Rumors and Such: The Black Tablet

The current storyline focuses on an item of reputed power known as the Black Tablet. The heroes have gathered the following information about it:

• Vardigas Asmos reports that the Black Tablet is relic of great power that will aid in the casting of a warding ritual which can be used to protect the town of Berador from gobling and kobolds.
• Lady Caer Branloth concurs with this information, but she seems to be hiding additional information.
• Vardigas Asmos has in his possession a book he calls the Tome of Evronkeep which reportedly gives the location of the Black Tablet as hidden in a lost dwarf temple in the White Mist Mountains northeast of Dalton.
• Lady Caer Branloth agrees on these facts. She also has mentioned that the Tome of Evronkeep is of great interest to her because it is an ancient work from the early days of the fallen tiefling empire, Bael Turath.
• The heroes recall conflicting stories about the power of the Black Tablet:
  • It has the power to invoke a powerful warding spell.
  • It has some power of influence of goblinoids and could be used to unite goblins.
  • It was used in the orignal rites and rituals that created the tiefling race.
  • It is part of a key to an extradimensional prison of some unknown sort and use.

Session Report: Rewards and Quests

Rewards

The heroes received the following treasure and xp rewards for the last session.

• XP: 254 each
• Gold: 20 each
• Magic Items: Cloak of Resistance +1 (Mizumi)

Quests

The heroes have been offered the following quests during the last session.

• Find the Black Tablet
  Major Quest: 500 xp
  Vardigas Asmos will pay 120 gp for finding and returning to him the Black Tablet artifact rumored to be hidden in the abandoned dwarf temple in the mountains northeast of Dalton's Camp.
• Find statuettes of Moradin
  Minor Quest: 100 xp
  Kharas Fireaxe has offered you an amethyst worth 100 gp and 20 gp for bringing him a pair of statuettes he believes are in the same dwarf temple.
• Lady Caer's Offer
  Major Quest: 500 xp
  Lady Caer Branloth has offered to pay 120 gp and give a potion of healing for bringing to her the same Black Tablet that Vardigas Asmos wants.

Dalton's Camp

Population: 400 year round; another 200 - 400 people will be in the area during seasons when the area is hospitable and work is available.

Government: Dalton's Camp has no government. It is a "gold rush" type town with little law and order. The Mining Consortium holds a great deal of power and manages many of the day-to-day activities of the place. Most people defer to Kharas Fireaxe and his fellows when disputes arise.

Defenses: There are not defenses to speak of. Most of the mining companies and merchants have mercenary warriors and guards to protect their interests, but there is no organized defense for the area. The town proper rests on an easily defendable hill behind a solid wooden palisade.

Inns/Taverns: For such a small town Dalton's Camp has more than its fair share of inns and taverns. Since few people live here year round, there is a lot of demand for temporary living space. There are three inns of moderate size and four different taverns. Some of the places cater to the people that work with specific mining companies. Rivalries among different companies and mercenaries makes for an unsteady peace when the wrong paths cross. As such, most people keep to "their" place in town.

• The Silver Anvil: an inn with reasonable prices and mostly free of vermin (both humanoid and otherwise)
• Dalton's Campsite: a large inn that caters mostly to people working with the Mining Consortium. It is somewhat more expensive than the other places in town, but offers reasonable security and privacy.
• The Blue Bard: a moderately priced inn; the innkeepr at the Blue Bard requires application for residency at his place and turns away undesireables.

• The Well: a lower class water hole. Fights are common in this place. Often rivals will purposely meet each other here to settle differences.
• The Gray Goose: one of the better taverns in Dalton's Camp, owned by the Mining Consortium. All comers are welcome, but violence is quickly put down by the bruising bouncer.
• Mallister's Place: this tavern caters to members of a few different trading companies. However, most are friendly enough with one another and "those other guys" generally stay out.
• The Alehouse: another of the Mining Consortium's places in town. Trading companies that come here generally avoid Mallister's and the rivalry between the groups is quite unfriendly.

Trade: When the mines are operational Dalton's Camp produces a great deal of silver and iron from the hills. Some of the braver miners venture deeper into the mountains where veins of gold and gems can be found.

Supplies: There are three "general stores" in the town. Two are owned by the Mining Consortium and one is an independent outfit. Most of the goods are suitable for miners and merchant caravan guards. Adventurers will find most of their needs met here as well.

Temples: There are no temples in Dalton's Camp. In fact, there are no priests or religious folk of any sort to speak of.

Session Report: The Black Tablet - To Dalton's Camp

Over the next few days the heroes meet again with Vardigas and tell him of their meeting with Lady Caer. Vardigas refuses to meet with her; he doesn't like her and doesn't trust her. They tell him that they believe she will use violence to achieve her ends and that if they bring the Black Tablet to him she will likely kill him to get it for herself.

Vardigas determines to meet with some of the other village elders to make arrangements for his own protection. Matters seem to be well in hand and the party decides to set out to find the Tablet. Vardigas advises them to meet Kharas Fireaxe, one of the leaders of the Mining Consortium of Dalton, to see if they can get information about the location of the temple.

