Dwarf OSE+ Dark Citadel Session #17 (24JAN 2024)

    So, here we go again.

   The Brotherhood of Expendable Strangers after suffering sever losses on the Battle of the Bridge recruited some new replacement characters. Naman a Dwarf Fighter/Cleric of Thaneduhr and Ryxxor Firebeard a Cleric of Thaneduhr. This works well since they were still trying to cleanse and complete this Quest to restore the Cursed Temple of Thaneduhr in the ruins of the Dark Citadel. So filling the deficit they had with spiritual characters nd forming a Thaneduhr focused group of Dwarf Adventurers. 

   Before starting this session we had to resolve some item picks from the previous session so the party divided up the possessions of the fallen, absent the stuff that got swept away in the river including the body of Gad. We had one player unable to make session due to work concerns so I made their picks for them and we continued on with play. They put the word out for additional aid previously and the replacement players fit nicely into that niche so we said they had responded to the call. Unfortunately no basic hirelings were rolled so just PC replacements. With items researched to their best of hteir ability they return to the Cursed Temple of Thaneduhr.

   I allow "learned" classes to research the properties of magical items on a d3 Days & 2 in 6 roll if they have access to a Library suitable for magical research. This created a larger gap in between sessions but seemed appropriate since they were loathe to spend the 150 GP to have an NPC do it for  them with `00% chance of success.

   Approaching the beach they disembark and search for shadows along the beach that had slain their hireling oarsmen last foray. There is some discussion on how shadows could hide from their 'infravision' and I went over we are using fantasy darkvision with shades of black & grey instead of thermal vision and its limitations but allowing creatures who can hide in shadow to still hide, including their own thief classes. So, they light up a torch and continue. There is some grumbling about this ruling which I have stated previously in creation and in earlier sessions. 

    Proceeding across the bridge I describe the gore and rot of the slain zombies and how that flies and maggots now infest the putrid flesh. They force their way into the next session of the Temple and encounter more battle remains from their previous endeavors. Stopping in the Fountain room they decide to drink of its magical waters before entering the main temple. Now, here is a major turn in the events of the day as Gremmin rolled True Sight and I ruled immediately that True Sight makes your eyes glow with a divine light which in this case was a pale blue. After that all players and NPCs drank heavily of the waters and then after some consideration I allowed a few to recognize the effects of Protection from Evil upon them and another with Resist Cold since as Clerics they have been under those magical effects before, I allow them to roll dice even though I decided to allow discovery based on experience. Players love rolling dice.

  Investigating the Main Temple they opt to walk around the side passages and I allow True Sight to reveal all things hidden so an overlooked golden locket on a silver chain is picked up from the bones not sifted through last session, No additional information is revealed in the chamber holding the altar so they open the spiked door leading to the areas where they turned the undead last session. Opening this they unfortunately lost Initiative and are beset by the Ghouls and caught within a Noxious Cloud as the Zombire cast Stinking Cloud. Removing spikes from a stone door was not quiet so this makes since and they burst forth like a scene from Dawn of the Dead. All of their Dwarf make their saving throws and the trio of divine classes turn the undead easily. Then its just mop up as they all attack single undead whom are turned destroying them.

   Investigating the corpses they discover the Zombire still carried treasure and the Holy Water Font in this room is befouled and filled with Unholy Water. There being but two rooms leaving this chamber they basically flip and coin and discover a velveteen cushioned room. I make references to Royal Crown bags as a side joke about gaming and Gremmin spies something hidden inside a pillow within the chamber, thanks to the True Sight effects. They find a semi ornamental stone which upon tossing in to the air begins circling his head. A mythical Ioun Stone ! They praise their good fortune and seek out the other door finding a bedroom with a large iron chest at the foot of the bed and various paintings upon the wall, one depicts the Dark Citadel before the fall and another some long dead forgotten Dwarf King however there is one obscene painting depicting Orcus reigning in the Abyss succubi at his feet covered in sweat, this is pulled down and placed facing the wall. While Gremmin observes via True Sight there is a Trap upon the Chest which he unable to disable but can pick the lock before remembering they took a key from Mateus the Dark in last session battle, it fits and allows bypassing the poison needle trap. It is filled with gold & silver coin as well as a bag of gems, a bejeweled Holy Symbol of Thaneduhr and a book. Under Gremmin's magical vision it appears to be a profane book as it radiates very strong magic as well as Chaos ! They scoop this into a leather bag separate from the contents. There is some early discussion on what to do with the book and a voice to return to Axios Landing before using the objects to restore the Temple as the remaining PC, Redrum the Fighter Acolyte, who had the Dream about the missing objects they now possess recognizes the Holy Symbol from his dream.

