The Gift: Session 8 Adventure Log

Having taken some time out to reflect on their victories and experiences the party decide to venture into Hearthsholme to sell some of their freshly acquired loot. 

Sloane's new friend, the recently hatched lizard "Tank" causes something of a stir among the children within the town; "That's a funny looking dog!"

The characters visit Raene's hardware store and soon enter into negotiation with the store's owner; he his happy to buy their mundane goods and offers additional gold if the party if they take their funds in store credit (which they accept).

It seems Raene also trades in more unusual goods, usually selling them on through merchant contacts who trade with the bigger cities in the west. The party inquire if he has anything available; and he shows them an (allegedly) magic dagger, and a small potion pouch containing 3 unidentified potions.

Picture by aquelion (Deviant Art) (Licence: CC BY-NC-ND 3.0)

The Gift: Session 7 Adventure Log

The session begins with the characters advancing slowly through the long narrow chamber. This room differs from the previous caverns they have explored as it is obviously man made, though long disused. The party surmise it may have been used as a store room long ago.

A door is located in the northern wall; the party open it and advance into another rectangular chamber. There are two doors in the northern wall, a wide alcove to the north east, a set of stairs to the south east and a second set of stairs to the south west.

Of more immediate interest are a set of horrific implements of torture; a rack, brazier, manacles and chains and so on. Footsteps in the dusty floor indicate that something has been moving through the chamber.

Nanny Ogg investigates the south eastern stairs; they descend a short way to a small antechamber and the door to a cell. The wizardess advances to the door only for it to spring open and a horrific undead creature to burst out and attempt to pounce on her!

The Gift: Session 6 Adventure Log

Session 6 begins with Nanny Ogg returning from her evening at Hearthholme's Inn, "The Boar and Tavern". Her search for information regarding Dark Eye Tavern and the surrounding hills are proven very useful:

• There was another, older ruined tower in the Dark Eye Hills. It's structure is long gone, but local legend has it that there were rooms and tunnels below.
• A stranger was seen some months ago near Dark Eye Tower; rumour says it was the enigmatic ranger "Hoode".

Nanny Ogg met a local farm hand called Bailey Blackthorne who claims to know the local hills well, having spent time exploring them. For a few coins he offered to show Nanny the location of a large cavern, and for a share of treasure he offered to act as a torch bearer for the party, having claimed to have worked for an adventuring party before.  He also warns Nanny Ogg not to let the Sheriff find out she's been talking about what has happened at the tower; he doesn't like people stirring trouble in town.

The party have located a second large cavern within the hills themselves. Climbing a scree slope they enter a cavern thick with spiders webs; their attempts to tear the webs attract the attention of the cavern's residents, a pair of monstrous spiders!

The Gift: Session 5 Adventure Log

Session Five begins as the heroes return from the Dark Eye Tower to Nanny Ogg's cottage to determine their next course of action. Feeling the party have worked well together Cade asks the characters to help him & Albert deal with the "infestation" of Stirges nesting in the ruins of their cottage. The party agree to help and once rested up visit Cade's land.

Hind sneaks up to the ruined building and confirms the bat like creatures are roosting in the rafters, below the remains of the thatched roof. They have obviously been there for some time as the floor is slick with guano. The party decide to smoke the vermin out; torches are lit,  thrown onto the roof of the building and soon the thatch and timbers are alight. The stirges awaken and flee the flames in terror, seeking a safer refuge. Cade's unwelcome visitors have been dealt with!

The Gift: Session Four Adventure Log

Session Four begins as our heroes continue their investigation of the seemingly haunted Dark Eye Tower. The party had previously encountered and fought a number of Fire Beetles nesting in the ruined upper levels of the Tower; and it seems the strange lights seen at night were in fact from the Beetle's glowing antennas. In fact a careful search of the upper levels did not reveal any further activity.

Back on the ground level the party focus their attention on the door to the north of the chamber where they had battled the beetles and the spectre had disappeared; there are sounds of frenzied animal activity coming from beyond. The characters ready themselves for further battle and open the door. Beyond are a number of enormous rats; obviously distressed by the passing of the ghost!

The Gift: Session Three Adventure Log

Session Three begins with a number of the characters forming a small party to investigate the spectral figure and strange lights emanating from Dark Eye Tower.

The ghostly labourer seems to beckon the players to the old watch tower and as they approach a faint red glow can occasionally be seen illuminating the crumbling upper level. However, the light is not constant; it seemingly appears and disappears at random.

As the party gets closer they can see the Tower is stern square structure 3 levels high although the top two are quite dilapidated.

The Gift: Session Two Adventure Log

Session Two begins with the characters taking stock of their various plots of land and working out the most important jobs they'll need to complete:

The Gift: Session One Adventure Log

My players have "suggested" I use blog posts as an Adventure Log to capture key points from The Gift gaming sessions. As always I'm happy to accommodate my players requests but this doesn't mean they shouldn't record important information themselves!

Background information (and going forward these Adventure Logs) can be found using The Gift Label on the right of the blog, but in a nutshell it's a Sandbox Campaign where The Keep on the Borderlands meets The Temple of Elemental Evil with more than a dash of Glorantha's Dorastor thrown in for good measure.