D&D Campaign Session for October 21st, 2001

Played with 3rd Edition Rules

Spellbinders Player Characters:

Kari Morningdew, Human Female Ranger/Cleric of Fharlanghn (Andy)
Kessem Chexz, Female Elf Wizard (Neil)
Odlits Burdfriend, Male Half-Orc Wizard (Bill H.)
Ozzy Gizzardsniffer, Male Halfling Barbarian (Dennis)
Sakara, Female Elf Fighter (Greg)
Selena, Female Gnome Monk of the Order of Zuoken and Xan Yae (Scott)
Simon (a.k.a. Corin Wyndin), Male Half-Elf Sorcerer (Geoff)
Simon deWinter, Male Human Rogue (Caleb)

Tales of the Gizzardsniffer in Ratling Tower

The old wizened Hobbit sat down in his easy chair, kicked up his feet, and reach to the table to retrieve his pipe….<CRASH!> “See, I knew you couldn’t hit it!”

“Betcha I could a, if you’d a shut up for half a second”

“Na-aah!’ came the childish reply, which inevitably brings on the customary never ending retort of “Uh-huh!” repeated back and forth ad-nausium.

“Quiet, you youngsters find something else to do!” The elder hobbit grumbled to his young nephews.

“But there ain’t nothin’ else to do.”

Reaching for that pipe the old codger sat back and said, “Then come and listen to a story.” Both boys eagerly took up a spot on the big rug near the fireplace and waited for their uncle to start…

Did I ever tell you the one about old Ozzy’s first adventure?    Well here it is…

Ya’ see Ozzy had just won the Annual Gizzardsniffer Rock Throwing Contest and felt it was time to set off to seek his fame and fortune, so he set off on the eastern road to Seblingham--- “Whoa! Seblingham! That’s like on the other side of the Menowood!!!!” Uncle smirked, “Relax, little one.  Ozzy was brave but not foolish enough to go through the wood, nooo, he took the northern pass around it.”  ---Now as I was saying, he was traveling south to Seblingham because he’d heard that there was help needed at Macsen’s Keep further down near the edge of the foreboding Vast Swamp—“Whoa! The Vast Swamp!” The old hobbit stared at the youngster who had both hands clasped over his mouth, “Do you want to hear this story, or not?” The boy nodded.  –Alright then…walking down the road on a fine day during Richfest, a caravan came into view to the south. 

Suddenly the sound of hooves came from behind. Ozzy reeled about to see a ragged looking, crazed human barbarian riding his horse to exhaustion. In the distance behind him, there were more riders in hot pursuit.  Well, being young and naïve, Ozzy stepped aside not knowing who was chasing who, and why.  The barbarian passed with fire in his eyes and a scowl on his face, Ozzy could see that he was wounded several times now that he rode so close, and as he passed the rider growled at him.  Ozzy looked back to the north as the wagons of the caravan to the south were ditching to the side of the road to make way for the man who was in such a hurry.  He started to see forms take shape, and noticed the symbols of Sunndi on their shields.  He’d let the bad guy pass “Get him!” Ozzy yelled to the caravan as he ran to assist, “Stop him!”

One figure from the caravan, a redheaded woman (Kari), leapt way off the ground toward the rider and then kept up with him as he closed on the caravan! He growled at her too and then, not being in a talkative mood he drew a great sword from his pack and swung at her—“He swung a Great Sword, while riding on horseback?!??!”  “ROSCOE!!” shouted the other boy. “Sorry!” came the muffled reply from the boy with his hands covering his mouth again. –Yes, a great sword from horseback---AND he hit her with it too!  And by this time some others had been hitting him and his horse, by weapon or magic until he fell and the horse stopped. Ozzy was still closing the distance, oh he could run fast for being only 3’ 2” but barbarians can pull off some amazing feats when they’re put against impossible odds.

