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Season 2: Always Into the East

"Why did I follow him...? I don't know. Why do things happen as they do in dreams? All I know is that, when he beckoned... I had to follow him. From that moment, we traveled together, East. Always... into the East." —Marius, Diablo II

System: Dungeon Crawl Classics

Concept

After the initial funnel present the players with one to three different modules to pursue next.

The Characters

Name: Guiness
Class: Dwarf
Occupation: Dwarven Stonemason
Player:Will
Fate: Killed by Goblins

Name: Torrin
Class: Thief
Occupation: ???
Player:Nick
Fate: Alive

Name: Oggon
Class: Dwarf
Occupation: Dwarven Miner
Player:Aaron
Fate: Dead

Name: Ashamed
Class: Wizard
Occupation: Barber
Player:Dean
Fate: Killed by greed

Name: Rolf the son of a sheperd
Class: Wizard
Occupation: Grave Digger
Player:Brian
Fate: Alive

Name: Quintus
Class: Thief
Occupation: ???
Player:Joe
Fate: Dead

Name: Lord Chunt
Class: Badger
Occupation: Nature Royalty
Player:Judge
Fate: Eaten by a crocodile

Name: Gyness
Class: Dwarf
Occupation: ???
Player:Will
Fate: Alive

Name: Hogarth
Class: Cleric
Occupation: ???
Player:Joe
Fate: Killed by greed

Recaps

Episode 1: The Funnel

Today the brave peasants of Bitterweed Barrow took it upon themselves to track down the missing constable, Kevlan, and the portly halfling, Nebin, who both disappeared down the tunnel Nebin found in his home when digging up room for a winter pantry.

The party

Adventure: Nebin Pendlebrook's Perilous Pantry

After the disappearance of Nebin Pendlebrook, the town's lone constable Kelvran Stockton went down into the tunnel that had been unearthed in Nebin's pantry. However three days have passed and no one has seen or heard from Nebin or the constable. Seeking to get to the bottom of the commotion, our intrepid commoners gathered outside of Nebin's dwelling built into the hillside. Different members of the group offered up different ideas such as breaking in the through the window, but eventually calmer heads prevailed and tried the front door.

As the door opened a horde of yellow salamanders burst forth from Nebin's house hunting for food. They swiftly devoured poor Bramp's goat, and made quick work of Jacob's side of beef, then skittered off into the grasses. The group entered the halfling's home to find it barren and nearly every thing chewed upon. They did manage to find a shovel, rope, a torch, and a chair (very important) before proceeding into the tunnel.

The group marched down the dark tunnel with torches lit. They discovered two sets of tracks in the dust: one halfling sized, one human sized. They followed the footprints further down the tunnel until they reached a wide chamber filled with stalagmites and stalactites. Here the party noticed the halfling sized tracks continued on to the far end of the chamber, while the human's stopped in the middle near a small glinting object. Discussion was had and some ventured into the chamber, while some did not as they feared ambush. One dwarf, perhaps wisely, tied rope around himself and a stalagmite before venturing forth. As the group inspected the human tracks and the glinting object, that was poor Nebin's glasses, they were attacked by fearsome toad-spiders.

The pair of toad-spiders pounced upon two of our peasants and quickly wrapped them in webbing to become food in the not to distant future. However the fellow peasants had different opinions on the matter. One toad-spider was quickly struck down with a hail of thrown weapons, while the other was startled and fell back to the earth when its prey, the dwarf tied to the stalagmite, failed to raise above the ground. The second toad-spider was made quickly dispatched.

The group set fire to the hanging webs and revealed some loot on and the half-eaten, dead constable. Despite this unfortunate discovery the group pressed on this time following the flaming chair being hauled around by one of Dean's characters. The group discovered the halfling's footprints ended at a set of thick webs. They removed the webs and carried on. As the path became wetter and slimier they were startled by thousands of bats descending upon them. Attempting to outpace the bats they plunged forward. As a gaping chasm lay open before them, most were able to halt their rapid pace, but poor Hunter did not. He fell down into the chasm and died from the fall.

