Wrath of the Lich King session one: Vengeance Point
The first session! I was very excited for this, and wasn't entirely sure how it would go. It held one of the very rare events of me actually reading narrative. As stated in the prologue post, many people, events, areas, and many other things have changed in this campaign. If you want to view the prologue post, check it out here.
They began on their ship to Northrend, alongside many, many more ships. Theirs actually housed Tirion Fordring, who talked to a few of them. Soren, the Drakken death knight, played chess and lost horribly to the mocking pirate Fish Breath Bard, as well as the druid Rosalia who never played chess before. Get wrecked!
The players introduced themselves (though Soren and Magnus knew each other before hand) and got to know the general gist before arriving. I discovered the Destiny 2 soundtrack a bit before this first session, and thought it was very fitting for what happens.
This is the narrative I wrote/spoke from, sorry if it switches tenses.
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"On your weeks on the ship bound for Northrend, you’ve conversed with those you’ve traveled with. Some are men and women with families, desiring a better place for their children. Some are rough-riding warriors bent on slaying as many monsters as possible in the name of glory, others protectors coming to guard the people who may remain. Some don’t mention their motives at all, nor do they take well to prying. Some just stand, waiting to arrive at vengeance point, the first foothold of your forces in Northrend. A couple that had been there before spoke of its bustling activity, alive with soldiers training and studying, smithies at work all hours of the day.
Looking left and right, you see others with a somber expression, especially from those who lost friends and family to the slaughter at the Wrathgate, where the forces that opposed the lich king attacked one another in a bloodbath that ended with few survivors, and those that did, were driven mad.
Image credit: can't find the source yet. Not mine.
The horde and alliance forged their armies anew, with a weak peace as they travel by ship to the land where they slayed each other on the battlefield. In order to command their forces and keep them from each other, the King and Warchief have come along with the leader of the argent dawn, Tirion Fordring - who resides on the ship you are on. He stands at the helm, watching the mist as if his golden eyes see right through it. Golden armor gleaming in the sun like a mirror, the yellow sun of the argent dawn adorns his tabard, with its white and grey rays of light interwoven like Fordring’s pristine coif of hair dancing in the wind. Waiting.
He’s mentioned his history with the Lich King himself, Arthas, before he became what he is. A good man and squire of his, that turned into a monster driven mad by his own sins and need for revenge--which drove him to take up the cursed blade of Frostmourne, leading a torturous path of dominoes until he reached the top of Icecrown.
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Vengeance Point
“We’re close,” Captain Verna says from behind. “I can smell the ice.”
The ships are bound for vengeance point, so-named as a stronghold of might of the rest of the world whom brings their wrath back to the lich king--to avenge the ones they lost. The forces there are to be bolstered by the forces behind you.
Bursting through the cloak of mist, you see a mass of snow and rock decorated with massive pines across the horizon.
(At this point, I started playing “Last Rite” from the Destiny 2 soundtrack).
A two-towered monster of steel lies at the peninsula, with a massive symbol of the horde scarred and half-burned but still hanging across one, and the ripped and torn banner of the alliance upon the other. The two towers, standing on either end of the settlement, joined in the middle by a bridge that is filled with frays and breaks lies brittle above the courtyards. Vengeance point was to be a place where the horde and alliance fought together to stop the tyranny of Arthas. The shattered walls and bridge of the stronghold tells another story.
Along the base of you see the royal blue with the gold lion decorating the fences that are battered and broken, steel bent and twisted. One thing you notice for certain, is the absence of any life where there were said to be hundreds. As your ship approaches, you make out scars of old flames streaking through the forest and grass surrounding the fortress and its courtyards, breaks in the stone ramparts surrounding it. Cracked and frayed, it seems as if a great battle happened here, where fighting came from all sides - when weeks prior to the loss of communication from Northrend, it was still in good standing. Silence coats the ship, along with the ones surrounding. Where one would expect horde warcries to ready yourselves, or commands from generals or captains, or even boistrous laughter to the various entertainment taking place over the journey here - now there was only the wash of the ocean upon the hull, the wind flowing from the beaches, and the silence that asked one thing: what happened here.
The ship’s Captain Verna yells for the ships to be deployed, with a clear uncertainty in her voice. The ships are dropped, along with the five ships surrounding you. Going forward in the boat, the wind flows through your hair, and as you near the fortress more and more, all you hear is the wind and the water, and the flap of desecrated banners. hanging from the centre bridge high above the settlement lies a bright yellow sun burned black.
