Welcome dear reader.
This thread will be dedicated to the chronicles of a new campaign we started yesterday (14 May 06). The campaign, which for the purpose of this thread I have named "The Orogs Vs the Spider Queen", is an adapted version of CotSQ, designed by our allmighty GM to surprise, challenge (and probably kill) us all, petty players.
Our group is an all-Orog troop and our home-base is the proud city of H’radazh, located about 2 miles beneath the surface world under the peak of Mt. Dhur Gob, the forked mountain, an inactive Volcano on the eastern Side of the Desertmouth Mountains looking over the Border to the Dalelands.
The current King, Shargat Bloodthorn, has shamelessly overthrown and killed the previous allmighty leader of our great city and we, of the Darkenskull tribe, now have to suffer his incompetent rule.
The weakling is afraid because of some recent Drow attacks in the neighbouring caverns and he has asked his military officers to put together a task force to investigate the occurences. This is how we came into play (wait for the next post to see how our first sally turned out).
For a start, I will disclose the group's composition. It's been fun to discover the characters created by my three game pals and I hope that I will do them justice with the following descriptions (made from Varrax' very subjective point of view).
Varrax Est'euumsh, male Orog Sorcerer (my character)
Varrax is a crafty and manipulative Orog from the Darkenskull tribe. Unfortunately for him, the previous king of the city (a Darkenskull himself) got overthrown after a coup and, since then, the Darkenskull have fallen into disgrace.
Varrax was away at the time the coup took place, so he managed to avoid the blood feud that followed the political upheaval. He now keeps a low profile and tries to play up his ties to the Sessmeuush (a cabal of demon binding Orog sorcerers), while playing down his ties to the Darkenskull.
Estul, his Quasit familiar, spends a lot of time spying and gathering information for Varrax, while he himself uses his incredible charisma and (magically enhanced) social talents to work his way up the social ladder.
Varrax' father (Harrax) was a mighty Cleric of Gruumsh killed in the chaotic times that followed the above-mentioned coup. From the time he suffered under his father's yoke, my mighty Orog sorcerer has kept a violent temper and a boundless admiration for Gruumsh's power.
More on Varrax will be forthcoming as occasions allow.
Molloch, male Orog fighter
As far as I can tell, Molloch is also an Orog. At least he looks like one, but he does not seem to have the noble and charismatic traits of our great race. I hear that he is somehow related to the (current) royal family and that his mother (one of the wives of the king) was actually experimenting with demons when she somehow got pregnant (voluntarily?) and later gave birth to three strange Orogs: Molloch, Legion and Belial.
Molloch seems to have gotten the short end of the gene-stick and he quickly fell out of grace with his family. It might make him a potential ally for our tribe... who knows?
To all avail, he is a strong and impressive fighter with loads of muscles that make up for his obvious lack of intelligence and poor perception. He constently mumbles about "Bakhtru" and seems to be engaged in a continuous inner dialogue with his orcish divinity.
Lormok, male Orog Cleric of Gruumsh
Much more aware of his own existence than Molloch will ever be, Lormok is the spiritual leader of the expedition. A middle-ranking cleric of Gruumsh, he has aquired a reputation for his constant swearing (I am talking by orcish standards!) and his obsession with the name of his god, which he likes to declaim, "chant" or shout at every opportunity.
Lormok sees our mission as a holy crusade and exults appropriately at every Drow that falls down on the battle field. I am not yet sure that Gruumsh has a hand in our undertaking, but at least it comforts me to know that we have proper religious guidance.
Urgalf, male Orog Druid
Gruumsh knows why the king has made this stranger the leader of our expedition! I have been told that he spent some years of his life on the surface, he might even be worshipping a non-orc divinity! This is a perfect illustration of our current king's lack of discernment.
This Orog dresses funny, talks funny and even smells funny! Believe me, I know what I talk about. I have met demons who are more of an Orog than he is! Anyway, this Sunfriend (puah!) is our leader and I will follow his lead as long as serves me. At least he has proven his usefulness on the battlefield and his mastery of plants and healing techniques should come in handy.
