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Cast of players and their characters for early group:-

• Bryce Palmer, playing Human Mage
• Glenn Waters, playing Eladrin Thief
• Matt Mawdsley, playing Dwarf Knight
• Daniel Creed, playing Goblin Paladin

As they hear the female voice call out for their surrender the newly arrived Goblin Paladin, Splug, decided to climb up the cavern wall to see who was speaking. He could just make out the tips of mailed feet overhanging a ledge some way above the opening his companions waited on. As he began to crest the ledge he tried to make a grab for the feet, which belonged to a drow with his mouth sewn shut. Unfortunately his luck ran out and he lost his grip on the cavern wall, tumbling towards the rocky floor below. The stoic dwarven fighter threw himself out into Splug’s path to control the fall (earning a moment of greatness), though both still landed heavily.

Looking up they saw the trio of drow begin to descend towards them, their weapons gleaming wickedly. The mage and rogue joined their companions in the cavern as battle was joined, and a fourth drow and large spider reinforced their enemies.

The fight was brutal, with the dwarven fighter taking over 100 points of damage! (another long awaited renown target achieved for Matt) but the final result was that the party were all down and out.

 Cast of players and their characters for later group:-

• Tilly Calow, playing Drow Hunter
• Chris Norris, playing Half Orc Warlord
• Tom Wright, playing Dwarf Sentinel
• Daniel Creed, playing Goblin Paladin (just didnt want to go home and we were thin on the ground

Splug once again tried to scale the walls but this time luck wasnt with him and neither was his dwarven safety net. A seventy foot fall onto a rocky surface spelled a swift end to the plucky goblin.

As the drow levitated down the Sentinel’s wolf took a couple of bites as they floated by. The hunter, sentinel and wolf quickly spread across the cavern floor, while the warlord “supervised” from the ledge. This tactic didnt last for long as the spider attacked from above and after leaping away, repeated the process later on.

The sentinel and his wolf came under furious assault from the drow armed with the swords and maul, while the hunter became the focus of the drow rogues pull and stab tecnique. The drow female used her venom ray against the warlord to minimal effect.

The hunter earnt a moment of greatness, managing to hit three of the drow in one attack and bloodying them in the process, unfortunately they then hammered the hunter into the ground, quickly followed by the sentinel.

The warlord backed away from the edge of the ledge, painfully aware that the way back wasnt an option and was soon surrounded and joined his companions in oblivion.

Having read this session before hand I had already thought in my mind that it was going to be brutal and with both groups short on numbers (due to players having personal commitments – how dare they! lol) I was expecting heavy casualties, but rather than weaken the encounter I decided to build in my own contingency plan.

At the end of each of this evenings sessions I told the “dead” players that their characters weren’t necessarily dead, and that the drow pulled the final blows, taking them captive. The players could keep the characters (coming back next session but with a 4-surge penalty – due to mistreatment by captors) and begin the game as prisoners of the drow, or create new characters with the 4-surge penalty and have the option of being a prisoner or newly arrived party reinforcements (losing the surges in the trials and tribulations arriving with the party).

Although both sessions ended in TPK’s both groups said that they had enjoyed it – I think it helps for the players to feel that once in a while the odds really are stacked against them and it adds that extra little bit of excitement.

 

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Cast of players and their characters for early group:-

• Bryce Palmer, playing Human Mage
• Glenn Waters, playing Eladrin Thief
• Me, playing Kobold Scout and Dming
• Adam Burgess, playing Drow Warpriest
• Lee Burgess, playing Drow Hexblade

Refreshed and revived the heroes continue through the drow tunnels, coming to a dead end with a large sculpted face of a dragon/demon mix, its eyes containing rolling flames and its huge maw open wide enough for a man to walk through, containing a silvery portal whose surface ripples like liquid.

As each hero stepped through they found themselves alone in a darkened chamber, faintly glowing words on the wall provided each of them a clue to how to pass Lolth’s test and progress through into the deeper realms. Most of the party passed with minor injuries but the mage suffered quite severe wounds before being dumped unceremoniously into a waiting cage. He was soon kept company as Skrit appeared in an adjacent cell.

