Re: Story- Friday Knights in Keep on the Shadowfell (with Pics)
Posted: Mon Nov 02, 2009 12:39 pm
The Friday Knights
Session 12- The Keep on the Shadowfell Part 6
In play this week we have-
Cathal, Human Fighter Level 3
Ignaran, Human Druid Level 3
Lucan, Elven Rogue Level 2
Only three Knights present initially, it goes from feast to famine player-wise remarkably quickly. Still, those present decide to spend the session clearing out the unvisited chambers of the Keep's Catacombs, see if there are any further clues left by the Bloodreavers. Also they're still in search of the good citizens of Fallcrest and Winterhaven that have been 'disappeared'.
Note Farkill will be joining us later in the session.
And so the Knights climb the stairs into a chamber they had previously cleared of Zombies, and what do you know, they're back- or at least a fresh bunch of the shambling dead have been drawn back to the area.
Lucan and Cathal dive into the the pack, yep you read that right- Lucan, needs must. The young Rogue proves remarkably adept, particularly as Ignaran is thinning the Zombie Horde with bursts and blasts, also - for the most - part the Zombies are Rotters, that is to say Minions.
The two much better equipped Zombie Soldiers take a while to beat down, during which they manage to inflict a few nasty wounds, particularly to the Rogue. Nevertheless the outcome is never in doubt- the chamber is retaken.
[DM Interlude Encounter #35 [642 XP = Level 5] Zombie Rotter x8 (Level 4 Minions) & Zombie x2 (Level 3 Soldier)]
[DM Interlude- Cathal has enough XP to advance to level 4, Lucan has enough XP to advance to level 3; after an extended rest of course.]
Hijinks with the Undead.
The Knights head through the maze of chambers. They've been here previously; this time however their journey is far easier as the myriad Arcane Sigils have lost their power- deactivated with the destruction of the portal possibly.
They make their way into another set of catacombs, a long corridor leading to a hazily illuminated area with what looks to be a pair of ancient altars, and a pair of large metal doors leading further on. The problem is, however, the corridor is crowded with upright sarcophagi- leaning against the walls.
Cathal primes the fight, guesses what's going to come next, and yet...
Lucan shimmies forward in search of traps and inadvertently trips the switch- the sarcophagi are flung open, and stepping out of the star swirl within come a horde of skeletons, fortunately mostly of the Decrepit variety, although a pair of Skeleton Warriors slow the Knights down a little.
Once again the battle is concluded fairly swiftly- Cathal tends to destroy two of the Decrepit creatures every round, Lucan one and Ignaran at least one- like a knife through butter they batter the Undead guardians down.
[DM Interlude Encounter #36 [598 XP = Level 4] Skeleton Decrepit x8 (Level 2 Minions) & Skeleton Warrior x2 (Level 4 Soldier)]
Like a Radiant knife through Undead butter.
It's at this point, after a little scouting around, that the Knights determine that the chamber is, or was, dedicated to Bahamut- this confirmed by the dragon-carved stone altar pieces discovered, and looted.
Cathal speculates that they may be approaching the last resting place of Sir Keegan, the mad Paladin of Bahamut that turned traitor and slew his family here a century or more ago.
The great metal doors, carved with further renderings of Bahamut are forgotten for a moment, one of the walls has been breached elsewhere in the chamber, there's a crypt beyond- cautiously the Knights take a look inside.
The newly discovered chamber holds some minor treasures- mostly money and gems, otherwise it's empty.
[DM Interlude- I had placed a horde of Zombies here, but brought them out earlier to greet the Knights as the ascended the stairs from the lower level.]
An empty chamber yesterday.
The Knights press on, now bolstered by Farkill, Cleric of Moradin, who has just joined the party via Skype; into a small but undisturbed chamber. At the far side, bathed in a spectral light, a raised section with a great sarcophagi on it.
From the spectral light a shimmering Knight steps forward, its flesh-picked-clean skull visage plain for all to see, it's Sir Keegan.
He waves around his longsword in a menacing fashion and growls-
“The rift must never be re-opened!”
