SESSION 11: TIME TO REEQUIP AND REINFORCE

A chance opportunity to hurt the ghouls, return to Lugosi for reinforcements and supplies, a northern barbarian warrior joins the party, and the Festival of Fangs begins.

CAST

Nick:  Cybella - Magic User 1; Jon-O-Tan - Troubleshooter2  

Syam:  Tankred from the Worthless  North  F1  “I work for Gold”.

Michael: Pelegost - Cleric 1  (Calina of the Twelve Annihilations), War dogs Alpha and Omega

RECAP

The session begins with the player characters in the grounds of the Obelisk of Forgotten Memory (adventure here) where they have forged an alliance with the Cult of Furter in order to achieve their goals.  They have been charged with the retrieval of items from a crypt in the mausoleum and in return for what is essentially grave robbing the PCs will assist the Cultists with their violent takeover of the grounds and estate of an ancient monument which has traditionally been cared for by the followers of three other orbital gods (Bonechewer, Benzonaught and Delphina). 

Having sided with the Furter Cultists and their rememberated dead (mechanico-galvanic animated corpse servants) against the giant fleas of Bonechewer and a pack of ghouls in the service of Bezonaught we begin.

The PCs have just finished a battle where they destroyed the nest of giant fleas that served Bonechewer and the two surviving PCs found their first major treaure, but at the price of two player characters dead.  The followers of Furter have retired to the Mausoleum they are using as a base to allow the PCs to loot the battle site.  The PCs had just found their first large treasure when the session ended.

A RANDOM ENCOUNTER ROLL PROVES A LUCKY CHANCE TO NARROW THE OPPOSITION

As they are returning to the mausoleum through the daytime mists, a pair of ghouls appear almost next to them, the ghouls who were out to see what all the fighting was are equally surprised.  With both parties catching their wits the ghouls get initiative and run.  A quick crossbow bolt wounds one, and a light spell from the cleric blinds it, but it keeps running, trying to follow the sound of it's companion. 

The players decide not to charge into the mist, and I give the ghoul 1-3 on d6 to run into something each roiund.  It does on the third round, and the characters seize the opportunity to knock one of them off.  The PCs run up, and swinging his bastard sword two handed Jon-O-Tan rolls 20 and cleaves the wretched beast. 

Pleased with their luck at turning six ghoul enemies into five at little risk they return to the mausoleum where the Cultists inter their dead friends. There a stranger has arrived.  Tankred, a hard looking man from the worthless north.  He wears heavy armour and carries a sword.  Some time is spent getting to know each other, an often tense conversation (a certain ‘character’ claims to be difficult to represent the PCs 8 charisma). 

Tankred, the platemail clad meat axe warrior from the Worthless North. Claims to work for treasure.  Mostly awesome, just don't ask him to read too much.

An offer is made to join the party which is sorely in need of some meat-axes right about now and this guy is all meat-axe.  As a sign of good faith from the two spellcasters Cybella and Pelegost, they make a gift of the argonium sabre* found last session to the new full member of the party. They retire to the crypt being used as quarters where they stay and eat, clean, heal and retire.

AN ORBITAL GODS FOUL DESECRATION OF A DEAD FRIEND

When they are the only ones in the room, a half familiar voice hisses from the corner.

“thought you could cheat me  did you, you all had a deal, do you dare to break it?”  A tense stand off is had with the cloaked figure of familiar stature.  The hood is thrown back revealing Brychan, their recently deceased party member and party to the deal with the ghouls, blackened around the mouth as the other ghouls have been and obviously now a ghoul himself.

The players chase it and it is brought down and destroyed.  They realise now the implications of double crossing the ghouls, and Benzonaught, which will worry them when they leave for town.

The next morning they talk with Vicar Malokai, and it is agreed that they will return to Lugosi for supplies, such as oil for use in their plan, and to use the opportunity of the Festival of Fangs to recruit reinforcements.  The players plan to trek to Southdeep, spend the night, and make Lugosi the next day, which is the first day of the festival, and just hope that Vernon can fit them in.

A COSMIC WIERDO & HAPPY/ANGRY HALFLING BIKER/MINERS (again).

An uneventful journey is had to Southdeep where they set up camp in one of the caves at the bottom, where it is free to stay the night, but you must move on in the morning. A random encounter is rolled, and I choose a big d140 table I mashed up of scifi and science fantasy tables from Swords and Stitchery to get an ancient metamorph looking for it’s lost lover. 

We were listening to Hawkwind so I decided to go a bit psychedelic.  On the other side of the fire standing in the breeze at the cavemouth was an androgynous figure in a toga waiting to be invited to the fire.  This turned out to be Quintarros, who was pleasant but vague, and had a strange otherworldly allure, and the PCs thought better of it when it asked if they would be interested in helping find it’s lost lover.

It is so ancient that it can only remember that it’s lover was “the one with the touch like a stampeding stallion and the lightest brush of a lilly at the end of summer, and because it left such a strong disturbance through the time hole in which it fell, it’s lover's life might now be in danger"**.

