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The Innkeeper hauls off Proziac's corpse, and Gruff, Bree and Rodion
discuss their options in the room. A good deal of discussion occurs, and
it seems that the only items that would fetch the 75gp necessary to get to
Fort Denwarf would be the sale of a spell. Neither Rodion nor Bree are
eager to do that. Proziac's shortbow and sword are likely to fetch a few
gold pieces, and Gruff still has those healing mushrooms, that are due to
go off, and might as well be sold. Rodion heads off to the High Quarter to
see what he can see. The wizards guild is located easily enough, a huge
pyramid, surrounded by gardens, with no apparent entrance. Two dwarves
stand outside. They say that only members are allowed in, and one needs
the recommendation of a member to become a member. Rodion returns to the
High Market to have a look around. There are a couple of noticeboards, but
the notices seem to be written in some unintelligible magical script. A
man is using a monocle to read one of the boards, and explains that a
monocle or other device is necessary to read the boards, to keep out the
riff-raff. He offers to sell Rodion a viewing monocle for 20gp. Rodion
declines.
Rodion wanders around for a while, eventually returning to the High
Market. At another noticeboard, a man is using a telescope like device to
read the noticeboard. Rodion inquires as to whether it works the same as
the monocle, and the man starts talking to him. Rodion explains that he
was looking for the wizard's guild, perhaps to sell some spells. Cappu is
a member of the guild, and asks Rodion to join him for a drink. Rodion
says that he has a couple of spells that he might be able to sell, the
best of which being a 'dispel magic' scroll. Cappu agrees that that would
be his best bet, and says that he'll go off to the guild, and see what he
can do on Rodion's behalf. Rodion waits in the eating establishment. A
couple of hours later, Cappu returns, announcing that he has sold the
'dispel magic' scroll for Rodion. Rodion hands over the scroll, and is
given three different gems in return. Cappu reckons that they should all
be worth around 150gp. Rodion had explained that he needed the money to
get to Fort Denwarf, and Cappu mentions a spell component that Rodion
might be able to pick up along the way. The hoof of an ox that lives on
the northern side of the pass through the mountains to the north might be
useful to Cappu, and Rodion says that he'll get one if he can.
Rodion spends a couple of hours wandering around looking for a
jewellers, but all he can find are a couple of traders in the High
Market. He does find a herbalists shop, and gets a quote of about 1gp per
mushroom if they are as he described. Rodion returns to the Green Dragon
Inn to meet Gruff and Bree, who have sold Proziac's stuff, and rustled up
about 20gp of their own.
Now that they have the money, the group go to see when the dwarves are
leaving. In one week. It seems like a good idea to get the gems appraised,
but the party are short on money, and when Bree and Rodion check it out,
the man in the High Market wants 10gp per gem appraised. Eventually the
party decide to have one of the gems checked out, so as that they will
know if they're due any change in paying for the 75gp trip with it. The
guy in the High Market reckons the gem the party have appraised is worth
75gp. It is used as payment for the journey, and the dwarves are confused
as to why it wasn't used in the first place, instead of all the back and
forthing. Just about enough money remains to stay in the Inn for the next
week. During the week, nothing much occurs, save for Gruff smoking some
funny tobacco he picked up somewhere along the way, and keeping the other
two awake that night when he says he thought he saw someone trying to
climb in to the window.
On the appointed day the party meet the dwarves at the Druid's
Gate, and set out for Fort Denwarf. There are twelve dwarves, eight mules
and the three party members. The journey is largely uneventful. After
passing through Krakatos, a couple of days north, the dwarves become
increasingly anxious. Rodion's fireside enquiries get him a belt in the
mouth, and it seems that a necessary river crossing has all of the dwarves
pissed off.
The river crossing is easy, but the dwarves still spend the next day
drinking in the city of Kelvin.
On the twelfth day out, in some plains, one of the dwarves (Axeful, the
dwarf that hit Rodion) falls to his knees and topples over. A couple of
the nearby dwarves ready their weapons, and Gruff rushes over to see what
is wrong with him. It is immediately apparent to Gruff that he has been
bitten by a snake, and Gruff endeavours to remove the poison. Sucking on a
dwarf's leg isn't many people's idea of fun, but Gruff does so, and saves
Axeful. Naturally, Axeful is grateful, and the caravan soon enters the
country of Darokin, followed by a town called Reedle. Gruff is treated to
a few drinks, and is soon plastered.
Nineteen days after setting out, having spent a full day in the city of
Selenica, the plains start to turn into hills and a place called Fort
Hobart is reached. Gruff is by far the hardiest of the three party
members, but the journey has been getting to him, and he holds up the
caravan for a couple of days. On the twenty-fifth day out, the party reach
the point where they must be blindfolded so as not to discover the
location of the tunnel through the otherwise impassable mountains. For
five days the party march through a dwarf sized tunnel through the
mountains. Rodion holds up the caravan for a further day, but thirty-one
days after setting out, the party are re blindfolded so as not to learn
the location of the entrance on the other side, and emerge into more
plains.
