New Players

If you look down to the Session recap below you will see that it lists five players and no NPCs. A rare night off for the Gamemaster. Well not actually. I found I was working double duty trying to juggle everyone’s expectations. In our last session of Swords & Wizardry, we had the regular three players and two players who asked to join for a session. As it happened, we were halfway through a mystery adventure taking place in a town so it was easy to add people. Since it was an investigative adventure there was no need for the player’s hirelings to tag along. So, it was just the five players.

The two players who joined had indicated they were fairly new to Roleplaying and only familiar with D&D 5th edition. They struggled with the concept when their characters had the option to take the lead and question a suspect. I think they were looking for an investigation roll to direct them. I ended up ad-libbing a chance encounter with an old acquaintance to get the investigation back on track.

In the end, they thanked me for the session but said it was not for them. They were more comfortable with the D&D 5th edition rules.

Session 42: Clues and alligators

Players: Lakima (Magic-user), Eathwund (Fighter), Alonso (Human Fighter), Arthur (Elven cleric), Oliver “Pangs” (Human Thief).

Lakima, Eathwund, and Alonso of the Company of the Black Dragon have spent a few days trying to locate an adventurer named Nerick for the Church of St. Cuthbert. The abbot of the church was paid to cure Nerick of Lycanthropy. During the search, they discover that Nerick’s old adventuring companion Germad has been murdered.

The trio of heroes leave the murder scene and Lakima says he wants to follow up on the clue of a strange gem in Germad’s journal. But Alonso suggests they should check in on Lavinia Crane - the last surviving adventuring companion of Nerick. Lakima agrees although he is a little suspicious of Lavina. They walk to Eastgate and head down the dirt street to Lavina’s abode. Outside the home, they spot two young men standing awkwardly by the gate. As they approach one of the men asks if they are going in to see Lavinia. Lakima asks what it is to them. One of the men introduces himself as Arthur and volunteers that he and his friend Pangs have been sent by Ward to investigate the robbery of the mage’s house. He explains that the mage is paying protection money to Ward a local gang leader. Ward told Arthur Pangs to earn their keep and figure out who robbed the mage - certainly, no one in Ward’s crew was responsible. Arthur invites himself to follow along with the party.

Lakima knocks on Lavinia’s door and the mage opens it and immediately accuses him of stealing her spellbooks. Once she calms down, she accepted their explanation that they were not responsible. Lavinia explains that last night while she slept someone entered her home through the roof in the foundry and made their way into her living area and stole several spellbooks. She offers a reward to the party to find her spellbooks. Lakima tells her that if he finds the spellbooks he wants no reward from her. The ongoing animosity between the two mages continues.

The party with two new companions’ heads over to Clearwin’s Oddities. Clearwin’s assistant Gerfold Blim is working and immediately goes to get Clearwin when they ask to see him. Clearwin immediately remembers the gem that Germad sold to him. It is not of great value but it has an odd imperfection that looked like a closed fist so he put it on display in his “oddities” room. He offers to show the gem to the party. Lakima offers to buy it at first but the negotiation does not go far. When Lakima shows the sketch of Nerick to Clearwin he does not recognize it. But his guard Tanner does recognize the image. Tanner says a man matching the description was in the building the day before. He watched the man closely because he was acting suspiciously. The man seemed annoyed with the crowd of people who were in the shop and eventually left.

Lakima tells Clearwin that a magic-using werewolf will be looking for the gem. He then explains to the party that he believes the gem is a magic jar and the man Nerick they are looking for is actually likely the mage Artanal. As an aside, I was a little surprised that the players playing Lakima had figured out the plot so quickly. I was worried they would get through the adventure, kill Artanal and never work it out. Artanal was the name of the mage whose ruined tower Nerick, Lavinia and Germad had plundered. Lakima tells everyone that Nerick is probably in the gem right now. Clearwin looks carefully at the gem and tells Lakima he does not see anyone in the gem.

Clearwin suggests they hide in his storeroom and surprise the werewolf when he shows up to steal the gem. They talk about this and decide to go with the idea with a few additions. Lakima is concerned that the werewolf will not be surprised because it will be able to smell them. So, he suggests spreading something strong smelling like urine around the shop interior. Clearwin gives a loud no to that idea. And he becomes concerned about a fight in his shop, demanding no destructive magic. Lakima, Eathwund, and Alonso go to the local tanner to look for something strong-smelling. The confused shopkeeper agrees to give them a wooden bucket of foul-smelling liquid used in the tanning process. Lakima applies the liquid around the outside of the shop.