Standing at the end of the chasm they could hear a faint voice repeatedly calling "Help Me". They discussed how to proceed, but eventually settled on everyone crossing the log and then lowering brave Lorence into the chasm to find Hunter's corpse and perhaps the source of the requesting whispers. Lorence took Hunter's belongings and the contents of a leather sack found on a dead wizard's body. He also discovered the source of the whispers, a talking stick, and consigned it to a fiery grave alongside the flaming chair that was tossed into the chasm. He spotted a secret tunnel down there, but chose not to pursue it.

The group having crossed the chasm continued along until they came upon a wooden door. Discussion of how to proceed occurred, but this so tired Oggon that he drove straight through the unlocked door.

With their way unbarred they proceeded into a rectangular chamber replete a door on each wall, two mysterious fountains, three piles of bones, and a magical column of water that went from floor to ceiling.

Joe's and Dean's characters investigated the water, Aaron's the northeastern fountain with a tree idol, Brian's the demon faced fountain, Guillermo's the southern door, and Will's brave PCs the piles of bone. Palorion discovered a prayer written in dwarven to the goddess of nature, Ildavir. He made a sincere plea to her as he drank the water and was granted temporary extra hitpoints and a holy symbol of Ildavir.

Jacob poured in an extra bit of chaotic holy water into the demon fountain before sipping the water. He was also granted temporary extra hitpoints. Guillermo's PCs opened the southern door. Joe's and Dean's discovered the column of water was just water, but they were surprised when the town's well bucket dropped down the column and was pulled back up. Will awoke the skeletal hounds and we were on to combat number 2, which the group admirably wiped the floor with the two-headed skeletal hounds.

The group explored the southern door to discover more loot and a key to the eastern door in the room they had just visited. A couple of them traveled into a hidden store room, but poor Vermentide was slain there by a Sentient pudding. Back in the prior room, all of Dean's characters decided to take a swim in the column of water. They swam down into darkness and after a while became lost. Ashamed and Big Sad managed to swim back to safety, but poor Grim will be forever floating in the dark water under the ground.

Next, the group decided to explore the northern door which opened into a floor to ceiling mirror covered in dust. One of them shattered the mirror and two of our intrepid peasants (Manus and Fleet) were sucked into the other side as the mirror reformed itself. Despite their losses the group continued on through the eastern door and found themselves in a long hallway. They chose to head south and found a mostly empty kitchen. Here they procured some dwarven cheese that had been the death of hundreds of rodents. Then they went through a dwarf door into another room were they disturbed a giant alabaster grub who sought to find new prey. It managed to swallow one of the adventurers, but was slain before it could retreat beneath the earth. The adventurer was rescued.

They then entered a grand hall filled with roaring braziers, skeletal dwarves asleep at some tables, and their object of desire, Nebin Pendlebrook, asleep atop a chair strapped to the back of a giant skeletal tortoise. The group decided to disarm some the skeletons, but were interrupted by Nebin awakening and beckoning them forward.

They spoke with the now undead Nebin who had fallen under the grasp of the magician's spell. Nebin became agitated when talk of undead, or leaving the caverns arose and eventually spurred his undead comrades to attack the group. During the battle John, Big Sad, and Bramp fell, but the party was able to defeat the skeletons and threw the undead Nebin into one of the burning brazier. Faced with only one way forward they were able to successfully solve the riddle of the door and proceeded forward freeing some prisoners (okay, a bunch of prisoners) in the cells on their way to the final confrontation.

They entered the final building to find the room lit by torches on each wall and in the middle of the room a large block of ice with a mysterious figure within. The figure within performed some cantrips to provide messages to the group requesting to free him and rewards, but these acts awoke the slumbering stone behemoth. The behemoth was responsible for many deaths (Mr. Mystery, Lorence, Twinkletoes Moneybags, Farbus Fink, and Farb) before the group was able to partially free the wizard who lent them a wand of flaming hands. Guillermo's quick thinking enable the group to hinder the behemoth enabling others to slay the rock elemental. The group gathered the treasure lying on the floor and climbed up the shattered rocks back to their village, leaving the frog-faced wizard alone in the now empty dwarven caverns

STATS

Party members starting: 18

Party members missing: 2

Party members slain: 11

Episode 2: Fire and Ice

Adventure: Winter's Daughter

The group headed off to the east due to some dreams of a faerie princess haunting Guiness's dreams. Along the road they met new companions including the soon-to-be-thief, Torrin. As they made their way through the woods they came upon a giant burial mound. Before the mound stood a ring of dolmens in which 3 people gathered. Two of these were druidic practitioners and the third was drugged and bound young lady.