So, this is my first contribution. Keep your eyes open for more! I'll soon post a summary of our first stroll in the neighbouring underdark and of our lucky "escape" from a gigantic Black Pudding.
Bocklin/Varrax
sigh...
in that case i will (have to) take the opportunity to provide additional infos the players may have overlooked, or simply forgotten...
how i hate my overenthusiastic players :)
dd
And here is the promised second instalment of our campaign, as seen by the eyes of Varrax and narrated by an over-enthusiastic player! ;-)
10 Sardariak 372, first day of the campaign.
How we were introduced to the joy of Drow-bashing and to the annoyance of fighting clever, hp-loaded, regenerating, undead things.
A Royal Summon
On the morning of that beautiful day (the heat of the forges was nicely coming up to my cave-house and the air was not so damp as on other mornings), I woke up and prepared to go to the temple of Gruumsh when a less-than-bright messenger told me that I was summoned to the king's halls. With no information whatsoever about the reason behind this summoning I was a bit worried to show up in front of that usurper, but decided to act as an Orog: I grabbed my longspear, spell components and walked through the main cave of our busy city straight to the "palace".
As it turned out, the king was worried about some Drow incursions in the eastern caves. It seemed that an old dormant Portal (previously used for trade) had been reactivated and two Drow troops had been seen passing through, at an interval. The first group was comprised of six individuals: five males and one female (probably a priestess, I remember thinking). They had discreetly skulked through the cavern, provoking some panics and had then taken the tunnel to a large well-known cave further to the east.
The second Drow group, all males, had arrived commando-style and started directly to shoot at our Orog scouts which had been dispatched to keep an eye on the awaken Portal. Their leader wore armor and weapons, but seemed to have no troubles casting arcane spells. He had scorched a couple of Orogs before disappearing.
Our mission was simple: locate the punny elves, punish their arrogance and keep at least one body intact so the priests can question its spirit. Four Orogs against twelve Drow seemed like an appropriate ratio: they still stood a chance and the hunt would not be too boring for us.
The Portal
So we left H'Razhad and headed for the outer cave where the Drow had made their appearance. Argulf, our druid cave-master, showed us the way and we easily reached the trading outpost where the portal was. Some tracks were going from the portal to another tunnel and it looked like it would be relatively easy to follow them.
This is where we noticed the first unusual thing: some of the tracks were left by bare feet which seemed to have burn themselves into the stone, as if covered in acid... Around the feet marks, some acid droplets had also left markings. Some strange creature was among the Drow and the hunt had just gotten more interesting!
We followed the tracks through the winding tunnels of the Underdark until we reached the surroundings of a large cavern well known to us. Approaching as discreetly as Orogs can, we sent a Drow scout flying back to his masters to report our arrival. His sudden departure was unfortunate as the Dire Bat animal companion of our druid seemed to get along very well with the Drow's own dire bat.
Bats, Drow and Black Pudding
Some hundred meters further we finally reached the main cave to which the Drow had flown. This large vault was usually used to test a young Orog's strength and courage and some were requested to spend some time here, living off the large mushrooms and Rothé populating the cave. We did not know more than that (as none of us had been requested to take the test), but we quickly noticed unsettling faults running in the ground. A quick inspection indicated that a bulging black mass filled the faults: all of them, throughout the whole, huge, cave...
Not being to keen on discovering what that thing was, I told our enlightened leader that I could summon a bunch of fiendish dire bats so we could safely ride above ground and try to locate the Drow scout and his platoon. This was quickly done and we were soon all happily riding our nasty critters. When I say happily, it is all relative: a few seconds later, we had located the Drow (or rather the Drow had located us) and poisoned bolts came flying in our direction.
