The D&D Dynasty: The Path of Alzar the Mighty

[Abe Sargent]

Hello all and welcome to my newest dynasty. What I want to do with today’s dynasty is simple, and yet quite complex. I want to take a character from 3rd level to however high he can get before I get bored, or he dies, in AD&D modules and other adventures.

A couple of years ago, I lost my laptop, and one of my greater losses was all of the information I had about a 15th level Necromancer named Alzar. I began to rewrite his character and all of his allies and items, and such – and I just finished a month ago. He is one of my favorite villains and bad guys and I adore him.

I’ve been in a D&D mood recently and so I thought, why not roll Alzar back to his earlier days, and try role playing with him as he crashes through dungeons and what not. That sounded like fun, and thus, I created his character and allies to deal with problems and issues going back to level three, when his master and mentor was killed, and he was forced to leave and fend for himself. What actually happened?


So, I have moved him to that level, and adjusted various things to have him at his lowest point, right after he left Vorthala’s service. Let’s take a look at Alzar, and then the rules of the campaign.

[Abe Sargent]

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]

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:10
XP: 5,050
Gold: 966

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


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

[Abe Sargent]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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.



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

[MacroGuru]

I will be reading...

[Abe Sargent]

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]

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]

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

[Abe Sargent]

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]

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.



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]

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]

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

[Abe Sargent]

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]

Originally Posted by Tellistto

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

Thanks!

[Abe Sargent]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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.




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]

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

[Travis]

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

[Abe Sargent]

Welcome, Welcome!

[ntndeacon]

I am enjoying it too.

[chesapeake]

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

[Abe Sargent]

Glad to see you both!

[Abe Sargent]

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]

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]

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!





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]

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]

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]

Talk about a harrowing fight.

[hoopsguy]

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]

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]

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]

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]

B8. Journey to the Rock






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]

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]

As always, a very cool dynasty

[Abe Sargent]

Thanks!

[Abe Sargent]

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.





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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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.