The group spoke with the woodsmen and after learning their intent, let the human sacrifice continue. Then they proceeded to the burial mound.

The PCs moved aside the large stone blocking the main entrance, but after a quick jaunt into a spooky staircase, they decided to search around the mound. There combat was done and the new peasants showed their mettle by quickly slaying 3 vile wormtongues.

The group then made their way down the tunnel made by the wormtongues and came upon the back way into the mound via an abandonded priest's quarters. They explored the burial mound, found some treasure, were attacked by flying religious objects, and admired a lovely statue of the woman haunting the dwarf's dreams.

Eventually they descended down some stairs through a wall of floating candles and appeared in the faerie realm. There they found a 3 story tower on an island in the middle of a frozen lake. At the tower's entrance they meet the doormen, Griddlegrim and Grimmlegridge, who would not let them pass until they tried one of Griddlegrim's magic mushrooms. Seeing no other way (except the arsonistic dwarf's views) the party ate some mushrooms and experienced some strange effects such as all their hair growing 10' long, or alternately weeping and laughing, etc.

Most of the group made their way up the first floor by pretending to be helping hands to deliver food to the wedding feast on the second floor, but not our intrepid dwarf. He snuck around the back and climbed up to a window on the second floor. Oh how does love make us such fools!

The rest of the group arrived on the second floor with foodtrays in hand to see Guinness surrounded by faerie guardians. After some quick words the group was able to prevent Guinness from turning into a pincushion and they proceeded up to the third floor to meet Princess Snowfall-at-Dusk. The princess pleaded with the group to head back to the mortal world and retrieve the ring she gave her love, Sir Chyde, and return to her with the ring. With the ring her possession she could be again with her forbidden lover, and the group would be a hell of a lot richer. The group returned to the burial mound and after some sleuthing were able to disarm the stone hound trap and secure some weaponry before obtaining the ring from the Ghost of Sir Chyde. They thought about further robbing the tomb, but either good sense or a sense of decorum prevented such shameful actions.

They traveled back to the fairy realm and returned the ring to the Princess. They then were able to witness the reunion of the lovers who even a powerful fairy prince could not separate. That isn't to say all were happy with the outcome. There was much discussion of the use of stove to burn down said fairy tower. If that was because of love, jealousy, or revenge at being used, who knows. In the end the group left the realm of the fey and continued on their journey ever to the east.

Episode 3: Some don't make it back out of the hole

Adventure: The Hole in the Oak

Judge's note: After the last adventure the players moved into a hexcrawl based upon the wilderness map in the Keep on the Borderlands. Additionally I used the updated maps of the Keep and Caves by Dyson Logos. I filled the wilderness map in with adventures and encounters, some of my own creation, some not.

After their journey in to the fey kingdom, the group continued eastwards to the borderlands of the Imperium. In particular they journeyed to Ironholm Keep, a fort on the edge of the wildlands far from the inner provinces of the Imperium. Along the road they heard rumors about a dragon in the woods out beyond the keep, gnomes who prayed to an idol made of solid emerald, and strange flying objects have been seen far to the north. The last being to the north, and not the east, would mean it would be handled later. As they entered the countryside they encounter new companions Blaze, Smith, Smyt, and a silent fourth who did not give his name.

Around midday of the 11th of Silva they arrived at Ironholm Keep. They were greeted by the guards of the keep, and after a brief questioning by a corporal and the a scribe they were admitted entrance into the outer bailey of the keep. The scribe told them of a few points of interest: the chapel, the guild hall, the smithy, traders, a tavern, an inn, the bank, and private residences available for rent around the keep. They were also told they were not allowed admittance into the inner bailey until they have earned the renown necessary for the Castellan of the keep to notice them.

The group went to the smithy and after some brief haggling were able to repair Oggon's chainmail, and Torrin was able to acquire a set of studded leathers and a fancy dagger. Oh what fates to have a dwarf craft a weapon that would nearly kill another dwarf. The group then visited the local tavern, The Lonely Bee, to procure drink, food, and rumors. There they hired on Wilmot and Wybert to help with future adventures. Wilmot is seeking funds to purchase his soul back from a demon to whom he traded it for a magical dagger, while young Wybert is out for revenge against the tiny giants who killed his friend when he was a youth. Then the group took lodgings at the Hopping Frog Inn for the night before adventuring out into the woods to find the cavern under the giant oak.

