The Friday Knights in Thunderspire Labyrinth (with Pics).

[Goonalan]

The Friday Knights

Session 2- Sellswords of Fallcrest Part 2. The Mercenary Experience.

The Knights are-

Cathal, Human Fighter, devotee of Kord, Level 1.
Ignaran, Human Druid, the nature nutter, Level 1.
Kullervo, Human Rogue, ex-farm boy, Level 1.

The Knights settle themselves after the fracas, and then head along the alley into an enclosed courtyard, two and three story buildings on all sides- at least one of them with lights showing- there's someone at home in the Beggar King's domain, and something odd-looking on the far side of the courtyard.

Kullervo is about to go reconnaissance when there's much banging and crashing from back down the alley, the Knights ready themselves, a moment later striding into the courtyard comes a big, and I mean big, black guy- all muscles and greataxe. This is Astaroth, the fourth Friday Knight.

Astaroth, Human Fighter; a loveable lug, Astaroth is smitten with Lady Constance- who has disappeared. She's an older women and local landowner. He's heard rumours that Lady C. has been taken by the Beggar King's minions (not actually minions mind) and brought to his lair, he doesn't know why, all he knows is that he's here to save her. Astaroth isn't big on “knowing”, he also doesn't hold with “book lurnin'”, he's played by Akshay. (Representing, and another resident of, the US)

[DM Interlude, all the PCs are humans- weird.]

A moment or two later, stories swapped, Astaroth is on board- the newest Friday Knight.

The strange shaped object at the end of the courtyard turns out to be a crude depiction of some foul demon, actually not “some” foul demon, but specifically “a” foul demon... Lord- it's Orcus. Care and trepidation follows, at least for a moment, that is until Astaroth smashes the head off the statue, this will prove a signature move- for all Aksahy's characters. Kullervo relieves the decapitated demon head of its gemstone eyes- wondering why no-one has bothered to do this before.

Guess who just happens to be on-line and watching at this exact moment, that's right the big badass with the ram's head. The Knights make their first enemy, and it's a big one- aim high that's what the Knights say. If you're going to piss someone off, then go straight for the top, call Tiamat a ten-eyed loser, tell Demogorgon he needs a shave, or Jubilex that he's put on some weight and looks out of shape.

Job done, Demon Lord's statue smashed and desecrated the Knights head into the Bazaar of the Bizarre, a Beggar Shop, Cathal informs them- he knows a little about the area.

Into a cramped and foetid room, full of all manner of filth and semi-usable crud, the Knights advance- Astaroth finds a curtained alcove and pokes his head in, a hole in the floor of the chamber beyond, mud and excreta, he thinks he's found the middens.

Then it kicks off.

The ex-pie-wielding sentry is back and at Cathal in moments. Behind a crude counter Arthuro the Fence, the shopkeeper, bobs up and flings his magical dagger which returns to his hand, while screaming for “TIMMY!”; and in the midden TIMMY! explodes from the mire. Timmy is an ancient and bedraggled Otyugh.

The fracas is short, Cathal stabs the ex-pie eating sentry in the gut, the sentry expires. Ignaran and Kullervo are at and on the counter, respectively, in seconds; and soon after Arthuro is injured and in retreat- into a small study area- screaming all the while “Irocar!”, oh what it is to have friends.

As for TIMMY!, Astaroth connects with the first critical of the game and, well... the Otyugh sinks back into the mire and flees, having been bloodied by the man-mountain in one furious swat.

Poor TIMMY!

[DM Interlude Encounter #3 [450 XP = Level 1] Human Sentry (Level 1 Skirmisher), Arthuro the Fence (Level 4 Skirmisher) & TIMMY! Old Otyugh (Level 4 Soldier). This time I thought, this time... I didn't think it for long, about ten seconds as I recall.]

However the Knights don't have time to catch their breath, behind the counter a crude set of stairs lead up into... a crude curtain prevents further revelations. Rushing down the stairs like a herd of elephants come two grizzly looking men wearing dogskins, as in family pet- dogs, not great slavering hounds. They are representatives of the Dog Brothers a wastrel gang that will do almost anything for coin.

Battle is joined, Cathal trips the first down the stair, or at least knocks him back into his brother, leaving the pair sprawled on the floor. He follows this up with a cleave that injures both brothers- leaving one bloodied and the other limping badly.

Meanwhile Arthuro pops up again and tries to make his presence felt, a short-lived enterprise, which ends badly for Arthuro as Ignaran conjures Wolfie, his faithful... well- what else, Wolf. Moments later Arthuro is screaming and writhing as Wolfie chomps down on the Fence's groin area. Arthuro surrenders, vociferously, and repeatedly.

Arthuro makes a run for it, maintaining his dodgy appearance throughout the manoeuvre.

The Dog Brother pair flee back up the stairs- Cathal and Astaroth in hot pursuit. Ignaran follows after as Kullervo ties up Arthuro, and does a little investigating on his own while the rest of the Knights are playing with their new-found friends..

Upstairs Cathal and the others spill into a crude bed chamber, all stinking bed rolls and bottles of rot gut, the Dog Brothers' kennel, a third Dog Brother is present, and something larger- Irocar, the Dog Brother War Captain- a grand title for a not-so-grand-scumbag. Irocar wears chain armour, grasps a wicked looking bastard sword in one hand and a heavy shield in the other. He also wears a dogskin cape- very fetching.

It kicks off.

Astaroth gets scratched and bumped a bit; Cathal takes a shellacking from Irocar, including a Brute Strike; one of the Dog Brothers is killed by a Lightning Fist, courtesy of Ignaran, the Druid is all smiles; and the remaining three, eventually, including a sobbing “I want my mum!” Irocar, are taken prisoner when they all, almost, run out of Hit Points.

Cathal gets a little nearer to his god.

[DM Interlude Encounter #4 [475 XP = Level 1] 3x Dog Brothers (Level 1 Skirmisher) & Irocar, Human Fighter (Level 4 Soldier). At no point did this feel like a level 1 encounter, partially because there were only three players involved in the fracas, but largely to do with Irocar hitting Cathal with a Brute Strike in the opening rounds and reducing the player to below 10 hit points. The DM is sated.]

Meanwhile Kullervo has bullied Arthuro through to another small chamber, the Fence's bedroom, swiped all the coin he can find, including gold coins - I mean he's seen them before but he's never actually had a gold coin of his own.

