Ne'er-do-Wells' C&C Arden-Vul

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Lurker
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Ne'er-do-Wells' C&C Arden-Vul

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GM - Treebore

Players
Lurker - De'Canard - Cleric/thief - Book hunter
Rigon - Edryd – Bard half elf
Maximus - Gostun the Mystical - Mage
Old School Gamer - Norris EvenStar – Fighter - Elf
Rom - Kelin - Ranger - Half elf
Rhiannon - Solren Safen – Rune caster / rogue
Tactical Loli - Shagrat - Knight - Half Orc

***
Milun Gilad Foix De’ Canard, Inceptor Neophyte of the good wise knowing god Tinel, and professional book hunter for his god's scriptorium, hopped down from the back of the wagon, waiving thanks to the driver, and a quick simple prayer filled the farmer and his son's water skins and a near by bucket with clear pure water for the horse pulling the cart - a simple enough offering of thanks for one that gives a traveler a simple comfort and a little help on the travels.

Looking at the walled town/city of Newmarket, where to go … There are questions he has been given that has to find the answered.

Some answers are already found, but he dislikes the answers … his nose crinkles at the thought … To many Setite priests and warrior cultist of the foul god Set (long curse his name, the instigator of confusion, the destroyer, the desert red serpent, the god that turned his back on the good he once preformed) in the once holy pyramid of Thoth. But oh what must be there hidden away in that once revered pyramid … A shrug of his shoulders at the though.

A duck has enough troubles for the day, no need to look ahead at storms that may come or may be avoided.

A half smile lightens his face as he turns and walks into the city gate.
"And so I am become a knight of the Kingdom of Dreams and Shadows!" - Mark Twain

Forgive all spelling errors.

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Re: Ne'er-do-Wells' C&C Arden-Vul

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3 Aug recap

After a few days in the free city of Newmarket, De'Canard had made an acquaintance. Ms Solren Safen, a devotee (in her own way) of Toth (a version of Tinel whom De'Canard revered), but surprisingly she also had similar skills to his book hunter skills. Other than that he had made a few coins reading letters and acting as a scribe by the page, writing letters documents etc for locals in the market.

At lunch, in the tavern he had come to frequent, besides the hand full of locals, and not counting himself and Ms Sefen, there were 5 others that were exceptional (compared to the local commoners). One including a newly arrived heavily armored and armed knight … odd face covered with a cloth scarf, but odd eyes and deep green skin … and he had an evil looking crest on his shoulder armor. A quick prayer (detect evil) showed the new comer was not evil, and a lucky remembering of old lessons (high history check) showed the crest may appear evil, but it was tied to an exotic eastern order of knights that killed the evil dragon that had created and held the crest and they took it as their own badge after killing the monster.

As the half elf bard finished his song, a noble lady, much to everyone's surprise, entered the common room. She commented on seeing a full blooded elf, and then to the face covered knight. She then said to those in attendance (speaking to the exceptional people in the room not the local farmers) that she had sent may previous groups to hunt 3 items for her, but they all failed to return. If any wished to band together and attempt getting the items, it would be worth their time, if they survived of course.

As the lady talked privately to the bar keep, De'Canard introduced himself and Ms Safen to the knight (another surprise a half orc who took heavily from his orcish parent's looks - wit a high perception check to notice it under the armor and face scarf), and then drew in a bookish fellow (reading a mystical book -De'Canard gathered from the style of writing and language used).

Words were exchanged with the half elf bard and the full elf . De'Canard starting in (a very rusty) elf, but the bard switching language. DeCanard played along with the game until the bard switched to goblin, a language De'Canard didn't know) but then the half Orc picked up the game and answered in that hash tongue. Eventually, the half elf and full blooded elf joint the group forming around De'Canard's table.

What to do

Take the lady up on her offer, very dangerous, …
Are there any other options anyone in the new forming group can think of ???

***
A basic 0 day session

Everyone put finishing touches on their character, and got a little info on the Arden-Vul area.
"And so I am become a knight of the Kingdom of Dreams and Shadows!" - Mark Twain

Forgive all spelling errors.

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Re: Ne'er-do-Wells' C&C Arden-Vul

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10 Aug 2020 recap
De’Canard hissed in surprise and threw up his shield to block the pig faced beast-man’s sword. From behind him, in the glom, the noise of the rest of the group dispatching 4 or 5 other beast men echoed through the large chamber.

‘There is more coming from this hall’ he called out. Hoping that Gostun would be quick with a spell or the elf Norris would be ready with his bow before he was overwhelmed.
The fight continues
***
The group spent some time discussing options sharing rumors, and then talking again to The Green Lady when she returned back to the public house and inn.

