Writing on the obelisk

Though the guardians of this post shall soon parish, it shall not fall to our enemies. By the power of our gods the dead shall rise upon this land to defend it, until the Dragonborn colors once again sit upon their thrones

Summary of session #3

It is the morning after the party fought off zombies in the tree grove. The Dragonborn has recovered from his illness (Brian had missed the previous game session), however Aldrin seems to have come down with the same mysterious illness (as John was absent from this session).

The party follows the west out of the grove with the abandoned goblin camp. They arrive in another large grove of trees. There they find the ancient ruins which Gaius had seen by scry in session #1.

They enter the courtyard of the ruins. At the center is an obelisk with some ancient writing on it. More on this writing in another post later, when I have access to my campaign notes. The wizard uses a ritual to read the writing.

Suddenly the tiefling is stuck by a bolt of fire from the sky. A blazing skeleton in the tower next to the gate of the ruins is attacking the party by throwing flaming orbs.

Decrepit skeletons beginning pouring out of the tower, attempting to overrun the party.

The battle is long and difficult. Steady, the halfling rogue, falls in battle and needs to be revived with a healing potion. The party spends significant resources in this battle. Action points, healing surges, and a few daily powers are used up.

But eventually the party prevails.

After recovering from the battle, the party turns it's attention to an underground room accessible by stairs in the courtyard. The stairs sit next to a large oval structure, which the party has recognized as the roof of an underground temple.

The underground room is full of water. It has 3 doors on the right and one door on the left. Gaius uses his tensor's disk ritual to create a platform within the water that he can use to keep his head above the water. He finds that he can not open the doors on the right. They open in to the water-filled room.

The door on the left appears to open away from the water. But Gaius is not strong enough to open it.

After several attempts the Dragonborn is able to force the door open. Water rushes into an empty chamber on the other side. This room was apparently kept dry by some ritual, as evidenced by a water glyph on the door. The same glyph appears on the other 3 doors from the water room. Due to the power of this ritual, all the water eventually disappears.

The empty chamber behind the door had apparently been the living quarters for some mage in ancient times. The party recovers some ritual scrolls (3 comprehend language, and 1 gentle repose), and Gaius finds an "Orb of Sanguinary Reprecussions).

Recap of Magic Items (including new ones from session #3)

I'm posting without the benefit of my campaign notes. I left them in the car, and Rona drove it to work this morning.

Keep in mind that I was significantly behind the pace that the rules would suggest for awarding items. By the end of 1st level, a party of 5 should have aquired 5 items. Since I had awarded 500 points for background stories at the beginning, I had less opportunity to award items before hitting 2nd level. I made up for it in this last session.

From memory:
In session #1 the party found Everlasting Provisions

In session #3 the party found,
a Duelist Dagger and gave it to Steady.

Exalted Chainmail armor. This +1 armor has special abilities that only apply to clerics and warlords. So I've assumed that Aldrin will get this when he returns.

A belt of vigor. Not sure who took this. Was it the Dragonborn?

An orb of sanguinary reprecussions, awarded to Gaius.

Experience Points for Session #3

Battle with Skeletons in the ruins - Combat Encounter #4

Blazing Skeleton (level 5 Artillery) 200
Skeleton (level 3 Soldier) 150 x 2
Decrepit Skeleton (level 1 minion) 25 x 12

800 pts/4 characters = 200 each

Rafter's dagger

At one point in Session #2 Rafter showed a dagger to the party. He said he had found this dagger along with the old pottery in the goblin's camp in the swamp. The dagger was very old, and contained a large symbol on the scabbard. The symbol contained draconic characters.

Through a history check, the party was able to connect the symbol's on the dagger to some knowledge they had about the history of the region.

The symbol is one associated with an ancient dragonborn civilization, called the Bahumati. In Bahumati civilization, Dragonborn were the warrior/ruler class. Kobold's represented the priestly class. Other reptiloid races (lizardfolk, troglodytes etc), were slaves to the Bahumati.

It is believed that the Bahumati were widespread across Terra Malatia. They ruled the southern tip of Fort Aralan's peninsula.

Rafter's Story

This is the creek that I followed. I went way, way down this creek. Way down the creek. I followed it all morning. It was tough going, even for an old swamp rat like Rafter. But I kept finding good places to set my traps so I just kept going. All morning I went.

I came to some deep water. But I wanted to keep going. So I decided to swim across. It was tough going. Much harder than I thought. When I got to the other side, I thought I was in trouble. Too hard to risk going back. Old Rafter thought he’d go forward to find an easier way around.

So I just kept going. Through the heat of the day in the swamp, I just kept going. Old Rafter thought he was a goner.

Then Rafter couldn’t believe his old eyes. I found a road. A road in the middle of the swamp. Must be from the ancients of course. I couldn’t believe my eyes to find a road in the middle of the swamp.

I followed the road South, ‘til I came to a split. I followed the road East, through a part of the swamp with tall grass. And I came to a stone wall. It looked like a shed had been there, but a long time ago. Long time ago! There were trees growing in this part. And a fire pit. Some goblins had been campin’ there, and they built a fire pit next to this wall.

I looked around, and these goblins had been diggin’. Diggin’ around the wall just to see what they might find there, you see. And they dug up some old jars, like the one I gave to that there gnome.

And I found this too. (Rafter presents a rusted old ceremonial dagger with a draconic symbol on it.)

I went back west to the split, and started to go west further, on the other side of the split. That’s when I saw ‘em there. Sleeping in a little pool of water under swamp grass. Zombies. Pale old bloated up zombies. Probly goblins when they was livin’.

So I turned back. I went back to where them goblins had been a’ campin’. I built me a fire. And I stayed next to that fire with my sword in my hand. Tried to stay up all night. No swamp zombies gonna get old Rafter. But I fell asleep. Gods were watchin’ out for me. The zombies never came.

When the sun came up old rafter wasted no time. I followed the road back to the creek, and followed it back to my raft. Tough going through there again. But old Rafter’s feet are fast when theys zombies.

If you want to find that camp, follow the creek to the road. It’s a tough old haul. Don’t kid yourself. And you’ve got to get to the road before dark. Or them zombies will have you where they want ya.

Summary of session #2

Rafter explains to the party how he came upon the pottery fragment that Gaius had scryed in the first session. (See upcoming posts for information gained from Rafter)

The party followed Rafter's path through the swamp. Good Nature rolls allowed the party to navigate through this skill challenge easily.

While crossing the swamp, the party accidentally disturbed 2 zombies, which they fought off successfully.

Later the party camped in a banyan grove and were attacked by a larger party of zombies, which they defeated.

Experience points for game session #2

Skill Challenge #3 – Cross the Swamp
Requires 6 successes before 3 failures
DC: Difficult

Leader with assistance from party navigates through 6 segments of difficult terrain

Success: Party reaches shelter before nightfall
Failure: Party must face Zombies in the open swamp at night,

Party succeeded

Award – 600 XP to party


Combat Encounter #2 – Zombies
2 zombies (level 2 Brute) 125 each

Award 250 XP


Combat Encounter #3 – More Zombies
2 Zombies (level 2 brute) 125 each
1 Corruption Corpse (level 4 artillery) – 175
3 Zombie Rotters (level 3 minion) – 38 each

Award 539 XP

Grand Total = 600 + 250 + 539 = 1389
Each character (including the missing Dragonborn Fighter) gets 1389/4. That’s 348 points.