Duchy of Tenh

Welcome to the Duchy of Tenh Campaign!

A Castles & Crusades Table-Top Role Playing Game (TTRPG) set in the World of Greyhawk for characters of level 1 and 2 presently. Our first session was on April 2, 2024 and we play every other week.

The Current Cast of Characters

Let the Adventures Begin

Turn the page and behold, the adventures thus far...

House Rules

Allowed Material

I prefer running a game that is pretty close to just the "core" rules of C&C. That means that the following are the source books that players can use for their characters (and any sources not listed here should not be utilized and will not be allowed during game play):

1. Players Handbook (any printing, I am using the 8th)
2. Castle Keepers Guide (any printing, I am using Mana aka MEP from this book)
3. Monsters & Treasure (any printing)
4. *Adventurers Backpack

Character Creation

The opening adventure:

• Characters begin at 1st or 2nd level.
• Use Max HP for 1st level (include CON bonus). Roll as normal (and add CON bonus) for 2nd level.
• Everyone will start with 1800 XP initially.

Rolling Attributes

Please use the 4d6 drop lowest method. Arrange stats as you wish.

Classes/Races

Anything from the Player's Handbook is fine.

Starting Equipment/Gold

Again, use what is presented in the Player's Handbook for your starting gold and buy equipment accordingly.

• Please Note: I do pay attention to EV (encumbrance), especially as it effects movement speed. I'm not a 100% stickler, but I do like a little realism with my fantasy. Just keep up with the EVs and whether you or not you are overly burdened.

Magic Users

I use the MEP (Mana Energy Points/Channeling) method of casting. You can find additional information in the Castle Keepers Guide (3rd Printing, pg. 39). The basics are as follows:

• Casters start with a certain amount of Mana (MEP). Each level, caster's get an bump in Mana (table based; there is a die roll method, but I do not use that). You also receive MEP for any bonus spells
• Spells cost level+1 MEP to cast (i.e. - A 0 level spell cost 1 MEP; a 1st level spell cost 2 MEP; a 2nd level spell cost 3 MEP; etc.)
• Wizards/Illusionists still have spell books and know a limited set of spells. You can prepare the spells you wish but with MEP, you can cast the same spell as many times as you have Mana (vs. having to prepare X number of the same spell).
• Clerics/Druids, of course, have access to all spells (listed in the Player's Handbook) within the level(s) for which they are able to cast. However, each time a Cleric or Druid "prays" or "prepares" their next day spells, they are only able to pray/prepare up to the number for which they can cast (per the Player's Handbook) for that given level. In other words, they should choose which spells from the list they have prayed for.
  • For example, a 1st level Cleric can cast 3 - 0 level spells. There are 8 - 0 level spells listed in the Player's Handbook. The cleric should pray for the 3 they wish to be able to call upon for the next day.
• All MEP are regained after a full nights rest.

Cleric/Druid MEP Chart

Illusionist/Wizard MEP Chart

Example:

Zandor the 1st level Wizard has an INT = 15 (giving a +1). He can cast 4 0-level spells and 2 1st-level spells. Therefore, Zandor starts out with 4 MEP + 4 MEP and thanks to the +1 on INT, he has 1 bonus 1st level spell granting him an additional 2 MEP. Thus, Zandor starts the game with 10 total MEP.

Negative HP / Death

I do not care for the overly engineered "negative HP" model that the latest printings of the Player's Handbook use (8th printing; pg. 224). My negative HP rules are simple and inline with 7th printing and earlier versions...

1. When a character reaches 0 HP, they fall unconscious.
2. An unconscious character can be stabilized with bandages.
3. Until healed above 0 HP, they remain unconscious.
4. Unattended characters that have 0 HP are simply unconscious.
5. Unattended characters that are below 0 and have not been stabilized are "bleeding out" (1 HP per round)
6. If a character reaches -10, they are dead.

A Note on Healing

Bandages are not part of the standard (Player's Handbook) game. Bandages are found in the Adventurer's Backpack supplement. Because so many newer folks to the game are using bandages as "free healing" that any character can perform, I will allow them to be used in the game and adopt the same rules. Those rules are:

• A wound can be treated only once with a bandage.
• If you plan to use multiple bandages, then you will have had to have taken multiple wounds.
• A bandage stabilizes the character (if they are below 0 HP) and heals them for 2 HP (due to the salve that is on the bandages).

