Session 9 : The Shadowrift of the Umbraforge : Going Underground

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Session 9 : The Shadowrift of the Umbraforge : Going Underground

5.6

Following a street ambush, the ex-Renstons are hot on the trail of a Dark Creeper named Modra.

Unfortunately, it looks like someone else is also looking for him.

Darkwater Field Report:

Operation Rolling Thunder

2100

Intel indicates that primary target has been located in Nine Bells district. Location: Happy Beggar almshouse

Four operatives assigned to locate and extract primary.

Urban Op.

Little prospect of significant civilian casualties.

Operatives from competing PMCs may be also hunting primary target. They are not to be allowed to succeed.

Have assigned Jester and Easy Rider as strikers.

Heavy fire support to be provided by Steel Rain.

Tactical commander on the ground will be Snake Doctor.

Give 'em hell. Hoo yah.

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Content by Gary Yam

Bjorn Christianson (05/02/2012 17:03:41)

... I really want to roll better than last session for this fight.

Gary Yam (10/02/2012 00:13:23)

XP:

600 each

Loot:

220gp cash

Diamond engagement ring - value 500gp

Painting by famous orc artist, Harry the Orc, entitled "Electropalm in Blue" reputed value 800gp

From one of the dark creepers: Spiderkissed Dagger +2

By my calculations, you are a whole 2 encounters in front of the Death Parade in terms of hitting 6th level - this would be down to the smaller party size, even when scaled.

Jon Burfoot (10/02/2012 09:54:25)

Aside from my 'Double One' Twin Strike, and almost being bored to death my the Wraiths, I thought the combat side went pretty well.

I'm still trying to remember exactly why we are in Umbraforge, mind....lol

Alec Harvey (10/02/2012 12:46:20)

It is a sad end for the Wraith when they just end up being just boring, in first ed they were evil level drainers who could kill low level characters with a touch, much to be feared.

We travelled to the Shadowfell in pursuit of the person who we thought could tell us where all the weapons were coming from and why they were going through Overlook. Now we have found that they were supplied by an intergalactic mercenary outfit probably just out for a fast buck I'm not sure we care anymore now that the Orc threat has been dealt with. Unless there is still a threat??

Gary Yam (10/02/2012 13:09:41)

Re: Wraiths

Well, it's comeuppance for all those levels they nicked off characters. In those days it might take you weeks of months of gametime to get a level, only to have it drained off you without a save - and if truth be known, I think old school energy drain generally wrecked the game. You're halfway through an 8th level dungeon with an 8th level party. You bump into a couple of wights, have a couple of rolls go against you, and suddenely your magic user is now 6th level. You might as well give up and start again. The party's artillery would go from having two 4th level spells to having none.

Mechanically, it was just another of those early 4e monsters that didn't quite work out the way they wanted - and later incarnations were better, but you only really find that out by playing it through. If they brought out the original wraith (or wight, or spectre)in 4e, that had similar powers - lose a level, no save - players would just think it's a rubbish monster.

Bjorn Christianson (10/02/2012 17:17:30)

In terms of mission: I think there's too main outstanding questions at this point. The first is to make sure that this was a pure and simple arms deal, and not some subtle opening move in an interplanar invasion. Unlikely, possibly, but this ties in to the second question: if it is a simple arms deal, where did the orcs get the money to pay for this? Orcs aren't known for their large cash reserves or vibrant financial sector willing to underwrite exciting investments in defense-related industry. If someone helped the orcs arm up and invade once, what's to keep them from doing it again?

Each question has its own challenge in answering. The first is that if Sarsan (?) was using the orcs as a prelude to his own invasion, then he might get upset at people asking questions about it. Assuming he isn't involved, though, the problem is that he's a mercenary and he's unwilling to offer us the information we need about the orcs' funding unless we can pay an acceptable price. What do we have to offer?

Also, we really need a better company name than "ex-Renstons." Given we should give him some acknowledgement but ideally not by name, Gerard's piety, and the fact that we've never invested in mounts, my proposal is: Knights Afoot.

Loot stuff: The Spiderkissed enchantment can be put on any melee weapon, lets you change damage to the poison type, and has a daily slowing power (that turns into an immobilise if they fail the saving throw). It would sell for 1300 gp. With the rest of the loot, each person's share works out to be 705 gp.

Unless Gerald wants it, Skylda will probably take the Spiderkissed weapon (more for the +2 than anything else, really) and owe the pot 595 g.p.

Jon Burfoot (10/02/2012 21:37:27)

As an aside for Energy Drain, we used to run with an XP drain in thousands, equal to the damage done (eg 1d8 damage was 1d8k XP drained) when I ran the game.

If the Undead did Energy Drain only, and no damage, then it was 1d6k.

There was still not saving throw (so, they were quite scary, still...) but less devastating. Low-level parties really were afraid of them, as they should be. And going into negative xp meant the same as being level-drained, as per the rules (so long as the PC went to zero HP, too).

They were less scary than they used to be, but still pretty terrifying.

Alec Harvey (11/02/2012 08:15:49)

Gerard is happy for Skylda to have the weapon, he wouldn't want to touch such an evil artifact in any case. Be warned such a weapon may end up poisoning your soul, only regular foot washing will stave off its insidious effects.

Gerard would be happy with Kinght's Afoot, sounds a bit like Girls Aloud though. As an alternative, as we were Sir Renston's crew, now that he is gone how about just "The Crew", bit like "The Shadows" after Sir Cliff Richard had departed, the analogy is quite apt as they were better after he had left!

As a thought why don't we just march up to Sarshan's front doorunder a flag of truce, say we are ambassodors from Overlook, and ask what his intentions are.