Lost Vault of Tsathzar Rho

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bwatford
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Lost Vault of Tsathzar Rho

Post by bwatford »

I started running this DCC today with our AD&D 3.5 Group and thought I would share the experience. The party consist of 8 characters that have been playing now for three sessions, here are the details for them. Some of them are based on NPC's from DCC#0 that have been altered slighty. The party completed that DCC already but not quite enough experience to level.

Bowen - Male Human Ranger/1
Tries to do whats right most of the time.

Bec - Male Human Fighter/1
Great with his weapons but not to bright.

Mischa - Female Elf Cleric/1
Decent Cleric but hates everyone.

Newt - Male Gnome Rogue/1
Alchemist specialist but cries alot and has a thing for Mischa.

Crazh - Male Human Rogue/1
Avoids combat and doesn't share what he finds much.

Aust - Human Fighter/1
Chain fighter that's not to good at tripping Ogre's

Ailllana - Revack Wizard/1
Was killed as a Elf and brought back by a weird wizard experiment as half elf and half ork. Hides her true identity from Mischa.

Lord Casimer - Human Paladin/1
Paladin of Wee Jas, Lawful Good thinks that Ailliana is an abomination and cheated death.


Let's Begin:

The party started today out in Hadler's Gap after visiting Oakenmeet last week. They've learned of the vault and are heading there to take care of yet another Ogre and see if they can find the vault entrance. I informed them that the cave was about 5 days walk from Hadler's Gap to the northwest. So they buy supplies, potions, etc. with the little treasure they found in Dundraville after defeating the last Ogre.

After buying supplies which included a mule and cart they set out for the cave. After a couple days walk a bad storm blows in and a torrential rain begins to fall. Bowen searched and finds them some shelter in an outcropping of rocks. They wait a day.

After waiting a day they realize they are in the middle of a monsoon... and the rain looks like it might be around for a while. After a party vote everyone except Casimer and Newt wants to plow through. Being defeated in the vote Casimer and Newt agree to tag along.

Moving at 1/4 speed it is everything they can do to not get lost in the storm. After a few 24 hour forced marches and a few 10 hour rest the party arrives at the cave 6 days later. Wet and irritated they find shelter away from the cave and rest for 10 hours trying to dry their equipment.

The next morning....guess what? It's still raining. They hide the cart in the outcroping of rocks and head for the cave entrance. They file in with Casimer in the lead followed by Aust and then Bec and the rest of the gang. Bowen is in the rear trying to deal with the mule. (Yes they brought it into the cave.)

More coming......
bwatford
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Post by bwatford »

Ok so when Casimer reaches the Ogre's cave he sees the Ogre and the Ogre see's him. The Ogre mumbles something about the Outer Gods and coming to take his pain away. Casimer notices that the Ogre is way bigger than a normal Ogre and it's skin is Jet Black with rancid sores and pus oozing down it's back.

Casimer tries to reason with it and offer aid if he can and begins a conversation with it learning that the outer gods are trying to conrol him and some nasty little kobolds want to make him a slave but he's not having any of that. While the conversation is going on Bec slips up and into the room moving along the wall but leaves his weapon sheathed.

The Ogre keeps talking to someone that isn't there about not killing or killing something and saying the voices are speaking to him and he must obey.

Again Casimer tries to plead with the Ogre to end this peacefully. With a final shrug of his shoulder's the Ogre tells someone or something he is talking to that he will obey, hefts his Greatclub and slams it into Casimer's head. Knocking Casimer unconcious and to the ground in one mighty blow.

Seeing this Bec grabs Casimer by the armor and hastely drags Casimer back into the tunnel and away from the Ogre.

In steps Aust declaring that he was sent from the Outer Gods and he must obey.

Without a double take the Ogre slams his club into Aust knocking him down and unconciuos, and now the Ogre is 2 for 2.

Bec drags Casimer further back as Mischa begins applying a healing salve to stabilize.

Seeing this Alliana decides to cast sleep into the chamber. The Ogre saves and nothing happens. The only character in the room was already unconciuos

The rogue Crazh steps up close to the entrance to ready a bow while the Ogre pauses to scratch his back on the wall.

Alliana tries to fire her bow over Bec and Crazh at the Ogre but misses badly.