Which is met by smirks.
Sir Keegan follows up with-
“State your business or prepare to die!”
He rasps, exuding as much menace as he possibly can.
“Done” Lucan states and turns tail and leaves the chamber, leaving Ignaran, Cathal and Farkill to explain to the now gawping Sir Keegan that Kalarel has been bested and slain; the portal has been destroyed and the Knights are just know going about their business clearing out the last of the infestation in the Keep's catacombs.
“Oh.” Sir Keegan rasps, and then stops the rasping, it's hurting his throat.
The Knight shrugs, looks a little embarrassed at the turn of events.
“You should have come here earlier...” He mutters, and kicks at some loose chippings on the floor.
The silence elongates, stretches into oblivion, eventually Cathal breaks it-
“Anything else?”
Sir Keegan shakes his head, shrugs some more, then hands over his longsword, which is clearly magical, to Cathal- and disappears forever.
His last words-
“That didn't go... Bugger!”
An embarrassed Sir Keegan scratches his backside.
The Knights head off again- manage to locate a large and abandoned guard chamber, and from there the bed chamber of Balgron the Fat, soon after his strongbox is found- sprung, and emptied.
By Lucan, who manages to pouch most of the money before the other Knights discern that they are, even now, being robbed.
[DM Interlude- Lucan is a very naughty boy, more of this kind of despicable behaviour to come, rest assured.]
Lucan locates a few copper coins- slim pickings alas.
Lucan kicks over Balgron's empty treasure chest and sighs audibly, winning an Oscar in the process. His Bag of Holding bulges with all the gold he has just scooped into it.
The Knights continue their wandering and eventually find themselves in a torture chamber, complete with rack and cooling brazier, and with the standard issue hot poker set.
Lucan's eyes light up, he rubs his hands in glee, and plays a while.
Ignaran in the meantime has discovered a forlorn Goblin in a cell, obviously a prisoner.
The Goblin is Splug. His crime - not getting on with Balgron, falling asleep on guard duty, and worst of all- being a revolutionary member of the a secret Goblin politcal organisation intent on overthrowing their bourgeoisie leaders, returning the means of destruction into the hands of the proletariat.
Which is unexpected.
Splug begins his spiel, punctuating it with fist clenching sound bites extolling the virtues of the working classes and the need for constant revolution...
Which translates to-
“Eat the rich!”
“Kill the imperialist lackeys of the bourgeoisie.”
“We must establish unity of action in all sections of the working class in the struggle against Hobgoblin fascism.”
The Glorious Goblin People's Revolutionary Guard (singular).
“Moradin, I can see why they locked him up.” Farkill states.
There follows a vote on the proposition- should Splug be released?
It's tied four times; two-two.
Splug attempts to persuade the Knights to release him with honeyed words, while continuing to offer encouragement.
“Democracy in action, free assembly and the right to take part in the decision making process, the most effective and reasoned activity- I applaud you comrades. Your actions define your virtue, I will respect any decision that you make, such is my faith in the justice of the glorious revolution. I will not attempt to sway you in any way- look to your hearts, I've always attested that adventurers, along with the workers- of course, are the bedrock of society- equal opportunity slayers. I admire you brothers with your fervent and dogmatic approach to the trials and tribulations of the commercial consumerist capitalist society in which we live.”
After the fourth tied vote he adds.
“I know where Tra'ak and the other Bloodreavers have gone, if that helps?”
Splug is released and welcomed, temporarily, into the Knights.
[DM Interlude- Splug is a Goblin Paladin of the Glorious Revolution Level 1. We now have five Knights in play this evening.]
It turns out Tra'ak is on his way back to a place called Thunderspire Labyrinth, which makes the Knights grin, next stop there, perhaps...
Splug tags along as the Knights venture back into the catacombs and discover...
It would have been nice to have had a fight here...
Yet another empty chamber which has been dug out, excavated- in search of what? The Knights have no clue, however they do find a nice Holy Symbol dedicated to Bahamut in their search of the spoil piles. Farkill takes this for later use, after it has been re-dedicated to Moradin.
