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Finally! Today is the begining of my new long awaited and highly anticipated campaign "Shadows over Sterich" This campaign was inspired by the excellent trilogy of adventures by Greg Vaughan in Dungeon 117-119 and the the excellent backdrop article on Istivin: City of Shadows by Greg and Erik Mona.Tune in and discover the fate of my friends and their heroes in the wild frontier Marchland of Sterich, and it's shadowed haunted capital Istivin.It should be known that Dungeon magazine (R.I.P.),its authors and staff, as well as members of these boards were very helpful in building this campaign,so I would like to dedicate it to all the hardworkers at Paizo, and the fans of Paizo who provided their support to this team.Details of tonight's session (#1!!) will follow!
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So this is what happened in the first session of the campaign
The party is composed of:
Kenya- female dwarven fighter 1
Caelam-male high elf scout 1
Christof-male human cleric (Kord) 1
Jharvys-male human spellthief 1
Session #1-The Forgotten Legacy
3rd of Planting 594 CY
The party came together, while on the road to Istivin, each with his and her own goals and desires for the future. None the less bonds were forged on route and the party arrives at the Javan Gates together. After three hours of waiting in line at the gates a tired watch captain greets them, and bombards them with a plethora of strange questions. The party can now understand the long line to enter the city.
Shortly after entering the city, a blind beggar named Ruga asks Jharvys to spare a copper or two. When Jharvys and Christof give the old man some spare coins. Then a strange thing happens, Ruga gets a piercing look in his eye and speaks a warning of something that is ever watching.
Christof asks about finding lodging for the night and is referred to the House of Tabard. As the party makes its way there, they discover a body laying prone half in and half out of a darkened alleyway. Kenya spots what appears to be the victim’s attacker and a fight breaks out. Soon the party finds itself embroiled in a battle with not one but three assailants. Discover that the attackers are mongrelfolk, the party slays them and the watch is summoned by a frightened passer-by. Attending to the fallen man they discover that they have arrived to late to save him, but clutched in his hand is a crumpled parchment, which seems to have an address written on it. The watch arrives and chastises the party on how they should not be taking the law into their own hands. And next time they should call the watch if anything like this happens again.
After arriving in the dingy House of Tabard they are well greeted and served a wonderful meal of venison, that contrast sharply with the Inn itself. While relaxing in the common room the door of the Inn flies open and a cloaked stranger enters. He offers the party a chance to learn of why the man they found in the alleyway was murdered, and telling them to go to the Gryphon’s Arms at dawn.
That night every member of the party is wracked with terrible nightmares of a lurking, but hidden and unknown entity hiding in the shadows of the city, waiting and watching. Something evil, and something that did not wish them well. They all awoke the next morning, but the dreams hit Caelam pretty hard, leaving him with a little less resolve than when he first entered the city.
Stay tuned for session #2 and the conclusion to the first adventure The Forgotten Legacy
Kord Rocks!
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Ok, here's my first entry into this campaign journal, from the point of view of the elven scout Caelam:
I slept … how odd it is to think of sleep… poorly last night. During my trance I fell into a rare slumber. There my dreams were haunted, plagued by shadows. These were not the memories of childhood I was so accustomed to, but had a surreal quality I found most distasteful. I stood within the city square, Quatraine Square it is named, with something lurking in the unseen darkness. Even after coming to, my mind felt burdened.
I had a headache when I met my companions for breakfast the next morning. It was distracting and left me churlish. Downstairs in the common room, pancakes made from potatoes were being served and already two of my companions were enjoying a meal. Cristof, a priest dedicated to Kord was helping himself to his third, as I would later find out, helping of breakfast, while Kenya ourt quiet dwarven companion was finishing her own. A few moments later Jarvys joined us at the table.
“So, what do we do?” It was Cristof who opened the discussion. We all knew what he meant. Last night’s unusual visit was still on everyone’s mind. And with dawn fast approaching, we had to make a decision quickly.
Kenya shrugged, “Don’t care really. I had nothing else planned for the morning though.”
I nodded agreement. “We should look into that attack last night. We’re not in town more than an hour and already we’re being drawn into the city affairs.”
