Sat Jun 04, 2005 2:38 pm  
Greyhacking - N1 Finishes - 3 Dead

Part XI.

Using N1 near non-canon location of the Troll-Fens instead of the Rushmoors.

-------- Change of Plan/Plot --------

Since the players did not know the whereabouts of the cultists in the dungeon, I had the cult evacuate beforehand. Leaving only the High Priest his "assistant", the main monster (below) and a few wandering monsters. Since the party had not come into contact with the cult regulars as of yet, it was just as convenient for cultists NOT to be there.

I had also switched the main monster: The Naga "Explitica Defilus", I turned it into a Futurama "Hypnotoad" and kept the stats the same. (It was more entertaining that way and achieved the same cult conversion effect.)

Besides the party left the area to level up at Nevnond Nevnend. Earlier they had made an "appointment" with a cult leader to return so they could "join up" in a "few weeks". Exchanging an idol they found in B5 for Thanos' heavily coveted magical sword.

As I said in my last post a few weeks ago, the Cult "knows" what's up and who's coming down. So I changed the plot so the cult evacuated two weeks earlier Last time I said they were reinforced from the Village. The other Priest, a devotee of Tharizdun, whom this party has been "quested" to follow, (since module B5) led the evacuation and is making his way towards Perrenland (S4+WG4) and the Forgotten Temple.

(Hooray! Back to Canon locations!)

This priest has the idol which was bargained for the Thanos' sword earlier. I decided to combine it with WG4 so that it will be the key to wake up Tharizdun. Thus the party not only has to catch the priest, they have to stop the idol from making its way to WG4.

Problem: The party is only average level 2. WG4 is for levels 5-10. I'll need some intermediate adventures for "the chase" of this high-priest. The good thing is Perrenland is a thousand miles away, so two weeks head start with a bunch of cult evacuees will not mean much. In addition the Cult has to go through the Lands of Iuz for the direct route or go by a roundabout method. I don't think Iuz will like Tharizdun to wake up either, so here's a chance for good and evil to work together as far as characters go.

-------- This Week --------

After a hiatus of several weeks the session resumed with the party taking the correct turn downstairs, avoiding a Spider, and making it to the room where the Coffer Corpse dwelt. Having a pillar to hide behind helped the monster, so it got a couple swipes in before being defeated. The Seven Samurai Jackals are held in reserve.

The party, thinking it a typical Zombie, and finding their regular weapons to no effect, switched to Characters with magical weapons and the carefully placed magic missile.

Leaving the Samurai Jackals to guard the rear the party goes through the door to the next area and, taking the door to the left, free the few remaining "unconverted prisoners". This is a point where I introduce a new Player character: "Draden" a 1st level Thief in the gaol and proceed to the end of the temple.

The party immediately is confronted by the cult High Priest and his "assistant" the wight. The party sends forth their pet Tiger, who gets one whiff of the Wight and runs to the closed exit door (I had it scratch at the door like a crazed pet who wants to go "out".) Two party members immediately rush forward, a 2nd level Bard and the 3rd/4th level Ranger/Druid Grunge-Elf. The Bard thinks this is just another undead and becomes a Wight after two hits. The High Priest attempts a "hold" on the Grunge-Elf. The Grunge-Elf fails his charm resistance AND his saving throw. WIGHT FEAST! The Ranger/Druid suffers successive hit after hit for seven times and will also become a Wight.

The rest of the Party goes Chaotic. Montague the 3rd level Mage offers a several bolts from a wand of Magic Missiles (obtained elsewhere) on the Priest. To counter that, the Priest casts Darkness making Magic Missile targeting impossible. The Samurai sidekick Kimodo goes into the darkness and re-emerges as a Wight. Both thieves and the rescued prisoners smartly hang back. Thanos, thinking himself invincible at 2nd level and Full Plate, goes into the fray with the Wights. Montague switches Magic Missile targeting to the Wights who are outside the darkness.

Upon the first hit on Thanos by a Wight, after I tell him he's lost a level decides to "purge his honor" and fall back, thus not suffering the effects. Having his magical sword and strength bonuses he defeats at least one Wight and Montague's wand eliminates the other two.

Meanwhile the darkness disappears and the High Priest is gone.

The Samurai Jackals are called in from the other room.

Suspecting the obvious secret door they find it. Being Chaotic and for no reason, Thanos kicks Jim the Gnome thief into the sand beach beyond, straight into the gaze of the Hypnotoad. So the remaining party faces Jim, the High Priest, and the Hypnotoad. Still, keeping the Samurai Jackals in the rear they rush the Hypnotoad.

The Hypnotoad, making what was thought a smart move, casts Sleep on the onrushers. Thanos being first, fails his saving throw. Being a Half-Ogre he falls, seeking a direction to fall, I roll and he randomly falls ON TOP of it. Montague casts burning hands directly on the Hypnotoads eyes and the party (including Samurai Jackals) hack at it until dead. The High Priest attempts to swim the lake but is captured and Jim recovers from the Toad's charm.

-------- Debriefing --------

Having a prisoner to interrogate and torture, the party learns of the evacuation two weeks ago. "Shucks" they need to chase after them, because of the Priest the Witches from B5 quested them to capture, including the purpose of the idol. (Which, if they don't stop, ends the multiverse.)

Jack Slade went a different direction, so the Samurai Jackals who were on a different mission after him, depart.

The party's pet Tiger, having lost his Ranger/Druid master also wanders off. (She was pregnant anyway, with 66 more days to go until delivery of the litter. It would have been fun to have the Ranger/Druid take care of the "kittens".)

Session ends.

-------- Notes --------

Party Update cast of Characters:

Thanos: Level 2 Berserker Half-Ogre, munchkinized. He once was level 3 but got level drained back to 1 and has now raised back to level 2.

Sable: Level 2 Cleric of Iuz, sidekick of Thanos. She had to hide her holy
symbols and had raised using the "double experience points" method.

June-Bug: Level 4/3 Ranger/Druid of Obad-Hai, munchinized. (DIES)

Montague: Level 3 Magic User

Remington: Level 2 Bard (DIES)

Jim: Level 2 Gnome Thief

Kimodo: Level 1 Samurai Sidekick of Jim (DIES)

Draden: New Level 1 Thief


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BT
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Tracy Johnson
Justin Thyme Productions
http://hp3000.empireclassic.com/