Session 14 of an Ongoing AD&D 1e Campaign on Roll20
After fleeing back to Quasqueton the party regroups with Nyloch and the full party heads into Castellan Keep to hire mercenaries. Arriving at the Keep the party is not taxed for their wagon as it was destroyed or stolen by humanoids or bandits during the "Night of the Wights" at the ruined inn. Unfortunately there were now mercenaries in Falco's Tavern but a few adventuring types. Gruff Dwarves heading northward in search of a lost silver mine and a pair of human fighters WiIlhelm and Oderick of Greyhawk. The Human fighters decide to hire on after a few drinks, Brax recovers a potion of healing donated from the Church of Cuthbert for ridding the Caverns of Undead menace and they encounter a pair of vagabonds who hire on as porters & animal handlers. The party returns to Quasqueton picking up 4 serfs who seek work with the lairds as they call them.
(They literally hired the Bandits who got away from them in the Caverns of Chaos, so this really just got interesting. The vagabonds were not checked out very well or interrogated/interviewed well as was not a single serf/peasant asked for heir name during the brief RP that it took to hire them on. Olaf is hot for revenge but sees an opportunity to rob them blind as they loot and plunder the caves of chaos. What would an aspiring bandit and gang leader do? He informed the Priests of the Cult of Acerak before fleeing who tasked him with assassinating the interlopers but then they animated his followers, doesn't build much rapport to have your former colleagues stumbling around in undeath or morale for that matter.)
The travel to Quasqueton is uneventful and the party has replaced their wagon and horses. Their new formed group of hirelings, henchmen and servants number near a dozen (10). The serfs are nervous as they travel through the Fellgrim as local legends tell of hairy man eating monsters, deceitful fairy and other darker monsters but as they approach the watch tower seem at ease, the traveling pair from Greyhawk seem not much effected nor do the vagabonds. When they enter the complex Nyloch puts the servants and hirelings to task on building and cleaning while the party promptly leaves with the pair from Greyhawk.
(False rumors of the Fellgrim were spread by Roghan and Zelligar in previous years and the Bugbears have often stalked those woods. A few more hints dropped about the vagabonds ...)
Taking an extra bit of time to get to the caves the party elects to assault the Goblin Lair at the crack of dawn. Trying to be stealthy they enter slowly and the Ranger inspects the terrain in front of them and due to the magical Dwarf-stone he detects the stonework of the ceiling at the rear of the chamber has been reworked and fallen many times while matching the large blocks of masonry outside. The construction is good and very old but the side passages where even now the thumping of iron shod boots can be heard running into darkness. The Redcaps know they are here !
(Convinced that the Redcap goblins have betrayed them on multiple levels, and they are half right on that, the Party opts to assault that lair again. Its been a few days and it is just the dawning of the sun not a regular time for light disliking goblins to be about so they gain access to the lair noting again the masonry and large blocks out front of the Redcap lair and the smooth ancient green pillars outside the lair as well, which is quickly ignored by the party. The Dwarf Stone gives the wielder/owner the racial abilities of a Dwarf or enhances those fora Dwarf so the Half-Elf ranger detects stonework and discovers the ancient roof trap which is harsh for low level parties. Triggered by opening the ancient door at the end of the hall, the Redcaps just came along later and incorporated it into the lair defense as the side passages are of much later construction and suited for their small size. The hall is massive at 20 feet wide and 25 feet tall while the side passages are combination masonry and natural cavern but 5 feet wide and 8 feet tall. Observations are rewarded additional XP in my games but its been a very slow tap of XP as of late. They are not stealthy enough so the are seen by guards who sit on the other side of concealed pit traps who run off to get reinforcements.)
(If the door looks familiar its because it should)
Deciding to rush the west passage the Brax leaps the concealed pit trap as told to him by the party who had been there previously. Momentarily held up in the hall the party flips a lever in an alcove where Redcap guards had been stationed and a loud click is heard from under the pit trap. Rushing forward Brax trips on a trip wire and is immediately prone being attacked from the side by waiting goblins. Another goblin is feverishly pounding the wall and yelling Breeyark while the party rushes into the large chamber. More goblins are around a corner in wait which surprises the wizard and crossbowman Oderick as they run up on them. The sound of boots can be heard from behind in the main entrance hall. A mixed battle ensues as flaming oil is hurled upon the Half-Orc Brax while a large barrel of pickled fish is overturned by a goblin making the floor slick and foul smelling. Brax takes the opportunity to extinguish the flames by rolling in the pickled fish flood. It looks bad until a timely Web blocks the entire hall leading back to the main entry hall until an Ogre calling himself Bruud comes out of a secret door in the northwest corner. He is engaged by Brax and the other Hall is sealed by another Web spell from Ash. The final goblins are dispatched while Bruud yields to the party after a bit of dialogue during the melee agreeing that if they spare him he would aid them to kill the troll Killary.
(This crew is not as bloodthirsty in murdering any who ask for quarter so has earned them some bonus XP, insights and temporary allies in fighting their enemies. The priest carries a small intelligent mimic as waste disposal on his hip which appears as a satchel. Plus, he talks to it allot. This battle went south fairly fast as a new hench was temporarily disabled from wounds and the Half-Orc caught on fire. It is noted that 1 in 3 Redcaps carry clay burning oil containers, they tend to rely on overwhelming numbers and traps to weaken their opponents. A pair of Web spells does wonders though for controlling large amounts of goblins in tight spaces. The dialogue with Bruud resulted in a quick parlay for aid in fighting the Troll who is equally detested by every member of every tribe in the ravine.)
