The Privateers spent much of their wealth at the 2 competing Magic Shops within Rel Astra. One known as 'the Inkwell' started as a repository and shop specializing in scrolls which has branched out into other types of magic items for sale. The second shop 'the Magic Monger's' is a place where a half dozen wizards own jointly, and buy and sell magic items.
After selling much of their new found wealth, the 5 Privateers cast about for something new. Pumkinhead Johnny was off doing his own thing saying he had 'obligations' before he went off.
A young boy, named Morosino came into the groups inn looking for Hadrian. They spoke and Hadrian told the group the following "It seems a friend of my mentor, a woman named Janiven, wishes to meet us at Vizio's tavern." Morosino gives Hadrian direction to the tavern and then leaves on another errand.
Upon entering the mostly empty tavern in mid-day, they saw a comely woman in her 20's. With wavy auburn hair of medium length, slight freckles and tanned from the sun, 5'4", wearing leather and chin shirt, with a bow and sword. Morosino introduced her as Janiven.
She greeted each of the 5 Privateers, and was surprised to see a cleric of hextor in the company of Hadrian, but with a shrug she proceeded to speak of Rel Astra's plight. The forced curfew, due to shadowy creatures allowed to roam the city after dark. The ineffective and corrupt Dottari constables and Mayor, and the tyrannical Hell Knights. With this thought she, and Hadrian's mentor, Arael, have been speaking out to restore the city to it's former glory. Arael has inspired others in town, a dozen or more so far, and they are calling themselves 'the Children of Medegia'. She is reaching out to you 5 to see if they are receptive to joining. Each of you realize that what she is saying could be seen as seditious and treasonous.
As they talked about her ideas, Morosino burst into the front door out of breath and distressed. He yells out "They've got Arael!" He doubles over brought on by a long run. Janiven's face grows grim and she comforts the boy. He recovers enough to tell her "The dottari nabbed Arael, and the Hellknights of the Rack are trying to get custody of him. The Hell Knights on their way here now."
The sound of clanking armor advancing on the tavern is heard, and through the front windows a large group of heavily armored and armed hell knights is seen. Similar sounds are heard from the rear of the tavern as well.
Janiven heads towards a cupboard and pushes the back open to reveal a tunnel opening. "Come on if you want your freedom." She heads in followed by the lad, and after a brief hesitation, the 5 Privateers.
The secret door led to a bolt hole basement room, which Janiven barred after they came through the door. In a chest was a pair of tanterns, some extra lamp oil, and a number of potions. She gave one to each of the privateers "Potions of Curing" she said as she led to a secret door leading to the sewer system. "Arael and I put marks on the walls to lead us safely out."
Janiven led them through the sewers, after a bit they could hear sounds behind them echoing through the tunnels. Within 15 minutes they fought a trio of Hell Knights from a side tunnel. They were trained, but not too tough. The three were slain, and the group pressed on.
Eventually Janiven led them up and out of the sewers near a safe house in the ruins. The place looked like it had once been a shrine, though the windows were boarded up. It had only one entrance, which she unlocked, and led the Privateers and Morosino inside.
Inside the shrine was bare, with only a few bed rolls, a table, some chests with dry goods, and a few jugs of water. After 20 minutes two young people knocked on the door and Janiven let them inside. A young man and woman in their late teens. Janiven introduced them as Ermolos and Tarvi, members of the Children of Medegia. "We heard about Arael." After another hour two more of the group had come to the hide out, these were Fiosa and Vitti. A female halfling and a human lad in his early 20's with green died hair. Before long Janiven had they 4 what had happened, and then told Ermolos and Morosino to go find the other Childern of Medegia and tell them to remain calm and meet in groups no larger than 3's.
The evening was spent eating bread and water with a small fire in a discreet fireplace in the back of the shrine. They hunkered down, as it was dangerous to travel the ruins at night. Brimbul and Fiosa chatted, as did Janiven with Hadrian and Kurgan.
