Category: Campaign

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2025-01-28 Barony of Darkmoor Session 3

Session Notes

After returning to the Aldmaar Ranger camp as heroes, having rescued Merith Ermris and most of his crew, Mateo, one of the senior rangers advised that, without at all criticising Sylvar and the rescue team, it might be best if they were not around when the druid learned of the killing of the matron ankheg. Taking that into account, Syvar, Dixit, Anker and Juttah set out for Elder Pool.
Along the way, their slumber was disturbed by a woman astride a horse apparently fleeing some threat. The “woman” was revealed to be a female centaur ( a femtaur?) who was fleeing a pursuing ogre.
The rangers and Dixit, with some help from the centaur, Indira, managed to defeat the fell beast. She revealed that it had been pursuing her for some time and she had dragged him toward the campfire seeking help.
Continuing on with Indira interested in seeing Elder Pool for the first time, the party stopped at the Millcloud family farm where Dixit had previously stopped on his way to find Sylvar. They were greeted with warm hospitality. Farmer Millcloud reported that there had been murmurings of some creature over recent days that might match the description of the ogre that Dixit provided.
The next evening some odd goat-like bleatings were heard in the darkness but no threat materialized.
While the group of five was making their way to Elder Pool, Kog continued to supervise reconstruction activities near the Ragged Moon Inn. He found himself accosted by two dark cloak-types with rapiers inside the inn. When Kog separated the first of the miscreants from one of his limbs, the other fled outside. Pursuing, Kog learned that he was being lured into an ambush — two more of the dark cloaks were positioned in the ruins of the nearby tower with crossbows awaiting Kog’s arrival.
A fight ensued, with some of the locals taking up sticks and rocks to assist Kog. The dark cloaks were defeated and one rendered unconscious and taken captive. From another’s pocket a map was discovered, which appeared to indicate a safe approach to some ruined tower in what was probably the marshy land to the northeast.
Later that evening, the Duke, Hammond, Rosenkrantz; Arthur’s man-at-arms, and a member of the wee folk dressed like a dandy arrived at the Inn. This little man introduced himself as Buck Headstrong, Esquire, Chronicler to the Court.
The group discussed potentially taking on the catacombs again, now that the group’s numbers have swollen.
But first, there is a dark cloak to interrogate.

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2025-01-21 Barony of Darkmoor Session 2

Session Notes

Arthur remained ensconced at the Ragged Moon tavern as his temporary seat of power. He immediately sent word (or word rapidly leaked out) that he was hiring laborers to conduct repairs at the tavern at least while he occupies it.
Kog identified that one or more laborers might be attempting to defraud the Baron and be paid multiple times for a single day’s labor. He quickly brought a stop to that.
Hammond volunteered to accompany Arthur to the Earl’s capital city of Gwinned to attempt to hire an engineer who might manage repairs within the Barony, especially at the Manor House. They two departed in a stage coach for a multi-day trip.
Kog remained to mind the construction efforts. Arthur seemed especially concerned that workers received prompt payment daily, for which purpose he left a large sack of coins in Kog’s care.
Arthur requested that Dixit seek out Sylvar of the Aldmaar peoples, who had been called away, it seemed, on urgent business and not yet returned.
Sylvar spent a couple days on the road, making his way to the Twisted Wood. He met the perimeter security forces, rangers in the trees, of the Aldmaars. He was then led to where Sylvar was preparing a rescue team, which he joined. It seems that a Merith Emris of the Aldmaars and his woodsy crew had set out to preempt a team of the King’s lumberjacks operating in the Wood but not returned after several days. The decision to send Sylvar and his associates to rescue Merith was far from unanimous, but Sylvar won the argument. Dixit joined this emergency team.
The Aldmaars and Sylvar made their way, tracking, through the dense forest. Crossing a cold, winter stream, they moved through a thicket and were confronted by a goblin tribe in the trees. A skirmish resulted. After regrouping, the elf team moved once again further and the goblins, this time, were willing to parlay. They reported that a group of elves had come through a few days prior, chasing a group of goblins. Both groups had moved through.
The elf group proceeded and came upon an area of loose earth, from which voices seemed to emerge. As did two large ant-beasts, which, when killed, splashed a thick glue onto those around them, temporarily immobilizing them.
After defeating the ant-beasts, the elves descended into the crude tunnels of their lair. Within, they located a sort of chamber where victims, some still clinging to life, were buried. While attempting to rescue Merith and the surviving members of his crew, the seeming ant-beast matron returned. More carnage ensued. Eventually, the elven crew defeated the great beast and managed to extricate themselves with Merith and some of his associates. And with one goblin, as well.
In Gwinned, Hammond sought out followers of San Nicholas. Befriending one such, he was brought to a hidden tavern filled with like believers.
He and Arthur would be spending at least another day in Gwinned, while Arthur sought his expert engineer.

