Halaster's Lost Apprentice: D&D Encounters

[Dat]

Session 1: The adventurers overheard a conversation in the local tavern, the Yawning Portal. A Half-Elf by the name of Fayne was talking with a Tiefling and a Dwarf about hiring them to map out a newly discovered set of hidden chambers in the Undermountain. As she went to accompany them outside, the group interrupted her and prevented her from being mugged in the back alley by the same people. Grateful, she offers the adventurers the same deal and they accept. As they go to leave the tavern, they are ambushed by the same two unscrupulous fellows and their friends.

After the fight is over, one of them is intimitated into surrendering and spills the beans on the plot to pretend to beat up Fayne in the attempt to test the adventurers' suitability for the job. The group storm back in and question Faynes' hiring techniques. After some amount of monetary placation is dished out, the adventurers head into Waterdeep to pay a healer and question the man who found the entrance to the hidden chambers.

At the Insane Asylum in the City centre, Arnax is questioned as to how he found the chambers and how he went mad. It is revealed he was given a map and that he opened them along with another man who died. Magical runes/wards sealed the entrance and their dispelling caused his current mental problems.

It is now time for the adventurers to enter the Undermountain and locate the entrance to the chambers before anyone else finds them.

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May i also request a list of Player Characters and any background/character information?

[Snakes in the Tiki Lounge]

Tursten Hellbach and Crabdazzle, the two wolves.

Tursten and his companion are enignatic. They adopted Sooraya Kanath one night, while she was camping in the woods. Tursten introduced them both, but didn't really explain anything much. Later, when questioned why they had joined up with Sooraya, he would only reply along the lines of
'Us Lunatics have to stick together. We look after our own.'

Crabdazzle seems to, for the most part, be a normal wolf. The major exceptions are her mis-matched eyes and a certain unhinged, disfunctional mind. It seems possible that either she was either the survivor of some kind of attack on her old pack (sustaining a head injury in the process) or driven out for being abnormal.

Tursten is an altogether different story. He acknoledges that he knows many tricks, including the trick of Man-Speech. He is usually the more serious, less easy-going of the two. He tends to exude a certain indefinate air of melancholy at times.
He has claimed that his actions are guided, at times, by something he describes as 'The Wolf Mother'. Possibly, he is referring to Melora or a similar nature-goddess, or perhaps an Exarch of hers. Equally possibly, he could be referring to a primal spirit, or a delusion. There is something of the super-natural about him, reguardless.

He hasn't explained much about their names, because to date, no-one has really asked.

[Dat]

Sessions 2 & 3: Having gleaned little information from the madhouse in the centre of Waterdeep, the party return to the Yawning Portal. It is there that they spy the well in a corner of the heaving pub and Faynes' red streaked hair among a rabble in another. They approach the barman, Durnan the Sixth, asking about entry to the guarded well. He informs them of a fee and grabs the attention of Fayne among the crowd. Together, all concerned gather around the well as Fayne pays the fees and the adventurers are lowered, - by harness, into the 'Yawning Portal'.

As all arrive at the bottom, lights are sparked and the mixure of interconnecting caverns and shanty town are revealed below them in the distance. The wild and dangerous mixture of dungeon and town grab their attention for a second as people fight aggressive scorpions far away. It is not long however, before shouting can be heard and the silouette of an angry mob rushes towards them, shouting and swearing. Some of the party slink into the shadows, while others prepare themselves.

When the mob is upon them, Staceys' character gets them to announce their reasons for attacking. A woman who looks mysteriously like Fayne announces that they were paid and also told of rich adventurers to loot at the well's end. The fight starts with the prepared adventurers getting the drop on them and proves to be little challenge.

With another ambush out of the way, the party finds killing a Fayne doppelganger to be little recompense. Staceys' character goes back up with the head and gets assurances from Fayne it was nothing to do with her and likely Xere's doing. Back together in the first level of the Undermountain, Downshadow's residents tell them of the location of a 'wandering Jim'. They meet the criminally dangerous delver and eventually glean information on the route ahead and traps to be found along the way. They ask him for information on Xeres who was seen around the town recently, but the constant threats and poor payment do not guarantee good information when they return. A failed attempt at pickpocketing the wary adventurers does little to endear them to him.

Andie's character determines the direction of the magical wards and they follow the map, avoiding explosive runes, giant minotaurs and an enormous troll. Finally they arrive at the entrance to the Hidden Chambers...
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I also ask again for at least character names and race/class/sex information. - Just four words about your character.

[Slatie]

Alvenor
Male Human
Paladin (Jergal) - Unaligned

[Dat]

Quick Heads Up; I read some more last night and found out that the reason you all didn't have enough experience to level up is that you aren't supposed to be able to until the END of the 2nd Act (instead of the start). Hope this clears things up XP totters! 

