There was no game last week, instead we made a trip to the Cosmosphere in Hutchinson Kansas for my son Jackson’s 17th birthday. Great fun was had by all, including a brand new game of Ticket to Ride, an instant favorite. This week we were back to the game, crossing the half-way mark of DL 1, Dragonlance Dragons of Despair.
This week also saw the triuphant return of one of our players after an absence that was way too long. She filled the character of Goldmoon with life, and was very excited to be playing a Native American Princess. I had to try and explain t the player that yes indeed she actually is wearing pants, but the cover of the adventure did not aid in that argument.We began after a short recap about flying pegasi and unicorn forest lords; a flight out of town pursued by hobgoblins; and finally an encounter in a tunnel through the mountains betrayed by dragon-men disguised as priests. The dawn finds them atop the mountains staring eastward across the great ameri-Krynn plains. Smoke rose from the sites of the plainsmen villages, including the village from whence came Goldmoon the princess. Though they had planned to take the shortest distance east to the ruins of Xak Tsaroth, the decided to detour through the villages.
First they came to Que Teh which was abandoned leaving meals half eaten (the players finished those right up) and even left – gasp – their children’s rattles scattered about(!) Goldmoon’s village of Que Shu was similarly abandoned except for the savagely erected gibbet in the center of town upon which hanged three smoking corpses. After much intrusive investigation it was determined to be hobgoblin corpses.
A placard was deciphered by the magus to read that the Lord Verminard was in command and he would not allow his armies to capture prisoners. After much discussion it was determined that Verminard was a powerful northern warlord whom their missing friend Kitiara had spoken about joining on occasion. Sturm and Tanis had both heard their companion speak of the powerful warlord who could seemingly show up anywhere at any time and then disappear just as fast.
The heroes of the lance figured out that the native tribes must have been taken prisoner and hauled off to the south. They must however continue their quest to the ruined city to meet whatever destiny had decreed for them. Soon after they spot a naked indian being pursued by four draconians. They slay the enemy and rescue Nightshade a scout from Que Teh who swears fealty to the princess of the plains. He says hye was sent from his peaople to search for an escape for them, who were slaves of the southern armies.
Later that night, after seeking camp in an old abandoned mine shaft, they were surprised by four trolls staggering up out of the depths for their nightly hunt. They immediately attempt to retreat, bu not before Nightshade is killed in grisly manner, his head popping like a popcorn kernel between the rotted jagged teeth of the troll. Then the wizard’s charmed guardsman meets a similar fate before they escape.
The blue staff shows off its magic, healing the most grievous wounds from the troll battle, and the next day they finally enter the salt marsh surrounding the ruins. They come to a spiderweb-like rope bridge crossing over an especially deep section of swamp. Tanis decrees that they cross the bridge with the utmost caution: tying ropes to one another as well as each one tying off to the bridge itself as they cross. Basic OSHA Fall Prevention. I had no idea my wife had such knowledge, but after years of gaming, she has learned many of my tricks. It is a good thing too, the text reads something like: “If a character falls in the water, they attract a monster from the wandering monster table.
For fun, I rolled to see what they would have attracted, and it came up catoblepas. Death cattle! Description: does 1d6 damage or gaze causes death.
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