Introduction
With only two of four players available, the group decided to continue exploring the Borderlands area they traveled last week.
DM Note: Using the 1:1 Downtime Pace-Setting method solves the age-old problem of a Player not being able to attend at the last moment. IF we had paused the game in media res last week, and two of the four players had not been able to join, we’d be in a predicament.
What to do about those characters? Have another player run them?
What if they get killed? Do they get a share of the experience?
By keeping the steady and predictable schedule of 1:1 Downtime, we avoid that difficulty. The Characters are all someplace safe at the end of each session and if they need to miss one the Player can notify the DM that they are working on recruiting henchmen, or crafting a spell scroll, or whatever.
Castile, Berzerker Fighter 2 and Luke, Berzerker Cleric 2
10 Light infantry and 10 Crossbowmen
Session 4 - 11 April 1023
It takes two hours to reach the nearby town of Opatiza, then three more hours to reach the village of Samichi. It took another 3 hours to reach the markers they had left in the grass. On the way they had passed some Lizardfolk fishermen on the creek and a herd of Okapi.
Castile suggested they head straight for the Serpentine, and they found more cast off equipment on the way. This was very intriguing, as it must have been the party with the dead cleric of Demeter. When they reached the cliff face, they were able to see that part of the cliff wall was hidden by an illusion. The Illusion was spoiled by a rockslide that had happened some time ago, leaving a strange gap in the wall.
On the “other side” of the illusion they found a temple had been carved into the rock, with dark windows high above and a wide doorway at ground level. The doorway was illuminated by a sickly green light.
Inside, there was a magic circle on the floor of a large chamber carved into the living rock, illuminated by a horrible green light shining from above. The consensus was to STAY AWAY FROM THE LIGHT!
At the far end of the chamber was a large semi-circular alcove with a large statue carved of black stone. It was a depiction of a snake with the head of a woman wearing a crown.
Seeing doorways on either side, they went to the left and investigated the first one. It was a short, narrow passage that ended in a wooden door with a complex lock. Two of the infantry kick the door open, and a pair of massive ax blades swung down from the ceiling, killing both men!
They dragged the bodies outside and went back in. The room was littered with broken, moldering furniture. Castile shot the couch with an arrow, and when it didn’t attack (?) he flipped it over. They found four copper and silver coins with strange, old markings. On the bottom of the couch was a brass plate with the symbol of the temple of Hades. Prying this plate off revealed a 14” bone scroll tube, the ends were sealed with wax.
Inside, Prayer Scrolls for the cult of Hades.
They went through the door on the other side and were surprised by a group of zombies. They defeated them easily, and seeing as there was possibly a cannibal cook pot on a fire in the corner, barged through the chamber into the next one, which was also guarded by freshly-animated zombies. The zombies fought ferociously, and behind them was a man in strange, tattered garb, chanting and casting spells. He split into multiple versions of himself! The crossbowmen started shooting at all of them, and the Necromancer was killed quickly. The room was painted black with bizarre and unsettling runes painted on all of the walls. They found two black candles, a scroll, and a dead snake with its head cut off. All of these items were thrown into the cook pot fire while Luke intoned battle chants of Ares. Two infantrymen picked up the dead Necromancer and his staff, which they carried back outside, careful to avoid going near the light.
Guarded by the rest of the infantry and crossbowmen, they exited this cursed temple in good order. As they crossed the threshold of the temple, the body of the Necromancer dissolved into a cloud of ash and dust. Only his tattered and moldy robe remained.
As it was getting dark, the sun was setting behind the Serpentine, they traveled about a mile south along the cliff until they found a cave to spend the night in. The crossbowmen took turns guarding the entrance, with loaded weapons!
In the Necromancer’s clothing they found a metal scroll, carefully would around a thick wooden rod. Unrolling it, they were unable to decipher its contents.
12 April 1023
In the morning they returned to Samichi, then to Sojenka. They paid were-gild to the families of the fallen soldiers. They went to the Old Market in Sojenka, looking for some vendors or merchants that might be interested in buying any of the loot they had found.
In a round-about way they were introduced to Varga, a Kordu merchant known as “The Horse Trader”. He purchased some items from them, and recommended they take the rest, including the strange metal scroll, to be identified by the Academy of Ancients, magic users that were always looking for lost lore.
Bringing the items to the Academy is a very positive experience, as the scholars there are indeed excited to gain any bit of lore. They take the items and ask that Luke and Castile return on the 14th for the information.
13-14 April 1023, Downtime and shopping
On their return to the Academy, Castile and Luke meet a kindly-looking elderly gentleman who gives them a bit of a description of the items, especially the metal scroll. He tells them it is a star chart, a very old one.
This scroll tells of a battle with an ancient necromancer of the First Men and his ultimate defeat. It records the location of an ancient relic, his blood.
Needless to say, this blood could be dangerous if it fell into the wrong hands.
Here, then is the relevant section:
"But finding it will not be easy,
The key to castle, kept so breezy,
On the Island of the First Men,
Guarded fiercely, by swords and glen."
This, of course, points us to the ruins of Tonisborg, on the isle of Rizeka.
The senior magician asks where they found this relic, and they tell him it was an old temple “near the Serpentine”, but it collapsed as they were leaving.
Castile has more questions:
What is the interest in star charts?
The star charts detail moon positions for a ritual using this relic. We'll need to do further research to determine whether this ritual is for good or ill.
What about the snake goddess?
The goddess Nin-Hursag of the First Men is said to have battled a necromancer. It is Nin-Hursag who is sometimes revealed as a woman-headed snake wearing a crown. Perhaps this is related.
What can they tell us in general terms about the old gods, and their relationship to the daily and nightly heavens.
There are three who reign over heaven and earth, NANA-SIN - god of the moon and keeper of the dead; NIN-HURSAG - goddess of the earth and dragons; UTU - god of the sun.
It would take much time to explain the astrology of the First Men, much of which is lost in any case. Settle for knowing the scroll refers to a time of the year called Hinstellen, which you would know as Taurus.
Afterward they go to see Varga again, and have tea with him. He sells them a small bock of tea, wrapped in an expensive piece of cloth. They don’t really want it, but he is strangely insistent. They want him for a friend so they agree.
Once away, they unwrap the tea to find a note stashed inside:
“My friends, you are in great danger from the Red Wyverns. They dislike competition.
Most genuine Vargas”
Unsure about this, they begin asking around about the Red Wyverns.
Tues XP Log - 11 April
Castille - Grade 1
Luke - Grade 1
Liquid loot: 1500 XP
Loot: 600 XP
Combat: 6 Zombies, 1 Thrall (MU) 260 XP
Total: 2360 XP
From the Downtime discussions:
Cassander - you learn the Red Wyvern Company is, or was, a group of hot-shot adventurers looking for fame and fortune. They had some small success in the Salt Marsh and decided to go poking around in the Serpentine. Turns out they bit off more than they could chew, a bunch of them and their men at arms got killed. Now a Serjeant Zeljko is bad-mouthing them all over the place and looking for a new crew
Castile - you need to spend 1d4+2 GP per day that you spend rumor-mongering (for drinks and such). Then make a Charisma check (d20 roll under) and see how well you do.
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