Recounting the continuing adventures of:
Xanthus (elf fighter 1/ magic user 1)
Farkus (human fighter 2)
Curly Bricks (human thief 3)
Brandle Cymric (human cleric 2)
Tobor (human fighter 2)
Shortly after Beltane (May 1st) the companions were resting and recuperating at the Inn of the Dancing Dog in the town of Dimner. The weather had recently been cool and wet, and as the day began a light drizzle was soaking the streets of town. With their recent plunder already fattening the chests of local merchants, the party had opportunity to meet and befriend the wizard and sage Calks Jarmet of The Magisters of the Puissant Eye (random campaign event-gain a contact). It was Calks who identified the magic staff, leather armor and potions recently recovered from the Tomb of Jon Little. Hoping to entice the party to further business (his services, after all, are not without reward) he offered to provide them directions to where more valuable items could be found.
In happier times, trade flowed between the Old Empire and the Dwarflands along Baldorn, the "Dwarf Road". While the Free Cities bask still in the pale glow of that former civilization, only a diaspora and stone ruins remain of the Dorn. Many, of course, believe vast treasure still lies buried deep in the earth amidst the ruins, and plundering this could be profitable, if dangerous. Dor Baldorn, “Gateway of the Dwarf Road", can be found in a wide valley between two great arms of the Krokur Mountian range, three days travel on foot through the tree-cloaked hills of the weald. Those seeking the road must start there.
The party prepared by purchasing rations and equipping themselves for both overland journey and underground exploration. They set out on a broken and irregular but once well-paved road that climbed into the hills. On the first day's travel they chanced upon a lone hunter skinning his kill (random encounter result-boon). Curly, the party's scout, made first contact, establishing a friendly rapport, and the party camped with the hunter, exchanging stories and wine for roasted venison. The hunter, Gorm of Gobsedge, informed the party that the forested hills to the north called the Etterweald were infested with giant spiders and worse but that the region of hills the old dwarf road traversed was relatively safe. He admitted to setting eyes upon Dor Baldorn and the adjacent ruined town of Grimstagh recently but wouldn't set foot in either out of both superstition and pragmatism. Two weeks past he spotted smoke emerging from the center of town, which he deemed to be from a cook-fire.
On the second day's journey, Curly shot enough small game with arrows that the party was able to reserve their rations. They camped that evening at a crossroad, where a footpath joined the old dwarf road. On the third day, they awoke and explored the new road, hoping to find the Silver Creek, sight of which had been lost the day before. The road instead climbed a hill until the party found themselves at the threshold of a ruined, circular tower. They investigated the ground floor, where they noted that a large section of wall had collapsed along with the hillside beneath it. They climbed to the second floor using stone stairs that ran along the inside of the intact portion of wall. Here the wooden floor was in partial ruin, and the stairs going further up missing along with the fallen wall. Curly elected to risk a climb up the tower's jagged edge to explore the third floor. Here the discovered more of the same: dirt, pine needles and creaking wooden floors. He chose not to use the rickety ladder to access the roof, but was able to spot the Silver Creek wrapping around the hill beneath them, the outline of the old dwarf road stretching from east to west and with the aid of Farkus's spyglass, the vague outline of a stone ruin several miles distant to the northwest. Having no desire to climb or search further, the party returned to the crossroads and set out, later feeling vaguely as if something was missed at the tower. After midday, they arrived at the outskirts of Grimstagh, a small town of stone buildings behind a circular wall, all somewhat in ruin.
The party spotted the cook-fire Gorm had described, and made directly for the open town gate. Luckily no guard was posted to intercept or give advance warning regarding the party's bold route toward the ruin. Once beyond the tumbled-down outer walls, the party discovered that Grimstagh was organized into once orderly lanes radiating like spokes from its central forum. Making directly for the forum, the party was beset by a pack of 4 wolves.
Here they acquitted themselves well; Tobor felled three of the beasts himself with a masterful display of swordsmanship and verve (lucky rolls and multiple cleaves). They continued toward the forum amidst the howls of more wolves, but before reaching were again intercepted by three more wolves and their ogre master. This battle proved quick as well, though one of the wolves and the ogre managed to bloody both Curly and Xanthus. Curly lamented briefly the violent and transitory life of an adventurer and wondered if the ogre might have been friendly under different circumstances. These gloomy thoughts were quickly banished as treasure-fever overtook them and the party began to search for loot.
