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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Goonalan" data-source="post: 7850197" data-attributes="member: 16069">We D&D.Session #46 The Rise of Tiamat #05a Varram the White Brothers of the First Light.Lummins (played by Rob) Male Half-Elf Cleric of Lathander Lvl 8Lux (played by Sandy) Female Human Warlock Lvl 8Watt (played by Jackie) Male Human Bard Lvl 8Sgt Bobby Markguth (played by Pete) Male Human Fighter Lvl 8&Hotlips Houlihan (played by Sandy) Female Halfling Rogue Lvl 8Secondary PCs.Derek Pilch (played by Jackie) Male Human Druid Lvl 8Hard Bonk (played by Rob) Male Half-Orc Monk Lvl 8Sgt Harald Hardaxe (played by Pete) Male Shield Dwarf Fighter Lvl 8This is session #46 of our game, but only session #05 of The Rise of Tiamat scenario.The PCs have just survived a sustained attack by a minor horde of Yuan-ti and their Lizardfolk servitors- last count 19 Lizardfolk, three Yuan-ti Malison, a Yuan-ti Pureblood and two Snake-filled Helmed Horrors met their makers in the rolling fracas which took up over three-quarters of the last session.In return Hotlips (Halfling Rogue) mostly thanks to Sgt Bobby (Human Fighter), and Sgt Bobby (several times) took a beating- Lummins (Half-Elf Cleric) pumping Cure Wounds in to the Fighter every other turn to keep him (and Hazirawn) in the melee.The PCs do a little light searching about, and then choose to camp out in the corridor on this side of the bridge- they have good sight lines and are in need of a short rest (particularly Sgt B & Hotlips, although Lux (Human Warlock) also wants her spells back).In truth I’ve not got many Yuan-ti left to play with in the complex, there’s a guard or two in the Hatchery, and the set-piece ending in the Temple. Let them have sandwiches (and spend their HD), I think in all honesty we’re more or less done here.Oh, but just to note the shrine in the meditation chamber, former home to snake-filled Helmed Horrors, gives up its treasures- although Sgt Bobby has to lift Hotlips up to get at the large gems set in the eyes of the statues of Yuan-ti deities there.Later, after their rest, the PCs discover the Hatchery, basically a twenty-foot-deep pit containing thousands of young Yuan-ti, and several enemy nursemaids (three Purebloods, an Abomination and the Yuan-ti young the equivalent of a Snake Swarm). Hotlips discovers the place during a minor sneak-about, she tells her friends. I set the PCs a Stealth DC 12 check- no failures allowed, to sneak back in to the place, all PCs succeed at the check (except for Sgt Bobby- who magnanimously chooses not to make the attempt)- and, it’s open season.[ATTACH=full]115591[/ATTACH]After the smoke clears and the rumbling stops (Watt (Human Bard) = Shatter, Lux = 2x Eldritch Blast & Lummins = Fireball!) the Snake Swarm is dead, as is one of the Purebloods, the other two Purebloods are also bloodied, but the Abomination is still healthy-ish.The Abomination slithers up and out of the pit and then barges its way past Watt & Lux in search of the exit, the Bard slices the fleeing beast with his rapier (and a Crit).Seconds later Watt is in pursuit of the massive snake-thing, alas his Hypnotic Pattern has no effect on the Yuan-ti.The Purebloods in the pit try to lure Lummins and Hotlips down to play with them (with Suggestions)- alas neither is up for the game (they both make their saves).Lummins heads off after the Abomination- it’s getting away, he fires a trio of Scorching Rays in to the beast (all hits). Hotlips follows on and tags it with her crossbow and then, at last, Sgt Bobby catches up with the action- Hazirawn to the fore, soon after the Abomination is dead.The PCs have however all run off and left the Purebloods alone and unguarded in the Hatchery, the pair therefore climb out and head in to action- attacking the rear of the PCs. One hangs back and opens up with her bow- all misses alas, the other rushes forward and slices Hotlips- two Eldritch Blasts later and the melee attacker is dead.The Pureblood archer is eventually plugged by Watt, the Yuan-ti dies in the exchange of fire.Job done.After more sustained giggling by the Players, they love slaughtering stuff- who doesn’t, and a little light healing (mostly Potions- the casters are almost out of spells) the PCs move on… there’s only one place left to visit- the Yuan-ti Temple.The heart of the Yuan-ti settlement, a huge chamber with giant stone serpents along the east and west walls, the open mouths of the statue snakes spew guttering green flames.The leaders of the Yuan-ti are here and arrayed before the PCs in all of their fine snake-regalia- that’s three Purebloods, three Malison (one escaped from an earlier encounter) and the Yuan-ti Abomination priestess.Bound before the Yuan-ti’s vile altar is a portly (sweary, although gagged) Dwarf- Varram the White, the despicable Dragon Cultist.Watt, Lummins and Lux head in to chat mode, Pete (I mean Sgt Bobby) keeps Hazirawn drawn- although in truth no-one wants a fight, the PCs are low on spells and Sgt Bobby is still bloodied- Hotlips is also down a few hit points. The Yuan-ti know how tough the PCs are- they wouldn’t be here otherwise.It’s deal time- and quickly thrashed out.