WotBS Oginme's WotBS Campaign

[Oginme]

Hi all,

Seeing everyone else sharing their exploits running this campaign, I am sharing how my campaign is unfolding and welcome feedback from those who have been running this for a while!

The players have been through one 2-1/2 year campaign with me, so we know each other well and they feed into the story well.

Dramatis Personae:

Ragna: Minotaur Barbarian, L2, former leader of village in northern Ragessia, he was tricked out of village after defying Coaltongue’s orders to send able-bodied men and women to join the Ragessian army. While he and the village cleric were ‘negotiating’ with Leska, the Ragessian army went into the village, rounded up all able-bodied people and killed, sacked, and burned the village down as an example to other villages which looked up to the village’s defiance. It was this action which ignited the flame of rage in Ragna.

Griffin: Firbolg Twilight Domain Cleric, L2, the cleric who accompanied Ragna to the talks with Leska. He too feels betrayed by the Coaltongue and he specifically recognizes the part Leska played in drawing them out of the village. It was Griffon who suggested to Ragna that they seek sanctuary in Gate Pass before Ragna could do something dangerous to Ragessian troops and seal their doom.

Haravandiir: Wood Elf Swashbuckler/Wayfarer, L2, he was on one of the Wayfarer ships when the teleportation magic failed. Quickly realizing that something was seriously wrong, the Guildmaster on the ship to gather information. Haravandiir drew the short straw and was sent to Gate Pass under the premise of looking for talent to audition for the Wayfarers.

Chennum: Human Monk, L2, Chennum is from a noble family in Sindaire. Upon discovering that his father and older brother were involved with smuggling goods into Sindaire and at the same time promoting trade tariffs on goods from outside SIndaire, he went to the king of Sindaire. Telling all, he unwittingly disclosed his father’s connections in selling arms to the brewing rebellion. He was sent to the monastery of the two winds more for his protection and because he had been taking instructions from a wandering master in self-defense. He was sent by Pilus to gather information from Gate Pass and has a book which transmits his observations to Pilus. Further, Pilus was looking to get him away from the monastery, as his natural inquisitive mind was starting to ask questions concerning Pilus’ handpicked students and their activities.

Zandar: High Elf Noble Paladin, L2, Zandar grew up in court and looks up to Shaaladel. He also secretly is in love with Shalosha but is a bit too shy to tell her. At the time of Drakus’ fall and the loss of the torch of the burning sky, he lost his connection to his deity. This results in sometimes erratic manifestations of his divine magic, a ramification of which we have mostly worked out.

 

[Oginme]

Pre-game set up: I had everyone make their level 1 characters and used their background and journey to bring them to level 2. Tried for level 3, but we ran out of time before the initial session. Here is how everyone was positioned heading into the campaign start.

We did text based role play and some voice sessions with specific characters to get them into Gate Pass and give them a connection to the Resistance. I also teased in little tidbits of lore which gave them each some knowledge of what was happening that they could eventually share with the rest of the party.

Along the way, I invented a few Resistance members so that they each had a connection to draw upon when they had a chance.

Ragna and Griffon: On their travels to Gate Pass, they learned of the demise of Coaltongue. Later they heard rumors that Leska had seized control of the Ragessian armies, which prompted them to double-time their travel to Gate Pass. Drawing closer, they dodged patrols of the Ragessian 2nd Army, which gave them some tactical information which to share with the Resistance.

Once in Gate Pass, they had trouble getting an audience with the city council, mostly because of Ragna’s angry outbursts. They were approached while eating in one of the taverns in the 2nd Ward by Buron Watcher, who talked to them a bit before inviting them to a gathering of a few resistance members.

At the meeting, they met with Trehan, Rantle, Peppin, and a couple of other new figures. They reported what they had learned of the 2nd Army and their approach which earned them some information back about getting some tactical information in secret. Their connection to Peppin was important in the meeting with Torrent.

The day before New Year’s Eve, they received a message from Peppin to meet him at the Poison Apple Pub just before midnight on the following night.

Haravandiir: He came to Gate Pass and immediately fell in with the Wood Elves living in the Elvish Quarters. Appalled by the poverty, he helped them when he could and spent time roaming the city and conversing with some of the entertainers under the guise of looking for talent. He was approached by Anothier, a half-elf ranger who hunted in the mountains. After vetting him carefully and getting his views on preventing the Ragessians from taking Gate Pass, she introduced him to Rantle.