Quintarros asked if the PCs would join it to walk to Denethix, suggesting that “those who walk 10000 steps together are admitted to the third unicorn of the omnicron”  whereupon the players all suggested that the DM had had enough to drink. The PCs thinking that 'it' was a total space cadet declined to assist in the search, 'helpfully' suggesting that it might want to head to Denethix,

The next day the players left for Lugosi, and were approaching a wayside stop when they spied a large group of Halfling biker/miners the PCs previously met at the Subterraininn in Southdeep.  The halflings are headed to the festival on a rare few days off work, but have gotten drink on the way and are now fighting because half want to go back to Southdeep and half want to go to the festival.  

Drunk angry and dysfunctional Halfling Biker/Miners.  

Their mood only worsens when a reaction roll with the PCs goes badly, and one halfling, drunk, stroppy, and fancying his odds because they have a number advantage tries to provoke the PCs, and is promptly put on his ass by a punch from the new barbarian PC, demoralising the halflings who leave.  A random roll has the dysfunctional little buggers head back to Southdeep.

BACK TO BELLA'S FOR A FEED AND A REST

The PCs arrived at Lugosi and headed to Bella’s where Vernon was able to arrange a room for “eees good frien’s”, though due to demand the room available is a bit more cramped than their usual room.

Pistole Vernon after hours, barkeep and part owner of Bella's Bar and
Grill, and friend of the PCs

Seeing they are flush he joins them for a drink to celebrate and remember those not coming back.  The PCs ask about hiring henchmen and he suggests talking to Mary who can arrange for posters and a crier to advertise, and there is a catered meeting room out back that they can use for interviews, strictly 'mates rates' of course. He also tells them a little more about the festival.  It goes for three days. Activities take place all over the area for the first two days but the third is always centered around the crypt-topped hillock which dominates the roundabout and wagon stop at the all-domain in the centre of town.

*This player has only been able to return once so the front line has no weapon capable of hitting magic only.  I probably should put some new goodies in there.

**a quick look at the random encounters will tell you what this is, or you can highlight this.  Players, just don’t, those tables are still in use:
Space Phantom, trait as wraith with colour effects from the Festival of Fangs encounter table.

-end highlight.

Festival of Fangs Tables are here. Players don't.

LOSSES: None.

GAINS: Tankred F1.

THE (DIS)HONOUR ROLL 
Here we list those brave adventurers who have been tested and found wanting (more hit points).

NAME                         CLASS/LEVEL   PLAYER   SESSION                   HOW

Dode Enemy-Breaker    D1                     Nick          2                              Fell into a pit trap.

Fighter guy                   F1        `            Telfer         3                              Throat torn out by Pretender.

Mike’s Wizard               MU1                 Mike          4                              

• Shot through the back by ‘High Programmer’ with a high intensity laser while carrying 8 flasks of oil in backpack - whoosh!

Syam’s Elf                    E1                   Syam         4                              Face burned off by energy bolt 

Brychan                        F1                    Syam        9                              Fell down a shaft.

Guitar Guy                    Kensai1            Syam        10                            

• Critted - head impaled through eye by giant flea proboscis.

Maredud                       T1                    Tf              10                             Overrun by giant fleas

Session 10: A Costly Success, and a Large Loot Haul

Where the PCs and the Cultists of Furter the Rememberator stage a well planned attack against the giant fleas of Bonechewer and buy a costly reward for the survivors

HOUSE RULES

We had agreed that new characters would have half the XP that the dead character had.  As a result of this session (sorry Syam) we added the caveat that if your new character died in the first session, then you did not have to divide xp in half again.

SESSION 10

As the session began, the PCs had just made a hasty retreat from the messy ossuary in the face of heavy corpse flea assault.  Brychan’s corpse was also evacuated and the two unconscious (Cybella and Pelegost) were moved to the lower living quarters of the Furter Cultists.

Vicar Malokai appeared and expressed his concern for the sacrificed remeberated dead, but also to inform the PCs that Patriarch Chax would see to their wounds in the laboratory.  Last session, both had made their saves vs death and subsequently had a stack of bones fall on them.  Both went to -7hp necessitating a permanent injury.  Both chose head injuries and surprisingly offered to take characteristic damage.

Passing through the jury rigged field-shrine, the PCs were led into the lab, the walls festooned with intricate brass and copper machinery featuring many cogs and tubes of bubbling fluid.  In the centre stood a copper operating table with restraints which was flanked by two tesla coils.  To the PCs relief these were not operational.

Cybella was first, one side of her face having been punctured with bone shards in multiple places.  Being a remeberator and not an MD Chax did what he could, sewing flesh back into place with a heavy needle and cord normally used for the assembly of remeberated dead.  Needless to say, the result wasn’t pretty and Cybella’s CHA has now been reduced from 10 to 9.

Cybella, the Wizard.

