TOPIC: R3: Princes of the Apocalypse continued.

SESSION TWELVE

21 Kythorn 1491 DR

The Old Man in the Laboratory
Opening the door the room was plainly an alchemic laboratory. The old man fingered the pages of an ancient tome. His presence was strong and unnerving. His booming voice left nobody in any doubt that he was in no mood to receive visitors. Having not heeded his word the party found themselves choking on a poisonous cloud and the decrepit man was gone.

The Mines
Descending to a lower level the party easily fooled the guardians (three orogs and a smelly ogre with a drooling problem) and passed into the mines where they soon found prisoners in holding cells – including a dwarf named Bruldenthar – author of fine dwarven books of lore. Oddly, Burlap forgot to mention to poor Bruldenthar that he was in possession of one the sage’s prized stolen texts

Bruldenthar related how the Miribar delegation was ambushed by Earth Cultists in the Sumber Hills, south of Beliard. His books were given in payment to river pirates to ferry them all across the Dessarin River. The ambushers were then themselves ambushed by raiders mounted on giant vultures. The flying raiders ultimately failed but not before they snatched away Deseyna Norvael, one of the unfortunate delegates. The Earth Cultists then continued onwards to the Sacred Stone Monastery. Bruldenthar was put to work in the mines with the slaves, but two other delegates, Rhundorth and Teresiel, were whisked away to an unknown fate in the deeper levels below.

The party promised to come back and free the unfortunate slaves (honest, we’ll be back in a few minutes they said).


The Tomb of Samular Caradoon
In a large crypt, into which evidently the cultists never enter, were the remains of dozens of ancients. Six zombies proved ineffectual guardians of the dead. In pride of place, covered by centuries of dust and cobwebs was the magnificent sarcophagus of ‘Samular Caradoon. Defender of the North’. But isn’t Samular (founder of Summit Hall and the Knights of Samular) buried at Summit Hall?

The party moved the heavy stone lid to reveal……nothing. The sarcophagus was empty.


Where next?
1. An ancient stone stair finely carved by dwarven craftsmen leads down into the depths.
2. Did I mention the angry Umber Hulk?


Treasure
A potion of Greater Healing
A potion of Hill Giant Strength
A scroll of Invisibility
A scroll of Snilloc’s Snowball Swarm


Experience Award
Everyone earns 500 XP. Current total: 9,500 XP. Level 5.

Epilogue: Ellass stood at the top of the dwarven stair wondering what lay in the depths below. ‘It doesn’t smell good to me’, he thought.

SESSION THIRTEEN

21 Kythorn 1491 DR

The Umber Hulk
The umber hulk, with augmented bronzed claws, floored Bort and Ellass who were both grievously injured. Others suffered unexpected mind-invasive effects and seemed dazed and confused. Eventually the beast was brought down. Medical assistance was given to Bort, but astoundingly Ellass regained his feet unaided. It seemed his wounds were not as bad as first feared. Slade was suspicious that something wasn’t right; almost like Ellass’ injuries had partly self-healed.

The Restless Night
Being underground nobody knew what time of day it was, but it must surely be getting late. Tired and in need of rest the party sought somewhere to sleep. The safest place, it was decided, would be the crypt. As if sleeping in a crypt wasn’t disturbing enough, Slade was awoken by an agitated Ellass, who looked painfully unwell. Ellass’ expressions looked distended and his eyes yellowed and inhuman (or should that be 'inelf'), his finger nails and teeth grew, and his flesh gave way to a furry hide. The rest of the party awoke to the nightmare scenario unfolding before them. They managed to bind Ellass and haul his agony-wracked writhing form to the empty sarcophagus of Samular Caradoon, in which they sealed him.

The Wolf and the Ancient Man
As the loud howling from the sarcophagus began, the ancient man encountered here previously swept into the crypt and sealed the sarcophagus with an arcane spell. The decrepit figure then lovingly caressed the stone sarcophagus (which obviously has deep meaning to him). He looked up as if sensing something and then expressed his annoyance with the party for being in his domain once again. He told them they had six hours until daylight then they must be gone. At this he swept majestically from the crypt and the door through which he exited slammed shut.

22 Kythorn 1491 DR

The Morning After the Night Before
After hours of growling, howling and scratching, all was finally quiet. The arcane energy that the ancient man had cast upon the sarcophagus blinked out and the party lifted the stone lid. The insides of the stone sarcophagus were a mass of claw marks but Ellass was elfkind again. Ellass felt hugely alive, senses sharpened and ravenously hungry.

Sensing that they were about to outstay their welcome the party decided to get moving.

The Mines and the Slave Pens
Deciding to return to the slave pens and release the prisoners, the party went the long way around, navigating the mines for a couple of hours to avoid passing through the guard room, only to find the guards in the slave pen area –three orogs and an ogre with severe hygiene issues (even by ogre standards). In the ensuing combat Ellass and Kahlan felled the drooling ogre, and as it hit the ground its rump lay exposed due to its drooping breeches. Ellass couldn’t resist the exposed flesh, he dived in and seconds later rose to his knees with a sliver of ogre’s buttock hanging from his jaws. Allies, enemies and prisoners alike were surprised/disturbed/shocked/disgusted – and let’s face it it’s not every day you witness an elf consuming ogre arse.

The prisoners were not as immediately grateful for their freedom as the party imagined – a disgruntled few, including Bruldenthar, expressed their disappointment in the tardiness of the party’s arrival – “You promised us you’d return to free us in twenty minutes! That was yesterday!!!!” In response to the occasion Burlap felt he should take a leaf out of the dwarven sage's book - and did so - literally.

Time to leave the monastery.

Exit stage left.


More to come.....

