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

[jeffery st. clair]

I love the write-up! One small edit - Markus is the High Druid, whom you met in Delgrat (his home town, of sorts).

And actually, I'm glad you couldn't write up the first couple of weeks, since GaryCon goers just might wind up signing up to play in the same adventure next March!

[otto von grunwald]

Thanks for the info.

[jeffery st. clair]

Nine players in tonight's game, plus me as DM. What an absolutely great time. Great rolls, horrible rolls, death and mayhem, all in the span of three and a half hours. Jason got some great pictures, and when they're online I'll try to Yoink! some over here. And Jeff should be posting another write-up in a day or two.

Next week Ryan will be running Dragon Age, since for the next two weeks, my Astronomy class meets from 3:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. so we can use the local observatory. I'm not sure who's running what in two weeks, but after that, it's back to AD&D if that's the consensus.

[deogolf]

Thanks, Ken!

Had a fun time last night. It's been entirely too long!

[jeffery st. clair]

I forgot to mention: We were actually missing a player (the monk character). I though it was funny - number of M:tG players in the gaming room = 4. AD&D players and DM = 10. Yeah, we took over!

Also, thanks to Jason for running out and getting some frozen pizzas. Smart idea to be able to cook pizzas in the back of the store. I know they're bad for me, but now I know what's for dinner on Wednesday nights!

[ekimus]

Great game Ken - EVEN THOUGH I DIED! Thanks for running this.

Note to self: Have next character buy a Great Helm to help ward off big rocks falling on head between pointy ears. Or maybe just check for traps next time...;P

[otto von grunwald]

2011-07-06 part 1 of 3(?)

NOTE: I took some creative liberty with the adventure log as there were so many PCs, it was had for me to keep up with the writing and still play. (Corrections may follow.)

Sir Ryan von Krauss, human paladin 2nd
Bagna Catta, halfling thief 1st
Nordis Malec, human m-u 2nd
Lothar Ironwulf, human fighter 1st
Landros, elven ftr./m-u 1st
Thurin, half elf cleric 1st
Buck, half elf ranger 1st
Gorax, dwarf fighter 1st
Xandor Tinks, human druid 1st

Bagna, having been left unconscious on the party's llama outside the dungeon, is awoken by a passing party of adventurers whose cleric healed him. They ask for information concerning the dungeon and Bagna tells them that his party has cleared most of the top level. Some of the adventurers: Landros, Thurin, Buck, and Gorax decide to follow Bagna and join his adventuring party.

After meeting back up with the remainder of the party, who were waiting for the carrion crawler paralysis to wear off, there is discussion as to whether or not to go down the spiral stair or continue on the same level of the dungeon. Thurin suggests finishing the current level to reduce the possibility of something coming up from behind. Nodding and agreement murmured through the rest of the group.

Continuing on through another exit of the Crawler room, Sir Ryan discovers a hallway which curved around and rejoined the northern branch of the four-way intersection we initially explored. Entering the hallway, Bagna was sent forward to check for traps. He found a pit trap about halfway along. He then jammed the pit's mechanism using his thief’s tools allowing the rest of the party to cross safely to the door. Through the door, the party checks the other door opposite.

Behind the door was a room whose floor was covered by glittering coins. The whole party stood cautiously at the door, leery of such an unguarded treasure. Gorax tired of waiting first and moved in to pick up coins. When nothing happened to him, the rest of the party joined in. As the party finished clearing the room, Sir Ryan noticed on his map that there was an anomaly next to this room. The party all searched for secret doors but found none.

Wanting to finish the first level, the party returned over the jammed pit to the crawler room. Trying the last exit at the opposite end of the room, they discovered a long room with some dark green slime around the door and leading off in a trail across to another door. Nordis examined the ceiling, suspicious of more crawlers but saw nothing up or moving in the room. Inside the slime and scattered about the room, are more random coins. Bagna poked the slime with his sword and sniffed it. It smelled acrid. Several party members groaned and warned Bagna not to taste it. He smiled and shrugged then tasted it. Everyone stared at him. Bagna considered the flavor before saying it tasted salty, exhibiting no other ill effects. Gorax again begins to collect the coins from the floor. Once the party moved across the room and had finished gathering the loot, Sir Ryan opened the door at which the green trail ended.

