Session 7

Everyone Played 470 xp Each

Session 8

Everyone but Marc Played

Marc gets half xp for the session and the quest xp for obtaining the Vial from Shilukar

232 xp for Marc

397 Xp for everyone else. (That’s slightly more than I told you last night)

In session 7 and 8 you delved into Shilukar’s Lair. It was defended by a tribe of gnolls and two very large demonic Blue Gnolls. You had been hearing rumors of Blue Gnolls being spotted around the city, so this must be where they came from. Shilukar had some kind of evil gnoll idol that was allowing him to both summon and control the gnolls. Shilukar was experimenting with Chaositech. A form of organic technology created by the Galchutt, the evil demons who once ruled over the area that is now Ptolus. Shilukar was creating monstrosities, such as winged spiders and rat-men with spider legs on their backs in his lab using Chaositech. He was being hunted by someone because of his experiments, though you don’t know who. He wanted to be able to live in Castle Shard so he would have protection from whoever was hunting him. After a pitched battle, you were able to defeat Shilukar and acquire the elixir to restore Zavere’s friend, Lord Abbercombe. When Shilukar died, strange “growths” covered his body and his body disappeared leaving only his clothes and items. Zavere was very pleased rewarding you with 3000 gp and giving each of you a friendship band. The friendship band allows you to pass through the wards surrounding the castle, so you can now enter and leave without being invited or escorted. (Marc I believe the group decided that your share of the 3000gp was 300, since you participated in half the adventure.)

The evil Gnoll Idol is still in his lair you might want to do something about that.

Over the next few days, while shopping resting, and training if you went up a level, you all had very disturbing dreams about 3 swords and a scraggly looking man. Soon after, You were contacted by Mand Scheben, the high priest of Asche, God of cities. He has been having the same dreams, except his dreams also include your group. He said that the swords are a prophecy from Ptolus itself. (Mand believes cities to be living organisms.) The man in the dream is Spyncer Coil, and Mand believes him to be a prophet of Asche. He asked you to find the swords. He said that Asche is not a gentle god and that if the swords and Spyncer were not found the dreams may become more and more disturbing. (Mand looked pretty haggard himself.) He also said that is Spyncer is most likely disturbed because of the visions from Asche.

Investigating Spyncer you found out that he was formerly a blacksmith who worked for the Iron Workers Guild. He had been found wandering the streets babbling about swords nearly two years ago. He was committed to the Darkbirth Madhouse for almost a year until Kalbert Nom a somewhat famous weaponsmith, secured his release. When you investigated Kalberts house you found him dead and his shop had been ransacked. You then spoke with Veda Medaris, the guild master of the Iron Workers guild. She confirmed a lot of what you knew about Spyncer and said that he and Kalbert were working on three magic swords that Spyncer had seen in a vision. Veda thought the whole thing was a load of crap until Rhunien Hand, a very scary individual, came looking for Spyncer, Kalbert, and the swords. Spyncer has another acquaintance, Lirion Voss, who is a member of the Pale Dogs street gang. She believes that Spyncer may have killed Kalbert and fled to the Pale Dogs. After some investigation, you learned that the Pale Dogs have recently been sticking to their home turf, the Warrens, and Lirion Voss has not be seen outside the Warrens in a few days. You also heard rumors that the Pale Dogs recently robbed a weaponsmith or maybe a blacksmith.

Cheva checked with his contacts in that Vai about Rhunien Hand. They said that Rhunien is, in fact, very dangerous. He’s a a vampire who often does work for the Balcazar crime family. The Vai also said that the Sorn, a group of magical assassains who work for the Kilraven crime league, are also looking for the swords.

Everyone but Cheva played in this adventure.

You got 544 xp each.

The loot had never been split up from Session 7 so Eric you have 615 more gold.

In this session you had decided to confront Lorion Voss at his home to see what he knew about Spyncer Coil, Kalbert Nom, and the Swords of Ptolus.