They weren’t there for long before the remaining heroes appeared in the corridor outside the cells. The drow hexblade teleported into mages cell, intending to teleport the pair of them back out, but something prevented him doing so. The eladrin rogue soon spied the cleverly disguised locks and proceeded to spring the trapped members of the party free while the warpriest administered aid to the wounded.

The heroes then proceeded to the end of the tunnel and the entrance of an Underdark chamber leading onto a high ledge, as they climbed down to the cavern floor they heard a female voice call out for their surrender.

 Cast of players and their characters for later group:-

• Robert Cleale, playing Dragonborn Hexblade
• Chris Norris, playing Dwarf Knight
• Tom Wright, playing Dwarf Sentinel
• Simon Hunter, playing Human Mage
• Phill Norman, playing Elf Thief
• John Gray, playing Drow Hexblade
• Matt Mawdsley, playing Dwarf Knight

Refreshed and revived the heroes continue through the drow tunnels, coming to a dead end with a large sculpted face of a dragon/demon mix, its eyes containing rolling flames and its huge maw open wide enough for a man to walk through, containing a silvery portal whose surface ripples like liquid.

As each hero stepped through they found themselves alone in a darkened chamber, faintly glowing words on the wall provided each of them a clue to how to pass Lolth’s test and progress through into the deeper realms.

The individual heroes managed to pass the tests of Lolth without taking any serious damage, reappearing in the central corridor, after a brief discussion of their experiences they proceeded to the end of the tunnel and the entrance of an Underdark chamber leading onto a high ledge, as they climbed down to the cavern floor they heard a female voice call out for their surrender.

Both sessions were over relatively quickly this week as the skill challenges were particularly long, it would have been nicer to have more than just the four different challenges as the late group actually had 2 people go through each challenge, thus giving the second person an advantage – though not in Phill’s case, arriving late just as the others had finished  but still managed to blow the Test of Shadows away with awesome dice rolls. No photo’s this week as not really anything to take a picture of!

Cast of players and their characters for early group:-

• Bryce Palmer, playing Human Mage
• Glenn Waters, playing Eladrin Thief
• Daniel Creedy, playing Elf Mage
• Me, playing Kobold Scout

I scurried to Shadowdale as quick as I could, the nice pink-skin lady at the Temple of the sun god had asked me to go and help other heroes fend of drow raiders. When I got there they had already descended into tunnels under the weird shaped tower (how does that stay up?) but once I was underground I had the advantage and caught up quickly, just as two more people arrived by magic to help. Just in time too as we found the gates to the lower tunnels guarded by drow and their hateful goblin slave-soldiers.

The elf warrior spent much of the battle on the floor, but the mages called magically fire down on the ones in front of the gates while the nice warrior lady started pounding on the goblin protecting the drow crossbowmen.

The lady mage with the pointy ears foolishly rushed too close and got skewered by the crossbows, but her fallen body gave me a good hiding place while I got closer. (honestly I would have helped her if I could be i not know magics).

Warrior lady finally pinned last drow in corner but couldnt hit the wriggly thing, so I sneaked round and plunged my wicked blades into its sides while it not looking, the look of surprise on its face was worth it.

The lady then pulled lever and opened the gates but it looks like someone was listening and now they know we is coming. Good, Skrit wants vengeance for family, and drow gonna pay in blood!

 Cast of players and their characters for later group:-

• Robert Cleale, playing Human Knight
• Chris North, playing Dwarf Knight
• Tom Wright, playing Dwarf Sentinel
• Simon Hunter, playing Human Mage
• Phill Norman, playing Elf Thief
• John Gray, playing Drow Hexblade
• Matt Mawdsley, playing Dwarf Knight

The heroes knew with the arrival of Elminster’s reinforcements that things were gonna get tough, they weren’t wrong.

Descending into the deeper tunnels the heroes come to a fork, both sides have drow and strange purple goblins which the Hexblade recognises as Lolthbound goblins, one side protecting huge iron doors, the other protecting a large iron lever. New arrival Khara says the lever opens the doors to the lower tunnels.

The battle was brutal with the heroes taking heavy damage and a couple actually falling unconscious at one point. The highlight of the latter stages was while the human knight fought a crossbowman at the top of the stairs, the lithe form of the elf rogue somersaulted over them and attacked the drow from behind.

