[spoilers] Smash Monday

[Tundrra]

Session 21
2023/05/22
All in attendance

The chamber at the top of the caverns stair case has a mural decorated with dwarven smiths working their forges 30’ up keeping them free of vandalism. Three unique doors exit the room, the north one covered in decorative spouts, but evidence lay all around that they may spew something deadly. To the west a barred portcullis, its opposite side piled high with tarps, straw and junk. Either the door is hidden from the other side or forgotten, we do not know.

The final door has a keyhole and no scary spouts, Melro presents a key he found deeper in the forge and hands it to Neela. The key fits, but something is lodge inside the lock. Handing the key back to Melro, Neela pulls out her lock pick set and begins messing with the lock. When she felt whatever was blocking the lock fall out on the other side and a “tink” hits the floor, she then went to retrieve the key back, since the lock was no longer blocked.

However, Magical Darkness fills the room covering and blocking sight from most everyone. The door swings open and Neela finds a sword in her belly. Dodging the strikes as much as she is able, she flys backwards into the darkness hovering over the stairwell. With no visibility party members in the back hold attacks, orbs of light are sent into the darkness to no avail.

Dimbel casts his trusty grease spell near the door location he remembers seeing hoping to slow down the onslaught but with no visibility the barbarian rages forward towards the open door slipping and crashing to the ground. Django dispels one of the sphere’s of darkness but is frustrated when is vision is still blocked and advances his undead forward.

Sofjia struggles to stand and swings blindly at her opponents when massive striges latch on to her neck as she falls back to the ground. Battle sounds ring in the darkness to the south so the party members split to the north begin making their way through the blackness. Edu emerges blasting the stirges from the air. Dimbel casts invisibility on himself and sets off to follow into the darkness, but other things lurk in the sphere. Unable to see the gnome the orc swings it’s sword and grazes the gnome with its wild swing knowing the party is trying to get by it.

The orcs begin to fall, Edu and Django cast hold person on the caster and the battle’s tide begins to turn. Dimbel emerges from the shadows and blasts a finishing fireball into the entrance of the small southern chamber. The orcs and striges outside the door fall burnt to the ground as the flames move and shift around Sofija and Neela who were engaged with the goblinoids. The room to the south burns, eeks of pain echo from the room as the Melro’s lizard form dissolves away and he is left with a crispy held caster in front of him.

Sofjia and Grimjaws rush into the room to help finish off the defenseless orc caster, but the room still burns, as the papers, canvas bags, bedding and desk burn. The flames ignite something explosive under the desk.

BOOM!!

Throwing the few in the room into the walls and incinerating the Orc!

[Tundrra]

Session 22
2023/05/29

Roxanne abaent

The explosion set a blaze the room and the party members all began to drop and roll and make their way from the dying flames. Django casts control flames to put out the fire on Grimjaws and Melro who had transformed to another giant lizard in order to preserve his little remaining health. Dimbel races forward with cloak to put out the Sofjia’s flames.

Fiadh and Neela take the lead chasing the fleeing orc, as the rest of the party follows close behind. Back down into the caverns below the orc vanishes from sight. Sofjia spots wet foot prints and starts the wild goose chase of the party swinging randomly into the caves chasing sounds and echos. Django spends his time finding a replacement minion for his undead horde and guards the staircase above.

Eventually the party accepts their quarry has escaped and returns to the burnt out quarters of the orcs. The smoldering room is tossed, finding some coin and a secret passage to the west. However with the party injured a short rest is started, when a clatter behind the portcullis begins. Orcs begin clearing the junk behind the portcullis and the party focuses on resting and waiting for them to show themselves.

Fiadh plays her song of rest with the clunking and clattering muted into the background, allowing the party to recover a bit. Fiadh’s bagpipes change tune as she begins performing an “Enthralling Song”

"why do you keep bothering us" comes orc voices in garbled common from the other side, silence and then questions begin directed at the orcs. However Fiahd’s performance takes hold captivating the Orcs and she asks “what are your names”

"Sam and Tog" the orc reply eagerly to Fiadh …a charmed audience:)

[Tundrra]

Session 23
2023/06/05

The orcs Sam and Tog only talk to “the pretty music lady”, so the party funnel questions through Fiadh.
-Can you disable the trap door to the north? “bad fire door”,
-Why are you orcs here? "we open portcullis and you leave our home",
-How many more of if your friends live here? “Boss, his wolf, etc…”
-If your leader is back the way you came then who was in the south room? “Burrdog, magic lady”

It will take a while more for the orcs to finish clearing the debris from the other side so Sofjia steps up to lift the portcullis gate to help the process. Worried this was taking to long Melro whispers to Fiahd “How long do your enchantments normally last?” “Hmmm maybe a hour?” Great plenty of time to get these guys to run off somewhere. Sofjia finishes raising the heavy gate above her head but it doesn’t lock in place. Dimbel runs over to wedge his quarter staff under it and the orcs say “wait wait” and grabs a 6x6 lumber post from their side of the gate as a door prop.

