This entry covers two sessions. The first happened Tuesday, February 1, 2010, and the second Tuesday, February 8, 2010. This campaign uses the Dyson’s Delve dungeon pages on A Character for Every Game. We are using the Pathfinder RPG, so some adjustments were made (or so I’ve been told).
In the first session, we were down two player characters (Sahar and Frankie Hu) due to illness (one natural and the other beer induced) and so did a side adventure that was mostly an XP farm. The February 8th session found us still down a player character (Sahar), but the story was stalled if we did not run the conclusion, so we chanced it.
Adventuring Group:
Harkaitz of the Red Soul (male human cleric of Ra)
Wednesday (female elf rogue)
Tre-ba Bel a sheer (female elf alchemist)
Luna (female elf sorcerer)
Frankie Hu, Master of the Distracting Fist (male dwarf monk)
SPOILER ALERT: If You Might Play Through Dyson's Delve, Stop Reading
After clearing out a small underground cave network exposed by a sinkhole, the adventurers received a sending from the Earth Priest that the meeting with Tim had been arranged and told the adventurers when to be there. Hoping for the best and planning for the worst, the adventurers divided into two groups and separately hid two of the three gate amulets. Wednesday, Tre-ba, and Luna (the elves) buried one amulet and set a trapped decoy location with an insanity gas trap. Harkaitz and Frankie embedded one in a boulder with stone shape and trapped a decoy location with a fireball glyph of warding. The group also questioned Peter (the wizard they had captured) about what kind of magic Tim uses, learning that Peter had seen Tim cast lightning bolt a couple of times, but not in the same combat.
On the appointed day, the adventurers arrived at the Delve and cast some preparatory spells. Harkaitz cast resist energy (electricity) on Luna, Frankie, and himself. He then cast resist energy (fire) on Wednesday, as she was expected to get close and might get caught in a fireball or burning hands area of effect. He also cast shield other on Luna to keep her up and fighting longer, although this was nearly his downfall. Tre-ba passed around barkskin extracts she concocted (and a few others) and the group entered the Delve. On the upper level, they found both sets of double doors open and can see Scar (the harpy), the Earth priest, and Tim in the other room. Wednesday used the scroll of invisibility on herself and the group entered the room.
Tim was up on the gate platform, flanked by two hellhounds. Scar and the Earth Priest were standing before him when the adventurers arrived, but casually stepped out of the way. Tim seemed momentarily surprised to see the adventurers alive, but quickly recovered. He and Harkaitz exchanged a few terse words and the fight was on.
Wednesday and Tre-ba were able to quickly deploy, moving to the sides of the room, but Harkaitz, Frankie, and Luna were still lined up when Tim threw a lightning bolt, catching all three. Due to the resist energy spells, most of the effects rolled off the adventurers and Harkaitz and Luna responded to the lighting bolt with a pair of fireballs, catching Tim and his two hellhounds in the blasts. Two xill then appeared, flanking the spellcasters and a mad melee started. Frankie charged, acrobatically flipping past multiple enemy combatants until he was standing next to Tim, delivering a flurry of blows. Wednesday nimbly leaped to flank Tim and started wickedly attacking him with her +1 keen rapier. The Earth Priest and Scar took this moment to join the fight…on the adventurers’ side!
Tim ignored his flanking attackers and cast an ice storm, blanketing half the chamber, knocking Harkaitz into unconsciousness, but also killing one of the hellhounds and a xill ally. While this eliminated the adventurers healing capability, it was a fleeting tactical advantage as Wednesday and Frankie attacked Tim with renewed vigor, Frankie pummeling Tim to death with his lightning-charged fists. [Frankie was using his lightning-based elemental fist ki power.]
While the others finished taking out Tim’s remaining allies (the second hell hound and xill), Luna moved to Harkaitz’s side and poured a healing potion down his throat, returning him to consciousness. Harkaitz immediately channeled the healing power of Ra, healing himself and all of his allies. Wednesday relieved Tim’s body of the fourth Gate Amulet (the one showing the viper). Harkaitz asked the Earth Priest if he had honored the bargain and secured the fifth Gate Amulet. The Earth Priest showed the fifth amulet (the toucan). Harkaitz put his hand out and waited for the Earth Priest to hand the amulet over. After a short pause, the Earth Priest did so.
Harkaitz stated that their original agreement was now fulfilled. The next logical one was for the Earth Priest to show the adventurers how to control the gate in exchange for the adventurers opening the gate to whatever location the Earth priest needed it open to “retrieve something” as discussed earlier. The Earth Priest agreed to this. At this point, Harkaitz informed the Earth Priest that the adventurers had hidden two of the amulets prior to facing Tim and needed to go retrieve them. He suggested that everyone meet back here at the Gate Room the next day to conclude this second agreement. The Earth Priest was not thrilled, but could see the wisdom in hiding some of the amulets before facing Tim. He agreed to meet the adventurers here the next day.
*End of Session*
[The actual play part of this session was short due to the planning session prior to the fight and the hiding of the amulets, plus Luna had not been leveled since gaining enough experience point the previous session. All told, this was a good and tense session where the outcome was unknown until the end. We were really in a pickle when initiative determined that everyone but Harkaitz and Luna went first, leaving the player artillery vulnerable, especially when the xill phased in right next to them. There was palpable relief when Scar and the Earth Priest joined the fight by attacking Tim’s minions.]
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