(Cybella wears a 1980's bright purple leather powersuit festooned with zippers, over a silk blouse.  We generated this on the ASE1 Fashion Table, it was only later that we realized we rolled on the guys chart.  I like the image, perhaps the tag on the jacket might be a torn stubthat says 'Princ...'.)

Next up was Pelegost, who’s player had described an injury to the eye socket resulting in a permanently bloodshot eye.  The DM suggested a shattered eye socket which would need a plate and the player agreed.  Chax poked around the eye and declared that a plate would be needed to hold all the pieces together.  A copper plate with a slit to see through was riveted in place, and Mike chose for Pelegost to suffer a -1 to INT.

Pelegost, default leader of the party, and Acolyte of Calina, Orbital God of the Twelve Annihilations. DMs imagining.

(Calina's symbol is a clockface (at five minutes to midnight?).  I have totally been trying to get him to wear a flavour flave clock, but for now he wears a circlet with a symbol on the forhead, banded mail, and is heavily armed.)

The patients were then shown into the shrine and the curtain pulled revealing a Golden statuette of Furter.  Chax cast cure light wounds and the PCs started to heal normally Again following medical attention.  The PCs were shown back to the sleeping quarters where they were preparing to spend the night when two cultists ushered in a stranger and asked the PCs if they would mind entertaining the newcomer.

Dressed like Buddy Holly and carrying a six string and a katana (bastard sword), the newcomer was looking for the grave of ‘the king’ as it was rumoured to be inscribed with words of great wisdom and truth.  Upon hearing of the situation in the graveyard he agreed it was the right thing to do to help the PCs with their mission.  He entertained the group with a couple of songs, and they retired for the night.

The next morning Malokai visted them, stating that now was the time to finish the fleas before they could build up their numbers again, and that the PCs should come up with another plan.  Despite the previous day’s losses, eight remberated dead, five skeletons, six cultists, and Malokai himself were available and that the PCs should include them in the plan.

The plan was thought through thoroughly but ultimately quite simple.  A foraging party would collect as much firewood as it could get for half a day.  This would be drooped down the shaft into the messy ossuary.  Kindling and pitch would also be added, followed by greenery once the fire caught.  The doors in the undercrypt would be spiked open just enough to provide airflow in, but prevent the fleas getting out.  These doors would be monitored by cultists not directly involved in the attack.  The party, and Malokai’s detachment would take positions surrounding the sinkhole, and destroy the fleas as they emerged fleeing the smoke.

The PCs and remeberated patrol collected firewood, but encountered six fleas whilst returning to the Mausoleum.  Surprise was on their side, and crossbow bolts and the war dogs made short work of the fleas.

Ensuring that Malokai and troops were in place, they lit the fire and took up their positions.  The followers of Furter had two thirds of the circumference and the PCs one third.  The PCs spread out in a single line leaving as little gap as possible reasoning that they wanted to contain the fleas to avoid getting flanked, a tactic which was to ultimately cost them dearly as it did not provide any defence in depth or protect the magic user.

The fleas arrived sporadically at first.  Then after a few rounds several were appearing each round.  The fleas were not interested in the dead, and therefore most went for the party which was not screened by the reanimated dead the Furter cultists were using.  The players were counting on using sleep to great advantage,and would have been correct to do so if Cybella had a chance to cast.  Around the third round eight fleas appeared, but wanting to target more Cybella waited.  For the next two rounds in a row her attempt at casting was thwarted as the fleas continued to win initiative and were able to successfully attack before she could cast.  Before long Cybella, Pelegost, and the newcomer were figting a number of fleas, with Maredud helping the newcomer, and Pelegost assisted by the dogs, and faithful Jon-O-Tan backing up Cybella.

Both Cybella and Pelegost took heavy hits, and the extra Furter cultist rushed in to provide cure light wounds on the beleaguered PCs.  Overly zealous, a cultist rolled a one, and tripped over a shovel which had been left during the original excavations around the pit.  Rolling a one again the next round, he tripped again an thus provided little support to Cybella, who had up to four fleas on her.

The stranger proved to be pretty good with his sword and was making short work of the fleas until one flea too many rolled a 20 and it was max damage and saving throw vs death which he sadly failed.  A flea leapt on his shoulder and skewered him through the eye with it’s proboscis ending that adventurer in his first session.

And this loss of a cool character in the first session is why we don't get too attached to our characters, DMs roll '20' too.  The player took it well in his stride and promptly made up a fighter with plate mail , shield and sword.  Thats' two in a row for Syam.  The highest 'killer DM' run in one of my games was many years ago where the same player lost a character three sessions in a row; can I beat that record?

Being right there, Maredud made his first kill, cleaving a flea in twain before the fleas that had been attacking the newcomer turned on him.  Somewhat isolated from the others, Maredud was struck a number of times in quick succession, and he also failed a save vs death sending him to the next world.

On the other side of the pit, the remebrated dead were doing well at protecting Malokai’s command team, but were paying for it in numbers.  Malokai was felling fleas with his mace, and spiritual hammer, seemingly destroying fleas with a gesture of his hand.

