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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Goonalan" data-source="post: 7550627" data-attributes="member: 16069">We D&D.Lost Mine of Phandelver Session #10 Elvis the Killer.Myrium the Blessed (played by Sandy) Female Human Cleric of Lathander Lvl 4Shagga, Son of Dorf (played by Rob) Male Half-Orc Paladin of Kord Lvl 4Gaukus Grom (played by Pete) Male Dragonborn Sorcerer Lvl 4Elvis Pickersgilly (played by Jackie) Male Forest Gnome Rogue Lvl 4The Blessed Avengers are all over it in this session.After an excellent night’s sleep, Reidoth the Brown and the adventurers (including the Brothers of the First Light) head off to Cragmaw Castle, the home of King Grol- and they hope their long-lost patron Gundren Rockseeker. Alas the adventurer’s mounts will not be making the journey, the Neverwinter Woods is no place for skittish riding horses. Reidoth whispers a while with Dobbers (Elvis’ (gnome rogue) Shetland Pony-style ride), the spirited (but diminutive) equine neighs once for yes- presumably, and then canters off- Myrium’s (human cleric) & Gaukus’ (dragonborn sorcerer) riding horses follow on after. Reidoth briefly explains (mostly to open-mouthed stares)- “the Lord of Horses, or as you know him Dobbers, will guide your mounts safely back to Phandalin.”“Right!” Myrium offers, and then… “Excuse me, did you say- the Lord of Horses? Dobbers?”“Aye.” Reidoth nods, and then strides off in to the woods.Eventually the others follow on, Elvis all the while grinning like a loon.DMs Interlude- it’s good to mess with their heads every now and then.The trip through the woods is fraught with danger- at least that’s the way Reidoth tells it, and yet a day and a half later the assembled troop find themselves unmolested on the outskirts of a ruined castle, of ancient elvish construction, perhaps.DMs Interlude- remember I’m using the Random Encounter Tables exactly as written in the module.Cragmaw Castle, a wide clearing surrounds the remains of the once massive building, there’s no way to approach it that is unobserved, there are a variety of arrow slits and windows on every side. If there are goblins watching then even under the cover of darkness the adventurers are likely to be observed (with Darkvision), particularly as several of them are really not adept at moving stealthily.And so, the plan- it’s as simple as this, Elvis volunteers to observe and then infiltrate the redoubt, or as he puts it “I’ll ‘ave a mooch abaht abit.”Note Jackie (who plays Elvis) often lapses in to really bad cockney when she’s voicing her guy, I’ve not asked but I think she’s channelling the Artful Dodger (from Oliver), or else Dick Van Dyke’s Chimney Sweep from Mary Poppins (or should that be ‘Maori Poppings’).Myrium is about to catalogue her objections when Elvis grabs out a small vial (Invisibility Potion) and swigs down the contents. The gnome rogue disappears.“If I’m not back in an ‘our come and git me.” Elvis’ voice tails off as the gnome moves towards the ruined Castle Cragmaw.It seems Jackie, who only started playing the game ten sessions ago, is due her time in the spotlight- she’s also now confident enough to fly solo.A circuit of the ruins reveals three things to Elvis- there’s a front door, with goblins close by (they’re noisy); there’s a locked postern gate- also with goblins close by (very noisy here); and lastly- there’s a secret way in around the other side of the ruin. A simple, unguarded walkway through a massive pile of rubble hidden by a painted tarp. Easy really.Elvis ventures in and discovers a pair of rubble-strewn empty chambers- with a variety of exits. To the west a door leads in to a high-ceilinged dark hall- empty, while a second western door leads in to a very noisy chamber, which must contain a gang of goblins. There are also two doors to the east- one leads in to a chamber with two hobgoblin guards, behind the other door is an argument- a pair of raised voices. Elvis doesn’t know the goblin tongue, and yet he understands four words that are used often- ‘Gundren Rockseeker’, that’s two- and ‘Black Spider’, that’s four.[ATTACH=full]112952[/ATTACH]“Bingo!” The gnome rogue whispers to himself and then makes his way back out of Cragmaw Castle and all the way back to his friends.And so, back in the Neverwinter Forest, thirty minutes (in-game time) after he departed, Elvis returns- he doesn’t announce his presence, he just tells his story.Ten minutes later and the adventurers (with the Brothers of the First Light in tow) have made their way around to the other side of the ruin, following as best they can the instructions of the still invisible gnome. A few minutes later and the Blessed Avengers (only) are safely inside the ruins, and to the door beyond which the argument still rages. The Brothers of the First Light are left in the forest, watching the secret entrance for their saviour’s return.“Dis is it”, Elvis hisses and then grabs Myrium’s hand and manoeuvres it to point to a thick curtain draped across an entrance no more than fifteen feet away from where the adventurers stand- “Hobgoblins”, Elvis hisses.Suddenly the curtain is pulled halfway open, light spills out of the newly revealed chamber, a hefty hobgoblin stands in the entrance with its back to the Blessed Avengers- it mumbles at someone unseen, and then changes its mind and draws the curtain closed again.The adventurers stand statue for a second longer, holding their breath- and then with grins visibly relax.At that exact moment the curtain is torn open- the hobgoblin revealed screams and hollers and rushes to attack.So close, just to say the guys (and particularly Elvis) did some great exploring accompanied by very many good or great skill checks- and then, just at the last moment, their dice done gone broke on them.  