Friday, September 12, 2014
Thursday, September 11, 2014
Frimmsreach Episode #22
EPISODE
#22
SUMMARY:
Game
Date: 09-08-14
Cast:
Sparruu, Gul’Daryh, Frothgar, Argus
Supporting
Cast: Quilliam, Skat
That
night the air is thick with anticipation and energy. Sparruu dreams
of a sacred temple, a giant serpent, and a coming fireball from the
sky. Frothgar dreams of mighty Frimm battling snakes and worms and of
a giant hammer. Gul’Daryh homes in on the magical aura of the lake
itself, a convergence of elemental forces seems to be at its heart.
And Argus, hungry, discovers an invisible assassin poisoning the
food. Poor old Edda lies dead after tasting her own gravy.
The
assassin is tracked to the treeline where the tracks vanish. Elf
magic? Elves are known to step through the trees like stepping
through doors.
Bjorn,
the merchant, overhears the conversing heroes and offers his help.
Back at his store they learn that many items, not just gloves, tend
to become “magical” in the village. And not always in a good way.
He demonstrates a simple pick that vibrates with raw energy. He tells
of dancing spoons and floating shovels. And the man, sick it seems,
falls dead before the heroes.
What
evil is wafting from this village like a foul stench?
Later
the team goes to Blart’s abode to discuss the items they left with
him but the old wizard is gone. His wolf, Snowlope, drops a sack of
their items on the ground and says his master has gone. The sack
contains most of the things they left, sans the goddess figure and
fancy sword. A note in the bag indicates that the Shrine of Worms is
located at the bottom of the lake.
The
dwarf Silverchain, who has been watching this unfold, steps up to
offer her assistance, having a reason to desire the preservation of
the goddess shrine she believes to be located nearby…specifically
on the island at the lake’s center. She produces a small book
which, using the magic goggles acquired in the labyrinth, Quilliam is
able to read. It is a journal detailing the ritual to be enacted in
order to awaken the evil of the Shrine of Worms…and it involves the
slitting of dwarf throats!
End
of Episode #22
Frimmsreach Episode #21
EPISODE
#21
SUMMARY:
Game
Date: 09-01-14
Cast:
Sparruu, Gul’Daryh, Frothgar, Argus
Supporting
Cast: Quilliam, Skat
Our
resolute heroes retire to the rooms graciously provided by old Edda
at the Common Room. But Frothgar, Skat, and Gul’Daryh volunteer to
take watch along with the sheriff’s men, just in case the orcs make
an assault…which they do.
The
tricksy monsters try to attack from two directions but are met with
fierce resistance. Then, in the midst of the battle, sheriff Tamar is
taken down by an orc arrow. Sparruu, hearing the commotion, rushes
out and lays on hands, praying to Miana Musina to save the man’s
life. She accepts his prayer and the good sheriff is immediately
healed of his wound.
Bjorn,
the merchant, comes out of his store bearing gloves that glow with
magic and commanding the orcs to scatter. The glowing image of a
blond warrior appears above his head and the orcs, fearing this
magic, flee. Bjorn collapses after using the gloves.
Blart
trudges through the snow through the middle of the growing crowd and
takes the magic gloves away. No one stops him. “I told you to stop
messing around with this stuff.” He says, walking away.
End
of Episode #21
Thursday, August 28, 2014
Frimmsreach Episode #20
EPISODE #20
Game Date: 08-25-14
Cast: Sparruu, Gul’Daryh, Frothgar, Argus
Supporting Cast: Quilliam, Skat, and 3 armored dwarves
With the fire lit and the mowthgar in a panicked charge
the party takes the opportunity to duck and run. Kilminster Barrackbomb is
eager to charge into the fray and save his brethren from the upcoming
sacrifice. But the odds are overwhelming and reason wins out over blind
heroism.
Retreating to the black pools the team faces down a small
contingent of orc scouts rapidly running them down. Victorious, they continue
their mad flight, lead now by the old man called Argus Emir (no relation to our
dear Argus the barbarian). But the other Argus, the barbarian, passes out as he
nears the glowing orange globs lurking above the water. The orange blight is
still upon him!