Even Jarvys, normally slow to make any decision, agreed. “It doesn’t hurt.”
So with that we finished a quick bite, and left for the Gryphon’s Arms. I will say that while the murk and grime of a human city is still distasteful to me, this establishment was like an island of paradise. Fine music greeted us as we entered and a beautiful, at least by human standards, woman was on hand to welcome us.
“Will you be needing rooms for the day? Or just a meal?” she asked of us.
“We were asked to meet someone,” Cristof began. I tried to cut him short, but to no avail. I’ve since learned that he is prone to being rash and naïve. Charming traits.
“Ah yes,” the woman replied, “You must be the adventurers. Please follow me, there’s a booth in the back.”
She led us through the ornate lounge to a curtained booth at the back. Waiting for us was a young man, his clothes smartly groomed. The table was filled with delicately arranged food, and several decanters of drink were waiting. He rose to greet us, but I cut right to the point. It was early, and I was still suffering from a headache.
“What do you want?”
He seemed surprised at my directness. “We have business to discuss, of some importance. Please sit. Enjoy the food while you listen, it’s on me.”
He introduced himself as Sylus Irak, a man from nearby Keoland. As Cristof helped himself to his, I believe his fourth breakfast, Sylus explained that his family were once nobles in the city of Istivin, and that during the troubled times they were forced to flee the city. Since the passing of his father, he has returned to reclaim the family’s noble title. However, either through mischance or carelessness, he was unable to find any official declarations of the family titles in his father’s estate.
“I don’t believe my father would be so careless. I came into contact with a man named Erepoth Greytallow, the very same man you found murdered last night, to research these claims. He had discovered that my father had a family vault constructed within the city before being forced to flee. I believe he had finally found the location of the vault and I was to meet him last night to find out where. Of course you know the rest.
“I sent my man, Kyzer Finch, to track you down last night. If the vault exists, I want you to find a way inside.”
“What do you expect to find inside?” Jarvys asked.
“There’s a box that, according to the research Erepoth did, can only be opened by a member of my bloodline. In this case, with the box I can prove my claim. I want you four to retrieve the box.”
“Why us?” I asked. “Why do you think you can trust us?”
“Because you were kind enough to stop and try to help Erepoth last night. And I’m willing to pay.”
Out of the corner of my eye I could see my companions eyes widen. I admit, the prospect of some easy coin by finding a box was intriguing. Something nagged at me though. Perhaps were I clear headed I would have asked more questions.
Sylus continued, “I‘ll pay you 1000 gold apiece; a hundred up front and the rest when you return the box.”
“What about the mongrelmen from last night?” I asked him. “Do you know who sent them?”
Sylus shook his head, “No, but I don’t imagine they’ll stop coming. Even with Erepoth dead, you four have become involved in this. Perhaps if you can find the vault, you can find out who sent them.”
Cristof paused in his eating, “Well we did find a scroll with what looked like an address on Erepoth last night. Do you still have it Caelam?”
I shot Cristof a dirty look. Again, his naivety shown through. “Yes, it said ‘Refinery – Old Quarter, 21 Granite’” I’ll need to talk to Cristof about subtlety in the future.
Sylus looked thoughtful, “That makes sense, my father was involved in refining ores from the nearby mines. It bears investigating.”
I was anxious to finish the deal, get the money and get moving. Apparently nightmares and headaches made me ill-tempered that morning. “Very well how do we contact you? And do you have our money?”
Sylus nodded, “I’ll be staying here for the foreseeable future. And I’ve already asked Kyzer to bring the money down.”
We discussed a bit more about Sylus’ family history, but he was somewhat evasive. Finally Kyzer arrived with money for each of us. With coin in hand we bid Sylus fairwell.
“So to the Old Quarter?” Cristof asked. Already I could see his impatience. “By Kord’s curly beard, I need to get some exercise in”
“Soon enough, first I need to do a little shopping” I replied. If we were going to start traipsing about hidden vaults and magic boxes, I was going to need some tools, and the ones I had on me were in rough shape. “It shouldn’t take long.”
