Melestrua's Mystara | Adventure Log

Karameikos Session 13: 7th May 2018

Void cultists and ice storms

In the last session, we left our intrepid crew, weakened from fighting goblins, an ogre and a half-ogre, being attacked by some strange corrupted goblins who spat corrosive spit and had tentacles instead of hands. They didn’t do huge amounts of damage with each attack, but they seemed very hard to kill, and just as the team managed to kill the first one, they started to get attacked by rays of frost shooting down the corridor.

Bear slammed the door shut and held it desperately while the others tried to find another way out, but to no avail. There was no chimney – the smoke just escaped through cracks in the rock, and there were no other exits. The party were trapped.

And now the door was getting extremely cold…

With a crack, it shattered and the cultists on the other side restarted their attack while Sar laughed from the other end of the corridor “thank you for your service, guys…and here’s your reward…ha, ha, ha”.

Desperately trying to avoid the rays of frost, the group finished off the corrupted goblins and then started to charge up the corridor. With a whoosh, a curtain of sleet came down and filled the corridor, making the going extremely treacherous. Everyone except Reed fell over. The characters tried desperately to rush up the corridor to attack Sar, but were extremely hampered by the conditions which left them stumbling and falling over more often than not, and desperately slow in the difficult terrain when they were able to make any progress.

Eventually Miroslav broke through the edge of the sleet storm and saw Sar disappearing up the corridor. He gave chase while Sergi was the next to make it out and follow.

Sar slammed the door of his chapel in Miroslav’s face, so Miroslav tried to kick it down, gaining only a sore leg for his efforts. Sergi caught up and turned the handle – it wasn’t locked… At this point the sleet storm ended so the others were also able to make progress and give chase.

Miroslav and Sergi burst in to be again attacked with rays off frost from Sar holding some sort of amulet. This put Miroslav on the floor, but the others managed to overcome Sar. They rushed over to try to stabilise and question him, but it was too late.

Reed stabilised Miroslav and then Sergi healed him while Bear and Reed investigated Sar’s corpse. Rummaging on his body, they discovered the amulet, which appeared to be a portion of a snowflake worked so it could be hung around the neck on a thong. Someone (I think Bear) took it, and all made their way out and back towards the entrance.

When they came near the room with the hole in the middle, they heard footsteps and voices, so stopped. They saw a train of female and young goblins carrying packs heading away towards the entrance. It seemed the goblins had decided to abandon the place and find somewhere to start afresh.

And there we leave them, as the last of the goblins disappear along the corridor…

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MAY/2018

Karameikos Session 12: 16th April 2018

The big battle

After a good night’s rest, guarded by Sar’s guides, the party were woken and told to come because it was a good time to attack. Sar led them along the corridor and pointed out the side corridor leading to the Ogre’s sleeping chambers. He then encouraged the characters down.

The characters were wary of treachery, but sneaked down and listened at the door; nothing. Yunan opened the door cautiously to find another door beyond and another the side. Taking a guess, he listened at the door opposite and heard snores. The party prepared to sneak in and attack. Yunan managed to open the door and sidle in without any disturbance, and the others followed. In the dim glow of a fire they saw an irregularly-shaped room with piles of furs around a long, low table heaped with food and drink. Yunan, Bear, Sergi, Miroslav and Thia had got into the room when one of the bundles of furs stirred, sat up and saw them – it was a large female goblin. She shouted out to wake the others and attacked.

Two other goblins also roused and joined the attack, and then a round later, so did a large ogre. Sergi managed to disable the ogre with Tasha’s Hideous Laughter while the others attacked the goblins. It was an awkward space for everyone to get in, so Thia and Reed remained near the doorway firing arrows and firebolts respectively. It was eerie fighting to the sound of hysterical laughter from the ogre, but he carried on laughing despite taking some major damage from Sergi and Bear, until finally (distinctly wounded) he shook off the spell and entered the fray. Yunan tried to acrobatically jump over Bear, but it didn’t work very well. And just as the goblins were start to succumb, the door burst open and 4 more goblins and a half-ogre entered the fray, laying into Thia and Reed particularly who were near the door.

The half-ogre went beserk when his father (the ogre) was killed and really started laying about in anger, but eventually the pressure of the attack from the party finished off the others leaving him the only one standing and badly wounded, at which point he broke and fled up the corridor. Conn leapt over to land prone on the floor behind Bear (who was by now standing in the doorway) and fired an arrow between Bears legs, hitting the half-ogre in the back and killing him.

