Session Notes

After being ambushed by some orcs in the dungeons beneath Xlarthen's tower, you're party continues to explore the tunnels...

Hirelings:

Gygash Graves - deceased
Larton - short sword & leather HP: 6
Turwick - Flail & Chainmail  HP: 10
Biggs - Mercerary long sword chain & shield HP: 21
Kray Rouis - magic user HP: 4  (apprentice to Mystor. Spells: Magic Missile, Light, Sleep - only one spell known)

Monsters Killed:
6 Zombies 180 xp
8 Orcs: 120 xp

Total Monster XP each:  300 xp each

Treasure Recovered:
1 copper coin

Tonight's Background

After retreating back to the surface from your initial foray into the dungeons below you make camp in the snow dusted ruins of Xlarthan's Tower.  The night is cold and clear but in the early morning hours flurries begin and the snow slowly accumulates upon the bare trees and the ruined stone blocks.  Breakfast is quick and spartan as you prepare for this new day...

PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE:

Monsters Killed:
Cave Bear: 600 xp
Ogre: 120 xp
13 White Apes: 1560 xp

Total Monster XP each:  2,280 xp each

Treasure Recovered:
800 gp

Treasure XP each: 160

Total XP each:  2,440 each

Session Notes

You survived your first foray into the dungeons of Xlarthan's tower and are camped out on the surface.

Monsters Killed:
Cave Bear: 600 xp
Ogre: 120 xp
13 White Apes: 1560 xp

Total Monster XP each:  2,280 xp each

Treasure Recovered:
800 gp

Treasure XP each: 160

Total XP each:  2,440 each

Tonight's Background

After leaving Fishersville as literal heroes, you have traveled to Berkenstoke to meet with Vershur Boomish from the recommendation of Tyrius the magician.  Vershur Boomish offered you a quite handsome reward to seek out and retrieve his family's treasured battle shield which he believes to be part of the unguarded treasure hoard of Medora the slain dragon somewhere beneath the ruins of Xlarthan's Tower. A year prior, he asked Sir Fumark, the slayer of the dragon,  and his men to retrieve but they never returned.

You crossed the River Blackmoor and entered into the Shadow Hills seeking out the ruins but ran into a party of wild Neanderthals of the Uk'Chuk clan.  After a challenge of mortal combat in which Edan was victorious the Neanderthals invited you to their caves.  It is after spending the night among these primitives that the morning brings....

Notes & Maps:

I still owe you 800 xp each for slaying the were-bear, be sure to add that to your experience.

Session Notes

Versur Boomish  is looking for a party to explore the ruins of Xlarthan's tower where once lived the dragon Medora who was killed by Sir Fumark who hasn't been heard from in over a year. Looking for family shield Boomish, red wyvern on a yellow field.

The city of Blackmoor is currently being ruled by the Temple of Mithra. Word of Baron Blackmoor's murder has been sent to his nephew far west in Morgon's Fort. There is tension between the Temple of Mithra and Morpheus over Blackmoor's murders who Mithra thinks Morpheus knows something about.

Owed XP: 800 each for Werebear.

Session Notes

So the Big'ye was defeated and the Gnolls freed from their mental enslavement.  The Gnolls, in their gratitude, returned to you all the treasures they have stolen from the travelers over the past few weeks (including all of your old gear) and their leader promised to move their pack out of the cave and Brushwood.

Monsters killed:

1 Beholder: 3,800
3 Gnolls: 90
3 Bugbears: 360

Total monster XP:  4,250 each

Treasure: 

Gold and merchant items (tapestries, trinkets, etc.): 1,120gp
Gems: 465gp
Jewelry: 449gp

Total GP Value: 2,034 gp divided amongst party (6 I believe).  That will also be the amount of XP you will receive from the treasure which comes up to 339xp each

Quest Reward: 1,000 xp each

Totaled adventure XP for each party member:  5,586 each

Tim, when Thenus recovers the bow she had gained from before the alternate reality thingy, it merges with the very same bow that she gained from the bower and thus making it a +2 bow.

So we'll pick this up next time still in the cave because there is still that unobtainable treasure guarded by....????

You have had worse days...