Seven goblin archers, prepared for the party, opened fire on the party as they stood in the doorway. Several arrows hit Lothar, who drops. Other arrows also drop two of Nordis' body guards. Thurin cast a healing spell on Lothar as the rest of the party charge in to engage the archers. The goblins proved formidable foes and while no one else got seriously hurt, it took several rounds to defeat them. After the battle, Sir Ryan used his lay on hands to heal Lothar further. Several party members notice that the green goo from earlier was goblin blood. Meanwhile, Bagna offered to 'ease the passing' of Kug, one of Nordis' body guards. Thurin considers using his last healing spell on Kug versus saving it for another party member later. As Thurin considers this, Nordis is striping Kug's equipment off his body to give to other PCs. Sir Ryan told Bagna not to touch Kug and that the party should take him to a healer in town. While the party talked, Kug died.

The party then checked the room for other treasure and secret doors, etc. but found nothing.

[deogolf]

Where's the rest of the story??

[otto von grunwald]

part 2

Having found nothing in the goblin archer room, the party quickly moved on though the only other exit. They again found a line of archers, this time hobgoblins, waiting for them. Having suffered the slings and arrows of the goblins only a few minutes prior, the party reacted more quickly and only Buck received a wound which was minor. Following Landor and Buck’s return arrows, the rest of the party (except Nordis) charged the hobgoblin squad and made quick work of all but one of them. The last hobgoblin, knowing he was surrounded and not getting out alive, fell on his sword.

In the rear of this room the party found a large pile of smelly, tattered robes and clothes. Nordis said, “Yea!” and began collecting as much as he could of them in his pack, much to the wonderment of the party. Thurin cast his second healing spell on Gorax who had been wounded in the hobgoblin battle. Once healed, Gorax stepped up to the rag pile and raised his battle ax to strike it just as Nordis dodged out of the way. Gorax’s ax landed with a solid thunk. Sir Ryan moved a few more rags away and found a large wooded chest. The ax blow had damaged the lid, revealing several hundreds of gold pieces with a silver bracelet mixed among them. Nordis cast Detect Magic and could see the bracelet glowing. The rest of the party stood by watching, then Lothar asked Nordis, “Well? Is it magical?” “Yes.” answered Nordis. Gorax asked the magic-user for the bracelet to try it on. Nothing happened. Nordis took it back and tried it on himself realizing it expanded his ability to remember spells and informed the party of this. Several party members made the case that Landor should have it as he needed to be able to cast more combat magic, being a Fighter/M-U, so Nordis agreed and gave it to Landor.

This was the last room on the first level of the dungeon, so the party returned to the spiral staircase and went down it. It lead to a hewn passage/natural cave tunnel extending past the limit of Nordis’ lantern. The passage ended some way down in a large, roughly circular, empty chamber with five other passages radiating out of it. Sir Ryan offered that they start with the first passage on their left entering the chamber. Everyone quickly agreed and began moving down the first tunnel. Ten steps or so down the tunnel, the party heard a loud growl/roar and a feathered, beaked bear-like creature lumbered out of the darkness ahead to attack Bagna who falls after receiving a claw and bite wound. The fighters all landed substantial hits on it and it fell before doing anymore damage to the party. Thurin and Sir Ryan were both out of healing magic so the party members took turns carrying Bagna’s unconscious body. The passage ended in another large chamber.

