By the end of our last session, the group had finished exploring the complex below the moathouse and found it to have been largely abandoned. In the process, they rescued a gnome, Labaash, who joined up with them in their explorations (despite having nothing in the way of gear since his prior captors…Leighton’s group…had taken it all). The group also discovered a sort of tomb of a paladin of Heironeous by the name of Rafael the Righteous. The entrance had been hidden behind a mortared wall that someone, presumably Leighton and his group, had torn down. Inside, sadly, Molly found her brother’s broken, tortured, and flayed body. The suspense regarding whether Griff had survived was resolved. As we ended the session, the group had finished exploring sections of this tomb that others had already gone through but then found a section that looked completely untouched for many years. We ended the session in the middle of their exploration of this section.
RJ is now playing Labaash, a gnome thief, given the death of Griff. There are definite spoilers for T1 The Village of Hommlet below the break. I also grabbed one of Dyson’s maps and borrowed some stuff from different adventures I’ve read for the “tomb.” This recap is from Forest and my comments, as usual, are in [brackets and italics].
The path of the righteous – is probably the right-hand path:
No tears were shed when it was learned that Si had not survived the evening…
At the urging of the gnome, Labaash, as well as Haemon, the party decides to complete the exploration of the tomb before returning to Hilltop. Successfully penetrating the tomb’s innermost reaches, the party discovered five skeletons seated at a table upon which lay two swords, a suit of chainmail and a chainmail coif. Much like the outer statue, the skeleton at the head of the table seemed to respond only to Molly. Suspecting the skeletons, were, in fact, Rafael and his retainers, of which there are known to be four, based on the small sarcophagi/ossuaries/memorials found in an antechamber [with the following inscriptions]:
Gaudry – a true friend and warrior
Diodore – who found his way out of the wilderness but never left the woods
Basina – a truer love one could not ask for
Barral – actions speak louder
[Actually, the skeleton at the head of the table responded to Haemon first. Its hand had been resting on the table when the door ws first opened. As Haemon entered, the skeleton pulled its hand back and dropped it below the table. Later, when Molly approached within a few feet of the skeleton, it turned its head to look at her. Hmmm…I wonder what that was all about…]
In front of the skeleton at the head of the table lay a longsword [very plain, utilitarian looking sword]; other items sat in front of the other skeletons. Proceeding clockwise around the table, sat a round metal shield of dark metal, a suit of lustrous chainmail [it was kind of dull and maybe a little rusty while sitting on the table], a second longsword [with a steel blade tinted a deep blue and a strange, large, bell-shaped pommel], and a chainmail coif. Haemon chose the second longsword when the skeleton at the head of the table turned its gaze upon Molly, while Cowle promptly donned the chainmail [after which it took on its lustrous sheen]. Labaash grabbed the coif which he lashed around his waist when it proved to large for his wee head. Molly reluctantly claimed the longsword at the head of the table and Brenwyn the shield at Haemon’s urging.
[Molly and Brenwyn, unlike the two thieves and unscrupulous mercenary, were reluctant to essentially “loot” the tomb of a paladin of Heironeous. Assuming they make it out alive from the tomb–spoilers…they do–I wonder how this will sit with a church of a god of retribution and justice. Hmmm…possible future plot hook…]
Cowle’s greed [with Haemon’s coaxing if I recall correctly] proved his undoing when reaching for a medallion [a holy symbol of Heironeous] worn by one of the undead skeletons. His sword arm was grabbed by the skeleton, which only Haemon was witness too. Perhaps this, or perhaps the explorations of Labaash in the outer corridor, triggered the release of a second fallen priest (also undead) which nearly slew Labaash before the rest of the party members put him down. Brenwyn stabilized both Labaash and Cowle…again [Who would have thought that looting tombs and fighting undead might be dangerous? 😉 ].