Combat

I use the earlier printings when it comes to several combat modifiers. Therefore the following charts applies to all combat:

Melee Modifiers

Cover Modifiers

Situational Combat

Disengage

Rules Clarification: Disengagement (pg. 222-223, 8th printing PHB)
Disengagement must be announced at beginning of round prior to any initiative.

• Hasty Disengagement - abandon all hope, turn and run. May move as far as MAX RUNNING DISTANCE but suffer -2 to AC and opponent gets attack as you run.
• Fighting Disengagement - carefully withdraw from combat. May move as far as HALF MOVEMENT RATE and suffer no penalty to AC and draw no attack from opponent.

Final Thoughts: These rules are a living document and I reserve the right to modify them based on in-game discussions of things that may or may not work well or that can be improved and I also reserve the right to add to them as needed for anything I failed to think of while initially writing them.

Adventure 1: Overview

The Setting

It is 2 Planting, 576 CY (the 2nd day of the month, Planting, in the year 576 Common Year Reckoning). The month of Planting follows the week-long festival of Growfest.

• For more information on the Calendar of Greyhawk, please see this wiki page

Area Map

This map is a screen print of the easy zoom version of the 576 CY map found on Anna B. Meyer's site:

An "Atlas Style" version of Tenh (and the surrounding area to the South) can be found at this direct link. If you click on the map, it will zoom in to the largest size and you can then scroll around it.

Introduction

The character's have been drawn to a small Hamlet, named Dry Creek, located in the Northern portion of the Duchy about halfway between the town of Calbut and the small village of Rutherton. They find themselves there for various reasons:

• Kaleel has been sent by his Uncle (a knight, serving for the Duke in the southern campaign, currently shoring up the Southern border of the Duchy). These lands belong to him and word reached him that a small Hamlet had recently come under aggressions by humanoids in the area. In his place, he has requested Kaleel to investigate.
• Orryn & Ludwick have been traveling the Duchy for a while when they heard rumors of caravans in this area coming under attack. As this is very similar to what happened to Ludwick's Uncle, they have decided to head to the Hamlet to further investigate first hand.
• Ailish Fhithich is an Elf Druid who lives nearby to the Hamlet. Having heard concerning rumors of animal (and humanoid) mutations recently, she is interested in investigating the caravan attacks in hopes of getting to the bottom of the outlandish rumors of acts against the natural harmony of the environment. She has been visiting the Hamlet during Growfest.
• Ulgren is a Monk who has traveled a bit through the lands and most recently taken purchase at the nearby monastery. A fellow monk, Brother Tagg, usually travels to the Hamlet once a week or so, especially on the Hamlet's market day. Brother Tagg had gone to Dry Creek for part of Growfest but has yet to return two days past the end of the festival. In an effort to check on his fellow Monk, Ulgren has headed south, toward the Hamlet, with great concern upon his brow.

Session 1: Summary

Date of Session: 02 April 2024

Player's in Attendance

Summary

Arrival to Dry Creek

Ailish, more of a local to the Hamlet of Dry Creek, had arrived at the beginning of Growfest and had been spending the week enjoying festivities and the company of friends while asking around the community about any additional rumors of animal mutations. About mid-week, Kaleel had come into the Hamlet upon his horse, inquiring about the humanoid incursion rumors. Toward the tail end of the Growfest week, Ludwick and Orryn had come into the Hamlet to investigate the rumors of caravan raids. Collectively gathering at the only Inn/Tavern in town, the groups inevitably found their way to one another and quickly realized they all had a common goal before them and decided to embark together.

