Raiders Update – Part 1
Previously the raiders had hired King RukRuk and the hobgoblins from level 2B. Dante had talked them into moving out of the dungeon. They settled in a few longhouses built north of Muntburg and lived off the land and supplies purchased for them as part of their monthly salaries. Dante also retired his dogs to the home he built north of Muntburg. Lazarus abandoned the church of Death he had built, turning it over to a priestess of death he had hired. He built a large temple of law, with gold and marble interiors north of Muntburg. He was able to bring a small number of followers with him.
When Dante converted I ruled that if he could make a save vs. spells he could swap out his proficiencies. He would have to make progressive saves, each adding an additional -2. I also ruled that if he spent his free time between adventures, he would get an additional save when he leveled uo too swap out more. The same with his converted assassin henchman Barney.
The party managed to clear about half of level 3B. They wanted to extract azoth from the lakes they found. They spoke with their old party member Isaac Stocker (who runs the moon pool operation in Dwimermount). They also set up barracks on the level for 20 hobgoblins at a time (working in shifts).
Issac and the party had looked at the maps and designed a path in and out for workers. Combined with environment suits, an engineer control rod, the azoth processer, alchemists, and some additional human troops, Stocker Azothworks was founded, although it took several months to get operational.
The party had several expeditions into the dungeon and a lot happened:
- Lazarus’ henchman Tendo was murdered and replaced by a doppleganger while the party was killing some carrion crawlers. After some shenanigans in the Flask and Scroll Tavern, he was killed by Rufus and Lazarus.
- Found Dwimmersmite – an intelligent eld and mage hating blade with the ability to detect hidden things, sense evil, and sense magic. Begrudgingly accepted Dante as his wielder, until his conversion. Now the sword is happy.
- Found and sold lots of other magical items, notably Thulian plate for Dante and Lazarus (damaged by grey ooze), and Thulian chain for Rufus.
- After summoning an angel (level 5 divine spell for clerics of Law) party ran into the Free Swords, the most famous adventuring party in the region. After a Mexican standoff, the cleric of the free swords began casting a protective spell and it jumped off. The angel refused to fight, but the Raiders were victorious. The free swords’ mage got away. The raiders chopped off the heads of the fallen free swords to prevent restore life and limb, putting the stone dwarven corpse into their bag of holding.
- One of the free swords was recognized as Hemmet of Death, one of Lazarus’ early mentors.
- Lazarus found that angels no longer responded to his summoning spell after the fight with the Free Swords. He cast Atonement daily for he and Dante. They also spent 2000 gp tp feed the peasants around Muntburg.
- Met Krishka, the leader of the wererats. They led her out of the dungeon for a map of the 5th level.
- The Raiders agreed to take out the Minotaur King
- Found a device that played metal discs full of knowledge.
- The party hired the Seekers on a monthly basis to go through the discs with an agreement that they would not reveal the information discovered without checking with the Raiders first. The Seekers also had to agree not to go into other parts of the 3rd level. (The Seekers set up a living quarters in a nearby section).
- Marguerin The Mystical (Seekers) was able to get the Raiders to agree to allow the spread of arcane knowledge to help mankind.
- Lazarus got a tiger (and tiger trainer) to take into the dungeon. It has proven to be harder to control than a guard dog, or Dante’s trained ape.
Rufus’ Raiders – Expedition 9
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Rufus Hypnol– Lvl 7 Barbarian Death Dealer – Ambushing, Climbing, Armor Training, Profession – Gangster - STR +3, CHA -1, Thulian Chain and a +1 shield, wearing gauntlets of ogre strength and armed with a +2 sword
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Dante – Lvl 8 Paladin – Precise Shooting, Mystic Aura, Toughness(+1hp/lvl), Fighting Style (two weapons), Weapon Finesse, Intimidation, Combat Reflexes, Weapon Focus - swords – STR +1, INT +2 WIS -2, DEX +3, CON -1, Wears Thulian Plate mail, cloak of protection, and a ring of protection, wields dual magic blades – Dwimmersmite and Trollslayer,. He has an unearthly appearance (gold eyes, with a burning intensity). Occasionally wears a special pack with a hand pump pressure system to spray moon pool water – Servant of Law.
