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 has yielded a bloody harvest. By manipulating a captured guard into
believing he was tortured by the Warden’s men, ignited a civil war that appears
to have decimated the Blackrune command structure and forces. The Warden has
fallen, and Fax waits to see if its liberators will seize the moment or be
consumed by the madness of Commander Floodlick.
The field was won, the forces of Commander Floodlick
dispersed or dead! The party were able to recover some of the items carried by
the fallen Warden Stonefist - his stone gauntlets, a belt with pouches as well
as dagger. While returning to their hideout in the docks - a partially sunken
ship tied up a dock in view of Commander Floodlick's HQ - a sending spell came
from Skrit: The Flying Tower was on its way! Gothi is currently flying it
toward Fax to reunite with the party - it will be a few days at least for the
fully upgraded flying tower to arrive.
Resting the party discussed next steps, attack the HQ right
away, take a short rest, take a long rest, gather some allies - possible
mercenary companies in the city, check on the Doctor Kleinus supposedly at a
first-aid station - converted temple, who may be able to assist the party. Lt.
Spears was able to gather some intel before the party arrived on the mercenary
companies [DM: see blogpost for those details]
One option the party devices is blowing a possible hole in
the wall with these long black tubes [the party ASSUMES are explosives] found
in a case a ways back, with diversion attacking main entrance..?
_________________________
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 | Rogue/Cleric of
the Egyptian god: Set. | [played by the DM: Dave]
Dungeon Master: Dave
---
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.
City of FAX
- 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?
Personal quests:
- ·
Aeldred - oath to find and save family of dwarf
smith who repaired Aeldred's heirloom sword [also Doc and Nenwin have agreed to
assist]
- ·
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)
_______________
Sanctuary in the Smoke
The focus of the foreground is the Fellowship’s current
refuge: a partially sunken galleon listing at a slight angle in the freezing cold,
black oily water of the harbour. The deck is slick with a light dusting of snow
that has begun to fall, contrasting with the dark wood. The dock it is moored
to is a jagged mess of charred splintered timbers, partially destroyed.
The Watchman (Thogra): High above the listing deck, Thogra
is a solitary, grim silhouette crouched shivering in the crow's-nest. He is
wrapped in heavy clothing against the 4:00 AM cold, his eyes—glinting with the
reflection of distant fires—scanning the city for patrols.
In the distance, the coastal skyline is dominated by the
massive long silhouette of Commander Floodlick's warehouse HQ. It appears as a
monolithic block of shadow against the dark sky, identifiable by the eerie,
malevolent glow of the black portal on its roof. Faint "rolling plumes of
the inferno" and columns of black smoke rise from the ruins of City Hall,
creating a hellish backdrop that obscures the rest of the city. The air is
thick and heavy, capturing the "rot of dead flesh" and the
"chemical bite of alchemist's fire" that the Fellowship must endure
while they plan to assault the HQ of Commander Floodlick who they presume is
awaiting them!
During the short rest to prepare for the assault on the HQ, Thogra witnessed a 30-foot tall misty humanoid fly from the black portal at City Hall, a new and unknown threat? Or..?
During a high-stakes short rest at their sunken galley
hideout, the Redwater Fellowship encountered a Blackrune patrol consisting of two
wagons and approximately eight mercenaries. One wagon was a flat-top
used for hauling "blackened husks" (bodies), while the other was an
iron-barred caged wagon containing humanoids of various races.
Party Observations and Decisions
Thogra first alerted the party from the crow's-nest as the
patrol’s heavy, iron-rimmed wheels creaked along the dock toward their
position. The party faced a moral and tactical dilemma:
- The
Rescue Debate: Some members wanted to "save the slaves" in
the cage, but others argued they had nowhere to keep prisoners in a city
under siege by an undead tide.
- Reconnaissance:
Aeldred decided to stealthily swim through the "extremely
cold" icy water to the dock, climbing one of the support posts to get
a closer look at the crew.
- The
Patrol's Composition: The Fellowship identified two humans, a
half-orc, and a dwarf among the mercenaries. They also spotted a female
gnome with fiery red hair in red robes—a caster—perched atop the caged
wagon.
The Confrontation and "Ghost" Ploy
As the patrol stopped to investigate the ship, a dwarf armed
with a man catcher (a spiked/hooked pole used for securing subjects)
climbed onto the deck. Aeldred and the party realized this patrol was gathering dead bodies as well as UNDEAD - in the caged wagon - to ensure the town was clear of enemies as much as possible. With that information, they decided hiding was best. The party, hiding beneath the hatch under a cover of old
trash and barrels, took defensive actions:
- The
Echo Distraction: To scare the dwarf away without revealing their true
location, LieutenantSpears cleverly manifested a transparent, gray Echo
of himself directly in front of the investigator.
- The
Fireball: Terrified by what he perceived to be a ghost, the dwarf fled
back to the wagons. The gnome caster immediately retaliated by launching a
fireball into the ship's hold.
