Adventures in the Green: 2021

Thursday, November 25, 2021

Biggz Troop – Session 26 – Part 1

[Quintillus 6th – Major treasure found and Tiny wrestles water…and wins!]

[This game uses Adventures in the Green, a RPG based on the original rules for the world’s most popular roleplaying game. These rules are under development with Draft C available here. Game sessions happen an average of once a month. This is Part 1 of the session that happened November 13, 2021.]

Biggz’z Troop, CAC (Chartered Adventuring Company):

Biggz Bigguns of the Big’uns Clan – gender neutral goblin Temple Priest (7th level Cleric)

Tiny – male minotaur Champion (7th level Fighter)

Porkins – male human Enchanter (6th level Magic-User)

Pio Vento of Piccolo – male human Veteran (1st level Fighter)

Mannin Darkshield – male dwarf Burglar (4th level Thief)

Kunigunde Gruber – NPC female goblin Cutpurse/Acolyte (5th level Thief/4th level Cleric)

Hirelings:

Larn the Linkboy – male human hireling linkboy

Isidoros of Delphis – male Tolk hireling translator [specifically, German to Mü]

Deniska – female human hireling Swordswoman bodyguard (3rd level Fighter) [for Larn and Isidoros]

Ivan – male human hireling Warrior bodyguard (2nd level Fighter) [for Larn and Isidoros]

Summer

Cromsday, Quintillis 6th, 524th year of the Empire

Morning

Thinking about the other set of adventurers Biggz’ Troop had previously fought, Porkins asked the innkeeper of The Brass Dog over breakfast if any other adventurers had come through Stralbruck in the last month or two. The innkeeper had not seen any other adventurers and Lord Helmar had only hired the group Porkins was a member of, as far as the innkeep knew. This left Porkins still puzzled as to where the other adventurers had come from and what they might be up to.

9:00 AM

Biggz’ Troop arrived at the ruins after an hour long walk. The weather was nice for an early Summer day, warm but not too hot. The cooler temperatures down in the dungeon had the adventurers pulling their sleeves back down.

After some discussion about what they wanted to achieve this trip, the group headed south, past the first and second intersections to the Octagon Room. They decided it was time to investigate the door in the southern wall. Pio had Ologbane check the door for traps and was rewarded with a feeling of safety. Tiny then stepped up and opened the door.

The room beyond was a long triangle with the door at the base of the triangle. There was the faint scent of burnt incense long gone bad in the air. Tiny was confused by the shape of the room and reported the room was “broken” to the other adventurers. Pio used Ologbane to check the room for traps and then Mannin searched the walls for secret doors. Both searched came up empty.

Puzzled by the Triangle Room, the adventurers turned their attention to the secret door in the eastern wall of the Octagon Room. Porkins cast Dispel Magic on the Glyph of Warding protecting the secret door and was rewarded by the glyph flaring brightly and then fading away. [Note: this was a temporary suppression of the glyph, not removal of it.] Tiny opened the secret door. Beyond was another oddly shaped room. The far wall had large mural of the dark sun with the sun reaching from floor to ceiling and the geometric rays filling the rest of the space on the thirty-foot wide surface. In front of this was a low table made of a dark wood. The surface of the table was covered in coffers and jewelry boxes. Amongst the coffers and boxes were two scroll tubes and a potion vial. Adjacent to the table on either side were a total of 11 quarter-casks.

Pio checked the room for traps with Ologbane and found none. He then checked the containers on the low table and all the casks for traps and found them safe as well. Porkins picked a random coffer from the table and opened it. Inside was a gold necklace with a gold medallion. Inset in the medallion was a polished onyx triangle, point down. Opening another box revealed another piece of valuable golden jewelry. The adventurers started opening all the containers on the table one after another, discovering 40 pieces of golden jewelry, all with either an inverted triangle or a black sun image in onyx on them. They also discovered a single arrow, a pair of boots, and a silver ring. The quarter-casks turned out to be full of coins, three completely full of copper and seven completely full of silver with the last one a little under half full of silver, but still weighing 200 pounds.

The Troop took a rest and discussed options. This was a major find and they were all envisioning the things they could do with this much treasure. Unfortunately, one of the things they could not do was carry it all. Even Tiny’s immense strength could barely handle one of the full casks of coins without being slowed down to a crawl. They would need to think of an alternate plan to retrieve all of this.

After the rest, Porkins decided it was worth casting Detect Magic on the items to see what was magical. The arrow, boots, silver ring, potion, and one of the two scrolls radiated magic. Curious about the non-magical scroll, Porkins opened it and discovered it was a map to an Arcanum Templum Crypta ["secret temple vault" in Latin] somewhere far to the south, across the Mediterranean Sea and in the Great Desert. There were many notations on the map in an older version of Latin and Porkins could read most of it.

Porkins sipped the potion to identify it and spat it out – it was oil of etherealness. The taste also remined him that there was a mention to oil of etherealness on the map. He reopened the map and concentrated on the Latin near where the treasure was. There was a line indicating that the oil was needed to gain access to the vault. It also stated an arrow of slaying would be necessary to defeat the vault guardian and a scroll of protection from undead to bypass the minor guardians. Porkins looked over at the magic arrow and magic scroll waiting to be identified, suspecting what they actually were.

Porkins spent some time identifying the magic items properly. The arrow was in fact an arrow of slaying and the scroll one of protection from undead. The boots were boots of Traveling and Leaping and the silver ring a ring of water walking. The boots would ease the long journey and the ring allowed one to walk across the Mediterranean if needed. The map promised the vault held “those items necessary to establish a new Temple and fund it properly.” Suddenly Biggz Troop had a long-term goal - loot the vault and live like kings!

While Porkins spent time identifying the magic items, the rest of the adventurers started distributing the jewelry amongst themselves so they could carry it all, plus the magic items. They exited the secret room and Porkins cast Wizard Lock on the door to keep it secure. They group had to take another rest at this point.

Not ready to head back to Stralbruck yet, the adventurers instead returned to the room they now called Rocks Fall. They opened the western secret door on the north wall to explore the corridor beyond. This corridor soon descended to a lower area that was flooded with two feet of murky water. Once down in the water, the corridor turned west, where there were four rows of sepulchers on either side of the corridor as far as they could see, many of which were empty. The adventurers searched them for treasure and collected a total of 23 small gold amulets with various symbols inlaid upon them in ebony.

At the end of this corridor was a 20’x20’ room, also flooded. Against the far wall four sarcophagi sat in the water. Biggz swapped places with Pio, expecting some form of undead to be lurking in the sarcophagi. From just outside the room Biggz cast Detect Supernatural.

Unexpectedly, the supernatural creature Biggz detected was in the water, not the sarcophagi!

The Troop immediately went into combat mode. Pio fired an arrow from his bow at the water and hit nothing. Biggz started casting Part Water. Tiny advanced into the room to attack, only to discover that the floor of the room was sunken another three feet as he stumbled and fell into the murky water. No one else advanced. Luckily Biggz finished casting Part Water, shifting all the water in front of the group into the left half of the room, exposing a serpent made of water. Porkins cast Magic Missile and hit the serpent twice to minimal damage. [Note: We discovered that Rules as Written, Magic Missile does not automatically hit. The missiles are treated as a +1 arrow fired from a long bow, which at close range adds an additional +2 to the roll.] The serpent writhed its way back into the wall of water filling the south side of the room. Tiny, on his feet again, stepped over to the water and attacked the serpent with his magic axe, hitting it for the smallest amount of damage. The serpent struck out at Tiny, hitting him but failing to pull the minotaur into the wall of water [Tiny made his save].

