409 - JuN 24
24 June 1300.
The party continued its discussions with the Xvart spokesman. Alaricus, ably assisted by advice from Taryn and Aileil, suggested that the party was prepared to look at performing a service for the Xvarts rather than handing over 2000gp and asked to speak to someone more senior in the Xvart group.
Visibly irritated the Xvart ducked out of sight and returned a few minutes later accompanied by a Wererat.
The Wererat expressed doubt about the party's claims that it was broke, pointing out the heavily laden animals accompanying the adventurers. It did say there were two tasks the party might consider undertaking and, if successfully concluded, the Xvarts could consider scaling back the amount of "toll" they would require to allow the party to pass through their territory.
The first task involved the recovery of a spiked casket called "The Spiked Casket of Zorm" which, from its description, sounded rather like an Iron Maiden. Apparently the Hobgoblins, occupying a hillfort about 2 miles to the north-east, had taken the casket from the Xvarts as a way of cowing them. It was clear that the Xvarts felt oppressed by the Hobgoblins. According to the Wererat, the Hobgoblins numbered about 50-60 warriors, 25 non-combatants, a couple of Dire Wolves and 2-3 Ogres. The leaders of the Hobgoblins comprised a Duskblade (a warrior with magicial attack abilities), a Spellscourge (described as a spelleater who fights with a vicious spiked chain) and a Warcaster (a nasty Arcane spellcaster). The casket was apparently kept somewhere inside the hillfort. The Wererat described the casket as having "sentimental value" but also seemed to infer it may have religious significance.
The second task was to recover the "Staff of Command". This had been taken by the Hobgoblins and put in a crypt about 4 miles to the east. The Wererat was vague about the crypt but said it was very well made and not of Pictish design. Inside there was some sort of foul ooze/jelly plus a kind of guardian device. It said the Xvarts had asked another party to recover the staff and they had failed. The Xvarts had to use a Speak with Dead spell to find out what had happened.
The party decided that the crypt sounded the best option and said they would try and recover the staff. At this point a be-robed Xvart sidled up and said the party would need to be anointed with the orange paste of heroism. He further added that the paste would enable the Xvarts to keep track of the party. Some of the party (notably Ailel) were not keen on this idea and discussions became tense. At this point, Alaricus, using his planet-sized brain and keen senses, discerned that the Xvart was bluffing and the paste was probably harmless. Upon this advice the party reluctantly consented to being smeared in girly orange paste.
The Xvarts suggested the party rest up before going to the crypt and said they would send two Xvarts with the party to guide them to the crypt. At Hester's request, the Xvarts provided six clubs to the party plus scrolls with 3 Cure Light Wounds Spells, 2 Bless Spells and a Protection from Evil spell. They also put on a rather lavish feast featuring venison and rather sour wine accompanied by a musical performance of bugles and drums that sounded rather like a cat being clubbed to death inside a sack. Aradec noticed a few Kobold slaves wandering about. He asked if the Xvarts knew much about hatching Kobold eggs. They replied that they had hatched the odd one in the past - the trick was to keep the egg in moderate heat (they use a dung heap). Once hatched the Kobold took about a year to become useful. When asked about the demeanour of newly hatched Kobolds, the Xvarts replied that it was advisable to beat the little bastards reqularly to keep them in order. Aradec offered to swap his Kobold egg for a Kobold slave, but this was declined as, according to the Xvarts, Kobold eggs don't always hatch successfully. Aradec asked if the Xvarts would look after his egg while he was checking out the crypt and they happily concurred.
25 June. The party rested. Vincenzo carried out Identify and Detect Magic spells on the party's vast collection of unidentfied loot and discovered the following items:
A Wand of Sound Burst (DC 14, 22 Charges), a +1 Ring of Protection, a Ring of Swimming and a +1 Breastplate. Remaining to be examined are the crystal ball and the mysterious stone found with the rubbings of one of the rune stones (the Xvarts offered to examine the stone - but this was not taken up).
Hester, using a primitive forge of the Xvarts, managed to craft 6 silver-tipped arrows of dubious quality (-2 to hit).
Ailel accompanied by Xvarts went hunting seeking adventure and ended up with 3 rabbits and a crosseyed squirrel with a bad leg.
After that, the Druid went to examine the Hobgoblin hillfort. It looked to be a well guarded substantial structure. He attempted to provoke the Hobgoblins in sending out guards/dogs but they resolutely ignored him. He contemplated attacking with spells until he noticed a pair of ballistas. At that point he obeyed the frightened bleats of his Xvart companions to "not make angry the nasty Hobgoblins" and returned to the Xvart camp.
A pleasant evening followed (happily without musical entertainment).
26 June, the party and their Xvart guides went to the crypt. It proved to be a mound set in the side of the hill with a strange double door of 20' by 20'. The door was of a curious closely mortared whitish stone with a strange zig zag crack running down the centre. A metal ring attached to a plug was set into the right of the door.
