Next Project Pondering #1

Rabbits & Rangers is finished and in the hands of the best layout guy I know. So now I'm thinking about what to do next. And what's been rattling in my head for a while is something that captures my love of B/X and allows me to use a bunch of material I've got lying around. So maybe, just maybe, I'll do a B/X setting book like I talked about doing last year.

The setting I've been using as a default for a little while is the city of Old Gnarl. This is an ancient place full of corruption and evil and other good stuff and its a melting pot of races and cultures. So naturally it makes a good launching point for any good old fantasy campaign.

Players in my Monday game will recognize elements of this idea because it is the same setting in which I ran the Frimmsreach campaign in 2014. But in their case, they never actually explored beyond one small area of the frozen north so the city of Old Gnarl never came on the radar.

I'm always nervous about attempting to write setting material. I always feel hemmed in if I do a big map with lots of detail. It makes the world feel smaller. But at the same time a world without boundaries feels limitless and unfocused. A bit overwhelming. I think a good compromise is a zoom-in on a setting. Just show a city and stuff around it. Hint at what might be beyond the map's edge. But don't lock yourself in too much.

I don't know. This is all still up in the air. If I end up not doing it then this barbarian chick won't have a home.

Frimmsreach Episode #42

EPISODE #42

SUMMARY:

Game Date: 01-12-15

Cast: Sparruu, Frothgar, Argus, Azmooth

Blood on the altar! A portal of unknown portent! And the wizard Blart on the stairs...what is going on in the Shrine? Where are the captive villagers? Is this THEIR blood?

And why is Blart acting so weird?

"A fine mess." he says. "Do you know how hard it is to summon a terror worm? I did all the rituals. But we're short by one piece on the list...the blood of a king. Or at least the descendant of one..."

With that, Fjarlneski the giant slayer whirls around and slices at Argus! His blood splatters into the pit...what treachery is this?? And is Argus the heir of a throne??

The retaliation is fierce. Uul Ulu, Fjarlneski's companion, is stunned as well. He is not on the side of evil after all.

A few sword swings and spells later and the two worm villains take their final plunge into the abyss, satisfied they have pleased their dark mistress...for the ground begins to shake and rumble! The stairs crack, the well portal swells...and out of it emerges the great black terror worm!

The heroes flee as the temple crumbles. But there is no where to go. And then they see it...the dwarven hammer Thrumbok! Churned up in the rubble, lying near the beast. Argus and Frothgar run to reclaim it. Meanwhile the others engage the monster.

Soon the hammer is in Frothgar's hands and he lands a mighty, mighty blow! The hammer's head, already cracked, shows another crack. The lore says the hammer was damaged when it was first used against the worm gods. Frothgar knows it has but a few blows left in it. He must make his strikes true.

Argus lends aid with the mighty Haverok and between the two combatants the terror worm takes much damage. From a distance Azmooth punctures the beast with her arrows. Sparruu, lacking other options, decides to become a gnomish hero and stab at the thing with is own sword. Uul Ulu strikes with his staff while Falki the hunter hurls a javelin.

Moments later the beast snatches Falki by its teeth, crushing the happless hunter!

Another thunderous strike from Frothgar crushes the middle of the monster. It begins to thrash about, rolling madly in its pain. And in this thrashing is caught the brave trickster cleric Sparruu, jungle gnome far from home! He is pulverized by the giant body and rejoins Miana Musina in his/her paradise.

Having no time for sorrow, the heroes redouble their efforts. Sword, staff, arrow, and hammer come to bear and Argus lays the finishing blow by cutting the monstrous thing in half.

The heroes gather the body of Sparruu and flee the temple by the way they came...

As the sun rises the remaining shattered townspeople of Frostmyr hold a ceremony to celebrate Winterturn and to celebrate the gnome who so recently aided them and paid the ultimate price. Frothgar speaks highly of Sparruu, invoking the names of Frimm and Miana Musina.

During the festivities Azmooth and Quilliam are not to be seen, something about "inventory" at Bjarns.

Argus displays an occasional tear for his friend trickling down his sinewy cheek. But Aggi Migloden the healer is quick to wipe them away.

And so ends the saga of the Shrine of Worms. Our adventurers can rest...for now.

End of Episode #42

Frimmsreach Episode #41

EPISODE #41

SUMMARY:

Game Date: 01-19-15

Cast: Sparruu, Frothgar, Argus, Azmooth

Down, down, once more into the darkness of the Shrine of Worms! A recent cave opening yawns. Nearby several trolls and giants are eating...perhaps dead villagers?

