Dungeons & Dragons Blog

Nasty Grub of Evil

fishyfred — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 17:43:40 +0000

…the opening doors heralded the onslaught of another dozen trolls, backed up by the Grub of Evil - a human headed, maggoty-looking thing with a poisonous stinger and the power of flight - and spells. The battle was savage - death touched both sides of the warring factions as TBA and the trolls fell in the melee of blades. Barada escaped the reaper for the moment, but the arrival of 6 ogre archers made it a near thing for a time till Mingus’ Mystic Lash stunned the grub and allowed it to be defeated. Malorn-Shoress ate some grub brain and revealed many of its secrets, including the news that the caravan goods were not present - having been sold off hours after the raid to others.
While nursing the fallen members back into some semblance of life - Mingus remarked upon the remote location and expressed interest in making the temple of Shar a thing of reality. The group listened politely and clamped their purses shut when donations were solicited. Guess Mingus will have to wait for that diamond pinky ring…
Having gathered experience and booty - Barada flew off to study bardliness for a year while the rest of the group returned to Waterdeep. Scraping the bottoms of the job market, the best they could do was a license to risk death on behalf of the Captains of Luskan. Off to the Spine of the World to track and punish whatever frost giants they happen across. It could be a cold journey…

Let’s free the Ettin

fishyfred — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 14:43:27 +0000

Finding Waterdeep (and indeed the North in general) to be a bit…slow…during the mind-numbingly cold winters, the group turns to the previous employer in hopes of obtaining more gainful employment. While the wizards have no need of help now that they have their very nice Soul Gem thankyouvery much, but they might know someone who needs another odd job done. They then contract with a merchant group looking to return the lost caravan goods taken during a raid and to deliver a punitive strike at the raiders. Seeking and finding and returning to the scene of the assault is no great feat - the frozen , naked, half-eaten corpses litter the landscape like some sort of Hieronymous Bosch christmas card.
The group treks out into the High Moor (in the dead of winter…again). From there - a little bit of luck lets the polymorphed wizrd spot a tomb set back into the foothills that seems to have a bit more activity than is to be expected for a final resting place.
Some invisible scouting reveals a pair of manacled ettin forced to stand guard, a bevy of orc strongpoints scattered about and an inviting tomb complex to explore. A bargain is reached with the ettin and the group slips in invisibly, freeing each ettin with a ‘knock’ spell. They proceed into the fortresess and then run afoul of some trapped stairs that plunges them (well, most of them any way) into a deep, spiked pit.
Those that avoid the pit encounter a pair of trolls and a quartet of ogres. Despite the rather severe disadvantage, the group delays the onrushing trolls with magic and slays the entire brood of attackers in the space of 30-40 seconds. Despite their efficiency, one troll manages to alert three more and the battle is renewed. Having won through the onslaught again, the group pauses for a moment - but only a moment, for more doors are opening….

The Soul Gem

fishyfred — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 23:45:16 +0000

Following a few days of carousing, the newly formed group sifts through offers and settles on a task to recover the fabled Soul Gem. They set off from Waterdeep, proceed across the High-Moor and eventually come to a small hill that has upon it the remnants of a castle complex.
The group immediately encounters and dispatches a Horned Devil - then proceeds to investigate each of the four towers, slaying things that need slaying and solving puzzles when they can’t find anything to kill.
They gather four strange ‘keys’ and gain access to a central tower. They lay back on some nice ‘couches’ and wait. Soon everything goes all woobly and colorful and the group watches in amazement as a hole appears in the ceiling. They ascend the shaft - traversing large chambers with an Air, Earth, Fire, Water theme. Along the way they slay a sphinx, many large and angry monkeys,a medusa, a fire giant and his lava rays, a big fish and some death’s head rays before finally arriving inside the uppermost central tower chamber. There sits the object they were sent to find. After _quite_ a bit of dithering, Dr.Mongus summons an Umber Hulk to go and retrieve the gem. Two minutes later, the gem in theirs and the group uses the amulet to return to Waterdeep.
There, they are congratulated on a job well done and the terms of their contract nullified. Now flush with cash, the group goes on a buying spree - depleting most of what Waterdeep has to offer in the middle of winter. Now, they search for new adventures and try to make sense out of the news that Thuds has returned to Thudheim - apparently with a new advisor. The description of this advisor seems remarkably similar to the desert mage that annihilated the last party of which Dalliance and Shoresss (now Malorn) were a part….

