Ed Nicholson

Playtest write up

 

Plumbing The Depths                                                                                        March 1ST 2019

Dungeon Master Ed Nicholson

Anna: Age 10     “Zoonapa” Female Elf 3rd level Ranger & Cheep Miniature Griffin

Ian: Age 13         “Rognar” Male Human 3rd level Barbarian

Sonia: Adult       “Nyloraac” Female Human 3rd level Cleric

Jan :      Adult    Zorzimadon Male Hobbit 3rd level Rogue.

Jamie:  Adult     “Elissan” Female Human 3rd level Mage

All are first time players

 

The Mission

 

The adventuring party “Adventure Maniacs” entered the town of Ravens bluff and found a help wanted poster posted by the local wizard Gon the Good.  In the morning, they entered his tower guided by walking suits of armor with no one in them! Gon met them in his Laboratory near the top of the tower. He asked them to be shrunk and go down his laboratory drain, and seek out a precious magical ring that had accidentally washed down it some days earlier. He would pay them a cool 100 gold pieces for the job. The party agreed and borrowed several magical items offered by Gon to aid them in their quest (Zorzimadon haggled that they could keep one of them). They were also given a gem of returning that would teleport them back to the wizard’s laboratory, full sized, when they had the ring.  Gon also warned of a heavy rainstorm coming tonight. He advised to find and return before the drains flood. The party was shrunk into the sink with a poof of energy and they circled around the entrance to the drain

 

Into the slimy darkness

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The group assembled all the rope together in a length of 300 feet and threw it down the drain pipe. A splash was heard some distance down. The beautiful and talented Zoonapa boldly took the lead, climbing down the rope hand over hand into the dark pit. Her arms grew tired as the rest of the party bickered about light sources and who should go next. Rognar finally hopped, muscles bulging, on the rope as Zoonapa shouted up that her arms were about to give out. Zorzimadon nimbly slid down the rope as Zoonapa and Rognar dropped down on to a metal object caught in a sump filled with nasty glowing liquid. Soon two thick, white and bloated beasts thrust out of the muck and attacked them. They fended them off and Rognar the whole time was thinking. “Man these look good to eat. I can’t wait to sink my teeth into them and gulp them down into my gullet!” Zorzimadon dropped down and joined the fight, while Nylorac came out of control down the rope right behind Elessen, heavily knocking her off and incompetently dropping her mace, which narrowly missed hitting first Elessen’s head and then Zorzimadon’s head. Elessen, now free falling, gallantly tried to catch the rope but alas, it was not to be, so she simply cast a fly spell to deal with the chaos caused by the Nylorac.  The first slimy beast was dispatched with the aid of Cheep the pseudo-griffin and Elessen cast a Charm spell on the second. It was soon cuddling with her, its malformed bloated head and stinking body rubbing against her like a purring affectionate cat.  But even as this was happening, Rognar started drooling in anticipation of slaying and eating the disgusting thing. The group clambered up the far side of the sump when Nylorac realized that her Mace was still back stuck to the magnetic metal. Rognar ran back to get it, with secret hopes of taking a bite out of the on of the jelyyu beasts. Instead, it took a bite out of him, Elessen soon showed up and soothed it off Rognar and then she retrieved the Mace for the bumbling cleric.

Note: The GM used Gummy Worms as miniatures for the beasts in the sump)

 

Into the spider’s lair

 

Zorzimadon noticed a piton already hammered into the wall of the next pipe that headed down into darkness. “Someone is already down here,” he thought.  Elessen went and cut of the remaining 200 feet of rope and the party soon had their flickering torch tied to the end of it and lowered it down (after adding some oil the torch). Soon they spotted a web stretched across the tunnel with an icky black spider sitting the middle of it. The torch soon drove it into a nearby crack. Elessen deftly slid down the rope hoping to slay it with a Magic Missile, but just as she was firing it off she was walloped by the bumbling cleric Nylorac who again had fallen off the rope, this sent the Magic Missile ricocheting around the room finally hitting the spider in the crack.  That is when a second spider attacked from a crack on the opposite side of the pit, biting and trying to use its paralysis poison on Nylorac. The poison was not able to penetrate her chain mail armor. Zorzim came easily down the rope and backstabbed the spider, killing it. A third spider emerged and bit Zorzim in the back and this time the paralyzing poison worked, causing Zorzim to fall into the webs immobile. Cheep the mini- griffin was flitting around trying to bite the spider but missing. Up top, Rognar finished eating his Jelly chunks and decided to come down and join the fight with Zoonapa right behind him. Soon the group dispatched the last spider and Nylorac healed Zorzimadon’s wounds and freed him of the paralysis. Nylorac wanted to get the heck out of there but Zorzimadon coolly calmed the flustered and hysterical cleric down and suggested a search of the cracks. Zorzim climbed in to the crack and found a cocooned body of a wizard’s apprentice. He found a potion of healing and a scroll. The scroll was instruction to the apprentice and another apprentice to find his ring and do not screw up or the wizard will kill them, and if they failed, he would just find a party of stupid adventures to retrieve his ring. The party began to have some doubts about the intentions of their employer.  The torch died out and Nylorac cast a light spell on the tip of her mace that lit the way downward.

