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| Slippery Pete leads the way. |
Introduction
There a many 1 to 1 time pay offs in this session, so this write up is very different to normal. It's going to look a bit like a story game; but remember, it's not a story game, it's an Appendix N game.
Timekeeping
This session began on October 2nd, 2025, with the player characters adventuring until the end of the 7th. Downtime for these characters begins on the 8th.
Player Characters Present
Giuseppe (Level 8 Paladin of Rome, Brovenloft, wielder of the Dragonslayer and the Shield of Protection from Missiles, rider of Bonecrusher)
and henchmen Bishoy (F6) Tawadros (F6) Steelvein (F4) and Rhoikos (M4)
Slippery Pete (Level 9 Thief, wearer of the Hat of Disguise and wielder of the Black Dagger)
Bumblebore (Level 7 Magic User of Machodor, wielder of the Wand of Paralysation) and Firedrake Familiar O'Malfoy and henchman Gilthaniel (elf F5/M8)
Downtime
Sever and Sheamus brought the golden couch, captured in the previous session, to Minas Mandalf and found that it was indeed worth a fortune. More, they learned that it was associated with a noble family in Trollopulous, a place steeped in mystery, and the Adventurers Aid Society offered them a mission to go there and attempt to make an even larger profit. Slippery Pete returned from what ever he has been doing since being kicked out of the party by Giuseppe in May. The thief had a knowing look on his face, but the Paladin let it slide.
Session Report
Even if they had wished to take it with them into possible danger, with no means of easily transporting the golden couch—both Sever and Sheamus were pursuing other goals, they were forced to leave it behind. After waiting for a terrible storm to pass, a small group of heroes—supplemented by a unit of Giuseppe's horse crossbowmen—set off from Minas Mandalf and followed the road in the direction of the Ruins of Trollopulous, and the unknown.
A passing pegasus patrol waved them on as far as Nummi's tower, a stark edifice rising from the centre of a vast crater. The copper dragons' lair—built in accordance with the treaty between them and Macho Mandalf—loomed over the landscape, a watchful sentinel against whatever evils may still fester in Trollopulous’ shadow.
Pete was keen to look in on the Dragons, but to his disappointment they were elsewhere today. He did attract the attention of the Machodor aligned pug men who lived at the tower, and after some mutual bonding, a group of seven of them decided to join the party the next morning.
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| The seven pug men |
With the enthusiastic, but unmounted, pug men with them on the ill kept road beyond Nummi's tower, the remaining journey took most of the next day. Finally, with the air growing heavy, thick with the scent of decay and damp stone, they regarded the walls of Trollopulous through a rising evening mist. Here they halted, staring at the crumbling ramparts. As per the rumours, the once mighty city now lay in desolation. The gate was guarded by devilish Erinyes, who leered at them as they approached.
Somehow Slippery Pete, who, it transpired, had spent some of his months-long down time here, felt confident he could get past the guards. He trotted forward on his well-travelled horse, Pepper.
"My lovely ladies, I have business within. You seek evil-doers to drag down to the infernal regions, and I am not that."-- Slippery Pete
He gave a gem and a kiss on the hand to each, and they let the party through just like that.
Leading the others, Pete guided Pepper through the shattered gates of Trollopulous in the fading light of evening, and, like a torch flaring in the dusk, a sudden clarity pierced their minds. The oppressive weight of the ruins, and the menacing Erinyes unravelled into a startling truth.
The Erinyes were no devils, but human soldiers clad in browned-iron mail, their faces now visible in the torchlight. The men chuckled, holding up the gems Pete had given them, and holding up their hands he had kissed, their laughter echoing softly.
Glancing up from the gates, they saw clouds of spores swirling from towering, mushroom-like figures silhouetted against the darkening walls, their fungal forms glowing faintly.
Details of his previous visit returned to Pete, the spoors from the mushroom men (remnants and descendants of the funguys from July 2021) were the source of the illusion, and he explained to his confused companions that leaving the city will trigger an effect from the spoors to make them forget the true nature of the place and only remember the illusion. Some immediately started taking notes.
The city around them, though a shadow of its former glory, was alive and rebuilding. Fresh timber braced sagging buildings, and a few children scampered through alleys. Yet, the scars of Trollopulous’ fall remained—cracked stones, boarded windows, and a faint whiff of decay from the undead quarter. And, in the distance, the Tower of Ultimate Evil loomed, clawing at the starless evening sky.
The thief led them to the same inn he had stayed at previously, the Tall Mug. The four story building was a somewhat noisy establishment, but big enough to put up the the heroes, their troops, and their horses for the night.
The next morning found the entire inn surrounded by troops. Someone had dobbed them in. At the head of the procession rose a blast from six trumpets. Giuseppe, Bumblebore, and Slippery Pete—discretely behind the Paladin's shoulder, went down to see what the fuss was.