Finding the 3 items for The Green Lady would be dangerous but a task for the future.

Possibly freeing a priestess from a raiding band of pig-beast-men would be a task they could accomplish. That plus a basic exploration of the cliff face and the ruined city atop the cliff.

They spent the evening preparing for their first adventure and departed Newmarket first thing in the morning.

3 days travel took them to The Green Lady’s holdings, and then the next day a few hours further travel put them at the cliff face.

As they carefully traveled through the woods below the cliff they found another group of adventures preparing to head up to the plateau above. Pleasantries were shared, and the group said they searched for family holdings and any valuable they could find there. The crest the leader of the group described matched 2 of the 3 items The Green Lady was sending explorer to find. – The Iron crown/circlet & the black spear.

The group was going to camp for a night before they climbed the stairs up the over 2,000 foot cliff face.

However, De’Canard and the rest of his group decided to go ahead and climb the cliff and find a camping spot atop the cliff before night fall.

Half way up the cliff, Solren noticed a difference in one of the gargoyle faces carved in the cliff wall – it was lined with them all along the stairs. Searching she found a secret door. De’Canard remembered a rumor he had heard about a secret entrance carved by followers of Arden , but wasn’t sure this was the same one mentioned in the rumor.

The door lead to a hall with the holy symbol of Toth carved in the wall – not desecrated, so at least this wasn’t used by the followers of Set.

Carefully exploring the group eventually made their wat into a large chamber and the 3 sneaky members of the group explored a little before the rest of the group blundered into an ambush or trap.

The chamber itself was empty, but as De’Canard stepped in front of an open hallway 2 arrows struck out of the darkness – he had been careful and prepared so his shield easily blocked the missiles.

The group rushed to the attack and spells were slung and soon all but one on the pig-beast-men were down under a sleep spell.

De’Canard was not sure there wasn’t another hall or entrance further up the room so as they group set to the butcher’s work, he explored further and walked into the group of pig-beast-man rushing down another hall to counter attack the group.

It always pays to be careful !
"And so I am become a knight of the Kingdom of Dreams and Shadows!" - Mark Twain

Forgive all spelling errors.

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Re: Ne'er-do-Wells' C&C Arden-Vul

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De'Canard took a deep breath of the fresh clear air, and blinked as he stepped into the bright sunlight. 3 days in the cave darkness … he was used to dim light and reading old manuscripts in the flickering light of candles in old musty scriptoriums. And had spent time with his mentor in basements and dungeons with his mentor and teacher. But never such an extended period of tie.

He shifted the backpack to be a little more comfortable, heavy due to the added wait of an old marble bust carefully wrapped and stored in it. Then he reached down and grabbed the handle of an over full chest (1 of 3) and he and Edryd picked up the chest weighted down with silver pennies and other coins and gems.

Kelin, the recently arrive and nearly killed half-elf ranger - and Ms Solren Safen lead the way down the stairs descending down the hundreds of feet to the valley below.

Kelin and Solren seemed to be fast friends, and luckily he had appeared when he did, or the group may have been overran in the fight 3 days ago. However, his arrival was a short lived benefit, as he quickly fell to the overwhelming numbers of beast men. Solren’s quick thinking got him out of harm’s way in time, and my prayer for a blessing healed his wounds quickly. That was a close run thing.

A glance back at the 4 captives they freed – the priestess of (missed the goddess’ name) who they had came to free, a priest of Set, a goblin and an … rattling creature. Close run, and successful only due to luck, but still successful none the less.

The weight in the chest shifted as the group started the hours long decent.
***
The fight against the pig/beast men continued as De’Canard , with assistance from Gostun's now nearly depleated spells, held his ground at the North most hallway.

Shagrat, Norris and Edryd held the mouth of the middle hallway supported by Solren.

A new character (Rom’s half elf ranger Kelin) arrived in time to rush forward and fill the gap in the entrance of the middle hallway. However, he quickly became the focus of the attacks and he fell after a few rounds, and Norris Evenstar – the elf fighter – was also gravely injured and close to falling. Everyone was hard pressed in the fight. And, more beast men were flooding in from the 2 hallways quickly being enough to overwhelm the group.

De’Canard dropped the beastman he was fighting and gave himself room enough to pull back and save the fallen ranger (after Solren pulled him from the melee).

Out of nowhere, a group of gargoyles descended on the beast-men ripping them apart, but it gave the group the opportunity to retreat to a safe place.

A defense was set up on the landing atop the circular stairs and the group prepared and rested.

For a day the group healed and debated what to do. Before any decision was made, they need more information

De’Canard sighed, stripped off his heavier armor and he and Solren crept back into the great hall (quiet) through the gore where they fought the previous day (blood spattered and covered with torn armor and broken bodies) and into the Beastmens’ holdings – No beastmen there, but their women and children.

