tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68381350416858196392024-03-13T17:15:58.192-04:00Standard Hirelingspost festumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03739727524742573286noreply@blogger.comBlogger66125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6838135041685819639.post-60410837974316170542010-12-20T20:27:00.005-05:002010-12-20T20:43:48.898-05:00The Grinding Gear is Ground. On to Andronia!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglH8WtULqPKPjXFX4RFKKdAs9RmPvYlYpigM7U8Tg67TQyX6JFaf-247-Zp9lxKGzCjnd50E2NyQZwG8ngoYewosWo-ouF9dVrXzaKLlTa1Wf0HxlsT_zHtnQg9gLYHINGVgsiRS2oDts/s1600/001.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglH8WtULqPKPjXFX4RFKKdAs9RmPvYlYpigM7U8Tg67TQyX6JFaf-247-Zp9lxKGzCjnd50E2NyQZwG8ngoYewosWo-ouF9dVrXzaKLlTa1Wf0HxlsT_zHtnQg9gLYHINGVgsiRS2oDts/s400/001.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5552943103006243026" /></a><br /><br />After many, many torches, our bold party managed to wind their way successfully through the Grinding Gear. I wanted to thank Carl for introducing us to that and I believe he was going to write up a review of it for a future blog entry. Very fun.<br /><br />I also wanted to remind everyone to write up a journal entry on how your character viewed their time spent in Andronia and Akbar's Dungeon. The evening ended in quite an epic battle. Despite the Barnowl falling at the hands of Varda, the evil cleric, the party has much to rejoice.<br /><br />Lastly, we need to think about when we can play again. I'm hoping we can squeeze a session in before most of you have to get back to teaching. We can have that discussion over at the campaign's home on <a href = "http://www.epicwords.com/">Epic Words</a>. I hope you all enjoyed it as much as I did.Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02916307381291161829noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6838135041685819639.post-65742936654658607292010-12-13T22:32:00.007-05:002010-12-13T22:51:02.866-05:00Next Campaign<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUO9ZTQc2aXilzp799-64XUi5CufNys0kTdBdEZ88xur6CmE1oxZNIySHkbewcc8jTTTkpHF2w3ytDRFK4wD0XHkTKvfxLiHwF7o0jN2Vl6WEke1T3060Xksjcn1YQnGECWVUL6-yiYuQ/s1600/images.jpeg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 189px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUO9ZTQc2aXilzp799-64XUi5CufNys0kTdBdEZ88xur6CmE1oxZNIySHkbewcc8jTTTkpHF2w3ytDRFK4wD0XHkTKvfxLiHwF7o0jN2Vl6WEke1T3060Xksjcn1YQnGECWVUL6-yiYuQ/s400/images.jpeg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5550379584461216146" /></a><br />I'm really looking forward to Jay's birthday and finishing up The Grinding Gear this weekend. In case you hadn't heard, Carl is putting his campaign on hiatus for a while after Saturday. I ran a mini campaign for Carl and Matt H. this summer when they came down for a Yankees game and it worked so well, I asked if they minded if we open it up for everyone. If there is time after The Grinding Gear--assuming we survive to escape!--we will actually start up my campaign currently titled The Dungeons of Akban. <br /><br />I'm currently writing up a summary of what Carl and Matt's characters accomplished and you'll all join in when they return to town. I'm trying something different though to support the campaign. I'm keeping all of the material for the sessions, including the summary of events up till now, over at <a href = "http://www.epicwords.com/">Epic Words</a>. It will allow us to keep track of all kinds of information in a central location. The first thing everyone will want to do is create an account there and search campaigns for "Dungeons of Akban." Join it using the password "Andronia." If you want to create a character before Saturday, you can put all his/her information there and even create a journal entry telling us your backstory. The site will allow us to keep a record of all the loot as well as a place you can always see your experience points. I'll post summaries of the adventures there as well as any files that might be relevant like maps. The interesting thing will be seeing everyone's journal entries describing the adventure from your character's point of view. If you have any questions, just let me know. I hope everyone enjoys this as much as I will. Take care.Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02916307381291161829noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6838135041685819639.post-73886661751352468872010-11-23T19:34:00.001-05:002010-11-23T19:55:28.154-05:00Our Next Session - The Birthday Marathon<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFcgIr4ilWLFIB4PrKiMt-cuGUwuxBiIccnFuVN_aXEy0wW-YmSfsFJk38PkuaaabQa4aCdEKStNZzcBdLQBa7yhp7Im-0wPzry5EjuU6fCZHhHjBdNi6zPOm618iHQYoIADvln5oFBSk/s1600/wtfdnd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFcgIr4ilWLFIB4PrKiMt-cuGUwuxBiIccnFuVN_aXEy0wW-YmSfsFJk38PkuaaabQa4aCdEKStNZzcBdLQBa7yhp7Im-0wPzry5EjuU6fCZHhHjBdNi6zPOm618iHQYoIADvln5oFBSk/s200/wtfdnd.jpg" width="156" /></a>When: Sat. 12/18<br />
Where: Jay's Place<br />
Start Time: 4PM or ?????<br />
<br />
As many of us discussed this past weekend, we appear to be set to play our next game on Sat. 12/18. In honor of Jay's birthday, Barb as graciously agreed to allow us to start at 4PM or even earlier if possible.<br />
<br />
To help get a proper head count, could everyone respond in the comments thread to confirm attendance and let us all know just how early you could join us (e.g., before 4PM)? We can then make an informed decision about exactly when to get the game rolling.<br />
<br />
Thanks for a very entertaining evening, everyone. It had been too long!post festumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03739727524742573286noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6838135041685819639.post-3360378474871505132010-10-28T18:44:00.000-04:002010-10-28T18:45:44.203-04:00OK then . . .How does the weekend of November 19 or 20 work for everyone? I cannot do the sixth of November.Ironbeardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18244939365755302731noreply@blogger.com30tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6838135041685819639.post-20935417533701549862010-10-12T13:30:00.002-04:002010-10-12T13:33:24.833-04:00Next SessionHow does Friday 10/22 or Saturday 10/23 work for everyone. Do either tickle your fancy?Ironbeardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18244939365755302731noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6838135041685819639.post-83583352255449455352010-10-07T12:36:00.001-04:002010-10-07T12:37:48.778-04:00D and D Cancelled this SaturdayI'm very sorry everyone, but due to unforseen circumstances, I will not be able to DM this Saturday. I am terribly sorry about this.Ironbeardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18244939365755302731noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6838135041685819639.post-32078263065824065692010-10-07T10:25:00.000-04:002010-10-07T10:25:46.191-04:00The Fallen Lands: Session 9 Reminder<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbEddfMJuTB0mVw3NkOwcLV_YJbl3FDtEotc0FBxeUSYzdeW3oLvdfIESbi8xkJ8NnBonDl_eO18687cxE92r-oKkzgLknui63q0nVBga_Pgvu1lVpu2guWDXbfxyAilQcHtsRXNqR5S0/s1600/102802.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbEddfMJuTB0mVw3NkOwcLV_YJbl3FDtEotc0FBxeUSYzdeW3oLvdfIESbi8xkJ8NnBonDl_eO18687cxE92r-oKkzgLknui63q0nVBga_Pgvu1lVpu2guWDXbfxyAilQcHtsRXNqR5S0/s320/102802.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Just a reminder that after our long hiatus, we are set to play our next session this Saturday night. I hope you all are still able to make it! The Grinding Gear, Witchspire Hill, Leng's Tower??? So many choices...<br />
