Sunday, August 22, 2010

Universal Truths that our Heroes obey


Here's a link to a list of all Dungeons & Dragons 3.x edition products that our valiant players use.
http://societyofhorriblegentlemen.blogspot.com/2010/08/das-list-um-kerken-und-drachen.html
These books are the secret of Melkor's magnificient magic!

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Chapter Four: Back to Darnon, brothers partisans!

Session was held 7th of August 2010 at the Altar of Games

Our heroes, Arius the half-elf prince, Melkor the wizard who masters the lore of lore itself, Douglas Wenham the cunning thief of awesome dexterity and Jared West the heathen priest of Lathander, were finally on something big. Hermit monk called Alvar had thanked them from their service with a map describing an ancient mining village deep in the Reaching Woods. Village was called Sparklestoneand it was supposed to be full of valuable jewels, according to the legends and writings of Alvar monasterys brotherhood.

Destined to follow the hermits squirrelskin map of a cryptic cipher our brave heroes returned to Scornubel to refresh their rations and sharpen their blades of bloodshed. Melkor also did some delicate purchasing to supply his material components required in casting of his omnipotent magic and spend two days and nights locked in his chamber at the Tallabor Inn scribing spells to his spellbook whilst the others of the party drank the rest of the money they had in the Jumping Jugs-tavern.

Poor as hell with a morbid hangover, our incredible posse mounted on their powerfull steeds and rode like thunder until they reached the Reaching. Impassable while mounted, they continued by walking their horses, encouraged by the fact that they were invisible to the evil eyes on the road. But suddenly the forest grew dark and faster than one judges a witch to the pyre, all evil was upon them. Something gigantic grew in front of them, a shape of a monster huge in size, roaring "Huu-Moor"! Could it be, the ghost or spirit of Urgallox, the owlbear menace they killed couple of levels ago. But as fast as it came, it was gone. Only a laughing, hawk-nosed and goateed little geezer walk forth from the bushes, grinning familiarly and saying that the legendary beast sends it regards from the Nine-Hells. It was Petreskobal, the scamming imp. It had came behalf of an entity which name described in mortal tongues would be something like Gor´Marrak the Eater of Nations. The Imp questioned Jared with a riddle, "what hangs from the branch but gives no harvest". Succesfully answering "hanged man" Jared saved his soul for couple years maybe, as Petreskobal said that the Eater of Nations was bit hard to restrain, then swerving away to the bushes. Puzzled by the recent turn his life has taken, Jared and the others decided to research this matter later in town or city of somesort, but now it was for the mine tunnels!

As they proceed closer and closer to the village, they met a little puppy. Arius bonded with the small canine instantly, and sweared to keep the small dog. The puppy proved to be useful as it led our heroes to the village they were looking for. Everything in this small village, build inside the roots and mounds of huge and ancient trees, was dead and decaying. It had to been laying deserted for years. But before our adventurers got to get comfortable, they were surrounded by the living dead! These small, gnome-size zombies dragged their feet slowly towards our magnificent party, which did not panic, but waited for perfect moment to strike themself free from the ever-thightening noose of the little undead. But as Douglas thrusted his rapier in an opening in ones face, they all were terrifyed by the shriek it released. Then all the other "zombies" rushed to help the wounded one, and it was soon clear that what the heroes had witnessed was a not-so-cunning hoax. Gnome elder, called Belfor Shimmering, swiped the make up from his face and excused the mess.

The Gnomes explained that they had lived hidden, surviving on berries, roots and fungi, for past 150 years, all long from when the Great Black Spinner had laid its web on the old mine. Only Fozla Marnig, old and only surviving miner, could remember something from the tunnels, and he was badly demented. After questioning the gramps they had little knowledge of the tunnels, but they got some weird power-mushrooms, clearly highly toxic and propably lethal, but recommended by the old gnome. Later on they managed to convince Belfor to give a ancient masterkey-coder, crafted by Carl Glittergod (gnomish head-deity)himself, to our heroes. Belfor insisted that they would close every door and seal behind them to keep the evil away, and that they had to discover another way out, as it would be clearly too dangerous for the withered village if the team would return the same way.