In the meantime, Ighttor Branloth seeks out Ekemon in an effort to win him over to Lady Caer's cause. Ekemon doesn't want to betray his friends, but he feels somehow compelled to help his fellow tieflings. Ighttor tells him that Lady Caer will pay him half of the reward for the Black Tablet up front and that if he returns it to her she will see to it that he is well taken care of. Ekemon resists the temptation and Ighttor leaves with a final admonishment, "Don't forget your true blood, Brother."

The heroes prepare for their journey to Dalton's Camp. On the morning of their departure Ekemon finds on a table in the front room of his home a cloth sack with 60 gold coins in it and a note: "Remember your true loyalties - Brother." Ekemon hides most of the gold in his home, but takes five for himself and gives ten gold to Gerry Woodcote at the Temple of the Sun. He asks Gerry to keep the donation secret.

Trek to Dalton's Camp

The party sets out on the Road to Dalton. The journey takes about seven days on foot and is mostly uneventful . . . mostly. On the third day out from Berador a band of goblins of the Blackblade tribe attacks the heroes on the road. The goblins take the upper hand for a bit, but the strength and power of the heroes wins the day. The last few standing goblins attempt to flee after their leaders fall, but the heroes chase them down and destroy them. The heroes identify the goblins as members of the Blackblade tribe by the badges worn by the two leaders of the goblin band. This tribe has long been a threat in the area, but it has been some years since they openly attacked anyone this close to Berador. They find that one of the goblin leaders wears a magical cloak (cloak of resistance +1) which Mizuni takes for his own.

Kharas Fireaxe

On reaching Dalton's Camp the heroes immediately make for the Mining Consortium offices where they meet Kharas Fireaxe, a cousin of Bracken Fireaxe. He listens impatiently to their tale and their plan to liberate the Black Tablet from the dwarf temple. He offers them a map to the location of the temple, advises them to watch out for more goblins and asks them to return to him two dwarf statuettes of Moradin that he believes are in the temple. He offers them a reward of 20 gold and a amethyst worth 100 gold for bringing him the statuettes.

The heroes stay a day or so in Dalton and then get ready to set out to the temple.

Session Discussion: Skill Challenges

So, it didn't quite go as planned. While I thought I had clever plans for use of skill challenges in the negotiations with Vardigas and Lady Caer, it didn't work out as well as I would have liked.

The missing piece, I think, was that I didn't make it clear that this is a skill challenge and here are your goals. I actually had laid out specific skills, DCs and results for success or failure. What I didn't have was a good way to convey that information to the players without just flatly stating, "You should make a diplomacy check to try to win the Lady Caer's favor and trust and she will tell you more." I'll work on that in the future.

Overall, I'm pleased with the progress we made. We played for a bit under four hours and we got through one combat encounter and three skill challenges and a farily good amount of role-play, introduction and information gathering.

The combat dragged a bit longer that I would have preferred, and for some reason seemed like it was just "tacked on" to the adventure, while it was in fact planned and has a purpose greater than just letting everyone roll dice and do damage. The combat was 900 xp, which is 150% of the xp for a normal encounter of six 1st level characters, but since I knew it was the only combat of the day, I wasn't worried about that.

Anyhow, so far, so good, or at least ok. Stay tuned for more recap of the first session.

Session Report: The Black Tablet - Introduction

Spring: a time of renewal, a time of celebration and a time of festival. It is a chilly, wet morning as the sun peeks over the mountains to the east. Thin streamers of fog fade away, but low-hanging clouds threaten rain throughout the morning. It is Spring Morning in Berador, a time of reverence and celebration. Villagers make a great work about the village green erecting tents, cooking up spring meals, and preparing for the Spring Morning festival. Gerry Woodcote makes his way among the people offering blessings and words of encouragement as they go about their muddy work. By noontime most of the clouds have cleared and the rain has let up. A stiff breeze blows in from the west setting children's kites to flight. Wholesome aromas drift from the cook pots and the villagers gather to a fine meal. Tam Rivers makes a spectacle of himself, just like every year, telling tales in his blustery way. Some of the village elders gather in small knots to discuss business or pleasure as is their wont. By mid afternoon the festival is well and truly underway. Games of chance and skill, drinking and eating, dancing and singing occupy the people's time. As if on cue a Traveling Carnival, the first since before the winter rolls into town. The combination of the Spring Morning festival and a Traveling Carnival brings more excitement to the tiny berg of Berador that the place has seen in years.

The Heroes

The heroes of the story are all long time residents of Berador and have been friends for many years. As the entire town has gathered for celebration, they each have a break from their normal labors and join the everyone else at the festival.

• Varrin: male elf cleric of Bahamut (Jon)
• Mizuni Umareru Feetskuttle: male halfling rogue (Michael)
• Ekemon: male tielfling warlord (Zach)
• Dorin Greyski: male human ranger (Matt)
• Bracken Fireaxe: male dwarf fighter (Josh)
• Katerin Liossa: female half-elf warlock (Rozanne)

The Job

A wizened, bent-backed figure makes his way toward you. Long, pointed ears poke out from behind a mass of stringy tangles of gray and white hair. He peers at you with cloudy gray over a pair of wire-rimmed spectacles perched on his long, bulbous nose. He wears a recently patched, but still rather ragged old cloak and leans heavily on a gnarled wooden staff. "Come, come, children, we must have words. It's very important," he waves to you with age-spotted hands, bent and twisted with age. He speaks in a high, melodious voice that shakes a bit with age "I may have a spot of work for you."

