The D&D Dynasty: The Path of Alzar the Mighty [Archive]

Abe Sargent

04-25-2010, 06:24 PM

Alzar was born the only son of a mayor of a large town. He saw his father regularly use his power to increase his own wealth and holdings, but always did so in a way so as to avoid breaking the law. His father always claimed that truly smart people did not need to break their word or the law in order to gain power.

As Alzar grew in stature and intelligence, his training moved towards the military. He became a professional soldier at a young age, impressing his superiors with his quick mind and strong intuitive command of battle tactics. After several years he was promoted to a high rank, and given the responsibility of controlling a sub-command.

It was while in charge of this sub-command that Alzar and his troops encountered an evil necromancer. After his troops overcame the necromancer’s undead forces, they captured the necromancer. Brought to his tent, the necromancer neither bowed nor acknowledged the superior position of Alzar, haughtily informing Alzar that he did not control lives nor did he have power. Alzar was a weak man. Angered, Alzar slashed out at the necromancer with his axe, and the smile on the necromancer’s lips grew stronger and froze in death.

Alzar could not escape from the smile. His dreams over the next few weeks were consumed by the necromancer’s claim and his smile. After a couple of months passed, Alzar knew he had to pursue the claims made, and resigned his commission.

A few weeks later he returned to the site of where the necromancer had been, only to find him there, waiting on Alzar. Without muttering a word, he motioned for Alzar to sit beside him, and Alzar’s apprenticeship began.

Several years later, while Alzar was apprenticed to Vorthala, shortly after Alzar reached 3rd level, his master died in a failed attempt to gain lichdom. Quickly, Vorthala’s old apprentices arrived and claimed his things and tower for themselves. Alzar was not able to get much, only snuck a few scrolls with some obscure spells on them, and a good amount of gold and other valuable items like gems and jewelry. While everyone else was getting tomes, magic items, scrolls and such, Alzar was only able to leave with a few scrolls, some of which he has since transposed into his spellbook.

Without a home, and without a permanent resting place, Alzar, his familiar, and his homonculous are going to turn to the obvious place to get the gold needed to start up on his own, away from people and to start a new life for himself, away from his own master and his former apprentices.

Alzar has a small number of spells in his spellbook from his apprenticeship, and only a few items. Due to the dual-class nature, he cannot use his knowledge as a professional soldier while still trying to make it as a necromancer, if he wants to learn anything. However, the skills he has learned are still available to him, and using various skills, he is able to survive and thrive in the wilderness.

About fifty miles away from Vorthala’s tower, Alzar has arrived at the town of Regalsford. It is small compared to the city Alzar grew up in, but as the center of business for the area, it has a lot of amenities you would not expect for its size. Leaving Lastion outside in a nearby cave, Alzar enters the city with gold in his pockets, fully supplied, but looking for the next chapter in his life.

Abe Sargent

04-25-2010, 06:34 PM

Abe Sargent

04-25-2010, 06:36 PM

Magical Items:

+1 Battle Axe
Necklace of Adaptation
Potion of Healing
Scrolls of: Mordenkainen’s Faithful Phantom Shield-Maidens, Bone Knit and Teleport

Spellbook:

3/2

First Level:

Animate Dead Animals *
Cantrip
Charm Person *
Detect Magic
Friends
Identify
Read Magic
Sleep *
Unseen Servant

Second Level:

Attract Ghoul
Blastbones *
ESP *
Forget
Locate Object
Ray of Ondovir
Speak with Dead

Third Level:

Dire Charm
Searing Serpent
Skulltrap

Fourth Level:

Vorthala’s Undead Turning Immunity

Those that he normally memorizes are asterisked.

--------------

Vorthala’s Undead Turning Immunity

Level: 4
Casting Time: 4
Components: VSM
Duration: 1 day
Target: 1 touched undead creature

Vorthala was Alzar’s necromantic master, and passed this spell on to his pupil, the only one Alzar got before Vorthala died. When cast on an undead creature, it is immune to any turning attempts by a priest, whether it would result in turning or destruction. It can be controlled by a rival who could control undead. This spell grants only immunity to turning attempts, and not turning or destruction from spells. The material component for this spell is a sliver of bone and a vial of unholy water.

Abe Sargent

04-25-2010, 06:49 PM

Rules:

1). Alzar must take adventures normally designed for a group of adventurers. Can he survive? If he has to pull out his Battle Axe and fighter it up, he will, but that means a loss of XP for that encounter.
2). Alzar is Lawful Evil, and needs to be played that way. He is not afraid to kill to gain power, and he is not afraid to negotiate to gain power either.
3). Alzar knows he is a meat shield compared to his familiar, homonculous and animal skeletons.
4). While doing a module, any magical item other than a + weapon or armor, or any spell in a spellbook has a 10% chance of becoming a random one of the same type from all of those ever made, in order to represent my world, with a diverse set of magic items and spells.
5). In my world, there is no restriction to the number of spells you can learn
6). This includes AD&D modules, D&D modules, 1st Edition, 2nd Edition, world specific ones like Greyhawk or Forgotten Realms – whatever works for my world works here.
7). After the initial campaign, any future modules need to be rolled on dice and are determined randomly, except where those modules cannot be done by me doing both Alzar, the DM and Alzar’s allies.
8). I can do a good job being neutral usually, but there are a few places where I cannot, and I will admit that when it comes.

Abe Sargent

04-25-2010, 07:00 PM

Let’s look at Alzar’s allies:

Lastion, Ghoul

Neutral Evil

HP: 15
THAC0: 19
AC: 6

Lastion is Alzar’s familiar, a Ghoul summoned by the Attract Ghoul spell. Lastion is much smarter than the average Ghoul, with an Intelligence of 11. If Lastion encounters foes, he will attack, with its three attacks per round for 1d3, 1d3, and 1d6 requiring any hit to save or be paralyzed for 1d6+2 rounds.

Lastion is turned as a Wight, not as a Ghoul, due to his familiar status. Lastion is much smarter than a normal ghoul with an intelligence of 11. If Lastion dies, Alzar must make a system shock roll or be incapacitated for 1d6 hours.

Megala, Homonculous

Lawful Evil

HP: 10
THAC0: 19
AC: 6
Damage: 1d3+ sleep

Megala is Alzar’s Homonculous from before Vorthala died, and he had given Alzar much of the ingredients. Megala has no personality, and is merely an extension of Alzar. When he fights, his fangs force a save vs poison or put a person to sleep for 5d6 rounds. If he dies, Alzar will take 2d10 damage.

Alzar can use both Megala and Lastion as eyes and ears, and senses what they sense.

Animal Skeletons:

AC: 8
HP: 3
THAC0: 19

# of attacks/rnd: 1 - 1d4

Additionally, Alzar has 21 animated animal skeletons at his beck and call as cannon fodder and disposable labor and scouts. These are animated from normal animal small skeletons like squirrels and toads and cats and such. Alzar can animate three more of the same species whenever he casts Animate Dead Animals, so if he comes across a dried up pond with some dead frogs and so forth, expect him to add to his numbers.

Abe Sargent

04-25-2010, 07:43 PM

Okay, what I intend to do to start is to use the In Search of Adventure book for the early campaign, substituting in Regalsford in my place, for Threshold.

For those unfamiliar with this, it collects the adventures B2-B9 and creates a mini-campaign with them. Initially three adventures will be open to me, and I can select one. After successfully completing it, I open one or more future adventures. All lead to the same end, but if I want, I can come out of a path at any time, to start another one, but one I get to a certain point, I just gotta finish.

Abe Sargent

04-25-2010, 08:41 PM

Regalsford:

Situated largely by itself in the foothills of the Feldspar Mountains, lies the 5000 strong citizens of Regalsford. Found just upriver from the junction of a minor river (the Tybartina River) and an unnamed lake, Regalsford is one of the last bastions of civilization before your journey to the nation of Intaria takes you into the wilderness. Although no king or crown claims this land, nor any for hundreds of miles, there is a minor Duke who helps out the locals, but he is upriver in another town. Regelsford is mostly on its own. Things here can be more expensive.

Because of the frontier law it has, weapons other than daggers, knives, and staffs must be checked in before entering, and no spells may be cast while inside the city walls.

Ignore the name of the town, river, etc.

http://mystara.fr/maps/known_world/karameikos/threshold.jpg

Inside are inns, temples, stores, houses, a bank, and more.

MacroGuru

04-25-2010, 08:54 PM

I will be reading...

Abe Sargent

04-25-2010, 09:03 PM

Awesome!

Alzar has left Lastion and the animal skeletons in a nearby cave while he enters Regalsford at night. His homonculous is on his shoulder, obvious to everyone. As he nears it, he is met by a sergeant in the town guard and informed of the rules here. He agrees to turn over his battle axe +1 to the sergeant while in the town. He does not agree to not cast any magic, he just nods when the sergeant mentions it.

Alzar mentions that he is here to restock in his supplies and see if there is any gainful employment for mages like him (he claims to be a mere mage).

Alzar pays for a week of rooms at a local inn for 10 gp. He gets a few looks with his homonculous displayed openly, but appears friendly and likable enough, and there are some wizards who openly live in our around Regalsford, so Alzar is not alone.

After two days, Alzar has heard several rumors. Three he can act on immediately:

1). A local merchant, Clifton Caldwell, has purchased the Old Antilles Castle five miles west of the town, and needs someone to evict the current residents.

2). A renegade cleric named Elwyn has been organizing raiding parties of orcs three days ride to the east. The mayor of the town wants this investigated.

3). A Qwith merchant named Sindar needs a package delivered to his partner in the town of Selenica, far to the north.

Alzar decides to check out the castle, since it is nearby.

BYU 14

04-25-2010, 09:04 PM

I will be following along. I haven't played D&D for a loooooong time so forgive what may be naive questions here and there. So are these books basically modules that you can play solo?

Abe Sargent

04-25-2010, 09:25 PM

Nope, I'm editing them slightly. They are just normal adventures, for starting characters.

http://homepage3.nifty.com/nmio/dd/pictures/b1-9.jpg

Abe Sargent

04-25-2010, 09:43 PM

Adventure B9 – Castle Caldwell and Beyond

Alzar arrives at the Caldwell estate on the edge of town, and is let into the estate after mentioning his business. Within ten minutes, Clifton has arrived.

Clifton purchased the castle a month ago, and then went to the castle. Within a few minutes of being there, he was attacked and had to run after seeing monsters. He wants someone to go and take care of it. However, he does not think that just one person can do it, so he has doubts about Alzar.

While bending down to pick up a dropped object, Alzar casts Charm Person on Clifton. It…succeeds. Clifton will give the assignment to Alzar, and even agrees to pay the full amount he was willing to barter to: 250 gold, and even gets Clifton to agree to give it all to Alzar up front.

Having been given information as to what is going on, Alzar begins to look to look for supplies to go to the Castle.

Here is what he purchases:

3 horses – 1 riding and 2 draft – 375 gold
1 small wagon – 400 gold

Various small supplies: bedroll, tent, food for a few days, sacks, extra axe, torches, etc: 50 gold

Total spent: 825

Current gold: 381

Alzar hooks up the draft horses to the wagon, equips it, and then rides the riding horse. Because they will be skittish around undead, he has Lastion lead the animal skeletons far away, but in the same direction. They come across nothing in the five miles to the castle.

Abe Sargent

04-25-2010, 09:59 PM

Alzar lashes the horses firmly so they cannot run, and then brings in the undead. They whimper rand try to flee, but his knowledge of horses keeps them from being able to run away. He approaches the slope up to the door with all of his allies in tow.

The doors are made of oak, the castle is smaller and has just four towers, one in each corner, and just one level – nothing above it at all. Alzar wonders at the purpose of building a castle like that, after all, castles are expensive to build.

He walks up the door and it is loose on the hinges, and opens easily. In front he sees a T intersection. On each side is a door, and a door is also in front of him, in the intersection. Knowing traps may be present, he runs a squirrel skeleton into the hallway and up to the door in front of him, but nothing happens. Alzar then sends in Megala to fly over and check it out. Alzar can see through Megala’s eyes that the corridor is empty, and goes on in each direction, with a door flanking the one in front, and the corridor’s splitting at the end.

http://www.coldmonkeymountain.com/osrpg/B9/castle_caldwell-fixed.jpg

Alzar decides to try the door on his right first. The door opens. With the animal skeletons in front of him, he pushes it open.

Suddenly, four goblins freeze and look right at Alzar and his small horde of skeletons, even small ones. There are no other doors from this room, and sense of resignation sets over them as they draw their weapons reluctantly. Alzar tries to address them with Typic, but that fails, they do not know it. As they approach, Alzar sighs, and moves to the front to protect his group. Four goblins should not be as much of a problem for him.

Staff in hand, Alzar is hit by one of the goblins for 2 damage from a short sword. Alzar thumps one for 3 damage with his staff, plus one for strength. They swing and two connect for 9 damage from short swords. Alzar thumps with his staff again and doles out two more damage, enough to kill the first goblin.

One hits for double damage and deals 4 damage. Alzar misses. Alzar wins init and hits dealing 7 and killing a second one. He takes 6 more himself. Alzar misses. H etakes 2. Alzar hits for 6. He is missed. Alzar misses. The last one misses. It hits, Alzar takes 4 and then Alzar hits and kills the last one.

HP: Alzar is at -23 so at 28. 140 XP gained

Alzar finds a ton of coins: 3000 copper, 4000 silver, one gem on the floor (50 gold) and 26 electrum. He has the four short swords placed outside in his “Magic” pile which he will cast Detect Magic on later to see if any are magical. The rest are left here except for the pocketed gem.

Abe Sargent

04-25-2010, 10:13 PM

Alzar moves to the room on his left. It opens. There are some broken tables and chairs and lots of cobwebs. He sends in the animal skeleton to explore but they find nothing except a sack of under a table with 300 silver, and three gems worth 300, 50 and 50. Alzar takes the gems and Lastion runs the sack out to the wagon. While Alzar is waiting, a group of four goblins arrive in the hallway and see Alzar and his undead animals. They see into the rooms that Alzr has killed their friends, and then they visibly drop their weapons in front of Alzar and run sort of towards him and sort of away. He lets them go. Their four short bows are added to the magic pile.

Alzar then returns to the corridor and he has his animal skeletons walk all the way around the castle, and return, but no traps trigger and nothing attacks them. He then sends out Megala, and again, nothing, and he sees the layout. He has the skeletons investigate the towers rooms, two at a time, each led by either Lastion or Megala, and they don’t find anything in any of them, just dust and such.

Alzar decides to just go straight into the door facing him. It opens, and he sees…a man lying on the bed, first asleep, but now wakening. He picks up an axe and addresses Alzar. “Yes, how can I help you?” Alzar is a bit taken back by the normal question, but quickly explains why he is here. The man introduces himself as a trader and raps on the walls adjacent to him. In a minute, two men from the adjacent rooms have arrived, and all three discuss. They agree to leave and begin collecting their belongings. Alzar lets them, and in ten minutes, they are gone.

Alzar immediately investigates (rooms 3, 4 and 5 on map) and finds nothing in the rooms beyond some old food, and used, worn, but serviceable furniture.

Alzar enters the door that goes inward from the middle room. It is a small, central courtyard, and in it are two wolves that see Alzar open the door and move to attack. Alzar decides to send in the troops and his Animal Skeletons will be taking this one.

They go first. Four hit for 1, 2, 4, and 2 damage. The wolves miss and hit for 2 damage, keeping the skeleton alive. The wolves go first next, and kill a skeleton. 20 left. They swing and deal out 2, 1, and 4. The first wolf dies. They attack first, and deal 7 damage in four hits and kill the last wolf.

240 XP gained, cut in half to 120 XP for not participating.

Tellistto

04-25-2010, 10:29 PM

Will definitely be following along with this. Good start so far, tough little fight with the goblins.

Abe Sargent

04-25-2010, 10:32 PM

There is nothing in this room, but five doors out. Alzar starts with the lower left, and it opens and reveals an old bedroom. The animal skeletons and others search and find nothing after 10 minutes of checking.

He opens up the door on the left in the upper area. Again, a used bed room and again, nothing found.

He moves to the door in the middle top of the castle courtyard. Inside are three small kobolds ho immediately run at the sight of the group entering from the courtyard, which means they killed the wolves the kobolds know about. Alzar lets them go and sends Megala to make sure they flee the castle instead of warning someone. They do flee. A search of the room finds nothing.

There is a door to the hallway, now open, but Alzar goes back to the courtyard. He opens the door to the upper left. Another bedroom with nothing in it. He finishes with the lower left door. After an exhaustive search of this bedroom, Alzar’s minions find a large sack under bed clothes with 300 sp and 50 gp in it. It is run out to the wagon.

Alzar and his troops head into the corridor again and decide to finish off the middle section of the castle by hitting the left room on the top side first. It is another bed room and another search finds nothing. Finally, he heads to the right room on this side and again finds nothing in the bedroom after a long search, except a crab spider that tries to attack an animal skeleton and is killed in seconds because it doesn’t do any damage, just poison damage and the undead are immune to it.

Abe Sargent

04-25-2010, 10:32 PM

Will definitely be following along with this. Good start so far, tough little fight with the goblins.

Thanks!

Abe Sargent

04-25-2010, 11:10 PM

Since he is here, he decides to go across the hallway and start with the right most door on the back of the hallway and move left. This appears to be an old utility room now empty. The undead find nothing in here. He moves left and opens the door and three humans and a pack mule are in here. They move to the door and begin to speak with Alzar brusquely. They request to be allowed to leave with their items intact. They seem to be doing alright for themselves. Alzar turns around to consider this, and casts Charm Person on the first one to talk to him. Failure.

He knows that he was the target of a spell, and draws his short sword. The other two do not know what is going on, and Alzar turns around, and announces that he will be casting a spell to make sure they are not going to stab him in the back when they are allowed to leave. After casting ESP, Alzar begins to read their minds and discovers that they are bandits. “Bandits, eh?” He says to them, and then they draw their other swords and move to attack. Alzar draws his staff and orders Lastion to assist him.

Alzar misses with his staff and Lastion hits twice for 9 damage on a bandit, killing him outright. The first bandit hits Lastion for 2 damage and the other for 5 on Alzar. The bandits swing faster and dole out 3 to Lastion. Alzar misses. Lastion hits once for 3 damage on a bandit. The bandit makes his save. Alzar smacks a bandit for 5 damage and kills it. Lastion hits once for 1 damage and the bandit fails his save and is paralyzed. Alzar allows Lastion to kill him by himself.

The three short swords are added to the magic pile. A search finds a bunch of gold. Alzar secures the pack mule with the two draft horses and then comes back.

3000 sp in 6 sacks, taken to wagon while we are waiting. Small wooden box with gems worth 200, 100x2 and 10x3. Two pearl necklaces (400 gold each)

XP gained: 150

Lastion is allowed to snack on the one he didn’t kill for now, and can feast later.

Alzar is at 23 HP and Lastion at 10.

Abe Sargent

04-25-2010, 11:41 PM

Alzar moves to the next room to the west and finds an old storeroom, with ledges and shelves, looking empty. A search confirms it.

He then finishes up the back section with the final room – which appears like it may have been an old guardroom. There is a weapons rack with no weapons, a few beds, etc. An exhaustive search finds a small sack with 100 sp and 20 gp run over to the wagon and back.

Alzar decides to move to the left and go the topmost left door. He cannot open it. He tries to hack at it, and does everything in his power to open it, but it will not budge.

The next room has another old storeroom. An animal skeleton is killed by a giant shrew after it enters and is ambushed. It is killed by the animal skeletons but not before another dies. 20 XP for Alzar and 18 skeletons left.

There is nothing in the room. The next one is the old library of the castle. The old bookshelves are dilapidated and the few books are eaten through and destroyed. There are a couple of large fire beetles in the room. Since Alzar does not know what is in the room, he orders the animal skeletons to attack. They kill the fire beetles and Alzar is down to 16 skeletons. 35 XP gained, and nothing in the room.

The next room appears to be a pantry with a dead goblin carcass in here. The animal skeletons find a spitting cobra, which they defeat without any dying. 20 XP for Alzar.

The final room on the left has the castle kitchen. The Animal skeletons trigger a gas trap on an empty chest and poison damage is dealt to them and anything near them, but Alzar is not near them, so he takes nothing. The chest is worth 50 gold and can hold up to 2000 coins.

Alzar walks over the lower right room and opens it up. It is a utility room except for a statue in the corner of a shepherd, who address Alzar as he opens the door, and tells him how he can help Alzar. Alzar asks about the hidden room, and is told that great mage and danger are behind it. Alzar asks about the next two rooms and finds out htat they are both fully empty of anything, even treasure. No more questions can be answered, so Alzar moves to one of the final rooms.

This appears to be another storeroom, and as the animal skeletons move it, three Stirges dive from the ledge and kill one. 15 left. Alzar orders them back and Lastion and him move up. Alzar misses and Lastion deals just one damage to one, but it fails its save and it falls to the ground paralyzed. The other two miss.

Alzar slaps one for 4 damage. Lastion misses. One stirge hits Alzar for 1 damage and locks its beak on. The stirges go first. Alzar automatically takes 2 damage from the Stirge. The other hits Alzar for two more and locks on. Alzar hits for 2 damage. Lastion hits twice and deals 7 damage to a strige and kills it. The miss might hit Alzar, since they are very close, and actually does hit, so Alzar takes 2 damage, and passes his save. He orders Lastion away.

The final Stirge deals 4 to Alzar. Alzar misses. Alzar hits for 2 damage and kills the Stirge. He immediately casts Animate Dead Animals and they join his crew. 18 now.

HP: Alzar is at 12 HP, Lastion still at 10.

XP: 525

Nothing is found in the room.

The final room appears to be an old chapel, with a female cleric praying and she stands up when she sees Alzar open the door. She is wielding a mace and wearing plate mail. She offers to lead Alzar in prayer, but he rejects, and she asks to leave, which he allows, knowing nothing is left here, but following her with Megala to make sure she leaves, and doesn’t take anything from the wagon.

An exhaustive search finds two vials of liquid in a cabinet under the altar. They are taken to the magic pile.

Abe Sargent

04-25-2010, 11:52 PM

And with that, Alzar has finished the castle, except for that one room. His minions double check everything, and all of the treasure from the goblins is leaded up into the wagon.

The total treasure in coins, in gp: 883. Alzar spends 33 gold to convert the lower coins to gold at the bank.

Gems: 300, 200, 100x2, 50x3, 10x3; Pearl Necklaces: 400x2. Alzar does not convert these, not now.

XP gained: 1111 – This is with the XP bonus.

He spends the night at Castle Caldwell, and in the morning, has memorized Detect Magic and Identify. Before he gets ready to leave, he casts Detect Magic on the items. A short sword from the bandits, and the two vials of water glow. After a few hours into the Identify spell, the short sword is ID’d as cursed, -1 sword, and Alzar discards it.

Lastion has gained two ghoul followers from the two slain bandits, and they will follow later at night back to Lastion’s cave outside of Regalsford. Alzar begins to take the horses and wagon back to town. He sells the extra weapons for a few gold that he uses to replace his supplies and food.

Current gold – 1231. XP – 6161

Abe Sargent

04-26-2010, 12:16 AM

Clifton Caldwell welcomes Alzar with open arms. He is distraught to hear of the issue with the hidden door, but news of the newly clean castle makes Caldwell quite happy. Alzar moves the bodies of the dead goblins to a nearby area and had them buried and marked with stones, so he can come back and animate them later if he needs to.

For a week, the three ghouls snack on the dead bandit while Alzar heals up. His two identify spells for the next two days reveal the vials as Healing Potions. He is even able to find some animal skeletons to bring him to 20.

Meanwhile, Clifton has paid one of the mages in the area to head over to the castle and cast a Knock spell on the door. It opens and there is a trap door going down. The mage won’t go further so Alzar has been offered the gig by Clifton. Because Clifton is still charmed, he again offers the full amount, and all up front:

200 gold.

1431 gold, plus gems and necklaces.

Alzar again heads out to the Castle and a few hours he arrives there, and again ties the wagon just outside the castle. A quick check shows that nothing is here on the first level. Alzar brings in the pack of ghouls. Here are the two new ghouls:

8 hp each, 19 THAC0, same attacks as Lastion. Intelligence low though. Ghouls made by them are not controlled by Lastion, and therefore not by Alzar.

Here we go.

Abe Sargent

04-26-2010, 10:47 AM

Alzar orders torches brought from the wagon, since it is dark under the trapdoor. The animal skeletons start searching down there, and find nothing, so Megala flies down and Alzar/Megala see nothing. With the path clear, everybody else goes down. As Alzar goes last, the trapdoor shuts behind him. Just as that happens, a man walks into the room from the north corridor and introduces himself. He looks like a mage. He tells Alzar there is an exit at the end of the corridor. Finding this a bit strange, Alzar begisn to question the mage, and he tells him that he lives down here, away from it all, but is happy to show Alzar the way out, and also warns Alzar of difficultly around, includoing some monsters in the area. At this point, I know what the mage is, but Alzar does not, so I make an intelligence check -5 because of the convincing mage. Alzar fails and believes the mage for now, so the mage joins the party. As the mage gets next to Alzar, he immediately shifts into a Doppleganger and attacks! He gets surprised.

http://arcona.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/doppleganger.jpg

Alzar takes 10 from the attack! That is a free attack, now the battle begins. Alzar’s staff cracks the doppelganger for 5 damage. Only one ghoul hits him, twice, for 4 damage. The Doppleganger is not paralyzed. Even Megala swings and hits for one damage, but the Doppleganger is immune to sleep. Alzar takes another 11 damage.

The Doppleganger wins initiatve and slices into Alzar for another 6 damage. Alzar orders his minions to capture the doppelganger, so he attacks and hits for nothing as he misses, but Lastion and one of his new ghouls both hit to capture, and succeed. The doppleganger uses the next turn to try and shift out of their grasp, and meanwhile, Alzar cracks him automatically for 7 damage while Megala adds 2. The Doppleganger, almost dead, fails its break bars roll.

Alzar starts talking to it. “You know the exit, huh?” He casts ESP. He has three rounds to extract info from the Doppleganger. On the first, he asks about the exit. Does it work? Nope, the Doppleganger makes its save. 2nd turn, the question is again asked, and this time, it works, and Alzar knows about the teleports, the illusion, and the way out. The third time, Alzar asks it about any secrets in the area it knows about, it fails, and to Alzar is revealed a cache in the wall of this room, very hidden. Alzar thanks the Doppleganger, and then kills it with one final cracking blow to the head. He allows the ghousl to feast while he grabs the gold:

420 XP gained, 500 gold found. Alzar orders a ghoul to carry the chest for him.

The door is slammed shut, and will not budge even a bit, and shows no signs of Alzar’s magic axe when he tries to score the wood – this is magically sealed.

Alzar is at 24 Hp out of 51.

Dolemite73

04-26-2010, 11:03 AM

Good stuff.....and a very innovative way to solo play D&D. Brings back memories. I used to love playing.

Travis

04-26-2010, 12:03 PM

Reading along and really enjoying. Hope this sticks around for a while!

Abe Sargent

04-26-2010, 01:15 PM

Welcome, Welcome!

ntndeacon

04-26-2010, 02:53 PM

I am enjoying it too.

chesapeake

04-26-2010, 03:56 PM

If it is an Abe dynasty, I'm in!

Abe Sargent

04-26-2010, 07:42 PM

Glad to see you both!

Abe Sargent

04-26-2010, 08:19 PM

Alzar goes north down the corridor and enters a small cave with two mages. There is a crude laboratory here with pallets, basic tools, candles lit, and so forth. They softly address Alzar, but then move to attack. They appear quite insane. Alzar prepares and casts Charm Person. One of the mages is charmed. The other one moves forward and attacks with his dagger.

The ghouls move forward and kill the mage in one round, killing him easily. The dead one has a 20 gold gem in it. The other one is friendly, but still insane, and cannot speak much. He points to the door to show Alzar the way to go next, and he leaves the mage here and goes.

XP gained: 50. The mage will rise as a ghoul, and was killed by another ghoul, so Alzar will let it rise whenever, as he moves on.

The door has a faint humming sound around it. Alzar opens the door and there are holes and indentations in it. It stretches for 80 feet, and at the end, the corridor continues. Perfect time for the animal skeletons, as Alzar sends one cannon fodder down. Two giant bluebottle flies fly out and attack, and they ambush and kill two skeletons. These things are pretty beefy, and the Animal skeletons attack.

The flies kill another skeleton. Three hit for 4 damage total, and that barely scratches one fly. Alzar recalls the animal skeletons and sends in the ghouls. The flies kill another skeleton before they can retreat.

Down to 16 skeletons. The flies attack the ghouls and both miss. The ghouls just miss mostly, but one hits twice for 6 damage and the fly fails a save and it is paralyzed and drops to the ground. The other one naisl a ghoul, , not Lastion, for 5 damage. The one hit nails the fly back for 9 damage and paralysis. The ghouls finish eh stunned flies.

65 XP, 16 skeletons, one ghoul down to 4 hp

10 gold, 50 sp, and 100 copper are on the ground and collected and taken with them.

Abe Sargent

04-26-2010, 08:53 PM

Alzar passes an empty chamber on the right, even after a search.

They end at a door, which opens into an antechamber, completely empty. There are two exists to the west and east. Alzar takes the east one. It ends at an area that looks like excavation was still going on when it stopped. A search finds some shiny coins in the rubble, which Alzar orders his minions to gather.

1000 Sp, 250 gp,

As he moves to leave, four berserkers wander into the area, see Alzar, and attack! Alzar is in the rear, and his animal skeletons, ghouls and megala are in the room, and knowing he could be in real trouble, he grabs his Battle Axe +1 and moves to attack them. Alzar wins initiatve and cleaves into one for 8 damage. The Berserker is bleeding profusely. He is missed. Because of his AC bonus when fighting with a one handed weapon like a soldier, he gained +2 to his AC. He would have been hit twice if he had been fighting as a mage.

The berserkers win init and Hit twice for 9 damage. He finishes off the berserker he already damaged when his axe hews off the head. Alzar wins init and he hits for 10 damage, killing another. He is hit for 6 damage. His minions have arrived and Alzar orders the ghouls to move in as he retreats back.

One hits a ghoul for 3 damage. It is the damaged one, and it is knocked to 1 left. The other deals 8 damage to the uninjured, non-Lastion one and it is at 1 hp as well. The berserks are hit three times for 5 damage and are immune to paralysis due to their rage.

One hits for 4 damage on one of the inured ghouls and it dies. Dead ghoul. Alzar moves into its spot. The other two ghouls deal 9 damage and kill a berserker. The lone berserker goes first and hits the wounded ghoul for 10 damage (which is not normally possible with a long sword) and it dies. Alzar’s axe misses and Lastion hits for 6 damage and kills the final berserker.

No XP gained. Alzar is at 9 hp out of 51, and quaffs a healing potion. 16 out of 51. Two healing pots left. Two dead ghouls. The berserkers three short swords and one long sword are added to a newly made magic pile (along with dagger from mage).

Abe Sargent

04-26-2010, 10:24 PM

Alzar goes the other way and they open up into a cavern with bedrolls and such, four of them. This appears to have been the berserkers place. There are a ton of cp here, thousands and thousands, but since they are 100 cp to one gold, Alzar leaves them here for now.

Alzar finds another empty construction area to the north of the cavern. To the south is another cavern that opens up. The animal skeletons and later Megala find a chest at the end of the cavern, and just Lastion is left to open up the chest He does so, and takes 3 damage from a dart that hits him. It contains 700 sp and 100 gp, so Alzar grabs it as well. Alzar backtracks and finds the crazy mage, and convinces him to join Alzar’s party as a porter and carry a chest in the back, just until they are finished, and then the mahge can come back.

Lastion is at 12 hp.

The cavern has a weird natural hallway at the end, and Alzar stumbles across a Gelatinous Cube!

http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/8726598/images/1269292826288.jpg

It kills an animal skeleton before Alzar can order his troops back. This is not going to be an easy kill. He orders all of his minions to the back of the other cavern, while Alzar grabs some bones from one of the dead ghouls. After a few minutes, he returns and the cube is slowly oozing towards him and his minions. Alzar takes a few minutes to drop the corpse of the ghoul and start adding small rocks, shard of bones, and whatever else he can grab. When the Cube gets close, he casts Blastbones on the ghoul’s corpse and runs. The Cube takes 9 damage from the exploding bones and shrapnel. Alzar draws his battle axe +1 and orders the rest of the group to stay back. This is beyond them. If he is paraplyzed, they are to immediately attack the cube all out.

Alzar wins initiative and cuts deeply into the Cube for 6 damage. The Cube oozes on Alzar for 3 damage. Alzar makes the save. Alzar hits again and slices off a corner for 11 damage and the Cube has died.

Alzar is at 13 HP. He gained no XP.

Inside the Cube, Alzar cuts out a dagger, added to the magic pile, and 72 sp which they take with them, plus a gold key.

Abe Sargent

04-26-2010, 11:09 PM

Now that Alzar has found the gold key, and cleared out this section of the complex, he goes back to the first room, and takes the west exit, which ends at a locked door. Inserting the gold key causes the lock to open.

It is empty save for an pen corner cabinet in the corner and they are lined with treasure, gems and gold coins. Of course, Alzar knows it is an illusion from the Doppleganger’s info. Alzar knows that the illusion covers a teleport device, and he orders the whole gang there at once.

The tomb they arrive in is musty and old. There are 10 stone sarcophagus lining the walls. There are no doors or exits from here. Alzar starts having Lastion open up sarcophagus, starting with the first one on the left.

This one switches the teleport so that Alzar can teleport back.

The next one has 1200 sp

3 has a wight, which pops out. Alzar tries to control it. Alzar can control it on a 16 or higher. Failure. Alzar orders in the animal skeletons, since they are not subject to the Wight’s attack. It gets a fee attack on lastion, and hits for 4 damage. Lastion is at 9 hp.

Combat begins. Only five skeletons can attack at a time because the wight is still in the sarcophagus. The wight cannot be hit by the animal skeletons because it can only be hit by magical weapons, so it kills one. Alzar had forgotten that (failed an INT check). 15 skeletons left.

Alzar’s spells are not going to help here (Sleep, Animate Dead Animals are all that’s left.) The mage volunteers to cast his only spell at the Wight, which is convientantly Magic Missile, so he drops the chest and loads it up and casts it. The Wight takes 4 damage. It misses the animal skeletons.

Alzar grabs the +1 axe and sighs. Only he can damage the Wight, but if it hits him, he loses a full level.

He swings through an animal skeleton in order to get to the Wight, and kills the skeleton, and deals 6 to the Wight. The Wight kills a skeleton and Alzar is down to 13 of them., He orders them back.

Alzar wins init. He slices deep into the Wight for 8 damage. The Wight scratches out and…hits Alzar. Alzar has lost a level. He becomes level 2 as a Necromancer. He took 4 damage.

Alzar wins init and kills the Wight.

Alzar’s new XP is 2501. He gains no XP from killing the Wight.

He will still gain all of the XP from this adventure. He loses the ability to cast second level spells and the Ancient Languages proficiency.

Inside the sarcophagus is 200 pp which he grabs for one of the chests.

Well, suck

Abe Sargent

04-26-2010, 11:41 PM

Coffin 4 – 1000 sp as well.

Coffin 5 – Lastion is hit with a ray that affects him as if he were hit by a rust monster, which does nothing.

Coffin 6 – 1000 ep

Coffin 7 – Inside is a scroll of Tenser’s Floating Disc, a first level spell that could make a platform and carry the treasure out. There are also instructions for how to leave carved into the interior.

Coffin 8 – Upon opening it, another Wight attacks! Alzar tries to control it, and this time, he needs a 19 or 20. He rolls a 19! He orders the Wight to open up the final coffins and inside are 2100 sp total.

Alzar orders the lights extinguished and lays down to sleep as best he cans.

In the morning, he orders one torch to start burning. The mage is getting stir crazy, so Alzar orders him out the teleport and he goes.

Alzar pulls out his spellbook and tries to learn Tenser’s Floating Disc. As an evocation spell, Alzar has a 70% chance of success. He easily does so. Most of the day has passed, a few more torches, but he has learned the spell. He naps, and then learns three spells – Animate Dead Animals, Sleep, and Tenser’s Floating Disc. He casts the Disc and loads it with the treasure from this area. They all teleport back out.

Alzar goes to one of the corridors that appeared to be excavated and intones some magic words. The corridor disappears. Alzar leads his party out. They are near the castle, and Alzar heads back up to the castle to grab the wagon and steeds. He loads the treasure from the Disc before it expires, and then leads he horses back, while Lastion leads the animal skeletons. Alzar cannot take the Wight with him, and cannot leave it in the care of Lastion, because it would go native again, so he releases it from a long distance, and it does not pursue one who was able to command it.

End:

XP Gained: 1400 from Wight commanded. Total XP gained 2129. 4630 total.

Gold gained in pieces: 2973 – lost 173 to bank for exchange. Total is 2800

Found in coffin with Wight controlled: 2 bracelets, 500 gp and 300 gp, found gems 100x3, 50x2

Lost two ghouls, down to 13 skeletons, no replacements. Down to 2nd level. Gained Tenser’s Floating Disc spell.

Total gold now: 4,231

Alzar spends 10 days resting and regaining his strength. He is regaled as something of a bit of a hero. Detect Magic and Identify spells show the dagger from the Cube to be a +1 dagger and the long sword to be +1, and +2 vs undead.

Izulde

04-27-2010, 12:07 AM

Talk about a harrowing fight.

hoopsguy

04-27-2010, 12:29 AM

Major bummer losing the level. Reading along, it has felt like you've had a high level of control/comfort most of the way prior to the wights.

Abe Sargent

04-27-2010, 08:34 AM

I think it's poor design to have a Wight in the first dungeon. Especially two. It can only be hit by magical or silver weapons, and the only magical weapon so far was a +1 Axe from a trader that Alzar let go, and the +1, +2 vs undeadsword and +1 dagger which were found but not identified yet, and Wights can only be hit by magical weapons. No silver. Poor form.

Abe Sargent

04-27-2010, 10:50 AM

Alzar wants to gain the next level before he goes back out again. Thus, he decides to create a 1st level spell.

Because he does not have a workshop, he is going to have to rent one from one of the local wizards. One agrees to rent it to him if he gives the guy the spell after he completes it. Alzar consents.

Normally, you would spend 2 weeks researching and making a new 1st level spell, but Alzar’s unfamiliarity with the lab equipment increases that to 4 weeks. Futhermore, Alzar has to spend a bit more than you would normally expect – 1200 gold.

At the end, Alzar can automatically learn the new spell, due to his intelligence and class. Here is is:

Alzar’s Undead Porter, Necromancy

Level 1
Casting Time: 1 round
Components: VSM
Duration: 8 hours
Target: 1 undead

One undead creature, which must be under the control of the caster, can carry double the normal amount of weight for 8 hours. This does not impact bulk, strength, damage dealt, or any other statistic. The material component for this spell is a bit of bone.

For creating this spell, Alzar gains 500 XP, plus 50 for the XP bonus.

Alzar is now at 5180 XP and level three again. He allows the local mage to try and copy it from his book, and she succeeded, so now two people know the spell.

Abe Sargent

04-27-2010, 08:57 PM

A month later:

The thieves guild of Regalsford stole the package that was wanted to be delivered, and eventually it was ransomed back. The merchant still wants it delivered to a place long way from here.

The mayor sent out a new adventuring party that arrived to wipe out Elwyn’s orcs and the cleric, but they haven’t been heard of for four weeks now, and are believed dead.

Alzar is approached by Hakeem, a trader who is working for a local named Jenlar Temlin, who works for an old recluse wizard named Lirdrium Arkayz. Arkayz needs a task completed and Jenlar has heard of Alzar’s exploits in Castle Caldwell and asks his attendance. Alzar can do one of three things:

1) Go with Hakeem to Arkayz’s home and speak with Temlin, about one day’s ride.
2) Go try to find out what happened with the lost party and Elwyn
3) Deliver the package

Alzar wants to move the weapons. He can’t use either of them, and can’t give them to Lastion, so he is willing to part with them, but since there is no market in a town this small for a magic weapon, he is keeping them with him, along with the uncashed jewelry and gems.

During this time, Alzar has been able to find four more animal skeletons and is at 17 for the next journey. Alzar will be taking the trip with Hakeem.

Abe Sargent

04-27-2010, 09:08 PM

B8. Journey to the Rock

http://homepage3.nifty.com/nmio/dd/pictures/b8.jpg

Alzar arrives and Hakeem opens the door to the manor. Alzar steps in and is introduced to Jenlar Temlin, in a room with two fighter guards just inside the door. Jenlar is a man of few words., After a quick introduction and a conversation about thr trip, he gets right to the point. Master Arkayz will pay Alzar 300 gold if Alzar goes to and finds the secret of The Rock. Jenlar agrees to raise the price to 400 gold, half now, after Alzar’s negotiates. He says that master Arkayz is currently in magic research and cannot be disturbed. Alzar inquires about the nature of the research, but he is rebuffed.

After some consideration, Alzar takes the gold, is given a map and some info, and will set out today.

+200 gold

As he leaves, Alzar is given this riddle by Jenlar, who took an augury:

Golden dreams can quickly turn to nightmares filled with flames that burn. Dark clouds may not bring you light, but watch for silver linings bright. Strength is not as strength might look; remember falsely-covered books! Simple treasures won’t grow old and all that glitters is not gold.”

(I have NOT actually read this module in like 20 years, so I have no idea what is going on, fyi. I am going to read it and do it at the same time).

Jenlar mentions that legends say the secret is in two parts, visible and invisible, and wishes Alzar luck.

Alzar moves to the Rock.

Abe Sargent

04-27-2010, 09:21 PM

Day One – Alzar is traveling at dusk so it is easier on Lastion. He is far and away from Lastion and the skeletons, so the horses won’t be bothered. He runs cross a pack of goblins (4). He puts them to Sleep and then kills them and feeds them to Lastion for food. Their spears are added to a new magic pile.

Day Two – Alzar enters the woods at the end of the day. Nothing seen. Detect Magic reveals spears are non-magical.

Day Three – Alzar comes across a rat pack of 20 rats. They swarm out to attack from a log nearby. Alzar grins with delight (I mean seriously, I rolled well for him). He jumps down and enegages them away from the horses. He throw down a spare bone kept in his pocket and casts blast bones, dealing 3 damage to every rat in the radius, and 3 to Alzar as well, since he is right in there. They all die. Alzar grabs their corpses and immediately animates three. Tomorrow he will memorize Animate Dead Animals three times and cast it three times. Then he begins to get close and will resume his normal spells. 5 XP

Day Four – He has 29 Animal Skeletons and carrying the 8 extra dead rats in the wagon for later. Nothing.

Day Five – Alzar arrives at the area near the rock and enters a trail that goes off the into the bush, not well marked, but Alzar was able to find it based on a landmark nearby.

Alzar arrives at a small area where the track is lost. Alzar abandons the wagon and lashes down the horses. He is still a way from the Rock. He grabs Megala and a riding horse and moves forward, ordering Lastion and the animal skeletons to move in closer.

law90026

04-27-2010, 09:55 PM

As always, a very cool dynasty

Abe Sargent

04-27-2010, 09:57 PM

Thanks!

Abe Sargent

04-27-2010, 10:10 PM

A few minutes along the trail, it widens out and there is a nice grove here. The trees bear in tight and tall and there are many forest animals to be seen. Suddenly, Alzar hears a screech of a bird, or something else. As four harpies fly down from the sky, it definintely looks like something else.

http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb320/prodigyduck/harpy.jpg

As they swoop down, they land far away and begin to sing in a beautiful singing voice. They are trying to use their innate power to charm Alzar. Due to his wisdom bonus vs charm magic, he succeeds in saving and moves towards them. He doesn’t remember if harpies can be affected by Sleep or not, so he casts it.

One harpy falls asleep. The others stop advancing and look at Alzar with curiosity. Lastion and the animal skeletons will arrive in the grove in three rounds, and get to the harpies in another. Alzar must survive by himself for that long. He unslings his axe.

Alzar slices his axe deep into a Harpy for 10 damage and it reels in pain. Alzar is clawed twice and bitten twice for 10 damage.

Alzar aims for the wounded Harpy and nails it for 7 damage and it dies. The two remaing harpies go into a rage and every one of their attacks hit, four claws and two bites, for 17 damage.

Alzar is at 24/51

The harpies go first and deal 8 damage in three hits. 16/51. Alzar’s axe thunks one for 11 damage. Alzar must survive the next round.

He forgoes his ac bonus in order to quaff a potion, which he can do while he attacks, due to his specialization in one handed style. Alzar sails an axe into the wounded harpy for 11 damage and kills it. He quaffs the pot and heals 8 damage. 24/51. The harpy deals 8 damage back. 16/51

Lastion and the skeletons have arrived and Alzar backs away.

Lastion deals four damage and the harpy fails its save and becomes paralyzed. Alzar orders Lastion to go over and kill the sleeping harpy and cleans up.

Alzar is at 16/51. No XP gained. Used a healing potion.

As the last one dies, Alzar hears another screech from the trees and in sails another harpy. “Who dares to attack the Wings of Death?” she cries out, and she drinks a potion, growing to double her size. Alzar orders Lastion back and the animal skeletons forward. There are 29 of them after all.

The giant Harpy flies into them and kills two instantly. The other 27hit five times for 8 damage. The harpy goes again and slays two more (25). Four hits dole out 9 damage. The skeletons go first and this time rock six times for 12 damage and the giant harpy is reeling. She manages to slay three more though (22). She wins init and kills two more (20). She is then slain.

She has a tiara worth 200 gold and Alzar gets half of 975 XP for the kill.

Abe Sargent

04-27-2010, 10:33 PM

Alzar is reeling from the harpy encounter and is questioning whether or not to continue. He decides to do so for now. There is a small path from the clearing that Alzar and his minions follow. This narrow trail leads north into some hills. It gets very narrow and they half ot go single file for a while. Sometimes an axe has to cut trees and brush that fell across the path. There is no way the wagon would have made it this far. Eventually, it leads to small clearing with some trampled grass and a bloody mace. Lastion picks up the mace and brings it with him as they continue. A short while later, they arrive at the hill, where a small cave and a smaller clearing are. The cave has three small, newborn harpies jumping around a nest and hissing as they see Alzar, they are harmless.

In the front of the cave is a dead body, which appears to be a recently killed cleric. Perhaps it was someone sent on the same mission, perhaps not. A search of the cleric finds a scroll with a magical spell on it and three vials with a clear watery liquid inside. They also find 80 gold, 700 electrum and 400 silver here, plus 2 50 gold gems. Alzar decides to mark the area and return through here, on the way back. He hides the coins and takes the gems.

There is another small path on the other side of the clearing. Alzar pushes his minions to it, and it appears to go on for a while, so they take it. Like the other one, the going is hard and tight, but they make it intact to a larger path.

Suddenly, Alzar’s horse stops and picks up its ears. Within a moment, Alzar can hear the noise too. It appears to be a bunch of Qwith in the distance. Alzar has no desire to introduce his undead to the sylvan creatures, so he orders Lastion and the animal skeletons in the wood, and presses on as quickly as he can, quickly leaving the Qwith behind him.

Abe Sargent

04-27-2010, 11:11 PM

After a few hours, nearing the end of this day’s trek, Alzar arrives at a break in the woods. The trail has become a road into a small plains area, with rocks and the occasional tree breaking the landscape, as well as bushes. Alzar follows the road for 20 minutes before he begins to see an intersection in the distance.

As he approaches it, he sees 10 strange looking humanoid creatures at the intersection, and they are waiting for Alzar’s arrival. He closes, and one motions for him to stop, which he does. They look oddly at the undead creatures around them, and then the speaker addresses Alzar. “You have strange travelling companions. “

“They are needed out here.”

The speaker nods and continues, “This place is ours. Strangers pass here only by leave of the Lord of Shade. Surrender your weapons and come with us quietly.”

Alzar has never seen these creatures before, and does not know their powers or weaknesses, so he relents and hands over his axe and staff. He happily allows himself to be blindfolded, content that he can see out of Megala and Lastion’s eyes. The undead have to stay behind.

Alzar’s wounds are bandaged as well.

After an hour of going allowing the north track, they arrive at a large cave system, all natural and still quite active – moist. The blindfold is removed and there are torches and more of the strange, thin, awkward, humanoids. Alzar is taken to a place of waiting and waits there for 30 minutes while the people, who apparently called themselves the Omnerubesk, talk about him.

Alzar is allowed into a central cavern with dozens of the strange folk here, all speaking excitedly in Typic. There are wooden and fur structures here that designate places to sleep, furniture, and so forth. There is a waterfall in the distance.

The king or chief introduces himself as Lemullar. There are a score of armed guards around him. He mentions that Alzar was in the territory without permission and that there are two possible outcomes. One, Alzar can pay a fine. Two, Alzar can try, retroactively, to gain the Omnerubesk’s permission to be here by defeating one of the King’s champions. Alzar asks how much the fee is, and its 120 gold pieces.

He agrees to an honor duel, with clubs, to knock unconscious, not to kill.

He can use any armor he wants, and cannot cast spells. Alzar decides to try this as amage, and if it goes poorly, to slide into a warrior.

Alzar grabs the club and does the guard. As they ready for battle, the guard disappears! Alzar was not ready for that move, and the humanoid gains initiative when attacking (but not anything else). The Chameleon Man misses and Alzar clumsiily misses a swell (massive penalty for mage to fight with a bad weapon). The guard misses, Alzar misses. The guard hits for 2 damage. Alzar misses. Alzar takes one more, and then nails the guard for 2 damage.

