SESSION 3 - Beneath Parrot Island

After some clever problem-solving, the party is able decipher the strange lines of text from the parchment and use them to activate the central pillar (which is actually a huge combination lock). As the chamber rumbles, five hidden alcoves are revealed each containing many chests and coffers. The Vanderboren family treasure is discovered! Or is it...

Lavinia investigates and learns to her dismay that most of the containers have been plundered. While a few coins, gems, and other valuables have been left untouched, the vast majority of the treasure is gone. She soon learns that her estranged brother, Vanthus, has been by to visit the vault several times over three weeks. It is hard for her to imagine how he could not be responsible for the theft. On the bright side, her parents' documents, ledgers, and journals were unmolested. Included in these papers are IOU's that have yet to be collected upon. These, combined with the money that was not taken, should be enough to keep Lavinia's head above water for a while at least.

Once again, the heroes have come through for her, and she is very grateful. She happily pays the adventurers their first month's wages in advance and asks yet another task from them. Despite recent events, Lavinia still hopes Vanthus is not beyond redemption. She asks for the group to track down her brother so that she has one last chance to bring him back to his senses. It may be futile, but they were once extremely close and clearly she still loves him. She says that his last known whereabouts was in the Azure District, and she suggests that they start their search there.

After asking around at some of the seeder joints about town, Reggie, Cosimo, and Erdos learn that Vanthus has indeed been seen in the area recently. He has been in the company of a woman named Brissa (who has also seen some troubles with the law, but is now known as something of an artist). However, neither of them have been spotted in the district for a few days. Meanwhile, Thada and Drogg keep a watch on Castle Teraknian in case Vanthus decides to come back to the vault to finish the job.

As the crew in the Azure District expand their search to include the mysterious Brissa, they are approached by a grimy half-elf named Shefton. For some coin, he shares the information that he knows where Vanthus is hiding -- a collection of old, abandoned smuggler's tunnels beneath Parrot Island. Apparently, Shefton was asked to help him set up some new nefarious operation there.

The party rows to the island and follows a overgrown trail to a small clearing where they manage to locate a hidden trapdoor. Beneath this is a shaft heading down into the bowels of the island. Once they climb down, the rope is cut and the trapdoor is sealed by none other than Vanthus himself. Though the villain has to eat a couple William Tell-esque shots from Cosimo's crossbow, the heroes suddenly find themselves trapped in the pitch-black, undead-infested tunnels below Parrot Island.

DM Notes: Lots of fun tonight (despite a rather severe mistake on my part regarding the Turning Undead rules). The group has successfully attained the 2nd-level of experience after dispatching a very resilient undead fiend and his minions. Where the group seems to excel the most, however, is in skill tests. At the most critical moments in the story, the party members always seem to make a pivotal skill check and it helps to keep them on the right track. Plus, the group did a really great job in figuring out the vault puzzle.

Here's how I'm officially covering up the undead turning snafu: when Erdos first turned a gang of ravenous zombie pirates in the smuggler's tunnels, he himself closed the distance to smash them with his mace and their fear was broken. The second time Erdos turned a pack of undead, Thada was the member of the party to attack the cowering creatures and (slight rewrite of history) they remained filled with terror so the companions were able to chop them to tiny bits. Sound good?

But it is clear to me, that this is a great group of players that work very well together and that have created a very fun party of characters. And perhaps the best part of it all, in my view, is that every single participant in this campaign has done their part and truly contributed in a critical way to the success of the adventure. Well done everybody! You all definitely deserve to advance to level 2!

We have not settled on the next session, but that will likely be decided through e-mail over the next few days.

Solving the comination lock puzzle = 120 xp.

Defeating 3 undead horrors = 180 xp.

Dispatching 2 more undead nasties = 120 xp.

Destroying the evil boss of the undead and 2 of his minions = 300 xp.

Grand Total (first 3 sessions) = 1170... 2nd-level!!!

SESSION 2 - Raid of The Blue Nixie

Our heroes put their plan into action with the "obvious boat" making its way to the port side of the ship, while the cleverly dubbed "sneaky boat" approaches from starboard. The obvious crew (Drogg and Thada) makes sure to be as annoying and visible as possible, while the others (Reggie, Cosimo, and Erdos) drift skulkily into position to climb up the ropes dangling over the railing.

While the elf remains with the boat, Reggie and Cosimo manage to make their way below decks thanks to the guards being distracted and annoyed. There they find many cages in the hold, each containing an exotic animal. Reggie busies himself with releasing a number of monkeys and parrots, but soon the pair are discovered by a smuggler and Cosimo is forced to face him in a deadly duel. Though wounded twice, Cosimo is victorious and the unfortunate sailor falls against one of the larger cages (which contains a large, spider-like creature that quickly begins to pull the dead body through the bars... eegh).

Parrots and monkeys are now flapping and leaping all over the ship. The crew becomes alerted to the situation and immediately tries to recapture some of the critters. Erdos, Thada, and Drogg then take the opportunity to get themselves aboard the boat. On the main deck chaos reigns as smugglers emerge from their quarters to deal with the animal (and adventurer) populations. Soon fighting erupts and the heroes are faced with a crew of armed men and their chief, the aforementioned Soller Vark.