At the beach, the leader of the argent dawn, Tirion fordring motions for you and the others to follow, along with the Alliance king and horde Warchief, Decked in their powerful armor and weapons, they lead their forces in silence, eyeing each other warily.
(I played “Homecoming” from the Destiny 2 soundtrack.)
Passing the stone walls protected by the wind and the mysteries of why it was not held by anyone. The land you stand on, the Howling Fjord, is ruled by Vrykul, massive half-giants that thrive on strength and pride - one of the few races in Northrend that still survive the lich king’s reign. Soldiers fan out to other parts of the courtyard and into the houses, searching for clues.
(survival) you see many footprints that still remain, but only few are from large creatures.
(heal) you notice that some have expressions stuck with fear and agony in their expression, and many have gashes from swords, axes, all medium sized.
The two-towered fortress is unified by a small intricate bridge that reaches from one side of the encampment to the other. On the ground, the main open courtyard is filled with training areas and old, broken vendor holds, stables, and smithies that have long gone cold. In various houses, soldiers discover the bodies of some, but many are still missing - most bodies left behind are those of children, but others still remain--possibly as a warning.
One thing you notice is a large metal circle embedded in the ground encircling the entire courtyard, where vendors are placed upon the outside, and there is a centre ring where soldiers clearly sparred, judging by the weathered ground, or a meeting place for parties that wished to discuss in the open.
There are multiple other metal parts circle, but are difficult to see from this angle.
Before you can find out more, the Warchief, Garrosh, and the alliance King, Varian, enter under the bridge analyzing the surroundings, and the bodies. Garrosh snarls threats at Wrynn, blaming him for the massacre. Saying the alliance burned this place, and the dead here are those that fought the horde.”
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At this point, the people surrounding them begin arguing and arguing, and a strange humming sound begins to grow, coming from the dark metal circle around the courtyard. The players hear a strange voice say "They have all turned against you...now, take your revenge." which Soren actually recognizes, the voice that he hears in his head! Dun dun dun.
This goes on until a human comes out from behind a building, claiming an orc stabbed them (and had a bloody wound).
(I played “Towerfall” from the destiny 2 soundtrack)
As Garrosh and Varian yell at each other (I yelled in RP!) more horde and alliance soldiers come out of nowhere screaming of injuries inflicted by the other faction, until both sides rush at each other and engage in a chaotic fight where those fighting seem crazed, while others attempt to pull their allies away and push the two sides apart. The players could see Tirion between Garrosh and Varian, keeping the two from killing each other.
At this point, I had my players make perception checks. Some rolled high enough, noticing that the ‘wounded soldiers’ that popped out earlier hadn’t been with the main force, and had run off into a building nearby, one out the front gate (opposite side of the boats), and another into the fortress. The group first ran out the front gate after them, and saw a shadowy mist emerge from the forest edge in the distance – and a giant horde of undead running out toward the fortress!
So they said NOPE and backed into the chaos courtyard, and went for the random building one of the bloody soldiers went into. The soldier was a Tauren, huddled in the corner. When they asked what they were doing, he just said “The master will take them, he will take them all!” Then slit his throat. Morbid!
Instead of going anywhere else, the players decided to huddle in the house like a bunch of sissies. Or at least, they were being selfish characters, I suppose. Or safe ones.
The original end to this was the players heading into the fortress and finding the one soldier, who was protecting a focusing crystal on the bridge which was causing the forces below to go insane. But, they didn’t go anywhere, watching the forces kill each other, so Tirion went up to take care of it after enough had died. After destroying it, the bridge between the two sides of the fortress collapsed and he fell. But, the fighting stopped at this point, as did the strange humming from the metal ring.
(I played “Battle Stations” from the destiny 2 soundtrack)
Now the scouts checked the walls as people regrouped, only to find the undead were coming. The players finally acted, leaving the house and headed toward one of the walls and started their first actual combat!
They faced 8 regular skeletons, then 1 cadaver lord and 6 ghouls, Then 2 skeletal champions and 2 skeletal mages. Then, after realizing Tirion and the King/Warchief had gone out the front gate, they also saw that many of the soldiers in their camp had begun slowly, slowly walking toward the front gate (toward the source of undead) in a lull.
