The Chronicles of a DM: Part I

[This is me, trying to run Attack on Nightwyrm Fortress]

While in the town of Whogivesa, Risan has heard rumours of problems in the town of Vaester, of Raise Dead rituals failing, and asks his companions to investigate while he seeks out a temple of the Raven Queen. They (which in this case means Alrick and Reed) head to Vaester and find out that the town is indeed suffering as rituals are failing and they now consider themselves to be cursed and Pelor has abandoned them.

They find Sir Halumoor Ironspell trying to raise his recently killed son Jothan, but once more the ritual fails. This is the fourth such time, and this time the ritual fails as a black mist forms the shape of a dragon, which then dissipates. The crowd disperses, muttering, leaving Alrick, Reed, Sir Halumoor, the priest Beldan and a strange dark skinned woman is introduced as an adventuring partner of Jothan called Moyshanna.

Which is handy when the ground erupts sending up undead to attack them! Sir Halumoor and Beldan scamper off, but Moyshanna joins them in the battle. [Running NPC good guys can be a problem when the GM knows all the best spots to go to, where the loot is, and can easily have their favoured NPC get that stuff. After this fight, I pass off Moyshanna to the others to run in battle.] The wight proves a complete disappointment, but the wraiths deal out some nice amounts of damage. Although there’s plenty of room, there’s mainly clustering and beating up.

After putting them back in the ground, they have more of a chance to talk. Moyshanna says that this is unnatural, the Raven Queen would not approve, and they should go to the Shadowfell to investigate. She will guide them the way through the Gloomdeeps to the Tomb of Sartine, where she believes a portal to the Shadowfell to be. As an added incentive, Sir Halumoor says he will give them money, so after convincing him to pass some loot over up front, the PCs go shopping! [We probably would have gotten more fights in, but shopping was important.]

The next day, they head down in the caverns of the Gloomdeeps. The caverns are tight and annoying, but they do come across a large cavern which contains the remains of a purple worm, some Cyclops, and a huge carrion crawler! [The miniature is so cute!] Roar! The crawler leaps down and thacks the party good, the Cyclops Shamen has a decent chance, the other Cyclops are a complete disappointment. Meh.

There is a large chest, and the shamen has the key, so you can guess what they did… Yep, try to pick open the chest, then smash it open. Their big prize is… a key! After their many hours of travel, they decide this is a good point to call it for now.

[END]