He received a letter on New Year’s Eve to come to the Poison Apple Pub at midnight if he wanted to save Gate Pass.

Chennum: He arrived at Gate Pass midway through December. Finally able to catch the attention of Erdan Menash who used the unsuspecting monk of promoting one of the eating establishments he had just backed. While claiming absolutely no connection to the resistance, he did tell young Chennum to talk to the owner of the Poison Apple Pub. Chennum did so and was told that Trehan or another member would be in touch. Trehan was arrested two days later.

Chennum received a note from Torrent to meet with her and others at the Poison Apple Pub just before midnight on New Year’s Eve. He has been dutifully writing in his journal reports to Pilus of everything he has encountered or heard.

Zandar: Zandar looked to distance himself from the Elvish courts so he could determine just what was going on between him and his deity. Arriving at Gate Pass, he too drifted quickly into the Elvish Quarter where he worked helping to rebuild some of the more run-down buildings. He too was approached by Anothier and briefly by Shealis. Shealis wrote him off as too much a King’s man to use as a spy. Anothier probed him a lot deeper about his feelings towards the Ragessians. Finally, finding him suitable due to his hatred over the Ragessian imperialistic ambitions, she sent him an invitation to meet with the others at midnight on New Year’s Eve.

And thus, everything was set up for Session 1

Notes: I have several things cooking here.

Zandar is certainly going to be going through additional crisis of his world if the party does uncover the Shahalesti plot in starting the Innenotdar Forest Fires. This plays into Haravandiir's background as well, as he knows that his people were forced to leave their native forests due to a fire. We will see how that all plays out.

Chennum may come to the realization that he is being used by Pilus, as there is no two-way communication through the log book. Maybe happen sooner rather than later. The player is clever at putting clues together, so I tread carefully here on not revealing too much too early.

Ragna and Griffon have a number of villagers they did not find among the dead. There were a number who were burned beyond recognition, but the body count did not add up. I can sprinkle these people in the refugees or in the Ragessian troops where it makes sense to do so and to help with story flow.

 

[Fuzzybear]

Ragna with Ragesia and Ragos is going to be fun, but I can't talk with my one PC who decided to name all of his backstory characters R-vowel-consonant.

The backgrounds and links all seem really solid and thought through. I especially like the multitude of backgrounds, so as long as the PCs are willing to work together (Which a long term party like that shouldn't struggle with I hope), I think it will make for some really great payoffs and conflicts later on.

One small note, Zandar or Zanthar? It seems to flick back and forth at each mention.

Always looking forward to reading about another's campaign! Hope you enjoy it!

 

[Oginme]

Thanks, I have been enjoying both reading and listening to yours. It has been the inspiration to start running this campaign, with two separate groups. The other will hopefully be starting in October.

Thanks for the heads up about Zandar/Zanthar. Fixed it in the post.

Luckily, these people have all spent the last 2-1/2 years playing together and know how to "play nice." They also did well in reading and using the player's guide to find where they wanted to set their backstories.

They did pretty well with the backgrounds. There was only a bit of reworking with Haravandiir's to figure out how and why he ended up with the Wayfarers. He was excited about that connection.

 

[Oginme]

WotBS Session 1

With each of the members receiving a letter to meet at the Poison Apple Pub just before midnight on New Year’s Eve, they made their way through the slush and snow toward the destination and arriving close to the same time. Haravandiir hid out across the street in an alleyway and watched as Chennum came down the street from the east and the figures of Ragna and Griff strode down the middle of the road from the west.

As they reached the meeting place, Zandar had already slipped around the building from the back and was reading the note pinned up on the door. Haravandiir walked out to join them as Zandar passed the note to the others to read. This prompted some consternation from Chennum and Griff who had both met the proprietor.

Finding the doors locked, but someone moving inside, most of the party went around to the alley door to knock while the minotaur tried breaking the door in with his head. Torrent opened the door and asked him if he ever learned to knock politely.

The party gathered inside and most drank a toast to the new year as they made introductions and learned of their mission from Torrent. It was then that the mercenaries struck, accompanied by the sounds of screeches and howls from above. Assessing the situation as a bomb struck the roof of the pub, they decided to make for the back and exit through the kitchen.

