Wednesday night D&D/AD&D group starting at Lake Geneva Games

[jeffery st. clair]

Can't wait for the write-up of the Star Frontiers finale!

[osarious]

Miss reading the write ups......

[jeffery st. clair]

Our scribes went through a bit of burnout (myself included) trying to keep notes on a party of 9-12 characters each week. With luck, we'll get the record going again soon.

[osarious]

Our scribes went through a bit of burnout (myself included) trying to keep notes on a party of 9-12 characters each week. With luck, we'll get the record going again soon.

Well?.......I'm waiting........

[jeffery st. clair]

Nobody wanted to restart in the middle of our latest epic adventure. This week is a new start, so hopefully we'll restart the logs as well.

[jeffery st. clair]

This isn't very timely, but here's what we've been up to:


Wednesday’s recap (August 1st), by your as-always mnemonically-challenged DM:

Dramatis Personae:

Liliana, Gnome Illusionist
Havek, Half-Orc Fighter
Nova, Elven Thief
Sir Ryan, Human Paladin
Kivick, Human Monk
Telegar, Human Fighter
Rayn, Human Magic-User
Tom, Human Illusionist
(Dernum?), Dwarven Fighter
Draven, Elven Ranger
Darin the Fun, Human Cleric
Trinity, Human Fighter
Otto, Human Ranger

At the start of this evening, our heroes were well-rested and enjoying their newest items, weapons and spells, purchased with the wealth gleaned from the lair of Ungoth. (Even the monk, wearing his Ring of Delusion, was quite happy about his latest Wish.)

A message arrived for Darin the Fun, Cleric of Dionysus. Simon, a young acolyte of his acquaintance, was building a small temple to Dionysus in his nearby village, and asked Darin to help with consecrating the new edifice. The next day, the party started their journey to the village; arriving a few days later, they were greeted by most unfortunate news. The region’s most respected ranger, Plonius, had murdered Simon in cold blood, and in front of witnesses to boot, before fleeing away from civilization. The party rangers examined the scene of the crime while Darin accompanied Simon’s father to where the body lay. Other party members questioned the villagers, and rather than getting solid answers, it seemed that every question led to more questions.

Darin used a Speak With Dead spell to communicate with Simon’s soul, which told Darin that Simon noticed Plonius wearing a holy symbol to Pestula, goddess of pestilence and death. When Simon questioned the good ranger, he was cut down by Plonius with a spell of decay, succumbing in mere moments. This only happened two days prior, so the party regrouped, and began tracking the fleeing ranger.

Soon the rangers realized that as Plonius fled he cared nothing for hiding his tracks, nor even looked for the best route to take. They also realized he was not making camp along the way, and therefore the party could not make up any distance on the fleeing murderer.

During the second night of camping, the midnight sentries heard the flapping of numerous small wings, and were able to wake several folks in time to defend themselves against nearly twenty stirges. Although three of the characters took moderate damage, soon the party eliminated the stirge threat and healed them, going back to sleep for the rest of the night.

The next day the party was interrupted in their pursuit by a group of suicidal gnolls, who mistakenly thought that they would have no trouble winning an equal-numbered fight. Though they had the height and reach advantage over the party, the skill advantage made the difference, as the specialized fighters took many more attacks against the gnolls, who were cut down quickly.

Two days later, as the group followed the trail into elven lands, a group of elven rangers stopped them, asking why they were pursuing Plonius so intently. When the party relayed the events of the recent past, and their suspicions about the ranger Plonius, they were allowed to continue, as Plonius had refused to speak to the elves as he passed through, which was very uncharacteristic for him.


(The group ended play here for the night.)


Wednesday’s recap (August 8th), by your as-always mnemonically-challenged DM:

Dramatis Personae:

Telegar, Human Fighter
Rayn, Human Magic-User
Tom, Human Illusionist
Draven, Elven Ranger
Darin the Fun, Human Cleric
Trinity, Human Fighter
Otto, Human Ranger
Rom, Elven Thief


As our stalwart band continued their pursuit of the murderer Plonius, they encountered a large swamp. Here, for the first time, their quarry’s trail diverted from its straight path, skirting the swamp. Following, the party saw some dragonflies buzzing nearby, but soon they realized that the dragonflies were the giant variety, and the group readied for combat.