- Consequences:
Nenwin took 11 fire damage from the blast, though the rest of the
party successfully avoided injury. Ironically, the smoke and smoldering
debris from the fireball helped disguise the party's actual campfire
from further scrutiny.
Outcome: The patrol eventually moved on, with the sound
of their bells and yelling: “Bring our your dead!” fading into the night as they continued their
rounds. While the encounter interrupted the Fellowship's progress, they managed
to complete their short rest approximately an hour later, once the area
was clear.
The assault on Commander Floodlick’s headquarters was a
chaotic symphony of brute force, misfired rockets, and metaphysical horror. The black and violet shield still encompassed the building. As the party moved through it there were no visible effects except it felt like they were covered in a wet slimy ooze. Their minds all feeling a psychic revulsion to the effect.
The Breach and the Steam Tank
At first commanding a summoned ghost [Lt. Spear’s] to phase through the door and open the gate,
it failed to not understanding or having the strength to open the massive door.
The Fellowship initiated a "hammer-and-anvil" maneuver. At the main
entrance,
Aeldred and Nenwin used their combined strength to confront
the 20-foot-tall iron-bound sliding doors. After Aeldred tapped into his rage
and applied the strength of a fire giant, the pair achieved a
Strength check
of over 40, snapping the door's internal mechanisms and forcing it open.
The party brought a massive array of summoned allies to
support their charge:
- Berserkers
and Skeletons.
- Shades
(Shadows) and a Ghost.
- Thogra's
three Minions of Set, who appeared as 7-foot-tall black-armored
figures.
Inside, they were immediately met by a
Blackrune steam
tank. Aeldred, ignoring the turret's fire attacks and shot leaped onto the machine and
began hammering the reinforced glass viewport. After shattering the
4-inch-thick glass, he
breathed fire directly into the cockpit. The
tank, its crew screaming and internal
components melting, veered off course and
exploded just outside the warehouse.
The Roof Assault and the "Rocket" Mishap
Simultaneously, Lt. Spears, Thogra, and Graxxuzzaz
scaled the roof to strike from above. They attempted to use long black tubes
found in a case earlier, assuming they were some type of Blackrune demolition
charge. The first tube, once lit, behaved like a rocket or Roman candle,
screaming across the skyline and exploding in a residential house a block away –
screams and shouts were heard... Correcting their aim, the three heroes
launched the remaining tubes downward to blow a hole in the roof directly above
the central portal.
The Inner Sanctum and the Drummers
Upon breaching the roof, the heroes rained fire down on the 8-foot-tall
froglike humanoids drumming a rhythmic, psychic cadence on massive drums.
In the center of the chamber,
Nenwin and
Aeldred
witnessed a horrific procession.
Tall, cloaked figures were gently
guiding a line of walking up a ramp into this large room slaves—men, women, and
children—to jump into two swirling pools. One pool was a whirlpool of fiery
orange, while the other was a glassy, stagnant purple. As each slave jumped, a
psychic scream echoed, feeding the pulsing portal near the wall.
As the Fellowship entered the inner sanctum Floodlick’s mind
and words invaded each of theirs at the same time – even though they could hear
the words from the other members of the Fellowship!
Mocking the Fellowship
- To
Nenwin: "Mind the webs, little Aasimar. I’ve left a few 'gifts'
in the corridors for you. Consider it a tribute to your god, Heironeous.
I’m sure he’s watching with great interest—and perhaps a bit of pity—as
you bumble and float with your choir through my dark house".
- To
Aeldred: "And the dragon-born... still chasing the shadows of a dwarf
smith’s family? How
noble. How utterly futile. Every soul that falls
in Fax isn't just a casualty; they are bricks in the gate I am building
for my patrons. Do you hear the screaming from the portals, or is your
rage too loud?".
- To
Lt. Spears: "A 'Phantom' and an 'Echo' walking into a warehouse
filled with ghosts. How redundant, Lieutenant. You think your little
phasing tricks will protect you here? In this sanctum, the walls have
teeth, and the shadows have masters you cannot begin to comprehend".
The Final Goad
·
"You’ve dismantled my tanks and scattered
my mercenaries, but you are merely pruning the weeds while the garden rots.
Step deeper into the mist. The Argent Shroud is waiting, and my patrons
are... hungry to see if your brains are as impressive as your
explosions".
It It seems Floodlick had a focus for Graxxuzazz, as the lizardfolk misty stepped into the chamber the commander had one final telepathic taunt:
·
“And then there is
you, Graxxuzzaz. The Masters remember that particular flavor of grey matter
from your time with Romack; [DM: blogpost info] they say your mind still hums with the
resonance of their touch. I can see the stains of your past, lizard. I see the
residue of that pathetic **'toilet bowl god'** you once groveled before, and
the lingering rot of **Orcus** still clings to your scales
like wet silk. But
there is a... a coldness now. A static. I look for the tether, but I find only
a void of pale yellow and tattered rags."Floodlick’s voice, previously dripping with sarcastic wit, suddenly
hitches. The wet, rhythmic thumping of the drums seems to falter as the
Commander's tone shifts from mockery to a sharp, panicked frustration that
vibrates in your jawbones. "I cannot see the source! The Masters... they
cannot taste the signature! I see what.. A.. a.. King? , but where is the
throne? Who is it?! Who is your new powerful patron?!"
