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Post by warlord476 on Jun 8, 2018 21:35:06 GMT -5
4.03: Shopping and Schmoozing in SarnasThe characters for this session:
Fennec, L3 wizard, combat and curative schools
Crompton, L3 rogue, roguery and Runebearer background
Cauleigh, L4 warrior, literate townsman background
It's the second full day in Sarnas, chief city of the Sarnmark. Our heroes are beginning to gain useful contacts and sniff out job prospects. Aside from seeking clues about Ikkutas and the whereabouts of the Scions of Kolbrannus, they are here to purchase top-quality equipment, and have a couple of items that require "study" to really get best value out of. These are:
- 24 magic-scribed pistol balls – studying the scrimshaw with the right tutor may allow the student to apply the same Level 1 ‘spite hit’ to blunt weapons/musket ball as the L1 sure-blade spell
- Gem-set ceremonial knife – with study an incantation may be applicable that would make it equivalent to magical
- Runebearer axe with the Antimagic property
Fennec
The Wizards Guild appears to be a separate building, perhaps south-east of the mighty citadel proper, although illusion may again be playing a part in this impression. It takes Fennec three spells to be "sorted" as to ability and he's kept waiting a little while before Max Oberhelm, confident magister, welcomes him and signs him in as a visitor. He leads Fennec through to a lofty-vaulted members' room with its members' bar in one corner and many deep comfy seats grouped here and there.
Max listens sympathetically to Fennec's story about Maeglos, mockingly imitates that elf master's posing, but does admit the price suggested is likely to be fair. In terms of who else might restore the staff's charges (and possibly store the higher level spells in Fennec's ring) he brags up their senior member, Lady Bree, and warns Fennec to be on his best behaviour around her. (Fennec may be dressed in good wizard robe but his boots are still the same road boots he arrived in.)
Meanwhile, there's only one other member in the common room, and Fennec is now introduced to Daisy Brightwater. She is a mightily-well-constructed woman of uncertain years who speaks with a delightful southern twang. And she seems to be a shrewd businesswoman. She's very interested in the prospects those scrimshaw balls may open up, and arranges to meet Fennec for dinner at a superior dining-house not far from the park.
Over lunch (his chatting with Daisy has taken him pleasantly through the morning) Fennec does meet Lady Bree Greyswan of Greystand. There's a suggestion of inkiness around her fingertips - in contrast to junior wizards who are liberally smirched in ink. She seems interested in records of his travels and makes an appointment with him three days hence, noon.
"You sly dawg!" Daisy congratuates him, "weasellin' ya way 'round Lady Bree... [sotto voce] she's got a thing fer beards... or has she?"
With a dinner date to look forward to, Fennec heads back to the Porters Arms, leaves word for the others and a handsome tip, and walks at leisure, to the upper bridge.
A quick recap from Borer
Borer, one of the three Ironbridge rogues that endured the entire Broken Land quest, happens to be seated on a short flight of steps in the merchant quarter as Crompton and Cauleigh make their way away from the south gate, towards the cathedral. Testily challenging at first, Borer discovers that Crompton is willing to pay for a meal and drink!
The trio head for Cinnamon Roll and turn the comfortable vibe in the place into a hostile one as Borer profanely describes what he endured and what he's seen of the uruk menace. He sarcastically wishes the Templars well - though it turns out, he's the one who reached them in Briar Keep, to warn them of the invasion.
The white urukin, Borer can definitively say, is not the Uruk Lord, merely a lieutenant. The Uruk Lord is served by three lieutenants, two of whom are Gorgun (who sounds quite rash, but tolerant) and Gariag (whom Cauleigh fought). Those are both full-blooded and huge uruks. Other than that he includes trolls ogres and at least one giant among his army. Which is now armed with gunnes.
The two other companions of Borer to see the quest through to the end are Elyn, who is alright for a human woman apparently, and Binye, a man. He doesn't know where they drifted to - after meeting up on Sidewinder Creek, Borer headed downriver to Dolem's Spire and they headed west and south to warn other settlers. Borer adds that he owes the elves a big solid favour, because Wanda, an elf out of the north somewhere, rescued him.
Gimme that old time religion
Crompton separates from Cauleigh fairly soon after that. The second breakfast, and long expletive-laden yarn, has taken them well towards the lunch hour and Cauleigh wants to be early to meet whichever elf Shawndel has persuaded to speak with him about the scimitar. Crompton has no reference to follow up, so is at leisure to look around the cathedral grounds. He heads north but runs up short against a old and massy wall and distinct lack of entrance to the cathedral.
A helpful passer-by explains that if he wants to pay respects to the gods, the Adoration chapel is the building with the breast-like dome, not the cathedral proper, and it can easily be reached, from this (south) side by walking west.
The Adoration or Seasons chapel has a regular west-facing frontal and open-air processional, lined with well-groomed hedges. A stone pavilion or kiosk interrupts the processional perhaps a quarter-way along. Despite the chill and occasional scuds of rain, plenty of family groups file along, entering and leaving the chapel.
Inside the chapel Crompton studies the mosaics with an unfamiliar eye and attempts to match them to the ten or so Esgaroth gods that he can recall. He doesn't see the big boss god, or the boss-god's lady. And there's nothing he can match to Ikmal, nor Ikmal's wife Yavan'. And he can't quite match a mosaic of what appears to be an elf woman archer, to any god he recalls. But there are a couple at least he only half-recalls and he knows there are other even more obscure gods, so this is not a major discovery.
Half-expecting to see a pallid figure, he stares around and does see a pale-faced acolyte. Noticing his close inspection the acolyte approaches him, accepts a donation, and says:
"Welcome, friend dwarf! Have you come to make your adoration and are, perhaps, confused as to whom will show you most mercy?"
He explains:
- Belor Cjernin is a hero of the Great War substituted into the pantheon;
- Ara Fellmir is an elf heroine of the Wizard Wars substituted into the pantheon;
- The coy lady, hot herald, virgin archer (Ara), good worker, warrior hero (Belor), and weeper are the deities of the adoration chapel, in that order. Seniority of place is given to Zolman Law-giver and Varda*Star-mantle in the cathedral;
- He doesn't explain the absence of Ikmal/Aule or Yavan'/Yavanna and Crompton doesn't pursue the matter; and finally
- Holy Bishop Pausanias is a famed speaker (you've just missed the high day!) and Crompton should try to attend six days hence!
Having paid respects to Belor Crompton seeks the acolyte out once more and specifically asks about two murders... [DAROs to 21, earns the first boon of the season, L7 CHR SR] and the acolyte, who obviously has heard of these, retorts:
"There is certainly no question that the city is being punished for its sins... silly rumours..."
"We were able to be there when they examined two bodies..." Crompton begins then realises that he has said too much. He doubles down and ploughs on:
"They were murdered in an unusual way..."
"Were they perhaps harlots?"
"No... We were wondering if there is an undead presence under the city?"
"Pah, crazed necromancers babbling about the sewers..."
"Thank you for that information."
Crompton keeps a weather eye out to his stern quarter and by the time he reaches the kiosk spots the acolyte ducking out and as he notices being noticed, north through a gap in the hedge-trees. Zipping around and north Crompton is in time to see the man slip into a sugar-loaf-looking circular building. It's the clergy-house.
Undecided, Crompton hesitates until another scud of rain prompts him to get back on track looking around the cathedral proper. He decides to work back counter-clockwise, passing around the adoration chapel area, past a mighty tree, past the old wall and another mighty tree (and ivy up the wall, he notes) and some temple-related trades such as pillowers and embroiders, then squeezing through some other alleys that seem to mark where the cathedral was once open to the east, then through some plastic arts trades such as mason and glazier and to the north-running processional to the north porch. The processional appears to run north to a very secure, well-walled complex. From here the ground opens out to a cemetery lawn, memorial stones dotting it; and beyond that a handsome building reading "Mausoleum of Heroes."
Pacing at leisure through the grounds, Crompton notes a disturbed grave. As he approaches, passsing three small family groups, he can see a bushy head he (much later) identifies as belonging to Osusk, at work there and barely sparing him a glance.
To his left as he passes the Mausoleum, Crompton can see another similar building. He steps carefully across a shallow robbed wall and leaves what was once the Abbey grounds.
Having concluded all he wishes to do, Crompton hikes back to the Porters Arms and buys a lunch of last night's supper and good strong porter. Fennec arrives as he begins to think himself full.
Let's hit the road north...
Watching Crompton eat pub leftovers is boring so Fennec is keen to get on to the next issue, speaking to the smith Meta-something, by the north gate.
The pair walk back through riverside bustle towards the Abbey and swing north over Upper bridge. The daytime stalls are busy; the only thing of note is a bear, coming the other way, [L2 LK OK] being led securely by a bear-handler. Seeing Fennec's interest he pauses and asks:
"Interested in bettin' on th' fight?"
"What's it fighting?"
"Ooh... couldn't say right now... mebbe dawg... mebbe they git a wulfan..."
"Interesting... where's this happening?"
The bear-handler gives directions south-east, outwall. Fennec notes it down for possible investigation but as he remarks to Crompton:
"The fact it's being led through in broad daylight tells me bear-baiting is perfectly legal. I don't like the idea of a wulfan being forced but... that's not a given."
Cauleigh
The burly warrior arrives in good time at Central Perk. It's already busy: he finds a spot with a view: and Betty, on duty at some other benches, only has time for a friendly wave.
An elf arrives and perhaps unsurprisingly it is in fact Shawndel. The extra day's delay has given him/her time to investigate Cauleigh's bona fides and consult others.
Cauleigh recaps the situation and history, and Shawndel congratulates him on not blabbing the facts all over the city; warns him that another party, Sasha Orc-slayer, may be about; and suggests he be compensated for handing the scimitar off to the elven community. Cauleigh wonders where it might be safely stored? Shawndel replies it would be smuggled north to what's called Elf Mountain.
Cauleigh wishes no recompense: he wishes access to the library! Shawndel writes a note in elven to Reena Spidros, the librarian, and a covering note to the palace. Shawndel decides that it's best to make one transaction all told and will send an agent to the Porters Arms to complete the handoff.
[100AP for achieving the major thread "get access to the library"]
Betty has still no leisure: balances a spoon on her nose, goggles her eyes, and waves him goodbye.
Cauleigh catches up with Fennec's intentions at the Porters Arms and walks swiftly around and north and soon catches up the more leisurely pair.
Crompton's confession
Cauleigh is a little sardonic as Crompton confesses that he has made himself a lightning rod for the church.
"You were actually talking to someone who knew the deal, and was trying to find out what you knew, so you told him almost everything, walked away without learning anything new, but you saw where he ran to after that."
"Yes a sugar-loaf kind of building, the clergy house. Oh and there's a disturbed grave, and a bushy-headed fellow."
The trio offer jokes to one another about the real culprit, citing dire mosquitoes and vampires.
Fennec mentions he's following up the scrimshaw bullets over dinner. At this point they become aware that they are heading to some foot-bridges over a slimy-looking river, and that some young thugs have fallen in behind.
That's dirty Luth
They swing around heading for the theatre and three of the lads swing right to cut them off. Cauleigh swings round and confronts the other three: the leader with a splendid quiff or pompadour of oiled hair:
"Say friend, which way are ya going?"
"Mebbe I'm jest goin' this way"
"Well walk on by..."
"Mebbe I will... mebbe I won't... ain't fer you ta tell me"
Fennec murmurs to Crompton:
"Can you see anything that says they are local Rogues Guild?"
He cannot. Cauleigh continues:
"Do you want to do this with fists?"
"Mebbe I'll see ya... later..."
The youths make off.
"Remind me to look up local laws about murdering ruffians," Fennec mutters.
The potential fracas has been witnessed by shop keepers, assistants, and burgers of the tiwn. A smith standing at an imposing smithy and store gestures Cauleigh in:
"Say that was mighty fine! Don't know as how I've seen summun' square to an' set them ta rights!"
"Who were they?"
"Dirty Luth an' his boys... would-be big bad men outta th' north... say, don't s'pose ya'd be interested in some ironmongery... vambraces are th' thing these days... ya got a yuge forearm there, betcha gotta get that tailor-made..."
"I like your pitch my friend, I'll take a look."
Mettastos
Crompton and Fennec wait patiently, then impatiently, then as Cauleigh is encouraged to head to the gauntletteer across the way next, they ask for directions to the north gate area, and the smith Meta-something.
"That's Mettastos. Deals mainly with the garrison, money would need to talk."
The smith also suggests Mettastos might be able to offer a suggestion about Cauleigh's caliver idea (a Flick spell) and Crompton's axe (specifically how you are supposed to use an Antimagic blade).
Congratulating one another on not having to work for a living the pair walk through bustling working folk and playing children, around north of the theatre, through pleasant airs and a suggestion of fruit tree, across foot bridges and another foul-looking river. Off left rises a grim barrack, before them extends an open area, and right is a large smith's workshop.
Approaching it they indeed find the sign "Mettastos Arms & Armor."
"Perhaps we should head back?" Fennec asks
"I want at least to get his opinion on the axe, to counter magics."
"Then I'll come in, you never know, something might meet the eye."
Mettastos appears to be a burly young blond-bearded man (slightly singed) and though busy is willing to take some coins for his opinion. He examines the Runebearer axe and offers the commonplace that an enchanted axe stops Breaker spells. Then, just as a theory, if genuinely Antimagic, says maybe it could cut through wall spells and perhaps even a Protective Pentagram! As to work:
"Orders are very very tight, it would need to be top priority, tell your friends they'd be best getting a letter from someone in top authority."
Attack of the clueless
Cauleigh places a deposit on the vambrace work (it's superior steel, specifically resistant but no actual higher points protection) and next visits the gauntletteer. He selects a smooth-polished type and places a deposit on that. Then, seeing his friends have moved on, recollects that his shoes must be ready.
He realises that he's alone when, at a convenient point in the merchant quarter, Luth and four thugs attack!
Cauleigh [L6 DEX] whips his throw-blade out and gets a throat-shot on one. Then using that initiative leaps to the nearest wall [L6 STR] and with a spinning cut with kukri whicks the next one's head off. There's a huge spray of blood! One of the remaining three immediately pees his pants and stops, knees sagging. Launching into Luth and his remaining off-sider Cauleigh slices their guts open and body parts litter the path!
"This is why you don't try to rough me up and rob me, right, widdle-pants?"
Cauleigh lets the weeping, pee-poo-pants thug waddle off. But what with the slaughter his good clothing is ruined. He accepts a handsome compliment as to his sweep of shoulder, is easily persuaded to buy some outrageously-priced clothing, and is fitted and clothed again. Then, off to the cobbler!
Then, he finds a laundry but the laundrymen are not optimistic. Blood is hell to shift.
Plans for the evening?
Fennec and Crompton head south across Temple bridge, to the merchant quarter and the cobbler. They spot Clarrie - notable by his eye-glass - reporting on some street-killing.
"If it bleeds it leads," Clarrie remarks.
Well satisfied with his shoes, Fennec looks forward to meeting Daisy. He and Crompton return to the Porters Arms, where they catch Cauleigh up with the Mettastos situation and he catches them up with his success on the library, and take their ease until evening.
Cursing because he can't get into the lockup to get a bullet to show Daisy, Fennec bids the others farewell. But then, as an afterthought, mentions that he'll be dining near the Cathedral. So the other two offer to eat out, nearby, in case there's trouble.
At the Drunken Nixie
Their hostess is an older woman named Tiara; the crowd is mainly young. A few recognise Cauleigh as 'the dwarf that was with Betty' and acknowledge him. The crowd is mainly human: Crompton spots a clean-shaven urukin and a pale-blue woman whose kindred he doesn't recognise.
Betty bounces in with an "I'm off dooty!" and joins them, but tells Cauleigh regretfully that she has to "hit the hay early" because her aunt's in town and wants her to learn the bakery business.
While Cauleigh is talking Crompton notices that his group is being subtly watched by a dark-dressed woman. She seems aloof from the crowd. Her build is slender, her eyes and hair are dark as far as he can see. He turns to Betty and interrupts her chatter:
"Hypothetically, if someone was a slender, dark-dressed woman... (he describes the woman) would you be able to say oh, that's so-and-so?"
"Rings a bell... was there a big shoulder kinda scary guy with her when ya saw her?"
"I'll just have a look..."
"Wha?!?"
Betty's head whips round to look where Crompton is looking; having realised she's been singled out the woman smiles. Cauleigh picks up what's going on and waves her over. She rises as though to join them, but then there's a little incident where one of the wait-staff stumbles and people fall over and move across the dwarves' line of sight and then she is gone.
Betty's vague recall extends only to her name beginning with T and she's Trouble.
Cauleigh mentions the delicious baking smell and Betty tells him that's where she's supposed to be baking. Cauleigh assures her he'll call in next morning to see her on her first day; she says goodnight, heads off.
The only other event of note, until Fennec arrives, happens when Cauleigh heads out back to drain the lizard. The place is fancy enough to have built-in stalls and he notices a sturdy thug who may or may not have intended to catch him alone and off-guard there.
At the Tranquil Boar
Chef Ona, red-haired, heavily-mustached, offers Pon'frac-accented advice on the courses; Daisy and Fennec are served by Urie, probably a relative of the chef judging by her curly red head.
Daisy is excellent company and the meal is a progression of four delicious courses. She explains a little more about tracking enchantments - though she is no specialist - and how items or people might be tracked, and asks for at least nine of the bullets, offering to buy them.
In terms of funds - since Fennec bewails the high cost of everything - Daisy mentions two courses:
- Get in the good books of Bishop Pausanias, who may be worried about rumours such as necromancers profaning the cemetery. She mentions Osusk, whom Fennec hasn't met, in regard to this.
- The second option is to take a slap at the ruin of Sarn Athrad, north - not killing the poor folk living in the ruin - where at least one wand got left behind in the crisis.
The pair "go dutch" on the bill and Fennec parts with 100gp. Perhaps because he's with Daisy, Fennec is not molested by any random or planned violence and he heads over to collect the other two.
On the trail again?
"There's some dangerous woman with an eye on Crompton," Cauleigh updates him.
"So about normal for a new place," adds Crompton
"New city, same nuts," Fennec concludes as they head out and north towards the river, past the Adoration chapel and the clergy-house. Crompton knows the lay of the land now:
"If we sweep round the Cathedral we may get mugged and find something out?"
They swing east around the Abbey ground and towards the north processional. Looking south across the cemetery, Crompton catches sight of a pallid shape slipping towards the Mausoleum of Heroes, and the session ends.
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Post by warlord476 on Jun 15, 2018 17:44:47 GMT -5
4.04: Blood on Sarnas Cathedral steps The characters for this session:
Fennec, L3 wizard, combat and curative schools
Crompton, L3 rogue, roguery and Runebearer background
Jotunn, L6 warrior, hunter background and tracking talent
Cauleigh, L4 warrior, literate townsman background
Jotunn fills in the time
Jotunn has successfully kept Elisha from following the others. Now, towards evening, he arrives back at the Porters Arms for dinner. Word of mouth passes to him:
"We've all gone out to the Drunken Nixie - Cheers! PS we may have lead on the weird killer"
Having thrown back the last of the ale, he hastens towards the park and finds the Drunken Nixie. His comrades are no longer there. He's moments away from a decent meal when he hears patrons discussing soldiers patrolling the Abbey.
"Excuse me! Did you say soldiers patrolling?"
[DAROs to L3 CHR]
The youngster spots him as one of the Restorers and offers to take him there. Explaining, as they hasten through the darkened streets, that its some of the garrison. They are just in time! A small patrol, of four pikemen and two lantern-bearing swordsmen, are just headed away.
The youngster leaves without asking for a tip, leaving Jotunn visible to the patrol.
"Good evening!"
"He's the dwarf 'at was with Elisha," one of the soldiers mutters to the others
[L3 LK SR, he makes L4]
The leader looks familiar. Jotunn recalls meeting him somewhere around Fingold, serving the west faction.
"You look familiar?"
"You want on this patrol? Looking for your friend?"
This is Musger, a sergeant once more.
As they set off, one of the pikemen explains:
"Two of our men have been killed around here - we aim ta see that don't happen agin!"
It's about a twenty-minute walk, at brisk soldier pace, through dark spaces and patches of window-light. Even the main street they use for most of the walk depends for its light on the occasional door-lamp. The weather remains chill and slightly misty, threatening rain.
After crossing what Jotunn now knows is the main street between palace and bridge, Musger decides to forge straight on for the Abbey grounds:
"The last killing was bridge-side. Let's cover that ground, see what we might see."
As the patrol progresses alongside the Merchant Guild, the enormous bulk of the Cathedral blocks out the few visible stars on the left horizon. Ahead, three dimly-seen stubby forms seem to be snooping about...
The company unites - but where's the mystery?
After seeing a couple of people that may be a little hinky, Cauleigh Fennec and Crompton decide to do a late-late evening patrol, counter-clockwise around the grounds. And Crompton glimpses a pallid figure, half-seen in the gloom and evening mist, near one of the mausoleums.
But before they can run across the cemetery in pursuit, bobbing lanterns are to be seen, approaching them clockwise. And, after challenges and recognition, that unites Jotunn with his comrades. They explain to one another. But by this time, Crompton is no longer even sure what he saw.
With the aid of lanterns bobbing around the dwarves can see that one of the graves is open. Cauleigh's torch-cube beams its powerful white beam into a recently-disinterred grave. There's no sign of the body. Crompton confirms this is the site where he saw that bobbing bushy head.
As they consider reasons and necromancers, Sgt Musger reintroduces himself. As for why he's now working here:
"It's a matter of a professional seeking professional employment - Fingold went all amateur."
He invites them all to finish the patrol, and offers to meet and talk over old times. The patrol is the same type of armed men that were murdered, and as Musger confirms (using the same words his pikeman did earlier) they are here because of the murders.
Their recollections have come up with the name of Osusk, necromancer (or 'necromantier' Musger says) and the sergeant makes a note. As for the pallid figure, Fennec seems to think it must have been an acolyte, based on nothing in particular, though Crompton, the only one to meet an acolyte, does agree he was pale.
"What building did you think it went into?" Cauleigh asks.
An unofficial suggestion
Immediately before them, looking west from the grave, is a large solemn building proudly bearing the legend, 'Mausoleum of Heroes.' Crompton is inclined to think it may be this one. But the gate seems close-bolted, and when a soldier rattles the gate it stays that way. Without his toolkit, Crompton can't tell if the lock is rigged. And he's beginning to second-guess himself. He looks about.
Looking south there is at least one other building. And there is an easy path from the cemetery lawn, across a robbed wall, to the clergy-house. Crompton mentions the suspicious acolyte from his visit.
"We can't investigate... officially..." Musger comments significantly, and gestures Crompton aside.
"If you were to talk to the priest" - he breaks off and gets the name from one of his men - "If you were to speak to a chap named Severin, chief acolyte, and were to get a strong suspicion of wrongdoing, we could investigate."
A second disturbed grave
His men are literally kicking their heels and they now fan out and walk right into the inner grounds. The dwarves follow them past a Mausoleum of Barons, and beyond inside the cloister past the Bishop's Palace, a well-lit and imposing building separate from the Cathedral, and to an inner cemetery with much more imposing memorial stones. And here, another disturbed grave.
Fennec picks up a strip of cloth at the site. Judging from it, the body was swaddled quite some time ago.
"I'm thinking each of the graves has a different reason to be opened," Fennec judges.
"We need to re-tool and come back, if we turn up nothing so be it, but we shouldn't just leave it at this," Cauleigh suggests.
"It might pay for one of us to wait here," Jotunn begins but Fennec quickly points out that danger is afoot now, and Cauleigh fills him in about the mystery woman and the thug-type, seen at the Drunken Nixie.
