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<blockquote data-quote="Tolamaker" data-source="post: 8681996" data-attributes="member: 7031495"><p><strong>Session 37: Steppengard Prison Blues</strong></p><p></p><p>The party is thrown in prison below Castle Steppengard. All of the mages, including Gruz, are shackled with fused gauntlets, and gagged with a bit that disrupts their tongue. Gruz and Mishka were knocked out and thrown in a cell together. Eluriah and Aripose are thrown in a cell with a man who looks like he was handsome once, but is now gaunt and nervous. Aripose strikes up a conversation, and learns that the man is Jinis, Duke Gallo’s proxy, and Jineer’s father. He assures Jinis that his son got away, and tries to learn the diplomat’s story. Jinis tries to explain what happened the day the queen died, but he says it is like trying to remember a dream. He tells several versions, some where she simply falls and dies, one in which he breaks her neck, and one in which she is attacked by a strange shadowy monster.</p><p></p><p>After a while, Gruz and Mishka wake up, and realize they share a cell with Hethal, the woman who they met on the road, who had her hand chopped off by a Talon guard. She reveals the man she was sleeping with was Jinis. The party ask her if he was any good, and she laughs harshly. “He’s a diplomat. He knows how to use his tongue.”</p><p></p><p>Two guards come to Gruz and Mishka’s cell, and drop off an unconscious half-elf who smells of burnt hair and clothes. They then take Hethal with them, and Jinis shouts words of encouragement to her. He tells the others that the guards are taking her to the inquisitor for questioning. “And torture,” he says, shivering. Eventually, the half-elf wakes up, and the others recognize him as Corban, the bard who sang of the Dawnbringers of Barovia. He wonders why they didn’t run when he gave warning, and they explain that they were hoping to clear their names. Jinis laughs, and says that there is no justice in this prison.</p><p></p><p>Out of curiosity, the party begins to ask Jinis for information on the monster in one of his memories. His description sets off Eluriah’s memory, and she reminds the party of her sighting of a smoky tendril in Innenotdar, and the black tentacles within Indomitability. When Mishka remembers the name “Trillith,” Jinis’ eyes widen, and says that the inquisitor asked him if he had any knowledge of trillith.</p><p></p><p>As they are talking, a shuffling sound echoes down the hall, and Jinis warns them all to get away form the bars. On the opposite side, Relder is not quick enough, and a decaying man rushes forward and takes a bite out of his shoulder. The undead man turns around, and the party is able to see intestines hanging out of his body. The man shuffles further along, muttering to himself about food. Gruz recognizes the creature as a ghast, turned undead due to cannibalism in life. Jinis says that the man is Jutras, a former prince of Dassen who killed much of his family. “The guards figured out they can use him to keep the prisoners in check, so they don’t keep a night watch.”</p><p></p><p>Making sure to keep Jutras far away, Aripose is able to squeeze through the bars, and uses a pair of shivs that Jinis made to pick his way out of the dungeon. He makes his way past sleeping guards, and finds the party’s gear in a storage room. After making sure Fern is okay, Aripose gets his real lockpick set, a rope, and a few daggers, and smuggles them back into the cells. Together, the group decides to stay in prison for a little while, to find out what is going on, but to be ready for trouble at any time. After hiding the items in the straw and loose stones, they get a fitful night of sleep. IN the morning, the guards lure Jutras back into his cell, and return Hethal, who is unconscious, but has no wounds. They then pull Gruz out, and begin taking him to the inquisitor.</p><p></p><p><strong>Post Session Thoughts</strong></p><p>This was a fun session, which I felt a little unprepared for. I kept telling myself that I was going to expand the dungeon, but I never did, even with an extra week. But in the end, it turns out, all I had to do was mostly present the book as is, and let the players figure out what they wanted to do. I didn't want to push "escape from the prison" just because it would put them closer on track with the module, but I did make it clear that they weren't about to get a fair trial down here. Honestly, not preparing anything is simultaneously scary and freeing. I want to get better at just freewheeling as a DM, but as I've mentioned before, its very hard for me to let go of the reins.</p><p></p><p>Corban is Orwin's replacement. The player had really wanted to try out the Cirqueliste bard subclass, but was torn between that and an artificer. We'll see if he sticks around. He's all burnt up because he was teleporting constantly to run away. It also sticks with the player's naming convention of "or-ih" sounds (Orwin, Norwell[ish], Corban, Norrick [previous campaign]).</p><p></p><p><strong>Changes to the module</strong></p><p>I am consolidating the Alydi Gap encounter into the prison, to cut down on time, but we haven't really reached that yet. I figure it will pull double duty for providing evidence to allies later on. For now, all I've really "changed" is set up a dividing line for when guards are out, and when Jutras is out. I also decided the provided map was a little small, and wanted the dungeons to be a bit more sprawling, but that's mostly coming out of description. I'm really only using the map for reference for myself, and running the dungeon as theater of the mind until combat breaks out.