they'll like him. Ouch. Real nice. I had to admit the group was rather harsh to the new guy and was honestly a bit surprised the poor bastard didn't walk out, get on his horse, ride back home and tell Hedonim his friends were schmucks.
From there we all took turns reading from Dargan's Folley 1 and 2 – and people jotted what notes they could from the tale. This is the only time the entire group would hear the story in its entirety (or at least the 2 of 4 parts we had). Group talked about what we were going to find, and how to do it. But before that, according to Tehpaguar's notes, there was a ward (referred to as a Lyreth Ward – most likely from Lyreth Dragonson, leader of the adventuring party that Tehpaguar, Vanir, and Djohrgahd all belonged to a dozen years ago) at Fengarth's Tower – the same place we had tried to look into 3 months ago and ran out of after failing to injure the troll living there (and that included using many many flasks of oil – a normal standby for this group).
At this point, we divvied up the potions (including Coruth'tae) and discussed what we would do about going to Fengarth's Tower. During the conversation, Karis spoke to Gwyn about his continuous hiding in the back and using the crossbow and the dwarf agreed – although he did say that being in the back meant he didn't get hit a lot and have to spend his money on fixing his armor.
Training was about done and we spoke to Sir Walter about getting a break to go to Fengarth's Tower. Asked why and we gave him a winding answer as to the need for it, not actually answering him (mostly because we didn’t have a real reason to go!). After listening to us ramble on for a while and in order to get a moment's peace, he agreed to let the group go, but only for a day. 26 hours actually. Karis tried to “poo-poo” it and say that if it took longer, that would be ok. This of course forced the nobleman to remind the knight in training (and the rest of the group by extension) that they don't get that sort of say. And if they ever wanted to opportunity to GO to Cymbarton and to GO back to Dargan's Folley – they would have to prove themselves to be responsible. And that means – make sure you're back in 26 hours.
It’s 4 hours to get there (in good weather), and we figured we'd leave the next morning (Earthmonth the 8th) at 8 AM – which meant we'd have to be back on the 9th at 10 AM – which means we HAVE to leave Fengarth's tower by 6 AM on the 9th. Sounds good! We purchased some quick rations and water and had the cart and ponies hitched up and off we went.
Along the way, Coruth'tae cast invisibility on Zoltan, Gwyn, and Karis – and the 3 of them had a good time playing with their new-found "not there"-ness. The wizard then spent the time restudying spells for when we arrived at the tower and after a timely fashion we did so and ready to do business.
Tower was a good 200' tall and 60' at base – half that at top. There is a parapet about half way up. Front door was long ago staved in. The “inviso” part of the party went in and surveyed that the main floor was empty and secured. Circular stairs going up and stairs going down that Puck had long ago chained and locked with manacles.
Except…now the manacles were missing and the chain was undone. Hmmm – someone has BEEN here and undid the chains. We went down and checked it out. Expected the basement to be more dusty, but it wasn't. Zoltan went first and felt the floor was thrumming as if from underneath. No traps (he thought) and he looked around. Basement was quartered like the tower – first part had wrapped bundles and bags – and a drag line of old dried blood leading to ANOTHER door – this one going to a sub-basement.
Next quarter had chairs, table, and shelving – of 3 differing styles. Again, not that much dust. Next quarter had some bureaus, cabinets, a hat/coat stand, the smell of vermin, and a 4' oval mirror. Last quarter had barrels, many of them staved in, and a section on the north wall where there was a warded doorway that had been partially bricked up (9 courses high) with bricks also bearing small runes on them. (Cask of Amontillado anyone?)
Group came down – and we checked out the area. Detheron did a detect magic and the tower itself was magical – walls, floors, ceiling – but the contents so far not. Walked about slowly, panning over the rooms. Zoltan "trapped" the stairs with a couple of chairs so that if anyone was coming DOWN them, we would hear them and be ready. The other door down had the markings of the Lycos Suns emblazoned on it. Karis gave it a cursory touch and for a moment was filled with the desire to go home. Yep – a Lyreth Warded doorway.
Meanwhile, Detheron found two things of interest – one was the coat/hat rack was glowing with dweomercraft (which according to Coruth'tae was Abjuration magic) and two that the warded and bricked up doorway was seriously magicked. The druid found a real love of the coat rack and after trying to move the arms about, refused to let it go.
We opted to leave the center doorway alone (except for a moment of abject terror when Detheron TOUCHED the warded door with the coat rack and had the party gasp – nothing happened). Then we checked out the Lyreth ward. It took a concentrated application of the medallion to open it, but when it did – showed a set of stairs going down – old and worn and chipped.
Zoltan took point (with Karis) and there was a chained and locked door on the bottom. Original door for the tower – new lock and chain. In fact a good lock. Zoltan checked it carefully and found there was a spring-loaded needle within. Great. Disarm it? Gwyn came forward with a vial of acid and dropped half of it into the lock which fired off the needle (hit no one) and burned away enough of the tumblers that the lock popped.
We saw yellow and green lights emanate from the earth itself, the rock and soil pulsing and humming with the raw eldritch forces of naked magic. A few chairs had been set up in a circle around the center of the room where a ritual pentagram had been carved into the ground; old stubs of burned out candles and melted wax dotting the five corners. A table was placed near the pentagram's edge, a number of knives, prods, and strange pointed tools scattered across the top. There was a vial as well, mostly empty except for a thin layer of pinkish silver fluid resting on the crystal's bottom. The area inside the pentagram was stained with large concentrations of spilled blood long dried.
Zoltan went first and the yellow and green lights snapped up his body, crawling all over him. His invisibility faded but the magical items he had suddenly became fixed and in good repair. One by one, the rest of the party followed, the same thing happening to them. Even staves and wands became recharged (which included the very useful Heimdal's Bulwark). This was a nexus point, a place where the roots of Yggdrassil lay close to the surface of the real world, a place of true magic.
We deduced that the effects only work once for each person AND only once for each item – and would fix any item that was broken. But it was still a boon to the party as we were now better prepared and equipped and ready.
And that lead us to going upstairs. We opted, for now, to leave the warded doorway alone and come back to it later. We went up to the 2nd floor and looked around there. The game room was still as it was before and Karis snagged a chess board, Coruth'tae some dice. There was another room with lots of broken glass and we gave it a wide berth. A few other smaller rooms or cells were here and while we were looking them over, we heard a voice from the next level above, deep and cavernous, call out, "Who's there?" and "Vanir? Is that you? I said I don't want to be disturbed. Go away!"
And then footsteps. Big, big forest troll sized footsteps, began coming down the center stairs.
Monday, September 15, 2008
Meet 35, Adv 5, 7/26/08
Not all adventures have an "end fight" but I planned this one to have one. Tehpaguar was the weakest member of the adventuring group he had been a part of (of which members became slavers and the Lycos Suns who had started the entire mess) but at an 8th level druid in his home turf, I knew there were going to be some tough foes - or at least multiple foes - arrayed against them.
I make up the adventures almost 3 months before the party actually gets to them so that I am not "tempted" to go and retool them. Not everything the groups face are going to be "level" specific - and some cases the encounters and issues will be easy, and others they will not.
Write up follows:
It was Workmonth the 12th at 6:45 PM and we had fought our way against ready and arranged foes into the heart of the Circle of Thorns and eventually to the very walls of Caer Dargan itself. Karis had just taken a risky drop from the dangling feet of an enlarged griffon and rolled into the courtyard of the keep while the rest of the party ran forward as fast as possible to try and catch up with the courageous knight.
Tehpaguar dragging Lavender had arrived at the entrance to the Keep's proper, with the last two wild elves standing at the door grim faced and anxious. Karis called upon Tyr to heal himself and Detheron gave him one of the precious few potions of extra-healing we still had. Kalarig shot Tehpaguar from a long distance away and the druid angrily dragged the kicking girl into the dark interior.
A swarm of frantic bats dropped from the crumbling roof of the Caer at the druid's call, surrounding Karis, Detheron, Amal, Evian, and Fodder – buffeting the adventurers and ruining their vision. Zoltan sprung forward and tried to roll around the two wild elves but was stopped, trading blows with one of them while Smokey took some smacks to the face and nose in exchange for mauling the 2nd.
We fought and struggled to get closer and free of the flying bats while the last two wild elves where whittled away – one of them breaking rank and running away into the dim Caer's interior. Karis took down the last wild elf and Detheron's flaring light spell caused the remaining bats not smacked out of the sky to break up and flutter away.
The interior of the Caer was in poor shape, most of the inner room either taken down or fallen away leaving a large expanse of open area with some stone columns holding up the weakened roof above. At the far end of the chamber was a huge statue of a 12' tall snarling wolf with its front paw pressed against what seems to be the statue of a maiden's back, her body contorted in pain and twisted away. Her outstretched hand is clutching at what seems to be a 25' wide circle of smooth off white stone – like some sort of cover. The surface is pristine, but the earth around was covered with many many signs of bloodstains.
Tehpaguar had one hand looped into Lavender's hair and was dragging the kicking girl over the ground, what seemed to be a miniature thundercloud raining over his head and sheaves of red and purple flames coming from her hands. It was when he saw the party getting closer (Evian, Zoltan, and Gwy in the front) that he began howling "Contingency! Contingency!!"
And bursting from the ground between the party and him came a 12' tall parody of human form made of rock, earth, dirt, stone, and wood. It raised its ponderous fists high and crashed them down. Earth Elemental. Damn it.
Karis tried to run to Evian yelling for her to Enlarge him while the elven spellsword watched as two of her mirror images were smashed to bloody paste by the gigantic ensorcelled creature. Zoltan tried to slip past but the earth elemental caused the ground under the thief to ripple and knocked him on his back.
Kalarig poisoned another arrow and let fly – taking the time to aim for Tehpaguar's leg – and hitting him there! The druid was now lamed and the poison was coursing through his system. Huzzah. The group tried to get close to either the Earth Elemental or to get past it to hit the druid who was some 30' from the statue with the screaming and blubbering girl. Roots were bursting from the soil and dragging against Tehpaguar's feet slowing him more. Gwyn was hit by an errant stomp from the elemental and had his scimitar pinned to the ground. Evian caused Karis to swell in size and grow larger.
Zoltan scrambled back to his feet and hurled his sword end over end – the pointed bit catching the druid in the back of the shoulder. Smokey was knocked down and then Fodder as well. Another one of Evian's images was destroyed as she broke away from the Elemental but she was able to charge Tehpaguar who was now trying to drag the half-elven/half-orcish girl through magically created mushrooms – almost desperate in his struggle to reach the capstone. He had his golden sickle out and murder in his eyes.
Zoltan tackled Tehpaguar from behind and the two of them struggled on the ground, knives flashing back and forth as they sought to stab one another. Karis attempted to wrap his arms around the elemental and hold it at bay but got his head bashed and his helmet slipped down blocking his vision. Kalarig shot at Tehpaguar – with the last of his arrows – hitting the druid twice and sadly, Zoltan once! Gwyn switched to Elf Splitter and started to assault the Elemental. And as Karis was fighting the behemoth, he was hit hard and sent reeling – and then a second stone borne fist arced around and the knight was laid low in a spray of snapping chain links. Unconscious and at -8.
Tehpaguar lifted himself high and attempted to lunge at Lavender, sickle flashing. At the last moment, Zoltan hunched himself up and blocked the blow with his own back, the thief falling down mortally wounded by the strike. Down to -4. Two party members down. Detheron dared to run underneath the flailing arms of the Elemental who was now trying to slay the dwarf, and used his last spell to stabilize Karis at -8. Things were not going well and looking grim.
And then Kalarig's shot went wide and it hit Lavender instead – the clothyard shaft punching through the girl's shoulder and sending a spray of blood flying. Tehpaguar looked exultant and was hissing "yes!!!!" when the blood flew – BUT it instead didn't just hit the ground, but it hit the pristine white capstone as well. The druid’s face turned ashen with terror.
The wolf statue began howling and something was screaming nearby. The capstone quivered and shook and bounced up and down like a coin on edge until it lifted upward from below and was cast aside like a thrown dish. It landed with a crash, cracking in half, as the hole it once covered coughed up a cloying layer of dust and a wildly gyrating spectral figure.
It looked vaguely female, translucent and tinged in green light, scouring the area around it with murderous eyes the color of black pits. It filled your soul with white knuckled terror but when the spirit focused on the open mouthed Tehpaguar her expression became truly horrific. A numbing cackling sounded from everywhere, the spirit expanded and swelled outward, her spectral jaw dropped unnaturally wide. The druid stood limp, eyes wide and then the spirit dove.
Like a streak of emerald light, the spirit infused Tehpaguar, surrounding and consuming the wild elf before he could fill his lungs scream. The speed and force of the vigilant spirit was so powerful it pulled the air behind it causing the Caer to boom and rattle as if in a vacuum, following the flowing spirit as it descended back into the hole it emerged from – the pent up energy coursing after it.
And then the ground exploded and the last thing the party saw was a wall of distorted water, smoke, grit, dust, and sparkling green hued energy slamming into them like a bull and their senses were obliterated.
Some time passed.
Detheron awoke two days later on the 14th, naked, covered in bruises and hurts, bandaged up and being tended to by Goloriana Meadowsweet. The Roof of the Caer had been blown off and many of the supporting columns and walls had collapsed. His friends and companions were everywhere, in addition to dozens and dozens of animals that were milling around to see what was going on.
Goloriana explained that two days ago there was a horrible explosion of energy from inside the forest and the wards that had held her at bay for the last two years had collapsed. She used her magic to come to the heart of the tortured forest and had seen the carnage and devastation. She has spent some time plying her healing on the Sundered Chains and reported that two of them would be unable to move for at least two or three days more.
There was talk of what was accomplished and Goloriana spoke to Detheron much about the unicorn horn he was still carrying, asking where it came from and what he was doing and vengeance and the geas and all that. And then she revealed that she was actually a unicorn herself – and the horn was that of her sister's – as the story she had told the party long ago. She said that her sister had been slain by magic and the horn sundered then. If the horn could be replaced on her head – then her sister would live once again. Detheron reaffirmed he would find the unicorn slayer and the one responsible.
Group sort of totaled up the treasures the Circle of Thorns had accumulated – a number of coins and bags and bags and bags or rare spices, roots, and herbs. There were also some 24 odd potions which we took and finally Tehpaguar's journal which had two pieces of interest in it. One was a listing of 5 places where the bronze medallions worked – and the other was a adventuring charter from 12 or so years ago about a group called the Phantom Blades – of which not only was Tehpaguar was a member of – but also Vanir, Djohrgahd, and a few others – as well as someone called Lyreth Dragonson – who was identified as the leader.
It wasn't until the 17th that we felt well enough to travel. The entrance to Dargan's Folley was still sealed and required 2 medallions to get through it. Goloriana said she would be in the area for 2-3 seasons and would watch the area for the party until they could return.
We arrived at Ponyboro on the 20th and got some rooms at the Rampant Griffon. Took care of some local business (including cold fire hydra boots and the price of leopard skins and the beauty of "Speed Holes" in the hide) and then we left on the 21st – eventually getting home to Orihalcus on the 22nd of Workmonth. We drove our cart up to our house and unloaded our belongings looking around, and then we went on our way to the Greengrocer Coalition and Solkissa.
We met the leader of the Que-Eysha tribe of wild-elves – a harsh and untrusting person named Ironshade. He took Lavender and with little thanks, paid the party and left with her – the young girl giving Detheron a ring that allows him to speak with animals 3xday.
We were introduced to a grey elf named Courth'tae who was a friend of Hedonim and had been sent to the Que-Eysha tribe for a bit and then south to the party to offer his services since the ranger would not be able to rejoin the group. Courth'tae showed some skill as an archer but the clincher was that he said he was a member of the Tower Arcane and the group could certainly use some magical power.
And we ended it here – 5:30 PM on Workmonth the 22nd – on our way back to speak with Sir Walter and square up with Kalarig and talk about the grey elf and what comes next. We lost Osgar and Puck this adventure and yet we did everything we set out to do.
There is a sizeable (real sizeable) amount of treasure and collected goods and whatnot that I will spend the week going through with Dan (Karis) and we'll see what we can do to sell it and turn it into useable coin and worth so we can divvie it up. We also need to make sure that Evian get's her share, and talk about what happens to Amal and whatnot. I'll do as much as I can with Dan over the week so the next meeting we can go through training fairly swiftly and then roll right along.
