The Hook

How to hook players into an adventure when the player leader who heavily influences the party decisions plays a character who is more interested in researching magic and selling magic items. A few treasure maps they found have been ignored, and they will not take on adventures to save threatened villages unless there is a big payday. Try a hook from a former companion who asks for help. It worked.

Session 146: Danger at Grimstone

Lakima (human magic-user), Eathwund (human fighter), Aldus (human cavalier), Domago (human cleric, NPC), Brovin (human thief, NPC), Ian (human cavalier, NPC), August (human magic-user, NPC), Anja Maki (human ranger, NPC).

The main group of the Company of the Black Dragon are in the complex of Hirward the magic-user having just removed a hostile air elemental from his home. Hirward is of course famous for creating or enchanting magic items and as a reward allows each member of the company to choose a single magic item from his “museum” of items.

Hirward brings Lakima, Eathwund, Aldus, Domago, and Brovin to a hall where the unsold items he has created rest in display cases. Although reluctant to part with any of the items he is a mage of his word.

Lakima chooses Bracers of defense. Eathwund chooses a magical shield (shield+2). Aldus chooses a Medusa Shield. Domago chooses a Decanter of Holy Water. Finally, Brovin takes the Compass of Trap Detection.

With the selections complete. Hirward teleports everyone except Lakima back to Edgerton. Lakima teleports himself. Everyone arrives in Edgerton in the very early morning. Everyone except the butler Huntley is asleep. Alayna is awakened when her husband climbs into their bed.

“Back so soon,” Alayna says.

“It turned out to be a simple task for us,” Lakima tells her.

The next morning the group gathers at the dining table and tells their apprentices and squires about the adventure. Aldus calls for everyone’s attention and tells them that he would like to get married to Norine as soon as possible. Domago tells him that the end of the week would be enough time to prepare the Church of St. Aleena.

“Could I borrow one of the portals you can create Lakima and bring my family over from Guideland?” Aldus asks.

Lakima explains to him that this is not how the teleport spell works. Lakima suggests that they take the Cloudstealer to the Bridgeway and find out if there is a portal to a bridge near his home. The next day Lakima, Eathwund, and Aldus take the flying ship to the Bridgeway. The custodian of the bridgeway, Ezmeralden confirms that he has a control rod that will open a portal in a town near Vallen where Aldus’ family lives. The group passes through and travels on to Vallen. Aldus introduces Lakima and Eathwund to his family and convinces them all to take the bridgeway back rather than a long and dangerous sea voyage. His parents, brother, sister, and several retainers are brought back through the bridgeway. Then on the Cloudstealer to Edgerton. Several extra beds need to be made up but they manage to accommodate everyone in the Manor House.

The day of the wedding arrives. Domago is to deliver the ceremony. Lakima walks Norine down the aisle. There were no incidents during the ceremony and the entire entourage retired to the Manor House for a reception. Aldus’ mother Linnet continues to ask when he is coming home and taking his place as his father’s heir. His sister Lysandra has brought Aldus’ old love interest Dawn to the wedding just to give him grief. But aside from a few remarks everything goes smoothly. After staying for 2 days, Aldus’ family is returned to Guildeland by the Bridgeway.

A message arrives at the Manor from the messenger’s guild. Sent by crow from distant Gundamark. Lakima opens and reads it. It is from their old companion Dusig Greatstone. He pleads for their aid in dealing with some ogres near the village of Grimstone. Apparently, these ogres are equipped with strange, ancient, heavy armor. He asks for them to meet him in Grimstone. A map is consulted and they find Grimstone is a small village in the Callaheim mountains. About 3 days away by flying ship. Lakima puts it to the rest of the group whether they want to get involved in another adventure. The rest of the group are up for it. Plans are made to leave the next morning.

The entire company boards the Cloudstealer. Ian and August are brought along. They head northeast following the Dolm River. In a few days, the ship reaches the mountains and flies through the pass from Wolford. Spotting the village, really just a collection of five stone buildings and a mine, they set the ship down in a nearby meadow. The arrival of the flying ship has not gone unnoticed and soon they are greeted by dwarves and some humans from the village. After turning aside some aggressive shopkeepers looking to sell them equipment, they start a conversation with Ermig Glon the owner of the only tavern. He tells them that Dusig was here in Grimstone for 3 days but left 2 days ago. He went to check on the Dwarves working a nearby mine. Supplies ordered by the dwarven miners had not been picked up in a week and he was concerned. Ermig also tells them about some of the reports local miners had made about the mysterious armored ogres. There have not been any incidents yet – but for the overdue miners, Dusig went to check on them.

After getting directions from the tavern keeper, they stay for some free food and drink offered to the “heroes who slew the white worm”. During the meal, they meet a human ranger from the north and invite her to join them.

“How much pay do you expect?” Aldus asks her.

“I expect an equal share as I will pull my weight,” Anja tells him.

Anja is amazed by the flying ship they show her. She is welcomed on board. The ship sets out following the path to Durguard Mine. The path would have taken a day to follow by foot but in their flying ship, they make the trip in under 2 hours. They land near the mine entrance where there is a small wood cabin.

