Abby | Raya (Halfling)
Dominique | Archibald (Dwarf)
Helena | Wynn (Cleric)
Iona | Connell (Halfling)
Jo | Grayspock (Dwarf)
Nick | Halgor Mountainkin (Dwarf)
Lured to the borderlands of Menela by tales of the legendary Whiterock Caverns and the treasures within, the party departed from Alos, a final bastion of civilisation before the Southern Wilds that consumed the old Kingdom of Orchomen, and made their way to Whiterock Town, a coastal settlement put to its final ruin by a terrible landslide from the snow-capped mountain that loomed above it. They had been forewarned of the following during their time in Alos:
A terrible creature dwells in the cave down the cliff path - it can smash a boat to splinters!
Horrible beasts have been roaming the wilds around Whiterock in recent months, they look like crosses between swine and men. They fear the scent of rosemary.
There’s some sort of colosseum in the upper reaches of the Caverns - the Old Empire loved their entertainment. Whatever dwelled there has long since passed.
There are sea-devils lurking down in the cove. They want to kidnap you and take you back to their underwater prisons.
Firean styles herself as the Lord of Whiterock town. As long as you puff up her ego, she should leave you be.
The machines within the deep halls are bound to obey mortal commands, even if it harms them.
Surveying the ruined town from a hilltop on the road with the bright sun and a clear sky overhead, the party took in the overgrown walls which swept from the mountainside around to the sea, bordered by the rushing Tollen river, and saw several things of interest:
Two old gatehouses, one across an old bridge nearby (the South Gatehouse) and one on the Eastern wall, part consumed by the rockfall.
Several large buildings still standing, with roofs of clay tile and copper sheeting, maybe temples or inns?
An old keep overlooking the town.
A lighthouse perched on the edge of the cliffs.
A dark shape against the gleaming white of the mountain rock - indistinguishable from this distance.
Opting to investigate the Southern Gatehouse, the party crossed a bridge of gleaming metal which hummed as the fast waters of the Tollen rushed against its supports - clearly a relic from an ancient time. Flanked by a pair of stone towers, the old gates had either collapsed or hung off their hinges - Wynn investigated the gatehouse passage and judged it safe, Connell noticed a pile of detritus beneath a wooden balcony and fished out a silver necklace from among bones and large bird pellets. An odd cawing noise was heard from the top of the western tower and the party split - Wynn, Grayspock, Archibald, and Halgor travelled through the gates while Connell and Raya investigated an old drain emerging from underneath the wall.
With a mighty grip, Raya pulled the rusted metal grate loose and the Halflings ventured into the dark tunnel with cold water up to their waists, their way lit only by torchlight.
On the other side of the gatehouse lay two doors, one into each tower. Wynn opened the western tower door to reveal a strange glowing beetle making a nest out of ruined, damp furniture. He quickly closed the door again. The Dwarves ventured into the eastern tower and searched a small storeroom - Archibald found a bottle of fine brandy amongst the damp and ruined supplies. Halgor tried the stairs, only for them to creak dangerously under his weight - the party stripped off their heavy armour and carefully ventured up, passing their armour up in a sack held up by Grayspock's 10' pole. The upper gatehouse was a single room with a ladder leading up to the top of each tower. Trying the western tower trapdoor, the party found it wedged shut by something heavy and couldn't open it - aggravated cawing was heard over the attempt to force the trapdoor.
Looking down the western stairs, Archibald took aim at the odd beetle with their sling but missed. The beetle charged up the stairs and was intercepted by Halgor - fierce melee broke out. Wynn attempted to flank the beetle by running down the eastern stairs and around, but the stairs gave way under the weight of his now re-donned armour and he was toppled beneath a pile of rubble and wood, badly wounded, but alive. Between bullets from Grayspock's sling and blows from Halgor's mace, the beetle was driven to flight and finally slain by a blow from Archibald's maul.
Meanwhile, the two Halflings came to a stone platform and metal ladder leading up from the underground drain (which continued on). At the top of the ladder lay an ill-fitting flagstone and Raya peeked under it to catch sight of a dusty cellar. Choosing to emerge, the Halflings ventured towards a staircase down which poured light and raucous conversation - they peeked up and saw a great number of armed humans in what appeared to be an old market hall converted into a common area - a cookfire burned, bedrolls lay scattered around, and around a third of the group seemed inebriated. A large double door opened to the outdoors and a wooden staircase on the far side of the room lead to an upper floor. Raya opted to sneak to the staircase, flitting between the shadows and hiding behind old tables. Connell attempted to pickpocket one of the men. Both were successful, and Connell was also able to join Raya on the staircase.
Venturing upstairs, they found an old counting house repurposed into a war council. A hard-faced, scarred woman conferred with her subordinates over a map - they had found Firean's headquarters. Raya chose to sneak to a door on the far side of the room while Connell, acting on the rumour the party had heard about Firean's love of flattery, walked over to join the group. Although Raya was spotted, Firean was stunned by the pair's audacity and obvious ability (the flattery helped as well!) and quizzed them about the tunnel they had entered via: the 'Free Company' sought a back-door into the Keep, which was occupied by monsters they were warring with for control of the town, and the tunnels may be just what they needed. Firean sent a mirror signal to the Southern Gatehouse after learning the rest of the party were there.
Still investigating the western trapdoor, Wynn, Archibald, Halgor, and Grayspock were surprised when the eastern trapdoor opened and a man called down, informing them that they had been summoned to the market hall. After some conferring, Halgor destroyed the ladder to the eastern trapdoor and the party met up with their wayward allies. Firean offered them freedom from tolls, two flasks of lamp oil each (they had been planning to 'burn out' their enemies in the Keep), and a silver ingot from their stash as a down-payment if they agreed to investigate the tunnels further and find an alternative entrance to the Keep, with a promise of further treasure to be had.
With this, the party returned to Alos to resupply and prepare for their next expedition.
Total Treasure Obtained: 229sp | 39sp each
Total XP from foes bested: 15XP | 2XP/character.
Feats of Exploration Achieved: 11% XP needed to advance | Apply lore in a useful or flavourful manner. (2%) | Confirm a rumour’s veracity. (2%) | Uncover a secret. (2%) | Beneficially resolve a high-stakes encounter with an important NPC. (5%)
Total XP/Character: 41 + 11% needed for next level total.
Dominique | Archibald (Dwarf)
Helena | Wynn (Cleric)
Iona | Connell (Halfling)
Jo | Grayspock (Dwarf)
Returning to Whiterock town after resting and resupplying in Alos, the party were determined to explore the old temple they had seen on their previous visit to the ruined settlement. Tracking through drizzle falling from a grey sky, they passed the Southern Gatehouse without issue and, after some time wandering the deathly quiet streets, found themselves in a wide square surrounding the old building: old plaster crumbled from fine stonework and stained glass windows were long since smashed but the clay-tiled roof of the hall and bell tower still seemed to hold against the rain. Courtyards lay at the front and rear of the rectangular building and tree canopies could be seen rising from each one.
Wynn, with help from Grayspock, spied through one of the narrow, ruined windows. They saw rusted weapons suspended from prayer flag ropes strung between tall pillars, a bare marble altar, and a huge crack which split the flagstones of the temple floor. Occasional birdsong and the wind were the only things to be heard. Connell took the chance to jump up through the window and recognised the birdsong as the Cant of the Rontay clan, Halflings who traded along the coasts of the realm in small fleets. They called out and were answered by a pair of Halflings - Hildo & Alard - who were hidden in the wooden gantries high up in the roof. The pair invited Connell up to speak with them and warned of a trap they had laid in the staircase leading up the bell tower - Connell followed footsteps on the dusty stairwell and avoided dropping the large bronze bell down from the tower, but upon reaching the top they were confronted by a pair of levelled crossbows...
