This week at Alakazam Comics in Irvine, CA, the Game show continues the slaughter of an evil undead dwarven cult in the Crypt of Talhund. We meet a gnome in a crypt studying Daumathoin, battle some skeletons with gems in their chests, and slaughter some revenants. It’s another battle-heavy week in search of shards!
Summary
Constructed beneath Talhundereth, the Crypt of the Talhund was where priests of Dumathoin (known as the Talhund) were laid to rest. The mind flayers who attacked Talhundereth long ago also plundered the crypt, and the psychic stain they left on this sacred place persists to this day.
Treasure
I am reading a great book of Slavic mythology
excellent dice all the way around the table.
DM Louis just killing it with his new One Ring dice tray!
DM Louis has an evil skull ring which I feel all DM’s should have.
Milk
This week we had banana milk, which is more like juice or left over horchata, but Glen did try to chug it.
This week at Alakazam Comics in Irvine, CA, the Game show continues the slaughter of an evil drow cult. The Henlifel brothers and our skeleton horde is slain by a giant fireball while we rest and combat ensues.
Characters
Brian – Calypso – Fairy Druid/Barbarian Cody – Zachtos the Wizard/Cleric David – Garner – Gnome Bard (lexicographer and logographer) Dylan – Ramen the Wizard Glenn – Tiefling Warlock John – Michael – Richard –
Not there
Louis – Bugbear Assassin Henry – Elf scum Mike – Half-Orc Stork Paladin Taylor – Mushroom Fighter riding an Owl Bear
Summary
Since that attack, various bandits and monsters have squatted in the abandoned temple. Sometime after the mind flayers’ reign, aspiring lore-seekers brought one piece of the shattered obelisk into Talhundereth’s chapel and another into its crypt, hoping that studying the pieces in close proximity might reveal more about the obelisk’s previous powers. That group was twisted by the psychic magic resonating in the crypt. The lore-seekers lost all interest in scholarship and abandoned the fragments.
Cult of the Obelisk
The most recent faction to enter Talhundereth is a gang that calls itself the Cult of the Obelisk. These cultists were drawn to the broken obelisk, responding to a psychic call to serve a greater force. Once Humanoids—such as humans, dwarves, and elves—the cultists embraced the power of the Far Realm and transformed into Humanoid mutates. They believe the obelisk provides them a conduit to an entity from the Far Realm.
A malevolent Aberration called an encephalon cluster never leaves the obelisk’s side. The encephalon cluster occasionally gouts bizarre offspring called gemmules, which the cult members view as progeny of the alien intelligence they worship (and which they treat like vicious pets).
The cultists capture any unsuspecting individuals they find in Talhundereth and feed them to the encephalon cluster as sacrifices to their strange god—if the gemmules don’t eat the captives first.
The Cult of the Obelisk is led by Ontharyx Henlifel. Ontharyx abandoned his family to follow the malign whispers that led him to the obelisk. Ontharyx‘s sons have come with a few retainers to see whether they can talk some sense into their father. These drow are in Talhundereth’s reading room (area T14) and might parlay with the characters.
Another fun week of D&D with Brian, Cody, David, Dylan (who has returned), Glenn, Henry, and Taylor!
Recap
This week at Alakazam Comics in Irvine, CA, the Game show continues the slaughter of an evil drow cult. We capture the kitchen, find a secret door in the cabinet (while looking for snacks for the pet owlbear), find the librarian’s office, some drow slacking in the reading room, and then enter the main library where we negotiate with the Henlifel brothers.
Summary
Since that attack, various bandits and monsters have squatted in the abandoned temple. Sometime after the mind flayers’ reign, aspiring lore-seekers brought one piece of the shattered obelisk into Talhundereth’s chapel and another into its crypt, hoping that studying the pieces in close proximity might reveal more about the obelisk’s previous powers. That group was twisted by the psychic magic resonating in the crypt. The lore-seekers lost all interest in scholarship and abandoned the fragments.
Cult of the Obelisk
The most recent faction to enter Talhundereth is a gang that calls itself the Cult of the Obelisk. These cultists were drawn to the broken obelisk, responding to a psychic call to serve a greater force. Once Humanoids—such as humans, dwarves, and elves—the cultists embraced the power of the Far Realm and transformed into Humanoid mutates. They believe the obelisk provides them a conduit to an entity from the Far Realm.