As you approached the house you saw a large number of Pale Dog thugs including two Dragonborn mercenaries. You were able to draw off two of them with the clever ruse, “Sorry wrong turn.” This ruse did not work a second time however, as the Dragon born breathed fire on everyone and started a general melee. After defeating the thugs you entered the house to discover Lirion Voss and Spyncer Coil himself, who was wielding one of the swords! Lirion shouted at you to leave saying the Balcazars were one their way to buy the sword. Before you could react, Spyncer ran him through with the sword saying that the Balcazars would not get his creation. Yark then proceeded to put Spyncer in a martial arts hold and the sword seemed to slip from Spyncer’s grasp. Apostle picked up the sword and it intermediatly began speaking to her telepathically. It stated that it was the sword “Insight” whose goal was to reveal the secrets of Ptolus. Before you could come to grips with an intelligent sword you heard screaming outside and a flaming pale dog stumbled in through the front door.

Fearing the Balcarzars had arrived you went out to face them only to discover 4 mages of the Sorn assassins guild. After a pitched battle with the mages, you retreated to the Ghostly Minstrel to recover and decide what to do next. Spyncer, in a moment of clarity, told you that the two other swords are known as “Power” and “Deciet.” He said that the Skulks had taken Power and cryptically, said that Deceit cannot be found.

The skulks are somewhat of an “urban legend” in Ptolus. No one knows if they were once people who were cursed or some kind of magical being. All that is known is that that are very hard to see, extremely stealthy, and act as spies for hire in Ptolus. At this point you decided that Mand Scheben, high preist of Asche, might be able to help. Mand did know more of the skulks and was very pleased that you had recovered one of the swords and Spyncer. He was able to put you in touch with a Skulk.

The Skulk, known as Shim, told you that he did not know where Deceit was but he did know who had it. Rhunihan, the vampire bounty hunter, currently has Deceit. Deceit’s power prevents it’s owner from being detected by magic so he would be very difficult to find. Shim said he did not know where Power was either but he knew where it would be soon. A group of Skulks has Power and they are planning to sell it to Rhunihan tomorrow night at a warehouse near the Docks.

You have begun making preparations to intercept one or both of the swords.

Everyone but Symba Played.

756 Xp Each.

Symba gets 100 xp for his part in retrieving the swords.

With much preparation, you were able to set up an ambush for Ruhnihan and the Skulks. Somehow Ruhnian was able to spot someone and a battle over the swords ensued. Through clever use of sovriegn glue and the willingness to sacrifice himself for the sword, Yark was able to wrest Deceit away from Rhunihan. You were able to defeat Runihan, drive off the remaining skulks and acquire Power.

Unfortunatley, Symba was not their to help. He had been captured by Navaanna Vladaam, who is looking to get back her chest that was being delivered to her by some ogres. Symba has little love for the Vladaam’s but Navanna used power socery to pry the information from Symba and find out where you were.

At first, Navanna seemed happy to simply get her good back, until one of her servants noticed the sword, Deceit still glued to Yark’s hands. Another battle commenced over the swords. You were able to defeat Navanna and her werewolves, but Navanna escaped.

Mand Scheben, who originally told you about the swords, is very pleased that the swords have been recovered. He says that the swords choose their own wielders and that they seem to have found suitable owners for the moment.

Everyone played in this session.

You got 680 xp each.

Way back in Session Six the players defeated a group of ogres. Who were carrying a large chest. The chest was lock and impossible to open. Through various researches you discovered that an artifact that could unlock any lock was rumored to be in the Pythoness house. A former brothel and chaos cult hideout. The time had come to finally delve into the pythoness house and see what could be found.

At the entrance the players encountered a group of ratmen, who seem to infest any run-down part of Ptolus these days. Despite the ratmen’s love of firearms and bombs and their willingness to use them on anywhere who gets near they were easily defeated.

Venturing further into the house, a statue of a large, obese naked man was discovered. The statue appeared to be able to slide backwards but no amount of force seemed to be able to move it.

Exploring further, the adventures encountered a group of wights, who were the remnants of the long slain prostitutes.

In an abandoned tower, some strange items were discovered, including a jar that may have a soul trapped inside.

The session ended with a climactic battle against the Ratlord leaders of the various rats and ratmen that were infesting the house. A surreal fight as the ratlord leaders were riding giant dire rats, which is kind of like a horse riding a horse.

