Session 1 Report - Under the Castle
General Summary
A notice was posted in the town of Millhollow, directing willing adventurers to the Duke's palace for an emergency job. Few details were provided on the notice, only the name Hodem Frostbelt, the Duke's right-hand man at the palace.
A motley crew of adventurers showed up asking for Frostbelt just hours after the notice was posted. The first to arrive was Thelonius "Stumpy" Handmaker a Halfling, a carpenter by trade, forced into adventuring through lack of work. Shortly after, a Gnomish wizard, Jebeddo Namfoodle Eldon Glim arrived at the palace alongside a shifter called Beryl. The last to arrive was Vanorin Naïlo, an elf who strolled up to the group just before a dwarf strode up to the gates of the palace and invited the four in.
As the group gathered inside the grand entryway, the dwarf introduced himself as Hodem Frostbelt, and explained the situation: During palace renovations the week previously, a hole into the palace cellar was uncovered and the palace wizard, Dorja Dunhollow was sent in to investigate. That was three days earlier, and Dorja still hadn't returned, hence the notice posting. Hodem explained that the palace would pay 200gp and rights to any treasure found in the tunnel, provided that they could find Dorja, and uncover the secrets below. The four adventurers agreed to take on the job together, splitting the reward between them for a better chance at surviving any potential dangers below.
After agreeing with the party on terms, Hodem led the newly-created party to the cellars, bringing along a Half-Orc carpenter to un-board the passage. As they walked through the snaking passageways, the Half-Orc explained how the tunnel was uncovered as a group of miners was excavating the cellar, and how he was brought in to add structural support to the area and board up the hole to keep whatever was inside concealed. As they reached the end of the cellar, the group entered the tunnel and began the hike into the dark, as the sound of a hammer rung out in the room behind them.
As the four traveled further into the tunnel, the passageway sloped gently down, and after half an hour of walking, the rough stone walls turned to carefully etched bricks before finally, a heavy wooden door blocked their path. Vanorin cracked the door and peered through, seeing an empty hall, with another door at the far end and a diverging passage to the side. As the group entered the hall and headed to the next door, Vanorin stumbled briefly, and as he recognized that the tripwire at his feet had broken he felt a dart pierce his upper-arm from a trap in the wall nearby. Undeterred, and with more careful movements, the group continued into the room beyond.
The room was empty here except for a pile of books and a pair of cabinets, together holding 6 sets of fine robes, each trimmed with a different color. As the rest of the group investigated the robes, Namfoodle dug through the books, finding just a few readable lines among the damaged and decaying pages, together seemingly describing a ritual designed to summon some sort of greater power, but missing much in the way of specific details. He shared this revelation with the group, and with a renewed sense of unease, each grabbed a robe from the cabinet and looked toward the next door.
This door, however, was locked in front of them. Vanorin tried to pick the lock, and Beryl tried to shove it open with the help of a crowbar, but to no avail. Admitting defeat, the party returned to the hall previous, carefully stepping over the tripwire on their way to the unexplored side passage.
Down this side passage, an ornate mural decorated the wall. As the wizard investigated the artwork, he pointed out the fear and terror on the faces of the figures represented, all running away from some unknowable power. Putting the thought aside in their heads, the group continued on to a metal gate hammered into the walls, floor, and ceiling with a gate inset. Beryl's efforts to force this gate open proved more effective than with the earlier door, and the group proceeds through the door and towards the room beyond.
What must have been a great hall stood in front of the group, long fallen into disrepair. Columns lay collapsed on the floor, and wooden furniture stuck out from underneath piles of stone rubble. Sneaking ahead of the rest, Beryl spotted a pair of Grick crawling around the chamber and directed the party to attack. Stumpy lept into action, stabbing through one of the Grick, and after a few moments of clumsy combat, Namfoodle finished both worms off. As the last Grick collapsed, the group began securing the room and hunkered down for a short rest to recuperate and bandage their wounds.
After an hour, the group rose and continued on through a door at the east side of the cavern, entering an opulently decorated chamber. Vanorin snuck ahead, sticking his head around a corner to see a river bisecting the chamber and a throne at the far end of the room, supporting a tall, thin, elf-like humanoid, staring directly at him. Knowing that continued stealth was useless, Vanorin spoke to the man, asking about Dorja's whereabouts, and what he was doing in the dungeon. While Vanorin distracted the man Namfoodle cast a spell of invisibility on the halfling, who snuck into the chamber ready for action. After a few moments of conversation, the man invited Vanorin to cross the river to find Dorja, and as the elf stepped across the bridge (followed closely by the invisible halfling), the stranger reached out to take Vanorin's hand.
In a flash, the group realized what was about to happen, as the man opened his mouth to reveal a set of fangs, biting down on Vanorin's neck. The halfling struck out at the vampire, and combat ensued. As the force of the party began to overwhelm the monster, he tried to flee down a back passageway, pursued by the group. Namfoodle again got the killing blow, as a trio of magic missiles took down the vampire, just feet away from the body of a young red-headed wizard, undoubtedly Dorja.
