Solo Dungeon Crawl

[bazookajoe]

I really like the Nolzur's "dungeon decor" type of items such as tables, chairs, bookcases, treasure piles etc.  They are all fantastic and the price is great.  Also, the monsters are excellent.  I have the rust monsters, owlbear, umberhulk and a few others, and have my eye on the elementals.  The beholder is the best out there, I think, but I have not painted mine yet as it looks intimidating!  Just picked up the new Remoraz too.  My problem with a few of the character figures is that occasionally the faces lack detail and the bent weapons annoy me.  In general though, the range is wonderful providing a rare balance between mostly great quality and relatively low price.  I hope they keep bringing out new stuff.

[bazookajoe]

With their reputation increasing, the party is hired by a wealthy merchant to kill the chief of an orc tribe that has taken up residence in an ancient underground complex and to rescue his daughter who the orcs are holding for ransom.  The adventurers enter the dungeon and immediately eliminate a sleepy orc sentry and dismantle a crudely prepared trap.  They continue into what turns out to be the den of three dire wolves that the orcs keep as watch dogs.  The fighter jumps on a crate and begins slashing at the beasts with his two-handed sword and in short order the dire wolves are slain.   Walking down a long corridor, the mercenaries notice a concealed trap which the rogue easily disarms.  Then, they hear much laughing and shouting as a returning orc raiding party, fresh from terrorizing the surrounding farms, marches down the corridor followed by a huge ogre.  A fierce battle erupts and luckily for the party the narrowness of the tunnel means that the gang of orcs block the ogre from getting into combat until it is too late.  Prayers from the war priest restore the injured adventurers to full vigor and they continue to explore the orc lair.  To be continued...

[bazookajoe]

Healed up from their fight with the orc raiding party, the adventurers continue down the long corridor that ends at an abandoned ancient burial chamber that the orcs seem to avoid.  Backtracking, the party explores a side tunnel that leads directly into a large room that the orcs have turned into a temple.  As the barbarian, fighter and cleric cut into the orc worshipers, the rogue jumps over a pile of fallen rocks to engage the orc priest interrupting his attempts to cast a spell.  With no sign of the orc lord or the merchant's kidnapped daughter, the party continues into an adjacent chamber in which they discover a pair of hideous trolls who instantly attack.  The adventurers hack and slash at the trolls but their wounds seem to heal in an instant.  The trolls bite and craw furiously and for a few seconds it seems like the party has met its hate.  However, the rogue withdraws into the relative safety of the corridor and takes a few well aimed crossbow shots at the heads of the tall monsters doing considerable damage.  After the cleric calls fourth some divinely inspired flames to counter the regeneration, the monsters fall into a heap of charred green flesh.  Seriously injured and exhausted from battling the vicious trolls, the party suspends its search and retires from the dungeon to rest and recuperate.  They will try again later.

[bazookajoe]

Entering the dungeon from another opening, the party made a second attempt to locate and kill the orc chieftain and rescue the merchant's daughter.  Quickly running into some large and ferocious monsters, the adventurers barely escaped with their lives.  Hope of accomplishing their mission seems dim at the moment.

[waitwhat]

Compelling stuff. I'm getting quite worried about the merchant's daughter 

[Ethelred the Almost Ready]

Compelling stuff. I'm getting quite worried about the merchant's daughter 

She has learned a thing or two from her father and has opened up a shop selling gourmet food and wine to the denizens of the dungeon.

I have been following this adventure with interest.  Looking forward to the next installment.

[bazookajoe]

The frustrated party made a final push to try to accomplish its mission of killing the orc chief and rescuing the merchant's daughter.  Entering yet another section of the dungeon, the adventurers immediately noticed a spear trap easily disarmed by the rogue.  A few yards more down the dark passage resulted in a brief but bloody encounter with two orcs conducting a routine patrol.  Their severed heads were left on the stone floor.  The party then turned left into a medium-sized room which they discovered was being used by nine orcs as a barracks.  Although the orcs had the advantage of numbers, the party killed them all but was left badly bruised and bloodied in the process.  With some quick heading from the war priest, they pressed on through a door only to run right into a pair of huge ogres who were slain after a fierce melee.  The priest's prayers were almost exhausted but they pressed on into a long dim corridor.  Suddenly, the adventurers entered a large room in the center of which was a long table and a large wooden throne flanked by a huge orc warlord and his pack of hungry dire wolves and a few orc bodyguards.  In the corner stood a forlorn-looking young woman wearing a dirty white dress and bound with chains.  There was a huge battle which ended with the rogue putting a crossbow bolt between the eyes of the massive orc leader.  Collecting the chief's treasure, the party returned to the village with the liberated prisoner and received a bag of gold as a reward from the grateful merchant.  Thus ends the tale of the raid on the orc stronghold.

[bazookajoe]

And here is the whole dungeon for that session. 

Now I have to come up with a higher level adventure for these guys!  Hmmm, I wonder where I put my mind-flayer miniature?