Eventually the plan prevailed and the numbers tapered off, with two characters having paid the ultimate price.

The two characterless players took over a cultist each, and the group went down into the hole to check for activity.  There was none, but they did notice that one of the walls seemed strangely flat.  Pelegost prodded and tapped it with a mace.  It gave and they smashed their way into an eggshell blue ceramic room with four aluminium caskets. 

Cybella, weary of traps ordered Jon-O-Tan to go in first.  Jon-O wasn’t very keen, so a morale roll was made, and he eventually accepted the instruction and went in.

Having assured themselves that there were no traps, they examined the first casket.  Believing ti to be free from traps they opened it, finding a mummified corpse, wearing the rotted remains of a military uniform and a holster containing what Cybella recognised as an ancient energy pistol.  Determining that this was treasure, no more precautions were taken and the other caskets were thrown open to reveal an argonium sabre in one, a copper suit of light armour with a fishbowl helmet in another, and a high ranked corpse in the last, festooned with bejewelled precious metal  insignia, medals and regalia.  This turned out to be a big hual for the two surviving PCs.

One of the cultist (Syams) looked the other way when offered a piece of the loot, but the other (Telfer) thought this was an insult to the dead and informed Vicar Malokai.  Malokai arrived, and referring to a scoll he carried stated that this was not a part of the records and therefore “not planned for rememberation” allowing the PCs to keep their loot in the spirit of the ‘you scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours’ arrangement he had made with the PCs.

Being late we ended there agreeing that the combat had dragged too long, and that it would be desirable to reduce the playing time of large combats.

 LOSSES: Maredud the Theif, and the new character, the Guitar Grifter.

GAINS:  Goal achieved, one rival faction destroyed.  Loot, Argonium Sabre (Longsword +1), Red copper armour suit with fishbowl helmet, lots of jewel encrusted precious metal military insignia, medals and regalia.

THE (DIS)HONOUR ROLL 
Here we list those brave adventurers who have been tested and found wanting (more hit points).

NAME                         CLASS/LEVEL   PLAYER   SESSION                   HOW

Dode Enemy-Breaker    D1                     Nick          2                              Fell into a pit trap.

Fighter guy                   F1        `            Telfer         3                              Throat torn out by Pretender.

Mike’s Wizard               MU1                 Mike          4                              

• Shot through the back by ‘High Programmer’ with a high intensity laser while carrying 8 flasks of oil in backpack - whoosh!

Syam’s Elf                    E1                   Syam         4                              Face burned off by energy bolt 

Brychan                        F1                    Syam        9                              Fell down a shaft.

Guitar Guy                    Kensai1            Syam        10                            

• Critted - head impaled through eye by giant flea proboscis.

Maredud                       T1                    Tf              10                             Overrun by giant fleas

SESSION 9: An Infestation, a Deal, and a Lesson

Where the PCs find out that following the plans of others can hurt.  Adventure here.

CAST

Nick:  Cybella - Magic User 1; Jon-O-Tan - Troubleshooter2  (yup, a level 2 henchman!)

Syam:  Brychan - Fighter 1.

Telfer:  Maredud - Thief 1.

Michael: Pelegost - Cleric 1  (Calina of the Twelve Annihilations)

Theresa:  Fokus – Cleric 1 (Frig - Gluttony and Rutting)

Having met Patriarch Chax the PCs were shown to the ground level mausoleum converted to a bunk room and told to make themselves comfortable.  It became clear that the followers of the Orbital God, Furter were engaged in a takeover of the grounds using electro-mechanically reanimated skeltons and zombies and had at least a dozen acolytes as well.

They were fed and retired for the night.

In the morning Vicar Malokai came to visit them.  Showing that he was perhaps more practical the Chax he agreed that in return for the PCs offer of assistance, he would be prepared to turn a blind eye to why the PCs had come here, and even go so far as to consider retrieving the artefacts they had come for as ‘proper rememberation of the dead’ by fulfilling the wishes of the deceased (Dawn’s grandmother). 

He explained the situation in the grounds, how the pit the characters had seen the night before had struck the nest of a pack of dog sized fleas which are in the service of Jackal Mask the Bone Chewer, and that the Ghouls were the servants of Bezonaught; both examples he said of the degenerate way the grounds had been kept until the followers of Furter arrived.

 He then set out a plan to deal with the fleas, which involved the remembrated dead surrounding the sink hole and the party entering from below and assaulting the tunnels to drive the fleas into the killing zone.

Much to the DMs surprise the party agreed to this without modification.  With the dead in place, the party prepared to enter the westernmost ‘messy’ ossuary.  From the sketch map they were given they were reluctant to enter via the undercrypt beneath Torpo’s tomb, and settled on a plan of entry from the top.

(...And so began the scene in the game which has annoyed me the most so far.)