Peace…apart from the pools of blood… They started to explore the room.

The tapestries were worthless, but there was a large chest in the room. Unfortunately it was securely locked and attempts to break in failed. Time to look for a key. They didn’t manage to find one among the furs and debris on the floor and table. They didn’t find one in the side room where the half-ogre had obviously been billeted, although they did find a pile of skulls, and on the corpses they found a total of 52sp and 29gp, plus a pair of golden earrings and assorted jewellery. Eventually Sergi thought to poke around in the fire and found a secret compartment with a key.

Once it had cooled, they tried it in the chest and it fitted! Inside were the riches of the goblin tribe – 975cp, 497sp, 296gp, 19pp, a golden necklace set with 4 translucent yellow gems, thieves tools in a soft black leather pouch bearing the initials A.H, a long tapered wand of white willow engraved with runes and a treasure map.

They were just investigating the chest and deciding how best to transport the contents when they heard footsteps and some strangely twisted goblins appeared at the door and attacked, spitting corrosive spit and with tentacles instead of hands. To be continued…

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APR/2018

Darokin Session 5: 17-18 Ambyrmont

A Lantern and a Chase

There was a “crack” and Orodreth disappeared.

The others looked around, but he was nowhere to be found, so they continued along the corridor and came to a door. Peering through the keyhole, they realised this was the room where Ylva and Kobe had been standing guard, so they knocked and were let in.

It was time to interrogate Ragnar, who didn’t seem perturbed to be tied up and trapped. He obviously knew Kobe and started asking her why she was interfering in a job from the gang. Kobe gave as good as she got, pointing out that Ragnar obviously wasn’t so great if he had managed to be out-smarted by the “inexperienced” group.

Meanwhile, Ylva and The Monk were investigating the chests in this room – foodstuffs, equipment and a barrel of beer – and Asmund and Sergi were investigating the room next door. It was obviously where Ragnar and at least some of the orcs had been sleeping. This also had a couple of chests. One again contained clothing and equipment, the other one contained books (101 uses for a Dead Kobold, by Arkon Deguul, Basic Armour Maintenance by Hamgor Koplig, Beer and How to Drink It by Troipgan Beermeister, _Irritating Pointy Ears by Orgud Smashbane and Horror in the Monstery, by Shuldur Terroft), a polished skull with the same eye design carved into it as into the orcs’ medallions, and a smaller chest.

Asmund flicked through Horror in the Monastery but it didn’t appeal. He and Sergi then tried opening the chest – teak, with brass bindings and a solid lock with a brass skull design, but failed.

Taking it back into the other room, they spoke with the others. Kobe had been investigating Ragnar’s pouch, and found a key in it, so Asmund tried opening the chest’s lock. It worked, but he got hit with a poison dart which put him out of action, so Kobe started rummaging in the chest and helping herself to the gold and silver inside. Sergi spotted the pearls in a pouch, so they tried putting them into the eye sockets of the skull in case it was magical, but nothing happened.

Along with the treasure were a hexagonal lantern with golden structure and crystal-clear panes; each triangular top panel had a different dragon design on it. There were also an assortment of pieces of parchment.

All that effort for nothing. I suppose it’s ironic. All that way, all those clues solved, after stabbing Treimon in the back when he wasn’t looking after he’d disclosed everything he knew, and now I’m stuck in here.
I can’t get out unless someone comes along to rescue me, but the only person who knew where I am now is Treimon, and he’s not in a fit condition to help, even if he would. I feel like the victim of some cosmic joke by a trickster deity.

Head west to the ruined watermill. Cross the river then follow the path up the cliff and southwest across the moor and through the forest until you come to the ruined keep. There is a stronghold in the basement with provisions where you can wait until we can meet you. We will know when you have arrived. Watch out for the dragon!

and

I had to do it didn’t I? I thought my skills would easily be sufficient for the task – the prize was so great after all. A treasure of vast worth, one which would enable me to retire to a life of permanent luxury. How mistaken I was. Even now I can feel the foul magics I accidentally invoked coursing through my body, gradually destroying it. I do not have much time left now. Do not go after the treasure yourself; you will only come to regret it, as I have, for what little will remain of your life afterwards.