A scud of rain persuades the soldiers they've done as much as they can. As they file out one of them rattles the gates of the second mausoleum: they too seem solidly locked.
"We'll just say we're working for the watch," Cauleigh proposes but Musger corrects him: the garrison is not the town watch. This is an unofficial patrol - which is why they can't do things officially. He leaves with a casual salute and an offer to catch up, either at the Jealous Hag alchemist, or the Old Alehouse at the South Gate.
Gearing up and a diversion
They pass from the workmanlike Abbey area to the more boisterous Upper Harbour. Nighttime entertainments and cheery shouts fill the damp, unlit streets. The dwarves mostly have things to get out of lockup, now Jotunn is back with them. They withdraw (and deposit) chosen gear and head back to the Porters Arms to change into workaday clothes.
Jotunn gives a moan of pain when one of the servants tells them "we din't wait supper" but discovers the usual breakfast leftovers and climbs into them.
They head through a scud of rain, beating into their faces and make their way around towards the Abbey grounds.
"What about that suspiciously-behaving cleric?" Fennec asks, but as it's the middle of the night, and they are geared for action, the idea of knocking up the clergy-house is voted down.
But before they get quite to within sight of the cemetery, Crompton catches sight of Osusk, and they follow him all the way back through dark streets to the mortuary, where he has some sort of business, and then to a three-story building near the east docks and east wall. There's a smell of preserving fluid alchemy in the wet air, but it carries the smell of charred timbers, as well. Jotunn marks a building, probably once a stables, lying close enough to Osusk's great house, to probably allow chimney-style climbing, and they leave.
Ambush!
It is very late, it has been a long day, all save Jotunn are very tired. But Crompton's eyes are shining with Cateyes and he urges,
"Before this spell runs out, let's get back to the Abbey!"
They hasten, Crompton using short-cuts to trim what would otherwise be a mile's walk, [L3 SR, DAROs to 23] and soon come in sight of the monstrous bulk of the Cathedral. They swing counter-clockwise. As it looms taller on their left flank, and they cross what appears to be a little waste-ground between masons and glaziers, Fennec [misses L2 LK SR, makes L5 IQ SR with a tiredness penalty of 1 level] mutters:
"We're being followed at speed, do we want to ambush them?"
"Yes, but let's not be too hasty, it could be a reporter," Cauleigh retorts. They make their way left and up towards the massive Cathedral Porch, and as Cauleigh delays to make sure his fellows are secure, an unseen hand drives a blade down between neck and shoulder and towards his heart! But by good fortune it grates off his magical Shield of Tahana, the same that he had prudently retrieved from the lockup, and he is still alive! There's a muffled sound as something leaps away, and as Cauleigh himself leaps to safety there's a rush of men at the dwarves.
Fennec hurls a L3 TTYF at the leader, obvious due to the fancy two-hander sword he's wielding, and there's a purplish flash and percussion as the spell goes off. He notices the colour of the blast is more akin to the purple he began his career with. The leader staggers back! Jotunn jumps among four shabbily-armoured cutthroats, as they use slings to wreak havoc on the other three.
[All slings hit. Owing to the removal of Jotunn the 116 damage has to be shared by the other three. Cauleigh is already down 10 and armour among them is scant. So they all drop to single-digit CON.]
Jotunn's unexpected advance has caught the swordsman off-guard. Before he can draw a handaxe for close work [rival SPD rolls, Jotunn wins easily] Jotunn is on him. Fennec hurls a Glue You and Jotunn lays him low.
Crompton has already readied his attack: he has called tempus fugit and Vorpalled his axe, and Cauleigh downs one with a thrown dagger [L6 DEX] then they storm the other three. Hideous death cries sound: blood sprays widely, drenching the ground as far as the Porch and splashing across the processional for some yards.
"Thank goodness we got changed," Cauleigh observes.
There's a cry of alarm from the glaziers, lights indicate people will investigate the commotion and unexpectedly, the great door to the Cathedral begins to open.
"Quick, loot and go!"
Fennec casts a Detect Magic to pick what it was that stopped his TTYF, and they take a bracer off the leader, as well as his purse and fancy sword, then run counter-clockwise towards the park.
Aftermath
After briefly strategising, Fennec pops into the Drunken Nixie, and buys two large flagons of wine. The other three use the wine to soak over the blood, then the four return to the Porters Arms. Jotunn pretends to hold the "drunken" pair up as they pass by a sleepy night-porter and safe to their room.
Fennec is now an adept of the Curative school. He has time and space to concentrate here, and provides 56 CON Poor Baby in short order.
"I'm pretty sure that ugly was the same ugly that was planning to shank me at the Nixie," Cauleigh mentions as they assess the loot. The bracer is plain, save for a scorpion design on it. The sword is very fancy, with fair-quality gems on the hilts, and what looks like mithril intaglio on the blade. It will have to be hidden away in lockup.
[The dwarves spend some AP. Cauleigh moves LK to 39, Crompton takes Roguery to Apprentice (+5), Jotunn moves SPD to 29, while Fennec moves LK to 25 and SPD to 24.]
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Post by warlord476 on Jun 15, 2018 18:18:04 GMT -5
4.04 part two: Rewards and Research in Sarnas
Jane's Bakery and an old friend
Jotunn awakens first, and though Cauleigh did mention that he wants to head out early, they all look very peaceful and breakfast is a priority. On the second round of rehashed leftovers he sends a pot-boy to wake them.
"I don't suppose I could hit you up for more healing?" Cauleigh asks Fennec, glancing out at what looks like another chilly day. Fennec obliges and all three dwarves are fully fit and well-dressed as they head to lock-up, switch gear around again, and head for the fabled 'aunty's bakery' Betty ought to be working at.
The delicious smell guides them across what may once have been a common or even an ornamental lawn, now partly built over, to a queue of waiting diners, and they wait patiently. At length they enter Jane's Bakery, and find that serving them is Mother Hobb.
"Mother Hobb?!"
"Lovely to see you!"
"And you, boys!"
"So you're Betty's auntie?"
"I am. Betty!"
Betty is working hard under her aunt's eye, but in between serving them and other customers Mother Hobb and Betty explain that the Survivors broke up, Mother Hobb has come here to help her older sister, Betty's mother, who would like to retire. It's time Betty gave up on her dreams of being an entertainer, and settled to a solid career. They also learn that Betty's father was human, and died when Betty was only 19.
As for the Survivors, Mother Hobb believes Mizva drifted, while Burnley and Whitey, the two half-elves, decided to head south to join the war. The Lefties left Fingold heading east, but as far as she knows the Heavy Hitters stayed on as mentors of the Guild.
Mother Hobb suggests they probably don't want the meringue: Jane's Bakery sells delicious honey-glazed donuts. The drinks served are light herbal teas, not a perfect fit.
Cauleigh chases Betty up for what she recalls of T for Trouble, the mystery woman of yesterday evening. She's recalled that they're a bunch of thugs that hang out near the waterfront, and are known as something like Tamara's Cutthroats. The big-shouldered one is Zug.
Heads dizzy with the sweet (and costly) delicacies, but surprisingly fortified, the four head back out.
"Have you made any contacts with the Rogues Guild yet Crompton?" Fennec asks. Crompton makes a non-committal noise. "Because I would think they would know about this lot," Fennec elaborates. Crompton mentions that he's heard of a gang of ruffians outside the gates. Then their train of thought is interrupted.
[L5 LK from Crompton]
They see a cloaked woman, as much in the middle of the old common as possible, head up, standing as though she's really enjoying the morning air. She's probably an elf.
"Come to think of it an elf messenger was supposed to contact me at the Porters Arms," Cauleigh remarks. They head over and stand in very obvious range of her. She looks at them, half-recognising them:
"Excuse me for asking, would you be the Restorers? ...Well this is accidental but serendipitous. My name is Wanda. We have a mutual friend."
"Who might that be?" Fennec asks.
"Shawndel..." the she-elf looks among them to see who this applies to.
"That's me," Cauleigh asserts.
Wanda is here to pick up the scimitar and discuss a reward. Satisfied with her credentials, they all return to the lockup. Cauleigh accepts two large black pearls.
Wanda explains her own knowledge of the southern menace, leaving them with an amusing character sketch of Gorgun's diplomacy and her own impression or opinion that while Dolem's Spire is safe smaller towns like Ironbridge, or even as far afield as Edoras, will be attacked, as the uruk horde raids along rivers. But, she opines, weather will stall the advance. Wanda, scimitar concealed beneath her cloak, takes her leave and the dwarves return to the plan: research!
Cauleigh gains +1 CHR for achieving this long-term goal. Counting only from the point he learned of the scimitar's deadly quality, it has been two seasons.
Sarnas Library
The four Restorers arrive at the palace gate, an imposing structure, well guarded. Fennec and Cauleigh present their credentials.
[Jotunn and Crompton succeed in L2 LK and get through as well, on the 'we're with them' strategy.]
They're directed to second circle, right. The three that have not visited before undergo the shock of seeing the old-fashioned castle change to modern, dragon-proof citadel. Taking the second circle right they walk between lines of graceful but strong columns, at least a quarter-circle along, and come to an arch, that reads:
Sarnas Library
As they pass on through there's a voip kind of feeling or sound and with a slight sense of dislocation they find themselves in a library. It's of traditional architecture, but there are no windows. Immediately ahead of them lies a reception or reference desk, at which sits a woman, looking at a book. She appears to be an elf.
This is Reena Spidros, prideful and somewhat acidulous reference librarian. As she reads Cauleigh's note from Shawndel her face registers surprise and interest. She tells them that with this, they will be permitted to access the 'stacks' themselves.
Cauleigh [L4 CHR] explains their task, and asks that Reena not share the outcome of their labour with other researchers. This is a familiar refrain, but Reena agrees provided it is not against the Commonwealth's interests.
Session one: This extends into early afternoon. Crompton Jotunn and Cauleigh assist Fennec, using LK, and Fennec uses IQ. Joint research, level 9.
Their first bout concentrates on the stacks Reena indicates are most nearly concerned with geography and trade. They learn that once, a trade route connected Ikkutas somewhere west of a valley system known as Aunor, and from there south to Sarn Athrad. All trade from Aunor was swept away in the Wizard Wars, and trade out of Ikkutas ended generations earlier. The only itinerary-map they find is river focused and not useful for distances.
The Restorers restore themselves out a small side door, through a spidery-meandering kind of corridor or tunnel and off in a small, not-very-good kind of coffee house. It's a reasonably popular limbo-point for Senate couriers and pages shirking their work or dodging their senators.
Session two: This extends to evening. CON SRs for maintaining concentration, Jotunn DAROs to L14. Everyone else is OK too. This time joint research tallies to level 8.
Aunor became the hub of the northern barbarians' invasion. All of the old information about Aunor, except for the basic geography, is irrelevant. They do confirm that dwarf metal manufactures came from Ikkutas.
Between the two sessions, they also know that either through Aunor or west along the Vale will get them to the mountain ranges where Ikkutas is hidden.
They also gain one actual Ikkutas clue.
Who T for Trouble is
Strategising how to get to the Porters Arms safely, they teleport back from library to second circle, and walk around to the gates. Fennec has a boosted-up OTIS prepped.
The palace processional is adequately lit down to the official arch that ends it.
[Crompton DAROs to 21 on LK, I ask him who he would like to run into]
As they near the arch, Crompton sees Sedge walking towards them, dressed in her finery, and alone. He hails her, she pauses, making a pleased kind of sound.
From Sedge, they learn the correct name of the dockside gang, Takrina's Cutthroats.
"You were lucky - she is deadly," Sedge comments. "Well, I'll be going, all the best... do let us know if you want to join..."
[L4 CHR SR from Cauleigh]
Sedge heads away but turns back:
"You might look towards the east waterfront."
Supper and sensation
Hubbub and singing may be heard further towards the bridge. Choosing not to mingle they decide to swing west. But before they can, they all briefly glow!
[Fennec makes a WIZ SR and concludes it is some type of investigatory spell]
They make haste back to the Porters Arms where Fennec has them all strip and uses DetM to check that the only magic items they have are their own. Then back to the common room and a late supper.
"Sentry's me name," a portly brewer introduces himself to Jotunn, "I wuz wonderin' if yez'll taste me new brew... think' o' callin' it suthin' like 'Sentry-post.'"
To Jotunn's palate it's a little more hopped than he's used to, hops being quite unusual, with a more pick-me-up kind of effect than ale. He acknowledges it. Sentry asks that he endorse it, signing the paper he happens to have written, and gains a signed endorsement off Crompton as well.
Cauleigh discovers that the Porters Arms features the Voice of the People, the Tribune, and reads - among quotes from the senator and strange inserted accounts of useful products:
Cathedral Massacre!!!
Apparently a number of late-working glaziers were horrified to find blood sprayed upon the very lintels of their door and high upon their windows! Bishop Pausanias proclaimed himself shocked at the mayhem pertaining to the very Processional of the Cathedral.
Cauleigh reads on. Assailants made off, but Sheriff Johann van Diemer (or von Diemar, spelling seems optional) is quoted as saying "the men are known bad elements..."
(Wonder Wort! You Can't Age... interrupts a strange article)
The sheriff also says that "good citizens rest easier when bad men fall out."
"We're not bad... just indiscriminate," Crompton protests.
"You know lads, I'm beginning to suspect someone in this town does not wish us well," Cauleigh remarks.
The third research session
It's the day before Fennec's appointment with Lady Bree. Cauleigh leads the others to Jane's Bakery and buys donuts for breakfast and bagged donuts for lunch.
Bunting is being tied around the Cathedral. They keep clear and walk up to the palace gates again. Again they draw curious glances and are let in [this time with merely L1 SR from Jotunn and Crompton]
Session three: A joint level 9 effort.
They push on to near lunch, and find nothing further in the maps and charts. The best they've gained from itineraries is a genuine copy of Travels Through the Vale, in which, at the very westernmost point, the floridly verbose and irritating author describes a dwarf cup presented as being of Ikkutas manufacture.
Reena seems to think she knows a lot about where they should be looking, but doesn't. She points them to a band of stacks as possible. Cauleigh asks to refine the search around Ikmal. Reena immediately provides his alternative names:
"Ikmal Iron-bringer, also known as Aule Stone-father. See also Yavanna, or Iavan, his wife."
Their widened search among these relevant stacks, lasting the afternoon and into early evening, comes up with possibilities. The culture of the far Vale obscures things, for here they are dealing with the Carloman Principalities and even ancient Ravenscrag. Oldest records suggest that here and there, shrines will be found to those gods.
So in conclusion (for further research will simply be at random) the dwarves have learnt that Ikkutas is located in a large mountainous area at the far end of the Vale and - equally - at the western end of Aunor Valley, which itself lies north of Sarn Athrad ruin. It is such an undefined area that they are none the wiser which direction would be more efficacious.
A cry for help
It's a deep mist abroad. Lights glow, rather than shine. A heavier mist or fog seems to be growing north over the river. Choosing to take a slightly different route, the Restorers steer their path counter-clockwise round the palace wall, and scuttle into cover so that Fennec can hide them. They are more or less circling the park, behind Central Perk. Merry cries can be heard, but muffled. Under a long-duration Hidey Hole they hustle past a decayed park wall and into the main lane.
There's a scrabbling sound from the right and a girl's cry of distress. Lantern lights bobble dimly down in the dense fog ahead.
The Restorers come to a decision and run towards the sounds!
Skeleton marauders!
Skeletal shapes are tearing at a lone female figure, prone under their claws: her clothes are torn and blood runs free. But as they smell the oncoming dwarves the skeletal shapes turn on them!
Their battle experience tells them, too skeletal to be a zombie. Fennec scans the mist for a controlling necromancer [WIZ SR] while Cauleigh runs at the nearest and aims his kukri at a joint [DEX SR]. Its knee is sheared through and it falls; but its bony hand grabs Cauleigh's boot-top. Jotunn braces against the other five to protect Cauleigh [CON SR, Cauleigh gets overflow damage of 11] and Crompton jigs round behind them as they batter at Jotunn's sturdy form. With his off hand Crompton wields his ring of undead command: "Fight for me!"
The skeleton does so, and Crompton attacks the other three not occupied. As Crompton's Antimagic axe strikes them their bones shatter apart, the mystic necromancy that kept their sinews intact gone in that instant!
Cauleigh finishes his skeleton and he and Jotunn deal with the non-controlled survivor. Crompton focuses on his minion:
"Go back to the ground."
It heads away.
"Follow it!" Cauleigh prompts them. Fennec nods:
"They're being controlled from beneath... remember the floor of undead below Fingold?"
He carries the young lady to Central Perk, commends her to their care, and races back to his fellows - as the chase begins!
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Post by warlord476 on Jun 22, 2018 18:20:31 GMT -5
4.05: Befogged in Sarnas The characters for this session:
Fennec, L3 wizard, combat and curative schools
Crompton, L3 rogue, roguery and Runebearer background
Jotunn, L6 warrior, hunter background and tracking talent
Cauleigh, L4 warrior, literate townsman background
The dead leading the blind
Lights bob closer through the fog as Fennec rejoins the other three; Crompton's skeletal servant is already disappearing - not north towards the Abbey but east. The four, running, attempt to keep to some sort of order. Jotunn is rearguard and has no time to see who holds those lanterns.
A merry dance the skeleton leads them, slipping through the clammy grey curtain. The fog is of that sort that muffles sound. Passersby - and there are few - keep out of knife-range. Their hideous guide slips past buildings encountered as deep shadows more than solid walls. Their sense of direction tells them they have tracked almost due east.
At length the sound under their shoes changes from stone to wet leaves as Cauleigh realises that the grasping arms above him are tree branches. They pass under a mighty tree and beside a looming dark wall and shortly thereafter Crompton hears bony fingers groping at stone. [IQ+Roguery, L3] He believes he understands how his undead guide operates a stone flag or trap very near a ruin. It slips below and the trap closes.
Blind-fight and branches
The four have agreed that, in their city finery, they will pursue no further. Now to mark the spot! Crompton calls up Cateyes again but the confusing shadows of fog remain confusing. But it does let him catch a swirl of fog as something leaps out of the ruin at him! He hurls his two 'ready' blades! [Misses L4, fails forward] The thing parries the flung knives and leaps away. Cauleigh's first instinct is to dash after it: but Fennec barks:
"It's that f**k**g assassin - stay together!"
They choose prudence and return to marking the area. Smells of charred timber and good cooking are of little help. Jotunn puts a blaze on the tree, and boosts Cauleigh up to the lowest branch. A trick of the fog allows Fennec to hear Osusk and Silas discussing which way "it" went...
Clambering further up, Cauleigh notes the massive scale of the building the tree grows nearest to, and where the river must be; climbs down.
Dwarves, pubs, and idle callers
Slow-moving footsteps and calling of the hour suggest a town watch; a cheery down-Vale woman's voice invites the watchmen to her grogshop. The Restorers debate finding the grogshop versus finding the trapdoor's exact location. They check around the big building to see if it is the necromancer Osusk's house: it is not. All they see, across a yard, is a miserable dog whining at the fog. They, like the dog, are feeling fogged-up. Turning to follow the smell of cooking they find themselves at the servant's entrance of a handsome building. Around the front, and a delivery marker: 'Zarkana'. Crompton catches the sound of Dwarven voices. He knocks, and a plainly-dressed servant asks him if he is expected, then directs him to the nearest main road, closes the door.
Here on the main road it's a hop skip and jump to a very small grogshop, backed onto the much larger Old Kraken alehouse. They get their directions over a pint and stagger back to the Porters - passersby keeping well away - noting as they pass the Abbey that the amount of bunting has increased - glimpsing theatre-goers guided by linkmen - Cauleigh vowing to return to the chase in the morning!
Rumours over cards
The Porters Arms is crowded by folk in the same damp fix. Supper is being served, and a general air of unclothed bonhomie and wet wool prevails as the roaring fire does its part. The Dwarves are assured it's the time of year for fogs, and they generally last a day or two.
Cauleigh is invited to take a hand at a game of chance, Crompton chips in. Fortune favours Crompton who wins 50 gold, or enough for 10 grogs. Over the game, they hear that you can be paid to register to vote, as long as you pledge to vote for the senator, and a little more about Takrina's Cutthroats. It seems common knowledge that the Restorers slaughtered her Cutthroats. A smirking wiseacre implies Crompton knows exactly what's going on. But another player reckons he once saw Takrina speaking to 'one 'a them priests'. Agrees that they are known as Acolytes, but professes to be a Freethinker and not to care. Severin, head of the Acolytes, worries about the morals of fallen women.
During the religious debate and game, Jotunn chats to the barkeep, declining a Sentry-post and opting for regular porter. The barkeep is inclined to blame Providence for events - and as for fog, business is good on a night like this.
[AP is spent. Crompton moves WIZ to 23, Cauleigh moves CON to 35 (its first shift up), Fennec moves LK to 26 (Adds are 50), and Jotunn moves SPD to 30 and STR to 38 (Adds are 80).]
Mother Hobb keeps her hand in
The hunt for breakfast begins early in the morning and Cauleigh flips off last night's plan and heads to Jane's Bakery. After that he plans to hit up the library to research the Scions of Kolbrannus, whence he must bring the bones of the long-dead Templar. Jotunn and Crompton courteously agree to help. Fennec has his long-awaited noon appointment with Lady Bree of the Wizard's Guild, and dare not be tardy, so decides to go to the Wizard's Guild right after breakfast.
Jane's Bakery is just as busy as ever. Betty, nose shiny with hard work, takes a minute to ask Cauleigh if he's going to the Masque of Death. Three nights from now! It's where all the cool kids will be!
Begging a moment of her time away from the press of breakfasters, they learn that Mother Hobb now puts her expertise into magical pastries. They stock up with honey-glazed donuts (for healing) and a couple of meringues (for flying) and ginger-cakes (for fire resistance). The bakery allows diners to order in for grog and chocolate, so they do that as well.
Lighter in the wallet and tighter in the belt, and with a promise to report back on how the flying goes, they leave, making their way up out of the fog to the palace gates. This time Crompton and Jotunn get through unimpeded by questions. The company divides.
Reena Spidros, mistress of indexes
The research team walks through the now-familiar teleport into the library. Cauleigh approaches Reena, seated reading at her research desk.
When he relates the narrative that has led him to search for the Scions of Kolbrannus, Reena's normal scowl lifts and she appears interested. Indeed, she knows of associations to the Scions by heart.
She moves off to a nearby stack, lifts out a volume that proves to be an index, and cross-references which part of the annals of the Carloman Principalities should be researched. Then, calling Cauleigh after her, she finds the exact stack she needs. There, under her hands, are the accounts of the Scions - most nearly associated with ancient Ravenscrag - and the principality that is recorded as coming after it. Its old name here is Tennebaum and it is a mere five days westering from here. It even comes with a sketch map suggesting that the Scions were based at a lone tower or obelisk, south of that.
And so in about an hour - even accounting for Cauleigh making a sketch map - they are out on the palace processional once more. Without a care in the world, Cauleigh decides he really ought to head north through the fog and pick up his vambraces and gauntlet; and hey, Jotunn could have a look at the armour as well.
Jotunn is at least keen for another go at magical shield-buying, and opts to go north too. Crompton throws in with them.
"We should stick together," he points out, as they leave Fennec to fend for himself.
Lady Bree and the airy show of power
It seems to be a working day in the Wizards Guild. As a visitor Fennec has nowhere to go other than the common room. He whiles away the hours reading the Tribune, Courier (a palace journal) and Clarion. The Tribune reports the disturbance last night in terms of revenants and undead fiends but does not mention the Restorers or 'unknown dwarves' at all.
An interview of the 'necromanteer' Osusk is included. He is quoted as saying that "a diurnial presence not be missed" is indicated.
"He's making nuts up," Fennec concludes.
