Run time: 2h

Story

 

Previously, on Dungeons and Dragons...

Despite being taken prisoner, the characters talked the Queen into setting them free.  With their gold in tow, they headed straight back to Kingswald thinking about what they would do when they were finally back home.

Once they had settled down, suitably intimidated an estate agent and started drinking, in strode Ailsa. Ailsa revealed that the King had sent some kind of beast through the portal, and that the Queen was amassing an army. Ailsa herself had escaped in the confusion, and came to enlist the party’s help – despite being Forestborn, she was convinced that the Realm was worth protecting, and that it needed protecting from the Queen, ideally by closing the portals.

Ailsa examined James’s magic box, and was astounded that something that can control the portals came from the Realm – she thought that kind of magic died out here thousands of years ago, and that the only knowledge to make this kind of artefact lay in the hands of the *born, and in particular the spellbook of Sharin-isha.

And so, off they set once again, to find the spellbook, close the portals and finish the job.

 

Thinking with Portals

The party try to use James’s magic box to create a new portal, choosing to do so in an abandoned mineshaft in the mountains where the dwarves have agreed to guard the shaft (in exchange for some gold). After much concentrating on Ailsa’s description of the spellbook’s location, they manage to get the portal open – it drops them in the Grand Temple, but not quite where they wanted. Ailsa is now in her own realm, so is much more tree-like. Arken looks pale and withered.

Unlike the rest of the Forestborn realm that has a natural and overgrown look, the inner sanctum of the temple is very hewn - all lacquered mahogany and inlays of lighter woods. Light from far above is dappled across smooth floors and staircases.

After some exploration, they arrive at the base of the tower in which Ailsa says the book is kept. At the bottom are three priests, who tell the party that they are not allowed inside – and also that Ailsa was not supposed to return from the “holy land”, which is news to her. After some kickass bluffing, the party convinces the priests that they have come from the holy land on a pilgrimage and with the Queen’s permission, so they are grudgingly let inside – but only if two of the three priests accompany them. They are reminded that the top levels of the tower are off limits.

 

End session.

 

---

NPC / Enemy Roster

 

Name	Arken		Race	Earthborn		Cl/Lv	Fighter/4			Align	LG
Init	+5	HP	24
AC	14	AtkB	6M 6R	Fort	+5	Ref	+4	Will	+2	Move	30ft
Str	16	Dex	18	Con	14	Int	8	Wis	15	Cha	11
Skills	Hide +4, Jump +8, Listen +2, Move Silently +4, Ride +9, Spot +2
Feats	Dodge, Power Attack, Cleave
Wpn	Obsidian sword					Atk	+9	Dmg	1d6+2	Crit	19x2
Spells	None

 

 

Name	Ailsa		Race	Forestborn		Cl/Lv	Druid/3 Sorceror/3			Align	CG
Init	+0	HP	24
AC	15	AtkB	4M 3R	Fort	+3	Ref	+2	Will	+8	Move	30ft
Str	10	Dex	10	Con	11	Int	10	Wis	15	Cha	15
Skills	Craft (Alchemy) +8, Craft (Woodworking) +10, Craft (Sculpting) +6, Diplomacy +8, Handle Animal +3, Hide +5, Knowledge (Nature) +8, Knowledge (Nobility and Royalty) +4, Knowledge (Religion) +4.5, Listen +3, Move Silently +2, Spot +1, Use Magic Device +4
Feats	Combat Casting, Extend Spell, Silent Spell
Wpn	Tangling Vines					Atk	+7	Dmg	1d8+2	Crit	20x2
Spells	Druid Spells Per Day: 4/3/2 Sorcerer Spells Known (6/6): 0th -- Detect Magic, Detect Poison, Mage Hand, Message, Ray of Frost, Read Magic 1st -- Charm Person, Obscuring Mist, Protection from Evil

 

 

Name	?? Temple Acolyte		Race	Forestborn		Cl/Lv	Monk/5			Align	TN
Init	+3	HP	15
AC	17	AtkB	+5/+5 monk	Fort	+4	Ref	+7	Will	+7	Move	30ft
Str	16	Dex	16	Con	10	Int	15	Wis	17	Cha	11
Skills	Hide +3, Jump +11, Knowledge (Arcana) +6, Knowledge (Religion) +10, Listen +12, Move Silently +3, Search +4, Sense Motive +10, Spot +13, Tumble +9
Feats	Blind-Fight, [Combat Reflexes], [Evasion], [Improved Grapple], [Improved Unarmed Strike], Track
Wpn	Fists					Atk	+8/+8	Dmg	1d6	Crit	19x2
Spells	None

 

 

Name	?? Guard		Race	Forestborn		Cl/Lv	Fighter/5			Align	LN
Init	+6	HP	24
AC	15	AtkB	6M 6R	Fort	+5	Ref	+4	Will	+1	Move	30ft
Str	18	Dex	18	Con	14	Int	8	Wis	15	Cha	11
Skills	Climb +6, Handle Animal +4, Hide +2, Intimidate +6, Listen -1, Move Silently +2, Spot -1
Feats	Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Improved Initiative, Improved Unarmed Strike, Lightning Reflexes, Mobility
Wpn	Wooden Spear					Atk	+10	Dmg	1d8	Crit	19x2
Spells	None

 

 

Name	?? High Priest		Race	Forestborn		Cl/Lv	Monk/4 Druid/3 Sorceror/4			Align	LN
Init	+4	HP	39
AC	14	AtkB	9/4Me 7/7Mo 8/3R	Fort	+8	Ref	+9	Will	+14	Move	40ft
Str	14	Dex	12	Con	11	Int	10	Wis	16	Cha	13
Skills	Bluff +8, Concentration +10, Craft (Sculpting) +5, Decipher Script +5, Escape Artist +8, Handle Animal +3, Hide +6.5, Knowledge (Geography) +3, Listen +3, Move Silently +1, Spot +9, Tumble +7
Feats	Blind-Fight, [Deflect Arrows], Diligent, [Evasion], [Improved Grapple], [Improved Unarmed Strike], Lightning Reflexes, Skill Focus (Concentration), Weapon Focus (quarterstaff)
Wpn	Priest's Staff					Atk	+12/7	Dmg	1d6	Crit	19x2
Spells	Druid Spells per day: 4/3/2 Sorcerer Spells Known (6/7/3): 0th -- Arcane Mark, Detect Magic, Ghost Sound, Mage Hand, Mending, Read Magic. 1st -- Charm Person, Magic Missile, Obscuring Mist. 2nd -- Whispering Wind.