De’Canard checked and they were not evil, brutal yes but not evil. De’Canard and Solren talked to the group of women and children – explained they did not wish to further harm them, but they had to find the priestess. They were told general location of her and other captives, and also found out no other fighting male beastmen were left alive.

The group hurried across the great hall, to where De’Canard and Solren were, and then they all hurried from there back to the N most hall and into the 3rd area controlled by the beastmen.

There they found more women and children, and a well armed and armored goat-beastman, who called himself a duke and was a leader of the beastmen . Since all his fighters were dead, he did not stop the group from freeing the 4 captives he was holding.

Also, he told the group that soon enough the (I missed her name) arch-witch-queen would capture more creatures and transform them into more beastmen and replenish the beasts killed by the party and the gargoyles. He said she excelled at making beastmen, zombies, skeletons and other corruptions of life. Also, that if the group wished to meet her, she was just a few doors away … That settled it, 7 against 1 well-armed and armored goat-man may be a fight they could win, but fighting him and then having the arch-witch-queen close enough to come to his aid was a fight they would loose.

As the group prepared to sprint across the great hall, one of the captives mentioned that all the beast-men witch doctors stayed in the area down from the 2 nd hall, and they would have any of the beast mens’ valuables.

The group sprinted there and found a pile of silver pennies, then located 3 wooden chests with coin gems scrolls (magical all perfect for Gostun the Mystical) a portion of an old book (De’Canard was excited to find that) and clothing etc.

A quick check to see if the great hall was clear, and then a sprint back to the area they had fortified.

***
A good fight that came close to overwhelming a group of 1 st level characters (though I did have an idea that would have evened the playing field for long enough for us to escape, but luckily the gargoyles arrived .
"And so I am become a knight of the Kingdom of Dreams and Shadows!" - Mark Twain

Forgive all spelling errors.

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Re: Ne'er-do-Wells' C&C Arden-Vul

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28 Sep 2020

Milun Gilad Foix De’ Canard, Inceptor Neophyte of the good wise knowing god Tinel, smiled down at his ink stained fingers. The last few days, spent preforming rites to bless water and time copying fragments of an old forgotten book, reminded him of his recent home, his mentor, his friend in the library, and other friends from the school and scriptorium. The warm bowl of stew and cup (of barley adequate) wine again reminded him of the scriptorium.

The gruff voice of Shagrat, the half-orc eastern samurai knight, brought him back to reality here in the New-Market inn. The noise of the inn opposite of the scriptorium’s normal hushed tones. But the conversation buzzing, the bar maids carrying bowls of stew and mugs of ale (conversing friendly with some, flirting with others, and harsh to those that crossed the line). Yes this was still comforting ad reminded him of his youth and times he traveled with his mentor …

Edryad, te half elf bard, leaned back in his chair and hummed to himself, no telling what tune he was creating, as Gostun the Mystical and Ms Solren Safen discussed finer points and differences in their mystical arts. Norris EvenStar, the pale elf from the far north sat staring into his cup of wine, the same blank stare of remembrance that just left De’ Canard’s face.

Wine ale eatable stew, and belt pouches full of gold did make for an interesting mix.

Not the same friends as he had in the scriptorium, but a group that may become friend none the less.

A scream broke through the night. That brought a pause to the boisterous noise of the Inn’s common room, before the comfortable noise returned , a 2 nd and 3 rd echoed from outside the inn.

The comfortable night ended as the group rushed to the door.

***
The first fight was against a group of zombies, at least 2 to 1 almost 3 to one, and if we were not careful, one or 2 could have been surrounded and over whelmed.

Also, we had the grotesque pleasure of watching a spirit, a ‘zombie mother’ enter a recently deceased townsman, reanimate him, and then float away seeking its next corps to bring back to un-life.

Soon enough, despite De’ Canard’s usual comically unlucky low attack rolls, all the zombies were destroyed and the town was searched to make sure there were no more of them skulking around.

The group trailed the zombies back to the cemetery, and carefully began to explore it. First the sounds of clicking and clanking could be heard from the deep darkness of the cemetery, then into the torch light a hoard of skeletons rushed forward.

De’ Canard smirked and let out a holy prayer. As he finished his high heled torch flashed a bright holy light and the skeletons shuttered and stopped their rush. The rest of the group rushed forward, De’ Canard tossing Norris a staff that would be more useful against the animated brittle bones than the elf’s sword, and destroyed a hand full of skeletons before they turned and fled from the cleric’s turn undead.