Unfortunately for me, one bolt bore its head in my shoulder and the infamous Drow poison robbed me of my senses for a few seconds. Happy wearer of a ring of Feather Fall, I had not much to fear from a sudden fall, but I was not too keen on plunging head down into the mess that I noticed on the cavern's floor before passing out: our druid had conjured lighting bolts to slay our ennemies and the tremors provoked by the shocks had attracted the attention of the thing living in the ground.
This first major fight of our campaign was quite memorable: our powerful Orog shock-troop was riding the airs on fiendish dire bats, raining death down on our foes and watching them beaten down to pulp and diggested by the powerful acids of some immense creature which we could only assume was a gigantic black pudding living in the creases of the cavern's floor.
Protected by the holy prayers of Lormoka, our Gruumsh cleric, Molloch decided to quickly take out the wizard leader of the Drow and did so thanks to a memorable diving charge, falling down 50-ft. on the head of the punny Drow and taking him out thanks to one of his divinely inspired power attacks. One hit and nothing was left of the pretentious elven thing.
The DM was not amused. In a couple of rounds we had taken their mighty leader out and sent the rest of the rabble running for their life and trying to avoid the lethal black appendages. Things were starting well for us! But where was the rest of the Drow? There were supposed to be two half-dozens and we had just dealt with the first six.
First Undead
As we tried to orientate ourselves (and to escape the black pudding!) by perching on the largest of the mushrooms, we noticed that some emaciated figure was looking at us from across the river that runs through the middle of the cave. It looked slightly undead and slightly un-Orog, so we did the best thing possible: attack!
More figures came out from behind the mushrooms and we saw that these were some kind of ghoulish, but well-equipped Drow undead. The spears of Molloch took one out and Lormoka managed to send the other three cowering down by calling upon the might of Gruumsh. But, for some reason then unknown to us, they managed to overcome their "fear" and stood up to march against us. Someone or something was bolstering these creatures!
I quickly summoned a magnificent Howler to let them feel the wrath of Gruumsh's servants, but the massive and powerful build of the creature attracted the attention of our friend the black pudding. My Howler was quickly beaten down to pulp, but not before having torn an arm away from one of the ghouls.
At the apparition of the black tentacle, the undead ran away and we were forced to follow them deeper in the cave. My fiendish dire bats had disappeared, so we simply walked on the canopy formed by the mushrooms, while Molloch remained on the main floor, trying to locate the things.
We managed to catch up with them, but they escaped again after a short skirmish. Our Druid, still flying on his own private Dire Bat could not locate them. Fortunately for us he quickly summoned a wolf (what a strange creature! he said there are plenty of them on the surface world) to track them through the mushroom forest.
The Showdown
We had finally cornered the beasts! The ghouls had entered a tunnel at the end of the cave and we hoped to finally put an end to their existence. It was also quite useful that they had left the realm of the black pudding since it had been so far impossible to retrieve a single body from its acidic attacks.
Impatient to deal with our ennemies, Molloch ran into the cave without waiting for us and fell into the trap! The ghouls had led us right to their leaders: two further undead wizards, a very alive priestess wearing strange religious symbols (a complete Drow hand full with silver rings and all!), as well as a strange Drow-like figure which had lost its skin and seemed to be soaked in acid. The blood-fest could finally begin!
I will spare you the details of this magnificent battle, but suffice to say that we showed them how Orogs fight.
Molloch who first had to single-handedly deal with four roguish ghouls and powerful lightning bolts from the wizard was happy to see us come to his rescue. To counter the puny webs the Drow had cast to separate the group, I summoned a pair of fire elementals who quickly cleaned the way for us and proceeded to attack the wizards. A well-placed entangle from our Druid, combined with a silence by our Cleric quickly neutralised the wizards and sent the priestess retreating through some illusionary wall.
I summoned some glitterdust to blind our ennemies and prevent them to disappear (as they had done before) and Urgalf added some faerie fire of his own to mark one of the wizards. The fight was tough, but Molloch's powerful swings brought down the ghouls and in no time we followed the retreating wizards and priestess to a hidden chamber behind the main room.