<br />
See you Saturday!<br />
<br />
When: Saturday, Oct. 9<br />
Location: post festum's house.<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">Time: 6:00PM</div>post festumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03739727524742573286noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6838135041685819639.post-76645321016708105242010-09-13T12:31:00.002-04:002010-09-13T12:35:34.002-04:00Next Session - Second TrySince so many of us cannot make it on September 24 or 25, I would like to propose the weekend of Friday October 8 or Saturday October 9 as our next session. Any thoughts?Ironbeardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18244939365755302731noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6838135041685819639.post-11165640983602329172010-09-10T12:44:00.001-04:002010-09-10T12:46:21.485-04:00Next SessionHow will Friday, September 24 or Saturday, September 25 work for everyone for our next session date?Ironbeardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18244939365755302731noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6838135041685819639.post-26567747671454975092010-08-17T14:23:00.001-04:002010-08-17T14:24:43.389-04:00Next SessionHow does Tuesday 8/24 or Thursday 8/26 work for everyone for out next meeting?Ironbeardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18244939365755302731noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6838135041685819639.post-61517961531284687672010-08-06T15:11:00.005-04:002010-08-06T21:32:16.043-04:00Witchspyre Hill: Session 6<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgryxTA5OKT2CTpSE4Tb3gyDs3DGavEhHVrbbqOha2C147zV2q9KvAGayBZL-rYObfkk8Bh0wYjsZqzAFz49WcPS8F_wTbMJbCgEmpoqgpZzPzWYNJAOfZehZ0f0D2aKcOcmSehVOnqq2A/s1600/eq_lyra_book.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 160px; height: 160px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgryxTA5OKT2CTpSE4Tb3gyDs3DGavEhHVrbbqOha2C147zV2q9KvAGayBZL-rYObfkk8Bh0wYjsZqzAFz49WcPS8F_wTbMJbCgEmpoqgpZzPzWYNJAOfZehZ0f0D2aKcOcmSehVOnqq2A/s320/eq_lyra_book.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5502379148906357426" /></a><br />May 16 - May 22<br /><br />Our last session began with our intrepid adventurers descending once again into the gloomy depths of the dungeon below Witchspyre Hill. The group journeyed for about an hour through corridors and passageways that had they had previously explored, intent on visiting a previously unknown section of the underworld. Along the way, they stopped to make a rubbing impression of a mysterious copper disk that they had previously found that was covered with strange and unrecognizable magic runes. The party's magic users, Imgmar and Abu, thought that Bytor of Null's Harbor might be interested in trading the information for knowledge that he claimed to have regarding a possible clue to the dungeons strange origin.<br /><br />Shortly after this, the party was attacked by a band of roving lizardmen. After besting the reptilian humanoids in combat, the group pressed forward and made the acquaintance of a strange individual, a filthy long haired human who emerged from behind a secret door and claimed that he was willing to trade goods and supplies for gold. Puzzled by this strange encounter, the party attempted to gather information from him. His answers to their questioning proved to be evasive. Who was this strange individual exactly? How did he come to be in the dungeon? These questions remained unanswered and the party decided to return to Null's harbor to trade their information with Bytor and hire an additional hireling. On their way out of the dungeon, they were beset by a group of strange froglike humanoids. The fight went well, though one of the mysterious creatures did manage to escape.<br /><br />Back in town, Abu hastened to Bytor's shop and discovered that the mage was in fact very interested in the rubbing, though he claimed not know or understand its meaning. In exchange, he produced a very old tome that had been in his collection for some years. The book was entitled "Tales and Legends of the Old Empire" by Thentis the Sad - written in 603 (more than four hundred years earlier). It contained a collection of legends of the old empire that had existed in what is today Thrang over a millennium earlier. Bytor drew Abu's attention to the third chapter entitle "The Mysterious Dissappearance of the Tower of the Four Faces" It purported to be a retelling of a scroll dating from 1000 years earlier, now lost, that contained a story by someone named Skelos of an incident that took place some fifty years earlier in a coastal province of the empire. A tower with four screaming faces inhabited by Zorander, a powerful wizard stood once stood on a high hill by the western sea. A crude map included indicated that this spot was in all likelihood what is today Witchspyre hill. One day, according to Skelos's account, the tower and its foundations just mysteriously vanished into thin air. (Note: these events, if true, would have taken place 1,498 years earlier). Written in the margin by a hand other tahn the author's was the word "Malfarazzaar?" Bytor claimed that it seems likely that the tower of the faces may in fact be the same tower that appeared atop the Witchspyre just months earlier. When asked what the word "Malfarazzaar" might mean, Bytor claimed that he had no idea, nor did he know what later owner of the book may have authored this marginal gloss on the text. His own magical inquiries had only revealed that the word was a proper noun, but beyond that he had never been able to learn any more. He recommended that they seek out the advice of Sul-tas the sage, a learned man who lives on Boar's Head Isle in the Drakenspree Tarn and who specializes in ancient and obscure languages and history. When Abu asked him why he had never sought the advice of this sage, the mage claimed that he had never deemed the matter to be of much importance, or at least he never had until the tower mysteriously appeared recently. Bytor claimed that his business interests in town prevented him from making the journey to see Sul-tas himself at this time, but that he would be happy to share in any costs if Abu and his companions wanted to travel and ask him themselves. <br /><br />The rest of the night passed without much incident, though several members of the party decided to enjoy some wenching in Sorrowside. This led to mixed results. Abu awoke the next morning only to find that in his drunken binge he had had an image of the tower of the faces tattooed on his back. Igmar also awoke with a new tattoo, a mysterious symbol on his wrist that he could not explain or understand. Wolfgar the cleric had had a less successful evening. Apparently, in a drunken revel he had managed to accidentally set fire to several fishermen's shanties by the harbors edge. Uncertain, if anyone knew that he was responsible for the accident, Wolfagar was understandably eager to leave town. <br /><br />And so the party did, after hiring an additional hireling, one Zelig Croop, a heavy set, talkative individual whose breath reeked of garlic. On the journey back to Witchspyre Hill, Zelig privately told Wolfgar that he knew that he was responsible for the fire in Null's Harbor but that the town watch did not. He intimated that, as long as he was well taken care of by the party, he would make sure the town watch did not learn of this either. <br /><br />The party arrived back atop the hill on May 22 only to find the remains of a recent campsite in the ground floor of the tower, a likely indication that another group of adventurers had recently preceded them into the dungeon. And that is where we left off. Thanks to all of you for a great night of gaming.