Frimmsreach Episode #17

EPISODE #17

Game Date: 07-29-14

Cast: Sparruu, Gul’Daryh, Frothgar, Argus

Supporting Cast: Quilliam, Skat, and 7 armored dwarves

The crew set out to investigate the cyclopean slavers’ meetpoint, an estimated day’s march through the slave tunnel. Bart Barrackbomb and Loots Doorbreaker remain at the stronghold to repair damage and make the journey back to the Rock Hardies to report. Brickwallow Stormshot and his dwarven companions Tankfellow Stormshot, Hulktall Stormshot, Bruiser Barrackbomb, Killminster Barrackbomb, Urfnozzle Doorbreaker, and Nabby Doorbreaker join the gang on their journey to foil the slavers.

Backtracking to the battle site is not difficult. The frequency of passing orc bands has thinned the inhabitants of this 20-mile stretch of tunnels. Upon reaching the battle site they discover three cyclopean orcs lying in wait. The pools of dark water bubble dangerously. A plan is executed and Quilliam puts the monsters to sleep. They dispatch two of the orcs and Sparruu attempts – unsuccessfully – to charm the survivor. Instead, the intimidation of dwarves forces the orc to reveal directions to the meetpoint along with timing for the meet. In 2 days time he says…turn right at the deep, deep pool he says.

Behind them the bubbling water begins to slosh…the creature of the black depths stirs. Leaving the orc tied and bleeding and unable to run they move ahead…his screams abruptly cut short behind them.

Miles pass and the crew comes upon a large cavernous opening in which the ceiling and walls glow orange, like a large lit candle. Sparruu’s curiosity leads him to approach some of the glowing goo clinging to the wall…and it promptly leaps onto and INTO his hand. Frothgar lays down a half-moon of oil and commands everyone to back up behind it. The orange goop, stinging, leaps from Sparruu to Gul’Daryh and then Argus.

The clumps of glowing globs slip down and coalesce into two humanoid figures of 10’ height! The semicircle of fire has no effect…sling stones seem to plop into goop. But Quilliam’s magic missile and Gul’Daryh’s ray of frost cause major malfunctions and, when followed up by Argus’ powerful axe…it is curtains for two of these globular goliaths!

Sparruu seeks the wisdom of Miana Musina and is convinced that retreat is the wisest choice. But the gang press on, Brickwallow grabbing the gnome and pulling him forward to rush past the beasts and continue on the journey through these dark tunnels.

Sparruu’s dark omen bears fruit as Nabby Doorbreaker, bravely charging the last of the orange beasts, is crushed between its massive fists. The dwarves are enraged. But soon Gul’Daryh compels the cursed sword of Orinth to slice an arm off the monster and Argus’ axe dispatches the last creature in a mighty blow that splits it in twain.

Shaken, the party collects the body of Nobby Doorbreaker and prepares to quit this foul cavern.

End of Episode 17.

Frimmsreach Episode #16

EPISODE #16

Game Date: 07-21-14

Cast: Sparruu, Gul’Daryh, Frothgar

Supporting Cast: Argus, Quilliam, Skat, and 9 nearly naked dwarves

Summoning their courage and resolve our heroes give chase to the ganguth, led by Frothgar’s temporary ability to detect evil. What few spells the party has left are flung and many spears and axes are chucked. A sack of flour is thrown, but the sack explodes too far from the beast to lend visibility.

Once the ganguth joins battle it becomes visible again. The wounds caused by the blows of our heroes begin to heal right before their eyes…

A wolf summoned by Gul’Daryh – the effect of a small wolf statue – is slaughtered by the beast after giving it a nasty bite. Soon the crew of dwarves, gnomes, barbarians, and half-elves brings the beast down! They continue to hack and slash at the monster for Frothgar still sees evil stirring in its seemingly-lifeless corpse.

