Stone-Hell on the Borderlands Session #12, 9 OCT 2023

 

  As we started this session where we stopped from the previous session with the PCs camping out in the Ghost Beggar Caverns as they have been formerly dubbed. They rested for roughly Eight Hours and I had to make a few rulings on Rest or at least clarify how I view the requirements to recover Hit Points or Spells. I see it that Casters; Divine or Arcane, require Eight hours of Uninterrupted sleep whereas those who do not memorize or pray for spells can divide up their sleep so they can regain Hit Points. Camping in the Dungeon or outdoors limits hit point recovery to a single hit point for eight hours rest.

   While they slept I pre-rolled Ten Hours worth of Random Monster Encounters then judged distance and reaction roll to determine the moods of the critters. Allowing a few d6 drops to hear the sound of distant activity; because it was distant and not nearby plus the party was doing camp stuff at the same time I opted for a simple drop over the Listen at Doors I normally allow, they have a restful downtime and do not detect the activities beyond their range of hearing or observe any stealthy creatures observing them from the shadows. They opt to explore North and loop into the area where Zorrel Gnast laired and whose Armor Benn now wears. Observing the general area formerly occupied by the Bandits and note it has been ransacked and lots of earthenware busted and looted. Who loots coffee cups & bed sheets ? Stonus detects foul reptilian stink coming from the low ceilinged cave passage that slopes downward so they opt to explore it and discover a low ceilinged large cave with its uneven floor dotted with shed scales, dung and bones... lots of bones of various sizes. In the center of the cave a pole with iron rung. It opens into a larger area with regular ceiling and they discover square imprints amongst a dusty cavern floor and lots of booted footprints as well as claw marks of a large creature. 

   They return to the main corridor and make a straight line to the sloping passage where the Bandits fled past a guard room in their last major encounter with them. They find smaller boot and sandal prints in the old bloodstained floor possibly put there when it was freshly spilled and go down to discover a supply room with straw scattered about leading downward a bit still. Obvious barrels had been rolled over the straw to the east. Several crate are open and the party continues forward single file. I roll for some behind the scenes stuff and the odds are defeated by the Groups Innate Dumb Luck & Passive Stealth system. Stonus notes they are going under the corridor leading north from the cave that held all of the stolen merchants wares. All now burnt and destroyed by a funeral pyre that spred.

   Entering into another cave with lots of chain, rope and pulleys among the ceiling they spot a winch and an open large iron grate over an 8' diameter natural chimney of sorts. They hear the rustling of straw and detect a bit of movement in the corners of the rooms near crates but take a few rounds to talk amongst themselves before Stonus approaches the holes and observes it goes down, he is unable to see the bottom. They spend a few more rounds discussing and Stonus lifts up a bucket full of rocks and drops it in the whole listening to the horror of his group members. He turns and says its 150' deep....

   There is some debate about going down the hole but then they take time to look around the crates discovering a half dozen Kobolds who have been hiding in the corners and behind the equipment in the room. They immediately begin to grovel and plead with the party. Ailil the Elf assumes an imperious demeanor and begins to threaten the Kobolds to get information while others debate killing them while they plead for their lives. We play it up for a bit until several are sent away and they allow 4 Kobolds to descend down a rope that hangs down the side of the shaft, two kobolds are forced to stay with the party and accompany them to the main entrance to Stone-Hell.

   They do garner some information from the captured Kobolds that there is a large section of the upper works where they have a lair called Kobold Korners ruled over by Trustee Sniv. There are factions fighting in the Contested Halls between Orc and Goblin with some raiders from below they call 'Reavers' (Berzerkers) and a new faction hiding there and maybe exploring Stone-Hell of former bandits from these caverns who have paid off goblin and orc to leave them alone. The way to Kobold Korners is down the hole and east.

