I followed up what was one of my favorite sessions ever with a very flat session. The last session had a big, bad creature fight in it that almost wiped out the party and ended on a mystery to be solved. This session began with the players confronting the mystery and then choosing (wisely?) to walk away. From there I felt like I was juggling a disintegrating storyline. I did have another short encounter prepared as a bridge to get the players back to their home base.
I modified "Incident at Strathern Point" from Dungeon Magazine 21, written by Matthew Maaske. I only kept the broad outline of the plot. I used a different map and monsters. But the plot was more or less the same. The problem was that it made the session feel like several small incidents without a real high point. I guess you cannot always end a session on a high note.
Next week should be better as the players have chosen what they want to do next to advance the plot which is always a lot of fun.
Session 67: The Faceless Demon
Lakima (human magic-user), Eathwund (human fighter), Alonso (human fighter), Aashdoshan (human necromancer), Lantosh (human fighter NPC), Fenris the Filch (human thief NPC).
The adventurers try to get some rest to heal in the Cavern where they fought the great cave centipede. The three hobgoblins they captured are tied up under guard. After a long rest, Lakima, Aashdoshan, Fenris, Eathwund, and Rune head back into the trapped hallway beyond the great, glowing seal. They force the hobgoblins to go before them – but the hobgoblins are unable to pass beyond the seal. Lantosh is called up to threaten them, but it appears the seal blocks them from going further. The hobgoblins are sent back to the cavern with Alonso and Lantosh guarding them.
Fenris carefully picks his way across the floor of the tomb to stand near the stone coffin. Then Lakima calls him back. Lakima casts Glow Minion and instructs his magical servitor to move to the stone coffin and open the two unlocked chests the rest near it. Once they are open Fenris checks and tells everyone that one chest holds gold coins and the other holds silver coins. Lakima again motions Fenris back. The Glow Minion is giving a large sack and it slowly fills the sack with gold coins. Once the sack is full the minion comes back and dumps the contents in the Bag of Holding. This is repeated until the minion has emptied both chests. Once this is done Lakima instructs the minion to slide open the stone coffin lid. The lid slides across.
“What sort of rescuer are you?” the adventurers hear the puzzling comment. Then a man sits up in the coffin and slowly climbs out into the chamber. Seeing the adventurers, he advances toward them. Lakima tells him not to come any closer. The man appears to be a normal human male dressed in chainmail armor; two longswords belted at his waist.
There is an exchange of questions between Lakima and the man as Lakima tries to ascertain whether why this man is trapped in this tomb. The man announces that he is Nikel Tempest, and waits expectantly. When no one professes to know that name he claims to be a great adventurer who was cursed by an evil necromancer to rest in eternity in this chamber blocked by the seal in the chamber beyond. Lakima states that the seal blocks creatures of evil from passing it – but Nikel claims that is not the case. He asks if they will destroy the seal to allow him to pass. He has been trapped there for more than 100 years.
The three mages, Lakima, Aashdoshan, and Rune Frost confer. While they are doing this Nikel studies Eathwund who stares back at him. Eathwund begins to feel compassion for Nikel who has been unjustly trapped in the tomb. He begins to think he should destroy the seal. Then Eathwund comes to his senses and questions why he was thinking that. He warns Lakima of the compulsion he felt.
Before anything else can happen, Lakima casts Wall of Iron and separates the chamber. Nikel and his tomb are trapped on the other side. The adventurers leave the tomb. Once back in the cavern – Alonso and Lantosh are told what they found. Alonso immediately recognizes the name Nikel Tempest. He confirms that he was a great hero of the north. Famous for fighting giants. He disappeared in a battle against an evil necromancer over a hundred years ago not far from this very tomb. Lakima suggests that Nikel has become undead and that his friends sealed him in this tomb because they could not bring themselves to kill their companion.
