Kingbeast's Lair

Date At Start Of Game: 2/18/207

[Author’s Note: This is the log for the 32nd session. Note that the order of the events in this record may not be in the exact order that they occurred during play.]

The Hidden Valley

After braving the secret chamber below the gears the PC venture out to the other side. After emerging from the gears they find themselves looking down into a secluded mountain valley. In the valley are several interesting landmarks including a large dragon skeleton, a graveyard, a large white pool, and three cave entrances. As the PC start to descend into the valley a large snake looms up and confronts them. Oren yells at the snake in an attempt scare it back into his lair. With an amazing act of defiance the snake cringes back into its hole! With that the group heads to the skeleton first.

As the group approaches the skeleton they begin to realize the massive size of the creature. Also to their surprise the bones seem somewhat fresh! There are actually bits of flesh hanging down from the ribs and the skull is missing. In front of the carcass is a freshly erected plaque that reads:

Sunscratch, the Betrayer. May his bones serve as warning. To take the life of another dragon is a grievous crime. To rise up against his brothers and strike at his liege-lords is unforgivable. Look upon this false dragon and know the justice of the Dragon Kings is swift and sure.

As the group nears the remains they are greeted by a strange lizard kin that is adorned with various fetishes. In harsh broken Draconic language the creature tells the PC to bow down to Sunscratch! Not wanting to provoke the being the PC decide to simply back off and leave it alone.

Next the PC approach the graveyard. The graveyard is surrounded by a large black gate. Inside are humanoid sized graves and a large stone dragon statue. Po detects magic and does not see anything. Cillian looks around with his stone sight and discovers two things. First he discovers that there is a coffin that is glowing with magic. He also discovers that the large dragon statue is hollow. Inside are two candles lighting up what appears to be a reliquary (i.e. a place where the dead are revered). Oren starts to the dig up the grave while the PC watch. As Oren pulls open the lid a strange shadowy grave warden ghost approaches with a shovel. Po lets loose a MASSIVE spell using his necklace that sets the ghost dancing. By continually feeding the spell Po is able to keep the creature at bay. This gives Oren a change to retrieve another one of the Dragon trumpets. After retrieving the trumpet the PC decide to leave the graveyard.

The PC next investigate the pool. At the bottom of 15′ of water the PC see the fourth Dragon trumpet! Cillian tries to raise it out of the water using his wind power but after rising a few feet it stops as if some unseen wall is blocking it. When that happens the PC near the edge of the water to investigate. Oren drops some cloth which sinks to a certain depth then stops. Next Oren grabs a massive boulder and throws it into the pool. When the rock reaches a certain depth it stops then slowly slides off. At that point a massive water creature with glowing yellow eyes emerges from the pool! Pseudopods whip out flailing at Po and attempting to drown Kanga! Cillian quickly grants the PC water breathing to protect them from drowning. Oren and Bilby cut loose on the creature delivering massive blows. Soon it sinks back into the pool and the PC retrieve the trumpet.

The Vault Of The Dragon Kings

After the encounter at the pool the PC move towards a large tunnel at the far end of the valley. The tunnel opens out into a massive marble hall that is lighted with glowing gems from carvings on the roof of the chamber. At the end of the great hall is a massive set of double doors that appear to be hastily barricaded with broken pillars. As the group enters the hall Bilby makes out some voices in a side alcove at the end of the room. When Cillian looks into the area using his stone sight he sees three large Gila Monster Kin and a strange six legged lizard. In a flash Cillian is turned to stone! Acting swiftly Bilby uses his Spirit Splitter sword to dispel the effect returning Cillian to flesh. Now the group decides to approach blindfolded with Bilby leading the way using his sonar. When the creatures come out of the alcove they approach the PC. One of the lizards is a burly barbarian, one is a shaman with a shield and a lantern, and the last is an archer. With them is a basilisk! Cillian rushes forward and uses his flame spell to attack the Gila Monster Kin. After his attack the wizard heals them with a single deft spell! Bilby rushes the basilisk using his amazing speed to lure the creature away from the party. The barbarian rushes forward with a massive flail! He charges Oren who is taunting him. The archer start pelting the PC with arrows. At first the large lizard kin land some blows causing some damage to the party. As soon as the basilisk turns to confront Bilby the PC open their eyes and start cutting loose. Po lets go a powerful curse on the archer, Oren cuts loose on the barbarian in a berserk rage, Kanga and Cillian blast away at the shaman. Strangely the shaman’s lantern seems to be increasing the power of Cillian’s flame attacks! The shaman cuts loose with a blast on Cillian but the young thief raise his hand deflecting the blast around him in a blaze of light! The tides swiftly shift in the favor of the PC. Soon the barbarian is knocked out, the shaman is nearly dead, the archer has surrendered, and the basilisk has been killed.

Date At End Of Game: 2/18/207

During the early 90’s I published a newsletter that I emailed out to anyone who would listen. At the time my audience was comprised primarily of gaming buddies and folks on the Checkered Demon BBS. Each issue is like a collection of mini blog posts. 😉

Topics vary from issue to issue but focus on Hero Games product reviews/rules, video game reviews, comic book reviews, and other miscellaneous news items that would be appropriate for my gaming group. Looking back I think doing the small reviews in these issues whet my appetite for the type of more in depth reviews that I am performing now on this very blog.

You can find copies of the currently posted issues at this URL: https://usandacat.com/thelair/file-downloads/other-files/

The first 10 issues include the following highlights:

• Quotes from gaming sessions.
• Incorporating rules from Mystic Masters.
• My own set of Danger International rules for playing Cyberpunk.
• Product reviews of the old Champions Shield, Mind Games, Mystic Masters, Challenges For Champions, Zodiac Conspiracy, and Invasion: Target Earth.
• The start of the infamous Seth’s Rules Of Dungeoneering.

