Sunday, December 30, 2007

A Violent End

5 November, 595
Part One

Heading back into the ruins, the group decides to explore more of the tunnel in the same area they had left. Jimmy, moving stealthily down the hallways, comes upon a pair of snoozing "tall ones." He jumps into the room and attempts to hypnotize the pair. One apparently succombs to the trance, but the other rushes at the magician with rapier raised. Nodonn charges into the room and prompty runs into a wall. Jimmy casts a spell which stuns the two foes for several vital seconds, during which time Nodonn and Bruinor wrestle with them on the ground. Finding the situation hopeless, the two creatures throw down their weapons and surrender to the group.

This time our heroes are more merciful, attempting to communicate with the beings. They can not speak nor understand their language, but when Bruinor speaks in Gnomish, one seems to understand. He indicates that he would lead the group to the children if they would let them go.

Following the two creatures, the group is taken to the wooden barricade they had discovered previously. Bruinor cuts down the makeshift wall with his axe, and the two creatures bolt, attempting to flee. One is felled by a few arrows in the back, but the other escapes into the darkness.

Enterring the room, they discover a large workshop, with two large balconies and a huge gear suspended from a high vaulted ceiling. Lyra decides to explore one of the balconies, and Jimmy scrambles up the other. As he looks around, Jimmy is attacked by a large brain-shaped creature with dangling tentacles hovering in the air. Attempting to flee down the stairs, he is struck by one of the arms and paralyzed in place. While the creature wraps its tentacles about Jimmy, other members of the group attempt to get in position to attack. Lyra and Plenty hurl daggers while Nodonn shoots arrows at the beast. With a lack of ranged weapons, the group is unable to save Jimmy from becoming the breakfast of the creature. Getting greedy and with the taste of blood in its beak, it makes a run at Nodonn. Lyra heroically leaps from the balcony in an attempt to land on the back of the creature. Unfortunately, she misjudges her jump, and ends up with a splat on the ground. Throck's healing spell returns her to form. Bruinor's axe and Plenty's scimitar prove to be the bane of the creature as it drops to the ground in a heap of quivering membrane.

Nodonn attempts to cut the great beast open and the foul creature makes him wretch, but alas, poor Jimmy has been devoured in the most gruesome way, and only pieces of him are found in the belly. After saying a touching prayer for Jimmy's soul, the group searches the room and finds an expertly made dagger set with a compartment in its hilt, along with a few potions.

The remains of Jimmy's corpse are brought up for the final time, and he is taken to the Church of Wee Jas for burial. However, on the way out, Bruinor spots a well-hidden door on the stairway up to Keygan's shop. So obscured is this portal that the group had passed it numerous times before it was noticed. As the sun continues its ascent into the sky, the group ponders on what to do next, and how to proceed in this search that has now claimed one of their lives.

Trapped Like a Rat

4 November, 595
Part Three

After given healing by Throckmorten, Jimmy is still feeling the detrimental affects of the poison. It is decided to return to the surface and pay a visit to the Temple of St. Cuthbert. Jenya agrees to cure the poison for a reduced price, and the group also purchases some potions, cashing in on the blue spinel gem that was found.

After a private chat with Jenya, Joseph learns that he is to be sent on an urgent mission to Sasserine immediately, and needs to leave the group that day. Brisk also learns that he has some important family business to take care of, as one of his relatives in Hollowsky has fallen ill.

The group decides to have a quick meal (provided gratis, thanks to Plenty's music and Jimmy's hypnotic spell), then head back to the gnome ruins. Before reentering, the group hears from behind the keysmith's shop curtain a debate between Keygan and someone who had entered the shop. Moments later, the curtain parts to reveal a well-groomed elf garbed in chainmail, bearing the religious symbol of Wee Jas. The elf introduces himself as Nodonn, and states that he has learned of the activities through a revelation from his goddess. She has directed him to them to aid in the search for the lost children.

