Stormwreck Isle Chapter 1: Caverns of the Mushroom Men!

 

Chapter 1: Caverns of the Mushroom Men!

The party

• Andakyla, Wandering Dragonborn Monk
• Kali, the criminally inclined, Bard fleeing his past
• Nikolstratos ex-gladiator Warrior looking to free other slaves
• Petri, a haunted wood elf with a genie's lamp
• Rejk the half-orc smith who pours his rage into the forge

They each had their own reasons for joining but all of the party had signed on as passengers on the White Rose, a ship that was doing a supply run to a number of small islands between the Grand Dutchy of Karameikos and the Five Shires.  A week into the journey the vessel was attacked by a Kraken! Four of our heroes got into a jolly boat but Kali jumped overboard and clung to a barrel.  The rest just managed to save him before he was pulled down with the craft.

Rejk and Niko were able to row the boat to the nearby island of Dragon's rest.  Arriving on the beach they had to battle the animated remains of three drowned sailors before they could climb the cliff to the temple perched on the edge of the cliff above them.  Kali tried to loot the bodies but found the rotting stench caused him to throw up.

Like a ninja Rejk climbed the stairs; unfortunately the bumping and shouting from those behind kind of spoiled the effect.  At the top of the stairs was a bunch of kobolds and two humans.  The kobolds burst into questions asking what was going on, where were they from.  The chattering kobolds fall silent as one of the humans introduced himself as Tarak.  Having heard about the ship wreck he finds everyone a place to sleep telling them he will let Runara, the abbess, know they are all hear.  Looking at Andakyla's golden scales a few of the Kobolds chatter about Yarokyn the shining.  Kali keeps them entertained with stories and everyone gets a good nights rest.

In the morning the noises of kobolds awakens the party.  Looking out they can see some of them carrying barrels up from the beach below.  Helping out not only do the party precure supplies but find several of the sailors from the White Rose still alive but in bad shape. While Sister Varnoth tends to the injured Tarak explains that unless they can get some more heart mushrooms to make healing potions the sailors will die from their wounds.  Myla, the kobold, cooked everyone ham-bread for breakfast.  Petri helps her with not burning the bacon quite so much for a second batch to take on the journey to the caves of the mushroom men.

Part of the path had collapsed into the sea forcing a detour though the forest.  Kali and Rejk spotted some more kobolds lying in ambush ahead of them.  They sneak up on the Kobolds but are surprised as the kobolds where not trying to ambush them but an Owlbear the party just stumbled into! With a single swipe of its claws Kali is almost cut in half!  The kobolds joined the party in fighting the monstrosity but were quickly killed.  Rejk leaps forward and grapples the beast allowing Niko to get in a killing blow.  Examining the remains they find the Owlbear is wearing a collar with a tin whistle attached.  They take these with them just in case they become of use.

After resting and healing everyone reaches the caves.  As they start to move forward a mass of fungus and leafy vines rises from the water in front of them.  Its many tentacles lashing out.  Kali, Niko and Rejk were struggling to get damage through the spongy mass.  Then Andakyla used his breath weapon to scourge it with fire.  This seemed very effective so Petri sent out a fan of burning flames from his fingertips that finished off the abomination.  

It was time for the party to take another short rest and heal up.  Some of them wanted to go back to Dragons Rest to recuperate but Petri reminded them the sailors would die unless the mushrooms were retrieved today.  Pressing on they found some Mushroom Men inside the caves.  Breathing in the telepathic spores Rejk and Petri were able to communicate.  There discovered a burning light was coming from a fissure at the back of the cave causing sickness for the fungus folk.

Pressing on they heading into the final cave.  Amongst the fumes two smoky shapes moved.  Kali used her dancing lights to distract them while Rejk crept forward towards the large glowing crystal that was reflecting light into the cave.  Niko followed after but the clanking of his chainmail attracted one of the fume drakes.  Rejk broke open the crystal that released the firey form of a third creature.

The battle that followed was a little fractured.    Kali kept one drake distracted while Niko and Petra battled the second.  Andakyla and Rejk battled the newly formed fire snake.  With the crystal broken the fumes started to exit the cave.  Niko finished off the first drake and charged the fire snake only to get bitten and fall.  Rejk had to break off and, having got bitten himself, charge the other Drake as it attacked Petri.  Eventually all three creature were dispatched and Niko was stabilised.  Collecting the valuable shards of the crystal the party returned to talk to the Mushroom Men.

Pleased with the restoration of their caves the Myconids named, Auranta and Enok, offered the party a reward.  They asked for the healing mushrooms.  While these were being gathered Kali started talking about what it would taste like to eat one of the Myconids!  She thought they could not understand her but being telepathic they could.   Releasing paralysing spores they subdued Kali and gave the other four two heart mushrooms each.

Returning to Dragons Rest Tarek concocted healing potions from the mushrooms.  Four of them were used to heal the sailors the others he gave back to the party to help with further adventures on the island.

Continued in Chapter Two!

Fighter, Monk*, Warlock, Barbarian, Bard

Game Notes: *I know it is the wrong sort of Monk but this was the best I could find from my collection of figures to represent the party!  

This is the start of our new monthly D&D game beginning with the starter set Dragons of Stormwreck Isle.  Relocated from the Forgotten Realms into my Mystara setting.  Each of the five characters in the starter set has a background reason for traveling to the isle.  I rewrote these to fit to the characters created by the players.

The Owlbear rolled a critical on the surprise attack and Kali was one point off instant death!  Level 1 is rather deadly so we had expanded Inspiration to work similar Hero Points allowing a character to recover from dying as if they had rolled a 20.  In fact all three uses of Inspiration tonight were used for that effect.  My descriptions of the kobolds poor attempt at cooking turned ham-bread into a thing.  It is now the stable food of the party and the snack they eat to short rest!  This was quite a heavy combat session but we did manage to fit some roleplaying in.  Kali failed all three perception tests her player tried to further her plot.  Oh well sometimes the dice are just not with you.