Early in the next morning the expedition begun to ascend to the mines. After Belfor had closed the main gate, they were on their own. Soon they had their minds full of ciphers as every now and then their journey halted on a finely crafted door, which was accessable only by cracking the code carved on it with the master-key coder. On the left you can gaze three of the puzzles. After the first one our brilliant party arrived to a maintance hall where all the gnome mining-gear was repaired and made in times now forgotten. Abandoned hall proved little in revenue and they continued a stairs up from the two possible headings. There they cracked yet again one of the magic doors and step in to the hall of degeneration. Once maybe the hall of crowns, the space was filled with litter and moss. Here and there was little huts, made mainly from litter and rotting feces. Creatures inhabiting these wretched piles were lower in height than the gnomes up there, horribly deformed by years of terrible inbreeding. These once goblinoids in race regarded our adventures as gods, as they opened the ancient portals to the netherworld. Well, actually they stepped in from a plain door but these little mongers gazed on them with awe and wonder never seen before. This event would have been curious in nature, but the fat leader of these puny creeps arrived from it's "mansion" accompanied by the shaman of the tribe. This skinny aberration was possibly the most horrible of them all, and it had covered itself with feces and dead fetuses. It began to tell a tale with it's guttural, piping imitation of a voice, showing old cavepaintings that looked like splashes of essential fluids. Paintings told a tale how these gods would arrive from the portals, but instead of saving the tribe, the tribe was depicted as eating their gods.

After noticing this small detail, Melkor needed little convincing to the others to raze this inbred tribe once and for all. After hacking and whacking, killing and slashing dozens of these mongering abhorrences, our heroes had slayed women and children alike, if those bit smaller ones could be described as such. Douglas managed to recover the dead chiefs sword, a rapier of expert craftmanship. It was most likely a ancient heirloom and token stolen from some unfortunate traveller ages ago, before the tribe was caught in its horrid hall. Behind the chiefs hut they discovered a coded door. After long and exhausting period of deep thinking they managed to break it's secrets and step in to the treasure hall. Unfortunate for our posse, the hall had crumbled into a vast opening, called abyss in the underdark terms, which expanded hundreds of feets into the darkness, up and down and straight ahead. Only dim green lights could be seen somewhere very far from the ledge they were standing.


This forced our heroes to reverse back to the maintance hall and choose the another way. It lead their way through series of mining tunnels, all empty from riches. But then suddenly they saw a wall of web. Breaking through this curiosity they stepped into a web filled tunnels, and experienced a fierce attack from strange spiderfolk called chitine. Defeating these monsters they pursued one escaping, and arrived to the same abyss they saw earlier. But this time a narrow bridge made of webbing expanded over it, to the green dim lights. They decided to cross the bridge, and while dodging few missiles they arrived to a strange city made of hardened web. Here and there where lying dead chitines, fact that astonished our team of virtue. They proceed upwards on this nearly vertical city, and heard ever growing chanting "LO". Soon they where on the top of the empty city, climbing up a bridge to a round hall made of the same webbing. There they witnessed terrible ritual involving dozens of chitines, whirling smoke pillar and a white man-spider size of a horse. The situation soon worsened into slaughter, involving three drows who steped forth behind the curtain. Soon our heroes were pursuing a escaping female drow cleric, as the webbing hall had turn into a pyre. They soon quit the futile chase, as they saw an opening over them, a change to get above grounds.
After long period of terrible climbing all of them were safely above the hell hole. Even Melkor whose hideous climbing turned into a slapstick comedy from time to time. Quickly they returned back to their horses, and told the gnomes what was hiding in their tunnels. These big eyed herbgatherers were facinated but decided not to plunder into the mine, it was past for them. Belfor adviced them to go to Foresthouse, a Inn held by Tremeld Sinivihta, quality service middle of nowhere. So they headed east, and later that day spotted the inn. On the forested yard there was almost twenty men, powerfully build carrying heavy weaponry, all mounted and ready to go. One of these warrior talked to a man who obviously was Sinivihta, but the man noticed our heroes and shouted "Hold tight on your heads, time of destiny is upon us, the Skogarrim are here!" and then he mounted and rode away towards shoutheast with his men. Our group asked Tremeld who was this man, and they learned that he was Olf Redbeard, leader of the northmen called Skogarrim, highly skilled mercenaries. Tremeld also told that he had heard rumors about Kothian mercenaries arriving to Darnon from the south, they also were men of fierce reputation.
They retired to their beds, and before falling asleep Melkor calculated that their plunders from the mine were worth of 12000 gold pieces. Single most valuable item was Douglas's rapier Umbra, and it had proven to be quite potent. Now finally Melkor had the cash to pursue some goals of his own...

