Recap

 

Lawcon 2023 recap

 

The party did lengthy exploration of a “funhouse” dungeon in the town of Stoneash. They explored four levels, mapping and adding to the map carved on a table in (tavern name). This earned them accolades from the Adventurers Guild they are members of. Several PC’s also leveled and trained.

 

The party then accept an escort mission for a diplomat to aid the war effort. However, they felt compelled to investigate Ashtar’s temple while travelling. Handling that situation, the party was forced to return and report that the temple mission was completed and the hobgoblins vanquished but they lied about the what they found, the Subtle Knife, and what the hobgoblins most likely sought. The party also failed to stop many hobgoblins from escaping from the temple.

 

Arriving at Castle Justheart, they were greeted by Melvaria, a brigand that had seized the castle, threw the lord in the dungeon, and erected a barrier that prevented entry to the party. Elexa Justheart told the party of her plight (her uncle, Lord Justheart will be slain unless she can pay 10,000 gp to the brigands within a tenday). Additionally, the brigands leader, Mandrake, was broken out of jail and will be arriving soon as well.

 

Elexa tells the party that the mage Jarrow created the barrier and may know how to take it down before Mandrake arrives. The party know they will be outnumbered if Mandrake returns before time, the bulk of the band went to free him. Elexa tells the party, there are about 5 brigands in the castle and that Lord Justheart sent most of his men-at-arms to the war effort and that the only servants remaining were constructs.

 

The hobgoblin forces seek the party for the knife and the Duchy of Haran will be confused and ill prepared for what’s to come. It has been approximately 1 tenday later when the party encountered some strangers disguised as druids. The bard regaled them with tales of the party’s prowess. Unbeknownst to the Windswept Guardians, these strangers were actually looking for them. Once their identity was confirmed, the “druids” summoned the Witch-King of Myth Nathar.

 

When the Witch-King arrived, Abernathy opened a portal at random and jumped through with Thondami, the rest of the party fled. Thondami returned immediately but Abernathy chose to open another portal and step through, never to be seen again. The Witch-King boldly stepped through the portals in pursuit of his prize.

 

The next day, the party returned to their camp, gathered their gear and went on to Jarrow’s Tower. At the tower, the party discover that Jarrow was slain by a three headed dragon-kin. Looting the tower (Artemis wanted to claim it before being petryfied) the party head back to Castle Justheart trying to figure out what to do next.

Subtle Knife Lore

 

Long ago the Dragon Queen Tiamat & Arch Duke of Hell Titivilus, fought in this region. They annihilated much of the countryside in their battle, killing hundreds of folks. No one knew why the devil and Tiamat battled but it could have something to do with the Blood War. No one could stop them so an adventurer with a knife that could cut the very fabric of reality suggested that he use it to trap both beings “somewhere else”. To get rid of the beings, a portal was opened in their path of destruction.

   The adventurer did not know how to close the portals once made and therefore used the knife sparingly. Unfortunately he was killed after making the portal, incinerated by lightning and flame. It took a Cabal of Mages to close the portal, trapping the beings in another plane.  More than half the mages died in the process of closing the portal.  No one knows which plane they were trapped in and the mages took the Knife, hiding it so no one could open a portal and free the dread creatures.

 

The Subtle Knife allows you to cut reality and open stable, permanent portals. The portals go just about anywhere, most are planar portals. How to close a portal is currently unknown.  The Knife has been not seen in many decades. 

 

Dark Watch Forest

 This part of the forest is cursed and spawns hordes of undead. This curse occurred because several drow came up from the underdark on a raid and killed the unicorn guardian of this portion of the forest. Three other unicorns, the rest of the family, have not been able to enter the area and cleanse it. Various evil fey have been drawn to the area and are trying to kill the rest of the unicorns. The unicorn family consists of the unicorn's mate (a male, mature adult) and 2 young unicorns, a stallion and a filly.

   The drow have the unicorn's horn and are using it in vile rituals. They have managed to permanently darken a portion of the woods that they have made their base. Some of the evil fey have made agreements with them to guard parts of the woods.

   In a glade near a path, is a cemetery that is over 100 years old. It has remained unspoiled because it is on consecrated ground. The dead here cannot be raised and evil, extra-planar or undead creatures cannot enter the cemetery. I n a mausoleum, in this cemetery is a secret passage leading down the gnoll lair. There are a few other ways to enter this lair.

   One is a caved-in earthen area where a legendary chimera was recently released. This beast returns here every full moon to rejuvenate itself. This entry must be excavated in order to enter the gnoll lair. The entire project will take 40 man hours. This assumes experienced miners, gear and a foreman skilled in engineering. The planning itself will take 2 days. Once the entry is made, the tunnel leads to an underground pool and river that flows under the lair. There is a pit in the lair that comes in to this cavern and the river there is fast flowing.

