Dwarf OSE+ Dark Citadel Session #14 (29 NOV 2023)

    We picked up where we left off from last session. In the middle of the Fountain Chamber within the Cursed Temple of Thaneduhr. We had a few technical issues on the start of the game and SEVERAL players were using their phones for Discord. This creates a fair amount of back ground noise in my experience so you have to listen more acutely. 

   As The Brotherhood of Expendable Strangers discussed their next course of actions after saving Redrum from Rot Grub they observer Zorbar the Skeletal Creature they found in an unsealed crypt. "Do not mind me, I am just observing" as he then clasps his skeletal hands together and clicks his bony fingertips together. This leads to a long pause from the players, a very long pause of silence. Gad begins to ask a few questions of it and some are answered, others ignored. Wanting to investigate the Sealed crypts behind him a few players cautiously walk past him while others hesitate, the Retainers are noticeably disturbed by this. They open the next crypt with Gremmin and Redrum's Retainers remaining at the far end of the Hall in the Circular Fountain Chamber. They kick open the Sealed Crypt.

   The Sealed Crypt now open door reveals a skeletal figure in battered Dwarf Plate clutching a worn Battle-Axe and a pristine clean Helm upon its skull . Geoff, Stout Fighter-Loremaster, steps forward cautiously and prods the boot of the remains with his axe. It does not rise. Zebulon removes the Helm and places his upon the skeletal remains of the Dwarf Hero Halgak Stormbane and it tingles as he touches it. They move on to the other crypt where the hall has fallen mostly into the tributary and there is but a 3 foot ledge which is wet with water from the river. Geoff volunteers to open and enter the crypt.

I Rule no more than a single Dwarf character in front of the Door at a time. 

   Several use their Open/Close ability for Loremaster but fail. Gremmin advances past Zorbar to assist leaving the Retainers in the Fountain Room. Entering this forlorn crypt he encounter the skeletal body laying upon the plinth jumps up and is adorned with various gaudy jewelry and the unholy symbol of Abanathor hangs frim his neck. HE leaps to attack and Geoff dispatches him in a mighty single swing. At the same time several other players used this round to enter the room cautiously due to the slippery 3 foot ledge out side the crypt door. The majority of the jewelry once inspected is gaudy faux jewelry but for one ring. It is snatched up and added to the collected loot of the foray.

  I had to make look at the Runic Weapon option I had crafted for Multi-Class Mage which I was using for Loremaster. As the creature was a Coffer corpse and if it had been a mundane weapon it would have risen forcing a Save v Spells for a Fear Effect. Having ruled previously that running characters get no bonus for Shield or DEX while running they also Fail all Ability Checks which would have resulted in all players fleeing the encounter falling into the river in full armor while feared. This would have been ruled automatic drowning as they were swept away to the falls 80 feet downstream, a TPK unknowingly avoided.

   They collect up the loot and head towards the Fountain then onward to the stairs passed earlier after some minor discussion about the store room. They find more crypts and notice Zorbar has followed them at a distance of about 40 feet from the rear of the party. They advance up the steps and find a broken seal crypt revealing a chamber thoroughly sacked in the past with orcish graffiti faded upon the far wall. They move on to another crypt door. Another unsealed room containing broken bones they continue on.

   The next crypt sealed is violated and a corpse in silken clerical robes with a silver headed mace laying next to it, a bundle of cloth opposite side. They cautiously examine the body but while focusing on the corpse which by the way is slightly mummified and not in state of decomposition like the other non animated dead but not preserved as if a Saint. They do not notice the shadowy forms sliding out into the hall where Zebulon and the Retainers maintain an eye upon Zorbar. These Shadows attempt to push the door closed to separate the party but fail their surprise check (5 in 6, Rolled a 6) & then lost initiative, worst Shadows ever. The body is looted of its treasures and the party goes forward to the next Crypt.

   The next crypt is sealed as well and they force themselves into it in due haste making preparation to hurl Alchemist fire just in case. Opening it they are confronted with a wild bearded dwarf with desiccated skin and hellfire green glowing eyes, everyone is Surprised for the First Round as it howls a hellish howl startling all who here it. This combat is tense with a few shattered shields and near misses with the level draining touch of the Wight. The holy Water Sprinkling Flail is wielded by Gremmin and its gentle rain burns the Wight relentlessly while Zebulon hurls vials of Holy Water into the Fray. The creature is hit by multiple Holy Water Vials and the accumulated splash damage plus a single melee hit defeats it. It melts into skeletal remains as its clothing and cloak are wet with holy water. Letting its golden armbands hit the floor with a melodious clank. This combat draws the attention of more Shadows who conceal themselves in the shadow of Zorbar. The vile undead is dispatched and the Shadows are quickly run off after the battle. 

   A scream is heard in the distance.

I modified a Flail in an earlier adventure to allow Holy water to be added to a reservoir which splashes upon a hit in melee for the duration of a melee or can be whirled about to sprinkle Holy water in a 10' Radius dealing splash damage with no to hit roll or save dealing d3 of damage per round for 3 rounds. It is used to great effect this encounter.

   Another few empty crypts are looked in upon and then passed for a sealed crypt which releases yet another Shadow which is dispatched quickly while Geoff replaces his shield. The Brotherhood debates upon their next course of action and head to the guardroom by the bridge that had a door they did not try previously. Forcing it they find a short flight of stairs to a landing by the tributary and a door to a boat house holding smaller rowboats. Gremmin and Geoff inspect a long rope with a weight at its end and determine its a depth finder. We are getting towards the end of our session and folks are getting grumpy. They determine they need the stuff from the store room.

   Returning to the store room by the bridge they notice that now the area beyond the Portcullis is lit by torchlight, it was not before. No one goes forward to investigate. They being moving stuff from the store room into the hall and find it is filled with Casks of Oil, 100 Iron Spikes, 10 waterskins, large metal mirror, empty water barrels, hooded lantern, 12 50' rope and various sundry items which they are trying to figure out how to take it all. A small lever is discovered in the rear of that store room but is not pulled. Shortly however a random patrol of a dozen skeletons show up and a battle in joined, the skeletons are defeated and then a sound is heard across the bridge. Behind them a figure in regal robes over plate glares at them. Their battle has alerted whomever holds the inner sanctums of the Thaneduhr Temple !

  Determining what they can take in a single trip they hear the Portcullis open and a mass of Dwarf zombie stumble forward on to the bridge. The final battle is joined ! Nay, THEY FLEE ! Taking what they can carry in their arms they rush back towards the boats past Zorbar who cackles and calls them COWARDS !

    We end this session with the Brotherhood of Expendable Strangers returning to Axios Landing.

#OSR #OSE #DDC #VintageGaming 

 In Between Session they will discover that despite the Box Car Reaction roll f or Zorbar, he may have not had the best of intentions as the Clerics will be unable to pray for New Spells but retain their current spells memorized, they can use scrolls and turn undead and the Acolyte is unable to use his healing touch after desecrating Dwarf Dead in the temple. A cryptic dream will reveal the need to remove this divine punishment by restoring the temple and breaking this vile Curse ! Recover what was taken and restore them to their proper place to break the Curse !