As the heroes pulled the lever, the dust was still stirring as if recently disturbed and Tharinel confirmed that someone had only recently left the area, what or whoever lay ahead, knew the heroes were coming!

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An account of the recent adventure at Mondo Comico from my characters point of view – warning: will contain spoilers!

Vajra Safhar, the Archmage of Waterdeep, has charged you with stopping a drow named Shi’nayne, before she can open a gateway to the Demonweb.

One of Vajra’s apprentices, an elf named Sennis, followed Shi’nayne into the Lost Levels of Undermountain, polymorphed as a drow. Before he was caught and slain, he used a Sending ritual to transmit the following message “River Sargauth…….whirlpool….Lost Level…..waterfall….Halaster’s mirrors….collapsed portal chamber….Shi’nayne opening permanent gate using Dhusarra’s ring….not much time left.”

According to the Archmage, Dhussara was a vampire who haunted the Lost Level before the Spellplague, but nothing is known about her ring or her present condition. Vajra has provided you with a crude map showing a newly discovered portal to Undermountain, within a whirlpool on the underground River Sargauth. The whirlpool is most easily reached by taking a rowboat from Skullport. Now, as the small craft rounds a bend of the river, you hear the roaring of the water ahead.

Having provided guard cover on several caravan trips to Skullport and back for the Archmage in recent months, Zarif was quick to sign up, the chance to strike at worshippers of Lolth a big part of his decision. The remainder of the heroes that answered Vajra’s call were a motley crew. A shade hunter, a kobold thief, a human ranger and a dragonborn cavalier (mounted on a huge direwolf and followed by a young owlbear) and the journey to Skullport had been uneventful. The rowboat was a little crowded and sat very low in the water as the whirlpool came into view, however it wasn’t unguarded.

A group of drow, led by a mage of some sort had made their spider companions create sticky webs to block access to the whirlpool. Zarif didn’t need an invitation and lightly sprang to the shore, charging into the nearest arachnid with his flashing blades leading the way. His companions fought the other enemies but Zarif concentrated on the spider and mage before him. The spider fell to his blades but the mage used a green gem to turn the whirlpool emerald and disappeared into it. As the last of their foes dropped lifeless to the ground, Zarif and the others passed through the whirlpool too.

Passing through the surging waters Zarif and his companions found themselves in a tunnel against the shoreline of the underground river adjacent to a massive waterfall, well all but the ranger who was still aboard the rowboat and had appeared upstream. The drow mage was further up the tunnel and as his companions engaged him Zarif was snagged by the entangling web of a large doom spinner spider on the opposite bank, the arachnid began to reel him across the crest of the falls and he could see the rushing water disappearing into the darkness below.  As he neared the octopod he prepared his blades, but his concentration was broken momentarily as the now empty rowboat knocked into him on its way over the falls. His nearest companion, the shade gasped audibly as Zarif too went over the edge, but instead of falling to his doom he enacted his innate ability of levitation and continued to move towards the spider. As he began to spar with the arachnid the shade assisted with fire support, sending arrow after arrow into the beast’s bloated form.

Meanwhile the rest of the party had encountered smaller spiders and more drow warriors after despatching the mage, as well as a pair of strange flying creatures that had an annoying habit of dropping over your head and blinding you. One of these flew across the river and settled on Zarif, but focused as he was on the spider his blades continued their deadly work, leaving the now hexapedal beast in a pile of its own entrails, before regrouping with his companions.

Inspecting the bodies of the fallen drow the heroes discovered a number of strange silvery wands and after sharing them out approached a large mirrored surface that blocked the way forward, with no other recourse open to them they boldly stepped through the looking glass!

The room beyond was strange, with numerous of the mirror-like portals lining the walls, also a number of crystal pillars formed a circle around a mist like being in the centre which appeared to be trapped there. While several of his companions discovered the joys of passing through the mirrors (some reappearing as the opposite sex) the dragon born cavalier mounted on his dire wolf passed through one and failed to reappear. Hesitating for a moment Zarif followed.