Fetched at length by a palace courier, and guided through at least one teleport, Fennec arrives at a room high in the citadel itself, offering a broad view of the fog-bound river and city. Lady Bree arrives, and extends her hand. He stoops over it.
Lady Bree's purpose is to learn of conditions south of the river. Her manner is pleasant and open, and, dropping a few words of dwarven into the conversation soon has Fennec at his ease. She effortlessly - unconsciously perhaps - demonstrates a very high level of Conveyance magic, plucking her notebook and pen out of thin air.
Although Crompton hasn't passed on Borer's detailed information, Fennec has listened to Wanda, and with his own experiences, it's a long lunch. [CHR then IQ, Fennec scores L3 and L5 respectively] Lady Bree seems impressed. She asks Fennec his opinion on whether Dolem's Spire can withstand a siege, and of the siege at Fingold, and of fighting giants.
The talk turns to unearthing lost wands in Sarn Athrad. She's cross at Daisy for telling Fennec about something that was passed on in confidence! There are two wands and a staff. Should they be interested she can supply a sketch map of the original, pre-destruction area they ought to be in. Fennec fences, hinting that the dwarves lack funds, but leaving it at an indefinite maybe.
Armour for Cauleigh and a fitting for Jotunn
The three dwarves make their way directly into the fog and, delayed hardly at all by an altercation between mercenaries and watchmen, over Temple bridge. The watch officer - the first law officer they've met - thanks them. It seems the mercenaries have a contract to Dolem's Spire.
Temple Bridge, even fogbound, sports a few urchins fishing. Making their way past the shops and such, they find themselves closer to the North gate than any other landmark, and Jotunn ventures towards Mettastos' workshop.
"Yoo-ee!"
It's Elisha. And she's put two and two together as to their involvement in the skeletal attack! She links her arm to Jotunn's.
"If ya wanna guide..."
But at Mettastos Arms & Armor the burly blond-bearded young smith shakes his head when he learns Jotunn has secured no paper or writ.
"Like I say... without some authority's say-so, ain't no way forrard."
They steer around back of the theatre and to the two armourers Cauleigh has work booked with. The armour fits well, and with some final strap adjustment, Cauleigh's throw-knife also slides in well under his left forearm.
The armourers, and Cauleigh's pleasure with the armour, convince Jotunn to buy vambraces too. He pays a deposit, with pick-up and final pay on the morrow.
The house of Irian
Elisha navigates them to Cauleigh's next destination, the house of Irian. This is the address he got from the editor.
While they walk, Cauleigh makes up a wild tale about Pausanias and Takrina being connected to see if Elisha believes it. She does not, but she does write it up.
Elisha can tell them that the house of Irian is elven, and connected to the Warriors Guild. The door is opened by a solemn - almost funereal - footman. He admits only Cauleigh.
"No press."
Masque of Death explained
It's around midday - though the fog makes it seem later - and damp and disconcerted, the others find their way to a cheap pub catering partly to the north gate guards. Elisha fills them in on the Masque of Death, a celebration not too far removed from Esgaroth's High Day sacred to Urheru Sun-Swallower and the Death Cycle. Processions around the Abbey are the thing. Young people enjoy revels. Costumes are the important thing! Elisha can recommend them to one, not far away.
Vasily of the Guild
In the house of Irian, after kicking his heels for a time, Cauleigh is joined by a powerfully-built dark-haired man, mustachioed, with a strong hint of goatee.
This is Vasily of the Guild, merchant of power and the means of acquiring it. He savors war and the chaos it brings.
[I have a ball playing Vasily. Maybe I've heard Barovia mentioned once too often. I go full Strahd.]
He, too, is interested in the Restorers exploring Sarn Athrad. And interested in getting an introduction to Lady Bree Greystand. Cauleigh neither agrees nor disagrees, conceals his distaste and leaves.
Lunch, late lunch, and costumes
It's an easy guess as to where the lads are, and Cauleigh joins them for his lunch. By the time he finishes, and Jotunn finishes helping him, it's well into the afternoon.
The fog shows no sign of lessening.
To while away the time, Cauleigh gets Elisha's scanty knowledge of Irian, and her thoughts on how the Guild may link with Bernhart the Beneficent. She has no views on the Guild itself since this is news to her, but thanks him for passing on the information. Elisha does fill in the picture of Lady Bree, attributing a lot of Sarnas' survival of the Wizard Wars to her power.
The fog shows no signs of lessening.
They read over the Tribune, wondering about murders. Other than their own incident, there's been only one yesterday, over to the warehouse district.
Elisha encourages Jotunn to go in for a costume, and leads them to her recommended costumier. Cauleigh is delighted to find they'll do a demon-pikeman-facemask that goes great with breastplate, and they all buy that.
Befogged in Sarnas... Fennec rolls a 3
On parting, Fennec finds himself teleported straight back to the common room. Daisy is there, speaking to Max, the magister. He stops, rests, and chats with her but has nothing further to bring up - once again he's not brought those bullets, or has forgotten that he has them - and after about half an hour of chatting Daisy has business to attend to, and heads away.
Based purely on stomach, it's probably halfway through the afternoon. Fennec decides to head back to the Porters Arms. Mentally, he sorts through options. Decides to keep to the main roads: Down the processional to the Abbey then past it and parallel to the waterfront.
But [fail on LK] the fog tricks him, and what should have been a left turn near the bridge proves to be a left turn to the old, walled-in east porch of the Cathedral. Fennec pauses, uncertain which way to go. It strikes him that he's taken the same course that led, the other night, to the ambush at the Porch. People passing through the fog are mere shadows, veering out of knife-range; and sounds echo in ear-tricky ways. He throws up Little Feets as a precaution.
A creepy cleric and a crimson choice
The nearest active building seems to be some sort of seamstress or clothier. [L6 IQ] As he considers it doubtfully, a priest, or acolyte, emerges, carrying an embroidered cloth. He stops, surprised.
"A dwarf! Are you lost, perhaps?"
Persuasively, the acolyte encourages Fennec to visit the Cathedral. He clutches Fennec's shoulder in a vise-like grip... but Fennec has a better centre of gravity and leverage and shrugs him off.
"I'm sure I'll be seeing you again..." the clerical type says.
Now, having passed between a mason and the Cathedral, Fennec has his bearings. There's an open but cluttered area, then the Porch left and the cemetery ahead. The man's footsteps remain close behind...
"I'm simply going the same way as you," the man assures him, grimly amused.
It seems to be time to use the extra speed! Fennec scuttles away, across the cemetery and across a robbed wall's ditch. Then in the clear! For he is in a wide, fog-filled area with not a building in sight.
[3 on LK again]
Three shapes rise around him, desperately close! [I draw for range, and get melee range]
Reverting to instinct Fennec chooses a L4 TTYF at the one most blocking him: the crimson flash and thunder roil through the fog! Then the figures close in and he knows no more!
Wonder where Fennec is? Oh well...
Well satisfied with their arrangements for the Masque, the three Dwarves head back over the bridge, Elisha still on Jotunn's arm.
"Where do you suppose Fennec is?" Jotunn asks.
"He's off with that Lady Bree he was sweating over for three days," Cauleigh assures him.
Back at the Porters Arms - Elisha's local knowledge proving invaluable - they enter what seems a glowing haven out of the fog. Under their fog-beaded cloaks, they are reasonably warm and dry. Changing shoes and stockings, they are all set for pre-dinner nibbles and drink.
A bit paralysed - is that better than a bit tied up?
Fennec wakens, slowly [L4 CON] finding himself mostly numb, mostly paralysed, naked, and lying beside dead bodies.
"Undead roaming the streets under nothing more than cover of fog! What the hell kind of city is this!?!"
He can wriggle fingers, slowly. The only light comes from phosphorescence on the wall of what seems to be a mostly natural cavern. The atmosphere [good WIZ roll of 19 on current WIZ, gets L4] reminds him strongly of the undead floor, under Fingold. And one of the dead bodies beside him begins twitching.
Dinner and no Fennec? Where to look?
With Fennec not turning up as dinner is served, the three Dwarves conclude that he is missing. Crompton suggests a visit to the Wizards Guild, or using Elisha to get there. She laughs that off but agrees they could send a messenger.
So before too long they approach the palace gate, finding, as they supposed, the shift has changed. A note is sent, Elisha bigging it up about being a reporter. [Joint CHR help from the other three] About ten minutes later, the courier returns with the information that no, Fennec is no longer in the Wizards Guild. He left perhaps three to four hours ago, no word on where he was going.
Concerned now, they ask that a second message be sent, asking specifically for Daisy. The courier looks glumly at the tip - enough for a cheap coffee and donut. But, egged on by Elisha, sets off. About five minutes later there's a crack of displaced air and Daisy appears at the gate.
Daisy's spritely guidance
Daisy Brightwater is an able, perhaps high-level, wizard, short and curvaceous, of uncertain years. She listens to their description and, moving her wand in a spiral pattern, summons a Will-o-Wisp kind of light that grows into a fairy-size sprite. Cradling it between her palms she whispers to it - to the Dwarves' ears it sounds like a description of Fennec's magic - and they watch as it circles up, and then to an open, fog-bound spot near the bridge.
Daisy is neither built nor shod for quick pursuit. She and Elisha are both on Jotunn's arm as they arrive. The adventurers make more suggestions about gear Fennec might be using. [Fennec makes L4 LK] The sprite weaves its way towards the cemetery, and to the Mausoleum of Heroes.
[Fennec gets only L3 CON, and remains unable to move]
Into the Mausoleum of Heroes
Protected by the fog, and the ill weather in general, Crompton focuses on the lock. His eyes cope well enough with the gloom, and as he works on it, he finds the lock was gimmicked all along.
Elisha produces a tiny lamp, but Cauleigh's torch is produced, and the gates thrust open.
Party order: Crompton, Cauleigh, Jotunn with the two women
The mausoleum is kept tidy, but it has not been swept recently and Jotunn picks out enough of a track in the dusk to point Crompton to one tomb in particular. Daisy snaps off an OTIS. As he slides it aside carefully (it has been reworked so as to do so easily) Cauleigh explains what buffs are, and asks Daisy if she has any. She seems puzzled.
Steps lead down, then into a steep spiral stair. The cavity below is a stretched octagon, deeply shadowed. The sprite's light helps Crompton, a little.
As Cauleigh lights the area up, four great sarcophagi can be seen arranged around the room against the longer angles. The sprite flutters to one end, and through an arch.
Beyond, Crompton finds a rectangular chamber, longer left-right, niched, each niche with its stone panel a memorial of ancient dead. The sprite heads to one panel, in particular. Its light glimmers on a disfigured seraph statue at the chamber's end.
"It's a false panel," Crompton announces, opening it to reveal a gaping hole into damp tunnel!
From the bottom, it eats you
Light grows in Fennec's chamber: by it he becomes aware that he is being slowly eaten: by one of his undead friends: from the bottom up!
Props Jane's Bakery comes from Concept Cards' Urban Locations (Ste Coffey and Loz Hensel) - of course, the involvement of Betty and Mother Hobb is my idea. Vasily and his Guild comes from Encounters - People - Places (op cit). Festivals and high days are simply tweaks of my own Esgaroth calendar. The Death Cycle High Day has become the Masque of Death here, suiting the atmosphere I've created.
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Post by warlord476 on Jun 29, 2018 20:41:18 GMT -5
4.06: The Bishop's Secret The characters for this session:
Fennec, L3 wizard, combat and curative schools
Crompton, L3 rogue, roguery and Runebearer background
Cauleigh, L4 warrior, literate townsman background
Jotunn (as NPC), L6 warrior, hunter background with tracking talent
Also featuring:
Elisha, intrepid girl reporter
Daisy, senior wizard
The senior wizard's strategy
Party order in the tunnels: Cauleigh with torch, Crompton with Cateyes, Elisha Jotunn and Daisy. Cauleigh experiments with muting his light, coming up with a middling option of forming a sort of tube around it with the end of his cloak.
It's wet and nasty afoot. The tunnel ahead curves left, and there's a branch sharp right. Crompton sees a skeletal figure shambling through the shallow water in that tunnel!
At Crompton's warning, Cauleigh falls back so that the right branch of the tunnels is in front of him, not behind. They shuffle around and Crompton is ready with his Runebearer anti-magic axe as the skeleton rushes him! He deals with it easily, though not before its clutching fingers rip his trouser leg.
With a whup of displaced air, Daisy disappears from her clutching-Jotunn position. Her voice in his head tells him she's back upstairs – let her know when it's safe!
"So she did have a buff," Cauleigh remarks.
Rescue
More skeletal undead arrive, Crompton looks distinctly tattered and takes some scratches, but deals with the remaining four. Then Crompton's axe is handed to Cauleigh, they restore the order of march, and swing left.
Peering past a stout rock pillar Cauleigh plays his light into a foul-smelling cavern at the rear and left of which the sprite hovers over a rock ledge. The floor of the cavern is not only wet, it is carpeted in dead bodies. Some of which are faintly moving.
A sunken-eyed bearded dwarf corpse wears Fennec's clothing – much torn about – and at its groin, a ghoul-like creature feasts greedily.
Cauleigh leaps into action, his cork-heeled town shoes betray him, and he splashes down full-length into corpse-fouled water.
Crompton nimbly uses Cauleigh's back as a springboard and leaps at the ghoul, stabbing with his zapped daggers. Jotunn unlocks Elisha's fingers from his arm, and he too bounds forward, Cauleigh sploshes back up, and between the three of them the ghoul is dealt with. Only once its head is destroyed does it cease moving.
Wound Weld
Feeling that his Cateyes won't last forever, Crompton begins dragging Fennec clear, as Cauleigh and Jotunn clamber, squelchily or crunchily (depending on the exact corpse underfoot) to the sprite-marked ledge.
There's a pile of gear, some of which is recognisably Fennec's. They bundle all into rags, and turn to retire. Ahead of them Crompton is trying not to vomit as he holds Fennec more or less together and ends up with the wizard's legs under one arm and the rest under the other.
Jotunn calls for help to Daisy: Daisy's voice comes back to them out of the sprite:
"Best get him up here!"
Laboriously threading back and up the spiral stair they rejoin Daisy in the Mausoleum of Heroes. Daisy's waiting. She dismisses her sprite, and throws up a simple, but reasonably bright, Will-o-Wisp.
"I don't wanna worry y'all, but th' door's locked... that ain't no problem getting' out, but..."
"Somebody knows we're in here," Cauleigh concludes, "I think if you could get us out and away, we'll..."
"Ohhhh! Mah lord! He's really in a bad way..." Daisy interrupts, taking in what Crompton is carrying. "Lady, lady, lady, lady... lays him down, lays him down..."
The dwarves hold a defensive perimeter – Cauleigh unearths an axe from the bundle of random loot – Elisha chatters quietly to herself, updating her case notes – while Daisy assembles Fennec in the right order, whips a Too-Bad-Toxin into him, and works up a Wound Weld, a powerful spell of the Wizard War period.
It takes some concentration, and before it's done, Fennec is enjoying the warm nostalgic taste of Mother Hobb's honey-glazed donut. His own foodstuffs ruined: this is from Cauleigh's supply. Crompton helps out by eating the other donut.
With that, and having restored Fennec's modesty as best his ruined clothing will allow, Daisy is ready to Detect Magic over the loot. The axe and a ring are magical while other nice-looking jewelry is not.
"Ah guess ya'll owe me them nine bullets now," she declares.
"It's a deal."
Fennec re-kits with all of his gear, and they are ready to go. Daisy says she will "discuss some things" at the guild, they tell her they'll head away to the lockup.
The relief of Dalton's lockup
It's a relatively short run to the lockup, but the city is fog-bound and undead are abroad! As they edge away from the cemetery, Elisha gasps and points: a pallid figure is glimpsed trying to hide around the Cathedral.
"Careful, we might be getting lured here," Fennec warns and they choose discretion.
Elisha's sense of direction helps them reach the upper harbour easily. The occasional muffled cry for help can be heard through the fog.
"We could try, and get scattered, or load up and help properly – choice, boys?" Cauleigh prompts.
It's an easy choice, they push on to the lockup. As they near it, a desperate small and lithe figure slams right into Crompton. Jotunn hoists the lad around – it's Sol – and reassures him. Crompton recovers from the groin-level collision and they hustle to help.
Once at the lockup, enough light is splashed around that they can see Susie, clinging desperately as high as she can climb, to one of the lockups; a ghoul is right below her trying to reach her heel; the door to the building the family live in lies open. Cauleigh leaps to the rescue and whicks the ghoul's head off. Crompton and Jotunn protect Elisha and Sol and watch the street.
"They're in the house!" Susie shrieks as she's lifted down.
Fennec points to the door: "Rescue first!"
Cauleigh outdistances Crompton [and earns a boon] to where Dalton is forted up against two ghouls. Cauleigh is well ahead of the others: he's scratched and tattered but easily hacks one down, and resists the poison [using his boon]. Jotunn and Crompton arrive and the remaining ghoul is dealt with.
Cauleigh accepts a Jotunn donut. Then, careless of the foul scraps of clothing he's left with, joins the others in gearing up.
Reports of the emergency
It's a tired group of Restorers that collects in the Porters Arms, some three hours before first light. They've spent the middle watches of the night in rescuing townsfolk, hurrying from flashpoint to flashpoint across the south. As for Elisha, she's off filing her story.
The Porters Arms is a haven, crowded with menfolk of all walks of life, with a town watchman taking details under the captain of watch's supervision.
"Accounts say these guys're comin' up fr'm sewers all over," the captain summarises.
Fennec confuses matters by referring the captain to a sergeant, but he agrees sheriff von Diemar will definitely be kept in the picture and will want to interview them. As for the garrison (it is Sgt. Musger Fennec is thinking of) that's above his pay grade.
Crompton is angered by this hierarchical attitude and the captain warns him, Restorer or no, he may find himself cooling off in the pokey; Cauleigh smooths things over.
Leaving word, and bullets
Crack of dawn, and four fully-equipped dwarves venture forth to the common room. The fog shows signs of clearing a little. They chew trail ration and wash it down with good porter, and lay plans.
"I think we should use a Hidey Hole for the last leg," Fennec suggests, then, "come to think of it should we let Elisha or Daisy know where we're going?"
It's a swirling mist that surrounds them as they up one of the main roads, to the Park and Palace area. The group decision is, to get to the palace gate and both deliver Daisy's bullets and tell her they are raiding the mausoleum again. People keep well clear of them!
Their passage is challenged, at the old wall that part-encloses the Park and inner circle, by a mixed group of garrison soldiers, two Elves, and a town watchman.
"Ho! We are the Restorers!" Cauleigh identifies.
"It is them," observes Shawndel, then blesses them for braving the situation. He/she explains that the whole park area is a danger, owing to Janorra being troubled.
The watchman volunteers to lead them around. His watch-lantern bobbles high, he knows the way, and they reach the palace gate without incident.
"Halt! You may not enter!"
Once recognised – and he looks very different to the well-robed wizard he has appeared as so far – Fennec sees about his mission. A courier – the very same one – is whistled up. Underwhelmed by their generosity, he accepts the 10 gold commission and lugubriously departs to deliver bullets and message.
The second descent
From the palace it's a walk north down the processional to where the Abbey wall looms over them out of the mist. They turn clockwise and follow the wall, cut across behind the chapel and clergy-house, then Fennec throws up Hidey Hole: they cluster in and ease past less-known buildings.
The noise of normal housekeeping chips into the noise Cauleigh Jotunn and Crompton are making in their heavy gear. It underlines how quiet the area has been to this point.
The gate to the Mausoleum of Heroes stands open, the way they left it. Cauleigh thoughtfully pockets the hefty padlock. In they go!
Party order: Crompton, Cauleigh, Fennec, Jotunn.
Quite some time later the party has explored a number of defaced interment passageways that lie below the upper tombs. They strike no trouble until they work past halls of heroes, through halls of city fathers, to another stair. Like the spiral stair they came down, this rises through a similar vault, disappearing into solid stone. Then a ghoul launches itself off the stair at Crompton, and other ghouls race out of the darkness to flank Cauleigh!
Crompton is knocked down and paralysed before the others can deal with their opponents. Those are more easily dealt with than numbers would suggest - a couple are very weak. Cauleigh, too, feels the effect of ghoul toxin, but remains able to move.
As they wonder what to do next, it occurs to Fennec that if Mother Hobb is baking Fly Me and Fire-resist pastries, maybe she's learned antitoxin potion-making. Prudently they decide not to find out where the second stairwell leads up to, and laboriously carry Crompton and all his gear back out the way they came in.
Jane's Bakery has no queue
Perhaps miraculously, no-one ambushes them as Crompton is carried away due west through the misty streets to where the smell of delicious pastries signals Jane's Bakery. But unlike every previous occasion, there's no queue and they carry Crompton straight in.
Crompton's limited field of vision fills with Betty's face as she examines his eyes, then tests to see if they will stay closed, then amuses herself trying to cross them.
Mother Hobb shoos her niece away, assesses the patient, and bustles away. The shop is closed and customers encouraged to finish up. Soon, a meaty broth smell permeates the shop. Jane, the genuine original and mother to Betty, bustles out at one point to see things are under control, then away again.
Jotunn stands guard at the door, waving shoppers away. At length, Mother Hobb's antidote is ready and Cauleigh tastes the stuff. It's not all that pleasant - like juice from undercooked meat - but it does the trick. She carefully trickles it down Crompton's throat and he is soon mobile.
They purchase all the broth brewed, a stoneware container with enough for 20 doses, promising 1,000 gold.
"I know you're good for it," Mother Hobb farewells them with.
The third descent
"Where shall we start our search boys, same place?" Cauleigh asks breezily.
"Let's get ambushed the last place we got ambushed" Crompton retorts sarcastically but this seems as good an option as any.
The Restorers soon arrive at the scene of their last retreat. Somewhat surprisingly it is exactly as they left it.
They pick their way past the strewn, dismembered, skull-shattered bodies and around to a section of catacomb where an external corner has crumbled to reveal a fairly broad natural fissure.
Party order: Cauleigh, Crompton, Fennec (with the torch cube) and Jotunn
It leads down to the outer corner of a spacious L-shaped chamber, encrusted with weird designs. Fennec looks at them - then manages to wrench his gaze away [and the GM curses]! Fennec is holding the torch-cube and picks out two west-leading descents. As the lead pair head there, and catch movement from below, he picks out another exit, off bottom left.
And the enemy hit the party with Dis-Spell, and attack!
The Bishop's Secret
Cauleigh heads straight west, to deal with Severin and an acolyte; Jotunn blocks the next descent west, preventing two acolytes from joining; but the fragile rearguard is exposed to two acolytes, an invisible assassin, and Pausanias himself!
The acolytes are quite weak, but fanatical. Severin is a real handful - in fact they are evenly matched - and Cauleigh has some trouble with him. He uses his sword Regdar's Frostbrand effect to kill him. In the meantime:
Crompton defends Fennec against two acolytes then manages to spot a faint blood-trail racing towards Fennec - he fends off Takrina's attempt with a mighty swipe of his ancestor-axe, then eats a meringue and takes to the air to gain some advantage. Fennec throws an OTIS over her.
Takrina, now brightly outlined, takes the fight with Crompton away to the top of the L, allowing Pausanias to race at Cauleigh! Her Spider Venom dagger weakens Crompton.
Fennec refrains from calling tactics, but keeps the light up, and uses spells wisely: Glue You on anyone he can, and Little Feets to counter the venom effect, and Dis-Spell to strip Takrina's invisibility. He finishes her off with an over-powered TTYF.
Cauleigh and Pausanias are very evenly matched, and only because he still has one more use of Frostbrand and one Blasting Power fire-breath. Then the Glue-You from Fennec evens things up. Pausanias smashes at Cauleigh's armour with steely skin and massive strength and speed! It's quite clear, now, who stabbed the soldiers through the heart with a finger...
