Trollopulous Adjusted Session 121 (Machodor #72): Bargash meets Slargash

          

Follow along on the map for session #72

Introduction

This week a greatly reduced party sets off to finish some business at the Halfling Steading.

Timekeeping

This session began on July 3rd, 2025, with the player characters adventuring until July 5th. Downtime for these characters begins the next day.

Player Characters Present

Sever the Wrathful (Level 9 Pegasus Corps Ranger of Machodor, wielder of Were'shbane and wearer of the Girdle of Cloud Giant Strength, rider of Mustang) 

with henchmen Rabbit (F4/MU3/T4) and Poindexter (M5) and Thomas (C6)

Mathias Steelvien (Level 4 Fighter of Saint Raul)

with henchmen Rhoikos (M4) Symeon (C2)

Gurt the Green (Level 6 Paladin of Machodor, wielder of the Liberator, bearer of the Fabled Ice Jewel of Frigia, rider of Artax) 

with henchmen Anri (M4) and Cedric (C3)

Downtime

After the successful battle against the forces of the Master of Winter, Giuseppe set off from the Ice Castle with his troops and henchmen to take the prisoners and freed thralls--some of whom may have been from Gimmelwald--back to that troubled Bandit Mountains town. It turned out not to be as easy as he suspected. More details here.

Session Report

After a swift journey from the ice castle the party arrived a the halfling stead to find a group of halfligns running across the open ground from the nearby light forest. They were running for good reason as behind them were a dozen hungry looking ogres!

Combat #1: 12 Ogres

Rounds: 2

Result: Party Victory

Highlights: Poindexter's perfectly aimed fireball did for the majority of the Ogres.

The party swept in and saved the halflings and were given a heroes welcome in the steading.

They spent the night and in the morning went down into he basement. The first place they checked was the cell block were they had left the Orc Bargash, but before dealing with him, curiosity has them examine the cell they had not yet opened. It was a trap!

Combat #2: 3 Skeletons

Rounds: 1

Result: Party Victory

Highlights: Not really sure what Gygax was going for with this "trap" encounter, I guess it was guaranteed to make some noise and alert any guards, but that was no issue to this party.

Sever grabbed Bargash who began to again talk up his ability to the negotiate with the leader of the orcs in this place, his brother Slargash. Sever went along with this but it is unclear what his intentions were in accord with his prisoner's.

Rabbit was made Invisible and he went forward to scout the Orc's position, Poindexter used this information to target them from way across the cavern. The rest of the party backed up the corridor with their fingers in their ears, staging near a blocked off door--that was giving them an unsettling feeling of what might be beyond. Gurt found a distinct whiff of evil from that direction.

Combat #3: 44 Orcs remnants

Rounds: 2

Result: Party Victory

Highlights: For the second time in a few weeks Poindexter's perfectly aimed fireball did for the majority of the orcs, only the leader, Slargash, survived the impact. 

Slargash came staggering out, holding a sword in one hand and a crossbow in the other. Knowing that the orcs used poisoned bolts, Sever took no chances, he grabbed a hold of Bargash and used him as a shield. The orc caught a bolt in the backside and was then thrown unceremoniously at his wounded brother with the force of a catapult. And it was over.

The orcs had camped in the east section of the cave behind two barriers, near where there were two passages north, they had little of value and even less survived the fireball, but the PCs were happy to find some gems on Slargash.

They moved forward and searched the area thoroughly.

Sever spotted something moving along the wall towards him, saving the party from being surprised for 3 segments! The creatures that occupied the area to the north were coming to see what all the commotion was.

I should have shared this map in the session

Combat #4: Troglodyte clan

Rounds: 3

Result: Party Victory

Highlights: The creatures were making their way down the narrow connections between the two sections of cavern. Most of the party took up a position to deal with the ones coming from the north, but only Matthias Steel vein and Symeon the cleric moved to hold the western entrance to the orcish area.

A Web spell trapped many of the Trogs, I generally only allow a save for Web if there is some possible place a target could escape to that isn't covered in the stick fibres; in this case they were all in a narrow channel that was easy for the spell to fill from top to bottom. Sever and co killed the first few to make it through before the Web hit, but a dozen more--plus the leader--came in from the west and killed Symeon right off the bat, leaving Mathias hungry for vengeance. 

I've been learning recently that since I've got maps in the module, I should take advantage of them to quickly augment the ToTM positioning. This is a tricky judgement call though, as it is so easy to override the vivid images only pure ToTM can achieve. Hopefully I'll do better as we keep playing.

North of the troglodyte lair was another large chamber to the west. Large leathery creatures slithered out to greet them.

Encounter #1: 6 Giant Subterranean Lizards

Rounds: N/A

Result: Party Parlayed

Highlights: Sever used Speak with Animals and got a very positive response when he offered the creatures the mass of dead enemies behind them.