Arthuro is meanwhile trying to manoeuvre Kullervo around, the bed in his chamber is trapped, alas the rogue has other ideas and spots a ledger and a secret panel in the room. The ledger has lots of coded entries in it, an account book of sorts. The secret panel has a beautiful, wondrous chest within. The chest, make that treasure cabinet, has seven locked drawers- each of which has a symbol chalked onto it. Kullervo sets to work and... Fails repeatedly on all manner of rolls- sure he's found traps, locks et al, but can he disarm them... not a chance.

Kullervo looks determined, Arthuro continues to look dodgy, the chest looks nice.

The rest of the Knights arrive, after kicking the Dog Brothers and Irocar, out into the street- although without their arms, armour, money and pride. They have also learnt that the Beggar King has need of mercenaries, like the Dog Brothers, it seems there's been a Beggar cull going on. Specifically they learn about Madame Zeb, a corpulent Tiefling Witch who lairs a little further in. She has eunuch guards wearing nought but their underpants- which is nice.

And so the chest won't open, or at least Kullervo can't open it. Well... Astaroth fixes that, and rolls the (his) second natural '20' of the session, the chest spills its contents, but that's not all- every trap on the chest goes off.

A poison needle shoots out and... [DM rolls... hmmm] strikes Arthuro in the forehead, the Fence wilts and staggers forward, just in time for...

A scything blade which... well, scythes. Cuts deep into... [DM rolls... hmmm] Arthuro's midriff, who staggers back and is grabbed by Cathal- who's obviously concerned for the Fence's welfare, and not really trying to get a meat-shield.

As finally a spear shoots out at great speed, thumps into... [DM rolls... sigh] Arthuro's chest and lifts him out of Cathal's grip and off his feet, and sends him crashing back into the far wall.

The rag doll Fence then flops forward onto the bed.

The bed, something about the bed, the DM remembers.

Arthuro is impaled as half-a-dozen sharpened wooden stakes rip through the thin mattress, and thereafter Arthuro.

Astaroth nods and leans on his axe, the rest of the Knights stand and stare.

The ledger and the chest, lots of good stuff, the Knights, or rather Ignaran, identifies a +1 Cloak of Resistance, a +1 Dagger, actually two +1 Dagger's- Arthuro won't be needing his any more, and a +1 Bastard Sword, the later courtesy of Irocar. Also a bunch of other stuff, including poisons and a little money. A good day's work already. Suitably re-equipped the Knights head up the stairs and further in.

From the Dog Brothers kennel up again into a loft, Irocar's personal quarters, and a dead end. That is until Kullervo spots the secret door, then the trap on it, and even better he disarms it- his first full house.

On again- this time into a crude and relatively unused storeroom, not unused by the Rat Swarms however, who like to refer to the place as “home.”

The rats attack, it gets messy for a while but by hook or by crook the Knights see their way through, the remains of the rat swarms scurry off to fight another day.

[DM Interlude Encounter #5 [250 XP = Level 1] 2x Rat Swarm (Level 2 Skirmisher). Window dressing really, swarms on their own are annoying- I'll try not to do this again.]

The Knights soft pad, as best they can, through another equally crude bed chamber- this one much larger, fat greasy candles, or rather the stubs of them, burn here- there's no money to be found in the flop house.

Kullervo hears voices ahead and creeps forward to see; there's a flight of stairs heading down to a door, and an arch through which the rogue spies activity. He continues to spy for a while and then heads back to get the rest of the Knights up to speed, it seems they've located Madame Zeb and her eunuch bodyguards- two fat men dressed in their underpants.

Moments later the Knights charge into Madame Zeb's chamber, a blasted laboratory full of all manner of foul brews, taken unawares Zeb and her crew are swiftly cut down. One of the eunuch's actually cut open by Cathal, the other bloodied and in retreat. Madame Zeb also takes quite a beating- this after she ignites much of the chamber with her Flames of Phlegathos, which also singe Astaroth badly.

One dead, one dying & one desperate- Madame Zeb surrenders.

[DM Interlude Encounter #6 [375 XP = Level 1] 2x Human Eunuch (Level 1 Soldier) & Madame Zeb, Tiefling Warlock (Level 4 Artillery). The DM cackles a little as he takes a big chunk of hit points out of Astaroth.]

The run down lab is searched and then smashed up. Three healing vials are found and taken, Madame Zeb's armour turns out to be +1 Cloth, a scythe made from the fused bones of some kind of demon is also appropriated. The prize find however is a large, still warm, egg- Ignaran speculates as to the egg's contents, Astaroth solves the mystery by making an omelette, he confirms the contents to be egg.

Madame Zeb is pressed for information- it seems the Throne Room of the Beggar King is but a little way off, through a courtyard and an aged warehouse. She's never been in the place but Madame Zeb believes it to be a dangerous. The Tiefling also warns the Knights that other mercenaries have been hired by the Beggar King, including a scoundrel who goes by the name of Black Shet, some sort of freelance assassin.

The Friday Knights make tea and eat sandwiches, the second session over, four combat encounters completed, lots of new information gained and a fair bit of good roleplay.

The players earned 2409 XP this session, that's between the four of them.

 

[Goonalan]

The Friday Knights

Session 3- Sellswords of Fallcrest Part 3 Look out below!

The Knights are-

Astaroth, Human Fighter, love-struck man-mountain, Level 1
Cathal, Human Fighter, devotee of Kord, Level 1.
Ignaran, Human Druid, the nature nutter, Level 1.
Kullervo, Human Rogue, ex-farm boy, Level 1.

Rested, the Knights leave Madame Zeb's laboratory, after freeing the Tiefling and her eunuch companion, out of a door and into a courtyard- a ramshackle affair.

Ignaran can see the tower from here, the tower with the dark swathe of shadow surrounding its summit, even at night, in the rain, he can see it. Kullervo however spies something else, while the Knights traverse the courtyard the young rogue makes for the angle, where two walls meet, and climbs.

The remainder of the Knights back pedal, they were about to enter the dilapidated warehouse, just as Madame Zeb described; they instead stop to see what young Kullervo is up to.

Kullervo climbs to a window, he spies a furze of light within, the Beggar King's Throne Room. There's something darker pressed against the glass, blocking his vision, he realises he's trying to look down into the a chamber over the shoulder of someone, not something, pressed against the glass. No time to think Kullervo punches through the window, grabs the black clad figure, and yanks him out and onto the sloped roof on which he stands.