Both miss. Both hit for three damage. Both miss. The Chameleon tacks Alzar for 4 damage. He is down to 16(7). He misses. The guard misses and Alzar manages to connect for 4 damage. Both miss. Alzar takes 3. Alzar takes 2. Alzar connects for 3 damage and kos’d the guard. He has taken damage down to 3/16, but he will gain it back very quickly, it’s just concussion damage.

XP gained: 100

Alzar sleeps in the cave for the night, and in the morning, leaves back for the intersection after being blindfolded again.

Alzar is back to 20 hp, after the bandages and some poultices from the Chameleon Men.

Abe Sargent

04-27-2010, 11:37 PM

The land on both sides of the trail they indicate is jagged and pointy. Jagged boulders line the trail and it heads up into the hills, slowly and surely.

A winding creek comes through the trail and a stone bridge goes over. An arch made of dull grey stone with runes from an ancient form of Typic are across it. Beyond the bridge the trail continues.

Alzar has the ancient languages proficiency so he rolls to check it. Success. Here is what it says:

“Let no man cross the bridge without first giving the water that which it is due.”

Well, that sounds…menacing. What would the creek be due? A fish? Water? Salt? Alzar tries to think up an answer. I know the answer, because I read the next paragraph accidentally, so Alzar makes an intelligence check.

Success!

He opens a flask and pours some water onto the bridge where the arch is. The Arch changes colors to a blue and the runes disappear. Alzar orders animal skeletons forward, and nothing, so they all march across safely.

Alzar gains 100 XP for successfully passing this without combat.

After another hour on the trail, Alzar begins to hear the tiny crack of metal on stone. Its from up on a nearby incline, behind trees and a hill. Alzar sends in the stealthy Megala to fly up and take a look, and Megala/Alzar see a dvergr carefully pounding away at a gem vein. Alzar has three possibilities.

1). Alzar can ignore the dvergr and continue on, and hope that Alzar’s party does not make enough noise to warn the dvergr.
2). Alzar can try to talk or Charm the dvergr.
3). Alzar can try to attack and kill the dvergr.

After consideration, Alzar decides to leave the trail and his minions behind and plunges into the woods, and before he can reach the dvergr, it hears him and begins to run away. Alzar emerges right but the gem vein, and the dvergr decides to return after seeing the mage by his gems and tools.

“I don’t know how you knew I was here…” the dvergr begins. Alzar shows him Megala, the familiar, and smiles. While Megala circles around the dvergr and gaining shis attention, Alzar casts Charm Person. Success!

The dvergr introduces himself as Dunnak, a gem miner for the dvergr tribe nearby. On further inspection, the gems being mined are turquoise, just 10 gold each, but Dunnak already has 12 of them, plus more can be made. Dunnak offers one to Alzar as a gift of friendship, which Alzar takes and thanks him. Dunnak gives information about the location of The Rock and it appears to be just a short distance more. He offers to accompany Alzar as far as The Rock, and Alzar accepts. In a few minutes, the pack and gems and tools are packed away and Dunnak leads him and Megala, with the undead paralleling them in the wilderness.

After just forty minutes, the trail rounds a bend and the land changes shape. It appears to be the top of a large hill or small mountain, with boulders and rocks strewn everywhere. The Rock is about a mile away from here, and Alzar thanks Dunnak, and continues on.

10 gp gem gained

XP: 50 for casting a spell to get past an encounter

Abe Sargent

04-28-2010, 12:00 AM

After a mile, Alzar stands before a solitary peak in the distance that towers above the plain. The undead have rejoined him. This is the goal. It appears to be one hundred and fifty feet tall and with a rectangular base. It’s not that wide, as Alzar can tell as he nears it. Perhaps just 20 or 30 feet. It is circular at the summit, and comes to a peak. As Alzar approaches, he sees a lovely young woman chained to The Rock. Her clothing is purple and frayed hair, with a tiara on her head. Her face and clothes are dirty with grime. She shouts out:

“Flee for your life! An old hag who loathes my beauty has imprisoned me here until I die, old and ugly. Flee before she returns to punish you for daring to come near me!”

Alzar makes an intelligence check.

He barely fails.

Alzar moves to her. As he does, the horse suddenly throws Alzar and runs off. Alzar is stunned and takes a moment before getting up. As he does, a magical dagger, glowing, appears before Alzar and moves to attack him. The woman shrieks that the hag has returned and shouts encouragement to Alzar.

The dagger attacks this turn with +2 because Alzar is getting up. Alzar takes 3 damage.

17/51

Lastion is attacked by another dagger. He instinctively lashes out with claws and hits and destroys it.

Alzar’s staff is out and smacks the dagger and destroys it, and it dissipates.

Alzar makes a save, but Lastion fails, and becomes dizzy and falls down after destroying the dagger and breathing in the mist from it. Lastion is dizzy for 3 rounds, and will be unable to rise.

Alzar moves to help the chained woman, and in seconds, the view of her changes as the illusion melts away and an evil hag-ish looking creature is revealed.

She launches an attack on Alzar and catches him by surprise. He takes 11 damage from two swipes with her claws.

Alzar is reeling and hurt. He backs away and grabs a potion while he orders in Megala and the skeletons. They are a turn away but Megala flies into the Crone of Chaos’s face in order to distract her.

She hits Megala once for 4 damage. Megala deals 3 damage back and she makes her save vs sleep.

Alzar quaffs a potion and heals 6 hp. 12/51 hp

Megala’s claws miss and she hits for another 5 damage. Megala has taken 8 damage and Alzar orders him to fly away.

Megala is at 2/10.

The animal skeletons have arrived. Lastion is standing back up.

Alzar thumps the Crone for 7 damage. She swings and hits him for 2 damage. 10/51. Five skeletons are close enough to attack her, and she takes 3 more.

Alzar swings again and misses. She misse shim twice. Another two skeletons bite her for 4 more damage, and she dies.

Alzar gains 500 XP

As her body collapses, it dissipates. Where she was standing is a crack in The Rock with a glint of metal inside. Alzar orders Lastion to reach in and pull it out, and as soon as he does, he yelps in pain and pulls back his arm. Alzar did not see any flame or feel any heat, so he peers in closely and sees a sword. He reaches in and tries to pull it out, but it burns him when he touches it. Not his arm, but his spirit. He grabs a stick from nearby and manages to pull out the sword and wraps it in his cloak. It has the following inscription on it:

“Broad and wide the path to nowhere, thin and narrow the way to true riches. Unravel the riddle and the riches to win.”

There are way too many riddles and sayings for this wizard.

Alzar doubts the sword is the Secret of the Rock, so he walks around it and see no opening. The Animal skeletons are sent to explore every nook and cranny and they make an interesting discovery. One side is an illusion that they walk right through.

They walk through, Lastion follows, and then Alzar and Megala head in.

BYU 14

04-28-2010, 12:04 AM

I have to admit it, as much as I didn't want it to, this diary is really making me nostalgic for some D&D!

Abe Sargent

04-28-2010, 01:17 AM

This a large hall almost meeting the dimensions of The Rock. It is brightly lit by the sun outside. The ceiling curves upward. At the far end of the hall are four raised platforms and seven chests between them. Each platform has the statue of a king on it. The walls and area are opulent, from the floor marble to the reliefs of kings, peasants, crownings, and more. In the floor just in front are the following letters, in the same language as before at the bridge,

Hubrelis Tumassen

A name? A place? A warning? A clue? A code? Alzar uses the proficiency and they read: The Pride of Tuma.

Interesting.

Alzar has one animal skeleton move towards the chests and platforms and suddenly, the four statues come to life and begin to move towards it.

Each of the statues looks and resembles one of the kings of Tuma, and they are each intricately detailed. They wield swords. One is made of iron, one made of rock, and the other two of crystal. Those two look like brothers.

Alzar rolls his eyes in disgust, draws his staff, sighs, and orders the animal skeletons to create a forward flank. Lastion will be fighting at Alzar’s side, as they try to wade through the statues. Based on his readings, the crystal ones are the easiest to kill.

They close to King Delophenes’s statue, the closest one. Alzar misses with his staff, Lastion hits once for 3 damage. All of the five or so animal skeletons miss. The King stabs with a crystal dagger at Alzar but misses. Next round, the other statues have closed, and Alzar orders all of the other skeletons to keep them away from him for now. Alzar thwacks the Crystal Statue for 6 damage. Lastion misses, his claws scpared off it for no damage. The other skeletions hit just once for two damage, but it’s enough and the crystal statue of King Delophenes collapses.

The next closest one is King Calobanes, a Rock Living Statue. Two skeletons have died this turn from the Kings. (18 left).

Alzar slaps the King with the staff but deals no damage. It swords Alzar for 2 damage with a rock short sword. Lastion manages to claw it and hit, and knock off its crown. (rolled a natural 20). When the crown falls off, the statue stops moving.

With that information, Alzar springs into action. He grabs the crowns from the other two statues, but not before two more rounds have passes and three more skeletons were crunched.

15 left.

Alzar gains 150 XP

The crowns look very valuable, around 1000 gold each. Alzar puts them on his belt.

Abe Sargent

04-28-2010, 01:17 AM

I have to admit it, as much as I didn't want it to, this diary is really making me nostalgic for some D&D!

Yay D&D!

Abe Sargent

04-28-2010, 01:30 AM

The chests are in a nice, neat little line. One on the far left looks very plain and ordinary. The one on the far right looks very bright, with gold and gems encrusted on it. Each of the five in the middle get progressively more fancy.

As Alzar approaches, he notices the writing on the wall behind the chests, telling him that he has one chance to find the right chest. Remembering the scroll with the note about the value of minor things, Alzar opens the chest on the far left, that looks very poor.

Inside are a variety of things:

1). 100 pp
2). 1500 gp
3). 4 gold wristbands each worth 100 gold
4). A ring
5). A rope
6). 2 potions
7). 2 daggers
8). A talisman

As soon as Alzar grabs the talisman, him, his whole party, the horses and wagon and pack mule, all of the treasure found including the buried coins by the harpies, the undead, and the treasure here all teleport back to the manor where it all began.

This time Lirdrium Arkayz meets Alzar instead of Jenlar Temlin. Arkayz thanks Alzar for his help, and asks for the talisman, which is the Secret of the Rock. Alzar agrees to give it to him. “This was mine long ago, and now you have returned it. You have my gratitude.” Alzar is asked to leave now, however, due to the nature of his minions. The extra 200 gold is paid as requested, but Arkayz is not a fan of the undead.

The crowns are only worth 50 gold each. Alzar will keep them.

Alzar gained gold: 2870 – 70 for exchange (not as much as last time because most is in gold) 2800.
Tiara, 200 gold, wristbands, 100 goldx4, crowns 50 gold x4, gem 50x2, 10 gold

XP Gained: 1586

Alzar arrives back at Regalsford one day later and casts Detect Magic. The following things glow:

The long sword that was very burn-y
Both daggers
Potion from cleric
Rope
Ring

Over the next week, Alzar uses Identify to discover that:

Each Dagger is a Dagger +1. The three vials of are holy water. The potion is healing. The Ring is a Ring of Protection +1, the long sword is the Sword of the Rock +2, cannot be wielded by evil, and the rope is a Rope of Climbing.

He also has animated the rest of the rats in the wagon.

23 animal skeletons.

Abe Sargent

04-28-2010, 10:48 AM

Alzar

7th level Fighter (Myrmidon), 3rd level Necromancer (Undead Master)

Lawful Evil
Human

Str: 16
Dex: 12
Con: 10
Wis: 16
Int: 18
Cha: 14

Hit Points: 51
THACO: 13 (Increased with Axe Weapon Master and +1 Axe) or 20 as Necromancer
AC: 9
Total XP: 6766
Total Gold: 5901

Race Abilities:

None Taken

Class Abilities (Cannot use as Necromancer without losing XP gain):

Specialization
Leadership (Alzar can command the tactics, strategy, logistics and more that a large force requires)
3 attacks every 2 rounds

Non-Weapon Proficiencies:

Myrmidon Bonus:

Tactical History 14
Fire-Building 16

Riding 11
Swimming 12
Reading/Writing 13
Survival 14
Blind Fighting
Etiquette 13
Endurance
Heraldry 13
Hunting 10
Fishing 14
Weather Knowledge 10
Orienteering 15

Undead Master Bonuses:

Necrology 14
Netherworld Knowledge 10

Herbalism 14
Alchemy 12
Poison Use 11
Ancient Languages 10

Traits:

Empathy
Fast Healer
Precise Memory

Weapon Proficiencies:

Bonus Kit Specialization:

Battle Axe

Battle Axe
One Handed Weapon Style x2 (-2 AC when using one weapon in combat)
Crossbow
Battle Axe Weapon Mastery
Spear

Total with normal battle axe - +3 to hit, +3 to damage, -2 to AC. An additional +1 with the axe and +1 damage for strength

Staff – Can only use this as a Necromancer

Class Ability:

Alzar can control undead as an evil Priest of the same level, and this ability extends to extra planar beings which are considered undead with the same hit dice for this purpose.

In addition to normal specialist mage stuff, Alzar gets a 10% bonus to XP for his high intelligence

Magical Items:

+1 Battle Axe
Necklace of Adaptation
+1 Ring of Protection
Potion of Healing
3 +1 Daggers
Rope of Climbing
Sword of the Rock, +2, cannot be wielded by evil
Longsword +1, +2 vs undead
Scrolls of: Mordenkainen’s Faithful Phantom Shield-Maidens, Bone Knit and Teleport

Spellbook:

3/2

First Level:

Alzar’s Undead Porter
Animate Dead Animals *
Cantrip
Charm Person *
Detect Magic
Friends
Identify
Read Magic
Sleep *
Tenser’s Floating Disc
Unseen Servant

Second Level:

Attract Ghoul
Blastbones *
ESP *
Forget
Locate Object
Ray of Ondovir
Speak with Dead

Third Level:

Dire Charm
Searing Serpent
Skulltrap

Fourth Level:

Vorthala’s Undead Turning Immunity

Abe Sargent

04-28-2010, 10:49 AM

The town is the same as ever, and now Alzar is hearing of a rumor that caverns in Quasqueton have opened up and there are monsters pouring forth. It is four days ride away to the northeast along the lake front and then into the woods to the east along a major road. Options:

1). Deliver package
2). Find Elwyn and orcs
3). Enter the Caverns of Quasqueton

Alzar chooses to deliver the package

Abe Sargent

04-28-2010, 04:25 PM

B7 Rahasia

This classic was written by Tracy Hickman and his wife Laura. It was self-published in 1979 and then Tracy moved to TSR and published it in the early 80s as B7.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/02/B7_Rahasia.jpg

Abe Sargent

04-28-2010, 07:06 PM

Sinder gives instructions for delivery of a package and offers to pay Alzar 100 gold upon receipt of the package. Alzar tries a Charm Person spell. It works, but Sinder is already giving the maximum amount of money he has. Nothing left to do but journey.

10 days on the main road and Alzar and his wagon reach the spot where they need to turn off. There’s naught been seen except for a few minor monsters and creatures that fled at the sight of the undead. Quickly, Alzar reaches a wood that has a sylvan feel to it, as if magic sparked from the occasional tree or bush.

Another day into the forest with its enchantments and dweomers, Alzar arrives at a place where the forest trail meets a cool river, running swiftly. The colors of the plants are sparkling and exact – reds and greens and blues. Even a purple and orange here and there. However, as Alzar and his entourage get nearer the river, they notice the glint of armor in the path. He arrives and sees a dead Qwith. The armor is slashed by weapons and destroyed, and a search of the body reveals a note, in Typic and Qwith.

It is very long, too long to quote here. But basically it says that Rahasia is a Qwith princess as the daughter of one of the town council, and a few months ago, a stranger named The Rahib arrived at their Qwith village. He came for Rahasia’s hand in marriage, and despite his handsomeness and presence, Rahasia’s father refused, so The Rahib went and proposed to Rahasia and asked to elope. Rahasia refused him. There was something too intense about him. The Rahib grabbed her and she cried out. Her father heard and drove The Rahib to the gate of the town and drove him forth. Then the stranger intoned an evil, vile curse on the village. Recently, the young men and their mentors did not return from the temple. Upon investigation, the curious were driven away from the temple. Rahasia’s father left to investigate and has not returned. His treasure in the lower recesses of the temple has also been lost. This includes her dowry. Her betrothed in the village, Hasan, knew his family would require the dowry, so he too went to the temple and has not been seen. Two days ago the village council received a note from The Rahib claimed that he had placed a curse on all of the Qwith in the temple. It would not be lifted until Rahasia was given to him in marriage. The Qwith there are under the control of The Rahib, and that night, they broke into the village and stole away two Qwith maidens. The villagers are begging Rahasia to volunteer herself to The Rahib, in hopes that he will leave them alone. This note is a plea for help, sent with her good friend, to find someone to assist.

Abe Sargent

04-28-2010, 07:32 PM

Okay, Alzar decides to investigate for two reasons. Will the Qwith welcome his help, even though he is a necromancer? And this seems like as good an opportunity as any to gain experience and items. Plus, the person he is delivering the package too? Rahasia’s father, so there’s no gold until he is found.

A couple of miles away, Alzar’s wagon pulls up to the village, with the undead in their normal area in the distance. He drives up to the gate and knocks, and after he announces why he is here, the gates open. Out from the houses come many Qwith, including a young tear-stained face who asks if Alzar will aid her. He immediately nods, and she risks a smile. He asks to speak with her in private, and she agrees. She provides food for Alzar.

They say that the temple did have a powerful guardian, so The Rahib probably slew it. Also, they show sketches of the two maidens so that Alzar will be able to identify them. Rahasia wants to accompany Alzar to the temple, but he declines and tells her why. She admits that she could sense the presence of the undead in the forest, but most of the other Qwith are either not sensitive enough to have noticed, or probably put it down to more of The Rahib’s servants. Whatever it takes.

Alzar moves out to the temple, and led to it. Outside and a short way away is a shrine. Here, Alzar ties up the wagon, rests, and incense is lighted to give him luck. He walks the rest of the way up a short hill to the Temple of Gray Mountain, and the undead join him.

23 animal skeletons, Lastion, Megala, Alzar and full hit points all around.

Abe Sargent

04-28-2010, 08:18 PM

The gates of the temple are silver double doors, and they open easily. Animal skeletons move into the courtyard beyond them, and investigate. Inside are stables, open air shrines in the lower corners. The skeletons move in and nothing is immediately there so Alzar moves forward. In front of him is a dais and pool, and to the rear are the shrines and stables to the right and left. Animal skeletons move into the shrine areas first, in the front of the temple, in the extreme left and right corners. In the southeast shrine, a sound is heard and Alzar ourder back the skeletons guarding it, as he sees a Gargoyle flying into the main courtyard to engage the skeletons. Only a magical weapon can hit a gargoyle, so Alzar unsheathes his +1 axe and moves forward while ordering his servants away. The skeletons part like waves and the gargoyle carefully advances, seeing Alzar not afraid.

http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/MM35_gallery/MM35_PG113.jpg

Alzar swings his axe and it cuts into the gargoyle’s enchanted flesh for 12 damage and rocks are shorn from its shoulder. It recovers and attacks with wings, claws and fangs four times total. Alzar takes 9 damage. Alzar attacks and connects right in the center of the gargoyle, splitting it in two and killing it (9 damage).

No XP> Alzar at 42/51

Abe Sargent

04-28-2010, 08:49 PM

A search of the shrine shows that stairs go down, and the gargoyle had killed previous people and they had 80 gold and 4000 copper. These coins are gathered in the small leather sacks around the area and ran back down to the shrine.

The other shrine has nothing but more stairs down, a platform and altar, and a statue that neither moves nor looks anything other than normal.

An investigation of the eight stables here by the animal skeletons shows that one has a sack with the word Tithe on it, and 250 copper. Alzar choose to leave it here since it’s just 2.5 gold and could be the temple’s. It’s not worth pissing them off just for 250 copper.

As Alzar moves forward, he sends the animal skeletons towards the dais and pool in the north section of the temple. As they approach, a watery creature springs from the brackish water and strikes at a skeleton, but doesn’t kill it even though it hits. Alzar orders the skeletons to take out the Water Weird.

Because the Water Weird only does drowning damage, the skeletons kill it in two turns without any dying. 17 XP for Alzar. In the pool are two large jars, and Alzar has Lastion grab both out, and each has 150 cp, 350 silver and 299 gold in them. The bottom is very murky, so Alzar sends in all of the animal skeletons at once, and in just a short period of time, they find 6 gems, each worth 100 gold.

There are some stairs leading up to a platform behind the pool and dais, and Alzar flies up Megala to check it out through its eyes. He sees a landing and a Qwith hiding behind a curtain. Is the Qwith hiding because it thinks Alzar will hurt him, and he is not a bad guy, or because he is a bad guy, and thinks Alzar will hurt him. Alzar casts ESP.

After a few seconds, it’s obvious that the Qwith is a good aligned guy who came here to take out The Rahib, warrior-mage who has already cast his spells, but is willing to continue the fight. The combination of undead and the battle has left Alki, Qwith Wariror-Seer a little shaken. Alzar walks up the stairs with no weapons ,just just staff. As he reaches the top, Alki jumps out and shouts a warrior’s charge. Alzar drops his staff visibly in front of Alki and holds his hands out in a sign of peace. Alki halts his charge.

Alzar, with one round left of ESP, knows the perfect way to get in Alki’s graces, uses it, and Alki agrees to Alzar’s request to join the party, even knowing what Alzar is working with. (he has not seen Lastion, jus the skeletons, which are generally thought of as neutral.). Alzar orders Lastion to hide for now. Alzar escorts Alki down for now and escorts him to the wagon. In return for helping, for the rest of the adventure, Alzar allows Alki the use of The Sword of the Rock. Alki replaces his long sword. He also has a long bow, shield and chain mail. He will fight as Alzar commands, unless it is unusual.

Abe Sargent

04-28-2010, 09:17 PM

Alzar finds a cloak room back at the top of the steps. Inside are some brass coffers, which are tested by the animal skeletons. They have 1100 cp and 100 sp in both of them combined. Alzar leaves them here for now. After he leaves, and after the area is cleared, he will have Lastion act as a porter, moving these items back and forth from the wagon to here.

Alzar and his crew go right along a corridor on the upper level. They reach a another shrine, this time a temple that appears to be a room with several praying benches and statues, an alter with a dusty altar cloth, and more typical accoutrements, including candelabras with candles still lit. There are robes of the temple Qwith, called the Siswa, here as well. Alzar makes sure to remember to add them to the magic pile, just in case.

A doorway continues to the north and Alzar sends some animal skeletons down the hallway. There are several alcoves here used for study, and all are completely devoid of anything., even furniture. They reach an intersection and the corridor continues forward and right into blank walls, and right down the hallway. Alzar and his crew see some movement from the path down the west. Before he goes down there, Alzar sends one animal skeleton down each hallway to the north and east to make sure that there is nothing there. As they get to the end, they disappear. Since they have not been given further instructions, they remain standing where they arrive. It appears there are portals at the ends of the hallway. For now, Alzar goes west, and sends some animal skeletons down the way to see.

No traps are found, but 5 of the Siswa, Qwith priests that are possessed or charmed or something, are there. They have not noticed the animal skeletons yet. They are huddled around a fire, resting. Alzar orders his animal skeletons to return and moves away. He will come back later if needed.

They go around back to the dais, and then up the other staircase to the left and move west into yet another temple area. This one has frescoes on the wall depicting holy rites and various implements, but no robes. The alter here looks more like a well, with an open area that goes down a long way. Alzar has Megala fly down, and he sees a well that descends more than 50 feet, and then there is a locked iron grate at the bottom. Rather than risk that, Megala flies back up and they continue north from the hallway here. Once again, alcoves, and once again ,nothing here, except for a black jade statue in the rear of one of the alcoves.

On the statue is a golden pendant with a black jade stone, just like the statue. Alzar touches it, and then tries to take it from the statue, but cannot. It is shimmering and beautiful and worth 1300 gold, but Alzar cannot take it, it is sealed there somehow.

Abe Sargent

04-28-2010, 09:32 PM

They move north to yet another intersection, to the west of where they did before, and again with pathways to the north and west, and a hallway to the east back towards the Siswa. Alzar sends skeletons north and west, but they do not disappear. Suddenly, a group of four humans appears from the west and nd moves to attack Alzar and his group. At first, they move to attack, but then they realize that Alzar is not Siswa and hold up their attack.

The leader moves forward and introduces himself as Teikus. They came here to loot the temple, but have been confused and lost due to the teleporters. They have robbed five bags of loot and offer Alzar one in exchange for info out. Knowing that he has Alki with him, Alzar gets him to agree to two bags, and then tells them how to get out. They thank him and move off. Alzar makes a show of putting he bags of Tithe treasure in an alcove for the Siswa to find later, but in reality, he issues a command to Lastion to collect them. 100 EP total gained.

Alzar now has several options. Jump down the well/altar. Go into the north corridor into a portal. Go into the east corridor into a portal. Go down the stairs in the south east shrine. Go down the stairs in the south west shrine.

The south west shrine, where he can keep his bearings.

The stairs arrive at a lower level. Alzar moves out and runs into two Siswa guards who charge him. They have gleaming curved blades in each hand, and the qwith move silently. Alki shoots an arrow and nails one for 2 damage before they get near, before switching to a new weapon. Alzar grabs his staff. Animal skeletons nail a few for 6 damage in four hits. One hits Alzar for 5 damage (37/51). Alzar smacks one with a staff for 5 damage and it dies. Alki slices another with the magic sword for 6, and he dies.

XP – 40. Weapons, armor, cloaks added to magic pile. This is the prison, with a large number of cells in here. There is also a central room. At the end of a hallway, Alzar can see stairs up to the south east shrine, so both stairs led here.

Quick inspections by the Animal skeletons show the cell area to be a squre, with four hallways, each with cells on the outer edge. There is a large compass rose in the floor. There is a door out to the north, and adoor into a central chamber.

One jail, when searched, has a chest in it. It shoots darts with sleep poison on them at the animal skeletons that touch it, and they take no damage. The trap spent, it opens to Alzar’s touch and reveals 200 silver, 150 electrum and a battle of wine. Added to the wagon by Lastion later.

One cell is darkened, and inside, Alzar makes out the forms of many Siswa sleeping. He skips it. Could be allies, could be a lot of enemies. He comes across more. A check shows the door unlocked, so Alzar thinks these may be guards or a sleeping group. He is glad the fight was over quick and the foes were relatively quiet.

Abe Sargent

04-28-2010, 09:52 PM

The door into the central area is opened. There are alcoves to the west and east. Inside is smoking torches, a nd the words Kesini over the west alcove and Kesana over the east. Alzar sends in animal skeletons and one disappears to the east, but not the west.

20 skeletons left with the team.

Alzar opens up the north door and he enters a hallway that runs east to west. At the end of each is an intersection, and at each is an animal skeleton from above, that return and rejoin the group. In front of Alzar is a door. Alzar orders skeletons around the hallway, and like upstairs, this is another square. They run into a Gelatinous Cube in a hallway, and Alki pokes it with arrow after arrow until it dies, because it moves so slowly. No treasure in it. (No XP for Alzar, just for Alki)

Alzar sends animal skeletons down every alcove, and only in one corner do two disappear down each alcove to the west and north.

20 left. There are doors in the east and west hallways to the center room, but no others. Alzar enters from the east.

Strong wooden double doors, ornately carved, open, and a huge, natural cavern the temple was built around is revealed. There is another large compass rose in the floor. A raised platform juts out 30 feet from the north wall, and on it is a clay statue and a black robed figure, burning incense at an altar . As Alzar opens the door, the figure sees the group, his eyes widen, and then he throws his hands in the air and disappears in a puff of smoke. Alzar orders Megala to fly up to where he was, and as Megala gets close, the clay statue animates and begins to move towards them. As it moves, the clay falls off, revealing a walking construct made of bone.

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_r3wK3kmkNXQ/Rtf0YgyzXhI/AAAAAAAACl8/m9msUI0Da_s/s160/Bone_Golem_by_paxtin.jpg

This can only be hit by magical weapons, so Alzar and Alki move forward with their magical weapons. The golem has four arms, each with a long sword in it. It is big, nasty, and won’t take no for an answer.

Alzar moves in front of Alki, ready to take the first swing. I roll a 7. It gets +3 for axe mastery, +1 for the magical axe, and +2 for the AC – target 13. However, Alzar’s target with an axe is 14, so he misses, barely. The golem swings four swords at Alzar. Only one hits for 8 damage. (29/51). Alki nips in and rocks it for 10 damage back – a full hit.

Alzar’s axe swings in again, and this time he rolls a 19, easily a hit. He doles out 11 damage of pain (a 6, plus 3 for mastery, 1 for strength, 1 for magic of axe). The golem swings again, Alzar is hit twice for 12 damage (17/51). Alki swings with The Sword of the Rock and misses (rolled an 8).

Alzar loses iniitave, and the golem swings first, Hitting three times for 14. 4/51. Alzar swings the axe and hits (rolled a 9) for 7 damage. Alki swings again and notches a 15 and hits for 5 damage, and the golem falls dead.

Alzar and Alki split 1750 experience.

(Aside: In this adventure the Bone Golem is supposed to be so powerful you have to leave and think of a way past it. In this case, we had two magical weapons and were able to bring it down, barely).

Tellistto

04-28-2010, 09:58 PM

Close call on that fight. Would have been a tough loss to take with the two of you going at it.

Abe Sargent

04-28-2010, 10:13 PM

With a severe amount of wounds, Alzar and Alki decide to call it, and head back to the qwith town for
rest.

A few hours later, they return. Each will rest tonight, and tomorrow, Alki will have Magic Missile and Shield, Alzar will have his normal five spells, and Alzar will purchase some healing potions.

Alzar found the two missing animal skeletons upstairs by the section of the corridor that this not transport, so it looks like one part of the portal sends and the other receives.

There is still one missing.

In the morning, Alzar purchases the maximum number of healing potions in the village – 5 of them. He quaffs three for 21 points of healing. (26/51).

He has three left. He spent 800 gold (they gave him a 20% discount)

Alzar and Alki return to the temple and the same room they left. They stayed away from areas they knew had the possessed qwith priests. They also left behind treasure in the village, stored for Alzar (behind Alki’s back)

Abe Sargent

04-28-2010, 10:14 PM

Close call on that fight. Would have been a tough loss to take with the two of you going at it.

Yeah, would have sucked a lot.

Abe Sargent

04-28-2010, 10:26 PM

In the room with the dead Bone Golem, Alzar’s minions find a trap door behind the altar. Alki searches with his special qwith skills and finds a secret door trap door behind the Bone Golem’s stand. They decide to open that door. As they descend the stairs, they come to a fully locked door. Alzar has no way to open it. They go back up and take the trap door stairs down behind the altar instead.

They arrive in an octagonal shaped room with frescos and polygons on the ground. There are doors to the south, wrest and east. Alzar has his skeletons serach the room, and while they do, a ghostly apparition appears. Alki bolts but Alzar halts him. Heis knowledge of the undead is tested (roll a success) because of the unusualness of this Haunt. It is a stately qwith, who identifies himself as ARahasia’s father, and then intones the following message for Alzar and Alki:

By The Rahib’s Hand
Was I here felled
And long awaited
You to come

Rahasia’s pain
I have dearly felt
But you have come
To free her

Hasan is in the dungeon south
My gold is toward the north
An ally in the dragon guard
Warts before the gold

The Rahib is but a pawn
A darker evil lies below
The dragon guard knows the story
And guards the way below

The haunt fades, its message delivered.

Abe Sargent

04-28-2010, 10:57 PM

With that knowledge, they open the door to the south. There is a long dark hallway with locked cells running east and west. A gate of iron blocks the west end. After searching for the keys and finding them, they unlock all of the cells and the gate. The gate is the well bottom. Inside the cells are two people willing to join Alzar’s cause for the dungeon, and Alzar casts ESP to prove it.

Hasan, level two, 15 hp, level 2 elf warrior, unarmed and unarmored,
Baik Telor, human fighter, level 4, 24 hp, chainmail, unarmed,

Both are lawful. Alzar grabs swords from the dead Siswa killed yesterday and gives them each a long sword. Hasan is given the chainmail from a dead Siswa. Both now have ACs of 5. Because Alki and Rahasia vouches for Alzar, and because the father trusted him, both are willing o join. Plus, all I know is that both are lawful, they could be lawful neutral or lawful evil, and not just lawful good.

Alzar and his party go back to the octagonal room and head right, east. The double doors to the library swing open.

There are many books on shelves along the walls, plus a table and chairs. Sitting at a table and reading, facing you, is The Rahib. Apparently, the dark cloaked figure did not hear the Haunt;s message, since it was not meant for him. With four people in armor and a score of animal skeletons, The Rahib chooses to flee into a door at the east of the library. Alzar and the party pursue quickly, not wanting him to flee
again.

The next room is the bedchamber of The Rahib, with plush fabric recently brought in, and more. Here The Rahib waits with two black panthers, and he orders them to attack as soon as the party arrives.

The Rahib manages to cast a spell first and Alzar is silenced. He can issue commands to Megala (Lastion is not here), but cannot order the skeletons or cast spells. Alzar draws a staff. The panthers arrive and attack. One hits Baik Telor for 6 damage (18/24). Another claws Alki for 1 damage (11/12).

Alki spits Magic Missile at The Rahib and he takes 5 damage. Baik nails a Panther for 2 damage, and Hasan nails the other for 2 more. The skeletons are unable to attack unless they are directly attacked.

Next turn, Alzar swings a staff and smashes a panther for 4 damage. Baik hits for 1 damage, and Hasan misses. Alki grabs a longbow and fires at The Rahib for 12 damage, a critical hit. The Rahib chooses to cast Hold Person at Alki and…It succeeds. Alki is paralyzed for now. Baik is missed by a panther, and Alar is nailed for 3 by a panther claw (23/51)

Things are not looking good for the home team, so Alzar silently orders Megala to fly at The Rahib and attack him. Alzar swings a staff hard and cracks panther for 6 damage. Hasan hits and kills the wounded one – the other just has 2 damage. Baik misses. Megala misses the cleric. The Rahib choose to swing a mace at Megala for 4 damage (8/12). The panther deals 8 to Alki (3/12) after hitting with all three attacks.

The Rahib swings at Megala and hits for 4 more damage. (4/12). Megala claws and misses. The panther bites into Alzar hard for 4 damage and claws him twice for 4 more . 15/51Alzar hits for 2 damage and Baik and Hasan both hit for 13 damage and kill the other panther.

Seeing the panthers dead, The Rahib choose to flee, creating one attack of opportunity for Megala. Can the homonculous hit him and perhaps put him to sleep? He rolls a 18 and hits….3 damage and…The Rahib easily makes the save and in another puff of smoke, disappears.

XP – Alzar gained 40. A search of this room and the library for the next few turns finds nothing. Alzar gets speech back and Alki can move again. Actually, they manage to find keys in a room to the south – a study. There are drawing of the captured maidens and Rahasia here.

Abe Sargent

04-28-2010, 11:11 PM

Alzar takes a look quickly through the library and pockets a few books here and there of professional interest. They go into the west door in the octagonal room and find another room with some teleporters with the same words as before, upstairs over them. There are doors to the north and south. They open the south door and in here are 8 giant rats in a storage room. There are various supplies and broken jars in here, and Alzar moves forward and again uses blastbones to clear them out, and immediately animates three to join his group (23 now) and grabs five corpses for later use.

There is nothing in here. The north door has a snake like reptile glittering in the center of the room, which is otherwise bare except for a hallway in the north. Since Hasan is here, the entity named Ular-Taman addresses him, and tells its story. The creator of the temple long ago created this lawful and good creature to guard the entrance to the lower levels. Recently, it failed, but Rahasia father came and helped it recover from its wounds after being attacked by The Rahib and many guards. It came here to guard the treasure of Rahasia’s father, and gives Hasan a Black Jade Ring. It can get the Amulet upstairs.

There is a powerful object in the ruins of the temple’s creatot below the temple, and The Rahib is a pawn of someone looking for it.

It tells the group that the Siswa are free of The Rahibs grasp while near it, and to bring any to it to be freed, but they will have to remain until the solution to this is permanently found.

They can take the tunnel, enter ht treasure room, and then there is a secret door at the back to take them down.

Alzar moves into the treasure room, and they find:

800 gold
A long sword
A staff
A ring
A potion
6 inlaid gems in a marble jar – 1000 gold
2 doves made of platinum – 700 gold each
12 gems, each worth 100 gold

Instead of going down the secret door, Hasan goes up and grabs the amulet by pressing the ring into its center. Whenever the word, Rahasia, is said while holding the pendant, a circle of power is created and mo evil can enter. Spells cast by evil in the circle fail (includes Alzar). This works three times, and lasts ten rounds each time. Hasan has it.

The keys from the study open up the doors in the stairway back up, by the way.

With a secret door in front of them, the party decides to head back with the treasure to rest and heal.

Abe Sargent

04-28-2010, 11:24 PM

The village welcomes them, and Rahasia takes back her dowry, which are the doves and jar is hers now as well. She also gets the gems and gold.

After a day, Alzar casts Identify on the likely magical items and they come back as:

A Snake Staff, a Ring of Animal Control, A Long Sword +1. Hasan takes the sword, permanently. Alzar is offered the staff, but barters for the Ring instead. The potion is id’d as a healing potion by another.

Three days later , the groups is ready to return, with:

Alzar at 20/51 from herbs
Hasan fully heald 15/15
Alki at 10/12
Baik Telor fully healed
Megala at 8/12

And 28 skeletons.

They arrive back at the treasury room and move to enter the ruins.

Abe Sargent

04-28-2010, 11:50 PM

After a short period of time, they have arrived at the gates to what appears to be an old tower. There is a small cavern in front, caused by an old rockfall. It appears that at one time, there was a tower here, perhaps free standing, and this was the entrance. The builder of the temple, Elyas, probably also built this tower as well, long ago. Only this lowest level of the tower appears to still be standing, as the rocks have crushed everything above it. Rocks from the upper level of the tower can be seen in the rock fall and detritus.

The gates are tough to open, and it takes several people pushing together to open them. It opens into a long corridor and as Alzar scouts ahead with animal skeletons, two bandits melt from the their hiding places in the shadows of the corridors and chop two skeletons dead. 26 left.

Without hesitation, the group unsheathes their weapons and moves forward. As they two, two more melt from behind the group and stab at those in the back – Alzar and Alki. One…hits Alki for12 damage and kills him!

Wow, that was a lucky backstab.

Alzar swings a staff around and cracks open the head of a theif for 7 damage. It dies. Hasan manages to hit and carves one for 5 damage with the magical sword and it dies. Baik misses. The two in front manage to kill another skeleton, and Alzar orders the rest away.

One thief stabs Alzar for 4 damage (16/51). The other misses. Hasan critically wounds one and kills her. Baik hits the final one for 8 damage and kills him.

Alki has died. Alzar convinces Baik to take The Sword of The Rock or the rest of the adventure. Hasan grabs the quiver and long bow. Alki is left behind for later.

XP – 30. They find four suits of leather armor, four short swords – for the magic pile, and 120 sp, 200 gp in one’s backpack and an extra dagger, plus two bottles of Sour Wine. They load up a backpack and carry it with them.

Abe Sargent

04-29-2010, 12:32 AM

The hallway enters into a large hall, that is now full of rubble from a collapsed ceiling, but which was once beautiful. There are double doors at the south end (They entered from the north end, so it’s across from them)and corridors going off to the east and west. Alzar has the skeletons quickly search the rubble and they find a 100 gp gem he pockets.

While they are searching, the noise summons a large Taurian from the west hallway. It snorts, waves a large halberd, and charges towards the group. Hasan fires an arrow and…crits it for 12 damage, right in the nose. It bellows in pain and keeps coming. Alzar orders the skeletons to converge on it and they hit several times, killing it, but not before it kills another. 24 left.

Alzar gets 40 XP

The halberd is added to the magic pile. The Taurian has nothing else on it.

They decide to go west and see where the Taurian came from.

The west corridor continues for a bit, and then two doors on the north and south side ban be seen, and the corridor continues, ending in double doors. The wooden doors in all three places are badly scorched. That’s never a good sign.

They go north. They see a long corridor with six doors, three on each side, and then it ends. Alzar has the skeletons run up and down it and see nothing. They start on the right with the first door. This is an empty prison cell, quite nice – much better than the ones above in the temple. There is nothing in here but chains, bedding, etc. The middle door of the right has a human wizard in leg chains, who immediatley casts sleep when the door is opened. Baik falls asleep. Alzar jumps into front of Hasan and casts ESP. After a few seconds, he realizes that the wizard, Merdiz, believes they are servants of two witches that captured him. Alzar orders Hasan to lower the bow and talks to Merdiz, and uses the ESP to talk correctly.

In a few moments, Merdiz is freed, and joins the party.

Mardiz, Human Mage, level 4, Neutral, Sleep, Light, Web, Wizard Lock, given a +1 dagger to fight with by Alzar. 9 HP.

While helping him out and waiting for Megala to fly and get the dagger from the wagon and fly it back it (via the well…) they hear someone coming to check the cells. It’s The Rahib!

He has been fully healed.

Hasan fires his bow at The Rahib. The arrow bounces off The Rahib’s chainmail armor under the black robes. This time, Alzar gets off the first spell and casts Charm Person on The Rahib. It fails. Another silence spell is cast at Alzar and…Alzar fails, and it works, once again silenced. Mardiz blinds The Rahib with a Light spell. Baik closes and swings, ciritically hitting the blinded cleric for 16 damage.

The Rahib fumbles around and swings with his mace at Baik, but misses poorly. Alzar misses. Mardiz’s magical dagger zips by, just hitting The Rahib and scratching him for 4 damage. An arrow thunks into his thigh for 4 damage as well. Baik swings The Sword of the Rock and adds 9 damage, which kills him. The Rahib collapses.

His chainmail and mace are added to the magic pile. He is not carrying any gold or other items.

Alzar gained 100 XP

Izulde

04-29-2010, 01:55 AM

Poor Alki. That's what you get for being a drunk. :D

Fantastic stuff, Abe!

Abe Sargent

04-29-2010, 02:20 PM

Thanks!

Abe Sargent

04-29-2010, 03:46 PM

The group moves to the last door on the right. There are thick cobwebs in here, and something moves slowly. It is pitch black in here. Everybody backs away from the doorway, and suddenly, a giant Black Widow Spider leaps out, into the hallway, and gets a free attack on…Alzar. The attack hits and nails him for 9 damage. Alzar saves vs poison or dies. He easily makes the save (whew)

(7/51 hp left).

Alzar backs up and quaffs a potion. 15/51.

Baik and misses the spider, but Hasan’s enchanted blade penetrates the chitin for 8 damage. Mardiz stands back and risks a throw of his only weapon, because he knows well enough to stay out of its range. It misses and clangs to the floor., The spider tries to fang Baik and…just hits him for 7 damage and Baik…just makes the save (he rolled EXACLTY what he needed to make it).

Baik is at 17/24. Alzar’s staff misses the spider, and both fighters miss. The animals skeletons have arrived and peck at the spider twice for 4 damage. The spider misses Baik. It wins init and stabs out at Baik yet again and misses, yet again., Alzar’s staff cracks it for 2 damage, and it takes 13 damage from skeletons and Baik, and dies.

Alzar gets 25 XP

They take a torch instead the room and find a dead adventurer, with two daggers and leather armor, plus a belt pouch with 50 gold, 20 platinum, and 10 50 GP gems. The daggers are handed to Mardiz, who now has three, two to throw and one to keep. The armor is added ot the magic pile.

They move to the rear left door. In here is a woman who claims to be an elf maiden named Miryala, who was just captured an hour or two ago. Hasan vouches for her. They release her, and spend some time escorting her back to the magic guardian in the temple who will watch over her until they are finished here.

They arrive back and hit the other two cells – both empty even after searches.

Abe Sargent

04-29-2010, 06:53 PM

Next they move south and open the door.

This is a small corridor with a door on the east and west sides. They go back towards the center of the tower.

As they enter, a giant Red Dragon raises its head, and belches flame at the party!

http://webspace.webring.com/people/br/reddragonslair/reddragon.gif

Everybody but Alzar believes it is real and “die” to the fire and collapse. Alzar sees that it is just an illusion and chuckles.

He slaps awake his companions and they take some time to regain consciousness, so Alzar moves into the next room. This has a brilliant red light at the north of the room, and nothing else. Alzar pushes forward into the “wall” while the other still see a wall and an illusion.

Alzar enters Elya’s laboratory. There are ancient beakers, lab equipment, tables, most cracked and all show serious age. In here is a woman’s hat with pink feathers and it appears two more alcoves with teleporters. Alzar confirms this after he tossed a small piece of a chair down one and it disappeared, but the other did not.

A quick searches shows that everything in here is broken or aged too much and Alzar leaves. The other room to the east has another illusion in it and Alzar disbelieves and returns to the group mostly recovered. They continue down the west path and reach the double doors.

This is the charred remains of a long, elegant library with some shelves and books still in okay condition. A search shows nothing.

There is a door to the south and they take it. They ender a map room, with maps on the walls. And map cases into the room. The fires did not touch this room. They start a search and find several bottles of Sour Wine in some of the map cases, and maps old and faded in the others. The wall maps show the local area.

Abe Sargent

04-29-2010, 07:42 PM

They head back and take the east doorway from the great hall. There are double doors in front of them, and then passes continues north and south, with a door to the north as well. They go north, and find stairs going up, compeltely destroyed. They open the door and see an old kitchen, with a butcher’s block, and several tables. It appears to still be functioning and in good order, and food can still be smelled her.

A quick serach of the room reveals that there are ups and plates in several cupboards. The shelves are well stocked with meats and cheeses and breads and fruits. As the group finishes their search, one of the captured elf maidens, arrives with a Black Panther. She orders her black panther to attack the party and then runs, casting Hold Portal on the door as she does.

An arrow thunks into it for 4 damage and a dagger flies by and misses. It kills two skeletons near the door. 22 left. It kills another two the next turn 20 left. Alzar misses it and drops his staff as he fumbles. Another arrow tags it for 4 damage and another dagger misses. Baik swings into it for 5 damage. It dies.

XP gained – 20

20 skeletons left

The door is forces open after a few rounds, and the elf maiden is nowhere to be seen. She probably is possessed too. Merdiz says that she is one of the two witches, and that seems to correlate with her being possessed.

They head back and take the double doors. There are two alcoves on either side of this hallway, and each one have a statue in it. At the end are double doors made of brass. They all appear to be amazingly lifelike statues of adventurers running, with great detail. They do not animate, and they are made out of platinum. A search reveals nothing more.

The double doors are opened, and inside is a 30 foot diameter circular room with a domed celing. There appears to be a another well that drops down into the darkness, and there are statues to the west, north and south of the room On the wall are carves the words Pah and Nwad.

After a search, Alzar decides to say Nwad and nothing happens. He then says Pah and a blue glowing disk begins to move slowly up tehwell and arrives in a minute or so. He says Nwad and it begins to descend. Knowing how the mechanism works, the group leaves to finish exploring and scouring the level, in order t onot leave any foes behind. Alzar leaves behind a few animal skeletons to make sure that no one come sthis way.

They go south at the junction and arrive in an L shaped inesection just as they roun the corner. In front the corridor ends with a door. To the south are four doors, two on each side, before it ends.

They choose the single door and open it. Inside is a darkened room with sputtering torches in blackened sconces and five dark hunched figures orcs. The orcs attack with long swords and scimitars, and are wearing studded leather and carrying shields.

Within seconds, they are all fast asleep from Alzar’s Sleep spell. A quick slice of their neck swiftly and quietly puts them out.

Alzar gets 50 XP

They have 270 silver on them, and there is a box in here with three bottles of Good Wine, and a mace, added to the magic pile, and it has 100 gold, 500 ep, and 50 pp. They are all taken.

Hasan finds a secret door in the back of the room while they search, and opens it. Behind is a corridor that bends and goes behind the hallway and rooms back in the hallway.

Abe Sargent

04-29-2010, 08:19 PM

They head back and check out those rooms first.. The lower right door has one giant room behind it – two doors. The room has been blasted and is empty save for rubble. A search finds nothing. The lower left door leads to a room with a large number of shelves. Dusty jars and bottle are in here, and the room has a sickening order in it. Alzar sends in the animal skeletons and they run into giant rats and they fight in there, while the people who breathe are far away from the door.

Two animal skeletons die, and then four rats die. The next round, Alzar’s go first and the undead ones kill the giant rats. Alzar animates three immediately and now has 21. The remaining 5 corpses will be gathered later for further reanimation.

Alzar gains 20 XP.

After a serach, with Megala being the eyes, nothing is found in here. Alzar moves to the last door, and in here is an empty storeroom with unused shelves. Another search turns up nothing.

They decide to take the secret corridor and run into a door, and the hallway goes on. They open the door and inside is a wine cellar. A search finds nothing but 125 bottles of Good Wine in here.

They continue on and the secret hallway ends at nothing. They search and find a secret door and open it. They see a large square area with a large pillar in the middle. To the north goes a hallway. The skeletons enter and they run into a gelatinous cube. They are order to back out and the bow of Hasan kills the Cube. Inside it are 60 ep, 40 gp and a 50 gold gem.