Porkins started casting Lightning Bolt while Biggz and Kunigunde used their magic slings to attack the serpent, both hitting solid blows. Pio missed again with his bow. Porkins finished casting Lightning Bolt, sending the bolt crashing back and forth through the water containing the serpent multiple times, dissolving it.

The adventurers caught their breath for a moment and then Tiny climbed up onto the raised area containing the sarcophagi. Two of the sarcophagi were in the open and Tiny proceeded to open one of them to see if there was anything inside. Inside was a single conch shell. Tiny called out what he saw to the others.

This is when the water serpent, actually a water weird, struck again.

Completely surprising Tiny, it hit him and dragged the minotaur into the flooded left side of the room where he started to drown.

Porkins, thinking quick, pulled out a scroll with Waterbreathing on it and started to cast it from the scroll [a process that takes a full round for 3rd-level spells cast from a scroll]. Biggz and Kunigunde again attacked the serpent with their slings, both hitting solid hits. Pio finally hit with his bow but did only the smallest damage. No one advanced into the room with the serpent, fearing being pulled into the wall of water. Pio hit it with a second shot from his bow, again for the smallest damage [archers that do not move may fire their bow twice in a round]. Tiny switched to unarmed combat, wrestling with the water weird and winning, pinning the water weird but drowning some more.

Porkins finished casting Waterbreathing and targeted Tiny with the spell, allowing the minotaur to breathe in the water. Biggz and Kunigunde hit the water weird with their slings and Pio shot it twice for the smallest damage both times. The water weird attacked Tiny but failed to land a blow while Tiny retained his pin on it.

Biggz hit it one last time with its sling, dissipating the creature again. This time Biggz paid attention and noticed the serpent reforming with the Detect Supernatural spell. Biggz called out a warning that it was reforming again. Porkins used a wand of paralysis on it but the spell did not take [the water weird made its save]. This reminded Porkins what the creature actually was and how to kill it. He called out to Biggz to cast Purify Food and Water on the water weird. Biggz did so and finally killed the creature.

Tiny staggered out of the wall of water and asked what that snake thing was. Porkins and Biggz attempted to explain it to Tiny, but he never got past the basic concept of “evil water”. He was cheerful because he had wrestled the evil water and won!

The adventurers retrieved a valuable conch shell from each of the sarcophagi and some ceramic jars from the water containing gold coins. Very tired, the group took a rest.

End of Part 1

Behind the Green

[So the “serpent” was a Water Weird. They take only one point of damage from slashing and piercing attacks, but full damage from blunt attacks, like sling bullets. And Purify Food and Water is the only way to kill one permanently. The water covering the floor sloshing to the side of the room and forming a vertical wall of water when Biggz cast Part Water made a great visual and interesting combat. I had not planned for that when I designed the room, but it was awesome!]

[Also, Magic Missile in the original rules did not have an automatic hit feature. That feature did not appear until AD&D (known as 1st edition) was published. I thought about adding that feature to Adventures in the Green, but decided against it for now. We are going to keep playing it as needing a roll to hit for each missile and see how it feels.]

Biggz’z Troop, CAC

…

…

Thursday, November 11, 2021

Biggz Troop – Session 25 – Part 2

[Junius 20th to Quintillus 5th – Triggering Tapestries and Triggered Traps!]

Biggz’z Troop, CAC (Chartered Adventuring Company):

Biggz Bigguns of the Big’uns Clan – gender neutral goblin Temple Priest (7th level Cleric)

Tiny – male minotaur Champion (7th level Fighter)

Porkins – male human Enchanter (6th level Magic-User)

Pio Vento of Piccolo – male human Veteran (1st level Fighter)

Mannin Darkshield – male dwarf Burglar (4th level Thief)

Kunigunde Gruber – NPC female goblin Cutpurse/Acolyte (5th level Thief/4th level Cleric)

Hirelings:

Larn the Linkboy – male human hireling linkboy

Isidoros of Delphis – male Tolk hireling translator [specifically, German to Mü]

Deniska – female human hireling Warrior bodyguard (2nd level Fighter) [for Larn]

Ivan – male human hireling bodyguard [for Larn]

Bernagi – male human hireling bodyguard [for Isidoros]

Hardkira – male human hireling bodyguard [for Isidoros]

Spring

Hernesday, Junius 20, 524th year of the Empire

Morning

With all members of the Troop healed and recovered from the near disaster in the Stralbruck dungeon [see Session 24], the adventurers packed their gear and left Smolberg. Their route took them down the Jeetzel River to the confluence with the much larger Wasser River. From there they would slowly move upstream to Wittingen. From the small landing at Wittingen they would travel over land for two and a half days to Stralbruk, a total of two weeks of travel.

Summer

Hernesday, Quintilis 4, 524th year of the Empire

Late Afternoon

Biggz’s Troop arrived at Stralbruck and made their way to The Brass Dog, the only inn in the village. They secured rooms and settled in for the night.

Magusday, Quintilis 5, 524th year of the Empire

9:00 AM

After a quick breakfast in town, the Troop arrived at the ruins an hour’s walk from Stralbruck and made their way down into the dungeon below the ruins. Having remembered a treasure map the group looted, er, “found” in the gnole Greater Treasury, they decided to follow the map and recover the two magic items it claimed were in the dungeon.

The map led them south to the second intersection [just before the Octagon Room], where they turned right. This corridor went to a set of stairs that descended 10 feet into a partially flooded area. The water in the corridor was two feet deep and murky. As the adventurers progressed they came upon an area where the wall on their left was visibly sweating beads of water that trickled down to the flooded floor. They chose to not mess with it and moved on.

The came to a T-intersection, where they needed to turn left according to the map. On the wall in front of them hung a purple tapestry. In the center of the tapestry was a black sun in the center with rays zig-zagging away from it in geometric patterns. The adventurers carefully prodded the bedraggled tapestry to determine if anything was behind it. They found the wall. [The players immediately suspected ghouls or something nasty were hiding behind it due to previous adventure experiences. See my downloads section for Barrowmaze in ACKS, Book 1 for details, specifically the ending.]

After verifying only the wall was behind the tapestry, the adventurers took the left-hand corridor from the intersection. They paused when they realized the walls ahead held four rows of sepulchers on either side of the corridor as far as their torchlight went. They turned around and looked down the other corridor and saw the same. Following the map, they waded through the flooded corridor to the south until they reached the end of the sepulchers. From here they could see another set of stairs ascending from the flooded area. The map indicated the magic items were on the left side of the corridor in the second to last sepulcher, but failed to mention which of the stack of four it was in.

Hoping that the treasure was not in the lowest sepulcher, which was below the water, Porkins started his search with the two middle burial spots. Both were empty, so he used one to climb up to the top niche and there he found a parcel wrapped in oilcloth. He retrieved the parcel and had Tiny open it. Inside was a wand and a shield, as the map promised. Porkins cast Detect Magic to verify they were magical and they were! [They were a wand of fire balls and a +3 shield.] Porkins took the wand but the shield went into the loot bag for later discussion.

