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TOPIC: R3: Princes of the Apocalypse continued.

R3: Princes of the Apocalypse continued. 8 years 3 weeks ago #1229

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DISCUSSION THREAD

PRINCES OF THE APOCALPYSE (CONTINUATION)



SESSION EIGHT

21 Mirtul 1491 DR

Riverguard Keep.
Without a small boat the party is unable at this time to follow the course of the underground river. Heading back to the courtyard the party encounters two martial characters, a half-drow named Hend’rixz Slade and a wood elf named Ellass; the latter was seeking his brother Alfalas. Poor Alfalas had been buried earlier that same day.

All the characters join together and Hend’rixz suggests they head for the shelter of a nearby hall for rest and provisions. The party crossed the river in the keelboat, the Rivermaid, and concealed it in a reed bank. Having rested for most of the day, which was unseasonably hot and sunny, the party set out in the late afternoon.

The trek to Summit Hall would take until next morning. In the fading evening light the party’s journey was interrupted by earth tremors – followed by the emergence from the ground of a pair of ankhegs.

Summit Hall
Originally founded as a monastery, Summit Hall is home to an order named the Knights of Samular. The order consists primarily of Paladins of Tyr. The head of the order, Lady Ushien Stormbanner, greeted Hend’rixz with an enthusiastic hug and the words “Welcome home my son". The Lady is a charismatic human female, fair complexion, blonde hair and looks much younger than her sixty years. The party is offered sanctuary at Summit Hall.

After lunch there was an audience with Lady Ushien who was keen to hear news from abroad. She in turn had information to impart: The missing Miribar delegation was indeed bringing the body of a knight to be interred with full honours at Summit Hall. Her men had found evidence of a struggle in the nearby hills, dead Miribar guards, air cultists and two bodies dressed in robes and wearing gilded tin masks. The latter two she recognised as monks of the Sacred Stone Monastery. Her knights have since been keeping a vigil over the Sacred Stone Monastery to observe comings and goings.

For now the party has more pressing matters to consider. Orc raids along the eastern frontier.

The Eastern Frontier
For several weeks now, the Iceshield Orcs have been raiding ranches, farms and homesteads along the eastern frontier of the Dessarin Valley. Lady Ushien wastes no time in encouraging the party to head east to offer protection to the innocent. After a few days rest at Summit Hall the party embarks upon a journey east across the wild lands.

The journey is mostly through open country, punctuated by low lying hills and woodland copses. The weather remains unsettled and unpredictable; rapidly changing from clear sunny skies, to low lying mists, rain and winter winds to dry sunny days. On the third night of the journey the party sits around the campfire when they become aware of the glint of staring eyes all around them in the darkness. The wolf pack attacks and is finally beaten back. Everyone survives but some are left to lick their wounds.



End session: Award 500XP. Total: 3,460 XP level 4.
"Gentlemen, we're in the stickiest situation since Sticky the stick insect got stuck on a sticky bun" - Capt. E. Blackadder.
Last Edit: 6 years 11 months ago by Sarge.
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R2: Princes of the Apocalypse continued. 8 years 2 weeks ago #1256

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SESSION NINE

03 Kythorn 1491 DR

The Burning Farm

Arriving on the eastern frontier in the area of the orc raids, the party spots a column of smoke. Hurrying over a ridge the party see a small farmstead in the valley, the buildings are aflame and some of the livestock are panicked in their corals.

Viggi kicked in the door of the farmhouse and rescued a half unconscious half-elf from the burning room. Hendrix’z entered also to search for any other persons inside, he was beaten back by the acrid smoke, and intense heat of the flames.

The farmer, Selwyn was clinging to life and had obviously received a beating before being left for dead in the farmhouse. His wife Maygan and two farmhands were missing, taken by orcs along with his cart and many of his belongings.

The party set out following the trail of bots and cart wheels in the mud which was beginning to soften after the early morning frost. It did not take long to catch up with their quarry. Maygan was in the back of the cart with the loot and the two farmhands were yoked to the cart, they had dropped to the ground exhausted by their forced efforts to pull the cart. The party engaged the orcs and defeated them after a short but furious melee.

The farmers advised the party that many of the locals were congregating at the Dellmon family ranch in the next valley to fortify themselves against orc raiders.

Dellmon Ranch

About three dozen hardy frontiers folk occupied Dellmon Ranch. The span of ground between each of the three man buildings had a hastily built up earthen rampart as a defence. The occupants were directed by Kerbin, head of the Dellmon family. There were about twenty armed men, of which only two or three were experienced fighters. The remaining occupants were women and a small number of youths and children. The party helped with the defensive preparations and slept little throughout the night. One of Kerbin’s children, his fifteen year old daughter Dreena, had sent a plea for help to the elves of the High Wood using an Animal Messenger spell, but her inexperience meant nobody could be sure the elves would receive it.

