[This session took place January 2001. We were playing Champions 4th Edition with the Second Edition Fantasy Hero supplement.]
Player Characters
Max Lucas - human male ranger from the Bayern District
Arturo of the Brambles - male human monk of the Order of the Brambles
Tarquin the Mad - male human fighter, traveling companion to Rory
NPCs
Rory the Red - Wizard and graduate of Outlands University, traveling companion to Tarquin
Pira the Seer - female human seer from Fordsway, accompanied by her apprentice
Session Begins, April 13, 18 IC
After widening the cave-in mouth [see end of previous session], Monteflurio, Dangar, Max, Arturo, Rory, and Tarquin entered the revealed stairwell and traveled downwards into the ruins. Every flat surface was covered with nearly two inches of dust, suggesting the long abandonment of the ruins. The group spent several hours investigating what Monteflurio identified as a guest house before finding the tunnel system that lead to the manor house.
During the investigation, Max opened the front doors of the guest house and nearly flooded the house with anti-magic dust. Quick action by Tarquin closed the door before that happened, but a layer averaging a foot in depth now covered the entry area, knocking out any magic that contacted it.
It was also while exploring the guest house that Arturo damaged or destroyed three stasis boxes found in a store room in the attic by using anti-magic dust to break the magic locks. In side the boxes were some ancient faux-alabaster tea cups (with saucers) and some linens. The expedition returned to camp after running out of torches to provide light. It was nearly dawn when they reached their campsite.
April 14
Dusk
After taking a "short" nap and restocking their supply of torches, the expedition returned to the tunnels as the sun set behind the mountains. They made their way down through the guest house to an access tunnel that was below the original floor of the valley. The tunnel was covered with extensive murals, all having a flame/fire motif.
After walking a while, the expedition found the main passage, which had scenes of war and glory decorating its walls. They spent several hours exploring the main passage, locating other branching passages, one with an earth motif, one with an animal motif (which lead to an area whose doors they did not open), one with a water motif, and one with an air motif. Monteflurio’s research indicated that the tunnels with elemental motifs led to other guesthouses and the animal motif to an arena of some sort, so the expedition did not go down those side passages.
They eventually worked out that they were moving away from the main house and, after some backtracking, the expedition found a set of very ornate stairs leading up, probably into the Mansion itself. Rather than pushing on, the expedition returned back to camp for food and sleep, having been on the move for close to fifteen hours. They returned to their campsite and rested until near dusk the next day.
April 15
Dusk
The same group hiked out to the center of the valley and descended into the Fire House. It then took them nearly and hour of walking to reach the grand stair up to the main house.
Ascending the stairs, Monteflurio used his notes to lead them through the mansion to the throne room. There they found the Throne of the Sorcerer-Kings. It was made of gold with intricate inlays of precious metals and gems. The arm rests ended in lion heads that appeared to be roaring. Monteflurio performed a quick search of the room and determined that what he was specifically looking for was not there. He and Dangar took a different set of stairs up to another level of the mansion, looking for the library. Rory, Max, Arturo, and Tarquin stayed in the throne room and investigated the throne further.
Rory sat down on the throne and fiddled with the gemstones on the armrests. He discovered that some of them activated powers of the chair. He caused the right lion head to breathe flame (nearly scorching Max) and the left lion head to emit lightning from its eyes. He also discovered some targeting properties and vision enhancements, but could not get any responses from the rest of the buttons.
Upstairs, Monteflurio and Dangar located the door to the Sorcerer-King’s private chambers. The door was made out of an unusual metal and had no obvious means of opening it. Dangar resorted to brute force, hacking at it with his battleaxe, nearly destroying the axe in the process.
Once inside the Sorcerer-King’s private chambers, Dangar and Monteflurio quickly investigated chambers until they located the personal library. The room was floor to ceiling books and scrolls, all of them written in a high form of Mage Tongue. Monteflurio discovered another stasis case, four feet long with a one-foot square cross-section. Monteflurio was excited as the stasis case might contain the item he was looking for.
Wanting to open the case, but not having the key, Monteflurio had Dangar haul it back downstairs to the throne room, where the other adventurers were waiting. A discussion about the best way to open the case without damaging anything inside ensued. The group consensus was that the best way to open it was by using the anti-magic dust to disable the magical portion of the lock.
Arturo headed back to the Fire House to get some of the anti-magic dust they had accidentally let in. Tarquin, Rory, and Dangar waited in the entrance hall of the mansion with the case for Arturo to get back while Monteflurio searched the library further and Max searched the rest of the Sorcerer-King’s private chambers.
Max discovered what he thought was the body of one of the servants in a small bedroom. He returned to the entrance hall to report this. Later investigation determined that it was the bodies of two children whose throats had been sliced. On one hand, the expedition was comforted somewhat by finding the first remains they had seen so far. On the other hand, whoever or whatever killed the children might still be down here and they immediately started speculating as to who/what killed them and where it might be.
Several hours later, Arturo returned and they opened the case (destroying its stasis properties). Inside was a giant scroll. Taking the scroll back to the library to consult with Monteflurio, they discovered he was nowhere to be found. Concerned that something might have happened to Monteflurio, they immediately searched the private quarters. They found a partially concealed small spiral staircase down to the first floor, possibly servant stairs. the stairs led to another study where Monteflurio had found, not what he was looking for, but a stasis box containing a fully stocked wet-bar and food items. The expedition, suddenly realizing they were extremely hungry, took a break from exploring and raided the food.
After spending some time sating their hunger and thirst on quality food and some excellent and priceless vintages, the group unrolled the giant scroll. The giant scroll contained several things. First, it contained an actual map of the gardens, including notes as to where the "current" illusions were. Next was a schematic of the tunnel system that indicated where a secret lab was located. Finally there was a section of text that no one could translate, but looked like an ancient variant of Mage Tongue. The expedition members discussed it and decided to try the Lab as the next most likely place that the Sorcerer-King’s symbol of authority could be.
It was just after midnight April 16th when they made this decision, although the expedition was unaware of the exact time.
End of Session.
Happening Off-Stage
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