   The second entry is near the drow base, in the darkened portion of the forest. Several red caps lair there and the entry leads to a long passage thaP enters the lair on level two.

   A third way is to enter through a non-descript cave and follow a long passage from there that eventually leads to a miles long corridor that is partially collapsed. This is the corridor that is near the gnoll lair.

Previously

The band from Mistledale was down Zaven and Dusty, but one of the rescued commoners volunteered that he had some skill and would be willing to help the party out.  The elf is named Ele’mir and his skills range from spell casting to opening door and finding traps. 

          The band decided to head out of the area and find any treasure while Thovan meditates.  Katie, Ele’mir, Valorous and Styve head to the ruined room with the small elementals.  Travelling to the room the party encounter some ochre jellies.  In the elemental room, they find a wand and defeat all but one of the elementals, that flees. 

          Leaving that room, they decide to look into the room where ants were suspected of being in.  The room had no ant creatures but was some sort of torture chamber with a shrine to Shar.  This room trapped the party and they were sometime later transported to another location where they met a creature named Modulok.  In this eternally dark place, Styve was killed and the others captured.

          Modulok told them that she would speak with them later and left the room.  The band went back to the room where they first appeared.  There they found a rune on the ground exactly where they appeared. Also in this room, the group found another prisoner chained to the wall.  It appeared to be a demon, tortured and beaten.  Ele’mir warned Katie not to talk to her but Katie freed the demon and learned that it was actually an angel named Taleron.  Gratefully, Taleron brought the group from Modulok’s domain back to the room where the shrine to Shar was.

          Once the group was back in the dungeon, they headed to the their lair to recover and return Styve’s body to safety.  This was problematic as Styve and his gear made everyone more encumbered then they would have liked.  It also meant the trip back would take longer.  As they made their way back, they encountered Aura the medusa again. 

          Meanwhile, Thovan came out of his reverie and decided the other had been gone too long.  He decided he and Seoni should go and look for the rest of the group.  They left and traveled down the right passage.  When they went down the long corridor, they triggered a rune that caused them some distress but that was nothing compared to the assault the crossbowmen gave them.  With their poisoned bolts, they managed to get Thovan who recognized the effect as drow sleep poison.  He realized that he would soon be passed out for hours, leaving Seoni alone to guard him.  They fled back to the lair but triggered the rune again, only this time it actually grant them instead of a bane.

          After a long sleep, Seoni and Thovan ventured out again and this time decided to take the left turn instead.  Nearing the corridor, they heard a commotion, Katie and the others were in a battle.  Thovan and Seoni sprang into action just as Katie ran past them toward the lair.  She told them that Aura was after them and that Styve was dead.  Valeros and Ele’mir were stuck in the rubble with Aura advancing.  After a pitched battle, Thovan killed Aura with a spell but was then petrified.

While the party recovered from the medusa battle, Taleron, the angel came to the party to thank them for their aid.  She gave Ele’mir, Valeros and Katie a feather from her wing.  The feathers could be used to summon Taleron and ask her for a boon.  Katie promptly used her feather and asked Taleron to bring back something to raise Zaven.  Taleron departed, vowing to return with something Katie could use to help Zaven.

Katie, Seoni and Ele’mir, then set about identifying the magic items the party recovered.  They learned one item found was a jar of Raise Dead Balm.  Taleron returned soon after and brought Katie a scroll of Raise Dead.  Styve was raised using the Balm, he then used the scroll on Zaven.  Ele’mir used his feather to ask Taleron to help Thovan.  Taleron brought back a potion of Restoration.  This potion was poured over the Thovan statue and thus Thovan was restored.  Later, the group found out that one of the potions found in the gelatinous cube was also a potion of Restoration.

Katie decided the second potion should be used to aid Capt. Dusty.  Zaven agreed and off the group went, leaving Valerous and Seoni with the resting Styve.

Previously 8/31/14

The group left the sleeping Lily under the care of Dusty and the mutt (as described by Zaven) or pure-bred Wardog (as described by Thovan) Rusar while the rest of the party went back to the keep. They arrived at the keep to find the mouth lowered and the bars back in place. Inside, the Kobolds waited with their crossbows. Using a potion of giant strength and shield spell cast by Styve, Zaven lifted the gates. Once Zaven lifted the gates the party took out the eight Kobolds in short order. The party found the statue back in its place after having been knocked over during their previous visit. Offended by the poor quality of the statue, Katie had Zaven toss the sculpture down the stairs. The party then took the hallway leading left.

The hallway led to a circular room. An ancient rune on the floor at the center of the room depicted a dragon eating its own tail. A maggot infested Kobold body lay at the center of the room. Alcoves around the room contained armored statues, and a weapon rack across the room contained obviously magic weapons. Zaven and Thovan both took weapons from the rack (bastard sword and long sword respectively). Immediately the golems activated. Zaven sliced his in two with one mighty blow. One-by-one the other golems activated. Zaven fell unconscious with a critical miss and stayed out for the next four rounds. Zaven awoke to find the combat still going. He quickly finished off the remaining golems (armored skeletons).

