From https://smolderingwizard.wordpress.com/ ... deception/
PCs:
Frakus (Dwarf FM 2)
Osan (Elf F/MU 4/2)
Omes (Half FM 4)
Arro (MU 3)
NPCs:
Marnes (Cleric 4)
Toetag (FM 1)
Turmyr (FM 1)
Burdar (Dw FM 1)
Hirelings:
Arvay (wagon driver)
Samtik (linkboy/porter)
Session Dates: 11/14/21 and 1/15/22
Session Notes:
The party rested in Larm for two weeks while Arro studied the books and amulet of the spider cult. They then geared up and headed back to the dungeon on the hill, finding nothing but a burned tent atop it. There was no sign of Ogres, Gnolls, or any bodies.
They decided to explore the 2nd level, starting from where they had fought the Kamenni before. There they found the start of a mine and some living quarters, but all appeared abandoned. While they were searching the living quarters, Spot the basilisk returned, blocking their only exit.
Osan hatched a scheme to cover the basilisk with a blanket while the others attacked it, but it did not go as planned. The basilisk moved at the last second and Osan landed on the floor, a prime target for the basilisk. The others rushed out to attack, but poor Osan was killed in the battle. The basilisk was eventually defeated, and Arro harvested its eyes and blood. The party carried Osan’s body to the statue room, placing him in the pool and submerging him. He was brought back to life – with a cost of his health and agility (LL note: permanent loss of -1 CON and -1 DEX).
Once fully recovered, Osan and the party went back down to the crypt level, behind the Minotaur statue. There they used the teleport pad and ended up in a cave they did not recognize (LL note: teleported to an unknown part of level 2).
The cave was long and narrow, and appeared to have an exit at the west end. A large lizard was dozing near them, but seemed uninterested (LL note: good reaction roll). Omes spotted an iron spike in the cave wall to their north, and wiggled it free, causing gas to leak out with a loud hiss and a rotten egg smell. They quickly left the cavern, heading west and north through a set of double doors. Before closing the doors, Arro threw a lit torch in the cavern, and the party moved on.
The next room was finished and circular, and had a boarded-up well in the center. The party left it alone and continued on, heading east into a room with plush couches and a chandelier lit by diamonds which shone brightly. There was a red button on the wall to the east.
Arro cast a levitation spell and was able to grab 10 of the diamonds, which stayed lit even when removed from the chandelier. Meanwhile, the dungeon was rocked by a loud explosion – presumably the cave gas had reached the torch! The party decided to hole up on the couches for the night, resting and continuing in the morning.
The next morning, while examining the far end of the room, Omes fell in a 10 foot pit. Pressing the nearby red button afterwards exposed a secret door to the east. The party went through the door into a tunnel, which led to a chamber. It was occupied by a man who introduced himself as Xane, a lawful priest. The party was immediately suspicious, and their doubts were confirmed when the Xane tried to cast a spell, albeit unsuccessfully, as he was attacked by Osan and then killed in the ensuing melee.
A search of the chamber revealed an alcove, inside of which was a demonic idol that shocked Omes when he picked it up. There was also a tapestry of a green-hatted mage on the wall. In a nearby chest was a pair of leather gauntlets, which Arro used to pick up and then smash the idol, revealing a cache of gemstones. Frakus took the gems and the tapestry, thinking the latter might be worth something to a collector.
The party headed north and battled some giant carnivorous flies, then into a large room with six cages. Two cages were empty, but the other four contained a white ape, a wyvern, a black panther, and a giant black widow spider. The occupied cages were locked with colored locks and chains – red, green, blue, orange and violet.
They left the cages for now and continued north, encountering a gnome with a diamond-tipped whip and colored key chain on his belt, who fled north when they saw him. Giving chase and rounding a corner, the party saw a bare wall. Arro was able to disbelieve the illusion after water he poured on the floor leaked through the “wall”. Behind the fake wall was a door and quarters for the gnome. Once confronted, he was friendly, introduced himself as Tomas the Menagerie Keeper, and told the party how to get back to level one, so they could return to town.
LL Notes:
Reaction rolls always play a big part in my games, it keeps them from being too combat-heavy, and worked out for the party in the case of the giant cave lizard. For NPCs like the menagerie keeper, I rely less on rolls and more on role play, although I sometimes use reaction rolls in those situations to suggest a course of action if something is uncertain or could have more than one outcome.