DDAL Jasper DMs Keys to the Golden Vault

[jasper]

Keys From the Golden Vault Session 1

The Murkmire Malevolence

Day 1 to Day 7

PC Killed 0 Monsters Killed 0 Villains Captured 0 Villains Escaped 0 PC Captured 2

Begin Time 6:40 End 9:45

Magic Items You chose Bag of Holding Grey and tacky, +1 dagger, +1 handaxe.

Everyone take a level, 10 downtime days and 20 GP.

Busted members Ferdinand and Rhodes lose 20 downtime days. Banishment from Waterdeep for a year.

I had a very strong group of six. Bronwyn Barbarian 1 human. Buildrick Artificer 1 human. Rhodes Warlock 4 Tiefling. Sui Kogi Cleric 2 Wood Elf. Leon Paladin 1 Tiefling. Ferdinand Barbarian 1 Goliath.

“Greetings, operatives. The Golden Vault has learned that the egg of an eldritch horror has been mistaken for a historical object and is about to go on display at the Varkenbluff Museum of Natural History. The anthropologist Dr. Cassee Dannell tried to warn officials about this egg, known as the Murkmire Stone, but none believed her. We do, and we know that if this egg hatches, many will die—or worse. This quest, should you choose to undertake it, requires you to infiltrate the museum, steal the egg, and return it to Dr. Dannell, who will neutralize it. There’s no time to waste; the egg could hatch at any moment. Start by meeting with Dr. Dannell. Good luck, operatives.”

Key Holder Bronwyn, “Okay for those new. The Golden will disavow you if you are captured or killed. The Sage Quill is an upper scale tavern. Dress well and see there at 730.”

The Sage Quill customers all look amazed at the middle case to no class customers who arrive to mean the young doctor. A young black lady who is vibrating like a master thesis college student on the last hour before finals sits in a big booth drinking from a liter supersize Starbucks cup.

Dr. Dannell speaks distractively and disjointly, “Hey wow. The keys said you one you will be super-sized. The egg will be officially displayed tonight at 1800. The egg looks like a glowing jade stone but is an egg of eldritch horror. It will hatch between midnight tonight or near dawn. I have found a container to hold. But the staff and Curator Alda Arkin thing it just standard Uranium radioactivity making it glow. They will not pull the exhibit. I have some upper scale prom and Sunday Go Church outfits so you will blend in if you don’t have any fancy clothes.”

The group review the outfits. Leon does not notice the label on his. (DM. PC who rolled under 5 on a d20 will experience a wardrove malfunction.) The museum ground floor is open to public today between 1000 to 1800. The second floor is off limits. Caters will be setting up all day. Some construction is going still too.

Watching the guards come on duty, they notice each is carry a suit bag which has a fancy guard outfit. The plans are laid. Bronwyn and Buildrick will review the shop and discover where the basement stairs access it. Rhodes and Ferdinand will enter separately and look for possible hiding locations, secret doors, alarms, and other stuff. Sui Kogi will try to get hired on as a caterer. Leon will try to get hired on as guard and see the security of the main office. Everyone will report back to the Sage Quill at 1700 dress up to pick up their invitations and discuss more plans.

They all hit a money changer since this is Waterdeep and you need to break a gold piece for the silver piece entrance fee.

Parts of the story have been redacted to perverse the guilt. And prevent spoilers.

Bronwyn and Buildrick find out about the cheap lock and basement access is in the employees break room. Noticing that a guard swap happens at the red rope when a kid or adult has to use the privy on the second floor, Bronwyn takes advantage. But stall one does back wall is a structural wall.

Leon is not hired on as a guard as Darrison Blackwater does it. He does notice the curator has a large almost man size Victorina puppet in the office. He is escorted out when he flub’s where he staying.

Rhodes finds out the statues in the main hall are Animated Statues. He takes note of a trap and some alarm sectors.

Sui Kogi tries to get hired on as employee at Crazy Kelpie Caterers. But since this is the owners first high-profile job, he is not hired. While he does cause a scene to test the guards’ reactions. Guards Milanova and Maryam show him the door and take note of him. (Possible social malfunction.)

Ferdinand finds some secret rooms and alarms locations. Use of the I got to go Potty trick, she gets into stall number 2. She head butts her face through the wall into Gemstone wing and takes quick notes. Guards Darrison Blackwaters and Violet Pendergilt get her out of stall. While Violet is escorting her down the stairs, an accident causes both them to tumble down the stairs. Violet breaks her leg and will be send to the healers.

DM, “Double 7s with advantage. WTF.”

Dice, “We like them, we love them, go PCS!”

The group depart from the museum and slowly return to Sage’s Quill. Ferdinand is drunk already. They start planning. (SURE! IGNORE the DM. You do know you can go in after hours.)

Insert Mission Impossible music. 1800 the first group of nobles enter. 1815 more nobles enter. 1830 the last of nobles enter.