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Barney – a level 6 paladin of law with manual of arms, riding, and toughness, wears fancy plate and a +1 spear.
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Tommy “big brain” – level 4 mage
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Lazarus Deathbrood – Lvl 8 Cleric Exorcist – Sensing Evil, Intimidation, Apostasy, Theology, Diplomacy, Beast Friendship, Can cast Sanctuary 1x a day (power gained in dungeon) INT -1, WIS +1, DEX +2, CON +1 CHA +1 Wears damaged Thulian Plate and a magic shield, under a black cassock, armed with +2 warhammer, bloodthirsty Cleric of Law.
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Tiger – a large tamed tiger – now a henchman
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Adolphus Smart – a 3rd level mage
The Raiders decided to establish a realm dedicated to the power of law. After looking at maps of the area, they choose an unclaimed area near several small realms along the Lanis river basin east of Adamas. They hired an explorer to survey the hexes of interest. They sent some mounted hobgoblin troops along with Barney with him. He focused on the plains between the Barony of Dor and the Northern Thunderhome mountains.
Meanwhile, Rufus, Dante and Lazarus travelled to Adamas. Lazarus was looking for a scroll of Summon Weather. He met with Bishop Saidon, the leader of the church of Zeus. Lazarus and Dante introduced themselves as followers of the God of Law. After some discussion, the Bishop was willing to sell a scroll for 5,000 GP if Lazarus agreed to take on a young priest of Zeus as a henchman, which he did.
The Raiders travelled to the Barony of Dor, the nearest small realm near their targeted area. After a day, they managed to to meet Baron Jean Dor, who was holding court in his keep. After a period of discussion, the Raiders explained that they intended to set up a realm to the south west of Dor. The Baron agreed to sell them the rights his realm had to the unclaimed land (3 hexes worth) for 2000 GP. The local Priest of Zeus had some resistance to the idea of allowing Lazarus to spread the worship of law to Dor, but the Baron agreed to that as well.
The Raiders were invited to dinner that evening and to stay as guests of the Baron. The party joined several of the Baron’s underlings visiting from their realms. Rufus pretended to get drunk and asked to be taken to his room. Using his natural stealth, he managed to sneak out and found what he assumed was the Baron’s room, guarded by two guards. He considered knocking them out but reconsidered, pretended he was drunk and lost and was escorted back to his room. He did manage to memorize the layout and patrol locations for future reference.
Meanwhile Lazarus and Dante stayed at dinner. After dinner, Lazarus challenged anyone to battle Dante for a show. One of the Baron’s Tribunes, Aethalwolf Washer, agreed. After agreeing to the terms - first blood (defined as first to ½ HP) with full armor and weapons. Lazarus made a 100 GP wager at 2 to 1 odds (he wanted more, but Aethalwolf didn’t have that much available).
Dante won initiative, and with a roll of 19, managed a critical hit (house rule, weapon focus grants a critical hit on a natural 19, 20 or rolling 10 over what is needed to hit). He did 21 damage with Dwimmersmite and Trollslayer, ending the fight with one blow with a vicious slash across Aethalwolf’s chest, drawing blood and dropping him to his knees. Dante then kneeled over him, shouting “Behold the power of Law”, laying on hands and healing him of 16 HP of damage. At the same time, Lazarus called on Law and cast Winged Flight on Dante, causing large angel wings to temporarily spring from his back (allowed 1x by artistic license). Several people present dropped to their knees in reverence, including the local priest of Zeus, who immediately converted to the worship of the divine power of law and pledged himself to follow Dante as his humble servant.
The next morning, Dante and Lazarus met with the priest, Rento Corveno. Lazarus paid to upgrade and covert the local temple from the worship of Zeus to the divine power of law. Dante ordered Rento to follow Lazarus instead (used his intimidation and majestic aura to convince him).
