The Mines of Armoire
Background #
Rumors abound that a league of Free Peoples has survived in the Mines of Armoire. The rumors say that the Enemy Peoples are afraid to venture into the mines, not only because of the ferocity of the Free Peoples below, but because of the presence of a terrible being that dwells in the deep.
1st Run -- "With Rescuers Like These, Who Needs the Slave Lords?" #
Player Characters #
Coulda Bean Human Mage
Frankin Bean, Dwarven Hero
Has Bean, Human Hero
L.L. Bean, Hobbit Gaia Cleric
Refried Bean, Hobbit Hero
Soy Bean, Elven Guardian
On the Expedition #
The party was charged with discovering whether the rumors of Free Peoples in Armoire were true, and, if so, telling them that the King was rising again. After carefully skirting the realm of the Gryphonriders, our hasted heroes slept at the edge of the mountains, just off the road to Armoire, when...
"Something's coming. I better take off my clothes." #
Refried, as part of the third watch, heard a strange noise coming from the road. He immediately removed his plate mail and went to investigate.
"Don't worry, the 8-ball is always right." #
The disturbance turned out to be a large wagon, presenting the party with its first quandary: to attack the wagon or not? After much discussion about its possible contents, they consulted the 8-ball, which directed them to attack. Dispatching the wagon's guards used up nearly all their spell points and half of the heroes' hit points. Worse, the wagon contained a shipment of slaves, not magic items, presenting the party with a second quandary: to leave the slaves, take them to Wyzendor, or take them to Armoire? The future was looking grim for those pesky, useless slaves, until the forces of good (finally) decided to drag them along to search for the rumored shafts that led into Armoire.
After further consultation with the 8-ball, the party wanted to know, "Before we proceed, can we have some healing?" "NO!" replied L.L., the party cleric, without hesitation. Since the captured wagon driver had told the party that a dark elf checkpoint was expecting the wagon later in the day, there was no time to wait to regain prayer points--and noncritical healing was definitely not on our cleric's agenda. After more discussion and pleading from the slaves, the party butchered the driver, sent the wagon back in the direction it came from, and grudgingly took the slaves cross- country in the direction of Armoire. They even convinced L.L. to heal them up a little, just in case...
"I'm just afraid we'll end up as one of those stories at the end of the con... We'll walk right into the fiery pit and then we'll be forever known as the Baked Beans." #
Some time later, they reached the foothills of the mountains and spent a restless night, bothered by strange gigglings that came and went in the darkness. (The Watch performed quite a show for the hidden watchers, who much appreciated the comedic efforts of Has...)
The morning revealed a series of signs leading up into mountains, advertising a mysterious "Armoire Tourist Bureau". As it turns out, a settlement of goblins was offering guided tours to the open shafts leading down to Armoire! It was too good to be true (hence the above comment about the fiery pits), and the catch was that the goblins wanted them to fill out an endless stream of paperwork to go on the tour. An irate Coulda seemed ready to burn the village, while Has determinedly tried to please the goblin sense of chaotic humor without actually filling out paperwork...
Eventually the goblins decided that these adventurers weren't going to be a source of any more fun, especially since they inexplicably refused to complete forms in purple ink! The goblin guide then led the adventurers to a purportedly "open" shaft. Not trusting the goblins, but also willing to do almost anything to escape them, the party descended...
An hour later they were hopelessly lost in a maze of twisting tunnels. Coulda and Soy then discovered that their attunements to other party members had been broken. While they were chewing over just what that meant, an Armoirean patrol showed up and berated them for using torches. The patrol leader spoke fair but looked suspiciously like a dark elf...
"Could we please get out of here before I [Has Bean] have to fight?" #
And then Frankin disappeared, and the deep throbbing of drums in the deep began... The patrol excitedly ran for a good vantage point, and the party discovered the the Good folk of Armoire consider combat to the death to be the way of maintaining one's fighting trim (as long as it's a fair fight!). Questioning the patrol, the party heard more than they wanted to know about the "Light" that summoned the Armoireans to combat in the Tournament and protected them from the outer world. Frankin lost, but fortunately it turned out that the combats are only sometimes fatal.
The party chatted up the patrol at the nearest tavern and were eventually honored by the presence Kaylar, a former Champion and member of the ruling council.
Refried disappeared, but returned victorious from a bout in the Arena. Kaylar told the party that Armoire waited only for the High King's Rising, at which point the army would come forth to again fight Evil in the land. She demanded proof of the High King's return (preferably a visit from the King himself), and let the party know that the Champion of the city would soon be chosen as that generation's Tournament drew towards its close...
Refried disappeared and returned victorious from his match. The party, a little worried by the frequent need to face death by combat, decided to return to Wyzendor and report posthaste.