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Chapter Three: The Reaching Wood-Run Aways and other Wretches

Session was held 22th of May 2010 at the Altar of Games

As previous chapter ended in saving the damsel in distress, our heroes had an option to escort her to Scornubel, caravan city in west, behind the woods. This would provide them with a breath of freedom, as the city was independent and opposed Darnon's tyranny. Hunters warned them from a legendary trixster called Peter The Scammer, as he often cheated and robbed the careless travellers.


Journey begun, and according to Melkor, Scornubel would be a day ahead, but their pace was hindered by uneven and foresty terrain, as they decided to stay away from the marked path. The road could prove fatal to travel as it's patrolled by Kings men and hostile mercenaries. Choosing the wilderness turned to be a great choice, until they met the creep that the hunters were talking about. Peter The Scammer, disguised as a poor elven traveller, tested their nerves with unending questions and requests, and continued this annoyance so far that our merry band almost ended slaughtering his puny soul. It turned out that the Scammer was an imp or other devilish creature, which in exchange for it's existence told our heroes its True name, Petreskobal, and how to summon it every 13th day to answer for a question or two.

Finally the got out of the forest, only to be paused by a streaming river. A ferryboat was at the crossing, but bad luck followed as they noticed the ferry was just seized by a band of bandits. This evil-doers indentified themself as the Toughest Gang of the Western World. After a quick negotiation with sword and projectiles, there were none left from the band to tell how tough they really were.
After the river one could almost see the low stonewalls of Scornubel. After reporting to the Red Shields, local army and guard, they headed for a tavern, and found a suitable table from one called Jumping Jugs. There Irene thanked our heroes and wished them well, hoping for meeting 'em again in the future. Next morning the fellowship ventrued to a bazaar known as Vineyard where they soon learned that the city was monopolized by faction called U.M, United Merchants. But many corners and posts were covered with pamflets and notes telling to put end on corruption, Red Shields to shape up and the UM for the final judgement. Not long did they shop in the bazaar when man called Mordiggian met them and asked the travellers a favor in the name of the UM.

Blink of an eye later our candid heroes were riding north, couple of hours on horseback away from the city, ready to slay a wicked mephistophelian once known as Algorthon hiding in the old ruins of the Pedestritian Monastery, which once lied at the riverbank. Soon they reached their destination and begun to purge the once holy site from it's demonic inhabitants. Little did they know that they were the ones who almost got purged. In the upper chambers of half-collapsed ruins they met a creature later identified as a runehound. This vile aberration almost delivered death for our merry band, but by wits and dexterity they managed to fend off the beast. Ventruing futher inside, they plundered upon a hatch down to the basement, and finally found the evil warlock from the old coal chamber of the monastery. Algorthon proved to be a skinny old monk called Alvar, who was responsible of all the fliers and posters in the city mocking the UM. Alvar managed to negotiate with our heroes so that the heroes would slew couple of ghouls haunting futher down in the monastery catacombs, and bring one of those as the corpse of Alvar back to Mordiggian, and later return to the monastery and blow it to bits, as the runehound no longer guards the groundfloor chambers.
Our heroes agreed with the crazed monk, and returned to Scornubel, carrying the mangled corpse of a ghoul with them, to meet Mordiggian at the Riverbank of the Desperate. Old crook took the bait and "promised" that they would not be harmed as long as they would stay in Scornubel. Without granting any futher reward, the adventurers were furious but followed Alvars plan, and bought a keg-of-fire magic from man called Mahmut Al-Zabred at the bazaar. Later that day they blew the Pedestritian monastery to crumbles, and Melkor was convinced from the kegs that the calimshite-caravaneer had sold them. Alvar was everpleased and promised to keep fighting against the UM, United Murderers as he told what the shortening really ment. The monk also preached of a reward, but while gazing the smoldering ruins, Melkor had doubts that would they ever gather any decent loot...