The Knights head off again.
And discover a set of stairs leading into a natural cavern, they venture into the unlit chamber- and into a tide of Giant Rats, they begin cutting a swathe through the chittering creatures when a blob of Ochre Jelly drops from the cavern ceiling, just missing Cathal, and begins to wave it's pseudopod furiously.
The Knights, and Splug, attack- although for attack read chant helpful slogans concerning the 'constant struggle for enlightenment and reason' if you're Splug.
The Ochre Jelly is eventually destroyed- split clean in two.
It's a little disconcerting then a few moments later when the two blobs of Ochre Jelly spring back into action, of a fashion, and take up their tentacle waving again.
[DM Interlude- that made them think.]
Alas the fight is soon over the second time around, although Lucan has taken some serious injuries and Ignaran and Cathal are also very bloodied.
Binary Fission- show and tell!
[DM Interlude Encounter #37 [753 XP = Level 3] Giant Rat x13 (Level 2 Minion) & Ochre Jelly (Level 4 Elite Brute)]
Then the Knights make a discovery - in the central column supporting the cavern chamber - a secret door, and within a withered and dessicated... hang on he's still alive- the first of the lost citizens, Clem Statto is ministered to by Farkill. Thirty minutes later the man is up and talking.
He has quite a story to tell, the Bloodreavers are behind the whole operation, the slaves were being brought to the Shadowfell Keep en route to somewhere else. Many of the slaves were used to excavate a chamber to the north of here, in search of a mirror they were told.
The rest of them sent to a place called Thunderspire, where they were to be sold, Clem thinks.
The beaten farmer is made comfortable, given food, water and generally made to feel well again; then he's locked back in the secret chamber, ignoring his heated protests, while the Knights continue their exploration.
Lucan checks for treasure then, as an after thought, a pulse.
There's a large wooden door in the western wall of the cavern, it looks to be swollen, clearly there's a water source behind it... otherwise the cavern continues on to the south, the later route is chosen.
Lucan creeps into the shadows and leads the Knights on.
Into a chamber with a myriad holes in the walls, and several inches of churned mud on the floor- with tracks in it, the young Elven Rogue confirms. But before he can elaborate a half-dozen chitinous snapping-jawed insects surge, or else burrow, their way into the midst of the adventurers.
Kruthiks- Hatchlings, Young and an Adult, very soon the air is alive with ruminations of the scrabbling insects.
Cathal and Farkill are very quickly bloodied, Lucan avoids a similar fate by getting as far as he can away from the creatures. The Hatchlings are soon cut through, even Splug however is forced to hold the line at one point with his newly acquired shortsword.
It gets worse momentarily when the Adult Kruthik appears and manages to catch Cathal and Farkill again with its Toxic Spikes, poisoning and slowing them both.
The Knights fight on, and soon enough the Young Hatchlings begin to fall, although the price paid is very high. The Knights see it through however, eventually crushing the filthy snapping giant insects.
I wish it could be Kruthik every day.
[DM Interlude Encounter #38 [878 XP = Level 5] Kruthik Hatchling x6 (Level 3 Minion); Kruthik Young x3 (Level 3 Brute) & Kruthik Adult (Level 5 Brute)]
Splug is sent forward into the Kruthik tunnels. Eager to please, the revolutionary Goblin discovers a pile of shiny stuff which he drags out for the Knights to admire- more money.
The area fully searched, the Knights head back to the swollen wooden door, the only chamber they have not yet been in. The door is examined for traps and then levered open. A set of slick stairs lead down into a pool room. Three quarters of the room is cool blue water, a ledge runs alongside a small rocky island in the middle of the liquid.
Torches are lit and the chamber fully illuminated- there's more treasure on the rocky island, the glint of gold, and a nice looking shield.
The Knights are discussing the best way to get to the treasure, when from the depths, and unseen, lurches a large Blue Slime. More tentacle waving ensues, a number of the Knights are acid burnt and battered, to make things worse the creature expels a Stench Pulse- a kind of rubbery fart; which leaves a good half of the group dazed, damaged and weakened.
