First Session

We only had one guest for our first session on Sunday (15th March 2009), so there were only the two of us players, and Stephanie ready to DM. She had only really planned to give us a brief introduction to the setting, expecting us to spend most of our time creating/finishing off characters and negotiating roles in the party.

We decided we would make a small start by trying out the "Mists of Madness" adventure I had picked up for $2 at the Goodman Games stall at D&DXP.

I had created a brand new Half-Orc rogue, using my shiny new PH2 courtesy the fine folk at Wizards (who sometimes send me a book in return for my efforts as RPGA Event Manager for Akanul). I chose the Ruthless Ruffian option from Martial Powers, which seemed a good fit for a tough but dumb street thug. I "crafted" a background for Hazzad (more about the name shortly). I deliberately picked the most politically incorrect background and ran with it - the son of a wharf hooker, father an unknown sailor. I haven't actually decided whether it is the father or the mother who is Orc! Anyhow, Hazzad is so called because that is what his mother sometimes refers to him as - an occupational hazzard.

Hazzad spent so much time on the streets as a small child that he began to get in trouble early. By the age of 5 he was already known to the watch, and was sent to an orphanage in an effort to keep him off the streets and out of trouble. Already a free and independent spirit, by the age of 10 he had run away from the orphanage 5 times. At the ripe age of 11, and nearly full grown, he has left the orphanage for the last time. Unfortunately, he has also gotten into the worst trouble of his short life. A gang he was running with botched a robbery and a merchant got killed. Hazzad was picked up as an accessory, and for a while it looked like he might be transported to the mines for his role. However, a good friend of his heard of his predicament. His friend was an dwarf boy who was also in the orphanage. Richard, the dwarf was older and wiser than Hazzad, but for inexplicable reasons the two developed a friendship. Richard had already "graduated" and become a chaplain at the orphanage when Hazzad got into trouble.

Richard intervened with the magistrate, promising that he would see that Hazzad learned his lesson, and would keep out of trouble.

Richard was eager to explore his past - he was found on shore on a wooden shield in an area just south of Punjar. His first desire now was to trace his roots as best he can. He decided to tkae Hazzad in tow, and head to the small village where he had been discovered.

We arrived in the nameless muddy hamlet where we discover rumours of foul doings and vile rituals in the swamp. We follow up on these rumours and head into the swamp ourselves.

Pretty soon we are in over our heads fighting 2 vicious crocodiles. we barely escape those when we are waylaid by giant frogs. a mighty struggle ensues and we dispatch the amphibians, and find a bunch of cultists about to sacrifice somebody on a stone altar. We attack from the walls of an ancient keep, and they rush us. We defeated them by the skin of our teeth, and rescued an elf-maid from the altar. We heard others coming, so we ran for safety, and returned to Punjar for backup.