Let’s Play Dragonbane! The Lantern of Solitude, part 5

Gil and Warren climb the Crag of Sorrows, the mountain with a scarred soul.

Table of Contents

The adventure continues! Gil and Warren go to the Crag of Sorrows after another piece of the Lantern of Solitude.

I had to rest and recover HP + Conditions, so the Campaign Threat increased by 1.

It’s a little weird that both Stretch and Shift rests increase the Threat. I feel like Stretches shouldn’t, because it’s just better to go for a full recovery every time. Maybe I’m missing something?

In any case, the Crag of Sorrows looms before the duo. A colossal mountain carved into the sky, the Crag used to be a highland shrine where prayers were carried skyward. People climbed its cliffs for rites of mourning, believing the mountain carried their cries directly to the gods.

When the Lost War ended in tragedy, the weight of their grief scarred the mountain’s soul. Powerful gusts assail the mountain, carrying the howls of the spirits trapped within.

Waypoint 1: Windshriek Gate

“Faces carved into the ancient stone gate scream with every gust of wind. Timing your steps carefully with the rhythmic howls will keep you stable.”

Campaign Threat: 3/10
Mission Threat: 1/6
Threat: A powerful gust of wind comes. Resist being thrown off the edge of the high cliffs, or suffer 4D6 bludgeoning damage.

As they climbed the initial hill into the Crag, Warren grew anxious. Gil noticed in his faltering step and shaking hands.

“What’s wrong?” Gil asked.

“It’s this place. I just don’t want to slow us down.”

The wind blew hard, sounding like spectral wails. The sheer force of it made them stagger. Pebbles rolled down the edge of the cliff, falling into oblivion. Warren stopped completely until the gust died down. His awkward leaping since a tadpole made him insecure when dealing with anything related to dexterity.

Gil grabbed his shoulder. “I’ll make sure to find the easiest way forward, and you follow me. I won’t let you fall.”

By Liliana, he wouldn’t.

I’m going to have Gil pave the way for Warren to follow. I’ll pick Awareness so he studies the terrain and chooses the best path.

d20 Awareness check (13): 18, fail!
Mission threat: 2/6

The harsh wind and a complicated traversal hinder Gil’s efforts. However, he helps Warren by using Musician (WP 12/13), giving him a Boon. As Warren has a Bane to Acrobatics, it’s evened out.

d20 Acrobatics check (7): 11, fail.

The wind carries sand into Warren’s eyes, blinding him. Instead of following Gil’s lead, he simply Leaped (Heroic Ability. WP 11/14) toward the bard, propelled by fear and loyalty.

I didn’t increase the Threat as I spent WP to cover the fail.

Not off to a great start, right?

Waypoint 2: Pillars of Grief

“A group of three tall stones, carved with ancient texts, sways gently in the mountain wind. Each moans softly, but one whimpers with deeper sorrow.”

As they pushed higher, the wind’s voice changed to a softer lament. Ahead, three towering stone pillars swayed, each carved in a strange script.

The path forward split in several directions, going higher up or twisting down.

Gil attempts to identify the runes.

d20 Languages check (10): 11, fail.
Mission threat: 3/6

He can’t quite figure out the runes. Warren gives it a try.

d20 Myth and Legend check (10): 1, Dragon!

Bragat the Brave saving the day, even having a hard time with the place.

Warren stared up at the pillars, squinting so hard his face scrunched into an amphibian knot.

“See anything?” Gil asked.

“I do. These are sorrow stones. Mourners carved their pain into them so the mountain would carry it to the gods. They’re… sad.”

“Sad?”

“More like depressed. This one’s doing the whimpering.” He tapped the third pillar, which cried louder at his touch, as if complaining.

Gil laughed and tickled it, making the pillar wiggle. “Can you read the runes?”

“I get the gist of it,” he said, scratching his chin.

Verb + Theme: Construct + Peace

“It has unfinished business. I suppose it wants us to settle something so it can be free.”

The pillar swayed as if nodding, then leaned in a direction indicating a path for them to follow.

Alright, that was a cool oracle roll. Let’s help the trapped spirit at the next waypoint. That Dragon roll will provide a Boon. To what, exactly, remains to be seen.

