The Party is with a small underground civilization named Cynicism (demonym: Cynics) who are constantly stoned out of their gourd due to the poor diet of mushrooms, underground fish, and lack of sunlight. (I think it's mostly the mushrooms.) The Cynics are controlled by a priestly class of Ba'al worshippers and a tribe of Hobgoblins. The Party has aligned themselves with three rebel factions whose numbers are still too small (450) to defeat Ba'al. (550 plus a tribe of 200 Hobgoblins, and a large family of Ogres.)

++++ START OF SESSION ++++

The Brothers of Joseph were already convinced to join the new alliance of the three factions. Apparently I missed that part in the last write up.

Those who remained to be convinced were the three factions leadership well below the current dungeon level. As the Party had only convinced three semi-permanent patrols on the upper levels. This meant the party had to go to the underground city below and convince the faction leadership.

This also solved the problem of having to deal with several intervening dungeon levels, because each of the three factions had their own secret passage to the city below. So they were able to take one of those pathways and avoid the wandering monsters in those levels. It was only a matter of whose secret passage to take? As any such leadership below would not take too kindly to bringing still unvetted other factions using their secret passage. So the two other factions, designated two emissaries, blindfolded them, as well as the Party, to go along.

Upon arrival, it was only a matter of Cadfael performing another Clerical spell (in other words, a miracle!), to convince the faction leadership below. Then he had to repeat it twice more for the other two factions.

Now united, the three Cynical factions only numbered 450. (200 for the Maidens of Mary, 200 for the Brothers of Joseph, and 50 for the Magi of Jesus.) This is still too small to defeat the 700 or so mixed Hobgoblins and Ba'alists and a tribe of Ogres. Not to mention Ba'al himself, who resides somewhere in the levels the party skipped. He may or may not come out to feed after temple sacrifices. If the latter, the Priests do home delivery which is always iffy, because sometimes Ba'al invites a Priest for dessert. And no one ever declines his invitations.

So it was decided to send out Sham the Samurai back to civilization for reinforcements while the Party waited. Meanwhile Cadfael reinstated proper Roman Cathoic liturgy among the factions. Cadfael may even gain converts, as any Cynics who are not too stoned may realize its themselves they are sacrificing to Ba'al. (By the way honey on the way home from work, I sacrificed the kids!)

I finished the session by running Sham's topside trek to Rusagern of the Duchy. He had only one encounter along the way, which was a lone Zealot of Zugzul, a senior citizen holdover since the Afridhi occupation. He was waving his scimitar and ranting something about how his 401K portfolio tanked and how he was now dependent on Medicare and the Dole, (a common fruit shaped like your pancreas and about as appetizing). Sham easily dispatched him.

On his arrival in Rusagern, Sham made out for the Blackmoor consulate. It's been 35+ years since the Afridhi Barbarians have been kicked out, so the Duchy of Ten and the Kingdom of Blackmoor now have friendly relations. Having some connections via his links to nobility and a little too much honor, Sham made an appeal via channels, had got a commitment of half of Rusagern's (400) and Gar's Hold (100) in Blackmoor just across the river. About 500 light infantry.

Since the infantry was unmounted, that meant Sham and his contingent would have to march on foot about 15.~ miles per day for a week. Add Sham's prior trek to get to the consulate, it adds 3 more days. All in all Sham will have been gone 10 days by the time he gets back. The good news is with 500 troops, random wandering monsters will probably be avoided. Unless it is a flock of Rocs, which I doubt.

Meanwhile, next session will undertake what happened to the party who stayed with Cadfael and the Cynics. Cadfael, who is now conducting services for rebel factions will have to mingle with the populace. Unless he esconces himself in a hidden apartment in the city like Anne Frank, he eventually will be exposed to the Ba'alist authorities. Especially when conducting liturgy. The danger will even increase should he start proselytizing.

Next Session in two more weeks: (See beginning of this epistle.) The Player for Sham agrees he will not be with the rest of the Party next session. So I recruited him to assist playing the bad guys.

++++ OUT OF CHEESE ERROR ++++
BT







BBBB

PART 2.

++++ CHARACTER ROSTER ++++

CHARACTERS

Paveltepec, first level Painted Mage
Sham, first level Samurai
Cadfael, first level Cleric
Glaxx, first level Druid
Namo, first level Thief
Thune, first level Berserker
10 Sprites, in a musical band called the Pharies
500 Light Infantry, enroute.
1000 Cynics

BT







BBBB

++++ RECORD KEEPING ++++

PART 3.

This is also posted on two forums, and a blog.
http://www.kenzerco.com/forums/forumdisp...ster-Tales
viewforum.php?f=76
http://furiouslyeclectic.com/hackmoor/
http://www.furiouslyeclectic.com/forum/ ... php?fid=13