Dungeon's and Dragon's campaign log for in-person game since 2017
Location: City of Fax on the Wildcoast.
Date: 1st day, month of Sunsebb, Winter [reference from our calendar it is December]
Year: 582
Current Status:
The heroes now are located in the Blackrune controlled city of Fax on the Wildcoast.
The Redwater Fellowship's "Fistful of Dollars" ploy was a success, then their infiltration of Commander Floodlick's HQ was complete. But it appeared that Floodlick - even dead? - was not finished with the heroes!
The Fellowship stand in the garage of Floodlick's HQ. The commander's head recently removed from
the body after the commander was killed by the blades of Lt. Spears. Now held by his hair in Aeldred's
grip as the Fellowship prepare to confront or avoid the BR patrol, coming up to the HQ. no doubt
attracted to the recent explosions and more from on top and inside the HQ.
_________________________
The RedWater Fellowship [Player Characters]
- Lieutenant Spears Male 1/2 elf | Phantom Rogue/Echo Knight - an operative assigned by Lady Cowl's secretive organization - under Overlord Romack - to assist [played by Connor]
- Nenwin Albion - Male Aasimar | Paladin of the god: Heironeous [played by Jake]
- Graxxuzzaz - Male Lizard-folk | Sorcerer/Warlock of the Great Old One - the King in Yellow [played by Braydin]
- Aeldred - Male Red Dragon-born | Barbarian/Paladin/Ranger of the god: Pelor [played by Campbell]
- Thogra - Male 1/2 Orc - CURRENTLY DEAD | Rogue/Cleric of the Egyptian god: Set. | [played by the DM: Dave]
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Other Non-player characters of note:
- Robin - formerly the undead ruler of Darkreach and a servant to Orcus, now once again: Male aarakocra | Ranger
- Doc Sigmund Holliday - Male 1/2 orc | Gunslinger/Paladin of the goddess: The Raven Queen [former close friend of Robin [played by Connor]
- Tibaltuous Male 1/2 elf | Bard/Paladin [Bounty hunter] - currently under cover and scouting along the Wild Coast - South near the Pomarj. [DM: more details: Blogpost: https://sleet-dnd2.blogspot.com/2025/10/interlude-tibaltuous-espionage-travels.html] [played by Campbell]
- Gothi - Female foreclaimer | Ranger | At town of DragonKeep. Former member of the Fellowship [played by Jake].
- Lars - Male elf [VAMPIRE] | wizard | At town of DragonKeep [looks like a pale, very young 15 year old]
- Skrit - Male kobold | Priest of Istus. Former member of the Fellowship. Acting Mayor of the town of DragonKeep [until elections take place - next month]
- Hester - Male Tabaxi | Cleric of Celestian | At town of DragonKeep. Former member of the Fellowship.
Current quests or options for the party to look into:
Flying tower: upgrades complete! And is flying to Fax by Gothi with some other members of the Fellowship.
- Request from Greyskulls [a mercenary company] commander and mate - save son in Fax?
- Doctor Kleinus in Fax - potential contact and ally against Blackrunes?
- Portal to Sea of Dust (Blackrune expedition) look into or not?
- · Doc Holliday - Elves are now East across sea in Bright desert (Doc personal potential quest)? The "Great Deliverance" a spell cast to take all the Elves to a secret location in the desert.
- · Graxxuzzaz's circus (he was circus master and has heard rumours they are near Fax now - potential personal quest)?
- · Tibaltuous' collect bounty for drow [he has the head of the drow] - Contact is in city of Fax
- · Map to secret Blackrune base/island off Wildcoast - Fax area (Kantif - a rogue, former ally from the Redwater Fellowship has this)
The Blackrune patrol that had approached
stay a safe distance from the shield. All with weapons at the ready. Aeldred tries
to talk to patrol Blackrune patrol, but no sounds pass through Floodlick’s
shield around the HQ. The dragonborn gets the impression no one is now in
charge of the forces in Fax or the defense.. Aeldred says 5 minutes and holds
up 5 fingers. The patrol commander shrugs and salutes. Says something..