<br /><br />Experience: 60 points for all involved.Ironbeardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18244939365755302731noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6838135041685819639.post-77956245311834081592010-08-03T23:20:00.002-04:002010-08-03T23:33:40.568-04:00Expanding the S&W Canonical Spells?What can I say? I'm very happy to have made it to third level with my first s&w magic user and I wanted to pose a few questions to the group and the DM regarding including a few variations on just a couple ad&d spells that I want to submit for inclusion in the spell canon of this dm's game. I feel pretty confident that the selections I made wouldn't really risk unbalancing anything if interjected into the s&w core rules. Let me know what you think<br />
<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span">Suggested ad&d First Level Magic-User Spell Additions</span></b><br />
<br />
<b><i>Enlarge/Reduce (p. 65 PHB)</i></b><br />
<br />
Excerpt: This spell causes instant growth/reduction of a creature or object. Any creature grows/shrinks 20% per spell caster level (200% max). All objects grow/shrink 10% per level (100% max). Does not make weapons more powerful per se, but an enlarged table would be heavier and an enlarged door more resiliant to damage, etc. Unwilling creatures of this spell are given a saving throw to negate all effect.<br />
<br />
<b><i>Find Familiar (p. 66 PHB)</i></b><br />
<br />
Excerpt: A familiar grants certain benefits to the magic user. However the magic user has no control over the type of creature it summons. And this summoning can only be done once per year. The familiar can converse and spy, etc. with the magic user who summons it. <br />
<br />
When within 12ft of its master, the magic user adds the familiar's minimal hit dice (2-4) to his/her own. If the familiar dies double that number is permanently subtracted from the master.<br />
<br />
Results Table<br />
d20<br />
1-4 Black Cat Excellent Night Vision and superior hearing<br />
5-6 Crow Excellent Vision<br />
7-8 Hawk Very superior distance vision<br />
9-10 Screech Owl Night vision, visual ability, superior hearing<br />
11-12 Toad Wide-angle vision<br />
13-14 Weasel Superior hearing and very superior olfactory powers<br />
15 Special Table<br />
16-20 No Familiar Available within Spell Range<br />
<br />
<b><i>Push (p. 67 PHB)</i></b><br />
<br />
Excerpt: When uttered, this spell allows the caster to cause an invisible force to strike against whatever object he or she is pointing at. The force of the push is not great, being 1 foot pound per level of the caster, but it can move small objects up to 1ft in any direction away from the caster, topple objects, or cause a creature to become unbalanced (loses its attack that round).<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span"><b>Suggested ad&d Second Level Magic-User Spell Additions</b></span><br />
<br />
<b><i>Ray of Enfeeblement (p. 71 PHB)</i></b><br />
<br />
Excerpt: a magic user weakens an opponent by reducing their strength and ability to do hit point damage 25% or more (subtracting and addition 2% per level after 3rd). Duration: 1 round per caster level.<br />
<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span">Current Top s&w Second level Magic User Spell Choices</span></b><br />
<br />
So this is my list of suggested additions. For those of you willing to lend me your ideas, I'm also leaning toward selecting from the following 2nd level s&w spells. You can also quickly view all <a href="http://www.mojobob.com/roleplay/swordsandwizardry/sw_html/sw18_spell-lists.html#muspells">second level choices here</a> if you want to make other suggestions.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.mojobob.com/roleplay/swordsandwizardry/sw_html/sw19_spells.html#invisibility">Invisibility</a><br />
<a href="http://www.mojobob.com/roleplay/swordsandwizardry/sw_html/sw19_spells.html#esp">ESP</a><br />
<a href="http://www.mojobob.com/roleplay/swordsandwizardry/sw_html/sw19_spells.html#web">Web</a>post festumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03739727524742573286noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6838135041685819639.post-33787086444532142932010-07-25T14:15:00.002-04:002010-07-25T14:20:32.739-04:00next sessionIt turns out that I cannot play on Friday the 30th after all. August 6 is bad for me as well. Thus, by necessity, our next session will have to be August 7. Looking forward to it.Ironbeardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18244939365755302731noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6838135041685819639.post-87407786788024065512010-07-23T16:56:00.001-04:002010-07-23T16:59:06.345-04:00next sessionHow would Friday, July 30 work for everyone?Ironbeardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18244939365755302731noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6838135041685819639.post-81679004511307836212010-07-21T22:14:00.001-04:002010-07-21T22:15:42.623-04:00Next DateI would like to propose either August 6 or August 7 as the date for our next session. How will this work for everyone?Ironbeardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18244939365755302731noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6838135041685819639.post-89900990494342966722010-07-20T13:30:00.001-04:002010-07-20T16:45:41.559-04:00Renaissance Festival, Anyone?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi07lPUph7SgxWuwbG9VO49TTdQaHA_xNz4vNGCZ4IlWYKCFkK7ybLRErMwC1j9Lvgk8YSR3-yhk0nXwqUSO-ukc0nFklqFXRnJ4eq7ie6mhadTlXUEx0Ny9TcHvgRD4TxJFJJ6LTO-QJo/s1600/logo_themedw2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi07lPUph7SgxWuwbG9VO49TTdQaHA_xNz4vNGCZ4IlWYKCFkK7ybLRErMwC1j9Lvgk8YSR3-yhk0nXwqUSO-ukc0nFklqFXRnJ4eq7ie6mhadTlXUEx0Ny9TcHvgRD4TxJFJJ6LTO-QJo/s320/logo_themedw2.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Anyone interested in making the trip with Sophie and I to the <a href="http://www.sterlingfestival.com/">Sterling Festival</a> before it ends in mid-August? Given our other travel plans, the best weekends for us are as follows:<br />
<br />
Sunday, August 1<br />