In the nick of time, Jotunn tangles Pausanias with his bladed chain and Crompton knocks the magical buffs off him with his anti-magic axe. Cauleigh finishes off the fat cleric and the fight goes out of the four surviving acolytes!
Props: I guess it's safe to credit the centre-piece of the season now! Although slightly less deadly than written (more ghouls, the STR-draining ghosts hand-waved off by assuming Crompton's flight swept them clear), it's pretty much straight off the module:
The Bishop's Secret, by Mark L Chance, Spes Magna Games and available from drivethrurpg.com.
My micro-review of it is that it is a good drop-in module, once you have a city you are familiar with, to place it in. It is basically impossible to run if you do not. The writer, Mark Chance, advises you to place Bishop Pausanias as an existing NPC, and a good one, before you are ready to run the module. Because my dwarves are non-religious, and new to Sarnas, this was impossible for me, so I just kept him off-screen with other trusted NPCs saying he is a good man.
I would have really liked a possible retaliation schedule and/or the point at which Pausanias will switch from appearing to be good, to declaring all-out war. And an order of battle for the exploration of the passages below the Cathedral - it's obvious the party has to explore them, and it's not at all obvious what the Bishop and his forces are doing about that. Finally, I feel the loot is under-done considering the level of the module is 4-6. That did not affect me, since my loot is largely re-scripted for dT&T. But I think for say, an OSR game where xp=gold, it feels light.
If you follow my example, there are three buildings arranged next to River City (op cit) Cathedral, that fit perfectly over this module's three entrances to the catacombs. So I used what this module says about those locations, to put them on my Sarnas map. I renamed the "Mausoleum of Patriarchs" as "Mausoleum of Heroes" to fit Sarnas' own history.
Non-standard spells: For those on the lookout for off-book spells, you'll have noticed that Daisy (being a senior wizard) adapts or creates bespoke spells for herself. My Faerie Fae: This merges Imp Whistle with Will-o-Wisp, has the same stats as Imp Whistle except that as it summons a fae, it trades the fighting power of Imp Whistle for Light and Communication properties. Of course, it must be dismissed with the command: "fare thee well my faerie fae." Walls of the Mind: L7, cost 18, range 15, duration 10 min, radius 3' around target, effect: target is locked in a PP effect, visible to the outside but to their view, opaque (or filled with regrets, depending on the speciality of the caster). Power-up on any one of range, area or duration. Wound Weld: In games where extreme violence and magical FX can sever limbs, this spell is used to reattach limbs or restore severe rupture-type wounds. L8, cost 50, range touch, must be cast within 3 full turns.
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Post by warlord476 on Jul 6, 2018 22:13:26 GMT -5
4.07: AftermathThe characters for this session:
Fennec, L3 wizard, combat and curative schools
Crompton, L3 rogue, roguery and Runebearer background
Cauleigh, L4 warrior, literate townsman background
Jotunn, L6 warrior, hunter background with tracking talent
Taking stock
The Restorers catch their breath and take stock. Echoes of the fight barely diminish, as though the weirdly-marked chamber wishes to hold onto the chaos.
There are two descents west, and one at the south end of the L-shape chamber, east. The remains of Severin and one acolyte sprawl messily down from where Cauleigh was fighting, and at the south end the trace remains of Takrina – really just her hardest pieces of equipment. The headless corpse of Pausanias lies near Cauleigh and Crompton, in a huge pool of blood.
Taking a head count there are five living acolytes, shocked out of resistance, either setting down their maces or waiting to be told what to do. Jotunn has been holding off three, and Fennec two more.
Of the Restorers only Crompton is physically battered, and he is suffering from poison effects as well. Cauleigh's breastplate is ruined.
"Let's take a little time, gather valuables, and herd these muppets out – there'll need to be an accounting" Fennec declares. His mana is tapped out, for he lost control on the TTYF that blasted Takrina.
"There's at least one ghoul," Cauleigh reminds the others as Crompton swigs a dose of Mother Hobb's TBT juice, "so let's ask what the layout is here and what else lies below."
Jotunn eases his weapons back and rubs his beard:
"Before we think 'below' - do we know the way back is clear? Have we dealt with what's around? Maybe, sort out this mess then scout further..."
"Yeah, we've done a good job here. The assassin, the creepy priest, this fat guy... I don't think fuzz-face the necromancer is in on this..." - he breaks off to check among the scared acolytes, but none of them are shape-changing back into anything. Jotunn nods:
"True, right now there's a little bit more to be done, mostly tidy-up unless there's more surprises..."
A sound from above - who could that be?
"We're about to have one," Fennec interrupts urgently: "a gate just got kicked in – upstairs – we're about to have company!"
"Right you four – five – put down your weapons and shift these bodies," Crompton orders.
The acolytes shuffle as though resistant to the notion, but then one pipes up:
"Yes! Yes... even the heads?"
"Yes, even the heads," Cauleigh insists, settling Regdar back into its scabbard. "Well this could be good news," he comments, a trifle grimly, unslinging his trusty caliver. He taps fine powder into the frizzen-pan and lights his match.
For his part, Crompton retrieves his big ancestor axe from where it fell, then readies his long arquebus on its stock. Fennec brandishes his staff, as though he has the power - a good bluff is sometimes all that's needed! Jotunn moves to front-rank, close to the rough-tunneled entrance.
The acolytes seem anxious to avoid displeasing their captors but reluctant to move towards this new threat. One of them kneels in the blood and cradles Pausanias' head, weeping.
"What's wrong with his head?" Cauleigh demands unsympathetically.
"I'm mourning a good friend... he was a good man."
"Until when?" Cauleigh returns, attempting to appear sympathetic. The acolyte explains that Pausanias fell ill, and as an antiquarian may have sought out something... then the details are lost as whatever it was Fennec heard above, curses from some closer chamber or tunnel.
A faint flickering or shimmer is visible beyond the entrance.
"Who goes there?" Crompton challenges.
That help you asked for
"I believe there's someone down there, m'lady," sounds a male voice off in the distance.
"Who goes there?" Crompton calls again.
"Stand back!" - a strong, woman's voice. Jotunn and Crompton step back – but Crompton re-aims his arquebus!
Two figures emerge down into the chamber. The taller draws their eyes: she coruscates with weird purple and green patterns that cascade down her. In her left hand she holds, casually, a rapier; in her right she presents a rod, horizontally: it's about the same dimensions as the lockup-key rod Jotunn carries. Behind the lights, she is armoured. And she's an elf. Behind her, part-hidden by the light, comes Osusk the bushy-bearded necromancer: a pale purplish shielding light precedes him.
Cauleigh, standing roughly equal with Fennec behind the first pair, calls:
"We are the Restorers! Introduce yourself!"
Not always welcomed by adventurers
"Hold yourself bound under law! This area is under investigation!"
"Under whose authority?" Cauleigh retorts as levelly as he can.
He finds himself spinning, rammed up into the chamber roof, spinning along the roof into the wall, then down onto the stone flags! Pieces of gear pinwheel off him in his course, showering the chamber. Fennec notes that the elf gestured with the rod, to accomplish this. He raises an eyebrow: a flagrant display of power. (And no more than he's come to expect, from elves.) Osusk scuttles to one side:
"Don't look at the runes!"
"Yes we learned that," Fennec agrees, as Cauleigh picks himself up, "I suspect that's what rotted Pausanias' mind."
"What is this place?"
"It’s some sort of inner dungeon dug through into," Cauleigh says, keeping his cool as best he can, "and it is accursed."
"I'm guessing it's on unconsecrated ground," Crompton adds.
Osusk nods, trying to take in the scene while not reading the carven walls. The echoes of Cauleigh's descent still reverberate. The necromancer humbly half-bows to the elf:
"I think, m'lady, these are the dwarves that Daisy Brightwater sent us down to aid!"
"Yes, we're the Restorers," Cauleigh reminds her edgily.
Bound under law
"I do not like what I see! I see the body of beloved Pausanias, naked, ruined... much has been done here that is ill! This will take the investigations of law: therefore, consider yourselves all bound under law!"
Her imperious gaze takes in everyone in the room. Cauleigh bites his tongue, and Jotunn chooses his time - and tone - well:
"It might interest you to know we haven't checked everything and there may still be dangers here."
The elf – who has still not bothered to introduce herself - notes to Osusk that they'll need a legal team here, then turns to Jotunn:
"Well! You seem to have a civil tongue. Let's descend, and see what's at issue."
Once she and Jotunn are out of sight Cauleigh finally recalls that he has seen the elf. She is senator Kalashtriel, senator Isildore's bodyguard and described to him by Girol as "a killer."
As though to excuse Kalashtriel's breach of etiquette Osusk ruminates to Fennec:
"We came by way of the tombs of heroes: the sight of they had been desecrated - of course many of these fought alongside her - enraged the senator."
Evil Idols
Jotunn meanwhile finds a single broad chamber below linking both stairs. Three idols loom in niches opposite: an armoured skeletal figure bearing a two-hand sword; a bat-winged minotaur-like creature; and a demoness-style idol. Before each, a bowl shows ichorous residue; and in a semi-circle are strewn half a dozen vials.
As Kalashtriel stalks alongside him her light, weird though it is, allows Jotunn to pick out three of them that seem to still have at least a dose left. He tucks them away.
Meanwhile, noting Osusk distracted and the acolytes eyes elsewhere, Cauleigh sneaks a number of "interesting" items away. They include a bundle of sticks, a ring, and a heavy warhammer. As he returns to reclaim the handaxe buried in a shattered skull, Jotunn and Kalashtriel walk up from below.
Takrina's bequest
Osusk seems reluctant to touch anything himself, but finds his way south to where Takrina fell. He stoops, examining the remains. Fennec expounds on the effects of a high-level TTYF. Osusk samples a vial and pronounces it spider-venom.
"Always seemed like cheating," Crompton jokes.
"Depends on your point of view, my friend," Osusk observes.
Crompton focuses on the eerie darkness of the nearby exit. Almost certainly another descent. He spots a small dark object at the lip. Osusk trots over, seems leery of the darkness, but stoops and gathers a whip of thongs: an S&M implement. The thongs are still damp with Takrina's blood. He adds it to his little collection.
Better check that evil darkness...
Kalashtriel sweeps back up, still visibly fuming, still shimmering purple and green. Osusk raises his voice from where he and Crompton stand:
"M'lady – what lies below here is very bad – or so I sense."
"Might need investigation to see if there's something below, that might come back and haunt," Crompton adds.
"Very well – you're with me!"
Kalashtriel strides over and down the steps, casually throwing up the purplish-glowing shield over Crompton.
"Does anyone know who Crompton's next-of-kin are?" Fennec calls after them.
A short time later, Crompton walks back up the stair from a vaguely star-shaped chamber below, having not touched anything and not found any foe.
"Pile of skulls... pretty much what you'd expect... and a throne."
Meanwhile the acolytes veer closer and closer to the cover story the gullible Dwarves supplied them with. As Crompton emerges in front of Kalashtriel he hears "we were misled" from one of them, but Kalashtriel storms across the chamber and, menacing them with her superior height, informs them coldly that they will stand trial.
Aftermath of the raid
Over the next few days the Restorers find themselves in a strange halfway stage between being feted as the heroes who fought off undead around the south, and avoided as suspects in the killing of beloved Bishop Pausanias. Here's a quick summary of events:
- More clothes are purchased, Jotunn picks up and finishes paying for his vambrace, and Cauleigh shops for alternatives to his badly-damaged breastplate.
- Fennec interviews Daisy, and learns, as he imagined, that a deadly-skilled senator and a reasonably-kosher necromancer was the best solution that Daisy could come up with to help, through Lady Bree's influence.
- Elisha is given a full update on the situation as Cauleigh found it.
- The Masque of Death is still "on" and all the young folk of the city enjoy it to the full. Jotunn and Cauleigh, wearing their "demon pikeman" outfits, join in. They hear possible sedition, laughed off as a joke.
- Dalton volunteers their lockup free of charge for the next month, as thanks for saving his family.
- Jotunn manages to locate short, personable alchemist Palealia who runs the Jealous Hag near South Gate, and the potions are assayed. Cauleigh buys a charm from Palealia.
[/ul]Around and among these events, some of more serious note are also taking place: - Dolem's Spire is under siege! The enemy have at least one giant, and bridges are thrown across the river. The last few refugees make it out north.
- These include a couple of junior wizards, who report refugees that did not have the benefit of Hidey Hole were rounded up by the orc bands.
- Among the last out are two of the Holy Father order: Neghed, loathed Templar Dwarf and a young unassuming priestess, Ernysi. By virtue of the loss of the entire Abbey hierarch these two are now senior clergy in the city.
- Ernysi is introduced to the River Temple, where Bowdyn, like Ernysi an unassuming priestess: but sturdier and precise-mannered: oversees the remnants of the old religion.
- The Restorers meet tall battered veteran Sheriff von Diemar when he calls into the Porters Arms. His watchmen hand the Restorers their summons to appear as witnesses before a Grand Jury.
- Before they go to appear, they are mana-locked by Neghed. He takes a great deal of pleasure in it.
[/ul] The grand juryIt's the day after the high day following the death of Pausanias, and the Tribune's banner screams "TERROR LURKS BELOW!!!" The grand jury is convened in the Merchant Guild compound, just north of the Cathedral. In its meeting-hall the richly-carved wooden furniture is so comfortable you want to just keep sitting on it. Sheriff von Diemar presents the matter, and Fran Limnsman, cranky medical investigator, is his chief technical assistant. While witnesses, the Restorers are quite clear that they are also persons of interest. The press is represented by both Elisha (Tribune) and Clarrie (Clarion) and their runners Girol and Dixit are kept busy. Refreshment breaks are excellent as the food and drink are top quality. The jury is of two parts, a burgher-elect jury of four peers:
- Dainty redhead Urie, representing service industries;
- Fairy Miraina, representing fine crafts;
- Svelte Cynlo, representing metal-smiths; and
- Areta, representing gem-smiths.
Then the non-elect panel of five: - Regular watch captain Acusta;
- Garrison Sgt Musger;
- Dwarf Tred Nordigar of the Warriors Guild;
- Dwarf Borer of the Adventurers Guild; and
- Magister wizard Max Oberhelm of the Wizards Guild.
Day one of grand jury proceedingsMax operates a recording scroll that records everything the Restorers mutter to one another: there's no presumption of privacy. (At one point he actually holds it up for Fennec to notice: Fennec does not notice.) Von Diemar seems interested in bringing out what really happened. Cauleigh's evidence of how Pausanias appeared is not backed up by the acolytes, who are now sticking firmly to the "we wuz enthralled, it's all a blank" story the Restorers cued them in to. The battered breastplate helps, but is not conclusive. Pausanias' ring is of undead control - which might be strong evidence - but of course, since Cauleigh removed it from the dead man, it's of no use to suggest Pausanias once used it. Things take a bad turn for the acolytes, during the afternoon session, when a Soiled Dove is produced. She has been tied up in Severin's closet for days, waiting to be killed. And she says the other acolytes watched as Severin worked his wicked ways on her. Day two of the grand juryThe grand jury elects to make certain findings at the end of the two day inquest: it thanks Kalashtriel and Osusk; and delivers a vote of thanks to the Restorers for their brave help in protecting the citizens from roaming undead. This, of course, leaves the grand jury still considering the matter of Pausanias! Their intention is to allow the Restorers and other witnesses to go about their lawful business. The matter of "what lies beneath" is discussed at some length. It seems the grand jury has some discretion on the direction its inquest takes! The jury invites the Restorers' experience of the undead floor in Fingold. Cauleigh in particular summons his speaking skills, with some assistance on technical aspects from Fennec. The key point is that Fingold was able to use a very senior priest, specifically fetched for the purpose. Discussion follows of Dolem's Spire and what help the Templars may be. Fennec tenders the notion that a rescue mission to Dolem's Spire might be worth trying. But Max Oberhelm notes boundary issues and the Sheriff ropes and hog-ties the idea of expeditions before the grand jury commits Sarnas to something like war. The second day finishes with a strong indication of favour to the Dwarves. On top of their earlier vote of thanks, the grand jury finds no reason that the Restorers can't be recompensed by keeping the fair loot of their combat. (Although Fennec's mutterings, duly recorded by the scroll, nearly change their minds.) These include two items Osusk picked up: a knife and bracer; and a Dis-Spell wand from Pausanias. Beyond that, the Restorers are released on their own recognizance. And still mana-locked. Thoughts for where their path may leadThe city publishes a reasonable reward for adventurers to go below and deal with the source of the undead. They while away the next few days having things assayed by Palealia and using the Sheriff's note of thanks to get up onto Mettastos' queue. Jotunn books a re-working of Takrina's bracer. But Cauleigh for one is unsure whether he ought to plough his hard-earned cash into excellent armour. It would fit into his plans to travel west, then back. But he resents having his hands tied - an adventurer is his own master! And he has served Sarnas well - even if he has helped himself as well, along the way. His comrades listen sympathetically to him as he addresses the tavern ceiling along these lines. Or, possibly not sympathetically. "We could bum around and wait, or I could talk to the Sheriff," Jotunn offers. In Sarnas' southern watch-house, Jotunn locates von Diemar working off the "bull-pen." "Pretty much through things," von Diemar greets him with, "coffee?"Jotunn makes a plea for the mana lock to be removed. He now learns that the grand jury's findings are soon to be released and will be good news. The Sheriff offers to "hustle things along" and "roust around." On the way back, Jotunn organises a decent coffee to be delivered to the Sheriff. The watch-house coffee is terrible! Two of the Restorers spend some AP:
Fennec takes IQ to 34, WIZ to 33, LK to 27 and SPD to 25.
Crompton takes WIZ to 25, and LK to 33, STR to 27.Props:
This time, I'll give props to the Mythic GM-Emulator (GME). The Dwarves set some things in motion last session, and there are other events occurring elsewhere, so I simplified everything by posing a longish list of questions, and answering them with a d100. For NPCs, attitudes and power levels, I also give props to Universal NPC Emulator (UNE).Addendum: Events of near concern to the Restorers
These events began before the inquest and continued over and after it. I may be giving the Restorers too much credit thinking they are organised enough to stay abreast of this, but so be it. My intention in listing the events is to move to the point where the most immediate preparations for the Underdark expedition begin.
- Investigation of the rune-carven chamber and idols: Done. Sheriff von Diemar and Fran Limnsman make a thorough search, removing 11 skulls to be returned to various despoiled remains; and locating a secret entrance to the Underdark.
- Removal of the worse effects of the tunnels off the crypts: Done. Chaos magic still roils around the tunnels but Lady Bree dampens it to the point where it is unlikely to affect people clearing them. Daisy Brightwater restores the Seraph and tidies the desecrated memorials.
- Clearing the sewers of undead: Done. The Rogues Guild uses its influence to supply volunteers for this. By doing so they take over Takrina's old HQ, and earn the city's gratitude. Borer leads the early running, then once the HQ is secure, other rogues are able to take over. This does not give Borer any special insight into the undead presence.
- Janorra's return to normal: Done. Once Pausanias dies, whatever big bad he is working up also dies down. However, there are knock-on consequences. The elf clique owes senator Isildore a favour, which makes the nobles senate faction very nervous, but there's not a lot it can do without a full breach.
- Pricing Wizards Guild membership: Done. Fennec's membership is discussed by those who wish him well, and the Guild agrees he can join if he wants to. It will cost 300AP and a week out of campaign, to represent the investment of scroll-writing techniques. Thereafter Fennec would be entitled to a more sympathetic ear when he asks for potions, scrolls, and spell-teaching. Should Fennec wish to work for his keep over winter instead of attempting to travel, this is a sound investment.
- Pricing Mettastos armour: Done. Jotunn can purchase on the following multipliers:
Triple the book price, then use the cumulative multipliers: x2: Lighter. STR-3 (but min of 1 STR); x3: Slicker. DEX-3 (but min of 1 DEX); x2: Magical soak. The face value (NOT the warrior value), and of course prevents the piece from being broken by magical BB effect; x(n) where n is level of spell defence. Armour can be proofed against spells of a given level, just like it can be proofed against bows of a certain power. If you only want the armour to defend against one spell, divide by three. Eg proof vs DeathSpell#9, means a factor of three. Finally round down to the nearest hundred. The time needed to make the armour is one week plus (face value in days x the sum of multipliers.) Jotunn must be available for initial measurement then final fitting.
- Finding a source for Omni-Eye of loot: Palealia is able to do this, at 25 per item, or 40 for a one-off.
- Searching the Bishop's Palace and reading his antiquarian notes: Ernysi invites Fennec... which is where we pick up next session!
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Post by warlord476 on Jul 13, 2018 17:31:30 GMT -5
4.08: Should auld acquaintance be forgotCharacters for this session:
Fennec, Level 3 wizard
Crompton, Level 3 rogue
Cauleigh, level 4 warrior
Here's the Restorer's achievements this session, in alphabetical order:
Cauleigh puts a certain amount of effort into learning what he can about "the descent" and becomes aware that factions, reputations, and obligations are all involved. He enjoys a good expository chat with Sheriff von Diemar where:
- The reward amount (30,000);
- The way it will be shared (even shares, advances on equipment taken out personally);
- The Restorers controlling role (it's going to be their call who goes down with them);
- A date for the selection; and
- Job prospects for the winter... just a rough plan at present...
Are all provided to him.
Jotunn introduces Cauleigh to Eric Nordigar out at Mettastos' and Cauleigh gets the run-down on possible armour; and gets his measurements taken for a new cuirass.
He stumbles upon Mizva (one of the Fingold Survivors group) and while not actually recalling his name, sobers him up and advances quite a lot of money to get his gear back out of hock. Mizva has explored part of Sarn Athrad, and offers to sell Cauleigh a map. The two eventually make their way to the Warriors Guild and Cauleigh, at least, joins. Mizva has his good mace and armour, but little else. He's a possibility for the descent, but Cauleigh has a plan in mind he has yet to fully elucidate...
Crompton makes an important contact with a slender red-haired female elf of the Park roster, named Chani. He makes a strong pull for the favour of the elves in the descent. (I must remember to award the remaining AP once the "elf-help" kicks in.)
Following up on thoughts about joining the rogues guild after all, Crompton makes his way to the warehouse, and meets both Borer of Broken Lands fame, and Whitey, another of the Survivors. Unfortunately it's been several eventful months since he last saw Whitey, and he does not recall him at all. As for Borer, well, he looks kinda familiar... Luckily Borer takes no offence, sponsors Crompton for membership (which involves a thumbprint in blood) and offers to maybe join the descent, subject to running an eye over how prepared Crompton might be.
With the knowledge that the rogues guild is actually the "Adventurers Guild" Crompton is able to prevent Cauleigh from committing a faux pas (though he dearly wants to prank his comrade).
Borer runs a veteran's eye over Crompton's gear, tells him he ought to gear up properly with useful bits and pieces of adventuring gear like potions and scrolls, and that he – Borer – won't be joining, sorry.
Whitey does follow up his meeting with Crompton, and consults with at least he and Cauleigh about the descent, seeming quite keen. He seems to have done well on his own, and has plenty of gear. He also mentions job prospects west, out of a small city named Tarshal.
Fennec receives an invitation from Ernysi to meet her at the Bishop's Palace. At first, he makes a caveat that his comrades will be needed. Eventually (once the mana lock is lifted) he feels strong enough to risk meeting shy fragile young Ernysi on his own. She shows him a magical key that the late bishop had hidden inside one of the sticks bundled at his waist. The two research what, among all of the antiquarian bishop's documents, may relate to the descent and the undead floor.