A search of the room finds a secret door in the pillar. When opened, there is a vault in here with a chest on one wall. The skeletons enter, and the cumulative weight of 20 of them on a plate triggers it and a pendulum swings down, but high enough to miss the animal skeletons. Forewarned, the rest of the group skips the stone that triggers the trap. The chest is locked, and there is no way to open it right now, so the Chest is taken back to the blasted courtyard on their way back, which will then be picked up and portered by lastion.

(Later, inside is 5000 copper, 100 gold, 20 platinum and 3 bottle of Superb Wine.)

They head to the hallway off the room and I goes due north until it ends. They find a secret door and emerge into the east hallway, just outside of the central, crumbling hall. They drop off the chest, and then head south to the double doors.

This dark, 30 foot wide hall has a flat ceiling, several small alcoves, and a red velvet curtain on the north side about 50 feet down. Animal skeletons run up and down and find nothing.

Thy group moves south to the curtain. Alzar pushes aside the curtain.

Abe Sargent

04-29-2010, 08:53 PM

Most of this room is taken by a platform, and if Alzar’s calculations are correct, this room is immediately beside the room with the vault in that pillar in the secret area they found. Three steps lead up to the platform. A brazier, standing in the middle of the platform, is blazing with a bright light and eliminates almost all shadow from the room. Three stone coffins are arranged in a triangle around the brazier, and covered with carvings and runes. There is an ornate cast-iron throne at the back of the platform. There is a metal stand that had an ancient leather-bound book on it with a large quill pen on top that can be seen from the entrance.

Alzar moves to the first coffin. All of the seals on it are broken. It take several to life it and inside is a skeleton with rusted chain armor, rotting furs, and it is holding a damaged sword with a scroll in the other hand. Alzar reches for the scroll and pulls it out and opens it up.

“A second chance is seldom found
To revenge those beneath the ground
On ye this fate I do intone
That you ma feel the strength of bone.”

The skeleton animates and Alzar tries to control it. He fails, and it attacks. It misses with the sword. 6 damage is dealt by Baik Telor’s Sword of The Rock. Hasan slices off an arm for 5 damage. It is destroyed and falls over.

XP 10

They move to the next coffin. It is covered with unknown symbols and broken seals. It is opened and inside is another skeleton with a tattered blue robe, and nothing else.

The third coffin is still sealed. Each is broken off and the lid moved. Inside is a skeleton with a ruined and rotting tattered red drew and nothing else.

Alzar moves to the book and touches it, opening it up. This it the Book of Years. The quill Windscribe begins to write a tale about Elyas, the one who made this place. There was a Black Opal that Elyas had, and he trapped three witches in a dragon’s eye and yet they stayed alive forever trapped.

Alzar takes the book and the quill for further study later. They search the room and find a hidden cache with:

500 gold, 1000 copper, 800 electrum

They return to the room with the floating blue disc and the skeletons are unharmed. They intone the magic word, and descend 1000 feet into another circular room.

Abe Sargent

04-29-2010, 09:37 PM

This room is identical to the first, down to the same three statues and an westward exit.

They open the door and see another hallway of alcoves and statues, except this time three on each side, and then double doors at the end. Skeletons run up and down it, and find nothing. There are statues exactly like those above in here. Platinum, adventurer types, running, happiness on their faces too.

The double doors are opened and they enter a 20 foot square room bathed in golden light. To the west are double bronze doors with ornate lattice work on them. There are arches to the north and south, with rooms on either side.

Beyond the north arch is the light and glinting of thousands of gold pieces. The south room appears identical to the north room, but devoid of anything.

Animal skeletons are sent north and south, and as soon as the first one crosses each, they turn to platinum and are dead. The rest are recalled. 21 left. They are levitated out of the area and disappear.

Without an obvious option, they open the bronze double doors.

There is a corridor with normal doors to the north and south, and double doors to the west at the end of the 30 feet.

They go north, parallel to where the treasure is, after sending in skeletons.

This is an extravagantly furnished bedroom with a gilt framed bed, tapestries, a huge vanity and wardrobe, mirrors, small jars and a large glass vial, and there is a gate that leads to an alcove with a level attached to the wall next to it. After an extensive search, nothing is found here, the level opens the gate and something tossed through it disappears, as expected.

They go south and try the door, but it is locked. With no way to open it, the party continues.

Abe Sargent

04-29-2010, 10:22 PM

The double doors are opened and inside is a fat statue of a man, and a room with portcullises to the north, south and west, with pathways leading past them. The statue has a plaque saying, “I judge by taste.”

After a search, nothing is found here. They try putting food into its mouth unsuccessfully. They have some wine with them – specially two bottle of Sour Wine still in a backpack, because they never took any of the other. They pour it in the mouth of the statue and the south portcullis opens.

They move into the hallways and the skeletons observe that the place ends in a three way intersection with small alcoves to the south, east, and west.

The numbers 1, 2 and 3 are carved in each alcove. A quick toss of a copper piece shows that each alcove is a teleporter.

Until now, Alzar has just skipped the teleporters, but that appears to be no longer possible.

Alzar chooses to move through…( I roll randomly)3.

A flash of white light reveals that Alzar and company are on a platform in a large arena shaped area with 5 skeletons on the other side, 60 feet away. Alzar runs in front and tries to control the skeletons. He controls two of them, and they immediately start attacking the other three. In a few minutes, all are dead from the battle, or daggers and arrows tossed in. When the last is destroyed, they reappear in the same room, with their daggers and arrows replaced.

XP gained – 30

Alzar choose 1.

They appear in a 10 foot room with an alcove on each side marked 1-4. It appears they chose correctly. Alzar choose…1.

They arrive back at the area. This time, 5 orcs are on the other platform. Arrows and daggers cut the number to three before they reach Alzar’s group and The others are cut down and only kill one animal skeleton

XP – 10

22 skeletons

This time, Alzar choose 3.

Back to the arena, and more orcs. Three are cut down, and they other two die, but one managed to hit Hasan for two damage first.

Hasan is at 13/15.

Back, and Alzar choose alcove 4.

They move to another alcove, with four choices again. Alzar chooses. 2.

They move to another alcove. Alzar chooses three

They move to another alcove. Alzar chose 3 again. Back to the Arena

2 Ogres are on the other side. They charge. The daggers miss and an arrow hits one for 5 damage. The ogres attack with giant swords. Each misse,s and one drops his sword accidentally. Alzar staffs one for 5 damage and kill sit. Hasan nails another for 7 damage. Two animal skeletons hit for 2 more damage.

Alzar misses. Baik Telor nails it for 9 and it dies.

XP 75

back to the alcove, and Alzar chooses 4.

Two more ogres in the arena.

One takes three from an arrow., The other is daggered for 4 damage. They swing and one hits and crushes an animal skeleton.

21 left

Alzar crits one for 11 damage and it dies. The other is hit by Baik for 3 and a skeleton for 2.

Alzar swings and nails it for 4 damage. Hasan kills it with his sword.

XP 75

Alzar choose 1 and they go t another alcove area.

Alzar chooses 2.

They go to another alcove room. Alzar selects 2 again.

Arena.

2 Taurians are the foes, with 28 hp each. As they charge, arrows plink them, and our resident mage casts Web to hold them. Success on both, and they are arrowed to death by Hasan.

Back to the Alcove. Alzar choose 1.

They move to another alcove.

Alzar chooses 1

Arena. This time they face a….Green Dragon.

Holy balls.

Abe Sargent

04-29-2010, 11:13 PM

It has 31 hit points and it is pissed.

60 feet away is too far for its breathe weapon, so it needs to get closer. Alzar orders everyone to charge the Green Dragon. They do, and the Green Dragon breathes chlorine gas at them. Baik Telor is caught in it, and takes 16 after making his save. 1/24 (literally). Hasan dodges it, and the mage takes it full and dies. Alzar would take it, but the Necklace of Adaptation keeps him from taking any damage from it. (Gases don’t hurt Alzar). Also failing to get out of the way are the Animal Skeletons, which are just too slow. They all die.

This needs a fast answer, so Alzar leans down and picks up some bones fromt eh dead skeletons.

Hasan and Baik swing at the dragon. Both manage to crack its AC of 1! It takes 12 damage from the two magical swords.

Alzar tosses the bones to the rare of the chamber behind the dragon and casts Blastbones. It takes 5 damage from the spell.

The dragon casts Sleep spell. Alzar falls asleep. Baik nails it for 7 damage.

The dragon wins initiative and casts Mirror Image and creates three duplicates. Whenever it is hit, there is a chance that it hits the image equal to the number of images -1. Baik misses and Hasan kills an image. Megala flies in and misses.

The dragon casts Magic Missile at Hasan and deals 10 to him. 3/15 left. Baik hits and takes out another image. Megala rolls a 19 and actually hits. He hits the dragon for 1 damage. The dragon…makes its save.

The dragon rears back and attacks. It kills Baik Telor with a bite that doles out 11 damage. Megala misse and Hasan takes out the final image.

Hasan wins init and slashes out, but misses. Megala hits and does 2 damage and….the dragon falls asleep.

With just a few hit points left, Hasan grabs his sword, aims it well, and plunges it deep into the dragons neck, and it dies.

Immediately, everybody is teleported back to the alcove. Alzar is awakened shortly. Hasan takes one of his healing pots and swallows it. He is back to 12/15.

Alzar is awake, with just Megala left. They take back the magic weapons and other weapons distributed to the now dead people, and Hasan takes the better Sword of The Rock.

Which to choose? 2 or 3 or 4? (roll a die) 4.

And they are out.

Alzar gained 875 XP

Abe Sargent

04-29-2010, 11:31 PM

Alzar is down to just himself and Megala. He quaffs the last healing pot. He gains 6 life. 27/51. Megala is still at 8 life/12.

Alzar is out of spells. He is out of healing potions. He is out of animal skeletons. He is out of allies except for Hasan. They cannot g o back through the portal maze, but it’s getting to be slim pickens here.

Where are they?

They are in a 10 foot square alcove and emerge into a room with doors to the north, south and west. In the center of the room is an obelisk, and there are constellations on the walls. Alzar asks Hasan how he is doing.

The Obelisk speaks when Alzar asks that question. “Answer me and I’ll answer three in truth, if but to questions three: What is your name?”

Alzar answers truthfully, and the Obelisk asks the quest, which against Alzar answers truthfully – to end the shadow over the village, and give them peace. Do you know the name of the last creature you killed?

Nope.

Alzar asks how he can complete the quest, and gets this answer:

Beyond the three temples of the elements
The black dragon’s eye waits for thee
Findi ts secret through nearby magical ways
That have waited for many long years
Beware the tricks of old Elyas
And return here with the Black Opal Eye to give it power
Then, set it in its place and behold
The end of great sadness: the beginning of life:
The destruction of evil and the end of strife

He asks if the Obelisk will it heal them or give them aid?

Knowledge is the only aid I have

Alzar decides to leave the Obelisk. They can always come back and ask another question if needed.

Travis

04-30-2010, 12:01 AM

Wow, nicely done. Great read so far.

Abe Sargent

04-30-2010, 12:12 AM

They go north, after a quick search of the room.

This room;s ceiling arches 50 feet above the stone floor. The ceiling and walls depict raging flames, and firestorms. At the west end of the room, an altar stands atop a platform. Behind it, the life size shape of a human right hand is engraved in the wall.

A search finds nothing. Alzar puts his hand in the indentation, and the walls asks: By what name call ye these temples three?” Alzar answers fire, water and earth (he determined randomly) and a column of fire bursts from the ceiling, and hits Alzar for 2 damage. He decides not t try again just yet.

25/51

The south door enters into another temple looking thing, with frescoes of wind, clouds and such, Another altar, and a another indentation. Alzar moves to the middle one to the west. In this is a third temple with earth and rock frescos. There is another Karalena in here. The same person that attacked the group in the kitchen is back. Hasan reminds Alzar that she is possessed by a witch, and he nods and sends in Megala to try and put her to sleep.

She casts sleep and Alzar falls asleep (Hasan is immune because he is a qwith). Hasan fires an arrow and misses.

The next turn, Hasan has closed, Megala swings for an actual hit (16 rolled) and deals 1 damage plus she makes her save. She stabs out at Hasan with a dagger and hits for 1 damage.

12/15

Megala hits again for 2 damage and she fails the save and goes to sleep (as a possessed, she loses her natural qwith immunities). Hasan ties her up with some extra rope really tightly so that she cannot escape, removes all daggers, weapons and spell components, and binds her mouth.

Alzar gets 10 XP

Alzar is slapped awake.

He puts his hand in the alcove, answers fire, earth and wind, and the wall slides open. There is a hallway back here that all three of the temples lead too.

They have entered the Inner Sanctum of Elyas.

This circular room sis 30 feet in diameter, has another 30 foot domed ceiling. There is a throne here that mirrors the one above. On each side are three carved dragon heads, with gems in the southern and northern ones glowing dimly, and the one in the west glowing very brightly. There is a black dragons head carved into the throne with one eye missing, and the other one with a black stone. There are alcoves to the north, south and west.

A quick search shows nothing, but coins tossed in the alcoves show that two disappear. Alzar tries to pry the eye loose, but it will not budge. He wasn’t sure that was the right eye anyway, since the other is missing. He goes back out and asks the obelisk which way to go. He is told to take the south.

Abe Sargent

04-30-2010, 12:13 AM

Wow, nicely done. Great read so far.

Thanks!

Abe Sargent

04-30-2010, 12:23 AM

They enter the south alcove and are teleported to a room with a dais in it, and double doors in front of them. A quick search reveals a secret door to the left, which they open.

This is another opulent bedroom similar to the one they saw earlier, and in there is another of the kidnapped women, just getting up from a nap. She shrieks out and thanks Alazr and Hasan for saving her. She does not know Hasan’s name hwoever, a clear giveaway hat she is possessed and trying to fool them. Hasan plays along and moves to her to give her a hug, and when he gets there and hugs her. He Grabs her and restrains her easily. Alzar helps, quick as a light and she is tied up, all items confiscated, and gagged, There is nothing in the room.

After a few minutes of searching, A black panther charges into the room and attacks! It hits Alzar for 6 damage with two claws.

19/51

Alzar twacks it with his staff for 2 damage and Hasan stabs it for 4.

It bite Alzar for 4 damage

15/51

Alzar and Hasan finish it off easily.

XP 35

They go back south and open the double doors. This appears to be south of the arch in the room that turned those things to platinum. Way up on the domed ceiling is a dangling necklace with a black opal stone in it. It is too high to get too, but Megala flies up and grabs it and flies back down. Stone secured. The only way out is east. Nothing is found in the search. The only thing in here is a teleport room.

They arrive back at the inner sanctum, and this time, Alzar pushes them north. They Tp into a room with double doors to the east and a search reveals nothing. They go east, and arrive in that treasure room. A quick search shows 4000 copper, 3000 silver, 5000 gold, 500 platinum, 3 100 gp gems, 10 50 gp gems, and a potion and a scroll with two spells. Once again, they can only go east, so they do, and hit another teleport back to the inner sanctum.

Alzar goes to the Obelisk with the stone. The point of the obelisk glows and the stone is placed in an indentation at the top, and then it too glows. Alzar takes it to the dragon throne in the inner sanctum. He places it back in the dragon’s eye.

All three witches are destroyed, one still in her prison, and the other two in the bodies of the qwith maidens.

Everybody is restored to full health.

Abe Sargent

04-30-2010, 12:45 AM

With only two qwith slain in the excursion by us, plus the death of Alki, the qwith are ecstatic about the results. Hasan collects the treasure of Rahasia’s father, and Alzar delivers the package to her instead of her father. He is asked to return the Ring of Animal Control and he gets to keep all of the other treasures.

A week later and Rahasia and Hasan are wed. Alzar has discovered that he has the following magic items:

Magic pile has +1 chainmail, 2 +1 maces from The Rahib and the orcs.
Potion of Gaseous Form
Scroll of Read Languages and Odeen’s Magic Cloud

7 animal skeletons from the rats and see below.

Alzar gained this XP: 1802. That comes with the XP bonus.

Total: 8478

Now, gold: 15,000 is the total he now has, with the a cut going to the elves for translating it to gold and platinum for easier portability.

Gems: 100x10, 50x21

He also got The Book of Years, Windscribe, and took books that will add 1000 gold to the value of his library when he decides to make one.

All of the platinum statues came back to life, including the two animal skeleton ones. Most were dazed, but most were also grateful. All were eyed on their way back in order to make sure that they didn’t take anything that was not theirs. Alki, Baik Telor, and Mardiz were the subjects of Raise Dead spells by one of the high level priests in the temple as a thanks. All are recuperating. Baik Taylor is waiting to join a caravan and Mardiz has agreed to come as well as guards.

The temple and tower have been fully cleared out of bad guys.

Alzar gained a ton of gold and a respectable amount of XP. If he had fought the Bone Golem as a mage, he would have added another 950 XP to his total.

Abe Sargent

04-30-2010, 12:51 AM

With the wedding done, the caravan moves into the area and is heading out into the desert, and they are looking for guards. Alzar is introduced by Baik Telor and Mardiz joins the caravan. Alzar has a few options:

1). Head out into the desert with the caravan, and basically leave behind Regalsford.
2). Return to Regalsford for the 100 gold for delivering the package, and then see if there are more opportunities for adventure there.
3). Go and do anything else he wants, of course.

Well, 100 gold isn’t much these days, and Alzar can always return to Regalsford later if he wants.

Let’s join the caravan.

Abe Sargent

04-30-2010, 12:59 AM

B4 The Lost City

http://home.flash.net/~brenfrow/dd/dd-b4.gif

This is a classic – one of the Tom Moldvay modules, which, along with The Isle of Dread and Castle Amber, are some of the best of the best modules, plus A2.

A1-4, Castle Amber, The Lost City, and The Isle of Dread all made the Top 30 of all time list published by Dungeon Magazine. In other words, of the Tom Moldvay modules, all made the Top 30 list. This gets us to one of them right now.

Abe Sargent

04-30-2010, 05:33 PM

The caravan is slow but steady. One week in, and Alzar has 11 animal skeletons and they are able to be around him, since in the desert, they are so wind bleached that they don’t spook the camels. Lastion follows from a strong distance, and none know of him. He found and killed a few kobolds and feasted on their flesh and is quite content as a result.

A few days later, a number of bandits on camels and horses are spotted by scouts, but nothing comes.

Two days later, a wind picks up, and within a hour the storm is fierce. It blows sand to and fro with great power. Alzar is reeling. H hides inside the wagon with Megala and the sand covers much of it. They fall to sleep.

In the morning, Lastion has fought through the sand to return to his master, and has clawed through the sand blocking the door so that Alzar and Megala can emerge. The pack mule died, as did Alzar’s riding horse. Both of the draft horses are found easily by Lastion’s nose. They are damaged a bit, but otherwise fine. The animal skeletons were all destroyed or scattered very far. They find two camels nearby and grab it to aid them. Inside the wagon are all of the possessions Alzar has accumulated. He manages to get the horses and camels to pull the wagon out of the sand after lightening the load a bit, and then it can move again freely. Inside the wagon are a large amount of food and water, plenty for days without finding any. The caravan was going east.

Alzar sends up Megala to see if they can find anything more. They find a few corpses, and a few dead camels, and a few blankets and clothes, but nothing of any significance. Time to move out and on.

East or west? West takes them back towards the qwith woods and the village. East takes them further into the desert. There was supposed to be an oasis up ahead somewhere, but Alzar does not know how far ahead it was. He’s not even sure how far into the desert they are. He figures between 40-60 percent in. Which makes it an even split.

He decides to head back west, because he might see some landmarks if they haven’t been buried by the sand.

One day passes, and even with Megala as a scout flying in the air, he can’t find anything of any import. No monsters, nobody or things from the caravan, and no landmarks. Just sand hard and soft, and so forth. The ground the caravan moves on is a natural track though the desert, since the ground here is much harder than basic soft sand. The wagon has only gotten stuck three times.

Three more days pass and the desert rolls beneath their hoofs, feet and wheels. Still, nothing can be found or seen anywhere.

On the sixth day since the sandstorm, the food is thinning and the water getting slim. The desert has gotten a little less hot, and that’s it.

Then, Megala/Alzar spy some stone blocks. He turns the group south-ish and moves towards them. There is a stone wall here, and on the other side, a ruined city can be seen, with the occasional head of a building or wall peeking through the sand. Alzar finds a crack in the wall and moves in. He dismounts and keeps going with Lastion and Megala after tying down the horses and camels.

In the center of the city is a pyramid that blended in with the sand color. Many lower tiers appeared to be covered with sand, but several continue up. At the top are three giant 20’ tall statues – a bearded man holding balances and a lightning bolt, a winged child with two snakes around its body holding a wand, and a beautiful women with a sheaf of wheat and a scythe.

A quick check shows a ramp leading up to the highest tier of the pyramid. Alzar climbs up it and finds a secret door after a quick search.

With a need for water and food, Alzar opens the door to investigate what is inside…….

Abe Sargent

04-30-2010, 05:50 PM

He moves a dead hobgoblin body into the door to keep the secret door open. It has been dead a few weeks and stinks, and has a crossbow bolt in its chest. All of its equipment has been taken. There are several pairs of footprints in the floor. Alzar spies a crossbow trap but the trap is unloaded and he moves forward.

As he does so, the door to the room snaps shut and cuts the carcass in half. A hissing sounds begin to fill the room. In the center of the room are three large cylinders of bronze, each with a door in it

The hissing sound is a toxic gas being pumped in. Alzar doesn’t care. He is immune to gas due to his necklace, and Lastion and Megala don’t breathe.

Alzar taps the cylinders and they are hollow. A quick search of the room turns up nothing. He moves to open one of the doors. The door opens and Alzar hears a click but nothing happens. There is a ladder going up and down inside the cylinder and it appears to be the center statue outside. He climbs up and sees gears and levers designed to move parts of the statue from inside.

Alzar climbs down the ladder and it ends just 20 feet down. He opens another door into a new room. In here are each of the three cylinders from the statues again. The place is lit by three fire beetles in cages that light up the room.

This room appears to have machinery for the statues above, as well as covered clay pots. There is an exit to the northeast and two to the southwest. There is a foundry here for fixing things, with hammers and stuff. Alzar searches and finds nothing. The pots have old oil in them and it could be gathered and used as flask of oil. Alzar does so, and about 30 minutes later, he has collected all of the oil into five flasks.

Alzar takes the northeast door. It opens to a corridor with doors to the right and left, and a T intersection. Alzar goes right.

This room looks like it might have, long ago, been the quarters of a cleric. There is old and used furniture and an old holy water cistern and a small alter in here, with a holy symbol emblazoned on the wall. A search turns up nothing. Alzar heads out and goes left into the other door.

This room contains an old bed, writing desk, chair, chest, and it looks abandoned for a while. Suddenly the head of a large lizard bursts into view from under the bed. It’s a large gecko, about the length of a leg sideways from thigh to foot. It is munching on the skin of a dead creature, which cannot be made out from here. Because it is eating, it is not interested in more food. Alzar needs to inspect the room to see if anything is in here, so he carefully moves to the chest and checks around, but finds nothing and leaves .

Abe Sargent

04-30-2010, 06:12 PM

He goes left at the intersection. It stops fifty feet down and he searches for secrete doors and finds nothing. He goes right and after a while hits two doors, and then a statue is at the end of the hallway. Alzar starts out by going into the first door on the right.

This room contains three double bunk beds, and five men are seated on the lower beds talking. Each man is wearing an iron chain mail vest and identical golden masks. The men stand up and approach Alzar curiously. Alzar sees beards under their masks, and they speak an ancient dialect of Typic. Luckily, Alzar knows it with his ancient languages proficiency. This language was thought dead.

After talking with the Brotherhood of Gorm for a while, Alzar has gotten the basic picture. This city outside was once great city, Cynidicea, which held back the desert with irrigation but slowly began to become decadent and lost. They formerly worshipped the statues, and slowly, over time, they lost their faith, until the Zargon was found, and became their new god. They don’t know much about what or who Zargon is. A few of the Cynidiceans are able to think for themselves and have formed groups around trying to re-establish the old days. This Brotherhood is founded around Gorm, the one represented by the lightning bolt, the scales and the bearded one. There are two other societies, enemies of the Brotherhood, that also seek to reestablish the old ways.

The Cynidiceans are changed by their centuries in the pyramid hiding from the rest of the world. They are albino-ish, with the ability to see infravision – just like qiwth and dvergr.

They are not unfriendly, but they are not friendly either. This corner of the tier is Brotherhood territory, and Alzar is kindly asked to leave after an hour of talking with them. He does, and returns to the room with the statue pillars and this time, takes the upper south west door out. This is a corridor that goes forward, then right, and then wraps around left with no doors, before Alzar sees a door to the right, and he approaches it. It contains rotting bales of clothes and dusty crates. It looks like no one has been in here for a long time. A search finds nothing.

The hallways continues and takes two more bends before hitting a door on the left. Opening it reveals a dry room that has half a dozen crates on the floor. There are numerous small winged sprites flying about the room merrily. They flit about Alzar and laugh at him. Within a few moments, they tire of him and move on.

The crates contain old fireworks that are not known to even work or not They will make lots of smoke and bright lights and noise they won’t explode or anything. Alzar leaves them alone, not knowing if they would work, or backfire, after this long. He finds nothing else in the room.

The hallway continues and ends at another room, that Alzar opens. The entire floor of this apparently empty room is covered with a green oozing slime, which moves towards Alzar as soon as he opens the door. It moves very slowly. Alzar opens a flask of oil and pours it on top of the slow moving but dangerous slime. He lights a second torch, and throws the old one on top of the green slime. As it dies makes a nasty acrid odor.

Gains 50 XP

Abe Sargent

04-30-2010, 06:39 PM

The room is barren. Alzar retruns and searches the corridor for secret doors. He finds one in the long section of hallway where there were no doors. However, while he was searching, he ran into a group of seven goblins moving through the tunnel. Lastion and Alzar bare their weapons, and the group flees the way they came.

http://www.iwozhere.com/SRD/images/MM35_PG237.jpg

Alzar opens the secret door. Inside are several birdlike/insectlike creatures with large, long beaks like tubes – stirges. Alzar has fought them before. There are seven of them. Alzar throws a bone at them as they fly towards him and casts Blastbones. They each take 5 damage and die. Alzar was caught in the blast and takes 5 too.

46/51. 105 XP.

They are too big for Animate Dead Animals spells.

A search turns up four gems, worth 1000, 100x2 and 50 gold.

Alzar takes the last door from the original room. The corridor bends and hits a door. Once opened, Alzar finds stairs down. There is a door along the hallway still, and Alzar opens it up, and finds another room that looks like it was a priest’s chambers long ago. A dead hobgoblin recently killed is in here, and Alzar takes its full waterskin, plus a purse with 45 gold and 135 silver. A search finds nothing. Alzar sends Megala down the stairs to scout, and then follows.

Abe Sargent

04-30-2010, 07:13 PM

He opens the door at the end of the steps and moves into a hallway. It bends twice and is quite long. Remembering what happened above when there was a hallway that wound this long, he begins to search. Finding nothing, he moves on and into a doorway.

Alzar opens the doorway into a most interesting chamber. The room is a complete circle, and opens up, with a pit underneath, stretching far below. There are eight doors around the circle, and each opens into a small platform, and that’s it, except for a panel of eight buttons in each platform There is a walkway currently going from Alzar’s platform to the one directly across. He walks across and sees another panel in the walkway halfway down it. He continues down, opens the door, and enters another corridor that goes for some time. He searches and finds nothing.

It hits a T and he goes Right. At the end is a door. Just before he opens it, he hears a noise behind him – something is moving up the corridor he just came. He goes over, and sees a group of five Cynidiceans in brightly colored robes and masks. As Alzar approaches, they scream in panic and run away, shouting that the Barbarian Lord has returned. He chooses not to follow.

The door looks like a ruined chapel, with smashed and wrecked pews, and alter, and the word Zargon inscribed hastily on the wall. As Alzar searches the room, the floor in a corner swings down to meet a ramp from the below room and Alzar tumbles into the new room –

44/51 hit points.

The new room has beautiful frescoes on the walls depicting a king and queen being entertained by a small jester. The room has a door that opens to the north and a small coffin in it. Alzar searches and finds nothing, and then opens the coffin. It springs off as soon as it is touched and an oversized wooden model of the jester jumps out and scares Alzar. Alzar searches and finds four teleport jars. Any item placed in one will teleport to another, and then items placed in it teleport to a third, and then to the 4th, and then back to the first one.

Alzar takes them back up the ramp to the previous level he was on. Due to their fragileness, he takes a walk to return them to the wagon now. He leaves the gems, gold, and waterskin here and comes back in with a few extra torches and returns to the same hallway. While traversing, he runs into one Cynidicean in a wolf mask. She says to Alzar, “Watch out, I’m a werewolf.” She drops to all fours and starts howling, although clearly, she has not changed at all. She sniffs loudly, and when Alzar draws his magical axe, she sees it and flees

Abe Sargent

04-30-2010, 08:11 PM

He takes the left branch at the T and arrives at a door. It opens, and like normal, Alzar sends in Lastion first, who is suddenly surprised when the door slams shut and the rooms begins to fill with water. Twenty minutes later, the water subsides and the doors reopens, and Lastion, water logged, retreats. Lastion is ordered back in, but the trap has not reset, so Alzar goes in. A quick search finds nothing. Alzar returns to the room with the switches, then gets on the hallway.

He punches the first button and nothing happens. He punches the second one and the suspended hallway rotates to connect two different doors. Alzar goes back the way he came, into a different hallway, flanked by two statues of women warriors.

Alzar triggers a silent alarm in a later room by having Lastion cross in front of the statues, and joining the ghoul on the other side and continuing. The hallway ends at a door, and it is locked. He orders Lastion to start banging on it in order to batter it down. About ten minutes later, Lastion is finished.

As they enter, they see a altar with green and white cloth, a 3’ tall state identical to the third one outside, three small braziers burning incense. This is a chime to Bathala, goddess of agriculture and fertility - and the only one of the three statues to be an actual god of Thorasia.

Also in the room are a group of seven female Cyndiceans wearing bronze chain mail and an identical bronze mask of Bathala’s face. One steps in front and is quite upset that their door was battered down. Alzar apologizes, explaining that he did not know this was their enclave, and he is new to the pyramid, which makes them wonder at him. After a moment, the awe wear out, and they tell him that men are not allowed back here, especially with that thing and she points to Lastion. They will forgive him this time, and show him where their area is here, but he must go. Facing down seven of them with unknown levels of ability, Alzar agrees.

Abe Sargent

04-30-2010, 08:32 PM

He returns to the room and goes across to the new door that his last switch moved it too and opens the door there. There is a short corridor. At the end is a statue that looks like the middle one – the winged child. There is also a corridor heading just south west, and ending at a door. Alzar searches the statue and corridor. He finds nothing. He moves to the door.

This is a storeroom, and active, with crates and barrels in here, and four large brown beetles about three feet long are breaking into them. Alzar attacks the oil beetles. They will spray a painful oily fluid and if it hits skin, it will cause painful blisters.

Lastion attacks the nearest one and It takes 7 damage. Alzar’s staff thwacks one for 6. The two attacked bite and one hits Alzar for 6 damage (39/51)

The other two spray because they are farther back. One hits Lastion for blisters, and as a ghoul, he is subject to it. Lastion will fight with a -2 penalty for 24 hours.

The next turn, the beetles win init and attack. Alzar is bit for 1 damage (38/51) and the sprays miss. Alzar misses, and Lastion misses. Alzar orders Megala to attack the ones in the back.

Alzar’s staff finishes off the one he hit earlier. Lastion eats the one he wounded for 4 damage and kills it. Megala flies in and misses. The two beetles both attack Megala, for 4 damage. 8/12 for Megala.

Alzar charges in and orders Megala back. His staff misses. Lastion claws one for 4 damage. They both miss.

Alzar misses and Lastion hits for 2 damage. Alzar is nailed for 4 damage. 34/51. Alzar takes another, 33/51 and then connects for 6 damage. Lastion bites for 4 and claws for 3, killing the beetle. Alzar nails the final one for 5 damage and kills it.

Alzar gains 120 XP.

A search of the storeroom shows that the crates and casks have wine and food in them – all good and ready to eat. Alzar decides to have Lastion porter two casks of wine back to the wagon, and he will go on.

Abe Sargent

04-30-2010, 09:01 PM

Alzar returns to the switch room and pushes another button, connecting a new set of doors, and goes back the way he came, into a new door. The door swings open and Alzar finds himself in a corridor that ends at a door. This corridor has been painted black with white dots to match the stars above. Alzar moves down and opens the door, causing a bell to ring.

The room he is in has large tapestries of the major constellations on the south west and north west walls. Alzar has apparently interrupted a religious service because thirteen Cynidiceans in identical silver makes, wearing rainbow colored robes, were praying in front of a large star shaped altar. They look up at Alzar.

One with a small silver tiara on his head moves to Alzar and begins to address him warmly. This must be the third cult trying to restore the old days. They appear to be wizards and mages, instead of warriors. After an hour of conversation, the Magi of Usamiugaras offer Alzar a place in their order. As a mage himself, he should be honored.

Alzar politely declines, and they are visably disappointed, but they can come back any time to this area for rest and study to regain spells. He thanks them, and leaves them behind.

Alzar returns to the room and spins again, because the new door in the other side leads to the other side of the warrior maiden conclave. He pushes another button and it spins again. This time, he again goes back to a new door.

Behind it is a long corridor, and Alzar checks for traps. None found. He opens the door and looks inside. This appears to be an abandoned ceremonial chamber, with tattered tapestries, a dusty altar, a rooted altar cloth, tarnished candlesticks, and more. On the altar was a sleeping Draco Lizard, with wings between its legs that allow it to glide. It jumps off the altar and launches itself right at Alzar.

It misses Alzar and lands gracefully. Lastion and Alzar attack it. All miss. It misses too. It misses, Alzar thwacks it for 3 damage. Lastion misses. It hits for 8 damage on Lastion who is down to 7/15. Alzar hits for 6 damage. Lastion adds 7 with a bite and claw. Alzar orders Lastion to retreat.

Both miss. It hits for 5, Alzar misses. (29/51). Alzar cracks it for 6 damage and it dies.

XP – 75

Behind the altar is a mostly eaten corpse of what appears to have been a thief. It has a full canteen which Alzar procures, and 400 gold and 2 gems worth 100 gold each on it. Lastion takes the gold in a backpack the thief had, and Alzar pockets the gems. A search of the room finds nothing.

Abe Sargent

04-30-2010, 09:16 PM

Alzar returns to the room with the ramp down into the crypt with the jester coffin.

He opens the door on the next tier and it enters and long hallway to the southwest. Eventually a hallway goes to the right. Alzar searches and finds nothing. He keeps going, and another hallway splits off the left with a door at the end. Alzar goes and checks the room.

The door to the room is scorched, and the door is ajar. Alzar has Lastion push it open. Inside is a large room with paintings of a high priest serving a King and Queen. There is an open bronze sarcophagus in the center of the room. Three ghouls are here, tearing apart a corpse.

Alzar tries to control them. He needs a 10 or higher on a d20, Success. The three ghouls turn and will follow Alzar’s simple commands. He has them search the room, and he searches the corpse. On it are a jeweled necklace worth 1500 gold and two jeweled bracelets worth 600 gold each. There is nothing else in the room.

Alzar will have his new minions lead the way from here on out. Back to the corridor and they go on down the halls. As they go down ,they see ghosts of the King and Queen tell them t retreat. The corridor dead ends, and Alzar searches. He finds nothing and he backtracks. He takes the other hallway and it hits a door, so he has a ghoul open it. Inside is a mummified human in plate armor and holding a halberd standing at attention. Grouped around him are nine skeletons holding swords. The skeletons animate and move to attack. Alzar commands 7 of them and they attack the other two and kill them. Alzar now has 7 skeletons with long swords and three ghouls, plus Lastion and Megala. He adds the armor and weapon to his magic pile for later testing. A search of the room reveals nothing.

He goes left down the corridor and winds up, after a while, at a door. He searches the corridor and finds nothing. While he does so, a group of six Cynidiceans arrive with their bodies painted black, wearing vulture masks. They seem friendly enough, and are carrying long wooden boards.

Alzar has a skeleton open the door.

This room has scenes of warfare on the walls and a large upright wooden sarcophagus in the middle. On each side of the coffin are a large white ape that has made this chamber their lair. They attack immediately.

They go first and deal 6 damage to a skeleton and kill it. The skeletons hit twice for 10 damage and the ghouls hits for 12 on the other ape, and it is paralyzed.

The ape slashes out and misses. The skeletons kill it, and the ghouls eat the paralyzed ape.

Alzar has 6 skeletons, 3 ghouls, and gained 20 XP

The Cynidiceans go to work and put a coffin around the dead an uneaten ape, and hammer it together in a few minutes. Their task done, they demand 10 gold from Alzar as payment for the coffin making service. He refuses, and they attack. In seconds ,the skeletons and ghouls have cut them down. They have nothing on their corpses.

A search of the room turns up nothing. The coffin is opened by a skeleton, and Alzar sees a corpse with plate armor and a sword. They are added to the magic pile.

Abe Sargent

04-30-2010, 09:42 PM

They go down the other corridor. It twists along and Alzar searches. It splits into two, forward and left and Alzar choose to go forward. It hits a door and keeps going. Alzar has the door opened. There are ten giant grey rats who attack. With seconds, they are cut down by the skeletons, but not before one is downed. Alzar reanimates three and has the other 7 corpses procured.

5 skeletons, 3 ghouls, 3 animal skeletons.

This room is empty except for the rats nests and bedding – straw, cloth, etc. a search by the undead turns up a hole just large enough for a giant rat to crawl into. Alzar sends in some undead rats and they bring back treasure – 300 gp and quartet of 500 gp gems.

They leave by the other door. As soon as they enter the corridor, the door magically shuts behind them and a giant boulder starts rolling down towards them. Alzar orders his skeletons to jump in front of it and two die but manage to slow and then halt its momentum.

3 skeletons left. Nothing in a search

He goes down the corridor and enters another room. This appears to be a noble lady’s room, with frescoes of a friend of the queen’s. There are flames in jars still burning. A search turns up nothing. The jewelry on the corpse is long since robbed. However, there is a scroll map of this tier, and it shows secret doors and rooms!

He follows the maps to the rooms. The first one he hits is the master thief’s burial room. Inside is a carrion crawler that is auto killed by the undead, since the only damage it can deal is paralysis and undead are immune to…paralysis.

XP – 20

The coffin here is jewel studded, and as a piece of art, would be worth 3000 gold easily. A search finds nothing.

Alzar continues to the Chamberlain’s Burial Room. Inside are six zombies. Alzar fails to command them, and they attack. Swords snick into their bodies and kill one. One ghoul doles out 4 damage, and the other two manage to gang kill one for 10 damage and death. They hit a ghoul for 7 damage and seriously injure it. The skeletons thwack and kill another. Two more fall to ghouls. The last one hits and kills the injured ghoul, and then is killed itself.

3 skeletons, 2 ghouls, 3 animal skeletons

XP – 25

A serach find the room ransacked and nothing here of interest.

Abe Sargent

04-30-2010, 10:14 PM

The next place Alzar goes is the Slave’s Burial Room. In here are piles of bones with hundreds of corpses of slaves killed and sent there. None are animated. They swing by the embalming room. This has tables, large jars and casks, and concealed in here are five shadows. They attack by secret, and Alzar tries to command them. He needs a 13 or higher. He misses. They can only be hit by magical weapons, so Alzar hands his axe to a skeleton while preparing a spellm and a +1 dagger he keeps with him to another. He flanks with the animal skeletons, and two are killed by the shadows.

His axe bites deeply into the shadow for 7 damage form a skeleton, and the dagger misses. Alzar pushes the various undead to the front lines to protect the skeletons with the magic weapons. Another animal skeleton is dead, and a ghoul took 6 damage and is reeling.

The axe hits again for 5 damage and the shadow dies. The dagger misses. The ghoul is killed after getting hit once. The skeletons miss. The shadows Hit twice and barely scratch the skeleton without a weapon. The daggered one hits for 4 damage. One shadow hits for 4 damage and kills the skeleton without a weapon. The shadow takes another 2 from the dagger. The one with the axe takes 1 damage. They attack again and all miss. Both skeletons hit for 7 damage and kill a shadow. Three left.

The axe skeleton is hit for 8 damage and dies. Alzar collects the axe and will wield it next round. The Daggered skeleton hits for 3 damage.

Alzar cuts into a shadow for 12 damage and kills it. The shadows miss Alzar kills another next round and the final shadow flees away.

Should have just done that from the beginning. Lesson learned. No XP. One skeleton left.

The room has various spices and such. They find a magical potion and a chest with 3000 silver.

They move to the Lady-in-Waiting Burial Room. The coffin and room are empty. The next room is the Councilor’s Burial Room. There are giant shrews that have nibbled a hole in the door and live here. They attack and kill the skeleton, hitting it three times for 9 damage. Lastion, Megala and Alzar move in.

Alzar’s staff meets a shrew head for 6damage. It dies. Lastion deals 7 to another and it dies. Alzar takes 4 from one.

25/51

It wins init and deals another 3 to Alzar. 22/51. Alzar kills it. XP gain 60.

A search reveals nothing in the room at all. Alzar moves on, avoids a trap marked on the map, and opens a secret door to a secret section of the burial tier.

Abe Sargent

04-30-2010, 10:23 PM

They walk though a weird hallway, and hit some rubble that takes Lastion about 15 minutes to clear out. There is a narrow twisty corridor and Megala scouts ahead and see nothing. They hit a door and They enter.

This room gleams with two large sarcophagi with golden runes telling their names - Alatandr and Zeonbia. There are numerous wooden chests in there, and several have been smashed open. Plus smashed thrones. Alzar quickly notices that the gold and gems in the room are mostly fake. He also knows there are two secret doors leading out. A quick search turns up nothing else.

The next room is Queen Zeonbia’s burial chamber. The walls of this room are plain stone with an oblong box made from stone slabs in the center of the room. A search of the chamber shows nothing. Lastion opens the sarcophagus and reveals Queen Zeonbia, now a wight, who attacks!

Another freakin’ wight. Alzar tries to control it and..success! He plucks the crown and sceptre from the queen. The jeweled crown would be worth around 5000 gold.

They head back to other secret room, this time led by their Queen wight.

http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/dx1010tacticstips_wight.jpg

They move into the secret door and find a room that is laid out identically to the queen’s room, but with a ghost that appears. Alzar has no idea what it is. That’s a rare creature. It wails and Alzar takes 3 damage

22/51. He swings with his staff at it and it does no damage. He orders the Queen to attack, since her claws should be able to hit the fey. Alzar tries to control it, but it is way to powerful. It shrieks again and he takes 4.

18/51.

Alzar leaves and shuts the door.

A minute later, the wight has died, and the fey is badly injured. Alzar opens the door back up with axe and slices. The fey take 11 and dies.

No XP, dead wight. The room has nothing in it either, so the coffin is opened and inside is a mummified corpse with an identical jeweled crown (5000 gold) and a long sword and plate armor that are added to the magic pile.

This finishes this level, so Alzar decides to take a group up with the gold, items, crowns, and such, and restock the wagon. They pick up two more casks of wine and a crate of food on their way. On their way, they run into a giant centipede, but it is non aggressive and they skip it.

Abe Sargent

04-30-2010, 10:38 PM

The room they arrive in is empty. There are no doors. Alzar searches until he finds a secret one.

The room it opens into is a bedroom, empty, and looks recently used, including a white robe, clothes, furniture – everything you would except.

After searching the room, Alzar brushes the robe and he fails a save and is now possessed by Demetrius. This bedroom was once his, a cleric of Bathala. He swore an oath against his evil brother and the Cult of Zargon, and was assassinated by his brother before he could. He is now possessing Alzar’s body until he can fulfill the quest.

Alzar is now:

A 6th level cleric with these spells – Cure Light Wounds, Bless, Detect Evil, Hold Person, Striking, Cure Serious Wounds

He can turn undead, and cannot control them. He is now good. Megala and Lastion have had their connection severed for now, but Alzar spends the last of his energy telling them to stay here. He is at 51/51, restoring Alzar to full hp.

He opens the secret door to the treasury in here before he leaves, to help Alzar out when he returns, as a thanks for the loan of the body. He will be taking a direct route. He hefts Alzar’s staff.

South is a kitchen and dining room with two snakes. They ignore Demetrius/Alzar but they move into the room and attack Lastion and Megala. They are poisonous with little damage, so Lastion kills both and only takes three damage.

4/15

Abe Sargent

04-30-2010, 11:04 PM

Demetrius goes into a Living room, and passes by two statues that are living statues but have not animated yet. They ignore Demetrius.

He arrives at a room with books, tables, urns and such, and tow stone gargoyles that would animate and attack anyone other than Demetrius. Demetrius jumps over a pit trap. He goes east and up and opens a secret door. And then east and north. He jumps over a pressure plate that would otherwise alert Darius of his coming. He opens the door and ten Cynidiceans are in the room spaced out on drugs. Demetrius ignores them and opens the south door. There are a dozen Cynidiceans here gambling and playing cards and dice. They invite Demetrius/Alzar to join, and he skips them and goes south, casting bless on himself, striking on his staff, and then opening a secret door to the south east.

He sees 6 hobgoblins, 12 Cynidiceans, and Darius. He casts Light at Darius, with surprise. Darius fails his save and is blinded.

Demetrius slams the staff into a nearby hobgoblin and deals 6 damage and it dies. The staff is dealing 2d6+1 for Bless and Striking. The enemies band together. Darius draws a mace.

Demetrius hops onto a table in this large room and kills another hobgoblin and he closes with Darius. He is slashed three times by Cynidiceans and a hobgoblin for 11 damage. 40/51.

He has neared Darius and lashes out. Hitting the blind Darius is not too hard, and he takes 11 damage. Darius misses. Demetrius takes 12 damage from the crowd.

Demetrius wins initiative and nails Darius again for 10 damage. Darius casts Cure Light Wounds on himself and he gains back 5. Demetrius takes 10. 19/51.

Demetrius slaps and kills Darius, hitting him for 9 more damage. Darius, leader of the Cult of Zargon, has died. Demetrius takes 10 damage 9/51. As the round ends, Demetrius releases his hold on Alzar’s body, and as a thanks, fully heals him.

Abe Sargent

05-01-2010, 12:23 AM

Alzar loses initiative and takes 9 damage (42/51). He keeps using the staff and doles out death to another hobgoblin . He is still strikinged and blessed.

Alzar wins init and kills and 4th hobby. Then he takes 14. 28/51. Three Cynidiceans run away, leaving 9.

The striking spell fades, and Alzar casts sleep. Both hobgoblins and three Cynidiceans fall asleep. To more flee, and Alzar takes 2. 26/51. His staff kills a Cynidicean, and the rest flee. He kills the sleepers.

XP – 250

Alzar saw what Demetrius saw, and know s much of the map of the area.

A search finds literally nothing in here but weapons and armor for a big ol’ magic pile.

The gamblers are gathering their things and getting ready to flee. Alzar attacks and kills two. The rest keep whatever money they had and flee. Alzar moves north and there are still a bunch of drugged, whacked out people here. He moves north and 9 Cynidceans are in here, partying and dancing and pretending to dance with invisible people. They ignore Alzar so he shuts the door. He hears one of the druggies in the room scream and turns around, but nothing can be seen – it is just the dreams they are making. He leaves, jumps over the trap, and realizes that he needs to find another exit in order to skip the gargoyles and living statues to get back to his minions.

He has a Charm Person and ESP spell left.

He opens a room and reveals a Gelatinous Cube, it moves towards the stone door. Alzar opens two flasks of oil and simultaneously throws their contents on the ground. As the Cube reaches the door, Alzar drops a torch and shuts the door. He runs back and gets another torch from the Zargon Priest area and returns, and by then the Cube is dead.

There is nothing else in the room.

XP – 70

Abe Sargent

05-01-2010, 12:53 AM

Alzar continues and enters a huge chapel, with the three statues, altars, but apparently disused with time. A man and woman are talking to each other. They wear brightly colored clothes and fox masks. They look at Alzar, and use their natural telepathy ability and see that he just killed more than 20 people. They tell Alzar they mean him no harm, and move to leave. They are gone before he can ask where to leave. There are two fountains here fed by underground springs and Alzar fills the canteens and waterbags he has with him.

He goes north and enters and giant entrance. This is the ground floor of the pyramid, and it was covered with sand, but long ago, this was the main entrance into the pyramid from the city. There is nothing in her.e

Alzar encounters four Cynidiceans in grey robes and wearing camel masks moving in a zig zag motion down a corridor. They warn Alzar of the snakes they are avoiding and point out where they are, and then they continue around a bend. Of course, there are not any snakes to be seen.

He goes down a hallway and hits a room. It’s a storage room with an owlbear. It was sleeping, and now its hungry.

http://arcona.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/owlbear1.png?w=300&h=281

This is an axe fight. It wins init and misses twice. Alzar doles out 7 damage with his axe. This time, Alzar wins the init and rocks it for 12. A bear paw slashes him for 4 damage.

22/51

Both miss. The bear hits for 2 damage 20/51, and then Alzar decapitates it for 16 damage (crit hit).

XP – None

The room has more than 100 casks and bottles of wine in it, and that’s it. He leaves it for now, after a quick search.

Abe Sargent

05-01-2010, 01:26 AM

The other room in this section of the base floor has a weird thing inside it. There is a pool of bubbling liquid that covers the entire floor. Floating in the middle is a box of stone and a large iron padlock on it. Alzar doesn’t have a way to open it, even with a way to get it. He ignores it.