Ferdinand, “Shouldn’t you be at your locations now?” The rest of group slowly but quickly enter the museum.

Leon has the fart ball and starts using it to get to stall number 2. “Excuse me sir. EXCUSE ME SIR. Why do have Fredrick on you. Fredrick promised me an exclusive to that outfit for the season. Sir. You will answer me.” Leon brushes of the fashion noble and gets into stall number 2. The wall has been patch. Not a strong patch but a patch.

Sui Kogi takes position at the café and talks the caterers and Guard Billie ears off but he is not eating.

Rhodes wanders the front of second floor and archaeology display room. He has two door wedges in his clothing and can topple one of the displays. He has four guards wandering this long exhibit.

Team B is in the Gem room. And notices the two guards wandering the room. Some floating around the floor passes this information on.

1942. Drunk Ferdinand enters the museum. She is loud. She is loud and looking for her fiancée Darrison Blackwaters who gave her the sacred hand face job. In her culture this means love and marriage and baby carriage. See she has only pulled four guards to her crashes into Exhibit A. This causes husband to be and they have there first fight. And it goes on awhile and more guards are summoned to the first floor. The situation is secured with three knocked guards and three securing the drunk in the break room.

1943 Rhodes dump the statue over, masks up, and enters the gem room. “DEATH TO GENRIC DEATH THREAT GUARD.”

DM, “Okay you want surprise and first initiative. Give me a roll. Sigh. Okay. You don’t have first but Initiative everyone.”

Team B, “We make the switch now DM.”

DM, “Okay you are trying to lift the stone, make the switch, in front of ten nobles and the curator. While Leon is now trying to put his hand through the patch. Okay.”

Dice, “We like them, we love them, go PCS!”

Team B, “17 for the sleight of hand.”

DM, “10 Rolls. 5. 4. 1. 3. 6.Okay. Remain 5 rolls with disadvantage due to the dice loving you.”

Dice, “We like them, we love them, go PCS!”

DM, “7, 3, 13, 6, and 4. The switch is made. The guard calls for help and the dino guard enters the room.”

Sui Kogi, “Command word burn. I hand Billie the matches and point to the Sterno.”

More panic is heard as Billie strike match and giggles. The Café erupts into chaos. Daggers slice and dice guards and the warlock. Then the Eldritch blasts come out. Buildrick punches through her side of the patch and passes off the stone. Leon drops into the bag of holding and shouts the Fade command.

Dice, “We like them, we love them, go PCS!”

Team B fades. Leon fades. Sui Kogi stops for crepes. Two guards are down and maybe dead. Everyone knows to fade. Fade to leave the scene quickly and with any more shenanigans.

Team B fades. Leon fades. Sui Kogi fades.

Rhodes, “DM can I switch out my costume and hide the current one.”

DM, “I thought you were going to fade?”

Dice, “We like them, we love them, go PCS! WTF? 20 and 16 what you got?” Rhodes is noticed by two of the nobles one of them a tiefling. He fades.

Team B fades. Leon fades. Sui Kogi fades. Shouts of stop that tiefling. Team B and Leon make it out the building. Sui Kogi is near the door. But with at least two other tiefling in the crowd, escape is two fades away.

Dice, “We like them, we love them, go PCS!”

Rhodes, “I take out my dagger and cut myself and scream bloody murder.”

Dice, “GET HIM! 17 and 14 against a 7 deception. Not good enough.”

Sui Kogi fades.

During the trail of Rhodes and Ferdinand some of their crimes are mysterious not brought up. They are fined, give a jail sentence, and a year banishment.

DM Notes. Print off enough players maps to include the DM. The map does not show it but the museum is built halfway into a hill since the ground floor and basement both have access to the streets. Your notes show include the staff names for shenanigans reasons. Listen to your players to add detail and situations. Buildrick wanted an item to be sold out so he could make a fuss and cause a distraction. If you are not playing your gender note that on the sign in sheet so I get those correct. Remember if you don’t want to be key master, check the box on the sign in sheet. But you all can’t opt out.

I let each my players choose two or three of my d20s which I use through the night. As you can see the dice sided with the players. They have betrayed me.

End of Session 512.

 

[jasper]

Keys From the Golden Vault Session 2

The Stygian Gambit

Day 31 to Day 45

PC Killed 1 Monsters Killed 1 Villains Captured 0 Villains Escaped 1 PC Captured 7

Begin Time 6:40 End 10:45

Take 10 Downtime days. Take a Level. NO GOLD. NO MAGIC.

I had a very strong group of eight. Buildrick Artificer 2 human. Bronwyn Barbarian 2 Human. Locket Trickster Cleric 2 Tabaxi. Shem Ko Cleric 2 wood elf. Rhodes warlock 4 tiefling. Bartek Sings Badly Rogue 1 Changeling. Bily Kralik Circle of the Moon Druid 2 Harengon. Lucifer Morningstar Kensa Monk 4 Aarakocra.

