Greetings. Welcome to the first session of /mlpol/'s first running of the classic third edition d&d campaign Red Hand Of Doom.
On this adventure, our heroes, currently three strong, will encounter dozens of trials that will test their strength, cunning, and friendship as they face an army of goblins.
If you'd like to join, there's still room for more in the party. Don't be shy to ask.
Our story begins in Elsir Vale, with our three heroes on the road to the town of Drellin’s Ferry. The three are seasoned adventurers, and exated heroes to boot. Having fought many battles together before, they are confident in their strength. Legend has it of a vast treasure in the Vault of Vraath Keep, hidden deep in the Witchwood; our heroes, have journeyed all this way to seize the vault for their own.
Despite that, they all have their own motivations to travel to Drellin's Ferry:
Sir Whiskers, a cunning and charismatic Tibbet Jester, is travelling to meet up with an old friend of his: Princess Princess Bagel Jennifurr Fluffykinz the fourth. He hasn't met his old friend since he was a kitten, and he's eager to meet with her again. She has arranged to meet up with him in Drellin's Ferry, and to accompany him on his adventure.
Sir Brozal, a mighty Orc Crusader of Pelor, has received a mission from a high-ranking Cleric of his order has received a powerful vision of war descending on Elsir Vale under the banner of a clawed red hand, and has sent Brolaz to the far reaches of Elsir Vale to avert impending disaster... Brozal isn't exactly sure if the vision was real, or if his master just wanted to get rid of him for the year, but he never turns down a good crusade.
Brother Chad, a wise and powerful Druid, has chosen to accompany his companions on their hunt for the lost treasure in the Witchwood. Sir Whiskers requested his aid because Chad is the most experienced woodsman he knows. Chad is wary of this region, for he's heard that it is ruled by a fierce and territorial Druid, but he embarks upon this jouney nonetheless, the secrets of the Witchwood too tempting to ignore.
...So tempting that he seems to have drifted off somewhere with his horse; probably fucking it again or something. Stupid hippie.
And so, let's begin:
>The afternoon sun beats down on you; the air is hot and still. The sparsely settled lands of Elsir Vale are starting to grow monotonous, with a seemingly endless line of dusty flyspecks of towns. The town of Drellin’s Ferry lies a few miles ahead of you. It’s a settlement hard on the borders of the Witchwood, and the best place from which to begin exploring the nearby forest.
This is the part where the players ask obvious questions that I thoughtlessly ignored in the first post, as well as implore about their surroundings.
1970 replies and 83 files omitted.
I will exit into the room with the beds and then begin smashing the floor up inside of that room, after that, I will enter the room with the double bed and smash the floors up in it.
>>136400Beside him is a gray Wizard, who has appeared to have zoned out on his horse...
Aral, you're free to roll any checks you'd like for relevant knowledge skills you have for now.
>>136402Okay, you step around the campfire, and spend a good 15 minutes ruining a perfectly good floor.
Aside from the sack of coins that Whiskers
>the room with the double bed and smash the floorsI'll warn you that if you do that, you'll smash through the floor into the room beneath it, that you didn't mention searching/smashing.
Would you like to ransack the lower floor of the tower first? It's the room that the Bugbear came out of.
>>136403*aside from the sack of coins that whisker's found, you don't find anything hidden in this room.
Oh wait, I fucked up. I see now.
>>136403I will not smash the floor in the room with the double bed.
>>136403Knowledge (geography) to determine what notable town/cities/forts are in the vicinity, and anything related to where goblins around these parts might be found, based purely on knowledge about abandoned forts or caverns.
[1d20+20 = 39] I'll play later in a bit, how long is this session going to be? Or how long is it running for?
Okay, from Brozal's perspective:
This circular chamber has been outfitted with a mix of furniture, including a large desk, an overstuffed chair, a massive four-poster bed, and a large easel that holds a sizable canvas covered with a sheet. A flight of stairs arcs up along the south wall to the upper floor, and a fair amount of rubble from a hole in the ceiling lies heaped on the base of these stairs.
And Brozal absolutely tears the place up, stomping the floor with his iron greaves, pushing over bookcases, flipping tables and chairs. At one point in a fit of orcish rage he lifts the king-sized, solid-oak bed over is head and smashes it down into the floor.
...
And plummets downwards as the floor caves-in beneath him...
Brozal takes 18 fall damage as he plummets 40 ft down into a shaft that Chad wasn't able find.
>>136407You know about Drellin's Ferry, a medium sized town settled on Elsir River.
