The Sevillian Traders
We start with the traders Crass and Calvin, Sevillian traders of the Orc attack who are are now camped a day or so to the south. The camp prior where we met the orcs was previously theirs.
They had wares for sale, but also news of the world, having recent camp south from the wildling tribes of the desert, having traded basics for barrels of beautiful aquamarines and lapis lazuli from a secret location the natives will not reveal
We chat briefly about the gems and detect an essence to them, probably evil in nature.
Purchases Made:
- Kangrog – 2x Vaulting + 1 Great Healing = 270gp
- Justus – 2x Vaulting = 250gold
- Pallarax – 1x Greater HP + 2 Healing Potion + 30ft of Rope = 81 gold
Leaving Gold Reserves of:
- Kangrog – 329gp
- Pallarax – 160gp
- Justus – ?? We used Senkos Money
No Items were sold to the merchants
Arrival at the Ruins
You traveled two days to arrive at the ruins of Mekk, which when you arrive is disappointingly nothing more than a small square building the in the middle of the desert, with a wooden door set into it (probably preserved by the heat?).
Before the building is a semi circle of five grey stone obelisks, standing out against the stark yellow sand. They are each wrapped in vines, that have sprouted vibrantly pink roses.
As you arrive, a cloud of dust is approaching from the North East, looking most likely to be riders, but coming from the blood ranges.
Kangrog in his infinite wisdom threw a throwing axe at a pillar before talking to anyone, leading to purple tentacles to emerge from the ground in the form of a Shoggoth, as known as The Guardian to local tribes.
Kangrog sets the sucker on fire (to little effect), before arranging a mass charge with Justus and the Orcs, before deciding to lead by jumping over the eldritch horror- who promptly slapped him down to the sand, prone.
Justus follows up with a massive Divine Smite, seeing 40 damage in a single hit, followed by the Orcs and Parallax who mob the horrific twisting and shape changing creature, lighting and long spears flashing in the white hot rage of the desert sun.
Seeing the effects of destroying a pillar, the orcs and party concentrate on those, freeing the best from captivity, and then realizing what they’ve done (released an eldritch horror), they quickly gathered bows and shot the thing before Parallax beat it senseless while channeling his Ki. It sunk back in the sand, seemingly dead.
The Shoggoth took several Orcs with it.
Our Heroic and Noble adventurers did not check for loot,
continuing to enjoy the challenge of a life of poverty and non-magical weapons 🤭
Justus and Parallax at work
Into the Ruins
Barak Bogchugger, suggests the orcs hold off whatever it is approaching from the North East while the players investigate. Not to be beaten to anything, ever, Kangrog bum-rushes the door, and… finds himself in a dank dark cave, before a rushing river with a fallen bridge no where to be found and yet another opportunity to jump forth!
The Party join him, and they jump/rope pull their way across the gap, and into the dungeon proper, where the next corridor showed the age of the ruins, where most traps were quite visible, jutting up floor stones, rusting nozzles for acid.
Parallax disarmed a few traps with a slid ice block across the floor, before the Barbarian and Paladin develop their new fusion dance;
The Aegis Whirl
Kangrog Holding Justus in a bride carry, shield facing out, as he whirled around with his Axe and Justus Shield blocking 8 of 10 traps (somehow?!)
From there, the rune was touched, and the false door opens.
The Aviary – Cutscene Segue
Midway down a long hallway is a simple door, with the sign “Aviary” next to it in the Mekkian script.
The Aviary
The door opens to the start of a spiral staircase that leads upwards. From what you can see from the space in the center, the staircase goes on for some way, as tall as any tower’s staircase you’ve seen before.
The Aviary – Climbing
You climb for a long time, the length of which is hard to perceive, before the stairs finally end at a small landing with a small archway leading out onto a small ledge, overlooking a vast, green vista.
A Giant Eagle sits perched on a small tree by the doorway, and it turns it’s head to stare one eye at you, before blinking softly and turning back to stare down below. It pats the stone next to it with it’s massive wing tip, and beckons with it’s head, chirping something.
(“It’s been long since someone used that door, come and see this wonder”)
The stone is, rather close to the edge though…
Below is the valley of Twilight, a massive V shaped valley formed of the meeting of three mountain ranges, funneling everything traveling between the three regions through a single choke point.