The gate is secure, plenty of time to run the orcs off …WHAM…King smashes into the face of the closest orc to Grimjaws and Sofjia follows it up with her hammer catching the orcs, aswell as the rest of the party by surprise! Tog doesn’t get a chance to fight back and Sam’s attempt gets stuck in the doorway allowing Neela a chance to finish the fight before it begins.

The shallow cavern hall behind the portcullis is filled deep with junk blocking all further movement down the hall. A daisy chain is organized to clear out the debris and relocate it to begin a wall near the trapped door. Sofjia and Edu in front hear muffled voices beyond the junk. The south door closes and Dimbel loses his connection with his familiar. Django readies himself on the south door, the daisy chain pauses just in time for Sofjia to notice the sound of hissing air coming from among the crates she is moving. Gas? The moment the hall is cleared the room explodes throwing debris everywhere, simultaneously the south door opens with a battle cry and orcs begin flooding out from both directions. On top of it all the circle of Darkness falls on the top of the stairway cutting the party in two.

The southern group begins swinging at the orcs as they come out the door, grouping them up for Dimbel’s powerful fireball. To the north orcs and archers come out of the exploded hall attacking Edu and DJzombie and once we think things were under control a large Ogre and his wolf runs past the archers, swinging his mighty blade “WHY WOULDN'T YOU JUST LEAVE!” He yelled.

[Tundrra]

Session 24
2023/06/12
Tundrra absent

We worked our way through the cave where the big Ogre and his wolf came out of. It eventually lead back to a larger cavern where we rescued two human trappers who the Orcs had captured a few weeks ago. They told us that they had hoped to be rescued four days ago when they heard sounds of a fight coming from a cave off to the West. So we entered that cave and soon discovered that it lead to where we started days ago with the rope bridge and the arrow slots, but this time we were on the other side. Several frightened Orcs were over on the side we were on. They started running away as we started shooting at them with crossbows and spells. The last one out through the big door on their side threw something into the brazer as he ran. Seconds later....

BOOM... BIG BADDA-BOOM !!

Several of us saw him throw the item into the fire and we were able to warn everyone to get back. All were able to duck behind a door on our side safely just before the explosion. But when we opened the door afterwards all we could see was a smoke filled area.
(That's where we stopped for the evening)

(Recap by Dee the “Destroyer”)

[Tundrra]

Session 25
2023/06/19
Lasarian absent
Roxy late

Once the ear ringing stops the party begins repairing the bridge. The other side of the Chasm is heavily damaged from the explosion. The previous main doors are under hours worth of rubble, however the secret archer tunnels seems intact, with no signs of the fleeing orcs.

The two rescued trappers Courana and Geredil from Drimel’s Rise plead for an escort back to their village. The party wants to finish checking out a few rooms first and tells them to stay where they are a bit longer.

Edu and Dimbel head North finding a Dwarven statue and door that have yet been explored. Upon entering the corridor a pressure plate is stepped on and the mouth of the statue opens dousing them both with gas. Yet it doesn’t slow them down, and the open the door, launching trapped darts toward them. The door opens to a barracks, which is full of junk and a Durgeddin the Black Handaxe and coin.

Back tracking to another unexplored door, this one much more ominous with a skull spiked to it leads to the dire wolfs sleeping area, where they had been guarding 2 chests. One chest full of silver and the other a Rapier +1, gold and potion of climbing. Within the bedding scraps of a journal/letter is found:

...eat Ul.....
......... will benefit from.....
.......continue to do exa.......
The bottom of the note is signed with a simple letter "C" and the Dusk League symbol.

On to the next room, the east door reveals a room full of the caravan goods that have been stolen over the last few months. Aswell as a small batch of coin and gems. The party then discuss further goals. Taking the two rescued prisoners back to the village is decided but not till we open the trapped door we had passed earlier on this level. Neela works her skills on the trap while the rest of the party seeked cover. The door springs open revealing a small almost closet storing flammable tar for the trap, and traces of what looked l a large crate was stored here and has been removed. Disappointed that the treasure was missing the party leaves the mountain behind to head to the trapper village and then back to Blasingdell to report to lord Althon.