Immediately, Anja spots tracks in the dirt. She tells everyone that a group of armored creatures with a lizard creature with them came upon the mine and then left dragging prisoners.

“Then let’s follow them right away,” Lakima says and points south in the direction the tracks head.

“What about checking the cabin?” Brovin asks.

Lakima is uninterested but Brovin is concerned that Dusig could be in the cabin injured. They check but find the cabin empty. As they set out following the tracks, Lakima spots ogres tracking them from trees atop a ridge. He warns everyone. The group of eight ogres attack but are quickly all killed. These ogres are just normal ones. They wear dirty animal skins and carry clubs. Lakima does find some gems in a pouch carried by their leader.

The trail takes 2 hours to follow on foot. It leads to a hillside where a landslide of rock clearly happened many years ago. A number of boulders have been recently pulled aside to reveal a large cave. Lakima sends Brovin and Anja in first.

Brovin takes the opportunity to try out his Compass of Trap detection. It points to a trap ahead but he is unsure how far ahead. The group enters a cave with a rise at the far end. A red glow from torches lights the area atop the rise. They see three stone pillars atop the rise looming over them and stone steps cut into the wall leading up to the ledge. Anja points out ancient pictures drawn on the stone below the ledge. They depict humans sacrificing other humans to reptile overlords.

Lakima discovers a Symbol of Warding on the stone steps and is able to dispel it. Once this is done the group climbs the stairs to the ledge. Here they see what is clearly a wall created by a Wall of Stone spell. An opening has been knocked out of the wall to allow passage. Lakima points Brovin onward.

As soon as Brovin passes through the opening there is a high-pitched noise and Aldus, Eathwund, and Brovin are magically struck blind, and deaf. Brovin makes his way by touching back to the group. Lakima asks Domago if he can cast Remove Curse. He has prepared two and he casts them on Aldus and Eathwund. Lakima casts Remove Curse on Brovin. With everyone able to see again Lakima cautions everyone that anything waiting for them has now been alerted.

Everyone passes the wall of stone into a large cave beyond. In the center of this cave is a stone wall. A passage enters from the north, south, and west. As the group spreads out, they are not surprised when four ape-like creatures charge into the chamber from the northern passage. The creatures look like huge apes but they also wear clothes. Lakima tells everyone to not get in front of him as he casts Lightning Bolt blasting the creatures who try to leap out of the way. Aldus blows the Horn of Valhalla summoning four berserkers. Eathwund and Anja move to fight the apes. During the battle, a horrible tentacled monster climbs up out of the well and grabs Anja with a tentacle pulling her off her feet and toward its mouth. Aldus uses the power of the Medusa Shield to try and petrify the creature but it is unaffected. Lakima casts a charm monster on it successfully. The confused fiendish creature drops Anja on the ground and scuttles back down into the well.

“No! Come back,” Lakima yells after it in vain.

The apes are finally all killed and Domago uses up most of his healing spells on Anja and Aldus who have both been injured. Lakima suggests they head north next, but just as the decision is made, they hear heavy footsteps from the south and two beasts appear wearing ancient-looking armor and carrying long swords. Clearly, these creatures match the description of the creatures spotted by the dwarves. Aldus blows the Horn of Valhalla again making five berserkers appear behind the apes. Then Aldus and Eathwund wade into combat with the apes. These two apes are much tougher than the apes they just dispatched and it is a tough fight. Aldus is hit several times. As Anja and the rest of the group move to help, they hear noise from the north. Lakima spots another armored ape leading what appears to be seven Troglodytes. But these Troglodytes are smaller, less primitive than the ones the adventurers have fought in the past. These are wearing clothes and holding weapons.

“Stand back!” Lakima yells and unleashes a fireball in the midst of the troglodytes. Several of them go down screeching. Then August uses the necklace of fireballs to throw another fireball at the survivors. Only three troglodytes and the armored ape remain standing. One troglodyte casts a spell on Lakima inflicting him with a rotting disease on his right forearm. In anger, he blasts the troglodytes with a lightning bolt and only one survives. Anja chases after the surviving troglodyte who runs for the west tunnel.

Aldus and Eathwund with help from the berserkers finally manage to kill the two armored apes. They turn their attention to the third who is already badly injured by fireball spells and kill it. Anja throws a spear hitting the fleeing troglodyte in the back and it tumbles down a pit.

With all of the monsters killed the group rests briefly. Domago is out of healing spells so he has to use the staff of healing to aid his injured companions. They check the bodies and find armor and weapons on the apes and a pair of wands on the troglodytes. Domago tells them that he senses that the weapons and armor are tainted with evil somehow. He argues that they should destroy them. Lakima takes the wands and puts them in the bag of holding. He suggests Anja take the spears but she refuses. Aldus argues that there is nothing wrong with the weapons they could at least sell them. Anja tells him that she cares not what they do with them but she will not touch them. Domago settles things by gathering up the weapons and throwing them down the well.