Prexus found it hard to believe the streets were as dangerous as people said. He wanted to see what sort of danger was outside. He ordered Imgar to attend him and went outside with a torch. In the half hour they were in the street, they heard noises but never saw anything. They came back inside after pounding on the door, and Hadrian and Prexus argued over the wisdom of going out at night. There seemed to be a rift growing between the two clerics.
The next morning the Children of Medegia spread out thru the city to find out Arael's fate. Janiven asked Hadrian and the rest of the Privateers to check in later in the day if the still wished to help. Laterin the day Janiven met with the Privateers at the safe house. Arael had been transferred to the custody of the Hell Knights, and would be transported tomorrow to Fort Rivad. I was presumed he would be tortured and killed.
The Privateers and Janiven hatched a planm to rescue him. For the plan to work, they would all need horses, a cart with hay or other 'goods' and the help of two of the Children of Medegia and Janiven to hold the horses in reserve and provide missile fire if needed.
Before dawn Janiven, Ermelos, Larko, the Privateers left town with a hay filled wagon, and riding horses. They headed west towards the town of Mentrey. The Hell Knights of the Order of the Rack are headquartered in Fort Rivad outside the town. On the way there's a small bridge over a creek. They overturned the cart on the bridge, and unhitched the draft horses. The other horses were hidden in a copse of trees further down the road. Ermelos and Larko had been outfitted in leather armor, spear and light wooden shields by Hadrian, are their job was to stay with the horses with Janiven then run up once the trap was sprung.
An hour or two later 4 Hell Knight riders followed by a fortified coach with a balista mounted on the top approached the bridge. Kurgan, Imgar and Prexus were concealed beneath the bridge. Hadrian and Brimbul wore travelling cloaks over their gear and were acting out leavering the cart back into position and handling the draft horses.
One of the Hell Knights ordered them to move immediately or suffer. He drew steel as he said this.
Hadrian tried to explain their predicament, but between his artless bluff or heavy armor beneath his cloak the Hell Knight knew something was afoot. "An Ambush! Kill them all!" Yelled the man. This was the signal for the attack to begin.
Janiven and the other Children of Medegia rushed up, while Kurgan, Imgar and Prexus engaged the riders. The riders advanced on Hadrian, who snapped off a shot from his crossbow, then the riders withdrew under the threat of the warriors. The Balista shot at Hadrian and the bolt hammered into him but he was saved by his armor.
Brimbul rushed the coach. The driver leapt down calling inside, as another hell knight came out to similarily engage the halfling. Afte a few seconds another figure, this one in hell knight full plate emerged from the coach.
The leader was a cleric of Pyremius, god of assassins and fire. He commanded Bruimbul to Fall, which the halfling did, but even then the two hell knights couldn't hit him.
Meanwhile Janiven was trading bow fire with the Balista gunner. She took a hit and Hadrian healed her then turned his attention back to the mounted knight left on the bridge. The two Children of Medegia were trying to fight him with spear and shield but he was much better trained. Eventually all four knights were killed as was one of their horses.
The Cleric and the two Hell Knights spent a long time trying to hit Brimbul, when a lucky blow from the Clerics mace struck him down. The cleric ordered a Hell Knight to 'Finish him'. Then they advanced on Prexus, Kurgan and Imgar. Brimbul was slain, but the remaining Hell Knights perished quickly, thanks to a lucky blow from Imgar striking the cleric down.
Inside the carriage was a beaten and barely concious Arael. His gear was in a box in the carriage, and he was able to use his holy symbol of Pelor to heal himself. He greeted the Privateers and raised an eyebrow whern he recognized Prexus' unholy symbol. It was a time for action, not querstions so he helped cover up the ambush.
The remaining Privateers mourned their comrade briefly before gathering the cart, horses and what gear they could grab. The Hell Knights wear distincitive armor. Hadrian insisted he wanted the cleric's full plate. He told the group what he planned, and while they were covering the tracks, dragging the bodies into the woods, etc. He dragged the dead cleric up streamto the north. Dragging the body for over an hour he set to digging, first with a boot knife he found, then with the man's own helmet. He dug a shallow grave, wrapped the man in his cloak, then covered him as best he could. He planned to return in a few days to dig him up and steal the armor.