As the group moved forward again in the darkness, with De’ Canard leading the way, a spirit floated into view. Vile hate filled greedy and corrupt, a wight … no spectral … a wraith. The thing moved to the group that had just handedly dispatched it’s skeletal minions.

De’ Canard again gave a prayer to turn the undead, but it was drowned out by the monsters greedy hate filled curses, the turn undead failed … badly. De’ Canard yelled a warning that no mundane weapon would touch the monster, that contact with it MUST be avoided or it would freeze your soul and rip out the flickering light of your life force. Wisely the mundane fighters back away as De’ Canard, Gostun the Mystical, and Ms Solren Safen stepped up to face the wraith, relying on prayers and mystical energies to combat the floating spectral undead gliding toward them.

Their magical attacks, along with a tossed flask of Holy Water, damaged the wraith. Damaged it enough to cause it to halt.

An evil curse and a knowing corrupt smile, and the incorporeal undead sunk into the grave yard’s foul soil.
"And so I am become a knight of the Kingdom of Dreams and Shadows!" - Mark Twain

Forgive all spelling errors.

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Re: Ne'er-do-Wells' C&C Arden-Vul

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Milun Gilad Foix De’ Canard, Inceptor Neophyte of the good wise knowing god Tinel, and professional book hunter for his god's scriptorium, rubbed his aching temples. And mumbled to himself

“I can skulk through old abandoned temples, delve into forgotten donjons, looking for forgotten texts. Spend days deciphering and copying long faded writings, and translate archaic languages. In all of that be at peace. This … now this is trying, and forcing me to dig deep into the wisdom and calmness of Tinel’s extensive knowledge”

The Lady of the Azure Keep’s steward, her master builder, and 2 members of the town council bicker about the list of buildings and the plans for the Library Scriptorium & shrine to Tinel on the table.

“You would think the bag of coins worth 1,000 gp, plus the bag of 500 gp more from Edryd the half-elf bard would end the bickering” De’Canard again mumbled to himself

His youth and inexperienced naivety did not prepare him for the fact that the more coin involved the deeper the bickering becomes. The 1,500 coin on the table was less than 1 10 th of the cost of the complex, so yes the bickering was deep now. However, the other (significantly older) men around the table were taken aback by his confidence and the detail of his plan (and the in-depth completeness of the plan) despite his youth and inexperience.

A plan was eventually agreed to, and the 1,500 gp were whisked away as a down payment to begin the building of the scriptorium.

De’ Canard collapsed in the corner of the common room of the inn, pulled the wool blanket over his head and was fast asleep in minutes.

Unfortunately, his dream was of the fight in the temple a few weeks ago, and the dream delved into the many ways the fight could have ended and been less successful. Oh so many dark endings in the dreams that night.

***
De’ Canard lead the group slowly up the path through the grave yard and in the darkness noticed a black hearse of a carriage atop the hill, pulled by 4 matching fire eyed nightmare horses. Then the wraith they had recently fought floated from the foul grave yard and into the carriage. His quick eyes, despite the darkness, also noticed the floating movement of the ‘zombie mother’ spirit in the carriage.

Behind the carriage, the cemetery’s temple stood dark and stark in the moonless night. Movement reflecting in the temple’s windows hinted that the temple was not abandoned and that there was a fight going on inside.

The group hurried to the temple, but carefully avoided the carriage with the nightmare steeds harnessed to it and the floating specters taking refuge in it dark evil interior.

In the temple a corrupt undead (turned out to be a lich that was drained of most of its magical abilities) was fighting the temple’s priest and 2 holy guardians. One crumples to the ground and the other screams out that he was blinded, as the priest drags the now sightless paladin back out of harm’s way.

The group rushes in with Shagrat charging forward, Edryd & Norris EvenStar using their bows, Gostun the Mystical and Solren Safen relying on their innate raw arcane power, and De'Canard healing the injured priest and then turning (with critical assistance from the blessed site they were in) the wright the lich had just raised from the deceased corps of the recently fallen paladin.

The fight was close, and Shagrat nearly fell and was blinded, before the group, with the assistance of the priest, was able to fell the lich.

It had attempted to steal the holy relic of chaos, but the relic (though it gives great benefits to evil) did drain the Lich of its magical powers and that of the magic ring, neckless and robe it wore.

De'Canard began to render a copy of the plate sized coin of chaos, but as he traced the ruins he was struck with agony. The pain lasted till the sun rose ending the evil influence of the relic and initiated the good powers of the coin.

With this, those injured were healed, those blinded were cured, and the physical form of the lich was turned to dust (though De'Canard & Gostun the Mystical expected that the Lich would soon regenerate its destroyed physical form).

With the fight over, the group had coin and time to spend. All purchased arms and armor, and spent time training, to be better prepared for their next trip into Arden-Vul.

