Sunday, March 8, 2020

Session 18 The Godslayers; 24/8/1491 XP 134+13=147/160 Lvl 11>12

Egg Uaah Rhod the Half Orc & Token the Dwarf joined by Bear the Druid.
Battle many dragonborn elite guards in the upper halls, killing 14, but a horned devil torturer & one guard escape to alert the complex, while the PCs rest after Egg assassinates 9 sleeping hobgoblin clerics.
The PCs' exit is blocked by the assembled forces of the temple, but a secret door from cleric cells leads down to a great temple to Takhisis where the horned devil, two 20' tall bluespawn godslayers, & a wyvern await. In savage battle the horned devil kills Bear (after he's propped up by Uaah), but the PCs manage to kill the godslayers & the devil, while the wyvern retreats into an alcove.

Image result for bluespawn godslayer

Monday, January 27, 2020

Session 17 The Temple of Takhisis; Fall of Abithriax & Tyrgarun ca 21-24/8/1491 XP 126+8 = 134/140 Lvl 11

The heavily depleted Red Hand Horde under Wyrmlord Kharn is retreating back towards the Wyrmsmoke Mountains, harried by the Tiri Kitor Owlriders and remaining Vale forces. According to intelligence, they intend to join with an even larger force mustering there, to be bolstered by the diabolical forces of Takhisis herself...

Heroes of Brindol including Uah and Egg are made Knights of Brindol by Lord Kerben Jaarmath. Egg is appointed Commander of the Brindol Irregulars, a force of Rangers and Scouts, and granted rulership of Vraath Keep as a forward base for his Company.

Group of heroes including Lady Uah & Sir Egg sent by Lord Jamath to stop Azar Kul opening the Gate to Hell with thousands of sacrifices. Tiri Kitor owlriders fly them to the Temple of Takhisis high atop the Wyrmsmoke Mountains. Defeat & finally kill the red dragon Abithriax, the blue dragon Tyrgarun (father of Azar Kul), two black Abishai, & 2 zombie dragons, one of which is the corpse of Ozyrandion who fell at Drellin's Ferry.

Tyrgarun, Father of Azur Kul

Sunday, January 12, 2020

Session 16 Battle in the Cathedral; Fall of Immerstal 16-20/8/1491 XP 118+8=126/140 Lvl 10>11

Egg lies badly burned on a cathedral pew amidst the wounded and dying. Cailyenna and other surviving heroes and knights under the Captain Lars Ulverth prepare to face approaching horde, when the red dragon Abithriax lands on the cathedral. Meanwhile a horde of giants under Warmaster Kharn approach the cathedral's rear...

Terrible battle rages. The Defenders of Brindol triumph; Immerstal slain by Warmaster Kharn, along with most of the temple priests. Cailyenna, Egg & co fell Kharn's bodyguard - 2 ettins, 2 hill giants, & 2 ogres, but lose a dwarven hero.
Outside Captain Ulverth defeats the attacking horde & survives along with the last 3 Lions of Brindol; as do Tredora and Lord Kerden Jaarmath inside the Cathedral. Ulverth & co arrive in time to kill the last giant and help drive off Kharn, though Abithriax's dragonfear renders them almost helpless.
Eventually Kharn & then the red dragon Abithriax are defeated, and finally flee.

The dispirited remains of the Red Hand Horde under Kharn retreats towards the Wyrmsmoke Mountains, harried by the Tiri-Kitor.

But high in the mountains, the High Wyrmlord Azar Kul  prepares to unleash Final Doom upon the Elsir Vale...
_______________________

Session 15 16/8/1491 Fall of Skather & Regiarix XP 112+6 = 118 Lvl 10

In the Cathedral Square, the Red Hand sniper Skather shoots down Lord Jarmaath, critically wounding him. He is carried in to the Cathedral to be tended by his beloved, Tredora Goldenbrow. PCs assault the Undertaker's Shop, dealing with Skather and 2 Red Hand hobgoblin warcasters.

Black dragon Regiarix attacks, but is also defeated and killed.

As the Defenders of Brindol regroup, the final assault on the Cathedral begins...




Sunday, December 1, 2019

Session 14 16/8/1491 Holding the Line; the Bonedrinkers Come XP 104+8=112 Lvl 10

Kythri, Uuah, and a dwarf join Judge Jarmath in defending a barricade vs hobgoblins, manticores, bugbear berserkers and bluespawn razorfiends. Uaah for once uses powerful Confusion and Sleet Storm magic against the attackers, but Judge and most of the defenders fall. When all seems lost a horde of bonedrinkers turn the tide.






Monday, November 25, 2019

Session 13 16/8/1491 Abithriax the Red Dragon incinerates PCs (& Teyani Sura)

Egg the Half Drow tries to get the knight Teyani Sura to safety, but is blasted by dragonfire and felled. Horribly burned, he crawls into the safety of the sewers to escape the flames.

In a collapsing tower, Aron the Ranger & Motter the Dwarf falls in battle against the terrible Red Dragon Abithriax. Abithriax retreats to lick his wounds.

Monday, November 18, 2019

Session 12 7-16/8/1491 The Council; The Attack Begins XP 95+8+1= 104 Lvl 9>10

The Red Hand Horde
RHoD Session 12 - by Matt/Egg

PC: Aron, Half Elven Ranger, Brother Bear the Druid, Caliyenna a Crinti Bard, Motter the Dwarf Champion Brewer, Tess of Umberlee & Egg Crinti Swashbuckler.
DM: Commander of Hordes, Master of Crits, the Doctor of DnD-Simon.  

