Menu
News
All News
Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
Pathfinder
Starfinder
Warhammer
2d20 System
Year Zero Engine
Industry News
Reviews
Dragon Reflections
Columns
Weekly Digests
Weekly News Digest
Freebies, Sales & Bundles
RPG Print News
RPG Crowdfunding News
Game Content
ENterplanetary DimENsions
Mythological Figures
Opinion
Worlds of Design
Peregrine's Next
RPG Evolution
Other Columns
From the Freelancing Frontline
Monster ENcyclopedia
WotC/TSR Alumni Look Back
4 Hours w/RSD (Ryan Dancey)
The Road to 3E (Jonathan Tweet)
Greenwood's Realms (Ed Greenwood)
Drawmij's TSR (Jim Ward)
Community
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Resources
Wiki
Pages
Latest activity
Media
New media
New comments
Search media
Downloads
Latest reviews
Search resources
EN Publishing
Store
EN5ider
Adventures in ZEITGEIST
Awfully Cheerful Engine
What's OLD is NEW
Judge Dredd & The Worlds Of 2000AD
War of the Burning Sky
Level Up: Advanced 5E
Events & Releases
Upcoming Events
Private Events
Featured Events
Socials!
Twitch
YouTube
Facebook (EN Publishing)
Facebook (EN World)
Twitter
Instagram
TikTok
Podcast
Features
Top 5 RPGs Compiled Charts 2004-Present
Adventure Game Industry Market Research Summary (RPGs) V1.0
Ryan Dancey: Acquiring TSR
Q&A With Gary Gygax
D&D Rules FAQs
TSR, WotC, & Paizo: A Comparative History
D&D Pronunciation Guide
Million Dollar TTRPG Kickstarters
Tabletop RPG Podcast Hall of Fame
Eric Noah's Unofficial D&D 3rd Edition News
D&D in the Mainstream
D&D & RPG History
About Morrus
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Menu
Log in
Register
Install the app
Install
Community
Playing the Game
Story Hour
We D&D- Tyranny of Dragons Part 2: The Rise of Tiamat #24b Strike Team 1 Part 2 A Ton of Undead.
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Message
<blockquote data-quote="Goonalan" data-source="post: 7536518" data-attributes="member: 16069"><p style="text-align: center"><strong>We D&D.</strong></p><p></p><p><strong>Lost Mine of Phandelver Session #5 The One-Eyed God.</strong></p><p><strong></strong></p><p><strong>Myrium the Blessed (played by Sandy) Female Human Cleric of Lathander Lvl 2</strong></p><p><strong>Shagga, Son of Dorf (played by Rob) Male Half-Orc Paladin of Kord Lvl 2</strong></p><p><strong>Gaukus Grom (played by Pete) Male Dragonborn Sorcerer Lvl 2</strong></p><p><strong>Elvis Pickersgilly (played by Jackie) Male Forest Gnome Rogue Lvl 2</strong></p><p></p><p>The Blessed Avengers are in the Redbrand lair, they have taken prisoners including Glasstaff the wizard leader of the gang, and have also rescued Mirna and her kids from the bandit’s clutches.</p><p></p><p>The adventurers ready themselves and then head out of the cells and in to the crypt- the plan is to clear the way back to the cellar through which they first entered the Redbrand’s lair, there should be a short cut ahead. That done- Mirna and her kids are to be smuggled out to safety.</p><p></p><p>The plan lasts less than ten seconds, probably not even five…</p><p></p><p>The doors at the far end of the crypt clatter open, a bugbear strides in- a monstrous bugbear, wearing an eye patch- this is Mosk. Mosk is accompanied by a rag-tag bunch- another bugbear, a terrified looking goblin- this is Droop, and lastly a nervous looking Redbrand. This guy is just this minute working out that he is very probably the last of the Redbrands- he’s struggling to come to terms with this fact.</p><p></p><p>Mosk begins his sermon, and believe me I (your faithful DM) deliver the following as a sermon- Mosk has only recently seen the light (or else heard the voice).</p><p></p><p>“I am Mosk! Prophet of the One-Eyed God*”</p><p></p><p>*For legal reasons it is important that I make clear that the One-Eyed God referred to is not Gruumsh, beloved of the Orcish races. Oh no, the one-eyed god in question is much closer to hand- at present it, or rather he (probably), is located in the deep shadows of the northern corridor, watching the action and feeding lines, as required, to Mosk.</p><p></p><p>The One-Eyed God is known to his friends as Cecil, but you had probably guessed this already.</p><p></p><p>“And you…” Mosk continues, pointing with his hefty Morningstar to each adventurer in turn, “You… Medium the Bastard. You… Shaggy, son of Golf. You… Elfish Picklesilly. And you… Krokus Gorm.”</p><p></p><p>Mosk grins at the adventurer’s consternation.</p><p></p><p>“You have been chosen as the first sacrifices to the high exalted, even now the voice of the One-Eyed God orders your death.”