The party tried pulling the ring with a rope tied to it to no discernible effect. Aradec then closely examined the plug and ring and assessed that the plug could be turned. He also noted a crushed bone and some teeth lying in front of the door. He tried to turn it clockwise. Some sixth sense (ie a successful Reflex save) made him jump suddenly to his right. This proved a wise precaution as a column of stone, 8' long, shot out of the door at head height (from the centre of the metal ring) at terrifying speed, then retracted. A somewhat shaken Aradec reflected that if he hadn't moved, the stone column would have smashed through his mouth (which explains the teeth on the ground).
Composing himself and noting the importance of always carrying a change of underclothes, Aradec turned the plug counter-clockwise. The door sank downwards to form a new floor and revealed a 20' by 20' corridor of smooth-worked stone. Ailel rigged up some tree trunks and placed them on the stone floor in case the door suddenly closed.
Visible at the end of the corridor was a chain curtain. The chains were of a shiny steel and seemed to be covered in small blades.
Aielel, suspecting the chains were an illusion, got Taryyn to stand behind him with his back to the chains while Ailel grasped one of the chains. The Druid felt the blades on the chain slash into the palm of his hand and, looking at his hand, saw some nasty cuts. Taryyn noticed the Druid staring at his hand, but could see no sign of injury.
Ailel and Aradec then turned to the chains and Ailel, making full use of his latest copy of "Woodworkers' Monthly" provided two branches which were used to part the chains.
Behind the chains was revealed a very cosy looking room with a large table, four well-stuffed and very comfy looking leather chairs and a pair of cabinets. An ornate door was visible across the room. The room was lit by odd looking glass shards hanging off a steel rim. Party members were seized by a sudden desire to recline in the chairs and take it easy.
Vincenzo saw the chains blur then turn into a strange kind of foggy image, beyond he could see into the room. He commented that a powerful illusion was at work. Staring intently at the room he suddenly noticed that the entire back wall of the room seemed to be composed of a huge bubbling black ooze filled with body parts and bones. The ooze surged forward.
With Vincenzo calling out his observations to the other party members, they gradually discerned that the chains were a phantasm and got a good look at the repulsive jelly bearing down on them.
The party staged a fighting withdrawal as the ooze advanced, showering it with missiles. Alaricus summoned a construct which proceeded to "whup" the jelly.
Events took an interesting turn when the ooze suddenly vomited forth five skeletons that attacked the party.
After a protracted battle the party vanquished the ooze which disintegrated after emitting a revolting belching noise. A nauseating stench ensued causing Aradec and Taryyn to lose their lunch.
After searching the noisome remains of the ooze (nothing but body parts), Aradec examined the door.
It had an ornate lock. While trying to pick it, Aradec heard a buzzing sound and, without warning, a tiny winged creature flashed out of the lock and stung the thief on his left cheek, then flew back into the lock before anyone could react.
The Rogue felt a wave of nausea overcome him and experienced pins and needles in his extremities. His dexterity took a serious hit and he fell back. Ailel and Taryyn stepped up to the lock and, using a piece of wire and an empty flask, managed to provoke the winged creature to come out of the lock whereupon the canny adventurers trapped it inside the bottle.
Ailel attempted to heal the stricken Rogue but he suffered a second attack of nerve damage. Feeling decidely clumsy and woozy, the plucky burglar nonetheless managed to pick the lock on the door.
Flinging the door open, the party beheld a small semi-circular room with a stone in the centre with a hole on the top. Thrust into the hole was a pale wood staff. Hovering above the staff was a 4' diameter dark basalt orb which crackled with energy. On its surface were strange glowing arcane signs (which proved to contain information that the orb was a treasure guardian and was called "Vasco's Ward - 3141"). Vincenzo later recalled that Vasco is a famous Spanish mage renowned for building constructs.
The party attacked the orb. It proved to be hard to hit and delivered a series of lightning attacks though with little effect.
Vincenzo blasted the orb with Magic Missile. Taryyn managed a few hits with his sword, but the orb was tough and shrugged off much of the damage.
Assessing that the fight seemed to be dragging, Ailel summoned an Air Elemental and instructed it to snatch the staff.
The plucky elemental managed to grab the staff despite being blasted by an electric attack from the orb.
Having attained their objective, the party bravely fled to the forest.
26 June 1030
ENDS
The party continued its discussions with the Xvart spokesman. Alaricus, ably assisted by advice from Taryn and Aileil, suggested that the party was prepared to look at performing a service for the Xvarts rather than handing over 2000gp and asked to speak to someone more senior in the Xvart group.
Visibly irritated the Xvart ducked out of sight and returned a few minutes later accompanied by a Wererat.
The Wererat expressed doubt about the party's claims that it was broke, pointing out the heavily laden animals accompanying the adventurers. It did say there were two tasks the party might consider undertaking and, if successfully concluded, the Xvarts could consider scaling back the amount of "toll" they would require to allow the party to pass through their territory.
