Dwarf OSE+ Dark Citadel Session #27 (21 AUG 2024)

   Well the time between when I actually make these recaps is getting longer and longer. I am debating switching to a video based recap but hate disrupting something in the middle. Eh, its irrelevant anyway.

    We picked up on the Dwarf Fortress on the Dark Lake. PCs were allowed to level here as I do not charge for leveling but do require Time requirements, they passed on the idea until returning to Axios Landing and the Temple of Thaneduhr. The stronghold controlled by Geoff remains unnamed. A group of 6 Dwarf from the Dwarf Fortress opt to return with the PCs but they decide to explore that one unexplored room across the bridge. Traversing the bridge they find more troll bodies missing and believe it is simply the mimic eating them and they are basically correct. The door is forced and an empty room is revealed with some humanoid bones in the center of the room, a small scattered pile. They enter and begin declaring which walls and sections they intend to Search for Secret Doors. So, I roll for Surprise.

    The PCs are surprised, and I make a single Roll to Hit for the Trapper that covers the majority of the floor of the chamber. It rolls a 19 and successfully envelops the entire party retainers and all. There is literally a giant pause in speaking. Actions are a bi of a struggle to get as I attempt to describe their situation and having to overcome a ridiculous amount of background noise and chatter I go over it twice and leave it. No one has ever fought a Trapper before and it is quite surprising. Retainers could have been left in the hall but they like to roll extra dice for NPCs as much as possible. SO no one said they left them in the hall so even the low level followers are enveloped. I deal damage for the surprise round and ask for declarations for the following round. After the first round and making a ruling on improvised weapons and discovering since I enforce encumbrance rules folks stopped carrying daggers. Gremmin utilizes the Ring of Dimensions and Dimension Doors away to begin using the Wand of Magic Missiles. There is a fair bit of fatalism but in three rounds the creature is killed as folks are allowed to grab up Short Swords from the slain followers and the magic missile damage is enough to slay the beast. There was a 6 round window to escape or slay it or the entire party minus Gremmin would have suffocated in the clutches of the Trapper. Towards the end of the battle the mimic crawls out of its chamber and observes Gremmin from behind but being noticed it retreats to its preferred ambush spot. Leftover food is still food afterall.

    The find a surprising amount of Drow gear and coinage and this room once used as a campsite for spying Drow became their doom. They take up their new found wealth and return to the Dwarf Fortress (It needs a decent name as well) and rest before returning to their strongholds via the Dark River. Samdouck Flintspine informs the Brotherhood of Expendable Strangers his belief that the Dark Citadel was betrayed from within and with the aid of an unknown race of deep realm creatures, he requests their aid in discovering if this is indeed true and they happily accept the Quest. Dual rolls are made for the extra boats to see if they can manage the corkscrew and they succeed. The next bit of time in our game is training as well as resupply and division of treasure. A Ring of Spiders is discovered and it is a pretty powerful Drow Ring with multiple abilities, Geoff claims it and is happy his Battle Axe +3 versus Water-Breathing Creatures will be useable underwater now due to the rings Free action ability.

    They load up two extra boats with supplies and ale then return to the Dwarf Fortress after 6 days. Another pair of rolls are made for the extra boats and they traverse the corkscrew successfully. There was a chance they could lose all of those supplies and boats. The corkscrew is still a dangerous passing for non enchanted travel. They deliver the supplies and begin questioning the residents about other locations nearby, they are informed that the air quality used to be very good but now is dank and befouled and eventually fear it will decrease even more drastically but that there was an air umping station with Temple on site that leads deeper into the far reaches of the Dark Citadels Outposts long not heard from as well as an old Temple known to have knowledge of Dwarf Culture on the far side of the Dark Lake. The last they knew of the place many Orcish Wa-Boats sailed against it though. They decide to go and clear the air in the caverns and set sail following the walls of the great cavern instead of directly traversing the middle of the lake.

    On  their journey they note many small falls, cracks and narrow passages along hte walls of the cavern. They come upon a dense fog bank that envelops their vessel and they move as slow as possible fearing hitting unseen dangers. In the distance near the center of the lake lantern light is seen entering another dense mysterious fog bank as well. They proceed on their journey however.

    Eventually they enter a section of the Dark Lake that has a carved arch that leads into a channel which emerges into a huge domed chamber. Obviously of Dwarf construction they see large stone Statues of Dwarf Heroes near altars in alcoves surrounding the chamber and a large Steel pyramid that works as a turbine of some sort. They land and set ashore to investigate the structure. Boulders prevent the turning of the fans and inspection of the Stone Statue reveal it is slightly out of place where it stands but nothing is discovered upon close inspection, after clearing the fans nothing happens even though they should turn so they investigate the alcoves and find the altars desecrated with blood, feces and hammer blows. Crossing the Domed Chamber to the far side they begin Searching for Secret Doors methodically along curved walls after discovering an observation window behind an altar in an alcove. They hard work is rewarded and a short hallway behind a secret door leads to a door with a simple Brass Plaque which reads "Control Room". They investigate the room and this is a perfect spot for use to end or session, so we do....

    Skipping a week because of Fairs and Obligations so picking up in the Control Room in September. More Deep Realm exploration ! What Dangers Await them in the bowels of the world beneath the ruins of the Dark Citadel, who knows.. prolly not good ;)