1) Dorn died because the 2nd warlord in the party was clueless and even when given a clue, didn't help Dorn out. Player will be moving to a fighter. Player is also around 12, so we are prepping the next gen of gamers, which no one seems to mind, just that the young'un gets defensive. The party was also kind enough to save /his/ hide when he kept getting the beat down.
2)Also, the combat did take a while, because it was session#1, and the striker did indeed not do anything about the Leader (Corruption Corpse). Hopefully with time, the players will work out how their players can be most effective in situations.
3) Following is the full description of the whole session, from the start:
“I saw it, I tell you, I was out late last night, found a good spot, was pulling in big trout, almost too many to count, and I seen it.”
“Sure, you saw the beacon, then where is the treasure, why don’t you have any evidence?”
“I told you, why would I leave all the fish?”
The Beacon of Propherio, built by the human wizard/ merchant/ adventurer Propherio for his beloved Caerwyn. The Beacon is rumoured to light on moonless nights so that Propherio may find his way home. Those with some knowledge assume it is somehow connected to the Feywild, Caerwyn was an Eladrin after all. Somewhere out in the river, on one of the islands….
They lived, many, many years ago, and now it serves as urban legend, and possibly is a place to be found.
Jonas stormed into the Laughing Lizard “It is those gods-damned goblins, I know Keefe said they meant no harm, and I know Marria (looks at the owner, a pretty woman who is rumoured to know her way around the handle of a sword, and whose left eye is covered by an eye-patch, no one has asked her how that happened, or maybe she has never told anyone…. Some believe it might have something to do with one of her children being a half-orc) has gone up there and brought them some food, but ever since they showed up the fields have turned to mud and now one of my cows was slaughtered. Keefe ain’t around, and I need to put an end to it, I can’t afford to lose another cow, whose with me?”
The unkempt dwarf in the back of Lizard stood up “Ten percent of your earnings for the year, and I’ll find it, you dead will do your family and your farm no good.”
“10%????” Jonas paused, ran some numbers through his head and his fingers, “well, I can’t really afford it, but I can’t afford to lose another cow either. I’ll do it.”
The young mage Jeffs stepped forward, indeed curious to get a look at the muddy fields and discover if the goblins were indeed using “devil magic.” Medrash, the foreign Dragonborn offered his curved blade, Sussariss the dark cloaked Eldarin, joined also by Salerna the Eladrin, lover of wine and song, and the ½ elf Achilles, armed with his halberd.”
Jonas took them to his farm and directed the Heroes to the cow’s corpse. Lying half in the mud, it was obvious whatever had killed the cow, and mutilated it, did it without weapons, bones picked clean of meat lay nearby, tufts of cow skin and hair strewn about. There was some evidence of fouyr legged attackers, wolves, or perhaps even the Dire Beavers referenced by Jeffs, but also bipeds were present, their gait was too long for them to goblins, and in the mud their trail was easy to follow.
Through Jonas’ land onto one of the small roads running behind the farms, they continued on, seeing the tracks lead into a small copse of trees, from within they heard snarls and growls, and the bones and bloody meat nearby indicated they most likely found the attackers. Bracing themselves and drawing their weapons, the Heroes strode forward, two undead hounds, two zombies and a corruption corpse quickly moved to attack, as the soon was setting, the time favored by undead was near… The hounds leapt, biting and knocking opponents over, Dorn waded through, using his dwarven strength to keep himself more on his feet than another, less hearty soul would. He waded through the zombies and gravehounds while his comrades closed to attack, occupying the mindless undead. The corruption corpse hurled necrotic, maggit-infested bits of its’ own flesh at the Heroes, when it struck, the necrotic energy seeped into the target, weakening them. Dorn continued to close, determined to bring down these foul creatures.
The Heroes finally dropped the brainless zombies and closed with the corruption corpse. Having expended so much of itself in attacking the party, the corpse could not hope to stand long against the combined might of the Heroes of Kyrbishire. As it hurled more maggot-infested innards at Dorn, the mighty dwarf fell. Achilles charged into the fray, Medrash yelled at him to aid Dorn, instead Achilles threw his halberd into the undead, causing it explode in a burst of necrotic ooze. The maggots and infected blood seeped into Dorn's wounds, and his spirit joined his kin...
After ensuring that he was not infected, the Heroes wrapped Dorn's body as best they could, Jeffs and Hazim returned Dorn to town, Jeffs promised to return, the Heroes continued on.