Gul’Daryh quickly extracts a single rib from the monster – the component needed to lift the curse from the old witch’s granddaughter back at Frimmsreach. Then he makes a fire upon the monster, finally sending it off in ashes. But Argus has already lugged the creature’s head away from the battle to the dark, sinister pool of water and tossed it in…a meal for some foul beast.

Will this truly be the end of the ganguth?

Three dwarves lie dead amid the remains of orcs and nine draw breath. Among the living are Brickwallow Stormshot, Tankfellow Stormshot, Hulktall Stormshot, Bruiser Barrackbomb, Bart Barrackbomb, Killminster Barrackbomb, Urfnozzle Doorbreaker, Loots Doorbreaker, and Nabby Doorbreaker.

Among the dead are Boomer Earthcleaver, Zapper Earthcleaver, Shank Earthcleaver…the brothers were struck down together in the battle.

The party carefully places the dead dwarves on stretchers for transport to a more fitting place of final rest and they take a long rest themselves, regaining some strength, praying for strength, and readying themselves.

Brickwallow explains that the cyclopean orcs are part of a network of slaving teams all bent on gathering as many dwarf slaves as possible and joining together at a meetpoint in a few days. Their leader, the notorious Ur-Kak the Swine, plans to move all his slaving bands north of Frimmsreach to a mysterious place called The Shrine of Worms where “the Elf” is waiting to accept them.

What sinister plans are afoot? What darkness could this Elf be dabbling in?

The crew return to the dwarven stronghold down the tunnel to the east and find weapons, armor, food, and a place to gather strength and make plans.

End of Episode #16

Frimmsreach Episode #15

EPISODE #15

Game Date: 07-15-14

Cast: Sparruu, Gul’Daryh, Skat, Frothgar

Supporting Cast: Argus, Quilliam

The cyclopean orcs approach…a well-laid illusion disguises the sinister cave pool…our heroes lie in wait.

Two one-eyed orcs approach the bait. Seeing the girl lying on the ground they cannot help but approach. Screams of fear and agony as they fall into the pool and are immediately turned into lunch by whatever evil lurks beneath.

The illusion is broken, the orcs turn to regroup. The party presses its advantage. Frothgar calls upon his fallen dwarven brethren of days gone by and summons two fighting dwarf spirits to join the cause. With Frothgar and Argus leading the assault they push through the narrow passage, wading into the orc’s front line. Orcs go down to the left and to the right.

Behind the front line is a group of nine hostage dwarves headed for the slave blocks. Behind them are more orcs, orc champions, a sinister-looking orc shaman, and the dreaded ganguth lurking at the rear.

The battle is short, our heroes are in force. Qillium the wizard, perhaps urged by necessity, casts a brilliant, sun-like light upon the axe of Argus, temporarily blinding the enemies (and Sparruu). Those one-eyes can’t seem to take the brilliant light.

Just as the orc shaman is about to weave his magic Skat hurls a well-placed dagger, thumping the orc to the ground. Soon the dwarves are freed and join the fray. The orcs are routed and what remains of them flee the scene. The heroes take on the ganguth, its malicious eyes focused on those enemies it has fought before: Sparruu, Gul’Daryh, and Argus.

Axes and swords slash at the beast but it seems to heal nearly as fast as it is hurt. Overwhelmed by numbers, the creature runs, slashing Sparruu out of its way and nearly killing the gnome. The thing vanishes, as it did before.

But Frothgar calls on Frimm to point him to evil and discovers the monster is not gone…just invisible, and running away!

Do the heroes have it left in them to pursue or must they call the battle finished?

End of Episode #15

Frimmsreach Episode #14

EPISODE #14

Game Date: 07-07-14

Cast: Sparruu, Gul’Daryh, Skat, Frothgar

Supporting Cast: Argus, Quilliam

With the longotha threat ended and the izzuri quite happy about it the team prepares to go after the cyclopean orc slavers. The izzuri tunnels, they are told, can lead them ahead and in front of the orcs. But there’s a catch. The tunnels are izzuri-sized…very small! The team would not make good time hunched over and crawling.