A malevolent Aberration called an encephalon cluster never leaves the obelisk’s side. The encephalon cluster occasionally gouts bizarre offspring called gemmules, which the cult members view as progeny of the alien intelligence they worship (and which they treat like vicious pets).
The cultists capture any unsuspecting individuals they find in Talhundereth and feed them to the encephalon cluster as sacrifices to their strange god—if the gemmules don’t eat the captives first.
The Cult of the Obelisk is led by Ontharyx Henlifel. Ontharyx abandoned his family to follow the malign whispers that led him to the obelisk. Ontharyx‘s sons have come with a few retainers to see whether they can talk some sense into their father. These drow are in Talhundereth’s reading room (area T14) and might parlay with the characters.
We have started a reading group! Our First book is the first volume of the Dragon of Deceit Dragon Lance series.
If you would like to join us as we figure this out please see GoodReads.
The Game Show enters Talhundereth and just kills everything! A fun, fast, combat-heavy week!
Talhundereth is a subterranean temple to Dumathoin, the dwarven god of buried secrets. Millennia ago, Talhundereth was a vibrant and populous temple visited by many worshipers of Dumathoin. Talhundereth was built above the sacred Crypt of the Talhund, where the most ardent priests of Dumathoin were entombed.
Talhundereth was as busy as the Crypt of the Talhund was peaceful: miners, merchants, and priests alike came to Talhundereth seeking wisdom, political alliances, secret martial training, and hints at where to find wealth. Eventually, however, the passages to Talhundereth grew dangerous and the temple saw fewer visitors.
A few centuries ago, Talhundereth was abandoned by all but a few vigilant defenders. Mind flayers took advantage of Talhundereth’s depleted state to attack; during this invasion, a collapse rocked the temple and crypt alike. Both the mind flayer invaders and the temple guardians gave up Talhundereth as lost, though the mind flayers’ psychic stain remained.
Since that attack, various bandits and monsters have squatted in the abandoned temple. Sometime after the mind flayers’ reign, aspiring lore-seekers brought one piece of the shattered obelisk into Talhundereth’s chapel and another into its crypt, hoping that studying the pieces in close proximity might reveal more about the obelisk’s previous powers. That group was twisted by the psychic magic resonating in the crypt. The lore-seekers lost all interest in scholarship and abandoned the fragments.
Characters
Cody – Zachtos the Wizard/Cleric David – Garner – Gnome Bard (lexicographer and logographer) Glenn – Tiefling Warlock Henry – Elf scum Mike – Half-Orc Stork Paladin Taylor – Mushroom Fighter riding an Owl Bear
Gibbet Crossing is a forlorn place. It was once a crossroads of the Underdark where drow, duergar, and svirfneblin communities lived in uneasy peace. The duergar had a lucrative business making collapsible cages (their well-crafted hanging cages gave the crossroads its name), and the duergar came to rely on mithral that the svirfneblin supplied. The drow provided the duergar with security in exchange for inclusion in svirfneblin trade contracts, while the drow simultaneously negotiated fair prices for duergar goods. Tensions between the three groups were always present. When mind flayers attacked the area long ago, the groups didn’t fight alongside one another and were individually annihilated.
Only monsters live in the crossroads region today. Humanoids rarely travel through the area, as cave-ins and flooding have made it inconvenient as a thoroughfare.
A group of thieves who recently obtained an obelisk fragment came to plunder an abandoned vault in Gibbet Crossing. The obelisk’s magic activated a nearby forgotten magic item, trapping the thieves. They died with their treasures.
Recently, the mind flayer fanatics sent one of their most powerful agents, a mind flayer warlock named Qunbraxel, to secure the obelisk fragments. Qunbraxel knows that one of the fragments is hidden somewhere in Gibbet Crossing, and the mind flayer has grimlock minions searching for it.
Reaching Gibbet Crossing is normally a daunting affair, as Underdark dangers deter most travelers. Qunbraxel has killed or driven away the dangerous creatures that normally lurk in the area so the grimlocks can come and go with ease. The dangers of Gibbet Crossing itself have proven harder to uproot, but Qunbraxel has an idea where the obelisk fragment is located, so the mind flayer hasn’t needed to clear the old crossroads.
