Dwarf OSE+ Dark Citadel Session #23 (13 JUNE 2024)

    Well, this has ben rocky lately but fun. We had a few missed sessions and a logistics session previously where the PCs claimed sections of conquered dungeon as their Strongholds for the FTR types thus triggering Followers to attract to the Banner of the FTR types. I tracked down some modified AD&D Charts off of Dragonsfoot for Dwarf  FTR and rolled. The minor logistical stuff was about pay  for followers which I made half of the OSE Mercenary costs. A d3 period of the mustering of arms so to speak and what the Brotherhood of Expendable Strangers planned to do on following sessions. Kind of hit or miss really but my guys are not much into the Discord and with it being Summer everyone is busy with f friends and family. The distances between the sections of the Dark Citadel are becoming greater and greater thus making it more difficult to travel back to the safety of their strongholds at the end of each session. I think this is slowly dawning on them that maybe it will be expeditions taking greater and greater amounts of time. This period between sessions in game was 3 months as they wanted all of their Followers gathered and then they explored further down the Dark River.

    We go over more modifications to their Strongholds & Temples which include carving murals into the Temple Walls depicting heir liberation of it and their restoring a Dwarf Iron Anvil to replace the former Altar. Redrum has various Stone Doors added and more being added to Axios Landing as Dwarf Pilgrims often stop there to refresh themselves in its healing waters. There are donations being tithed to the Temple by Dwarf Pilgrims and I will figure out how much a Dwarf would offer for a Magical Mud Bath, Spas are nothing new but how much revenue they generate is totally up in the air to me so a little research on youtube might be in order. There are several attempts to learn some new spells for the Loremasters but no success for Geoff. Gremmin learned Sleep and Shield the previous session and can craft Scrolls of those as the Loremaster is a Dwarf Reskin of the Mage form Carcass Crawler. He crafts several "runestones" which are Dwarf Loremaster Only Scrolls we are experimenting with in this OSE themed campaign.

    I have four PCs this session and bring along three Retainers and No Followers. They travel down stream and this is where they discover the distance between their settlements and they spend the evening before proceeding down stream making the 24 hour portability of the properties of the magical fountains and pools they have access to less usable. There is some grumbling but I had posted the time between settlements previously and finally took the time to make note of it and add it up. The river travel is meandering and at a slight grade but after passing Geoff's Stronghold area it gains current and begins to spiral at a greater grade and it takes greater effort of the party to maintain control but have become competent oarsmen and crew as they have used the various Dwarf Boats discovered in the complex and with the use of Geoff's Folding Boat are able to traverse this section of the dungeon, I note to the Dwarf PCs this is deeper than any of them have ever traveled into the under-realms/deep-realm (Not wanting to use the term Underdark anymore :P) but eventually it levels out after this inclined spiral to a more familiar steady level and they see a ruined stone boat dock ahead, partially crumbling into the Dark River and in poor condition. Near but upon a level plaza is a river boat similar to others they have found in the ruins along the Dark River. They determine this is a good place to disembark, Geoff collapses his Folding Boat and stores it in his backpack. This is a standard practice after Orcs stole their River Boat in previous sessions.

    The Area is cavernous and is a subterranean Dwarf Art Deco version of American South-West Pueblos. In various stages of ruin and bones appear scattered about the plaza, Dwarf and DeathFist Orc as well as goblin. I make a few rolls and check my notes and ask for general actions. This evening my players are sort of opting for a reactionary mode I guess as there are long periods of no response this is harsh on my need for immersion but otherwise it is clipping along at a good pace and I figure we may get allot done this evening. I make some rolls to see if hey are noticed by other creatures in the area and make a few rolls. Noting they are using their demi-human Darkvision over torches and not carrying the Blacklight Oil Lanterns either. I allow for a Hear Noise Roll for the PCs using  their Listen at Doors check and describe some unusual odors to two of the PCs but differently, no one really catches the hint and they seem to not share the information readily or quickly so I roll for Surprise and they are set upon by a mated pair of Owlbear. It is a quick combat but the tone is set for the evening for creature attacks which are pitiful. The Owlbear is slain and they explore the crumbling ruins of the building they had emerged from and discover an Owlbear nest containing a pair of large eggs nestled atop a set of human sized robes. There is treasure as well but it is mixed in to the construction of the nest and would require several turns of effort to remove. They opt to explore the rest of the plaza.

