Dwarf OSE+ Dark Citadel Session #28 (4 SEPTEMBER 2024)

    Another recap of our doughty Brotherhood of Expendable Strangers. Picking up in the control room of the ruins of the Great Dark Citadel Moulin A Vent the PCs begin by searching for information or manuals. They find an empty scroll rack thick with dust. Ryxxor begins messing with the most prominent lever which has a series of channels to be tested which results in the grinding of gears, shaking of the control panel and distant rattling of chains. HE does this for 4 attempts before quitting and the rest of the party debates on their next course of action after every member searches the Control Room repeatedly.

    Gremmin suggest searching the far side of the complex where a single door was located to hopefully find lost bits of lore. Everyone eventually agrees and I get the feeling this is going to be a slow session. They over to the shore and close the Secret Door behind them before unfolding the Folding Boat to ford the canal in the great Domed chamber. Crossing over they make their way to the stone door and open it easily, I do no remember if it was searched for traps at this point. A broad hall leads deeper into the complex to a torch lit chamber. Another Domed Chamber with a side passage also torchlit and a door nearly opposite their entry point. The center of the Chamber is dominated by a large 20 foot diameter sparkling pool. Inspection reveals it is crystal clear drinkable water. They inspect the far doo for traps and I have rolled several Wandering Monster Checks after accounting for their 20 feet per round movement. These large chambers could be an interesting battle honestly due to their stumpy legs.

    Forcing the door open Geoff is confronted by a 50 foot hall with side passages in the center and another stone door at the far end. Small amounts of rust a littered in the chamber and a pair of orange coloured armadillo like creatures with tentacles are in the hall. I roll for Surprise and determine the Monsters are surprised and say a draft from opening the door is drawn open and the tentacles of the creatures search the air and appear to become very excited. If I had thought folks were slow in response with their actions before there is a down right pause at this moment. I allow the Dwarf Party to recognize that these are indeed Rust Monsters and the first declared action is slamming the door shut. There is about 20 minutes of our gaming time dedicated to possible courses of actions and I allow a Lore Check for the Loremasters of the Brotherhood to determine that their knowledge of these legendary foes of Dwarf Miners and craft are immune to mundane weapons. They hammer spikes in the bottom of the stone door and head towards the hall leading from this large chamber.

    This is why it is important to take the time to reread your notes, go overprinted material if you are not 100% familiar with it as I failed to note that there were Guards in the Hall, which meant I forgot or overlooked rolling to see if the hammering and the 2 turn discussion would have been heard. My Bad, moving on.

    As they go to the Hall's entrance Geoff tests to see if the Torches burning are enchanted. I think about it and say yeah they do not appear to be consuming the Torches. They are Ever Burning Torch Spells cast by the Priests of Zuul nearby but they do not know this. They do believe that since these are enchanted torches they could in theory injure the Rust Monsters. Geoff takes a single point of damage for putting his hand in the flame and they explore onward. I explain their shadows are cast ahead of them by the torchlight and as they enter a small intersection a group of a half dozen humans clad in Black Plate armor, with shield and Long Sword hanging from their hips step into the Hall and issue a challenge to surrender and they may be allowed to live ! Failure to do so means they will be immolated upon the altar of Zuul ! "Hail Zuul Lords of the Elements" the other exclaim. This is met with shouts from the Dwarf group of "The Sons of Thaneduhr are here to reclaim our home" ! It is on !

    Ok, I thought this was going to a very tough battle but it was the Brotherhood of Expendable Strangers taking a bit of time (8 Rounds) to destroy a group of 6 7th level Fighters. This is where these guys actually excel at straight stand up fights. As long as they is no need for mobility they'll plop their feet squarely on the floor and fight til death. Bless is used, Striking is cast, Light spell is used to blind a Temple Guard and a Dwarf War Chant is chanted and a turn later they have emerged victorious. 

    No Treasure is found upon the bodies of the slain Fighters. I need a cool name for Zuul Temple Guards but nothing came to mind. A side door is locked and they are unable to pick it. They inspect the far door and it is smeared with Ash with the symbol of Zuul, piles of Orcish and Human skulls are to the left and right of the door charred and covered in ash. Geoff using his Loremaster ability Detect Magic and is successful he believes but no enchantment is upon the door. He pushes it open and is beheld with a sight. 

    Whatever this chamber's original purpose it is now a Temple dedicated to Zuul. Atop a Ziggurat in the center of the chamber. Multiple black robed priests stand atop it next to a large brazier which burns with embers and coals. Bones are visible at this distance. Every inch of the visible walls of the Domed Chamber are covered in ash and scrawling for the power and glory of Zuul. The very air around the black clad priests is distorted in a 10 foot radius. They immediately begin chanting and as the central figure points at the entry to PCs just pushed through.

    I call for actions for players and have been asking for declared actions this session going from front of the marching order back. ButI get silence or a delayed response while others are yelling over discord CLOSE THE DOOR CLOSE THE DOOR, it is irritating. I finally get the actions and it is Geoff is slamming the door shut and I get no other real actions voiced by the Pcs which means they might as well have been surprised when in all actuality they probably were. 5 Clerics atop a Ziggurat 30 feet from the door and 15 feet up a flight of stairs. They lose Initiative.

    A Chant Spell is cast by a Curate in service to the High Priest while another Curate casts Prayer. The other two Curates do not cast any spells but ready their wicked looking flails and maces. The High Priest Vayne of Zuul however casts, Flame Strike. I adapted it to OSE converting d8s to d6s. This actually draws gasps that they are punching above their weight class and two Dwarf fail Saves v Spells Geoff & Redrum while Ryxxor & Dethag make their saves, Dethag is slain however anyway while Geoff hits the jackpot and lands on zero Hit Points, Unconscious and Redrum has a single Hit Point left. The cackling of more Temple guards laying in wait to either side of the Door are heard and they step up to attack and slay the wounded in the front but the PCs win initiative with Ryxxor & Namman closing the door, Gremmin using the Open/Close ability of the Loremaster to magically hold the door shut for several rounds while they hammer pikes and cast a few healing spells, Redrum chugs his Potion of Extra Healing while Norburt uses his last Acolyte's Healing Touch to roust Geoff from his state of unconsciousness. Namman casts Cure Light Wounds upon Geoff too to aid in his recovery and their escape. They begin to flee. Geoff having been reduced to zero is half movement, several Dwarf pick up and aid in pulling the dead and wounded towards the Large Domed Chambers. Luckily Geoff did not enter negative hit points or all of his items would have been destroyed as he had failed his save. A devastating route and we leave off with the Dwarf Cohort loading upon the Folding Boat and setting off. It is a sobering way to end the session but not all battles end in victory nor do they end in total defeat. The Temple of Zuul is injured, The Brotherhood of Expendable Strangers has lost another retainer and tasted defeat at the hands of Human Interlopers into the Ruins of the Dark Citadel.

    Do we get a naval battle in an underground lake next session ? They attempt to dislodge the evil cultists scum ? Or explore the Other Temple upon the Dark Lake ? How much time will be spent recovering thus giving the vile evil priests time to regroup and recoup ? I think I need to roll up a few possible Retainer replacements, the Followers if brought will absolutely destroy the XP rewards of the Party as they take a cut of XP but only receive half for advancement purposes. Options Options Options ...

Game Well, Game Often Y'all