==== Where we’ve been ====
Dvoik and Karandar recovered from their previous adventure in the goblin cave-dwelling, while swapped a couple of stories and starting to get to know one another. Karandar learnt of the basic origins of the Dragon Rod that Dvoik currently carries, and that it was found in the treasure of [[Jerendrak]], a young white dragon that was slain by Dvoik and a full village of Hill Dwarves (that had been suffering through Jerendrak’s presence until Dvoik’s intervention).
==== The Troll’s Bridge ====
The following morning, the two set off, continuing their journey to the Windy Wood in the West. The trip was uneventful until their arrival at the Troll Bridge, where they observed a female Necromancer (known to Dvoik) arguing with a group of Orcs guarding the bridge. The conversation rapidly turned violent, and before either of them could blink, all 6 Orcs were on the ground, corpses steaming.
The Necromancer raised the recently deceased bodies back to undeath, before appearing the teleport away.
Karandar promptly decides to charge the skeletons. Karandar nearly dies (again), with Dvoik finishing off the last of the skeletons and handing Karandar a glowing Health Potion and quaffing one himself, returning them both to full health.
As the last of the steaming bodies settles to the ground, another group of orcs emerge from the trees to the north of the bridge. While Dvoik and the Orcs posture at each other, the Mountain Troll who rules the Troll Bridge emerges, demanding 15gp ‘Blood Money’ for each slain orc. The party doesn’t have anywhere near enough gold, and a…. discussion about repayment ensued, somehow ending with a (recently near death) Human Barbarian intimidating the Mountain Troll into letting them go.
Marching on, specifically not looking back to ensure they seemed confident (and definitely not having time to loot the corpses), the party failed to notice what happened as they walked away.
==== Overturned Wagon ====
Later that afternoon, the adventurers discovered an overturned wagon on the southern side of the Cassiopean Way, peppered with a few poorly made goblin arrows. The wagon was well constructed, seemingly of a higher than average quality, and was recently filled to the brim with Alchemical supplies and potions.
The following items were found while the adventurers were exploring the area:
- A small pouch, containing 30gp and a recipe in a language you have never seen before.
- 3x Health Potions (2d4 +2)
- A Mysterious Silver Liquid in a stoppered vial with a bulbous end.
- 2x odd, potions with metallic flecks the shape of shields floating within
- A letter of stationary, for the Baron Mendore.
As they turned to leave the area, Karandar did happen to notice a couple of hand crossbow bolts stuck in the wall behind where the driver may have been seated, however apart from the goblin arrows in the other areas of the wagon, there are no other signs of a struggle.
==== Goblin ‘Revenge’ raid ====
The party, unhappy about the Necromancer’s presence in the area, decided to do a half forced march for half the night before resting, the aims of putting more space between themselves and the Necromancer (unknowingly succeeding).
Roughly 2-3 hours after getting to sleep, Karandar wakes up to the sight of Dvoik being clubbed by a Goblin while the dwarf still slumbered. Finding himself unarmed an on his back, the Barbarian grabs a hand axe that was under the pillow (DM is still sceptical on this -__-‘) and enters the fight against 6 poorly armed goblins.
As the fight progressed, poorly for all, a female human Rogue just appears in the middle of the fight, 5ft from Karandar, holding a sword hilt with a shattered blade. She joins the fight against the goblins, slaying two in the resulting combat, while watching the barbarian fall backwards, crushing the life from one of the two goblins who were clinging to his back, repeatedly stabbing with their knives.
The surviving goblin is Intimidated by the barbarian into giving up their reason for being there (Looking for the Goblin Boss from the previous session, who fled, and the item in his possession), before letting him run back to probably drown while trying to swim the river.
The new rogue, introduced as Ered of Nestor (Played by Kaitlin Lapthorne), is awkwardly introduced, giving very little backstory and motives to her being here, probably trying to avoid answering why she had Karandar’s family heirloom in her possession as she arrived.
NB: I feel it should be noted, they left Dvoik on the ground during this whole thing, no one even bothered to check if he was even alive!
==== The Merchant ====
The following morning the party sets off once more, continuing to head west, before coming across a Merchant heading for Port Pardue.
The merchant had a few small items for trade, before remembering an old set of splint mail that he had been unable to sell off in the past.