Everyone but Symba played Symba was played as an NPC so receives some xp.

300 xp for Symba. 675 xp for everyone else.

After the defeat of the ratmen and some rest the party continued to explore the maze-like Pythoness house.

A journal written by one of the former mistresses of the brothel was discovered. This journal contained quite of bit of information. It told that the statue of the naked man could be moved but it required a key. Radanna, the other mistress of the house, had hidden one key in her secret crawl space and the other had been given to the “Cobbledman” who lived in the NE tower. The journal also spoke of a “demon” that had been summoned by the chaos cultists.

Exploring further, the party encountered a large group of skeletons led by none other than Radanna herself risen as an evil undead. The skeletons were no match for the one-two punch of Turn Undead and Color Spray and fell easily to the party.

Examining the ceiling in Radanna’s room, Apostle and Cheva managed to set off and nearly be squished by a falling block trap. This however, revealed the entrance to Radanna’s secret crawlspace where the adventurers discovered the hidden treasure of the brothel along with the first half of the key to the lower levels of the house.

Climbing higher up in the manor house the party spotted what they believed to be the “Cobbledman” himself wandering around on a bridge between two of the house’s towers. The Cobbledman appeared to be some kind of Chaositech creation with 3 arms, 2 heads and lots of tubes and wires protruding from his body.

Before engaging the cobbledman, the party decided to explore in open area of the next roof only two discover 2 Hellhounds! The battle with the Hellhounds was joined, much to the annoyance of Symba and Yark who had to wade through fire breath and auras to reach the hellhounds. Unknown to the adventurers, the hellhounds were the watchdogs of the demon who lived in a nearby tower. The demon joined in the battle but all were eventually defeated.

After much discussion of tactics, the party closed to do battle on the bridge with the Cobbledman. Despite his choasitech powers, which left Yark and Symba both stunned and weakened during most of the battle, the abomination fell and the second part of the key was recovered.

Now to enter the basement…..

Pythoness House Map 1

Pythoness House Map 2

Everyone played in this session.

Xp is 1235 each which includes the quest xp for obtaining the key and opening the chest.

*IMPORTANT* As I mentioned at the start of the campaign, you have to roleplay buying and selling any magic items. Some of you use the Character Builder to keep track of your characters. It makes it really easy just to buy any magic item you can afford, however most of of the items are not available from the shops in the game. If there is a magic item you want to buy ask me and I’ll let you know if its available. As I said before that shops around Delvers Square almost always have +1 items available.

This goes the same for selling. Some of the items from the Vault of Chaos aren’t very useful to you and you probably want to sell them. However, most of the normal merchants around Delvers square won’t touch evil magic items. That doesn’t mean you can’t sell them, you just have to find the right buyer. Seems like someone has contacts that would help with that…...

The adventure itself is now open for you to see here. Night of Disolution

The items from the Chaos Vault are here. Chaos Vault Items

The items in the chest are here. Chest Items

I forgot to mention last night that the chest also contained 50 vials of Alchemists fire. Why house Vladaam wanted 50 Vials of Alchemists fire, a resist fire shield, and two fire weapons is anyone’s guess.

In addtion to these items you also found * +2 Cloak of resitance * Gloves of Agility * +1 Scale Armor * +1 Mithril Plate Armor

I’m not sure who has those but I’m assuming you guys do.

Power, Deceit, and Insight are very happy with their owners and are granting new powers.

• Power now grants +1 to Fortitude.
• Deceit now grants +1 to Reflex.
• Insight now grants +1 to Will.

You can look at the full stats of the swords here. Swords of Power

All the swords like that the Galchutt was defeated. Power just likes to fight; it’s especially happy about Symba tanking the Chaosamaton. Deceit is almost beside itself about the Neveral’s All-Key. Insight is happy to have discovered a secret vault of chaos items.

Okay last thing, critical hits, seems like there was some confusion last night so here’s how they work.

When you roll a 20 on a “to hit” roll you score a crit. The exception to this is if the only way you could have possibly hit was to roll a 20 then you don’t score a crit.

Crits do max weapon damage, so if your weapon does 1d8+5 then a crit does 13 damage.