Saturday/Sunday, August 7&8post festumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03739727524742573286noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6838135041685819639.post-30699546847694290952010-07-14T12:08:00.003-04:002010-07-14T12:13:52.140-04:00Witchspyre Hill: Session 5<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIYFooy6Mr7lj1I2XRLEGn3kEBt79d7jU1YVJ7WxZMer9vrA2MrnvVzBbUQpf2fLpX10qgM8zZ9HmtFNe0pXSHy6ThMwgN1mlCOUM5YI9I3IKXp99QUoBNclC9ccThH-5ymQD_K17Co-8/s1600/432_skelewar.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 234px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIYFooy6Mr7lj1I2XRLEGn3kEBt79d7jU1YVJ7WxZMer9vrA2MrnvVzBbUQpf2fLpX10qgM8zZ9HmtFNe0pXSHy6ThMwgN1mlCOUM5YI9I3IKXp99QUoBNclC9ccThH-5ymQD_K17Co-8/s320/432_skelewar.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493795342190106210" /></a><br />May 10 - 15 HR<br /><br />Last session began with the surviving party members hiding below ground, waiting out the evening of May 10 after the ill fated battle with the spiders the previous day. Fortunately, the evening passed without incident, and on the following day, the survivors were able to make it out of the dungeon without encountering further danger. Bloodied but unbowed, the survivors started the two day journey back to Null's Harbor to recruit more members.<br /><br />Once there, the survivors returned to Jack's Place in Sorrowside and made the acquaintance of the fighter Bian Fu, Wolfgar a cleric of Kord, and Abu Thistlestrike a portly and jovial Magic User with a taste for ale. After some discussions over hearty flagons, these three agreed to join the party. At this point, Igmar decided to go back to Steng's brewery to negotiate with the underworld figure and hopefully see what potential help the thieves guild might be able to offer. <br /><br />At the brewery, Igmar sat down for a council with Steng and his mysterious, blue handed, sorceress companion. Igmar proposed that his party of adventurers would be willing to offer a greater percentage of the profits taken from Witchspyre Hill, if Steng could offer any additional assistance to their group. Steng claimed to be intrigued by this offer, but said that he would need to see greater evidence that Igmar's group was competent before providing any assistance. He told Igmar that he might be willing to offer assistance for a greater percentage of the loot, but that he would need to see evidence that the party was able to pull significant wealth from the dungeon. He then reminded Igmar that the party had agreed to pay him and the guild a full twenty five percent of treasure taken from beneath Witchspyre Hill. Just as the negotiations were concluding, the deformed Igmar surprised everyone concerned by rising to his feet, bowing, and presenting the lovely, raven haired sorceress with a single flower as a tribute to her great beauty. The blue handed woman's icy demeanor shifted for a moment from cool aloofness to amused curiosity as she thanked Igmar and accepted his gift.<br /><br />Meanwhile, the rest of the party was back at Thumbless Jack's attempting to hire some new hirelings. Given that no hireling had as of yet returned from Witchspyre Hill alive, not many were willing to join the group. After some clever negotiations on the part of Thimble the Thief the group hired two individuals - Tuck, an over weight, somewhat asthmatic man wearing an ill fitting suit of leather armor, and Joboron, a shifty eyed drunken mercenary from parts unknown.<br /><br />The following day, May 13, the group arose early, intent on resupplying and heading back to Witchspyre Hill. Before leaving, however, Abu wanted to visit Bytor's magic shop located in Maintown. While browsing in the crowded and cluttered interior of the shop, Abu asked Bytor, a lean and wiry individual, if he knew anything about the mysterious appearance of the tower atop Wichspyre Hill. Bytor shut the door of his shop, produced a bottle of wine, and confided in Abu that he did have in his possession something that might reveal crucial information about the tower, but that he would only trade it for magic. He was not interested in gold. He also cautioned Abu against getting too involved with the church of Wee Jas, though the mage turned cagy at this point and refused to specify why such caution was necessary. <br /><br />While this discussion was going on, Igmar entered Hezroat's spice shop and asked the merchant directly if the deal regarding Bartok's head was still in effect. Attempting to bluff, Igmar claimed that others had also offered him money for the head of the missing adventurer. Hezroat, however, seemed to know that Igmar was bluffing, claiming that he could not possibly imagine why anyone but he would want proof of Bartok's death. When asked by Igmar why he wanted such proof, Hezroat emphatically said that he could not say, but did stress that the offer of gold for such proof was still in effect. Igmar thanked the merchant, purchased a pouch of Devil's Weed for his pipe, and took his leave of the merchant. <br /><br />Their business in town concluded, the group began their journey back to the mysterious dungeon beneath Witchspyre Hill.<br /><br />They resumed their exploration on May 15. The party made some further headway, mapping some more unexplored corridors and chambers, and finally uncovered what appeared to be some long forgotten tomb or burial chamber hidden behind a secret door. Within, the group made the acquaintance of the crypt's occupant, a horrible animated skeletal figure clad in chain mail and armed with a gleaming and oddly untarnished longsword. A desperate battle ensued when the horrific figure arose from its ancient undead slumber and closed with the group, its skeletal hand closing around Tuck's throat and chocking the life out of the the pudgy hireling. The figure appeared to be radiating some sort magical aura of terror and several members of the group began to flee. Even those who appeared resistant to the thing's horrid power did not all seem to want to engage it however. Thimble, for instance, chose to withdraw with the those who were fleeing while Joboron, quite drunk, refused to fight the thing and ran as well. Things looked like they might turn grim when the horrid corpse seized Wolfgar by the throat and began to strangle him, but Abu the mage crushed its skull with a sling stone and saved the cleric from certain death. Released from its fear effect, the rest of the party regrouped and proceeded to loot the tomb, recovering 1200 gold pieces and the skeleton's apparently enchanted sword. At this point, three ghouls emerged from the corridor and attacked. A fierce fight thus followed, but the party quickly gained the upper hand. Noteworthy in this encounter, Lilyth actually dealt the "killing" blow to each ghoul. <br /><br />And this is where we left off. After dispatching the ghouls, the group decided to pull back to the surface and camp for the night the ground floor of the tower before proceeding. Thanks to all for a fun night of gaming.