WebLog
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It is an account of a thirty-five year long, still continuing, game of Dungeons and Dragons (D&D). It has been played by the same people, with the same dungeon master, in the same world, since 1980. If you are a fan of D&D you will love this book. It tells how are group of adventurers started in their fantasy world, and slowly but successfully gained a reputation to righting wrongs and solving apparently insoluble problems. Yes, the book is expensive: why? Because it is a quality production, hard-cover, and in full colour. It is full of maps, plans, drawing, and images of the places which the adventurers visited. Every day is accounted for; Every place is described: their battles; their losses; their gains; their successes and their failures. Visit http://lulu.com/spotlight/kaspencer. Read it! You will enjoy it! |
[Please note:
- the weblog covers events only from September 2014, as the previous 35 years, from 1980 onwards are now described in the fabulous new book:
"The Polychronicon - A thirty-five adventure". See the comments above for details.
- as the Weblog is contained in one file on one page, it may take some time to load;
- this WebLog is updated approximately monthly, as the adventures proceed;
- many names of people, places, and creatures have links which open pop-ups giving you a description of them;
- when viewing the maps and linked pop-ups, you must allow your browser to run scripts and Active-X code.
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If you would like to make comments about this website, or The Friday
'Venturers, or to be notified when the Weblog has been updated,
click here: Comments
and Mailing List and fill in the form accordingly.]
View the Friday ‘Venturers‘ website
Before we present the continuation of the Friday 'Venturers' story, we will give you some examples of their adventures as shown in The Polychronicon - A thirty-five year Adventure.
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First: a page from the very beginning: |
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Then, a little later, pursuing a magician in the early days: |
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Then, much later, during our investigations of the Age of Worms, we had to fight a Mind Flayer in the City State capital, Viridistan: |
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And finally, The
Polychronicon finishes with our encounter with Lolth, The Spider
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And that is exactly where Part II of our long, long story, resumes … |
We hope that displaying a few of the pages of our book, The Polychronicon - A thirty-five year Adventure has given you a taste for the book. It is expensive, but if you enjoy reading about these adventures, you can get it here: Purchase The Polychronicon here.
Now, our story
resumes -
At long last we had been successful in protecting our world against the efforts
of the Spider Queen to disrupt and defeat human progress. But soon another
quest would present itself to us …
Noon Dalamar "coffined" us back to Haefinstaff the Blue in the City State of the World Emperor.
Tass decided that, having
resolved this important issue of the Lolth, the Spider Queen, he would
take time off to be healed and trained to the 9th level.
Dalamar
decided that she must shortly retire from active adventuring, as the cumulative
effects of injury and resurrection were limiting her combat abilities. And so
she announced that she would visit Takshire with a view finding a site
to start a pharmacy as a start of the Dr Thekla's planned Medical Foundation.
Mon09Apr4336 And so, two weeks of training and rest followed.
During the first week, we learned that a Millo Fortress representative had met with Kravton the Cryptic. Apparently Lord Zorin in Grimlon has a serious illness.
We also learned that our long term enemy Slippery Ketta will be tried in the Citadel, very shortly.
Then we settled down to rest.
We met a cleric named Diego. He told us that he was shortly to travel to a place called Sandpoint (Region 5: The City State of the Invincible Overlord. h364) as he had to delivery an important relic in the form of Holy Water to be used in the dedication of a new cathedral. Dalamar offered to assist un in travelling to Sandpoint by using her Rod of Luxury Travel teleportation aid. Dr Roan Thekla also agreed to assist Diego by using his mirror to aid us in our return from Sandpoint when we had completed Diego's mission.
During our discussions, news reached us that apparently Ketta's trial resulted in her death sentence and that it has indeed been put into effect. She will trouble us no more.
27/09/2013
Mon09Apr4336
Tass and Goldmoon
returned from their training duly boosted in battle resilience.
Everyone paid a visit to various magician dealers in the City State of the
World Emperor. Some of us bought, and some found little of interest.
Tue10Apr4336 We rested and completed our plans for Diego's mission.
Wed11Apr4336
1000 We paid our bills and warned Haefinstaff of our impending mission, involving helping our new troupe member, Brother Diego, deliver some ancient relic Holy Water which had been blessed by St Cuthbert.
1100 Dalamar duly teleported us all to Sandpoint in the City State of the Invincible Overlord.
After teleportation, we landed by the bridge to the south eastern edge of Sandpoint.
Three of us went into the Rusty Dragon inn. The rest of us walked
steadily up towards the cathedral. We found the entrance by Church Street.
Diego asked to see Father Zantus and was given information
about the six chapels in the cathedral.
All of our non-clerical members went back to the Rusty Dragon, as the clerics
were invited to stay in the cathedral.
In the pub we heard some interesting history of Sandpoint. In particular, we
were interested in the mystery fire which damaged the cathedral and killed
several residents. We also heard that at the same time a murderer named Chopper
killed several persons.
Thu12Apr4336 As we investigated around the town, we accumulated more of the background information about the Sandpoint founding families, the fire and the Chopper murders.