The dragonflies proved extremely difficult to hit, but once Rayn’s Magic Missiles did considerable damage, the fighters tried the unusual strategy of dragging them down, or even hopping on board for the wildest ride of their lives. Under the weight of humans and elves, three of the dragonflies were soon dispatched, though Trinity’s attempt to ride a dragonfly ended with her sailing head-over-heels into the swampy water with a splash. Eventually the dragonflies were killed, and the group moved on, soon exiting the swamp, to their relief.

After quite a chase, the group finally caught up to Plonius. Unfortunately, he was dead at the scene of a large battle, the holy symbol of Pestula gone. Darin’s Speak with Dead spell gave the party proof that the ranger had no knowledge of the murder, and was in fact, dead even as his body continued to breathe and act under some unknown control. However, the rangers picked up the trail leaving the battle site, continuing in that straight line. The trail took them to a large valley filled with trees, where they spotted a rope, fastened tight and heading down a cliff down into the valley. Although there was a gentler descent nearby, the group followed the trail over the cliff.

As the party descended the cliff, it was attacked by an air elemental. Tom took the worst of it, as he was attacked while on the rope and was knocked about thirty feet to the ground, landing heavily. Damage from Otto’s magical arrows forced the elemental to attack the ranger on the ground, where the other fighters were able to pile on the damage. Tom staggered clear as Rayn’s and Darin’s spells added more damage, and soon, though some of the party was scuffed up a bit (Tom, a bit more than most), the elemental was defeated.

The trail continued into the trees, so the group continued. About a half-mile from the cliff, a gigantic spider dropped in on the party, looking for a meal. Unfortunately for the spider, it had chosen poorly, and before it could do more than snap once at a well-armored fighter, arrows and blades and Magic Missiles and a maul sliced, smashed, and otherwise turned the spider into an inert pile of legs and goo.

Continuing on, the party discovered that the trail ended at a stone building at the center of the valley. As the party approached the entrance a booming voice warned them away, or, “You will be made one with the earth.” Rayn and Telegar advanced anyway, and two nearby trees came to life, swinging their huge limbs at the pair. Telegar was able to roll with the blow and escape back to the others, but Rayn was hit not once, but twice, and the second blow ended Rayn’s life with a resounding CRACK!

The rest of the party stayed back, and was able to talk to the treant, asking who lived inside. The treant told the party that the Druid known as Drake entered his home a while ago. The party again relayed their suspicions about Drake’s mental state, so the treant called the Druid. After no response, the treant allowed the party to go in and find out why he didn’t answer. Before entering, Darin the Fun read one of the party’s new Raise Dead scrolls for Rayn, and she soon was mobile again.

The group entered the druid’s home, and found a secret door leading from the main chamber. What lay beyond would have to wait until the next game.


(Play ended here for the evening.)


Wednesday’s recap (August 15th), by your as-always mnemonically-challenged DM:

Dramatis Personae:

Nova, Elven Thief
Sir Ryan, Human Paladin
Kivick, Human Monk
Telegar, Human Fighter
Rayn, Human Magic-User
Tom, Human Illusionist
Rom, Elven Thief
Otto, Human Ranger


The party started by opening the secret door discovered the week before, which led to a circular shaft leading down, with rusty iron rungs down one side. There was also warmth coming from below. Otto noticed that someone had used the rungs somewhat recently, so the party headed down, emerging into a circular chamber with an earth elemental, ready to attack. The elemental was able to smash several party members again and again, knocking some down to single digits before the party could finish the creature. Proceeding more carefully, the party found another, wider shaft with a pit of flames at the bottom. The adventurers looked at each other knowingly, descending carefully to another landing. Avoiding the pit, they made the fire elemental within come out to play, which it did. Throwing flames at Rayn as she hovered on the magic carpet, the elemental began wading through the party. The magic-user soon responded with Magic Missiles before flying back out of reach. Meanwhile, the fighters and thief attacked with magic weapons as the monk avoided the attacks of the fire elemental. After another well-fought melee, another elemental was dead.

The group now assumed, as they reached a room filled with a few feet of scummy, disgusting water, that a water elemental would appear next. However, a putrid creature, perhaps a mutant shambling mound, stood up to its full 20-foot height, reaching at the party with a pair of nauseating tentacles. As the party attacked the slimy creature, all their weapons slid or bounced off the creature, doing little damage. Only Rayn’s Magic Missiles had their full effect. The creature scored two tentacle hits on a still-wounded Telegar, and his face turned ashen grey as his body fell with a splash into the fetid water. The group continued to hammer away, and Rayn, staying clear, kept peppering the beast with Magic Missiles as Otto kept firing arrows. Finally, after another character nearly met its end, the party emerged victorious. Darin again read a Raise Dead scroll, bringing Telegar back to life.