More issues are coming soon! Watch this blog for details! 🙂

Date At Start Of Game: 2/18/207

[Author’s Note: This is the log for the 31st session. Note that the order of the events in this record may not be in the exact order that they occurred during play.]

The Entry Chambers

After felling the strange dinosaur mummy the PC examine the corpse and find a large key strapped to its back. Carefully Bilby sneaks past the archers and looks for a keyhole. He finds one near some massive looking gears against the northern wall. Bilby also hears a distant hum coming from below the gears with his sensitive Bat Kin ears.

Carefully Po uses his Dead Can Dance spell on the skeletal archers. This allows the PC to venture safely into the room. After searching the chamber from where the mummy emerged the PC decide to check the lock near the gears. Cillian inserts the key then twists it. It goes to four different positions. At each position the PC can hear something mechanical moving in the distance but the position of the gears does not move. On the forth position they hear a grinding noise. Not having an obvious thing to try the PC start to investigate the four doors leading out of the large foyer.

The first room has golden doors and contains strange dragon symbols on the floor that glow with a red light. When Cillian explores he finds a strange brazier at the end of the room that is covered with ash. When he approaches and lights his hand a being made of flame forms in the urn! It carefully steps out then moves to attack Cillian! Cillian runs out of the room then Oren slams closed the door.

The PC then decide to check the other rooms. Each chamber has a door made of a different metal, different color glowing symbols, and a different altar area. The room with the bronze doors has yellow symbols and a statue of a cloud with lightning bolt. The room with copper doors has amber symbols and a fountain with two twin-headed dragon statues. The last room has silver doors, blue symbols on the floor, and has four dragon men statues kneeling around an ice dragon statue. After some discussion on how to proceed the group decides to try the ice room first.

Cillian enters the room and the four dragon men animate and move to attack. They appear to be living creatures! Cillian rushes back to the door then turns with the rest of the party to face the creatures. He uses his flame hand but finds that most of it diverts around the creatures to the back of the room! Once the dragon men close the party starts attacking. Oren sweeps them out of the way with his deadly blows! Bilby cuts looks with his sword. Cillian keeps flaming them then switches off to his sword. Eventually the dragon men fall. On careful examination of the room Cillian finds a narrow crease at the end of the symbols. First they try pouring blood from the dragon men into the crease but nothing happens. After this Oren tries pouring some water into the trench. As the water freezes the blue glow from the symbols proceeds down the trench. Once the trench is full the PC hear that one of the gears has started moving. They now have the idea that something similar must be repeated in each room.

Next the PC decide to tackle the room with the cloud and lightning bolts. As nothing immediately springs on Cillian he approaches the trench and discovers that if he lays something metal in the trench it starts to glow yellow. Getting an old sword from Po Cillian lights up his flame hand and melts the sword into the trench. Once it gets filled the doors slam shut trapping Cillian and Oren inside! After the doors close a strange creature made of electricity appears! It is a will-o-wisp! It vanishes then moves to start attacking the PC. For some reason Cillian can see heat coming from the creature and attacks. With a fantastically accurate blow he cuts the creature in half causing it to fall and become visible. With a smash from Oren’s hammer the beast flickers out and disappears.

The room with the fire creature and red symbols is next. This time Cillian approaches and the being made of flame does not appear. Carefully Cillian starts pouring oil into the trench. As he pours out the oil it lights up from touching the nearby red symbols. As soon as the flame starts to lick the creature appears again. The PC cut loose on the creature while Cillian pours. When the creature blasts Cillian he cringes only to find the flames pour around his body not causing him much harm! In a few more strikes the creature falls. What is going on with Cillian’s powers?!? Po guesses that Cillian might be a fire dragon.

Finally the PC confront the room that they fear might be the toughest…the room with the two twin-headed dragons. As they approach the statues animate. They appear to be some type of animated mechanical constructs. Their bellies are full of acid which they can spit in a dangerous gush. Oren and Bilby lead the charge by racing up to attack before the creatures start to move. Po starts throwing his Cursey Boo Boo spell to slow them down. Cillian uses his flame hand and sword to land blows. After some fantastic hits from Oren and Bilby the creatures fall. The party is wounded but are victorious. They pour some acid into the trench and the final gear starts to roll.

With the gears rolling the PC try the key again. In each position the key stops one of the gears from moving locking it into an open position. In the last position they hear a mechanical screech and the gear does not stop. Something is broken internally. With some help from the PC Cillian examines the gears and manages to stop the final gear from spinning but he cannot get it to lock in place. The PC discover that the gear can be moved if they could find some long metal poles to use as levers. They remember the pikes from the skeletons and break into their stronghold. Inside they also find a chest that contains a strange trumpet made of bronze that is shaped like a dragon. Po determines that it is radiating with Dragon magic and that it is one of a set.

As the PC move the freed gear Cillian notices that with his earth sight there is a passage leading from below it. Carefully Bilby and Cillian step into the gear then Oren uses a pike to move them down to the opening. Bilby and Cillian see a fungus covered room with three chests. As Cillian examines the chests Bilby watches the room. In one corner the moss and lichen starts to bulge. Eventually a hand forms and Bilby attacks. Cillian uses his flame hand but the creature appears to absorb heat! As the PC attack fungus in the room starts to constrict around their legs! Spirit Splitter appears to be keeping the moss away from Bilby but Cillian is being slowed down. With some well landed blows Bilby cuts down the beast before it can land a blow! In the chests the PC find some coins and another one of the dragon trumpets. This dragon trumpet is silver.

With that the PC decide to explore what lies behind the gears…

Date At End Of Game: 2/18/207