 

The Magic Pools

 

At the bottom of the pit, the drain took a turn and slopped gently downward. Calcite material had built up in the pipe forming six separate pools, each filled with some kind of magical slurry left over from the countless experiments washed down the drain. Zorzim hammered a piton in and strung up a rope using his boots of levitation, he was hoping to bypass the strange pools entirely. Elessen cast Detect magic on the pools and yes they were all magical!  Nylorac cast augury to see if it would be beneficial to explore the pools, the super-helpful answer from the powers was that yes it would be-for some of them! As they obtained this information, Rognar thrust his hand into the first pool trying to grab a large diamond from the bottom. Rognar was able to deduce that the first pool was pure acid by the way his fingers began melting off his hands. Nylorac, not willing to leave the diamond behind began jury-rigging a scoop from a crow bar and a clay pot borrowed from Zoonapa. Zorzimadon secured the rope at the far end of the pools and discovered yet another piton and a message carved into the wall “the wizard lies” .As the attempts to make the scoop dragged on, it was decided to leave the diamond and move on. Nylorac hung on to the rope and stepped over the acid nearly losing her footing and falling (yet again). The rest of the party began following. The next pool was filled with soapy bubbles and with a puff of bubbles “Blub-Blup” a sentient scrubbing bubble emerged. “Food? You Give Food? I help if you give nice- nice foods? He was crazed for food and would do anything for it as the party soon discovered when he gathered a great froth of bubbles around him and dove in to the acid pool and came out with the diamond, hardly any bubbles left of him. This act cost the party quite a lot of their rations, but Blub-Blup was quickly nourished and back to his old self again.  Blub-Blup was able to tell the party that the next pool was sparkly and cover things dipped in it with glitter, the next was purple and slimy and “mean to him”, the next, a white cream that “felt good”, and the next a rainbow of fruity goodness that seems to make him “feel good more”. Poor old Cheep the mini griffin was pulled out of Zoonapa’s back pack where he was hiding and asked to be the party’s guinea pig. Zoonapa  asked him to go into the white pool and then then the rainbow pool which he did willing out of loyalty to his  master, he emerged unharmed and healed of all blemishes and looking very handsome! Rognar dove into both pools and his hands were healed and he looked even more handsome too! The party, worrying about the storm coming soon, decided to move on and dropped further down the drain, Blub-Blup in tow.

 

The Lady Bug

 

The party proceeded down the dank sink pipe, when ahead was spotted a huge gnarly insect filling the passageway. Zorzimadon quickly fired an arrow at it, which deflected harmlessly off an invisible a barrier just in front of it. Cautiously moving forward they observed that the image of the insect changed in shape and size, and this greatly confused the intrepid adventures. “Huh?” “What the heck?”  Mumbled Zorzim and Nylorac scratching their heads. Zorzim moved forward clonking his head on a great piece of glass that helped him realize that they were looking at a normal sized ladybug through a magnifying glass stuck in the drain - partially blocking it. They were able to squeeze by and were suddenly attacked by a huge rat mouth that burst through the clay drainpipe wall. The rat could not fit into the drain as it was to large, but it slashing teeth and mouth tried to eat up any morsel it could reach. The team was able to smack the rat on the nose hard, enough for them to quickly get by as the rat again reached into the pipes.  They proceeded to an intersection with a much larger drainpipe. They immediately heard footsteps splashing down the larger hallway from the left directly towards them!

 

Rescue the Apprentice

 

“Help! Help they are after me” They are coming! They will kill us all! Shouted the desperate man that could only be the other apprentice to the wizard. “Calm down” soothed Zoonapa and Nylorac as he collapsed into their muscular and toned arms. Rognar stepped forward, legs apart braced for action, his magic sword “Brimstone” at the ready. Rognar was surprised to see four large mushroom men baring sharp teeth, with evil expressions, come into view out of the darkness. ”they look like they are in a bad mood,” Rognar thought.  They rushed forward intent on attacking the heroes. “Hmm Rognar thought, wonder if I could eat these…”   “Every one split up and attack one!” Shouted Nylorac her usual bossy tone. Soon each party member was slicing and dicing mushrooms as if they were Chiefs preparing to make a pizza! After defeating the mushroom men, they aided the apprentice and he was able to tell them:

“I am Altazar apprentice to the wizard I have been down here for may days I don’t know how long”“ I know why you are down here! That evil wizard sent you; he will betray you in the end! He is after his ring of wishes! The mushroom men have it! They are not smart enough to know how to use it. However, it is out of my reach, you may have the skills and strength to rest it from them. IF you get it, do not let him have it, he will use for evil and to take over the kingdom!  I know where it is but cannot get to it. (He starts passing out) It is beyond the Mirror, at the top of the snake, in the mushrooms men’s King thrown room” he is nearly out.” One last thing I heard the mushroom talk of passing the magic mirror, Only one whom does not have a refection can pass through” He goes into a stable but deep sleep