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Chapter Two: Refugees at the Court of the Hunters

Session was held 3rd of april 2010 at the Altar of Games

As guests in the camp of the hunters, Melkor promised for Constantin Almert, the sole leader of the merry hunter band, that they would perform suitable favor for the nuisance that they are. Before that they would however journey eastwards, to inn of Haphark Middleroad, to stock up rations and equip themselves with better equipment. After that they would do what mister Almert wishes.


During their voyage to Middleroads Inn they met women called Irene. She was travelling to Scornubel, independent caravan city behind the Reaching Woods. Reason of her journey was her harsh treatment in the city of Hluthvar, where reign the right hand of Lord Protector Mornburg of Asbravn, Captain Irongrave, cruel man in high status in the cult of the Bitter Lord. Our fellowship were sympathized by her. The treck continued, and at last the met mister Middleroad, who was happy to share what he had, as long as our heroes would do a little booze salvaging for him.



And off we go, the good guys left to place called Trallvik Farm, abandoned estate south from Middleroads. There they witnessed the horrors of plunder and decay, as the whole farm had withered to rubble. Nevertheless, they managed to dig up some nasty kobolds, little dog-lizards vicious as hell. After slaying these poor little critters they found the spiced moonshine that Middleroad was asking for and returned to the inn, and did they triumph!




After returning to the hunters camp they participated in a boar hunt, event that nearly cost someones life. Upon returning back to the camp they were suprised by few riders who had discovered the campsite, bloodhounds of the king. Battle was victorious, but it cost the life of the third hunter, Hulford Bronzevest, and in addition one of the mercenary riders managed to escape, and thus ruin their hidden status.


Camp had to be moved, and luckily mister Almert knew old lean-to near, and they moved to its positions, southwest from the orginal camp. During this movement they saved the life of Irene, women they had met couple of days ago. She was attacked by the most horrific monster in the woods, Urgallox, gigantic owlbear of abyssian aspect. And did they triumph! Closely, but they did!

Chapter One: Sudden departures & unexpected futures

Session was held 27th february 2010 at the altar of games.

Young Arius was running errands for Melkor across the capital city Iriaebor. It was eighth of May, 1372 Dr and the weather breezed of the upcoming summer. Arius was at the central marketplace of the city when all hell broke loose. A pack of Skull Riders rode and surrounded the poor apprentice, who had no glue what was happening. A moment later he realized that he was locked up in a prison cell somewhere in the deep dungeons beneath Iriaebor.

Arius spent days untold in his underground prison, occasionally talking with another man who was imprisoned in the same cell. That man was called Jared and he was a cleric of god Lathander, put behind the bars because of his beliefs in false gods. As desperation grew, Arius heard a sound. He was terrifyed by the thought of jailkeeper Two-Tongue and his cruel flesh-eating whip but then he saw his master, Melkor behind the cell door, searching for proper key from a key ring. Melkor freed Arius who took his inmate-buddy Jared with him. Melkor was not alone, he was accompanied by a dexterous thief called Douglas. All four of them escaped from the dungeons thanks to Melkors unmanly wits, though they had to maim the crooked jailkeeper Two-Tongue unconscious.