Meanwhile, Wynn, Grayspock and Archibald entered the courtyard at the front of the temple and beheld a defaced statue of Abagos, the Spear Father, Defender of Man, Bulwark of the Realm, and Divine of the Six-Part World. A pair of covered walkways flanked the courtyard and the wooden pillars supporting the roofs of each one were covered in ruined prayer offerings nailed to the pillars with knives, arrowheads, and other metal fixings. A pair of ash trees stood before the main doors, entwined together in their upper reaches. Heading into the main hall, Wynn examined the old altar and a ruined reliquary, and found a plaque next to a door at the other side of the hall showing a figure being borne upon a shield by several bearers. Archibald and Grayspock investigated the huge crack in the floor - it was ~50' long and wide enough for a person to fit through, and a cool draught emanated from the darkness along with the sound of trickling water. The Dwarves' infravision picked up no sources of heat but they easily saw a wider, deeper rent further down and made out part of a stone floor and possibly a pillar of sorts - a room lay beneath them, one split by an even greater gash in the earth. Grayspock devised a plan, dropping a lit torch down to the floor that they could see before fixing a small mirror on to the end of their 10' pole and reflecting the torch light to try and get a better look at things - they saw several stone pillars and sarcophagi, a yawning dark void in the chasm which split the lower floor, a range of ossuaries around the walls packed with bones, and something which moved out of the light quickly when it fell upon them. The room below seemed to be a crypt of some sort.
Throughout, Connell had been negotiating with the Halflings - their group had been delivered supplies to Firean and were attacked by strange flying creatures on the way back to their boat. They described these creatures as feathered insects with bloodsucking proboscises. Alard and Hildo fled to the temple and several of their companions to the Emerald Bottle, an old inn. Each attempt by the pair to reach their boat since had been foiled - they warned of shambling skeletons emerging from the crypt below - and offered payment to the party if they escorted them. The party agreed, but Archibald, Wynn, and Grayspock decided to investigate the crypt in search of treasure.
Heading through the door where Wynn had found the plaque, the trio found stone steps leading down into the darkness. Wynn lit up a torch and the group advanced, heading through a heavy wooden door into a hallway lined with statues in martial, heroic poses. The dusty floor showed traffic heading to and from a similar door at the far end, and some sort of movement around the base of a statue bearing a great shield. The group gave this statue a wide berth and ventured through the far door, entering a room filled with old vestments and robes hanging from pegs and strewn about the floor. A door in this room led to another hallway, this one lined with six stone sarcophagi, gently leaning backwards against the walls - within lay bronze-clad skeletons bearing swords and shields. A glittering statue of an ancient warrior stood in the centre of the hall, casting sparkling reflections of Wynn's torch across the room, beyond it lay another door. Several decaying bodies, their stench belying their age, lay near the statue.
Archibald stepped into the room and a voice boomed from an unseen source.
"The faithless must prove their worthiness to enter the halls of the sacred dead. Prove your might, that ye may stand among their blessed ranks. Those who forsake Honour shall suffer ten-thousand blows!"
The crystal statue extended a glittering, razor sharp blade in challenge. Archibald limbered up with a few swings of their maul and leapt into the fray. Both combatants proved evenly matched, landing no blow upon the other. Grayspock rushed to the aid of their fellow Dwarf and the voice rang out again.
"Wretched curs! Suffer ye the fate of the dishonoured!"
The bones of the skeletons in the sarcophagi began to rattle as they stirred to life. Wynn stepped forth holding their sacred symbol of Antas, the Lunar Shepherd, and called upon the Divine to lend their aid and banish these undead abominations. The silver moon amulet burned with the cold of a chill night as the piercing glow of the full moon and scent of the night air poured forth, binding the skeletons in place and rendering them immobile. The Cleric stood rooted in place, barely able to focus the power which poured through them, as the Dwarves continued their battle against the statue.
Grayspock lunged with their dagger and gouged a sliver from the figure, which turned and lanced its blade at the Dwarf. The blow was grievous, and Grayspock fell to the ground in a pool of blood. Archibald, seeing an opening, swung his maul with all his Dwarven might and sent the statue flying back in a shower of crystal fragments. The statue landed on its back and lay still, while the skeletons clattered to a lifeless halt. The voice called once more.
"Hah! A mighty blow, and a well-fought battle. You have proven yourselves, and may pass."
Wynn released his hold on the power of Antas and rushed to Grayspock's aid, binding the Dwarf's wounds and returning them to consciousness. Archibald pocketed the sliver of crystal which Grayspock had struck from the figure before examining the bodies. All bore arms and armour and appeared human, but their pale skin was covered in veins of shining metal and their eyes were black, shining like those of cats in darkness - above the scent of decay came a smell of rust and copper and their bodies were pierced by great needles of pitted iron. Two lay before the statue's plinth, struck down from behind, two more lay close to the far door and bore ragged battle wounds - the weapons skeletons in the nearest sarcophagi were pitted and rusted to uselessness beneath a layer of black ichor. Wynn recognised these as creatures known as Ironcursed in the human lands, strange and violent warriors bearing a curse of iron and blood. The Dwarves knew them as Warthralls, savage shock troops at the forefront of the human armies fought during the Cataclysm, known in human lands as the First Conquest. Connell rejoined the group, having heard the commotion, and found a handful of silver among the bodies.
Taking a breath, the party opened the door at the end of the hall and emerged into the crypt seen from the great crack in the temple floor, which now lay above them. Torchlight revealed the source of the running water - an aqueduct exposed by the great rent in the earth. Connell, seized by the desire to explore the tunnels further, attempted to leap across the gap into the aqueduct but failed, and plummeted into the void. The commotion provoked motion across the chasm, and a dozen skeletal figures surged from the shadows towards a narrow point where the floor remained stable. Archibald, Wynn, and Grayspock retreated into the hallway, tilting one of the sarcophagi over and blocking the door. Thuds and bangs on the wooden timbers gradually dimmed to scratching and scraping before, finally, silence returned to the crypts.
Returning to Alard & Hildo, the remaining members of the party set off to escort the Halflings to the old fishing wharves down the cliff path. As they picked their way through the ruins of Whiterock town, they encountered a group of Firean's thugs. The bandits were surprised to see them but recognised the Halflings and let them go about their business, even sending one of their own - a Thief named Brando - to assist, but leaving with an ominous warning that Firean expected results, and soon. The remainder of the journey went without incident and the Halflings, once safely aboard their boat, rewarded the party with a generous sum of silver and a promise to put in good words with the merchants of Alos should the party require any assistance. Brando, meanwhile, regaled the party with tales of a rumour he had heard passed around Friean's camp:
The old machines deep within the halls possess great power. If you crack open their loci you can claim it for yourself.
Returning up the cliff path, the party briefly investigated the lighthouse standing proud atop the cliff but, warned by the Halflings of 'winged women' dwelling within, decided to return to Alos to lick their wounds and resupply.
Total Treasure Obtained: 310sp | 77sp each
Total XP from foes bested: 95XP | 23XP/character.