04 Kythorn 1491 DR

The Battle of Dellmon Ranch

The dawn was overcast, a few light snowflakes drifted in the air. After breakfast dark clouds filled the sky and promised rain and thunder. Late in the morning, the first of the orc’s advance scouts were spotted in the woods on the rise. Drums and clashing weapons heralded the arrival of the main host. The orcs drew up in the three companies presenting a shield wall and advanced to battle with the resounding sound of horns and battle prayers to Gruumsh. Despite one or two of the enemy making it into the compound, the first wave was eventually beaten back. There were casualties on both sides.

Later in the day, as darkness drew near, the orcs changed tactics: first an arrow storm, and then a smoke screen to cover their advance to set fire to the exposed sides of the buildings. Nobody slept much that night and Burlap’s familiar, Ratty, explored the enemy camp to discover that the orcs still had their main strength, including some large creatures (giants or ogres) assembling boulders in readiness to hurl at the Dellmon Ranch defences in what would soon prove to be the final assault.

Experience Award: 1,000XP Total: 4,460 XP level 4.
"Gentlemen, we're in the stickiest situation since Sticky the stick insect got stuck on a sticky bun" - Capt. E. Blackadder.
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R2: Princes of the Apocalypse continued. 8 years 1 week ago #1266

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SESSION TEN

05 Kythorn 1491 DR

Victory at the Battle of Dellmon Ranch.

Dawn arrives: The arrow storm, the advancing shield wall, the boulder hurling ogres, the spell casting shaman; day two of the Battle of Dellmon Ranch commences. Within a few hours of the restart the party is celebrating a hard fought victory, but not without grievous personal loss to Burlap. Ratty the rat was reduced to a squished and bloody pulp stuck to the bottom of an ogre’s foot. The surviving orcs retreat headlong back to their homelands beyond the High Forest.

After burying the heroic dead, making makeshift repairs to the damaged buildings so that they provide effective shelter once more, and after burning a mound of orc corpses, the party takes time for rest, healing and recuperation.

Departing the frontier next morning, there is six day uneventful trek back to Summit Hall where you are received as heroes. A feast is thrown in your honour and minstrels write songs about you. The party takes some much needed downtime before setting out once more on the trail of elemental evil.


21 Kythorn 1491 DR

The Sacred Stone Monastery

Guides from Summit Hall lead the party to a narrow path between tall sandstone cliffs. At points the gap was so narrow that you could stretch out your arms and touch both sides. Soon enough, the path gave way to a large natural amphitheatre inside of which was a secret monastery.

Kahlan, temporarily bestowed with the gift of invisibility, snuck around the outside looking for possible entrances, she decided to try one gate that lead to an overgrown walled garden. One arcane locked door and a close encounter with two gargoyles later she finally effected an entrance into the monastery. Sneaking through several rooms and corridors – including a large shrine room, a large corridor of statues, a guard room/dormitory of grey-skinned dwarves, a refectory and a kitchen attended by several humans – Kahlan reached the barred exterior door beyond which the rest of the party waits. But there is only so much sneaking and distraction making an invisible character can make before the occupants become aware of an intruder in their midst. Kahlan’s luck appears to be running out.


Session Rewards
The party gains one renown.
The party gains one inspiration each.
The party is awarded 3,000 XP each for their exploits in battle and for saving the frontiers folk from the orc scourge.

Current Total: 7,460 XP level 5.


EDIT: Burlap stood alone. A forlorn figure in the fading light of the day. A tear welled up in his eye. "Farewell poor Ratty, I'll never forget y- ...... oooh look, a snake!".



.
"Gentlemen, we're in the stickiest situation since Sticky the stick insect got stuck on a sticky bun" - Capt. E. Blackadder.
Last Edit: 8 years 1 week ago by Garuda.
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R2: Princes of the Apocalypse continued. 8 years 1 week ago #1267

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Snaky the snake - no less! ;-)
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R2: Princes of the Apocalypse continued. 8 years 3 days ago #1277

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SESSION ELEVEN

21 Kythorn 1491 DR


Breaching the Monastery

Kahlan opened the exterior door and the party burst in and slaughtered the unarmed cooks and pot washers, after which they slaughtered half a dozen diminutive folk. The little fellas having been softened up first by Burlap’s fireball spell.