While not coming up with a clear answer – the bishop's mind was warped during an illness contracted in his own descent – they do establish that something below is indeed providing the mana, and is sufficiently evil that Pausanias and all his acolytes were infected.
During the research (which covers two days) Neghed the Templar does call in. Ernysi does not let the two quarrel. Later, she explains that if the Restorers want her to accompany them on the descent, Neghed will have to come with her: but since it's obvious that they will never get along, it's not going to work. Perhaps they could consult Bowdyn of the River Temple?
Fennec also receives the offer, from Ernysi, of a loan of a very large magical shield, sacred to Zolman, part of the palace's regalia or official Bishop gear. He brings the offer back to the lads.
Fennec pursues one of his Sarnas goals: learning spells. He picks up the initial "imprint" of Blasting Power. By good fortune (DAROs up 45 to Lvl11), Fire-mage Faris (teaching him) knows a good deal of undead lore and provides insight on potential success of using TTYF on things like ghouls and (especially) ghasts.
Jotunn (player absent) has his second armour fitting at Mettastos, and agrees to the price for refitting the magical blue fold-out vambrace. Having been referred by Eric Nordigar to Tred Nordigar, Eric's brother and an important member of both the Warriors Guild and the Palace Guard, he joins the warriors guild ahead of Cauleigh.
He checks back in with von Diemar, and brings word of the mana lock lifting back; and keeps up his acquaintance with the Tribune by treating Girol to cinnamon buns.
Aside from that, Jotunn enjoys festivities, such as Cuss Day (Day of Curses) where pranks and japes are the rule; and Breakinraft (raft brothers abeyance), marking the official end of rafting along the river, in which there is much open-air singing, dancing and drinking.
The Committee for the Descent
The thought of an even share of 30,000, less advances on special gear, brings a number of representatives of the three service guilds forward. It will be up to the Restorers to pick from these, or reject them. Once they are ready, the entrance to the descent will be open.
Warriors
Guido Nordigar: Short young close-cropped dwarf, proud of house Nordigar. Gear: Hammer, climbing pitons, rope. hand-and-a-half sword (4'), mail armor, dwarven spike shield.
“I guess we ain’t gonna get far - but a Nordigar oughta be thar.”
Rduk: Mature male Hobgoblin, unkempt and very strong-looking. He has curly, black hair with a short beard and moustache. Gear: Poison antidote, pliers, spider venom, darts, double-bladed broad axe, ring-joined plate armor, heater shield.
“I am Rduk. I am two inches below the statistical Hobgoblin average. I am strong.”
Rogues
Terful: Dandyish young Hobb. He has curly white-blond hair with a thick blond moustache. Gear: soft leather armor, weird double dagger (bich'wa), bolas.
“It’s a Hobb, he’ll use bolas they say. So, I use bolas.” <sigh>
K-fab: Very short unwashed older man with curly brown hair and long moustache. Gear: insect repellant, sack, pickaxe, Short sword, soft leather armor, buckler.
“Don’t like ta brag but ah’m th’ luckiest sumbitch ya ever done see.”
Wizards
Tueplio: Very short young man with below-collar red hair and trim red moustache. Gear: acorns, strange strengthened hat, mallet and pegs, leather sack, Heavy cloth armor, wand, sax.
“So the Magister asked, do we have a volunteer, heh heh, and my senior said wasn’t it a great chance to earn spells, heh heh, and so there I was, being tried on for this hat. I’m glad really, honestly, I’ve been wanting to prove myself since we got through from the Spire.”
Triliton: Fae-Pixie in the hat. A cone-like attachment with a mirror finish inside makes Triliton’s light shine in a cone.
“Th’ f**k do you want? I’m here in this f**k**g hat, on a little creep that smells of fear. Just so they can show willing. Eat nuts and die, normie.”
From among the Restorers' contacts:
Whitey: Pale optimistic half-elf rogue. Well equipped with bow, sabre, mail armour, and lots of bits and pieces from magic rings to a one-shot firebomb.
Mizva: Scruffy binge-drinking warrior. Magical mace and shield, good steel armour, virtually no other gear, save for a magic ring and a gas-protection oil.
Borer: Foul-mouthed genial Dwarf. His dark hair is shaved very short and in local fashion, his beard is close-trimmed. At this stage Borer believes the Restorers have a problem of Piss-Poor Preparation, and has opted out.
Potions Philtres and Toxins
Between alchemist Palealia, herbalist Ines, Bowdyn of the River Temple, the Rogues Guild, and the Wizards Guild, a number of unusual and powerful items are assembled for the volunteers (including the Restorers) to choose. Their cost will be an advance against the even share of 30,000 that the city has voted. Note the word "even." Each person on the descent gets their share allotted. Then, they can choose to take gear as an advance, or not. There is no "common fund."
The Elves (or at least the Park roster) pool some of their resources and provide the acorns that Tueplio currently has listed. They are to be planted "as appropriate." Long-term, they will break up the mana channels that power the undead floor. Assuming something can be found to provide them with nutrients.
AP spends:
Cauleigh boosts CON up to 38
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Post by warlord476 on Jul 20, 2018 21:22:26 GMT -5
4.09: The day of the descent Characters for this session:
Fennec, level 3 wizard
Cauleigh, level 4 warrior
Jotunn, level 6 warrior
ably assisted by:
Crompton, level 3 rogue, as NPC this session
Mizva, level 4 human warrior
Whitey, level 4 half-elf rogue
Final preliminaries: spells and smithies
Fennec briefs Jotunn on his research alongside Ernysi and how she seems to be able to get Neghed to behave civilly. He explains the offer of the Tower Shield of Zolman, and offers the thought that Mizva might be able to carry it. Finally Fennec and Cauleigh explain that we can't bring Ernysi because Neghed would need to be there.
Cauleigh revisits Mettastos' Arms and Armour as well. Eric Nordigar sells him on a breastplate that seems to do everything he needs; and he also asks after a coif, that can act as reserve soak and have Little Feets. Bravely he orders that as well, even though he has no funds in reserve - and in fact will be selling gear off to pay for the breastplate, unless the descent is rewarding. Eric has him sign a creditors docket, making Mettastos the secured creditor against Cauleigh's estate - should the worst happen!
Fennec finds that his new spell, Blasting Power, has "set" quickly and buys Omni-Eye. Magister Max Oberhelm teaches him that himself, explaining that the guild uses a more powerful form of teaching charm.
Proceedings of the Committee for the Descent
It's one week prior to Riverdeath, as the locals call the festival, and the smell of roast nuts enlivens the streets. Elections are the week after the festival, and it seems that only the Sheriff is sure of his post. When asked about lending a hand with the descent, priestess Bowdyn of the river temple apologises - she is very busy preparing for the ceremonies and will not be available for any other effort.
That self-same day, the Restorers file into the same hall in the Mercers guild compound. A number of people from various walks of life are gathered there. Aside from a number of guild valets and observers there are some five prospective delvers; the press is there; Sheriff von Diemar is there; one or two from each select guild are there; and two elves are there. Crompton waves to the elves and heads over there.
Taking his two comrades aside again, Cauleigh explains that with the reward at 30,000, and split evenly, they really need to limit the team to six or seven, tops. What he doesn't say is that Eric Nordigar has offered to knock 1000gp off the cost of the armour, if he can make sure Guido Nordigar does not join the descent.
By that time the gathering is increased by heavy trundlers of special equipment; Neghed, who sneer-smirks but sits quietly in a corner picking his teeth; and Ernysi, who unsuccessfully tries to screen Neghed off from the Restorers. Fennec reminds Jotunn of the offer of the shield, and they accept it from Ernysi.
With the crowd beginning to spit nutshells around and getting thirsty, the Sheriff calls the gathering to order and offers an introductory speech in which he explains the reward deal (even shares of 30,000, each person to choose potions and philtres, and the cost of those to be deducted from the respective share); and explains the Restorers will have the say on who makes the descent.
Cauleigh, having expected all this since his interview with the Sheriff, has his response speech ready. He thanks the Sheriff, confirms that the Restorers will be making the expedition - there is a round of applause at this point - and prepares the gathering for disappointment concerning the selection: with so many fine choices the overall team's needs come first. And mentions they already have a fifth adventurer in mind.
At this point, a messenger is dispatched to fetch Mizva, and as they wait, Cauleigh Jotunn and Fennec meet:
Guido Nordigar (warrior): Short young close-cropped dwarf, proud of house Nordigar.
Rduk (warrior): Mature male Hobgoblin, unkempt and very strong-looking.
Terful (rogue): Dandyish young Hobb.
K-fab (rogue): Very short unwashed older man with curly brown hair and long moustache.
Tueplio (wizard): Very short young man with below-collar red hair and trim red moustache.
Tueplio is carrying a rounded-crowned hat with a light fitting, in which unpleasant fae-pixie Triliton is embedded. One of the other wizards explains that by bringing Triliton, senior wizard Daisy Brightwater may be able to trace what happens to them.
The auld acquaintances arrive
It is not just Mizva, but Whitey, and with the Restorers permission, Mother Hobb, who now join the committee proceedings. Whitey explains he's there to make sure Mizva gets there and Mother Hobb explains she's just there to make sure "her lads" don't do anything stupid.
With prospects already pricing out gear, Cauleigh brings his initial remarks to an informal conclusion. Crompton explains who the elves are - senator Renee Finaire, and Chani of the helfters and of the Park roster - and suggests that if they do get geared up, it may be worth re-approaching Borer of the rogues guild.
The Restorers confer: Cauleigh's idea, which he sells the others, is to tank up by bringing both Rduk and Mizva. As they nod in agreement he makes a second speech: courteously dismissing all five save for Rduk. He frames Guido's dismissal in terms of rallying support for a second party, should the worst occur.
With a new lease of life the young Tueplio waves over Renee Finaire, who explains that Janorra of the Glade and the elves that watch over her have come up with magical acorns to help the descent. When planted in some dirt, they will grow to break up the flow of mana that must be powering the undead floor from somewhere below. Tueplio hands them over and Jotunn tucks them away.
However! The prospects have already had a pick over the special gear, and Cauleigh's preference Rduk has his eye on the most expensive item, dust of the radiant sun at 4000gp. When Cauleigh attempts to negotiate around this, the hobgoblin exactitude plays against the offer [I roll a fail] and Rduk is out too.
Mizva and Whitey can both accept a party of six, so Crompton's idea of making a new approach to Borer falls through. The Committee for the Descent approves the party, the press hasten to get the copy passed in, and Mother Hobb takes a few orders for magical goodies, as the six now finalise the special gear:
Fennec: Dust of the radiant sun 4000gp, Skeletal dust 400gp, Oil of blessings x 6 600gp;
[Cauleigh guarantees 1000 out of his own funds so that Fennec has some money coming]
Cauleigh: Acid bomb 400, Yellow essence 300, Zamos hydro-creator x 2 200gp;
Jotunn: Dust of desiccation 400, Zamos hydro-creator x 3 300, Oil of blessings x 3 300gp;
Mizva: Green essence 500, Zamos hydro-creator x 3 300gp;
Whitey: Firebomb 400, Blue essence 200gp;
Crompton: Dust of widows 1000, Potion of verity 400gp.
Sheriff von Diemar approves the deal on the Committee's behalf, noting that the city powers have first refusal on treasures brought up. Fennec stirs uneasily but decides not to break the deal at this point.
The dwarves spend a little more AP. Cauleigh raises WIZ to 19, Fennec raises CON to 27 and IQ to 35. Jotunn moves WIZ to 16.
The descent commences!
It is that very night when the six file down the stairwell below the Mausoleum of Barons, along the catacombs, and through the gap down into the rune-carved chamber. Daisy Brightwater is there already. The chamber's eerie runes are masked off with what looks like crude clay swatches, and there's a very obvious new stone slab blocking part of the wall. The entrances down to the chamber of the three horrid statues are still open. Daisy welcomes them:
"So, welcome! Y'all're here - get set now!"
Daisy now warns them that while the wizards guild were hoping to help, Lady Bree found a defence mirror not far down, with an intelligence looking out of it!
Crompton, who for the initial descent will be minding baggage, organises firearms and heavy gear that will need to stay back. Whitey and Mizva make a contrast - as the half-elf joked, he has so many bits and pieces he's running out of thongs to tie them to - Mizva has merely his arms and armour, his big magical lantern shield, and the couple of items off the gear table. Jotunn and Mizva discuss the shields, and Jotunn decides to try to keep using the Tower Shield.
The other two take a look at the statue chamber, where, Daisy explains, she couldn't get the statues to move around for her. The summoning bowls require blood to make "something" work... the dwarves decide not to find out what that might be.
Returning back up, they find the other four now set. Daisy steps to the new stone block:
"Y'all better be ready - I aim ta do this but once tonight..."
And with a gesture, the stone block parts in the middle, revealing the entrance to the descent!
Party order: Jotunn and Mizva up front with shields where possible, but otherwise Cauleigh probing forward; then Fennec and Cauleigh (if available) in positions where they can snipe past the shields; then Whitey also ready to snipe; then (possibly a long way back) Crompton guarding the rope tie-off point and baggage.
They agree about light and noise management. It's not going to be possible to move silently but longarms will be left with Crompton so that no-one fires one. Cauleigh does keep his two pistols in their scabbards. Fennec will manage the torch-cube.
At this early stage, no-one applies oils or the like. An initial probe, is what they hope.
The first cavern glitters with mineral and offers a large pothole down, and a steel tether-point. A subterranean wind quietly breathes, down in the dark. Fennec uses OTIS just to make really sure that's all there is.
After seeing a ledge under the pothole's overhang, they elect Cauleigh to rope and swing to that first. Jotunn hitches a doubled rope at the tie-off, so that he can easily recover it. Crompton shifts the baggage into the glittering chamber.
Cauleigh makes the landing successfully, and resists a cobweb-like whisper from the portrait-sized steel mirror fused to the chamber wall. Smoky shapes seem to stir in it - but he resists looking at those, too.
With Fennec shining the torch beam directly down from above him, Cauleigh picks out slick crude steps below this ledge. But lying over the abyss, he also notices guano on the steps and a colony of bat-like creatures immediately under his ledge!
He draws Regdar, who sings of ice-blade, ice-grave, bones in the snow, as the FP ice effect sweeps the demon-bats away. Four survive and fly up to attack: Fennec uses his shiny new spell:
"Blasting Power!"
Demon-bat-cinders float down and away, the rope survives [charred a little - Jotunn makes a L3 LK check for it] and Cauleigh waits for some time for his vision to return.
"I can't think why I didn't pick this spell up earlier!" Fennec chortles.
Cauleigh clutches firmly on the rope and navigates the steps below, as far as he can. Opposite, affixed to an overhang, is a thick bronze chain, hanging down to another firm ledge. He explores.
Below the lip of this ledge is the abyss. Another heavy bronze chain depends under his ledge, allowing an agile adventurer to slide around under the ledge and clamber down. And - reminding him of a similar descent in Fingold - there seems to be broad natural crevices in the abyss walls.
With this advice, Fennec ropes down, ignores the mirror, and using another BP, burns the steps off enough that they will be adequate going. The stench of burnt demon-bat-guano fills the air.
The adventurers rope down to the secure ledge below the mirror, each managing to avoid engaging the mirror or slipping on the steps. The gear, and Crompton, are all accounted for.
Fennec trusts to Jotunn's strength and sense of duty, and leans over the abyss. The chain he's poised above lets down to a flat ledge, with steeply shelving roof. The gaps opposite, in separate directions, are easily big enough to be crawl-ways. Just to make sure, he floats a WoW around. The 4-candlepower glimmer reveals that they are probably tunnels. The simplest way to reach them - aside from flying - is to swing off the bronze chain. Jotunn hitches the doubled rope end onto the chain.
Cauleigh is tied onto the other end of the doubled rope and assured he's in no danger as he swivels over the abyss and starts down the chain! With a twist and tuck, he lands into the tunnel-mouth Fennec has picked out as broadest.
Stalactites crowd over his head, but the floor is reasonably level. By the time he loses all light, Cauleigh is reasonably sure there is worked stone ahead!
Those initially joining Cauleigh in the tunnel are just Fennec and Jotunn. With Cauleigh bracing his end of the rope, the traverse is made safely.
At the end of a cautious walk forward, Cauleigh finds an end to the worked stone tunnel, and a circular stair going steeply down. He smells more moisture than has been evident so far.
With a prospective new stage, it's time to bring Crompton down and Mizva and Whitey into the tunnel. The latter make it OK but as Crompton begins the first chain descent he misses his hold and with a wail, bounces past the tunnel and down!
Crompton picks himself up, checking for lost gear and broken bones, finding he has landed upon another ledge - then screams as weird pseudopods extend out of the dark recesses and begin enveloping him!
"nuts! We have to go get him!"
"Whitey - get down there!"
- and so saying Whitey activates a sabre and dives out, spinning round the chain and landing safely. With a hoarse bellow - "Oh this is going to be gooood..." - Mizva launches himself out next, landing heavily opposite and above the horror:
"Let's fuckin' do this! Light 'er up!"
- and his lantern shield shines bright. Jotunn is next, landing next to Mizva. Fennec lies flat and Cauleigh slides out his mace of stunting - mentally thanking his lucky stars he noticed the soft seating on the head and took it to Chani at the helfters with a day to spare - and clambers round Fennec to throw himself out, perform an elaborate maypole-swing around the chain and down, landing near Whitey. Fennec readies himself to follow up, and the session ends.
Glossary and notes While T&T enthusiasts won't need to have the spell abbreviations explained, the party is using a good many items picked up over the seasons. Here's a quick gloss
FP: Freeze Please - Cauleigh uses a 2-hand sword named Regdar that has the FP power, operates exactly like the spell. LF - Little Feets - Crompton has an hourglass gadget that does this 1/day for free, activated by the phrase "tempus fugit". Whammy - Jotunn has a 2-hand mace named Temerity that does this as the spell. (Currently back with the baggage since he also has the tower shield.) WoW - Will o wisp - Fennec has a spell-magnifier ring that allows him to cast as a level above, hence his WoW has 4 candlepower not 3. Zap - Zappathingum or Zapparmor - Whitey has a zapped sabre that is slightly powered up, costing more WIZ but lasting longer.
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Post by warlord476 on Jul 27, 2018 21:01:32 GMT -5
4.10: Spelunk this! - the Sarnas descent, part twoCharacters for this session:
Fennec, level 3 wizard
Cauleigh, level 4 warrior
Jotunn, level 6 warrior
ably assisted by:
Crompton, level 3 rogue, NPC again this session
Mizva, level 4 human warrior
Whitey, level 4 half-elf rogue
Rescuing Crompton
Despite the bright light Mizva's shield throws down onto Crompton's ledge, the air around Crompton, Cauleigh and Whitey dims as pseudopod-tentacles, each with a gibbering mouth on its tip, surround the trio. The tendrils are so dark all light disappears into them. They gibber half-nonsense, making it hard for the trio to communicate any battle-tactics.
Above and back in the shaft, Fennec readies a spell and pulls back to get a run-up to get down to Mizva and Jotunn. Jotunn prepares his axe, ready to jump across the abyss, but just as ready to defend against other monsters drawn by the noise.
Inside the fuligin dementia, Crompton calls tempus fugit and he draws [I take a show of hands] his Anti-magic Runebearer axe. Whitey is already whicking off pseudopods with a magical sabre: his movements are very graceful. Cauleigh draws Redgar and immediately notices that while he can "hear" Redgar's voice, he has lost the mana-connection that empowers the ice magic.
[All characters inside the gibberer field make L2 LK SR which I do not explain, and a SPD SR based at L2 but adjusted up for more spite hits. Cauleigh and Whitey clear L3, Crompton clears L2]
The thing falls apart. The light, spilling over the ledge, shows the vile substance dissolving. Cauleigh checks the abyss - still no trace of any floor - another ledge angled off this one below - then probes the crevice the mouther seemed to swell from. He can get a dagger into a crack, but there's nothing to explore.
Back to the first shaft - what's down that stairwell?
Meanwhile, Whitey and Fennec have a discussion: Whitey has blown all his mana and is keen to either rest up or get to another enemy before the spell wears off.
The decision is to go back to the worked-stone shaft and see what that circular stair leads down to. It's a roundabout process and involves reattaching the rope. By the time they all settle, with Crompton back up where he can guard baggage, and Jotunn beginning to probe the landing below the stair, it has been about 20 minutes.
The stair leads round, and round, to a very short stone shaft. A short way ahead, a low stone coffer-dam - no more than 18" high - prevents a pool of water flooding the steps.
Once lights are available, the explorers can also see that the shaft roof declines, down into the water.
Fennec generously volunteers for someone else to use their Dust of Desiccation. Jotunn, who actually owns it (cost 400gp) steps into the inches-deep stagnant water and probes forward. As he expects, the floor also declines parallel with the roof, making a slick steep ramp. There's no way of knowing if what lies beyond is extensive - or even connects to the River somehow - so he declines to use his Dust.
A second attack on the rearguard!
Mizva [gains a boon] and Cauleigh catch the sound of glum meeping and mewling! Cauleigh peers out of the shaft to see at least half a dozen small near-faceless humanoids creeping inchoately up the vertical abyss wall and to attack! He drops back behind Mizva's shield and readies Regdar. And the mole-like creatures swarm in!
Though Cauleigh is able to defend himself - barring a few scratches - the volume of these creatures seems to increase. Mizva can't easily help, since he's shining his shield forward. Cauleigh rallies him back [CHR SR]:
"Step back Mizva! Bring more blades in!"
Far down the stairwell Whitey blazes up and - doubled over to miss any stalactites - along past Mizva. He joins Cauleigh, who can now fight properly [using SPD stunting] and leaves Whitey barely a thing to do! Whitey's sword is no longer active as they check the abyss, and exchange loud whispers with Crompton.
The agreed "danger" call from Crompton is a very loud stage whisper: "dagger dagger dagger."
Friendly frost
"This looks awfully risky, it slopes down, it's going to be slippery, we don't know what's down there, do we want to try a different way?" Jotunn asks. Fennec reminds him less politely about the Dust. Mizva tastes the water, and pronounces it bad - stagnant, which is what their noses have suggested.
Based on height, the Dwarves suggest one of their taller comrades try the water, secured by a rope. [I roll a positive response from Whitey.] There is but one rope. And it's out where Crompton is. After some time of rearranging the party, Crompton hands the rope over to Jotunn and Cauleigh. They exchange "good luck" and Jotunn and Cauleigh file back to the stairwell.
Then more pseudopods, enormously elongated, reach from another smaller crevice, along the shaft, and around them!
"Dagger dagger dagger!"
Fennec hears the alarm, or at least the noise of Jotunn and Cauleigh falling back, and heads up with the torch, LF spell ready.
Jotunn holds his massive shield up so that Cauleigh, behind him, can lop tendrils off as they slip past it. As he draws Regdar Cauleigh feels a massive surge of power through the sword:
"By the bones of my ancestors - let us smite this foe!"
"Freeze Please!"
A colossal blast of ice catches Jotunn [fails a CON check, makes LK] cracks all of his metal armour into muck-metal rubbish save for his left vambrace and helm, and severely injures him. The pseudopods fare quite badly too, frozen or trapped by the ice.
Fennec arrives, finds the state he's in, and trickles PB into Jotunn. Cauleigh continues lopping tendrils. Where Crompton has previously remained in reserve, above with the baggage, he hurls a zapped dagger, ending the pseudopods. [He regains it after another ten minutes search]
Generously, Crompton hands over his original elven breastplate with a "don't get this one ruined" so that Jotunn has some defence.
Whitey takes the plunge
Mizva has experimented with holding his shield into the water, which will provide some light.
There's a discussion about healing donuts and meringues and Mizva mentions he ain't got a meringue but he does have a thing what lets him float. They all look at him curiously. Out of politeness, they do not pursue this topic, though Whitey does ask "are you sure you still have that?"
