Campaign Session #11 Recap

Previously on Roll Slayer:

 After much effort, Vim Populi finally faced off against Glass. However, Glass brought his own gang to the party. Included were a Goliath, a Wizard and an Earth Elemental. Through the power of Makaria's Suggestion, Vim Populi were able to get the Wizard to fight with them for a time, ultimately defeating Glass. Only for him to slip away with the help of his earth elemental friend and the now disenchanted Wizard to flee.

And so the Adventure Continues...

Our heroes recouped a bit after our heroes fight with Glass. They checked on the Goliath, who was left behind. He eventually woke up, albeit wounded. After coming to his senses, Vim Populi began to question him, but a problem arose. Enlee’s animal call worked. Stampede incoming.

Luckily, they were all able to get out of the way in time, with no one taking damage. The Goliath (Gor’Lead) tells them he needs our heroes help. He picks up a letter left behind from when the Earth Elemental escaped with Glass. As the letter read, Glass was writing to his wife, who had been captured by the Cult of Storms, in order to coerce Glass into assisting them in destroying the mines. He was writing to her promising that he would come after her, and destroy the Cult of Storms.

As it turns out (Gor’lead explained) that Glass attacked them in order to see if our heroes heroes were able to help him. He needed someone with skill enough to help him break out his wife in the keep that the Cult of Storms was keeping her. Kira (the wizard who Makaria enchanted against Glass) was one of the Cult of Storms, was sent along to make sure Glass was not working against them, but the Earth Elemental was with Glass. Because of Kira’s presence, Glass was unable to tell them of the true situation.

His plan did not go the way he thought it would, leading to his near death at our heroes heroes hands. They asked Gor’lead if Glass had a way to contact him assuming he was still alive, and he let them know if they were ever separated Glass would contact him via a Sending Spell. He also let Vim Populi know that he promised them if Glass was dead he would try to kill them.

The group decided to follow Gor’lead to the keep where Glass’ wife was being held in order to mount a rescue. Estinien, Thoril, and Makaria decide to return to Easnoth to assist in rebuilding.

Gor’lead lead them to a village made almost totally of wood to resupply. Vim Populi shopped around, not finding anything of major interest. Ruk went to the tavern, and drank something similar to battery acid, which caused acid damage to his stomach.

After a bit of shopping, Vim Populi noticed a ruckus on the border of the town. Vim Populi walked over as a group to notice a large crowd of people with pitchforks and torches having a standoff with a very old human Druid who was accompanied by 8 massive direwolves. He told the people that his deal would no longer be broken and shot a fireball at one of the wooden homes, and set it alight. Valimir stepped out to attempt to mediate. While talking to both groups the Druid kept setting homes on fire

After hearing them out, it turns out that the king made a deal with the Druid to allow his people to settle in the Druid’s grove, on the condition for every tree they cut down, they planted a new one. The people ignored this rule for 18 months, angering the Druid, thus causing his meltdown. He did not want to hurt them, but he considered their homes forfeit, and they were free to leave. Of course, they didn’t want to leave their homes. Both Valimir and Enlee tried to dissolve the situation, but to no avail. A fight very nearly broke out. Enlee rolled a Nat 20 deception to make the people of the town think she would fight with the Druid, which slowed the step of the townspeople.

Vim Populi made the suggestion that the people be allowed to continue leaving on their homes, and the condition that for the next 2 years they plant 3 trees for every tree they chop down. Both sides agreed to this, but the Druid warned against further infractions and he would not hesitate to attack next time.
After this, Vim Populi moved on for several hours, and made camp (Vim Populi are still about 2 Days south of the keep Vim Populi are traveling to). The group decided to take a long rest and eat rations, as Vim Populi are now required one per day. Valimir shot a squirrel and ate it in lieu of rations, and apparently Vim Populi are still in the grove of the Druid, as Valimir hears “a life for a life”. Enlee decided to help by placing an acorn and using Druid craft to facilitate it’s growth, making Valimir a little better! He also planted a tree.

...So, Our heroes continue their trek to the stronghold of the Cult of Storms. Will they be able to save Glass's wife? What will Estinien, Thoril and Makaria do in Eastnoth? Will they be able to rejoin the group in time to help with the rescue?

Find out next time on... ROLL SLAYERS

Campaign Session #2 Recap

Previously of Roll Slayers:

Thoril the Learned of the Enlightened Reserve here recalls his first meeting with his future Allies in a tavern known as the Burning Tree Inn. The group found themselves fighting a band of bandits and nearly burning the tavern to the ground.

 And so the Adventure continues...

Thoril's Journal Entry #2:

 

Unfortunately, the guards spotted us. Worried that they would believe us the arsonist (not completely untrue, as Varis did ignite one of the tables with a flaming arrow) I came up with a cunning plan.

“GUARDS!! HELP!! FIRE!!” I cried out before following Varis, who was already fleeing.

The city guard did not fall for my clever ruse and gave chase. We did manage to slip past the gate guards before they could stop, but we never did shake the guards that saw us exit the burning tavern.

Knowing this, Kev turned to face them, believing he could talk way out of this one. I joined him thinking the same.… the guards… were not what you would call… knowledgeable. Not only had they never seen a halfling before, they also acted like they had never heard of the Enlightened Reserve. Only the largest archive of knowledge on the sphere.

