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), finished the campaign after 85 Sunday night sessions!

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

Cheers

Steve 🙂

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

Session 80 – Jaws 2

After their rest, the Otari 2600s arose with the intention of pursuing the missing Dhuthorex and recovering the ochre lens from its stomach. Ezren the wizard drifted into another narcoleptic sleep.

Corny the cleric cast a water breathing spell on the team (just in case), and they all shimmied across the suspended rope back to the fungi island. From there, Vydar the half elven ranger clicked his goggle of night’s lenses into place and scouted through the north passages to find a way to the lake’s opposite shore.

As Vydar made his way furtively through twisting tunnels and rubble-filled caverns, he sensed a vibration in the wall. Gunnar the fighter strode to Vydar’s side and the two cautiously entered a fungi-filled cavern. A massive furless rodent with razor-sharp talons and teeth erupted from the rock wall, attacking and separating the two. Vydar rushed to the far tunnel, hiding so he could snipe with greater effect. Gunnar defended himself against the giant creature, which slashed deeply into his flesh with its sword-like talons. It bit his shoulder and poison seeped into his body, disorienting the fighter and slowing him down.

Lob the goblin alchemist and Corny yelled for the party to retreat, which they did, running all the way to the fungi island and plunging into the water. Gunnar made it to the bridge, but the pursuing rock-burrowing monster stopped at the water’s edge and came no further. A distracting fireball from Corny’s wand of fireballs sent it back up the corridor whence it came. 

Meanwhile, Vydar crept along the opposite lake shore. He passed a deep tunnel leading to the darklands, and sensing movement from the south, hid behind a crystal formation near the west wall. A group of horrifying looking Urdefhans, armed to the teeth but consciously avoiding the water’s edge, crept past the hidden ranger (who activated his cloak of elvenkind to turn effectively invisible). They seemed to have been draw forth by the sounds emanating from the fungi island on the other side of the lake.

Corny, Gunnar and Lob discussed what to do next. As they did, the Dhuthorex burst from the water and onto the mushroom island, tentacles flailing – the Urdefhans weren’t the only things brought forth by all the noise. Gunnar was swallowed by the big fish, but as he slid down into its stomach, he spotted the missing ochre fulcrum lens, coated in acidic bile. He grabbed it and commenced hacking his way out with his scimitar.

As the Dhuthorex slid back into the water and undulated through the lake waters, Corny cast a faerie fire to make it easy to track underwater. Lob threw lightning bombs at the fish.

Vydar sneaked past the Urdefhans and swam across the lake, wondering whether he should shoot an arrow to get the Urdefhans into the fight. The sight of their many composite bows dissuaded him.

Gunnar burst forth from the Dhuthorex and as he climbed up on the narrow ledge next to the vault, the fish turned and tried to whip him with its tentacles. The big fighter slashed the creature deeply with his scimitar, ending it. Guttural cheers erupted from the other side of the lake, the Urdefhans there obviously happy with the death of the lakeside predator…   

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