   Alright, there is a long pause in actions and what they are actually intending to do with Naman vocally wishing to leave immediately and return to split coin and divide XP. This is purely a Meta-Gaming motivation and I am tempted to remove the bonus XP from the Quest they are about to complete in an unnecessary extra action compounded by the fact that a Cleric is willing to allow a Temple of his own deity to last under the effects of a curse longer when he is capable of participating in its redemption purely for mechanical maximizing of XP rewards. I call it out during session, this is rebuked by the player as winning at D&D and a quick discussion is had about Meta-Gaming. The players finally decide to complete the Quest in the next chamber by placing the Marble statues of Thaneduhr upon the Obsidian Anvil altar and placing the very valuable Holy Symbol back upon the wall of the Temple.

   Placing the items back in their rightful places triggers an end to a Major Quest. So I inform the players they will be getting 1000 Bonus XP then describe the scene as it unfolds before them. 

  The sounds of hammers on anvils fills the Temple and the ghostly images of Halgrak Dwarf Hero appears alongside of the unnamed Priest in silken robes and they nod and smile upon the Brotherhood of Expendable Strangers, they notice that the Helm adorning Halgraks head fades away as does the Silvered Mace hanging upon the side of the Priestly Dwarf. Standing behind them is Zebulon not wearing the Plate Armor he wore in life but the Brigandine Armor they buried him in and as they turn a series of spectral stairs can be seen leading up to the side of a mountain where a great arch enters a Great Mountain and the sound of hammers upon anvil and Dwarf singing in Mead-Halls comes down from the Mountain. The spectral Dwarf ascend the stairs and as it fades a mighty boom fills the hall and a large tome falls to the floor. 

  A great wind blows from the Main Temple as the Anvil and objects returned fade away, all remaining undead in the Temple are destroyed and the spectral dwarf walking about the Temple visible by Gremmin magical sight fade away as well. The unholy water evaporates and the Temple is Cleansed. A feeling of blessing and gratitude falls upon the mantles of the Dwarf host gathered here and they discuss their plans for the Temple as they walk around using the True Sight's remaining duration to find hidden items. The find a Ring in a crypt they did not search and return to Axios Landing to do research up on the powerful magical items they have claimed.

   I did not alter the rewards much from the draft I am running but reduced the XP reward as it was originally made for AD&D and XP rewards are much higher than would be suitable for OSE imo. Under True Sight the cover of the book is resplendent in Dwarf Clerics and those in a large Mead-Hall unlike the demonic cavorting upon the other profane book. During Treasure division there is some talk about taking the Profane Book (Book of the Damned for Chaotic Clerics) as a pick and selling it but it is seized by Ryoxx and destroyed instead. Curiously there is a Chaotic, Neutral and Lawful Temple in Dragon-Spire Hold where it could have been bartered or sold it away but fearing repercussions from their deity they opt to destroy the foul thing. Interparty plots are always a thing with this group of players I have so its expected. There are several members who leveled but the mathematical possibility of double leveling was never an option so the falling back to simply maximize some mathematical advantage from XP division was not going to work but pissed me off nonetheless. No one goes to Dragon-Spire Hold much after the single pick pocketing incident and the apathy of the Watch to Dwarf travelers plights.

   After adding replacement characters the Brotherhood of Expendable Strangers roster looks like this: Gremmin Thunder-Eye Loremaster 1/ Thief 2, Ryxor Firebeard Dwarf Cleric 3 of Thaneduhr, Redrum Bigstrike Dwarf Fighter 3/Acolyte 3 of Thaneduhr, Naman Fighter 2/ Cleric 2 of Thaneduhr with two Retainers Fordreal Dwarf 2 and Snorri Dwarf Fighter 1