Greetings, operatives. An ally of the Golden Vault named Verity Kye had her life’s savings stolen from her by a devious gambling partner. We’ve found an opportunity to right this wrong. This quest, should you choose to undertake it, requires you to infiltrate the Afterlife Casino and steal a statuette and a sum of money. Meet with Verity at the Brine Widow tavern to learn more details. Good luck, operatives.

Arriving at the Brine Widow a tiefling call Verity Kye is waiting. Bily is the key holder. Quentin Togglepocket stole her winnings and idea for a Nine Hells casino ten years ago. He also got her tossed in a cold cell far up in the Icewind Dales for six years. The Afterlife Casino is hosting an international three dragon ante tournament. In forty-eight hours, the tourney will end. You have must steal the statue and five grand before this. Admission to the casino is two copper pieces to pay the ferry man to take downstream to the casino. It takes a half hour to get to the casino by ferry. It is a forty-five-minute trip back poling against the current.

The games area has slots, lift and death, and three dragon ante. Only Tieflings are staff. The owner Quentin is the only gnome allowed behind the green security doors. The bar is good. The Circus does an hour show every four hours. A waterfall is one of the attractions. The restaurant is access by stairwell and goes to the bottom of the waterfall.

Security mirrors are around the building. I don’t know if they are magical or hide holes. The Spa and Bath don’t have mirrors.

The scoping out plan. Everyone will take five hours in the casino before meeting in the restaurant for dinner. Team B will take the Spa and Bath. Rhodes and Lucifer will check out the Tourney. Bily will check out the circus. Everyone else will gamble but not lose all their money.

The cashiers have magical teleporting tech which swaps cash for wooden chips.

The Circus act comes from bar and double doors in the floor of the circle stepped arena. A dog leg blocks view of the back stage. Three to five tieflings acrobats are in the act. The three animal acts are baboons as clowns, regular lion taming with jump through fire hoops, a six-pack of poodles doing tricks and comedy. Clean up crew spend about a half hour cleaning up and resetting the stage.

The Spa and Bath have sulfur smell and two employees. They swap out massage due. A green door to the laundry is in the spa.

The Tourney has eight players left. Around 0600 tomorrow should be the first elimination. The Statue is in the center of the room. One guard keeps tab on the guests floating through. Two dealers keep eyes on the gamblers. The statue is in a glass case. It has an AC of 13. The Statue is tiny but heavy. Gold leaf on something. It is a statue of an Erinyes. High End Three Dragon Ante are here but will close down once the last seven players are known.

The Games and Lounge have two floating guards. The game area includes a rat race track.

The Green Doors are access by a key card.

During dinner the prepare plan is discussed. The druid will shift into a poodle and see if she gets place back stage. The Muggers Locket, Lucifer, and Bartek will secure one of the second shift employees after they leave the casino. The rest will still wander and scope out the casino for more information. Everyone will meet back at their room in the Brine Widow at 0700 tomorrow. They leave the restaurant.

The complication. Sareena Shu a tiefling who was fired from her job last month at the museum makes both Buildrick and Rhodes. But they bluff her so she does not report this to the boss.

The doggy in the circus is caught. She is dump into the backstage.

Complication Two. Some of the Tieflings are still practicing. She does the zoomies and none of the staff recognizes seven poodles are in the room.

DM. “DICE I WILL MELT YOU DOWN.”

The Tieflings practice for an hour and don’t see the druid shift to rat form. Ratty the Rat discovers the mirrors are a magical security cameras. Three Tieflings are on duty. The cells are to the south. The cameras do cover the vault about ninety percent. Quentin has the west office. The counting clerk has the east office and the coins are quickly counted here automatically.

DM Sorry I added too much detail on the counting and teleportation coin thing.

The vault holds at least five grand and a security demon. She leaves the security area and misses the doors auto lock.

The casino group fade from the site around midnight to 0300.

The muggers mug the security staff member. The changeling duplicates him. They steal his security card. Then tie him to log and send him down the river.

0700 17 hours to go to midnight. The muggers report honestly and fully. The others report. Rhodes and Buildrick forget to report that they had been made.

Complication Three. Made Members.

The plan. The flyer group of Rhodes, Buildrick, Lucifer, and Bronwyn will enter around 1000. Rhodes will lose at a high-stake game and then watch the Tourney. Lucifer will hit the restaurant then the Tourney. Team B will go straight to the tourney. The vault team will spread out entry. Bartek will take place of the mugged guard reporting at 1200. Locket will enter a 1300 and get busted by Bartek at 1430. Shem Ko will enter at 1300 and be busted at 1530 by Bartek. Bilek will enter at 1500 shape shift into a rat in one of the bathrooms. She will then pocket herself in Bartek around 1530.