Now 6 in number, the group ventures back into the ruins. Returning to the room behind the ajar "A" door in the mask room, they come to a tunnel ending with a stone ladder leading up to a hole in the ceiling. Poking his head through, Jimmy is swiped by something sharp. He immediately leaps down and warns the rest of the group. Nodonn leaps up the hole with his sword at the ready and finds himself in an empty room. A quick search of the small room reveals a hidden door. Opening the door, Jimmy moves into the room and is immediately ambushed by another "tall one." Stepping over Jimmy's fallen body, Nodonn enters the room and engages the creature. He is quickly joined by Bruinor and Lyra. Finding himself surrounded, the creature throws his arms up and shouts something in an unknown language, but is met by the merciless answer of steel. Bruinor's axe carves a fine arc through his midsection, and it is Lyra's sword through his back which finishes him off.

Found in the room are several chests and a cage containing a rat with a white starry patch on his head. Plenty grabs the cage, and Bruinor takes to smashing chests. After finding some loot among the smashed remains, the group drags the beaten body of Jimmy out of the ruins. The rat (Starbrow) is presented to Keygan and he is overcome with joy to be reunited with his companion.

Off to the temple again and this time an assistant cleric helps with the healing, and the rogue decides to purchase some additional healing potions. By this time it was dark and everyone decides to get a night's rest before embarking on another expedition.

Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Baptism of fire

4 November, 595
Part Two

The party retreats to the chamber with the masks to discuss what is to be done next. While they are talking they are surprised when a figure slips out from the shadow of the stairway and offers to attempt to open the locked door. He introduces himself as Jimmy, and explains that an anonymous benefactor sent him to help the group recover the missing children.

After introductions are exchanged, Jimmy gets to work on the lock. To everyone's disappointment, he finds the lock too complicated for his limited lock picking experience. From there the group decides to explore the open passage to the west.

A long hallway with several long doors is explored, and at one end Jimmy falls into a spiked pit. The pit shakes him around a bit, and the others manage to fish him out in one piece. At the other end of the hallway a secret door is discovered, leading to a laboratory left in shambles. Approaching the center of the room, a strange pile of rags jumps to life and attempts to wrap itself around Bruinor. The party attacks with sword and torch, but it is Plenty's blade which manages to free Bruinor likely in the nick of time.

After this the party decides to return to the surface for rest. Some party members opt to remain to guard the shop while the others return to the comfort of the inn. Later in the day Keygan arrives at the shop and inquires about the progress of the expedition. He offers a warm breakfast and then proceeds to open his shop back up for business. The rest of the group meets back up at the shop and another expedition is planned.

A rough passageway is explored, which leads to an odd-shaped room with a husk of what appears to be some large mechanical device. Exploring this room, the party is ambushed by another rag creature, this one apparently wrapped around and in control of a skulk. Both the skulk and the rags are disposed of, an the party procedes into a large room containing an object hidden under a sheet. The sheet is removed and reveals a mechanical beast embossed with gnomish runes. Brisk attempts to climb the device and it whirrs to life, attacking the party. After a gruelling battle, the automaton is defeated. Brisk speculates that the device must be powered by a valuable gem. Sure enough, Jimmy finds a hidden compartment in the remains and produces a beautiful spinel gem.

The party continues exploration of a passageway and finds alcoves with strange machines lining the walls. At the end of the hallway is a makeshift barracade, constructed of wooden beams.

Jimmy scouts out one of the smaller passages and encounters a room completely filled with an eerie mist. He enters the room and manages to stir up a group of large carniverous centipedes. Beating a fighting retreat, the party regroups in the large room and defeats the insects, but not before Jimmy collapses after having being bitten several times. His body is sweating profusely and some members of the party suspect that poisonous toxins are coarsing through his body.