De'Canard, with additional gold from Edryd, set to work actually planning a Scriptorium Library complex and not just gifting the Lady of the Keep some gold to fund a minor library and shrine to the good wise knowing god Tinel.
"And so I am become a knight of the Kingdom of Dreams and Shadows!" - Mark Twain

Forgive all spelling errors.

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Re: Ne'er-do-Wells' C&C Arden-Vul

Post by Lurker »

19 Oct Recap
Milun Gilad Foix De’ Canard, Inceptor Neophyte of the good wise knowing god Tinel, and professional book hunter for his god's scriptorium, swirled the wine in the hand blown wineglass enjoying the drink. Such a surprise to be setting in a darkened room tucked in the corner of this deadly dungeon, drinking wine and eating cheese with an archaic knight of the order of the sun scared brothers. The book thief could hear the grumbles of the impatient members of the group, and the sighs of the ones less interested in the discussion, but they were easy to ignore.

The Book Thief, Shagrat – the Half Orc Knight, and Edryd – the half elf Bard, listened to the knight and told stories of their own. It was easy to lose track of time in a place black as night (actually blacker) and only lit by candle, lamp or torch.

As the conversation flagged, Canard glanced over at the chest stored in the corner. No telling what was in the old rotted wooden box, but the warning that it was fire trapped with a magic ruin caused the book hunter to pause. His skills were no match, maybe Gostun the Mystical had some trick he could use ?

***
Entering the dungeon, again from the hidden entrance half way up the 1000 foot cliff face, this time the group turned Left as they entered the large hall claimed by the gargoyles.

De’ Canard checking for traps as he went, and made their way into a room 30’ by 30’ as Canard checked the room and the others waited in the room before the book hunter motioned for them to move up, a magic trap was sprung. A fear spell went off. All, save Noris, fled from the room as the mystical fear washed over them.

De’ Canard & Gostun running to the N and ending in a room of trapped Set worshipers (4 laymen and a cleric of Set), Edryd to the south ending in room of trapped goblins, Sir Shagrat turning and running out of the room and down the stairs out toward the rock cliff face they had just climbed.

Unfortunately Norris, elf archer was not alone in the room. A monster of shadows and smoke was there too. It descended on the elf and began to siphon off his life force, and quickly had the elf rooted in place due to the monster’s paralyzing fear ability. It would have been better if he would have turned and fled with the rest of the group

De'Canard called on divine grace and cast off the fear clinging to Gaston and then later himself. Between the 2 of them, and with assistance from the Cleric of Set, they were able to whittle down the shadow and smoke monster and kill it before it drained the elf archer of his life.

During the fight, Edryd produced some whiskey and shared libations with the goblins he was stuck with. Soon enough, he had made friends of the little green creatures.

With the shadow & smoke monster destroyed, the alliance of necessity between the Set followers and the group would soon come to an end. Fortunately, the followers of Set returned to their stronghold before tensions resumed. After they left, De’Cananrd used his last prayer for insight onto the fear trap and was able to see a safe way through the room and avoid the magic glyph trap in the future.

The group rested for a night so the spell casters could recover the spells , and then searched the rooms in the area.

A collapsed hallway – maybe they could dig out a path down the hallway if needed, a A room that connected to the place De’Canard and Gostun fled to the room that Edryd met the goblins in, that was full of zombies and ghouls – a room to be cleared later, a room with a seat of judgment, and 3 sarcophagus – 2 open and ruined, the 3 rd closed with a warning tablet that a soul was trapped in it as torment and punishment (again a thing to be cleared later, much later, when the book hunter was significantly more powerful and better in touch with the divine powers to fight a long tortured soul of an undead monster) a few closets and storage areas.

Finally a room with old rotten furniture bedding, and an archaic knight in old gothic armor.

Expecting the worst, De’Canard cursed and began to back away out of the room, prepairning to cast a weak prayer. However, the Knight began to talk an alleviated the book hunter’s fears. He was a knight of the order of the Sun Touched, a good knight and once a priest of …

The knight mentioned he had been gravely injured by the shadow and smoke minster, so he was trapped here, but since the muster was killed his life force had begun to return to him. As he talked he pulled out a magical back pack, pulled from it fine glasses and good wine and cheese.

Sir … began to talk with the group and get them to tell him their stories and get information on the wide world.
"And so I am become a knight of the Kingdom of Dreams and Shadows!" - Mark Twain

Forgive all spelling errors.

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Re: Ne'er-do-Wells' C&C Arden-Vul

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Milun Gilad Foix De’ Canard, Inceptor Neophyte of the good wise knowing god Tinel, and professional book hunter for his god's scriptorium, limped to the magical ever flowing ever clear fountain. Bruised battered hurting, and pride hurting a little to.

