Session XXXVIII : The Lyrium Road Part I Report

General Summary

Arrival on the Road

Out of Character Discussion

By reading the session notes, Thijs discovers Oswald & John have paid for freeing some of the bullywugs he so desperately incorporated into the Night's Watch's army. Roel and Thijs keep bickering through the session as nicely summarised by:

The entry halls

The adventurers see a large basket of fire elevated to light the large entry cavern system in the distance. Upon approach they notice the flames give off a sleight greenish tint, upon which Nalan decides to climb up to the basket and investigate. He finds out the green tint comes from a dark-greenish tar which he unsuccessfully tries to extract from the fire source with his blade. The adventurers then find in old written blood the following text, signed by Brolof:

Beware beware, for beyond lies nothing but disaster and peril. All but the bravest heroes are to retreat and reconsider.

— Brolof

Unsure what this exactly means, the adventurers discuss on which road to proceed. Balin opts to go north-east, hoping to find the remains of Brolof the Rune Knight (#TotallyNotMetaGaming). The others however wish to take the most likely direct path to the Conflux Mountain and the party takes the north-western road instead.

The first sight of Darkspawn

Having traving travelled for roughly 8 hours, the adventurers decide to set up camp. John Doe takes 4 hours of watch so Nalan, the blind one in the dark, can take a full 8 hours of sleep. Balin Thornbow takes third watch and upon inspection of the cave system, notices it is a natural cave system. After their long rest, their spell slots and HP are replenished, with John successfully removing the Lyrium Craze haunting him.
They walk for another 2 hours when they discover large dragging marks on the floor. Upon further inspection, multiple footprints are found next to the dragging marks, all of different humanoid sizes. The dragging marks appear to be from a large beast being dragged across the ground, with the marks leading northward. The adventurers decide to take pursuit and take interest in a small "appendix" on their right-side, discovering a small cave-in occurred here. When they return to the main tunnel, they are met by an ambush of creatures non of them have encountered before : Darkspawn.

Leave non alive

The adventurers soon find out multiple of the darkspawn were hiding in the shadows, waiting on their arrival. In total, 2 hurlock warriors, 2 Genlock bolters, 3 Shrieks, 1 hurlock alpha and 1 Genlock Alpha were there to finish the job.
Nalan decides to charge on them heads on, only to be flanked by 6 other darkspawn, with some of the shrieks targeting the ranged adventurers in the back. They manage to defeat the darkspawn barely, with Nalan clinging onto his life with 2 HP. When a hurlock bolter attempts to flee, Nalan takes pursuit. He manages to catch up to the hurlock through his tremendous endurance only to be shot to a deadly state by one of the hurlocks bolts. John luckily already followed after him and saved him from dying with his Healer's Kit. Nalan leans on John's shoulder on the way back, but decides to walk normal the final meters in the hope that the hobbit Oswald Fleetfeet doesn't find out he was defeated. Oswald's Insightful Eyes however left little to speculation and he quickly commended on Nalan's foolishness.

In Nalan's words how the encounter transpired.
The adventurers then turn to interrogating a captured hurlock warrior, who is not impressed by Balin's torture techniques. A terror within the hurlock's eyes is however renewed when Nalan Critically Succeeds through smashing the hurlock's arms. He spills they come from further up the tunnel network, where the light guides them to the breeding pits, their fortress. Having heard enough, Nalan smashes the hurlock's head into his chest. They then take a hour of Short Rest before continuing their travels.

The caves of Terror

Travelling onwards for another 4 hours, the adventurers find themselves at a crossroads. John & Oswald wish to take the most-probable direct path to the Conflux Mountain through the north-west, while Balin & Nalan favor following the darkspawn's tracks up nort/north-east. Through Rollies it is decided the darkspawn tracks shall be pursued.
Travelling another 4 hours, the adventurers find themselves at a large clearing with large spikes of lyrium to the west, clear signs of a grick-cavern to the east and a small tunnel leading up north. The adventurers take interest in the the lyrium spikes and decide to approach stealthily. They hear a faint conversation in the distance, likely in infernal. Upon getting closer they discover a floating darkspawn is talking with a very tall green-spiked creature, likely a demon. Getting even closer, they find their minds at unease as another psychic presence attempts to enter theirs. All are able to shield their minds from the psychic presence, though the party sees a terrifying vision of Nalan looking at innocent elves being burnt at the stake.
This causes John & Oswald to reconsider, now being in favor of leaving the demon & darkspawn alone and continue their travel up north, while Balin & Nalan wish to fight the two. Rollies decides in favor of Oswald & John and as they start walking away, they see a small spiderling like creature rapidly crawling its way to them. Unsure how to proceed, Balin kills it with one shot of his crossbow. The green-spiked demon in the distance then releases a powerful scream, throwing Nalan to his knees with his hands covering his ears. His Critical Failure however ensures the demon now gets a better grasp on him, as Nalan screams in pain.

Road travelled

Campaign

The Island of Runaar

Protagonists

Nalan

Oswald Fleetfeet

TN halfling(gnome) (cloistered scholar)
wizard 5

26 / 26 HP

STR
8

DEX
15

CON
13

INT
19

WIS
16

CHA
10

John Doe

Lawful Neutral Wood Elf (Inheritor)
Ranger 6

63 / 63 HP

STR
9

DEX
18

CON
14

INT
18

WIS
16

CHA
13

Report Date

02 Feb 2022