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2025-01-14 Barony of Darkmoor Session Notes

Session Notes

  • Party arrived with Arthur at the manor house, which, of course, had been damaged in the War and has fallen further into ruin. Arthur was shocked to find it in such a state and fell into a depression.
  • The party continued, on foot to the Ragged Moon Tavern. There, Lady Ravensbeak, the High Guildsmaster and the representative from Aldmaar all departed on separate business.
  • Arthur felt, sitting, sharing an ale and some bacon, some sense of familiarily at the Tavern, though he’d never been there. He approached a spot on the stone staircase and somehow, discovered and opened a concealed door, which seemed a surprise to everyone, even Master Louvel, Tavernkeeper.
  • Arthur and the party descended, discovering abandoned catacombs beneath the tavern. After forcing a door, they discovered a room filled with the long-withered bodies of soldiers, having died in some long-gone skirmish. As they moved into the room, the bones clattered to life and attacked the party. One skeletal being indicated Arthur and instructed his fellows to “kill him!”
  • The party managed to defeat this knot of rejuvenated corpses, finding a heavy ring on the leader with a symbol of a tentacles horror embossed in its steel. Kog had fallen in the fight, and continued to struggle with a poison. The party returned to the Ragged Moon, where Louvel tracked down the Town Witch and returned with an antidote for Kog.
  • Returning underground on the morning, as Arthur continued to report feeling drawn towards his collapsed manor and the throne therein, hoping that these catacombs might lead him thence, the party continued their explorations and, once again ran afoul of reanimated skeletons.
  • Two greater skeletons, one multi-limbed, with eyes of fire lead the fight with several minions. Another, cloaked entirely in fire instructed the four-armed skeleton to pursue Arthur. As the fight proceeded, the flaming skeleton disappeared. Dixit was surrounded and brought down by the skeletons. Cut off for a time from his allies, Dixit was being dragged away by the skeleton leader. The party fought their way through the rank of skeletons and managed to engage the skeleton leader before he could make away with Dixit. The party managed to smash through the remaining skeletons, though Hammond also fell from his wounds.
  • Arthur was able to staunch the bleeding of the two allies and after retreating once again to the tavern, they were able to recover from their wounds.
  • Arthur, abashed at having caused his new inner circle so much pain, indicated that they should not further pursue the catacombs, given the evil that seems so abundant underneath. Rather, he made arrangement with Louvel to rent out his rooms to temporarily make his court at the tavern.
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The Installation of the Lord Baron of Darkmoor

You gathered before sunrise two days ago, just east of Elder Pool, where the High Way turns finally east. Horses and carriages had been sent by the Court. Each of you presented the wax-sealed summons that was your passport to Mainesbury and the “celebration.”

The royal guard, resplendent in their finery had treated each of you with appropriate respect, but with a firm hand. When the Royal, Lord Sparrowhawk had puffed out his vest about being seated amongst rabble, he had been informed in no uncertain terms that he was a guest of the King as were all those who had borne the sealed summons. You may have smirked at that.

The travel was long and you each had a chance to say something about yourselves, about the peoples that you represent and their hopes and fears for what a restored Baron in Darkmoor might mean.