Those new to town, met with the three primary town elders:

• Elias Dent: owner and operator of The Jolly Farmer (the only Inn and Tavern in the Hamlet). Elias is a slighltly portly fellow standing 5' 8" tall and weighing about 220 lbs. Though he does have a bit of a belly, he is a stout, broad shouldered man in his late 30's. He has amber eyes and black curly hair, slightly balding in the back. He has a thick black beard and mustache.
• Elena Tween: a local teacher who helps the Hamlet with literacy, especially the youngsters. Elena is also a priestest of Pelor and keeps the Hamlet focused on the tenants of light, health, and community. She is a mid-20's, beautiful Flan female with dark wavy hair and eyes black as night. Her skin is unblemished with an amber tone and she is usually found around town wearing the gleaming white robes of Pelor.
• Ulrich Lettson: the town butcher. He and his family raise and ultimately slaughter much of the meat (goat, some cattle, and swine) that the Hamlet consumes. His two sons help him with this endeavor and the town profits greatly from the trade his business brings when caravans pass through. Ulrich is early 40s with sun brown skin and looks more like a blacksmith than a butcher. He has brown eyes and is bald but has a thick beard and mustache of black wavy hair.

Information Gathering

While speaking with the town elders, the party learned that caravans come through about once a month back and forth between these small outland villages and hamlets carrying goods between the villages and to and from the larger cities to the south. Of late, within the past 6 months, caravans rolling through have spoken of several misfortunes along the road north of Dry Creek. Reports have mostly included vandalism and stolen goods, though some have reported beatings and a rare kidnapping or killing. All of the stories have included a strange four-armed "devil" that has lead a bunch of small, reptilian bipedal humanoid creatures. These creatures are armed with various weapons and some have strange magical powers they use to wreak havoc upon passing caravans. As quickly as they attack, they leave, always taking something of value. Dependant upon trade for survival, the caravans have thus far done the best they can with the situation. Some have tried hiring help and others have attempted cooperation in the form of giving goods to the attackers versus having them forcably taken. However, with recent escalations including death and kidnapping, the caravans are more worried than ever.

Additionally, Brother Tagg (Syward Tagg) from a nearby monastery, who visits regularly on market days to trade with the Hamlet and always spends several days in town during Growfest, has not been seen at all this week. There is some worry about his health given that the monastery is just at the base of the mountains to the north of the Hamlet and the attacks on caravans have occurred along the same path Brother Tagg would have to take.

Northbound

Armed with various bits of information about the situation, the party leaves out the following morning to begin a search northward. After a couple of hours march north, among rolling foot hills leading to the base of The Griff Mountains, Ludwick and Ailish notice signs of humaniod tracks having taken a round about path from between a couple of hills, directly toward the wagon trail they are following. Further investigation reveals a large rock face rising from between the two cliffs, covered in vines and shrubbery, effectively shadowing what lies beyond.

As Ludwick uses a nearby stick with light cast upon the tip of it to push through the vines in an attempt to see what lies beyond, the stick is suddenly grabbed and pulled in only to be turned around, lighted end facing back at them. Within a few moments, a cloaked figure steps forth from the cavity beyond. This is Ulgren, who has been searching south from the monastery in search of his fellow monk, Brother Tagg. He stumbled across a similar set of humanoid tracks on the north side of the hills and they led him here only moments earlier. He had just begun to investigate the cavity beyond the vines when he heard the approach of the others.

Greatings made and a tentative, mutual trust in place, the collective party entered into the cavity to continue searching for clues.

A Hidden Secret

Behind the thick vines, the party found themselves in a large cavernous area with smooth stone walls on three sides. Directly in front of them on the far wall was the outline of a stone door but one with no pull ring or apparent means of opening. A scene was depicted in relief upon the door of a hooded man administering a potion to an enshrouded, skeletal corpse. Behind them, an empty sarcophagus stood waiting. On the left (or western) wall was a carving of a tall, life-sized, hooded man resembling the man on the central doorway. On the right (or eastern) wall was a carving of a life-sized skeleton wrapped in a shroud.

Ludwick, the Cleric, felt a strong connection within this cavernous area and after several minutes of searching and contemplating how to get through the central door, Ulgren spoke up about finding a seam present in the eastern wall. Commenting on how deep the stone was cut around the skeletons chest and mouth, he suggested that perhaps Ludwick may try administering some potion or liquid into the carving of the skeleton. Upon doing so, a whirring sound could be heard and a secret door opened along the seam upon the eastern wall revealing a dark, man made passageway of fine stone tiled flooring beyond. Lighting torches, the party entered.

