Hey folks,
Here's a wrap-up of the last game session, mostly for Earl's sake: We started the day off watching "The Gamers" by the Dead Gentlemen. Many laughs were had while we chowed down on sausages, mozzarella balls, cookies, bread, and ramen cakes. Once that was over and everyone was gathered we got our own game on.
Captain Grey sent the adventurers to the Pelor abbey library to seek out maps of Portyngton and environs in order to help plan the assault. On the way Lukana spotted the traitorous Alessandra spying on the group from a nearby alley before she turned and fled. An ill-timed baggage cart crossing the street slowed down pursuit enough so that Alessandra disappeared out of sight. The adventurers gave chase and had to split up into three groups to follow the branching alleyway.
Gignus and Digna followed one branch to a dead end and were attacked by what appeared to be six Yuan-ti sorcerers. The Dwarves hacked away at them until it became apparent that all but one were mirror images. The last one briefly paralyzed Gignus, then shocked and chilled Digna, before it was cut down.
Beornweynne and Hildagarde took the middle passage and ended up in the rear of a laundromat, filled with criss-crossing clothes-lines and soaking tubs. There they were ambushed by an Yuan-ti swordsman and a sneak. Hildagarde peppered the swordsman with arrows while Beornweynne stood toe-to-toe with the beast. Beornweynne was poisoned by the snakeman's bite before he was slain. Together the knocked-out and captured the Yuan-ti sneak soon after. All they found was an old washer-woman's corpse floating in one of the soapy tubs.
Lukana and Sir Andros followed the last path, leaving Elrothien to guard the passage behind them, and there they found an open courtyard behind a teamsters office with an outlet to the street crowded with many parked and empty wagons, shipping crates, and cages. Before they could thoroughly search the yard they were attacked by a hasted Yuan-ti monk and warrior. Lukana stunned and pummeled the monk to death before it could do too much damage, while the paladin subdued the warrior. When they'd finished dealing with their respective opponents they noticed a familiar looking cat slinking off behind a pile of crates. Not long after Alessandra bolted from her hiding spot and into the nearby office.
Sir Andros gave chase while Lukana ran back to gather the rest of the party. The paladin charged up a flight of stairs, stepping into the path of a burning hands spell, then kicked in a flimsy door only to by struck by a shocking hands spell delivered by Alessandra's stealthy familiar. The chase scene ended brutally after the burned and electrocuted paladin delivered a devastating bow-shot that drove the treacherous sorceress through a second-story window back down into the courtyard where the rest of the party waited to subdue her.
The Yuan-ti they'd captured and tied up previously had escaped by polymorphing into vipers and slinking away, but after threatening Alessandra's cat with harm they were able to extract more information about the Dragon's Fist cult from her. She admitted to knowing that Trogdor is being reincarnated through the efforts of the Dragon's Fist cult, who are led by the Yuan-ti monks and sorcerers, and that they seek the signet rings and the prince for use in some ritual sacrifice that will complete the curse that will restore Trogdor to full strength. Alessandra had made contact with the Dragon's Fist cult before meeting the rest of the group and had been promised power in return for her efforts as an informant.
After turning the sorceress over to the authorities and warning them of Yuan-ti agents running around the city, the party returned to the abbey, baring news of the death of Annocs and capture of prince Hadron. Oswald received the news stoically, and continued to offer his help to the party by providing healing, maps, and additional news from the war-front. Countess Vandra's forces are on the move again and have captured strategic portions of the Kingdom and are marching towards Aeronson Principality, and the seat of power. Meanwhile a significant force of Hobgoblins and other monstrous races have gathered at Higate and Blackpool. Dire news indeed.
With the help of the abbey librarian the party was able to locate old maps that detailed a network of convenient Orc warrens located beneath the spot that Portyngton now stands. The most recognizable features on the map indicated that the foundations of the poly-temple extend below the city and the location of a likely entrance to the warrens near an old broken stone bridge.
Captain Grey and his men, their ranks filled out with fresh enlistees from Halfwayton, finished their preparations for the assault and headed south, with the adventurers in tow. They all arrived outside the closed and garrisoned gates of Portyngton the next morning. Sir Grim came to the wall, a large raven perched on his shoulder, and exchanged pleasantries with Captain Grey, before summarily hanging the mayor of Portyngton from the top of the walls. Captain Grey conferred with the party who decided they would search the warrens for a way into the city from below, and attempt to open one of the four gates from the inside.
