Wednesday night D&D/AD&D group starting at Lake Geneva Games

Re: Thursday night D&D/AD&D group starting at Lake Geneva Games

No healing pills for you, poop eater!! :evil:

 

Re: Thursday night D&D/AD&D group starting at Lake Geneva Games

I think Ken will be running his campaign again, I think.

I won't be making tonight - the weather and family matters.

I'm open to whatever, otherwise.

 

Re: Thursday night D&D/AD&D group starting at Lake Geneva Games

Yep. From the 27th on, I'm good running AD&D for a good long while.

 

Re: Thursday night D&D/AD&D group starting at Lake Geneva Games

I'll be able to make it 0n the 27th with a brand new Elf Thief or Human Cleric, depending on what we need the most. I'll be on vacation with the family the following week though.

 

Re: Thursday night D&D/AD&D group starting at Lake Geneva Games

Well, I tried to go but there was some big accident on the highway toward LG and the whole road was blocked off. After going only about 4 miles in an hour, I turned back for home. It would have been 8 by the time I got there. Damn.

 

Re: Thursday night D&D/AD&D group starting at Lake Geneva Games

Steve and I ran into something similar a couple of weeks ago, although not nearly as bad. Looking forward to next week!

 

Re: Thursday night D&D/AD&D group starting at Lake Geneva Games

I hope the turnout is as good as the last session - here's a picture from the last D&D game (including the back of your DM's head):

 

Re: Thursday night D&D/AD&D group starting at Lake Geneva Games

Running another AD&D game tonight (very appropriate, I think).

Something I put together in the motivational poster thread.

 

Re: Thursday night D&D/AD&D group starting at Lake Geneva Games

Here's the AD&D gang having one for Gary on his birthday....

 

Re: Thursday night D&D/AD&D group starting at Lake Geneva Games

Had a great time last night! Can't think of a better way to honor Gary than a night of gaming with friends, new and old!

 

Re: Thursday night D&D/AD&D group starting at Lake Geneva Games

2011-07-27 (part 1 of 3)

Seppo -- Human Monk
Ram, the Lonely -- Half-orc Thief
Noël -- Half-elf Cleric
Chef Boyardee (C.B.) -- Halfling Thief
Nordis Malec -- Human Magic-user
Thurin -- Half-elf Cleric
Rayn -- Elven Magic-user
Gorax -- Dwarf Fighter
Toumas -- Elven Thief
Lothar Ironwulf -- Human Fighter
Sir Ryan von Krause -- Human Paladin
(Ken H. -- Human Dungeon Master)

Having completed searching the complex of ruins in the south, the party returned to their druid patron who introduced them to several other adventurers looking for work. Seppo, Sir Ryan and Nordis all welcomed the additions as they were now embarking on finishing their original task which was capturing or killing the dreaded elven necromancer, Deema, and discover the whereabouts of her husband, Thomas Walzat.

A two day ride from town brought the party to the base of Flandel’s Tower, a large pillar like mountain in the heart of the realm. Instructions given by town elders, lead the group to the concealed entrance of Deema’s lair. After Rayn solved the riddle: “What is it that the dead eat, that if the living ate it they would die?”, the stone doors opened and they entered. The dark passage lead them to a wide, domed entrance hall filled with the most disturbing array of tapestries and relief carvings all painted in bizarre colors to enhance their unsettling nature. The chamber was otherwise empty save for three other rounded, arched doors that were nearly evenly spaced around the walls. The images all depicted an elven woman horribly mutilating corpses and other such grotesque things.