 

Through the Mirror and up the Snake

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The fearless band soon saw a large rippling mirror blocking the tunnel down to the left and moved towards it looking to see if anyone had no reflection. However, they all did. Their own reflections blocked there way. They could not get through! Now what?  Suddenly Zorzim thought to close his eyes and to all’s amazement Zorzim walked through the mirror, “come on” he shouted- just close your eyes!  He opened his eyes to find 3 large frogs lashing there tongues out at him, trying to swallow him whole!. The other quickly came through and after a short fight dispatched the frogs. Nylorac spotted a large Snake skeleton filling the tunnel, the huge fangs in its skull posed like a bear trap ready to snap shut. “Oh this is not going to go well for me” she said “being so heavy and all – I mean with this chain mail on!” Zorzim levitated through with is magic boots and the others delicately tipped toes through.  Nevertheless, Nylorac sat like bump on a log, concerned about her considerable weight. Then the quick thinking and handsome Zorzim  tossed levitation boots back to Nylorac saying, “Here you go! Anything else you need me to take care of for you?”  Nylorac thankfully slapped them on and floated through the menacing jaws.

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The King of the Mushroom Men

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They soon saw the snake ribs curved up as the tunnel rose straight up; they climbed these knowing they were looking for the top of the Snake. About 30 feet up, the bones curved again following the drain and made a flat area lined by snake ribs and with a cave-in in the back. Against the back sitting on a thimble was a large mushroom man wearing a gold crown with three red rubies mounted on it. There were also ten other mushroom men in the area bowing down to the king . The crown was the wish ring they were looking for! Elessen and Nylorac put their heads together and came up with a bold plan. Use gaseous form to get behind the king and snatch the crown! Zorzim would also sneak in to assist. The rest of the part would support by attacking from the front of the room. AS the plan unfolded it became clear they would need a distraction and Elessen cast Farie Fire but it misfired an hit the wall. She reached for the Crown and tripped on a rock knocking it off the kings head and sending it rolling towards where Zorzimadon was sneaking up. Zorzimadon tried to grab it but apparently, it was more slippery than a greased pig! As it slipped from is hands and rolled back towards Elessen. Meanwhile the mushroom men attacked the party to the front and rear. Nylorac tried to cast Hold Person on the king but the king was able to shake it off, next she commanded the king to “Die” using the command spell. The King did indeed obey the command and fell to the ground. However, he would rise again in a few seconds once the command wore off. Zorzimadon stepped in and with a bold stroke of his short sword made the command permanent. Elessen was able to grab the crown and turn gaseous using her potion of gaseous form and return to the entrance of the room, where Rognar, Zoonapa and Nylorac were finishing off the rest of the mushroom men. Soon they were all defeated and Elessen materialized with the Crown-ring in hand.

 

Wishes and Evil Wizards

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‘We know the wizard is going to betray us once we return, we should wish him away or imprisoned now”!  Nylorac said. “Or better yet wish him dead -he is evil after all,” Zorzimadon suggested.  “Let us do it now before we return!” However, alas it do not work, as the ring-crown was too big to wear properly. “Ok Fine we will use it the moment we return” they decided. So the mighty comrades used their gem of returning and saying the magic words “Abarcadabra”.

The adventurers each appeared in a separate prison cells, back in the top of the tower, restored to full size. Gon the Great was just beginning to gloat and say something when he was zapped into a pile of ashes from the power of the wish spoken by Elessen. His guards of animated of armor collapsed as soon as the wizard fell -thiere magic gone from them.

Zorzimadon quickly picked the locks and had everyone free. They had done it! Not only had they freed the world of an evil menace, they had at their disposal the wizard’s tower and a ring with two wishes left on it! What would they do next?

 

Afterwards

 

Hours later, as the rained poured down in torrents outside the tower, Altazar appeared in front of the group. He explained that he had regained his strength and used the gem of returning that he had. He thanked the adventurers for saving his life and offered his services to them for a period of 1 year. He explained that Gon]  was an advisor to the cruel Queen of the lands and his absence would not go unnoticed, troops would soon be sent. However, Alacazar had an idea. The tower had a secret room, if they could find it, he believes there are secret controls that would allow the tower to get up and walk away! All they had to do was find the secret room, defeat the guards, and activate the tower before the troops had time to bring up catapults and other siege equipment! 

“Let’s roll” the Adventure Maniacs said in unison!

Experience: Each are award 1300 Experience points. Enough for each to go to 4th level!

 

Monsters :

2 Jelly beasts                   200

3 Giant spiders                600

4 Mushroom men          400

10 Mushroom men        2000

1 Mushroom man king 400

2 Animated Armor         400

1 Wizard                          1000

=5000/5 =1000 Experience point s each

 

 

Traps /Puzzles

Magic Pools                     600

Magnifying Glass            100

Mirror                              400

Snake Jaws                      400

=1500/5 = 300 EP Each

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