Campaign of the Month: May 2022

Revenge on the Kraken's Bane

Session 5: Seagale Under Siege

TimothyToken.pngAs recounted by Timothy.

Dear Mom,

I thought I’d let you know, I left those people in Baldur’s Gate. You were right, they were only using me. If any of them come looking for me, please don’t tell them I contacted you. I just wanted to let you know I am OK and working. I would have written you sooner, but I wasn’t sure you and Dad wanted to hear from me. Don’t think this letter is just because I want to come home, I don’t think that’d be a good idea.

I got a job on a ship and have a whole bunch of new friends. I think you’d like them, especially Rolf. We’d just finished liberating a room in a temple (don’t worry, it was a Temple of Salune, we were looking for a priest/monk or something) when he just wandered into more of the lizard-goblin things that had invaded. And he’s in college. Just like the son you always wanted.

KoalinthSergeant.jpegIt’s part of a quest we’re on to find this Barkus guy. We were looking for his brother Darmis and some other guy named Faegin. They’d been dragged away by the goblin things down a tunnel. Luckily there was a monk cowering downstairs while this maurading was going on to tell us this. Monks, right?

My friend, Ghaisek sent their imp down the tunnel, and sure enough, Darmis and Faegin were being held by the goblin things. I know, people with imps are what got me into trouble in the first place…but I think they’re different. At least they hasn’t tried to stab me.

We were wanting to be so careful as we tried to save the two brothers (like, religious brothers not real brothers though I think one of the brothers was the brother-in-law of the other brother). But Rolf and Ghaieik aren’t as sneaky as me, so we had to blast our way through them.

I know it sounds like the same stuff I was getting into before, but I pretty sure I’m working with the good guys now. I mean, I nearly died trying to save the monastery brothers. (Gaemon saved me, he’s a paladin.)

So definitely doing better and maybe will be able to visit when things calm down.

I hope Petal and Spruce are doing fine. Tell them I really do miss them.

Your son,
Bark

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Session 4: Journey to Seagale Monastery
Bully Bullywugs

Ghaisek_token.pngAs recounted by Ghaisek

Well my lord, it seems as though we may be making some progress after all. After finishing up with the witch woman and her goblin cohorts- to say nothing of those abhorrent walking scarecrows- we returned to the steading of Stana Turuk for information on the wayward Zhent Barkus.

According to the halfling, our best recourse for finding Barkus is to follow his path to the Seagale Monastery and seek out his brother Darmis. Darmis, according to Stana, is close friends with her brother-in-law Faegin. Apparently, the three of them (Darmis, Faegin, and Stana’s late husband Jamis) spent a good deal of time together at the Seagale monastery. Hopefully, when we arrive

Before we set out for the monastery, the group took some time to familiarize each other with some of our newfound abilities. The satyr Kuda seems to have a talent for some very “hands on” personal divination. Timothy shows some particularly interesting traits as well, but it’s his familiarity with your iconography – and the accompanying unease – that I find most intriguing. The foolish Imp, Caliban, that you sent me has proven useful so far but it has some attitude problems that may need to be trained away.

bullywug.jpegThe two day travel to the Seagale monastery proved largely uneventful. Near the end of the first day of travel we were accosted by some bullywugs when we attempted to cross the river. Nuisance creatures to be sure, the bullywugs managed to inflict non-trivial injuries on Sprea’ before we dispatched them.

Mid/late afternoon on our second day of travel we arrived at the Seagale monastery. On first glance the monastery seemed intact if a bit quiet. However, further inspection revealed that something was very wrong. A surreptitious entrance through a rear door to the monastery has led to the discovery of many corpses and a number of foul creatures likely responsible for the slaughter.

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Session 3: Taruk Homestead
Goblins Stole my Scarecrow!

PrestonToken.pngAs recounted by Preston Digitation

D&D Notes:

  • We are directed to Stana Taruck (halfling woman)
  • A visit to the Broken Anvil Tavern
    - Bartender directed us to farm further up the road, east.
    - Rolf buys everyone drinks and shots (the firespirits are very good)
    - A quick shopping trip
  • Goblins!
    - (They ran away)
  • Stana directs us to Barkus, and provides some info
    - “The incident” – villagers attacked his mother.
    The children ran into the forest to hide.
    His mother, Vaska, was killed. His father, Calla, was arrested.
    His brother Darmus and his sister Charma got lost in the forest?
    Barkus ran away to be a sailor
    Darmus showed up at Stana’s door a tenday later, and she raised him
    Darmus later went to a monastery.
    - Barkus visited Stana. Found mother’s starfish charm.
  • Back to tracking the Goblins!
    - We finded them?
    - A cave!
    - A flash of light, blinded!
    - Killed the goblins
  • At the back of goblin cave, creepy old woman: “Strooga”
    - Says the goblins were her body guards
    - Says it’s OK that we killed them, she’s “making more body guards” (Scarecrows?)
    - We fight her…she’s a mage and awakens some scarecrows to help her fight!

(polish to come soon. Sorry!)

