From the Diary of Rudolpho Milano

Dear Diary,

I hate birds.

As we trekked through the jungle following a trail south we came across some big reptile being accosted by ugly, flightless birds. Because they we in our path, we killed a couple of the birds and ran the rest off. The big reptile also lumbered off. Silly birds. That’ll teach them to get in our way. I wanted to go ahead and stalk down the big lizard-thingy to kill it but I was out-voted.

That night, we dined on bird.

The next day, we traveled on down the trail (still following Nesta despite my objections). We ran into some boring ruins and just as I was preparing to relieve myself on some stonework we ran into a crusty old woman on a web-covered stone throne. I heard someone muttering “You gotta be shittin’ me.” Then, I realized that it was yours truly that said it. I then, of course, drew my falchion and prepared to let the old broad have it when all of a sudden, our new gnome stepped right in my way and starts talking some gobble-de-gook to the old broad. Talking? What kind of adventure group did I join anyway?

I don’t know what they said and no one can tell me - but the short version of the story is that we just left the old woman there and went about our merry way. I wasn’t so merry though. I kept trying to convince someone that there must have been some loot to be found in those old ruins – but, as usual, nobody would listen to me. Nesta kept leading the way down the trail and our new gnome kept jabbering about ‘beware the terror birds’.

I harbored not-so-secret thoughts of doubling back and beating on that old gasbag until she gave up the treasure but I soon occupied myself with my new favorite pastime – swatting flies. Yep, I figure I caught about 20 flies that day and killed 30 more. I kept the live flies in a small sack. True, it’s not very exciting but it keeps me from killing crew members.

Anyway, I was trying to convince Daria to sneak my live flies into Vin’s helmet the next time that we stopped to rest when we came to a cliff. Everyone seemed puzzled as to the next move to make and I was like “Duh! Can we climb now?” Anyway, about the time I got to the bottom of the cliff, we were set upon by those stupid birds.

Luckily for him, Kongu had followed me down the cliff and the two of us faced off against three birds. I couldn’t see what was going on up top but from the squawking and yelling I figured that the rest of the gang was in a similar situation.

Almost immediately, Vin plummeted head-first from the cliff top to the ground below. I swear I think that he deliberately jumped. I figured him for dead but, always the hero, Vin stumbled to his feet, straightened his helmet, and started swinging wildly at one of the two remaining birds. Once again Kongu showed his remarkable talent to take a beating that no living being could ever walk away from. I had no idea what was going on up top except that a stray arrow flew overhead in a direction seemingly unrelated to any target.

Did I mention that one of those birds was about eight times as big as the others? That’s the one that yours truly was fighting while Vin was stumbling around like a drunken sailor and Kongu was doing his best imitation of a pile of kindling.

It took me a while but I finally killed big mama-bird when I spun around to try to salvage what was left of the blue boy. Surprisingly, Vin was still standing on his wobbly legs and, judging from the blood and feathers covering him, seemed to have gotten in a couple of lucky shots. I ran over to deliver the killing blow - to the bird.

The battle was still raging up top so I jumped up on top of the hay-bail-sized nest to try to find a target I could hit with my bow. I could just barely make out the head and neck of one of the birds so I took a shot. I’m pretty sure I missed but I don’t think it mattered anyway because just about then a saw a blinding band of lightning streak through the air just feet from my head.

For a few seconds, all my hair stood on end and I heard this weird humming in my skull. Something smelled burnt for a moment as my eyes readjusted and then it was over. I heard Daria yell, “You had a LIGHTNING BOLT?” I guess she was yelling at Ortho.

After the battle, some of the guys started running around gingerly collecting the giant eggs from the giant nests and carefully packing them into their rucks. I was casually wiping busted eggshell and goo off of my boots when Daria informed me that I had just put a 1500 gold piece shine on my boots.

Oh well.

-R

XP Standings

Level 7: Rudolpho, Nesta, Vin, Z, Kongu, Daria

Level 6: Ortho, Chiri, Newt, Gwendely

Level 5: Spanky, Druugen, Medea

Kongu and Daria are now level 7. Chiri is now level 6. As usual, content contributions are worth XP.

Lights, Camera... Where is Ortho?

