Oh look! An Adventure Log!

11/12/2011 – First game session – we created characters! Although we had intended to play our first game on this date, character creation took longer than we had planned, and we were having fun, and it turned into a dinner party, so . . . well, we made characters! Heroes of Midhgardhur were born!
Our heroes so far:

Danyell – Aelfgifu, a female alfar rogue
Mike – Grok, a male trollkyn barbarian
Chris – Athelstan, a male human Ethelling cleric
Josh – Caelrath, a male alfar wizard
Damon – hasn’t created a character yet

11/19/11 – 2nd Session – Module HM2 – Sjaelland (Act 1)
Game dates 3/1/900 N.Y. – 3/2/900 N.Y.

The Party:
Aelfgifu (Effie) (Danyell)
Gronk (Mike)
Athelstan (Chris)
Caelrath (Josh)

Sjaundidagur, the 1st day of Goa, 900 N.Y. (3/1/900 N.Y.)

The party was travelling on the ship Strandhoggur from Burh in Ethelland to Agnafit in the Svialand when a sudden and mysterious storm arose. Fearing “trowie weather” (a local superstition that such storms are the work of dark supernatural beings), the ship moved closer to shore off the coast of Sjaelland (an island of Denaland), but the ship was nevertheless destroyed by a bolt of lightning, and only the party of our heroes survived, in part thanks to the quick thinking of Caelrath, who used magic to join together bits of wreckage into a flotation device. They came ashore at the small fishing hamlet of Rorvik (“Reed Bay”), where they were taken into custody by the coast guard Ulfgar. Ulfgar offered them the hospitality of Rorvik, including a place to stay in the hall of the alderman Anlaf. He said that he would have to bring them before the king of Sjaelland, [[:King Hjorvardhur the Skjoldung]], in a couple of days when his watch at Rorvik is relieved. Also, the villagers of Rorvik wished for the party to be examined by their volva (wise woman), Grimhildur, to be certain that they were not carrying some kind of curse upon them (after all, their arrival in Rorvik was somewhat inauspicious!). Grimhildur examined the party, determining that they are the subjects of some great destiny. She attempted to read some of what the Norns have in store for the party, reading a rune of destiny for each member of the party (except for Gronk, who refused to be read – she still sensed a great destiny about him, but he simply has no idea what it is!). Finally, the party was fed well and given a warm place to sleep in Anlaf’s hall.

Solsdagur, the 2nd of Goa, 900 N.Y. (3/2/900 N.Y.)

The next morning, the party awoke to the sound of screams. Undead draugar were attacking Rorvik! The party swiftly destroyed the draugar, who were afterwards identified as the villagers who had all died under mysterious circumstances in the last week or so and buried in the hamlet’s haugur to the northeast (the people of Rorvik are mostly followers of the Vanir, especially Njordhur, and so practice burial). The party decided to investigate the burial haugur, where they found evidence that the graves had been dug up (not simply burst open by the dead rising from their graves). They found some shovels of very curious workmanship hidden in the nearby underbrush. That night, the party decided to hide near the haugur and keep watch in case whoever animated the draugar should happen to return. It was the night of the new moon, and even that was subject to a partial lunar eclipse. In the middle of the night, the party detected six svartalfar traveling stealthily towards Rorvik. The party was able to ambush the svartalfar and defeat them. Four were killed, one was captured (!), and one escaped into the night. So now the party has a prisoner to interrogate about the mysterious events in Sjaelland . . .

XP Earned: 903
Total Individual XP: 903
XP for next level: 2000

12/3/11 – 3rd Session – Module HM2 – Sjaelland (Acts 2 & 3)
Game dates 3/2/900 N.Y. – 3/4/900 N.Y.