</p><p></p><p>Next time, Tea Time with Torrax.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Tolamaker, post: 8681996, member: 7031495"] [B]Session 37: Steppengard Prison Blues[/B] The party is thrown in prison below Castle Steppengard. All of the mages, including Gruz, are shackled with fused gauntlets, and gagged with a bit that disrupts their tongue. Gruz and Mishka were knocked out and thrown in a cell together. Eluriah and Aripose are thrown in a cell with a man who looks like he was handsome once, but is now gaunt and nervous. Aripose strikes up a conversation, and learns that the man is Jinis, Duke Gallo’s proxy, and Jineer’s father. He assures Jinis that his son got away, and tries to learn the diplomat’s story. Jinis tries to explain what happened the day the queen died, but he says it is like trying to remember a dream. He tells several versions, some where she simply falls and dies, one in which he breaks her neck, and one in which she is attacked by a strange shadowy monster. After a while, Gruz and Mishka wake up, and realize they share a cell with Hethal, the woman who they met on the road, who had her hand chopped off by a Talon guard. She reveals the man she was sleeping with was Jinis. The party ask her if he was any good, and she laughs harshly. “He’s a diplomat. He knows how to use his tongue.” Two guards come to Gruz and Mishka’s cell, and drop off an unconscious half-elf who smells of burnt hair and clothes. They then take Hethal with them, and Jinis shouts words of encouragement to her. He tells the others that the guards are taking her to the inquisitor for questioning. “And torture,” he says, shivering. Eventually, the half-elf wakes up, and the others recognize him as Corban, the bard who sang of the Dawnbringers of Barovia. He wonders why they didn’t run when he gave warning, and they explain that they were hoping to clear their names. Jinis laughs, and says that there is no justice in this prison. Out of curiosity, the party begins to ask Jinis for information on the monster in one of his memories. His description sets off Eluriah’s memory, and she reminds the party of her sighting of a smoky tendril in Innenotdar, and the black tentacles within Indomitability. When Mishka remembers the name “Trillith,” Jinis’ eyes widen, and says that the inquisitor asked him if he had any knowledge of trillith. As they are talking, a shuffling sound echoes down the hall, and Jinis warns them all to get away form the bars. On the opposite side, Relder is not quick enough, and a decaying man rushes forward and takes a bite out of his shoulder. The undead man turns around, and the party is able to see intestines hanging out of his body. The man shuffles further along, muttering to himself about food. Gruz recognizes the creature as a ghast, turned undead due to cannibalism in life. Jinis says that the man is Jutras, a former prince of Dassen who killed much of his family. “The guards figured out they can use him to keep the prisoners in check, so they don’t keep a night watch.” Making sure to keep Jutras far away, Aripose is able to squeeze through the bars, and uses a pair of shivs that Jinis made to pick his way out of the dungeon. He makes his way past sleeping guards, and finds the party’s gear in a storage room. After making sure Fern is okay, Aripose gets his real lockpick set, a rope, and a few daggers, and smuggles them back into the cells. Together, the group decides to stay in prison for a little while, to find out what is going on, but to be ready for trouble at any time. After hiding the items in the straw and loose stones, they get a fitful night of sleep. IN the morning, the guards lure Jutras back into his cell, and return Hethal, who is unconscious, but has no wounds. They then pull Gruz out, and begin taking him to the inquisitor. [B]Post Session Thoughts[/B] This was a fun session, which I felt a little unprepared for. I kept telling myself that I was going to expand the dungeon, but I never did, even with an extra week. But in the end, it turns out, all I had to do was mostly present the book as is, and let the players figure out what they wanted to do. I didn't want to push "escape from the prison" just because it would put them closer on track with the module, but I did make it clear that they weren't about to get a fair trial down here. Honestly, not preparing anything is simultaneously scary and freeing. I want to get better at just freewheeling as a DM, but as I've mentioned before, its very hard for me to let go of the reins. Corban is Orwin's replacement. The player had really wanted to try out the Cirqueliste bard subclass, but was torn between that and an artificer. We'll see if he sticks around. He's all burnt up because he was teleporting constantly to run away. It also sticks with the player's naming convention of "or-ih" sounds (Orwin, Norwell[ish], Corban, Norrick [previous campaign]). [B]Changes to the module[/B] I am consolidating the Alydi Gap encounter into the prison, to cut down on time, but we haven't really reached that yet. I figure it will pull double duty for providing evidence to allies later on. For now, all I've really "changed" is set up a dividing line for when guards are out, and when Jutras is out. I also decided the provided map was a little small, and wanted the dungeons to be a bit more sprawling, but that's mostly coming out of description. I'm really only using the map for reference for myself, and running the dungeon as theater of the mind until combat breaks out. Next time, Tea Time with Torrax. [/QUOTE]
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