Session 31 - Going deeper underground

Welcome back!

We had a couple of new people today being John and Ros who are playing an Elf and a Goblin. Sorry if it was slow to start, it's been a while. I hope you enjoyed it!

For Ros - your elf species' florid description is as follows:
Capripeds: Unctuous epicurean blackguards who traffick with strange forces. In the high hills the Capripeds dance in the new moon's dark with godless things from elder aeons, for the shades can touch them not and the awfish nymphs of the unbegotten prime harm them not for they wrap themselves in webs of glamer. 

Because elves have a phases of the moon thing going, you get more powerful towards the new moon and less powerful around the full moon. Luckily next in-game week the moon is waning, so you'll be more powerful!

You guys went back to your delving today into the slightly-more-deadly-than-level-1 second level of Dwimmermount. I will warn you that Pillartown is unlikely to survive until the end of the month, your soldiers bought them a week but unfortunately your average army is no good at fighting something that doesn't have supply lines to cut or fortifications to besiege.

I'm fiddling with the rules for weapons since everyone has been picking up swords rather than the right-tool-for-the-right-job thing I was going for. Axes and flails are better, swords slightly easier to adjudicate. I'll put the lot here for future reference:

Swords: If you win initiative, roll damage twice and take the best.

Axes: Against leather armour or less, does double damage on evens.

Hammers: +1 against chain or better, notches plate armour on evens.

Flails: +2 against chain or better, ignores shields, notches plate armour on max damage. Optionally - do no damage but disarm with a strength check. On a miss roll under your AC or hit yourself.

Daggers: On hit you can grab hold and shank the shit out of people - auto-crit on every round you win a wrestling roll.

Oh and I forgot, but according to last week's notes you put out advertising for a guy with lockpicking, so you'll be able to hire the guy next session if you like!
Other than that, thanks again for coming, and see you next week!

Session 31 - Going deeper underground

Campaign date:
Saturday, July 9th 1549
Moon phase: Waning Gibbous
Zodiac: Gemini

New characters:

- Rhea, a capriped (being a Summon-type Elf) and woodcutter who saw things unknowable in darkest forests one terrible night.

- Arnold the Goblin, looking for capital for his pig farm startup. Has a piglet called Tenderloin.

Enemies defeated:

- 1 poor, innocent, crudely made dwarf, shot in the back (5 exp)

- 1 Gelatinous Cube, poisoned and stabbed (100 exp)

- 8 Robo-skeletons mostly wiped out when one of them exploded (80 exp)

- 1 Gargoyle, a real dick who got "you shall not pass!"ed into his side of the room then stabbed from a distance when he wouldn't see reason (75 exp)

- 6 Neandergoblins, put to sleep then throats slit. Leader charmed and captured (?). Had treasure but we had to leave before I could tell you that! (60 exp)

Treasure and Equipment:

- A spellbook

- A brass machine, taken from within the ribcage of one of the skeletons (50 exp)

- A scroll of Magic Missile

- 300sp in old Roman coin (300 exp)

- Golden idol of a leering monkey worth 400sp (400 exp)

- Battered silver goblet worth 40sp (40 exp)

- Deck of tarot cards (10 exp)

Exploration:

- 5 dungeon rooms explored (50 exp)

- First party to enter the second level of Dwimmermount (200 exp)

- 1 wandering monster encounter rolled (10 exp)

- Secret door (well, drawer) found (10 exp)

Misc:

- Assisted the Inclusions with their gelatinous problem (50 exp)

- Non-violently avoided a bunch of mutants (50 exp)

- Beheld the great abstract sculpture (50 exp)
- Stylish Kill bonus (Rhea - 50 exp)

- Why Did You Touch That bonus (Sauron - 50 exp)

- Near Death Experience bonus (Sauron - 100 exp)

- Cartographer bonus (Mushroom Lover - 100 exp)

Quests and Rumours:
- Every ten years, the people of Pembrooktonshire hold a grand festival and many great games. The festival is coming up soon!
- There has been a rash of impossible burglaries in Edge. Children are suspected due to the unprofessional way they steal the shiniest objects regardless of value.
- Both Edge and Dwarrow lay claim to the riches of Dwimmermount. Tension is mounting, for some say that the Red Doors are open once more.
- Strange lights have been seen on the peak of Dwimmermount. Some say the Dark Dwarves have found a way to return.
- Pillartown is under attack, it's unlikely they'll survive beyond the end of the month.
- All who pay the baroque and convoluted taxes of Fate are entitled to resurrection in the event of unnatural death.

Death Toll and Injuries:

- None! Although Sauron came close.