Tonight's Background: Orange is the New Black

Whatever the circumstance, whether highway traveler or explorer, mercenary or merchant, you have been waylaid and captured by Gnolls and brought to their dark prison cave. There were many others grouped in adjacent cells but over the days, one by one, they were taken out and you never saw them again. All the other cells have been cleared out with the exception of yours (where you are all gathered) and a smaller cell where the beasts have kept young children whom they are saving for some final devilish need. Jute is held in that cell while her father Zahl is held in the cell with you (the party). Zahl has been held here for days and has seen the rest of his family taken, one by one, by guards never to return. He does not know what has happened to them but fears the worst. Zahl has heard talk of someone called “The Big Guy” and that there is a symbol of an eye painted above every cave opening.

You know that there are Gnolls wandering about, Gnolls who's eyes are a pale white as if they were being controlled by some outside force. There are also Orc guards that have handled the prisoners who do not seem to be under that control but are acting of their own malicious accord.

Though you have been kept alive with rancid water and rotten meat of some kind which none of you have touched you all have been healed of all wounds by Su the cleric who has also been captured.

In short you have full hit points but no armor or weapons.

Clerics (and druids for that matter) can start the session with all their spells.

Magic-users will only have 2 spells remembered before they were captured, their spellbooks missing at the moment.

Experience points for the survivors of the last adventure:

6 Mephits: 1,440

10 Gnolls: 300

Sending Xuthal to hell and destruction of Earth Stone: 800

Total: 2,540

Most of you will have new characters except for Mike and Zach if I recall.  Tim, I don't recall if your ranger survived, my notes are a bit scattered at the moment.  If you haven't rolled up characters yet you can do it this evening using the compete rules for race and classes.

Session Notes

Monsters Slain

29 Death Stalkers xp 435

12 Gnolls  xp 360

Experience: 795 each

Session ended evening on 6th day of the Wyrm

Tonight's Background

5th day of the Month of the Wyrm.
10 days until the first day of winter and the Black Sabbath

You’ve been staying in the small fishing village of Fishersville for the past 5 days.  Fishersville is a usually quiet sleepy village on the shore of Lake Blackmoor but it seems that there is an odd edginess to the people there.

Here is a general summary of those five days.

Day 1
On the morning of the first day, the two sellswords, whom Edan had befriended drinking into the late evening hours exchanging war stories, left on a ferry boat to join Lord Blackmoore’s army in Blackmoor.  Tibag and Thenus are seen casually walking around town. Tibag leaves Thenus at the bower’s shop and continues his wanderings.  After spending the night in a tiny grove near the Bearded Clam, Gnarly wanders around the town chatting with the folks of Fishersville.  He spends the evening with his friends in the Bearded Clam. The ‘witch girl’ has been freed by the watch and is wandering the streets.  Folks in town keep their distance from her.  Maximus is not seen that day until the evening meal when he comes down to get a plate of biscuits and gravy with fried herb potatoes and onions then hurries back upstairs to his room.  The day is quite chilly and grey and the townsfolk are pleasant though somewhat distracted.

Day 2
Edan  and Gnarly leave the village gate early and are seen wandering off into Brushwood.  Thenus spends the day with the bower, Devlin. Tibag continues his wanderings around town. Edan returns to town before sundown and spends the evening in the Bearded Clam drinking with a woman named Tilly.  Maximus is again only seen for the evening meal chatting with a hooded old man then heading back up to his room.  There seems to be less people about this day, and the ones that are about appear distant and almost in a daze.  It is much colder today and the sky is very overcast and heavy.  In the late hours of night a heavy fog rolls in and howling is heard in the distance of Brushwood. Gnarly doesn’t return.

Day 3
A heavy cold fog blankets the town and forest.  Edan again leaves early in the morning and is seen entering Brushwood.  Tibag is out and about the village again but notices that there are not that many people around and that many shops are closed. Thenus, goes to visit Devlin the bower again but finds that his shutters are closed and the door goes unanswered. Maximus is seen leaving the Bearded Clam and meeting up with the hooded old man and both walk up to the tower on the hill.  Late afternoon brings the only stirring among the dwindling populous for out of the fog on Lake Blackmoor drifted in the ferryboat – empty and without signs of the ferryman or the two sellswords.  There are some murmurings at the Bearded Clam about the missing ferryman. As night falls the wind picks up and a heavy cold rain begins to fall as Edan and Gnarly both return from Brushwood bloodied from killing a hunting pack of Gnolls near town. That night the wind gusts and groans against the rafters and the cold rain beats heavily down upon Fishersville.   Howling once again is heard close to town.  Sleep is disturbed by wild dreams of faceless shapes in the shadows...