Fri13Apr4336 We decided to go to investigate an area to the north of Sandpoint known as Chopper Island. After several hours we found only burned and damaged ruins but nothing especially sinister. We examined the old lighthouse and found nothing of great interest. We also investigated the rubbish dump by Junkers Beach. We noted humanoid tracks heading north around the rubbish deposits. We followed the tracks northeast along the beach. Noir, invisible, waited overnight whilst the rest of us went back to the pub, but he saw nothing.
Sat14Apr4336 Noir returned to us, and told that he found nothing of interest overnight.
Sun15Apr4336
This day was the day of the Swallowtail Festival. Everyone was exited as the
festival began at noon. The people all gathered by the cathedral. Welcoming
speeches began, the mayor Kendra Deverin, Sheriff Hemlock and
others each took to the stage outside the cathedral entrance and made their
presentations and welcomes.
Swallowtail butterflies were released. The a substantial lunch was provided for
all the attendees, offered in various eating houses in the town. The Rusty
Dragon took pride of place.
As the sun faded the consecration of the cathedral began with a bang on
Thunderstone made by Zantus. Immediately some of the residents shouted
out in pain as the crowd was attacked by hobgoblins from the north and south of
Church Street. They must have gained entry to the cathedral area through the
northern city gate, which was normally locked. Our troupe attacked at both
points. It was obvious that the enemy was not especially strong in battle, but
the troops of Sandpoint were not powerful either, and were extremely
grateful when after some time all the invading hobgoblins had been killed or
vanquished.
At one point, Roan Thekla
had heard shouts for help from one resident who had been attacked. After the
battle was over the resident revealed himself to be a wealthy merchant, and Roan agreed to
meet him the next day to discuss a donation to St Cuthbert's ministry.
25/10/2013
Sun15Apr4336
1800 Lord Foxglove offered Dr Roan Thekla his thanks and a reward. They agreed to meet later that evening. He gave Roan Thekla 100gp. Roan told Foxglove that he will be donating it to St Cuthbert.
Mon16Apr4336
1000 We visited the garrison and interviewed the guards who had been drugged so that the north gates could be opened. We suspected that their food or drink had been spiked.
Noon The cathedral sanctification ceremony which had been delayed by the fracas
of the previous day was completed.
Several of us went to the white deer inn which supplied the suspect drugged
drink to the guards. The innkeeper was Sheriff Hemlock's brother. He
denied any responsibility. There was no evidence available from the
apothecaries that anyone had purchased drugs in an unusual manner.
1600 After a visit to the mayor we went back to the pub and cathedral in our two groups.
Mon16Apr4336
1000 We visited Sheriff Hemlock but he couldn't identify the hobgoblins who had attacked us. Korgan remained with him as a deputy. We visited the school and orphanage, but the headmaster, who was a retired magician, added nothing to our knowledge.
1500 We visited the Voldimar family but we were not permitted to arrange a meeting with the old Voldimar. On our return we heard a commotion about the discovery of the removal of the bones of a buried priest Tobin. His remains had been removed from his grave during the attack on the cathedral sanctification two days earlier. Now we knew the reason for the diversionary attack.
08/11/2013
Tue17Apr4336
1800 We left the sheriff and returned to the pub and cathedral. Warin and Dan joined with Korgan as deputies with the sheriff. We also told Father Zantus about the bone theft.
Wed18Apr4336
1000 Dr Thekla went down to the pub to meet with Foxglove, joined by Tass, Korgan, and Sprigg. Father Zantus visited the remaining clerics and the sheriff. The boar hunt returned successfully with two boars. There was a boar feast in the pub that evening.
Thu19Apr4336
1000 The sheriff advised the pub groups about visits to the old families. The cathedral group discussed possible reasons for needing holy bone relics with father Zantus.
The sheriff had a visitor, Shalelu Andressana, an elf female. She requested meetings with the mayor, sheriff, and with us. She was an expert on hobgoblins. She gave us lots of information about the five hobgoblin types. The sheriff announced that he will travel south to Magnimar to obtain additional troupes of militia and guards. We all had dinner at the pub.
Fri20Apr4336
1000 Goldmoon as an eagle scanned for approaching hobgoblins. Foxglove left to return to his manor house.
Roan got a strange and worrying message stating that if he returned to the capital he would be killed. "This is just a taster" was how the message finished. The general conclusion was that it was a threat from Louis Raknian regarding his forthcoming testimony against him in the City State.
Sat21Apr4336
1000 At breakfast in the pub we noted that the food was not quite as good as usual. The manager Ameiko was not there. The chief waitress did breakfast having found Ameiko missing. There was a note from her brother indicating that their father seemed to have been involved in the recent events in Sandpoint. He had asked Ameiko to meet him in the glassworks, and has not returned.
1200 We visited the glassworks, which seemed quiet. Apparently it had been so for some time, but the furnaces were active. The windows were curtained. We knocked on the door but Sprigg had to unlock it. We passed through a reception and investigated several doors. One led to a filing office. Another was a meeting room. We went through into a corridor where the furnace roar became louder. A door led to a loading room with glass pigments in a barrow. A safe was open and had been emptied. There seemed to be noise of hobgoblins celebrating somewhere in the building. Sprigg tried, but failed to lock one door to block their escape, so Cormanti cast Silence and Noir spiked it shut. We would enter though two doors nearby.
