Dwarf OSE+ Dark Citadel Session #16 (10 JAN 2023)

    Oh, so this got delayed several times during a cliff hanger battle on the Bridge leading to the Cursed Temple of Thaneduhr over the holidays. Picking up where we had left off with Zebulon being feasted upon by a Ghast, Geoff standing triumphant over the slain Lord Mateus the Dark and the others barred from entry by a dropped portcullis while facing down Zorbar the Strange; a variant mad Crypt Thing, on the bridge over a tributary to the Dark River. It seemed we would have various technical issues plaguing the session involving Discord and the Roll20 App being totally unsuitable for a mobile phone but we have been working with these issues for awhile now. Some of it is just non-tech savvy players and the resources some have to play on with so it is what it is. My head is aching from ditching sugar and as a result allot of caffeine I usually partake of daily. 

   This recap might be brief as I may gloss over some of the protracted melee which was simply repetitive misses, there were allot of them. SO as Zorbar informs the Brotherhood of Expendable Strangers that it is time for them to quit the Temple they disagree and he attempts to teleport away Gad but he makes his saving  throw leading the party to turn on him and begin a battle on the bridge. There is an attempt to harm the undead creature which leads to the discovery that magical weapons are needed to hit him. Geoff moves to the Portcullis and offers shouts of support from the interior of the Temple and he is joined by the Zombire who grabs and thrashes against the bars to get to the rest of the Dwarves but is unable to while keeping distance from Geoff as he is cloaked in the Oil of Repulsion. After their initial exchange of blows Gremmin falls back and shouts to Geoff who runs to snatch up Zebulon's magical Spear from the floor of the Temple. Having successfully injured Zorbar the Strange with his magical Warhammer Redrum is forced to make a Save versus Spells after being mauled by the Claws of the foul beast. HE fails and is whisked away downstream above the river and falls as he is trying to gulp a Potion of Healing and being clad in Plate Mail while carrying lots of extra gear is descending to the bottom quickly.

   Having been dropped into the drink I had to make a few rulings fast. A negative 5 penalty to any STR checks related to Swimming due to him being clad in Plate and CON checks starting on the next round to continue working against his gear dragging him to the bottom. He opted to pull a dagger and begin cutting all of the straps off of his armor and gear sending it to the bottom to be dragged down stream over some falls which resulted in the loss of all his gear and magical items although he escapes with his life, barely. Having swam to shore he begins to make the trek back to rejoin the party.

   Yes, I allow Dwarves the ability to swim. Not well and laughable but as long a they are no burdened too much in armor why not.

   There is an exchange of weapons on the field and  through the portcullis, Gad begins battling with Zorbar with Gremmin using the Magical spear and allowing Gad to use his magical aspergillum flail. They have both been forced to make Saves versus Spells and successfully saved so Zorbar is using his double claw attack to great effect. At the Portcullis the Zombire being an intelligent undead runs to the lever and begins to raise the barrier slowly returning to only be blocked by Geoff who outstretches his arms and steps side to side to repulse the undead as they are unable to approach him due to the Oil of Repulsion. Fordrael Warbranch begins firing into melee with his crossbow having sorted out the magical crossbow bolts they inadvertently had given him. After several; and I mean several, rounds of combat Gad is grabbed by the throat and lifted up by Zorbar. His throat crushed and then his body tossed into the river below. This gross display of power lowers his defenses and Gremmin spears him solidly as Frodrael shoots him in the back whereupon Zorbar the Strange crumbles in a hellish green fire into a pile of bones and ash upon the bridge.

   Their attention immediately shifting to the odd scene at the far end of the bridge they rush to aid Geoff. Redrum stopping only long enough to take a Shield and Spear from his henchman and join Gremmin fighting with Spear from behind Geoff who repulsion effect keeps the other undead at bay. After several rounds; and yet again I mean SEVERAL rounds, eventually Redrum turns the Zombire and they fell the Ghast. Seeing the Zombire flee to the west through a stone door Geoff uses his Open/Close Loremaster ability and shuts the door from afar and then Gremmin spikes it shut preventing the undead from leaving those chambers. The body of Zebulon and Mateus the Dark are thoroughly looted including carrying the Plate Armor (500cn weight) of the Priest of Orcus with them. n Iron Key is also found upon the body of the evil priest as well.

   They explore the local area and discover a large rectory with piles of bones are seen. The 70' long table is circled and the earthenware utensils and dinnerware are observed so they return to the main chamber and head to the only remaining door. A Large Obsidian Anvil is upon the Dais which is covered in feces and graffiti with the walls in similar condition. Inspection of the area reveals faded spots on the Altar and upon the wall where missing items can be noted. Some minor cleaning of the Altar takes place and the remaining members of the Brotherhood of Expendable Strangers seeks out the lair of Zorbar the Strange where they had previously spied upon a locked Chest. Opening it with the Iron Key from the evil priest they find it full of copper coins, a potion, a dozen arrows in a nice quiver as well as a pair of small statues of Thaneduhr. Loading as much as they can carry and leaving a pile of copper coin scattered upon the floor they return towards their boat only to discover the Dwarf Oarsmen slain and laying about the boat with their weapons drawn clawed and emaciated.

   Rising from the interior of the boat and from under the corpses are shadows resembling their former hirelings whom immediately attack the surviving party members. After one is slain they flee back into the Cursed Temple and the party paddles off to Axios Landing. Upon arrival the party makes plans to do a Heroic Send Off for Zebulon and create a bust to Gad and send offerings in an offering plate converting a secluded room in the landing tint a set of Tombs.

   The remainder of the session is basically hand waving introductions of the new characters being recruited at Ergol's Landing as Dwarf drawn to the ruins with tales of the reclamation of the Dark citadel. Loot division, Burial arrangements are to be handled in between session on Discord vis a very rough version of 1:1 time or basically a period of 6 days between gaming sessions. Next session they prepare to return to the Temple and reclaim it for Thaneduhr !

  Several players need to roll for training days to see how long for the leveling up process to complete however. An entertaining evening marred by some technical issues and a really bad head ache but all in all a fun experience. Game Well, Game Often folks

#OSR #VintagGaming #DDC