AAR: Reclaiming the mines

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BrandenV
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AAR: Reclaiming the mines

Post by BrandenV » Mon Oct 23, 2017 11:56 pm

Mission: Find and clear out pre scourge mines
Gm: BrandenV(Branden)
Date: The date the adventure was run
Difficulty and circle rating: circle 2 hard
Player Rewards:
Ceadda: 1200 LP and 375 Silver
Irwin E. Hopperton: 1200 LP and 375 Silver, Used Booster Potion
Jexel: 1200 LP and 375 Silver
Felsic: 1200 L.P. and 375 Silver
Further Information:
The adventurers tried to climb a wall to save a day or so of travel and nearly died doing so. They then found a heavily trapped mine and killed the two ogres living inside.

Jason
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Joined:Mon Jan 23, 2017 2:54 pm

Re: AAR: Reclaiming the mines

Post by Jason » Mon Oct 23, 2017 11:57 pm

From the Journal of Irwin Ernest Hopperton, Human Elementalist of the Second Circle

The Quest
Locate and clear out some mines to make them safe for mining

The Party
Ceadda, Human Warrior of the Third Circle
Felsic, Scout of the Second Circle
Jexel, Thief of the Second Circle
Myself

Summary
Hopefully I will have the time to provide some reflection after returning like I am this time. I have still attached my daily log for any details that one my find useful.

We started out heading out of Thoral. South, then south east along the foot hills, keeping the mountains to our east. On the third day our scout found a path into the mountains, that he felt would take us to the area we were told we would find the mines.

Now to the fourth day.. our scout/Thief combo felt we could save some time by climbing a hundred yard cliff face. Only Jexel had climbing gear. Neither Ceadda nor myself have had any training in climbing. That should have been my first warning. I cast Crunch climb on everyone. Jexel made it up ok to a ledge about 20 yards up. Ceadda and Felsic followed along successfully. I however, did not. Interesting observation: falling doesn't hurt... it is the sudden stop at the end. Oh did it ever hurt. Then we talked... they wanted to keep trying to go up... another 80 yards... Eventually I talked them out of it... then they needed to get back down... this time with out the benefit of Crunch Climb. Cadda reached the ground much faster then the other. He also fell. Jexel and Felsic managed to climb down successfully.

For the next three days we wandered around the mountains. I suspect our scout got lost.

Four days after the climbing incident, we found the entrance to the mine.

Entering into the mine, Not everyone brought light sources with them... I had a light quartz. Ceadda had some torches. Felsic torches and a lantern. We entered into the mine with Felsic and Jexel leading on the look out for traps. What do you know... BOOM as Felsic's lantern sets off some gas. We proceed down the steps with just my light quartz as light. Sometime after we get down Felsic lights up a torch. Yes, you guessed it. It set off another explosion shortly there after. We continued on with just my light quartz for light.

As we searched around, some shreeker bats came after us, to which we quickly dispatched them.. Ceadda even managed to kill one from his back.

We continued on, more trap. and more traps... Only one didn't get sprung by Jexel.. but he couldn't disarm it, so he set it off, so we could get by.

During all of this we did hear some large crashing sounds in the distance. Right after Jexel set off the last trap, we found out what it was.. Two ogres attacked us. We started out the fight well, a nice line holding back the ogres from getting the 'squishy mage' (yes that seems to be the adventurer's name for us magicians). But Jexel broke the line almost immediately. Ceadda got a got hit in on one of them and I follow up with some Earth Darts to which I used my Desperate Spell Blood charm to amplify them and it went down in a hail of earth darts. Its partner rushed threw the opening in the line left by Jexel and smashed me into the wall. (this is why you keep good formations). For some reason the Ogre turned around and went after Felsic and I was able to get back up. We slowly wore down the second and then verified the mines were clear.

I was able to note that they were likely here mining for true earth and this could be a reasonable source if some is needed.