Waypoint 3: Unknown

I’ll use the tables in Lantern.

Area: Mist-veiled cave
Contents: Torn journal
Environment: Rolling mist
Oddity: Phantom steps
Description + Focus: Beautiful + Corpse

I love this roll. This gives me a pretty clear idea of the Construct + Vengeance roll, and what our buddies have to do here.

The pathway leads into a cave. Mist rolled out of it in glittering waves, turning the chamber into a beautiful dreamscape. Warren lit his torch with his flint and tinder.

In the center of the cave, they find a corpse propped against the wall, almost seated, a broken flute in its hands. Their face is peaceful.

A torn journal rests beside them, its pages fluttering in the wind that finds the way into the cave. Gil flips its shredded pages as Warren keeps the light steady.

As Gil focused on the writing, phantom footsteps echoed behind them. Warren turned abruptly, casting light into the area, but there was no one there. He stepped forward and heard the light tapping again, moving when he moved.

“Is it following us?” Gil asked.

Warren looked around. “Maybe it just wants company. Look at the corpse. It died alone, Gil. Far from home.”

“You’re right. They’ve written about the longing of seeing home one last time. It’s tragic.”

Warren approached him, hearing the ghostly footsteps in tow. “What else? How can we help them?”

The mist swirled around the corpse, humming a soft melody.

Gil searched the pages and put his index finger on a passage. He read aloud, ‘If I can just get the last verse right, the Crag will find peace, and so will I. My family awaits in a better place as I write, sing, and play, eager to rest in their embrace.’

d20 Gil’s Intelligence check (14): 12, success!

He looked at Warren. “They’ve lost their family and came to the Crag in a desperate attempt to join them. This is a terrible tale.”

“Then let’s make it beautiful,” Warren said. “You can write the last verse and reunite them. Finish the song for them, Gil. If anyone can, that’s you. You’ve always done the impossible.”

Gil wasn’t so sure of that, but by Liliana’s belly, Warren could make him believe.

This will require a Performance check, and we have a Boon.

2d20 Performance check (14): 1, 6, Dragon!

Let’s go! Gil feels a jolt of inspiration as he reads the unfinished song, moved by the spirit’s tragedy and Warren’s encouragement.

He let the mist settle around him, then picked his lyre. The unfinished verse danced in his mind.

He closed his eyes. The phantom footsteps drew nearer, then stopped just behind him, as if the spirit were leaning over his shoulder.

Gil began to play. His notes trembled around the cave, making the walls vibrate. Warren watched with wide eyes, the torch held high.

The melody in the journal joined Gil’s creation, and it seemed to color the air all around them. Finally, he sang the final verse, and ended the song with a long, emotional strum.

Silence blanketed them.

The phantom footsteps took one last slow step. Then they were gone.

The mist around the corpse twinkled, then a column of silver light pierced the chamber. The broken flute brightened, then instrument and player disappeared.

Warren swallowed. “You did it, Gil,” he whispered.

A faint breeze brushed, a little too warm for the Crag. It gently traced Gil’s face, ruffled Warren’s nose, and vanished.

Gil smiled. “You’re welcome,” he murmured to the empty air. “I hope you find them.”

With that awesome Dragon, the spirit also points to something shiny inside the cave, a token of his gratitude.

Treasure card: 2d6 x 10 copper coins > 70
Torch check: 1, flame goes out.

Waypoint 4: Tomb of the Last Widow

“Within a shadowy tomb grows a single flower untouched by wind. Gentle weeping drifts softly from deeper within.”

As I’ve said in a previous session, the adventure comes with suggestions for all waypoints. They’re simple, but if you’re not publishing your adventures or writing long-form fiction, there’s no reason to complicate things, right?

I find the suggestions pretty great to get ideas rolling or simply to crush a creative block and move forward.

Let’s check the suggestion for Waypoint 4:

I like the reverence angle, but I’ll change the roll. Let’s say that the flower grants safe passage to those who honor the dead. Gil takes the lead and will use Persuasion in the attempt.

d20 Persuasion check (14): 10, success!