The Party:
Aelfgifu (Effie) (Danyell)
Gronk (Mike)
Athelstan (Chris)
Caelrath (Josh)

Solsdagur, the 2nd of Goa, 900 N.Y. (3/2/900 N.Y.) (continued)

Having captured one of the svartalfar (even though one escaped), the party headed back to Rorvik, bringing their prisoner in order to interrogate him. They quickly discovered that he had a wand of animate dead, and so deduced that he was definitely responsible for the draugar they had fought earlier that day. With the intimidation of Gronk and the combined diplomacy of Aelfgifu (Effie) and Athelstan (through Aelfgifu (Effie)’s translations), the heroes learned that the name of the svartalfur was “Nithi” (“the dark one”), and that he was in service to a svartalfar king known as “Dulinn,” who styles himself the “king of storms” or “lord of storms.” Nithi revealed that it was Dulinn who had sent the storm that sank the Strandhoggur. He also revealed that Dulinn had planned a coordinated attack to “cleanse Sjaelland of humans and other lesser mortals.” However, the heroes did not learn much more than this from Nithi, who claimed that he would rather die than reveal his master’s secrets. They held him for questioning until after dawn, then turned him over to the custody of Anlaf.

Manadagur, the 3rd of Goa, 900 N.Y. (3/3/900 N.Y.)

Shortly after dawn, with the heroes still not having slept from the previous night, Ulfgar‘s relief Vidgrip arrived. He told a terrible story of being ambushed on the road to Rorvik as he and his companions made camp. Only he survived to fight his way free and carry on to Rorvik. Athelstan examined Vidgrip’s wounds and healed him. Since Vidgrip had now arrived, Ulfgar was eager to get back to Hleidhra, the town where Hjartarholl stands, and report back to the king. The heroes decided to get some sleep, then set out by noon. The journey could be expected to be about 2 days by horseback, and a villager of Rorvik named Helga contributed horses. Setting out on the road after noon, the heroes traveled swiftly. After about 15 miles they came upon the camp where Vidgrip and his companions had been ambushed by svartalfar. Athelstan gave the bodies last rights, and helped Ulfgar bury the bodies of the soldiers. The heroes decided to make camp here tonight. During the night, on Aelfgifu (Effie)’s watch, the party was attacked by 3 skeletons, but Athelstan was able to destroy them with the holy power of Baldur.

Tysdagur, the 4th of Goa, 900 N.Y. (3/4/900 N.Y.)

Late in the afternoon on this day, the heroes arrived at Hleidhra. The town had been badly damaged, and it turned out it had been attacked for the last 3 nights by svartalfar and trolls. The king’s hall at Hjartarholl had sustained the worst of the damage. While Athelstan went to the Freyjuhof (temple of Freyja) to help tend to the wounded, the other heroes accompanied Ulfgar to the hall. There they met with the king and his thanes, and managed to convince the king to let them help defend against the attack that was surely to come this night. Athelstan later came and told the king (in no uncertain terms!) that it was his duty to preserve himself for his people, and so should leave Hjartarholl for the night, and allow to heroes to defend it against the trolls and svartalfar. The king was unhappy with Athelstan’s blunt manner, but agreed that there was wisdom in his words. And so the heroes prepared for nightfall and the battle to come . . .

XP Earned: 702
Total XP: 1605
XP to level 2: 2000

12/10/11 – 4th Session – Module HM2 – Sjaelland (Act 3)
Game Date: 3/4/900 N.Y.

The Party:
Aelfgifu (Effie) (Danyell)
Gronk (Mike)
Athelstan (Chris)
Caelrath (Josh)

Tysdagur, the 4th of Goa, 900 N.Y. (3/4/900 N.Y.) (continued)