Black Shet's face registers many things - shock, horror, confusion, fear and finally pain; as he skitters backwards down the slate roof and then over the lip- he suffers no damage in the fall to his torso, or indeed limbs, as he lands head first in the courtyard.

At the same time the doors to the dilapidated warehouse are shoved open and a squad of miserable looking Beggars lurch out muttering foul invocations such as, “giz 10 pee”, and “spare sum change guv'nor.” Battle is joined.

Astaroth and Cathal mix it with the Beggars, Kullervo is down from the roof in a flash and all over Black Shet, while Ignaran is otherwise engaged. The shadowy mist that surrounds the far tower stretches out one dark tentacle down into the courtyard, the tentacle stretches so thin that it breaks- and a swarm of shadowy bats suddenly encompasses the combatants, it's every man for themselves, the bats are not bothered who they lunch on.

Ignaran fights desperately to keep the bats at bay.

The Beggars are no match for the warrior pair, it's a massacre, all eight of them are left dead. Black Shet is a whisker away from death when his screams for parley are finally heard, while the Shadow Bat Swarm is eventually sent packing- dispersed.

Aggressive begging scales new heights.

[DM Interlude Encounter #7 [573 XP = Level 2] 8x Beggar (Level 2 Minions); Shadow Bat Swarm (Level 3 Lurker) & Black Shet, Human Rogue (Level 4 Skirmisher). Save the bats the whole fight is over in seconds. Funny this 4e, the fights you think are going to be difficult often turn out not to be- sometimes terribly quickly.]

Black Shet is searched, slapped and subdued- the first of the mercenaries the Knights have captured so far that's reluctant to speak. Killing in cold blood is ruled out- the Friday Knights drag their prisoner with them as they head on, they also discover on Black Shet their third, yes count them, one, two, three... +1 Dagger. [DM Interlude- Harley Stroh, what were you thinking? Only kidding.]

The Knights head through the dark and dingy warehouse and then up to another loft area, and from there, via an open window, into the Beggar King's Throne Room, still dragging Black Shet along.

The room is fairly opulent (that's not the right phrase- 'fairly opulent', that's like saying 'mostly perfect', gah!), there are three sentries over the far side of the chamber, although they are clearly low paid, and therefore low quality, none of them have stirred and the Knights are not famed for their stealth, save Kullervo.

Also on the far side of the chamber is a low divan, complete with recumbent figure swaddled in blankets, although this figure too seems to be unmoving.

Lastly on the far side of the Throne Room is a gold coffer, whoever heard of such a thing, a coffer... made of gold, atop the coffer is a crown- gem studded, more gold.

Twenty feet of thickly carpeted and cushioned floor lies between the Friday Knights and the Beggar King and his treasure, it all seems a little too easy.

Kullervo shoves Black Shet, now hands bound and mouth gagged, into the centre of the room- THUNK- the floor falls away, or else flops open- a trapdoor, another dull thunk is heard, then nothing.

Up top still nothing has stirred.

The Knights creep to the edge of the now open trapdoor, bellow is a huge cavern, looking down- twenty feet below is a metal cage, suspended from some great chain. One corner of the cage is swathed in a sticky red substance, and sprawled in the bottom of it is an unmoving Black Shet; either he's dead or he's up for an academy award. Thirty feet below the slightly swaying cage is an underground river which swells and foams.

A little while later the three guards turn out to be mannequins, and the figure on the divan turns out to be an eleven year old girl called Glaffin, who misses her mum. Kullervo does the decent thing and hot foots it from the Beggar King's lair, back into the streets of Fallcrest, and delivers the much relieved urchin into the arms of the authorities, and then hot foots it back again.

On his return Kullervo takes his time, checks everything, twice- and discovers all the treasure is junk. The crown's not gold, and the gems in it are paste; the chest is painted and trapped, and locked- and when he finally gets it open there are only fake gold coins inside.

It seems the Beggar King possesses a fine sense of humour, it seems the Friday Knights must press on to discover who will have the last laugh.

Ropes are lashed to the cage from the beams in the room above, Kullervo fixes it all up, it's a lot easier than barn building, roping horses etc.

The Knights, safely and securely, shimmy on down and into the cage, Kullervo having previously divined that the cage is part of the trap previously triggered by Black Shet. Victim or victims fall into cage, cage door slams shut and the whole mechanism descends, somehow, down to a beach he can see a good way to the north. Obviously everything is disarmed, all they need to do is play their part and see what happens.

As quiet as they can the Knights get settled, the cage clangs, although not shut, and moments later lurches forwards, it descends like some great cable car.

Land ho!

En route the Friday Knights spot a number of sights, they pass over a set of crude pens on the beach, within which are a handful of desperate looking individuals including, Astaroth spots, Lady Constance. Cathal clamps his hand over the big lugs mouth to prevent him from vocalising his feelings.

Then voices, the Knights sight their next opponents, atop a low plateau, above the beach, a flurry of activity- a great capstan around which the chain coils- powered by some massive brute, and the welcoming committee- three large well-armed, heavily armoured Hobgoblins.

The cage grounds, the Hobgoblins approach and lightning fast the Knights are in position- Astaroth is the leg up man, he flings first Kullervo, then Cathal, and then Ignaran up and out of the cage, which takes the assembled Hobgoblins by surprise.

One of the monstrous humanoids breaks ranks and frees the great brute responsible for winding in
the chain, a Great Ape, which soon lopes over to join the fun.

The ape however is the first to fall, Astaroth launches himself out of the cage and into the creature's path, it goes very badly for the oversized monkey soon after. Two of the Hobgoblins are bloodied and broken, they surrender, the third also bloodied heads for the exit at speed, he doesn't get far. Wolfie and a thrown dagger severely impede his progress, he's killed.

Astaroth and Cathal go bananas.

[DM Interlude Encounter #8 [450 XP = Level 1] 3x Hobgoblin Slaver (Level 1 Skirmisher) & Great Ape (Level 3 Brute)]

The Hobgoblins are tied up and questioned, then dragged down to the holding pens on the shoreline and incarcerated- it seems Slavers are the new black. The Knights learn that the Beggar King has not been seen for a little while, meanwhile a group of slavers has been operating out of his underground lair.