First Contact

As careful and quietly as they possibly could (which wasn't really all that quiet given the heavy armor of Kaleel), the party entered into the darkened passageway and after a few turns came upon a stout wooden door. Kaleel and the others could hear sounds of something going on behind the door but couldn't make out the exact nature. It was a gutteral, speech like noise but one they did not recognize. Checking the door for being locked and finding it was not, Kaleel opened the door surprising those beyond.

Directly across from the doorway sat five small, reptilian like, bipedal humanoids with spears nearby. However, they were focused on some sort of game they played while sitting around a circle of chalk. On the wall to the right, stood a larger reptilian-like humanoid figure in chain armor, hefting a large mace. An exit door across the room in the northwest corner could be seen and along the west wall stood a dented, but large, gong.

Melee ensued and much carnage was doled out by Kaleel, killing two of the humanoids rather quickly with his Lucern hammer. Orryn fired off several magic missiles to aid in the endeavor while Ailish attempted range attacks with a sling. Ulgren grappled one of the humanoids to hold for interrogation while Ludwick eased into the melee in an attempt to do the same. Ludwick tried a command spell on the chain wearing humanoid but it did not seem to take. Meanwhile, one of the humanoids managed to bang the gong, presumably to sound some alarm, before fleeing out the door opposite that which the party entered but the gong made only a slight noise for being such a large gong. Ludwick pursued the fleeing humanoid and was able to dispatch him. Eventually, Kaleel got the better of the mace weilding, chain wearing humanoid who attempted to run but found himself running right into Ludwick. Knocking him unconscious, Ludwick immediately stabilized the humanoid in hopes of interrogating this one as well.

Kaleel looked over the bodies of the fallen and found little in the way of valuables and only a mere 13 copper.

And thus, session 1 was concluded...

Session 2: Summary

Date of Session: 16 April 2024

Player's in Attendance

Summary

Interrogation

With the melee concluded, Ludwick called for assistance to haul the kobold in chain mail, Ydak, back into the room with the others. Kaleel responded thinking he may need assistance to kill the creature and seemed perplexed by Ludwick's more peaceful ways. Resigned, Kaleel picked up Ydak's unconcious body and tossed it into the room against the wall. Meanwhile, Ulgren clutched the only other remaining kobold before him and in a lowered tone asked him if he spoke common. In a garbled, broken response it was made clear to the party that only simple questions would be comprehended by this creature and any responses provided would be equally intelligible. Ludwick advised it best to keep the questions simple. The others in the room took better stock of all the details around them and noticed a closed door in the northeast corner and some sort of rune or cryptic marking etched into the northern wall. Both Orryn and Ailish attempted to ascertain the origin of the mark but ultimately did not recognize it.

The creature still held firm by Ulgren continued to beg to be let go and when asked what was behind the northeastern door, merely responded with broken common that there were stairs that led further into this complex. Ulgren pressed the kobold for information on his friend, Brother Tagg, the monk, but was disappointed when the kobold shrugged and indicated he had no idea what Ulgren was talking about. Ulgren decided the kobold he held was of no further use so he dropped him to the ground and let him flee in the direction the party had come in from.

About this time, Kaleel noticed that Ydak was beginning to stir and called Ludwick over, seeing as how this kobold was his prisoner. Pointing out to Ydak that it was he who had healed him, Ludwick was hoping for good favor and cooperation. Unfortunately, faced with the overwhelming odds before him and the dead comrads around him, Ydak scrambled back to the wall desperately seeking to be let go and leave. The party questioned him for a bit and learned that the monk was further within the complex and still alive (at least as of a day ago). They also learned that this was the layer of a kobold chieftan and that more kobolds as well as the chieftan himself lay ahead. Feeling that Ydak had provided them with reasonable information given his situation, they released him to follow the previous kobold out of the complex.

Deciding to investigate the northeast door and what may lurk behind it, Ailish grasp the pull ring and tugged. The door swung inward, easily.