Now, the people at the front of the caravan were starting to look at the barbarian and the strange looking green goo that oozed from his body…suddenly a big insect crashed up through the ground, grabbed the barbarian’s horse in its mandibles, hoisted it into the air – and snapped it in two like a dry twig!—“Damn! I really liked this pipe” said the old hobbit looking down at the halves of the pipe he’d just snapped in two. He looked up at the wide eyed boys “You two sure you really want to hear this story?”  “Oh yes!” both boys pleaded. The elder put down the pipe and started up again –Then another one popped up under a caravan horse and chomped that one as well!  The Adventurers started storming up from the rear of the caravan to help. That flying woman (Kari) waved her hands and a Flaming Brass Dwarf appeared and began to wail on one of the critters. An archer (Sakara) drew her bow, notched an arrow and let it fly, unfortunately the wind led it astray and she missed. A lady elf (Kessem) stood up from a donkey cart pulled out a magic wand, and it let loose a gush of fire that roasted her donkey and hit a gnome lady (Selena) in the butt.—“Hush up your giggling, boys – it gets better” –Just then that Brass Dwarf got hit, but the fire must have been too much for the beastie because it glanced right off of him. The guards of Sunndi arrived and one was struck hard, so the flying lady (Kari) tended to his wounds.  The archer (Sakara) let another arrow fly but there must have been quite a crosswind that day, she missed.  The Flaming Brass Dwarf missed. 

Now by this time, Ozzy caught up with the action, flew into a rage, and hacked into the same one the Flaming Dwarf was fighting.

More bugs were attacking the caravan guards at the side of the road and hitting nearly every time!  The flying lady (Kari) flew over to assist them and struck hard. The Gnome lady (Selena) rushed in and caught lots of air with her feet and fists. The elf tending the donkey- less cart (Kessem) fired off some magical bolts from her hands which found their mark through all of the chaos, and a robed man (Simon) did the same with one of his own. One of the Knights was doing his best to work his spear into one, his weakened state barely showed in the heat of battle.

The one that the flying woman (Kari) fought was doing poorly so it tried to retreat in to the ground, but she heaved a mighty blow upon a critical part of its shell, the sickening crack was heard all around.  Feeling its wounds as well, the one being beaten by Ozzy and the Flaming Brass Dwarf sunk into the dirt.  As the Dwarf moved on, Ozzy decided not to go after it, but instead find another causing more damage to the caravan.  The magic man (Simon) let loose another missile to hit one of the bigger insects. The flying woman (Kari) had gotten suddenly caught in the giant, horse crushing, mandibles of another insect. She managed to free both maces and cracked the beast in the head, but it didn’t let go.

Ozzy attacked a big one that snapped another horse, and missed!  Rushing to save her trapped comrade, the gnome launched a flurry of blows at the mandibles of the creature so fast one could hardly see them, and cracked one of the pincers, but it did not lose its hold on her. Just then that man (Simon) charged in on his horse with a clumsy spear charge and managed to kill it. The knights dealt the last one the death blow, it splattered acid blood everywhere and one knight fell with acid burns, and the battle was won.

The knights were healed by Kari, introductions were made, and it was then that they learned they were in the midst of contact with plague carriers of The Slimy Doom! It all started with the barbarian in Pawford – the whole village began to become sick from it.  They quarantined the whole place but the barbarian got away, and sick as the knights were, they had to go after him and also search for Dourge the alchemist who lived in a tower someplace nearby. He reportedly had the cure for the last time it came around. And they were hoping that the dwarf would be agreeable to making enough antidote for the entire village.

And so, it was agreed that the group would have to travel together to see just who in fact was infected. They knew that anyone who had touched the knights or barbarian or their animals, would be infected, and that meant Kari and one other person from the party was infected for sure.  So they gathered up all the bodies and gear of the dead and lit the pile on fire using oil to ensure the fire would burn hot and long enough tdestroy all traces of the plague on them.

Northward they rode, warning everyone the met to stay clear, until they came to the ford that they were to cross to find the tower in the hills.  Kari was showing signs of the Slimy Doom, but she healed Vero, I believe the knight’s name was, and gave him a cure so that he could guide Sakara, Kessem, Ozzy, Simon, and Selina on Their journey to find the tower.  No one else would cross for fear of contaminating the stream.

After much travel, they reached a point where they could see the tower sitting on a rock covered in moss a few hills away. The tower was short and wide being 60’ wide, but only 30’ tall and probably tremendously thick walled. As they approached, they could see guards in the tower, so they waved and the guards waved back.  They began to see corpses on the ground – Dwarven corpses! They were starting to wonder when “HALT!” was shouted.  There were live dwarves on the grounds outside the tower, so Kessem greeted them and started to tell them of the plague and asked if Dourge was about. “You’re too late.” They said and proceeded to tell the party that they were merchants bringing goods to the tower and found that they had all been killed in a terrible battle before they got there.  Kessem tried to get them to let her and her associates inside, and just when they agreed, Ozzy said “Wait! They ain’t dwarves and they ain’t merchants”.

