Darkmeer GM's the Realms (again!)


Campaign Journals


So, tonight was our inagural session using Roll20 between myself and three other members of the gaming group. One player had to miss, unfortunately.

So, our adventure begins in 1372 DR in the Forgotten Realms, on a modified Lantan from an old gamer (information was found on the wayback machine via Candlekeep). I altered it further for my own ends, since it's never been fully described, and started running.

So, the characters are (in no order):

Lem, the Water Genasi Monk (follower of Lantan sent to evangelize the island)
Goldmund, the Gnome Cleric of Gond ("Grey Gondsman")
Cieran ("Kieran"), the Catfolk Bard ("Exotic Dancer")

The players hadn't had their entire backgrounds made, which I'll probably post most of (minus GM only information).

I threw them together using the Order of the Golden Gear, Lantan's official police force and generally loyal to the clergy of Gond. The whole shebang started in Sundrah, the northernmost city in Lantan. They were to travel to Sambar (the capital) at the behest of the high priest of Lantan, with a note that someone with the specialty of Goldmund and that the Lathanderite would be opposed to as well. They agreed, and, since it is near a festival for Gondsmen, they added that an entertainer would be handy to cover to prevent mass panic. They found the catfolk playing at a local bar, and recruited him almost immediately.

Travel went smoothly the first day of a five day journey. Unfortunately, the second day a storm rolled in. Talos's fury, as the island nation calls it came crashing violently into the island. The initial parts of the storm weren't all that bad, but the winds began howling, with large hail beginning to pelt into the characters. They eventually found shelter in an old Cairn with a tower on top, likely used by one of the three hobgoblin tribes on Lantan. As they near the Cairn they see a flash of lightning with a flying creature of some sort It was dark, far away, and the details given was that it had wings and a tail, and it was flying in the storm.

They found that the Cairn had been built into a hill with sheer sides, at least 20 feet high, but along one side there was a great door, essentially the entire height of the Cairn. The door was slightly ajar, enough for the characters to get inside safely. The main room had four solid stone doors which Lem took immediately to ensuring they were solidly locked (they were).

This was a great thing, but the characters were in for a nasty surprise. Eventually, Talos's fury struck a bolt of lightning on the top of the Cairn, and, with a deafening boom, all three of the doors effectively fell off of their hinges. And, with Lem near the northernmost entrance, he found himself ankle deep in water and several dire rats! The party dispatched the dire rats and determined to search deeper into the Cairn.

Down the now-not-flooded hall they enter a sacrificial chamber, guarded by two white-face-painted hobgoblins. The hobgoblins don't notice the party until Lem stands directly in the room, and even then one of them didn't notice him!

The battle with the hobgoblins went quickly, with Goldmund providing a protection from Evil on Lem, and Cieran providing melee support for the monk. The hobgoblins are dispatched and it is realized that the room is a sacrificial chamber, as there is a cistern filled with ritually carved and dismembered bodies. Also in this room is a hole to the top of the Cairn, a tower to the knowledge of the PC's.

Lem climbs quickly to the top of the tower, seeing a magic circle and a Hobgoblin with a painted white face, similarly painted as the hobgoblins in the chamber below. A quick, and decicive battle unfolds, with Lem resisting the sleep spell of the powerful Shaman. Sadly, the monk falls to the shaman after failing to land any blows, while the shaman steps back to use a wand and scorches nearly all the life out of the Monk. Cieran and Goldmund frantically try to reach the top of the rope, only to find a fading magic circle, a very scorched Lem, and no one else. Goldmund heals Lem to consciousness, and, finding no sign of the shaman, climbs to the bottom of the rope, with Goldmund firing an acid dart to cut the rope at the top, hoping to prevent any future attempts to kill the party from above. The party, in dire need of rest, decides to use the sacrificial tables (there are three in the chamber) to rest for the evening.

Talos's fury is what Earth calls the storm a Hurricane or Typhoon.

End session one.

GM Notes:

Spoiler:

This game was played over Google + with Roll20 support. Time gaming: approximately 2 hours with a few glitches using roll20 in Google +, reverting to using the hangout for the audio, and Roll20 by itself (I've had glitches in R20 when using audio).

Next session is Wednesday 8/15. More development is intended after the first session/mini-advventure, as I wanted to determine whether combat is viable or not for this particular VTT.

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