Feats of Exploration Achieved: 4% XP needed to advance | Make creative use of equipment or abilities (2%) | Overcome an environmental obstacle or hazard. (2%)
Total XP/Character: 100 + 4% needed for next level total.
Dominique | Archibald (Dwarf)
Jo | Grayspock (Dwarf)
Nick | Halgor Mountainkin (Dwarf)
Returning to Whiterock Town on a sunny afternoon, the Dwarf trio of Archibald, Grayspock, and Halgor quickly made their way through the quiet streets and down the cliff path to the old fishing wharves slowly decaying into the sea. The tide was out, but coming in, and the group trekked across a narrow spit of shingle to the yawning mouth of the sea cave they had spied on their last outing, now free from the rushing salt waters.
Looking inside, the Dwarves' infravision saw the finish of the cave interior change from rough, ragged natural stone to an even glassy finish - only minute imperfections on the surface marked it as not of Dwarven make. They also spied a stone pier of some description, and heard the steady rush of air from deeper within the cavern. Warily venturing forth, the trio briefly inspected the pier, finding it constructed in a cyclopean style with a series of metal rails leading to a verdigris-d bronze door, before creping on deeper into the cave, the base of which lay strewn with many sea shells. Their sight eventually picked out a series of metal bars covering an opening into the stone, within which stood several figures - they were tall and willowy, with webbed hands and feet and large eyes. All bore spears and other weapons, but had not noticed the Dwarves. At the deepest point of the cave lay a sturdy dam, breached in the centre. Before the dam lay a great nest of ships' timbers, and the Dwarves' infravision picked out the body heat of a great sea serpent coiled in the middle of its lair.
Retreating back past the figures and regrouping at the pier, the party decided to investigate the great bronze door. Beyond the door lay a large room with more rails and equipment for moving great weights. Halgor gave the door a thorough inspection, determining that it was corroded and jammed - his inspections caused some noise, which was responded to by an odd burbling from within the room. Peeking in, Halgor saw great stacks of polished stone and corroded metal and stone surfaces covered in barnacles and anemones, and finally three figures - similar to the ones seen earlier - guarding a door out of the room, accompanied by a smaller serpent.
The figures were armed but reacted with curiosity. Halgor waved, and one figure waved back. A halting conversation ensued, with the leader of the creatures, dubbed Mer by the Dwarves after the tales of sea devils they had heard. The Mer introduced itself as Scale-of-Gold, and its companions as Kelp-Frond-Of-Ten-Thousand-Leagues and Silver-Sand-Beneath-The-Waves. The Mer had taken up residence in the caves and deeper within Whiterock Caverns. They gave offerings to the sea serpent in order to keep it defending this entrance to their domain. In contrast to the tales of sea devils, the Mer claimed to be peaceful and independent, wanting only plentiful fishing grounds and their freedom - they told tales of an ancient evil they referred to as Aboleth, which dwelt within the Sunless Sea of the Underworld and sought to enslave them and others in furtherance of its own gains. Recalling tales of the Tyrants who enslaved the Dwarves in the distant past, the trio pledged to aid the Mer in ridding themselves of this threat and were welcomed as friends.
The Mer escorted the party through the old structure they inhabited as the tide was returning and would soon submerge the halls, but they knew of a way up to the lighthouse atop the cliffs. The group passed by what seemed to be a hatchery and the guard post they had seen earlier, and entered a large room with two great metal wheels sunk into the floor and a strange construct tumbled in one corner. Examining the old machines revealed markings in some Human script the Dwarves did not recognise and a faint vibrating hum emanating from within the metal casings - some power still remained. The Mer knew little of this place, simply referring to these as works of the Dam Builders. The fallen construct was similar in make to a Dwarven golem, seemingly carved of the same glassy black stone with a polyhedral head bearing many mirrored 'eyes' and electrum gilding covering much of its limbs, but a series of strange tools emerged from the construct's 'wrists' which the Dwarves did not recognise.
Opting to leave the strange machines for future investigation, the Dwarves followed the Mer past several caved in passages to a chamber where fresh water poured from a stone funnel down into a large drainage grate - an iron ladder led up into the darkness. Bidding the Mer farewell, the party climbed for some time and eventually found themselves in the aqueducts beneath Whiterock Town. Passing the first exit they found, they eventually happened upon another - a narrow passage led to the rear of a secret door which opened into a musty cellar smelling of long-decayed food and drink. Avoiding a strange mustard-smelling fungus in one corner of the cellar, the party ascended a wooden staircase and emerged into an old kitchen. A search of the room turned up a couple of pouches of powdered cinnamon worth 30sp each hidden in wax-sealed jars, and a large sack stuffed up the chimney of the wide fireplace which held 300 silver pieces, a silvered dagger, and a sealed vial of ambergris worth 150sp.
Venturing out from the kitchen, party emerged into a large tavern. Broken pottery, wood, and glass lined the floor and the whole place had a lingering vinegar smell of spoiled drink. It seems the Dwarves had found themselves in the Emerald Bottle. Several doorways, one barricaded, and a staircase led elsewhere. Grayspock took their leave and returned to Alos, while Archibald and Halgor investigated the barricaded doorway. As they approached, they heard a chorus of voices apparently bickering and jeering, and an odd jingling sound. Peeking beyond the barricade, the Dwarves saw several doorways - perhaps bedrooms?
The pair pushed their way past the flimsy barricade, making some noise, and were confronted by around a dozen small creatures who scrambled out of the rooms - they were small, the size of a Human child or Halfling, with pallid skin, black eyes, and sharp teeth - goblins in the Dwarven tongue. All were dressed in ragged clothes and carried weapons but held back, uncertain. The one in the lead demanded to know if Razogen had sent the Dwarves. Halgor replied 'Yes', and the goblins surged forward in a frenzy, screaming that they 'weren't going back!'.
The battle was bloody. Several goblins split off from the main group and rushed out of the windows into the street outside while their comrades charged the Dwarves. Halgor and Archibald slew four of their number in quick order and the creatures nearly broke and ran in the face of this terrible assault, but the second group of goblins, having raced around to another entrance, burst into the inn and swarmed the pair. Halgor was felled by an attack from behind, and Archibald made a desperate last stand against a group of four goblins before he, too, succumbed to his wounds.
Total Treasure Obtained: 0sp - treasure valued at 510sp was lost in battle.
Total XP from foes bested: 0XP
Feats of Exploration Achieved: 9% XP needed to advance | 2 x Confirm a rumour's veracity (2%) | Discover an important location (5%)
Total XP/Character: 9% needed for next level total.
Dominique | Elowen (Elf)
Iona | Brando (Thief)
Jo | Grayspock (Dwarf)
Kyle | Talon (Elf)
Nick | Balgor Mountainkin (Dwarf)
Reeling from the loss of Archibald and Halgor in battle against the creatures occupying the Emerald Bottle inn, the party set forth, on an overcast day to avenge their fallen comrades. Passing through the South Gatehouse they encountered some of Firean's men, who eyed the party with a degree of suspicion but allowed them to pass unhindered.
The journey to the Emerald Bottle didn't take long - it was an imposing, solidly-built brick structure. Narrow windows faced out on to the street and there was a large hole in the wall of the upper floor in one of the two wings. Exploring the courtyard to the front of the inn, the party spied a stone well, an old stable, and a wooden verandah. The main doors of the inn had been torn from their hinges and smashed. While Elowen looked through the smashed doors, Brando headed down the well and ventured off into the aqueduct beneath, heading vaguely eastward by torchlight. Balgor peeked into the stable, spying a small, pallid foot poking out of one of the wooden stalls and poking it with his polearm - it flopped limply. Talon examined the verandah and looked through the windows, seeing a corridor leading to several rooms, one of which appearing to have a caved-in ceiling. Looking through the main entrance, Elowen saw a ruined bar, stairs to the upper floor, and a doorway with the broken apart remains of a barricade.
