Well I will be posting our Dm's campaign notes from a new campaign he started. He only runs about once every 5 weeks, we also have one ever game running and a few one off
ken
Edit who is the cast of characters
HARLAN – Human Bard Me
Lyssa – Human Cleric of Pelor My wife Maggie
Rama – Human Barabarian Dave C
Amras – Elf Ranger Mike F
And for those of you with a good memory will see these where also part of my play testing group for C&C _________________ Gygax is to Gaming what Kirby was to comics
Alas poor Elric I was a thousand times more evil than you
WWBYD What would Brigham Young do ?
http://www.geocities.com/J_Elric_Smith/Index.html
Last edited by J Elric Smith on Mon Jul 06, 2009 8:09 pm; edited 1 time in total
Maybe you first heard the name in a tavern well after closing time, as two old adventurers, well past their prime, spoke of it in hushed tones. Maybe it was from your own mother, who swore she'd send you there when you misbehaved. Perhaps you read the name in an ancient tome of history and lore illuminated by flickering candlelight late at night as the wind howled outside. Wherever you first heard of the place, you have long heard tales of Dragon's Delve.
A vast underground dungeon of labyrinths and catacombs, built perhaps by dwarves or perhaps by wizards--or maybe even dragons--Dragon's Delve is infamous among treasure-hunters and monster-slayers. Filled with deadly danger and ancient treasures, the dungeon offers both risk and reward in equal amounts, each growing more intense the deeper one goes. How much peril is worth risking for how much return? It's all up to those brave enough to try.
The tales of Dragon's Delve teem with contradictions and unbelievable anecdotes of impossible encounters and bizarre monstrosities. And yet, some of it all must be true. Do demonic cultists really use Dragon's Delve as a secret base? Is there truly some kind of ambient magic seeping up through the place? Did wizards of old hoard away powerful artifacts in the dungeon's vaults? Do gateways to remote lands and even other planes of existence really lie somewhere in Dragon's Delve? Does the prince of all dragonkind really hold court in the deepest reaches of the subterranean stronghold? No one knows for certain, but those that could find the answers to even some of these questions, or learn even a few of the dungeon's other secrets, might earn for themselves notoriety and wealth beyond imagining.
If they survive.
Dragon's Delve lies in a remote corner of a long-forsaken wilderness that people once called the Duchy of Chordille. Yet a hundred years ago or so, the folk of the surrounding lands took up arms against Chordille. They razed the keep and slew the duke. It's hard now to find someone who knows the real reason why this happened. A few speak of evil intent on the part of the duke, who had plans for conquest. Others, however, say that the duke's actions were always benevolent, and that the conflict arose from misunderstanding, or perhaps deception on the part of some mysterious third party.
All that is known for certain is that folks call that remote realm the Fallen Duchy. It boasts no ruler and little population. Wilderness reclaimed Chordille, and it is now a land of dangers.
People in Brindenford, a small town just two miles to the north, claim that murderous humanoid creatures prowl those ruins. Goblins? Orcs? Worse? No one seems to know for sure, and eyewitness accounts are few, and always contradictory. They also claim that the place is both haunted and cursed.
So many questions. So many secrets.
If you dare to brave this ancient dungeon, go well equipped. Be ready for anything. Keep your eyes open, and search everywhere. Any passage or door you find could lead to wealth enough for you to retire. Or it could lead to certain doom.
But that's what being an adventurer is all about, right? This isn't an undertaking that you'll finish in one foray or even a dozen. This is the challenge of a lifetime. As someone thrilled at the prospect of exploring the unknown, incredible challenges, and the promise of gold and magic, Dragon's Delve is exactly where you've always wanted to go. _________________ Gygax is to Gaming what Kirby was to comics
Alas poor Elric I was a thousand times more evil than you
WWBYD What would Brigham Young do ?
http://www.geocities.com/J_Elric_Smith/Index.html
Read this and please note anything I may have missed.
HARLAN – Human Bard
Lyssa – Human Cleric of Pelor
Rama – Human Barabarian
Amras – Elf Ranger
The party came together in Brindenford and spent several weeks getting to know each other and the town before setting out for Dragon's Delve. They shared what they had learned of the dungeon and the surrounding areas.
The group left Brindenford early that morning, walking up the hill toward the ruins of the keep. There they found the tumbled stones and feral plants indicating former habitation. More recent habitation was evidenced by the remains of scattered camps both within the ruins and in the surrounding wood. In the center of the ruins they found a shallow depression with a broad stair leading deeper.