The next two days of journey our uneventful as we end the session arriving at the trapper village.

[Tundrra]

Session 26
2023/06/26
Lasarian absent
Tundrra absent

(Recap by Dee and Koram)

(Dee) Quick recap: We spent a lot of time in the small hunting/fishing village that is the home to the two people that we rescued from the caverns last week. Fiadh played them a bittersweet ballad on her Lute that went a long way towards gaining their friendship. We were able to replenish our daily rations and water-skins, as well as add to our gold total (40 gp) and 6 healing potions as a reward for the rescue. We learned the names of the villagers and found out that about half of them were not in the village but rather out hunting and trapping etc.

They use very little money, preferring to use a bartering system for commerce. We were offered two unused cabins as shelter for the night. In one of them was a large eagle feather under one of the bunks and in the other Sofija gave Dimbel a long overdue beard braid. After a good nights sleep and some breakfast the following day we set out towards Blasingdale.

While on the trail we came across another trail that had a lot of Orc and Ogre tracks on it leading in many directions. We decided to follow tracks that led south since that was the direction we were headed. Another set of tracks joined that first set and we realized that we were tracking a large contingent of Orcs and Ogres. Perhaps more than we wanted to meet up with. After some discussion we decided to continue following the tracks. My Familiar (an Owl) flew ahead and finally found their camp, about 3 hours ahead of us.

There are 3 campfires in the camp and my owl told me that there were many times our parties number in the camp. We are just a little Southeast of Blasingdale and the discussion now is do we risk almost certain death in the hopes of surprising them with a night attack, or do we head out for Blaisingdale and hope to recruit townsfolk and the town guard for an attack on the enemy position. They are camped on a rise and have the high ground. A surprise daylight attack will be almost impossible. That's where we stopped for the night.

(Koram) As promised, a few additional details added to what Dee provided. The village leader Mirek, gave the party 6 healing potions, not 10 as Dee mentioned. I'm sure this was just the typical Dimbel thought process of adding zeros to gold amounts found. Fiadh indeed played a wonderful ballad


Fiadh: pulls out her lute, tuning each string with care.

It began on a poor Monday morning:
I was the most sexy Bard around,
He was the most stunning Barbarian.
He was my companion,
My stunning companion,
My Barbarian.
We used to walk so well together,
Back then.
We wanted to zoom together, around the world,
We wanted it all.
But one morning, one poor morning,
We decided to zoom too much.
Together we .
It was ugly, so ugly.
From that moment our relationship changed.
He grew so cool.
And then it happened:
Oh no! Oh no!
He fought Neela.
Alas, Neela!
My companion fought Neela.
It was hideous, so hideous.
The next day I thought my bottom had broken,
I thought my head had burst into flames,
(But I was actually overreacting a little.)
But still, he is in my thoughts.
I think about how it all changed that morning,
That poor Monday morning.
My head... ouch!
When I think of that stunning Barbarian,
That stunning Barbarian and me.

Aka Sofija


The party was down to about 2 rations each, but now should be at 10. The village consists of 15 log cabin type buildings with a population of 35. The main lodge houses the village leader, Mirek, who acts as the towns point of contact for the animal products produced by the hunting/trapping/fishing done here. His wife, Skife, is also a hunter and leatherworker, but was out with a hunting party while the party was at the village. Other members of the village present included:
Varis - human male trapper - partner of Quiril
Quiril - female elf hunter - partner of Varis
Dezzur - male human - veteran barbarian - survival/tracking master
Kazmar - female human - priest/trapper - village healer that sometimes accompanies trapping/hunting parties
Kor (GM):Liszka - female half-elf - angler - master fisher of the Black Lake
Courana - human female - trapper - rescued from Stone Tooth
Geradil - human male - trapper - also rescued

During breakfast the next morning a some more conversations happened before the party departed. The party questioned Mirek about the giant eagle feather found in the cabin. He alluded to an arrangement with some other locals that sometimes use the large raptors as flying mounts. EdU, Sof and Neelah all recalled stories of the Black Raven Uthgardt barbarian clan both using these mounts and claiming this region as their territory. Strange that the village was allowed to stand as the Black Ravens are considered one of the most "traditional" clans, known for their raiding and pillaging.

