I can't shake the feeling this is too short for a camapign update. But it seems to be about the same length as my last update.
Maybe I'm just writing shorter sessions now.
Still Day 122
Darkshore is a village on edge, Dounil can sense stares as he intrudes in the village square. There is no mention of any inn or tavern, but one is traditional.
Upon heaving his travois to the door, Dounil peeks inside to see Celest drinking in a corner, her back to the wall so she cannot be snuck up on. He hails her and she happy and slightly puzzled to see her companion so far across the bay.
They talk, Celest has been riding across Urnst and Nyrond. But she hasn’t yet found a good haul and spent all her money as fast as she earns it. She is not big on camping. She traded her horse for passage down the river to Darkshelf and rations.
But she has a plan. The disappearances, the counterraids and the quarry seem to be linked in the mind of Neistor, the village overlord. He offered her 500gp to discover the fate of Kwon, his agent. Who reported disturbing rumours about the quarry.
Dounil offers to help if Celest would accompany him on his own quest and then she snaps at him that he has come to her and asks to join her. Not for her to split the reward and abandon any future direction.
Dounil says he was tackling the Temple of Elemental Evil and realised he couldn’t do it alone. He offers her the magic chainmail, his old magic shield, the cloak of elvenkind (as he was going to offer the dagger he gave to the tribesmen) and he offers to buy her a horse when the time is right. She also wants all the treasure they find on this quest and Dounil agrees, splitting any they find in the Temple. Celest is quite happy with this and says it must be a dire quest indeed to agree to these terms. Dounil said there is one last thing, she will need to pay for his room and food while in Darkshelf and he relates how he raced to find her over the last 60 days. Including his epic shipwreck and journey.
Celest is somewhat perturbed at his story and agrees, saying they should leave after eating (-2gp). The quarry being half a mile away (2 out of 3 mentions say half a mile not 3 miles). As they walk, Celest relates how they have three entrances, a ventilation shaft, a hidden dock on the rick and the main entrance. She says to pick one because her gear is surprisingly heavy, though she is still agile enough to have an AC of -2 compared to Dounil’s AC of -1.
Dounil and Celest both have ropes and Dounil can levitate down to secure them. Or they could clear the quarry one level at a time. If they go down first, no one will see them coming, but if they come through the front, they get the administrators and the mysterious and disliked dwarf, Bazili Erak.
Surprise is always the best policy, and they agree to descend and come up from behind. It takes an hour to climb beyond the quarry to the hills and another hour to find the thing according to the module, No Random Encounters x2 [11:00].
At the shaft, they tie Dounil’s rope to a nearby tree and Dounil Levitates down holding the end, while Celest climbs down. They come to a stop at an iron grate, greased to prevent rust. An Open Doors roll at -1 turns up good, the grill clatters to the floor some 12 feet below, leaving Dounil’s rope hanging 5 feet above it [11:05].
Room 37 has only 1 entrance, so that’s where the choose to go, though Celest is near invisible, she is not nearly silent. They advance shoulder to shoulder, nearly filling the corridor. Dim light from the cave fungus allows them to not even need Darkvision. Fortunately, this module doesn’t have in-dungeon random encounters.
35 feet along the passage there is a split, they decide to keep advancing forward and double back when this passage ends [11:11].
Advancing another 50 feet [11:15] 1/6, they arrive in Room 36. They see 4 goblins dicing at a crude table. That’s all the incentive that is needed in that age and they rush forward, swords unsheathed. Celest rolls higher than Dounil and goes first, an excellent roll means she does 3 HD of damage, killing 3 of the goblins. In the fraying, Dounil kills the last. 20/16 = 1.25, or 1 XP for both their classes. Searching the room reveals nothing, [11:20].
But the noise has attracted footsteps from Room 34, two human guards enter and seeing the goblin corpses, move to attack. No automatic initiative here as the enemies initiated the combat. They go first, then Dounil and Celest. Neither hit, and Dounil kills them with a single charge. XP = 1, the bare minimum because 10/16 is a number that cannot be 0. [11:21].
Moving into Room 34, triggers wince-inducing echoes but no one is present 2/6. Advancing into the chamber to the great rising pillars show quarry work on floor and walls, to the west is dim light and to the east, the quarry entrance 3/6.
Advancing along the work cave for 120 feet means they must rest [11:52]. Dounil can see on his sketch map that the cave is made of these massive pillars, a tunnel to the south might lead back to room 37, but that’s a later problem. Another 60 feet takes them to a junction; they can hear and see workers to the south-west and a tunnel north-west.
Heading to the works, they see free men quarrying with no humanoids in sight, 2/6 [12:02]. Celest suggests they could be in on the conspiracy, as the guards were with the goblins. Dounil asks if the overlord said if locals worked here, Celest said he implied it but never said it. They decide to take the other passage. Backtracking and moving until they must rest brings them to the due west tunnel leading below, room 38. Seeing light and hewing to the north, they disregard it and head below 3/6 [12:12].
