Maliki's C&C Campaign

[Maliki]

WK6-2 (2-21-05) Faces of Love

Ok, now to finish this weeks update.

After the brawl the party is still at the Shadyoak Inn, Shannson the innkeeper is talking to the reeve, the town guard is talking to the remaining patrons to see who is responsable for damages etc. Rebekah, the owner of the Crossed Swords Tavern, storms inn calling for the reeve. Whe has witnessed a murder of a member of the barons guard. The PCs follow the reeve, and find the body of the Lt, with his heart torn out. Three other people, a alcolyte from the templem and two baronial guardsmen(Rory and Seth) also witnessed the murder, all confirm it was David, son of Shedhrig.

At this point the party turns into C.S.I. Goblins Tooth.

The ranger follows the blood trail(from the heart) into some nearby woods, where they find the heart, but the tracks end there and a different set of tracks leads back to the crime scene.

Word comes that David has been arrested and is being held at the town watch's barracks. The party feels that David has been framed, and jump to the conclusion that Maythas would be someone who would want David out of the way.

Then they do the classic, "lets split up." Schohn and Necromos head out to Maythas families farm outside of town. Luthian and Sylvia head for the Baronial Guard encampment to talk to Rory and Seth, and Beroguer goes to talk to David.

David claims his innocence but has no witnesses to prove his story that he went straight home after the brawl. Beroguer then decides to head for Maythas farm also.

Luthian and Sylvia reach the encampment, but are unable to talk to the guardsmen. The companies captain tells them that they have no authority to talk to his men. He does tell them that Rory will be available for a trial, but there is no guardsmen named Seth in his unit. They return to town.

Schohn and Necromos reach Maythas farm , knocking on the door they are greeted by the barking of a large dog, forcing open the door they are shocked to see two large wardogs and a dozen koblods. Schohn turns to Necromos with a confused look and says "There're koblods in there." The two wardogs attack, while the kobolds begin to scatter. A sleep spell drops half the the koblods, and one of the dogs takes a large chunk out of Necromos. The next round another sleep spell drops the wardogs, but the remaining kobolds have scattered into the night. Schohn slays the sleeping kobolds and dogs, and the two begin to search the house. Soon Beroguer arrives and heals Necromos.

They then search the home, finding a locked chest. Inside the chest the party finds a journal by an unknown creature, who can take different forms. In the journal the party finds the creatures account of slaying the Maythas's family and Maythas himself, and of taking Maythas form, visits to the town and of falling in love with Carla, the barmaid from the Shadyoak Inn. The journal also details a plot to kill Sir Derrick, the reeve, involving Captain Alsted. and ways to eliminate David. The journal also mentions a backup lair.(a map was also found showing the lairs location.)

The party regroups and heads to the reeve and present him with the journal. The reeve sends for Brother Rothsby, who arrives with the Chalice of Arwythan, a holy artifact capable of detecting lies. Using the chalice, the reeve determines the captains guilt in the plot, and proves Davids innocence.

David is released and both he and the party head for the Shady Oak. When they arrive, they learn that Carla had left hours earlier with "David". The party, along with David then begins to make plans to journey to the backup lair mentioned in the creatures journal.

 

[Maliki]

WK7 (3-7-05) Bloodstone Priory

The party,(including Ryld,but minsu Sylvia) along with David set out at dawn for the Bloodstone Priory. On the way David relates the history/legend of the priory.

History
Several generations ago the head cleric(Ormond) of the temple(then known as Greystone Priory) was found to be conducting vile experiments on sylvan folk in a secret laboratory beneath the temple. Another cleric(Lathane) found the lab by mistake, he was attacked and nearly slain by Ormand, but Lathane managed to stagger to Goblins Toothand tell the townfolk of Ormands vile experiments. The town martialed nearly 200 men and marched on the temple. Ormand manage to convince the temples clerics that the townsfolk were coming to destroy thier temple, so the clerics defended thier holy ground with divine conviction. In the aftermath less than 30 townsfolk survived, all the clerics were killed, Ormand was never found, nor was his secret lab. The townsfolk who did survive brought back a strange disease that ran rampant through the town, killing many.From that point on the place was considered cursed, and avoided by the town.

Schohn found several traces of the passing of the shapeshifter and Carla, and just at nightfall the party arrived at the ruined temple. Searching an out building charred by fire the party was attacked by four blackened skeletons. Beroguer fails a turn attempt, but Luthien comes through and destroys two of the four in melee while Ryle manages to bring down one and the remaining party members destroy the last. Finding nothing of intrest they move on to the next building.

The next building,heavily damaged from the long ago siege turns out to be the former kitchen, Nothing of intrest is found there. The next building holds the former dining room and the party finds several recently used targets, with kobold war darts stuck in them, three more targers show signs of sword practice. A third room holds large vats for alemaking, one of which holds a trapped skeleton and some brown mold. Ryld sets it ablaze destroying both the mold and the skeleton.