The scream echoes with such psychic force that it causes the magical fog
to ripple violently. Then, as quickly as the outburst began, the mental
connection snaps.
Total silence.
The only sound remaining is the distant, mindless chanting and the
strangely rhythmic and then chaotic drums.
Then the battle started - Betrayal and the Assassin
The battle took a dire turn when
Aeldred was dominated
by one of the robed humanoids – mind flayers! Believing he was protecting a
"friend," the Barbarian turned his blades on Nenwin’s summoned
berserkers,
slaughtering them with clinical efficiency.
During this chaos, a gaunt, masked blonde assassin
emerged from the shadows. Wielding violet psychic blades, this entity
bypassed Aeldred’s formidable AC 28 entirely, treating his scale and
magical armor as if it were air. The blades dealt 61 points of psychic damage
in a single strike, described as a "freezing burn" that severed the
nerves of the mind.
The battle went back and forth until 2 mindflayers – the tall
robed humanoids – were destroyed, as well as Thogra had fallen to the blade
of the masked assassin. Throat slit.
The End of Floodlick
The fight concluded when Lt. Spears cornered an
incapacitated Commander Floodlick and his blonde
assassin ally [thanks to
signature spell from Graxxuzazz!]. Spears performed a "double-tap,"
driving daggers into the Commander's throat as well as the blonde assassin – to
FULLY ensure they were both dead! Both were. As the psychic resonance of the chamber
shifted, the party prepared for the next wave of conflict. The Fellowship stood
amidst the rubble, with Aeldred preparing to mount
Floodlick's severed head
on a pike, just as a
Blackrune patrol of 20 soldiers arrived at the HQ
to investigate the sounds of the explosion.
Nenwin recovered several unusual items from the fallen:
- From
the Assassin: A head circlet, a "shroudy mystery cloak," a
ring, and calcified wrist glands with bioluminescent nodules –
still pulsing even after removal] that were physically embedded into the
skin. [DM: party assumes these create the psychic blades]
- From
Commander Floodlick: A rod that transformed into tentacles when
handled, a circlet – similar to one from the assassin [DM: there was discussion
that there may be a link to the two, allowing healing or damage to be
shared or..?], two rings, and ornate half-plate armor.
- From
Warden Stonefist: Two massive stone gauntlets and a Blackrune
medallion used for internal hierarchy
One mind flayer had escaped.
Then.. the impossible and unthinkable:
The Fellowship stand in the garage of Floodlick's HQ. The
commander's head hanging from his hair recently removed from the body after the
commander was killed by the blades of Lt. Spears. Now held in Aeldred's grip as
the Fellowship prepare to confront or avoid the BR patrol, coming up to the HQ.
no doubt attacted to the recent explosions and more from on top and inside the
HQ.
Then out of nowhere that dreaded voice..
In their minds, as before earlier when they 1st invaded the
HQ..
A gurgling.. Coughing.. Spit and hacking cough again.. (All
have heard similar when undead try to speak)
"Ahh *cough* "RedWater Fellowship.." *gurgle*
"you.. thought me gone? Hahaha." *cough sputter*
"You reside in my mind.. You. Cannot. Leave.
Hahahahahahaha.." *cough gurgle*
The bodiless head of the Commander starts to dissolve into a
fine back dust.. Into nothing just some dust wafting away in the breeze. The 2
metal doors to the pool and portal room are back in place and not bent open
from previously by Nenwin.
Aeldred having dealt with living, dead, undead and healing
thinks [DM: after rolling a religion check]: the voice sounds similar to when
someone is either recovering from a bad injury, long parched throat.. Or on
occasion when one killed an undead and it tried to speak OR an undead 'waking
up' from dormant to attack.
Graxxuzazz.. Having the patron of the King in Yellow
confirms quite a bit.. [DM: also rolling a 26 for religion check]
He realizes the dome over the HQ is a psychic shield. A full
globe around the HQ. The party are possibly INSIDE Floodlick's mind with this
affect.. Not magical Graxxuzazz thinks. Either the large portal in the other
room is a gateway To Floodlick OR his patron.. The Commander may be also down
the ramp..
The Lizardfolk thinks Floodlick is some weird non-magical undead
version of himself now.. The killing and beheading was a good idea or he would
have come back at full strength at some point.. Now he won't be quite as strong
Graxxuzazz surmises.
Spoiler alert: if the Fellowship had only taken the time to
find the Doctor.. He had quite a Lore drop for them!! 🤔😁
Outside in the dockside street the Blackrune patrol look at the HQ from a distance. It did not appear they had any inclination or interest in coming through the black and violet dome!
The party were heavily injured some near and out of resources, one dead - and all trapped in the mind of a crazed follower of illithids?
Until next time!
