Welcome to the City

Urban adventures. It is not really my thing. I am running a Swords & Wizardry campaign that started as a one-shot of In Search of the Unknown and morphed into an OSR campaign. The idea was to run a lot of classic adventures. In the campaign, a lot of the action has ended up moving to a town because my Players like to collect property - manor houses, taverns, and a copper mine. But a few weeks ago the players traveled to the capital city of the realm of Valnwall. I am using the Chronicles of Amherth setting with a modified version of Guidebook to the Duchy of Valnwall (Small Niche Games). It was the player's idea to visit the city and go to a Ball at the Palace. So I had to come up with something. I used bits of a few other published adventures for the Ball. But to give them something a little different to work through I adapted an AD&D 2nd Edition adventure called Pandora's Apprentice. This adventure was written by Leonard Wilson for Dungeon Magazine 38 (1992).

This adventure is an opportunity for roleplaying with not a lot of combat. Though combat was possible. The players managed to complete the adventure without killing anyone or anything.

The player who has been playing the former Domago the cleric (who was originally an NPC) asked to create a new character that was more of a fighter. I used a cavalier class that was written for Swords & Wizardry White Box with a few modifications.

Session 107: Welcome to Dolmvay

Lakima (human magic-user), Eathwund (human fighter), Alrix (couatl sorcerer), Aldus (human cavalier), Fenris the Filch (human thief NPC), Domago (human cleric NPC).

The Company of the Black Dragon has just defeated the aboleth which was behind the troubles in the village of Drydale. They also rescued Hannah Stormwind, a retired magic user and guardian of the village.

The party accompanied by Kathrak and Hannah travels the short distance to the village of Drydale. This time their return is created with a crowd of happy villagers. Jacob Evenbow invites them to stay for a celebration but Lakima is anxious to return to Edgerton. Lakima tells the town elders that they plan to leave immediately. Before they leave Hannah insists on gifting the Company with a satchel full of adventure gear she and her friends no longer need – a potion, a magic protection scroll, and a magic sword. The village gives each member of the party 500 gold.

The trip to Edgerton is quick and uneventful. Lakima suggests they stop on the way to their Manor and inform the Earl of Thurmany that they have completed the mission. They find that the Earl has left for Dolmvay so they dictate a report to Colten Brightmoor who promises to send a message to the Earl. The party then heads to their Manor. Alayna is happy to see they have returned in time to travel to Dolmvay early.

The next day, Lakima makes some plans at the Mages Guild and Eathwund checks in on his tavern. Domago heads over to the Church of St. Aleena. Later in the day, Colten Brightmoor visits the Manor and introduces them to a Knight-errant named Aldus. Aldus tells the Company that he is also headed to Dolmvay and has an invite to the Yule Ball. Colten suggests they travel together.

The next morning, Aldus wakes at the keep in Edgerton. He has his squire pack up his equipment. He heads out to check out the weapons available at a local smithy. Unimpressed with what he sees he heads over to Cromly’s smithy. Here he finds several great swords worthy of his attention. But he finds that the prices are more than he can afford. The company meets at a riverboat they have hired. Aldus arrives with his horse and his squire who he introduces as “boy”. The riverboat captain argues for more gold for the trip now that he is transporting a horse. Once things have been agreed to, the captain sends one mate out to purchase some feed for the horse. While waiting Aldus tells the company of the high prices at Cromly’s. Alrix tells Aldus that he will loan the knight the needed gold in exchange for a future favor. Aldus agrees and hurries over to Cromly’s to buy the sword he saw earlier.

They journey for a day and a half downriver. Dropping anchor overnight. By noon of the second day, the stone walls of Dolmvay come into view. For those members of the party who have never seen Dolmvay (Eathwund, Flora, and Domago) it is a stunning sight. The city spreads out along the coast of the sea and is much larger than Edgerton. The captain tells them he will disembark them at the river district docks. They stand on the deck of the boat and watch the captain make arrangements to unload his cargo and work things out with the customs officer. Alayna suggests that they hire porters and a carriage. As none of the other members of the group are familiar with the city, she takes charge of this. They soon notice that Flora is attracting a lot of unwanted attention. As an elf, she is an uncommon and apparently unwelcome visitor to the city. Flora covers herself with a hood and gets in the covered carriage.

Lakima asks where they should stay and Alayna smiles and tells everyone it is a surprise she has arranged. They travel through crowded streets until they stop before a three-story Inn. The sign is carved with the image of a dragon – painted black.

“The Black Dragon Inn,” Alayna says with a flourish.