Hadrian returned to the group as they were calling for him. They all returned to town, concealing their wounds as best they could. Thankfully the safe house was in the ruined portion of Rel Astra, and as such has fewer people to witness them drag themsleves into town.
Arael asked if Brimbul had any next of kin? The Privateers wondered as well. After consultation, the four Privateers decided to investigate the casting of a Speak with Dead spell and a Reincarnate spell. The clergy of Zilchus readily agreed to cast a speak with dead spell for 250 gps. After a weeks time, and with the help of Pumkinhead Johnny you were able to find a travelling druid of Obad Hai named Norwegier, outside the city walls tending to a small congregation of subsistence farmers. He would cast the spell for 560 gps. Brimbul's +1 studded leather was sold and Norwegier paid to ressurect Brimbul. He came back as a dwarf. A dwarf who was incapable of speaking dwarvish and had all of Brimbul's memories and skills.
Monday, November 29, 2010
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Session Two, The Bounty
The group of mercenaries were celebrating in their own way. The two rogues were living it up while most of the rest were soberly assessing the next score.
Prexus came to the ill shaven group after a long night. He had been given a bounty for a group of adventurers calling themselves 'the Border Lords'. They were wanted Dead by authorities in the Great Kingdom of Aerdy to the North. The sum of 1,000 gps would be given for the confirmed deaths of each of a band of 7 adventurers wanted for multiple murders and the desecration of a temple. Descriptions and names followed. One was a half elf, one a half orc, and five humans, two of whom were blond haired twins.
The Bounty was legal but not here. Prexus warned that if the group were caught killing these adventurers, it would be bad. The two forms of Law in Rel Astra were the Dotari, a clannish group of very ill trained and very corrupt constables. The second group are a martial order called 'the Hell Knights'. They roam the city freely, as no one will challenge their edicts. They emulate the organization and ruthlessness of Hell, and deal out severe punishment to the unlawful. The local Order of the Rack seeks to remove indolence and idealism. While outliers from the Order of the Scourge often sweep into the Shattered state of Medegia to kill the unlawful.
Brimbul and Pumkinhead Johnny paid to find out where the adventurers were staying. Apparently they were selling off loot from an adventure, so were in and out of 'the Duck & Jug' Inn and tavern. Hadrian and Brimbul seperately scouted out the tap room and had a meal of Ham and Quail eggs, with some pudding and an ale or two.
They found 3 of the group camped out at a table. Two of the three were in full plate and the third, a dwarf cleric was in banded mail. The scouts got a little apprehesive, as they were better armored than the sell swords. The rest of the Privateers were awaiting the scouts at another tavern 'The Red Griffin' down the block. Where they had rented a private room. Also in the tap room were an off duty soldier, some locals if no note, a performer playing for his dinner in a corner, of little skill, and Brimbul noticed a fellow rogue casing the room.
3 More of the target group came in from outside, carrying packs. The half elf, a wizard or bard (?), a red haired human another wizard (?), and the half orc, a rogue carrying a sack of coins. They had clearly been out trading and selling. Of the 7 only a heavily armored fighter, one of the twins, was no where to be seen.
Since the Privateers had 6 of the 7 in sight, the scouts went to gather up the rest of their band. When everyone was ready, they cast a few defensive spells, then headed out one at a time. Brimbul and Pumkinhead went into the Duck and Jug ahead of time. They bribed the rogue to distract the off duty soldier with a story of a tavern brawl nearby, then they went upstairs stealthily, on the pretext of checking out the common sleeping room.
As Hadrian moved into position outside the inn he cast a nother spell, this time he was warily checking his new found 'allies' for evil. Finding none he headed inside. He mistakenly did not cast of Prexus...