As night approached, the heroes prepared to do battle with the nightly incursion of svartalfar and trolls at Hjartarholl. As Athelstan had previously suggested, a long, wide trench was excavated in front of the hall and filled with whale oil. Gronk helped lift heavy beams to shore up the hall against assault, and Caelrath used magic to join the repairs together. Aelfgifu (Effie) had the blacksmiths of Hleidhra prepare caltrops to place around the hall. And Athelstan bought a large piece of white cloth and then spent the remainder of the day in prayer and meditation. When night came, Athelstan waited calmly outside the hall, standing between two bonfires. Caltrops had been spread around the hall. Aelfgifu (Effie), Caelrath, and Gronk awaited within the hall. Suddenly, the torches and bonfires dimmed. Figures came out of the darkness – eight svartalfar, along with a troll apparently in their thrall. The sound of fighting drifted up from Hleidhra, revealing that the town was under assault as ell. Athelstan waived the white cloth he had purchased on the end of a stick, signalling his desire for a parley. The dark elves spoke briefly to Athelstan, but then they shot him with their poisoned bolts. Two bolts struck him in the chest, nearly killing him outright, and the poison coursed through his veins, rendering him unconscious anyway. Gronk charged out of the doorway of Hjartarholl, smashing through the first of the svartalfar and drawing the others. Caelrath used a sleep spell on the troll, which took effect despite the creature’s obvious power (perhaps as a result of whatever drugs or enchantments the svartalfar used to keep it in thrall). The battle was furious. Some of the svartalfar, injured by Aelfgifu (Effie)’s caltops, fled immediately. Others died at the hands of Gronk. One actually made it into the hall, where he was slain by Caelrath. In due course, those svartalfar who did not flee were slain, and the troll was awakened, but since Gronk was inflicting terrible injuries upon it (that healed before his very eyes) and since the svartalfar were not there to direct him, he too fled into the night. As dawn approached, the heroes tended to Athelstan‘s wounds and heard a cheer signalling that Hleidhra had repelled its attackers as well. When everyone’s wounds had been treated, and matters had settled somewhat, the heroes attended a meeting with King Hjorvardhur in Hjartarholl. The king gave his thanks for their role in defending his hall. The king’s scouts had followed the trail of the retreating foes, and found that it ended at a haunted lake of sinister reputation to the southwest of Hleidhra. The king offered great rewards, including torcs and arm-rings of gold, to anyone who could eliminate the threat of the svartalfar and trolls at their hidden lake lair. The heroes, needless to say, volunteered to undertake this mission.

XP Earned: 770
Total XP: 2375
XP to level 3: 5000

12/17/11 – 5th Session – Module HM2 – Sjaelland (Act 4)
Game Date: 3/5/900 N.Y.

The Party:
Aelfgifu (Effie) (Danyell)
Gronk (Mike)
Athelstan (Chris)
Caelrath (Josh)
Neferata-Belit (Jess)

Odhinsdagur, the 5th of Goa, 900 N.Y. (3/5/900 N.Y.)

After having healed their wounds, the heroes prepared to set out with one of the king’s scouts to the lake lair of the trolls and svartalfar who had attacked Hleidhra. They were joined by a half-elf woman calling herself “Belit,” who seemed anxious to leave Hleidhra (unknown to the heroes, she had been a prisoner of the Skjoldungar for the crime of tomb-robbing, and had escaped from custody during the recent attacks). The heroes then journeyed through the wilderness to the southwest of Hleidhra for about 10 miles. Finally, they arrived at the haunted lake, fed by a waterfall thundering down from cliffs to the north. A worked stone overgrown with vines stood by the lake, and the heroes found the head and arm of Askherra, a friend of the king who disappeared during the recent attacks. Athelstan gave the remains last rites and burial. The scout departed to report back to the king at Hjartarholl. The heroes realized that the trail of the escaping attackers led directly into the lake – as though the lair of the monsters was under the water. Athelstan speculated that there must be an underwater tunnel or cavern serving as the lair of the attackers. He built a large fire by the overgrown stone, then undressed and swam in the lake. Athelstan spotted a tunnel leading back into the cliffs under the waterfall, and was attacked by some kind of lake monster. He managed to escape and get back to shore to report his findings. It seems that the heroes must venture under the water and through the tunnel to find their foes . . . and hope that there is air somewhere at the other end of the tunnel . . .

XP Earned: 240
Total XP: 2625
XP to level 3: 5000

1/14/12 – 6th Session – Module HM2 – Sjaelland (Act 4)
Game Date: 3/6/900 N.Y.