Exp Totals:
Liisa / Peggy Pigrider, Level 4 Dwarf: 12903 (Level up at 17,600)

-- Mr Burg, Level 1 Fighter: 655 (Level up at 2000)

Renzo / Mushroom Lover, Level 4 Elf (Alpdrucke): 12955 (Level up at 24000)

-- Carl Sberg, Level 1 Fighter: 655 (Level up at 2000)

Marco / Sauron, Level 1 Necromancer: 1038 (Level up at 2250)

Ros / Rhea, Level 1 Elf (Capriped): 358 (Level up at 3000)

John / Arnold, Level 1 Goblin: 358 (Level up at 2000)

[[]]

Recovering:
Tom / Olaf Tenderloin, Level 2 Dwarf: 2737 (Level up at 4400) ETA: 18 weeks

Absent or Retired:
Dana / Bingo, Level 1 Muscle Wizard: 1461(Level up at 2250)
Chris / Crocell, Level 4 Halfling: 12318 (Level up at 16000)
-- Belial, Level 1 Fighter: 1047 (Level up at 2000)
Michael / Mist Urmun, Level 4 Magic User: 9129 (Level up at 18000)
Renzo / Gastani, Level 2 Barbarian: 3000 (Level up at 4000)
Chris2 / Gadling, Level 3 Specialist (Assassin): 4738 (Level up at 6000)
Joanna / Artemis, Level 2 Specialist (Healer): 2250 (Level up at 3000)
George / Magnus, Level 1 Cleric: 1342 (Level up at 1750)
Lisa / Bella, Level 1 Magic User: 1951 (Level up at 2250)
Jacob / Wizard Khalifa, Level 1 Muscle Wizard: 430 (Level up at 2250)
Marius' Totally-Not-Necromancer, Level 3 Necromancer: 5111 (Level up at 9000)
Nadav / Frog, Level 1 Fighter: 732 (Level up at 2000)
Charlie / Losh, Level 1 Elf (Habberjock): 309 (Level up at 3000)
Jack / Uldric, Level 1 Magic User: 409 (Level up at 2250)
Tom / Eli, Level 1 Cleric: 409 (Level up at 1750)
Kate / Khaleesi, Level 1 Muscle Wizard: 37 (Level up at 2250)
Emmi / Lyrel, Level 2 Necromancer: 2891 (Level up at 4500)
--- Schmidt, Level 0 Human

Retrospective 3 - The First Christmas

Continuing the theme of running things I'd really been wanting to run for a while, the next few months contained Hammers of the God, my pet Rune Dungeon, and Dwimmermount.

I'd placed the map to Hammers of the God in a previous dungeon, I think in The God That Crawls, and that's something I really should do more of.
These days I tend to seed maps through people's businesses which works quite well.

This was also the first time they'd left my Gate area map since arriving there, so I suddenly had to work out what scale I wanted to have the Mountains area at! I'm pretty sure it was pretty loosey goosey there for a while, especially since I hadn't made a Mountains encounter table yet.


Things were pretty healthy group-wise at first, but a four week holiday ruined some of the momentum that had built up and sent me into a bit of an OH NO WHAT IF IT FALLS APART spiral.
Two players in a session means that it's quite intimate and tense and they get quite a lot done, but I can't trust that I'll be able to even run a session that evening.
Renzo, thankfully, could be relied on to come every week. He saved the game.

At Session 30 I left for a trip to Australia, honestly apprehensive about whether I'd be able to scrape the group back together afterwards. Such a cliffhanger.

I eventually got round to making a map on a much larger scale

Mini Reviews:

Hammers of the God

The dungeon itself is a bit shit in comparison to the rest of the LotFP oeuvre, honestly. Two linear dungeons spliced together for the reasons noted in the Author's Notes.

But the history, ah! Such history! The books alone! One of the players sequestered herself in the stone library and spent the rest of the session devouring the tomes. She had the index, so kept asking for different things. A great way to dispense lore.
Hammers of the God forms the basis of my world's alt-history, and coupled with Dwimmermount (which the party entered some weeks later) it created quite the interesting backstory.
I attached the Rune Dungeon (see below) to a caved-in dead-end down the bottom, which made the place feel truly immense.

The Rune Dungeon

A rejigged and remastered version of a dungeon I'd made back in 4th edition.
Luckily a couple of players really got into the runes, so the whole thing was this big juicy journey of discovery for them.
I have quietly retconned the dragons blasting out of the crystal at the end, nobody's still around from back then so that's ok right?
Like much of the campaign world around this time, it was very fuzzy around the edges. I "know" a lot more about the world now.
This was actually the third time I'd run the same dungeon - once in 4th when it was linear as fuck, once in Labyrinth Lord during the Australian portion of the campaign, and now this time.
A year or so later another party would come back here, and integrating all those changes was a lot of fun for me. The final boss was a Goblin character who got so mutated that her player left her down there, which the latest (and now current) party were amazed by.