It's a close run thing, particularly as Lucan is again wounded badly and almost out of the fight, Splug is not venturing forward- Cathal and Farkill form the front line, while Ignaran vainly tries to stay out of reach of the creature.
Finally the slime is cut, diced, spiked, burnt, blasted and bashed into gooey submission, actually death. At this point however all of the Knights, save the ever cautious Splug, are bloodied.
Jimmy the Blue Slime wins award for the least threatening image.
[DM Interlude- and most have only one Healing Surge left.]
[DM Interlude Encounter #38 [875 XP = Level 4] Jimmy the Blue Slime (Level 4 Solo Brute)]
A magical Shield of Protection, a Potion of Healing and a pile of gold and silver are recovered, alongside two scroll tubes, which on further investigation are found to contain... two scrolls.
The first reads-
“Remember, don’t wet the nodule—unless Kalarel is not receptive to the offer. Then, wet it only from a distance, and then, turn and run. Water will bring the creature out of its dormancy, and it will consume anything it can reach.”
Which is odd? Ignaran speculates that the 'nodule' in question is the dormant version of the Blue Slime the Knights have just fought.
Cathal adds that Kalarel was obviously receptive to the offer, whatever the offer was. The Knights delve into the second scroll tube eager for more information.
It reads-
“Greetings, Kalarel. I have recently learned of your activity in the area and have an offer for you. During your time in this region, if you should capture any humanoids, we are eager to buy them. We have Duergar allies in Thunderspire in need of slave stock. If you are interested, send an envoy back to me. My messengers will show the way.”
It is signed:
“Chief Krand of the Bloodreavers.”
The writing on the scroll is in the same hand as the first.
The Knights collectively smile in glee- there's nothing better than putting a name to your enemy. Chief Krand can look forward to a visit, as can the Duergar mentioned- the Knights are on their trail.
And with that the 12th session draws to a close with the five Knights umming and arring about whether to take an extended rest or just press on. Together they have gained 8834 XP this session.
Session 12- The Keep on the Shadowfell Part 6
In play this week we have-
Cathal, Human Fighter Level 3
Ignaran, Human Druid Level 3
Lucan, Elven Rogue Level 2
Only three Knights present initially, it goes from feast to famine player-wise remarkably quickly. Still, those present decide to spend the session clearing out the unvisited chambers of the Keep's Catacombs, see if there are any further clues left by the Bloodreavers. Also they're still in search of the good citizens of Fallcrest and Winterhaven that have been 'disappeared'.
Note Farkill will be joining us later in the session.
And so the Knights climb the stairs into a chamber they had previously cleared of Zombies, and what do you know, they're back- or at least a fresh bunch of the shambling dead have been drawn back to the area.
Lucan and Cathal dive into the the pack, yep you read that right- Lucan, needs must. The young Rogue proves remarkably adept, particularly as Ignaran is thinning the Zombie Horde with bursts and blasts, also - for the most - part the Zombies are Rotters, that is to say Minions.
The two much better equipped Zombie Soldiers take a while to beat down, during which they manage to inflict a few nasty wounds, particularly to the Rogue. Nevertheless the outcome is never in doubt- the chamber is retaken.
[DM Interlude Encounter #35 [642 XP = Level 5] Zombie Rotter x8 (Level 4 Minions) & Zombie x2 (Level 3 Soldier)]
[DM Interlude- Cathal has enough XP to advance to level 4, Lucan has enough XP to advance to level 3; after an extended rest of course.]
Hijinks with the Undead.
The Knights head through the maze of chambers. They've been here previously; this time however their journey is far easier as the myriad Arcane Sigils have lost their power- deactivated with the destruction of the portal possibly.
They make their way into another set of catacombs, a long corridor leading to a hazily illuminated area with what looks to be a pair of ancient altars, and a pair of large metal doors leading further on. The problem is, however, the corridor is crowded with upright sarcophagi- leaning against the walls.