    A broad plaza with stairs leading down into a sunken chamber to the east and a natural ledge with added stairs leading up to ruins atop a small plateau in this cavernous area. To the South they discover a statue of a Manticore ad the plaza gives way to another river flowing into the Dark River. Ryxxor immediately begins making the case to leave as the condition of the statue is perfect while everything else is in ruin. This creates a situation where half of the party is wanting to go explore a section of dungeon while a vocal minority is wanting to retire form the dungeon or explore other areas of this section. When this kind of thing happens I allow the PCs to debate it but determine that is exactly what is happening in game, they are standing around arguing with each other and pointing in the various directions they disparately want to go. They eventually determine they will fall back and loot up the Owlbear Nest then retire up river I think, t here is not consistent consensus when I ask so I just roll with it at this point. Gremmin sneaks off to explore the terraced ruins while they spend several turns tearing apart the Owl Bear Nest. 

    I keep track of time as he sneaks up the stairs and make several rolls to determine if there are any wandering monsters, or if he notices any things going on in the plaza or where he is at currently, eventually he makes notice of an emaciated Death Fist Orc observing his movements he calls out in goblin and the DeathFist hides and crawls away. From this higher vantage point he also observed a crumbling fortification across Dark River and another sort of complex possibly similar to the one they are currently exploring. Returning to the party he informs them of what he saw and I inquire on how many Large Sacks the PCs have and then reveal how much coinage they have found. They do not have enough sacks to carry all of the silver and electrum. I do believe we will be seeing porters in the future. They come up with various ideas on how to carry the loot with Gremmin saying they need to capture the Orc and Geoff declaring his need to track down the Orc and kill it which they end up doing.

    "Anyone speak Orc? My Axe speaks Orc !"

    They find the DeathFist hiding under one of the stairs leading up tot he ruined building atop the small plateau and after a few rounds it is slain after Geoff and Redrum initiate combat. No quarter is asked for and none is given. A small bowl under a steady drip seems to be a source of water and a small pile of normal sized bat bones, rat bones and fish bones reveals a miserable existence hiding in a niche under some broad stairs. The DeathFist looked terrified but as it was slain seemed almost relieved. The debate on where to go next renews and they head towards a set of stairs that descends in a sunken chamber or building of some sort; I honestly imagine a sunken building similar to those found in World of Warcraft and should have used that description as everyone in the party played that at some point.

    Ok, I'll be honest as DM I need synergy from my players to be at my best and the guys have been kind of reactionary as opposed to descriptive in their actions outside of the mechanical stuff. I describe the sunken chamber of a building they are beginning to explore and that there are a pair of DeathFist Orc "Statues" at the bottom of the broad stairs leading down into a very large odd shaped room. One player is stating what the others are doing but as I ask them I get really no response so I describe the room again and inform them they hear a shout similar to the squawk of an Owl Bear from the North East, there is silence as I wait for some feedback so I go over how the marching order is and how I perceive how they relay information from being the point men who enter a chamber of which no one challenges so I have Geoff and Redrum roll Saving Throws versus Petrification with their innate bonus versus magics for being Dwarf. Both fail, miserably rolling 4s. They are turned to stone and the others; observing this from the rear ranks but back from the top of the stairs begin crouching and averting their eyes, Gremmin hides behind the petrified form of Geoff fetching out his small steel mirror. The PCs explain they plan to await at the top of the stairs before engaging or flat fleeing but I do remind them their means of getting here and thus leaving was on Geoff and is thus petrified along with him. I am very particular on who is carrying what in my games for a reason.

