Welcome to Karth!

I know that some folks enjoyed reading the transcripts of my buddy Kris in his pillaging of the Village of Hommlet. As I wrote earlier, this was an adaptation of the classic AD&D adventure to a 3rd edition setting (yes, yes...we all have our skeletons in the closets and I, too, played D20).

It occurs to me that some folks might be interested in the campaign setting we used...you may have noticed in the transcript references to a lot of places not found in the World of Greyhawk. I still have all my campaign notes, including rules tweaks (for example, half-orcs were not allowed as a PC race and orcs were considered goblinoids; gnomes were seafaring creatures with enemy bonuses against aquatics and the ability to speak with aquans; high elves favored class was sorcerer, etc.). I won't bother listing all the allowable prestige classes and such, but some might be want to rip off my locations for their own campaign worlds.

[unfortunately, there is no map to include with this...you'll have to plug-in locations where you feel they'll work best for your game]

I could probably turn this into a little sourcebook or something, but I've got too many irons in the fire right now as it is. Just figured I'd share:

[hmmmm...on second thought, I see that even withOUT cleaning up the notes and properly formatting them, there're at least six pages...I should probably just put this into a .pdf document for downloading]

All right...um, Karth notes (that was the name of the world...like Earth with a "K," get it?) will be posted in the next couple-couple. Um...probably.

Happy Saturday!

Village of Hommlet - D20 Style (Part 9)

[continued from here]

The Rest of the Dungeon

After stripping the bodies of your enemies and piling them against the portcullis, you set off to explore the rest of the dungeon. This time, Geffen is careful to map the interior, though you also have your chalk out to mark the way.

As you cannot get through the portcullis, you head back up the stairs and through the ogre’s chamber. Past the antechamber (the door opposite the secret one), you find yourself back in the cellar that contained the zombies and the two locked doors. You now take the time to pick the locks on the doors and find that they contain stores of supplies. The first contains dozens of spears, pole arms, and axes, as well as scores of arrows and crossbow bolts. The second one contains shields, leather armor, barrels of salted meat, and two kegs of excellent brandy.

You also find a crate in the weapon room containing more than fifty black capes sewed with the yellow eye of fire.

Going back through the torture chamber tunnel, and then through the crypt, you explore the rest of the underground complex. You find the chambers that housed both bugbears and gnolls, but nothing of value is in these rooms, only squalor and filth. You find a room with a pool in it; obviously the water supply for the hideout, a giant crab-like monster lurks below the surface and menaces you when you approach! Deciding that your party has enough water to last, you leave the pool and creature in peace, rather then risk further injury. You also find the other side of the portcullis, and loot the fallen; the sergeant has a gold chain around his neck and all the men have purses of coin. A simple winch mechanism lifts the portcullis.

Finally, down a long deserted corridor you find the chamber and barracks of the guardsmen and the residence of the high priest. The guards’ barracks contains only cots, salted meat, and other basic supplies, but the chamber of Lareth is another thing entirely! It is lavishly furnished with rugs and wall hangings and a silver serving set and goblets begs your immediate attention. A brazier of sweet incense burns near a carved alabaster box filled with rich unguents (obviously worth a good amount of gold) and lastly you discover a gold necklace, beautifully wrought with ten gorgeous fire opals and set with diamond chips. It is obviously worth a king’s ransom!

You also find another tunnel, near the guards’ chamber that leads in a long upwards slope to the surface…well outside the moat house and deep in a bramble grove. This is probably the way the remaining guardsmen fled. You use this exit and hike the short distance back to the moat house, where your horses and the body of Burne awaits.

The Road Back

You carefully tie Burne to the back of his great white horse, and stow your wealth in bulging saddle-bags. Kendra has changed her scale mail for the gleaming plate armor once worn by Lareth the Beautiful, a unanimous decision by the party as it was she that struck the telling blow. The group is amazed as the way the armor seems to magically contour to her body, slighter though it is compared to the six foot Lareth. Bryant carries the cleric’s quarterstaff, having given his own sword to Kendra. She in turn gives you the dagger of Burne, to use until it is decided what to do with his gear. So equipped your battered party turns its horses towards the open road.

More than a day has passed since you first entered the moat house, but your party has not yet rested, and figures to regain its strength after finding solace at the Inn of the Welcome Wench. However, it is near dusk as you head east back to Hommlet The dim light is enough for your half-elven eyes, however, as you guide the humans in the party.

You have not gone very far, though, when you find your way blocked by two horsed figures, one dressed in armor and the other in casual robes. The robed man holds up his hand for you to halt as you approach. You recognize Turuko and Kobort from the inn!

“Whoa, fellows!” says the monk from the back of his horse. “It appears you’ve had a rough time, with many wounds among your party, and at least one member not fit to ride. You should have taken us along on your excursion, as we could have kept you in better repair. Perhaps you need some protection to see you back to town? The roads are very dangerous at night and we’d be willing to escort you to Hommlet for a share of the spoils.”

Turuko blinks at your offer of 10%, then smiles. “Actually, we were thinking more like fifty percent.” The barrel-chested Kobort fingers the hilt of his long sword meaningfully.

You “tsk” at Turuko and the two thugs attack!

Turuko launches himself into the air, feet and hand flying, but Bryant is there striking with his new quarterstaff before the human can do any damage. He strikes twice, and the monk goes down in the dirt. You sling Burne’s dagger as Kobort kicks his mount forward, and it easily pierces the big fighter’s shoulder. Then Kendra and Eldoran are riding forward, the dwarf striking the foe in the knee and the paladin glancing a blow off the man’s shield.

Kobort throws down his sword and sues for peace. “Let me live! I’m not evil! Turuko told me that it would be easy money to waylay your party, since you all were wounded…I didn’t want to kill anyone! Please don’t slay me!”

Mercy

You turn to Kendra and suggest you tie the dog up and leave him for the buzzards. Kobort, large man that he is, shivers in fear and pain at his wounds as you and your companions surround him with drawn weapons. Kendra shakes her head.

“We won’t leave him to die, but I don’t see any wisdom in letting a potential brigand loose either…he might try to waylay some other poor soul who is not as prepared as ourselves.

“Let him leave all weapons and armor to us, and let him bury his fallen comrade. After that, he may ride away to find some honest work for himself, but we will not leave him with accoutrements of warfare!”

The five of you supervise the burial of Turuko (performed by a half-naked Kobort) and then allow the man to ride away, with only his breaches and a small bag of copper. Your party then continues on to Hommlet.

In the Common Room

Ostler is only too happy to send a pot boy to Rufus, while his other servant stables your horses. Burne is brought into the common room and laid on a table with a sheet thrown over his body. Then Ostler goes about getting you some food and drink.

The common room is full of people tonight, but the whole room has fallen silent at the sight of Burne. Some of the men drinking are laborers from the castle and are used to Burne’s presence every day. To all the villagers of Hommlet, “his Most Worshipful Mage of Hommlet” was a figure of both respect and awe. They find it difficult to believe the wizard is dead.

However, the silence is broken as Rufus arrives. Rufus sees the covered form of his cohort and goes red in the face, hand on the hilt of his sword. He glares at your party not saying a word, just as Ostler comes into the common room with a tray of drinks. The inn keeper halts mid-stride clearly sensing the tension and danger in the air.

Then Kendra speaks: “I’m sorry, Rufus.”

It is enough to dissolve the tension, and with that the five of you sit down to table with the fighter and share what transpired in the dungeons beneath the evil moat house. The common room is filled with low buzzing as people alternate between listening and commenting to their neighbors. You consider briefly taking the conversation back into a more private room, but decide the townsfolk have a right to know what happened to the wizard that employed many and was a protector of all.

Rufus countenance grows dark as you tell the tale of Lareth and his strangely garbed warriors. He chokes a little when you tell him of Burne’s death, and all but hoots with joy when you describe the defeat of Lareth and his men. You show him some of the trinkets taken from Lareth’s personal chambers and the crowd “oos” and “ahs” over the jeweled splendor of the loot. Then, as you finish your tale a startled look of hope comes over Rufus’ face.

“Wait…by what you say, Burne’s passing was only three days ago. If this is true, then there is still a chance to save him!”

Rufus quickly begins ordering his men to prepare horses for travel and to bring them to the inn, and also orders a few days worth of iron rations from Ostler. Then he explains, “The soul of my cohort has left his body before its time, but his body is still whole and intact. It is possible to call his spirit back to its form but it would take a mighty holy man to do so. The High Priest of Apollo in Gilea has the power to raise him up, but we must be able to get the body to his temple within 10 days of its death. After that, even the high priest may not be able to call him back!”

While Ostler makes ready Burne’s body (and the rations), Rufus continues, “Listen…I must try to raise my companion while there is still time, but this entire incident is troubling. This ‘Lareth’ whom you slew was a cleric of surpassing power, and only a true worshipper of dark gods could command the type of unholy might you describe. This was no charlatan using the name of Elemental Evil…this was a cleric of that foul power! It is good that you stopped him when you did, and extremely lucky for you that Burne was along with you to help. But if the dark power is rising enough to call mortal servants, this whole region could be in great danger!”

Let Me Tell You About Nulb

Rufus continues, “I must travel south (and quickly!) to Gilea or I would investigate myself, but I need someone to go to Nulb and investigate the old temple dedicated to the Cult of Elemental Evil. I charge your party with doing this; you have already proven yourselves worthy and strong by deeds both good and fell. You must make certain that the old temple is secure, that the seals on the place are unbroken. The seals were placed both to keep potential worshippers out, and to keep other things IN. It is the ‘other things’ that worry me!

