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Aphonion Tales: Ravenskrag and the Shadowline, a preteen D&D game (lightly edited notes, COMPLETED on 1/20/23)
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<blockquote data-quote="CPaladin" data-source="post: 8852070" data-attributes="member: 7030144"><p>Session 53 (October 23, 2022)</p><p></p><p>20 Chund (cont’d)</p><p>Merreep thinks, and then says, “Mirror, mirror, on the wall, can we have a guide to the stairs.”</p><p></p><p>There is a flash of light, and a tiny figure, about a foot tall, appears suddenly on the floor in the middle of the room.</p><p></p><p>“Hello,” says Merreep, to the confused looking little person.</p><p></p><p>“What kind of person are you?” asks Aleep.</p><p></p><p>“I am Snoz the Imp. Why have you summoned me, o great sorcerers?”</p><p></p><p>“We want to find the stairs down.”</p><p></p><p>“Snoz could say many things, but I fear that would get me pummeled. I can take you to the stairs down if you don’t pummel me too much.”</p><p></p><p>“If you show the stairs, Aleep’s friends will not pummel you at all.”</p><p></p><p>"I see no reason to in the first place," adds Merreep.</p><p></p><p>The imp seems more suspicious after that statement than before it.</p><p></p><p>"But Aleep's friends definitely will not pummel you if you take them to the stairs."</p><p></p><p>Snoz thinks, and then nods. "What we need to do is to get you all the way to the east. I know the way. I've been here for years ever since I got summoned."</p><p></p><p>"Who summoned you?"</p><p></p><p>"Big snake guy. He pummels me a lot."</p><p></p><p>"That narrows it down," mutters Runor.</p><p></p><p>"If Aleep's friends find what they seek, they may be able to free you from big snake guy."</p><p></p><p>“I promise to work very hard to get you to the stairs alive. At least you're not trying to do that thing downstairs that the snake guys always are trying. It’s better if we go through the south door. It’s very twisty-turny in every direction, but it’s less twisty-turny in that direction.”</p><p></p><p>“Aleep’s friends would also like to avoid snake-people and things like that.”</p><p></p><p>"Hard to avoid snake-people. If we go south, very very hard to avoid dead people."</p><p></p><p>"Dead or undead?"</p><p></p><p>"Dead people who wander around. They don't eat anything or go anywhere, they just exist. If you knock them down, they don't get back up for a hand of hours."</p><p></p><p>The group decides to take their chances with the undead to get a faster route.</p><p></p><p>“This first room, this first room is okay.” Snoz leads them through a series of rooms and passages, and then up to a metal curtain-like door. As they head through that, they can hear scraping, growling, and knocking.</p><p></p><p>The darkness around them becomes almost more palpable, and while their light spell continues to illuminate the area around them, the area it illuminates is getting smaller as they move forward.</p><p></p><p>They come to the doorway into a room, and the light flickers, barely illuminating the room ahead of them. Three translucent humanoid figures float in the air ahead of them.</p><p></p><p>A dreadful smell wafts through, and Aleep begins retching in the corner. Seven physical figures, seemingly the source of the odor, have gathered around the floating figures. That’s when Aleep casts fireball, doing 32 damage to any who fail to save.</p><p></p><p>The fireball incinerates the physical forms and blasts away two of the three floating figures. The blackness now presses in on them, extinguishing their light and bathing them in a wave of fear.</p><p></p><p>Aleep is touched by something in the darkness, draining away a few hit points and one point of constitution. The rest of the group attacks into the darkness, without much success, and Ulgorio lights an arrow on fire that illuminates almost nothing.</p><p></p><p>Aleep backs up a little and throws another fireball into the darkness, positioned to end just ahead of him. As the flames burst out, they can momentarily see, in the center of the darkness, an ogre-sized humanoid floating apparition.</p><p></p><p>Ashaltir leaps forward, smiting at the creature despite now being unable to see it. She does about 9 points of regular damage and 34 points of radiant damage, destroying the creature.</p><p></p><p>“I will be back…” says the entity as it dissipates.</p><p></p><p>Runor’s light suddenly springs back to full effect, and the light from the burning arrow as well.</p><p></p><p>Snoz says, "You dealt with them faster than the snake-people. They usually just throw a slave to them and slink past. I think I like your way better."</p><p></p><p>After leading them through a series of turning passageways, Snoz stops at a door. "There are guards behind this door--the only guards between you and the stairs to the next level."</p><p></p><p>They discuss a plan, and decide to pretend that they are a group of slaves being escorted by a guard. Ulgorio casts disguise self and makes himself look like a troll-giant creature. Snoz perches on Ulgorio's shoulder.