The slavers, it seems, are present in great numbers, Goblins and Hobgoblins from a tribe calling themselves the Bloodreavers; lead by a pair of Mages, an Eladrin and a Human, with a pair of Gnolls that serve as bodyguards to one of the Mages- Blackfang Gnolls apparently. A Dragonborn mercenary who directs the slavers' attacks and the lair's defences, is also present. And maybe one other- the panicked Hobgoblins are not sure, a dark and shadowy figure; still there's plenty to be going on with.

In the meantime the captured citizens of Fallcrest are set free, including Lady Constance, although also present are a couple of Beggars who were discovered drunk on watch, a dwarf tinker, an old human sage and Lady Constance's two ladies-in-waiting, who giggle and guffaw at the size of Cathal's moustache.

Kissing and smooching follows, terms of endearment disguised as naked lust, Astaroth and Lady Constance are prevented from consummating their relationship by Cathal, he can do stern. Eventually the rescued slaves are packed back in the cage, with Cathal, and then are winched back under the Throne Room, there they safely ascend, or are lifted up- to freedom, promises of rewards- monetary and physical are made, the gaggle depart.

Back to the serious business, the Knights head off again, through a low cavern and up some stairs, the stone passage curves around to head south, more stairs ahead to a pair of double doors, on the right hand wall a seemingly once sealed passage has been broken open- Kullervo gets to work.

First the once sealed passage, investigation suggests that there was at one time a clay seal on the wall here, to keep people out, of course. Kullervo heads in and up a short flight of stairs to a small chamber which looks like some sort of ancient chapel, the room is lit by candles on the floor, in the centre of the room is the dessicated corpse of a robed human, over the far side there's something on one of the walls. The room is smoky, no hazy, no smoky, no- whatever. Kullervo has a good look around and then shuffles in a little and grabs the corpse by its legs and drags it out, back down the stairs and to the waiting Friday Knights it's a dead end, he reports.

The corpse is that of a Human Mage, or so the Knights think, after all it wears a pointy hat and no one else would bother to advertise the fact they're a seven stone weakling. Also it has a rotten backpack which contains a Ritual Book, Ignaran grins and takes it.

The dead wizard is also wearing a pair of silver etched bracers, far too large for his delicate skeletal arms, Kullervo puts them away for safe keeping, then heads to the stairs and the door ahead, spotting on the way the jutting spikes of a portcullis above- clearly a trap.

That's when it happens. The doors ahead are flung open, the portcullis drops, and is set to cut Kullervo off from his companions; in the chamber ahead, illuminated by small fires, are a gang of six Goblin Archers and four Hobgoblin Slavers- the Bloodreavers, in their midst a Dragonborn Warlord swirling a greatsword above his head.

And here the third session draws to a close, only two combat encounters, we play approx. five hour sessions, but there's bags of chatter and roleplay, and some great investigation. It has to be said that maptools and Skype sometimes make it a little difficult at times, lots of “what did you say?” followed by dead air, but we're getting there.

The players amass 3360 XP this session between them, which is still not enough to advance any of them a level, I'm a cruel, cruel DM.

And there, in three posts, I've caught up with myself, sorry folks but this new format is the future for me...

 

[Mircoles]

The new format's no problem to me, still fun to read.

 

[Richard Rawen]

This one's for Half-Orc Half-Biscuit, and Richard Rawen, wherever you may be, thanks as always for reading.

Oh! heh, um, sorry, busy reading
So, still back on p. 1, but loving it so far, great action and fun reactions.
Just wondering, are Otyugh's a favored critter in your campaigns?
Back to reading, and thanks, after all without your hard work I'd have to ... well, work!

 

[Richard Rawen]

Well, all caught up, I guess I can appreciate where you're coming from with the lengthy posts... though they are quite good reads.

The light version is still a fun read, looking forward to more!

 

[Goonalan]

Oh! heh, um, sorry, busy reading
So, still back on p. 1, but loving it so far, great action and fun reactions.
Just wondering, are Otyugh's a favored critter in your campaigns?
Back to reading, and thanks, after all without your hard work I'd have to ... well, work!

Well, all caught up, I guess I can appreciate where you're coming from with the lengthy posts... though they are quite good reads.

The light version is still a fun read, looking forward to more!

Work is just getting too much, the longer I manage to stay in my job the more I seem to be reponsible for, and then there's all the teaching I do on top. Tasks that used to account for approx. 50% of my working day and/or week, like co-ordinating my own course (I'm a lecturer), are now something I have two or three hours to achieve the same aims per week.

Although another pay rise is in sight, and backdated till Jan, when I took on yet more work... Burning the candle at both ends and somewhere in the middle too.

Otyugh, yes, oh yes... what's not to love, misunderstood tentacled monstrosities that bathe in dirt and excrement. I briefly toyed with the idea of having the one from the Goodman Gang adventures (I can't remember his name) return as a Bard, a kind of one man band busking abberation (are they aberrations?), that'd turn heads. If I ever play D&D again, and not DM, then I'm insisting on playing an Otyugh Avenger, or Barbarian, or Rogue or... anything, as long as its an Otyugh.

There'd be Otyugh plush available if I had my way, Lovecraft had it right- 'you can never have enough tentacles', I think he said that...

The other thing with my present 4e game is it seems to be moving so fast, particularly in comparison with my 3e campaigns, and that's not really the level advancement- we're 35 sessions in, each approx. 4 hours (actually 4 hours minimum) and one of the characters has just hit level 8, and he's only missed one session- approx. 140 hours of play.

So I get round to asking the players what happened in a fight in session 3, I can't remember, and neither can they- I have notes but they're far from comprehensive.

Then there's the fact that some players leave, and others join- obviously I'll not say who or how- to be revealed. However I will say that I have two Serbian players at the moment, and they keep asking me when I'm going to get a move on with the write ups and reach Session x when they arrived; which at the rate I'm going will be sometime in 2011.

I dislike the fact I've had to drop the output, and lose the previous narrative style, it's just that there's absolutely no chance of me ever getting anywhere close to catching up. And therefore every chance I'll lose my way completely.

Since the change I've written up ten sessions in the new format, from a DM perspective they're great- I can use them to flick back through (I print them out and use them as a log book), very handy- I don't lose track in game so often, gives me new ideas for recurring villains or new plot twists etc.

Also I'm a maptools only DM now, and building the maps takes quite a while, I can generally map, populate and macro one encounter in about 40 minutes- I'm a bit of a stickler, the maps have to look right etc.