When all of the Privateers were in the tap room, they found the half elf had joined the three down stair, while the human mage and half orc rogue were no where to be seen. The two fighters and two clerics went upstairs with everyone in the tavern noting their arrival. The fight started upstairs. As the half orc came out of a private room he was attacked by the four adventurers. He yelled out a warning and entering a frightful rage he cut down Imgar the dwarf before he knew what hit him. Pumkinhead and Brimbul came at him from two sides and cut him down. The human wizard had cast a mirror image on himself and was behind the half orc.
Meanwhile the 4 adventurers from downstairs came up the stairs and started fighting Kurgan. One human fighter fell before the clerics were out of cures to heal Kurgan and he had to withdraw. During the fight the half elf was casting daze on Kurgan, until he was forced to stop. The dwarf cleric cast a silence to stop the Privateers clerics.
One of the twins advanced up the stairs. He was met by Kurgan who he cut down after taking a blow, and then Prexus, seeing a symbol of Heironeous around his neck charged and smote him. The fighter of heironeous smote Prexus back.
Pumkinhead and Brimbul had more luck. They slipped a few lucky blows past the wizards mirror images and slew him, then went to work on the private room which had been locked since the start of the fight. Then unlocked it and found a fully prepared fighter. One of the twins, a symbol of 'Pholtus of the Blinding Light' around his neck and a long sword and shield in hand. Again the two effectively tag teamed and defeated him, but not before Pumkinhead was almost killed in the fight.
Prexus got the best of the holy warrior, and the dwarf was the last combatant, whom was defeated by a newly healed Kurgan. The half elf ran off, and the group was forced to quickly cast a detect magic and grab valuables which were readily available before high tailing it out of there.
In the aftermath, the local constables, a clannish martial group called 'the Dotari' were bought off by Brimbul and Pumkinhead's contacts. The price was 10% of the groups take. This price was readily agreed upon. Brimbul and Pumkinhead are members of the local thieves guild, called 'the Council of Thieves'. The Council seemingly can buy off or have corrupted almost every institution in Rel Astra. They deal mostly in protection and fencing, with the occasional kidnapping thrown in.
At the end of this adventure Brimbul and Hadrian felt unsure how 'right' their actions had been. But blood money spends as well as any.
Prexus came to the ill shaven group after a long night. He had been given a bounty for a group of adventurers calling themselves 'the Border Lords'. They were wanted Dead by authorities in the Great Kingdom of Aerdy to the North. The sum of 1,000 gps would be given for the confirmed deaths of each of a band of 7 adventurers wanted for multiple murders and the desecration of a temple. Descriptions and names followed. One was a half elf, one a half orc, and five humans, two of whom were blond haired twins.
The Bounty was legal but not here. Prexus warned that if the group were caught killing these adventurers, it would be bad. The two forms of Law in Rel Astra were the Dotari, a clannish group of very ill trained and very corrupt constables. The second group are a martial order called 'the Hell Knights'. They roam the city freely, as no one will challenge their edicts. They emulate the organization and ruthlessness of Hell, and deal out severe punishment to the unlawful. The local Order of the Rack seeks to remove indolence and idealism. While outliers from the Order of the Scourge often sweep into the Shattered state of Medegia to kill the unlawful.
Brimbul and Pumkinhead Johnny paid to find out where the adventurers were staying. Apparently they were selling off loot from an adventure, so were in and out of 'the Duck & Jug' Inn and tavern. Hadrian and Brimbul seperately scouted out the tap room and had a meal of Ham and Quail eggs, with some pudding and an ale or two.
They found 3 of the group camped out at a table. Two of the three were in full plate and the third, a dwarf cleric was in banded mail. The scouts got a little apprehesive, as they were better armored than the sell swords. The rest of the Privateers were awaiting the scouts at another tavern 'The Red Griffin' down the block. Where they had rented a private room. Also in the tap room were an off duty soldier, some locals if no note, a performer playing for his dinner in a corner, of little skill, and Brimbul noticed a fellow rogue casing the room.
3 More of the target group came in from outside, carrying packs. The half elf, a wizard or bard (?), a red haired human another wizard (?), and the half orc, a rogue carrying a sack of coins. They had clearly been out trading and selling. Of the 7 only a heavily armored fighter, one of the twins, was no where to be seen.