Aldus asks if they own it and Alayna assures him it is just a happenstance. The inn has stood here in Edgerton since she was a child in the city and much longer. They enter and Lakima gives the Innkeeper 70 gold as a deposit before the innkeeper can even explain the room costs. They take four rooms – one for Lakima and Alayna, one for Eathwund and Aldus, one for Domago and Alrix, and one for Flora. It is at this moment that they realize Fenris has wandered off. Lakima notes this and says he is sure Fenris will not get into any trouble.

After they have unpacked, Lakima comes down to the front desk to speak with the innkeeper again. He asks if the inn is safe from thieves and the innkeeper assures him, he has paid the protection money to the thieves’ guild. Lakima then tries to get the innkeeper to put him in touch with the underworld or a magical shop. The innkeeper becomes increasingly red-faced as he explains that he has almost no contact with broklaw gangs. Lakima also begins to realize what a hold the Church of Law has over the city. Magic users are barely tolerated and then only as members of the Mages Guild who are strictly watched. As Lakima presses the innkeeper to put him in touch with someone who knows things in Dolmvay, Fenris appears at his elbow and suggests he ask him. Fenris spent his early years in Dolmvay.

Lakima asks Fenris where he can meet mages and trade magic items. Fenris explains that the Mages Guild has these activities tied up tight. Lakima suggests that they head over to the Mages Guild, he wants to see for himself. At the Mages Guild Lakima meets Master Drake, one of the leaders of the Guild. He has a frustrating conversation where he realizes that the guild will not do business with any mage who is not a guild member. Even adventurers new to the city who know magic are expected to join the guild. Lakima leaves and he and Fenris check out some nearby magic shops. They are disappointed to learn that the shops are open only to guild members.

While Lakima and Fenris are out, Eathwund suggests to Aldus that they head to a local tavern. They find a nearby tavern with no apparent name, just a tavern guild symbol over the door. Eathwund buys the penniless knight an ale. While drinking Eathwund feels someone tugging on the back of his tunic. He turns to find a girl of only 9-13 years standing there.

“Are you an adventurer?” she says.

Eathwund tells her that he is. The girl is dressed in fine – but dirty clothes. Aldus also turns around and bemusedly watches as Eathwund answers several questions from what appears to be a hero-worshipping girl. Then the girl tells them that she is destined for great things, she will become a powerful mage. The girl tells both men that she can tell that their swords are magical. She asks to touch Eathwund’s sword Wormbane. He allows her. She tells them both that if they ask nicely, she might let them become her sidekicks. Aldus laughs and doffs his hat. Raising it high in the air he tells the girl that when she is tall enough to grab his hat, he will be her sidekick. The girl then casts a cantrip spell and plucks the hat from Aldus’ grip. The hat sails down into the girl’s hand and she celebrates. Eathwund lets out a hearty laugh.

Finally, the girl makes to leave and extends her hand which Aldus brushes with his lips in a courtly manner. The girl extends he hand to Eathwund, and he decides to just shake her hand. As he does, she slips his magical Flamestrike Ring off of his finger and runs for the door. Eathwund and Aldus both take up pursuit but Eathwund is bowled over by a young girl who looks like a street urchin.

“Please don't hurt her – she’s possessed,” the urchin cries out.

Eathwund ignores her and sets out in pursuit soon catching up with Aldus. The little thief leads them on a short pursuit down alleys and busy streets through the neighborhood. Despite clearly knowing the neighborhood well the girl is not able to lose the two men pursuing her and just slips inside a two-story manor ahead of them. Eathwund and Aldus arrive with the street urchin in tow. The second girl says her name is Feather. She tells them that Nissa lives in this Manor with a master who has recently gone missing. She tells them that recently Nissa has been acting strangely. She begs them to help her.

Aldus grows tired of knocking on the door and calling out to the girl inside without an answer. The door is located in the alley between the manor and a shop. Looking about and seeing no one watching – he crashes his huge frame into the flimsy door. The door refuses to budge.

“I think it is magicked shut,” Eathwund says.

Eathwund asks Aldus to go and bring back Lakima. Aldus heads off for the Black Dragon inn. Eathwund stays and talks with Feather and shouts at Nissa inside – who does not answer. Soon Aldus arrives at the Inn and finds Lakima, Alrix, Domago, and Fenris sitting in the breakfast room. Aldus explains what happened and everyone heads over to meet up with Eathwund. Lakima casts detect magic and tells them that the door is wizard locked. He then casts dispel magic and the door swings open. The group walks inside a sitting room. Domago questions if they are doing the right thing.

