Trollopulous Adjusted Session 147 (Machodor #98): Lord Inferno's Treasure

         

Introduction

Last session the heroes of Machodor slew two great dragons — Vyrisara and Vyrathax — in the depths of Lord Inferno's Lair. Now they turned their attention to what every adventurer fights for: the hoard. But Echellet's  had warned them: the treasure itself was a deadly enemy.

Timekeeping

This session began on February 19th 2026, with the player characters adventuring until the 12th of February in game time until the 14th. Downtime for these characters begins on the later on the 14th

Player Characters Present

Sever the Wrathful (Level 10 Pegasus Corps Ranger Lord of Machodor, wielder of Were'shbane and the Rod of Lordly Might, wearer of the Girdle of Cloud Giant Strength, rider of Mustang) with henchman Thomas (C7), Poindexter (M6), and Rabbit (FMT556)

Slippery Pete (Level 10 Master Thief, wearer of the Hat of Disguise and wielder of the Black Dagger)

Fluid the Druid (Level 9 Druid, "Scourge of Trollopulous", former wearer of the Ring of Kings, current wearer of the Cloak of Druidish Awesomeness)

Sheamus (Level 9 Irish Fighter Lord from Brovenloft, rider of the Rocket Cycle and wielder of the Drewblade)

Giuseppe (Level 8 Paladin of Rome, Brovenloft, wielder of Sanctus Draconis Interfector and the Shield of Protection from Missiles, rider of Bonecrusher) with henchmen Bishoy (F6), Tawadros (F6), Steelvein (F6), Rhoikos (M6)

Gurt the Green (Level 7 Paladin of Machodor, wielder of the Liberator, bearer of the Fabled Ice Jewel of Frigia, rider of Artax) with henchman Cedric (C5)

Connor Lugh (Level 4 Irish Fighter from Brovenloft)

Downtime

Victory in Lord Inferno's Lair had been won in blood and fire. Vyrisara and Vyrathax, dead and consumed by the fire that sustained them. But the party now found themselves in possession of something of more enigmatic danger than a dungeon full of hostile creatures: the private chambers of a dragoness and the sorcerous artefacts that had kept her alive.

Examination of the great cavernous chamber had revealed the following:

Vyrisara's bed — an enormous bed similar to what humans would use, only scaled for a huge ancient red dragon. Beside it, more modestly, Echellet's own sleeping place.

The Soul Gem — a gem of unusual depth and lustre, housed in a crystal box on a stand positioned between the two beds. This was the mechanism by which Inferno's sorcery had merged Echellet's soul with the body of the slain Vyrisara. 

Two pillars of living flame — vertical columns burning with the supernatural fire drawn from the quasi-plane of Living Fire. Each contained a dragon heart, still beating. 

The party confirmed that summoning magic functioned normally in Area 5, unlike in the sacrifice cubes of Area 1. The would not starve.

A considerable portion of downtime was spent probing the various sections of the lair rather than plundering it. The party had Echellet's own warning ringing in their ears:

"Beware! Inferno is no ordinary wyrm. His power is vast, but his lair itself may prove deadlier still. Wards of ancient sorcery guard treasures there — relics, artefacts, bindings — that could turn a hard-won victory into defeat. Do not enter lightly; the hoard is not mere gold, but instruments of dominion that whisper and hunger."

They also found:

• The treasure room (Area 4) comprises roughly six distinct caverns, each containing items radiating both magic and evil in unsettling combination.
• The door to Za'rathul's laboratory in Area 3 was sealed by a mechanism none in the party could identify, let alone bypass.
• Detect magic was of no practical value in Area 4 — every cubic foot of the place radiated magic.

Freed from the draconic curse, Echellet was herself again — mostly. But ordeal had left its mark. She suffered from bad dreams she could not recall upon waking. She felt, with unnerving certainty, that some connection still existed between herself and Vyrisara — and that Vyrathax's fate was still an open question.

One night, Sheamus and Giuseppe followed her closely as she walked — eyes open but not seeing them — through the living-fire door into Area 2, the throne room, and south into Area 1. There she opened one of the sacrifice cubes, displaying an affinity with the living fire that was stronger even than theirs, releasing the prisoners inside. She appeared to be reliving a memory — whether hers or Vyrisara's was impossible to say — of a time when she had desperately wanted to get into that cube.

While Sheamus and Giuseppe were occupied following Echellet, Fluid attempted to extinguish one of the two pillars of living flame using pyrotechnics. The spell did not touch the supernatural fire; instead it filled the bedroom chamber with thick, billowing smoke.

Slippery Pete, never one to waste an opportunity, used the obscuring smoke to "examine" the Soul Gem in its crystal box. When the smoke finally cleared, the thief was unconscious on the flagstones. And deep within the gem — in a place that had certainly been empty before — a strange image could now be seen by anyone who looked.

The episode was wrapped up when Giuseppe managed to dispel the effects of the gem and return Slippery Pete's soul to his body.

With the lair secured and intelligence gathered, Sever and Giuseppe made the descent back to Cthugarak and collected Gurt and Connor Lugh, who had been waiting in Fort Wrath. The full party was now assembled for what was to come.

