Lost City of Gaxmoor - The Borderlands Campaign
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Into the Dosk Heights
At the ruins of Dendridi Village the party rendezvoused with the Avorrals, who had tracked Wormscather to a volcanic cavern high in the Dosk Heights. From there they headed south-east up a steep glen, camping at the entrance of Vorloth's dungeon. Entering the high mountains Xyzzy, Lilliana, Orstadt and one Avorral flew on towards the dragon's lair, while the other Avorral returned to Dendridi with the horses and Ori's corpse, and the remainder of the party trudged on afoot through the mountains, entering a sinister valley of bones. The flying party spotted great Snow Eagles in the distance, which came close to inspect them, then a pair of wyverns attacked from out of the setting sun. Xyzzy and co fled down into the clouds below. The wyverns followed, but one, was blasted by cold-cone and lightning bolt, swiftly slain, the other disappearing into the murk. Eventually they reached the ice plain before the dragon's lair, and camped there within an igloo. The foot party passed a dark cave, reached the Giant's Head Bluff beyond the valley of bones, then fought and killed two trolls that sought to make a meal of them before rendezvousing with the second Avorral. Looting the cave they took the trolls' treasure. A week's hard travel through the snowy mountains followed, rarely making more than five miles a day. Up perilous cliffs, along narrow paths and across glacial plains they trekked. The Thrinian cleric Erlin was lost crossing an ice crevasse, but eventually the rest of the party reached the glacier beyond which lay the mountain of the dragon. Negotiating their way past a hill giant and his goblin hunters, they approached the igloo of Xyzzy and co, but spotted four strange shaggy-pelted white forms on the ice around it. Aos went forward and attempted to negotiate with them, but the Yetis charged forward and attacked, badly wounding him as he tried to flee. Things might have gone badly for him, but Lorne struck swiftly from behind, killing three of the beasts with deadly blows, while Sigurd ran forward to dispatch the last, and Xyzzy, emerging from the igloo, blasted it with magical bolts.
The party rested overnight in the expanded igloo, and the spellcasters prepared their magic for next day's battle...
*Ribbit*
From the dragon's cave, a hundred feet above the ice plain, a clear stream tumbled down the cliffside into a pool of unfrozen water upon the ice. Xyzzy magically transported some of the group up to the cave, while the others climbed up more laboriously. Lilliana summoned a celestial lion and sent it ahead. Reaching the end of the tunnel it immediately activated the dragon's Shrieker fungi around a pool, beneath a 30' cliff. Xyzzy, heavily warded, proceeded down the cave, and the dragon's fiery breath blasted him from a lava-tunnel atop the cliff. The fire enveloped him but left him unharmed. The party advanced to do battle, the Avorrals dispelling the dragon's protective wards while the warriors attempted to climb the cliff. Wormscather quickly killed one Avorral then took flight, great wings buffeting Orstadt as it swooped past, heading out of the cavern. Orstadt wheeled and swiftly shot off two 'polymorph' spells. Somehow the second spell penetrated the dragon's innate resistance - and suddenly a very annoyed frog plummeted down the cliffside to the ice plain 100' below! The party followed swiftly, Aos executing a flashy dive into the pool, within which the dragon-frog had taken refuge. The group were unwilling to let it go. After much debate, Xyzzy hit upon a brilliant plan - while 'detect magic' revealed the frog's location at the bottom of the pool, a simple 'mage hand' spell levitated it from the depths, and held it helpless while the warriors dispatched the foe. Dying, Wormscather returned to dragon form, crumpled upon the ice. The party had triumphed.
At the ruins of Dendridi Village the party rendezvoused with the Avorrals, who had tracked Wormscather to a volcanic cavern high in the Dosk Heights. From there they headed south-east up a steep glen, camping at the entrance of Vorloth's dungeon. Entering the high mountains Xyzzy, Lilliana, Orstadt and one Avorral flew on towards the dragon's lair, while the other Avorral returned to Dendridi with the horses and Ori's corpse, and the remainder of the party trudged on afoot through the mountains, entering a sinister valley of bones. The flying party spotted great Snow Eagles in the distance, which came close to inspect them, then a pair of wyverns attacked from out of the setting sun. Xyzzy and co fled down into the clouds below. The wyverns followed, but one, was blasted by cold-cone and lightning bolt, swiftly slain, the other disappearing into the murk. Eventually they reached the ice plain before the dragon's lair, and camped there within an igloo. The foot party passed a dark cave, reached the Giant's Head Bluff beyond the valley of bones, then fought and killed two trolls that sought to make a meal of them before rendezvousing with the second Avorral. Looting the cave they took the trolls' treasure. A week's hard travel through the snowy mountains followed, rarely making more than five miles a day. Up perilous cliffs, along narrow paths and across glacial plains they trekked. The Thrinian cleric Erlin was lost crossing an ice crevasse, but eventually the rest of the party reached the glacier beyond which lay the mountain of the dragon. Negotiating their way past a hill giant and his goblin hunters, they approached the igloo of Xyzzy and co, but spotted four strange shaggy-pelted white forms on the ice around it. Aos went forward and attempted to negotiate with them, but the Yetis charged forward and attacked, badly wounding him as he tried to flee. Things might have gone badly for him, but Lorne struck swiftly from behind, killing three of the beasts with deadly blows, while Sigurd ran forward to dispatch the last, and Xyzzy, emerging from the igloo, blasted it with magical bolts.