Norgan, We have had reports that miners have stumbled across something in one of the shafts. It looks as if they have uncovered ancient ruins of some type. I do not recognise the architecture, nor can I tell whether these ruins were once on the surface but have since been buried. I’d appreciate your expert opinion on this, at the usual rate. I could find someone else if you lack the time, but I feel that you would be the best choice. Thorn Addercliff.

I have heard of and am impressed by your skills. I am a collector of unusual artefacts, and I would like to hire you to recover one for me. Although the artefact is located in a place that is dangerous to explore, which is why I require one of your skills, I have full faith that this task is within your capabilities. Of course, you will be paid handsomely for completing this task
Should you be interested, ask my servant, who has given you this missive, for directions to my manor in order that we can discuss the matter further. Lord Dragton.

The Lord is loaded. Get this right and it could be the start of very profitable relationship.
We have obtained Ansel’s schedule – divert him to Rennydale, do the extraction and then reinforcements will appear at Mydstep Keep.
M

Ragnar refused to divulge anything about those letters, or who Lord Dragton might be.

There was also a schedule, which looked to match the travel plan of the caravan, and one of the characters realised that it finished with “17 Ambyrmont – reinforcements arrive at Mydstep Keep” which explained why Ragnar seemed so calm. Discussing amongst themselves, they realised it was already the 17th of Ambyrmont, and at that moment there was a knock on the door and a gruff voice called out.

The Monk called out and tried to stall them, while everyone else piled whatever they could against the door – including Horace and his plate armour – then the team scarpered out the other door and up another staircase which brought them out at the back of the keep. Peering in, they realised there were maybe 20 orcs gathered in the courtyard, so they sneaked off round the side and headed round back to the path further along, taking Ragnar with them as a prisoner.

They managed to avoid any significant encounters on the way back through the forest (apart from an owlbear who saw them and ran) and spent the night where they had camped before, but crossing the moor, they were met by a large brownish dragon. The dragon asked them about the magic item they had which it had sensed, and after a few attempts, they showed it the lantern, which the dragon named as “Miruval’s Orb of Seeing” and asked if they had the coloured screens for it. When they said “no”, it seemed disappointed. It said it was the victim of a magical wasteland left by a magical battle, and let them continue (with the lantern) as long as they tried to discover the root of the magical wasteland and cure it, and the dragon said the lantern would be an important part of this; however it didn’t know where to find the panels.

Kobe (who had been determined to slit Ragnar’s throat all the way) then chucked Ragnar at the dragon as a meal, and the dragon picked him up in its claws and flew off.

The group made their way back to Rennydale, where Ansel was impressed and relieved to see the lantern back (although The Monk insisted on looking after it). He invited the group to join his caravan as guards the next day, making their way to Glantri.

While all this had been happening, Orodreth had found himself displaced to above-ground again just as the orcs were arriving. By the time he worked his way round them and followed the group, he wasn’t able to catch up until they reached Rennydale.

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APR/2018

Karameikos Session 11: 2nd April 2018

Down among the goblins again

Having concluded there was nothing more to learn in the tower, the team headed to the keep and the caves below, thinking both of possibly clearing out the goblins for good and also find the flake mentioned in the scrap of parchment.

There were only 3 goblins on guard this time; 2 were dispatched, but the other one ran away down the far corridor. After a bit of discussion they decided to follow (cautiously). They extinguished your lights to avoid alerting anyone to their presence and sneaked in. The corridor turned to the left, and then the space opened out. Yunan just managed to avoid falling down a hole in the middle, so after that everyone kept carefully to the edges.

Since they had already explored the right-hand opening with the goblin common room, this time they headed down the left-hand corridor instead. A short way along, they came across a door on the right. Listening at it they heard a rumble of voices, so gleefully burst in…to find these were not goblins but two bugbears. They were playing cards and were not pleased to be disturbed.

There then ensued a mighty battle which involved at least one character on the verge of death (from a single mighty blow), but the team eventually triumphed.

As they were gathering their breath they heard the sound of marching feet in the corridor. Quick-thinking Yunan closed the door, and the marching feet went past heading towards the entrance. Once it was quiet outside again, they sneaked out along the corridor in the other direction, further in. They came to one door, but heard voices so decided to continue. Another door was silent; they entered quietly, to find themselves confronted by goblins with bows trained on them. One of them called out and an incredibly ugly goblin in a dirty robe appeared.