Quickly, the party decided to take the door to their right. It was checked for traps and listened to for noises by the three thieves. Finding none, Gorax opened it to reveal a room a little less than 10 paces square with a hexagonal arrangement of pedestals in its center. A top these pedestals sat silver statues of abstract humanoid figures. Directly across the room from the party as they entered was a strange section of wall about three feet across and about chest high, to an elf, off the floor. Sir Ryan held the party back as he concentrated and detected no immediate evil here. C.B. went straight over to one of the statues and tried to pick it up, finding it very heavy. Thurin advised C.B. to leave the statues for later and the party could get them on the way out. The rest of the party agreed. Disappointedly, C.B. set the statue back. Meanwhile, Ram was checking the strange section of wall for traps but found none. Gorax easily discovered the mechanism to open the panel and as he does so, Lothar stood ready with sword drawn. Behind the wall panel was what appeared to by a metal door. On the face of the door were three dials and a lever handle. Rayn cast Detect Magic and she noticed the door glowed. She then warned those present not to touch the safe door as it might be warded. The three thieves discussed in Thieve’s Cant how best to pick the safe and settled on turning the dials and listening for clicks. Not heeding Rayn’s advice, Toumas turned the first tumbler which set of a fire trap engulfing Toumas, C.B. and Ram. Only Ram was left standing afterward. Thurin and Noël each cast a Cure Light Wounds and revive the two fallen thieves. The safe popped open of its own accord and inside was only a small piece of parchment on which was written, “Ha, ha, ha. – Deema”. Ram took the note. Ignoring the other exit from the room for now, the party returned to the main hall.

As they entered the hall, they took the next door on their right. No traps or noises were detected so Gorax stepped up and opened it. Behind the door was a large and very dusty sitting room filled with faded furniture and cob webs. As the party looked about from the doorway, a wiry and hunched figure rose up gibbering insanely from one of the chairs. Thurin instantly pulled out his holy symbol and, after shouting, “Ghoul!”, attempted to turn it but failed. Noël and Sir Ryan also attempt to turn it as it began coming toward the party but they too failed to break the creature’s morale. At that point, Lothar and C.B. jumped in and both landed solid blows; Lothar with his magic broad sword, and C.B. with his normal sword. Toumas took the opportunity to begin sneaking around behind it for a backstab but was unable to as Rayn fired off a Magic Missile that finished it off. The party searched the room for items and secret doors, cutting through webs and thick dust, but found nothing of interest. With no other exits, they returned again to the entry hall. As they entered the hall, Lothar realized that Seppo had no magical weapons and offered him his glowing dagger from the kobold battle last time. Seppo thanked Lothar and the group continued to the final door in the main hall.

The last door opened onto a long feasting hall filled by a wooden table without place settings surrounded by chairs. Pennants with peaceful, pastoral designs hung along the ceiling above the table and pleasant tapestries lined the walls. A door was seen on the left hand wall and two doors were on the right wall. Lothar, feeling this was an illusion after all the other disturbing imagery, attempted to ‘disbelieve’ to no effect. Cautiously, the party entered. Toumas searched for secret doors while Ram checked under the table for trap doors, etc… Rayn looked behind the tapestries also finding nothing. Nordis noted that the room was kept clean by the use of magical cantrips, and Rayn agreed. Ram then asked, “So now where?” On Toumas’ recommendation, the party returned to the staute room to check the door they had ignored earlier so as to not leave any unexplored ways for foes to sneak up behind the party.

At the door, Thurin realized that the half-orc was still gravely wounded and gave Ram one of the red healing boluses he still had. Ram didn’t know what it was and asked, “What do I do with this?” Thurin explained and Ram took it. He was completely healed and rasped, “Thank you.” through his leather mask. Detecting no evil behind the door, Sir Ryan opened it. The party stood silent as they gazed upon another square room about 20 or 30 feet to a side, but this time filled with a bizarre collection of items such as piles of toe nails, mats of hair, racks of clothing, etc… Lothar spoke up saying, “This must be the killer’s trophy room.” Before anyone could respond, a gastly figure rose out of a corner opposite the party. It was a party skeletal humanoid covered with lose bits of flesh oozing blood and gore. A wave of terror swept through the party at the mere sight of the abomination and all but Gorax, Seppo, Ram, and Sir Ryan fled for their lives out of the room and back to the entry hall. Meanwhile, the creature lurched for Ram who began taunting and feinting at it to hold its attacks as the other three companions attacked it. Through their coordinated efforts, the four managed to destroy the creature without any serious harm to themselves. Once the thing had been killed, the fear overpowering the rest of the party vanished and they returned to the room. Noël cast a Cure Light Wounds on Ram as the other thieves searched the odd “shrine room”. Nordis cast his Detect Magic spell and discovered two magical rings, a magical necklace and a magical burlap sack. He tried on one of the rings and found it to be a Ring of Protection which he gave to Rayn. C.B. tried on the other ring but was unable to determine its effect. Noël tried on the necklace which he found to be a necklace of missiles but he didn’t inform the party. Nordis opened the bag and found it to be a Bag of Holding. He then gave the bag to Ram to “lug stuff around in”. Gorax decided also to give Rayn his magical dagger so that she might also have an enchanted weapon. Before leaving, Ram asked Rayn and Nordis if they thought any of the strange items might be useful for spell research but both agreed the stuff was worthless. With no other exits, the party returned again to the feast hall room.