A quick but systematic going-over of the forum and its attached buildings revealed only the ogre's camp and a strange basement level consisting of a long hall with rooms to either side amounting to 19 open and one closed doorway. The 19 open doorways led to identical 10' x 10' chambers, doors smashed and missing and long emptied of whatever contents they may have once contained. The twentieth was still secured with a sturdy, heavy-looking bronze door that had no visible means of operation. Etchings on the door in the elvish script named the door's owner, Llareth a merchant of Moon Vale. Xanthus translated this for the party.
Trying but failing to open the door by pushing, pulling, searching for secret mechanisms and speaking aloud various passwords in elvish the party then searched the adjacent chamber, noting somebody had already tried busting through the stone wall to no avail. Farkus considered drinking both of the party's potions of diminution at once to see if he could shrink small enough to slip under or around the door, but this idea was discarded as too uncertain. Curly surmised the merchant must have had a residence nearby and so the party sought it out, finding it in the more affluent part of town.
A thorough (and lucky!) search of what remained of the the residence turned up a hidden compartment in an upstairs room containing a lacquer box. Inside were documents and a small bag of gemstones. Reading through the documents, which appeared to be a list of assets and contacts, Xanthus discovered a name which appeared out of place (another lucky roll!) amidst the names of what appeared to be various agents and contacts. He noticed the name of an ancient elven hero.
Taking the gems, the party returned to the bronze door and spoke the name. The heavy bronze door opened, being operated by mysterious mechanisms activated by the word of passing. Inside was found a small horde of treasure mainly consisting of stamped silver ingots but also gem stones and coins of various denomination.The enchanted bronze vault door, once opened, ceased to function. * Being now dark, the party camped in the ruined forum that night.
Without having set eyes or feet upon Dor Baldorn itself the party decided the next morning that the treasure haul was ample and they would return to Dimner. (Quick player calculations noted several of them had enough experience in treasure now to gain a level, but needed to return the treasure to a "safe" location in order to collect on the XP). The return trip was uneventful (the only event roll indicating they got lost, which was discarded as they were on a well-marked trail with a guide posessing Wilderness Lore. The rain, which had been a constant through much of the journey, let up on the second day of the return trip.
Party losses: none
Party kills: 7 wolves and an ogre
Party treasure: 18 gems (2,620 sp total); 19 silver ingots (1,900 sp. total); 1,800 silver pieces and 2,100 copper pieces
* I decided later that the caster who created the spell and this vault for the reasons stated above would logically want the spell to continue functioning, so the party now has another asset at their disposal: a secure location close to the dungeon.
My notes: I expected the fight with the ogre and wolves to be more of a challenge for a party of mostly 2nd level characters, but fortunate rolling (including 2 or 3 crits) and the fighter's cleave ability combined to make it easy work. The ogre had only two chances to attack, narrowly missing a 2d6 club attack on Farkus and hitting Xanthus with a 1d8 punch after Tobor or Curly severed his club arm with a critical shot. Of all 7 wolves only one or two hit for nominal damage. I was surprised the party wasn't more careful and methodical approaching the town after the careful exploration of the tower the previous day. Had this been a more organized opponent expecting trouble the combat could have easily swung the other way. As it was, the ogre was quite complacent and while his canine minions spotted the party before they made it to the forum, they ultimately did little to slow or stop their progress. One could reasonably argue that a slower, more measured approach might have actually hurt the party in this case, but blitzkrieging blindly won't suffice as a typical approach tactic in the future (fair warning!).
As for the vault, I fully expected the party to become frustrated and leave this for later when they had the means to either cast the requisite dispel magic or find some other way past or around the door. I should have known better! When Curly argued that the merchant must have kept a residence in town where clues could be found (I hadn't considered this, to be honest) I allowed for it, deeming the party could locate something useful with 2 successful searches on d6. Whether or not there was anything helpful there to find was another matter, though, and given a 33% chance to be rolled by me. I had everybody make their rolls, while I made my % roll (a 32-success). Of the 5 players, 3 made the check. Improbably, they passed all of the dice obstacles I set up. So, using the old "secret compartment in the study" trope I added the lacquer box, documents and threw in the gems as a logical bonus. The elf merchant apparently had in place a contingency whereby his agents could access the vault in the event of some emergency, and the party ferreted it out.