Wanting to get out of the water, the adventurers went up the stairs, where they were confronted by another tapestry directly in front of them while the corridor cornered and continued to their left [east]. The adventurers carefully investigated the tapestry. Once convinced there was only wall behind it, they prepared to follow the corridor. Porkins called out a warning that the other party of adventurers might have retreated this way. Tiny led the way and therefore was the one to step on the pressure plate and trigger the actual trap here.

The pressure plate released a blinding gas that filled the corner the adventurers were standing in. Mannin and Biggz took the worst of it and were blinded [for the next four hours]. Rather than continue forward, the group retreated back through the flooded area to the intersection just north of the Octagon Room. There they rested.

10:00 AM

Once they had caught their breath, they discussed their options. Thinking the magical pool of water back one intersection might help with the blindness, the adventurers went north to the first intersection and then left [west] to the circular chamber with the pool of water in the center. Biggz splashed the water in their face to no avail. Biggz then drank some of the water to see if that worked. Other than being refreshing, the water did nothing when drunk.

With no other options and not wanting to explore with a third of the adventurers blind, the Troop returned to the surface to wait out the effects.

2:00 PM

After waiting four hours, vision returned to Mannin and Biggz. The group packed back up and returned to the dungeon. They made their way back to the trapped corridor. Aware there was a trap, Mannin took the time to disarm it, allowing safe(r) passage down the corridor. The walls here looked damaged and there were places where mounting brackets for many more tapestries had been ripped out in the far past. A few tapestries remained and the adventurers stopped at each one to verify it was only a tapestry and that nothing undead was hidden behind them, waiting to kill them all. [I personally found this very amusing.]

This corridor came to an end at a T-intersection. Peeking around the corners, the north passage went about 25 feet and ended with a door on the east wall. Their map suggested that this door led to the Octagon Room and was the door the other party retreated through. The passage south continued further than 30 feet but they could see a portcullis blocking further travel at that point.

Wanting to close a loop on their map, the adventurers went north. Porkins’ Wizard Lock spell was on this door, verifying it was the door to the Octagon Room. Porkins removed the Wizard Lock and the group entered the Octagon Room.

Based on Tiny’s report after being cut off from the group in the last fight, the Troop knew that the other group’s Magic-User had been behind the door on the northwest wall of the Octagon Room. They checked that door and found it locked, with a recent-manufacture lock. Mannin quickly picked the lock and let Tiny go through first.

The room beyond was a storage area with five large barrels and another door on the west wall. Pio used Ologbane to check that door for traps and found none. [Reminder: Ologbane the magical sword has Detect Traps as a power.] Tiny investigated the barrels and discovered the hard way that the top of one of them was poisoned! He fought off the effects [made his save] and then attacked the barrel, believing it to be a mimic. After smashing it to splinters, he noticed several [now damaged] bags in the debris. Biggz extracted the bags from the debris and found two leaked coins, some ancient and some Imperial. One of the bags contained a shield and a couple of scrolls. Porkins checked them for magic and found the shield was magical and the scrolls contained several high level spells [or at least higher-than-Porkins’-level spells].

The other barrels were carefully investigated. One was empty, one contained several days’ worth of iron rations, and the last two contained oil. The adventurers took all the food and split it up amongst them but left the oil for later.

Pio opened the door in the back of the storage area and found a smaller room that was very damp and moldy with a faint acrid smell. Pio used Ologbane to check the floor for traps and found none. He then stepped into the room to check the walls.

Something dropped on him from the ceiling.

Pio could hear his helmet hissing and immediately stepped back out of the room and removed his helmet, throwing it to the floor. A large glob of green slime covered the top of his helmet, rapidly dissolving it! He kicked his helmet into the small room where more slime dropped from the ceiling onto it.

Wanting to rid the room of the green slime, Porkins cast Web three times into the room and then had Larn throw a torch in to light the webs on fire. This caused a great deal of smoke and so the door was closed. The smoke leaked out from around the edges of the door, so the adventurers decided to return to the surface and return later.

Once back at the surface, the group decided to return to town so Porkins could identify the spells on the scrolls and Tiny and Kunigunde could work out how magical the shield was. [Plus, it was getting late in real time.]

3:00

Back in Stralbruck, Porkins identified the first scroll as a Protection from Magic scroll. The second scroll had three spells on it: Suggestion, Wizard Eye, and Stone to Flesh. The shield was determined to be very magical [another +3 shield].

End of Part 2

End of Session

Behind the Green

[At the end of the session Deniska leveled, making her a third level fighter. I’m thinking about leveling Ivan as well to 2nd level as he has followed the adventurers for quite a while now, even though he has not been in combat recently. Hardkira and Bernagi retired to Waldrand, opening a small tavern and joining the village guard. We got kind of hand-wavey about them leaving and the hiring of replacements. I’m inclined to say the hiring didn’t happen and Deniska and Ivan now bodyguard Larn and Isidoros, especially if I level Ivan.]

[At the time I’m posting this, I’ve caught up to the actual game sessions. The next game session is this Saturday, so more material will be available, but not enough for weekly postings between now and the December session. I might go back and fill in the older sessions that I skipped or double post the Monday session notes until I catch up with them. I want to try and keep up writing two blog posts a week, I just haven’t worked out how I want to do it yet. I still need to write up the Lower Catacombs map and the Workshops level before doing the Upper and Lower Temple areas for the current dungeon plus I’m working on Draft D of the Adventures in the Green rules. So much to write and such limited free time…]

Biggz’z Troop, CAC

Session 01, Part 1

…

Session 20

…

Session 25, Part 1

Session 26, Part 1 [Not Yet Typed Up]

Thursday, October 28, 2021

Biggz Troop – Session 25 – Part 1

[Maius 22nd to Junius 19th – Porkins On Trial! Bedrest for The Injured!]

Biggz’z Troop, CAC (Chartered Adventuring Company):

Biggz Bigguns of the Big’uns Clan – gender neutral goblin Temple Priest (7th level Cleric)

Tiny – male minotaur Champion (7th level Fighter)

Porkins – male human Enchanter (6th level Magic-User)

Pio Vento of Piccolo – male human Veteran (1st level Fighter)

Mannin Darkshield – male dwarf Burglar (4th level Thief)

Kunigunde Gruber – NPC female goblin Cutpurse/Acolyte (5th level Thief/4th level Cleric)

Hirelings:

Larn the Linkboy – male human hireling linkboy

Isidoros of Delphis – male Tolk hireling translator [specifically, German to Mü]

Deniska – female human hireling Warrior bodyguard (2nd level Fighter) [for Larn]

Ivan – male human hireling bodyguard [for Larn]

Bernagi – male human hireling bodyguard [for Isidoros]

Hardkira – male human hireling bodyguard [for Isidoros]

Spring

Moonday, Maius 22, 524th year of the Empire

Morning

Biggz’ Troop was in Grossestadt having spent the last two days scrounging enough scrolls of Restore Life and Limb to bring Pio back from the dead and fix the shattered knees and legs of Isidoros and Bernagi, respectively. All three plus Hardkira and Larn needed bedrest to finish recovering from their injuries with Pio needing a full month after his harrowing return from the afterlife. The Troop sat around “their” table at the Two Mules Inn and discussed their options over the remains of breakfast.

For a variety of reasons, Porkins need to leave Grossestadt soonest [there were wanted posters for his arrest all over the city for book theft]. The Troop and their hirelings also needed to spend some time not adventuring, which would allow Porkins to scribe a spell or two – at task easier done in a place without wanted posters for him. As a result, the group decided that their best course of action would be to quietly slip out of the city and return to Smolberg.

