The Root of the Problem - Group 3 - Session 2
from the game session held on 31 August, 2022
General Summary
Having spent a day or so wandering around the mining village of Stannilode, our intrepid band of adventurers haven't really gotten any solid clues as to the identity or whereabouts of the mysterious "they" referred to by the captured witch in Karnstown, but they did manage to get all sorts of hints about strange goings on and mysterious attacks on miners and prospectors that venture beyond the town and into the mountains. After speaking with the agent of the Karnstown Mining Cooperative, they agreed to investigate one of these situations: an allegedly haunted mine.
They had first heard about the mine when Dhraanng, the half-orc champion, sat down to talk with "Crazy Kal" in the Tin Cup Tavern. Kal was apparently the only survivor of the last attempt to get the Tancreedy Mine operating, but even a year after whatever he encountered there, he's still clearly shaken by it. He swears the mine is haunted. The villagers just laugh at him, though - and quietly question among themselves whether he is responsible for killing the three that never returned.
The next morning, the group stopped at the General Store to pick up a few supplies: pitons, a lantern, and some oil. They then headed out of town, deciding to walk rather than risk their mounts on rough, mountainous terrain. They had been given directions to the mine by Dado Heywood, the halfling agent in charge of the Mining Cooperative in town.
The morning part of the journey was uneventful as the party traveled along the road that eventually became little more than a trail with occasional cart tracks to mark it. The mountains on either side slowly closed in until they found themselves walking through a narrow canyon. They recalled overhearing one story in the Tin Cup about some hapless prospector whose remains were found in a canyon (this canyon?). All that was found was some torn clothing and gnawed bones. Something had killed and eaten Old Man Sanset.
As the group reached a point in the canyon where a narrow island of durable rock split the canyon into two parallel tracks, the group decided the wider one would be safest. But no sooner did they begin to pass this "island of rock", than they heard a large thudding sound, accompanied by the slightest feelinf that the ground shook. Looking around, though, they could not pinpoint the source, as the canyon walls bounced sounds everywhere.
It only took a moment, though, to identify the source of the sounds, as a huge, hideous creature lumbered at them from behind the rocky island. Apparently it had jumped into the canyon on the other side of the obstruction. The creature with greenish skin stood between 9 and 10 feet tall. It's overlong arms ended in viscious looking claws. It was muttering in a language that none in the party understood, but they didn't need a translator to tell them what, "Yummm" meant as the creature's eyes darted from one party member to another as it approached Gambit and Tom - the two that had been at the back of the party.
Dhraanng immediately leapt into action, coming to Tom's defense and lashing out with his greatsword. Dhraanng had seen a creature like this before in the arena in Endmere. He recalled it being called a Troll, and he also recalled something about fire being an important weapon against it. As he swung his greatsword for a first strike, he yelled to the group, "Use Fire!". The blow struck true, and green blood spurted everywhere. Unfortunately, some splattered Dhraanng's sword hand, and the slimy liquid caused him to lose his grip on the weapon as he swung it around for a second blow. The sword missed its mark, and then sailed out of Dhraanng's hand and over Tom's head to land in the dirt 10' away.
The creature, annoyed by its food fighting back, swung a clawed arm at Dhraanng, which connected. The half-ord ducked the second attack. Tom tried to retreat, to leave the champion room to fight, but the creature - which Dhraanng and Kleone believed to be a Troll - swiped at the bard, clipping him as he backed away. Fortunately, Dhraanng's reflexes allowed him to absorb some of the blow.
Gambit, the goblin quickly quaffed one of her elixirs, and as her tiny form darted through past Dhraanng and through the legs of the creature to attack it from behind, her fingers could be seen turning into talon-like claws as her jaw reshaped to become almost bear-like in appearance and toothiness. Unfortunately, though, her attempt to bite the creature failed.
Kleone, reacting to Dhraanng's shout, uttered the words of a cantrip and suddenly a burst of flame appeared. It struck the Troll, who bellowed in rage as it lashed out at Dhraanng. First one claw found its mark, and then the second, allowing the creature to then tear its claws through the half-orc. The damage to the champion was tremendous, and his limp form dropped to the ground as the last bits of his life oozed out of the wounds.
Gambit switched tactics, choosing instead to reach for two of the Alchemist's Fire bombs she had prepared. She hurled the first at the creature, striking it squarely in the back. Still clutching the second bomb, though, the "beast" awoken in her by the elixir she had consumed, compelled her to leap in to try for another bite. This time, she came back to the ground with a chunk of burnt troll flesh in her teeth. Kleone hurled more fire at the creature while Tom began a soothing song - hoping that there was enough life left in Dhraanng for him to hear it.
As Dhraanng lay unconsious and bleeding, his spirit beginning to release itself from his body, he did indeed hear the soothing strains of the bard's song. This instilled in him a renewed strength of purpose, and was enough for him to fight back the desire to simply drift away. The champion's eyes opened, and as the Troll was dropping to the ground to roll about in an attempt to put out the flames that were burning it in several places, Dhraang slowly rose and retrieved his sword.
Another firebomb from the goblin, and several well-placed strikes with the greatsword on the creature writhing on the ground were enough to finally still it. Taking no chances, Dhraanng severed its head. The group then poured out some of the lamp oil they had purchased all over the creature and they set the body completely ablaze. They lingered long enough to ensure that there was nothing left unburnt of the Troll.
With a few still somewhat damaged, the group decided to continue on. They found the turnoff toward the mine they were told about, and as evening began to fall, they found themselves leaving a small stand of trees. Across about a hundred yards of upward sloping hillside covered with patchy grass was the steep rocky face of a mountain. A black hole - the entrance to the mine - could be seen. Given the lateness of the day, the group decided to make a camp in the stand of trees, choosing to wait till morning to actually approach the mine.