Rune shows Fenris how to operate the secret door in the wall and it is sealed shut. Then Fenris goes to work with his tools and breaks the mechanism so it will not be so easy to open it again. The adventurers then gather their gear and force the hobgoblins to their feet. Lakima has Lantosh explain to the hobgoblins that they will be leading the way out and that there had better not be any tricks or traps. Rune has Lantosh ask the hobgoblins about his backpack which was taken from him and holds his spellbook. The hobgoblins appear to know nothing about it. Rune asks the adventurers if they will help him search the tunnels and caves for his spellbook but the heroes tell him that they are just going to leave and that if he wants to live, he should come with them. The entire party makes it through the tunnels without any incidents.
Once outside the hobgoblins are forced to sit down. The heroes see no sign of Glason, who they left outside near the entrance. They do see several sets of tracks leaving the cave that cross over the tracks they made entering the caves. After some shouting, Glason appears from out of some underbrush and hurries over. Glason tells them that a number of hobgoblins left the caves shortly after they entered so he ran and hid. The hobgoblin he was guarding got away. Rune again suggests re-entering the caves in search of his spellbook, but no one (not even Glason) is interested in accompanying him. Lakima tells Glason that if he journeys back to Edgerton with the Company of the Black Dragon, he will loan a spare spellbook to Rune. Rune eagerly accepts the suggestion.
The party locate their horses and travel quickly back to Caster’s Ford. The horses are returned to the horse merchant. They then get a room at the Blue Dragon Inn for the night. Lakima regales the bar with tales of their latest exploits. Later in the day, they head over to several churches of Law to get healing prayers cast on party members.
The next day the extended group of adventurer’s book passage on a riverboat bound for Edgerton – a 2-day journey. After traveling a short distance from Caster’s Ford, they spot a white dragon flying overhead. The dragon stays out of range but circles the boat three times before flying off to the northwest. The adventurers settle in for the rest of the day. The captain tells them that they should reach Strathern Trading post well before dark and he suggests mooring there. After a few more hours they see the trading post in the distance, another ship is tied up to the dock. As they come closer the captain expresses his unease, there is no sign of activity at the post or on the docked ship and no smoke is rising from the chimney of the trading post. The captain brings his boat in alongside the docked riverboat and sends his hand Lilly over to check. She reports back that the riverboat is empty and half unloaded.
Captain Dashmar askes the adventurers if they will check the situation in the Trading post. They agree and Fenris and Lantosh head over to the docked ship first. There are no signs of fighting or struggle. Everything is just quiet. In fact, they take note of the lack of birdsong in the area. Fenris lead the way up toward the stone-walled trading post followed by the other adventurers. Rune and Glason stay aboard the boat. As they near the trading post they see that the narrow windows are shuttered from inside and the two doors are closed. Fenris reports that the door is unlocked and he carefully opens it. Inside they find a dark trading area cluttered with crates, barrels, and shelves of items. There is no sign of anyone around. While the other adventurers spread out around the building, Fenris and Lantosh search inside. As Alonso gets near the building, his intelligent sword Nuldrang informs him that there are demons nearby. He needs to be ready. Alonso hurries back into the building and stops Fenris before he can open the door to the storeroom. Lakima and Eathwund soon also arrive.