“An opening lies before you which reaches down into the darkened ossuary below.  The air smells dry and stale.  An old and rickety-looking ladder is propped against one wall of the opening and reaches to the bottom”.

The PCs were initially going to lower Maredud the thief down on a rope, but the DMs scary descriptions got too much for Maredud’s and they hesitated and attempted to devise a better plan.  Getting impatient, and perhaps too slow to realise the danger (5 INT) Brychan took the initiative and started down the ladder, and continued to do so despite the DM generously asking  “so you’re going down the old rickety looking ladder and you’re wearing platemail right?”.

This rather unsubtle hint was ignored however, and one third of the way down a sickening crack echoed around the chamber below and the ladder gave way.  The boy-fighter grabbed for the receding rung above as he fell, but failed his save verse breath weapon (reflex save) and fell twenty feet to the floor taking 2d6 damage which while only causing six points of damage was enough to take the already wounded fighter to negative one and a save verses death which he also failed. 

Alas, why did he have to die so young.  RIP Brychan

The death march was hummed and another player character was consigned to the ‘also ran’ list.

(DM’s note -  I’m not sure why but this really annoyed me, Brychan was a cool character and it was such a waste.  This was perhaps indicative of the general mood at the table that night; probably the least successful session we have had for a couple of reasons).

The characters changed tack, and decided to enter through the undercrypt via the 'tidy' ossuary to the east.

Taking their remberated dead with them for support, the PCs entered the messy ossuary, and immediately became aware of a chittering noise in the direction of Brychan’s body.    Eight fleas attacked, going for the living in preference over the dead and a couple of rounds later seven more arrived.  Out in front, Pelegost and Cybella took the brunt of the assault, and both were soon bitten multiple times and reduced to negative hit points.  Fortunately, both made their saving throws verses death and collapsed alive but seriously wounded.

The next action one of the PC's zombies rolled a '1', and tripped into a stack of bones (a keyed location hazard).  Rolling a 1 on a D6 (my usual 'does something really bad happen' check) the stacks collapse on top of Cybella and Pelgost doing extra damage and taking them both to -7 which is below the -6 threshold for permanent effects.

Maredud ordered the dead into position to cover a retreat (DM note – they should have used them as shields from the start) and dragged the unconscious companions an the corpse of Brychan from the chamber, narrowly avoiding being overrun at the door.  For some reason, rather than continuing to retreat, they made a stand at the door and paid a high price in rememberated dead for doing so, with all but one of their reanimated helpers falling to the fleas before the decision was made to close the door on the last one.

It was late, so we left things there.

LOSSES:  Brychan, the dumb but likeable, alas he was too young!

Be sure to join us here next week, when this list gets longer, oh yeah, the dice go all session4 on their asses!

GAINS:  Allies and information.  Malokai has agreed to help the PCs identify which sarcophagus has Dawn’s grandmother once the situation in the grounds is resolved.

THE (DIS)HONOUR ROLL 
Here we list those brave adventurers who have been tested and found wanting (more hit points).

NAME                           CLASS/LEVEL  PLAYER   SESSION      HOW

Dode Enemy-Breaker     D1                     Nick         2                   Fell into a pit trap.

Fighter guy                    F1        `            Telfer        3                   Throat torn out by Pretender.

Mike’s Wizard               MU1                  Mike         4                  Shot through the back with laser 

Syam’s Elf                    E1                     Syam       4                   Face burned off by energy bolt                       Brychan                        F1                     Syam       9                   Fell down a shaft.

SESSION 8 – The Obelisk of Forgotten Memories aka A Tactical Lesson

Where we continue Gus' ASE module The Obelisk of Forgotten Memories.  Make sure you download it.

CAST

Nick:  Cybella - Magic User 1;  Jon-O-Tan - Troubleshooter2  (yup, a level 2 henchman!)

Syam:  Brychan - Fighter 1.

Telfer:  Maredud - Thief 1.

Michael: Pelegost - Cleric 1  (Calina of the Twelve Annihilations)

Theresa:  Fokus – Cleric 1 (Frig - Gluttony and Rutting)

ASSUMPTIONS AND HOUSERULES

We agreed to use the Dungeon of Signs counterspell rules.  Roll D20 plus level and INT bonus against AC10 less caster’s level and INT bonus.

WHAT HAPPENED

We left last session on a cliff-hanger.  The PCs had arrived at the Obelisk, and investigating sounds from the woods of someone apparently muttering to themself Maredud came face to face with a rather scary undead ‘ghoul’.

The horror before him, clad in green cloak and copper scale armour, has blackened fingers gnawed or rotted to the bone, and blackened flesh around it’s mouth which has partially receded, and partially been bitten away.  It hisses “what do we have here then”.  END SESSION.

SESSION 8  Tactical Lessons

Maredud shouts a warning and positions himself between the creature and Jon-O-Tan, receiving the attack as Jon-O-Tan moves to assist.  A frenzied assault and two failed saves verse paralysation see them both go down, a creeping stiffness spreading through their bodies.  The creature attempts to carry Jon-O off, but is thwarted by the others arriving. 