29/11/2013
Noon We decided that Solezar would go invisibly through the door, while Diego will cast Divine Favour to boost his attack. Solezar carefully opened the door and slid through it, unseen. He saw many noisy hobgoblins, and the bodies of human workers on the floor. There was a glass-encased statue of a man in the centre of the space. Solezar cast Lightning Bolt and killed several hobgoblins instantly, also shattering the glass statue. He then cast Fireball and all of the rest but one were dead. The one was soon killed by an arrow from Lucien. We decided to investigate the basement, so Solezar sent a message to Roan to get the cathedral group to help. We took positions at the top of the stairs which led down. The Dr and Ekaym set off for the Glassworks passing the garrison and leaving a message for Korgan and the rest to join us ASAP. Unfortunately Roan was attacked and injured by an invisible stalker on the way, but very luckily he and Ekaym managed to kill it. Ekaym advised Thekla that this may well have come after him from the City State, following the threatening message.
1400 They finally arrived at the glassworks. We all went down the steps and into the basement. There were two pairs of doors all unlocked. The northern door led to a room with a corridor north. The southern door led to a bedroom with a sleeping man whom we held and bound.
20/12/2013
Sat21Apr4336
1500 The man was Tsuto, and Roan checked his alignment, which was LE. There was a longsword by his bed and boxes in a cupboard. A Ring of Protection and a potion of CLW, showed as magical. There was also a pair of silver ear-rings, gold and silver dust, platinum pieces, a key and Tsuto's diary. It had 24 pages, with attack plans on some pages including one showing the attack on Cathedral square. The diary accounted for the attack, and for the theft of monk Tobin's bones. Solezar cast Suggestion on Tsuto and asked about Ameiko. Solezar, Thekla, Lucien etc took Tsuto to the barracks. Tass, Ekaym, Sprigg and others remained in the glassworks on guard. We managed to get to the mayor Deverin, who recognised Tsuto. She also recognised the picture of Nualia Tobin, the daughter of monk Tobin. During the great fire, she had been shut in the church, and it had been assumed that she died in the fire.
1700 Roan scried to Sheriff Hemlock to check on his safety, and found him safe in his hotel room with his guards. We then opened the eastern-most of the doors to find Ameiko who was bound as a prisoner. She was injured, so Dr Roan Thekla healed her with his Torc of Healing. We decided to investigate the level below. We travelled 300' and took the NE path, leaving Dr Thekla's Parrot to observe the eastern path. After a further 200' we continued NE to find an exit at the beach. Some of us took Ameiko back to the town. The rest of us went back along the NE tunnel to go and check along the west tunnel. It went downwards after 200' so we turned back and went back to the Cathedral and hotel in our respective groups. There was gossip in the inn about the glassworks closure. Father Zantos knew about Nualia's history - apparently at the time, she was pregnant and miscarried a monstrosity at seven months. After that she had fallen into a coma.
2200 We slept.
Sun22ndApr4336
0800 We went back into the tunnel via the beach and turned down the eastern tunnel. It ended after 400' in a collapse which seemed to have happened some time previously. So we went down the western tunnel which turned north. At a 5' gap in the wall we were attacked by three ghouls but Dan and Korgan soon killed them. We went north for another 40' passing two eastern tunnels. The second one was short and led to what appeared to be an ante-room with a stone statue of an angry humanoid beautiful woman.
17/01/2014
Sun22ndApr4336
0900 We entered the ante-room. There were several exits, one
leading north, with a door which Sprigg opened, leading into a room with a
rickety wooden floor. There were three exits; the northern one having a door.
The other two exits led east and west each to stairs up. Korgan walked
out onto a narrow wooden walkway, the floor of which was also wood, and
continuous with the wooden floor of the preceding room. We soon realised that
we are high up in a large cavern, having walked out onto a wooden parapet.
Looking down towards the floor, we dimly detect that the cavern may have cells
around its periphery.
We went back through the wooden floored room, and back down the main corridor
to investigate the southern corridor. We found only a room with rubble in it.
We then went down the long central corridor leading east, where we found a
small room which seemed like a chapel with an altar on a platform. There is a
water-filled depression on the altar. Milo cast Identify, and it was found to be an
altar to the evil goddess Lamashtu.
Sprigg
found that a door which led out of the chapel was open. It led to a large
underground cathedral. It was quite cold inside and had a circular pool in the
centre, and a raised altar accessed by two sets of stairs up, one each side of
the cathedral space. Behind the altar was a triangular pool containing seething
sulphurous lava. There was a creature standing behind the altar. It had a claw
hand, reminiscent of Nualia's, but it considered that it was a female
demon. As it began to speak, Dan closed the door, and Milo cast Haste
on most of us, in view of the likely battle. Dan then opened the
door. A sinspawn which was behind the door immediately attacked Dan. The Nualia-like
creature, which we identified as a quasit, or female demon, was flying around
and shouted about death to us for intruding in its dedicated apace. Then nine
giant ants appeared. After a keen fight, the ants and the sinspawn were killed.
The demon creature attacked Lucien
after he fired arrows at her, but because she was flying, only the full sized
creatures could fight her. Surprisingly to us, the demon creature was fairly
quickly killed and we decided that she was a quazit.