(Next it gets good)
bwatford
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Post by bwatford »

After having Alliana fire a arrow past his head for the third time in two weeks. Crazh turns and runs Alliana through with his shortsword after dropping his Bow.

Bec seeing this drops Aust and enters the cave to keep the Ogre busy. Crazh goes back to picking his bow up and readying to fire. Mischa comes over and cast a healing spell on Alliana and she revives. Bowen has left the mule and come up to assist the wounded.

Bec takes a shot from the Ogre while dragging Aust back but doesn't go down.

Alliana then cast burning hand at the Ogre and states that she doesn't care if Crazh is in the way. So Poof !

The Ogre is now on fire and so is Crazh. Crazh drinks a healing potion as the Ogre bats out his flames.

Bec see's the opportunity and jumps into melee catching the Ogre not defending and lays him out with a mighty hit of his Great Sword.

Crazh still on fire goes down from the flames. Once down Alliana CoupDeGras him.

Casimer seeing the murder and being lawful good tries to let Alliana explain before attacking.

Casimer doesn't like her answer and hits with his Masterwork Longsword rendering the mage unconcious. In the name of Wee Jas another CoupDeGras.

For the record. ( 2 Characters dead by other characters.) and 2 still badly wounded.

They decide to head back to town after searching the Ogre's cave and thus ends our first session in the Vault.


More to come if anyone is interested.
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JediOre
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Post by JediOre »

Holy cow.

My group would have ex-communicated several of the players. You have a very different set of gamers than I do! Regardless of the character picked we seem to be the Musketeers, "All for one and one for all!"

The ogre's cave is dangerous enough without party members taking each other out. Wow.

So how are they fairing against the module?

We had a blast playing through this module.
bwatford
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Post by bwatford »

Well our next session is Sunday 2/3/2008 and I will let everyone know.

There has been so much drama this week with players in an uproar over what happened. The guy who played the wizard who Coup De Grace'd Crazh is gone from the group. So everyone seems content now to regroup and continue. The characters that were involved got enough experience from the Ogre to put the last few over the edge to level. So they are all going to bring in a second group of characters this week to complete the first level. Then the original group which is now 2nd level will swap back out to go into the next level.

Our group likes to run multiple PC's due to the fact I make all new characters start at first level so they want a couple of characters swapping in and out to keep their level the same in case one bites the dust they don't have to start back with a first level character. Plus it gives a party options in different situations if they need a specialized group for something.
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Warduke
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Post by Warduke »

i hope this wasn't destructive to the actual gaming group ........... but darn if it ain't funny to read. :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: like an episode of reservoir dogs.
bwatford
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Post by bwatford »

Ok with a second group of characters last week they made it through the main caves and went up the hole in the ceiling and made it to the river crossing and camped. BTW the player that started the party fight is now gone from the group but we have added a couple of new players. I was a little hung over last weekend so I didn't update it here. We'll pick up from the river crossing. Please forgive my spelling as I did this quickly as a recap for the players through email. We have a party of 10 players going so I will not try to do it in a story format as others do here so I'll give an overall recap of the interesting parts.

Here goes.

The Curse Of The Three Fingered Hand!



Ok guys, lets recap today’s happenings. I don’t know what it is about the Lost Vault of Tsathzer Rho but it seems that the half orc population is having some problems with the three-fingered hand group.



After resting for 2 days and recouping Urkas from last weeks adventuring (getting pushed, podded and poked) into some bad situations. It seemed that the group was going to start the day off with a simple (DC10) balancing act across the river. 2 Monsterous Centipede’s later we have one character floating downriver. After quickly dispatching the creepy crawler’s a couple ropes were tossed into the river after the struggling character only to fall way short. Was we rescuing a drowning comrade or trying to throw a rope and catch some fish? I think Urkas was after the fish. After a quick magehand from the swamp dweller the drowning party member was passed the rope and pulled to safety. After regrouping everybody crossed the river to the other side and began exploring their two options. After being undecided the group split into two factions one choosing to explore more of the cave system and the other decides to check out the light from the fire up a smooth sloped passage.