Having descended the stair, the group found themselves on a landing facing three more sets of stairs, one ahead and one at either hand. Even with Harlan's magical light the group could not see far down the stairs. To the left a desiccated human corpse could be seen at the foot of the stair. Nothing could be seen to the right. Ahead the light from a torch could be seen, this seemed suspicious so it was decided to send Amras a little ways down the stairs to scout ahead. All he saw was a very long hallway with several doors. While Amras remained vigilant, aiming his bow at the far end of the lit corridor, the others investigated the corpse. They decided that the man died over a year ago and Rama suggested removing the body for burial in the ruins above, but the others dissuaded her pointing out that Dragon's Delve is a well know place, you can't honor every fallen adventurer. After briefly examining the frescoes depicting horses and riders Harlan, Rama, and Lyssa rejoined Amras and proceeded into the lit hallway.
They found themselves in a chamber before the corridor with door in each side facing them they decided to investigate to the left. Rama listened to the door, trying to determine if anyone might be behind it. Not hearing anything she opened the door only to be assaulted by the stench of rotting wood and mould. Large crates and boxes were piled into this large room and two doors could be seen on the far wall, both were blocked by crates. When everyone was within Rama closed the door and made a mark on its back. The group made its way into the room toward the door on their left. To get to the door Harlan and Amras moved some crates, releasing a cloud of poisonous spores. Amras got the worst of these, suffering a hacking cough while the other continued toward the door. They found that the door had been damaged by water in the past and had swollen shut. Rama tried to pull the door open but found that it was locked. Amras suggested Rama attack the door with her hammer, which she did, knocking the handle and lock loose with two good blows. Beyond the door was a storage closet holding small crates and boxes. A search turned up a box with tindertwigs, and a sunrod and a second box holding two flasks of acid. While the others were searching, Amras was watching the room and saw a hobgoblin poke its head into the room.
With Amras's warning the party prepared for battle, Rama quickly stowed the two boxes and Harlan began to sing one of his magical songs. Amras had heard a rumor that the Bestial Host was interested in Dragon's Delve and suspected that the hobgoblin might be an adherent. This was later confirmed as they heard the chants from beyond the door "Blood for the Beast God," "For the glory of the Beast God" and others more vile. The group was fortunate that their enemies seemed reluctant to enter the room, and were thus able to position themselves for maximum effectiveness. Amras, Lyssa, and Harlan shot missiles into the Host gathered beyond the door, each eliminating one of the humanoids, Rama then moved through the door and failed in an attempt to push away a goblin blocking the stairs, this gave the goblins and kobolds an opportunity to mass against the barbarian. Amras and Lyssa, not able to target anyone from their current positions moved out of the storage room, when Amras exited two large bestial humans moved to engage in melee with the archer. Lyssa now had targets and shot one of the cavemen. During the battle Rama noticed another hobgoblin which had been lurking in the lit corridor turn and run down the corridor and up a flight of stairs near the end, she wanted to chase after the coward, but being threatened by kobolds and goblins tempered her desire. In the end the Bestial Host was eliminated with Rama suffering from several "low blows' from the goblins and Amras taking a nasty hit from one of the cavemen's falchions. Both decided against using Lyssa's divine healing for such minor wounds. After checking the fallen Rama picked up a goblin's morning star and gouged marks into the handle and stowed it. Amras picked up the fallen hobgoblin's masterwork longsword and asked if anyone knew how to use that fine weapon, Harlan spoke up and it was given to him.
It was decided to next investigate the other door in the entry hall chamber. Rama listened but heard nothing and opened the door, revealing a long chamber with black drapes on the walls, a long stained tattered red carpet running the length of the chamber and a dais with a wooden chair with four humanoids gathered there (an orc sitting in the chair with an orc a hobgoblin and a bugbear gathered around.) The orc standing on the dais was quick to react to the intrusion and moved down the hall toward the open door and the characters, readying a javelin. This is when the group moved into the room lining up at the end of the hall and used their missiles against the humanoids. The orc threw his javelin and missed his target while Amras, Lyssa, and Rama did not fail to hit. Harlan began singing. The rest of the humanoids moved off the dais toward the group, throwing their javelins and missing the elf and cleric, all the while calling for their fellows to join them. The first orc off the dais moved down the hall, but unexpectedly made his way to a door, opened it and walked through. Another round of missile fire from the party left the other orc lying on the floor along with the bugbear. The hobgoblin threw a javelin and fled through the open door following his orc companion. Amras rushed to scout where the humanoids had fled and saw a short corridor connecting to chamber beyond, draped in black and red cloth. While Amras guarded this approach Rama checked the bodies of the fallen humanoids finding a small bag of coins and a key on the orc (she gouged marks into the shaft) and some coins on the bugbear, Lyssa and Harlan searched the area around the dais finding a lever concealed behind the cloth draped on the walls. It was agreed that the lever would not be moved, it was suspected that it might activate some deathtrap within the room. They investigated the other door off the hall, finding the quarters of the four humanoids just encountered, with four crude beds a table and lots of empty kegs. A search turned up a small locked wooden box under a bed. Amras was about to stow the box when Rama remembered the key she had found. The key opened the lock and they discovered old clothes and other personal items, a set of masterwork theives' tools and a healer's kit (brand new), as they shifted the contents of the box a small yellow bead fell out of some of the old clothes, Harlan decided that this was a yellow agate worth 50gp.
