Torrents of Dread I
Spoiler alert!
This entry details parts of the adventure Torrents of Dread by Greg A. Vaughan, published in Dungeon Magazine #114. Don't read it if you wish to play that module some day!
20/7/589 CY
Having spent the past week preparing for the excursion to the Isle, the characters were reunited with Sir Blake of Heironeous (h Pal8, played by Julian), who Talain had suggested accompany them to the isle. Finally everything was ready, and the character boarded the Indira, the caravel that Talain had hired to transport them.
The group was as follows:
Many weeks later, the party was approaching the end of their voyage when a storm blew up suddenly. Captain Burkhalter used all his skills to keep the Indira afloat, whilst the PCs sheltered below and kept out of the way. It seemed that the storm was most unnatural.
20/8/589 CY
Two days of being caught on the storm had severely damaged the Indira. Luckily for all, the Captain was able to find a small cover into which it could get some shelter from the storm. However, the ship was taking water and needed all the sailors' attention just to keep it afloat. A small native village could be seen on the shore, so the party was asked to travel there and barter for supplies to repair the ship.
Upon reaching the beach, the PCs were confronted with a Elamosaurus that had been beached by the storm. Although most of the party was in favour of letting it regain the water, Cassie forced the issue with some fireball spells; the combat was fairly one-sided with only Ulfgar sustaining damage. Karena healed the dwarf.
The village turned out to be known as Mora, and had been suffering greatly under the unnatural storm - which had been raging for over a week, according to the chief of the Boar clan. With the village's Zombie Master vanished and the matriarch of the village murdered, the villagers were in great need of aid. Although there was a thought that the characters just get the supplies and leave, it quickly became apparent that the Indira would not be able to get home without the storm ending. The party was stuck here for the time being.
Investigating the murder of the matriarch, the PCs discovered that she had been killed by a zombie, made up to look like a living man. Discovering that her murderer had been seen going to the pyramid of worship in the centre of the village, the PCs resolved to take their investigation there.
The pyramid was inhabited by strange humanoid frog-people, who were quite hostile to the PCs. Ulfgar and Blake made their way up the pyramid and engaged the frogmen, whilst the others hung back and cast spells and missiles. After a short while, the frogmen withdrew, but stayed just in sight of Ulfgar and Blake, so the party all had to climb the pyramid to participate. Little damage was taken by the party members, but they were unsure of what the frog-people were.
A shaft into the depths was discovered and descended by the group. After a long winding journey, they discovered a complex of underground tunnels, half-flooded by the storm overhead.
A challenge was presented by an intersection where many zombies had been half-buried in the floor and ceiling. Unusually, the zombies had their heads replaced by the totem creatures of the four clans: Ape, Sea-Turtle, Boar and Tiger. The group, wishing to respect the beliefs of the villagers, refrained from attacking the totem zombies, instead taking several hits before Blake used his Turn Undead ability to make them stay away from the PCs.
Past that area, they discovered several normal zombies that were easily dealt with, before entering a chamber which seemed to be the preparation chamber for the Ape Clan's totem zombies. A few totem zombies stood guard, and this time the party was not so reverential of the villagers' beliefs, slaying the zombies as the zombies attacked.
As they investigated the exits from that chamber, they were surprised by a Gelatinous Cube that had been attracted by their activities. Lukas and Cassie found themselves quickly engulfed and paralysed by the Cube. The rest of the party, retreating before the cube, continued to attack it to try to free their companions. Ulfgar was also engulfed, but his greater strength and fortitude allowed him to resist the paralysis and escape. Eventually, the Cube was destroyed, and Cassie and Lukas restored.
Some treasure - mainly magical potions - was recovered from a storage chamber, and then the group was once more surprised, this time by a Leechwalker! Lukas, who had been investigating something else, bore the brunt of its fury, and was pulled into its deadly embrace - he lost 6 Con from blood drain, reducing his max hp to 25! - but the party was successful in killing it before Lukas was utterly drained.
Finding another shaft, the party returned to the surface to tend their injuries. They had no magic to renew Lukas, and no way home - they'd have to be more careful on their next expedition into the caverns below.
This entry details parts of the adventure Torrents of Dread by Greg A. Vaughan, published in Dungeon Magazine #114. Don't read it if you wish to play that module some day!