He spoke decent Traladaran and asked the characters what they were doing. He then told them the goblins were enslaved by an Ogre, and asked the characters’ help in killing the Ogre and freeing the goblins. Since that was what the characters were there to do, they negotiated and agreed. The goblin said his name was Sar and he was the religious guide of the goblins. Looking around, the room was obviously some sort of shrine; there were eldritch symbols on the walls and an altar at the far end. The characters feigned interest in the symbols (although Reed was able to tell them that the symbols were just gibberish) in order to butter up Sar.

Sar offered to let the characters rest in this room, and to tell them when the Ogre was sleeping because that would be the best time to attack. When there was a knock on the door and another goblin asked if he had seen any intruders he said not, and the party were able to get a good rest.

And there we leave them for another night…

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APR/2018

Darokin Session 4: 17 Ambyrmont 998 (part 2)

Newcomers

Asmund came across the ruined fort in the woods, and started to investigate. He was particularly interested in the remains of the orc.

Orodreth was similarly passing through the forest, looking for a rumoured place where nature has been twisted. He happened to come across the ruin, and after watching Asmund for a bit, he stepped out and introduced himself and asked about Asmund.

Aestas Luceat was heading towards the ruins to make camp when his raven saw smoke, so he sent his raven ahead to check it out. The other two didn’t see the raven flying overhead.

The Monk headed up the stairs to obey the call of nature, leaving Ylva and Kobe on guard over Ragnar and over Horace’s corpse. Coming back, he heard Asmund and Orodreth talking, so went to see who they were. He explained that he was part of the group who had killed the orc and that his friends were below.

At this point Aestas came out of the trees and joined them, and the group started exploring the areas The Monk hadn’t seen before.

Asmund nearly fell down a hole covered by undergrowth; nearby they came across an overgrown staircase winding down, so they followed it. It led to a flooded chamber below, lit by daylight streaming down through the overgrown hole Asmund had nearly fallen down. Orodreth, who was leading, didn’t fancy getting wet, so The Monk led the way, followed by Asmund and Aestas, and Orodreth eventually allowed himself to be persuaded to join them. As they made their way across the room, chest-deep in water, first Asmund and then The Monk slipped in the slime and debris on the floor. Aestas and Asmund felt things brushing against them, but it wasn’t clear what.

Then Asmund spotted a gleam in a heap of rubbish in the far corner, waded towards it and started climbing the pile. it soon became clear what the things brushing against them were, as the snakes who lived there attacked to defend their nest.

A battle ensued, made harder for the group by the treacherous footing. Orodreth called for everyone to get out of the water, and cast Shocking Grasp into the water. The Monk managed to stay out of the water by holding himself up between two walls on a doorway passageway, Aestas and Asmund managed to get out next to Orodreth, and the snakes were shocked out of the water and then dived for their home. It didn’t take much longer to finish them off, however, and Asmund managed to climb the mound and found that the gleam was coming from a diamond embedded in the muck on the top.

They then exited through the door where The Monk had managed to hold himself up out of the water. This brought them near to the place where the others were guarding Ragnar, but The Monk felt like exploring further, so they passed it by and went along the corridor to the opposite end, taking a door on the same side which led into an old set of storage rooms. These had rotted barrels and storage boxes which had obviously at one time held foodstuffs, but equally obviously it had been a very long time ago, and even the wood of the barrels and boxes was completely rotten, leaving only some small animal bones on the floor. However, there was a dim glow from the opposite end of the set of rooms.

Going nearer, they saw the walls and ceiling of the final chamber were covered in mushrooms of different colours, many of them glowing faintly.

There then followed some fun with mushrooms, which involved The Monk going beserk, then getting depressed, getting blissed out and getting ill from too many mushrooms. Others also got involved, but more circumspectly. After harvesting a few for later, the group discovered that passing the mushrooms led them back to the flooded room, so they headed in the other direction and, after an altercation with a giant spider, found some dead bodies and a live one wrapped up. Sergi decided to cut the live body free, and it turned out to be an orc who took advantage of being freed to try to escape. A quick blow by The Monk stopped him again, and they tied him up.

And at that point we stopped for the night.

Special thanks to Heroic Maps for the inspiration and map on which this session was based – the Dungeons of Mydstep Keep (map of the month March 2018).

