D&D Session 48: (9/7/22) Campaign Crossroads: Bryn Shander

Text by Paul O'Connor, Dungeon Master 

There is much work to be done in the city! Fires to knock down. Rubble to clear. Dead to bury and walls to repair. Winter is coming (literally). They can use your magic, and Harshnag’s muscles, and Arthur’s nimble little body to work his way into buried basements.

The city fathers of Bryn Shander express their appreciation by offering you noble title and a vacant palace inside the city to take as your own. The delegation is led by the Sheriff and his assistant (Augrek Brighthelm and Markham Southwell), as well as the retired hero Sir Baric Nylef. Also part of the embassy is Cummings, your old pal from the Ten Trail Road; on behalf of the grateful merchants of Bryn Shander he offers to furnish your new apartments at a favorable discount. Nothing is too good for the Barons of Bryn Shander!

One potential problem with taking over that palace — it is presently home to Duvessa Shane, the elected Speaker of Bryn Shander. But surely something can be worked out there. The Blue Mountain Brothers would make a fine palace guard.

Another possible problem — that barbarian army camped outside the gates. They seem to think they deserve tribute. There have been clashes with the city watch. If you accept that noble title it comes with the understanding something will be done about the barbarians.

Beldora would like an audience — she’s an agent of the Harpers, and can cast some light on that whole Artus-Cimber-And-The-Ring-Of-Winters business. She’ll probably want to send you on a quest. Harshnag has some ideas, too — something about an Oracle.

There are some strange, silent fellows in black leather armor with dragon masks that would also like a word.

Arthur sees the signs — the literal signs — on alley walls and shadowy doors: Bryn Shander has a Thieves’ Guild. Might be better to find them before they find you. Thieves Guilds usually demand a portion of any treasure housed within city walls.

Jenny would like to visit Sommpher’s Grave, and lay some flowers.

And that damn white dragon is still spotted high in the clouds above, just often enough to make everyone nervous.

(Thus ends the Guild of the Guide Killers D&D session for the forseeable future.  Moment of silence.)

D&D Session 47 (8/31/22): The Siege of Bryn Shander (Part 2)

Text by Paul O'Connor, Dungeon Master 

There was a bit of strategizing, but ultimately the plan turned out to be Just Go For It. The impetuous barbarians urging Blah to action might have had some influence. There was also concern that Kostov's magic fog would lift for some reason.

So Go For It, they did, beneath the walls of Bryn Shander, with the melee unfolding across multiple vectors.

Arthur opened the battle courtesy of a fastball special from Blah, landing astride a giant's back and cleaving with a will. But his most memorable match was with a particularly savage winter wolf, who froze the half-man with his magical breath, then took Arthur on a bucking bronco ride while the halfling hung on the animal's back for dear life (while stabbing, always stabbing). It cost him a potion but Arthur finished the fight in triumph.

Khostov hovered about in his fogbank, lofting fireballs at the giants, and if one bled over and set several barbarians aflame, then c'est la guerre. Friendly fire, indeed! Not so friendly was a giant's return fire, a rock hurled by mighty muscles and damn near pulping the wizard where he hovered. But healing potions are a cure for any impetuosity.

Blah defeated a pair of giants in single combat, his vorpal blade proving irresistible, and even cleaving the head from a giant that had gone down on one knee. He was aided by fireballs from Khostov, to be sure ... and Dee Dah struck at the moment of decision. Old Blah was on his last breaths before the final giant fell -- his was a glorious day of battle. Blah tried a couple times to intimidate giants by tossing their severed heads around, which made for good press but didn't much impress his foes.

Those impetuous barbarians got what they wanted, getting smashed by giants and savaged by wolves. They were ready to quit the field at one point before rallying to Blah's command (and maybe tossing those giant heads around had some effect, after all). In the end they got as good as they got, driving away the bulk of the wolves; of the fifty spears that went in to battle, about thirty escaped death or significant injury. It was a good day to die, and a better day not to.

And as the last giant hit the dirt, the defenders of Bryn Shander sallied out to attack, just as Jarund Elkhardt led the bulk of the Reghed Barbarians into battle. Harshnag appeared, bleeding from a score of cuts suffered in his duel with Jari Stovald -- the last Harshnag saw of the evil frost giant, he and his army were being harried by Elkhardt's riders across the windy wastes of Icewind Dale.

The city is saved and the heroes are feted as liberators! Many happy reunions with Jenny and the Blue Mountain Brothers ... Victory! Victory! Victory!

Building an easy to digest book out of our D&D Adventures. (Click picture)

 Guild of the Guide Killers 

D&D Session 46 (8/10/22): The Siege of Bryn Shander (Part 1)

Text by Paul O'Connor, Dungeon Master 

Uneasy is the head that wears the crown. In the gold old days, the heroes would have done as they please. But now, Blah is a husband and a king, and must consider his people.

Queen Bjornhild was not enthusiastic about marching to the relief of the greatest of the Ten Towns, but skillful oratory from her new husband softened her heart.

There is a council of war. Blah, Khostov, and Arthur will ride for Bryn Shander, with fifty choice spears from the Reghed Barbarians ... of all tribes, even the wolves. Jarund Elkhardt, leader of the Elk Barbarians, will follow with a force of several thousand, which will take some time to assemble.

The rider from Bryn Shander, Oman Rye, rode through the treacherous Howling Lands; our heroes took a longer and less treacherous road to return. Along the way they found the passing army of giants had stripped the land of food and fodder for many miles. The heroes slowed their pace to spare their horses.