    Using his mirror to see his target and not directly meet the gaze of a Medusa Gremmin who knows Medusa as a language calls out to allow  them to retreat with their petrified allies to which he is greeted with laughter, I rolled indifferent so the creature cares not for his pleas and advances telling them those born of stone shall soon return to stone. Redrum assumes control of his Retainer Norburt and attempts to Bless the PCs and fails while Gremmin using his mirror begins firing magic missiles from his wand of magic missiles at the creature. Ryxxor holds his retainer Dethag who wishes to charge into melee but wanting to not risk the statuary of their friends from being toppled down the stairs wishes to draw the creature past them, Gremmin does not state he is moving away but is firing his wand so must remain close to the top of the stairs to do so and is set upon by the medusa who notices he has a mirror, Norburt notes the Medusa is avoiding the mirror so produces his own and holds it forth while averting his own eyes yelling to get her attention and possibly turn her gaze back upon her. Dethag rushes her as her snakes bite Gremmin who handily narrowly makes his Saving Throw versus Poison, Dwarf Saves Y'all ! Gremmin continues using his Wand while the others melee with eyes averted and Ryxxor orders his Retainer Ararmack Grumblebraids to Blind that Bitch ! I have him make a morale/loyalty check as he would have to directly look to cast a spell upon her eyes and he makes his loyalty check but fails his Saving Throw as does the Medusa. Ararmack is petrified with a triumphant smile upon his face forever etched in stone. After about 3 to 4 rounds the medusa is slain and they have three of the seven they began with petrified.

    They explore the medusa's lair and find a large chest. Examining its contents they find many blue quartz gems and a potion vial and an item I had them reroll and it came up something they were going need. A feather token, after rolling feather token I simply assigned it to Swan Boat rather than roll type again. Ryxxor guesses its use and they fall back to their controlled regions. This is where I inform them how traversing back upstream; and technically uphill, is going to be super difficult. Their Folding Boat would need a full crew while the regular River Boats they have found would be unable to return upstream and they would have been stranded in the depths with tout heir profound good fortune on finding the feather token-Swan Boat. I do not know if they made note of this information as it was not really addressed in detail as they immediately began searching for means to return their friends whose petrified forms they left in the depths rather than risk losing or damaging them in transit.

    A rare trip tp DragonSpine Hold to the Craftsman Alchemical and a failed reaction roll with the Alchemist selling them a jar to preserve the Medusa head. Eventually they make their way to one of the two famous magic-Users in DragonSpine Hold, Godfrey Malster. There is some minor Roleplay and he agrees to buy their Owl Bear Eggs & Medusa head for 4000 GP if they agree to bring him Dragon Wings to which he would reward them with 5000 GP and a pair of potions. It's a fetch side quest but it also allows them to hear rumor of another adventuring group delving into the Dark Citadel sponsored by the Merchants Three Moe, Larold and Curly who also agreed to find Dragon Wings for the old wizard. HE informs them he would charge them 5000 GP for a casting but would not enter the depths himself. Gremmin has a Scroll of Flesh to Stone from previous adventure loot and attempts to learn it and succeeds and taking the loot they found as well as the funds from selling the eggs and head have enough wealth to crat two Runestones of Stone to Flesh but this is going to take them 12 weeks of down time ! 

    So the PCs agree to have 3 months between their next foray which takes them into Autumn or Winter I am not sur, I would have to look at my scattered notes. It ha been honestly a few years of game time now that I think about it. Requiring time to be a major factor in item identification and creation of scrolls has been a big increase in down time. Makes since though, a sort of base logic for a fantasy world. 

    We just had three months pass and now another three months pass .... 

    I have allot of rolls to make 

    Game Well, Game Often Y'all