The acid-undead Drow seemed to be immune to my scorching rays, but did not last long under the powerful swings of Molloch. We were happily hacking our way through the ranks of our ennemies when the cowardly priestess teleported away... Just too bad, I just had cast a True Strike and had drawn my Wand of Enervation... We will have to deal with her later.
After her departure (and killing off the last Drow standing), we could see what had attracted them here: the small room to which they had retreated was home to a further Portal! It was protected by some magic glyphs and she had managed to dispel two already.
Conclusion
Where do these Drow come from? What god is this priestess serving (our Cleric - or was it our Druid? - mentioned something about Kiaransalee)? Were the two Drow platoons part of the same group or were they chasing each other? Where does this second Portal leads to and where does the first one comes from?
All questions we will have to deal with in our next session!
Bocklin/Varrax
PS: wondering about the "10 Sardariak 372" at the beginning of the post?? The explanation behind this alternative time keeping method is a secret that belongs only to the Esteuumsh! (or said otherwise, am not sure of the date, so I had to make up something)
This is Molloch, most terrible fighter in the underdark!
Baghtru says so!
Evil Despot stole Mollochs picture. Fear his wrath!
Nice Sorcerer forgot to mention that nasty drow female somwehow cursed poor Molloch.
Nevermind.
Must return to my cave. Good night.
Baghtru says so....
Nice Sorcerer forgot to mention that nasty drow female somwehow cursed poor Molloch.
Indeed, Molloch! How could I forget this?
As we engaged the pathetic Elves the priestess used some form of curse on our fighter. We have to indentify it and take the necessary steps to remove it... What could it be?
I hope she has not planted a mind seed that will slowly transform Molloch into her slave or some similarly vicious trick!
I might have just the right scroll against that. Or maybe our cleric can use the power of Gruumsh to break the lowly magic of the Drow?
Varrax
Dorina was not just furious. Her mind was filled with the madness of her desire to put her everlasting revenge on those "slaves" that dared to oppose her.
The spell she had to cast brought her back to the secret entrance near the palace. The guards cowered in fear as SHE stormed by; up the tower and to the lair of the necromancers, whom she would persuade to help her keeping an eye on those orcs.
She had fought mighty demon hordes side by side with her mother when her godess killed Orcus. How dare they! She couldn't quite understand how these slaves could grew so strong. At least she had managed to put the Curse of the Revanants on the dumb brute. It will soon learn what the true meaning of "revenge" is.
The prospect of reporting to her mother Irae was not very comforting. She could imagine the sneers and comments by the hight priest and especially the mockery by Cabrath.
Her mission seemed to have failed, but as far as she knew about the way slaves think, she could see them doing HER bidding without them realising. Now the Orcs will either take their revenge on those she was looking for, or else...
Curse them! Curse them all!
???
upps...
Baghtru don´t fail me now!
where are the stats of the orog? which book?
poor zombie...
Bagthru says: Races of Faerun p. 71 - 73...
11 and 12 Sardariak 372, second and third day of the campaign.
How we cornered the last Drow trespassers and discovered that there was something foul in the Drow city of Maermydia.
Back to H'radazh
After our mighty assault on the Drow rabble, we needed some well deserved rest. Even Orogs sleep and, anyway, we had enough spoils to buy slaves for ourselves until the end of our lives and we wanted to cash in.
Leaving the portal where it was, we travelled back swiftly to where we had come. The couple of hours walk through the Underdark was safe and our Druid once more proved his worth. Slipping in the city, we first looked out for two things: traders rich enough to buy our shiny Drow spoils and some specialist to help us with the traps and glyphs left behind by the puny Elven things.
Quickly enough, we found some Duergar caravan with plenty of riches and equipment to satisfy our needs. Trading in the ridiculous rapiers and chainshirts of our enemies, we obtained plenty of potions, wands and a proper greatsword for our fighter.