Beyond the chamber of the huge shambling mound, the party discovered a stone cairn, broken apart. Although the party could not tell what had lain here, they knew that it took immense power to get it free from its solid stone box. An inscription on the wall seemed to explain things, but it was in a strange language. Using the thief’s read languages skill and some fine decoding, the party finally translated the message.

A powerful artifact of evil had been placed there long ago, protected by guardians to keep it safe. Until now, those safeguards had been enough. However, the artifact was now free, and in the hands of an unknown person. The party quickly made its way back to civilization to speak with the sages and high clerics.

The sages knew of a tome secreted away many years ago, that might shed more light on the matter. Today the once-beautiful shrine, teeming with undead, would hopefully give up the answers that the party sought out, along with treasures and riches rumored to be within. The party set out after resting and buying new equipment. Upon arriving, the party began exploring the shrine, soon running into a nasty group of barrow corpses. These foul undead were soon dispatched, but not before Sir Ryan took a nasty wound, feeling some of his life energy drain away. Unable to do anything about that, the party continued on. The party later encountered a group of creepy, undead children (nicknamed Rabie Babies by the party) and then some ghouls, but it was nothing the party couldn’t handle. During their exploration, the group found two treasure chests loaded with coins and gems, but Tom was able to detect that both were illusions in otherwise empty rooms. Disappointed, the party moved on, continuing its search for real treasures.


(Play ended here for the evening.)

[jeffery st. clair]

As always, anyone who wishes to join us for an evening of AD&D is more than welcome! We play every Wednesday, and this month, on the 29th we will be playing Star Frontiers.

[Taurusrayn]

SO good to see our adventures posted on here again! Thank you very much. I can't wait to see how this one turns out... if I get to live through it that is!

[jeffery st. clair]

Wednesday’s recap (August 22nd), by your as-always mnemonically-challenged DM:

Dramatis Personae:

Darin the Fun, Human Cleric
Havek, Half-Orc Fighter
Kivick, Human Monk
Nova, Elven Thief
Otto, Human Ranger
Rayn, Human Magic-User
Sir Ryan, Human Paladin
Telegar, Human Fighter
Tom, Human Illusionist
Trinity, Human Fighter

Disappointed by the illusionary wealth they had discovered, the party continued exploring the ancient passages and rooms. The group opened a door which led from a worked passage into a large, natural cavern, covered with bones and rusted weapons and bits of armor. The party scanned the carnage for any valuables, but before they had time to really examine the scene, four tall, gaunt humanoids with skeletal features and twisted horns emerged from an unseen alcove. The creatures readied for battle immediately, so the party did the same.

Two of the creatures, known as Zuul-Koar, began casting spells, as the third advanced to melee with the party. The fourth called out, “Rise, my children!” and just then, four wights began assembling themselves from the bits and pieces scattered across the floor. Otto shot one of the casters, interrupting its spell, as the other party members advanced, smashing and slicing the creatures, and Rayn began peppering the creatures with spells of her own. Darin Turned two of the wights before they could attack the party, but the other two readied tooth and nail. Although the party tried their best, the second caster finished its Death spell (!) and Telegar and Kivick promptly dropped dead. Trinity took a hit from the meleeing Zuul-Koar, receiving minimal damage, but she also felt some of her life energy drain away. The party concentrated its damage on the Zuul-Koar that cast Death, smashing it into oblivion.

Following the loss of one of their own, two of the Zuul-Koar brought wights into the fight, while the third tried to drain more life energy from the party. The party continued to slam home every attack, as Darin Turned all of the newly-formed wights and Rayn continued her spell assault. Soon another of the foul Zuul-Koar fell, but Havek lost an experience level in return. Darin kept Turning the lesser undead as fast as the Zuul-Koar could summon them, and fortunately, the party prevented the Zuul-Koar from casting Death again.

Finally the remaining Zuul-Koar and lesser undead were destroyed, although many of the party had lost an experience level in the process. Darin successfully Raised Telegar and Kivick, using the last of his scrolls to do so. Since there was still nothing to be done about the party’s lost levels, the group examined the entire chamber, finding an immense treasure trove. It was here that the party also discovered the tome they were searching for. They loaded up with as much as they could carry, and realizing that there was still much to be explored here, the party exited the ancient shrine and made camp nearby, resting and healing before re-entering the place.

