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| The big score |
Introduction
Timekeeping
This session began on May 22nd, 2025, with the player characters adventuring until May 25th. Downtime for these characters begins the next day.
Player Characters Present
Sever the Wrathful (Level 8 Pegasus Corps Ranger of Machodor, wielder of Were'shbane and wearer of the Girdle of Cloud Giant Strength, rider of Mustang) with henchmen Paul (P1) and Poindexter (M3)Giuseppe (Level 7 Paladin of Rome, Brovenloft, wielder of the Dragonslayer and the Shield of Protection from Missiles, rider of Bonecrusher) with henchmen Bishoy and Tawadros (F5) and Rhoikos (M2)Deadeye Donny (Level 4 Monk of Machodor)Marty O'Tool (Level 2 Irish Cleric from Brovenloft, wielder of the Mace of St Patrick)
Downtime
Session Report
Combat #1: 4 Giants' Squads
Rounds: 5 with 2 surprise segments for Sever
Result: Party Victory, one enemy squad escaped.
Highlights: Sever and Rabbit took on one group and got surprise. Giuseppe led the conventional assault and his choice to bring his heavy riders with him spread the damage from incoming rocks significantly. Donny reached the 4th round of a combat and had no-one to hit with his extra attack (being a 4th level monk). Marty O'Tool used Chant on the troops and then hunkered down for the duration of the fight. This combined with Prayer was a big force multiplier.
A stone giant and some teenagers were the only survivors of the battle and they fled into the steading. The party moved inside the palisade and prepared to go in after them. After clearing the first boulder trap at the entrance, Sever had his henchman Thomas cast Find Traps, which is really one of the most OP spells a cleric gets—when used right. With it and the fact that they had mapped this first area, they would be able to get to the stairs with little trouble. A teenager hill giant with a spear had other ideas.
Rounds: 2 (both tied initiative)
Result: Party Victory
Highlights: Deftly avoiding the rock trap, Giuseppe and Sever cornered the defender in room 9. The brave hill giant youngster gave his all so the others had time to get away.
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| The party's upper level route |
The party kept on and passed the secret doorway—the secret door, dismantled last session, remained where they had left it it leaning against a wall; its handle with the poison dart trap glowed at them as they passed. Down the stairs and to the left, it was clear that this underground structure had been created by someone other than hill giants. The stone work was fancy and the ceilings were buttressed every ten feet. There was a rock trap there at the base of the stairs that Sever set off deliberately, which he was pleased about until he proceeded to set off a trap in the next section of floor (by deliberately crushing it with a rock) that activated a double ballista concealed at the other end of the corridor. Giuseppe's shield vs missiles came in handy there, and it would not be the only time today.
The corridor went north, then west and spilled out into a very large room. As they entered the room, they spied a gleam at the western end; it looked like a spilled coffer of gems and jewellery. They congratulated themselves on not investigating this "obvious trap", and moved south to examine a heavy set of bars blocking the way out of room 29. These bars promptly opened and let out some hangry manticores. To make matters worse, portcullises fell down in their wake to block both exits to the room.
Combat #3: 4 Crazed Manticores
Rounds: 4
Result: Party Victory
Highlights: This was a crazy fight in more ways that one. The creatures remained airborne and launched a volley of tail spikes (24 in all) at the party, it was a free for all and many found the armour and shield of Giuseppe—and were deflected.
As it was clear the monsters were going to press the ranged attacks from the air, Donny fished out a Potion of Flying for Sever to use to go up after them. Next round the crazed creatures targeted all their 24 spikes at one player; Donny. When his number came up I felt a little bad, but it was clearly the best tactic to concentrate fire, and with this roll I abducted that they chose an obviously unarmoured foe. However, though the Monk may have been unarmoured, he was far from defenceless; his special monk deflection ability came into play. Out of 24 shots 15 would have hit, and of these he blocked 8. The remaining 7d6 damage left him with 7 hit points to spare!
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| The party's lower level route |
Now it was time for round 4, and what a round it would be. Having been cruelly prevented from having his first extra melee attack during the giant fight, Donny was not about to miss out this time. He hit, and hit well, really well. I grabbed the PHB and checked my combat wheel to be sure; yes, he had stunned the manticore (probably saving his own life in the process). He then proceeded to roll 02 for the chance to kill! I couldn't believe it, he needed 4% or less, the monk had straight up killed the thing (given the human head this seemed reasonable to me). Not yet done, with his extra attack the monk finished off the other fallen Manticore, while Sever got the last one (note that various arrows and Magic Missiles has been pouring in from henchman all along). What a fight.
With the last gasp of the Find Traps spell the PCs spotted room 31 beyond room 30, and it contained 7 chests; two of these glowed for a second and then the spell expired. Rabbit and Donny's Find & Remove Traps skills were on fire today and they managed to avoid some nasty tricks including a second trap inside the first one. The loot in the chests was merely adequate, was this the real treasure room? With hit points and spell resources running low, the players decided to pull out and regroup with what loot they had. Sever impulsively tested the one potion in the treasure pile, and discovered it was a potion of Poison (he made his save, but that could have been a very expensive failure! As you'll see below in the treasure section).
On the way out Giuseppe remembered to try and dismantle the double ballista and take it with them. As this was right in front of the secret door to the real treasure room (33), I allowed Rabbit a chance to discover it, and with a result of a 2 he found it. The pit trap beyond the secret door gave Sever another brush with death, but fortunately he set it off without anyone else stumbling into it, and managed to survive. There was much loot to be had in the room beyond, so much that they need a veritable bucket brigade of troops to get it all out. Nothing was game to stop them doing so.
Session Statistics:
Wilderness travel: 36 Miles
Combats: 3
Combat rounds: 11
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