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 started playing PF2e, we commenced with the Beginner’s Box, progressed to Troubles in Otari and then to the Abomination Vaults campaign. The players, calling themselves the “Otari 2600s” (it’s amusing if you’re old enough to remember lol), have now finished the campaign after 85 Sunday night sessions!

I apologize in advance for the writing in these summaries – they’re a bit raw and not fancy at all (I didn’t have time for fancy writing when typing them up late at night after each game lol).

Steve 🙂

Warning: These summaries contain spoilers for Paizo’s Abomination Vaults campaign

Session 68 – Death on Two Legs

Corny the cleric entered the corridor, casting see invisibility on himself so he could spot the will-o-wisps. The rest of the party followed. Gunnar the fighter glanced back and realized Sevastin the catfolk monk/rogue had left the room – perhaps he found another way out. That mystery would have to wait, as the party headed south back into the columned chamber where they found the dead caligni earlier.

Corny was attacked by the remaining will-o-wisps, and as the others entered the bright creatures faded in and out of invisibility. Luckily the plucky cleric was able to point out their locations to the other party members, and soon the wisps were on the run. Both were killed back in the chamber they originated from: peppered with arrows from Vydar the ranger and Gunnar (having given up his scimitar when the wisps flew to the ceiling), hit by various bombs from Lob the goblin alchemist and pierced by magic missiles from Ezren the wizard.

Lob asked Ezren to identify the mysterious eggs he had found over the cauldron on the fire. Ezren advised they were chuul eggs, so the little goblin decided to taste them. Turned out they were pleasantly strong in flavor, and edible.    

Corny pushed the party to investigate the stairs to the north of the columned chamber. He could make out vague shapes in nooks further up the stairs, and as he entered a dread feeling overcame him. He steadfastly fought off his fears and faced a dread wisp. Vydar fired arrows at another dread wisp. As the creatures flew this way and that, frustrating the heroes, Corny used a positive energy spell to kill off one. Pursuing the other into a north corridor, he also put that dread wisp to rest.

The party headed back to the stairs, and as they treated their wounds, the corridor grew deathly cold. Belcorra once again emerged from the wall, screaming for the party to leave her domain or die. Away they ran. Vydar fired two arrows through her ghostly form! She pointed a finger at the ranger and the phantasmal killer that appeared in his mind shocked him so greatly he clutched his chest and fell dead. Belcorra withdrew.

The party were stunned.

Vydar had died.

Again.

And this time there might be no going back. Corny cast gentle repose to keep the ranger’s body fresh, just in case…

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