Whitey, having doffed various bits and pieces of gear that would not fare well wet, eases into the murk and disappears. The rope-play stops after a short distance, pauses for a short time, then Whitey begins hauling himself back. Those with free hands help and he is soon catching his breath up with them, and shivering.
He reports a blank wall, and asks Fennec if he'd care to use an OTIS. Fennec, leaning over the water and extending his staff, casts. A thin outline, door-shaped, can be glimpsed through the murky water.
An alarming disappearance
Given the possibilities, it seems best to leave that secret, secure door, and zig-zag up and back to the second, less-accessible shaft. It runs off at perhaps 120 degrees to the one they have explored, but the back-to-ledge, over-to-shaft approach is much safer than climbing round.
They rest on the ledge, Jotunn and Crompton fully recover, and forty minutes in (or 100 minutes since the first fight) another barrage of enveloping, gibbering pseudopods reaches around them...
"Everyone back off a bit," Cauleigh calls, feeling Regdar again surge with power. They give him plenty of room! The ice crystallizes most of the pseudopods, but as the others battle their share, Mizva... blinks out!
Cauleigh desperately reaches to where the warrior last stood, but he is gone. Fennec casts Glue-You on the things. He too feels a huge power surge.
As the last pseudopods collapse to slimy mess, they see no sign of Mizva.
"Try O There It Is," Cauleigh suggests. The radius picks up nothing of the spell.
"Mizva!" Cauleigh yells...
...the echoes rattle down then up... then there is a returning cry!
Peering over the edge, Jotunn sees a far-distant speck of light. It's a glimmer, meaning Mizva is not standing directly below.
Aerial rescue squad: away!
"Here's a thought... how many meringues have we got?" Fennec asks.
Two rescue proposals are tabled:
- One person takes one meringue, and flies a spare down to Mizva. They fly back up.
- Everyone ropes down, except for the last person, who unties the rope and flies down.
The vote goes to... plan two! The rope is re-fastened to the lowest point on the bronze chain above their ledge, and Crompton stands ready to untie it. Cauleigh levers himself over, swings apelike around onto the next bronze chain, slides down using chain and rope to a point overlooking "Crompton's ledge" then around the next lip, to reach down and maneuver onto a huge bronze chain that descends past what looks like a ledge of churned up soil, and on down, down to a broad natural floor. The limited light grows as Mizva's light glimmers stronger, from a shaft below, that angles up to this floor. And Mizva walks up to join him under his own steam!
"Stinks down there!"
The view from the staging cavern
Aside from the angled shaft down, which, Mizva reports, has steps cut in it and elbows past a stinking cavern, there are two other exits. One seems natural, perhaps an extension of this broad and high cavern. Water, perhaps a pool, glints there. The other offers steps up into a cut-rock shaft.
Jotunn calls for Crompton to hold off for now - they may not need him to fly down.
Cauleigh looks closely at Mizva, trying to decide if the warrior has been ensorceled. Then his journey to becoming a scrying mage is interrupted as Crompton screams far above them!
"Meringue time!"
[The first-time fliers all try for L3 IQ, Fennec manages the flight easily while Jotunn and Mizva are somewhat to the rear.]
Crompton takes the plunge
As the gibbering pseudopods envelop him [makes his L2 LK SR] Crompton decides not to hurl himself off and eat a meringue! [We all agree this is a possible tactic but I roll a hesitate] He regrets loaning his breastplate... lays about him with his ancestor-axe... and feels the death-like grasp of pseupopod madness! [77 damage] He attempts to swallow a meringue and hurls himself into the abyss, trusting to luck like any good rogue. He loses consciousness...
"We need to use that poison dust... it's like a root-like thing that poison might kill," Cauleigh yells as he flies up after Fennec.
"It just so happens Crompton has that," Fennec yells back, prepping a spell.
Crompton hurtles past him. Mizva and Jotunn make the catch.
"Let's retreat!"
They fly back to the nearest ledge, the one across from and below the two shafts. The pseudopods continue their down-grasping attack!
"I still say, poison it!" Cauleigh insists.
As Jotunn swings Crompton down and his shield around, gibbering mouths grip the shield, haul it out of his grasp, and away down the abyss. Fennec begins looking for the poison: calls to Whitey:
"You said you had some way of administering dust safely, get it ready!"
Whitey looks back uncertainly but carries on laying about him with sabre. Those fighting concentrate on the defensive. They have enough light, and avoid poison spittle spraying from the gibbering mouths, while whicking them off.
Fennec - almost too late - realises Crompton is not just lazing about, and trickles healing into him, stabilising him. [LK SR for Crompton, DAROs to 19, L7, moves to zero CON]
The fighting team deal handly with the pseudopods, [damage output 584] and once again they collapse into slime. No-one else is teleported away and no-one notices any weird magical field.
Fennec brings Crompton up to consciousness, and hands him a donut:
"You do the rest."
Respite and meeping raiders
In the half hour that follows Fennec ignores his last instruction and restores virtually all of Crompton's health. Mizva's lantern shield goes out.
Three mole-men, meeping pitifully, clamber over the ledge: to be kicked briskly back off into space.
"Sorry, sorry," Cauleigh mutters. They were too easy.
"Where to next?"
"Look, we have a patch of soil and a source of water... let's get an acorn planted," Fennec advises.
Whitey and Crompton discuss the Dust of Widows, since Fennec wants Whitey to throw it. The half-elf is very dubious about the idea.
Jotunn scrambles back up from the next ledge down, with his Zolman tower shield. It's time to choose one way or the other. They vote for the second shaft, since it is no more than 15' away and involves a fairly simple climbing operation.
The second shaft, and demon-spiders
The team (barring Crompton) moves across to the shaft (leaving the fate of the baggage and Crompton's axe unknown). Cauleigh, who has done the initial ascent, re-dons his cuirass.
As Fennec's first glimpse showed, this shaft is more filled with stalactites and stalagmites. Cuirasses and shields are a problem. It seems to continue as a natural shaft...
Crompton screams with terror and launches himself across, [L5 LK, Mizva and Whitey grab him and haul him in] and huge demonic spider-like creatures, fangs dripping venom, make the last rush to the shaft mouth.
Whitey nips back to leave Mizva room, Crompton decides to fight.
Cauleigh reaches out his whistle of befriending demon-kind, and moves back towards the shaft mouth. He receives a LF from Fennec. Jotunn begins maneuvering his tower shield into a plug-the-shaft position.
Honours of the first round are with the demon spiders, and Mizva and Crompton find themselves forced back. Mizva bellows with agony as hellish poison enters his veins. Cauleigh uses the whistle [LK DAROs to 45, L13 - the whistle is intended for a positive NPC reaction with intelligent demonkind so this decides what it does for these creatures] and all three demon-spiders stop. Mizva, presented with a "free shot" smashes one dead. Crompton squirms back past Jotunn's tower shield as the other two resume the fight.
Jotunn is finding his tower shield more of a hindrance than help so eases it to one side, allowing trick shots... or TTYF. Fennec squirms past the other two [LF DEX SR, DAROs to 25, gets L6] and slams a low-level TTYF in. Between Jotunn Mizva and the spell, both demon-spiders die, but again both warriors are poisoned.
A vertical chimney... let's try pulling back!
With Crompton and Fennec in the middle, Mizva rearguard, and Cauleigh now wielding kukri and spike-shield, they explore the second shaft. It ends in a vertical chimney, the shaft upward slanting a little and the shaft down being uncomfortably narrow. It looks natural but Cauleigh prefers the story that it is an escape route.
"This has been a scout. Let's pull back," he calls back.
"Can we at least, before we cut and run, plant that bloody acorn," Fennec advises for the third time.
The incident of the churned soil
Jotunn's plan: lower me boys! I'll plant the acorn, you raise me.
They all - fairly blase now - leap out of the shaft, swing around the chain, and down onto the next ledge.
There's a further interruption as a pair of demon-spiders attempt to hurl them out. Cauleigh uses the whistle again, and it stops them long enough for a kill-team to assemble and get rid of them.
From here, they can mount a powerful haul crew to lower Jotunn. For his part, he strips down to an efficient load and re-tethers the rope. The party agree on tactics if the gibbering mouth-pods attack: haul Jotunn back, throw poison. Whitey hands the poison dust back.
"Who can actually throw this safely?" Fennec asks.
"I'm not called Crompton the archer for nothing!" Crompton asserts, taking his poison back.
"You're not called Crompton the archer... at all" at least two of his comrades chorus.
The ledge of dark churned soil lies broad, extending quite some way around the abyss shaft - rather kidney shaped in plan view. Jotunn easily swings past the huge bronze chain, and hurls the acorn accurately. Now he needs to water it. He swings and lands gracefully. The jet of water from his waterskin splashes over the acorn, and uncovers a shard of white... then half a dozen zombies thrust themselves up and clamber to the attack!
Fennec hurls a L3 TTYF... and zombies being dead flesh, nothing happens. Jotunn launches himself out, the haul-team barely manage to react, Jotunn slowly moves past the ledge again [misses the L7 LK he needs to clear all of them] a zombie weapon catches his bracer, he spins and the rope wraps around the bronze chain!
The zombies form the traditional zombie-climb-pyramid and begin catching up. Jotunn cuts himself free and hurtles the remaining appx 30' down to the stage floor, in complete darkness.
As the lead zombies become visible Cauleigh wields Regdar: the FP effect cracks the zombie's bones and crumbles it. Fennec strains to get a similar angle and BPs the next two zombies, with relatively little effect. But the rope is quite charred, and those above looking for Jotunn are blinded by the fire, so that's something.
Cauleigh again attempts to do something with the massive chain, and Mizva passes his mace forward:
"Conk them on the head mate... wait for it..."
Fennec uses another BP, the lead zombie, already burning, cooks apart. The next zombie clambers up and has its head bashed in. One more clambers up and is dealt with the same way.
Peering down, they can pick out a faint blue glimmer that marks Jotunn's final resting place...
Another gibbering interruption and some token loot
"I'm fine, I bounced a bit, then had a couple of zombies climbing down at me... lucky this bracer has a nice little glow to it," Jotunn assures him once Cauleigh has climbed down the chain.
Then a familiar gibbering is heard! They clamber up as fast as they can, making the zombie ledge with less than a second to spare!
"Hold your breath!" Fennec yells as Crompton readies the powder above them. [L5 DEX to deliver it]
Jotunn and Cauleigh battle the pseudopods off, avoiding spittle and neither finding themselves teleported. The dust filters down, they hold their breath [L2 CON since they had warning] and the pseudopods withdraw.
Assuring themselves that the acorn is planted, the pair unearth some old adventuring gear. Grubbing around, they find a decayed backpack with unusual large chitinous scales, and in odd finds elswhere, 50gp. Insisting that after all, a rest need be taken, Cauleigh happily spends 20 minutes finding these.
"All I need to do is do that another hundred times," he explains. "I'm really in a hole with my armourer."
The mirror's fatal lure
The Cauleigh idea is now to pull back, his comrades agreeing with him. The aim now is to make it all the way back to the glittering cavern.
Forty minutes of ascent later, the six turn to the stair leading up opposite the mirror ledge. Crompton recovers his ancestor axe at this stage.
"I am so sorry we cannot be friends" whispers a voice in their heads and Crompton, Whitey and Mizva hurl themselves at the other three!
"Dis-Spell Level 5!!" Fennec screams, drawing the wand and burning off four charges.
It works! Their three comrades stop mid-swing, shaking their heads to clear the cobwebs.
[Lvl 5 was the exact right choice, Fennec picks up 50ap]
Passing by the mirror, they hurl the anti-magic axe at it, and Cauleigh scarifies its steel surface with his Yellow essence (cost 300gp). Nonetheless, shapes and shadows still shift around its surface.
No way out... at least not today
With the 70' of remaining rope regained (via meringue power) and coiled and the tower shield held over the sinkhole, they check the glittering cavern and fall down to rest.
"You know, a bed in the Porters Arms would be even better..." Cauleigh sighs and heads up the tunnel to where Daisy Brightwater wielded her awesome control of Wall magic for them. The wall is there, and is not a door.
"We could... knock?"
But that does not produce an answering knock, and without toxic-mannered pixie Triliton there is no way to directly speak to Daisy.
Cauleigh makes a sweep of the wall, tapping here and there, to see if he can locate where his self-designated "escape route" comes out. He has no success.
Jotunn sits on the tower shield over the sinkhole, two others stand watch, and three sleep. Then they swap after three hours. Those down on health recover [Jotunn takes 36 healing from Fennec!] and Fennec and Whitey are both happy with their mana levels.
They are now ready for the pseudopods attempting to creep past the shield. But as they finish them off, Crompton is teleported away!
The stage floor! Options a-plenty...
All five adventurers stage down after Crompton. Hurling the Anti-magic axe at the mirror, and picking it back up and hurrying past, works just as they imagined it would.
They listen.
"Guys?! I'm next to a chain!"
Using a new spell (for him) Crompton activates Will-o-Wisp and moves it round, until they can see him. He's far down on the staging floor.
"We may as well go after him and join him?"
They hasten after him and en-route, Cauleigh and Whitey fall! But they are both agile and there is no serious injury. In fact Cauleigh makes a very agile recovery, and slides down the massive bronze chain with merely bruising damage.
Once again there are three exits to choose from. An angled descent, with cut steps, leads away down. Then there are two other options: a natural-looking sub-cavern with water, and a stair up.
...And a whispered promise
They elect to take the stair. The steps are well-cut and the passage beyond fairly broad. It leads to a circular stair down, but broader and deeper than the castle-scale previous stairwell. Jotunn and Cauleigh end up leading, Fennec and Crompton second, Mizva and Whitey rearguard.
The first landing leads off to a regular, fairly level shaft. The next round of stair appears to lead to another landing.
above the stage floor, a circular stair to four choices
"Let's try the first one then," Cauleigh decides.
He and Jotunn turn out onto what proves a well-cut antechamber, before a dark, silver-runed door. The floor seems clear of dust, though this may be the effect of silicates trapping dust. Fennec, immediately behind them, detects a magical aura on the door.
"This door's secure. Let's leave it for now," urges Jotunn.
The next landing does indeed lead to a shaft, this more natural looking. The stairwell continues down.
Jotunn and Cauleigh pace along this second shaft, Fennec still ight-bearing behind them. The natural aspect continues for perhaps 30', then abruptly changes. The shaft becomes fully cylindrical, and brick, like a well-built sewer. Here and there, bricks jut out. They don't fit the idea of just ordinary wear and tear...
"There's another shaft down here!" Crompton calls back up, from where the rearguard has gotten bored and explored a little.
"You're nearly there" whispers a voice in their heads, and the session ends.
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Post by warlord476 on Aug 10, 2018 22:46:35 GMT -5
4.12: God-killers! - the Sarnas descent, part four Characters for this session:
Jotunn, level 6 warrior
Cauleigh, level 4 warrior
Fennec, level 3 wizard
Crompton, level 3 rogue
ably assisted by their NPC allies:
Mizva, level 4 human warrior
Whitey, level 4 half-elf rogue
The first lever
40 minutes, and where we left them: despondently, after a number of T-junction loops, deciding to head back to the octagonal room with six levers, 10' square iron hatches on six of the sides, and short tunnels from the remaining two sides.
Right from the start it must have been obvious that there is something to "solve" but the party does not waste time in recriminations. With due caution as to party order they make their way back around the strange chamber with a shallow pit in it – Crompton makes sure everyone stays clear of it – and down to the levers again. An atmosphere of tense waiting seems to be present. The rope's end – they descended far down and used all of its 70' length – hangs beside the levers.
"This feels like gladiatorial animal pens" - Fennec
"So far we have found something intensely magical, so... at this point it's the levers" - Cauleigh
"Yep, suck it and see" - Fennec
50 minutes: The party check their gadgets and weapons and stand ready! Cauleigh decides he'll be the one to throw levers over: picks the one next to the already-operated one, calls on Ikmal, and thows it. An iron hatch, next to the half-open jammed hatch, flings up and with a fiendish snarl a stinking ghast flings itself out – and comes up short! A heavy iron chain tethers it but a terrible stench rolls over everyone.
Jotunn shields the party while Cauleigh dodges behind the ghast. He seems to slip but easily corrects himself [Mace of Stunting prevents fumbling] and smashes the creature's spine to shards. Jotunn slams his Zolman tower shield's edge down and with a horrid crunch its skull gives way.
The hour sounds
Jotunn rearranges the party so that everyone is aware of where a chained creature might stop.
"I think we're just wasting our time, quite frankly" – Fennec
Next lever: same result, but merely a shambling zombie. Cauleigh switches to his ice-brand Regdar (who is sulky) and deals with it. The zombie ignores damage to claw at him, but the wounds don't infect. [L3 LK SR]
Next lever: a ghoul. Fennec throws a GY as it lunges at Jotunn, and he easily avoids its poison. Taking no chances they hack it apart.
2nd-last lever: another zombie. Jotunn blocks, the zombie catches him a little off guard and wrestles the tower shield down, but his axe is good enough to deal with it anyway. [Jotunn takes a spite damage].
A distant chime sounds the hour.
[Taking out most but not all of the undead sacrifices, by the hour, limits what the powers can do. So, a lot better than what it could have been, but not ideal.]
Final lever: a stronger ghast than the first! Some of the party choke [L4 CON, Fennec fails, is stunned and cannot cast] and the ghast rakes Jotunn's face [rolls a fail]. Jotunn is paralysed! The others finish it.
By the pricking of my thumbs…
Fennec senses a change in the physical environment. The magic of the shaft up has changed. [The upper shaft is locked down, and the “escape” chamber has rotated 90 degrees] A hatch begins ratcheting open in the very centre of the room, directly below the rope that leads up through the shaft. Fennec can see steps down: senses a great presence. An evil chuckle is heard! He smears Blessed Oil on Jotunn, but it has no effect. [Though as I helpfully point out, Jotunn can now be used as a magical blunt object]
A huge – but ghostly – hand grasps the edge of the hatch, shoving it home faster, and a vast and somewhat see-through ghast emerges from below!
[This is Sezrekan’s Ghostly Going. Now that the sacrifices have been made, it is free. Some special rules are laid around it, basically allowing only magical damage, and magic weapons, to harm it. Magic FX such as BP/FP or Walls will not harm it. As its enchantment is god-level, Anti-magic has no effect.]
Crompton hurls the Skeletal Dust – Cauleigh, who has moved forward blowing the demon whistle, hurls himself out of the way – but being a physical substance, the dust simply drifts through it.
The ghostly ghast looms over the room and begins drawing power from the corpses. Cauleigh tries Regdar, but the FP effect goes straight through. Fennec burns 4 more charges off his Dis-Spell wand (21 remain) but nor is that an answer, though it may have stopped the undead essence being drawn up.
Whitey stays back readying gear [uses his super-heroic potion, and magic resistance ring] while Mizva swings in to Jotunn's normal front-rank position. Crompton swipes with Anti-magic axe and Mizva hammers with his mace, but those two alone are completely overwhelmed as the ghost manifests physical force, smashing them back to the iron hatches!
[This is an 'overwhelming victory' - the victor gets positional advantage and entire losing side suffers]
Crompton [makes L5 LK] is not stunned by the impact but Mizva [L3 LK] is stunned and down. Jotunn [L5 LK] is partly shielded by his tower shield, and Fennec [makes L3 SPD] is partly shielded by Jotunn! But damage is shared all round [51 each] and everyone is hard-hit.
[Crompton uses a boon to sacrifice his Lost Knife of Moloch blade and avoids most damage.]
Jotunn [L11 CON] begins stirring: he can angle his shield to protect himself! Crompton, attempting to hold it with his ring of undead command, leaps back into combat. Laughing maniacally the ghostly giant ghast begins battering at Fennec. Fennec responds with everything his feeble mana store can give him: L4 TTYF! Cauleigh deploys his kite shield, draws his mace again, and leaps in too. Whitey jokes as he washes his donut down with his heroic potion:
"Well that was unexpected!"
He focuses his mana through his Bracer of Selene: it glows: his arrow charges up: he looses it with a white flash of TTYF. [The Bracer allows his adds to be applied via arrow, rather than raw IQ. Using the donut, which just costs 1 WIZ initially, leaves Whitey 24 WIZ for 4xTTYF.]
This time the party is able to avoid the worst of damage. And the TTYFs blew gaping holes in the weird ectoplasm that this creature consists of. But on the other hand, its physical presence includes poison...
"I'm powering up again!" - Whitey
Mizva stumbles forward, shield and mace at ready. Jotunn receives a LF from Fennec and moves as though he is unaffected by paralysis. So everyone pitches in – except Fennec who hides behind Jotunn. Though the party staves off the creature, Mizva is poisoned and falls flat on his face!
A defensive round follows – though Whitey's 3rd TTYF still counts – Jotunn manages the creature's aggression so that the fight tends to follow him, while Crompton drops healing into Mizva.
Fennec yells, "It is weakening!" and wastes his final staff's charge on a GY. But overall, they buy enough time: the ghost-ghast is weaker, and Mizva is shielded from further damage.
[Defensive result: the ghast scores 9 spite, any of which may paralyse, but I allow the best attribute to be used for SR. No-one is paralysed, and the spite is shared]
"This is my last shot!" - Whitey
"Pistol time!" - Cauleigh
Cauleigh has primed his pistols not long ago and the charges are still safe. Two magical scrimshaw rounds strike the ghost-ghast. Crompton continues defending Mizva; Jotunn shields Fennec as best he can while striking with axe. Fennec swipes with his staff [which is magical]. Whitey's final TTYF-arrow slams home. The ghost-ghast falls in tatters towards the undead, each piece trying to get to a corpse. Mighty Sezrekan stirs
There's a lull during which Fennec and Crompton see to Mizva, and the others splatter the ectoplasm into smaller fragments until they disperse. Jotunn returns to full mobility, Mizva gets some movement back. But a movement as of something very large can be heard below.
Hasty planning time!
• Exits no longer work as before • Rope can't be quickly climbed • Dust of the Radiant Sun or a firebomb; a zap dagger; pistols, are all possible missiles • Or Jotunn's tower shield might block the hatchway
A stronger red glow illuminates a gigantic ghast – very solid – eyes and mouths open and close all over its body – acid drips from its gaping maw and skin – and as they try to decide on a target the awful stench of a thousand tombs fills their noses and they stumble back!
Fire in the hole!
Gritting his teeth and ducking down to get the angle, Cauleigh drives both pistol balls into it, then Whitey hurls...
[it's a 3, but since that would kill him Mizva uses his boon to let Whitey reroll that]
A powerful firebomb engulfs the ghast-god and blazes fiercely! Air sucked in from above whistles past the adventurers.
Whitey and Mizva hand round their spare fire-resist gingerbread pieces. Everyone is protected to some extent as the ghast-god, badly weakened, smashes its way up through the hatch.
Sezrekan’s fiery ending
Fennec yells for Whitey to use the Radiant Sun, but he's dubious about the usefulness of that (given there's already a major burning effect). There's a lightning debate about using the Dis-Spell wand but the only thing it could affect is the magical fire. The creature is huge, and both Cauleigh and Jotunn - who is still in LF - opt for ducking in and striking its legs or wrists. Mizva gets his mace ready, Whitey ducks around plying his bow. Fennec hurls his zap dagger. Crompton hurls two beaten-iron daggers which bounce off, and flicks a silver dagger in.
The severest danger is the effect of the blaze. Jotunn bravely soaks as much of this as he can!
Fennec applies Blessed Oil and joins the others – even Mizva – hammering into the dying god again – it strikes back as their equipment heats to scalding point and flammable gear smoulders or chars. Finally, it falls to bits and they finish it!
Poisoned adventurers are given a sip of TBT.