He goes the other way and runs into another room that looks like old clerics quarters. There are humans here, Cynidiceans and they ignore Alzar. He skips them for now.

The next room has a storage room, with shelves, and various items in religious ceremonies, like robes, candles, incense and so forth. In here are three ogres that were eating the candles. They see Alzar and decide he must taste better, so they sit up and start moving towards him. Three ogres are no joke.

Alzar doesn’t have a deus ex machina in his back pocket. He knows that Ogres cannot be charmed and reading their minds means little right now. So he leads them. He leads them back down the hallway to the gargoyles. It takes about 10 minutes, but he taunts them and gets close a couple of times.

As he enters with the ogres fast on his toes, the gargoyles animate and Alzar is forced to run to the back of the room. He shouts to the ogres that his gargoyle friends will kill them, and they attack the gargoyles.

After a few rounds, Alzar manages to squeeze out. He goes back to the storage room to see if there is anything here, but he finds nothing. The bronze ladder in the priest’s quarters appears to be the only functional way back up, barring some trap Alzar misses.

He returns and sees the gargoyles flapping around and three dead ogres. He decides to gamble, grabs the axe, and swings at a gargoyle just inside the room. He hits for 11 damage and they both come out into the hallway.

Alzar wins init and kills the gargoyle after hitting it for 12 damage. The other one Hits Alzar for 7 damage. 15/51

Alzar loses init and the gargoyle attacks again. He hits for 4. 11/51. Alzar’s Axe hits the wall beside it, and he grimaces. He needed to hit pretty much every time to win this thing. He wins init and hammers it for 8 damage.. He takes 2 9/51. He wins init and decides to risk the swing and hits for 9 and kills it.

Whew

XP – 250

Alzar enters the room and searches. He finds:

Mace, potion, 2000 ep, 18 gems worth 100 each in the room. The ogres had a ring, and a scroll, 1400 gold in three sacks.

Abe Sargent

05-01-2010, 01:57 AM

Alzar needs to decide what to do. Attack the iron statues that will likely kill him? Run through it? Grab his familiars, and run up the stairs? Leave all of the treasure here?

Alzar orders Megala to fly to him, and the statues do not animate for Megala. Well, that is one thing at least. He orders Lastion to follow, and they animate and follow. Alzar goes and sets up a trap for the Living Statues. He knows where the pit trap is that Demetrius jumped over. He jumps over it, and orders Lastion to do the same. The pursuing Iron statues trigger it and fall down. They take no damage, but they are 20 feet down and not getting back up. Alzar goes back around and enters the priest suite. The druggists are still zonked.

Alzar collects, from the gambling room:

3000 sp
5000 gp
26 gems worth a total of 3100 gp
Six pieces of jewelry worth 6000 gp total

They are loaded up in boxes from the storage room and taken out by Lastion to the priest’s quarters.

Alzar searches those kitchens and finds a full water bottle and a 700 gp necklace. Both are grabbed. The opened secret door has a curtain and some treasure in it. As he enters, the chest is locked and cannot be opened right now So they take it with them.

Two trips later, everything is out. They meet nothing on either trip.

The chest has in it a potion. Chain mail, dagger and 3000 gold.

Abe Sargent

05-01-2010, 02:33 AM

With several crates of food, mostly mushrooms and cured fish, four casks of wine, refilled waterskins and additional water bottles, skins and canteens added, Alzar is re-equipped. They also have a truck load of treasure and gold found.

XP Gained: 1645
XP Total: 10122

Yay! Level 4!

We’ll come back to that later.

Gold Gained: 11758, after conversion, 11000. Total Gold:

Items Gained: Gems: 1000, 500x4, 100x22, 50 gold
Crowns: 5000x2, bracelets 600x2, necklace 1500, necklace 70
26 gems worth a total of 3100 gp
Six pieces of jewelry worth 6000 gp total

2 flasks of oil
4 teleport jars

5 animal skeletons, Lastion, Megala, and Alzar

These items were in the magic pile:

+1 long sword, Potion of Invisibility, Wand of Paralyzation 8 charges. +2 long sword. Plate armor +1, +1 mace, poison potion, Ring of Fire Resistance, (Scroll of Continual Light, Levitate, and Aganazzar’s Scorcher), potion of invis, chain mail +1, dagger +1

Abe Sargent

05-01-2010, 02:56 AM

Alzar now:

7th level Fighter (Myrmidon), 4th level Necromancer (Undead Master)

Lawful Evil
Human

Str: 16
Dex: 12
Con: 10
Wis: 16
Int: 18
Cha: 14

Hit Points: 51
THACO: 13 (Increased with Axe Weapon Master and +1 Axe) or 20 as Necromancer
AC: 9
Total XP: 10122
Total Gold: 26100

Race Abilities:

None Taken

Class Abilities (Cannot use as Necromancer without losing XP gain):

Specialization
Leadership (Alzar can command the tactics, strategy, logistics and more that a large force requires)
3 attacks every 2 rounds

Non-Weapon Proficiencies:

Myrmidon Bonus:

Tactical History 14
Fire-Building 16

Riding 11
Swimming 12
Reading/Writing 13
Survival 14
Blind Fighting
Etiquette 13
Endurance
Heraldry 13
Hunting 10
Fishing 14
Weather Knowledge 10
Orienteering 15

Undead Master Bonuses:

Necrology 14
Netherworld Knowledge 10

Herbalism 14
Alchemy 12
Poison Use 11
Ancient Languages 10

Traits:

Empathy
Fast Healer
Precise Memory

Weapon Proficiencies:

Bonus Kit Specialization:

Battle Axe

Battle Axe
One Handed Weapon Style x2 (-2 AC when using one weapon in combat)
Crossbow
Battle Axe Weapon Mastery
Spear

Total with normal battle axe - +3 to hit, +3 to damage, -2 to AC. An additional +1 with the axe and +1 damage for strength

Staff – Can only use this as a Necromancer

Class Ability:

Alzar can control undead as an evil Priest of the same level, and this ability extends to extra planar beings which are considered undead with the same hit dice for this purpose.

In addition to normal specialist mage stuff, Alzar gets a 10% bonus to XP for his high intelligence

Magical Items:

+1 Battle Axe
Necklace of Adaptation
+1 Ring of Protection
Ring of Fire Resistance
Potion of Invisibility, Gaseous Form, Poison
4 +1 Daggers
Rope of Climbing
Sword of the Rock, +2, cannot be wielded by evil
Longsword +1, +2 vs undead
+1 Longsword; +2 Longsword
3 +1 Mace
+1 Plate Armor
2 +1 Chain Mail
Wand of Paralyzation 8 charges
Scrolls of: Mordenkainen’s Faithful Phantom Shield-Maidens, Bone Knit and Teleport, Read Languages, Continual Light, Agannzar’s Scorcher, Odeen’s Magic Cloud, Levitate
The Book of Years, Windscribe, 4 teleport jars
1000 Gold worth of books for a library

Spellbook:

3/3

First Level:

Alzar’s Undead Porter
Animate Dead Animals *
Cantrip
Charm Person *
Detect Magic
Friends
Identify
Read Languages
Read Magic
Sleep *
Tenser’s Floating Disc
Unseen Servant

Second Level:

Attract Ghoul
Blastbones *
ESP *
Forget
Locate Object
Ray of Ondovir *
Speak with Dead

Third Level:

Dire Charm
Searing Serpent
Skulltrap

Fourth Level:

Vorthala’s Undead Turning Immunity

Jewelry and Gems

Crowns: 5000x2 and 50x4, bracelets 600x2, necklace 1500, necklace 700, Tiara 200, wristbands 100x4,bracelets 500, 300; pearl necklaces, 400x2

Gems: 1000, 500x4, 300, 200, 100x37, 50 x29, 10x4

Six pieces of jewelry worth 6000 gp total
26 gems worth a total of 3100 gp

Abe Sargent

05-01-2010, 03:06 AM

There we go.

Alzar’s wagon is slower due to the added weigh of the gold and, cask of wine and food, but the four steeds pulling it manage to get everything together.

Four days later, Alzar is leaving behind the desert. He is south of the qwith village by two days, and chooses instead to return to Regalsford.

Upon his return, he is greeted warmly, and makes 100 gold for delivering that package (Already added to the gold total).

It is time for Alzar to make some decisions. Stay in Regalsford and keep trying to do some adventures? Semi-permanently set up here in Reglasford and set up for a while, buy property, etc? Leave town for good?

In the last month, no one has followed those bandits, lead by a cleric, so that mission is still there if Alzar wanted to do it. He doesn’t really want too, however.

What Alzar needs to do is freelance. Find a place, clean it out, and make it home for a bit, until he is able to make something more permanent.

He could also put the gold in the bank, exchange the gems and jewelry, and keep going.

Abe Sargent

05-01-2010, 03:24 AM

Alzar looks up the mages to see if any have any items they would be willing to part with . Once does not want to talk to him, and the other two are willing. They don’t have much, though.

Rope of Climbing
Periapt of Proof against Poison +2
Dust of Disappearance
+1 Dagger
Scroll of Armor

In the end, Alzar trades a +1 Mace and two +1 daggers and 1000 gold for the Scroll and Periapt. He rolls to see if he can memorize Armor. Success.

The Periapt will force a save vs poison when there normally isn’t one, and ads +2 to saves vs poison.

He trades 11,000 gold for a super exquisite bracelet that is worth roughly 10,000. It makes his money much more portable.

The sorceress that Alzar used her laboratory, mentions that she just discovered that a crystal ball could be found in the valley of haven, but since that valley is one of the safest and holiest places, she would be unable to acquire it. Alzar, on the other hand….

Seems like a plan. Alzar grabs his new items, and wagon, and heads out. He traded in the camels for two more draft horses and used the extra armor and non-magical weapons he found as the incentive for the trade.

Alzar is back to having 9 animal skeletons, Megala, Lastion, and himself, now level four, with an extra second level spell available.

He is keeping Charm Person over Armor, and keeping Sleep and Animate at level one and adds Ray of Ondovir at level 2.

Abe Sargent

05-01-2010, 03:34 AM

B3 Palace of the Silver Princess

http://home.flash.net/~brenfrow/dd/dd-b3.jpg

This adventure is both rare, and really common. It was originally distributed with really weird creatures and offensive art, and was destroyed by TSR being making it to the stores. It was heavily edited, and then sent out. The edit removed it’s highly quirky nature. I will be playing the original version which is available for d/l for free from the WoTC website.

I will sometimes slide into the Moldvay version when encounters are left blank, in order to run official TSR Stuff. So, what I will do then is a synthesis of both modules, the quirkiness of the original combined with the sensibility of the edited version. I am also including some Moldvay spins that make the adventure much more fun.

Alright, here we go.

hoopsguy

05-01-2010, 09:00 AM

Definitely enjoying the ride, Abe. It seems like being possessed was about the best thing that could have happened to you. Or else you just did a great job of making something good out of something not so good.

Abe Sargent

05-01-2010, 11:47 AM

Yeah, normally, you would be in a party, one would be possessed, and you would fight your way to the cleric, and have a 6th level in your back pocket, but since Alzar is essentially soloing these things, that made it really interesting.

Oh, and glad you are enjoying yourself!

Abe Sargent

05-01-2010, 12:48 PM

Within the large part of a day, Alzar has made it to the valley of Haven.

He sends Megala in to look but the valley has been changed. The crops have largely died, the valley id red and twisted, and red shining pall lingers over everything. Something has happened very recently.

Alzar and his group make their way into the valley, led by Magala flying up above and scouting for Alzar. As they get to a mile away from the Palace, that can see that the left half of the structure has been completely destroyed. Stone blocks and rubble cover the mountain side. The plant life is fading, but some are looking very nice, like these white rose looking bushes.

As Alzar approaches, a group of orcs that was watching the road sees him, and move off. In a few moments, 5 orcs are flying down the hill as fast as they can, and Alzar is alerted to their presence. One sleep spell later and they are all sleeping quietly, until they are killed one by one.

XP – 75

The castle is damaged and the road is battered. Alzar retreats from the valley for tonight, and will come back tomorrow.

Abe Sargent

05-01-2010, 01:02 PM

The new day has dawned and Alzar has eaten and is back to the castle. The portcullis is open and anyone can come in.

While entering the palace, Alzar lashes his wagon to the entryway inside, and ties up the five horses. (One riding, four draft). The hallway is searched by animal skeletons running up and down. The hallway splits into a left and right corridor, with a small gate room at the front of each. Alzar enters the gate room on the left. Inside is a giant rat, which is killed by Lastion in a second.

XP – 10

Alzar heads over and checks out the right gate room, and inside are two skeletons, and Alzar commands them. They have 5 hp each, short swords in their hand, and ac7. Alzar chooses to head through the door on the left. Soon it has one way going forward, and one back. Alzar turns. The corridor goes on, so he searches for secrets, but finds nothing. He arrives at a natural cavern with a fresh creek running through it. A large stone grey pool of water in still in the center of the room, and occasionally bubbles rise to the surface.

Alzar sends in an animal skeleton to check, and it is attacked and killed by these bubbles. These creatures are unique to this pool, and Alzar has never heard of them. (They were formed by the process of making magical potions, and dumping the residue and failed potions into this pool over and over again through years, which eventually animated and gave intelligence to these bubbles). (I told you, this is a quirky module).

With a dead animal skeleton, and no reason to challenge the bubbles, Alzar skips the pool and moves on.

He goes back to the fork in the corridor and heads south and hits a door shortly thereafter. It’s already ajar. The walls of the room are collapsing and moisture clings to everything. A brilliant purple moss is growing everywhere. The torch is sputtering as if not getting enough oxygen. A check by an animal skeleton finds nothing. Alzar enters. The Purple Moss gives off a sweet smelling gas that puts people to sleep, but Alzar is immune to gas. (Necklace of Adaptation) It smells nice. Alzar thinks that it would be a great way to protect a home where he was. He hacks off a nice section of Purple Moss and puts it in a large urn from a nearby storeroom, seals it, and returns it to the wagon. He then continues on.

Abe Sargent

05-01-2010, 01:17 PM

The hallway moves into another cavelike area, this one much smaller, with another creek flowing through it. No pool this time. This time a section has collapsed and the areas is not that large. Alzar finds a store room down here with nothing in it after a quick inspection, and moves back to the other gate room. While moving, he runs into a cave bear moving from one room into another. This huge bear rears up. They are very aggressive.

Alzar wants to fight it, and draws his staff. He pulls back the animal skeletons to the sides, and moves the two skeletons in front. He will use the skeletons in front, and then nip in with the animal skeletons and Megala after the bear is engaged.

The Cave Bear swings first, and paws kill a skeleton. Alzar misses, the skeleton hits for 2 damage. The next turn, Alzar goes and hits for 6. The skeleton misses. Megala hits it for 1 damage and it…makes its save vs sleep. The animal skeletons nip at it and all miss (in fact, FOUR out of 8 rolled 1s None rolled higher than a 4. I kid you not. ) The bear kills the other skeleton. The bear goes first and misses Alzar completely with three attacks (rolled a 4, 6, and 7). Alzar nails it for 4 damage. Megala misses. Three animal skeletons nip it for 5 damage. It is reeling, and moves to flee, but Megala flies down chasing it, hits it, and deals 3 to it, killing it.

XP Gained – 325

Lost two skeletons.

There are two exits from the gateroom, South and east. Alzar goes east. The hallways goes, and then bends into a door and continues. Inside the door are Reed pens, ink wells, scraps of paper, and other signs that this was recently a library or study. Now it is a den for messy kobolds Five of them, a mother, a father and three kids, are playing, and Alzar has interrupted them. He kicks them out, and they take their bags of clothes and leave. A search of the room turns up nothing.

The corridor continues and Alzar enters the next room. In here are bags of grain, brooms, beer barrels and other signs that this is a storeroom. It has nothing it in and nothing shows on a search. As Alzar searches, a group of goblins come by. Alzar quietly closes the door and they pass, and just after they do, he jumps out, attacks, and kills one immediately, and the rest run in surprise. There is nothing on the goblin’s corpse.

XP – 10

The next room down is a kitchen, with wooden trenchers, spoons, knives and such around kitchen furniture. There is a large pile of rags on the floor, by the fireplace. Alazr orders his minions to search the room, and an animal skeletons runs into a spitting cobra in the pile of rags. They kill it, but one died 7 left.

XP – 25

The search finishes and Alzar finds a golden ring with the initials AES in it, and it is worth 100 gold.

Abe Sargent

05-01-2010, 01:57 PM

He continues south and a door is opened to a giant room. It looks like a dining hall, with tables and chairs, candelabras, and more. It looks like it recently has been used as a war zone. The tables are flipped up, arrows are stuck in some, and so forth. There are no other exists, and no bodies. A search reveals nothing. During a search, they find a carrion crawler quietly munching on a corpse just behind an overturned table. It looks like a mage’s corpse. Alzar orders the undead to kill the carrion crawler.

XP – 50

Once dead, they inspect the mage and find a wand. Nothing else is on the corpse, except a set of keys.

The corridor comes to a T, and Alzar goes east some more. It hits a door, and goes north. Alzar goes north and enters a door just 15 feet down the passage. This is a barracks, and there are bedrolls on cots in here. There are also some footlockers in various places.

A search of the room turns up three strange octagon coin-size discs, with no marking on them. Alzar takes them. There is a door and Alzar opens it, and it leads to the next room. This is another barracks, but it looks like it was for officers with nicer beds and such. There was a battle here and dried blood marks the ground. There are six bodies on the ground of humans, and three of hobgoblins. They only died about three or four days ago. The bodies have been stripped of everything useful. As Alzar searches the room with his undead, two human females open the door to the hallway. They see Alzar and come in. They introduce themselves as warrior adventuresses who entered the castle thinking there would be some good opportunity for adventure and fortune, but are not as strong as they thought, and they’d like to come with Alzar. He casts ESP and finds out that they are lying a bit. They are thieves, not warriors. They do feel that they have bit off more than they can chew, however. Their names are Duchess and Candella.

Alzar agrees to welcome them, but under the rule that if they take anything of his, or come after him, his undead will hunt them down and kill them. They accept and Alzar can tell they mean it.

Duchess – AC7, HP9, Con 18, Dex 16, short sword., Align: N
Candella – AC6, HP8, Dex 17, short sword, Align: N.

Both are second level thieves.

Alzar has the thieves search the rooms he just was in and this one, since they are better. They find nothing. They go back to the hallway and north into a door. As they enter into a cave like complex, they leave behind the castle. As they move forward, they come across a cave bear cub, waiting for its mother (whom Alzar already killed) who is out looking for some food. It looks like someone has been feeding the cub regularly. Alzar tosses it a little food, and it eats it, and they move past.

XP – 100 gained.

Abe Sargent

05-01-2010, 02:42 PM

As they continue, the cave bends and there are two twos, virtually side by side, in the cave wall. Alzar takes the right one. They enter one room in an octagonal chamber. This room is littered littered with red towels, and soap. There are beautiful marble floors, gold fixtures, and there are several benches in here. There is a door deeper into the octagonal chamber.

A search of the room turns up a hidden old key under a bench, found by an animal skeleton that is able to go under it and look.

They move to the next room, shaped identically to the first. Inside is a large pool of water, clear. There are murals of water nymphs on the walls. There are a few more towels here and there. There are also delicately carved vials of bath oils, and the water gives off steam. Perhaps it is heated by a room below, or a natural steam geyser. A search shows what appears to be a diamond at the base of the pool. Alzar sends in an animal skeleton, and it moves. And blinks. There is obviously a creature down there of some sort. Alzar skips it. There is a door to continue. It is a false door. One of the thieves found a secret door to the center of the octagon. This square room is the center of the octagon. This has a small pink marble pedestal about three feet tall. There is a small silver object on it that gleams in the light. As they approach, it begins to laugh harshly and shrilly. Alzar orders Megala to fly in and grab it, and when it does, the laughing stops. The pendent stops shining. It looks like a dull tin pendant, not silver, and not valuable at Alzar. Alzar destroys it. The thieves find a secret door and it is locked. The key from before fits into it.

This is the same size as the other outer rooms. As they do, the room begins to glow softly. Suspended from the ceiling is a glowing magical bastard sword, made of silver. Alzar orders everybody back, and sends in Lastion to grab the sword. As the ghoul gets near, a ghost appears, solidifies as a knight, and grabs the sword, ready to plunge it into the ghoul. Alzar orders everyone to attack it.

After four rounds, a thief is deed and the knight is still kicking, when it disappears and revealed to be an illusion. The thief awakens. The swords glow continues, and they take it as a light source.

They finish going down the cave and arrive at an open worship alcove. There is a raised platform with a carved statue of a woman. It is smiling down at a child at her feet. There is a small opening, larger than a coin, at the base. Alzar makes an INT check and realizes that it is the shape of those disks. He inserts one, and an opening is revealed with a scroll. Here is the scroll:

I came and what did my eyes behold?
A maiden fair with hair of gold
Her face aglow by which the sun is shamed
My steed a dragon her innocence did tame
Her heart a gem with many facets

The leave behind the cave section of the castle by xiting through the door that Alzar skipped earlier. A search had found nothing.

Abe Sargent

05-01-2010, 03:32 PM

As they exit, they come across a group of 5 clerics, with blood red eyes on their shield, plate armor, and they see Alzar, the undead, and the thieves, and they spit out an attack. Alzar casts sleep. All but one fall asleep. That one casts Cause Light Wounds and hits Alzar for 8 damage (43/51).

Lastion tears into him for 2 damage. Alzar misses with his staff. The thieves wait until the cleric is focused on Alzar. Alzar wins init and rocks the cleric for 3 damage. Lastion claws him twice for 4 damage – no paralysis though. Appears immune. The cleric casts Cure Light Wounds on himself. Both thieves miss. Alzar wins init again and thumps the cleric for 5 damage. Lastion bites for three damage and a thief slides a short sword in for 5 and he dies.

XP - 200

All of their armor and weapons are taken to the magic pile. They have nothing else on them. They continue, skip a side tunnel south, and go west to a door. It is a small school area for kids. There is nothing else here after a search. There is another room next to it, and the door opens to reveal book shelves. Alzar has his undead scout it first ,and they encounter a giant crab behind a bookshelf. Alzar and Lastion easily kill and Lastion took two damage.

13/15 for Lastion

Abe Sargent

05-01-2010, 03:42 PM

There are tons of books and scrolls in here. After a bit of searching, Alzar decides to come back later to try and see if he can find more tomes to take with him the hallway goes west and splits off south. They keep going west. A door blocks their way and it opens easily. Inside is a small and luxuriously decorated semi-circular room. Inside is a small alcove with a statue of a young girl with arms outstretched. A search of the room reveals a secret door to the rear Lastion opens it, and gold dust falls from the ceiling and covers him. It glows and he won’t be able to hide from anyone. A quick attempt to wash it off fails, it’s pretty sticky stuff.

The room they enter has a small foundation of water in a corner, a door to the northeast, and tapestries that cover the north and south walls. They enter the next room after opening the door, and see two statues, guarding an alcove. They animate when the door opens and move to fight. These are crystal statues.

Alzar moves to the front and draws a staff. Lastion is up with him. The Animal skeletons disperse. The statues arrive.

They swing first and punch Alzar for 5 damage. 38/51. His staff bounces off one. Lastion claws one for 1 damage. The next turn, Alzar’s group goes first. Alzar misses. Lastion does too. One thief hits for 1 damage. The animal skeletons peck for 2 damage. The statues miss three times, and hit Lastion once for 4 damage.

9/15 – Lastion

Next turn, Alzar’s group wins. Alzar misses yet again. Lastion slashes for 2 damage. Duchess hits for 4 damage. Two skeletons hit, one critical, for 5 damage and one statue crumbles. The other punches twice and hits Alzar for 2 damages. 36/51. Alzar goes first and finally hits, for 5 damage. Lastion added
2. The thieves add nothing . The skeletons hit for 5 and the other statues falls apart as well.

XP – 50

Inside the room they find the diary of Lady Argenta, and learn the story thus far.

A short time ago, some miners discovered a very valuable ruby in the local hills. They polished it and brought it to the Lady Argenta, ruler of the valley. As a thanks, she threw a large banquet and just before it began, a rider in blue armor riding a white dragon arrived. He was a stranger, but everyone was welcome in the valley, and he joined them in their banquet.

That is the last entry in the diary.

They leave the room and find the corridor here collapsed, leading to the section of the castle that has fallen.

Abe Sargent

05-01-2010, 04:16 PM

They go back and head south down the first passage to do so. They hit a door and enter. This small room as an overturned oaken table and three benches. The floor is covered in footprints. There is a large sack in here, with 3 human skills, a dagger, just the blade of a dagger, some spiders that were living in the skulls, and 11 sp. Alzar has the sack run back to the wagon by Lastion. As they continue down the passage, Alzar, in front, triggers a pit trap and falls in, taking 4 damage.

32/51

The thieves disarm it and they continue.

They descend some stairs and enter another door on their left. This large rectangular room has implements of torture, including an iron maiden. There are branding irons, chain, and such in here. As they search the room, an old man with a cleaver enters, and tells them the they could not resist his treasure. In a flash, Lastion has killed him. As search uncovers a jade ring worth 250 gold still on the finger of a dead hand.

The corridor continues and quickly another door appears. It is opened and there is a horrible, rotting smell coming form in here. There are bodies from every way in here. This is obviously where the dead were put. Alzar has his minions search, but they have been stripped of possessions. The corridor continues a bit and Alzar has more searching take place – nothing found. It bends into another door. When opened, there is a small pallet of fresh straw, a wood trencher, knives, goblets, a table, and such. They look to have been recently procured and added here. A search finds a hidden cache with a wooden box. Neither of the thieves find any traps, and one picks the lock. Inside is 2 rubies – 300 gold, 1 emerald – 2000 gold, a gold wedding ring with the initial DB in it, 10 gold, and a dagger.

They continue and find another door to the left. It opens and reveals chairs and tables, a quill, a desk, and more. This appers to have been both an office and a meeting room. Nothing is found in here. There is a door to the west or they can go back to the corridor. They go west. It opens into a hallway with stairs going up into a tower. They head up.

This tower only has 7 rooms, and they quickly explore it. None of the rooms have any treasure or any monsters inn them. It appears that whatever penetrated the valley and the castle has not gotten this far yet. They return back down, and go the adjacent room farther down the corridor.

This is a rather large room that has been swept clean, and all furniture was recently removed. Nothing is found in here.

The corridor continues, and evolves into yet another cave complex. It Ts and Alzar goes left. After a few turns, and a search by everybody that finds nothing, they arrive at a door. It opens. It opens into a corridor with 11 jail cells. The keys they found will fit these cells and open the doors. They start searching them

A few have skeletons or are empty. The fourth one opened has two Large Marmoset Monkeys. They are 8’ tall with 12’ long, prehensile tails with spikes at the end. They move to attack. Alzar orders his animal skeletons to engage first. The monkeys win init and They kill four skeletons. They are a lot more powerful than Alzar would have thought. The remaining three hit twice and deal out 4 damage to one. Alzar orders them to retreat and closes, with the others next. He swipes a staff at one and connects critically, and doles out 9 damage. It dies. Lastion Claws the other for 2 damage and it…fails its paralysis roll. The group finishes it off.

XP – 50

Inside are three chests. The thieves search for traps and find none. They are not locked. The first has food. The seconds has coins and jewelry:

1000 cp, 400 sp, 200 gp, jewelry worth total of 500 gold

The third has a bunch of weapons, helms and armor, and both of the second two are run back to the wagon. Nobody is encountered either way. The rest of the cells are empty.

Abe Sargent

05-01-2010, 04:56 PM

They go back and take the other cave way and walk past a small cavern with ornate and delicately carved life-size statues of different men and women. There are candles and incense in here, none of it burning. A search finds nothing.

The continue on and the caves twists. No search finds anything. It splits forward or left. They go left and arrive at a portcullis. Beyond it is a cave with pitch black water and a glint of gold and hot winds. Everybody pulling together is able to raise it. The black water is darker in the swordlight, and natural, with a swiftly moving stream flowing through here. The gold was pyrite ore in the walls. Nothing is reveled in the search.

They go back and continue straight. A cave opens to the right and inside is a large natural chamber with a statue of embracing lovers. There are vines and other plant life in the cave. As the light glints, there is a large yellowish mold growth on the walls.

http://arcona.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/mold.png?w=322&h=141

Alzar uses a flask of oil and throws it on the mold, then lights it and kills the mold.

XP -50

They continue on and hit stairs leading up into a new corridor, or more cave. They choose more cave. The cave ends in a cavern with large natural features, like stalactites and stalagmites. There is a colony of giant locusts here, and when startled by the light, they flee and Alzar and company duck, and they fly out.

A search reveals a pit trap, which is disarmed by the thieves.

The ygo back and up the stairs to the corridor above. The corridor continues for a bit, so they search and find another pit trap and disarm it after two tries.

They hit a door and open it.

This is a rectangular chamber with a tapestry of a female bard playing music. There is a couch, pillows, wine, candle holders, and a wheel painted on the fleer. In the middle of it is a small lap harp made of silver. A search of the room finds a secret door. Alzar grabs the harp.

They head into a carved out area with a table, a small dragon statuette, and in front are five zombies. Alzar tries to control them and…success.

Five Zombies – AC8, hp9, 1d8, always attack last

XP 50

The silver statuette has on the base “Ariksbane, Destroyer of Evil”. It is worth about 500 gold, and not that big, so they take it with them. There is nothing else in the room. They have finished this section of the castle and head back to the other south corridor off the main east west one in the center of the castle. They run into a group of goblins on the way, and Alzar orders his zombies to attack. The four goblins flee.

Abe Sargent

05-01-2010, 06:47 PM

They reach a door and enter it, with a small chamber cluttered with a lot of extra stuff. They see a human like form and charge in, only to see a dressmaker’s dummy, spinning wheels and other signs of a seamstresses work space. A search finds nothing here. They continue on. Two corners are rounded and they pass a false door. Twice they search for hidden stuff and twice they fail. They finally reach a door and it opens into a sand covered floor. Glints of silver can be seen in the floor. There is no furniture or other markings. Alzar orders the animal skeletons in, and suddenly, three barics emerge from hidden spots and charge. They are quite hungry. These are six legged rats with the bills of ducks. Not kidding. Alzar orders his scouts back and zombies in. The Barics nip and kill a zombie from claws and bites. The zombies smash back for 12 damage and kill two of them. The last one nips and kills another zombie, before being smashed.

Three zombies left. They can be reanimated, so Alzar now has three rather odd looking animal skeletons. 6 now.

A search of the room finds nothing but a few silver pieces – 20 in all.

They continue. This rectangular room has four arrases hanging from each wall. There are many couches around a 5’ decorative wheel painted into the floor. There are candle holders, wine goblets long empty, and more. This appears to have been a lounge, or entertaining room.

A search finds nothing.

The next room is a watchroom. Inside are several tables, chairs, and more, and it opens in the hallway and stairs leading up, so it is a natural place to make sure that people are going where they are supposed to go. There is nothing else of note in here.

Time to go up.

Abe Sargent

05-01-2010, 07:16 PM

The stairs end at a door. (for the upper level, we will be using the other version of the module, the modified and edited one ,that is a lot smoother an logical, and uses the current storyline, instead of the old one.)

The party goes up the stairs and into a watchtower that looks out over the landscape. Nothing can be seen out the windows, and a search reveals nothing in the room. As soon as the door is opened into a hallway, three swords are in mid air fighting each other. That’s a bit weird. After a few moments, Alzar orders a zombie to grab a sword, but the illusion disappears.

They go down the hallway and open a door into a corridor. It T’s and they go…right. The corridor goes for some way, and they search and find nothing. Eventually a door appears on the left. Inside is a hallway with double doors on the left and a door on the right. One door leads to a sitting room. In here is chairs, tables, a fireplace, and beautiful painting of Lady Argenta holing a giant ruby. It looks to have been recently painted too. A search finds nothing.

More doors open into a bathing room. There is a large bathtub, bathing oils, and several colored stones by the bath. A search finds nothing. Back to the hallway and another door opens into a large room. It has a large canopy bed, and very expensive furniture. It appears to be Argenta’s room. It is empty,

They continue on and open double doors into a throne room. There is an opulent throne on a dais, and various sculptures, statues, and tapestries in here. On the throne is a giant glowing ruby. A search of the room turns up a secret door that leads out. The giant ruby appears to having two figures inside of it. They cannot be made out, but they can be seen moving around in it. The giant ruby appears to be worth 10000 gold, and Alzar grabs it and takes it with them. They go back to the corridor and move along it. They find a door that opens into a guard room near the throne room. There are several weapon racks, and such in here, plus an undead guard now animated as a wight.

Alzar moves forward and casts Blastbones on the wight. It deals 4 damage to it. One zombies is handed the glowing sword, and another the axe and a third the dagger.

The wight moves in. It bites a zombie for 2 damage. One zombie hits with a axe for 6 damage. The wight attacks and kills the sword wielding zombie. Another hits for 5 damage from the dagger. The wight misses. It is missed. It misses. One critically wounds it for 11 damage form the axe and it dies.

Alzar gained 200 XP. Two zombies left.

A search of the room turns up a loose stone hiding 2000 gold AND a crystal ball. That was what brought Alzar here to begin with.

Abe Sargent

05-01-2010, 08:57 PM

The final room out here is an ale room with nothing in it. The secret door in the throne room leads to a passage way with a door at the end. They hear chanting inside and open the door. Inside is a human cleric with a blood red circle around him. He sees the invaders and yells help! A voice from the door to the south yells back” We’re coming!”

Alzar immediately casts charm person. Success. The cleric introduces himself as Catharandamus. He is trying to summon Arik, a power extra planer creature. Haven is the result of Arik’s taint, his eye, here and drawing power.

The people arrive. 7 hobgoblins and a female human holding a powerful looking ruby sword. He tells them everything is alright, and they eye him curiously. He begins to continue with the ceremony, and Alzar makes an Intelligence check . He pulls out the ruby and asks if that is the eye. “Ah yes,”

When asked who the people are the cleric is more than happy to answer. They are the Lady and an interfering dragon knight who followed Arik here. So where is the dragon now? Split into two pieces and each is in the body of a statuette. Very nicely done! “Oh yes, thank you!” How long before Arik arrives? About an hour. I’d like to see one of those statuettes – that’s be great! One is right by in the gardens, just across the hallway.

Alzar and party open the door and cross the hallway. They open a double door into a large garden area. Some of the plants are fading and withering, and others look very healthy. Alzar sends the animal skeletons in to investigate, and some bushes fire thorns at them. One dies. They go another way and run into more of these Archer Bushes. Alzar throws oil on a nearby one and tosses a torch at it and it goes up.

XP – 30

The path to the left cleared, the animal skeletons go that way and find a statuette behind a giant white rose bush. They move to it, and Lastion goes first. It grabs the statuette and brings it back to Alzar. Once Alzar is touching both statuettes, they glow, turn cold and disappear. Suddenly a White Dragon appears, in the gardens, and it gets attacked by about five Archer Bushes, which it quickly kills with some claws.

Alzar shows it the ruby and it nods and communicates telepathically with him. The ruby is set down and everybody retreats. Ariksbane, the lawful White Dragon, breathes on it and it is destroyed. When it goes, Lady and Ellis the Strong return. Ellis sees his glowing sword and takes it back. He leads the party into the summoning room and attacks the cleric there. Alzar follows and the fighter kills the cleric is one mighty swing. With that, the 7 hobgoblins rushing to attack turn back into haven people, as do the other various monsters in the castle, including the zombies Alzar was controlling. Those that were slain by the cleric or by Alzar and his group remain dead. The human female with the ruby sword is captured and incarcerated. The treasure of the cleric is given to the thieves as a thank you (it’s about 2k in gold) and Alzar is allowed to keep everything else he found, because they are being nice and thankful.

Alzar requests that the woman be freed to come with him. After some consideration, they agree.

Alzar has destroyed the cleric, freed the queen and the dragon knight, and prevented Arik from entering this world – which is a good thing – Azar has a low opinion of chaotic evil people that destroy merely to destroy, with no advantage gained. On the other hand, they are asking him and his undead to leave, now, they do not like Necromancers here in Haven.

Abe Sargent

05-01-2010, 09:12 PM

XP Gained: 1,547
XP Total: 11,669

Gold Gained: 2252
Total Gold: 16352
Jade Ring – 250 gold, 2 rubies – 300 gold, 1 emerald – 2000 gold, Gold Ring – 100 gold
Jewelry worth total of 500 gold

Urn of Purple Moss

Lastion gained a ghoul follower, 5 animal skeletons left

Wand of Secret Door Detection – 7 charges
Throwing Dagger +2
+1 short sword
Crystal Ball

Here is how the Crystal Ball works -

Alzar can see anywhere in Thorasia. The user can only observe a subject, object, or place personally known to Alzar. He can’t use it to check the next room. He could use it to check on the wagon, a room previously explored, his undead, and so forth. He can only use it three times a day. This is a normal one, without any additional powers.

Abe Sargent

05-01-2010, 09:22 PM

The woman: Aleigha, female werebear. As a human, she is AC8, F3rd level, 21 hp, 1d8+1 with her sword, and is otherwise in her werebear form – AC2, HP 21, At 2d4/2d4/2d8. She is neutral, and the cleric, very evil and chaotic, treated her nicely in order to keep her. He actually hated her ,and the hobgoblins knew it. She has gone from community to community, and flown each time they get close to discovering her secret. She fights with the Sword of Spartusia. In Werebear form she can only be hit by magical and silver weapons, can summon 1d6 brown bears in the outdoors. She can cure disease someone once a month, and heal at 3x the normal rate. They never enter cities unless there is an emergency.

The Sword of Spartusia. This ruby-bladed magic sword once belonged to Spartusia Eriksdottir. IT was crafted from a single flawless ruby by an ancient red dragon in thanks for a service provided by the legendary warrior. The longsword was given a trim and feminine appearance Spartusia was eventually killed, and her sword lived on but it became cursed. It searches out the female descents of Spartusia and forces them to use it. Aleigha, it’s the last one. Despite its massive value, it cannot be sold or traded, and can only be given away. Any attempt to do so fails. The sword brings disaster upon any owner who is not a descendant of Spartusia. In Aleigha’s hands, it is a +2 sword. In other hands, it is just a +1 blade.

Abe Sargent

05-01-2010, 09:50 PM

Veiled Society.

We started down the first path, and did Castle Caldwell and Journey to The Rock. I then stopped, because I really didn’t want to do B1, The Caverns of Quasqueton and then The Great Escape. . I skipped the second path, with hits like Elwyn;s Sanctuary (from Castle Caldwell and Beyond) and The Keep on the Borderlands and B5 Horror on the Hill with its 100+ rooms. I didn’t want to do both The Caves of Chaos and Horror on the Hill in the same line. So I jumped to the third path and did Rahasia and The Lost City. In each path, Palace of the Silver Princess occurs, usually by an Immortal intervening and sending you there. I don’t have Immortals in my world, and it made no sense for an evil character, so I gave Alzar a motivation that we all understand tied it in to what he was naturally doing already.

Every path finishes with B6, and Alzar’s will as well. Once we have completed that module, we are free to select any other I deem worthy.

Alzar was heading for the big town anyway, and the Palace of the Silver Princess was just a nice little diversion. Alzar clears some space in the wagon for Aleigha, and then tells her that once they are out of the valley, she can stay or she can go.

I roll some dice. For now, she will stay.

Alzar heads towards the city of Athaly. Athaly is about 50,000 strong, the biggest city in the area by far, and more than a week away from Regalsford.

Perhaps here, Alzar can find some adventure beyond what he has been doing.

Two days in, a Wyvern thinks one of the horses would be tasty and flies down. They are pretty tough hombres.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_r_nuiF06sA8/RphR8CWPtWI/AAAAAAAAAUg/fvZMxi74SQ0/s1600/Wyvern_400.jpg

With 38 hp and an AC of just 3, it could tear through Alzar and or his group. It has a poison in its tail stinger than can kill. It’s not smart, just hungry.

Alzar’s spells aren’t that good against a flying creature. Blastbones won’t do anything. Sleep, Charm Animate, ESP – won’t do anything. Alzar has one thing that can work against it. Ray of Ondovir. This forces a creature to take the exact same action the next round that it took the round it was hit. Alzar waits a round until the Wyvern is getting close, then casts Ray of Ondovir at it. It fails its save, and it keeps diving down, instead of making a change and going for the horses, and it crashes into the ground. It takes 15 damage from the crash. Alzar orders himself, Lastion’s ghoul, Lastion and Aleigha to charge it.

They are there in a moment, but the Wyvern has recovered. Alzar’s group goes first. Alzar swings a staff and misses. Aleigha misses as well with the Sword of Spartusia. Lastion hits twice for 2 damage and…it makes both of its saves. Lastion’s ghoul hits once for 3 damage and it fails its save and is paralyzed.

They kill it. Alzar cuts off the stinger and end of the tail and preserves it the next day. He also rips off some of the flesh for the Purple Moss to feed it.

A Wyvern normally gives 1400 XP. Alzar splits it with Aleigha, and gets 700 XP, plus 70 to put him at:

Total XP – 12, 439

During the day, Lastion and his ghoul ride in the wagon, and Alzar and Aleigha at night sleep there. I’ve actually seen a picture of what a medium sized wagon looks like in D&D, and it looks a bit like a gypsy wagon. There are two bunk beds, a water barrel and basin, two chests and two cabinets. Alzar is putting stuff in both cabinets and chest, and piling them on top as well.

They see nothing else of consequence. They near the town of Athaly. Aleigha will stay out here and guard the wagon and horses, and feed them and such. Lastion and his ghoul will also stay here, along with 9 animal skeletons. Alzar takes some of the jewelry, plus a gold pouch of 200 gold, into the city with Megala. He also has with him – Crystal Ball, +1 Dagger and the other normal stuff.

Abe Sargent

05-01-2010, 10:07 PM

B6 The Veiled Society

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1182/1441689095_e7f1612311.jpg?v=0

This adventure will be interesting because in it, Alzar will be with Megala and nothing else. Not even Lastion. There are no helpers.

Welcome to Athaly. There are no sewers, there are just lots of people pushed together. This is largely a human settlement, and other creatures are not rare, but uncommon. The qwith keep to themselves in the woods, the dvergr hate cities like this, Taurians aren’t on this side of Thorasia, the small catlike Guzaks have never been embraced by humans, neither have the lizardlike Sis’sharr, leaving very little opportunity for non-humans to be in a place like Athaly.

What Athaly lacks in racial diversity, it makes up for in economic diversity. From the poorest of the poor to the richest of the rich, Athaly has it all. There are tons of rich and poor mixing it up in the same city. The place is pretty crowded, and it has its share of thieves, gangs, city guards, and more. However, Athaly is more of a border city, so the number of unsavory characters is not as much as you might think.

Athaly currently has three major noble houses, with other minor ones competing for major status. The major houses are Radu, Torenescu and Vorloi.

The place has farmland to the south and west, and forests to the north and east, where Aleigha is with the wagon and the undead and the horses, about half a day’s ride away.

The buildings are usually wattle and daub construction. A few are made of stone or fired brick, like this smithy on the right. There are public wells for water and a river flows through the city.

Abe Sargent

05-01-2010, 10:11 PM

Here is the city. Change the Duke to a self-styled Barony, and ignore some of the names. It's big, btw.

http://pandius.com/Detailed_Specularum_01.jpg

Abe Sargent

05-01-2010, 10:37 PM

As Alzar arrives, a city guard tells him its 8 silver to enter. Beyond the gate is a narrow muddy street with people in their best clothes. There are brightly colored outfits, and jugglers, fire-eaters, and more. There are drums, whistles and such. Alzar asks what the celebration and the guard tells him it is the Festival of Lucor. The guard tells him that all weapons but daggers must be bound. Unbound weapons will be fines, murder by unbound is jailtime and perhaps death. The axe is bound to Alzar’s back and the staff has added softeners to it. It will take one round to unbind each weapon.

Alzar pays one gold and gets change, and then enters the city.

Beyond the gate is a swirl of people. Alzar moves the gold purse up his body to just below his throat. Uncomfortable, and very safe. There are acrobats, knife throwers, and a small menagerie of exotic animals with a small bear, wolves, a giant scorpion, and a stirge. The smells of sewage, grilled meats, breads, sweat and wine all mingle into an olfactory explosion.

Alzar grabs some meat of an unknown type from a nearby vendor and begins to walk around. Suddenly, the crowd makes a path and the music fades to bells and chanting. The people start to eagerly anticipate the procession. Alzar inquires to what it is.

This is the Procession of Lucor, which honors a local legendary cleric who, centuries ago, cleared the dock area of this town from an ancient evil that kept shipping at bay. Ever since, the shipping has been the lifeblood of the city as vessels go up and down the river and Athaly is now a central trading town.

This Festival honors that act, and the Procession has a local female lady of notable rank lead a procession to the place at the docks where a statue of Lucor stands, and honor that statue with offerings and sacrifices. This lead, the Lady Magda, a Torenescu faction noble, has the honor.

The procession arrives. A sedan chair borne on the shoulders of clerics has the Lady Magda on top. Then, the procession stops as an argument has broken out. Alzar leans in to see what is happening. Two men, one small plump and pockmarked, and one tall and lean, are arguing with the lead bearer of the sedan chair. The small, plump man says to the bearer, “Bald-headed fool, do you Torenescu think you own the streets? There’s space for all of us without your ape-like behavior!”

The lead bearer contemptuously rebukes the man tells the “Radu Rabble” to get out of his way. The tall lean man spits on a likeness of Lucor and spits on it.

The lead bearer strikes the tall man, knocking him to the filth. The smaller man tenses, ready to lunge. Alzar chooses not to get involved. A few seconds later, just before fighting would break out, two men in green break up the argument and pacify both sides.

Abe Sargent

05-01-2010, 10:49 PM

Alzar hears more from the nearby folks about the two factions. Radu controls the waterfront and docks and run import/export shipping. They have a lot of money and influence. Torenescu controls the noble section and the old nobility. They are wealthy old wealth. The Vorloi, who were the men in green, are the newest house in town, and they have built a strong foundation very quickly in the merchant district. They have their own merchant fleet despite Radu’s control over that area, and fight against the old nobility of Torenescu. They have strong contacts in the military.

Alzar finds a room but it’s crowded because of the festival. There is just one private room, and it’s quite expensive for 5 gold crows. It supposedly comes with a bath, and Alzar laughs when he sees the “bath” is a barrel of water, cold, and his bed isn’t not even off the ground.

During the evening, the center room is crazy. An older distinguished gentleman tries to get Alzar to sign his name on a paper agreeing to work for him ,but Alzar was having none of that. He retires to his room to sleep, and then wake up and get ready for anew day, and try to find the shops he is looking for.

Abe Sargent

05-01-2010, 11:02 PM

As he eats breakfast in the common room, a woman comes crashing in and sobbing about demons in her basement that she hears. She’s a bit incoherent and says she hears them sometimes, but they’ve gotten a lot worse just now, they were calling to her! She’s hysterical. The only person in the room besides the innkeeper and a few works are a few tradesmen and Alzar. He secretly rolls his eyes and agrees to come look at her basement, and grabs a few torches from the innkeeper.

A few minutes later and they are at her house, just a normal one. He is escorted to the trapdoor to her root cellar, and then he asks her to wait here. He lights a torch and moves in. A large earthen cavern is covered in ankle-deep mud. The room is criss-crossed with supporting beams. Three thin and naked men shovel by the light of a feeble lantern and three ugly, armored creatures are watching them work. They are hobgoblins. Alzar unwraps his staff.

Alzar grabs his staff and orders Megala to fly up and come down when needed. The hobbies arrive. Alzar takes two sword hits for 13 damage. 38/51. He swings his staff down on one for 3 damage. He orders Megala down to attack them from behind. They attack and hit him twice more for 5 damage. 33/51. Hi hits one for 5 damage and kills it. Megala scratches one for 2 damage and it falls asleep. Alzar wins init and crits the hobbie for 3 damage – bare minimum – ick. Meg hits for 1 and it fails its save. Alzar kills those ensleeped.

XP – 105

The naked men come to Alzar and thank him profusely. They were captured almost a year ago and have been digging tunnels under the city ever since. Alzar take the hobgoblins back to the inn, strips off their armor and weapons (for a magic pile) and has the innkeeper care for the slaves. He then goes back down and takes that tunnel he saw.

It wins a bit and then opens out into a cellar with a light wooden panel. There are cured hams and sausages in here. A large bundle lies nearby and two men are fighting over how far to bury it. Alzar puts them to Sleep and checks the bundle. Inside in the body of a murdered young woman. Alzar slaws the sleeping assassins, and searches their bodies for anything of value and finds nothing. Alzar keeps going.

XP -100

He arrives at a dug-out cave dimly lit by torches. From the cave come sounds of several creatures – kobolds. There are ten or so in here, and they are trying to place a support beam. The beam slips and the tunnel begins to fall. They ask Alzar for help with the beam before they die. Alzar casts blastbones on a bone, with a magic mouth requirement on it. He then moves to help them. Just before he gets there, they run away and the beam falls amnd Alzar is covered to his legs in dirt. They grab their weapons to attack and Alzar sets off the Blastbones. They all take 5 damage – including Alzar. They all die.

28/51. XP - 50

There is nothing here.

Alzar follows a tunnel until it ends at a refuse pit, reeking of foul order. There is a scraping noise in here. There appears to be nothing in here when Megala flies in here, just a cistern above that fell recently and it is scrapping the walls.