It all adds up, sorry about the lengthy explanation, it's as much for me as it is for you- as I say I'm not that happy with the change, however I can feel the merit.

What do you think to the pictures?

I like the fact that I take the time to name all the enemies on the screen, giving them individual names, not Orc #1 etc. tends to make it easier when it comes to divining their personalities in game, and there's still plenty of roleplaying going on.

Waffled on too long, another post on Saturday, trying for one every Saturday from hereon in.

Cheers Paul

 

[Goonalan]

The Friday Knights

Session 4- Sellswords of Fallcrest Part 4 Shadow Born.

The Knights are-

Astaroth, Human Fighter, love-struck man-mountain, Level 1
Cathal, Human Fighter, devotee of Kord, Level 1.
Ignaran, Human Druid, the nature nutter, Level 1.
Kullervo, Human Rogue, ex-farm boy, Level 1.

Astaroth rushes forward, just as the portcullis slams down, the man-mountain grabs it and... bloody hell, lifts in straight back up into the ceiling. CLUNK, it locks back into place- that's his third natural 20 in this scenario, damn on-line dice rollers.

Kullervo is saved from a lonely death, the Knights go mental and rush in where fools (quite rightly) fear to tread.

The six Goblin archers try to shuffle back but are battered, and scattered- they fall like flies, the Hobgoblin Slavers however are made of sterner stuff, but Wolfie and Ignaran are in the mix. Cathal and Astaroth meanwhile are chopping through anything that gets close to them, the pair are soon at Orliss the Goat, nice moniker, the Dragonborn Warlord, leader of the Slavers defences.

The Goat brays and hollers, breaths a swathe of fire, scorching all before him, including one of the Hobgoblin Slavers and then attacks.

All for one, and lots for all- there's plenty to go around.

In short order the Goblins are no more, Gorliss only stays upright by using his Inspiring Word every chance he gets, but it's just not enough, and soon enough he's a bloody pulp. Cathal is so disgusted with him he doesn't allow the Dragonborn to surrender.

There are only two survivors, a pair of Hobgoblin Slavers who are off and running- and with the Knights in hot pursuit.

No time for a short rest- gulp.

Across a rickety wooden platform the Knights head out of the chamber. Below the platform another beach, a skiff moored there, oh and look, a pair of Gnolls loading chests into the beached boat, with two robed figures directing operations and on the other side of the wooden platform a shadowy figure - a drow- Cathal is suddenly wreathed in inky blackness.

It goes wrong very quickly- two separate encounters become one, it's beautiful when that happens n'est-ce pas?

Excreta, with impetus, meets fan.

Already injured, the Knights give ground quickly, which is fortunate as one of the Gnolls, Wrix, smashes the struts holding up the wooden platform. The whole structure crashes down.

Which leaves Kullervo dangling briefly, clutching onto and scrabbling at the cavern's rocky wall, he makes his mind up and goes for a controlled descent, dives into the shallows below, surfaces with only minor cuts and bruises.

Astaroth is more direct; he launches himself down and at the nearest Gnoll, Reiko, uses him to cushion his fall. Cathal, with a grimace - remembering his last rapid descent in Cutpurse Alley - follows after.

Ignaran points and gestures and Drazen, the Drow Rogue, is engulfed in Blinding Bats. Unsighted the Dark Elf battles furiously to stay on the ledge.

Then something odd happens, the Human Mage scuttles out of the beached boat and fires a Chill Strike into Vermouth, the Eladrin Mage, and chief Slaver, leaving the Eladrin hurt and dazed, and that about turns it. Vermouth fires off Force spells, and Fey Steps when it looks really bad, back into the boat but...

The fight rumbles on a while, Drazen the Drow finally succumbs to the Blinding Bats and Kullervo's magical dagger and plunges into the water- he doesn't surface. The Gnolls are also quick to fall, although Astaroth and Cathal have a patchwork of bruises to show for the encounter, and broken ribs in the man-mountain's case.

Vermouth attempts to flee in the boat, he doesn't get far, the Knights concentrate their fire on the fleeing Slaver Chief.

Which just leaves one Mage standing- Aeolace, who introduces himself, drops to his knees and begs for clemency, he was lead astray, a misspent youth- it's easily done apparently.

[DM Interlude Encounter #9 [1250 XP = Level 6 (now with 5 PCs)] 6 Goblin Archers (Level 1 Minions); 4x Hobgoblin Slavers (Level 1 Skirmisher); Gorliss the Goat, Dragonborn Warlord (Level 3 Soldier), and then- 2x Gnoll Overseers (Level 2 Brute); Drazen, Drow Rogue (Level 3 Lurker) & Vermouth, Eladrin Mage (Level 3 Controller (Leader)). This one was a mess, and took ages, prior to play I couldn't see a way to separate the two encounters, and with the fifth player arriving, and set to switch sides and get the drop on the bad guys, I just thought why not.]

There follows an extended discussion regarding the suitability of a traitor, Aeolace, for membership of the rather exclusive, and all-conquering, Friday Knights, which slowly mutates into an extended rest.

This after Kullervo is sent back up the rocky slope and a little ahead, down the passage on the far side of the now ruined wooden platform, just to make sure there's no-one else about. The Rogue spots some odd things, more later, and discovers a solid looking iron door which is hot to the touch. He decides that discretion is the better part of valour, particularly as his resources are low, he's out of Healing Surges and already injured, oh and on his own. He returns and signals all clear.

Aeolace, Human Wizard, is the fifth member of the Knights, a little bit impetuous, a resident of Fallcrest down on his luck, running with street gangs. One thing lead to another and the next thing he knows he's trafficking human slaves for a bunch of crooks in the Beggar King's lair, try not to judge, we've all been there. He wants out, and then the Friday Knights come along. Aeolace is played by Paul.

[DM Interlude- Nine combat encounters, approximately ten hours of play before the need for a rest, with level 1 characters, that seems to work.]

Kullervo gets to work on the chests. Clearly the Slavers were packing their things and fleeing, things were getting too hot to handle - the Knights want to know more- Aeolace fills in the gaps, see below.

Kullervo, the young Rogue, finds all of the traps on the chests, eventually, and gets the treasure- semi-precious stones, copper and silver coins, 15 silver trade bars- marked with stamps to show they are Duergar in origin- odd; and a do-it-yourself assassin/thief kit- with poison, blow gun, silk rope, masterwork tools and more- marked as being the property of Vadicion Cainnae, whoever he or she may be.