While Biggz was settling their bill with the innkeep, a patrol of Grossestadt guards entered the inn’s common room, led by Gierstein the Saber. He pointed directly at Porkins and said, “There! That’s Porkins the Wizard!” The guards moved over to the Troop’s table and the head guard announced, “Porkins the Wizard, I have a warrant for your arrest for theft of property. Please come along.” Porkins immediately corrected the man, stating he was an Enchanter and not a Wizard [yet], but the guard sergeant really didn’t care.

After some back and forth, the sergeant agreed that Porkins could turn his valuables over to Biggz. The sergeant insisted on searching Porkins’ backpack for the stolen book first. Not finding the book in question, he was no longer interested in the contents, except for the vial of grey ooze, which was confiscated as a potential threat to the city. Porkins went with the guards, with Mannin following to verify Porkins was taken to the city jail and not somewhere more nefarious. Once in his cell [which was not wretched due to his status as a “wizard”], Porkins cast Porkins’ Mystical Missive to inform Mannin where his cell was located. Just in case.

Back at the inn, Biggz informed the innkeeper that the Troop would need their rooms for a while longer and asked if he could recommend a lawyer willing to work for adventurers. The innkeep recommended Herbert Ludger Fenstermacher as a lawyer known to represent adventurers in court. The innkeep also provided directions to the part of Grossestadt where the lawyers offices would be, but he did not know the exact location. Biggz thanked him for the information and headed off with Tiny and Isidoros to find the lawyer.

[There was some recordkeeping done here and Isidoros’ fees were paid up until the end of Quintillis (July).]

Fenstermacher’s office was across the river from the Two Mules Inn, in the Beerarch district, near the court building and jail. Once in that district, Biggz asked passersby who looked like lawyers and some shopkeeps for directions to Fenstermacher’s office and was directed there without too much difficulty.

H.L. Fenstermacher happened to be in his office and listened to Biggz describe the situation. He asked some questions, but stopped asking about the book when Biggz mentioned it had been delivered to Ogmund the Dragon. He agreed to advocate for Porkins and requested a deposit of 15 gold coins, which Biggz promptly paid.

10:00

Mannin spent some time purchasing food to send to Porkins in jail so he would not starve. [Jails at the time did not feed prisoners in general, requiring the imprisoned to arrange for their own food and drink.] Mannin put together enough food for two people, correctly assuming the prison guards would take some of the food before it got to Porkins.

Once Mannin had the food and a basket to hold it, he took it to the jail for delivery to Porkins.

Noon

Porkins received a mostly empty basket of food from Mannin, containing roughly a fourth of the food it started with. Porkins took the opportunity to successfully cast Charm Person on the guard, Udo, and now Porkins and Udo were best friends. Subsequent food deliveries were brought through by Udo and contained most of the food sent plus clean water.

Magusday and Cromsday, Maius 24 and 25, 524th year of the Empire

Porkins’ trial lasted two days, with the first day being the reading of the charges [theft of a Libram of Gainful Conjurations from a resident spellcaster, Soin the Middle Sorcerer] and the presentation of events by the prosecutor. The second day was for the presentation of evidence, and here is where the case against Porkins fell apart. Gierstein had to admit that he had not witnessed the theft and Porkins was identified to him by his employer. The prosecutor then had to admit that the accuser, Soin the Middle Sorcerer, had not seen Porkins steal the book, nor had any member of his household. In fact, Soin had only identified Porkins by casting a Contact Higher Plane spell and could not compel the power contacted to appear as a witness. At this point the judge was giving the prosecutor serious side-eye. H.L. presented evidence and actual eyewitnesses that Porkins had been in the common room at Two Mules Inn the night of the theft.

The judge ruled Porkins innocent of the charges against him and scheduled him for release from jail the following morning, once all the appropriate paperwork was filed and approved. H.L. said Porkins should be fine at this point, but he should not linger in town very long as there was likely to be some unofficial consequences. H.L. also presented Biggz with a final invoice for another 5 gold coin. Biggz promptly paid it.

Freysday, Maius 26, 524th year of the Empire

Porkins was freed from the jail in the morning with Mannin there to greet him. The two made their way back to the Two Mules Inn where the rest of the Troop were packing to leave. In his room, Porkins found a note that read, “I do not expect to see you again before the end of Junius. -O.” Porkins understood this to mean he should stay out of Grossestadt for at least a month.

Porkins used Porkins’ Mystical Missive to contact Matthias, Count Eberstein-Smolberg, to see if there was anything the Count desired from Grossestadt. The Count requested some expensive spices and Porkins had the spices purchased, wisely staying indoors.

Afternoon

Biggz arranged transportation for the Troop on a luxury riverboat heading to Smolberg. This would allow the injured members of the party to get good rest on the trip [and have the travel time count towards their needed bedrest]. During the trip, Porkins started scribing a scroll of Dispel Magic.

Freysday, Junius 9, 524th year of the Empire

The Troop arrived in Smolberg. Those still recovering were transferred from the docks across the town to the Petty Footman, the inn the adventurers more or less live in just outside the southern town gate.

Biggz started scribing a scroll of Remove Curse for emergency use by the Troop if she was unavailable. Porkins delivered the requested spices to the Count [who was favorably impressed] and then continued scribing Dispel Magic.

Tiny, Mannin, Kunigunde, and Deniska spent the rest of the day sparing while wearing the unidentified magical armors and magic ring to evaluate their level of protection. [Both plate mail armors were +1 and the ring was a +1 Ring of Protection.] Kunigunde was given one of the suits of magic plate and Mannin was given the magic ring [providing both with an Armor Class of 2].

[Previously, Kunigunde had worn leather armor, mostly out of habit. As she was more about being a cleric of Hermes rather than her previous profession, she decided to switch to the plate armor. Her reasoning was, “The best way to not be taken for a thief is to not dress like one.”]

Freysday, Junius 16, 524th year of the Empire

Porkins finished scribing Dispel Magic.

Yggsday, Junius 17, 524th year of the Empire

Porkins went to speak with the Count. Porkins broached the subject of purchasing the Watchtower and attendant property. The Count stated he was not against the sale of the property, but at the moment he was engaged in a legal dispute with the Mayor of Smolberg who claimed the Watchtower was property of the town, based on the fact that the town had paid a bounty to have the goblins removed from it. The Count strongly disagreed but the matter was currently locked up.

The Count and Porkins discussed the possibility of Porkins filing a Letter of Intent to Purchase the Watchtower from the Count. The Count felt that the Mayor would probably relinquish the town’s claim to the Watchtower if it looked like the town could start charging taxes on the property. The Count made several recommendations on the legal language Porkins should use in his Letter of Intent.

Moonday, Junius 19, 524th year of the Empire

Pio was finally recovered enough to travel. Biggz immediately started preparations to head back to Stralbruck.

Porkins commissioned a scribe to write up the Letter of Intent to Purchase the Watchtower. At the end of the day, Porkins submitted the Letter to the Town Clerk.

End of Part 1

Behind the Green

[Note: I realized that how I was pronouncing Gierstein (gear-steen) was different than how I was spelling his name, which should be pronounced “ger-stine”. I’ve decided that I’m not going to correct the spelling, but please be aware of the way he pronounces it. He is a gun for hire after all.]