The heroes bypass this threat and head down into the hole. Down, down they go back into the Shrine, cleverly avoiding traps. But they are menaced by a small band of drow...evil little imps with illusion magic at their command. They strike a truce with the drow only be be betrayed by them moments later as the drow scream ahead to warn a team of orc guards.

Sparruu clocks one drow with a well-placed sling stone, followed by the most annoying gnome laughter imaginable.

The orcs prove no challenge as Uul Ulu puts them to sleep.

Inside the Shrine the adventurers encounter strange, stinking reptile men and discover that the well atop the Shrine is now some kind of swirling vortex...surrounded by fresh blood. Are they too late? Are the villagers all dead?

Turning away from the vortex they are met by old Blart, the wizard who lived near the village of Frostmyr. "A fine mess." he says.

End of Episode #41

Frimmsreach Episode #40

EPISODE #40

SUMMARY:

Game Date: 01-12-15

Cast: Sparruu, Frothgar, Argus, Azmooth

Our heroes stink! The foulness of nobberlochs is all over them. Standing in the small ice house with Aggi Migloden this fact quickly becomes overwhelming. They make their way toward Bjarn's to clean up and change clothes when sounds are heard to the north. Azmooth stealthily speeds into the darkness to investigate. Sparruu returns to Aggi and the children to watch over them.

As Argus and Frothgar stand in the night snow two arrows thump into the barbarian's back, bringing him to his knees! The arrows came from the south. The two take refuge behind the nearest house and soon the voice of Luud the hunter rings in the night.

"Gimme that sword, boy. It belongs to me. Drop it and walk away. Nobody has to die."

Argus, himself on the edge of death, disagrees. Somebody has to die.

Meanwhile Sparruu has discovered something in his pocket. The cleric's instincts light up. It is a gift from Miana Musina! She is not happy about being shut out by the dark goddess K'lixtra. A magic ring. Putting it on, he uses one of the ring's powers and calls up the illusion of a great red dragon to harrow Luud and his cronies.

Taking full advantage of this ruse Argus and Frothgar rush the hunter, who promptly drops to the ground and begs for his life. But to no avail. Argus ends the conflict with Haveroc, the sword Luud came to steal.

To the north Azmooth has discovered the sounds are that of Fjarlneski Itti and Uul Ulu, her sorcerous companion. They are traveling with the local hunter Falki, hunting orcs and giants.

The two groups join forces.

And Frimm, god of the north, speaks directly to Frothgar...filling the cleric with healing magic and power. Frothgar's touch restores his companions to health and vigor!

Soon they are joined by the spirits of dead dwarves...another gift from the gods! There stands Brickwallow Stormshot, Tankfellow Stormshot, Bruiser Barrackbomb, Boomer Earthcleaver, Zapper Earthcleaver, Shank Earthcleaver, Urfnozzle Doorbreaker, Nabby Doorbreaker, and even Silverchain.

Brickwallow, default leader of the dead dwarves, offers his axe on this dreadful night.

The gang of heroes, following the obvious trail left by marauding monsters, traverses the ice lake. But it is not to the island at its center that they go, but rather past it. On the far shore...where waits a gang of drokks to harass them.

Battle ensues and the dwarven spirits take lead, allowing the heroes to continue the journey into the darkness.

End of Episode #40

Frimmsreach Episode #39

EPISODE #39

SUMMARY:

Game Date: 01-05-15

Cast: Sparruu, Frothgar, Argus, Azmooth

Varlix is dead! But nobberlochs approach in vast numbers. The team flees up through the sarcophagus bottom and back into Varlix’ tomb.

A nasty surprise…just outside the door stands another serpentine figure reading from a scroll that turns to dust in his hands. Nobberlochs surround him, pushing the door closed to seal the victims inside. What magic is this serpentine man working? The tomb seems…changed somehow. Darker. More evil.

Azmooth looses her arrow to no avail, Sparruu uses his red dragon dagger, breathing a cone of flame on his enemies! The nobberlochs are burnt to a crisp and the serpent man feels the heat as well. But he quickly slithers off to escape. Argus slams into the door to keep it open and the crew piles out of the room to engage the enemy as more nobberlochs enter the next chamber from the broken wall outside Varlix’ tomb.

Despite their efforts, Sparruu and Frothgar are unable to hear their gods or feel their presence. No miracles are granted during this fight. The tomb has become sacred to a dark power…Frimm and Miana Musina are unwelcome here!

In the melee a nasty nobber gets its wormy mouth on Argus’ bare chest! That sucks. Now he feels the pain and pressure in his gut as something…nasty…grows inside. This could be bad for our muscled marauder.