Stairs

Ludwick brought forth the torch, revealing a stairway leading down. Ulgren, with his superior dark vision, proceeded first into the stairway with Kaleel following closely behind. Ludwick fell in behind Kaleel and the others behind him. About halfway down, Ulgren caught a whiff of the smell of death coming from further below. Unfortunately, Ulgren also heard a click as he stepped upon the midway stair and at that very moment, the stairs folded down forming a slide. At the same time, a viscous liquid sprayed from the top of the stairs down the slide. With quick reflexes, Ulgren sprung into the air and wedged himself between the walls, suspending himself up above the sprung trap. At the same time, Ludwick quickly jumped backwards avoiding the trap and remaining with the others in the previous room. Unfortunately, Kaleel was not able to react quick enough and in his heavier armor, slipped upon the now slick stairway slide and began sliding down to the room below. As he slid down, he was cut and injured slightly by metal hooks that had sprung out from the side walls.

Reaching the bottom, Kaleel gathered himself and looked around. He found himself in a darkened room with a faintly glowing green light coming from all the way across the room. His view was obstructed by the darkness and also by a large 10' tall wall of junk that spread from north to south wall with no gaps in between. Before he could assess much of anything else, he felt the breeze of two arrow shafts fly by his face as two arrows thunked into the wall next to him. Shouting that they had company, he eased back into the stairway landing to gain a small amount of cover.

Up top, his friends began to dig through their packs in search of rope. Finding some, they began to tie it off to the door and toss it down below to help Ulgren and Kaleel get themselves back up top. Fortunately, at about that same time, the trap reset itself and the stairs folded back up into their normal position. Retreating quickly back upstairs, the party decided to use the torch Ludwick had to ignite the viscous liquid. Quickly taking to the flame, the viscous liquid burned down to the bottom of the stairs where it had pooled and acrid smoke began to rise from below. The party closed the door and turned to head across the room with the gong and through the open door on the north eastern wall. Before leaving through the northwest door, Kaleel retrieved some bandages from his pack and applied them to his newly received wounds.

Shrine 1

The northwest door led into a hallway that immediately turned north. With Ulgren in the lead again, the party eased forward and into a trapezoidal shaped room and laid eyes upon a large carving, approximately 6 to 7 feet tall, of a cloaked human form. It appeared to be stepping out from the northwest wall. The carved statue had its right hand, fingers extended, hovering above a longsword while its left hand was held out before it palm up and fingers fully extended as if signaling a halt to anyone entering from the hallway where Ulgren stood.

Cautiously, the party entered the room and Ludwick immediately felt at ease. As he drew closer to the carving, he realized it was a rendition of his god, Zodal and placed his palm into the extended palm of the statue and said a prayer. Prayer complete, Ludwick decided to cast Detect Secret Doors upon the room but found no evidence of any secret exits, leaving only the hallway to the east as the only other exit. Ulgren moved toward the hallway and noted that it led to a set of stairs leading down. As Kaleel passed the statue, considering himself a stout follower of the Flan pantheon of gods, he too stopped to place his palm against the palm of the statue as Ludwick had done. Speaking briefly, he assured the statue that the party would rid his temple of the kobold infestation that now took up residence within and then proceeded to follow Ulgren toward the stairs.

Meanwhile, Orryn, the ever curious, stepped toward the northern wall of the chamber to get a better view of the statue. When he did, a green cloud began to eminate from under his robes. The noxious vapers did not seem to effect Orryn himself, but everyone else in the room felt as if they may wretch. It took strong will, but Kaleel and Ailish both were able to prevent themselves from hurling breakfast to the floor. Confounded and confused, Orryn stayed in the northwest corner of the room until the vapors subsided and the stink moved on.

Down the Stairs to the Barrier

As the party pressed on, Ulgren began testing the flooring in front of him with a staff. Finding nothing to worry about they eased down the stairs and found themselves entering into familiar quarters. A greenish glow could be seen and the smell of smoke permeated the air. Ulgren's sight was able to pick up a better view of the barrier that stretched from north to south wall, dividing this rather large chamber. The barrier appeared to consist of scrap and leftover junk from caravans, clearly the less valuable spoils from recent raids.