You can choose your adventuring companions but not your family…
Haemon and Labaash urge further exploration but Molly and Brenwyn are loathe to disturb the tomb any further [or further defile it as the thieves were suggesting]. Deciding against trying to navigate back through the woodland exit of the dungeon complex beneath the moathouse, the party threaded its way back way through to the surface, Cowle keeping a suspicious focus on the little gnome Labaash [in a mostly futile attempt to deflect blame for releasing the undead “priest” to Labaash]. Upon reaching stairs to the courtyard they found a crippled dwarf pitifully crawling towards them – Karl, Brenwyn’s brother! For once, Brenwyn’s suspicion for everyone except Molly and Lady Katerine [that was rather overstated and not overly accurate] proves well deserved. Upon being pressed, Karl revealed three important pieces of information before a band of five undead humanoids as well as an anuran monstrosity emerged from the ruined tower to attack the party!
- Karl is an agent of Leighton, who planted Karl in the courtyard to ambush the party. [Not really much of an “ambush” to be waiting out in the middle of a courtyard. Perhaps there was a different motivation at work here like the next couple of points.] Once again – Leighton always seems to be one step ahead. Do his supposed necromantic powers extend to telepathy as well? [There are sooooo many more interesting possibilities than this.] This also implies that Karl was an active participant in, or at least complicit to, the dismemberment, mutilation and flaying of Molly’s brother Griff.
- Leighton is, in fact, interested in recovering the sword of Rafael the Righteous for his still unknown but doubtlessly nefarious purposes and had planted Karl in the courtyard – again, Leighton always seems to be one step ahead of the party’s every action. How could he have known we had returned to the moathouse? [Like I said, there are a LOT of possibilities for this. Maybe Labaash is a spy for Leighton…doesn’t it seem strange that the little gnome is the only captive of Leighton’s you’ve met that wasn’t tortured, killed, intentionally released, or “undeadified.” Doesn’t it? Was he allowed to escape? Is that all just a story and he is a willing agent of Leighton? Or is that sort of option off the table just because Labaash is a PC? Just sayin’…]
- Murmuring something about elder gods, Karl revealed himself as the agent of their brother Drayton’s destruction. Could this penchant for worshiping dark gods be genetic in nature? Does this mean the party should keep a closer eye on Brenwyn’s religious leanings?
[Karl explained…rather freely actually…that he had come to Hilltop to join with forces here. He had brought his brother, Drayton, with him in the hopes that Drayton would see the light (so to speak) and join with him. Karl spouted something about the dwarven race being doomed if they didn’t turn to new gods. The deranged dwarf pointed out that he suspected that Brenwyn would never turn from her worship of the dwarven gods and so hadn’t brought her with him (she arrived seeking out her brothers). When Brenwyn verbally confirmed this suspicion, Karl attacked.]
Faced with superior numbers of undead (not to mention an anuran demon), Cowle flees. Karl is summarily dispatched by a host of wounds. Pressed by superior numbers Labaash hides, Haemon goes down, despite wearing superior chainmail armor. Despite Brenwyn’s turning a few of zombies, the remaining group begin a defensive retreat back up the stairs and to the relative cover of the moathouse ruins. Brenwyn is next to fall. Labaash finally springs into action, running out to stabilize Haemon, as Po-Po falls under the weight of zombie and anuran attacks. The little gnome valiantly backstabs the anuran, slaying the slimy beast, before slaying an additional zombie. The final zombie falls to Molly’s blade as the two only surviving party members stare at each other, adrenalin pounding – and another near TPK narrowly averted!!
[It wasn’t really superior numbers at the start. It was one deranged dwarf, five human zombies, and, just for the record, one giant toad zombie…not a demon. Not really superior numbers until Cowle ran off, Haemon ventured off on his own into the courtyard, and Labaash hid.
