Play Report: Dungeons of the Left Behind - Part 1

Getting this out a little later than I wanted, but that's fine. Let's take a look at our cast of characters for this session

Session 1

Fumi the Wizard and his retainer Tim Gim the Jester

Frithen the Halfling

Frostpike the Warrior

and Granny Ginger the Thief

Things started simply enough, with a day's walk from the town of Oda to reach Door Hill. All the adventurers had heard rumors about what lies beneath. The town's rumor mill has been abuzz about it ever since an expedition of orcs from the city of Erilian arrived a few weeks prior with the express goal of exploring it. Everything from demons escaping from under it to a giant bipedal turtle that has made it its home.

With fear and greed fueling our delvers they reached the massive 10ft x 10ft stone doors that seal the entrance to Door Hill. Despite their size the doors opened with surprising ease. Revealing a staircase leading deep into the earth. Shortly after lighting their torches they came across a bending hallway and another equally massive door, choosing not to leave a potential threat to their flank the group opened the door. 

Inside they saw the light of another group's torch, and heard the sounds of bickering that were quickly silenced upon their entrance. A group of orc adventurers who were debating how to deal with a partially animate statue in the next room over. A silent agreement fell over the orcs when they saw our delvers, a potentially useful group of rubes. A deal with quickly struck between the orc's thief who's name the party never learned. They would charge the statue and try and steal its massive ruby eyes. Hoping that numbers would play to their advantage.

The two groups lined up next to each other, one from each rushing in at a time. Our first group an armored orc and Frostpike rushed forth right as the statue's eyes began to glow. Frostpike was shot directly in her eyes, blinding her instantly. However her bravery, or perhaps foolhardiness, prevailed and she continued to charge. The statue did not relent as the next two entered. Another burst of energy ended with Frithen's orcish partner being cooked alive within his armor. A similar fate befell Frostpike's pair who was unceremoniously crushed by the statue's animate arms. Frithen reached the statue, managing to climb onto its shoulder and pluck one of its eyes. At the same time Frostpike's blind reaching grabbed the other. The two retreated, Frithen unharmed and Frostpike on death's door.

There were looks between Granny Ginger and Fumi if they should betray the two remaining orcs. One was injured and the other didn't have the best armor. But Frithen's trusting nature acted too quickly as she handed over the other gem, completing the deal. The two groups rested and mourned the orc's losses. Learning the names of the two surviving orcs, Grih and Gruh. It wasn't long before the two groups' rest was interrupted by the sound of an impossibly large bell being rung echoed through the dungeon. 

With the bell's echo fading from our delver's ears they chose to continue along. Having been warned to avoid the wizard Imrin's makeshift study they went through what appears to be a thoroughly desecrated shrine. Tapestries ripped, the altar turned on its side, and shards of shattered pottery scattered about. In digging around the room they recovered a scrap of cloth with a clear symbol on it.

It did not take long for Fumi to recognize it. The symbol of the Masters of Magic, an enigmatic organization that has interests in every magical field for as far back as history goes. Any wizard worth their salt has encountered some scrap of the Masters' influence. A tome written by one of their apprentices, a spell developed by one of their members, or worst of all meeting a Master in person. Few get to live long enough to tell such tales.

They continued forward, deciding to double back to an unopened door when they encountered a crossroads. Inside they found a group of orc guards eager to test their blades, but the mention of Grih and Gruh gave them just enough pause to convince them to point our delvers in the right direction. One of the orcs explained a path to an unexplored section of the dungeon, with instructions to tell the other guards they'd encounter that Trick had sent them.

Going back to the crossroads, our delvers pressed forward into the guardroom they were warned about. Quickly explaining Trick had sent them the guards knew what was going on and pointed them to take the left door.

The door led into a newly constructed shrine to Illrisch, the Worker. The orcish god of Industry. Frithen gave her respects to Illrisch and Frostpike refused to take the +1 hammer that sat upon the shrine on principle. Not that it would be sacrilegious, but that she would never use a hammer.

Continuing on the party encountered something of a dead end. A hallway that terminated with a massive locked door with a carving of a pendulum axe on it. A short debate was had about whether Trick had tricked them or not (He had). Granny Ginger took the time needed to look the door over for traps. Noticing a trigger mechanism inside the keyhole, she tried and succeeded at jamming it before unlocking the door. The massive stone door swung open with ease much like all the others. A massive pendulum axe sat in the ceiling immobile thanks to Granny's foresight.

The group circled the walls of the chamber. Hands running along the brickwork in an attempt to find secret passages. However this search distracted Frostpike just enough to trigger a pit trap to open up beneath her. She dropped and was left still and nearly dead. Only by the grace of the gods was she allowed to survive with only an internal injury.

Once the group had checked and ensured Frostpike was not in fact dead they continued along. Locking up the pit trap that nearly took their companion's life behind them. Reaching the end of another hallway the group was faced with a portcullis closed on the way into a chamber filled with softly glowing blue runes. A strange door with no seams sat in the far wall, bearing the symbol of the Masters.

Our delvers took turns trying to open the portcullis, each time the rust that held it in place getting shaved off.  Until Fumi the Wizard managed to finally dislodge the gate and let everyone into the room. The strange runes glowed with an energy that began to empower their weapons. Fumi magically translated the runes, allowing him to describe the contract the Masters of Magic had struck with Benhilder, the Artificer. A contract which hardens and hones all constructs that rest in this room. A deal intended for the artificial jailers the Masters had built, but had the unintended consequence of doing the same to constructed weapons.

Once they noticed this magical enhancement the party turned their attention to the door. Attempting to push it, pull it, move it to the side, channel magic into it, and plead with it, before Frithen produced the scrap of cloth she had recovered earlier, the one which bears the Masters' symbol. The engraving on the door glowed the same yellow and blue colors as the cloth, and the door slid to the side of its own volition. Revealing another long dark hallway ahead of them.

As they stepped forward Frithen noticed a faint purple light that quickly disappeared from a passage to her left. As well as the sound of someone walking with a cane. Unnerved but not dissuaded they pressed forward, encountering another closed portcullis. Here the lantern light at Frithen's hip flickered revealing a massive room lined with cells. A wooden pillar completely covered in glistening eyes with massive wheels at its base stared at then, but did not move. Except to turn the attention of an eye to each member of our group. The group quickly decided they had had their fill of adventure for the day and retreated to the safety of the surface world.