[DM Interlude, Vadicion Cainnae is a “Slayer”, notice the quotation marks-, the “Slayers” mean business- this may be a plot point. As to the Duergar that's Foreshadowing, as are the Bloodreavers- more of this much later.]

Aeolace, as stated above, supplies a few more details. The Slavers have been at work down here for a month or more, at first in conjunction with the Beggars, but latterly, after the Beggars took a severe beating courtesy of the Shadowmen (Fallcrest's premier Thieves Guild), with help from the Bloodreavers- the Goblins and Hobgoblins who come from... Aeolace shrugs, he has no idea.

The Beggar King himself is ahead somewhere, and changed, from a capering paranoid homicidal maniac to a... Aeolace shrugs again, he's not sure, but he's changed, and hasn't been seen for a while.

The slaves are transported through the sewers to... Aeolace has no idea, again.

The Friday Knights are somewhat reassured, clearly Aeolace is a low-level miscreant, not management, perhaps he's telling the truth, perhaps he was lead astray, they're certain however that he deserves a second chance. Cathal barks at the Wizard a while, ostensibly making this very point- a second chance to make something of his life, to follow the path of righteousness and... He goes on, and at length gets his point across.

Rested up the Knights improvise their way up off the beach and head on down the cavern passage, Kullervo points out the things he found earlier in his scouting foray. The passage ends in a chamber with a huge statue of a Giant Rat, the stone rodent has a scattering of coin at its feet. Aeolace remarks that he was told by Vermouth, the Eladrin Mage, that this is some kind of terrible trap, and he was not to take the coin, the Knights see the sense in this and move on to the metal door.

Anyone got any cheese?

The door is not just warm, it's hot- burning; alas there's nowhere else to go, Astaroth kicks it in, and reveals a sight straight from hell.

The floor of the chamber ahead is littered with bones, a wave of heat blasts out, the bones are smouldering- licked by spectral flames, in the midst of the mess is the Beggar King, a once bloated corpulent individual his skin now hangs in folds, like a fleshy robe.

The Beggar King is screaming and thrashing all the while- he doesn't look at all well.

Cathal takes the plunge and charges in, he needs the Beggar King's head as proof of his demise in order to collect his reward, bursting from the floor come five skeletons, each swathed in flame; the smouldering floor is however safe to stand on.

The rest of Friday Knights launch themselves into the fray, the Skeletons fling Flaming Orbs, or else claw at the Knights with their burning talons. The Beggar King however has much more in his arsenal- Shadow Bolts and Bursts deliver Necrotic damage, Flame Gouts burn, and all the while the capering madman screams and struggles with some unseen foe, and yet he still retains control over the Cinder Skeletons, he even possesses the power to teleport the burning undead about the chamber.

The fight is protracted and furious, all of the Knights are singed, scared and necrotised in the end. The final blow, the killing blow, comes when Cathal decapitates the Beggar King, and in doing so births something ripped straight from the Shadowfell.

Darkness encompasses the room, all light is lost to the black, the flames go out, a bloated bolus of shadow rises up the throat of the tower- and to the roof, the light slowly returns.

At last, a hot meal.

[DM Interlude Encounter #10 [1025 XP = Level 5] 5x Cinder Skeletons (Level 2 Artillery) & The Beggar King (Level 5 Elite Controller (Leader))].

[DM Interlude- Cathal, Kullervo and Ignaran are an extended rest away from being 2nd Level.]

Cathal looks at Astaroth, Astaroth looks at Kullervo, Kullervo looks at Ignaran, Ignaran looks at Aeolace, Aeolace looks at the stairs leading up to the roof- and gulps.

The Knights catch their breath and then take the stairs three at a time, Cathal, holy warrior of Kord leading the way, singing, “onward Kordian soldiers, marching as to war, with the sword of Koooord, slaying all before.” Alas Cathal couldn't carry a tune in a bucket.

The Knights burst onto the roof of the tower, a buckled and broken edifice, riddled with great rents- and come face-to-face with a Shadow Dragon, clearly an immature member of the species, but still...

The Dragon flaps its newly formed wings, hovers a moment and then lurches forward- the finale unfolds.

All, save Aeolace, are caught in the Dragon's Breath Weapon, and then the DM rolls- and misses all four of them, later, much later, when the session has ended and the players are tucked up in bed, this power will recharge, fingers-crossed, because it didn't for the rest of the damn fight.

Thus the Dragon's glory is short lived, at one point it tries to escape but alas some slender sliver of shadow still connects it to the slumped dead body of the Beggar King far below.

Shadow boxing.

Tail Slaps and Bites do bits of damage, at one point Astaroth is forced to retreat but only for a moment, his Healing Surge kicks in and he's back at the beast- a war of attrition, and yet it's soon over for the Shadow Dragon, which however has one last trick to pull.

The final blow, a blast of energy, a Magic Missile from Aeolace, and the Dragon swells for a second and then bursts- waves of numbing coldness and the deathly certainty of the grave wash over the Friday Knights, who although battered, bruised and weakened still manage to stand to salute the Shadow Dragon's demise and the first glorious rays of the new day sun.

[DM Interlude Encounter #11 [750 XP = Level 3] The Shadow Dragon (Level 3 Solo Lurker)].

The Beggar King is dead.

The Shadow Dragon is dead.

The Slavers are dead.

The Prisoners have been freed.

The Friday Knights are victorious

And yet...

With that the fourth session draws to a close, the Knights managed to clock up a further 4388 XP this session, with only three Combat Encounters, however all of them were corkers, and so... good night for, and from, the Friday Knights.

[DM Interlude- Astaroth is up to level 2.]

 

[Goonalan]

The Friday Knights

Session 5- Fallcrest's Crest Falls.

A little while later, fully rested, the Knights return to the Blue Moon Inn, they have rooms there now, nice rooms at that, they also have lots of shiny new toys. Cathal has been about his dark business, the Beggar King's head has netted 500gp - this courtesy of a gimp-like “information broker and go-between” called The Goose- the Shadowmen, it seems, are very happy with the outcome.

The terrible shadows that haunted the Beggar King's tower are gone, there's simply no sign of them, it's as if they never existed. Nimozaran is of course delighted, he expresses his delight by allowing Ignaran and Aeolace access to many of his Rituals, he also rewards the Druid with a +1 Staff for his efforts.