“Travel the Western Road to Tryss…the same road that goes by the site of our castle construction, and the same road that goes by the moat house. You should see sign posts marking the lane that leads to Nulb a few miles past the moat house. Just on the outskirts of Nulb, you should find the Temple, once a place of great evil and foul creatures. Be VERY careful.

“Nulb itself is a miserable little village; I have only ever been there once, on a scouting expedition for Burne. The place is smaller then Hommlet, and meaner…it’s fallen on rough times the last few years. I daresay there may be brigands residing in Nulb and feel free to do with them as you will. To my knowledge, there’s no real law or militia in Nulb and it is ruled more by strength then by group consensus. Like Hommlet, it falls loosely under the rule of Gilea, but the Empire does not ride that far north and does not enforce its will over the village. However, that does not mean there are no agents of the Empire there…Gilea has a vested interest in keeping an eye on the old Temple Ruins, so you may find hidden help in Nulb…though why they did not notice the rebirth of the Cult is a mystery!

“You may take Burne’s gear to help you…I am sure he does not begrudge you using his equipment while he soars the afterworld. If we bring him back from the dead…well, we’ll deal with that if the lucky event comes to pass. However, until then, please use his enchanted items to best ability. His wand will fire magical missiles and this musical chime will open any lock or door with a slight ringing. His dagger is also enchanted and his ring will protect the wielder as if you were wearing an extra suit of leather. His other items back at the tower, I will keep for now.

“One last word of note: be very careful of your treasure. Nulb is not known for gentle qualities of its townfolk and unguarded loot will surely be stolen. Find a good base of operations in Nulb that you can secure against robbers, or buy a house in Hommlet even! I will return in about two weeks and after that I may be able to help you store your valuables. Until then, be careful!”

*****

Your party enters the Waterside Hostel…a fairly seedy place. The proprietor is burly and scowling, his bartender is surly and sleazy. Two slovenly women act as the barmaids/entertainment of the establishment, and both give you an unfriendly eye as you rent your rooms. On the bright side, all the costs are half of what they were at the Welcome Wench.

You feel a bit uncomfortable as you pay the fee; all eyes are fixated on the platinum you count into the innkeeper’s meaty palm.

You tie your horses outside, Geffen assuring you that they’ll make a ruckus if anything happens. Then you go to your rooms and wait for nightfall. Once it is dark the party, at your behest, takes to the streets in pairs looking for “anything suspicious.”

There isn’t a whole lot to explore. There are no lamp lights and the streets are dark, only lit by the crescent moon and stars. The only place open (besides the Waterside Hostel) is the Boatmen’s Tavern. Lights and raucous noise emanate from the river-front establishment. A drunk appears passed out on the street a few yards from the entrance.

[this is the end of the transcript and as far as the Doc and I got through the T1-4 super-module. Hope you all enjoyed the recounting of our tale...it's been fun in the telling!]

Village of Hommlet - D20 Style (Part 8)

[continued from here]

Into the Dark

As the party begins to glibly explain the upper lay-out of the keep, you wrestle with your doubts about Burne. Did you do the right thing, bringing him along? Does the party really need his assistance? Do you really want to give up one-third of the loot?

You are just about to tell the smug wizard to leave, but at the last moment decide against it. One more party member will certainly help and the mage might well get himself killed. Even if he doesn’t you might be able to stick a knife in his back yourself if there is a problem with dividing the treasure!

Geffen secures the horses and the party checks that their weapons are loose in their scabbards as you file one-by-one into the ruined moat house. The stones are hard underfoot and you hear nary a sound as you climb the stairs to the main keep. Behind you stride Eldoran and Kendra, followed by Burne then Geffen and finally, Bryant. Past the ruined doors and into the old audience chamber, and straight to the ‘dark room’ that was the hide-out of the brigands. Here you, Kendra, and Bryant all light up torches.

“What – no lantern?” asks Burne incredulously. “You should have told me. I could have gathered at least two from the fortress!” You ignore him and lead the party through the secret door in the back of the brigand’s lair.

It is only a short descent into darkness till you come to the blood-stained landing on which Spugnoir met his demise. To the left, you can lead the party down a second flight of steps. To your right and through the half-open secret door lays the ogre’s chamber, from which you can still smell its rotting corpse. “Hoo-boy,” says Burne, “What a stench!”

You carefully descend the second set of stairs to the corridor below. It turns gently to the right and continues into darkness. Your part moves as quietly as possible, though there is an awful lot of jingling from Eldoran and Kendra. You pace a few yards ahead to put some distance between yourselves and the party.

Suddenly, the light from your torch picks out something gleaming dully ahead of you. You slow your pace and carefully approach, holding up your free hand for caution. As you get nearer you see that it is a heavy iron portcullis that has descended from the ceiling and imbedded itself in the floor, sealing the corridor shut!

You turn to tell the party of the bars across the way, but they already talking…somewhere behind you in the corridor you hear a clattering of weapons and a roaring of voices…someone is approaching and your party is trapped like rats!!

Combat!

You grab your crossbow from your back while spinning on your heel, and charge back to the party. People seem to be jostling among themselves as they struggle to get past each other in the narrow corridor. You hear a roar and the dim torch light you see a pack of seven foot tall, furry humanoids with morning stars charging! Bryant is yelling, and Eldoran and Kendra are trying to get past Burne and Geffen to help him, but Burne also is shoving his way past the druid. Torches have been dropped on the floor, and you cannot get a clear shot past the pack of your friends!

Suddenly, you hear Burne shout a word of magic. A light streaks over the heads of the party to land amidst the bugbears and then flowers into a tremendous orange explosion of flame and sulfur!

“Burne you son of a bitch!” yells Bryant, falling back as the flames lick the corridor. “You’ve killed us all!” But only warm air washes past you, not flames, and many charred forms litter the corridor floor. Kendra and Eldoran have finally struggled to the front of the pack and Bryant stands behind the dwarf with an arrow knocked. You step up past Geffen next to Burne and try to aim your crossbow between party members, but it is a tight fit.

Your fighters have just enough time to take a quick step forward before they are charged by a group hyena-headed humanoids: gnolls! The two in front each hit their marks with their battle axes and both paladin and dwarf return the favor. You and Bryant fire arrows as rapidly as you can reload and seek foes, but you cannot shoot the fiends once they are engaged in melee with your friends, and your targets are few.

Burne, on the other hand, generates dart after dart of mystic power that races from his fingers to unerringly seek enemies, whether in melee or not! He has not even drawn his wand and he has managed to fell two foes by himself, and helped put down two others that were wounded.

Kendra has taken two wounds and Eldoran one but the gnolls are down to three in number and the rest of the party is unhurt. Then the gnolls back off, and as you press forward you hear a voice saying, “Ah, friends! Why must we make war amongst ourselves when your cause is hopeless, and you could be of use to our side?”

A bolt of searing light streaks down the corridor, missing Eldoran but striking Bryant; he shrieks in pain. The gnolls redouble their efforts and Eldoran is wounded again before she can slay her attacker. You push back the gnolls, wondering at first why they won’t flee…then you see that behind them is a line of armored men, holding out long glaives! Behind them stands a dark figure that you cannot make out from here.

The last gnolls fall and Burne shouts another spell…a bolt of lightning crackles in the air and streaks towards the men, who you can see wears the sign of the flaming golden eye on their chest…however, the dark figure gestures and the spell fades without striking a single man! Burne is taken aback, but quickly draws both his wand and his dagger. The armored men start marching forward slowly.

Ambushed Again!

Your crossbow bolts bounce off the guards scale mail, but Burne’s wands fells two of the guardsmen in their stride. Suddenly several things happen at once: you hear the twang of bow strings and feel a sharp pain in your back. You hear cries of pain from both Geffen and Bryant, and the dark figure behind the guardsmen shouts a word in some unholy language and the hammer falls from Eldoran’s nerveless fingers; she has been paralyzed! Then Burne shouts his own words of magic and disappears from view!

You whirl around and see that behind the portcullis are two rows of guardsmen with crossbows, three kneeling in front, three standing behind, with a sergeant overseeing them. They are reloading and taking aim. The dark man laughs.

However, it appears that Burne hasn’t deserted you; magic missiles streak out from thin air striking several of the crossbowmen! You fire your own crossbow and pierce a man over the bridge of his nose, slaying him. Bryant aims an arrow, but it strikes one of the portcullis bars and is deflected. “Surrender now, or be buried,” shouts the leader, “Though it cost me all my servants, I shall slay you in this tunnel!” The dark man’s guards seem fearless, as they quickly load and fire a second barrage of arrows. Geffen falls, pierced in the belly.

Behind you there is another explosion, this one closer! You look over your shoulder and see that Kendra’s sword has shattered from tip to hilt! Magical missiles drop two more of the glaivesmen but the final two march forward with confident surety and cut down Eldoran and Kendra where they stand. Kendra is badly wounded and lurches back as the two halt with stances wide. They have a ten foot reach with their glaives.

“Oh, come now, wizard! Let’s have no more of this invisibility!” Another word of magic, and Burne appears again wand in hand. Waving it, four more missiles streak out, two striking each of the guards with pole arms, slaying the men. He is then struck by several arrows and gasps in pain.

Sweet Surrender

You yell for everyone to get down on the floor and give themselves up to the dark lord. Bryant and Kendra obey immediately dropping down next to you and their fallen companions, but Burne shouts words of magic in defiance.

“Surrender, wizard, or suffer the consequences!” yells the dark lord stepping forward.

This must be Lareth the Beautiful. He is handsome and young, not much older than yourself. His body ripples with muscles beneath his plate armor, and he grasps his quarterstaff with obvious skill. He is confident in his power, and there is a demonic gleam of insanity in his eyes. On his chest he wears the symbol of the flaming golden eye.