Another tunnel leads to a dry dirt cellar with bags against the walls and cobwebs. There are dried apples split across the floor. Nothing else is here.

They move on to a chamber once the cellar of a house but now choked with rubble, burned beams and dirt. Several paths can be seen though. A chuckling vulgar sound can be head, and three zombies can be seen shuffling towards Alzar. He manages to control them (needs a 6 on a d20). They will go with him. Nothing else is found here.

The final tunnel leads to a cellar and a large pile of dirt. There is a wheelbarrow here, loaded with shovels and picks. Wooden beams are piled. There is a scraping of wood on wood as someone begins to descend the step ladder from the place above. A hooded man lands and notices Alzar immediately. He tries t run, but Alzar casts Charm Person. It succeeds. The fighter is asked to stop, and he does. He tells Alzar happily that this is a plan by The Veiled Society to tunnel under house and kill their enemies. The most recent one, Lucia Vorloi was an enemy. He does not know more than that. Alzar asks him to accompany him, and leaves the Zombies down here to get later if he needs to. Lucia’s body is brought up by Alzar’s new fighter friend, who goes with the slaves down to the local constabulary and turns himself in and tells them all he knows.

Abe Sargent

05-01-2010, 11:12 PM

The police want to verify Alzar’s claims and use some magic scrying on him , which clears him immediately. There are some questions. Rumor has it that she had spurned advances of Stephanos Torenescu, and yet the hair under her nails was red. The fighter has implicated The Veiled Society, but to what degree? A tribune with Alzar goes to the Vorloi House. Fortunato Vorloi and Lucia live here.

The house is empty. Inside are signs of violence – dagger and bloodstains on the floor and broken dishes. There are some things that implicate Torenescu lie a signet ring found here. There is a dagger with more red hairs, and pitch on the rungs of the ladder going down.

They head to the house the fighter came from – Turano’s Guest House. It is deserted and someone was here recently. It is a small building recently rented to a blacksmith named Skevlos. There is an old bed, esk and a chair. Muddly tracks lead from the floor to the trapdoor. There is wine with the seal of Trouscan Estates, and trap door back to the cellars. There is a black leather hood in here, and bloody bandages in a corner. There is a roll of parchment in between the beams, with an X on Fortunato’s house, and also Zweis Radu’s house, Baron Vorloi’s guest house, and Rattlebone Inn. A search by constables shows no tunnels in any of those areas.

Abe Sargent

05-01-2010, 11:37 PM

As the events and information from the day proceeds, some anti Torenescu people begin to agitate on the streets. They gather in small groups and then larger groups and larger still. By the end of the day, the speakers are emboldened and they connect Torenescu to the murders and The Veiled Society.

Late afternoon Alzar returns home and most of the stalls have closed for the day but many are still in the market. An orator stands on the edge of the central fountain and the crowd has gathered. He is shouting anti-Torenescu rhetoric. They begin to use anti-nobility invective against Torenescu “Who taxes you?” Their voices are raised, and the clatter of horse hooves can be heard as 30 of the Baron’s men have arrived. The orator and crowd grow quiet. Suddenly a rock flies from the crowd and strikes one of the horseman.

Silence reigns for a few seconds, and then the crowd charges the horsemen. They break ranks and charge back, and soon the horseman are cleaving into the crowd while the peasants are drawing them back. The orator is fleeing.

Alzar can chase the orator, attack the horseman, run away, attack the peasants, or just watch.

He has Megala fly after the orator and follows. He dives down a side street and changes streets twice. Eventually he ducks into a small shack and the door slams shut. Within a moment, Alzar has arrived and unsheathes his axe, spends a round hacking through the door, and then rebinds it.

It is just a bare room with a trapdoor, and Alzar opens it and drops to a passage running one way. Alzar and Megala follow it for roughly 300 feet before it ends at a ladder going up. Alzar hears scraping up in the room above. He leaps up the ladder and flings it open just as the orator was moving a heavy chest to cover it. The orator is totally surprised by Alzar’s speed.

Alzar is able to fire off Ray of Ondovir and the orator spends the next round continuing to push the chest while Alzar pulls out a dagger, grabs him, and holds it to the orator’s throat. It doesn’t take much convincing to get the orator to spill everything. Alzar ties him up and casts ESP. The orator is a member of The Velied Society, and there are at least 20 of them. He was paid 200 gold to stir up trouble for Torenescu. He does not know who leads the Society, or who are the higher ups. They meet in an underground chamber with a secret entrance from the Blue Water Mead Hall at the waterfront. The two killers were named Akarios the Shipwright and Zachariah Boeastes. He even provides a rough map to the location, and what’s there.

He asks for his life, and Alzar is tempted to end it. Instead, he leaves the man as a present for the authorities and heads to bed for the night.

Abe Sargent

05-01-2010, 11:55 PM

The second day dawns. Alzar has leads. He memorizes all of the same spells as normal, but grabs Speak with Dead for today, instead of Blastbones.

The tension of the riots has largely subsided. Alzar goes to the waterfront to investigate what he can about the Blue Mead Tavern and the two murderers. As he reaches a few areas nearby, he spots a large number of beggars escorting a noble in Torenescu colors from a ship, and several people looking like they are about to ambush him. Alzar can ambush, watch, leave, or take out the ambushers.

He notices that one of the ambushers in the light is wearing a Veiled Society hood. He sends Megala up to a roof for a better view. There are three ambush spots. Alzar gets behind one just as the Ambush starts, and Sleeps the 5 fighters here.

XP – 75

Now there are just ten fighters against ten beggars and the Torenescu. Just to make sure, he has Megala swing by and sees nothing.

There is a guy in the back ordering the other ten around. Alzar makes for him. A charm person spell is sent, it fails though. The guy feels it, turns around, grabs a mace, and moves to fight Alzar. Alzar spends the round unfurling his staff. The cleric casts Light on Alzar’s eyes and it succeeds in blinding him! Alzar has blind fighting and is just fine! (Plus he can still see through Megala’s eyes).

Alzar is hit by the mace for 10 damage from this cleric. That’s way more than normal.

18/51

Alzar misses and drops the staff. He orders Megala in to attack. The next round the cleric misses, and Megala claws him and he falls asleep. Instead of killing him, Alzar grabs his staff and binds it back up. He searches the body and finds a mace, gauntlets, and other stuff. He strips the cleric of these items, holy symbol and more.

XP - 100

The beggars and Simion are finished with the veiled society men, who are fleeing. The sleeping ones are bound, and they are interrogated. This cleric has red hair and confesses to killing Lucia. The constables are considering closing the case, but Alzar has concerns, since the orator from last night said it was someone else.

He goes back to the bed and learns new spells for the next day. He is healed a bit by cleric allies of the constables who cast two Cure Light Wounds on him.

Alzar gets them constables to agree to cast Speak with Dead, and he does, talking with Lucia. She claims that she was killed by the Radu house. They go back and find some letters in the blood that spell RAD, and back up her claims.

33/51

Abe Sargent

05-02-2010, 12:26 AM

The next day, Alzar awakens and there are more investigations. He swings back to Blastbones. No one in any of the noble families has red hair, according to the constable, including Radu. With a suspect hosue and The Veiled Society involved, there is suspicions that they are allied. However, it is just suspicion, the Radu person could have been acting on his own, she could have misidentified someone, and so forth.

Alzar has one clue to come back to – The Blue Water Mead Hall. He heads back out. As Alzar is a few blocks away, an arrow flies from the crowd from a hooded man holding crossbow and it misses. He begins to reload. Alzar has Megala fly over to him and he starts to run. Alzar starts to chase. Megala sees him go around a corner, and there are three crossbowmen standing there, waiting for Alzar to follow, so he stops. He lets the man go and takes another route to the Blue Water Mead Hall.

The Mead Hall is a bright and clean building. Inside there are several soldiers in the center of the room striking an off-key bawdy shanty. There are a few instruments being played here, and the small but growing crowd is being worked by a tavern keeper and several serving ladies.

There are two curtained doorways in the back. A red-haired man sits near the back to the room. It looks like Akarios. Alzar quietly approaches from the side, and has Megala fly down into Akarios’s field of vision so that his attention is on the Homunculous. Alzar puts his hands on Akarios’s shoulders very hard and introduces himself. Then he removes one hand, grabs the dagger and puts it into Akarios’s back. “This is the part where you tell me everything.”

So he does. He was ordered to murder Lucia, and there is a secret entrance to the Veiled Society chambers right there and nods his head. Alzar tells him to stay where he is and Megala flies over and they head in.

Two men sit on the floor near the curtain gambling after Alzar passes it. Both look up curiously and there is a hallway here with a door at the end. The top half is open, and shows the street beyond. Alzar draws the Wand of Secret Door Detection and uses it. The cleric and fighter don’t see anything, just Alzar drawing a stick, but Alzar now knows where the secret door is. He grabs the money from the gambler sand throws it in to the room, and then says good bye, dives for the door, jumps in, and closes it.

XP: 50 for cleverness

Abe Sargent

05-02-2010, 01:01 AM

This chamber is barely large enough for two people to stand in, One wall has a red robes, and black leather hoods. Alzar grabs one of each and puts them on. He unbinds his staff and axe

The cave system here branches into two parts, southish and southwestish. Alzar goes southish. The passageway splinters off, and there is a door here. Alzar opens the door. There is a passage way to the westish, and a small passage that suddenly stops. Odd. Alzar fails to find anything and uses the wand, and detects a secret door.

Inside is a chamber brightly lit by hundreds of sputtering candles. In the center of the room is a table piled with books and papers. Standing over him is a middle-aged swarthy man holding a sword to a younger man’s chest. A dead man is on the floor. The younger man shouts “Stop him! He has slain out father! He is a murderer!” The middle aged man tells Alzar (in disguise) to get back or die, and makes for the door. Alzar tries to charm him. Failure! The middle aged man moves to attack. This looks like it might be an axe fight, but let’s try staff first. Alzar grabs his staff.

The younger man draws a sword and looks to help Alzar. The enemy misses. Alzar misses. The young guy hits for 3 damage with a scimitar. Megala pecks for 3 damage and a made save on the whole sleep thing. Alzar’s team wins and Alzar thwacks the foe for 7 damage. Megala misses, as does the unknown ally. The main guy misses. Next round, the enemy nails Alzar for 5 damage.

30/51

Alzar hits for 2 damage, The others misses. Alzar swings for 3 damage. Megala adds 1 and 5 damage from the scimitar ally. He rocks Alzar for 10 damage.

20/51

He wins init and hits again for 10 damage.

10/51

Alzar rocks back for 7 – his max. Megala misses and the unknown ally cracks him with the scimitar for 5 and he dies.

XP: 250

The guy introduces himself as Zweis Radu. The dead guy is Cartha Radu, and he just killed Anton Radu. Zweis is now in charge. He thanks Alzar but knows he is not a veiled society member after seeing him and Megala fight, but he offers Alzar a spot in the Society if he wants it., Alzar declines. He then offesrs 500 gold in jewels from the desk. Alzar still declines and moves to inspect the corpse. Zweis asks him kindly not to do that. Alzar moves to inspect the papers on the desk, and pissed off, Zweis attacks.

Alzar casts sleep. Zwies falls asleep. Alzar kills him off.

XP: 100

From the corpses he finds a long sword and a scimitar. A Ring, and armor. They are all added to the magic pile later. Alzar takes those jewels - 500 gold.

A search of the room finds papers and books that show House Radu and The Veiled Society are the same thing. There is also 3000 gold in gems in a small box, which Alzar procures.

Abe Sargent

05-02-2010, 01:15 AM

Alzar moves out and goes down that tunnel that he just passed. There is a door here and Alzar opens it. In here is a member of the city’s town guard, named Estaish. He will be escorted out by Alzar, but is way to weak to fight. He gear is just outside the door and down the hall a bit. He has learned everything during his imprisonment and would be a good double check on the papers and books. Alzar continues down the hallway and a flower moves to attack - Sirenflower.

Alzar backs up and casts Blastbones and that barely scratches the Sirenflower (6 damage). He is immune to the charming pollen it has, and does not need to come it. He grabs his staff and starts poking the flowers, and killing them from a distance. He does not need to make his saves and kills it over a few turns.

XP - 75

Back here, the kills of the flower include 500 gold and a potion.

He heads back down the other tunnel and finds a meeting chamber here, with about 18 or so members meeting and about to kill one of their own for being a traitor. Alzar only has Animate, ESP and Ray left, so he skips the chamber and lets them kill whoever. Estaish grabs some books and scrolls, and Alzar grabs the rest, and they leave via the entrance to the alley that Alzar saw earlier. In a moment, Alzar melts into the city and twenty minutes later, the Constables have been given statements, Estaish, and the books and documents.

In less than a day, House Radu and The Veiled Society have been declared outlaws and most have been rounded up and killed as traitors.

Estaish wants to accompany Alzar, but so he brings him along.

Abe Sargent

05-02-2010, 01:35 AM

XP Gained:1326
Total XP: 13765

Gold Gained: 700
Jewelry Worth: 3500

Used two charges of Wand of Secret Door Detection

Magic Pile: +1 Mace, Gauntlets of Ogre Power, +1 Scimitar, +2 longsword, Ring of Protection +1, Pot o’ Diminution.

It’s a bit early for GOP to be given away, but Alzar can’t use them until he is out of the Dual Class issue (level 8 as a Necromancer) or he gains no XP for using them. They can not be used by mages normally.

The Potion causes you to shrink for the while. Everything else is just weapons and a ring Alzar already has.

This was a fun little adventure.

Abe Sargent

05-02-2010, 01:53 AM

Alzar moves to try to find some things, now that the drama is over.

Alzar makes some purchases:

10 flasks of oil, in metal flasks so they will not spill, stored in wagon. He will take three on each adventure.

Alzar buys a riding horse for Estaish

He finds 3 healing potions – 750 gold (Expensive, they are 200 each normally)

He finds a scroll of Ray of Fatigue. This first level Necromancy spell would make a monster, if they save a save, to get -1 to attack and AC and move 33% slower for the spell caster’s level. Not that hot. Just 150 gold though. It’s an uncommon spell.

He trades Alzar’s Undead Porter for Mount. He does learn it. Mount is a pretty common 1st level spell that enables you to summon a horse for a few hours.

There are some mages here willing to do business, and Alzar finds a few magical items available for sale. Here are the ones he can find here:

+1 spear
+1 banded mail
Scroll of Protection Against Acid
Potion of Animal Control
Three +2 javelins, a set
Potion of Giant Strength (Fighter only)
Potion of Sweet Water

Alzar purchases the Sweet Water pot, the healing pots and the scroll of Ray of Fatigue. He also picks up another spellbook (500 gold) and scroll. He trades a +1 mace and spends 3000 gold. He also picks up a scroll case

Alzar tries to find a mage who can cast a super high level spell, but fails. (Glassteel on the teleport jars so that he could take one with him into dungeons without much fear of breakage)

He decides to commit and tries to learn Bone Knit from the scroll he took from Vorthala’s old lair. It automatically succeeds (Always succeed with an 18 int and a specialist in your school).

He gives the extra Ring of Protection to Aleigha and a +2 longsword to Estaish

Gold Left: 14, 050 gold

Abe Sargent

05-02-2010, 02:02 AM

Alzar’s Magic Items:

Potion of Sweet Water, Diminution, Gaseous Form, Invisibility
Pots of Healing x4
Gauntlets of Ogre Power
+1 Scimitar, Short Sword, Daggerx3, Mace, Battle Axe, Longsword
+2 Longsword
+1 Plate Armor, Chain Mailx2
Ring of Protection +1
Wand of Secret Door Detection – 5 charges
Wand of Paralyzation 8 charges
+2 Throwing Dagger
The Sword of the Rock
Longsword +1, +2 vs Undead
Crystal Ball
Necklace of Adaptation
Periapt of Proof Against Poison +2
Ring of Fire Resistance
Potion of Invisibility, Gaseous Form, Poison
Rope of Climbing
Scrolls of: Mordenkainen’s Faithful Phantom Shield-Maidens, Teleport, Read Languages, Continual Light, Agannazzar’s Scorcher, Odeen’s Magic Cloud, Levitate, Ray of Fatigue, Protection from Acid
The Book of Years, Windscribe, 4 teleport jars

Abe Sargent

05-02-2010, 03:29 AM

I feel like I should roll up Aleigha’s character, so here it is. All mine.

Aleigha, 3rd Level Fighter, Werebear

Neutral
Human

Str: 15
Dex: 14
Con: 11
Wis: 12
Int: 14
Cha: 9

HP: 21
THAC0: 18 (+2 for sword, +3 for Werebear form)

AC: 7 with Ring of Protection +1, 2 when in Werebear form

Total XP: 4900

Race Abilities: None

Class Abilities:

Specialization allowed

Non-Weapon Proficiencies:

Fire Building
Swimming
Animal Lore
Animal Handling
Riding
Hunting
Fishing
Foraging
Tracking

Weapon Proficiencies:

Swords Group
Long Bow

Werebear:

As a Werebear, deals 2d4/2d4/2d8, immune to non-silver normal weapons, can summon 1d6 brown bears if in wilderness once every two hours
Can cast Cure Disease once a month
Heals at 3x rate

Magical Items:

Sword of Spartusia
Ring of Protection +1

Aleigha knows nothing of her time prior to becoming a werebear. The only memory she has as a girl of 11 is being ill in the woods, and the only way she was able to be saved, was a werebear who happened upon her and bit her, turning her into a werebear, which was able to fight off a very strong disease.

She fled the place she was in, and lived by herself for a while, but yearned for company, so she moved to a small town. After a while, people began to learn about a werebear in the area, and she had to flee before they tracked it to her. This repeated over and over again and each time, she had to flee before being found out. One time she actually was found out and was attacked by the village.

It was fleeing from that village when she ran into the cleric, Catharandamus. He treated her well and gave her a home, despite knowing who she was. She thought he was really nice, and adopted him as a father figure. Instead, he despised her, but she was a powerful bodyguard. He did some vile things, and she stood by him and defended him.

Her experience with Catharandamus and with villages has turned her to Neutral, where most werebears are chaotic good. She detests “civilization” and will stay away from cities and larger towns. She does not fear Alzar’s undead, she has seen a lot worse from Catharandamus.

Unlike the cleric, she senses Alzar is authentic. He freed her from the Palace, and he gave her a home and Ring, and he has told her she is free to leave anytime. She is currently a follower in status.

Abe Sargent

05-02-2010, 03:46 AM

Alzar’s Spells:

First Level:

Alzar’s Undead Porter
Armor
Animate Dead Animals *
Cantrip
Charm Person *
Detect Magic
Friends
Identify
Mount
Read Languages
Read Magic
Sleep *
Tenser’s Floating Disc
Unseen Servant

Second Level:

Attract Ghoul
Blastbones *
ESP *
Forget
Locate Object
Ray of Ondovir *
Speak with Dead

Third Level:

Bone Knit
Dire Charm
Searing Serpent
Skulltrap

Fourth Level:

Vorthala’s Undead Turning Immunity

Tellistto

05-02-2010, 10:26 AM

Very nice run through that town. Still enjoying this, keep up the great work!

Abe Sargent

05-02-2010, 12:08 PM

Thanks!

Abe Sargent

05-02-2010, 12:22 PM

Estaish, Fighter level 1, human, 1d8+1 in combat (given a +2 longsword), Lawful Neutral, AC 4 with chainmail and shield. HP 8. Currently a follower.

Estaish at first grimaces when he sees the ghouls, but he seems to suck it up pretty well. He takes the animal skeletons more in stride.

What next? There are several ways to go. Alzar can stay in Athaly and see if there are any more adventures either in town or nearby. A city this size is gonna to have some things going for it. He could put down roots, buy a house, etc. Then use the place as a base of operations. That’s not what he wants to do though, not here, and not right now.

Another option would be to try and leave, and find more adventure.

What module? The In Search of Adventure campaign is over but I could inject one or more of the modules back into the campaign. I could have Alzar captured and him have to do The Great Escape, or Horror on the Hill or The Keep on the Borderlands or The Caverns of Quasqueton, or even the cleric and her orcs and raiders.

Or, I could slide into another module for the low in level. How about T1 The Temple of Hommlet, or C2 The Lost Island of Castanamir?

Let’s just do a quick little adventure.

Abe Sargent

05-02-2010, 12:47 PM

B9 Castle Caldwell and Beyond

http://home.flash.net/~brenfrow/dd/dd-b9.jpg

This will focus on the beyond.

Alzar has finished taking some goods back the wagon and Estaish is left behind to load and get the steeds ready, because after another trip, they plan to move off.

As Alzar returns to Athaly. Antonito Radu, the new leader of House Radu in Exile, and twenty hired thugs ambush Alzar and Megala. Arrows fly out and the horse is hit many times. At the same time, Antonito’s cleric casts Hold Person on Alzar. Alzar makes the save and looks around. There are about 20 bandits charging him. Three magic missiles fly into Alzar for 9 damage. 42/51.

Alzar’s steed is dead, and he orders Megala to fly into the air far away for now. He quickly does a check. 20 bandits, a cleric and a mage. He has sleep, which may put anywhere from 2 -6 of them down, and charm and such. There’s no chance of making it through, so he surrenders.

Antonito swings down and punches Alzar hard. All of his items, gold, and such are taken. He is stripped down to robes, bound, and then knocked unconscious.

Abe Sargent

05-02-2010, 01:09 PM

Alzar awakes to find himself in the jail cell of an unknown place. He took some damage from beatings and kicks. They actually missed the Ring of Protection, and Alzar is still wearing it.

34/51

There is flickering torchlight from the hallway illuminating the cell. Alzar does not know where he is, or why he is. Torture? Information? Conversion? He still has all of his spells – Blastbones, Sleep, Charm, ESP, Ray of Ondovir and Animate Dead Animals. He checks the spell components. Charm and Ray don’t need any, so that’s good. Sleep requires sand, and there’s some on the floor on the cell – that’s good. Animate Dead Animals needs a bone chip from the species of animals to animate, and that is usually obtained from the corpses itself, so thats a check. Blastbones needs the bones to be destroyed, and anything else to be used like debris and nails. ESP on the other hand, needs a copper piece – and unless Alzar can find a few, that will not be castable.

Alzar awakens Megala to get a look. Megala followed, and Alzar sees an outpost where he is. He orders Megala to hold tight. Lastion is outside of the one mile radius and must be going stir-crazy. It is before noon, so about mid-morning by the sun.

There are double doors going out to the hallway. Alzar’s feet are in shackles, and they go through a ring in the floor. His hands are tied in front of him. Alzar tries to come with a way out. If his hands are untied, he can go with Charm Person. He could gather sand and cast Sleep. So there are options there. Alzar does not have the Rope Use proficiencies which would help him here. Therefore he will have to make a Dex Check at 50%. His Dex is 12, so he needs a 6 or less to free his hands. He rolls a 2. The rope slides off. He tests the ring and it is not bending or coming off the ground. Alzar tries the chain to see if it will come off, and then ties to see if maybe the hoop is screwed into the metal plate on the floor, but it’s not – it appears to be heavily welded. (Forge welded, the other forms do not exist)

He tries to find the edge of the metal plate. Perhaps it can come up. While he is doing that, he hears footsteps come up to the room, turn a key in the door, and in steps a gnoll.

http://blog.pierrickauger.fr/__oneclick_uploads/2008/04/gnoll.jpg

It has a plate of food and water, and harshly tells Alzar to sit up. As he comes in, Alzar casts Charm Person and…it works! The gnoll is now Alzar’s good and dear friend. Of course it will unlock Alzar’s chains! This is a bandit outpost of men and goblinoids, and was funded in part by House Radu, and now House Radu uses it as a temporary base. Alzar was to be tortured, interrogated, and then killed. There is a hallway right outside, and Alzar’s things are in a room down to the left, turn left, and enter the door on the left. However, the door is locked and the gnoll does not have the key, nor does he know where one is. The gnoll happily gives Alzar his only weapon, a dagger. Alzar will be at -4 to use it. The gnoll does not know many of the rooms in this area of the outpost, but he quickly outlines the outpost on the wall with a fighter to give a rough showing of where things are.

Alzar convinces the gnoll to leave, and it agrees and does so.

XP 50

Abe Sargent

05-02-2010, 01:55 PM

Alzar is out. He hits the corridor and can go left or right. He hears laughing from the left. There are branching corridors down each of the corridors. Which way?

Alzar goes left, the way towards his items. He hits a long corridor that goes to the right and skips it. He hits two doors on each side, and he skips them and comes to an intersection. He goes left. The corridor opens into a large training room. There are padded posts, bales of hay, and two discarded and battered shields. No one is here.

He goes to the door and checks it. It is very locked. Alzar is going to have to try and find the keys. He returns to the intersection, goes back, and enters door on his right, the one between the armory and his jail cell.

He sees a pantry. The room is lined with shelves and additional rows in the middle, stacked with barrels, sacks. A quick look shows pickles, fish, meat, and more. Alzar hears noise from the hallway, and slides the door closed. Some people walk slowly down the hallway. There is no light in here, so Alzar cannot see. When the noise has passed, he gets up and leaves. He can’t search rooms right now unless he thinks the key might be in them – he needs light, equipment and does not have time to search.
He enters the door across from the pantry.

This is an open kitchen with a dining room beyond. It has two openings into corridors. There are two women preparing a meal. At a table there are 22 others, a few females, and then some that look like warriors and some that do not. Alzar closes the door and continues. He heads past the intersection and into a room on his left. This is a bedchamber with a table, four chairs, a desk, a sword on the wall, and a woman dressed in leather writing. Her back is to the door. Alzar casts Ray of Ondovir on her. She fails the save and is forced to keep writing the same words in the same place next round. Alzar closes, and stabs his dagger in her neck and kills her.

XP – 50

Abe Sargent

05-02-2010, 02:23 PM

She has a belt pouch, leather armor, and a belt ring with two keys on it. Alzar grabs her stuff including the sword on the wall, and leaves. One of the keys works on her room;s door, so hopefully, no one will find her corpse and blood for a while. Alzar heads back to the Armory and opens it, sneaking inside.

This room is full of racks and armor and weapons, plus all of Alzar’s belongings are here, and have no been divvied up yet. It takes a few rounds to check everything and put on everything. During that time, no one check up on the area.

Alzar searches the room for more, but finds nothing. He uses the Crystal Ball to check the kitchens, and sees that the 24 people at the table and serving are all still there.

Now Alzar has several options. Try to escape? Or try to get revenge?

There is a rear door to the armory, and Alzar unlocks it and takes it. This large chamber is the torture chamber, with a small number of cruel devices for punishment/ There are whips and branding pit here, smouldering. Alzar smiles and stokes the fire.

A Search turns up nothing. There is an adjacent open room, and this is where that Gnoll Jailer lived. He gladly told Alzar about his treasure and trap. He opens up the floorboard, disarms the poison needle, and takes 300 gold and puts it into a small sack along with some others nearby. Alzar disarms and takes the poison vial. He knows how to use poison, after all.

Another check on the Crystal Ball shows that the kitchens are still busy and the main course is almost done. Alzar heads back that way, opens the door, (I roll a 17), and the puts the poison in the batter – maybe some pancakes. He closes the door and continues. Alzar grabs a torch from the hall sconces, and takes them with him. He enters the pantry and searches, and finds five potions.

He goes back into the room where he killed the female officer and there is nothing in there. One last time, Alzar uses the Crystal Ball, and notices that the people eating are starting to feel sick. The poison must have been diluted too much – it should have killed them in a regular dose

Alzar leaves, locks the room and moves up to another door on the left. There is another room for someone, not here currently. Alzar checks and finds nothing but chain mail. He continues up and hits another bed room, As Alzar searches, he hears a few people coming to the bed rooms. The door to the room next to his opens and closes. A few seconds later, one of the female warriors from lunch comes into his room feeling sick and nauseous. She shuts the door, and Alzar attacks her viscously with his axe as quick as he can. He gets one free attack and hits, and then doles out 15 damage and kills her easily.

No XP gained.

She has 5 gp, 7 sp and 10 cp on her. Nothing else.

Abe Sargent

05-02-2010, 02:39 PM

Alzar checks the hallway, locks her door, and then slides up to the last room. Alzar opens the door. There is a woman sleeping on a cot in here. Alzar steals her keys right by the door, and then shuts the door and locks it and moves on.

The corridor goes to the right, and then there is a wide open space beyond and a pen doorway to the right. Alzar checks the doorway. This is a meditation room. Beyond a curtain to the south is a door out. Alzar opens it. This is a bath area, with a stove to heat the water, and several tubs. Alzar searches, but slips on the soapy and wet floor and twists his ankle reducing his speed for 30 minutes. The next room is a common women’s quarters. There are several female servant here from lunch holding their stomachs and heads, and trying to rest, recline, or sleep. There are no accoutrements of war in here, and it looks like nothing of value, so Alzar skips it, heads back the way he came, and skips the big room.

He heads back down to the kitchen area, and then to the torture chamber. He hits the door across from it. This is a wine storage room. A search reveals nothing . Alzar hits the door to the east of the winery. This is another officer’s room, and the person actually is here, wounded form dinner. He sees Alzar and shouts for help. Alzar axes him for 9 damage and kills him. Did anyone hear? Alzar closes the door and then waits.

About 30 seconds later, a group of five soldiers arrive, and then force open the door. Alzar casts the only spell he can for this situation - sleep. Four of them fall asleep, but the other one charges. Alzar grabs his staff. He is critically hit for 10 damage.

24/51

Alzar swings and cracks the soldier for just two damage. The guard wins init and hits or 3. 21/5. Alzar swings back and cracks him for 5 and kills him.

Alzar quickly kills the sleepers. He strips off their items and finds nothing valuable. A search of the room turns up nothing. Nobody further ha followed, so Alzar moves to the next room. The door opens and it is a sick guy from lunch, who is completely dead on the floor. The others were just sick, so either he got a stronger bit, or he was very susceptible to the poison. A search reveals a short sword and chain armor. Nothing else.

XP - 80

Abe Sargent

05-02-2010, 03:05 PM

The next room is across from a doorway, and Alzar checks both. He jumps into the door and hopes. There is no one in here, just a sword and armor. A search reveals nothing. Alzar heads across to the doorway, and this section appears identical to the female section he just passed – a meditation room, then probably baths and a servants common area.

There is no one in the med room, and Alzar pushes through the curtain and opens the door to the baths? Yes the baths. There is a man in here, trying to sleep and relax in a bath, eyes closed. Alzar goes up and drowns him by pushing him into the pool and holding him there. The man is unable to get a grip and drowns. This time, Alzar skips this room, sees the common male chamber, and then leaves back the way he came.

The next door down the corridor is an empty quarters, with no furniture in it. Alzar checks, and yup, nothing in it. The corridor bends and Alzar hits the first door on the right. This bedroom is nicer, probably an officer. The guy is sleeping face down on the bed with vomit on the sheets. Alzar lets him pass out, checks the room, and finds some shiny chain mail and 7 gp. There is another door to the rear so Alzar takes it and sees another hallway. He takes this, and goes forward. There are a door on either side, and he takes the right one. This is obviously a nice bedroom. There is a House Radu officer here, polishing her sword. She stands up, and challenges Alzar, shouting for help. Alzar swings his staff at her. Her plate armor is on the floor, so there is that. He misses, she misses. She hits for 1 damage, he hits for 3. Hit hits for 4 damage. She hits for 4.

Alzar is at 19/51.

Alzar swing and misses. She does too and drops her sword accidentally Alzar misses. She misses. Alzar misses. She hits for 8.

11/51

Alzar swings and cracks her leg for 7 damage. She swings back ad hits for 6. 5/51. Alzar quaffs a healing pot. He gains 7. She swings misses. He swings and slaps her for 4 damage an she dies. No one answered her call. Alzar quaffs another healing pot.

22/51

XP – 120

He searches her room and finds a bag on her body that appears much deeper than it looks. There are tons of coins in here.

2000 gold, 6000 silver – a bag of holding!

Abe Sargent

05-02-2010, 03:21 PM

Alzar takes the door across from this and here is another house Radu servant, sleeping. Alzar quickly kills him and searches the room. There is nothing here. Alzar heads back to the corridor and can go up or down. He chooses down. There is a door here and it opens into a back porch. There are five doors into this porch, but it doesn’t go all the way down. In other words, the corner of the building does not have any doors going to it from inside or out ,unless the last few doors are bigger than the recent rooms Alzar has seen. He goes into the first.

Quarters. Guy is passed out, now dead. Nothing here Unused.killed, not here for the firs four rooms. Nothing found. Alzar hears someone in the 5th room. Quarters, the guy is here and he is dressed in leather asleep on the bed. Alzar tries to kill him but he awakens very quickly. He shouts for aid. He jumps off the bed and rolls along the floor, picking up a short sword and shield. Alzar chases him and swings. Alzar connects for 5 damage. The guy swings and misses. Alzar does too. Both miss. Alzar connects for 4. The fighter connects for 4. Alzar slams him for 4 more and he dies.

18/51

XP – 50

A search of the room turns up nothing. Suspicious. Alzar uses a charge and a secret door is,.,in fact, here.

This room is a treasury. There are several sacks along one side. Alzar checks the room and finds nothing. Two small sacks have 200 pp each – 400 pp total. Six larger ones have 500 gold each – 3000 gold total. There is also 1500 silver total in three sacks. There is a medium chest here that doesn’t weight hat much, totally locked. Alzar grabs it. He heads back to the corridor and goes up. He hits another corridor to the right and takes the branch and again, it ends in two doors, on on each side. Alzar nears them, and out of the south one comes Antonito Radu, a mage who sees Alzar, and then smiles before readying a spell.

Alzar grabs and uses the Wand of Paralyzation. Radu is casting Sleep. Who gets off what first? Radu does. If it can put to sleep a level four guy, then Alzar will fall. He needs to roll a 4 on 2d4. The first d4 is a 2, meaning if he rolls a 2, 3, or 4 on the next, Alzar will be out. He rolls a 1! Alzar is not asleep, the spell misses. Wow – total luck there. Alzar’s wand jacks him. Radu makes his save! Alzar fires the wand again, and Radu casts Charm Person. Alzar easily hits first, and this time Radu is paralyzed.

Alzar goes up to him, takes all of his stuff, pushes the paralyzed body into the room he came out of. He takes the Ring off Radu’s hands. Radu should be frozen for an hour. Alzar searches the room finds nothing. He then decides to just go ahead and kill Antonito now.

XP – 150

Abe Sargent

05-02-2010, 04:00 PM

The other door is opened and this is the commander’s bedroom. It is opulent, large, has a door to the back, and a huge bathroom. As Alzar searches, the commander’s wife enters the room and screams. The commander follows in a few seconds, but he armor and weapons are in the room. He jumps out and leaves and Alzar can’t get to follow him through the wife.

Alzar punches the still screaming wife and knocks her unconscious after a few blows with his staff. A quick search shows nothing in here but a drawer of 100 pp.

Alzar goes into the commander’s living room and the commander is here with five fighters that he found. He grabbed them from several local rooms. The commander has no armor, but he found a short sword and shield.

Alzar tosses a bone at the door where he is and casts Blastbones. He retreats back into the commander’s bedroom. The soldiers come forward, and take 4 damage from the Blastbones when they go off.

There are windows here to the outside, and Alzar punches out one with his staff while they are getting blasted. He orders Megala to join him and stop scouting.

This is axe time. Alzar drops his staff, draws the axe, and starts the battle.

Alzar swings his axe at the first soldier through the door. He doles out 11 damage and kills one. The others pour through. One slashes Alzar for 5 damage.

13/51

Alzar walks to the window while fighting. They win init and swing. Two hit for 4 damage. 9/51. Alzar aims a axe right at the commander and dices him for 13 damage – his max damage. The commander is still standing. Suddenly, Megala flies through the window and attacks a soldier. He misses, but the confusion gives Alzar a chance to quaff a pot. He can attack and quaff at the same time.

He gains 9 and is at 18/51. He axe cuts into the commander for 7 damage and he dies. Alzar is sliced for 3. 15/51. Megala misses. They win init and Alzar takes 5. 10/51. His axe misses, and Megala does as well.

Alzar win init, and slices one for 10 damage, killing him. The two left make a morale check and fail and begin to run. Megala follows and claws one on the back, and she falls asleep. Alzar kills her.

XP – None – fought as fighter.

15/51 and out of healing pots after he swallows the last one.

A search of this room and the next show nothing. The commander had a gold diamond bracelet worth 750 gold.

Abe Sargent

05-02-2010, 04:40 PM

In front of the living room was a private dining room, and there are some overturned chairs, like the commander got help from here. Alzar searches and finds china and silverware sets worth 600 gold.

Alzar head back to the corridor he left and finds three bed rooms in a row, and all are empty. He searches and finds nothing in any of them. The only room left was the big room in front of the main entrance, the foyer. He enters and sees where some soldiers were gambling, and then left as an emergency. There is 25 gold here.

He comes across few servants and he scares them out of the outpost. He has Megala fly around and scare the servants out, and double checks all of the rooms to make sure that they are all empty of people. The wife is dropped outside in a creek and left there. Alzar and Megala find stables outside and he takes a horse. Megala knows the way back, and a few hours later, it reunited with a Lastion that was going crazy, and his followers. They take the wagon back immediately and load it up with the goods they found. There is a huge magic pile with dozens of weapons and lots of armor to check.

They stay here for a few days.

Abe Sargent

05-02-2010, 04:55 PM

What Alzar found

Gold: 8562
Total Gold: 22612
China and Silverware – 600
Gold Diamond Bracelet – 750 gold

Bag of Holding

Used two charges, Wand of Paralyzation
Used charge of Wand of Secret Door Detection

A huge selection of chincey magic items.

+1 short swordx2, 3 pots of healing, one poison, one telekinesis. +1 chain mail. +1 shieldx2. Chest has Ring of Fire Resistance, Rod fo Cancellation, pots of growthx3. Ring of Pro +1, cursed -1 dagger.

Most of this stuff is ho hum. The fighter follower is given the magic chain and a magic shield and Ring.

Estaish now has an AC of 1, and still deals 1d8+1 in combat.

The Rod of Cancellation is odd. It is a one use item that will destroy any magic item it is used against. Then, it is gone.

Alzar’s Bag of Holding will hold, at no weight, 10,000 coins or that equivalent in weight, and that’s a lot.

Xp Gained: 770

Total XP - 14535

One of the things you note is how the number of monsters and magic items are not increasing in diversity. To my mind, it’s time to leave the D&D modules behind for a bt and grab some AD&D experience, before heading back.

With the bag of holding, Alzar will now be taking two teleport jars with him, jars 1 and 3. Items in the Bag are not subject to destruction by falls, fire, etc. Alzar can take them out, use them, and then put them back.

After a couple of days of rest, the group brings back Antonito’s corpse to turn in. They arrive back and find that there was a 200 gold reward for his capture or kill, and Alzar is given the gold.

Gold Gain 200

Abe Sargent

05-02-2010, 08:07 PM

Dungeon #50 The Vaka’s Curse

Alzar goes to a local inn for the night and hears gossip about a cursed ship at the decks. Sounds interesting. A lot of people are talking about the dead Antonito that was turned in today as well. Many of the minor families are vying for the turf House Radu left open in the Athaly power structure.

Alzar heads to bed, and then awakens to a new day. He wants to try and find more portable ways of dealing with his extra gold. There is a shop near the docks that may have some nice jewelry. Alzar slides down and starts looking for the shop. He finds it, but it doesn’t have anything that he wants.

He starts back when he sees a darkened ship in the docks. That must be The Vaka, the cursed ship. It’s so close. Might as well check it out.

Alzar swings by, and has Megala do a fly over while he is still blocks away. Megala notes that the ship has a medium size to, an odd but decent figurehead of a man who looks like a clerk, and no crew to see seen at all. Alzar approaches the docks and enters the area where The Vaka is moored.

Captain Segel sees Alzar’s interest, and tells him that it’s a good ship, despite all the troubles. It’s worth a few problems, but over the year since its been built, there have been strange reporting of people getting weaker or sicker on it. They feel drained.

Now, that does sound interesting. Alzar is interested. This doesn’t sound like a normal curse. Captain Segel tells Alzar that if he can end the curse, he get 50 gold. Alzar tells Segel to keep the gold (it’s not that much). And to take everybody off the boat. It’s time Alzar went hunting.

Abe Sargent

05-02-2010, 08:35 PM

Alzar grabs some stuff and heads to the boat for the night. He has a theory, and he tries to see if he is right. He puts Megala in a quiet corner to watch and wait, and Alzar pretends to fall asleep. He keeps his breathing regular and slow, and watches through Megala’s eyes, not his own.

Several hours into the night, Alzar begins to feel another presence. He can always tell when undead are around. He keeps his breathing regular and Megala/Alzar spy a creature come through the wall and get close to Alzar. It looks like an unusual shadow. Alzar lets it touch him, knowing that he is risking an energy drain, but doubting it, based on the captain’s tale. It drains a point of Constitution from Alzar, and leaves.

Now that was interesting.

In the morning, Alzar has noted several things – he is an expert in undead, and never seen or heard of a shadow quite like this one before. Sneaking in, stealing health, and leaving is not normal shadow behavior. They steal strength and keep stealing and kill you. That is not what this one is doing. Time to actually hunt.

Abe Sargent

05-02-2010, 08:49 PM

Here are Alzar’s spells for the day:

Speak with Dead
Locate Object
Ray of Ondovir
Detect Magic
Animate Dead Animals
Unseen Servant

He picks up a few vials of Holy Water. He gets a rod and attaches it to a cup, and then puts a rod on the other side. Inside the cup, hidden, are five vials of Holy Water. He has this placed above where he sleeps, and above where the creature came into the cabin. He will probably use the same path next time. Alzar ties a string to the cup and hangs it down. Now, if he needs to, he can pull the string, tip over the cup, and spill a lot of holy water.

That’s his backup plan, all ready to go. His primary plan is to control it. If that fails, he will Holy Water it, and then try to kill it.

Alzar casts Unseen Servant and has the invisible force stationed directly where the shadow-ish thing came in. If it comes in the same way, it will be unable to detect the Unseen Servant, since it is just a force, and not hot or a creature made invisible. There is nothing to see there. Alzar has cast a cloak around it, and it will hold a dagger. Alzar intends to scare the undead creature with something it cannot see or understand. Hopefully that will prevent it from taking the easy way back out.

Abe Sargent

05-02-2010, 09:10 PM

The next night arrives, and once again, the actors take their places, and once again a certain visitor arrives, just as Alzar had planned. As it nears him, Alzar sits up and tries to control him. It dives towards him. The control attempt fails, and Alzar tips the holy water. It takes 16 damage from the holy water, and it hisses loudly and in pain. It starts to leave, and Alzar tells it, “You really are a beautiful thing. It would be a shame to kill you.”

The Unseen Servant is commanded to rise and it makes motions of menace. I roll an INT check for the bad guy, and he makes it, and doesn’t believe the Unseen Servant is anything threatening and penetrates the wall. Alzar orders Megala to pursue and does likewise.

Within seconds, Alzar doesn’t feel the presence here anymore, and they never saw it again. Interesting. Time for a search of the ship. The captain said that this was going on since the beginning of the ship’s travels. Sounds like something in the ship then, and not something gathered later.

The obvious place to start is near the area on the other side of the wall from where the creature came in. Alzar looks out and sees half the deck. He moves in that direction. He carefully examines every major pole and element of the ship in that direction, including the ship’s wheel. Nothing jumps out at him. He reaches the end and starts looking more closely at the figurehead. Then he cast Detect Magic. The figurehead glows faintly. Why would it? Alzar looks about the rest of the ships and sees nothing else glowing.

He moves over to the figurehead and begins to rap it with his staff, and nothing comes, until he raps the chest. There is a hollow in here. A very close inspection shows a cache in the figurehead. Alzar swings over and opens it, and inside are 100 gold pieces and a few minor rings worth between 1-10 gold each.

Abe Sargent

05-02-2010, 09:37 PM

That wasn’t the answer Alzar was looking for, but that does not end the mystery of the Detect Magic spell either. Time to change this up a notch.

Alzar grabs an oil flask and pours and smears oil all over the figurehead. Let’s gamble.

Alzar grabs a torch from the docks and returns. “I will light this on fire unless you come out!”

Within a few seconds, the creature has emerged from the figurehead. As Alzar looks at it in the light, there is a sort of resemblance in the stretches face of the creature and the figurehead. Probably another tragic death ending in undeath. It’s an old story. Alzar casts Speak with Dead.

Alzar asks if this is his body. The creature says yes. Alzar asks if he was tragically killed. He says yes. Alzars asks if there is any way to put the spirit at rest beside killing him or destroying it. He says no. Alzar asks if he wants to die. He says no.

All questions asked.

So now Alzar has a choice. Kill it, or destroy the figurehead, or let it stay alive. If Alzar could have controlled it, this would have gone a lot more smoothly. Alzar tells it, I will kill you. It nods, and then attacks.

Alzar throws his +2 throwing dagger at it before it gets too close. That’s at -2 because of the weapons penalty. It nails the creature for 6 damage – max damage. Nicely done.

It arrives. It attacks and Alzar takes 2 damage and loses a point of Dexterity. This really is a beautiful creature, he sighs. Alzar unsheathes a dagger, +1 and swings. A hit (rolled a 19). Deals 4 damage to it. It hits for 5 damage and an extra 4 from the touch. Alzar swings and misses. It misses. It finally wins init and hits for 3, but causes no loss. Alzar misses. It misses. Alzar misses. It hits for 4 damage and a loss of constitution. Alzar hits for 3 damage (minimum – yuck). It misses. It hit for 3 and a str loss. Alzar fumbles and drops the dagger. It misse.s Alzar hits after picking it back up – 5 damage. It misses, Alzar misses. Alzar missies, it hits for 4 and a con loss. Alzar nails it and it dies. Alzar gains all lost sats back.

Abe Sargent

05-02-2010, 09:46 PM

The creature was worth 3000 XP.

3300 for Alzar.
Total XP now is 17835

The captain is delighted with the story and the death of the creature. Alzar recommends burning the figurehead anyway, just in case, and the captain agrees.

Another adventure completed.

A week later, Alzar is healthy and healed and ready for more action. He has moved some gold for more portable gems and jewelry – 10,000 of it in fact. He cast Friends spell and then went into a store and got it for exactly the amount – no money lost, so he traded 10000 gold for 10000 in jewelry.

Alzar was trying to trade spells with a local wizard, and he mentioned that there was a lost island in the river, about thirty miles away, that was once the home of a wizard. Perhaps there might be scrolls or items on the island?

Sounds like an adventure!

Alzar finds that The Vaka is still in the docks, trying to find a crew for a long journey. Despite the loss of the curse, people still have heard about it. Captain Segel would be happy to take Alzar to the island. Not only would it give him something to do, and a way to repay Alzar, but it would give his ship a successful journey, and thus give him facts to prove the curse broken to more sailors and eventually cargo and passengers.

Estaish is accompanying Alzar on the ship to the island, along with Megala. The werebear and ghouls and animal skeletons are going up river by wagon, and then will be at the shore line about a third of a mile away.

Abe Sargent

05-02-2010, 10:00 PM

C3 The Lost Island of Castanamir

http://home.flash.net/~brenfrow/dd1/c3.jpg

Castanamir was a strong wizard who was a sage in many areas, and wanted to leave behind the normal pace of life so he retired from Athaly to the unclaimed island thirty-ish miles hence. That was more than fifty years ago, and since then, no one had heard from him. Is he still alive? He was a fan of making many of his own spells, so if Alzar could find a few of Castanamir’s spells, they would be highly valuable trade commodities.

The legends of Castanamir are interesting, but one of the most interesting is that he had been alive for more than two hundred years as of his move ot the island, and he was once an apprentice off…..Elyas, the maker of the tower and temple that Alzar encountered near the qwith village when fighting for Rahasia.

(My own little changes, additions and subtractions from the published the story are significant here)

Abe Sargent

05-03-2010, 07:13 PM

They arrive at the island. Most traders here go to the left side, because it has a deeper riverbed, but it’s not as long. The other side of the island the river is much wider, but more shallow. That causes some traffic on the left side. Capt. Segel has chosen to anchor off the south side and keep us away from the narrow passage, frequently traveled. A rowboat is prepared. Alzar and Estaish row themselves to shore. Then Estaish rows to the other shore to get Lastion, his ghoul and Aleigha.

They arrive back while Alzar was investigating. The towers only appears to be two or three floors tall – its hard to tell because it has no windows – exactly what you might expect from someone trying to get away. He found a door behind some rocks heading into the base of the tower.

As a reminder, here is who we have:

Alzar
Megala
Lastion and one other ghoul
8 animal skeletons
Estaish – 1st level fighter with +2 sword, +1 chainmail, +1 shield and +1 ring of pro
Aleigha – 3rd level fighter, werebear with +2 sword, no armor (it hurts badly when she changes), and Alzar convinced her to take a +1 shield, and +1 ring of pro

Abe Sargent

05-03-2010, 07:33 PM

Here we go.

The door is unlocked and easily opened. It’s made of an unknown rock and shaped with an old bow in the middle. They enter a living area with dark green walls, gold fabric wall hangings, paints of the wilderness and a mirror. There is a small watermelon sized metallic object moving back and forth, and the room continues around the wall. There are couches, chairs, and a fireplace and table. The little object moves over to where some mud was tracked in by Alzar and zaps it, and it disappears, then it continues moving around the room.