The trumpeters wheeled to either side. A line of pike-men behind them executed the same movement, and there strode forward a venerable, clean-shaven, stern-visaged man in a black toga narrowly bordered with silver.
He raised his hand in a dignified salute, and announced gravely, "I am the chamberlain of Radomix Kistomerces, Overlord of Trollopulous, and here is my wand of authority." He produced small silver wand tipped with a five-pointed bronze emblem in the form of a starfish.
He then drew a scroll from his toga, unrolled it, scanned it briefly, then looked up. "Are you Giuseppe, Paladin of Machodor?"
"Yes, I ama Paladin of Machodor anda Broventloft," he answered.
The chamberlain turned towards Slippery Pete. He once more consulted his parchment. "And you are—your pardon, but it's written here—that long-suspected burglar, cutpurse, swindler, and assassin, Slippery Pete?"
"Hey, I'm no assassin," he answered.
As if those answers settled everything, the chamberlain rolled up his parchment with a snap and tucked it inside his toga. "Then my master wishes to see you. There is a service which you can render him, to your own considerable profit."
They were then escorted to the newly rebuilt Overlord's Palace, and ushered into the presence of Radomix Kistomerces. The guard leader halted and announced them, his voice booming off the vaulted ceiling: "Hail, Lord Radomix! Western adventurers from the Machodor border, as per your orders!"
Radomix Kistomerces lounged upon his divan—a couch of polished oak and velvet, its frame a match for the one the party wished to sell. It had the same sweeping curves as their golden lounge, though it lacked the gleam. To his right towered a hulking barbarian, red mane spilling over mail, a massive sword slung across his back. To his the left sat a smaller, hooded figure in gray leather. These looked on curiously at the conversation which followed.
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| "This Slippery Pete is quite the wit, wouldn't you agree Mouser?" -- Overlord Radomix Kistomerces |
It transpired that not only was the Overlord, a descendant of Acererak Kistomerces who described himself as having arrived from another "world bubble" to set things right in the city, interested in paying a vast sum for the gold lounge, he also had a problem only a Paladin could help him with.
With a wave in the direction of the Tower of Ultimate Evil, and the graveyard which surrounded it, he began. "The Kistomerces crypt, guardian of relics and bones. Weeks past, a dread took root there. Fear pours from its gate. The inner chamber once held the tomb of Acererak Kistomerces, my kin's shadowed progenitor. Now a void yawns in its place—a pit of absolute black, twenty feet across, exhaling this terror. You job is simple; enter, discover its source, and end it."
The party agreed and marched off to the graveyard, starting with an escort of 100 pike men and a hoard of onlookers. However, as they got closer to the Tower, these hangers on began to drop off, until scarcely 10 pike men remained to help them open the gates and point out the columned crypt, then they too fled.
The party found that as long as they stayed within Giuseppe's paladin aura, they could withstand the feeling of dread. They advanced into the grave yard and used the Overlord's own key to open their way into the mausoleum below. They explored cautiously, and finally found themselves at the far end of a long series of burial chambers, with one conspicuously isolated door ahead of them.
Beyond was a 20' square room with one entire wall dissolved in some sort of "non-reality" substance. When Trollopulous was subject to nuclear attack in 2022, a magical failsafe had activated, which sent the rest of the Tomb of Acererak Kistomerces far to the south. But this field was an indication that the tomb's magic was not entirely disconnected from this entrance they stood in.
The feeling of terror was clearly emanating from here.
Just in front of the insubstantial wall was the only decoration in the place; a plinth holding a lion, head turned towards them, and the lion had one of its paws placed delicately over a sphere of some kind of metal a few inches in diameter. Giuseppe wanted to grab this immediately, but he had not shared that with Bumblebore, who ordered his henchman Gilthaniel to cast Push. I rolled initiative for both of them and the Push spell went first, causing the sphere to leap out of the grip of the statue, evade Giuseppe's grasping hand, and disappear into the void beyond.
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| Did someone say, "Fetch!"? |
There was a moment when the two player characters gave each other a
look, then the void then began to quiver and take shape,
as a familiar creature (the demon that escaped them some sessions ago in the Tomb of Kistomerces) stepped forth--holding the sphere in its dog headed jaws!
Combat #1: Type III Demon
Rounds: 5
Result: Party wins
Highlights: This void was indeed connected to the rest of the Tome of Kistomerces in the Bandit Mountains, and the demon used that connection to travel here and recuperate after being brought down to 1 hit point by the heroes in their last encounter. Now it was ready to smash the underpowered party, starting with Giuseppe!
Before the demon could attack, Giuseppe lifted his sword and called to the orb, which by some instinct he felt would respond to him. It flew out of demon's mouth, sailed over to the Paladin, and attached itself to his shield with a gleam of magical power. This angered the demon, and it made a b-line for it, but Giuseppe's Protection from Evil kept it at bay. His henchman now weighed in, and so the demon took its frustrations out on them, nearly killing Steelvein.