The party withdraws to the first cavern to rest and regroup. The watches were set, and all was quiet. But in the morning, Ortho is missing. Daria denys everything, and even proposes that he may have been a plant all along. Taunted by the missing party member the group resumes their exploration of the caverns.

Slowly, the party inches it way, searching and listening every step. No signs of the Drow are present. Around the bend, the passageway opens into another large cavern. Bugbears and Trolls are ready, they must have been alerted by the sounds of combat. The party is a bit more prepared, and slowly emerge into the next cavern, deliberately engaging the minions of the Drow.

The bugbears and troll hold the line for a few rounds. The Drow support their combatants from a distance. The bugbear line begins to crumble as Rudolpho, Vin, and Kongu wade their way into the melee. As a flank opens, Daria moves around and peeks into the doors of some of the buildings in the cavern.

Ortho is there in the building, gagged, bound, and hanging upside down. The sound of combat must have helped him regain consciousness, as he managed to struggle free just as Daria arrived to 'help'.

Daria's next exploration discovered a room full of treasure, but it also set off the trap... 12 bugbear zombies hiding behind an illusionary wall. Fortunately, the original combat was winding down as the second front opened. The Drow increased their harassment of the party, continuing to create zones of darkness. As the party deals with the undead assault, Nesta searches for signs of the Drow. She works her way back through the darkness, back into the original passage way. Nesta feels a tingle, then is unable to move, then... nothing.

The party is victorious, and finds a nifty pile of the shiny shiny. Nesta is nowhere to be found...

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Session Characters: Rudolpho, Ortho, Gwendelyn, Daria, Vin, Nesta, Kongu
Session Loot: 1400 sp, 1000 gp, 40 hand crossbow bolts, 3 vials of cure serious wounds, 3 vials of neutralize poison, 2 vials of lesser restoration, 2 vials of drow sleepy time formula, a wand of repair light damage (50 charges), and scrolls with 7 spells.

XP Standings

Level 7: Nesta, Rudolpho, Vin, Z
Level 6: Newt, Ortho, Gwendelyn, Kongu, Daria
Level 5: Chiri, Spanky, Druugen, Medea

Kongu, Daria, and Chiri are within 'extra credit' range of leveling up.

Erin pending PC sheet and revised history

XP awards still available for:
updated character sheets
red shirt character creations (see DM)
character backgrounds
NPC stat blocks (see DM)
OGGoO blog posts, e.g. Ruddy's Diary, Vin's Letter, Captain's Log

From the Diary of Rudolpho Milano

Dear Diary,

I really hate drow.

That’s what those elves are – drow. Leastways that’s what Gwendolyn and Nesta say. Oh well, they look like elves to me. We can’t even agree how to pronounce the name. Does drow rhyme with hoe or wow?


After we rested, the party began the hunt for Ortho and the drow. Vin was wondering why the drow had let us go when they had us as right where they wanted us. What battle were you watching Vin? I told him that those losers had thrown everything that they had at us and we survived and were gaining the upper hand on the combat. They had simply exhausted their resources and had to retreat.

I felt pretty confident that we knew their tactics now and would have a much easier time killing the drow in the next battle but they did things a little differently the next time.

In addition to the same old darkness and web, the losers had an extra-shitty trap to spring. I got my wish and we engaged in another battle with the drow. It went much like the first but the drow brought in reinforcements in the form of a roomful of big, hairy zombies like the ones in those tunnels that Vanthus locked us up in.

During the battle, no drow were killed but Daria managed to rescue Ortho. Ortho claims to have escaped but we all know better - especially given the fact that Ortho later announced “Hey guys! I’ve got light in my spellbook!” ‘Bout time.

It looks like this time Nesta got nabbed, forcing us to follow the drow deeper into their lair. That’s fine with me. I want some payback. Everyone else seems really pissy about the whole deal.

Some of the party members claim that we are being led to our deaths. I try to tell them to take their doom & gloom and shove it. Everything that I learned as a pirate tells me that we have the upper hand. We have survived everything that they threw at us and we are driving them back as we destroy their ability to defend themselves. Why else would they bother to take living prisoners if not to bargain with later? So what if we lost an elf. We recovered an elf and we destroyed their zombie losers. I asked Vin if Vanthus could be behind any of this.