Session Report

Surprisingly, with a treasure hoard right next door, there was considerable discussion before the party decided to go there at all rather than somewhere else entirely not somewhere else in the lair.

At first the going was easy. In the section right beyond the door everyone started filling sacks as they went, giving a preference for jewellery and gems over coins; but they were also looking for useful magic items— and for the golden skulls rumoured to serve as the key to the dungeon under Castle von Necro.

DM Note: I had set up a search method similar to the bone cave in the Hill Giants' Steading from module G1. Each cavern had 20 subsections that could be searched; each search generated a roll on that cavern's treasure table.

Systematic searching proved impossible — the coin piles simply flowed back to fill every gap they made, and with the whole cavern blazing on the magical spectrum, detect magic was useless. Worse than that, the heroes sensed a strange presence in the coins, as though they were moving in such a way as to actively conceal more valuable items.

Eventually they found a metal bottle, which Gurt bagged but did not attempt to open (sigh). Not long after, they found a book — this too was bagged without examination. At last, after a full day's searching, Giuseppe turned up two flasks of what appeared to be potions.

They retreated through the living fire door into Area 5 to regroup and rest for the night. However, though their sacks were bulging with coin, the items they had gathered were nowhere to be found. This caused much groaning and speculative looks at Slippery Pete, who protested his innocence in the strongest fashion. There was nothing for it but to sleep and try again in the morning.

Come morning they pushed back through the living fire door. This time, their sacks already near-full of coin, they simply raked through the hoard looking for items of more value. After many hours they turned up a tome — in fact, the tome — that they had bagged and lost the day before.

Slippery Pete immediately took the tome to a corner and began to read. Nothing untoward happened, so the others continued searching.

Then it was Connor's turn to find something — a Deck of Many Things. The deck was immediately recognisable for what it was; drawing from it would have consequences, though of what kind no one could say.

Connor drew two cards, one at a time: Ruin (K♠) — "Immediately lose all wealth and real property" — and Flames (Q♣) — "Enmity between you and a devil." Both draws were bad, yet neither was instantly fatal. Connor, as a journeyman adventurer, had little accumulated wealth to lose — but what he did have was gone. He decided that was quite enough and pocketed the deck.

At the tenth hour, Sever found the same pair of potion flasks Giuseppe had found the day before. Convinced the whole thing was some sort of illusion, he didn't touch them.

As they began to retreat for the second night running, Connor noticed a hand — made entirely from coins, connected to a tentacle of the same — reaching for the deck of cards in his pack. The fighter grabbed on tight; quick-thinking Sever slashed at the coin tentacle.

The moment it was cut, the treasure pile shuddered — and then, slowly, something within it began to rise.

 

Combat #1: Electrum Coin Golem

Result: Party win

Rounds: 4

Highlights: The coin tentacles functioned as evard's black tentacles from Unearthed Arcana, adapted to allow pickpocketing — which explained the disappearance of the items the party had gathered the day before. Discovered at last, the golem abandoned concealment and attacked. Several characters were caught in the grasping tentacles and held fast, while the golem itself moved through the coin pile with unnerving ease, smashing anyone within reach.

Sheamus was engulfed in a fist of swirling coins; the force of the blow tore the Drewblade from his grip. It skittered away and was lost among the shifting coins. Casting about for any weapon, he closed his hand around something that felt like a sword hilt, pulled it free of the clinging coins, and rejoined the attack.

The party soon found that only magic weapons could harm the golem — but after several hard rounds they prevailed and the creature came apart. Whatever presence had inhabited this section of the cavern was gone with the destruction of the golem. 

The heroes pulled back out to the bedroom area to regroup and heal up from the battle. Once they had done so they were ready for more. 

In the second cavern — the one that had held Vyrathax — they found something that jogged their memories of session 30: a diorama depicting each kind of giant standing in a circle around a central figure of a titan. Within it sat an orb of carven white jade radiating evil so strongly that not one of them was willing to lay a hand on it. In the end, Giuseppe asked his henchman Rhoikos to shift it with unseen servant. There was some question as to whether the orb came in under the spell's weight limit (200 gp weight), but even as it started to move, the coins and gems around it began to lift into the air, forming hypnotic patterns that snared the attention of most of the party — leaving them standing there staring like idiots.

The flying coins and gems began to coalesce. By the time anyone realised what was forming, the golem was already upon them.

if only it came with more brains

Combat #2: Gem Coin Golem

Result: Party win with losses

Rounds: 3 
Highlights: Sever shook free of the enchantment and attacked; Fluid cast insect swarm; and Slippery Pete bravely put his book down and fired off a shot with his hawkman pistol. 

Had the golem been intelligent, I would have had it target a hypnotised opponent, granting automatic hits at full damage against a helpless target — enough to kill almost anyone. However, it was not smart, so I rolled normally to determine its target, and Sever's number came up.

Like the first golem, this one could only be harmed by sufficiently powerful magic weapons — but as they struck it, they could see gems being destroyed. They were literally fighting the treasure. When it could take no more, the golem exploded in a cloud of shrapnel, catching Rhoikos and blowing him to pieces.

