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| This week I suddenly needed the larger scale map |
Timekeeping
Introduction
Player Characters Present
Downtime
- Many player characters were off training to level up
- Sever laid Convess to rest in a ceremony in Minas Mandalf, he is now raising a new mount.
- On the night of the last full moon (15 Nov) numerous witnesses claim to have seen the Countess Echellet running through the streets of Guarda. It is claimed she was observed going into the mountains via a trail to the east.
- Refugees from villages and thorps displaced by the encroaching desert have been increasing in number in Guarda. The latest batch (18 Nov) report being chased by little blue men until a strong Pegasus Company force provided air cover. Enquire with the 6th company 4th platoon leader, Ajaxxed, if interested to learn more.
Session Report
A long time has passed since the desert first appeared, and the situation has now festered to the point that it was knocking on the doors of the Bandit Mountains near Guarda. The players dismissed the rumour of a Countess Echellet sighting as a bait, and chose instead to approach the Pegasus 6th Company. With the information provided by Ajaxxed (NPC Pegasus Corps section leader) and a promise from him to keep an eye out and help direct the party to the right spot, they set off. It was a windy day, but at least the wind was out of the east and not blowing sand into their eyes. No one likes that. In the afternoon they reached the indicated place. They carefully crept along the dune to a stone slab, that, when moved, was found to be wedged over what proved to be stairs going down into the ground.
The party began cautiously, checking for traps on the stairs and the short tunnel beyond, at least until they had entered the first real room. Here they promptly set off a simple-but-effective trap that, while not deadly, made a lot of noise in the confined space of a 40 by 40 foot room. The party waited for something to respond to the noise; but when it looked like nothing was going to, they continued on. At the far end of the room was its only exit, leading north. They went through to find that the passage beyond immediately turned west, where there were stairs going down. There was some joking congratulations about conquering the first level easily, and then the party descended.
The straight stair terminated at a long corridor, also heading west. Here the corridor was filled with the debris of broken statues and decorative attachments of wall that had fallen, or been torn down, in the past. They began picking their way over the uneven terrain when a set of gooey arms sprang out of the wall to their left, clutching at the nearest adventurer.
Combat #1: Stun Jelly and 20 Xvarts
Rounds, 7: Monsters win surprise for 2 segments, party win, monsters win, party wins, party wins, monsters win.
Result: Party victory
Highlights: It was a very good thing for Donny that it was Karshe and his henchmen playing today, and not Giuseppe and his, the extra healing kept him alive.
Having no Rangers in the party really cost them here with a surprise roll of 2. I rolled to see which target the Stun Jelly went for; and it chose the unarmoured Monk, missed on its first attack, but the second engulfed Donny and paralysed him (while dealing continuous damage as well). Then, 20 Xvarts, who had been alerted previously by the setting off of the noise making trap, and were laying in wait amongst the rubble, leapt up to attack and threw a net over Karshe and Primus. Both fighters were stuck and got a good pummelling (well, stabbing) from ten of the little guys who were jumping all over them.
Somewhere at the back was a magic-user xvart with two Magic Missiles, he sent them at Primus. Hit points were dropping everywhere, but once surprise was over the party began to fight back strongly. In the following round Karshe and Primus were able to cut through the net and start up the "multi attacks vs less than one HD creatures" and it was soon over for the xvarts (except for the magic user who got away).
Exploration continued and the party were carefully searching an apparently empty room when Karshe heard something coming from the wall ahead of him.
Combat #2: Thoqqua
Rounds: 2 Monsters win, Monsters win
Result: Party Victory
Highlights: A super heated mini purple worm shot out of the wall right at Karshe and did significant initial damage, fortunately his equipment in the area passed item saving throws from the exceptional heat.
The battle had destroyed some invisible clay pots, revealing a big pile of copper coins and a robe that proved to be magical. Once again, a Karshe henchmen filled a gap by casting Detect Magic here. This also had the incidental effect of revealing a secret door or two, and their opening mechanisms as well. One door opened in the south wall onto the corridor that led back to the surface; the other was in the north wall. Initially the party decided to leave it alone. However, temptation proved too strong for Dusty the Druid and he opened it, just to take a peak. Beyond was a small landing with four ghouls looking at him hungrily, and stairs going down. Wait, what was looking at him? Too late!
Combat #3: Ghouls
Rounds: 1 Monsters win
Result: Party Victory, monsters fled
Highlights: The undead attacked and won initiative, hitting Dusty and Karshe for significant damage. However, both made their saves against Paralysis and fought on. This was useful as Isaac was then able to successfully Turn Undead, which gave the fighter and druid at the front a chance to take out 1 of the creatures before the other 3 sped away down the stairs.
In moments there was nothing left but a very cold draft coming from somewhere down below, in the direction the ghouls had gone. Despite some encouragement on my part, the players felt that they had pushed their luck far enough, and turned for home. After an uneventful night in the desert they made it back to Guarda, with the help of passing Pegasus Riders to guide them. This was not before I made one roll for getting lost, which I insisted on doing because I've never done one before in the campaign and wanted to break that run.
Session Statistics:
Wilderness travel: 30 Miles
Combats: 3
Combat rounds: 12
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