The next day they set off on a long journey before arriving near where the locals said the hole in the oak was located. As they were making camp, Han noticed a reptilian humanoid scuttling through the woods. He took chase and managed to get the drop on the troglodyte, but its foul stench eventually overwhelmed Han and the troglodyte was able to slip away into the woods. The next morning the group found and entered the hole in the oak. At first they went east towards a faintly green glow but stopped when they ran into roots blocking the passage. They turned north and made their way down a long sandy hallway into a circular stone room with a deep crimson wool carpet in the center. As they poked around the room, with most focusing on the door carved with tree motifs, the peasant Blaze walked across the carpet and was transported elsewhere in the dungeon.

Blaze found himself staring at 3 doors with faces upon them: bull, jester, and lion. He approached the jester door and heard capering and laughing, and opened it to find the sight of several giant fire beetles devouring a giant lizard corpse. He wisely left the room and shut the door. He then mustered the courage to go open the northern door with a bull face.

The rest of the group, not that shocked about Blaze's disappearance, removed the carpet to see a circle of magical runes of teleportation carved into the stone. Solving that mystery the group returned to the tree door and opened it. Within they found an ornate wooden table with a dozen glass jars and a wine bottle on it. Inside the wine bottle whose wine had turned to vinegar, Ashamed found to parchment scrolls. One details a journey to the land of the micro-people, and the other was inscribed with magical runes that the wizard had yet to decipher. The others noticed that the glass jars contained tiny dead people (about an inch tall each).

Not knowing which direction Blaze was transported to, the group decided to head north towards the sound of rushing air/water. They traveled down a passageway and poor Han was nearly killed by a giant crab spider. Oggon then met his mortal enemy, the locked wooden door, and proceeded to hack it apart and in the process alerted the troglodytes within who took refuge around the other side of the room. Despite the poor introduction no harm came and the group peacefully interacted with the foul smelling reptile-men, who managed to slip away as soon as they could.

Oggon and Wybert proceeded to search the room after noticing the strange architecture and found a set of faces on the far wall that were mighty suspicious. Once interacted with they revealed a secret room which within lay doom and treasure. Gingerly, Oggon used his axe to remove the slime on the wooden chest in the room, but this caused deadly vapors to erupt and poor Wybert died puking out his lungs. Oggon swore to seek vengance against the tiny giants in Wybert's name. But Wybert's death wasn't completely in vain as Oggon became quite rich upon opening the chest.

While this was going on our intrepid thief, Torrin, spotted gold beyond a pit trap. He attempted to cross the trap, but fumbled his way down into the icy waters below. Hearing the cry of the companion the PCs rushed over to rescue Torrin before he fell into unconsciousness due to the cold waters. Having made quite the racket and now confining themselves to a dead-end hallway, the ghouls who had previously been lying dead at an intersection waiting on prey took their chance and attacked the group. Battle was joined, but the PCs got the best of it though the peasant Smith fell to a ghoulish claw attack.

Having faced battle, and needing to care for the dead and wounded the group headed back to the keep despite poor Blaze being lost somewhere within the dungeon. On their way back, Quintus had a prophetic dream about a room in the dungeon with hole full of walls. There Ashamed placed his hands within a hole and came back with an emerald the size of his palm. However, Torrin, who also placed his hand in the wall pulled it back out to find it empty and turned into an eagle's talons. Startled Quintus awoke and spent the rest of the evening restless. The next day the group arrived back at the keep, but not before stumbling upon a strange formation of rock dots this area, seemingly forming a pentagram. The rocks are immovable, but can be destroyed. This is actually the ruins of a buried structure from long ago, once connected to the chaos cult that is rumored to exist in the wilds.

Back at the keep Oggon, in a show of ostentatious wealth, purchased all the private rooms save one at the Hopping Frog Inn. Surely the displays of wealth will reach other ears. Also eager hirelings will judge how the group deals with Wybert's death before the sign on with this band of adventurers.

Despite their new found wealth, the group has vowed to return to the caverns and keep exploring. Maybe to find Blaze, but mostly to find more treasure. So next time we head back into the hole in the oak.