On the thirty-fifth day, the caravan enters the city of Stahl, and three
days later, Fort Denwarf is reached. That night is spent in the Inn, and
Gruff gets Axeful to have a look at the two gems still possessed by the
party. He reckons he wouldn't take less than 150gp for one of them, and
200gp for the other. At least they weren't all worth only 75gp.
The next day, Gruff, Rodion and Bree go to see the cleric at the
temple to whom the letter is addressed. He is happy to honour the letter,
and says he'll need a day to prepare his stuff, and for Gruff to return
the next day.
Indeed, on the next day, the spell to restore Gruff's faith is cast upon
him. It succeeds, but Gruff will need to sacrifice a boar to complete it.
There are plains about six days to the north, past some mountains, and
Gruff is pretty sure he'll be able to find a boar in that kind of area.
Four dwarves are hired as guides to get the party through the mountains,
and on the next day the party set out.
Four days later, the mountains now giving way to hills, the road
giving way to a track, some of the party members think they hear some
fluted music. Others just fall asleep. Rodion manages to catch a glimpse
of a creature with cloven hooves, but falls asleep all the same. Some of
the dwarves last a little while longer, and one of them says he managed to
hit one of the creatures a belt with his axe, but the four dwarves and
three party members all find themselves waking up in the grassy
plain. Checking their stuff, it is as was feared. The two gems, and any
and all money is gone. The dwarves had all of their valuables taken too.
Thankfully spellbooks and larger items are untouched. Rodion's beltpouches
are strewn about the ground, and he gathers up what he can find of his
spell components.
A discussion follows about whether or not to follow the strange
creatures. One of the dwarves reckons he has their tracks, but the dwarves
don't know what they can do against creatures that can just send them to
sleep. It is decided not to pursue the creatures.
The party press on, and the next thing spotted is a group of about 8
wolves. They are still aways off, and Gruff reckons if the party walk in
single file, and make plenty of noise, they might be scared off, or at
least not bother attacking. Gruff is correct, and eventually they wander
away.
A while later, a guard post of some sort is seen in the distance. It is
approached, and a squat dark man with a spear confronts the party. He says
that the party are approaching the territory of the Khan, and that they
will have to pay to enter it. Gruff says that he is just looking for some
boars, and offers the guard his pouch of strange tobacco to pass by
himself. The guard agrees. A while later, Gruff returns, not looking quite
as happy as expected.
The group start the walk back towards Fort Denwarf. Gruff says
that his clerical abilities have been restored, but that the boars on the
plains are being treated badly, and that he thinks he needs to do
something about it. On the next day back towards Fort Denwarf, the group
are charged by a group of boars. Gruff stands in their path, and attempts
to calm them. He succeeds. With his clerical abilities restored, Gruff can
'speak with animal', and tries to get an idea of what is going on with the
boars. Three days later the group get back to Fort Denwarf.
Axeful, the dwarf from the caravan journey and the excursion to the
plains, talks to the party in the Inn that night. He says that there is an
abandoned keep about three days to the north, that he always wanted to
check out, and wants to know if Gruff, Bree and Rodion are interested in
going with him. They have no money to stay in Fort Denwarf, so it's as
good an idea as any.
The next morning the group of four set out. On the second day northwards
the party spot a large group human sized creatures. Everyone moves off the
trail, out of sight, and after about half an hour the last of the people
are past and out of sight. The group camp soon thereafter, and press on
for two more days, approaching the keep towards the end of the second day.
Axeful figures that it's as likely as not that the keep is occupied by
hobgoblins, and the party discuss their options, just out of sight of the
keep. Rodion says he can cast an illusion to draw the hobgoblins out, but
the spell fails, and Axeful laughs at him. The party head off a while away
from the keep and camp for the night.
In the morning, Rodion has relearned 'phantasmal force', and tries
again. He stands behind a rock, just within sight of the keep, and casts
'phantasmal force'. The others only see a shimmer, but Rodion is pretty
sure that to anyone else it looks like a group the same as the party is
walking towards the keep. Indeed, when the illusory group is about halfway
to the keep (walking towards the back of it), four hobgoblins are seen
running around the sides and towards the illusion. Rodion has the illusory
group turn tail and run, and waves to Axeful to start firing on the
hobgoblins.
Axeful's first shot takes down one of the hobgoblins, and the other three
continue to pursue the illusion towards the party. Axeful needs a round to
winch his crossbow for another shot. Rodion has the illusion turn to face
the hobgoblins and draw weapons. The hobgoblins close upon the illusion,
and discover it for what it is, causing it to disappear, but they haven't
yet reached the party, and Axeful's next shot takes down another
hobgoblin. The remaining two hobgoblins turn tail and run, and Gruff and
Rodion dash forward to pursue them. One of them scrambles and trips,
giving Gruff the chance to hit it a belt with his spear before it takes
off after the other one towards the castle.