At 1600 the vault crew will secure the camera room and make for the vault. Lucifer will break the glass case. Grab the statue and fly out the waterfall. The other of the flyers will provide cover by throwing ball bearings to slow the guards and fade.

Complication four. 0800 the body tied to tree is found and identified. The staff goes to yellow alert.

The flyer group enters. Around 1100 Rhodes is made and is invited publicly to have tea with Quentin. Around 1130 Buildrick is made and invited to publicly to have tea with Quentin. She first refuses. Then agrees. They both get stripped of everything and give a bathroom. And are tossed into Cell A and Cell B.

Arriving at work Bilek is busted. He tries to escapes and tries to blend with the audience in the Tourney Room. Having been half beaten before entering the room, he is discovered. He is the only one in uniform which the other employees don’t know. He is stripped and bathrobe and tossed in Cell C. He starts tries to tick off the guards by singing badly. But they like his singing.

1430 Locket is not busted. She continues to gamble but slows down.

1500 Bilek is late.

1530 Bilek is late and Shem Ko is not busted.

1559 Bilek arrives but has not made off the docks.

1600 Lucifer and Bronwyn start. He breaks the glass and snatches the statues. He knees guard one in the special place. Bronwyn just misses her toss of marbles and is spotted by the second guard. Both flee toward the second bridge.

1601 Casino goes to red alert. Guards tell everyone get on the ground. Dealers start to secure the tables. The circus plays on.

1602. Half the casino is in lock down. Rhodes had groin punch the second guard and is just over bridge two when the takes damage. Rhodes, “Catch!” He tosses the statue toward Bronwyn. He has also palmed guard two key card.

1603 Rhodes flies toward the security door. The Casino goes into full lockdown. Bilek shifts into white lion form and charges the north security door.

1602 and 45 seconds. Bronwyn leaps up and MISSES the catch. She slides toward the edge of bridge. She tips the statue back into play toward guard two and slides into the water. Bronwyn, “naughty word I can’t swim.”

1603 10 seconds. Rhodes uses the key card to get entrance to the north hallway missing hand crossbow bolts. He dashes down the hall into the security hallway and opens the security door. And catches one crossbolt to the gut and dodges two others. He flies toward the cell door.

THUNK! The cell door does not move. He hops up from prone grabs the cell door and cell keys and opens the door. Just as he gets a reverse mohawk from another bolt. He tosses the keys to Bartek. “GOOD LUCK” the monk flees the security office. Bartek shoves the keys into his pocket.

1603 15 seconds. Bartek takes three bolts to the body.

1603 21 seconds a boom is heard as a white lion slams into the green door. The door opens and out flies an Aarakocra.

1604 Bronwyn drowns after being knock off from the waterfall drop. Lucifer escapes.

1605 Bily is captured.

1630 Lucifer finds Bronwyn body but no statue.

1805 The Casino is lifted from lock down. Shem Ko and Locket fade.

Midnight. Lahdia Mizreem wins the tourney.

Epilogue. The prisoners don’t talk. Seven days later while they are being transported to prison four guys on a black flying carpet with red slash break them out.

End of session 514.

 

[jasper]

I told the players they could post something in defense of their pcs. This arrived.
Buildrick has been wrongly convicted! All he wanted to do was go to a relaxing casino and have fun and destress from a stressful situation that he went through at the museum.
Hearing a guard in the room you're in almost getting stabbed by an assassin and having to run to the nearby walls to avoid being trampled by the panicked crowd is very stressful. He went to the casino to hopefully relax and take his mind off things only to be sent to a jail cell because someone recognized him! He was kind and didn't fight being led to the cell, but he was very upset on how people thought he was a bad guy because someone from the museum he DIDN'T know recognize him.
And when chaos started he was in the jail cell and people never went to get him out in said chaos. Now his vacation was ruined and he is even more stressed. He was nothing but kind to the workers in the spa who were overworked and happily played the games doing nothing related to the chaos that had happened that day. He didn't fight back when they searched him, and he didn't do anything to try to escape the cell.
He just waited patiently to be released.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

The map does not show it but the museum is built halfway into a hill since the ground floor and basement both have access to the streets

Just noticed this, I don't belive this is the author's intent. The maps don't show the exterior of the museum, but the author clearly modelled this building on a Victorian style museum, of which I have visited many. They invariably have an external grand staircase leading up to the main entrance, so the "ground" flour is well above street level. The rear entrance is a loading bay, so would have a vehicular access ramp.