<br /><br />140 xp each for all concerned.Ironbeardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18244939365755302731noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6838135041685819639.post-49489967712281922552010-07-05T10:41:00.002-04:002010-07-05T10:42:57.715-04:00Next SessionJay has suggested Saturday, July 17 as a possible date for our next session. How will this work for everyone?Ironbeardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18244939365755302731noreply@blogger.com31tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6838135041685819639.post-15274290419119414892010-06-30T14:00:00.001-04:002010-06-30T14:01:40.739-04:00Friday's SessionOn Friday July 2, we will be playing at Matt and Heather's home in ER. Thanks to them for graciously volunteering to host. We will begin at 7:00.Ironbeardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18244939365755302731noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6838135041685819639.post-50667323389111593552010-06-25T15:50:00.008-04:002010-06-25T18:01:31.093-04:00Witchspyre Hill: Session 4<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidv-gQWbPjevXxPvTT_wVPHvxqrb10wj5EeAAThYaAZZr99XZJX-FODwp_XGHOCb6n9iQeBAtD5Q5RL6GbDq1XjoGpjAGawNMk9iY5KC_azAGYaxw0ba0Glc7FO0myoFFQVHsoMMaq9Vo/s1600/spider_giant.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 140px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidv-gQWbPjevXxPvTT_wVPHvxqrb10wj5EeAAThYaAZZr99XZJX-FODwp_XGHOCb6n9iQeBAtD5Q5RL6GbDq1XjoGpjAGawNMk9iY5KC_azAGYaxw0ba0Glc7FO0myoFFQVHsoMMaq9Vo/s320/spider_giant.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486801296107151778" /></a><br />May 6-10 1051 HR<br /><br />Our last session began on the morning of May 6 in the year 1051 HR. After the very briefest of forays into the basement beneath the ruins of Leng's Tower, your party, consisting at this point of Igmar Houndhaven, Thimble, Pipstrelles, and the hirelings Steng and Doobin Bungbolt, decided to return to Thumbless Jack's in order to reunite with other party members and possibly recruit new adventurers. At Jack's, the party reunited with the fighters Lilith and Goram Ironfist (who apparently had waited out the zombie outbreak upstairs at the inn with a jug of Jack's best gnomish whisky). They also made the acquaintance of a new party member, one Pisspot Jenkins, a greenhorn who had recently decided to strike out upon the adventuring life to see what it had to offer.<br /><br />After some discussion over hearty bowls of Jack's famous fish chowder, it was decided that it would be best to set out for Witchspyre Hill once again in the hopes of reaping even more and perhaps richer rewards. Before doing so, however, the party decided that some method for safely storing and securing its treasure must be found as it was becoming unwieldy to carry around so much coinage upon your persons. The party hit upon the idea of purchasing a structure in Null's Harbor and using it as a base of operations and a storehouse for its wealth. Thumbless Jack informed you that Steng, the owner of Steng's Brewery owned almost all of the free property in Sorrowside and it would be best to talk with him. Jack did, however, caution you that it was best to tread lightly and use care when dealing with Steng.<br /><br />This advice proved to be well founded. After arriving at the brewery, you immediately realized that something was amiss. While Steng's was a working brewery,you saw no laborers at work, being greeted instead by six heavily armed thugs. Steng himself soon appeared accompanied by a beautiful, raven haired sorceress or magic user with blue stained hands. You quickly concluded that Steng was no ordinary brewer and that he may be highly placed in the local thieves guild. Negotiations proceeded and Steng suggested that he could sell you a small stone structure near the town's north wall for five hundred gold pieces. After examining the structure, you decided that you were in fact interested and sent Pipistrelles back to negotiate further with Steng and his mysterious blue handed companion. <br /><br />Upon hearing of your interest, however, Steng became suspicious. How did such a group of neophyte adventurers such as yourselves have the coin to make such a purchase after all? Was it possible that you had returned from some adventure recently and had more riches at your disposal than you were admitting to. Not wishing to pay the tax levied by the guild on such swag, Pipistrelles lied, claiming that this was not true. But when Steng threatened to place him under a charm spell to ascertain the truth, the novice monk began to flounder, fumbling around with his words and finally stammering out that, while it was true that he had not told the whole truth, he had not actually lied. <br /><br />This double talk did not satisfy the brewer and, after some increased pressure, the monk finally confessed that the party did in fact have a fair amount of wealth in its possession having recently returned from an expedition to Witchspyre Hill. Steng informed the monk that he expected his fair cut of this haul and sent a henchman to invite the rest of the party into the brewery to consider his demand. <br /><br />It was at this point that things turned very ugly.<br /><br />Upon hearing Steng's offer, Goram, the dwarven warrior shouted a profane challenge at Steng, drew his axe, and exhorted his comrades to fight. Pipistrelles kicked off the melee, introducing his staff to the skull of one of Steng's henchman and shattering it like a china bowl. Lilith followed suit, disemboweling another foe and spilling his smoking entrails onto the brewery's oak planked floor. Quick thinking Igmar also got in on the action and cast a charm spell upon another henchman. This early success was short lived unfortunately. At this point, one of your own henchman, Steng from Goat's Alley, switched sides declaring that he wanted no part of the fight. This treachery barely had time to register when the mysterious raven haired spell caster raised her blue hands and traced some weird runic shapes in the air before her, bringing a sleep spell down upon all of you and sending you falling into a crushing helpless slumber. <br /><br />It should be noted that Thimble avoided this fate by quietly stealing away from the melee and fleeing across the burnt patch of Null's Harbor to Maintown.<br /><br />The rest of you awoke tightly bound in a stone chamber, empty but for a flickering torch, beneath the brewery. Steng soon arrived and did not seem pleased. He informed you that as a price for lying to him and challenging his authority, he was going to take all of your gold (the wealth you had acquired from the recent sale of the great diamond to Jazzle the Jeweler). Furthermore, he expected you to pay a full twenty five percent of all future wealth taken from beneath Witchspyre Hill. Faced with little choice, you accepted his demands. But Steng was not finished. As payment for the loss of his henchmen, he had no choice but to take some your flesh as well. Drawing a dagger from his belt, he sliced off Pipistrelles's ear, sawing through the cartilage with several long strokes and cauterizing the wound with the burning torch. Pisspot Jenkins fared no better, worse perhaps. Annoyed by the neophytes contrary nature and smug back talk, Steng used a set of metal workers tongs to pry Pisspot's mouth open before cutting out his tongue with a pair of tin worker's