I make up the adventures almost 3 months before the party actually gets to them so that I am not "tempted" to go and retool them. Not everything the groups face are going to be "level" specific - and some cases the encounters and issues will be easy, and others they will not.
Write up follows:
It was Workmonth the 12th at 6:45 PM and we had fought our way against ready and arranged foes into the heart of the Circle of Thorns and eventually to the very walls of Caer Dargan itself. Karis had just taken a risky drop from the dangling feet of an enlarged griffon and rolled into the courtyard of the keep while the rest of the party ran forward as fast as possible to try and catch up with the courageous knight.
Tehpaguar dragging Lavender had arrived at the entrance to the Keep's proper, with the last two wild elves standing at the door grim faced and anxious. Karis called upon Tyr to heal himself and Detheron gave him one of the precious few potions of extra-healing we still had. Kalarig shot Tehpaguar from a long distance away and the druid angrily dragged the kicking girl into the dark interior.
A swarm of frantic bats dropped from the crumbling roof of the Caer at the druid's call, surrounding Karis, Detheron, Amal, Evian, and Fodder – buffeting the adventurers and ruining their vision. Zoltan sprung forward and tried to roll around the two wild elves but was stopped, trading blows with one of them while Smokey took some smacks to the face and nose in exchange for mauling the 2nd.
We fought and struggled to get closer and free of the flying bats while the last two wild elves where whittled away – one of them breaking rank and running away into the dim Caer's interior. Karis took down the last wild elf and Detheron's flaring light spell caused the remaining bats not smacked out of the sky to break up and flutter away.
The interior of the Caer was in poor shape, most of the inner room either taken down or fallen away leaving a large expanse of open area with some stone columns holding up the weakened roof above. At the far end of the chamber was a huge statue of a 12' tall snarling wolf with its front paw pressed against what seems to be the statue of a maiden's back, her body contorted in pain and twisted away. Her outstretched hand is clutching at what seems to be a 25' wide circle of smooth off white stone – like some sort of cover. The surface is pristine, but the earth around was covered with many many signs of bloodstains.
Tehpaguar had one hand looped into Lavender's hair and was dragging the kicking girl over the ground, what seemed to be a miniature thundercloud raining over his head and sheaves of red and purple flames coming from her hands. It was when he saw the party getting closer (Evian, Zoltan, and Gwy in the front) that he began howling "Contingency! Contingency!!"
And bursting from the ground between the party and him came a 12' tall parody of human form made of rock, earth, dirt, stone, and wood. It raised its ponderous fists high and crashed them down. Earth Elemental. Damn it.
Karis tried to run to Evian yelling for her to Enlarge him while the elven spellsword watched as two of her mirror images were smashed to bloody paste by the gigantic ensorcelled creature. Zoltan tried to slip past but the earth elemental caused the ground under the thief to ripple and knocked him on his back.
Kalarig poisoned another arrow and let fly – taking the time to aim for Tehpaguar's leg – and hitting him there! The druid was now lamed and the poison was coursing through his system. Huzzah. The group tried to get close to either the Earth Elemental or to get past it to hit the druid who was some 30' from the statue with the screaming and blubbering girl. Roots were bursting from the soil and dragging against Tehpaguar's feet slowing him more. Gwyn was hit by an errant stomp from the elemental and had his scimitar pinned to the ground. Evian caused Karis to swell in size and grow larger.
Zoltan scrambled back to his feet and hurled his sword end over end – the pointed bit catching the druid in the back of the shoulder. Smokey was knocked down and then Fodder as well. Another one of Evian's images was destroyed as she broke away from the Elemental but she was able to charge Tehpaguar who was now trying to drag the half-elven/half-orcish girl through magically created mushrooms – almost desperate in his struggle to reach the capstone. He had his golden sickle out and murder in his eyes.
Zoltan tackled Tehpaguar from behind and the two of them struggled on the ground, knives flashing back and forth as they sought to stab one another. Karis attempted to wrap his arms around the elemental and hold it at bay but got his head bashed and his helmet slipped down blocking his vision. Kalarig shot at Tehpaguar – with the last of his arrows – hitting the druid twice and sadly, Zoltan once! Gwyn switched to Elf Splitter and started to assault the Elemental. And as Karis was fighting the behemoth, he was hit hard and sent reeling – and then a second stone borne fist arced around and the knight was laid low in a spray of snapping chain links. Unconscious and at -8.
Tehpaguar lifted himself high and attempted to lunge at Lavender, sickle flashing. At the last moment, Zoltan hunched himself up and blocked the blow with his own back, the thief falling down mortally wounded by the strike. Down to -4. Two party members down. Detheron dared to run underneath the flailing arms of the Elemental who was now trying to slay the dwarf, and used his last spell to stabilize Karis at -8. Things were not going well and looking grim.
And then Kalarig's shot went wide and it hit Lavender instead – the clothyard shaft punching through the girl's shoulder and sending a spray of blood flying. Tehpaguar looked exultant and was hissing "yes!!!!" when the blood flew – BUT it instead didn't just hit the ground, but it hit the pristine white capstone as well. The druid’s face turned ashen with terror.
The wolf statue began howling and something was screaming nearby. The capstone quivered and shook and bounced up and down like a coin on edge until it lifted upward from below and was cast aside like a thrown dish. It landed with a crash, cracking in half, as the hole it once covered coughed up a cloying layer of dust and a wildly gyrating spectral figure.
It looked vaguely female, translucent and tinged in green light, scouring the area around it with murderous eyes the color of black pits. It filled your soul with white knuckled terror but when the spirit focused on the open mouthed Tehpaguar her expression became truly horrific. A numbing cackling sounded from everywhere, the spirit expanded and swelled outward, her spectral jaw dropped unnaturally wide. The druid stood limp, eyes wide and then the spirit dove.
Like a streak of emerald light, the spirit infused Tehpaguar, surrounding and consuming the wild elf before he could fill his lungs scream. The speed and force of the vigilant spirit was so powerful it pulled the air behind it causing the Caer to boom and rattle as if in a vacuum, following the flowing spirit as it descended back into the hole it emerged from – the pent up energy coursing after it.
And then the ground exploded and the last thing the party saw was a wall of distorted water, smoke, grit, dust, and sparkling green hued energy slamming into them like a bull and their senses were obliterated.
Some time passed.
Detheron awoke two days later on the 14th, naked, covered in bruises and hurts, bandaged up and being tended to by Goloriana Meadowsweet. The Roof of the Caer had been blown off and many of the supporting columns and walls had collapsed. His friends and companions were everywhere, in addition to dozens and dozens of animals that were milling around to see what was going on.
Goloriana explained that two days ago there was a horrible explosion of energy from inside the forest and the wards that had held her at bay for the last two years had collapsed. She used her magic to come to the heart of the tortured forest and had seen the carnage and devastation. She has spent some time plying her healing on the Sundered Chains and reported that two of them would be unable to move for at least two or three days more.
There was talk of what was accomplished and Goloriana spoke to Detheron much about the unicorn horn he was still carrying, asking where it came from and what he was doing and vengeance and the geas and all that. And then she revealed that she was actually a unicorn herself – and the horn was that of her sister's – as the story she had told the party long ago. She said that her sister had been slain by magic and the horn sundered then. If the horn could be replaced on her head – then her sister would live once again. Detheron reaffirmed he would find the unicorn slayer and the one responsible.
Group sort of totaled up the treasures the Circle of Thorns had accumulated – a number of coins and bags and bags and bags or rare spices, roots, and herbs. There were also some 24 odd potions which we took and finally Tehpaguar's journal which had two pieces of interest in it. One was a listing of 5 places where the bronze medallions worked – and the other was a adventuring charter from 12 or so years ago about a group called the Phantom Blades – of which not only was Tehpaguar was a member of – but also Vanir, Djohrgahd, and a few others – as well as someone called Lyreth Dragonson – who was identified as the leader.
It wasn't until the 17th that we felt well enough to travel. The entrance to Dargan's Folley was still sealed and required 2 medallions to get through it. Goloriana said she would be in the area for 2-3 seasons and would watch the area for the party until they could return.
We arrived at Ponyboro on the 20th and got some rooms at the Rampant Griffon. Took care of some local business (including cold fire hydra boots and the price of leopard skins and the beauty of "Speed Holes" in the hide) and then we left on the 21st – eventually getting home to Orihalcus on the 22nd of Workmonth. We drove our cart up to our house and unloaded our belongings looking around, and then we went on our way to the Greengrocer Coalition and Solkissa.
We met the leader of the Que-Eysha tribe of wild-elves – a harsh and untrusting person named Ironshade. He took Lavender and with little thanks, paid the party and left with her – the young girl giving Detheron a ring that allows him to speak with animals 3xday.
We were introduced to a grey elf named Courth'tae who was a friend of Hedonim and had been sent to the Que-Eysha tribe for a bit and then south to the party to offer his services since the ranger would not be able to rejoin the group. Courth'tae showed some skill as an archer but the clincher was that he said he was a member of the Tower Arcane and the group could certainly use some magical power.
And we ended it here – 5:30 PM on Workmonth the 22nd – on our way back to speak with Sir Walter and square up with Kalarig and talk about the grey elf and what comes next. We lost Osgar and Puck this adventure and yet we did everything we set out to do.
There is a sizeable (real sizeable) amount of treasure and collected goods and whatnot that I will spend the week going through with Dan (Karis) and we'll see what we can do to sell it and turn it into useable coin and worth so we can divvie it up. We also need to make sure that Evian get's her share, and talk about what happens to Amal and whatnot. I'll do as much as I can with Dan over the week so the next meeting we can go through training fairly swiftly and then roll right along.
Meet 34, Adv 5, 7/12/08
Sometimes the party gets used to the DM and can start to interpret their tricks, tics, foibles, pacing...you name it. It happens, you interact with someone for a year or so, it's going to occur.
This was the 1st half of the penultimate fight (would have loved to have it been the entire night, but the party had a great time larping and experimenting with the wards for the beginning of the meeting) and the first time the party would see Tehpaguar in action. I had set up a decent (although underpowered) force against the party with the last of the dregs that Tehpaguar had at his beck and call.
One of my friends (who still should just come out and roll up a character and play!) visited this night and instead of giving him silly voices and NPC's to play, I gave him control of EVERY enemy on the board except for Tehpaguar. So it was the party against two DM's.
I'd like to think that because of the random and unknown element that Dan brought to the table, Tehpaguar's forces were more effective against the group than if it was just myself. I do strive to be fair and neutral - and do not consider myself a "killer DM" - but it was a thrill to see the group fall victim to the same "scattering" tactics that they so often perform against the enemy. Rule # 6: don't separate!
Write up follows:
It's Workmonth the 12th about 4:30 when we reconvened. We are standing around the warded demesne of Caer Dargan, near the ruined encampment the druids had arranged to the north of the great hill, and discussing what was to come when the wards came down and what our plans would be.
There was much discussion for a while until the party began questioning what ways there were to get in, at, or around the scintillating ward that surrounded the Caer. There was a furrow dug in a circle, and in that furrow was what appeared to be blocks of stone (small, about twice the size of a standard brick) each of them touching the one on either side, and each one covered with some sort of scrawled writing or runework.
And then the party began thinking of ways to get inside. Dead elves were thrown against the field. Nothing happened. Water was poured on the field, and it went through! Rocks were thrown at the field, and they bounced off. And then Detheron used his boar spear and decided to jab at the stones at the base of the furrow. A blast of electricity followed and there was a SPAK-OW! noise and when the light stopped flaring, Detheron was 15' back, smoking, his boar spear hurled MUCH further away, and our druid friend had developed a slurring speech impediment.
Ok. Don't touch the rocks. Got it.
More tests and things were done. A rock was thrown upwards and on top of the field over the keep. Arrows were fired at it. Water was poured right ON the rocks – making them hiss and bubble and steam. Karis borrowed Gwyn's pick and dug himself a hole next to the rock furrow, down about a foot or two and then threw a rock INTO the hole. It stuck in the clay like soil. Party was like, well, that's nice, but how do you know if you are UNDER the ward or not? So Karis decided to poke around under the ground and stuff and then SPAK-OW! he was on his ass, electrified, and sporting an interesting way to talk.
The group discussed the possible where-fors and why-nots of the hole while Zoltan stayed away and hoped the druid's inside weren't watching as they would be embarrassed to get their asses kicked by our interesting group of partially inept peoples.
Evian went through her spell list again and settled on some small tweaks and changes and the party had Amal and Osgar chop up the cold-fire hydras to look for "the gland that makes the fire come out – or anything that looks like it didn't belong". The two orcs had a good time separating the hydra parts into two piles and there was some experimenting – but the party had no idea what they were looking for and the hydra's internal organs were not labeled accordingly so there was no organ discovered.
About 6 PM we cleaned up the last of our meal and checked weapons and what not. Some last healing was given out and the group made their way toward the "entrance" of the Caer to wait for the ward to drop. But the ground began to quiver. Once. Then again. And again. And again.
And then a roaring challenge came from the base of the hill where the crack of timber and swaying of trees revealed a 30' tall walking elm tree. It was huge, its stride shook the ground, and it tilted its "head" back and roared up at us as it swept uphill uncannily fast. Riding on the top of it was a single tree-sprite, pointing at the party and laughing as she goaded the treant towards us.
The group drew up into a battle line with Gwyn taking front along with Karis, many of the others getting what spells and fire they had available. Torches went out and the group got ready and then just before the treant got into melee range, Gwyn held aloft Blossombane and willed the wand to work. The treant slowed and stopped, its will battering the dwarf's as he struggled to keep the massive tree at bay.
Kalarig shot the fairy riding high above, nailing her even though she had turned invisible. Oil was hurled and axes plied and fires lit and the frozen treant quivered and railed and roared and shuddered – but the will of the dwarf and the magic of the wand held it frozen. We crowded around its base and used the last of our oil to set its midsection on fire while Evian spell blasted it with her spark wand and the orcs hacked at its bottom with axes.
The fairy was slain and Gwyn was losing hit points, the pain in his hands growing as the wand consumed more and more of his life force. Just as the mighty tree was wavering, its lower portion badly burned and hacked up weakly, the good dwarf relaxed his will and the frozen treant's limbs snapped side to side punishingly. Karis was knocked on his back and bashed, while Amal and Detheron ducked low and ran, but Osgar caught the brunt of the treant's arm swing and was hurled like a broken doll out of the battle where he landed unmoving, his midsection torn open. Damn it.
Amal ran (on Detheron's orders) to help Osgar while the druid tried to back away. Karis swarmed to his feet and charged to the right to stand near Evian. Arrows were shot and slings slung, but the treant turned its crown upward and roared out again – a tremendous rippling blast that ricocheted down the hill. And one of the 35' tall oaks about half way down the hillside quivered and tore itself out of the ground – stalking up the hill to do battle with us.
Damn it. That wasn't good.
The party redoubled their efforts against the one treant, struggling to take it down before the other tree could arrive. It was a mighty application of spell, sword, and fang and swiftly the treant was toppled over and the other tree walking towards us slowed, rerooted itself, and returned to a normal oak once again.
Detheron went to Osgar who was dying, where he was stabilized the orc as much as possible. As he was breaking out the healing kit and readying to bandage the brave orc's wounds, the wards around Caer Dargan fell with the setting sun and we were facing (at 60' or so away) a number of angry looking foes at the Caer's entrance.
There were two wild elves clad in traditional druidic fetishes and three more were better armed and armored with clubs and stout shields and hide skin armor. Three treesprites were here, flitting about and grim faced. Two wolves were visible. But it was the 6' tall green haired and tattooed wild elf with the golden sickle at what seemed to be a writhing and moaning 13 year old girl's throat that captured our attention. Arrows were readied and Kalarig poisoned one of his missiles. And the wild elf, Tehpaguar said simply, "You don't know what you are doing."
The girl he was holding onto began to gibber and whimper and suddenly her clenched hand produced flame which happened to set Tehpaguar's skirt on fire right at his crotch. The knife cut upward and sliced into her chin and some blood spilled onto the ground and there was a rippling wave of energy that WHOOSHED out and swept through the forest while some sort of horrendous wail filled the air – the same thing the party heard the other nights in the forest. That was as good a signal to start a fight as any!
Zoltan blew the wolf whistle and the animals turned side and ran to the thief. The tree sprites turned invisible. Kalarig shot Tehpaguar. The group ran forward. Detheron left Osgar here to attend to the battle, hoping the orcish fighter would survive the next few minutes until he could heal him properly. Spells were hurled, arrows fired. The wolves and Fodder assaulted forward while two of the wild elf fighters defended Tehpaguar who was standing there with the girl and struggling to keep her in place.