 

[jasper]

Keys From the Golden Vault Session 3

Reach for the Stars

Day 60 To Day 62

PC Killed 1 Monsters Killed 8 Villains Captured 1 Villains Escaped 5 PC Captured 7

Begin Time 6:27 End 8:54

Take 10 Downtime days. Take a Level. 350 gp

Magic items Potion of Healing * 3, Scroll Arms of Hadar, Scroll Bane, Scroll Dimension Door, Scroll Crown of Madness, Scroll Sleep, Potion of Healing *4, Potion of Gaseous Form, Oil of Slipperiness, Blood Poison, Ring of Jumping, Potion of Poison Special, Scroll Armor of Agathys, Scroll Arms of Hadar

Spell Book, Arcane lock, Detect Magic, Detect Thoughts, Knock, Mage Armor, Magic Missile, Phantasmal Force, Shield, & Suggestion.

Uncommon Magic item. (I need to approve them.)

I had an average group of six. Buildrick Artificer 3 human. Bronwyn Barbarian 3 Human. Rhodes warlock 4 tiefling. Shemko Cleric 3 wood Elf. Benny Warlock 1 Yaun-ti, Vox Eloquence bard 4 Autmn Eladrin.

The Odor of the Poop Stick was summoned. Greetings, operatives. Vasil Talistrome, a sage who works with the Golden Vault, has reported the theft of The Celestial Codex. This book contains rituals that, in the wrong hands, could be used to summon dangerous extraplanar entities. The book was stolen by a nobleman named Markos Delphi, who might be under the influence of some profane entity. Four adventurers hired to retrieve the book from Delphi Mansion have disappeared without a trace. We have good reason to believe they’re dead. This quest, should you choose to undertake it, requires you to travel to Delphi Mansion and retrieve The Celestial Codex. May you fare better than the last group. Good luck, operatives

With 72 hours to go Key master Shemko loans at reasonable rates his crew 10 GP to buy potions of healing, horses and cart. With 69 hours to go they leave No Name City and journey to the Delphi mansion. About an hour out from the mansion they get a heads up.

Buildrick, “That is not a heads up but heads down. In fact, it is in a stump. Hey it looks like it the head of Elra.”

Elra, “Beware. My crew bought it. If you make a bard joke Shemko I will put my foot up your.”

Shemko, “You can’t do that Lt Dan, you don’t have any legs or body for that matter.”

Elra, “Sigh. There is a base camp about a mile from the mansion. We left some notes there. Butterfly!”

Shemko, “Why should we hit base camp. We get in. Get the book. And leave.”

Elra somehow is now facedown in the stump. She mumbles. “Butterfly. I don’t really care. Hey watch the hair. I not going into the sack with you.” Shemko tries shoving her head into a bag so they can have an extra hand on the shift.”

DM, “12 minutes in and already breaking the module.” Dice are rolled.

Elra, “I think I stay right here. Nice butterflies and Mr. Buildrick have made me an umbrella hat to keep off the sun. Butterfly.” Arriving at the base camp they find a map, information of something in the subbasement, the command to unlock the windows security, and the makings of Beef Wellington.

Arriving on site they group enters through the east windows of the dining room. They split up. Shemko and Rhodes take the north wall and find the kitchen is clean. Benny and the Vox find a secret room with creepy hands. And Team B finds only mostly dead deer head who head butts the barbarian. Strangely the sounds of combat does not cause an alarm. A wild magic surge yes which causes the doors to grow teeth, but not alarm. The barbarian and Benny need a nap after this brief adventure. After Nappies, the group explores the west wing.

Finding a rug which needs a good beating and another secret room with more gold and scrolls in. Wandering back to the kitchen Shemko tries to make Beef Wellington but a magic surge turns into four-day old tacos. After a quick nibble, he orders the party onward into the main hall.

The two guardians attack the party and the magical poop stick gets pass from pc to pc to monster to pc before it strikes a clean blow. Entering the study the mage Zala is amused that they are still living. He has been keeping an eye out for them.

Vox, “Well he been busy since he only has one eye.”

Beeny lays down a smooth layer of flattery and gets him to admit the cultists are in the subbasement. Just go into the pantry, move the laundry from the clothesline and trigger the secret door.

Entering the wine cellar, Bronwyn finds a secret door and tries bashing it down. On the third body rush, she runs over the cultists to see who came knocking. After a good groin stomp and charm person.

Franswah, “Hey there friend could you help me up Mr. Benny. Ouch. Excellent groin stomp. These are my fellows Francis, Frank, and Fran. We are studying the Eldritch Surges and the Krokulmar. Oh you want to meet the owner. He is downstairs doing a ritual. Follow me.”

At ritual Makos is busy adding an space worm to the body of Elra. He is slightly distracted by the interruption. Benny and Vox keep up a line of conversation until they get closer. Snatch the ritual book from him Beeny tries to flee but is teleported back into the ritual circle.

With an interruption spike, the group know how to break the eldritch gate. With a couple of thumps to the head of Markos, a sword through the heart of Franswah, and some breaking of ritual things Markos snaps out his madness. The group is concern they will have to fight their way out but Makos just goes to the stairwell and yells.