The Red Wizards, Fallcrest's premier enchanters and magic item creators, have been busy - using their arcane knowledge to break down the magic items discovered, or transfer their enchantments onto weapons better suited to the Friday Knights arsenal.

Astaroth is in love, scratch that in lust, his busty benefactor, the Lady Constance, and her Ladies-in-Waiting are staying in the City, an extended break away from their country pile. Astaroth totters around the city on weak legs, his step cushioned by the six inches of air between his feet and the cobbled streets, toting a smile that a chisel could not remove.

And yet, even though they're the talk of the town, or at least in the small circles they inhabit, there's an itch that remains unscratched, and questions that need answers.

Such as-

Where did a chest of 15 silver trade bars, with Duergar manufactured stamps, come from - none of the merchants in the city will touch the stuff, it remains unsold, such is the potential threat attached to such items.

Where did the Shadow Dragon come from, well inside the Beggar King of course, but why?

Who are the Bloodreavers and what are they doing in the city of Fallcrest, snap for the Blackfang Gnolls- Wrix and Reiko the Gnoll Overseer's, ditto for Slavers?

The authorities have been informed and have got involved, the now empty Beggar King's lair has been investigated, and soon after sealed, with the surface buildings being either demolished, or else put to better use. The authorities, or rather the Friday Knights liaison, Sgt. Murgeddin, a bluff Dwarf, alas have no answers.

The mystery, or at least the shadow of the mystery, remains.

Still the Knights are finding friends, there are queues around the block to hear their stories, and so one fine night a few of the Knights find themselves, once again, in the bar of the Blue Moon Inn; the fine night comes to an abrupt end when the Inn is attacked.

But that's not the bigger picture, the City of Fallcrest is attacked.

[DM Interlude, session 5 took place just before Christmas 2008, alas there were only three players available, thus we had to improvise a little, although we knew this was going to happen- holidays and life get in the way, therefore alternative characters were macroed up ready for play with maptools. To my further consternation the maps I made for Maptools for this session were consumed in a computer related mishap which wiped several hard drives- foolishly I didn't put copies on my external hard drive, in short- no pictures for two sessions.]

The Friday Knights for tonight's session are-

Aeolace, Eladrin Wizard Level 1– the traitor turned good guy.
Antaurea, Eladrin Ranger Level 1- bow for hire (see below).
Cathal, Human Fighter Level 2- instrument of Kord (and destruction).
Immeral, Eladrin Artificer Level 1- arcane enquirer (see below).

[DM Interlude- Aeolace has changed to an Eladrin Mage- Paul has had a re-think.]

Which is far too many Eladrin for me, popping in and out of existence with their Fey Steps, it's not natural.

And so, and suddenly, one side of the Inn collapses burying a number of patrons under broken rubble, dead or dying- worse the Inn is on fire.

The front door is smashed open and a group of surly looking Goblins and Hobgoblins spill into the bar- several of the Goblins are toting improvised fire bombs, it gets a little hot under the collar for the good citizens therein.

Leaping into the fray are the Knights present- Cathal and Aeolace, happily two other wannabe heroes join in the fun, they are-

Antaurea, Eladrin Ranger, a wastrel, by high Eladrin standards, content to offer his services to anyone with coin- a guide to the wild lands that yet manages to spend much of his time in solitary contemplation, just him and his bottle. Antaurea is played by Mike.

Immeral, Eladrin Artificer, an unworldly tinkerer in the arcane, more used to spending time at his workbench than involving himself in combat situations. And yet when the Inn is invaded and Immeral's peace is disturbed, he stands up to be counted.

[DM Interlude, Mike is unhappy with Ignaran for some reason, the Druid was created using Expeditious Retreats Advanced Player's Guide, the Wizards of the Coast Druid Character Class has yet to be released. Therefore Mike has decided to try a different character.- Antaurea]

And so to the action.

The Hobgoblins, all ten of them, prove no more than a distraction, they make their mark on the non-adventuring population of the Inn and the City at large, but are no match for for the Friday Knights, or their neophyte friends. The Hobgoblin grunts are cut down in a trice, Aeolace even adds a Scorching Burst to the mix, taking out four in one go. What the hell, he figures, the bar's on fire anyway.

The Goblins prove to be made of only slightly sterner stuff, the pair of Molotov cocktail throwing idiots are taken down- one killed, one, Angry Willy- by name, knocked unconscious by a forward thinking Cathal- he wants to know what's going on here.

It soon becomes obvious that the Goblinoids are Bloodreavers, that name keeps popping up. They have the same markings on their armour, weaponry and skin as those fought previously in the Beggar King's lair.

The attack is easily repulsed, however the screams from outside the Inn alert the Knights to new danger.

[DM Interlude Encounter #12 [630 XP = Level 3] 10x Hobgoblin Grunts (Level 3 Minions) & 2x Goblin Blackblades (Level 2 Skirmishers). A jolly little fracas especially when the fire gets a hold of the Inn.]

The Knights spill out onto the street; houses and businesses burn, people run screaming and parked about ten yards away is a Fire Engine, think about the words, a cart pulled by a huge brute of an Ogre that stops every now and then to throw barrels of already burning pitch into populated buildings- like now.

The Knights watch as another flaming missile sails over their heads and smashes into the slates of the Inn, and explodes showering its fiery contents onto the roof, and down to where the Knights are standing.

Accompanying the Fire Engine are a small group of Hobgoblin Archers, balanced in the back of the wagon, along with further pitch barrels. They take pot shots at the screaming inhabitants of the city as they attempt to flee to safety.

“This must end!” Cathal declares, and right on time Aeolace ends it, scooting forward a fraction and then dropping a Flaming Sphere directly beneath the wagon- it gets hot very quickly for the inhabitants of said cart - they take to sniffing the air, the burning smell seems to be coming from somewhere very close to them.

BOOM!

Splinters of wood and a slivers of Hobgoblins take momentarily to the air, spread out rapidly, and then rearrange themselves like some vast unfathomable jigsaw in a three hundred yard radius.

Standing very alone, very burnt, and very deafened is “Big Lesley”, the Ogre Savage who repeatedly thumps the side of his head, hoping to make the the buzzing stop. The other Knights take a moment to stare slack-jawed at Aeolace, whose grin matches Astaroth's, and then make mincemeat of all that's left of the Ogre.

