3rd of Reaping - High Summer
The BlackRunes appear to be focused on other priorities instead of following up on the bounty - 20,000 G.P. - which is strange to some.
The Fellowship get a daily update with great tidings from the BETA Crew, Sending spells from Skrit:
Wayberry freed!
News has come that a small strike force of high level adventurers came FROM the Abyss through a portal it is said priests of IUZ created in the city. through this portal to the Abyssal layer 692(one if a number of levels the cambion demigod has taken control of) these heroes led by a high level warrior priest of Tempus named Royce - THE same Lord and son of Overlord Romack who had been trapped there in a battle on the flying fortress.
Leading a party, including: Sark, High priest and avatar of Dionysus, Rory Dragonbane warrior/archmage and a master thief who goes by the name... Sleet.
A massive battle took place, and it is said the forces of IUZ were taken by surprise and many were destroyed, including a rumour of the leader killed or captured, one R’alaagishar Moondrake Yn’slyy
This news is a delight to the Fellowship, wondering if the verbal contract they had made with the demoin general was still in place. Graxxuzazz checks his bag of holding - the rod given to the Fellowship to teleport the group to the demon general once they secure the Heart of Enstad has crumbled to dust! The verbal agreement appears to be null and void..? [DM: Blog Post]
Further news from Skrit:
No signs of demonic forces from west or north. Small numbers of refugees still are arriving and assisting joining the town. It seems that Dragonkeep has gained notoriety as a safe haven in the area! One potential issue is feeding the burgeoning town through coming winter. Welcome negotiations with the monks from the monastery nearby as well as the kobolds whom still work with Poet [DM BlogPost] and her allies the stone giant brothers. All are welcome to make Dragonkeep their home.
At this point more fields need to be planted. Obaz the druid will help Skrit in this area. As well Sir Raknell fallen paladin [Former Dragon Marshall] of St. Cuthbert has headed out on personal quests to regain his god's goodwill.
Rumours come that the BlackRunes have retreated East from the mountains. IUZ forces continue to move East as well as into the mountains.
- Pyra continues to scavenge and explore the mines, finding some interesting items and minor treasures with her kobold crew
- Valoran works with the town militia training and scouting the nearby areas as well as hunting for game
- Irakul works with the militia as well but takes time to discuss the demonic contract he will soon face supposedly one day. [Contract states Irakul and his next 7 generations of relatives' soulsbelong to the demon] There may be a way to get by this, learn the demon's true name.. or offer him something worth more than the souls.] Irakul mulls over giving his 8 generations of souls and NOT Irakul's! The lawyer looks surprised, but agrees that may be an option. Or the Shadow Lantern..
- Faust interested in researching in the tower power source, but with no library or the tower there, was for naught. The war-forged warlock then decides to try and contract his patron
- Vencer studies the the verbose and complex engineering tome
- Skrit is fully focused on rebuilding, planting and ensuring the town is ready as new refugees continue to show up
- Fighter's guild is 85% complete
The Fellowship return to their breakfast. Interest in checking out the black sludge that slowly oozes down the riverbed/canal in Enstad. Graxx decides to wait for the BlackRune messenger from the BlackRune administration branch. The rest of the party decide to head off to the GoldRiver Inn - the
gold greed taking them over to fill a box of holding with gold!
gold greed taking them over to fill a box of holding with gold!
Kantif under disguised and persona of Odell Karr - merchant travelling with the Fellowship.
Tibaltuous creates a new ballad on Graxxuzazz name and titles. After trying it out with the Fellowship and Dwynn.. a work in progress. Doc searches for black power doe his weapons, but it appears the BlackRunes have taken ALL stores of it in town. Kantif visits Dreegle's Poisons and Sundries. The rogue/monk engages the draconic proprietor about acquiring poison as well as using Thieves' cant, after some back and forth [and buying a sleep elixir] it appears the Thieves' guild is based in the GoldRiver Inn! The guild it seems is a shell of it former self, the old shopkeeper advised Kantif - or Odell - the guild had or is allied to the BlackRunes, and reminding of the downfall of Enstad was due to the guild working with the BlackRunes a year past. The rogue takes his leave and rejoins the Fellowship while the bard continuers to practice his new song. Hearing of the guild and GoldRiver Inn, the party are pleased as they were planning to head there already.
The adventurers head out, all except Graxxuzazz and Thograa. A light drizzle coming down. Tibaltuous was interested in checking out the black sludge flowing down the canal. Coming to a bridge, they see a bridge over the canal. At the bridge is a BlackRune patrol. Waiting for them to move on, the party heads down and approach the sludge. The stench coming from the area is horrendous and nearly makes all gag and cough and eyes watering. It slowly - very slowly - moves. Gothi notes a orcish clawed hand slowly moving down the riverbed. Gothi holds her breath and moves up and pulls on the hand and out comes a partially skeletal arm and hand. There is a bracer on it, well made but coated in the sludge. Tibaltuous cleans it with prestidigitation on the bracer to clean it. There is a rune on it in orcish: Cloud. Gothi's hand is stained black and even though she cleans it extensively, it appears to be stained black..
The party hear a voice from above and look up. A dwarf peers over the stone railing of the bridge. "Hey what're you doing down there?"
Tibaltuous yells back, "Your mother!" The Fellowship all laughs at this.
Growling, the dwarf hurls a smoking bottle at the party before anyone can react, it explodes as shards of metal cut through the group.
"How ya feeling now, Mother?" he continues to peer down at the group. The party prepare, and then a horn blast - which the party knows is an alert for the BR "enemies nearby".
Gothi goes invisible and leaps across the sludge and heads up to the road. Odell/Kantif moves up the stairs and on to the bridge. Tibaltuous casts invisibility on himself and Doc and jump across and move away.