Markos, “Hey Cultists, your rent is pass due. It has better be ready when I get up there.” The sounds of retreating feet are heard. With the eldritch space vanished, they still down and have real Beef Wellington for midnight snacks.

DM Note. I don’t know who gave Rhodes the poop stick. The dice broke for the party except for some initiative.

End of Session 515

 

[jasper]

Keys From the Golden Vault Session 4

Prisoner 13

Day 92 to 182

PC Killed 1 Monsters Killed 8 Villains Captured 1 Villains Escaped 5 PC Captured 7

Begin Time 6:30 End 8:34

Take 10 Downtime days. Take a Level. 200 gp

Magic Items Choose 4 Cap of Water Breathing, dust of Disappearance, Gem of Brightness, Mithral Armor (your choice), Potion of Lighting, Resistance, slippers of spider Climbing

I had an average group of five. Buildrick Artillerist 4 human. Bronwyn Barbarian Human. Keke Cleric 4 wood elf. Rhodes Warlock Tiefling 4. North Rogue 4 Astral Elf.

Story Award Cook Off. The Ghost Vlax Marthannis. He did not like Keke insults. While in your body, insulted others. Disadvantage on social checks involving dwarves for 3 checks.

Key Master Buildrick talks with Varrin Axebreaker. His cousin stole some stuff and locked away in a vault. Magic prevents the clan from opening. The keys need to get the key or a good duplicate from Prisoner 13 who is being held in Revel’s End. Varrin can slip the party into the prison as either guards or cooks. Or they could bluff their way in as wandering merchants. Revel’s End is in Icewind Dale. The map of the prison shows all cells have permanent antimagic fields. The tower does have artificer artifacts to help watch the cells. Three days after they arrive the probate office will have meetings with various prisoners to see if they get parole.

Key Master thinks of various plots and so does the group. Slipping the prisoner poison and a potion of hill giant strength is thought of. Dwarf poison is 100 GP but the Hill Giant potion cost more than their funds.

(DM NOTE. This where the dice started to hate me.)

The plan. North and Bronwyn are going to be guards. Keke a cook. Rhodes and Buildrick will hide out near the prison and arrive the day of the job. (Communicate between the groups were had waved.)

The hired help arrives and are given their assignments. Bronwyn gets morning shift which includes breakfast. She is assigned the security console. Keke and North are both assigned middle shift. During their shift they are both assigned feed duty of the prisoners.

(I am going to be melt my dice). Prisoner 13 is in cell 4. Prisoner Holga Cell 11. Prisoner Edgin Cell 12.

(AND now the dice hate me for real.)

Keke, “Prisoner 13 we will break you out in two days. I will slip you some poison. Drink it while I making the chow run. We get you to hospital.”

Prisoner 13, “A couple of problems. I like it here. I have no reason to trust you. And why are you doing this.”

Keke, “Listen here spade ears. DM, I draw a toy knife!”

DM BLINKS. AND BLINKS AGAIN. From the intercom lock down is announced. Seven guards rush out and capture Keke. North is read the riot act. Keke is escorted to Warden Marta Marthannis. Martha has a small drinking problem.

DM, “Give me a d12. High or low.”

Keke, “Low. 1.”

Arriving at the warden office, the guards are dismissed. Marta is getting drunk.

Marta, “I need some questions answered. And look. I am not asking you how big my office is, I just saying I can cast fireball. Now answer the questions.” Keke notices a dwarf face is overlaying the human female spell caster. Some witty remarks go back and forth. And some insults.

Keke, “Turn Undead!”

DM BLINKS. AND BLINKS AGAIN. DM double checks the spell, the monsters, the plot line.

The drunken dwarf is pushed out of the warden body. As the warden is quickly sobering up, North is summoned and also questioned. He gives mostly true answers. Prisoner 13 is summoned.

Prisoner 13, Warden Marta, Ghost Vlax, and the other two cut a deal. Prisoner 13 gets some reading material. Vlax will possess Keke. The rest of crew will only know a deal was made. The guards and cook will return to Luskan at the end of their three-month deployment.

Two days later Hogan and Edgin escape during their parole meeting.

DM Notes. Not one combat. Before the knife fight, I didn’t roll a total of 15 on the various checks. Good job for letting Keke and North hog the table even if the plan didn’t go as planned.

For other DMS. Lots of moving parts in this one. I rolled a d4 and d6 for the cell numbers. I don’t why they give prisoners names and not their number since that was one of the plot points.

End of Session 517

 

[jasper]

I thought Keke blew it when he drew the dagger. He and Rhodes are high school teens. And since they been playing for while I started trying to make them knock off the BS statements by if they say it their pcs do it.