And with that, the party made their camp, tended their wounds, ate and drank from their rations, and settled in for the evening.
They had first heard about the mine when Dhraanng, the half-orc champion, sat down to talk with "Crazy Kal" in the Tin Cup Tavern. Kal was apparently the only survivor of the last attempt to get the Tancreedy Mine operating, but even a year after whatever he encountered there, he's still clearly shaken by it. He swears the mine is haunted. The villagers just laugh at him, though - and quietly question among themselves whether he is responsible for killing the three that never returned.
The next morning, the group stopped at the General Store to pick up a few supplies: pitons, a lantern, and some oil. They then headed out of town, deciding to walk rather than risk their mounts on rough, mountainous terrain. They had been given directions to the mine by Dado Heywood, the halfling agent in charge of the Mining Cooperative in town.
The morning part of the journey was uneventful as the party traveled along the road that eventually became little more than a trail with occasional cart tracks to mark it. The mountains on either side slowly closed in until they found themselves walking through a narrow canyon. They recalled overhearing one story in the Tin Cup about some hapless prospector whose remains were found in a canyon (this canyon?). All that was found was some torn clothing and gnawed bones. Something had killed and eaten Old Man Sanset.
As the group reached a point in the canyon where a narrow island of durable rock split the canyon into two parallel tracks, the group decided the wider one would be safest. But no sooner did they begin to pass this "island of rock", than they heard a large thudding sound, accompanied by the slightest feelinf that the ground shook. Looking around, though, they could not pinpoint the source, as the canyon walls bounced sounds everywhere.
It only took a moment, though, to identify the source of the sounds, as a huge, hideous creature lumbered at them from behind the rocky island. Apparently it had jumped into the canyon on the other side of the obstruction. The creature with greenish skin stood between 9 and 10 feet tall. It's overlong arms ended in viscious looking claws. It was muttering in a language that none in the party understood, but they didn't need a translator to tell them what, "Yummm" meant as the creature's eyes darted from one party member to another as it approached Gambit and Tom - the two that had been at the back of the party.
Dhraanng immediately leapt into action, coming to Tom's defense and lashing out with his greatsword. Dhraanng had seen a creature like this before in the arena in Endmere. He recalled it being called a Troll, and he also recalled something about fire being an important weapon against it. As he swung his greatsword for a first strike, he yelled to the group, "Use Fire!". The blow struck true, and green blood spurted everywhere. Unfortunately, some splattered Dhraanng's sword hand, and the slimy liquid caused him to lose his grip on the weapon as he swung it around for a second blow. The sword missed its mark, and then sailed out of Dhraanng's hand and over Tom's head to land in the dirt 10' away.
The creature, annoyed by its food fighting back, swung a clawed arm at Dhraanng, which connected. The half-ord ducked the second attack. Tom tried to retreat, to leave the champion room to fight, but the creature - which Dhraanng and Kleone believed to be a Troll - swiped at the bard, clipping him as he backed away. Fortunately, Dhraanng's reflexes allowed him to absorb some of the blow.
Gambit, the goblin quickly quaffed one of her elixirs, and as her tiny form darted through past Dhraanng and through the legs of the creature to attack it from behind, her fingers could be seen turning into talon-like claws as her jaw reshaped to become almost bear-like in appearance and toothiness. Unfortunately, though, her attempt to bite the creature failed.
Kleone, reacting to Dhraanng's shout, uttered the words of a cantrip and suddenly a burst of flame appeared. It struck the Troll, who bellowed in rage as it lashed out at Dhraanng. First one claw found its mark, and then the second, allowing the creature to then tear its claws through the half-orc. The damage to the champion was tremendous, and his limp form dropped to the ground as the last bits of his life oozed out of the wounds.
Gambit switched tactics, choosing instead to reach for two of the Alchemist's Fire bombs she had prepared. She hurled the first at the creature, striking it squarely in the back. Still clutching the second bomb, though, the "beast" awoken in her by the elixir she had consumed, compelled her to leap in to try for another bite. This time, she came back to the ground with a chunk of burnt troll flesh in her teeth. Kleone hurled more fire at the creature while Tom began a soothing song - hoping that there was enough life left in Dhraanng for him to hear it.
As Dhraanng lay unconsious and bleeding, his spirit beginning to release itself from his body, he did indeed hear the soothing strains of the bard's song. This instilled in him a renewed strength of purpose, and was enough for him to fight back the desire to simply drift away. The champion's eyes opened, and as the Troll was dropping to the ground to roll about in an attempt to put out the flames that were burning it in several places, Dhraang slowly rose and retrieved his sword.
Another firebomb from the goblin, and several well-placed strikes with the greatsword on the creature writhing on the ground were enough to finally still it. Taking no chances, Dhraanng severed its head. The group then poured out some of the lamp oil they had purchased all over the creature and they set the body completely ablaze. They lingered long enough to ensure that there was nothing left unburnt of the Troll.
With a few still somewhat damaged, the group decided to continue on. They found the turnoff toward the mine they were told about, and as evening began to fall, they found themselves leaving a small stand of trees. Across about a hundred yards of upward sloping hillside covered with patchy grass was the steep rocky face of a mountain. A black hole - the entrance to the mine - could be seen. Given the lateness of the day, the group decided to make a camp in the stand of trees, choosing to wait till morning to actually approach the mine.
And with that, the party made their camp, tended their wounds, ate and drank from their rations, and settled in for the evening.
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