 

Re: Thursday night D&D/AD&D group starting at Lake Geneva Games

[part2]

Trusting in the monk’s innate wisdom, the party follows Seppo’s decision to check the far right hand door first in the feast hall room. Again, no noises or traps detected by the thieves; so, Gorax opened it. Another twenty foot square room but this time it was dominated by a large spiral staircase in its center and it had another door to the right as the party looked inside. Ram shuffled over to the base of the steps and, pushing his tattered hood back so he could peer through his leather mask upward, could just barely make out a ceiling in the blackness above. Quickly, he reached into one of his pockets and produced a small candle. Lighting it, he held it up to see if the flame would flicker in a draft coming down the stairwell. No draft was detected so he extinguished the flame with his greasy fingers and put the small taper away. At the same time, Toumas was listening to the other exit door and could hear two voices complaining in gnomish about having to always cook for “her”. The party whispered amongst themselves about whether they should go through the door or not. Ram decided to check the first few steps of the stairs for traps. He found none and took position there to guard the rear. Gorax, Toumas, Thurin, C.B., Sir Ryan, and Nordis went into the gnome room, which turned out to be a large kitchen, while the rest of the party waited at the ready near the stairway. The two gnome cooks were shackled with heavy chains just long enough to allow them to move about the room but not exit it. When they saw the six adventurers enter, the cooks spoke in Common saying joyfully, “What? How did you get in here?!” Thurin shushed them and Toumas told them in gnomish, “I’ll take your shackles off.” The rest of the party entered at this point and Noël asked if the cooks could give any information about the rest of the complex or its inhabitants. The gnomes shuddered and said that they didn’t know much except every day they had been forced to cook elaborate meals which were picked up by all manner of horrific entities. They also told the party not to bother checking the other door from the kitchen as it only lead to a trapped room filled with fake treasure. Lastly, they said, “If it’s the necromancer you’re looking for, then you’ll find her upstairs.” Thurin also asked if they were the only servants, to which the gnomes could only say, “As far as we know. All the others we’ve seen are undead.” Seppo considered poisoning the necromancer’s evening meal that the cooks had been preparing. Some others agreed with this plan but Sir Ryan shook his head no. He was not going to use poison as that would be a dishonorable act. Ram spoke up pointing out that Deema might already know the party was there and be waiting for their trap. Toumas then added, “She might ambush our ambush.” “Exactly.” agreed Ram. The poison plot was then thrown out in favor of a frontal attack. The gnomes were told how to find the exit and they left after thanking the party heartily for their freedom. The party then moved to the stair.

Stealthily, the thieves crept up the stairway to find it ended in a room that mirrored the one below. Toumas got a bad feeling and they went back down. The elf wanted to check the last door, on the other side of the feast hall before proceeding.

Gorax opened the door onto an art gallery with paintings along the walls and statues on pedestals with one other door from the room. The thieves moved to check the other exit, after momentarily examining the art. As they, Seppo, and Lothar stood by the door, they heard a whirring sound. Suddenly the nearest pedestal popped open and showered them with darts. One dart bounced harmlessly off Lothar’s scale mail and Seppo swatted one away as it came for him. The other darts all missed their targets. Ram ran behind the pillar to try and close it as the whirring noise of reloading began again. He was unable to get it shut so Sir Ryan pommeled the exposed mechanism with no effect. Just as it began firing a second time, Ram threw his patched cloak over the whole device and the darts clattered harmlessly to the floor. Toumas took and iron spike and tried driving it into the top of the trap as Ram and Noël brought a table in from the feast hall to set in front of the trap. The party could then move safely through the door the trap had been guarding.

