Rhenny
Adventurer
11/2/13 session
We played for 2 hours…2 players and 2 DM controlled PCs (the others couldn't make it) – 2nd level PCs – Continuing our Adventure
Erkas the Dwarven Druid of the Land
Fid (the Dwarven Fighter who transformed into a Warforge Fighter)
Fawnsworth the Gnome Illusionist ex-jester
Nalcon the Lightbringer Cleric, noble who doesn’t like to get his hands dirty
The group had just finished off two ghouls and found a beautiful and magical suit of chainmail armor. Nalcon saw how beautiful it was and decided that he would try to wear it. Then the party took a short rest to nurse their wounds before venturing to the mine shaft once again.
On their way toward the shaft, Erkas heard a grumble deep below. With Dwarven knowledge, he sensed that there was a cave-in somewhere deeper into the mine; perhaps the entire structure was unstable. With renewed urgency, the party tied their ropes to the framework of the shaft and Fawnsworth used his light spell on the end of the rope to lower it down slowly. The group noticed that the Orcs that used to be at the bottom of the shaft were no longer there. All was quiet. Using the ropes to help them descend, the group made it to the bottom over 100’ below into a larger square chamber hewn from the rocky cave. Before anyone went to the east, Fid set up a crude tripwire across a passage that headed north. The he stepped forward to the east and Fawnsworth moved his light spell on to Fid’s shield. The area was dark and strangely quiet. Directly ahead of Fid, a statue of a Dwarf was in the middle of a 15’ wide passageway. The Dwarf had a shield on its left arm with the blue hand crest of the Ironhand Dwarven Clan emblazoned on the shield. The Dwarf’s other hand was extended out toward Fid as if reaching out to clutch something. Expecting a trap, the party moved forward. Fid walked past the statue, but nothing happened until 2 orcs rushed at Fid from hiding around a south corner passage. Fid recovered and was not surprised. The group was able to take down the orcs before suffering any wounds.
To the north, the group saw a collapsed area with 2 sets of Orc feet protruding from the rubble. Erkas believed that this may have been the collapse that he had felt earlier. To the south, large, strong double doors blocked the passage. It seemed as if the 2 Orcs were hiding near these doors, perhaps guarding them. Next to the doors, carved into the stone in Dwarven language was a message: “The Dwarven spirit is filled with secrets." Fid stepped up to the doors and tried to open them. They were barred and wouldn’t budge. Without much thought, he put his weight behind him and pushed hard. Nothing. Then Erkas helped him push, but still the doors wouldn’t budge. Fawnsworth took out a dagger and tried to slip it into a crack between the doors to see if he could lift the cross piece on the other side, but that didn’t work either. As Fawnsworth was doing this, Fid could barely hear the sound of two humanoids arguing on the other side. The doors were thick wood, so Fid could not tell what language it was or what they were saying, but he knew something was going on behind those closed doors. Again, Fid and Erkas slammed their bodies against the door, and this time they heard the sound of cracking wood as the cross piece broke and the doors opened inwards.
In this large rectangular room, the party could see 6 equally spaced, floor to ceiling pillars. There was a strange wall on the far side (rougher and more irregular than the other walls), and in the center of the room there was a small mound that had a bowl sized depression in the middle at the highest point and four 4’ deep runnels or trenches cut into the stone floor. The trenches spread out from the bowl to the east and west wall seemingly going under the walls themselves. Behind one of the far pillars, the group could see a large, grotesque mutilated Orc arguing with a robed human. They were both obscured by the pillar. Directly to the sides of the door they just burst through stood two Orcs dressed in broken plate armor, both wielding cruel looking two-handed morningstars. One swung at Fid….and hit the stone wall beside him. The other swung at Erkas and connected with a blow that staggered the Druid. As these two Orcs engaged the party, the others moved to attack, and the larger mutilated Orc came toward them wielding a greataxe. “Grek shall take care of these intruders,” it said in a low resonant voice. Before Grek could attack, Fawnsworth made an illusionary image of another warrior step forward toward Grek from behind them all. Grek took the bait and swung his horrible axe at the image, dispelling it, but wasting an attack in the process.
The robed human, who turned out to be Aldin Trembler, a cleric of Wee Jas (brother to the Mage the party had apprehended earlier in the campaign), inflicted horrible wounds on Erkas, knocking Erkas to the ground unconscious and dying; then Trembler stepped back behind a pillar for cover. The other Orcs and Grek stood the party up at the door so they could not advance. Although Grek took some damage, and the other Orcs took some too, none went down. Fid hacked into Grek and then called on his energy reserves (action surge) to attack again but this time the blow was stopped by Grek’s armor. Then, Aldin Trembler stepped out from behind the pillar and inflicted wounds on Fid as well…knocking him down too. The situation looked grim. Only Fawnworth, the illusionist without any spells remaining, and Nalcon remained standing.