The adventurers found an entrance to the Orc warrens, blocked by rusty iron bars, which Hildagarde was able to squeeze past. She soon discovered a more accessible entrance and led the rest of the party to it. The group marched deep into the warrens, following their noses to a reeking pile of garbage, carrion, bones, and offal. Living in this mountain of filth was a hideous tentacled creature the party dubbed Kang, the garbage monster. Kang possessed a surprising amount of intellect, for someone who's meals consisted of trash and the occasional rat, and had managed to train a pair of wandering carrion crawlers and a rust monster as pets. There was a brief stand off between the party, Kang and his minions, but a diplomatic solution was hit upon. Kang would refrain from eating them, command his pets not to attack, and would lead the adventurers through the warrens to the underside of the poly-temple if they would slay the guardians that newly roamed that area of the warrens and would return with fresh carrion and ferrous treats for him and his pets after they'd defeated Grim and his flunkies above. Everyone left with the feeling that Kang would be an excellent candidate for mayor of Portyngton, now that the position had been vacated.
Following Kang's directions, the party delved deeper into the warrens and found an ancient system of catacombs built under the foundations of the poly-temple. The floor underfoot was covered in the bones of Orcs, Humans, and other humanoids slain and mass buried during the Orc wars. Sir Andros could easily detect the strong presence of evil coming from this area and from above. The rattling of bone against bone and metal alerted the party to the approach of a phalanx of animated skeletons, garbed in rusting armor and clutching broken and deteriorated weapons. Behind them followed the towering form of a two-headed skeletal Ettin wielding a support timber in one hand and giant's leg bone in the other.
Gignus and Sir Andros quickly turned and routed the foot-soldiers, despite them being bolstered by dark powers focused in this area. The Ettin proved too stubborn to be turned and waded into the party delivering crushing blows with both of it's clubs. The party soon surrounded and smashed the massive guardian to pieces.
We ended the game as the party located a door leading into the dark interior of a room directly beneath the poly-temple. Next time we'll see if the party can make it to the surface, fling open the city gates and then lead the Baron's forces in a final confrontation with Sir Mortimer Grim and his reavers.
Here's a wrap-up of the last game session, mostly for Earl's sake: We started the day off watching "The Gamers" by the Dead Gentlemen. Many laughs were had while we chowed down on sausages, mozzarella balls, cookies, bread, and ramen cakes. Once that was over and everyone was gathered we got our own game on.
Captain Grey sent the adventurers to the Pelor abbey library to seek out maps of Portyngton and environs in order to help plan the assault. On the way Lukana spotted the traitorous Alessandra spying on the group from a nearby alley before she turned and fled. An ill-timed baggage cart crossing the street slowed down pursuit enough so that Alessandra disappeared out of sight. The adventurers gave chase and had to split up into three groups to follow the branching alleyway.
Gignus and Digna followed one branch to a dead end and were attacked by what appeared to be six Yuan-ti sorcerers. The Dwarves hacked away at them until it became apparent that all but one were mirror images. The last one briefly paralyzed Gignus, then shocked and chilled Digna, before it was cut down.
Beornweynne and Hildagarde took the middle passage and ended up in the rear of a laundromat, filled with criss-crossing clothes-lines and soaking tubs. There they were ambushed by an Yuan-ti swordsman and a sneak. Hildagarde peppered the swordsman with arrows while Beornweynne stood toe-to-toe with the beast. Beornweynne was poisoned by the snakeman's bite before he was slain. Together the knocked-out and captured the Yuan-ti sneak soon after. All they found was an old washer-woman's corpse floating in one of the soapy tubs.
Lukana and Sir Andros followed the last path, leaving Elrothien to guard the passage behind them, and there they found an open courtyard behind a teamsters office with an outlet to the street crowded with many parked and empty wagons, shipping crates, and cages. Before they could thoroughly search the yard they were attacked by a hasted Yuan-ti monk and warrior. Lukana stunned and pummeled the monk to death before it could do too much damage, while the paladin subdued the warrior. When they'd finished dealing with their respective opponents they noticed a familiar looking cat slinking off behind a pile of crates. Not long after Alessandra bolted from her hiding spot and into the nearby office.