</p><p></p><p>They enter the room and find three troll-giants and one snake-person. The snake person looks them over. "More sacrifices? Are you sure that you have them secured well enough?"</p><p></p><p>Snoz says, "He is mighty warrior, gesturing at Ulgorio."</p><p></p><p>"I suppose so. And you got one of Banahog's people!" The snake-person gestures at Aleep. "Always nice to take one of those alive. Well, take them down, don't make them wait. Give my compliments to the summoner."</p><p></p><p>They make their way through the room and to a set of stairs beyond it. Snoz is unable to descend the stairs--magically bound to this level of the complex. And so the rest of the group heads on without him.</p><p></p><p>At the bottom of the stairs, there is a room with exits in each of the cardinal directions. After finding that one leads a short distance to a spring, they decide to head west, figuring that if the levels are directly over each other, since they were all the way east, the exit to the next level must be west. The door to the west is locked.</p><p></p><p>It takes a minute or four, but Ulgorio finally picks the lock and opens the door to the west.</p><p></p><p>They enter a square room. Black and white tiles tesselate the floor, while a fountain sprays water into a bowl. Something about the fountain disturbs Runor. Perhaps most notably, a large, doglike humanoid in the center of the room leaps to its feet as they enter.</p><p></p><p>"Stop! Forbidden!" It crouches on all four of its arms. "Who you?"</p><p></p><p>"Snake-people said we need to go to the matrix room," says Merreep.</p><p></p><p>It looks at Aleep. "You from Banahog?"</p><p></p><p>"Not from Banahog. Need to go to matrix room. Aleep's friends are sacrifices."</p><p></p><p>"Sacrifices?" The dog-creature looks confused. It's clearly not very bright. "Sacrifice is dragged through here, kicking, screaming. These sacrifices walk in and say me on a way to sacrifice." It mutters to itself. "If you stop sacrifices, ritual will not go forward, severe punishment. If you let through people cleverly claiming they sacrifices that not sacrifices, that serve Banahog, severe punishment..."</p><p></p><p>"Aleep does not serve Banahog. If Aleep served Banahog, he would be scared to say: 'Curse Banahog and wish Banahog were destroyed by Light.'"</p><p></p><p>"No serve Banahog... You think you are the ones that will finally buy the matrix? So those that live be rewarded?"</p><p></p><p>Runor says, "Sure."</p><p></p><p>"Hmm! Paladin!" The dog-beast points to Ashaltir. "Not tried one of those. She sacrificed first?"</p><p></p><p>"Is likely."</p><p></p><p>"You go." It gestures to the north door. "You go through. Yipper stay here. You tell them when it succeeds that Yipper sent you through to matrix room." Yipper moves over, and unlocks the door with a key on a chain at its belt, along with a gold circlet and a rapier with runes that burn.</p><p></p><p>"Do you know where we should go beyond that door?"</p><p></p><p>"No. Yipper bound here. Yipper not go past north door. Yipper very good guardian."</p><p></p><p>They keep their opinions of that to themselves as they head towards the north door. They hear the door click locked behind them.</p><p></p><p>Aleep comments, "Is strange. That was demon. Most of stupidest summoned things are. But imp was devil. Perhaps priest is demonist, sorcerer is diabolist? Perhaps matrix is making some more lawful?"</p><p></p><p>They travel on and enter another room with a very attractive, scantily dressed woman in it. She immediately rises as they enter. "Now that's interesting... a priest of Glordiadel, and a paladin of Eiru? A ranger, a bard, and a froglock that obviously does not serve Banahog? How strange..." She tosses her hair for dramatic effect. "And I, a poor, unarmed, defenseless woman, who could do nothing to stop such a mighty, powerful band of adventurers as yourselves..."</p><p></p><p>They all need to save against the power of her charm. Ironically, Runor and Aleep, though in theory among the most resistant, both fail and pledge that they will keep her safe and help her escape this tower.</p><p></p><p>Merreep says, "Do not trust this woman!"</p><p></p><p>But the strange woman sidles up to Aleep and Runor, who promise to keep her safe.</p><p></p><p>"Beware. There are many traps that await you ahead of here."</p><p></p><p>Aleep asks, "Is maiden enslaved by evil? Aleep's friends could take maiden with them when they leave."</p><p></p><p>"I would be delighted to leave with you, my dear froglock."</p><p></p><p>"Could Aleep's friends rest here?"</p><p></p><p>"Of course, of course."