When the characters travel to Gibbet Crossing, it’s up to you whether they face any random Underdark monsters or threats. Narrating the daunting journey to this subterranean area could be just as effective as running random encounters.
Phandalin and Below: The Shattered Obelisk live from Alakazam Comics in Irvine, CA, continues this week with the Game Show party heading back to town to investigate some disappearance and odd going-on. Investigation, combat, and some crazy hijinks ensue.
Characters
Brian – Calypso – Fairy Druid/Barbarian Cody – Zachtos the Wizard/Cleric David – Garner – Gnome Bard (lexicographer and logographer) Dylan – Ramen the Wizard Glenn – Tiefling Warlock Henry – Elf scum Mike – Half-Orc Stork Paladin Taylor – Mushroom Fighter riding an Owl Bear
We killed this dude.
Summary
The characters have defeated Ruxithid, the Sawplee goblin leader who collected fragments of a Netherese obelisk. However, an unsettling truth has emerged: Ruxithid acted at the behest of much more powerful overlords who want the obelisk pieces to impose some terrible fate upon the town.
The characters discovered Ruxithid’s map, which shows the locations of the remaining obelisk pieces. (This map is shown on this page; you should feel free to distribute it to your players as a handout.) Further, some townspeople are still missing and could be captives at one of these locations. To save Phandalin and its missing inhabitants, the characters must collect the remaining obelisk shards before the overlords do. Along the way, the heroes learn more about the shadowy threat looming over Phandalin.
Cody, Brian, Richard and I carpooled up to ORCON on Saturday.
I also picked up some new very bouncy Dice Envy dice–super great. Cody got a metal tube of dice. Brian scored an amazing set from the grab bag. Wish that Cantrip Candles was still there, but amazing dice were had by all.
The Paint and take mini line was too long so I bought a mini for my dragon born paladin.
Dave from Dice Envy took us downstairs for some Star Wars deck builder game and a little Nuclear War
I lost.
Then we headed up stairs for some Let Us Build A Tower–LUBAT!
Learned some new vocabulary.
Enjoyed the setting. Got destroyed by an enemy, but fun. Cody loved it–the magic system was very creative.
Headed down to the D&D Epic for the end of the day.
Phandalin and Below: The Shattered Obelisk live from Alakazam Comics in Irvine, CA, continues this week with the Game Show party heading deeper into the abandoned duergar lair, which the goblins have moved into and has evidence of far realm infestation. Mind Flayers!
Characters
Brian – Calypso – Fairy Druid/Barbarian Cody – Zachtos the Wizard/Cleric David – Garner – Gnome Bard (lexicographer and logographer) Glenn – Tiefling Warlock Henry – Elf scum Taylor – Mushroom Fighter riding an Owl Bear
Not there
Dylan – Ramen the Wizard Louis – Bugbear Assassin Mike – Half-Orc Stork Paladin
RIP
Brian – Artemons Linktorious Lantimourous
Summary
In Phandalin and Below: The Shattered Obelisk, chapter six is ==a race against time to find three pieces of a shattered obelisk==. The pieces are scattered across the region, including Talhundereth, an ancient dwarven temple that was taken over by mind flayers. Players must use knowledge from Ruxithid’s lair to find the pieces and stop the mind flayers from getting more.
Chapter six also offers an open experience, allowing players to choose where to start their search for shards. One option is Gibbet Crossing, a trading hub and crossroads in the Underdark.
Other things that happen in chapter six include:
Players attack the Redbrands’ lair and learn that Glasstaff is following orders from a mysterious figure called “The Spider”
Players learn more about the locations and NPCs in Phandalin
The chapter introduces Gwyn, a dwarf expert on dwarven and goblin cultures
Some structures may need to be stabilized to prevent them from falling down
Goblins may camp near the town or return for something they left
Players can either stop and celebrate their new riches or return to Phandalin to find the next step in the adventure.
Phandalin and Below: The Shattered Obelisk is a reprinting and continuation of the Lost Mine of Phandelver adventure. The “and Below” portion of the campaign runs characters from levels 5-12.
Tentacle up–amazing critical success!
Wives sending cookies is my new favorite part of D&D. Also, sugar dipping sauce!
David Given Schwarm 