That evening as the shop closes Eathwund, Alonso, Lakima, Arthur, and Pangs take positions in the shadows of the Display room. Arthur and Pangs are anxious to establish that they need to get the spellbooks back. Well past midnight - when everyone is thoroughly tired they hear the front door to the shop (which they locked and barred) swing open with a clatter. Moments later they hear a voice calling out from the main chamber of the shop. Then Nerick appears in the doorway spots, everyone but Arthur, and demands to know who they are and what they want. Lakima tells him that he knows who he is. Nerick/Artanal does not deny it. He accuses them of putting up the wanted posters with his likeness around the town.

Suddenly, from behind the man, Arthur leaps from the shadows and tries to grapple himl. But Artanal jumps out of the way. Then Artanal casts a magic spell and everyone with the exception of Lakima is magically slowed. Eathwund and Alonso slowly move toward Artanal. Lakima grabs the gem out of the display case and hurls it across the room. The gem strikes the side door and clatters down onto the floor. Artanal casts another spell and vanishes - only to reappear by the door. Artanal grabs the gems and moves to the door. But before he can lift the bar blocking the door, Lakima casts Confusion on the mage, rendering him helpless. As an aside can we talk about how powerful the Confusion spell is! No immediate saving throw regardless of the victim’s level. The victim does get a save at 1d12 minutes less the caster’s level.

Lakima walks over and plucks the gem out of the mage’s hand. Clearwin comes to the door to the room and takes in the strange scene. Finally, the slowed party members are freed from the spell and return to regular speed. Clearwin tells the party how impressed he is that they captured the man without damaging anything. He also comments that the man does not look like a werewolf. Lakima asks if they can take the gem. Clearwin is less than pleased but lets them take it once Eathwund signs for it. Lakima heads out into the Market Square and hides the gem under an empty barrel making sure it is far enough away that they will not be in danger of possession through a Magic Jar spell. But as it turns out Artanal is so confused by the spell he cannot answer any questions or tell them anything intelligible. They securely tie-up Nerick/Artanal and gag him.

They decide to take Nerick/Artanal to the Church of St. Cuthbert. Lakima, Arthur, and Pangs take Artanal to the church while Eathwund and Alonso go looking for the gem. It takes them a few tries to find the right barrel. But they find the gem.

It is well past midnight but the church is never locked. They enter and bang on the door until someone arrives and takes them to Abbot Marta. Lakima tells Marta that they have found the man he sent them to look for - but there is a catch. The body belongs to Nerick but the body is possessed by a mage called Artanal. Lakima asks Marta if they can exorcise the spirit of the mage out of the body. Marta agrees to try. Helped by Afton, the retired former abbot, the two priests chant over Nerick’s body for hours but are not successful.

Lakima tells everyone he has another idea. He takes the gem and Artanal over to the Apothecary. The sun is just coming up and it takes a while before Malyn’s apprentice comes to the door. The apprentice is concerned about waking his master so early but is eventually convinced. Malyn arrives looking as young as ever. Lakima explains that the gem is a magic jar holding the soul of the man standing with them. In the body is a mage’s soul. Malyn agrees to cast dispel magic on the magic jar. After he casts the spell, everyone sees two sparks of life exchange between the gem and the body. A confused Nerick awakens tied up with a rope. The adventurer apparently not remembering his months spent trapped in the gem. He confusedly asks who they are and where he is. Lakima tosses the magic jar gem to Malyn and says “It’s your problem now!” The party leaves the shop.

Arthur asks how they are going to find Lavinia’s spellbooks now. Artanal who took the books is trapped in a gem, Nerick has no idea what happened to his body. Eathwund asks Nerick if he had any places he stayed in town. Nerick mentions his cottage and wife Cindal. Lakima tells everyone that he is tired and is going to bed. Lakima leaves. Eathwund, Alonso, Arthur, and Pangs take Nerick over to the Church of St, Cuthbert. Marta takes Nerick in hand and tells him they will cure his lycanthropy the next full moon. While Artanal had control of his body he paid for the cure.