Everyone knows the ancient half-elf; he is Vardigas Asmos, a local seer and healer. The heroes agree to meet with him and head off to his home to speak privately.

You make your way into Vardigas's home. You've been here before, but it still amazes you to see the mass of books and trinkets and knickknacks littered about the place. A gold pocket watch rests on a workbench, forgotten among papers and candle drippings. A set of tiny carved stone men and beasts lie strewn among vials and inkpots and quills. Vardigas leads you to a sitting room with several deep comfortable chairs arrayed around a central coffee table. On the table are scrolls, books, a leather boot with a hole in the toe and an ancient tabby cat that's missing one ear. "Please, have a seat and I'll bring it to you." Vardigas makes his way up an iron spiral staircase situated in the corner of the room. In his absence you hear a rummaging in his "tower" above. A few minutes later he totters down the steps holding a book made of heavy dark leather. He flings aside the mess on the table, and the cat yowls in protest as it rushes out of the room. He lays the book on the table and opens it to some pages near the middle. "This is the Tome of Evronkeep. I bought it from Aldaleem Applecart some months ago. He was in with the last Traveling Carnival before winter. I have only recently managed to decipher part of it. You would be amazed at the work I had to – well, never mind that; you don't care." "My point is that I have found information that speaks of a relic of great power hidden in an abandoned dwarf temple in the White Mist Mountains. If my reading is correct the temple lies not far from Dalton's Camp. The relic, according to this Tome, holds the secret to a ritual of protection that will guard the whole village against any enemy. I want this relic. I can use this ritual to protect the people of Berador from the goblins and kobolds that raid here in the hard times. What do you say?" Looking over the book you can make no sense of the writing in it.

The heroes look over the book and question Vardigas about it at length. They discuss the matter among themselves and struggle to recall any information about the abandoned dwarf temple, the Tome of Evronkeep or this mysterious Black Tablet. They make little progress, but agree to set out as soon as possible to find and return with this relic that Vardigas might use to set a ward over the village.

They make their way back to the village green to rejoin the festival which will continue throughout the night.

The Counter Offer

A well-dressed, dark-skinned man approaches you. The great ram-like horns on his head and the long tail trailing behind him mark him instantly as a tiefling. His deep red eyes and dark hair mark him as one of the Branloth clan. You know him; he is Ighttor Branloth, one of Lady Caer's many grandsons. "If it please you, my friends, the Lady Caer would ask a word with you at your convenience. She has made arrangements for tomorrow evening and would very much wish to have you to dinner.”

They agree to meet with Lady Caer for dinner the next evening. They spend the rest of the evening and much of the early morning (or very late night) in the Spring Morning festival. A few hangovers, a fine breakfast and a rest during the day see them through to the early evening.

You arrive at the Branloth manor in the early evening. It is a cool and cloudy evening, a bit chilly for spring with a bit of fog rolling in from the Greywood to the north. At the outer gates two tieflings stand guard and nod you through without a word. A cobblestone path lined with precisely manicured hedges leads from the Road through a well-trimmed acre of yard dotted with pecan trees to the front porch of the manor house. Oil lamps light the path every twenty feet or so. The Branloth manor is a dash of old world luxury in the rustic fabric of Berador. The front of the house sports a wrap-around porch decorated with a handful of marble and stone statuettes, several potted plants of various sorts and a finely appointed set of outdoor chairs from which one could sit peacefully and bask in the serenity of the gorgeous landscape. As you move up the steps the front door opens and a tiefling dressed in the same livery as the front gate guards bids you welcome. He shows you in to a sitting room, where you find finger foods and fine wine laid out for you. "Please, make yourselves comfortable and feel free to have a bit of the refreshments. Dinner will be served within the hour, and your host will arrive shortly."

The adventurers take to the refreshments and await their host.

The door opens and a tall, elegant tiefling woman enters. Her blue-black hair is swept back and knotted tightly in a ponytail behind her head accentuating her long, angular facial features. Her near black eyes blaze with a bit of deep red or orange when they catch the light just right as if smoldering embers hide behind them. She wears a stylish purple robe and soft velvet slippers that whisper as they brush the floor. "Thank you ever so much for coming, my friends. I trust the food and drink pleases you?"

Dinner is served. A whole roasted pig with a full arrangement of vegetables, fruits, drinks of all sorts, salads and bread pours from the kitchens. It is an exceptionally fine meal and Lady Caer makes for a fine hostess. She spends the meal in small talk, discussing minor items of interest and carefully splitting her time evenly among her guests. She knows all of them and seems to know a little about their doings.

When eveyone has had their fill the servants take the remains of dinner and serve fine after dinner cordials, a delicate pie with a hint of lemon and coffee.