Next, it is the turn of Gruff and Rodion to run back, as more hobgoblins
are seen running around the side of the castle towards the party. The
party have time to ready themselves to face the 8 hobgoblins running in,
standing in a line, with Gruff and Axeful on the outsides.
One hobgoblin attacks each of Rodion and Bree, and three each upon
Gruff and Axeful. Rodion attacks with his dagger before his opponent, and
the small blow is enough to kill it. Bree and Axeful are scratched by
their opponents, but Gruff takes a belt of a longsword for 7. The other
party members fail to hit.
In the next round, Rodion tries to 'colour spray' two of the hobgoblins on
Axeful, but the spell fizzles. Bree manages to hit his opponent a belt
with his staff, and both Gruff and Axeful are again struck once, and fail
to strike their opponents.
The party do better in the next round, and both Gruff and Axeful
kill one of their three attackers. Two hobgoblins are attacking both Gruff
and Axeful, one attacking Bree. Next round, Rodion is again quicker with
dagger than hobgoblin with longsword, and kills one of Axeful's
assailants. Axeful's second attack is no worse, and he finishes the other.
A horn sounds out from somewhere in the keep.
The three remaining hobgoblins take off, and manage not to be hit
by any parting blows. The party don't pursue, and just as well, as a
boulder sails through the air, and crashes into the ground down towards
the keep. The group back off, and manage not to be hit by the few more
boulders (presumably) catapulted towards them.
Gruff takes the opportunity to tend to the injured, and just as well, as
two ogres are soon sighted thumping towards the party, figured to have
been called by the horn. The party manage to form up so as that Gruff and
Axeful are the ones being attacked by an ogre each.
The first round goes to the ogres. Of the party only Axeful strikes an
ogre, and both Gruff and Axeful are struck by their opponents. The party
fare better in the second. Rodion hits Axeful's opponent with a thrown
dagger for 2. Bree and Gruff fail to hit the one they are facing. Axeful's
first attack hits the ogre for a little damage. Axeful takes a hit from
his opponent, Gruff doesn't. Axeful's second attack fells his opponent.
The now solitary ogre isn't in too good a position. Gruff strikes
it for 7, and Axeful also hits it in the next round.
Axeful finishes it with his first attack in the following round. The two
ogre corpses are searched, but nothing is found. Again Gruff tends to the
injured (himself and Axeful) and the group wander about a mile from the
keep to camp for the night.
During the night, the party are attacked by hobgoblins. A couple of them
can be recognised as injured ones from before, another as a leader of some
sort. The first round of combat consists entirely of missing. In the next,
Bree and Gruff strike their opponents for a little damage, and Axeful
takes the same from one of the hobgoblins. Dwarven hatred of hobgoblins
shines through, and Axeful strikes what seems to be the lead hobgoblin
twice in the next round, the second hit rendering him quite dead. Gruff
hits his opponent one more time before the last couple of hobgoblins again
flee.
Eight hours later, the party are rested, and again ready to cast
spells. Gruff heals himself and Axeful, and the group set back off for the
keep. Rodion sends the illusory party forth again, but no hobgoblins come
out to greet it. Either there's none left, or they're not fooled. There's
none left, and the party make it safely inside to explore the abandoned
keep. It is a small place, with a walled courtyard leading on to a
building of two floors. Searching of the ground floor reveals nothing but
dirty rooms the hobgoblins seemed to have been living in. The upper floor
is more difficult, as the only set of stairs are rotten and
treacherous. Rodion and Gruff ascend, and have a look around. The layout
is the same as below, but these rooms are more in a state of disrepair as
opposed to vandalised and strewn with hobgoblin dung.
It is now midafternoon, and it is decided to search the downstairs area as
best as possible. Some boarding over a hole is uncovered in the small room
with the rotten stairs. Axeful hacks it away, revealing a muddy pit about
a foot deep, and the same in diameter. Hoping it wasn't formerly a privvy,
Rodion kneels down and digs around in the hole with his hand. After about
an hour (mostly because the delicate chain had to be carefully dug out) of
digging Rodion uncovers two items. An iron key, and a silver chain, in
pieces, with 5 settings on it, 4 of them set with stones. Rodion hands a
piece of the chain to Axeful, and asks him if the stone is worth
anything. Axeful pops the stone out of its backing, and comments that it
feels warm. Then he comments that it feels very hot. He drops it on the
ground. Thankfully nobody is too close when the stone explodes in a ball
of fire, but everyone is injured, Axeful the most, his hair and beard well
singed. The wooden stairs are set alight by the blast, but there is
nothing they can catch on to, and the group wander into the courtyard to
leave them to burn away.
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