I'm now excited to get back to publishing the original Ironguard Session Logs - I added 'session log' as a label, so my two readers can read from the beginning!
What I am not excited at is the fact that blogger doesn't do a clean cut-n-paste from Google Docs nor MS Word. So I have to paste it in, then rewrite the whole entry so that it is readable on the blog. Other blogposts of mine show different attempts to manipulate the pasted work, but sadly, this makes for the cleanest entries.
The session 4 log was written rather cryptically by one of the players. Session 5 was written by me, post-session. In both cases, editing is ... rough after nearly two years. Go figure.
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Original Date: 5/10/20
PCs in attendance:
Yelrah - half orc barbarian 1
Klayton Mueller - human warlock 1
Avalon the Bard - bard 1 (Maria's replacement)
Picking up where they had left off, the PCs continued investigating the odd set of chambers in the purple chest. In one of the rooms, they discovered a thick tome labeled 'Catalog' chained to a podium. The room itself was well-lit, but from undiscoverable sources.
The tome was made up of vellum pages, with a name, code, and bullet list per page. Opening the book to random pages resulted in:
Pg 3 - Alexander of Abonotechnus (A3)
Pg 4 - Appollonius of Tyna (A7)
Pg 15 - Julian (G7)
Pg 33 - Abramelin the Mage (D4)
Pg 97 - Algernon Blackwood (F16)
Pg 98 - Helena Petrovna Blavatsky (G7)
As the tome was firmly (and magically) locked to a stout podium that itself was (magically) bound, the adventurers left the bulky book behind and continued their explorations.
At last they came to a closed door that was noticeably different from the others, because it had the following inscription in (magically) glowing letters upon it:
Do not call up what you cannot put down.
After some debate, the PCs/players decided that opening the door would not bode well, especially as they were still level 1. Leaving the Tower of Gargamel behind, the PCs headed back to Ironguard Keep, but not before it was determined that the skeletal mage was NOT Melchior the Malevolent, to Morgan Ironwolf's dismay. She then brightened up with the knowledge that she might yet get to kill him, herself.
Travel back to Ironguard Keep was more eventful than the travel to the Tower. Mostly because the PCs encountered a group of sprites (perhaps the same ones) who try for a practical joke involving glow dust and owlbears. While Klayton successfully dodged the glow dust, the Owlbear charged in looking for a free meal.
All the owlbear got for its trouble was spell and steel, with Morgan Ironwolf (a doughty fighter) dealing the final blow and letting it taste death-food. It was promptly skinned and declawed to collect a bounty; during the process, a dagger was found to be lodged in its back, and Albrecht claimed it as his prize.
Back at the Keep, the PCs spent some time (the rest of the session) roleplaying with various Keep NPCs. Through discussion with various Ironguard inhabitants, the PCs found someone who can process the Manticore hide recovered back in session 1. While these inquiries were going on, new PC Avalon (run by the player of the unfortunate Maria) performed at the Lion's Den Inn and Tavern, netting herself 22gp in tips from an enthusiastic crowd and strong dice rolls.
Most of the time was spent negotiating and chatting with Constanzo Stregone, in Mario Favarro's Oddities and Tradegoods. Always happy to barter, buy, and sell oddities, Constanzo took the invisible box from Yelrah in exchange for a 'living blade' made of wood and a potion of 'thieves' sole.'
Klayton left with a rolled up rug that, when unrolled, showed a cabin. The rug itself had what appeared to be blood stains on it. Testing proved that bleeding on the rug turned it into a cabin, ala' Leomund's Secure Shelter (as DM, I will come to regret this magic item).
Another notable item that was NOT traded for was a bullroarer that would drive away owlbears. Constanzo suspected it might attract other creatures, however.
Negotiations, resupply, and bathing complete, the band of adventurers ended the day by declaring plans to explore the ruins of Kingsbridge when their hangovers are gone.
Thus ended the session.
DM Notes: canny readers will recognize the names in the tome from this list of famous occultists. In addition to book contents, it provides a ready source for another set of names in a later session. I was disappointed that the door with the inscription wasn't opened - it contained the Black Library, containing walls of labeled niches, each holding a skull. In the center of the room was a table with a black steel headless skeleton, placing a skull on the skeleton called up its ghost.