"Well, that was most pleasant, but now to business." Lady Caer looks over each of you in turn, measuring and weighing your worth. "I have it on good information that the sage Vardigas has sought you out to aid him in a quest." She pauses expectantly, "I trust that he told you there may be other interested parties?"

Somewhat taken aback by the tiefling's directness, the heroes are momentarily stunned. They then "get to business" as she says.

Lady Caer hints that the Black Tablet may serve a greater purpose than that which Vardigas understands. She wants it for herself and will indeed use it to lay a ward of protection on the village. Her manner, while polite and kindly, somehow puts the heroes off. They do not trust her and feel that she has some ulterior motive. They discuss the matter at some length, and she further reveals that she wants also Vardigas's book, the Tome of Evronkeep. She claims it is an ancient work from the early days of the tiefling empire.

Even though Lady Caer sweetens the pot the heroes have no interest in working for her. The offer of gold and a potion of healing is not enough to overcome their suspicion that she is up to something. They point out that if she and Vardigas both have the same goal of protecting the village, would it not be better if they worked together. Lady Caer is dismissive of the idea and of Vardigas. She has no confidence that the tottering old fool can handle the magic in the Tablet.

The heroes take their leave, agreeing to meet with Lady Caer and Vardigas together to discuss the matter and only then will they take action.

To be continued . . .

Ford: Town Guide and Recent History

The current year is 292 of the New Age. This date tracks from the Purge and the fall of the Oshland Empire. The events of the preview adventure, the Keep on the Shadowfell, happened seventy-five years ago. In that time a powerful evil force rose in the lands around the old keep and the town of Ford. King Mark Winland II sent a force to deal with the undead forces of Orcus, but he was unable to establish his hold on the lands. The people of Ford, grateful for deliverance from their enemies, had no desire to submit to a new king. Rather than force a fight among civilized people the king in Roth withdrew his troops from the region.

Over the years Ford has withdrawn from the world. What little trade that followed the old road through the town has turned to a minor trickle. Once each season or so an intrepid halfling band may make its way up the river from Berador to Ford, but as there is little to gain in trade with the backward town, these trips have become more scouting expiditions that actual merchanting.

Rumors claim that a cult of Orcus maintains a presence in the area, and that this cult works to isolate Ford from the rest of the world. While there is no hard evidence to support this belief, it persists among many people. It is a fact that some travelers venturing to Ford never return, and that inquiries yield little or no information about the missing people.

Ford

Population: 1,200; mostly human farmers around the outskirts of the town.

Government: Lord Paedrig II, an ancient human who has ruled the town and its environs for over fifty years since his father's death. Lord Paedrig keeps to himself and has little actual control over the events around town. As the place has sunk into a tiny farming community with little contact with other towns and villages his "rule" is not strictly necessary.

Defense: Ford sits atop a hill rising out of the forest and farmland in the area and has a tall stone wall circling the town proper. A tiny contingent of twenty men-at-arms serve as wall guards, police and patrol. They report directly to Lord Paedrig.

Inns/Taverns: Wrafton's Inn is the only public ale house and rooms for rent in the town. The place has been handed down for generations in the Wrafton family. It is a decrepit hole in the wall tavern with a dozen cramped rooms for rent to the rare traveler in town.

Trade: The people of Ford are mostly self-sufficient. What little surplus food they produce is stored in community grainaries. On rare occassions Lord Paedrig will draw some of the surplus for trade with the few merchants that make their way to Ford. He will purchase needed items and occassionally some luxury items for distribution to the people.

Supplies: Supplies are hard to come by in Ford. The handful of craftsmen are kept busy supplying the farmers and Lord Paedrig's guards. Some minor items can be found for trade, but weapons, armor and such are absolutely unavailable. Horses might be purchased from a farmer, but the cost would be extreme.

Temples: A single temple dedicated to Bahamut stands in the center of town. The townsfolk will whisper prayers to other gods in the temple on occassion, but the only organized services are led by an acolyte of Bahamut.

Session Report: Keep on the Shadowfell - Chapter Four

WARNING: spoilers for Keep on the Shadowfell abound in this post. Stop reading now if you plan to play this module.

Having cleared the second level of the dungeons under the ruins of Shadowfell Keep the heroes pressed onward. Delving deeper into the passages below they found a room with curious statues: a massive stone man wearing plate armor and wielding a greatsword, two dragons and four cherubs decorated an otherwise empty room. Venturing in they quickly triggered the traps! The great swordsman statue swung its weapon in a massive arc and knocked Berro to the ground. The rest of the party more cautiously charted a path around the statue and pelted it from range. A final shot from Moob dashed the statue into rubble on the floor.

In the deep south of the room Kahlashtar triggered the next trap in wide alcove cornered by the four cherub statues. A wall of force sprung up blocking him into the alcove as the cherubs began to pour water into the place. Once it reached about five feet deep it began to swirl in a great counterclockwise motion slamming the paladin into the statues. As this happened Moob used mage hand and great deal of direction from Rik to disable two of the statues. Kahlashtar managed to get a grip on one of the statues and topple it to the floor. The wall of force vanished and the water rushed out into the larger room, pushing the heroes across the way. Berro, again the target of a trap, fell too close to one of the dragon statues which blasted him with a wave for force and knocked him across the room.