We decided to study the seething triangular pool behind the altar. It seemed to
have drops of blood around it, and we had already noticed that the quazit demon
had signs of bleeding on here arms and claws. Milo cast Detect Magic on the triangular
pool, which showed as magical. Dr
Thekla then cast Dispel Magic on the pool but Thekla's spell
seemed to have no effect. Solezar
then cast Identify and it seems that we have found a 'lesser rune well of
wrath'. Our clerical members considered this, eventually recalling that
whenever wrathful creatures die in the vicinity of the pool, the pool gains a
'wrath point'. Wrath points can be used to create evil sinspawn creatures when
blood is dripped into the pool. If the pool can be exhausted of its wrath
points, it will become inactive.
The pool can send evil and disturbing psychological effects to the surrounding
areas. Naturally we decided that it should be destroyed. Diego
hit the pool with his Rod of Cancellation but nothing happened. Dr Roan Thekla
decided to allow himself to bleed into the pool to create a sinspawn, which
would reduce the so-called 'wrath count' of the pool by six wrath points. One
sinspawn duly appeared and was soon killed by Diego, Cormanti, Solezar and
others. Then Roan
repeated the process of bleeding into the pool to create a second sinspawn.
After three sinspawn we knew that 18 wrath points had been exhausted from the
pool. On the fourth attempt to create a sinspawn the pool disappeared,
indicating to us that we had exhausted it of wrath points. Thus we were
successful in removing that hazard from Sandpoint.
31/01/2014
Sun22ndApril4336 Pleased with ourselves at successfully defeating the quasit, which we discovered was known as Erylium, and having deactivated the “Runewell of Wrath”, we went back to the statue room and then west into the tunnel. We went north and found a hole in the wall that led to a prison cell. Sprigg picked the cell lock. As we entered the prison two sinspawn attacked us. Diego attacked and destroyed them where they stood. The cells contained only old skeletons.
We went back to the statue room and then east up a stepped passageway to a door. Noir opened the door and was attacked by bat-like vargouille which he killed with a blow from his sword. The door opened into a 15' diameter circular room with a pool of water in the middle. The pool appeared to be lined with skulls. There was another door opposite. There were signs of fresh blood around the rim of the pool, and Solezar identified it as a “magical washing pool”.
Noir opened the door opposite and we went east, up some stairs but an ancient rock fall blocked the way. We reluctantly went back through the statue room back onto the rickety wooden platform.
Sprigg checked the walkway for us, and it should be safe if we cross carefully. Thus we reached a long solid stone corridor heading east through an opening. It led us to a rectangular room with ancient torture items. There was a spiked cage and a wooden frame with hooks. In the centre of the room there was a table with straps and cranks for drawing a body in torture. There were doors to the east and south. We opened the eastern door to find steps down. We then opened the south door to find a room with old stone chairs and a table. There were three stone doors on the south wall, strange star symbols. Milo cast detect magic but nothing appeared magical. There were many damaged books and scrolls. The southern doors opened into prison cells containing skeletons of deformed humans.
We found a scroll which Milo detected as not being evil but he cannot understand the magical writing. Solezar decides that it is a magician’s scroll and identified it as flaming sphere. We agreed that he should keep the scroll for his own use.
We up some stairs to a large chamber with a 20' vaulted ceiling. There are eleven wooden lids on the floor. We noted shuffling and moaning sounds from under the lids.
Diego entered, sensing undead. We were immediately attacked by a three-armed hobgoblin-like creature. Diego, with Noir and Ekaym soon killed the creature. It had a +1 longsword, identified by Solezar and some papers which told us that we had killed the “hobgoblin hero”, Korvus. We searched the room and found a zombie in each pit. Our priests destroyed them all.
We went south through a passage and found another collapsed staircase heading east. Noir opened a door to the south which opened into 15' spherical room with objects floating around it. Objects such as a scroll, a maggoty dead raven, an old book, a bottle of wine and an forked iron wand. One of the walls seems to be made of a strange red metal rippling with electricity and showing strange runes. Solezar detected that the room was magical. Roan cast dispel magic, and everything dropped to the floor, and the walls cease their “rippling”. Solezar's second Detect Magic showed only the wand as magical. Milo cast Detect Evil and no evil was detected. Noir gave the wand Milo: he identified it as a wand of Enemy Detection. The book was in a strange script that none of us knew, but Solezar used his helm of Comprehend Languages on the book. Apparently, it was an ancient prayer book for worshipping Lamashtu, “The Mother of Monsters”. It was in a demonic language, “Abyssal” and contained a bestiary of horrific monsters.
The wand was given to Noir. We kept the book for now, to get clerical advice regarding destroying it.
Satisfied that we have done all we can in the “Catacombs of Wrath” we now retrace our steps, returning to the surface and back to our respective rooms in the city.
21/03/2014
Sun22ndApr4336 Solezar cast Stoneskin on all of us.
2200 We returned to our group bases back in the inn and the cathedral and slept.
Mon23rdApr4336
0900 Discussion with Zantus persuaded us to burn the book on Lamashtu found earlier. Brodert Quink, a scholar may have information about the seven pointed star. Roan Thekla, Cormanti and Ekaym visited him. He told us that the seven pointed medallion was the "Sihedron Rune" and a powerful magical symbol in Varisian folklore.
Goldmoon as an eagle, flew north over Nettlewood where the Thistletop hobgoblins lair is situated on a tiny island.