Sir Andros gave chase while Lukana ran back to gather the rest of the party. The paladin charged up a flight of stairs, stepping into the path of a burning hands spell, then kicked in a flimsy door only to by struck by a shocking hands spell delivered by Alessandra's stealthy familiar. The chase scene ended brutally after the burned and electrocuted paladin delivered a devastating bow-shot that drove the treacherous sorceress through a second-story window back down into the courtyard where the rest of the party waited to subdue her.
The Yuan-ti they'd captured and tied up previously had escaped by polymorphing into vipers and slinking away, but after threatening Alessandra's cat with harm they were able to extract more information about the Dragon's Fist cult from her. She admitted to knowing that Trogdor is being reincarnated through the efforts of the Dragon's Fist cult, who are led by the Yuan-ti monks and sorcerers, and that they seek the signet rings and the prince for use in some ritual sacrifice that will complete the curse that will restore Trogdor to full strength. Alessandra had made contact with the Dragon's Fist cult before meeting the rest of the group and had been promised power in return for her efforts as an informant.
After turning the sorceress over to the authorities and warning them of Yuan-ti agents running around the city, the party returned to the abbey, baring news of the death of Annocs and capture of prince Hadron. Oswald received the news stoically, and continued to offer his help to the party by providing healing, maps, and additional news from the war-front. Countess Vandra's forces are on the move again and have captured strategic portions of the Kingdom and are marching towards Aeronson Principality, and the seat of power. Meanwhile a significant force of Hobgoblins and other monstrous races have gathered at Higate and Blackpool. Dire news indeed.
With the help of the abbey librarian the party was able to locate old maps that detailed a network of convenient Orc warrens located beneath the spot that Portyngton now stands. The most recognizable features on the map indicated that the foundations of the poly-temple extend below the city and the location of a likely entrance to the warrens near an old broken stone bridge.
Captain Grey and his men, their ranks filled out with fresh enlistees from Halfwayton, finished their preparations for the assault and headed south, with the adventurers in tow. They all arrived outside the closed and garrisoned gates of Portyngton the next morning. Sir Grim came to the wall, a large raven perched on his shoulder, and exchanged pleasantries with Captain Grey, before summarily hanging the mayor of Portyngton from the top of the walls. Captain Grey conferred with the party who decided they would search the warrens for a way into the city from below, and attempt to open one of the four gates from the inside.
The adventurers found an entrance to the Orc warrens, blocked by rusty iron bars, which Hildagarde was able to squeeze past. She soon discovered a more accessible entrance and led the rest of the party to it. The group marched deep into the warrens, following their noses to a reeking pile of garbage, carrion, bones, and offal. Living in this mountain of filth was a hideous tentacled creature the party dubbed Kang, the garbage monster. Kang possessed a surprising amount of intellect, for someone who's meals consisted of trash and the occasional rat, and had managed to train a pair of wandering carrion crawlers and a rust monster as pets. There was a brief stand off between the party, Kang and his minions, but a diplomatic solution was hit upon. Kang would refrain from eating them, command his pets not to attack, and would lead the adventurers through the warrens to the underside of the poly-temple if they would slay the guardians that newly roamed that area of the warrens and would return with fresh carrion and ferrous treats for him and his pets after they'd defeated Grim and his flunkies above. Everyone left with the feeling that Kang would be an excellent candidate for mayor of Portyngton, now that the position had been vacated.
Following Kang's directions, the party delved deeper into the warrens and found an ancient system of catacombs built under the foundations of the poly-temple. The floor underfoot was covered in the bones of Orcs, Humans, and other humanoids slain and mass buried during the Orc wars. Sir Andros could easily detect the strong presence of evil coming from this area and from above. The rattling of bone against bone and metal alerted the party to the approach of a phalanx of animated skeletons, garbed in rusting armor and clutching broken and deteriorated weapons. Behind them followed the towering form of a two-headed skeletal Ettin wielding a support timber in one hand and giant's leg bone in the other.
Gignus and Sir Andros quickly turned and routed the foot-soldiers, despite them being bolstered by dark powers focused in this area. The Ettin proved too stubborn to be turned and waded into the party delivering crushing blows with both of it's clubs. The party soon surrounded and smashed the massive guardian to pieces.
We ended the game as the party located a door leading into the dark interior of a room directly beneath the poly-temple. Next time we'll see if the party can make it to the surface, fling open the city gates and then lead the Baron's forces in a final confrontation with Sir Mortimer Grim and his reavers.