A ball of fire 6' in diameter appeared under on the druidic wild elves and Detheron caused it to sweep across the enemy line. The wild elves cast spells on themselves to suppress the fire's damage. Party swarmed closer. Invisible fairies popped into view and fired small bolts of lightning and ice at the party before disappearing again. Kalarig took a LUCKY shot – firing through the thickening melee and past 7 intervening people to peg Tehpaguar from 120' distance. The enemy druid caused tens of thousands of swarming ants, beetles, and crawling insects to boil out of the ground and sweep towards the archer.
The following blows from the rolling ball of fire no longer affected the enemy druids who assaulted some of the wolves with enchanted clubs and strength. The party ran onward in an effort to take down Tehpaguar. More fairies fired spell bolts and the group struggled back and forth – too many enemies spread too far across the board.
And then Tehpaguar shouted to the heavens and was rewarded by a 30' tall column of flame that burst from the ground under Karis, Smokey, and two of the wolves – the flame strike horrible hurting the heroic melee fighters. Karis cried out the words to his ring and the last of the healing shot off and the half ogre fought on, hacking the nearest wild elf druid down and stalking forward to take out the next.
The druid leader called out to the sky and this time there was an implosion of air and a mighty leonine griffon appeared. The monster snapped out at one of the wolves and killed it, and then tore into Fodder and the mighty war wolf fell over. More fairies tried to ice and lightning blast the party but they were being taken down by arrow and steel one at a time. One of the wild elf fighters tackled one of the few wolves remaining that was nipping at Tehpaguar's heels and grappled with the dangerous animal. Detheron was able to heal Smokey's wounds with a well timed spell. The insect swarm washed over Zoltan in its quest and effort to get to Kalarig, causing the gypsy to curse miserably.
Amal had gotten close enough and tossed the knight his only potion of healing before leaping at Tehpaguar with axe held high. The two of them fought briefly before the druid slapped his hand against the orc's skin and caused a horrible leprous disease to appear and suck his strength and life away. The girl (Lavender) was placed on the griffon's back and Tehpaguar clambered on next, calling out to the beast in his language. The griffon began to run across the ground and flap its wings.
Karis broke off with the last wild elf he was fighting and chased after the rising griffon, leaping at the last moment to wrap his right arm and hand around the beasts' leg and his left arm scrambling to get a grip on the animal's flank. Evian charged afterwards, her wand drawn and feet pumping in an effort to get closer. Karis was dangling just off the ground with the griffon struggling to get airborne.
Tehpaguar cast some spell and the griffon suddenly swelled in size, now capable of lifting itself AND the prodigious bulk of the half ogre off the ground. Evian fired her sparking wand from below and the griffon screeched in pain. Karis lost his sword and drew a dagger, trying to stab at the griffon but his grip was compromised and he slipped down until he was hanging on by both hands at the griffon's ankle.
Tehpaguar had the griffon fly back toward the keep's wall and soar over it…just.
Karis swung himself and tried to clear the crenellated parapet but failed and slammed into it, knocking stone work away to crash into the courtyard, but still maintaining his tiring grip on the monstrous creature. The party charged forward to enter the courtyard of Caer Dargan, the last two defenders retreating into the keep itself. Detheron laid his hands on Fodder and the severely wounded war wolf was able to rise back to its shaky feet and trot along panting and exhausted. A precious cure disease was cast on Amal, halting the ravaging effect of the leprous cancer that was eating the orc alive. The group mustered what they had left and charged the keep to try to help Karis who was struggling to hold onto the thrashing griffon.
Tehpaguar cast some spell on himself, grabbed Lavender, and LEAPT from the griffon's back to soar safely across the sky and land at the keep's doorway where the two wild elf fighter's were standing with clubs ready and faces grim. The griffon looked like it was going to take Karis on a ride back into the wall, but the half-ogre chanced to drop 20' from its feet and fell to the ground below where he landed with a roll and a crunch and staggered back to his feet. At 2 hit points.
Bats are swarming at the top of the Caer's inner building and the group is doing what they could to join Karis before he has to face the druid or the wild elves or the bats or whatever might still be up Tehpaguar's sleeve alone.
We ended it here. It's about 6:40 on Workmonth the 12th and the sun has set, the sky is darkening. We are gathered and gathering just inside the courtyard of Caer Dargan at the last moments (we hope) of the long struggle against the Circle of Thorns and the druids who we have been tasked to exact the blood oath against. Great job everyone.
This was the 1st half of the penultimate fight (would have loved to have it been the entire night, but the party had a great time larping and experimenting with the wards for the beginning of the meeting) and the first time the party would see Tehpaguar in action. I had set up a decent (although underpowered) force against the party with the last of the dregs that Tehpaguar had at his beck and call.
One of my friends (who still should just come out and roll up a character and play!) visited this night and instead of giving him silly voices and NPC's to play, I gave him control of EVERY enemy on the board except for Tehpaguar. So it was the party against two DM's.
I'd like to think that because of the random and unknown element that Dan brought to the table, Tehpaguar's forces were more effective against the group than if it was just myself. I do strive to be fair and neutral - and do not consider myself a "killer DM" - but it was a thrill to see the group fall victim to the same "scattering" tactics that they so often perform against the enemy. Rule # 6: don't separate!
Write up follows:
It's Workmonth the 12th about 4:30 when we reconvened. We are standing around the warded demesne of Caer Dargan, near the ruined encampment the druids had arranged to the north of the great hill, and discussing what was to come when the wards came down and what our plans would be.
There was much discussion for a while until the party began questioning what ways there were to get in, at, or around the scintillating ward that surrounded the Caer. There was a furrow dug in a circle, and in that furrow was what appeared to be blocks of stone (small, about twice the size of a standard brick) each of them touching the one on either side, and each one covered with some sort of scrawled writing or runework.
And then the party began thinking of ways to get inside. Dead elves were thrown against the field. Nothing happened. Water was poured on the field, and it went through! Rocks were thrown at the field, and they bounced off. And then Detheron used his boar spear and decided to jab at the stones at the base of the furrow. A blast of electricity followed and there was a SPAK-OW! noise and when the light stopped flaring, Detheron was 15' back, smoking, his boar spear hurled MUCH further away, and our druid friend had developed a slurring speech impediment.
Ok. Don't touch the rocks. Got it.
More tests and things were done. A rock was thrown upwards and on top of the field over the keep. Arrows were fired at it. Water was poured right ON the rocks – making them hiss and bubble and steam. Karis borrowed Gwyn's pick and dug himself a hole next to the rock furrow, down about a foot or two and then threw a rock INTO the hole. It stuck in the clay like soil. Party was like, well, that's nice, but how do you know if you are UNDER the ward or not? So Karis decided to poke around under the ground and stuff and then SPAK-OW! he was on his ass, electrified, and sporting an interesting way to talk.
The group discussed the possible where-fors and why-nots of the hole while Zoltan stayed away and hoped the druid's inside weren't watching as they would be embarrassed to get their asses kicked by our interesting group of partially inept peoples.
Evian went through her spell list again and settled on some small tweaks and changes and the party had Amal and Osgar chop up the cold-fire hydras to look for "the gland that makes the fire come out – or anything that looks like it didn't belong". The two orcs had a good time separating the hydra parts into two piles and there was some experimenting – but the party had no idea what they were looking for and the hydra's internal organs were not labeled accordingly so there was no organ discovered.
About 6 PM we cleaned up the last of our meal and checked weapons and what not. Some last healing was given out and the group made their way toward the "entrance" of the Caer to wait for the ward to drop. But the ground began to quiver. Once. Then again. And again. And again.
And then a roaring challenge came from the base of the hill where the crack of timber and swaying of trees revealed a 30' tall walking elm tree. It was huge, its stride shook the ground, and it tilted its "head" back and roared up at us as it swept uphill uncannily fast. Riding on the top of it was a single tree-sprite, pointing at the party and laughing as she goaded the treant towards us.
The group drew up into a battle line with Gwyn taking front along with Karis, many of the others getting what spells and fire they had available. Torches went out and the group got ready and then just before the treant got into melee range, Gwyn held aloft Blossombane and willed the wand to work. The treant slowed and stopped, its will battering the dwarf's as he struggled to keep the massive tree at bay.
Kalarig shot the fairy riding high above, nailing her even though she had turned invisible. Oil was hurled and axes plied and fires lit and the frozen treant quivered and railed and roared and shuddered – but the will of the dwarf and the magic of the wand held it frozen. We crowded around its base and used the last of our oil to set its midsection on fire while Evian spell blasted it with her spark wand and the orcs hacked at its bottom with axes.
The fairy was slain and Gwyn was losing hit points, the pain in his hands growing as the wand consumed more and more of his life force. Just as the mighty tree was wavering, its lower portion badly burned and hacked up weakly, the good dwarf relaxed his will and the frozen treant's limbs snapped side to side punishingly. Karis was knocked on his back and bashed, while Amal and Detheron ducked low and ran, but Osgar caught the brunt of the treant's arm swing and was hurled like a broken doll out of the battle where he landed unmoving, his midsection torn open. Damn it.
Amal ran (on Detheron's orders) to help Osgar while the druid tried to back away. Karis swarmed to his feet and charged to the right to stand near Evian. Arrows were shot and slings slung, but the treant turned its crown upward and roared out again – a tremendous rippling blast that ricocheted down the hill. And one of the 35' tall oaks about half way down the hillside quivered and tore itself out of the ground – stalking up the hill to do battle with us.
Damn it. That wasn't good.
The party redoubled their efforts against the one treant, struggling to take it down before the other tree could arrive. It was a mighty application of spell, sword, and fang and swiftly the treant was toppled over and the other tree walking towards us slowed, rerooted itself, and returned to a normal oak once again.
Detheron went to Osgar who was dying, where he was stabilized the orc as much as possible. As he was breaking out the healing kit and readying to bandage the brave orc's wounds, the wards around Caer Dargan fell with the setting sun and we were facing (at 60' or so away) a number of angry looking foes at the Caer's entrance.
There were two wild elves clad in traditional druidic fetishes and three more were better armed and armored with clubs and stout shields and hide skin armor. Three treesprites were here, flitting about and grim faced. Two wolves were visible. But it was the 6' tall green haired and tattooed wild elf with the golden sickle at what seemed to be a writhing and moaning 13 year old girl's throat that captured our attention. Arrows were readied and Kalarig poisoned one of his missiles. And the wild elf, Tehpaguar said simply, "You don't know what you are doing."
The girl he was holding onto began to gibber and whimper and suddenly her clenched hand produced flame which happened to set Tehpaguar's skirt on fire right at his crotch. The knife cut upward and sliced into her chin and some blood spilled onto the ground and there was a rippling wave of energy that WHOOSHED out and swept through the forest while some sort of horrendous wail filled the air – the same thing the party heard the other nights in the forest. That was as good a signal to start a fight as any!
Zoltan blew the wolf whistle and the animals turned side and ran to the thief. The tree sprites turned invisible. Kalarig shot Tehpaguar. The group ran forward. Detheron left Osgar here to attend to the battle, hoping the orcish fighter would survive the next few minutes until he could heal him properly. Spells were hurled, arrows fired. The wolves and Fodder assaulted forward while two of the wild elf fighters defended Tehpaguar who was standing there with the girl and struggling to keep her in place.
A ball of fire 6' in diameter appeared under on the druidic wild elves and Detheron caused it to sweep across the enemy line. The wild elves cast spells on themselves to suppress the fire's damage. Party swarmed closer. Invisible fairies popped into view and fired small bolts of lightning and ice at the party before disappearing again. Kalarig took a LUCKY shot – firing through the thickening melee and past 7 intervening people to peg Tehpaguar from 120' distance. The enemy druid caused tens of thousands of swarming ants, beetles, and crawling insects to boil out of the ground and sweep towards the archer.
The following blows from the rolling ball of fire no longer affected the enemy druids who assaulted some of the wolves with enchanted clubs and strength. The party ran onward in an effort to take down Tehpaguar. More fairies fired spell bolts and the group struggled back and forth – too many enemies spread too far across the board.
And then Tehpaguar shouted to the heavens and was rewarded by a 30' tall column of flame that burst from the ground under Karis, Smokey, and two of the wolves – the flame strike horrible hurting the heroic melee fighters. Karis cried out the words to his ring and the last of the healing shot off and the half ogre fought on, hacking the nearest wild elf druid down and stalking forward to take out the next.
The druid leader called out to the sky and this time there was an implosion of air and a mighty leonine griffon appeared. The monster snapped out at one of the wolves and killed it, and then tore into Fodder and the mighty war wolf fell over. More fairies tried to ice and lightning blast the party but they were being taken down by arrow and steel one at a time. One of the wild elf fighters tackled one of the few wolves remaining that was nipping at Tehpaguar's heels and grappled with the dangerous animal. Detheron was able to heal Smokey's wounds with a well timed spell. The insect swarm washed over Zoltan in its quest and effort to get to Kalarig, causing the gypsy to curse miserably.
Amal had gotten close enough and tossed the knight his only potion of healing before leaping at Tehpaguar with axe held high. The two of them fought briefly before the druid slapped his hand against the orc's skin and caused a horrible leprous disease to appear and suck his strength and life away. The girl (Lavender) was placed on the griffon's back and Tehpaguar clambered on next, calling out to the beast in his language. The griffon began to run across the ground and flap its wings.
Karis broke off with the last wild elf he was fighting and chased after the rising griffon, leaping at the last moment to wrap his right arm and hand around the beasts' leg and his left arm scrambling to get a grip on the animal's flank. Evian charged afterwards, her wand drawn and feet pumping in an effort to get closer. Karis was dangling just off the ground with the griffon struggling to get airborne.
Tehpaguar cast some spell and the griffon suddenly swelled in size, now capable of lifting itself AND the prodigious bulk of the half ogre off the ground. Evian fired her sparking wand from below and the griffon screeched in pain. Karis lost his sword and drew a dagger, trying to stab at the griffon but his grip was compromised and he slipped down until he was hanging on by both hands at the griffon's ankle.
Tehpaguar had the griffon fly back toward the keep's wall and soar over it…just.
Karis swung himself and tried to clear the crenellated parapet but failed and slammed into it, knocking stone work away to crash into the courtyard, but still maintaining his tiring grip on the monstrous creature. The party charged forward to enter the courtyard of Caer Dargan, the last two defenders retreating into the keep itself. Detheron laid his hands on Fodder and the severely wounded war wolf was able to rise back to its shaky feet and trot along panting and exhausted. A precious cure disease was cast on Amal, halting the ravaging effect of the leprous cancer that was eating the orc alive. The group mustered what they had left and charged the keep to try to help Karis who was struggling to hold onto the thrashing griffon.
Tehpaguar cast some spell on himself, grabbed Lavender, and LEAPT from the griffon's back to soar safely across the sky and land at the keep's doorway where the two wild elf fighter's were standing with clubs ready and faces grim. The griffon looked like it was going to take Karis on a ride back into the wall, but the half-ogre chanced to drop 20' from its feet and fell to the ground below where he landed with a roll and a crunch and staggered back to his feet. At 2 hit points.
Bats are swarming at the top of the Caer's inner building and the group is doing what they could to join Karis before he has to face the druid or the wild elves or the bats or whatever might still be up Tehpaguar's sleeve alone.
We ended it here. It's about 6:40 on Workmonth the 12th and the sun has set, the sky is darkening. We are gathered and gathering just inside the courtyard of Caer Dargan at the last moments (we hope) of the long struggle against the Circle of Thorns and the druids who we have been tasked to exact the blood oath against. Great job everyone.
Monday, September 8, 2008
Meet 33, Adv 5, 7/5/08
All D&D groups like a fight now and again. Even the most "role" play oriented group gets a bit of a rush when the d20's bust out and Jonan the fighter has to hack through the bad guys.
This was one of those meetings. And it gave the party the chance to take on some of the baddies they've been itching to kill. The 5 headed coldfire breathing hydra's were like whipped cream on their pudding.
At least that's how I was selling it.
Write up follows:
This was one of those meetings. And it gave the party the chance to take on some of the baddies they've been itching to kill. The 5 headed coldfire breathing hydra's were like whipped cream on their pudding.
At least that's how I was selling it.
Write up follows:
We picked up the game at Workmonth 12th, about noon, some 45 minutes from the center of the druidic grove and what should be Caer Dargan. To our estimation, we took care of most of the possible outside guards that would and should stand against us before we arrive at the center.