Floodlick’s Head disappears as Flood talks again – telling the party “There is no escape..” the patrol then retreats quickly. Aeldred does not think they may stay around.. the defense of Fax? The party needs to get out there and take over!
Then all the characters items [DM: well nearly all - see below] and clothing down to a loincloth disappear except:
The Paradox of Will: Wisdom Saving Throw Mechanics
|
Roll Result (DC 20 Wisdom) |
Psychic Manifestation [DM: you want to FAIL this roll or you truly
understand and cannot retain as much physical manifestations of your valued
items |
|
Success |
Ascendance: The character manifests clad only in a
loincloth, but may retain one magical or non-magical item. The mind
recognizes that material anchors are illusions; only the spirit endures. |
|
Failure |
Tethering: The character manifests in a loincloth but
desperately clings to two items before the blastwave strips the rest.
This failure represents a mind too weak to let go, desperately anchoring
itself to the physical world. |
Players choose items:
- Nenwin fails – choose his adamite
armour and Holy Avenger two-handed sword
- Aeldred passes – chooses his sword, Blood
drinker
- Graxxuzazz passes – chooses his Amulet
of Darkness
- Lt. Spears – Shroud cloak and Braces of Daggers
The Three Floodlicks:
Floodlick’s mind is not just a prison for him, but a probe for the
Fellowship. The anchors reflect his mockery of their specific vulnerabilities:
- Child Floodlick: A
duegar boy. An ignorant, malnourished slave-child. He weeps for a
"dwarf smith family who had started to raise him as one of their own
but in the end he was sold into slavery" (touching on Aeldred’s quest and perhaps the duegar's fascination on that ),
his ignorance a tragic shield against the monster he becomes.
- Current Floodlick:
Hyper-aware and fueled by panic. He mocks the Fellowship’s "Fistful
of Dollars" ploy, whispering that their victory was merely
"pruning the weeds while the garden rots."
- Future Floodlick: A
broken shell paralyzed by his status as a "grain of sand." He
points to Graxxuzzaz, screaming in psychic frustration about a "void
of pale yellow and tattered rags"—the King in Yellow—that he cannot
comprehend or taste.
This turbulent current eventually drags the Fellowship toward the first major anchor of trauma: The Obsidian Abyss.
The party “awake” in an obsidian cavern, all
chained by hands. There are others also in rags and chains as well as a small
duegar dwarf boy whimpering and crying. Aeldred tries to comfort the boy, but
the 8’ tall dragonborn is an imposing figure and not built for comforting a
child. The party focus on the area, then at the small cave’s entrance, a drow
elf in black and silver chainmail, carrying a whip, shortsword
and hand
crossbow, enters and calls out to the one female slave – a human or possibly ½ elf.
That “Ignis wants you – NOW.” The female cringes at first and then gets up
slowly walking to the cave entrance. Both Nenwin and Aeldred bristle at this
their paladin-honour coming to forefront – a woman and also slave.. AND also a
drow-elf slaver!
With a 2nd chop, the Aasimar cuts
the chains of Lt. Spears.
Aeldred heads out into a central area with
multiple passages off it. One a wave of heat comes from what appears to be a
river of lava. Then for some reason he remembers – perhaps Floodlick’s
memories.. the slavers mined obsidian from the bank of the river of lava.
Aeldred cut into Igniss with his sword and
then with a combat maneuver dug the claws of his offhand into the goliath’s
inside arm making her drop the massive maul! Dropping his sword, the paladin
grinned and picked up the maul with two hands. Swinging it around to get is balance.
Igniss growled and swung out with a massive fist connecting with Aeldred’s head doing hefty
While the battle with the goliath was ongoing, Nenwin prepared to swoop down upon the bug but was surprised as a black goopy webbing.
This wrapped up the Aasimar and he fell INTO the lava.
Burning from the lava,
he swam and crawled out. Even as the insect headed into some tunnels. Nenwin
was able to finish off another drow slaver the hit activated the power of his
Holy avenger sword, taking the magical power from his enemy and healing the
paladin!