Dwimmermount

Ah! Dwimmermount! Dungeon of Gods!
They never mapped beyond the first level, but they changed the balance of power a lot.

I love Dwimmermount's strange backstory. As mentioned before, it's another major building block in the alt-history of my world.
Giant spiders were enough to make them bug out (harr) because Renzo got Save-or-Die'd by a spider that one time.

Dwimmermount's great, I hope my current players go back.

Session 30 - Gorrin's Day

Session 30 - an auspicious number for the start of the Christmas break!

You got lots done! Befriended some locals and killed the mad boss of the Inclusions on level 1, finished mapping the whole south-west quadrant of the first floor, and sent someone to check on your mercenaries and the state of play down near the Gate.

You also met some of the local people and put some advertising out for a guy with Lockpicking experience and a guy with First Aid experience. You will be able to hire them next session.

But dark things are brewing down in the South near Pie Mama's, and there is definitely something spooky going on with the spiders on level 1 of Dwimmermount.

ooOOooOoOooOooooo

See you guys next year, and Merry Christmas!

Session 30 - Gorrin's Day

Campaign date:
Saturday, July 4th 1549
Moon phase: Waning Gibbous
Zodiac: Gemini

New characters:

- Mushroom Lover recruited a Fighter retainer, Carl Sberg.

- Peggy recruited a Fighter retainer, Mr Burg

Enemies defeated:

- Guren, level 1 Dwarf, spider-worshipper and father of many (25 exp)

- 1 crab spider, stabbed to death after it jumped on Peggy (50 exp)

- 8 Inclusions, put to the sword or surrendered (40 exp)

- 4 mutants, put to sleep then throats slit (40 exp)

Treasure and Equipment:

- 500sp, 2000cp (700 exp)

- Guren's hammer, can be called to wielder's hand. Bind it to yourself by intoning the command word, "Gorrin".

- An old mahogany throne (100 exp)

- Several old tapestries showing Roman conquests and the liberation of the people of Britain from the Halflings. (1000 exp)

- 7 Inclusions who are now your friends. They are young and silly but love you and will assist in carrying stuff from the mountain.

- 5 vials of acidic Azoth, gifted by Crazy.

Exploration:

- 10 dungeon rooms explored (100 exp)

- Secret entrance to dungeon found (100 exp)

- 2 secret doors found (20 exp)

- 2 wandering monster encounters (20 exp)

Misc:

- Met Pieru Danthan, Corporal of the Muntburg Watch,who is very impressed by your continued survival and how you heroically saved those Dwarfs. Will be grateful for any information that can protect his town, and has allowed you to stay in a bunkhouse for free as long as you are in the area. (50 exp)

- Met Crazy, a Dwarf who is experimenting with the black acidic Azoth he has found in Dwimmermount. (50 exp)

- Prevented spider reinforcements from assisting Guren. (50 exp)

- Learnt of the spider god (with eight lovely legs) who gave Guren his statue-animating power (50 exp)

- Boss defeated! (100 exp)

- Bound Heinz, the Inclusion who surrendered, to not betray you via a "magic spell". (50 exp)

- Statue-corpse of Gorrin placed outside Dwarf back-entrance. July 4th is henceforth known as "Gorrin's Day". (50 exp)

- Decapitated stone head of Guren given to Garin the flame trap guy for use as a hat and badge of office. Told Garin he is the boss now and to treat his subjects better than Guren did. (50 exp)

- Went to the Dwarf bar in Muntberg - the Ale and Barrel. Dwarfs only, but the people there are quite friendly otherwise. (50 exp)

- Oiled the jaws of the brazen head,allowing it to speak (50 exp)

- Chatted to some friendly mutants, learnt of Varazes their creator, that there are two second levels, and more besides. (50 exp)

- Rescued the last Dwarf from Surly's scouting group where he was being tortured for information by a gang of mutants. (100 exp)

- Hired someone to travel south and bring back information on the state of play at the Wall (50 exp)

- Fame bonus (50 exp)

- Good memory bonus (Peggy - 50 exp)

- Cartographer bonus (Mushroom Lover - 100 exp)

- Party treasurer bonus (Peggy - 100 exp)

Quests and Rumours:

- "In Gush their city's champion has been slain and his ancient sword stolen by monsters from the mountains."
- "A mysterious group on a secret mission require volunteers for exciting, dangerous work. Strenous entry requirements. Only people of the highest quality accepted. Meet at Pie Mama's in Pillartown."

- Competing religious groups in Dwarrow will pay well for evidence that proves or disproves the godhood of Terms Termax.

- Crazy the Dwarf would be very grateful for information on what can be done with the black Azoth that flows within Dwimmermount.

- Pieru Danthan, Corporal of the Watch, would appreciate any knowledge about the creatures within Dwimmermount which could assist him in defending the town.

Death Toll and Injuries:

- Gorrin, slain as he tried to liberate his people from their insane master.