[Porkins finally faced legal consequences for the book theft he performed on Ogmund’s behalf in exchange for his +1 Ring of Protection. Will Soin the Middle Sorcerer let things go here? Probably not, but he’ll now have to contend with Porkins being legally cleared of the crime.]

Biggz’z Troop, CAC

…

Thursday, October 21, 2021

Biggz Troop – Session 24 – Part 2

[Maius 12th to 21st – Exploration continues – Rocks Fall! and aftermath]

Biggz’z Troop, CAC (Chartered Adventuring Company):

Biggz Bigguns of the Big’uns Clan – gender neutral goblin Temple Priest (7th level Cleric)

Tiny – male minotaur Champion (7th level Fighter)

Porkins – male human Enchanter (6th level Magic-User)

Mannin Darkshield – male dwarf Robber (4th level Thief)

Kunigunde Gruber – NPC female goblin Cutpurse/Acolyte (5th level Thief/4th level Cleric)

Pio Vento of Piccolo – male human Veteran (1st level Fighter)

Hirelings:

Larn the Linkboy – male human hireling linkboy

Isidoros of Delphis – male Tolk hireling translator [specifically, German to Mü]

Deniska – female human hireling Warrior bodyguard (2nd level Fighter) [for Larn]

Ivan – male human hireling bodyguard [for Larn]

Bernagi – male human hireling bodyguard [for Isidoros]

Hardkira – male human hireling bodyguard [for Isidoros]

Spring

Freysday, Maius 12, 524th year of the Empire

Morning

Biggz sent a message to Grimbold von Virreburg, the noticeably wealthy local merchant, asking if he would be interested in purchasing a magic shield the adventurers had for sale. While waiting for a reply, a message came in from Father Solomon. He stated he had not been able to identify the symbol on the dead elf, but his resources were limited. He asked for permission to inquire further with others. Biggz responded that asking others was OK, but would Father Solomon please not send the amulet elsewhere. By way of reply, Biggz received the amulet back.

The reply from Grimbold arrived. Grimbold indicated he was interested in discussing other items and would Biggz be available to meet. Biggz sent a reply stating they would be willing to meet at the Brass Dog after dinner this day to discuss. Grimbold replied this would be acceptable.

Once Pio came down and all had a late morning meal, the adventurers gathered up their gear and left town for the ruins.

Noon

The adventurers arrived at the ruins and then discussed which parts of the catacombs they wanted to investigate. They decided to investigate the secret door in the octagon room.

The group entered the gnole barracks and descended the stairs there to the dungeon. Porkins cast Detect Invisible [duration 6 Turns (1 hour)] to avoid being ambushed by the other adventurers again. The Troop cautiously advanced to the octagon room and found it largely how they left it the previous day. Porkins retrieved his two scroll tubes [one empty, one trapped with Explosive Runes] and carefully stashed them [he marked the trapped one with a red ribbon].

Satisfied that they were not about to be attacked, the group turned their attention to the secret door. As a dwarf, Mannin could sense that the door was trapped, so he set to disarming the trap. Unfortunately, he was not successful and triggered a Glyph of Warding, which electrically discharged. Biggz and Kunigunde healed Mannin with a combination of spells and staves of healing.

Not wanting to take another try at the still trapped secret door, the group decided to explore the corridor past where the mummies had attacked them. They backed up to the last intersection and then headed east, past the copper door to the intersection before the mural room. There they turned left and followed that corridor. The corridor was moderately long and ended at a room containing broken and decayed furniture. The walls were covered with complex geometric patterns. When Tiny entered the room, a grey ooze descended from the ceiling to attack, but the adventurers cut it down quickly with a Magic Missile spell from Porkins and a crossbow bolt from Mannin.

Tiny started searching the walls for secret door while Biggz and Kunigunde searched the broken furniture for hidden loot. Mannin assisted Tiny by using Whisperminder’s ability to locate secret doors. In the meantime, Porkins used a spare vial to scoop up a sample of the grey ooze as deliquesced. Tiny and Mannin located not one but FOUR secret doors in this room: two on the north wall, one on the east wall, and one on the south wall. The group took a rest and discussed options.

1:00 PM

After their rest, the group decided to open the western secret door on the north wall. They first had Pio check the door with Ologbane [which has Detect Trap as an ability] and the sword indicated the door was safe. Behind this secret door was a short corridor to a set of stairs leading down. The air here was noticeably moist, indicating water nearby. Not wanting to descend yet, they closed the secret door and went to the next door on the north wall.

Once Ologbane indicated northeast secret door was safe, they opened the secret door, releasing a putrid carrion stench and a ghast, which lurched to attack. Biggz pulled out its symbol of the Many-King and turned the ghast, obliterating it in a burst of holy energy. [This was the first time Biggz’ player had attempted a turning because she was mis-reading the table. Once we explained it to her, she was much pleased.] With the secret door still open, the smell emanating from the small room beyond continued to spread, causing Mannin to retch. Porkins quickly cast a Detect Magic spell and verified there was nothing magical in the small smelly room. He promptly closed the door, cutting off the smell. [Mostly.]

Pio consulted Ologbane about the secret door on the east wall and Ologbane indicated it was trapped. Not wanting to mess with a trap just yet, the group checked the secret door on the southern wall. Ologbane indicated this door was safe, so it was opened. The room beyond was once a pottery storage area, but all the pottery was now shattered and shoved up against the walls. There was a door out on the south end of the east wall. Porkins located a Glyph of Warding on the south wall [due to me missing that Detect Invisible had expired by now] and the group avoided it. Ologbane was consulted about the regular door and declared it safe.

The room beyond was full of broken furniture with a smell of rancid meat in the air, which caused Biggz and Mannin to nearly retch again. Pio wanted to properly measure the room, so the group let him and then took a rest.

2:00 PM

After the rest, Porkins searched the broken furniture and found several small caches of gold coins [totaling 2000gc] and a scroll of Protection: Undead. Mannin used Whisperminder to see if there were any secret doors in this room and found two!

Both secret doors were on the south wall, so after having Ologbane verify the doors were not trapped, Tiny opened one. Beyond the secret door was a long corridor with a side passage on the left and four levels of sepulchers along the right wall as far as Tiny could see. Curious, the other secret door was opened and behind it was a damp chamber full of decayed furniture. A quick casting of Detect Magic found none. Believing that room to be a dead end, the adventurers decided to investigate the corridor instead.

As the group approached the intersection with the side passage, a number of burnt-looking skeletons animated from sepultures on the left wall, they eye sockets glowing bright blue. Biggz easily turned them, shattering them to dust with a burst of holy power. This corridor led to another set of stairs. These seemed to descend much deeper than the other stairs the adventurers had seen so far.

Again, not ready to descend, the group turned back and returned to the room of secret doors. Mannin attempted to disarm the trap but triggered it instead. The entire ceiling collapsed into the room, heavily injuring the entire party!

Once the stone ceiling stopped falling, Pio, Deniska, Isidoros, Hardkira, Larn, and Bergani were all unconscious with rubble on them. Biggz and Kunigunde immediately started healing the fallen. Pio was dead due to a heavy stone that crushed his legs. Deniska was able to shake off the effects once given some healing. One of Isidoros’ knees was smashed. Hardkira lost an eye while Larn only lost a few [4] teeth. Bernagi’s legs were lamed, making even walking a struggle for the mercenary.

Those adventurers still functional helped the wounded with Tiny once again bundling up the body of a member of the Vento family and carrying it to the surface. The group slowly made their way back to Stralbruck.