Lots of things happen at once.Elvis (still invisible) ignores the rushing hobgoblin and opens the door ahead to reveal a well-appointed tower chamber, with a roaring fire- a fat bugbear (King Grol), with a snarling wolf (called Snarl) at his side and standing only five feet in to the room- a drow. Elvis’s thoughts are ‘Drow’, ‘Black Spider’ & ‘Kill’; and so he does, or at least attempts to. The gnome blinks back in to vision with both of his blades embedded deep in the now critically wounded drow’s gut.[ATTACH=full]112953[/ATTACH]Less than a second later and Elvis has tumbled back out of the chamber and has hidden himself behind an armoured friend or two.At which point the screaming hobgoblin charges in to Shagga (half-orc paladin) and slashes him, Myrium’s Bless spell momentarily lights up the chamber, while her Spiritual Weapon thumps the staggering drow in the chest, remarkably it still lives.Shagga calls down Kord’s fury and with a Divine Smite decapitates the hobgoblin, there’s another in the chamber beyond, clambering to its feet, and intent on getting away. However, the half-orc paladin has another purpose- he rushes in to the newly revealed tower chamber and spots a dwarf sprawled on the floor, he moves to protect the fallen (dead or just unconscious?) figure- and in doing so gets a good look at the fellow- “Gundren?”The unconscious dwarf alas is not in a position to confirm his name; and remember the only member of the Blessed Avengers who has met Gundren is Myrium.At which point Gaukus moves in, the dragonborn’s Thunderwave, followed by a Quickened Shatter spell, causes the enemies within the tower chamber to crouch, scatter, snarl & whine, or else desperately find a way to block their ears. The drow is killed outright, Snarl (the wolf) whimpers- while King Grol looks like he’s already had enough.The only way out for Snarl however is through Gaukus, the wolf tries to make it happen but the sorcerer’s Shield spell deflects the beast, moments later Myrium’s Spiritual Weapon smashes its skull (with a Crit).Shagga shouts his Vow of Enmity at the quivering bugbear, King Grol, and then slices the fat old bastard (with yet another Crit). What’s left of the bugbear is on its knees and pleading for its life.The situation in the tower chamber is under control.“Stop that Hobgoblin!” Myrium shouts at Gaukus and Elvis, the pair scurry to comply, after the last fleeing hobgoblin guard- the gnome rogue gets close enough to spin a dagger in to the creature’s back (with… bloody hell, another Crit). Not enough however to kill it, that honour falls to Gaukus with a trio of Magic Missiles.DM Interlude- three Crits in two rounds from the PCs, if it carries on like this I may as well take up cross stitch.The adventurers grab the bodies of the fallen and drag them in to Grol’s chamber- the bugbear chief meantime has been gagged and bagged, with his hands tied- this after a couple more shots across the chops from Shagga to make him a little more personable.At this point it also becomes clear that the drow killed earlier is not the Black Spider, the creature is not even a drow- the corpse has assumed a whole different form, a grey skinned sexless humanoid, identified by Gaukus as a doppelganger. Bastards!The players are gutted! They thought all of their birthdays had come at once.The Blessed Avengers are however in a rush. Less than a minute later and Myrium has Gundren on his feet- the dwarf has cuts and bruises but for the most part responds well to the adventurer’s chatter (and healing). It’s time to go, although perhaps not before a quick look around, Gundren is quickly back to being himself- he’s not leaving until his map is found, the map to Wave Echo Cave. Thirty seconds later and Grol’s treasure and the aforementioned map are found- hidden, badly, beneath the bugbear chief’s bed.Now it’s time to depart, back the way they came- signalling for the Brothers of the First Light to come and help them with their new charges- a stumbling King Grol, and a staggering Gundren Rockseeker.It is at this point, in the open ground between the woods and Castle Cragmaw that Targor Bloodseeker, hobgoblin boss, and his troops (another half-a-dozen hefty hobgoblins), accompanied by a pair of snarling wolves put in an appearance.The two groups stand statue staring at each other for perhaps ten seconds.Targor is a practical hobgoblin, and smart enough to know when chat is the better option.“Kill Grol”, Targor points at the bugbear king, “then go, quickly.”Myrium takes a moment to catch up on events. “You want us to kill Grol?”“Yes.” Targor simply states.“You want us to kill this wretch, while he is gagged, bound and cannot see to defend himself- that would be…” Myrium splutters in anger.“That would be the best time to kill him.” Targor finishes the priestess of Lathander’s statement, and then nods- three of the hobgoblins that follow him back away, heading for the front door of Castle Cragmaw, reinforcements will soon be on their way.