 

[jasper]

Key From the Golden Vault Session 5

Tockworth’s Clockworks

Day 187 to Day 188

PC Killed 1 Monsters Killed 15 Villains Captured 1 Villains Escaped 6 PC Captured 7

Start Time 7:58 End Time 9:38

Take 1,000 GP. 10 down time days. A level.

Magic Items. Boots of Striding and Springing, Stone of Good Luck, Driftglobe, and a rare magic item (my approval).

I had a strong group of six. Buildrick argillites artificer human. Bronwyn barbarian 5 human. Leon Paladin 5 Tiefling. Ontemos Changeling rogue 5. Clunk Cleric 5 Half orc. Will Silver Artificer 5 gnome.

Key Master Leon, “Who are you?”

Mayor Braith Broadfoot, “I am the mayor. Who are you? I am on a smoke break!” She lights another cigarette off her old one.

Key Master Leon, “We are the Golden Vault!” What follows is the Silver Locks have finally gotten at the scene ahead of the Vaulties. They are an hour ahead of the group. Tixie Tockworth try to take over with her robots. The deep gnomes have been here a ten day and the final count shows people missing. The prisoners numbering ten goblins and a bugbear. Ignus Flint a rival of Tixie. And a few of the monks and abbot. (DM Note this information is scattered through the story.) The mayor does say it okay to kill Tixie, she just wants her city back. And Braith will split the reward if necessary. She passes the group over to Sergeant Yombard Lockford who order two mages to use two knock spells to open the doors. He does pass on the password for the gates to be open.

Little Lockford is build on a magma pool which is use to help smelt down their products. Six islands are connected to each other by bridges. Over half the bridges have been raised. (DM Note, print off an additional map and highlight which bridges are up. Also mark up your map with locations.)

The raid on the mayor’s office for more supplies is a bust. As it has been looted and Tosh Starling an orc of the Locks lies dead along with a steel defender mark two. Ontemos beheads the body and takes it form. Buildrick drops the rest of the body into the magma.

Moving on to the Abbey, they discovered Slonk a goblin and Yuzzik a bugbear are the only remaining survivors. The only monk here is the ghost of the abbot who appears out of the walls to yell at them. It has to be a ghost as any wall they enter are.

Key Master Leon, “how thick is the wood of the abbey.”

Buildrick, “It is all stone. Lava is below. Remember! Doh!”

As numerous pick axe marks on the various walls, it shows no secret panels are here.

Clunk, “Incoming.” A spy eye drone with an alarm sounds off. It is quickly smashed but the alarm has been raised. Dashing on to Turbine Heights, the artificers enter the power station, a heat metal on a robot caught in the generator three clears the yellow lights and they lower the bridge to the overlook.

Just as the enter the top floor of the security center, Tixie teleports into the south side. The changeling tries to talk her down but his sunny demeanor ticks her off. She activates her personal force field and steam cannon.

Wil and Buildrick, “DIBS.”

Wil, “I called Dibs first.”

Buildrick, “No I did.”

Wil, “No. NO. I called dibs first. I want the force shield.”

Key Master Leon, “Shield to Wil, cannon to Buildrick but we must first kill the mother fluffer!”

Tixie, “What you going to kill me. Murder me. Behind your rivals. But not cuss?”

Leon, “I promised my mummy not to cuss. Die Mother Fluffer.” A few seconds later. “No key. She must have been in her failsafe and escaped the locks. Charge.” As they charge across the bridge to Smoldertown it raises. They slide to base and run on.

The Locks have destroyed Tockworth’s Clockworks. From the third floor of the secret lair, the Locks can be seen running toward the power station. They give chase. As they near the end of the bridge all bridges are return to the down position. Torgia Stonecrusher is seen leaving the power station and playing rear guard.

Leon regroups his forces and follows. He gets to the Locks just as the first signal is given to Sgt Yombard.

Ontemos, “hey guys I think we should form an alliance with the Vaulties.”

Lock Master Arlo, “Please Changeling. We saw Tosh get his face eaten by the steel defender. But we can split the prize. No harm no foul.”

Key Master, “Kill them.”

Clunk, “Fireball coming on line.”

Ontemos, “I charge!”

Lock Master Arlo, “One dead changeling dead.” She rings the bell the second time.”

Key Master Leon looks at the cleric. “Send it. One of you left. You can keep your bag of holding and your dead bodies.” Suddenly Ignus Flint in is cave master 3000 arrives and starts yelling at both groups.

The door opens and the mayor sorts the mess out.

DM Notes New fail condition if we are not in an end scene at a half hour before closing, I may fail the mission. I will be limiting to planning time to no more than a half hour. Please review your pc sheets, and updated them as necessary. Ontemos is kill number 150.

End of Session 520

 

[jasper]

Key From the Golden Vault Session 6

Masterpiece Imbroglio

Day 218 to Day 220

PC Killed 1 Monsters Killed 23 Villains Captured 2 Villains Escaped 8 PC Captured 7

Start Time 630 End Time 9:56

Take 1,000 GP. 10 down time days. A level.