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Harpy, I hardly know thee

Session 2: 12th of the Nightal fair sea 3rd day

GaemonSwallows.pngAs recounted by Gaemon Swallows

Our story returns on the Silent Dagger, on a trip for the Lady Raven
After cracking some crooked kraken skulls, a warning recited the last man standing craven

His mouth did foam after talk of tentacles, so we laid the remains out to sea
Not before taking their ship for our own, we are still pirates you see

A rest and orgy, with the motion of ocean, made for a fine view for thee
Though the crew did abstain, as jobs must be a pain, all’s well more for me

We continue our journey to Hillsfar, finding a peak of the bells of the deep
Thought just as in view, we lost control of our crew, who started steering us for the keep

A swarm of vultures rolled from the fog, but was not the true villain who controlled the poor sods
A harpy at heart was taking the men, not before we did, get our good shots in
Preston took haste, knocking too much sense into our mate
Gaemons javelin flew true, though still losing the crew
Lost control of the sails, and a discounted crew, the captain took charge, to see our ship through
Our prize ship lost, in a scuff with the shore, but a small price to pay for still living aboard
Our team did eliminate all birds from the field, bringing the Harpy to front with murderous zeal
Timothy swung in from Kudas mighty meat, and with a swing of his “short”-sword did the Harpy taste defeat

Arriving at the ports of Hillsfar, we needed disguises or would not get far
The great law of humanity, who some think insanity, made racists of townsfolk and guard
Gaemon and Gaesick took lead, as the only ones passing you see
For humans not straights, we head for the gates, leading our nexus of mates
After being extorted we had not resorted, to our ways of violence and had all things sorted
This town full of racist, so we got out in quick paces, and onward we make with the heavens good graces

Fin

My cliffnotes, before I made them more fun
*
*
On the Silent Dagger gifted from Lady Layla
We head for Hillsfar
Bell of the deep
War of the netherless, you know uppity mages, doing uppity mage shit
Half of a city crashed in a forest and the rest into the moon sea
Welcome to the bell of the deep boys
Avoiding the line of the Moon Sea
12th of the Nightal fair sea 3rd day
As Vulchers entered the air, a charme took some of our good men
Preston beat a man to death, but I suppose he is not charmed anymore
As the Harpie approached she was thusly slain by Timothy, with a handful of Kudas meat to keep his balance and his “short” sword he did lay the Harpy back to the sea.
Upon arrival a quick discussion of our best approach into town, racists.
The great law of humanity
We decided I and Gaesick should lead passing most for human, with the rest in hoods
Should take the lead to get us to the farm town of cough-hack-weeze
Payed off a guard who was a racist asshole
Shrouded in disguise, our less than human companions passed with us and made it from the city east to see the wizards farm.
*

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What's Kraken?

Session 1: Set Sail for Adventure

Kuda’s log, sea date 1292020
Loch.pngSo we talk to Sir Man who says Barkus may be in Hillsfar which is was his home. The Great Law of Humanity, whatever that is, was overturned or something, so he’s probably outside of town. Apparently that means something to some of my friends, but I haven’t a clue. He says Lady Whosits is probably the best person to talk to. He leaves his boy as a toy to enjoy which was all too brief.

Ah… so Lady Whosits is the Lady Layla. Got it. She’s giving us passage on a ship called the Silent Dagger to get there. Each given 50 gp for bribes.

We get underway on the boat and start our journey. I spot a ship coming towards us and recognize the flag of the Kraken Pirates. They pull up along side and start to board.

It’s an epic fight with Timothy jumping straight into the soup. I magic some scrapped lime rind and chunk it at the pirates. Preston digitates some magics at them, and poor S’prea was downed with a lucky shot. Rolf plays with his sword as usual, and Ghaisek slings snakey spells at them. Gaemon tries to hogtie the captain but that didn’t work. He ded.

We end up capturing the ship and one of the crewmen. The crewman tells us, “Death will come from the deeps.. The tentacles will pull you.. There is nothing but despair.” He bites down on something, goes into convulsions, and dies.

We find a chest on the ship which contains some coin and gems.. Probably about 100 gp. Chest is a beer cooler, and I’m down with that. We continue on our journey. I pass the time reading the star signs of the other crew and which always concludes with a happy ending.

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A Rough Night at the Dragon's Claw Tavern

Session 0 – Getting to Know You!

Everyone shared a little bit about their character’s backstory, how they became a pirate and what they are looking for in a bunkmate. It became very clear that these pirates are far from ordinary.

Lost In a Familiar Place

After being told that their current vessel was being decommissioned and that the crew was being disbanded, this group of young pirates headed to find comfort a the Dragon’s Claw Tavern. They have been here many times before. It has always been a little rowdy, but they never expected what happened next.

  • The party met Layla Songbird (aka Lady Raven). She was tending bar for the night. After Timothy informed her that they were out of work, she bought the first round for the poor souls.
  • The party began to make plans on what to do next. Do they try to buy a ship of their own? Where would they live? How would they get gold?
  • Before they could make any real plans, the Halfling at the end of the bar stood up and said, “Get’em boys!” and party was attacked by hired Thugs.
  • The fight looked like it was going well for the band of friends until Ettin Slaghorn joined the fray. Before things could get too bad, Layla called Ettin off.
  • Come to find out it was all a test. Layla is looking for hardy seafairing adventurers to help her with a mission. She directed them to go down stairs to the Dragon’s Maw…the secret bathhouse below the tavern.
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