Arrows flew, but none hit Ulgren, so he and Kaleel pressed forward toward the wall in an attempt to close ranks and engage. As Ulgren struggled with one of the kobolds, drawing its fire, Kaleel ran forward and thrust his lucern hammer up into the kobold with such force that a cracking noise was heard as the kobold flew backwards off the wall, falling to its presumable death. As soon as he fell though, another kobold took his place atop the wall and commenced firing. Orryn unleashed another round of Magic Missiles and Ailish dispatched a kobold with a direct hit to the forehead with one of her Magic Stones. Ludwick entered the room and put his torch to the wall of debris on the northern side, hoping to catch the entire thing on fire. Within moments, the fire took and began to expand along that portion of the wall.

Ailish attempted to extinguish the flames of the fire but was not successful. As a result, the party moved toward the southern end of the debris wall where Kaleel was able to dispatch another kobold in similar fashion using his lucern hammer. Afterward, Ulgren successfully scaled the debris pile to get a view down the other side. Seeing the source of the greenish glow was a torch of some sorts attached to the far wall and there were at least 3 additional kobolds to deal with down below, he leapt down. Meanwhile the others struggled to ascend the debris pile, getting started and then inevitably falling due to loose junk giving way. Eventually, Orryn was boosted up by Kaleel and noting the ladder that led down the other side, he was able to draw it up and place it on the opposite side so that Kaleel, Ludwick, and Ailish could climb up more easily.

The kobolds surrounded Ulgren, sensing victory would be at hand with him being so outnumbered. However, their attacks did not land, for Ulgren was to quick and easily dodged their clumsy advance. His foot sprung into action in response and he front kicked the living shit out of one of the kobolds, forcing him back an easy 15 feet to slam against the opposite wall in a pile of dead flesh and bones. Ulgren made quick work of dispatching a second kobold but the third turned and retreated down a halway in the southeast corner of the room.

By this time, Ludwick had descended the ladder and noticed the foul smell of death came from a dead human, the body slumped against the debris wall. Given that the wall was still on fire, Ludwick pulled the body away from the debris wall more toward the center of the side of the room they found themselves now on.

And thus, session 2 concluded...

Session 3: Summary

Date of Session: 30 April 2024

Player's in Attendance

Summary

Leaving the Barrier Room

With the barrier wall still on fire and smoke beginning to billow around, the party decided to make quick work of searching the kobold bodies for anything. Ludwick, having pulled the body of the human away from the burning wall, took a closer inspection. It seemed the man was perhaps a guard of some sort. He wore leather armor and still had most of his possessions. He had many arrows and holes in his chest where it seemed the kobolds had perhaps used him as target practice before being interrupted by the party. After a bit of inspection, Ludwick came upon a full flask of some unidentified liquid and a small belt pouch of gold pieces that was on the backside of the man, attached to his belt. The pouch contained 160 GP in total. Rising and eyeing the green light emanating from the heatless torch mounted on the east wall, Ludwick took the torch and realized it must be imbued with some sort of magic.

Observing that two hallways lead away to the east, one in the southeast corner and one in the northeast corner, the party opted to head to the northeast hallway. Ulgren led the way, just outside of the green torch light so as to take advantage of his superior vision. Only a few feet in and the hallway turned due north. Continuing on another 15 feet or so, the hallway turned back west and led off beyond the extent of Ulgren's vision. Ulgren noted that a large 10 foot hallway branched off to the north about 15 feet or so further west and as he looked in that direction, he realized the room contained numerous alcoves to both sides, each one with an open stone sarcophagus void of any remains.

Mutated Weasel Battle

Cautiously, Ludwick and Ulgren moved north into the wide hallway with alcoves. About 20 feet in, they were surprised by a very large, weasel looking creature standing about 4 feet in height and charging south directly toward them. At the same time, a kobold archer moved from around a corner in the north of the room and began firing arrows. Ludwick immediately moved to take cover back in the main hallway to the south while Ulgren took the brunt of the charge from the weasel.

Once in the line of sight, Kaleel moved into the room to aid the monk in combat with the large weasel like creature and as Ulgren landed a blow against the weasel, he realized it felt much more solid than that of a mere animal of flesh and bone. While taking note of this fact, he was surprisingly attacked by the weasel who opened its mouth and breathed forth shards of stone into Ulgren's body. Bewildered, having seen nothing like this before, Ulgren redoubled his efforts to lay waste to the creature with Kaleel now at his side.