shears. <br /><br />Beaten and seething with resentment, you found yourselves released by Steng. You quickly headed back to maintown to meet Thimble, who incidentally had escaped with all of her wealth intact. Given the unfortunate recent turn of events, you all deemed it prudent to leave town as quickly as possible and journey back to the Stony Brow Hills to resume your exploration of the Witchspyre. The journey back to the hills lasted four days but passed without noteworthy incident. The screaming faces carved into the mysterious tower atop the hill loomed menacingly above you as you began the ascent up the steep sided, rocky edifice and, on May 10, you once again descended into the gloomy nether realms that unfold beneath it. <br /><br />Your party decided to explore a region of dungeon that you had not previously visited. You soon came upon an incredible site, a great hallway, fifty feet wide and lined with granite pillars, its ceiling lost in darkness above. Curiously, the vast corridor was lit by ever burning torches in sconces mounted on the passageway's mighty pillars. Impressed by its magnificence and assuming that such a fabulous corridor must lead somewhere significant, you decided to follow the grand hallway to its terminal destination. <br /><br />After following it for a short distance, you found that it opened into a large chamber containing a weird and horrific statue of a hermaphroditic naked woman. In addition to an enormous erect phallus, the bizarre artifact also sported a mouthful of fangs and two glittering emeralds for eyes. Unable to resist the lure of treasure, Goram Ironfist pried the emeralds loose from the statue but, in so doing, triggered some arcane sorcery that altered the very fabric of reality and, in a pulsing flash of light, changed his sex from male to female. Stunned by this odd turn of events, you continued to follow the grand hallway along its winding course through the dungeon.<br /><br />After traveling for an hour or so and passing several side passages and doors along the way, you came upon an ominous sign, a dessicated web shrouded corpse lying in the middle of the great corridor. Not long after this, the party was beset by a pack of gigantic spiders that dropped silently on silken cords from the darkness above. A desperate fight thus ensued in the flickering reddish glow of the torchlight. Goram, Lilith, Pisspot, and Pipistrelles engaged the horrid monstrosities with steel and staff, while Thimble and Igmar engaged at range with bow and spell. While you did manage to fell three of the aberrations, more kept coming, silently and relentlessly, from the darkness above, and the tide quickly turned against you. Goram, Pipistrelles, Pisspot, and Doobin all met horrible fates, falling beneath the cruel, dagger-like and venom filled fangs of the giant spiders. Igmar, Lilith, and Thimble made a desperate and hasty retreat turning their backs upon their fallen comrades and fleeing for their lives. In fact, Thimble, a character who has proven herself to be quite good at escaping, even had to shuck off her backpack and leave over a thousand gold pieces behind in order to make her exit.<br /><br />The three surviving characters did manage to make their escape and found refuge in some sort of abandoned and forgotten storage room and safely barricaded themselves within. This is where we left off. Once again, the party has been decimated and will undoubtedly need new recruits. This assumes of course that our three survivors can make it back to the surface. Thanks for a fun night of gaming everyone.<br /><br />Experience: 653 each for Igmar, Lilith, and ThimbleIronbeardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18244939365755302731noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6838135041685819639.post-74384552223097307682010-06-23T14:54:00.000-04:002010-06-23T14:55:11.263-04:00Next SessionHow does Friday, July 2 work for everyone for our next session?Ironbeardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18244939365755302731noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6838135041685819639.post-69950159803119649172010-06-12T00:37:00.002-04:002010-06-12T00:39:42.939-04:00What Kind of Polyhedron Are You?As you prepare for our next session...In the spirit of full disclosure, my results are below. Strangely, it is fairly accurate. Especially about the dice. I've always had a particular fondness for the d4.<br />
<br />
<blockquote>You are a d4: You are bright, perceptive, and driven. You would be considered a blessing to mankind, if you didn't insist on using your powers for evil. You are devious, deceitful, doubtful, and downright dangerous. Assassins can learn a lot from you. If your fellow party members knew how rotten you were, they'd go over and join the bad guys. Justified or not, you are meticulous in your ways: A poison for every person, and a dagger for every back. Much of your day is spent scheming or plotting. The rest of your time is spent trying to convince others that you're simply misunderstood.</blockquote><br />
<a href="http://dicepool.com/quiz/info_8.html"><br />
<br />
<img src="http://dicepool.com/images/quiz/devious.gif" height="300px" width="300px" alt="I am a d4"/></a><br />
<br />
<p><a href="http://dicepool.com/quiz/info_8.html">Take the quiz at dicepool.com</a></p>post festumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03739727524742573286noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6838135041685819639.post-84992012458714219172010-05-31T18:04:00.006-04:002010-06-09T09:18:10.258-04:00Witchspyre Hill: Session 3<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi5RMn43GIlb_pIeyH94EvnYP7Te1HO5p1X7FsLFV-3g8FRDollKBHfyjEQR6lQ0McGAIaiU8In7kgCaJILmNBAnxLJvQbIAWm2E8aEvlBQhL2BkFeGdxex6jQ15asLQycCZ88UIMu8Fg/s1600/Pirate_Flagons1.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 198px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi5RMn43GIlb_pIeyH94EvnYP7Te1HO5p1X7FsLFV-3g8FRDollKBHfyjEQR6lQ0McGAIaiU8In7kgCaJILmNBAnxLJvQbIAWm2E8aEvlBQhL2BkFeGdxex6jQ15asLQycCZ88UIMu8Fg/s320/Pirate_Flagons1.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477559969706139954" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">April 29 - May 6, 1051</span><br /><br />Our last session was certainly full of grim surprises. Play resumed with your party still standing in the hall of statues, smelling the seared flesh of your fallen companions, and contemplating the fabulous diamond that you had just won at so dear a price. Eager to convert the gem into spendable coinage and badly in need of new recruits to replace your lost numbers, you decided to take the two day journey back to Null's Harbor. <br /><br /><br />The journey passed without incident.