Saying goodbye to Marta, Eathwund asks Arthur if he could get information on Nerick/Artanal’s comings and goings from her boss Ward. Afterall they already know that the thief Somblett who is in Ward’s gang was also taking money from Artanal. Arthur and Pangs agree to try. Eathwund and Alonso wait nearby. A short time later Arthur and Pangs return but they just shrug when asked if they learned anything. This part of the adventure was a little perplexing. The two new players had a chance to ask questions and get an important clue. Ward did know where the man he assumed was Nerick had been hiding because Somblett followed him. But the players when confronted with Ward could not work out how to speak with him. Ward told them to get out and find the spellbooks.

Eathwund and Alonso then decide to check out the nearest Inn. The Bishop’s Rest. The same inn where they discovered a few days earlier that Nerick rented a room for a few days. As they enter, Eathwund spots a familiar face, Nuen of Blackcreek. The young scoundrel who their former companion Carric was trying to straighten out. Eathwund recalls that Nuen married an innkeeper’s daughter. He goes over to Nuen and describes Nerick to him. Nuen does not recall seeing him. They ask the waitress they were talking with a few days earlier about Nerick and she helps Nuen remember. Nuen tells Eathwund that his buddy Somblett was hanging out with Nerick. Nuen knows where Somblett stays so he sends the kitchen boy to get him.

Somblett arrives at the Inn and is immediately on guard. A few days earlier the party had interrogated him when they found he was tearing down their wanted posters. At first Somblett guards his secrets but once he learns Nerick robbed Lavinia he admits he followed Nerick and saw him go to a hideout in the sewers. Eathwund gets directions to the hideout. He discovers that the sewer entrance Nerick used is near the Low Market where they entered the sewers once before many months ago when fighting the Rat King.

Eathwund and Alonso are tired out from being up all night so they tell Arthur to meet them the next morning. Then they head to the Chapter House and go to sleep. The next day Eathwund and Alonso tell Lakima what they learned. Lakima is interested enough that he agrees to come along. Arthur and Pangs soon appear at their door.

They head over to the Low Market and use the sewer entrance to go into the sewers. Eathwund is able to find the secret entrance to the hideout fairly quickly. Arthur takes the lead and heads through a crack in the sewer wall into a rough-hewn tunnel. A strong foul smell fills the air. They soon learn the source as they come to a deep cave full of brown sludge. Swimming about in the sludge are several alligators.

Alligators in the sewers - not just an urban myth.

The party stands on the edge of the cave a few feet up over the sludge and alligators. Several ideas are tossed about but no one is very enthusiastic to climb down into the sewage and fight alligators. They search the area and find only a few signs that someone has come this way, a muddy boot print and an iron spike hammered into the floor. Lakima suggests that Somblett might have been lying and is laughing at sending them on a wild chase for nothing. They ask Pangs if he is willing to climb around the obstacle but the thief remains quiet. Eathwund fires some arrows into one of the alligators and the blood attracts another alligator to kill it. This gives Arthur an idea, the day before he had purchased several rat meat treats, He throws one of the rat meats into the corner of the cave and the alligators swim after it. The party members then throw several rat meats into the far corner and the alligators are all lured away.

Arthur is the first to jump into the sludge. He splashes around in it and tells everyone else to jump in. They do and then Lakima yells at them to get moving. The party quickly wade through the waist deep sludge across the cave and up a passage until they climb out into a dry cave a few feet above the level of the sludge. In this cave they spot a wooden skiff with a pole leaning on it. Across the cave an exit is partially blocked by a large rock.

The party squeezes past the rock and passes down a tunnel. The air gets steadily colder. Then they see an enormous multi-coloured lizard 15 feet long. The creature is resting unmoving on a sheet of ice. They enter the cave and the lizard stirs and breathes out a cloud of cold mist. It slowly gets to its feet and moves to attack. Eathwund, Alonso, and Arthur hack away at the creature. Eathwund activates his ring and his sword lights up with fire. This seems to do a lot of damage to the creature. The creature tries to get at Eathwund but he keeps it at bay while they all hack it down.

After the battle with the lizard, Arthur checks out some brown mold that seems to be radiating cold. He reaches down and picks up some mold and puts it in his pocket - and then he collapses to the ice unconscious. Alonso drags Arthur to safety and uses his last healing potion to save him.