As I recall, I had been reading several blogs at that point, and the metal skeleton, the potions, and sword, bullroarer, and carpet-cabin came from various places, notably Goblin Punch and d4 Caltrops, and probably others.
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Original Date: 5/18/20
PCs in attendance:
Albrecht - human Sorcerer 1
Yelrah - halforc Barbarian 1
Fineach - ? 1
Klayton - human Warlock 1
The intrepid band (minus Morgan Ironwolf) entered the ruins of Kingsbridge and found a life-like statue of a rat. Ethan’s elf pocketed it, breaking its whiskers in the process. Then a Twk-man flew in on his hand-sized dragonfly, and traded information for salt.
He told the party: the third shrine rises, the fey are out hunting, and to beware the rats in the walls!
They decided to explore one of the still (mostly)-standing houses and found it to contain RATS! SO MANY RATS! Fineach was bit hard upon the wrist (4 hp damage) by a giant rat - the rat itself skewered by Albrecht’s trusty crossbow. Despite Albrecht’s healing potion restoring all HP, Fineach still felt a little … off (failed a con save vs. disease) and was discouraged.
Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Yelrah and Klayton ran afoul of a swarm of rats! Dispatching them in a noisy and bloody manner, the pair were then attacked by a rat-man with a sword who came up from an open trapdoor in the kitchen floor! The noise brought Albrecht and Fineach to join them in the fray, and when the rat man was mightily scorched by Burning Hands and Magic Missile, it squealed in anger and slipped off into the darkness from whence it came. The group heard answering grunts and squeaks and squeals, briefly debated following the sound to its source, and opted to search the upstairs instead.
It was noted by Albrecht that they may be trapped upstairs.
He was almost correct.
Once
upstairs, Yelrah and Albrecht ransacked searched a pair of bedrooms, while Fineach and
Klayton remained in the hall, watching the other three doors and the
stairs. These two kept the others loudly
appraised of the squeaks and growls getting progressively closer and massing at
the foot of the stairs - normal rats, giant rats, and several ratmen were
sighted. Meanwhile, Yelrah discovered a
secret compartment in the fireplace and from it came a ring on a dessicated
finger. The ring resized itself to fit
Yelrah's bulky half-orc finger. Albrecht’s
room produced no treasure, but did provide a final stand of sorts.
The rats chose that moment to rush up the stairs. Everyone joined Albrecht in his room and failed miserably to perceive anything special about the interior of the wardrobe, despite several tries by each AND THE GLOW COMING FROM WITHIN IT. Subsequently, they moved the wardrobe to block the doorway and made a hasty escape out the window. Albrecht, Klayton, and Fineach artfully scaled down the pitted wall, but Yelrah beat them to the bottom by artfully diving out the window and crashing into the ground (2 hp damage).
All four suspect treasure lies within the house and vowed to return one day when better prepared.
Safe outside, they heard distant hammering, so crossed the bridge to seek the source of the noise.
Over the bridge, the band encountered the old man named Geppetto, who claimed to live in a well-repaired former tavern with his wife and children. His children seem to be well-carved wooden dolls. While his wife was not seen, her sculptures were evident - many life-like statues in the area. Geppetto wears a well-worn sword and warned the party of the undead that hide in the more ruined buildings and come out at night.
At this point, a plan was suggested (in Orcish by Albrecht to Yelrah) that the group should KIDNAP THE OLD MAN FOR HIS OWN GOOD. This idea was shot down by Yelrah.
Geppetto, who could speak also Orcish, patted his sword and agreed with Yelrah.
Before parting ways, another Twk-man appeared, and earned his salt by telling the PCs that Ozymandias once ruled the area, the dragons are stirring, and that the fey are hunting.
Yelrah was satisfied with his sword, though has not yet determined exactly what it does. He also has no idea what the ring is about, nor does Albrecht know what his fancy dagger (found in the owlbear’s back last session) does.
They adjourned to Ironguard Keep before nightfall.
Alas….
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