Following the trail, the party saw at once where the undead came from... the cemetery...
Earth was freshly dug up, or rather pushed up from beneath, by many of the graves, and as the Heroes approached, their life force was sensed by these animated corpses. Zombies and skeletons made their way across the soft ground, Achilles quickly grew overwhelmed and fell to his knees several times. But it was not just the zombies and skeletons overwhelming the party, from the rear of the cemetery a Deathlock Wight attacked the Heroes with grave bolts and when they made their way across this grave battlefield, his claw attacks not only did damage but sucked the life from his targets...
But all would not be lost this day. The roar of a dragon, a cry to Bahamut came from behind the party. Evil was sensed by the local church to the Platinum Dragon, but only one was brave enough to investigate. Clad in gleaming armor, this cleric, this healer, this bane of undead charged into the fray, destroying several zombies and skeletons with the shear force of his will and his faith.
The wight had nowhere to go, immobilized by the party, he had to stay and fight, but his power from beyond the grave was not enough...
The heroes searched the stone cairns and the tomb. Within the tomb they found a stairway leading down.....
Requiem for a Hero-
As the Heroes looked through Dorn's belongings, they found on item of note, a simple feather quill, carefully kept in a carved wooden scroll case. The parchment in the case had on it one poem...
Lucilla, My Love
I shall go fore
Into the world
Armored and armed
Life at risk
One day
Not just a rose
Pretty as your face
Or diamond
sparkles not
Much as your eyes
A fortress
A keep
To hold my
Possession most prized
You
who hold my heart.
Hazim delivered this to fair Ducilla.
She knew not the name of Dorn, knew him only from afar, though stories told by others revealed him to have been a happy soul, quick with a drinking song, quicker with a drink for a thirsty friend, and anyone thirsty was a friend.
The farmer Jonas came to look at Dorn's body. His middle son, stood behind him, and as he approached Jonas stopped him "There is nothing there you should see."
"Who is it father."
"A Hero, one who saved us."
And Jonas offered to bury Dorn on his family plot, to show him respect, so that his family would know why that winter there was food on their table.
100 XP Quest completed- What Happened to the Cows.
200 XP Quest still out there- Why have all the fields turned to mud?
1,000 XP Quest also still present, completion conditions unknown.
2)Also, the combat did take a while, because it was session#1, and the striker did indeed not do anything about the Leader (Corruption Corpse). Hopefully with time, the players will work out how their players can be most effective in situations.
3) Following is the full description of the whole session, from the start:
“I saw it, I tell you, I was out late last night, found a good spot, was pulling in big trout, almost too many to count, and I seen it.”
“Sure, you saw the beacon, then where is the treasure, why don’t you have any evidence?”
“I told you, why would I leave all the fish?”
The Beacon of Propherio, built by the human wizard/ merchant/ adventurer Propherio for his beloved Caerwyn. The Beacon is rumoured to light on moonless nights so that Propherio may find his way home. Those with some knowledge assume it is somehow connected to the Feywild, Caerwyn was an Eladrin after all. Somewhere out in the river, on one of the islands….
They lived, many, many years ago, and now it serves as urban legend, and possibly is a place to be found.
Jonas stormed into the Laughing Lizard “It is those gods-damned goblins, I know Keefe said they meant no harm, and I know Marria (looks at the owner, a pretty woman who is rumoured to know her way around the handle of a sword, and whose left eye is covered by an eye-patch, no one has asked her how that happened, or maybe she has never told anyone…. Some believe it might have something to do with one of her children being a half-orc) has gone up there and brought them some food, but ever since they showed up the fields have turned to mud and now one of my cows was slaughtered. Keefe ain’t around, and I need to put an end to it, I can’t afford to lose another cow, whose with me?”
The unkempt dwarf in the back of Lizard stood up “Ten percent of your earnings for the year, and I’ll find it, you dead will do your family and your farm no good.”
“10%????” Jonas paused, ran some numbers through his head and his fingers, “well, I can’t really afford it, but I can’t afford to lose another cow either. I’ll do it.”
The young mage Jeffs stepped forward, indeed curious to get a look at the muddy fields and discover if the goblins were indeed using “devil magic.” Medrash, the foreign Dragonborn offered his curved blade, Sussariss the dark cloaked Eldarin, joined also by Salerna the Eladrin, lover of wine and song, and the ½ elf Achilles, armed with his halberd.”
