This post is a continuation of the Darsildorf campaign. You can find the first, second, and third session reports on this site.
As a reminder, I’m using the classic map from the AD&D DMG for this delve, and have changed it to the old dwarven silver mine of Araz-Daan.
Back to Town
After the PC’s encounter with the Carrion Crawler, they decide to head back to town and rest there, heading back into the mines the next day, which will be the 4th Day of Ferast. 1Ferast (Fer-AST) is the god of magic. And patron to magic-users everywhere.
Ferast is one of the 12 Major Deities in my campaign world. I have named the twelve months after them – Ferast, the month, represents the start of Summer. It is the year 1273NR*.
*Northern Reckoning.
Upon returning to town they meet an oddball traveller by the name of Ral.
He claims to be a shaman from the southern parts of the Freelands 2The Freelands is the focus of current campaigns, and is travelling to see the world. He accompanies the PCs back to Darsildorf and then accompanies them on the next trip into the mines – more out of curiosity than anything else.
You can find the Shaman class in Issue 34 of d12 Monthly.
The 5th Day of Ferast
The PCs travel back to the mines without incident.
Characters
Ral – Human Shaman
Graswin of Myrbridge III – a human sorcerer
Flame Athok of Lucindar – a human cleric of Lucindar
Kristoff – a Surface Dwarf (Azlan) Undead Hunter of Lucindar
Valstaff – a human illusionist
Checkout Session 1 for details of the deity Lucindar and Azlan Dwarves.
After descending into the mines once again, the PCs make it to Area 12 without incident.
Area 12
As the PCs approach this chamber, two Hobgoblins set a quick ambush for the PC after seeing their lantern light approaching.
Hobgoblins 3The term ‘hobgoblin’ is a bit of a misdemeanour as hobgoblins are not related to goblins at all. in my campaign world come from various clans and tribes, each with their own military training methods.
To reflect this, I use the table from Issue 10 of d12 Monthly which lists additional training and abilities for the most common humanoid races (orc, goblin, hobgoblin, gnolls, and ogre) – these Hobgoblins had the ability to cause more damage if adjacent to an ally.
The hobgoblins got the upper hand early, wounding Kristoff, and executed their planning to perfection as one of them used terrain to his advantage to kill Valstaff.
After this, the PCs were determined to kill the hobgoblins, and they did just that a few rounds later.
Given the death of Valstaff, the PCs decided to head back to town after searching the Hobgoblin’s bodies, taking some fine weapons and an expensive-looking ring from them, leaving their bodies for the Carrion Crawler and any other scavengers in the mines.
Back to Darsildorf
After a very short and deadly foray into the mines, the PCs make it back to Darsildorf.
They are nearly broke, and after delivering Valstaff’s body to the local temple, Graswin convinces the innkeeper to take the ring as a down payment of future lodgings.
I rolled a nature ‘12’ on the 2D6 reaction roll to see if the innkeeper agrees, so he has no hesitation (and secretly hopes the PCs discover more valuables from the mine).
The 5th Day of Ferast
The PCs return to the dungeon, with the same compliment they had yesterday (minus Valstaff, obviously).
On the way, the PCs meet a group of pilgrims on their way to Darsildorf from Rothope (a small town to the north-east).
The PCs trade pleasantries and then continue on their way.
Area 13
Heading to Area 13 after they enter the mines once again, the PCs cautiously approach it until Kristoff suddenly senses undead and charges in.
More barrels (similar to Area 1) are here, as is another dwarven GHOUL, feasting on an arm of one of the Hobgoblins (see above)!
Kristoff is hit by a claw from the rather quick ghoul (but manages to shrug off the paralysis effect) just as Athok successfully turns it, stunning the creature. Graswin and Ral quickly finish it off.
In my campaign world I have expanded the effects of turning undead, as well as tweaking the rules, which can be found in the article “Turning Up The Heat” in Issue 5 of d12 Monthly. This allows the cleric to cause the undead to be: shaken, dazed, stunned, held at bay, turned, or destroyed.
After a few moments of rest, the PCs cautiously inspect the barrels, and find 8 small emeralds (50GP each) in the bottom of one of the barrels.
They smile at each other, knowing this will relieve some of the pressures of being able to afford to stay at the inn.
Area 14
The PCs reach Area 14 without delay or issue.
The large chamber seems harmless enough – if you ignore the old blood stains.
A backpack lays in the middle of the room with some items scattered about. The PCs cautiously investigate it and as they get close to it, four GIANT CENTIPEDES crawl out from inside or under it!
Ral is the closest PC and all four swarm him. Unfortunately for Ral, he is hit and succumbs to the paralysing poison. The other PCs come to his rescue as they quickly dispatch the beasts.
But with Ral paralysed for an unknown amount of time, the PCs carry him back out of the mine and back to the surface, but not before Graswin grabs the backpack and spilled items.
After resting, and while waiting to see if the paralysis effect wears off, Graswin searches the backpack to find a potion of speed (labelled), and 22 platinum pieces!
Platinum pieces are pretty rare in my campaign world, and only merchants and the wealthy use these coins. These particular ones were printed in Isleholm 4Isleholm sits on the northern part of the Silver Coast and is the largest of the five city-states that rest in the Freelands. and are decorative rectangle-shaped coins with a hole in the centre.
The paralysis effect finally wears off, and the PCs travel back to Darsildorf.
After taking Ral to the temple to get him seen and let him rest, the PCs head back to the inn where they meet Garl Rokhand – a surface dwarven shaman. After some banter, the PCs agree to let him join them the next time they plumb the depths of the mine.
To be continued…
While You’re Here…
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- 1Ferast (Fer-AST) is the god of magic. And patron to magic-users everywhere.
- 2The Freelands is the focus of current campaigns
- 3The term ‘hobgoblin’ is a bit of a misdemeanour as hobgoblins are not related to goblins at all.
- 4Isleholm sits on the northern part of the Silver Coast and is the largest of the five city-states that rest in the Freelands.