Cathal primes the fight, guesses what's going to come next, and yet...
Lucan shimmies forward in search of traps and inadvertently trips the switch- the sarcophagi are flung open, and stepping out of the star swirl within come a horde of skeletons, fortunately mostly of the Decrepit variety, although a pair of Skeleton Warriors slow the Knights down a little.
Once again the battle is concluded fairly swiftly- Cathal tends to destroy two of the Decrepit creatures every round, Lucan one and Ignaran at least one- like a knife through butter they batter the Undead guardians down.
[DM Interlude Encounter #36 [598 XP = Level 4] Skeleton Decrepit x8 (Level 2 Minions) & Skeleton Warrior x2 (Level 4 Soldier)]
Like a Radiant knife through Undead butter.
It's at this point, after a little scouting around, that the Knights determine that the chamber is, or was, dedicated to Bahamut- this confirmed by the dragon-carved stone altar pieces discovered, and looted.
Cathal speculates that they may be approaching the last resting place of Sir Keegan, the mad Paladin of Bahamut that turned traitor and slew his family here a century or more ago.
The great metal doors, carved with further renderings of Bahamut are forgotten for a moment, one of the walls has been breached elsewhere in the chamber, there's a crypt beyond- cautiously the Knights take a look inside.
The newly discovered chamber holds some minor treasures- mostly money and gems, otherwise it's empty.
[DM Interlude- I had placed a horde of Zombies here, but brought them out earlier to greet the Knights as the ascended the stairs from the lower level.]
An empty chamber yesterday.
The Knights press on, now bolstered by Farkill, Cleric of Moradin, who has just joined the party via Skype; into a small but undisturbed chamber. At the far side, bathed in a spectral light, a raised section with a great sarcophagi on it.
From the spectral light a shimmering Knight steps forward, its flesh-picked-clean skull visage plain for all to see, it's Sir Keegan.
He waves around his longsword in a menacing fashion and growls-
“The rift must never be re-opened!”
Which is met by smirks.
Sir Keegan follows up with-
“State your business or prepare to die!”
He rasps, exuding as much menace as he possibly can.
“Done” Lucan states and turns tail and leaves the chamber, leaving Ignaran, Cathal and Farkill to explain to the now gawping Sir Keegan that Kalarel has been bested and slain; the portal has been destroyed and the Knights are just know going about their business clearing out the last of the infestation in the Keep's catacombs.
“Oh.” Sir Keegan rasps, and then stops the rasping, it's hurting his throat.
The Knight shrugs, looks a little embarrassed at the turn of events.
“You should have come here earlier...” He mutters, and kicks at some loose chippings on the floor.
The silence elongates, stretches into oblivion, eventually Cathal breaks it-
“Anything else?”
Sir Keegan shakes his head, shrugs some more, then hands over his longsword, which is clearly magical, to Cathal- and disappears forever.
His last words-
“That didn't go... Bugger!”
An embarrassed Sir Keegan scratches his backside.
The Knights head off again- manage to locate a large and abandoned guard chamber, and from there the bed chamber of Balgron the Fat, soon after his strongbox is found- sprung, and emptied.
By Lucan, who manages to pouch most of the money before the other Knights discern that they are, even now, being robbed.
[DM Interlude- Lucan is a very naughty boy, more of this kind of despicable behaviour to come, rest assured.]
Lucan locates a few copper coins- slim pickings alas.
Lucan kicks over Balgron's empty treasure chest and sighs audibly, winning an Oscar in the process. His Bag of Holding bulges with all the gold he has just scooped into it.
The Knights continue their wandering and eventually find themselves in a torture chamber, complete with rack and cooling brazier, and with the standard issue hot poker set.
Lucan's eyes light up, he rubs his hands in glee, and plays a while.
Ignaran in the meantime has discovered a forlorn Goblin in a cell, obviously a prisoner.
The Goblin is Splug. His crime - not getting on with Balgron, falling asleep on guard duty, and worst of all- being a revolutionary member of the a secret Goblin politcal organisation intent on overthrowing their bourgeoisie leaders, returning the means of destruction into the hands of the proletariat.
