Dungeons and Dragons: Portal Problems: Chapter 1

Although my pathfinder adventures are on pause, I’ve joined a group of 5th edition D&D players, which led me to buy the books, create some characters, and finally make an adventure of my own. We’ll just have to see how it goes ...

The guards at the mansion had seen their share of visitors, mostly merchants and officials from the nearby city, but none quite as ... unique as the group approaching.

One appeared to be a cat-woman, a Tabaxi as they are properly called. The second was a female Tortle, and looked like a human-sized turtle. The next was clearly a Tiefling, as she had horns and a tail, and she was followed by a woman with tusks and grey skin, a half-Orc, the guard assumed. The last one looked like the child of some merchant, except she was carrying what appeared to be a bottle of wine, and was singing loudly off-key, and the guard realized she was a halfling.

But the word had come down from the lord of the mansion that these unusual individuals were expected, and so the guards opened the gates, and waved the group through.

After they had passed, the head guard told the others that whatever problem brought such a group of individuals to the castle, they should be happy it wasn’t their job to solve it ...

****

“Thank you all for coming” A young human said as he entered the audience hall where the five waited.

The Tabaxi's tail twitched, and she replied, “Well, your offer made me curious.”.

“Indeed” The Teilfling agreed.

“Well, I will sate your curiosity,” the young man said, “First, let me introduce myself. My name is Bran Sato, and this is my home.. I have asked for adventures, because I have a wrong that needs righted and a family heirloom to recover. My father was a powerful wizard, and part of a group that wanted to explore a large planar portal that had been discovered in an abandoned castle. But five years ago something happened, and the gate was destroyed, the castle was damaged, and most of the people in it were killed, including my father.”

“That’s terrible” the Tortle said, “I’m so sorry for your loss.”

“Thank you,” Bran replied, “I thought all I could do was grieve, but my father’s spirit managed to make contact with me. He told me that the group had managed to save a valuable magical tome, and he wanted me to recover it. But I am no adventurer, and the remains of the castle are now infested with monsters. So I sent out a call for people brave enough to attempt to recover it. You all answered that call, and if you are willing, the adventure can be yours. And I will reward you all greatly if you succeed.”

He paused, pulled out a large jewel from his pocket, and then said, “If you are willing to take on this task, please state your name and your agreement, and the deal will be sealed.”

The Tabaxi replied, “I am Jade, and I’m ready to seek the prize.”

“I am called Lim” the Tortle siad, “I sense your truthfulness, so I am available as well.”

“I am named Solis, but you can call me Quest,” the Tiefling stated, “If there are monsters to hunt, I’m in.”

“My name is Gorga, cleric of Hephaestus,” the half-orc growled, “Your cause seems just, so I will aid you.”

They all turned to the halfling, who was drinking from her wine bottle. After several seconds, she seemed to be aware they were looking at her, and said, “This sounds like fun. I’m Jillian, and I’ll join the party.”

“Thank you. Thank you all. I will arrange a pack horse so you can have extra supplies, a map to the castle, and anything else you think you would need, please ask.” Bran said, and then added “I can offer you some supper, and then I have rooms for you to stay in tonight. In the morning, if you are prepared, you can begin your task.”

The adventurers found the dinner rich, varied, and full of their favorite foods. As they ate, they began to share their stories with each other and their host.

LIm started off, saying, “my small village was visited by a paladin, who needed his sword repaired. At the time I was an apprentice to the town smith, and so I spent some time with him. He seemed such an odd combination of strength and gentleness, I wanted to be like him. When he left with his repaired sword, I went with him as his squire, and when he died I took his mantle as a Paladin, and when I’ve improved my skills enough, I plan to take the Oath of Redemption.”

Bran lifted up a goblet, and said, “May this mission help get you to your goal.”

Jade went next, and said,”My pride has had a good relationship with the nearby humans for years, so when the old lord died, we mourned as much as the peasants did. Soon, we had an ever larger reason to be sad, as it turned out his son was made of different stuff and began to oppress the people.

