The Sunless Citadel: Rumours (Sessions 1-4)

Rumours from Oakhurst

• The Old Road ran right past the nearby ruins of the Sunless Citadel, but fell into disuse because of goblin banditry.  No one knows for sure what the Sunless Citadel once was, but old legends hint that it served as the retreat of an ancient dragon cult.

• The Old Road skirts the Withered Heath, a lifeless land.  Lareth remembers hearing a legend attributing this desolation to the rampage of an ancient dragon named Ashardalon.

• Cattleherders don’t graze their stock too far afield these days.  They’re frightened by stories of new monsters that maraud by night.  No one has seen these creatures, nor do they leave a discernable trail; however cattle and people who have been caught out alone have been found dead the next day, pierced by dozens of needle-like claws.

• The missing adventurers include the warrior Talgen Hucrele, the wizard Sharwyn Hucrele, Sir Braford a paladin of the sun god Pelor and the ranger Karakas.  Sir Braford was not a local, and carried an enchanted sword called Shatterspike.

• Garon, the innkeep of the King’s Rest Inn, remembers that the last time anyone, aside from Talgen and Sharwyn, asked questions about the Sunless Citadel was about thirteen years ago when a grim man named Belak stopped by. 

Dream Sequence from the Night Spent Amid the Bones of the Skeletal Archers

• The sight of the glittering crossbow bolt, strangely so preserved after so many years, takes your consciousness back to a dream half-remembered during the night of fitful sleep you spent amid the bones of the skeletal archers.  You see a hand of another through the eyes of another, reaching to draw the crossbow bolt from its case.  From all around you hear the blaring of horns, savage war cries and the screams of the dying.  You fit the bolt to a crossbow, wind it up and then look out through an arrow-slit to find your mark.  Far beneath you, against a sky red with flame and smoke, strange warriors with archaic armour and swirling blue tattoos are running at the Citadel.  You find your mark, and let the bolt fly…

Rumours from Meepo

• “The clan’s dragon… we’ve lost our dragon!  The wretched, thieving goblins stole Calcryx!  Treacherous, thieving goblins!”
• “Yusddrayl knows much!  Ask Yusdrayl on her Dragon Throne!  Grant you safe passage if you promise not to hurt Meepo.  Mabye if you promise to rescue Calcryx, Yusdrayl will answer your questions!
• “The legends are true!  Guthrash, the goblins call her, which means ‘The Bloated One.’  Stories say that all the other rats are her spawn, and that they bring serve her, bring her food.”

Rumours from Yusdrayl

• “As all the wise know, kobolds are the heirs to the ancient dragons.  As the mightiest among my people, I have lead a brave few to this ancient holy site to worship the dragons who were revered here, long ago.
• “The putrid, thieving goblins stole our dragon!  Wretched goblins!  Cowardly goblins!  Attacked us the back way… Foul goblin scum!”
• “The Outcaste, he is said to live below.  The dragon-thieving goblins are his servants!”
• “The lost humans?  They went into the lair of the goblin-scum.  They have not returned.”

Rumours from Erky Timbers

• “Almost a year past by my reckoning I was off adventuring, seeking my fortune when I thought to visit a friend in Oakhurst.  I foolishly took a short cut along the Old Road from the Four Halls.  My bad luck that the goblins caught me, I’ve been kept here ever since.  If it weren’t for the healing grace offered my faith I would surely have perished from malnourishment and torture!”
• “I’ve heard the goblins speak in their Black Tongue of a ‘Twilight Grove’ down below.  They speak in hushed tones of one ‘Belak’ who they call ‘the Outcaste’, and how he tends an enchanted garden and harvests an enchanted fruit from something the goblins call ‘the Gulthias Tree’, but only in the most terrified of whispers.  The enchanted fruit seems to grow on this Gulthias Tree.
• “The goblins speak of a Midsummer Fruit that restores spirit and vigour to those who eat it, but also of a pale Midwinter Fruit which steals the same.  The goblins seem terrified that this Belak will discover that they have been selling the fruit on the surface… what manner of creature could so terrify such black-hearted creatures I don’t know.”
• “Three young humans were captured and brought in here and they were captives with me for a while… oh about a month past.  We didn’t get many chances to speak, but I gathered their names were Talgen, Sharwyn, and Sir Braford.  Brother and sister the first two looked to be, a big strapping fellow and a slender young woman.  Sir Braford had a noble air about him, struck me as being from an old family or such, perhaps from Yvonny.  The goblins kept them in here only about a week beore they removed them… Belak wanted them, and that’s the last I heard about that.  I do feel badly for the young folk, and would be eager to see if they can be rescued, for the way the goblins speak of Belak I fear some terrible fate awaits them.