It had been a long difficult and dangerous day. Luckily, he and the rest of the group survived it. … Somehow, despite the dangers they all faced, he was the only one of the group injured. Mostly the dangers and associated injuries were simply to be expected in the Arden Vul. However, and again with the injured pride, one of the injuries were due to his willful actions and ill luck.

The water was cool and refreshing and soon enough his thirst was slated, the wounds and bruises were cleaned, bandages wrapped the gashes and arrow wound, and magic healed most (but not quite all) of the injuries the book thief had suffered.

Disappointed in his ill luck, but then … If he hadn’t been careful, and clever, he and the rest of the group would more than likely be among the dead, or even worse among the walking dead. That at least was a salve to his pride as he dosed off to sleep.

The talk with the sun scared knight lasted with the group (those interested anyway) talking and listening to the powerful member f the order of knights. Mainly the knight did not give any specific assistance only couched statements about being careful and gaining experience and possibly one day being powerful enough and wise enough to obtain greater knowledge and be worthy of more helpful assistance from him.

After the talk the group made a plan on how to kill the ghouls and shambling dead locked in the nearby room. However, as Canard called out to his god for protection, his voice faltered … the undead were able to shrug off his attempt at turning them. Fortunately the group was prepared, and for the most part followed the plan. However, an elf did fire an arrow that ended up imbedded in Canard’s shoulder instead of in the head of a ghoul. Fortunately, the plan did work despite the misfired arrow and the ghoul’s lucky hit on the cleric (paralyzing Canard), and the group was able to burn the undead to ashes before any suffered grievous injuries.

One bit of helpful information the Sun Scared Knight gave was the location of a hidden door in the room the zombies had once occupied. With the info, Canard was able to locate the door, open it and explore the passage behind it.

In the hall, there were 3 or 4 deed bodies burnt to a crisp … and then another door. Carefully opening it, a room large room with a sarcophagus in the middle and in niches to the N and S of the room 4 more lesser sarcophagus. On the main one he read that it was for Neferet. A well-known powerful priestess of Toth, dead for …

Uneasy, Canard hesitated … a prayer and … UNDEAD 4 of them 2 of average strength (unsettling news there) 1 more powerful (disturbing news there) and finally – hidden behind an illusionary wall – another exceptionally power one ( frightening knows there).

The cleric swallowed down his panic, carefully stepped back. Closed the door and spiked it shut. Backed out the hall – carefully watching for incorporation undead with the remaining effects of his powerful prayer – and once out of the hall he reclosed the hidden door, carved a symbol of danger on the wall next to it, and then informed the Sun Scared knight of the dangers the hidden room contained. The knight was surprised at the news – both what was in the room and the power of the undead there watching over the area.

The group spent the rest of the day exploring the area and found a back iterance to the beast men’s’ area. The entrance was guarded by 2 of the animal/men, and the room trapped. The beast men warned the group of the trap, a warning Canard took seriously. However, coming to an impasse and needing to verify if there was or was not an entrance to a nearby area on the S wall of the room, the book finder searched the area, and missed a pit trap.

The trap injured Canard worse than the claws of the ghoul and the misfired arrow, and it also gave the watching beast men entertainment as the cleric thief had to limp out of the room.

The group made their way back to the nearby safe room with magic flowing clean water to rest and prepare to search further to the N of the area they were i
"And so I am become a knight of the Kingdom of Dreams and Shadows!" - Mark Twain

Forgive all spelling errors.

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Re: Ne'er-do-Wells' C&C Arden-Vul

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25 Jan 2021 recap

Milun Gilad Foix De’ Canard, Inceptor Neophyte of the good wise knowing god Tinel, and professional book hunter for his god's scriptorium, smiled. The old dusty tome he held in his hands was a goal completed. Finding it, and similar old forgotten books, was why his order trained and utilized book hunters. He closed his eyes, offered a prayer of thanks, and let his mind drift back over the events of the day.

Waking up, healed from the misstep into the beastmens’ pit trap, sore but ready to explore more of the complex.

During the cold breakfast (at least the water is clear and pure thanks to the magical fountain in the room they have decided is their preferred camp site) the group discussed the rooms they have explored so far

The nearby room with sarcophagus and undead, and then the other nearby hidden room with multiple dangerous ghosts and other undead spirits. Yes 2 rooms toooo dangerous for the group now, but once they grow in strength 2 rooms they will have to return to and clear. The book hunter looked forward to that (after he was powerful enough to best the undead in those rooms) the likelihood of finding old books, tables, scrolls and the like in those rooms was high, and that is why he risked his life in this dark maze of a complex.