Jarvys offered to help me look for someone able to sell me the lockpicks and tools I needed. Had I known it was going to take as long as I did, or be as pointless as it was, I wouldn't have bothered...
There is something to be said about being forthright, especially when it provides results. Let not your actions be guided by fear. Trust in the Brawler as He himself favours the bold.
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Session #2-3-The Forgotten Legacy
4th of Planting 594 CY
The next morning the party decides to go to the Gryphons Arms as suggested by the mysterious stranger. There a young noble who introduces himself as Silas Arakk meets with them. Arakk explains to the group that he is seeking proof of his lineage in order to claim his due title, lands, and any other property that is rightfully his. He tells of how he had hired Erepoth Greytallow (the man they found murdered) a scholar to look into the matter. It seems that Greytallow had discovered that a magical box had been constructed for Arakk’s father and that it could only be opened by a member of the Arakk bloodline. The problem was that this box was supposedly locked away in a family vault but the location of the vault was still unknown. Arakk believes that Greytallow had found the location of the vault and that was why he was murdered.
At this point Christof mentions to Arakk that they had discovered what the group believed to be a address of some sort. Excitedly, Arakk is sure that this must be the location of the vault and asks the party to find the vault and bring him back the box, for a hefty sum of course. With matters settled and an advance of gold the party purchases some supplies from a nearby store called Olidammara’s Fortune where they meet the stores proprietor Arakaral the Fortunate, an overly jubilant elf.
The party then searches out the address they found clutched in the deceased scholars hand until they find themselves standing in front of an abandoned ore refinery at the edge of the Abandoned Quarter. The decrepit building looms before them, built of wood that is now rotting and brick that is crumbling to dust, wrapped in a blanket of putrid air wafting off of the Effluvium of sewage.
The dwarf Kenya leads the party into the front door of the refinery and almost falls through the rotting floor of the building. After recovering from a near fall and lighting a lantern the party navigates into the darkness and finds themselves in a room that may have once served as a break room. The room is full of cobwebs and soon the maker of the webs reveals them selves as a wave of spiders hungrily swarms towards them. Christof throws his lantern and simultaneously scatters the spiders and plunges the group into darkness. Jarvys lights a torch and finishes off any of the remaining swarm.
Strangely, the group hears the sounds of a young girl crying for help down the hallway. Cautiously moving past the rotten section of the floor the party nears the sound of the girls voice who continues to plead for help. The group suspects a trap, but at the same time they feel that they must act none the less. The group bursts into a large brick room filled with all manner of ore refining machinery and cloaked with deep shadows. From these shadows sling bullets fly at the party, quickly moving them into action. They find themselves fighting a new group of hideous mongrel folk. The party manages to dispatch them easily, but garner no clue to the purpose of the ambush. Jarvys though, believes that this may be their home. The group continues to explore the building; Jarvys nearly dies when the mother spider of the swarm surprises them. Soon they find the main office. Searching the room turns up a pentagonal key and a secret trap door with metal spiral stairs leading down.
The party descends the stairs as quietly as they can. They come to a hallway with four dragon statues in recessed niches ominously guarding the passage. Suspecting a trap Caelam searches for and discovers that the statues do indeed breath fire when something moves within the hall. He then tries to disarm them to no avail. A new plan is formed. If finesse will not work brute force will. Using the strength of Kord and a crowbar the party sneak up to and topple the statues smashing them to pieces that causes bursts of fire and stoney shrapnel to fly about. While slightly scathed the damage is less than what could have been.
After the hall of dragons the party comes to a metal door with a pentagonal depression. Inserting the key that they found the door unlocks. Stepping inside of what they rightfully believe to be the vault proper they see a dragon statue clutching a shield dead centre of the room and three mechanical dragons the size of small dogs along three walls of the vault spring to life.
