Gamelog: Ethyria 5th ed & Chagrinspire EMO homebrew

Update - i found ethyria session blog id not posted yet so adding it to bottom here - chronologically read it first.

Chagrinspire EMO homebrew
The party after one year around an 18km megastructure, actually went to the gatehouse to deal with the orc vampire cult of the bloody tree. Months ago they made a deal with old orc tribe to give orcs half the treasure from their one visit inside the megastructure, and the orcs picked a vampire head, a crystal from the stars and a seed from beyond. The crystal infected the orc wizard and priest with some crystal zombie disease, and the tribe locked them up. Others planted the seed and put the vampire head in the growing plant as guided in dreams.

Over months of avoiding a return the orcs terrorised other peoples and had a new vampire chief. The party were attacked by orcs recently and found them tainted, and many are now berserkers. Orc boar chariots roamed the waste, causing trouble. So the party finally came back to clean up. They breached a secret door and attacked a squad of orc berserkers and another of skirmishers with several orc heroes and a vampire thrall. It was aslow mead grinder as more joined the fray but once the leaders gone, the survivors fled into another courtyard. So they spent a round doing magic prep and followed. The remaining orcs were wit the vampire and the flailing black evil tree gnashing its jaws. Arsh the dog abhuman and his dog got level drained by the vampire in boar form. For a bit the players were worried but three female orcs, including the old chief joined the fight on their boars to aid the players. The vampire died and the Man-with-no-name dropped 8 bombs on the tree and others battered it. Arsh was grabbed by tree but kept fighting. Kobold allies poured in and more orcs joined in too in the mop up. 

As they relaxed with the orcs and waited to cure party level drains the Priest used clairvoyance to scan a secret door that kobolds said to avoid and found they were operating a secret prison and monster farm. 

 About 50 enemies slain and peace made with the orcs. Hope the plateau around the gatehouse would now be more peaceful and be open to trade.

Ethyria 5th ed
Party had some shakeups so today the Satyr Warlock recruited a Minotaur Paladin to aid in their exploration of an ancient palace. They had to choose between a temple run ship for 50gp a day or another related to the party sailor-thief (player absent) wanting 50sp but half all treasure. So they got the more trustworthy temple of the sea goddess ship. 

On the way they sailed to a rocky island they had a map of and found a channel into the interior with a dock and ave entrance. The ship braved the entrance, and women with blindfolds came to meet them. The women requested maidens be handed over, and the ship crew was puzzled. When the ship provided no maidens the women demanded the party leave. They argued a bit and the warlock owl familiar saw Amphisbaena guarding a bronze door and fled. The party left when women said spying was a hostile act. Party left but intrigued and curious about what this was about. The warlock especially wanted to retrurn.

The ship was a bit lost and saw an icy island with a skull-shaped frozen hill with a warm and saw dragons in the skull's eyes and was intimidated by 60 foot high double bronze doors inside. Party marked on map and returned to their cause.

Finaly arrived by night and dropped anchors. In morning could see the sprawling ruined palace and the coastal cliff caves.

Satyr Warlock and Minotaur Paladin for close and jumped from boat to a higher cliff by cave entries. Saw some Kallikantzaros goblins and managed to kill most several fled into a room wth more goblins and a rope into a hole to a higher level with a rope hanging.

With goblins killed they climbed up to explore the goblins room and found a sleepy old minotaur drunk. The paladin of the party challenged and won with some help from an anurism, the warlock "helped" with. They managed to find a passage to the labyrinthine surface palace. Found signs of goblins and knew they set off an alarm spell. They climbed on the tops of roofless doors and saw a minotaur in a courtyard guarding royal stairs. Then harpies attacked. The adventurers managed to defeat them. They avoided a 2 headed divine dog and went for the minotaur. The beast went down and then the horse-sized dog found them and charged. It managed to breathe lava, trapping the minotaur's feet. The dog was knocked out and bound and the party took it back to the ship and home. The dog was kin to the dogs of the giant Geryon and related to Cerebus in the underworld. The party sponsors were pleased and the dog was sold to the polis arena. Other possible future dungeons and a return to the ruin are planned.  

More shenanigans will ensue both campagns

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Ethyria gamelog 

We have a third player join then leave then another one join.

So while camping and levelling up with hag on the old barrow, they met the centaur Hippolytus, a bard dedicated to the hunting godess and a sage. Is inscrutable and can speak sphynx. Keen to meet civilised people. Joining Aias a musical sailor thief and oracle of sea godess, plus a Nyx-influenced warlock satyr acolyte of Kruphix. All could play music, the bard and thief could give whole party benefits by singing before entering the dungeon.

They methodically cleared the first level and smashed open many cursed tombs in this place. Battled a ghoul, zombies and skeletons. After a rest and a few close calls down to the lower level where they had heard a goul howl. Familiars' owl scouted ahead, and they were surprised by ghouls, and one was really a ghast. Just drove them off and discovered another ghoul sneaking behind them.

Monsters were all destroyed after close calls, and many ancient artworks and treasures were recovered. The hag insisted they stay with her till her sisters came for dinner on the full moon.

The tomb and its dead were of the ancient people cursed by the gods. Many were turned to monsters but even their dead were cursed.

The party left the next morning and passed a cave they saw from a distance and met a satyr guarding it for his god. He could say what and it was a secret. The warlock follower of Kruphix a secret, was too tempting so he distracted his fellow satyr, and they had some drinks while the centaur sneaked in for a peek. Possibly a tunnel to the underworld.

left on good terms and returned to their home polis. Locals and the Warlocks scholar family were pleased to hear the news of the party adventure. They were keen for the party to explore a west coast ruin of semi-sunken ruin. The party were keen and gave some of their art to a temple of the sea goddess for a passage to the ruin by sea. They planned to pay the ship to wait a bit for the mission. The rogue sailor's family offered a boat trip, but he didn't trust his family. Everyone is staying at the warlocks' family as they are not backstabbing jerks. They also have a map to a rock at sea they want to see on the way to the west. Lots of Kruphix cults have visite the west for generations.

The rogue gave loot to the sea temple and threw some in the sea for piety. The warlock shared his discoveries with the less public church of Kruphix. The Centaur earned a point for fighting undead. Ended all third-level and should be able to survive the journey west.