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MAR/2018

Karameikos Session 10: 5th March 2018

The tower has been overrun

After patching yourselves up after the gnoll ambush (particularly Ivan, who got the nasty arrow hit right at the start and had to spend the rest of the battle dodging around from inside the cart) you headed on up the road towards the keep.

When you got to the turn-off, you heard a weak call from up in the branches of a tree. It was a very injured, exhausted guy who introduced himself as Conn, and recognised Yunan and Bear from the tower. He was one of the people living in the tower with Firean. He said the goblins and their leader had attacked and killed or run them all off. He had survived by hiding in the well, and then when he got out and tried to run away he was attacked in the woods and only managed to escape by climbing the tree. By the time the creature left, he was too weak to come down on his own.

Sergi climbed up to help him down, and after slipping down the final 10’ (Bear caught Conn, Miroslav and Reed dropped Sergi) you decided to take him back to Threshold for healing and to collect your fee. You went back and stayed a couple of nights to allow everyone to recover a bit. Clifton Caldwell paid you for the escort duty, and you bade farewell to Grygory and Ivan, then you decided to head back to the keep to try to finish off the business – along with Conn.

Conn said they were mercenaries who did assorted jobs, and that they hadn’t understood Firean’s obsession with staying in the tower next to the goblins, but she had been talking about some sort of item and insisted they remain.

Once you got to the castle, you investigated the tower, with Conn as guide. The signs of the battle were everywhere. The lock had been shattered as if brittle, and there were dead goblins and dead residents on all levels, culminating in the body of Firean on the roof with an arrow through her throat. The dormitory had obviously been quite a hot battle…or maybe cold based on the temperature of some of the corpses. Not just deathly cold, but actively icy.

Digging through Firean’s papers, you found a scrap talking about the “six flakes of Traldar” with a note suggesting there was one in the depths of Ironwolf’s Keep.

And that’s where we left it. All that’s left is to head down and clear out the goblins…

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MAR/2018

Darokin Session 3: 17 Ambyrmont 998

Farewell Horace

Last time: the path brought you along to a ruined keep buried in the forest. As you approached, a javelin came flying out from the wall of the keep, striking (I think) Kade. She dived into the bushes, and Horace strode out instead. He was also attacked, and Fonkin took advantage of the distraction to climb up a crumbling section of wall to look over. A running battle took place, and eventually you overpowered the orc in the corner. Horace had to be restrained from just slicing him to pieces; eventually The Monk had to knock him out and you tied him up round a corner while you interrogated the orc.

The orc wasn’t willing to talk, but when The Monk pretended the wall was telling him about where Ragnar was, the orc gave away that there were others and Ragnar was downstairs. At that point Horace was released and sliced him to pieces, with Fonkin trying to fire firebolts at him (he caught Horace with one of them, which really annoyed Horace).

You decided to just sit about, and noticed a patch of wild garlic against a wall. Approaching, you heard a squeaky voice, which Ylva understood as saying (in Sylvan) “Mind my garden” – she passed this on. Fonkin approached the baboons to see if they had anything to say. They were wary and didn’t approach very close. You also noticed a dead baboon in the wild garlic patch; the Alliumite confirmed to Ylva that it had killed the baboon because it was damaging the plants.

While you were resting, a bear wandered in. Fonkin threw some rations over its head, which it followed and ate, then wandered off again.

You headed down a winding staircase, and found a corridor with lights along it. Working your way along it, you came to a door, which you barged into. Behind that were a brawny man and several orcs. It didn’t go well – Horace breathed his last, Fonkin and The Monk also got taken out, although both of them recovered quickly. Gradually you finished off the orcs, and in the end Fonkin managed to put Ragnar to sleep. You ran in and checked Horace but it was too late. You tied up Ragnar to make sure he couldn’t escape and there we left it.

Special thanks to Heroic Maps for the inspiration and maps on which this session was based – the Ruins and Dungeons of Mydstep Keep (map of the month March 2018) – and in particular for providing an early version for use before official publication.

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FEB/2018

Karameikos Session 9: 5th Feb 2018

Gnoll ambush!

As you were heading up the road from Verge back towards Threshold, you were ambushed by gnolls. The very first arrow almost took Ivan out of the picture straight away, but he ducked into the cart. A pitched battle followed, including sharp shooting from Grygory which finally put paid to the leader up in the tree, a solid attack by one of the horses which took out a hyena, and a levitated gnoll. Three gnolls broke and ran (one of them getting felled as he did so), so you were left holding the field with 4 dead gnolls and 2 dead hyenas (and quite a few wounds…).