Meanwhile, a BlackRune messenger arrives at Azzuul's Rest and meets up with Graxxuzazz. The message, the party have a window of time the next morning to use access the Teleportation circle at the BlackRune HQ!
The BlackRune raises a heavy crossbow and aims at the rogue as Kantif approaches him. The dwarf tells him to drop his weapons and gear. "Where'd your friends go? They are all gone! Put yer hands behind your head."
Kantif does this, trying to assuage the BlackRune but it appears he is not having any of it, waiting for patrols to arrive. Gothi behind the dwarf, moves on and heads down the street!
Doc and Tibaltuous come up the stairs - invisible -and decide to head to the inn. Tibaltuous sends a message to Kantif/Odell - "They are heading to the inn."
The patrol arrives and then decide to take the rogue/monk in for questioning as it appears the group the "merchant" was with is WELL known by the BlackRunes. They take his weapons and pack and interrogate him as a part bounty. Odell/Kantif is to be 'escorted' towards the BlackRunes HQ. Finally he casts darkness, the rogue decides to escape, using misty step he then goes invisible. The BlackRunes shout and fire crossbow bolts into the dark. Kantif tails the group and then as they cross the bridge he surprises them able to grab his pack and jumps off the canal rail. Two more patrols arrive both with robes BlackRunes both appear to cast spells. The rogue then moves to catch up to his fellowship, down a rapier and shortbow, as the BlackRunes shout in frustration and sound the horn again.
Meanwhile, the party arrives at the GoldRiver Inn. Doc recalls this was once a prosperous and busy locale, famous in Enstad. No longer, the place is rundown, one swinging door hanging half off its
hinges, windows broken. No one nearby, no noise coming from inside. The 3 adventurers approach and still invisible, head inside. The main room is dusty and empty except for a single human sitting at the only still standing table. A set of stairs heads up to bedrooms as well as behind the bar is an open door to a backroom. The heavily tattooed male, bald appears to be having some breakfast with tea and or coffee. Gothi, Doc and Tibaltuous sneak by into the backroom where Doc knows holds the double doors that go down to the river. There are some supplies there - new weapons - and then the double doors that are double chained and barred. Using his rogue skills, Tibaltuous is able to take care of three of the four locks. At this moment, the tattooed man walks in and picks up a box and takes it out to the main room. Then Doc using his strength of a giant to wrench open the 4th lock on one of the bars. With a bending cracking sound, the metal breaks and the lock is broken off.
There is a sound from the main room so the party hide, weapons ready. Doc on onside of the door to the main door and Gothi on the other. As the man looks in calls out, "Who's there!?" All three try to motion for him to be quiet. The man jumps back and runs away. The party come through the door and see the tattooed man 1/2 way up the stairs.
Doc calling out, "Freeze or I'll blow your legs off!" scattergun at the ready.
Hands up, "Whoa hey.. why ya tryin' to go down there! there's monster down there!" The tattooed man calls out.
"There's the thieves guild down there and a river of gold." doc replies.
"There is no guild down there.." and then the man jumps up the stairs as quick as lightning.. Doc is faster and a massive boom as the scattergun goes off. The man's head is blasted to a fine red mist sprayed on the stair's wall.
Meanwhile, Gothi and Tibaltuous open the double doors and peer down a wide passage, cobblestones and walled it ramps downwards into the dark.
Doc awaits what he is assumes is either thieves or BlackRune patrols.
Doc is surprised by a hobbit at his back while a young girl comes in through the main door. Doc goes for his pistol while the hobbit jabs him in the neck, taking extensive damage, he trickshots and kills the hobbit with a single blast. Then turns and shoots the girl taking out her leg. She falls over unconscious.
The group then discuss and heal up the girl and realize the guild is mostly disbanded except for a few members - two dead by Doc. They let her go and she limps out into the street.
Kantif - now no longer in disguise arrives, heads up to the 2nd floor of the inn looking for signs of the guild, but fails to look for traps to his detriment as he stealthily moves into the halls between the rooms normally rents per night. After hitting a slashing blade trap, and taking extensive damage, he returns to Doc as Graxxuzazz with Thograa arrive and join up all four head down the passage.
All notice tiny tunnels or 1 foot holes at various heights on the walls and ceiling. The creatures, the party all recall these reptilian insectoids - except Tibaltuous - and how deadly they were before. Perhaps now the Fellowship is stronger and more skilled not a real threat...?
The Ranger defends and kills some, while a large group comes down the passage as well. Between Graxxuzazz' fireball, gunshots from Doc, Gothi tossing some into the depths as well as Kantif attacking with dagger and Thograa firing his crossbow the swarms are defeated and remaining reptoids retreat clicking and screeching in their strange language.
The Fellowship then traverse across the chasm using the lift. Moving on the party come to the crossroads. One passage heads down to the old dwarf city under Enstad. [DM BlogPost] The other, leads to the GoldRiver.
The party head to the GoldRiver. They come down a familiar passage, and then a blast of heat washes over them, the river of gold! Ahead, a yellow light lights up the passage, and then they reach the doorway into a large cavern. Where the river of gold still flows... BlackRunes once again, working it. The hear is nearly unbearable - gold becomes molten at a high temperature.. and this room has a river of it!
BlackRune dwarves and workers appear to be taking buckets of gold and onto mining carts and then across a bridge. There is an area where it appears a camp is setup, a slight shimmer blurs the vision in that area. All the BlackRunes both guards and workers wear heavy blue metal armour as they work in the area -except some in the camp area do not, wearing normal clothing.
The Fellowship peek in and ponder on their next move..
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