While discussing their next move, the party heard voices approaching down the street outside. Talon peeked out of the gates and spotted two rough-looking men approaching, engrossed in conversation. The party took up positions to ambush them should they enter the courtyard, but the figures passed by and the sound of their conversation soon faded into the background quietude of Whiterock Town.
Heading into the inn, the party investigated the rooms beyond the destroyed barricade and noted several pools of dried blood in the corridor. The rooms here were what remained of common quarters, with one having served as a lair of the creatures the Dwarves had encountered in their previous expedition. This lair of filth held the mutilated remains of Archibald and Halgor, and the party were able to move them out to the courtyard and recover some of the treasure the Dwarves had been carrying - 78sp and 2 pouches of cinnamon worth 40sp each. They also found some trinkets the goblins had stashed - 20sp and a collection of shimmering cowrie shells which would be worth ~85sp to the right buyer. The other rooms bore signs of conflict, with some bloodstains and signs of creatures having been dragged from hiding spaces.
Moving to the other wing, the party began to explore a series of finer, more upmarket rooms when they were interrupted by a chorus of whining, high-pitched voices. A group of 6 diminutive humanoids entered the inn courtyard, arguing amongst themselves about 'being sent back to check for stragglers' - all were armed. The party laid an ambush and sent the creatures fleeing from a hail of missile fire, killing one with an arrow. Returning to their search, Elowen noticed that the southern-most wall in the last room rapped with a hollow sound. Making a hole, they uncovered a hidden chamber with a concealed door out into the corridor - within lay the remains of several withered trees in pots, preserved food, and an iron-bound strongbox. The strongbox proved too sturdy to break open with Grayspock's crowbar and the party's weapons and they lacked sufficient tools to pick the lock, so they resolved to take it upstairs and throw it out of a window - shaking it around brought the clink of metal and several items thudding around inside.
As all this was going on, Brando found their way to an exit from the aqueduct just as their torch threatened to gutter and die. A stone passage led to a concealed door, and the Thief pushed their way into a firelit cellar. Meat and rusted tools littered the surfaces, and a man was tied by his wrists to iron loops in the corner of the room - he was alive, but strange veins of metal spread over his skin from several metal spikes which pierced his body. In a pained voice, he begged to be freed and Brando obliged. Encouraging Brando to run, the man fashioned a torch and headed towards the secret passage. Brando chose to ascend the spiral staircase in the corner of the room and encountered half a dozen strange beings, all with dark eyes, veins of metal and rust over their skin, and voices of squealing, rusted metal - all were armed and guarded what appeared to be the entrance to the building. Brando tried to sneak up the stairs, but was spotted and narrowly escaped several of the ironcursed attempting to tackle them. The Thief fled into the aqueduct and was able to evade his pursuers along with the man freed from the Cellar, whose name was Cullen.
Back at the inn, the party climbed to the next floor and found themselves in an old dining lounge - silverware and broken furniture littered the floor between painted screens faded and spoiled with water-damage. They spied a saddlebag cast under one of the tables - within was 200sp and what seemed to be an order list, mostly for lamp oil. A path of dried blood led to a nearby door and they heard an odd buzzing as they approached. Carefully putting the strongbox down, the party explored the room the blood trail led to and found an exsanguinated body. The buzzing sound was louder through a nearby wall.
Moving out and down the corridor towards the source of the buzzing, the party burst through a door into what was formerly a fine private apartment. The large room had a hole in one wall leading out into the open air, and the interior of the room was a mess of slime, silk, and strange leathery eggs. Six strange creatures, ~3ft long with dragonfly-like wings, iridescent feathers covering their abdomens, fuzzy thoraxes, and a long sharp proboscis under glimmering compound eyes - tended to their nests. Having surprised the creatures, the party stormed in and swiftly felled four of them through a combination of martial and magical might. The remaining two fled through the hole in the wall and flew away.
Picking through the strange nests, the party found a skeleton clinging on to 2 bottles of fine wine worth 20sp each, a money pouch with 30sp, and an oilskin-wrapped bale of fine linen worth 50sp. They destroyed the eggs which hadn't been smashed in the battle, and returned to the strongbox. Casting the box from the windows smashed the lid off and scattered valuables across the courtyard - 200sp, 5 bags of powdered spices worth 40sp each, 4 pouches of incense worth 50sp each, 2 solid gold ingots worth 200sp each, and a leather-bound book.
Gathering up their hard-earned treasure and taking up the bodies of their fallen comrades, the party returned to Alos and arranged for a fine Dwarven funeral for Archibald and Halgor. As they made to depart Whiterock Town, they were interrupted by a mighty and terrible cry from the sky, seeing a winged streak of azure, lilac, and white soar above their heads and fly to the upper reaches of Whiterock mountain. A great Blue Dragon had made its presence known...
Total Treasure Obtained: 1,583sp | 316XP each
Total XP from foes bested: 62XP | 12XP each
Feats of Exploration Achieved: 4% XP needed to advance | Make creative use of equipment or abilities (2%) | Uncover a secret (2%)
Funerals: 713XP | 142XP each
Total XP/Character: 470 + 4% needed for next level total.
Abby | Raya (Halfling)
Dominique | Elowen (Elf)
Helena | Wynn (Cleric)
Jo | Grayspock (Dwarf)
Josh | John (Magic-User)
PJ | Robbin (Thief)
Setting forth once more, the party ventured through the South Gate of Whiterock Town under a cloak of rain. Approaching the old gates, they were accosted by one of Firean's men wielding a crossbow, who demanded to know their business. After a tense stand-off, he begrudgingly let the party past with a warning that Firean was furious with them.
The party passed unmolested through the quiet streets of Whiterock Town and descended the cliff path. Low tide was approaching and they made their way to the sea cave, where they were greeted as friends by Scale-of-Gold, who mourned the loss of Archibald and Halgor. The friendly Mer led the party to the room with the strange machines which Grayspock had described to them. Investigating them further revealed their surfaces to be solid and flush, with almost no seams or fixings visible. Tapping her sword against one, Raya felt a tingling resonance up her arm. John cast Read Magic and revealed the scarce glyphs on the surfaces of the casings to be Ancient Minoic markings - each was labelled as an octarine accumulator with points signified for charging, discharging, weaving, maintenance, acceleration, and other terms.
Checking over the collapsed construct in the corner of the room, the party found that its joints were still in perfect working order. Making a chain of hands, they touched one of the machines and the other end touched the construct - a tiny jolt of power travelled through them. Leaning the construct against one of the accumulators saw its mechanical pseudopods gradually animate and interface with the machine, though little else happened. The party then moved the construct between the accumulators - the interfacing happened much quicker this time and the construct leaned up slightly from its prone position, uttering words in a language none of them understood.
After a back and forth, the construct deciphered Menelaic enough to converse with the party. The construct's purpose was to maintain this facility, and it had been offline for the better part of 2,000 years after the dam was damaged by a seismic event caused by a magical surge in the midst of civil strife in the area (which it referred to as the Archontia Orchomentes). It knew a little of the deeper caverns, revealing that magical research had been conducted there and that cracking open the loci of any of the machines in the area would cause a devastating explosion. The research area had previously been inhabited by Human and Halflings, and similar constructs to itself were present. The party dubbed the construct Tommy and vowed to help charge it up further.