The party battles the three iron dragon constructs and defeat one but are forced to flee. The party needs healing…badly. They head to the House of Radiance, since no church to Kord exists in the city. While in Qualtaine Square they see an old women selling flowers and when they learn that it’s for the children that where crushed beneath a falling statue they all buy bouquets. Suddenly Caelam’s elf ears perk up as he hears a snapping sound and can see that the scaffolding near the church has broken. Quickly he shouts warning to a nearby worker who is threatened to be crushed by the statue that the structure was supporting, saving the mans life. The worker Cyram profusely thanks the elf and offers his services to him any time that it is needed.
The party gets healed at the Church of Pelor and heads back to the vault to finish off the iron dragons. After a long fought and hard won battle the group finally destroys the last dragon. They discover that a metal rod pops out of each dragon’s head after it is disabled and that these three rods match the three depressions in the shield clutched by the dragon statue in the centre of the room. Caelem discovers the correct order to place the rods and the stature rises to the ceiling revealing a hidden shelf. On the shelf is a small golden box encrusted in jewels and topped with a stalking golden dragon. This must be the box. After discussing how to precede next they decide to return to the Gryphon’s Arms with their prize. As they return from the basement through the trap door in the floor they are greeted by an elf…a dark elf. The drow demands the box in no uncertain terms, but the party has no intention of just handing over their hard earned prize.
Next week: ROLL INITIATIVE!!!!
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Alas my notes and session writeup for our first foray into the refinery sits on a USB drive that forces my PC to reboot every few minutes. Hopefully I will be able to post it once I get it fixed. And even worse, I will not be present at the battle against the Drow, so any TPK that results in us confronting the fiend is not my fault... at all...
Killing drow is fun. The look on his face when Caelam hit him for 14 damage (go favoured enemy damage!) was priceless.
Killing drow is fun. The look on his face when Caelam hit him for 14 damage (go favoured enemy damage!) was priceless.
Hafta admit, 'twas kinda anti-climactic. But I escaped unscathed (this time 'round).
Jharvys out!
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Session #4-The Forgotten Legacy
4th of Planting 594 CY
So the fight is on between Tebryn the drow and the rest of the party. The drow’s cockiness gets the better of him and Caelam literally blasts him with an arrow to the chest dealing a major injury. Tebryn tries to make a few attacks after shrouding the room in shadowy darkness, and makes a fighting retreat out of the room. The group proves to canny and he succumbs to multiple wounds. The group makes sure he’s dead and then chucks his remains into the vault basement.
The party heads to the Gryphon Arm’s and presents Silas the box. Everyone waits in anticipation to see if he would be able to open it when they all failed in their own individual attempts. The box opens, and Silas is over joyed. He gives the party the remainder of their money and asks if they will act as his honour guard when he returns to the marchioness to prove his claim. They agree and even offer to protect him from any threats that may occur before that time. Inside the box itself are a number of parchment’s which prove to be deeds to a number of location’s, including the refinery the box was found in, a manor called Oliphant House, and a mining operation called the Windy Point Mines.
5th of Planting 594 CY
The party takes a carriage to Krelont Keep where they are relieved of their arms and spell components. After a short interview with the Marchioness the box is presented for magical inspection and Silas finally able to prove his claim by opening the box as well as providing the documents inside for inspection. The young noble is quite relived and happy when the Marchioness officially grants him his due as Baron Silas Arakk.
Later that evening the party has a wonderful dinner to celebrate Lord Arakk’s good fortune and they meet Silas’s aunt Lady Vendra and personal chef Oona, as well as Silas’s noble lady companion Talindra Amaranto. That night they make plans with Silas to explore Oliphant House the next day.
When the party arrives by carriage at the manor house on Brink’s Hill they find that it contrast sharply with the other opulent manors that are scattered around the hillside. The place is in much need of repair. Things on the inside don’t seem much better, though the place seems to have been undisturbed for quite some time. As they explore the inside of the home they hear the weeping of a young girl coming from up stairs. Cautiously they advance up the stairs to explore the disturbance expecting another ambush like at the refinery. They open the door from where the weeping is coming from to see the ghostly apparition of a young girl winding a jack in the box. As the girl turns she appears to be about six years of age and quite sad, she looks past the party members and directly at Silas. “Silas is that you”? At this point the ghostly figure disappears but the blood drains from Silas’s face and he flees the house screaming in panic.