</p><p></p><p>After a second of silence Mosk roars- “KILL THEM!”</p><p></p><p>Note the players are not exactly sure what’s going on here, however I’m not looking for a debate- I desire blood, their blood.</p><p></p><p>Just to make clear- Cecil the Nothic has been busy, he’s recently taken up residence in Mosk the Bugbear’s head, he has revealed to the bugbear his deepest and darkest secrets and fears, and in the process got Mosk believing that he is the Chosen One.</p><p></p><p>And so, back to the action…</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center">[ATTACH=full]112932[/ATTACH]</p><p></p><p>The Blessed Avengers however are ready for the call to arms- Gaukus (dragonborn sorcerer) takes a step forward and unleashes his last remaining spell- Burning Hands, and it’s a scorcher- both bugbears are singed- Mosk badly, the Redbrand is likewise hurt, and the goblin- poor old Droop, is incinerated in an instant.</p><p></p><p>Shame, the little feller was the only one of the bad guys in the lair who knew the way to Cragmaw Castle, home to King Grol- and at present, Gundren Rockseeker, as I say- shame that.</p><p></p><p>Although… Cecil the Nothic may of course know the way.</p><p></p><p>“Form a line” Myrium (human cleric) screams, “Hold them!”</p><p></p><p>Mosk and the Redbrand get in to action against the priestess, she’s cut- but not badly, a moment later and Mosk also catches Elvis (gnome rogue) with a wild swing- fortunately only a glancing blow. Myrium prays and Blesses her companions. Shagga (half-orc paladin) gets in to action and cuts Mosk- the bugbear leader is very quickly bloodied.</p><p></p><p>Seconds later Gaukus manoeuvres and unleashes his icy Breath Weapon (for 11 cold damage- good rolls), Mosk and the Redbrand are left barely able to stand, both shivering furiously.</p><p></p><p>Mosk calls again on his One-Eyed God, and then smashes Myrium down on to the cold stone floor.</p><p></p><p>The terrified Redbrand however is off and running, as far away as he can get.</p><p></p><p>A third bugbear shambles in to the crypt, having only just made his way out of the pit trap it fell in to in the previous corridor. The creature arrives just in time to see Elvis, the gnome, stab his rapier in to Mosk’s side, the bugbear leader falls. Elvis then grabs out a dagger with his off-hand and spins it in to the already wounded bugbear’s leg, the creature sags- it too is almost spent.</p><p></p><p>It does however have enough energy to get off another attack, the bugbear’s morningstar sends Elvis spinning like a top, and to the cold stone floor- unconscious, and dying.</p><p></p><p>That’s two adventurers on the deck and bleeding out- Myrium and Elvis.</p><p></p><p>And then… and then… well, the uninjured bugbear joins the fight, his comrade has only three hit points left, and then… and then… well, there’s a lot of missing. Two rounds of it in fact- when dice go bad. When we do get a hit it’s a Ray of Frost from Gaukus, for two cold damage, the badly wounded bugbear is down to one hit point.</p><p></p><p>Oh, how we laughed, actually now I’m remembering it was only me laughing at the time.</p><p></p><p>The uninjured bugbear smashes Shagga down, or else he would have done if it wasn’t for the half-orc’s Relentless Endurance.</p><p></p><p>It’s getting awfully close to a TPK again…</p><p></p><p>The paladin survives- reaches down and grasps Myrium’s hand- he Lays on Hands and the priestess awakes (having failed two Death Saves in a row).</p><p></p><p>Gaukus’ second Ray of Frost finally does for the badly wounded bugbear.</p><p></p><p>Myrium drags herself to her feet and holds her holy symbol up high- she Preserves Life, and Elvis opens his eyes too (having also just failed his second Death Save in a row).</p><p></p><p>At the time the players were swearing like troopers- they figured they had this fight beat when all of a sudden the dice turned against them, particularly with their Death Save rolls- four made, four failed.</p><p></p><p>Note Cecil, the Nothic, clears off fairly sharpish- Mosk was his man, once the bugbear leader fell he had no influence on the fight.</p><p></p><p>The last bugbear standing, sans comrades- and now faced by four opponents (who are all looking a lot healthier), and having already fallen in a pit today, gets the hell out of dodge.</p><p></p><p>The Blessed Avengers are not in the mood (or health) to pursue the beast. They’re low on spells, hit points and they really need an Extended Rest.