The Party:
Athelstan (Chris)
Caelrath (Josh)
Neferata-Belit (Jess)
Drake (Tony)
Aravar (John)

Thorsdagur, the 6th of Goa, 900 N.Y. (3/6/900 N.Y.)

The previous night, Gronk decided to head back to Hjartarholl for more mead. He never came back – the party suspected that he simply got so drunk that he forgot where to get back to them. Also, Aelfgifu (Effie) slipped off into the night. Nobody really had any speculation as to where the mysterious rogue went, but perhaps something from her criminal past was closing in on her, and forced her to disappear. The party may never know.

The next morning, however, two mercenary adventurers who had overheard King Hjorvardhur’s promise of great rewards came looking for the lake. They approached carefully and offered their services in return for a share in the rewards.

Drake examined the carved stone by the lake and cleared away some of the moss and vines. He found it covered in Yldra Runes, which he could not decipher. Athelstan read the runes aloud: “I, Bodhvarr of the Gautar, carved these runes. This stone marks the lake where I defeated the lake-monsters and swam the tunnel to the caverns of the trolls behind the waterfall. Beware the ancient evil in the caverns beneath the waves.” Caelrath was able to supply some background knowledge – that Bodhvarr was a mighty hero of the Gautar who crossed the Oresund about 400 years ago in order to liberate the kingdom of Sjaelland from menacing trolls. According to legend, he slew them all. The heroes grimly observed that maybe Bodhvarr missed a few, since there were some here now.

The heroes decided that the lair of the monsters most likely lay beyond the tunnel. “The first thing we have to do is deal with those fish,” said Athelstan. Athelstan and Neferata stripped down and plunged into the icy lake, and were soon attacked by the two “lake-monsters” (seemingly just very large fish, like gar). The fight was fierce, and Drake and Caelrath had to jump in to help. But soon the “lake-monsters” were defeated, and the heroes feasted on fish while planning their next move.

Later, Drake agreed to go through the tunnel and explore. He found it was only about 15-20’ long before exiting in an cavern filled with breathable air. Once he reported back, the heroes decided to go in.

Having entered the cavern through the tunnel hidden under the lake. They moved through the tunnel, and set of a tripwire alarm of rusted bits of armor, making a jangling noise, alerting someone ahead. They found out whom they had alerted as the tunnel opened into a cavern with several branches radiating off of it. A troll was coming out of one of the other tunnels. A furious few seconds of fighting ensued, leaving the troll severely injured due to some lucky blows (but healing quickly) and Aravar bleeding unconscious on the cavern floor.

But Athelstan wanted to try to negotiate. He stepped between the troll and the other heroes, and tried to talk him down. He was having some limited success, not quite convincing the troll to let down its guard, but nor was it attacking any more. The rest of the party circled nervously, well aware that while Athelstan talked and offered fish and wine, the troll was healing the injuries it had sustained. Athelstan hoped to make the troll an ally, while the rest of the heroes assumed that the fight would probably soon resume.

In the meantime, Neferata, who had circled behind the troll to backstab it, decided to investigate a side-cavern behind the troll that was closed off with a heavy leather curtain. Within she found a female troll who was sleeping. Neferata crept up silently and administered a coup-de-grace, removing the female troll’s head, finding it was wearing an iron collar engraved with elven runes. Neferata also noticed a glittering hoard of treaure in a small chamber off the one in which the female troll had dwelt, and took for herself a longsword, a ring, a pair of boots, and some amber. She left the gold, intending to “discover” it and share it with the party later. p. Just as Athelstan was hoping to convince the other troll to cease hostilities, Neferata emerged from the other chamber, bearing the female troll’s head. “Look what I found!” she shouted, swinging the head around and flinging it at the troll. The troll turned his attention towards Neferata, growling with rage, shattering Athelstan’s dream of a peaceful resolution. The fight resumed, with Neferata drawing the sword she had found and discovering that it was a flaming longsword, wreathing itself in magical flame. The heroes managed to slay the troll, and decapitated this one as well, finding an identical collar. Caelrath translated the runes: “King Dulinn of the Dark Elves.” Athelstan healed Aravar.