Their leader overheard him and asked what was wrong – Ozzy proceeded to make a list of the things that seemed out of place, and when he got to “That guy over there has red eyes!” the battle began…

Four of them charged the heroes, they struck Simon, Selena’s blow bounced off one of them, Kessem became a blurry figure as her dog attacked and missed, Ozzy became enraged and missed his first swing, the Knight hit with his spear and the wound healed right before their eyes!—“Uh-Oh!”  “Shush!” hissed the other boy.  “Sorry! Go ahead Uncle.” –The dog got hit!  Another narrowly missed Selena, Sakara was hit and dropped back, and the one attacking Ozzy swung his axe and missed.

Selena stepped back and drew her brother’s silver long sword, while Kessem dropped one with two magic missiles. Ozzy missed his chance to strike a blow, Sakara missed and stepped back to regroup and the Knight hit with his spear and the wound healed once again!  Simon let loose a magic missile, injuring the one attacking the dog. Ozzy moved in on one that was attacking Simon, Selena swung her sword clumsily and missed. One other moved to go up the stairs to the tower. Kessem cast a lightning spell and charred one to the ground. Ozzy Slashed through and it instantly healed itself! Sakara let loose some arrows that missed their target, while Simon spied the one running up the tower steps and hit with a magic missile, but it ran into the tower and closed the door.  A change came over the one fighting Ozzy as it melded from its dwarf form to become a big scary were-rat—“Oh, well that explains it!”  “Shut up!” “Hey you be nice to your brother! ...now where was I? Oh yes… and it went to bite Ozzy, and missed. Selena swung that long sword, and missed!  Meanwhile Kessem had a surprise for the one in the tower, she took a chime out of her pack and rang it –the door opened. He was standing there behind the door–Simon let him have it with magic missiles!

Ozzy called out to Selena to give him the sword, since he could hit better with it, she said “No. I’m using it.”

The last one ran for the tower and Selena hit it as it went up the stairs, with Selena, Simon and Ozzy in hot pursuit.  They all jumped the pit trap that they saw him jump over ahead of them.  Ozzy closed in on him and got bitten; it was shot in turn with magic missiles from Simon. The were-rat opened the next door in the tower in hope of getting away, then Ozzy slammed him with his battle axe and he healed the damage, Selena reached in with the sword and dropped him.

Looking around the tower, they found another trapdoor that wasn’t really hidden well. Past the trap was an office with broken and bloodied furniture, dumbwaiter and two boxes 2x2x2 in size. The next room was a common tavern area which led to stairs, they were about to go up when someone shouted “Intruders!” Ozzy rushed to shut them up, it was another Dwarf/were-rat. Ozzy swung and connected – and once again, it healed right away. “Give me that sword!” Ozzy yelled to Selena again, with the same negative reply from the gnome.  Then an Imp appeared and hit Ozzy with its barbed tails. Ozzy’s joints began to stiffen a little. Kessem cast a spell that slowed the were-rat, while Simon hit the imp and blackened it a little.  Sakara, indoors, notched an arrow, let it fly and HIT the imp with it! (And there was much rejoicing!) Ozzy stepped back to avoid being caught between the imp and the were-rat, and smacked the imp, it turned black where he hit it, but there was no blood. The were-rat then attacked Selena and missed, then the imp swooped struck her and she seemed to reel from the blow.  A frosty ray was unleashed by Simon and the Imp was not pleased, Sakara then swung with her sword and missed the imp. Ozzy grabbed the sword from Selena and hit the were-rat, and it missed him with a slow shot. The imp struck Ozzy again and the pain in the joints was doubled. Kessem conjured up a silver dog and moved out, while Selena lined up a flurry of blows on the imp for no effect.

At this point, they all realized the battle was taking way too long, the spell casters were running out of spells, party members were getting too hurt to continue, and rescue from the rest of the party was a day away at best – and they began to hear reinforcements coming up the stairs!!—

“Boys! Dinner time!” said the voice from the other room

“Aww, mom! Not now!” came the whiney reply.

“Smells wonderful! Now you boys go and eat your dinner while it’s good and hot. I’ll come over again when you’ve got nothing to do tomorrow and finish the story for you. Go on, no long faces!”  He got up from the chair, put the broken pipe in his pocket and called to the lady hobbit in the next room “See you tomorrow!” and walked out the door and down the path to his own hobbit hole.  Remembering how it was when he was a young lad, he let out a long sigh.