L2: The Assassin’s Knot

Dean (Thic Duc), Chris (Tiberium), Matt (Barron), Mariel (Leah), Coby (Warin), Jeff (Amathar), Leah (Ahira), Brian (Pyrzival), and Sherrie (Mirabelle) are returning cast members.

We left the Band of Misfits resting overnight, preparing for a dawn raid on the Garotten castle. With Barron fully recovered, they hastened to the rear entrance of the castle. The forest entrance led to a long underground corridor, at the end of which waited four zombies – two human, two canine. The party made short work of the undead, but the noise of the battle attracted attention, and two guards met them at the end of the corridor even before the zombies fell. One wore armor and carried a flail, the other robes… and the latter was already chanting a spell, lightning crackling between her hands. Two lightning bolts tore through the party while they were bottle-necked in the narrow corridor, but no one fell.

After overcoming the pair of guards, the group moved forward to examine the room. It was a laboratory, disused and dusty, but filled with alchemical components and equipment. At the far end a door led further into the castle. Amathar volunteered to protect the secret door through which the party had entered.

Just outside the laboratory, another squad of 3 castle guards appeared. After defeating these, the party was faced with a choice: a door led north and passageway turned South leading to several additional doors the party chose to proceed North entering a separate corridor to one side of that corridor a yacht number of guards for conducting a gambling game with in their barracks the party interrogated the guards about the status of the keep it learned that the keep had been placed upon alert against the possibility of some sort of attack however Barron’s use of his ability to shape change successfully disguised his nature from the guards and he was able to retreat from the broom without attracting their ire in the other direction the party opened the door Define a large ogre Baron defeated the ogre by making use of his wand of polymorph transforming the ogre into a flopping fish.

Beyond the ogre’s room the party detected a smell to the west that reminded them of sewage, as well as a small prison cell. Deciding there was nothing useful to be found in that direction, they returned and continued north. In that direction a short passage led to two doors. The party opened the door to the left, and encountered a group of three individuals in armor with blunt weapons. These were evidently clerics of some kind; they were able to cast spells during the fight to heal themselves and invoking darkness. While the darkness was up, the other door opened and the rear of the party was attacked by those within.

After a tense fight the party defeated both groups and prepared to resume their exploration of the castle. With the darkness effect faded away, the room to the right was revealed to contain another three figures: two of them in leather armor and one in robes. The party did recognize two of the fallen: Holga, who convinced Wilbur to steal one of Balmarrow’s golden lute strings, and Rogan, who convinced the stableboy Falpir to steal one of Abraham’s buttons.

Sadly, it appears the party has lost track of their primary goal. They have cut a swath through the castleguard with little regard to the identities of those they fought and killed. While some members of the castle guard are likely guilty (including, specifically, Rogan and Holga, both of whom the party had obtained evidence against), and the presence of an ogre is certainly hard to explain, many of the dead seem to have done little Beyond defend themselves against violent attack. Who knows what ramifications this may have?

To be continued…

Treasure

For reference: 200 cp = 20 sp = 2 ep = 1 gp = 1/5 pp Shield +2 Wand (magical) Bracers (magical) Ring (ogre’s, magical) Small gem (ogre) Holga: 30gp Rogan: 20gp Armax: 40gp Falbore: 10gp Gress: 1gp Thomas: 10gp Relmak: 10gp Geltuck: 9gp Trell: 7gp Note that the party has not yet had the opportunity to search rooms, just bodies Treasure: 137gp (12gp each)

Experience

Base xp for showing up: 100xp each
Journal entries, sketches, or baked goods (): 500xp (individually)
Holga: 80xp
Rogan: 80xp
Armax: 400xp
Falbore: 400xp
Gress: 350xp
Thomas: 80xp
Relmak: 80xp
Geltuck: 80xp
Trell: 80xp
3 guards: 240xp
2 zombies: 72xp
2 zombie dogs: 72xp
Treasure: 137xp
Group Total: 3051xp (339xp each)

Roleplaying moments and quotables

"I imagine a fish... and say the magic word." "What as that magic word again?" "Metamorph." -- Just in case the rest of the party had forgotten..

Dangling Threads of Fate

The Duke of Highport is dead, killed on his wedding night, in a locked room alone with the Princess
The Wizard Jim is also dead, killed a few days later, by an unknown assailant
Pyro has fallen in battle...
How to invest your ill-gotten gains...