The party rested overnight in the expanded igloo, and the spellcasters prepared their magic for next day's battle...
*Ribbit*
From the dragon's cave, a hundred feet above the ice plain, a clear stream tumbled down the cliffside into a pool of unfrozen water upon the ice. Xyzzy magically transported some of the group up to the cave, while the others climbed up more laboriously. Lilliana summoned a celestial lion and sent it ahead. Reaching the end of the tunnel it immediately activated the dragon's Shrieker fungi around a pool, beneath a 30' cliff. Xyzzy, heavily warded, proceeded down the cave, and the dragon's fiery breath blasted him from a lava-tunnel atop the cliff. The fire enveloped him but left him unharmed. The party advanced to do battle, the Avorrals dispelling the dragon's protective wards while the warriors attempted to climb the cliff. Wormscather quickly killed one Avorral then took flight, great wings buffeting Orstadt as it swooped past, heading out of the cavern. Orstadt wheeled and swiftly shot off two 'polymorph' spells. Somehow the second spell penetrated the dragon's innate resistance - and suddenly a very annoyed frog plummeted down the cliffside to the ice plain 100' below! The party followed swiftly, Aos executing a flashy dive into the pool, within which the dragon-frog had taken refuge. The group were unwilling to let it go. After much debate, Xyzzy hit upon a brilliant plan - while 'detect magic' revealed the frog's location at the bottom of the pool, a simple 'mage hand' spell levitated it from the depths, and held it helpless while the warriors dispatched the foe. Dying, Wormscather returned to dragon form, crumpled upon the ice. The party had triumphed.
party roster
Party roster at start of last Sunday's game:
Xyzzy, Sorcerer of Dulleaberg Sorc 10 (Jamz)
Captain Sigurd Ravenskjold: FTR 5/BBN 4 (Lars)
Austin 'Aos' of Imarr, Ftr 8/Rog 1 (Andrew)
Lilliana, Xyzzy's Cohort Clr 8 (Xyzzy's Cohort)
Lorne, agent of Margrave Kanor Ftr 4/Rog 3 (Alex)
Orstadt of the Blue Light: Trans 7 (Matt)
Captain Larius of Gaxmoor, FTR 7 (Sigurd's cohort/Lars)
Lord Arnulf, Thrinian Knight FTR 11 (NPC)
Lady Celia, Thrinian Knight FTR 7 (NPC)
Sir Ragnar, Thrinian Knight FTR 7 (NPC)
Sir Funor, Thrinian Knight FTR 9 (NPC)
Erlin, War Priest of Thrin CLR 6 (NPC)
Party roster at start of last Sunday's game:
Xyzzy, Sorcerer of Dulleaberg Sorc 10 (Jamz)
Captain Sigurd Ravenskjold: FTR 5/BBN 4 (Lars)
Austin 'Aos' of Imarr, Ftr 8/Rog 1 (Andrew)
Lilliana, Xyzzy's Cohort Clr 8 (Xyzzy's Cohort)
Lorne, agent of Margrave Kanor Ftr 4/Rog 3 (Alex)
Orstadt of the Blue Light: Trans 7 (Matt)
Captain Larius of Gaxmoor, FTR 7 (Sigurd's cohort/Lars)
Lord Arnulf, Thrinian Knight FTR 11 (NPC)
Lady Celia, Thrinian Knight FTR 7 (NPC)
Sir Ragnar, Thrinian Knight FTR 7 (NPC)
Sir Funor, Thrinian Knight FTR 9 (NPC)
Erlin, War Priest of Thrin CLR 6 (NPC)
Mathew_Freeman
Adventurer
XP awards, is it? 
The Journal of Orstadt
Having sucessfully driven off the dragon in our initial combat, we decided to pursue it further into the mountains and destroy it once and for all. Such creatures do nothing for the world, they cause only pain and destruction thus it is necessary to spare no effort in hunting them down and killing them.
