Shadowdark Session Recap: 03/07/2025 – Shadowkillers – Geeks & Games

Summary

The party embarked on a journey from Pitden to Runewick, and finally to Queen Lia’s tomb, accompanied by their unusual companion – Junior, an 800-pound pink farm pig gifted to them by grateful hippies after curing their daughter’s blindness. The journey took several days, with each party member consuming four days of rations, while Junior required three rations daily. Junior proved useful despite his appetite, being able to carry four slots worth of items during their trek.

Upon reaching the tomb, they encountered impressive white marble doors adorned with bronze blackberry vines. After securing a rope at the entrance and casting a light spell on a helmet for illumination, they discovered the stairs were trapped – the sixth step triggered a mechanism that turned the stairs into a slick ramp. Thanks to their precautions with the rope, they avoided falling and found doors leading west, north, and east, the latter decorated with glowing sapphire runes.

Their exploration was interrupted by four mephits – fairy-like creatures with bat wings and thin grayish bodies the size of hawks. Speaking in Primordial, these guardians of the tomb initially demanded they leave. However, the party cleverly convinced the mephits they were friends of Sunloc, prompting the creatures to direct them to what they claimed was Sunloc’s tomb. The party removed a green glass disc covering the sepulcher, while the mephits watched with growing suspicion.

In the first major confrontation, the party discovered an undead elf wearing mithryl chainmail in one of the sarcophagi. The creature attacked with a bastard sword and a life-draining touch, but the party fought back effectively. Sagie damaged it with burning hands, Thru landed hits with his crossbow, and Gremdar temporarily turned the undead. After a fierce battle, they defeated the creature and claimed its valuable mithryl chainmail.

The exploration continued until multiple skeletons animated from the sarcophagi, triggering another battle. The party employed various tactics, with Gremdar turning some undead while Thru destroying others with his crossbow. Their victory yielded several valuable items: a silver key, brooch, torque, and various jewelry pieces. The final sarcophagus released an ominous white mist, adding to the tension of their tomb raid.

The adventure concluded with their return to Runewick, where consequences awaited them at the local tavern. Angry elven wardens, led by Arafel, confronted the party about their tomb raid. Needle convinced the elves they had the wrong adventurers, but Arafel swore revenge, becoming a new enemy. Ironically, the townspeople of Runewick, known for their anti-elf sentiment, supported the party. The adventurers then sold and distributed their loot, earning experience and luck tokens for their successful, if controversial, expedition.

Scenes

Journey to the Tomb

The party travels from Pitden to Runewick and then to Queen Lia’s tomb with Junior the giant pig.

  • Party travels several days to reach the tomb
  • Each party member consumes 4 days of rations
  • Junior the pig requires 3 rations per day
  • Junior can carry 4 slots worth of items

Entering the Tomb

The party enters the elven tomb through marble doors with bronze blackberry vines and descends down trapped stairs.

  • Party ties off rope at entrance
  • Sagie cast light spell on helmet for illumination
  • Trapped stairs turn into slick ramp on 6th step
  • Party holds onto rope to avoid falling
  • Find doors to west, north and east with sapphire runes

Mephit Encounter

The party encounters four fairy-like mephits guarding the tomb and manages to deceive them.

  • Party breaks through spiked door
  • Four mephits descend and warn them to leave
  • Party convinces dust mephits they are friends of Sunloc
  • Mephits direct them to Sunloc’s tomb
  • Party removes glass disc covering sepulcher
  • Mephits speak Primordial and Elvish

Battle with Undead Elf

The party fights an undead elf wearing mithryl chainmail found in a sarcophagus.

  • Discover undead elf in mithryl chainmail
  • Undead attacks with bastard sword and life-draining touch
  • Sagie damages it with burning hands
  • Thru hits it with crossbow
  • Gremdar turns undead temporarily
  • Party defeats undead and claims mithryl chainmail

Skeleton Battle

Multiple skeletons animate and attack the party while searching sarcophagi.

  • Multiple skeletons animate from sarcophagi
  • Party fights using various weapons and tactics
  • Gremdar successfully turns some undead
  • Thru destroys skeletons with crossbow
  • Find silver key, brooch, torque and jewelry
  • White mist emerges from final sarcophagus

Return to Runewick

The party returns to town and faces consequences of their tomb raid.

  • Party returns to Runewick tavern
  • Angry elven wardens confront the party
  • Fancy Richard convinces elves they have wrong adventurers
  • Make a new enemy: Arafel the elven warden
  • Townspeople support party against elves
  • Party sells and distributes loot
  • Each member gains experience and luck tokens

NPCs

Arafel

Female elvish warden who becomes the party’s enemy after the tomb raid. Previously led shambling mounds to attack their camp and swears revenge on the group for disturbing Queen Lia’s tomb. Particularly hated in Runewick.

Undead Elf

A hostile undead creature found in one of the sarcophagi, wearing mithryl chainmail and wielding a bastard sword. Speaks threats in Elvish and has life-draining abilities.

Dust Mephits

Four fairy-like creatures with bat wings and thin grayish bodies about the size of hawks. They have knobby joints and speak Primordial, tasked with guarding the tomb from non-elves. Can breathe blinding dust clouds.

Junior

A massive 800-pound pink farm pig gifted to the party by hippies after they cured their daughter’s blindness. Not a boar but a very large domesticated pig that can carry 4 inventory slots worth of items.

Locations

Queen Lia’s Tomb

An elven tomb with white marble doors overlaid with bronze blackberry vines. Features steep marble stairs, multiple chambers with circular crypts descending 20 feet each capped with green glass disks, and sarcophagi containing elven remains. Protected by magical wards, traps, and guardian creatures.

Runewick

A town in East New Moon Bay at a crossroads, known for having too many goblins and trolls to be a good trade route. The townspeople are known to fear and hate elves, particularly after incidents with shambling mounds.

Pitden

Main city in New Moon Bay, serving as the starting point of the party’s journey to the tomb.

Runewick Tavern

Local tavern where the confrontation between the party and elven wardens takes place. Known for its anti-elf sentiment among the locals who empty out when elves enter.

Spells

Burning Hands

Cast by Sagie against undead, dealing fire damage. Can backfire, causing self-damage and loss of the spell.

Turn Undead

Used by Gremdar to make undead creatures cower in fear, though not powerful enough to destroy them outright. Effective against both skeletons and more powerful undead.

Items

Mithryl Chainmail

Magical lightweight armor that provides AC 13 + DEX modifier takes one inventory slot instead of two, allowing swimming and stealth without disadvantage. It is similar to Bilbo’s mithryl shirt and is worth 200 gold.

Silver Long Sword

A glinting silver longsword found in one of the sarcophagi, worth 50 gold pieces.

Mithryl Key

A silver-colored key made of mithryl found around a skeleton’s neck, worth 25 gold pieces. Potentially opens a door in the tomb.

Silver Brooch

A decorative piece of jewelry found in one of the sarcophagi, worth 25 gold pieces.

Bronze Torque

An bronze arm torque with silver knobs found in the tomb, worth 5 gold pieces.

Gold Nose Ring

A solid gold nose ring found on a desiccated body in the tomb, worth 20 gold pieces.

Green Glass Discs

Large 5-foot diameter greenish glass discs covering the sepulchers, inscribed with elvish poems about death and the fleeting nature of life.


Posted

in

, , ,

by

Comments

Leave a comment