Graxxuzazz cast enlarge on Aeldred and the 8’
tall dragonborn increased in size to 15 feet tall! Even the maul enlarged as
well.
Aeldred still in the bearhug watched as Lt.
Spears not appearing to be worried his blades might hit Aeldred, the phantom
rogue/echo knight flung all four blades again, scoring hit upon hit all very
close to the paladin!
Aeldred broke free and swung the maul
connecting with the shoulder of the goliath knocking her back. Then the blades
of the rogue once again cut into her and Igniss-Blight fell dead.
Aeldred wanting to finish off the enemies invoked
his protection form fire started to scoop up lava and toss it down each of the
four tunnels. After doing 2 large – for a 15’ tall giant – the giant insect scuttled
out of the 3 hole and tried to evade the paladin. Aeldred was having none of that
and brought the hammer down on the bug – flattening it.
The Fellowship re-group and search the area.
In the goliath’s chamber they find a locked chest that Lt. Spears makes quick
work of -after Nenwin finds a pouch of keys on Igniss – inside the party find a
rag doll of a horse, 4 jars with red liquid and what appear to be fruit or vegetables
floating in them and a diary?
Nenwin tries tasting the red liquid and
quickly spits it out sputtering. Acid. No one can read the diary, so those
items are put in Nenwin’s fingernail of holding – as that was part of Nenwin –
it did not appear to be taken from him in this mind world of Floodlick. The
party surmises that the rag doll is the young boy’s. They ask him his name and
between muffled whimpers he replies, “Floudechshtein”
Nodding sagely all the party start to discuss
next steps. Passages out of the area end in mist and when walked through Nenwin
finds himself another passage walking back INTO the area..
The Corrupted Present – the Hall of Monstrosities
The heat of the mine shatters into a cold, necrotic fog, transitioning the Fellowship into the urban ruin of the present.
Then the see the skeletal claws and hands coming out of the water in the
hole in the ships hull. The party realize there are hundreds of these skeletal
hands. Racing up onto the main deck they look down, the whole bay is teeming
with the abominations.
Nenwin again activates his wings – the chorus sing but here as if the
evil presence and whispering muffle the angelic sounds – and flies all three
heroes to the dock. It is covered in blood slippery and appears to be fresh.
The party discuss options – into the HQ or up on top or..? The warehouse roof is mostly gone in this
The Fellowship then decide. Up to the portal. Again Nenwin uses his wings
and takes all three of his comrades up to the massive swirling portal on the
roof. The 2 paladins at first are going to just jump in, but Graxxuzazz
suggests taking a look first? Better safe than sorry? The lizardfolk sticks his
head into the portal and Nenwin.. pushes him through and then jumps in after!
Aeldred shrugs and looks at Lt. Spears and jumps in as well! The rogue
sighs, shakes his head and jumps in after the other three.
Then the voice of Floodlick is back, the child’s voice louder, the older Floodlick whining and crying. The child’s voice tells them to hide to “Hide and avoid Him! Don’t let Him find you!” Then it was gone. The party have a moment. Three of the heroes take the heeded warning and hide. The fourth, the dragonborn paladin – Aeldred, grips his sword and looks about quizzically and sighs. Awaiting whatever is coming. Graxxuzazz, Lt. Spears and Nenwin hide behind a different statue each. The cold alien presence of the statues somehow making their skin crawl.
Then.. He appears. A tall human man. Walks as if not a care in the world. He is strange clothing, a suit
Aeldred moves forward [DM: failed saving throw versus some type of charm effect]. As the paladin gets close to the tall stranger, the man moves up beside him, Graxxuzazz about to act and then.. the bite.
The vampire – as the party assume – bits the neck of Aeldred and sucks
his life blood. Graxxuzazz uses a mind spike spell on the vampire, to some
effect. Nenwin flies forward to engage and Lt. Spears throws daggers that hit
the undead.
The dragonborn visibly withers [DM: 4 levels drained] and then Aeldred
moves off to attack – still charmed – Graxxuzazz! The vampire disappears from
view.
After shaking off the charm, the two paladins see one of the massive
alien statues animate? Or come to life and start to bear down on them. The voices
of Floodlick sound in their mind, not as strong as if coming through some type
of interference. “ignore it.. focus on Him!”.