Since the Privateers had 6 of the 7 in sight, the scouts went to gather up the rest of their band. When everyone was ready, they cast a few defensive spells, then headed out one at a time. Brimbul and Pumkinhead went into the Duck and Jug ahead of time. They bribed the rogue to distract the off duty soldier with a story of a tavern brawl nearby, then they went upstairs stealthily, on the pretext of checking out the common sleeping room.
As Hadrian moved into position outside the inn he cast a nother spell, this time he was warily checking his new found 'allies' for evil. Finding none he headed inside. He mistakenly did not cast of Prexus...
When all of the Privateers were in the tap room, they found the half elf had joined the three down stair, while the human mage and half orc rogue were no where to be seen. The two fighters and two clerics went upstairs with everyone in the tavern noting their arrival. The fight started upstairs. As the half orc came out of a private room he was attacked by the four adventurers. He yelled out a warning and entering a frightful rage he cut down Imgar the dwarf before he knew what hit him. Pumkinhead and Brimbul came at him from two sides and cut him down. The human wizard had cast a mirror image on himself and was behind the half orc.
Meanwhile the 4 adventurers from downstairs came up the stairs and started fighting Kurgan. One human fighter fell before the clerics were out of cures to heal Kurgan and he had to withdraw. During the fight the half elf was casting daze on Kurgan, until he was forced to stop. The dwarf cleric cast a silence to stop the Privateers clerics.
One of the twins advanced up the stairs. He was met by Kurgan who he cut down after taking a blow, and then Prexus, seeing a symbol of Heironeous around his neck charged and smote him. The fighter of heironeous smote Prexus back.
Pumkinhead and Brimbul had more luck. They slipped a few lucky blows past the wizards mirror images and slew him, then went to work on the private room which had been locked since the start of the fight. Then unlocked it and found a fully prepared fighter. One of the twins, a symbol of 'Pholtus of the Blinding Light' around his neck and a long sword and shield in hand. Again the two effectively tag teamed and defeated him, but not before Pumkinhead was almost killed in the fight.
Prexus got the best of the holy warrior, and the dwarf was the last combatant, whom was defeated by a newly healed Kurgan. The half elf ran off, and the group was forced to quickly cast a detect magic and grab valuables which were readily available before high tailing it out of there.
In the aftermath, the local constables, a clannish martial group called 'the Dotari' were bought off by Brimbul and Pumkinhead's contacts. The price was 10% of the groups take. This price was readily agreed upon. Brimbul and Pumkinhead are members of the local thieves guild, called 'the Council of Thieves'. The Council seemingly can buy off or have corrupted almost every institution in Rel Astra. They deal mostly in protection and fencing, with the occasional kidnapping thrown in.
At the end of this adventure Brimbul and Hadrian felt unsure how 'right' their actions had been. But blood money spends as well as any.
Session One, Sells Swords for hire
In the decrepit and declining city state of Rel Astra a posting read "Sell swords wanted. A dangerous job for good pay. See Oswic the Half Orc at 'the Kings Arms'. The Kings Arms was a decent inn and tavern 30 years ago. Now it was a seedy place for down on their luck folk. Oswic turned out to be a rarity, an educated half orc.
6 people showed up for the job, a halfling and a human rogue, two fighters, one dwarf one human, and two human priests, one of Hextor and one of Pelor.
Oswic told the them of a ship, called the Lucky Minstral. When the armies from the Great Kingdom shattered the See of Medegia twenty years ago, and reduced a large portion of the Capital of Rel Astra to ruin. The Merchant houses sent their ships to sea, the 'Lucky Minstral' was one such ship. It never returned. Now, word has reached the Merchant who owns the house, that a ship has been sighted twenty miles south of Rel Astra bearing the name 'the Lucky Minstral'. The ship has run a ground on rocks and may not be above the waves for long.
Osric related that the Ship bore a valuable cargo in a magically sealed box. He wants a boarding party to find the box if it is still on board after all these years, and secondarily to discover what happed to the ship that it was away for so long.