Karandar inspected some of his wares, before purchasing the following for ”25gp”
- The Splint Mail (semi-damaged) – Gives AC13 +1, will grant AC14 +1 when repaired. (Also, who just puts on a set of armor that a merchant couldn’t sell, that has magical properties?!)
- 30ft of Rope
- ?? (Books at home, have been typing this from memory, will update, was something minor like Health Pots)
He also passed on the following pieces of gossip he had heard in Delagore:
- The Princess in Cassiopea has offered a 1sp bounty to anyone who can bring her proof of having slain a Red Claw, leading to many in the area to think this is a token gesture.
- Baron Seled has left Delagore, and is said to be headed to Port Pardue to assist with the Hobgoblin threat.
- His Children, Torosk (26m) and Felanor (22f) are currently overseeing the running of Delagore.
- All of the Delagore dry docks (3 total) have been seized by the Baron Council for private works. So far the bones of the ships being built are looking suspiciously like medium-large warships/escorts.
[[Newspaper – Early 1154]] – Before he left, he gave Ered a copy of the most recent Bray, a newspaper of the Nestorian regions.
==== The Misty Morning ====
As they continue travelling west Dvoik shares a little more about his past, giving a brief description of his travels with the Necromancer (Nerdizer) and Morrowdorn deep into the UnderDark.
He gives little detail, but tells a tale of a huge breeding pit ran by a Lich formerly of the first empire, that was a cruel affair of Human and Elven women locked in cattle pens deep below the earth, pumping out children every 12 months, that would be rapidly aged, killed, raised back to undeath, and sent to fight against the Lich’s enemies for as long as their bones held together.
Following that depressing tidbit of information, it somehow manages to get worse.
As they walk through the thickening mists, some ass rolls a nat 20, and sees a dark figure looming in the mist behind them. The figure is not moving, and as Karandar keeps walking the figure disappeared into the mist.
Moments later 3 Skeletons burst from the ground around the party, immediately engaging in combat. The fight was brutal, and seemed to be over by the second round (in favour of the adventurers), however as the round ended, another 3 skeletons burst from the ground, and in two more turns, another 3 arrived, leaving the total at 6.
The 6 Skeletons surround the party, but disengage, as the Necromancer appears suddenly, 20ft in front of the party, demanding the Dragon Rod from Dvoik. He obviously refuses to hand it over (think of this thing as an atom bomb). Before Dvoik even finished his denial, the Necromancer made a ‘come hither’ gesture with her finger aimed behind the party. As they turn, they see the figure from above (now identified as the Nogrod), standing about 10ft behind them, having somehow made it that close without being seen or heard.
Having seen the Nogrod, and being acutely aware of what that thing is capable of, while surrounded by undeath, and a pissed off Necromancer, Dvoik made an offer to instead give Nerdizer the location of the [[Crown of Thanaz]], an item that the First Empire has been trying to recover for centuries. Nerdizer accepted the deal almost immediately, receiving the information and dispelling the skeletons before disappearing again.
==== Conclusion ====
Hours later, as the party is headed west after their encounter with Nerdizer, they stop for a moment a to take in the sunset before them. As they start to move again, Dvoik happens to look back the way they come from, seeing a dark silhouette stopped on the distant horizon, resembling the form of the Nogrod.
Dvoik shivered, before starting to contemplate whether a guarantee of ‘Safe Passage’ from Nerdizer also included the Nogrod…
== Stat Blocks ==
[[File:Skeleton-Minotaur.PNG]]
[[File:Skeleton.PNG]]
[[File:The_Nogrod.png]]
[[File:Nerdizer.png]]
[[File:Orc.png]]
== Start ==
What came before:
Goblin cave, with a big spider. Boss Goblin escaped downstream on the Under Azula.
Karandar was laid low by a Hobgoblin in the final fight.
Starting:
Camp, same (above ground) camp that they fought the goblins in previously.
Dvoik making food on a fire, wants to head off early in the morning when Karandar has rested.
If RP Happens, Dvoik is a little more willing to fill in some of his backstory.
- Gloss over exile for now.
- Will discuss the fighting of Jerendrak the White and the discovery of the Rod of Dragon Bone that seems to be a Rod of Power.