Life after Thud…

fishyfred — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 23:14:56 +0000

Daliance and Shores leave Thudheim after looting all wealth from Thud’s stores. On the road they meet up with several other adventurers. The newly formed group heads to Waterdeep to dig up information for a profitable trip. After investigating several leads the group hires a smugler to take them via boat to a sinking city said to have great riches. After several days on the sea the group sees a giant towering conch in the distance. It is agreed that the smuglers will return once each tenday to pick up the adventurers. Raisa climbs down the side of the smugglers ship and activates a magical item that transforms into a small boat. One by one each member boards Raisa’s boat and the group heads for the giant conch.
When the group arrives it is discovered that the only entrance had already sunk below the waterline. Daliance casts aery water enabling the party members to breath while swimming down and through the entrance. As the group surfaces, lizard men are seen on a landing above. There is also a group of humans on an adjacent landing. After an exchange of attacks with the lizard men, most are killed, two flee for reinforcements.
The party converses and befreinds the group of humans as they explore the inside of the giant conch.
The lizard men return with reinforcements. Daliance casts phantasmal force to create the illusion of an angry red dragon. The Lizard men scatter. Many are then killed with a Daliance fireball. With little profit found the group decides to leave. Not being able to transport the group of humans from the sinking conch, it is decided that they should all be spared the agony. So Daliance casts fireball, engulfing the humans in flame and releasing all of them from their mortal bonds…
Upon exiting the conch the group climbs back aboard Raisa’s boat and paddle away. The group sails north for several hours before suddenly grounding on a large rock. The small boat begins to take on water and sink. The group all exit the boat to the water and the boat is dragged off the rock. They then slowly tow the boat to a nearby island. Upon arrival they try to repair the damage to the magical boat. They fail and the boat is ruined. The group leaves the boat behind and make their way back to Waterdeep.
In Waterdeep the group obtains a suite in a middle-class hotel and party it up!

Beguiled

fishyfred — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 02:53:18 +0000

Several members of the party climb the outside of the tower to a balcony where others have landed. The door into the tower is locked. Clifford is electrocuted while trying to unlock the door. After he recovers he uses knock to gain entry. The group proceeds up a circular stairway.
Thud enters a room that has four paintings. Each depicts a different elemental plane. Fire, Earth, Air & Water. There are also three doors in the room. Thud peeks into one of the doors and flops on the floor in fits.
Suddenly a magician half appears and casts fireball on the group. Greenleaf casts dispel magic and the apparition disappears.
The magician reappears and casts charm on the group and disappears.
Several of the members begin to attack one another. The magician reappears and uses his rod of beguiling to dominate person and control the final members. Dalliance and Shores flee and barely escape the tower. The rest of the group is killed by the magician and their items taken.
Among the dead are:
Thudmeister Splatski (Thud)
Greenleaf Longbranch
Maximilian Highfoot (Max)
Ashen Louie
Clifford Brownjacket
Dalliance and Shores return to Thudheim. Using a disguise they are able to fool the town guard and loot most of the magic and wealth that Thud had stored….

new characters coming soon…

Greenleaf Dragonslayer

fishyfred — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 16:49:00 +0000

As the rest of the group scatters, Greenleaf and Max stand their ground and rush the dragon in it’s human form. The two druids land critical hits on the the foe. Max strikes the thigh while Greenleaf hacks of the forearm. The foe flees into the hallway and the druids pursue. Max thrusts his dagger and misses while Greenleaf slashes with his magic scimitar cleaving the fleeing human’s foot. As he falls the human transforms back into it’s dragon form. Portions of the hallway collapse as the 140 foot dragon lies dead in the cavern.
A moment later the entire cave complex shifts in time and space… kind of like a hiccup of reality. It feels as though whatever was holding the mountain on this plane was failing. Members of the group flee back to the outer terrace as another hiccup indicates the changing of reality is coming soon.
On the terrace, Clifford casts haste on the group and all begin to run down the mountain. The party makes it just in time to see the entire mountain disappear back to it’s plane of origin…

Instead of returning to Gurdy’s village or Thudheim, the group decides to set off across the desert to investigate a magicians tower that Thud heard about from DaNog.
The next day the group enters the foothills and sees a group of hill giants battling with a force of armored humanoids. The party avoids the conflict and moves on in search of the tower.
The next day the tower is spotted by the druids scouting in bird form…

Update from CMdaDM

fishyfred — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 01:34:20 +0000

sooo - since last time you guys wandered around in a maze of hallways - fought kobolds and smashed more kobolds. These ‘bolds seem better trained, armed and armored then the rest. Sill, they are no match for the might Thud’s mighty blows and you cruise a’bruisin the little rats.

Finally, you arrive at some sort of prison complex. There you smash some tough(er) Kobold guards and discover three human prisoners. One is a mage with broken fingers and no equipment. One is her protector - emaciated and bedraggled - chained by the legs to the wall. The third is a more recent arrival - huddled in the fetal position near the wall. Thud declares that he is sick of kobolds and wants to find the dragon!

The prisoners are posed the question “where is the dragon”? In the answering, it is discovered that the fetal one is lying through his teeth. He is hustled into the torture room and as Thud goes to place him upon the S&M rack - a scuffle breaks out. One thing leads to another and before you know it - Ashen lies dead, Shoress flees through the maze and the rest of the group is scattered to the four winds as it seems that you have indeed found the dragon…

No rest for the confused…

fishyfred — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 20:25:59 +0000

…but rest was not to be. Within an hour of the party bedding down, Thud’s keen nostrils detected the scent of sweaty kobolds. The party springs into overkill action - casting a Cone of Cold into the creeping mass of tiny critters. Tiny critters bearing bags of poisonous spiders, as it turns out.

