[Maius 12th to 21st – Exploration continues – Rocks Fall! and aftermath]
[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 2 of the session that happened September 11, 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)
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
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