There is a cabinet here, and when opened, it is super cold and there are awards and trophies given Castanamir by creatures of cold and ice and they are made of ice. As people get close to the fireplace, it magically catches on fire, but it produces no heat. There is a closest in the back which Lastion opens. Immediately out come two leprechauns and one grabs Estaish’s shield. It dances around teasing Estaish, who gets red. Alzar waves Estaish to calm down and he does. Alzar asks for the shield back, and the leprechaun polymorphs it into a rock, and then hands it back. Estaish confusedly takes the rock back and tries to say thinks, but the leprechauns laugh and one turns it back into a shield.

Alzar asks about Castanamir, and they admit they haven’t seen him for some time. He was their playmate and brought them out a lot to play with, but no one has been around in a while. They’ve been lonely. Alzar points out that the door is open, they could just leave, and then realizes, as he points to the door, that the outside can no be seen through the door way they just passes through, but instead, its another room!

As he sees that, the leprechauns have a good laugh. Alzar asks if there is anything in the closest that he might want, and they toss him a coat. He thanks them and they move to the other section of the room behind the wall.

Abe Sargent

05-03-2010, 07:55 PM

This leads to a library with bookcases lining the bottom and left walls (who knows direction if they’ve been teleported). In another wall is a clear glass window that allows Alzar to see the lounge area where the mirror was. There is a desk in here that has been tussled. On the floor lies a human figure, motionless and turned over. Alzar sends Estaish over to check the body. Suddenly, two arrows ring out in quick succession from behind the table. Both bounce off Estaish’s good armor. A person jumps and heads for a doorway with another room beyond, then turns and throws a potion bottle in front of Alzar and his group and it splashes its contents to cover for the body who jumps up as well and runs off. Alzar can get off one spell before they leave and casts Sleep. The nearest one falls asleep. The other one hesitates, and then move to the doorway and leaves.

Alzar ties up Joblo and cracks his head awake. Alzar casts ESP and begins an interrogation for four rounds, asking questions and reading the answers. Joblo and his friend Doblin are thieves who heard about this tower and decided to come here. They’ve been here for a month, moving through teleporters and never quite figuring everything out, but they’ve scavenged and taken things. Joblo believes that Doblin will come and try to rescue him. Their goal was to weaken Alzar’s party to the point where they could be taken by the thieves and this was a trap.

Alzar asks what the items he found on Joblo are and he has to acknowledge that there is a Javelin of Lightning and Potion of Levitation here.

Joblo is tied three times, once with his arms behind his back. Then one arm is bound to his chest, and the other is similarly bound – three spate bindings. Additionally, his weapons are confiscated. Joblo is handed to Lastion, bound with cord, and Alzar tells Lastion to kill him and turn him into a ghoul if he tries to run. “Then he’ll listen,” and Alzar looks right at Joblo. Joblo looks suitably frightened

Alzar spends a good half hour perusing the library for books. He takes a lot, because there is a whole section on conjuring demons, spirits and other powers. Approximately 5000 gold in library value was taken and put in the Bag of Holding, which is of course now empty save for the teleport jars (two of them)

Nothing else is turned up in a search. There are four doorways, each looks to go into a room. Alzar is undecided. (Choose randomly with a die) he goes with the first one, the way back he came, supposedly.

Abe Sargent

05-03-2010, 08:30 PM

He enters an L shaped room with light gray walls and a deep floor covering. There are doorways in each door. In one corner of the room are stacks of furniture, carefully arranged so as to make a barricade. Alzar can hear breathing on the other side. Alzar flies Megala up to take a look over and sees a bunch of hobgoblins. One throws a javelin at Megala and misses. Alzar brings it back down. Well, Alzar now knows what’s back there. He grabs a bone, throws it up and over and casts Blastbones on it. It deals 8 damage to all of the hobbies nearby, and kills them. Only five survived.

XP: 350 for just Alzar, no one else participated in that.

They push aside furniture and begin to address Alzar, saying they’ve surrendered. Alzar goes in. It looks like 10 died, and that included their leader. They will give anything or do anything for Alzar as long as he lets them live. Alzar thinks it over, and then agrees. He gets the items from the dead chief, and then the hobbies will take Alzar’s orders in the Tower. If they survive, they will be free to go. They agree. They are not willing allies, so Alzar knows they may try and break away, and they won’t jump in the way of big baddies like his skeletons and zombies and such would. There is a scroll and potion on the leader. Plus a gold medallion worth 300 gold.

Alzar looks through the doorways, and then go back the way they came, and enter a room with a few doors, and a kitchen, with a table, stoves, an oven, and a cistern. There is a large spice cabinet. Pots and pans are strewn around. There are gnawed bones and a few parcels of food have been opened. Alzar orders the hobbies to mill around the doors while he and his crew search. They begin searching and make some noise from banging the pots on the floor around and such. Suddenly, two berserkers emerge from one door and start cleaving into the hobgoblins.

Alzar orders a quick defense. One hobgoblin is hacked to death by a battle ax, and the other berserker misses. The four remaining hobbies swing and one hits for 2 damage. The next turn, the berserker that killed the hobgoblin hacks at its corpse instead of attacking. The other one nails a hobgoblin for 9 damage and kills it. The one hacking at the corpse leave sup no defense and is automatically hit by a hobbie for 3. Two hobbies hit for 6. Alzar orders everyone to concentrate on the more damaged one and swings his staff and misses. Aleigha stabs out and hits, but she can’t get to the more wounded one. The less wounded one took 8. Megala flies in and misses.

Next turn, the hobgoblins roll for morale and make it. They stab out and hit once for 6 damage on the wounded one. He galls and takes mortal wounds but keeps fighting. The guy who killed one last round is hacking and its corpse and Aleigha gets in a free hit for 7. Alzar nails the wounded one for 6. Megala misses. Alzar orders the people to switch and attack the other berserker. The berserkers go first and kill another hobgoblin, hitting him twice for 16 damage total. The two hobbies deal 7 damage back. Alzar adds 4 and megala hits for 1 and Aleigha for 10. Both are critically wounded. Next round, the one that has been dead for two rounds finally dies. Alzar orders an all out attack. Hobbies fail their morale and run through the top doorway. Alzar hits for 6 and the guy has now taken more than -10 damage and dies.

Alzar and the others swing by the other door and open to an icebox. The first room was a pantry. There are tons of food in each. A search finds axes on the berserkers added to a magic pile along with all of the dead hobbies armor and weapons. Two pots on the berserkers.

XP – 150 each for Alzar, Aleigha and Estaish

Abe Sargent

05-03-2010, 08:50 PM

There is nothing else to be found in any of these rooms. Go north and follow the hobgoblins? Sure, why not.

This is a large empty room with an enclosed square area in the center which runs from floor to ceiling. There are a selection of weapons on the walls, and they are added to the magic pile (Bag of Holding). After a bit grabbing weapons, there is a magic noise from the central walled in area, and suddenly two doors slide open, and outs walks an unusual and very angry creatures (Feral Slasher).

It is hunched over, looks like a ton of muscle, has claws and fangs, howls, and is charging. Alzar orders Lastion and his ghoul to move in front and flings the Throwing Dagger. It misses. The Feral Slasher arrives and Alzar’s team wins init. The first ghoul dices it for 9 damage from a crit and all three hit. (He rolled a 16, 15, and 20). It fails at least one save is it is paralyzed. Lastion finishes it off.

There is nothing in the room, or the teleport chamber. They can go in any direction again. Alzar chooses up.

They seem to be in a closest sized room with three blank walls facing but when they are touches, they seem insubstantial. You can walk right through. Lastion walks through without problem. Alzar does so and he is immediately hit with an illusion of powerful joy. He is elated and super happy. It takes all of his will to wrench his mind away from it. He returns and tells the others to stay here. He sends out Lastion to see what is out here – the illusions have no impact on him. There are four walls, and Lastion ignores the illusion. There are different illusions in four different sections of the room. Alzar chooses to return.

Abe Sargent

05-03-2010, 09:23 PM

The next room, is a hallway with two doors on the left and four doorways on each side like normal.

Alzar moves down and has Lastion open the upper door. The lock seemed broken on the south? door. Alzar orders his thief to open it. He is untied, and given tools, and had multiple blades drawn on him. After a few tries, he manages to pick the lock, and he is retied and reattached to Lastion.

This rooms appears to have been exhaustively searches, with a set of comfortable furniture, and stacks of books ripped apart and tossed in corners. There is a wooden door in the far corner. Alzar has the other ghoul go and open it. This is another furnished bedroom. The linen here is old and musty. Suddenly, two lizard men leap out from the corner and throw darts at the ghoul. Both hit and the ghoul takes 6 damage. Alzar order sit to retreat and his people move in.

Aleigha leads and runs to the lizard men with Estaish right behind. Alzar orders Lastion and the ghoul to stay and watch the thief and watch the hallway. Estaish misses, and Aleigha nails one for 10 damage and kills it. Alzar misses The Lizard Man drops his weapon and sits down. That ends that fight. Alzar orders a search and finds nothing but a bunch of weapons. Suddenly, Alzar feels pain in Lastion and runs out to the hallway.

Lastion has just been backstabbed by the other thief, trying to free his friend. He just took 10 damage and is down to 5/15. Lastion turns and the other ghoul is with him. Megala flies in as well. The other thief tries to rum but Alzar sees him and Megala is faster and catches up to him. Megala gets one attack in – a hit for 3 damage and…made his sleep save and runs into a teleporter. Alzar makes a command decision and orders Megala throw it too.

They are in the first room again, entering from the south. Megala pursues the thief into the room with the leprechauns. They begin to play with the thief, and Alzar charges after, and tells everyone to stay here. The thief’s armor just got changed to a dress. The thief is angry and the leprechauns are upst. Alzar arrives and casts Charm Person Success. The theif is now Alzar’s friend. Alzar turns him into a much nicer playmate for the leprechauns and they are happy and turn his dress back to armor. He returns via the path he took originally – L shaped room, kitchen, teleport room, illusion room and then hallway.

The new friend is named Doblin and Joblo’s eyes get big when he sees Doblin as Alzar;s new friend. Alzar points out that Joblo has no one left to save him. Doblin request that Joblo be untied, and Alzar agrees, pointing out that Joblo has nowhere to go anymore.

Abe Sargent

05-03-2010, 09:54 PM

They enter the south room, and find nothing in the first chamber, and then nothing more in the second. Searches reveal nothing.

Alzar sees the first room in the end of one corridor, the L room in another. He sees another hallway room so he drops a pitchfork from the magic pile on the floor to tell which one is which. He then goes into other room.

This room is a large dining hall with a U shaped table, 12 chairs, and tapestries. There are two fireplaces, and a junkpile in one corner. There are lots of rat droppings here. This was the theives’ hideout, and Doblin tells Alzar where their treasure is. They have:

Two gloves
A large brazier
A large steel pitcher
Two gold statues worth 2000 gold each and weighing 1500coins each
Alzar procures everything and puts it all in the Bag.

The rats have not attacked. Alzar looks at his options. One exit goes to the kitchen, another to the teleport room, and third to the illusion room and the last one to a round room.

There is a sign hanging from the ceiling saying in big letters in typic, Gingwatzim exhibit, DO NOT CROSS LINES. In each quadrant of the floor is a bright orange painted line in a semi circle. Next to each is a sign. The first quadrant has a glass cabinet. From it shines a blue globe of light. There appear to be a plant and an amulet in here. The second has a green light, and a staff in its cabinet, with another glowing green sphere behind the line, outside of ht cabinet and to the right. . The third is a grey light, and a cabinet with a sword and another lying to the immediate right. The last one has a broken glass cabinet with no light. Normal exist show the first room, the hallway room they left, the other hallway room and the L room. The signs say Tim, Pakim, Graegzim and Eoluzim.

The center sign says, “In each area are found the three typical forms and one multiform example of the lower orders of Gingwatzim. Do not contact any objects or manifestations behind the warning lines. “

That is a lot of stuff. Alzar orders the other ghoul to enter the Tim quadrant and just stand there. The sphere glows and the ghoul growls a little, but that’s it. Alzar has the ghoul bust open the cabinet. The plant is a dangerous plant (Yellow Musk Creeper) and Alzar tosses the ghoul an oil flask to drop all over it. The ghoul grabs the amulet, and then Alzar tosses a torch to kill the Creeper.

They do the same game with the Pakim. The spheres both glow brightly and some light for the on outside the cabinet is obviously glowing at the ghoul but doing nothing. The ghoul busts the cabinet and brings Alzar the staff.

The ghoul enters the third area and the same glowing attack? occurs. Alzar has the ghoul bring back both short swords.

When Alzar takes one of the short swords, it begins to chuckle. Alzar starts talking to it, and it changes form to a fremlin. It introduces itself to its new master. It is a Multi-form Graegzim, and it can change into a +2 short sword or a fremlin or a globe. It’s doens;t know too much just what it regularly sees. It’s been here for a while. It knows that two hobgoblins just ran through here, and then were killed by the Pakim. The globes drain strength and paralyze, and they don’t work on undead, so Alzar’s ghoul was always safe. The items they found are bound Gingwatzim in just an animate form and can’t change shape.

The Eoluzim were taken and destroyed and Castanamir uses it as the opening to another section of the castle. The roof above it is an illusion.

Alzar uses his Rope of Climbing to climb up to the roof and go through it, making a robe ladder. It orders it to knot, which it does.

The bound Graegzim goes back to sword form and Alzar goes up.

This room has a floor to ceiling mirror.. There are black openings on three walls and a narrow corridor. Something is moving, and they suddenly see a giant wolverine. A quick slash of a staff, and two swords and it dies and then disappears.

XP – 20 for each.

Abe Sargent

05-03-2010, 10:15 PM

There is just a hallway here, and Alzar suspects something more, so everyone searches. Somebody finds a secret door, but there is no lock. Alzar has the thieves search and search, to no accord. There are four hallways here, with four new rooms. A circular room, A room with shelves, a small room, very small in fact, and yet another really small room. Alzar goes to the room with shelves.

One half of the room is devoted o wood and glass cabinets, and the other half contains art like paintings and statues. The cabinets have trophies in there, and there are stacks of chests. There are boxes, belts, robes, sashes, statues, sculptures, musical instruments, rugs, glassware, and more. It looks like a heap of someone;s memories. The value of everything here is roughly 6000 go, but it would weigh a lot more.

There is an old man in robes bending down in front of one of the chest. He is poring through papers and a large crow is on the floor next to him. He leaps up in surprised and prepares a spell. Before Alzar can react, he turns invisible and tells the party to leave him alone or he will roast them.

“I Castanamir, tell you to leave. How did you get there anyway?”

Alzar turns the short sword into a fremlin, while hiding in the back. “Is this Castanamir?” The fremlin looks at him like he’s joking with the question. Realizing he’s serious, the Fremlin shakes his head.

Alzar replies that they are sorry, but they heard Castanamir was dead, so they were not invading his space, only seeking fun. After all, Castanamir has long been legended of his great sense of humor, so we thought we would see it.

Prompted to be funny, the invisible mage laughs . Alzar asks what the crow is – the legends say that Castanamir never had a crow familiar. "Castanamir" makes a joke about how it is a new familiar, just from the last decade. Alzar got him. He admitted the crow, which is still quite visible, is a familiar. Let’s look at our familiars together, Alzar says. Have you ever heard of a ghoul familiar? It’s from the necromantic Attract Ghoul spell, let me show you, and Alzar finds his spellbook and opens it up to the right page. Meanwhile, Lastion is secretly ordered to get near the familiar.

Lastion gets close, and then is orders to launch a sneak attack to kill the crow. The crow is hit twice and takes 3 damage. It is paralyzed, and Lastion grabs it and eats it. The crow dies. The wizard must make a system shock roll and failure means death. Success means a loss of a Con point. I roll 3d6 to see what his con is and get a 9. 65% chance of success. He rolled a 68, and dies.

(FYI, he was also blind, so even if it were successful, he would have been taken out)

XP – 250 for Alzar only.

They run into his corpses, and set it aside until the spell wears off. They search the room and find nothing, Eventually he turns visible and they search his corpses and find a few items added to the magic pile.

Abe Sargent

05-03-2010, 10:32 PM

The exits from the trophy room are to very tiny room, sphere looking room, a smaller room with furniture, and a very small room. He takes the firts very small room, and drops an item to be able to make it out from the others. The very small room has all four hallways in it, and then a door. The spare ghoul opens the door and sees….a ghoul. It’s just standing there. Alzar tries to control it and…nothing? It’s not undead. The ghoul tears into it for a crit and a claw for 6 damage and it disappears.

XP – 50 to all

This contains two workbenches with small ovens, lab equipment like tubes, alembics, jugs, retorts, and such. There are everything from potion bottles to books and scroll cases.

There appear to be spell components in some of the jars on one shelf. The bound books are reference works on alchemy and alchemical experiments and Alzar (With the Alchemy proficiency) recognizes their value – 10 of them, 100 coins heavy, 1000 gold value to a library.

No spell scrolls in the scroll cases, just formulas that are in the books as well, but easier to find this way. The first rack of potion bottles has sealed racks and Alzar grabs them.

There are a lot of spell components here, but nothing too exotic. This was a good room for Alzar, with the finding of nice usable potions and such.

They go back out and find doors to a library, spheres, a small room with furniture, and a very tiny room. Alzar goes to the library.

This is a larger room that before, with book sleeves and a scroll cabinet along all of the walls. In here is a tables, chair, and a grey haired man wearing long robes and covered with magic writing on them. He is silent and motionless. There are books and manuscripts on the table.

A quick inventory of the library shows books on languages and dictionaries. There is also a general reference section. On a shelf next to the table is a collection of spellbooks, and there is a scroll cabinet, and books on general magic. Alzar is smiling the entire time. Alzar orders no one to touch anything. Mage books are notoriously trapped with numerous spells. On the floor are several books that appears to have been burned. One is still okay, and Alzar finds a partly burnt spellbook with 6 level two spells and 3 level 3s to be looked at later.

He is wondering what this mage is doing here, just standing there. He orders everyone to draw weapons. Simultaneously, they all strike the standing figure, and he dies.

XP – 100 to Alzar.

Abe Sargent

05-03-2010, 11:30 PM

Alzar touches one item on the desk, just to see, and nothing happens.

They’ll leave and come back later. The doors out are to a large pool, back to the first room,trophy room, and a small circular room with a power.

The pool room.

This large circular room has a pool in the center about 8 feet across. Filling the pool is a clear liquid, and at the bottom is an incredible wealth of coins in all metals and denominations, plus other items, and bones.

Alzar dips in his non-magical staff, and suddenly, a large orange one of the Gingwatzim appears. It’s a much larger globe that before. It says that Castanamir would pay for answers to questions, and then toss the money or items in the pool. It will either answer question in turn for money, or kill the characters. Alzar asks its terms, and it will answer.

Alzar tells it that he would like to finish exploring and then he may have more questions for it, and it agrees.

They can go to the first room, alchemy lab, trophy room or round room with a tower in it.

They arrive at a room and Alzar suddenly feels like he is falling. The four hallways here open to empty space in the middle of the room, just handing there. So are Alzar and his party. Several are very disorientated. There is a tower above you going up 20 feet. And a rocky platform 40 feet below. There tower stands on a 2000 foot high ride rising out of an ocean of mist. As more perception is gained, the floor can be seen of the room, just at the edges of the illusion.

They enter the tower and there are stairs here going up and down. At the top is a trap door and out there is a Hippogriff nest with eggs there and mommy and daddy flying above. They retreat and go down the stairs. Here there is a egg shaped translucent object about ten feet long, and inside is a mage. Alzar can tell this is suspended animation. The egg cannot be opened, and they cannot take anything, find anything or talk to the mage.

Abe Sargent

05-04-2010, 12:09 AM

They leave. Options are trophy room alchemy lab, small room with furniture, and very tiny room.

Very tiny room it is. This is very similar to the very tiny room at the front of the alchemy lab. They open the door and there is another really tiny room with another door at the end. The next door is opened, and inside are a forge, anvil, workbenches, and golems along the walls.

There are few books on golem design and repair. However, there are also two fully functional miniature Iron Golems. As soon as the cover over them is removed, they begin to attack. Alzar really doesn’t have a way of dealing damage to them. So, he orders everyone back out to the antechamber and the chamber before that, and tells them to go forward. As they do so, he grabs a few books, slams the doors on the golems, and slams the next one too.

This is the small room with the furniture. There is a small table, a small book stand, a brazier, and a cot and a table with a wand, ring, and glass sphere on it. This appears to Alzar to be an enchanting room. He takes the sphere, ring and wand. A search finds more books, and they look like spell books, so Alzar tells them to stay away.

They head into a room with spheres. On one wall are four glowing large metal spheres that float in the air. There is a cabinet with a glass door, and shelves and workbenches.

There is not much in here, there appear to be signs of a struggle with a knocked over chair and broken quill. Who knows what happened. A search finds nothing except three more Gingwatzim bound as low level magic items. Alzar takes them.

Okay, there appears to be no obvious way out, but there was the secret door with no lock. What would open it? No key. Alzar and party head to the pool and talk to the creature here.

How to get through the door? One magic item. Alzar gives up a Gingwatzim he just picked up for the info. It is Wizard Locked.

Tell us about other ways to get in. He doesn't know any,no item needed.

Tell us how to get out other than getting through that door. There are none, no item needed.

Alzar checks the burnt out spellbook to see what spells are in it:

2nd level Darkness, 15’; Magic Mouth; Breath of Bewilderment; Bladeleap; Levitate; Flash
3rd level Icelance; Nystul’s Expeditious Fire Extinguisher; Item

None of those will help

Abe Sargent

05-04-2010, 12:30 AM

Is there anywhere in the tower that we can get a Knock or Dispel Magic spell? One item. Alzar gives another of the guys he founds in the summoning room. There used to be Knock and Dispel Magic spells in the library. Have they been destroyed? I don’t know.

Alzar decides to spend the night in the tower. There is food and lodging. He has the two thieves stay near Lastion and the ghoul.

In the morning, he tries to identify the scrolls he has, to see if he can find an answer.

Scroll o Tongues, Invis 10’, Fly from the coat given by the leprechauns, , and a cleric scroll of fire resist, cure twice and sanctuary. Ah, the leprechauns! Of course!

Alzar goes back to the Leprechauns and asks for their help. They agree to help after hearing his pleading. They hop into a box, because they don’t like the portals, and shortly later, Alzar opens the box and they pop out. They polymorph the door into a jar of flowers. And Alzar thanks them bunches. He takes them to the room with the creature from the pool so that they can talk to each other.

This secret room is the bed chamber of Castanamir. Inside is a flesh golem who attacks as soon as someone steps in. Alzar orders everyone back because only magic will hurt it, and Aleigha, and Estaish move forward. Alzar throws the +2 dagger at the golem. Crit for 10 damage (the max). Very nice. The Sword of Spartuisia doles out 9 damage. The golem hits Estaish for 8 damage and Estaish is ordered back:

1/9 hp left for Estaish

Alzar grabs a staff and hopes its magical and moves in. He swings and misses. Aligha tags it for another 4 damage. It punches Alzar for 12 damage.

39/51

It wins init and hits Aleigha for 10.

11/21 for Aleigha. Aleigha crits it for 8 damage and Alzar’s staff rattles it for 3 damage, so it is magical.

Alzar orders Aleigha back. He swings and misses. He is hit once for 3 damage.

36/51

He loses init and is hit twice for 21 damage

15/51

He slaps it for 6 damage and it dies.

XP – 675 XP each for Alzar, Aleigha and Estaish

There is lots of dusty junk in here. 2000 gold worth of Castanamir’s own personal journals.

There is no bed, just a belt tethered to a pole.

Chests of clothes Sack of 1000 ep and another of 1000 gp. An amulet.

Abe Sargent

05-04-2010, 01:02 AM

There is a normal looking door o the south east.

It is opened and reveals a beach on the island. The thieves are let go, and they leave. Aleigha is ready to leave this dusty place too, and she goes. Alzar is going to stay for a while, and look at the library. Estaish goes with Aleigha to row her to the shore, and to the wagon they have there. Alzar may take a day or so, he admits. Look for the teleport jars, because he may be teleporting over items, and they should clear them out regularly.

They grab the gold and electrum and leave.

Everyone but Alzar got 895

XP – 2139
Total XP - 19974

As Alzar moves back to get some food, he goes through the teleport room, and more creatures teleport in. He has no first level spells memorized (they are all Detect Magic and Identify in order to figure out the stuff) . Two ogres pop in. Alzar will need to avoid this room in the future.

Alzar has Ray, Blastbones, and ESP. He tosses a bone to them and casts Blastbones on it. They ogres take 2 damage – the minimum. Wasn’t even worth the effort. They arrive and Alzar swings the magical staff at one and misses. He takes 4 from a giant club.

9/51

Alzar is totally unprepared for this – drank no healing potions, and prepared no spells. He backs up and fires off a cone of magic from his wand of paralyzation. The Ogres swing. Who attacks first? Alzar does, by miles. One ogre fails and is frozen, the ogre is still swinging. Its the damaged one. It totally misses Alzar. Alzar casts Ray on it and it is forced to attack in the exact same way. Alzar uses the free turn to dash back, and grab both his throwing dagger and a healing pot. As the ogre comes out, Alzar throws and drinks. The dagger hits for 3 damage (the minimum again), and aAlzar is up to 18/51. The ogre has charged him and swings. He misses and drops the club from a fumble. Alzar swats with the staff and misses as well. The ogre pounds him for 8 damage

10/51

Alzar is down to just ESP. He grabs and drinks the potion of invisibility. He disappears and slides to the slide. The Ogre tries to find him but Alzar is not is weapon range. He drinks another healing pot.

18/51

He slides over, picks up the throwing dagger from the floor, then grabs his staff and swings as hard as he can at the back of the ogre’s head.

Called shot to the head is hard but with the ambush and invis bonus, they sort of even out. Alzar nails him, he just takes 5 damage, but he is dizzy and there is a chance he will fall down, and perhaps slid einto unconsciousness. Dex check fails - falls. Then he is groggy but still conscious. Alzar gets into a free hit on the ground. Hit, 6 damage. The Ogre stands back up. Next round. Alzar swings and misses, and the ogre does not, nailed him for 8 more damage

10/51.

Alzar wins init, hits, and smacks him one more time for 4 damage and puts him away. Dead ogre. Alzar goes over and kills the other paralyzed one.

XP kill for two ogres – 540 + 54 = 894

Total – 20568

Welcome to 5th level

That was totally in the module too. The teleport room only works so much in a day, and then it resets, and it has a list of the monsters summoned.

Alzar maps out the first level teleporters completely and creates paths to all of the rooms that avoid the teleport room. Then he does so for the second level.

Abe Sargent

05-04-2010, 01:33 AM

Gold Gained: 1500 gold.
Total Gold: 24,312
Items Gained:
2000 gold worth of Castanamir’s own personal journals.
3 books on golems and repair – 500 gold.
5000 gold in books on summoning and conjuring.
10 of them, 100 coins heavy, 1000 gold value to a library. Alchemy texts
Plus a gold medallion worth 300 gold and jeweled dagger worth 300
Two gold statues worth 2000 gold each and weighing 1500coins each

Spellbook:

2nd level Darkness, 15’; Magic Mouth; Breath of Bewilderment; Bladeleap; Levitate; Flash
3rd level Icelance; Nystul’s Expeditious Fire Extinguisher; Item

Used charge in Wand of Paralyzation, used Pot of Invis and 2 pots of healing

Amulet +1 save vs spells. This is technically a Tim Gingwatzim. +1 staff technically a Pakim Gingwatzam. Short sword +2, technically a Graegzim Gingwatzim, and a multiform one.

Magic stuff: The coat given by the Leprechauns was an illusion of a scroll of of Tongues, Invisibility 10’ and Fly. Cleric scroll – sanctuary, fire resistance, cure light x2; healing pot, philter of love, pot of spider climbing, Staff (+3, one of the Gingwatzim inbound animate form), Dagger +1, Bracers of Defense, AC7. One shot items Ring of Monster Summoning 1, Wand of Repulsion and Sphere of Otiluke’s Freezing Sphere. Belt of flying, 54 charges. Amulet of the Planes, Javelin of Lightning, Pot of Levitating, Gloves of Fire Resistance

First rack of potions – Longevity, Animal Control – horse, Diminution, Healing, Fire Resistance, Extra Healing, ESP. In the back is a pair of traveling cases for potions. One is full, and the other is now loaded with the findings. The full one has a bunch of potions with dust on them as cracks wax stoppers. Alzar knows that means they may be spoiled. Five smell bad. Two smell okay (and are both healing pots)

That large steel pitcher will fill with mead on command. We will call it the mead pitcher.

Tellistto

05-04-2010, 10:03 AM

Nice way to win against those ogres. Really tough fight to go into cold like that!

Abe Sargent

05-04-2010, 10:39 AM

When Alzar levels up, he can start casting third level spells, and thus, as a specialist, he can add one Necromancy spell to his book form 3rd level. He will be adding Undead Summoning I, which is fairly similar to Monster Summoning I, but for skeletons instead.

As Alzar is studying the things in the tower, he goes to put some things in the teleport jars, and notices a note has been sent. They are telling him that the door to the Tower has become locked and sealed somehow, and there is no way back in. They told the captain to go home, and purchased the rowboat from him.

Alzar tells them to wait by the wagon with the rowboat, and he may take a while to clean the tower out.

Alzar starts casting Detect Magic in each room on a daily basis to see if there is anything he missed. He finds some additional items in the leprechaun closest and library:

+1 two handed sword. Scroll of protection from demons. Potion of levitation. Ring of Free Action.

The larder refills daily, so Alzar can get new food each day.

Alzar can fit 1000 books in the Bag of Holding if he has nothing else in there, so there is no question that he can tote out his own personal library. He tells the group to leave for a while, and he’ll be fine for a couple of weeks. Use his gold to get a nice hotel along the road and relax. Don’t forget to feed the purple moss, and Alzar sends over his Necklace of Adaption for an hour so they can do that. Then they send it back.

Alzar pays the pool guardian 1000 gold to learn the command words for the Amulet of the Planes. Alzar escorts out the Lizard Man. He finds servants quarters in the first floor and searches them but finds nothing.

In the library is a paperweight with two charges of Rary’s Mnemonic Enhancer in it. The command word is etched into it.

Abe Sargent

05-04-2010, 10:39 AM

Nice way to win against those ogres. Really tough fight to go into cold like that!

Thanks! It was a totla case of I knew, but Alzar didn;t, so I had t play it straight.

Abe Sargent

05-04-2010, 10:46 AM

Oh, because we are ending Island, I thought I would give you a bit of info on Thorasia. Here are my gods. Many of them came from research into mythology to find deities from various cultures that fit my own world and desires. If so, they have parentheses with that culture.

The Gods of Thorasia:

Magister – God of Life, Triplet with Harryth, Barastyr
Mithris – God of Battle and Duty, Husband of Harkangi, Brother of Camulos
Harkangi – Goddess of Mending and Peace, Wife of Mithris
Tangaroa – Goddess of the Sea, Wind and Water, Sister of Bathala (Maori Goddess)
Lonna – Goddess of Stars, Sky and Serenity, Daughter of Gontia and Malekbel
Chasca – Goddess of Light, Color, Music and Art (Incan Goddess)
Teminia – Goddess of Forest, Hunt and Faerie, Sister of Berstuk
Qetesh – Goddess of Love and Beauty (Phoenician Goddess)
Bathala - Goddess of Agriculture, Harvest and Fertility, Sister of Tangaroa (Philippine Goddess)

Harryth – God of Balance, Betrothed of Shafina, Triplet with Masigter, Barastyr
Ravister – God of Magic and Knowledge
Shafina – Goddess of Law, Justice and Trade. Betrothed of Harryth
Belisama - Goddess of Crafts (Celtic Goddess)
Azeban - God of Lunacy, Madness, and Insanity, Teshub’s Twin (Abenaki God)
Teshub – God of Chaos, Randomness, and Luck, Azeban’s Twin (Hurrian God)
Malekbel – God of Fire and the Sun, Husband of Gontia (Palmarene God)
Kothar – God of Earth, Rock, and Mountains (Canaanite God)
Laima – Goddess of Distance and Travel (Latvian Goddess)

Barastyr – God of Death, Triplet with Harryth and Magister (Ossetian God)
Camulos – God of Conflict and Strife, Brother of Mithris (Celtic God)
Mahte - Goddess of Pain and Pleasure (Latvian Goddess)
Aminon – God of Destruction, Anger, and Vengeance (Ossetian God)
Arentia – Goddess of Decay and Disease
Gontia - Goddess of Night, Ice, and the Moon, Wife of Malekbel (Celtic Goddess)
Baetylus – God of Deceit and Greed (Phoenician God)
Berstuk - God of Faerie, Trickery, and Mischief, Brother of Teminia (Slavic God)
Melqart - God of the Underworld and Undeath (Canaanite God)

Abe Sargent

05-04-2010, 04:10 PM

Alzar spends a lot of time in the library and has found a few things. First of all, on the desk, is a reference book . It catalogues all of the books in the library, along with symbols to show which ones are trapped. How convenient of Castanamir.

There are some evil spellbooks with spell traps on them, and normal ones. Three spellbooks are still untouched, but the rest of the normal spellbooks were destroyed.

Alzar has a task for Estaish. Go to Athaly, and find me a scroll of Dispel Magic. Money is no object. Teleport it back when you have it.

Five days later, the scroll appears. It cost Alzar 1000 gold – a lot more than it is worth. He unfurls it and tires to learn the spell. He rolls a 39 - success. He now knows Dispel Magic.

(Here is the problem. Alzar has only a 5% chance of success at dispelling the explosive runes and/or fire traps on the books. In order to reliably ensure that it worked, he should cast around 40 Dispel Magics on JUST ONE BOOK in order to make sure the book is ready to be used. However, that would take 40 days for just one book. That’s way too hard. I can’t, as a DM, have one of my characters do that. So, instead, we’ll make up something.

Alzar’s research into the library has brought some success. He has discovered that the trapped spellbooks can be held, not opened, but held by cold. Alzar goes to the freezer in the first room and freezes the gloves of Fire Resistance, and then takes them to the library and puts them on and takes the first spellbook. Success. Alzar puts the spellbooks in a chest and closes and locks it with a key he found. Now no one will touch them.

He has secured, for the future, 3 regular spellbooks and 9 evil spellbooks – one for each level of magic.

Alzar has found all of the information needed on how ot summon and control gingwatzim. 2500 gold for this unique information, and the five books and two manuscripts that show it.

He finds info on how to make the portals, but it’s a bit over his head (needs a20 Int to get it). He gets some basic stuff, but not a lot. He files it for later. (12 books, worth about 1000 total)

The catalogue shows that many of the books here have little value. The dictionaries, language books, notes on culture, these are several sections, and not a lot of value.

However, Alzar finds a section of books to be very, very interesting. These is a section of roughly 100 books on summoning and conjuring. Some of these are very detailed and very interesting. It’s worth roughly 15,000. It is a complete research library on conjuration spells and magic all the way up to 9th level. Any research that needed to be done on conjuration and summoning, from rituals to spells, can be found in here, at least as a starting base.

They are all added.

Travis

05-04-2010, 04:22 PM

Very much enjoying this and looking forward to more, especially some of this new found knowledge coming into play (though I'd expect the really fun stuff will take a while to work up to).

Abe Sargent

05-04-2010, 04:59 PM

Glad you like it!

Actualy, one new thing is coming up very soon I suspect

Abe Sargent

05-04-2010, 05:00 PM

There is nothing magical in the trophy room, which was a big surprise to Alzar.

In the enchantment lab, Alzar finds another pair of enchantment spellbooks from Castanamir. He adds these two spellbooks to his collection. He suspects they will have spells like Permanency and such.

Alzar is tempted to stay for a bit, but he has 14 spellbooks, a while research catalogue on summonings, all of the magic items, and more. It’s time to go.

He offers the leprechauns a way out, and they decide to take it, but then they will leave Alzar and go off on their own. They leave.

Alzar looks back fondly at the place that has been his home for twenty days. In some ways, it would be a perfect place to make his home for a while – it has all of the rooms he would need. But, it’s a little too close to civilization for his taste – and there are too many open holes – like the teleport room. Plus, Castanamir could return someday, who knows?

He steps out of the tower with the chest in his hand. His undead follow him. Waiting with a rowboat is Estaish, and Alzar can see Aleigha and the wagon and horses on the shore. They row back. It’s time to leave the island to the myths and rumors.

Abe Sargent

05-04-2010, 05:35 PM

Alzar’s stuff.

Alzar has the following magic items:

Potion of Sweet Water, Diminutionx2, Gaseous Form, Poisonx2, Telekinesis, Healingx5, Levitationx2, Longevity, Spider Climbing, Extra Healing, ESP, Animal Control – Horses, Fire Resistance, Philter of Love
Gauntlets of Ogre Power
Bag of Holding
+1 Scimitar, Short Swordx2, Daggerx3, Mace, Battle Axe, Longsword, two-handed sword
-1 Dagger
+2 Longsword
+1 Plate Armor, Chain Mailx2
Ring of Protection +1
Ring of Free Action
Wand of Secret Door Detection – 4 charges
Wand of Paralyzation 5 charges
+2 Throwing Dagger
The Sword of the Rock
Longsword +1, +2 vs Undead
Crystal Ball
Necklace of Adaptation
Periapt of Proof Against Poison +2
Ring of Fire Resistancex2
Rod of Cancellation
Rope of Climbing
Scrolls of: Mordenkainen’s Faithful Phantom Shield-Maidens, Teleport, Read Languages, Continual Light, Aganazzar’s Scorcher, Odeen’s Magic Cloud, Levitate, Ray of Fatigue, Tongues, Invisibility, 10’ Radius, Fly, Protection from Acid, Demons
Bracers of Defense AC7
Amulet of the Planes (with command words)
Javelin of Lightning
Gloves of Fire Resistance (As the ring, but a pair of gloves)
Belt of Flying, 54 charges.
Cleric scroll – sanctuary, fire resistance, cure light x2;
Paperweight, Rary’s Mnemonic Enhancer – 2 charges

The Book of Years, Windscribe, 4 teleport jars, Mead Pitcher

Spellbook:

2nd level Darkness, 15’; Magic Mouth; Breath of Bewilderment; Bladeleap; Levitate; Flash
3rd level Icelance; Nystul’s Expeditious Fire Extinguisher; Item

Chest – 2 spellbooks for enchantment 9 for evil, and 3 others, all trapped

Temporary Magic Items - Ring of Monster Summoning 1, Wand of Repulsion and Sphere of Otiluke’s Freezing Sphere – just waiting on Permanency to make them a real magic item.

These gingwatzim: Amulet +1 save vs spells, a Tim Gingwatzim. +1 staff technically a Pakim Gingwatzam. Short sword +2, technically a Graegzim Gingwatzim, and a multiform one too, can turn into Fremlin. Staff (+3, one of the Gingwatzim in bound animate form, and it talks a lot to its owner and complains)

Estaish has Ring of Pro +1, Shield +1, Chain +1, Longsword +2. Aleigha has Shield +1, The Sword of Spartusia and Ring of Pro +1.

That’s a lot of stuff, and that includes a lot of stuff Alzar doesn’t even want.

Abe Sargent

05-04-2010, 06:37 PM

Apparently Alzar was supposed to have gained an extra level 1 spell at level four, and I didn’t give it to him. Whoops. And now he gets another level 1 at level 5, so he’s getting two more daily)

Alzar’s Spellbook:

First Level:

Alzar’s Undead Porter
Armor
Animate Dead Animals *
Cantrip
Charm Person *
Detect Magic *
Friends
Identify
Mount
Read Languages
Read Magic
Sleep * *
Tenser’s Floating Disc
Unseen Servant

Second Level:

Attract Ghoul
Blastbones *
ESP *
Forget
Locate Object
Ray of Ondovir *
Speak with Dead

Third Level:

Bone Knit
Dire Charm
Dispel Magic
Searing Serpent *
Skulltrap *
Undead Summoning I

Fourth Level:

Vorthala’s Undead Turning Immunity

Abe Sargent

05-04-2010, 07:07 PM

Alzar has two character points he has not spent, but he is not taking anything right now.

Alzar decides to make a decision now. He purchases 3000 gold of necromantic books from wizards in Athaly and spent 4000 to do it.

Alzar’s current gold: 18, 312 left

Alzar rents a house outside Athaly, a large one, for the winter months ahead. Estaish shows them around, and Alzar has most of them stay away for a few months.

Five months pass, and they are comfortable in the cabin with food, mead, and plenty of money, a mile from the city, and so forth. Lastion and his ghoul lair in a nearby cave and don’t really like the cold.

He spends two weeks researching and creating a variant of the Find Familiar (Nec) 2nd level spell. 1110 XP. -600 gold.

Here is Alzar’s version:

Alzar’s Familiar

2nd Level
Necromancy, Conjuration/Summoning

Casting Time: 10 hours
Range 20 miles
Components: VSM
Duration: Special

Except for the casting time (only during a full moon), and the cost (3000 gold for obscure ingredients) this is very similar to the 1st level Find Familiar spell or the 2nd level Find Familiar – Necromancy spell. However, there are two major differences. Firstly, it always succeeds and finding something. Secondly, the caster can choose the familiar type from the following list:

Imp
Quasit
Mephit
Vampire Bat
Galltrit, Gremlin, Fremlin, Mite
Large, two foot long spider
Screaming Devilkin
The Mystara “Homunculous” which are not true Homunculous, but just misnamed. There are five of them

And can also choose any other creature in range that normally can be a familiar (snake, owl, raven, crow, black cat, etc)

Abe Sargent

05-04-2010, 07:12 PM

The rest of the time was spent by Alzar writing a book and making a major change.

OOC – When I created Alzar a while ago, I already knew he was going to do this, but I never knew when, exactly, it would happen. I didn’t create a history that detailed. I knew it would have to be at least level 5, and probably sometime before level 9. I wasn’t sure if I should do it now or not for a awhile, but it feels right with him just coming out of the Tower. This is the reason I love Alzar though, so it’s time.

Alzar’s book is entitled “The Fivefold Path to Power”

This book outlines the five paths to power. In it, Alzar outlines five principles that make a mage the most powerful, and also outline pits and traps that mages often fall into.

(Okay, this next section will be a bit complicated for those who may not be familiar with the rules stuff of AD&D)

Abe Sargent

05-04-2010, 07:14 PM

This is a new type of Specialist Mage, called a Path Mage or Fivefold Mage. Let’s go over the principles.

There are five principles, each of which is a route to power. In order to maximize the power of a mage, this sub-class focuses on effects of a permanent nature, when applicable.

A). This is the sub principle that all of the paths use. Consider the paths the way to power, but the sub principle the guide on those paths. Information is not power in and of itself, but it gives you the knowledge of how to obtain power.

Path 1). Charm, Cajole, Entice and Dominate the Living. The first path to power is the easiest one seen, with the power gained from subjugating the living. Living creatures are all around the caster, so using them is vitally important. This includes spells like Charm Person, Domination, and Confusion.

Path 2). Summon and Conjure Allies. The living do not end at the barriers of this plane, but continue throughout existence. The second path to power uses magic to summon and conjure allies from beyond the barriers. This includes spells like Summon Elemental and Gate.

Path 3). Animate and Invest the Unliving. The third path takes those living energies and uses them to reanimate the undead. Undead allies never need food, are unresting, have unwavering loyalty, and can never go rogue. This includes spells like Animate Dead and Summon Shadows.

Path 4). Create Artificial Constructs. Along with animating the dead is imbuing the lifeless with the spark of life. Creating constructs is another entry on the path to power.

Path 5). Make and Use Powerful Items. The final path is the creation of powerful magical items which can be used or given to allies to use in the gaining of power.

As a result, the following schools are considered the area of specialization:

Divination
Enchantment/Charm
Necromancy
Conjuration/Summoning
Artifice

These are referred to as The Path.

However, there are caveats to this, as noted below.

Fivefold Mage Views of Illusion/Phantasm:

The Fivefold Mage path views Illusion and Phantasm magic as the worst possible misuse of mystical power. Unlike other specialist mages who may not have the time to devote to all schools, so they cannot use a few, the Fivefold Mage does not merely fail to study Illusion magic, but they downright disown it. Why create something temporary and meaningless that does not even exist?

Views of Invocation/Evocation:

The Fivefold Mage distinguishes between Invocation and Evocation. Invocation is the communication with higher powers in other planes and channeling their power to make magical effects. Fivefold Mages are willing to use Invocation in their magic without question, but it is a very small school (Perhaps twenty spells total are Invocation spells). The vast majority of spells in this powerful school are Evocation spells. Although Fivefold Mages agree that Evocation magic appears powerful at first glance, they believe the power offered by Evocation is an intoxicant and belies a false understanding of power. Creating or forcing another to be an ally who fights for you permanently will be much more powerful in the long run than a splashy spell such as a fireball or lightning bolt. Therefore, Fivefold Mages ultimately see Evocation magic as barely above illusion magic on the chain. It is a seductive school that provides little long term benefit and little power.

View on Alteration, Abjuration, Alchemy and Geometry:

The Fivefold Mage views these schools as tools, but not the real path to power. Therefore, although a Fivefold Mage has access to these schools, they cannot have more than one spell per level memorized by all of them together, except for special circumstances. For example, a Fivefold Mage might want to keep a Dispel Magic or Banish in their back pocket for an emergency situation, and that would be fine, but they could not memorize a bunch of spells from this category. Note that Alchemy and Geometry are lowered to tool status because of the temporary nature of their work, which would otherwise increase in stature to be truly part of a Fivefold Mage’s path.

It is possible for a Fivefold Mage to memorize more than one spell per level when facing a highly specific and unusual situation. Adventuring or meeting guests or going shopping are not unusual situations. For example, a Fivefold Mage who knows Transmute Rock to Mud might want to memorize it exclusively because she is delving into the back of a cave in order to create a complex to house her and her minions.

View on Evocation Bleed

Alzar identifies what he calls the Evocation Bleed into other schools. He points out, that Evocation creates a ball of fire, and that is powerful. If conjurers conjured a ball of fire from the Elemental Plane of Fire, and it had the exact same range and damage dealing capacity, they might be different in method, but they are identical in purpose. This is an example of what Alzar calls the Evocation Bleed. It is when other schools try to mimic the power of Evocation by another method. Common spells that he calls out for this are Burning Hands and Melf’s Acid Arrow. While one is technically alteration and the other technically conjuration, Alzar argues that they are Evocation-like, and then subject to the Evocation Bleed.

No spell in the Path counts for Path bonuses, if it is an example of the Evocation Bleed. So, for example, despite Melf’s Acid Arrow being a Conjuration spell, it is NOT in the Path.

Abe Sargent

05-04-2010, 07:16 PM

Class Abilities:

One Extra Spell/Level is Gained, must be Path.

Fivefold Mages reduce the spell level by one when researching spells in The Path.

Chance to Learn spell in The Path increased by +15%

Saving Throw of Targets when targeted by spells from The Path at -1.

The wizard can only gain one weapon when created, and must put all other weapon proficiencies into non-weapons.

No more than one spell per level can be from the group: Abjuration, Alteration, Alchemy and Geometry barring a highly unusual and temporary circumstance.

Because of the focus on external aids for power, the Fivefold Mage must invest a focus item as the method through which magic is cast. Loss of this item requires the crafting of another before the Mage can cast magic again. This is usually a hidden and secret item kept on the Mage’s person at all times.

Due to the intense physical nature of the class, they must have a lab, library and workbench with 1,000 gp value per level, and an upkeep of 50 gp/level/month in order to do the necessary research to keep themselves sharp. This is a requirement for both library and workshop, so a 10th level Path Mage needs a 10000 gp lab AND a 10000 gp Library, with 500 per month upkeep for both. If they lose this, then they lose all benefits of this class until they are again equipped. They do not lose the hindrances of the class, however.

They can store spells like an Artificer, but cannot begin to do so until level 6, instead of level 4 like an Artificer that focuses purely on the enchantment of items.

Fivefold Mages have a chance to identify a magical item by spending a turn peering at it closely and examining it. This chance is their level times 5. This is similar to, but not as strong as, the Artificer.

Fivefold Mages can control undead as an evil Priest of the same level, and this ability extends to extra planar beings which are considered undead with the same hit dice for this purpose.

Abe Sargent

05-04-2010, 07:18 PM

In addition to being a class, being a Fivefold Mage is also a kit that is required for the class.

Non-Weapon Proficiencies: Necrology, Netherworld Knowledge, Spirit Lore, Hypnotism, Ancient History, Ancient Languages, Reading/Writing, Herbalism, Alchemy, Research, Sage Knowledge (Alchemy, Inner Planes, Outer Planes).

Weapon Proficiencies: Staff or dagger are the only two choices, and a Fivefold Mage can never use non-weapon proficiency slots for weapons or combat related skills.

Recommend Traits: Precise Memory, Obscure Knowledge, Glibness

Benefits: Due to their ability to talk smoothly and brush aside complaints, Fivefold Mages never suffer from a negative reaction penalty due to controlling or animating undead.

Hindrances: Fivefold Mages revel in power and the various accoutrements that it gives them. They enjoy decorating their undead with weapons and clothes, giving their constructs extra gems or metals, granting charmed allies magical items, and so forth. As such, the Fivefold Mage must spend a large portion of their money to make their home, creatures, and themselves comfortable, nice, and rich, as only suits a person of their power.