I gotta ask…is it really valiant to stab someone–something in this case–in the back? It was certainly well-executed and a bit brave I suppose but valiant? 😉 ]
A cold homecoming…
Holing up in a storeroom, the party rests. Though short of stature, Brenwyn’s bearded gods bestow tall blessings on the party. The party, against Haemon’s advice, proceeds back to the courtyard where once again, Leighton has expected [anticipated?]them. Cowle’s naked, crucified and undead body cackles at them to bring Rafael’s sword to Leighton or his “hordes” will overrun Hilltop. Haemon wonders about the missing bugbears and human mercenaries that could have easily assured the party’s destruction in the last ambush. The party has certainly made a dent against his forces, but perhaps they are not so many as previously thought? – This would explain why he cut short his investigation at the moathouse, and explain the increasing number of undead the party seems to be encountering. After dismembering Cowle, the party limps back to Hilltop. [I believe that Cowle was “simply” beheaded.]
[Maybe Leighton has his other forces doing other things. Maybe they are off sacking other tombs or maybe they are off gathering more “volunteers” for his undead horde. Maybe he is just toying with the group. Is it possible that he has become utterly and thoroughly smitten with the glory of Brenwyn’s beard and this is a method of showing his love for her hirsute chin? He is, after all, some sort of deranged necromancer. I doubt he expresses his more “shmoopy” emotions like more normal people might. Might he be covering all of his bases and leaving this little “gifts” in the courtyard, near the entrance of the tunnel, and maybe in a couple of other places that the PCs might show up given their past behavior? So many interesting possibilities…]
Lady Katerine does not seem exceptionally pleased by the news that the moathouse has been cleared and inquires as to the parties plans. She indicates that her spy in the quarry has been incommunicado for at least a week. She continues to be frustrated by the parties slow progress. (Clearing the moathouse took at least three forays and a solid week…not bad for novices, what gives with this broad?) After personally insulting Molly and Labaash, she indicates that a better party could not be found. She does not pay Haemon and Po-Po wages owed (5 days by Haemon’s reckoning) and implies that she does not have to pay the surviving mercenaries monies owed for their dead companions Si and Cowle. She does, however, allow the party to retain all treasure they have recovered to date, provides healing and replenishes the parties’ sundry supplies. She claims no knowledge of Rafael or any legends of his legacy, despite the fact that it is common knowledge that her grandfather was also a paladin of Heironeus. Dismissing the males, she requests a secret meeting with Brenwyn and Molly.
[Haemon’s take on the interaction isn’t quite accurate. Lady Katerine is certainly a brusque, blunt, and headstrong woman and portrayed as such…intentionally so as she takes after her grandmother Halcyon (Rachel’s character in the prior Hilltop campaign). Her frustration is based on a promised progress not realized and other pressures I’m not going to share because Katerine hasn’t. The party has made eight forays to the moathouse in a little over two weeks at this point (not just three in a week). The Lady of Hilltop had been assured that the party would be finished with the Leighton and moathouse business days ago. In addition, she has contributed nearly 1500gp worth of mundane and magical equipment to the party in this endeavor. She has also refrained from bringing other resources into play to deal with issues such as her missing spy based on this assurance. By their own admission, the party isn’t yet finished with this business.
I’m not sure what the personal insults were. I assume that this is reference to the Lady’s brusque denial to Labaash’s request to also be a mercenary…a small gnome with no armor or equipment but a shortsword and dagger tucked in his belt (and one that Katerine was suspicious of). Is that really anyone’s image of a mercenary if that is all that you had to go on? I don’t know what was seen as an insult to Molly (Rachel couldn’t recall one either). Lady Katerine never said anything to the effect of not having been able to find a better party for this business. She was referring to the unreliable and thuggish mercenaries that she had hired to aid the party. She said this as part of an apology to Molly and Brenwyn for not having found them better warriors to assist. There is an actual reason she hasn’t been able to but it isn’t one that I can share at this point.
