Stone-Hell on the Borderlands Session #16 (4 DEC 2023)

    Prolly should not have had a few beers before game time but I was thirsty. Sort of thirsty ? Anyway, we picked up where we left off with The Coddiwomple Company licking their wounds in the Mountain Lion Den overlooking the Eastern End of Stone-Hell Valley. While the party slept and Stonus was on watch he observed a group Kobold carrying fire wood and small sacks approach the darkened archway in the south cliff face and enter. Later fleeing a few rounds later minus a member or two of their brood without the bags and firewood. Also noting movement in the old Ruined Gate-House which looms eerily over the entrance to the valley. Oddly he made no mention of this to the rest of the party or I missed it. Benn observes nothing while on Watch as he cannot see in the dark and the majority of the Valley was cloaked in darkness.

   As it neared midnight their camp having taken eight hours of rest stirred and interrogate the kobold prisoner whose name they learned is Gor. They learn more of Kobold Korners and how he feared the Dragon that lairs near where he and his brethren were gathering Bat Guano. Through intimidation and veiled threats which lead to Gor recoiling from Alberich's touch " It was prolly my fault you attacked me" as he looks pitifully at the cave floor. A rope leash is fashioned for Gor's neck and after an additional eight hours they leave the Former Mountain Lion Den and head into Stone-Hell at first light.

No more Encounters are rolled for those eight hours [1 in 6 Hourly] nor their trek across the valley [1 in 6 hourly]. The upper valley with its dotted ruins is mostly home to normal wildlife and those attracted to Stone-Hell's rumor vaults full of lost loot. The party is dirt poor and near debt to Benn's Retainers at the moment so the rumors of loot seem a fantasy and lie to them.

   Descending into the depths they rely upon Benn's Magical Flaming Elfin Blade which sheds light as a Torch for Free ! I'll have to ask if he has named his blade yet. They descend into Stone-Hell entering Hell's Antechamber with Gor on a leash in front of the party. Between sessions I rolled Dungeon Restock so there are monsters in rooms they previously cleared, so surprise guys. There is a group Ten Kobold at the bottom of the stair cleaning, a pair pushing up the hand cart overturned by Stonus previously that are complaining. I Roll Monster Reaction taking note they have one of their brethren on a leash in front of their party. Not surprisingly  I roll low and they are ready to attack ! "Hey, We know that guy ! Let go Gor !" after a quick discussion initiated by Alberich that Gor is now a valued member of  their party so I roll again on the Monster Reaction Chart as it cascades and I roll really high. The Kobold trope accepts the farcical story and begin to taunt Gor and blow him kisses while whispering and snickering  amongst themselves. Gor had previously informed the party that failure in their tasks or being too friendly with dungeon delvers or other factions could land a Kobold in slavery to which they told him better a slave than dead. 

   They work their way south and Gor aids them in avoiding the Pit Trap and upon entering the Dwarf Architectural Marvel Room they find a scene of carnage. Several Dwarf lay slain as well as a half dozen Open Sore Orc. Two orc are poking bodies and going through the contents of their packs complaining that the others took all the good loot but maybe they'll have old tough Dwarf Steaks afterall. A quick check for Surprise and the Orcs lose so are beset upon the Dwarf Duo & Benn. It is a quick battle and the Orc are slain. 

 This was more of the Dungeon Restock and it was usually a room where the Dwarf Snorri Broadshoulders and his bodyguard's could be found so I made a living dungeon update and had them temporarily routed from the dungeon. 