Amras, Lyssa, and Rama moved down the corridor, following the escaping orc and hobgoblin while Harlan snuck back and shifted the lever, revealing a short secret corridor leading to what appeared to be a second secret door at its end. He called the others back and there was some discussion about which way to go, the winning argument being that the humanoids didn't go that way, they may not have known about the secret doors. So they followed the fleeing orc and hobgoblin into the draped chamber. Lyssa immediately realized that this was once a holy place of some other power, but now filled with the essence of the Beast God. The felling was palpable, everyone could feel the savagery welling up from the center of their being. The orc and hobgoblin were there, waiting. The party quickly moved into the room, engaging the humanoids, the orc took two missile hits from Amras and Lyssa and went down. Rama moved into melee range with the hobgoblin, who countered with a staggering blow. The others moved in, Amras dealing with the hobgoblin, and Lyssa using a cure light wounds spell on Rama. Rama honoring her worthy fallen opponent refused to loot the hobgoblin's possessions, but the others weren't as respectful, Lyssa grabbed the hobgoblin's masterwork longsword and the coins from both humanoids.
At this point the party decided that it would be a good time to return to Brindenford, "Lyssa is out of spells, having used her other cure light wound spells to bolster Rama and Amras, Brindenford is close so we don't have to camp outside or stay in Dragon's Delve, and most important, we have some coins and stuff to sell." Before they left they decided to search the Beast Temple, finding beautiful frescoes of dryad and satyrs frolicking within a moon dappled wood–leading Lyssa and Harlan that this place was once dedicated to Glarias, the paint on the ceiling strengthened this supposition. Lyssa decided that she wanted to help rededicate the temple. She realized that would be an arduous undertaking, but something that they could begin with was destroying the bloody altar. Lyssa with her mace enlisted Rama and her hammer to begin the task. After each had struck a single blow about 1000 rats appeared at the end of the chamber and began rushing toward the group, this was too much for Rama who tried to induce rage in her self, but instead accessed the savage feeling inspired by the Beast God. Amras and Lyssa shot missles into the horde of rats while Rama, enraged, furiously smashed at them with her hammer. They were able to kill enough of the rats to diminish the horde, but as the mass or rats approached it swarmed over the party's legs and vanished once it reached the end of the hall.
Rama lifted the hobgoblin's corpse and the group headed for the entrance following the same route they had taken in. When they reached the entry hall a second swarm of rats appeared at the end of that hall and watched as the group left. On the surface Rama interred the hobgoblin with all the honors her people bestow upon the worthy warrior. The party then returned to Brindenford. _________________ Gygax is to Gaming what Kirby was to comics
Alas poor Elric I was a thousand times more evil than you
WWBYD What would Brigham Young do ?
http://www.geocities.com/J_Elric_Smith/Index.html
Harlan, human bard 1
Lyssa, human cleric 1
Rama, human barbarian 1
Amras, elf ranger 1
The group returned to Brindenford in the early afternoon and made their way to the Lost Shepherd. Taran saw them when they entered and was concerned about how weak Amras looked and the severity of Rama's wound. The customers were relegated to the taproom as Roman was busy repairing the stairs to the loft. Juddelo reminded the group that they would need to pay up if they intended to stay another night, Harlan, having decided to keep the groups money, paid the weasel-ly halfling 3 gold pieces, also ordering two plates of lunch for the group to share. While they were eating the group noticed a woman enter the tavern and approach Juddelo. After a brief conversation with much pointing at the table where the group was sitting, the woman moved toward them. She introduced herself, Dressa Drave. She asks to see the group in a more private area, so they move up to Harlan's room.
Last year seven people from Brindenford and the surrounding countryside disappeared mysteriously. The seventh was her brother-in-law Chasmal Drave, however, she knows that Chasmal did not disappear, he exiled himself to Dragon's Delve because of the monster he had become, a werewolf. Chasmal confessed to her husband before leaving for the dungeon and Amassey has turned his back on his brother's plight. Dressa hopes that the party can find Chasmal, convince him to return to Brindenford to be cured of his curse, and thinks that the town will show mercy because Chasmal was not in control of himself when he killed and ate those poor people.