[DM Interlude Encounter #13 [800 XP = Level 5] 3x Hobgoblin Archers (Level 3 Artillery) & Big Lesley, Ogre Savage (Level 8 Brute). Wow! I mean. Wow! A natural '20' was involved but the damage rolls were just... Wow!]

As an encore the Knights rush back into the bar, set about saving people or else bark furiously and organise bucket chains, a difficult Skill Challenge follows; of course the Knights prevail and the fires in the Inn are doused, the citizens saved.

And yet still their work is not done. The Knights head back out onto the streets of Fallcrest, guards are running hither and thither, more buildings need to be extinguished, the Knights help out some more, however the Bloodreavers are gone. Sgt. Murgeddin, when they bump into him later, tells the rest of the story.

The Bloodreavers it seems moved into the southern section of the city, which is mostly in ruins, not repaired after the Bloody Hand's assault nearly a century ago. There they hid until some signal- many buildings have been burnt, although few have sustained any serious damage- it seems the attack was a diversionary tactic. A good number of Fallcrest's citizens cannot be accounted for, eye witnesses report snatch squads grabbing people off the streets- the Bloodreavers delivered destruction, but came for slaves.

Which leaves the Knights in the frame, they've fought the Bloodreavers before. Murgeddin wants them to meet with a man called Eoffram Troyas, a Fallcrest Council Member, he has a proposition for the Knights.

However before the meeting can be arranged something else comes up- fame. Already gaining a name for themselves in the City, Aeolace is about his business one fine-ish morning when he spots a member of the Fallcrest youth wearing a very thin sleeveless cloth shirt with a crude depiction of him on the front, it bears the legend “Firestarter- Twisted Firestarter.” It seems two stalls on the Fallcrest Central Market are selling them.

En route to investigate the matter he spies other variants of the shirts, bearing other legends, such as- “Aeolace says- play with Matches, or else!”; “Burn Bloodreaver Burn, It's an Ogre Inferno!”; and “Look out! It's Aeolace's Fiery Balls.”

The market does indeed have stalls selling the aforementioned items of apparel, furthermore said items are selling like, forgive me, hot-cakes. There are not however two stalls selling them- there are three, and by the time Aeolace is lead away by the Fallcrest Constabulary, there are five. Public appearances, particularly heated exchanges it seems, are good for business.

Cries of “drop da bomb Aeolace”, ring out as the confused Wizard scuttles back to the Inn.

The other Friday Knights react to Aeolace's new found fame with a mixture of jealousy, amusement and a desire to cash in on it fast.

Aeolace has learnt something however, the producer of the shirts is known to all and sundry as... The Goose.

Back in the Blue Moon the Goose is located, and repeated attempts are made to show him the error of his ways. Alas the Goose fails to see what he has done wrong, and interprets these forlorn attempts as a device to increase Aeolace's share of the profits.

After a protracted meeting involving all of the Knights available it's settled. Aeolace's image rights are valued at 15% of the nett profits, further lines and other merchandising and concessions are subject to trials, cost efficiency reports, and product testing. Sometime in the future there will be meetings about further meetings. For now, Aeolace sulks back to his room 100gp richer and now complete with a manager, he's also signed up for some Marketing style Public Appearances.

A little while later the Knights get to sit down with Eoffram Troyas, and are given Angry Willy, the captured Goblin Fire-Bomber, to play with.

A Skill Challenge ensues, Cathal's opening statement “this is going to hurt me more than it is you”, proves to be an outright lie- Willy, at the end of the session, is so pliable he confesses to be being each and every one of the Dark Gods in disguise.

The Friday Knights however garner a few snippets of information; the Bloodreavers are a gang of sorts, a conglomeration of disaffected individuals from numerous tribes, rallying to the banner of a great Goblin Chieftain called Sinruth, tall and muscular, able to cut a man clean in two, such is his strength.

Furthermore, the Bloodreavers are working out of a place near Winterhaven, a small fortified town to the north, up the King's Road.

Lastly the Bloodreavers are slavers, although Angry Willy is sketchy on the details, he's a fairly new recruit, the attack on Fallcrest his first and last foray.

Thus armed and informed the Knights sit down with Eoffram, although the meeting gets crowded a little later as other authority figures arrive to tell what little they know of the tale.

Eoffram tells a story about an ancient artefact called the Rod of Ruin kept safe and closely guarded in a secret temple dedicated to Bahamut. That is until just recently, when the temple priests and guards were slaughtered to a man, turned into the walking dead, and the Rod taken- the name Kalarel was overheard by the lone survivor of the ordeal, although who Kalarel is...

Eoffram wants the Knights to do their damnedest to rescue the innocent citizens of Fallcrest swept up in this bloody tide, to return them safely to their homes, their loved-ones and their lives.

With that in mind Eoffram would like to pay the Knights to travel to Winterhaven and discover exactly what's going on, get the Rod and rescue the captives, and return to Fallcrest. The money is very good- the Knights agree, nods and smiles all round.

It's at this point that Marla, High Priest of the Church of Pelor barges into the meeting chamber and tells a tale about reports of Death Cultists in Winterhaven. She demands that something be done, even though the reports are old, Eoffram is forced to offer additional rewards for the defeat of said cult, or any cult involved in these activities.

Prices are agreed, everyone is happy, that is until Nimozaran turns up- mutters something about a friend of his called Douven Staul, an eminent archaeologist who travelled to Winterhaven three months ago and has not been seen since. He too offers a reward, although it's a pitiful amount. Regardless the, Friday Knights take on the task- the more the merrier.

A day is spent equipping for the road ahead to Winterhaven, three days on foot. However all of their preparation is put on hold when Murgeddin arrives at the Inn later that night screaming for the Knights to “come quickly”, and something about “Bad Mustard!”

And at this point session 5 comes to a close, only two Combat Encounters but also a shed load of roleplaying and background information uncovered, a little more character development and 2446 XP between the Knights present.

 

[Richard Rawen]

Sounds like you guys are having a blast, keep up the updates!

 

[Goonalan]

Sounds like you guys are having a blast, keep up the updates!

We are, played the 37th session of this not last night but the night before, the first session after our dramatic change from... Drum roll, Friday night to Wednesday night, look forward to the name change.

Next session posted Saturday, although it's only a little one, another of the truncated christmas sessions, however after that we dive into the Keep on the Shadowfell and the installments get much bigger.

Cheers Paul