Taking a chance.. they ignore the massive alien tentacled monstrosity
and await a chance to attack the vampire. A massive tentacle swings down to connect
with both paladins.. and passes right through them. Floodlick is helping them..?
The vampire tries to escape, “The coffin! It must be here somewhere.” Lt. Spears gets an inkling – “4 arms or tentacles” – perhaps from Floodlick and approaches one statue with 4 massive tentacles. The faces is a mass of eyes all watching the ½ elf. He shakes off the dreadful feeling and investigates the massive throne the alien sits in. At the back is a compartment where a coffin is found the body forming.
The party focus their attacks on the undead and are able to finally defeat the powerful foe. The
The vampire is destroyed in the end by the holy power of the two
paladins, the power of the patron of Graxxuzazz through the lizardfolk and the
blades of the rogue, Lt. Spears.
The future - Floodlick's curse
The cold of the alien chamber shatters into a warm, and wet sensation of floating in an alien liquid. transitioning the Fellowship into A circular room, walls pulsate and glow with a purple and blue light. It is as if the walls are alive. The floor is spongy and the bare feet of the loin-clothed heroes stick slightly to the membranous type flooring. They can feel fluid running through the floor which makes them shudder a little to try and get used to it.
In the circular chamber are rows of flashy pods all facing the centre of
the room. In each is a humanoid – humans, elves, dwarves, orcs, dragonborn, and
more. Races and aliens as well float eyes closed in these fleshy pods.
As the party try to understand where and what is going on the voice of
Floodlick is again in their mind. “No it seems broken, raspy beyond ancient.
The combined voice is gone, the child and the taunting voice of the present
Floodlick.. now it is strained, tired, “help me.. I did everything They asked..
but I realize I.. we.. are nothing to them.. grains of sand.. less.. food
nothing.. help..” Then nothing.
The party prepare and head for the one exit, injured, nearly all resources spent, spells nearly all gone.
All avoid the vats even as a tall, robed figure.. its tentacles showing
from under the hood. Lt. Spears had held back as the party moved forward guarding
the rear. The illithid carrying a large pole with a strange netting on one end
a glaive like blade on the other, motioned to the rogue to come closer.. Not liking
that at all, Lt. Spears quickly caught up to the party.
They came out onto what appears to be the central bridge of a ship! They somehow knew there were flying over the astral sea. In a nautiloid. Perhaps the connected mind of Floodlick passed this on. In
At that moment a massive psionic blast hit all the party and both
Aeldred and Nenwin take the full force.
Confused, Nenwin sees his ally Graxxuzazz as an enemy illithid and swings his blade twice into the lizardfolk! Graxxuzazz low on health falls and then hit again by Nenwin’s 2nd attack, suffers two death saves!
Nenwin shakes off the confusion [just in time
for Graxxuzazz to make his third - and
critical need to save – rolling a 5! No! But not dead as he is in range of the
protective zone of Nenwin the paladin and get +5.. so the sorcerer does not
die! He gets 1 success and 2 fails.]
The party shake off the effects of the elder
brain just as multiple mind flayers appear converging on the party! A final
strike on the massive bowl and with a scream of “Yes!” from Floodlick.. “I can
now die.”
The mind world swirls back and the party are
once again in the smoking ruin of the former Commander Floodlick’s HQ. The smell
of oil, from the garage is a welcome relief. The sun shines on the harbour
outside.
Both Nenwin and Aeldred lay on hands on
Graxxuzazz and rescue the lizardfolk from a near death!
The Blackrune Commander slowly fades from
view. The voice of Floodlick is no longer in their minds. They had freed him
from his slave-like patronage to the Illithids it appears.
As the dust clears and Graxxuzzaz stands up from near death, the form of
Floodlick slowly fades away. Through the smashed sliding doors of the former
HQ, the heroes see a familiar and wonderful vision floating over the water.
The Redwater Fellowship’s flying tower in the clouds over the bay. Gothi and
crew have arrived. Rest and recuperation.