The lair of the owl/bear creature contained two bodies of dead adventurers who were partially eaten. Judging by the bits of equipment on the bodies, they had been a M-U and a cleric. Thurin found a mace and holy symbol on the cleric and a spell book as well as several mundane items on the M-U. While Nordis checked the spell book, Landros investigated the cleric further and found a small bag of gems under the armor on the body. Nordis listed the spells he understood in the book as: Light, Detect Magic, Shocking Grasp, Sleep, Identify, Message, Push, Pyrotechnics, Wizard Lock, ESP, and Darkness 15’r. Buck was chosen to carry the book back to town so the party could sell it once the two M-Us have scribed the spells into their respective spell books. The party then returned to the main chamber and began heading down the next passage of the five.

Ten or twenty steps down the second passage and the party could see a faint red glowing from far ahead. Thurin and Landros decided to move up and use their infravision. They discovered a large chamber at the end of this tunnel. They also found the glow was caused by four dog-sized fire beetles which immediately came in for the attack. Thurin shouted back to the party, “Beetles!” As the party came up, Thurin was hit on his leg and Nordis cast his magic missile, wounding a fire beetle. Within a round or two of fighting, Xander, Gorax, Sir Ryan and Buck had managed to kill the four beetles. A search of this cavern found another dead adventurer who possessed a “beautiful sword” and a coffer containing eight identical potions. The party decided that Landros should take the presumably magical sword and everyone took a potion from the box. Nordis gave his potion to Kug, who is revived by it. Lothar gave one of the potions to Bagna who is similarly healed. While this was going on, Landros began cutting the light glands from the beetles to use as a light source saving the party’s oil flasks and torches. Then the party returned to the main chamber as this was another dead end.

<part 3 tomorrow night>

[otto von grunwald]

part 3

The third passage was very similar to the previous two except 15 or so steps down, the party failed to notice a trip wire and triggered a rock fall trap. Nordis, Landros and Thurin all took damage from the trap. As the dust settled and the party got the lantern relit, they found that Landros had been killed by a boulder. The group stood stunned for several moments before deciding that they should divide Landros' magic items. Nordis took the bracelet since only he could use it and the sword was given to Lothar. Buck took the rest of Landros' arrows as well as his healing potion. Thurin created a make shift cairn and buried Landros. The tunnel continued to a y-intersection. The left branch took the party to a chamber holding only a large levitating scroll. Nordis walked up and grabbed it. Cautiously, he opened it and read, "Sometimes pulls, never push; Sometimes blue, never sad; Sometimes full, never hungry". Xander said, "It's a riddle." Thurin quickly added, "The Moon." Instantly, a small wooden box appeared in Thurin's hands as the scroll vanished. Thurin slowly opened the box facing away from the party, just in case. When nothing happened, he turned it back around to see four red pills inside. He closed the box just as Bagna was reaching out to grab and swallow one. Thurin told him, "These might be useful later.", and placed the box in his pack. Finding nothing else, the party explored the other branch of the y-intersection.

This tunnel contained an adventurer's corpse who appeared to have been killed in a rock fall but there was no evidence of another trap here. Buck suggested that the body must have been moved after being killed. Gorax examined the corpse and found a set of thief's tools and a scroll her couldn't comprehend. Nordis took a look at it and saw the titles of several spells: Sleep, Burning Hands, and Web. He placed it in his pack. The tunnel then ended in a large rock fall. The party returned to the main chamber once more.

The fourth passage wound along for 20 steps or so before the party crossed another trip wire and rock fall trap. This time Sir Ryan, Xander, Thurin, Buck, Gorax, and Bagna all took hits. As the dust settled, Bagna was found to be killed. Thurin made a simple cairn grave for the halfling before the party continued. Quiet and grim, the party entered the chamber at the end of the tunnel and discovered another floating scroll. Nordis read it, "Forward I'm heavy, backward I'm not." The party's thoughts were unsettled from the rapid loss of two members and while Lothar suggested the word 'heavy' as the answer, no one came up with correct one. After several minutes of thought, Xander came up with 'ton' as the answer. He was rewarded with the knowledge that Thurin's pills were powerful healing boluses.