The areas dominated by the various beastmen – an area not worth going further into. No reason to pick a fight that is not needed (despite the initial fight).

That leaves going N … starting with a quick run through the room controlled by the gargoyles.

The hallway to the N was clear, though the quick eyes of Shagrat – the Half Orc Knight from the lands far to the east – spotted a small hole in the wall.

A quick check and it wasn’t a trap per say, but still suspicious none the les.

Milun De’ Canard blocked the hole with his shield as the rest of the group passed the hole, and felt something push against the shield. Another look into the hole was a surprise, with another eye peering back through the hole at the cleric book hunter. Quickly Canard covered the hole again and crossed behind the shield to the other side of the hole.

20 30 feet down the hall, there was a door, no movement heard behind it, no traps spotted, not locked. Milun De’ Canard opened the door and saw a hall way cutting into the dark to the W. As he stepped into the hall, a click from above, and a pile of rubble crashed down on him. He jumped back and avoided the worst of it, but still rocks crashed down on him.

A beastman, laughing from down the hallway, let the group know the area was not empty and was claimed by the beastmen tribe.

The group took the time to talk to the goatman, but did not get very far. Again, no reason to start a needless fight so no reason to push into the goatman’s claimed portion of the area.

They followed the hallway further to the N and found a room set up with a barricade of rubble, some heads on spears (facing the N wall not the door in the S wall that they entered from), a door on the N wall, and a spear trap covering that same door.

Milun De’ Canard pointed Shagrat in the right place to break the trap, making it safer for the group if they came back into the room from that N door.

The Room also had a hallway going off to the E, Might as well go that way and avoid any hidden traps they might stumble on climbing over the barrier of rubble and going further N into the area controlled by the dark priests of Set.

They end up in a room with columns and 6 beastmen. Again, there is an argument from the beastmen for the group to go N and not go further into the beastmen claimed area of the complex. As they talked Milun De’ Canard noticed a message scratched on the wall … - Interesting – a tomb of an important priest 130 feet E and then 80 feet N . No going back to the N is not an option!

Eventually the beast men make a bargain, the group can go to the E, if they promise to stay to the N and not go back into the beast men area. However, the group has to clear a room of strange flying squid … at least 6 of them.

The group talks to the beastmen and get more info – they can be killed (by the beastmen, so they are not supernatural monsters that require magical weapons), they can fly and like to rush at their target, and they are aggressive.

The group takes time to prepare and put a plan together …

Milun De’ Canard opens the door and he and the half orc knight step into the dark room, and they move forward some few feet to the first pillars in the room (using them as cover and extra protection). The rest of the group step into the darkness and stay near the door, reading ranged attacks

The flying squid rush down, and luckily 3 are clustered together. Milun De’ Canard smiles, prays and a flash and booming church bell echoes through the room. 3 of the flying squid tumble to the ground stunned, 2 of those crash into the floor hard enough to die there. The book hunter turns and smirks at the half elf bard “There, that is an event that is worthy to make it into your story”. The friendly rivalry begins to deepen.

Then the melee is joined. The remaining 3 flying squid descend on Shagrat, but his armor protects him from the whipping tentacles and hard bighting beaks.

Gostun the Mystical rushes forward and kills the 3 of the stunned squid before it can recover, Edryd and Norris EvenStar send arrows into the attacking squid.

After a few more moments of fighting, spells, and arrows the remaining flying squid are killed.

Milun De’ Canard quickly sketches the monsters and jots down notes, and then take the squid back to the room with the 6 goatmen.

“See we truly wish you no harm, we simply wish to pass through your area unhindered”.
The beastmen talk for a bit and decide the group may be worth more as allies than first thought.
After a bit, the group searched the room used as the flying squid’s nest and find …

After the room is cleared, the group heads down the E hallway, finds the hall to the N and makes it to a door.

Again, checking for traps and locks Milun De’ Canard says the door is safe and steps into the next room.

An antechamber to the nearby tomb.

Milun De’ Canard is quick eyed this time and spots first one then 2, 3 … 6 traps in the floor – pointing them out to the group, it is safe to continue on into the tomb itself.
The room is what the bookhunter expected and imagined for a high cleric of the god … , the main burial sarcophagi, others for underlying, guarding statues over 10 feet tall, and symbols and artwork dedicated to …

The 1 lardg sarcophagi in the center of the room, and 2 smaller more plane ones against the N and S wall of the room. Milun De’ Canard prays to receive the ability to sense undead, and the main sarcophagi is safe, but the other 2 give him an uneasy feeling as he approaches them – he warns the group to be careful

As he walks into the room 2 large statues come to life and turn to attack, however as he is a follower of Tinel (the true aspect of … ) once the statue guards see his symbol and hear his prayers, they return to their previous location and freeze back into their unmoving stance.