Exp Totals:
Liisa / Peggy Pigrider, Level 4 Dwarf: 12595 (Level up at 17,600)

-- Mr Burg, Level 1 Fighter: 501 (Level up at 2000)

Renzo / Mushroom Lover, Level 4 Elf (Alpdrucke): 12547 (Level up at 24000)

*DING!* +1d6 HP! +2 to saves! +1 level 2 spell/day! +creepy looks and powers!

-- Carl Sberg, Level 1 Fighter: 501 (Level up at 2000)

[[]]

Recovering:
Tom / Olaf Tenderloin, Level 2 Dwarf: 2737 (Level up at 4400) ETA: 18 weeks

Absent or Retired:
Marco / Sauron, Level 1 Necromancer: 580 (Level up at 2250)
Dana / Bingo, Level 1 Muscle Wizard: 1461(Level up at 2250)
Chris / Crocell, Level 4 Halfling: 12318 (Level up at 16000)
-- Belial, Level 1 Fighter: 1047 (Level up at 2000)
Michael / Mist Urmun, Level 4 Magic User: 9129 (Level up at 18000)
Renzo / Gastani, Level 2 Barbarian: 3000 (Level up at 4000)
Chris2 / Gadling, Level 3 Specialist (Assassin): 4738 (Level up at 6000)
Joanna / Artemis, Level 2 Specialist (Healer): 2250 (Level up at 3000)
George / Magnus, Level 1 Cleric: 1342 (Level up at 1750)
Lisa / Bella, Level 1 Magic User: 1951 (Level up at 2250)
Jacob / Wizard Khalifa, Level 1 Muscle Wizard: 430 (Level up at 2250)
Marius' Totally-Not-Necromancer, Level 3 Necromancer: 5111 (Level up at 9000)
Nadav / Frog, Level 1 Fighter: 732 (Level up at 2000)
Charlie / Losh, Level 1 Elf (Habberjock): 309 (Level up at 3000)
Jack / Uldric, Level 1 Magic User: 409 (Level up at 2250)
Tom / Eli, Level 1 Cleric: 409 (Level up at 1750)
Kate / Khaleesi, Level 1 Muscle Wizard: 37 (Level up at 2250)
Emmi / Lyrel, Level 2 Necromancer: 2891 (Level up at 4500)
--- Schmidt, Level 0 Human

Session 29 - Making Friends

There's a new guy Marco, who is playing the first necromancer we've had in a long while! Name of Sauron which isn't an evil name at all no sirree.

Liisa, would you be able to forward this onto him and/or send me his email address? Thanks!

More delving into Dwimmermount this session. Luckily after killing so many of their kind the little dwarf dudes were more than happy to reach a parley, leading you close to the location of the maddened leader with his spider guards.

Troubling news from back home near Pie Mama's, the mold creatures have forced them to close off the Gate. Peggy has hired a mercenary company to go hold the line.

And also - I will once more be heading out to another country for a month soon, it's Australia but I will return! That does make next week (session 30) the last one in a while... again. Hopefully we can rebuild momentum after the New Year!

Session 29 - Making Friends

Campaign date:
Saturday, July 2nd 1549
Moon phase: Waning Gibbous
Zodiac: Gemini

New characters:

- Sauron, Necromancer and former fireman. (Marco)

Enemies defeated:

- 10 rough-hewn dwarfs, known to themselves as Inclusions (50 exp)

Treasure and Equipment:

- Treasure cache in stalagmite, 700 sp, 5 gp (950 exp)

- Gold coins from the statue of the Lady, 5 gp (250 exp)

Exploration:

- 13 dungeon rooms explored (130 exp)

- Secret door found (10 exp)

Misc:

- Peggy has hired 30 mercenaries to assist with the liberation of Pillartown near the gate. (Peggy - 100 exp)

- Befriended a bunch of rebellious inclusions, including your new friend Gorin and Garin the flame trap guy (50exp)

- Learnt about Guran, the mad leader of the inclusions who made them in his image (50 exp)

- Beheld a demon with a burning sword (50 exp)

- Returned a fingerbone to an altar (50 exp)

- Befriended newborn inclusions, naming them London, Pride, Fuller, 'S, Merry, Premium and Jirin (50 exp)

- Noblebright bonus (50 exp)

- Cartographer bonus (Mushroom Lover - 100 exp)

Quests and Rumours:

- "Dear Ms. Pigrider,

I trust this letter finds you well. Please find enclosed your dividend of 36 silver groats.

It brings me great displeasure to inform you that this will be the last payment I will be able to send by post. The forest has become ever more dangerous in recent weeks, and the mold creatures have reached such size and viciousness that we have been forced to close off and barricade the Gate.

Assistance would be appreciated if at all possible.

