Dark Star Rising Adventure Logs

Session 24: Infilitrating Welzinwald

May 16, 2020

Activating the cloaking field on their ship, the Dark Stars flew directly over Welzinwald. They could clearly see places where the walls had been breached in the recent battle with Alexandros’s forces. Flying over the city, the party found an unused field to land on about a mile away from town.

Session 23: Welcome to the Hive

May 2, 2020

As the heroes re-grouped from their fierce battle, dwarves suddenly came streaming back up the side tunnel shouting about a monster. The party soon realized that the demonic monster they had just fled must be making its way down the side tunnel. The dwarves said that Tomi was bringing up the rear.

Session 22: Face Off

April 25, 2020

Riya returned from the side tunnel and reported that it sloped upward and apparently across the top of the chasm, suggesting that it was being used by the duergar to connect to the main dwarven citadel. She also reported the the duergar were preparing extensive defenses in a large cavern at the peak of the tunnel.

Session 21: Assault on the Gatehouse

April 19, 2020

As the party contemplated their next move, Kiki noticed movement on the other side of the bridge. Terlis used his arcane abilities to disguise their small dinghy as a cloud in the brewing storm and they moved over to investigate. As they got closer, the party could see that several Frostbeard dwarves were lying in the snow on the other side of the bridge, trying to remain out of view while they performed a scouting operation. As the rising snow flurries of an incoming blizzard reduced visibility, the dwarves got up and prepared to leave.

Session 20: Infiltration

April 5, 2020

Ebrut arrived at the Bug House at the appointed time to pick Mid up. He seemed a little confused about why he was there, but also anxious to show her his ship. He took her back to the Den, then through the kitchen, into the meat locker and through a secret door. The secret door led down into a guard room of some kind where two Red Fang guards and a strange monstrous creature were stationed. The creature was tall and lanky with warty green skin, a hideous long nose, and sharp teeth. From Clancy’s description of his familiar’s voyage, Mid gather that this creature was a troll.

Session 19: Bloodfest!

March 29, 2020

The party woke up early the next day and began to prepare for the upcoming bloodfest. At the designated time, they arrived at the arena. A crowd was already forming outside as they were led inside to a prep room. Klanga left his assistant with theim who would notify them of the time of their fights. The group fights with the monsters would be interspersed among the individual gladiator fights.

Session 18: Bargains Made

March 22, 2020

As the canoloth came charging toward them, its tongue whipped out, searching for Terlis. If it could get a hold, it would pull him back toward its deadly maw of fanged teeth. But Terlis was too quick and dodged the questing tongue. The party then jumped into action, hitting the canoloth with arcane energies and missile weapons, while Kiki tried to close the distance. Realizing it was outnumbered, the canoloth turned tail and began to run. Overhead, Riya was running along the roof of a warehouse looking for something to drop on the canoloth, while the rest of the party struck a killing blow before it could get far.

Session 17: Dark Stars' Comeback

March 8, 2020

Mid moved across the inn toward the current band performing on stage. As they appeared to be finishing a set, Mid used her feylike charm to convince them to let her band have a go. The current band, a mix of gnomes and goblins named the Half-Pints, happily agreed, nearly mesmerized by Mid’s charm.

Session 16: Welcome to Tortuga

February 23, 2020

As the party arrived at the docks for their departure, they were met with the sight of their new starjamming spidership. It looked the same in appearance except for the addition of large gossamer wings sprouting from the midsection on either side, creating the odd image of a winged spider.

Session 15: Shopping Trips

February 9, 2020

Upon recovering from their strange dream, the partymembers reconvened for their morning meal and after some discussion realized that they had all shared the same dream. They puzzled over its meaning. Was it a memory from the past? From the time of the Elder War, perhaps? If it was a memory, why was it in their heads? Why was a goddess attacking the planet of Oerth? More than anything, the message in unreadable characters burned in all of their memories. What did it all mean? Yet, without further knowledge, there wasn’t much to be done about it at the moment.

Session 14: Temple of the Serpent

February 2, 2020

Fully immersed in a collective dream, the ragtag band of adventurers made their way down into the swamp and toward the ziggurat, moving quietly through the thick undergrowth. The insects were thick as molasses, but Thrari used her control of the air to create a mild breeze that kept the worst of the bugs at bay and provided some relief.

Session 13: Facing the Arachnomancer

January 12, 2020

Riya was the first to react. Using her slippers of spiderwalking she raced up the wall and onto the ceiling, closing with the arachnomancer before he could react. She knocked him back with a flurry of blows that would have stunned a normal person. He took the blows, smiled cruelly at Riya as he wiped blood from his lips, and turned and ran the other direction along the ceiling. As he approached the mysterious orb, he leapt downward into the air. His arms closed around the orb and he suddenly vanished in a flash.

Session 12: Inside the Tomb of Horror

December 23, 2019

As the party approached the altar at the front of the chapel, their attention was drawn by a skeleton on the floor that pointed at an archway to the right of the altar. This archway glowed with bright orange vapors. Riya moved over to investigate. Meanwhile, Zhang approached the altar and throwing caution to the wind, touched a strange block of material that glowed with an opalescent blue. Immediately, it shot out a lightning bolt that jolted every member of the party, except for Riya.

Session 11: Enter the Tomb of Horror

December 13, 2019

Rushing forward with a raging yell, Zhang leapt from the stairs at the tunnel entrance directly onto the drow ship thirty feet below. He then rushed forward to join combat with the drow captain who had just felled Terlis.