The six 'Privateers' were rowed to the ship by a pair of sailors who rowed to shore to await the Privateers signal, a lighted Sunrod will signal them to return and pick them back up, otherwise the seas and rocks are too rough to stay tied to the Ship.
The six found the ship listing and obviously taking on water. The main mast had shattered in the storm. Below decks they found a crude altar to some inhuman form, guarded by a huge Centipede covered in debris. Further below they found large spiders and swarms of smaller spiders. Webbed below decks were two orcs, when released they were zombies who attacked. One was destroyed, the other commanded by Prexus, the Cleric of Hextor.
The climactic fight with an orc druid and his snake pet was easily handeled, and the group went into the bilge to check for the sealed box. In the bilge, much of the cargo had been thrown years ago by the orcs who had somehow taken the ship. A pair of aquatic ghouls attacked and Kurgan, the human fighter was striken with fever.
The box was recovered, made of a strange bluish metal, it had little more than a seam. Also found was the remains of the former captains log. It showed maps and a description of the island the ship had been sheltering from a similar storm decades ago. It's last entry tells of exploration parties heading into the jungle to find supplies.
The 6 fled as something monsterous in the ocean started to rend the ship, and it took on more and more water.
They signaed the boat and returned to Rel Astra. The box and captains log were turned over and they were paid.
Hadrian, the cleric of Pelor realized Kurgan was stricken with Ghoul fever, and with bed rest and his ministations Kurgan returned to health. Being a lawful and simple fellow, Kurgan pledged his life to Hadrian for saving his life.
So ends Episode One
6 people showed up for the job, a halfling and a human rogue, two fighters, one dwarf one human, and two human priests, one of Hextor and one of Pelor.
Oswic told the them of a ship, called the Lucky Minstral. When the armies from the Great Kingdom shattered the See of Medegia twenty years ago, and reduced a large portion of the Capital of Rel Astra to ruin. The Merchant houses sent their ships to sea, the 'Lucky Minstral' was one such ship. It never returned. Now, word has reached the Merchant who owns the house, that a ship has been sighted twenty miles south of Rel Astra bearing the name 'the Lucky Minstral'. The ship has run a ground on rocks and may not be above the waves for long.
Osric related that the Ship bore a valuable cargo in a magically sealed box. He wants a boarding party to find the box if it is still on board after all these years, and secondarily to discover what happed to the ship that it was away for so long.
The six 'Privateers' were rowed to the ship by a pair of sailors who rowed to shore to await the Privateers signal, a lighted Sunrod will signal them to return and pick them back up, otherwise the seas and rocks are too rough to stay tied to the Ship.
The six found the ship listing and obviously taking on water. The main mast had shattered in the storm. Below decks they found a crude altar to some inhuman form, guarded by a huge Centipede covered in debris. Further below they found large spiders and swarms of smaller spiders. Webbed below decks were two orcs, when released they were zombies who attacked. One was destroyed, the other commanded by Prexus, the Cleric of Hextor.
The climactic fight with an orc druid and his snake pet was easily handeled, and the group went into the bilge to check for the sealed box. In the bilge, much of the cargo had been thrown years ago by the orcs who had somehow taken the ship. A pair of aquatic ghouls attacked and Kurgan, the human fighter was striken with fever.
The box was recovered, made of a strange bluish metal, it had little more than a seam. Also found was the remains of the former captains log. It showed maps and a description of the island the ship had been sheltering from a similar storm decades ago. It's last entry tells of exploration parties heading into the jungle to find supplies.
The 6 fled as something monsterous in the ocean started to rend the ship, and it took on more and more water.
They signaed the boat and returned to Rel Astra. The box and captains log were turned over and they were paid.
Hadrian, the cleric of Pelor realized Kurgan was stricken with Ghoul fever, and with bed rest and his ministations Kurgan returned to health. Being a lawful and simple fellow, Kurgan pledged his life to Hadrian for saving his life.
So ends Episode One
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