Brindol, Highsun,1491
The party return to Brindol to find preparations for the defence of Brindol in hand.  Lord Jarmath and the council have wasted no time in organising the town.  We are summoned to the Castle to join the council.
The Top Brass is in Council.  Lord Kerden Jarmaath, Lady Verrasa Kaal, Captain Lars Ulverth, and High Priestess Tredora Goldenbrow are all present as is Speaker Sellyria Starsinger of the Tiri Kitor  (Immerstal the Red not present - ed.).  The situation is grave, despite the recruitment of the dwarven mercenaries the garrison of Brindol is outnumbered probably by 3:1.  Brindol has raised approximately 1300 troops in its defence whereas the hobber legions number from 3000 to 5000 and include a multitude of bloodthirsty monsters hell bent on the destruction of Brindol. 
During the Council several topics are discussed.
·         Eggs briefs the council on the organisation, leadership and motivation of the Red Hand. 
·         The party presents the council with several magic weapons to be distributed amongst the defenders' officers and champions
·         Aron, Bear and Captain Lars organise an aggressive defensive strategy, preparing the town for assault from both the ground and the air.  The creation of the killing space on the inside of the walls, a highly mobile defence force to respond to breaches and ‘other’ attacks and the magical communications network are all instigated.
·         The Garrison of Brindol is made up of a number of different units including; The Lions of Brindol 17, The Lion Guard 200, The Company of the Shinning Axe, dwarven mercenaries 200, The Brindol Militia 800, Lady Kaal’s Guard 69, and Lady Kaal’s Bodyguard 5
·         The Tiri Kitor elves are with us.  And for the moment at least so is his diabolical eminence the Ghostlord and his army of bonedrinkers (thanks to Caliyenna’s silver tongue).  The Elves and the Bonedrinkers have been harassing the supply chains of the Invaders.
·         Lord Jarmath (reluctantly) orders (ed: encourages) the non-combatants to evacuate Brindol.  Many flee to Dennovar, some 80 miles to the east.
·         The bridges north over the Elsir river are deemed to be ‘safe’ at this time.  However, we know the enemy had a base to the North in the ruins of Rhest, and there have been reports of ogres and goblins east of the Witchwood.  Scouts patrol the north.  If the town falls taking the Elsir River east to Elsircross then striking north to the Giantshield Mountains or east along the dawn way to Dennovar seem to be the choices.




The interrogation of Kal Kaz
Following the council, seeking further information on the invading horde, Aron, Bear and Caliyenna interrogate the hobber wizard Kal Kaz, who the party captured last month and imprisoned in Brindol.  Arno in particular is interested in the organisation of the Red Hand camp with a view to determine the odds of assassinating the commander of the army Wyrmlord Khan.  Under the influence of Caliyenna’s charm magic the hobber wizard spills his guts gives up some useful information.

Wyrmlord Kharn is well protected.  He is guarded by a tribe of bugbears and a cohort of dragonborn.  The bugbears known as the Bloodghosts, are a grey furred tribe renowned for their stealth.  Of the dragonborn he says little.  Wyrmlord Kharn is reputed to have great courage and is the prophets champion and a favoured soul.  Kharn it would seem is a holy warrior leading the bloody crusade against the Vale.  Should Kharn be illuminated a charming fellow named Scather a dragonborn Assassin is next in line to lead the invading horde (now that 3 of the Wyrmlords are dead of course).
·     
Kal Kaz reconfirms the prophet and instigator of the hobber crusade Azzar Khul awaits the destruction of Brindol at the temple of Takhisis.  He and his father the legendary Blue Dragon Turgarun (oh and another army of hobgoblins, this one even bigger numbering 6000) are preparing a ceremony to summon Takhisis, the Dragon Queen, Lady Chaos, the badass of bad asses herself from the Abyss.  A key point in the ceremony is the fall of the Temple of Lathander.
Information gathered, Caliyenna places Kal Kaz under a suggestion, he is to return to the invading forces gather information then return to us and spill his guts again.

Raven’s Eye View
Arno and Bear (shape-changed into a Raven) accompany the enchanted hobber Wizard to the outskirts of Talar, where Arno instructs the hober to get specific information about the camp and return.  Arno goes to ground outside Talar.  However, in the time it has taken Kal Kaz to get to the Red Hand army encampment the suggestion spell Caliyenna placed on him has worn off and he re-joins the army and blows Arno’s cover.  In the meantime, Bear has flown over the Red Hand camp at Talar and identified Wrymlord Khans quarters at the centre of the army, strongly defended by the Bloodghosts and Dragonborn in the army centre.   Thousands of troops have crammed into the ruins of Talar.  The assignation plot foiled Arno gives the Red Hand scouts the slip and returns to Brindol. 
Egg busies himself at the orphanage whilst waiting.  Sister Tuzna, the urchins and Egg run through the defence and escape plans many times. 
Tess and Caliyenna prepare new spells or such.  Motter boost the defender’s moral with his Champion’s Ale.
Takhisis

Enemy at the Gates
Is it the beginning of the end or the end of the beginning?  Whatever is to happen, the invading legions of the Red Hand of Doom have arrived.    
The first thing the invaders do is to send a family of Hill Giants to batter down the main gate by throwing boulders at it.  Crude but effective, the Hill Giant artillery is taking a toll on the gate and the fortifications around it.  The party slips over the wall to take them on, but unfortunate Tess makes a racket in her heavy armour and alerts a patrol of Goblin cavalry, worg riders.  We are rumbled.  The fight a bruising encounter is thankfully over quickly.  Bear, Caliyenna and Tess demonstrate their capability with battle magic and the battlefield is quickly a dizzying array lightning bolts, fleeing worgs and hypnotised giants following pretty lights.  Giants defeated the party scramble back over the wall into Brindol hoping to take a short rest.