A Trap!
2/13/2000
Prelude
At Long Lake
Well, that's no elf.Near Ansalea
Press the attack! Forward my legions! Forward to victory and death!The Manor
We're under attack Excellency!
Make ready my horse and armor
My Lord, I am afraid those days are long gone.
Nonsense! Do as I say for once Pendergrast!
Yes my lord.
Summary of the Adventure
The company worked hard on their plan. Jameson and Andi gathered herbs while the others felled trees. Their plan had two parts - first, they intended to poison as many of the orcs and hillmen as they could, second, they hoped to dam the river and then sweep their enemies away in a flood by destroying the dam.
Malz and Jameson delivered the poison. Jameson noticed that the kitchen help all appeared to be slaves, including about a score of hillwomen doing most of the cooking and a lone elf girl cooking for the leaders. He could do nothing to free them without jeopardizing the plan, so he poisoned the food and left without so much as a word.
Meanwhile, the others were hard at work on the dam and on their other plans. The strategy was simple, they hoped to trap as many of the sombies and orcs on the other side of the river as they could while leaving themselves free to attack the leaders. To achieve this, they hoped to use a combination of superior combat skills, cunning illusions, and a well-timed ambush.
The plan went surprisingly well, despite their bickering over many of the niggling details. When the moment came, Jameson collapsed the dam sending a score of orcs downstream and leaving only about three score orcs, a similar number of hillmen and the leaders on the same side of the river as the company. Darran created an illusion so that the orcs fleeing the flood appeared to draw weapons and charge the hillmen.
While confusion reigned at the head of the line, Malz launched a massive fireball into the leaders almost before they knew there was trouble. Four of the six were slain instantly! Only the messenger who, along with his horse, remained unscathed, and one other remained standing. Androth launched two volleys at the messenger who rode into another black doorway leaving his army to be slaughtered by the company.
Malz sought to get ahead of the messenger by using a ring he had acquired, but he didn't know it's full powers and found hiself back at the library. Not wanting to waste the trip, he scoured it for volumes on the deceivers before begin his trek back to the rest of the company. The others released the hillmen and awarded them the supplies as booty. Of the women who had cooked there was no sign and the company was told they had been killed.
The company slew the mindless zombies ahead of them and scattered the orcs before them like dust in a strong wind. They rode to town in four days, only to find it bathed in darkness. They were rejoined by Malz.
The town, they quickly discovered, had been taken. Even worse, the temple of Lorial had been corrupted and the Shadow of Eternal Night invoked. Darkness enveloped the town and spread from the temple. Only Calidon's deep stood resolute, and it was clearly under siege.
A brief council of war was held and the tomes Malz had brought were consulted. The legends proclaimed that the forces of darkness would be invincible beneath the shadow and that only the Flame of Truth could bring it to an end. The tomes were unclear on it's location, save that it was buried deep in a volcano and well-guarded.
Based on Andi's knowledge of the area and a careful perusal of the tomes, the company once more turned north, destined for The Shoulders of the World, two long dormant volcanos in the north that climbed so close to one another they appeared as the shoulders of giants.
The mountains, Andi knew, were home to the Orcs of the Fiery Crag, a tribe which did not engage in raiding and was rumored to guard some treasure buried deep in their mountains. As they headed up the mountain and through a stony crag, they were hailed by a lone orc who demanded they turn back.
The company tried to convince the orc that letting them pass was in his best interest, but they did not succeed and the battle was joined. Once more, Malz used fire to good effect, killing nearly half the orcs with a single charm. The others fell prey to Darran's magics and then surrendered when Andi killed their leader.
Meanwhile, Jameson and Harkonen, looking for another way up to the orcs, were attacked by a pair of Hill Giants. Malz used his staff this time, striking them with a bolt of lightning and then Darran cast a second charm which left them reeling and unable to think. The orcs, thinking they would be killed too, grabbed for their swords and fulfilled their own fears.
The company continued unmolested to the top of the mountain where they made camp before heading down into the bowl, which steamed and smoked with heat.
In Character Moment(s) of the Night
None provided
Player Moment(s) of the Night
None provided
The Spoils
None
Experience Summary
Base experience for this adventure computed as:
Accomplishments Successful Ambush 20,000 Roleplaying 20,000 Pointless bickering -10,000 Assorted enemy troops 20,000 Following Plan 20,000 Individual Awards and Totals
Player Adventure Bonuses, penalties and what not Total Andivarai Shea 12,000 Good use of skills +2,000 93,250 Androth 12,500 Post-game tidying +2,500 264,950 Brother Urbane 9,000 Not noticing deception -1,000 139,500 Calidon 6,000 Missed most of game -4,000 102,850 Daran 12,000 Great Spells +2,000 129,000 Jameson 12,000 Trying to follow orders +1,000
Good History +1,000112,415 Malz 12,000 Excellent Spells +2,000 128,750