Additionally, a traveling Fivefold Mage must carry a large supply of books, ink, supplies, fine clothes, fine food, fine drink, a portable workshop, and more. They may have golem porters, wagons pulled by skeletal horses, and so forth,

Okay, most of the advantages are normal specialist ones, although a few have been lost – like automatic spells. They cannot have a kit beyond the base Fivefold Mage one. The limitation on spells outside their specialization is quite new and powerful. They have a wide specialization but a very important restriction on them based on the Evocation Bleed.

Abe Sargent

05-04-2010, 07:36 PM

On a full moon, with a werebear watching over him, Alzar leaves this world mentally for 10 hours, and casts Alzar’s Familiar. Success. Meet the newest member of the team:

Dryshik, Mist Mephit

Lawful Evil

HP: 19
AC: 7
THAC0: 17
2 attacks/rnd: 1 damage each

Dryshik is Alzar’s second familiar. He can breathe a ball of mist 3x/hour. The target must roll a save vs. poison or take 1d4+1 points of damage and be blinded for 1d4 rounds – they hit automatically. He can also cast Wall of Fog once/day and can assume gaseous form once/day.

Dryshik was originally forced to join Alzar’s force when summoned by Alzar’s Familiar spell. Note that other-planer familiars are not eligible for the increased hit points that come from being a familiar, but they are more powerful than any familiar.

He can, once an hour, try to summon more Mephits and has a 20% chance of success, for 1d2 Ice or Mist Mephits.

Lastion is not happy about losing his status as Alzar’s one true familiar and thus, in a sense, closest ally.

(According to the Attract Ghoul spell, the familiar is in addition to any the Necromancer normally has, so Alzar can totally have both)

Alzar spends some time and learns Fly, Mordenkainen’s Faithful Phantom Shield-Maidens and Teleport and Continual Light. He can no long cast Tenser’s Floating Disc but it is in his spellbook.

He drinks the Potion of Longevity and loses 9 years. Alzar is still 37, but looks and has the body of 28.

Abe Sargent

05-04-2010, 07:47 PM

Here is Alzar today:

7th level Fighter (Myrmidon), 5th level Path Mage (Fivefold Mage)

Lawful Evil
Human

Str: 16
Dex: 12
Con: 10
Wis: 16
Int: 18
Cha: 14

Hit Points: 51
THACO: 13 (Increased with Axe Weapon Master and +1 Axe) or 19 as Necromancer (+1 for staff, 18)
AC: 6 (Bracers, Ring) Gets +1 when fighting with Axe
Total XP: 21,668
Total Gold: 8,800
Age 37, Body - 28

Race Abilities:

None Taken

Class Abilities (Cannot use as Necromancer without losing XP gain):

Specialization
Leadership (Alzar can command the tactics, strategy, logistics and more that a large force requires)
3 attacks every 2 rounds

Non-Weapon Proficiencies:

Myrmidon Bonus:

Tactical History 14
Fire-Building 16

Riding 11
Swimming 12
Reading/Writing 13
Survival 14
Blind Fighting
Etiquette 13
Endurance
Heraldry 13
Hunting 10
Fishing 14
Weather Knowledge 10
Orienteering 15

As a Necromancer/Fivefold Mage

Necrology 14
Netherworld Knowledge 10
Herbalism 14
Alchemy 12
Poison Use 11
Ancient Languages 10
Spellcraft 12

Traits:

Empathy
Fast Healer
Precise Memory

Weapon Proficiencies:

Bonus Kit Specialization:

Battle Axe

Battle Axe
One Handed Weapon Style x2 (-2 AC when using one weapon in combat)
Crossbow
Battle Axe Weapon Mastery
Spear

Total with normal battle axe - +3 to hit, +3 to damage, -2 to AC. An additional +1 with the axe and +1 damage for strength

Staff – Can only use this as a Necromancer, +1

Class Ability:

1). Alzar can control undead as an evil Priest of the same level, and this ability extends to extra planar beings which are considered undead with the same hit dice for this purpose.
2). One Extra Spell/Level is Gained, must be Path.
3). Fivefold Mages reduce the spell level by one when researching spells in The Path.
4). Chance to Learn spell in The Path increased by +15%
5). Saving Throw of Targets when targeted by spells from The Path at -1.
6). No more than one spell per level can be from the group: Abjuration, Alteration, Alchemy and Geometry barring a highly unusual and temporary circumstance.
7). Fivefold Mage must invest a focus item as the method through which magic is cast. (Alzar’s Father’s Ring)
8). Must have a lab and library and workbench with 1,000 gp value per level, and an upkeep of 50 gp/level/month
9). They can store spells like an Artificer, but cannot begin to do so until level 6
10). Fivefold Mages have a chance to identify a magical item by spending a turn peering at it closely and examining it - chance is their level times 5.
11). Fivefold Mages never suffer from a negative reaction penalty due to controlling or animating undead.

Abe Sargent

05-04-2010, 07:50 PM

Spellbook:

Alzar can no longer use: Tenser’s Floating Disc

5/3/2

First Level:

Alzar’s Undead Porter
Armor
Animate Dead Animals *
Cantrip
Charm Person *
Detect Magic *
Friends
Identify
Mount
Read Languages
Read Magic
Sleep * *
Tenser’s Floating Disc
Unseen Servant

Second Level:

Alzar’s Familiar
Attract Ghoul
Blastbones *
Continual Light
ESP *
Forget
Locate Object
Ray of Ondovir *
Speak with Dead

Third Level:

Bone Knit
Dire Charm
Dispel Magic
Fly
Searing Serpent *
Skulltrap *
Undead Summoning I

Fourth Level:

Mordenkainen’s Faithful Phantom Shield-Maidens
Vorthala’s Undead Turning Immunity

Fifth Level:

Teleport

Abe Sargent

05-04-2010, 08:01 PM

Jewelry and Gems

Crowns: 5000x2 and 50x4, bracelets 600x2, necklace 1500, necklace 700, Tiara 200, wristbands 100x4,bracelets 10,000,500, 300; pearl necklaces, 400x2; Gold Medallion, 300, Jeweled Dagger 300;Gold Statues – 2000 gold each; Gold Diamond Bracelet – 750 gold

China and Silverware – 600

Gems: 1000, 500x4, 300, 200, 100x37, 50 x29, 10x4

Six pieces of jewelry worth 6000 gp total
Jewelery worth 3500
26 gems worth a total of 3100 gp
10,000 in jewlery

Books:

1000 gold worth of texts from Tower in Rahasia
2000 gold worth of Castanamir’s own personal journals.
3 books on golems and repair – 500 gold.
5000 gold in books on summoning and conjuring.
10 alchemy texts, 100 coins heavy, 1000 gold value to a library.
15,000 specialized summoning and conjuring texts
2500 gold Gingwatzim information, and the five books and two manuscripts that show it.
1000 gold, 12 books, info on making portals
3000 necromatic tomes for research

Items:

Potion of Sweet Water, Diminutionx2, Gaseous Form, Poisonx2, Telekinesis, Healingx5, Levitationx2, Spider Climbing, Extra Healing, ESP, Animal Control – Horses, Fire Resistance, Philter of Love
Gauntlets of Ogre Power
Bag of Holding
+1 Scimitar, Short Swordx2, Daggerx3, Mace, Battle Axe, Longsword, Two-handed sword
-1 Dagger
+2 Longsword
+1 Plate Armor, Chain Mailx2
Ring of Protection +1
Ring of Free Action
Wand of Secret Door Detection – 4 charges
Wand of Paralyzation 5 charges
+2 Throwing Dagger
The Sword of the Rock
Longsword +1, +2 vs Undead
Crystal Ball
Necklace of Adaptation
Periapt of Proof Against Poison +2
Rod of Cancellation
Rope of Climbing
Scrolls of: Read Languages, Aganazzar’s Scorcher, Odeen’s Magic Cloud, Levitate, Ray of Fatigue, Tongues, Invisibility, 10’ Radius, Protection from Acid, Demons
Bracers of Defense AC7
Amulet of the Planes (with command words)
Javelin of Lightning
Gloves of Fire Resistance (As the ring, but a pair of gloves)
Belt of Flying, 54 charges.
Cleric scroll – sanctuary, fire resistance, cure light x2;
Paperweight, Rary’s Mnemonic Enhancer – 2 charges

The Book of Years, Windscribe, 4 teleport jars, Mead Pitcher

Spellbook:

2nd level Darkness, 15’; Magic Mouth; Breath of Bewilderment; Bladeleap; Levitate; Flash
3rd level Icelance; Nystul’s Expeditious Fire Extinguisher; Item

Chest – 2 spellbooks for enchantment, 9 for evil, and 3 others, all trapped

5000 gold on a workshop/laboratory

Temporary Magic Items - Ring of Monster Summoning 1, Wand of Repulsion and Sphere of Otiluke’s Freezing Sphere – just waiting on Permanency to make them a real magic item.

These gingwatzim: Amulet +1 save vs spells, a Tim Gingwatzim. +1 staff technically a Pakim Gingwatzam. Short sword +2, technically a Graegzim Gingwatzim, and a multiform one too, can turn into Fremlin. Staff (+3, one of the Gingwatzim in bound animate form, and it talks a lot to its owner and complains)

Estaish has Ring of Pro +1, Shield +1, Chain +1, Longsword +2. Aleigha has Shield +1, The Sword of Spartusia and Ring of Pro +1. They each have been given 500 gold and each are now earing a Ring of Fire Resist

Here is what Alzar has on him typically:

Gloves of Fire Resist – They are smooth, sleek, do not hinder him at all, and give Fire Resist as the Ring.
Ring of Protection +1
Ring of Free Action – Moves at normal speed, while underwater, immune to Hold, Paralysis, Web
Amulet - +1 save vs Spells
Periapt of Proof Against Poison, Necklace of Adaptation
Bracers of Defense AC7
Belt of Flying

Bag of Holding

Throwing Dagger +2, Dagger +1, Wand of Paralyzation, Secret Door Detection. There are all in sheathes and hosters on Alzar’s chest and available for a quick grab and use

Short Sword +2, multiform Gingwatzim. Kept in a sheath on Alzar’s thigh
+1 Axe, kept on Alzar’s back with handle up, blade down, for easy retrieval
+1 Staff, used to walk with and poke things with

In Bag of Holding –

2 Teleport Jars, Mead Pitcher
Spellbooks (just two of them)
+3 staff for emergencies
Crystal Ball
Minor Potions and Scrolls in cases for them.
Rope of Climbing
Rod of Cancellation, encased so it won’t accidentally be used against something else
Javelin of Lightning
3 Oil Flasks

He keeps several pots on him in metal containers – Extra Healing, Healing Ones, Gaseous Form, Invis

He has a belt pouch with 100 pp. He has several empty pouches on his belt. He does not carry a backpack while adventuring, unless he came across something valuable.

Abe Sargent

05-04-2010, 08:39 PM

Alzar has created a lab/library wagon with books and lab equipment, and nothing else. He purchased two more wagons, so that they now have two living wagons, and a lab/library one.

Alzar has decided that Athaly and this region no longer has the sorts of things he is looking for. He needs a place with a larger city or more mages to trade spells with and trade items with. This is not it. The journey will take a while, perhaps a couple of months, but the relocation is needed. Aleigha has not allegiance to any place, so she is game, and Estaish has only been in Athaly for about 5 year, so he’s not native and south is closer to home.

The path south will be through woods, plains, and hills, and eventually the River Storm will become the new haunt. There are two major cities, lots of wilderness, and hopefully, the perfect combination thereof for Alzar.

Abe Sargent

05-04-2010, 09:24 PM

They start out. The road follows the river for four days until the rivers turns off to the east. The road is relatively peaceful.

The main road continues to the east, but Alzar is going south. Lastion and his ghoul run into trouble on the fourth day, they land smack into three centaurs, who automatically start firing arrows at them. Alzar orders Lastion to flee back to the wagons and jumps out. He orders Megala to fly up so he can see the area, and jumps off, telling the others to stay here for a bit. They do, and Alzar runs in.

The Centaurs kill one ghoul (not Lastion). Lastion is arrowed for 6 damage 9/15.

Alzar sends Dryshik and Megala to the area to give him more info. He also gives Lastion some commands on where to go to meet him.

In three rounds, Alzar will meet Lastion. The Centaurs get three rounds of shots off. They hit four times and deal1d6 each time. Will the Centaurs kill Lastion? They easily do. Lastion dies.

http://cdn.holytaco.com/www/sites/default/files/images/2009/10/Adam_Rex_-_centaur_1.jpg

With his familiar dead, Alzar suddenly stops. He makes a system shock roll. Failure means he is stunned for 1d6 hours, success means nothing. He rolls a 4 and makes it. He is pissed.

Alzar finds the Centaurs checking Lastion’s body and he casts Sleep. One falls asleep and the other two nock arrows and look for him. He has Megala and Dryshik fly through the trees to distract them. He readies another Sleep spell. They both fall asleep. Alzar smiles.

It’s hard to tie a Centaur up. He starts a fire. After a bit, he is sure he’s got it, and he ties them up. And then wakes them all up. He’s gagged them of course, just in case any are spellcasters. He lets them sit for a few minutes and gets a few sticks nice and hot. Megala and Dryshik are around.

“Would you like to know why you anger me? Would you like to know why people who pretend to be “good” annoy me so? Let me tell you a story. A griffon is trying to stay alive, and it does what it has to. It kills a horse and eats it. Is the griffon evil? Or is it just hungry? It’s just a predator. None of you would call it evil.”

“But a ghoul? Oh that’s different somehow. A wraith? A wight? All different. Some of your kind would shed a tear at the passing of a griffon. But a ghoul is “Evil,” isn’t it? Ghouls go out and kill to eat. They don’t torture their prey. They don’t prolong its death. They don’t have any moral choices, they just hunger, so they eat.”

“Did you ever stop to ask yourself if the ghouls you just killed were killers? Would you like to know the last time Lastion even killed an intelligent creature? It was more than six months ago. Lastion and the other ghoul have been feeding off animals, just like your griffon, or your wolf, or your wolverine. Did you stop and try to negotiate with it? Did you stop to see if it was a danger to anyone in your woods? Did you stop to think, in any way shape or form?

“This is why I detest those who claim to be doing things for good. You don’t care if you are right, or wrong. You don’t think about acts before you take them. You kill two ghouls because you think you are making things better, you think you are making this safer. But Lastion has spent the last year with me, killing goblins, orcs, and other evil creatures. Did you care? No you didn’t. Your kind never does. You don’t think, you just believe and act. You never stop to question what next. You never stop to ask about the orc children that you left parentless.

“You see, I don’t have to worry about that. I don’t have any pretention at all. I will kill a creature because it is in my way, or because I want the experience or because I want the items it has, or I am hungry. I never kill a creature because in my own demented head I have somehow justified to myself that it makes the world a better place. What kind of an ego you must have!

“So, you know that I not good, like you. I never will be. I think things through, and I make actions for selfish reasons without lying to myself about why. So, understand this. This is not some sort of lesson for you to live by and take home with you and try to understand. That would be what a good person would do. I am not going to give you an opportunity to learn from your mistakes. And that’s because, unlike those you have slain, I am evil.”

Alzar takes the hot sticks from the fire and begins to penetrate the Centaur’s flesh. He pins down each of the Centaurs’ six limbs to the ground with ember sticks. He opens up his three flasks of oil and smears it on each of their main bodies, but not limbs. He searches their bodies and finds 50 gold and takes it. Then he grabs their weapons and inspects them to see if any are magical. He casts Detect magic, and nothing the Centaurs have glows.

Alzar casts ESP. “Oh, and btw, where is your village? And how many of you are there? Thanks for your help. “

He stands up, and says, “So, here’s to making the world a better place.” He flings a burning brand onto each of the Centaurs, and they light up.

425 XP + 42.5 for 468 total.

Current XP 22136

Abe Sargent

05-04-2010, 09:49 PM

The village is about 5 miles away in the woods and has way too many centaurs to trifle with.

He returns to the wagon train, and they move on. He will probably cast Attract Ghoul again at some point in time, but they are too conspicuous right now in travel.

A few days later and Alzar has moved the stealth with the +1 dagger to his belt, handle up, and lined it with the right things to keep it super tight. Using his Poison Use skill, he has taken some of the poison from a Poison Potion and added to the blade, and it will keep nice and neat. Alzar can draw it and swing, with one poisoned touch. He gets a major minus to attacking with a weapon he doesn’t know all too well, but just a hit should be enough to kill a creature in an important situation.

They keep going, and the road isn’t super hot, but it suffices

A few days later, they run into a band of orcs that are out raiding. There are 17 of them. Alzar is out in two rounds, as they are raiding the horses. He casts sleep and 6 fall. Aleigha is out and Estaish is by the horses stabbing at an orc while three more are trying to hammer him with warhammers. Another sleep spell puts 5 more to sleep, and now there are just six. Estaish makes it 5 with his sword, and the rest flee. The ones here are killed and:

XP – 25 to everyone

The following day, Alzar and crew swing by two groups of people in the road arguing and shouting at each other. They ignore the two groups and continue on.

Three days later, they pull into an inn and rest for the night. Nothing happens.

The following day, a pair of griffons are sighted on the wing, but they do not swoop down or attack or anything.

Abe Sargent

05-04-2010, 10:09 PM

That night, however, the night before a full moon, Aleigha changes into her Werebear form. She is peaceful when she is in it, eating berries, or killing fish and squirrels - not a harm to humans. However, while she is in it, she apparently smells like a werebear. Because a quartet of red glowing eyes emerge from the woods. Aleigha roars Estaish and Alzar awake.

Alzar emerges and Estaish is too far asleep to help. The eyes soon become six sets, and then all of the sudden, they run out in one horde, 6 wererats, racing to attack Aleigha. Dryshik breathes a Mist Ball around the lead wererat, but it is immune to it (silver and magic weapons only).

Alzar summons a Searing Serpent to help Aleigha.

Searing Serpent: This serpent, from the Elemental Plane of Fire, strikes with Alzar’s THAC0 (19), causes 1d8 fire damage, sets fire to flammable things, Last 7 rounds, It has no hit points, but it can be extinguished like afire with water or earth and such – with Alzar’s AC – 6.

The first wererats are at Aleigha. They have AC 6, HP 12 for all of them except 15 for their leader, and deal 1d8 with scimitars. Aleigha roars and swings with her paws. She slashes one for 3 damage. The Seraing Serpent hits for 8 and ignites another. Azalr’s staff twirls and twacks the one Aleigha hit for 3 damage. They focus their attacks on Aleigha and hit her twice for 6 damage:

15/21

They go first this time and hit once for 5. 10/21. Her great AC, completemented by the Ring is helping her out a lot. She swing and bites. She misses three times (she rolls 1, 2, and 7). Alzar Smashes the injured one he hit before for 6 damage and kills it. The serpent misses.

Azlar’s crew go first and Aleigha Bites and slashes an untouched one for 8 damage. It is the leader. The serpent hits and finishes off the charred one for 5 damage. Alzar twirls his staff but misses. The four remaining wererats hits once, but for a crit, for 2 damage (the minimum)

8/21

Alzar orders Aleigha to fall back, but she won’t listen to him in her enraged werebear form. The rats for fits and roll 1 2, 2, and 8, and miss her. She doesn’t miss at all and kills the leader. The serpent misses and Alzar slaps one for 7 damage.

With their leader dead, and their number halves, they make a morale check. They break away. Alzar casts Blastbones as they flee and manages to deal 5 damage to them all. Another one dies. The other two make it out of the clearing.

Four wererats dead. Alzar inspects their items, casts Detect Magic, and finds nothing.

Alzar and Aleigha split 1080 to 540.

Alzar is at 22730

They are undisturbed for the rest of the night.

Abe Sargent

05-04-2010, 10:30 PM

Aleigha sleeps during the day, but unfortunately, she will again be a werebear tonight and tomorrow. Fearing an attack with much more numbers, Alzar orders the wagons to press on as much as possible. During the night, they stop in a place with mostly meadow, with one group of trees nearby. Alzar casts Skulltrap in that area, in case the wererats attack again.

Smart plan. A few hours into the night, with Aleigha eating quietly and Estaish on guard with full armor, three wererats sneak in to spy on her, and one triggers the Skulltrap. They all take 18 damage, or save vs half. One makes the save and limps away, the other two die.

Alzar gains 200 XP for the trap and kill

XP 22950

They are not bothered on the third night.

Aleigha heals very quickly.

Two days later, when lunching, Estaish is grabbing some water when he collapses from weakness. He has apparently caught some sort of condition from the travel. Aleigha uses Cure Disease on him and he recovers instantly.

Abe Sargent

05-04-2010, 10:53 PM

Alzar and group are slowly leaving the woods behind as the forest begins to make way for plains and meadow. The copses of trees are become fewer. The road is getting better and easier and they are making better time.

That day a rumbling can be heard from below. Alzar orders a full stop and it continues. Then, out from the ground comes a Thoqqua, a giant worm that is super hot and uses that heat to melt earth in order to move and find food. Alzars orders Dryshik to Mist Ball it and Estaish to take the horses and wagons and pull them back. He dismounts and moves in. Dryshik’s Mist Ball fails to affect the Thoqqua. Alzar runs to attack it first, and it leaps from the ground and hits Alzar. Normally it would deal 4d8 damage of heat, but Alzar takes -2 less per die (Gloves of Fire Resistance). Additionally, his items won’t be inflamed and damaged. He takes 11 total.

http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/MM35_gallery/MM35_PG242a.jpg

40/51

Alzar’s staff misses. The next round, Alzar swings and misses. Aleigha is there and stabs with her sword and misses. Dryshik breathes another ball and nothing. The mist is evaporating before it can hit the Thoqqua, so Alzar mentally orders it back. It nails Alzar for 4 heat damage. (which would have been 6 and damage his items, etc)

36/51

Alzar’s staff finally makes a connection for 6. Aleigha misses and Estaish is now here and adds a hit for 7. The Thoqqua misses. The next round, the worm wins init and hits Alzar again for 1 damage. Alzar fumbles his staff. Aleigha misses. Estaish does not and nails it for 8 more damage, killing it.

39/51

XP – 75 for all three
XP 23032 for Alzar

They all back up and wait for the corpse to cool down. Alzar has only read about these worms, and never fought one before. It cools, and Alzar checks but finds nothing around, or in its stomach of value.

Abe Sargent

05-04-2010, 11:43 PM

They continue.

They arrive at a decently sized town of maybe, 1000 people Alzar guesses. It’s a trade town where the farmers from the plains meet to trade with goods from the forest like lumber and syrup. In fact, this entire town seems to love syrup and honey. They get both in droves here. There’s no sign, but Alzar asks and is told the name of this place is Faryth’s Foot. Faryth is the old name for the Goddess of Distance and Travel - Laima. Of all of the deities, she is the least venerated, so when Intaria became a new country about 50 years ago, the people could only agree to venerate Laima, as a compromise. They even named a new capital Faryth. They must have entered Intaria’s borders. They only skirt it for a few days, which is good because Intaria is notorious for having adventurers in it. It was formed by several allied adventuring companies who wanted to give a greater level protection for the cities towns and people of the area. Retired adventurers form the ruling council and there is a lot of adventurer gold and magic in Intaria.

They find little trouble in Faryth’s Foot. They easily find room for the night, with good food, although even the dinner was sweetened here. He mentions that the birch syrup they use was a bit too sweet for his dinner, and bring out a hickory syrup that was bitter. Not much of a fan of that either.

They leave after replenishing supplies and verifying direction info with the innkeeper, who of course was once an adventurer from the Chance Protectorate and knows travel in the whole side of the continent pretty well.

The area around Faryth’s Foot is pretty quiet and for three days, they come across no dangers at all. On the fourth day, they reach a fort that signifies the end of the Intaria border – back into the wilderness. The friendly guards tell Alzar that bandits have been attacking a few days south on this road and too watch out.

Two days later, Alzar and group come across a broken down cart over to the side of the road. Alzar calls a halt and has Megala and Dryshik fly around and scout, each going in a different direction. They find ten bandits crouching in a ditch some 30 yards from the cart, and can’t be seen from the road by shrubbery. Alzar informs his colleagues. He dismounts and moves to the cart, and then from the cart, without being able to see the bandits, but seeing them from behind by Megala, he casts Sleep and two gently fall asleep unnoticed by their colleagues because they were already crouching. Alazar casts another and 4 more fall asleep. This time, someone notices, and Alzar orders Megala and Dryshik to fly in and harass those still awake. He laughs at the remaining four run off, and Megela hits one for 2 damage and she falls asleep and Dryshik Mist Balls two more and blinds them, and just one manages to get away. All nine are killed.

XP for Alzar Only – 75

No items are magical. There is nothing in or around the cart of notice but some fruit, vegetables, and such.

Abe Sargent

05-04-2010, 11:52 PM

The plains are much quieter. A week has passed with only a few bats and rats to deal with. This is not lie The Khoury, a plains area far to the east infamous for its raiding bands of monsters, warlords and low life expectancy. Other than bandits, the only creature they have come across was a worm from below ground.

Two days later, they reach a crossroads and have to go south, and this road is not as good of quality, so they slow a bit.

One day earlier, a nasty thunderstorm has forced them to stop for two days. They broke a wheel from a wagon in the mud and they have to make a new one. It’s not great, and it will slow them down even more.

Three days later, Alzar begins to make out the foothills of the next mountain chain. They will have to break off their southly direction in a day or two and move west. They are near the end of the mountains, and should have no problem getting around them.

The next day, they reach a small villa, and this marks the move to the west road. Alzar gets a better wheel and picks up a spare, and they stay in the decent hotel here for a night, and pick up new supplies.

They leave the next day, and that night, they run into a horde of insect swarms and have to go inside. The horses are bitten badly and Alzar decides to rest them for a day and they return to the villa and rest.

Two days later they are back on the road. One of Alzar’s best friends can be seen, and yes , it chooses to attack. This is a wyvern - another.

This time, Alzar know swhat to do, and as the wyvern is swooping down, he again casts Ray of Ondovir. However, this time, the Wyvern makes it saves. It does not fall down. Alzar orders Megala and Dryshik to hide. It flies for Estaish’s riding horse, and Alzar orders Estaish off and cut the saddle bags. Estaish manages to do both with a successful Riding proficiency and the wyvern flies off with the riding horse it its claws. Damn.

Alzar choose not to go back to town again and slow down. Instead, one person will ride a draft horse or wagon while two others are on riding horse, and they will rotate.

That night, Estaish comes across a dangerous Snapper-Saw plant, an plant that tries to cut and kill victims by quickly moving its large saw like plant leaves. It rebounds from Estaish’s armor, and he returns, grabs a brand, and kills it by burning it.

XP – 50 to Estaish

The next day, they see a surprising sight – a dragon in the distance, but it takes no notice. Alzar could tell it was a reddish or brownish color – but that could also mean bronze, ruby, brass, brown or red – or lots of others for that matter – there are a lot of dragons out there.

Using his Alchemy skill and the lab he has, Alzar makes a flask of acid and adds it to the Bag of Holding.

Abe Sargent

05-05-2010, 12:13 AM

Four days later, nothing has crossed their path except a traveling group of monks, and they passed a corpse of a horse, but not their own. Then they spy a large beetle up in the hills. It’s very large, and starts moving towards them. Alzar doesn’t know the various large beetles from each other – except for Oil and Fire Beetles. It has no horns, just a long, thin body with nasty looking pincers.

The horses and wagons are secured as the beetle is moving closer. Without another obvious move, Alzar summons the Searing Serpent right in front of the beetle, but the beetle ignores it. Well, huh.

Alzar orders the serpent to attack. It misses. He moves in front and swings his staff. It misses. This not going to be easy. It slices into Alzar for 8 damage. Those are very sharp pincers. (It’s a Slicer Beetle for those who know and care)

43/51

The next turn, it goes first and tears into Alzar again for 8 more damage.

35/51

Alzar misses, The serpent misses, Aleigha misses and Estaish misses. Weapons are bouncing off this thing, and it appears to have a really tough chitin. A Mist Ball flies in from Dryshik and it makes it save.

Alzar backs up and tries a different tactic. He casts Ray of Ondovir on it. It fails its save. It is forced to attack exactly how it did before. That makes it much easier to hit and dodge. Aleigha pierces it for 7 damage. Estaish hits, barely, for 3. The serpent does not get a + to hit it since it does not know it will be making the same moves. It misses anyway. The Beetle totally misses. (It would have rolled a 19, which would have meant a lost arm or leg on Alzar, but since he cast Ray of Ondovir, he automatically dodged the piercing).

They win init. Alzar rolls a 14. +1 for the staff is 15, +2 for AC if 18, which is still not enough to hit. Aleigha rolls a 14, and +2 for her sword, +3 for AC, and a ThAC0 of 18 is a hit. 4 more damage. Estaish rolls a 12. +2 for sword, +3 for AC is 17, and his THAC0 is 20, so no go. The serpent rolled a 11, a wide miss. The beetle rolls a 9, and with Alzar’s AC of 6, and a THAC0 of 16, and is just a hit for 2d8 damage, Alzar takes 14.

22/51

The beetle wins init and hits again for 9 damage

13/51

Alzar hits for 5 damage. The serpent misses. Aleigha crits it for 6 damage and severely damages it. Everyone else misses. A Mist ball fails.

(If a Slicer Beetle attacks and rolls a 19 or 20, it slices off a leg or arm)

The beetle runs off at a movement way faster than them on the rocks. Alzar throws a dagger at it and misses. He orders his familiar to follow it. It goes into a cavern about 700 yards away. Alzar orders the group to follow it to the cave and leads them there. Megala guards the wagons in case someone comes across them.

They spend 20 minutes picking their way over rock and reach the cave where it lurks. They enter, with a torch tossed in so they can see. The Beetle is alone, and sees them, and backs into a corner, mandibles out. A third Mist Ball hits it, and this time is fails its save and takes some poison damage and it is blinded. They go in as one and stab at it, and two swords hit it for 9 more damage and it falls.

200 XP for all three

Inside the cave, they find some weapons, boots and gloves, and a gauntlet. Alzar casts Detect Magic and a magic boot. Alzar goes up to it and investigates it. He can’t identify it so he takes it back to the wagon for later.

(It’s a left Boot of Elvenkind)

Abe Sargent

05-05-2010, 12:32 AM

Alzar needs some serious fixing. Two days later, Alzar is at 18/51 from Fast Healing, and they hit a large brook. They cross a bridge after checking and spying around and finding nothing.

The next night, Aleigha is on guard when a group of vampire bats fly by, but they do not appear to be interested in them.

The hills are fading and woods are getting close. Alzar believes that they are roughly 3 weeks from their goal, the first city of Fort Amber, where a large city has grown up around the only defensible city in the area, and along the River Storm.

A few days pass with only minor or close encounters. The hills are behind them and they turn south at crossroad the day after staying a night at the inn here.

About three days later, they arrive in the first village since the hills this way, or the last village from the south the other way. There are a cross roads at this quaints,, sleepy little village. The wagons pull into a this town in the woods and make for the inn. They are near a recently made ruin a few miles away. It’s a sleepy little town, but its closeness to the ruin of that temple have made it pretty hopping.

Welcome to Hommlet

Let’s do XP before we begin.

Alzar: 23,334
Estaish: 1745 (Level up at 2k)
Aleigha: 6635 (Level up at 8k)

Abe Sargent

05-05-2010, 12:46 AM

T1 The Village of Hommlet

http://www.deigames.com/t1.jpg

I wanted to get you a map of Hommlet, and in some ways, this may be the most famous and popular small town from AD&D. This module was widely produced and many have it. There was a follow up called The Temple of Elemental Evil that goes back to Hommlet. Then, there is Return to The Temple of Elemental Evil, another very popular module that again goes back to Hommlet. Finally, there is the video game that goes there. I can’t find my map, from the original module. This is a major module, and all three modules have had a lot of success. T1-4 The Temple of Elemental Evil was rated the 4th best module of all time, and Return the 8th. The firs tone is a classic Gary Gygax module with maps for everything and all characters listed including stats for the tailor and stuff, in case you want to turn Hommlet into your base of operations.

I found the map finally. It’s big though. Very big. Get ready:

http://img223.imageshack.us/img223/445/hommlet759yv.jpg

Abe Sargent

05-05-2010, 03:53 PM

In case you are wondering, these are the books I've used thus far:

1st Edition:

Fiend Folio
Monster Manual II

2nd Edition:

Monstrous Manual
The Complete Book of Necromancers
Player's Option: Skills and Powers
PO: Spells and Magic
Player's Handbook
DM's Guide
Mystara Monstrous Manual
Volo's Guide to All Things Magical
Wizard's Spell Compendium Vols 1-4

D&D:

Basic Rules

Plus the modules, obviously

Abe Sargent

05-05-2010, 07:09 PM

Alzar and group are coming in from the north heading south, so the first thing they pass is the temple. Several people around wave hello at the north of the village. Alzar and crew decide to go straight to the Inn of the Welcome Wench, where the roads meet. They ford the brook with no problems.

The innkeeper, Ostler Gundigoot is in, and welcomes us. His stableboy and groom takes the wagons and horses and begins to rub them down. The wagons are locked and Alzar’s familiar and humonculous stay there to watch over them for the night. The animal skeletons are locked up in a wagon, 10 in each, as extra guards. Plus the purple moss is unlocked in Alzar’s lab/library wagon and a nice little trap.

The trio grab a seat for a nice midday meal. A serving wench brings food and Alzar pays for it, and their nicest room that is unrented. The food here is more expensive, because it is the only inn for miles in each direction. The choice meals are boiled crayfish in drawn butter and trout stuffed with specially prepared mixtures or steak and kidney pie with mushrooms. They order their foods and drink.

The serving wench apologizes, because they haven’t prepared their full menu yet, so items like goose and venison are not here. Alzar waves away the apologies when the delicious crayfish arrives. Estaish mentions that he really likes this place and both agree with him. Alzar agrees that they can stay here for two nights instead of one. It is not the first time they took an extra day in an inn or tavern, since they have been few and far between on their road.

They have rented a private suite at 5 gold a night. It comes with complementary breakfast. It comes with an entry room and parlor and sitting room, and then a very spacious bedroom with several beds, and finally a bath room to the rear with a lock, with a bath. The room and bath are heated.

With lunch in their bellies and a room theirs above, they decide to explore the town of Hommlet to see what is here.

Abe Sargent

05-05-2010, 07:23 PM

At first, they decide to swing by the various traders. There are leather workers, blacksmith, traders, a miller, a cheese maker, a weaver, a money changer, a potter, a limner, a wheeler and wainwright, a stonemason, a teamster and a tailor. There is also…a mage in the tower (at 31).

The mage interests Alzar. They start by looking at the traders. This shop sells to locals, merchants, and travelers, so it has a large number of items, from farming implements and seed to small weapons and tools to shoes. They also have some animals for sale - dogs and horses. There’s not much here of interest to Alzar and his group, so they move on. The jeweler and money changer has doesn’t really have a lot on display. He makes jewelry, buys and sells gems, and can change money into other pieces, all at profit, of course.

They walk down and skip the tailor and weaver, and head to the blacksmith. The blacksmith can make typical stuff like horseshoes and nails, and he can do modest weapons like an axe or hammer head. He can’t do swords or armor.

Alzar notices the town symbol in a few places, acorns above a sheaf of grain. He inquires about it, and he is town that many in the town are of the druidical persuasion. Interesting. The church he passed was to Bathala, Goddess of Agriculture, Harvest and Fertility. There must be some adherents in here as well.

Alzar decides to try the mage, and the others keep looking at the leather worker’s place.

The tower is a two storied affair. On top are some men-at-arms guarding. It looks like a watchtower for military use, now grabbed by the mage, Burne, His Most Worshipful Mage of Hommlet. Some mages are so pretentious.

Alzar waves to the men at arms so they won’t think he is a bandit or some such, and climbs a round stepped ramp and curls around the tower. He then knocks on the door. (I roll a die). A fighter in chain and shield answers. He gruffly asks what Alzar wants. He asks if Burne is available. As a mage himself, he would like to talk with a fellow magic user. Rufus tells him to wait and asks Burne, and he says sure.

Alzar is let in and sits waiting in a main room of the watch tower. There are two fireplaces in here, a cooking area, and some seating. After a few minute, Burne arrives. They chat about the art for a while, and then Alzar mentions the classic device of trading spells. After an hour, they agree to a trade of spells. Burne will let Alzar try to learn Dimension Door from one of his spellbooks and Alzar will let Burne learn Teleport. Alzar succeeds and Burne does as well. Technically, Burne made out, because he traded a 4 for a 5, but both are common spells and have lesser values on the trade market as a result.

Burne is not interested in selling or trading magic items, however. Ah well, Alzar bids him adieu, and Burne mentions that he may swing by the Wench tonight.

Abe Sargent

05-05-2010, 07:42 PM

He heads back to the Inn just as the evening is beginning. In the room is Estaish. Aleigha is apparently upstairs napping in their suite. There is a guy who looks very much like a professional soldier. As myrmidon himself, Alzar can always tell a solider from a commoner who knows how to use a weapon. The fighter is sitting by himself looking into the fire. There is also a merchant looking guy currently at the bar, but something seems a bit odd about the guy. A few mercenaries with lodging in the tower are here at a table, laughing about how a year ago, some guy did such and such and oh how that was funny. Coming down the stairs now are a fighter who is totally wearing a sword, and a robed guy, looks like a cleric.

The good wife Gundigoot is welcoming people now. Alzar and Estaish are at a table near the middle of the room and grabbed a chair for Aleigha when she wants to join them. The merchant looking character at the bar sees Alzar seating, and decides to come over. He asks for the seat, and then sits down without an answer. He introduces himself as Spugnoir, a trader and merchant travelling through. After a short introduction and conversation about the weather, Spugnoir asks Alzar if they plan on going there.

Going where?

A lot of strangers decide to visit the ruins of the Temple of Elemental Evil. But it’s not the temple itself, oh no. They had many towers and bases outside the temple. The Temple itself was destroyed and sealed against entrance. But there are others out there. Like the Moathouse. It’s just a mile away from the village and they say it’s becoming lively again, if you know what I mean. Most people who come here looking like you are going out that way.

Look like me?

A fighter still wearing chainmail and a mage? Oh yes.

Alzar turns to Estaish, Why are you still wearing it? “You never know when you need it.”

Alzar turns back to Spugnoir. Spugnoir tells him the story of how Hommlet was a peaceful town with goodly and kind folk, but then the Temple was built about 6 miles to the east and everything changed. For miles and miles around, crops withered, evil grew, and more. Then the Baron of Castle Amber sent an expeditionary force here and fought the evil troops in a battle, razed the temple, and sealed the ruins magically. This was about ten years or so. Then adventurers came here a lot and cleaned out the lingering evil in the area, and they stopped coming about five years ago, but since there, something more has risen at the Moathouse.

How do you know this?

I’ve been here for three days, and learning the local history is easy, they talk about it a lot once they start drinking. Anyway, are you going there?

Alzar looks at Estaish who shrugs his soldiers. Maybe, Alzar replies. Maybe. Spugnoir offers them luck, and offers to sell them some supplies. Alzar tells him no thanks.

Alzar orders more of the crayfish, Estaish grabs mutton and Aleigha joins them for goose. As they do, a few locals join the tavern for company and drink, having already eaten dinner. Burne and Rufus also arrive, and Burne nods at Alzar before heading to the bar.

After a half hour, with full bellies, Burne comes up, introduces himself to Aleigha and Estaish, and then says he heard Alzar will be heading out to the Moathouse tomorrow.

Alzar smiles, Is that what you heard?

That’s what they are saying, so good luck. Burne returns to Rufus.

As the night continues, the trio check on the horses and wagons, and then move to their suite.

(Unbeknowingst, their actions have been reported to the following people – the agents of the Temple, the druid, the priest of Bathala, the local lord thirty miles away in his keep, and the town elder).

Abe Sargent

05-05-2010, 08:15 PM

The night is largely quiet, although someone in shadow does come by to look at the wagons, and then leaves. Nothing more though.

The following day, Alzar agrees to investigate the Moathouse. It’s been a while since they’ve done any adventuring, time to do it again.

They head east and past the tower, where Burne waves them over. They come over and he tells them all good luck, and watch your back. Okay then. The road east hit s path about a third of a mile away from Hommlet, they take it and head up a gentle incline about a half mile until they reach the abandoned moathouse.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_eyAJCfURfCk/SwYJZFoB7KI/AAAAAAAAAVc/vr4asTtfG74/s1600/moathouse_large.jpg

There is a scrub of thorns and thistles on the track, and the recent rains have made this track a muddy. They bog a wagon down twice.

The track continues past the ruins for about 5 or 6 miles until it reached the abandoned and now magically sealed ruins of the Temple. There is no such seal on the Moathouse though.

Abe Sargent

05-05-2010, 08:46 PM

The trail brings them to the moathouse, and in from of the moat, is a pond that leaks water into the moat at times of high rain. The moat around the buildings has become a bog or marsh. Alzar ties the horses and wagons down and they move in. As they get near the pond, 6 giant frogs leap out of the pond and the marsh and attack. The group are surprised.

One frog hits with a crit for 12 damage on Alzar. 39/51. Another swings a tongue at Estaish and tries to wrap him up and draw him in. It misses though.

Next turn, Alzar ,Aleigha and Estiash grab weapons and move to attack the giant frogs. The frogs win init and Three bite Alzar, Aleigha and Alzar for 6, 6, and 5. Estiash is wrapped up and drawn into the mouth of one over 150 pound frog. Alzar orders the 30 animals skeltons, newly arrived to attack the frog that is eating Estaish. Only about 5 can actually attack. One hits for 1 damage. Alzar throws his dagger at the one eating Estaish and misses. Aleigha can’t get there and instead stabs a nearby one for 8 damage and kills it.

Alzar is at 28/51
Aleigha at 15/21

The frogs win init, Another larger one swings its tongue out and misses. The other three bite Alzar for 6 and Aleigha for 2.

22/51
13/21

Alzar sends in Megala to try to stop the one eating Estaish. It misses. Alzar twacks the one in front but it just bounces harmlessly off. Aleigha got away and charges the one in the back and misses it. Five animal skeletons peck it for 2 more damage. Next turn, if that frog gets to attack while still alive, it will swallow Estiash and begin to severely damage him with its stomach acids.

Alzar’s team rolls a 4. The frogs roll a 5. Alzar’s group wins. Alzar cracks the one that has been biting him a lot for 6 damage. It dies. Aleigha misses and drops the Sword of Spartusia from a fumble. Megala misses. That leaves just the animal skeletons who hit once for a critical for 2 damage and hit another time for 1 damage. The frogs attack. Estiash is fully swallowed and takes 5 hp. 4/9. Any attack on the frog may damage Estiash inside. Another frog enwraps Alzar in its tongue and draws him in. He can no longer attack now either. Aleigha is nailed once for 1 damage

12/21
4/9

The next round arrives and the frogs go first. Alzar is drawn in. Estiash takes 3, 1/9. Aleigha is hit for 6 damage

6/21
1/91
22/51

Aleigha misses the frog yet again. She only needs a 9, and has missed a ton. Megala misses (needs a 13). The animal skeletons attack again and two hit for 5 damage. A Mist Ball flies in from Dryshik on the toad and…fails its save. It takes 5 poison damage and dies.

Estiash will take a round t ocut himself out, but no more acid damage.

The frogs go first. Alzar is now swallowed and takes 4 damageAleigha is hit aghain for 1 damage

18/51
5/21

Aleigha attacks the frog eating Alzar and finally hits (rolled a 10) for 7 damage. Megala swings in for a crit and it takes 6 and dies. The animal skeletons surround the other two frogs and attack. One is brought down and the other had taken no damage.

Aleigha stabs the last one for 8 damage and kills it.

That was way too hard. These guys were AC7, four of them had 1 HD and the other had 2 HD, they had 13, 10, 7, 6, 4, and 4 hit points and that’s it. Way too hard.

Dolemite73

05-05-2010, 08:52 PM

Those months away from adventuring made Alzar and his crew rusty. Good stuff though!

Abe Sargent

05-05-2010, 08:57 PM

While the group is busy recuperating, suddenly, two figures fly from the road and attack!!!

These are two people seen at the inn last night, a fighter and cleric looking guy. The hulking fighter is already at them with a sword drawn. Combat is engaged. Alzar’s group goes first and Alzar casts sleep. The cleric looking guy drops. The others miss. Kobart nails Alzar for 10 damage.

8/51

Next turn, Kobart swings first and misses. Alzar swings hard for 6 damage. Aleigha crits him for 18 damage (max on a crit) and drops him.

Whew. That was tough.

Alzar uncaps and quaffs a pot of healing. 16/51. Just as he does that, and Estiash is done killing the monk guy, they are attacked YET AGAIN, this time by a sleep spell. Aleigha and Estaish are dozing. Alzar has his scouts fly around, and they find a mage that looks exactly like Spugnoir from last night at the bar. Dryshik breathes a Mist Ball on him. He fails his save and takes 2 poison damage and is blinded for 5 rounds. Alzar runs over and punches him twice, knocking him out. He is tied up.

Alzar punches him awake and casts ESP. What are you going here? He made his save.

What are you doing here? Spugnoir is a mage, and he needs more spells – he only knows three, so he came here to find scrolls, and when he saw Alzar was a mage, he thought he would follow up and wait until he was weak, and then attack and take his spellbook.

What about the moathouse? Everything he told Alzar was true. He didn’t want to lie in case Alzar had talked to others. There was also a mage rumored to have lived here once, so Spugnoir came to the village to begin with.

Alzar had searched Spugnoir but found nothing magic. He casts Detect Magic to see if anything the three had. Spugnoir said he didn’t know who those two were.

Alzar kills Spugnoir as well. He tears off some of his flesh to feed the purple moss.

Abe Sargent

05-05-2010, 08:57 PM

Those months away from adventuring made Alzar and his crew rusty. Good stuff though!

Thanks!

Abe Sargent

05-05-2010, 09:23 PM

From the corpses they have gained 11 pp, 21 gold, 12 silver, 40 copper. The group is pounded, so Alzar orders a retreat from the moathouse and back to the church.

They arrive and the cleric, Terjon, tends to their wounds. After a donation of 100 gold to the church, Terjon casts several curative spells. Alzar is at 32/51, Estaish fully healed, and Aleigha at 18/21

They decide to head back tomorrow.

XP Gains: 400 each, 440 for Alzar

Estaish - 2145 and level 2. He now has 16 hp.
Aleigha – 7035
Alzar – 23774

This night, the inn is a bit quieter, but a trader that just came into town is gambling in the back, and wants to gamble with Alzar and/or his comrades, but they skip it.

Next morning, refreshed, no nonsense with the wagons overnight.

Abe Sargent

05-05-2010, 09:35 PM

They arrive back at the moathouse, tether the wagons and horses, and head up to the entrance. It is just before mid-morning. The drawbridge is down and weakened. Glad they are not taking horses over it. One of the gates is splinteres and holed and the other is barely handing on one hinge. There are bootprints in the ground.

Here is the map of the Moathouse from the game, only redone with Dundjinni for wargaming or playing with D&D figures to show where the monsters and characters are.

http://educatedgamer.net/gallery/albums/userpics/normal_MOATHOUSE-FINAL.jpg

Here it is in full size. Look at that detail.

The Mad Mapper: Click image to close this window (http://educatedgamer.net/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=75&fullsize=1)

The people move into that large courtyard area just inside the gate. There is rubble throughout and the place looks mostly deserted, but traffic has spread some mud around.

They decide to check the tower to the left of the gate. The upper portion has collapsed. Animal skeletons are ordered in, and nothing happens. Alzar steps in, and a huge wolf spider sees him and leaps down from the ruins of the tower. Alzar is surprised. The spider nails him for 4 damage and a poison save he makes it easily.

28/51

His staff is knocked to the side by the quick spider and Dryshik Mist Balls it for success as it takes no poison damage (it is immune) but it is blinded for 1 round. It lashes out in fury and Alzar easily evades.

It can see again and just misses Alzar (His Ring of Pro kept him from taking that damage). Alzar cracks it for 5 damage, and the others have arrived. Estaish lances his sword into it for 7 damage and Aleigha hit it as well for 5 and kills it.

XP – 90 each

Alzar has Megala fly up and check out the top to see if anything is up there. They see some copper and silver in a web up there, plus an ivory box worth maybe 50 gold that Megala flies back down.

Abe Sargent

05-05-2010, 10:04 PM

They head back to the courtyard and move to the stairs. This will enter the house section of the building. The doors are sundered.

They enter a great hall with destroyed furniture, tattered banners and heaps of rotting cloth into the corners. This was probably a audience chamber once. A quick search reveals nothing. While they are searching, a group of human voice scan be heard coming up behind them, up the stairs. Alzar orders people to move to the sides, and awaits them. They see Alzar standing by himself, and immediately yell for help and attack. No parley, just an attack. Well let’s kill them. Alzar smiles, twirls the staff around his body, and orders Megala, Dryshik, and a horde of 30 animal skeletons towards the three men dressed in leather, two with shields and all with maces. They steel themselves. They go first and two manage to kill animal skeletons, 28 left. Three of them hit the first of these guys for 6 damage total and he dies. Suddenly, the doors to the back tower or room burst open, and more of these, about 9 more. Crossbow bolts fly out and one nails Alzar for 4 damage. Alzar kicks himself for allowing himself to be outflanked – he’s smarter than that.

24/51

Aleigha and Estiash swing from the corners of the room.

The next turn, Alzar goes first and casts sleep on the back group. Only four fall asleep. Megala and the animal skeletons kill another bandit in front. The leader orders the bandits in back to throw, and several heave spears while two more crossbowmen fire. Alzar takes 10 damage from a spear and bolt.

