Gygax & Greyhawk Session #6 - Off the Mountain

DRAMATIS PERSONAE:

Ranzel of the Wood (Human Ranger 1)
Solcha (Elf Fighter 1 / Magic User 1)
Skeff Hawkridge (Half Elf Druid 1 / Thief 1) 
Goro (Half Orc Cleric 1 / Fighter 1)

Balthus (Human Fighter 1)  

Date/Time

Planting 4 - midday to Planting 5 - midday 

The party takes the bypassed branch and soon come to another intersection with 5 paths radiating from it. A crude abatis of brush blocks the two furthest paths, and a pair of frog-like humanoids guard it. There is also a crude wooden cage containing a giant lizard.  The party tries parley, but no one speaks bullywug and the dim creatures understand nothing else. Sign language and gesture leads to misunderstanding, and a battle begins. The bullywugs release the lizard from the cage, but it turns on them before running off into the swamp. Soon the pair of foes are dead and their heads placed on poles to scare any others. Footprints in the mud suggest two types of bullywugs are around, one larger or heavier than the others. 

Taking the path leading towards the plains, the party in ambushed by bullywugs who are dispatched as per the previous attack. The trail eventually leads to a thick entangled wood where the river reforms, and beyond which lies the plain.  It appear difficult to pass through, so the party opts to head for the nearby ridgeline where a path can be seen. After climbing nearly to the top, they note a cave and hear shouting in crude orcish. Five orcs emerge into the sunlight and reluctantly attack; three are killed and two surrender. Questioned by the party they reveal that a massive gnoll lives in the cave and had kept them in thrall. Releasing their captives, the party tries a bold approach with the cave, but Goro ends up with three arrows in his chest. They then opt to descend off the ridge for the night, and return fully rested the next morning to deal with the gnoll. Which they do quite easily this time, and recover a bit of treasure in return. 

The party descends onto the gently rolling plain, finally leaving the mountainside behind. They follow the river towards the sparkling lake and island, looking for signs of civilization along the way. The reach the edge of the lake and note riders coming from the east, leading a bound man on foot. They stop at the edge of the lake nearest the island and call out. After some time they receive a reply or sign, and ford across to the island. They return after a while, and release the man on foot, directing him towards the mountains before riding off.  The party waits for the man to get closer and then waylays him. They learn his name is Ritik of the Kharon tribe, and he is a horse-thief. He was brought here by his tribe to be judged by their shaman Arn Flowmane on the sacred Isle of the Serpent. He opted not to fight the Serpent as his punishment and redemption, but rather elected to try his fate on Hardway Mountain to search for the great "Eye of the Serpent" that legend says is found there. If successful, his shame will be erased and his crimes forgiven. The party gives him a few helpful items and advice before sending him on his way ...

GAINS

12gp

Crude Gold Jewelry  [50gp]

Electrum headband [25gp]

Golden earing with malachite gem  [50gp]

Tourmaline Hat Pin [250gp] 

KILLS/VICTORIES

5 Bullywugs

3 Orcs

1 Gnoll

LOSSES

none

Gygax & Greyhawk Session #5 - Nearing the End

DRAMATIS PERSONAE:

Ranzel of the Wood (Human Ranger 1)
Solcha (Elf Fighter 1 / Magic User 1)
Skeff Hawkridge (Half Elf Druid 1 / Thief 1) 
Goro (Half Orc Cleric 1 / Fighter 1)

Balthus (Human Fighter 1)  

Date/Time

Planting 3 - sunrise to Planting 4 - midday 

The party delves deeper, passing a branch to their right (which they later learn leads to the other entrance). They reach a point where light can be seen ahead, and a side passage leads to an old but recently repaired door. The light is daylight, as the tunnel opens onto a tailings heap overlooking the grass, forest and lake of the middle valley. To the left a stairway spirals up from below, leading to another recently repaired door. The party climbs to the door, Ranzel noting orc tracks and other tracks of dogs or wolves. They hear nothing at the door, and return inside the mine to the second door. They throw this open, revealing 4 orcs and the remains of an old dwarven forge. Combat ensues and orcs die. Skeff picks the lock on an old dwarven chest, and the party recovers bottles of wine, brandy, and a clerical scroll. 