At the end of combat everyone had new magical weapons, but Thovan, at the suggestion of the party, spider-climbed to the ceiling and pried a glowing gem out of the ceiling. Once removed Styve and Katie’s weapons lost their magical abilities.

Spent, the party decided a retreat was necessary for healing and new spells. Spiking the lever and gates open at the entrance, the party went back to camp. Everything was fine at the camp, and Lily had awakened from her fey induced slumber. The party ate, sharpened weapons, trained the dog, and prepared for the next day’s fighting. Zaven kept watch through the uneventful night.

Upon arriving back at the keep, the party found the doors barred and the statue remnants gone. Zaven blasted through the door with an axe. The party entered the keep. Taking the hall to the right led the party into a swarm of Kobolds. The Kobolds quickly brought down Thovan, Zaven, and Katie the Great One. Styve and Dusty kicked Kobold butt while the rest of the party recovered. Things looked dire as the party, having been overrun by the Kobolds, took quite some time to recover and eventually defeat the Kobolds. Two Kobolds, paralyzed during combat, were left tied up.

What will the party do? Zaven is barely alive, their spells depleted again, and the party doesn’t have any healing kits. Will they retreat again, or will they hold up in the keep to prevent the Kobolds from resetting their traps? Tune in next time for As Mistledale Turns.

(As reported by Zaven)

Previously 8/10/14

Previously in Mistledale

After the “fey scattering”, the group realized that Katie’s henchmen would be asleep for hours.  Noting that the pack bearer never returned, Katie wanted to launch a search but it was unlikely that poor Doug survived the harrowing journey through the forest.  Even Katie and Styve were severely wounded by the red-berried vines. 

The party carried the sleeping henchmen with them and pressed on toward the Beast’s keep.  Once at the dragon maw entrance, the party noticed the mouth somewhat closed this time, with a portcullis blocking the way in.  Peering in, they were greeted by crossbow fire.  Thovan bravely ran into the line of fire to cast light inside the maw.  Taking a few hits, he was not surprised to see kobolds were inside.  Thovan did note the technique the kobolds employed was rather sophisticated.  About 8 kobolds were inside the maw, all armed with heavy crossbows.  Only four kobolds fired from within the maw while the other 4 reloaded their crossbows.  The kobolds also piled crates near the entry so as to provide cover for themselves. 

The party debated whether to camp right outside the dragon’s maw or to retreat a safe distance away.  After common sense won out the group retreated completely out of the cursed wood and made camp for the remainder of the day and night.  Katie vowed to return and find her pack bearer (and her gear he carried).  A convenient use of a Nap spell later, Zaven, Lily and Dusty woke in time for the rest of the party to get some rest.  Zaven kept watch that night being fully rested, Capt. Dusty helped on second watch.

The night was uneventful but at dawn, while the casters all meditated for spells, Zaven and Dusty heard the heavy footfalls of soldiers.  Looking out across the plains, they saw a troop of orcs travelling nearby.  After a brief scuffle, the party defeated the orcs with ease, the group reentered the cursed woods looking for the lost pack bearer. 

At the fey clearing, Thovan and Zaven decided to hack their way through the forest on the trail of the pack bearer.  Meanwhile, Katie and Styve examined the area of the attack.  Lily and Dusty discovered that the fetishes held coins.  All four of them pulled down all the fetishes they could find and gathered up the coins within. 

Hard travel through the woods turned up the pack bearer’s body, but the most important items of Katie’s gear was missing.  Examining the scene, the group discerned that the red-berried vines slew the poor sod, but the fey came across the body and looted it.  That means the team had to seek the lair of the fey if they were to recover their items.  After an exhaustive search of the areas, the clearing and where the body was found, the team hacked their way to a probable location for the fey to lair.  They found a lightning blasted, ancient tree with a large hole at the top.  Unfortunately, they alerted the fey by brushing past several wind chimes hanging from branches.

The fey attacked immediately; surprisingly very few of the group succumbed to the horrifying visages of the unseelie faeries this time.  A well placed Web spell and sleep arrows rendered most of the team helpless.  Katie managed to escape the Web but Zaven couldn’t reach a clear area and was unable to jump free.  This made the Web form imperfectly, weakened.

Katie quickly fumbled through her backpack for a torch and tinder but the faeries realized the Web was weak and had other ideas.  Before anyone could even think, the second fey blasted Thovan with Aganazar's Scorcher.   Thovan looked up and was horrified by the sight, he fled from the group, burning as he did so.  Disgusted by the situation, Katie threw her torch down and cast a Magic Missile killing the faerie that cast the Scorcher.  Through the quick spell work of Katie, the second Unseelie was also slain and the party found her spellbooks in the trunk of the tree.  In addition, they discovered some heavy glass vials of sparkly, colored “fluid”.  Thovan identified the vials as containing “souls”.