14/51

Alzar just wins init and he tries to throw his throwing dagger at one of the crossbowmen. It hits for 6 damage (the max) and kills an archer. Megala and the skeletons lose another skeleton (27) but kill the bandit in the front – the final one. Aleigha and Estiash have arrived to help. They both attack the one with a voulge, Estiash hits for 10 damage and kills her. With only three left, including the leader, they begin to back up. A crossbow bolt crits Alzar for 10 damage. The leader hacks at Aleigha for nothing, and the final one misses. After getting badly wounded. Alzar orders Dryshik to Mist Ball the leader, which he does. The leader fails the save, takes 5 poison damage and is blinded for 2 rounds.

4/51

Alzar pulls back and orders Megala in. Aleigha slices the other crossbowman for 6 and kills him. Estiash easily trounces the blind leader for 7 damage. The leader swings wildly and clangs his sword against Estaish’s armor but misses.

Aleigha kills the leader after hitting him for 7 damage.

5/51 for Alzar after resting for a bit, searching their items, and making a magic pile for later. They search the room and find a secret door going down.

XP – 100 each

They find, 145 silver, 10 gold ,30 electrum, 10 platinum, a 250 gold gem on the leader, and a chest in the rubble they find when they search. Alzar has the animal skeletons scratch and paw at it, but nothing happens. It’s not locked. It holds 2000 copper pieces, 2 bolts of fine cloth worth 60 each, a crystal flagon and 4 goblets with 80 total, an inlaid wooden box with ivory handle worth 45 and some arrows.

There are fires and bedrolls here. This has been their home for a while. Alzar and crew go south, but Alzar will be staying far in the back, hiding.

Abe Sargent

05-05-2010, 10:25 PM

They pass a stairway up that is now destroyed. They search the rubble and find nothing.

They arrive at a door on the right and open it. Its empty and dirt and wreckage show no evidence of life. They search and find a broadsword wedged into the wall and added to the magic pile. They try the next door down and find a bed chamber. It is a total wreck, with a chopped up bed, and smashed furniture. A search here takes twice as long and still finds nothing. The next door across the hallway is opened and inside was a salon where furnishings were, and tatters that spoke of wealth. They search and scare some bats in the room, but find nothing else. They hear a squeaking and rustling from below as well.

They enter the wide open room at the end of a hall and see a giant 12’ long adder. Attack or leave?

Alzar knows this is a poisonous snake that can cause death in one round (Poison use gives him that info). Instead of risking the people who are alive, he sends it the animal skeletons. They rush in. The snake attacks first and misses. It is hit three times from the 8 that can get t it, for 5 damage. Alzar throws his dagger in for good measure. Miss. The animal skeletons go and crit once and hit twice more for 7 damage. The snake hits a skeleton for 1 damage. It hits again next turn for 2 and kills it – 26 left. Only one hits for 2 damage. Next turn, they hit for 5 damage. The serpent misses. They next turn they hit four times for 6 damage and kill it.

XP 30 each

They search and find a jeweled dagger in its nesting area.

They head back and move to the other section. They go into the open space next to the great hall and find a storeroom, and the stairs down. Inside are a horde of giant rats. Alzar orders his animal skeletons back, casts Blastbones on one, and has it rush in., It explodes and deals 5 damage to them all and kills them. Alzar is down to 25, but animates three to take him to 28.

They go to the hallway and take the first down on the left. This appears to be an empty trophy room except for broken antlers, ruined pelts, and so forth. Search finds nothing.

The next room on that side is totally empty. A search finds nothing. They cross the hall and find the kitchens. There are old and broken work tables and a wooden cask. There is a Giant Tick in here, and Alzar’s minions are dispatched again. It kills one and then dies to the 18 damage it takes from TWO crits and three more hits in 6 attacks. Rar!

XP – 20 each

27 skeletons left

A search finds nothing. They head to the end room. This appears to be the old barracks with ripped and rotted cots and a few chest a here and there. There is a giant lizard dozing up against the south wall. Alzar needs to search the room, because you never know, and that lizard may prevent him from doing anything. Alzar decides to be tricky and open with a Mist ball from Dryshik. It fails that save and takes 3 damage and is blinded for 3 rounds. Alzar orders everybody to charge it and kill it before it recovers. They do without taking any damage back.

XP – 50 each

A search of the room finds some weapons and armor, crossbow bolts, and an intact chest with 33 copper in it.

Abe Sargent

05-05-2010, 10:37 PM

Go down, or go home? The cleric has used all of his curative magic this round, but that mysterious druid may have something to help. They arrive, dismount, and go into the grove and Alzar is asked to donate o the grove in order to make a request of Jaroo. He asks for healing so that he may go back and finish cleansing the moathouse. Jaroo looks at him, and agrees. No more money needed. He casts two cure spells on Alzar, and dismisses him.

Alzar is at 29/51

They return and it is just after 1 in the afternoon. Because they will be going down, Alzar keeps Megala with the wagons and horses.

When in question, Alzar always takes the secret doors down, not the normal ones.

Here are the dungeons in the same map style:

http://educatedgamer.net/gallery/albums/userpics/normal_Moathouse-Dungeons-FINAL.jpg

Abe Sargent

05-05-2010, 10:57 PM

They come down into a small room at the top of the map, with no doors. Suspicious. Alzar orders a search and nothing. He draws and uses the Wand of Secret Door Location and finds one on the right, and one on the left. They open both. One is some steps down and then the corridor continues. And the other opens into a room with a small ogre, pillars, and immediate attention needed. Alzar sees her wield a nasty bardiche, and swing it around expertly. He orders everything and everyone back, casts Skulltrap on a head cut from a bandit upstairs, place sit at the door and runs. The ogre runs after them and right into the trap. It takes15 damage. Alzar throws a dagger while it is reeling. Miss. It enters the secret area and battle ensues. They win first and Aleigha fumbles her sword but Estaish nails the ogre for 9 and kills it.

XP – 50 each

The ogre’s weapons and armor are added to the magic pile. They search the room, and find nothing. There are two doors out., and they take the left one.

This is Lubush’s pantry, and inside at the remains of two humans were killed and began eating by the ogre. Alzar has his skeletons search and they find another pair of humans still alive underneath a pile of clothes. They are severely malnourish and thirsty. Alzar gives them water. They claim to be merchants, and an ESP spell verifies it. He has Dryshik show them out and they follow the Mist Mephit out. A search finds nothing else.

Dryshik returns. They go near the wagons and horses, but Megala scares them away.

Abe Sargent

05-05-2010, 11:44 PM

They go to the other door and inside is a storeroom littered with filth and junk. There is a door on the left side of the room. A quick search turns up nothing.

The next door is opened, and they see some doors to the end, a few pillars, and to the south, some doors along a wall, and in a couple of seconds, zombies start coming out. Alzar looks very pleased. He tries to control some and total success. 4 are now his. A few more keep coming out of the rooms, slowly and surely. Alzar tries to control again and gains 6 more. That’s all of them. Alzar now has 10 zombies. He sends them into the room right next to them that is open.

There are no creatures inside though, but caution is dandy. This is a torture chamber with implements around. A search finds nothing. Alzar orders zombies into the small cells they came out of, nothing. A search there finds a loose stone in one with a 500 gp gem behind it.

Alzar got 100 XP for the zombie stealing too, btw.

They head up and find the stairs. While leading with zombies, two green slimes fall and attack the zombies. Alzar asks everyone to back up, drops oil from an oil flask on each, and then lights them on fire with a torch. They are both killed in two turns.The zombies have been largely disintegrated and are dead.

XP = 100 for Alzar
8 zombies left.

Alzar has the zombies try the doors at the end, but both of are locked. Perfect! They have nice neat new locks too. Alzar reaches into his bag of holding and grabs that acid flask he prepared. He uses half for each lock, and they dissolve. Each is an armory with weapons, shields, arrows, and such. All added to a giant magic pile.

They serach these rooms and come up with nothing else. While searching,3 gnolls come down the stairs, and Alzar orders the zombies to attack. They see 8 zombies and they turn back up and disappear. Megala didn’t see them come in, so they must have another entrance up top to the Moathouse. He orders Megala to fly up, and sees them run into the rocks at the northeast and across the marsh and out.

This section is cleared out, so they head back to the secret door and try the stairs.

As they go down, a zombie is killed in a pit trap with spikes.

7 left

Alzar grabs some boards from the moathouse drawbridge and places it over the pit and the zombies can walk across. This took twenty minute and nobody saw or heard anything in that time.

Abe Sargent

05-06-2010, 12:02 AM

They arrive at a split in the corridor. East or south west? South west. (roll randomly). They head southish. They arrive at a large room with nothing in it, three doors at the far end, and a hallway to the right. They go right. In here are 9 gnolls. They grab their weapons, and Alzar and party grabs theirs. In seconds, zombies clash with gnolls. Alzar casts sleep and three fall asleep leaving 6. Estiash and Aleigha are behind the zombies and can’t get in. The gnolls kill a zombie for 11 damage. The 6 zombies hit twice for 12 damage and kill a gnoll. The next turn, the gnolls go first and dice one zombies for 9 and kill it, and hit a second for 2. Alzar throws his dagger and crits one for 6 damage. The zombies swing and One crits a gnoll for 10 damage and kills it. Two others kill another gnoll, just leaving three up. They cannot retreat, and get init the next turn. They dice two more zombie,s the injured one and another. They three zombie skill a gnoll, and Alzar’s staff beans one for 7 damage and kills it. Aleigha pierces another for 7 and kills it too. All dead after sleepers die.

Alzar searches and finds 100 silver, a 10 gold gem, 11 gold among the group. They head back.

3 zombies left.

Alzar orders the zombies to try the doors. One is nothing, another is a false door with wall that slides down and kills the zombie (2 lefT) and the last one enters into a hall that quickly goes south or south east.

South it is. The pathway veers off again, south or west. South seems to end in a few feet, so south. They hit a room with a natural pool of water, and this must be the water source for the Moathouse. It looks like spring from underground. They edge to it, and see a giant crayfish in the pool. There is also a glint of metal at the bottom. The Giant Crayfish gets close to the top, and they attack each other by mutual decision. Alzar sworps it for 8 damage and it reels. Aleigha drops her sword into the pool. Estiash cracks it for 3 damage. The crayfish snaps at Alzar and hits once for 8 damage

20/51

Estaish hits it for 4 and Alzar’s staff rebounds off its shell. Aleigha stabs it with a backup dagger for 2 damage. It snaps at Aleigha who just hit it for 4 damage

14/21

It wins init and cracks Aleigha once more for 7

7/21

Alzar misses, Estaish slices it for 10 damage and finally kills the thing.

XP -100 each

Alzar is now at 21/51

He jumps into the water. The Necklace of Adaptation creatres a bubble of fresh air around you that no gas can penetrate, and that allows you to breathe underwater. The Ring of Free Action give shim full movement.

He grabs Aleigha’s sword, and finds:

Platinum Pin with giant ruby in it – 2000 gold
19 gold, 30 silver, 17 copper
A bone tube.

Alzar opens the bone tube after emerging and drying off. and it was water tight and has magical writing on it. Stored for later. A search above found nothing.

Abe Sargent

05-06-2010, 12:41 AM

They continue west, led by two zombies. The corridor goes for a bit and Alzar orders a search but nothing.

They continue and it ipoens into a delicious burial crypts, with four ghouls surprised and looking up. Alzar tries to gain some more undead. He easily succeeds and they join his squad.

XP – 150 for Alzar.

There are crypts to the left. Alzar searches the are here, but there were not a lot of years for this place to have a lot of buried dead, so they find nothing. With zombies and then ghouls in front, they head to the left and enter a natural area. The first grotto opens up and there are bones and skulls here. Alzar grabs some extra skull trap skulls, and they search, turning up vials of water (7), 800 silver, a potion and a scroll. They try to continue, but the ghouls point out there is nothing in these caves for miles and miles, so Alzar pulls everybody back. They retrace their steps and head right at the split off. They arrive at a door that a zombies opens. There is a passage here with a nice breeze, and a door ot the left. Alzar orders the door opened b a zombie. Inside are many humans. One is right by the door, and the undead instinctively attack. The guard yells for help, draws a morningstar and swings and misses. The zombies miss. Alzar orders zombies in front, ghouls to flank and be behind, and people behind them. There are two more guards rushing towards them. The hallway is just 10 feet wide and only four of them can fight at a time, but six in the hallway can attack anyone in the door, because they can go to the sides.

The ghouls completely kill the guardsman in this round. Alzar orders the undead to hold the line in case more come in. Two more arrive at the door form the hallway and several more are entering the hallway.

The two at the door go first and totally miss (a 2 and a 5). The zombies miss (a 2 and a3). The ghouls on just tear into both and one is dead and another paralyzed. An officer orders every to move, and aims a crossbow. The bolt misses a zombie. He then orders down four guardmen at a time in orderly fashion. Smart. Alzar waits until they have gotten close, and then casts Searing Serpent right in front of the officer.

The four guardsman win init and swing. A zombie falls from a Morningstar. A bolt thunks into the other one for 1 damage. The last zombie hits a random guard for 1 damage as well. One ghoul misses, another is too bothered with the parpalyzed guy and kills him. A thinrd crits and kills a guard. The fourth also cdcrits and kills a guard.

5 dead, one wounded, and one injured At the end of the turn, Alzar’s serpent attacks and misses.

In a second, eight more guards in rows of 4x2 arrive, and begin marching down the corridor. The ghouls go first and kill the two guards there, and the crossbowman officer ignores the serpent and fires a bolt a the zombie, hits it for 8 damage and kills it. No more zombies. The serpent misses.

At the end of this round, two more crossbowman arrive. Alzar casts charm person on a crossbowman. Success. Alzar tells him to try and get his buddies to stop firing arrows at him.

He starts to talk to the other officers.

The next turn, the guardsmen have arrived, and another set of four enter the hallway. Alzar’s group just gets the init (1 to 2) and the ghouls attack. Two guards die. The remaining two guards hit a ghoul for 6 damage and fumble her Morningstar. The serpent attacks and does 1 damage to a crossbowman not charmed. One bolt is fired at a ghoul and hits for 1 damage. The other one does not fire for interference into the charmed one.

At the beginning of the next round, a person unseen pours beer all over the searing serpent and put sit out. A cleric looking guy enters the hallway. The guards at the hallway now attack. Three miss but one hits and kills the injured ghoul. Another crossbow bolt flies down and misses. The three ghouls left Kill one guard. Another one moves up. The cleric casts Hold Person at Alzar, failure. Alzar draws his Wand of Paralyzation and fires it at the whole hallway. Cleric makes it, two crossbowmen fail and that includes the charmed one, One guard in the front line makes it, the others fail. All in the second rank make it, and both in the final one fail.

The next round, they go first. A big burly warrior enters the hallway and moves in front of the cleric. The cleric tries to wrest control of the ghouls from Alzar. Success. The crossbowman fire and totally misse,s and the one guard in front who can attack misses. Alzar orders Aleigha and Estiash in and tries to control the ghouls again. Success. Dryshik is ordered to Mist Ball the cleric and he makes his save. Animal skeletons move into the gap from the extra Ghoul and kill a paralyzed guard.

On th next turn, Alzar and group win init. He orders the ghouls to kill those in front and they kill three guards. Aleigha and Estiash kill two in the next row. Alzar throws a throwing dagger at the cleric and hits for 4 damage. The others counter attack. A crossbowman hits Alzar for 3 damage.

17/51

Two guards swing at Estaish and one hits for 6 damage. 10/16. The cleric tries to wrest control and success. This time the cleric’s team wins init and the ghouls attack. Alzar is hit for 9 damage and is immune to the paralysis. A bolt misses. The cleric casts Hold Person on Estiash and it succeed and he is held. Aleigha kills a guard for 8 damage. The fighters moves up. Alzar gains control again. Animal skeletosn peck and kill two paralyzed guards.

8/51

All that is left is the fighter, and three crossbowman and the cleric. The crossbowman are de-paralyzed this round. One is still charmed.

Alzar grins as they win init and the ghouls attack the fighter. He is only bitten once for 4 damage,but fail his paralysis save. Aleigha crits him and doles out 10. Crossbow bolt into the frozen Estaish for 5 damage Aniaml skeletons peck away for 1 damage. The cleric wrests control.. Alzar wins init. He wrests control back. Aleigha moves in and attacks a crossbowman but misses. Animal skeletons peck at the warrior for 3 damage. Dryshik breathes another Mist Ball at the cleric and he misses his save, takes 4 poison damage and is blinded for 2 rounds.

5/16

The crossbowman drops his crossbow and grabs a battle axe and tears 2 damage out of Aleigha/.

13/21

They win init. The cleric tries a random attack with a war hammer. He misses. A axeman misses. The other one final wrestles the charmed guy to the ground and ties him up to get him out of the way.

Aleigha crits the axeman for 10 damage. Animal skeletons finish off the warrior and Alzar orders the ghouls in to attack the cleric, the they hit five times for 12 damage. No paralysis though.

The ynext round, they go first. The cleric swings an dhits Aleigha for 4 damage. The two axemen hit once for 4 damage.

5/21

Aleigha’s sword misses and scrapes the side of the tunnel. Alzar’s ghouls finish the cleric and the wounded axeman. Dryshik breathes his final Mist Ball on the last one and failed save, 2 damage of poison and blind. Next turn he is finished off.

Dead: 1 5th level cleric, 1 4th level fighter, 3 3rd level fighter, 15 1st level fighters.

XP – 450 each

Abe Sargent

05-06-2010, 01:24 AM

All of the weapons and items are brought into the magic pile. They check out the rooms back here and find chambers and bedrooms. Everything is pulled out.

They find (total for everything):

39 pp
90 gp
1275 sp
30 ep
Gold neckchain worth 50 goldx3
100 gp gems x29
10 gold gem
Gold Medallion with Topaz – 1000 gold
1000 g p gem
Silver Serving Set worth 4000 gp
Alabaster box worth 800
String of matched fire opals 15000k
ivory box worth maybe 50 gold
2050 copper pieces
250 gold gem
500 gp gem
2 bolts of fine cloth worth 60 each
a crystal flagon and 4 goblets with 80 total
an inlaid wooden box with ivory handle worth 45
Jeweled Dagger – 850 gold
Platinum Pin with giant ruby in it – 2000 gold

With the place cleaned out, a quick check finds everything else emptied. Some bugbears in the north chamber ran away and nothing was there. Various searches found nothing more.

Used one charge of each wand.

Magic Pile: 4 +1 arrows. Scroll of Push, Stinking Cloud, and Fly, potion of Undead Control, and scroll of protection from undead. Staff of Striking, Phylactery of Action, +1 plate armor

10 giant rat carcasses.

XP Gained:

Alzar: 1364
Estiash and Aleigha: 890

Total – Estiash 3035, Alzar 25138, Aleigha 7925 –that close to level 4

Abe Sargent

05-06-2010, 07:44 AM

The group heads back to heal and regroup at the Inn of the Welcome Wench. Alzar keeps his three ghouls under his control and the additional 6 ghouls he gets when the people they killed rise from the dead that night. He may need them later before moving on, you never know.

Five days later, they prepare to leave Hommlet after healing and rest, and identification of items. Alzar gave all of the coins to Aleigha and Estiash to split and took the jewllry, gems, objet d’arts, and magic items.

It is the final night in the village, when Megala notices someone near the wagons. Alzar is immediately awake and seeing through its eyes. There is an individual there, lurking in the shadows, and observing. Alzar orders Megala to stay put, and pulls out his Crystal Ball.

Alzar grabs his stuff, weapons, Bag of Holding, and everything else. The downstairs door is opened by the stranger who sneaks in and disappears. Alzar activates the Crystal Ball before he does, and it automatically follows him. He cannot be seen, having melted away, but after a pause, the person is sneaking in through the darkness. Alzar’s two followers are asleep in the bedroom, so he shuts the door ot the antechamber and casts Skulltrap just inside the door to his anteroom. He then prepares a Blastbones to trigger if the Skulltrap triggers.

The figure is at the top of the stairs, and Alzar backs up, sits down, places the crystal ball on the floor out of the way, and pretends to have fallen asleep. Secretly, he orders Dryshik out of the window and then down into the now opened door and into the common room downstairs. Alzar’s suite is the first door up the stairs after about ten feet, with a locked door.

In just a second, the door to Alzar’s chamber opens, completely silently. The stranger managed to pick the lock and open it very quickly, and did it all without a sound., Alzar is impressed. Just soon as the door is opened enough, it touches the skull. It explodes, and triggers the Blastbones.

The Skulltrap does 15 and the Blastbones add 6. The assassin makes her save and takes 14.

Level 10 Assassin – 41, Dex 17, AC3, Wearing noise proof cat suit, poisoned daggers in each hand, Cloak of Displacement, save vs death. Dryshik silently casts Wall of Fog on the stairs behind the burglar, and Alzar opens his eyes. He throws his readied dagger at her. She jumps in. The dagger sails wide. She stabs Alzar twice, dealing just 3 damage but Alzar has to make two poison saves. He makes the first one, but would have failed without the Periapt. He fails the second one. In three rounds, he will die. He cannot attack and his muscles are contracting painfully.

Dryshik has flown back up and Mist Balls the assassin. She fails her save and takes 4 poison damage and is blinded. Megala is flying into their room and trying to awaken the others. Alzar uses his knowledge of Poison to identify the poison from the look, and feel and how it is acting – it’s scorpion venom – a common poison to acquire or make. It takes a bit to work, however. There are much deadlier ones.

Alzar knows that there is a chance to save himself. Dryshik flies in under Alzar’s suggestion and grabs the Extra Healing potion from his belt. He undoes the stopper and pours it in Alzar’s convulsing mouth and after a round, the pain has stopped. The potion does not heal Alzar, since it was used exclusively to kill the poison. The assassin has bounded up and trying to leave the inn. Several voices can be heard from upstairs as people are being woken up.

Estiash is the first one out and he sees the assassin flee, Alzar’s condition, and leans down to make sure Alzar is all right. Megala is ordered to fly back out and sees the Assassin flee the inn, and hut and lock the door behind her in about 15 seconds. Alzar orders Dryshik to also give chase. He waves Aleigha and Estiash on and gets up himself. He grabs his Crystal ball to spy on her again, and gives orders through Megala and Dryshik;’s connection. The mephit is just a round behind.

The assassin is moving into a plains area, and will soon spot Megala who will be able to hid in the trees. Alzar orders Megala in to attack and distract her until Dryshik can catch up and Mist Ball again and then perhaps everyone else can catch up. Megala swoops down and misses her. She sees Megala and throws a dagger at him. He takes 2 damage (no more poison). Megala is ordered in again, as Alzar sees her grab for a potion from her belt as well. Megala wins init and gets there first. He actually hits her (rolled a 17) and deals 1 damage. She…makes her save and is not put asleep. Dryshik is there (he flies) and Mist Balls her. She makes her save again. The potion puts her invisible. Dryshik and Megala can no longer see her, but the Crystal Ball follows her, even though it cannot reveal her. Using his knowledge of where she is and is going, he has Megala go and show Aleigha and Estiash where the Assassin is by pointing, while Dryshik stalks her. She slides over into some bush and scrub. In a moment, Estaish and Aleigha begin to be seen. Will she hide or will she ambush. Dryshik is ordered to Mist Ball the specific space the Crystal ball is pointing. There is a chance it will miss, so I roll. 13. I consider that to be enough of a hit, since no AC bonus applies due to armor or the cloak or invis. She fails her save and takes 5 poison damage and is blinded for 3 rounds. Dryshik and Megala fly in to where she is and start attacking. Aleigha and Estiash follow. Both of the flyer smiss.

The next round, Dryshik is ordered up and becomes the lookout. Megala misses. Estiash hits her for 9 damage and Aleigha nails her for 4. She runs, but she is easily followed by her noise and the Crystal Ball.

Megala misses. Estaish hits her on the run for 7 and she dies.

On her body is nothing but the knives, a vial of scorpion poison half used, and nothing magical but the cloak.

Alzar is able to identify it as a Cloak of Displacement right away. A Detect Magic spell shows nothing else.

Lost an Extra Healing pot.

XP – 600 each
660 for Alzar

Total – Estiash 3635, Alzar 25798, Aleigha 8525

Aleigha gains 7 hp and is now at 28, level 4.

Abe Sargent

05-06-2010, 09:40 AM

Alzar switches to the Cloak of Displacement from the Ring of Protection +1. This will give him +2 to saves and AC, and drop his AC to 5. Also, the first melee or missile attack from someone will miss.

The morning dawns, and they wait another day in Hommlet, and will leave tomorrow. Burne heard about the assassination attempt, and says that the Temple doesn’t like those who interfere. Normally, the path south would be a good plan to get straight to Fort Amber, but perhaps in this case, Alzar should go down a few miles, and then take a less used westerly track to Ghiarathor, and then turn south from the village and skirt around the main round. It sounds like good advice. Burne also says, Besides, Ghiarathor is an interesting town, you may like it.

And with that, they decide to do that. They leave Hommlet bound for Fort Amber, and publicly state their destination along the main road, but then quickly veer off west for about 12 miles until they reach Ghiarathor.

Abe Sargent

05-06-2010, 09:41 AM

A Hero’s Tale – At the Races

http://home.flash.net/~brenfrow/dd1/hero.jpg

Abe Sargent

05-06-2010, 09:48 PM

They pull into Ghiarathor and find that this really is a one of a kind town. At the end of a road that only goes to it from the south and east, this quiet town of a couple hundred has no tavern, no inn, no business at all. There ar e just several long wooden lodges in the town that everyone lives in. They are riding and caring for Giant Stag Beetles, which they call Ki’o.

Apparently, Ki’o are the only trade here. They raise them from larvae, use them as steeds, kill them for meat, carve and cut their chitin into tools and furniture, and there is a fungus that grows on them that is cultivated and eaten. The Ki’o are domesticated and largely docile.

That is interesting to see. However, there are other wagons and such here, because the monthly Ki’o races will be held tomorrow. As part of a religious festival, the people of the town race their Ki’o. The winners of the various races are venerated for the month until the next festival. There are some who have heard about the races and come to watch.

http://www.dotd.com/mm/beetle.gif

There are also those who come to place bets and gamble on the winner of the Ki’o races. There are special foods made for this celebration of the Ki’o. Ki’o stew, dumplings, and pudding are samples. There are arrows in a quiver that Alzar sees, and a Chitin helmet nearby. The food is free as the people here have no economy.

Abe Sargent

05-06-2010, 10:11 PM

The place the ki’o race is about a half mile or so west of the town. It has a long, circuitous rout, around trees and rocks, and then back to the beginning. It can all be seen from the tops of trees in the center, where people go to see the races.

Over the last few years, Ruce and Rhet, two Flanson brothers, have been running the gambling operation here for a few years. The max bet is 50 gold, but most bet in the silvers or coppers. They determine odds based on past performance of the Ki’o and its rider. Ki’o are not owed by the people here and are all communal property, so various people could ride different Ki’o throughout the year.

Alzar decides to stay the night here and enjoy the races tomorrow. They stay in the wagons, eat the food of Ghiarathor and welcome the morning. More people have arrived in the night, and the place is starting to get a bit packed. As they eat, and then make their way to the races, the Flanson brothers are getting a lot of action and bets, and they look nervous. One of them sees Aleigha and Estiash in their armor and approaches. They’ve had a lot more people bet, and in some high numbers and max bets, and are a bit nervous, so they want to hire a couple of guards for 20 gold each, just to watch over things, make sure things go smoothly and to keep an eye on thieves. They agree and move to the table to help out.

Alzar takes a place in the bleachers and orders Megala and Dryshik to fly in close so he can see the action much closer.

There are seven races today. Many of the people getting ready to watch the races are normal looking people, but five well armed and armored people are in the front, not sitting, and watching excitedly

Abe Sargent

05-06-2010, 10:21 PM

A few more join, and the bets are placed. It is a few minutes until the first race. There are six racers each time. And then, the first race is off. At first, a few Ki’o are in front, but quickly, the dark horse of the race, the third one in, pulls out and dominates the others. It had the longest odds of winning, and few one, but one of the soldiers heads over to collect winnings and gets a lot of gold at the winning table. The odds were ten to one, so he made out.

A few minutes pass and the second race begins. The riders are racing their beetles around the course, dodging rocks here and crawling under a fallen tree there. The favorite and the dark horse are challenging for the lead for the first half, but the dark horse pulls out in front for the second and wins easily. The odds were 8-1. Again, few people collect, but the same warrior walks over, and collects a pile of money.

A few minutes later the next race begins. Within seconds, the dark horse candidate pulls way out in front. People are talking about how this particular beetle has been racing for a year, and never gotten better than 5th, but now, at 12-1, it is just trouncing the others. It easily wins the third race . And once again, the warrior who has won twice already starts moving back over.

Abe Sargent

05-06-2010, 11:00 PM

Well, this is just highly unlikely, so Alzar gets closer, and hides the somatic and material components of an ESP spell behind a viewer and his robe and cloak. He begins to check the mind of Vajj.

Vajj fails his save. He is thinking about how his plan to rig all of the races today will make him stinking rich. The next race, the beetle on the inside is supposed to win. He tells himself to play it cool. Alzar is walking to him. Dryshik and Megala have arrived, and Alzar points for Estiash and Aleigha to back his play.

He makes his next save, that round Vajj collects his winnings and starts to move back. He fails it the next turn, and Alzar can hear that Vajj has threatened the others with his surface thoughts. He taps Vajj on the shoulder with his staff and the man turns around and looks surprised and a bit upset. Easily angered, Alzar thinks.

“Excuse me, but since you have cheated and rigged these races, I would appreciate it if you would return your money to the Flansons.” Alzar smiles. He is also speaking quite loudly for everyone to hear. Vajj leans down and says “No one accuses me of cheating!”

“Oh, I’m not accusing you, I’m telling you.” Alzar can read Vajj’s mind during this final round (failed his save), ”I know you threatened all of these townsfolk, and that you told the one on the last beetle that you’d kill his mother, and the one on the middle one on the left that you’d kill the entire town, and that you would posion and kill all of the Ki’o. I know how you threatened each of them. I also know that you have three daggers hidden in your sleeve that you are thinking about killing me with, and trying to come up with a way of getting out of this. I’d recommend surrendering and turning over your gold, before this crowd gets a little too upset.”

Several shouts agree with Alzar. Of course, they come from Estiash and Aleigha. Vajj opens and clenches his fists a few times, and then moves to the table, and places the money that he won. He motions to his fighters to leave, and turns around to threaten Alzar. The next race begins and Alzar has Estiash and Aleigha go back to guarding. The Flansons want to award him, but he brushes them off and follows Vajj.

Abe Sargent

05-06-2010, 11:31 PM

You see, Vajj shouldn’t have threatened him. They should have just left. Alzar orders Megala to follow and finds a perch. A few minutes later, they have found a place about a quarter of a mile away from the races and are talking about how to kill Alzar. He smiles at their stupidity. He can overhear their entire plan. He decides to end this now.

He activates Fly on his belt and flies into the air, high above the five fighters. He is directly above them, and there is no wind. He orders Dryshik to close and get ready to Mist Ball the leader if its needed. While they sit, close together, and talk about a conspiracy to kill him, Alzar pulls out a human skull, casts Skulltrap, and literally drops it on them.

It deals 21 damage, but Vajj and two fighters make the save, and take just 11. The other two took the full 21. The Mist Ball flies in on Vajj. He rolls a 1 and misses his save, and takes 3 damage and is blinded for 2 rounds.

Alzar flies down, and laughs as they have no missile weapons to fire at him. Stupid. He casts sleep as they try and run. One falls asleep. Megala claws the blinded Vajj and misses. The next turn, Alzar casts another sleep and another falls. Megala claws Vajj in the face for a crit for 2 damage and he fails is save and drops asleep. Dryshik Mist Balls one of the two fleeing. He makes the save. Alzar gets ahead of them with fly, and casts Searing Serpent while they close towards him.

They draw swords as the fiery serpent draws near They swing and of course miss. One is burnt for 3 damage. It is enough to kill him after the full damage from the Skulltrap. The other one drops her weapon in surrender Alzar accepts. The others are all killed, Alzar finds no magic with Detect Magic and turns her over to the Flansons.

Alzar gains 800 XP, 880 after the 10% bonus.

The dark horse won in every race except the last one, where a local named Maeris one. He was a 3-1 winner and managed an upset but most people thought it was the only real race, as there was real competition the entire way. That was not what was supposed to happen according to Vajj, but Alzar doesn’t mind someone standing up for himself.

Alzar gives the 320 gold from the corpses to Aleigha and Estiash. He keeps 3 100 gp gems

26678 for Alzar.

Used one charge on Belt of Flying

The town is upset at the deaths, but when explained that they had threatened the lives of the entire town and rigged one of their holy festivals, they accept the deaths

Abe Sargent

05-07-2010, 10:54 AM

A Hero’s Tale – Web of Death

http://home.flash.net/~brenfrow/dd1/hero.jpg

Abe Sargent

05-07-2010, 06:54 PM

They stay the night with more free food and such, and then the festivities end and they leave the following morning on the south trail to eventually get to Fort Amber. They head south, and after around 20 miles or so, the trail starts to wind up the hills and mountains. The goings are getting a little harder. It forks twice, and Alzar was not informed of any branches, and both times, it does not go due south. Scouts by Megala and Dryshik are unhelpful.

He is not sure if they are on the right path when they comes to a gorge, with a stone path over it. The wagons won’t go over though. It is the right path or not? Alzar always chose the path closest to the south. They could go back and then return if another is not the right way. Of course, even if this is the right way, they can’t take the wagons over, but perhaps Alzar can see another way. Dryshik and Megala are sent up and scout ahead, and it looks even darker and rougher there than here.

Alzar orders everyone to stay here with the horses and wagons and moves forward, he has crossed natural bridge mostly before a trap is sprung. A giant web-net hidden with the natural bridge itself strikes and Alzar is lifted into the air as the net springs around him. The web-net grabs Alzar and throws him into a webbed area where all of the bridges and areas look like one giant web-maze.

Abe Sargent

05-07-2010, 07:34 PM

Alzar looks around, and then makes an INT check. He lights two torches and then yells loudly. “I know something out there can hear me. I will drop this torch if you don’t come and talk to me!”

Alzar waits about twenty seconds, hears and sees nothing and gets ready to fling one of the lit torch on the ground when an Ettercap leaps up onto the web-bridge Alzar is currently on. It’s speech is Typic, but guttural. “We are above agorge, and the webs would burn you even if you could survive the fall. “

http://beholderclub.files.wordpress.com/2008/08/ettercap.jpg

How do you talk as an Ettercap? I was turned into one by a Transmuter I offended somehow. I built this maze and gathered giant spiders to complete in it for food, and have trained them to be smarter and more cunning. They will find and kill you.

“No, we will not be playing your game today. This is a belt of flying, which will enable me to not take the falling damage, and these are gloves of fire resistance, which will save me from any damage this fire may do. So, you will escort me out, then leave after giving me the info to get back on the right path south.”

The Ettercap clicks, and then says, “No. I do not believe your bluff.”

Alzar smiles. “I never bluff”

Abe Sargent

05-07-2010, 07:46 PM

He flings one torch to each side and the highly flammable web ignites quickly. Megala and Dryshik have been up with the other group and pushing them from the edge. Alzar casts Searing Serpent in front of the Ettercap and adds another source of fire.

The Ettercap has screamed and clicks at the same time and other spiders and Ettercaps are moving about. Alzar sees some move quickly. In just three rounds, half of the web is on fire, and of course, Alzar is immune to the fire. The spiders are not, and many are being crisped and attacked by the fire. Their home and maze and trap is completely going up.

The brides and walkways are beginning to collapse, and the Natural bridge above is actually hardened webbing and the flames are licking it too. Flaming webbing is falling into the gulley, and its stream, below. The walkway below Alzar loosens, and he activates the belt.

It falls, and spiders and ettercaps are dying, but a couple are fleeing up the gully side, and Alzar cannot have that. He flies up to a giant spider, and casts Skulltrap and kills it. Blastbones damage another one even more than the smoke did, and Alzar flies up and twacks it for 6 damage and kills it.

Then Alzar hears a tremendous screech and looks. There is a gargantuan spider much much larger than a Giant one. He’s never seen one that big. The fire has caused it to fall and its bulk is unable to stop the tremendous crash from it hitting the ground and dying.

The Ettercap that was once human is no where to be seen. Did it die? Did it survive? Alzar can’t tell, but there’s no more movement anywhere, and the web is destroyed or still burning on the ground. A few trees in the gully have caught on fire, but it won’t spread. Alzar has Dryshik and Megala and himself fly around and search for spider-y life or treasure that might have been on there. Alzar spies a metallic glint and swings down. It’s a silver rod. Alzar grabs it. He can tell is a Rod of Terror. Identify will be used later for the number of charges (8).

They fly back up, rejoin the group, and continue back and eventually find the right path to get out of this area.

Abe Sargent

05-07-2010, 08:09 PM

Charge used in belt.

Now, how much XP to award to Alzar? Here are the XP combined from all of the creatures in the area. 6950. Should he get XP from them all? For just throwing some torches? So, we’re giving him full XP for the Skull trap and the one he twacked, and then rounding it up to a reasonable number.

2000 +200 for bonus.

2200

Alzar is now at 28878

Four days later, Alzar and company have arrived at a town called Hochoch. It’s about 1000 strong, and they stay at a local inn. About two days south of here, the road veers back to the right path at Fort Amber, and then is about a week away.

One day west of Hochoch is the town of Orlane, a farming community of around 300, but recently the travels from Orlane have been attacked or refused service. It’s pretty weird there right now. Alzar can choose to go south, and try to make it to Fort Amber within 10 days, or go west and check out Orlane.

Why not go ahead and see what’s up?

Abe Sargent

05-07-2010, 08:15 PM

N1. Against the Cult of the Reptile God

http://cdn3.ioffer.com/img/item/140/323/417/diqe.jpg

This is easily Douglas Niles’s best module for the game. I’m sort of torn between Douglas Niles. He does great stuff like this and Skills and Options, and then he is an awful writer for the Darkwalker trilogy, and such. His other modules are just okay. This one was ranked 19 in the Top 30 article by dungeon about 6 or 7 years ago. I was considering not doing it, since it is for starters, but I will be increasing the numbers of bad guys and removing a key ally for the second half of the module. The final battle against the evil one is helped by an ally with Dispel Magic and a Globe of Invulnerability, etc. We won’t have that ally. I think it will be fine, then.

Abe Sargent

05-07-2010, 08:39 PM

They make for Orlane and arrive after dark, and see no one on their way past houses. That’s not too unusual in a farming town, though, where people go to bed early and wake up early. They pass a few buildings, and then see an inn at a crossroads where the north path passes a bridge and this road continues on into the heart of the town. They dismount and arrive at the Golden Grain Inn.

It is a large wooden inn decorated with wooden golden sheaves, peeling whitewashed paint, and a corral and stable off the side – empty. They lead the wagons and horses in.

Here is Orlane:

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj288/Tripwireduel/ORLANE.jpg

Abe Sargent

05-07-2010, 10:08 PM

They enter the inn and there are around 6 customers, who all appear to be locals. The place is subdued and they are all sitting by themselves except for a couple eating together. The proprietor moves to them and greets them warmly, and introduces himself as Bertram Beswill. He gets them food and tables. The prices are a bit steep, and they order dinner and drink. Bertram welcomes them to Orlane and asks their business. Alzar tells them they are traveling, and want to take a few days off the road. The innkeeper tells them that there are not many travelers these days, and offers them rooms at a discount. Why is that? Well, I’d best not say to strangers, so I keep my mouth shut and my inn clean, Betram replies. Alzar agrees to a room. Betram orders someone to take care of their horses and wagons, and then gets them a room. (Bertram successfully makes an INT roll of his own)

Alzar heads out to lock the doors and surreptiously has Dryshik and Megala take up posts to observe for him. They go check on the room, and it is a nice one for just 2 gold a night a pretty good deal for a nice room like this, but it’s no suite like they had at Hommlet. It’s longer, has a fireplace, a table with three chairs, cabinet, and just one bed, but big though. Alzar decides to call it a night since they got in late, and many have gone to bed in the town already. Beswill points out there is just one bed for all three of them, and offers to put Aleigha up in an empty room by herself (or vice versa) for just one gold more, since they have the empty beds and strangers are rare these days. Aleigha wants to, and Alzar agrees and Aleigha will stay in the very next room.

Four hours later, while Alzar, Aleigha and Estiash are sleeping, Derek Densleigh, a thief in another room uses a secret passage to sneak down towards their room, and moves to open a secret door in the back of Aleigha’s room. Bertram’s INT roll alerted him to Alzar’s quick question about the town, and led him to suspect that Alzar was planning to investigate. Therefore, Derek is moving to handle the situation. He is moving towards her.

Will he succeed in his Move Quietly check? Easily. A cleric casts silence on a stone, and then moves into the hallways and creeps along with five other people to the door of Aleigha’s room, and then they open it. Derek guards the back secret door, and the cleric and her group enter the front door and close it behind them and lock it.

Does Aleigha sense anything? It’s very dark, Derek made his move silently roll, and there is a silence spell going on. Unlikely, but let’s roll. 35 on a 100, not close. The first person attacks with a blackjack to Aleigha’s head. It automatically hits. She takes 2 damage and is knocked out in one blow (blackjacks have that chance). They grab her things, and take her out by the secret door, and away. Nothing of hers remains in the room.

Tellistto

05-07-2010, 10:37 PM

Quite the nasty setup they have going there.

Abe Sargent

05-07-2010, 10:41 PM

Alzar and Estiash greet the morning like any morning. They begin to get ready, and then after largely doing so, Alzar leaves and knocks on Aleigha;s door, and hears nothing. He knocks once more and leaves, thinking she may have gone down for breakfast. When the innkeeper’s son says that he hasn’t seen her that morning, Alzar goes back up, knocks a few more times, and then comes back down and asks to be let in her room. The son does so, and they find a room devoid of its occupant or her things. Alzar orders Estiash to get armored, and his weapons, and does so as well. In 15 minutes they are packed and ready to head out. Alzar confirms with Dryshik that he saw nothing last night anywhere near the wagons and stables, and he agrees. Alzar leaves the inn, unlocks wagon, and him and Estaish sit down and talk it over.

The stables can see the front door. Three options – she left magically, they left through an exit elsewhere, or they are still in the inn. Whatever the issue is, there is one blatantly obvious suspect. Who asked them to split up into separate rooms? They will go back into the Inn, demand to inspect the property to ensure she is not there, and Estiash will make a big fuss while Alzar casts ESP and reads Bertram’s mind.

They go back in and demand to see Bertram. In a minute he arrives, and tells them he is terribly sorry about what happened. He will do anything in his power to see her found and returned. He points out that many of those that go missing here come back in a few weeks or days after being pressed. Estaish begins to yell at him and demand they be able to search the entire inn from top to bottom and Alzar turns his back and casts ESP.

Abe Sargent

05-07-2010, 10:41 PM

Quite the nasty setup they have going there.

yeah, this is a good one, espeically nasty against 1sts. There are a few npcs you cna use as allies, acouple of elves, a 7th level mage, a ranger. We will be going it bare though.

Abe Sargent

05-07-2010, 11:22 PM

They go back in and demand to see Bertram. In a minute he arrives, and tells them he is terribly sorry about what happened. He will do anything in his power to see her found and returned. He points out that many of those that go missing here come back in a few weeks or days after being pressed. Estiash begins to yell at him and demand they be able to search the entire inn from top to bottom and Alzar turns his back and casts ESP.

The innkeeper makes his save. Alzar moves in front and begins to ask the innkeeper questions about where he was last night to keep him talking.

The next round, the innkeeper fails. Alzar asks if the innkeeper knows where Aleigha is, and he says know. That’s a lie, she is here, in a secret underground chamber. Alzar asks if the innkeeper knows who abducted her, and he says no. That is also a lie. It was a cleric from the Temple of Bathala and a thief upstairs and 5 other locals.

Innkeeper makes the save.

Last round. Fails the save. Why are they taking Aleigha? I don’t know. A lie, to take her and others to The Reptile God and convert her to its service.

Abe Sargent

05-07-2010, 11:47 PM

Alzar smiles and thanks the innkeeper for his service, and he looks a little confused. While I am sure that she is long gone, would you consent to allow us to search your inn, with you at our side of course, as we inspect the area for clues, and just to make sure. Surprised by his kindness and politeness when expecting a lot more, all the innkeeper can do is agree. Alzar orders Megala and Dryshik to guard the entrance to the inn and to see through several windows, and then they agree to start upstairs.

They double check her room for any items or clues and find none. They next door over is without a room, and the one beside it is also empty. The next over is their largest room and someone is renting it out. Alzar knocks and asks to enter. Derek introduces himself, and Alzar instantly recognizes him as the thief Bertram was thinking of. Alzar asks to inspect the room, and Derek looks at the innkeeper and then relents. They make a big show of checking under the bed, in the cabinet, etc. Then Alzar thanks him, and
they leave.

They also check a merchant’s room, a private dining room, and the dormitory room. They then move back to the first level, and check Bertram’s den and bedroom and make a nice show of looking everywhere. Bertram’s son and the cook are a bit puzzled when they enter the kitchen and look and check the whole place. They explain why they are there. Alzar and Bertram and Estaish head downstairs and check the large main cellar room, with tables, chairs, and such. They move to the wetgoods storage room with kegs, casks, and such. There is wines, beers and ales of various sorts in here. Nothing found in an inspection.

Then Alzar, Estaish and Bertram move into the final room. This is the drygoods storage room and inside is a wooden floor, upon which are stacked crates and boxes. They have plates, utensils, flour, grain and other such things., Alzar asks Bertrma to open up all of the ones large enough to hold Aleigha. While working on a particularly stubborn nail, Alzar casts Charm Person on him.

Succees! Sort of. Bertram turns to look at Alzar. “Who are you?”

“Wait, am I not your friend?” “No, I don’t know you, wait, you were a patron last night...” “I’m Alzar, and this is Estaish, we came to stay at your inn here last night, that’s true.” “Things are a little fuzzy. Why are we here in this room?”

This is interesting, Alzar thinks. Bertram was charmed! The combination of two charms means they each cancel each other out. Time for all of the cards on the table.

For the next fifteen minutes, Alzar tells Bertram everything they know, and points out that in Magecraft, one charm cancels another, and since Bertram was charmed by another, Alzar freed him accidentally, because he thought Bertram was their enemy. And everyone else in on it thinks you still are.

Bertram cannot remember everything. Apparently, he was charmed for over a year, and that’s pretty incredible for this spell. It will take him a few days, weeks, maybe a month or two to remember everything (If only this were Alzar at a later level, when he had the Hypnotism non-weapon proficiency)

Bertram does not remember where Aleigha is, but there is a secret room in the main cellar room, so they enter it, and it is a secret meeting room. There is a ladder going up to Bertram’s bedroom. Is has a couple of tables, and there is a door to the east. Bertram tells them that this was not there, and he doesn’t know where it came from. They agree to help out Bertram. Alzar punches Bertram and ties him up. He will pretend to have been knocked unconscious. Just play along, and pretend your memory is fuzzy from the punch. Then we can explore and you won’t get in trouble. Bertram is in.

Abe Sargent

05-08-2010, 12:04 AM

The corridor beyond the door has been recently built and looks really shamble-y. There are heavy, rough hewn timbers keeping the ceiling aloft. They keep going, and soon the tunnel splits into three tunnels heading south, west, and south west. Alzar chooses south, the closest to their original orientation.

They head south and get close to a chamber on the left. They enter the chamber and see, behind a closed gate, three ghouls. Estaish tells Alzar how lucky he is, and he just smiles. One unsuccessful controlling attempt later and they decide to skip the ghouls. (rolled a freakin’ 2)

The corridor splits into threes again, west, north and north west. They continue west. They quickly arrive at a chamber with a giant statue of a giant snake like creature with a human head. It is worth 5000 gold easily but would be very heavy. It was carved out of ivory. They search and find nothing, heading back. They take the northwest passage. It goes for a bit (nobody finds anything). It continues, or another passage goes off west, so they go off, and it curls into a chamber. There is nothing here, and a search turns up nothing. They head back, continues, and find a corner chamber with a large pile of loose earth. They move around, and suddenly a mudviper is exposed from the earth and attacks. Without any undead foes, Alzar orders Estaish back. It ambushes Estiash but it’s fangs cannot penetrate his armor this time.

Alzar tosses his dagger at it. A hit (rolled an 18) for 6 damage. It’s fine though, this is a tougher snake, and poisonous for death. (Alzar recognizes poisonous and venomous animals and creatures with Poison Use). Estaish heads to the entrance, and Alzar is backing up. One Blastbones later, the snake has added 8 damage to its total. The room is cool and they are able to move faster than the cold-blooded creature. The blast wounded it badly, and Alzar orders Estaish to grab his sword, and they will both spring immediately….wait. Alzar just remembered.

He turns the short sword into the Fremlin, which he hasn’t done in a while. Are you damaged by a poison? The Gingwatzim tells him he isn’t. Then fight it. It jumps over and tries to claw the snake. It manages to hit for 2 damage. The snake hits back for 1 and no poison. The snake wins init and misses, as does the Fremlin. The Fremlin crits it for 6 damage and it dies.

300 XP for Alzar, 120 for Estaish.

They search the room and find nothing and Alzar turns the Gingwatzim back into a sword.

They continue and find them selves back to the beginning, so they wrap around and take the north branch this time.