Moving on the party enters an overgrown garden area with a central fountain. Two kobolds hiding behind the fountain surprise the party, wounding Beroguer with a dart, before Luthian smashes one with his hammer and Beroguer and Ryld take down the other. The koblods carry a total of 16 cp. Nothing else of intrest in the garden.

Acouple of empty rooms in the main temple building, then the party stumbles onto the remains of one of the temples priests. A ghostly figure rises from the clerics remains and attckst the party. Luthian and David manage to hit the creature for minimal damage, but then it is driven off by Beroguer.

This is where we stopped for the night. After a weeks break it was hard to focus. All in all it was avery poor night of gaming. we ended up quitting an hour early. Hopefully things will improve next week.

Luthian had a great night in melee, while Schohn failed to hit. Necromos had a quite night(her sleep spells pretty useless against the undead). She did manage to land two his with her staff agains a skeleton(1 damage both times). Ryld had a solid night in combat, and Beroguer made a nice roll to turn the haunt.

 

[Maliki]

WK8 (3-14-05) Bloodstone Priory Pt.2

The party continued with its exploration of the main temple. Each room showed the signs of the intense combat that had taken place long ago.
The main gallery itself held near a hundred skeleton both of the militia and the defending clerics. Little of intrest was FOUND upstairs, and the party set out to explore the lower level(s) of the Temple.

Necromos cast light on a skull he had picked up earlier(this did not sit too well with Luthian), and rolled it down the steps. Nothing could be seen or heard from below, so the party proceeded down.

To the left of the stairs was a storage area filled with crates of dried rations, and a mix of trade goods(obviously looted from caravans). The next room was the foul smelling living area of over a dozen smallish creatures(judging by the number and size of the sleeping skins found). Two small holes dug in the northern wall and one to the eastern wall were the only exits.(The party decided against squeezing through these narrow openings and exited the room to follow a hallway north. The hall some 60' long was blocked at each end by 4' high piles of rubble. A wooden platform ran halfway up the outside of the pile. Suddenly at the far rubble pile a orce of 5 koblolds appeared manning the wall. Luthian, Ryld and Beroguer charged.(The dwarve a bit behind the human and half-elf), Schohn fires an arrow and misses, the Kobolds through a volley of darts at the charging PCs(they all miss). The Necromos(true to form) casts sleep and down goes the koblolds.

The next round, 5 more kobolds scamper from the small hole on the west wall and attack Schohn and Necromos, with a volley of darts. Schohn kills one, with an an arrow, Necromos hits one for 1 point of damage. Luthian climbs over the far rubble pile to dispose of the sleeping kobolds, Ryld tries to smash his way through a door in the western wall(thinking that it leads to the main kobold lair.(He finds the door barricaded and gives up.)
Berogeur, whose blazing speed has left him between the two piles turns and rushes back to aid Schohn and Necromos.

Rnd 2
Schohn manages another kill, Necromos and a koblod exchange powerful blows(each doing 1 damage to the other) Berogeur manages to leap into the fray(only to take serious damage from two of the remaining kobolds.
At the other end 4 more koblods rush out and attack Luthian.(all miss and Luthian kills one of the vermin) Ryld rushes to help the Paladin.

Rnd3
Berogeur steps back to heal himself, Necromos and the 3 kobolds all miss. Schohn kills another kobold. Luthian drops another, and is joined by Ryld.

Rnd 4
Berogeur destroys a kobold(15 points of damage) Schohn moves and kills the kobold who was still battling Necromos. Ryld and Luthian both kill a kobold at the far end. (End of kobolds)

This is where we had to stop for the night. Hopefully next week we will finish the Bloodstone Priory, and conclude the Goblin Tooth portion of the campaign.

Note once again I show one of my biggest faults as a DM, David was completly forgotten as soon as the battle started. not that the party needed his help or even mentioned him.

 

[Maliki]

WK9-1 (3-21-05) Bloodstone Priory Pt. 3

After defeating the kobolds, the party continues thier investigation of the temples lower level. One long hall hold many former living quarters for the priory's monks, a thumping noise can be heard from behind one of two barred doors. Releasing the bar, the party is attacked by two zombies, which they quickly handle. In the other locked room they find room obviosly used to hold Carla(David finds her apron here) But no sign of Carla. A few rooms later they find a old office, and a larger living area(Very clean and well kept) Searching they find a two large chests filled with all sizes and types of clothing, also in one of the chest is a fair amount of coin and gems. They also find a journal kept by the creature, where it talks of preparing for the party and its plans to show Carla its "true self".

After a few more empty roms the party finds a door with a broken wax and silver seal. Entering they find themselves in a 30' wide octagon shaped, burial chamber. A door in the south wall (also with a broken seal) leads out. The next chamber is much the same, except this has recently been converted to a storage room(Lots of rations and ale). Again a door with a broken seal leads south.