Once the nobberlochs are put down and before more can rally the team retreats back through the tomb, through the sarcophagus rooms of Lumix and Rumix. But wait! Lumis is not in his tomb! The snake man…was Varlix’ brother. Could this mean Lumix will seize the title of high priest? What of the Terror Worm?

Up the intrepid heroes go and all the way to the front door. Heave, heave, and the door gives way. The heroes stumble out and back to Bjarn’s store where the fiasco began. Once there, Sparruu feels the presence of Miana Musian again. He prays and is able to heal Arugs, removing the thing growing inside him. The barbarian will live. The cellar door is locked and barred.

But what of Quilliam? What of the village? The night is silent and deep. Snow has fallen nearly 4’. No one is around. Sings of struggle…blood on the floor.

Moving outside, they find a silent village. Bodies lying like humps under the snow. What happened here!?

Moving to a house with a light they discover the healer Aggi Migloden hiding along with two children.

“Monsters.” She says. “Many monsters came…took the people, dragging them across the ice…or killing those that fought back.”

This shall not stand!

End of Episode #39

Frimmsreach Episode #38

EPISODE #38

SUMMARY:

Game Date: 12-29-14

Cast: Sparruu, Frothgar, Argus, Azmooth

Down in the Tomb of Lost Children the black blood of worms slickens the floors and the smell of foul nobberlochs is never too far away. Alix warns the others that if Varlix is allowed to escape he will fully establish the Shrine of Worms anew and raise the dreaded Terror Worm, eater of villages!

The heroes chew the worm, spit its foulness upon the tomb’s door and the door responds by opening. Cultists are gross.

Inside lies the sarcophagus of Varlix. They examine it closely. The only image on its top is that of a great snake with four black eyes. Alix, the would-be assassin of the high priest, seems to know little about how to actually get the job done. It seems very little real planning went into this venture. Steeling up his nerve, he reaches forth to find a way to open the sealed lid. The risk is high…and he pays the price! A zap of lightning fries poor Alix in an instant and his body is disintegrated!

Reeling from the shock of losing their companion, the intrepid tomb raiders say a prayer for the fallen hero. It is then decided that more investigation is needed. The entire room is closely examined for clues. And one is found…a cryptic notation written into the base of the sarcophagus, barely detectable:

The right hand of Rumix

And the left hand of Lumix

The eyes of Varlix

For the love of the Deep Mother

A plan is made. The diamonds on the lids of the other sarcophagi are harvested and placed in the lid of Varlix to fit into the snake’s dead eyes. The eyes light up, the lid is shoved off. The heroes immediately fall upon the coffin’s occupant with terrible fury!

Sword strokes, prayers to the gods, arrows to the eyes! Varlix drops the false bottom of his sarcophagus to make a hasty retreat into a dark tunnel. The heroes pursue with all intention of ending this evil high priest before he can fully awaken the Shrine of Worms.

Soon the deed is done and the heroes stand victorious. But wait…a horde of nobberlochs approaches from deeper in the cave! Dozens of them…

End of Episode #38

Frimmsreach Episode #36 and #37

EPISODE #36 and #37

SUMMARY:

Game Date: 12-15-14 and 12-22-14

Cast: Sparruu, Frothgar, Argus, Azmooth

Inside the sarcophagus chamber our heroes see more lovely paintings on the wall. Monsters, chaos, and death seem to be the theme. This time the images feature a serpentine warrior wading through battles until a fireball from the sky destroys a temple (Shrine of Worms!).

The serpent guards begin speaking through the walls, hissing and laughing.

“On behalf of myself and my brothers I thank you for the entertainment. The trick with the magic knife was particularly pleasant. It’s nice to see that tomb raiders these days have not lost their spirit.

And that’s good news for at least one of you because when I awaken my master he will be hungry before reclaiming the Shrine of Worms. And he only feeds on the best of the best. Your defeat of the two decrepit guards in the hall was enough to demonstrate the minimum degree of prowess required. So choose your weapons and steel your nerves. You are about to meet your makers, the impotent fools you call gods.”

And so, trapped, the team starts looking for a way out. Sounds in the walls indicate the guards are doing something, turning a mechanism. One of the diamond eyes on the sarcophagus lid lights up. Then another. This lid is coming open.

Azmooth tries to brace it with a long spear but is shocked painfully.

The lid opens! Up rises a serpent man. As the party begins to assault this threat it speaks, appearing somewhat weakened. "Wait! I am not your enemy!"

Turns out he's not. He replaced the serpent guy who was supposed to be in the coffin. His plan? To kill the head honcho, the high priest of K'lixtra, the last of the serpent brothers...Varlix!

