Dungeons And Dragons Eight Week Project - Crypt of the Vampire Knight Playthru

The D&D eight week project reached it's climax on Sunday.

Left to Right; Harrow, Roland (with Dire Wolf), Namfoodle Timbers, Tharnak, The Architect of Chaos, Kei and Taryyn

We got together and played through two sessions of around two hours and four hours, broken by a delicious buffet style lunch.

Here's a brief (?) account of the play, a couple of warnings though, I'm no author, so apologies for the writing style, and for those who know the original Madness at Gardmore Abbey adventure,  I've changed it somewhat, so there will be surprises in the description ahead. 

(I've added a few GM asides in brackets)

The Third Day of Mordinius, 600 Years After the Founding of the Empire of Nerath

The party began in the village of Winterhaven and had plans to destroy the vampire they believed was hiding in the crypts below Gardmore Abbey. 

To Gardmore

They stocked up with healing potions and holy water, the latter would prove very useful in the end. 

They had a quiet journey to the Abbey, then Kei showed off his new ability; wings of crackling lightning sprang from his shoulders and he took flight on reconnaissance. He was interrupted by a shape flying up from the ruined temple, a gargoyle! In gravelly tones it thanked the heroes for freeing it and it's companion, in exchange it would permit him to leave unmolested.

(The Knight Arcarnist had three gargoyles bound to him as servants - implied in the original, and especially in The Siege of Gardmore Abbey, though I added an extra one.  The party had previously slain one, and destroying the undead wizard freed the other two from the binding)

Still pondering this change in the monstrous population of the ruins, the heroes made their way up the secret stairway and holed up for the night, taking advantage of Kei's new Leomund's Tiny Hut ritual. 

The party had noticed that there were stones missing from the ruins, the culprits were revealed during the night, a goblin work party. Fortunately, these creatures were nominally acting as spies for the party (particularly for the paladin Roland). They duly reported that the minotaurs in the lower chambers were building walls to seal off their underground domain from the troublesome orcs and others on the surface. Intrigued, and hoping for some help against the vampire, they resolved to call in on the minotaurs in the morning. 

The Fourth Day of Mordinius, 600 Years After the Founding of the Empire of Nerath

(For the next section we used floorplans drawn out on 'spot and cross' paper).

As they set off they wondered what had happened to the remaining harpy (who may or may not have been one of the priests under a curse). The answer was revealed; his bloody remains were strewn around the high altar!

Into the Temple

Incensed,  the party sprang forth, determined to cleanse the area. 

I don't know why Blogger is displaying some of my photos at 90 degrees

The gargoyles had other ideas, they had spared Kei yesterday, now they wanted to inflict pain and misery. Unfortunately for them, they were no match for the heroes, although Kei's attempt to frighten them off by showing them the crumbled dust of their companion only enraged them.

(The party had just levelled up to fifth level, the combat was an opportunity for them to appreciate how powerful they now were).

A bit of cleaning up the altar, and the respectful removal of the harpy's body to the crypts, lead to a minor blessing from the gods (Inspiration).

Going Underground

The heroes then made their way to the Grand Staircase,  a structure dating back to the minotaur occupation of the site.  They were met with a wall, still under construction, with goblins working away on it.

Eventually Lerolax, the minotaur leader arrived, now sporting a fine crown.  He apologised for not informing them, but he was ensuring the safety of his people.  (My version of the minotaurs has them much less likely to blindly attack.  They are on an expedition to seek treasures of the lost empire of Saruun-Khel. The heroes have met them before and reached an understanding with them.  Indeed, they have helped by getting rid of Kashatri the Oni and the gnolls) At Roland's urging, he agreed to build a gate in the wall and would discuss things further in the future.

Vampire Hunting

But this was all just preliminary action and Harrow was determined to deal with the vampire, so they went to the crypt where she was last known to have appeared. 

(Here we started using the Crooked Staff rooms I had built)

The Crypt antechamber know affectionally as Vardin's Chamber

The party examined the chamber, Tarryn was sure there was a door hidden in the wall opposite Gardrin's tomb, but had no idea how to open it. She was puzzled by the many small holes drilled through the mortar, some of which were plugged with silver. 

Timbers noticed graffiti scratched on the great man's tomb "my father turned his back on me", so Roland tried turning the statue. To no one's surprise, it pivoted, and as it did, there was a click, and the secret door swung open.

The Crypt of the Vampire Knight

Beyond was a corridor ending in a door, green light seeping from under it. Surely this was the vampire's crypt.

Timbers began chewing garlic, certain that it would offer him some protection from vampires, Kei prepared his Magic Circle (the upturned font - reading the description, it appears as if the circle can be set anywhere in range, rather than being drawn around the wizard). As Tharnak opened the door, he cast it in, blocking the chamber beyond.

Skeletal guards lined the walls and eerie green flames lit the room with a sickening light. 

Timbers opened the door and rushed in to face one of the skeletons, while the dwarf pushed his way forward to swing at another. Both missed and were nauseated by the flames, but thankfully took no damage.

One of the further flames coalesced into a ghostly figure, but rather than attacking, it drifted to the end of the chamber and seemed to be instructing skeletons there who began tugging at the tomb lid.

Harrow then stepped forward. "By the power and grace of the Raven Queen, I send you to your rest". With the exception of one orcish skeleton and two of the ones opening the tomb, the rest fell apart in a rattle of bone and rusty equipment. The ethereal creature fled to the end of the chamber. Roland and Tarryn quickly brought down the still standing skeleton with javelins and arrow.

While the rest of the party moved in and debated the most efficient way to finish things, unwilling to disturb the 'turned' undead, Harrow called on her god again. Spectral ravens appeared circling around her, pecking away at the remaining undead.

The tomb lid was almost off, and a swift kick from the tiefling finished the job. The spectral ravens swooped in and pecked the occupant to bits.

Was that it? 

The heroes investigated, sure that the thing in the tomb was no vampire, and the keen eyes of the elf spotted scratches on the floor. The tomb could slide.

It was heavy, and the mechanism was old and unused. Roland was unable to shift it, even with Tharnak's help.

Rolling up his sleeves the dwarf took over, "dinnae fash yersel laddie, let a real dwarf show ye how its done.  By Kord!". As the huge stone tomb slid, another door swung open in the wall, revealing steps down.

Ready for action (there are another four skeletons in the tomb section, but the party can't see them yet)

My view of the action, again, inexplicably turned on it's side

To Be Continued...