The heroes licked their wounds and moved onward. In the next chamber they encounterd a horde of undead. Moob's blasts of fire, massive strikes from Kahlashtar, cleaving strikes from Berro and a well timed prayer on the part of Stadir felled the evil creatures, but not before the small clay construct that lurked in the place made a mad dash for a still deeper level.

Thinking it unwise to wander into the lower level with an enemy sentry ahead of them, the heroes checked one last passage on the second level that they had thus far avoided. It was nearly their undoing. A large gelatinous cube swept up more than half of the party and nearly destroyed them, but Kahlashtar's sword, Rik's dagger and a mighty blast of fire from Moob destroyed the thing. In the meantime, two creeping zombies ambushed Stadir. He managed to turn them and the heroes pursued and laid them low. Collecting their breath the heroes decided to call it a day and return on the morrow. They made the trek back to Ford uneventfully.

In Ford they learned from Lord Paedrig that the dead were walking in the nearby graveyard. A quick sweep of the place cleared it of the weak zombies and netted a bonus: they killed the elf ranger, Ninaran, who appears to have been a spy for a leader of the cult worshiping Orcus. The leader, Kalarel, was at work on some ritual beneath the ruins of Shadowfell Keep. The heroes determined to put a stop to his evil once and for all.

Setting out the next day they quickly entered the keep and made their way to the lower levels. Beneath the rotting room of undead they had dispatched the day before they found a temple with great streams of blood and a mass of enemies. The adventurers laid into the priest and his underlings with abandon. There was a mighty struggle for a bit as the evil priest landed wicked blows of necrotic energy and his minions fought with an unimagined bloodlust, but the heroes won the day . . . or did they? As the evil priest fell the sole remaining enemy, a creature of shadow, vanished from their midst with a cry, "I must warn the master!."

Having mistaken the underpriest for the true leader, the heroes bravely pressed onward. In the center of the temple was a pit into which streams of blood flowed. Chains slick with gore descended into the depths below. The heroes plunged downwards, some literally, who slipped on the chains and fell into a deep pool of blood.

The priest of Orcus, Kalarel, and his underlings launched an immediate attack. Two skeletal warriors and the priest laid Khalashtar low while a dark wight immobilized Mizz. The heroes moved to Khalashtar's aid, got him on his feet and began the counter attack. Things seemed to be going quite well. The evil priest, bloodied and fleeing, made his way towards the dark portal in the north of the room. Stadir called on the power of his diety to turn the skeletons away while the warriors knocked Karlarel to the ground a surrounded him. That was when things turned.

The dark wight, no longer content with pelting the heroes from a distance raced across the room with unholy speed and revealed its horrid visage. Terrified of this evil being the heroes dropped their guard and fled away from it. That was the chance that Kalarel needed. Leaping to his feet he raced to the unholy circle in front of the portal to the Shadowfell where his defenses were stronger and the unholy energy infused him and his followers with power. The skeletal warriors, recovered from the power unleashed by Stadir pressed foward. The heroes made their way to the unholy circle of power.

Again the dark wight faced the heroes and its twisted, demonic heritage struck them with terror. They raced away . . . towards the dark portal. A great groping hand lashed out and seized Kahlashtar, pulling him into the void. The skeletons, the wight and the priest then concentrated their efforts on single enemies until each fell or was forced through the portal to feed the hungry beast that waited beyond.

Finally, only Moob and Stadir standing, they turned to flee. The skeletal warriors flanked Stadir and cut him down in the pool of blood. Moob managed to make it to the chains and begin his ascent, but a final bolt of dark energy from the evil priest struck him down and he fell to his doom.

The heroes failed to stop the dark priest of Orcus in his unholy rite. What evil will he unleash on the world? What will become of Ford and the surrounding area? The Oshland Empire has long since crumbled, and no army awaits the undead that will surely flow from the Shadowfell this time. Who will avenge the fallen heroes and right these wrongs? Who will defend the people?

Who indeed . . .

Session Report: Keep on the Shadowfell - Chapter Three

WARNING: spoilers for Keep on the Shadowfell abound in this post. Stop reading now if you plan to play this module.

Having defeated the goblins in the upper level under the ruins of Shadowfell Keep the heroes set off to find what's going on farther underground. They freed a goblin prisoner who told them to watch out for undead and a human who was running things as well as hobgoblin soldiers.

Heading for the lower levels the party met with a pack of zombies. Initially things went very well, but when another group of zombies showed up from behind the wizard things looked grim. Stadir's ability to turn undead saved the day.

They then ventured further south into a crypt. The crypt held numerous sarcophogi with symbols of Bahamut on them. As they made their way down the hall the coffins opened up and skeletons sprang forth. The skeletons fell quickly to the heroes, but more continued to pour out of the sarcophogi. After two such waves of skeletons, Kahlashtar moved to an altar of Bahamut and offered a prayer. No more skeletons attacked after that.