</p><p></p><p>The adventurers don’t hesitate, Myrna and her kids are herded out of the chamber, safely around the open pit in the corridor ahead, and then in to the cellar. Then on to freedom, the adventurers don’t look back, although…</p><p></p><p>As they are leaving the cellar a whispered voice- familiar to them by now, sends them on their way with a hissing giggle, and some words of wisdom- “I’m right behind you!”</p><p></p><p>The Blessed Avengers, in a most unsightly way, sprint all the way back to town, with a still unconscious Iarno bouncing over one of Shagga’s meaty shoulders.</p><p></p><p>They are extremely grateful to get out of the Redbrand’s lair alive, they’re also more than a little concerned that the voice from the crevasse is out to do them harm, and seems to be following them. We break for drinks and a short discussion about who or what the whispering voice is- the guys think it is some kind of invisible creature, or else very sneaky- possibly undead, and with an area ESP effect- it can hear thoughts. They eventually figure out that the One-Eyed God revered by Mosk is most likely (they’re not certain) is also the whispering creature from the crevasse.</p><p></p><p>Which makes things worse, their enemy is a sneaky bastard with ESP, able to charm others and get this- as far as they know has not attacked them yet. It’s that final fact that scares them the most, their enemy (many of the players speculate) has either got a devastating attack or else- nothing much, and so has to get others to do its killing for it. Either way there’s a great deal of consternation in the ranks.</p><p></p><p>Note, I didn’t just allow the players to make a monster knowledge check and tell them that they’re facing a Nothic, I did allow them to make checks and then I hinted (only a little) at what sort of creature it could be. It helped that they all rolled about average for their checks, I want to keep Cecil a secret for as long as I can.</p><p></p><p>Back to town…</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center">[ATTACH=full]112933[/ATTACH]</p><p></p><p>A lot happens in the next two days, that said the Blessed Avengers find plenty of time to relax, level up (their level three now), and to smell the flowers i.e. experience non-life-threatening situations.</p><p></p><p>The guys have seen a lot of death recently, some of it up real close. Too close- nearly another TPK there.</p><p></p><p>The Blessed Avengers roleplay their way through a lot of other stuff before the end of the session, and so in no particular order they-</p><p></p><p>1) Interrogate Iarno Albrek, sorry- Glasstaff, with Sildar’s help. They learn that- the Black Spider is a drow, and that he or she sent the bugbears to help Iarno (the bugbears therefore know, make that knew, where the Black Spider is…). The Black Spider is searching for Wave Echo Cave and the Forge of Spells- tick, they had that figured. And that’s about it, Iarno doesn’t know who has Gundren Rockseeker but he suspects that a bunch of goblins lead by a bugbear called King Grol may be involved. The bugbears sent by the Black Spider had a goblin with them- Droop (incinerated by Gaukus’ Burning Hands spell), this little guy was originally sent by King Grol (Droop therefore knows, sorry- make that knew, where King Grol is laired). Basically, the adventurers discover that everyone that had information about where their enemies are located (and where Gundren Rockseeker is probably being held prisoner) is either dead, or has fled.</p><p></p><p>The guys also realise that a creature with ESP could indeed prove to be of worth to them… particularly if said creature had read the minds of either the bugbears, or else Droop the goblin. It seems they’re going to be heading back in to the Redbrand’s lair sometime soon, this time in search of the whispering voice.</p><p></p><p>So, there’s that.</p><p></p><p>2) The gang go shopping, refresh their stocks and buy a clutch of Healing Potions- the last batch in town. They also take the plaudits, the townsfolk are overjoyed, although equally dismayed about the nest of vipers that had almost destroyed their community. The Blessed Avengers however are the heroes of the hour.</p><p></p><p>3) Elvis, the sneaky little bastard, reports in to his boss- Halia of the Phandalin Miner’s Exchange. The Black Network likes to keep up-to-date with events. Elvis is rewarded with another Potion of Healing.