Miroslav managed to follow the trail left by the two escaping gnolls for a little bit, but since it seemed to be following a straight line (i.e. not looping back on itself), and you were all hurt, you decided not to risk giving chase.

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FEB/2018

Darokin Session 2: 15-16 Ambyrmont 998

Crossing the river

So you took back the carts, only to be accused of having stolen something (as well as having damaged one of them). The bales of tobacco were deranged, and Ansel said there was something missing and accused you of having stolen it. After you proclaimed innocence, he hesitated then took you into his confidence. He had been carrying a special item with powers against an evil which is rising in the broken lands of the humanoids. He had been carrying it in a secret compartment in the tobacco wagon, so didn’t know how Ragnar had known about it or where to find it.

You took the hint and headed back off after Ragnar. A few hours upstream from the camp site, you came upon a tumbledown building next to a river crossing. You ventured into the building, and disturbed first a swarm of bats, then some frogs (as The Monk charged through a rotten door and measured his length in a puddle the other side). Fonkin ventured upstairs and fell through the rotten ceiling. Meanwhile Ylva and Horace had discovered a pile with some red points of light gleaming out of it. Fonkin came in and tried talking to it; it turned out to be a giant rat which was happy to talk back to Fonkin. It said there had been some big people, bad smelling, staying. Fonkin then insulted it by calling it his small friend (it was 2 foot tall) and offering him herbs (it preferred meat or cheese). When Fonkin tried to persuade it to follow along, It headed off, encountering Kade, who had discovered that the wall between the two sides had a hole in. It ran off.

While this had been happening, The Monk had found a camp site with a fireplace where the embers weren’t yet cold, and some indication that several human-sized figures had slept there. Kade had found a store cupboard with some rope and barrels of rotten, chewed and spoiled food.

Ylva headed up the stairs and, learning from Fonkin’s mistake, headed carefully across the floor, following some footprints. She found a scrap of parchment with details of the timing of the caravan, including the arrival in Rennydale two days earlier. On her way back, she strayed off the safe path and put her foot through the floor/ceiling (startling Horace and Fonkin who were below) but managed to catch herself. The Monk came rushing over to help, but actually just succeeded in shaking the floor as she got herself loose.

There being nothing else of note in the building, you headed outside and noticed footprints which led from the path to the door and then back along the wharf a bit before stopping next to a bollard. Looking across the river (which was about 40’ across at this point) you saw a boat on the other side. It was tied up to a wharf at the foot of the cliff. There was also a wooden building nestled against the cliff on the left, and a winding stairway/path up the cliff to the top. The space under the cliff had been worn away by the river in years earlier, providing a sheltered area under the rock.

Horace tried throwing a grappling hook over to the boat to pull it in, but it only reached half way.

Kade tried putting the grappling hook into her crossbow, but it didn’t fit. She then had the idea of tying a rope to the bolt and firing it across the river – first thought was to try to hit it into the boat, but then you thought better of that in case you sank the boat, and she fired it at the wooden building instead. It hit and dug in, and you had a rope across.

Fonkin tried swimming across holding onto the rope, but lost his grip in the current and got swept away. Fortunately Ylva managed to throw him a rope and pull him back again.

He tied the rope on this time and tried again. Again he lost his grip on the rope and was swept away.

Ylva took the second rope and tied it on and gave it a go – and she made it across. She untied the rope and got into the boat with it, and Horace pulled her and the boat back to your side. Ylva, Fonkin, The Monk and Kade went across together, using another rope to pull on, then Horace pulled the boat back and went over on his own (he didn’t trust it to carry all of them). The Monk tied the boat up again where it had been.

Looking in the building there wasn’t much except some oars and a few pallets (Kade hid the oars), and under the overhang there were a couple of places where people had obviously made fires, and some rough walls. The group spent the night in the building.

In the morning, you had another look round, then headed up the stairs/path to the top of the cliff. You made it without incident, and found moorland with what looked like a simple animal track heading out. Following this track, you saw occasional marks of humanoid feet and footwear. After a couple of hours, the moorland gave way to trees and the forest. You saw a family of elk, but let them be, and then a rusty brown flying lizard. You kept under cover and after a while it dived down towards an area in the distance diagonally to your left.

