Seven players were at the table for our second session of Lost Mine: Rich (wizard), Josh (fighter), Jesse (thief), Tait (thief), Dave (cleric), Josh (fighter) and Sam (wizard). In their last session, they’d failed to pursue the goblins and instead ended up with a little Redbrand Ruffian trouble in town, after Milo (Tait) the thief had made them believe the ruffians had beat him up instead of Tait just falling of a roof during a failed burglary attempt!
The group was still not interested in saving their patron, instead heading up to the ruined manor house in town to deal with more of the ruffians. They found the main floor of the mansion deserted, but the entrance to the cellars seemed more used. Reid (Jesse’s thief) scouted ahead, discovering a cellar stocked with provisions and a couple of doors.
Just as he was opening one of the doors to discover what lay beyond, Vjrm (Josh) called down to ask what was going on, so he went back to tell the party. However, Vjrm’s inquiry had alerted the ruffians resting the room Reid was about to explore, so whilst the thief rejoined the party and told them of his discoveries, the ruffians crept into the main chamber and hid behind barrels, all ready to surprise the intruders.
This they did, and battle was joined. As the players were still level 1, this combat was quite difficult for them all, especially as I adjusted up the number of Ruffians to deal with the larger party size. The party were successful, but three were unconscious when it ended – including Fred (Dave), the lone cleric of the group. This was becoming something of a recurrent event for the party. They returned to town, and after an hour in the inn, Fred woke up and was able to revive the other characters.
The group, once again, returned to the cellars of the manor where they discovered that their attack had not yet been discovered. They were puzzled that the only way forward lay through a dust-covered hallway. Surely they hadn’t dealt with all the ruffians yet? However, a good search of the ruffian’s bedchamber revealed no secret doors leading onwards. So, Gaston (Josh) and Vjrm (Josh) led the way forward towards a pair of corroded doors at the end of the hallway.
It was then they found the pit trap by the simple method of falling into it! Fred’s healing skills were called into effect once more, and then we had the enjoyable experience of watching the characters fall into the pit while trying to cross it! Eventually they all made it across and entered a crypt with four sarcophagi guarded by four skeletons. Well, the skeletons were just propped up against the sarcophagi – not suspicious at all! I was thus very surprised when they didn’t dismember the skeletons, but instead triggered them by ignoring them and moving towards the far door. The skeletons attacked from behind, and their cleric went down again. These combats were tough! No-one (quite) died, but they didn’t feel up to continuing exploring, so they returned home.
With a night’s rest behind them, they finally decided to take on the goblins. Once again, the two fighters at the front of the group found the pit trap the goblins had left behind by falling into it, although at least it wasn’t as deep. The goblin trail led to a cave, which Reid scouted out, completely missing the goblins in the briars just outside the cave mouth. They didn’t miss him, though, and soon he had arrows sticking out of him and his friends running in to help. The goblins didn’t put up much a fight, but Fred’s healing magic was running low once more!
The group were able to tame the goblin’s pet wolves, with Vjrm offering them food, and they set them loose in the forest outside. Vjrm climbed up a chimney at the back of the wolves’ cave with much difficulty, falling and requiring more healing from Fred in the process, before finally discovering the bugbear leader, his pet wolf and four more goblins. Vjrm managed to distract the goblins by claiming he was the Reaper, come to get them, but eventually the shock of that wore off. Some of his friends managed to join him, but Fred, Rich and Aiden (Sam) were left behind below. They discovered to try and get to the bugbear’s cave via another route.
They managed to get caught in a flood the goblins above released, and were swept out of the cave, where – damply – they bound their wounds. A group of four goblins attacked them, but they were able to defeat them and then proceeded to attempt the climb up the chimney once again. Rich fell when climbing, and was knocked unconscious, with Fred remaining below to tend him, but Aiden reached the top to find the battle finally going in favour of the players, though it had been a tough battle. The bugbear chief had failed to hit with any of his attacks, which is just as well!
The five above the chimney won the fight, and used two healing potions in the chief’s chest to revive Rich. I asked at this point who had been unconscious this session – everyone had been at one point or another!
The remaining goblins in the cave were soon taken care of, and the group discovered Gundren’s companion, who told them that the dwarf had been taken off to Cragmaw Castle… wherever that was!
At last, everyone had reached level 2, and we closed the session for the night.