The group begins to explore and then Eathwund sees Nissa pop right out of a solid stone wall. She sticks her tongue out at Eathwund and levels a wand at him. A blue beam of light flashes down the hallway and just misses Eathwund as he ducks to one side. Nissa then jumps back through the wall. Eathwund activates the magic of his ethereal armor and steps through the wall after her. He sees the girl running through a large library. Eathwund runs up behind her and grabs her lifting her off the floor. The girl tries biting, kicking, and struggling to get out of Eathwund’s hold but he does not relent. Then she starts calling him a lot of childish names. The rest of the group hears the ruckus and soon arrives. Lakima tries reasoning with the girl but she dismisses him as a fake wizard. Eathwund allows the girl to get one arm free and she pulls a packet of dust from her pocket and tosses it in the air covering Lakima and Eathwund. They hold their breath and swing their arms back and forth to disperse the magical dust of sneezing and choking.

After this incident, Lakima casts Confusion on the girl. She goes limp and dumb. Feather rushes to Nissa’s side in horror.

“What have you done to her!”

Lakima tells her not to worry and tries to explain what he did but Feather just starts crying. Eathwund decides to set Nissa down but Lakima tells him that the effects of the spell may last two hours but they change all the time. She could become violent. So Eathwund ties the girl to a chair. Lakima casts detect magic on the girl and notes a number of magical items – he disarms her off her wand, an amulet, and several pouches of the dust of sneezing and choking. But he finds he cannot remove one magical ring from her finger. Lakima suggests that it might be a cursed ring of delusion.

Lakima asks Domago if he prayed for a remove curse spell today. Domago tells them that he did and he prays over the girl. The ring slips off of her finger and rolls onto the floor. Lakima places his boot over it. The girl is still under the effects of the confusion spell for two hours so the company makes themselves comfortable in this stranger’s home. Lakima and Fenris search the bookshelves, Lakima for magic books, and Fenris for valuables. They find nothing interesting and a large number of books about the wind.

Eventually, the effects of the confusion come to an end. Nissa looks about and blushes.

“So, sorry I guess,” she says.

Nissa admits to the group that her master has been away for several days and she got bored. She decided to try and find a way into this study which is off-limits. She snuck in by squirming up the fireplace from the room below. Inside the study, she found a chest full of interesting magic items and an open book.  The book was open to a spell which she read and summoned two ogres. The ogres smashed a broom she threw at them then she escaped back down the chimney. When she came back later the ogres were gone. She turned the page in the book and found a phase door spell. She cast phase doors in several of the walls of the manor and had great fun passing through the walls. But this got boring as well so she tried a few more items from the chest – including a shiny ring.

The group asks Nissa about her master and learns that he is Windmaster Bryan Sturlaker for the Society of Winds. They find out that the Society of Winds is a tower at the northern end of the city. Saying goodbye to Feather they set out into the district of scholars with Nissa in tow. At the Tower of Winds, they meet a number of old men who seemingly spend their time studying the wind. A man named Pevius tells them that Bryan has been away for a week. He directs them to his manor. When they explain what trouble Nissa has been getting into – Pevius insists that they leave her here at the Tower. Lakima refuses and tells Pevius that they will leave their address where Bryan can find Nissa. An argument ensues during which Lakima claims to be a witchfinder. Pevius shrewdly looks at Lakima.

“Your no witchfinder, in fact, you’re a wizard!”

Lakima is taken aback and the man calms down and quietly tells Lakima that he is also a magic user. He agrees to take a message down for Windmaster Sturlaker.

The company returns to the Black Dragon Inn and settles in. Lakima introduces Nissa to Alayna hoping that his wife will look after the girl. This does not go as planned. Alayna has some of her potion-making equipment out on a table in her room and Nissa immediately starts mixing ingredients. Alayna insists that Lakima get the girl out of her room. Lakima ends us arranging to put Nissa in with Flora. The girl is fascinated by the elf and settles in.

The next morning the Company is greeted by Windmaster Bryan Sturlaker at their breakfast. Bryan thanks them for looking after his ward and apologizes. He explains that his absence was unforeseen but unavoidable. Bryan listens with interest as Lakima explains their Company. He asks some surprising questions and seems to have a lot of knowledge of their adventures. Finally, Sturlaker tells them in confidence that he is indeed a wizard and in fact head of the secret White Wizard’s Guild of Dolmvay. Lakima suggests that they might be able to trade information and knowledge. Sturlaker tells him that a chat would be beneficial for both of them. He invites Lakima to lunch at his manor, but he suggests that they give him two days to have his servants clean up the mess Nissa made.

“He has invisible servants,” Nissa adds.

Lakima tells Nissa he also has invisible servants and he casts the glow minion spell. Sturlaker is fascinated by this rarely-seen spell and examines the minion closely. He correctly deduces that it is not a summoning but a form made of light.

At that moment another guest enters the breakfast room and shrieks in horror running away. Lakima quickly dismisses the glow minion. The cook comes into the room shortly after and looks about at the bemused guests. Shaking her head, she mutters something about ghosts and then leaves. Sturlaker also takes his leave a short time later.