We received some significant news: Apparently the emperor in the CSIO, Huln Darkblade and King Kimberlos Scotti in The Barbarian Altanis have signed a treaty against the World Emperor.
1400 The guards encountered two bedraggled merchants arriving over Tanners Bridge. They had their horses stolen by a gang of hobgoblins. Goldmoon saw signs of hobgoblin activity on Thistletop island.
We returned again to our two respective places of rest.
Tue24thApr4336
1000 Goldmoon, as an eagle, went north back to Thistletop.
1400 Sheriff Hemlock returned with 12 extra men on loan for month. Noir and Korgan were released from guard duties.
Goldmoon returned having seen nothing to indicate hobgoblins gathering around Thistletop.
We decided to interrogate Tsuto now that he would be sober. Solezar cast Suggestion on Tsuto and asked him to tell us what he knew about Nualia. He confirmed that Nualia is in Thistletop, is in transformation, and that a burning of Sandpoint in sacrifice to Lamashtu will occur. She wishes to summon a monster, a greater barghest Malfeshnekor to assist her in her aim. He also indicated that he preferred an attack on the cathedral sooner rather than later.
Wed25thApr4336 Goldmoon will fly as an eagle to Thistletop with view to us scrying to him.
Solezar received a magic message from Haefinstaff about a package for us from Princess Shallaria.
Goldmoon failed to find a safe place to which we could teleport or scry. He decided to return to us.
Noon
11/04/2014
We decided that we would set off early the next morning. We asked Zantus about routes through the Nettlewood forest. There were trails through but there were also likely to be hobgoblins on the way.
Thu26thApr4336
0700 We gathered ready to leave for Thistletop when Roan remarked that he has lost a pink scarf from his room in the cathedral. In view of the previous invisible stalker attack, he was aware that he would need to be careful.
We took the lesser trail which led towards the forest end; Goldmoon became an eagle to check the location of the hobgoblins, wild dogs and big cats. All were noted to be in their expected places. Solezar used a potion of plant control to create a trail through. As we passed through the undergrowth, a druidic hobgoblin appeared and walked quickly away from us. We proceeded anyway, but then big cat leopard attacked us. Tass and Korgan killed it.
We reached the rope bridge, but as we started to cross, we saw in the near distance that the druid was approaching with many hobgoblins. Most of us went onto the bridge as Solezar cast Fireball on them. Many of them died, including the druidic character whom we had seen briefly earlier.
As we approached the island end of the bridge, two hobgoblins started hacking at the bridge supporting ropes, but Ekaym stopped them with a cast of Stinking Cloud. This protected us until we arrived across the bridge, and Ekaym then dispelled it.
Warin, Tass, Ekaym and Noir soon killed the two guards that were posted by one of the entrances. Other guards fired on us from their sentry towers. Milo cast Fireball at one of the sentry towers, which appeared to quieten down the attacks.
Diego tried the main doors to the keep, then Milo cast Knock and the doors could then be pushed open. We entered. There were several single and double doors. Several of us climbed steps towards the tower but two guards came down. Diego quickly killed one of them. On opening another door a host of hobgoblins emerged, Solezar killed one of them, and then the door closed. We realised we were in for a battle.
02/05/2014
Thu26thApr4336 Tass opened the door, Milo having cast Waldo's Sudden Strength on him and Dan. They both went in, but Tass fumbled his initial attack. Only the Stoneskin saved Dan from Tass's misplaced hit. The room was a rough barracks.
Noir opened a door into a small room but it was only a store. Noir opened a door to the southwest tower. He went up the steps but found only two fire-balled dead guards. We noted that there were two trampled hobgoblins dead in the courtyard and we could hear a horse behind the nailed-up door. Diego and Tass opened another door which led to steps down. Noir opened the central double doors and we saw a large room with four pillars, a throne, guards, a giant lizard and a senior looking hobgoblin. The guards attacked us and Noir, Solezar and Tass fought them.
Meanwhile, Korgan, Dan, Sprigg and Lucien happened to enter this same large room through a north western door. Diego cast Prayer which boosted our fighting abilities and power. Dan killed the giant lizard as it attacked. Tass dealt a final blow to the guard fighting him and Solezar. Noir killed another guard as Korgan killed yet another. Then Korgan, Dan and Sprigg killed the leader who turned out to be Ripnugget, the hobgoblin leader. Solezar cast Detect Magic on his possessions and found a magic sword and a +1 shield. There were also two potions of Cure Moderate Wounds. There was a key which Korgan took for the time being. We searched an armoury area and also found and searched a butchery. We found Ripnugget's bedroom which contained a symbol of Lamashtu.
1600 Korgan led the way down some steps which led 20' down to a door, which led down to another door opening onto a lower level room. It seemed be a campaign planning room. There were plans on display for a second invasion of Sandpoint. There was a light visible under a door to the west. Korgan opened the door to reveal a female who waved a Wand of Missiles at us and told us to leave. Korgan used his ring of Spell Turning and reflected the missiles back at her. Diego and Korgan fought her - Korgan glitched and damaged his sword. She, however surrendered and they tied her up. She was Lyrie Akenja and was doing magical research for Nualia, who was apparently in charge. Roan Thekla cast Know Alignment and she showed as Chaotic Evil. We asked her about Nualia's whispering beast creation, and about the rooms in this basement. She told us that Ripnugget's harem, Bruthazmus the hobgoblin, and Orik Vancaskerkin who was one of Ripnugget's fighters, were all in these basement rooms. She handed over her spellbook and scrolls. Warin and Korgan agreed to escort her off the island, but on the way out of the stockade, Korgan slit her throat whilst her hands are tied, Warin was shocked, and was concerned about reporting the fact of Korgan's action to the rest of the troupe when they returned.