It takes them 10 minutes of creeping to reach the bottom and advance along their right-hand side towards room 41 4/6 [12:22]. They encounter 5 goblins, digging away as the miners above. The goblins are surprised and slain in 1 round. [12:13]. 1 XP for all.
Advancing to the south, the approach a 3-way junction, but stop to rest some 25 feet from it [12:23]. Advancing up to it, Celest detects the secret door. But they also see the light burring ahead to the west in Room 42. Advancing, it takes them a turn, 1/6, to reach the open chamber. Where their alert foes are waiting for them [12:43].
Ahead is the terrible pyramid, emblazoned with the eye Dounil has seen peering at him from robes and defaced mosaic. In front is a robed man, who greets them warmly. Dounil tries the standard tactic and hails him, proclaiming he has been to the temple and work progresses well. This is perturbing to the cleric, who expects them as foes considering the fighting, but Dounil might know his stuff. Nevertheless, the pair did attack the goblins.
The priest decides to test them and asks Dounil to give the four symbols for each cult. Dounil decides that he’ll win or won’t. So, he guesses; Fire-Triangle, Earth-Square, Water-Circle and Air-Diamond. That is blatantly incorrect and combat insures.
As there is no surprise and starting from weapons not drawn, the priest rolls higher initiative.
Round 1, the priest cases Cause Fear on Dounil, thinking he is the tougher foe. Dounil’s saving throw is 15 and he rolled a 17 with his +1 modifier, so he passes. Dounil rolls 23 on the attack, 9 for damage and 2 on the Fray. The Priest with 2 HD is dead.
But two strange creatures never seen by either hero emerge from the pool and advance (Mudtigers).
Celest attacks with her magical Fray and rolls 2, so one Mudtiger goes HD 2 -> 1. There is shouting from further to the south.
Round 2, Dounil moves to engage them with his sword and Fray, hitting the elemental beasts for 2 HD. Killing one and doing 1 HD to the other, HD 2 -> 1. The Surviving Mudtiger releases an electric burst, doing 2 HP damage to Dounil and causing his sword and armour to become magnetise for 3 rounds, HP 18->16. The mudtiger also tries to burrow below into the loose sand and mud. Celest is having none of it and uses her magical Fray again (a blue comet), doing 1 HD and killing it. Another cleric and six goblins emerge from the southern passage.
Round 3, a fresh round of initiative means all foes go, then Celest then Dounil. Who is still magnetised.
The cleric casts Command “Flee” on Celest. She just passes with a 14+1 thanks to her modifier. The 6 goblins strike at her with slings. None hit despite some high rolls as they have 1 HD and she has negative AC.
Celest charges forward, sword in hand and full of gumption. She is only level 1 so she can only use her magical Fray against the new priest who is a level 2 Cleric. The fray does 1 HD of damage, and her sword does 4 HD more. The cleric dies as does 3 goblins.
Dounil cannot join as the metal randomly magnetising on him halves his speed, he casts Fray instead, killing 1 more goblin.
Round 4, The goblins fail morale and flee towards 46. Celest is out of range to cast so she contends with tossing the bodies and Dounil rests and waits to return to normal polarity, HP 16->18 [14:51].
The goblins have nothing on them, and the two priests just have studded leather with bronze. Also, stone hammers which they think might have something to do with the mudtigers. They find two keys though, which they are eager to try.
Advancing in a combat ready stance, they find a spoiled coal cart and disgusting furs. Celest options to search the cart and Dounil the furs. After a turn they find nothing and are sorely disappointed [15:01].
Following the only passage to the east, they find the priests’ chambers and an open secret door to the junction, where the goblins circled around behind them in their flight. Searching this room turns up two more key rings, mundane writing implements and two locked chests under the beds. The keys from the bodies fit after several tries with the set of four and the chests contain: 3 unholy symbols made of silver (to be melted down), 260gp, 18pp, 6 bloodstones (15gp x 6) 3 potions that Dounil says look like his Potion of Healing and three vials of something herbal. They aren’t sure if they are poison or potion [15:21]. Celest is thrilled as it’s all hers.
They explore further, knowing those goblins were either on their way up to meet the miners (in which case the problem was alerting the supervisors) or was heading further down (to alert monsters). Coming to the junction, they look down the sinkhole that is room 49 but don’t feel like risking it [15:31]. They keep to the left-hand rule and progress ahead without taking the turn to room 47. After another turn of edging forward the come to an iron grating and barred door with a padlock on the bar and no hinges on this side, room 51 [15:31].
With a light briefly flaring ahead, Dounil says he will lift the door. That’s when the alert bugbear guard in the alcove to the south acts. Automatically surprising the pair, he thrusts his spear at Dounil when Dounil is attempting to force the door, without a weapon or shield. Hitting Dounil for 2 damage. This alerts the bugbear in room 52 who moves towards room 53.
