Stone-Hell on the Borderlands Session #6, 3 JULY 2023

 

   Having recruited two players I was expecting a total five for this evening but with a stomach bug & family obligations for the Fourth of July Holiday weekend we had our usual Tree Suspects in the line up looking guilty of, something. I have decided to mirror of the Sun versus our hot weather lately as well as our Independence Day Celebrations and posted in my Discord Server that there was an unusual amount of folks within the Keep. IN our threads for various merchants there were "discounts" and introduced a rival group of adventurers consisting of a Pair of Halfling and another pair of Half-Elf calling themselves the Knights of the Dawn. Local rumors had pointed the Party towards the Sewers again and the annual blessings of the Well and Sewer Grates were scheduled for this game day as well. Cinnamon had her Candied Apples and the party debated the idea of heading down into the Sewers to investigate this "Old Grey Stinker" story voiced by many in the town of an unusually large Rate. Jeri the Druid debated against this as he preferred not to get into the stink as it were and had talked to the local cats that it was just a large mean rat. HE also approached Cinnamon about becoming an aspiring Druidess.

 [Either by omission or forgetfulness the Giant Snake that prowls the Sewers was not mentioned nor that the cats said 'as large as a pony giant rat'. The Reaction Roll for Cinnamon was a 9, Offer Accepted and I had already mentally applied a +1 making it a 10  based on previous NPC interactions. This is where a few notes in a notebook or on a notecard for your campaign comes in handy tracking those previous successful interactions & rolls]

   The party does not take advantage of the local discounts nor interacts with NPCs to follow up on the small three man group of young adventurers which had been seen with Stefan the Jewel Merchant. They head to the mid point where they normally rest and using the tools garnered from the Ruined Gatehouse spend an entire day making Bush-Craft Shelter. Moving on the next day the Druid forages and gains food for the party as they go and there are no encounters. 

[5 or 6 repeatedly on the locations that would be in the threat zone for Wandering Monster Checks ]

   After getting to the mouth of the Military road that leads through the March they discover a cart with a broken wheel not there previously, inspection reveals blood stains up on the grass nearby and upon the seat but no discernable tracks so they camp and yet again 5 for wandering Monster Check and sweet sleep is attained. They travel through the Marsh upon the Old Military Road in the shadow of Gibbets and upon entering the Valley of Stone- Hell travel through the Center of the Ruined Gate House then go south towards the Bear Cave. Jeri the Druid prompts they should inspect "Old Coal's Lair".

[Entering the Valley I roll another 6 for Wandering Monster Checks, sheesh]

   They inspect the save and discover Old Coal is "Not in Lair" and only find a broken Dwarf Skull & Copper Coins for their troubles. They head off towards the Western Section of hte Valley and I roll no Wandering Monsters, No creatures in certain areas and they inspect the entry to Stone-Hel again discovering a small bucket of brackish water near where graffitti has been scrubbed away in the hall and in the main area where the stairs are located. They take the time to read them this time: "Wine kills green slime", "Clean Up Stoopid Humies !", "Take Out Your Dung Tall Folk !" as well as "While not every game of chance in Stone-Hell
is rigged, bet with caution" are read. More graffiti is in the rear of the Chamber but hte party descends into the Darkness.

[I roll upon entry to a level and then on the time keeping I have set or the published material has set for Wandering Checks and you guessed it, 5]

   They check the Map so far revealed and head to the South-East and as they go througha short section of Corridor the Dwarf Duo trigger a trap and fall 10 foot for standard d6 Damage, a Max 6 is rolled and both Dwarf are seriously injured mid way into our session and 5 minutes into the depths ! Jeri does not fall into the Pit as they have taken up him being 15 to 40 foot behind the Dwarf as they explore in front with their Darkvision. As Jeri shines light into the Pit they find Kobold Graffiti at the bottom on the Wall "Watch Your Step ! HaHaHaHa (SMiley Face with a cracked skull). Stonus leaves a message with his bit of Flame Chalk and they climb up via rope to Jeri. We note Jeri is Barefoot in the dungeon while Stonus and Gottri were iron shod leather boots. They discover a corridor heading North and South just past the Pit Tap and head North.

   Finding a stout swollen door they listen, hear nothing and pause to take sips of a Potion of Extra-Healing founds in the Upper areas, I allow three quaffs at a diminished bit of healing and they both pass it back and forth depleting it. The door is forced and a ruined barracks of some sorts is discovered, then searched. A Wandering Monster check is made and a group of Zombies stumble into the room from behind the party and a battle is joined. It is short but damage is spread amongst the party in paltry amounts but he undead horrors are defeated. They take their one turn rest required after combat then search the corpses finding nothing then drag the bodies to the pit tossing them down on two new zombie occupants who stop moving after about four dismembered zombies are piled upon them, they head south and discover a Stout Wooden Door with Dwarf Embellishments made of Iron and Brass.

[Both Listen at Door Checks are Failed and they only Hear Jeri who is currently asking a few questions in discord so we say he is talking in the Hall as well]

   The Door is attempted forced open and upon the Second attempt it opens and the Partee is greeted by a group of Dwarf pointing Crossbows at them. 

[A Monster Reaction is rolled and its an 11.]