We began our trek into the mountains, taking the body of my good friend Ori Neasta with us. After some discussion it was decided that the horses, being unable to continue, would be left at a ruined village, along with Ori's body. I am assured by Lilliana that his flesh will be safe. Myself, Xyzzy and Lilliana shall fly on ahead to prepare ourselves, whilst the rest of the group catch up on foot.
I am worried as to the effectiveness of the other Thrinians in this venture. They seem ill-prepared to cope with any shift in tactics by the dragon. All of them still act as though it will merely stay still and fight fair. I fear this is not the case.
Once the group was reassembled, we slept overnight and prepared ourselves. Despite some complaining from some members of the party, spells and resistances were dolled out. I myself intend to use a potion of levitation to ascend the cliffs. It should also allow me greater freedom within the cave.
After a short battle in which the fighters were shown to be badly unprepared, it was magic that won the day! My researches into polymorphology were sucessful! I managed to turn an enraged, fighting fit red dragon into an enraged, fighting fit, frog. It was later discovered and vanquished by the combined actions of the other members of the party.
Now we have the accumulated wealth of the dragon, Ori can be restored to life and carry on his mission. Sigurd has been talking about his plans to raise an army, and the magical suit of chainmail he found in the cave seems to have furthered his resolve. I am sure Ori will want to counsel him in the ways of Thrinian battle. Together, we shall be a force to be reckoned with.
Orstadt of the Blue Light, Transmuter.
The Journal of Orstadt
Having sucessfully driven off the dragon in our initial combat, we decided to pursue it further into the mountains and destroy it once and for all. Such creatures do nothing for the world, they cause only pain and destruction thus it is necessary to spare no effort in hunting them down and killing them.
We began our trek into the mountains, taking the body of my good friend Ori Neasta with us. After some discussion it was decided that the horses, being unable to continue, would be left at a ruined village, along with Ori's body. I am assured by Lilliana that his flesh will be safe. Myself, Xyzzy and Lilliana shall fly on ahead to prepare ourselves, whilst the rest of the group catch up on foot.
I am worried as to the effectiveness of the other Thrinians in this venture. They seem ill-prepared to cope with any shift in tactics by the dragon. All of them still act as though it will merely stay still and fight fair. I fear this is not the case.
Once the group was reassembled, we slept overnight and prepared ourselves. Despite some complaining from some members of the party, spells and resistances were dolled out. I myself intend to use a potion of levitation to ascend the cliffs. It should also allow me greater freedom within the cave.
After a short battle in which the fighters were shown to be badly unprepared, it was magic that won the day! My researches into polymorphology were sucessful! I managed to turn an enraged, fighting fit red dragon into an enraged, fighting fit, frog. It was later discovered and vanquished by the combined actions of the other members of the party.
Now we have the accumulated wealth of the dragon, Ori can be restored to life and carry on his mission. Sigurd has been talking about his plans to raise an army, and the magical suit of chainmail he found in the cave seems to have furthered his resolve. I am sure Ori will want to counsel him in the ways of Thrinian battle. Together, we shall be a force to be reckoned with.
Orstadt of the Blue Light, Transmuter.
Dispater
Explorer
First we encountered a bunch of goblins and a hill giant in the mountains.
Sigurd, tired of fighting, convinces them that they can get fresh meat elsewhere, as one of the NPCs had recently fallen into an icy ravine and died instantly.
Negotiaion works. The party passes peacefully.
Encouraged by trying to talk their way, Aos walks up to the beasts of the next encounter to parley. "Hail" he says.
The beasts abruptly turn around and almost shred him to pieces.
Aos sways as he stands, blooded and badly injured by the snow monsters.
Sigurd, with a slight scratch, walks up to Liliana, Xyzzy's cleric cohort.
Grunts "Heal me."
Liliana "Of course"
Aos: "Hey!!"
Sigurd, tired of fighting, convinces them that they can get fresh meat elsewhere, as one of the NPCs had recently fallen into an icy ravine and died instantly.
Negotiaion works. The party passes peacefully.
Encouraged by trying to talk their way, Aos walks up to the beasts of the next encounter to parley. "Hail" he says.
The beasts abruptly turn around and almost shred him to pieces.
Aos sways as he stands, blooded and badly injured by the snow monsters.
Sigurd, with a slight scratch, walks up to Liliana, Xyzzy's cleric cohort.
Grunts "Heal me."
Liliana "Of course"
Aos: "Hey!!"
Mathew_Freeman
Adventurer
Oh, and I forgot to mention just how smug Orstadt was the night following the successful 'frogation' of the dragon. Put it this way - he was very smug indeed.
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