23/05/2014
To put Warin at ease regarding the murder of Lyrie Akenja, Korgan explained to Warin that the troupe had too many enemies, and couldn't risk leaving another enemy free and alive. Warin was persuaded and agreed not to tell the others of Korgan's action. Amongst Akenja's possessions, Solezar took the Wand of Magic Missiles. Other items went into the Bag of Holding.
1700 We left Lyrie's working room and Korgan opened the south eastern door to reveal a short corridor and another door which opens into a room with various pictures of torture and some of a giant hobgoblin. A door to the south led to a set of southern and eastern corridors. Double doors led west. A southern door led to a large room with three doors on a southern wall, a door east and west and an opening to the north. The eastern door led to a large cavern which opened onto a beach. Dan went onto the beach and was attacked by a large octopus. Lucien tried shooting it with an arrow. He did hit it, but it survived. Then Dan, Tass, Diego and Lucien together fought and killed it. A second cavern to the south was full of rubbish. A door to the west led to a corridor which itself led back to the room with three doors. We also explored a third cavern to the north which contained bodies of sea birds and hobgoblins. Behind the double-doors was a pillared room with a raised altar. There was a statue of a female with a clawed hand - it resembled Lamashtu. As we entered two flying creatures swooped onto us. Korgan fights one of them, and soon killed it. Diego and Warin killed the second one. We noted signs of burned bones - we linked these signs to the theft of Tobin's bones. Cormanti used holy water to purify unholy water contained in two fonts. Milo cast Detect Evil towards the altar. There was evil everywhere. Thekla cast Dispel Evil but was unaware of any effect. We pulled the statue down and smashed it. The Dr cast Dispel Magic and two flames in the room were extinguished. We passed through a door to the south to a prison with six empty cells with barred doors. There was a northern door which Sprigg opened. It led to a five foot square room with a workbench.
1900 An Eastern door leads back into the room with three doors. Korgan opened the western door of the three to find cages for baby hobgoblins - they had been cleaned within the past two hours. Korgan opened the central door which led down first southward then west. Dan opened the eastern door which revealed Nualia's room. We opened the central door and went south, then west and opened the first door. There was a human sitting on a bed reading. He reached for his sword but after we hit him he surrendered.
Thu26thApr4336
2000 After interrogating him, we discovered that he was named Orik. He identified all the adjacent rooms to us, and we let him go, telling him never to return. We searched Tsuto's room. We then went into Lyrie's room but it was nearly bare. We then explored Bruthazmus' room. It smelled of bugbear - unsurprisingly, as that was what he was!
2130 We slept and healed for 5 hours.
Fri27thApr4336
0800 We went back to the room where Lyrie was working and through the secret door to the west. The door led west and down. A door led to a room with damaged statues in niches, and two pillars. The room sloped to the west. Noir listened at the door to the far east. He opened it. It led to a sloped hallway. The first five feet were shiny, whereas the rest was dusty. There were north, east and south alcoves with statues. The eastern statue had collapsed. Noir detected a trap in the form of a portcullises activated by a pressure plate, and de-activated it. There were south and north doors. The northern door led to an oval room of red tiles. Nualia was in the room working over a kind of cauldron. As Lucien lined up an arrow, she quickly stepped out of sight. Noir attacked Nualia while a yeth hound attacked Lucien. He was joined by Tass and Solezar but Tass can neither reach the hound can nor it reach him. Tass transferred his attack to Nualia. Finally Nualia lay dead. The large room contained animal specimens in glass, scrolls, notes, journals, and documents on Lamashtu. She had a medallion around her neck, and a large bastard sword. The medallion was the 7-pointed Sihedron which had various powers relating to the ancient rune lords. Tass cut off her head as a precaution against her possible regeneration. We will take the medallion to Haefinstaff. We then turned to the southern door which Tass opened. This led to an l-shaped room. There was a massive pile of gold coins to the east and stone double-doors to the south. The coins showed as magical, so Dr Thekla was called to cast Dispel Magic, which he did, and which left a pillar. Noir noticed that the pillar had slots into which the coins would fit. When Noir put coins into each slot the pillar moved to reveal a stale-aired chamber, with several doors.