Burne does not answer but begins to gesture and chant. Lareth makes a sign to his men, and shafts let fly easily striking the standing wizard. However, the arrows bend upon his robes doing him no harm; he has somehow warded himself against their missiles!

Lareth is undaunted as he gestures to his lieutenant. The man drops his bow and draws his long blade and a hand ax, stepping forward. But Burne finishes his gesturing at that moment and the fighter undergoes a swift transformation…into a toad! The priest stares open-mouthed!

“Bastard! You will pay for that…and my patron will give me the power to break your spell!” In answer, Burne lifts his wand and four missiles of magic might streak towards the cleric, swerving to miss the last guardsman that tries to place his body between the missiles and his master. They strike one after another, and blood flows from beneath the cleric’s armor.

Huddled on the ground with Bryant and Kendra, you can barely believe what you’re seeing! “Burne! Stop it, wizard!” But it does not matter now as Lareth, completely enraged by the mage’s actions, charges with staff in hand as more missiles smite the cleric in the torso. Swinging his staff, it glows in the dim light of the fading torches. One iron shod end reaches out to jab Burne in the gut, doubling him over, then whirling brings the second end to crack across the wizard’s skull, utterly shattering it! Burne’s brains are splashed across the corridor wall, and his body flung against the portcullis.

The high priest’s legs in front of your eyes prove too tempting a target for you, and nodding once to Bryant, you draw your knife and swiftly plunge it into the cleric’s unprotected calf! Lareth the Beautiful gasps in pain, already wounded by Burne’s missiles. Bryant lunges to his feet drawing his long sword and crashing it down on the mage’s shoulder and spinning him around. The priest brings his staff up, but now Kendra is on her feet as well, Burne’s dagger in her hand. She smites the priest drawing upwards with the blade of the dagger and splitting him from groin to neck!

Now you are on your feet, and somehow you have Burne’s wand in your hand. How the hell does this thing work, you think to yourself as you wave it at the guards and shout the words you heard Burne use. Somehow, you manage to activate the thing, and missiles streak from its tip striking the sergeant standing behind the crossbowmen, and slaying him!! The remaining guards drop their crossbows, turn tail, and flee down the corridor!

You turn on the remaining guardsman, but he is also fleeing and has reached the stairs already. You shout and wave the wand at him, but nothing happens, and he disappears into darkness.

Holy Smokes! Victory!

You survey the carnage around you for a moment before gleefully stooping to loot Burne’s body. Kendra gives you a VERY disapproving look, but she is in no condition to stop you…still she IS holding an enchanted, blood-stained dagger in her good hand. “I think we should have a little more respect for our fallen companions, don’t you?” You shrug and set about looting Lareth the Beautiful instead.

Bryant finds the toad and slays it with a swift thrust of his sword. It immediately reverts back into the dead lieutenant. “Here’s another one to check out, Christoff!” You can’t help but smile.

You also can’t help but pocket Burne’s magic wand. You don’t know how many charges remain, and you’re not sure you’ll ever get it to work again, but you know it’s no use to the dead wizard…and you note that Kendra hasn’t put down the wizard’s knife yet, so she’s not one to talk (of course, her master crafted broad sword was shattered…).

Kendra kneels first by Eldoran and lays her hands briefly on the dwarf. “She will live, now, but she’ll need more healing power than mine to regain consciousness!” She then stoops by Geffen and lays her hands on his wounds for a longer period of time, and he begins to rouse. Kendra leans forward and hugs the druid, who groans in pain.

“Don’t re-open my wounds!”

The paladin apologizes and then Geffen staggers to his feet and begins the healing of the wounded. Kendra, Eldoran, and the druid himself are the recipients who need the most healing, though Kendra does bind the wounds of you and Bryant. Poor Burne is beyond saving, however. You wrap him carefully in his cloak and take his body back to the surface and out in the sunlight. The party decides that they will take Burne back to Hommlet for burial as he is a friend and leader of the people. However, you see no reason not to “borrow” his equipment while you finish exploring the dungeon! Besides you don’t want a passing ruffian to despoil his corpse while your party is below.

Burne has many items of wonder on him. You find a gem studded ring on his left hand, and a long silver chime in another wand case at his belt. His wand of magical missiles is already in your possession as well as his enchanted dagger. His pouches contain spell components for his spells, most of which are of little use to you, and of course there is your potion back again. However, he carries no spell book or scrolls with him…which is just as well, since they would be more baggage then you could easily carry.

A search of the corpses in the corridor below yields even more loot. Each of the gnolls carried some sort of coin, mostly copper and silver, and the guardsmen carried gold and platinum as well. The bugbears torched bodies yield more coinage and a silver necklace and several gems (carried by the leader). Lareth’s lieutenant carries a bag of gemstones and wears a platinum chain set with a large topaz, an obvious piece of treasure. Finally, Lareth himself carries a small purse with a few pieces of platinum and a dark, shining opal. He also wears gleaming plate armor, obviously master-crafted if not enchanted, and you’ve already noted the power of his magical quarterstaff (as demonstrated on Burne). Finally, Lareth has some sort of clerical phylactery on his left arm that is carved with what looks like magical runes. You take this for good measure.

None of you are able to lift the portcullis, nor discover a way to open it, and cannot get to the bodies on the other side. You’ve made quite a haul of spoil, but you feel there must be more in the dungeon…a hoard or war chest from which Lareth paid his men. Also, you’ve yet to discover the supplies stolen from the ambushed caravans. The weapons and armor of the fallen guardsmen would fetch a good price, but you’d need a cart or wagon to carry the equipment back to town.

Village of Hommlet - D20 Style (Part 7)

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Next Day (& the Next)

The following morning, the party sets off for Hommlet very early. You’ve got a lot of loot and extra company and it is fairly slow going. However, you manage to arrive by early afternoon, and you certainly cause a stir as you pony up to the Inn of the Welcome Wench! Ostler is there to take Horg and the others to rooms (on the house, of course!) and the patrons in the common room greet you with amazement and many questions. It appears they are more interested in getting news then giving any!

When they see the chest of treasure you’ve returned with, the buzz of excitement doubles! Along with all the silver you’ve brought (and the treasure you found before!) you’ve acquired quite a haul! There is a hush of woe when your party tells the tale of Spugnoir’s death, and a general clamor when you ask if any spell casters present are seeking fame and fortune!

There aren’t any spell users, but there appears to be plenty of others looking to strike it rich.

Kobort and Turuko are still staying at the inn and express their condolences for the loss of your friend; they also renew their offer to accompany your party. A swarthy looking man armed with a long sword introduces himself as Zert, and asks where and how your party found the brigands lair. His eyes widen at your tale. The village farmers are eager for your tales of daring, and they buy your party several rounds of Ostler’s potent drink as you spin your story.

About the same time you are finishing your third ale, the door to the inn bursts open and four well-clad and able-bodied men stride into the common room. A quiet falls over the crowd, for these are not common peasants. One is dressed in the robes of a cleric of St. Cuthbert, a second in the cowl of a druid. The third man wears the cloak and pointy hat of a courtly wizard and the tall man leading the way wears gleaming chain armor. It is this man who steps forward and addresses you:

“Greetings, friends of Hommlet! I am Rufus of Gilea, and this is my associate Burne,” he gestures to the wizardly man with the goatee. “We represent the interests of imperial Gilea here in Hommlet and have been commissioned to build an outpost here. We have heard word of your deeds, and your coming has been a great boon for this township!

“We understand that you have cleaned out a nest of brigands, and have rescued prisoners who may otherwise have perished! For this we are very grateful, and wish to extend our personal thanks as well as the hospitality of Hommlet.”

The cleric steps forward, “Well met friends! I am Terjon of the cudgel of St. Cuthbert. I am undercleric to the village curate (who is away at this time on important priestly business). I am here to see to the captives and provide what succor I can to them in their pain and misery.”

The druid introduces himself, “I am Jaroo Ashstaff, and I have already met with your companion Geffen. I have long served as a leader of the Old Faith for the people of Hommlet, and your help with the bandits around the area has been a boon to us all. If I can offer any of you healing, it would be my honor to do so!”

The captives are quickly brought forward and Jaroo and Terjon heal the entire group of pain and misery. After that Burne, Rufus, and the others listen to your tale. They are disturbed to learn that there is a new evil lurking in the ruins of the outpost, and they ask that your party stop by their keep on the way out of town, if you plan on making an additional expedition to the place!

Terjon, Jaroo, Rufus, and Burne all leave and eventually your party is too tired (or drunk!) to stay awake. Ostler shows you to your usual rooms, and you sack out for the night. Before you do, however, you carefully unfold the elven cloak and try it on. By some trick of its elvish design, it shimmers in the candlelight and almost seems to blend in with its surroundings…just what a young rogue needs to keep from being discovered! Smiling, you carefully store it in your backpack until the morning.

The next day, Horg and his fellow merchants are ready to leave, being well-rested, well-fed, fully healed, and equipped by the grace of Rufus and Burne. Horg promises you that he has not forgotten his words of reward, and will send it to you with the next caravan that passes through Hommlet from Gilea…probably in the next two to three weeks. He, Togo, and Iul (the other human merchant) all thank you one last time then set out on the southern road. They wave until they are out of sight.

Counting the Cash

Your party pools the wealth it has found, and you can easily see that this adventuring certainly pays off! The five of you have accumulated more wealth then you have ever seen in your life, enough to fill a small chest to a weight of well over sixty pounds, even taking out the worthless “shiny baubles” the ogre had accumulated. After careful counting, you inventory the total take at 899 copper pieces, 964 silver pieces, a whopping 1145 gold pieces, and 18 pieces of platinum. This is the amount remaining AFTER paying Ostler your enormous tavern bill!