I was young, and wanted to help, and there was an old man who always told me stories of being an adventurer. So I went to him, asking how I could help, and he trained me in the ways of the Rogue, teaching me the secret language of thieves, and honing my skills. Soon, my name was being mentioned as a hero of the people, even though I felt the honor should have gone to my mentor if it belonged to any one person.

We then got a break, as the tyrant’s brother managed to depose him, and the first thing he did was end the mistreatment of the people. He even offered me a full pardon, but asked me to leave the area. I agreed, although I warned him that if he slipped back into his brother’s ways I’d be back. So I’ve wandered far, looking for an adventure. This one sounds like it will be challenging enough.”

‘Challenging indeed,” Bran stated, “But hopefully not too challenging.”

Jillian spoke up, and said, “It’s unlikely to be as challenging as being a cook’s apprentice for a monastery. But I’m glad it happened, because I was fascinated by the monks, and soon became a student. My monastery encourages students to take some time adventuring, so I’ve been on the road, looking for excitement. Hopefully, this mission will provide it,”

“I have less interest in adventure.” Gorga said, “For many years I was content being an acolyte in the temple of Hephaestus, being treated with respect despite my Orc heritage. But my god sent word to my high priest saying I needed to answer your request. So I have come, and will do what I can.”

There was a lull in the conversation, but finally Quest broke the silence, saying, “My tale is a sadder one. My family suffers a curse, placed on a distant ancestor.by the devil Asmodus himself. In every generation, there have been those who look more like devils than humans, Tieflings as we are called.

Once they realized the curse, my family fled into the wild, fearing the response of their neighbors, but as fate determined, they were aided by a group of Rangers. Growing up, I wanted to be one of them, and one of the Rangers decided to teach me.

I dedicated myself to tracking and killing monsters like the one that cursed my bloodline, and soon was considered a valuable addition to the Rangers. When your request reached us, my mentor suggested I go, saying she believed I could make a difference, So here I am.”

Bran stood, and raised his glass, saying, “Yes. here you are. And now I raise a toast to you all, and to your success.”

The others stood and raised their glasses, and replied together, “To success!”

D&D Portal Problems Chapter 2:

Once the meal was over, Bran asked each of them to make a list of things they would need, extra food, weapons, or other supplies. Once each of the adventurers had completed their lists, he showed them to the rooms they would be using for the night. Soon all of them were asleep, taking advantage of the luxury of having a real bed.

The next morning, during breakfast, Bran announced that two more adventurers had arrived, and introduced the group to the newcomers, one had a halo, and the other looked like a large suit of armor.

“An Aasimar!” exclaimed Quest, pointing to the one with the halo.

“Indeed,” The newcomer said, “my name is Nola, I hope you will allow me to accompany you.”

“Are you willing to tell us something about yourself?” Quest asked.

“Of course. I was one of the staff who were part of the experiment. I was saved by my friend here. He’s a Warforged, as you can tell, but prefers to be known as ‘One Free Man’. We both felt responsible for what happened, and so when Bran said he was going to retrieve his father’s work we wished to be part of it, to in some way make up for the disaster.”

Jade asked, “Can’t your friend speak for himself?”

“Sadly, no. He has not spoken since the disaster. I believe he saw and did things that were so terrible they have silenced his voice”

The others agreed that the two could join, and prepared for their journey. When they finished, Bran handed Quest a map, saying, “This will guide you to the ruins of my father’s castle. And to help you get there ...” He then took the adventurers to his stables, and led out a large packhorse.

“This is Tonka,” He continued, indicating the horse, which already had several items loaded, “I was able to accommodate most of the items you requested. You will find spare weapons, ammunition, and six healing potions as well. They are packed, and Tonka is ready if you are.”

Lim replied, “I’m as ready as can be, how about the rest of you?”

The others nodded, and Jade took the reins of Tonka. Then Jillian said, “With my short legs, I will slow you down. Unless perhaps Tonka will consent to bear me as well.”

Tonka bowed his head, and Jillian said, “I think that’s a yes. Help me on, someone.”

Gorga grabbed Jillian by the scruff of her neck, and placed her on the horse, and then Jade led the beast out of the stables. Soon, the group were exiting the mansion grounds and then taking the road that led to their destination.