As with the previous combat, they retreated to the bedroom chamber and rested. With sacks full of treasure they had every incentive to pull out — but they now had many human prisoners with them and no ready means of getting them safely out. The session was over.

Addendum:

When the players awoke and logged on discord, they found this update:

Weary and battered, you trudged back to Room 5 — Echellet's chamber — after the Gem-Coin Golem's defeat. You obtained much treasure, sacks full, but victory tastes bitter: Rhoikos lies dead, shredded in the final glittering explosion that rent the hoard asunder. Connor, hollow-eyed, pulls the Deck of Many Things from his pack. "One last draw, lads — for him."

The Queen of Diamonds gleams in his grip. A wish, but he must use it fast. The warrior looks around and mutters something that sounds like this: "I wish to safely transport the treasure, party, and rescued prisoners to Minas Mandalf."

And just like that, you are no longer in Lord Inferno's lair, and neither are:

38 humans (Irish fighters, Cthugarak foreigners, criminals, slaves, etc.)

4 Firenewts: Thalrek (Ignisalam), Ssethkar (Scorchviper), Vesthra (Pyrotoad), Zharuuk Embercoil (Emberdrake merchant, low-rank trader)

2 lava children, 1 ophidian

You find yourselves in the middle of Minas Mandalf's Cathedral Square, noon.

Your sacks of glittering treasure thud to the flagstones around you. Pilgrims streaming from the cathedral doors post-Mass, arms laden with roses for the Feast of St. Valentine — still solemnly observed in Machodor — halt in stunned confusion. Agamanon  himself  (NPC Cleric level 12) pauses mid-benediction on the steps, crozier raised, eyes widening at the sudden arrivals.

Gasps ripple; a rose-petal shower halts mid-air. "Miracle!" one pilgrim cries; guards double-time from alleys, halberds low — then raised in a passable salute as they recognise some of you. Agamanon descends, voice booming: "By the saints — what vision is this?"

Chaos swelled to cheers as word spread — and the flag of Machodor flew overhead in a winter sky already showing the first signs of spring.

Session Statistics: 

Wilderness travel:  0 Miles

Downtime begins on: 15/02/26
Combats: 2
Rooms mapped: 1
Combat rounds: 7
Losses: Rhoikos

Treasure & Items

The treasure was covered by an illusion, when this faded its true worth was revealed!

20,000 copper pieces

2,000 silver pieces

200 electrum pieces

100 gold pieces

20 platinum pieces

Along lots of worthless paste gems and brass jewellery.

However, the illusion was not able to prevent the adventurers collecting some worthwhile items:

2000 gp Amethyst, 2000 gp Topaz, 3 gp Hematite, 30 gp Turquoise, 300 gp Rock Crystal, 400 gp Rock Crystal, 450 gp Sapphire = 5,203

11000 gp Brooch, 6000 gp Necklace, 7000 gp Statuette = 24,000

Eversmoking Bottle 2,500gp

Tome of Understanding 8,000xp (read by Slippery Pete who turned over 8,000gp and left)

Deck of Many Things (is actually 0 XP and disappeared, see downtime in session 99)

Magic Two-handed Sword 7000xp (Sheamus)

Monsters

#97 Vyrisara 10,758xp

#97 Vyrathax 10,758xp

#98 Electrum coin golem 14,550xp

#98 Gem coin golem 14,550xp

97,819 XP & 40,203 GP Assignment

Sever (E) 11,226 xp & 4,467gp

and Thomas (E) 5,561 xp & 2,234 gp

and Poindexter (E) 5,561 xp & 2,234 gp

and Rabbit (E) 5,561 xp & 2,234 gp

Fluid  (E) 11,226 xp & 4,467gp

Slipper Pete^3 (S) 2445 xp & 0 gp

Sheamus^1 (E) 9,307xp & 4,467gp

Giuseppe (E) 11,226 xp & 4,467gp

and Bishoy (E) 5,561 xp & 2,234 gp

and Tawadros (E) 5,561 xp & 2,234 gp

and Steelvein (E) 5,561 xp & 2,234 gp

and Rhoikos^2 (E) 4,652 xp & 2,234 gp

Gurt^5 N/A

and Cedric (E) 4,339 xp & 2,234 gp

Connor ^4  (E) 8,695 xp & 4,467gp

^1 asleep for the Gem Golem fight

^2 killed in the Gem Golem fight

^3 fought in session #97, but spent most of #98 reading, refuses any share of the treasure (most noble)

^4 not in session #97

^5 gone before XP allocated

Graveyard

Rhoikos (Henchman Magic-User Level 6), caught in the explosion of the dying gem coin golem in session #147

Marco Valtieri (Fighter Level 4), immolated and burnt to a crisp by Vyrathax in Lord Inferno's Lair in session #146

Oblate (Illusionist Level 3), killed and eaten by the Nathruk in the Skalrath in session #140

Eniac (Magic-User level 1), killed by a poisoned Grothak spear in session #137 

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