On the way back, Bernagi and Hardkira quietly discuss retiring and opening an inn in Waldrand and naming it the Avalanche Inn.

4:00 PM

Dust-covered and injured, the adventuring party arrived back at Stralbruck. The wounded were taken to the church for additional healing. Biggz sent a message to Grimbold, letting the merchant know they had to defer the meeting as the adventuring party had to leave for Grossestadt immediately.

A cart with horses and a driver was rented to speed up the trip and everyone was loaded into it as soon as they were available. The adventurers raced east on the road to Wittingen.

Well After Sunset

The Troop arrived at the first travel inn. They were eventually let in but had to stay in the common room for the night as all the rooms were already occupied.

Yggsday, Maius 13, 524th year of the Empire

The troop arrived at the next travel in on the road to Wittingen. This time they were able to get rooms.

Sunday, Maius 14, 524th year of the Empire

Afternoon

The Troop arrived in Wittingen and booked passage on a boat leaving for Grossestadt as soon as they got aboard.

Yggsday, Maius 20, 524th year of the Empire

Evening

The boat the Troop took arrived in Grossestadt shortly before the port chain was raised. Due to the general hustle going on as ships unloaded last minute arrivals, Porkins was able to exit the docks area without being recognized. He saw several wanted posters with his image on them. It was the same image Gierstein used to identify Porkins in Smolberg.

Biggz sent messages to the cathedral, requesting urgent access to the rite of Restore Life and Limb. The return messages apologized, explaining that the High Priest was out of town for another three weeks and no one at the cathedral could perform the rite.

One safely at the Two Mules Inn, Porkins used Porkins’ Mystical Missive to contact Ogden the Dragon, asking if he had a scroll of Restore Life and Limb for sale. The response was, “I will have it by Noon or not at all. Come to my shop tomorrow.”

Sunday, Maius 21, 524th year of the Empire

Morning

After breakfast, Biggz started looking for scrolls of Restore Life and Limb for sale. Biggz first went to the cathedral to ask. They had scrolls as part of their emergency plans, but they were reserved for specific people important to the defense or function of the city and were not available for sale. Biggz next tried the booksellers she knew in the city and lucked out. Two of the shops each had one scroll and Biggz purchased both for 900gc each.

Noon

Porkins and Biggz went to Ogden’s shop. Ogden admitted he had been able to locate a scroll, but due to the rush order, the cost was increased. Porkins had to pay 2000gc for the scroll. Porkins turned the scroll over to Biggz who left the shop. Porkins then asked if Ogden had any interest in purchasing some spare magic items Porkins had for sale. Ogden stated he was willing to look at what Porkins had to offer.

Ogden was not interested in the +2 shield Porkins offered. He raised an eyebrow at the potion of dragon control [“It takes a gutsy person to offer a potion of dragon control to someone known as Ogden the Dragon.”] but bought it and the wand of paralysis for gold coin. The scroll of Smite Undead they traded for a scroll of Dispel Magic that Porkins highly desired, both pleased with the trade.

Evening

Biggz cast Restore Life and Limb from the scrolls on Pio, Bernagi, and Isidoros. Pio returned from the dead, alive but with the pallor of death around him [Charisma drop of 4, +2 on reactions from non-intelligent undead]. He would need a month of bed rest to fully recover from the ordeal. Bernagi’s legs were mended with no side effects other than needing two further weeks of bedrest. Isidoros’ knee was easily repaired and the Tolk revitalized, only needing another 10 days of bed rest to recover.

End of Part 1

Behind the Green

[Here the Tampering with Mortality table was used from the Adventurer, Conqueror, King System after each casting of Restore Life and Limb. It is entirely possible to play Adventures in the Green without using the Mortality Table and the Tampering with Mortality Table from ACKS but I think they introduce some verisimilitude that would otherwise be missing.]

[Now that Biggz’ player understands how the Turning table works, I need to review the undead I’m placing in front of the PCs. Biggz destroys anything from a Wight down and auto-turns Wraiths and Mummies. Only Specters and Vampires have a chance to stand against the Temple Priest now. Luckily, the dungeon they are currently exploring is a more dangerous one with the surface levels counting as a 4th level dungeon layer and the catacombs as a 5th level dungeon layer. I have several more levels planned but not mapped out yet.]

Biggz’z Troop, CAC

…

Thursday, October 14, 2021

Biggz Troop – Session 24 – Part 1

[Maius 11th and 12th – Exploration starts with a Big Fight!]

Biggz’z Troop, CAC (Chartered Adventuring Company):

Biggz Bigguns of the Big’uns Clan – gender neutral goblin Family Priest (6th level Cleric)

Tiny – male minotaur Swashbuckler (6th level Fighter)

Porkins – male human Conjuror (6th level Magic-User)

Mannin Darkshield – male dwarf Robber (4th level Thief)

Kunigunde Gruber – NPC female goblin Footpad/Petitioner (5th level Thief/4th level Cleric)

Pio Vento of Piccolo – male human Veteran (1st level Fighter)

Hirelings:

Larn the Linkboy – male human hireling linkboy

Isidoros of Delphis – male Tolk hireling translator [specifically, German to Mü]

Deniska – female human hireling Veteran bodyguard (1st level Fighter) [for Larn]

Ivan – male human hireling bodyguard [for Larn]

Bernagi – male human hireling bodyguard [for Isidoros]

Hardkira – male human hireling bodyguard [for Isidoros]

Spring

Cromsday, Maius 11, 524th year of the Empire

Morning

Ready to explore the area under the ruins, the adventuring group formed up after an early breakfast and left Stralbruck.

9:00 AM

After a one-hour hike, the adventuring party arrived at the ruins. They entered the gnole barracks and climbed down the stairs to the lower area. Once down in the first corridor, Porkins cast Infravision on himself.

The adventurers decided to explore further south this trip. The went through the two intersections to the room with the very large statue. Tiny and Pio advanced into the room to look around and were attacked by invisible foes!

One of the foes dropped her sword during the initial rush to attack Tiny, appearing in front of the surprised Tiny with no weapon in hand. Another foe appeared behind Tiny to backstab the minotaur, landing a glancing blow [x4 backstab damage doesn’t help much when you roll a 1 for the damage]. A third attacker hit Pio solidly, dropping him to the floor.

Biggz cast Create Water to make puddles that might expose any additional invisible attackers. Porkins cast Charm Person on the foe that dropped Pio, but the fighter resisted the spell [made their save]. Deniska and Kunigunde advanced from deeper in the party to get up to the fighting but Kunigunde bumped into a fourth opponent who was still invisible, forcing Kunigunde to share a space with Biggz. The attacker who dropped her sword retrieved it. The fighter that dropped Pio attempted to do the same to Deniska but shattered her shield instead. Sword back in hand, the woman next to Tiny attacked him, shattering Tiny’s shield. Tiny attacked the elf who backstabbed him, landing a strong hit. Deniska swung at her attacker but missed.

