Campaign Session Log

Rubbleholde Retreat had been occupied by the Brotherhood of the White Rose, a mercenary company under service to the Baron, for the past eight years. The Brotherhood was contracted to build as well as to defend the outpost in the middle of the narrow Gransano Valley to blockade the goblin hordes that lurked in the surrounding mountains, preventing raids on relatively defenseless border settlements. Until recently, this initiative was successful — goblin raids had ceased, and traders felt empowered on the road through the valley, which was made safer by patrolling members of the Brotherhood. Weeks ago, however, Rubbleholde Retreat fell to the forces of the Bloodeye Tribe, a force of goblin that tamed a flock of griffons to aid them in an aerial assault of the outpost. Much of the Brotherhood of the White Rose was slaughtered, and the few remaining members were forced to flee the outpost.   Major Alariel, on behalf of the Baron, recruited a band of mercenaries or adventurers to drive off the goblins from Rubbleholde Retreat. By infiltrating the keep, the band was able to swiftly and efficiently defeat the occupying Goblins, though not without the defenders calling for reinforcements. Unfortunately, the Ochal Legion was unable to hold the Fort against repeat counter attacks, and it quickly fell back into the hands of the Goblins. Interestingly, the Goblins were accompanied by a force of unknown Orcs.   (5)

Once inside the cave, the party realised that it was occupied by a different tribe of Goblins than they had previously encountered. Tougher, better trained and equipped, this Moonfang Tribe were a far more deadly threat. The party made the first move and attacked the outer Goblin guards. After a challenging hour long running battle, the group once against emerged victorious, standing in litres of their own blood, and the corpses of many blue skinned Goblins.   Deep in the cave the party found one last group of Goblins, led by a large Goblin Boss. A brief standoff occurred. The party not wanting to engage for fear of further Fireballs, and the Goblins not wanting to engage for fear of death at the hands of these bloody handed murderers. After a brief exchange of words, a rough truce was established. In exchange for passage out, the Goblins gave information on the location of the Goblin King, located somewhere called Nagdan to the north. Following the exchange the party also came to suspect that the Goblins were allied with, or working for, the Orcs that had previously been encountered.   Upon returning to Lower Peak the party briefed the Mayor and received a suitable reward for their efforts. The Mayor also briefed on the progress of the other two groups of adventurers in service of the Baron Vedras. The group sent to deal with the Kobolds have reported several successes, and the Half Dragon leader of the group expects success within the month. However, the group dealing with Gnolls has not been heard of since they began their task.   Finally, the group checked in on Blacksmith Lokkon, and asked after Bess. She is spending time with her Aunt in the Vedras City, after developing an unusual skin condition. She has begin to develop a reddish marks on her left arm, reminiscent of lizard scales.   (9)

Whilst returning to Lower Peak Logan's condition continued to deteriorate. Before slipping into a coma, he told the group of an old colleague of his who is immune to mental manipulation. Mayor Alariel arranged an Ochal Legion galleon to take them to Vedras City where they met up with an old friend of Halwick and Logan, name Raymonde.   Raymonde, who was now the defacto leader of the Order of the White Rose, asked for the groups help in return for assisting Logan. A rival mercenary company, Die Eisenfalke, had been taking advantage of the Order of the White Rose’s recent misfortune and killing or recruiting her members. Raymonde asked for help ‘dealing’ with the leader of this company, be being that went by the name of Qhuss. That party swiftly agreed, and travelled to the Qhuss’ location, only to discover that the members of Die Eisenfalke appeared to be some sort of hivemind thralled to Qhuss. After a vicious battle most of Sie Eisenfalke lay defeated, and Qhuss’ broken and bloody body lay before the group. Qhuss turned out to be some unknown humanoid creature with purple skin and 4 tentacles protruding from its face. With the psionic control of Qhuss broken, Die Eisenfalke lay down their arms to mostly be recruited by the Order of the White Rose later on.   Living up to his promise, Raymonde transferred some of his immunity to mental manipulation to Logan. Whilst it was insufficient to offer him long term protection, it was enough to rise him from his coma and break the Hag’s influence. Before departing back for Lower Peak, Logan was gifted a pair of ancient ‘6 shooters’ by Raymonde, weapons of a lost age that are unlike anything able to be produced in the modern age.   (13)

