409 - AUG 3
BEGINS:
The party visited Eboracum to find the best way to bring back their noble comrade Aradec even if it meant losing a valued garden ornament. Ortonensis, the snooty Wizard mate of Zeddicus, agreed to cast a Stone to Flesh spell on Aradec on two conditions:
1. payment of 2,500gp
2. the party visit an abandoned villa two miles out of Eboracum and retrieve an amber horse statue
Ortonensis was worryingly vague about what was in the villa. Arwen visited the wine shops with the Ranger as escort. Apart from attracting some unsavoury attention she did divine that the villa had an evil reputation. Other members of the party sought information. Aicen went to the Druid Commune outside town, Norrry went to the Temple of Vulcan. Pooling their information the party discovered that the villa had been owned by a Spanish Senator named Balbus. He had vanished some years ago and the villa was never re-occupied (this is not unusual - with the deterioration in the law and order situation in the countryside, many people have fled to the walled towns for protection, abandoning farms and villas). Undead have been seen wandering around the villa.
There is a rumour that Balbus became obsessed with digging up pre-Roman burial mounds and was seen with grave treasure items. It is speculated that he dug up one too many mounds and something came out of the mound and did him in. The party also learned that mysterious undead with gray skins have been encountered. It was assessed these were the dread Barrow Wights, insane undead that drain energy and turn their victims into enslaved wights.
While all this was going on Vincenzo explored the wine market with a view to selling the amphora of Sicilian wine the party had found. The leading wine merchant, Bibilus, waxed lyrical about the quality of Milos's wine and said that he would pay 1200gp for such wine, but firmly believed wine of this quality was not available these days. Vincenzo then visited another wine merchant, Gordius and managed to sell the wine for 4,500gp.
The party agreed to Ortonensis's conditions. He cast the spell and Aradec was restored to human form, but sadly then fell dead from a massive heart attack. Ortonensis took pity on the party and reduced his spell casting fee to 2000gp, but still insisted the party visit the villa. He cast Geas on Aradec to make sure the party honoured its obligations. Griefstricken (well a little bit anyway) the party pondered what to do next.
A Raise Dead spell was a possibility but Aradec would lose a level (quelle horreur!!!). Norrry, through his contact at the temple of Vulcan (Hortense, a level 9 Cleric) thought that the High Priest at the temple of Jupiter (Lucius Decius Furius Maximus - a level 13 Cleric) might be prepared to do a Resurrection spell, but would want something substantial in return. Through Hortense the party was able to speak to Lucius who agreed to cast the spell in return for the Gem of True Seeing. The deal was struck, the spell was cast and the doughty Thief was bought back to life.
His comrades were stoked but reminded him several times that he owed them BIG TIME. On 3 August, supplied with holy water by the temple of Vulcan (4 vials per PC), the bold adventurers went to the villa. It proved to be a substantial estate. Venturing inside the party was ambushed by a Lurker Above. They defeated the horror, but took a lot of damage. Returning to Eboracum, the Ranger noticed an Owlbear hiding in some trees. Seeing that its ambush had failed, the beaked horror charged, but was quickly cut down.
Session ended - 1500 3 August.
The party visited Eboracum to find the best way to bring back their noble comrade Aradec even if it meant losing a valued garden ornament. Ortonensis, the snooty Wizard mate of Zeddicus, agreed to cast a Stone to Flesh spell on Aradec on two conditions:
1. payment of 2,500gp
2. the party visit an abandoned villa two miles out of Eboracum and retrieve an amber horse statue
Ortonensis was worryingly vague about what was in the villa. Arwen visited the wine shops with the Ranger as escort. Apart from attracting some unsavoury attention she did divine that the villa had an evil reputation. Other members of the party sought information. Aicen went to the Druid Commune outside town, Norrry went to the Temple of Vulcan. Pooling their information the party discovered that the villa had been owned by a Spanish Senator named Balbus. He had vanished some years ago and the villa was never re-occupied (this is not unusual - with the deterioration in the law and order situation in the countryside, many people have fled to the walled towns for protection, abandoning farms and villas). Undead have been seen wandering around the villa.
There is a rumour that Balbus became obsessed with digging up pre-Roman burial mounds and was seen with grave treasure items. It is speculated that he dug up one too many mounds and something came out of the mound and did him in. The party also learned that mysterious undead with gray skins have been encountered. It was assessed these were the dread Barrow Wights, insane undead that drain energy and turn their victims into enslaved wights.
While all this was going on Vincenzo explored the wine market with a view to selling the amphora of Sicilian wine the party had found. The leading wine merchant, Bibilus, waxed lyrical about the quality of Milos's wine and said that he would pay 1200gp for such wine, but firmly believed wine of this quality was not available these days. Vincenzo then visited another wine merchant, Gordius and managed to sell the wine for 4,500gp.
The party agreed to Ortonensis's conditions. He cast the spell and Aradec was restored to human form, but sadly then fell dead from a massive heart attack. Ortonensis took pity on the party and reduced his spell casting fee to 2000gp, but still insisted the party visit the villa. He cast Geas on Aradec to make sure the party honoured its obligations. Griefstricken (well a little bit anyway) the party pondered what to do next.
A Raise Dead spell was a possibility but Aradec would lose a level (quelle horreur!!!). Norrry, through his contact at the temple of Vulcan (Hortense, a level 9 Cleric) thought that the High Priest at the temple of Jupiter (Lucius Decius Furius Maximus - a level 13 Cleric) might be prepared to do a Resurrection spell, but would want something substantial in return. Through Hortense the party was able to speak to Lucius who agreed to cast the spell in return for the Gem of True Seeing. The deal was struck, the spell was cast and the doughty Thief was bought back to life.
His comrades were stoked but reminded him several times that he owed them BIG TIME. On 3 August, supplied with holy water by the temple of Vulcan (4 vials per PC), the bold adventurers went to the villa. It proved to be a substantial estate. Venturing inside the party was ambushed by a Lurker Above. They defeated the horror, but took a lot of damage. Returning to Eboracum, the Ranger noticed an Owlbear hiding in some trees. Seeing that its ambush had failed, the beaked horror charged, but was quickly cut down.
Session ended - 1500 3 August.