Things left to be done:
  • Determine what the ogers were doing with what they mined
  • Determine why the ogers set off their own trap. Where they hiding something?
  • Make sure adventures know to carry quality light sources when knownly going to mines/caves
Archiver Dhunack - Here is the attached daily log
Spoiler:
Day 1
Head South - quiet day and night

Day 2
Head South East - quiet day and night

Day 3
Spent most of the day finding a path into the mountains

Day 4
Further travel in the mountains
Fell climbing... why did I let them convince me to try to climb..
others made it up.
Ceadda fell climbing down
Jexel got down on his own ok.
Felsic got down on his own ok.

Day 5
Further travel & lost in the mountains

Day 6
Further travel in mountains

Day 7
Further Travel in mountains

Day 8
Found the entrense to the mine
Found lots of natural gas leaks via explosions (fire from torches/lanteners)
found Shreaker bats & killed them
more traps
2 ogers
took down the first oger with a desperate spell
got thrown threw the air from the second oger's mall
might be some elemental earth here
Archiver Dhunack - I found this letter with the journal submission, maybe have been an accident, maybe we should deliver a copy
Spoiler:
To: Isabell Phoebe Hopperton
From: Irwin Ernest Hopperton

Dearest sister,

I hope this letter finds you well.

It has been an interesting few months out adventuring. The other adventurers seem to really appreciate a hot meal. I am becoming much more in tune with my discipline day after day. The pressure of adventuring really helps focus the early lessons.

How are you and Harold doing? Is he still courting you or has Newton ran him off. Not sure what brother doesn't like about him. Let me know if I should make plans on being there for you becoming Mrs. Harold Rudolph Kettle, this adventuring is keeping me busy.

Let mom and dad know I am doing well and that I will try to back it by for few day sometime here in the near future.

- Irwin
Play my game jam games - made by one person in a limited time frame (usually 48 hours)

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BattleChad
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Re: AAR: Reclaiming the mines

Post by BattleChad » Tue Oct 24, 2017 12:25 am

The Great Library of Throal thanks Irwin for his contribution.

Jounal Rewards: 60 Legend Points and 120 Silver

Jexel
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Re: AAR: Reclaiming the mines

Post by Jexel » Tue Oct 24, 2017 2:43 am

Journal of Jexel’Thalas Thief

Adventuring companions:
Ceadda - Human Warrior
Irwin - Human Elementalist
Felsic - Obsidiman Scout

Search for and clear out a pre-scourge mine South East of Throal

The crew decided to travel South East along the foothills and cut East into the mountains two to three days into the journey.

On day 4: Another reminder on why you should rely on yourself.  We came to a cliff area where we could of cut through the mountains and saved us some time.  The rest of the group had difficulties making the climb.  I did learn a lesson that I need to get much longer rope as I was robbed when buying the climbing kit and given a kid’s rope.

Despite his lack of climbing prowess, once again Irwin’s magic does come in quite handy.  Keeping dry in a rainstorm is a novelty but the healing provided by his meals is a life saver. Not to mention the cushion of air that surrounds and protects you.

Finding the correct path to the mine did take the Felsic and I a couple tries.  A couple of days later I found the entrance to the mine.

The Mine:

Living underground in a safe place like Throal for most of your life you can come complacent to the natural dangers of delving underground.  

Lesson one:  Some gasses explode and torches make sure you find every pouch of it.  Luckily for myself I was able to react quickly enough to avoid and get low under the explosion.  Some of our party members were not as quick.  We ran into three pockets of flammable gas. Future miners should use light quartz’s and periodic purging of gas should be explored.

Lesson two:  Traps and lots of them.  The current inhabitants of the mine had placed several traps throughout.  These traps were deadly, lightning fast and exceedingly difficult to spot.  I was only able to spot one of these traps without idiotically triggering them myself.  I was also not able to react quickly enough to escape these traps.I ran into a mantrap which clamped onto my leg, hurt like hell. I triggered a spike trap that shot spears out of the wall which was significantly worse than the mantrap.  Finally a blade trap was purposefully triggered due to Felsic and my inability to disarm it.  I was hoping to react quickly enough to get away but was unable. Fortunately my armor and Irwin’s protections kept me from being inflicted by the poison coating.