In addition, you found three small zircon gemstones with Spugnoir. In speaking with Melubb the money changer he tells you he will give you 520 gold pieces for all four gems you carry (including the large peridot) and 32 gold coins for the golden ring you wear. Another eleven pounds of gold for a few small baubles seems well worth the trade to you! You tell Melubb that you’ll think it over.

You took the liberty of pocketing Spugnoir’s scroll of protection from undead, and have re-supplied your quiver with a full 30 crossbow bolts.

You think about buying an extra pony (or mule!) to carry your treasure, but for the time being, Ostler agrees to hide your chest temporarily. However, he does not want to be responsible for the party’s loot, especially knowing that there are bandits in the hills! Still, you are good customers and he’ll do this while you figure out a better location.

Thus being ready, you head down the Western Road, with intention to stop by the construction site of Rufus and Burne.

Rufus and Burne

Riding down the road, you see the construction site up ahead on your right. The main keep of the castle is not yet built, but the foundations are being set and already two towers, one small and one large have been finished. From what you’ve heard, Burne and Rufus are tough and cunning adventurers who earned favor in Gilea putting down a bandit hoarde, and earned a small fortune defeating a Green Dragon in the southern reaches of the Gray Hills. They are part of Hommlet’s Council of Elders and know all the important people of the village, but it is rumored they will lend aid to adventurers for the right price.

Riding up the hill and tethering your horses at the base of a long stair, you climb to the small two-story tower. It is pierced by arrow slits and two men-at-arms stand atop the battlements. The guard at the door leads you inside, obviously expecting you, and you find yourself in an audience chamber being announced for, “his most Worshipful Mage of Hommlet, Burne the Wizard.” Burne dismisses the guard with a wave as Rufus comes through the door.

“We have been granted leave to build a fortress here by the Emperor,” Rufus begins, “and while we are in debt to your efforts, we are worried about this outpost of villains being so close to Hommlet. We had thought that the old moat house was long abandoned, save by the occasional fell beast or giant spider, but the idea of armed and organized evil is extremely troubling.”

“Especially,” says Burne, “the fact that Horg states the blackguards used the symbol of the burning eye. The Golden Eye of Flame is a symbol of the old cult of Elemental Evil…the worship of the forces of Fire, Water, Earth, and Air that bring destruction and suffering to all peoples. Hurricanes, forest fires, tornados, and earthquakes all fall under the influence of that demonic cult! However, the cult was stamped out years ago, and its main temple…near Nulb…was sealed against any possibility of resurgence. If the cult was to rise again it would cause much harm to the inhabitants of this land, as it did before!”

Rufus says, “We need to know if this is the case. Bandits are one thing; evil cultists are entirely another! In years past, is took Hin Warriors from the Shirelands and Knights from Gilea to stop the evil, and relations between the two nations are not as good as they once were. If this is a revival of the cult of Elemental Evil, we need to present evidence as soon as possible so that resistance can be organized. We don’t want the cult, if revived, to get a toe-hold in the Gray Hills. Once firmly established, the cult will cost many lives and much suffering before it is rooted out. We ask, thus, that you bring us any evidence of the cult that you find.”

Burne adds, “You will of course be well rewarded for your efforts, and may even find a place of favor in our establishment, should the Emperor grant Hommlet the status of barony!”

Rufus says nothing at this but looks your party over grimly, as if estimating your worth in the venture. “Good luck to you,” he says finally, “Do not underestimate the abilities of the enemy. If it is an uprising of the cult, you will find them very strong foes. Seek aid where you will, and be careful!” Rufus turns and leaves the chamber.

Before dismissing you, Burne offers: “From the tales I’ve heard in town, I understand that your companion wizard was slain. It will be difficult to replace him since there are none of magical might in Hommlet save myself, and I am unfortunately not available for adventuring! There are too many things that draw my attention, and I am not truly free to leave them. However, I am not above providing aid to those in need. I could render service to your party in a magical capacity, but I would need to be heavily compensated for my time…perhaps one-third of any treasure that is taken from the moat house? It would go a long way to help in establishing suitable governance here in Hommlet.”

Onwards, Young Companions!

Smiling at your acceptance of his offer, Burne rises proudly from behind the table. “Well, I must tell Rufus that I will be away for at least a few days, then. I travel light, and it will not take long for me to make ready. You may await me below with your steeds.” He gestures to a guard and your party is dismissed.

Bryant and Eldoran are frankly aghast at your proposal to give away one-third of your treasure to the mage, but they have learned to trust your lead in these matters and will continue to do so. “He should certainly make things easier,” agrees Kendra. “Besides, if things get as rough as he and Rufus think, we’ll definitely have need of a good mage!” The five of you descend the chiseled stairs to where your horses wait.

It is less than thirty minutes when you hear a neighing from above, and you see Burne, robed in blue and riding upon a splendid white mare. He bears no wizard’s staff but he is hale and hearty and descends the hillock in a rush of hooves. Your party feels less than equal in his presence, yet you have confidence that the mage will not lead you astray. As he rides forward, you see that his horse is equipped with two bulging saddlebags, and he wears a dagger by his side in addition to several pouches and scroll cases. “Lead onwards, young companions! You know the path and I will follow for I know it not. The southlands and the Plains of Gilea were my home before I settled here in Hommlet, and I have never ventured far west.” Your company sets off.

While you ride, you ask Burne if he has a map of the moat house. He shakes his head, and says, “I did not even know there was anything to it but ruins. If we had known, Rufus and I would have pulled the place down ourselves before digging the foundations of the castle!”

You show him the mysterious potion, which he takes from your hand while barely slowing his mount. He uncaps the bottle and sniffs it. “Brr – smells of ghoul! I would imagine it to be a potion of undead control…or else the bile of a carrion eater! But you won’t know for sure unless you try it. It may come in handy since our group contains not one of holy power…the young paladin excepted, of course.”

It is only a few short hours, before your party arrives on the outskirts of the moat house, and Burne reins to a halt. “Now there is a good chance that any enemies of the Evil Eye have discovered your party’s handiwork and has fortified their defenses. What is our plan of attack then…by which I mean, how are we getting in, and what will be our strategy. Again, you know more about this moat house then myself; what do you expect to find?”

Village of Hommlet - D20 Style (Part 6)

[continued from here]

Up the Hidden Stair

The party is silent with shocked grief over the death of their companion. Kendra, walking behind you, weeps openly as you grimly lead the way up the steps. At the top you find yet another door, concealed to look like stonework, but from this side the catch is readily found, and you open it quickly, and plunge through.

As the torchlight seeks the shadows, you recognize the jumbled and wrecked room where you find yourself; it is the lair of the brigands and the site of your battle with them. Through the doors opposite the secret panel you will find the ruined audience chamber, and through that is the courtyard and fresh air! You have led your companions back to the surface and it is just a few short yards to from where you stand to sunlight, the gate, and the road back to Hommlet!

Even their grief cannot mask the elation of the others as they come into the wrecked room and realize where they are. All are glad to be out, and proud at your ability to lead them. However, not all are quite so eager to leave the moat house as you are!

Kendra says, “Christoff, we should return for the prisoners now that we know the exit is so close to the lair of the ogre! Leaving them there for another servant of Darkness to find would be a terrible thing to do, and one that my patron god would not allow me to do in good conscience. It is but a short way down the steps, and there is no excuse for leaving defenseless captives to torture or worse! Surely the ogre had friends, and they will take out their anger at his death on the prisoners.

“Also, I feel strongly that we should not abandon the body of Spugnoir below. Not only is it disrespectful to leave our fallen comrade to the soup pots of any foul creatures, but I believe it would be better not to leave any evidence of our passing!”

Making Camp

By your leave, Bryant and Kendra head back into the dungeon, while you gather broken pieces of furniture to start a fire and Geffen looks to Eldoran. He is visibly agitated, but it is a couple minutes before he speaks, “Um, Christoff…there is nothing more I can do for Eldroan today, and the others could probably use my help, if only as an extra pair of hands. I’m going back down to find the others, but I’ll leave Eldoran here with you.” Before you have a chance to say anything, Geffen disappears through the hidden door! Eldoran looks at you sorrowfully but has given up trying to communicate through her wrapped jaw. She leads back against an old, moth-eaten cushion and closes her eyes.

You get the fire started and un-wrap your provisions. Only now do you realize how extremely hungry you are! You wonder how long you were in the underground without eating, but it must have been more than a day. Inside the brigand’s lair, you are not even sure of the time. The fire light is comforting to you.

It is only about thirty minutes before you hear a clattering on the stairs, and several figures stumble through the secret door. The first two are human, followed by a gnome, and Bryant comes in last. The ones you don’t recognize shirk away at the sight of you and the fire, until Bryant tells them that you are a friend, and not another brigand. Then they throw themselves at your feet and praise you for your help.

“Apparently,” says Bryant, “these folk are merchants who were waylaid by brigands some two leagues west of here…past Nulb even…but I’ll let them tell the tale. Come on Christoff, don’t be a poor host – give us something to eat!”

You grudgingly spare some food for the newly-freed prisoners. Though this was not your original plan, Eldoran and Bryant outnumber you and quickly break out some rations for the ex-captives. The taller human, who has the trademark red hair of Gilea, speaks while you eat.

“Our caravan was ambushed by brigands about three weeks ago; though it seems like a year, we kept time by scratches on the wall. We were not the only one captured, but we are the only survivors. The rest of our men were tortured, murdered, or eaten!