The dimly lit chamber beyond led through a pair of double doors into the semi-collapsed portal chamber and Zarif could see the drow priestess performing her evil ritual while guarded by an abomination – a huge drider! The cavalier had already engaged the perversion so Zarif took the opportunity to rush forward and strike the despicable priestess. With a cry of “Die you spider humping bitch!” he sank both his blades deep into her ebony flesh but she was far from defeated. Enacting her cloud of darkness ability she tried to evade Zarif’s blows as the cavalier and his dire wolf continued to battle the drider while trying to avoid the swipes of its huge greataxe. The human ranger also found his/her (having changed gender so often recently, Zarif wasn’t truly sure) way to the chamber and began to rain arrows onto our foes.

Unfortunately it was too little, too late as ShI’nayne completed her ritual and the portal to the Demonweb opened!

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 Cast of players and their characters for early group:-

• Bryce Palmer, playing Human Mage
• Glenn Waters, playing Eladrin Thief
• Daniel Creedy, playing Dragonborn Knight

Following the tracks of the drow through the dusty cellars the party come to a dead end in a chamber that has been kept immaculately clean. Investigating the sarcophagi placed in the walls of the room shows each has a name plate, date of birth and date of death. The most imppressive and oldest belonging to Lord Ashaba himself!

The heroes discovered that pouring water into the carved cup on the famous water-wizards sarcophagus caused it to swivel aside revealing a spiral staircase descending into older tunnels below. The heroes forge ahead and find a small force of drow still making its way through the tunnels. Their leader, a Totemist smashes a gem on the floor, releasing a chilling white mist that spreads over the floors and begins to seep into the various coffins arrayed within the walls.

As the Totemist immobilises the dragonborn knight with her venom ray and lets her spider swarm cover him, her archer allies drop the thief bloodied to the floor with accurate crossbow fire.

The skeletal drow summoned by the mist set about the downed knight, firing arrows and attack with sword-like bones as the mage and thief continue to attack from range.

As the mage and thief take down the last of the drow (both skeletal and normal) the knight breathes his last – succumbing to his wounds.

I had weakened this encounter due to low numbers (damned half-term) using only the Totemist, 2 archers and 6 skeletal minions. It still resulted in the knights death (I think the player’s going for the most deaths in one season record) but the remainder of the pc’s dealt with the threat rather easily from range (though very bad dice rolls on my part didnt help).

From next week I will be taking part in the early group as a player with Skrit my kobold scout, while Robert from the late group DM’s so the reports on the early session will now become Skrits journals.

 Cast of players and their characters for later group:-

• Robert Cleale, playing Human Knight
• Chris North, playing Dwarf Sentinal (playing Tom’s pc as Tom on holiday)
• Daniel Creedy, playing Dwarf Knight (playing Chris’s usual pc as he didnt want to go home LOL)
• Simon Hunter, playing Human Mage
• Phill Norman, playing Elf Thief
• John Gray, playing Drow Hexblade

 

The party discovered the secret stairs quicker than the early group as the mage poured water into the cup as soon as it was decribed. Descending the stairs they discover the doppelganger that fled last session informing the drow Totemist of their approach.

 

Though the heroes make quick work of the Totemist, the dwarf knight takes a suicide run deeper into the caverns, chased by the doppelganger and an archer.

 

 

Having dropped the hapless knight (who chose to remove its armour!) the doppelganger disappears deeper into the catacombs as the heroes forge ahead. (slightly blurred as I was laughing when I took it)

 

The heroes slowly whittle down the drow archers and the skeletal drow. But as they head towards their fallen dwarven comrade a nasty surprise awaits them.

 

 

With the arrival of a second Totemist blasting the human knight with venom ray the heroes resort to ranged attacks to finish the dark elves and their allies. But not quick enough to save the dwarf!

 

As each session ended there was a flash of light and a curtain of ash which revealed the arrival of a pair of figures, Khara Sulwood (the heroes met her in the Old Skull Inn in session 1, briefly) and her companion.

Cast of players and their characters for early group:-

• Chris Night, playing Dwarf Knight
• Tom Wright, playing Dwarf Sentinal
• Bryce Palmer, playing Human Mage
• Glenn Waters, playing Eladrin Thief
• Daniel Creedy, playing Human Warpriest

As the mage received the mental message from Elminster and relayed it to the party they set out through the now deserted streets to the Twisted Tower of Ashaba. Deciding to split into two groups and come in through both entrances at once.

