Siege of Bordrin's Watch - Night 2

----------------------------

Active members of the "Skills dat Killz" adventuring party:

Beena - Elf Ranger
Gigantor - Goliath Rogue
Lucas - Goliath Barbarian
Zah'rie - Human Warlock
Zephel - Shadar-kai Swordmage

----------------------------

Active Quests:

Main Quest: Siege! Do your part to prepare for the impending siege by completing assignments. Upon assignment completion or changed situations, report back for new assignments.

(*Failed*) Minor Quest: Evacuation! Travel to the Monestary of the Sundered Chain; warn of the impending siege and evacuate the monks and paladins.

----------------------------

Approaching the monastery's outer gate, the adventurers began to open it. At the precise moment they did so, however, a great explosion sounded from inside the monastery; it seemed to be coming from underneath the surface of the ground itself. Now on alert and moving forward cautiously, they peered through the gate in time to see two orc sentries running back into the monastery's lone domed building. Our adventurers made cautious haste across the courtyard and through the doors.

Through the doors, the room was spacious. Sunlight from the morning spilled through windows high up in the dome. The simple and dwarfish beauty of the shrine to Moradin was despoiled and desecrated by the entrails of dwarfs strewn about the altar in the center of the room; the bodies of dead dwarfs lay in their own blood, presumably where they fell; the air was heavy with the smell of death; the party was too late.

But what of the dwarfs' murderers, the orcs? Closer examination of the altar revealed a trap door hiding a spiral staircase heading downward. Once at the bottom, the adventurers saw at least a dozen orcs being dispatched north, further into the depths of the monestary. One of those dispatchers turned seconds later and noticed the party. Both sides clashed and mid-fight another large explosion sounded, this time one that shook the ground so profoundly that many of the combatants struggled to keep their footing; some were shaken and moved from the very spaces in which they stood.

For the most part, our adventurers managed to keep their balance while the orcs and orogs (half orc/half ogre) did not fair so well. Using the seismic events to their advantage, the party decisively defeated the orcs. Pausing momentarily for a short rest and to take in their surroundings, the party realized that this basement floor was actually a dormitory for the monks and paladins of the monastery. While the bodies here had not been so desecrated, some were still in their sleeping robes; at least two were dead in their own beds. The party pushed onward.

The party pushed onward to a point when the tunnel opened up into a large cavern. The path narrowed and descended along a series of landings and switchback staircases. As they neared the bottom of what was about a 200 ft. descent, they noticed the bodies of numerous orcs. It was infered that the large explosion and quake had shaken them right off the switchbacks and onto the jagged rock floor of the unfinished portion of the cavern. Historians would note that Moradin himself exacted some deserving revenge that day upon those orcs.

A path led from the bottom of the cavern into a new chamber, this one much better lit than the previous. This cavern was obviously used as a room for crafting the tools and weapons that were used by the the monastery. A modest number of orcs had their backs to the party, their attention focused toward the back of the cavern where a large orog was beating a defenseless dwarf. He was demanding that the dwarf open the tunnel, which could barely be seen on the other side of a large fire burning in the northeast corner of the room.

Having made no attempt at subtlety, the party was almost immediately noticed. The orog commander dropped the dwarf and the entire enemy group threw themselves at our adventurers. The orcs fought with surprising ferocity; their orog commander struck down one of his subordinates who was obstructing the path to the adventurers. Zah'rie, was incapacitated during the fight and nearly all the party members were bloodied. As the fight progressed and as his allies were slain, the orog commander became more and more reckless. He broke away from the party to finish off the dwarf. Eventually though, he too was defeated and the party was allowed a moment to gather themselves.

Zah'rie's health was stabilized and Lucas packed him out. The dwarf's lifeless body was packed out by Gigantor and everyone made their way quickly back up to the surface. It was decided that it would be fastest to travel to Bordrin's Watch to resupply, rest, and seek medical assistance for the fallen. Carrying the wounded, reflecting on the fate of the monks and paladins of the Sundered Chain, and the new knowledge that the orcs had a foothold in the tunnels under the mountains made travel to Bordrin's Watch sober and joyless.

----------------------------

Maybe we should try this out? Ok, maybe not.

Rescue at Rivenroar - Night 2

----------------------------

Adventurers:

Beana - Elf Ranger
Blake - Deva Cleric
Bullroarer - Threequarterling Warden
Gigantor - Goliath Barbarian
Lucas - Goliath Barbarian
The Rock - Dwarf Fighter

----------------------------

Active Quests:

Main Quest: Rescue! Ascertain the fate of the following and escort any survivors back to Brindol.

1. Jalissa
2. Sertanian
3. Thurann
4. Mirtala
5. Zerriska
6. Adronsius
7. Kartenix

Minor Quest: Treasure! Recover any and all of the following town treasures:

1. Ornate, gilded dragoncrest helm
2. Ceremonial platinum longsword
3. Set of 3 shields, each with Red Hand insignia, each with a charred hole near the center
4. Set of iron gauntlets with extensive filigree
5. Heraldic battle standard depicting two hands clasped in a handshake

----------------------------

Important NPCs:

Jalissa - Half elf female, acolyte of Ioun
Sertanian - Human male, aged, castellan of the Hall of Great Valor
Thurann - Human boy, son of Kartenix
Mirtala - Human female, aged, cook
Zerriska - Human female, very aged, crone of Brindol
Adronsius - Dwarf male, alchemist
Kartenix - Human male, guard captain, father of Thurann

----------------------------

Not long after our heroes slew the ogre(and his hobgoblin sidekicks, and their cart of flammable pitch), the town watch quickly swept the town to rally the survivors to the town's north bridges. Aware of their obvious defeat, the goblinoid horde retreated into the northern wilderness.