“I am Horg of Gilea. Our merchant caravan was coming from the city-state of Tryss on the western ocean, bringing trade goods through the Gray Hills to the plains of Gilea. Our assailants were hooded and cloaked in black, and carried the symbol of the golden eye of fire, a symbol unknown to me. We were brought here under cover of darkness and tortured and questioned, by one who calls himself Lareth ‘the Beautiful.’ In the end, we were left to rot in the ogre’s pantry and await our fates as meals for the creature!

“We thank you for our lives, and are indebted to you. If you can take us to the nearest town, where we can be outfitted for travel, we can provide you with some reward. Certainly our fortunes have not been favored of late (since all our goods were taken by the brigands), but in our homelands we still have some wealth, and I would not begrudge to spare some for our rescuers.”

At this, the gnome steps forward, and taking your hand bows low.

“I am no merchant of Gilea, and I have no wealth to offer. I am Togo Skintbiscuit, and I know that sounds a funny name to human (and half-human) ears. However, my people are seamen, and have been for many generations…a long number of years by human reckoning. The Skintbiscuit family has long been shipwrights and captains of vessels, and while I cannot offer any wealth at the next town, I do offer the gratitude of my family. This ring,” the gnome gives you a plain iron ring “will show you as a friend to my family and the gnomish race. It should be good for passage on any gnomish vessel, and you have but to give it to the master of the ship; he will see that the ring makes it back to me and my family. I daresay if you can ever brook passage to Gnomehold and the Gnomish Isles, you will find warm welcome in my house!” You note that inside the iron ring are several curious runes in the gnomish language.

Just then, Kendra and Geffen arrive, carrying between them the lifeless body of Spugnoir the wizard. They carefully lay him in a corner of the room, and cover him with his own cloak, blood-stained though it is. “We will bury him tomorrow,” says Kendra “At dawn.”

The captives have already met Kendra and Geffen, who helped to un-bar the door to their cell. They tell you that they did not bother to search the ogre’s chamber, but came right back after retrieving both Spugnoir and the captives. Bryant carefully sets spikes of iron in both doors, as the rest of the party settles down to their meal and to discuss the next day. Kendra feels that it is the party’s responsibility to take the captives back to Hommlet. Bryant likes the idea, if only to collect a reward from the merchants. Eldoran and Geffen say nothing, but go to sleep exhausted from their wounds and exertions.

Return to the Ogre’s Lair

You awaken the next morning to cool, fresh air and the far-off chirping of birds; someone woke before you and flung open the doors to the room. You find Eldoran and Bryant tending the fire and sizzling bacon. “Kendra and Geffen are burying Spugnoir. Horg and the others are bearing witness.” Soon enough the other party members return and you outline your plan:

..."Well, before we do anything, we're going to search the Ogre's lair. And thank you, Skintbiscuit, for the ring. I shall hold it near to me at all times. After searching the Ogre's lair, we will take you all to Hommlet to recover from your ordeal. While there, perhaps we shall run into a more useful spell caster, perhaps not. After that, I say we head for the Plains of Gilea ( or whatever that place was called ) where these people were captured, this may get us closer to the source of the problem..."

“Actually, sir,” says Horg “we were captured yet a few miles north and west of here…I would judge about five miles north of the town of Nulb. We were still in the Gray Hills, making for Gilea (the land south of the Hills) and I’m sure that no bandits would trouble us in the plains…not with the Knight Protectors of Gilea still riding the grasslands!

“The brigands and their superiors spoke specifically of the fact that they did not want to alert the nearby townships (Hommlet and Nulb) to their presence…that is why our caravan was ambushed so far from their actual headquarters, or so I gather. Your enemy is here, in this outpost, and they are many strong. Your party was lucky not to encounter more in the complex below!”

Horg’s words trouble you, but you are still decided on descending to the ogre’s chamber before leaving the moathouse. Geffen and Kendra take their time healing the various members of the party, and then you make ready for your reconnaissance. Bryant instructs the prisoners in the spiking of the door and not to open it unless the proper code be knocked by a party member (two sharp raps followed by three). And then you begin again.

It takes only a few minutes to descend to the landing between stairs and open the secret door to the ogre’s chamber. Eldoran volunteers to stand watch at the entrance while the rest of you search the chamber. Amazingly, it appears that no one has yet investigated the slaying of Lubash. You wonder how many actually inhabit the moat house; perhaps Horg was exaggerating.

The once barred door of the ogre’s pantry is now thrown open, and you find nothing in it but the stench of decay and quickly exit. Bryant finds a large purse inside Lubash’s skin cloak and it jingles with the sound of happy coins. Poking through the rags and skins that make up the ogre’s bed, you find a cloak of obvious elvish origin (obvious to your eyes anyway…you remember an uncle who possessed such an item of his people) and it appears to be in good repair. You take this for your own, easily stuffing it into your pack.

Kendra on the other hand has found a small chest containing a mass of articles including candlesticks, trinkets, glass beads, and many coins of various metals. She and Geffen easily left it between the two of them and carry it near the secret entrance. Meanwhile you open the other door (after carefully listening and hearing nothing) which moves silently on greased hinged. Beyond is a 20 foot square antechamber littered with useless rubble…there is also another door. But you ignore it for the surface.

Village of Hommlet - D20 Style (Part 5)

[continued from here]

The Crypt

Geffen chants a prayer to the Lords of the Natural World and healing power flows through your wounds. At your behest, he also tends to Kendra, who rises from her paralysis immediately!

“I just needed the warmth of a healing touch to revive me!” she says, smiling shyly at the young druid, who blushes. You wonder if there may be something more going on between the two of them. However, she quickly moves over to Eldoran and likewise lays hands on her, healing the dwarf with the power of her goodness.

You, Bryant, and Spugnoir explore the crypt; it is large and T-shaped, the base of the “T” extending west. In the dim light of the torch you see that a corridor of worked stone in the western end of the chamber leads back into other areas of the moat house. Meanwhile Spugnoir calls to you and Bryant…he has discovered another exit in the southern end of the chamber!

This second exit appears to be a breakthrough dug from the outside in; it does not appear to be part of the original construction and it is narrow, cramped and rough. From inside its depths comes a foul and fetid stench.

The party meets once again by the entrance you came through (in the northern end of the “T”). Bryant reports that he can find nothing in the ruins of the coffins; either the ghouls or someone else has looted the crypt, even of bodies! The others await your decision of which way to go…everyone is excited and battle-ready, though Geffen and Kendra tell you they will be unable to heal anyone until the new day has dawned.

The others follow your lead and agree to try the southern exit.

Poking your way into the tunnel to the south you find yourself in a cramped earthen tunnel about 5’ in diameter and definitely foul in odor. Walking hunched over and tapping ahead with your pole you eventually come to a smelly cave: the apparent den of the ghouls. Besides gnawed bones, there are many pieces of silver scattered about the area, several vials of holy water, and typical relics buried with the dead, now broken and desecrated.

As the others worm their way into the noisome smelling lair, you further find an unidentified potion and an old wooden scroll tube with an intact scroll! Carefully un-rolling and studying the parchment by torchlight, you find that it contains a mystical ward of protection against the undead…would that you had this earlier! The quarters are cramped with the six of you inside, and you find another three foot diameter tunnel burrowing out of this den. If you want to follow it, you will need to crawl!

Back to the Dungeon

Feeling claustrophobic in the cramped confines of the ghouls’ warren, your party quickly leaves after gathering the treasure. You give the scroll to Spugnoir, as per your party’s original agreement to hand over any magical writings found, and you pocket the mysterious potion in case you need it. All take a share of the silver and a vial or two of the (still fresh) holy water.

Back in the crypt chamber, you spurn the northern aperture you came in through in favor of the main exit in the western arm of the T-shaped room. Taking the lead, your party travels easily down the wide, worked stone corridor.

“Good stone went into the building of the moat house,” observes Eldoran. “I’m not an expert, but I’ve seen enough rock in my day to tell good from bad!”

The corridor leads west then jukes south before turning westward again. A few minutes after leaving the crypt, you come to a decision as the corridor splits in two directions, one way going north and the other south. Bryant takes a few steps south, and his torch shows a descending staircase.

“Wait here!” you tell the others, then you pad northwards with a torch of your own. Moving softly and quickly, you move far enough down the northern way to see that the corridor ends in a doorway…but not before a second tunnel branches off to the west. Rather then pass the opening in order to inspect the door (if there’s anyone lurking down the new corridor, you don’t want to be cut off from the rest of the group), you pad back to the party with your reconnaissance.

Deciding against the stairway, you approach the door, pausing at the empty corridor branching off to the west. At the door you stop and carefully lay your ear at the edge: you hear nothing. Carefully you open the door, which swings easily on we’ll oiled hinges.

There is a very short corridor that opens into a large empty chamber. Your party has just entered through the southwest corner of the room. The chamber is about fifty feet east to west, thirty feet north to south and devoid of even furniture. In the center of the north and east walls, corridors lead off into darkness. Spaced evenly across the southern wall are three short corridors, each ending in a door; your party entered through the westernmost one of these.

Taking a moment to look around, you realize there isn’t much here except for five choices in exit, including back the way you came!

Feeling Lost

Fighting your growing feeling of dread at the possibility of getting lost, you lead the company up the northern corridor. It winds about, first to the left, then the right and eventually forks; one passage leading northeast, one leading in a westerly fashion.

As you dig your chalk out of your backpack, the others are relieved that you are taking steps to avoid getting lost…they hadn’t even thought much about it! Everyone is tense because of the darkness and silence and the thought that at any moment, something could jump out at them.