The serpent guards are not happy about this. They rush in and all hell breaks loose. A few moments and many decapitated serpents later the party is panting and asking questions.

The new ally, Alix, says his only goal in being willfully put to sleep for a thousand years was to gain access to Varlix' tomb and kill him before he could awaken.

"For if Varlix returns the Shrine of Worms to its former glory he will summon the Terror Worm, devourer of villages."

This cannot stand. "How do we find him?" Asks our heroes.

Alix reveals a secret stair way down under his sarcophagus. It leads down to a room identical to the one they just left...including another sarcophagus. This one too is beginning to open up. Alix, desperate, says "Do not let it open!"

What to do? The lids are trapped. But Alix remembers a way to reverse the opening process and, by turning a certain gem on the lid, the sarcophagus goes silent again. Phew!

Alix lowers this sarcophagus revealing yet another flight of stairs. Down they go into the darkness to a dead end. But not a dead end...for here is a secret door. Once inside they find a 5' tall column of stone topped with a weird face. The hollow eyes of the face are filled with squishy, wet worms. Behind it is another wall.

Alix takes a worm and bites into it. Gross! Then he spits the chewed worm onto the back wall. Grosser! But the door is revealed and opens easily. Sparruu takes a mental note.

They step into a long room with s small pool or well at the end of it. The left hand wall has collapsed and the smell of nobberlochs is strong. Be careful, guys.

Alix examines the walls. "Here." he says. The back wall. He pulls out another worm. This time Sparruu takes it. "I'll chomp a worm!" exclaims the short priest of Miana Musina. He takes a bite, chews the foul thing up, and spits it on the wall. The door is revealed and opened...

Inside this next room is another sarcophagus. Simpler-looking than the others. Sinister. No treasures lines these walls. No weapons. Only bones.

Alix is ready to plunge in. But Azmooth and Argus are both badly injured from their travails with the trapped coffin lids and the serpent guards. Time to rest.

The party falls back to the worm statue room. It seems the most secure and easily defended. They set up with Alix taking first watch. But no sooner have their weary heads hit the pillows before Alix, noticing something stirring in the statue's eyes, is struck by a snake-like black worm dripping with foul ichor!

No rest yet. Battle time. More worms come. Alix is bitten, Argus is bitten, serpent heads fly. These little savages are slick and hard to get a hold of!

When all the worms lie dead and drooling their black blood the party takes stock of its condition, cleans up the mess, and finally finds a spot to bed down. A good night's sleep will refresh them...then they might take on the challenge of destroying this evil Varlix joker.

End of episodes #36 and #37.

Frimmsreach Episode #35

EPISODE #35

SUMMARY:

Game Date: 12-08-14

Cast: Sparruu, Frothgar, Argus, Azmooth

Trapped in the tomb! Frothgar prays to Frimm for guidance and Frimm reveals that the tomb is riddled with deadly traps. Stairs and statues and doors...all trapped. This place was not built for guests.

Vek seems to be mad. He's reading the walls, muttering like an idiot about the "deep mother". Meanwhile Sparruu approaches two twin doors upon which are the faces of serpents. He holds up the serpentine statue head and lo and behold the doors react...the locks and traps seem to lower with a click.

Vek grins at this. "The children are free! See their beauty..." Azmooth, sick of Vek's inane ramblings, clocks him, knocking him out.

Beyond the doors Sparruu hears the grating sound of stone on stone and loud thumps...lids being removed from coffins? The doors open and out step emaciated, mummified snake men! They slither toward the party, hissing their disapproval at being disturbed. The battle ensues.

And it is a short one. The mummies seem weakened by time. Though Argus, bravely taking lead, takes a serious slash from a scimitar the team is able to put arrows and fire to the creatures, battering them down. Vek, seeing this, attacks the party, crying "Blasphemy!"

And so Vek must die. By fire. And in his final moments it is as if a veil is lifted and he returns to normal. "You must not open the..."

But he dies before finishing the sentence.

Searching the tombs reveals sarcophagi laden with treasures. Gold and silver rings and necklaces. And perhaps a cursed brooch.

And a secret door...which the wolf headed mace that Sparruu wields easily opens as if it were a key. Stairs leading down, down into darkness. But wait. The heroes shut the door. It is unwise to go deeper into this labyrinth at this point. Better to check the other doors that were not opened already. Trapped, they must find a way out!

Another door is checked and opened and reveals a room with 5 serpentine statues. The statues speak, asking the business of these intruders. "Do you have the key?" They ask. And indeed Frothgar produces the mace as a sign that he has the key. "Show us a sign. Slay your weakest member in the old way of the Deep Mother."