</p><p></p><p>Finally, the adventurers muster the courage to go back in to the Redbrand hideout- specifically to recover the two Redbrand prisoners they left in the cells, and to find and hopefully parley with the whispering voice creature. The place is, as far as they can tell, is as they left it- except for the fact that both Redbrand prisoners have been killed and their faces cut off. Actually, the bodies of the pair look to have necrotised very quickly, the adventurers only left them a day-or-so ago, and they look like they’ve been dead for years. The guys also find a little more loot that they missed on their first swoop, the crevasse is of course empty- save for the remains of Thel Dendrar, the dead (and partially consumed) carpenter.</p><p></p><p>The whispering voice creature (Cecil to you) alas does not answer their calls or requests- it seems to have gone, which the guys find less than reassuring.</p><p></p><p>The Blessed Avengers return to town, slightly dispirited- they’re still lacking information regarding their missing patron- Gundren Rockseeker.</p><p></p><p>Just for info while this is going on the rescued Mirna, and her kids, are being looked after by Sister Garaele and some of the goodwives of the town.</p><p></p><p>The adventurers new found fame has also caused them to be approached by other members of the community, ostensibly with job offers-</p><p></p><p>4) Daran Edermath, ex-adventurer and Order of the Gauntlet member- who also introduced Myrium to Shagga, has a request. He marks on a map of the area, which he supplies to the adventurers, a place called Old Owl Well, a ruined tower (with a well in it) and compound- local miners have reported the presence of undead in the area. He wants it checked out. Daran also has a gift for Shagga, a magical blade called Talon, a sword he wielded in his adventuring days, the massive half-orc crushes Daran with his hug. The quest is accepted.</p><p></p><p>5) Sister Garaele (priestess of Tymora) confides that she has been tasked by her Harper superiors to search out a banshee called Agatha, who lairs in the Neverwinter Woods near Conyberry, and ask her about the whereabouts of a long lost spellbook. Garaele wonders if the adventurers could complete the task for her, she’s not really built for adventuring, and she would be most grateful. The Blessed Avengers accept the quest, and are briefed by the good Sister, they’re also given a jewelled necklace to be offered as a reward to the vain banshee, for the information that is needed.</p><p></p><p>6) Harbin Wester, the mayor of Phandalin, also has a quest to give- miners have reported orcs in the hills south of Conyberry, near a place called Wyvern’s Tor- they need taking care of. The adventurers are hired.</p><p></p><p>So, that’s lots of things to do, none of which however have anything to do with getting their patron Gundren back, and yet they seem to be at an impasse. Sildar and the adventurers think that Gundren has been taken to Cragmaw Castle, lair of King Grol. They also think that King Grol is working for the Black Spider, as was Iarno/Glasstaff & the Redbrands. They hope the Black Spider has not yet got his or her hands on Gundren, and that the location of Wave Echo Cave is therefore still safe. They hope.</p><p></p><p>Sildar makes it clear that the Lords’ Alliance will pay handsomely for the location of Wave Echo Cave, he means of course- the safe return of Gundren Rockseeker. Furthermore, the grizzled ex-guard captain has asked every miner in town- Tharden and Nundro, brothers of Gundren, are definitely missing.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center">[ATTACH=full]112934[/ATTACH]</p><p></p><p>The adventurers have little choice, and of course they are all keen to impress their new friends, and their individual factions (at least Shagga and Gaukus are), and so the plan is to head out of town on the morrow. A wide arc- first stop Agatha the banshee near Conyberry, then south to the Old Owl Well, and lastly in to the hills to Wyvern Tor. Finally, a meander through the hills- to see if they can find the camp of the missing Rockseeker brothers, all the way back to Phandalin. To help them on their way the adventurers have managed to beg or borrow riding horses, Elvis is the odd one out- he has managed to ‘boost’ (steal) a miniature (Shetland-style) pony.</p><p></p><p>Myrium isn’t very happy about Elvis’ habit of just acquiring things, but all her efforts to discover who the gnome has stolen his ride from prove fruitless- no-one it seems is missing a miniature (Shetland-style) pony. It is safe to say that the other three party members- Myrium, Shagga and Gaukus (who are all Lawful-something) are not exactly enamoured with Elvis at times.