I shall post details of magic items and room findings, etc. later on.

[Snakes in the Tiki Lounge]

Quick Heads Up; I read some more last night and found out that the reason you all didn't have enough experience to level up is that you aren't supposed to be able to until the END of the 2nd Act (instead of the start). Hope this clears things up XP totters! 

I shall post details of magic items and room findings, etc. later on.

You are an incorrigable tease, sir.

[Tombwalker]

What was the number you needed for Phil.   HOW DO I FIND it!!

Made a few suble changes to basic character but have pretty much kept ot the spirit of it.  Chell has yet to touch hers and is currently lounging enjoying her 40th birthday.

Will do best to get it sorted and sent to you.

[Snakes in the Tiki Lounge]

What was the number you needed for Phil.   HOW DO I FIND it!!

Made a few suble changes to basic character but have pretty much kept ot the spirit of it.  Chell has yet to touch hers and is currently lounging enjoying her 40th birthday.

Will do best to get it sorted and sent to you.

Many happy returns. Also, two things;

Firstly I think Chris told you level 2. Er, turns out level 1?

Also, I'd suggest having a breif look at the archery style ranger. It's a simply build, that focuses on staying out of trouble yet hurting your quarry...considerably. There are plenty of options at this point, though.

[Tombwalker]

So still at level one.  Ok, will just redo character as I prefer my styled one.

No probs in changing Chells as she hasn't started to change it yet.

Today is our Anniversary, 16 years and still going strong, tiffs 'n' all.

[Dat]

Sessions 4&5: The party finds what remains of the people who opened the outer doors (and a stale cheese sandwich). They pocket some loot as the paladin peers through the two huge stone double-doors. Beyond lies a relatively small room with three stone statues in each corner and one smashed in a forth corner. In the centre was a stone dais with a black circular stone door. The six hand-holes in the centre of the door were obviously the key and the adventurers set about opening it. Persistance paid off as they picked, prayed and perceived a passage into the portal.

Their way was blocked however by a stubborn flying mini-devil. Only letting them in if they convinced him they worked for Halaster, the party set about bluffing and posing for the creatures' approval. Having been impressed, the devil let the adventurers through to the spiralling staircase that leads down to the Lost Chambers of Halasters' Apprentice.

The party eventually arrived at a blue lit room and were greeted by an ancient magic mouth: "Welcome and well met, honoured visitors - unless you be intruders. Speak the Master's Blessing to find the way, or else you'll not leave this place." A quiet rumbling was heard far above the party as the mouth stopped, seemingly from where they came from. It perisisted for about a minute before stopping. After the unusual greeting, the group ventured into the hall, discovering the Mantle of The Apprentice on a hat stand and three solid stone doors, - two locked. The unlocked door was opened by the brave paladin and tiefling psion who discovered what can only be the Apprentices' bedroom. A blue ghost was seen struggling to escape from under a black cloud on the bed, attacking her. The Tiefling attempts to attack it, but the beast hisses silently and flies back into the wall leaving behind the letters M A E R. As the paladin investigates the ghost on the bed, she dissapears leaving behind a silver key on a chain with no cut ridges for unlocking. His presence disturbs a whole nest of slumbering Rattus and the adventurers fight dire, giant and swarming rats.

After the skirmish, the party searches the room and finds: 10gp, 1x 'Magic Mouth' ritual scroll, 1x 'Purify Water' ritual scroll, and the Lost Apprentice's journal....
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Mantle of the Apprentice                                   Level 4
Level 4     +1 . . . 840gp
Item Slot: Neck
Enchancement: Fortitude, Reflex, Will
Power (Daily): Immediate Reaction. Trigger: You are hit by
a close or area attack. Effect: An adacent enemy of your
choice is included in the attack.

Journal to follow....

[Dat]

Also; Happy Anniversary Bob & Michelle. 

[Dat]

Journal:     http://dat-wr.deviantart.com/art/Old-note-badly-photoshooped-159290587

[Dat]

Sessions 6 & 7-andthreequarters: The adventurers had a rest after the tiring fight and fought off any potential disease they might have contracted from the rats. The paladin's inquisitive nature led him to try out the key he found on The Apprentices' bed. It unlocked the door at the far end, sliding open as he went near. Inside was to be found a study of sorts, filled with broken scientific equipment and crumpled papers. The paladin found some items hidden in an Iron Maiden, the wizard found another key on a broken table and Tursten 'two wolves' found another page from The Apprentices' diary; 'My thoughts dwell on that poor creature in the hot chamber, caught in my masters' mad schemes to test my resistance to this 'spellplague' he's always mumbling about. I only hope i can one day bring her peace. - Maer....'