The Eagle is showing you the works of construction of the enormous obsidian black tower below, in the center of that vast choke-point.
Huge blocks of Light-draining stonework are floating up and into place as the wizards and masons below work, and floating high above it, seems to be the architect and master of the design.
Below him, is a large wooden platform, upon which seems to stand a troll. This Troll appears to be commanding a vast undead workforce, building the other city walls of what will one day be an immense city in scale and size, with walls larger than even maybe those of the great Iron Gates of Ran.
Survival DC 18 – You can feel eyes on you, other than the eagle.
The Aviary – The Chat
The Eagle gives another series of chirps, pointing at first the Troll, then the floating wizard. chirping the words, “The Last Mekkian” and below that is a stick figure in robes, with the words “Lord of Darkness”.
He watches you for your reaction to this, seeing none, he hops back down and waddles back towards the door you came through
You note behind him, or rather probably now, perhaps she is a her, as there is a large nest above and behind the door you came through, and behind that is the peak of the mountain.
On said peak of the mountain, is an Eagle twice the size of the one you are currently speaking with, with a wingspan of probably 120ft.
He is calmly staring directly at you, un-movingly.
You understand and relate more with squirrels now.
Passage
Coming to a collapsed passage, they looked around and couldn’t find the secret door to the old prison, but did find a small crack in the wall that led on-wards in a new direction.
Justus successfully avoided the traps of the non-present Kobold (hmm, but where is it though?!), and navigated the tunnels to avoid the giant rolling ball.
🙁
Acid River
The Kobold tunnel ends at the start of a massive flow of acid, high above it with a landing in sight on the other side.
Forgetting to look around, Kangrog quaffed a vaulting pot, then went for a strength potion.
Sensing what he was doing, Justus grabbed his own potion of vaulting, and gave the barbarian a hand, grabbing Parallax between them and helping the flightless dragonkind his first taste of what his ancestors once felt as they soared between ancient peaks.
It was a very cool move, I forgot at the time, but +1 Inspiration for all who read this.
The Library
An Optional Side Quest, that could have been skipped, but the lovely players decided to indulge me.
Entrance
The library should be a normal door that leads in my tiles, an open room with furniture and horror, looking like the study location of the owner of the dungeon, or some other wizard. There was a treasure chest in the corner that turned into a mimic when Parallax indulged the DM and opened it.
The grandfather Clock was also a mimic, a hostile one, and joined the battle. When killed it returned to the form of a clock.
After they defeat it, another mimic (an Ancient One who can speak common) spoke up from the bookcase and thank them for getting rid of the little bastard who took his place centuries ago, and returns to the trap.
He also warned them of the Others scouring the dungeon seeking the treasures still left in here, telling that they can consume and control people, and to be wary.
Behind the Hidden Door
Turning the Clock will open the hidden bookcase, and the Ancient Mimic helped them out, musing that his only living creche-ling is now living in some Nestorian city, Shodon? Shado? Shaddar?, and he might visit now the guardian out front is gone.
Behind it lies the book bound to the floor in chains, along with the table with glowing pages upon it.
This is a Skill Challenge, 10+/-, Success/Fail = 4,
Using skills to gain advantage for the rolls, the
Aids Used
– Using Investigate and searching the room gave advantage on one roll, they find a Book title that contradicts one of the thesis titles on the trap, but proves another. +adv
– Arcana gave advantage for a single roll, with knowledge that the center rune in a trap usually needs to be flowing with positive current, and might be a correct pick. +adv
– Insight – The Writing implements and candles seem to indicate the trap maker is right handed, and more likely to put the correct picks on the left + Adv.
– Survival – The hairs on an arm lift as they touch a wrong card +adv
– Religion – One of the papers has an obvious misspelling +adv.
Tome of Wisdom
Behind the door is a Tome of Understanding, which gives +2 Wisdom permanently, this was identified by the group, who have started reading it to Kangrog out loud, and thus the whole party is going to share the benefit when it applies (up to 6 days)
Outro
What happens next?! Will Kangrog ever get to Jump again? Will Parallax punch anything? Has Senko applied his epic stealth so well he was there the whole time?
Find out next time, on Dragonball Z! at D&D!