Sparruu, remembering how Vek raised his brother from the dead with the magic dagger, raises Vek. The animated demon slayer does as Sparruu wishes and poses as a helpless victim as the party slays him before the snake statues. A foul scene, but perhaps necessary to pass the guards without a fight.

A secret door is revealed and the party enters yet another tomb bearing a sarcophagus. But as they hesitate the snake statues realize they are being fooled. They close in to attack! Sparruu lets the door slam shut...

Now our heroes are sealed in a tomb within a tomb in a room with a rich sarcophagus and their only way out is through a room with five serpentine guards.

The life of an adventurer is never dull.

End Episode #35

Frimmsreach Episode #34

EPISODE #34

SUMMARY:

Game Date: 12-01-14

Cast: Sparruu, Frothgar, Argus, Azmooth

The door is ancient and sealed shut by time. Peering at it, Vek suddenly notices faint traces of letters...the door has writing on it! The script, he says, is tong tet, one of the necromantic languages. He cannot read it...but his dead brother Lor can.

Pulling out his brother's black and silver dagger he cuts his palm, dripping blood on the burnt body and calling forth his brother's spirit. The body jerks to life, walking like a zombie.

What is with this Vek??

The corpse of Lor stands before the door and whispers in an ancient tongue the writing he sees there. Vek works it out, mouthing the words:

Oblivion is the warmth we crave

Beyond this door is our grave

We cease our wicked ways

Until again the light of day

We are lost children

Vek commands his brother to then rip open the doors. He does, and a spray of black needles pepper his burnt corpse. "You are free now, my brother." Vek whispers, turning his brother's body to ash.

Inside is a long corridor flanked by statues of snake men. Cautiously they are checked and found to be trapped by Sparruu's prayers to Miana Musina. But how are the traps sprang? Azmooth whips out a boomerang and throws it down the corridor. All the snakes lower their swords and shoot black needles fruitlessly! Ancient traps. Mechanical in nature, requiring to be reset by hand.

The blue gemstone eyes are pilfered from the heads of the statues. The last one has red eyes. After knocking off its head Frothgar attempts to pry the eyes loose...and a beam of scorching light sears his hands!

An idea...he holds the severed head forward and pokes at the eyes...beams of read shoot forth. Is this a new ranged weapon? We shall see.

Further into the tomb they go. Vek makes cryptic comments about the "lost children".

"Long ago a king's sons went missing and he offered a great reward for their return. But no one could find them. They are the lost children."

Sounds legit.

Sparruu's miracle of trap-seeing lasts a few moments longer and they see that the place is riddled with traps. It will be slow going.

Along some of the walls are murals depicting the evil of vile monsters. One of them seems to depict the Shrine of Worms! Could all of this be connected?

After using a long pole to acquire a wolf-headed mace, which only Frothgar was able to wield without electric shock, they notice the stench of nobberlochs approaching. Azmooth sees them entering. Then a woman in red and black robes commands them to seal the doors. Two arrows fly from Azmooth's bow and one of the finds purchase in the female before the doors slam shut, sealing them in the tomb...

End of #34

Frimmsreach Episode #33

EPISODE #33

SUMMARY:

Game Date: 11-24-14

Cast: Sparruu, Frothgar, Argus, Azmooth

Supporting Cast: Quilliam

Once more into the cellar! Our heroes dive into that dank place upon hearing the demon-slaying brothers in peril. But poor Quilliam has taken too much abuse at the hands of spectres and nobblerlochs, he cannot proceed and must stay behind. Not to worry, Sparruu the intrepid gnome forges ahead.

Below in the cellar Argus and Azmooth proceed through the broken wall to aid Vek and Lor in their battle with the stinking nobberlochs. Frothgar arrives soon and the battle is joined.

What’s going on with these foul beasts? Their flesh is soft and weak, their attacks weak and pathetic. They fall like wheat under the scythe. But poor Lor…his neck riddled with wormy holes…undulating…pulsating…burning! Could it be that the bite of a nobberloch infects you with their disease?!

The tunnel outside Bjarn’s cellar leads down through a shaft to a dead end where a slew of nobberlochs works tirelessly to uncover some ancient door. The heroes make a stand at a collapsed wall, picking off the nobberlochs one at a time through the bottleneck. Arrows, spiritual hammers, and stones decimate 30 of the monstrous stinkers until they are no more.

Azmooth, barely escaping the bite of a nobberloch, notices the worms crawling from Lor’s neck. Time to act! Sparruu burns the neck, hoping to cure him. But the result is the death of the demon slayer. And yet the thing in his neck still wriggles. Azmooth “accidentally” sets the body aflame, raising the ire of Vek. This hurt will not go away soon.