Going out the front, they first saw the Warchief nowhere to be found, and Varian get taken into the shadowy mist by a cadaver collector (scary construct thing). They found the lull-walk source was a monsterous creature with no face or tellingible features, and massive leathery arms swaying with a mesmerizing grace. (A faceless one!) In the distance, they could see Tirion engaged in melee with Arthas himself, with a crack of lightning sounding out every time their blades clashed.
Instead of going anywhere else, the players decided to huddle in the house like a bunch of sissies. Or at least, they were being selfish characters, I suppose. Or safe ones.
The original end to this was the players heading into the fortress and finding the one soldier, who was protecting a focusing crystal on the bridge which was causing the forces below to go insane. But, they didn’t go anywhere, watching the forces kill each other, so Tirion went up to take care of it after enough had died. After destroying it, the bridge between the two sides of the fortress collapsed and he fell. But, the fighting stopped at this point, as did the strange humming from the metal ring.
(I played “Battle Stations” from the destiny 2 soundtrack)
Now the scouts checked the walls as people regrouped, only to find the undead were coming. The players finally acted, leaving the house and headed toward one of the walls and started their first actual combat!
Image credit: Atomhawk
They faced 8 regular skeletons, then 1 cadaver lord and 6 ghouls, Then 2 skeletal champions and 2 skeletal mages. Then, after realizing Tirion and the King/Warchief had gone out the front gate, they also saw that many of the soldiers in their camp had begun slowly, slowly walking toward the front gate (toward the source of undead) in a lull.
Going out the front, they first saw the Warchief nowhere to be found, and Varian get taken into the shadowy mist by a cadaver collector (scary construct thing). They found the lull-walk source was a monsterous creature with no face or tellingible features, and massive leathery arms swaying with a mesmerizing grace. (A faceless one!) In the distance, they could see Tirion engaged in melee with Arthas himself, with a crack of lightning sounding out every time their blades clashed.
Image credit: Yanmo Zhang
The faceless one had a domination aura, which luckily for the players who made their saves, didn’t end up dominating them, and instead the player with greater trip rolled very high and it turned into a bit of a circle-beat. Sometimes boss fights aren’t interesting, but it happens!
As they took it down, Arthas smashed Tirion 20 feet away, stole some of the souls of the dead as he could, and retreated into the shadows, taunting as he left.
After the combat ended, the shadowy mist faded to normal snowy forest. I went with a bit of narrative again.
“Tirion stands staring into the forests where the shadows once were for an extended moment, his golden armor now a cold copper tone now that the sun has hidden beneath the shroud of grey above once arthas arrived--and never left. As he turns and walks past you, bright eyes dulled, he says nothing, no nod, no words of command--just a blank, thousand-yard stare that speaks of a thousand memories of hope long gone. He only mutters a few select words under his breath. 'We can’t do this alone.' Then he motions for you to follow.
(I played “A New Frontier” from the destiny 2 soundtrack)
Arriving back in the hold, Tirion finds a massive orc with red-spiked armor and a massive great axe decorated by a skull in the centre (Saurfang!), and shakes his hand, as well, with the massive, wolf-like humanoid wearing breastplate, with whom the armor you recognize--but was on a human--or who you thought was a human (Genn!). Around you, multiple soldiers are aiding one another off the ground, rushing to prepare bandages to wrap around one another. Orcs and humans, trolls and night elves and more, while giving one another wary eyes, pat one another on the shoulder, giving a nod of recognition--that something else was at work between them, rather than simple race hatred. They rush off toward the ships which were damaged in the attack beyond repair, gathering what supplies remain to make a home where they’ve been stranded.
Tirion announces the horrible news--the Warchief is missing, and the king was taken by Arthas himself. Not only that--but they have no ships, and their shipmasons are injured. For now--you are all stranded, but his words of hope for survival soar among the crowd of soldiers and artisans, that they can make a new home here, as he saw the hold of arthas not take them all. He whispers with the large Orc and Worgen briefly, and as he steps away from the crowd, asking them to work together to build a new home, he points to the five of you, and motions for you to come with him.”
Also, they saw Horde and Alliance making peace again, working together to rebuild and gather their supplies, along with digging up the strange dark metal ring (Saronite, dundundun) to get rid of it, and also burn the dead and grind up the bones.
He officially renamed the settlement "Unity Point," as a sign that they all had to come together to survive the battles to come.
