Session Report | 6 April 1023, Imperial Calendar
The first session for the Thursday night crew was interesting, to say the least. First of all two of the players could not make it, so we ran with just the remaining two.
They each brought two PCs and they hired three men at arms:
BaronThree-FifthsArad "the Wit""Funeral" UnlaichIvan, Javor, and Zunich
We started by sharing a bit of recent news:
3 April - the Golden Lions return from patrol with a couple of dozen captured GoblinsPit-Fighting Season starts in April5 April - An infantry serjent has been overheard talking about a failed expedition by a group called the Red Wyverns, who found a hidden temple in the Serpentine. They nearly cost him his entire squad, and two of their own. Others say these adventurers ran into a tribe of Sagath in the Ghost Town.
The party traveled to the island of Rizeka to brave the Lost Dungeon of Tonisborg. After being shocked and appalled by the 5gp entry fee and learning about the 10% tax on any loot recovered, they decided to go ahead and enter.
The entry chamber on the first level is guarded and maintained by the Verratcho Zemaya, a cult-like company of soldiers who traditionally serve the Imperial Grand Vizier, an archaic post once occupied by the emperor's chief counselor and wizard. Since magic has been outlawed in the empire for generations, these soldiers have become a hereditary militant order. The guardians charge a toll for those entering and exiting the ruins.
The guardians do not aid or assist any delvers, much to the dismay of the new explorers.
First they decided to go north, and encountered the Keepers of the Keys Faction, which has an expedition underway to put to rest the many undead that are said to inhabit this dungeon. A member of the sect had accompanied a group down here some time ago, and most of them were killed. The Keeper managed to escape and reported back to the temple. Now they are here in force.
Funeral, a Keeper himself, decided against joining the expedition and the group turned around and went south. Here they found markings of previous adventuring groups, but did not know what to make of them. They plunged forward, going through several empty and mysterious chambers. They found a pit descending deep into darkness, and a dropped torch fell for a long time before banging into something metal at the bottom, and going out!
They tried another passageway, only to surprise a pack of giant rats. Zunich was bitten quite badly. They pressed on and discovered a secret door that led into what looked to be an old study or small library. The chamber was inhabited by giant ants and there was quite a battle!
Ivan, Javor, and Zunich were killed fighting the ants and the rest decided discretion was the better part of valor. They fled the dungeon and returned to Sojenka, penniless and defeated.
@Thursday Session you may roll new characters for next week if you want.These can be retired, or get work, or do hijinks, or beg or steal...
Lessons
This session was an object lesson in what happens when you are not prepared for what you might face in a dungeon. The challenges were admittedly tough, but the party walked away from an offer of assistance and support from an existing expedition.
By way of contrast, the Tuesday session entered the dungeon with 14 members, 10 of them men at arms, armed and equipped for multi-rank fighting and a clear procedure for how they would engage any opponents. This allowed them to defeat the giant ants they encountered, and gather some loot.
Giant ants have 5 HD and are tough opponents. But with planning and careful tactics they can be defeated by smart play.
Downtime 6-26 April 1023
(all of the players were under the weather for a couple of weeks, so there was an extended break)
here's the plan:
Arad is frustrated as hell, and so will take a three-pronged approach. First: he will sell the mule. Second, he will get himself cleaned up and presentable in that time, and try to set himself up as a budget scrivener, computer, and linguist in a cheap part of town with parchment, charcoal, lampblack, and cheap fixants if the mule cannot finance it. If that fails to get him enough coins , he will use the sleep spell to roll groups of drunks in an alley by day 5.Funeral will talk to the Cardinal about what he saw and discovered, and ask if the Keepers might finance another foray to see where that secret door goes. Ideally with a few blocks of poisoned cheese.
Arad is able to get biz = 30SP + 33SP + 33SP + 36SP
Funeral's superior asks him if he would like to join the expedition that has taken up residence in Tonisborg.
His presence would be welcome. The mission of the expedition is to lay to rest the many undead that haunt those subterranean passages.
Any treasure recovered of course would be submitted to the church in order to continue financing this important work.
Funeral — 04/13/2023 11:07 AM
Funeral will join the mission, although this will probably separate him from my other PCs.
The Dungeon Master — 04/13/2023 12:39 PM
The superior tells you that you are of course allowed to bring other companions. It would be your share of any treasure recovered that would be submitted to the church. In return of course the expedition would provide supplies (food, armor, weapons, et cetera).
META: You would still get the experience for any treasure recovered due to your donation to the church. .Any gold piece value of treasure so donated would count toward any training costs you might have. Obviously if you went on any expeditions out into the wilderness any treasure you gathered would be your own. (edited)
Arad — 04/27/2023 11:29 AM
Sorry about the late update. Here is what I am hoping for, as we've had some extra time:
Arad will keep up the slum scribing and try to earn enough silver for the help of a barber/surgeon, fresh clothes, and putting away 50sp to get into the Dungeon again... Plus enough to front Barber 3gp and get him in.
Any additional material will go into trying to get a cheap poison used in killing insects, and some lumps of cheap meat. Hopefully enough to sicken the giant ants.
Funeral will see if the Keepers will cover his entrance fees and he will bring Arad, and —--'s characters with if they can come.
The Dungeon Master
The Keepers provide Funeral with scrips to give the ferryman and the Gatekeeper on the island. These scrips will allow you and your companions to gain access to Tonisborg. You will need to check in with the Keeper Colony to submit any treasures you recover. He also gives you a copper censer and a cone of Incense of Protection from Evil (as the LI cleric spell). He says it will burn for up to an hour and give you some protection against the creatures of the dungeon.
The next Thursday session will be 27 April 1023.
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