But the door…the ancient door is mostly uncovered. Argus and Azmooth finish the work while Sparruu checks the door’s integrity…and trappiness.

End of Episode #33

Frimmsreach Episode #32

EPISODE #32

SUMMARY:

Game Date: 11-17-14

Cast: Sparruu, Frothgar, Argus, Azmooth

Supporting Cast: Quilliam

Camping out next to Blart’s place the crew are surprised to meet 4 strangers upon the morning. Fjarlneski Itti is a giant-slayer. Her traveling companions are the demon-hunting brothers Lim, Lor, and Vek. Over a breakfast of gariboo steaks they discuss the happenings in the area, with Fjarlneski commenting that she has spotted or killed many more orcs and giants than would normally be encountered.

The brothers are immediately transfixed by the group’s story about the Shrine of Worms and offer to go down with them. Though grim and mirthless, their assistance as experienced demon hunters is welcomed.

But other matters must be attended to before a descent into darkness. Frothgar and the grim brothers head back to Frostmyr where he will meet with General Ktrakster and the brothers will attempt to hunt and destroy the dreaded spectre haunting Bjarn’s place. Meanwhile the others hoof it to Frimmsreach where they purchase needed goods, wanted goods, and slaves. The slaves, purchased with the majority of Bjarn’s riches, are then set free! Sparruu, holy gnome of Miana Musina, believing the treasure to have been cursed anyway, has pulled a fast one on the slavers and given 37 people their freedom.

While some slaves immediately rush off to make their way back home some agree to come to Frostmyr and perhaps join that community, helping to rebuild and repopulate the devastated town. Higgi, default headman of Frostmyr, is very pleased.

In Bjarn’s place things look a bit grim for the grim brothers. Lor is found dead and the sounds of battle emanate from below, in the cellar.

Sparruu flings open the door to be met with the full force of the nobberloch’s stench! While he yaks heartily, Quilliam casts light on a spear tip and Argus plunges in. Let’s hope the 10 gp spent on nose plugs in Frimmsreach was well spent…

End of #32

Frimmsreach Episode #30/31

EPISODE #30 & #31

SUMMARY:

Game Date: 11-03-14/11/10/14

Cast: Sparruu, Frothgar, Argus, Azmooth

Supporting Cast: Quilliam

Further searching of Bjarn’s place reveals a plethora of items that may or may not be useful to our heroes. Sleds and tents, pants, shoes, hats, costume jewelry, salt, salted fish, rare spices, lanterns, oil, goblin oil! But what of these foul smelling creatures lurking in the cellar? It is decided to attempt to battle one of the nobberlochs and test their abilities.

Argus and Azmooth descend into the cellar and quickly lure the creatures out of the hole in the wall. Battle ensues. But upstairs some mysterious force slams the door shut, locking it. Sword blows and flaming oil are dispatched and Sparruu masterfully jimmies the hinges of the door to get it open, freeing the party from the stinking cellar.

The door is sealed again with more creatures lurking below. Upstairs Quilliam is found passed out. Soon the fourth spectre makes herself known. The combat is fierce and the ghostly apparition flees, seemingly back down into the cellar.

During the fray Azmooth discovers a secret door in the floor. Soon the party uncovers Bjarn’s stash of treasure! Inside the two chests are many gold and silver coins as well as ample jewels and gems! But how much should go to the village? How much to Quilliam, as the new proprietor of Bjarn’s place? Are these moral questions too heady??

The team decides enough is enough and its time to get on with the plan. They gather the supplies they need and, along with a drunken Killminster Barrackbomb, they exit the premises and head to Blart’s place to camp for the night before heading back down, down, down to the depths of the Shrine of Worms where the great dwarven hammer Thrumbok was lost.

End of Episodes #30 and #31

Frimmsreach Episode #29

EPISODE #29

SUMMARY:

Game Date: 10-27-14

Cast: Sparruu, Frothgar, Argus, Azmooth

Supporting Cast: Quilliam

Sparruu leads them to the chest. But alas, though the four black and red robes remain, along with the statue of a worm-faced demon, the sacrificial knives are missing!

Curious. What’s that weird sound…like whispering?

“The Deep Mother moves upon you…”

Frothgar prays to Frimm for vision and peers around the place. An evil figure floats above the ground! What apparition is this?

The figure zooms across the room. Argus tries to tackle it and fails. Azmooth hurls a dagger, missing. Her dagger sticks into the opposite wall and then comes zooming back. Magic!