20/7/589 CY
Having spent the past week preparing for the excursion to the Isle, the characters were reunited with Sir Blake of Heironeous (h Pal8, played by Julian), who Talain had suggested accompany them to the isle. Finally everything was ready, and the character boarded the Indira, the caravel that Talain had hired to transport them.
The group was as follows:
- Cassandra d'Felis - LN(E) human Sorceress 6/Mindbender 4
- Lukas Bowyer - NG human Ranger 2/Wizard 5/Eldritch Knight 3
- Sir Blake - LG human Paladin 8
- Ulfgar - LG dwarf Fighter 7/Dwarven Defender 2
- Savrai - CG human Psychic Warrior 5/Pyrokineticist 3
- Karena (Cassie's cohort) - N human Cleric 4/Fighter 3
Many weeks later, the party was approaching the end of their voyage when a storm blew up suddenly. Captain Burkhalter used all his skills to keep the Indira afloat, whilst the PCs sheltered below and kept out of the way. It seemed that the storm was most unnatural.
20/8/589 CY
Two days of being caught on the storm had severely damaged the Indira. Luckily for all, the Captain was able to find a small cover into which it could get some shelter from the storm. However, the ship was taking water and needed all the sailors' attention just to keep it afloat. A small native village could be seen on the shore, so the party was asked to travel there and barter for supplies to repair the ship.
Upon reaching the beach, the PCs were confronted with a Elamosaurus that had been beached by the storm. Although most of the party was in favour of letting it regain the water, Cassie forced the issue with some fireball spells; the combat was fairly one-sided with only Ulfgar sustaining damage. Karena healed the dwarf.
The village turned out to be known as Mora, and had been suffering greatly under the unnatural storm - which had been raging for over a week, according to the chief of the Boar clan. With the village's Zombie Master vanished and the matriarch of the village murdered, the villagers were in great need of aid. Although there was a thought that the characters just get the supplies and leave, it quickly became apparent that the Indira would not be able to get home without the storm ending. The party was stuck here for the time being.
Investigating the murder of the matriarch, the PCs discovered that she had been killed by a zombie, made up to look like a living man. Discovering that her murderer had been seen going to the pyramid of worship in the centre of the village, the PCs resolved to take their investigation there.
The pyramid was inhabited by strange humanoid frog-people, who were quite hostile to the PCs. Ulfgar and Blake made their way up the pyramid and engaged the frogmen, whilst the others hung back and cast spells and missiles. After a short while, the frogmen withdrew, but stayed just in sight of Ulfgar and Blake, so the party all had to climb the pyramid to participate. Little damage was taken by the party members, but they were unsure of what the frog-people were.
A shaft into the depths was discovered and descended by the group. After a long winding journey, they discovered a complex of underground tunnels, half-flooded by the storm overhead.
A challenge was presented by an intersection where many zombies had been half-buried in the floor and ceiling. Unusually, the zombies had their heads replaced by the totem creatures of the four clans: Ape, Sea-Turtle, Boar and Tiger. The group, wishing to respect the beliefs of the villagers, refrained from attacking the totem zombies, instead taking several hits before Blake used his Turn Undead ability to make them stay away from the PCs.
Past that area, they discovered several normal zombies that were easily dealt with, before entering a chamber which seemed to be the preparation chamber for the Ape Clan's totem zombies. A few totem zombies stood guard, and this time the party was not so reverential of the villagers' beliefs, slaying the zombies as the zombies attacked.
As they investigated the exits from that chamber, they were surprised by a Gelatinous Cube that had been attracted by their activities. Lukas and Cassie found themselves quickly engulfed and paralysed by the Cube. The rest of the party, retreating before the cube, continued to attack it to try to free their companions. Ulfgar was also engulfed, but his greater strength and fortitude allowed him to resist the paralysis and escape. Eventually, the Cube was destroyed, and Cassie and Lukas restored.
Some treasure - mainly magical potions - was recovered from a storage chamber, and then the group was once more surprised, this time by a Leechwalker! Lukas, who had been investigating something else, bore the brunt of its fury, and was pulled into its deadly embrace - he lost 6 Con from blood drain, reducing his max hp to 25! - but the party was successful in killing it before Lukas was utterly drained.
Finding another shaft, the party returned to the surface to tend their injuries. They had no magic to renew Lukas, and no way home - they'd have to be more careful on their next expedition into the caverns below.
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