The Face of Mystara, Part II Campaign Log

Welcome, adventurers, to the second part of our grand tour across Mystara!  

We've changed the format of the site, and we're changing the format for the adventure logs as well.  We might play with a few different models in the coming seasons, but it's all aimed at making these things not such terrible walls of text.  One method on the table is to publish an update post on Sunday night to the main blog containing that session's notes.  The links could then be compiled here in the main log, as well as any story concerns or developments that affect the campaign at large.

Tell us what you think!  For now, we continue our D&D Basic game, and we've changed it up a little to keep it fresh and exciting.  This section of the campaign picks up directly after the last session of The Face of Mystara, Part I.  

The Sea of Dread, 1000 A.C.

The open seas of the Known World hold many secrets.  One such secret is the location of a fabled island, shunned by those who do know of it - the Isle of Dread.  Like many well kept secrets, a certain mystique surrounds the tiny volcanic island that lures intrepid adventurers to its' shores with the whispered promises of riches beyond their own ambition.  Yet, a certain feeling of darkness surrounds the island and the dark jungle within.  This sense of dread pervades the waters around it, and gives the island its' name.

Recently, a group of adventurers landed once more upon the shores of the Isle of Dread.  A great many years had passed since the islanders had seen mainlanders, and the welcomed the chance to trade and share tales.  After a few expeditions beyond the great wall that keeps the wilds of the northern jungle from overtaking the small southern villages of the islanders, the adventurers concocted a plan.

Now, though their group has suffered massive casualties, the remnants of that party now return to the mainland to gather the support they need to enact their plan.  The adventurers intend to conquer the island, and take it as their own domain.  However, they will face many dangers along the way.  More so than danger, they must negotiate the dangerous terrain of politics in order to gain everything they need to make their mark on the Known World.

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The Face of Mystara, Part II is a Dungeons & Dragons Expert campaign that is a continuation of the tale began in Part I.  However, there has been a major change in theme:  the players now intend to spend more time in the Sea of Dread, and to also visit Minrothad to gain support for a new trade lane.  It's an ambitious project, and as Dungeon Master I'm more than happy to release the reigns holding the players to see how it plays out!

As to the original idea of using progressive modules, eventually we will catch back up to that vision.  Some of the modules will be slipped right in, as soon as players move into the correct circumstances to enter one.  So don't worry - there's still plenty of room between here and Master level!

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Current Player Characters
Total Party Levels: 44

• Wickwar Davis - Halfling: 6 (L) 
• Blanith Grigix of the Light - Magic-User: 6 (C) 
• Alexandria Postoak - Fighter: 6 (L)
• Gorlon Talloak - Fighter: 5 (C)
• Todd Decos - Fighter: 7 (N)
• Utho - Fighter: 7 (L)
• Oliver Duncan - Cleric: 7 (L) 

Warband
Total Party Levels: 5 (+22 Normal Men)

• Captain Blanith Grigix - Player Character
• The Sea Heifer (Large Sailing Ship)
• Guild Pilot - Dwarf: 2 (L)
• 12 Sailors - Normal Men
• Captain Ioran Barlowe - Fighter: 3 (L)
• The Drake (Small Sailing Ship) 
• 10 Sailors - Normal Men 

Deceased Player Characters

• Methra the Magus - Magic-User: 4 (L)

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Campaign Log
Total Game Time (Part I): 66.5 hrs
Total Game Time (Part II): 27.5 hrs
Cumulative Total Game Time: 94 hrs
Last Update: 12.10.2014


A Powerful Ally
10.19.2014
Total Session Time: 5 hrs

A great many tasks have to be completed in order to enact the ambitious feat of colonizing the Isle of Dread.  A new adventuring party must be formed, with new agreements.  Ships must be secured, workers employed and fed, soldiers hired and transported.  In addition, the Drake carries a large shipment of fresh goods from the Isle.

In addition to all of this, the project must be kept secret until the newly created trade lane can be protected.  Given the proximity of the Minrothad Guilds to the Isle of Dread, as well as their expansive trade network and the protections extended to guild ships, it's only natural our adventurers wish to reach out to the guilders.  However, the archipelago is shrouded in mists that conceal many dangers to ships that approach without the proper guidance.  Hidden shoals, whirlpools, tornadoes and waterspouts are also terrible threats that blanket Minrothad.  Only a ship with a guild pilot will be able to negotiate the obstacles and safely bring a ship into a guild harbor.

The Drake lands in Karameikos, ready to secure new crew and sell its' cargo.  Most importantly, a guild pilot must be found and hired.  Yet, within the "safe" harbor of the mainland's cities, laws, taxes and tariffs may prove the adventurer's greatest adversary yet.

• Session 1 (10.21.14)

Ignoring most of this, the party returns to the Isle of Dread to rescue the specialists that were hired to complete this plan, and escape once more with their lives.  However, the presence of dragons around the island has intrigued them.  Currently, the party is investigating the appearance of a possible red dragon upon the island.


Known World Level Select
10.26.2014
Total Session Time: 5 hrs

After dithering for an unhealthy amount of time on the Isle of Dread, the party is uncertain what to do next.  It's time to select a new course for the campaign.

• Session 2 (10.26.14)

All is right in the world.  The party has unity and purpose.  Currently, that purpose is hunt down and bring to justice the notorious Captain Kronk and his pirate crew.


The Sea Heifer
11.02.2014
Total Session Time: 5 hrs

Hired by a wealthy Thyatian, the party embarks on The Drake to capture an elusive quarry.