</p><p></p><p>In reality Elvis has not stolen the pony, he was given it by his boss Halia Thornton, however the gnome rogue has his image to think about, he therefore tells the guys that he stole it. Mostly just to piss them off.</p><p></p><p>There’s a big drink in the Stonehill Tavern on the night before the Blessed Avengers depart, the community shows its thanks- Myrium gets plenty of offers of a bed for her last night in civilisation but resists temptation.</p><p></p><p>The offers soon dry up when Shagga parks himself close to the beautiful priestess and glares at anyone that looks like they’re going to chat with Myrium.</p><p></p><p>The only other thing of note- and this is probably not even worth mentioning, is that Pip- the twelve-year-old son of Toblen and Trilena Stonehill (owners of the Stonehill Tavern), heard a funny voice in his sleep last night, it sang to him and made him giggle.</p><p></p><p>A few days later (after the Blessed Avengers have departed) Toblen finds that a bunch of slates have fallen off the roof of the tavern, he puts it down to the high winds of late, and not down to the fact that Cecil the Nothic has broken in and is now laired in the attic of the Inn, listening to the thoughts of all those that inhabit the hostelry.</p><p></p><p>Hardly worth mentioning, that is however the end of the fifth session of play.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Goonalan, post: 7536518, member: 16069"] [CENTER][B]We D&D.[/B][/CENTER] [B]Lost Mine of Phandelver Session #5 The One-Eyed God. Myrium the Blessed (played by Sandy) Female Human Cleric of Lathander Lvl 2 Shagga, Son of Dorf (played by Rob) Male Half-Orc Paladin of Kord Lvl 2 Gaukus Grom (played by Pete) Male Dragonborn Sorcerer Lvl 2 Elvis Pickersgilly (played by Jackie) Male Forest Gnome Rogue Lvl 2[/B] The Blessed Avengers are in the Redbrand lair, they have taken prisoners including Glasstaff the wizard leader of the gang, and have also rescued Mirna and her kids from the bandit’s clutches. The adventurers ready themselves and then head out of the cells and in to the crypt- the plan is to clear the way back to the cellar through which they first entered the Redbrand’s lair, there should be a short cut ahead. That done- Mirna and her kids are to be smuggled out to safety. The plan lasts less than ten seconds, probably not even five… The doors at the far end of the crypt clatter open, a bugbear strides in- a monstrous bugbear, wearing an eye patch- this is Mosk. Mosk is accompanied by a rag-tag bunch- another bugbear, a terrified looking goblin- this is Droop, and lastly a nervous looking Redbrand. This guy is just this minute working out that he is very probably the last of the Redbrands- he’s struggling to come to terms with this fact. Mosk begins his sermon, and believe me I (your faithful DM) deliver the following as a sermon- Mosk has only recently seen the light (or else heard the voice). “I am Mosk! Prophet of the One-Eyed God*” *For legal reasons it is important that I make clear that the One-Eyed God referred to is not Gruumsh, beloved of the Orcish races. Oh no, the one-eyed god in question is much closer to hand- at present it, or rather he (probably), is located in the deep shadows of the northern corridor, watching the action and feeding lines, as required, to Mosk. The One-Eyed God is known to his friends as Cecil, but you had probably guessed this already. “And you…” Mosk continues, pointing with his hefty Morningstar to each adventurer in turn, “You… Medium the Bastard. You… Shaggy, son of Golf. You… Elfish Picklesilly. And you… Krokus Gorm.” Mosk grins at the adventurer’s consternation. “You have been chosen as the first sacrifices to the high exalted, even now the voice of the One-Eyed God orders your death.” After a second of silence Mosk roars- “KILL THEM!” Note the players are not exactly sure what’s going on here, however I’m not looking for a debate- I desire blood, their blood. Just to make clear- Cecil the Nothic has been busy, he’s recently taken up residence in Mosk the Bugbear’s head, he has revealed to the bugbear his deepest and darkest secrets and fears, and in the process got Mosk believing that he is the Chosen One. And so, back to the action… [CENTER][ATTACH type="full"]112932[/ATTACH][/CENTER] The Blessed Avengers however are ready for the call to arms- Gaukus (dragonborn sorcerer) takes a step forward and unleashes his last remaining spell- Burning Hands, and it’s a scorcher- both bugbears