Magic Item A rare magic item subject to my approval

I had an average group of five. Buildrick Artillerist Artificer 6 Human. Bronwyn Zealot Barbarian 6 human. Rhodes the Cannibal warlock 6 Tiefling. Leon Oath of Vengeance Paladin 6 tiefling. Johnnie Be Good Hill dwarf cleric 5.

Welcome back to the Game Johnnie Be Good. Bonus award 500 GP and 40 Downtime days

Greeting Operatives. A valuable painting has been stolen from a member of the Cognoscenti Esoterica, an organization with connections to the Golden Vault. The Cognoscenti Esoterica specializes in the study of rare objects of historical significance. We suspect that the stolen painting Constantori’s Portrait, has magical properties and ties to the occult.

This quest, should you choose to undertake it, require you to infiltrate the guildhouse of the Agile Hand, a dangerous thieves’ guild. Find where the painting is kept, recover and return it to Adrisa Carimorte of the Cognoscenti Esoterica. A preliminary meeting with Adrisa has been arranged, a coach will arrive shortly to deliver you safety to her location. Good Luck Operatives.



The rain started pouring on Buildrick as he waited on the carriage. He was the first pick up. The rain increased with each pick up in Carmel by the river. Arriving at a barn near the town limits, they are escorted up stairs to question Grinky a human who was captured during the painting heist. They question him for an hour. The Painting is in the guildhouse. Either in the basement maze or guild master quarters. Lights out is at 2200. With only guards moving around. Maybe Zeke the Sneak will be moving around due to their small bladder. Every 90 minutes. All floors are squeaky so people can practice stealth daily. Elix the Saint is a drunk who is one more foul up from being out of the guild. He drinks regularly at Tipsy. He is a second lieutenant. Passwords would have been changed since Grinky’s capture.



Key Master Bronwyn, “Johnnie Be Good and Buildrick are scouts. They will observe the house and fade at 0200 if we don’t make contact. Team Buzz will visit Tipsy from 1200 to 2400. Rhodes will play the salvage cannibal to cause some distraction if necessary. Leon will be drinking buddy. Keep your purses open as we be a party which is coming off an adventure but are near the end of loot. We one good hard party before being broke. No fights. Break Contact and meet up with the scouts. We will try to get the Saint drunk and debrief them.”



(DM Note Do make some copies of the DM map for the players it may be necessary. Also note locations of sleepers and drinkers.)



The Saint arrives at 1845. For the first hour Team Buzz just observes. Drinking Buddy moves in and challenges Saint to a dart game. He tries to lose on purpose. Luckly the Saint does not notice Drinking Buddy flubbing the game. But.



Complication. Saint cons visitors into buying him the good stuff. The drinking continues with two small complications. One Leon’s Purse is getting light. Two. Leon can’t hold his booze. After nearly passing out, the key master pulls him.



Bronwyn moves and starts the flirt and skirt. This works except.



Complication. Bronwyn can’t handle the good stuff but leads heavy on flirt. She gets Saint out the door and team Buzz follows. Arriving at the overlook position they come up with a plan. With Disguise Self, Leon will become Saint bringing home a girlfriend. They will take out the guard on the balcony and then return and open the front door. They bluff their way in.



Complication (which the DM just discovered). They enter the right-hand house with barn not the guild master house. Staggering up the steps to the back look out they fail to take her out. The Alarm starts. But another gut strike pulls the guard out.



The Alarm spins down.



Complication Gwish is awoken during the alarm. He is ogre mage and knows the rules. The bluff does not succeed and the Alarm spins up. The assault begins with no plan. The following take place in the next two minutes.



(DM Note. Grinky knowledge is good but not totally accurate. Remember this if you want to make the difficulty harder.)



The fight in the work house goes to Team Buzz. Bronwyn tosses the dead body of Gwish into the doorway of the trainees. Rhodes fireballs the stable, which catches on fire. He then makes a bee line for the basement. Buildrick frees the horses and fades.



Sinner is not a real person but him and Johnnie Be Good have a nice conversation as they try to kill each other. The Guild master flirts with Johnnie before Bronwyn flees the work house and tries to enter the main house.



Both healing and spirit guardian spells go off. Saving Bronwyn and killing most of the trainees. Leon offers a 900 GP bribe to the guild master.



The stable master runs over Rhodes and frees the last horse and flees. Rhodes discovers a prisoner in the basement maze.



The bribe is accepted. Rhodes and the prisoner get out the building work house with just feet to spare.



Team Lock had stolen the painting. But has to return it due to the bribe.

End of Session 521

 

[jasper]

DM will need two dm maps for this. One for normal hours and one for sleeping hours and make adjustments to people's locations.

The dice were fair to both sides last night.