Venturing deeper into the tomb they found a single coffin resting on a raised dais. Inspecting the place Moob discovered that it was the resting place of Sir Keegan, the last commander of the keep. As the heroes turned to leave the place the coffin burst open and Sir Keegan demanded to know their business here! After some tense moments, the heroes managed to convince the skeletal warrior that their mission here matched Sir Keegan's goals. They will work to stop the cult of Orcus who has invaded the keep. Sir Keegan gives to Khalashtar his magical sword to aid him in his battles against evil.

North of where they met the zombies, the heroes find a maze with numerous fear ward traps. After triggering several of them, they manage to find a way through the place. Rik finds a secret door in one corner of the maze behind which they find an armory guarded by zombies. A fierce battle ends with the zombies lying in a heap and the heroes looking over the contents of the armory. A magical voice speaks to them and asks a riddle. Without a moment's hesitation Stadir answers the riddle correctly and the heroes receive a magical suit of scale armor as reward.

A long flight of steps downward takes the heroes into the hobgoblin domains. They fight a long and fierce battle against a large band of hobgoblins and their spider pet. It was a tough battle, but the heroes prevail. They decide to take a rest from battles and return to the hidden armory room where they rest overnight.

Venturing back into the hobgoblin domain they find the entry room where they fought the first hobgoblins fortified. A mass of hobgoblins hides behind tables and other gear and pelts them with arrows as they make their way down. The heroes win another hard fought victory.

Continuing onward they make their way to the hobgoblin warchief's chambers. Their they fight the warchief and his minions. The fight goes poorly for Mizz who the warchief seems to take a particular disliking to, but otherwise things work out well. Afterwards the heroes loot the place and recover a mass of gold and a magical short sword.

Well ready for more adventuring the heroes prepare to make their way past the hobgoblin domain and to whatever horrors wait below near the Shadowrift . . .

XP Earned: eh, I don't remember; you're all 3rd level
Loot: a goodly amount of gold and Sir Keegan's +1 longsword called Aecris, a +1 vicious short sword and a suit of +1 blackiron scale armor.

Wonders of the World

The civilized peoples of Greyshad have founded great empires and kingdoms over the centuries. Some of these empires rose to magnificent heights of power that few today can imagine. In those times of wonder and greatness people constructed marvels that stand today long after the empires that gave them birth have fallen to ruin.

The Black Temple of Bael Turath

In ancient times the humans of the continent-spanning empire called Bael Turath sought alliances with dark powers to further their own conquest of the World. They made dark pacts with rebellious devils who would use them to bring down their lord, Asmodeus. From the dark rituals and unholy unions was born the tiefling race.

The tieflings constructed The Black Temple, a twisted and horrifying edifice, on the site where they performed their original rites. The fall of Bael Turath after the war with the dragonborn nation of Arkhosia wrought destruction throughout the tiefling empire. Rumors persist that the Black Temple still stands in the desolation of the fallen capital, and that within its walls great secrets and powerful magic await those hardy enough to brave the dangers of the temple.

Draconis

The dragonborn once held a great empire called Arkhosia. Arkhosia fell to ruin after its long war with the tiefling empire, Bael Turath. While most of the works of the dragonborn are long lost, ancient myths speak of the great momument called Draconis.

Draconis is a massive, lifelike statue of a dragon standing over 300 feet tall in the heart of the devastated capital of Arkhosia. Some claim that the statue is no statue at all, but is actually a colossal dragon of untold age who has slept for centuries. Further stories, whispered by some of the more wistful of dragonborn, claim that this great dragon will awaken some day and that at that time it will lead the dragonborn to their rightful place of dominion over the World.

The Great Pyramid of Thunas Shulael in Thalrabia

The desert nomads of Thalrabia once revered god-kings who walked among them. The first and greatest of the god-kings was Thunas Shulael who commanded his people to construct a great pryamid to hold his earthly remains when he ascended to the heavens. The slaves and people of Thalrabia labored for decades to complete the 500 foot tall structure and buried Thunas Shulael's deep within its most secret chambers after his death.

For over a century the god-kings continued to rule the people of Thalrabia and as each ascended to the heavens the people interred them with past god-kings. While the Thalrabian Empire has long collapsed, and the god-kings have left the people, this monument to their greatness stands to this day as the largest single construction in the World. Untold treasures and secrets are buried deep within its chambers. Untold numbers of would-be grave robbers have entered it and not lived to tell of the wonders or horrors they saw.

Rhakorarl

In ancient days, after Moradin freed the dwarfs from the giants who enslaved them, the dwarfs gathered in a great kingdom somewhere in the White Mist Mountains. For several hundred years they lived, worshipped and traded from their orignal city of Rhakorarl.

Over the centuries the city grew to enormous size. Its massive gates, built into the side of the mountain, are said to stand over 30 feet tall and are enchanted to prevent enemies from entering. The streets and highways of Rhakorarl burrow miles deep into the mountain where once over 30,000 dwarfs and their fellows lived.

