This campaign uses Pathfinder adventure paths with the Dungeons and Dragons Next play test rules.
Tuesday, March 29, 2016
4760 5th of Lamashan in the tower of Gallowspire, in the fallen city of Adorak, in the fell province of Virlych in the nation of Ustalav
The pcs climbed down the 150' by using magic. At the bottom of the shaft, and after a short tunnel, they came upon a series of walled off chambers. After some searching the pcs decided to go left and there they encountered a powerful vampire druid that attacked in a blood frenzy. The druid shifted into a huge cave bear and attacked but the pcs soon gave it a mortal wound to the bear form and the vampire was forced to fight on with its own body.
The elven vampire inflicted deadly wounds on the pcs but was soon surrounded and slain by the combined might of the pcs. Then the pcs found a library area with 4 suits of demonic armor. Rigby found a prison cell and after some brief consideration the pcs decided to open it. When Rigby opened the door to the cell the four suits of demon armor animated and attacked. The pcs were able to defeat the armor with minimal wounds. Then Eric slid the stone lid off one of the sarcophagi which released the entombed skeleton knight. The skeleton knight spoke with Black Hands in ancient Varisian with Gregor doing his best to follow along.
Black Hands convinced the skeleton knight to awake his two companions and join the party against Tar-Baphon. The newly expanded group moved on to the nearby large hall. Therein a the pcs saw an angel standing guard over the wards ruined by the Carrion Crown. Then followed a long protracted negotiation with the angel.
The angel, called Sanviel, eventually agreed to let the pcs and undead proceed past the wards. Sanviel said that he would follow his orders and remain on guard there in case the pcs should fail to defeat Tar-Baphon. The pcs then descended on a spiral skeleton staircase to the next level. At that level they encounted a large group of ghosts.
The ghosts attacked and it appeared that the pcs were in trouble. However the ghosts were unable to possess anyone except Black Hands. Eric grappled the possessed Black Hands and refused to kill him. Glade use a turn to drive the ghost out him while the other pcs mopped up the rest of the ghosts. The pcs and allies traveled only a few yards and they saw a building carved out of natural rock. A ghoul stuck his head through a door that was open just a crack.
Linkles and Rigby used their mage hands spell to open the door. Linkles cast a fireball through the open door and the ghouls were devastated in the explosion. The ghouls counter-attacked but the pack was too badly injured to offer any sort of credible threat to the pcs. After the ghouls were driven away the pcs continued on. Fortunately Glade chose a path that avoided the graves of another mob of ghosts.
The pcs descended down another shaft to a maze of rooms that formerly were living and eating spaces. Furnishings and fixtures of wood were rotted and smashed into unrecognizable debris. The pcs started to open various doors facing the labyrinth of halls. In room after room they found hordes of skeletons, zombies, and more rarely, ghouls. After the first round of fighting the pcs decided to take a short rest in the first room they had cleared and searched. Gregor summoned his mount and found out that he was not able to dismiss it. When they opened they opened the door to exit they were blasted by a hellball launched from a waiting deathknight.
The pcs managed to avoid the worst of the explosion and charged after the deathknight. They pcs were able to bring down the deathknight with ranged attacks before it could escape and then the pcs were able to mop the huge horde of skeletons surrounding them. The demon Kazakin was slain by the skeleton horde but he took a great number with him in death. Next the pcs cleared the right side of the labyrinth and they found a corridor that could be used as a defensive position to wipe out the rest of Tar-Baphon's army. Andivion used one of his magic patches to create a barred door to block one path to the defensive area. Glade cast spikestones and the slaughter began. The mindless zombies and skeletons were drawn into the spikestones killzone and were quickly wiped out. The ghouls faired only slightly better. They retreated after being wounded and released zombie and skeleton allies. Eventually all the undead on level 6 wiped out.
Next the pcs descended another skeleton spiral staircase down to level 7. After following a short corridor the pcs came upon a stone golem in the guise of the human form of Tar Baphon.
The pcs quickly overwhelemed the stonegolem and destroyed. Then the pcs investigated a huge pile of humanoid bones. The pile started spontaneously forming skeletons. The pcs destroyed the first skeleton and then two more were created. The pcs quickly figured that the pile would generate more skeletons when the last batch were destroyed.
