Barbarabard Season 1

[Paul]

Session Update

(Told from Liam's perspective)

After dealing with the Blighter who had been causing the sinkholes to appear throughout the slums of the city, we decided to spend a day relaxing in the city before deciding how to continue. Missk (the ranger) and Kaladrina (the bard) immediately rushed off to the market in search of “shineys” and plush toys. Sadly this mission was ultimately a failure as plush toys had yet to be invented. Grathar (the half-orc) went off for some unknown purpose (probably involving smashing.) Meanwhile Kobald (Ike), myself, and Aaron (the Paladin) headed off to the temple of Bahamut in order to free Kobald of his questionable companion (the evil doll, not the Paladin.) In any case, the clerics told us that they were able to remove the curse and free Kobald from the evil doll. Then I was off to learn more about the pool of goo that the blighter had been using for travel. While I was unable to learn the exact location the Gem and scroll would take us to, I was able to learn two things from the druid circle. First, all druids are hippies. If you ever need information from them your best bet is brownies. They love those. And second, the pool of goo was called a earth (those are used to travel across the continent by hippies... er, druids.) It seemed to me that the best plan of action would to use the gem and scroll and go to the location the blighter was traveling to to find out if there was anything further behind this. I decided to convince my companions that this was the right course of action in the morning as I had more pressing matters to deal with at the present, namely it was time to find a game of cards.

In the morning, I led the group (minus Kobald who was off on his own and could not be found) to the earth node where I explained my plan, and upon placing the gem upon the node the green goo jumped out and pulled us into the pool after which we found ourselves on a cliff overlooking the ocean with a ship in the distance. There was also a building on the cliff the side of which matched the side of the building we had found a map to underneath the city. We moved around to the main entrance in the courtyard. That is where we met the wizard Colin Lovecraft. Aside from his initial paranoid nature, he seemed like he needed to convince himself (and us) he was in charge. He claimed that the building we were exploring was his. While we did no believe him, we were later able to find out that that the building was being held by a group of pirates which were breeding Ankhegs. The first time we fought one of these was in the hallway at the entrance. The giant bug came around the corner and sprayed half our group with a line of acid. I was immediately knocked out but I learned that our group was able to destroy it while Kaladrina healed my wounds and sang to inspire us. The next one we discovered was in a storeroom. This time I was able to point out its weak point to Grathar who followed off by cutting it in half. We can to a locked iron door which we passed by, intending to return and check it later at which point Aaron was absorbed by a gelatinous cube in the hallway. Because of its clear nature he did not notice it until he was dinner. Delicious, delicious dinner. Luckily he was able to survive until Grathar and Missk had reduced the clear Jello to bit-sized chunks. We then entered a room where a number of the pirates were relaxing. Colin and I were able to stun the majority of them and charm the last, while Grathar cut their leader in half. Because of the charm spell we were able to gain much information on the leaders of these pirates by tricking him and saying we had already defeated some of the leaders. We tied up the living pirates and left them in their bunks across the hall, promising that we would release them when we were done if they were good, and release them to play with Grathar if they weren't. They promised to be good. Finally we came across another group of pirates in their beds and we were able to subdue them with a combination of our weapons, another color spray spell, and my pointing out to Grathar that one of the pirates was not wearing his codpiece. We tied up these and left them with the others. We came to another locked door which was trapped with a spear, and after I blocked the spear with a table (quite the rogue I am), Grathar was able to break down the door behind which we found some fine art the pirates had pillaged. I proceeded to fill the bag of holding with the stolen goods.

Upon moving back down the hall, we met back up with Kobald and some weird sorcerer whom we had met beneath the city. They had followed us through the earth node. With our group's numbers bolstered we continued to explore. After checking the next room (an empty storeroom) another Ankheg burrowed up out of the ground and attacked however, using some quick rays and sharp swords and axes we were able to destroy it. We came across another room which we discovered was filled with snakes. Grathar made his “stuff PCs should know” check and decided that closing the door would make more sense than needlessly fighting poisonous snakes. Before finally moving on to the iron door Kobald decided to scout a broken up area. Luckily none of us followed as the room was filled with Ankhegs, Ankheg eggs and a hole in the back wall. He was able to keep himself hidden and report back what he had found. Deciding to deal with that area later we moved back to the iron door.
We had Kobald unlock it and this is when I realized our mistake. Because we had not had him with us when we had begun exploring the building, we had been having barbarian break down any locked doors we came to. While effective, it had warned these enemies of our approach and they had set up tables for cover from which they could fire arrows at us from behind. There was also a wizard in the corner, an Ogre in the center, and a large snake at the side of this room. I began to summon a swarm of bats to hinder the spell caster who had been shooting bolts of fire at us from the corner, while ranger moved to take out the snake. Meanwhile Grathar approached the Ogre kicking one of the tables out of the way. Kaladrina and random sorcerer (Gabriel) began targeting the archers. Upon the defeat of the ogre, and after I threw a thunderstone at him, the wizard pressed a button on the wall and retreated through a secret door. After that we were able to quickly finish off the snake and the last of the archers. Kaladrina and Kobald had noticed the button that the wizard had used to open the secret door and so soon after we followed him into a large room which seemed to be empty. The wizard was hiding invisibly in the middle of the room. He ceased to hide and began to attack us when we started to search the room. Unfortunately for him Grathar charged him and when he tried to retreat through another door, he realized it was locked at which point he was broken in half. We were then attacked by some small poisonous snakes which were hiding in the corners but we were able to easily defeat them, with only sorcerer being badly poisoned.