The group heads down the south tunnel and finds only a sleeping area for the apes. They then head down the northern tunnel and find old, uncomfortable-looking stone pallets covered in rags. The sleeping places of the troglodytes? They also find some simple food and jars of water. The tunnels do not lead anywhere so they turn to the pit to the west. It drops down 40 feet and they can see a tunnel enters it at the bottom. A dead troglodyte lies at the bottom of the pit. The walls have a winding ledge that leads down and a pair of ladders.

The entire group makes their way down the pit. At the bottom, Anja recovers her spear from the corpse of the troglodyte. They find they have entered a large cavern with stone buildings built into the sides of the cave. The cavern is lit in a dim purple and blue light. Looking up they see glowing lichen on the ceiling. The group heads down the tunnel toward the buildings. As they do, they hear scratching noises coming from a narrow crack in the wall. Soon a troglodyte peers out at them but this one is different. Its eyes glow red and it appears to be a walking corpse. Rotted flesh hangs from its limbs and bones are visible in its chest. Domago steps forward and tells the creature to begone as he shows it the light from his holy symbol. The undead thing and several more in the tunnel in the wall turn and flee before the glowing holy symbol.

After the encounter with the dead troglodytes, the group continues on into the area of ancient buildings. Brovin uses the compass, again and again, it detects a trap within range. Lakima cautions that it is likely another warding symbol like the two previously encountered. Looking into some of the buildings they see they are empty except for debris. Domago sees a building with a red tiled floor and walls. At the far end is a stone statue of a demon on a platform. He tells everyone to come over and look. Aldus, Anja, and Brovin enter this chamber which appears to be a shrine, and approach the statue. The statue depicts a two-headed ape-like demon with tentacles for arms. A feeling of unquiet begins to wash over the three and they find themselves hurriedly leaving the temple. Lakima enters the chamber and seems unaffected. He walks up and studies the statue but does not recognize the demon depicted. Then Lakima smashes the statue with his staff of striking. The statue is blasted off of its base and crashes to the stone floor where it breaks into pieces. Satisfied, Lakima joins the others.

“I took care of that,” Lakima tells companions who now no longer feel the sense of dread that overcame their senses.

In the distance, they spot a raised dais with a stone roof held up by pillars. They decide to make their way toward it. As they walk nearer, they see that another statue of the same demon stands on the dais. Lakima suggests they smash this one as well. Before they can act, they hear ground-shaking footsteps coming from a building near them. It sounds like three or four large beasts. A moment later a 40-foot-long serpentine beast with eight legs walks into view. The creature has a crocodile-like head on a serpentine body.

“A behir!” Anja yells, “Beware it breathes lightning!”

Aldus blows the Horn of Valhalla and summons seven berserkers who appear in the building behind the behir. The creature seemingly does not even notice them as the berserkers try in vain to pierce its scaly skin. Aldus strikes with his scimitar but it bounces off the scales. Then Eathwund strikes the creature's less protected belly and cuts open a huge wound. The creature bellows in rage or perhaps fear. The behir opens its mouth and a blast of lightning arcs out striking Aldus, Eathwund, Anja, and Ian. The adventurers are knocked back but quickly get up. That is except for Ian who is badly injured. Lakima yells at Ian to come to his side far from the melee. Ian struggles to join him.

Despite the creature’s thick hide and eight clawed feet, Eathwund and Aldus manage several damaging strikes. Hemmed in from behind by the berserkers, the behir flails about with increasing desperation until one of the berserkers delivers the killing blow. The remaining berserkers vanish back to Valhalla. Brovin emerges from his hiding place once the behir dies. He climbs over the corpse makes his way to its nest and starts picking up gold, electrum, and gems. Lakima arrives and directs him to put the treasure in the bag of holding. Brovin then suggests they check the behir’s gullet. He cuts it open and finds some undigested lizard bones and an enormous sapphire.

“I’ll take this as my share,” Brovin says. Lakima disagrees and makes sure the gem goes into the bag of holding. Domago sets about with his staff of healing again using up many of its charges. Aldus and Ian in particular are badly injured.

“Let’s destroy this statue now,” Lakima says and advances toward the demon statue. Anja picks up a rock and throws it hard at the statue. It pings off the statue chipping it. Instantly, a gate to the abyss opens and two crocodile demons step through (type III demons). The demons move to attack immediately. The aura of fear they project overcomes Brovin, August, and Anja who flee back toward the ladder leaving the cave.

Aldus blows the Horn of Valhalla yet again and five berserkers appear to aid them. Eathwund and Aldus join the battle. Lakima summons an Earth elemental who squares off against one demon aided by Aldus. Eathwund takes on the second demon alone and kills it. The elemental delivers the killing blow to the other demon.

After the demons are gone, they push over the demon statue shattering it. Nothing else is summoned by this action. Domago looks over his exhausted and bleeding companions and suggests they rest. Lakima objects but Domago points out that he needs to prepare a remove curse to cure Lakima’s arm that has been inflicted with a rotting curse.

The group picks one of the cleaner buildings with a defensible doorway and set up a camp to get some rest.