The party decides to relocate - battling their way towards a previously visited hidey-hole. Dispatching more poison-bearing, ninja-clad kobolds, the party triggers a poisonous gas trap before finally sealing themselves into an archer station for a nap. While the party naps, more kobold try to slip poisonous serpents through the arrow slots and generally make a nuisance of themselves.

After a day and a half in the hole, the party stoneshapes a new doorway and exits into a trap room - a trap triggered by Clifford - who promptly escapes into a party of kobolds. Fleeing that threat - the party regroups - then charges into action. Eventually - they find themselves in some sort of storehouse…

Ambush

fishyfred — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 15:50:21 +0000

Leaving the kobold devastation behind the group backtracks through another secret door. The door leads to a cavern, then through a narrow passage to a winding hallway. About twenty feet into the hallway arrow slits are discovered in the walls. At the same time two sets of bars fall on either side of the party. Explosive tipped arrows burst from the slits. Several members are struck. Max and Greenleaf shape change into a lizard and snake and begin making their way forward to the bars. As they arrive, Thud bends the bars and the party begins to move on. Daliance casts Cloud of Bewilderment through one of the arrow slits and gas is seen seeping from many others. Daliance then turns to the opposite wall and casts fireball through another arrow slit. She is then struck by a poison arrow and falls dead to the floor. In the next corridor bars fall again and more arrows emerge. Max climbs through an arrow slit to the other side of the wall. transforming back to human form he uses the wand of frost to freeze three ambushing kobolds. The final bars are bent open by thud and the group rests and heals. The shard is used to bring Daliance back from the dead.
While resting, dancing lights are seen in the distance but quickly dispelled by one of the magicians. Suddenly two large balista arrows streak down the hallway striking Thud and Ashen. Clifford responds by returning a lightning bolt up the hallway.
The group continues on and discovers stairs leading up at the end of the hall. At the top of the stairs is a room with a large creature with multiple tentacles. It is dead and smoldering from the lightning bolt. From above, two more balista arrows streak down and hit Thud. He stumbles but holds his feet. Daliance casts and releases the Yeth Hound. Max uses wand of frost to cast Ice Storm toward the direction of the balista fire. Group ascends final stairs and discovers balista hole in wall. One of the druids casts rock to mud to widen the hole and an abandoned balista is discovered.
Through the door opposite of the hole the group continues down another hallway. Many kobolds rush into the other end of the hall but are frozen with another blast from the wand of frost. The party decides to stop and heal, sleep, eat and study…

Kobolds and Consciousness

fishyfred — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 17:33:14 +0000

As the group leaves on the chariot produced by Greenleaf, Ashen spots a heard of 16 basilisks flying in an arrow formation. It is decided to let the basilisks fly away without incident. Upon arrival back at Gurdy’s place, she send the party to the town of Glenhollow at the base of dragon mountain. In Gelnhollow, Clifford rents a tavern for group lodging. In the tavern the party meets an individual named Roderick. It is negotiated and agreed that the efk will provide the town with protection from raiding kobolds in exchange for information and an escort to dragon mountain. The two druids, Greenleaf and Maximillian, go to meet the 800 kobold army. they summon 1 fire elemental and 2 fire salamanders and unleash them on the kobolds. Two hundred kobolds are slaughtered and the rest begin to retreat. The druids return to Glenhollow and the group departs for dragon mountain.
The following day the group is ambushed in the mountains by what was left of the kobold army. Daliance casts fireball setting many kobolds on fire and starting a landslide. Poison arrows rain down from the kobolds. Thud and Daliance are struck. Both fail their saving throw and drop dead. Max returns from scouting and casts rock to mud on an area under the kobolds and drowns many. The rest of the kobolds are killed or driven off. The party spends the afternoon and the following day licking wounds and healing. The amulet is used to raise Thud and Daliance back from the dead.
The following morning Greenleaf casts the chariot spell and the group ascends into the mountains. Navigating the chariot through a box canyon, the group arrives at a set of huge double doors at the base of two stone towers. Each tower is mounted by a large balista. Greenleaf lands the chariot and the group enter the towers through the great double doors. Giant spiders attack as the group enters but then spiders are killed promptly by magic missiles from the magicians.
Onward into the towers the group travels through many winding tunnels. A secret door is discovered. it is checked for traps by Clifford. With no traps found it is opened. The door leads to a debris filled room. The opposite end the room opens into a larger hall with an eighty foot ceiling. While walking across the first room, the entire group except Clarindon fall into a pit trap and take 24 points of damage. Clarindon lowers a rope and each of the party members climb out of the pit.
Onward through the maze of tunnels. Several secret doors are opened. The group decides to rest and eat. Moving on, Thud is caught in a cave in and takes another 30 points of damage. The group then enters a large stone room where forty kobolds dressed in black (ninja kobolds) are waiting to ambush. As most of the party is invisble, the ambush is not successful. Instead, Clifford casts ice storm and rains down cold death upon the kobolds.
From there the entire world begins to be fuzzy. Everything begins to spin and dim as if god were struggling to keep consciousness…