After Warren’s torch went out, Gil lit his oil lamp. With a respectful bow, he spoke gently to the flower, honoring the Widow’s devotion and the grief weighing on its petals.

The flower glowed, its light spreading across the ground. Warren felt the tension lift from his shoulders as the tomb’s oppressiveness eased.

A path revealed itself. The Last Widow relaxed, as if sleeping. Gil’s words had been accepted.

Good enough for a quick and fun entry, don’t you think? I wish more books did that.

Waypoint 5: Unknown

Area: Mine
d4 area details: 2
Detail 1: Specific dressing > ladders
Detail 2: Environment > signs of use
Location + Description: Natural + Caravan
Action + Theme: Persevere + Power

The path winds into a mine with an arched ceiling. Gil notices old wagon wheel tracks in the stone. Crates, pickaxes, and frayed rope lie scattered around, signs of hurried abandonment.

Gil’s oil lamp casts shadows up three rope ladders hung from a high ledge, swaying gently. As they step forward, bones crunch under their boots.

2d20 Awareness check (13): 11, 14, success!

Gil and Warren knelt down, checking for details. Gil noticed a faint trail in the dust. “Someone used this place not too long ago,” he said.

The trail led to broken lanterns and chipped tools, where three skeletons lay.

A bone clicked, but they hadn’t moved. Then another. A rattle, then a crack as vertebrae snapped into place.

Warren drew his morningstar and raised his shield. “Watch out, Gil. We have company.”

“By Liliana’s belly…”

The skeletons rose, holding a pickaxe, a hammer, and a bow, wearing miner’s hats. Their eye sockets were wide and empty, and their perpetual smiles unsettling.

The archer nocked an arrow on the bowstring as the others marched toward the frogs.

Combat time! Here are the skeletons’ sheets:

One of each. Warrior and Champion are using pickaxes instead of swords, and the archer a bow. All that is mostly for flavor, but everything else stays the same. Oh, I’ve also removed the champion’s damage bonus.

They don’t have attack tables as they’re considered NPCs, so we roll skill checks for them. And I think the Champion should act twice. Sounds about right, doesn’t it?

I’ll draw two Improvised Weapons cards: I got Torch and Crevice.

Coolio! Drawing the initiatives, the warrior acts first. He lunges toward Warren, and the pickaxe swishes by him, missing (d20[12]: 17). The archer lets loose an arrow that flies way over his head (d20[12]: 18).

Gil runs over to pick up the torch on the wall (1st action) and swings it at the archer (2nd action), dealing 8 fire damage. The skeleton lights up in flames and falls into the crevice, its screeching slowly fading out.

I’m gonna rule that the crevice is too far away from the others, unless they move toward Gil, who’s near it.

Warren notices the champion skeleton twisting its head back and going for Gil. He shouts at it as he fends off the warrior. “Where do you think you’re going, you undead toothpick? Come here!” (used HA Guardian, WP 9/14).

The champion halts, turns to Warren, and charges him. Its pickaxe comes down with full force (d20[16]: 7), but Warren defends (d20[15]: 9). The enemy swings again (d20[16]: 8 > 12 damage - 8 armor = 4). Warren grunts as the pickaxe pierces him, then bashes the skull of the skeleton warrior (d20[15]: 1, DRAGON! > 10 damage - 2 armor = 8).

The skull pops out of the spine. The warrior crumbles, its bones clacking down on the ground. Warren uses the momentum to attack the champion (extra attack from the Dragon, d20[15]: 15), but the creature deflects it (HA Defensive, doesn’t use an action. (d20[16]: 15, WP 14/15).

Gil plays a ballad that shakes the skeleton, breaking its coordination (HA Musician, WP 11/13 > used to give Banes to the champion). It screeches and swings twice at Warren, missing both times. Warren counters, smashing its chest with the morningstar (x2 attacks, 10 damage total).

The champion jumps and brings the tool down on Warren, stabbing his chest. It pulls the pickaxe out. A jet of blood explodes from the wound, and Warren goes pale (6 damage, HP 7/17).