The Sunless Citadel: Friends and Foes (Sessions 2-4)

Meepo "Keeper of Dragons"

Even for a kobold, Meepo makes for a wiry and jittery figure, his large eyes darting constantly this way and that, his dog-like ears like radars for approaching danger.  Small horns protrude from his forehead and a thin rat-like tail drags behind.  Armed with a tiny crossbow and spear, Meepo dresses in ragged clothes of oranges and russet reds and carries a satchel which contains a seemingly endless supply of phosphorescent fungi, albino insects and other dubious Underdark victuals.


Cowardly and pathetic even for a kobold, Meepo claims to have enjoyed some status in his clan as the "Keeper of Dragons" before the "thieving goblins" stole the clan's dragon, Calcryx, in a brutal surprise raid.  He is most enthusiastic about any opportunity for vengeance against the goblins, rescuing his beloved Calcryx and winning back the favour of Yusdrayl and the clan.

Yusdrayl "The Dragon Queen"

Yusdrayl is particularly reptilian in appearance, showing few of the dog-like traits of her kobold subjects: she has narrow reptilian eyes is covered in scales and sports an impressive pair of horns.  Her regal gait is somewhat spoiled by her short stature, even for a kobold: she seems to almost drown in her long red-dyed robes and her little feet kick in the air from her throne.

Yusdrayl "On Her Dragon Throne" is absolute ruler of the kobolds within the Sunless Citadel.  Supremely confident about her people's destiny as descendants and heirs to the ancient dragons, she claims that, as the "mightiest of her people", she has lead the kobolds to the Sunless Citadel to worship dragons as they were long ago.  Frustrated by the goblin inhabitants stubborn resistance, she appears willing to deign even to barter her clan's treasures for the return of the dragon, Calcryx.

Guthrash "The Bloated One"


The embodiment of her goblin-name, Guthrash was a six hideously bloated albino dire rat, with stumpy pink legs which somehow carried her swollen, distended girth with slick, terrifying speed.  Six feet long and covered in pustules, with red-pink eyes and yellow gnawing teeth, Guthrash was horrific beyond measure.


Aptly name 'the Bloated One' in the black tongue of the goblins, the immense, foul and fertile Guthrash was something of a legend amongst the kobolds and goblins of the Sunless Citadel, who likely never got a good look at her and lived to tell the tail.  The way Meepo describes it Guthrash is thought to have spawned all the many vermin which crawl through the Citadel's lightless halls.  Meepo even seems to believe that Guthrash's offspring brought her food like supplicants to some sort of ruler, but this is surely superstitious nonsense.

In any event, the legendary Guthrash was bested by the adventurers and slain by the warrior Tam.

Karakas


Sadly Karakas has apparently been slain by the monstrous Guthrash, and his remains have been so gnawed at and rotten as to be beyond recognition.  His rustic hair braids, woodsman's equipment and a gold ring bearing his name provide some indication that this is, however, the missing tracker.


A ranger from Oakhurst's surrounds, Karakas was a member of the missing adventuring party that failed to return from the Sunless Citadel over a month ago.  Apparently slain by Guthrash or one of her brood, his remains were discovered in her foul nest.

Erky Timbers


About three and a half feet tall, Erky is thin even for a gnome, covered in grime and dressed in rags but otherwise seems remarkably unscathed for someone held captive by goblins for almost a year.  He has a prominent nose and gently tapered ears.  No longer carefully trimmed in the style of his folk, his blond hair and beard match his sunny disposition and an indomitable spirit sparkles in his mischievious blue eyes.  