If you crit with a magic weapon, and this includes holy symbols and wizard implements, you do additional damage on a crit. Usually 1d6 per “plus” of the weapon. If you crit with a +2 Holy Symbol that does 1d8+7, the crit damage would be 15 (max weapon damage) plus 2d6 for the holy symbol. Some weapons do even more damage when you crit, so check your magic weapons.

The group, now known, at least “unofficially” as Adventurers Guild 18, completed their quest to find Nervans All Key and unlock the demon bound chest.

They entered the basement using the chaos key they had found in the last session. Descending into the basement of the pythoness house, they discovered a strange membrane blocking further passage. After much discussion, they cut through the membrane to be hit by a frigid blast of cold air.

They entered the basement to find a large wall of ice was blocking their path and a pile of bones in the corner.

They didn’t have too much time to look around before 2 minotaurs burst forth from the ice and the pile of bones began to move and take shape into an undead hill giant.

After defeating the monsters, Elanna proceeded to blast down the ice with scorching burst. The adventures then emerged into an icy cavern filled with frost covered chests and a large sealed door. They rifled through the chests and discovered the Weapons of Chaos

The door was locked, sealed and covered in strange writing. The gist of the writing was ” This vault contains a very powerful weapon of Chaos, don’t open unless you are the high priest.” There was very little pause in opening the door.

Behind the door, the powerful weapon was revealed to be a giant Chaositech hydra! Through some super-tanking by Symba the beast was brought down.

Thinking that opening the vault may have alerted someone, the party decided to rest before emerging from the house. A good choice since they were confronted with a whole band of Tolling Bell cultists as soon as they walked out the front gate.

The cultists proved to be powerful but not unstoppable. Mysteriously, their leader, Wutand,a vested of the Galchutt died in much the same way as Shilukar did in earlier encounter.

(Whew I really gotta do summaries rather than a play-by-play, I’ve written a book today.)

Everyone but Symba played.

Each character receives 525 xp.

The session started out with the adventurers making deals for some of the magic items they acquired last session. The magic armor was purchased outright by the Bull and Bear Armory. The flaming flame was put on commission at Rastor’s weapons. The anglebane weapons were turned over to the Malkuth of the Pale tower for a future favor. The other weapons of Chaos were given to Cheva to be sold in the Dark Market.

While running around making deals for the items, the group encountered people who seemed to be inflicted with random magic powers. An orc suddenly burst into flames, a woman floated 20 feet up in the air, a man started shooting lightning out of his eyes, and a dwarf was randomly summoning spirits.

The party was able to determine that a nearby Drow was causing the problems and engaged him. Fater a short battle, the Drow was captured. He claimed to be Tavin Zith, self proclaimed avatar of chaos, and that he had been trapped in a prison called the Banewarrens by a cleric named Danar. He also had no knowledge of recent events or even the city of Ptolus.

Before much more could be gotten out of Zith, AG 18 was contacted by Jevica Nor, a mge of the inverted pyramid. Her message said that she wished to speak with the characters about Tavin Zith.

The group met Jevicca at the Ghostly Minstrel and she filled them in on the Banewarrens. Long ago, thousands of years, a good cleric named Danar Rotansin began collecting evil artifacts, spells, curses, diseases, even creatures and storing them in a special prison. He called these itms of evil “Banes” and the prison, the Banewarrens. Unfortunately for Danar, he was ultimately corrupted by the concentrated evil of the Banewarrens, mostly by a powerful artifact known as the “Book of Inverted Darkness.”

Danar became Eslathagos Malktih, “the Dread One.” He constructed Jabel Shammar, a fortress over the Banewarrens and used the power of the Banes to conquer most of the world. The concentrated evil of Malkith and the Banes was so great that the earth itself rebelled and thrust Jabel Shammar away from the earth creating the impposbily large spire that looms over Ptolus to this day. Jabel Shammar still sits at the top of the spire.

Malkith was eventually defeated and the Banewarrens resealed. (That’s a whole nother story.)

NOTE: More recently (a few hundred years ago)Ghuul, the skull king, declared himself as Eslathagos Malktih returned. He built a fortress halfway up the spire known as Goth Gulgamel. He was also defeated, but that’s a different story.