Fawnsworth dug into his pack and found a healing potion that he administered to Erkas. Erkas stood and used his Shillelagh to soften up Grek a bit more. Then Nalcon enveloped Grek in a sacred flame, doing some more damage; yet Grek still stood menacingly before them. With a swing of his axe, he hacked Erkas down…and Erkas hit the ground once more, bleeding badly, dying. Nalcon sensing that they were in trouble was able to fend off one of the Orc’s attacks, using his flare to distract the creature. Then, he let the power of Pelor course through his fingers to help Erkas fight back death’s calling (only 6 hp…bad roll). Erkas slid over 5’ and called upon his deity to heal Fid, and Fid’s wounds started to heal so he could lift himself off the ground and attack once more. One of the Orcs took a swing at the Gnome illusionist and connected smashing Fawnsworth to the ground in a bloody heap.
Sensing the odds were turning against them, Nalcon channeled divine radiance, injuring both orcs and nearly vaporizing the already wounded Grek. All this time, Aldin Trembler ran to a chest that was on the west side of the chamber and dug through it searching for something. Nalcon found a healing potion in his bag and used it to get Fawnsworth back on his feet, and Erkas slammed into one of the Orcs and crumpled it into a lifeless lump. Fid missed on his attack, and Trembler found a flask of oil in the chest, lit it on fire and threw it at the group. His aim wasn’t true, but it splashed Fawnworth, Nalcon and the remaining Orc for a small amount of fire damage. After Fawnsworth fired a ray of frost and froze the Orc in place, Fid and Erkas went over to wail on Aldin Trembler.
With no where to run, and no chance of winning this battle, Trembler called for a truce. He told them he could share the secrets of this place with the adventurers and help them become richer than they could imagine. He told them to look in Grek’s satchel to find a scroll that would verify what he could offer them. While the group did this, Fid went over to the chest to see what was in it. He found what would be 280 gp, 310 sp, a potion of healing, a potion of climbing, a scroll of bless, 4 blue sapphires (each worth 100 gp). Fawnsworth found Grek’s scroll and read it aloud: “Grek, find a way into the Mines of Madness – the old Ironhand Dwarven Mines. There you will be able to search for the Forever Stone. Seek Abracadamus. He was the last to have the stone, but the mines have become his eternal tomb. I will reward you greatly for your success. – The Master Varna.”
Trembler told them that he could help them. He knew who Varna was, and he could help them gain the Forever Stone. He also told them that he knew that the south wall had a secret door or could be opened somehow. He had spent the last day trying to figure out how to open it, but he had failed. The party discussed what to do….Erkas and Fid wanted to kill Trembler where he stood, but Nalcon stopped them and insisted that they take Trembler back to town to face justice, like his brother. The group took Trembler’s holy symbol and bound his hands behind his back. Then they took a short rest (using up any remaining HD of healing), and both Fawnsworth and Erkas were able to recover 1 spell each. Before leaving the mines, they scouted the northern corridor, but saw that it had caved in, so they were able to climb back up to the surface level, load up their wagon with all of the food and salvaged equipment and head for home.
On the way back to Travensburg, they were attacked by a Kobold scouting party (random encounter). Erkas took a javalin to the shoulder, but he entangled 2 of 5 Kobolds and the party was able to dispatch them without taking any more damage.
Back in town, the adventurers were met by the townsfolk and Alexi Traven. They told Traven who they had captured and took Trembler to a holding cell. Trembler hoped that the trial would not end with execution. Perhaps the adventurers will try to spare him since he does know a little more about the Mines of Madness and he knows who Varna is. Maybe the town will allow him to work for them to redeem himself. Beside, he wasn’t directly responsible for any deaths.
In any event, returning the supplies and the food has given the town 2 weeks of food, and time to hunt for game. Their lot is much less grim than it was only days before, thanks to Fid, Erkas, Nalcon, Fawnsworth, Squeak (a halfling rogue) and Kleeeg (a human barbarian) both of whom helped the Captain of the Guards, Miles Wellhorn, fortify the towns defenses while the others were on their adventure. Now the party can level up!
Comments
Everything seems to be rolling along very well.
The battle with Grek, the Orcs and Aldin Trembler lasted a good 6 or 7 rounds (I didn’t count) and was very tense.
The players are excited to try 3rd level. It seems like they will be much more powerful since all the casters gain many extra spells per day (including 2nd level spells).
The illusionist player feels a little like the illusionist is relatively weak compared to other caster types, but now with 2nd level spells, he’ll add Flaming Sphere and Invisibility and that should give him a little more punch. He had previously relied on Ray of Frost, Color Spray, and Fear.