An adventurer in search of his fortune, Erky apparently made the mistake of traveling along the abandoned Old Road as a shortcut between the Four Halls and Oakhurst where he was to visit a friend.  Captured by goblins almost a year ago, Erky has been languishing in a tiny cage ever since, and apparently only survived with the aid of his healing spells.  Grateful at his release and eager to rescue the three young humans who joined him in captivity for a time, Erky offers to join the adventurers and aid them in their quest.

Adventurer's Journal: Sessions 1-3

17^th Wealsun

Afternoon: The elven twins Lareth and Oreth arrive in the small rural settlement of Oakhurst shortly before Midsummer, enticed by local accounts of a mysterious enchanted fruit with miraculous healing powers which is sold every year at the Solstice by goblins from the nearby ruins known as the Sunless Citadel.  For the wizard Lareth, here is an arcane mystery; for the druid Oreth, the puzzle of an unknown, life giving plant. Here they meet Tam, a human warrior eager to test his blade, who plans to accept a contract for the return of two influential local members of an adventuring party which disappeared into the same ruins four weeks past.

After deciding that their goals would be rewarded with cooperation, the three spend the afternoon gathering information on the Sunless Citadel and the missing adventurers and then purchase supplies for their expedition.  They then arrange a meeting with Kerowyn Hucrele, matriarch of a wealthy local merchant dynasty and relative to two of the missing adventurers and accept her offer of monetary reward and salvage rights for the return of Talgen and Sharwyn Hucrele or their gold signet rings as proof of their fate.

Evening: Tam, Lareth and Oreth pack their gear and spend a last night in comfort at the King’s Rest Inn.

18^th Wealsun

Morning: Tam, Lareth and Oreth as well as Oreth’s wolf, Marrok, set out along the lonely  Old Road towards the ruins of the Sunless Citadel.  They veer off the path at certain intervals to investigate the remains of burnt out farms but find little other than evidence of goblin aggression.

Meanwhile, Gregory, a rather grim, wandering cleric of St. Cuthbert, arrives in Oakhurst and begins making enquiries of his own about the nature of these parts.  Incensed at discovering the double dealings of goblins who sell an enchanted fruit and then steal its saplings before they grow, somewhat dubious about the wisdom of the townsfolk dealing with goblins in the first place and eager to discover the fate of the lost adventurers, Gregory hurries after the human and elves he has heard have already departed for the ruins.

+-5:00 PM Finally the adventurers arrive at a long, narrow ravine which widens into a deep, narrow canyon, its edges topped by ancient plinths reminiscent of Old Faith ruins.  They find a rope in good condition tied to one of the plinths and descend some distance into the darkness below, alighting on a raised ledge and battling their way through huge, foul dire rats down worn switchback stairs to the ravine floor.

+-6:30: Here they discover stretching before them the strange and shattered remains of the Sunless Citadel, a twisted mass of pillars, arches, aqueducts and battlements, all of exotic design, surrounded by a sea of rubble. 

A crenelated battlement, sunk deep into the earth offers the heroes entrance to the extant ruins and they are undeterred by still operating pit-traps and treacherous masonry.  Within the tower they discover evidence of a recent battle and ancient draconic inscriptions, and keen elven eyes spy a secret door wherein they battle the skeletons of long dead archers.

After dealing with the unquiet dead, Tam, Lareth and Oreth are startled by Gregory’s arrival in the Sunless Citadel and, bound by shared goals and the horrors and darkness that surround them, decide to join forces. 

+-8:00 PM: The four adventurers decide to make use of the secret archer chamber for safe sleep, bravely spending an unquiet night amid the remains of the undead.

19^th Wealsun

+-8: AM: Tam, Gregory, Oreth and Lareth venture out once more into the darkness and begin to explore the silent shattered corridors and chambers of the Sunless Citadel.  Tam is unable to force a stone door carved with a detailed bas-relief of a rearing dragon.  The company pass by several more mundane, wooden doors but before they can explore these portals they stumble across the pitiful kobold Meepo in what appears to be a kobold shrine.  Meepo tells the party of a kobold-goblin conflict, the goblin’s theft of the kobolds’ clan dragon, Calcryx, and his disgrace as a failed Dragon-Keeper.  He suggests the adventurers direct their queries to ‘Yusdrayl on her Dragon-Throne’ and they accept his offer to escort them there.