Finding nothing else of interest, they party retraces their steps, taking the second branch back into the lower valley. To do so they must pass through a bat-filled cave, which they traverse with no problem thanks to Skeff's skill with critters.  They loop around the upper end of the side-valley they are in and follow the valley wall down to where they see the river cascading over the cliff and into the swamp at the base of the mountain. It getting late, they camp for the night before proceeding to an opening in the valley wall spied the evening before. Another dwarven cut passage, this one more permanent than the mines. It leads to a pair of smashed statues flanking an arched doorway, which itself leads to a spiral staircase and a similar statue-flanked arch several hundred feet below. Another passage leads out into the swamp at the base of the mountain, and a small guardroom is noted to the left. It is filled with starving rats who are placated with scraps of food and Skeff's sweat-talk so the party can search the area. They find little of interest, but the rats get restless and attack. They kill a few, then Skeff calms them again and the party moves on. 

The swamp is a morass of pools, scrubby weeds and quicksand. A hard path leads into the mess. It comes to a fork next to a pool. As the party turns towards  the left, a giant frog leaps out of the pool and attacks. It is soon dead and the party moves on. Coming to another branch, they go left again. But find themselves headed back towards the upper valley. So they about face and head back the other way ... 

GAINS

32gp

1pp

Gold Whetstone [25gp] 

Cleric Scroll - 3/Neutralize Poison [300xp] 

KILLS/VICTORIES

4 Orcs

5 Rats

1 Giant Frog

LOSSES

none

Gygax & Greyhawk Session #4 - Skeletons in the Closet

DRAMATIS PERSONAE:

Ranzel of the Wood (Human Ranger 1)
Solcha (Elf Fighter 1 / Magic User 1)
Skeff Hawkridge (Half Elf Druid 1 / Thief 1) 
Goro (Half Orc Cleric 1 / Fighter 1)

Balthus (Human Fighter 1)  

Date/Time

Planting 3 - sunrise to Planting 3 - mid afternoon

At the barrow, Ranzel searches for tracks, finding nothing but more rabbit prints in the mud. A tunnel is found that lends into the barrow; lined with great slabs of stone. A smaller tunnel (1' square) squeezes between the stones and into the dirt of the barrow. The druids racoon is sent to investigate, and returns to say there is nothing but man-objects inside. Following the main tunnel, the party reaches a stone slab which Solcha determine is actually a door. When touched, it release a flash of flame, but is afterwards easy to swing open on its hinge. Inside is a large stone sarcophagus with the lid removed, two small ceramic jars and a scattering of other broken jars. The jars contain mostly charred bone and ash;  cremation remains. The sarcophagus is empty, but the bottom is false. When lifted out of the way, a vertical shaft through the damp earth is uncovered. And an unseen presence rise up to meet them, pelting the party with shards of broken ceramic. Goro flees in terror, the the rest of the party wisely follows their cleric rather than face the undead without him. 

After some time, Goro regains his courage and all return to the barrow. They face and defeat the invisible terror, then drop down the shaft to investigate. Only a single human skull, sitting atop a magnificent ruby, is found. Up in the main chamber, Solcha searches the end facing the rest of the barrow, and finds one slab is a secret door. It too flashes with flame when touched, but is then opened into a very narrow tunnel dug in the dirt. It leads to a small circular chamber with a large stone, atop which sits a large chunk of amber. Hanging from the ceiling are skeletons, hung by leather cords nailed to their breastbones. When they show no sign of animation, the party removes them all and smashes their skulls, then dropping the rest into the pit in the first barrow chamber. They carefully recover the amber, then crawl back out the tunnel. Only to be met by the skeletons that have climbed out of the pit. Goro calls on the favor of Heironeous, and the undead flee back into the pit. The party then traps them below by replacing the stone slab before leaving the barrow. 

Back in daylight, they opt to backtrack up and across the valley, to where the needleman had told them orcs inhabited an old mine. They find two mine entrances, but also the skeletal remains of a great mammoth. The cage is covered in webs, which the party burns, revealing a human skeleton trapped under the beast. Balthus crawls inside the rib cage to investigate, and two large spiders descend upon him from above. In a short fight, both are killed. The party loots the skeleton, and then respectfully burry the remains in the soft turf.  

Turning now to the mine, they enter the first decrepit tunnel. After about a half hour, they come to a bend in the tunnel, beyond which it has partly collapsed. In the open passage there is a strange, glistening stone. Which moves! Missile fire ensues, and whatever it was is soon no more. Moving past it's remains, the party delves deeper into the mine ... 