The heroes examined the chamber where the female troll had lived, and Drake quickly realized that the female troll had been alseep when Neferata slew her. They found the gold and rejoiced at the fortune. But Athelstan was displeased. “You are not a good person!” he told Neferata. “But I have a flaming sword. That counts for something,” responded Neferata.

The heroes then began to plan their next move, there being more tunnels to explore yet, but many of their spells and resources having been depleted . . .

XP Earned: 1040
Total XP: 3665
XP to level 3: 5000

Sorry for late post and lack of details. I’ve been very busy!

1/21/12 – 7th Session – Module HM2 – Sjaelland (Act 4)
Game Date: 3/6/900 N.Y.

The Party:
Athelstan (Chris)
Caelrath (Josh)
Neferata-Belit (Jess)
Drake (Tony)
Aravar (John)

Freyjudagur, the 7th of Goa, 900 N.Y. (3/7/900 N.Y.)

After dividing up the treasure from the trolls and getting some sleep, the party explored the rest of the caverns. Athelstan found and copied a bit of a runestone covered with notes about a musical piece. The party soon found an entrance to a lower level.

The second level was constructed, not natural. It was labelled something like “Hunting Lodge” in the Alfar tongue – apparently the hideaway of the svartalfar. They found their way to a throne room, where the svartalfur king Dulinn managed to escape through a portal to Svartalfaheimur.

XP Earned: 1094
Total XP: 4759
XP to level 3: 5000

Sorry for late post and lack of details. I’ve been very busy!

2/11/12 – 8th Session – Module HM2 – Sjaelland (Act 5)
Game Date: 3/7/900 N.Y.

The Party:
Athelstan (Chris)
Caelrath (Josh)
Neferata-Belit (Jess)
Drake (Tony)
Aravar (John)

Freyjudagur, the 7th of Goa, 900 N.Y. (3/7/900 N.Y.)

After the fight in the throne room, the heroes finished collecting everything of value that they could find. They briefly debated opening the room they sealed with the two svartalfar inside, but ultimately decided to leave that to King Hjorvardhur’s forces. At some point, Neferata slipped away from the rest of the group in the confusion . . .

The remaining heroes then returned to the town of Hleidhra and to King Hjorvardhur’s court at Hjartarholl. Athelstan addressed the king, telling him of their adventures. The heads of the two trolls were brought forth for public display, and the king announced he would be sending a patrol of his finest warriors to finish investigating the lair of the svartalfar and to comb the surrounding land for similar lairs.

The king then announced his rewards: The writ of safe passage to and across the Oresund that he had promised, the finest horses from his stables, a hero’s blade, a ring of heroes, and a scroll of heroic fortune (a prayer that Athelstan could use). Also, the king commanded the skald of his court to write an epic poem about the heroes. The skald, Hakon Finehair, decided to accompany the heroes on their travels in order to write a truly great epic. After this, Athelstan requested a private audience with the king, and no one else knows what they discussed, though Athelstan did receive a very plain-looking horse from the king’s stables instead of the magnificent steeds the rest received.

XP Earned: 800
Total XP: 5559
XP to level 4: 9000

Sorry for late post and lack of details. I’ve been very busy!

2/25/12 – 9th Session – Module HM3 – The Oresund (Act 1)
Game Date: 3/8/900 N.Y.

The Party:
Athelstan (Chris)
Caelrath (Josh)
Neferata-Belit (Jess)
Drake (Tony)
Aravar (John)
Hakon Finehair the Skald (NPC)

Sjaundidagur, the 8th of Goa, 900 N.Y. (3/8/900 N.Y.)

The next day, King Hjorvardhur ceremonially presented Athelstan with an extremely fine scabbard, which the queen girded on to his belt herself.

Hakon Finehair the Skald prepared to leave Hjartarholl with the heroes. He had apparently never traveled from Hleidhra before.

[[:caelrath | Caelrath]] took the hero’s blade the party had received, and Aravar took the ring of heroes.

XP Earned: 160
Total XP: 5719
XP to level 4: 9000