Solution: the izzuri wizard can transform them into izzuri for a short time. With some creative sales-pitching to Argus by Sparruu, they decide this is the best plan. The magic is wrought, the party becomes 2’ lizards. Their clothes and gear disappear into the void (or someplace known only to sages and great wizards). They run like the wind through the izzuri tunnels in an attempt to head off the orcs before they arrive beneath the city of Frimmsreach with their dwarven slaves.

Given the hatred for the dwarves displayed by the norg it is a disturbing thought to ponder how these captives will be treated in that icy city.

While running through the tunnels the heroes begin to discover that they, like the other izzuri, possess unique abilities. Gul’Daryh discovers he can move objects with his mind. Sparruu makes lights with his hands. Frothgar is able to shield himself from some degree of harm. Quilliam can put people to sleep.

But Skat can’t seem to identify any special talents. Poor Skat!

The heroes make it to the main artery of the labyrinth, a tunnel leading to the city of Frimmsreach frequented by the orc slavers. They spend the next hour or more exploring the area and making plans for an ambush while waiting on the spell to wear off.

The terrain provides some assistance. Stalagmites abound. A large side cavern provides a hiding place. And a pool of dark water (home to…things…) gives Sparruu quite an idea. With the aid of Miana Musina’s trickster nature he will make the pool seem to be nothing more than a safe path and upon that path a helpless female form lying prone. As the orcs approach, drawn by the helpless figure, they will discover too late that they are stepping into a pool of water and come face-to-face with the pool’s unknown occupants.

Then all hell will break loose as the crack unit of adventurers unleashes their combined melee, magic, and missile might!

End of Episode #14

Frimmsreach Episode #13

EPISODE #13

Game Date: 06-30-14

Cast: Sparruu, Gul’Daryh, Skat, Frothgar

Supporting Cast: Argus, Quilliam

Plans are discussed. Is the monster sensitive to smell? Sounds? Does it breathe? No one really knows and the izzuri do not seem to know much either. But Zoom and his buddy Cracker (who has the ability to make firecracker noises) decide to lend a hand by leading the team to the location through the painfully cramped izzuri tunnels.

When they finally draw close to the lair of the tentacle beast Gul’Daryh steals ahead using the sounds of a lit torch to sing his Firesong and lull the creature into a trance. They are uncertain what affect this has so Sparruu and Skat sneak into the chamber of the seemingly-sleeping monster and peer into the holes in its rocky pillar home. Inside sits the potato-looking thing, peacefully asleep.

The strike of a spear and dagger riles it up from slumber and the melee is on! Frothgar, drawing on Frimm’s hatred for all manner of creepy monsters, strikes fear into the beast and it withdraws its tentacles. The heroes stab and poke, failing to land significant blows due to the rocky protection the monster possesses. But Gul’Daryh downs a potion that grants the wizard-bowmaster the strength of a giant! Taking up Frothgar’s hammer he pummels at the stone pillar, cracking it open.

Argus plunges in, axe-first, and reduces the monster to pulp in a frenzy of barbaric blows.

The beast is dead! And inside its lair the gang finds some gold, a brass unicorn, a sword, and a scroll case with a clever needle trap…inside which is a scroll of magic spells.

The izzuri warns the team of the mouthy mowgar, sinister dark monsters lurking nearby who also fear the longotha. They go forward past the lair and to the edge of an underground cliff to investigate the mowgar’s fascination with the area. Jutting out from the cliff 30’ down is a sword…and a partial skeletal knight clinging to it. Gul’Daryh is lowered by Argus and pulls the sword from the wall with his heightened strength.

A winged helm, which Argus dons. A bastard sword bearing the inscription “Blade of Orinth, Slayer of Evil". A pair of thick gloves that seem to grant strength. And a shirt of mail. All of this taken as the intrepid heroes catch their breath after defeating the longotha.

End of Episode #13