In the aftermath of the battle, Stumpy fashioned a stake from the clutter in the room previous, driving it through the vampire's heart and cutting off his head for good measure, much to the displeasure of Beryl. Vanorin searches the body of the wizard, long drained of blood, finding a quarterstaff and a spellbook embossed with the name "D. Dunhollow"
A motley crew of adventurers showed up asking for Frostbelt just hours after the notice was posted. The first to arrive was Thelonius "Stumpy" Handmaker a Halfling, a carpenter by trade, forced into adventuring through lack of work. Shortly after, a Gnomish wizard, Jebeddo Namfoodle Eldon Glim arrived at the palace alongside a shifter called Beryl. The last to arrive was Vanorin Naïlo, an elf who strolled up to the group just before a dwarf strode up to the gates of the palace and invited the four in.
As the group gathered inside the grand entryway, the dwarf introduced himself as Hodem Frostbelt, and explained the situation: During palace renovations the week previously, a hole into the palace cellar was uncovered and the palace wizard, Dorja Dunhollow was sent in to investigate. That was three days earlier, and Dorja still hadn't returned, hence the notice posting. Hodem explained that the palace would pay 200gp and rights to any treasure found in the tunnel, provided that they could find Dorja, and uncover the secrets below. The four adventurers agreed to take on the job together, splitting the reward between them for a better chance at surviving any potential dangers below.
After agreeing with the party on terms, Hodem led the newly-created party to the cellars, bringing along a Half-Orc carpenter to un-board the passage. As they walked through the snaking passageways, the Half-Orc explained how the tunnel was uncovered as a group of miners was excavating the cellar, and how he was brought in to add structural support to the area and board up the hole to keep whatever was inside concealed. As they reached the end of the cellar, the group entered the tunnel and began the hike into the dark, as the sound of a hammer rung out in the room behind them.
As the four traveled further into the tunnel, the passageway sloped gently down, and after half an hour of walking, the rough stone walls turned to carefully etched bricks before finally, a heavy wooden door blocked their path. Vanorin cracked the door and peered through, seeing an empty hall, with another door at the far end and a diverging passage to the side. As the group entered the hall and headed to the next door, Vanorin stumbled briefly, and as he recognized that the tripwire at his feet had broken he felt a dart pierce his upper-arm from a trap in the wall nearby. Undeterred, and with more careful movements, the group continued into the room beyond.
The room was empty here except for a pile of books and a pair of cabinets, together holding 6 sets of fine robes, each trimmed with a different color. As the rest of the group investigated the robes, Namfoodle dug through the books, finding just a few readable lines among the damaged and decaying pages, together seemingly describing a ritual designed to summon some sort of greater power, but missing much in the way of specific details. He shared this revelation with the group, and with a renewed sense of unease, each grabbed a robe from the cabinet and looked toward the next door.
This door, however, was locked in front of them. Vanorin tried to pick the lock, and Beryl tried to shove it open with the help of a crowbar, but to no avail. Admitting defeat, the party returned to the hall previous, carefully stepping over the tripwire on their way to the unexplored side passage.
Down this side passage, an ornate mural decorated the wall. As the wizard investigated the artwork, he pointed out the fear and terror on the faces of the figures represented, all running away from some unknowable power. Putting the thought aside in their heads, the group continued on to a metal gate hammered into the walls, floor, and ceiling with a gate inset. Beryl's efforts to force this gate open proved more effective than with the earlier door, and the group proceeds through the door and towards the room beyond.
What must have been a great hall stood in front of the group, long fallen into disrepair. Columns lay collapsed on the floor, and wooden furniture stuck out from underneath piles of stone rubble. Sneaking ahead of the rest, Beryl spotted a pair of Grick crawling around the chamber and directed the party to attack. Stumpy lept into action, stabbing through one of the Grick, and after a few moments of clumsy combat, Namfoodle finished both worms off. As the last Grick collapsed, the group began securing the room and hunkered down for a short rest to recuperate and bandage their wounds.
After an hour, the group rose and continued on through a door at the east side of the cavern, entering an opulently decorated chamber. Vanorin snuck ahead, sticking his head around a corner to see a river bisecting the chamber and a throne at the far end of the room, supporting a tall, thin, elf-like humanoid, staring directly at him. Knowing that continued stealth was useless, Vanorin spoke to the man, asking about Dorja's whereabouts, and what he was doing in the dungeon. While Vanorin distracted the man Namfoodle cast a spell of invisibility on the halfling, who snuck into the chamber ready for action. After a few moments of conversation, the man invited Vanorin to cross the river to find Dorja, and as the elf stepped across the bridge (followed closely by the invisible halfling), the stranger reached out to take Vanorin's hand.
In a flash, the group realized what was about to happen, as the man opened his mouth to reveal a set of fangs, biting down on Vanorin's neck. The halfling struck out at the vampire, and combat ensued. As the force of the party began to overwhelm the monster, he tried to flee down a back passageway, pursued by the group. Namfoodle again got the killing blow, as a trio of magic missiles took down the vampire, just feet away from the body of a young red-headed wizard, undoubtedly Dorja.
In the aftermath of the battle, Stumpy fashioned a stake from the clutter in the room previous, driving it through the vampire's heart and cutting off his head for good measure, much to the displeasure of Beryl. Vanorin searches the body of the wizard, long drained of blood, finding a quarterstaff and a spellbook embossed with the name "D. Dunhollow"
Rewards Granted
- Dorja's Quarterstaff
- Dorja's Spellbook
- The Vampire's Journal
- 6 Robes
Report Date
06 Feb 2021
Primary Location
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