Argus the elder leads them through a shaft that slopes
steeply upward while Argus the younger is carried. Killminster and the dwarves collapse
the roof to discourage orcs from following. The trail leads to the surface and
back to the wind and cold.
The party discusses their plan. The sacrifice, somehow
related to the Shrine of Worms, must be stopped. A dwarven stronghold is nearby
– Northpoint Stronghold, commanded by Krakster Farznickle. Hulktall, Bruiser,
Killminster, and the few dwarves they brought out from captivity all head to
the stronghold while Frothgar accompanies the other captives along with Sparru,
Argus, Skat, Quilliam, and Gul’Daryh to the village of Argus Emir.
The dwarf Silverchain does not accompany the other
dwarves. She is tired of the cold and wishes to find a warm place to rest. On
the walk to Frostmyr she reveals something about the Shrine of Worms…an old
tale she was told by her mother. The Shrine was built deep in the earth beneath
another shrine on the surface…one dedicated to an ancient and forgotten
goddess. No one knows how they were destroyed but both have been dormant for a
thousand years.
The village of Frostmyr is not far and the crew makes it
before dark. Low round houses covered in ice and snow reveal themselves by
spindly trails of chimney smoke. The village common house, owned by Argus Emir
and Edda, welcomes the party heartily with hot bowls of gariboo and ice turtle
soup and mugs of stout ale. Villagers come to meet with their lost friends.
Old Edda and Argus Emir suggest that the orange plague
that Sparruu and Argus suffer must be attended immediately for they have heard
of such things before. Such an orange plague took poor Edda’s husband years
ago. Argus leads them to the dwelling of a strange old hermit outside of town
who he calls Blart. They meet him atop a hill by his house and he quickly
reveals himself to be eccentric and magical.
Blart, a short and rounded figure (like the houses of the
northern villages), seems distantly interested in the heroes’ quest to prevent
the reopening of the Shrine of Worms. He agrees to dig up what information he
can and to have a look at the various trinkets they have recently acquired…to
see what strange properties they possess. In exchange, he will take two of the
trinkets for himself. For the price of a single gem he gives Sparruu and Argus
each a small orange disc of some strange metal. “Sleep with it on your tongue.”
He says. “It will cure the orange blight.”
The heroes take their leave of Blart’s small house with
the intention of returning the next day.
End of episode #20.
Monday, August 25, 2014
Frimmsreach Episode #19
EPISODE #19
Game Date: 08-18-14
Cast: Sparruu, Gul’Daryh, Frothgar, Argus
Supporting Cast: Quilliam, Skat, and 4 armored dwarves
The team makes short work of the ten orcs that have come
to investigate the noise behind them. Between Sparruu’s Bedazzling, Gul’Daryh’s
arrows, and the axes of Frothgar and Argus the enemies are put down. One of
them was bearing a large battle horn carved from the horn of a garilou…but he
never got the chance to blow it.
It seems no other enemies heard the clash so the party
moves on through the tunnel, heading north toward the slavers and, ostensibly,
the meetpoint.
Stealth is dealt…a small room full of common supplies is
guarded by an iron portcullis. In it are spears, shields, sacks of grains, and
boxes of other supplies. Further down the tunnel is a larger chamber, also
gated, full of snarling mowthgar! These short, hairy beasts begin to sniff and
chomp. A spell of silence is woven to keep them quiet.
Across the hall is a stairway leading down flanked by
torches and past it the stealthy Skat finds a large opening, guarded by a
portcullis, holding ten frail captives…dwarves, humans, even a halfling.
Apparently these are the slaves not worth sacrificing. With the help of the
powerful Argus the gate is raised and the captives freed.
Meanwhile two cyclopean orcs make their way up the stairs,
apparently on innocuous business. With the team lying ready the orcs don’t
stand a chance.
Skat makes his way down the stairs to check out the area.
He sees a door, closed. In his hurry he neglects to see that the floor is
trapped in front of the doors…spikes jutting up, barely missing key vitals!
Hurt but not seriously he makes his way back to the top to quickly inform the
others. Argus, taking up a dead orc, rushes down the stairs to throw the corpse
upon the spikes…hopefully fooling any guards into thinking their own had sprung
the trap. But alas…the doors open as he approaches. He stands, dead orc in
hand, with several guards staring at him. Caught red-handed he throws the body
down the steps, knocking the guards to the floor. Blood from the corpse had
dripped down and his footing gives way. Slipping, he tumbles down the steps.