As this happens, the human psion muses about The Apprentice's name and mumbles the word 'Maerlynn'. Tentacled creatures fade into the room and begin to attack as the wizard and tiefling correctly guess them to be Fell Taints.

As the Tiefling blasts the last few tentacles to bits with his unusually effective mind powers, the ranger finds The Staff Of The Apprentice on a broken coat rack by the door. The black shadow creature from the bedroom watched the fight and dissappeared as the blue ghost forms on a platform and pretends to blast Tursten with imaginary spells. The human psion approaches her and asks if she is Maerlynn. The ghost finally responds as she fades away through a wall.

Using the newfound key, the party approaches the final door as it slides open like the others. Runes are found on eight stone tiles infront of them, along with stairs leading up into a magical darkness. A rope line is secured to cross the floor without touching the runes, while the paladin lays a table over them and casually saunters across. The blackened room above is searched and little is found other than ancient pitted burns in the floor and a long faded circle of magic. The runes are stepped on and all are confused as nothing seems to happen. In desperation and lack of clues, the human psion wanders to the bedroom and lies in the bed, hoping to attract ghostly attention. Maerlynn arrives and helps the hapless adventurers figure out the rune tiles. As the party steps on all eight tiles at once, a barrier appears behind them, separating them from Crabdazzle - Turstens' faithful Canis lupus. Above, muffled screams and bright blue light emanates from a ten foot orb of simulated spellplague...

[Dat]

Sessions 7 & 8: The party faced off against the large ball of blue fire. The paladin determinedly charged the sphere, only to be knocked down time after time. - So too, the human ardent who hacked away at the front line. Tursten 'two wolves' provided support in the form of orally vomiting insectoids, and the rest of the adventurers chipped away at range. Half way through, the orb fell apart to reveal a crazed eladrin woman, clad in blue flame and begging for death. - The battered team were more than happy to oblige.

As the tiefling delivers the final mental blow, she slumped to the floor crying out in pain and release. Maerlynn's ghost appears and cradles her as she wispers her final words into Maerlynns' ear. The party finds a level 5 magic item on her and a locket containing a picture of Maerlynn in more corporeal times.

The party retires to the dead rat infested bedroom for the night and wakes up the next day to leave via an unlocked staircase, spiralling downwards. As they are about to go, the formless black specter appears and welcomes them to their death. The tiefling attempts to bluff it into believing they work for Halaster, but the creature has no fear of the mortals whose dreams he has haunted over the last few days. Zombies, Wisp Wraiths and Corruption Corpses are summoned and a battle ensues...
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Apprentice item stuff:

Staff of the Apprentice          Level 3
Level 3           +1
Implement (Staff)
Enhancement: Attack rolls and damage rolls
Critical: +1d6 damage per plus
Power (Daily): Free Action. Trigger: You score a critical hit with a melee attack using this staff. Effect: One of your arcane encounter powers recharges.

Foci of the Apprentice Benefits:
Pieces: 2
You gain a +2 item bonus to saving throws against any effect with the charm or illusion keyword. The pieces can be on different characters. Both characters gain the benefit if within 5 squares of each other.

Also, Tim got a level 5 magic item and you all will level up after the fight to level 2. I double triple checked this time. 

[Dat]

Sessions 8 & 9: Maerlynn drifts to the rescue, absorbing the wraiths' aura, before leaving again. The fiend was then easily despatched along with his undead friends. Tired and exhausted, the adventurers rest before descending the spiral staircase.

At the bottom, a large cave is found. Waterfalls line the edge of the large cavern and a large dwarven tower roof lay across the connecting bridge. On the roof, the party finds an inactive circular portal, a desk with drawers and another bridge leading into the distance. The paladin bravely steps up to the portal and seems to activate it as it crackles to life.

Who else would step through to greet them but Fayne? A slight grin on her face, she greets them and asks what they have found so far. The tiefling and paladin inform her of papers and undead, but she gets an even frostier reception from the human ardent. Drawing her sword, she asks Fayne what she was warned about. 'Hijinks' responds Fayne curtly. Unsatisfied with the answer, the ardent slashes Fayne with her sword. Angered, and clutching a deep wound, Fayne explains her response was a bit brief, but warns her not to be stupid and do that again. Turning to leave, the portal buzzes again as a stag-horned Xeres arrives and promptly knocks Fayne unconcious across the floor.

The ardent cheers the feat and attempts to introduce herself, with Xeres' response to command his minions to kill them. Again, the ardent tries to stop the fight diplomatically, but the barbaric Xeres informs her he owns the chambers now and their lives along with it.

Drakes, elvish swordsmen and a beholder runt stream out of the portal and attack our resilient party..