18/07/2014
Fri27thApr4336
1000 Korgan decided to go into the pillared room, Diego cast Divine Favour giving him battle advantage. The pillars were actually sarcophagi. Three shadows emerged from the sarcophagi and attacked us. Dan and Tass fought one, and Dan delivered the killing blows. Diego killed the second shadow. Finally, Ekaym and Diego killed the third shadow. Korgan lifted the lid off one of the sarcophagi. It contained bones. Tass opened another, which also contained bones. The others were the same. The sarcophagi bore names but the individuals so named meant nothing to us. We checked for secret doors. Solezar found one half way along the west wall. Tass opened this secret sliding door, to reveal an unused corridor with two north branches with steps down. Tass led us down to another door. On opening the door we saw that there was a large pool. Tide marks indicated that the level could go higher. There were paintings of treasure on the walls. There were also signs of treasure in the pool. Korgan went back through the other door. It was similar to the first, and the same pool was there with similar paintings and ancient treasure. The was a coral encrusted golden helm, giant size 5' across. Tass used his Rope of Climbing to pull the helm to the pool edge. It was very heavy, 300lb, and made of gold and bronze. We left it for the moment. Noir turned his attention to the corridor where the coin slotted pillar was placed. Passing through the narrow gap we saw three pairs of double doors, east, south and north. The northern doors led to a throne room with a clerical ghostly figure sitting there mumbling a command relating to some kind of ancient attack. We searched the room, finding nothing. Then Noir opened the eastern doors, to reveal 10' wide steps up into an oval room with three tables bearing various weapons and some surgical instruments. Dr Thekla identified bones as those of a two headed creature. Korgan also found a seven pointed star-key. The surgical instruments seemed useful to The Dr so he kept them. Korgan then tried the seven pointed star as a key in the southern doors. The large room contained a fire in the centre and rows of candles along the northern wall. Milo cast Detect Magic and found it in abundance. They called The Dr to cast Dispel Magic, but as he started to cast a very large creature appeared from nowhere and hit him hard. He had to abandon the casting and retreat. Tass, Korgan, Dan, Ekaym, Noir and Warin attacked the creature. The creature was a greater barghest - which was in fact Nualia's Malfeshnekor, and we were glad that he was soon killed. We searched the room, retaining the eternal candles.
1400 Solezar found a secret door on the west end of the south wall, and Diego found another at the eastern end. Each opened into a cupboard. The eastern cupboard had a silver coffer on a shelf. It contained sand. When Noir tipped out the sand he discovered a silver ring which Milo detected as non-evil. Solezar put on the ring to identify it as a Ring of Stalking. The black diamond glowed to indicate the direction of any named person. It had 15 charges. Dan took it. We went back to the throne room, but the water level was unchanged. Then we checked the pool rooms. The Helm was still there, and its water level was also unchanged. A large crab came out of the pool and attacked Korgan. He and Ekaym soon killed it. We then went into the pool and removed gems and gold pieces: in all 630gp, 3000sp, and precious stones worth 1320gp.
1500 We returned to the ground level and rescued the horse Shadowmist. We attached the helm to the horse so that we could drag it along behind.
07/08/2014
Sat28Apr4336 When we returned to Sandpoint, Dr Thekla noted some missing items once again - this time his hair comb and brush had been cleaned - should he expect another stalker visit?
We sold the helm to the blacksmith for 150gp.
Sun29Apr4336 We met Sheriff Hemlock and delivered Nualia's head as proof of our success.
We heard that Lady Kathli would marry Duke Danius the very next day.
We also heard that our erstwhile companion Deagen Fen will marry on the following day. We will seriously consider scrying to attend both of the weddings.
1600 We decided to rest and heal for the remainder of the day.
Mon30thApr4336
0900 Milo, Tass, Solezar, Diego, Goldmoon and Cormanti decided that they would indeed go to the Lady Kathli's wedding, and Dr Thekla's scrying was successful. They were very pleased to meet the emperor Huln Darkblade at the wedding.
Korgan, Warin, Dan and Ekaym, stayed behind in Sandpoint.
Tue1stMay4336
0900 Thekla successfully scried to Deagen and all of those who knew him went through the mirror to attend his wedding. We met his wife Seldarine Grayflood. The wedding went well and we returned safely at 1900.
Diego, Noir and Ekaym stayed behind.
Wed2ndMay4336
0900 We needed to see Haefinstaff the Blue, so we sought out Hemlock, explaining that we'd be back later in the day.
Hemlock told us that three more people had been killed and mutilated.
Dr Thekla scried to CSWE, once again successfully, to Haefinstaff the blue. He gave us a box from the Elven princess Shallaria whom we had rescued in our escapade - it was her way of thanking us. Solezar checked it for magical properties -confirming that it contained magic items. There were ten sacks of 1000gp, 20 +1 arrows for Lucien, a powerful +2 longsword named Giant Slayer for Korgan, Boots of Elvenkind for Goldmoon, and a magic Food-providing Spoon for Dr Thekla. We sent her a message of thanks.
Haefinstaff had heard a rumour that Fals Fellenbakhi the Viceroy, who had interviewed The Dr, now has responsibility for the trial of Auric. The rumour seems indicate that there is reducing evidence against Auric, whilst Loris Raknian's story is being shown to be somewhat increasingly dubious.
We visited the magic shop and sold some of our redundant equipment for over 20,000gp. Korgan bought a new shield.
1600 We returned to Sandpoint safely through the mirror.
Thu3rdMay4336
1000 Hemlock was out of town so we couldn't see him to get more details on the murders. We waited, but then decided to go to see Mayor Deverin at the town hall.
1600 Dr Thekla tried to scry to the sheriff to check that he was safe and well. He was talking to a man whom we identified as Erin Habe, a doctor who was the owner of a Sanatorium.
Fri4thMay4336
Sheriff Hemlock returned, and we went to see him and asked about the recent murders. He told us that the murders somewhat resembled the chopper killings. Milo offered the use of an elixir which could restore the mental state of the witness/suspect.