- Will discuss Xenth and Graffhand (semi dislikes, but respects what he has achieved away from the Mountain Homes)
==== Middle == ==
Encounter 1:
The Bridge
- See Nerdizer talking to a group of maybe 7-8 orcs on the other side of the bridge (too far to hear)
- If they wait, watch her take out the group of Orcs, and resummon as 7 sentinal skeletons
- Skeletons will fight immediatly, as the last one drops, the Orcs from the forest come to see whats happening.
- River is a DC 27 Athletics to cross, on fail, make a lot of noise and get seen. DC 15 Ath to get to shore. If not, float down the river
(Dvoik: Out of sight, and out of the campaign for now, have the rod wash up near where he fell)
(Karadar: final DC 12 to get to the lower back (will come back to a bleeding Dvoik, on the edge of getting fucked up by a troll), if not then take 1/2 health and 1x exhaustion, but he doesnt get to the bank until it rejoined the Azula).
==== Troll ====
Considers you liable for his losses, wants 10gp per dead orc (Mountain Trolls believe in Blood Money, or each slave needing to be ‘paid off’ if you kill them).
Persuade DC
<12 – Not having it at all
12-16 – Will take 5gp
16+ – Sees your point, will just take the toll, plus 5gp for wasting his time.
Intimidate DC
<24 – He comes at you, “easier just to eat you and take you gold!”
25+ – He thinks you’re a little unstable, and not worth the trouble.
=== Alchemists Wagon ===
A few hours beyond the bridge, they come across a wagon that has been run off the road and is laying on its side.
As you inspect the wagon, they find it to be an Alchemist’s personal wagon, of someone quite wealthy.
Searching the Area for Clues
Perception DC
<10 – It looks like an alchemists wagon, goblin arrows are stuck in the side, explaining where all these damn heal pots are coming from. – (Health Pot x3 – 2d4 +2) + (Mysterious Silver Glowing Potion)
10-15 – Seems like it belonged to a wealthy alchemist – 2x Potion of Bodily Armor (+3 to AC for 24 Hrs)
16-18 – You find a letter head for ‘Baron Mendore’, it might have been his wagon. You also notice that amoungst the goblin arrows, theres two things that dont add up. 1. Wheres the body.
- Why are there two finecrafted hand-crossbow bolts stuck into the headboard of the wagon?
18+ – As you turn to leave, you notice a small pouch that had fallen up under one of the wheels as the wagon rolled. Within you find a small amount of gold (30gp) and a piece of parchment, that has something that looks like a recpipe on it, but in a language you cannot read.
==== End ====
=== The Misty Morning ===
Thefollowing morning, you have the misty encounter. Book has soo much more info than me.
Starts with 3 skeles popping up next to you, then 1 per 2 turn for 3 turns until 6 total.
Then Nerdizer pops up and starts chatting with Dvoik, sicks the Nogrod on you, and its all business from there.
Finishes as Dvoik yields the location of the Crown of Thanaz, in exchange for Nerdizer not pursuring the Rod until after we give it to Xenth (let her deal with it!)
Or Isaac breaks it somehow.
=== Merchant Meeting ===
Catch up with Merchant going the other way, get a copy of the Bray, bit of gossip from beyond (Delagore + Cassiopea)
- The Princess in Cassiopea has offered a 1sp bounty to anyone who can bring her proof of having slain a Red Claw
- Baron Seled has left Delagore, and is said to be headed to Port Pardue to assist with the Hobgoblin threat.
- His Children, Torosk (26m) and Felanor (22f) are currently overseeing the running of Delagore
- Theres a couple of suspicious vessels in the Delagore dry dock, looking suspiciously like warships in the making.
=== The Nogrod Returns ===
Around an hour after your meeting with the Merchant, as you crest a hill, turn and look behind you to see what seems to be a single figure standing on the horizon behind you.
Perception 20 will show its the Nogrod.
The Nogrod will continue to silently advance.
=== If have time, Attacked by Goblins in Sleep (Revenge) ===
Do a Wisdom Saving throw, 13+ means you wake just as the goblins take your weapons, leaving it as 1 vs 6 goblins (dvoik is brutally knocked out cold).
If kate is here, teleport her in now to help.