The final passage lead the party to a chamber with six kobolds standing abreast with unsheathed, glowing daggers. Xander quickly drank a healing potion and Sir Ryan took one of Thurin's red pills before entering the room. Nordis tossed two small missile beads from his necklace of missiles and the resulting explosion killed three kobolds and wounded the other three. Buck then dropped one with a bow shot, and Sir Ryan charged in with the other fighters and killed the other two. Everyone except Thurin took a glowing dagger.

(Play ended here for the session)

[deogolf]

Lothar the Scribe had done well!!

[otto von grunwald]

Ack! Didn't make tonight's session because my daughters got head lice. Who the hell gets head lice any more?!

Anyway, I came home from work to find the whole house in the laundry and my wife using that comb thingy on my youngest as the other two sat waiting their turn...5 hours later and I'm still doing laundry and she's just finishing combing the oldest's head.

The bright side is our regular campaign is on a two week hiatus starting this week, the down side is I did want to try Ryan's d6 Dragon Age game. (I loves me some d6)

-Otto

UPDATE: We decided to have a professional come out to check everyone over just in case. Good News=She found some we'd missed and got rid of them. Bad News=$300 for just over 2 hours of work. /Sound_of_wallet_hemorrhaging.

[deogolf]

Ack! Didn't make tonight's session because my daughters got head lice. Who the hell gets head lice any more?!

Anyway, I came home from work to find the whole house in the laundry and my wife using that comb thingy on my youngest as the other two sat waiting their turn...5 hours later and I'm still doing laundry and she's just finishing combing the oldest's head.

The bright side is our regular campaign is on a two week hiatus starting this week, the down side is I did want to try Ryan's d6 Dragon Age game. (I loves me some d6)

-Otto

I didn't make it either. Rhianna (our oldest) just got braces yesterday, so we decided to take it easy and watch Dr. Who - the three parter featuring the Master at the end of Season 3.

[aplus]

I hope to be able to make it again on the 27th. Sounds like you guys had a ton of fun without me. Perhaps you will have to start giving rations as treasure so Bagna (or his replacement PC) can stop eating all the poop, slimes, and pills!

- Seppo the Sanctimonious Monk

[otto von grunwald]

I plan on being there too. Any idea what we'll be playing?

[deogolf]

I hope to be able to make it again on the 27th. Sounds like you guys had a ton of fun without me. Perhaps you will have to start giving rations as treasure so Bagna (or his replacement PC) can stop eating all the poop, slimes, and pills!

- Seppo the Sanctimonious Monk

No healing pills for you, poop eater!!

[deogolf]

I plan on being there too. Any idea what we'll be playing?

I think Ken will be running his campaign again, I think.

I won't be making tonight - the weather and family matters.

I'm open to whatever, otherwise.

[jeffery st. clair]

Yep. From the 27th on, I'm good running AD&D for a good long while.

[ekimus]

I'll be able to make it 0n the 27th with a brand new Elf Thief or Human Cleric, depending on what we need the most. I'll be on vacation with the family the following week though.

[otto von grunwald]

Well, I tried to go but there was some big accident on the highway toward LG and the whole road was blocked off. After going only about 4 miles in an hour, I turned back for home. It would have been 8 by the time I got there. Damn.

[deogolf]

Well, I tried to go but there was some big accident on the highway toward LG and the whole road was blocked off. After going only about 4 miles in an hour, I turned back for home. It would have been 8 by the time I got there. Damn.

Steve and I ran into something similar a couple of weeks ago, although not nearly as bad. Looking forward to next week!

[jeffery st. clair]

I hope the turnout is as good as the last session - here's a picture from the last D&D game (including the back of your DM's head):

[jeffery st. clair]

Running another AD&D game tonight (very appropriate, I think).

Something I put together in the motivational poster thread.

[jeffery st. clair]

Here's the AD&D gang having one for Gary on his birthday....

[deogolf]

Here's the AD&D gang having one for Gary on his birthday....

Had a great time last night! Can't think of a better way to honor Gary than a night of gaming with friends, new and old!