The pcs pinned one of the two skeletons and then manacled it thus breaking the cycle of skeleton generation. Then the pcs traveled a short distance and found a sleeping dracolich.
A brief but furious battle ensued and the dragon was destroyed but a some cost in magic and injuries. After the battle Gregor cast a find spell to locate the dragons's phylactery. Gregor was surprised when he sensed not one but two phylacteries. The pcs traveled only a few dozen feet and they were confronted by a skull with gem eyes. The pcs correctly guessed they were facing a dread demi-liche.
Friday, March 25, 2016
4760 4th of Lamashan in the tower of Gallowspire, in the fallen city of Adorak, in the fell province of Virlych in the nation of Ustalav
The pcs arrive in the destroyed city of Adorak and began to make their way toward the tower of Gallowspire.
After less than an hour of travel the pcs were approached by a hooded figure calling himself Blackhands that turned out to be an elven revenant forever cursed to seek revenge against the Whispering Tyrant Tar-Baphon. With Blackhand's help the pcs were able to easily negotiate Adorak's dangers avoiding sink holes and a deadly dracolich named Marrowgarth.
On reaching Gallowspire the pcs found the main entrance barred and magically locked so they were forced climb the outside of the enchanted tower. This was made even more dangerous in that condemned prisoners were bound to the tower by hooks and crow-cages after transformation to undead. Additionally the top of Gallowspire was surrounded by a corona of hundreds of flying incorporeal undead. As the pcs made their way up the side, they were taunted by Whispering Way cultists who sacrificed Count Galdana and threw his body at the pcs. The sacrificed Count Galadana was the last of Tar-Baphon's direct descendants and thus the last ingredient needed to create the Carrion Crown. The Carrion Crown spun and created a great purple light before it sped off releasing all the wards keeping Tar-Baphon prisoner. The pcs pursued the fleeing Whispering Way cultists down an animated skeleton spiral stair case. The staircase aided the cultists but deliberately hindered the pcs. After some struggles with the tower's anti-gravity center core the pcs used magic to reach the fleeing cultists and quickly cut them down. After reaching the bottom of the hollowed out tower, the pcs descended to the first underground level on the same skeleton spiral staircase. At each entrance to each level there was a deadly trap but each was easily defeated by the trapping skills of Rigby the halfling. On the next level they discovered a circular chamber holding 9 angels trapped forever in their dead bodies by Tar-Baphon's magic. Gregor released the suffering creatures with the gift of true death. The pcs then descended to the next dungeon level which contained a demonic spider known as a beblith.
The pcs set the spider-demon's webs on fire and attacked at range. Already seriously wounded climbing the wall toward the pcs, the formidable creature was held back by Blackhands who was immune to the demon's deadly venom while the party destroyed it with withering ranged attacks. It was quickly cast down to smash to the floor. The pcs then descended to the next level where they came upon a fire elemental cursed with dark necrotic magics. Again the pcs used ranged attacks from the skeleton spiral staircase to decimate the creature before it could close with them. At the bottom of the fire elemental's level, the trap door in the floor led, not to the bone staircase, but to a 150' foot shaft.
Friday, February 26, 2016
4760 8th Rova in the Solvania, Stolen Lands to 3rd of Lamashan in Virlych, Ustalav
the pcs travel to Ustalav
4760 28th Arodus Narlmarches to 7th Rova in Solvania Stolen Lands in the Riverlands
Eric studies magic and afterward he joins the city guard. Glade searched for Grim cast awaken and then investigated the fey damage. Glade found that areas damaged by fey energy died and then grew back very healthy. Linkles gave Horace copper pieces and bought scrolls. Rigby gave copper and silver and then traveled to Pitax to meet with Geoffry's wife and spy master. Then Rigby went to the Pitax thieves guild and discussed Geoffry's wife and one of the guildmasters asked Rigby to steal an item from Queen Arsinoe. Gregor trained his temple paladins.