Sincerely,

Bernard Mew, Pie Mama's Accountant."

Death Toll and Injuries:

- Faust, slain by a stray arrow. Long may he give heroes First Aid in the sky.

Exp Totals:
Liisa / Peggy Pigrider, Level 4 Dwarf: 11395 (Level up at 17,600)
Renzo / Mushroom Lover, Level 3 Elf (Alpdrucke): 11493 (Level up at 12000)

Marco / Sauron, Level 1 Necromancer: 580 (Level up at 2250)

[[]]

Recovering:
Tom / Olaf Tenderloin, Level 2 Dwarf: 2737 (Level up at 4400) ETA: 19 weeks

Absent or Retired:
Dana / Bingo, Level 1 Muscle Wizard: 1461(Level up at 2250)
Chris / Crocell, Level 4 Halfling: 12318 (Level up at 16000)
-- Belial, Level 1 Fighter: 1047 (Level up at 2000)
Michael / Mist Urmun, Level 4 Magic User: 9129 (Level up at 18000)
Renzo / Gastani, Level 2 Barbarian: 3000 (Level up at 4000)
Chris2 / Gadling, Level 3 Specialist (Assassin): 4738 (Level up at 6000)
Joanna / Artemis, Level 2 Specialist (Healer): 2250 (Level up at 3000)
George / Magnus, Level 1 Cleric: 1342 (Level up at 1750)
Lisa / Bella, Level 1 Magic User: 1951 (Level up at 2250)
Jacob / Wizard Khalifa, Level 1 Muscle Wizard: 430 (Level up at 2250)
Marius' Totally-Not-Necromancer, Level 3 Necromancer: 5111 (Level up at 9000)
Nadav / Frog, Level 1 Fighter: 732 (Level up at 2000)
Charlie / Losh, Level 1 Elf (Habberjock): 309 (Level up at 3000)
Jack / Uldric, Level 1 Magic User: 409 (Level up at 2250)
Tom / Eli, Level 1 Cleric: 409 (Level up at 1750)
Kate / Khaleesi, Level 1 Muscle Wizard: 37 (Level up at 2250)
Emmi / Lyrel, Level 2 Necromancer: 2891 (Level up at 4500)
--- Schmidt, Level 0 Human

Session 28 - Fear the Cube

Lots of running around this session! In truth I feel kind of bad about how little exp you guys got, but that's the price of staying on the (relatively) low risk low reward first level I guess.

At least you know some more about the dwarfs around here, including that due to the lack of Dwarven females they carve their sons from stone.

You have also made some potential allies in Surly's dwarf guys. They are currently mourning the loss of Shorty and Silly, but they might come back once they've done whatever dwarfs do with their stoney dead. Maybe carve them into tasteful furniture who knows.

See you next week!

Session 28 - Fear the Cube

Campaign date:
Saturday, June 28th 1549
Moon phase: Waxing Gibbous
Zodiac: Gemini

Enemies defeated:

- 15 rough-hewn dwarfs, generally abused (30exp)

- 8 skeletons, slain with help from Surly's dwarf gang (80 exp)

- 3 mutants, two surprise-attacked and another fled (30 exp)

- 1 gelatinous cube, chopped up into jelly. (100 exp)

Treasure and Equipment:

- 1 gold, 13 silver, 132 copper (74 exp)

- Wineskin with a strange angular design etched into it.

- Bingo has put 45 gold pieces in the bank (interest rate - 2% p.a.)

- Bingo has put a map book of the Exarchate of Theana and a half-burnt scroll of Magic Warding into secure storage. (5cp/week)

- Mushroom Lover has put 2 spellbooks, a book on the Theory of Puppetry, and a book on Surviving the Interorbular Ether into secure storage. (5cp/week)

- Pie Mama's has had a good month, yielding a big 37.5sp to collect.

- Faust has returned as a retainer. His earnings this week - a mere 10 silver. Not sure if he believes this is a fair wage for what he's been through.

Exploration:

- Approx 18 miles of travel (30 exp)

- 6 dungeon rooms explored (60 exp)

- 4 groups of wandering monsters rolled (40 exp)

Misc:

- Activated and escaped the combat training room (50 exp)

- Helped Surly's dwarfs recover their dead and find out what happened to the previous exploration team. (50 exp)

- Successfully avoided blame for using a dead dwarf as a doorstop. (50 exp)

- Ruined that one guy's oil trap (50 exp)

- Popped a lot of explosive bubbles. (50 exp)

- Long deliberation bonus (50 exp)

- Cartographer bonus (Mushroom Lover - 100 exp)

- Failed saving throw bonus (Mushroom Lover, Peggy - 100 exp ea.)

- Near death experience bonus (Bingo, Mushroom Lover - 100 exp ea.)