The city is lost now. Giants, seeking vengeance on the dwarfs of old, attacked with aid from some force of the Underdark. The dwarfs fled the city when the battle was lost. They have since spent their lives, for generations, wandering the world. The dwarfs establish cities and kingdoms from time to time, and some of those kingdoms may stand for a few hundred years, but they are all pale imitations of Rhakorarl which the dwarfs hope to find and restore one day.

The Silver Tower of High Sorcery in Kray City

At the height of the Oshland Empire the greatest wizards of the world called the capital of the empire, Kray City, home. Here they built a tower which served as their college and fortress. For over two centuries The Silver Tower of High Sorcery stood as a beacon of learning and high magic in the world.

The Great Slaughter of Kray City and the Purge ended the Tower's dominance of magic. While the Tower still stands as a shining finger pointing at the sky amidst the wreckage of Kray City, none who seek it can reach it. The crater and black pit at the heart of the city spews forth horrors from unknown realms that destroy any who approach.

The Water Gardens of Greymont

The savage barabarians of the Ice Forests of Grelmire have built a single, peculiar work of magnificent art that stands in stark juxtaposition to their warlike ways. Greymont is the closest thing to a city in the Ice Forests. It is a sacred and holy place of peace among the barbarians. Situated in its center are the Water Gardens of Greymont.

Ice sculptures, fountains and ever-blooming winter roses cover over an acre of land in an awe-inspiring arrangement. Paths crisscross the garden where the people of Grelmire may wander in the beauty of their Gardens. Most holy among these savage people are the druids called Keepers of the Garden who tend to the site and ensure its perpetual peace and beauty never fades.

The World Tree of the Silverine

In the early years, before the elves, eladrin and drow were sundered into distinct races, they reached through the veil the divides the Feywild from the World and planted the World Tree. They tended the sapling as it grew for over 2,000 years into the wonder that it is today. The World Tree stands some 1,500 feet tall and spreads its boughs over several square miles of land.

After the races split away, the elves of the Silverine Forest continued to tend to and revere the World Tree. Then the Terror came which drove all elves from the city of Elderon where the Tree stands. The elves claim the Tree must still live else all elves over the World would have died of sorrow. The Terror that haunts the Silverine also guards the Tree and none have seen it for over a thousand years.

The Greywood Wardens

The Greywood Wardens have protected the civilized people around Berador and the surrounding villages for generations. Their origin, forgotten by most in the mists of history, lies in the dark days shortly before the Purge.

The Oshland Empire, near the height of its power, had recently ended one of its endless wars with Palacia. During the war the king of Oshland had sent troops and a governor to Berador to establish his hold there and to enlist more soldiers for the war. The people of the area refused to serve in the army and fought against conscription. Having settled his business with Palacia, the king turned a vengeful eyes towards Berador and the villages in the area.

Soldiers of the Oshland Empire arrived en masse and slaughtered any who did not flee before them. A human woodsman and hunter, Tonrad Heniz, who knew the forests of the Greywood well, led many survivors and refugees into the forests. There he rounded up the few men willing and able to fight and spent many months fighting a guerrilla war against the Oshlander soldiers.

The Great Slaughter of Kray City and the Purge ended the Oshlander's conquest in the region. The Oshland Empire collapsed into ruin, and the soldiers, with no orders from the capital, turned to brigandage and rapine. Leaderless and orderless the soldiers fell before the combined wrath of the newly formed Greywood Wardens and the villagers who wanted their lands back.

Later the Greywood Wardens provided protection to travelers and farmers in the area and over the years they have become the de facto police force in the area. They patrol the roads from far south and west near North Roth up to Dalton's Camp in the north east. They follow the narrow tracks along the Blue Wash from Ford in the north and down to Treefall in the south. The vast majority of people in the area recognize a debt that can never be paid, and it's a rare household that cannot find a bed and warm meal for a Warden who stops by for the night.

Session Report: Keep on the Shadowfell - Chapter Two

WARNING: spoilers for Keep on the Shadowfell abound in this post. Stop reading now if you plan to play this module.

Having rescued Douven Staul from ruffians, the heroes return to Ford for a night of rest. The next morning they set out for the keep. They head east down the old dwarf trade highway. The road, little used in the last many years, is overgrown in places and the trees tower over it menacingly. Some miles and a couple of hours east of Ford they come to a narrow track the branches off of the main road to the south. According to their information this is where they will find the keep.

As they head down the track the woodland sounds fade and the area becomes deathly silent. They come to a clearing where lies the ruins of the old keep. In the clearing bare earth lies exposed to the sun. Not a single blade of grass grows in the area, and the fallen walls and towers of the keep look like the playthings of giants tossed aside. Someone or something has cleared a narrow trail through the wreckage to a hole in the ground in the center of the rubble. A set of stairs heads into the darkness below.

History

Moob recalls stories of old about the keep. Centuries ago a temple of great evil stood at this very spot. The temple guarded a rift to the Shadowfell. A cult dedicated to the Demon prince Orcus performed dark rituals to open the rift into a part of the Shadowfell controlled by Orcus. Hordes of fell undead poured forth from the rift and ravaged the land. For months the foul creatures slaughtered without mercy.