Sometimes the dice are with the players and clever play demands a DM make adjustments. A great idea from a player at the table should be considered, but not necessarily granted. Situations like this should be sought for and encouraged provided you don't just end up handing the players everything. Since I hadn't considered a residence for the merchant but it was reasonable to expect it I gave it a chance of working out, still letting failure be an option and ensuring the dice had their say. At any point through the above session a character could have been crushed by the ogre (who had enough hit points to last many rounds under the right circumstances) or mauled by a wolf. Any of the search rolls or the % roll above could have failed and the party would have had to leave the vault for later or devise another solution. Instead, they danced through combat and aced their rolls. I hope they remember this when the dice and circumstances are not so kind. :-)
Xanthus (elf fighter 1/ magic user 1)
Farkus (human fighter 2)
Curly Bricks (human thief 3)
Brandle Cymric (human cleric 2)
Tobor (human fighter 2)
Shortly after Beltane (May 1st) the companions were resting and recuperating at the Inn of the Dancing Dog in the town of Dimner. The weather had recently been cool and wet, and as the day began a light drizzle was soaking the streets of town. With their recent plunder already fattening the chests of local merchants, the party had opportunity to meet and befriend the wizard and sage Calks Jarmet of The Magisters of the Puissant Eye (random campaign event-gain a contact). It was Calks who identified the magic staff, leather armor and potions recently recovered from the Tomb of Jon Little. Hoping to entice the party to further business (his services, after all, are not without reward) he offered to provide them directions to where more valuable items could be found.
In happier times, trade flowed between the Old Empire and the Dwarflands along Baldorn, the "Dwarf Road". While the Free Cities bask still in the pale glow of that former civilization, only a diaspora and stone ruins remain of the Dorn. Many, of course, believe vast treasure still lies buried deep in the earth amidst the ruins, and plundering this could be profitable, if dangerous. Dor Baldorn, “Gateway of the Dwarf Road", can be found in a wide valley between two great arms of the Krokur Mountian range, three days travel on foot through the tree-cloaked hills of the weald. Those seeking the road must start there.
The party prepared by purchasing rations and equipping themselves for both overland journey and underground exploration. They set out on a broken and irregular but once well-paved road that climbed into the hills. On the first day's travel they chanced upon a lone hunter skinning his kill (random encounter result-boon). Curly, the party's scout, made first contact, establishing a friendly rapport, and the party camped with the hunter, exchanging stories and wine for roasted venison. The hunter, Gorm of Gobsedge, informed the party that the forested hills to the north called the Etterweald were infested with giant spiders and worse but that the region of hills the old dwarf road traversed was relatively safe. He admitted to setting eyes upon Dor Baldorn and the adjacent ruined town of Grimstagh recently but wouldn't set foot in either out of both superstition and pragmatism. Two weeks past he spotted smoke emerging from the center of town, which he deemed to be from a cook-fire.
On the second day's journey, Curly shot enough small game with arrows that the party was able to reserve their rations. They camped that evening at a crossroad, where a footpath joined the old dwarf road. On the third day, they awoke and explored the new road, hoping to find the Silver Creek, sight of which had been lost the day before. The road instead climbed a hill until the party found themselves at the threshold of a ruined, circular tower. They investigated the ground floor, where they noted that a large section of wall had collapsed along with the hillside beneath it. They climbed to the second floor using stone stairs that ran along the inside of the intact portion of wall. Here the wooden floor was in partial ruin, and the stairs going further up missing along with the fallen wall. Curly elected to risk a climb up the tower's jagged edge to explore the third floor. Here the discovered more of the same: dirt, pine needles and creaking wooden floors. He chose not to use the rickety ladder to access the roof, but was able to spot the Silver Creek wrapping around the hill beneath them, the outline of the old dwarf road stretching from east to west and with the aid of Farkus's spyglass, the vague outline of a stone ruin several miles distant to the northwest. Having no desire to climb or search further, the party returned to the crossroads and set out, later feeling vaguely as if something was missed at the tower. After midday, they arrived at the outskirts of Grimstagh, a small town of stone buildings behind a circular wall, all somewhat in ruin.