After an overnight at an inn, where you had been helped to clean if unremarkable lodging, but good, warm food and better ale, you had continued. There had been some unrest on the road yesterday, but nothing the guard had any difficulty with. War, it seems, is imminent on the far eastern borders. Some suggest that it has already begun.

You have, personally, never before been to the capital. Mainesbury is vast. Wealthy beyond belief. More citizens worked the river, in their fishing boats, crabbing nets, water taxis and dredgers than live in all of Darkmoor. And that is merely the river. There are broad, mostly clean boulevards. Vast arches and pillars, shrines, monuments and glittering temples are seemingly around every corner. Dandies in their finery sip at cafes along the brickwork, rubbing elbows with artists and artisans, courtesans and plumbers.

Your trip through the streets of Mainesbury was dizzying, but did little to prepare you for the opulence and extravagance of the Royal Residence. The Court, with its marble-floored, silver-columned, frescoe-ceilinged richness was more than you could take in. At a certain point, it simply overwhelmed the senses. The smells of lilac and incense, the gold and ivory, the music in every chamber, the clever, concealed heating and lighting suffusing every room, despite the blustering wind outside.

You listened intently, for a time, at the pronouncements at the ceremony. Then, as the long lists were recounted, of lords and barons, relations and relations and webs of relations… who sired whom who later sired someone else.. your attention flagged. But, finally, he was revealed. Arthur Grey, Lord Grey. Now, at a sweeping gesture of the silvered sword from the great King, Baron of Darkmoor. The young man, clean-shaven, broad of shoulder and guileless in his demeanor. He accepted the honor with a seeming sincerity of gratitude that you found difficult to dislike, as much as you might have been prepared to do so.

Now, after the applause and the scraping, the hand-shaking and backslapping, you have been lea back to the carriages. To return to Darkmoor. Now, however, there is a great, ornate vehicle, drawn by a half-dozen pearl-white steeds at the front of your convoy. The emblem of a raven rampant on the silvered doors. The Earl of Eregore’s carriage, someone whispers to you. And here is young Arthur Grey, being introduced to each of you in turn by his man-at-arms in his heavy armor, the wolf of Darkmoor cut into the cuirass.

Lord Grey approaches you, an embarrassed smile on his face as he stretches out his hand. “I’m sorry,” he says. To you, the Baron of Darkmoor apologizes in his fine voice. “I did not catch your name.”

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Welcome to SkyCity!

The citizens of BezosCorp’s unique crystal toroid located at the L5 Lagrangian point in the Earth-Moon system welcome you to live the life others can only dream of!

Grown from crystals harvested from asteroids and even Comet Halley, SkyCity is a gleaming gem suspended in a perfectly safe and stable orbit.

Come ride your bicycle amongst the green trees and pure air that only your grandparents can remember from their youth on Earth!

Feast on the finest gourmet foods! Real beef imported from Lunar Colony Heinlein! The finest wine and beer from crops grown right here at SkyCity! The universe’s finest chefs all work for BezosCorp!

Swim in the perfectly clear water of Lake Amazonia!

Like to hike? Rock Climb? Run? Ever try it in 1/3 gee? You’ll never want to go back to the oppressive gravity of Earth!

The streets are spotless. Crime is unknown. And those views! The moon is always full! From L5 we see half of the moon that’s visible from earth and half from the back-side! You’ll never grow tired of seeing Earth …..

;jafjqwfd…. … .

Transmission interrupted.

Welcome corporate criminals! You’ve destroyed the earth and now you’re seeking your last refuge where you think the people that you’ve left behind, poisoned and bereft can’t reach you.

Let this be your notice. There is no escape from your crimes. We are the Fist of Destiny. You will answer for what you have done. Our reach is infinite and we have the support of the 20 billion lives you have fled from. There is no nuclear engine powerful enough to escape Earth, to escape us, to escape your fate!

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Mission Report #133

Krisskross has joined a group of adventurers into the Undermountain.

