Sessions 42-44

RETURN TO FORT BEHRINGER

Thistleburn 19, 4433

Characters:

Daqqa-Jin, Barbarian 4

Robert the Giantslayer, Fighter 5

Xénos, assassin 4

Uriah, paladin 2

Young Joe Spruce, Druid 3

Mardonius, Magic-User 3

NPC - Lord Fesgate, Fighter 4

NPC - Vasu Cervantes, Fighter 2

NPC - The Behringer Boys: Otto, Hans, Stefan, Leonhard

For Eric!

The Wretched Company (joined by the young daredevil Vasu Cervantes, and his M-U friend Mardonius) returned to the Moonlit Zone to liberate Fort Behringer.

With clever ploys they ambushed a starving gnoll patrol and drew a large part of the main gnoll army out of the castle. A flying Mardonius dropped flaming oil to sow chaos inside the fortress. At the right time, the party rushed an abandoned spot on the walls and climbed up into the fort, then Young Joe Spruce cast an entangle spell to further tie up the gnolls.

Xénos boldly followed the fleeing giant Kucmalog up the tower, Robert close behind. The assassin caught the giant in the highest rooms of the tower, but his strike fell short of causing instant death. Robert caught up in time to back him up and the troublesome moon-giant was slain.

The group was almost trapped by the gnolls, but decisive and bold action by Uriah led to a one-on-one duel to the death against their chief Trorgezz. The paladin prevailed [I don't know how! He was a 6th level monster with a magic weapon! Seker smiled on you that day. -DM] and the rest of the gnolls fled confusedly out of the fortress, hungry and lacking leadership.

The party swiftly looted the fortress, except a few ancestral Behringer pieces, and Daqqa-Jin flew back to Rauffe's camp to gather the troops. 

The group discovered a magic mirror and saw many sights with it including the real Sage of Lune, replaced by an impostor and imprisoned - on the moon?!

Meanwhile, Daqqa-Jin was leading the rebels through the forest when they encountered some black-robed priests of Uthummaos, whom he spoke to briefly before blasting them all with the Four Winds Bar's lightning.

The victorious party was visited by an emissary of the Carrion King, who congratulated them and provided a way to contact him in the future, since it seemed they were "going places."

The company returned to the Ruined Town in an effort to right old wrongs: they restored most of the missing pieces in the Solaris shrine (only a halo and some kind of large piece are missing). Daqqa-Jin proclaimed for Karttekeza, sacrificing a valuable black sapphire in an effort to replace the gems taken long ago, then turning the shrine's water back on, washing the evil mud that infested it away. The god's influence is spreading back into the world.

Liberation!

The group returned to the Forgotten Village and discovered it occupied by the Mad King's troops, and their ally Shandril held captive by the traitorous, one-handed sergeant Baran.

Xénos once again showed his skills, shanking Baran through a window as the rest of the group held his attention.

Mike, upon learning Xénos has 17 STR: "and they called him... the Creatine Kid!"

Shandril was rescued and a pitched battle took place through the city streets and fields. These troops were fairly weak and no match for the Company. After more than half their number were slain including all their leadership, the rest surrendered and agreed to join the rebel cause [great reaction roll!]. From now on, some of the flowers grown in the village would be skimmed off and sent northward to the rebels, while the rest go south to the Mad King's troops.

The group left with many new options, clues and plans, but first: selling treasure back in Viridistan!

Monsters Defeated (4229 xp)

Kucmalog, Moon-Giant (1560)

Trorgezz, Gnoll chieftain (680)

1 Gnoll sergeant (100)

10 Gnolls (470)

1 gray ooze (80)

4 moon-moths (284)

Baran (460)

19 king's troops (190)

3 clerics of Uthummaos (405)

8 clerics of Uthummaos (1080 - Daqqa-Jin only)

Treasure Found:

sack of gold coins (200)

sack of gold coins (500)

gold belt buckle (250 sp)

silver crescent blades (200 sp each)

gold ring, studded with diamonds (2200 sp)