Ellas meanwhile was looking distinctly unwell and had declined to join his fellow heroes in the monastery, deciding instead to remain outside…and alone.
The party discovered nothing of value until Kahlan picked the lock of a small iron bound chest in a dormitory (see treasure below).

The Cult of Black Earth

Within the scriptorium, four studious monks were at work copying texts. Having been permanently relieved of their duties the party then searched the room and read through some of the numerous works. Burlap took particular interest in a tome entited Marlos’ Testament. What the party learned:

Marlos Urnrayle is the Prophet of Earth.
●He was drawn to a place called the Fane of the Eye by powerful visions. There he found Ironfang – the holy implement of elemental earth – and took it for his own.
●Marlos established the Temple of Black Earth in the ruins of a long-forgotten underground dwarven stronghold.
●Marlos nurtures something called the Black Geode, and when all is ready the Evergrowing Mountain shall come and remake these lands in his own image.


The Abbess

The Abbess of the Sacred Stone Monastery was engaged in her daily workout with four male monks. She wore a gilded tin mask with no holes for eyes. The monks did not prove too troublesome, but the Abbess took the combined efforts of all the heroes to take down.


Treasure
120 sp
90 ep
Leather pouch containing two gold bracelets (worth 25gp each)
Scroll of Earthbind
Scroll of Maximillian’s Earthen Grasp
Scroll of Transmute Rock


Sessions Awards
Everyone earns 1,540 XP. Current total: 9,000 XP. Level 5.
"Gentlemen, we're in the stickiest situation since Sticky the stick insect got stuck on a sticky bun" - Capt. E. Blackadder.
Last Edit: 8 years 3 days ago by Garuda.
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R2: Princes of the Apocalypse continued. 8 years 3 days ago #1278

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Earthbind
2nd level transmutation

Casting time: 1 action
Range: 300ft
Components: V
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute.


Choose one creature you can see within range. Yellow strips of magical energy loop around the creature. The target must succeed on Strength saving throw or it’s flying speed (if any) is reduced to 0 feet for the spell’s duration. An airborne creature affected by this spell descends at 60 feet per round until it reaches the ground or the spell ends.





Maximillian’s Earthen Grasp
2nd level transmutation

Casting time: 1 action
Range: 30ft
Components: VSM
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute.


You choose a 5ft square unoccupied space on the ground that you can see within range. A medium hand constructed from compacted soil rises there and reaches for one creature you can see within 5 feet of it. The target must make a Strength saving throw. On a failed save, the target takes 2d6 bludgeoning damage and is restrained for the spell’s duration.2nd level transmutation

As an action you can cause the hand to crush the restrained target, who must make a Strength saving throw. It takes 2d6 bludgeoning damage on a failed save, or half damage for a successful save.

To break out, the restrained target can make a Strength check against your spell save DC. On a success the target escapes and is no longer restrained by the hand.

As an action, you can cause the hand to reach for a different creature or to move to a different unoccupied square within range. The hand releases a restrained target if you do either.




Transmute Rock
5th level transmutation

Casting time: 1 action
Range: 120ft
Components: VSM
Duration: Instantaneous.


A lengthy spell description follows in the book. Basically the spell effects a 40ft cubed area and can transmute mud-to-rock, or rock-to-mud.
"Gentlemen, we're in the stickiest situation since Sticky the stick insect got stuck on a sticky bun" - Capt. E. Blackadder.
Last Edit: 8 years 3 days ago by Garuda.
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MellyMel - Thu 28 Mar - 16:30

i fancy mothership if there is space (get it?) - no actually i really do

Sarge - Thu 28 Mar - 15:00

Galleons players. Sant is running a Mothership RPG one shot tonight as Coriolis is off, come join the fun!

mikeawmids - Thu 28 Mar - 14:37

Perhaps Charlie Rumble will reach Cook Island after all....

Temrane - Thu 28 Mar - 13:07

galleons folks, no game tonight, work calls unfortunately! back next week

MellyMel - Thu 21 Mar - 15:38

i believe some new user(s) are awaiting authorisation. if so please recreate request as i've just deleted the russian bot swarm and your request might be spotted this time.

Inept - Thu 29 Feb - 17:07

Apologies decent guys... Hell has obviously inflicted itself on my van... It's broke. Won't be there tonight.

rhodsey - Tue 27 Feb - 09:09

I can't accomodate two sorry but I'm happy if they want to come and observe for a bit at least then see if there's a game while they are here.

mikeawmids - Mon 26 Feb - 17:36

Two people have contacted club through Facebook page to join a game. Can any of the R2 DMs accomodate two more new players?

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