Session 1 – Some Kind of Birth
Winter approaches the Lensig Empire, and in the border town Felsreach four strangers accept a job collecting a package for the Autumn festival from a mysterious forest cult (sexy druids). A magical pool gave Balonius Jorkins some closure over the death of his brother, and temporarily severed Bathan GeGard’s connection to his God (which he seemed to find a relief) Bathan and Ulf Vonschplattergeist belong to a support group. They have a prayer and everything. Found a rift in the ground full of yuk (magically hot placenta) Caitlin O’Shea now has some in a flask. Also- flying lizard minion fight.
Return trip, Team Dysfunctional adopted a horse- named it Sheneighneigh– then find Felsreach burning; attacked by a large human (?) platinum-clad rift-baby (?) foe and more flying minions. Potentially suicidal fight halted by arrival of a Red Dragon.
We ran away. Bravely. Bravely ran away.
The package is a large glowing sapphire with unknown magical properties, which ‘can’t stay here’ (because Druids are dicks) so Team is headed for the ocean to find someone to tell them WTF is going on, and evade the dragon (currently off the scent due to forest magic. Druids are actually awesome) Ulf- former watchmaker- managed to rage in the fight. Raging is hard for him, he’s a really positive guy. Everyone nearly died, but nobody did. A Good Day.
Session 2 – In the middle of Butt**** Nowhere
Part 1: Leaving the Druid sanctuary in heavy rainfall, our four adventurers and Sheneighneigh head North-West to the coast with the intent of finding someone to collect the powerful object (AKA Dragon Sex Toy)
In the forest Ulf’s keen deep gnome vision spies platinum clad knight Rift Baby from yesterday massacring a fleeing commoner with a large white-hot blade. Ulf determined to seek adventure, sits on the path and waits for this clearly deadly foe. In panic Bathan accidentally casts Command on Caitlin (“Flee”) which she does with gusto on Sheneighneigh, forcing everyone to follow. Caitlin punches Bathan for doing mind magic on her, doing full damage in our first inter-party violence.
Putting distance between them and Rift Baby, our hapless adventurers stuggle to cross a swollen river. Balonius leaves his armour behind. Sheneighneigh nearly drowns. Balonius and Bathan have a bro moment in the water, Caitlin and Ulf swing across, keeping their feet dry. That evening, Caitlin’s watch is disturbed by invisible, magic-hungry fey spiders drawn to their package. Bathan identifies them as harmless, but keeps this knowledge to himself, calling upon his god to smite them ignoring Balonius’s pleas for moderation.
Reaching the coast, they find a lightly personnelled guard tower. After much indecision they relate their mission to the guards, who provide intel: The package they carry is a Portal Stone, used to connect the major cities across the Lensig Empire. The Platinum Knight is likley Ismuth, an ‘Ascendant’ blessed with immense power from the Emperor’s elite guard, believed to be dead. They also share intelligence of cultist tattoos connecting the Dragon God Tiamat to the attackers of Felsreach.
Our heroes are convinced to return to Felsreach and reconnect the portal stone with its gate, allowing reinforcements to arrive to reclaim the town…
Part 2: The guards provide the party with a gift from the Druid Sanctuary, a magic spear held by Balonius.
The party saves time via sea on the return trip, they sneak through the smoke of the still smouldering Felsreach and past the palisade walls, Ulf in his furry loin cloth proving an unlikely ninja with his deep gnome abilities.
Balonius creates a distraction while the others sneak to the portal, fighting heroically & leading the guards away. Without his armour he resorts to a druidic Stoneskin potion and a desperate escape dash to Sheneighneigh. He’s cut down and his life flashes before his eyes, including the sickness and death of his brother, that he now recognises was not his fault.
Bathan has an attack of conscience, scouts for Balonius and is seen by Isthmus, who follows Bathan straight back to the portal when he bravely runs away. Caitlin and Ulf are frozen by Isthmus’ magic, who then challenges the Paladin Bathan to a nobleman’s duel. Bathan kicks him in the nuts. Hallucinating with terror he sees the face of his hated ‘bitch’ sister, and ignobly attacks the groin region in general.
Cailtin is freed from the spell and gets the stone in place, while the portal is opening Ulf and Bathan nearly die in combat. In the nick of time they are rescued by a gorgeous, kind, noble, full-head-of-hair Paladin fresh from heroic deeds in Hell (Nis De’Gard – Bathan’s twin sister) and reinforcements, who make short work of Ismuth.
