There was no game last week because I was in London on business. This week we were short Zarjaz and Red Dongya due to an H.P. Lovecraft double bill at the local cinema.
Characters:
- Barack Kihnos - Cleric 3 - Male
- Vampire Hunter De - Cleric 2 - Male
- Howayanshite Goblin Slayer (aka "Wayne") - Dwarf 2 - Male
- Gizman - Elf 1 - Male - NPC Retainer
- Ragnfridr - Thief 1 - Male - NPC Retainer
The party are once again in Ethanfeld recovering from their last expedition to the Dragonbone Peaks. To replace Gil-Fimbriel they recruit De, a "Vampire Hunter" a la Hugh Jackman in "Van Helsing"*. When questioned De admits that he hasn't killed any vampires yet but he has put 2 goths and an emo out of their misery. Two retainers are also recruited: Gizman, an Elven Sheriff who has come to the area to investigate reports of the desecration of Elven dead, and Ragnfridr, a professional "adventurer".
* And initially dressed the same, though he quickly took advantage of my decision to change the ruling on the availability of heavy armour so presumably looks more like King Arthur wearing a big black hat now. He is also given the +1 Shield that the party recovered last time.
During this downtime Wayne hires a local sage to research the "white hand" device worn by the dead warriors that the party found on their last expedition. This costs as significant amount of silver but the party learns that the device is the "Holy Hand of Ildoreth", the symbol of an ancient, lawful, but supposedly defunct cult.
After a week's respite the party decides head back east. However that morning it is discovered that Zarjaz and Red Dongya are indisposed and unable to travel. It seems that the night before they had witnessed a mummer's play of such squamous horror that they have temporarily taken leave of their sanity. The rest of the party leave them instructions to follow as soon as they are able and to "bring healing potions."
The party's journey is one again uneventful and they make their way back through the labyrinth unmolested to the Goblin King's treasury on level 4. Here they investigate Wayne's hunch* that the reason they were previously unable to find the Goblin's treasure is that it is concealed in a secret room behind the "public" treasury. Eventually the party locate a secret door which leads into a long corridor which stretches several hundred feet north and east to connect 3 secret chambers.
* Not at all influenced by the fact that the GM hadn't hidden his notes well enough ;-)
This area proves to be inhabited by a party of six Lizardmen. Though they do not attack immediately they do make it clear that they aren't going to allow the party to search the area and carry off any treasure that they might happen to come across. The inevitable hostilities ensue and the Lizardmen end up as raw material for handbags without too much trouble. The party relieve their corpses of a ruby necklace and several sacks of coins; possibly the Goblin treasure that they were looking for.
Buoyed by this success the party descend to level 5. They go back to the corpses of the dead "white hand" warriors and ascertain that they are relatively recent and not of ancient vintage. They then proceed to search east of the tapestried hallway where the glow of a lantern leads them to a band of 4 more "white hand" warriors, this time still breathing. Whilst the rest of the party hides, Wayne extends the hand of friendship. Their reception is not warm and their leader is suspicious, insulting and evasive of Wayne's inquiries. The situation degenerates into violence and the warriors are subdued by Ilkizman's Sleep spell.
Wayne wakes their leader for questioning but despite being at the disadvantage the leader maintains han arrogant and evasive attitude. The party do ascertain that the warriors are members of the Cult of Ildoreth who it seems is not the benevolent deity suggested by the sage's researches. They also learn that they are here on cult business clearing the labyrinth of "unbelievers and other vermin"; it is commented that given the foes that the party has already had to overcome the cultists don't appear to be doing a terribly effective job. Finally the party learns that Dyson Logos (remember him?) is alive, in the cult's clutches and presumably somewhere deeper in the labyrinth.
Eventually the cultist leader's arrogance become too much for Barack and he decides to demonstrate the power of Thor by using a Cause Fear prayer to cow the man. Thor apparently approves rather too enthusiastically and the leader is terrorised into a heart attack*. Attempts to continue the questioning with a different warrior-cultist prove ineffective when it is discovered that all the others have had their tongues removed. The party instead put them to the sword.
* The result of a 1 on his Saving Throw.
Travelling south and then east along the corridor the next room that the party explore is illuminated by a dozen magically levitating candles. They play with these for a bit but are unable to ascertain any significance too them. Eventually, having discovered that when extinguished they fall to the floor but can be re-lit to levitate again, they take the candles with them .
10ft further east along the corridor Ragnfridr open a door in the north wall and the party are surprised by a pair of Ghouls*. This proves to be a sticky little melee with Barack and Wayne both being paralysed and only Gizman's immunity to paralysis saving the party. Once the Ghouls are dealt with the party search the chamber which is decorated with massive sculptures of leering gargoyles. Gizman locates a secret compartment in the mouth of one of the gargoyles, but when Ragnfridr attempts to open it, the mouth closes shut, severing Ragnfridr's arm; he dies immediately from shock. De takes the brute force approach and smashes the gargoyle and mechanism and allowing the party to recover 3 pieces of jewelry from the compartment.
* Actually Thouls/Thoghrin, but they may as well have been Ghouls. Until these recent B/X games I hadn't realised quite how unbalanced these were for low level encounters. 3 attacks and their paralysis power makes them a TPK waiting to happen.
Opening a door leading west from the gargoyle room, Wayne is narrowly missed by a pendulum blade; apparently being short has its advantages ;-) The room beyond is 20ft square with a door leading north. It contains nothing of interest except for a similar trap on the north door. Disarming this trap and opening the door reveals a 30ft stretch of corridor that heads north to end in another door. Halfway along this corridor there is a long stairway leading down to the east.
Guarding these stairs are 6 more warrior-cultists and battle is joined. The fight is long and drawn out over many rounds. Barack, De, Wayne and Gizman initially push the cultists down the stairs, cutting them down one by one, whilst taking their fair share of blows; exhausting their stocks of potions and Cure Light Wounds. It seems for a moment that the tide of battle might turn when cultist reinforcements begin to arrive from the lower level, but the party throw flasks of burning oil to keep them at bay. Eventually having dispatched the last of the cultists on their level the party perform a strategic withdrawl out of the dungeon and back to Ethanfeld.
The game session ended here.
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