Outside the kitchen door, they ran into several more of the black horses. The swashbuckler, Haravandiir, dodged past the bounty hunters and ran down the street yelling to attract the attention of the residents. The party ended up killing two of the black horses and wounding several others while they moved Torrent out of the action and broke for the gate to ward 4 and the Depository. Kathor called off the black horses with the people starting to filter into the street and chided them for being so slow to subdue the party.

The party made their way to the Depository, stopping to help some people in the street and find a missing pet.


Notes: I did not do the Dragon passing overhead, saving that to open the next session with them outside the Depository. I had remade the map of the pub, giving more room on the outside and back of the pub. The party had considered breaking out the front or side before attempting to try to sneak out the back.

No other major or minor changes to the scenario as written.

Let me know if you want to see the remake of the map. I have redone most of them for the first couple segments and am now working on redoing most of the maps from the 3rd segment.

 

[Oginme]

It has been slow transcribing the audio from the last couple of sessions, but here is session 2:

Session 2:

The party reached the outer gate of the Depository as a large shape flew overhead, causing a wave of panic among the crowds in the street. Three of the party suddenly felt oppressive emotions of despair and fear.

Battling the press of the crowd, the Griff and Zandar quickly moved the other three to the guards, who were also affected by the aura of the dragon flying by. Torrent moved to the front and waving her Depository pass at them, insisted that the guards allow the party to enter. When they balked, she insisted vehemently, and they capitulated.

Inside, they took a few minutes to snap Chennum, Haravandiir, and Ragna from their panic and misery. Zandar escorted Torrent up to the front desk where a concerned looking woman sat, flanked by guards. She took the pass token from Torrent and cross-referenced it to her records.

Declaring it authentic, she asked if they wanted an escort to the third floor where the locker was located. She warned them that the insides were dark and unlit, indicating lanterns on a table next to the doors leading into the vaults. A half-orc woman in chain mail and armed with a club stepped forward to escort them to their vault.

She warned them that there was a particularly ugly gnome who had entered a while ago and had yet to come back out. With that precaution, she opened the door and let the party in, with Chennum and Zandar grabbing lanterns to help with vision at the lead and rear of the party.

They passed the guard watching the door at the first and second floor as they passed banks of lockers and climbed the stairs. As they climbed the stairs from the second floor to the third, Haravandiir in the lead stopped, meeting a small gnome halfway up the staircase.

The gnome cheerfully greeted Haravandiir, identifying the man as ‘Pippin’ and then asked him if he had the key. Not sure what to make of this, the swashbuckler turned back and implored Torrent as to what key was needed.

When she whispered that she did not understand what they key would be used for, Haravandiir turned back to the gnome and told him that he should take them to the locker and then they would give him the key. The gnome balked and responded that he just needed the key, and he would give them the box as agreed.

Using his senses from his time performing with the Wayfarers, Haravandiir noted that the voice came from above the head of the gnome. When he inquired of the gnome why the gnome was not handing them the box, the small figure turned and at an unusual speed for a gnome went back up the stairs.

Ragna and Haravandiir gave quick chase but were halted by a glowing sphere which blocked the passage and warned them to stay back and not to use any violence.

Quickly dashing around the sphere, Haravandiir gave chase and as the sphere moved to try to block him, Ragna plowed up the open gap to storm past the object. The sphere recovered and warned the others on the stairs to stay back, shooting a light bolt which flashed overhead and caused their accompanying guard to run back down the stair yelling for backup.

Haravandiir and Ragna, now past the blocking sphere, sped up the stairs in pursuit of the gnome. At the fourth floor, they arrived at the top of the stairs to find an elf man opening the door to the outside observation walk. The elf had a vial in his hand, and Haravandiir was able to quickly grab the item from his grasp.

As Chennum and Zandar came running up, the elf eyes Zandar and told the high elf where his loyalty to the Shahalesti was. When Zandar stopped in confusion, he commented that if the paladin had any loyalty to Shaaladel, he should go to Gabal’s School and ask for Shealis.