The path came to the edge of the woods again and passed alongside more moorland, and a few hours later you heard the sounds of battle. Following those sounds you came across about 50 warriors in pitched battle…but you could see right through them and they didn’t notice you. Kade ran across, and right through them without any effect. Fonkin managed to recognise one of the devices on one of the shields as being from ancient history – maybe 500 years ago. After a bit the warriors faded out and were gone as if they had never existed, leaving no trace behind on the heather.

It was getting dark, so shortly afterwards you made camp for the night. Screeches disturbed your meal time, but nothing further happened until you were settling down to sleep. Ylva had taken the first watch, and the others were in the tents, when a huge figure pounced on her out of the darkness, giving her a surprise and a nasty bite. Its screech and hers together woke the rest, and while she retreated, the others spilled out of their tents. The Monk tapped it with his quarterstaff and a kick, and Fonkin tried to put it to sleep – which had no effect. Kade stumbled out of the tent and hit it with an arrow, and then it took a huge swipe at The Monk with its claws and left him a bleeding wreck on the ground.

Horace rushed over and gave him the stabilising touch. Ylva took a shot with her arrow, The Monk ran round behind it…and missed with the quarterstaff but hit with the unarmed punch. Kade got another hit in, and it ran off. Although you had a look you couldn’t see where it had gone, and you decided not to give chase…

So, 50xp for returning the wagons, 150 for your investigations in the ruined house, 400 for getting across the river and 700 for routing the owlbear gives a total of 1300xp for the session. Split between 5 gives 260xp each, which added to your 35 each from last time leaves you on 295xp…tantalisingly close to the 300xp for level 2…

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JAN/2018

Karameikos Session 8 - 22-Jan-2018

Decoy caravan to Verge

Training finished (Sergi’s trainer had finally persuaded him he didn’t have to play ALL the time), the group reassembled at Clifton’s ready for the caravan. They had two covered wagons, and put boards up the sides inside for extra protection from missiles. The wagons were filled with turnips, and Clifton provided a couple of his normal guards to join them. And they set off. Yunan and Reed keeping to the sides of the road so they might go unnoticed.

The first few hours travel were fairly uneventful, but when they were passing some scrubland, Yunan noticed some movement in the gorse bushes – they were shaking and then falling down. The group got ready for an ambush…but were not expecting giant ants the size of house cats with throbbing green abdomens and green liquid dripping from their mandibles.

The ants immediately attacked with bite and spit, and when the team finished off the first one they discovered these ants had a nasty final surprise – they burst in a final spray of acid. One of the guards got very badly bitten and was gasping his last when Yunan healed him. Miroslav had a nasty moment when his weapon flew completely out of this hands straight towards Reed…but Reed managed to catch it and throw it back!

The ants took quite a bit of killing, but eventually all four were dead and the team could bind their wounds and continue, leaving behind the blackened vegetation where the acid splatters had hit.

The rest of the day was uneventful, and they camped in their usual campsite. The night was quiet as well, until around 5am when Reed was on duty the moon turned blood red. He woke up Yunan and asked his opinion of what this omen meant, and Yunan said in Ylaruam it was considered a sign that someone was about to die. At which point the moon reverted to its normal colour. Disconcerted, the pair of them stayed up the rest of the night, but nothing more untoward happened.

Next morning, the team broke camp early and headed out. As they came to the turning to Ironwolf’s Keep, they got the guards to stop pretending to check on the horses and have a brew while they waited for attack…an attack which never came. After an hour the guards insisted they move on, saying there was barely time to get to Verge before dark.

And so it proved – in fact it was already dark when they followed the road twisting down out of the hills and across the final stretch to where Verge stood on the other side of a small ravine. They crossed the bridge, passed the entry check, and headed to the Caldwell’s Cauldrons outlet and staging post. They chatted a bit with Maria, the woman in charge, asking about Ironwolf’s Keep. She knew about the keep but not that it was occupied, though she did comment that she had noticed lights flashing out that way at night sometimes. She was more worried about gnolls, and explained that was why Verge had such heavy fortifications. They then helped to unload the turnips and load up with the load of glassware and crockery which they were to take back. Having done that, Maria offered them a place to kip down on some hay and a basic stew. Sergi wandered round to the Fox and Grapes next door for a beer, and Miroslav wandered around exploring.

And there we leave it for another night…

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JAN/2018

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Jan 29, 2018