Finally we were ready to check the last room on the map. In it were a pair of air elementals, a pair of pirates, and a pair of Gricks, being led by a Yuan-ti. I can only assume that this was the scary leader that the charmed pirate told us about. At this point someone closed the door and their group move up to us, opened it and cast darkness on our group. Gabriel countered it with a daylight spell and the battle was joined. One of the air elementals moved in to attack him while he retreated across the room pelting it with spells. Missk and Kaladrina engaged the other with Kobald. Meanwhile I used a color spray scroll to incapacitate one of the pirates. Grathar was able to destroy one of the Gricks but was having trouble dealing with the other and the last pirate. Kaladrina spent a good deal of time moving around healing our group, spending the most time with him because of the nimble pirate who was attacking him. Meanwhile the Yuan Ti cast entangle upon our group and moved in to attack us in hand to hand. In response i used a ray of enfeeblement scroll on it but it dodged out of the way. In the meantime Gabriel was finally able to finish off the elemental with an acid splash. The other elemental had been finished off by Missk who had moved on to help with the Grick. At this point I cast darkness on the Yuan Ti to hinder it in melee. The battle moved on pretty evenly from this point, until I said to the Yuan Ti “my friend is going to kick your ass” at which point the last Grick and pirate having been defeated with the help of Kobald and Missk, Grathar promptly cut him in half. The day had been won and all we have left to do was rest and go see where the hole in the back of the Ankheg lair leads to... It couldn't be that bad right?

[Paul]

Previous update to present
Going through the area where the ankegs had been kept the group eventually found a passage sloping upwards. It led to a small temple to Bahamut and a different exit. After leaving the shrine the group went back to the city they had met in where they sold some of the magic they had found and were offered a job heading to the south as messengers.

DM Update

While waiting two days for the ship to be ready to sail the party split off into groups. The bookworms, the "Devout", and the troublemakers. The wizards traded spells from their spellbooks, scribed scrolls, and sold the last of the party's loot. Colin seemed extrodinarily enthused and dropped the Kobold's leash. He, recognizing freedom joined the troublemakers. Misk ran off to play with shiney objects and made friends with the ship's bilge-rats. Kaledrina went to a bardic college and joined the league of 7 strings. She also learned the basics of mysticism from a "Priest" by the name of Father Malon and had her fancy hat enchanted. As members of the "Devout", Aaron spent most of his time at the temple of Bahamut while Grathar prayed to his ancestors one of whom responded, inhabiting his axe.

On the last night before leaving while sharing drinks at a shoreside tavern Grathar recieved a note. He sat looking at the paper bewildered until Kaledrina explained what it was and read it to him. Apparently, the kobold had been kidnapped and would only be returned if "the Grave-Axe" was given to the kidnappers. He stormed off to the meeting place to find an exiled member of his tribe demanding the axe and the kobold tied to a spit and covered in barbeque sauce. Kaledrina warned the group that there were probably others nearby as the opponent in front of them did not seem literate. Grathar charged his opponent as for other barbarians charged the spellcasters and bard. Aaron took on the gnoll druid hiding in the shadows and the wolf accompanying him. Soon they were able to kill or incapacitate all their opponents and Aaron brought the survivors to the city's guard force. The next day the party sailed off a couple hours before noon and had relativly clear weather.

There were no interuptions to their journey until the third night when they came upon a very large and seemingly abandoned ship covered with a strange red algae. The captain informed them that the crew was going to attempt to salvage what they could from the ship and they were welcome to help out for a share. The group was granted its own dingy and rowed off into the mists toward the other ship.

[Paul]

Another Short Interlude
Searching the ship the group found it completelyy devoid of life at first. They did eventually find sailors who seemed to be controled by small tentacle covered monsters. They also found a mimic which began to follow the group after they fed it. After exploring the algae covered ship the returned to their own which brought them to a small village on the coast to take refuge from an oncoming storm.