Now the party must decide how to enter the beast’s lair and what to do with the sleeping henchmen... 

Previously 8/3/14

Previously in Mistledale:

The party received a message from Sir Galwaith while training in Erages. He informs that the beast yet lives. The party travels to Teland to investigate the matter. The town leader, Lady Casandra, tells the party that the kobolds that serve the beast are still active. The beast however, has not been seen in some time. The party leaves the next day going to basalt stone that fell in the forest over 300 years ago. Unknown entities crafted a keep atop the basalt stone and ruled here before the area was settled by folk that are today known as Dalesman.

Traveling to the beasts lair, the party lose their way after avoiding a perceived trap. Taking the left trail they discover of a stream and realize they are going the wrong way and turn back.  Soon after they come to a clearing and find some strange fetishes. Suddenly horrid, little evil fey appear. The startled party flee in all directions.

This was a disastrous occurrence for the party:

• Katie, her pack bearer and Styve ran in random directions through the dense, cursed woods getting cut as they ran.
• Captain Dusty and Thovan ran up the path to the left followed by Rusar and Lily (who was not feared but chose to follow the largest group to better her survival chances.)
• Zaven followed the path to the right, running full out then  falling into a wide pool of quick sand.

Thovan, Rusar and the extras ran a foul of some wild dogs. Rusar flew into a rage after killing the first dog but the rest of the pack jumped on her and wounded her grievously.

Katie made it through the forest emerging near Zaven. Throwing him a rope, Katie begins pulling him out but Zaven “feels” he would like to explore the quick sand first. Searching the bottom, Zaven finds an item and is then pulled out. While Zaven explored Katie is confronted by one of the mischievious fey. She dispatched with ease and pulled Zaven free of the trap.  Zaven’s prize was a ceremonial scimitar dedicated to Meilikki.

Styve ran further into the woods.

Seeing his companion losing her battle with the mongrels, Thovan and Dusty pressed on but Rusar refused to retreat. Two of the fey followed the group. One cast a Grease effect under Rusar and Thovan. Thovan hopped to safety but Rusar lost her footing and fell prone. The mongrels continued the attack. The fey shot Dusty and Lily with sleep arrows, leaving Thovan to fight alone. Luckily he slew enough of the wild dogs to force the last two to retreat.  Then turned his bow on the fey, slaying one.

Styve made it through the brush onto a trail but was soon followed by one of the fey. Styve blocked the small fey’s arrows with ease but was almost ensnared by the creatures Web spell. Following the path Styve met up with Thovan. The two of them held off the two fey until they exhausted their ammunition. The two fey retreated into the woods leaving Thovan and Rusar gravely wounded and Lily and Dusty asleep.

The party met up once again in the clearing with the fetishes where they first encountered the fey.  The pack bearer was not found.  He was carrying Katie’s spellbooks, which are somewhat important.

To be continued…

Summary 6/29/14

The kobold assault burned 17% of Erages.  The citizenry have stepped up militia patrols and found several areas where kobolds came up from beneath.  Officials in Ashabenford have said that several Riders of Mistledale will arrive in about 2 tenday to reestablish order.  For now there is strict martial law and no one is allowed to go out after dark.

Interactions in town

Father Prasst helps the PC’s and cares for Zaven as best he can with all the other injured folk.  This extra care grants Zaven a +2 bonus to his saves while under Prasst’s care.  Father Prasst is very interested in what the party is going to do.  He urges them to go back into the sewers and find out why the kobolds are attacking.  He wonders who is organizing them.  Prasst becomes very friendly to Zaven and Styve.

A warrior named Cygar, who has been in the Seven Silvers for some months now, was very instrumental in turning back the kobolds in the southern portion of town.  No one is sure why he is here but reports after the attack say he is a capable warrior.  He also managed to save several citizens during the fires as well.  Cygar is keen to see what the party do about the kobold situation in town. 

Jocyn, Katie’s mentor, was injured in the attack and nearly killed.  Sir Dramott managed to rescue him but not before Jocyn was grievously injured.  He remains bedridden next to Katie in the hall with many other wounded folk.  He asks that Katie help the people of the town.  He tells her that two orphanages were attacked and several kids are still missing. 

As Thovan goes in search of his dog, Rusar, he finds her with a human female, warrior.  Her name is Holly Huldane.  She found and helped Rusar when kobolds where closing in on her.  Holly was also injured in the attack but did manage to rescue the hound with her falcon, Skymark.  Holly assures Thovan that his friend is ok and asks what the party intends to do?