Part of the original agreement with the party actually was to allow the group to keep treasures that they recover in these endeavors…that is, essentially, their payment. In that context, it shouldn’t be surprising that the party was allowed to keep what they’ve retrieved. However, the agreement had also been amended (prior to the arrival of the mercenaries) to allow Lady Katerine to select treaures of her choice to help offset the cost of equipping and supporting the party, especially for the cost of the healing potions. The mercenaries weren’t part of this agreement. They made their own agreement. The surviving pair of said mercenaries, Haemon and Po-Po, did not give any indication that they wished to be dismissed from Lady Katerine’s service and so she hasn’t paid them their wage yet. If they wish to end their employment, I’m sure she’ll gladly pay and have them go on their way.
There was no secret meeting. It isn’t secret if everyone knows that the meeting took place. Nor did it have anything to do with whether or not a PC has one or two X chromosomes. Lady Katerine simply met with those that she has known and more or less trusts and aren’t just in this for the money (i.e., not mercenaries). Both Brenwyn and Molly have demonstrated that they are acting on Hilltop’s behalf and not just to get paid. The rest of the group has done no such thing or, in Labaash’s case, is a complete stranger (and possible spy). It was simply prudent on her part.
Last correction…for now 😉 …Lady Katerine’s grandfather was not a paladin of Heironeous. It was her great-uncle, Harvey, who was the paladin. A person who died well before she was every born. She also didn’t seem to hold paladins in the highest regard…making a comment about them having sticks up their asses, something she probably picked up from her grandmother, Halcyon. The implied assumption seems to be that Katerine should know about Rafael and his tomb because her great-uncle was a paladin of Heironeous even though there is no indication that she–or anyone else in Hilltop for that matter–worships Heironeous (the only temple being the Church of St. Cuthbert).]
Haemon, Po-Po and Labaash repair to the only store in town, where they meet the weaselly merchant Rhodri. They quickly realize Rhodri’s complete lack of customer service and usurius business practices explain the need for 3 armed guards in the small agrarian town of Hilltop. Rhodri attempts to hire the trio to “rough up” another party of adventurers in town who apparently hired out two more of his guards, not realizing the trio are, in fact part of same party. (5 guards?! – man this dude must sure sell a lot of agrarian implements at sky-high prices to a bunch of pissed off farmers)
[Damn right he is weaselly and greedy…also well established previously. Interesting assumption that the guards are for his business practices when the three characters in this interaction know absolutely nothing about Rhodri’s business practices with his regular customers and citizens of Hilltop. Giving around half the full price for used goods doesn’t seem to be an overly unfair practice to me. Didn’t he charge a bit less than double normal leather armor price for the gnome-sized leather armor? Given that the trio had already kind of pissed him off, that might be a bit generous. I’m not sure why this wasn’t included on the wish list for equipment to Lady Katerine. It seemed pretty clear that she would supply what she could as she had done previously for the group.]
Back at Bugbear’s Beds and Brews, the reception from Ostler Ottmar is no warmer than the brave adventurers received from the Lady Katerine, but the party eventually reunites. Molly and Brenwyn do not share whatever Lady Katerine mentioned, but all share a bitter laugh at the miserably informed Rhodri. Between Lady Katerine, Ottmar and Rhodri, Haemon secretly begins to wonder that even if the little group survives the sociopathic necromancer Leighton and his hordes of undead, evil humanoids and anuran demons – what profit will the little group be able to realize for such risk of life and limb? Fortunately Po-Po derails this unhappy train of thought when after a few drinks he reveals his full name is actually puh-puh-pen-pineapple-apple-pen…
[I didn’t realize that bringing out food and drink was a cold welcome. The food was hot, right? 😉
Ottmar certainly did seem concerned that Si would be returning and then quite relieved that he wouldn’t be. Hmmm…I wonder why that is.
Between Lady Katerine, Ottmar, and Rhodri, the little group is being supplied pretty much all that they’ve asked for, provided free room and board, and, admittedly, charged some inflated prices but certainly not gouged to anywhere near the extent implied here…again, not sure why other equipment that folks wanted wasn’t included in the wish list for Lady Katerine. In addition, Molly and Brenwyn have been granted the right to keep whatever treasures are recovered and the mercs have their own agreement for 2gp per day. Poor Labaash is the odd gnome out at this point. Somehow I think Molly and Brenwyn will likely share the treasures–like the looted “holy relics”–with the new members of the group so anything they loot is pretty much pure profit, right?