Robbin ventured through the north door to the dam and stepped face-to-face with the sea serpent which was coiled in its nest of broken timbers - he was swiftly devoured by the creature. Choosing a different exit, the party ventured back up the cliff path and encountered several Curselings at the lighthouse, but the creatures were too busy engaged in some spiteful game to notice onlookers and the party was able to slip by, making their way to the South Gate and into the tunnels. The journey through the cold, wet aqueduct took a couple of hours but eventually the party came to a well chain dangling into the tunnel. Beneath it lay an old, smashed skeleton. Grayspock carefully climbed the chain, peeking above the top of the well into a dark, stone room filled with the remains of old wooden barrels and crates - perhaps a cellar of some kind. The light and heat of a fire burned bright to the Dwarf's infravision through a nearby archway, and another passage led away in the opposite corner. Investigating the archway further revealed several Curselings sat around the a small fire, griping amongst themselves. The other passageway led to a small candlelit room with several beds where two tall, broad humanoids were conversing - they looked similar to humans and bore arms and armour, but had black eyes and sharp teeth and spoke a strange pidgin of Menelaic, Orchomeni, and other tongues. The party gathered in the cellar room to decide their course of action, choosing to attempt to scare the Curselings away with Wynn's Cause Fear spell.
Wynn crept close to the archway and released his spell. One of the Curselings was seized by an awful fear, and though they shook off the spell itself, the display of magical power was enough to scare the lot of them away down a passageway leading west. The party took the chance to investigate the now-vacant room, finding it to be some sort of guardpost littered with detritus and other rubbish. A pair of staircases stood to the east, one leading up and one down. The downwards staircase led into darkness and a cold wind gusted up from it. The other staircase led upwards to a faint light. Raya ventured up and found a door fallen from its hinges with something glinting beneath it - dim sunlight entered through the doorway, which appeared to lead to the interior of a fortified building. John and Grayspock ventured down the western corridor, finding a pair of iron-bound doors leading off of it before the hallway turned a corner.
Reluctant to go further without additional preparations, the party decided to meet with Firean and descended back into the tunnels. Emerging into the Market Hall cellar, they were met by the spearpoints of several guards and were escorted to Firean, who coldly informed the group that several of her men had been killed in a raid by the keep dwellers and demanded they hold up their end of the bargain. Negotiations for additional supplies and rewards were futile, and Firean demanded they conduct a thorough raid of the keep in the next week or else be marked as enemies of her Free Company.
Departing on the road back to Alos, the party decided to engage some hired help for their mission and Raya voiced the idea of swapping sides to take down Firean, or at least encouraging the two factions in Whiterock into a mutually-destructive confrontation...
Total Treasure Obtained: 0sp | 0XP each
Total XP from foes bested: 60XP | 10XP each
Feats of Exploration Achieved: 9% XP needed to advance | Confirm a rumour’s veracity (2%) | Discover an important location (5%)
Total XP/Character: 10 + 9% needed for next level total.
Abby | Raya (Halfling)
Retainers: Kala (Cleric of Themia)
Andrew | Son Hala (Thief)
Retainers: Gorato the Ox (Fighter)
Dominique | Elowen (Elf)
Iona (the First) | Brando (Thief)
Retainers: Cullen (Fighter)
Iona (the Second) | Robin (Magic-User)
Retainers: Dothea (Fighter)
Siobhan | Thessa Blackforge (Fighter)
Retainers: Akaz (Dwarf)
Gathering allies in Alos, the party set forth with additional warriors to help their cause: Gorato and Dothea the Fighters, Akaz the Dwarf, and Kala the Cleric of Themia. The group reached Whiterock town under a clear sky and immediately entered the underground aqueduct near the South Gate, forging on through the rush of cold water and collecting Cullen from the Market Hall. The bandit had healed well since Brando had rescued him from his captivity, however he bore livid scars and was now outcast among Firean's men - he happily accompanied the party onwards and they trekked on until they reached the well chain which signified the way up into the cellar of the keep.
Akaz the Dwarf ascended first, spying the same fire and several figures through the archway to the south of the room, the whining voices of Curselings echoed from the fireside. The cellar itself was dimly lit and Raya led the party in stealthily investigating the room to the north where they had spied the strange warriors on their last foray into the keep. The room was dark with no-one present - it held several beds and other items of furniture, having the look of temporary quarters. Searching the area turned up an old dagger and a cloth patch, in the style one might stitch to a surcoat or onto armour, featuring a an eagle's foot with black talon.
Returning to the well chamber, the party surveyed the scene through the southern archway. They spied several Curselings sat around the fire, griping amongst themselves, while a pair of larger creatures loomed nearby. These had the look of the smaller creatures, with pallid skin, ragged clothes, and black eyes, but were taller, with a sullen set to their features. While they were possessed of a slight, gangly build, the larger creatures carried themselves with a lean strength. They were armed with larger weapons - one with a savage looking mace and the other with a long spear - and each carried a long stick. One lurked near the fire and the other barred the doorway down which the Curselings had previously fled.
The party decided to advance and took up position behind old crates, corners, and items of old furniture. Raya crept ahead and hurled an oil flask with their sling, aiming for the campfire. Unfortunately, their aim was off and the flask shattered against the edge of the archway, spreading a slick of oil over the floor. The Curselings seized their weapons and rushed into the room, spurred on by blows from the sticks of their larger brethren. A fierce melee erupted as the nimble creatures easily streamed across the oily patch and engaged the party in combat - Dothea suffered a vicious hatchet blow and went down, with Son Hala and Gorato the Ox forming a defensive line over the fallen Fighter, and Akaz also suffered a wound from the savage attacks.
The larger creatures advanced, but the lead one slipped in the pool of oil and fell in a tangled heap. Elowen, seeing an opportunity, cast their Floating Disc spell and carried a lit torch above the melee. They willed the spell to end and the torch dropped, igniting the pool of oil and the gangly creature which writhed upon it. As screams and the smell of burning flesh filled the cellar, the party felled several Curselings and drove them into retreat, cutting down their fleeing foes. A single Curseling reached the archway and was unceremoniously thrust back into the doorway to meet its fate by the larger creatures (one now horribly burned) as they made their escape. Robin tended to Dothea's injuries and found that her wound, while serious, was not fatal.
The party moved into the now-vacant guardpost and set their own watch, choosing to rest while Dothea returned to consciousness. Nothing stirred down the dark corridors and the party advanced once they had rested, coming to the pair of doors previously located just before the corridor turned. They carefully assessed each one, finding nothing untoward, and opened both doors. One led into a storeroom filled with food supplies, some of which were edible. The other appeared to have been an armoury at one point, with battered, rusted weapons scattered around and old sets of armour piled up against one wall. Robin helped themselves to a dagger in reasonably good condition and Son Hala inspected the armour pile. The armour itself was unfortunately useless - all the pieces bore ragged holes or had otherwise degraded over long years of neglect, but the wily Thief noticed that, when moved, the armour made different noises on the walls against which it leaned. One patch didn't sound like hard stone, and Son Hala spied a few spiders and other insects occasionally scuttling from the top and bottom of the wall, and a single stone was un-pointed. Tapping the wall made a hollow sound and the group pushed the strange stone, hearing a click and grinding squeal as a hidden door opened in the cellar wall.