Fenris and Lantosh step back as Eathwund and Alonso join them. Alonso opens the door. On the other side, they spot two disgusting Dretch demons searching through the storeroom. Before they can react, the demons release a noxious cloud that fills the storeroom. The heroes step back into the trading post to avoid it. The two dretches then advance out of the cloud toward them. Alonso and Nuldrang rush into the fray hacking away at the demons. Eathwund is hard on Alonso’s heels and also lays in with his sword. Nuldrang sings in triumph as one demon is hacked apart. The demon dissolves into a blackened puddle of slime on the floor. The other demon is struck by Eathwund and then teleports away to appear near Fenris and Lakima outside. Lakima casts Lightning bolt at it and Fenris finishes it off with a crossbow bolt. Lakima tells those gathered outside that they should get back on the ship and get out of the area. He yells at Eathwund and Alonso to join them. Eathwund is the last to turn to leave the trading post. The room lights up with a flash of light and a bang. He smells brimstone in the air. When Eathwund turns about he sees a slathering demon has appeared in the bedroom attached to the trading post. The demon has glistening black skin, long claws, and a faceless head with only a mouth – no eyes or nose. The mouth is enormous and full of long fangs. The demon moves rapidly upon Eathwund slashing away with teeth and claws. Eathwund manages to shove the demon back with his shield. Then Eathwund strikes at the demon. Alonso arrives and joins the battle – Nuldrang communicating its joy at fighting a powerful demon. Alonso manages to strike the demon with his sword twice but is in turn bitten on the arm and clawed once. Lakima arrives and tries to use Charm Monster coupled with his Amulet of Demon control. But the spell fails. Alonso and Eathwund work together and manage to bring down the demon which collapses in a pool of slime. The slime gradually dissolves and disappears. Alonso tells Eathwund that it was a demon known as the Faceless Killer. Capable of assuming human form.
Lakima again suggests they get out of this place and all of the adventurers return to the ship. After learning of the demons, the captain agrees to travel the river south at night. He stations his mate in the bow to call out obstacles. A few miles south of the trading post they hear cries for help from the river. The mate spots a man holding onto a log in the river. The man is hauled aboard. The captain recognizes the young man. He is Adakka, the son of the captain of the ship that was at the trading post. The young man tells them that they were attacked by demons. He got away by jumping in the river. They tell the man that they found no survivors at the trading post.
Early the next day the exhausted group arrive in Edgerton having gone all night without sleep. The adventurers say goodbye to Captain Dashmar and head across town to the Manor House. Glason and Rune are invited along. Once in the Manor house the group tells Domago and Vervork about what they encountered in the north. Later, Alonso takes Glason and Rune to the Chapter House where they can sleep. Eathwund goes to the Sign of the Purple Bugbear to check on his tavern. Lakima heads across town to visit with Malyn at the apothecary.
Lakima finds Malyn is tending the shop on his own. He says he has sent his apprentice on an errand that will take a few days to complete. Lakima tells Malyn about the threat posed by the demons he encountered. Lakima asks Malyn if there are any wizards in the area who could summon demons. “Do you mean aside from you?” Malyn responds. He tells Lakima that he is not aware of any. Malyn is more concerned about the incursion of doppelgangers in the town. To that end, he has created a magic item he calls the Revealing Portal. It will reveal the true form of any creature who steps through it. Lakima asks to buy the secret to creating the portal. They settle on a trade. Lakima is loaned the journal holding Malyn’s research notes, and Malyn is loaned Balutron’s Spellbook.
Lakima leaves the Apothecary shop and heads across town for the Manor House. On the way there he is confronted by three men of the watch who demand he prove he is not a doppelganger. Lakima furiously demands to know if they know who he is. The men seem unimpressed. Then confer and say, “Grab him!” All three watchmen move to grab Lakima, their hands transforming into long claws. Realizing he is under attack by a trio of doppelganger’s Lakima casts Flash, blinding two of them. But the third doppelganger manages to claw him in a vicious attack. Lakima is cut open across his chest and feels his energy fading. Desperate he casts Lightning Bolt, the doppelganger dodges from the bolt but is still injured and it flees into the crowd. The other two, blinded doppelgangers are killed. Before the real watch can arrive, Lakima staggers off to the Manor house. Once there Domago casts a healing prayer on him.
All of the members of the Company of the Black Dragon meet over dinner. Lakima tells everyone of the attack and suggests they all travel in pairs. He also tells everyone he has an idea. He turns to his wife Alayna and asks her, “Do you think you could have the Manor ready for a ball in 2 weeks?” Alayna asks how much she has to spend. Lakima tells her unlimited and Alayna assures him that the Manor will be ready.
No comments:
Post a Comment