Day 4
The whole day is spent within the Bearded Clam and the storm continues to rage outside.  No other townsfolk show up to the Clam but that is blamed on the bitter cold and sleet blowing hard through the streets of Fishersville.  That day, the only occupants are Gnarly, Maximus, Edan and Tilly, Tibag and Thenus, the innkeeper and his wife and daughter.  Time passes slowly and dreamlike huddled around the fireplace sipping cider.  You all sense a tense uneasiness in the innkeeper and his family and they seem distracted and in a daze.  Everyone in the party feels exhausted and drained and on edge. All turn in early, even Gnarly.  There is no howling but disturbing dreams are had by all of faceless doom and portents of death, of entrapment and endless darkness, of a floating eye and many arms tearing at flesh...

Day 5
It is morning,  none of you feel rested but at least the storm has stopped but again, a heavy fog lingers.  The first thing you notice is that there is no fire burning in the fireplace and no food cooking on the hearth….

The quick version:
Besides the personal backgrounds you received in email, as the days in Fisherville progress, the storms get worse, a heaviness hangs over the town, less and less people are seen each day and you a have dreams of dark death.

Tonight's Background

After finding refuge in an old ruined abbey, which apparently has kept a pack of hunting Gnolls away,  you found a young girl named Jute.  Her family was attacked by the Gnolls and she escaped to the Abbey just like you.

Exploring the Abbey basement, you found a demonic guardian in possession of a spherical glowing green stone.  After you killed this guardian and Maximus recovered the stone, you were attacked by a pack of four headless hounds.  It was an odd battle but Gnarly has come to your aid and you were victorious, or so it seemed...

You will all receive an additional background note at the beginning of the session.

Tonight's Background

With the public murder of Lord Blackmoor, a fierce battle broke out between followers loyal to the fallen lord, his sellswords, the priests of Mithra and the priests of the Dark Gods. Caught in the middle of all this were our fearless adventurers who held in their possession the sword Blackrazor and the Soul Gem.

Fighting their way out of the city erupting in civil war yet again, the party high-tailed it on stolen horseback to the town of Blackmoor and the temple of Morpheus with elements of all the fighting factions in hot pursuit. The path to Blackmoor was paved with blood as Televon, wielding the bloodthirsty Blackrazor hacked down the party's foes.

Entering Blackmoor in secret, the party split up, with Televon and Skwanky returning to the temple of Morpheus carrying the bloody and soul filled magic sword and the Soul Gem while Gnarly and Maximus the Giant Slayer, under the cover of night, commandeered a row boat and paddled across Lake Blackmoor and into Brush Wood. 

At dawn, the two companions reached the opposite shore as an autumn rain began to fall.  Looking back they saw fires burning on the horizon where the town of Blackmoor would be.  Maximus and Gnarly worked their way into Brush Wood but as evening approached, the temperature dropped and the rain turned to sleet.  To make matters worse, they stumbled upon a hunting party of Gnolls who  pursued them to the entrance of a ruined Abbey....

Session Wrap-Up

So a quick run down on where everything is at:

Thovin's, Arg's and Wolf's souls have been sucked into the crystal.  They're not dead, but for all intents and purposes they're out of the game for now.  I'll send them an email with some additional information.  As the tower fell, the white bodies turned to dust as well, influenced by the magic of the Gem.

Baron Blackmoor, who was to claim himself king of Eir'ian is now dead, slain by Televon who has been forsaken by his god Morpheus for his epic betrayal of the faith.  He has lost all cleric abilities.  The sword he has is none other than Blackrazor (more on that below) and Morpheus is not pleased - or perhaps he is 'testing' Televon's faith? Oh, and Televon is wearing the armor of the Black Church.  Soldiers loyal to Blackmoor see Televon as a member of the Black Church and see them also responsible for the murder of Blackmoor.

Skwanky is in possession of the Heart of Inverness - the Soul Gem.  Skwanky's skin, hair, armor, weapons are all burnt white - and he's wearing a bejeweled crown upon his head so those sell-swords see him as the new king; the Tiny White King, and expect to be paid for their efforts in the battle of Caladan.

