Riftwalker Campaign - Overview and Thoughts (Sessions 15-17)
RECAP: Session 15 - Exploring Draden’s Gardens
The group travelled through the fog from limbo with relative ease. Ralph utilising his death stick to light the way; Zadymka detecting the forces of the winds of magic around him; Khazgan seeking where the fish would pass int he swampy undergrowth and water; and Esbara summoning ants to point the way forward, detecting the vibrations through the underground. Once at the building, the group found a set of gates that were unlocked by Smol and Khazgan. Some mysterious wisps of light mentally commanded all but Ralph to wander up the garden path and around the mansions entrance to the back yard. The yard has a massive bone pit and several dug up graves. There the group fought a giant bone snake construct. Esbara brought Ralph back from his fear, and healed the group. Zadymka summoned an icy path for the beast and wrestled it. Ralph delivered a massive blow to the beast, giving it a spinal injury. Khazgan tried to protect Esbara in a bush, pinned to the house, and destroyed the undead golem. The group came across a man who was asleep at the porch of the mansion. Esbara tells the group she is pregnant.
RECAP: Session 16 Fight with Draden
The group get taken to Draden’s dining hall by his butler, after inspecting some suits of armour. They hear him out. He sits them down for beverages. He talks of how he wants to take over the Rift Plane in order to create an army. The threat of the Great Rift War was not put down and so he wants to put an end to it. Mosacul. His plan was to make the RPA the head of it. Specimen X would complete this. After he tried to kind control the group, a fight broke out. Khazgan fired some arrows at him and rushed in to support the team, being invisible to get the best vantage point. Ralph instinctively sprung into action turning him to wood. Zadymka activated his ice aura and and his shield, beginning a fight with some animated suits of armour. As Draden broke free, he mutated into a corrupted bat creature. Wrapping up some of team. Wounding the team, Esbara eventually broke free of the vine wraps and bubbled up! Assisting Zadymka finish off the armour. Khazgan runs to Esbara, thinking of her little girl. Ralph getting really mad, smashes the vampire to dust. He turns into mist and escapes but not before mind controlling Ralph.
RECAP: Session 17 - Exploring the Manor
Ralph in his mind is back in his workshop in the old world. Talking with Draden he is covered in the black bile from his corrupted mouth. Under his control Ralph attacks the Zadymka. The group all softly calm Ralph down, lowering their weapons and tapping him. He breaks free of control as the group hear the doors being barred. They find a secret door to the Throne Room next door. Inside Ralph is given a large black demon blade, which has a corrupting influence. Zadymka finds a nice sword from an animated suit of armour. Esbara finds hidden loot in the chair of the Vampire. Khazgan finds an exit with Small as the group explores the manor through a tunnel. They visit a crypt that they avoidmessing with. They find a messed up laboratory filled with half finished experiments. Here Esbara finds a nice pendant, and Zadymka takes a gun. The find a path to the manor entrance where they see the butler and armour blocking doors. Khazgan investigates the remaining bedrooms. The group decides that if they can’t find Draden, they should head home and rest.
Downtime:
Khazgan - begins therapy
Esbara - searches for a midwife
Zadymka - does some work for the venture syndicate
Ralph - begins learning about his “Big wood” power
Takeaways
I have learnt that building characters could be a bit more balanced in the future, putting points towards background skills, combat abilities etc
The party did not find the vampire king - and as it was rather intense, the group has decided to pursue something lighter! It will be nice to do something else in the short term.
I enjoyed the classic “dungeon” style prep that was featured hunting Draden. I will try to incorporate that more.