As Milun De’ Canard searches the room, he notices a small hidden door on the S wall partially hidden by the sarcophagi there.

A few ideas on moving the sarcophagi are kicked around, but eventually Edryd and Shagrat have to simply muscle it out of the way - Milun De’ Canard there ready to deal with the undead if it attempts to leave its tomb. Fortunately it remains locked in the cold stone.

Milun De’ Canard sets to work opening the hidden door, but he fails to spot a dangerous trap that releases a poisonous mist … draining him of a portion of his health, Milun De’ Canard grits his teeth, but finishes opening the door.

There before him a small alcove of rough carved and living natural stone. In it the burial gifts for …

Coins vases , scrolls (old powerful lost spells) rings rugs, and finally the codex.

Milun De’ Canard slowly reverently carefully wraps the book and readies to take it back to …

There is more than the group can carry at once, but some of the items are too valuable to leave behind.
"And so I am become a knight of the Kingdom of Dreams and Shadows!" - Mark Twain

Forgive all spelling errors.

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Re: Ne'er-do-Wells' C&C Arden-Vul

Post by Lurker »

1 Mar 2021 recap

Milun Gilad Foix De’ Canard, Inceptor Neophyte of the good wise knowing god Tinel, and professional book hunter for his god's scriptorium, carefully flipped over the corps of the dead human lying on the dirty refuse and trash covered floor. Searching for a sign or symbol to show the man’s faith or allegiance, he found none. However, he did find a hidden scroll. Detect traps … a skill he already has, but at the same time valuable none the less. Finishing searching the body, he turns and listens to his friends talking to the Halfling guards in the room. Nothing important being said from either side the book hunter let his mind wander back over the events of the last few hours

The ride from the village back to the stairs climbing the cliff face was mundane, as was the trip through the sections of the dungeon they had cleared. Having made an …. Agreement … with the batsmen helped .

They easily made it back to the crypt room and again as they entered the guardian statues began to move until D’Canard displayed his symbol of faith, and then the guardians returned to their stony watchfulness. They were able to place the one magical carpet in the hidden room to the side of the crypt – the safest most secured room they could think of in what they had cleared thus far.

With that taken care of, and now having a magical means to travel from the town into the dungeon in one step, the group proceeded to begin to explore once more. Avoiding the hallway that had ‘great danger’, and avoiding the areas dominated by the beastmen – no reason to put friction on the agreement they had made and no reason to risk ‘meeting’ the witch that transforms people into the beastmen – so that left 2 places to check search.

A hall to the east ended in a room overlooking a chasm – some 300 feet down, with a similar room across the dark expanse. In each room a carved stone chair. The one on this side was normal man sized and covered in religious symbols of Toth and wisdom symbols.

Eventually, the group decided to each take a chance and set in it – De’ Canard was permanently blessed with the ability to see invisible and hidden things (thanks to his worship of Tinel), Edryd the half elf bard received a similar gift, but it would be short lived as he did not worship any aspect of wisdom, Norris EvenStar received a glimpse of a hidden temple room to the judgment aspect of Toth, and unfortunately Gostun the Mystical received a curse of nightmares that may hamper his rest each night until the curse is lifted.

With that section of the dungeon cleared, the group backtracked to the N most room controlled by the beastmen, and then took the door to the N into a new section of the dungeon.

Halls went E W and NE, to the E 15 – 20 feet away, there was an opening, that direction is as good as any.

The book hunter searched the area and found a once beautiful room. Now though, defiled . A large 20 plus foot pool, and detect magic showed it was powerfully magical. However, it was defiled and corrupted now.

The followers of Set ad used it for a dumping hole for all manner of foulness. However, Edryd and De’Canard figured out that a few ‘purify’ spells would clean the water back to its rightful condition.

Soon enough, the pool was clean and clear, and restored to it’s powerful magic. Anyone drinking from it would be cured of either injury sickness or disease. For an average person it would work once a week, but for a follower of Toth (or other aspects of wisdom) it would work once a day … smiling the book hunter realized he had access to an easy source of curative magic!

The group searched more hallways – finding one that cut hack to the hallway that went to the NE from the door to the beastmen’s area. As they searched the book hunter discovered a hidden spiral stair going up … interesting.

Going down another hall to the N, the group found a large room, dirty trash filled, and guarded by halflings … and a dead man against the wall to the W.

Edryd smiled and walked toward the halflings, talking as the book hunter glanced around the room for hidden dangers, and then headed to the dead man crumpled on the floor.
"And so I am become a knight of the Kingdom of Dreams and Shadows!" - Mark Twain

Forgive all spelling errors.

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