Round 1, The Bugbear strikes again but misses. Celest casts her Fray but does no damage. Dounil keeps at it. With a -1 from the construction, he only just forces the door. The Bugbear from 52 has alerted the one from room 53.
Round 2, The bugbear strikes but misses. Celest does 3 HD back killing the bugbear. Dounil reequips his sword and shield.
Round 3, the two remaining bugbear guards advance with morning stars and the heroes rush to meet them. There is pyrotechnics aplenty with ranged magic Frays before the clash of weapons. The Bugbears go first but miss. The frays take off 2 HD and the swords 2 more, slaying the furry goblins, the pair stop to rest and loot. Dounil recovers his lost 2 HP and Celest finds nothing of value [15:44].
Advancing north, they see the alcoves slaves would be held in, they are empty and discoloured. Going over them, arriving at the sinkhole in room 50 and coming back takes 3 turns including the gross rest by the sinkhole [16:10].
It takes another turn to reach the end room in the east where the bugbears slept and another turn to loot it. Taking the obvious keys and shaking the furs down for nothing [16:30], 2/6.
Celest, feeling and seeing the urn holding live coals, dumps them on the floor looking for treasure that might be fire-proof. She overthought it as they realising coins are coming out with the ash of the other two. She asks Dounil if they should bring a mule in to carry the stuff, and he says he’s never thought to try as he can’t hide a mule.
Advancing up the cells in room 53, they find the miserable prisoners and a fit man who stands up with his shackles falling off. He is Kwon. Dounil ushers him aside and activates the Ring of Invisibility.
He proclaims he could kill this man right now mas a spy of the slavers, if the prisoners cannot verify, he is Kwon, the Overlord’s agent. The prisoners aren’t sure, but they do know he slipped into them before entering and has been exploring between roll head counts.
Dounil takes off his ring and apologises to Kwon, who is miffed but not too upset. Kwon knows there is quite a bit of natural cave beneath and the rotation of the quarry guards. Upon being told that Celest and Dounil are to see if he is in trouble, Kwon is happy to let them keep going. He’ll take the prisoners up top and rally with the quarry workers. Then they’ll escape as part of the end of shift. But it is almost time and the goblins are out at night. They try the keys and Kwon sets to unlocking the manacles.
As far as Kwon knows, the goblins stick to this level and the quarry. Only transporting slaves further below. The pair resolve to wipe this layer clean and the guardhouse before descending to the third level, they rest at the door [17:10] 2/6.
Setting off down again, the advance ahead of the rescued prisoners and Kwon, turning down the junction to room 47 [17:20] 3/6.
They advance less than 30 feet when the goblins miners rush out calling for aid behind the pair. The goblins surprise and now 4 attack while 12 advance, including the two who survived the fight in the temple/room 42. None of the 4 goblins hit in the surprise round.
Round 1, The goblins won the initiative with their ambush, so 16 attacks vs negative AC. One was 1 off from hitting Dounil, but none succeeded. Eleven goblins die from two lots of Fighter Fray and sword swings.
Round 2, the goblins check morale but pass, they are committed to making a stand here. Another almost hit on Dounil and Celest misses both Fray and swing, but all the goblins die. Looting the bodies turns up nothing and the prisoners escape up the tunnel [17:30] 3/6.
Advancing down the left side, so to the east away from the goblins they pass diggings, it takes a turn to reach room 48, where they stare with annoyance at the grating the stood on a they entered. Celest complains a dungeon is just a bunch of loops. Dounil says he is thankful this one isn’t a mess of disconnected tunnels that each need to be explored. They rest in the junction away from the smell of unwashed and now dead bosies [18:00].
A turn later they find what remains of the goblin barrack in room 46, and another turn to find nothing in the furs [18:20]. Celest, working herself into a dragon fever, starts kicking at the embers of the fire, as the last bunch of goblinoids hid their treasure in flames, these must as well. Dounil sighs and uses the shovel to dig a little under the embers, quite surprised to hear a clink of a hard surface [18:30]. They uncover 12 (quite warm) clay pots filled with quartz crystals and coins.
They advance again and spot the slope of a descending ramp [18:40] 4/6. Dounil and Celest mull over Kwons words. There were a lot more beds than the 222 goblins they have killed so far. And the quarry is guarded by the stockade above. They’ll attack that and come back later.
Celest and Dounil have found so far:
3 unholy symbols made of silver (to be melted down), 860gp, 18pp, 6 bloodstones (15gp x 6), 3 nice-looking urns (25gp x 3), 12 pots of unknown contents (900sp, 250gp, 10gp x 23 quartz crystals), 3 potions that Dounil says look like his Potion of Healing and three vials of something herbal.
They have killed 22 goblins, 3 bugbears, two level 2 clerics and 2 mudtigers for 350 XP. Which is 24 FXP and 22 MUXP for both.
