Session 5
Previous AARs:
- Strata Under the Temple Sessions 4
- Strata Under the Temple Sessions 2 & 3
- Strata Under the Temple Sessions 1
Case of Characters
Player Characters
- Beep - Thief 3, Halfling, played by Soddentowel
- Evara - Thief 3, transformed into a Hagamido Saurian, played by Gwenchant
- "Red" Kolva - Thief 3, played by Socrates
- Steve - Wizard 3, Human, played by Soddentowel
- Zago - Wizard 3, Goblin, played by Socrates
- Zaphiel - Cleric 3, Elf, played by Gwenchant
NPCs
- Gasatano - Fighter, Hagamido Saurian
- Polima - Wizard, Hagamido Saurian
- Malita - Cleric of Bufamela-Sa, Hagamido Saurian
Events
While resting in the Hall of Scholars after fighting the Gray Ponderer, a secret door opened in the northern door, and the party was surprised by an emaciated Hagamido female in robes. It manically attacked with an icy touch, and seemed to be immune to their weapons. The party rallied and struck at the creature, but it seemed immune to most of their weapons, so they carefully withdrew to the South Annex to the east, Gasatano holding the creatures attention until everyone else withdrew. It seemed to shy away from the light of the room, and not even come near the door, so Gasatano closed the door.
The party discussed their experience while resting. Malita believes it was some sort of almost Lich thing. Steve examined the papers they found here in the secret closet in the south side of this room, and believes that some of the arcane symbols are about transformation, but doesn't understand all of the symbols, or any of the text, which is in Hagamido.
Malita suggested they go down a level, to some creature called "The Overguard". They followed her lead to the west through another circular chamber illuminated by a glowing ceiling to another set of stairs to the east. Going down these stairs, they came to a high vaulted rectangular interment chamber, 25 ft. from north to south by 35 ft. from east to west. In the middle of the room, a T-rex skeleton was sprawled on the floor. Malita lead them to the door in the middle of the south wall, which was locked. There was a passage in the north wall opposite it, and a third passage on the north end of the west wall. While Malita and Zago futzed around figuring out which of the Overguard's keys could open this door, Steve went to inspect the T-rex skeleton. When he got close, it lifted its skull off the ground and turned to him, but did nothing more. Steve examined it curiously, then left through the door when Zago unlocked it.
The room on the other side of the door was similarly tall and long, 35 ft. from north to south by 15 ft. from east to west,with tall thin pillars down the length of the room. There were passages from here in the middle of the east and west rooms. Malita took them through the east passage, which lead to a long corridor.
About thirty feet down the corridor, a passage to the south lead to a strange room: Like the first room on this floor, it was 25 ft. from north to south by 35 ft. from east to west. The ceiling was lower, like the catacombs on the floor above. This room was strange in that it had a large squat stone Hagamido sitting in it, with half a dozen desicated Hagamido corpses bearing spears, bows, and armor. Burial nooks lined the walls. There were also six sarcophagi along the back wall of the room.
Malita spoke to the creature on the throne in the Hagamido tongue. She called it "The Overguard" when addressing it. She informed it that the creatures with her were allies. The creature acknowledged she was a high priestess of Bufamela-Sa, and asked her what it could do, monotonously. She asked it for help in arming her allies, and information about what was presently going on. It informed her that there were invaders in the lower levels, on two fronts: giant ants, and fiery creatures that looked similar to one of Malita's allies, it then pointed to Zago. Malita discussed further, then reconsidered her plan for armaments, since the Overguard indicated the sections she had been planning to get weapons from were in territory currently occupied by fire goblins. They decided to go back to the upper level, and get some lesser magical weapons. Malita again warned them not to trifle with anything on the way, or at the room they got to, without her direction.
With that, the party went upstairs, to the circular room they first entered through, the North Annex. They then went through the west door, and came to another unusually dark rectangular room, which Malita informs them is called the Hall of Defenders. An armed iron Hagamido statue stood in each corner. Malita warned them to be respectful of the corpses, brandished her holy symbol to each of the statues, then had Zago cast detect magic to speed up her search. Sixteen sources of magic were identified in the catacomb berths, but Malita indicated they were only to take four, which were laid out in the middle of the room. Malita tells them what they can do:
- Shield of the Wall: A bulky shield +1 which provided more protection to those fighting between allies. The bearer cannot be shoved, knocked over, or pulled away from where they stand unless they want to allow it to happen. Taken by ?.