Ambush on the staircase

4 November, 595
Part One

At midnight the group heads back to Keygan's and finds a window slightly ajar on the second floor around the back of the building. Lyra climbs up with ease and opens the window, being careful to oil the joints to minimize any sound. She then proceeds to sneak in the window... and land flat on her face with a loud thud. Finding herself alone in what appears to be a bedroom, she listens for noises outside the room and thinks she hears the scuffling of footsteps outside. She then lowers a rope out the window and the rest of the group climbs up. Bruinor is the last up and makes a din of noise as he clambors up into the room. So much for the element of surprise.

Bruinor opens the door to the bedroom and peeks out onto a balcony. Not seeing anything unusual, he sneaks out and begins walking down the stairs, the rest of the group following. Lyra is the last on the stairs and is suddenly attacked from behind by a pair of "Tall Ones." Lyra takes multiple stab wounds before a light spell is cast, blinding the creatures momentarily. Joseph pins one of the creatures against the wall while Lyra and Plenty finish off the other one. Soon the skulks are disposed of.

The group searches the room for secret doors and eventually one is found set into the side of the staircase. It is opened and the group descends the stairs into a chamber filled with mysterious giggling and chirping noises. The noises appear to be coming from the very walls, or copper masks set about the walls. There are two gear-like doors set with gnomish runes, one of which is open. Brisk enters the open doors, and is immediately attacked by something. He moves back out of the room and whatever attacked him disappears into a rough tunnel carved into one of the walls of the room. The group enters the room and finds a glowing iron rod lying on the floor.

A hidden key

3 November, 595

The next morning the group heads to the orphange, where they are greeted with warm welcomes from the halfling headmistress, an elderly lady named Gretchyn Tashyyk. The heroes are allowed to examine the lock and question some of the children. One child relates a dream he had of a nasty gnome "snatching his breath." At this point the group decides to investigate the local locksmith, Keygan Ghelve.

Entering Ghelve's Locks, the group meets the gnome shop keeper, walking on stilts. They ask him some tough questions about his locks and the ones he sold to the orphanage. As each question is asked, he seems more and more nervous, eventually storming back into his shop in anger. A while later he sends a note flying back to the heroes, asking them to meet him at the Drunken Morkoth Inn at noon.

When noon rolls around Keygan shows up (sans stilts) and agrees to give them information about the abductions in return for them helping him to find his familiar, a rat named Starbrow. He says that strange creatures appeared in his shop 3 months ago and kidnapped Starbrow, and forced him to construct skeleton keys for all the locks in the city. He thinks that the creatures may have been using the keys to abduct the citizens of Cauldron. The creatures are described as "tall ones" with gray skin and changing color, and "short ones", wearing dark cloaks and hooved feet. Plenty believes these descriptions match up with what she has heard called Skulks and Dark Creepers, both originating from the depths of the Underdark. The creatures come and go by a secret door in Keygan's shop, which leads to underground gnomish ruins. Keygan agrees to leave one of his shop windows open that night and the group decides to investigate. He also leaves them a map of the ruins, which he says his father gave to him long ago.

After some discussion the group decides to enter the shop at after midnight.

A dark and stormy night

2 November, 595

Joseph Brandt, a cleric of St. Cuthbert enlists the aid of local adventurers to aid in the recovery of several children that have been abducted from the Lantern Street Orphange. The Church of St. Cuthbert is leading the effort and is being funded by other churches and members of the nobility.

One gloomy and rainy night, the fledgling group agrees to join Joseph on the promise of adventure and possible wealth. On their way over to the church they hear a call for help coming from a nearby allet. As they investigate, they see a gang thugs roughing up a defenseless man. One is heard to have said "Stay away from the orphanage!" The heroes immediately come to the aid of the victim. 3 of the thugs attempt to escape out the back of the alley but Brisk (a gnosmish wizard) casts a sleep spell which stops them in their tracks. The other 2 attempt to stand their ground. Of those, one is massacred by the spiteful axe of Bruinor. The other, heeding the warning of Joseph and seeing his chances as slim, throws down his sword and surrenders. It is learned that the men were hired by a thieving guild called the Last Laugh to dissude any investigators from looking into the disappearance of the children. The prisoner doesn't seem to know much more than that and hands over the 10gp he was given to do the job. The other 3 men wake up from their sleep and are allowed to escape. All of the thugs were wearing face paint, each face painted half black, half white. The accosted man introduces himself as Rufus Laro and asks the heroes to escort him to the church to talk with Jenya Urikas, the acting high priestess.