• Session 3 (11.07.14)

With Kronk dead and Todd Decos in the hold with the other prisoners, the part sets off back to Thyatis City.  With the Sea Heifer intact, the party now has a larger vessel at their disposal.  A mighty prize in and of itself, the large sailing vessel is taken as the new flagship of the tiny fleet.

Into the Vortex
11.09.2014 to 11.30.2014
Total Session Time: 12 hrs

"I wish him nothing but pain in his silly travels, especially if they wind up in my octagon.  Clearly I have defeated this earthworm with my words -- imagine what I would have done with my fire breathing fists.  There’s a new sheriff in town. And he has an army of assassins.”

• Session 4 (11.28.14)
• Session 5 (12.01.14)
• Session 6 (12.10.14)

Back in Thyatis, the group convalesces and divides the spoils from Castle Dulvantir.  The Warlock left a crate full of booty as well.  Now, the adventurers can turn their sights northward...

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Campaign Resolution

The party consolidates in Thyatis City.  Their ships and men are made ready for the long journey north, to Vestland.  There, they hear that domains can still be carved out of the rugged land by those willing to brave the dangers of the frontier.

In the Northern Reaches, our party will once again be brought forth to conquer the dangers and challenges still waiting for them on Mystara.  The group has shown that Fate is with them, but the toughest challenges still await.  Will new domains on the fringe of the Known World become the lands ruled over by our intrepid adventurers?  Will The Warlock Charlie Sheen's visions be made real, or be the cause of ruin to our heroes?

One day, they will return...and all will be known.

Until then, adventurers...Mystara will wait patiently.

Decos' Wretched Plight (Session 4)

These notes are originally from 12.09.2014.

A More Aggressive Incursion

As the party returned to the tunnels, they encounter some kobolds attacking from the shadows. The Men from The North are not surprised, quickly cutting the scaly lil' beast down.  Pushing forward, the party finds a fierce orc hacking away at a group of giant rats.  The party charges the rats, slaying a few and scaring the remainder down the hallway to the East.

The orc is wary, but he makes no move to attack the party.  Fnu boldly acknowledges the orc, asking of him the essential questions; why are you here, has he seen a book here in the tunnels, and of course, what is your name?

Conveniently enough, the Orc speaks some decent common, answering the questions, but still wary of what the adventurers plan to do.  Ru'gash, as he introduced himself, is quite taken by surprise at a generous offer from Fnu.  As payment of hiring him under his service, Fnu gives the orc a valuable gem and promises more if he performs well.  Ru'gash accepts this offer, feeling less threatened by his uneven odds.

Rats come running down corridor to the east squealing in fear.  The straggler is struck by a magical missile launched by the Grumpy Goblin Shaman Schwee.  Fnu shouts out at the critter in it's own language, which catches his attention, but only long enough for him to grumble and just walk off down the corridor to the south of the intersection he had stood in.  The party spies a book and pursues the goblin to a door, that appears to be locked, and he turns and faces the party, obviously very uncomfortable with being within a hairsbreadth away from the Fearsome Northerners.

Fnu has the goblin roughed up a bit, and threatened furiously when he chooses to be uncooperative and answers the party's questions vaguely and without much enthusiasm.  Growing tired of his shriveling lil' captive, Fnu forces the desired information out of the goblin.  Further, the canny magic-user forces the goblin to swear servitude to him for 101 days.  On pain of death.  The goblin Schwee does as he is bid, and finds that it might not be so bad as Fnu offers up a softer side and rewards his minion with a secret gift.

Thus unified, the group continues into the depths of the dungeon...searching for a potentially disastrous magical Staff of Pestilence.

Scatter Bases: Seasonal Trees

"Nock those arrows but quick, knaves - or the gobs will have our wenches for their pleasures!"

I really enjoy "area terrain".  By that, I mean I like to base terrain abstractly on a base sometimes.  Less clutter to fiddle with.  "True" line-of-sight is neat and is the norm for drawing LoS on the table, but I think that area terrain still has a place in today's world of "true" LoS.

We have a lot of large area pieces.  A lot of them are forests.  So, when our buddy Buff Bagworm showed up with some awesome Hobby Lobby trees, we knew a good way to set about using them that would set them apart from our other wooded terrain features - both in functionality on the table and general aesthetics.

"I say, is it getting dark in here or is it just your rakish photography!?  Philistine!"

The autumn set here was one package Buff brought forth to the club.  We put them on round 50mm bases, which we flocked with a mix of different tones to make an earthy fall basing.  Add a few rocks and some clump foliage from Gale Force 9 and you've got some nice scatter bases.  These are small, but add a lot of flavor.  As these are area terrain pieces, the placement of one of these can dramatically change lines of sight.

It's the host of Between Two Trees, Zacharias Gallifreynovakus.

A veritable autumn forest.  Big thanks to Buff Bagworm and his missus!  They are always looking out for us in their travels, and we really appreciate it.

Obvious Troll is Obvious.

Buff brought us another pack of trees from a local...Dollar Tree?  I think so...it's a thrift mart, but sometimes there are treasures within.  Good looking out, Mr. Bagworm!

These bases were treated a bit differently - we added summer clump foliage instead!  These were some sort of seasonal holiday item, and had "snow" sprayed on the boughs.  A little Krylon Camouflage spray and we're good.  Green foliage and BOOM - summer time scatter bases.

"Steady, Hans...they'll never see us out here!"

I am not sure where these two trees came from.  It was a long time ago, and when I was doing this project I saw them in our bin.  So...pine tree scatter bases!

It's a whole new forest terrain selection for the club, for just a few bucks and very little effort.  Big thanks to Buff Bagworm & Co. (and whoever donated the pine trees) - we really dig you guys.  See you on Game Day!