I will work on my awareness and ability to disarm traps before I venture back outside Throal.

Denizen’s of the Mine:

Shortly after one of the gas explosions I heard the sound of flyers coming in. We were attacked by three Shrieker Bats. These are the same creatures that attacked us on the T’Skrang River Boat X’egirathla II.  Ceadda was knocked prone by their sonic attack but we were able to take them down much quicker this time.  I’m not sure if it was the familiarity but I was to strike and tear through the bats this time.

The Ogres who set the traps carried giant clubs.  After setting off the last trap the Ogres came in and hit me square in the chest with one of the clubs.  The force was tremendous and after the injuries from the other traps I was feeling woozy.  I backed out of the fight to try to blend into the shadows and attack them from behind.  These Ogres appeared to smell me and I was unable to get the jump on them.  I entered the fight and helped but Ceadda, Irwin and Felsic shined in this battle. Irwin suggested that Ogres can smell elemental earth and it appeared they were beginning to mine for it.

Throal should now have a new elemental earth mine. Some concern on what the Ogres where going to do with the mine and if any more would come to the area.

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BattleChad
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Re: AAR: Reclaiming the mines

Post by BattleChad » Tue Oct 24, 2017 4:52 am

The Great Library of Throal thanks Jexel for his contribution.

Journal Rewards: 60 Legend Points and 120 Silver

Quixotic
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Re: AAR: Reclaiming the mines

Post by Quixotic » Mon Oct 30, 2017 9:09 pm

Ceadda, Irwin, Jexel and I were once again heading into the wilderness, this time into the Throal mountains to find a pre-scourge Dwarven mine. We were given a rough idea of where it was compared to where we were and told to secure it. We decided to travel through the foothills as far as we could and to look for a valley heading up the mountain when we were closer.

Jexel spotted the valley and we turned North until we found a trail. Once we were at the foot of the mountains the party decided it might be faster to climb up one of the cliff faces and gI l over. I agreed with this strategy but I forgot how delicate humans can be. Jexel, Ceadda, and I made it to the first ledge but Irwin fell and severely injured himself. Ceadda descended to help him and also fell, seriously injuring himself. Jexel and I descended without incident and I started to gather supplies from the wilderness.

Jexel and I quickly scouted ahead to make sure the path was clear and then we all got out last good night’s test below the trendline.
The next morning we got lost in the mountains but eventually found our trail again and arrived at the entrance to the mine.

My lantern lit up a pocket of bad has and luckily only I was scratched. Stupidly I reljt my lantern and continued. Jexel found traps left by someone, probably the dwarves before the Scourge. He stepped into a bear trap and I ignited another pocket of bad before extinguishing my lantern and letting the light crystals light the way. The noise of the explosion brought forth three shrieker bats which were eventually defeated.

Moving forward Jexel and I spotted an axe trap and we heard an avalanche of rocks ahead of us. We decided to stay put and let whatever set off the rockfall to trigger the axe trap as it came for us. When nothing came out of the darkness Jexel harmlessly set off the trap.

That is when the two Ogres attacked us. Irwin used a blood charm to quickly take down one of our opponents but then paid for it fRom a nasty blow from the other Ogre’s club. I drew its attentions to me while the rest of the party whittled away at its defenses until it was dead.

The Ogres had has been mining the elemental earth here and the dwarves would be glad to get their mine back. Everyone survived and the kingdom of Throal slowly expands outwards again.

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BattleChad
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Re: AAR: Reclaiming the mines

Post by BattleChad » Tue Oct 31, 2017 3:38 am

The Great Library of Throal thanks Felsic for his contribution.

Jounal Rewards: 60 Legend Points and 120 Silver

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