Episode 4: The Last Drop of Guiness

Adventure: The Keep on the Borderlands

On the 27th of Silva, the group (Torrin the thief, Ashamed the wizard, and Guinness the dwarf) along with their hirelings (Wilmot the merchant, Yaropolk the beggar, and Bozhena the gambler) set out after hearing rumors of a fire wand in the caves to the northeast. Along their travels through the forest to the north Guinness freed a badger being hung from a rope. This badger turned out Lord Chunt, a royal badger of the hillside. Chunt and Guinness quickly became friends and a glorious combat unit.

After rescuing the badger the group headed into the thicker woods and stumbled upon a might Monk's Oak under who's shade a plethora of weapons and armor lay. The group approached somewhat hesitantly, but eventually attempted to procure some of the items. However as soon as they touched a weapon or a piece of armor the item disappeared. Save one, the spear of storms which Torrin happily took from the tree. After a brief round of testing out the weapon, Torrin struck the spear into the earth and was astounded when a giant wave of air erupted forth and sent everything nearby flying.

Delighted with their new find the group turned northeast through the wooded hillside towards the cave and came across a still functional ballista. The ballista was mired in a sandy crevice and hand upon it the words BREE YARK! painted in crude lettering. Yaropolk, whose hatred of goblins knows no bounds, informed them that it meant "We surrender" (or does it? 🤣 ). Guinness, ever the rash one, convinced the group to launch the ballista to the northeast. (This was supposed to be a fire trap, but the sheer chaos was too good to convert into punishment so I went with it.) The bolt flew over the hillside and struck a rocky hillside sending dust and rock into the air.

As the group went over the hill to find out the resolution of their chaos they saw that the bolt had struck next to a cave mouth covered with vegetation. The cave opened up into a natural tunnel that showed it had been worked upon by intelligent hands. Guinness speculated that it was dwarven-made, but not all stonework is that of the dwarfs. The group entered and saw signs and noises letting them know the caves were occupied. When presented two options the group chose which one? The one to the east as all ways.

They went down the earthen tunnels and ran into a group of goblins upset with the ballista shot wrecking their hillside. Battle erupted with damage on both sides, but quickly Torrin's spear of storms turned the tide and the goblins who didn't run were dead. Further eastward (actually southeast) the group entered a large cavern and saw more goblins arrayed against them. Torrin and the group quickly beseeched the goblins to trade instead of fight, and were brought over to the Goblin chief. There the group tried to procure the wand, but the goblins didn't have the magic wand. Instead they did offer them a chance at magic.

Happy to find some magic the group accepted and were lead back to the east to find the goblin chief's "Magic". The magic happened to be a large ogre who was bribed to help wipe out the adventurers. Battle was joined, but the adventurers made quick work of the goblins and their ogre ally. The group collected their spoils and searched the ogre cave for more and found them. After this the group returned to the keep displaying their loot and the ogre head.

At the keep the group presented the ogre head, perused the local stores, and opened an account at the local bank. The bank contains a vault where the group can store their valuables, and 11 other compartments protected by steel doors & two keys. Torrin thought about robbing the place, but held off. The group rested for the night and then returned to adventuring. North they went retracing their previous journey. In the clearing where they found Lord Chunt, a group of goblins was playing with the still hanging rope. Upon noticing their arrival the goblins attempted to flee, but the group attacked quickly.

During the melee, Guinness was felled by a goblin mace. After the combat the group decided to take Guinness's body back to the keep and inter him at the chapel while they decide on the burial method.

Episode 5: Curiousity and Crocodiles Killed Them All

Adventure: Shadows of the Beakmen

Avert your eyes if you be squeamish.

The day began with the adventurers on their way to the peaceful village of Ralston along the river. They were headed there to deliver a package at the request of the Castellan of the Keep. The party set out and followed the river through the rolling hills of the countryside and all was pleasantly peaceful. They were joined by a cleric of Cthulhu, Hogarth.

However as they neared the village of Ralston, black smoke was billowing forth and icy rain was falling. Intent on delivering the package the group pressed on. As they breached the outskirts of the village a hut burst a flame, and a shadowy figure stumbled out towards them. Rather than attacking the party peacefully approached the figure, who happened to be a town guard. Alas they didn't get to learn much as a giant green skinned humanoid with a large beak and spiky hide armor riding a gigantic crocodile drove a lance through the guard's belly.