  Ye Olde Coddiwomplers pilfer the pockets and move on with Gor up front then immediately encounter a large group of Giant Rat in the corridor. There is light spilling from an eastern corridor where they know a midden heap lays. I roll Monster Reaction and it is attack but Benn moves forward waving Elfin Flame so I roll on the cascade part of my Monster Reaction Chart and the rats leave south. This is overcoming a monster encounter so I notate XP for Defeating Ten Giant Rat. They party passes by the midden heap and notice a half dozen humans in leather and one in chain dumping bags of trash and emptying buckets of human excrement's into the chamber. I rolled ridiculously high ( 5s on a 3 in 6 chance to hear) and they are unaware of the Coddiwomplers who leave them unmolested despite them having Yellow & Black checkered scarves and sashes marking them as Ghost Beggar Bandits. Stefan Har-Well having reduced the bounty and implying that there is no longer a need since the bandits no longer raid the road seems to be a major reason for not killing them out right on sight. The party is all Neutral except for Benn's Clerical retainer Yolanda the Fair. 

   Continuing south they enter the Contested Halls and avoid the passage leading to the Open Sore Orc Tribe Lair. Entering the mural chambers they are once again surprised by a large group of Giant Rat scavenging the chamber, Benn again advances waving his Flaming Blade and is again successful in scaring off the rodents. another combat encounter avoided so XP is noted. Afterwards they are unable to open a Portcullis and it has no visible source of lever so they head south to the most southern mural room and find a Giant Toad has devoured most of the Orc slain yesterday. Dungeon Restock ! Story is growing by rolls of the dice. It sloshes past them to leave the chamber. It is allowed to leave unmolested and they spy upon more Kobolds in the another chamber separated by portcullis who note Gor in Bondage; that could have totally been a 70s book title which I may have owned, and shrug with scowls upon their faces and head north with one peeking around the corner giving a quick raspberry. The portcullis oiled and lifted they enter the chamber and note torches in the northern hall. Gor informs them that's the new human residents of the Contested Halls and they continue East with a forlorn looking Gor up front.

   Heading east they enter a well traveled room and there is an open door to the south. They see observing them enter the room different looking Kobolds. These Kobold Guards are armed with Shield, Spear and Pick so I roll Monster Reaction and it is ATTACK but they begin to offer the same weak argument from earlier that Gor has joined their party of his own free will and they rescued him from certain death (at their own hands) so I roll again after one comes forward and takes the rope off of Gor's neck. As he takes him towards the rear of the Kobold Guards Gor begins recounting how the party jumped them and stole their bat guano for no reason at all. The Kobolds advance confident of their numbers and pushing the party towards the western exit. These Kobold seem upset hat others would take one of their number as captive or slave, I mean that's their job ! The Kobolds win Initiative & attack barely wounding Benn which results in Alberich hurling a hammer that kills Gor while Oscar the Odd ; another one of Benn's Retainers, casts Sleep. One Kobold remains standing and Stonus impales it while lifting it above him showering himself in a river of black Kobold ichor. They quickly decide to pick up the sleeping kobold and dump them on the threshold of the Ghost Beggar Bandits and kill them while they slumber trying to frame the Bandits for their deaths.

   They continue east and debate how they are gonna disguise the fact that Stonus is covered in Kobold gore but find a Grand Stairwell in a well trafficked area leading down. They opt to go down to the second level. Descending to the second level they encounter another grand chamber with thirty five foot ceiling and pillars made in the style of Dwarf standing upon each others shoulders holding the vaulted ceiling up. I go ahead and Roll Monster Reaction for this room. The Coddiwomplers come upon another Grand Stairwell descends and flanking it are a pair of Burnt Orange Hued humanoids with spine ridges coming down their foreheads. Hobgoblin ! ( SO I mashed up my Hobgoblins with Klingons this time around) They are in polished grey and black armor and wield shields with matching sigils. Sword and Dagger hang upon their girdles and they smile when seeing a Kobold Gore spattered Stonus. "Been wanting to do that myself to those miserable wretches" mutters a Hobgoblin Sentry. They hail the party and ask their intentions. They allow them passage but warn them that most of this level is claimed by their Cohort. The party, descends.