The creature goes for another strike, but Warren springs to action with a jolt of adrenaline. He raises his shield to block the incoming assault. Gil shouts something, but Warren is locked in on his enemy.

The champion drew blood again. Warren grunted, the pickaxe piercing his body and doubt clawing his heart. Did they bite more than they could chew engaging with these skeletons? Should they have left Three Ponds at all? At least Gil was safe in the back. Warren hoped he had the sense to run away when he inevitably fell.

Another hit smashed his shield, and Warren took a deep breath. Enough. He would not let a werewolf kin’s treat end their journey. With a roar, he hammered the skeleton with all his might. The creature raised the pickaxe to defend itself, but the impact launched the tool from its hands.

Warren drew his weapon back, then brought it down onto the skeleton, breaking the enemy into pieces, scattering its bones all around him.

Gil rushed over, checking his wounds, trying to mask his worry. “How embarrassing it would be for you if I had to thump that cretin by myself.”

Warren avoided his gaze. “I was hoping you’d just run away.”

“You’re a fool,” Gil said softly.

“I just… didn’t want you to see me fall.”

“Then don’t fall.” He squeezed Warren’s shoulder. “But if you ever do, the only way I’d run is toward you, to make you stand.”

Another battle, another scene that almost goes wrong. Turns out that the champion with two actions per turn is a pretty formidable enemy. I hadn’t paid attention to its Heroic Abilities. Veteran and Defensive are nasty!

It rolled a Demon during its last parry, dropping its weapon, and luckily Warren’s rolled a damage high enough to finally kill it.

Methinks all of this warrants a couple of Treasure Cards: 10 silver coins and 35 gold coins! Not bad, but there are a whole lotta coins in these cards, right?

Waypoint 6: Edge of Echoes

“A stone platform overlooks endless emptiness, each sound you make returning twisted. At the brink, a small alcove in the cliff face shelters the shard, nestled among offerings left by grieving travelers.”

The mine narrows into a tunnel, the air becoming colder as they move through it. A natural stone bridge hangs over a gaping hole. Gil’s lamp illuminates an abyss so deep the darkness looks liquid.

He takes a step forward and leans in. His boot sends a stone down into the black maw.

An echo comes back. (Coward.)

Warren pulled him back by the elbow. “Did you hear that?”

Another echo. (You are nothing without him.)

They looked at each other. Warren stepped back, and the sound of footstep returned. (That’s why you were abandoned.)

Gil said, “There’s some kind of magical ward here messing with us.”

(You will never see your home again.)

“Follow my cue, Warren.” (I’m embarrassed to be seen with you.) “I’ll counter the echoes with my lyre.” (I hope you fall so I can be free.) “Just focus on getting the shard.” (Do us both a favor and jump.)

Gil’s d20 Performance check (14): 9, success!

The first notes come back as hateful whispers, but Gil gets into a rhythm and muffles them quickly, arpeggiating a sonata that anticipates the echoes.

Warren’s d20 Willpower check (14): 1, Dragon!
I’ll say it again: most insane rolls I’ve had in a playthrough.

Warren locks his amphibian jaw and strides toward the shard. The echoes reach the edge of his conscience, but his mind is focused on his intent and on Gil’s notes.

The abyss loomed around him, and the stone bridge looked narrower as he advanced, but his steps were sure, and his body felt light. His wariness of the magical ward was strong, but not stronger than his trust in Gil. Nothing was.

As he took the shard from the rock pedestal, the cavern emitted a faint hum. Warren walked back, and the only echoes now were those matching his footsteps.

Gil exhaled. “Better than skeletons and fire demons, I guess.”

“Most things are.” Warren held the shard high. “It seems we have a lantern to craft.”

“And a ghost to confront.” Gil smiled. “Let’s do it.”

Skill advancements
Gil: Performance increased by 1!
Warren: Bushcraft and Spot Hidden increased by 1!

That’s it for today! There are two more missions in The Lantern of Solitude, but I wanna leave some things for you to discover. I’ll move on to crafting the Lantern and concluding the adventure next week. Time to say goodbye to our frog buddies.

Hope you’ve been enjoying it as much as I am.

Thanks for staying, and until next time!

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