Running to find Balonius he is unconscious but still alive thanks only to the whim of the gods of dice
Our crew are offered the hospitality of the capital city travelling via the portal. Balonius announces he’s leaving the group in the morning to reconnect with his family, and hands the Druidic spear to Bathan.
Ulf is very pleased with his exciting new life as a barbarian warrior. Bathan is near breakdown. Caitlin is giving Nis the glad eye and looking forward to a drink.
The Red Dragon is nowhere to be seen.
Session 3 – Dungeons and Decisions (and more Dragons)
Arriving in the Capital Beilanda as Nis- aka ‘Hellbane’- is celebrated for her rescue of Felsreach, Ulf, Caitlin and Bathan are summoned to Zukov- the ‘left’ hand of the Emperor, who takes a sample of the placenta.
A dark haired hazel eyed man – Valis– approaches them at the party with an offer of employment alongside Imito Magus – a halfling wizard carrying a curious clockwork device on his chest, who’s already in Valis’s employ.
Catlin flirts with Nis and a potential date is set-up in a few days time as Nis is busy with preparations for an imminent tournament – the winner will have an audience with the ‘wish granting’ Emperor.
3 days of downtime, staying in Valis’s mansion
Bathan buys some splint armour to fill out his perfectly average frame, and encounters a … woman? … outside the temple of Ilmater who knows his name, and offers him an ‘alternative’ to the complicated oaths of his current god, if he would instead swear to destroy the followers of Tiamat.
Ulf buys the most glorious and mysterious cloak he can find, picks up a package & acquires a jewelers kit,to make himself a broach in the shape of a clock at 2 minutes to midnight. He then brands himself on the chest with it, in order to feel true rage. The brand reads two minutes past midnight.
Cailtin rolls a 9 on her attempts to secure a Bad Reputation over a three day pub crawl. Then visits a bathhouse and gets better boots.
Imito does something actually useful and researches exotic animals at the local zoo, preparing for their voyage.
Valis supplies the Journal of Salvara – naturalist and explorer, with instructions to retrace a voyage and bring back information. Valis will sponsor them to compete in the prestigious upcoming tournament, if they are successful. He provides the single masted cog ‘The Free Runner’
3 days of sailing:
They find another, smaller, portal stone stowed with a note ’My collateral – V’
The boys go fishing, the dice are humorous, they haul in a rotten black woolen coat, matted blue tunic and underwear, and a pair of leather boots.
Investigation of the journal reveals a map to atolls, a partial dungeon map with warnings and clues, a picture of an eye, the phrase- ‘it saw me’ – and ripped pages.
Bathan dreams of Ilmater, of his sister Nis burning, and a broach he was given by the mysterious woman.
Arriving they find low lying land and ruins totally overrun by ocean except for one downward spiral stair. Underground tunnels, mostly collapsed by triggered traps. Following the only open path they encounter twisted serpent/human attackers. Caitlin both misjudges her capacity and continues a run of terrible luck. She’s saved from a death blow by Imito stepping in front and casting Shield, as Bathan heroically barrels through the baddies to lay on hands, his ability fueled (possibly?) by a new oath to an entity other than Ilmater.
The centre of the dungeon reveals malformed human skeletons. Caitlin finds the ‘Gleamdance Blade’ a gorgeous glowing blade crafted from pixie wings. Bathan finds ancient coins.
The centerpiece of the dungeon is a coiled sleeping Black Dragon in a pool of acid. Ulf with superior darkvision is mostly sure it’s dead, so unwraps the package he bought and plays his new bagpipes.
It’s dead.
Investigation reveals it’s wrapped around a large, living, black dragon egg.
Multiple attempts, and Imito and Bathan suffering acid burns, result in releasing the egg, and getting it up the spiral stairs.
Returning, on the third day the Red Dragon appears in the sky close to Beilanda and begins a diving attack, but is seen off by a living Black Dragon emerging from the ocean.
On return to harbour they are met by Valis, who Cailtin correctly guesses is a dragon in human form. They deliver his child-in-egg to him. Valis offers them his gratitude, and assurance he will melt them if they tell anyone.
After the others are in bed, Valis sends Imito away, after discovering he is in fact a sorcerer under a false name, and takes his stolen clockwork device from him.
Welcome to level 3.
Downtime Activities D&D 