From what we are able to remember, based upon Detheron's flight and scouting overhead, the hill is some 500' tall, with fairly steep sides (perhaps 45 degrees). The majority of the trees have been cut down and a circle of standing stones surrounds the base of the hill. There is a sizeable keep 300' x 200' on top, and along the north side is an encampment of 20 odd or so tents and yurts. Finally, there is a near perfect circle of some sort of shimmering field surrounding the keep itself. At the encampment were two large 5-headed hydra monsters with a four count of wild elves, and on the other side was the centaur we had tangled with earlier. Plus there were some 15-20 odd birds that flew over the entire clearing and hill area that we had to avoid.
The party spent time going over plans and options and ideas, and had Evian break out her spell book and swap a few of her spells around. Eventually we felt as ready as we could and began hacking at the underbrush to move our way on to the grove’s center.
We veered far south, hoping to approach the hill from that side which would keep us out of the view of the wild-elf encampment for the longest period of time (and the hydras). Once there , we spied on the VERY large clearing for a while to familiarize ourselves with what we were looking at – and then Detheron cast Invisibility to Animals on our group – making the entire party (including the war-wolf and the bear) unseen to any animals in the area – which would include scouting birds in the air above. Nice going.
We then picked our way up the hill, dodging to the lone menhir, and then a few trees – and then it was across 300' odd feet of nothing except foot plus tall grasses. At least 4 birds flew overhead – but NONE of them reacted to our presence: no calls, no cries, no warnings. Just shy of the hilltop, we scouted the area and took stock of what we were looking at.
The outer wall of the keep was made of heavily weathered and ill maintained blocks of regular stone. Most of the mortar had fallen away leaving moss, rock dust, or open air between the joints. Battlements are 40' high and crenellated. From what we could see, the barbican looked like it had been smashed in. There was a shimmering field though encircling the keep at roughly 60' from the walls, a deep furrow in the hilltop with what seemed to be a circle of rune carved paving stones acting as the base. It gave off some latent energy reminding you of the sort of sensation you would get near a warm oven or a frightened dog.
The group had a hastily whispered conversation; avoiding touching the actual field. We could sort of see the two hydras and their handlers on the east side of the camp. Talk was made that Zoltan would circle around to the other side and cause a distraction. Fire (an old standby) was suggested and discarded (for a little while at least). Detheron informed us that we had spent 20 minutes so far into his spell – and the invisibility to birds above would only last another 30. Zoltan bid us all farewell and told us to wait for his signal.
He stayed low, picking his way along the grasses until he came to the western side of the camp – where the centaur was here going through some exercises with two lightly armored wild elves. They were sparring just off to the side of the nearest yurt and chatted continuously in their own language (elven). He watched the camp, counting maybe 6 other wild elves, most likely 4, through the tents. He thought about getting closer but could see no way to do so where the centaur or two closer wild elves wouldn't see him.
Minutes were ticking, it took Zoltan 5 minutes to get here and he had been hunched over of 12 or so waiting for a good opportunity – and if he was going to do anything, it needed to be soon. He went through his pack and drew out the lone whistle he had taken off Xinshalan and blew it.
A couple of camp wolfkins burst out of the encampment and ran towards him, Fodder jumped away from Detheron and raced across the ground towards where Zoltan had gone, and from inside the keep itself we heard more happy barking. Two wild elves came out and were gesturing for the dogs to return who were milling around where Zoltan was crouched low – unable to see him. They were wagging their tails and smiling and the centaur and other two elves were wondering what was going on.
The group then rose to their feet and charged the hydras who seemed to be mobilizing to go and see what the trouble was on the other side of camp – two wild elves climbing on their backs and armed with a pair of 9' ranseurs. Evian touched Karis and cast Enlarge on him – the half ogre swelling to just under 11' tall and close to 850 lbs. Party fanned out and readied weapons, poisons, and spellwork.
Zoltan touched one of the wolves and broke the invis on himself – suddenly all the birds in the air began cawing and screeching and diving in his direction. The bard/thief pointed to the centaur and yelled attack!, also whacking the centaur in the skull with a whipped ensorcelled bullet from his sling.
The rider of the blacker hydra said something to the bluer one and turned to engage the party, charging them. Detheron summoned the strength of the bull into Karis and Evian caused Smokey to swell in size. A wild elf slinger used his staff-sling to crack a stone against the druid. Kalarig fired one of his fairy-sleep poisoned arrows at the charging hydra hitting it full on and causing the lumbering beast to slow and low in pain, one of the heads dragging on the ground.
Fodder whizzed past Zoltan and leapt at the harried centaur who was struggling to kick the two camp wolfkins away, biting and clawing at him. One of the fighters ran towards Zoltan who caused a globe of light to appear in his hand, and whipped it at the elves shouting out fake words and yelling Fireball! At the end – making two of the wild elves break away. From the illusion.
Two of the hydra heads breathed a blast of blue tinged fire at Karis and Smokey while other heads began biting at the enlarged pair. More arrows were fired, more rocks slung. The other hydra began making a circuit around the nearby camp yurts in an effort to come back at the party. Kalarig got a second arrow ready to fire the last of the sleep poison and Detheron blew on his Avianstorm whistle. And the shit hit the fan.
Every bird nearby came swarming around the druid and most of the party AND the enemy – flapping in people's faces, getting in the way, making it difficult to see or sight along properly. This also included the other birds that were diving towards Zoltan – so this helped the bard out nicely. Only Detheron was free from the effects of the crazed avians – which didn't make the rest of the group thrilled.
Zoltan changed to his short sword and met the first wild elf in battle – the two of them trading blows. Another one ran towards him, while the centaur kicked one of the wolves badly and one of the elven fighters was able to get the equivalent of a man-catcher around Fodder's neck which hampered the war-wolf in battle against the centaur.
The party was beating at the hydra amidst the crazed birds, Karis using the ensorcelled blade Wyrmsteel Discordia (that we took from the locked cabinet in the Lycos Suns office a long time ago) – the Damascus blue colored blade seemingly better able to cut through the hydra's flesh. Smokey was able to gouge out one of the hydra's head set of eyes and Amal and Osgar were now close enough to add their axe play into the lizard-like flesh.
Now beset by two of the wild elves, Zoltan jumped straight up and flipped his cloak around himself – and disappeared! Third time (and limit for this day). The centaur ignored the two smaller wolf-kins assaulting him and instead grabbed the stick that held Fodder and lifted his straight up into the air and over his head, sending the poor animal to fly and land crashingly against the ground – the stick snapping and the metal spikes tearing into his fur and flesh. One of the wild elves had two of his fingers torn away by the crazed wolf-kin and the centaur was now bleeding from dozens of smaller wounds, bites, and scratches.
The party poured all they had against the weakening hydra, hoping to finish it off before the other one charging at them got too close. Kalarig shot his now readied poison arrow at the other hydra, even in the mess of avian-crazed birds, hitting it, but this time the poison failed to affect the mighty lizard like animal. Detheron called upon Frey and summoned a 6' tall ball of rolling flame to appear under the nearest hydra's back section, seriously harming the animal and causing it to fall over, just missing Amal in the process. Then the flaming ball streaked across the ground and slammed into one of the slingers setting him ablaze. The party readied their weapons and got set to receive the charge of the next hydra and its howling wild elf rider.
Zoltan appeared on top of the centaur, dropping onto the man-beast's back and plunging his short sword backstab style for a sizeable amount of hurt before leaping free and getting himself set next to one of the wolfkins and Fodder. The centaur was very bad off and the nearest wild elves cursed as they ran back, one of them finally finishing off one of the wolfkins. Zoltan ordered Fodder (badly hurt) to go back to Detheron and the animal took off throughout the camp.
The hydra slammed into the party with jaws and weight and bulk, Karis and Smokey getting hurt from that as well as the charging wild-elf's ranseur bursting through the cavalier's armor. Hitpoints fading. Elfsplitter came out and the group plied all they had to take down the hydra fast. Detheron caused the flaming ball to reverse direction and slam back into the hydra, hurting it there.
Zoltan and the last wolfkin held their own against the wild elves and the badly wounded centaur, the bard's bag of tricks finally exhausted. Nick by nick and cut by cut, Zoltan fought bravely on and struggled to take down the centaur while dodging the half-man's kicks and punches and the other wild elves knives and sickles.
Smokey nearly tore one of the heads off and a tail slap beat the heck out of Amal, just before one of the heads caught the orcish fighter and tore through most of his shoulder. Two of the heads turned back to its own back side and breathed a cone of cold-fire at itself, putting out the flames against its flesh. The orc backed away from the fight and staggered badly over to where Detheron was. Osgar tried to climb on the hydra's back, tying up the wild elf mounted up there and keeping him from ranseuring Karis again. The flaming sphere reversed direction one more time, and plowed through one of the slinger and another before stopping just shy of the original mounted elf rider who had made it to one of the yurts and was quaffing healing potions.
Zoltan was getting hurt and the centaur was down to its last 11 hit points. The last wolfkin was killed and the rest of the wild elves tried to beat the bard down.
Kalarig shot to death on of the last slingers and the hydra came down in a flash of fury and blades, burying Osgar beneath its bulk. The rider leapt free but Gwyn was there in a flash with Elfsplitter ahead of him and the wild elf was slain. Amal arrived at Detheron's side and Fodder ran into this camp area in pain and bleeding. We listened and heard the sounds of battle on the OTHER side of the encampment – and the party (except for Deth, Amal, and Fodder) all ran off immediately with a cry of, "Oh yeah, Zoltan!"
Zoltan struggled but it was 5 against him. He grimly held on and his hit points whittled away from 20's, to teens, to single digits. The centaur was down to the last half dozen and every wild elf around him was sporting either light or major wounds. We counted down the time it would take the party to arrive and help out, gathering 3 minutes…And Zoltan lived long enough to make that time!
Karis and Smokey, still enlarged and charging at full speed, broke out of the camp and assaulted the bodies around Zoltan with blade and claw. The centaur was killed, then the nearest wild elf. Others came closer and arrows flew – and then the last two dropped their knives and begged for surrender (in their own language).
Healing was pressed against Zoltan who needed it and some others were dispensed as well. The two elves did not speak common but Evian spoke elvish and we talked to them through her. We learned that Tehpaguar was behind the ward with at least 8 other wild elves (may or not have druids with them) and 3 more tree sprites, and a 4 count of wolves (we heard them during the fight). The ward is powered by Brynagga, the Day Maiden – which we then learned was a valkyrie (pissed off) that was somehow captured by either Vanir, Djohrgahd, or someone named Lyreth and used to help erect this field. Field goes up as sun rise and goes down at sun set. If on inside of ward – cannot get out until it drops. The girl Lavender is in there and she is "bled" to feed the land – and reverse the flow of time and corruption that occurred when man's feet first touched the earth.
Then Evian talked to the wild elves about someone she knew as Horace who had been a friend of hers taken two years earlier in a place called Kurtsville. Wild elves admitted knowing nothing and asked to be let go, also asking her why she associated with humans and especially the smelly bearded troll (Gwyn). The elven fighter-wizardress hacked into one of them slicing through his neck and the other tried to run – but Gwyn and Elfsplitter took him out.
We ransacked the camp and found lots of simple clothes, fare, personal belongings, and really foul rough iron rations. There were a few books:
Care and Training for Hydra's by Vuukian Fellmonster.
Care and Training for Wolves by Vuukian Fellmonster.
Grimfast's Treatsie on Herbology, Vol 1 and 4 of 4.
Heroic Tales of Asgard – Fenris
Heroic Tales of Asgard – Frey
and Poisonous Nightbane, the Deathflower by Yanach T'Norran.
We noted that there were people on the battlements of the keep and we catcalled at them and gave them rude signs and the fingers. We healed up a bit and talked about what would happen when the wards came down. Karis noted that his pack began to smell and when he looked in, it appeared that his food had spoiled rapidly and was now rancid and inedible. He tossed it aside.
Zoltan and Evian were looking around, their keen senses sharp as they sought to zero in on whatever it was that was suddenly getting their attention. Gwyn and Karis each took torches and started setting the yurts on fire – when a sudden shallow rain began to fall and put out one of the yurts! Zoltan went into one of the yurts near Karis to look around when a small monkey appeared out of nowhere on his back and began tossing crap out of his back everywhere. He sworded it and the summoned animal died before disappearing. A fairy had appeared swiftly and went invisible again and the bard missed getting it.
Then light appeared around Gwyn's head and the dwarf was blinded by a laughing sprite. He jumped up and whipped Elfsplitter around – hoping to strike the little critter – and rolled an 18! Nailing it! The sprite dropped out of the sky, one wing severed and bleeding bad. It tried to run away. Evian gave chase, the other sprite blinded her. It was missed. The wounded one was caught by Fodder and brought back to the party where Karis ripped it in half in front of the keep and tossed the parts aside.
We ended it here – about 4:30 on Workmonth the 12th. Sunset is around an hour and half or more and the party has that much time to take care of whatever they deem needed and necessary before the wards drop and a most likely pissed and furious Tehpaguar and his minions step out.
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Meet 32, Adv 5, 6/21/08
We had a party death here. One of our members was killed during the surprise attack by Glitterbell, the druidic treesprite. It happens, and although I am NOT a fan of Tomb of Horrors style "save or die" rolls (although I do allow it when the situation merits it), during the normal course of things - a character can and will if the chips are stacked against them..die.
He had been caught in a call lighting blast radius, was down to -3 and multiple flasks of oil in his backpack burst afire during the lightning strike and he was turned into a living torch. That's it. Be the time the party was able to even get to him, he was at -14 and burning away. I feel that after that, it changed something at the table - something specific was added and altered by the players around my gaming table.
They could conceivably die. And no amount of healing potions could save them.
Write up follows:
We resumed the game at the exact moment we left off, around 3:15 PM on Watermonth the 11th – At the instant that Glitterbell (one of the 3 "mains" in the Circle of Thorns) did a "Call Lightning" on the party – and a stroke of 5,000,000 volts, 40,000 amps - crackled out of the sky and in the space of .03 seconds – radically changed the playing field that the party plays through.
In order to fully appreciate what happened, I will have to break down this .03 seconds in such a way that you can accept the depth of what happened to our group.
Glitterbell the treesprite pointed to the heaven's above and arced down a bolt a lightning at the thickest congregation of the party members as possible: Karis, Detheron, Puck, Amal, and Fodder. Just as the bolt slammed into the party, the forgotten black rod we took from the feral orcs near the monolith absorbed half the raw force of the bolt and grounded it out "somewhere" else. The damage that impacted the group was still sizeable, enough to drain tons of hit points and toss everyone impacted skyward.
The destructive force of the bolt slayed Puck outright (down to -3) as well as coursing through everyones equipment. Metal became super hot and weakened, wood burned, leather charred, clothing smoked. Karis, Detheron, and Puck, all carrying numerous flasks of oil were set aflame by the splashing super-heated flammable liquid – turned into living torches. Magical items were consumed and damaged but it was the explosion of Detheron's "Sabrefrost" wand that added insult to injury – with 25 to 30 bowling ball sized 9 lb chunks of ice bursting in a circular spray and bashing into Detheron, Karis, Fodder, Smokey, and Gwyn (who took the largest brunt of the icy barrage).
And then the bodies landed.
Yeah – it was that bad. Puck was burning uncontrollably, the sorcerer unmoving. Amal and Osgar doused their water on Detheron and Puck, Karis rolled around. And the fairies and wild elves were grimly racing forward in the mighty wind.
But Zoltan raised his lone crossbow and single Blessed Bolt of Sutur – and let fly! The space between us and them was lanced with a single burning brand that Glitterbell was able to partially dodge (but still badly burned) but one of the wild elves and fairies behind her were not so lucky and were immolated by the godborne blast. Kalarig took a single lucky shot in the storm winds and was able to pin the angered treesprite to the ground.
The two remaining fairies went invisible and Glitterbell summoned a cloud of fog to obscure her and her friends. And then Detheron summoned his own lightning bolt from the sky above! The bolt burst into the fog cloud and we heard some screaming within as we assumed Glitterbell and others were struck and killed. When the fog cloud cleared, there was no one there except for the very burned and dead tree sprite – her companions fled.
We talked long here about either going forward (Detheron could have another 4 lightning bolts at his beck and call in the next 30 minutes) or retreating and healing up. The group went to Puck and although Karis and Detheron did what they could – the sorcerer's wounds were too grievous and he…died. Yes, our first party death. It dampened the mood around the table and Zoltan and Kalarig brought the burned and dead Puck back – heading towards the ruined temple to Odin we had holed up in earlier.