Along the way they saw a colossal round boulder in the midst of a flat plain. Khostov mused this may have been one of the Twenty Stones collected by the ancient hero Thruun, to please the lost god Malar.

Bryn Shander appeared on the horizon, atop a hill below rearing Kelvin's Cairn. Smoke rose from the city.

High above, our heroes spotted a white dragon circling in the iron grey sky. It is almost certainly Codoroth the Longtail, though he has grown larger seen last seen.

Conjuring the Boorman Mists, the heroes and their little army rode unnoticed to just outside the walls of Bryn Shander, damaged in places but still holding out against the siege of giants. Taking care to remain hidden from the rock-throwing giants and their huge winter wolf companions, our heroes contemplate a plan, scheming how they might lure Codoroth to battle the giants ...

HPE D&D Session 5 (7/30/22): In search of the Fountain of Youth

 

Inarie negotiates with the local fauna for a ride.

The crew takes on the Guardian Bander Hobb.  Ornock is caught by the beast's tongue while Auric, Inarie and Humanknight chip away at it.

D&D Session 45 (7/13/22): The Trials

Text by Paul O'Connor, Dungeon Master

A barbarian wedding isn't like a regular wedding. There isn't a registry and there is no wedding party. Instead there is ...

... THE TEST OF STRENGTH! Blah rose to the challenge, contemptuously lifting a mighty stone over his head, and then for good measure flinging it at Isarr Kronenstrom, the cannibal Wolf Tribe Chief who persisted in taunting Blah for being half an orc. Even a second challenge to lift an even heavier stone -- this time frozen by Sha-Ga's magics, was passed easily by the future king of the Reghed Barbarians, though he left more than a little skin on the stone. Huzzah

... THE TEST OF SONG! Who better than Khostov and his ever-potent Pipes of Fear. Cannily shaping his enchantment so it affected only the sneering members of the Wolf Tribe, Khostov Cross-Eyed Mary'd the pack off the wedding stage. After some drinking, there followed a vocal performance ... but by this time the crowd was thoroughly won over to the heroes' side. Huzzah, Huzzah!

... THE TEST OF COURAGE! The crowd went wild when Arthur the halfling fearlessly strode forward to meet the Test of Courage. Cries of "Wee Man! Wee Man!" reverberated through the assembled barbarian host, even taken up by those few members of the Wolf Tribe who had not fled the sacred grounds. A moan went up from the Rider Sisters when they saw the test their lover was to face -- a tall, thin man with muscles like strips of beef jerky stretched over a bony frame. "The test is passed!" they cried. "Don't make him fight!" But Arthur was heedless, bearing in on the man and cutting him good, though the wound scarcely bled. "End the test!" the Rider Sisters again implored, and Queen Bjornhild agreed that the fight might end. She, like the rest of the tribe, had been won over, and they saw no sense in hurting the brave little man. But Arthur was having none of it, he would see the thing to the end ... even after the man tore off his outer skin, and emerged as a mighty werebear! Arthur scarcely paused, tumbling between the beast's legs and cutting at will. Like lightning the halfling enveloped the were in a tornado of steel, cutting and slashing and avoid the worst of the bear's mighty claw swipes. In less time than it takes to relate, the bear took a knee, signaling the contest's end, and the crowd rushed the stage, tossing their little champion into the sky in their joy.

Then followed the marriage of Blah and Bjornhild, beneath the driving snowflake blessings of the goddess Auril Frostmaiden. If Blah had second thoughts after hearing Bjornhild say that the united barbarian tribes would demand tribute of the Ten Towns, then ride south to sack Waterdeep ... well, that was a problem for another day. For now there was a bride to kiss and a wedding night to celebrate.

(Here followed much drinking and frolicking for all).

And in the morning, the party was crashed by an exhausted rider dispatched from Bryn Shander -- come quick, the giants have besieged the city!

D&D Session 44 (6/29/22): Savage Splendor!

 Text by Paul O'Connor, Dungeon Master

"He kneels before his queen, but he shall rise a king!"

Bjornhild Solvigsdottir

Avoiding the siren call of a ruined hill fort where they might have made a stand against the pursuing Wolf Barbarian tribe, our heroes set their spurs to their mounts and pressed on to Sommpher's Rest. Cresting up and down into the crater where Sommpher's Rest resides, they saw a sea of tents as seemingly every Reghed Barbarian in Icewind Dale had descended upon the sacred site for a great event.

The crowd parted for the returning heroes, opening a path for them to the island at the bottom of the bowl-like depression, where a visibly beaming Queen Bjornhild Solvigsdottir received the Axe of Axton from a kneeling Blah. "Rise, as my King!" the Queen commanded, to a general cheer from the crowd ... but then came hisses and cries of "Orc! Orc!" from the late-arriving Wolf Barbarians. Their king Isarr Kronenstrom claimed the right of truce at Sommpher's Rest and said Blah was not a Reghedman, so he could not be king. Orc!!

Perhaps because his britches fell down (and Arthur had something to do with that), the crowd didn't immediately rise at Isarr's challenge. Instead, they agreed with Bjornhild that the newcomers should be made part of the tribe by passing tests of Strength, Courage, and Song on the morrow.

Retiring to the Queen's massive tent, there was much canoodling. The Rider Sisters reclaimed Arthur. Some quick work by Sarkagan foiled a conspiracy to poison or drug Blah's drink, and while Arthur's reconnaissance linked the plotters to members of the Wolf, Elk, Bear, and Tiger tribes working with the shaman Sha-Ga, they lacked proof to do anything about it.

The fires burn low, the drunks stagger off to bed singing their savage songs, and the sun will rise on a day of trials for our intrepid heroes ...