Jonas took them to his farm and directed the Heroes to the cow’s corpse. Lying half in the mud, it was obvious whatever had killed the cow, and mutilated it, did it without weapons, bones picked clean of meat lay nearby, tufts of cow skin and hair strewn about. There was some evidence of fouyr legged attackers, wolves, or perhaps even the Dire Beavers referenced by Jeffs, but also bipeds were present, their gait was too long for them to goblins, and in the mud their trail was easy to follow.
Through Jonas’ land onto one of the small roads running behind the farms, they continued on, seeing the tracks lead into a small copse of trees, from within they heard snarls and growls, and the bones and bloody meat nearby indicated they most likely found the attackers. Bracing themselves and drawing their weapons, the Heroes strode forward, two undead hounds, two zombies and a corruption corpse quickly moved to attack, as the soon was setting, the time favored by undead was near… The hounds leapt, biting and knocking opponents over, Dorn waded through, using his dwarven strength to keep himself more on his feet than another, less hearty soul would. He waded through the zombies and gravehounds while his comrades closed to attack, occupying the mindless undead. The corruption corpse hurled necrotic, maggit-infested bits of its’ own flesh at the Heroes, when it struck, the necrotic energy seeped into the target, weakening them. Dorn continued to close, determined to bring down these foul creatures.
The Heroes finally dropped the brainless zombies and closed with the corruption corpse. Having expended so much of itself in attacking the party, the corpse could not hope to stand long against the combined might of the Heroes of Kyrbishire. As it hurled more maggot-infested innards at Dorn, the mighty dwarf fell. Achilles charged into the fray, Medrash yelled at him to aid Dorn, instead Achilles threw his halberd into the undead, causing it explode in a burst of necrotic ooze. The maggots and infected blood seeped into Dorn's wounds, and his spirit joined his kin...
After ensuring that he was not infected, the Heroes wrapped Dorn's body as best they could, Jeffs and Hazim returned Dorn to town, Jeffs promised to return, the Heroes continued on.
Following the trail, the party saw at once where the undead came from... the cemetery...
Earth was freshly dug up, or rather pushed up from beneath, by many of the graves, and as the Heroes approached, their life force was sensed by these animated corpses. Zombies and skeletons made their way across the soft ground, Achilles quickly grew overwhelmed and fell to his knees several times. But it was not just the zombies and skeletons overwhelming the party, from the rear of the cemetery a Deathlock Wight attacked the Heroes with grave bolts and when they made their way across this grave battlefield, his claw attacks not only did damage but sucked the life from his targets...
But all would not be lost this day. The roar of a dragon, a cry to Bahamut came from behind the party. Evil was sensed by the local church to the Platinum Dragon, but only one was brave enough to investigate. Clad in gleaming armor, this cleric, this healer, this bane of undead charged into the fray, destroying several zombies and skeletons with the shear force of his will and his faith.
The wight had nowhere to go, immobilized by the party, he had to stay and fight, but his power from beyond the grave was not enough...
The heroes searched the stone cairns and the tomb. Within the tomb they found a stairway leading down.....
Requiem for a Hero-
As the Heroes looked through Dorn's belongings, they found on item of note, a simple feather quill, carefully kept in a carved wooden scroll case. The parchment in the case had on it one poem...
Lucilla, My Love
I shall go fore
Into the world
Armored and armed
Life at risk
One day
Not just a rose
Pretty as your face
Or diamond
sparkles not
Much as your eyes
A fortress
A keep
To hold my
Possession most prized
You
who hold my heart.
Hazim delivered this to fair Ducilla.
She knew not the name of Dorn, knew him only from afar, though stories told by others revealed him to have been a happy soul, quick with a drinking song, quicker with a drink for a thirsty friend, and anyone thirsty was a friend.
The farmer Jonas came to look at Dorn's body. His middle son, stood behind him, and as he approached Jonas stopped him "There is nothing there you should see."
"Who is it father."
"A Hero, one who saved us."
And Jonas offered to bury Dorn on his family plot, to show him respect, so that his family would know why that winter there was food on their table.
100 XP Quest completed- What Happened to the Cows.
200 XP Quest still out there- Why have all the fields turned to mud?
1,000 XP Quest also still present, completion conditions unknown.
