Session 27: Unlikely Allies

We're on break from Machodor and our plucky heroes are laying low after last week's dastardly heist, so the C-team rolls into town looking for some evil to vanquish.

Session Report for January 30, 2025. Three players adventured for six days.

Characters

Garth, human magic-user level 1
Philip, human paladin level 1
Troy, human ranger level 1

The players knew that the first level of the local megadungeon has been nearly tapped out. They're willing to risk overland travel to get to a ruined keep discovered way back in Fenrir Session #1. So they loaded up on supplies and headed off to the mountains - the wrong way. After three days of grueling travel, they found a snowy pass up into the north side of the mountain. They followed it to a gate house, where they paused to scout the courtyard beyond.

January? Let's go to the mountains!

They crossed the courtyard (formerly a bustling keep, now all the buildings are in ruins) and inspected the main gate leading to the keep. Through the gate they saw a few horses in the yard and a plume of smoke coming from the keep. Occupied!

The party pivoted to a watch tower outside the keep where they know they can find a dungeon entrance. As they approach, they spot a group of bandits entering the courtyard from the southern gate house. They hustle inside the watch tower and decide what to do.

They saw their own footsteps criscrossing in the snow and knew it would only a matter of time before the bandits found them, so they prepared to defend the watchtower. Philip stepped out to challenge the men and intimidate them.

This is where the old DM skill of abduction came in handy. I used reaction dice (1d100) to determine the result of Philip's intimidation and it resulted favorable. What does that mean in a situation like this? The bandits saw that the party was well-defended and thought it would be wiser to leave on good terms - and set an ambush for when they emerged from the dungeon weaker. So they turned around and left the party alone. The players weren't fooled, but they decided to take their chances in the dungeon and worry about the bandits later.

Inside the watchtower floor was a trap door that revealed stairs heading into a dungeon. They followed a winding passage to the first door. Troy the ranger opened the door and soaked the acid spray with his generous hit points (2d8 + 2*[CON bonus] at first level)!

The second room had an altar to a goddess of death with ritual stains all over it. Philip the paladin vowed to destroy the altar - maybe on the way back.

They explored a new room, a large storage room with empty shelves, and full of giant rats. The rats were dispatched without trouble. They party searched for a full turn and were starting to get frustrated. Someone shook and shoved the shelves, then something crashed to the ground. There were invisible clay pots on the top shelf, forgotten to time. A score! Amongst the precious coins, they found a large skeleton key.

The party pressed on. They didn't get much farther before encountering another group of characters. This time it was a rival adventuring party! Philip spoke up, hoping to leverage his superior charisma and get them on his side.

Lucky for him, the other party was led by a Lawful Good fighter and they decided to join forces. Everyone was on their way out - the NPCs were returning from a deep delve and the PCs were running low on session time - so they headed outside, only stopping to destroy that altar and disarm the acid trap in the first door.

Once outside the watchtower, Philip explained the bandit situation. The NPC party agreed to follow his lead until they were sure there was no ambush.

Troy scouted the exit ahead. He spotted a lookout on the northern gate house and took cover behind a ruined wall [rangers surprise 50% of the time!]. He signalled the rest of the party to move forward while he took a shot at the lookout. Troy scored a bullseye and killed the spotter before he knew anyone was coming.

The remaining characters charged the gate house, spilling through and spoiling the ambush. The bandits were not equipped for a fair fight and folded after a single round of combat.

Troy was able to track the bandits through the snow back to where they came from: a cozy camp site in the forest south of the mountain. Everyone stayed the night, packed up, and traveled back to Fort Fenrir together.

THE VANQUISHED
2 zombies 80
11 giant rats 110
9 bandits 135

XP for monsters defeated: 325

THE SPOILS
292 gp
1014 sp
9 swords
3 light crossbows
60 quarrels
3 tents and assorted camping supplies

XP for treasure taken: 371

THE SCORE
Each surviving character gets 97 gp, 338 sp, and 222 XP.

Troy the Ranger earned an E rating for hunting, scouting, and doing good.
Garth the Obscure earned an E rating for attempting to charm bandits with his friends spell.
Philip the Paladin earned an E rating for fighting evil.