Session update
(Told from Liam's perspective)

It was a dark and stormy night, with weather not fit for man nor beast. After having finished with the salvage of the ship we had encountered, we decided to take refuge from the impending storm in the cover of a nearby port inn. Upon entering the inn, Colin began telling a story of the exploits of a mighty ranger named Kivan and his destruction of a group of evil pirates after which we headed to bed.

Later in the night we were awakened by the shrill screams of Kobald. It seemed a small group of lizardmen and trogolodyes were attacking the Ye Olde Inn. Grathar was able to quickly dispose of a couple and knock out one of the 3 who were retreating. Before we had a chance to question the unconscious one, the ones who had retreated returned with reinforcements in the form of a large troll. Unfortunately for it, I quickly weakened it to the point where it could not even hit us with a Ray of Enfeeblement, and then a Ray of Clumsiness and it was quickly killed. Kobald then ran out into the storm and began picking off more lizardmen. He was eventually cornered at which point I cast Benign Transposition causing them to surround an angry Grathar instead of a small Kobald. After killing these lizardmen and their monitor lizards and Grathar ran off looking for more and ran into a giant lizardman. Luckily I was able to immediately incapacitate it was a Tasha's Hideous Laughter spell.

After we all headed back to bed, Kobald questioned the captured lizardman and was able to get some information as to where they had come from, and the prisoner was taken away by the town guard in the morning. We did however find some townspeople who had been petrified during the night, and we decided to go after the source of the problem.

[Paul]

Session Update

(Told from Liam's perspective)

Having agreed to go after the cause of the petrified townsfolk, the next morning were off into the swamp. After finding our way around a patch of quicksand, we were soon attacked by a pair of Manticores. I was able to quickly disable one with a Tasha's Hideous Laughter spell and weaken the other with a Ray of Clumsiness. After that we quickly defeated them and soon after chased off a group of Lizardmen at which point we found our way to the cave. Upon entering the cave, we were attacked by a flying druid, a couple of trolls and some lizardmen. One of the trolls nearly ripped apart Minsc, but we were soon able to defeat all but the druid. Colin challenged him to a duel at which point he flew down and was treated to a royal ass-whomping (granted little to none of it was caused by Colin).

We moved on further into the caves until we came to a room filled with statues as well as two heavily armored trogolodytes whose eyes were partially blocked and a Basalisk. Minsc was quickly stoned but the rest of our group was able to beat down the trogolodytes with Grathar finishing off the Basalisk. We continued on into the cave and eventually came across the Lizardmen's leader. Kobald immediately claimed to be a powerful cleric and eventually convinced them to put off attacking the village again for another fifteen years at which point we were off and headed back to the town.

[Paul]

A quick conclusion to the early sessions

The group upon reaching the destination of their delivery parted ways with Groth as he felt an ocean going life did not suit him. After chartering a ship to bring them to a secret island that the group had discovered a massive meeting of pirates and privateers was occurring on, they met up with Jack and Jezemet. There they were able to find out about a massing of ships which planned on attacking the coast of Methieline. They were able to escape the island and return with the news before the attack allowing a defense to be mounted against it.

[Paul]

Parting Ways

Jack Alltrade and his first mate, Jezemet, have gained liscense under the kingdom of Meithelien as a privateers for the crown and make port in Meliern (the city which the game ended at).

Aaron, now Sir Aaron went slightly east and was knighted. He is the leader of the cavalry of knights loyal to Bruce Sariello in the town of Meldorn.

Colin Lovecraft eventually would go much further east into the Kingdom of Palantyne where he would take up a position teaching spellcasting basics in the town of Galthien.

Grotharr is still wandering looking for more noble souls to help him rebuild his clan in the outskirts of the northeastern mountain range.

Ike headed east looking for his brother Mantarock (the adorable). He is still confused as to how he was cursed to shrink when he sneezes.

After several more failed attempts to seduce females with his wiles, Ike resolves to give up on sex and focus on violence. He begins hording money, and looking for a way raise a army of vicious humanoids to slaughter the orcish race. Specifically, the part of the orcish race which enslaved his clan.

Meanwhile, Shrak helps him on the endeavor, occasionally pointing out that stealing is wrong despite how fun and profitable it is.

Ike has suckered both Grath and Aaron (the PCs with the biggest weapons) into helping him liberate his clan. Thus he needs no help from Baron Von Smallheim, and the world is spared a demonic apocolypse.

(Only Grath was able to make it but Jezemet was able to come to help in his place. Unfortunately Grath was killed and Ike released the Glabrezu he called "The Baron" to save his friend after which "The Baron" killed half of Ike's clan.)

Kaladrina and Missk also headed away with Missk slowly gaining a huge entourage of rats following him.

Liam has made a comfortable living in the gambling den's of Meliern as lady luck seems to always be on his side.