It tries to get away, but the PCs give chase, Pelgost unleashes his recently acquired the war dogs.  The dogs catch the creature which turns to defend itself and drops both dogs with it’s paralyzing claws.  Brychan catches up and attacks, and receives a vicious swipe across the jaw in reply but he makes his save.

Pelegost invokes Calina to drive off the foul thing but the creature feels it’s master is the stronger; it turns to run regardless as it doesn't know how many more there are.  Reassessing the four paralyzed figures before him Brychan wisely lets it go.  The party arrives and Pelegost uses cure light wounds on Jon-O-Tan, annihilating the fugue, and Fokus casts the same on Maredud, a lusty vigour overcoming the paralysis.

The PCs retreat to the three statues just outside the obelisk grounds and set camp.  Firewood is gathered from the treeline but they aren't keen to venture further into the woods.  The PCs all consume a PPP (protein power pill) to each regain 1hp.  Sadly the random encounter rolls do not go the DM’s way and the night passes uneventfully except for some noises of movement and muffled shouting coming from within the grounds during the morning watch.

In the morning the PCs decide that instead of investigating the rest of the grounds that they will head in the direction in which the ghoul fled the night before, and soon come across a strange cottage in the woods.  It is made of a ceramic type material with a thatched roof, slit windows and two doors. 

The PCs approach unseen in a skirmish line (they’re learning) with Maredud leading the way, and sneaking up to the cottage he peeks through the slit windows.  In a workshop is one ghoul, ranting and tearing up books while attended by two others, and in a living room, two more ghouls crouch among broken furniture.  He also spies a trap in the living room with a swinging log set to smash anyone coming through the door.  He identifies one of the ghouls in the living room as the one from the previous day’s encounter.

The party discusses what to do, and the DM gives the ghouls a one in six chance to notice as the PCs haven’t moved away before having their chat.  Options discussed include setting fire to the roof.  The ghouls roll a one, and when they are noticed one ghoul goes to warn the others, and one tries to get out the door which Brychan quickly holds closed.  Fokus also holds the door, and thinking fast Maredud runs around to the other door and starts spiking it shut (nice encounter changing move).

Pelegost starts spiking the door that the PCs are leaning on shut.  The ghouls come out of the other room.  Two try to force the door open, two leave the room headed around back, and the leader runs up to the window and assessing the situation casts sleep, rolling enough HD to take out the whole party.  Cybella recognises the spell and not having acted attempts to counterspell rolling a 19 to successfully counter the sleep spell.  The Lead ghoul then unleashes a magic missile at Cybella and a very tense moment is had until the DM rolls a 1 resulting in (a disappointing) 2 points of damage.

Realising they might be up s#$t creek facing five angry ghouls, Pelegost wisely jacks up the syringe with the skull emblem (a potion of undead control rolled as random treasure in a previous adventure!) and sets about negotiating with the now willing to chat (less murderous) three ghouls in the living room, the leader of whom claims to speak for Bezonaught, one of the Orbital Gods performing service at the Obelisk.  A deal is struck in which if the PCs deal with the Cult of Furter and bring the ghouls their corpses, then the ghouls will not eat the PCs.  The leader calls the other (unaffected by the undead control) two through and explains this to them, but they do not look happy and keep licking their lips regardless of the deal.

The PCs leave, passing by a a large reflecting pool.  The PCs examine it at length, sorrounded by mist,noting that it is four feet deep and the walls are inscribed with names,  'LT. Ripley' in particular giving the players a giggle.

Moving further up the main path they head towards an large object they can make out through the mist, which is the shrine.  Inscriptions an reliefs around the door show the exploits of a fierce fanged warrior.

Upon entering they encounter Vicar Malokai, accompanied by two cultists, and two 'animated dead'.  He is talking to Furter in the God’s Eye.  Malokai is very much in line with proper fashion for gentlemen sporting a frock coat over scale mail and a top hat perched upon his big hair.  Malokai is initially suspicious that the PCs are grave robbers, and rants about the degeneracy of Bezonaught and Bonechewer’s followers and how that is no way to honour the dead with such foul creatures. Malokai agrees that he will speak to his boss about accepting the assistance the PCs offer.  The PCs like the idea and feel much better about allying with these guys than with the ghouls.

Vicar Malokai, just add top hat and scale mail under a frock coat.  I scanned this from a play program, the whole time I was watching the play I was thinking "that guy is so Malokai".  A surprisingly competent cleric and astute 'relationship manager'.

Malokai instructs the PCs to stay put and heads to the Mausoleum to talk to his boss, at which time Pelegost attempts to activate the God’s Eye, and succeeds in achieving contact, but with Furter.  Seizing the opportunity Furter instructs Pelegost that he is to go to the Mausoleum and offer his assistance to Patriarch Chax.  The PCs go to the Mausoleum and are met with eight zombies and eight skeletons guarding the entrance.  An acolyte lets them into the main entrance and they wait.  Patriarch Chax* arrives a short time later along with Vicar Malokai and others.  “Welcome to the team”  says Chax distractedly, along with “Tally ho” and “Have at ‘em”.  A deal is struck whereby a small contingent of undead will be made available to the PCs and the groups will work together to destroy the fleas and destroy or drive out the ghouls.