You've also heard of Vraath Keep, an old castle with a tragic history, rumored to hold a legendary treasure. Recently you've heard of rumors of a legendary
The Witchwood is a savage area. Goblinoids scourge the woods on, but wat's more dangerous is the monsters that haunt the area. The giants in these parts are notoriously fearsome.
>>136409Not much has happened.
The Orc just pushed past you and hulk-smashed his way down into the floor. You hear a drawn-out roar before a sickening "oooomf" as the Crusader falls down the hidden shaft.
>>136407>>136410*you've heard rumors of supposed ghost sightings near the keep
Rhukk groans and takes a gander at his surroundings.
>>136412Perhaps it would be worth it to check out those rumored ghost sightings then. It is rarely actually ghosts, anyway. It might be some savages worth ridding the world of, and a good opportunity to get some loot to sell off in Drellin's Ferry. My Bag of Holding is practically empty, aside from the arrows I usually employ to acquire said loot.
I internally debate bringing this idea up to John.
After the dust settles, Brozal, at 4 HP, realizes that he's fallen into a secret room:
The walls of this small vault are of worked stone, the ceiling twelve feet overhead. The air is thick and smells stale and slightly smoky. Three alcoves have been cut into the walls, two to the north and one to the east. Each alcove is sealed by an iron gate and locked with chains and a large padlock. Beyond one alcove are several shelves bearing no less than ten small iron coffers. Beyond the second is a small desk and chair, the desk piled high with papers and books. Beyond the third sits a single large trunk.
A human skeleton lies slumped against the eastern alcove’s gate. Still dressed in tattered chainmail and feebly gripping a large sparkling scepter, the skeleton has a massive arrow protruding from its ribs.
>>136414Vraath Keep is only a couple hours away, and it's convieniently on the path to Drellin's Ferry.
By the way, it's about 7:00 AM.
>>136415I will tie fifty feet of rope to my trident's handle, and then YEET that shit up through the hole I made so that it either sticks into the ceiling above, or someone else is able to grab it. I say nothing because I have 4 HP and don't want to be horribly murdered by anything nearby.
>>136417I will loop the rope through the wand chamber/close the door of the wand chamber around the rope if that must be done.
>>136417There is a metal ladder right behind you. It looks easy enough to climb.
But if you insist on going big brain, roll a Str check to throw the trident 50 ft straight upwards into the stone ceiling...
>>136416I do bring it up to John. At this point, it is worth noting that Aral is not very eloquently spoken, and usually speaks in short sentences. He's very blunt about things, and doesn't do well in social situations that require any amount of tactfulness.
>Hey, you want to kill some "ghosts" or whatever they might be? They're on the way to town.(Btw, what else might they be?)
[1d20+12 = 26] - Knowledge (nature)
>>136417Rolled 13 on my str check.
>>136420Your skills as a Ranger let you know that this forrest is home to a tribe of bloodthirsty giants, swarms of ravenous Ettercaps, agile carnivorous plants, giant monstrous vermin, savage dire animals, and even Dryads who haunt the ancient trees.
There are also a greater deal of magical, less-natural monsters unknown to you in these woods, which would require an arcana check.
>>136421Nah.
I put away the rope after the failed attempt, and use the ladder to get back up. "Hey, I need some help over here! I found something!" I yell.
>>136409You want to help out Brozal?
>>136423You can call, but idk if anyone is present.
Oh wait, there's Jorr.
"Alright, I'm coming.. I know a thing or two about traps. The woodsman says."
>>136424The forrest is also home to various magical monsters, particularly worgs who've been semi-domesticated and thoroughbred by the savage goblinoids in the region. Territorial Girallons battle for dominance in the thick of the woods. There have been recent sightings of a manticore attacking merchants on the dawn way. Flocks of Stirges are occasionally seen flying over the forest.The Witchwood is also home to a number of trolls, supposedly including several of the infamous Tree Trolls.
At least one Gray Render makes the Witchwood its territory, based on the markings you'd seen along the old forest road.
Jorr climbs down the ladder quickly, and eventually calls up the ladder after a quick search of the room.
"No traps that I could tell. Looks like this was the family vault." He says to Brozal
>>136425Aral notices John's silence. He considers he might have actually entered a trance on horseback. Unbelievable. In an attempt to get his attention, he flaunts one of the wild ideas in his recent speculations.
To John:
>You know, it might actually be a Gray Render. >>136427Oh yeah, and Owlbears. I forgot about those guys. You can tell they're native to these parts.