The elf then took advantage of the confusion to dash out the door. Chennum, using all his movement caught up to him outside as the elf climbed to the top of the wall smiled and then downed a potion and jumped off the side of the Depository, drifting downward at a steep angle away from the tall building. Chennum was able to get off a couple of arrow shots before the elf drifted too far and ended up wounding the elf.

Inside the depository, Griff and Torrent had headed to the locker, only to find it open and the bodies of a couple of guards nearby. Checking the bodies, they found one was unconscious, but the other was clearly dead. They looked around and found an unconscious form of a small gnome as guards flooded onto the floor from below.

As the other four members made their way down from the fourth floor, they were confronted by the guards and told to put down their weapons and account for themselves. When Griff appeared from between the rows of lockers and told them of the bodies, the guards told the party to disarm themselves. Torrent brought forward a groggy and obviously shaking gnome. The gnome identified himself as Funzbar Biteme,

[Aside: Thanks, Fuzzybear, I just had to use that name for the laughter when they saw the spelling of the name after hearing me pronounce it ‘bit-ĕ-meh.’ I was not disappointed.]

Funzbar vouched that these people did not assault me or the guards. Still furious over the death of one of their own, it took a bit more talking before they relented and allowed the party to leave.

As they recuperated at the base of the Depository, the party decided that they needed to escort Torrent and Funzbar to the safe house before deciding if they should attempt to follow the leads to retrieve the case.

At the church of the Aquiline Cross, they passed the mournful tunes of a half-orc minstrel just inside the doorway before being greeted by Buron Watcher. Buron looked at the beat-up group and ushered them downstairs to the private meeting room. After tending to Funzbar and discussing their next steps, the group decided to get some needed rest before heading to the School of War.

Haravandiir, Griff, and Ragna headed back upstairs and, after listening to the grumbling of the crowd, walked over to the minstrel still droning out mournful dirges. Griff asked her if she would consider playing some more uplifting tunes, which was met with a sarcastic response about losing everything she had. Ragna cut in to tell her how he had lost everyone in his village when the Ragessians burned that down, slaughtering many of the people and most likely press ganging the others to join the army.

Haravandiir then said he knew a few fun tunes and started singing one attempting to change the mood in the room. Griff and Ragna continued to push the minstrel until she gave a long, resigned sigh and started playing to Haravandiir’s singing.

They stayed around long enough for her to start another tune without Haravandiir’s accompaniment. Ragna selected one of the younger men who had been muttering about threatening the lute player over the sad tunes she was playing and told him that if she slipped back into the depressing tunes he was to come downstairs and fetch them. He made sure that the minstrel heard this instruction.

With the mood of the room improving, they went back downstairs to get something to eat and get some sleep.

Notes: Moving the dragon passing overhead worked well. As they reached the Depository, they were suddenly battling the panicking crowd and getting swept away from the guards at the gates to the target building. It allowed for another skill check, especially with three of the party failing their saving throws and rolling at disadvantage. This caused a bit of tension among the players.

I could have handled the Larion/Funzbar deception better. Haravandiir, being taught by the Wayfarers, knew all about throwing voices and had very quickly picked up on being called ‘Pippin.’ The race back up the stairs was pretty good though and the challenge to Zander, a Shahalesti Noble-born who looked up to Shaaladel as a father figure, hit hard.

While at first a bit disappointed that they chose to stay the night at the Temple, I think it will work out well moving forward, as they will have to help Diogenes handle an unruly crowd in order to get into the school compound.

 

[Oginme]

This covers the next two sessions.

The party headed to the School of War only to find a mob of Gate Pass citizens out front harassing a very tired Diogenes and demanding to see Gabal. As Diogenes explained that Gabal was not inside, the party forced their way to the front of the mob who were growing increasingly agitated.

Ragna stepped forward and turned to face the crowd. He persuaded a few in the crowd to calm down, before switching tactics and intimidating the rest to back off and stay off the bridge across the moat surrounding the school compound.

With the crowd now at a bit of a distance, they mentioned to Diogenes that they needed to see Shealis. Diogenes gave the standard responses and the party was able to drag out his disdain for 'overly showy' magic. Nevertheless, he allowed them inside and told them how to get to Shealis' quarters in the dorm.

[note: I redrew the dorm as two floors with the less advanced students on the ground floor in small rooms, intermediate students upstairs in modest rooms, and two spacious rooms reserved for favored students at the end of the second floor hallway.]