are singed- Mosk badly, the Redbrand is likewise hurt, and the goblin- poor old Droop, is incinerated in an instant. Shame, the little feller was the only one of the bad guys in the lair who knew the way to Cragmaw Castle, home to King Grol- and at present, Gundren Rockseeker, as I say- shame that. Although… Cecil the Nothic may of course know the way. “Form a line” Myrium (human cleric) screams, “Hold them!” Mosk and the Redbrand get in to action against the priestess, she’s cut- but not badly, a moment later and Mosk also catches Elvis (gnome rogue) with a wild swing- fortunately only a glancing blow. Myrium prays and Blesses her companions. Shagga (half-orc paladin) gets in to action and cuts Mosk- the bugbear leader is very quickly bloodied. Seconds later Gaukus manoeuvres and unleashes his icy Breath Weapon (for 11 cold damage- good rolls), Mosk and the Redbrand are left barely able to stand, both shivering furiously. Mosk calls again on his One-Eyed God, and then smashes Myrium down on to the cold stone floor. The terrified Redbrand however is off and running, as far away as he can get. A third bugbear shambles in to the crypt, having only just made his way out of the pit trap it fell in to in the previous corridor. The creature arrives just in time to see Elvis, the gnome, stab his rapier in to Mosk’s side, the bugbear leader falls. Elvis then grabs out a dagger with his off-hand and spins it in to the already wounded bugbear’s leg, the creature sags- it too is almost spent. It does however have enough energy to get off another attack, the bugbear’s morningstar sends Elvis spinning like a top, and to the cold stone floor- unconscious, and dying. That’s two adventurers on the deck and bleeding out- Myrium and Elvis. And then… and then… well, the uninjured bugbear joins the fight, his comrade has only three hit points left, and then… and then… well, there’s a lot of missing. Two rounds of it in fact- when dice go bad. When we do get a hit it’s a Ray of Frost from Gaukus, for two cold damage, the badly wounded bugbear is down to one hit point. Oh, how we laughed, actually now I’m remembering it was only me laughing at the time. The uninjured bugbear smashes Shagga down, or else he would have done if it wasn’t for the half-orc’s Relentless Endurance. It’s getting awfully close to a TPK again… The paladin survives- reaches down and grasps Myrium’s hand- he Lays on Hands and the priestess awakes (having failed two Death Saves in a row). Gaukus’ second Ray of Frost finally does for the badly wounded bugbear. Myrium drags herself to her feet and holds her holy symbol up high- she Preserves Life, and Elvis opens his eyes too (having also just failed his second Death Save in a row). At the time the players were swearing like troopers- they figured they had this fight beat when all of a sudden the dice turned against them, particularly with their Death Save rolls- four made, four failed. Note Cecil, the Nothic, clears off fairly sharpish- Mosk was his man, once the bugbear leader fell he had no influence on the fight. The last bugbear standing, sans comrades- and now faced by four opponents (who are all looking a lot healthier), and having already fallen in a pit today, gets the hell out of dodge. The Blessed Avengers are not in the mood (or health) to pursue the beast. They’re low on spells, hit points and they really need an Extended Rest. The adventurers don’t hesitate, Myrna and her kids are herded out of the chamber, safely around the open pit in the corridor ahead, and then in to the cellar. Then on to freedom, the adventurers don’t look back, although… As they are leaving the cellar a whispered voice- familiar to them by now, sends them on their way with a hissing giggle, and some words of wisdom- “I’m right behind you!” The Blessed Avengers, in a most unsightly way, sprint all the way back to town, with a still unconscious Iarno bouncing over one of Shagga’s meaty shoulders. They are extremely grateful to get out of the Redbrand’s lair alive, they’re also more than a little concerned that the voice from the crevasse is out to do them harm, and seems to be following them. We break for drinks and a short discussion about who or what the whispering voice is- the guys think it is some kind of invisible creature, or else very sneaky- possibly undead, and with an area ESP effect- it can hear thoughts. They eventually figure out that the One-Eyed God revered by Mosk is most likely (they’re not certain) is also the whispering creature from the crevasse. Which