Brozal taps his body with his trident and says, "Griltenfag". An aura of light surrounds him as his wounds begin to seal. Using a charge of my wand of minor vigor while resting in the top room.
>>136429You can't normally use wands, but whatever.. I'll put you at 15 HP from the wand charge.
I'm going to make you swap that for a healing belt later.
The iron gates appear locked.
>>136428What is the likelihood that they're actually ghosts though? And what else could live in those ruins that could be confused for ghosts?
Knowledge (dungeoneering)
[1d20+10 = 11] >>136430I climb back down and search the coffers.
>>136427You've never heard of ghosts in this region, but then again you've never seen a ghost before.
>>136432The body looks pretty swagged-up, but sure.
I'm going to assume you Mountain-Hammered through the vault gate to get to the coffers.
The coffers are fancy, each encrested with the Vraath Coat Of Arms (a stylized V). They appear to be locked.
>>136433I will wait for someone to come down and try lockpocking it.
>>136434I'll tell you now that nobody in this party took enough ranks in lockpicking to open these coffers.
Even Jorr, who is a rogue, doesn't have the skill to do so.
"Eh, it was never my style." The woodsman says, scratching his head.
>>136435Rhukk raises his fists above his head and widens his legs in a mock of the punishing stance before slamming his gauntlets down onto the coffers with mountain hammer. “RAAAAAGHHH!”
>>136436Oop forgot what character I was playing.
*Brolaz
[1d20+5 = 24] - Heal check to determine if John actually died on the horse, or is otherwise affected by an unusual state. It is worth to at least inspect him with a quick glance, considering his silence. He does seem to be guiding his horse though, so he's probably fine. Still, it never hurts to apply a healthy amount of paranoia in everyday life. Or so would Aral say.
>>136436Rhukk?
>>136437Ah
The first coffer is eventually busted open with Jorr's help, revealing a multitude of shiny metal coins (gold, silver and copper). The next five reveal even more coins. Three off the coffers contains several letters of credit, long since expired (there must be some happy (((bankers))) somewhere). The last appears to carry a single fancy scroll, sealed with a red ribbon and peppered with golden leaf.
"Ya reckon that's the deed to the castle?" Jorr implores
>>136438John is alive. I'm just not sure what to do without his player.
This is what I get for improvising to prepare content...
>>136439I take all of the goodies. “I figured it was a painting or something.”
>>136439In all, 2,500 sp, 2,100 gp, and 120 pp are kept in the coffers.
Oh wait, that's platinum, not copper.
And a fancy deed.
>>136441Brozal gathers it all up in a big, greedy shekel sack (pick related).
There are still two alcoves left. One has a skeleton in front of it, who's still wearing some fancy-looking stuff.
>>136442I check the alcoves and take the skeleton so I can bury it.
>>136443Want to loot the skeleton first? His gauntlets look pretty shiny, that weapon looks one of a kind too.
Brozal spends a few minutes hammering on the gate to the next alcove until it breaks.
It's full of books.
The third alcove contains only a single large trunk. The trunk is unlocked, and retains what appears to be various trophies kept by the last keeper of the vault.
It contains a fancy Chain Shirt that looks like mithril. A large skull with curling horns that may have belonged to a dragon, a string of two-dozen giant tusk-like teeth on a chain, an enormous Spiked Gauntlet fit for a giant, and a fancy-looking staff (magick?)
>>136444Nice Trips.
You scale down the ladder and find Brozal, his everburning torches illuminating the entire room. He appears to have found the vaults and broken all the locks and gates that got between him and the treasure.
There's a room full of books too, if you want to check that out.
>>136445Should i do a search check in the book room?
Should i heal bro with the wand?
>>136445I will loot the skelly first
>>136446Sure, you can heal him, if you want.
No roll is necessary to search the room. Unlike the books in the room above, these books are written in common. The books appear to be manuscripts and records of the keep's history.
>>136448I will heal him.
What can i do with the books other than read them? Are they worth anything?
Aral decides to close his eyes for a moment and focus a little to try and guess what wild critters are in the vicinity, along the side of the road. It is not quite meditation, but pretty close to it. It is just something he does to pass the time while traveling.
[1d20+9 = 26] - Listen check
>>136447The skelly's armor is mostly rusted away, except for the fancy gauntlets. In one hand lies a brilliant mace-like weapon that sparkles with bright motes of light. As Brozal picks it up, it grows with a soft light equivalent to that of a torch. The shaft is an ivory-like material, and the hilt is inlaid with gold.
>>136451Brozal gives the mace a good swing. He knocks one of the walls with a single strike from it(using mountain hammer ofc).