There also happened to be a small dwarf population and a temple to Vulcan in Dor (the party never really asked why Vulcan had a temple in such a small market). After a short consultation between the Raiders and the Craftpriest, he agreed to introduce them to some stone masons from the dwarven vaults in the nearby Heartstone Mountains who could help them build their fortified church/castle (for a fee of course). He also marveled at the craftsmanship of some of their weapons and armor.
Meanwhile the explorer, Barney, and the hobgoblins managed to sweep through several nearby hexes. He found only a few horse herds (no other lairs) and estimated the value of the hexes (Actually my bad – I had classified them as Civilized, which should have meant that there were realms on them. I now have decided that there are a few lairs not found by the explorer which will be revealed after the party moves in). (Hexes 3522 – 6, 3253 – 7, several horse herds 3623 -6)
The party decided to build a fortress for Lazarus against the side of a mountain (taking advantage of the Cleric reduction in price). They planned a keep (with the ability to burrow into the mountain at a later time), and a 40’ wall with two towers and a gatehouse. The dwarves also were to level out the ground in the courtyard between the outer wall and the keep. The party paid double to increase the speed at which the fortress was built. Rufus stayed with the masons and the hobgoblin troops to protect the workers (player had to leave). Dante, Lazarus, and their henchmen decided to go back to Muntburg for an expedition into Dwimmermount.
The Raiders (Lords of Law) entered the dungeon with the intent to take out the Minotaur King on the 4th level once and for all. They stopped by to check in with the Crimson Band (whom they pay to guard the entrance to level 2A). They found out that the goblins started to wear livery and claimed to work for the Thulian Empire! They made a note off it and travelled to the 4th level without any problems.
Upon arriving they realized they had forgotten the magical password to the teleportation maze (only remembering the first letter). Their map, made for them by the leader of the wererats in return for helping her out of the dungeon, didn’t help (the wererats didn’t know it either). They luckily found a room with a hint and they figured it out.
During their expedition they:
- Came across a termaxian mummy named Volusian, presented their termaxian passkey and found out that another party (the village people) had taken the treasure he was to guard.
- Ran into an adventuring party consisting of a man in strange armor and a single goblin. The man, Citizen Rogers, was armed with a crowbar and strange weapons he called a ‘pistol’ and a ‘pulse rifle’. The goblin was Redfang, a Goblin champion (now thief) formerly met by the village people (and Dante). (See more below)
- Found a room with twin tube chambers. After clearing a fly out of one of them, Dante intimidated/charmed Barney into the chamber (causing his morale to drop by one) and Citizen Rogers figured out the controls. A female clone of Barney, Barbie, a lvl 1 paladin, stepped out. They gave her some clothes and a sword, and she immediately became a henchman of Dante.
- Found a room with a bed like tube. After Lazarus volunteered by entering the tube, it slammed shut. There were 10 buttons, but they only touched two:
- One granted 60’ infravision
- One opened the tube.
The party gave everyone infravision before moving on.
- Found a room with a seductive woman in a protective circle. She begged to be let free, but Dante and Dwimmersmite sensed she was evil, saw her true form and attacked. The party made short work of her (with Dwimmmersmite) and managed to kill her before she could complete gating in a Balor demon.
- Lazarus saved the life of Redfang (somewhat reluctantly), after he was poisoned by phase spiders.
- Killed the minotaur king and all of the minotaurs, taking his treasure and keys.
- Found the last of the wererats and offered to cure them. Lazarus was able to cure one of them immediately through use of Remove Curse, Cure Disease, and Bless. Two others joined the party to leave the dungeon and be cured. The rest refused, and the party left.
- Dante went back to check on something, entered the room with the remaining wererats, and slayed them all in short order.
The Lords of Law (Raiders) left the dungeon with the reformed wererats. They convinced Citizen Rogers to come with them to re-provision, offering him free lodging in one of their apartments north of Old Muntburg.