Eventually the king of the Oshland Empire sent a legion east to deal with the undead menace and to destroy the cult. After hard fought battles and many lives lost the men of Oshland prevailed. They drove the cultists underground and sealed the Rift. They built a mighty fortress, the Keep on the Shadowfell, over the site to guard it and prevent others from ever opening the Rift.

Some time later, still over two hundred years ago, the Oshland Empire collapsed during the Purge. No one knows exactly what happened, but the Keep on the Shadowfell was abandoned. Over time the place fell into ruin.

Into Darkness

From signs of footprints in the area the heroes discover that some creatures have entered the chambers underneath the old keep. What foul creatures wait beneath the earth, and what evil plans do these creatures have?

The party makes its way down into the ground. Rik sneaks ahead and scouts out the entry chamber. He comes on a large room with great pillars holding up the ceiling. On the far side of the room a lone goblin stands alert. Rik stealthily makes his way over to the goblin and plunges his dagger into the creature's back. The fight is on!

Other goblins approach from the south and east as the heroes charge in to Rik's side. Berro falls into a hidden pit in the center of the guard room and is set upon by a swarm of rats. Stadir quickly pulls Berro out of the pit and the heroes fight a running battle down the southern and eastern hallways. They make quick work of the goblins except one who escapes down a passage to the east.

The Excavation Site

After a quick rest the heroes follow after the fleeing goblin. Down some stairs and farther east they find him and some more of his comrades with guard drakes in a huge chamber that has been dug up.

A dramatic fight occurs as the heroes plough into the enemies. Things look grim as the pair of guard drakes corner Berro and bring him down. A bit of healing and luck gets him back on his feet. Mizz, Rik, and Kahlashtar leap off of the platform at the entry to the room and engage the goblins on the ground. Moob blasts a lot of them with fire. Within a minute or so the goblins and their pets are down.

A quick search of the place uncovers a bit of gold and silver coins, some mining tools and a dirt-encrusted +1 Symbol of Battle that is holy to Bahamut. Stadir takes the holy symbol to aid him in his battle prayers.

Maze of Caves

Heading back towards the entrance, the adventurers make a quick detour to the south, down some stairs and into some roughly hewn caverns. There they encounter a large pack of giant rats and a ghastly ochre jelly. The heroes down the rats with relative ease, but the oozing jelly nearly undoes them. It breaks off into two separate pieces and things look pretty bad. Some well-timed attacks and a masterful Lead the Attack by Mizz saves the day.

The heroes poke around for a bit, but abandon the area, and the keep entirely, after recovering from their wounds. They return to Ford to rest for the night and consider their plans.

The Goblin Chieftain

The next day they return to the keep. As they move into the entrance a goblin guard spies them and runs off to the west. Several of the heroes attack, but only Mizz can land a telling blow. The goblin escapes . . . but to where and to what end?

The heroes pursue can come to a long chamber with three doors going north, east and west. The quickly search what appears to be a trash heap to the west and then head east.

Rik attempts to sneak down the passage east, but he stumbles and alerts the goblin guards ahead. One of them calls out for aid and a fierce fight begins as nearly a dozen goblins, including their chief, Balgron the Fat, spill into the room.

Coordinated action and working together the heroes win the day, but not before Balgron and one of his lackeys runs off farther to the east and disappear. A search of the area turns up a locked chest which Rik manages to open. They recover several hundred gold coins and a +1 Magic Wand which Moob claims.

The Torture Chamber

A search of the chieftain's lair reveals a secret door that leads into a passage south. It makes a great loop back to the guard room. The heroes return to the room with three doors and make their way into a chamber of horrors. Evil torture devices, a massive fire pit and goblins fill the room.

Balgron, the goblin chief, several of his followers, and a big hobgoblin brute await them. Khalashtar and Berro guard the door as the rest of the heroes take shots at the goblins from behind them. Things begin to look pretty bad for the adventurers when Khalashtar falls to wounds from Balgron and the hobgoblin. A bit of healing and some mighty blows win the day. The goblins, including the great chief are slain.

The heroes search the place and discover a bit of gold and magical +1 Bloodcut Hide Armor on the hobgoblin. Mizz takes the armor and they split the gold.

Heading west the heroes find three cells. In one of the cells they find a goblin named Splug. He thanks them for saving him and shows them all about the goblin lair, which the heroes have already seen. He is most impressed with their skills and is gratious for them rescuing him. He tells them of the rats and the ooze in the maze and is further impressed when they tell him they killed the ooze.

Splug also tells the heroes of a man with dark hair, pale skin and pale eyes who came to Balgron and brought him here. The adventurers surmise that this man is a servant of some evil power, most probably Orcus. Splug says the goblins never go deeper into the caverns, but he warns them of undead and hobgoblins who protect and serve the human.

Session ends. We'll resume here next week as the heroes venture deeper into the caverns beneath the Keep on the Shadowfell.

XP Earned: 650 (level up!)
Loot: 175 gold each; +1 Symbol of Battle, +1 Magic Wand, +2 Bloodcut Hide Armor, Potion of Healing.