+- 9:00AM: With Meepo’s aid the adventurers negotiate their way past a kobold patrol and seek an audience with Yusdrayl, the apparent ruler of the kobolds, who sits upon a makeshift throne before an altar laden with an assortment of artifacts and whose front features a key in the carving of a rearing dragon. From Yusdrayl, they learn that the kobolds consider themselves the descendents of dragons and have come to the Sunless Citadel to worship them, that the lost human adventurers went forth to battle the ‘dragon-thieving’ goblins and have as yet not returned, and that the ‘treacherous’ goblins serve a being known as ‘the Outcaste’ from whom they receive the enchanted fruit.  Impressed by Gregory’s zeal for retribution and Lareth’s draconic eloquence, Yusdrayl offers the adventurers a reward for the safe return of Calcryx, the clan’s dragon abducted in a devastating surprise goblin raid.  Lareth and Yusdrayl leave the exact nature of the reward unspecified, though the key or some combination of items from the altar are discussed.  Meepo is designated as the kobold’s representative amongst the party and ordered to guide the adventurers to the ‘back way’ from which the goblin attack came.

+-10:00AM: Meepo leads the adventurers back to the kobold shrine and into portions of the Sunless Citadel apparently unclaimed by the kobolds.  Lareth reads a draconic inscription on an aged fountain and a strange, oily, pale red substance drips from the dragon-shaped font.  Another elaborately carved stone door, this one bearing skeletal dragon motifs, once again holds firm and Tam cannot budge it – the warrior only just avoids a scything blade in the ceiling.  Gregory calls upon the power of St. Cuthbert to open the door and the adventurers feel an unnatural chill as they enter a shrine full of images of skeletal dragons and death.  After battling the undead inhabitants of several sarcophagi, they discover several unusual items on an obsidian altar.  Lareth experiments with a strange translucent metal whistle and to the party’s horror an animate one of the skeletons once more, sending feelings of considerable ‘wrongness’ down their spines.  Gregory’s invocation of St. Cuthbert and Tam’s blade end the animation of the dead once more, and the party withdraws from the shrine.

+-10:30 AM: The adventurers set up camp for a second time, this time huddled around the dry fountain.

20th Wealsun

+-6:00 AM: Oreth wakes up sweating in a fever, with a pounding headache and aching bones, and the druid realises he has contracted the dreaded ‘filth fever.’  Nevertheless he decides to press on and after studying spells, sharpening weapons and praying to the gods, the party sets out once more battling their way through dire-rat infested corridoors until they come across another chamber dominated by a dry draconic fountain.  Lareth reads the draconic runes inscribed on this fountain only to release poison gas from the dragon-font’s maw; he and Tam are enveloped in a noxious cloud though only Lareth seems to suffer ill effects for it.  Gregory and Oreth note iron spikes jamming open pit traps in this chamber.

+-11:00 AM: The adventurers stumble into the foul nest of the near legendary Guthrash ‘the Bloated One’, a vile, six foot rodent which moves with frightening speed given its rolls of pink fat.  The adventurers are initially on the back-foot but Lareth and Gregory dispatch Guthrash’s foul brood and Tam finally slays the rat-mother herself.  The adventurers are saddened to find a relatively fresh corpse with a ring inscribed ‘Karakas’ – the name of the ranger who accompanied the previous adventuring party.

+-11:30 AM: The party discovers and assaults what appears to be a watch-post marking a border of the goblins’ dominion with the Sunless Citadel.  Quickly storming the sentry post they pursue a fleeing goblin into a more substantial defensive barricade adjacent to some sort of crude training area.  A devastating assault by Tam, Gregory, Oreth and Marrok threatens to quickly overwhelm the defenders, but one of the goblins reaches reinforcements and the pendulum begins to swing the goblins’ way.  Oreth falls unconscious from fever and bloodloss and loyal Marrok must stand atop his friend to prevent the goblins from finishing him.  Eventually as more goblins fall before Tam, Gregory and Marrok’s assault, the remaining defenders lose their nerve and flee into the darkness.  Exhausted, the heroes do not pursue and instead withdraw to consider their options.     