All heroes assault the creature as it pulls out one of the wicked knives and throws it. Argus summons the power of his newfound sword, the blade called Haverok, and cleaves the ghostly thing in two. It’s hiss and howl dissipate into thin air.

But more apparitions remain. Down in Bjarn’s cellar…where the foulness of the stinking creatures remains – creatures Azmooth called “nobberlochs”. Two more spectres are joined in battle and once again Haverok comes to bear, cleaving one in two. The third spectre is promptly dealt with as well. Is there yet another down in the darkness? Four cloaks and four spectres?

End of Episode #29

Frimmsreach Episode #28

EPISODE #28

SUMMARY:

Game Date: 10-20-14

Cast: Sparruu, Frothgar, Argus, Azmooth

Supporting Cast: Quilliam, Gul’Daryh

The toll of the battle is high, most of the villagers are dead or fled. Over the course of several days Frothgar and Sparruu help with holy rites, healing and other Clerical matters. Hunters and fishers trickle in from other areas to help or, in some cases, to leech off the remains.

Gul’Daryh takes it upon himself to step into the role of sheriff for the poor local sheriff was killed. He also plans to restore the temple on the lake as a shrine to the elemental gods. His path of adventure with the party has come to an end, for now.

Quilliam, having come so close to death, holes up in Bjarn’s old place to study his books and improve his craft.

Among the newcomers to the village are some seedy hunters. Frothgar prays to Frimm for the vision to see evil and is able to stroll about the village, noticing those folks who may be up to no good. He notes one in particular, a surly hunter named Luud who has been eyeing the impressive sword Argus took from Urk-Kak the Swine. He and Argus have a mutual dislike, though Luud attempts to play nice with a thin veneer of courtesy.

Frothgar meets with Krakster Farznickle, the dwarven general. Krakster says

“The hammer that fell into the pit…it was not other than Thrumbok! The very hammer of the north! With that hammer in our hands we could deal a deadly blow to the wicked norg who stole our city so long ago. But I cannot go after it. There is much to do…might you and your capable friends do this deed?”

Frothgar is eager to go after the mighty artifact. But can he convince the others?

Meanwhile a new face in town…she appears at the south end and has a short exchange with the hunter Frimlod, who is on watch. It is Azmooth, a wilderness-ready woman from a bit to the south. Her daggers and bow mark her as an adventurer or hunter of some kind.

And it turns out she knows Quilliam…perhaps intimately?

Soon the crew is sitting in the common room having a biscut and drinking bark brew. The food is not the same without Edda’s hand in the bowl, Frimm rest her soul.

Sparruu enters, a bit addled. He has discovered something in Bjarn’s place. A locked and trapped chest bearing accoutrements of cultish design. Could Bjarn have been in on the Shrine of Worms? It seems unlikely.

Plans are discussed. To go once more into the Shrine of Worms in search of Thrumbok, the dwarf hammer? It is to be seen. First, a quick trip to Bjarn’s place to see what sort of supplies may be acquired…and to check out those cultish accoutrements.

End of Episode #28

Frimmsreach Episode #27

EPISODE #27

SUMMARY:

Game Date: 10-13-14

Cast: Sparruu, Gul’Daryh, Frothgar, Argus

Supporting Cast: Quilliam, Skat

With stinking monsters crawling forth and several of our heroes puking their brains out as a result the team is on the retreat. Grabbing the surviving dwarves, including the stunned Killminster (now freed from his control with the death of Ayall’Nyar). But Skat is not in good shape. The stench and foulness has poisoned him. In a moment of courage he screams “Run!” while taking on the approaching horde with his glowing green dagger.

The heroes do not see Skat’s fate…the green glow disappears in a wave of monsters. Surely the intrepid scoundrel perished! Brave soul.

The team notices that one elf survived. She rushes toward the exit but disappears. Secret door! With the help of Killminster the door is quickly opened and the team slips into another hallway, closely pursued by stinking monsters with wormy mouths.

They find themselves in a weird torture chamber with a dry basin that once held liquid. Bones are scattered across its bottom. But the fleeing elf has ran ahead and Killminster spurs them on. “There is a battle raging on the surface!” He cries. The orcs are attacking the village of Frostmyr! Perhaps to draw attention away from the ritual?

Frothgar dons his magic boots that make him run like lightning. He chases the elf down, striking at her. But she is wily and quick and narrowly dodges each swing of the axe. Argus drops his own axe and runs like a wild beast, leaping for the fleeing elf. But no dice! She’s just too fast! And now she goes invisible…

As she flees past Frothgar she stabs the dwarven Cleric, revealing her position. The heroes descend upon her and soon the elf is dead.