Crompton tries not to grieve over the loss of the zap dagger Fennec used, which is destroyed like the silver daggers.
Now, where?
The T-junction option, with steps up, has shifted. Now, the short tunnel simply leads to a ledge over a large spiked pit. Opposite, there's another door, more or less flush with the wall.
[Resource conservation starts hurting here. With spare Fly Me meringues they would simply fly out. With spare rope, they could explore. Whitey has a few doses of a weak levitation potion, and Mizva thinks he has one dose of a more powerful version. He is wrong.]
The riddle of the rope
A casual assurance from Mizva that he has some levitation potion lays the ground for a miscalculation.
"But once the fire's out, we still need to get back up..." - Cauleigh
Whitey has some similar potion – a few doses – and it is used for Whitey to scramble up, untie the rope above, and traverse the pit, check the door, and tie the rope off to its latch-handle.
"I'm ready" - Whitey
As Whitey operates the latch, and the others pull, he uses the momentum to whip round the door and stay well out of the line of fire.
Beyond, down a short tunnel, creatures can be seen. One taller, others no more than 4' tall. Fennec looks closer... yes, those are reflections – a large bronze mirror stand at the end of the short tunnel.
But just as he realizes this a bronze eye opens in the mirror and three low-power TTYFs hit the party. Cauleigh, who has no soak, is in pain, but the others are OK: Crompton has a bounce, Fennec a soak (which loses 6 pts).
Cauleigh tries a pistol shot but at this long range he is only able to hit the mirror.
"What do we do? Do you want me to just shut this thing?" - Whitey
Whitey slings himself around to shut the door, and whips back across the rope just before his 12 minutes of levitation expires.
A warm wait
All water is gone, but several members brought special "spit in a bottle" water restorer with them. By that means, everyone gets at least a half-pint of water. The last donuts are now gone.
Ten hours pass by, the heat slowly fading to merely pleasant. During this time, Fennec rebalances his mana and heals everyone that needs healing.
[The 10-hour rest here moves the timeline past the 24-hour mark. There’s now most of a day to go before Daisy reopens the stone block]
Not much of a bed, for a god
It's time to explore the god's resting place. It seems that he lay on a slab in a cut stone chamber, but all furnishings are gone, other than a few intriguing metal wall fittings that the others eventually drag Fennec away from...
Crompton sinks himself
Lacking any great ideas the party elects Crompton head across the pit, open the door, hit the TTYF mirror with his axe, and establish a bridgehead. He swigs Whitey's potion, and hand-over-hands across quickly. Then a precious 3 minutes is spent trying to time the "unlatch and swing". Three more TTYFs are sent over, costing Fennec another 6 soak.
At length Crompton makes the tunnel, floating along to where he triggers a pit trap in front of the mirror. [IQ+Roguery for inspecting the tunnel, fails forward] He loses something small and useful down it.
Crompton concludes that the best way to get leverage on a strike on the mirror is to boost off the door. His axe strikes the eye convincingly, then the law of momentum takes over and he finds himself floating halfway down a pit, about 6' above the spikes. It's too wide to chimney up.
At length, after agile contortions, Crompton retains his axe but drops his breastplate neatly over some spikes, so that when the potion gives out, he won't die. Then, he begins hollering!
The extraction of Crompton
Time passes and the others decide to use the third and last dose of levitation to get Cauleigh across to Crompton. [I found this hard to believe and felt I should have handled Crompton outside of earshot] He too finds the transition from floating holding a rope, to getting the door open and floating inside, not simple. But he finds what the issue is.
"Pit trap!" Crompton hollers up from the darkness ahead, and floats a WoW up.
"You'll have to untie the rope – I'm rescuing him from a pit!" - Cauleigh to Jotunn
"No – how are you going to get back?" - Jotunn
Grumbling, Jotunn unties the end [good STR check] and Cauleigh begins whipping it in.
Miraculously [L6 LK] the rope-end does not snag and Cauleigh floats it across and down, and now has to figure out how to brace.
He ends back at the door-jamb, turns sideways, braces: and Crompton is winched up with great difficulty. He retains his breastplate but loses his boots and pants. And one or two other little things he is not yet aware of.
With Crompton safe Cauleigh now launches off and floats across to rejoin the others, with the rope’s end. As it’s tied off, his levitation ends. Crompton receives some nasty rope-burns as he makes the crossing. He reports that the mirror is just a solid bronze mirror – it was all just a nasty trap.
A mighty pyramid is raised
After cursing whichever malevolent god decided that trap was funny, Jotunn and Cauleigh pull hard enough for the rope to break. By good fortune it’s the mostly burnt end that parts, so they still have about 65’ of adequate rope. Now all they have to do is use Mizva’s levitation potion and float an end up, tie it off, and climb out…
“Hahah, funny thing, I guess I must have traded that potion off after all…” – Mizva
“I guess we’re making a mighty Dwarf ladder and climbing up the hard way” – Cauleigh
After some trial and error, this is the pyramid: • Jotunn stands at centre, holding the tower shield above his head; • Crompton and Fennec brace the shield; • Whitey and Mizva stand on the shield bracing one another; • Cauleigh clambers up and – using Regdar – boosts himself off those two and chimneys up.
[A L8 STR SR would be ideal, but partial success allows partial progress. Midway, Cauleigh begins receiving STR penalties and grabs a rest, sacrificing some CON. He DAROs up to L8 on the final roll anyway. Everyone receives the 349 AP Cauleigh accrued, since this was a team effort.]
Escape from Sezrekan’s Tomb
The Golden Hourglass is still there. Cauleigh avoids it and ties the rope off to the piton: the remnant Whitey left when he cut it is still there.
Much hauling and resting later, all six are out!
There are now two choices: stone-cut steps leading past a savagely-smelly area, or a chimney-like crevice or vent down which the demon spiders seemed to attack.
They head up the steps and onto a lower stage floor. From here, steps lead up to Redbeck’s, and two level shafts offer other options; or finally, there’s a huge bronze chain offering a way straight up.
Repeat customers!
On the whole, heading back to Redbeck’s to buy pants seems a great idea. Into the dim-lit shop they go.
“We don’t get many repeat customers… we’ve dusted off a few extras…”
“You can see my need” – Crompton
“I can see something flapping wild and free…”
While Crompton buys a makeshift sarong Fennec looks over the new stuff, mostly bottles. He finds 3½ things that Detect as exciting. Using OmniEye at surface-check-only level, they appear to be invisibility, strength, and detection.
“All of this is in lieu of us others buying stuff” – Jotunn
After tagging Cauleigh in to finish the bargaining, Fennec buys the three for 375.
Crompton and Whitey identify a couple others as holy water: but choose not to purchase. But a spare sack is purchased, so now they have something to keep all the bits and pieces in.
A green sprout of hope
Bidding farewell to the merchants (“come back soon!”) the party heads off… weirdly enough to retrace its steps to the secret door, behind which lies an immensely dangerous statue trap.
...
Eventually, having been poisoned by stone chips, they decide not to keep trying to break the statue, and head back down to the earth pit: the one that can be swung across with tarzan-ropes.
A pair of demon spiders scramble towards them from the far end, but the demon-befriending-whistle again makes them pause and they are quickly dealt with.
They cross the pit the boring way: easing down, walking across. Where Jotunn planted the acorn, a small green shoot is growing. Jokes are made about “watering” it. Then there’s a comfort stop while everyone uses one end of the pit. Then they ascend, pyramid-style, Whitey up last with a leap and grab onto the team’s hands.
[Though Whitey is about Mizva’s height, he is lighter-built and lighter-armoured, and the obvious candidate for a leap up]
Chains and options… where to next?
Gibbering chthonic fuligin pseudopods attack! No magic works, but no-one is teleported. The attacks seem weaker than they did originally and are dealt with quickly.
The party next assesses the end of the tunnel, a gaping opening into a rough vertical shaft. Their keen Dwarf eyes pick out the following options:
1. Three chains of different lengths plunge down from above them. By dextrously scrambling up the chains, they could conceivably manage an overhang and see what lies above. It would be an insane risk, for a lone climber.
“I’m not insane” – Whitey
[Jotunn looks at Crompton]
“I’m insane – but not stupid” – Crompton
2. Or, by swinging from chain to chain, they could leap across into a promising-looking crevice or shaft. (A small ledge below offers some fail-safety for this manoeuvre.) A very fit adventurer could do that.
“I’m very fit” – Cauleigh, drawing a scowl from Jotunn
But getting everyone across, given success in that manoeuvre, will take a lot of rope-tying and untying, and if something attacks they will be badly exposed.
3. Or, by sliding down to what looks like crude platforms fixed to each end, they could investigate what lies down the three chains.
"I don’t see any point in heading back below” – Fennec, speaking for everyone
4. Or finally, they could give up on this end of the tunnel and head back across the pit and up to an unexplored chimney, or the spinning brick tunnel. From the brick tunnel, there are still two doors, and an archway, that have not been tried yet.
And as they discuss these options, with the wind of the shaft gently whistling up Crompton’s sarong, we leave them there until next session.
Props: the drop-in set-piece I heavily adapted for Sezrekan's tomb is The Infernal Crucible of Sezrekan the Mad, Harley Stroh, Chaos Rising (DCC Classics #89). I replaced the mad wizard them with an undead theme, and did away with the "one must remain behind" curse. The illustration in the adventure is extremely useful for explaining how the pentagram trap works.
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Post by warlord476 on Aug 17, 2018 18:06:08 GMT -5
4.13: In crystal lies - the Sarnas descent, part five The characters for this session:
Jotunn, level 6 warrior
Cauleigh, level 4 warrior
Fennec, level 3 wizard
Crompton, level 3 rogue
ably assisted by their NPC allies:
Mizva, level 4 human warrior
Whitey, level 4 half-elf rogue
Where to now?
Cauleigh is for heading back and checking over the tunnels steps and doors so far unscouted, but half the party wants to check across the chains to what looks like another shaft. Jotunn does the swinging from chain to chain, but swings back and reports:
"Not a shaft – just a pit."
They've all agreed not to head up or down the abyss, so they turn about – Whitey and Mizva are already moving – and retrace their steps, back to the ladder/stair T-junction.
The giant doors of no way through
After some debate, they recall that the giant doors not far away are unexplored, and head back Redbeck-ward. They are so large Redbeck could fit through them – if he were able to somehow get into the tunnel.
"I wonder why the goblins aren't using this..."
Due caution prevails and eventually, Fennec deduces that the doors are actually a sham trap, designed to push people (using the Zingum spell or a variant of it) away down the T-stub and into a wall.
"So my guess is the goblins have tried this door... and then they stopped" - Cauleigh
In a spirit of recklessness Jotunn borrows Crompton's Anti-magic axe and hits the doors with it, but nothing happens.
"How long does this dispel things for?" - Jotunn, to an empty passage
The hatch of indecisive debate
More debate follows. Since they are so close to the turnoff into the circular stair leading down to Redbeck's, they next decide to see what lies at the top.
Some three and a half flights up, Crompton finds himself below a large circular trapdoor, opened by means of a very heavy mechanical apparatus. It could be made of bronze. It looks complicated.
Debate follows, suggestions being called up and down the stairwell, such as:
"Does it feel cold, like a body of water is sitting on it?"
"Don't touch it!"
This investigation – and joking – takes a good half hour. A goblin sticks his head out to ask if they're coming back to buy more, or if not, that they keep the noise down. The boss is trying to get some kip. Asked about the trapdoor, he points out that none of the goblins are strong enough to open it.
Whisper anew
At length, sick of indecision, Crompton and Fennec return back along the now-familiar T-junctions, past the stair and up the ladder. Here a short stub of tunnel leads to a circular stair.
Others drift after them, Jotunn grumbling about how they are just bypassing everything. The pair climb to the junction that leads off to the "tumbler" tunnel and gaze upwards. [Crompton uses IQ+Runebearer] The chimney is rough but climbable. Curiously, the rough rock of the chimney is completely different to the well-shaped granite below.
"You have finally returned" - the whispering voice
Rats, and the stage floor again
Tapping around the igneous rock, Crompton hears a slight scrabbling response, detects a hollower-sounding section, hinges open a secret rock door: giant rats pour out, biting the front pair but quickly dealt with. [Cramped-space rules create small penalties for those wielding bulky weapons] The surviving rats retreat across a pool of water beyond the secret opening.
Jotunn squeezes his bulk through the opening and lunges off the rat-nest ledge across the small pool – it's beyond his depth through part of it. Rope still attached he scouts up a rough cavern enough to find it leads out to the main stage floor. The end of the huge bronze chain is right there. He can pick out the flight of steps down, that Mizva returned from; and dimly, the steps up to Redbeck's.
The chimney of the mysterious switch and trapdoor
All this has taken long enough for Crompton to scale the chimney and find, at least 30' up, a shallow ledge and not far above it, a trapdoor. On the stone a few spans below the trapdoor is a hand-lever, with an inscribed arc to show it ought to be rotated 90 degrees.
Much debate follows.
"It could be worth a crack" - Cauleigh
Fennec hands the torch-cube over to Cauleigh, makes the chimney climb to the shallow ledge, and tries DetM. He senses some magic, but beyond the trapdoor.
More debate, but briefer: Crompton will check for traps and try to deduce which way the trapdoor opens. He and Fennec swap over.
The creeping fuligin of doom
With the aid of Cauleigh's light from the shallow ledge Crompton finds no further information about the lever but does deduce that the trapdoor – most likely – slides or pivots sideways. It seems kind of flimsy. Then threads of fuligin ooze down from the trapdoor...
Crompton drops onto Cauleigh, Cauleigh drops off the ledge! Fennec and Jotunn dive out of the way as the pair from above bounce off Jotunn's tower shield and onto the circular stair.
Decisive Pseudopod Combat!
There seems no end to the pseudopods! They drop back [L2 LK, L3 SPD] and attempt magic. Low-level magic is blocked, but by dint of much cutting and chopping the pseudopods are whittled back [minor penalties for cramped fighting apply, depending on SPD]. Initially they are punished, but fight on. Cauleigh and Jotunn bravely form a rearguard as the others drop down the ladder. Fennec throws LF on Cauleigh, but again, cancelled. With more room to fight, the battle swings in their favour! But Whitey is blinded! The pseudopods withdraw!
"After them! This is our chance!"
"We have to help Whitey!"
As they forge their path back up, leaving Fennec and Mizva tending Whitey, the other three see victory within their grasp. The pseudopods retract all the way back up the chimney, and back above the tradpoor.
The acid of boobytrapping yourself
"We need an acid bomb..." Cauleigh, who has an acid bomb but doesn't want to burn it
Mizva has some red oil he says should protect Cauleigh from gaseous acid. Cauleigh smears his armour and skin. Jotunn does not.
At length, Cauleigh and Jotunn chimney up to the ledge, use Jotunn's shield as a makeshift platform – nasty grating as it nearly gives way - heave the trapdoor sideways [L9 combined STR to shift it] - flip the acid bomb in - slide the trapdoor back!
Melting slime-fluid dissolves through the trapdoor and onto them! Jotunn is immediately acid-burned, Cauleigh less so, though the slime visibly damages gear.
"Yeah I didn't see that coming" - Crompton, sarcastically, trying not to see Jotunn's nether bits
Desperate to retreat, the two balance on tippy-toes on one end of the shield and heave the other end up from where it is wedged, and fall down as fast as they can!
[I hand some AP to the support crew, since the lead combatants were being asked for many SPD and LK rolls]
Redbeck's, your shopping haven
Well... the source of the pseudopods seems to be extinguished... but they're a bit of a mess. They pop down to Redbeck's, which is quiet and lightly attended. Jotunn buys tatty leather, re-straps it as best he can over a polo-barong and sarong he's rigged up out of rich fabric.
Fennec rests up under Redbeck's liberal neglect until his mana restores itself. He dishes out healing to the team, other than Crompton who is looking to his own needs.
It's time to head back to see what became of the acid. Back they all go.
"I need help... are you the one that will free me?" - the whisper
Cauleigh and Jotunn lead the climb back. The lever is largely intact. The trapdoor is completely gone, and acid stains mark the stone below, right down to the stairwell. Cauleigh pokes his head up into what appears to be a high natural cavern and finds his head is among heavy mechanical-looking apparatus, somewhat akin to bell-tower or mill-wheel gearing.
The locked lake
Much poking and clambering later the six assemble in what must have been the lair of the pseudopods' super-source... which is disappointingly bare of treasure. It seems to be a natural ledge around the gears of a massive water-wheel, which stands immobile in a lake.
The whispering continues to encourage those without helmets.
White midges play across the surface of the dank water, and the light picks up blind white fish feeding off them. Where the light does not play around the high roof, glow-worms create an enchanting display. Beyond the water wheel and across perhaps fifty feet or so of lake, a miniature donjon sits atop a natural-looking rock crag rising from the lake. Something much larger swells under the surface...
"This must once have been running... but it's been cut off from the flow long ago" - Cauleigh
The others begin joining the first pair. Fennec theorises this wheel arrangement must be a magical accumulator.
"Water... why does it always have to be..." - Jotunn
As Jotunn leans low [rolls a LK fail] to see what he can see, the huge creature lunges out and takes him down under!
To the rescue!
Cauleigh and Crompton shed armour as fast as they can and dive in! Fennec LFs Cauleigh! [Who makes L8 SPD even without that]
Meanwhile Jotunn [L11 CON] manages to resist being drowned or crushed long enough to activate his Dust of Desiccation and with a SHHHLLUUULLLPPP the lake level drops down to thigh-high on the plunging dwarves!
[This is the decisive move that allows Jotunn to live. The monster that nabbed him could kill him several times over, but is now floundering and surprised]
Fennec throws his next spell on Mizva, another LF. The burly warrior leaps down and races across, his longer legs an advantage.
Part-marooned, the ferocious apex predator is no match for the Dwarves plus Mizva, and with Whitey sniping. Fennec tries to get a line of sight, stumbles and falls into the water, but even so, by the time Crompton activates his special Elven shield, the battle is won.
Loot!
The party foregathers – Fennec pumps more healing into Jotunn – and they examine the crag, now towering over them. Blind fish, crowded by the sudden disappearance of most of the lake, flip around their legs. As they move to investigate, Cauleigh's foot strikes something metallic-feeling on the lake-bed...
Desperate for loot, the Dwarves quarter and re-quarter the ground and turn up a canvas-wrapped sword, a spell-tube-shaped tube, and coins. Gold, and mithril.
Happily they thoroughly splash around, foot by foot, and scrape up hundreds of coins, stashing them in Fennec's capacious sack. Mizva and Whitey recover most of their equanimity. With luck, they may do better than breaking even.
"Will you be the knight that releases me from my bed of glass?" - the whisper
Cauleigh locates both ingress and egress for the passage of a current. The merest trickle is entering. No watercraft is to be found. The cavern is not out-of-proportion for the depth of the descent: it could even be that there is a hatch in the roof above the donjon.
Armour is retrieved and re-donned.
Fennec identifies the sword as a sword and the tube as a spell-scroll. Using Omni-Eye he finds the latter is a set of five Level 5 spells, and the sword is a semi-intelligent Trollslayer sword, with Vorpal power, but Whammy against trolls.
Crompton is very interested in the sword, and introduces himself to it. Its name is Voi, a simple soul.
In the donjon
A very sturdy-looking pipe or perhaps massive bronze column runs out from the side of the little donjon, and down into the stone lake-bed. It offers a simple climb up most of the height, and ornamental crenelations offer a perfect place to loop the rope.
Jotunn, with a few useless scraps of leather armour still girt around his mostly-naked frame, makes the clamber and lowers the doubled rope ends. The others join him as he discards the leather scraps. A simple trapdoor lifts up to show a ladder down to a normal-size donjon chamber and an offset second ladderway, further down. As a matter of routine Fennec follows up the idea that there might be a trapdoor above, as well: there is not.
The gear works
Since there seems no rush and everyone wants to dry off, they wait patiently for Fennec to announce he is satisfied with his mana level. Crompton still has a long way to go - the shield cost all of his mana.
They descend. The chamber is dominated by a very heavy system of throwing a massive gear over, using a cammed hand-flywheel. It obviously connects to the bronze column outside. Other than the same sort of symbology as the lever below the chimney trapdoor, there are no instructions. [Fennec makes L6 IQ to explain the specifics] They choose not to activate it.
The whisper explains that something has prevented power from accumulating.
Down below, she waits
It's time to check the ladderway down. It leads deep. Definitely deeper than the rock knoll the donjon stands upon.
Jotunn works his way down some 40 or so feet, light from the cube streaming sharply down over his shoulder. The ladder leads to a broad rock-cut chamber. A faded mural around the chamber is beyond anyone's reckoning: there is also a dark, practical looking door. And opposite that, a steep stair down.
"At last... at last" - the whisper
The door is, by Jotunn and Cauleigh's reckoning, quite likely to be the rune-embellished ebon door that stood off the circular stair that was accessed off the stage floor. It appears to be manually unlatchable on this side.
Crompton takes the rogue's role again, and with WoW eases down to a domed chamber, wherein lies a bed of glass, adorned with intertwined glowing glyphs!
Eminrah is charming
Attempting not to be blown up by the glyphs, Crompton surveys the scene, then reports briefly. The others join him, though Whitey hangs well back and Mizva stays with one foot on the steps.
"This could be good or bad... I seem to remember someone saying there's something bad around here" - Jotunn, correctly half-recalling the goblin advice
"Ahh well if it is the same as the mirror it did apologise, for what that's worth..." - Fennec
The four Restorers survey the domed chamber. The bed-size crystal seems to contain semi-opaque mist inside, obscuring the female form lying arms crossed upon its breast.
"Somehow, I've been left asleep for so long.. there is no power... the power bed is not working... somewhere below there is a bed... I need someone to lie in it" - Eminrah
"Does that person get to stay in the bed forever?" - Cauleigh
"No, that would never happen" - Eminrah
"What would happen to that person?" - Crompton
"They would be transferred to a new experience of life" - Eminrah
"Let's get someone we really f**k**g hate, like Neghed, and get him to lie in it!" - Fennec, enthused
The other Dwarves find this amusing. Mizva and Whitey have not met Neghed to speak to, and are puzzled.
"If you do wish someone to experience the wonder of the transformation, I can help" - Eminrah
"How so?" - Fennec
"I can temporarily gift you with a convincing tone" - Eminrah
"So is it in this glass thing here, or further down?" - Jotunn
"From what it said, it's right here" - Fennec
"What is your name?" - Cauleigh
"Eminrah"
Fennec [makes a fail] lectures the party for 20 minutes on an Eminrah (or possibly Ermintrude) he distinctly recalls reading about...
"I think you may be thinking of someone else" - Eminrah
"So we go down somewhere and..." - Jotunn
"And if someone lies on the bed and restarts the mechanism, what happens?" - Cauleigh
"My gifts, wonderful gifts, will be released" - Eminrah
"What gifts?" - Crompton
"Beauty, warmth, love" - Eminrah
[At this point I feel the cross-questioning merits CHR SRs from Crompton and Cauleigh, to defend against Eminrah's massive amount of charm]
"I'm not getting a good vibe from this..." - Fennec
"Hey what? Sounds alright to me!" - Cauleigh, managing merely L3 CHR
"Yeah, I like everything she's selling" - Crompton, managing L2 CHR
Fennec has changed poles from his initial 'perfect for Neghed' position and begins arguing. At this point, Jotunn, who has largely stayed out of the debate, taps Crompton on the shoulder.
"Hey can I just borrow your axe again?" - Jotunn
"Watcha gonna do with it?"
"It's a surprise"
"Sure what's the worst that could happen?"
Jotunn tippy-toes around to where the "convinced" pair aren't watching, then smacks the axe onto the crystal bed!
