Stonehell Session Six - Advanced Rope Based Gameplay

Players

Robert - Level One Dwarf 

Dave - Level One Bard- Marcus

Cian - Level One Dwarf- Naugrim

Renen - Level One Fighter - Perseus VI 

Denny -- Level One Fighter - Essek

Sergey - Level One Barbarian 

Still reeling from the outstanding weekend of gaming at Grellcon, we continued a session of our open table OSE game in Tower Bridge.

It was great to have a full table of faces old and new at our little booth beneath the Tower.

Date: 28th of Mordred

On a humid, summer morn the party set off for Stonehell with their numbers bolstered by a couple of hirelings: a nameless porter and two men at arms: Dave and ... Sigma 

The party sped for the dungeon and quickly descended it's grand spiral staircase. Then they traveled north up a corridor decorated with gaping ogre mouths archways and grinning imp murals. At a crossing they encountered some weary Kobolds. Naugrim the dwarf parlayed with the creatures in t barks and growls. The Kobolds spoke of their home called The Korners, of a bloody clash between the Orcs and Goblins and of a Dragon nesting nearby. The party were in no mood for a fight and headed East to a room with piles of junk and cleaning equipment. Perseus 'The Lion' disturbed a Spitting Cobra that lunged towards him as two other serpents tried to bite and spit their venom at the rest of the party. The group pummled the snakes and headed n to the east. The next room was a stone chamber, empty but for a number of sooty outlines on the walls. Hungry for treasure the group traveled north, kicking in a door to a tight chamber home to a speaking stone statue. They asked three questions to the strange art d'object, two of which were answered in riddles and sophistry, the third was more useful (or deadly depending on how you look at things.) Robert the wise dwarf asked where the nearest path to the second level of the dungeon was. The statue told him of a well to th ewest, just south of where the Dragon slumbers. The party weighed up destroying this thing and taking it's crystal eyes for their coffers before heading towards the well. Traveling west they bumped into the same group of Kobolds, grumbling and mopping the caverns then headed to a whistling well nestled in a rocky chamber. The party deliberated their next steps just as a wandering band of Orcs appeared. The Orcs and the party did battle. The group made short work of the outnumbered greenskins and then tied two pieces of rope together and went further down to level two!

Upon arriving at the second level the party boldly went to the nearest room, encountering a band of mad humanoids in rags who were busy giggling, screaming and dancing in wild abandon. Marcus was able to facinate one with liting notes fron his lute. Buga in the front rank attempted to negotiate. He brandished a purse (full of goblin bones) promising gold. The mad creatures, crazed inhabitants of the dark depths, laughed and began to beat a heavy tattoo on the floor with their clubs summoning their leader Rythik from the adjoining chamber. The leader of this ragged band was garbed in chain mail and a robust shield both items glinting in the light of their crude bonfire. He strode right up to Buga and r ached forward to the purse of bones to snatch it. Buga stepped back, unshaken by this flagrant attempt at intimidation. It soon became clear that these fellows had no interest in coin and were greedy for something else: humanoid flesh. Thus began a brutal combat, with the adventurers in the front rank beset by club and Rhytik's blade. The party threw oil flasks to stem the tide of the horde, quickly realising that the Inmates were far tougher than they could handle. The burning oil did little to deter the wild eyed creatures. The back row began to flee from whence they came, scrambling up the well while the front bravely held the line. The unarmoured members sped up the the rope scrambling past (and sometimes on top of) the slower armour-clad folks. Those who made it to the top heaved up the rope to speed up the groups escape. Eventually everyone managed to flee apart from courageous Buga who refused to break melee with the fearsome Rythik. Just as the last member of the group scaled the rope he was brutally cut down by Rhythik. The bold barbarian died, saving the rest of his party in the process. His heroism will not be forgotten.

Up above both retainers were shaken, Sigma and Dave turned tail and fled into opposite corners of the dungeon. Leaving the group to make their way back to the keep, with meager treasure and the sad loss of their brave barbarian weighing heavy on their hearts.