Seeing the mysterious potion in your pack, you ask Spugnoir if he can identify it, but he shakes his head. “I’m sure I couldn’t even hazard a guess…for all I know, it could be rum punch! My spell book contains many spells, but not one that could tell you the qualities of the liquid. Your guess is as good as mine.”

Disappointed yet again with the mage, you are beginning to wonder what he can do! You carefully stash the potion, and lead the party northeast after making a small mark on the wall to indicate the direction. After following the corridor for 20 yards or so, it takes a 45 degree turn to the left for another forty feet or so before going up a stairway. At the top of the stairway, you quickly discover a stone door, disguised to look like part of the wall (at least from the other side…a secret door!). From this side it opens easily, and you find yourselves in a small ten foot square room with one other exit: a stairway leading upwards to the north.

You search the room cautiously for traps, while the others wait on the stairs behind you (the stairs downward). You’re uncertain of your depth below the moat house, and don’t know where this second stairway upwards would lead; consequently, your wary about rushing upwards.

Your search fails to yield any traps, but you must slip a catch somewhere as the wall directly across from the entrance through which you came opens with a creak! You have managed to find yet another secret door! As the others crowd you from behind you look around the new room, noting that it seems to be slightly furnished, though in an untidy fashion.

You realize you should be worried about the light in the room at the same time as you hear a booming voice say, “Lubash SMASH intruders!” Whirling you see a huge ogre who was crouched behind the door, swinging a huge club! The maul misses you but catches Eldoran under the chin and flings her across the room! She hits the wall and does not move.

Kendra is the next one through the door and catches a great blow from the ogre’s club on her shield. It flashes blue but its enchantment holds, and she smites the creature yelling, “Die, fell-beast!” The ogre yelps in pain as the long sword cuts deep. Bryant leaps through the door and likewise puts an arrow into the hulking giant, while Geffen scrambles through, and quickly crawls to Eldoran. You flee farther into the room and fumble for your crossbow. From behind a barred wooden door comes a frantic pounding and cries of “Help! Help!”

You finally manage to nock your crossbow as “Lubash” brings another crashing blow down on Kendra. Unhesitating, she leaps forward and plunges her long sword deep into the ogre’s belly. Bryant misses with a second arrow, but you take off an ear with your bolt and the ogre passes into a red rage! With a howl he leaps forward, just as Spugnoir comes through the door, chanting and gesticulating wildly. In the magical gibberish you can distinguish only one word: sleep! Lights streaks from his hands to engulf the creature’s head, but Lubash shakes it a couple times, and seems to shrug off the spell.

A backhand blow from his club strikes Spugnoir in the chest and knocks him back through the door and out of sight. Kendra strikes the ogre from behind, but her blow lands flat. You place a well-aimed bolt into the giant’s back from behind, and he howls in pain as the shaft lodges deep. Bryant draws his sword and hurls himself at the ogre!

Eldoran is starting to rouse under the ministrations of Geffen, but cannot rise from the floor. The ogre tries to strike the druid from behind but his club swings wild! Desperate to keep the monster from their fallen comrades, Kendra and Bryant redouble their melee efforts. You shoot it with a third bolt but the monster refuses to die!

The pounding from the closet comes louder. An elbow smash from Lubash bloodies Bryant’s mouth. You cannot fire into the melee for fear of hitting your friends, and they seem unable to bring the ogre down! Drawing your dagger, you rush towards the brawl, searching for a good opening.

The ogre stomps down on Kendra but misses as she wraps her arms around its weapon wrist. You stab the ogre behind its left knee and it falls to one leg. The point of Bryant’s sword enters its eye and it is over. As you stand up, chest heaving from excitement and exertion, the pounding and cries of help increase.

The Ogre’s Lair

You warn the others away from the barred wooden door, just as Kendra was approaching it. The voices from behind continue pleading and begging to be let out, but the others obey your command after seeing your leveled crossbow and steely look.

The chamber is large, about forty feet square with a pit for cooking and a heap of rags and fur for bedding. There is also a small table, some sort of cloak rack (holding the ogre’s disgusting skinned hide cloak), and a large flattened rock, hollowed to make a kind of seat. There are also skewers used for cooking, with some sort (?!) of meat on them. Directly opposite the secret door you came through is a large wooden door, unbarred, though there is a bar resting against the wall. Torches light the room.

The barred door is in the center of the southern wall (to your left as you come through the secret entrance). Geffen and Bryant helps a dazed Eldoran to her feet. She tries to say something, but cannot form the words; apparently, the ogre broke her jaw! You realize you have no idea where Spugnoir is.

You firmly tell the others that it is time to go. Kendra and Geffen both object to the abandonment of prisoners, and say that the poor souls deserve at least a fighting chance at life. Kendra points out that they could equip them with daggers, or even the skewers of the ogre! Bryant points out that there may be a reward.

However, you ignore their arguments, pointing out your depleted resources and the fact that you need to get out of here NOW! Obviously the moat house is deadlier then originally thought, and there is a lot more to it then you were led to believe. It is time to re-group and re-strategize. You wave your crossbow menacingly and Kendra moves away from the barred door.

The prisoners are screaming not to be left behind!

You lead the party back through the secret door, without bothering to even search the ogre’s chambers. You find yourself on the short landing at the top of the stairs you came up. In front of you is the stairway leading down to the dungeon (and back to the crypts). To your left is the stairway leading upwards to the unknown.

In the light of your torch, you behold a terrible sight: at the bottom of the stairway you first came up lies the sprawled figure of Spugnoir. His chest is crushed, and even from here you can see his head is twisted at a horrible angle from his fall. Blood has spewed from his mouth and covers the foot of the steps below you. It appears that the young wizard has met his final destiny here in the catacombs of the moat house!

Village of Hommlet - D20 Style (Part 4)

[continued from here. Sorry for changing the subject on yesterday's garbage...please feel free to continue the discussion/comments on that post]

What Happened

Much later, after gear has been stored, wounds tended, and mounts cared for, the six of you sit again in a private room with only Ostler and his best pot boy waiting on you. While the others sip broth, wine, or (in Eldoran’s case) ale, Bryant, being in the best shape, tells the tale.

“We set out from Hommlet in good spirits and fine weather, as you may remember, although it was different to be traveling as a group without you leading our way. Back at the moat house, we quickly made our way to the main keep and the chamber where we had the great fight with the brigands. Eldoran and I were worried that we may have overlooked something and some other denizen may have laid claims to our spoils. Luckily, such was not the case.

“Although fairly ripe from having rotted so many days, and obviously chewed by carrion-eaters, the brigands still carried their weapons and equipment…some of which we claimed for our own. Near one crumbling wall, Eldoran discovered a loose flagstone beneath which was buried the rogues’ treasure: a small chest filled with swank from their pillaging!

“We carefully re-buried it before setting out down the southern passage. Several empty rooms yielded refuse, bats, and some useful treasure (a broad sword of excellent quality that is now in Kendra’s scabbard)…then we ran into our first real danger: a twelve foot viper with gleaming fangs! It slithered quietly behind us and wounded Geffen sorely before we were aware of it! However, we were able to defeat the beast. In its nest we found the remains of an unwary brigand and his jeweled dagger….

“We rested for a day, before exploring the eastern passage…and it was here we met a danger that nearly had our lives! After finding and marking a stairway leading down to the basement invested with giant rats (they gave us a few nasty bites!), an old pantry, and an unused kitchen, we stumbled into an encounter with a giant lizard. Larger then a man it gave us quite tousle, nearly killing Eldoran, wounding Spugnoir, Geffen, and Kendra before we were able to bring it down. However, within its belly we found a shield Geffen believe is enchanted, being untouched by the acid of the animal’s innards. There was also another small chest in the room containing more coins, and the armor and crossbow of some past guardsman.

“Well, recovering from that green monster that evening (well outside the moat house!), we nearly decided to return to Hommlet…after all we had plenty of money now, and much to tell you. However, despite Geffen’s nausea from the viper’s venom and our relative injuries, we thought we’d try going one step more….

“The next morning, we tried the stairs going downward…hoping perhaps for some hidden pantry or forgotten storeroom where they might be a crate of old blades (or hell…old wine!) we could inventory. What we found is that there is much more to the moat house then the ruined upper level! However, as Kendra led the way down the stairs a patch of green slime fell atop her, tumbling her down the stairs! By the time we got to her it had already eaten through her armor and nearly eaten through her! Would that we had had your keen eyes on the lookout!

“As we shone our torches around the basement, we found a chamber with several doors, all in good order and with shiny new locks! Much to our amazement it appears that the under-complex in inhabited and well-used…and that’s not all! After the second door we tried turned out to be locked, we were nearly surprised by the un-living remains of dead men, animated with malevolent purpose!

“Deciding that discretion was the better part of valor, we gathered our fallen and retreated from the underground. We rested for a day before once again digging up the brigand’s treasure trove and then returning to the village. It is apparent to us, that we need your particular skills to proceed farther with our lives, and a healthy Kendra would be good as well!”

Return to the Underground

Several days pass and your party regains its strength. Kendra has replaced her burned armor with a suit of scale mail the party found on its last excursion and your group is once again ready to proceed.

After once again provisioning yourselves from Ostler’s larder, your party sets out. You notice that, with the exception of the wizard Spugnoir, the rest of your party displays an increased aura of confidence and vigor that comes from the experience they’ve gained. You hope to share in that feeling of confidence soon!

Once arriving at the moat house, the others quickly show you to the darkened keep. When you come to the main audience chamber, they gesture to the southern hallway to indicate the lair of the giant viper. It is the eastern hallway that leads to the chamber that housed the giant lizard and the stairway downwards.