<br /><br /><br />Back in town, the surviving members of the party spent the night drinking and relaxing at The Green Griffin and it was there that they made the acquaintance of several new adventurers who had also been drawn to the port town by rumors of possible treasures to be had in the Stony Brow Hills. The party's ranked were thus filled out with new meat. The following day, Thimble the Thief, Goram the Dwarf, Fizbon the Magic User, and Pipistrelles the Monk lost no time in selling the gem to Janzal the Jeweler, but were surprised when Janzal urged the group to keep their possession and sale of the diamond as secret as possible. The adventurers were puzzled by the merchant's emphatic desire for secrecy, but the mystery would soon be cleared up. <br /><br /><br />Back at the Green Griffin tavern, the rest of your party was relaxing and enjoying a leisurely breakfast of homemade biscuits and salted cod when they were approached in the tavern by one Rayas, an acolyte of the temple of Wee Jas. Rayas expressed a keen interest in knowing as much as possible about the Witchspyre Hill anomaly and even offered to pay for valuable information. Seeing an opportunity to make a little extra coin, Igmar Houndhaven lost little time in turning a tidy profit by selling Rayas the copy of "A Theory of Gateways and Inter-Planar Rifts" by Judge Ofic Gundap that you recovered from the mysterious tower atop the hill. <br /><br /><br />Not long after Rayas took his leave of you, those of you in the Griffin were approached by yet another figure, a wiry shifty young man who introduced himself as Max. Max claimed to represent a local organization dedicated to the protection of merchants and tradesmen from the predations of criminals and wrongdoers. For the small fee of five percent of all wealth recovered from the Hills, Max guaranteed that his organization could protect you from any unfortunate acts of violence or criminality that might otherwise befall you. Quickly inferring that you were in fact dealing with the local Thieves' Guild, you agreed to pay Max his tithe from your sale of Gundap's treatise, but were very glad to have kept the recovery of the diamond a secret. Slightly unnerved by the encounter with the Guild, your party decided to leave town that day and head back to Witchspyre Hill in the hopes of winning more wealth and riches. <br /><br /><br />The first day of your journey back to Witchspyre Hill passed without incident, but on the morning of your trip's second day, things began to turn ugly. You arose on the morning of May 2 to find the hilly terrain of eastern Gnut shrouded in a dense, virtually impenetrable fog. Pressing on and closely following the steadily rising road you discovered an ominous sign, an abandoned turnip cart, stained with blood and left on the side of the road. You did not have to wonder for long about the answer to this puzzle. About an hour later, the zombies attacked. With little warning, a gang of the mindless walking dead came lurching out of the mist and attacked. Fortunately, the party's cleric was able to call upon the benevolence of his mysterious deity and drive the horrid walking corpses with the sheer power of his faith. Shaken but undaunted, your party pressed on, climbing upward into the rugged and craggy Stony Brows, finally arriving at the foot of the Witchspyre just before nightfall. Needing rest, you decided to sleep atop the steep sided conical prominence, just beneath the shadow of the mysterious tower. The setting sun shone weakly through the mists, hanging like a drop of blood in the murky sky as you set up camp.<br /><br /><br />The night did not pass well.<br /><br /><br />Shortly before midnight, the moaning sounds of the walking dead arose from the cold fog that cloaked the rocky slopes below your campsite. This gave little warning and, almost before you knew it, the zombies were upon you, lurching into your ranks, mindlessly driven by their obscene and unholy lust for living flesh. Within moments, Fizbon the magic user was slain. He had barely sat upright in his bedroll when one of the fiends bit into his throat and tore out his jugular. Perhaps the hen-pecked mage finally met something more frightening than his wife. The party's hirelings, Dent Footknocker and Filthy Pete, fell next, cut down while they impotently fumbled for their weapons. Beric called upon the power of his mysterious and unknown god once again, but alas, this time the power of his faith was not enough to turn back the shambling figures lunging from out of the fog. At this point, some in the party began to retreat to the shelter of the tower itself while others, Augran (sp?) the Dwarf and Biter the Fighter girded themselves with their tools of war and turned their steely faces to confront the undead menace. Unfortunately, their bravery was not enough to carry the day, and moments later, the rest of the party watched their last two fighters vanish forever beneath a grasping and clutching wave of putrefied flesh. Alas, the groans of the zombies could not drown out their screams. The rest of the party thus closed the tower door on a scene whose description is probably best left to the imagination.<br /><br /><br />The rest of the party, now consisting of Igmar Houndhaven the Magic User, Beric the Cleric, Thimble the Thief, and Pipistrelles the Monk spent a nervous night barricaded within the mysterious tower, keeping one eye on the outside door and the other on the stairway leading to the monster haunted under-realms below. Shortly after dawn, they nervously peered out of the tower, expecting the worst, but finding instead that the zombies had withdrawn, perhaps lured elsewhere by other, less fortunate prey. Lacking fighters, the most prudent course of action was to try and return to Null's Harbor and recruit more muscle. The journey back passed without more combat, but the distant moans of the walking dead occasionally met your ears as it drifted wraith-like through the dense, miasmic fog that still blanketed Northern Thrang.<br /><br /><br />When you arrived at the town gates on the evening of May 5, you learned from the guardsmen that Gnut had indeed been the victim of a zombie outbreak. While the walking dead often do wander from out of the Wargwood Forest to the north, occasionally they come in far greater numbers than usual. The last three days had witnessed just such an onslaught. Nevertheless, they reassured you that this outbreak was deemed minor by the kingdom's inhabitants and that King Haldric had swiftly ordered troops to quell the menace. The situation was supposedly already well in hand.<br /><br /><br />Once in town, the party decided to lay low and struck out for Sorrowside, the town's westernmost neighborhood frequented by adventurers, mercenaries, and other miscreants. You arranged lodging at Thumbless Jack's, a rowdy but friendly tavern, and put out the word that you were seeking swords for hire. The evening passed without incident for most of the party with the exception of Igmar and Beric who decided to hit the town and spend some of their newly acquired loot on wenching. This led to mixed results at best. On the morning of May 6, Beric awoke stark naked and penniless in the temple of Father Dagon, a sea god of sorts worshipped mostly by fishermen and sailors throughout the Thrangian Kingdoms. Apparently, deep in his cups and unaware of what he was doing, Beric generously donated all of his wealth and worldly possessions to temple. Frantic negotiations with the chief cleric of the place failed to rectify the situation and Beric was forced to return to Jack's Place to rejoin his comrades and nurse his hangover. Hopefully, he now has the favor of Father Dagon. Meanwhile, Igmar awoke as a prisoner, locked in a cell, in one of the western guard towers. He learned that, in a drunkenly belligerent state, he had argued with the watch over some trivial matter and had even attempted to ensorcel a guardsman. Needless to say, this was mightily frowned upon and the guard promptly clapped him in irons. Fortunately, the town watch is used to such shenanigans, especially in Sorrowside, and the rest of the party was able to secure his release with some smooth talking and the payment of fifty gold pieces to the officer on duty.