As the Warpriest and Thief open the Dock door they see two drow, one in armor the other in a thick cloak, though the cloaked one immediately disappears from sight as the Warpriest moves forward to engage the armoured drow. The Thief holds back warily. Meanwhile the remainder of the party enter the main foyer to see a battered and bloodied Lady Ulphor leaning heavily against the central sepulcher as another armoured drow stands ready before them. The mage sends a magical light into the shadowy tower as the dwarven knight engages the drow.

Unsurprisingly the cloaked drow near the Dock door reappears behind the wounded warpriest and combined with the armoured drows assault drops the beleaguered cleric unconscious to the floor. More drow enter the foyer, another armoured one steps from around the corner as a previously invisible one appears behind the Knight as his allies begin to move in to assist him. Lady Ulphor drags herself around the stone sarcophagus, trying to keep it between her and the drow.

As the party begins to gain the upper hand and their drow foes lose numbers, the Thief fey steps into the central area and makes his way to Lady Ulphor to stabilise her. As he administers aid he is utterly shocked as her form shifts to that of a pale skinned, white-haired humanoid that suddenly stabs him with a previously hidden short sword. As he slips into unconsciousness he glimpses her retreating towards the cellar steps.

The remaining drow not in combat also attempt to retreat but only one makes it to the cellar, the remaining drow fall to the heroes attacks and they are able to resuscitate the Thief, sadly the Warpriest was beyond saving.

A quick check shows that the cellar door has been secured from the other side and the heroes rush up through the tower only to discover that the Pendant of Ashaba has already been stolen!

 Cast of players and their characters for later group:-

• Robert Cleale, playing Human Knight
• Matt Mawdsley, playing Dwarf Knight
• Simon Hunter, playing Human Mage
• Phill Norman, playing Elf Thief
• John Gray, playing Drow Hexblade

The second group chose to stick with just the front entrance, encountering a pair of drow templars between themselves and Lady Ulphor. Both of the knights charged in as their more cautious allies used ranged abilities. One of the drow broke from invisibility to take Lady Ulphor at knife-point and began to retreat towards the cellar. The other drow capable of invisibility continued to harass the party as they moved further into the sepulcher, the mage receiving a serious blow and the knights taking heavy damage.

As the battle progressed one of the cloaked drow took Lady Ulphor captive at knife-point and began to drag her towards the cellar. One the drow templars moved to guard them but the hexblade and thief managed to drop both of them. As the Lady of Shadowdale fell backwards into the arms of the thief she shifted form, stabbing the surprised elf-maid before escaping through the cellar door.

As the thief lay bleeding out on the stairs one of the templars managed to drop the human knight into unconsciousness before being despatched by the other party members. Before the party could help their injured comrades the mage realised there was still one invisible drow to deal with and attempted to catch the foe with his magic, unfortunately his aim was off and the dark elf materialised beside him . Before it could cause too much trouble though the heroes defeated it as the human knight recovered from his wounds (natural 20 on death save!) and they administered aid to the thief.  They hurried to the upper chambers to discover that the Pendant of Ashaba had already been looted!

 

 

 

 

 

Cast of players and their characters for session 1:-

• Chris Night, playing Dwarf Knight
• Tom Wright, playing Dwarf Sentinal
• Bryce Palmer, playing Human Mage
• Glenn Waters, playing Eladrin Thief

 Our heroes arrived in Shadowdale at dusk, having been sent by Her Radiance from the temple in Daggerdale to alert them to the drow threat. They encountered a small patrol of drow in one of the many abandoned shrines enroute and made short work of them.

Taking a table in the Old Skull Inn they quench their thirsts as they listen to the bravado of a pair of dwarven “adventurers” before retiring to their room above.

When the drow attack from the cellar the heroes rush to aid Ghessla Silvermane and the patrons, the invaders try to disorient the party with their clouds of darkness.

When the drow attack from the cellar the heroes rush to aid Ghessla Silvermane and the patrons, the invaders try to disorient the party with their clouds of darkness.

As the party gain the upperhand the eladrin thief fey-steps outside to outflank the drow, realising that the whole town is under attack as militia, townsfolk and more drow rush about the towns darkened streets.

