Shadowdark: Bloggah's Blog #13: The Slogging

Well, doesn't smell like burning, at least.

A day of opposites, now I'm freezing my giblets off. 

You're looking a bit blue there, I noticed.

Out of the frying pan, into the freezer, as my great-aunt Stusseesz used to say...

****

So there we were, on top of that pillar, listening to the water below. I thought I might try a bit of flight, but only managed to flap my arms. Dremont was not impressed. Hey, I tried to cast before I jumped off, at least.

We saw some movement in the gloom of the cavern, now that we were getting accustomed. Something pale and snaky moving along the base of the pillar.

"Here I go again..."

Obviously, it was the former owner of the snakeskin on the top of the pillar. We laid low, but the snake only wanted to snack on a couple of giant cave crickets living in crevices on the pillar. It receded into the dark. 

I fixed the rope we'd salvaged to my magic hook, and lowered myself down the rock face. I found a ledge, and beckoned Dremont down. By this method, we trolleyed ourselves down the pillar to the water below.

Boy was it cold. The old goblets were up in my throat... We froze (both meanings of the word) as the snake loitered across the water. It slithered off, and we shivered our way to the bank to work our way downstream.

Things were going well. Just more giant crickets. Mostly harmless...

d66 MORE Things to Put Things Into

Because perhaps the first batch didn't have that perfect container...

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Oh dang, this is my 600th post! Just checked my blog metrics. It's been a productive year of campaigning as well as original content...

Campaign Journal: Layin' Low

Who's up to no good tonight? 

• Jax
• Frederick
• Slick
• Rondel
• Orzu

After their murder-heist, the party promptly left the artificer's shop the way they had entered. As they exited into the sewers, the sounds of alarms rang from above, followed by the breaking down of the workshop's front door and some poor city guard succumbing to a buzzsaw trap.

Oops.

They collected themselves and prepared to backtrack out of the sewer, bereft of their deceased guide. A roiling in the water warned them that another hazard approached, and they tussled with another chimera, this one fungal in appearance. It got in a couple of attacks, and entangled Slick with its tongue. There was much panicked hacking, along with Torvald falling headlong into the muck after dropping his trident. Eww.

The monstrosity vanquished, the party returned to their entry point. The streets were alive with guards and commotion as the word spread that the artificer had been killed and his shop ransacked. Slick invisibly scouted, seeing the city gates slamming closed and patrols heading toward the harbors.

The gang made it back to the Chalice & Cock by stealth and luck. Outside, patrols were breaking doors, arresting people, generally being rude. The proprietor Burgah stashed the party in the cellar and managed to dissuade a patrol that broke down her door that her business was closed and unoccupied.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

Shadowdark: Bloggah's Blog Part 12 - The Smoldering

What's that smell? Did someone set a goat on fire?

Not funny, man. Been a rough one. And we're not through it yet...

(Missed a session due to the Thanksgiving holiday - that session of fact-finding and Tarim being on his best behavior is here. While I'm on Recap #12, the overall campaign is at Session #17.)

***

Columbo, Dremont, Tarim, and I set off for the abandoned Temple of Delaquain outside of town, where our various sources told us that demons may lurk in an older temple beneath the structure. Are we sure this is wise? The gang was stocked up on blessed weapons (at least those who aren't demon-possessed - looking at you, Columbo) and "daggerweed," a herb said to grant certain resistances to demonic threats.

We trudged through sideways snow north of town. Fortunately Dremont found an abandoned track, and we trudges with a bit more ease. Found some hoof tracks with what looked like a snake following 'em. A bit cold for a snake, but this is the Komor Forest... Columbo has an insight and waves his demon ring around, making up some commands and such. Out of the forest steps this thing: 

Wasn't able to retrieve the monster pic,
And this is what AI gave me for
"jaguar with snake head and tail"😂 

Must be what he had a vision of, made flesh. More mumbo-jumbo and the thing lets him ride it. Now he's going to be even more insufferable. Names it Harley. Some dwarven tradition, I understand. I fire up the Lantern of Pain and illuminate the way for the gang. 

We come across what must be the temple ruins. Place is half-collapsed, surrounded by bones. Whoa, big demon with spear. The boys whack at it, and I missile it while noticing there is more movement from the north in the depths of the temple. Great. More demons. I should really try some of that daggerweed. 

About then, the lantern fades out, goddammit. I try to get it re-illuminated, when one of the demons hits me with something that unfortunately ignites the oil in my pack.

Good news, we have light. Bad news. It's me. Stop, drop and roll...

A Shorts Visit to the Hamlet of Riddenfield

Welcome to Riddenfield

Tim did it again - tossed a small settlement out into the ether for us to find. And made a comment about the bears scratching their butts on trees. I'm sure there is something more interesting than that in any woods near a Tim settlement.

something interesting

Have another quick writeup of the locals and their personal demon....