Sunday, January 17, 2016
4760 in Nyrissa's realm of Thousandbreaths in the Firstworld (feyrealm) date unknown
After defeating the ghosts, the pcs entered the main area of the castle. There the pcs were attacked by five shadows. Glade turned most of them and then pcs decimated the rest. Then the pcs went through a series of small rooms most of them had a ghost in them. One of the rooms contained Father Grimburrow from Ravengro. Later the pcs came upon a stuffed bear dancing in a cage. Then the pcs backtracked and took the spiral staircase up to the 2nd floor. There they were attacked by 4 snakemen.
The creatures used magic to make Eric retreat up the stairs. Despite this the pcs cut the snakemen down before they could become any sort of a real threat.
Next the pcs enter the area of the guest rooms. In two rooms Rigby and Gregor see ghosts at the edge of their vision but the shapes always flit away. At the far end of this section of the castle the pcs find a staircase going down and a spiral staircase going up.
The pcs then decided to cross the bridge over the main hall/throne room. On the other side of the bridge the pcs found Nyrissa's private rooms including her private bath and wardrobe room. Eventually Rigby found Nyrissa's six blinded nymph handmaidens. The blood crying nymphs went on the attack and charmed Erik so that he tried to go downstairs.
Gregor then beat Erik with his fists until the charm was broken. Then there was a brief stand off as the nymphs prepared a charm firing squad and the pcs were unwilling to risk attacking them. Erick attempted to end the standoff mounted on his firesteed but was charmed again and sent downstairs to bring the thornmen up to the fight. Then Linkles broke the stand off with a series of three fireballs that decimated the blind nymphs leaving only one barely clinging to life. Then Linles sent a single firebolt cantrip that fried her to a crisp.
The pcs then decided to take the spiral staircase up to the 3rd floor. On the 3rd floor the found a single tower chamber that was empty except for the carapace skeletons of chasme locust demons. Then the pcs decided to take the final ladder to the 4th floor tower room. Gregor went up first and used Briar to clear the roots and branches. When Gregor looked up into the room what appeared to be a beautiful elf woman attempted to charm him. When that failed the creature used its petrification gaze to turn Gregor to stone.
Erik and the rest of the party charged up the stairs and Erik chopped the hapless medusa to bloody chunks. No one is able to turn Gregor back to flesh and the pcs took a brief respite while they planned their next move. After a rest and discussion the pcs decided to take Gregor-statue to Nyrissa's bathtub to see if that could cure petrification. After this failed Glade asked Wretch to take Briar out of Gregor-statue's hand. With his characteristically sloppy over-use of force, Wretch grabbed the blade and twisted. Gregor's stone hand snapped off. The pcs only traveled a short distance with Wretch carrying Gregor-statue before they heard a Nyrissa's voice announced that she was recalling the Jabberwocky from the Stolen Lands. Soon the pcs heard a large creature smashing its way through the castle. The pcs decided to take their stand against the Jabberwocky on the far side of the balcony-bridge.
A hard fought battle then ensued with the Jabberwocky perched precariously on the groaning balcony-bridge while the pcs defended the doorway to the 2nd floor. The Jabberwocky's poison alcohol breath seriously wounded the pcs and nearly killed Glade. The pcs counterattacked protected from the fey-dragon's claws by the thick wooden walls. Eric blocked the Jabberwocky and struck at its head while risking the fangs alone. The other pcs spread out and attacked at range. Glade was overwhelmed by the fey-dragon's fear power and tried to flee but was stopped by Rigby. Despite its size and power the Jabberwocky was slowly bled and weakened. Before the creature could die, Nyrissa teleported into the room and turned Gregor back to flesh. Blood pumped from Gregor's wrist and he passed out. With a mighty blow Eric slew the Jabberwocky and the pcs all turned on Nyrissa. Outnumbered but determined, Nyrissa levitated to ceiling and then cast a wall of thorns spell which caused her to fall.
Apparently Nyrissa forgot she had lost the divine ability to concentrate on two spells at time. Between the Jabbarwocky's breath and Nyrissa's wall of thorns Glade was in grave danger so he used his fey powers to retreat to the Crystal Cave. A number of pcs were torn up by the thorns but they surrounded Nyrissa and tore her apart without hesitation or mercy.