As Argus rights himself and rushes back to the others
Frothgar and crew lay a clever trap by spreading oil across the hall between
the mowthgar pen and the meetpoint door…forming a channel of death! The
portcullis is raised, the oil lit, and the orcs rushing to the top meet a
flaming surprise. Sharp-toothed, agitated mowthgar rushing directly at them and
walls of fire penning them in…
End of Episode #19
Thursday, August 7, 2014
Frimmsreach Episode #18
EPISODE
#18
Game
Date: 08-05-14
Cast:
Sparruu, Gul’Daryh, Frothgar, Argus
Supporting
Cast: Quilliam, Skat, and 6 armored dwarves
Having
survived the orange goo the party searches the cavern and
discovers several trinkets lying about, hidden under rocks and in
crevices. Some of these, Quilliam surmises, appear to be of a magical
nature. Could it be that the orange goo eats everything except that
which is magical? Perhaps.
The
crew continues forward into a larger cavern where foul orcs have made
camp in the past. Sadly they discover the bodies of three
dwarves…killed in the slave march for being slow or wounded.
Frothgar gives them last rites and prepares the bodies to be
transported so they may be laid to rest or burned respectfully at a
later time.
The
room opens into a different cavern, like a smaller highway merging
into a larger one. Camp is made. After
about 5 hours of rest they are awoken by Quilliam and Brickwallow…a
large group approaches from the larger tunnel outside the cavern.
Orcs! Perhaps another slaver group.
Sparruu
creates an illusion to disguise the party and they quietly listen as
the troupe goes by. There are 40 or perhaps 50 orcs and their
captives. Two of the orcs enter the chamber to check the old
campsite. They notice it has been disturbed and comment “Probably
them pesky lizards.”
Sparruu
and Argus both start to notice their hands are burning and glowing
slightly orange…what evil lurks in their veins from the orange goo
that once got inside them?
Skat,
carrying a silenced stone, runs behind the orc group and spies. He
learns they are indeed leading hostages…dwarves, humans, and
others. They are heading to the meetpoint to regroup with Ur-Kak the
Swine. There is mention again of “the damned elf”.
Plans
are discussed. Attack the orcs directly? Sneak up and pick them off
somehow? Push them into the deep pool that they know will be coming
up soon? In the end they trail the orcs as closely as possible. When
the pool is reached the orcs slow down. One of them, on a dare,
sticks a toe in the water…and is immediately pulled in. The great
mouthy beast the party encountered before seems to travel from pool
to pool…or there are many of them.
The
orcs pass the pool. The party starts to move past, the orange glow of
goo lighting the dark pool. A single stalk with what looks like an
eye pokes up…watching them. Sparruu and Argus feel the orange in
their hands burn and glow hotter.
As
they skirt past the large pool they come upon a smaller pool.
Suddenly the cave gobbler strikes, bursting out of the black water and gnashing its huge mouth at Argus.
The barbarian’s keen reflexes save him and the fight is on.
Slashes, hacks, and tail swishing! Urfnozzle Doorbreaker is grabbed
by the whipping tail and thrown into the depths of the pool. The
heroes bash away at the rotund monster and Brickwallow Stormshot
deals a telling blow, sinking into the pool along with the creature!
The
sounds of battle have alerted the orcs. Ten cyclopean orcs are
rushing back from the larger group to see what is going on…
End
of Episode 18
Sunday, August 3, 2014
Winds of the Ice Forest...coming soon
This is a Labyrinth Lord module for 1st-3rd level PCs. I ran elements of the adventure for two groups and had a great time with it. The module is a bit of a lost-in-a-maze affair with lots of random rolls for encounters, though you can easily pre-determine which ones you want to use. I designed it as a drop-in adventure rather than giving it a huge story. I tend to prefer simple modules myself that allow for a lot of GM fiat.
More later...
Wednesday, July 30, 2014
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.
Saturday, July 26, 2014
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
Friday, July 18, 2014
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
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