The first level complete, the groups descends into the lower crypts
This session was played on Monday, November 23, 2010.
Featuring the PCs:
and the men-at-arms Hillgax, Murgar, Halwyn, Werford, the torch-bearers Untag, Parwick, and Alwin, and the wardog Fenrir.
All seemed well as we began our next grave robbing expedition noble quest. However, Sweargen and his entourage merry men were nowhere to be found. The local master of The Flaming Troll tavern told us he had last seen the fighter on an epic bender blowing off some steam around Threshold. Assuming he and his men made their saving throw versus alcohol poison they will be joining us again soon. We did find an insane courageous dwarf named Finnigan Ramshackle, who stupidly surprisingly decided to join us on our next foray to the Citadel of the Iron God. There were only a few corridors left to search on the first level so we decided to investigate. On our way we encountered a group of giant centipedes. Oddly enough, our new dwarven companion presented the greatest threat. Finnegan somehow managed to hit himself in the face (critical miss) but luckily it was only a glancing blow (one damage). After that mishap we made quick work of the oversized bugs.
We then proceeded to a room with a large fountain filled with stagnant water. Binford and Finnigan decided to have their annual bath, but the room was unremarkable so we moved on. Our encounter in the room down the hall was a bit more interesting. Upon entering the door an iron-statue-priest animated and attacked us! This came as a surprise to Binford and Vith as every ironed-priest to this point remained stationary. Due to luck and flanking bonuses expert strategy we soon overcame the heretic priest with no casualties.
Afterwards, we looted five carpets (100 gold pieces each), a variety of trinkets and some embalming-fluid Molotov cocktails from a nearby room.
Our next path took us to the upper catacombs in the citadel. From previous experiences and markings around the door we knew to dawn our moth-eaten priest robes and enter in ceremonial procession. The room we entered had a strange magical darkness and a three-headed iron dog (once again the moving kind). Luckily, our ceremonial lantern pierced the magical darkness and the three headed monstrosity allowed up to pass, so we headed down the corridor to the next room. From this room a chest of with 700 gold pieces was looted (the iron statues around the hoard didn’t seem to mind). Unfortunately Untag the filthy the valiant, our torchbearer, was killed by a giant tick. Once again this happened the one time we didn’t look up. Shame on us.
After a retreat strategic withdrawl to town (on the way we burned Untag on a funeral pyre for XP!) we revisited the catacombs as much wealthier men (and woman - actually, our new dwarven friend recruited a very butch looking strumpet with a crossbow named Halwyn). On our way to the lower level of the catacombs we unwillingly recruited three "men at arms" made of iron who followed us everywhere. Passing by a holy statue of the iron god we descended the stairs. The catacombs here were very standard, having many alcoves to hold the dead. After spending time searching the bodies we found no treasure (not that we would have grave robbed them or anything). Instead we found an iron skeleton and indications that the corpses were being eaten by something “larger than a rat”. While searching the next room we found the three ghouls to be much larger than rats and significantly harder to kill. Vith was fairly certain that his elven heritage would protect him from paralysis, so he moved forward and disintegrated one with a vial of holy water - money well spent. Binford managed to successfully turn one of the abominations (for the first time in the campaign) and the rest was quick handiwork by our weapons.
Only after the battle did we realize the ceremonial arifacts of the iron god controlled our new men-of-iron. We stationed them down one hall, and threw oil down the other, while we waited-out the paralysis inflicted by the ghouls. They made quick work of some poisonous spiders that found their way to us.
After letting two of them fall into a pit trap, we entered a room full of unholy skeletons! Binford really pulled through again by managing to turn all of them (hooray for double 6s!). We made good use of the new found molotovs while the skeletons cowered in the corner. However, by an unfortunate and not at all premeditated turn of events, Vith critical missed and managed to set Finnigan on fire! Luckily the "fiery" dwarf made it through with a few lost hit points and a singed beard. Vith would have put him out next turn anyways by accidentally breaking some holy water over the dwarf (yep, that’s right, two critical misses in a row). The skeletons eventually overcame their fear of Binford and started attacking, but it was really too late for them at that point. Once again quick work was made of the skeletons and there were no casualties. After looting various treasures, the party made it back to town safely.
Except for Finnigan's bruised ego All in all this was a very good session. We managed to walk away with over a thousand gold worth of treasure, a lot of experience, and the only casualty was a torch-bearer. I must say though that I feel stupid for letting the iron men-at-arms walk in front of us without probing for traps up ahead. The three of them proved a very strong and very expendable killing force. The iron lining here I guess is that we still have one of them and it is easier to fit one of them into our marching order. On another note Dan did a very good job of role-playing his dwarf, even butchering sporting a Scottish accent. Unfortunately for me I'm not good at accents so Vith sounds suspiciously similar to an English major. So that was the session, a very good time and hopefully we can get a session in soon with all four player characters.
Totals to Date:
PCs Killed: 0
Hirelings Killed: 3
PCs/Hirelings Reduced to Zero HP: 4
Goblins Put to the Sword: 26
Skeletons Destroyed: 20
Zombies Destroyed: 2
Ghouls Killed: 3
Giant Spiders Killed: 2
Giant Centipedes Exterminated: 3
Plundered Goods: 3966 gps of value
Days in Campaign: 20
[Session report by Alex]