The remaining drow soon fall to the heroes assault and as the patrons thank them for the timely rescue the mage hears an old mans voice in his head “This is Elminster…”

Cast of players and their characters for session 2:-

• Tilly Calow, playing Drow Hunter
• Matt Mawdsley, playing Dwarf Knight
• Simon Hunter, playing Human Mage
• Phill Norman, playing Elf Thief
• John Gray, playing Drow Hexblade

When the second group interacted with the Inn’s patrons they paid particular attention to Old Dogsbreath’s tales of seeing drow near the Twisted Tower and immediately went to investigate. A brief discussion with the guards showed that they all thought Dogsbreath nothing more than a drunken old fool. The heroes returned to the Inn and their upstairs room.

When the Drow attacked the first of the heroes to descend to the taproom were the two drow, as the invaders realised they werent allies they began to attack the hostages, dropping Ghessla and Dogsbreath before the heroes could intervene.

As reinforcements swell their ranks, the drow use their innate powers to create clouds of darkness and hand-crossbows to poison the heroes. Despite his natural resistance, the Dwarf knight struggled to shrug off the insidious venom.

After coming under fire from the drow armed with the large crossbow, Belgos decides to show him how a real archer does it. Blasting him with his eerily accurate longbow and knocking the bloodied invader off his feet.

The heroes take the last of the invaders down, unfortunately they weren’t able to save everyone as Old Dogsbreath (the town drunk) lays dead in his favourite chair. (Not sure, but I’d say being deceased actually improved his odour!)

As both sessions ended last week without the parties stopping the Voidharrow this weeks sessions both pick up from the end of the battle still in the presence of the Elemental Chaos.

Cast of players and their characters for session 1:-

• Chris Night, playing Gauldoth (Warpriest)
• Tom Wright, playing Vestra (Knight)
• Bryce Palmer, playing Adrie (Elementalist)
• Glenn Waters, playing Carric (Hunter)

 The party failed the skillchallenge firsttime through, risking further infection from the abyssal plague, but on a second attempt they destroyed the voidharrow and returned victorious to Easting. Taking confirmation of their deeds from Father Evandur ack to Ireabor they received their reward and relaxed in the Wayward Wyvern.

Their repose was interrupted by the horse-drawn cart crashing into the fountain (hadnt got an ox token) and the knight and warpriest immediately rushed to help the trapped barmaid, as the hunter and sorceror watched from the doorway.

As the trap is sprung the drow assassin concentrates on the ranged attackers while his burly henchmen batter the armoured warriors. The party begin to suffer under the onslaught especiall once the warpriest is felled, swiftly followed by the knight and sorceror.

The hunter tried to retreat to the upper floor and hide until his enemies had tired of looking for him, unfortunately the drows spiders were able to sense his trembling form in its hiding place and despatched him.

Not an auspicious ending but certainly an action packed one.

Cast of players and their characters for session 2:-

• Tilly Calow, playing Ardeth Bey (Hunter)
• Daniel Creed, playing Sir Osric (Cavalier)
• Matt Mawdsley, playing Valorite (Hexblade)
• Simon Hunter, playing Rendar (Slayer)
• Robert Cleale, playing Eliza (sorcerer)
• John Gray, playing Carric (Hunter)

The second party also struggled on the skill challenge, attempting to be speedy and perform the minor and standard actions but failing on the first run, resulting in more possible infections. Second time was the charm as the heroes stuck with the easier DC standard actions and sent the voidharrow packing.

Returning to Ireabor via Easting they take a well deserved R&R at the Wayward Wyvern only to have it disturbed as a cart collides with the fountain. As the heroes rush outside to see whats happened they notice the “sleeping” drow isnt truly asleep and the men at the cart also arent what they appear.

 This time the fight goes considerably better for the pc’s (especially since my dice seem to have deserted me and the beserkers fail to make a single hit!) and despite the elemental chaos reviving their foes, its soon pretty clear that only death await them.  The party despatch their foes, barely taking severe damage themselves.

 

 

So at the end of our first season of Encounters and two very different results. Admittedly the late group have more pc’s but no discernable healer. I hope that players of both groups have had as much fun playing as I have had DMing and hope to see them all again as the new season “Web of the Spider Queen” kicks off next week.