Once there we briefly looked him over and decided to take the potion of tempestskin, rejuvenation, and the healing wine off of him – leaving what was remaining there for now until we figure out what was to be possibly done. Certain priests can raise the dead – but to date, we don't know of any. There was talk about going to Cymbarton and petitioning to the Order of Heimdall, but according to Detheron, the cost would be high – very high.
We parsed out what little healing we had left on everyone and Detheron spent the better part of the next hour using the rest of his healing kit as well as some of Karis' to tend to everyone's wounds. We kept watch that night and waited – but even though the Circle KNOWS we are here (here being in the forest), they left us alone if they knew where we were holed up - and the group got a decent night's rest (for a change). One of the things we did note was that just around 3 AM, the magically summoned storm just sort of ended and blew itself out – which gave the storm gem a 12 hour duration by our estimation.
The following morning we talked long on our options and what we were going to do. Striking out at Tehpaguar, the rest of the Circle, how many more druids would we face, the use of another Storm Gem, Puck's death, our strengths and weaknesses now – and the need for surprise and decisive action. One thing that the group did do was begin to divest themselves of whatever oil they were carrying – seeing at how Gwyn was affected (during the fight against Vanir) and how it proved to be fatal to Puck and damaging to Karis and Detheron – it was thought to be better off without.
Detheron wild shaped himself into a falcon again – this time with a bit more skill. He tried to get airborne, but realized that under the thick canopy he was not skilled enough yet to clear the trees – not even when Karis tried to "boost" him with a arm toss upward. So we walked about 45 minutes to the clearing we fought Faranath and Glitterbell in and the druid cum falcon ran off and took to the air – a bit better and more sure of his skills.
He winged his way west in an increasingly wide spiraling pattern – spotting 2 clearings on the way – one south west of our position – and another one past that some ways and a bit north – neither one specifically large or interesting. But there was the main one – the ground rose almost 500' over the forest, the sides of the great hill mostly denuded of trees and the base of it surrounded by 15 to 20 large 12' tall monolithic standing stones. At the top of the hill was a tremendous keep in very poor repair, with a "shanty" village to the north of it composed of tents and naturally built structures. The keep itself was surrounded by some sort of glittering field (it did not encompass the "village").
In addition, the druid's keen falcon eyes caught sight of 2 very large, 15' tall, 25' long, five headed lizard-like monsters being tended to by a four count of wild elves – and a pacing centaur nearby with bandages on his back who was fletching new arrows.
There were many birds in the area: 1 eagle, 2 falcons, 4 hawks, and a number of smaller robins and crows. Detheron felt he had pushed his luck enough and winged over and began flying away. A hawk paced him and the two of them squawked at each other threateningly (actually talking though in "bird" language) until the hawk discounted the strange “falcon” and went back to patrolling. Detheron came back to his friends and landed (better!), turned back to a human and got dressed, talking to the party about what he had seen.
We debated what to do and how to approach. Karis looked in his notes after the mention of the hydra's and came upon a piece of paper from Vanir's study back in Ponyboro – where it mentioned the Lycos Suns had gifted the Circle of Thorns with a pair of mated cold-fire hydra's for their efforts in making the Lyreth wards at the Wolverton Estates. We then talked about cold fire and what we knew about it (Zoltan a font of hydra knowledge and other stuff btw) and we figured on a plan (involving fire of course!) on how we would take out the hydra's when we would face them.
But it was the two clearings on the way that we wanted to go and visit – as it what posited – don't leave a potential enemy at our back. Zoltan took point and we followed along – going in the direction of the 1st clearing. It took a little bit but once there, Zoltan stopped us as he scouted it – spotting the self-same ranger from the very beginning who cold cocked our thief and suspended him over a bear trap head down!! He was near a table made from a large tree trunk, with the remains of a cooking fire and simple tent near by. A robin was sitting next to him as he fletched some arrows and another was perched on the tent pole. Zoltan whistled a quick ditty and sent a magical whispered message back to Karis telling him what was what and that he was going to make a move VERY soon!
Karis related the tale to the rest of the group and we split up – Gwyn and Kalarig going right – Karis, Amal, and Osgar running up the middle, and Detheron, Evian, Smokey and Fodder swinging left. Once they were as close as he liked, Zoltan loaded up a magical sling bullet and let fly – cracking the ranger in the jaw. Arrows were flying and crossbows as well and the ranger sighted back, striking Evian and Kalarig with pin point excellence. He took cover as low as possible and the group closed more. The ranger sang in a strange language and one of the robins took wing and began to fly west and north.
Kalarig used the web arrow and struck the ranger who was unable to twist out of the way in time. Then Smokey charged and was roaring and the wild elf was struggling to get free. The rest of the group closed REAL fast and Evian gracefully leapt OVER the webbing and slammed the length of her long sword into the ranger's side. The ranger tried to fight back but a wild shot from a flying arrow pierced his hand and he was unable to defend himself. Meanwhile the flying robin was winging away faster and the group tried some REAL long distance shots to hit it (250') – with Kalarig getting a wildly lucky blow with a blunt tipped arrow and knocked the enspelled robin out of the sky. The 2nd bird was slain and the group was happy.
Zoltan took the ranger's tightly woven elven chainmail shirt and gave Detheron his antler designed magical leather armor – both the bard/thief and the druid getting a couple of AC points in the process. There was also luckily a potion of healing and the strange whistle that made the birds come before – a device Zoltan called an Avianstorm Whistle (according to bardic lore).
Geared up we decided to go and see the other clearing – but after walking for some time, we figured we had passed it somehow. Zoltan climbed a tree and after a while was able to make out some sort of break in the tree line behind us – and we backtracked as we came to the other clearing.
Here were two wild elves armed with cudgels, three tree sprites, and two shaggy backed wolves sort of hanging out and talking amongst themselves. They occasionally looked up to the sky as if expecting something, but didn't seem too worried or diligent. Zoltan whistled up another spell back to the party and told Karis what was going on and that we should wait. The half-ogre disagreed and decided that our last tactics worked – let's do it again.
As the group got real close, Zoltan whistled up a tune and fired a sleep spell into the midst of the bad guys – putting both wolves and one of the fairies to sleep instantly. Arrows and bolts (poisoned where able to be) were shot and one of the elves and fairies went down screaming. Last fairy went invisible and the group closed rapidly – with Kalarig, Zoltan, Gwyn, and Evian holding their action and scanning for the invisible pixie. The fighters made short work of the last of the combatants and while they were dropping the last one down – the fairy turned visible just behind Detheron and stabbed him in the back with a poisoned stiletto – the druid dropped instantly.
The sprite then faded away again and the party fired arrows in that area, none of them hitting. Osgar and Amal were nuts and ran into the area hacking at the sky with their axes – and Osgar – the slayer of the giant beetle – actually STRUCK the invisible fairy on a blind wild shot!
With a target available (for a brief instant) arrows were fired and the tree sprite was blasted out of the sky. We couldn't revive Detheron from the magical sleep from the fairy poison until we remembered we had Puck's potion of rejuvenation and administered that to Detheron until he woke up.
At this point we discussed our option and what was available to us. We redrew what Detheron had seen of the druid's enclave and Caer Dargan and looked at the map and the elevations (the climb up there is a 45 degree angle in some places). We realized we were down a person – and our only sorcerer to boot – which meant we would be able to field less fire power than usual. Talked about tactics on the centaur and the hydras and we came up with a tentative working plan.
We ended it here on Workmonth the 12th, just about noon time. It's about 65 degrees with partially cloudy skies and we are around an hour tops from the base of the hill.
I want to thank everyone for their time and I hope you all had as much fun as I did. I will be talking to Kyle directly (hopefully tonight) and for the remainder of the adventure, I will be giving him Kalarig to hold onto while we come up with a secondary for him to play at the adventure's completion. Yes, you can die – and yes it does suck.
We laughed a bunch at the end and it was a bit nervous, a bit blowing off steam, a bit funny, and a bit relief that "my god – that could have been me!". There is a new term now – "being Pucked" and we all talked about it. Detheron (Matt) talked about how although it does suck – it does feel good to know that there is no safety net and that the party members can die.
He had been caught in a call lighting blast radius, was down to -3 and multiple flasks of oil in his backpack burst afire during the lightning strike and he was turned into a living torch. That's it. Be the time the party was able to even get to him, he was at -14 and burning away. I feel that after that, it changed something at the table - something specific was added and altered by the players around my gaming table.
They could conceivably die. And no amount of healing potions could save them.
Write up follows:
We resumed the game at the exact moment we left off, around 3:15 PM on Watermonth the 11th – At the instant that Glitterbell (one of the 3 "mains" in the Circle of Thorns) did a "Call Lightning" on the party – and a stroke of 5,000,000 volts, 40,000 amps - crackled out of the sky and in the space of .03 seconds – radically changed the playing field that the party plays through.
In order to fully appreciate what happened, I will have to break down this .03 seconds in such a way that you can accept the depth of what happened to our group.
Glitterbell the treesprite pointed to the heaven's above and arced down a bolt a lightning at the thickest congregation of the party members as possible: Karis, Detheron, Puck, Amal, and Fodder. Just as the bolt slammed into the party, the forgotten black rod we took from the feral orcs near the monolith absorbed half the raw force of the bolt and grounded it out "somewhere" else. The damage that impacted the group was still sizeable, enough to drain tons of hit points and toss everyone impacted skyward.
The destructive force of the bolt slayed Puck outright (down to -3) as well as coursing through everyones equipment. Metal became super hot and weakened, wood burned, leather charred, clothing smoked. Karis, Detheron, and Puck, all carrying numerous flasks of oil were set aflame by the splashing super-heated flammable liquid – turned into living torches. Magical items were consumed and damaged but it was the explosion of Detheron's "Sabrefrost" wand that added insult to injury – with 25 to 30 bowling ball sized 9 lb chunks of ice bursting in a circular spray and bashing into Detheron, Karis, Fodder, Smokey, and Gwyn (who took the largest brunt of the icy barrage).
And then the bodies landed.
Yeah – it was that bad. Puck was burning uncontrollably, the sorcerer unmoving. Amal and Osgar doused their water on Detheron and Puck, Karis rolled around. And the fairies and wild elves were grimly racing forward in the mighty wind.
But Zoltan raised his lone crossbow and single Blessed Bolt of Sutur – and let fly! The space between us and them was lanced with a single burning brand that Glitterbell was able to partially dodge (but still badly burned) but one of the wild elves and fairies behind her were not so lucky and were immolated by the godborne blast. Kalarig took a single lucky shot in the storm winds and was able to pin the angered treesprite to the ground.
The two remaining fairies went invisible and Glitterbell summoned a cloud of fog to obscure her and her friends. And then Detheron summoned his own lightning bolt from the sky above! The bolt burst into the fog cloud and we heard some screaming within as we assumed Glitterbell and others were struck and killed. When the fog cloud cleared, there was no one there except for the very burned and dead tree sprite – her companions fled.
We talked long here about either going forward (Detheron could have another 4 lightning bolts at his beck and call in the next 30 minutes) or retreating and healing up. The group went to Puck and although Karis and Detheron did what they could – the sorcerer's wounds were too grievous and he…died. Yes, our first party death. It dampened the mood around the table and Zoltan and Kalarig brought the burned and dead Puck back – heading towards the ruined temple to Odin we had holed up in earlier.
Once there we briefly looked him over and decided to take the potion of tempestskin, rejuvenation, and the healing wine off of him – leaving what was remaining there for now until we figure out what was to be possibly done. Certain priests can raise the dead – but to date, we don't know of any. There was talk about going to Cymbarton and petitioning to the Order of Heimdall, but according to Detheron, the cost would be high – very high.
We parsed out what little healing we had left on everyone and Detheron spent the better part of the next hour using the rest of his healing kit as well as some of Karis' to tend to everyone's wounds. We kept watch that night and waited – but even though the Circle KNOWS we are here (here being in the forest), they left us alone if they knew where we were holed up - and the group got a decent night's rest (for a change). One of the things we did note was that just around 3 AM, the magically summoned storm just sort of ended and blew itself out – which gave the storm gem a 12 hour duration by our estimation.
The following morning we talked long on our options and what we were going to do. Striking out at Tehpaguar, the rest of the Circle, how many more druids would we face, the use of another Storm Gem, Puck's death, our strengths and weaknesses now – and the need for surprise and decisive action. One thing that the group did do was begin to divest themselves of whatever oil they were carrying – seeing at how Gwyn was affected (during the fight against Vanir) and how it proved to be fatal to Puck and damaging to Karis and Detheron – it was thought to be better off without.
Detheron wild shaped himself into a falcon again – this time with a bit more skill. He tried to get airborne, but realized that under the thick canopy he was not skilled enough yet to clear the trees – not even when Karis tried to "boost" him with a arm toss upward. So we walked about 45 minutes to the clearing we fought Faranath and Glitterbell in and the druid cum falcon ran off and took to the air – a bit better and more sure of his skills.
He winged his way west in an increasingly wide spiraling pattern – spotting 2 clearings on the way – one south west of our position – and another one past that some ways and a bit north – neither one specifically large or interesting. But there was the main one – the ground rose almost 500' over the forest, the sides of the great hill mostly denuded of trees and the base of it surrounded by 15 to 20 large 12' tall monolithic standing stones. At the top of the hill was a tremendous keep in very poor repair, with a "shanty" village to the north of it composed of tents and naturally built structures. The keep itself was surrounded by some sort of glittering field (it did not encompass the "village").
In addition, the druid's keen falcon eyes caught sight of 2 very large, 15' tall, 25' long, five headed lizard-like monsters being tended to by a four count of wild elves – and a pacing centaur nearby with bandages on his back who was fletching new arrows.
There were many birds in the area: 1 eagle, 2 falcons, 4 hawks, and a number of smaller robins and crows. Detheron felt he had pushed his luck enough and winged over and began flying away. A hawk paced him and the two of them squawked at each other threateningly (actually talking though in "bird" language) until the hawk discounted the strange “falcon” and went back to patrolling. Detheron came back to his friends and landed (better!), turned back to a human and got dressed, talking to the party about what he had seen.
We debated what to do and how to approach. Karis looked in his notes after the mention of the hydra's and came upon a piece of paper from Vanir's study back in Ponyboro – where it mentioned the Lycos Suns had gifted the Circle of Thorns with a pair of mated cold-fire hydra's for their efforts in making the Lyreth wards at the Wolverton Estates. We then talked about cold fire and what we knew about it (Zoltan a font of hydra knowledge and other stuff btw) and we figured on a plan (involving fire of course!) on how we would take out the hydra's when we would face them.
But it was the two clearings on the way that we wanted to go and visit – as it what posited – don't leave a potential enemy at our back. Zoltan took point and we followed along – going in the direction of the 1st clearing. It took a little bit but once there, Zoltan stopped us as he scouted it – spotting the self-same ranger from the very beginning who cold cocked our thief and suspended him over a bear trap head down!! He was near a table made from a large tree trunk, with the remains of a cooking fire and simple tent near by. A robin was sitting next to him as he fletched some arrows and another was perched on the tent pole. Zoltan whistled a quick ditty and sent a magical whispered message back to Karis telling him what was what and that he was going to make a move VERY soon!
Karis related the tale to the rest of the group and we split up – Gwyn and Kalarig going right – Karis, Amal, and Osgar running up the middle, and Detheron, Evian, Smokey and Fodder swinging left. Once they were as close as he liked, Zoltan loaded up a magical sling bullet and let fly – cracking the ranger in the jaw. Arrows were flying and crossbows as well and the ranger sighted back, striking Evian and Kalarig with pin point excellence. He took cover as low as possible and the group closed more. The ranger sang in a strange language and one of the robins took wing and began to fly west and north.
Kalarig used the web arrow and struck the ranger who was unable to twist out of the way in time. Then Smokey charged and was roaring and the wild elf was struggling to get free. The rest of the group closed REAL fast and Evian gracefully leapt OVER the webbing and slammed the length of her long sword into the ranger's side. The ranger tried to fight back but a wild shot from a flying arrow pierced his hand and he was unable to defend himself. Meanwhile the flying robin was winging away faster and the group tried some REAL long distance shots to hit it (250') – with Kalarig getting a wildly lucky blow with a blunt tipped arrow and knocked the enspelled robin out of the sky. The 2nd bird was slain and the group was happy.
