2E Rise of the Runelords - Session 10

Session 10: Burnt Offering Finale

This adventure was played on February 14, 2010 and featured:
- Toran Stargazer, a human thief,
- Vicoren Brightshield, a human priest of Desna,
- Arug, an Alaghi pitfighter,
- Gabriel Solomon, a Chelaxian swashbuckler,
- Sephara 'Na, a half-elven magic-user, and
- Cabell, a dwarven wayfinder (fighter/thief)

Summary: The party returns to Thistletop and ends Nualia's threat to Sandpoint.

1. In Sandpoint: The group starts off in Sandpoint digging around for information about Titus Scarnetti. They don’t learn anything new but continue to hear rumours about his involvement in the fires that destroyed a number of nearby grain mills.

Toram buys an engagement ring and approaches Shayliss’ father, Ven Vinder, to ask his permission to marry his daughter. Ven threatens the young thief and chases him out of his store.

2. Vile Chapel: The party returned to Thistletop and continued to explore the dungeon below the goblin fort. The new dwarven wayfinder quickly proves his worth as he discovers a secret door that leads to a deeper dungeon level. The party decided to ignore the secret stairway for the meantime and enter a vile chapel to Lamashtu the demon goddess. They encounter a pair of ferocious, flying, black hounds. After a couple of failed saving throws, Gabriel and Cabell flee in terror from the fearful howling of the hounds. Arug’s mighty fists appear ineffective against the flying beasts but Toram quickly shoots a couple of magic arrows that put the hounds to sleep.

3. Deeper Darkness: Proceeding down the secret stairway, the party comes to an ancient cave complex. The dwarf again proves his worth as he discovers a deadly trap and deactivates it without harm to the party. Entering a nearby door, the party is confronted by the beautiful and deadly Nualia and a pair of her flying hound pets. A fearsome battle ensues. Many saving throws are failed against the hounds fearful howling leaving only Sephara the magic-user and Toram the thief facing the servant of Lamashtu and the hounds. Sephara brandishes the wand of fire and casts a fireball and her opponents. Realizing that the fireball only caused minor damage, Toram quickly retreats and slams the door shut. The party regroups in a room explored earlier and quickly prepares to defend themselves. Nualia and the hounds quickly appear in pursuit of the party and battle is rejoined. After a hard fought battle the party eventually prevails.

4. The Beast from Beyond: The party continues to explore the ancient complex and discover Malfeshnekor, a fearsome barghest. Fortunately the beast from the lower planes is bound to the room so the party quick retreats after the barghest shows how fearsome it is by nearly killing Arug the fighter in one round. A suggestion spell enables the party to negotiate with the barghest and offer Nualia’s body in return for grabbing the unconscious Arug.

5. Finally Some Treasure: Proceeding down the final set of stairs the party finds the sunken remains of a former treasury and after chasing off a giant crab gathers some treasure.

6. Back to Sandpoint: Returning to Sandpoint, the party finds themselves as heroes once again. Father Zantus is saddened that the party was unable to capture Nualia and the party does not tell him about the final fate of her body. The father is pleased, however, that the party was able to recover the remains of Father Tobyn from the chapel of Lamashtu.

7. Up Next: There are a number of avenues for the party to pursue:
- They are invited to Scarnetti Manor for dinner;
- Brodert Quink believes he has discovered the location of another Thassilonian ruin;
- They are still looking for the locksmith’s missing key;
- There is still the mysterious priest of Nethys;
- The headmaster of the school & orphanage is missing a locked book; and
- the opera “The Heroes of Sandpoint” premiers in a few days.

Bodycount: 4 Yeth Hounds, 3 Shadows and Nualia.

Treasure: 3,500 sp, 630 gp, 40 gems (10 gp each), a gigantic gold-plated domed helmet (200 gp), an amulet of protection +1, Nualia’s sword, her armour and a seven pointed star medallion, 20 pp.

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Yay! We finished the first published adventure.

I was much happier with the level of difficulty of the encounters this session. They were difficult when I wanted them difficult and easy when I wanted them easy.

I was worried about how the party would deal with the Yeth Hounds but they did okay. The failed saving throws against the hounds fear effects kept the players on their toes.

I added a second yeth hound to the encounter with Nualia and it definitely made the encounter more difficult.

Here is the stats I used for Nualia:
Nualia - Aasimar w/ spell abilities of 3rd level cleric and +1 toughness
(source Planescape App2 pg 7)
Alignment CE
AC 2
Mv 12
HD 3+6 (28 hp + 7 from medallion)
Thac0 15 Falchion & 16 Claw
#AT 1 Falchion & 1 claw
Dmg 1d6+3 & 1d6+1
SA Spells, Lamashtu's Mark
SD +1 bonus for surprise
1/2 damage from fire & cold
+2 save vs charm, fear, etc.
+1 saves from medallion
MR 10%
ML fearless (20)
Equipment: +1 Falchion, + 1 Banded Mail, Sihedron Medallion, Gold Unholy Symbol (100gp), 20 pp

Spells:
Lvl 1: Curse (CT 1 round, Dur 6 rounds) PHB 198, -1 attack rolls and morale
Protection from Good (CT5, Dur 9 rounds) PHB 201, -2 attack rolls, +2 saves

Lvl 2: Silence 15' (CT5, Dur 6 rounds) PHB 206

Lamashtu's Mark: 1/day, when striking an opponent impart a deformity, save vs spells or loose 1-6 from a random attribute for 1 day.

Sihedron Medallion:
+1 bonus for saving throws
1/day - Aid spell (PHB 202) +1 hit & saves and 1d8 temp hit points

The players were voicing some concern about the level of treasure but they had missed a couple of secret doors. I gave them some metagame knowledge about this fact since I thought it unlikely that they would return to Thistletop.