At the church of St. Cuthbert, the group is invited to hear a proposal from the high priestess. The church is willing to offer 1200gp for the safe return of all four children. Details are given about the children and the orphanage from where they were taken from. Jenya also explains that she consulted the Star of Justice, a holy relic from the church, in order to divine the location of the children. She was given an answer in the form of a riddle, which she shares with the group. They are also given some healing potions embossed with the symbol of the church.

The group retires for the night and decides to meet back up the next morning.

The NPCs

Fario Ellegoth (deceased) - Half-elf warrior sent by the mayor's office to help the party find the missing children.

Felian Shard (deceased) - Half-elf cleric of Fharlanghn sent by the mayor's office to help the party find the missing children.

Gretchyn Tashyyk - Female halfling, headmistress of the Lantern Street Orphanage.

Jenya Urikas - Female human, acting head cleric at the Church of St. Cuthbert in Cauldron. Jenya is fronting the investigation of the kidnapped orphans.

Keygan Ghelve - Male gnome, owner and operator of Ghelve's Locks. Ghelve's familiar, Starbrow, has been kidnapped by creatures originating from the gnomish rooms hidden below his shop.

Orak Stonehaven - Male dwarf who runs Orak's Bathhouse. He has thinning red hair and sports an eyepatch set with a small ruby gemstone.

Rufus Laro - Male human cleric of St. Cuthbert, rescued from a mugging on the streets of Cauldron.

Skie Aldersun - Female gnome, former adventurer and proprietor of Skie's Treasury, a shop of magic items.

Skylar Krewis - Sergeat in the town guard, left responsible for arresting Keygan and guarding his shop.

Terseon Skellerang - Captain of the town guard.

Vhalantru - One of the more prominent nobles in Cauldron. Is one of the sponsors for the search for the missing children; helped Nodonn and Bruinor get released from prison.

Tuesday, October 30, 2007

Artwork

Jimmy the Hand (by Lars)

Sulaman (by Lars)







The Party is Formed!

Ash
A human ranger in pursuit of adventure
Role: Expert tracker
Trait: None

Bruinor
A stout dwarf warrior; impulsive, and deadly with an axe.
Role: Provides the muscle for the group.
Trait: Touched in the Head

Selivia
Human cleric of Wee Jas
Role: Focuses the power of the divine to provide magical assistance to the group
Trait: None

Throckmorton
Half-elf trained as a warrior monk.
Role: Is the tank of the group and back-up medic.
Trait: None

Lyra Edrin
Deadly assassin with a pretty face.
Role: The expert killer.
Trait: None

Plenty O'Toole
A female half-elf tale-spinner with unusual animal magnetism.
Role: Expert in legend lore and equally skilled with a blade.
Trait: Mark of the Beast

Sulaman (inactive)
A crotchety old mage with delusions of grandeur
Role: Spell-caster
Trait: None

Brisk von Hesel (inactive)
A gnome trained in the arts of wizardry.
Role: Master of the arcane.
Trait: None

Joseph Brandt (inactive)
Disciple in the service of St. Cuthbert
Role: The primary healer of the group
Trait: None

Jimmy the Hand (deceased)
Cutpurse from the streets of Cauldron
Role: Trap finder and lock opener
Trait: None

Nodonn (deceased)
Elven Exemplar of Wee Jas with noble blood
Role: Skilled in combat and blessed with holy abilities
Triat: Noble