Now, dear readers, this session is not for the faint of heart. For the first time since our plucky adventuring party formed, true disaster struck.   Following their preparations for combat, the group ventured deeper into Nagdan. They immediate came across a ritual chamber with 4 fire wreathed Goblin mystics maintaining a black portal to some far-off realm. Through the portal emerged a Black Pudding, an acidic ooze creature that immediately set upon the party. The group faced their greatest challenge so far, as the Pudding continuously divided when attacked, and the mystic's fire shields made attacking them incredibly dangerous. After expending most of their resources and abilities, the mystics were defeated, and two Puddings remained. Unfortunately, in a stroke of base cunning, the puddings cornered Crusher, the group's Cleric, and dragged him into their forms. His screams echoed throughout Nadgan as he was slowly dissolved by the creatures, with the only part of him or his equipment to survive being his magical weapon.   Following a respectful moment to mourn their friend the group pressed on, minds clouded by a desire for revenge.   In a strange twist of fate, the group heard howls of rage from a caged prisoner, a captive of the Goblins. The jailer was a monstrosity unlike anything encountered before. A great drowned wight with a magical aura that turned the air in the lungs of any creature close to it to water. The group swiftly dispatched the Drowned One, and recovered the prisoners, the Barbarian Eragon. Eragon turned out to be from the same tribe as Crusher, and agreed to join the group to avenge his kin.   With their new companion in tow, the group pressed on once more, and came to a spider's nest. In the centre, on a stone plinth was an obvious trap, a great green ruby. Logan activated the trap, causing a magical effect that transmuted much of the party's gold into copper. How predictable. The trap disturbed the nest, and the group fought a veritable horde of Phase Spiders, before barricading themselves in once again for recuperate from their exertions and losses.   (15)

Upon taking a few hours to rest and heal following their ordeals, the group prepared themselves to continue to search for the Goblin leader. Pressing south through the thick fog that obscured sight through the dungeon, the group encountered a vast cave filled with corpses of many wargs and their handlers. These creatures appeared to have started to died of thirst, trapped in the cave by an unknown force.   The next chamber contained perhaps the greatest surprise that Nagdan held for the group. Bound in the center of the chamber, suspended over a portal to the Plane of Air, was an Oni. The creature had been summoned and trapped by the Goblin King's minions to maintain a series of scrying pools, allowing the King to see the actions of his enemies from afar. In order to prevent the group reaching the King, the magical bounds were loosened and he was compelled to erect a Wall of Force to prevent entry to the throne room. This loosening of restrictions allowed the Oni to fill Nagdan with Guards and Wards - the magical fog that obscured vision, also prevented the Goblins from moving around the dungeon. The group freed the Oni, which dropped the wards, and opened the final passage to the Goblin King.   In a vast, pillared chamber sat the Goblin King and his inner circle of elite guards. The King seemed to be resigned to his fate, his plans crushed and his allies fled. All that remained was a bitter monologue and a final showdown. In his final moments the King lamented that the group had consigned the Goblin kingdom to death, and that they were only here to try and survive the thing that was eating them.   Following the final showdown, the group looted a veritable horde of treasure and artifacts. As the group prepared to escape Nagdan, the unthinkable happened. Glenda, part of the group since the very beginning, betrayed them by stealing the activation stonesof the exit portal and left, stranding the group in Nagdan. Fortunately after some searching and experimentation, they were able to activate the portal and teleport to Pasht.   Upon materialising on the ground above the collapsed entrance to Nagdan, they discovered a huge field of burnt and lacerated Goblin corpses. At the centre was a bubble of energy, holding Pasht in stasis, following her mortal wounding at the hands of the Goblins. Half a mile away the remains of the Goblin horde began to rush towards the group, intent on murder. Rescuing Pasht, the group set off for the closest known teleport circle; Fort Teef. For 30 miles the Goblins gave chase, until the party, exhausted almost beyond their ability to continue, stood on the circle and vanished.   (19)