2nd Run -- "The Mines of Armoire" #
Player Characters #
D'Vorn, Dwarven Gaia Cleric
Delthek, Dwarven Hero
Ka Lup, Fey Mage
Rejj, Human Guardian
Ustace, Dwarven Hero
Who, Hobbit Aru Cleric
On the Expedition #
The party was charged with furthering relations with the Free Peoples of Armoire and gathering intelligence on the disposition of Enemy forces. With the teleport plinth to Irongate in place, they chose to travel along the western edge of the mountains and look for Armoire's West-Gate. This would also allow them to keep a lookout for Ashgar, who was purportedly in the area.
With a hobbit cook/guide in tow, the party took to their flying carpet (with a case iron stove in tow) and headed out to the find the sacred grove which hid the gate. Then the smoke started from the southeast.... following a trail of fire and destruction, the party arrived at the blasted remains of the grove. A dismembered Ent lay beneath a hole blasted in the rock face just above a narrow ledge far above the ground. A duck watched from just inside the entrace.
"I can use my Ring of Detect Evil on the duck." #
Believing this to be the remains of West-Gate, the party prepared to enter. But the duck's presence gave the brave adventurers some pause, and finally D'Vorn convinced the others it would be safe to let him go speak to it... Duck Gertrude, while less than a sparkling conversationalist, did safely lead the party through the maze of the upper halls and into the depths of Armoire.
"It's OK, we have a plan." #
Soon after making contact with the Armoirean patrols, a patrol leader disappeared, then reappeared looking a little winded. Then Ustace and Delthek both disappeared. Delthek didn't survive the match, although it was a mighty battle. While exploring the Artisans quarter, the party learned that Ashgar and his dread Fellowship had passed the West-gate and were attempting to pass the upper halls, closely watched by the patrols. The Armorians were setting up a final ambush, and the players settled in to plan for the final encounter...
3rd Run -- "The Lion, the Witch, and the Armoire" #
Player Characters #
Domas, Human Guardian
Gundra, Dwarven Guardian
Miklos, Hobbit Mavors Cleric
Zoltan, Human Guardian
The party was charged with gathering information about the troll army besieging Armoire. It was suggested that they capture a slave carriage being sent to the troll encampment, and use it as their means of gaining access to the camp. If they were capable of making it into Armoire proper and further relations with the Free Peoples, they were to do so.
After skirting the mountains around Wyzendor for a bit, they cut across the Eagleclaw plains in hopes of rendezvousing with the road the carriage would most likely use. Traveling at night and hiding during the day, they dodged a number of gargoyle patrols (Lasting enhanced hearing and telescopic vision sure does help) before spotting the slave carriage as it made camp for the evening.
Takng off their armor, and stealthily approaching, they were lucky to find the humans asleep, and only one guard on watch (a gargoyle). Taking a moment to carefully plan their attack, they cast Hold Portal was cast on the carriage door in case more guards (trolls perhaps) were in there. The gargoyle was lightning lanced, but wait! they missed a guard, who managed to waken his band just before total surprise. Nonetheless, the attack went smoothly and quickly. In less than 30 seconds the guards outside were dead, and the trolls inside the wagon surrendered. (Two strength prayers, some panther reflexes, and lance spells sure do come in handy.)
The party took great care (with Miklos' guidance) in Suggesting the trolls so that the trolls would flee back to their tribes in search of females, without a thought of reporting the fate of their charge. The slaves of course were now free, but told that their best chance for survival lay in staying with the party to help in their task. A slave wagon without slaves is not very believable, after all. (The slaves were convinced.)
So the party (with slaves in tow) proceeded to the troll encampment outside Armoire. Using forged documents received at Wyzendor, they got passed various inspections, and made it to the encampment. There they convinced the trolls in charge to let them through the East Gate into the mines of Armoire where the troll army had set up camp on the eastern side of a bridge that led deeper into the mines.
However, once they showed their papers to the trolls inside the mines, they were asked to wait while the troll mentioned on the papers was found and brought in to process the slaves. However, there was no such troll as named on the papers, and the party nervously debated a course of action. Finally, they decided to turn themselves (and the slaves! -- the Mavors cleric refused to leave them behind) Invisible and Levitate themselves (and again, the slaves!), then have one Flying member of the party tow the others. Their plan was working perfectly(?!) until they came to the bridge...
2nd & 3rd Runs Combine : "Don't Shoot the Floaters!" #
The scene: a huge underground cavern with a bridge crossing a bottomless pit (you've seen this before).
On one side: Armoirean archers and mages line tiny balconies, while groups of Heroes wait down various tunnels... and a small strike force sits under the bridge on a magic carpet.
The other side: Ashgar and his Fellowship, though a hundred trolls from the East-gate soon show up to help...
But then Ka Lup (with Analyze Spell up): What's that floating towards us across the cavern?!! Oh, it's just a bunch of invisible slaves being rescued by the other party...
The result: Pandemonium
Just when you thought this was only a big combat: a huge glowing light rises up out of the pit and a cry of "FEAR NOT!" rings through the cavern.