This soldier accompanies a unit composed of a goliath, a human story-teller, a dark elf sorceress, and some odd halfling-dwarf hybrid.

Upon arriving in Undermountain, we were confronted by a ludicrous band of humans playing as vampires. They were pathetic and easily bested.

We managed to make our way through a magical portal which seemed to grant random enchantments, as likely to be fell as boon.

We fought a group of manticores, fed ritually by a troll, all of which we eventually bested.

We have continued to explore. My compatriots are typical gold-grubbing adventurers with no higher purpose than to fill their coffers until such time as their drinking and carousing forces them into poverty and they must sally forth again to complete the cycle.

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W:DH Week 22 – Knock, knock…

The bugbears streamed out of the open doorways and we met them with steel and spell.  As the battle ensued, I spotted an intellect devourer approaching.  I began to call out, but a searing pain in my skull silenced all thought

When I regained my senses, I found that we had won the fight.  Along with the bugbears and intellect devourer, a lone Gazer arrived with warnings about crossing the Xanathar.  It died as readily as the rest.  My fellows had searched the contents of the adjoining rooms and found a potion that restored my faculties.

As we continued to search for the vault, the Stone led us to a blank wall.  Losser found a secret door embedded in the wall, and we proceeded thru it.  At the end of the hallway beyond, was a door with a lock that looked quite secure – even to my untrained eyes.  Tobby spent just a minute with the lock, and it sprang open.  After we all entered the following room, Tobby closed and re-locked the door behind us.  The room beyond was oddly shaped with many pillars featuring dwarven carvings.  It was a truly impressive sight.  As we approached the front of the room, the Stone again led us to what looked like a dead end.  Losser again found a secret door, allowing us to proceed.  As we moved down a very long set of stairs, the passage began to widen.  Eventually, we reached a massive set of double doors.  Dwarven writing on the doors indicated that the three keys should be brought forward.  While we opened the small crate, Boaz sang the Dwarven song.  We removed a severed hand from the crate and pressed it against the doors.  Tobby pressed the dead Gazer from earlier against the doors

A loud crack rang out, and the doors slowly began to open…


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W:DH Week 21 – Back into the sewers

Barnabus sent a message-bird – delivered to Jumanji’s head.  In it, he mentioned that he found a Dwarf to accompany us.  Boaz and Tobby departed to meet him.  While that happened, Shava and I made our way to the Yawning Portal.  There, we convinced Renaer to join us on our trip as well.  He was not thrilled at the idea, but reluctantly agreed that his presence may be vital

The Dwarf that Barnabus found for us is named Losser Mirlklav.  He was sitting in a cell awaiting sentencing, and he had no idea he was about to be asked to join us.  Barnabus vouched for the man and his expertise, so Boaz and Tobby pressed forward.  They talked to the warden, paid Losser’s bail, and promised to have the man back in five days.  Losser was happy to be out of his cell, but he would require some convincing before he agreed to accompany us

We all met back at our manor, where we received two deliveries.  We got one small crate, and one large crate.  We can only assume that there is a severed hand in one, and some form of a beholder in the other.  We left them unopened and continued our talks with Losser.  He explained how he knew the dragon that is reportedly guarding the vault.  At one point, he was at the vault’s location with the dragon but had escaped.  The final step of his escape was at the Bloody Fist.  Our plan will be to retrace his steps in reverse. 

We arrived at the Bloody Fist and met Renaer.  He was accompanied by Miloon Wardragon, for personal protection.  We made our way to the sewer grate outside the Bloody Fist and descended into the sewers below.  Transporting the unopened crates has been cumbersome.  We explored for some time, following Losser’s recollections, until we came to a room with several doors.  When we quietly opened one of the doors, the other sets of doors suddenly sprang open.  Creatures began pouring out of the doorways with murderous intent.

Tymora, protect us!