The lizards did their best of accommodate the Ranger's questions and indicated a large chamber existed at the other end of a subterranean river. They warned of "eaters of the dead" that lived there and the players took this on board.

The party fell back to the entrance area and discussed what to do next. They decided to check on the location where they had had the "bad feeling". The room was typical of the other barracks and or prison cells they had seen, except for the new tunnel dug into the southern wall. It was from there that the cool wind and feeling of evil emanated.

Gurt was determined that the statue was not to be left undisturbed, but it was only when there was a successful Dispel Magic from Poindexter that they were able to topple it from its altar. Sever placed a sack over its head while Gurt wailed on it. Then something odd happened, a brooch--or scarab--appeared from within the statue, coming right out of its back. The thing was of a similar size and shape to the amulet that Sever had, only this one radiated magic.

Session Statistics: 

Wilderness travel: 36 Miles

Downtime begins on: 06/July
Combats: 4
Rooms mapped: 6
Combat rounds: 8
Killed: 1 Henchman, Symeon.

Treasure & Items

8043cp 40

6023sp 301

3 Rings with gems 1gp

119gp

15 gems: 3820gp 

3 jewellery: 4250gp

Scarab of Insanity (Identification costs 450gp) 1500 xp

Monsters

11 Ogres 2220xp

1 Ogre Leader 465xp

3 Skeletons 66xp

44 Orcs (including Bargash and Slargash) 638xp

Troglodytes: 20 Males , 13 females, 7 Young 1560xp

14,980 XP &  8081 GP  Assignment

Sever (E) 2305 XP & 1243 GP

and Poindexter (E) 1152 XP & 621 GP

and Rabbit (E) 1152 XP & 621 GP

and Thomas (E) 1152 XP & 621 GP

Steelvien (E) 2305 XP & 1243 GP

and Rhoikos (E) 1152 XP & 621 GP

and Symeon (DNF) 0 XP & 0 GP

Gurt the Green (E) 2305 XP & 1243 GP

and Anri (E) 1152 XP & 621 GP

and Cedric (E) 1152 XP & 621 GP

Graveyard

Symeon (Henchman Cleric level 2), Only strong enough to wear studded leather, he was torn to shreds by Troglodytes in session #121

Paul (Henchman Paladin level 3) Effected by the Imprisonment spell touch attack from a Styx Devil in session #117. Might not be dead, but is definitely at least six feet under for all intents and purposes.

Gurt the Green (Paladin level 6) killed by a poison needle trap in session #114 RAISED FROM THE DEAD (with a roll of 94!)

Solaire the Fallen (Henchman Fighter (paladin) level 3) killed by Stone Giants acting as catapults in session #114

Paul (Henchman Paladin level 1), reduced to 0 hit points by white dragon breath when climbing down a rope ladder in session #108. Killed not by the fall; but by the sudden stop at the bottom. RAISED FROM THE DEAD

Ignatius the Smiter (Cleric level 1), horrifically mutilated and killed by double hit from a Shoggoth in session #106

Domby (Henchman with Dex 5), double surprised and turned into a pin cushion in session #87

Luke (Half elf Fighter/Cleric level 1), tragically killed by a normal hydra while trying to cauterise one of its neck stumps in session  #86

Gurt the Green (Paladin level 3),  killed by a hydra bite in session  #86 RAISED FROM THE DEAD

Pleasance (Footman level 0), killed by a phase spider bite in session #81

Siegward (Henchman Fighter level 1), killed by a phase spider bite in session #81

Tawadros (Henchman Fighter level 4),  killed by a phase spider bite in session #81 RAISED FROM THE DEAD

Patria (Footman level 0), killed by a two headed snake bite in session #81

Deltacron (Dwarf Fighter/Thief level 1/1), threw his last flask of oil at, and was level drained to death by, a Vampire in session #76

Petrov the Prestidigitator (Magic-user level 1), wrong place, wrong time; killed by Sever the Ranger in session #72 RAISED FROM THE DEAD

Petrov the Prestidigitator (Magic-user level 1), killed again by the toxic gas of an Achaierai in session #72

Red (Paladin Level 1), always popular with the ladies, he was eaten up by a female Roc in the Pizza Slice of Doom during session #67

Jacques Ocular (Magic User level 1), a fat green worm burrowed into his head and turned him into a Son Of Kyuss in Brovenloft in Session #43

Pino (Dwarf Footman level 0), Killed by a Frost Giant axe in the head in session #39

Paro (Dwarf Fighter/Thief level 2/2)  Killed by Winter Wolves and frozen in session #39

Zabib (1/2 Elf Fighter/Magic User level 1/1), Killed by Frost Giant rocks in downtime prior to session #39