Session 10: On the Ice

November 17, 2019

The PCs arrived at the Laughing Beholder Inn somewhat sheepishly, expecting possible trouble from Luigi after trying to bewitch him on their last encounter. However, Luigi was all smiles, after hearing from Alston himself that the PCs had rescued him. He gave them all the first round on the house and directed them toward Imhotep who was waiting for them at a corner table.

Session 9: Pirates!

November 10, 2019

Before anyone else could act, Zhang Min ran forward and clove in the head of the pirate and he tumbled to the floor. As the PCs debated what to do, another pirate called down to ask if the pirate (named Timbo) was ok. Thinking quickly, Clancy used his Mask of Many Faces to transform himself into Timbo and responded that he was alright. He went up a deck and found that he was in the main living quarters of the ship and that it was crammed full of pirates. He tried the ladder at the other end and found the situation to be the same. He then tried to convince some of the pirates to send Captain Tusktooth down because he was having a problem with the device the captain had asked him to store. Not willing to risk the captain’s ire, the pirates grudgingly went to find Fancy Boy instead.

Session 8: Escape from the Maze

November 3, 2019

Zhang immediately charged through the door of the chamber, smashing one of the hideous creatures in the face. It only laughed and lifted its scythe for a rejoinder. At that moment, delicate music filled the chamber, emanating from Mid’s lyre. The creatures stood as if stunned by the music. They took a step back and dropped their weapons to their sides. They still stared at the characters with menacing eyes but seemed to have no desire for hostilities. Mid calmly walked across the chamber to the other door and the rest of the party, somewhat confused by her use of bewitching music, carefully followed her with one eye on the creatures.

Session 7: A Mysterious Device

October 13, 2019

With the guards closing in, the PCs hesitate, caught between the choice of retrieving Fancy Boy in the street or escaping into the portal. Suddenly, Riya, who had mysteriously vanished earlier in the day jumped down from a nearby roof, grabbed Fancy Boy and sprinted toward the house. One by one, the PCs entered the magic portal, PPP going last as he rummaged through the pockets of the fallen thugs.

Session 6: Welcome to the Rock

June 2, 2019

As the PCs tried to sputter out questions, Ramas held up his hand and said “let me start from the beginning.” He then explained the following, assisted by the occasional question from the PCs:

Session 5: A Shocking Discovery

May 19, 2019

The party was able to talk their way into the inner keep to see Captain Ventonious, with some assistance from Kafia who was on hand. Inside the war-room of the inner keep, they found a tired-looking but resolute Captain Ventonious. Clancy took the lead in conversation informing Captain Ventonious that the party had information (from “faery folk” and “gnomish ways”) that the gnolls were getting outside help from someone else, possibly humans. Captain Ventonious was suspicious of the source of this information, but admitted that it would explain the cunning of the Bloody Skulls. Meanwhile, Zhang Min was able to get a look at some of the maps on the table and noted one map in particular that showed a location of all of the attacks as well as the location of all abandoned carts.

Session 4: Arrival at the Citadel

May 5, 2019

Quickly, Clancy sent his ferret familiar underneath some of the wagons to gain a view of what was going on. The wagons were arranged in a circle as they normally are when the caravan camps for the evening. Inside the circle lay bodies and signs of destruction indicating that a battle had taken place. However, the battle that left these grisly reminders appeared to be well over. The growling and shouts came from Kafia and his guards as they were pinned against the wall of a wagon by a snarling pack of hyenas. Among this pack, were three slavering giant hyenas, easily the size of a bear.

Session 3: Off to See the Wizard

April 19, 2019

Due to the eagle eyes of Zhang Min, the party was prepared for the bandits who tried to ambush their damaged wagon. Twelve bandits in all rose with their crossbows to assault the party, but the PCs were the quicker. Zhang Min, Kiki, and Riya charged the bandit positions, while Mid played eerie music that illuminated them with faerie fire. Meanwhile, PPP played soothing music that put several of the bandits to sleep. Clancy crawled underneath the cover of a wagon and sent magical energies in the bandits’ direction. As Terlis prepared to join in the battle, Zaffa ran past him but then veered back suddenly and thrust his spear at Terlis, wounding him in the side. Zaffa was a traitor who must be secretly working for the bandits! Fortunately, Mid noticed the betrayal and cast a spell that had Zaffa writhing in uncontrollable laughter on the ground, while Terlis crept behind a wagon wheel and fired an ice knife at a pair of bandits.

Session 2: The Road to the Citadel

April 7, 2019

After a restful night’s sleep, the party awoke to the smells of breakfast cooking on the campfire. Lina encouraged them to eat well since the provisions would get thinner by the end of their voyage. The caravan would depart the next day in the morning so the party had one day to make any purchases and preparations for the trip.

Session 1: Sewers of Madness

March 17, 2019

After an unsuccessful day trying to secure employment in a caravan heading north along the Dresium Road to the Citadel of the Arcane, each of the PCs had retired to an open air tavern on the outskirts of Arkesh to unwind and plan their next move. The tavern’s owner, Ninki, had encouraged Mid to entertain her customers. After an initial problem with the strings of her lyre, Mid played her lyre to the pleaure of the crowd, while PPP entertained the audience with his knife tricks. Meanwhile, Ninki busied herself with serving drinks and rubbing gnome heads, although an illusory worm put her off of Terlis’s head.