Storytime - The Transmuter's Last Touch.

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Jezza
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Storytime - The Transmuter's Last Touch.

Post by Jezza »

Our heroes - Nigel Nonefriend, Gnome Ninja 2. Krasha, Half-Orc Cleric (Farlanghn) 1/ Barbarian 1. Malachi, Elf Wizard 2.
Nigel's uncle Boddynock, a merchant, runs a series of caravans which had been under attack by kobolds, led by a 4-armed demon. He asked his nephew Nigel and his friends to investigate, as Nigel still owed him for smashing Boddynock's favourite vase at a birthday party some years previously.
Nigel and friends agreed and after some wandering around the wildereness found a cave concealed by a thicket. In the cave were some bas-reliefs depicting an ancient ritual. They were able to figure out how to open the secret door and enter the complex. Malachi used scrolls of mage armour on himself and Nigel and the adventure began.
They came to a door and Nigel peeked through it to see some kobolds sitting around playing dice and another standing watching them. Behind them was a gong. The watching kobold realized the door was open a crack and ordered his comrades to attack. But Nigel used his ghost step ability to turn invisible and cross the room, placing himself between the gong and the kobolds while most of them were still drawing their spears. Malachi came through next and cast a sleep spell, affecting all but two of the kobolds. The tough kobold who had been watching charged to attack while the other one headed for the gong. He was most surprised when a gnome ninja appeared in front of him. Malachi was attacked by the tough kobold but managed to get back from the doorway without injury and Krasha engaged him in combat. The other kobold managed to wake one of his friends but that one was killed by Nigel. Krasha wounded the touch kobold and then Malachi slew him with his magic longsword. Nigel killed the other kobold still awake, and then all the sleeping kobolds except one, who they tied up and interrogated (both Nigel and Malachi speak Draconic). Their captive told them a little about the complex and the strange mutant chieftain, Tazex the Everchanging, and also how to avoid the trapped staircase. They left him in the room, without anyone else in the complex having been alerted, and went to a small shrine with an image of a god carved into a wall. Krasha cast detect magic and was interested to discover that the whole room emanated faint magic, and one square in particular emanated moderate magic.
They proceeded down the stairs to a room with a large barricade. Malachi could hear more kobolds speaking in Draconic on the other side, and he and Krasha stayed at the bottom of the stairs while Nigel investigated the barricade. He tried to sneak across the room but the kobolds on the other side heard him and started walking into the augmentation point to infuse themselves with the power of fire. One climbed up onto the top of the barricade and started firing his slingshot at Krasha. Nigel saw another coming through a gap in the barricade which he hadn't had time to notice et and was somewhat surprised when it breathed fire on him. He killed it and went through the barricade, seeing a kobold pass through the augmentation point and become fired up. He withdrew back and he and Krasha started firing bows at the kobolds which were on top of the barricade. Another two kobolds came through the barricade and Nigel was able to kill one with his short sword, but not before being breathed on again. Malachi cast burning hands and used it to set the barricade alight. The kobolds on it weren't bothered at first but had to climb down before their augmentation ran out. Krasha killed the other kobold on their side of the barricade, another came through the fire unharmed. Nigel was waiting for him and shot him dead with his shortbow. They waited for the barricade to burn down, but the one remaining kobold had gone. They braced themselves for a kobold counterattack but none was forthcoming. Nigel searched a dead human guard the kobolds had been using for target practice but found only the leather armour the man had been wearing.
There were two exits and they took the left one, coming to a hall full of sarcophagi. They were attached by a dire weasel infused with the power of earth which breathed pebbles and stones on Krasha and then attached itself to him, drinking his blood. Meanwhile the kobold ranger that was the weasel's master was firing arrows at them. Krasha flew into a rage, enabling him to kill the weasel but not before it had drained some of Krashsa's blood leaving him somewhat weakened. Together the heroes killed the ranger, the fatal blow being struck by Malachi. At this point our heroes decided to return to town to give Krasha a chance to recuperate. In the room with their captive they interrogated him a bit more about the magic points and what they did. They considered taking the gong back with them to town, but decided not to as they were worried they might set it off when they picked it up. They took their kobold captive back to town and had him locked up. Nigel and Krasha went up a level, the latter taking another level of barbarian. Nigel purchased some chickens so as to have some subjects to test out the augmentation points on.
To be continued.
Jezza
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Post by Jezza »