The group traded niceties with Shealis, and less friendly words with Larion. Shealis recognizes Zandar and questions him as to why he is not at the elvish court, "licking Shaaladels' boots as usual.' Zandar ignores the implications of the statement and responds by saying that he had is own reasons for separating himself from the squabbles of the elvish nobility, and they were none of her business.

They eventually allowed Shealis to pass after she threatened to blast them all in the hallway. They initially proposed to try to follow her, until Haravandiir noted the papers she had dropped while stuffing her backpack. Reading the cryptic notes, and having two elves in the party who knew the Elvish Quarters well enough, they allowed Larion to exit as well after he explained that the death of the guard was accidental.

They quickly conferenced and the note was shared with the group. Deciding that they could get there quickly, as Shealis mentioned that she had errands to run, they headed out to find the carpentry shop.

They arrived at the back door to the shop and as they were pondering the puzzle, a rat which they had spotted several times previously, came forward and offered to help them enter. As they were close to the answer, they refused the help and despite the rat telling them that they were making big mistakes, opened the door.

They made it past the badgers, offering them food and being friendly. Upstairs, they ran into the elvish spies who questioned them as to who they were and why they were at the shop. Name dropping improved the communication, and they agreed to sit and wait for Shealis to arrive.

It isn't too long before Shealis comes through the door. Initially surprised to see the party there, she groans as Haravandiir shows her the paper she accidentally dropped and which he refers to as 'an invitation.'

The negotiations for the box and contents does not go well for the party initially. They then make an offer to fetch someone who can open the box and they can each judge whose hands the contents would be best utilized. Zandar and Chennum leave to fetch Funzbar to open the box and present the contents to everyone.

When Funzbar arrives, he questions the party about opening the box in front of these other people. Assured that they will protect him and what is inside the box, he opens the box and produces the journal inside.

[note: I made the box layers of adamantine and lead to protect the contents. This also explains the weight of the box in relation to its meager contents.]

As they ponder over the journal, unable to read it, Chennum ritually casts comprehend languages. Meanwhile, Griff is looking over the box and checking it for an magical properties. Finding the box to have no magical effects placed upon it, they listen as Chennum starts to read a section of the journal. He pauses and when he tries to reread a section because it made no sense, it comes out differently.

Realizing now that the book has a spell placed upon it, they attempt a dispel magic, to no avail. At this point, Haravandiir and Zandar argue that the resources of the Lyceum would be best suited to cracking the spells placed upon the book. Shealis argues back that the Shahalesti mages could do just as well. A very high persuasion roll later, and the party is packing the box to head out.

Leaving the carpentry shop, they are immediately accosted by the imp, who jumps on the box and attempts to wrestle it away from Ragna. Unsuccessful, the imp again tries to bargain with the group, suggesting that they can have what is inside the box, just give him the box. They reject this, as they suspect that the layers of lead and adamantine are to keep people from magically finding the book still inside.

Another scuffle ensues, with the imp bampfing away before he gets dusted. They get back to the temple, only to have the imp strike again, trying to pry the box from Griff's back, where it has been wrapped and strapped securely in place. Again the imp, identified now as Curry Favor, retreats after his extended offer to keep their identities secret is also rejected. As he teleports away, he warns them that they will be hunted as long as they have the box on them.

Inside they confer with Torrent and discuss possible routes to escape the city. Torrent relays that there has been a recent posting prohibiting anyone from entering or leaving the city without a writ signed by one of the council members. Chennum chimes in, tellign the party that he knows one of the council members, Erdan Menash. This, and Torrent's assurance that she can obtain a potion which will aid them in getting through the Innenotdar Forest, solidifies their plans.

Heading out to find Erdan, they bump into him coming out of the city offices. Explaining their situation, Chennum and Haravandiir convince Erdan that their cause is urgent and beneficial to Gate Pass. Accompanying him back to his house, the others initially balk at the appearance of a bright pink house with lime green and vivid purple geometric shapes painted upon it. Entering, they take Erdan up on his offer to view his extraordinary wares made for the stylish adventurer.

Politely declining his offers to take an item, they compliment him on the unique designs, stroking his ego. He gladly produces papers which authorize patrols of differing sizes, obtaining the head count from the party. He then informs them that Captain Harriman is in charge of security for that gate and sends them on their way.