Background: Time in Umbria

This is the calendar associated with the Common Tongue in Umbria, based largely on the cycles which have marked time for rural folk for time immemorial.  Other races (Elves, Dwarves, etc.) have their own calendars, as do certain distinct human cultures/elites.

The year is divided into 16 months.  One month is measured by the phases of the primary moon, Luna, each month numbering 21 days.  Each month is divided into 3 weeks of 7 days (known literally, as 'sevendays') each and each season (Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter) is made up of 4 months.  Between each 4 month season is a seven day period, at the centre of which lie the solstices (for Summer and Winter) and equinoxes (for Spring and Autumn).  Of course because these solar 'sevendays' do not correspond with Luna's phases, the primary moon is seldom in perfect alignment with the months.  Known as Deepwinter, Birthspring, Midsummer and Fallbrew, these sevendays are regarded as holidays in most civilized lands, culminating in the solstice celebrations of Sun Still (Midsummer) and World Still (Deepwinter) and the equinox celebrations of Greengrass (Birthspring) and Highharvestide (Fallbrew).

Deepwinter	7 days incl. Winter Solstice: ‘World Still’ on 4th
Longdark	21 days
Coldeven	21 days
Thawflower	21 days
Spritewind	21 days
Lifespring	7 days incl. Spring Equinox: ‘Greengrass’ on 4th
Firstseed	21 days
Flocktime	21 days
Haymaker	21 days
Wealsun	21 days
Midsummer	7 days incl. Summer Solstice: ‘Sun Still’ on 4th
Sheafgilden	21 days
Reaping	21 days
Goodmonth	21 days
Harvester	21 days
Fallbrew	7 days incl. Autumn Equinox: ‘Highharvestide’
Flamerule	21 days
Patchwall	21 days
Sunsebb	21 days
Whitemantle	21 days

Rules Clarifications: 2nd Level

Levelling Up (see also pages 145-146 of PHB, plus the relevant chapters for your Race, Class, Skills, Feats and Spells...)

1.       Choose class.  Most characters have only one class, and when such a character achieves a new level, it is a new level in that class.  If your character wants to acquire another class, however, you choose which class goes up one level.  The other class or classes stay at the previous level.

[Aside: if you would like to take another class on (now or at a future level up) contact me – it’s not that difficult so if you are keen and it makes sense in the context of your character there is no reason why you shouldn’t – imagine a wizard picking up some combat pointers from the fighter, or the fighter who is fascinated by magic asking the wizard to teach him a few cantrips.

From a game perspective, there are differing opinions on how useful taking an extra class.  In the long run a multiclass character will never have the raw power of a single class character at those particular abilities, but of course the RANGE of abilities (and combinations thereof) increases.  As always my advice is to do what you want to do for the ‘feel’ of your character rather than worrying about maximising the numbers. 

That said, if you’re going to take an additional class make sure you have the ability scores to support it!  For example rogues generally use dexterity and intelligence, so if you want some rogue levels make sure you have decent scores in those attributes.]

Assuming you choose to keep to the single character class for now…

2.       Base Attack Bonus (you find this info on the bit about your class in the PHB)

As a fighter Tam’s base attack bonus goes from +1 to +2 at level 2.

As a druid Oreth’s base attack bonus goes from + 0 to +1 at level 2. (pg 34)

As a wizard Lareth’s base attack bonus goes from + 0 to +1 at level 2. (pg 52)

3.       Base Save Bonus (you find this info in the bit about your class in the PHB)

As a level 2 fighter Tam’s Fort save goes up from +2 to +3. (pg 36).

His Reflex and Will saves remain at +0

As a level 2 druid Oreth’s Fortitude and Will saves both go up from +2 to +3. (pg 34) 

His Reflex save remains at + 0.

As a level 2 wizard Lareth’s Will save goes up from +2 to + 3. (page 52)

His Reflex and Fortitude save remains at+0

4.       Skill Points

You get extra skill points with which to either buy ranks in your current trained skills (get better at what you already do) or to buy ranks in currently untrained skills (pick up new skills).  