Dezzur, the village's master tracker also provided insight into the an increase in the number of orc and ogre tracks to the south and east of the village. He also mentions a strange type of tracks resembling those of large wolves, but walking bipedal.
Dimbel and EdU both cast their mage armor spells at about 0800 and the party sets out shortly after traveling east on a well traveled trade path towards Blasingdell.

Still in snow covered terrain, the party begins seeing signs of orc, ogre and the strange wolf tracks perhaps an hour or so (3miles) out from the village. The tracks are still very visible in the snow over the next hour of travel until the party leaves the snow covered ground behind at about 10:30. The orc and ogre tracks all seem to be heading north and south, crossing the east-west trail the party has been following. Mel'ro also finds evidence of the strange bipedal wolf-like prints, also in good numbers, but they seem to be mainly to the north of the trail with only one or two sets found crossing the trail to the south, and not in conjunction with the orcs and ogres.The party discusses between the option of heading straight east to Blasingdell or following a very recent (within the last few hours) group of orc prints heading south. Thanks to Mel'ro being in his favored forest terrain, the group makes better time than they otherwise would have and Mel'ro feels the party is slowly gaining on the orcs. By about 1300-1400, the group realizes that if they turn east now, they will be headed directly towards Blasingdell. The group continues after the orcs. In the next hour or so, Mel'ro halts the group once again and points out a second, much larger group of tracks coming in from the NW and joining with the set the party has been following. He states that this appears to be a much larger war party with perhaps 4-6 ogres and an unknown, but large amount or orcs.

Dimbel has his owl scout ahead, flying about a mile or so out and then circling back to report on any activity. The group pushes on until darkness falls and then stops at about 1800 to again discuss options. EdU is in favor of heading to or sending a message to Blasingdell to warn the town and perhaps muster some assistance. The rest of the group votes instead to continue after the raiding party. At about 1900, Dimbel's owl returns and communicates that it has seen 3 large fires and since it can't count, simply relates lots and lots of medium sized humanoids along with a few larger beings are set up near the fires. Dimbel gets the impression the raiders are set up on a high rock outcropping that overlooks Blackford Road, the main trading route from Luskan to Mirabar, and the road that Django, EdU, Fiadh, Mel'ro, Sofija and later Neelah traveled on their way to Blasigndell a couple of tendays ago. The party is a couple of miles north of the radiers camp and the raiders are perhaps the same distance north of the road. It is now 2000 hours as the session ended with the party planning their next moves.

[Tundrra]

Session 27
2023/07/03
All present

Kythorn 1st 10p

With the threat of the orc raiding party massing its troops, Melro volunteers to scout the orc encampment. Shifting into the familiar cat shape he is accustom to, he runs off into the forest locating the orc encampment up on a flat outcrop of stone. With only a narrow path through the wooded area he lurks forward. The camp is watched by only a handful of orcs, two of which stand with bows on stone watch towers/boulders. Only a short time remains of Dimbel's invisibility spell and the cat form, but it is long enough to concluded that the bulk of the group has moved on towards the trade roads leaving behind only caretakers.

Once returning to camp with what was discovered, the party votes to attack them while the group is split and follows their ranger back through the forest as midnight approaches. Once Django catches sight of the orc bowman the group stops and prepares for battle. Words of inspiration and aid are said while Dimbel's owl does one last scout of the area from above. Melro says "on my signal we attack" and transforms back into his alley cat form. Sofija, Neela and Grimjaws are turned invisible following the feline up the trail.

Mel'ro belts out a creaking song of mating in his cat form, drawing the eyes of the bowman and orcs. Sofija and Neela uses the distraction to ambush the tower guards leaving broken bodies in their wake. The casters move forward from the trail as the sounds of combat begin waking a few unseen orcs within the tents.

Neela upon successfully one-shoting her unsuspected opponent glides off the tower with blades in hand towards the orc guarding a interesting crate, matching the size and dimensions of the one missing from the mountain's trapped room… WHIFF… she missing her target badly. The miss gives the orc a chance to kick a lever on the crate, the walls of the tall crate fall away revealing a mutated boiled pus filled orc, the disgust causes those around to be sickened by its aura. A muttering of magic is spoke and the caster walks into the stone boulder leaving behind a angry mutant that charges forward self destructing into goo all over Neela and Melro.

Grimjaws reveals himself finishing off the orc Sofjia flung from the tower. The casters charge up the path now that the initial guards have been engaged, sending a globe of darkness over the orcs at the campfire. As the orcs move to escape the darkness they are greeted by wizard spells. Dimbel casts a fireball into the darkness sphere, at first it hides the impact, but the fireball grows larger than the darkness and reaches out to torch the orcs who had escaped the dark.