We played for 2 hours…2 players and 2 DM controlled PCs (the others couldn't make it) – 2nd level PCs – Continuing our Adventure
Erkas the Dwarven Druid of the Land
Fid (the Dwarven Fighter who transformed into a Warforge Fighter)
Fawnsworth the Gnome Illusionist ex-jester
Nalcon the Lightbringer Cleric, noble who doesn’t like to get his hands dirty
The group had just finished off two ghouls and found a beautiful and magical suit of chainmail armor. Nalcon saw how beautiful it was and decided that he would try to wear it. Then the party took a short rest to nurse their wounds before venturing to the mine shaft once again.
On their way toward the shaft, Erkas heard a grumble deep below. With Dwarven knowledge, he sensed that there was a cave-in somewhere deeper into the mine; perhaps the entire structure was unstable. With renewed urgency, the party tied their ropes to the framework of the shaft and Fawnsworth used his light spell on the end of the rope to lower it down slowly. The group noticed that the Orcs that used to be at the bottom of the shaft were no longer there. All was quiet. Using the ropes to help them descend, the group made it to the bottom over 100’ below into a larger square chamber hewn from the rocky cave. Before anyone went to the east, Fid set up a crude tripwire across a passage that headed north. The he stepped forward to the east and Fawnsworth moved his light spell on to Fid’s shield. The area was dark and strangely quiet. Directly ahead of Fid, a statue of a Dwarf was in the middle of a 15’ wide passageway. The Dwarf had a shield on its left arm with the blue hand crest of the Ironhand Dwarven Clan emblazoned on the shield. The Dwarf’s other hand was extended out toward Fid as if reaching out to clutch something. Expecting a trap, the party moved forward. Fid walked past the statue, but nothing happened until 2 orcs rushed at Fid from hiding around a south corner passage. Fid recovered and was not surprised. The group was able to take down the orcs before suffering any wounds.
To the north, the group saw a collapsed area with 2 sets of Orc feet protruding from the rubble. Erkas believed that this may have been the collapse that he had felt earlier. To the south, large, strong double doors blocked the passage. It seemed as if the 2 Orcs were hiding near these doors, perhaps guarding them. Next to the doors, carved into the stone in Dwarven language was a message: “The Dwarven spirit is filled with secrets." Fid stepped up to the doors and tried to open them. They were barred and wouldn’t budge. Without much thought, he put his weight behind him and pushed hard. Nothing. Then Erkas helped him push, but still the doors wouldn’t budge. Fawnsworth took out a dagger and tried to slip it into a crack between the doors to see if he could lift the cross piece on the other side, but that didn’t work either. As Fawnsworth was doing this, Fid could barely hear the sound of two humanoids arguing on the other side. The doors were thick wood, so Fid could not tell what language it was or what they were saying, but he knew something was going on behind those closed doors. Again, Fid and Erkas slammed their bodies against the door, and this time they heard the sound of cracking wood as the cross piece broke and the doors opened inwards.
In this large rectangular room, the party could see 6 equally spaced, floor to ceiling pillars. There was a strange wall on the far side (rougher and more irregular than the other walls), and in the center of the room there was a small mound that had a bowl sized depression in the middle at the highest point and four 4’ deep runnels or trenches cut into the stone floor. The trenches spread out from the bowl to the east and west wall seemingly going under the walls themselves. Behind one of the far pillars, the group could see a large, grotesque mutilated Orc arguing with a robed human. They were both obscured by the pillar. Directly to the sides of the door they just burst through stood two Orcs dressed in broken plate armor, both wielding cruel looking two-handed morningstars. One swung at Fid….and hit the stone wall beside him. The other swung at Erkas and connected with a blow that staggered the Druid. As these two Orcs engaged the party, the others moved to attack, and the larger mutilated Orc came toward them wielding a greataxe. “Grek shall take care of these intruders,” it said in a low resonant voice. Before Grek could attack, Fawnsworth made an illusionary image of another warrior step forward toward Grek from behind them all. Grek took the bait and swung his horrible axe at the image, dispelling it, but wasting an attack in the process.
The robed human, who turned out to be Aldin Trembler, a cleric of Wee Jas (brother to the Mage the party had apprehended earlier in the campaign), inflicted horrible wounds on Erkas, knocking Erkas to the ground unconscious and dying; then Trembler stepped back behind a pillar for cover. The other Orcs and Grek stood the party up at the door so they could not advance. Although Grek took some damage, and the other Orcs took some too, none went down. Fid hacked into Grek and then called on his energy reserves (action surge) to attack again but this time the blow was stopped by Grek’s armor. Then, Aldin Trembler stepped out from behind the pillar and inflicted wounds on Fid as well…knocking him down too. The situation looked grim. Only Fawnworth, the illusionist without any spells remaining, and Nalcon remained standing.