Porkins started casting Lightning Bolt, his first time using the complicated spell. Biggz slung a bullet at the invisible attacker in front of them and hit! Mannin attempted to attack with his sling, but dropped his sling in his rush. Kunigunde backed up to stop crowding Biggz while Deniska and Tiny readied new shields. Mannin picked up his dropped sling, looking around to see if anyone noticed. Porkins finished his casting, unleashing a lightning bolt that ricocheted around the octagonal room, missing Tiny but hitting three of the attackers: the human threatening Biggz, the elven thief who backstabbed Tiny, and [after three ricochets] the human woman leading the attackers. The woman called out for assistance from someone the adventurers could not see, but they heard a side door [on the northwestern wall, where they could not see it] open in response. Tiny hit the elven backstabber again and Deniska missed her foe again. The woman leader hit Tiny for a solid blow from behind [Tiny was facing the Thief on his opposite side]. Deniska’s foe shattered her new shield and the last invisible foe appeared when he attacked Biggz but missed.

The unknown person could be heard starting to cast a complicated spell. Porkins cast Magic Missile, splitting his three missiles between the backstabbing thief and the female fighter who was attacking Tiny from behind. The two missiles at the elven thief killed him and the third wounded the leader. Biggz cast Command on their attacker, telling the human to “Flee!” The attacker recoiled in horror and immediately fled to a door on the west wall. Kunigunde slung a bullet at Deniska’s foe and hit. Deniska readied her third and final shield. The thief dead, Tiny turned to face the leader of the attackers. The unseen caster finished his spell, conjuring a Wall of Iron between the attackers and the adventurers, with the exception of Tiny, who was trapped in the room with the attackers. The fleeing attacker went through the west door and could be heard running away. The attacker Deniska had fought stepped to Tiny and hit the minotaur a very solid blow, but his leader missed on her attack. Tiny hit her, shattering her shield.

In the now sealed off room, the attackers backed away from Tiny, speaking German at him. Tiny had no idea what they were saying [he only understands Mü], but he was very injured and willing to let them back away. When Tiny let them disengage, the group, including a Magic-User peeking through the door on the northwest wall, exited the octagon room through the west door, the Magic-User closing the northwestern door behind him as they left. On the other side of the iron wall, Porkins pulled out a scroll and cast Summon Monster IV, summoning two rust monsters and ordering them to eat the iron wall. The rust monsters were only too happy to comply.

Two minutes later, the rust monsters finished eating the iron wall and Porkins dismissed them. Biggz moved forward to attend to Pio, casting Cure Light Wounds on the downed fighter. Pio revived, but had gruesome scarring from the attack and was weak from the experience, needing a day of bedrest. Then Biggz and Kunigunde used their staves of healing on Tiny and both cast Cure Light Wounds on him, restoring most of his health.

Porkins closed the western door and cast Wizard Lock on it. It would keep the attackers from returning that way [unless that enemy Magic-User was 9th level or higher…]. Porkins then set out two scroll tubes where Pio fell. One was empty, the other contained an otherwise blank scroll with Explosive Runes cast on it.

The adventurers then searched the body of the dead elven thief, locating a non-magical amulet with an inverted triangle on it in black. They wrapped up the body and took it with them back to Stralbruck. Along the way the group discussed what to do with the body and decided to turn it over to the church in Stralbruck.

11:00 AM

Back at Stralbruck, the gate guards were surprised to see the Troop returning so soon.

The adventurers took the body to the church and turned it over to Father Solomon, explaining the circumstances. Father Solomon asked if they knew the elf’s faith and the adventurers showed him the amulet. Father Solomon did not recognize the symbol and asked to borrow the amulet so he could do research on it. The adventurers handed the amulet over.

After the group left the church, Deniska requested replacement shields for the two she lost in the fight. She was given two shield from the stack the adventurers travel with for this exact reason.

Noon

Back at the Brass Dog, Pio went up to his room to rest for the day [I allowed this to count as the day of rest he was required to take]. Porkins spent time with the magic shield taken from the giant phase spider victims and identified it properly [it was a +2 shield].

The adventurers spent the rest of the day in town discussing the fight and resting.

End of Part 1

Behind the Green

[So the fight in the octagon room was an encounter with other adventurers. I can’t say much about them yet as they will appear again in time. I will say the players felt the heat and were very concerned about how the fight was going.]

[I use the Mortality Table from the Adventurer, Conqueror, King System. Characters that go below 0 hit points roll on the table once their friends can attend to them. The results range from “you’re dead” to “Give me a minute to catch my breath” and usually falls somewhere in between. There are several modifiers to the roll, the most significant being how negative did they go compared to their total hit points and how much time passed between going down and getting any healing. Pio’s player rolled well, even with the modifiers he faced, but needed the bedrest and others will have a -4 on reaction rolls to him.]

[This part might be a little short, but I’m not certain. I’m placing the break here as it is about the midpoint of my notes for the session. We’ll see how accurate I was when I finish typing up Part 2.]

Biggz’z Troop, CAC

…

Thursday, September 23, 2021

Biggz Troop – Session 23 – Part 2

[Maius 8th to the 10th – Exploration of the areas under the ruins gets started.]

Biggz’z Troop, CAC (Chartered Adventuring Company):

Biggz Bigguns of the Big’uns Clan – gender neutral goblin Family Priest (6th level Cleric)

Tiny – male minotaur Swashbuckler (6th level Fighter)

Porkins – male human Conjuror (6th level Magic-User)

Pio Vento of Piccolo – male human Veteran (1st level Fighter)

Mannin Darkshield – male dwarf Robber (4th level Thief)

Kunigunde Gruber – NPC female goblin Footpad/Petitioner (4th level Thief/3rd level Cleric)

Hirelings:

Larn the Linkboy – male human hireling linkboy

Isidoros of Delphis – male Tolk hireling translator [specifically, German to Mü]

Deniska – female human hireling Veteran bodyguard (1st level Fighter) [for Larn]

Ivan – male human hireling bodyguard [for Larn]

Bernagi – male human hireling bodyguard [for Isidoros]

Hardkira – male human hireling bodyguard [for Isidoros]

Spring

Moonday, Maius 8, 524th year of the Empire

Morning

Biggz went by the local office of the Guild of Condotierre, Linkboys, Roustabouts, and Stevedores [a very small place as Stralbruck does minimal business] and hired 6 roustabouts to act as diggers for the day. The pay was 1 silver coin each with the standard 5 gold coin deposit for death benefits [they were being hired by adventurers after all]. Porkins stopped by the general store to pick up some additional digging tools and buckets for moving dirt and rocks. By 8:00 AM, the expedition left Stralbruck on foot.

9:00 AM

The expedition arrived at the ruins [and future mill site]. The adventurers did a quick walkaround to verify the site was still safe and then had the diggers start excavating the stairwell down in the gnole barracks.

This job took most of the day. The debris in the stairwell was hardpacked in, clearly having been there for a long period of time. As things progressed, the diggers were instructed to only clear a five-foot width on the right side of the stairs. This allowed the diggers to make more progress quicker.

4:00 PM

The diggers breached the twenty-foot-thick debris plug in the stairs. The air from the opened stairwell was damp and cool. The diggers quickly returned to the surface as facing subterranean horrors is what adventurers do, not roustabouts.

Tiny went down and inspected the opened-up area. He told the rest that the stairs went down another twenty feet before ending at the beginning of a corridor.

After a short discussion, the adventurers decided to start actual exploration the next day. Everything was packed up and the expedition returned to Stralbruck. The roustabouts were paid and the deposits returned to the adventurers, everyone pleased with the day’s efforts.

Hernesday, Maius 9, 524th year of the Empire

8:00 AM

The adventurers left Stralbruck, heading to the ruins.

9:00 AM

The adventurers arrived at the ruins and decided to do a thorough sweep of the above ground ruins to verify they were actually empty. They also checked and mapped the handful of places they had not either checked or mapped on earlier expeditions. This entire process took five hours to accomplish.

