Our first session was really amazing. Players caught on to the game quickly and dove straight into the action. A couple of small treasures were had and two baddies were bashed! Unfortunately the cleric gave it all.
Cast and Crew
The peasant life isn’t easy. The temptation to risk it all for fame, glory, and treasure is more than some can stand. And so we find our intrepid adventurers; if somehow they manage to survive the journey ahead bards will sing of their exploits for a thousand years.
When the news of a nearby crypt reaches the ears of the men and women in the tiny village of Porbly a ragtag team assembles:
- Silby of the Cliff People (Magician)
- Kanmal the Haunted (Fighter)
- Dorgar the Mantled (Theif)
- Todor the Ugly (Cleric)
Exploits
Upon entering the dungeon our explorers are faced with a long hallway having two doors on each side and a large stone door barred shut at the opposite end.
A Resting Place For Warriors Forgotten
Kanmal charges ahead of the team into the first door on the left finding a small room containing a coffin. The others slowly file in behind the warrior but stay near the door.
The coffin is pried open to reveal a clay statue of a snake warrior. It has a gold ring on one finger.
The sight of the shiny trinket is more than Silby the magician can stand. Thinking only of his hungry family he immediately pulls at the ring breaking the finger away. The clay figure is hollow and begins releasing gas.
Our delvers immediately flee the room back to the corridor while holding their breath.
One at a time the next three rooms are carefully explored only to find more of the strange clay statues that the team is now wary of. Only one other figure has a treasure (an odd looking silver ring). This is carefully broken free of the hand while once again fleeing into the halls.
Having explored all the rooms our party turns their attention to the large barred door at the end of the hallway.
A Dangerous Portal
Kanmal runs his hands over the large stone door and examines the bar laying across its width. It is then that he notices the smashed breastplate laying to one side. Feeling something drip on his shoulder he turns his eyes to the ceiling where a large hammer is recessed.
Silby and Kanmal determine to remove the bar from the door. Given the dangerous mechanism our team decides to tie a 50’ rope around the center of the bar so that they can wrest it free at a distance. On the count of three every man in the team heaves and the bar tumbles free. The mighty hammer in the ceiling flies forward with nothing in its path. It slams into the great stone door shattering it and sending great slabs tumbling to the floor.
An Angry Bride
After crossing the portal the team finds an inner crypt with three elaborately painted coffins against the wall. A large vibrant orange coffin in the center with two smaller blue and gold coffins on its sides.
Eager to find more treasure, Kanmal the Haunted smashes open the small, right-most coffin. A wretched skeletal fiend stumbles forth screaming dust into the air. Kanmal immediately swings his mighty sword but misses.
Dorgar and Todor each make their own unsuccessful attacks against the undead skeletal bride as Silby runs back towards safety. The skeleton is further enraged taking an ineffective swipe at Kanmal.
Determined to end this fight once and for all Todor holds his holy symbol high and screams in rage (Rolling a Nat. 20). The wretched undead bride burst into dust with a final scream.
A gold necklace worth 50 gold is found among the dust.
A Lost Friend
Emboldened by this victory and hopeful for more treasure, Kanmal decides to open the other small coffin. Predictably, another fiendish bride stumbles forward in a rage.
Dorgar the Mantled slashes the monster but still it comes. Enraged she takes half the theives life in a single swipe.
The group tires as each member makes an attack only to have the skeleton dodge over and over again. Kanmal drops his sword in a moment of panic (Rolling a 1).
And then a death blow is dealt in the heat of battle. The wretched undead bride throwing her rage into the cleric and taking his life. Our heroes are crushed as Todor the Ugly is lost.
Kanmal, having regained his sword and maddened by the loss of his companion, lands a stunning blow with his two handed sword. The undead bride is forever laid to rest.
The Shabby Statue
After the battle, Dorgar takes a moment to bandage his wounds while the rest of the team explore the adjacent room. It is small and contains a large ugly wooden snake god covered in gold leaf. It seems shoddy and is beginning to rot.
Closer inspection reveals a trickle of water running under the statues feet. A gap is worn in the floor.
Kanmal shoves the shoddy wooden idol aside to reveal a hole in the floor leading to a passage.
Making Camp
Still mourning the loss of their cleric, the team decides to secure a camp for the night. Once rested they will continue to explore what marvels lie ahead.
Session Notes
Overall I’m very happy with how our first session went. I think that my players are quickly catching on to how the game is played. I was very forgiving with the gas traps at the beginning of the adventure and allowed them to run from the room. This was a painless way for them to learn that there are traps in the dungeon and you must take a careful approach.
The battles were engaging without being a slog. Everything moved quickly and was very exciting.
Next time I will roll a die from time to time to randomly choose who an enemy is attacking.
My family had a good time in an exciting game. A perfect ending to a wonderful day.