When everyone had healed up they returned to the mysterious dungeon, Krasha carrying the two chickens in a sack, which had taken him a fair amount of effort to get in their. This time only two kobolds were posted at the guard room, one standing by the gong, the other by the door. They spotted Nigel peeking through a crack in the door and one sounded the gong while the other set off down the north passage. Nigel turned invisible and slew the remaining guard. They then went straight through the room with the carving to the room with the burnt down barricade and put one of the chickens onto the magic point. It became infused with the element of fire and Nigel prodded it until it hit him with fire breath. They waited until the effect wore off and then Nigel stepped onto the point himself, discovering how to breathe fire. Then they went back to the room with the carving and put the other chicken onto the magic point their, whence it started exuding a smell so foul that Nigel was almost sickened. Having investigated to their satsifaction the proceeded deeper into the complex. They searched the room where they had fought the ranger and the weasel and found an alchemical silver dagger. The next room they explored was the tribe's prison where a goblin and two kobolds were being held. Round the corner in this room was the tribe's kitchen where Idruma the adept was making dinner. She heard Nigel coming and got out her weapon, but asked to parley before the fight began. Idruma asked Nigel if they were here to kill Tazex and he saif they might be and asked if she wanted Tazex dead. She admitted that it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world and explained to them how Tazex had been cast out and returned as a strange mutant, killing the old chieftain and assuming power. They agreed that she would not help them but not stand in their way. They talked to the two kobolds in the jail and asked if they would like to help kill Tazex. The prisoners liked this idea but would not take up arms against the other kobolds who were after all their friends and relatives. The heroes briefly considered trying to only subdue the tribe's warriors but felt they could not trust the captives and so continued on into the dungeon.
They arrived at a room with six statues and Nigel and Malachi searched it, finding a secret door but being unable to open it. They noticed the heads on the statues moved and after much experimentation were able to open the secret door, travelling down a passage and finding another secret door which led them to the Halls of the Absent Dead. Nigel wandered around the south hall, looking for augmentation points, and Nigel found one that grew him to the size of a man. He walked past the exit and wa spotted by a kobold lookout. It shouted 'A giant gnome!' to its allies but then Nigel charged it and slew it, taking advantage of his newfound strength. The other warriors started using the magic points and crowding around him. Nigel withdrew down the passage and the kobolds followed, cheering as they thought they had defeated the giant gnome. Their triumph was shortlived as they were attacked and slain by the other two heroes who were waiting to ambush them in the south hall.
When the north hall had been cleared, the heroes started searching around locating all the magic points and figuring out what they did. They also located a secret door and decided to follow it leaving the exits from both the north and south hall unexplored. They passed into a room with a statue and a mysterious floating glass cage. As Nigel explored the room, searching for traps he stepped into another magic point which turned him into glass. They then moved onto the next room, which finally brought them face to face with Tazex the everchanging, a four armed kobold as big as an elf.
To be concluded.
Jezza
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Post by Jezza »

The heroes decided to withdraw to the Halls, hoping to be able to use the magic points against Tazex. He however turned ethereal and cut them off, materializing next to Malachi and attacking him with his magic axe. He missed and Nigel turned invisible and hit him with a shuriken, using his sudden strike ability for added damage. Then the statue came to life and started attacking Tazex. Tazex vanished into thin air and Krasha headed back to his quarters to try and locate him. What he didn't realize was that Tazex was drinking his healing potions and heading for the tribe's dormitory to rally the surviving warriors. The statue chased after Krasha and started attacking him, he was able to evade it and head back to the room with the glass cage and a magic mirror which showed through the wall into the Halls of Absent Dead. Malachi was able to trap the statue under the glass cage, but then it escaped. By this stage Nigel was heading back to the hall when he was confronted by Tazex and four surviving warriors. He withdrew back to the glass cage room where Malachi had gone under the glass cage, theorizing that he might be able to see invisible objects through it or something. Meanwhile Krasha kept the statue busy. The kobold warriors, most augmented, attacked Nigel and Malachi but were gradually picked off by them. Tazex appeared behind the heroes only in time to miss Nigel and see the statue slay the last of his warriors. Badly wounded, he disappeared again and fled. Krasha smashed the magic mirror, hoping he would be able to pass through it and ambush Tazex. He was somewhat disappointed to find just an ordinary wall behind the mirror, not a portal of some kind. With no fight going on in the rooms it was bound to protect, the statue returned to its position. The heroes waited some time but Tazex did not return. They looted the Everchanging's treasure hoard and found the dormitory where the kobold women and children were located. They explained to the 'civilians' in Draconic that their bizarre, tyrannical leader had been driven off, and they started to celebrate. They went back to the kitchen to find Idruuma and she agreed that the caravan raids would stop. The heroes were pleased with what they had accomplished, but also aware that somewhere out there is a mutant kobold with a massive grudge against them. The heroes collected their chickens and went home.
Eryx
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Post by Eryx »

Nice story hour. Sounds like a lot of fun.

I haven't run this module yet, but after reading this it's calling me from the shelf.
---

Staunch anti-4E. Nuff said.
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Jeff LaSala
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Post by Jeff LaSala »

I do believe that's the first account I've heard of anyone running this adventure! Thanks for sharing that, Jezza! It sounds like your players were smart and took the time to figure out the augmentation triggers. Perfect!
Goodman Games: DCCs: #29, #31, #35, #48, #49, #51; Hero's Handbooks: Dragonborn, Tieflings; Level Up
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jugger
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Post by jugger »

Another good one. Makes me want to hurry up and play!
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Post by Harley Stroh »

Jezza wrote:The heroes collected their chickens and went home.
:D :D :D

//H
The lucky guy who got to write some Dungeon Crawl Classics.

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Jeff LaSala
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Post by Jeff LaSala »

They then went straight through the room with the carving to the room with the burnt down barricade and put one of the chickens onto the magic point. It became infused with the element of fire and Nigel prodded it until it hit him with fire breath.
Agreed! I can't think of a better way to test those trigger spots! Nor a more appropriate consequence of doing so. :D
Goodman Games: DCCs: #29, #31, #35, #48, #49, #51; Hero's Handbooks: Dragonborn, Tieflings; Level Up
Wizards of the Coast: The Darkwood Mask
Blindsided Books: Savant
Ashlock.org; NY Speculative Fiction Examiner
Jezza
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Post by Jezza »

It works even better if you picture one of Gonzo's chickens from the Muppet Show.
CharlieRock
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Re: Storytime - The Transmuter's Last Touch.

Post by CharlieRock »

I played this module a couple months back when we kicked off our newest C&C Campaign.
Roll for initiative!!!
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Jeff LaSala
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Re: Storytime - The Transmuter's Last Touch.

Post by Jeff LaSala »

How'd that go, CharlieRock?
Goodman Games: DCCs: #29, #31, #35, #48, #49, #51; Hero's Handbooks: Dragonborn, Tieflings; Level Up
Wizards of the Coast: The Darkwood Mask
Blindsided Books: Savant
Ashlock.org; NY Speculative Fiction Examiner
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