[NOTE: There is an area they have repeatedly not searched behind the gnole barracks building. It is full of phase spider webs and they either decided a while back to leave it alone or have forgotten the webs are there.]

2:00 PM

Confident the above ground area was secure, Biggz’ Troop descended the stairs to explore. The corridor at the bottom of the stairs went a short distance before becoming a four-way intersection. Ahead [to the south] at the limit of their torchlight they can see another four-way intersection. To their right the corridor ended in a door but to their left was an open doorway and a room. For several reasons, the adventurers went left [east].

The short corridor opened on a square room that had long ago been stripped bare. There was a door on the far wall, which proved to be locked when they checked it. The room was carefully searched and Tiny and Mannin both noticed a secret door on the same wall as the locked door, just to the locked door’s left.

The secret door led to the next room, which is where the locked door also went. The adventurers found this confusing. This room was also square, with a door in the middle of the south wall and torch holders along the east wall. It was otherwise damp, moldy, and empty. Porkins cast Infravision on himself so he could keep a watch behind the group. The adventurers messed with the torch holders for a bit to no effect. They lit a torch off the one Larn was holding and set it in the middle torch holder. Nothing happened. Shrugging, Tiny opened the door on the south wall and was attacked by a shadow!

Luckily for Tiny, the shadow failed to land an attack. Biggz cast Bless, catching all but Tiny in the spell. Porkins, cast Magic Missile and hit the shadow three times. Kunigunde used her sling and landed a solid hid, killing the shadow.

The area beyond the south door was a large closet. Inside the adventurers found a suit of armor with two potions and two scrolls in a belt pouch. The party took a rest here.

3:00

After the ten minute rest, Porkins took a sip of each potion to identify them. One was Oil of Slipperiness [with an awful taste] and the other a Potion of Heroism. He chose to hold off identifying the other items and they were packed away.

The group backtracked to the first intersection. With his improved range of visibility [Infravision spell sees to 60 feet], Porkins looked south. He could see past the next intersection and into a room with a large statue on a pedestal in the center of it. Slightly unnerved by the statue, the group went west to investigate the door at the end of the corridor that way.

The door was rotten and easy to push open. Beyond it was a large circular chamber with a pool full of water in the center. The walls were once covered in murals but were heavily defaced long ago. Initially ignoring the pool of water, the adventurers spent 40 minutes searching this room, finding nothing beyond what they saw when they entered. Porkins went back to the stairs, picked up a piece of stone from the debris there, and returned to this room with the chunk of stone. He dropped the chunk of stone into the pool of water. Once the waves from the stone being dropped in calmed, Poring could see the stone sitting on the bottom, two feet under water. It looked much cleaner than when he dropped it in. He dropped a silver coin into the pool and when he retrieved the coin, it was like new.

The party needed a rest, so they took one and discussed their options. Porkins wanted to change up his spell selection and they were in no hurry to keep exploring, so the group decided to return to town once their rest was over.

4:00 PM

On the way back to town, Porkins took a moment to cast Detect Magic on the armor and scrolls. All three were magical. Porkins checked the scrolls to see what spell or spells they contained. The first one turned out to be a Cursed Scroll and Porkins was struck blind by it. Biggz sighed and cast Remove Curse, curing Porkins. The second scroll held the spell Smite Undead.

While in town, Tiny purchased an extra water skin.

Magusday, Maius 10, 524th year of the Empire

9:00 AM

The adventurers returned to the ruins and descended into the dungeon. They returned to the room with the pool of water. Tiny pulled out his new water skin and filled it from the pool. Once he was done, Porkins cast Detect Magic. The water in the pool detected as magical, but the water in the water skin did not, meaning the water was only magical in the pool, not of itself.

Not certain what to do next, the adventurers left the room and went south to the second intersection. The air to the west was noticeably damper and they could see stairs descending an unknown distance. To the south they could see the room with the large statue. To the east they could see a corroded copper door.

After a short discussion the adventurers went left [east] to copper door. Pio forced the door open. Beyond the door the was a long corridor of rough masonry walls and uneven flagstones [as opposed to the stone walls they had seen so far]. The adventurers carefully moved down this corridor until they reached an intersection with another corridor on the left.

While the adventures discussed their options, two partially burned mummies loomed out around the corner from the corridor to the left and attacked. The first mummy failed to land a blow on Tiny, but the second shattered Pio’s shield.

Porkins responded to this surprise attack by starting to cast Lightning Bolt [3rd to 6th level spells take an extra spell phase to cast]. While Porkins was casting, Biggz compelled both mummies to flee by the power of the Many-King! Pio readied a new shield and both mummies fled Biggz, retreating further east and not back the way they came. Porkins finished casting and threw the lightning bolt down the corridor, electrifying both mummies. Tiny pursued the still fleeing mummies and hacked at one when they all ran into a dead-end room.

Biggz cast Bless at this point, not affecting Porkins, Tiny, Pio, or herself as all were already “in combat”. The adventurers pursued the fleeing mummies [leaving behind Biggz and Porkins, who had cast and therefore could not move], catching up to them and Tiny in the dead-end room. Biggz cast a sling bullet at the one mummy Biggz could still see and dropped it. It started leaking some form of liquid. Tiny and Pio both attacked the remaining mummy and destroyed it.

The room the adventurers were now in had complete frescos decorating the walls. The frescos showed ancient armies fighting, one side Porkins identified as Roman Legionnaires but the other side were wearing black robes and could not be identified. The black-robed figures held banners showing a black sun. The Romans were shown winning the battle and putting all of their foes to death.

Biggz investigated the mummies. The leaking mummy had two potion vials inside it, both were shattered and the source of the leaking liquids. The other mummy had a rolled up map stuffed inside it that was in multiple pieces but could still be read. The map was in Latin, which Porkins translated. There was a location marked with the words “General Euclid Appius Bruttius Mallus buried collected tribute here before leaving to put down an uprising in Raetia.” It was a treasure map!

Tucking away the treasure map, the adventurers backtracked to where the mummies originally appeared. Looking north, down the side passage the mummies came from, they saw a corridor that went twenty to twenty-five feet and then angled off to the right. The group advanced to where the corridor angled right and found a miniature skull, painted green, facing them. The corridor beyond went as far as they could see. Mannin picked up the green skull and took it with him when the group decided to return to the surface and head back to town.

Back in town the group celebrated defeating the undead and finding the treasure map.

End of Part 1

Behind the Green

[So I didn’t keep good time records on the last day they were in the dungeon, but they did return to town much earlier. This was mostly a function of what time it was in the real world. Once back in town, Kunigunde leveled again due to being only one experience point away from leveling in both of her classes. That was due to the huge amounts of experience the party got the previous session – it technically was enough for Kunigunde to level twice in one session, so she stopped one point short and lost all the excess. Again.]

[The player characters are at the point where leveling starts taking much longer, especially Magic-Users now that I corrected their experience track to use the same pattern as the other classes. Kunigunde is just under the lead characters in level, but ahead of Mannin and Pio as she started accumulating XP before they did. As an NPC she gets half the experience actual player characters get, so they should catch up and pass her relatively quickly.]

[I should also note that Deniska is also gaining experience points. Anyone wielding a magic sword should be leveling, even if they are NPC and only get half experience.]

Biggz’z Troop, CAC

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