The first group gets a few feet down the rough cavern passage when they here “KOBOLDS” being screamed from less than 60 feet from their previous position. They rush to give aid to their screaming companions only to find the corridor crowded with over anxious adventurers. I think some of them could have started up a game of cards to past the time in the back. A little to the dismay of the party their was a certain half orc named Urkas raging at the top of the slope. Surprisingly the narrow passage was again blocked by a crazed barbarian with his great sword. But at last not much damage being done to the overly abundant foes. After a few wild swings and characters screaming at him to get out of the way Urkas finally makes a critical error (1st critical miss by Urkas) in his attack and trips falling down and being drug back by two kobolds wanting to taste roasted half orc tonight in the firepit.



Seeing their opportunity the others advanced finally to see some action. Urkas kicks one of the draggers in the fire pit as other party members rush in to make quick work of the kobolds forward flank. As the final kobolds retreat back they are joined by a mass of re-enforcements. Having the creatures in a much better position now the other fighters take the lead and leave the fatigued Urkas to lick his wounds. After easily dispatching a few more of the red scaled lizard dogs, the appearance of a deformed kobold leader appears with one super large eye darting around and a horn coming from his forehead. The forward fighter licks his lips in anticipation of the demise of the “yoda” wanna be. The small fiend had a surprise for the group as he unleashed the first of only two magic bolts into one of the forward fighters that went screaming from the front ranks screaming something about “Hell NO” A couple charges later and a heal spell and the creature was dispatched in a massive show of strength by the other half orc in the group. From their it was all downhill for the fleeing confused remaining kobolds….. Someone in the party awakens a sleeping Urkas with a kick in the groin. (Boy would this be regrettable later.)



A quick search and find of some treasure. It was on to the next room where combat was evident based on the peebles falling down the next slope. After the rouge moves silently into plain sight (Opps forgot to hide) he dives back to avoid a small boulder coming down the slope from the next wave of kobolds.



PAUSE – DIPLOMATIC BREAK –



After trying to reason with some mad kobolds about being emmisaries of the outer gods while wearing blood coated pendants that barely fit around their neck, that just happen to belong to the kobolds pals and family. Not to mention their slain leader. While being talked to by strange voices in their heads. The party was tricked into coming forward up the slope. (Not just the two that was fooled) But most of the entire party. Another boulder and a large chunk of the party went down from the next roll of the rocks. Back into melee and this time the kobolds was pissed pulling out all the stops by throwing oil at the first group of fighters and preparing for some more tender vittles. (Was it just me or was these kobolds worshipping some kind of fire god. Fire. Fire. Fire. Yeah it’s cool.) With everything well in hand the party was ready to finish off the last few kobolds when…. When….. Like a super hero charging from the back , here comes a feshly awakened Urkas at a full run into the room dodging one blow and taking a good hit from the second, this must have really pissed Urkas off because in a blind rage he swings mightily and strikes his fellow half orc out of clumsiness (2nd critical miss of the day) (“Damn I should have looked before rushing through everyone!” he was heard saying) His fellow half orc goes down and is quickly set on fire by the kobold standing over him. Luckily the rest of the party leapt to his aid making quick work of the kobolds on that side of the room. After making that critical mistake Urkas readies to strike another massive blow. Maybe it was the thought of accidentally hurting a friend, or maybe just fatigued from earlier, personally I would like to think he was still half asleep. But Urkas draws back his sword to bring it forward and draws way too far back slicing into his own back, flinching from the pain he swings forward, angle wrong, what is happening he thought as his sword sliced into his jugular vein sending him to the ground in a massive surge of blood loss and death. (3rd and final critical miss of the day) The kobold in front of Urkas is just overjoyed at this sight and is energized for war, now salivating over the gruesome sight before his eyes. Up steps Jonas over the dead body of Urkas and prepares to swing. The frenzied kobold lashes out and slices a pinky finger off of Jonas while damaging the muscles in the other fingers. Jonas reels in pain. The other party members come over to finish the kobold. With all the critters down the party looks around, Jonas face is white as a ghost holding up three fingers on his left hand with blood squirting everywhere. Everyone’s thoughts immediately goes to the three fingered hand symbol they have seen on the creatures and pendants throughout the caves. This can’t be happening. As the cleric rushes to aid Jonas and the party prepares to rest for the night your thoughts are plagued by self mutilation by the half orc and Jonas the only spark of good in the party, now being the very symbol of what they have come to fear and battle so far.



With Jonas’s fingers mended and the rest of you being treated for your wounds, you wonder what could be around the next corner, you pull your bedroll close and shiver on the cold cave floor.
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