Again, Gorax lead the way through the door. The party found themselves at the top of another dark stair, this time descending straight down to their left. Those in the party with infravision could see waves of heat roiling dimly below. At this point, Sir Ryan reminded the party of their true mission with Deema. Toumas shook his head and restated that he never likes to have an unexplored passage behind the group. As they bantered back and forth and the rest of the group considered both arguments, Ram croaked that either continuing on with the mission or down the stair, both leave an unexplored passage behind the party. Then he added that he didn’t support one choice over the other and sat back down where he had been. Toumas then put it to the party to vote where they should go. Most voted to hunt upstairs for the necromancer and Toumas conceded, but did spike the downward stair door after the party went through.

With as much stealth as possible, the group went back up the spiral stair finding a door on their left and right. They quietly moved through the right hand one into a hallway with two more doors at its opposite end. C.B. checked for traps along the hall and found none. The party explored both doors and found two, nearly identical room that appeared to be long neglected guest quarters with nothing of note in either. The party moved back to the landing and approached the left-hand door. No traps were detected by the thieves but Sir Ryan turned his concentration on it and sensed a malign presence not far away. The group grimly prepared itself for a confrontation as the dwarf threw open the door.

 

Re: Thursday night D&D/AD&D group starting at Lake Geneva Games

Nice dramatic pause...

 

Re: Thursday night D&D/AD&D group starting at Lake Geneva Games

I'm tingling with anticipation! (I should re-phrase that... :roll: )

 

Re: Thursday night D&D/AD&D group starting at Lake Geneva Games

[part 3]

The party paused when they were confronted by a clean looking library that was devoid of any monsters. They entered slowly, remembering Sir Ryan’s sensing of evil emanating from within the room. He again focused his awareness, and the dark energies were centered on a section of the bookshelves which lined the walls from floor to ceiling. Rayn checked the shelves and discovered several tomes concerning necromancy and demonology. Sir Ryan voiced that he wanted to burn them but Nordis, Ram and Seppo disagreed. They proposed keeping them for study to “learn more about their enemy”. Sir Ryan retorted, all I need to know is that she is an evil, demon-loving necromancer. During the conversation, Rayn continued exploring the shelves and uncovered one of Deema’s old spell books. She put it in her backpack for later study. Toumas, also checking the books, accidently opened a secret door by pulling on a book. The shelf swung inward onto a large alcove behind it. Looking into this, the party could see the back of a similar secret door as well as a regular wooden door.

Sir Ryan immediately felt intense evil through the wooden door without having to even concentrate. C.B. stepped past Sir Ryan to listen at the door while his companion cleared the blackness from his mind. C.B. could hear only a faint dragging sound which repeated itself over and over. In hushed tones, he relayed this to the party. Gorax sighed, and ax readied, burst open the door.

The group could see the necromancer’s abattoir. Its side walls were hung with a myriad of metal instruments designed to dissect, and torture in every conceivable manner possible. The back wall was a massive, grotesque bass-relief filled with demonic faces, and scenes of torture and mutilation. Before this, sat a large throne constructed of hundreds of ribs, skulls and other bones; and on the throne sat Deema herself directing the actions of a handful of skeletons and zombies moving about the room cutting up bodies. Deema acted first pointing her long, grey-skinned finger at the party and shouting, “Get them for my experiments!” The undead all turned to face the adventurers. Thurin and Sir Ryan both attempted to turn back the creatures without success. Noël managed to send the skeletons fleeing when he brandished his holy symbol at them. Not missing a beat, Lothar jumped past the clerics and with a mighty yawlp, dropped one of the two zombies. Nordis simultaneously cast his Magic Missile at Deema, who had been beginning to prepare some form of missile spell herself. Toumas moved into the room to try and get behind the necromancer for a surprise attack while C.B. cast a sling stone at Deema missing her. Seppo’s first action was to throw one of his daggers at the remaining zombie. It hit but had no obvious effect.