You quickly make your way to the old storeroom that contains the stairway; it is both dank and dark. “This is where we encountered a hoard of rats,” says Bryant while the others make ready torches. “It was just at the end, where the stairwell opens into the chamber, that we encountered the slime.”

Taking a torch, you carefully descend, inspecting the stairwell for traps. Your half-elven eyes pick out a gold ring concealed in the dust of the 5th step, and you pocket it quickly. Holding the torch aloft, you see that the tunnel is carved from stone and slick with moisture…and then you see the green glisten of slime! You hold up the party to halt, and you put the slime to the torch, safely burning a path to the chamber below.

The stairway opens into a large stone cellar…perhaps fifty feet wide and forty deep. Stone columns hold the roof above secure. The stairway opens into the center of the room, facing south, and by walking around it you can see the stone foundation of the stairs sloping upwards. Two doors stand closed and locked in the eastern wall. As you circle the perimeter of the room, you find that it is in fact L-shaped, with a twenty foot wide portion vanishing southward from the southwest corner; more columns lie that way as well, and doors lining the eastern wall of this branch.

Turning to call to the party, you see yet another door in the southwestern portion of the main chamber. As you quietly gesture to Bryant and Eldoran, you hear a shuffling noise from behind you and spin around as two rotting zombies shamble towards you! Quickly you back away and yell a warning to your companions.

Eldoran and Bryant respond first with yells of challenge and charge. Kendra, red hair flaming, pulls her broadsword and moves between you and the zombies. Spugnoir seems at a loss, but Geffen hefts his quarterstaff.

The melee begins as you ready your crossbow. Soon, additional targets become available as more zombies begin emerging from the line of doors to the south. The zombies are tough, although easy to strike, and you find yourselves hard pressed. By the time one zombie falls, two more takes its place, and the party begins to fall back towards the stairs as the number of undead rises from two to four to eight and more! The zombies, though unskilled and slow, are strong and your party’s three fighters have soon taken several blows. Bryant moves back with you, and drawing his bow, begins to target shoot by your side.

Soon, you find yourself moving backwards up the stairs, your bolts quickly depleting. The party has slain five zombies, but at least half a dozen are still pushing upwards, intent on rending your bodies to bloody tatters. Behind you on the stair is Spugnoir, while Geffen stands between you and Kendra and Eldoran. Kendra seems most injured of all the party members, and Geffen aids the fiery red-head with a Cure spell. She nods her thanks before going back to work on the monsters in front of her.

There’s only room on the steps for two of you to fight side-by-side, as the zombies press the attack. Why did I drop my torch, you think to yourself…fire would indeed be useful at putting the undead to rest!

You move a few steps up as Spugnoir clears room, so that the others may back away from the undead onslaught, and in the light of the wizard’s torch, you see something you had not noticed on your way down: high on a dusty shelf in the storeroom at the top of the steps, is a large clay jug clearly marked “oil” in the flickering illumination!

Moving quickly you leap up the steps to the flask, hoping that it is not empty. Spugnoir looks askance at you as you pass him on the stairwell, but the others are moving behind you as Eldoran takes another blow from the restless corpses below. You turn back to the shelf and reach for the jug…it is heavy with sloshing liquid, and your hopes leap! Taking your dagger, you stave in the stopper, and smell the sweet viscous substance.

“Clear the stairs! Fire in the hole!” you yell to the others.

The others see what you’re at and quickly out-distance the shambling zombies as they beat feet up the steps to the storeroom. Eldoran helps you stave the top off the jug with her hammer, and the two of you tumble the flask down the steps to the zombies below, who crack the jug to pieces in a fury of destruction. You pull the torch from Spugnoir’s hands and flip the brand end-over-end into the creatures below, lighting them ablaze!

They burn.

It takes only a few minutes, for the fire to consume itself, and none of the zombies makes it to the top of the stairs before their legs disintegrate to charred ash. The party roundly congratulates you on your quick thinking, and then you file once again down the steps, stomping on the smoldering remains as you do so.

Your party makes a quick search of the doors from whence the zombies emerged. Behind each door is a small, ten foot square cell containing nothing of apparent value, though in the northernmost cell you find a large and lovely peridot gem stone behind a loose flagstone. There are no other zombies.

Placing the ring on your hand produces no noticeable effect and Spugnoir agrees to cast a spell to detect enchantment. After muttering and gesturing over your hand produces no affect the wizard informs you that the ring appears to be only a “petty bauble.” You are disappointed, but it is still a gold ring!

Now that you have explored the southern corridor its total length of fifty or so feet, you see that an opening lies on the west wall of the corridor (across from the cell doors). Shining a torch through the opening you see the light glisten off of some sort of metal apparatuses…apparently this is a torture chamber!

Discovery!

Again taking the forefront of adventuring, you lead the party by torch light into the long abandoned torture chamber. However, exploring the new room carefully leads you to the conclusion that it is not long abandoned, and the skeletons left hanging on the instruments of torture are fairly recent…simply picked clean! This leads to closer scrutiny, and it is Bryant the ranger that discovers a faint but fresh trail of blood that leads from one particular rack to the southern column of the room (the chamber contains two columns; one to the north, one to the south).

Carefully inspecting the suspect pillar, your hand trips a mechanism that opens a secret door in the pillar! A man-sized chute descends into darkness, although shiny metal rungs line the wall of the shaft, providing ready access to the depths.

There appears to be nothing else in this room except instruments of torture, most too large to be easily moved.

Into the Depths

You gesture for silence and listen intently at the opening of the shaft. After several seconds, you are satisfied that nothing is to be heard in the depths below, and you make ready to descend.

The shaft slopes gently downward at an easily accessible angle; the rungs along the side of the shaft provide stability and an easy climb. You push your torch out through the opening at the end of the shaft, and seeing dark flagstones (not some underground cavern) you quickly hop out to inspect the man-made chamber.

You are in a large, dark room that appears to have once been some sort of burial chamber. Lining the walls are niches for coffins, but these have been broken into splintered remains, and the floor is coated in dust. The room is long, extending southwards into darkness. To the north (your left) the wall opens, making the crypt L-shaped. Several dark forms lie against the north wall.

Kendra and Eldoran exit are climbing down behind you as you step farther into the chamber, wary of possible traps. The light of your torch gleams off the cold yellow eyes of several creatures huddled against the north wall and you realize that the forms are moving! Pale, grey and sickly with dirty ragged claws and slavering teeth, four ghouls charge to attack!

You quickly back-pedal to the wall, fumbling for your crossbow, while trying to keep your grip on your torch as well. Kendra and Eldoran draw weapons, step forward and meet the charge of the ravenous undead! They both strike well, before two corpse-colored creatures assault each one of them. The ghouls have difficulty scratching through their armor but one manages to bite Eldoran on the knee, and she lets out a choked scream before stiffening and falling to the ground, paralyzed!

Bryant fires an arrow over your heads, striking a ghoul in the shoulder…in falls to the ground.

You manage to cock your crossbow and fire it point blank at the ghoul Kendra has already struck. The bolt knocks its leg out from under it and Kendra brings down her long sword, silencing its gibbering! Bryant misses with a second arrow, and the two ghouls still standing flank Kendra and rake her with their claws as you back away from the melee. She cries out in pain and agony and stiffens in paralysis! They feast upon her flesh!

You and Bryant each pump missiles into one of the ghouls killing it. The final one turns and bounds towards you, tongue wagging and eyes wide! It strikes you with your claws, but your elvish blood is proof against the filthy contagion of its nails. You drop your crossbow, draw your dagger and strike ineffectively while Bryant carefully places arrows in the creature’s back. It bites your shoulder before falling dead at you feet. The others exit the shaft.

Village of Hommlet - D20 Style (Part 3)

[continued from here]

Recuperation

Eldoran and Bryant say they will try to fence the goods, since you are not feeling well; they promise to get a good price! You retire upstairs to your bed, and don’t come down until the next day.

The following morning you are greeted at the breakfast table by a bleary, but conscious Geffen. As you congratulate him on his quick recovery, you are joined by Kendra and Spugnoir! Kendra apologizes to you for not healing your injuries sooner, but she feels it was important to help Geffen and Spugnoir recover first. Now that the Druid is up and around, he can help her heal the other party members.

“Tomorrow,” Geffen says, “I’ll see what the Lords of Nature can do for you.”

Bryant and Eldoran also arrive at the table and tell you of their newfound friend Nira Melubb the money changer. Melubb gave them a fair price for both the gem and the chain, any your party is now 225 gold coins richer. Bryant is now wearing the chain mail armor taken from the Brigand captain, though he got Ostler’s pot boy to polish it. “The bastards at the Trading Post only offered me 60 cold coins for it! I wanted to swap it for a chain shirt but the price was 110…so now I’m going to clink as badly as a fighter! Once we’ve looted some more brigands, though, I’ll be able to make up the difference.”

Eldoran divides up the party’s money between the five of you. Each receives 47 gold coins, 16 silver coins, and 2 pieces of platinum. Spugnoir looks a little despondent, and Kendra gives him a handful of gold. “It’s not right that you receive nothing just because we didn’t come upon any scrolls; you risked your life, too!” Spugnoir turns his frown upside down, and you all settle back into planning your next outing.

Over the next two days, Kendra and Geffen heal the entire party back to full health. You finally feel like getting out into the sunshine a little more. You’ve each dropped a piece of platinum for a full week’s lodging and meals (and the guarantee of provisions when you set out again!). Though the regulars of the inn have gotten used to seeing your party lingering around, Ostler has arranged for your group to take your meals in private and you have been quieter regarding your adventuring exploits.