The party collects Torrent, who now has the potions, and head out for the gate, even though it is later in the afternoon. They meet with Harriman, who orders someone to prepare a patrol to head out to the city guard camp site to prep it for occupation.

With the patrol around them, they head out and just after dark make it to an old camp site a few hours down the passage through the mountains. It is on this trip that someone finally rolls high enough on perception to spot a lone crow flying behind the patrol, but they dismiss it.

They make camp for the night, and the imp uses their activity cleaning up the tents and setting up the camp to try to steal the box again. He nearly gets away with it, but Griff manages to wrest the box away from the imp and Ragna and Zandar chase the crow away.

DM notes: Not many changes from the module as written with the exception of the negotiations with Shealis. Overall, they left her feeling a bit uneasy, but with assurances that they would cooperate to give whatever information they garner from the book with the Shahalesti. They also approached discussions with her very non-threatening and cooperative in nature.

Chennum has also been dutifully writing down notes in his book which keeps Pilus up to date on what is happening.

 

[Oginme]

Yup, two updates in a row.

The party headed out of the camp the next day, as the Gate Pass patrol prepared to travel back to the city. They had been riding along on the borrowed horses for a couple of hours when Haravandiir and Ragna riding in the front spotted movement in the cliffs which dotted the steep sides of the narrow passage.

They stopped short of the would-be ambusher and hailed them. Blowing an alarm, two figures stood up and trained their crossbows on the party. Riders came around the corner to confront the group. Ragna rode to intercept the riders with Zandar and Gryff supporting him with arrows and spells. Havarandiir and Chenum took on the raiders on the shelf above the trail.

During the battle, the imp makes another appearance, attempting to pull the box away from Griff’s back where it is tied. Griff reacts by backing into the cliff face, remaining there until Zandar comes up to make sure the box is secure.

They made quick work of the ambushers knocking one out and killing three before the last one surrendered. They tied up the two hostages and searched the dead bodies, finding a writ of passage for the Black Horse Mercenaries to accompany Kathor Danava, Inquisitor of the Ragessian Empire, and it was signed by Merrick Hurt.

After interrogating the prisoners, they stripped them of all their gear and sent them back along the path, on foot, to turn themselves in to the guards.

They rode onward, triggering the second ambush, and made quick work of again killing most and leaving a couple unconscious. Rounding a bend in the trail, they came upon Kathor. Kathor hollered for them to stop before they drew too close. Spotting the armband Ragna had taken from Renard, he asked them if they had killed the Black Horse leader.

When they responded in the affirmative, Kathor pulled his horse to the side and motioned them to pass. He asked if any were alive, and when told that several had been left unconscious. He thanked them before turning his horse to plod back down the trail toward the city.

Haravandiir stopped him as he passed and asked the inquisitor why he was letting them go and Kathor replied that Renard was a butcher, and there was no justice in how he tracked down and abducted users of magic.

The party took a short rest as they reached the crest of the passage and started down towards the Innenotdar Forest. It was evening when they came out of the pass and approached the farmhouse.

They came up to Crystin who was in a trance. They listened to her until she came out of her trance. Immediately, she pleaded with them to take her with them before her eyes grew dull. She nervously invited them into the house, warning them not to bother her father.

Inside, they quickly observed the strange behavior of Haddin and the demure Crystin. Whenever addressed by the party, Haddin groused about inconsiderate vagabonds invading his house. They also saw how Haddin was being affected by the smoke and constant ash from the fires burning nearby.

Haddin and Crystin headed upstairs to the bedrooms, and Haddin warned them to be gone early in the morning. The party bedded down in the two bedrooms downstairs with Ragna going out to spend the night in the animal shed, guarding the horses.

They were surprised at night by the announcement from Boreus demanding that Haddin surrender to the Scourge. Jumping up, they put on what armor and clothes they could, listening to someone scramble up the outside to the second floor in the back and the thuds of battering at the front and back doors.

Ragna, came running out of the barn and caught one of the goblin rogues out in the open, dropping him quickly. The party took on the invading skeletons, who were more interested in getting upstairs to grab Haddin.

The goblin in the back smashed in the back window on the second floor and entered, running down the hall to confront Haddin. They struggled a bit before Haddin fell out the window in the front and hit the ground hard and unmoving.