7 LARGE silver trade bars (7000 sp total)

giant-sized platemail (4000 sp)

giant-sized shimmering robe (1200 sp)

finely crafted 2-handed sword (1000 sp)

gem-encrusted peacock pimp chain (2200 sp)

black sapphire gem (2000 sp)

altar-stone of solaris [replaced in shrine]

3 metal angel halos [replaced in shrine]

12 holy symbols [10 donated - 2 kept]

seal of uthummaos (magical) [kept]

scroll of protection vs. undead

gold dust of heroism

sparkling moon-moth dust (as web spell)

red & white luckstone

one-handed flail +1

Lion's Blade +0

giant's dagger (shortsword +1)

greatsword +2/+4, frost brand

giant 2-handed mace +2, 13 STR to wirld, casts knock 1/week

velvet jewelry box with fly candy (magical - from carrion king)

Treasure Shares:

100 gp, 3375 silver to each player character

50 gp each to Vasu and Lord Fesgate

[XP totals posted when I get back from work]

Session 36

HUMANS, COME OUT TO PLAY...

6 Thistleburn, 4433
about 1 subjective hour passed during the session

Characters:

Gorr, ranger 5
Robert the thrice-cursed, fighter 5

Daqqa-Jin, barbarian 4

Xénos, spy 2

Uriah Sunstrike, paladin 1
Lord Fesgate, fighter 4 (NPC)

The party was in a Moonlit Zone tower, being shot at by crystalline guardians disturbed by Daqqa-Jin's horn of blasting attack [last session]. After a single hit from their lasers, Gorr's madness overcame him and he went berserk! He slid down a staircase in a stone coffin steered by Daqqa-Jin, risking a lethal fall, to crash into the enemy [a lucky attack roll by John averted disaster here]! They defeated the crystal beings, but not before the maddened ranger was clubbed unconscious by their glassy fists.

The party regrouped with their shade allies and progressed further down the tower. They defeated a pack of demonic winged heads with judicious use of a net to rescue more shades, and liberated some from a room with cages full of angry black birds. They spoke with two Lune priestesses who were happy to heal the group and help out. These two also relayed some details regarding the last days of their order, the Sage of Lune's behaviour, and the moon's alliance with Uthummaos.

While crossing a bridge between the two towers, the group spied a telltale light down below. Daqqa-Jin flew up with the Four Winds Bar and saw a pack of two dozen gnolls, led by a tall, luminous figure that could only be the moon-headed giant, Kucmalog!

The barbarian got the giant's attention and engaged him in conversation. The giant clearly wanted the group out of his prison, and probably fed to his gnolls too. This chat lasted long enough for Robert and Lord Fesgate to bash down the bridge door, bringing their crew into the second tower.

With Robert in the lead, the group explored the larger tower swiftly. Many rooms were populated only by monsters, all of which were flesh and blood beings instead of shades. Packs of needlemen, birds and spiders were all seen. Two knights known to Lord Fesgate were rescued: Otto and Hans Behringer, and the three began catching up immediately. Five other knights were stuck in a cell with two werewolves, but nobody wanted to open it right away - although Otto & Hans insist that their relatives should be liberated as well.

At the top of the tower, three frightening creatures waited in a hot magma-filled cell, this one NOT frozen in time: horned humanoids from the waist up with long red snake-tails. In exchange for their freedom, the entities offered the party some elemental ice gems called Lemcienee inside their cell. Nobody was sure about letting them out just yet.

Trapped and in need of a plan, the party discusses their options. They have many shades with them, but the gnolls are tough foes. And who really knows what a moon-giant is capable of?

Thus ends year three of the campaign. 

Thank you all for playing, I'll see you in January for the beginning of YEAR FOUR!

Monsters Defeated:

7 crystal guardians (665 xp)

11 vargouilles (1298 xp)

Treasure Obtained:

4 gemstone eyes

Prisoners Rescued:

45 regular citizens

24 rebel troops

Geroldus Estieveran, noble knight, shade
Ysmena & Helouys, Lune priestesses, shades

Otto & Hans Behringer, noble knights, flesh & blood men