Session 9: Blasti-bros Assault on the Obsidian Citadel

 

We now have three competing parties after The Sundering of the Bros, so we need to decide who will be the focus of this session. I roll a d6 and get The Blasti-bros, led by Blastikus. As outlined in Session 8 Downtime: The Winter Blast Bros, the party relocated to Old Brightwood to avoid the Mighty Redneck's rage and find some coin in the process. Blastikus sends the hench-orcs out on a scouting mission to check the wilderness to the east, while the rest of the group tries to get some intel on the current situation. I use Appendix B of the hallowed AD&D DMG to populate the 6 mile hex with the following results:

OK - so some interesting bits here. I reckon Blastikus and friends are looking for some quick hits and will focus on the sites closest to Old Brightwood. I build a random table based on the likely features and local rumors:

1. Hex 303.297: The abandoned Shrine of the Evil Tablets
2. Hex 304.296: The abandoned stronghold - Obsidian Tower of the Deep Ones
3. Hex 305.294: The ruined city of Hraden; need laborers and men-at-arms
4. Hex 303.295: The ruined city of Bleak Quarry; need laborers and men-at-arms
5. Hex 301.294: The hobgoblins have turned the old ruins west of Orchard Hollow and Old Brightwood into a fortified village with ramparts, guard towers and ballistae. They have been seen building siege equipment for a final push into Orchard Hollow. The people are terrified but are penned in by stealthy hobgoblin death squads that haunt the surrounding hills.
6. Hex 306.297: Nameless ruined village; rumors of a wizards lab

Another d6 roll give me a 2, so we're exploring the Obsidian Tower. Blastikus needs a new base of operations so the tower is of particular interest, especially if it's not in total shambles. I roll a d100 to see how damaged the tower is and get a 16. This means it's shabby, but habitable with some upkeep and minimal repairs. DMG pg107 has 6 types of towers listed (how awesome!) and a d6 roll gives me a 3 meaning we have a 40ft diameter tower that's 30ft high with a 1600gp cost. Let's assume that's 10ft per level so we have 3 above ground levels in the tower itself. Repair costs are 1600 * .16 = 256gp to bring the tower itself back to habitable condition if the Bros can claim it from whatever nasties might be present.

I decide the tower, though abandoned, must have some dungeons (because how can The Obsidian Tower of the Deep Ones not have dungeons???) and follow my previous procedure of d4 for number of levels (I get a 3) and a d10 for a starting dungeon level of 6. Three d20 rolls result in 4 rooms for level 1, 16 rooms for level 2 and 18 rooms for level 3. I'll randomly generate the dungeon using Appendix A and stock it using the MM2 monster tables. 

The Bros travel from Old Brightwood with no wandering monsters encountered and survey the stronghold. As the group breaks from the hilled forests outside of Old Brightwood, they stare into the fractured badlands surrounding the black monolith of the Obsidian Tower. Though it is early morning, the tower seems to absorb the sunlight itself and radiate the utter darkness of a starless void. Every inch of the tower itself is covered in phosphorescent sickly mauve glyphs that seem alive and writhing in agony unimagined. Though the surrounding badlands are dried, broken chunks of rock and sand, the tower itself is perpetually damp with a disturbing briny smell reminiscent of the pelagic depths. This is clearly a Place of Power, and Blastikus silently smiles at his good fortune.

The party readies itself for combat and quickly finds an entrance to the tower. Wandering monster checks all come up empty for the 3 tower levels, so the place is truly abandoned (at least above ground). Time to delve with Appendix A!

Level 1 basically came up empty on the dungeon gen. The wandering monster checks likewise came up with a Grell (weakling with only 9hp - bad rolls). No surprise and the Bros easily dispatch the abomination in round 1 after winning initiative. Onwards to level 2!

We hit action immediately as I roll a monster encounter for room 1 (3 hill giants 52hp, 54hp, 63hp). The Pct in Lair roll shows they have made this area their home, so they'll have Treasure type D. 

The Bros win surprise by a whopping 5 to 2 so they get 3 segments of surprise attacks, including a backstab by Kraal the assassin. The Bros concentrate their fire on Hill Giant #1, dealing a total of 36hp damage.

Round 1: Bros win 5 to 3

Blastikus uses his Wand of Frost for 27hp damage. All the Hill Giants fail their saves, so #1 is a frosty corpse and the other two are feeling pretty miserable. Sully hits HG #2 for 3 points and everybody else whiffs. The giants likewise get some terrible rolls and do nothing this round.

Round 2: Bros win 3 to 1

Blastikus casts forked Lightning Bolt for 28hp against both giants who make their saves and take 14hp damage. The remaining Bros all miss in melee. HG #2 smashes Blastikus for 5hp but HG #3 lands nothing.

Round 3: Bros win 4 to 3

I make a morale check for the giants which they pass easily so they're still in the fight. Blastikus hits HG #2 with Magic Missile for 10hp, Sully hits him for another 5hp. Marsh casts Burning Hands for 7hp against both giants and Mog hits HG #3 for 5hp. The giants are rocked and do nothing in retaliation. 

Round 4: Bros win 6 to 4

Giants again pass their morale check so they're clearly pissed off and staying in the fight. Blastikus again uses his Wand of Frost for 28hp damage. HG #2 saves, but is dead anyway. HG #3 fails and takes the full brunt of the Cone of Cold. Mog hits him for another 4hp and our chilled out giants misses on his turn.

Round 5: Hill Giant wins 6 to 5

The remaining giant fails morale by 15% so he executes a fighting withdrawal with a swing and a miss at Mog. The Bros all miss on their turn.

Round 6: Bros win 4 to 1

Blastikus goes back to the trusty Wand of Frost for 22hp damage and the giant fails his save. Mog hits the brute twice on his 3/2 attack for 15hp, killing him.

A quick search of the room finds some coffers containing the giants' treasure: 3,728gp and 3 pieces of jewelry (per Treasure Type D rolls). A quick check of DMG pg 26 and some incredibly lucky rolls yield a total jewelry value of 55,422gp - a king's ransom! 

The Bros elect to continue onwards and find a largely empty level until they come to the last room (monster plus treasure). A random roll comes up with an 8HD air elemental. The Bros win surprise 4 to 1, quickly slam shut the door and beat a hasty retreat to the surface. This is a problem for another day...

The expedition has proven to be very lucrative and yielded a new base of operations for the Bros.