The third chamber is of the same size but hold an alter, seated upom the alter is Carla, and in front of her is a featurless greyskinned humanoid with overly large claws and large pupiless eyes. The battle is on!

Rnd 1 Necromos cast sleep to no avail, Luthian detects evil paying attention to Carla(funny how shapechangers can make people paranoid)The rest of the party charges and and land some shots on the creature. The creature returns the favor smashing Berogeur to the ground.

Rnd 2 Necromos slips around the melee to get to Carla, the party deals out more damage to the creature, Beroguer struggles to drink a healing potion. Then David(whom I remembered this week) steps up and nearly cleaves the creature in half. As the dead creature stumbles backwards it crashes into the alter, knocking it backwards to reveal a set of spiral stairs leading down.

The party wishes to explore the lower level and David and Carla set off for Goblinstooth. The party heals up and proceeds down the spiral stairs, whish end in a another octogan shaped chamber, as soon as the party reaches the bottom of the steps, A ghoul like creature charges through a partially opened door, Ryld, Luthian and Beroguer roll into melee, Necromos holds a position, halfway up the steps and Schohn launches an arrow. the party lands several blows but are unable to drop the creature.

The creature manages a hit on Ryld, causing a minor wound, but obviously draining life out of him as well, and by scoring the hit the creature seems to regain some of its own vigor as well(this kind of worries the party, they are dealing with a undead creatures with sometype of vampiric ability to drain life.) Fortunatly the party's numbers prove to much for the creature and it goes down under a flurry of blows.

Exploring this level the party finds a wrecked library, a torture chamber, and cells holding the remains of dead fey.(elves sprites etc). After a major search effort the party uncovers an old document from the time of the priory's construction revealing a secret compartment hidden under the moasiac on the floor of the main temple. Beroguer also notices a seem in what looked like a solid stone table. Removing the upper part of the table the party is quite surprised when a 12' long skeletal serpent with a human head rises up and begins to sway back and forth. Luthian manages a quick swing but misses, and before anyone else can react the creatures swaying effects them putting Luthian, Ryld and Necromos into a stupified state of inaction.

Beroguer and Schohn both resist the effects and after a savage combat, manage to destroy the thing. Inside the chest, the party finds a small hoard of gems and coins. Packing up the spoils, the party returns to the basement level, to explore one halway they had yet to check.

The rest of the update will have to wait until later today, or the weekend.

 

[Maliki]

WK9-2 (3-21-05) Bloodstone Priory Pt. 3

Returning to the basement level of the priory, the party heads down one last hallway. At the end of the hall is a door still sealed with wax and silver. Breaking the seal the party enters a familar looking octagon shaped room. Dozens of skeletons are resting in burial niches in six of the eight walls, and a door, still sealed is located on the southern wall. Schohn, smashes a few skeletons(just in case) but nothing happens.

The party breaks the seal on the door, and proceeds to the next room, another octagon shaped room, with burial niches on six of the walls. This time as the party enters the room, the skeletons rise up and attack. Necromos wants the party to retreat to the last room and fight from the doorway, but the rest of the party decides to hold thier ground and fight in the room.

Rnd 1 The skeletons(15 total) swarm the party. Ryld and Schohn both go down the first round, Luthian brings one down, Schohn does very little(either a miss or little damage). Then Beroguer steps up and turns them, he manages to turn 10, which flee and cower in the far corner.

Rnd 2 Beroguer turns the remaining 4, then rushes to heal Ryld and Necromos. Luthian and Schohn proceed to attack the cowering skeletons, they are soon joined by Ryld and Necromos> By the time the turn ends, most of the skeletons have been destroyed, the others soon follow.

The party searches the room and finds nothing. Then they break the seal on the southern door and head into yet another octagon shaped room. This room, however holds a large stone sarcophagus. Removing the lid the party is soon faced with a skeleton like creature wielding a mace, which seemed to form from the duct in the coffin.

A short but fierce melee eruptys, Yhe creature hits Ryld, causing weakness, (as well as damage). The next round he again strikes Ryld, dropping the fighter to the ground. In the end however the numbers were just too much, and the undead creature is destroyed. The party recovers a magical mace and ring from the creatures remains.

Having cleared out the lower level the party returns to the spot indicated on the map they had found. Prying up some flagstones the party discovers a longsword in a wonderous sheath. Ryld draws foth a sword, mad not of metal, but of a glass-like substance. Just by holding it he feels the power of the sword, and knows that it was Fey created and designed to combat goblinoids. Gracefully he turns and hands the weapon to the ranger.

The priory proved quite a test for the party, by the end they had used all of thier healing items(spells, potions and scrolls, and the paladins Laying of Hands)

The party then returns to Goblins Tooth, to rest and tie up loose ends. Taking thier wealth and experience with them they head towards the town of Brindonford, thus wrapping up thier adventures in Goblin Tooth.