Session 18 Recap & Experience Points Awards

The company trudged south along the banks of the swift Voo River, the rush of the high mountain stream deafening at times.  It wasn’t long before a collection of small dugout canoes came into sight.  Two-and three-person vessels mostly, most of them half-beached and tied to nearby trees as if someone planned to return for them—and hadn’t.  Just ahead, the river forked into easterly and southerly branches, just as the canyon walls climbed higher above the banks.

Sensing unseen danger along the easterly fork, the party loaded a single boat with illusory occupants (and the hawk, Tupac Shabird), and floated the same downstream.  This shrewd precaution was rewarded almost immediately, for upon reaching a placid, swollen stretch of river the vessel was suddenly taken into the clutches of some massive beast from below the surface.  The boat was instantly smashed, leaving only flotsam and fluttering hawk, who narrowly escaped.

Unsure which branch to follow, the company opted for the southerly course that carried through a rocky gorge and on into grassland.  In the distance several dugaar passed over, flying from the northwest to points east, prompting a moment of reconsideration.  But the party carried on to the south—until suddenly the very ground gave way beneath several of the party members!

The shallow pit was obviously some kind of trap, designed to catch persons or animals or something traveling along the riverbank.  Within the pit the party encountered several small snakemen—reptilian humanoids known as “yaun-ta.”  These were cousins to the legendary yuan-ti, every bit as vicious but not nearly so large or powerful. 

Instantly recognizing their disadvantage, the yuan-ta retreated to a nearby corridor and used the bottleneck to ameliorate the company’s superior numbers.  This tactic momentarily held the yuan-ta even, but also concentrated their force in a single location.  The mage Greyndalf would promptly capitalize on this circumstance, sending another of his scorching fireballs roaring into their midst.  They yuan-ta were soon defeated, and the company recovered fine golden belts from each of the fallen foes.

The yuan-ta had made their stand before a nondescript iron door in this unusual subterranean redoubt.  And so it was only natural that the company would now proceed through that iron door, finding a long, wide tunnel on the other side.  At its end, two more snake-men awaited—but these two stood much taller, and nearly hovered under bat-like wings sprawled across their backs.  “Ophidia,” these were called, and they’d undoubtedly heard the commotion in the adjoining chamber, and readied themselves for this encounter. 

Instantly the battle was joined, and the larger snake creatures immediately proved themselves more formidable than the yuan-ta as they beleaguered the company with magical attacks.  But the cleric Gambol soon nerfed this threat, placing a silence spell over the serpentine foes as his companions charged to trap them in the circle of quietude. 

The ophidiae turned to physical attacks—striking at the party members with their fearsome, poisonous fangs.  But neither could pierce the dwarven warrior Jowdain’s faithful armor, and denied most of their spells the end was only a matter of time. 

Like the yuan-ta before them, the fallen ophidiae also wore lustrous golden belts, but theirs were further embedded with rows of precious amethysts.  The party members quickly collected these treasures, then huddled to discuss their next move.  The ophidiae had fallen before still another iron door.  What might await behind it?

Adventure Notes:

·       Yuan-Ta.  These smaller, weaker (~25 hit points) cousins to the legendary yaun-ti tend to be found as servants to greater serpentine masters.  The ones you faced carried thin, sharp swords and attacked also with their poisonous bites (3d4 damage, save for half).  But they were fairly easy targets (AC 13), having only their natural scales for armor.

·       Ophida.  One of the more dangerous foes you have encountered in your travels was this winged, semi-humanoid snake creature.  Whether the ophidia can truly fly, you did not observe—having faced these beings in a subterranean chamber.  But you did witness the ophidiaes’ impressive magical abilities, as well as their immunity to mind-altering enchantments.  The ophidiae also demonstrated an impressive physical attack—using its serpentine body to grapple opponents, as well as a potent poisonous bite.  The ophidian scales are difficult to pierce (AC 20), and the creatures are tough to bring down (with roughly 100 hit points).

Experience Points & Inspiration 

DM’s experience award moderation note: In this campaign, experience points are awarded for overcoming obstacles, solving problems, and achieving goals.  Although experience points are typically awarded for defeating adversaries, note that an adversary need not necessarily be killed to earn those points if the adversary can be defeated in another way.  Experience points are earned collectively and then divided among the player-characters.  In addition to experience points, players can earn inspiration for creativity, superior tactics, and especially strong role-playing.

The company defeated four yuan-ta and two ophidiae in this session, earning 4,200 XP to be divided among the six player characters.  This equals an easily calculable 700 XP each per character.

The company is also awarded experience for the following accomplishments:

• ·      Not falling for the “Look, free canoes!” trap, 100 XP;
• ·      Using one of the canoes to detect and avoid the mysterious river monster, 200 XP;
• ·      Strong tactical spell use in yuan-ta and ophidian battles, 80 XP

These awards total 380 experience points, for 63.3 per share.  We’ll round that up to 65 XP apiece.

It was an eventful fortnight for the adventure gods, and recollections of the session’s many highlights have perhaps grown hazy in the meantime.  But the bravery of the avian semi-PC Tupac Shabird is not forgotten, as he alone endured the unknown peril of the eastern fork’s river monster.  The hawk is rewarded with one point of inspiration.

Final Session 16 totals:

·      Jowdain acquitted himself well in battle, garnering 765 XP.

·      Gambol pleased his deity and is rewarded with 765 XP.

·       Greyndalf remained a cunning and resourceful (and mostly naked) adversary, earning 765 XP.

·      Schlemeel still don’t give a f*k, but he picked up 765 XP.

·      Onog played it cold as ice, and acquired 765 XP.

·      Unagi looked fresh as ever and gained 765 XP.  His familiar, the hawk Tupac Shabird, also gained one point of inspiration.