From the hallway, now able to see all that was taking place, Ailish became enraged and shocked at what mutations had come to effect this, presumably woodland, animal now turned monster. However, before she could do anything about that situation, she looked across at Ludwick who was facing the battle and had not noticed two other kobold archers who had moved in behind him. Before anyone could react, the kobolds fired two arrows at Ludwick. The first took him in the back with such force that he fell, unconscious to the floor, bleeding from a grievous wound.

As the kobold archer from the northern portion of the room continued to pepper Ulgren and Kaleel, Ulgren struggled with the weasel-like creature, dodging a breath attack only to be hit with the next one. In an attempt to eliminate one of the foes, Kaleel charged north with his lucern hammer and slammed into the arrow firing kobold. As his blow connected with full force, he heard a crack but felt that the kobold seemed far more solid than what a kobold should feel like under such a blow. Surprisingly, the kobold still stood. It took another exchange of melee before Kaleel was able to finally dispatch this oddity and turn back to help the monk. By the time Kaleel had reached Ulgren, the weasel-like creature had latched onto him with its teeth, sucking on the wound while continuing to clamp down. Reactively, Kaleel swung his mighty hammer and with a sickening crack, the creature released Ulgren and fell dead at their feet. Kaleel realized in that moment that the creature no longer felt as solid when he had hit it this last time and wondered what strangeness was at play.

Back in the lower hallway, Ailish and Orryn attacked the kobolds that had dropped Ludwick; Ailish landing an arrow shot and Orryn blasting them with magic missile, burning through the last of his mana. Just as they were feeling confident about having the upper hand, two additional kobolds came around the corner of the lower hallway with short swords drawn as they closed the distance. As melee combat ensued, Ailish was hit a couple of times and wisely retreated into the nearest alcove, easing into the open sarcophagus, her back against the wall.

Out of mana and on his own against a couple of kobolds, Orryn called upon a will he perhaps did not know he possessed. Brandishing his staff, twirling it about as if a trained warrior, Orryn smashed into the kobolds killing them with the efficiency of a barbarian. First one, then the other, and finally the last kobold standing fell to wicked wops from the grey beard's staff. A commending apraisal greeted him from a few paces to the north as Ulgren stared, perhaps in awe, at this warrior-wizard before him.

Recovery

With the enemies dispatched, Orryn moved to check on Ludwick and used a bandage to help bring him back to consciousness. Realizing how close he had come to actually meeting Zodal, Ludwick quickly called forth the divine power of Zodal to heal himself a bit. While Kaleel searched the bodies of the fallen foes, Ailish moved around the room to the north to explore it a bit and search for anything of interest. Kaleel recovered a total of 31 gold pieces and nothing much more of value as Ailish found a nicely balanced (expertly crafted) silver bladed dagger in one of the alcoves, stuffed behind the sarcophagus.

While searching the body of the kobold archer in the northern portion of the room, Kaleel began to feel a bit odd. He felt as if he were even more solid than his training had rendered him and he had the sudden urge to burp. Opening his mouth to let out the air, he unexpectedly sprayed forth a conical shaped blast of rock particulate. This oddness lasted only a few short minutes and during this time, Ulgren noticed that Kaleel's eye color and skin tone changed a bit before returning to normal just as the breath of rock particulate ceased.

Given this unexpected strangeness, the strange mutated weasel, and Ludwick's brush with death, the party decided to head back the way they had come in and try to find a spot outside in the foothills to rest and recover a bit. Using the last of his healing, Ludwick helped the others before turning in for the evening to recoup his spell energy, his mana. The party set watches and fortunately, the night passed uneventfully with no attacks coming from within the temple complex nor from the surrounding countryside.

Getting started early the next morning, the party returned to the area of the temple complex where they had left the night before. Nothing had changed and dead kobolds remained lying all about as they made their way back to the chamber where they encountered the mutated weasel. As they pressed forward in a westernly direction along the lower corridor, Ulgren and his heightened senses could smell meat and vegetables cooking from up ahead. Additionally, Ulgren heard what sounded like coughing and perhaps scuffling coming from behind a set of two doors he could see on the far side of the room they were headed toward and made note that some sort of torch light could be seen illuminating the area to their north.

And thus, session 3 concluded...