GAINS

Ivory Box [300gp]

3 Gold Earrings [3x5gp]

Silver Bangle [15gp]

Pendant [100gp]

Ruby [500gp]

Amber [500gp]

Belt Buckle [40gp]

Horse carving [200gp]

KILLS/VICTORIES

1 Poltergeist 

7 Skeletons

2 Large Spiders

1 Grey Ooze

LOSSES

none

Gygax & Greyhawk Session #3 - Creatures Great and Small

DRAMATIS PERSONAE:

Ranzel of the Wood (Human Ranger 1)
Solcha (Elf Fighter 1 / Magic User 1)
Skeff Hawkridge (Half Elf Druid 1 / Thief 1) 
Goro (Half Orc Cleric 1 / Fighter 1) 

Date/Time

Planting 2 - sunrise to Planting 3 - sunrise

Leaving the haunted island behind, the party heads instead for a set of stairs carved out a gully on the eastern edge of the valley. These appear to lead to another short tower on the ridgeline above the valley. The stairs show their age, but are solidly built; seemingly for a people of shorter stature. They lead to a side tunnel, which itself leads onto a  flagstone courtyard perched on the side of the mountain and overlooking the plains, river and shinning island in the lake. A short tower sits to their left, and a line of crows peer down at them curiously from the upper works.  Skeff casts speak with animals to talk to the creatures.  The lead crow tells him nothing lives here but the crows, and they wish no one to enter the tower. Skeff convinces the birds to allow the party to enter and search the first floor, promising to not climb to the second where the crows nest. 

Beating down the door, the party enters a dust shrouded room; obviously no foot steps have fallen here in many years. The room itself contains little of interest, except a dwarf skeleton and a hidden alcove along one wall. Ranzel uses his septum  to move the wooden panel that hides the alcove, which opens a pit trap in the floor. In the alcove is a box with a tapestry (showing stylized view of the plain and river) and a silver mirror (likely a utilitarian signally device rather than a lady's jeweled treasure). In the pit is the skeleton of a dwarf. In addition to a small bag of gold, he has a set of curious lock picks of a style that Skeff does not recognize. Using the mirror, the party examines the top floor, finding it does indeed consist mainly of crows and nests. Including one crow much larger than the others. Checking the one other door in the room; they find it leads to stairs heading up. And honoring their deal with the crows, they choose to not take them, and instead leave the tower and descend the ridge via a second tunnel/stair/gully.  

This one leads to the pine forest on the other side of the weedy lake. Ranzel notes strange humanoid footprints on the path; foot shaped, but with strange protrusions.  Taking a path leading west towards the river, they encounter a gaunt humanoid figure bristling with pine needles. It attacks, firing needles at the party, who return the favor with missile weapons. After a few hits, the figure turns and runs. Skeff chases it, and finally runs it to ground in a small grove. The creature, in broken Common, asks only to be left alone and that the party not continue on towards the river. The party agrees, and instead heads south through the forest towards a wall the creature tells them about. 

The wall is an old fortification of dwarven construction, blocking the narrow passage between the valley wall and a rocky knoll. A narrow gate pieces the centre, a portcullis hanging above it. Ranzel and Skeff climb over the wall, while Goro and Solcha pass thorough the gate. The portcullis crashes down after Solcha passes, leaving Goro trapped on the north side. He is attacked by a strange, tentacled tree creature. The half-orc's compatriots rush to his aid, and all four are soon caught in the monsters tentacles. Goro, using his mighty strength, bodily heaves the thing against the wall, crushing it to death.  Searching nearby, they find a broken sword. The hilt is of carved ivory, and in it's hollow core is a potion of speed.   

Beyond the wall is an open grassland. The party heads south towards an old barrow Ranzel spotted from the top of the wall. As they approach it, a band of six rabbit like creatures (each with a single long horn on it's head) come around the mound. They watch the party approach, and then charge. In short order, the six are dead and headed for the evening stew pot. The hour growing late, the party retreats back in the direction of the wall and away from the barrow, setting up camp for the night. Night passes without incident, and in the light mist of the morning they head once more towards the barrow ... 

GAINS

Silver Mirror [25gp]

Tapestry [300gp]

Ivory sword hilt [125gp]

15gp

6 al-mi'raj horns [6x 5gp]

potion of speed

KILLS/VICTORIES

1 kampfult

6 al-mi'raj

LOSSES

none

Gygax & Greyhawk Session #2 - Foul Dealings

DRAMATIS PERSONAE:

Ranzel of the Wood (Human Ranger 1)
Solcha (Elf Fighter 1 / Magic User 1)
Skeff Hawkridge (Half Elf Druid 1 / Thief 1) 
Gorro (Half Orc Cleric 1 / Fighter 1) 