Quests and Rumours:

- "Dwimmermount used to be the mightiest dwarven fortress in the world. It's gone through many owners in that time, and great wars have been fought over it."

- "Huge, strange beasts stalk the mountain passes. They can't be undead or monsters from Moondin, so what are they?"

Death Toll and Injuries:

- Due to Faust's ministrations, nothing permanent.

Exp Totals:
Liisa / Peggy Pigrider, Level 4 Dwarf: 10715 (Level up at 17,600)
Renzo / Mushroom Lover, Level 3 Elf (Alpdrucke): 10813 (Level up at 12000)

Dana / Bingo, Level 1 Muscle Wizard: 1461(Level up at 2250)

--- Faust, Level 1 Specialist: 933 (Level up at 1500)

[[]]

Recovering:
Tom / Olaf Tenderloin, Level 2 Dwarf: 2737 (Level up at 4400) ETA: 21 weeks
Tom / Baron Noel Pompadour, Level 1 Specialist: 1223 (Level up at 1500) ETA: 7 weeks

Absent or Retired:
Chris / Crocell, Level 4 Halfling: 12318 (Level up at 16000)
-- Belial, Level 1 Fighter: 1047 (Level up at 2000)
Michael / Mist Urmun, Level 4 Magic User: 9129 (Level up at 18000)
Renzo / Gastani, Level 2 Barbarian: 3000 (Level up at 4000)
Chris2 / Gadling, Level 3 Specialist (Assassin): 4738 (Level up at 6000)
Joanna / Artemis, Level 2 Specialist (Healer): 2250 (Level up at 3000)
George / Magnus, Level 1 Cleric: 1342 (Level up at 1750)
Lisa / Bella, Level 1 Magic User: 1951 (Level up at 2250)
Jacob / Wizard Khalifa, Level 1 Muscle Wizard: 430 (Level up at 2250)
Marius' Totally-Not-Necromancer, Level 3 Necromancer: 5111 (Level up at 9000)
Nadav / Frog, Level 1 Fighter: 732 (Level up at 2000)
Charlie / Losh, Level 1 Elf (Habberjock): 309 (Level up at 3000)
Jack / Uldric, Level 1 Magic User: 409 (Level up at 2250)
Tom / Eli, Level 1 Cleric: 409 (Level up at 1750)
Kate / Khaleesi, Level 1 Muscle Wizard: 37 (Level up at 2250)
Emmi / Lyrel, Level 2 Necromancer: 2891 (Level up at 4500)
--- Schmidt, Level 0 Human

Session 27 - Through the Red Door

Alright, so it turns out that fighters are actually super good at killing lots of little guys which uh... I guess is actually working exactly as intended.

There's a new guy, Dana, who briefly played as a wizard before he and his familiar turned into demons and got shanked by Crocell's retainer. Now he's a Muscle Wizard who nearly got shanked accidentally by Crocell's retainer.

The guys entered fabled Dwimmermount whose doors have long been sealed. Recently strange lights and figures have been seen upon the mountain which means, of course, that this megadungeon is open for business.
The Red Door near the mountain's peak was found slightly ajar and were mystified as to why things weren't making sense until I realised I had the wrong map open... then they went around and basically killed a bunch of guys and mapped a bunch of dungeon.

I'm sure they can fill you in on the thing with the statue heads and the mutants and stuff next time you're around.

For Mushroom Lover, in-game tomorrow is the first day of the week before the full moon, so you'll have one less spell per day for the duration.

For Mist Urmun, the sun is now in the house of Gemini so your zodiac summoning spell will net you a pair of identical twins. No idea whether they're sexy ladies or not but the wikipedia article has them as a pair of lumpy redheaded guys wearing nappies.

So! Mondays seems to be an ok day for D&D, if you have any issues with rescheduling let me know, and hopefully see you all next time!

Session 27 - Through the Red Door

Campaign date:
Saturday, June 24th 1549
Moon phase: First Quarter
Zodiac: Gemini

New characters:

Bingo Augustus-[something illegible], Muscle Wizard and Wainwright, comes with his own pushcart (Dana)

Enemies defeated:

- 1 poisonous crab spider, shot a lot. (50 exp)

- 2 demons, murdered by Belial. (100 exp)

- 26 (!) dwarfs of poor workmanship, webbed, shattered and otherwise maltreated (130 exp)

- That one dwarf who looked like a real dwarf instead of a crudely worked one, forced to flee (50 exp)

- 2 ugly mutants and their leader, generally slain (30 exp)

- 4 ugly mutants, fled instead of flanking (40 exp)

Treasure and Equipment:

- 40 silver, 900 copper (130 exp)

- Two mysterious white pills (200 exp)

- Quality 1 Chainmail (200 exp)

- Quality 1 Warhammer (40 exp)

- 6 bronze Roman-style war-masks (1200 exp)

- Old chain armour, usless but possibly valuable to a collector (100 exp)