Zoltan took the ranger's tightly woven elven chainmail shirt and gave Detheron his antler designed magical leather armor – both the bard/thief and the druid getting a couple of AC points in the process. There was also luckily a potion of healing and the strange whistle that made the birds come before – a device Zoltan called an Avianstorm Whistle (according to bardic lore).
Geared up we decided to go and see the other clearing – but after walking for some time, we figured we had passed it somehow. Zoltan climbed a tree and after a while was able to make out some sort of break in the tree line behind us – and we backtracked as we came to the other clearing.
Here were two wild elves armed with cudgels, three tree sprites, and two shaggy backed wolves sort of hanging out and talking amongst themselves. They occasionally looked up to the sky as if expecting something, but didn't seem too worried or diligent. Zoltan whistled up another spell back to the party and told Karis what was going on and that we should wait. The half-ogre disagreed and decided that our last tactics worked – let's do it again.
As the group got real close, Zoltan whistled up a tune and fired a sleep spell into the midst of the bad guys – putting both wolves and one of the fairies to sleep instantly. Arrows and bolts (poisoned where able to be) were shot and one of the elves and fairies went down screaming. Last fairy went invisible and the group closed rapidly – with Kalarig, Zoltan, Gwyn, and Evian holding their action and scanning for the invisible pixie. The fighters made short work of the last of the combatants and while they were dropping the last one down – the fairy turned visible just behind Detheron and stabbed him in the back with a poisoned stiletto – the druid dropped instantly.
The sprite then faded away again and the party fired arrows in that area, none of them hitting. Osgar and Amal were nuts and ran into the area hacking at the sky with their axes – and Osgar – the slayer of the giant beetle – actually STRUCK the invisible fairy on a blind wild shot!
With a target available (for a brief instant) arrows were fired and the tree sprite was blasted out of the sky. We couldn't revive Detheron from the magical sleep from the fairy poison until we remembered we had Puck's potion of rejuvenation and administered that to Detheron until he woke up.
At this point we discussed our option and what was available to us. We redrew what Detheron had seen of the druid's enclave and Caer Dargan and looked at the map and the elevations (the climb up there is a 45 degree angle in some places). We realized we were down a person – and our only sorcerer to boot – which meant we would be able to field less fire power than usual. Talked about tactics on the centaur and the hydras and we came up with a tentative working plan.
We ended it here on Workmonth the 12th, just about noon time. It's about 65 degrees with partially cloudy skies and we are around an hour tops from the base of the hill.
I want to thank everyone for their time and I hope you all had as much fun as I did. I will be talking to Kyle directly (hopefully tonight) and for the remainder of the adventure, I will be giving him Kalarig to hold onto while we come up with a secondary for him to play at the adventure's completion. Yes, you can die – and yes it does suck.
We laughed a bunch at the end and it was a bit nervous, a bit blowing off steam, a bit funny, and a bit relief that "my god – that could have been me!". There is a new term now – "being Pucked" and we all talked about it. Detheron (Matt) talked about how although it does suck – it does feel good to know that there is no safety net and that the party members can die.
Friday, September 5, 2008
Meet 31, Adv 5, 6/14/08
Everyone wants to be the center of attention. When we are sitting around the table and we see that one character is having the spot light, espousing their special skills and abilities, it is only natural that there should be a touch of envy.
During this night though I happened to have an issue where one of my players wanted to have an opportunity for the spotlight as well. Even though it wasn't his bailiwick. So the thief character who was doing his job happily stood aside and let the "lesser" character take over. It wasn't as neat, took a bit longer, and ultimately made the others around the table feel a bit animosity towards the character that was "stepping in" where his skills weren't wanted.
Rule of thumb - you should let those with the skill set necessary to do their jobs..do their jobs.
Write up follows:
We picked up on Watermonth the 11th, just a bit shy of 11:30. Our party was arranged against a member of the Circle of Thorns who identified himself as Xishalan. A druid of some power, he also had at his beck and call, a leopard, a giant badger, a 6' beetle with strange antenna (yes –yes –it was a rust monster), and 3 hawks. The party moved in and started the fight.
Zoltan fired off a fast and lucky Sleep spell – which dropped the giant badger AND all 3 of the hawks! The group charged forward into the fight and Xishalan fired his own spell – this one a hold spell which froze the charging Smokey in his tracks, causing the running bear to dump onto his face and slide to a stop. Poor bear. Meanwhile the leopard made headway, hitting Karis' shield and the half ogre stopping the running cat cold. Some sweeps and cuts and the group moved in. As usual, our favorite dwarf crossbow (poisoned of course) stabbed the druid.
The rust monster was making a bee line towards Karis (strange – the largest, armored figure in the party!) but Detheron returned the favor and did a hold animal on the trundling monster – and it slid to a stop. With most of his animal companions neutralized and now having 11 angry party members (well 10 – since Smokey was held) on the attack, Xishalan was surrounded and in a short order taken down and the fight came to a fast(ish) end.
We stripped off what goodies and gear we could find – specifically the druid's cudgel (a club with a greenish tinted hunk of granite strapped near the top) with the etched word "Elkstone" on it, a whistle (that made its way into Zoltan pouch), a potion of Tempestskin (something to do with storms – we are REALLY light on alchemists), and some assorted coins - the majority of them being crowns and commons.
We had Amal and Osgar spend time skinning the badger and the leopard (keep in mind – these skins are untreated so will get real stinky soon), and then we cut up the badger (or at least some of the tender portions) for meat. We decided while this was going on to eat lunch (of the fish we swiped from the centaur's camp earlier plus some of our own stuff) and generally rest up. Nothing was following us and we felt comfortable that we could continue on the dense forest after a while.
About 1, we came upon the ivy covered expanse of some long forgotten structure. The forest and elements had torn most of it down, but what did remain was two walls (30' odd feet and 60' odd feet) that were joined together by a sagging floor (maybe 15'+ feet off the ground) and a tired looking roof. A large tree had grown through one of the windows and provided an easy way up to the structure's interior, should we wanted to go. The dwarf (Gwyn) told us that the lines of the place and the style reminded him of a church or temple – but it obviously wasn't dwarven made since it had been falling apart (in his words) so easily.
Zoltan took one for the team and climbed first. Getting high enough, he peered into the lower floor and saw about a dozen spongy and scattered long pews, and the remains of a stone font. There were moss choked symbols of ravens and a one eyed bearded man – which let the party know this was once a place for Odin. Those that had read Dargan's Folly informed us that the priests of Odin had figured largely in the books – so more evidence of us being on the right path.
At the 2nd floor, he could see the floor was really bad – but there were still 3 rooms sort of visible. One could be looked into given the position of the tree – and it might have been a sleeping place long ago – couldn't see the other two. Puck joined him in the tree and volunteered to step off onto the floor. It groaned and moaned – and the party could hear "stuff" falling off below the floor onto the 1st floor below – but it didn't come crashing down.
He gave the 1st room a once over – and saw lots of mice and bugs and ivy and dust and garbage – but nothing of any interest or value. So he went to the 2nd room (more broken and breaking stuff falling to the floor below) and here he saw the mummified remains of a female humanoid with 3 arrows in her body, some old and weather beaten gear, and half a dozen pixie sized winged creatures here in bad shape and cut up. He called out a quick scry and noted the dagger and one of the rings on her hands glowed.
On his attempt to go to the 3rd room, he didn't trust the floor at all and opted to go back to the tree and let Zoltan finish the job – telling him what he had noted on the long dead woman. Zoltan removed his armor, packs, and heavy weaponry to make himself as light as possible, and made his way to the 3rd room – it too was filled with drawers and sleeping pallets – but nothing but mice and dust and filth within. He opted to climb OUTSDIE the building along the stone face to the window by room 2 and go in that way. Once there he stripped the goodies off the dead woman took a look around, and went down to the rest of the party.
Puck came down (with all his gear) and the party discussed what they learned. The woman had 3 rings, one of them (silver with a badly pitted and blackened ruby) magical with the words "Cannith Al Tannoth" written within. A short read magic spell revealed it to be "Ring of Healing". Karis got the ring and enacted it (with the words) – and got a bolt of "feeling better" – and the ruby got more pitted and blackened. Meanwhile Evian was checking out the lower floor (since no one was upstairs anymore) to see if there was anything there of note.
The dagger was more of a utility tool than a weapon (although having 7" of iron shoved into you makes it an effective weapon still) and Gwyn worked at it as best he could until we could read through the grit and rust – the word "Talensia" on the crossguard. She had some coins in her battered pouch, a scattering of coins and denomination – but we noted that all the coins were date stamped between twenty and thirty years ago. And finally, she had a tarnished necklace with a faded oil print of a handsome man within. On the back was the engraving: "To Isola, Remember me on the dark and wild roads. Grath Daernhorse".
We did some discussing for a bit and then the party moved on. We traveled through the thick forest for a good 45 minutes until we came to a natural clearing on a small rise. A voice called out from the other side: "You have come far enough outsiders. The Circle of Thorns does not want you here. Depart now, while you may, in peace. Come further and you will face the limitless fury of Idun, Frey, and the Yggdrasil."
Stepping just into the clearing was a tall, red haired wild elf clad in a breechcloth and wooden bracelets; long scars surrounding his neck. He was flanked by two other wild elves wearing worn leather plates and feather fetishes in their hair. There appeared to be 4 shaggy backed wolves standing with the stoic druids, their teeth bared and tails rigidly upraised behind them. And finally there was a 14' tall, wide backed beetle with a thick green shell, what seemed to be a hardened length of horn in the front, and a set of 4' long mandibles.
The taller wild elf (that we identified as Faranath) ended it simply with, "I will not repeat myself. Go. Now."
That's as good a call to start the fight as anything. The group readied weapons and whatnot, bows and arrows and crossbow bolts and spells. Zoltan did the cloak whip thing and Karis waited long enough for Evian to cast Enlarge on him – swelling the already big half ogre to almost 11' in height and 500 odd pounds! The female druid tried to heat Karis' armor but the knight was able to shift out of the way in time.
And then Faranath dropped a sleet storm on the party and our life went into the crapper. Visibility dropped to 5'and the air was filled with driving cold and snowy rain. Detheron cast Invisibility to Animals on those closest to him (Him, Karis, Amal, and Evian) and the party was given orders to get the hell out of the snow and attack them. We split up, left and right, and half the party began falling and sliding. Eventually Osgar made it out and roared back that the druids were splitting up and attacking. Karis charged forward and slammed into the beetle first who didn’t see him until the sword struck. First blood!
The knight shifted from the sword to the mace he picked up, "Kysoth's Bludgeon" – thinking the ensorcelled mace would do better against the carapaced monster. Faranth struck Karis with an insect swarm and the knight was getting stung and bit and whatnot – his blows weakened and his armor worsened. Smokey joined Osgar at the outside and they got ready to engage the 1st wolf. Zoltan reappeared and tried to backstab the female druid but her skin turned brown and pebbly (like bark) as his weapon struck and the blow was turned aside. Damn.
Meanwhile Puck and Kalarig had made it out and arrows were fired at the other druid who was hanging far enough back – readying a spell. Faranth had taken his staff sling off and got himself something loaded, spinning the weapon around. Karis and the beetle fought on – blows exchanging. Smokey joined the fight with Amal, but the bear fumbled and got knocked out for 4 full rounds of combat – earning many snickers by Fodder. Detheron summoned another hippogriff to help us and the two orcs, hippogriff, and Fodder closed towards the female druid who was fighting with Zoltan – after summoning a wild horse that was kicking frantically at the thief/bard. Zoltan cloak/ported himself away – this time 50' back.
Detheron's wand "Sabrefrost" fired out – sending 7, 9# bowling ball sized chunks of ice to slam into the druidess – and she failed EACH one of her saves – chuckle. She went down with massive head trauma and passed out.
Karis moved backwards into the sleet storm, the 14' tall beetle following. The cold snow and rain drove the insect swarm from him and he was able to fight without trouble once more. Meanwhile Evian took out one of the two wolves on Puck's side, her long sword flashing. Gwyn was readying a poisoned xbow bolt and the 3rd druid made a ball of fire in his hand and then threw it at the party – hitting Evian square on. Kalarig hit the druid with his own arrows! One of them poisoned.
Faranth snarled out, "Let us show you the fury you've unleashed!" and hurled the stone he had prepared in his sling…upward! It soared up, trailing sparks into the afternoon sky, higher and higher until we lost sight of it. The beetle suddenly turned, knocking Karis down with its prodigious bulk, and charged! This time at the hippogriff, Amal, Osgar, and Fodder! The 4 of them took terrible wounds as the beetle charged past. Osgar was near death and the hippogriff was badly hurt. Detheron slapped a quick cure on the wounded orc who readied his hand axe and hurled himself at the slowing beetle's back.
The stone or whatever Faranath hurled into the sky suddenly burst and the sky went from sunshine to storm clouds instantly. 40 mph winds, lightning, driving rain – it all came down suddenly from the Storm Gem and Faranath was laughing, readying another spell. A few arrows were fired but they were ineffective in the wind. The party had to close to hand to hand. Puck launched a magic missile (using another precious scroll) and 3 bolts streaked away. Detheron cast a Call Lightning spell – knowing full well it wouldn't hit for another 10 minutes (but he gets 5 bolts!).
The beetle whirled around and dragged Osgar with it who managed to punch a widening hole in the beetle's back with his axe. Now with a better handhold, the crazed orc began hacking his way INTO the beetle, dragging his body further and further in to find something vital to cut! The beetle grabbed Amal and began to squeeze him, hurting him badly. The other orc whacked at the beetles head, refusing to give up even while being hoisted and whipped about.
The group mopped up the last of the wolves and we charged Faranath who was almost ready to do another spell – throwing themselves on him to spoil his casting. His skin too had that pebbly bark look to it when struck, so many blows were turned. Detheron healed Amal this time, the orc redoubling his effort to crush the weakening beetle's head. And Osgar finally got one foot braced on the INSIDE of the beetle's shell and gave a mighty shove, tearing forward and hacking with his axe. And the beetle fell with a gurgling crash!
Faranath got off a single heal on himself but it was short work for the party to finish him off and take him down and then it was over. Osgar and Amal were very hurt and filthy – but proud of their achievements – hacking off the beetle's mandibles and presenting one to Detheron and Osgar keeping the other. Some heals went around the table to and from Karis, Detheron, Puck, Amal, and Fodder.
A short detect told us what had an enchantment on it and we grabbed another Potion of Tempestskin, some wooden bracers from Faranath, and in his pouch were 11 more sling bullets – 10 normal looking (but magical) and one of them shaped like a 10 sided gem and covered in storm and lightning runes. Whoo hoo! Another Storm Gem.
And then while the storm was raging overhead, a high pitched voice roared out, "FARANATH!!! NOOOOO!!!!" and a stroke of lightning arced from the stormy sky above and slapped into: Karis, Detheron, Puck, Amal, and Fodder. Luckily, Karis was carrying the metal rod we picked up off the orcs near the monolith – it absorbed about half the lightning's blast. However it was enough to really screw up the party (Puck dropped to -3 and fell unconscious).
At the stroke of lightning hitting us, we ended it here.
We can see through the wind and rain there is a black-haired flying sprite pointing at the group, three more wild elves grimly near her with clubs drawn, and another 3 sprites near them all with their hands waving.
Great job everyone. Really well done. It's about 3:15 on Watermonth the 11th and we have maybe 3 hours of daylight left. The party guesses this new figure is Glitterbell (one of the 3 from the Que Eshya tribe that hired us 3rd hand) and we have heard that she is cruel and capricious.
And can apparently Call Lightning too.
Speaking of that – it has been 16 rounds since Detheron CAST his Call Lightning – so by my estimations, he has ONE bolt "in the chamber" and another one on board in 4 more rounds. We'll see what happens when we get back together.
During this night though I happened to have an issue where one of my players wanted to have an opportunity for the spotlight as well. Even though it wasn't his bailiwick. So the thief character who was doing his job happily stood aside and let the "lesser" character take over. It wasn't as neat, took a bit longer, and ultimately made the others around the table feel a bit animosity towards the character that was "stepping in" where his skills weren't wanted.
Rule of thumb - you should let those with the skill set necessary to do their jobs..do their jobs.
Write up follows:
We picked up on Watermonth the 11th, just a bit shy of 11:30. Our party was arranged against a member of the Circle of Thorns who identified himself as Xishalan. A druid of some power, he also had at his beck and call, a leopard, a giant badger, a 6' beetle with strange antenna (yes –yes –it was a rust monster), and 3 hawks. The party moved in and started the fight.