We also found some sneaky Orog called Gruch who introduced himself as a trap specialist. Seems that he had spent many months treading around the Underdark, spying on our enemies and leading caravans around. The puny scout was barely stronger than Varrax and had the bad habit to look at one from the side. His whispered comments and dishonest looks were not made to inspire confidence, but we needed someone of his trade…
After having paid him much too much money for his services and having spent a night in our respective caverns, we travelled back to where we had intercepted the second Drow platoon. The portal was still there, as was the menacing glyph that had prompted us to hire the services of Gruch.
In and out of Charybde and into Scylla
Our trap “specialist” started analysing the glyph, but his lack of success prompted our mighty fighter, Molloch, to take the step that the newcomer did not dare take himself. Touching the glyph, he suddenly disappeared, sucked into whatever location where horrible and painful death had been planned for him by traitorous Drow.
Seeing that Molloch was gone without a trace and was probably facing alone some unspeakable danger, we did what any sane Orog would do: jump after him to get our share of the fun!
Ten seconds later we were all cluttered in a very small cavern filled mostly by the bulky mass of a huge creature, which Varrax, clever Sorcerer Demonologist that he is, identified as an oversized and moody Bebilith. Yippie…
It was time to pull out the heavy rounds and each of our characters had to give the best of themselves. Shots from my wand of Enervation helped calm down the critter, but evil hits by our enlarged Molloch, combined with sneaky hits by our scout and searing rays by our cleric were necessary to weaken the demon. Seeing that the Lolth-serving fiend was sufficiently weakened, our Druid Urgalf took the shape of yet-another-surface-creature-we-did-not-know-of and started to grapple it. The “brown bear” (as we were later told the thing was called) seemed to be able to pin down the demon easily.
Looking incredulously at the beast, Varrax was amazed to see that the body did not disappear. The mighty demon had actually been bound to this place!
Gruch could then resume his scouting activities and noticed that another glyph had been marked on the rough walls, close to the ceiling. Climbing, flying or levitating, we moved up to what we hoped was a door out of this sealed space and found ourselves teleported once more, this time into the secret caves where the first Drow group had found refuge. We had barely recovered from the first fight and had to face a large group of elite Drow combatants!
On top of the Drow fighters and captain, a wizard and a female cleric of Lolth were facing us. But, as we hacked our way through the ranks of the Drow men-at-arms, we realized that the lady cleric was unable to use her magic against us. Furthermore, the Wizard took some unusual liberties with her and even killed her before our eyes after she proved to be perfectly useless in the fight!
Killing the lowly Drow proved to be much easier than we had first thought and we were even lucky enough to take the wizard prisoner. We questioned him very “intensely” and could gather a bit of info on what was going on in Maermydia and the neighbouring outposts: some religious apostasy had taken root within Drow society and a Kiaransalee cult had grown strong enough to overthrow the Lolthite a month ago. It seems that they had been helped by the circumstances: the Drow clerics of Lolth seemed to have lost their powers and the social order was weakened.
Our new Drow slave added that the Kiaransalee cult was led by some “Irae Tsaran” posing as an avatar of her goddess. Pfff!! Looked like the Drow were killing each other and that our Orog nation had just been offered a golden opportunity: if the Elven grey rats were busy with their civil war, we would be better able to bring ruin to their cities and trading posts!
Victorious march back in Orc-town
Loaded with Drow skulls, armours, weapons and the huge head of the dead Bebilith, our small troop entered triumphantly in H'radazh. Presenting our trophies to the onlookers and singing Orog war-songs we marched straight to the palace to face the king and his servants. A crowd was assembling and our names were being shouted around with respect and envy.
We had become a force to be reckoned with and would not take any more abuses from our “mighty leader”. He will reward us greatly or face the risks of a revolt: weak kings should fear successful heroes!!!
Nurthaag vah-raak!
Varrax/Bocklin