After Nyrissa's death the ground began to shake and the castle The House at the End of Time began to shudder as if it would collapse. The pcs decided to send half-fey Linkles to the Crystal Cave to tell Glade they had killed Nyrissa and that there was no need for him to use the sphinx's time travel ability.
Friday, January 1, 2016
4760 in Nyrissa's realm of Thousandbreaths in the Firstworld (feyrealm) date unknown
After the pcs successfully complete the ritual they are transported to the Firstworld, specifically Nyrissa's realm of Thousandbreaths. The pcs immediately meet a sphinx by the name of Lorsani. Apparently she is the same fey sphinx that serves in the Crystal Cave.
She tells the pcs that they can only enter Thousandbreaths if they answer at least one of three riddles and that furthermore if they answer all three she will use her time powers to send them back at the exact moment that they left. The pcs manage to answer two of the three and Lorsani tells them if they can come up with the answer to the third she will use her time powers when they need to leave.
The pcs passed between the two iron golems and enter Thousandbreaths forest.
After a short walk the pcs were attacked by animated trees damaged by lightning. The despite their size and strength the living trees are quickly torn apart by the deadly pcs. Another short walk later, the pcs entered a bizarre walled orchard. The orchard trees are growing an impressive crop of huge spikey fruit. As the pcs exited the other side of the orchard they began to realize that the spikey fruit is actually Nyrissa's army of thousands of spikey plantmen.
After another short walk the pcs entered a clearing dominated by a great waterfall. There the pcs were attacked by a pair of great winged owlbears. The poor fey carnivores chose the wrong prey and are cut down before they can do any damage. Then the pcs attempted to cross the river on their portable boat in order to take advantage of the short cut to Nyriss's castle, the House at the Edge of time. Unfortunately Nyrissa's magical control of the rivers make this impossible as the harder they paddled the faster the water flowed and the pcs are swept downstream to the frostgiant's longhouse.
After disembarking from the boat a talled impressive bleeding grey-ginger haired warrior in red cassock ran to them and collapsed. The warrior had only enough time to greet Eric and give his sword over before he was set upon by a fey creature of nightmare, a huge wendigo.
The wendigo disemboweled the warrior and then attacked Eric. The creature was huge and powerful but the pcs ganged up on it and quickly cut it down. After accepting the office of one of Baba Yaga's Riders Eric gained the powers of the Red Rider, called My Red Sun by the planes hopping witch. The pcs decided to attempt to sleep in the giant's longhouse and discovered an act of what appeared to be cannibalism. The pcs attempted to sleep and Linkles was injured by a magical nightmare and Eric was nearly killed.
After a long walk the pcs reached the mesa of the evil Nightmare Rook.
The gigantic bird dive-bombed the party but the pcs gave such a punishing counter attack that the fey bird fled to Nyrissa's castle. After another long walk the pcs circled around the kraken lake of deadly death, wisely choosing not to awake the sleeping cephalopod titan.
Then the pcs climbed a cliff path to the mansion of the Knurly Witch. The witch was in disguise but the pcs were not fooled and soon the witch was begging for mercy
but she receive none except a quick death. Then after a short walk the pcs came to a great beehive like hut. After sneaking in the pcs found a giant fey troll eating gnomes.
The creature attacked and gave the pcs a beating but it could not stand up to the pcs combined power.
The pcs were forced to back track and eventually ended up at a great tower. Inside the tower was a milk maid and her dairy cow. The pcs were not fooled by this illusion and attacked the disguised medusa and gorgon.
Dangerous as they are, the two petrifying creatures could be, they were still slain before anyone could be turned into a statue.
After a long hike the pcs at last reached Nyrissa's House at the Edge of Time. The curtain wall was patrolled by eladrin ghost archers and the pcs engaged in a ranged duel to defeat them. Two ghosts dropped off the wall attempting to possess the pcs but were repulsed and cut down.
Eventually all the elf ghosts were slain. Then a rope was dropped from the curtain wall which only Glade and Gregor could see. In fact it was intangible to the other pcs as well. When Glade and Gregor climbed to the top there they found the flesh golem Wretch.
The golem was invisible and intangible to the other pcs but Glade and Gregor had a conversation with it which reportedly concerned how the golem was ignored and mistreated by the two pcs.
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