   This next level the third level is the deepest they have gone and they are cautious. Finding a room with a large cube in a pool they hurl a hammer and strike it causing it to rotate silently. Inspecting the pool and discovering it is only a foot deep and the fountain lifts the cube up and allows it to move effortlessly. Spreading out they inspect the side passage and determine that there is a chamber full of statuary to the north. Non of it is based and some of it is crude but some of them have frozen looks of horror upon the faces so they retire from that direction. Exploring south they come to a standstill as Alberich begins checking for traps every ten feet in the next corridor. after 30 feet and a half hour of time has passed they are startled by a group of Little Men who come around the corner and dash into the Pool room. They follow and observe them picking up pebbles from the pool and stacking them into cairns around the edge of the pool. 

  Returning to the corridor they enter a tall vaulted ceiling whose ceiling is covered in webbing. They are alert for spiders but move forward and discover another corridor leading to a chamber roughly sixty feet away. They begin to retire from the Dungeon. 

   Re-Encountering the Hobgoblin Sentry; I check Monster Reaction and roll an 11, they note that another Hobgoblin moves away and heads North where the sound of the large iron turnstile can be heard slowly turning. The Coddiwomplers engage the Hobgoblins in Dialogue. Alberich offers up 2 GP bribe for information so Bif & Bof Hobgoblin Sentry offer up info about what they have seen in the 'tavern' at Kobold Korners as well as the 'Rat Kabob Kafe'. A group of Bandits have moved down into the Contested Halls lead by some cur named Jackur the Cruel, There is a strange Elf from the lower levels whom they would love to kill but are not allowed to battle in the 'neutral' Kobold Korners, An information broker named Lachesis who is cloaked up and accompanied by a pair of Blind Ogres Rufus & Tusk that lairs on the third level and that there are these ancient figures known as the Gentlemen Ghouls that the Kobolds have some sort of agreement with that they also cannot stand as they are foppish and very non warrior like but appear to be undead so they leave them be for the time being they snicker. Their Combat Medic called the Bone Monkeys; creatures they describe as Baboons with metal plating and glowing goop tubing and unholy glowing eyes, they encountered below on the third level some sort of Arcanatech. The Contested Halls house several groups but they are Goblin and not worth worrying about but the Open Sore Orc Tribe are fairly strong but also unorganized and in constant warfare with the goblins. They encourage the Coddiwomplers to go battle them. Stonus is incensed he walked past where Jackur The Cruel laired in Stone-Hell without seeking him out for battle, an old grudge will be settled soon he mutters under his breath and the Hobgoblins give him a roman; er, I mean, Hobgoblin salute. Bif &Bof mention they despise the Kobolds and consider it an insult for true Warriors to have to deal with cowardly backbiting scum of that sort.

   The Party also learn that the Hobgoblin Cohort capture and train Mountain Lions as guardians, pets and tools of war. Something to keep an eye out for as Alberich was nearly mauled to death in a single round by a wild one in Stone-Hell Valley. Surviving a mauling is seen as a sign of durability and good fortune. 

   The Coddiwomplers leave on fairly good terms with the Hobgoblins. No encounters returning tot he Former Mountain Lion cave and they share some info with Snorri's Guards about dealing with the Orcs that were looting the corpses of their brethren. Snorri's Guards note they did not bother to return the bodies to them but snort in appreciation. The Coddiwomplers are definitely Neutral in Alignment. its a good spot to end and the party although till light in the coin purse are all solidly level three with all the bonus exploration and participation XP I have awarded. I mentioned adding a fourth player but they seem content with the three man plus retainer option they are using at the moment so I can be picky about invitations. More so than normally but I have a few youtubers and bloggers I talk to on the regular who may be interested. Hopefully a few of my players who had to bail out for IRL reasons find the time to play again. My "It Is What It Is" copium tank is getting low but I manage and this was a very enjoyable session. I am blessed to have these games I run bi-weekly and appreciate my PCs making the time to have some laughs with me

#OSR #VintageGaming #SHotB