MORE WINE!: Session 4
The general setup is here. But I have not recorded the first 3 sessions.
Returning once more to Aeolos' cellar are the following:
Captain Buffet Dwarf 1
Garret Thief 1
Rogon Fighter 1
Issac Cleric 1
Abraham follower 1
Despite the death of Shade (MU 1, bats), the hideous injury to Hela (MU 1, cavalier), and failure to return with any wine, the party gathers its remaining members 24 hours later to return to the fabled cellars. Aeolos' current demands are 4 amphorae of any type, except the same wine as Week 1 (where they previously discovered SITTING PRIESTESS wine).
(DM NOTE: Since it was 24 hours later in-game time, the party does not get a week's rest so instead have to roll a CON check, and if they pass, gain 1d4 HP)
DOWN THE STAIRS to the STONE SATYR...
The party passes the leering statue without incident. Issac covers the eyes of the chaste Abraham to guard against the accuracy of the nymph statues. The satyr's cup goes unfilled. Traveling through the north archway the party is surprised to find the corpse of the Iron Hand missing.
DECORATIVE VINEYARD: They find once again each door is marked by a grape motif: north is white, east is green, and west is red. The PCs choose "west".
GRAND LOUNGE: The Party finds a long rug and many sitting chairs, loveseats, and chaise loungers all mixed. No strange creatures in cloth-covered heads this time. The party remembers that through the west door in this room is a singing fountain that put them under its thrall. The party turns north heading toward the CHECKERED CHURCH a known wine cellar.
(DM NOTE: In that session, all the PC failed their saves so it was time to break out one of those popular Escape the Dungeon d20 tables; might need to tone down the singing fountain- maybe...)
THE CHECKERED CHURCH: Slamming the stuck door open, the PCs survey the room: black and white columns, pomegranate motif, nymph being carried off by a saytr on the east wall. Captain Buffet goes over to inspect that mural and finds that the mural depicts a sorta trail of eaten pomegranates dropped from the nymph to the west wall. And Garret joins him. With a keen dwarven eye and a thief's instinct, a secret door if found where all the pomegranates have been "eaten" off the tree.
But before the secret room could be explored, the north door bursts open and in sways 5 very drunk humans wearing poorly made-up costumes in a "sea-king" motif. They shout a greeting and keep wanting to take on the PCs are additional party(ing) members: "Come-on have a swig, have a swig!"
Garret the thief steps forward to take a swig while Captain Buffet partakes of his own bottle. The clerics abstain. Garret is able to keep the soured wine down to loud exclamation by the intoxicated group. They grab him by the shoulders and push him through the north door.
THE ROOT CELLAR: Stumbling through the dark after the drunken revealers, the party notices they have no difficulty navigating the dark and moving through doors...hmmm. The turn west and are halted in their tracks by more inebriated hollering of another group of shabbily dressed humans- this time as nymphs.
The Nymphs refuse to let anyone pass and the leader demands a champion. The "Sea-Kings" push Garret forward as their champion. Garret wheels around and demands that the king of the "Sea-Kings" steps up to this challenge. His request is met with a skull-cracking blow to the face (DM NOTE: 12 rounds until dead). Melee ensues to the delight of the Nymphs, but Captain Buffet and Rogon dispatch filet the "Kings" causing them to lose their morale and run-- Nymphs giving chase with high cackles.
(DM NOTE: Dig the death and dismemberment tables. Been using them in Nightwick, so I grabbed one from Necropraxis for this dungeon; previously I've just done save vs. Death)
But before tears can be shed over Garret and pockets turned out (+24sp), Slip the thief drops out of the large root in the ceiling claiming to have been chased by a giant centipede and seeking to get a message from the thieves guild to Garret.
The party turns south in search of more wine.
SINGING FOUNTAIN: Not hearing anything through the door, the PCs open it with a bang! Nothing. They scope the fountain found here of a nymph balancing on 3 amphorae reaching for a bright orb. Slip scales the statue and is able to dislodge a crystal hummingbird that continually emits light (+200sp). The party realizes going east in this room links them back to the GRAND LOUNGE. They turn south instead.
THE DRAGON'S FOREST: Players enter a room with a basrelief forest carved into the walls. They notice the basrelief dragon on the floor with a gaping hole where its mouth is- something glints there. Issac also notices that there is an image of a kneeling satyr on the north wall with a speech bubble "Please pray with me"
(DM NOTE: Its actually quite useful to know if a PC is literate or not, which is found in BX, because the written word is a puzzle)
Slip and Abraham devise a way to tie a rope around Slip and lower him into the dragon's mouth to retrieve the shiny objects (DM NOTE no encounter check...lucky) and the nimble thief is able to retrieve a thing metal wand and a necklace (400sp + a wand). Issac chooses to kneel with the satyr and when he does so he hears a "click"... and a secret door opens...
TABERNACLE OF THE ELEPHANT... revealing a large desiccated green corpse with the body of a man but the massive head of an elephant. And WINE! Large amphorae are lined up and labeled The Green Hierophant. The PCs grab amphorae for each person and leg it back to the cellar door.
... AND BACK UP OUT OF THE CELLAR
The head steward is very pleased! The party is rewarded with silver (and xp) for the recovery. And as agreed, invite the party members to attend the festivities at the end of the week (staying to the side of course) if they would like. Captain Buffet, Rogon, and Issac agree. Slip slips out the door to head into the city to sell the found items and drink in the relative "safety" of the city bars. As a result:
- Issac, restrainedly sipping at the delicious wine, makes little impact at the party
- Rogon, fooled by the soft civil nature of the minor nobility, is taken for all he is worth in a game of dice! By Crom!
- Captain Buffet, in the middle of a wine-fueled recounting of his time battling on the underground rivers, receives a painful flash in his mind knocking him flat on the table! The dwarven gods demand servitude and send him a quest!
- Slip manages to sell a lot the goods and goes in search of rumors in the city.
Until the next time when all is drunk dry.