Harlan and Lyssa both know that the spells remove curse and break enchantment should be able to lift the curse of lycanthropy and that the local clerics will help for a donation. After assuring Dressa that they would do what they could, the group finished their lunch. After lunch the group splint up to do their own things. Amras went up to his room to rest. Lyssa prayed. Harlan sold the loot. And Rama headed for the temple of Vune. She was greeted by a novice who was concerned by the severity of Rama's wound. Rama asked the novice if she had heard anything about werewolves in the area to which the novice nervously answered "no, I have not heard anything about werewolves," adding "should we be concerned about werewolves, did you encounter werewolves in the woods." Rama said no and left, leaving the confused acolyte.
The next day Lyssa used spells to heal Rama's wound. Harlan went to the temple to buy scrolls of cure light wounds so that the party's capability for healing would be increased. He was met by a novice and sent to see one of the priestesses. The priestess collected the scrolls Harlan wanted and as she was handing them to Harlan, suspecting that he is an adventurer, asked if he had encountered werewolves recently. Harlan said that he had not seen werewolves and donated 75 gold pieces to the temple. The rest of the day was spent slothfully at the Lost Shepherd.
The next morning the group made its way back to the ruins of the keep, searched for signs of recent activity, found none, and moved into the dungeon. They decided to continue down the secret passage which had been found in the Bestial Host audience chamber. Following the passage to the other end Rama listened at the door, hearing very faint scratches coming from the left. She opened the door to find a large vaulted chamber with a shallow pool, a pair of caryatids depicting a young woman, a large bronze portal decorated with winged horses, and stairs leading back to the entrance landing. Moving to the pool the group discovered that it was only about a foot deep and directly above was an opalescent painting of a full moon, which could be seen reflected in the pool below when lit. The water smelled fresh and Amras tasted it to confirm.
From here the group could see the other two ways out of the chamber. The decided to take the passage to the left of the bronze doors, as the scratching Rama had heard and the others could now hear was coming from that direction. The passage ended in two doors on the wall to the left, scratching coming from both, like a dog trying to get out. Rama opened the door using her hammer, revealing the creature beyond. Lyssa recognized the creature as a ghoul, but it had the symbol of Glarias painted on its forehead. The group fought the ghoul, with Rama getting a good hit on it, but Lyssa eventually melted it with her divine energy.
The second door was dealt with the same as the first, there was some talk about getting Rama a bigger hammer with which to knock down doors. It was suspected that the room beyond would contain another ghoul, when the door opened the stench of death emanated from the open portal, affecting Lyssa, Harlan, and Amras. Rama was made of sterner stuff. Lyssa warned the group that it wasn't a ghoul, but a ghast, also with Glarias' symbol painted on its forehead. The battle with the ghast was more dangerous for the group, Rama and Amras entered into melee with the creature, while Lyssa expended the remainder of her divine power and Harlan tried futilely to hit with his crossbow. Rama was paralyzed and Amras took a massive blow, but was able to shake off the paralysis. After exhausting her divine energy Lyssa entered melee and knocked the ghouls head loose with her mace.
After finding nothing in the rooms with the undead they group explored the passage on the other side of the bronze doors. This led to a small room filled with junk with a door on the left and a bluish tinted metal plate embedded into the stone where a door should have been. Rama tested it with her hammer without causing even a ding. Harlan cast his detect magic cantrip toward the door and determined that there was a magical aura on the sheet of metal. The group decided to leave the unopenable portal for later and proceeded to the normal door in the room. Rama listened, hearing nothing. She open the door, using the handle this time, and found another room full of old junk. She moved into the room carefully, searching as she went. Seeing a glint of metal in the light she recovered an ornate bronze key. It didn't take long for the group to associate the key with the bronze doors in the pool chamber, so they decided to check the theory.
Rama found that the doors were locked and used the key to unlock them. Upon opening the doors the group found a ruined library. Tattered mildewed books, broken shelves, slumped over tables, and a lectern holding an illuminated volume. After entering the library, Harlan closed the doors and saw that is was possible to lock them from the inside. He got the key from Rama and locked the doors "This might be a good place to rest" A thorough search of the library turned up seventeen volumes on the shelves that could be salvaged. Harlan examined the book on the lectern, "The Pool of Glarias" was open to a page showing a depiction of the pool with some kind of water woman standing within. Harlan sat down to read.
TREASURE
Ornate Bronze Key
"The Pool of Glarias" and seventeen other books _________________ Gygax is to Gaming what Kirby was to comics
Alas poor Elric I was a thousand times more evil than you
WWBYD What would Brigham Young do ?
http://www.geocities.com/J_Elric_Smith/Index.html
Great read again. I love the barbarian, I had a cleric in PnPs game on DF who was a Lama (9th level I think) named Rama Da'ing Da'ong! yep Rama the Lama, or Rama Lama Ding Dong! _________________ ECLECTIC: FURIOUSLY!
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Posted: Mon Jul 06, 2009 8:06 pm Post subject: Dragons delve
