DF Khoramandu Sea, Session 87 - An Unexpected Proposal
Great session last night. Two of the players sprung a surprise on everyone (including the GM) when Sir Yvor proposed to Lady Miao! But I'm getting to the end of the tale (tail?) prematurely...
Session Date: Thursday 12 February 2021
Party roster:
Miao Miao, cat-folk swashbuckler, 486 points (PC)
- Jenkins, human servant, 243 points (NPC Ally)
- Brother Warian, human monk (initiate), 241 points (NPC Ally)
Sir Yvor Gryffyn, human knight, 403 points (PC)
Davin Emberwood, human wizard (wizard-thief), 428 points (PC)
Davin Emberwood, human wizard (wizard-thief), 428 points (PC)
Childerbert "Bert" Ingoberger, halfling locksmith (thief-bard), 369 points (PC)
Hemmu Gahrol, half-orc knight, 334 points (PC)
Adam Aesalor, half-orc wizard, 300 points (PC)
Following the defeat of the wraith Claude, the party withdrew from the ghoul catacombs beneath the sewers, and got cleaned up in time to catch the end of the winter solstice festival celebrations. The religious ceremonies had all finished, but there was still plenty of revellers in the town square and stalls selling food and drink. Davin had arranged at the inn where he's been staying to perform some illusions relating to the winter celebration. The arrangement went well, and the inn patrons enjoyed the show. Davin earnt several drinks from the patrons and a few coppers in tips. The others walked the town square and bought food and drink (the halfling obtained his meal of course by five-finger discount).
(There was some trepidation regarding tackling the lich-marquessa without being completely prepared and having full knowledge of the lich's immortality/regeneration ability. While this is an understandable aim from a player motivation, I feel that 100% informational awareness is not going to always be achievable from a plausibility standpoint. Even research in a small guild library isn't going to turn up information which they might not possess. Nor should it necessarily always be desirable from a gaming standpoint to be able to reduce all threats down to a fully quantified situation ahead of time.)
Seemingly apropos of nothing, Yvor went to the jeweler's shop in town first thing the next morning, only to find it not yet open. A nearby shopkeeper confirmed that it should be open later in the day. Davin went to the magicians' guild library to check if there was anything that guildmaster Penrill missed or neglected to tell the party regarding liches. He first sought the guildmaster's permission, and got it, albeit grudgingly. Penrill was definitely annoyed that his own prior research and advice was to be second-guessed. Bert made a tour of the inns and taverns to find out if there was any underworld arrangement with the ghouls. He learned at The Strangled Harpy tavern that there was no such arrangement, and that the ghouls could not be negotiated with. The halfling thief was also told that the recent ghoul attacks in the sewers were bad for business, both because it endangered smuggling operations directly, and because the attacks on the living increased the town guards' patrols in the sewers as a response.
Seemingly apropos of nothing, Yvor went to the jeweler's shop in town first thing the next morning, only to find it not yet open. A nearby shopkeeper confirmed that it should be open later in the day. Davin went to the magicians' guild library to check if there was anything that guildmaster Penrill missed or neglected to tell the party regarding liches. He first sought the guildmaster's permission, and got it, albeit grudgingly. Penrill was definitely annoyed that his own prior research and advice was to be second-guessed. Bert made a tour of the inns and taverns to find out if there was any underworld arrangement with the ghouls. He learned at The Strangled Harpy tavern that there was no such arrangement, and that the ghouls could not be negotiated with. The halfling thief was also told that the recent ghoul attacks in the sewers were bad for business, both because it endangered smuggling operations directly, and because the attacks on the living increased the town guards' patrols in the sewers as a response.
The rest of the party meanwhile returned to the ratling dungeon to confirm that the no-mana zone was still present. This meant tearing down the masonry sealing up the once-secret entrance from the sewers to the dungeon. Yvor was able to do this easily with a crowbar and a lot of brute strength. Miao had sensibly notified the captain of the town guard ahead of this event, to make sure that it was properly sanctioned.