The party spotted the cook-fire Gorm had described, and made directly for the open town gate. Luckily no guard was posted to intercept or give advance warning regarding the party's bold route toward the ruin. Once beyond the tumbled-down outer walls, the party discovered that Grimstagh was organized into once orderly lanes radiating like spokes from its central forum. Making directly for the forum, the party was beset by a pack of 4 wolves.
Here they acquitted themselves well; Tobor felled three of the beasts himself with a masterful display of swordsmanship and verve (lucky rolls and multiple cleaves). They continued toward the forum amidst the howls of more wolves, but before reaching were again intercepted by three more wolves and their ogre master. This battle proved quick as well, though one of the wolves and the ogre managed to bloody both Curly and Xanthus. Curly lamented briefly the violent and transitory life of an adventurer and wondered if the ogre might have been friendly under different circumstances. These gloomy thoughts were quickly banished as treasure-fever overtook them and the party began to search for loot.
A quick but systematic going-over of the forum and its attached buildings revealed only the ogre's camp and a strange basement level consisting of a long hall with rooms to either side amounting to 19 open and one closed doorway. The 19 open doorways led to identical 10' x 10' chambers, doors smashed and missing and long emptied of whatever contents they may have once contained. The twentieth was still secured with a sturdy, heavy-looking bronze door that had no visible means of operation. Etchings on the door in the elvish script named the door's owner, Llareth a merchant of Moon Vale. Xanthus translated this for the party.
Trying but failing to open the door by pushing, pulling, searching for secret mechanisms and speaking aloud various passwords in elvish the party then searched the adjacent chamber, noting somebody had already tried busting through the stone wall to no avail. Farkus considered drinking both of the party's potions of diminution at once to see if he could shrink small enough to slip under or around the door, but this idea was discarded as too uncertain. Curly surmised the merchant must have had a residence nearby and so the party sought it out, finding it in the more affluent part of town.
A thorough (and lucky!) search of what remained of the the residence turned up a hidden compartment in an upstairs room containing a lacquer box. Inside were documents and a small bag of gemstones. Reading through the documents, which appeared to be a list of assets and contacts, Xanthus discovered a name which appeared out of place (another lucky roll!) amidst the names of what appeared to be various agents and contacts. He noticed the name of an ancient elven hero.
Taking the gems, the party returned to the bronze door and spoke the name. The heavy bronze door opened, being operated by mysterious mechanisms activated by the word of passing. Inside was found a small horde of treasure mainly consisting of stamped silver ingots but also gem stones and coins of various denomination.
Without having set eyes or feet upon Dor Baldorn itself the party decided the next morning that the treasure haul was ample and they would return to Dimner. (Quick player calculations noted several of them had enough experience in treasure now to gain a level, but needed to return the treasure to a "safe" location in order to collect on the XP). The return trip was uneventful (the only event roll indicating they got lost, which was discarded as they were on a well-marked trail with a guide posessing Wilderness Lore. The rain, which had been a constant through much of the journey, let up on the second day of the return trip.
Party losses: none
Party kills: 7 wolves and an ogre
Party treasure: 18 gems (2,620 sp total); 19 silver ingots (1,900 sp. total); 1,800 silver pieces and 2,100 copper pieces
* I decided later that the caster who created the spell and this vault for the reasons stated above would logically want the spell to continue functioning, so the party now has another asset at their disposal: a secure location close to the dungeon.