The road entered a forested area, and for a few hours, everything was quiet. Just when the group were about to start to look for a good place to stop, eat, and rest, the quiet was shattered by a growl, followed by a large black shape that burst out of the trees.

“Panther!” Quest cried, and then she, Jade, and Lim quickly closed the distance to the beast, hoping to prevent it from being able to get a running leap at them.

But as the three of them came close, they could clearly see that the panther’s fur had fallen out in places, and where the fur was gone, the animal was covered in sores.

The creature also seemed partially blind, and so missed Jade, and soon was heavily wounded. Lim said she would put the beast out of its misery, and with one blow from her warhammer, it was no more.

Lim then took the body of the animal some distance from the road, and quickly buried it. When she returned, the group decided they needed a break and found a spot to rest and eat.

While they rested, Nola told the others, “I’m afraid that poor creature isn't the only one that has been affected by the disaster at the castle, damaging them and making them more aggressive. I can only hope we are not forced to kill more of them”

Lim replied, “Perhaps if we succeed in the quest Bran will find a way to undo some of the damage.”

Nola responded, “We can only hope. But first we must yet get to the castle.”

The others agreed, and so began to journey onwards . . .

*********

Portal Problems Chapter 3:

Soon, the road the party was taking began to climb, until the blasted forest was lost to fog.

Not long after that the road ended at a massive castle gate, which had been torn into pieces.

Inside was not much better as items were broken into so many pieces they couldn’t be identified, and most disturbingly, there were dried blood smears everywhere.

Then the party heard an odd chirping sound from around a corner.

Around the corner they saw a group of three very unusual animals.

They were green with stripes on their sides, they had three legs, and inside a large opening at the front they had dozens of insect-like eyes.

The creatures saw the party, and charged.

The mute Warforged called One Free Man did not hesitate, and brought his greatsword down on one of the creatures, killing it. He then attempted to hit one of the remaining two, but missed.

Nola took her mace and smashed one of the creatures, but while she damaged it, it made a yip sound, and a wave of sound hit Nola and knocked her back.

But before the creature could take advantage, Lim hit it with her warhammer and ended its existence.
The final creature was not deterred, and attempted to hit One Free Man with its sonic attack, but it couldn’t penetrate its armor, and a swing from the Warforged’s greatsword killed it.

With the battle over, the group realized that the sun was setting, and Nola advised them against continuing in the dark.

Nola said, “there should be an area over on the west side where the pack animals were stabled, it should make a defensible place to rest. And as One Free Man does not sleep, he can stand guard.”

The others agreed, and led Tonka to the stables, which while damaged, were in slightly better condition than the entryway had been.

Once they were settled, Jade asked Nola, “What were those things? My ears are still ringing, and I was behind you.”

Nola replied, “I don’t know their true name. They were among the creatures that came through our portal.”

She sighed, and then said, “I thought what we were doing was a glorious kind of madness. To reach out to the planets circling the furthest stars, and visit them. Somehow we never considered there might be things beyond our control, dangers of which we knew nothing.”

The party got as comfortable as they could, and the night passed quietly.

Portal Problems: Chapter 4

The next morning, the party got up, had a brief meal, and prepared to enter the laboratories where their objective would be found.

Nola told them there should be an entrance to the laboratories, which were below ground, near the stable.

“Sometimes we needed large equipment brought down, so we should be able to not only use the entrance ourselves, but take Tonka with us as well.” She said.

So the party began looking for the entrance.

It took almost an hour due to the damaged items cluttering the floor, but once they found it, One Free Man pulled the door open, and the party prepared to descend into the darkness.

Fortunately, the party was prepared, as Gorga cast a light cantrip on an unlit torch, which provided enough illumination for the party to keep going.

The stairs ended in a small room, and the party could see there were openings in all four directions.

Lim asked Nola, “Which way should we go?”

Nola answered, “I’m not sure. I spent most of my time in my own lab. I was trying to make a portal device you could carry with you, along with an assistant named Chell. I . . . don’t know if she got out.”

She turned to One Free Man, and asked, “Do you know?”

The Warforged shook his head.