The small room beyond held a table and chest. The table was covered in scraps of long degraded paper, one recognisable piece bearing a stylised wolf's head in red ink, and burned down candle-stubs. The other scraps appeared to have once been maps. The chest was sturdy, but possessed no lock and a careful examination turned up no strange mechanisms or other perceived hazards, and the group threw back the lid. Within lay a couple of small bottles, one clear and one of clay, a rolled up scroll sealed with wax, and several pouches. Four of the pouches held powdered incense worth 50sp a bag and a larger pouch held 415 silver pieces in old coinage. The glass bottle held a strange liquid which appeared to change colour from dark blackcurrant to a pale raspberry red, while the other bottle held an unseen liquid. Unfurling the scroll, the party were met with a map guiding them through a series of corridors and rooms - the destination was marked with the same wolf sigil they had found on the map fragments. A note on the map referenced the old library, and that the Lady of the House desired further information on the arcane knowledge within.
Gathering up these items, the party heard a deep roar echo from further within the keep's dungeons and decided to make their retreat via the well aqueduct, returning to Alos to plan their next moves. Dothea, despite her wounds, remained happy to accompany Robin on their next adventure.
Total Treasure Obtained: 415sp | 39sp/hireling (plus 5sp/day wages) | 79sp/player character
Total XP from foes bested: 130XP
XP from treasure & foes bested: 545XP | 51XP/half-share | 102XP/full-share
Feats of Exploration Achieved: 6% XP needed to advance | Explore 5 areas of a single dungeon level (2%) | Make creative use of equipment or abilities (2%) | Uncover a secret (2%)
Total XP/Player Character: 102 + 6% needed for next level total.
Total XP/Hireling: 51 + 6% needed for next level total.
Abby | Raya (Halfling)
Retainers: Kala (Cleric of Themia)
Dominique | Elowen (Elf)
Retainers: Helene (Magic-User)
Helena | Wynn (Cleric of Antas)
Retainers:
Iona (the Second) | Robin (Magic-User)
Retainers: Dothea (Fighter)
Nick | Balgor Mountainkin (Dwarf)
Retainers: Callios (Fighter)
Before departing Alos, the party sought out Cullen and found him drinking in a tavern. The former bandit appeared healed but complained of burning pain from the livid scars winding through his flesh. Quizzing him about his time in Firean's band, the party learned that there was a distinct divide between Firean's inner circle (a group of 8-12 individuals Cullen described as 'hard bastards') and the rest of the band, who were mostly poor folk from the local area. The local recruits were handed the risky, dangerous work but were plied with food, drink, and tales of freedom from the lords and the guilds. An older sergeant named Edos was well-respected by the local men and had voiced his disapproval of their poor treatment in the past - the party decided to try and locate him and persuade him to lead a coup.
On the way into Whiterock Town under an overcast sky, the party smelled an acrid hint wafting through the air. Cresting the hill on the approach to the town, they saw smoke rising from the Southern Gatehouse and the Keep. As they approached the bridge across the Tollen, a mirror flashed several times from the eastern watchtower of the gatehouse. The party responded, but didn't know the code the bandits used to communicate. Moving across the bridge, they called out to the tower - a pair of men within warned them that Curselings had stormed the gatehouse and trapped them inside. Malicious laughter echoed from the gatehouse structure and Balgor's infravision caught glimpses of shapes moving in the darkness behind the arrowslits. The party tossed up a grappling hook on a rope and proceeded to launch arrows and sling bullets at the gatehouse, forcing the Curselings to keep their heads down while the men descended. Once the men - Demenos and Husaro - were safely down, the party headed into the drain beneath the southern wall, although the pair warned them that the creatures who had trapped them had been soaking wet when they burst into the structure...
Making their way through the cold darkness of the drains, the party passed by the way up to the Market Hall and saw a pile of dead Curselings at the bottom of the ladder. Continuing on, they came to the well up into the Keep, only to find the chain retracted and the well top boarded over. Callius ascended on Elowen's Floating Disc, after negotiating a healthy bonus from Balgor, and pushed the cover up slightly only to fall back with a minor wound from waiting assailants. Elowen lowered Callius back down and the party moved on, hearing the scrape of wood followed by several splashes and the sound of rocks bouncing off stone behind them.
A short distance on lay another well, this one with a chain still hanging down. Ascending tentatively, the party found themselves in a smaller cellar stocked with food supplies. Leaning against one wall were two bodies, recently killed by several frenzied wounds. They headed up the staircase leading out of the room and emerged into some sort of guard-house - several human bodies lay sprawled on the floor in pools of blood and the main door (through which daylight poured) lay un-barred - it led out to a walled courtyard, on the other side of which lay a derelict keep. Demenos & Husaro confirmed that none of the bodies were Edos'. Hearing Curseling voices up a spiral staircase in the corner, the party barred the main door and poured oil over the bottom of the staircase before yelling taunts. Several whip-like sounds and yelps were heard and Curselings raced down the staircase - the first couple immediately slipped in the oil and were swiftly felled. The remainder broke and fled upstairs and what sounded like a vicious brawl broke out. The party carefully ascended to find the Curselings having turned on one of their larger kin, who bore several wounds, and surrounded the group - several other Curselings were felled the the final two, along with their larger cousin, dropped their weapons and surrendered.
The upper floor of the tower held another body - again not Edos - and a small bunk-room in which lay several dead bodies. The spiral staircase up was blocked by several items of furniture and wood scraps and a voice called down, asking for help with a wounded comrade. The folk upstairs dismantled the barricade and Kala healed the wounded man with a spell. The leader of the group, a bearded man with greying hair and a thick beard, thanked them and introduced himself as Edos. The Curselings had burst in through the cellar and unbarred the door, storming the tower before his men could ready themselves - signals to the Market Hall had brought no reinforcements, Demenos & Husaro confirmed the same for their efforts.
The party searched the bunk-room, finding 56sp in loose change, and interrogated the Curselings. The large one communicated in a sullen voice, informing them that Razogen was chosen by Akesh, the Bloody Hand, and would destroy them. When asked where Razogen was, the creature replied 'below'. The smaller ones mentioned that Geros was wise in the arcane ways and had lead them before Razogen came, and that the cold staircase down was scary and they avoided it - the 'bones' were bad. None of them knew from where they had originated or had been born. After the interrogation was complete, Edos and Balgor executed the Curselings.
Edos filled the party in on further goings on in Firean's camp, mentioning his suspicion of the Black Talons who Firean had been negotiating with. They claimed to be a mercenary band but often arrived under the cover of night and seemed 'off', in Edos' words. He had seen them returning to an entrance into Whiterock mountain and pointed it out to the party from a window. Closer to the mountainside, the party could better see the strange dark shape which resolved into the shape of a great carved bust, as if the top of a huge statue protruded from the rock fall. Above this, carved into the mountainside, was a colonnade of gleaming white pillars leading to a dark entrance into the rock.
Firean's conduct had angered Edos and he was tired of playing the part of expendable lackey - he had been drawn to Firean's band by tales of freedom but had ended up a common bandit being used for one woman's schemes of lordship. He could count on a third of the men at the Market Hall to join him in a coup, maybe half if he was lucky. A large shipment of drink would help keep Firean's loyalists quiescent, or at least easier to beat in a fight if needed. Edos would let the party know exactly what he needed and they could supply it to his friends in Alos. When the time came to launch the coup, he would meet them at the Emerald Bottle. If the coup was successful, Edos and his allies would venture south to an old Orchomeni settlement named Susia, where his family had originated before the Ruin of Orchomen - perhaps there they could build something better.