- Shield of Kepe-Sa: A sleek and light bronze shield +1. The bearer can mentally have it create light for up to three turns each day. It has six charges for two abilities, usable only by those who worship a sun god:
- Blinding flash (1 charge) causes the shield to flash brilliantly, blinding those in front of the bearer if they do not make a save.
- Radiant arc (5 charges) causes 1d8 radiant damage to all those within 60 ft. of the shield and in front of the bearer. Undead instead take 3d8 damage. Taken by Zaphiel.
- MatuwaÞa (which Malita translates as “Relentless” in common): +1 short sword. Wielder gains +2 to saves and AC, immunity to fear, charm, sleep, and curses. Cannot be taken below 1 hp while in hand. Targets immune to edged weapons still take half damage from it. Taken by Red Kolva.
- Finger of Bufamela-Sa: +1 spear. Does 1d8 dmg. Undead hit by it are automatically turned if the raw damage roll is greater than their hit dice. On maximum damage, those below 6HD are destroyed. May be wielded by clerics of Bufamela-Sa and counts as a holy symbol for her. Taken by Gasatano.
While the more martial types are dividing up the magical weapons, Steve wanders through the passage in the middle of the west wall, from which the goat tracks came from, into another small circular room with a glowing ceiling. It has a a ring of pillars, and a set of stairs down from the north wall. More importantly, it has a pair of goat-men or satyrs guarding a passage that would be at the one o'clock position if the northern stairs were twelve o'clock. They nervously have their spears and bucklers ready, outfitted in leather. They bleat loudly, but do not attack. The goat smell gets worse when Gasatano and Malita come in, along with Zaphiel and Zago.
A few moments later they hear the jingling of chain mail, and a larger goat-man enters the room, accompanied by a pair similarly equipped to the guards. The larger one speaks in common, and introduces himself as Ovis, the chief of this remnant of the Snowhorn tribe of the Capreom. He wears chainmail over padding and his thick bluish-white fur. His thick horns curl around on themselves. He also bears a plain shield, marked by scoring, and a longsword which glows faintly through cracks in its sheath.
Chief Ovis offers to share information with them, noting that his scouts have gone out through this part of the complex. They have access to a passage below, in addition to the stairs in this room. He will provide rations for information on any missing scouts.
While chatting with Ovis, the party hears quiet bleating from the tunnel beyond him.
For now, the party decline Ovis' offers for help, and return to the Hall of Defenders.
Beep, who lost out on a weapon he could wield, asked Malita about other weapons she had mentioned being available. Malita indicates that the chamber immediately north of them has magical weapons of a sort, but that most are cursed. At Beep's urging, she has Zago unlock that door.
When it is opened, they see a rectangular room fifteen feet on a side, called the Room of Guardians. A whirling column of glowing weapons circle in the middle of the room. On the far side, in place of more catacomb berths, it appears that there is something of a smithy.
Red Kolva, wielding MatuwaÞa, reachs out and manages to pluck a dagger with an orange aura from the column. She offers it to Beep, who takes it, and tries the weapon. It is elegantly made. He nods in satisfaction.
That done, the group decides to return to the Hall of Scholars to have a rematch with the female Hagamido who had come out of the door in the north wall. It was there, eager for a rematch, but was overwhelmingly crushed by the party upon their return.
Evaluation
What Went Well
- The party was informed of the major factions in this part of the dungeon, as well as the Capreom (goat people).
- They finally got a big haul of loot.
- Malita is going to get split from the party. She was fine as an expediter, but she wants to set up a colony to perpetuate the few Hagamido still in existence, while also trying to help the Overguard deal with their battle on two fronts.
What Could be Improved
- I'm worried Malita overshadowed the group's own decisions, although there wasn't much protest.
- I should have had the lich thing cast some of the spells it remembered, but it turned into a curb-stomping. I'm used to more explicit positioning than that intended by this system. I need to reconsider how I present combat, and make it less JRPG/Bards Tale like bashfests. I think this is a problem with me adjusting more so than the system itself
Unresolved Threads
- What happened to the other Hagamido? (2 session now)
- What are the fire goblins up to, beyond setting up a colony outside of the elemental plane of fire? (2 session now)
- What happened to the crypt? (2 session now)
- What's up with the giant ants?
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