Fawnsworth dug into his pack and found a healing potion that he administered to Erkas. Erkas stood and used his Shillelagh to soften up Grek a bit more. Then Nalcon enveloped Grek in a sacred flame, doing some more damage; yet Grek still stood menacingly before them. With a swing of his axe, he hacked Erkas down…and Erkas hit the ground once more, bleeding badly, dying. Nalcon sensing that they were in trouble was able to fend off one of the Orc’s attacks, using his flare to distract the creature. Then, he let the power of Pelor course through his fingers to help Erkas fight back death’s calling (only 6 hp…bad roll). Erkas slid over 5’ and called upon his deity to heal Fid, and Fid’s wounds started to heal so he could lift himself off the ground and attack once more. One of the Orcs took a swing at the Gnome illusionist and connected smashing Fawnsworth to the ground in a bloody heap.
Sensing the odds were turning against them, Nalcon channeled divine radiance, injuring both orcs and nearly vaporizing the already wounded Grek. All this time, Aldin Trembler ran to a chest that was on the west side of the chamber and dug through it searching for something. Nalcon found a healing potion in his bag and used it to get Fawnsworth back on his feet, and Erkas slammed into one of the Orcs and crumpled it into a lifeless lump. Fid missed on his attack, and Trembler found a flask of oil in the chest, lit it on fire and threw it at the group. His aim wasn’t true, but it splashed Fawnworth, Nalcon and the remaining Orc for a small amount of fire damage. After Fawnsworth fired a ray of frost and froze the Orc in place, Fid and Erkas went over to wail on Aldin Trembler.
With no where to run, and no chance of winning this battle, Trembler called for a truce. He told them he could share the secrets of this place with the adventurers and help them become richer than they could imagine. He told them to look in Grek’s satchel to find a scroll that would verify what he could offer them. While the group did this, Fid went over to the chest to see what was in it. He found what would be 280 gp, 310 sp, a potion of healing, a potion of climbing, a scroll of bless, 4 blue sapphires (each worth 100 gp). Fawnsworth found Grek’s scroll and read it aloud: “Grek, find a way into the Mines of Madness – the old Ironhand Dwarven Mines. There you will be able to search for the Forever Stone. Seek Abracadamus. He was the last to have the stone, but the mines have become his eternal tomb. I will reward you greatly for your success. – The Master Varna.”
Trembler told them that he could help them. He knew who Varna was, and he could help them gain the Forever Stone. He also told them that he knew that the south wall had a secret door or could be opened somehow. He had spent the last day trying to figure out how to open it, but he had failed. The party discussed what to do….Erkas and Fid wanted to kill Trembler where he stood, but Nalcon stopped them and insisted that they take Trembler back to town to face justice, like his brother. The group took Trembler’s holy symbol and bound his hands behind his back. Then they took a short rest (using up any remaining HD of healing), and both Fawnsworth and Erkas were able to recover 1 spell each. Before leaving the mines, they scouted the northern corridor, but saw that it had caved in, so they were able to climb back up to the surface level, load up their wagon with all of the food and salvaged equipment and head for home.
On the way back to Travensburg, they were attacked by a Kobold scouting party (random encounter). Erkas took a javalin to the shoulder, but he entangled 2 of 5 Kobolds and the party was able to dispatch them without taking any more damage.
Back in town, the adventurers were met by the townsfolk and Alexi Traven. They told Traven who they had captured and took Trembler to a holding cell. Trembler hoped that the trial would not end with execution. Perhaps the adventurers will try to spare him since he does know a little more about the Mines of Madness and he knows who Varna is. Maybe the town will allow him to work for them to redeem himself. Beside, he wasn’t directly responsible for any deaths.
In any event, returning the supplies and the food has given the town 2 weeks of food, and time to hunt for game. Their lot is much less grim than it was only days before, thanks to Fid, Erkas, Nalcon, Fawnsworth, Squeak (a halfling rogue) and Kleeeg (a human barbarian) both of whom helped the Captain of the Guards, Miles Wellhorn, fortify the towns defenses while the others were on their adventure. Now the party can level up!
Comments
Everything seems to be rolling along very well.
The battle with Grek, the Orcs and Aldin Trembler lasted a good 6 or 7 rounds (I didn’t count) and was very tense.
The players are excited to try 3rd level. It seems like they will be much more powerful since all the casters gain many extra spells per day (including 2nd level spells).
The illusionist player feels a little like the illusionist is relatively weak compared to other caster types, but now with 2nd level spells, he’ll add Flaming Sphere and Invisibility and that should give him a little more punch. He had previously relied on Ray of Frost, Color Spray, and Fear.