“Well,” Lim said, “Nothing for it but to search.”

Suddenly, there was a large popping sound, and two forms fell out of a hole that had opened up in the ceiling, and the hole closed again as soon as the two hit the floor.
Nola shouted, “Chell!”

The larger of the two looked up and asked “Nola? What are you doing here?”

“Salvage mission” Nola responded, “What happened, and who’s your friend?”

“This is Sandy.” Chell said, and the small figure approached the group, revealing herself to be a fairy.

“She saved me when I ported out of here.” Chell continued.

“Well, Sandy, you have my thanks.” Nola replied, and then waved at the group saying, “This is the salvage team I’ve joined. Jade, Lim, Quest, Gorga, and Jillian. And you might remember the security guard, One Free Man the Warforged”

“Hello all” Chell said, “maybe I can help you?”

Nola told Chell of what they were looking for, and Chell said, “Well, the large portal is on this level, in the north east corner, if I remember rightly. But I’m not sure the best way to get there now, and there's no guarantee what you’re looking for will be there.”

“Well, it's a start.” Nola replied, ``Let's see if we can find a way.”

“Well, it may sound counter-intuitive, but I think we have to head west to start. As far as I know, that east passage just leads to a way down to the bottom level of the facility.”

“Well, ladies? Shall we follow Chell?” Nola asked the others.

“Beats just wandering around hoping to get lucky.” Jade replied, and the others nodded.
So the party, now with two extra members, headed west, to continue their hunt.

Portal Problems Chapter 5 - the Final Chapter

After several minutes of walking, the party found itself at the door of the portal room.

They opened the door and saw the portal.

It was huge, a circle with runes on the outside, contained inside a giant mechanism that allowed the circle to spin, until the proper runes were in the proper places.

Before they could do a survey of the rest of the room, one of the bodies on the floor stood up.

He was dressed as a high-level mage, but on his head was some kind of creature.

He pressed one of the runes, and the circle flashed.

A number of strange creatures came out of the portal. There were two that were a little like a beholder, with red skin, but with only one eye, and they spat fireballs as they floated toward the party. Another looked similar, but was brown rather than red, and when it spat, it released a flaming skull.

These were followed by several creatures identical to the creature on the mage’s head, and then the portal closed.

The party scrambled for cover and began making ranged attacks at the enemy. One of the red-skinned creatures went down, as well as a flaming skull. The small creatures jumped towards the party, but were intercepted by one free man, who sliced through two of them with his great sword.

The remaining red-skinned one and the brown one tried to fire at Sandy, but she was too agile and dodged both of them.

Nola fired her crossbow at the possessed mage, bringing him down and ending the lives of both the mage and the creature on his head.

The creatures closed, forcing the party to switch to melee weapons, but these proved just as effective. Solis killed one of the little creatures, while Lim killed the other red-skinned flying creature. Finally, all the creatures were dead, and the party had only sustained minor wounds.

They started looking around the room, and One Free Man waved Nola over to the body of the mage who had opened the portal while possessed.

“That’s Breen. He was the head man here.” Nola said. “And look! He has a book with him, perhaps that is the one we were hired to find.”

A quick check confirmed it was what they were looking for, and they decided to get ready to leave and go back to Bran.

Sandy cast a detect magic spell on the portal, and said, “It's now totally drained. I wonder why the creature made Breen activate it.”

“Perhaps the man himself, fighting for one last moment, decided to use the portal now so no matter what it would never present a threat.” LIm replied.

The party decided to take his body and burn it, hoping the man’s spirit would be free in the afterlife, and then they began to make their way back to the entrance.

Perhaps it was in their imagination, but it seemed to them that the area was lighter, and calmer than when they had arrived, like the end of the portal had removed a burden on the land.

They made it back to Bram’s home, and presented him with the book, and he thanked them, and gave each of them gold, jewels, and precious gems as their reward.

Gorga said, “I think we part ways for now. Do you think we will ever meet again?”

“Who can say?’ Jade replied, “The future is not written yet.”

“I hope so”, Jillian said. “This was fun!”

The rest laughed, and so were going their separate ways.

For now . . .

End