makes things worse, their enemy is a sneaky bastard with ESP, able to charm others and get this- as far as they know has not attacked them yet. It’s that final fact that scares them the most, their enemy (many of the players speculate) has either got a devastating attack or else- nothing much, and so has to get others to do its killing for it. Either way there’s a great deal of consternation in the ranks. Note, I didn’t just allow the players to make a monster knowledge check and tell them that they’re facing a Nothic, I did allow them to make checks and then I hinted (only a little) at what sort of creature it could be. It helped that they all rolled about average for their checks, I want to keep Cecil a secret for as long as I can. Back to town… [CENTER][ATTACH type="full"]112933[/ATTACH][/CENTER] A lot happens in the next two days, that said the Blessed Avengers find plenty of time to relax, level up (their level three now), and to smell the flowers i.e. experience non-life-threatening situations. The guys have seen a lot of death recently, some of it up real close. Too close- nearly another TPK there. The Blessed Avengers roleplay their way through a lot of other stuff before the end of the session, and so in no particular order they- 1) Interrogate Iarno Albrek, sorry- Glasstaff, with Sildar’s help. They learn that- the Black Spider is a drow, and that he or she sent the bugbears to help Iarno (the bugbears therefore know, make that knew, where the Black Spider is…). The Black Spider is searching for Wave Echo Cave and the Forge of Spells- tick, they had that figured. And that’s about it, Iarno doesn’t know who has Gundren Rockseeker but he suspects that a bunch of goblins lead by a bugbear called King Grol may be involved. The bugbears sent by the Black Spider had a goblin with them- Droop (incinerated by Gaukus’ Burning Hands spell), this little guy was originally sent by King Grol (Droop therefore knows, sorry- make that knew, where King Grol is laired). Basically, the adventurers discover that everyone that had information about where their enemies are located (and where Gundren Rockseeker is probably being held prisoner) is either dead, or has fled. The guys also realise that a creature with ESP could indeed prove to be of worth to them… particularly if said creature had read the minds of either the bugbears, or else Droop the goblin. It seems they’re going to be heading back in to the Redbrand’s lair sometime soon, this time in search of the whispering voice. So, there’s that. 2) The gang go shopping, refresh their stocks and buy a clutch of Healing Potions- the last batch in town. They also take the plaudits, the townsfolk are overjoyed, although equally dismayed about the nest of vipers that had almost destroyed their community. The Blessed Avengers however are the heroes of the hour. 3) Elvis, the sneaky little bastard, reports in to his boss- Halia of the Phandalin Miner’s Exchange. The Black Network likes to keep up-to-date with events. Elvis is rewarded with another Potion of Healing. Finally, the adventurers muster the courage to go back in to the Redbrand hideout- specifically to recover the two Redbrand prisoners they left in the cells, and to find and hopefully parley with the whispering voice creature. The place is, as far as they can tell, is as they left it- except for the fact that both Redbrand prisoners have been killed and their faces cut off. Actually, the bodies of the pair look to have necrotised very quickly, the adventurers only left them a day-or-so ago, and they look like they’ve been dead for years. The guys also find a little more loot that they missed on their first swoop, the crevasse is of course empty- save for the remains of Thel Dendrar, the dead (and partially consumed) carpenter. The whispering voice creature (Cecil to you) alas does not answer their calls or requests- it seems to have gone, which the guys find less than reassuring. The Blessed Avengers return to town, slightly dispirited- they’re still lacking information regarding their missing patron- Gundren Rockseeker. Just for info while this is going on the rescued Mirna, and her kids, are being looked after by Sister Garaele and some of the goodwives of the town. The adventurers new found fame has also caused them to be approached by other members of the community, ostensibly with job offers- 4) Daran Edermath, ex-adventurer and Order of the Gauntlet member- who also introduced Myrium to Shagga, has a request. He marks on a map of the area, which he supplies to the adventurers, a place called Old Owl Well, a ruined tower (with a well in it) and compound- local miners have reported the presence of undead in the area. He wants it checked out. Daran also has a gift for Shagga, a magical blade called Talon, a sword he wielded in his adventuring days, the massive half-orc crushes Daran with his hug. The quest is accepted. 