With plans in motion, the party returned to Alos to prepare for the next phase.
Total Treasure Obtained: 56sp | 7sp/hireling (plus 5sp/day wages) | 14sp/player character
Total XP from foes bested: 161XP
XP from treasure & foes bested: 545XP | 21XP/half-share | 42XP/full-share
Feats of Exploration Achieved: 11% XP needed to advance | Apply lore in a useful or flavourful manner (2%) | Explore 5 areas of a single dungeon level (2%) | Make creative use of equipment or abilities (2%) | Beneficially resolve a high-stakes encounter with an important NPC (5%)
Total XP/Player Character: 42 + 11% needed for next level total.
Total XP/Hireling: 21 + 11% needed for next level total.
Abby | Raya (Halfling)
Retainers: Kala (Cleric of Themia)
Dominique | Elowen (Elf)
Retainers: Helene (Magic-User)
Helena | Wynn (Cleric of Antas)
Retainers: Callios (Fighter)
Iona (the First) | Brando (Thief)
Retainers: Cullen (Fighter)
Iona (the Second) | Robin (Magic-User)
Retainers: Dothea (Fighter)
Willie | Malineth (Thief)
Over the previous week, the party prepared for their coup against Firean. They invested 100sp in a large barrel of wine that Edos' allies shipped to Whiterock. The old sergeant informed them that around half the remaining bandits would join them in their attempt, and that about half a dozen of Firean's bodyguards remained. Stocking up on additional supplies, the party made their way to Whiterock to set their plans into motion.
Edos met them, as agreed, in the Emerald Bottle, accompanied by Demenos and Husaro. The barrel of wine had been delivered to the Market Hall shortly before the party arrived, and Edos reckoned it would take a couple of hours for the men to get good and drunk. He reckoned that they had the numbers to force Firean into exile without bloodshed, and planned to lead those who would follow him to the old village of Susia to the south-west. The village had been abandoned during the Ruin, but Edos wanted to try and rebuild something better out of the ruins. He would gladly take provisions and a share of Firean's treasury to do so. Raya was keen to see Firean dead, and carved the bandit's name into the hilt of her dagger.
The party passed the time in the Emerald Bottle until the mid-afternoon, whereupon they departed for the Market Hall. Along the way they were joined by Edos' allies who slipped out of alleyways and ruins to add to the growing force. By the time of their arrival, the party numbered around two-dozen warriors.
The Market Hall was a drunken mess and Firean's bodyguards had evidently failed to keep order. Men drunkenly sang, vomited, and slept in a stupor all throughout the main hall. A maille-clad bodyguard blocked the stairs and called up as the party filed into the hall. Leaving the bulk of their allies to watch over the drunkards, Raya led the party upstairs and confronted the bodyguard, successfully threatening their way up.
Firean's council chamber sat in a stunned silence as the party entered the room. Five bodyguards stood ready to leap to their leader's defence, and two unsettling individuals (clad in soot-blackened maille bearing black talon insignia) sat at a table with Firean. The Bandit Queen rose in a fury, demanding to know the party's intentions. When they informed her that her time as leader was at an end, she appealed to the two strangers, whom she referred to as allies, for assistance, but they opted to stand to one side and await the outcome of the confrontation. Firean, admitting defeat in the face of superior numbers, attempted to bargain: if she and her allies could leave under arms with a day of supplies, she would cede control of her company.
The party agreed, although they demanded the key to her treasury - Firean tossed a brass key onto the table, which Brando collected. Before she could depart, to Edos' chagrin, Raya challenged Firean to a duel. If Firean won, she could leave with her allies as agreed; if she lost, her allies would still be permitted to depart unharmed. The warrior stood and accepted the Halfling's challenge.
The room was cleared and Firean and Raya squared up to each other. The party occupied one side of the room, and Firean's bodyguard's the other - no interference would be tolerated. Both parties were clad in plate maille - Firean wielded a fine sword, and Raya a mace and dagger. With a cry, the Halfling rushed forward and the duel began. Each party swung, missed, parried and counter-parried. It seemed like the combatants were evenly matched, neither able to land a blow on the other, until Raya attempted a desperate gambit: she dropped her mace and darted forward under Firean's guard before leaping up onto the bandit's back. In an instant, Raya's blade was at Firean's throat. The Halfling whispered something unheard by the onlookers before plunging her blade home and ending the reign of the Bandit Queen of Whiterock.
The silence that had cloaked the room remained unbroken as Firean's blood pooled on the dark floorboards, until one of her bodyguard's stepped forward and requested her sword. His request was granted and he wrapped the weapon gently in a cloak before he and his companions departed Whiterock, never to be seen again. The two strange mercenaries stepped forward with sharp-toothed, wolflike grins and invited the party to meet their leader - Ent Sha-Nur - who dwelled in the Eastern part of the second level of the Whiterock Caverns. They commended Raya's prowess in combat and the party's tact and planning, refusing to answer any further questions before departing.
Raya took the only thing of interest from Firean's body - an old, worn, woven cloth bracelet - and the party inspected the treasury room, finding 1,000sp in coinage, 3 silver ingots worth 50sp each, 22 jars of honeyed peaches worth 10sp each, 6 barrels of pungent cheese worth 20sp each, and 6 bottles of fine brandy worth 30sp each. Edos, although disappointed in the needless bloodshed, gratefully accepted the cheese and brandy as payment for him and his men, and they, too, departed on the journey to Susia - though not before the old bandit marked the location of the village on a map in the council chamber and invited them to visit if they ventured that way.
The drunken bandits downstairs had become confused and restive, and fell into a shocked silence when the party brought Firean's body down to cremate. Raya informed them that they had a new boss now - her - and the drunken bandits, with a sweetener in the form of a jar of honeyed peaches, proclaimed her as their new leader.
With that, the party plotted their next move and made arrangements to set up a forward base in the Market Hall in furtherance of their exploration of Whiterock.
Total Treasure Obtained: 1,360sp | 80sp/hireling (plus 5sp/day wages) | 160sp/player character
Total XP from foes bested: 35XP
XP from treasure & foes bested: 1395XP | 86XP/half-share | 164XP/full-share
Feats of Exploration Achieved: 22% XP needed to advance | Make creative use of equipment or abilities (2%) | Beneficially resolve a high-stakes encounter with an important NPC (5%) | Manipulate or cripple a faction to your benefit (5%) | Establish a reliable safe haven in a dangerous locale (10%)
Total XP/Player Character: 164 + 11% needed for next level total.
Total XP/Hireling: 86 + 11% needed for next level total.
Andrew| Son Hala (Thief)
Retainers: Gorato the Ox (Fighter)
Iona (the Second) | Robin (Magic-User)
Retainers: Dothea (Fighter)
Siobhan: Thessa Blackforge (Fighter)
Retainers: Akaz (Dwarf)
Willie | Malineth (Thief)
Retainers: Georgios (Thief)
After stocking up on supplies in Alos, the party returned to the market hall and set off into Whiterock in the early hours of the next morning, heading for the looming shape of the keep under an overcast sky on a warm day. The courtyard was deserted and both the keep and watchtower lay open.
The party entered the keep and began searching the ground floor, finding a toppled door at the head of a stone staircase leading down to where firelight flickered and danced. Hearing the squealing voices of curselings from below, they left Akaz standing guard to alert them of any who approached.