[ATTACH=full]115592[/ATTACH]The Abomination priestess is happy for the PCs to take Varram, the only proviso being the Brothers of the First Light need to head back out the way they and came and swear never to return- like, right now.Deal done.Even Sgt Bobby is on board with that!Varram is grabbed, examined briefly to make sure he’s the real deal- he is, and then the PCs turn tail and troop all the way back out the tomb- paying Tolly another 5gp on the way out.The tile Chimera in the first chamber has still not regenerated, and the PCs don’t need the Divination pool (just yet- maybe) they’ve got Varram. The plan is to head out in to the ruins and then have a little friendly chat with the nasty Dwarf.Varram, ungagged is particularly foul-mouthed (mainly because I like swearing in a Scottish accent) in the end Sgt Bobby punches the little freak unconscious- classy.The PCs emerge in to the semi-light, it’s getting dark, and walk in to an ambush- half of the Brothers of the First Light are down the ladder from the cavern mouth when they notice there’s a reception committee waiting for them. Or else, the reception committee emerges from hiding and makes itself seen and heard.Here’s the thing, the PCs have taken a beating (some of them)- they’re low on spells (I may have mentioned this already) so, I thought why not. I took one of the groups from the additional encounters in the module- Monstrous Uprising and jazzed it up a little- added a few extra bodies but more importantly maxed all the bad guy’s hit points.Y’know, for kicks.So, Cremmolate, the Half-Red Dragon Veteran, steps forward and demands the return of Varram the White, the Dwarf awakes from his enforced slumber to grin and gurn (and swear) at Sgt Bobby. The Fighter punches Varram out cold again.Which doesn’t make Cremmolate happy at all.There are 24 Kobolds, arranged in bunches surrounding the tomb’s exit- each ‘bunch’ is led by a Lizardfolk- with a few more Lizardfolk guarding Cremmolate (ten Lizardfolk in total- and remember there’ll all max hit points).Anyway, the chatter only goes on a short while- the Brothers are a little worried about the numbers of bad guys but, they’re not going to hand over Varram. Basically, Sgt Bobby gets the nod- so the conversation circles for a short while until Sgt B is in range of Cremmolate, then it kicks off.[ATTACH=full]115593[/ATTACH]Sgt Bobby (who keeps rolling ‘20’ for Initiative) rushes in to action swinging mightily with Hazirawn- his target Cremmolate, the Half-Red Dragon Vet of course, he misses three times in a row (that’s a wasted Action Surge- right there). Pete is hurting bad.To make matters worse several of the Kobolds start up with their slings- Sgt Bobby takes a hit- and then another.There’s laughter in the ranks, my but we’re all playing very nicely this evening.Watt drops an enhanced Shatter in to the closest batch of Kobolds- five dead, and their Lizardfolk minder is hurting too.Lummins drops a Fireball in the middle of the largest concentration of bad people- more Kobolds die, as does a Lizardfolk- several more are left badly wounded, the Priest of Lathander spends his Inspiration Point and gets the Bless spell going.Sgt Bobby gets hit some more, including whacked in the face by a Lizardfolk warrior’s shield, meantime Hotlips hits Cremmolate with her assassination attack (and for 44 damage- that hurt bad).Lummins gets stabbed, and then thwacked (a Crit) by a different Lizardfolk warrior’s shield attack.And then… and then… Lux, still up the ladder- observing her colleagues fighting below… and then… the Warlock drops a Hunger of Hadar pretty much in the same spot Lummins’ Fireball landed.There’s a whole lot of screaming going on, but not from Cremmolate- who steps out of the inky black bubble of doom and unleashes his fiery Breath Weapon on Sgt Bobby and Hotlips. Sgt B takes the full hit, and is bloodied in an instant, while Hotlips with her Evasion skill manages to avoid all of the flaming terror (she hides behind the statue like Sgt Bobby).Sgt B’s not having that, a hit followed swiftly by a Crit later and Cremmolate is dead already.Which wasn’t part of my plan.Cremmolate had 120 hit points (or thereabouts) and an AC of 20 or so.Bugger!The Kobolds try really, really hard… Lummins takes a sling shot to the noggin (head), Hotlips is stabbed in the gut.Sgt Bobby (now a screaming fury- Pete is acting out the part) cuts down the first two Lizardfolk that manage to escape from the Hunger of Hadar- he also gets his Second Wind.This is a massacre.Ooops! Too soon.Watt fires a Shatter spell in to another clutch of slinging Kobolds- six of them are killed in an instant, the Bard has one spell left (Level 1).Ooops! Way too soon.Lummins strides in to the largest concentration of enemies (taking five AoO en route- all misses) positioning himself just outside of the Hunger of Hadar bubble. He fires up his Radiance of the Dawn- the holy light dispels the inky black terror (because that gives me a tiny chance to inflict a little more hurt on the PCs). However, the radiant burn also accounts for another seven Kobolds and one more of the Lizardfolk.Now we’re really in to massacre territory.Hotlips kills another Lizardfolk, Watt offs a Kobold- Lux manages to kill two more with her Eldritch Blasts from up on high.Bravely all the bad guys left standing attempt to flee the scene… they run screaming.It’s a duck shoot.Albeit briefly, there are only four bad guys left alive- four Lizardfolk.Sgt Bobby goes running after the nearest badly wounded Lizardfolk, and seconds later Crits it dead.Watt grabs out his