“We don’t even know if Vanthus is still alive”

“He’s still alive.”

“Rudolpho, how could you know that?”

“He’s not dead - because I haven’t killed him.”

-R

One Bridge to Far...

The party, once again rested, resume their exploration of the dark passage under the peaks of the mountains. Just past the entrance, two bridges span a chasm offering a choice of exploration. As the party began to cross gargantuan centipedes crawl up from under the bridge looking for a tasty morsel. Never having faced such large adversaries, the party struggled for a bit, but ultimately found victory.

Passing to the other side the party stumbles into the lair of a black pudding. Despite the duplicating effect of the ooze, and it's ability to strip paladins completely naked, the party won out with the improvised stone weapons from the crumbling ceiling and the battered stone door. After a few giggles from some of the female party members, Vin reacquires his modesty in a borrowed suit of armor.

The party resumes exploration and discovers a crypt of ancient Olman priests. When the bones of their brothers are disturbed, three mummies rise from their graves and attack, defending the sacred resting place. Ruddy was always a mummy's boy, and was 'spoiled' by the attention. The combat leaves the party weakened, and they rest and regroup. And after a brief bout with crabs, the journey continues.

Kongu discovers a secret door, leading to a sarcophagus. After the trap is set off, the party discovers a lever that opens a passageway down into the caverns below. Entering the cavern Daria busies herself discovering, disarming, and attempting recovery of many poisoned dart traps. As the party moves down the passageway, darkness envelops the group, a few are painted with the purple outline that signifies a drow ambush. The darkness persists as the party moves toward their opponents. Soon the party is in a quagmire of webs, darkness, and danger. After a drow lightning bolt zaps the party conga line, the party begins to shuffle their tactics. Drow spells are hurled at the party, eventually paralyzing Ortho who couldn't remember that he could cast light. In the end, after suffering a couple of casualties, the drow withdraw and the party is left to regroup.

==========
Session Characters: Rudolpho, Ortho, Gwendelyn, Daria, Vin, Nesta, Kongu
Session Loot: 3 gold burial necklaces (500gp each), masterwork silver dagger, necklace (pink pearl of power, 3rd level).

All Ashore That's Going Ashore

It was a dark and stormy night...

The party has survived the shipwreck and the first encounter with the local fauna, but they are on the opposite side of the Isle of Dread and must make the long overland trek to Farshore. After two days of gathering supplies, the party head south on an animal trail. The hope is to find a pass in the mountains to the south.

Following an animal trail, Nesta guides the party through the jungle. The party encounters a young Diplodocus being chased by three large prehistoric carnivorous birds (terror birds). The terror birds try to chew on a few party members, but were unsuccessful. Dead, in fact. The Diplodocus flees as the party finishes off the last terror bird.

Further south, the party emerges from the jungle into the ruins of an ancient city. During the exploration of the ruins the party meets Lithira, the queen of the ruined Olman city. She had trouble communicating with the party at first. She asked questions about places far away from the Isle of Dread. She told a bit of history about the area, and suggested the "dark mountain pass that travels under the peaks". She also warned that unnatural things lurk in the dark places. "I know that four eyes have gaed upon you and their servant seeks you out. You would do well to avoid him." And with that, the dusty old lady wandered off and dissappeared.

Continuing the trek south, the party stumbles upon a group of nesting terror birds. Rudolpho rages and makes the charge. Vin takes a deep breath and leaps from the small cliff yelling "Bonzai", but lands on his face. The terror birds pick up their attack, and swarm Ruddy and Vin. A pair of terror birds climb the cliff and attack the other party members, keeping the group scattered. The combat was brutal, only made worse by Ortho's admission that he had forgotten one of his memorized spells. Lighting bolt. After the party recovered from the terror bird combat, everyone pummeled Ortho.

The party arrives at the entrance to the pass and explores the entrance. A fragment of a skeleton is pinned to a stone throne by a spear. A couple of baubles were discovered in a pool. What horrible dark dangers lie ahead?

==========
Session Characters: Ortho, Kongu, Gwendelyn, Vin, Daria, Rudoldpho, Nesta
Session Loot: +1 longspear, red stone rod,
Daria Loot: gold necklace (500gp)