Date/Time

Planting 1 - late morning to Planting 2 - sunrise 

The party follows the directions given by the creature in the stem pool to a rough path climbing up the scree and boulders of the mountainside, leading to a snow caped ridge above. Halfway up they encounter a low tunnel bored thorough the snow. This tunnel continues to climb and reaches a fork; to the left it climbs steeper and into an open space. To the right a short stub tunnel ends and turns straight up to a dead end. Taking the left tunnel, they emerge into a symmetrical ice cave 40' across which is bathed in a faint blue glow. The glow emanates from a pool in the centre, on the other side of which squats a creature reminiscent of the one in the steam pool; about 4' tall, winged and gargoyle-ish. But in this case with angular features and blue/white skin. The party ties to negotiate, probing to learn why there is such enmity between the steam and ice creatures, and ask to see the egg it guards. The creature makes references to serving it's master, similar to that spoken by the steam creature. It also makes a pointed remark about a cleric of Heironeous being in league with the "Lord of Lies",  which Gorro recognizes as a reference to the arch-devil Baalzebul.

In the end, negotiation fails and combat ends in the defeat of the ice mephit. An icy dive into the pool of clear water recovers a glowing blue egg and a handful of blue gem shards. The egg becomes active as it warms, and there is thought of encasing it in snow to keep it inert. It is instead left to hatch, an a baby remorhaz emerges and attacks. Realizing it's carapace is almost impossible to break through, the party teams up to push it into the pool of water and then flee back down the tunnel. Retracing their steps back to the geyser, they find the steam mephit gone and a note scratched on black slate: "The Lord of Flies thanks you for your service". 

Frustrated and annoyed. the party heads down the edge of the lake until they are looking over another cliff and into the next lower valley, a mix of forest, swamp and lake. In the lake is an island with a small watchtower. Likewise, another watchtower stands on a high ridge to the left. They pass the thundering waterfalls that drop over the cliff and follow a path along the valley wall and through a narrow gully leading into the valley below. They head for the island in the lake, but the sight of a ghostly figure walking the battlements force Ranzel and Solcha to flee. The others retreat as well, and camp it set up for the night in the defensible gully. 

Next morning, a light rain falls and a second attempt is made at the tower. This time all four flee in terror from the ghostly figure, runing back to their campsite ...

GAINS

chips of blue quartz [110gp]

KILLS/VICTORIES

1 ice mephit

LOSSES

none

Gygax & Greyhawk Session #1 - On a Wing and a Mountainside

DRAMATIS PERSONAE:
Ranzel of the Wood (Human Ranger 1)
Solcha (Elf Fighter 1 / Magic User 1)
Skeff Hawkridge (Half Elf Druid 1 / Thief 1) 
Gorro (Half Orc Cleric 1 / Fighter 1) 

Date/Time

Planting 1; Early to late morning 

Four adventurers, traveling separately along the uplands of Tenh in the shadow of the Griff Mountains, are snatched just past sunrise by rocs and deposited in their nest high on a mountain peak. Below them a valley splits the side of the mountain, with a chain of lakes, valleys, wood and bog. A small river flows down the valley and meanders across the surrounding uplands, ending in a small lake on the edge of an escarpment. On an island in the lake something glitters, and from the high vantage point of the roc's nest, the river and lake look like a serpents body and head stretched over the land.

Joining forces, the adventurers gather loot from the nest (including a crumpled copper sheet with a cryptic note about the Serpents Eye and the island in the lake) and make their way to a ledge far below. A series of further ledges lead toward the first snow and ice covered valley. Along the way a strange humanoid creature of stone tumbles down the slope to waylay them, but is summarily dispatched on the narrow path where fighting is only possible in single file.

The first valley is filled with ice and snow. Ranzel notes tracks of a great cat, which they wisely avoid. The party crosses the lake ice and descends the cliff face next to a frigid waterfall, and into the next mist filled valley. Crossing an ice bridge over the river, they explore an empty side-valley before making there way towards an erupting geyser hidden in the next arm of the valley. There they encounter a winged humanoid creature with grey features lounging in the steaming pool below the geyser.  It first tries to entice them into the pool. After banter, the party instead agrees, in return for information on the valley, to compete a quest on the snittering creature's behalf. They are to kill his rival on the other side of the valley, a task the creature has been given by his (undisclosed) master. 

Following the creature's directions, the party re-crosses the ice bridge and heads down the opposite side of the valley and alongside the lake. A rockslide narrows the path, and suddenly a rock slab tips and drops Ranzel and Skeffs dog Hobo into the freezing lake. A foul undead creature rises out of the water and attacks. It is quickly dispatched and the shivering duo recovered from the waters ...

GAINS

50gp

Jeweled helmet [600gp]

Silver dagger [20gp]

Gold armbands [3 x 30gp] 

Vial of holy water

Potion of healing [200xp]

KILLS/VICTORIES

1 Vilstrak

1 Lacedon

LOSSES

none