And let’s not forget that Lady Katerine’s physiker is pretty much “on-call” for the party at no charge. That’s a pretty penny being saved right there too.
Profit, however, wasn’t a motivation for the original PCs when all of this started. I don’t think a PC motivated just by profit is going to be a good fit with the existing group or this campaign (or most campaigns I run for that matter).
Let’s not forget Po-Po’s joke when the group reunited…that they had accepted Rhodri’s offer to rough up Brenwyn and Molly…and his hearty laugh afterwards. I’m pretty sure this is the first time that anyone had heard him laugh. He seems to be coming into his own now that his tormentors and oppressors–Si and Cowle–are no longer in the picture. This was further enforced by his slightly menacing insistence that Haemon (and presumably others) use his real name, Poul, rather than the cruel nickname, based on his stutter, given to him by Si.]
And – a cliffhanger!
In the morning the party refreshes its supplies and decides to return to the moat house courtyard, the site of at least two previous Leighton ambushes. This time, the sinister Leighton has left the corpses of two babies hanging in the courtyard of the moathouse, whose heads turn to face Haemon, the first to leap the moat.
[They weren’t babies…they were described as young children hanging from the same x-cross that Cowle’s body had hung from…and still hung from if I recall correctly.
And that’s where we stopped for the night.
Some further notes from Forest summarizing things from the campaign to date…]
CASUALTIES OF WAR:
• Drayton, brother to Brenwyn (NPC) [Drayton was Craig’s character while he played and was never really an NPC.]
• Karl, brother to Brenwyn (NPC) [Karl was Dave’s character while he played and was only played as an NPC in this last session.]
• Griff, brother to Molly (PC)
• Si, a hireling (NPC)
• Cowle, a hireling (NPC)
BEASTIES SLAIN (or overcome…) THIS SESSION:
• 1 undead fallen priest of Heironeus
• 1 evil dwarf brother
• 5 zombie mooks
• 1 anuran demon under the command of said evil brother [also a zombie mook and not a toad demon]
• 1 undead former hireling [the new and improved Cowle…at least from Leighton’s perspective]
LOOT LOG:
• >? TBD GP –
• Bone scroll case – maybe Poul
• Flask – maybe Poul
• Coif of Basina – Poul
• Nondescript longsword of the head skeleton – Molly
• Dark round metal shield – Brenwyn
• Lustrous chainmail – this was recovered by Cowle, but was missing from his crucified body
• Bell-Pommel longsword that makes no noise – Haemon (Molly and Brenwyn are convinced for some unknown reason this is, in fact, the sword of Rafael the Righteous. [Didn’t Haemon originally suggest that such was the case?] Knowing this may be the blade Leighton is looking for, Haemon has made some modest efforts to disguise it. [Not an easy thing to do given not just the pommel but the fact…which I’ve said multiple times but keeps getting overlooked…that the blade is tinted a deep-blue. Not a very normal looking sword at all.])
• Suit of ringmail, Si’s chainmail and longsword were recovered by Haemon and painstakingly carried back to town, where Haemon exchanged them with Rhodri the merchant for a suit of gnome sized leather armor for Labaash. [I don’t think I heard that longsword was included in what was sold to Rhodri…I’ll have to adjust his dust-gathering stock of weapons. 😉 ]
• ??? – carried by Labaash. Po-Po provided the little gnome with a dagger and Haemon provided him with his longsword.
Po-Po carries the coinage the party has recovered, including >23 gp that Haemon found during the initial foray, and a substantive [unknown would be a better descriptor] stock of coin recovered by Si and Cowle when rescuing the unfortunate gnome Labaash. It is suspected that he also carries the bone scroll case and flask that Si had squirreled away during the initial foray [initial for the mercs]. The Coif of Basina was given to him by Labaash.