Zoltan fired off a fast and lucky Sleep spell – which dropped the giant badger AND all 3 of the hawks! The group charged forward into the fight and Xishalan fired his own spell – this one a hold spell which froze the charging Smokey in his tracks, causing the running bear to dump onto his face and slide to a stop. Poor bear. Meanwhile the leopard made headway, hitting Karis' shield and the half ogre stopping the running cat cold. Some sweeps and cuts and the group moved in. As usual, our favorite dwarf crossbow (poisoned of course) stabbed the druid.
The rust monster was making a bee line towards Karis (strange – the largest, armored figure in the party!) but Detheron returned the favor and did a hold animal on the trundling monster – and it slid to a stop. With most of his animal companions neutralized and now having 11 angry party members (well 10 – since Smokey was held) on the attack, Xishalan was surrounded and in a short order taken down and the fight came to a fast(ish) end.
We stripped off what goodies and gear we could find – specifically the druid's cudgel (a club with a greenish tinted hunk of granite strapped near the top) with the etched word "Elkstone" on it, a whistle (that made its way into Zoltan pouch), a potion of Tempestskin (something to do with storms – we are REALLY light on alchemists), and some assorted coins - the majority of them being crowns and commons.
We had Amal and Osgar spend time skinning the badger and the leopard (keep in mind – these skins are untreated so will get real stinky soon), and then we cut up the badger (or at least some of the tender portions) for meat. We decided while this was going on to eat lunch (of the fish we swiped from the centaur's camp earlier plus some of our own stuff) and generally rest up. Nothing was following us and we felt comfortable that we could continue on the dense forest after a while.
About 1, we came upon the ivy covered expanse of some long forgotten structure. The forest and elements had torn most of it down, but what did remain was two walls (30' odd feet and 60' odd feet) that were joined together by a sagging floor (maybe 15'+ feet off the ground) and a tired looking roof. A large tree had grown through one of the windows and provided an easy way up to the structure's interior, should we wanted to go. The dwarf (Gwyn) told us that the lines of the place and the style reminded him of a church or temple – but it obviously wasn't dwarven made since it had been falling apart (in his words) so easily.
Zoltan took one for the team and climbed first. Getting high enough, he peered into the lower floor and saw about a dozen spongy and scattered long pews, and the remains of a stone font. There were moss choked symbols of ravens and a one eyed bearded man – which let the party know this was once a place for Odin. Those that had read Dargan's Folly informed us that the priests of Odin had figured largely in the books – so more evidence of us being on the right path.
At the 2nd floor, he could see the floor was really bad – but there were still 3 rooms sort of visible. One could be looked into given the position of the tree – and it might have been a sleeping place long ago – couldn't see the other two. Puck joined him in the tree and volunteered to step off onto the floor. It groaned and moaned – and the party could hear "stuff" falling off below the floor onto the 1st floor below – but it didn't come crashing down.
He gave the 1st room a once over – and saw lots of mice and bugs and ivy and dust and garbage – but nothing of any interest or value. So he went to the 2nd room (more broken and breaking stuff falling to the floor below) and here he saw the mummified remains of a female humanoid with 3 arrows in her body, some old and weather beaten gear, and half a dozen pixie sized winged creatures here in bad shape and cut up. He called out a quick scry and noted the dagger and one of the rings on her hands glowed.
On his attempt to go to the 3rd room, he didn't trust the floor at all and opted to go back to the tree and let Zoltan finish the job – telling him what he had noted on the long dead woman. Zoltan removed his armor, packs, and heavy weaponry to make himself as light as possible, and made his way to the 3rd room – it too was filled with drawers and sleeping pallets – but nothing but mice and dust and filth within. He opted to climb OUTSDIE the building along the stone face to the window by room 2 and go in that way. Once there he stripped the goodies off the dead woman took a look around, and went down to the rest of the party.
Puck came down (with all his gear) and the party discussed what they learned. The woman had 3 rings, one of them (silver with a badly pitted and blackened ruby) magical with the words "Cannith Al Tannoth" written within. A short read magic spell revealed it to be "Ring of Healing". Karis got the ring and enacted it (with the words) – and got a bolt of "feeling better" – and the ruby got more pitted and blackened. Meanwhile Evian was checking out the lower floor (since no one was upstairs anymore) to see if there was anything there of note.
The dagger was more of a utility tool than a weapon (although having 7" of iron shoved into you makes it an effective weapon still) and Gwyn worked at it as best he could until we could read through the grit and rust – the word "Talensia" on the crossguard. She had some coins in her battered pouch, a scattering of coins and denomination – but we noted that all the coins were date stamped between twenty and thirty years ago. And finally, she had a tarnished necklace with a faded oil print of a handsome man within. On the back was the engraving: "To Isola, Remember me on the dark and wild roads. Grath Daernhorse".
We did some discussing for a bit and then the party moved on. We traveled through the thick forest for a good 45 minutes until we came to a natural clearing on a small rise. A voice called out from the other side: "You have come far enough outsiders. The Circle of Thorns does not want you here. Depart now, while you may, in peace. Come further and you will face the limitless fury of Idun, Frey, and the Yggdrasil."
Stepping just into the clearing was a tall, red haired wild elf clad in a breechcloth and wooden bracelets; long scars surrounding his neck. He was flanked by two other wild elves wearing worn leather plates and feather fetishes in their hair. There appeared to be 4 shaggy backed wolves standing with the stoic druids, their teeth bared and tails rigidly upraised behind them. And finally there was a 14' tall, wide backed beetle with a thick green shell, what seemed to be a hardened length of horn in the front, and a set of 4' long mandibles.
The taller wild elf (that we identified as Faranath) ended it simply with, "I will not repeat myself. Go. Now."
That's as good a call to start the fight as anything. The group readied weapons and whatnot, bows and arrows and crossbow bolts and spells. Zoltan did the cloak whip thing and Karis waited long enough for Evian to cast Enlarge on him – swelling the already big half ogre to almost 11' in height and 500 odd pounds! The female druid tried to heat Karis' armor but the knight was able to shift out of the way in time.
And then Faranath dropped a sleet storm on the party and our life went into the crapper. Visibility dropped to 5'and the air was filled with driving cold and snowy rain. Detheron cast Invisibility to Animals on those closest to him (Him, Karis, Amal, and Evian) and the party was given orders to get the hell out of the snow and attack them. We split up, left and right, and half the party began falling and sliding. Eventually Osgar made it out and roared back that the druids were splitting up and attacking. Karis charged forward and slammed into the beetle first who didn’t see him until the sword struck. First blood!
The knight shifted from the sword to the mace he picked up, "Kysoth's Bludgeon" – thinking the ensorcelled mace would do better against the carapaced monster. Faranth struck Karis with an insect swarm and the knight was getting stung and bit and whatnot – his blows weakened and his armor worsened. Smokey joined Osgar at the outside and they got ready to engage the 1st wolf. Zoltan reappeared and tried to backstab the female druid but her skin turned brown and pebbly (like bark) as his weapon struck and the blow was turned aside. Damn.
Meanwhile Puck and Kalarig had made it out and arrows were fired at the other druid who was hanging far enough back – readying a spell. Faranth had taken his staff sling off and got himself something loaded, spinning the weapon around. Karis and the beetle fought on – blows exchanging. Smokey joined the fight with Amal, but the bear fumbled and got knocked out for 4 full rounds of combat – earning many snickers by Fodder. Detheron summoned another hippogriff to help us and the two orcs, hippogriff, and Fodder closed towards the female druid who was fighting with Zoltan – after summoning a wild horse that was kicking frantically at the thief/bard. Zoltan cloak/ported himself away – this time 50' back.
Detheron's wand "Sabrefrost" fired out – sending 7, 9# bowling ball sized chunks of ice to slam into the druidess – and she failed EACH one of her saves – chuckle. She went down with massive head trauma and passed out.
Karis moved backwards into the sleet storm, the 14' tall beetle following. The cold snow and rain drove the insect swarm from him and he was able to fight without trouble once more. Meanwhile Evian took out one of the two wolves on Puck's side, her long sword flashing. Gwyn was readying a poisoned xbow bolt and the 3rd druid made a ball of fire in his hand and then threw it at the party – hitting Evian square on. Kalarig hit the druid with his own arrows! One of them poisoned.
Faranth snarled out, "Let us show you the fury you've unleashed!" and hurled the stone he had prepared in his sling…upward! It soared up, trailing sparks into the afternoon sky, higher and higher until we lost sight of it. The beetle suddenly turned, knocking Karis down with its prodigious bulk, and charged! This time at the hippogriff, Amal, Osgar, and Fodder! The 4 of them took terrible wounds as the beetle charged past. Osgar was near death and the hippogriff was badly hurt. Detheron slapped a quick cure on the wounded orc who readied his hand axe and hurled himself at the slowing beetle's back.
The stone or whatever Faranath hurled into the sky suddenly burst and the sky went from sunshine to storm clouds instantly. 40 mph winds, lightning, driving rain – it all came down suddenly from the Storm Gem and Faranath was laughing, readying another spell. A few arrows were fired but they were ineffective in the wind. The party had to close to hand to hand. Puck launched a magic missile (using another precious scroll) and 3 bolts streaked away. Detheron cast a Call Lightning spell – knowing full well it wouldn't hit for another 10 minutes (but he gets 5 bolts!).
The beetle whirled around and dragged Osgar with it who managed to punch a widening hole in the beetle's back with his axe. Now with a better handhold, the crazed orc began hacking his way INTO the beetle, dragging his body further and further in to find something vital to cut! The beetle grabbed Amal and began to squeeze him, hurting him badly. The other orc whacked at the beetles head, refusing to give up even while being hoisted and whipped about.
The group mopped up the last of the wolves and we charged Faranath who was almost ready to do another spell – throwing themselves on him to spoil his casting. His skin too had that pebbly bark look to it when struck, so many blows were turned. Detheron healed Amal this time, the orc redoubling his effort to crush the weakening beetle's head. And Osgar finally got one foot braced on the INSIDE of the beetle's shell and gave a mighty shove, tearing forward and hacking with his axe. And the beetle fell with a gurgling crash!
Faranath got off a single heal on himself but it was short work for the party to finish him off and take him down and then it was over. Osgar and Amal were very hurt and filthy – but proud of their achievements – hacking off the beetle's mandibles and presenting one to Detheron and Osgar keeping the other. Some heals went around the table to and from Karis, Detheron, Puck, Amal, and Fodder.
A short detect told us what had an enchantment on it and we grabbed another Potion of Tempestskin, some wooden bracers from Faranath, and in his pouch were 11 more sling bullets – 10 normal looking (but magical) and one of them shaped like a 10 sided gem and covered in storm and lightning runes. Whoo hoo! Another Storm Gem.
And then while the storm was raging overhead, a high pitched voice roared out, "FARANATH!!! NOOOOO!!!!" and a stroke of lightning arced from the stormy sky above and slapped into: Karis, Detheron, Puck, Amal, and Fodder. Luckily, Karis was carrying the metal rod we picked up off the orcs near the monolith – it absorbed about half the lightning's blast. However it was enough to really screw up the party (Puck dropped to -3 and fell unconscious).
At the stroke of lightning hitting us, we ended it here.
We can see through the wind and rain there is a black-haired flying sprite pointing at the group, three more wild elves grimly near her with clubs drawn, and another 3 sprites near them all with their hands waving.
Great job everyone. Really well done. It's about 3:15 on Watermonth the 11th and we have maybe 3 hours of daylight left. The party guesses this new figure is Glitterbell (one of the 3 from the Que Eshya tribe that hired us 3rd hand) and we have heard that she is cruel and capricious.
And can apparently Call Lightning too.
Speaking of that – it has been 16 rounds since Detheron CAST his Call Lightning – so by my estimations, he has ONE bolt "in the chamber" and another one on board in 4 more rounds. We'll see what happens when we get back together.
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Meet 30, Adv 5, 6/7/08
Being a DM is sometimes hard and thankless work. A lot of time goes into planning for a game, especially for a campaign - and when you just throw it together, it makes for a lesser experience for the players as well as the DM itself. Too many games collapse under their own ennui after a time.
But a good DM will try to listen to his players. For all of our attempts at doing the right thing, we are not gods. We are not always right. And we don't know everything. If it wasn't for the players showing up and participating - there would be no game.
This was the 1st time in this campaign that i had a player quite openly voice and show his displeasure. Not everyone felt the same way, in fact one of them enjoyed the path and tone of the current adventure - but in this case, the unhappy player needed to be dealt with and done immediately. So I listened.
And by next meeting, I changed a few key points on the rest of the adventure which made it alter from a linear encounter line to a fluid encounter line. More work for me, but I think ultimately, the right..and only...decision a caring DM could possibly make.
Write up follows:
We picked up on Watermonth the 10th, just about 4:15 PM. Leaving the thallid attack and perimeter of the forest behind we drew up into a wide avenue of people and worked our way into the depths of the forest. No other thallids came out, no areas of the ivy or trees snagged out and grabbed at us. We walked on (slowly) for about 15 minutes or so until we came to what seemed to be an old wall bisecting the trees. It was aged and uneven, ranging from 3 to 5 feet tall in places. To the left of where we were there was a section where the stones had been knocked down or torn free, providing an 8' gap in the stones. A red breasted robin was there eating bugs out of the mortared joints.
There was consternation on the safety of this area and Zoltan was voted to snap himself forward and scout it out. He went to the wall away from the gap, and quietly hopped over and began looking around. He was lost to our sight. He circuited the area for a bit but during his walk, something clubbed him in the back of the skull and he went down swiftly; knocked out.
We waited to see Zoltan for 15 minutes and when he didn't return, we thought there was a problem. We began going to go forward when Dehteron called on Frey for some guidance, and noted that there was a bit dug just in front of the gap – and if we walked into it, it would have collapsed. Using his boar spear he spread it open and revealed it, 6' deep and the bottom was covered in a green shredded pile of poison oak, sumac, and ivy. Then arrows shot from the woods and Detheron was struck. Group moved back and we talked on what was going to happen.
Meanwhile, Zoltan had awakened and found himself gagged and tied upside down, dangling from a 20' line, pack and obvious weapons missing, his head 2' off the ground and a bear trap just below him. Lovely. He reached into his belt and began twisting it so his hands behind him could get his hidden blade and began to cut his bonds free.
Group decided to race to the wall and climb over en mass but half of them were stuck fast by a web arrow and the other half got across. Then there was more arrow play and the webs were set ablaze – burning those who were stuck. Zoltan cut his hands free and began climbing up the rope holding him to the tree to the branch above.
Karis went over the wall finally – and stepped in a bear trap. It hurt and his leg was held fast. Detheron tried to go over and he stepped on a bear trap. The orcs ran to help him. Blunt arrow smacked Karis in the head and knocked the half ogre out. Everyone was scanning the forest, arrows held ready, trying to find the elusive bow user. Detheron was freed, and then Karis was freed and awoken. So far we had been hurt and bloodied – but the foe remained hidden. Zoltan had been cut free and climbed down the tree very quietly – missing his pack, weapons – but used his bardic skill and sent a message (quietly) to Karis, telling him that the party should go on, he was going to stay behind and find the guy and he was ok.
Group reconvened and thinking Karis' words as weird, they drew up again into marching order – this time two lines strong, and moved out. Zoltan waited and watched a green cloaked guy drop slowly out of the trees armed with a recurved bow –and with the damned robin fluttering around him. Taking careful aim, he fired a light spell at the guy's armor setting it up like a neon sign and yelled out, "GUYS! HERE! HE'S HERE!!"
Group whirled around with bows already at the ready and let fly. Guy was hit a bunch of times as he sucked down a potion. Smokey charged the man who jumped straight up at the last moment – and kept going up! To a tree branch 25' over head. More arrows were shot and Zoltan fired a sleep spell now – it bounced off the guy but nailed every bird in the tree – and about 30 of them fell down like rain – one of them the robin.
The guy (armor alight) went even higher in the tree and was lost in the leaves. High up he blew a strange whistle and a hundred of birds in nearby trees were made crazy and descended on the group, buffeting them and flapping around them and forcing them to cover their head and face. A few minutes later the birds calmed down and returned to normal – but the ranger had disappeared and we couldn't find him. The guy's robin was found on the floor and we killed it.