Luckily, Valimir emerged from the woods, brandishing his Lieutenant rank. A rank the seemed to respect somewhat. “Is it a crime to run away from a fire?” He quipped, “Do we need to get the General out here for this?”

And with that, the guards left us to our business. However, upon rejoining the group, I notice two new members had joined our ranks. Estinien, Another Wood-elf, but this one was a paladin. Makaria, At first I thought she was an unassuming human, but that illusion dropped to reveal a tiefling. An arcane caster no doubt.

They had also been fleeing the guards (at the time, I didn’t know for what) and decided to merge our two bands of adventurers. We saw no reason to refuse them entry into our group. They may prove useful.

…

We keep the two bandits separate so they couldn’t talk to each other. The one who didn’t start a fire was the first to wake up. Considering he would be less inclined to speak to an individual who was just trying to kill him, we let Estinien take the lead. The young lad was just doing it for the money, and did have any information for us.

The other Bandit knew a bit much. Valimir and Makaria took care of this interrogation. During the interrogation, Varis circled around the hostage, firing arrows at his feet, making it seem as though he was surrounded on all sides. That got him talking. He told us of a man named Bola, who was after Gundren and paid the bandits to track him down. He wasn’t very talkative after that. So, we decided to leave to the city guard in the morning.

So I began to set up my bedroll, When Estinien called our attention to some strange creatures moving about in the trees. Varis called out to them in a tongue, I did not take the time to learn.

Suddenly the camp was shrouded in a Magical Darkness, that I’m told not even our elven or tiefling allies could see though with their special eyes.

Moments passed before I could get a point of reference, I heard Varis call out to us from the border of the darkness. Then Valimir from another point. Then Makaria and Kev as they struggled with one of the creatures.

That’s when I heard one. Maybe a step or two from me. Just on the ground, almost as if waiting for something to get closer. I was happy to obliged, but had my quarterstaff at the ready. I stepped in and swung wild. I felt my staff connect to the beast with a crack. I ran toward where the beast fell to find it dead and a section of the magical darkness dissipated.

With one wounded, the screams of one of the hostages, and Enlee’s Faerie Fire, We quickly eliminated the three we saw before the darkness fell. However, A section of the camp was still shrouded in darkness. Having not had a chance to rest yet since the tavern brawl, Enlee’s Druidic focus was drained and she could not cast Faerie Fire a second time. Makaria tried casting Dancing Lights into the darkness, but it simply gave us a reference point within the darkness and did not illuminate our foe. I ran around the darkness, trying to put the beast between me and the arcane orbs of light, blindly throwing darts into the void of black.

But then, Valimir heard the beast in a tree within the darkness. Firing an arrow, first hitting the woods of the tree, his next shot found its mark and knocked the beast to the ground, wounded but not dead. Seizing the moment I leaped into the darkness where I had heard the thud of the fallen creature. With all my force behind it, my quarterstaff came down on the foe with a snap, dispelling the inky blackness around me. 

I then realized what we were fighting. Cloakers,not a particularly threatening creature, but still an annoyance that had to be dealt with. After that, rest was well deserved.

Campaign Session #1 Recap

From the Journal of Thoril of The Learned
We met in the town of Pelagiad at The Burning Tree Inn. Six people gathered around a table. Varis, a wood-elf, wearing the clothes of a rogue, but carries himself with something more noble. Valimir, “Hero” of the Woodland Realm, another Wood-Elf but one with the mettle of a soldier. Enlee, A drow, carrying in her eyes the look of someone who had seen an unspeakable horror. The dragonborn, I think he said his name was Kev something, a holy man from the look of him. Of course, there was me, Thoril of the Learned, Keepers of the Enlightened Reserve. Monk and Scholar.

Then there was our host, A dwarf by the name of Gundren. He was looking for bodies to escort a shipment of Mining supplies to the nearby town of Easnoth. Seems pretty simple job for this much muscle. I imagine there must be having problems with raiders in this region.

After our meeting, I walked over to two dwarves in the back. Having little opportunity to use the Dwarven I had learned some time ago, I thought I could converse with them. Unfortunately, They were not in the mood to talk to me at all, Dwarven or otherwise. So I adjourned to my room for the night.

For my window I could look out onto the city below, right out front of the entrance to the Tavern. I look down to the streets and see Varis. He appeared to be stargazing. However, he wasn’t stargazing long, as a man rushed past him into the tavern, followed shortly by Gundren rushing out. It was an odd site to say the least, but I paid it no mind and return to my transcribing of the day’s events.

This would have to wait, for a commotion downstairs got my attention. Once I made it to the bar, the fighting had just started. Several men with torches had cleared out the tavern save for the group and and barkeep. Valimir had his bow trained on, what I assumed, was their leader. So, He was my goal. I got a couple of go hits in before being knock prone by a thrown table.

When I got up, I found the tavern in flames and the bandits either unconscious, frozen or gone. Kev approached me, laid his claws on me and, with a flash of heavenly light, healed my wounds.

“Time to go friend,” He said to me.

We each made our way out the door, before the city guard arrived on the scene. Knowing we were partly responsible for the fire. I left the barkeep a gold piece and apologized for the group.