- An old book - "Arto Bellumoi" - a Fighter or Barbarian studying the text for a week gains 500 exp. (100 exp)

- An old map - "The Exarchate of Theana" might be worth something to a sage or librarian. (500 exp)

- An old book - "Checkmate: A Fool's Guide to Chess", bookmarked is a section called "Asana's Challenge". (100 exp)

- A partially burnt scroll of warding against magic. (100 exp)

Exploration:
- 15 dungeon rooms explored (150 exp)
- First party to enter Dwimmermount (100 exp)

- First party to enter level 1 of Dwimmermount (100 exp)

- 1 group of wandering monsters rolled (10 exp)

Misc:

- Took rubbings of the old dwarf runes on the alleged back door. (50 exp)

- Discovered the statue heads are detachable (50 exp)

- Discovered things about the mutants (50 exp)

- Saw some soldier-ghosts endlessly hanging out in the long-ruined barracks (50 exp)

- Viewed memories of Dwimmermount's past (50 exp)

- Breach and clear bonus (50 exp)

- Cartographer bonus (Mushroom Lover - 100 exp)

- Death's Witness bonus (Mushroom Lover, Crocell - 100 exp ea.)

- Died in the first five minutes bonus (Bingo - 100 exp)

Quests and Rumours:
- A female Nonanist priest wants you to find evidence of Terms Termax's heresy and false-godhood.

- A male Termaxian priest wants you to find evidence of Terms Termax's godhood, or if you find the opposite, bring it to him so he can destroy it.

- "There's a secretive Dwarf civil war on - the Stoneheads are at war with the Glimmersmiths."

- "Goblins and Dwarfs live side by side in the mountain holds."

- "Goblins are considered to live in both Edge and Dwarrow, they're hated by both city-states."

- "A secret back entrance leads to the first level of Dwimmermount"

- "Never read anything on the wall in Dwimmermount, it is likely an ancient Roman curse."

Death Toll and Injuries:

- Dana's wizard whose name I already forgot, turned into a demon along with his familiar due to a botched Summon.

Exp Totals:
Renzo / Mushroom Lover, Level 3 Elf (Alpdrucke): 10206 (Level up at 12000)
Chris / Crocell, Level 4 Halfling: 12318 (Level up at 16000)
-- Belial, Level 1 Fighter: 1047 (Level up at 2000)

Dana / Bingo, Level 1 Muscle Wizard: 1152 (Level up at 2250)

[[]]

Recovering:
Tom / Olaf Tenderloin, Level 2 Dwarf: 2737 (Level up at 4400) ETA: 22 weeks
Tom / Baron Noel Pompadour, Level 1 Specialist: 1223 (Level up at 1500) ETA: 8 weeks

Absent or Retired:
Michael / Mist Urmun, Level 4 Magic User: 9129 (Level up at 18000)
Renzo / Gastani, Level 2 Barbarian: 3000 (Level up at 4000)
Liisa / Peggy Pigrider, Level 4 Dwarf: 10504 (Level up at 17,600)
Chris2 / Gadling, Level 3 Specialist (Assassin): 4738 (Level up at 6000)
Joanna / Artemis, Level 2 Specialist (Healer): 2250 (Level up at 3000)
George / Magnus, Level 1 Cleric: 1342 (Level up at 1750)
Lisa / Bella, Level 1 Magic User: 1951 (Level up at 2250)
Jacob / Wizard Khalifa, Level 1 Muscle Wizard: 430 (Level up at 2250)
Marius' Totally-Not-Necromancer, Level 3 Necromancer: 5111 (Level up at 9000)
--- Faust, Level 1 Specialist: 823 (Level up at 1500)
Nadav / Frog, Level 1 Fighter: 732 (Level up at 2000)
Charlie / Losh, Level 1 Elf (Habberjock): 309 (Level up at 3000)
Jack / Uldric, Level 1 Magic User: 409 (Level up at 2250)
Tom / Eli, Level 1 Cleric: 409 (Level up at 1750)
Kate / Khaleesi, Level 1 Muscle Wizard: 37 (Level up at 2250)
Emmi / Lyrel, Level 2 Necromancer: 2891 (Level up at 4500)
--- Schmidt, Level 0 Human

Session 26 - Shattered

So! The last session for a month. Time will keep pace with real time while I'm away since I'm sure your guys need a rest after all that non-stop adventuring by now. A month is a long time! So if you want, let me know what your character is doing in the downtime.

Rune dungeon boss has been defeated so now runes are available to be used and abused outside of the dungeon. How many people know about this? How much profit can you make before your secrets spread? Who knows! Well me, obviously, but only up to a point.

So the rune dungeon boss was this giant crystal which they battered with lasers shot from laser platforms until it exploded. In the meantime they were attacked by endlessly respawning hordes of clay men and the crystal itself kept creating glyphs to blast them with.

