GM’s Notes, 21 May 2016

Note: This represents a number of sessions, collectively known as “Under Arz”.

Date:

12 – 15 Adnar’Kerz, 1308

Characters (Players):

Doreen Underfoot (Mel) – Halfling Fighter / 2
Dumbarton Oaks (Chris) – Pixie-Fairy Mage / 6
Fenkeh Burrowes (FrM) – Halfling Thief / 3
Kailan Morgause (Victoria) – Half-Elf “Art connoisseur” / 6
Nurther Skye (Gayle) – Dwarf Cleric of the Caregiver / 3
Ruati Ryiannasal (Daniel) – Elf Rogue / 3
Tibideaux (Brian) – Dwarf Fighter / 3
Tørhalla Ulricsdøttìr (Francine) – Human Barbarian / 3

Added:

Trorelian Glaive (Catie) – Human (probably) Thief / 1
Selden Bock (Paul, briefly, now Daniel) – Human Fighter / 1
Amelad Jolarilla (Paul) – Elf Mage / 1
Lomian Brightblade (Blackbird) – Half-Elf Ranger / 1

Voted Most Valuable Player:

Ruati, Tibideaux

GM Notes:

The trial of Doreen, Fenkeh, and Tørhalla was not going well, particularly since the prosecutor, one Master Eldridge, made a hash of the testimony of Trorelian Glaive. Nevertheless, after Kailan had a brief conversation with Magistrate Grower Dorn, the case was dismissed. Dumbarton, meanwhile, has been saddled with an apprentice in the form of a noble Elf named Amelad Jolarilla.

Twice the party ventured into the sewers of Arz with mixed results. They killed some rats (normal, giant, massive, and oliphant) and came upon a large underground encampment of vagrants in yellow rags. The party slaughtered a nasty nest of giant centipedes and one massive centipede. In between the two expeditions, they even managed to sell the massive centipede carcass to the Copper Pot Inn as a delicacy.

Following the second expedition, it soon became clear that Ruati was missing. So, the party resolved to enter the sewers a third time.

Trorellian and Selden, in view of their loyalty to the party, were granted full party status with the Dumbarton Oaks Experience.

When the party returned to the sewers for the third time, the vagrants were restless and required some extra watching. Our doughty adventurers found the eviscerated body of Ruati nailed to a wall, and then they were set upon by a human(-oid?) mass of rags and filth calling himself the “Rot Lord”, accompanied by a horde of rats (normal, giant, massive, and oliphant). As the party began (another) disorganized retreat withdrawal, Kailan suddenly screamed in terror and ran at just under supersonic speed past the rest of the party, up the ladder and through the manhole, and then into the streets of town. He never stopped screaming.

Dumbarton finally managed to cast “sleep” on Kailan as he was running into the snowy graveyard in the lee of Cathedral Hill. Just before he lost consciousness, he thought he saw a desperate, runaway girl being hauled into the Smelden family crypt.

The next day, the party began their exploration of the crypts.

Meanwhile, Kailan met with a Gnome who also appears to be from the “other world”. His name is “Wheezy”, apparently the nephew of none other than Liam Fishfinge, a former member of the Dumbarton Oaks Experience back in the day.

With the Smelden family crypt reconnoitered and foul play very much in evidence, the full party went into the crypts. They found a way into the Cathedral crypts, as well as connecting tunnels to several of the other crypts in the hillside.

In addition, they found and rescued a ranger who goes by Lomian Brightblade. He had apparently been taken down into the crypts and tied up as a prank by some drinking “buddies” he had inadvertently insulted the night before.

Together, this entire group followed the (very) intermittent trail of smeared blood to a hidden door leading to the basement of the townhouse of the Baron of Arz. Hilarity ensued, as the group rescued Nysha Kensor, the missing aristocrat pilgrim from Fangaerie. She had apparently been tortured for fun, though the party has yet to uncover the details of this infamous crime.

As they made their escape, the party fought some guards, including a high-level guard captain and an Elvish sword-dancer. The party emerged victorious. Amelad recognized the Elf as a distant cousin and hastily interred him one of the tombs cut into the stone of the tunnels.

It was only as the party attempted to leave the crypts that they realized that the Baron had sent soldiers around to the crypt entrance to greet them as they left. Unfortunately for the Baron’s men, they were clearly trespassing on church property, and the Cathedral’s company of armed guards warned them off. They would not budge, so the Cathedral Guard began firing arrows at the Baron’s men from the top of the hill.

This quickly escalated into a full-fledged battle in the graveyard, during which time the party made their escape.

Experience Points:

Amelad Jolarilla – 199
Doreen Underfoot – 343
Dumbarton Oaks – 363
Fenkeh Burrowes – 343
Kailan Morgause – 348
Lomian Brightblade – 94
Nurther Skye – 363
Selden Bock – 253
Tibideaux – 383
Tørhalla Ulricsdøttìr – 338
Trorelian Glaive – 283

Next Game:

22 May 2016.