<br /><br /><br />Back at Thumbless Jack's, the party secured the services of two new henchmen, Steng from Goat's Alley, a drunken, shifty eyed fellow with a horribly burned visage and Doobin Bungbolt, a strapping brute missing his two front teeth. Deeming it best to wait for the zombie outbreak to fully subside but still thirsting for adventure, the party decided to tentatively explore the ruins of Leng's Tower, an abandoned ruin in the town's burnt patch. Not much exploration was done, however. You descended to the entrance room of the tunnels below the tower looked around and decided to hold temporarily. This is where we left off. All in all, I thought it was a fun, if somewhat blood soaked, evening.<br /><br /><br />225 experience points each go to Igmar, Beric, Thimble, and PipistrellesIronbeardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18244939365755302731noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6838135041685819639.post-25737618260721235832010-05-24T09:52:00.000-04:002010-05-24T09:53:14.651-04:00Next SessionHow does June 11 or June 12 work for everyone for our next session?Ironbeardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18244939365755302731noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6838135041685819639.post-87714085582691817502010-05-12T17:26:00.002-04:002010-05-12T17:30:35.976-04:00Witchspire Hill - Session 2<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFbTR2JLUPciFbAf9-jp3HfCmHtWN6jYau-4jlRuuK2RK6sjJGVujhyphenhyphenc7Mh3vVwVwhHMSxWgoH4uubolpUnPrrFeEG-1-At9AKrc1YRgDQ24WhJpGKEIN_F_6SRwukzDxYIwSRa_cDWX4/s1600/fire.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFbTR2JLUPciFbAf9-jp3HfCmHtWN6jYau-4jlRuuK2RK6sjJGVujhyphenhyphenc7Mh3vVwVwhHMSxWgoH4uubolpUnPrrFeEG-1-At9AKrc1YRgDQ24WhJpGKEIN_F_6SRwukzDxYIwSRa_cDWX4/s320/fire.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470499098916985954" /></a><br />Dates: April 26-28, 1051 HR<br /><br /><br />Our second session began on April 26, with your party hundreds of feet below the surface of Witchspire Hill, peering into the monster-haunted gloom of the under passages that have appeared there so recently. Over the course of the next three days, you cautiously and methodically continued your exploration of the vast labyrinth searching for hidden treasure and attempting to make sense of the enigmatic structure. <br /><br /><br />Thus far, the dungeon has been reluctant to give up its secrets. Undead seem to predominate, though other vermin like monstrous centipedes, rats, and stirges appear to be in abundance as well. The complex also contains a variety of traps in the form of pits and dead falls, as was discovered by the much missed fighting man , "Murder," who had the misfortune of tumbling headlong into one such engine of death. The party did discover evidence that there may be more intelligent inhabitants of the under-realm as well. The corpse of a bipedal, toad like humanoid, clad in chain mail and a scarlet cloak was found, for instance. The identity, or even species, of this mysterious individual has yet to be determined.<br /><br /><br />The party also managed to translate the curious red leather bound book recovered from the upper tower, learning that it was a treatise entitled "A Theory of Gateways and Inter-Planar Rifts" authored by some one named Judge Ofic Gundap. The book was written in an unknown language.<br /><br /><br />As the exploration continued, even more curiosities began to be found. Perhaps one of the most baffling came in the form of an immensely long corridor lined with niches containing busts of humanoid heads. No two busts were the same and seemed to depict unique individuals, each rendered in exquisite detail. As if this were not strange enough, you noticed that one of these busts portrayed the startled visage of none other than Raylene Marybegotten, a former member of your party who you had seen slain before your very eyes just days before. <br /><br /><br />But on the morning of April 28, you discovered at the end of this hall of heads what was perhaps the dungeon's most memorable horror thus far. An enormous diamond hung suspended in mid air atop an elaborately carved pedestal bearing a sculpture of a leering, laughing devil. Before the pedestal, the floor bore an intricate, but scorched, sunburst pattern. When you approached the pedestal, the devil sculpture animated and claimed the diamond to be shield by a magical force field. In order to lower the field and recover the diamond, it told you, a single individual must stand in the sunburst and answer three riddles, the condition being that only the one in the sunburst may answer. Silas the Magic User bravely stepped forward, uttered a few obscenities, entered the sunburst, and listened to the animate sculpture recite its first riddle. Unfortunately for Silas, Bella the Monk, overcome with excitement that she knew the answer, blurted out a response to the riddle. The party then learned the consequences for answering out of turn as they looked on in horror as Silas was engulfed in a pillar of blinding flame; his screams of agony echoed down the long corridors of Witchspire Hill as his flesh melted from his bones and his eyeballs poached like eggs in his skull.<br /><br /><br />In response to this hasty outburst, Zizek the Magic User seized Bella and shoved her into the sunburst, demanding that she too answer a riddle. But while Bella knew the answer to the first of the statue's riddles, she failed to answer its second and thus found herself consigned to the same terrifyingly fiery death as Silas. At this point, some among you raised the possibility of leaving this puzzle trap behind and cutting your losses. But the lure of the fabulous diamond, hanging glittering in the air before you, proved too tempting to ignore and you pressed on with the perverse and deadly game. Thus began a grim procession as two more characters - Chalice, priestess of Veccna, and the much loved Brother Coin - entered the dreaded sunburst only to be immolated as those who had gone before had been. Spirits began to sink as the corridor filled with filthy smoke and the nauseating smell of burned flesh and rendered fat until, at last,Goram the dwarven fighter stepped forward and answered the statue's final question thereby releasing the diamond.<br /><br /><br /><br />This is where we left off. In order to reap full xp for the gem, you must of course return with to civilization, but you are of course under no compulsion to do so. <br /><br />194 xp for each surviving PCIronbeardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18244939365755302731noreply@blogger.com4