5) Sister Garaele (priestess of Tymora) confides that she has been tasked by her Harper superiors to search out a banshee called Agatha, who lairs in the Neverwinter Woods near Conyberry, and ask her about the whereabouts of a long lost spellbook. Garaele wonders if the adventurers could complete the task for her, she’s not really built for adventuring, and she would be most grateful. The Blessed Avengers accept the quest, and are briefed by the good Sister, they’re also given a jewelled necklace to be offered as a reward to the vain banshee, for the information that is needed. 6) Harbin Wester, the mayor of Phandalin, also has a quest to give- miners have reported orcs in the hills south of Conyberry, near a place called Wyvern’s Tor- they need taking care of. The adventurers are hired. So, that’s lots of things to do, none of which however have anything to do with getting their patron Gundren back, and yet they seem to be at an impasse. Sildar and the adventurers think that Gundren has been taken to Cragmaw Castle, lair of King Grol. They also think that King Grol is working for the Black Spider, as was Iarno/Glasstaff & the Redbrands. They hope the Black Spider has not yet got his or her hands on Gundren, and that the location of Wave Echo Cave is therefore still safe. They hope. Sildar makes it clear that the Lords’ Alliance will pay handsomely for the location of Wave Echo Cave, he means of course- the safe return of Gundren Rockseeker. Furthermore, the grizzled ex-guard captain has asked every miner in town- Tharden and Nundro, brothers of Gundren, are definitely missing. [CENTER][ATTACH type="full"]112934[/ATTACH][/CENTER] The adventurers have little choice, and of course they are all keen to impress their new friends, and their individual factions (at least Shagga and Gaukus are), and so the plan is to head out of town on the morrow. A wide arc- first stop Agatha the banshee near Conyberry, then south to the Old Owl Well, and lastly in to the hills to Wyvern Tor. Finally, a meander through the hills- to see if they can find the camp of the missing Rockseeker brothers, all the way back to Phandalin. To help them on their way the adventurers have managed to beg or borrow riding horses, Elvis is the odd one out- he has managed to ‘boost’ (steal) a miniature (Shetland-style) pony. Myrium isn’t very happy about Elvis’ habit of just acquiring things, but all her efforts to discover who the gnome has stolen his ride from prove fruitless- no-one it seems is missing a miniature (Shetland-style) pony. It is safe to say that the other three party members- Myrium, Shagga and Gaukus (who are all Lawful-something) are not exactly enamoured with Elvis at times. In reality Elvis has not stolen the pony, he was given it by his boss Halia Thornton, however the gnome rogue has his image to think about, he therefore tells the guys that he stole it. Mostly just to piss them off. There’s a big drink in the Stonehill Tavern on the night before the Blessed Avengers depart, the community shows its thanks- Myrium gets plenty of offers of a bed for her last night in civilisation but resists temptation. The offers soon dry up when Shagga parks himself close to the beautiful priestess and glares at anyone that looks like they’re going to chat with Myrium. The only other thing of note- and this is probably not even worth mentioning, is that Pip- the twelve-year-old son of Toblen and Trilena Stonehill (owners of the Stonehill Tavern), heard a funny voice in his sleep last night, it sang to him and made him giggle. A few days later (after the Blessed Avengers have departed) Toblen finds that a bunch of slates have fallen off the roof of the tavern, he puts it down to the high winds of late, and not down to the fact that Cecil the Nothic has broken in and is now laired in the attic of the Inn, listening to the thoughts of all those that inhabit the hostelry. Hardly worth mentioning, that is however the end of the fifth session of play. [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Community
Playing the Game
Story Hour
We D&D- Tyranny of Dragons Part 2: The Rise of Tiamat #24b Strike Team 1 Part 2 A Ton of Undead.
Top