   The Dwarfs demand the group keep their hands where they can see them and then broad grins come across their faces and the crossbows are lowered. The Dwarf Duo begins talking to the Dwarfs in this rather magnificently decorated chamber !  All conversation is in the Dwarf Tongue and Jeri is invited to join in the room after a few rounds but the Dwarf here continue to speak in Dwarf Tongue over Common. They meet Snorri Broadshoulders a Dwarf from a larger Dwarf settlement far away here to investigate the Dwarf Architecture of those of their brethren imprisoned here by the Mad Potentate so many years ago. Snorri wouldpay for excort to these locations. Another Quest will be added to the Players Sheets shortly for BOnus XP & Gold ! 

   It is proposed that they join forces to explore and Snorri informs the Party if that is done then it will be under his leadership and direction, the Party declines this offer immediately. However Snorri proposes that if the unnamed party of adventurers discover anymore works of Dwarf Architecture to contact hem either here, or at their camp north of the Ruined Gate House 1 1/2 mile where it narrows by the Marsh they have a cavernous camp, another positive roll made in private reveals an amiable sense of kinship. They can rest in their temporary digs and free up another pair of Snorri's guards to come here and the extra numbers provide extra security. Hand Shakes and wine is shared then the Party heads south to explore. Snorri and his Dwarf guards warn of Orcs and goblins to the South .

   Heading south they discover two intersection and at the first one there is foul odor form the East and silence to the West so they travel east into a room full of bones, offal and dung. Large Rats are seen in the mess and a Monster Reaction Roll is made and another 11 is Rolled. They simply gather at the Dwarf ankles and rub up against them begging for food like stinky mangy cats instead of large rodents. Jeri approaches the scene and casts Speak with Animals, one of the Rats has a collar with a brass tag which says "Precious". After some discussion it is discovered there is a lair of Were Rats on the third level of the Dungeon and Orcs are down the Hall leaving this chamber. Both Dwarf and Orc have been using this room as a refuse pit and that Kobolds pack off dead bodies rather than leave them to the Rats or to Rot. The Dwarf Duo want to go kill Orcs !

   Heading down the hall with the light with Jeri in the refuse room they find an Orc Guard Rooms complete with large Gong on the Eastern all and a make shift wall of rubble and refuse in the middle of the room behind which are Orcs with Bows, there are a total of seven Orc in the room. They decide to try an pull the Orc down the hall towards the refuse room.

[ I Use Monster Morale as a measure of discipline as well. I roll and check to see if the Orc fall for the ploy and they make their morale so they do not]

   Dwarf Duo fall back, Orcs step over and fire their arrows down the Hall wounding Gottri. The next round they exchange missile fire and upon killing two Orc a loud Gong sounds from the room as well. Our Dwarf Duo backed by Jeri using a Sling behind them now rush to engage and a general melee ensues, they are outnumbered and expect the Orcs to get reinforcements soon. Jeri uses alchemists Fires on the Ceiling and severely wounds with splash damage the Orc reinforcements as they enter the chamber as well as a larger Orc wielding a Battle-Axe. This battle is tense with several small wounds inflicted upon Gottri and Stonus but they fell several Orcs. Morale Check after first casualty resulted in them holding and continuing to fight however. The Dwarf Send Jeri to get hep from Snorri and his guards !

  Falling back to the Room of Dwarf Masterful Architecture Jeri blurts out in Common their need for aid in the room to the South and Rolls a NPC Reaction Roll of ... 11 ! Snorri moves to the South East Corner and opens up a Secret Door sending his Guards through to Flank the Orcs ! After a volley of Crossbow bolts the Orcs break Morale and Flee South !

   The Squeeing retreat is Loud and Obnoxious ! some small piles of dung delineate the line of retreat as well ! Hoping to press the attack the party requests the Dwarf Guard lead the pursuit to which they decline. The Party pauses and after Jeri peers into the next room the Orcs have rallied and number 5 plus a large Sub-Chief type (aka Higher Hit Die) They decide to loot he bodies and fall back to the Keep to reunite with the other party members for next session. Snorri Broadshoulders informs them they may see them as well as they have been out in the wild for 3 months and are in need of resupply and may be coming to the Keep for a few weeks to recoup and resupply before continuing his research.

[There is not another single Wandering Monster Check on their return to Kendall Keep, it seems the Borderlands are pretty darn quiet outside of Bandit raids on the merchants]

   While there was not allot of Treasure recovered; and that is an honest criticism of Stone-Hell's upper levels but these are also the most picked over levels as well so there is that, there was a fair bit of RP earning the 50 XP RP Bonus, an Ally made and information gained of lower levels as well as Creature types. A bonus Safe location, a Quest and Henchman to be recruited. Earlier before play actually commenced we had a conversation on Henchman, Retainers and Hirelings with Stonus wanting more bodies and others preferring to keep the group slim. I run 3 to 5 players and not larger groups anymore, less interpersonal friction and more high rewards for players that is diluted with larger groups. I think I will make a short video clip on my views on Retainers and How I plan to categorize them but when there are few missing players that is where Hirelings, Retainers and Henchmen really come into play. Snorri and his Bodyguards provide a source of possible Dwarf Fighter Henchfolk though if the fame of Stonus and Gottri warrant them flocking to their cause but that remains to be seen ... Snorri will be modified into a sage type position as well and example of Racial FTR Option Variants (his is increased Dwarf Detect Stone Tricks instead of a melee enhancement)

Game Well, Game Often

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