Ragna was at this point trading blows with Smiley. Haravandiir slipped out the back and attacked the Ragessian soldier attached to the inquisitor as the officer attempted to grab Haddin.

While the party finished off the second goblin and the skeletons, Ragna and Haravandiir took care of Smiley and were preventing the Ragessian soldier from approaching Haddin. Haddin took his last breath and died.

Boreus, seeing Smiley fall and his guard in trouble, turned his horse and headed up the road towards Gate Pass, riding out of sight as Ragna knocked the Ragessian soldier unconscious.

Picking up after the mess, Chenum went back inside the farmhouse to find Crystin in a trance on the floor of the living area. He quickly took out his notebook and recorded her words.

“Reckless the wagon flies into the inferno. Still, they lay off the path, burning but alive. Burning horses fall far to move no more.”

She shakes herself out of the trance, looks at Chenum and with tears streaming down her face, tells him that her father is gone. She says that he is no longer in her mind and she does not know what to do anymore.

Torrent comes in from tending to some of the wounds alongside Griff. Talking to Crystin and Chenum, she discovers that Crystin does have some arcane training and suggests that she might find a place at the Lyceum.

Outside, Griff feels the tugging on his back again, and reacts by turning quickly while yelling for Ragna to grab the imp. As Ragna reaches for Curry Favor, the imp teleports away without the box, telling the party they will be sorry for not coming to an agreement with him.

Haravandiir and Griff then interrogate the soldier, obtaining some information about Boreus, but not much more of value. They strip him of most of his belongings, including his uniform, before sending him with the remains of a grain sack to cover himself with to follow Boreus up the road into the pass.

Ragna follows for a bit to make sure the soldier knows that it would be dangerous to return to the farmhouse. As the party regroups, they agree to sleep in before tackling the forest. They also agree that Crystin should join them.

Haravandiir takes the first watch, sitting on the box. He is disturbed from his trance several hours later by the creaking of a wagon and wild pounding of hooves coming down the road. He gets to the door, dragging the box, to see a wagon full of people take the sharp corner with the horses at a full gallop. The wagon tilts up on two wheels causing the people to grab wildly to hang on, before slamming back down and racing down the slope toward the forest.

He returns to his watch and passes the information on to Zandar who takes the next watch.

They rise late the next morning. Crystin seems to be in a daze and under Torrent’s instructions, helps to make some breakfast and collects whatever food available that is suited for travel. Chenum, upon hearing Harvandiir’s story of the wagon, relates the vision that Crystin had. This cements the decision to bring her with them.

So it is late morning when they ride down to the forest. Torrent has them stop for a bit on the outskirts to observe the burning while she pulls out the vials she has brought and gives them some rumors about the forest. They watch, seeing bushes and small trees on the edge of the forest finish burning, only to rejuvenate and catch on fire again.

Taking the potions, they vow to stay on the road. Sending the horses back up the road, the party starts into the Innenotdar Forest.

Changes from the module: I added the wagon going by, as it provides a confidence in Crystin's abilities. I had planned this before to see how the party would react if they decided to leave Crystin and Haddin at the farm. It also provides to tie in the bodies just off the road and the wagon at the bottom of the ravine with some context.

The repeated attempts by the imp to get the box only fixed the party decision not to give it to anyone. This will make any deal with Kazyk very interesting and possibly push them to come to an arrangement with Indomitability, though this group is pretty wary of anyone who approaches them at the moment.

 

[lykkenthrope]

I am about to start running this campaign myself (first long campaign, I usually just do one-shots). Your writes up have very much helped me feel ready to navigate my own PC's into a fun adventure. I would love to see your re-worked maps. I got the module, but have been less than impressed with some of them. (would love a way to tip as well if that's allowed)

 

[RangerWickett]

I wrote or edited the adventures, what, 17 years ago, and yeah, I feel a bit embarrassed by a lot of parts where I think now I could do better.

But I think as long as you involve the players in the setting so they care about the people imperiled by Ragesia, the adventures have plenty of fun elements where the PCs get to make their marks.

Adventure 5 is rather weak, though, I'll admit. I actually was working on some improvements of it here: WotBS - Mission to improve Mission to the Monastery of Two Winds