Bumblebore let fly with Macho Mandalf's Flying Elbow, and I ruled in the first round that the spell was subject to the magic resistance of the demon, and subsequently all four elbows the seventh level magic-user could evoke failed to over come it.
Next round Giuseppe voided the protection zone and attacked with his Dragonslayer, the paladin being the only one to get a hit in. With the demon returning 5 attacks a round, the equation was not looking good for a party without Sever and Gurt.
Not to be discouraged, Bumblebore let fly with another brace of Macho Mandalf's Flying Elbows. This time I remembered; the summoned elbows count as a non-magical attack, and therefore should not be subject to magic resistance. This fact, in combination with the demon's lack of resistance to normal weapons, actually makes this a killer spell against them. He now rolled for 8 successful pummelling attacks against the demon's dog-like head, though I ignored the non-lethal portion of the damage, the real damage added up and the monster howled in pain.
The magic-user's success was just as well as the henchmen, even with their magical weapons in some cases, were unable to overcome the very strong AC of the demon.
Slippery Pete snuck around and managed to get a good shot in with his dagger, but the place was so well lit that the demon saw him out of the corner of its eye and no backstab was possible.
Having expended his quota of Elbow spells, Bumblebore now rolled out some custom spells of his own.
First: Bumblebore's Inconvenient Sphincter
Result: stopped by magic resistance.
Second: Bumblebore's Backpack of Getting Carried Through the Dungeon Again
Result: sadly this last one took effect too late to see what it did, as Giuseppe struck home with his blade and the creature collapsed back into the stuff of the chaotic void. They stared at the void, it stared back at them, at length they decided to let it be.
The heroes returned in triumph to the Overlord's Palace and told Radomix of their victory, then bantered around a bit with him. He paid them for their efforts and the party were readying to leave. Knowing the effects of the fungus spores, they had been scrawling down every detail on paper in the hopes of referring to it later. But now Giuseppe had the brilliant idea of sharing this problem with the Overlord, who, through his chamberlain, offered a much better solution: go to the Myconid King—who lived in the old Prancing Umber Hulk—to obtain from it a special flask of spores, which when inhaled would allow them to keep their memories!
Now this king began as an emissary that arrived in Trollopulous in July 2021. He was given asylum by Macho Mandalf. This quote from Jeffro has finally paid off four years later!
All that is left of the Mushroom Man faction is the two little diplomatic missions they sent out… which currently do not even know the fate of their king and their people. (Of course, there might be a few spores popping up here and there later on. And if Mushroom Men are not classified as changelings, The Prancing Umber Hulk may well end up getting a potion brewing sideline.)
By the magic of 1 to 1 time, these few spores have turned into a major faction within the city of Trollopulous.
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| The Prancing Umber Hulk |
The party were given a "wand of authority" which indicated their relationship with the Overlord. Even the troops would snap to attention when Bumblebore waved it in a flourish. The spores were then obtained without any problems.
With arrangements made, the party returned to Tall Mug, collected the troops, and started to turn for home. And it was about this point that they realised no one had seen the pug men since last night—apparently the former Trollopulous residents were last seen lifting a drain-hole cover.
Session Statistics:
Wilderness travel: 183 miles
Downtime begins on: October 8th
Combats: 1
Rooms mapped: 3
Combat rounds: 4
Losses: none
Treasure & Items
5,000 gold rilks (5% conversion fee to machos)
Reward from Adventurers Aid Society for info on Trollopulous 2000gp
Magic sphere attached to Giuseppe's shield 1000xp
Monsters
Type III Demon 3,240xp
11,240 XP & 6,750 GP Assignment
Giuseppe (E) 2043xp & 1,227 gp
and Bishoy (E) 1022xp & 614 gp
and Tawadros (E) 1022xp & 614 gp
and Steelvein (E) 1022xp & 614 gp
and Rhoikos (E) 1022xp & 614 gp
Slippery Pete (E) 2043xp & 1,227 gp
Bumblebore (E) 2043xp & 1,227 gp
and Gilthaniel (E) 1022xp & 614 gp
Graveyard
Rhoikos (Henchman Magic-User level 4), smashed by a Mummy fist in session #126. RAISED FROM THE DEAD
Thomas (Henchman Cleric level 6), Killed by a Symbol of Death in session #126. RAISED FROM THE DEAD
Josef Ironbeard (Dwarf Fighter level 1), Killed by a Symbol of Death in session #126.
Matthias Steelvein (Henchman Fighter level 4), Killed by a Symbol of Death in session #126. RAISED FROM THE DEAD
Sever the Wrathful (Ranger level 9), Killed by two pains in the Annis in session #122. RAISED FROM THE DEAD
Anri (Henchman Magic-User level 4), found dead with a ghastly chest wound in the Ice Castle, with her heart missing she was unable to be revived, in downtime after session #122
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 to 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