Next week: The adventure of the Oliphant House mystery continues…
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Session #5 - The Forgotten Legacy
5th Planting 594 CY
Silas' scream was still echoing in the room as the girl vanished. I turned to follow our patron, leaving Kenya and Cristof to deal with our supernatural apparation. Jharvys followed on my heels as we reached the ground floor and emerged into the daylight. Silas stood at the threshold of the house, his face white and his hands trembling.
He was mutering something to himself as he stumbled out into the yard. I approached and could only hear a fragment, "... is dead. Koryllis is dead..." over and over again.
"Who is Koryllis?" I asked him.
Silas looked at me, apparently realizing for the first time where he was.
"She... she was my sister. My older sister." He looked around the yard uncomfortably. "I don't actually remember much about her. She died when I was very young."
"Then how did you recognize her?" I asked.
"Paintings mostly. After she died my mom grew ill. Eventually the plague claimed her too. My father sent me to live with my aunt and uncle in Keoland. He sent many paintings of my sister with me."
I looked back at the house where Jharvys was watching the door. He caught my glance and shook his head, no sign of our companions.
"Listen, wait here. We'll go back inside to look around. If you hear or see anything, find the watch."
Silas nodded and walked slowly to the carriage. As he turned I saw his eyes flicker up towards the second floor windows. My gaze followed and I caught sight of a pale figure pressed agains the flass. A girl.
Silas bolted. Slamming the carriage door closed, he ordere the driver to flee. Meanwhile, Jharvys and I darted inside. Kenya had just reached the bottom of the stairs when we barrelled past her. Sighing, she followed us back up.
Reaching the top of the stairs, I followed Cristof's shouts into one of the upstairs bedrooms. Standing in the middle of the room was the ghostly girl. Cristoff stood at the door, his hands clutching his holy symbol as a busrt of divine light swept the room. The ghost seemed unphased. Shrugging, I hefted my bow and let an arrow fly, where is slammed into a beam inches behind the girl's head.
She vanished.
"She didn't even flinch!" Cristoff said.
"Well she is a ghost. I didn't really expect my arrow to do much."
The cleric shook his head, "No, not the arrow. Kord's blessing. Even a powerful spirit would have flinched from the brawler's touch." He cast one of his spells. "Perhaps it's a different kind of magic we're dealing with?"
"Illusion?" Jharvys mused.
"Perhaps."
Cristoff walked through the rooms, his eyes picking up the faint aura's of magic still lingering in the air. "Yes, illusions."
I made my way back to the stairs. As I did so, I caught a glimpse of movement from the foot of the stairs. Three identical figures in ragged cloth stood there. "Mongrelmen!" I growled.
We all rished the stairs as the mongrelmen began to weave a spell. For a moment I felt as though the skin on my arms was about the rot away, but I shook away whatever spell he was casting. I could hear him curse as he vanished.
Cristoff was about halfway down the steps as I bound for th railing. I slid down, hitting the landing and swinging my bow in a wide arc, hoping to strike the mongrelmen.
The rest of my companions reached the bottom of the stairs and we all started to scan the room for the spellcaster. Finally Cristoff managed to hear some chanting coming from a nearby corner. Taking a chance, I pulled out a vial of acid and tossed it to where he was pointing. It struck true and there was a curse, followed by the acrid smell of acid-burned skin.
Kenya rushed in to swing her blade at the unseen opponent, but she missed. As she and Cristoff sought to trap the mongrelman, Jharvys and I tore down an old tapestry, and stretching it between us, started to sweep the main hall. Hopefully, we would catch the wizard in our trap.
We all spotted the door to the kitchens open. Rushing through we started searching the kitchen for any sign of our missing enemy. Unfortunately, we were played for fools. A moment later we all heard the sound of the front door slam shut. He had managed to trick us and escape.
With the mongrelman missing, we decided the least we could do was search through the rest of the house, and make sure there were no other uninvited guests waiting for us.
I tire of these mongrelfolk's trickery. They are little more than cowards, who fear to face the wrath of my blade. Let them die by the sword, for Kord has little use for creatures such as these.