SESSION THIRTEEN CONTINUED

22 Kythorn 1491 DR

An Evening Around the Campfire
The return journey to Summit Hall was slowed by the weakened slaves. At dusk the party halted and set up an overnight camp. A full moon necessitated tying Ellass to a tree. Aside from all the noise he was making – including howling at the moon – he proved to be no real trouble. The party became aware of something approaching their camp. Emerging from the tree line came three young human figures. One was a familiar face. It was Dreena, the teenage daughter of Kerbin Dellmon, patriarch of Dellmon Ranch.

Dreena and two young friends (all wannabe druids) had snuck away from their families to answer an open invitation for all druids to attend Scarlet Moon Hall where Elizar Dryflagon has announced she intends to perform the Rite of the Wicker Giant. The rite is a ritual needing the power of many to perform, its purpose is to restore the balance of nature in the valley (after months of fluctuating weather patterns).

The young trio is afraid, stumbling through a strange wilderness in the dark and convinced that they are being followed. Dreena herself has witnessed at times a dull glow in the distance behind them, and each has imagined they have heard a low guttural growling on the breeze. Just that day they had bravely doubled back on their path and discovered a large and menacing paw print.


23 Kythorn 1491 DR

Amongst Friends
The party arrives back at Summit Hall. Much needed relief is given to the slaves. A special welcome of reverence is reserved for the dwarven sage Bruldenthar. And most importantly, Lady Ushien and her senior council gather in the early evening to perform a ritual to lift the curse of lycanthropy from Ellass.


Treasure
None

Experience Award
For combat successes, clearing the Sacred Stone Monastery, dealing with the small problem of lycanthropy, and rescuing the prisoners everyone earns 2,000 XP.

Current total: 11,500 XP. Level 5.

SESSION FOURTEEN

28 Kythorn 1491 DR

Canine Troubles
After a few days rest at Summit Hall, Dreena and her friends were keen to get back on the road. They were beginning to worry that might be late for the Rite of the Wicker Giant to be performed at Scarlet Moon Hall. The party had decided to head back to Feathergale Spire (as the party now suspects that air cultists might be active in the valley below the spire) and as they would pass close to Scarlet Moon Hall on the way, Bort and Burlap set out to escort the three teenagers. The rest of the party would follow a few hours behind them.

That night, sitting around the campfire a low guttural snarling could be heard emanating from the surrounding woodland, and the occasional flicker of orange light could be seen. Then, padding out of the darkness, came a bestial menace – dog-like, with thick dark fur, long fangs and a glow of orange to its eyes and maw. Burlap’s cold-based spell casting chilled the thing to its black heart and it retired with a blood-curdling yelp and howl. But it was not alone.

Bort and Burlap fought resolutely to protect their young charges from the onslaught, killing one of the foul beats and driving another away into the darkness from whence it came. The rest of the night passed in uneasy peace.

29 Kythorn 1491 DR

The Tower on the Hill
The next day the party came to a hill upon which stood a high tower surrounded by a stone wall. In its grounds there was a tall wicker man aflame. On the hillside were dotted several camps. At the first of these camps was a group of druids (more like happy-go-lucky, bat-crazy hippies) waiting for the summons to ascend the hill when the rite would begin. Dreena and her friends settled in with their new like-minded friends. Bort and Burlap continued up the hillside track to investigate the next nearest camp.

Bort Just Couldn’t Let it Lie
Two surly figures gave pretty much the opposite welcome that Bort and Burlap had received at the previous camp – i.e no welcome at all. One of the figures stared and snapped with unfriendly tones – bidding their unwelcome visitors to move along. Bort took offense at such abruptness (hypocrite!) and picked a fight. The two feral figures proved to be shape-changers – turning to wolf form. Luckily, the cavalry arrived (albeit without a horse) – Slade flashed the steel and sliced into the two wolves. Unknowingly at the time his swords were doing diddley-squat damage – but his swordsmanship looked cool anyway. It was Bort and Burlap that finished off the ferocious enemies.

Bort Just Couldn’t Let it Lie - Reprise
Drawn by the sound of the scuffle, four humans came to investigate. Three looked more like rangers out of the wilderness than druids out of – err, well the wilderness! Maybe they’d come to help, maybe friendship was in the offing, maybe the party could have just moved along, but Bort just couldn’t help himself and immediately started another fight.

The enemy were subjected to a huge fire ball cast upon them by Burlap. When the flame was spent, the enemies’ swords combusted and the fire based attacks were returned in kind. When the flaming-sword wielding enemies were bested, the remaining foe ( a female spell caster) gestured with her hands and the flame of the campfire roared up, forcing our heroes to shield themselves and avert their gaze, and when the sheet of flame dissipated – the woman was gone.


Treasure
Nothing. Nada. Zilch. Not a sausage.


Experience Awards
For this session I decided to award XP to player characters dependent upon their participation and achievements.

Bort .....Award: 2,200 XP .....Total: 13,700 XP Level 5
Burlap .....Award: 2,200 XP .....Total: 13,700 XP Level 5
Slade .....Award: 1,500 XP .....Total: 13,000 XP Level 5
Kahlan .....Award: 0 XP .....Total: 11,500 XP Level 5
Ellass .....Award: 0 XP .....Total: 11,500 XP Level 5
Viggi .....Award: 0 XP .....Total: 11,500 XP Level 5

And with that we draw to a close the second rotation of this campaign. I'll run it again at the end of the year or the beginning of next.

Thanks to everyone for making it a lot of fun.

I know at the end of this session Burlap was placing under suggestion one of the fallen enemies - a suspected fire cultist. I'll write up an appropriate amount of information to be gleaned sometime before we kick this off again. Don't expect to learn much from a grunt though.

More than happy to return, very much enjoying the game