The crystal released a flurry of honest-to-god dragons when it was shattered, growing bigger and bigger as they blasted out of the roof and out of the mountain. There are five of them in various colours and they are doubtless up to nefarious activities out in the world.

I return at the end of October at which point we'll be switching to Tuesday so Liisa can come without having to abandon her saxophone lessons.

Looking ahead that meeeeeans... next session will be on Tuesday 28th October.

Not sure what you'll do in the meantime. If someone wants to start up their own campaign or some one-shots or something feel free, otherwise I'll only be gone 4 weeks it'll go past like a breeze!

Session 26 - Shattered

Campaign date:
Saturday, May 23nd 1549
Moon phase: First Quarter
Zodiac: Taurus

Enemies defeated:
- Clay mage dude, savaged by a magical bull (50 exp)
- 2 ranged clay dudes, charged to death (20 exp)
- 1 melee clay dude, also charged to death (25 exp)
- 13 ranged clay dudes, obliterated via laser (130 exp)
- 8 melee clay dudes, obliterated via laser (200 exp)
- 1 beam platform rider, obliterated via laser (10 exp)

Treasure and Equipment:
- 12sp (12 exp)
- An ornamental plate (50 exp)
- Gold ring set with a pearl (500 exp)
- Gold ring set with an amethyst (500 exp)
- A wooden box containing phoenix breast meat (meat now eaten), insides ripped apart (200 exp)
- Sackfuls and sackfuls of valuable crystal shards (4200 exp)

Exploration:
- 13 dungeon rooms explored (130 exp)
- Entered level 3 of the rune dungeon (300 exp)

Misc:
- Near Death Experience Bonus (Mist - 100 exp)
- Failed Saving Throw Bonus (Mist and Gastani - 100 exp ea.)
- Found the library, learnt some history (50 exp)
- Treasure eater bonus (50 exp)
- Breach and clear bonus (50 exp)
- Solved the gravity room puzzle (50 exp)
- Solved the bubble room puzzle (50 exp)
- Shattered the boss crystal (50 exp)
- Antagonist emancipator bonus (50 exp)
- Rune magic unlocked! (50 exp)

Quests and Rumours:
- None down here.

Death Toll and Injuries:
- Mist Urmun - Second degree frostbite all over legs. Tremendous pain and blistering. 4 weeks recovery. (Conveniently the length of time I am away)

Exp Totals:
Michael / Mist Urmun, Level 4 Magic User: 9129 (Level up at 18000)
*DING!* +1d4 HP! +1 lvl 2 Spell!
Renzo / Gastani, Level 2 Barbarian: 3000 (Level up at 4000)
*DING!* +1d8 HP! +2 rolls on the Barbarian Level Up Table!

[[]]

Recovering:
Tom / Olaf Tenderloin, Level 2 Dwarf: 2737 (Level up at 4400) ETA: 26 weeks
Tom / Baron Noel Pompadour, Level 1 Specialist: 1223 (Level up at 1500) ETA: 12 weeks
Renzo / Mushroom Lover, Level 3 Elf (Alpdrucke): 8954 (Level up at 12000) ETA: 6 weeks
Michael / Mist Urmun, Level 4 Magic User: 9129 (Level up at 18000) ETA: 4 weeks

Absent or Retired:
Liisa / Peggy Pigrider, Level 4 Dwarf: 10504 (Level up at 17,600)
Chris2 / Gadling, Level 3 Specialist (Assassin): 4738 (Level up at 6000)
Joanna / Artemis, Level 2 Specialist (Healer): 2250 (Level up at 3000)
George / Magnus, Level 1 Cleric: 1342 (Level up at 1750)
Chris / Crocell, Level 4 Halfling: 11166 (Level up at 16000)
-- Belial, Level 1 Fighter: 521 (Level up at 2000)
Lisa / Bella, Level 1 Magic User: 1951 (Level up at 2250)
Jacob / Wizard Khalifa, Level 1 Muscle Wizard: 430 (Level up at 2250)
Marius' Totally-Not-Necromancer, Level 3 Necromancer: 5111 (Level up at 9000)
--- Faust, Level 1 Specialist: 823 (Level up at 1500)
Nadav / Frog, Level 1 Fighter: 732 (Level up at 2000)
Charlie / Losh, Level 1 Elf (Habberjock): 309 (Level up at 3000)
Jack / Uldric, Level 1 Magic User: 409 (Level up at 2250)
Tom / Eli, Level 1 Cleric: 409 (Level up at 1750)
Kate / Khaleesi, Level 1 Muscle Wizard: 37 (Level up at 2250)
Emmi / Lyrel, Level 2 Necromancer: 2891 (Level up at 4500)
--- Schmidt, Level 0 Human