They caught their breath at the Copperhorn Inn, where Melkor had bought a room with a pseudonym Kolmer, only to don Arius with studden leather armor and eguip him with a sharp short sword. There Melkor told him that his destiny as prince of Darnon was true, and next they would obtain the sword called Ilbrandir from the tomb of Arius's mother. The sword was a legendary heirloom of her family, ancient craftmanship and ever-sharp, and would determine whether or not Arius truly was the son of the queen. After this they would escape the city and ride northwest, through the village of Borhus all a way until the Crossing of Hastur, from where they would head to the Reaching Woods and find a hunters camp where Melkor had a safe contact.

Thanks to Melkors carefully crafted plans, the trip to the elder catacombs of Iriaebor was a job well done. They met man called Krishnar, a n apprentice of necromantic school, slew him and his undead minions brutally by smashing the wizards face with Melkors trusted staff. Soon they found the tomb they were searching for and opened it without hesitations, only to discover the sword of legacy, the elven mother of Arius, still untouched by time or disease, and with her a swaddled piglet. According to Melkor it was obvious that she was murdered eighteen years ago, thus her unchanged appearance as she still holds grudge for her slayer. Also the fake baby prince was a proof that Arius, or Ariendur as his full royal name goes, was to inherit the kingdom.


Escape from the capital city was a grand succee, as they rode like the wind through the green fields of the countryside. Clerk known as Jehtro Hykel provided them rations for free, as long as they would pay back someday. Gasping the air through their teeth there, an artist immortalized them, starting from the left, Melkor and Arius, Douglas on the back and Jared leaning from the right.


They rode across the crossing to the safety of the vast forest. There they met the hunters Constantin Almert, Viril Massar and Hulford Bronzevest. They were safe for now, but Arius, Jared and Douglas too had alot to question from Melkor about the past few days. Melkor turned most of the questions down, only to inform that they would prepare themselves as soon as possible against the possible pursuers. Arius finally realized how terrible was the actual state of his woeful kingdom.
Arius had no glue how bad the things really were..

Monday, August 16, 2010

Prologue

Once upon a time in the kingdom of Darnon...
Darnon is a small kingdom somewhere in Western Heartlands, between the Reaching Woods and Sunset Mountains, in the vast continent called Faerun, from the D&D campaign Forgotten Realms.

Until recent more turbulent times, Darnon was a quiet feudal kingdom ruled by long lineage of kings hailing from the royal family tree of Grivald. Something changed drastically almost twenty years ago, when King Osander II Grivald had his firstborn son with the beautiful Queen Aeliathe. The king and whole people of Darnon celebrated the new prince, but sorrow struck soon, as the son and queen caucght terrible disease which claimed them both.

King Osander was devastated and ordered that the grieving would last for an year, at least. But the grief of the lost Queen and young prince soon changed to grieving at general, as the morbidminded king slowly succumbed in the ways of terror and bloodshed. Heavy taxes were pulled for the poor people of Darnon, who endured, but only slightly. Years of tormenting shook the whole foundations of the kingdom, as all other gods were pronounced heathens except the Bitter Lord, who had much in common with the poor king. People of Darnon were horrified by the Mace of the Bitter Lord, riders from Order Of the Black Cliff, soon to be called Skull Riders by the missfortunate people..

All this time a young boy grew up to be a man, as an apprentice of a scholarly old man called Melkor. This boy, called Arius took care of Melkor's daily bussiness, and lived relatively happy yet simple life during these years of oppression. This all came to an sudden end, as one day, only couple days before Arius would turn eighteen, Melkor asked him would it be hillarius if Arius would turn to be the long lost prince, and future king of kingdom of Darnon.. Little did Melkor know what destinies this bit boozed out question would bring on them...

Sunday, August 15, 2010

Beginning and Introduction

This blog is my try as a Dungeon Master to keep track of our Dungeons & Dragons 3.X campaign. We started with this team approx. at the start of the decade, so we are just starting out with these heroes. I 'm going to summarise the last events of our adventures in following posts.
The Team consists of four players plus the DM (me):

Arius - played by Sir William
Melkor - played by Emperor Masamund
Jared - played by Count Oscar
Douglas - played by King Jannek The New Guy

And everything else, usually malicious in nature - Lord Protector Jakubias The DM