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Tracy's HackMoor Campaign 2013/06/04 - tmjva - 06-08-2013
This week we only had an extra large cheese pizza. Note we had skipped a week due to a key Player absence.
The situation as we left last session was to breach the remaining one foot of rock to assault the Well of Souls and the occupants (in module DA4). Using the Grimlocks and the Mind Flayer they had brought under control with Weasel's Rod of Rulership. Which means yes, the Mind Flayer failed both its Magic Resistance AND its Saving Throw. The control was maintained through expending additional charges as they tunneled using a Pick Axe of Tunneling.
Given the Players put their group in marching order, I had even gone to the local Dollar Tree and bought 3 bags of toy soldiers so I could have 120 plus Grimlocks (it was only 3 Dollars after all.) In any case I recounted the number of Grimlocks and determined they had 12 additional leaders and 3 chieftains bringing their number to 135.
The next thing I had to determine was that even though the Mind Flayer was controlled, there was no prohibition against his being in constant contact with "Friends and Family" via the psychic power "Mindlink". We you know how phone calls go, it didn't take many rounds for 6 more Mind Flayers to suddenly appear, grab their brother-in-law and several of the other Grimlocks for a "snack" and Teleport out.
I had printed the Grimlock's hits and statistics on 9 sheets of paper with 15 Grimlocks on a sheet. I asked a Player to hand me one of the sheets and tore it up.
The Mind Flayers, having rescued their kith and kin, may return angry at a later time. As soon as they get their brother-in-law checked into rehab. [A Mind Flayer controlled by another would probably get Post Trumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)].
Minus their Mind Flayer, I had the Party determine WHERE in the underground complex they were going to breach the wall. I made this point specific, while the Party may have previously used ESP within a foot of rock to determine that Barbarians were in the cavern complex, it did not show WHERE in the cavern they were located.
SPELLS VS. WISHES
The party chose correctly, breaching the wall just a few feet from the Well of Souls, including 4 Efreeti, 3 High Level NPCs and Aeon, the captured Player writhing in the Well of Souls (about to be sacrificed). (The Battle wouldn't be as dramatic if I hadn't put him there.)
The second breach was just the other side of the door to the sacrifice room and the 3rd breach was next to the two guards by the cell complex.
To make a long story short, and because my memory is hazy, what occurred during due to Initiative Rolls led Weasel to re-use his Rod of Rulership on the area of the Well of Souls controlling, half the enemy. Unfortunately he rolled low on his control number, so while I allowed control of some Efreeti and NPCs, he lost control of about 80 or so Grimlocks behind the party. I allowed the controlled Grimlocks to act as a buffer from the Party deeming them closer to the Rod.
What ended up was a set of dueling spells vs. Wishes.
The Efreeti (using a previously determined effect of a few sessions ago), simply granted each other a Wish. First of I had them Wish Weasel's Rod of Rulership away, but Weasel claimed the Rod was under his cloak and they would unaware of its effect so I had to think of something else but forgot what it was as well as other spells that were cast. Eventually Weasel lost his rod of Rulership, perhaps by the 2nd or 3rd Wish, I forget.
The group behind 2nd breach broke down the secret door, treating it as wall, not even determining the door's presence.
Next I recall both sides cast a Silence 15' Radius, the Barbarians cast it on Weasel, but he made its Saving Throw meaning the center of the 15' Radius was one foot behind him. The group that broke through the wall(door) cast it centered on Aeon and he failed its saving throw.
So the Efreeti, while they could grant each other Wishes, could not speak to make their Wishes know. And most of the party (mostly the Clerics with Verbal spells) were centered on Weasel. So they reached an impasse.
Lastly Weasel decided to toss a module DA3 gray grenade, the Monofilament Web. Half again the Barbarians and Efreeti failed their Saving Throws and most of the Efreeti were caught in the Web.
The next thing that occurred was the disappearance of the Efreeti.
++++ OUT OF CHEESE ERROR ++++
We took photos of the situation and called it a night.
To be resumed next Tuesday.
Tracy Johnson
BT
BBBB
PART 2. CHARACTER DESCRIPTIONS
PLAYERS:
Dolmin, "Wrathaxe", Dwarven Swordsman (F3)
Weasel, Human Male, Guild Soldier (T14), Magician (MU6), & Myrmidon (F6). (Multi-class. How'd a human get that way? Don't ask.)
Snizzlephish, Gnome Male, Visionist (Illu6) & Footpad (T2) (Multi-class.)
Elefus, Human Male Deacon (CL12)
Numrendir, Human Male Demander. (Conj5).
Junkbot Jackson - Layman-Courser. (CL4/Rgr4)
Fundisha - Fighter/Infiltrator (F2 / Infiltrator2)
Aeon, Half-Elf Male Veteran (F1) (Captured by Barbarians.)
NON-PLAYER CHARACTERS:
Jallapierie, a 17th level Wizard (MU17), (taken offline for defensive scrying against Rahl).
Hieronymous Castagere (F13), a 13th level Fighter and ship's navigator, assigned to them by the Royal Blackmoor government. (Captured by Barbarians)
Gerry Castagere, a Fingersmith (T7), daughter to the ship's navigator who has fallen in love with Elefus.
Bosero the Drunkard, a 14th level Wizard (MU14), seconded in to replace Jallapierie in the party since Jallapierie is busy.
Kridor the Sollux, (F14), module NPC.
INACTIVE CHARACTERS:
Mysery Reigns, Halfling Female Killer (Rogue6). (On maternity leave, just gave birth to twins, Halfling Half-Orcs.)
D'Vine_Justice, Elf Female Initiate of the 5th Circle (D7). (Semi-Retired)
Re: Tracy's HackMoor Campaign 2013/06/04 - Havard - 06-12-2013
Mindflayers interested in the Well of Souls, eh? Makes sense...
Love the fact that the campaign journal entries all include the details of the Pizza. Makes me even more jealous!
-Havard
Re: Tracy's HackMoor Campaign 2013/06/04 - tmjva - 06-12-2013
Actually the Mind Flayer was random. The DA4 module having no underground encounter table, I reverted to the HackMaster underground encounter table, which entails rolling a 10,000 sided die (four ten-siders add 1) which resulted in Grimlocks. The entry for Grimlocks in the Hacklopaedia of Beasts Volume III, indicated tribes of Grimlocks are accompanied by either a Medusa or a Mind Flayer.
I chose Mind Flayer. The fact that it fits, works. Now that the party has them as enemies may lead to the next adventure.