Sat5thMay4336
1000 At breakfast the Sheriff arrived and reported that there had been two new murders - two victims had been killed at the sawmill. This now the second set of murders. He showed Thekla a short message, found at the scene. It suggested that Thekla is the master of the murderer - we were wondering whether Dr Thekla's hair and possessions had been used to create false incriminating evidence against him - he may even have been cloned for evil purposes.
29/08/2014
Sat5thMay4336
1400 Two suspects of the second murders have been arrested - one Ven Vinder - who claimed to have found the bodies.
Tass, Dr Roan Thekla, Milo and Dan decided to visit Habe's Sanatorium to see whether they can heal the mentally unstable suspect/witness of the first murders, Grayst Sevilla, a local hired heavyweight. At the Sanatorium Erin Habe is somewhat antagonistic. Thekla introduced himself as a healer, and was able to diagnose Sevilla's condition as being due to Ghoul Fever. Habe claimed no experience of the disease, although Thekla was a little sceptical of that admission. The Dr then cast Cure Disease on the witness Sevilla. Sevilla became animated agitated, and claimed that he had a message for Roan, not altogether unlike the message found at the scene of the first murders. Having delivered the message, he collapsed into a corner in a deep sleep or stupor.
Solezar, Korgan and Diego went to the jail with Hemlock, who told them that the attack was reported as being by a deranged man. He had a paper identifying the bodies as those of a pair of swindlers who had a paper with details of an evening meeting. The bodies also had rune markings of a seven pointed medallion and vicious claw marks on their bodies as cause of death. Ebor Thorn the witness was wary of interrogation. He confirmed the Katrine Vinder and Banny Harker were meeting as part of a surreptitious liaison.
Apparently Banny Harker may have been embezzling profits from the mill. The Scarnetti family owned the mill and were known to be ruthless and may have suspected Harker of embezzlement.
Ekaym, Noir and Warin went to the sawmill. There was a crowd there.
One of the victims, mill co-manager Banny Harker indeed had a rune of the seven pointed medallion on his body and his lower jaw was also missing. The other co-manager, Ibor Thorn, is a key suspect. The mill smells badly of putrefaction. There are many signs of blood and violence.
The second victim, Katrine Vinder had been killed very messily in one of the mill's log splitters. There was a bloodied axe with small finger prints on it. We also noted that there were muddy footprints from the pier to the mill, and back. Ven Vinder, Katrine's father is angry and impulsively bad tempered, and may have been severely troubled by Katrine's affair. He is currently in custody.
1600 Ekaym, Milo and Diego went to guard the prisoner at Habe's Sanatorium.
Tass, Dr Roan Thekla, Solezar, Noir and Dan went on to join the others at the mill. Noir also found and noted the footprints on investigating the area around the pier.
Sun6thMay4336
0900 Ekaym cast Cure Light Wounds, and Diego cast Remove Curse on Grayst Sevilla, whom they were guarding.
20/09/2014
Sun6thMay4336
noon Solezar
received a message from Haefinstaff the blue that ghoul fever needs
treatment within a week or the victim will almost certainly become undead. We
believed it possible that Thekla
may have cured Grayst within a week of his attack, but as we planned to
assess Grayst's condition the next day, we may know very soon.
We decided to take Harker's accounts books to Titus Scarnetti to
see whether his suspicions of embezzlement are feasible. He agreed to meet with
us and was reasonably co-operative.
On our way back a guard approached us, to ask us to see the sheriff at the
garrison as soon as we can, as there is important news. When we arrived at the
garrison, we were told of a farmer Grump who was in a confused state,
mumbling about a stitched scarecrow and about attacks of scarecrow corpses in
the local farms. He said it started in Hambley Farm.
1500 We found ourselves some horses and set off south to the
Hambley Farm. On the way we inspected Grump Farm. We saw three apparently
undead creatures approaching, and identified them as most likely to be ghouls.
As ghouls are potentially dangerous, we fought and killed them. We
traced their tracks to Hambley Farm. A further horde of ghouls emerged from a
barn. Lucien
fired an arrow, Cormanti
turned them, and Solezar
cast Fireball. All the ghouls were killed.. Warin and Tass knocked on the
broken down door of the farmhouse. Footprints led away in the direction
of the other farms. More footprints led from southwest. Warin and Tass
entered the house and found another ghoul. On examination, we decided that the
dead ghouls were the infested members of Hambley family. Tass
took ghoul bites during the fight with a ghoul, which he killed with a lethal
blow. The farmer Hambley was found dead. He had been mutilated by a
ghoul and had another message for Dr Thekla, once again reflecting an odd form
of hero worship combined with a threatening link to these events, and once
again mentioning the "throne of misgivings". We observed that one of
the ghouls seemed to be a chief: a note identified him as Rogors Craseby.
Roan Thekla
cast Cure Disease on Tass to ensure that he
would not contract ghoul fever from his bites.
We returned to the town and told Sherriff Hemlock that we have managed
to go some way to clearing the farms of the ghouls. Hemlock told us Aldern
Foxglove's Manor is called Misgivings, and that Rogors Craseby is,
or more correctly, was the caretaker. It seems that a visit to Foxglove Manor
may be required urgently!
Watch this space monthly …]