Night of the Living Lead II, coming soon.

Hi all, NotLL II is coming up fast (October the 25th) so I thought I'd better start publishing some narrative and generally whipping up a frenzy of excitement.




Night of the Living Lead II, Return to Kraust.


The Barony of Kraust is a bleak, shrouded domain in an unremarkable corner of the Empire. The wan sunlight rarely breaks through the clouds even in the height of summer. The birds do not herald the dawn nor do they sing to each other in the spring. The folk are superstitious, shunning strangers and locking themselves in tight at night. Squatting on a hill, the Baron’s tower sits cold and dark yet overshadowing all.

Tonight, for the first time in a year a single light appears at the topmost window of Goethesturm, Kraust's baronial tower, and the people of Gretchen village cannot look away in spite of their fear. They are almost relieved the nerve-shredding wait is finally over. Their dread master has returned.

One year ago the men of Kleinetotehierstadt poured into Kraust and set in motion a spiraling saga of death and revenge such as they could not have guessed at. They destroyed Baron Kraust’s phylactery, for he is that rare breed of monster known to the trembling imperials by the name ‘Liche’, and they stopped a ritual so obscene as to turn the bowels of any sane being to water. Yet the Baron himself persevered, for is not the power of life and death his to command?

So began the Baron’s exile. Remaking a phylactery is an especially hard task and doing so whilst in a weakened state, vulnerable to the horrors that roam the dark folds of this world, is a terrible risk. The Baron did not hesitate nor turn aside. Along the way dark bargains were struck, ancient debts were repaid and fierce enemies were made.

Thus it is that even as the Baron, reborn, ends his flight and returns to the seat of his power he knows he is a hunted thing yet. Forces gather on the borders of Kraust, some will hope to strike the Baron down before he becomes unstoppable while some will hope to win the Baron’s favour by bearing arms in his name, but one is here for one reason alone and damn those who get in his way to bloody ruin.

The Deathfist is here for revenge.

We have quite a few players already but the more the merrier so don't be afraid to sign up either here on this blog, on G+, or on Facebook.

The venue is Slayer Gaming in Mansfield. Their address is...

Unit 41-42

Old Mill lane Industrial estate
NG19 9BG

Mansfield Woodhouse

Once on the estate circle around to your right to find the row with units 41-42 on. There is ample free parking. For breakfast/second breakfast/brunch/lunch, there is a bakery very close that stays open until after lunch and coffee, sweets and pop are available in store. There are a couple of supermarkets within a couple of minutes drive.

Thanks for stopping by!

5th edition D&D, the Lost Mine part two.

SPOILER ALERT. If you are at all likely to play any 5th edition D&D as a PC please stop reading and click away now!

We have decided to play through the new D&D starter set at the club, a return for the classic RPG after a two decade absence, and possibly the new adventures as they are released too. I'll put the outline of the ongoing adventure up here after each session, mainly as a reminder for myself and the players but also because anyone interested can read it too. This is what happened in our second session.

The players (several obsessive types are still struggling to name their character):

Human Cleric played by T.

Elven Cleric played by W.

Mr Rockseeker the Dwarven Fighter and his best friend the Elven Wizard, both played by I.

Human Barbarian played by MB.

Human Fighter (Archer) played by D.

Reed Alderleaf the Halfling Rogue played by MT.

Human Fighter (ex-pirate) played by P.

Wood Elf Warlock played by J.

What happened next...

Having cleared out the Cragmaw's hideout (more by luck than design) the party camp overnight at the Phandalin turning on the Triboar Trail. J and P arrive, drawn by the firelight, having been on the road from Neverwinter to Phandalin. They heard about the opportunities down south from gossip in the refugee camp and want a piece of the action for themselves.

While the introductions are made a problem arises with the badly guarded prisoners. Yeemik the goblin boss struggles free from his bonds and escapes, but not before finishing off the hated Klarg with a coup de grace (the other goblin prisoner had to 'go' to, can't have witnesses).

Having healed Sildar Hallwinter of the injuries sustained during his imprisonment by the goblins the party listen to his tale. Mr Rockseeker is greatly upset that his cousin, Gundren, has been moved off to Cragmaw Castle in the Neverwinter Wood. The party are all for rushing off blind into the woods at first light but Sildar convinces them to escort the caravan and himself back to Phandalin where he can furnish them with a proper map. Reluctantly they agree and on arrival practically snatch their caravan guard pay out of Barthen's hands before jogging off towards King Grol's lair with Sildar's map.

A bit of mixed quality map-reading later and the party find the castle in the evening. Naturally talk is of an immediate assault. Thankfully D's archer is restrained from rashly shooting at a goblin that briefly peeps out of an arrow slit. After this scare the party wisely decides to reconnoitre the castle exterior and settle upon taking a crack at the south door.

Reed gets them all in without a hitch but the party then stumbles into eight goblins preparing a meal. P's ex-pirate wisely calls for the 'big fat one' to be killed first and the rest duly surrender. The barbarian continues with his penchant for slitting prisoners throats however and the party will find that it now has a reputation among the evil denizens of the Savage Frontier which will make it highly improbable that enemies will surrender in future.

From the mess hall the party take a methodical, clockwise route through the castle. They do well apart from D's archer who casually trips a cave-in trap which almost kills him and alerts a number of enemy to their presence. P's ex-pirate is very brave and willing but possibly over-reaches himself (ie. reaches 0 hit points three times).

I's wizard finds the despoiled altar to Oghma his visions showed him and reconsecrates it after a short battle with the attendant priest to the satisfaction of all.

A tense battle with an especially large Grick serves as a suitable climax and the party have only two rooms left to explore, the north-east tower (which a dying goblin reliably informed them is where Gundren is being kept) and the south-east tower...

Thanks for stopping by!