The party attacked and quickly defeated the beaked warrior and slew its steed. Among the body, Ashamed found a glowing magical green rock. A hellish green glow lit up the sky, and the party proceeded inwards in pursuit of their package recipient. After a few encounters (some of which we won't speak lest we besmirch the heroic names of our intrepid adventurers), the party was assailed by 4 outmatched peasants. After quickly deescalating the conflict they discovered that the mayor, the package's recipient, was amongst the group. They dutifully handed over the package, and then were hired by the mayor to stop the kidnapping and murdering of the villagers by the beakmen.

They continued to the east (big surprise) towards the source of the glowing light. There they saw a shadowy, colorless figure raise a mysterious rod to the heavens to summon forth a massive, 100 ft high black stone obelisk from the lake's depths. Dozens of beakmen poured forth from the obelisk to join the shadowy figure who the party then intercepted. After a quick struggle the group disapated the shadowy projection. This action caused the dozens of beakmen to fall to the ground like lifeless dolls. As they did so their green skin rotted off, their beaks shrank and fell of their faces to reveal the corpses of human peasants. After a brief discussion the party ventured into the obelisk to deal with the beakmen and their master.

Inside the obelisk they found a cold, silent, mud-filled stone room with slime-covered doors. Past one door they found a large pool of glowing black ooze filled with very large egg sacks, and the constant din of clicking and snapping from afar. They roped in one of the egg sacks to see it burst forth with a beakman pupae. After slaying 20 of these pupae in a hard pressed battle, they pressed on north to the sound of the clicking and snapping.

They continued to the east (big surprise) towards the source of the glowing light. There they saw a shadowy, colorless figure raise a mysterious rod to the heavens to summon forth a massive, 100 ft high black stone obelisk from the lake's depths. Dozens of beakmen poured forth from the obelisk to join the shadowy figure who the party then intercepted. After a quick struggle the group disapated the shadowy projection. This action caused the dozens of beakmen to fall to the ground like lifeless dolls. As they did so their green skin rotted off, their beaks shrank and fell of their faces to reveal the corpses of human peasants. After a brief discussion the party ventured into the obelisk to deal with the beakmen and their master.

Inside the obelisk they found a cold, silent, mud-filled stone room with slime-covered doors. Past one door they found a large pool of glowing black ooze filled with very large egg sacks, and the constant din of clicking and snapping from afar. They roped in one of the egg sacks to see it burst forth with a beakman pupae. After slaying 20 of these pupae in a hard pressed battle, they pressed on north to the sound of the clicking and snapping.

They discovered a beautiful woman-spider-demon weaving strands of demonweb. However she was bound in place by a silver chain. After agreeing to free her for the use of her web to scry other places within the obelisk they released the demon from her bonds. Luckily for them, she wanted to leave, but did make two more deals. First, in exchange for 3 dwarven biscuits she gave Gyness a 100' demonweb rope (can't be torn or severed by normal means). Second she promised not to harm the village in exchange for collecting a favor at a future date.

After these deals were bound and the rope given the demon disappeared. The group used the web strands to scry several rooms in the obelisk before heading on. They next did battle with the Beakman Warlord. The thief, Torrin, snuck in and stabbed the Warlord as he was resting on his throne of skulls, but in turn was snatched up by a giant crocodile. The battle was joined. Lord Chunt fearlessly attacked, but was slain by the crocodile. In return Ashamed, filled with a dark anger, burst forth a massive wall of flame and burnt to a crisp the Warlord, crocodile, and most of the room.

Having lost their mascot and symbolic leader the group moved forward into a secret lair filled with 3 glowing basins of liquid. At first the group was hesitant, but quickly curiosity overcame their precaution.

Gyness drank from the green basin and gained intelligence, but wisely chose to not drink from the second pool. Then Hogarth drank from the blue basin and became a dullard. Ashamed braved the red basin and received luck in return. Then greed took her turn.

Ashamed and Hogarth chose to drink a second time and both paid for their avarice with their lives.

Having lost 3 brothers on this day the remaining adventurers decided the best course would be to return to the keep and request more aid.