*Chax reminds us of the buffoonish Prince in Blackadder 3, except I am playing him as more distracted rather than stupid: he has a sharp mind when it is focused on something.  It would appear that the characters will mostly deal with Malokai, who despite the foppish Denethix fashion comes across as competent and passionate as befits his rank.

LOSSES:  None, but oh so very nearly the whole party, twice!

GAINS:  Treasure –none.  XP – Dunno yet, Allies - Both factions met so far (you know this is going to end badly).

THE (DIS)HONOUR ROLL 
Here we list those brave adventurers who have been tested and found wanting (more hit points).

NAME                                     CLASS/LEVEL        PLAYER                SESSION                   HOW

Dode Enemy-Breaker        D1                             Nick                        2                              Fell into a pit trap.

Fighter guy                            F1        `                  Telfer                     3                              Throat torn out by Pretender.

Mike’s Wizard                       MU1                       Mike                       4                              Shot through the back by ‘High Programmer’ with a high intensity laser while carrying 8 flasks of oil in backpack.

Syam’s Elf                               E1                            Syam                       4                              Face burned off by energy bolt from nano-poo-monster in water recycling plant.

This (Dis)honour Roll has been static for a while.  Just wait for the next couple of sessions, aye, there will be some tears ;-)

SESSION 7 - A Change of Heart and a Cliff Hanger.

(The adventurers leave Denethix and return to Lugosi to take Dawn up on her offer.)

CAST

Nick:  Cybella - Magic User 1

Syam:  Brychan - Fighter 1.

Telfer:  Maredud - Thief 1.

Michael: Pelegost - Cleric 1  (Calina of the Twelve Annihilations)

Theresa:  Fokus – Cleric 1 (Frig of Gluttony and Rutting), Velegerd – Thief 1.

SESSION 7

As we join the PCs they have arrived in Denethix, done a bit of shopping and now the’re tired.  The majority go to a middle of the road inn, while Pelegost splashes 150gp at the Inn of Alabaster Surprise, as an act of annihilation to Calina and has the night of his life.  

In the morning the PCs want to go shopping again.  They’re sure that if they hang around the markets long enough I will give tem some special treasure.  Well I have just the thing actually,  Gus’ table of ‘magic items’ for adventurers to waste money on.  

The players were offered the Wasp Gun, Druag's Spine, and the Thunder Stick.  There was no way they could afford the thunder stick, but paid 300 for Druag’s Spine from beyond the Lanthanide Wastes and 110 for the freaky Wasp Gun from somewhere called the Psychonian Chaos Wilds. 

Druags Spine is the skull and spine of a humanoid with sharp canines.  For this necromantically powered weapon the skull and spine have been reinforced with metal rods.  It is still ‘alive’ and can be swung to bite foes.  It is mechanically the same as a flail.  As it says in the description on the table, ‘Very Metal’.

The Wasp Gun is a weird compact wasp hive of three inch wasps attached to a large pistol like frame with a power cell, that fly/shoot out and attack foes for damage when the rigger is pulled – mechanics as a light crossbow - awesome.

The Trader was initially friendly and told them he had heard ta the battles out on the lower Certopsian was The Fist fighting an army of normally non-expansionist tribesmen led by a hardcore of militaristic Snakemen! And that they had some dinosaurs.  Cybella weary of the Wasp Gun now that her player had guessed nothing on this table was a ‘super weapon’ quite aggressively warned the trader that she would be back if it didn't work as sold.  The trader had a fellow a marketeer witness his word bond that he would return some of the price if it was returned non-functional (he wanted the money) but he didn't seem as friendly anymore.

The players then decided that they wanted to leave Denethix and take up the offer to assist Dawn, the young lady back in Lugosi who wants her grandmother’s heirlooms back.  So they leave Denethix and head back to Lugosi.

In the middle of the day, when the sparse farms outside Denethix have given warn to the dead flat, a hex of dead flat land covered in shallow craters or pools.  The water therein is of a wide range of colours and can change with the clouds.  The edges of many of these pools and mini-lakes are often crusted small crystal deposits.  Leaving the dead hex they enter a forest, and rolling a ‘1’ for an encounter we consult the Good Clean Country Violence table and get:

A young Denethix/Lugosi woman in a torn dress stumbles out of the forest, a confused look on her face.  Seeing the PCs her face snarls into a muzzle and she runs in to attack.  She takes a bite at Pelegost but misses, and having rolled “50% in a ‘bite and run mood’” then takes off into the woods on the other side of the road, and jumps and yelps as Maredud puts a silver crossbow bolt into her back just before she disappears from view into the trees.