As they explored the party ran into more “Rabie Babies”TM and several skeletons, but nothing too taxing until they reached a large octagonal room. Its original function long forgotten, the room was now home to three strange beings. Each resembled a large floating eye, about a foot across, with numerous tentacles of various lengths hanging below. As the party entered, watching carefully, they realized they were getting sleepy. Some of the party was able to shake off the effect, but others felt a heavy lethargy settling in. Soon the oculethes, as they are known, started lashing the party with their tentacles as they started falling asleep. Fortunately, the alert members of the party were able to defeat the creatures after a short yet vicious battle.

After exploring a bit further, the party realized they need not explore the rest of the shrine in detail, as the tome they needed was already theirs. They returned to town, where Sir Ryan was the first to pay the clerics for a Restoration spell – he would not be the only one. The party rested and examined the tome, which detailed the rise of the Cult of Pestula, chronicled her High Priest Melengar, and spoke of an artifact called the Rod of Ruin. Armed with a great deal of information, the party prepared for whatever adversities lay ahead.

[Aaezil]

Hi!

Looking forward to joining the party and being a member of Lake Geneva AD&D once again!

Sincerely,
Will

-Aaezil

[otto von grunwald]

"Right! One Melengar stew coming right up!"

[Dr. Awde]

By the power invested in me, I COMMAND THIS THREAD TO LIIIIIIVE!

Looking forward to playing next week.

[jeffery st. clair]

Awright - so one of our past scribes has agreed to do it again (foolish mortal!). Onward!

[smokin]

Although I cannot commit to jumping in the game, unless something special is planned, I would like to come and see the LG Games Club on the Wedns before the con, at least to window shop and support the local scene with possible purchases. Will there be a way to do that?

[jeffery st. clair]

Well, we'll be playing that Wednesday AFAIK, and Jason stays open till 9:00 p.m officially, but he graciously lets us play till 10:00 p.m. Anyone is welcome to jump in - we get things going about 6:30 rolling up characters for new folks and such, so by 7:00 we're off and running. Jason half-jokes that after 9:00, you may not get the fastest service if you try to buy something while he's closed.

He does have quite the selection of board games and card games. If you can't find anything there to buy, you're just not looking hard enough....

[smokin]

Is it far? Any of you other out-of-towners gonna try and make it?

[jeffery st. clair]

Lake Geneva Games is actually closer to the Lodge than Wal-Mart and Walgreens (if you were gonna make a run for stuff there).

[Kestrel]

You all playing tonight? I might try to make it.

[jeffery st. clair]

I myself can't make it tonight, but another of our stalwart DMs is running AD&D in my absence.

[jeffery st. clair]

I realize that we've pretty much abandoned posting our weekly recaps, so to anyone who enjoyed reading them, I apologize. If we ever find another scribe with the time to keep our journal and post it online, we will resume them. But I'm posting tonight because even though you can't read what's been happening, quite a lot has been going on in the LGG group. Even as gamers drift in and out of the group, the group has grown too large for one DM - just before GaryCon, Chris broke my table record with 15 players at the table. We realized to keep things fun for all it was time to implement two DMs, especially as the new players' characters can't hang with the veterans, and nobody wants to deprive them of the joys of getting killed as they learn the game, right? Actually, in some of the pictures you'll see a whiteboard on the right-hand wall. It is filled with the names of the characters who have died since we started the group almost two years ago. Almost nobody in the group was immune to having one of their characters die at least once!

Anyone who wants to join in is more than welcome. We play AD&D every week, and I will continue to run Star Frontiers on the last Wednesday of the month for our die-hard Star Frontiers players. However, don't be too surprised if you stop by and I'm running a Mazes and Minotaurs game every once in a while. Some of us have even talked about setting the RPGs aside for a night and pulling out a stack of board games, although when we might do that hasn't been discussed yet.


The gang some time back...



Another week...



Deogolf (third from the left) and his Thursday Night Harvesters group, which ran its course, but may resume in the future (Chris our co-DM is in the center)...



Some more pictures, first from one of our Star Frontiers games...





Then more AD&D...







And Chris's AD&D group in one room...



and me running Star Frontiers in the RPG nook (AKA the storage room in the back!)...

[mark]

Great pics!

[mark]

And now that I am in Lake Geneva, perhaps I will manage to be in some of the pics in the future!