Your class determines how many skill points you get per level, and you get additional skill points = to your intelligence modifier, and one additional skill point/level if you are human.

Remember that your rank in a skill effectively is a bonus to that skill on top of your ability modifier.  The maximum rank you can have is your level +2 – so currently you can buy ranks to ‘max out’ skills to 5 points maximum (see page 58 and the bit on skills in your class section).  Also remember that you can buy one rank of a class skill for 1 point, HALF a rank of a cross-class skill, and you are not allowed to buy ranks in skills which are not for your class (see the chart on page 59).

Tam gets 2 extra skill points for an extra level as fighter, minus 1 skill point for his Intelligence modifier, plus 1 skill point for being a human so he has 2 more skill points to spend.

Oreth gets 4 skill points for an extra druid level, plus 1 for his intelligence modifier, giving him 5 extra points to spend.

Lareth gets 2 extra skill points for a wizard level, + 3 for his intelligence modifier, giving him 5 extra points to spend.

5.       Ability Scores

At 4^th level you get to allocate an extra point to an ability score (eg. Strength, Charisma, etc.).  Obviously you can’t do this now but I just included it for completeness.

6.       Hit Points

For going up in level, you roll a dice, add your constitution modifier and get these extra hit points.  This reflects your character’s ability to roll with blows, minimize damage, turn direct hits at vitals into glancing blows, press on through pain which would drop a lesser warrior, etc.

This is one part of levelling up you can’t do at home – just like rolling for abilities in Mordheim it just seems fair to do this in front of everyone else so DO NOT DO THIS TILL NEXT SESSION.  Also, let me pre-empt the groans by not despairing if you roll a 1 – the has you go up in level your HP will average out over successive rolls.

For a fighter level Tam will roll 1d10 + 3 for constitution (between 4 and 13 extra hp)

For a druid level Oreth will roll 1d8 + 0 for constitution (between 1 and 8, though his constitution is currently lowered by Filth Fever.)

For a wizard level Lareth will get 1d4 – 1 for Constitution (between 1 and 3 hp – even with a negative constitution you ALWAYS get at least ONE hp for going up in level.

7.       Feats

Only fighters get feats at 2^nd level (Druids and Wizards have to wait for 3^rd).

Tam gets to choose an extra ‘Feat’ but it has to be one of the bonus combat oriented Feats mentioned on page 37.  As I recall, Gary, you were looking at the ‘Cleave’ feat which you are now eligble for because of your ‘Power Attack’ Feat.  On turns when you drop a foe, this allows you to automatically make another attack at an adjacent foe, and is a prerequisite for Great Cleave.  There are lots of other feats to choose from though – ‘Sunder’ and ‘Improved Bullrush’ also require power attack.  Drop me a line if you’d like to chat about where to go with the feats – fighters get HEAPS of them so building your combat combos is a lot of fun!

8.       Spells

As a 2^nd level Druid, Oreth can now memorize 4 0^th level spells + 3 for Wisdom = 7 0^th level spells per day and 2 st level spells + 3 for wisdom = 5 1^st level spells per day.

As a 2^nd level wizard, Lareth can now memorize 4 0^th level spells + 3 for Intelligence = 7 0^th level spells per day and 2 st level spells + 3 for Intelligence = 5 1^st level spells per day.  In addition, Lareth can write 2 new spells (TOTAL) chosen from any level you can currently cast (either 0th or 1^st level) to your spellbook, representing your continuing research and experience of magic and enhanced ability to perceive and control the arcane.

Spellcasters – remember to try to read your spells if you can, knowing their intricacies can make all the difference in terms of strategy.  Gregory’s use of light on his mace was inspired…

9.       Features

Only Oreth gets special features at level 2 – as a druid lvl 2, Oreth gains the ‘woodland stride ability’ – he may move through natural thorns, briars, overgrown areas, and similar terrain at his normal speed and without suffering damage or other impairment.  While the early part of this campaign is dungeon-based there are in fact a range of adventure potential settings in the game (wilderness, city, etc.) so this is a pretty nifty little