Maintenant que j’ai quelque espoir ravivé de recommencer ma campagne de D&D, je dois faire certains efforts pour me remettre dans l’ambiance. Comme d’habitude quand je n’ai pas de sessions imminentes mon esprit vagabonde sur d’innombrables possibilités de rpg que j’aimerais explorer, parfois avec un vrai potentiel, souvent farfelues. Mais bon, histoire de concentrer mes énergies créatives au bon endroit… Voici un pot-pourri récapitulatif des événements plus anciens (avant que je change pour le français), une sélection subjective, de certains moments forts de la campagne jusqu’à maintenant…
Session 3:
The Mine
Having found the mine’s main entrance, the PCs saw giant wasps constantly coming and going. They also noticed that one of the giant wasp was oddly infected by some sort of fungus. The PCs decided to smoke the wasps, collecting all the drift wood they could before sunset and then made a fire. A few groggy wasps tried to get out but were easily dispatched. After the smoke had cleared, the PCs entered the mine. They found quite a few dead wasps near the entrance and, also, the rotten carcass of a dimetrodon a little further. Something ran off before they could see it clearly.
They went deeper and that’s when the real fun began…
Session 7b
In Shallow Territory
After a few hours of paddling in the morning, the PCs were met by an eblis who advised to take a side affluent, saying that it would be impossible to go further on the main river. He asked for « shiny things » for his well-timed advice.
After a moment of hesitation, the PCs did choose to follow the eblis’ tip and got on shallow waters. Not much further, another eblis proposed to sell them « beautiful and magical feathers » and Varis fell for it. (they weren’t magical)
Deeper in the maze full of tall reeds, a third eblis whispered an offer to raid a nearby nest while he did a diversion and split the content between them. The PCs declined and forged ahead.
By then, Droidoc had had more than enough of the shady eblis and when yet another one approached, he threw a javelin at it!
Session 7c
Quicksand!
Droidoc failed to notice the danger and sank waist deep into a quicksand. The two (flimsy) elves threw him a rope but that wasn’t enough as something was holding onto him. They could see a clawed hand clasped to his back. After the creature began to rake him with its claws, the Halfling got really, really pissed off and he shapeshifted into a giant frog, quickly swallowing his assailant (a ghoul, of course) before disappearing under the surface. His companions were understandably upset for it seemed that quite some time had passed but then, sand erupted into a spectacular geyser as the giant frog jumped out of his predicament!
Session 7d
Pristine Waterfall, Naked Elf
Waterfall – Combat
Me: There’s a waterfall in view, you’ll have to portage again. »
Player C: « A waterfall? There must be a cave behind. There always is! »
Me: « Yeah, yeah, sure. It looks like there’s one!
Me, grinning evilly: « Soooo, who’s first? »
Players C and D: « Flyzus! »
Player F, a bit unsure: « Okay, I guess. »
Me: « You go through the waterfall and BlOoooOOOooooOoP *mime floating*… »
Player D: « Gelatinous Cube! »
Session 8
Why these two together again?
This could have been avoided. Should have been avoided! But lack of heart and feeble arms meant instead, a deadly encounter.
11 crocodilians got off of their beach and swam toward the PCs. Shin and Lucky easily distanced the beasts. Corpos looked like he didn’t know which end of the paddle was the handle. Kalohan was… even worst! She dropped her paddle in the river!
And so combat ensued. Kalohan, at one point, unconscious, got dragged into the water to be croco snack. She got saved in extremis by her companions.
Session 10a
Endangered Frogs
The PCs were clearly unwelcome. They soon discovered that many of the frogmen suffered from some kind of severe skin disease. Furthermore, the plague and its consequences had split the tribe into two groups, almost at war with each other.
The disease was not only fatal and highly contagious, the victims were ultimately transformed into horrible fungi-monsters. A quarantine of sort was in operation, those with advanced symptoms were sent to « The Pit ».
Needless to say, the merchant’s pottery deal was now far in the list of priority of the Gripplis.
Flyzus and Rufb decided to help the Gripplis, they would go see if they could fetch the medicinal plant. Nesu gave them a clay tablet that portrayed it. A grippli named Leioppe would go with them. The only way for stiff-legged folks was beneath the mountain and the only entrance, through the Pit, to reach the Forbidden City where the remedy was to be found…
Session 14b
Vandalism & Tomb-robbing
Pyramid replicas, lots of urns, the coffin, terracotta warriors; the room was chock-full with things to meddle with. Of course, by now the PCs were a little wary of traps and other hazards. Flyzus, in particular, as since he was wounded by the Crocodile Mummy he couldn’t be healed by any means, not even with magic.
Rufb didn’t like the look of the terracotta warriors and decided to bring them, one by one, and thrash the whole lot at the bottom of the spiked pit they had crossed earlier. But afterward Rufb felt more secure and finally inspected the pyramids. Those were in fact chests, the top could be removed. Some were trapped but proceeding carefully, he managed to loot substantial treasures all in all.
And, the coffin… None of the PCs could read the writings, was it dire warnings? All they could guess was that some sort of high priest, most likely from Zotzilaha’s cult, had been laid to eternal rest there. They removed the coffin’s lid and they could see a desiccated corpse, in full regalia, and many unusual items carefully placed around it.
The defilers weren’t that surprised when the priest’s corpse reacted to their avidity, sitting straight and regaining some semblance of life by the second. They also understood right away the urgency to slay the thing before it was fully in combat shape and gave their all. With the Ranger and Barbarian slashing and hacking and the Arcane Archer shooting powerful magic arrows, the Vampire Spawn barely had the time to take his frightful form before vanishing from the surface of the world, this time, forever…
Session 15c
Lord Snail is a Pervert
After getting through the nereid’s cave, the PCs got into another area where the ground was muddy and uneven. There were many clay bowls littering the place too but most unusual, in front of them stood a strange hunched old man with a large snail shell on his back. He welcomed the adventurers, first in olman and then in common language, and presented himself as Zotzilaha’s seneschal.
« The Great Zoztzilaha, after being neglected for so long, is in dire need of offerings! » he said, as several giant crabs popped out of the ground, approaching the adventurers with threathening pincers.
The PCs determined that crab meat would have to do as an offering and proceeded to massacre the crustaceans. In the heat of the battle, wand-waiving Kalohan sent a lightning bolt directly at the Lord Snail. This angered greatly the seneschal and he transformed into a Humongous Snail! The viscous creature spat a stream of acid at the levitating Elf Wizard, sending her crashing to the ground, nearly dead. A shadow arrow from Shin softened the beast as Rufb, Flyzus and Vorn got in melee to finish the job.
The snail’s body disappeared, leaving behind it’s shell. Inside was a few of the seneschal personnal items, amongst them a lot of erotic drawings of the aforementionned nereid…
Session 18b
Behind the Mud Door
More Troglodytes, ready to fend off the invaders. This time they had an Otyugh. Another shaman lobed spells from the back. Anfi almost died from the continuing damage of a Witch Bolt and Leon was severely wounded by the huge tentacled beast. Kalohan helped turned the tide with liberal use of her Lightning Bolt wand and Shin’s arrows were as deadly as ever. The fight was almost at an end when non-combatant Troglodytes approached and threw heavy bags at the feet of the PCs. From the bags soon poured out a much gruesome content: an entire Rot Grubs Swarm! Squirmy grubs tried to bury into the flesh of Leon, to the dismay of his companions, but fortunately, Anfi’s Muck Dweller companion could dislodge them in time.
Streets & Spores 