Enders of Eminrah
The crystal explodes, the glyphs steal Jotunn's life force [CON drops to 59] and Eminrah explodes into an attack! Vaulting to a fighting stance she wields an iron sceptre, which hums through the air with the menacing heft of something much heavier than it looks. Fennec recalls his lessons from Fingold, casts GY. Cauleigh draws his kukri and leaps behind the necromantess. Jotunn hurls Crompton's axe and whips his own axe into action. From back at the stair, Whitey looses his low-enchantment arrow. The two combined missiles seem to check Eminrah. Cauleigh, dodging in trying to trip her, hurls himself out of the way: but his manoevre has the effect of keeping the sceptre away from the others as the all-important melee takes place.
Eminrah's fighting power seems barely checked, but it is enough for the three fighting - Jotunn Mizva and Crompton - to dominate! She barely scratches them - though her power seems to swell again!
Fennec moves back towards Whitey, positioned up the steps.
"Whitey - Dust of Radiance!"
Whitey clutches his head: his aim swings at Fennec! [makes a good IQ roll so does not make the shot]
"Fight it Whitey! You're being controlled!"
Fennec burns another 4 charges off the Dis-Spell wand [17 remain].
Meanwhile Eminrah whips the sceptre into a forehand smash - and with a well-aimed cut from his kukri, Cauleigh whicks her hand off! They all manage to avoid the spinning bar of iron as the sceptre whirls across the chamber and smashes splinters off the wall.
Before her next spell can affect someone, they slay her.
The last chamber
The area is safe now, and there's no rush. They retrieve Jotunn's leather armour scraps and lash the sceptre in them, then pop it in the sack. A long period of down-time follows, during which Crompton recovers all mana and Fennec heals those injured.
The ebony door proves to be magically locked. At length, and after an Omni to find the right level, Fennec uses a Level 6 KK on it. As expected, it lets onto the circular stair.
The final and large chamber at the foot of that circular stair holds the "bed" Eminrah referred to. Here, lines of runes cover walls ceiling and floor. A 10' diameter dais, three steps up, stands at centre. A man-size depression... tiny holes... shackles... a hole above... yes, not something they want to experiment with.
The ascent, and out
Satisfied that they are not going to try to brace the living statue trap, they return to the stage floor and ascend chain by chain, ledge by ledge.
Passing the zombie ledge, they note that a small green oak shoot is already sprouting.
They vote not to try the underwater secret door.
The mirror is quiescent. They climb the final steps to the glittering cavern. With perhaps eight hours to go before the 48 hour mark, it is time to place the tower shield over the floor entrance, seat Jotunn on his shield, and rest up.
And in due time with a CRACK and RUUMMBLLE the wall of stone opens!
"Well Ah do declare!" - Daisy
She goes to hug Fennec then gets a look and whiff and backs off with a "why honey, Ah reckon as they's a nice bath a-waitin' in the Guild" and they pass through, to the admiring gaze of minor Descent Committee members, and up into fame.
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Post by warlord476 on Aug 24, 2018 19:43:22 GMT -5
4.14: Saviours of Sarnas! The characters for this session:
Jotunn, warrior
Cauleigh, warrior
Fennec, wizard
Crompton, rogue
Somewhat distracted by their allies:
Whitey, half-elf rogue
Mizva, warrior
Part one: The pre-Committee hours
A slayer by any other name would smell as sweet (once bathed)
The six heroes emerge into the Sarnas night and for many hours, seek out bath-houses or at least inns with an option of a tub, night-stall barbers, and clothiers that don't mind being knocked up in the night. Naturally, Mizva and Whitey drift away and so by midday, it is just four clean, well-clothed Restorers sitting around their favorite corner of the Porters Arms, discussing the new titles Cauleigh wants to add to their long list of honours.
He has three he would like to add, then whittles that down to two, but when the other three object to "Slayers of Sezrekan" because they will have to explain that Sezrekan isn't a place but the name of a god – every single time – and who the god is – he graciously accepts merely "Sarnas Sleuths" as the badge of honour for the overall dealings in Sarnas.
Then Fennec raises one of the original possible titles – Saviours of Sarnas Abbey – as long as the bigwigs agree – and Crompton wants to simplify that to Saviours of Sarnas.
"After we leave Sarnas" Jotunn adds drily. "But we'll have to see what the papers say."
At that point, a farrier's wife interrupts, with a bill for the upkeep of their ponies. As they amicably settle up, she mentions that their exploits are already in the papers.
With a feeling of doom the morning edition of the Tribune is fetched off the bar...
Slayers of who?
The morning edition already carries a report of the descent. "Thunder Down Under" bellows the Tribune in vast capitals. It seems the six explorers eviscerated someone named Evanrude, and brought sacred fire to end a creature named Sacredan. A leak?!
Much earlier, immediately after their emergence, the six heroes found themselves sitting in comfort in the Bishop's Palace, sipping nourishing drafts, and filling in a questionnaire.
The essence of this questionnaire is to list the gear they found during the descent (though to be sure, other specifics such as dangerous creatures, please describe, are included). Every single Dwarf fills it in honestly, though Crompton scrawls a list of property he lost during the descent, along the margins!
And now they hustle out and collar a passing paper-boy, and buy a copy of the Clarion. It too has a report, citing a reliable source in the "admeturers guild" that says a large amount of treasure was not found.
"Reliable source... we know that's wrong" - Cauleigh
Sheriff von Diemar has a word
A smartly-turned-out watchman intercepts them before they can decide where to walk next, and escorts them south-east to the watch-house, and up to the "bull-pen." After whetting the curiosity of a few detectives they are waved in to the Sheriff's office by the man himself.
"Good ta see yer self. Jest tryin' ter work out th' right time t'convene Committee fer th' Descent."
They are given a time, noon the next day, and a place, the same Merchant's Guildhall that the grand jury used.
The Sheriff alerts them to Neghed's position. The Templar is making sure that everything they brought out is being valued, possibly with a view to buying the gear for a low value. But the Sheriff, who seems to be neutral, means to involve all of the select and craft guilds where need be.
And speaking of guilds...
Immediately on departing, Cauleigh and Jotunn find themselves invited to the Warriors Guild to brief them – over an ale or three – and Fennec heads direct to the Wizards Guild to speak to Daisy. Crompton walks over to the Park, to see if he can find an Elf. Jotunn has given him the last acorn to hand back to them.
Aside from general cheer and goodwill, the point of the Warriors Guild briefing is to arm the guild with enough information to take a position on the Committee proceedings, and warn the Dwarfs not to blab ahead of the Committee.
Daisy finds Fennec at the exact right time, after a nice snack and nap have allowed him to recover a little. Listening to his description, Daisy ropes Max Oberhelm in, as the situation seems to need an expert bureaucrat. In a private office, Max throws up a privacy chamber and they discuss matters freely. Max takes a number of notes and reassures Fennec as best he can that the Guild has the Dwarves covered – there won't be any low-ball valuations.
Daisy examines the key Fennec was given by Ernysi... in great detail. Then hands it back.
Again reassuring Fennec that as long as a consistent, well-delivered account of the descent is offered – and Mizva is not left to run amok – the Committee should prove routine, Max closes the interview.
As for Crompton, after meeting no Elves in the immediate Park entrance, he takes a stool at Central Perk and falls into a very pleasant conversation with a couple. [A L1 CHR SR on a L5 requirement means that he unwittingly tells them a great deal about the descent] But at length Chani enters and Crompton both hands over the acorn and makes an appointment for a hafting assessment at her guild, paying her 24 gold for priority. He's invited to visit Princess Janorra and accepts but does not act on it.
Much later than they arrived at the Old Alehouse, the two Warrior Dwarfs part ways, Cauleigh to walk round to the Park, Jotunn to head back to the lockup. Cauleigh makes the further acquaintance of Warrior Artie Patch, good-natured, in-the-know Hobb, who recommends his cousin (Gizzard) as a Rogue that might make a good scout for a foray into Sarn Athrad. They discuss wintertime jobs and the prospects of the hunter-killer teams being agreed. Cauleigh passes up the idea of a wager.
Jotunn gets a farewell kiss from Diesa Zarkana (of the wealthy Zarkanas) and Hanna Burrowsmith (of Wizard Guild liaison squad). He's followed all the way over to the upper docks by Girol, who fails to interest him in buying the cub reporter any food, or talking to anyone for that matter. [L2 CHR SR ends off the inexpert youngster]
Cauleigh speaks to Cettros, Central Perk's centaur proprietor, and learns that Crompton has been in blabbing to reporters; that Cettros is catering to the Committee; and that endorsements and speaking engagements will no doubt be offered the famed spelunkers. Finishing his coffee-liqueur (on the house!) he leaves for Jane's Bakery.
It's already clean-up time at the bakery: Jane greets Cauleigh and summons her younger sister (Mother Hobb) out from some stewing process. Mother Hobb kisses Cauleigh hello and wonders where "her boys" are. Cauleigh explains Betty's toad-down-the-back prank, and that he has named the toad Betty.
The Porters Arms sees all four Dwarves gather very ready for bed, barely bothering to grab a bite. Idly and in passing Fennec wonders where Mizva and Whitey are, but is too tired to act on it.
Let's go find Mizva and Whitey
A solid 14 hours later they wake in the dawn, to the cries of Extra! Extra! Descent Details! Read all about it!
"I can't tell how anyone could get this information!" Cauleigh exclaims, having decided not to betray Crompton.
"I bet you it's Neghed!" Crompton claims, none the wiser.
Leaving the Porters Arms being decorated with election bunting (Collar-necks!) they head out.
On the off-chance Mother Hobb has mysteriously gathered Mizva and Whitey to herself, they all walk over to Jane's Bakery. There is a long queue. After – at length – drawing level with a window, Jotunn bangs vigorously and – again at length – having pulled faces at them through the glass, Betty walks outside and around to see what they want.
"She don't know!" Betty reports after walking back inside to ask her aunt. To Crompton's further suggestions she pulls more faces and departs.
Where Cauleigh originally found Mizva was by the Great North Gate so they all head with the traffic flowing across the bridges and by the theatre. More bunting, this time for the Ruff-necks, and big signs in favour of Senator Bernhart the Beneficent.
Near the north gate, at the same pub, they spy two familiar figures seated at the outside tables. Mizva has eight of a ten-handle pyramid piled up on the table; Whitey is nursing his beer. The Dwarves join them in hopes of moving Mizva along.
Whitey brings up the questionnaire (calling it a quiz) and they discuss prospects for gear value, and who might be leaking to the press. It's news to their allies that the Committee meets today, and so is the time and place. This being known, Fennec gains an agreement that the spokespeople be limited to he and Cauleigh.
"And if there's something you don't know, just say you weren't able to see it and don't know," Jotunn advises.
Mizva agrees but says that if they aren't going to pay out he'll have a few f**k**g choice words to say. Fennec looks at the burly warrior.
"Now you've finished your ten, Mizva, what say you have a swig of this Too Bad Toxin drink?"
"I know what you're trying to do, but don't worry, I'll be fine," Mizva responds.
He and Jotunn get up to unload their intake in the pub's alley. Crompton begins making an even more cunning plan to de-toxify Mizva: Whitey calls him to order, saying quietly but distinctly:
"I'll look after my friend, thanks – you look after yours"
The six eat a basic mid-morning meal there in the pub. Then five of the six walk at leisurely gait to the Merchant Guild compound, and Fennec walks to the Porters Arms, dons his replacement best Guild robe, and heads to the Committee too.
Part 2: The Committee and after
The elect, the select, and the circumspect
Again, the adventurers shed sidearms and are shown through to the hall with incredibly comfortable wooden furniture. Folk have heard that Central Perk is catering and there are already plenty of numbers around the coffee and meals. The Dwarves see some figures from last time, and some new faces.
Select guilds: Regular watch captain Acusta; Garrison Sgt Musger; Tam Wigan of the Warriors Guild; Dwarf Borer of the Adventurers Guild; and Magister wizard Max Oberhelm of the Wizards Guild (who appears to have a chairperson role).
Elect guilds: Dainty redhead Urie, representing service industries; Fairy Miraina, representing fine crafts; Burly, dandyish Lennor representing metal-smiths; and Areta, representing gem-smiths Senators Renee Finaire and Kalashtriel (both elves, but the former neutral and the latter Isildore's) are there, along with red-locked Chani. They all notionally represent the Elves rather than a guild or senate faction.
"Ah! Chani! She trained with Ponderblade!" Cauleigh exclaims, out of nowhere, but it's useful information for Crompton [and for me since I can use the idea].
The three religious the adventurers expect are there: Erynsi and Neghed of the Cathedral and Bowdyn of River Temple.
Fennec spots Lady Bree. She's seated not far behind Max, side-on to the hall, rather out of sight of everyone. He warns the others to be on their best behaviour.
A certain amount of official fuss at the door: a Mercer Herald calls the arrival of senator Bernhart. He and his hulking coat-holder Drake enter, nodding around. And with a "sorry I'm late" senator Isildore wanders in, shakes hands around the hall, and stations himself near Kalashtriel.
The account of the descent
All seems ready, save for the fashionably late Sheriff von Diemar, who nods good afternoon, and finds only a dreg of coffee remaining.
Max takes over the presiding role, inviting the Committee to guide him as to how to proceed. In a choreographed manner Tam of the Warriors suggests that they do not wish to hear the same thing six times, so only one spokesperson need take the stand.
Neghed looks a little sourer.
"We certainly could. You should also remember that not everyone could see the same exact thing at the same time, being in tight confines, but we were all there," Jotunn responds.
"Ahum... ahum... 'tain't mah place ter say, but Ah reckon as Jotunn thar's d**n' right. Ah bin down a tight hole 'er two, unlike most y'all..." Borer drawls.
"You or me?" Cauleigh to Fennec
"You I think" Fennec to Cauleigh
As spokesperson Cauleigh explains the descent well [I claim his last boon to smoothly include the infuence of the mirror/whisper leading right up to Emenrah] and the means by which the great evil was defeated. It's made clear to the Committee that challenges remain (including the Troll-Goblin market).
During Cauleigh's description, Fennec notices a reaction from Lady Bree – just a slight one [makes L3 CHR on a second chance] but enough to suggest something to him.
Fame!
Individual members of the elect and select question Cauleigh on particular matters: he hands over to Fennec on any arcane matter. But they make these enquiries in a friendly way. Neghed is clearly upset at the way things have gone.
[Based on individual LK or CHR SRs from the four Dwarves, I hand out 200AP]
Max sums up. While not everything has been valued, the adventurers are to be immediately awarded the balance of reward, and those items valued already can be dealt with today.
"Tomorrow we'll deal with the orneriest of the items, and I don't allow as how we need y'all to turn up," he concludes, nodding at the members. There's general nodding in response. Except from Neghed, who stands, walks into the centre of the hall, and snarls:
"Waal I reckon as how this goddam' thing's aimin' ter run me out on a rail! I know whut's goin on! But - we in th' Temple of th' Father got th' last say - and don't fergit - only one temple defendin' this hyar city! I'll be seein' yez!"
The immediate payouts of reward outstanding, share of the gold physically gathered in the descent, award from the armourers' on the chitinous scales (dragon scale) and mithril coin, are dealt with. So is confirmation that the adventurers can keep the potions of truthfulness, invisibility and giant strength.
Emerging from the guildhall, late that night, Mizva rubs his hands:
"Money! Where do we go to celebrate boys?"
Then, he's accosted by reporters! As is Jotunn! But to his credit Jotunn insists that since proceedings aren't finished he has "no comment."
Agreeing that they'll meet up before the next convening, the Dwarves part ways with their allies. Cauleigh hears Whitey speaking to a woman, off in the dark. He shrugs and leads his three fellows to the Suckling Pig [or to be accurate, the Drunken Nixie] where they enjoy a fine repast, without being extravagant.
During the evening a series of folk drop by, shake hands, and make offers. They realise that some lines of income have opened up.
Riches!
As Max indicated, few Committee members are needed. The armourers and gemsmiths are represented.
Final valuations of the more magical of the treasures has come through. Now that Neghed has given up on the idea of removing the treasure for next-to-no money, some are very high.
There now intervenes a complicated session where the adventurers are provided valuations on spell scroll, Trollbane sword, dagg-pistolet, and spiked targe. They accept the price on the dagg, and after some hard thinking, the scroll.
Crompton buys out everyone on the Trollbane sword. This is generous and leaves him bereft of coin for buying spells or gadgets.
Cauleigh decides that since the targe is about the same as his madhu, and is worth a small fortune, he'll leave it. But Jotunn asks for it, buys out Mizva and Whitey's share, and persuades the others to take a smaller compensation since he also needs to afford armour.
Looking forward to Winter
Crompton keeps his appointment with Chani. He is unclear on what he has in mind: Chani uses her expertise to suggest some possibilities. Things like not fumbling, or mobility, or raw power... then the blade itself can be enhanced with things like breaking. Crompton plumps for Double Double on DEX, if it can be configured into something he can afford.
Jotunn and Cauleigh, of course, keep their appointment with Eric Nordigar and pay off the balances on their armour.
The four Restorers are free to follow up the lines of income that have been advertised to them. Jotunn is a popular subject for endorsements; and Cauleigh has the offer of speaking engagements. Crompton already has an offer of work along the warehouses, and Fennec has spell-writing. They fall to discussing the important thing: how they ought to be referred to by the press!
Saviours of Sarnas! ...or maybe...
"Really, Sleuths doesn't really tell people what we did. I think "Saviours of Sarnas" sounds waaay better."
"Well, I think Descenders ought to play its part in out titles..."
"Discoverers of the Descent? Good yarn in that one..."
And so the debate looks fit to continue over to the next season, as our heroes undertake work around town. Until that time, here are the attributes the "Saviours" have at end of season:
Fennec: STR24 IQ40 LK27 CON27 DEX24 CHR26 SPD25 WIZ38. Lvl 4 wizard, specialist in Combat and Curative schools, wanderer background, novice delver
Cauleigh: STR41 IQ19 LK39 CON44 DEX38 CHR30 SPD41 WIZ28. Lvl 4 warrior, townsman background, novice delver
Jotunn: STR40 IQ18 LK32 CON61 DEX32 CHR20 SPD32 WIZ21. Lvl 6 warrior, hunter background and tracking talent, novice delver
Crompton: STR28 IQ26 LK33 CON32 DEX32 CHR20 SPD30 WIZ30. Lvl 3 rogue, apprentice roguery and Runebearer
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Post by warlord476 on Sept 7, 2018 20:22:43 GMT -5
Appendices to Season 4 Party honours Here follows a somewhat-complete list of the honours the Restorers bear. I leave off the Sarnas honour(s) because the players are still debating them.
Because some allies joined them here and there, some feats were joint efforts, and some Dwarves weren't in the front line, I list these as the general public knows them:
Heroes of Tigley Saviours of Hopespyre Pranksters of Palgwyth Delvers of Destone Restorers of Ravensdown Defenders of Jake's town Fingold furbishers, re-founders and Restorers (the latter becomes the party name in the press) Restorers (or retrievers) of Edoras (or Marda). Edoras is the Earl's title, Marda is his daughter Redeemers of the Gann
Why no Sarnas parade? Or, what's with the anticlimax? The descent's existence is a scandal, though perhaps only the powers that be fully understand that. The powers that be do not want to accept blame, and part of not accepting blame is not making a big deal of it in the first place. A parade is the last thing they want. They outmaneuver the temple by pushing the idea (onto the party) that the temple wants to cheat the party out of loot. Fairly true, and an easy ploy to use with adventurers. Say nothing, keep your cards close to your chest... it works. The temple very much wants to lay blame, but is in the awkward position of being caretakers for the full Zolman hierarchy and Cathedral administration. So they aren't in possession of institutional knowledge about how Sarnas was built where the Abbey used to be. Ernysi, who is naive in politics, is unable to coax Fennec to reveal key details - not that he was aware of any! Tension exists between senate factions. Both major factions would be happy to promote adventurer fame if it meant more votes and the scandal could be avoided, but neither is willing to risk the other side gaining more votes. It's safer for them to just not try to recruit party members, and not raise the prospect of a parade. The powers that be go into the Committee with adventurers on their side, and a hand-picked elect and select membership. With money handed out the descent will be a mere nine-day-wonder and no awkward questions will persist. Or so they plan. Extraordinarily for Sarnas, the press is excluded from the Committee proceedings. The Committee warnings have worked perfectly, and after day one, the adventurers refuse to reveal the proceedings. Day two is mere technicalities and the city is safe... except for the secrets learned by the "charming couple" who spoke to Crompton. The Restorers are acknowledged as key actors in the descent, and the speaking engagements and endorsements accrue from that. But the scandal is avoided: so everyone is happy.
Future paths From the earliest days of their road trip Sarnas was said to be a great place for information about a possible location for Ikkutas. Cauleigh followed that up and, along with the other three, successfully researched two possible routes.
1. Just keep heading up the Vale It may seem too obvious but if legends of Ikkutas say it lies upriver somewhere, and remnants of records say there is a region far upriver that used to trade directly with Ikkutas, then one option is definitely, just keep heading west upriver. This will also fit in with the concept of a full party expedition to return the bones of the long-dead paladin to rest with the Scions of Kolbrannus.
2. Head north to Aunor Definite records point to Aunor as a key link in trade to and from Ikkutas. Aunor is a great vale beyond the Elf forests and Lone Mountain to the north, but has fallen out of frequent commerce with the Vale. The northern barbarians (the Restorers have met a few, and tend to conflate them with Horsebrother barbarians to the south) hail from there, or from points north... that detail is not entirely clear! This concept would involve two missions, first for Cauleigh to decide how to deal with the Scions; then a full party expedition north to pass the lands of the Elves and enter Aunor.
3. Adventure around Sarnas There are two major threads left around Sarnas, and more open-ended matters. 3.1 The southern campaign This will be of more interest to characters that have grown some empathy, and are pretty sure rule by an orc lord will be worse for settlers and other people they like, than the loose confederated rule of the Principalities. High-risk forays against very tough individual monsters surrounded by large numbers of firearm wielding illkin. 3.2 Sarn Athrad This will be of more interest to characters that relish the chance to use their high-powered gadgets in an ongoing dungeon setting, with the prospect of loot. Resource conservation, possible recruitment of minor parties to do scouting, social interplay with the surface community, and the traditional process of getting loot to get more gear. 3.3 Nearby towns A number of towns lie around Sarnas, both federated with Sarnas, and across the border in the Carloman Principalities. Missions such as pirate-killing abound. These will be of interest to characters preferring quick and limited reward for lower risk.
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Post by warlord476 on Dec 20, 2019 22:11:32 GMT -5
Sometimes campaigns just peter out and readers are left wondering. This is a sitrep on the Ikkutas campaign.
Last season I tried rebalancing AP to nudge Fennec along. He is the least likely to stunt and therefore I got complaints most games from his player.
However, the most active players noticed that, and were none too pleased!
I also have to say that Fennec did very little to none of the driving towards getting Ikkutas lore. It seemed that his player is not really interested in the entire raison d'etre for the campaign.
Not long ago I did a poll of what campaign my players could get into, and included Ikkutas. The feedback was mixed, owing to the above.
So, I have decided not to put even the minimum prep into the campaign. Why run something that players aren't having fun with? And that the lead character does not comprehend?
I hope that explains enough of the situation. Who knows, players may get behind it again. But for now it is in permanent hiatus.
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Post by peterpanda on Dec 24, 2019 14:03:03 GMT -5
warlord476 -
Thank you for the update and meta-gaming context behind your campaign. The situation is lamentable; as I expressed in private correspondence, I've enjoyed your session postings. Were it possible, I'd have enjoyed playing in your campaign and love the fact that it has a deep historical mystery to uncover. I will hold out hope that it gets revived.
Kind Regards,
Peter Panda
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