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W:DH Week 20 – Gaining momentum

We continued searching the depths of the mausoleum for Manshoon’s body.  We came across a room with a small child singing nursery rhymes.  It became clear that this was no ordinary child.  Boaz joined the creature in its singing which allowed us to pass.  We learned that the child’s name is Asvoldo Casselanter.  Trench identified its true form to be that of a chain devil.

Beyond this room we found a large open space with a sleeping green dragon at the center.  There was an alcove on the far side with a sarcophagus in it.  Tobby deftly snuck by the sleeping beast and pried open the lid of the coffin just enough to sprinkle Trench’s solution over the body inside.  The entire room immediately began to shake.  As the ceiling and walls began to crumble, Tobby sprinted back towards us.  The dragon lashed out as it was being crushed and Tobby’s unconscious form tumbled to rest at our feet.  A quick healing spell got him back up, and we ran for the nearest exit.  The entire area was now collapsing!  As we escaped, we could now see the mausoleum had sunk quite a bit into its foundations.

Back at our manor, Shava tried once more to speak with the Stone.  We think that we were able to transcribe the rhyme it relayed.  It said:    

In the depths of ancient folk
Only the child of Moradin will get the joke
It is only true
When the bill comes due
What was done by the father
Must be answered by the son

We decided to attempt contact with Force Grey, and so contacted Barnabus as an intermediary.  He made several things clear to us.  Vajra would not be speaking with us.  We could also now be in trouble with the watch unless we handled the situation well.  It seems we will get some help, but our schedule has been accelerated.  We will be approaching the vault much sooner than we might like.  We scrambled to make our final preparations.  Boaz went to ask his singing instructor to accompany us, as having a Dwarf present seems wise.  Shava and I departed to ask Renaer if he would accompany us, as the rhyme makes mention of the son answering for something.  We can only assume this is referring to him

Now if we could only figure out where we are going to get a severed drow hand and a beholder…

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W:DH Week 19 – Who you gonna call?

We continued our talk with Renaer and Durnan.  Our discussion moved to Manshoon’s assumed murder of Istrid.  Going over the details, we described what we could remember of her now missing necklace.  Durnan identified the icon on it as a symbol of Asmodeus.  This doesn’t clarify why Manshoon took the necklace, but we should keep it in mind as we proceed.

Back at the manor, we had a discussion about the Stone.  We need to get some outside help to proceed, but the decision of what group to use is one we must all agree on.  We took a vote, and while I voted to ally with the Harpers, the majority of the group would like to ask Force Grey for help.  If they are willing to help, they certainly should have the resources we may need.

Shava and Tobby went to Trench’s place of business to discuss his investigation.  He concluded that the break-in was made by Manshoon.  It seems that there may be several version of the man, but our version is most likely in a ghost-like semi-physical form.  Trench has a special solution that will destroy the creature if it is sprinkled over its entombed corpse.  He even knows where the corpse is laid to rest!

We met Trench in the city of the dead an hour before dawn.  He would lead us to a mausoleum where Manshoon’s body resides.  When we arrived at our destination, we realized that we had been inside it before.  We had entered it when we were pursuing Urstul Floxin.  As we entered, Trench changed shape into a tiger-like creature.  Apparently, our friend is a Rakshasa!  We made our way to a locked door, which Jumanji forced open.  We found a sarcophagus, and opened it hoping to find Manshoon’s body.  A ghost-like creature emerged and attacked us, but we were able to destroy it without too much trouble.

When it seemed we had investigated the whole mausoleum without finding Manshoon’s body, Trench noticed an illusory wall.  He went thru it and opened a door on the other side, causing the illusion to fade.  A hallway lead to an open chamber where we were once again set upon by an undead spirit.  Her presence was terrifying at times, and few of us were able to face her without a terrible sense of fear clawing at the back of our minds.  I will admit, that I fell prey to this fear, and when I recovered, the spirit had vanished.  Then Tobby suddenly attacked Shava!  Shava collapsed, and Trench responded by attacking Tobby.  As Tobby fell, the ghost emerged from his body. We finally killed the spirit, but our resources are running low, and time is not on our side. We must hurry!