Ironguard Keep was an online (Discord voice) game in the (mostly) 5e ruleset. I enjoyed the campaign, limited though it was. I like to think my players did as well. So, I have decided to trickle out the campaign logs for those interested in such things.
Keep in mind that the earliest sessions' notes were just bullet statement checklists, and that wine, beer, and/or Kahlua factored into this DM's thinking, improvising, ruling, and remembering events. To make for more interesting reading, I have fictionalized the bullet lists.
Prologue -
A century ago, Ironguard Keep was founded and its construction began, in order to keep Chaos at bay. It’s founders were the surviving members of the first recorded band of heroes to strike down the Chaos Temples. What few realize is that Ironguard Keep is built upon the remains of earlier constructions - the cycle of Law vs Chaos is far older than most realize. As Ironguard Keep grew, the nearby town of Kingsbridge grew as well, on both sides of an ancient bridge that was attributed to the time of the World Emperor.
50 years before today, another bold band of heroes went forth to strike down the Chaos Temples. While the Chaos Temples were cast down, those that returned from the Swamp Temple were fewer and forever changed. Their leader, the paladin Sir Gerrard of the Flame, was not with them, and the survivors refused to speak of his loss. Caradoc, their fighter, and Merric Glitterdust, their Gnome were also lost, but the survivors spoke of their noble sacrifices in hushed tones. They carried the body of the Halfling, Harold ‘Harry’ Brandybuck (of the Buckland Brandybucks), with them. The cleric Sister Boronwe had lost her faith and was blinded, and the Elf, Moonshade, remained mostly silent and nursed his missing arm. The only ones mostly unchanged was the wizard Gargamel Stargazer and his shieldman Kataan.
After returning to Ironguard Keep, Gargamel Stargazer constructed and settled in the Tower to the North, keeping his retainer Kataan and Kataan’s wife with him. Moonshade escorted Sister Boronwe to Skara Brae to stay with the Sisters in the temple there, and then disappeared from history. Harry Brandybuck is buried in the cemetery of Kingsbridge, near the Cenotaphs of Caradoc and Merric Glitterdust.
Someone named Old Man Kataan lives in the Swamps to the south of Ironguard Keep. It is uncertain if this is the same Kataan. What is certain is that Old Man Kataan might be senile, but he is still quite capable.
Session One - 4/18/20
PCs -
Klayton Mueller, Human Warlock 1
Yelrah, Half-Orc Barbarian 1
Albrecht Schulze, Human Sorcerer 1
Maria, Half-Elf Druid 1
The members of the party had individually signed on as caravan guards for the monthly supply run from civilization to Ironguard Keep, out on the borderlands in the Troll Hills. Arriving at the Keep, the PCs declared their names and professions to the guards and scribe at the gate, then collected their wages from the caravan paymaster. Coin in hand, Albrecht headed to the chapel and the other three to the Lion's Den.
At the Chapel, Albrecht met with Chaplain Alain de Blanc (and the acolytes Hans Gruber and Lucette Beaumont), where he learned of the rising chaos and the threat it poses civilization. Albrecht then spent an hour in prayer and some gold on a healing potion.
The other three began gathering information immediately. Klayton bought a round for the house, and was rewarded with an older, off-duty guard named Bruno telling the tale of how Kingsbridge came to be a (mostly) uninhabited ruin. Bruno was speaking from experience, as he was a youth when it fell, and one of the few survivors.
Yelrah, in turn, ended up arm-wrestling a large human with flame-red hair named Connor Mcleod (DM note - Connor is a proper 1e or 2e firbolg, not one of those goofy looking 5e firbolg). Connor lost, and with a laugh, shared information about the surrounding areas, chiefly that he had encountered strange beasts not seen in years. That, and the humanoids are on the prowl on this side of the river.
Connor Mcleod - A proper firbolg, from one of the 2e monster books.
Maria learned a few details about the tower visible from the Keep, chiefly that it once was a wizard's tower, but is now abandoned. In addition, over the last 20-30 years, a variety of flying creatures have made a lair there, the worst being a dragon that hasn't been seen in decades.
Towards evening, Albrecht joined the others at the Lion's Den, where they collectively heard the Song of Swords (DM note - yes, all 12 swords are in my world, somewhere; Maria's player borrowed the trilogy and enjoyed it). After that, they decided that abandoned towers weren't going to explore themselves, so they agreed to set off the next day.
The band set off in the morning, encountering the latest flying inhabitant of the tower, a fearsome manticore! (DM note - first 5e combat I've run). Of course, battle ensues, with the manticore firing off a volley of spikes that nearly slay Klayton outright. The rest of fight is ranged attacks and hiding in among trees and bushes. Ranged attacks including Eldritch Blast - Klayton used the once-per-session d30 for damage here and between that, more traditional Eldritch Blasts, and some Magic Missiles from Albrecht, the manticore died. (This was the beginning of the DM's education about Action Economy).
Beast slain, the PCs skin it and collect some spikes for potential later use. Maria especially wants to make a cloak from its pelt.
Moving forward, the band continue to the tower, and find it without issue. It is a standard 4-story round tower, with a 1-story rectangular cottage attached to it. The party find the entrances sealed, so force one and find themselves inside the cottage. The servants' room indicates a hasty exit, as beds are unmade, chests open, and drawers emptied on the beds. Pantry and kitchen reveal nothing but a trapdoor into a cellar.
The cellar contains a mostly empty wine rack and crates that hide an open secret passage, which the party choose to explore another day. Within the crates are fine china packed in straw, several bolts of silk, a fancy ivory statue of a woman fighter, and a scroll tube. As can be expected, the party claim them all, but leave the dishes behind. Klayton takes the remaining 6 bottles of wine.
Back on the ground floor, explorations/looting continues. In the bottom floor of the round tower is a large round table and several finely crafted chairs. In the center of the table is a silver tray with a fancy ewer and eight matching goblets upon it. Using magic to read the etchings on the ewer (because none of the PCs can read Draconic) they learn the words: Wine, Ale, Hot Water, Cold Water. Upon each goblet are the words Full and Half. Strangely, no one claimed these or even uttered the words.
robed skeleton behind it. Investigating the skeleton revealed arrows sticking out of it, a
fancy belt, and fancy ring. The arrows were determined to have once been magical
AND poisoned. A 50ish year old map was recovered and claimed by Maria, while
Yelrah claimed some gems and Albrecht a scroll (of Web).
The session ended due to time (3, rarely 4, hours a week was the plan), with the PCs in mid-exploration.
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