The townsfolk took this opportunity to set additional watchmen along the town's borders, douse the remaining fires throughout the town, and heal the wounded. Alongside many of the town's different healers, Blake assisted in restoring many of the wounded and fallen to good health. Assessing the situation, town leadership sent for those responsible for holding back the invaders at the tavern, and for felling the ogre.

Eager for reassurance that our adventurers were sufficiently able, Councilmember Eoffram Troyas interviewed them as a group. Unfortunately, Troyas was left less than impressed with the party; a couple members of the party made a bad first impression. Despite that however, our heroes were reluctantly briefed on the currently known situation: a number of townsfolk missing, relics of high sentimental value stolen, and the looming threat of more attacks. Lodging was arranged for the party and they were to set out first thing in the morning.

Troyas had also made mention of a Hobgoblin which had been taken prisoner. Although attempts to interogate him had as of yet been unsuccessful, our heroes decided to have a go it at. The interrogation ended the same way their talk with Troyas did - failure. Unusual considering how poorly the interrogation went, the prisoner surprised the party by marking on the guard's map the approximate location of the goblinoids' base of operations.

As evening, and later, night, settled upon the town, the hobgoblin prisoner was taken from the stocks to the jail proper. The main party headed for The Stone Wyvern, the inn where they had their lodging arranged. Gigantor took the opportunity to head off alone and return to the Antler and Thistle tavern. From the darkness he observed the bartender silently beginning what would be a long renovation for the tavern. Stepping out of the night and into the dimly lit tavern, Gigantor startled the bartender. Sensing the bartender's apprehension, Gigantor said "I'm sorry about my hostilities earlier today; I thought you were someone else". The bartender said nothing but acknowledged his apology with a simple nod(yay -2 penalty to rolls in Brindol lifted!).

All party members now reunited at The Stone Wyvern, Lucas made a show of generosity and arranged a small feast for the party(yay +1 temporary healing surge!). In what, for lack of a better word, would be called reconciliation, the heroes introduced themselves and revealed a little bit about their backstories. Of particular mention: Gigantor, raised by Giants as a slave, whose mate was murdered some years ago by their captors, is searching for his long lost daughter who was taken in a raid.

The night was uneventful; the town was unusually hushed, likely by the events of the previous day. The party set out in the morning, attempting to track the goblinoid warband through the wilderness north of Brindol. The party made excellent time and within a few hours arrived at the location on the map marked by the hobgoblin prisoner. Not detecting any nearby goblinoids, our party headed along the mountain trail and stumbled right into a kruthik nest(that hobgoblin soooo punk'd them).

Kruthik, two adult and two youth, emerged from underneath a boulder a ways up the trail; the two youths engaged immediately while the two adults hung back. Beana immediately noticed some loose topsoil and detected what was likely open space immediately underneath it. The combat unfolded too quickly, however, and Bullroarer discovered that Beana's observation was correct; he fell into a shallow pit underneath a second patch of loose topsoil. Pulling himself out a moment later, Bullroarer rushed right back into action.

Lucas decided a good course of action would be to side-flank or rear-flank the monsters; he rushed toward the western ridge and successfully was atop it on the same round. He noticed what appeared to be a nest, on the edge of the ridge about mid-way up. Executing precisely the level of stealth and subtlety that Goliaths are known for, he went tromping right up the nest, agitating the four kruthik hatchlings inside it.

(About this time the power goes out and we have to light candles to keep the session going)

Blake employed his Lance of Faith™ ability to obliterate his foes. Unfortunately for him, the kruthiks' reflexes were sufficient to dodge. His faith projectiles landed harmlessly in a couple patches of grass, which consequently shown a little brighter than normal. Besides that, any additional effects on the grass were not tested.

Once again, defining the extreme that is 'dwarfy', Rock attempted to leap across a patch of loose top soil. Floating along the air precisely like a bag of bricks does, he fell short of his mark and fell into a shallow pit. Not satisfied with simply climbing out like the 'other races' would, Rock attempted(twice) to jump out of the five foot pit; he was not successful(twice). Both attempts to jump resulted in Rock's body colliding with the pit wall; the second attempt causing some of the dirt to collapse, providing a steep path out(difficult terrain). Amused by his frustrations, The Gods bestowed a title upon him: Dirt Slayer.

While Lucas contended with the four hatchlings, the adults sprung into action in order to save their offspring. The main party was able to intercept one adult while the other managed to engage Lucas directly. Finally the battle was going in their favor; one of the kruthik adults was close to death and only one hatchling remained. What happened next was really just a blur, but our heroes were victorious and the enemy lay slain upon earth. Don't ask about it; seriously.

----------------------------

How many monster nests need to be cleared before they catch up with the retreating Goblinoid forces?
Will they live to see level 2?
Grilled cheese or Peanut Butter and Jelly?
Will the power hold for our next session?

These questions and more answered next time.