Relieved no one was bitten the finish the journey to Lugosi.

Meanwhile back in Lugosi, Fokus, Paragon of Frig, the Orbital God representing Gluttony and Rutting has finished his latest bender, but this time Vernon is annoyed, and we suspect the Fokus may not be able to remember just how far he went.  Valegerd, Fokus’s henchman is also seemingly unimpressed with his employer’s behavior and failing a morale role decides to quit. As Velegerd is leaving Dawn the well to do farmer’s daughter from session 6* comes in and approaches Fokus, and after buttering him up with the whole “Are you an Adventurer?” line then asks him for his help.  He has just agreed to help when the rest of the PCs arrive, and together they all agree to mount a journey to the Obelisk to retrieve Dawn’s grandmothers heirloom items.  

To convince the party a scroll of identify is bargained, which immediately gets their cooperation.  Vernon is pleased that the rest of the PCs are here and that they will be taking Fokus away for a while.

They book a suite for the night, and talking to Vernon and Mary discover that a bunch of cultists following an Orbital God named Furter had booted out the other orbital god aspects from the grounds of the Obelisk which has traditionally been served by many.  The also inform the PCs about a place to stop, Southdeep, which though marked on the map is difficult to find without knowing the landmarks that mark the beginning of the road to Southdeep.    

Successfully locating the marker bluff for the not so obvious Southdeep path, they set off along the path though the woods. After a couple of hours the travelers are a little surprised  as the trees give way to the edge of massive shallow sinkhole, two hundred metres across.  A road winds down, and at the bottom is a fissure.  Caves dot the road down, and in many instances buildings are built into the face of the earth.  There is some light industry or small mining operations, and there is some evidence of mining spoil off to one less used sides of the crater.

They visit the Subterraininn and find a nice nook near a bunch of happy/angry Halfling miner/bikers decked out in well worn working leathers, straps and buckles (Effectively all studded leather).   The Halflings are friendly and relate to the characters that refugee pilgrims have fled the Obelisk and had passed through here.  The Halflings are drinking and arguing and having an ambiguously good/bad dysfunctional sort of time.

Not so much 'leather, straps and buckles' but you get the idea.

Half the characters get rooms at the Inn. Pelegost and Cybella decide to stay in one of the public domain caves down below.

When they have chosen their cave, well away from the fissure, Pelegost, Cybella, Jon-O-Tan receive a vist from a number of men and women at arms.  Corporal Xavar of the Fist is here on secondment and Sherrif Irena and her ‘friends here’ are the law around Southdeep.  They let the PCs know that they are welcome to stay the night, but if anything comes out of the fissure they must raise the alarm, and that if they do stay down here they must move on in the morning. The PCs agree and an uneventful night is passed, with Pelegost performing his usual midnight prayer of annihilation for the annihilation of the day.

Moving on the next day the path south takes them back to the road, and they journey until they can just see the top of a structure above the woods far far in the distance that they arrive at the junction where the path to the grounds of the Obelisk begin.  The area is wooded in old twisty trees and has very low hills, through which the path winds.  The woods are dense and dark by the time the come to a small clearing, and there, stretching up high above the trees is te Obelisk.  To the side of the path are statues of Bezonaught, Furter and Delphina (download this module if you want to see the picture).

A little further on the come to the entrance.  They decide to wait and listen at the edge of the woods, at the low escarpment to the right.  Maredud hears something, and the agree that he should sneak off into the dark woods and see what it was.  Maredud hears muttering, and sees a figure. 

He also hears Jon-O-Tan moving into the woods behind him, and as he sights the back of a figue in a hooded green cloak wearing armour underneath and sneaks up behind with his crossbow.  He decides to shoot it in the back for the first backstab attempt of the campaign and rolls a ‘2’ or something.

The quarrel wizzes past the figure’s ear and thuds into a tree right in front of it.  Starteled realisation turns into action, and the copper scale mail clad figure turns, it is gaunt, pale, has blackened bones for fingers where the flesh has rotted and the face has been partially chewed away around the mouth which is also black with decay.

It fixes it’s full malevolence on Maredud and it hisses “Well well, what ‘ave we got ‘ere then?”

...with it getting late I played Maredud’s encounter for full effect and ended the session, with the first level thief facing down a scary ass thing, solo!

*This was a recent edit to Session-6.

LOSSES:  Valegerd the Thief, ahem, ‘resigns’.

GAINS:      Some cool gear.

THE (DIS)HONOUR ROLL 
Here we list those brave adventurers who have been tested and found wanting (more hit points).

Dode Enemy-Breaker, Dwarf-1,  Session2,  Fell into a pit trap.

Fighter guy,  F1,  Session3,  Throat torn out by Pretender.

Mike’s Wizard,  MU1,  Session4,  Shot in back with laser while carrying 8 flasks of oil in his backpack.

Syam’s Elf, E1,  Session4,     Face burned off by energy bolt from nano-poo-monster in water recycling plant.