</p><p></p><p>Despite their (obviously correct) distrust, even the non-charmed members of the group agree that resting and recuperating would be a good idea. They simply maintain a steady watch to make sure the "maiden" does not harm their friends. But offered with the possibility of being freed, she is all too willing to let them rest safely here. She gives Aleep a beautiful ring of obsidian set with malachite. "Take this with you. It is my good luck charm and will keep you safe from the traps ahead." [In fact, her magic has cursed Aleep and Runor to be more susceptible to the traps, but they do not know that.]</p><p></p><p>In the morning, she serves them a fine breakfast, and sends them off to the north.</p><p>[End Session 53]</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="CPaladin, post: 8852070, member: 7030144"] Session 53 (October 23, 2022) 20 Chund (cont’d) Merreep thinks, and then says, “Mirror, mirror, on the wall, can we have a guide to the stairs.” There is a flash of light, and a tiny figure, about a foot tall, appears suddenly on the floor in the middle of the room. “Hello,” says Merreep, to the confused looking little person. “What kind of person are you?” asks Aleep. “I am Snoz the Imp. Why have you summoned me, o great sorcerers?” “We want to find the stairs down.” “Snoz could say many things, but I fear that would get me pummeled. I can take you to the stairs down if you don’t pummel me too much.” “If you show the stairs, Aleep’s friends will not pummel you at all.” "I see no reason to in the first place," adds Merreep. The imp seems more suspicious after that statement than before it. "But Aleep's friends definitely will not pummel you if you take them to the stairs." Snoz thinks, and then nods. "What we need to do is to get you all the way to the east. I know the way. I've been here for years ever since I got summoned." "Who summoned you?" "Big snake guy. He pummels me a lot." "That narrows it down," mutters Runor. "If Aleep's friends find what they seek, they may be able to free you from big snake guy." “I promise to work very hard to get you to the stairs alive. At least you're not trying to do that thing downstairs that the snake guys always are trying. It’s better if we go through the south door. It’s very twisty-turny in every direction, but it’s less twisty-turny in that direction.” “Aleep’s friends would also like to avoid snake-people and things like that.” "Hard to avoid snake-people. If we go south, very very hard to avoid dead people." "Dead or undead?" "Dead people who wander around. They don't eat anything or go anywhere, they just exist. If you knock them down, they don't get back up for a hand of hours." The group decides to take their chances with the undead to get a faster route. “This first room, this first room is okay.” Snoz leads them through a series of rooms and passages, and then up to a metal curtain-like door. As they head through that, they can hear scraping, growling, and knocking. The darkness around them becomes almost more palpable, and while their light spell continues to illuminate the area around them, the area it illuminates is getting smaller as they move forward. They come to the doorway into a room, and the light flickers, barely illuminating the room ahead of them. Three translucent humanoid figures float in the air ahead of them. A dreadful smell wafts through, and Aleep begins retching in the corner. Seven physical figures, seemingly the source of the odor, have gathered around the floating figures. That’s when Aleep casts fireball, doing 32 damage to any who fail to save. The fireball incinerates the physical forms and blasts away two of the three floating figures. The blackness now presses in on them, extinguishing their light and bathing them in a wave of fear. Aleep is touched by something in the darkness, draining away a few hit points and one point of constitution. The rest of the group attacks into the darkness, without much success, and Ulgorio lights an arrow on fire that illuminates almost nothing. Aleep backs up a little and throws another fireball into the darkness, positioned to end just ahead of him. As the flames burst out, they can momentarily see, in the center of the darkness, an ogre-sized humanoid floating apparition. Ashaltir leaps forward, smiting at the creature despite now being unable to see it. She does about 9 points of regular damage and 34 points of radiant damage, destroying the creature. “I will be back…” says the entity as it dissipates. Runor’s light suddenly springs back to full effect, and the light from the burning arrow as well. Snoz says, "You dealt with them faster than the snake-people. They usually just throw a slave to them and slink past. I think I like your way better." After leading them through a series of turning passageways, Snoz stops at a door. "There are guards behind this door--the only guards between you and the stairs to the next level." They discuss a plan, and decide to pretend that they are a group of slaves being escorted by a guard. Ulgorio casts disguise self and makes himself look like a troll-giant creature. Snoz perches on Ulgorio's shoulder. They enter the room and find three troll-giants and one snake-person. The snake person looks them over. "More sacrifices? Are you sure that you