   As they approach the charnel fire chamber where the bodies of many bandits were partially burned they find their Draft Horses & War Horses missing, their wagon covered in feces and urine from the latrine area they had explored but a day before. The Kobolds start to giggle a wee bit. AIlil and another begin to question the Kobolds about if they did this and they simply shrug and look at each other. Benn decides he has had enough of the Kobolds nad attempts to kill one. After a short melee attempt on the two Kobolds lives one escapes in to the night out side of the cavern shouting back "learn to take a joke stoopid tall folk, filthy dorf ! One kobold is killed and left in the hall. They opt to go down the Pulley and back track.

    Descending one at a time and then Daagun descending down the knotted rope they emerge into a Large Mushroom Forest cavern which is faintly illuminated by glowing fungi and lichens. Nearby they find buckets similar to above and farming implements used to harvest the mushrooms for food possibly. the ceiling slopes downward to the south and to the east and they opt to head east amongst the giant fungi. Approaching the east they startle and engage some giant cave locusts killing one and having the other three flee to passage leading away where they hear startled shouting and cussing in Kobold. 

   Trying to approach the passage stealthily they spy upon a dozen Kobolds laying along the length of the Hall with spilled canvas sacks of mushrooms and fungi from the edible forest. Benn's flaming sword illuminates the hall however and the shiny blue rock of these chamber intensifies the white light given off by his sowed and it is sparkling blue. I ask for actions and several party members go into full dialogue but I've rolled reaction and Morale and these Kobolds are not sticking around to listen and they Bolt "They Say they come in Peace, They gonna kill us ! OH noes Run Run RUN !" The Kobolds flee south and the party picks up their spilled mushroom forged food and heads into the hall pursuing the kobolds at a leisurely pace coming upon a section of corridor labeled as territory of the Open Sore Orc Tribe they go south and avoid it. 

    Approaching a chamber ahead they detect a slight groaning sound and dim their lights and notice an approaching red glow that stops. Stonus approaches and encounter several Orc with seeping puss wounds upon their faces and hands, some bandages cover the open wounds. They are carrying a large fire beetle skewered on a pole [I Roll Uncertain] They shout out to each other and Stonus orders them to throw down their arms and surrender [Reroll on the cascading Reaction Chart, Attack] They do not want to surrender and seem angered by the demand of a single Dwarf they can see. Benn draws his flaming blade and enters the chamber and AIlil begins casting a Sleep spell while missile weapons fly over the Dwarf's head. An Orc is wounded and a pustule popped spewing out puss then they fall into a deep slumber.

   The Party is unnerved by the condition of the Orcs and approach cautiously. Doing so they discover Giant Toads munching on Cave Locusts in a side passage from the battle observing while they eat. The ceiling sags and is the source of the groaning sound and there is dripping water. They avoid the Toads and carefully loot the Orcs of their coin pouches. Stonus takes time to inspect he ceiling and Daagun checks out he door to the west finding it swollen and damp. They kill the sleeping orcs and head north avoiding the Open Sore Orc territory and discovering a connection to a previously explored area of Stone-Hell. Returning to the scene of a previous battle with Orcs a room used as a midden heap they come upon another group of 7 orcs. 

    It appears with the absence of Snorri and his Dwarf Cohort the Many Arrow Orcs have reclaimed this room and keep a cautious eye upon the Secret door that leads to the Dwarf Marvel Room. They keep Arrows at the ready and do not immediately engage while the party sizes up in the entry taking several arrows from the other Orc in the chamber as the Orc in front of them shouts for more help from the south. The party rushes in and engage in melee and after several Many Arrow Orcs are slain their moral breaks and they flee. 

 

   We stop our session here and will pick up at this point in two weeks. They have delved into a few areas of the Upper Works of Stone-Hell and gained enough XP from Exploration and Monster Combat that several are 2nd level and one PC is 3rd and chomping at the bit to garner gold and fortune in the depths of Stone-Hell! Combats have been fairly brief and intermittent and while the still unnamed party seems focused on real estate and non dungeon stuff are making a bit of progress when they do actually adventure in the old prison. Lots of chuckles and laughs as I am making this light heartedly grimdark if that makes sense.

Light heartedly Grimdark ... 

   I should proof read 

this

    But my neck

aches 

  Did I mention I like cummings ?

 

#OSR #VintageGaming #SHotB