Five of Vark's men are killed, two of them surrender, and Vark himself is frozen nearly solid by several repeated blasts of Drogg's cold ray. Shortly thereafter the Blue Nixie is secured. While the prisoners are placed in the brig, Erdos occupies himself with trying to prevent some of the sailors from bleeding to death. Some cannot be helped, but Vark manages to survive (just barely). The new crew then sails the Nixie towards the Azure District where they plan on turning over the criminals and what remains of the animals to the authorities.

Lavinia is overjoyed with the group's success. Not only did she have her ship back in one piece, but the heroes were also able to recover the lost harbormaster fees and Verik Vanderboren's signet ring. The ring was found with a roll of parchment containing five rather strange lines of text, in perhaps some kind of riddle or code. She happily pays each member of the party what she promised, plus she asks if they will stay in service to her family for a generous one-hundred gold coins every month. The adventurers agree and do not have to wait long to learn of their next task.

With her father's signet ring, Lavinia now has access to her family's vault beneath Castle Teraknian. To truly reverse the fortunes of her estate, she needs the valuables contained there. However, many of the noble families in Sasserine notoriously guard their vaults with traps and other fiendish measures. She is hoping that her new employees can accompany her to the vault just as personal bodyguards in case anything unexpected occurs. Which everyone expects.

Her concerns were well-founded. While the ring easily gains them passage through the outer vault door, beyond there is a domed chamber of green marble that is guarded by a metallic creation forged to appear as a venomous serpent. The creature proves virtually impervious to almost all attempts to harm it and it nearly kills both Erdos and Cosimo. However, the companions surround the beast and finally manage to wear the thing down. The most telling blow comes from Thada and moments later, it collapses with its metal skin ruptured.

After the harrowing melee, the party catch their breaths and then try to find some way out of the marble chamber. Erdos's keen elven eyes manage to detect a ingeniously disguised switch, and soon he has unveiled the entry into the next part of the vault.

Within the next chamber is a central pillar decorated with many vertical groves. Where this column meets the ceiling, there is an eight-pointed star (or four, two-pointed stars conjoined). Seven of the arms of the star are black, but the eighth (the one pointing towards the entrance) is red. On the surrounding walls of the octagonal-shaped room are elaborate sculptures of fantastic monsters, each with different numbers of bejeweled eyes...

DM Notes: A perilous second session put the adventurers to the test in more ways than just combat. There was some excellent skill usage (including some great Hide, Move Silently, Bluff, Tumble, Search, and Heal checks). The group also needed to use some cleverness and were faced with some difficult choices. They also needed to overcome a crew of smugglers (though outnumbered) and defeat a guardian that possessed both Damage Reduction and Spell Resistance. Things looked bad at times, but they pulled through.

The party earned 330 xp for killing or capturing the smugglers and 120 xp for destroying the iron cobra. They also upgraded some of their equipment and secured gainful employment from a noble family of Sasserine. Not a bad day's work. But now they are faced with a curious puzzle.

SESSION 1 - The Vanderboren Estate

The Cast and Crew:

1. Cosimo Zazello, swashbuckler and part-time whaler. Full-time bastard. Likes to swim (Steve).

2. Reginald Tumblebelly, spellthief and former scion to the Tumblebelly chain of quality inns. Really doesn't like to swim (Isaac).

3. Thada Dam Pata, sword-swinging fighter, but also dresses very nicely sometimes (Dierdra).

4. Drogg, psychic flying monkey. Do you really need to know more? Would rather not dress at all (Matt).

5. Erdos, elven cleric of the sun god, Pelor (John).

The Story Thus Far:

In the tropical port city of Sasserine, five unacquainted adventurers are summoned by a mysterious letter to the manor of Lavinia Vanderboren. She has recently become the head of her noble family due to the tragic deaths of both of her parents. While waiting to meet the noble lady, the group crosses paths with The Jade Ravens, an adventuring band in the employ of the Vanderborens. Apparently, they are on their way south to the city of Cauldron on a mission from Lavinia. Upon meeting the lovely Lady Vanderboren, the group learns that her family is in a desperate situation due to her parents departing unexpectedly without first settling various financial issues.

What she asks of the adventurers is to find out what has become of her parent's ship, The Blue Nixie. It has been siezed by one of the Harbormaster's men, a fellow named Soller Vark. Lavinia paid the necessary dues on the ship, but now the money has disappeared, as well. She suspects the worst. In addition, Lavinia cannot access her family's vault since it can only be opened with the use of her father's signet ring. She hopes the ring can also be found on the ship. The Vanderboren Estate could be in deep trouble if something is not done quickly.

That night, the party decides to investigate pier five where the Nixie is supposedly kept. Suspiciously, it is not where Lavinia said it would be, but moored one-hundred feet out from the end of the dock. Men are visible moving about on deck. At a nearby inn, the new companions begin to forge a plan to get aboard the ship...

DM Notes: A fun first session. Quite a colorful and interesting group of party members. The next session (and the implementation of the party's fantastic plan) is scheduled for Sunday, January 15th at 9:30 a.m. I'm trying to think of what the quote of the day was, but I'm coming up empty except for multiple uses of the phrase "psychic flying monkey." Can anyone beat that?