have them secured well enough?" Snoz says, "He is mighty warrior, gesturing at Ulgorio." "I suppose so. And you got one of Banahog's people!" The snake-person gestures at Aleep. "Always nice to take one of those alive. Well, take them down, don't make them wait. Give my compliments to the summoner." They make their way through the room and to a set of stairs beyond it. Snoz is unable to descend the stairs--magically bound to this level of the complex. And so the rest of the group heads on without him. At the bottom of the stairs, there is a room with exits in each of the cardinal directions. After finding that one leads a short distance to a spring, they decide to head west, figuring that if the levels are directly over each other, since they were all the way east, the exit to the next level must be west. The door to the west is locked. It takes a minute or four, but Ulgorio finally picks the lock and opens the door to the west. They enter a square room. Black and white tiles tesselate the floor, while a fountain sprays water into a bowl. Something about the fountain disturbs Runor. Perhaps most notably, a large, doglike humanoid in the center of the room leaps to its feet as they enter. "Stop! Forbidden!" It crouches on all four of its arms. "Who you?" "Snake-people said we need to go to the matrix room," says Merreep. It looks at Aleep. "You from Banahog?" "Not from Banahog. Need to go to matrix room. Aleep's friends are sacrifices." "Sacrifices?" The dog-creature looks confused. It's clearly not very bright. "Sacrifice is dragged through here, kicking, screaming. These sacrifices walk in and say me on a way to sacrifice." It mutters to itself. "If you stop sacrifices, ritual will not go forward, severe punishment. If you let through people cleverly claiming they sacrifices that not sacrifices, that serve Banahog, severe punishment..." "Aleep does not serve Banahog. If Aleep served Banahog, he would be scared to say: 'Curse Banahog and wish Banahog were destroyed by Light.'" "No serve Banahog... You think you are the ones that will finally buy the matrix? So those that live be rewarded?" Runor says, "Sure." "Hmm! Paladin!" The dog-beast points to Ashaltir. "Not tried one of those. She sacrificed first?" "Is likely." "You go." It gestures to the north door. "You go through. Yipper stay here. You tell them when it succeeds that Yipper sent you through to matrix room." Yipper moves over, and unlocks the door with a key on a chain at its belt, along with a gold circlet and a rapier with runes that burn. "Do you know where we should go beyond that door?" "No. Yipper bound here. Yipper not go past north door. Yipper very good guardian." They keep their opinions of that to themselves as they head towards the north door. They hear the door click locked behind them. Aleep comments, "Is strange. That was demon. Most of stupidest summoned things are. But imp was devil. Perhaps priest is demonist, sorcerer is diabolist? Perhaps matrix is making some more lawful?" They travel on and enter another room with a very attractive, scantily dressed woman in it. She immediately rises as they enter. "Now that's interesting... a priest of Glordiadel, and a paladin of Eiru? A ranger, a bard, and a froglock that obviously does not serve Banahog? How strange..." She tosses her hair for dramatic effect. "And I, a poor, unarmed, defenseless woman, who could do nothing to stop such a mighty, powerful band of adventurers as yourselves..." They all need to save against the power of her charm. Ironically, Runor and Aleep, though in theory among the most resistant, both fail and pledge that they will keep her safe and help her escape this tower. Merreep says, "Do not trust this woman!" But the strange woman sidles up to Aleep and Runor, who promise to keep her safe. "Beware. There are many traps that await you ahead of here." Aleep asks, "Is maiden enslaved by evil? Aleep's friends could take maiden with them when they leave." "I would be delighted to leave with you, my dear froglock." "Could Aleep's friends rest here?" "Of course, of course." Despite their (obviously correct) distrust, even the non-charmed members of the group agree that resting and recuperating would be a good idea. They simply maintain a steady watch to make sure the "maiden" does not harm their friends. But offered with the possibility of being freed, she is all too willing to let them rest safely here. She gives Aleep a beautiful ring of obsidian set with malachite. "Take this with you. It is my good luck charm and will keep you safe from the traps ahead." [In fact, her magic has cursed Aleep and Runor to be more susceptible to the traps, but they do not know that.] In the morning, she serves them a fine breakfast, and sends them off to the north. [End Session 53] [/QUOTE]
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Aphonion Tales: Ravenskrag and the Shadowline, a preteen D&D game (lightly edited notes, COMPLETED on 1/20/23)
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