Inside the dungeon the party rediscovered the rune-lined passageway was still in effect. Every few seconds the runes changed colour (and effect). Miao suffered a serious hurt when she failed to resist, but triggering the trap dimmed the runes briefly and the remaining party members were able to hustle through before it reactivated. Beyond that, the dungeon was as it had been before it was bricked-up. The rooms and corridors were littered with the decaying corpses of the ratlings, now being digested by a surfeit of slimes. The group was able to avoid the slow-moving slimes, although the presence of a new food source did belatedly attract the slimes' attention. At the end of the corridor was the storeroom containing the no-mana area, just as Miao remembered.
Adam cast Continual Light on the end of a broken weapon pole, and tossed it into the room. The spell died when the haft reached the middle of the room, and the wood landed at the far end of the room as a mundane stick. Miao suggested that there might still be something useful amongst the storeroom junk, as that had been where they found several items previously. Adam sensibly warned that any temporary magics such as their light stones would fail upon entering the no-mana zone, so these were taken off before entering. Miao, Hemmu, and Yvor went through the junk for about half an hour, but found nothing useful. The slimes were getting active, so the party beat a hasty retreat and escaped without further incident. Yvor then returned to the jeweler's shop and bought a plain gold ring for 3 crowns, which took immediately, but said he would later return to have it engraved.
Inside the dungeon the party rediscovered the rune-lined passageway was still in effect. Every few seconds the runes changed colour (and effect). Miao suffered a serious hurt when she failed to resist, but triggering the trap dimmed the runes briefly and the remaining party members were able to hustle through before it reactivated. Beyond that, the dungeon was as it had been before it was bricked-up. The rooms and corridors were littered with the decaying corpses of the ratlings, now being digested by a surfeit of slimes. The group was able to avoid the slow-moving slimes, although the presence of a new food source did belatedly attract the slimes' attention. At the end of the corridor was the storeroom containing the no-mana area, just as Miao remembered.
Adam cast Continual Light on the end of a broken weapon pole, and tossed it into the room. The spell died when the haft reached the middle of the room, and the wood landed at the far end of the room as a mundane stick. Miao suggested that there might still be something useful amongst the storeroom junk, as that had been where they found several items previously. Adam sensibly warned that any temporary magics such as their light stones would fail upon entering the no-mana zone, so these were taken off before entering. Miao, Hemmu, and Yvor went through the junk for about half an hour, but found nothing useful. The slimes were getting active, so the party beat a hasty retreat and escaped without further incident. Yvor then returned to the jeweler's shop and bought a plain gold ring for 3 crowns, which took immediately, but said he would later return to have it engraved.
Everyone met up back at the Cook and Keg tavern at the end. The group agreed that they would do any remaining prep the next day, including stocking up on potions and other consumables. The following day they expect to tackle the lich, ready or not. The plan is to immobilise the lich-marquessa without killing it, and then transport it to the no-mana zone in the other dungeon. Davin also had the idea of asking to borrow an artefact from a previous adventure: a wand that can create gates or portals. His thought is to use the wand to link the lich's lair with the dungeon containing the no-mana zone, bypassing the need to kite or strongarm the lich through the sewers. It's a good idea, but the authorities might not go for it. For one thing, Davin knows that the wand only has one charge remaining.
With the plan finalised, Sir Yvor proceeded to surprise everyone by proposing to Lady Miao. Clearly he was up to something, but I honestly had no idea it was this. Certainly a dramatic prelude to an encounter from which all might not return. To the relief of all concerned, Miao accepted :-)
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An excellent session of RP all round, I felt. Not just the surprise proposal. I don't usually discuss XP awards, for various reasons, but suffice to say that I will definitely be awarding a bonus for this session.
With the plan finalised, Sir Yvor proceeded to surprise everyone by proposing to Lady Miao. Clearly he was up to something, but I honestly had no idea it was this. Certainly a dramatic prelude to an encounter from which all might not return. To the relief of all concerned, Miao accepted :-)
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An excellent session of RP all round, I felt. Not just the surprise proposal. I don't usually discuss XP awards, for various reasons, but suffice to say that I will definitely be awarding a bonus for this session.
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