Which is unexpected.
Splug begins his spiel, punctuating it with fist clenching sound bites extolling the virtues of the working classes and the need for constant revolution...
Which translates to-
“Eat the rich!”
“Kill the imperialist lackeys of the bourgeoisie.”
“We must establish unity of action in all sections of the working class in the struggle against Hobgoblin fascism.”
The Glorious Goblin People's Revolutionary Guard (singular).
“Moradin, I can see why they locked him up.” Farkill states.
There follows a vote on the proposition- should Splug be released?
It's tied four times; two-two.
Splug attempts to persuade the Knights to release him with honeyed words, while continuing to offer encouragement.
“Democracy in action, free assembly and the right to take part in the decision making process, the most effective and reasoned activity- I applaud you comrades. Your actions define your virtue, I will respect any decision that you make, such is my faith in the justice of the glorious revolution. I will not attempt to sway you in any way- look to your hearts, I've always attested that adventurers, along with the workers- of course, are the bedrock of society- equal opportunity slayers. I admire you brothers with your fervent and dogmatic approach to the trials and tribulations of the commercial consumerist capitalist society in which we live.”
After the fourth tied vote he adds.
“I know where Tra'ak and the other Bloodreavers have gone, if that helps?”
Splug is released and welcomed, temporarily, into the Knights.
[DM Interlude- Splug is a Goblin Paladin of the Glorious Revolution Level 1. We now have five Knights in play this evening.]
It turns out Tra'ak is on his way back to a place called Thunderspire Labyrinth, which makes the Knights grin, next stop there, perhaps...
Splug tags along as the Knights venture back into the catacombs and discover...
It would have been nice to have had a fight here...
Yet another empty chamber which has been dug out, excavated- in search of what? The Knights have no clue, however they do find a nice Holy Symbol dedicated to Bahamut in their search of the spoil piles. Farkill takes this for later use, after it has been re-dedicated to Moradin.
The Knights head off again.
And discover a set of stairs leading into a natural cavern, they venture into the unlit chamber- and into a tide of Giant Rats, they begin cutting a swathe through the chittering creatures when a blob of Ochre Jelly drops from the cavern ceiling, just missing Cathal, and begins to wave it's pseudopod furiously.
The Knights, and Splug, attack- although for attack read chant helpful slogans concerning the 'constant struggle for enlightenment and reason' if you're Splug.
The Ochre Jelly is eventually destroyed- split clean in two.
It's a little disconcerting then a few moments later when the two blobs of Ochre Jelly spring back into action, of a fashion, and take up their tentacle waving again.
[DM Interlude- that made them think.]
Alas the fight is soon over the second time around, although Lucan has taken some serious injuries and Ignaran and Cathal are also very bloodied.
Binary Fission- show and tell!
[DM Interlude Encounter #37 [753 XP = Level 3] Giant Rat x13 (Level 2 Minion) & Ochre Jelly (Level 4 Elite Brute)]
Then the Knights make a discovery - in the central column supporting the cavern chamber - a secret door, and within a withered and dessicated... hang on he's still alive- the first of the lost citizens, Clem Statto is ministered to by Farkill. Thirty minutes later the man is up and talking.
He has quite a story to tell, the Bloodreavers are behind the whole operation, the slaves were being brought to the Shadowfell Keep en route to somewhere else. Many of the slaves were used to excavate a chamber to the north of here, in search of a mirror they were told.
The rest of them sent to a place called Thunderspire, where they were to be sold, Clem thinks.
The beaten farmer is made comfortable, given food, water and generally made to feel well again; then he's locked back in the secret chamber, ignoring his heated protests, while the Knights continue their exploration.
Lucan checks for treasure then, as an after thought, a pulse.
There's a large wooden door in the western wall of the cavern, it looks to be swollen, clearly there's a water source behind it... otherwise the cavern continues on to the south, the later route is chosen.
Lucan creeps into the shadows and leads the Knights on.