[ATTACH=full]112954[/ATTACH]DM Interlude- time for another moral dilemma.“Can we go now?” Elvis asks, all eyes turn to watch King Grol, previously being held aloft by Lux and Watt- now gargling his last on the floor. Elvis wipes his blade (that was his best, and easiest, assassination by far).DM Interlude- moral dilemma over, that didn’t take long.“Go now. Don’t ever return.” Targor states and winks at Elvis.Elvis winks back- it’s always good to have friends.The adventurers, save for Myrium, are off and running- back in to the woods. Even Shagga. Myrium just stands there- frightened that she is in fact doing all of this for nothing.About an hour or so later, during the first rest stop- the arguments start, mostly between Myrium and Elvis, but there’s also a little bit of player on player. The sticking point can be summed up by the following two statements-Myrium- “We don’t kill creatures that are tied up, gagged, et al. That is bad. Very bad.”Elvis- “I do, because I am capable of doing bad things.”The argument circles for a good while but is momentarily forgotten as Gundren has a story to tell, and the DM wants to get on.DM Interlude- Sandy (playing Myrium) and Jackie (playing Elvis) are heating things up with snidey in and out-of-game comments. I’m attempting to get the game rolling again…Anyway, Gundren-“The Black Spider is a drow, he- I think he’s a he, is after Wave Echo Cave- he already has a copy of my map. The doppelganger you slew was an envoy of the Black Spider. The Black Spider is either in Wave Echo Cave already, or else he’s on his way there. You have to help me- my brothers, Tharden & Nundro, are there… you must help us?”Gundren has no need to plead, the adventurers are on it- and so with the Brothers of the First Light in tow it’s quick march back to Phandalin, and then on to Wave Echo Cave.Only not yet, the group end the day on the very edge of the Neverwinter Forest, and there make their camp for the night. All is well until the last watch, when Ray the Zealot spots a creature in the half-light, and then another- ghouls![ATTACH=full]112955[/ATTACH]His cries wake the gang, who are quick to take up arms (and spells), the ghoul’s attack (there are four of them) is blunted as Myrium lofts her holy symbol and sends all of the undead scurrying off.The priestess of Lathander then orders the Blessed Avengers NOT to stray from the camp- basically not to go chasing off in to the forest after the undead.Elvis (of course) disobeys orders and hunts down one of the fleeing ghouls and slays it, the gnome returns to the clearing just in time for the arguments to start up again.And boy do they get going…That however is the end of the tenth session of play, another short one.Fingers-crossed the 11th session will prove less fractious.However, a little later- via e-mail, I instigate a chat about alignment and in-game play, and the business of giving orders. The discussion is almost entirely mature, by which I mean there’s very little fruity language and name calling, there’s some, but not too much.As previously the discussion boils down to-Myrium (Sandy)- “We don’t kill creatures that are tied up, gagged, et al. That is bad. Very bad.”Elvis (Jackie)- “I do, because I am capable of doing bad things.”The other issue mentioned (often) is of course-“Who are you to say what I/we do or don’t do?”There’s a bit of me that believes that the two players arguing are taking all of this far too seriously, but it’s a good discussion in places. In summary the outcome is-Jackie (Elvis)- “My PC is a nasty bastard, maybe he’ll change, but for now he likes the fact that he can do bad things (if and when needed) in order to move the plot/story on.”Sandy (Myrium)- “My PC is good, she wants to find a way to move the story/plot on without doing despicable things, and of course she’s going to be angry if one of her companions behaves badly.”Although my summary, for the players, was something like-“It’s just a game. You are roleplaying (very well, at times) complex characters which you have created. There’s no use upsetting/insulting each other (out-of-game) because of things you have done when you are playing your character as you see fit. The actions of your PCs do not reflect your own beliefs (obviously). By all means have a pop at each other in-game but don’t drag it out in to the real world.”It’s slightly odd (for an old DM like me), and yet also enervating- the two players in question are most definitely riled, and on the defensive (mostly by attacking), but they both care enough about the game- and the kind of story they want to tell (I guess) to start the argument.The other thing that needs to be borne in mind is the two players in question have only been gaming for a very short time, this real world versus game world stuff may take a little bit of getting used to. I guess when I started playing then the moral maze was less apparent, the dualistic nature of the game world (Good vs Evil) was either writ large and therefore easy to read, or else just assumed/subsumed- we killed stuff and just got on with it. We weren’t good or evil, we were ravenous for sweet times slaying red dragons in thirty-foot square rooms as part of the latest Monty Haul dungeon our 14-year-old DM had dreamed up and populated by flicking to random pages in the MM.Ah, the halcyon days of summer.Normalcy returns (briefly) in the next session.</blockquote>

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