My notes: I expected the fight with the ogre and wolves to be more of a challenge for a party of mostly 2nd level characters, but fortunate rolling (including 2 or 3 crits) and the fighter's cleave ability combined to make it easy work. The ogre had only two chances to attack, narrowly missing a 2d6 club attack on Farkus and hitting Xanthus with a 1d8 punch after Tobor or Curly severed his club arm with a critical shot. Of all 7 wolves only one or two hit for nominal damage. I was surprised the party wasn't more careful and methodical approaching the town after the careful exploration of the tower the previous day. Had this been a more organized opponent expecting trouble the combat could have easily swung the other way. As it was, the ogre was quite complacent and while his canine minions spotted the party before they made it to the forum, they ultimately did little to slow or stop their progress. One could reasonably argue that a slower, more measured approach might have actually hurt the party in this case, but blitzkrieging blindly won't suffice as a typical approach tactic in the future (fair warning!).
As for the vault, I fully expected the party to become frustrated and leave this for later when they had the means to either cast the requisite dispel magic or find some other way past or around the door. I should have known better! When Curly argued that the merchant must have kept a residence in town where clues could be found (I hadn't considered this, to be honest) I allowed for it, deeming the party could locate something useful with 2 successful searches on d6. Whether or not there was anything helpful there to find was another matter, though, and given a 33% chance to be rolled by me. I had everybody make their rolls, while I made my % roll (a 32-success). Of the 5 players, 3 made the check. Improbably, they passed all of the dice obstacles I set up. So, using the old "secret compartment in the study" trope I added the lacquer box, documents and threw in the gems as a logical bonus. The elf merchant apparently had in place a contingency whereby his agents could access the vault in the event of some emergency, and the party ferreted it out.
Sometimes the dice are with the players and clever play demands a DM make adjustments. A great idea from a player at the table should be considered, but not necessarily granted. Situations like this should be sought for and encouraged provided you don't just end up handing the players everything. Since I hadn't considered a residence for the merchant but it was reasonable to expect it I gave it a chance of working out, still letting failure be an option and ensuring the dice had their say. At any point through the above session a character could have been crushed by the ogre (who had enough hit points to last many rounds under the right circumstances) or mauled by a wolf. Any of the search rolls or the % roll above could have failed and the party would have had to leave the vault for later or devise another solution. Instead, they danced through combat and aced their rolls. I hope they remember this when the dice and circumstances are not so kind. :-)
Llareth’s Enchanted Door
3rd Level Magic User Spell
Range: 20' Area: one object or opening
Duration: permanent
This spell is a more powerful and useful version of wizard lock. Once cast upon a door, chest, portal, bindings, lock or similar object it creates a magical force that will hold it permanently shut and/ or secure. The caster can freely pass his or her own enchantment without affecting it, but all others are prevented from opening it (except as described below). A door or object secured with this spell can be opened only by somehow destroying the object or with a successful dispel magic. No force short of breaking the enchanted object to pieces will allow non-magical bypassing.
This spell differs from wizard lock in three meaningful ways. One, it is impervious to the effects of a knock spell and is allowed a saving throw to resist dispel magic (use the caster’s save at time of casting). Two, a provision of the spell allows the caster to designate a password that creatures other than himself may use to bypass the enchantment. In this case, the caster decides upon casting whether use of the password will cause the spell to cease or continue. Three, the spell can operate a mechanism (for instance, consider a bank vault door with a locking bolt mechanism but without the handle to operate it but being instead operated via this spell).
3rd Level Magic User Spell
Range: 20' Area: one object or opening
Duration: permanent
This spell is a more powerful and useful version of wizard lock. Once cast upon a door, chest, portal, bindings, lock or similar object it creates a magical force that will hold it permanently shut and/ or secure. The caster can freely pass his or her own enchantment without affecting it, but all others are prevented from opening it (except as described below). A door or object secured with this spell can be opened only by somehow destroying the object or with a successful dispel magic. No force short of breaking the enchanted object to pieces will allow non-magical bypassing.
This spell differs from wizard lock in three meaningful ways. One, it is impervious to the effects of a knock spell and is allowed a saving throw to resist dispel magic (use the caster’s save at time of casting). Two, a provision of the spell allows the caster to designate a password that creatures other than himself may use to bypass the enchantment. In this case, the caster decides upon casting whether use of the password will cause the spell to cease or continue. Three, the spell can operate a mechanism (for instance, consider a bank vault door with a locking bolt mechanism but without the handle to operate it but being instead operated via this spell).
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