Into a chamber with a myriad holes in the walls, and several inches of churned mud on the floor- with tracks in it, the young Elven Rogue confirms. But before he can elaborate a half-dozen chitinous snapping-jawed insects surge, or else burrow, their way into the midst of the adventurers.
Kruthiks- Hatchlings, Young and an Adult, very soon the air is alive with ruminations of the scrabbling insects.
Cathal and Farkill are very quickly bloodied, Lucan avoids a similar fate by getting as far as he can away from the creatures. The Hatchlings are soon cut through, even Splug however is forced to hold the line at one point with his newly acquired shortsword.
It gets worse momentarily when the Adult Kruthik appears and manages to catch Cathal and Farkill again with its Toxic Spikes, poisoning and slowing them both.
The Knights fight on, and soon enough the Young Hatchlings begin to fall, although the price paid is very high. The Knights see it through however, eventually crushing the filthy snapping giant insects.
I wish it could be Kruthik every day.
[DM Interlude Encounter #38 [878 XP = Level 5] Kruthik Hatchling x6 (Level 3 Minion); Kruthik Young x3 (Level 3 Brute) & Kruthik Adult (Level 5 Brute)]
Splug is sent forward into the Kruthik tunnels. Eager to please, the revolutionary Goblin discovers a pile of shiny stuff which he drags out for the Knights to admire- more money.
The area fully searched, the Knights head back to the swollen wooden door, the only chamber they have not yet been in. The door is examined for traps and then levered open. A set of slick stairs lead down into a pool room. Three quarters of the room is cool blue water, a ledge runs alongside a small rocky island in the middle of the liquid.
Torches are lit and the chamber fully illuminated- there's more treasure on the rocky island, the glint of gold, and a nice looking shield.
The Knights are discussing the best way to get to the treasure, when from the depths, and unseen, lurches a large Blue Slime. More tentacle waving ensues, a number of the Knights are acid burnt and battered, to make things worse the creature expels a Stench Pulse- a kind of rubbery fart; which leaves a good half of the group dazed, damaged and weakened.
It's a close run thing, particularly as Lucan is again wounded badly and almost out of the fight, Splug is not venturing forward- Cathal and Farkill form the front line, while Ignaran vainly tries to stay out of reach of the creature.
Finally the slime is cut, diced, spiked, burnt, blasted and bashed into gooey submission, actually death. At this point however all of the Knights, save the ever cautious Splug, are bloodied.
Jimmy the Blue Slime wins award for the least threatening image.
[DM Interlude- and most have only one Healing Surge left.]
[DM Interlude Encounter #38 [875 XP = Level 4] Jimmy the Blue Slime (Level 4 Solo Brute)]
A magical Shield of Protection, a Potion of Healing and a pile of gold and silver are recovered, alongside two scroll tubes, which on further investigation are found to contain... two scrolls.
The first reads-
“Remember, don’t wet the nodule—unless Kalarel is not receptive to the offer. Then, wet it only from a distance, and then, turn and run. Water will bring the creature out of its dormancy, and it will consume anything it can reach.”
Which is odd? Ignaran speculates that the 'nodule' in question is the dormant version of the Blue Slime the Knights have just fought.
Cathal adds that Kalarel was obviously receptive to the offer, whatever the offer was. The Knights delve into the second scroll tube eager for more information.
It reads-
“Greetings, Kalarel. I have recently learned of your activity in the area and have an offer for you. During your time in this region, if you should capture any humanoids, we are eager to buy them. We have Duergar allies in Thunderspire in need of slave stock. If you are interested, send an envoy back to me. My messengers will show the way.”
It is signed:
“Chief Krand of the Bloodreavers.”
The writing on the scroll is in the same hand as the first.
The Knights collectively smile in glee- there's nothing better than putting a name to your enemy. Chief Krand can look forward to a visit, as can the Duergar mentioned- the Knights are on their trail.
And with that the 12th session draws to a close with the five Knights umming and arring about whether to take an extended rest or just press on. Together they have gained 8834 XP this session.