Introduction

I previously posted some warts-and-all email summaries of the ‘Curse of Strahd’ campaign I ran in 2017-18, the ‘Tomb of Annihilation’ campaign I ran in 2018-19, the ‘Out of the Abyss’, a campaign I ran in 2020, the ‘Phandelver’s Pact’ campaign I ran from 2020-21, and the ‘Shadows over Saltmarsh’ campaign from 2021-22. CoS was the first campaign I sent summaries to players by email after each game (I was a bit lazy prior to that), which is why I could use them for this column.

Here are the session summaries from my first Pathfinder 2e campaign which I started running in 2023 after WoTC stunned the TTRPG community by deciding to be dicks about the OGL (remember that?). Like many who progressed to PF2e, we commenced with the Beginner’s Box, progressed to Troubles in Otari and then to the Abomination Vaults campaign.

I apologize in advance for the writing in these summaries – they’re a bit raw, and not fancy at all (I don’t have time for fancy writing when typing them up late at night after each game lol). The campaign continues, and we’re still learning as we go!

Steve 🙂

Session 21 – Upstairs, Downstairs…

Gunnar the fighter opened a set of double doors at the end of the diorama death corridor. Inside was a huge table covered with webs – a Web Lurker stood atop it, questioning the unwelcome guest in its strange language. For once, Gunnar wasn’t in a killing mood! He noticed a strange map underneath the web, and asked the web lurker whether he could view it. Unfortunately, the spider-like creature couldn’t understand him, and thus a battle erupted, with two more spiders emerging on the ceiling – it was over fairly quickly, with Gunnar, Lob the alchemist and Corny the cleric in the thick of it, while Bequian the bard cast spells from the door. Gunnar discovered the map was an illusory map of Absolom, which Bequian confirmed was hundreds of years old. Meanwhile, Lob located a stash of magic items in a web bundle underneath the table.

The party headed back to the door they spotted earlier with the green light emanating from underneath. Bequian opened it to find an old bathroom. Eerie green letters formed on the wall: “I am Otari! Come find me!” The letters formed into a green light trail that slithered over the floor and out the door. The party followed the light through the room where they fought the giant skeletons, to the corridor beyond, where it passed into the wall. Lob located a secret door and they descended the stairs. Unfortunately, they lost track of the light trail.    

At the bottom of the stairs, the party came to a corridor with a thick mist concealing the western end. Gunnar perceived something in the haze and moved towards it. As he did, the mist congealed around him, holding him fast. Tentacles flashed, wrapping around and crushing him unconscious. The other party members attacked from beyond the mist, Lob throwing bombs and Bequian telekinetically projecting slivers of wood at the mist-enshrouded creature. Corny brought Gunnar back from unconsciousness and ended the creature with a divine lance.

A stairway opposite the one they previously descended led upwards. Lob sneaked up the stairs, opening a secret door at the top. The room beyond was silent, with numerous alcoves packed with arcane and alchemical equipment and a glass vat of water containing the body of a goblin servant. Lob summoned the rest of the party upstairs. Bequian checked some fading notes on a work table, discovering the room had been used for necromancy; possibly soul transfers. A half-finished goblin doll in the corner with an indentation in the back of its head yielded no clues for Lob.

As the party moved further into the nest of rooms, they uncovered several magic items (a necklace of fireballs and magic sling bullets among them) and a hand-written page mentioning three books: What The Worm Knows, Grave Feasts, and Secrets of the Skull, along with a note at the bottom indicating that the “Transcription will take months, but I’ll try to have these books back to you as soon as possible, my love!” The page was very old…

Another room revealed a metal table with strange implements attached, with a log of dessicated flesh sitting on it. As Gunnar approached the table, the log sprung to life – the Bloodsiphon latched onto his arm and drained his blood. The big fighter reeled, and even though he fought back, he eventually succumbed and passed out. Lob managed to get behind the slug-like creature to catch it off guard with several bombs, while Bequian and Corny cast spells. Eventually, Corny blasted the creature with an electric arc, but not before Lob was drained as well. The slug exploded, pelting everyone with viscera.

Corny brought Gunnar back and treated everyone’s wounds. Bequian and Corny realized the table was used in the create undead ritual. Gunnar took out his frustration on it, spending an hour breaking it apart…

Session 22  – Morlock Madness!

The party backtracked to the set of double doors at the end of the corridor they hadn’t investigated when they first entered this level (Lob the goblin alchemist’s unerring sense of direction proved invaluable). As Gunnar the fighter opened the door, he spotted a Morlock, which screamed and rushed toward him. Corny cast a blinding flash, and two Morlocks were out of commission. Several Morlocks rushed the door as Gunnar waited for them, using the door as a chokepoint. After dispatching two of the creatures with his sword, the big fighter rushed into the chamber, past piles of rubble where a blocked stairway once provided access to the castle above, and took out several more. As more Morlocks sprang from side rooms to flank the party, Lob managed to toss a few acid and alchemist’s fire bombs, and Corny the cleric used his electric arc to electrocute some of the creatures. Eventually all the Morlocks lay dead.

At the end of the corridor the party found another room – an automaton lay on a table, its clockwork insides spread around the bench. Corny opened and then closed the south door to a cavern. Gunnar opened the north door, stepped into the room beyond and ran into several trip wires – several deadly spikes shot from the walls. Lob attempted to disconnect the tripwires, and while he was eventually successful, he spectacularly failed the first two attempts, paying the price from a spike.

Gunnar entered the throne room of Graulgust, the head Morlock, which mouthed words in a strange language to him. More Morlocks attacked, while Graulgust, a spellcaster, threw magic left and right. He also called to the southern cavern, bringing forth his pet Grothlut. The party were unaffected by its hideous moan, but it spewed acid at Gunnar as it approached, and struck him savagely with its claws. Lob eventually killed the creature with his sling (which now had a reputation for saving the day). Lob also managed to set Graulgust on fire with one of his alchemical bombs. Gunnar fought the spellcasting leader but was knocked unconscious. Graulgust then continued to savagely beat the downed fighter, bringing him close to death. Corny ran into the room, shoved Gunnar’s body aside and valiantly stood between him and the Morlock leader. The doughty cleric then dispatched Graulgust with a telekinetic projectile.

Corny treated Gunnar’s grave wounds and brought him back to consciousness. The party discussed their options. All were tired and drained after a long day. They elected to rest in a side room for the night, setting watches and Corny casting a lock spell on the door. Tomorrow they would return to the secret room and escort the freed prisoners upstairs, show the Mitflit Leader Graulgust’s body as proof, and decide where to go from there…

Next: Clearing the level…

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