In the distance to the southwest, an almost echo of the fireball explosion erupts in the night sky along the trade road.

[Tundrra]

Session 28
2023/07/10

Kythorn 1st/2nd midnight-ish

The battle continues at the orc encampment up on the overlook ridge. A borage of spells and movement come from Fiadh and Django as the party is inspired and the darkness drops as the Hold spell replaces Django’s concentration. One of the Orcs is spooked and takes off away from combat and is intercepted by Neela. Sofjia takes on two of the larger orcs alone as the casters try and support her. At this point the party is pretty split up throughout he encampment and when a globe of darkness falls on the North party trouble ensues.

The party begins to stumble from the darkness, but Dimbel finds himself alone along the forest edge and a large dark shape swoops down from the skies biting and scratching. He responds with a fireball into the nights sky as he spots another mounted bat shape making its way to the camp and then he runs back for the cover of darkness. However these beasts don’t need light to see and chase after him.

Melro catches a quick glance of the flying beast as it flies into the sphere of darkness and shouts a warning to those in earshot. However the fate of Dimbel is unknown to the party as he lays unconscious in the middle of magical darkness.

[Tundrra]

Session 29
2023/07/17

Kythorn 1st/2nd midnight-ish

The orc encampment battle begins to whine down as fewer orcs remain standing. Fiadh dispels the darkness that hides the unconscious Dimbel, who awakes from a healing word and fire bolts his way back into the skirmish. The biggest worry for the party becomes the circling giant bats and their riders. From their height they are unreachable and could reign down on us with their terrible lawn darts anytime and watch our movements easily from above.

We decided to do a search of the raiding party camp and rest on the watch tower boulders. Our view from above shows chaos is still happening down at the road and Dimbel’s Owl confirms the battle still rages with whomever may still be resisting the orc ambush. It’s a days travel to ask Blasingdell to get assistance, so if there are going to be any survivors then it’s up to the party to assist.

With the owl scouting ahead and Melro leading the way through the forest the party follows the rhythmic booming coming from the road. The large fire has died down, the orcs have left, (possibly heading back to their encampment?). What remains are 3 large ogres, 1 of which is pounding continuously on a wagon. The boom sound vibrates off it and dimbel tells us there is a magical dome, a Tiny Hut, nestled in the remains of the wagon, so there are survivors and one must be a mage of sorts. The dome will resist the ogre attack, but only for eight hours…

[Tundrra]

Session 30
2023/07/24
All present lvl 5

The party discusses the best course of action and decides to lure one of the Ogres into the forest alone with a enchanting melody from Fiadh. Everyone splits up hiding among the trees and bushes. Fiadh stands in a clearing to begin a soft song, but what emits is a ghastly sound! However it does garner the Ogres attention has he heads into the woods.

“BOOM, WHERE YOU GOING' shouts one of the other Ogres, in reply he says "Noise, Music… I’m going to look". Panicked Fiadh goes invisible. The party begins to shift some of Django’s undead rattle in the brush keeping the Ogre uneasy. Fiadh continues her music as the Ogre draws closer and then begins her enthralling performance leaving the safety of invisibility. The Ogre must have been spooked by her sudden appearance or the rustling of the undead because he charges the dwarf. The party is ready for the worse and a bar-age of attacks erupt ending the Ogre with only minor bloodshed spilled.

The other 2 Ogres begin to come towards the commotion. Fiadh shouts “What are we doing?” as the party begins to advance and greet the threat. From the forest’s shadow a rogue orc ambushes Django and then makes a run for it, he doesn’t make it far when the casters blast him as he retreats. Large arrows the size of a ballista spear crashes into Neela and Sofjia from the Ogres whom have large bows. Sofjia take the blunt of the attacks and her rage is knocked from her as she collapses to the ground. Edu shoots forth one of is remaining magic missiles in response to his comrade falling the Ogre in return.

Neela belts out a yell with Thaumaturgy "You cowards you should stand fight and instead of crying like babies" he hesitates but keeps running into the forest. Django’s attention moves to the large opec dome standing in the debris of the wagon, his undead try to peer within. “We have defeated and chased off your attackers, it is safe to come out”

A female voice, in common reply’s, “ Zombies, skeletons, a drow and grey dwarf… No way I’m coming out."

…To be continued in discord chat.