Jevica told you that Tavin Zith was originally imprisoned in the Banewarrens and that if he has escaped, then either the Banewarrens have become unsealed or someone has broken in to them. She offered you 850gp each to find out what was going on. MAJOR QUEST worth bonus xp. She also revealed to the group that Tavin had emerged from a cellar in Old Town.

On leaving the Ghostly Minstrel, Apostle was stopped by an acolyte of Lothian saying that Brother Fabitor of St. Gustav’s Chapel, wished to speak with her.

Brother Fabitor explained that the Paladin, Kalrecent and his squire had been investigating monster activity in Old Town and have disappeared. Using divinations he was able to determine that their disappearance had something to do with Tavin Zith. He offered 2000 gp to you to bring back Kalrecent. MAJOR QUEST worth bonus xp.

Upon reaching the cellar where Tavin Zith Emerged from the adventurers encounters a large group of Orcs guarding the cellar. After defeating the orks, the group noticed that each of the orcs had a ring bonded to the bone of thier finger. Apostle was able to determine that the orks were part of the group known as the Pactlords of Quann. A monster-terrorist organization that seeks to wipe out all non-monster humanoid life.

Everyone gets 821 xp for this session except Symba who gets 363 xp.

Banewarrens Chapter 1 and Banewarrens Chapter 2 are now public should you wish to bore yourself with monster and trap stats.

This week the crew of AG-18 continued the exploration of the tunnels underneath the old city in search of the Banewarrens entrance. Cheva determined that the tunnels were not natural and had been dug out my a creature, most likely an umber hulk.

After sucumbing to a pit trap and bypassing a rockfall the group encountered some ochre jelly attached to the ceiling. A battle ensued and the umber hulk took the group by surprise by emerging from a nearby wall.

After defeating the monsters, the adventurers came upon an abandoned camp full of mining tools and equipment. Investigating the camp, a note was discovered.

Kikanuile,

Once you get inside the unsealed portion of the Banewarrens, you will have to find a massive iron door. This is a warded door. It may be trapped, we do not know. It is, however, sealed beyond your capacity to breach. Therefore, you will use a wish from the ring to open it—and even that will keep it open only for a moment.On what lies beyond that door, our spells are silent, except that you will find the Grail within Tremoc Korin. The last wish will be your key to get out.

Yuinthu

The umber hulk tunnel ended at a constructed stone wall that had been broken through.

Entering the Banewarrens, the adventurers encountered wraiths and swarms life draining bugs. As always the swarms nearly proved to be the groups undoing.

The group also discovered the warded door referred to in the note with a large arcane device near it. Ellanna was able to determine that the device was a kind of “warding generator” but that it had never been finished. This explains how someone was able to tunnel into the Banewarrens, which was supposed to be impregnable.

All Players played in this session. Everyone received 830 xp each.

The group continued their exploration of the Banewarrens. Encountering some kind of troll-like creature that could become ethereal. While fighting this creature, the adventures were nearly ambushed by another group of explorers from the Pactlords of Quaan. A Minotaur, Lamia, and goblins put the group through the ringer. The Lamia, being a swarm-type creature again proved to be a most difficult foe.

Further exploration revealed a series of vaults, most of which were empty but two appeared to have once contained Tavin Zith and the Ethereal Troll.

Quest Note Jevica Nor hired the group to find out where Tavin Zith came from, if the Banewarrens had been opened, and who had opened them. All three of these things have now been completed.

Further exploration led the group to find another Lamia who was attempting to hide in a pit nearby. The Lamia used some kind of magic item to summon a storm elemental but it wasn’t enough to save the creature from destruction.

Due to the numerous swarm creatures encountered, the group is interested in acquiring some bombs, choasitech or otherwise. Also any magic items with blast/burst powers would help. Here are some bombs you can get in Ptolus. A standard power bomb costs 150 gp and has the following stats:

• Power Bomb
• Dex vs Reflex
• Move Action to Light; Standard Action to Throw
• Burst 1
• Hit:3d6 Damage Miss:No Damage

Choasitech bombs are deadlier but much harder to acquire.