Session 25- Curse of the Coffer Corpse
Day 60 4pm. The party really has so far been trying to avoid any parts of the dungeon that are excessively muddy or partially collapsed. They can’t recall any un-searched direction that stayed on dryish ground, so they decided to haul a load of treasure back out of the dungeon and rest somewhere on the surface. They manage to get the treasure hauled out of the keg room and back on the surface, but no real place to hide it. They opt to stash it against the wooden palisade and have a very uncomfortable rest on the muddy mound. During the night they are attacked by stirges, but the party is ready and quickly handles them. Rested they wait until dawn and re enter the dungeon. Day 61, 5am. Knowing they will now have to explore one of the wet or collapsed areas, the party opts for the muddy area furthest to the west. They pass harmlessly through it, and continue to a second room, this one filled deep with putrid murky water. Disturbing, but no encounters there. They then opt to go east and find what they think is the other side of the large pool room they found yesterday. Disturbing the water they are quickly engaged by 3 crocs. The battle is ferocious, but the party is victorious. They manage to skirt the pool room’s edge and find a southern passage, and they also see an alcove to the north that contains a large raft and likely the rear of a secret door. Continuing south, they find a 3 way intersection, 2 ways are muddy so they go east on dry ground. It snakes around to a barred 3 room complex containing some trog troops. They seem to be guarding the entrance to the second level. The party fights and defeats them and descends to the next level. They quickly come to a wet muddy series of passages that lead away in three directions. Two of the paths have a series of rocks set in the mud that could be walked on, so the party opted to follow one of those north. The passage breaks north and south after the mud lessens. To the south they encounter another large cavern filled with water. So they choose to try the door to the north. It reveals a large, square chamber with a pillar in the center. Emerging, an eerie undead figure emerges. Unsure what it is, hoping it's merely a zombie the party attacks, and it falls. But shortly after the creature collapses it rises again with a pallor of fear. Most of the party is unaffected, but they realize that their weapons are having no effect save Mandigor’s magic dagger. They opt to try to wield and try the fine weapons they found, hoping that they are not cursed but magical. They each turn out to be magical, one a +1 longsword, the other a +1 Shortsword, +3 vs scaly creatures. They quickly slay the coffer corpse. Catching their breath, the session ends. Day 61 9am.
Session 26- Delve Smarter, Not Harder- Chapter 1 Finale
Day 61 9am. The party moves beyond the coffer corpse room, finding nothing of value or interest there. The door beyond leads to a hallway, and a heavy wooden door with an iron padlock on it. They opt to leave whatever is locked in there alone, and move into a small open chamber with 4 benches and not much else, the hall leads through this open area. Leery of benches, they examine them and find traces of blood and hair on them, perhaps dead or injured laid here. They move through the chamber to a door beyond. Listening, they hear a voice call out and tell them to enter. No chance for surprise, but the heroes enter prepped for combat. The Naga’s head cleric Gareth Primo awaits, his shadowy henchman lurking in the shadows behind a massive stone naga statue centered on a wooden dais. The henchman steps forward revealing itself to be a hideous undead creature, and the cleric begins casting, gesticulating at some still forms laying behind the statue. The archers in the party get off shots ahead of the evil magic, disrupting it and wounding the cleric. Mandigor moves forward to engage the horrific wight, hoping a hit won’t get through his armor. It misses several times, and he bravely stands it down while the cleric is taken down, then the wight is finally finished off. The cleric appears to have some fine armor and a snake headed hammer, and they are kept. The paladin, determined to desecrate the graven image of the naga, tries a few ways to coordinate with the strong people to pull it down or smash it. Finally Mandigor climbs atop the statue with the hammer and smashes the head, revealing it to be a hammer +1, and also revealing that the head of the statue was on some kind of swivel mechanism, and by smashing it the head spun sideways, and a wooden panel on the real wall reveals a secret door. The mechanism was the only way the secret door could have been found. Moving through, hoping for the best, the party is shocked at the sight as they are able to quietly peek through the door. They see the naga with a huge black and red striped muscular body, and atop the neck an unnervingly huge and realistic female human head. The creature's back is to the party as she arrogantly paces across her pile of treasure looking out expectantly at an underground lake. She clearly expects the party to approach her from that direction, unaware that they had found the nearly impossible to find secret door. Having her dead to rights, the assassin and thief break forward for backstab attempts- both successful, and she is mortally wounded, but the assassination attempt fails. However the rest of the party also bursts forth and several blows take the naga down. Her mystical charm barely affects Mandigor for a moment before she dies. Much treasure and magic items are hauled off from the naga’s horde including a ring of free action, ring of protection +1, some magic scrolls and potions, a bag of holding, a horn of bubbles, and some elven boots. Almost immediately the party can sense the lifting of the magical curse and the charm thrall of the naga, they are certain this will also release the people of Orlane from the curse. Realizing they are still in the depths of the nagas lair and the unknown remaining monsters here they discuss a way of flooding or destroying the lair, but it seems too risky at this time, so they gather the treasure and egress from the mud lair. They do find a ring of keys on Gareth, and open the padlocked door to find some captured prisoners that were immune to the naga’s charm. They include the son and daughter of the carpenter of Orlane, and a merchant from Hookhill. Both are rescued and helped onto a safe road home. A Hearty xp reward is given and the party spends some time training, resting, re-equipping, and finally attaining 4th level. They make their way down the Sheldomar river, following the logging boats that worked for Lareth. In Niole Dra, they witness what is likely the last of Lareth’s kidnappees get handed over to a shadowy figure who magically disappears with them. In Niole Dra they make the acquaintance of a Sailor and his first mate Shadisse and Rakhim. They have a ship that can take the party to Highport and a small crew. They are eager to bring the fight to the slavers, and will help the party make landfall outside of Highport and hideout/skirmish on water against the slavers while the party infiltrates their fortress and then return them home should they all survive. This all takes the month of December, and the party’s first arc, from green adventurer to competent mid level heroes is complete. The next chapter will transition the Mar-Millor Campaign into the Nappendixia Campaign, where we focus on an adjacent part of the map, and go into 1:1 time. While the Mar-Millor PCs are off the map in Highport they will be able to “freeze time”, but will have to catch up to 1:1 time as they journey back to Nappendixia. Any new patrons, players or PCs that start in Nappendixia will adhere to 1:1 time. End session and end Ch. 1 on Jan. 1, 2023
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