Setting fire to the Southern Web Brax quickly loots the Redcap leader and they all fall back through the Ogre's cave while he seals the secret door. Frequently requesting healing the Ogre agrees to lead the party to the troll cave. The narrow cave mouth is worrying to the large party members as it is five foot tall and three foot of that is water. It however opens up to a larger cavern beyond which reeks of troll but the party braves onward. A mess of bat guano and skeletal remains litter the chamber floor and a small waterfall filling a pond that leads to the entrance and out to the ravine that is the caverns of chaos. Finding a rough stone altar adorned with burnt offerings, scattered copper coins and smaller skeletal remains. The rear of the party is rushed by the troll Killary who injures the Ogre Brudd badly and he stumbles back towards the pond but a quick Web spell immobilizes her and many flasks of oil are tossed into the web while the Ranger Nyloch furiously spears her. Setting fire to the web to kill her they inadvertently free her and she mauls the Ranger badly. The party downs the Troll and burns her in a mound of dried bat guano. It is not a pleasant smelling adventuring party.
(I have begun counting rounds after the end of combat and this has motivated the party to move quickly as they suspect an oncoming assault when I do that. They are not half wrong again but it is also to get a straight answer on actions which get muddled when there is even the slightest glimmer of treasure around. This mini boss battle was fairly anti climatic as the Wizard cast her third web and Killary the Troll failed her save miserably; undoubtedly because of gnomish collusion, which resulted in her being able to escape the web slowly due ot size and strength but that would take at least a full turn. Bruud taunts her, the party ignores pleas for parlay and on they eventually reduce her to negative 47. The burst damage on Brax is going to be a slight problem as they level. Bruud runs away to share the great news that the evil goblin baby eating Killary is dead again. The party burns the troll and seeks for any pieces they may have missed, it has been hinted that the humanoids have killed her a few times including fire and she has returned. Just when you think you are rid of her she comes back, I think you get what I am satirizing here)
Exploring the other side passage the party discovers the loot of the Troll piled upon a rise in the cavern. The backpacks are emptied to make room for all of the electrum and gold and the dozen weapons that lay scattered are gathered as well and a much encumbered party exits the cave cautiously. Occasionally they van hear humanoid voices rejoicing at the defeat of the Troll while bets are placed to when she shall return, yet again. Returning to Quasqueton the Ranger Nyloch detects they are being followed by what he suspects are the Bugbears who trailed their party before so he attempts to cover their trail. The party returns to Quasqueton and are allowed egress back in by their servants.
(The vagabond porter/animal handlers are genuinely astonished at the haul of loot that the party has brought back as are the peasant servants who are promptly paid 10 Gold which is more than they have ever seen at once in their lives. The hired fighters are enthralled by their half-shares of loot and decide to stick it out with the party plus I put them at half way to level so after t his they leveled to second. I allowed the Ranger to detect the following Bugbears using his tracking ability but he was unable to cover the tracks of the heavily encumbered party as it was carrying all of the loot from the Troll cave and they smelled like total hell. Rolled around in pickled fish and played in guano to burn a troll in its troll lair which is total filth. Bugbears got noses ....This sets up interesting next game with Bugbears planning a Bugbear rush maybe, what does Olaf the Bandit do now that he is securely within his hated enemies lair, the Priests of the Cult of Acerak plans using their devilish allies. Allot of options and none of them good for our aspiring "Laird Adventurers of Quasqueton" as the local peasants have taken to calling them.
26 SP, 6000 EP, 2000 GP, 10 GP Hematite, 10 GP Azurite, 500 GP Amethyst, 1000 GP Fire Opal, Potion Healing, Wizard Scroll: Mordenkainen's Sword, Charm Plant, Duo-Dimension, Feign Death (16th level), Unknown Dagger, Unknown Sword, Flask of Blood Ale
1773 XP Brax, 1539 XP Nyloch, 1539 XP Mark Anthoney, 1773 XP Ash
(The Wizard Ash was unable to discover the nature of the magical weapons but they are +1 Dagger/+3 Vs Larger than Man Sized Opponents and a Flame Tongue Bastard Sword which I possibly should have said lit up aflame when held but the Half-Orc only said I take it not that he wielded it so... stickler. A pair of magical scrolls in the party could make the final battle a joke really with a Blade Barrier from the Priest and a Mordenkainen's Sword from the Wizard could make horrible mince meat out of the final battle. The Cleric is newer player so I could see a horrible blade barrier accident though. Sooo sorry bout that .....
Ash Greenbrier Wizard hits level 4, Brax is stuck at 3rd level Fighter after his level draining a few sessions ago, Nyloch is at 2nd level ranger also because of the "Night of the Wights" and Mark Anthoney Priest of Pelor hits 3rd level Cleric. Both Henchman fighters hit 2nd level as well. You can always tell when the party has encountered undead when the Wizard/Magic-User is the highest level character in the party.)
#OSR #DnD #1e #MindsGaming #Roll20 #RPG