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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Goonalan" data-source="post: 9705444" data-attributes="member: 16069">Not KotSSession #011a: Kurgan Kurgan, the Traitor’s Quest.The Inspectors.Chromium Malifax aka C-Fax (Rob), Male Silver Dragonborn (Noble) Paladin of Bahamut Level 2Mavis Golightly aka Mave (Sandy), Female Half-Elf (Acolyte) Cleric of Chauntea Level 2Arbuthnot McGow aka McGow (Al), Male Mountain Dwarf (Soldier) Fighter Level 2Snakebite (Kenji), Female Half-Orc (Outlander) Monk Level 2Travis Pickle (Yui), Male Lightfoot Halfling (Criminal) Rogue Level 2Dead PCsThe Inspector aka Spek (Kenji), Male Rock Gnome (Charlatan) Sorcerer Level 1- Killed in Session #2 by Eggnog the Kobold Dragon Priest.To-do list/Quests-#001 Save Dicky Bird aka The Fat Pidgin, and bring him home safely to Edna Gingster, although Dicky is on his way to the Narthex, which is in the Labyrinth, which is near the Seven Pillared Hall- which is in the Underdark- Bugger. Reward: 2000 XP & 1000gp each.<s>#002 Find and investigate the ancient dragon burial site Dicky was looking for, he might be there. Reward: 250 XP.</s> COMPLETE<s>#003 Destroy the kobold menace, including their leader- ‘Chopper.’ Reward: 250 XP & 75gp, with 1gp paid for every kobold tail handed in.</s> COMPLETE#004 Stop Orcus-worshipping Karl’s ritual to bring an undead army to Kirkgate. Basically, save the village, begs (eventually) Lord Crumble. Karl is in Kirkgate. 1000 XP & 250gp reward.#005 Find/Save Cheggers. That's it really, the PCs just need to find/save Cheggers (he’s with Karl, if he’s still alive), for Fionulla (the spy). Reward 100 XP.#006 Find and kill/capture the Bloody Heck- including any leaders. Recover any prisoners they have kidnapped. Find out where Karl is based. Reward: 400 XP & 100gp, with 1gp paid for every member of the Bloody Heck confirmed dead or captured.So, here we go again, and the players have been looking forward to getting back to this encounter.[ATTACH=full]411437[/ATTACH]They’re fighting a skeleton knight who also seems intent on asking the PCs a variety of questions, all of which are clearly attempts to gauge the PCs worth. This is a test- the skeleton knight said so, and Rob playing C-Fax is repeating this pretty much every turn (and again in this session) in order to keep his charges in line. C-Fax oh so wants to pass the test. The skeleton knight is (obviously) the Traitor, and an ex-champion/paladin/knight of Bahamut.There’s also a story to be had here.The PCs have answered five questions successfully so far (actually, that’s all of the questions- I did say this last session).And so, every time the PCs inflict 20 hit points damage to the skeleton knight it chats with the PCs- asking them questions (last session), but now…[ATTACH=full]411438[/ATTACH]“I am Kurgan Kurgan. I was commander here, it was my job to see that the rift remained sealed and guarded, lest Orcus’ unholy powers once again seep into the world.”It’s a semi-hallelujah moment for the PCs, or else as soon as the text gets dropped into Fantasy Grounds and I finish my speech for the skeleton knight (Kurgan Kurgan) what comes next is Rob (playing C-Fax) shouting “Yes! Yes!” and variants on- “I told you!” The paladin, basically, spends the next five minutes crowing about how great he is for working it all out.The fight/game stops for ten or more minutes as the players let Kurgan’s speech sink in, and then do a lot of chatting amongst themselves.I think it was Sandy (Mavis) who eventually figured it out- “Kirkgate. Kirk. Gate. There’s a gate, a rift, a portal beneath the church here!”The players, all of them, are relieved and enthused- they’re in the right spot.They also take a good few minutes to shower me with praise- it just sounded like a lot of swearing at the time.But still they need to defeat Kurgan Kurgan (they figure) to go on, and keep in mind they’ve done more than 120 points of damage to the skeleton knight at this point, and they’ve pretty much got nothing left in the way of powers (no spells) or healing (save a few potions) and some of them are very low on HP.Oh, and here are the stats for Kurgan Kurgan.[spoiler= The Bad Guys]Enc#15 Kurgan Kurgan, the Traitor 1400 XP CR 4 Deadly.1 x Kurgan Kurgan, Skeleton Knight (1400xp) As per MM Knight mixed with Skeleton except AC 16 (broken plate armour which continues to fall apart as the PCs do damage = -1 AC for every 50 HP damage inflicted, so AC 12 at the end); Proficiency Bonus +3; Extra +2 on all saves (just in case); Vuln: bludgeoning & radiant; Resist: piercing & necrotic; HP 240 (with a question or speech delivered every 20 HP damage inflicted); Two attacks +6 To Hit, Longsword (wielded two handed) 1d10+3 slashing damage; Death Gaze (usable only when bloodied) one target within 30 feet, DC 13 Wisdom or 1d10 necrotic damage, save for half.Tactics- As per the text here, charge into action- fight to the last and get his questions asked and his story told.[/spoiler]But here’s the thing- in the last session Kurgan Kurgan managed to land a few hits on the PCs, we had four or five turns of action back then, but now, in this session- well, there are four more turns of fighting here but in that time Kurgan doesn’t land another hit with his longsword (eight attacks- zero hits). Only doing a little damage every turn (after he’s bloodied) with his Death Gaze attack, and so…[ATTACH=full]411439[/ATTACH]“I failed in my task. The corruption that lurks beyond the rift leaked out and twisted me (bad writing), twisted my mind. Disaster struck.”And very soon after…[ATTACH=full]411440[/ATTACH]C-Fax is reduced to one hit point courtesy of Kurgan’s Death Gaze attack.But the fight goes on- the PCs are not stopping (they think/keep on saying) until they get to the end.