Peering through the doors to the great hall, the party saw a room with tall, vaulted wooden ceiling wreathed in large spiderwebs and faded, defaced tapestries (many with a stylised wolf's head) lining the walls. At the far end of the hall lay an stone spiral staircase and a great wooden throne atop a stone dais with a figure slumped upon it. Malineth moved quickly and softly across the dusty flagstones, seeing glimpses of large shadows skittering through the webs above him. The Thief made it to the far side without incident and saw that the stairs led upwards. A yellowed, skeleton in torn, rent armour sat sprawled on the old wooden throne with a shining gold ring on one finger. The bones were chipped and cracked in many places - serious damage had been dealt to the body prior to decomposition. Malineth took it and saw a wolf's head signet, surmising that this was where Valentin Ironwolf met his final end before deftly making his way back to the party. They opted to keep the ring, thinking that Ironwolf's personal seal may yet have some use.
Continuing their search, the party found several old guest chambers holding nothing of value, and three bottles of brandy worth 30sp each in the buttery just off the old kitchen, which held a wide, stone fireplace down which shone daylight. Continuing their search, the party pried open a door (of which the corner had been chewed out) into an old guard room and were confronted by several badger-sized rats, who advanced aggressively in defence of their filthy nest in one corner. Robbin cast his Protection spell and Thessa tossed the beasts some rations - a clash was averted, with the oversized rodents feasting upon salted meat, cheese, hardtack, and dried fruits. With the creatures distracted, the party conducted a quick search without getting too close and found a robed skeleton clutching a leather bag, which they took and retreated. Within the bag was a pouch of 26sp and 4 silver ingots worth 50sp each.
While discussing their next move, a booming voice and loud footsteps echoed from up the staircase and the party hid in a nearby armoury room, with Akaz peeking out of a crack in the door. Several curselings emerged from the staircase followed by a huge bald, pale figure, half again as tall as a man, with jet black eyes clad in riveted metal plates and wielding a large blade. The figure emitted a constant drone of deep muttering, occasionally pausing to kick or swat a curseling, which faded as the group departed out of the main keep doors. Akas recognised the figure, describing is as a 'Watchdog of the Tyrants' - something created or twisted by the Dwarves' ancient enslavers to act as their enforcers.
Moving on, the party approached a final set of doors on the ground floor but, hearing several serpentine hisses from within, declined to enter and instead headed towards the staircase leading down. They found that the fallen door had been moved and beneath where it lay was a sealed bottle braced against a sparkling stone - fool's gold. Son Hala took a closer look, finding no mechanism attached, and picked up the bottle, which contained a pint of lamp oil. Venturing down, the party opted for an aggressive approach and charged towards the lit room. The three curselings present immediately fled in the face of overwhelming odds, and the party realised that they had arrived in the stone cellar which they had previously entered through the well. A slurred voice called from the well room, and a tipsy curseling emerged to find its erstwhile comrades gone. Thessa plied the creature with a bottle of brandy and it agreed to guide them through the corridors to 'the fun room' where the curselings kept their prisoners. Robbin investigated the stairs down from which gusted cold air, finding that they eventually led to a long pit with dark, cold water at the bottom - a corridor continued at the other side of the pit.
When questioned, the curseling informed the party that it had previously climbed to the keep roof via the kitchen fireplace but heard crying from somewhere. Razogen and Geros kept treasure in their chambers, and Razogen was currently headed to the Market Hall - Malineth sent Georgios back to warn them. Following their drunken guide into the corridors below the keep, the party found a room with a pit containing a nigh-invisible cube which absorbed and digested organic matter. Their guide explained that they used this for executions and they continued on, passing a room their guide described as 'big brother's room' - Robbin hammered an iron spike into the door jamb to keep it closed, but there was no response from within.
Arriving at 'the fun room', the party sent their guide in with another bottle of brandy and heard animated conversation from within. Entering the room, which was festooned with gory article of torture, several armed curselings ordered them out - their guide sat happily in a corner sharing out the drink. The party offered to negotiate access to the barred room they could see further into the room, but the curselings refused. A swift battle saw all but one curseling killed - the survivor wisely surrendered a key and went to drink with their guide. Opening the barred door released three captured bandits from the keep, who armed themselves with the fallen curseling's weapons and opted to make their way out - they were hungry and bruised, but otherwise unharmed, and warned the party of 'the big one' who had taken several imprisoned curselings for execution.
Leaving their guide in 'the fun room', the party ventured on and came to a door decorated with glowing runic symbols. Robbin determined that these weren't magical, instead being a clever alchemical trick, and the party entered - within lay a sanctum to a bull-headed humanoid statue holding a sword and a goblet. Before the altar stood a pair of curselings holding offerings and incense, and a third curseling holding a staff - Geros, the shaman. Geros proved much more lucid than the curselings they had previously encountered. Admiring the arcane protections Robbin had cast on himself, Geros proved hospitable to the party. They agreed to help the vengeful shaman reclaim its leadership from Razogen - in exchange, there would be peace with the surface dwellers with both bands keeping to their respective above-ground and subterranean domains, and Robbin would have the opportunity to learn from Geros. The curseling provided the party with a potent poison and a vial of Sculptor's Medium, and led them to Razogen's chambers. As they left the sanctum, the freed bandits returned with news that Razogen and the curselings had come back to the keep and the way out was blocked - with no choice, the bandits came with the party.
Razogen's chambers were lavishly decorated with tapestries, out of which the faces of all people had been cut, and a large table was groaning with fine food. A chest stood at the foot of a plush bed and a lit fireplace illuminated the chamber. Thessa applied the poison to her shortsword and hid beneath the bed, and the other members of the party concealed themselves behind the tapestries nearby. Geros, hearing heavy footsteps approach, swiftly drank a potion and disappeared, his smug smile being the last thing to vanish. Razogen entered the room and closed the door, muttering to itself and gorging on food from the table before stopping and sniffing the air - the great creature continued to sniff and approached the bed before swinging its cleaver with blinding speed and dealing Akaz a grievous blow. The party successfully tore a tapestry from the wall and hurled it over Razogen's bulk, tangling the creature, and Thessa's poisoned blade struck true, dealing a terrible wound. One of the bandits jumped up on the bed and finished the job with a crunching hatchet blow to Razogen's head, and the creature toppled to the floor, dead.
Finding a key on Razogen's body, the party opened the chest and found 609sp in loose coinage, and two bolts of silver silks worth 100sp each. Leaving the chamber, the party were confronted by Geros, who confirmed that their bargain stood and presented them with their erstwhile guide, wrapped in a set of fool's cymbals worth 500sp.
With peace now secured between the keep and the market hall, the party returned to their stronghold to assess the damage, only to find that no attack had been launched. Thus they prepared for their next expedition.
Total Treasure Obtained: 1,565sp | 142sp/hireling (plus 5sp/day wages) | 284sp/player character
Total XP from foes bested: 95XP
XP from treasure & foes bested: 1,660XP | 150XP/half-share | 301XP/full-share
Feats of Exploration Achieved: 14% XP needed to advance | Explore 5 areas of a single dungeon level (2%) | Make creative use of equipment or abilities (2%) | Beneficially resolve a high-stakes encounter with an important NPC (5%) | Manipulate or cripple a faction to your benefit (5%)
Total XP/Player Character: 301+ 11% needed for next level total.
Total XP/Hireling: 86.