After waiting a bit and healing up some hurts, we figured the guy was gone OR was following us (we know we hurt him pretty bad) – and figured we should keep going. The forest remained dense and thick, but we guessed we had an hour and a half of light still. About 25 minutes later we heard a voice shout that we needed to stop and give up our money. 30 2' tall brown skinned spindly men in green hats and clothes made of rags and pelts emerged from the foliage around us in a circle – each one holding a tiny bow with some poison covered arrows.
One more of them came out, moving slowly and tentatively and went to Zoltan first – telling him to drop his bag. Zoltan did and the brownie showed it into a pouch at HIS side – and it went it real deep! Magic! Magical pouch! Then the brownie grabbed Gwyn's and then moved on to Karis'. He was getting frantic and having some problems and threatened to shoot the group should they stop making him get flustered and lose his concentration.
Zoltan then threw safety to the wind and charged the brownie to smack him. Brownie yelled out Fire! Fire! But the arrows that were shot didn't affect most of the group except for the two orcs and Evian who assumed the shafts were real. The group surrounded the brownie who tried to stave off the inevitable with a hasty mirror image spell – but before it could portal itself away, it had been hurt, hacked up, and then finished off by Smokey. Zoltan retuned everyone's pouches and we noted the brownie had some coins of his own in the magical pouch as well as four...I mean two, that's right, two small cut emeralds. That's all Zoltan found in there. Just ask him.
We figured to move on a small amount and then set up camp. We split up watch into 3 sets of 3 and the party got some sleep. About midnight we had this occur:
In the almost solid darkness of the deep night, there is the faintest rustle of turning leaves. The scent of loam and earthy things washes over you briefly as the breeze passes. You hear the minute clatter of twigs tapping as the branches overhead blow into one another and then the sonorous groaning of the heavy trunks shifting against the earth.
But the vibrations continue, and they no longer feel like they come from the passing breezes, but from the ground itself. The vibrations swell suddenly, awakening your friends who start and stare about, eyes wide and searching frantically. The air seems to ripple and like a racing animal it courses away from the heart of the forest and washes over the party like dancing fires over wax.
Somewhere in the distant night, you can hear a wolf's howl followed with a girl's keening scream. Both of them meld together and fade until bit by bit, the night insects emerge once more and fill the quiet vacuum with their symphonic buzzing and cricking.
Nothing else happened and we all eventually woke up the next morning well rested and ready. We broke our fast and readied our spells and moved on out. We stumbled into some thallids – 8 of them, and quickly took them on – however we also noted that the thallids began splitting swiftly and even though we took a few out – we were quickly facing 14 of them. Damn.
Detheron took out Blossombane and activating it, the Thallids suddenly stopped moving. He stood there holding the wand alight while the party shoved the thallids into a pile and began dousing it with oil. The druid began taking damage – first 2, then 4 with some pain, then 6 with more – as the wand grew ragged thorns up and down its length that pushed through the druids hand and was sucking his blood.
Figuring the pile big enough Puck set it ablaze and we let the thallid bodies burn until Detheron stopped the wand's power and relaxed. We healed some hurts and counted ourselves better off – and readied ourselves for more walking.
Came upon a burbling stream next, about 3-4 feet deep, 14' wide. A centaur was in the middle of it, fishing with a net, throwing his catch to a camp he had made up on the other bank. A heavy and long bow was there as well as his own personal belongings. We talked for a bit and sent Puck out to talk with it. It was simple but told Puck that he didn't belong here. No man. Not a place for man. Turn around and leave. Go!
We figured it was a sympathizer with the Circle of Thorns and there were hasty thoughts to plug it and be done. Some poison was being applied to arrows. Zoltan went off to try and get a better position to flank it. Detheron went out next to talk to the centaur. Similar conversation but more of it. Admitted Circle was here. Tehpaguar is doing important work. Just leave, don't understand. The centaur was getting frustrated with Detheron's words and started to walk out of the stream towards its bow when the group shot it. The centaur was really hurt and poisoned badly and it grabbed its own weapon and galloped off sobbing in agony. We couldn't keep up so we went through its camp taking its gear and tah-duh! A potion of Extra-healing. Kudos for us.
We moved on and found a place where the ground seemed to have small 3-4" fires come out of it. It didn't consume the underbrush or give off heat. But the group figured (at Zoltan's behest who was getting frustrated with the forest and began storming ahead and away) to circumvent the area and move out. Beyond that we were surprised by a half dozen thallids who attacked us from behind. Kalarig and Zoltan held off briefly until the bard cloak ported into the tree as the thallids split and then split again.
Now facing 21 of them Puck was using Blossombane (since Detheron was unable to – had used it just before) and the thallids were sent to sleepy land. We shoved them into a pile and more oil was applied and then set on fire. Puck isn't made of as stern stuff as Detheron so the painful wounds were quickly overwhelming the sorcerer who passed out after taking lots of damage. Two of the wounded and burning thallids got up to run away, but Zoltan leapt out of the tree on one of them killing it and Evian hacked the last one to bits with her sword.
We tended to our many hurts and discussed what was coming up. The druids KNOW we are here – they have to. They have been sending thallids against us, we lost a ranger in the beginning who must have gone ahead to report to Tehpaguar and the Circle of who we were and some of our capabilities, and the centaur ran off ahead as well – wounded and poisoned and if he lived – also must have told someone of who we were and what we were doing.
We reshifted the party marching order and Zoltan took point, ears straining to listen. He caught what sounded like buzzing sounds and high pitched voices talking some sort of elvish up ahead – maybe a dozen of them. We circled far to the left and hopefully left the fairies or pixies or sprites behind.
For a while longer, we hacked and stomped our way through the underbrush and thick forest until a voice called out from ahead for us to stop. We have come far enough. Brave we must be. Not a place for man. Identified itself as Xishalan and said he was a member of the Circle of Thorns. Would escort us back to the forest's edge and we would have to give up whatever medallions we had that allowed us to get this far but we couldn't stay. Had to go and now. We figured the druid was invisible but real close – and Zoltan grew cross and began walking forward. Xishalan pleaded not to force his hand, group then all moved as one towards the voice and the druid appeared while casting a spell.
And there was the druid, a snarling leopard, a giant brown coated badger, three hawks, and a 6' long strangely antennaed beetle. And we ended it here.
But a good DM will try to listen to his players. For all of our attempts at doing the right thing, we are not gods. We are not always right. And we don't know everything. If it wasn't for the players showing up and participating - there would be no game.
This was the 1st time in this campaign that i had a player quite openly voice and show his displeasure. Not everyone felt the same way, in fact one of them enjoyed the path and tone of the current adventure - but in this case, the unhappy player needed to be dealt with and done immediately. So I listened.
And by next meeting, I changed a few key points on the rest of the adventure which made it alter from a linear encounter line to a fluid encounter line. More work for me, but I think ultimately, the right..and only...decision a caring DM could possibly make.
Write up follows:
We picked up on Watermonth the 10th, just about 4:15 PM. Leaving the thallid attack and perimeter of the forest behind we drew up into a wide avenue of people and worked our way into the depths of the forest. No other thallids came out, no areas of the ivy or trees snagged out and grabbed at us. We walked on (slowly) for about 15 minutes or so until we came to what seemed to be an old wall bisecting the trees. It was aged and uneven, ranging from 3 to 5 feet tall in places. To the left of where we were there was a section where the stones had been knocked down or torn free, providing an 8' gap in the stones. A red breasted robin was there eating bugs out of the mortared joints.
There was consternation on the safety of this area and Zoltan was voted to snap himself forward and scout it out. He went to the wall away from the gap, and quietly hopped over and began looking around. He was lost to our sight. He circuited the area for a bit but during his walk, something clubbed him in the back of the skull and he went down swiftly; knocked out.
We waited to see Zoltan for 15 minutes and when he didn't return, we thought there was a problem. We began going to go forward when Dehteron called on Frey for some guidance, and noted that there was a bit dug just in front of the gap – and if we walked into it, it would have collapsed. Using his boar spear he spread it open and revealed it, 6' deep and the bottom was covered in a green shredded pile of poison oak, sumac, and ivy. Then arrows shot from the woods and Detheron was struck. Group moved back and we talked on what was going to happen.
Meanwhile, Zoltan had awakened and found himself gagged and tied upside down, dangling from a 20' line, pack and obvious weapons missing, his head 2' off the ground and a bear trap just below him. Lovely. He reached into his belt and began twisting it so his hands behind him could get his hidden blade and began to cut his bonds free.
Group decided to race to the wall and climb over en mass but half of them were stuck fast by a web arrow and the other half got across. Then there was more arrow play and the webs were set ablaze – burning those who were stuck. Zoltan cut his hands free and began climbing up the rope holding him to the tree to the branch above.
Karis went over the wall finally – and stepped in a bear trap. It hurt and his leg was held fast. Detheron tried to go over and he stepped on a bear trap. The orcs ran to help him. Blunt arrow smacked Karis in the head and knocked the half ogre out. Everyone was scanning the forest, arrows held ready, trying to find the elusive bow user. Detheron was freed, and then Karis was freed and awoken. So far we had been hurt and bloodied – but the foe remained hidden. Zoltan had been cut free and climbed down the tree very quietly – missing his pack, weapons – but used his bardic skill and sent a message (quietly) to Karis, telling him that the party should go on, he was going to stay behind and find the guy and he was ok.
Group reconvened and thinking Karis' words as weird, they drew up again into marching order – this time two lines strong, and moved out. Zoltan waited and watched a green cloaked guy drop slowly out of the trees armed with a recurved bow –and with the damned robin fluttering around him. Taking careful aim, he fired a light spell at the guy's armor setting it up like a neon sign and yelled out, "GUYS! HERE! HE'S HERE!!"
Group whirled around with bows already at the ready and let fly. Guy was hit a bunch of times as he sucked down a potion. Smokey charged the man who jumped straight up at the last moment – and kept going up! To a tree branch 25' over head. More arrows were shot and Zoltan fired a sleep spell now – it bounced off the guy but nailed every bird in the tree – and about 30 of them fell down like rain – one of them the robin.
The guy (armor alight) went even higher in the tree and was lost in the leaves. High up he blew a strange whistle and a hundred of birds in nearby trees were made crazy and descended on the group, buffeting them and flapping around them and forcing them to cover their head and face. A few minutes later the birds calmed down and returned to normal – but the ranger had disappeared and we couldn't find him. The guy's robin was found on the floor and we killed it.
After waiting a bit and healing up some hurts, we figured the guy was gone OR was following us (we know we hurt him pretty bad) – and figured we should keep going. The forest remained dense and thick, but we guessed we had an hour and a half of light still. About 25 minutes later we heard a voice shout that we needed to stop and give up our money. 30 2' tall brown skinned spindly men in green hats and clothes made of rags and pelts emerged from the foliage around us in a circle – each one holding a tiny bow with some poison covered arrows.
One more of them came out, moving slowly and tentatively and went to Zoltan first – telling him to drop his bag. Zoltan did and the brownie showed it into a pouch at HIS side – and it went it real deep! Magic! Magical pouch! Then the brownie grabbed Gwyn's and then moved on to Karis'. He was getting frantic and having some problems and threatened to shoot the group should they stop making him get flustered and lose his concentration.
Zoltan then threw safety to the wind and charged the brownie to smack him. Brownie yelled out Fire! Fire! But the arrows that were shot didn't affect most of the group except for the two orcs and Evian who assumed the shafts were real. The group surrounded the brownie who tried to stave off the inevitable with a hasty mirror image spell – but before it could portal itself away, it had been hurt, hacked up, and then finished off by Smokey. Zoltan retuned everyone's pouches and we noted the brownie had some coins of his own in the magical pouch as well as four...I mean two, that's right, two small cut emeralds. That's all Zoltan found in there. Just ask him.
We figured to move on a small amount and then set up camp. We split up watch into 3 sets of 3 and the party got some sleep. About midnight we had this occur:
In the almost solid darkness of the deep night, there is the faintest rustle of turning leaves. The scent of loam and earthy things washes over you briefly as the breeze passes. You hear the minute clatter of twigs tapping as the branches overhead blow into one another and then the sonorous groaning of the heavy trunks shifting against the earth.
But the vibrations continue, and they no longer feel like they come from the passing breezes, but from the ground itself. The vibrations swell suddenly, awakening your friends who start and stare about, eyes wide and searching frantically. The air seems to ripple and like a racing animal it courses away from the heart of the forest and washes over the party like dancing fires over wax.
Somewhere in the distant night, you can hear a wolf's howl followed with a girl's keening scream. Both of them meld together and fade until bit by bit, the night insects emerge once more and fill the quiet vacuum with their symphonic buzzing and cricking.
Nothing else happened and we all eventually woke up the next morning well rested and ready. We broke our fast and readied our spells and moved on out. We stumbled into some thallids – 8 of them, and quickly took them on – however we also noted that the thallids began splitting swiftly and even though we took a few out – we were quickly facing 14 of them. Damn.
Detheron took out Blossombane and activating it, the Thallids suddenly stopped moving. He stood there holding the wand alight while the party shoved the thallids into a pile and began dousing it with oil. The druid began taking damage – first 2, then 4 with some pain, then 6 with more – as the wand grew ragged thorns up and down its length that pushed through the druids hand and was sucking his blood.
Figuring the pile big enough Puck set it ablaze and we let the thallid bodies burn until Detheron stopped the wand's power and relaxed. We healed some hurts and counted ourselves better off – and readied ourselves for more walking.
Came upon a burbling stream next, about 3-4 feet deep, 14' wide. A centaur was in the middle of it, fishing with a net, throwing his catch to a camp he had made up on the other bank. A heavy and long bow was there as well as his own personal belongings. We talked for a bit and sent Puck out to talk with it. It was simple but told Puck that he didn't belong here. No man. Not a place for man. Turn around and leave. Go!
We figured it was a sympathizer with the Circle of Thorns and there were hasty thoughts to plug it and be done. Some poison was being applied to arrows. Zoltan went off to try and get a better position to flank it. Detheron went out next to talk to the centaur. Similar conversation but more of it. Admitted Circle was here. Tehpaguar is doing important work. Just leave, don't understand. The centaur was getting frustrated with Detheron's words and started to walk out of the stream towards its bow when the group shot it. The centaur was really hurt and poisoned badly and it grabbed its own weapon and galloped off sobbing in agony. We couldn't keep up so we went through its camp taking its gear and tah-duh! A potion of Extra-healing. Kudos for us.
We moved on and found a place where the ground seemed to have small 3-4" fires come out of it. It didn't consume the underbrush or give off heat. But the group figured (at Zoltan's behest who was getting frustrated with the forest and began storming ahead and away) to circumvent the area and move out. Beyond that we were surprised by a half dozen thallids who attacked us from behind. Kalarig and Zoltan held off briefly until the bard cloak ported into the tree as the thallids split and then split again.
Now facing 21 of them Puck was using Blossombane (since Detheron was unable to – had used it just before) and the thallids were sent to sleepy land. We shoved them into a pile and more oil was applied and then set on fire. Puck isn't made of as stern stuff as Detheron so the painful wounds were quickly overwhelming the sorcerer who passed out after taking lots of damage. Two of the wounded and burning thallids got up to run away, but Zoltan leapt out of the tree on one of them killing it and Evian hacked the last one to bits with her sword.
We tended to our many hurts and discussed what was coming up. The druids KNOW we are here – they have to. They have been sending thallids against us, we lost a ranger in the beginning who must have gone ahead to report to Tehpaguar and the Circle of who we were and some of our capabilities, and the centaur ran off ahead as well – wounded and poisoned and if he lived – also must have told someone of who we were and what we were doing.
We reshifted the party marching order and Zoltan took point, ears straining to listen. He caught what sounded like buzzing sounds and high pitched voices talking some sort of elvish up ahead – maybe a dozen of them. We circled far to the left and hopefully left the fairies or pixies or sprites behind.
For a while longer, we hacked and stomped our way through the underbrush and thick forest until a voice called out from ahead for us to stop. We have come far enough. Brave we must be. Not a place for man. Identified itself as Xishalan and said he was a member of the Circle of Thorns. Would escort us back to the forest's edge and we would have to give up whatever medallions we had that allowed us to get this far but we couldn't stay. Had to go and now. We figured the druid was invisible but real close – and Zoltan grew cross and began walking forward. Xishalan pleaded not to force his hand, group then all moved as one towards the voice and the druid appeared while casting a spell.
And there was the druid, a snarling leopard, a giant brown coated badger, three hawks, and a 6' long strangely antennaed beetle. And we ended it here.
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