Your last evening before setting out again, Kendra comes to the supper table with a large roll of parchment. On it is a map!

“I made the acquaintance of Calmert, one of the local priests of St. Cuthbert. I wasn’t able to get an audience with the high priest, Terjon (he spends most of his time in meditation when not proselytizing to the good people of Hommlet. Anyway, Calmert was willing to part with this map and a bit of local lore, once I told him of the nest of brigands we wiped out.

“We are here in Hommlet in the region known as the Grey Hills,” she indicates pointing to the map. “The moat house (which we have yet to finish exploring) is a few miles outside of town on the Western Road. It is about halfway between Hommlet and the nearest town, Nulb. Some years back, there was a large Temple devoted to evil gods located in Nulb, and it had a corrupting influence on the population. Even though it was destroyed, the people of Hommlet think that people in Nulb are a shady bunch, although not outright evil.

“The temple was destroyed by a force of valiant heroes…Knight Protectors of Gilea, Hin Warriors, and priests of Apollo. The moat house that we have been exploring used to be a minor outpost of the temple, but it was sacked around the same time as the destruction of the temple.

“Past Nulb to the west is southwestern tips of the Cold Mountains of the north. The road continues on to the kingdom and city-state of Tryss and the Western Sea. The road south of Hommlet will eventually take us to the Plains of Gilea and into the central interior of the continent. The road running north of Hommlet is Shire Road, and it runs all the way to the Shirelands of the Hin, Moot of the Halflings. The Shirelands are bordered by the Grey Hills to the south and the Cold Mountains to the North and they are fiercely protective of their territory, but Hin merchants will travel as far south as Uxor, south of Gilea, so they keep up peaceable relations with humans.

“There are many warrior monasteries on the Shireland roads, and they are quick to put down incursions of evil…that is why the Knights of Gilea petitioned the Hinling for helping in putting down the Temple of Elemental Evil (as it was known). The Grey Hills owe some allegiance to the Gilean Empire and Gilea provides them with nominal protection; however, much of the hill country is wild and the Halflings were only too glad to offer their strength in purging what could have been a terrible threat on their southern border!

“Anyway, since that time, brigands and the occasional beast or cannibalistic humanoid tribe have been the only real threats to the people in the area. Hommlet and Nulb are two of the largest settlements in the western part of the Grey Hills. Boy…I think it’s time we got some sleep…we can discuss more local history later, if you want!”

Second Excursion

Your party sets out again, though later than your first excursion (it is nearly noon). Still you make good time since you are now all individually mounted; you and Geffen have both acquired steeds from fellow-travelers at the inn.

You and Blackie ride side-by-side with Eldoran, who tells you of the dwarfhold from whence she comes, now destroyed. She tells you that some day she would like to return and clear the underground ruins of goblinoids; perhaps marry and settle a clan of her own. She suggests that your skills as a thief could be helpful in such an adventure….

By late afternoon, you have arrived at the moat house and are once again crossing the rickety draw bridge, your horses remaining safely behind in the marshy field. No giant toads trouble your party this time.

Once again in the courtyard, you must choose whether to explore the main keep (through the northwest doors) or the ruined tower to the southeast. You recall that the main audience chamber of the keep had three exits: two corridors running south and east and the locked doors that led to the darkened “brigands’ chamber,” piled high with ruined furniture. This also a pile of rubble in the northeastern corner of the courtyard, though Bryant tells you it is probably not worth risking a scorpion bite to poke around in it.

Ignoring Bryant’s warning you poke around the rubble. You find nothing, however, not even a scorpion.

Tower

The upper portion of the tower has collapsed and the interior is very dark. The door, half open provides no obstacle and you light a torch before stepping through the doorway. The dripping fire gleams on shiny coins in the rubble, though you also can pick out a few odd bones. Thrusting your torch aloft to see what is above you, you are surprised by something large hairy, yet silent, that springs down from above! You drop your torch and try grappling with the beast but you feel a sharp sting as it sinks its fangs into you!

Kendra gives out a cry as she smites at the beast, but only bounces her blade off its chitinous armor. The weight of the creature bears you to the ground, and you pull your dagger, stabbing at the creature ineffectually. You feel your self grow weaker as poison courses through your veins. It continues biting you! Eldoran strikes a blow with her sledge and knocks it from your back. You fumble for your crossbow as Bryant sends an arrow over your head. In the dim light of the fallen torch, you see the creature revealed as monstrous spider, nearly man-sized! It scurries back towards you, bent on destruction, but Eldoran and Kendra step forward, weapons swinging, and blocks its path.

The poison continues to do its evil work as your weapon drops from your numb fingers. The dwarf and paladin are now hurrying towards you as you tremble on the floor. It is so cold! They quickly pull you outside into the courtyard and the last light of the day. People shout and Geffen is building a fire. You feel the paladin lays her hands on you, and gentle warmth fills your wounds, though it does not banish the chill from your bones. Someone covers you with a blanket as you rock back and forth. Geffen approaches you, hand outstretched, and lays a glowing palm on your arm where the spider had ripped it open from the shoulder to the elbow. The wound heals almost completely, but your vision is still blurry and all the strength seems to have left your body!

Retreat!

By your feeble requests, the party removes itself back through the gates and out of sight of the moat house. They move off the road and make camp before getting back to Hommlet, as it is too dark to travel. The night passes uneventfully.

The next morning, you are feeling a little stronger, and can lift yourself into an upright position against a tree, though your vision is still blurry, sluggish, and numb in the extremities. Bryant and Geffen, both at home in the outdoors, argue against camping for too long, as the danger of being attacked is too great. The party understands you are not willing to continue while recovering from the spider venom, but they offer to take you back to the inn, where they will put you up in a room while you recover.

To cheer you up they show what they found in the lair of the spider: a few dozen copper and silver pieces and a box carved from ivory that could fetch a good price from the right buyer.

Your party is really anxious to explore; specifically, they want to go back to the lair of the brigands and see if there was any additional treasure they missed, since your group left in such a hurry the first time. They don’t really want to wait a week and a half, since they are not injured. They know you want to regain your strength, but they hope you understand that staying in town that long will just drain their money supply when they could be going over the villains’ hideout.

Back in Town

Your companions accompany you back to the Inn of the Welcome Wench and you give Ostler the innkeeper 2 pieces of platinum, enough to put you up until your body recovers. Ostler greets you with a smile and says he’ll have your meals brought to your bedroom – you are quickly becoming his best customer in years!

Your friends stay the night and then leave the next morning, leaving you with plenty of silver for any extra wine you may wish to buy. They promise to give you a complete report when they return!

A couple days pass and you have enough strength to walk around, but don’t feel like lifting anything heavy. Asking Ostler about a map, he suggests you try the trading post though you may find one talking to a passing traveler. In answer to your questions regarding a harlot, the man blushes and apologizes but he does not offer that kind of entertainment in his establishment! He says your more likely to find that sort of think in Nulb, the women of Hommlet are goodwives and maidens and “not of that sort.”

On the fourth day since your return to Hommlet, you are feeling much better, but are quite lonely with the absence of your friends. Going down to the common room and ordering a bottle of mead, you wonder if you made the right decision to let them go alone…hell, you may missing out on the profits of the enterprise!

Looking around the common room you see several other travelers and two who are familiar faces: men who have been staying at the inn since you arrive. Seeing your gaze, they get up from their table and approach you. One is a large man who has the swagger (and weapons) of a professional fighter. The other man is barely taller then you and dressed in robes of soft grey. He looks almost like one of the Hin monks, but he is obviously a human, not a Halfling, and his hair is cut almost to the scalp, not left long like the Hinlings.

“Good afternoon,” says the man in robes, “I am Turuko, and this is my companion Kobort. We knew there was another wanderer staying at the inn, and we’ve been waiting for the chance to talk to you! You and your friends have been keeping yourselves pretty close, but we couldn’t help but notice that you’ve obviously found some type of excitement in or around Hommlet. Would you mind passing the time with us and regaling us with stories of your adventures.”

“We’ll pay for the wine, of course,” says the giant Kobort, smiling.

You invite them to pull up chairs and you begin spinning tales…perhaps with a bit of fabrication here and there, but they are newcomers and you are not entirely trusting of them. Still, as the wine flows your tongue wags a bit looser, and as they tell you of their travels, you find yourself boasting a bit here and there in a good natured attempt at out-doing them!

As the evening winds down, you beg your leave to return to your room, but they offer to accompany you on any future adventures, “always hoping your own companions return, of course!” You tell them you’ll think it over and head to bed.

By the sixth day since your return to Hommlet (the seventh day since your injury) you are beginning to worry about your companions and their return. None of your previous excursions lasted more then two or three days and your friends have been gone almost a whole week! You think about possibly riding after them.

By noon-time of the next day, you are packed and ready to go. Ostler has given you enough dry rations to last a week, and you are resolved to pick up a map from the trading post on your way out of town. However, before you have finished your last meal in the inn there is a commotion in the stableyard, and you leap to your feet, seeing your friends have returned!

Each is in some state of disrepair, but the worst appears to be Kendra, whose scale armor has been twisted and melted, blackened at the edges exposing flesh that looks like it has been held to the torch! Eldoran is beaten and bruised, but appears otherwise fine, and is helping Geffen, who is lashed to his horse by rope to keep him upright. Even Bryant and Spugnoir are covered in bloodied bandages and seem to have suffered numerous small wounds, though they otherwise seem fine.

Bryant slings the saddlebags from his horse over one shoulder, and though obviously worried about the fate of his injured companions, still manages to throw you a grin. The bags clink and jingle in a most enjoyable fashion!