bow- Crits another- dead, and then another- Crit- dead. That’s right three Crits in a row.There’s one surviving Lizardfolk just about to make it to safety- y’know, off the map- Lummins goes in pursuit (because now it has become a game for the Players- can they kill ALL of the DMs bad guys- no survivors). Anyway, where was I- Lummins goes in pursuit, he gets close enough and slams a Sacred Flames in to the poor bastard’s back. Hotlips wings it with her crossbow, and the icing on the cake- Lux’s (Crit) Eldritch Blast causes the last guys head to just ‘pop’.Dead.Do you do that in your games? Allow the Player that delivers the killing blow to say just how the bad guy gets it?Soon after the PCs have done checking the fallen (and giggling- there’s been a lot of that this session), there’s little to find except for some random coins and gems on the Half-Red Dragon Veteran, Cremmolate.The PCs head back to their camp in the ruins, a little later they decide to clear away bodies of the fallen- not wanting to attract more attention to themselves. They settle in for the night- this after taking a few hours to find out what Varram the White knows, which in summary is this (note the collective PC thoughts/reactions appear in parenthesis)-1) The Dragon Cult is going to attempt to summon Tiamat to the Forgotten Realms (nobody is shocked to learn this).2) There are five ritual masks- Red, Blue, Black, Green and White, all are needed for the summoning to work (yep, thought as much).3) Severin is the leader of the Cult- he wears the Red mask (yep, we know this).4) Rezmir wears the Black mask (ahem- well, he did- Varram it seems is a little out the loop).5) Varram wore the White mask- until he lost it (How did he lose it?).6) Varram thinks the mask was stolen- possibly by an extraplanar being (favourite is a Demon or a Devil- interesting?).7) Galvan wears the Blue mask (that’s a new piece of info).8) The Red Wizards of Thay are helping out with powering the ritual somehow (the PCs obviously ask why the Red Wizards would do this- Varram just shrugs).Of course, Varram doesn’t just tell the PCs all of the above, mostly the info is extracted via the silver-tongues of the chatty trio- Watt, Lux and Lummins; although Sgt Bobby also gets to play ‘bad cop’ once or twice.There follows a medium sized debate- not the long and winding stuff (mostly bickering) we’re used to, but also not just a five-minute affair- basically the PCs (and Players) spitball for around half-an-hour (while eating Pizza, natch- we seem to always order Pizza).The theme of this particular tune is do they head back in to the Tomb of Diderius and make use of the Divination pool to discover the location of the missing White Dragon mask?Obviously, there are a number of problems with the plan, as enunciated around the table at the time-a) The PCs are probably going to have to fight the tile Chimera again, and nobody is keen to do this, not even Sgt B.b) They promised the Yuan-ti they wouldn’t head back in to the tomb. Meh- actually none of the PCs have a problem with this, consensus is ‘screw the Yuan-ti’. DM Interlude- I will of course double the numbers of the Yuan-ti left in the lair (and max their HP) in an attempt to put a crimp in this plan (and for dissing my snakey bad guys).c) The PCs will have to make a sacrifice to activate the Divination pool, actually the only PC that has a problem with this is Lummins- on religious grounds. The previous statement makes more sense when you know that the sacrifice is obviously going to be the foul-mouthed Dwarf- Varram the White.So, we circle for a while.Then, finally, the decision gets made, which is- nah, let’s leave this place with Varram the White, get back to Waterdeep on board the Lighthouse, and see what the grown-ups have to say.Watt puts it best- “if they want to sacrifice someone to find out where the White mask is then let them do it themselves…” Very sensible.Less sensible follows-The PCs head off back to Boareskyr Bridge.After two days trekking through the Serpent Hills- with no new encounters (done RAW) the PCs (although mostly Lummins) remember that they have access to the Sending spell, the Priest of Lathander therefore messages Blagothkus the Cloud Giant. They provide the big guy with directions to their present location, and less than half-a-day later they’re back aboard the flying ice castle- the Lighthouse. Next stop Waterdeep.If only they had remembered to do this earlier.But before we get to Waterdeep it’s time to level up- that’s right, the PCs are now Level 9.Then… well, the time just flew by (around the table)- or else we dithered for a good long while (over the Pizza). Also, I wasn’t keen to have the PCs just dash back to Waterdeep and then charge in to the next part of the adventure. I don’t want to set the pace too fast at the beginning of this module- a bit of slow burn. Things are happening with the burgeoning Dragon Cult but it’s not an overnight plan, it’s going to build for a while yet.So, the Players levelled up their guys, and then with five days aboard the Lighthouse en route to Waterdeep, and then an extra bit of downtime back in the City of Splendors. Time for a little ‘me’ time for the Brothers of First Light between adventures.That however comes in the second part of this session, only a short downtime interlude.See you there.</blockquote>

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