In a brief meeting after gathering who was alive, the players were told that multiple teams were being sent for diplomatic reasons to Various areas – the Troll tribes of Zul’Drak, the Furbolgs of the Grizzly Hills, the Dragonflights in Dragonblight, and a team to the Vrykul settlements of the Howling Fjord.
He asked the players to be the team for the Fjord, as those in the team had died in the fight. Of course, the player characters being as they are (one neutral evil, one lawful evil, one chaotic) they got the ‘what’s in it for me’ thing going, and ‘why us?’ I didn’t adjust to these questions too well, because I’m typically a neutral good player, and I didn’t really consider “The Vrykul will kill us all,” a thing, but then again, they are loyal to the Lich King.
So the players said they’d think about it, and at this point it was the end of the session!
Find out what happens…soon!
Thanks for reading!
I liked this session, because instead of a nice settlement to start in, they found everything decimated, which provided a bit of intrigue into what went on, and for those that know the lore, know somethings off when the Lich King has a faceless one in his ranks.
Sadly, because the players not only chose the gate and the house first, but actually hid and left the fortress guy alone, they lost 3/4 of the forces that came to the fjord. Consequences.
As they took it down, Arthas smashed Tirion 20 feet away, stole some of the souls of the dead as he could, and retreated into the shadows, taunting as he left.
After the combat ended, the shadowy mist faded to normal snowy forest. I went with a bit of narrative again.
“Tirion stands staring into the forests where the shadows once were for an extended moment, his golden armor now a cold copper tone now that the sun has hidden beneath the shroud of grey above once arthas arrived--and never left. As he turns and walks past you, bright eyes dulled, he says nothing, no nod, no words of command--just a blank, thousand-yard stare that speaks of a thousand memories of hope long gone. He only mutters a few select words under his breath. 'We can’t do this alone.' Then he motions for you to follow.
(I played “A New Frontier” from the destiny 2 soundtrack)
Arriving back in the hold, Tirion finds a massive orc with red-spiked armor and a massive great axe decorated by a skull in the centre (Saurfang!), and shakes his hand, as well, with the massive, wolf-like humanoid wearing breastplate, with whom the armor you recognize--but was on a human--or who you thought was a human (Genn!). Around you, multiple soldiers are aiding one another off the ground, rushing to prepare bandages to wrap around one another. Orcs and humans, trolls and night elves and more, while giving one another wary eyes, pat one another on the shoulder, giving a nod of recognition--that something else was at work between them, rather than simple race hatred. They rush off toward the ships which were damaged in the attack beyond repair, gathering what supplies remain to make a home where they’ve been stranded.
Tirion announces the horrible news--the Warchief is missing, and the king was taken by Arthas himself. Not only that--but they have no ships, and their shipmasons are injured. For now--you are all stranded, but his words of hope for survival soar among the crowd of soldiers and artisans, that they can make a new home here, as he saw the hold of arthas not take them all. He whispers with the large Orc and Worgen briefly, and as he steps away from the crowd, asking them to work together to build a new home, he points to the five of you, and motions for you to come with him.”
Also, they saw Horde and Alliance making peace again, working together to rebuild and gather their supplies, along with digging up the strange dark metal ring (Saronite, dundundun) to get rid of it, and also burn the dead and grind up the bones.
He officially renamed the settlement "Unity Point," as a sign that they all had to come together to survive the battles to come.
###
Unity Point
In a brief meeting after gathering who was alive, the players were told that multiple teams were being sent for diplomatic reasons to Various areas – the Troll tribes of Zul’Drak, the Furbolgs of the Grizzly Hills, the Dragonflights in Dragonblight, and a team to the Vrykul settlements of the Howling Fjord.
He asked the players to be the team for the Fjord, as those in the team had died in the fight. Of course, the player characters being as they are (one neutral evil, one lawful evil, one chaotic) they got the ‘what’s in it for me’ thing going, and ‘why us?’ I didn’t adjust to these questions too well, because I’m typically a neutral good player, and I didn’t really consider “The Vrykul will kill us all,” a thing, but then again, they are loyal to the Lich King.
So the players said they’d think about it, and at this point it was the end of the session!
Find out what happens…soon!
Thanks for reading!
I liked this session, because instead of a nice settlement to start in, they found everything decimated, which provided a bit of intrigue into what went on, and for those that know the lore, know somethings off when the Lich King has a faceless one in his ranks.
Sadly, because the players not only chose the gate and the house first, but actually hid and left the fortress guy alone, they lost 3/4 of the forces that came to the fjord. Consequences.
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