Gnarly just wants to escape the chaos and get high - but I don't think that will be happening any time soon.

Maximus the Giant Slayer is in possession of Zadir's spellbook and staff. 

The Soul Gem is a powerful magic item and after the fall of Caladan, word of it spread quickly and there are a number of factions after it.  Diskus, who was secretly working for the Brotherhood of the Black Hand, knows who has the gem (The Little White King) at this time and, thus, so does the Brotherhood of the Black Hand.  The Black Church is after it and knows who has it but they are also implicated in the murder of Blackmoor.  The temple of Mithra, allies to Blackmoor and enemies of the Black Church are out to wipe out the Black Church once and for all in a holy war.  The priests of Morpheus and allies to Blackmoor will become aware of their fallen priest and the murder of Blackmoor and, well, you know.  With the power vacuum in Caladan and hundreds of soldiers and unpaid sell-swords, Caladan will be in chaos just three days after 'liberation' from Utasu and Zadir.  Of course, there may be other more sinister forces that hear about the Soul Gem and who has it and may come to claim it - and there's plenty of them.

Monsters killed:

1 Fire Giant 2000
10 Ixitxachitl 300
Baron Blackmoor 1700
1 Soldier 20

Total Monster xp per character: 4,020

Quest EXP (recovery of Soul Gem): 1,000

 

Total session exp each:  5,020

Treasure:

 The Soul Gem - Skwanky

Oaken Staff - Maximus

Zadir's Spell Book - Maximus

Ring of Feather Falling - Skwanky

+3 Ring Protection - ???

Blackrazor - Televon

Magic item notes:

 

The staff is made of Oak as old as the world with a core of cast silver and thus good against creatures requiring silver to be harmed.  Additionally, any spell with a range of touch will work though the staff.  

 

The spell book contains:

1. Light, read magic, sleep, charm shield,Magic Missile, detect magic, Floating Disc

2. Invisible, mirror image, pyrotechnics, Levitate, ESP, Magic Mouth, Phantasmal Force

3. Dispel Magic, Hold Person, Claraudience, Fly, Protect from Missiles, Lighting

4. Arcane eye, Fear, Plant Growth

Blackrazor’s blade is as black as the night sky and sparkles with the stars of alien constellations. The chill of the endless void emanates from Blackrazor, and those who stare into its blade too long get the eerie feeling that the stars within are slowly drifting closer...
1. +3 Chaotic Neutral Greatsword,- Purpose: To devour souls
2. Any Lawful character attempting to wield BR takes 15 damage and is stunned for 1-4 rounds. Thereafter, the character has a severe aversion to BR and all rolls (combat and checks) are at disadvantage while BR is within sight. Characters/creatures can use an action each round to make a Con save to end the effect.
3. Detect living creatures (souls) 60’. Detection is blocked by 6" of stone/1" of iron.
4. Grants Haste to user 1/day
5. Advantage on saves vs. charm and fear
6. Any creature killed by BR has its soul devoured and cannot be raised by any means.
7. If BR does not feed for 3 days, it will dominate its user and force it to kill.
8. If BR strikes a negative energy being, user loses 3d6 HP and save (Con:15) or stunned for 1-4 rounds.
9. When someone is killed, effective level for combat purposes increased by their hit dice. Bonus lasts for a number of turns equal to the number of levels received.

Session Background for Monday

You spend some time recuperating and recovering from your wounds within the forest level of the tower.  In fact, you spend a total of two days there.

During that time, you explore the wooded trails and find nothing of interest with the exception of the two rose bushes which reflected a hint of magic. 

Occasionally, you would pop up to the level above peek in on the fire giant, who's name you find out is Targum,  still there waiting for you to join him for some 'rough and tumble'.  Chatting with him (he appears to be a bit of a friendly sort of chap but will undoubtedly kill you if given the chance) you don't find out any additional information about the tower, Zadir or the Heart of Inverness - the power of the tower.  You do notice, however, some twenty plus feet above the area that was detected as magical, a 10' hole in the ceiling.

You take one more day to rest before heading back up to face the Giant.

But as you are packing your gear, you hear faint footsteps upon the forest path heading in your direction....

You will have a total of three days of healing (one point per day plus whatever healing staves or spells are used before we begin.  It would be the 'morning' of the third day when you hear the footsteps on the trail.