Quilliam takes her leather armor of red and black, which seems to have a magical charm. She is found to possess a skull filled with poison, which Frothgar destroys (nearly killing himself!). And Quilliam takes the elf’s cutlass, which Argus is certain radiates strange vibes.

Onward! The long corridor leads to the cellar of Bjarn in the village of Frostmyr. Down here the smell of nasty, foul monsters is also present. The door is blocked and the team goes out into the snow…and battle.

The village is in the clutches of a great fight! Dozens of orcs and dwarves go at each other. Villagers are fallen. A giant, sabertooth ogre rages! Ur-Kak the Swine, leader of the orcs, hacks dwarves left and right!

And a chair, on its own, is doing battle! What?!

The strange magic the villagers hinted at, that Blart warned again, has animated the chair and, possibly, other things. But no time to investigate.

Sparruu takes to the air and belches fire on the ogre and a few surrounding orcs. Quilliam unrolls a scroll he’s been carrying and reads the arcane words of Magic Missile, sending bolts of electric energy into the monster’s chest. It turns, angered, spewing froth! It charges the hapless wizard!

Argus, charging the ogre, is intercepted by Ur-Kak who lays into the barbarian with a mighty chopping blow from his broadsword. Badly injured, Argus turns to face this challenge.

Quilliam, fearing the 12' monster bearing down on him, reads another spell from his scroll, knowing that by doing so he cannot later copy it into his own spellbook. He immediately turns invisible!

Gul’Daryh leaps gracefully, plunging an arrow into the monster’s throat with his bare hands. And Quilliam, sneaking around without being seen, drives the saber into the ogre’s back…an act of fear and rage and desperation! Sparruu flies overhead and dives silently upon the beast, rending with his claws, sending a spray of blood into the snow. The beast’s death rattle sprays a mist of blood.

Frothgar, Killminster, and Argus face Ur-Kak. Argus tries valiantly to wrestle the orc chief to the ground but is too weakened from loss of blood. A blow from Killminster’s hammer and another from Frothgar’s axe are enough to send Ur-Kak to whatever darkness he calls gods.

There in the bloody snow Argus sees that the blade wielded by Ur-Kak is none other than Haverok, a barbarian blade of legend!

End of Episode #27

Frimmsreach Episode #26

EPISODE #26

SUMMARY:

Game Date: 10-06-14

Cast: Sparruu, Gul’Daryh, Frothgar, Argus

Supporting Cast: Quilliam, Skat, Silverchain

Orcs! And worse…the hunched, thick figures of drokk soldiers rushing toward the party. Argus engages the drokks with fearsome rage, slashing and hacking like a wild man! Quilliam carefully throws darts with deadly precision. Skat sneaks into the shadows to get a better view.

Gul’Daryh nocks an arrow, takes careful aim, and cringes at the sound of a breaking bowstring! No!

Frothgar prays to Frimm and several drokks are suddenly held in place, unable to move. Sparruu prays to Miana Musina who delivers similar justice to the foul beasts. And Quilliam works his arcane magic, sending a host of orcs to sleepytown.

As the battle progresses the party winds its way up each side of the stairs, flanking the cultists. The platform is flat and at its center is a hole into darkness. Kneeling at it are 5 dwarves in some sort of trance. Surrounding them are 5 elves in black and red robes chanting sinister words. The leader, Ayall’Nyar, carries a terrifying mace topped with a skull that has a spiked tongue dripping blood. Next to him stands Killminster Barrackbomb, dwarf ally! But he is possessed or controlled and bears a mighty hammer of obvious magical significance.

As the fighting continues the elf leader, arrogant, underestimates our heroes and, after slaying one of the kneeling dwarves, is cut down. He falls into darkness, taking the evil mace with him.

Now the smell of foulness rises from the pit. The strange, stinking creatures encountered earlier begin to crawl up from the darkness of the well!

Sparruu pulls out a tye-died bottle of liquid. A little something he’s been saving since the raid on the ganguth’s lair….a potion that transforms him into any creature he desires. Suddenly Sparruu disappears and in his place is a small red dragon! Testing the limits of his form, he breathes a blast of fire on the remaining cultists, frying several of them to ashes as well as catching some of the creatures trying to climb out of the well. The moment of fire reveals to everyone that from the well is crawling many, many nasty things.

Time to leave! But Gul’Daryh, Quilliam, Frothgar, and Silverchain are engaged with drokk guards. And now Silverchain, hit with a spear, falls into the pit. Everyone has taken a beating and depleted their arcane and divine resources.

Retreat!

End of Episode #26