[ATTACH=full]411442[/ATTACH]“Orcus’ vile taint entered my dreams; a murderous rage overcame me. I slew my wife and children first but swiftly moved on from this bloody deed- attacking my captains, one by one, killing them all.”And…[ATTACH=full]411443[/ATTACH]“Finally, the alarm went out, and what remained of my legion rallied, they banded together and fought with the fury of the Platinum Dragon to send me to hell. But Orcus had other plans- my life was over- my undeath began. They could not kill me because I would not die, or else it was Orcus’ wish that I should always return. The legion sealed the way; they sealed me in here.”And…[ATTACH=full]411444[/ATTACH]“I am past redemption, but I remember who I once was. I remember my service. Return to this place with the five symbols of my command and I will open the way below. Hurry now, for down in the darkness the portal once again stirs.”Which causes a few howls of fury from the players but keep on reading- we’ll get to this.[ATTACH=full]411445[/ATTACH]“Complete this last quest and my stay here will be at an end. Five items- my two swords, my shield, my armour and my holy symbol- which you wear [Kurgan Kurgan points at C-Fax with his longsword]. Pray to Bahamut and he will show you the way, if you are worthy. Now, let us end this… you must strike me down for this story to have an end. Fight on!”But again, let’s get to the end, although there are no pictures in Discord of that moment, only this one-[ATTACH=full]411446[/ATTACH]Which is just after the fight has ended, the PCs are wandering about investigating the partially inundated chamber, there is alas nothing in the way of treasure to be found here.So, let’s skip back a bit, or else expand on the story delivered above.The PCs are not silent between Kurgan Kurgan’s speeches, they have questions (and comments, and there’s also a fair amount of ad hoc swearing), some of them- for the skeleton knight, and some of the questions even get answers. Anything that can be answered with a yes/no, nothing complicated.And so, by the very end the PCs have come to understand the following-There’s a portal to a domain of Orcus situated down below.This place was built to guard the portal and staffed by devotees of the Platinum Dragon.Kurgan Kurgan went bonkers (got infected by Orcus’s whisperings) and killed lots of folk down here- he’s the Traitor, see above. He was sealed in here. He’s been here for a good long while.The five symbols of Kurgan Kurgan’s office- a longsword, a shortsword, a suit of scale armour, a shield and the holy symbol that C-Fax wears (he took it off a Bloody Heck goblin) need to be located. The PCs obviously already have one of the five. All five items are magical. That’s nice!Kurgan Kurgan has no idea where the other four items are at.The PCs can (as a Bonus/Action) make a DC 12 Religion check to send a prayer to Bahamut to get the Platinum Dragon (or his heavenly admin staff) to point them towards the nearest of the missing items.Alas Kurgan Kurgan doesn’t know the range of this power or else anything else about how it works (the PCs we’re very keen to find out).And that’s about it, except to say the PCs need to get the five items back to this spot- at which point the way below will open- Kurgan Kurgan’s last act.Obviously, the PCs are also a little disappointed/frustrated- they figured, initially, kill Kurgan Kurgan and then head below.Also, they’re against the clock here. They have five days before the portal opens.That’s a lot to get done.Then, after all the above chatter is done, and Kurgan Kurgan has been despatched, all five PCs attempt to pray to Bahamut in order to locate the nearest missing item and… well, only two of them manage to make the first check (but they can repeat the check- note the players don’t get to see the results of their dice rolls, only the DM does) and… nothing.Which, after a few minutes more spent debating the result- the PCs figure they’re out of range atm.This then is the end of their adventures down here for a bit, time to head back to the surface- the PCs are developing a plan.They think they know where they need to go to find the missing items- the ruined Dragon Castle in the Norwood, former home to the Bloody Heck.They also remember that the Bloody Heck were sending more troops to the area (due any day, according to Big Fat Ron the goblin boss), therefore the PCs quickly figure that they’re going to have ‘do’ the Dragon Castle dungeon again. More goblins- lovely.They’re very clever people.Maybe, we’ll see.The Inspectors therefore make their way back up and out and into the graveyard in Kirkgate, it’s early evening (about 7-ish) when they emerge into the light. Kirkgate is calm and quiet- there’s nothing untoward going on here, or so it seems to the inhabitants of this spot.Next stop is another meeting with Lord Crumble, the Lord, they figure- is due an update, and the PCs are now convinced that Evil Karl is down below, and not the alter ego of anyone here in Kirkgate. For a while the PCs were convinced that Evil Karl is (maybe) Jefron Puddleduck, the sage here, even imagining Lord Crumble could be the villain. Players and their imaginations- villains around every corner.Also, the PCs are mostly broken- they’re out of powers, HPs, etc. They need a break- they’ve been at it for the best part of two days now.They also take a moment to call in and catch up with Sister Margaritta and the still very teary “Oh Cheggers!” Fionulla.They also take a moment to offer more prayers to Bahamut once they are back on the surface- still, nothing.More of this next time.That’s 280 XP each for encounter #15, and a little extra XP for smart play along the way- Mavis & C-Fax 60 XP each, Travis 50 XP, McGow & Snakebite 40 XP each.Next time.Cheers goonalan and the Tokyo Massive.</blockquote>

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