With her spell spoiled, Deema began preparing another while Gorax raced toward her. He wounded her with his battle ax and she let out a shriek of frustration at having lost yet another spell. Rayn followed suit with Seppo and threw her magical dagger at the zombie but missed. Deema then quickly got off a strange cluster of glowing purple spheres all of which landed against Gorax. He cringed and fell at the base of Deema’s throne. Noël looked at his necklace and told the party to get out of the room quickly. Thurin and Lothar ran to retrieve Gorax just as Toumas attempted his backstab but missed. Sir Ryan had moved up to the throne also and gave the rescue party cover but missed Deema as well. Under the flurry of attackes, Deema was unable to prepare another spell which gave the party an opportunity to get clear. Noël tossed a charm from his necklace through the door just as Seppo Nordis and Ram slammed it shut. A fwoosh and lick of flame came from under the door. Followed after a moment by Deema shrieking, “Get back hear you cowards!” Noël tossed another charm into the room but Deema was also waiting ready. Noël was hit by another set of purple missiles and he fell clutching his chest. Another fwoosh sound, this time followed by silence. After several seconds of wondering what to do, the party again could hear Deema’s taunts. Wide eyed, they turned to Nordis who decided to throw one of his larger missiles through the doorway. Ram suggested just charging in as surely she must be badly wounded, several others said it was better to be safe than sorry. During this exchange, Thurin gave the two remaining red healing boluses to Gorax and Noël. Nordis still chose to throw a smaller missile; but he too was blasted and fell as he tossed it in before the door could be snapped shut. Sir Ryan then called for a charge, saying “She’s been softened up enough.” Lothar, C.B., Seppo, Ram, and Toumas all joined him as the door was thrown open for the last time.

Instantly, a volley of purple missile flew to the doorway striking Toumas and he fell. Undaunted, the charge continued. Lothar lept over the scorched body of a zombie with a fierce battle cry and gashed Deema across her torso. She staggered back falling to one knee. Sir Ryan, Seppo and Ram flanked her as she gazed up at them with the wild look of a caged tiger. She reared up with her hand in her opposite sleeve as if to pull out some weapon just as C.B.’s sword popped out through her chest from behind. Deema froze and dropped the small stick-like object from her sleeve as her lifeless body slumped to the floor.

Much relieved, the party searched the room finding a chest of gold, and on Deema the discovered a set of metal bracers, which Seppo took. Once the party was regrouped, they went down the unexplored stair to find Deema’s labratoy and a larder of fresh bodies. In a small secret cell behind the larder, the party found a disheveled, but still living Thomas Walzat. He thanked the party for his rescue and received the news of his demented wife’s death with grim acceptance.

Later, back in town, Thomas took his children and moved far to the north never to be seen again. The town council burned down the accursed Walzat house so that no trace of Deema’s blight would remain. It is said that still to this day, a reminder persists as nothing will grow on that patch of ground except twisted weeds and those that linger too long near by fall ill.

P.S. Thurin, Lothar, Ram, Seppo, and C.B. all made second level. Nordis and Sir Ryan made third.

 

Re: Thursday night D&D/AD&D group starting at Lake Geneva Games

Also, my rat tail is now infused with the power of ogres, orcs, and a necromancer.

I really appreciate all your work in documenting this game. I know it's a ton of work, and I have no idea how you remember all those details. Good work! (And thanks again for the dagger!)

 

Re: Thursday night D&D/AD&D group starting at Lake Geneva Games

Cuz he's taking notes like a mad-man!!

 

Re: Thursday night D&D/AD&D group starting at Lake Geneva Games

He really is - it's gotta be a labor of love.

 

Re: Thursday night D&D/AD&D group starting at Lake Geneva Games

I've always loved being able to look back on a campaign in full detail. I just hope I can continue to do it justice.

@Aplus - You are very welcome! Use it well, you may end up saving all of our bacon one day with it. (I've seen stuff like that happen a few times.)

@Deogolf - Madness indeed! Muwahahahahah! *lightning and thunder*

@Jeffery - Sometimes, when no one is looking, I still break out the old Thursday night stuff Gary wrote up and read them. Russet Rangers forever.

 

Re: Thursday night D&D/AD&D group starting at Lake Geneva Games

Where's the "like" button on this thing??