"There's a human making for the armor." "I target him." "Wait, is he on our side?" #
Half the combantants flee.... and Ashgar and Gavriol (aka the "Light") prepare to do battle. Ashgar strikes the High King's Armor from Gavriol's body during the light show. After Gavriol & Ashgar--inevitably--plunge into the abyss, the Armor remains on the bridge and a mad scramble insues...
Meanwhile, the magic carpet crew is frantically trying to stop Digger & the Sceptre, which are being carried by Gargoyles into the arms of the Troll army outside the gate...they fail, alas, after a noble effort, but the other half of the party does acquire the Armor.
Several final contenders for Champion of Armoire perish in the fray. Both parties run back together to Wyzendor to deliver the Armor.
4th Run -- "Recovering the Sceptre (aka Love Bites)" #
Player Characters #
Erith, Elven Guardian
Pal'win, Fey Mage
Whippper Will, Fey Hero
Ustace, Dwarven Hero
The party was charged with retrieving the sceptre, last known to be in the possession of two goblins, heading in the direction of Wyzendor. Fortunately, a goblin named Hobbie, who seemed to have an innate sense of the direction of the Sceptre, was captured just outside Wyzendor and would act as a "bloodhound" for the party. Setting off on their not-so-mighty grasshopper steeds, they flew off in search of the Sceptre.
Decoys! #
Hobbie led them towards a goblin settlement. Along the way, they spotted two goblins, one of whom carried a sceptre on his back. The party swooped in and the goblins scattered; Pal'win deep-fried the one with the sceptre with a fire lance; this also destroyed the sceptre, leading Pal'win to observe, "It probably wasn't the real artifact..."
Meanwhile Erith was making short work of the other goblin with her bow. Before Whipper Will could intervene...
Erith: "I shoot at it."
Whipper: "Wait, we might want to talk to him."
Yianni (rolls dice): "He's dead."
Pal'win: "I teleport myself and the body back to Hireling Hall."
Where they questioned the dead goblin and discovered the REAL Sceptre had indeed passed through his village, where Digger recruited the goblins there to create several decoys.
The party set off for the village, where they tried to engage in mighty combat with poorly-armed and armored townsgoblins, and only had difficuly when distracted by three goblins with Rings of Unconcentration. Ustace's grasshopper was shot out from under him ("Stupid grasshoppers! Stupid goblins!"). Not finding the Sceptre, they found that Digger had run off while the party was occupied, and a chase ensued, with the goblins ducking into a cave entrance before Erith and Whipper could shoot them full of arrows. Whipper threw a precautionary paralyzation orb into the cave mouth before entering, and Pal'win rushed in, followed by Hobbie, Whipper, Erith, and Ustace. Pal'win stumbled into a paralyzed Sham (Digger's cringing servant), and Hobbie raced forward into the darkness.
Cupid's Arrows in Action! (Nayla will be happy) #
Erith worried about Hobbie potentially retrieving the Sceptre and running away, but Whipper had a plan.
Whipper : "You're female, the rest of us are male... I know how to get Hobbie back."
Pal'win : "Wow, not trusting that plan at all."
Pal'win and Whipper weren't too far behind, followed by Erith (Ustace had paused in order to tie up Sham) and soon they came upon a cavern with a downward-sloping floor. Guided by Whipper's glow-worm, the two fey flew after Hobbie into the dark. Erith arrived in time to see a berserk Hobbie pounce on Digger, and the party became worried as they began sliding down the slope as if some mysterious force were drawing them to the bottom.
Whipper then put his plan into action, shooting Digger with a Cupid's arrow. Hobbie wrenched the sceptre away from Digger, who looked up, locked eyes with Erith, and starts trying to climb back up the sliding slope, a look of adoration on his face.
"You're strong, you're an Elf." (somewhere, Ustace is laughing uncontrollably) #
The two Fey then managed to halt Hobbie's slide into the sucking vortex at the bottom of the slope, but they are barely strong enough to haul him towards safety, and call to Erith for help.
Erith, buoyed by a lasting-duration Levitate, confidently strides down the slope to help the fey with Hobbie. However, as she arrives, Digger launches himself at Erith and latches around her leg, longingly gazing up at her.
"Even with my -5 AC he grabs me?" "He's in love." (The 01 dice roll didn't hurt, either.) #
The fey are still able to make slow progress with Hobbie, but now Erith is in grave danger, for Digger is too heavy to lift with the Levitate, and he just won't let go! Now Ustace arrives and sees Erith in trouble. Against the warnings of his comrades, he charges down the slope and, with the aid of the Armoirean Speed specialty he learned earlier, hacks Digger to bits in a couple of rounds.
Digger's body is sucked into the vortex and Erith has enough spell points to Levitate Ustace. The sceptre is recovered, and Hobbie promises to hand it over to the High King, and the party returns victorious. (Ustace still has to clean off all those grasshopper guts, though...)
PrinceCon 28 Summaries & Run Recaps: #
- The Mines of Armoire by Sarah MacMillan, Yianni Yessios, Alex Reutter