They Met at a Tavern 37: Sandstorm Interlude

A bit of a bust on attendance:

• Dan: Kiara, elf Ras Godai
• Seana: Zanegar, 1/2 orc Sea Wolf
• Wayne: Pharan, dwarf Sea Wolf

Multiple no-shows. A common disappointment/malady of Meetup sessions. Especially considering I had two regular players on the waitlist who didn't get to join. C'mon people... have some courtesy. I'm committing time and providing seats at the table. Communicate, cancel in advance, or best yet, just show up.

Anyway. At least I can set aside my scenario prep for the next (hopefully full quorum) session...

And this is open table, so you run for who shows. Always.

(dismounts from high horse)

So, our three heroes were on watch at the ruin when a fearsome sandstorm arose, blinding and disorienting them. Miraculously, they found one another, and eventually some shelter behind a rock outcrop. Thankfully, this outcrop just happened to have a mapped area I'd scribbled up and forgotten in my just-in-case folder...

Stumbling through the wind, the trio found a passage, its door fallen away and drifted with sand. Entering, they found evidence of a shrine or crypt. Alcoves held icons of a dog-headed goddess, with unfamiliar script. Farther on, an open crypt was found, already cleared of valuables, and its occupant's bones scattered. A second open crypt was partially collapsed, so the party avoided. Number three? Pharan kicked open the door. The resulting gas pocket explosion singed off everyones' eyebrows. 

Doh. 

While they beat down the fire, they were attacked by one of the oddball slimes of the desert. Fortunately, the three were able to spill its innards before it was able cause any harm. Onto the final crypt, which, thankfully, did finally contain an undead thing...

Yea! Undead!

Some back and forth with the stout mummy-thing, and our heroes were victorious, gaining some trinkets.

Off to a branched passage, and it took all three of these doughty warriors to kick open a door. Which of course awoke more cranky undead. Because when there is no cleric in the party, there will be undead.

They investigated this chamber, finding plaques identifying the interred as either priests or warriors dedicated to the mysterious god. They also found two potential stairways down. One was behind a door. This route was spiked as a precaution, as they descended the other stairs.

Into a shrine, complete with magic-dampening, and no spellcaster to foil with it...

Fine.

And into the final crypt/mausoleum/chapel, for the big-bad (undead warlock), and whatever other crypt occupants they called up during the fight. More hacky slashy, because that's how we solve our problems tonight. The warlock failed spell rolls, which didn't help. 

The trio got out with some nice trinkets, and a magic shield (which I have to determine if it has a SD 'cost'). 

DM Notes:

Other than my griping up top, a fun, brief, session. The gamerunning was a bit hectic, and not particularly inspired. This piece of art:

...has been sitting in the to-do pile for a bit. The density of scribbles partially due to my having the concept of writing multiple paths/scenarios based on different warlock patrons: some beneficial, some belligerent. So a good amount to parse out/decipher as I stayed one room ahead of the players. Maybe I'll figure out what the hell I meant by, "PRaiNs Thrvat."

Dan is running a Fantasy Trip session this week, and I plan to actually show up.