The first task involved the recovery of a spiked casket called "The Spiked Casket of Zorm" which, from its description, sounded rather like an Iron Maiden. Apparently the Hobgoblins, occupying a hillfort about 2 miles to the north-east, had taken the casket from the Xvarts as a way of cowing them. It was clear that the Xvarts felt oppressed by the Hobgoblins. According to the Wererat, the Hobgoblins numbered about 50-60 warriors, 25 non-combatants, a couple of Dire Wolves and 2-3 Ogres. The leaders of the Hobgoblins comprised a Duskblade (a warrior with magicial attack abilities), a Spellscourge (described as a spelleater who fights with a vicious spiked chain) and a Warcaster (a nasty Arcane spellcaster). The casket was apparently kept somewhere inside the hillfort. The Wererat described the casket as having "sentimental value" but also seemed to infer it may have religious significance.
The second task was to recover the "Staff of Command". This had been taken by the Hobgoblins and put in a crypt about 4 miles to the east. The Wererat was vague about the crypt but said it was very well made and not of Pictish design. Inside there was some sort of foul ooze/jelly plus a kind of guardian device. It said the Xvarts had asked another party to recover the staff and they had failed. The Xvarts had to use a Speak with Dead spell to find out what had happened.
The party decided that the crypt sounded the best option and said they would try and recover the staff. At this point a be-robed Xvart sidled up and said the party would need to be anointed with the orange paste of heroism. He further added that the paste would enable the Xvarts to keep track of the party. Some of the party (notably Ailel) were not keen on this idea and discussions became tense. At this point, Alaricus, using his planet-sized brain and keen senses, discerned that the Xvart was bluffing and the paste was probably harmless. Upon this advice the party reluctantly consented to being smeared in girly orange paste.
The Xvarts suggested the party rest up before going to the crypt and said they would send two Xvarts with the party to guide them to the crypt. At Hester's request, the Xvarts provided six clubs to the party plus scrolls with 3 Cure Light Wounds Spells, 2 Bless Spells and a Protection from Evil spell. They also put on a rather lavish feast featuring venison and rather sour wine accompanied by a musical performance of bugles and drums that sounded rather like a cat being clubbed to death inside a sack. Aradec noticed a few Kobold slaves wandering about. He asked if the Xvarts knew much about hatching Kobold eggs. They replied that they had hatched the odd one in the past - the trick was to keep the egg in moderate heat (they use a dung heap). Once hatched the Kobold took about a year to become useful. When asked about the demeanour of newly hatched Kobolds, the Xvarts replied that it was advisable to beat the little bastards reqularly to keep them in order. Aradec offered to swap his Kobold egg for a Kobold slave, but this was declined as, according to the Xvarts, Kobold eggs don't always hatch successfully. Aradec asked if the Xvarts would look after his egg while he was checking out the crypt and they happily concurred.
25 June. The party rested. Vincenzo carried out Identify and Detect Magic spells on the party's vast collection of unidentfied loot and discovered the following items:
A Wand of Sound Burst (DC 14, 22 Charges), a +1 Ring of Protection, a Ring of Swimming and a +1 Breastplate. Remaining to be examined are the crystal ball and the mysterious stone found with the rubbings of one of the rune stones (the Xvarts offered to examine the stone - but this was not taken up).
Hester, using a primitive forge of the Xvarts, managed to craft 6 silver-tipped arrows of dubious quality (-2 to hit).
Ailel accompanied by Xvarts went hunting seeking adventure and ended up with 3 rabbits and a crosseyed squirrel with a bad leg.
After that, the Druid went to examine the Hobgoblin hillfort. It looked to be a well guarded substantial structure. He attempted to provoke the Hobgoblins in sending out guards/dogs but they resolutely ignored him. He contemplated attacking with spells until he noticed a pair of ballistas. At that point he obeyed the frightened bleats of his Xvart companions to "not make angry the nasty Hobgoblins" and returned to the Xvart camp.
A pleasant evening followed (happily without musical entertainment).
26 June, the party and their Xvart guides went to the crypt. It proved to be a mound set in the side of the hill with a strange double door of 20' by 20'. The door was of a curious closely mortared whitish stone with a strange zig zag crack running down the centre. A metal ring attached to a plug was set into the right of the door.
The party tried pulling the ring with a rope tied to it to no discernible effect. Aradec then closely examined the plug and ring and assessed that the plug could be turned. He also noted a crushed bone and some teeth lying in front of the door. He tried to turn it clockwise. Some sixth sense (ie a successful Reflex save) made him jump suddenly to his right. This proved a wise precaution as a column of stone, 8' long, shot out of the door at head height (from the centre of the metal ring) at terrifying speed, then retracted. A somewhat shaken Aradec reflected that if he hadn't moved, the stone column would have smashed through his mouth (which explains the teeth on the ground).
Composing himself and noting the importance of always carrying a change of underclothes, Aradec turned the plug counter-clockwise. The door sank downwards to form a new floor and revealed a 20' by 20' corridor of smooth-worked stone. Ailel rigged up some tree trunks and placed them on the stone floor in case the door suddenly closed.
Visible at the end of the corridor was a chain curtain. The chains were of a shiny steel and seemed to be covered in small blades.
Aielel, suspecting the chains were an illusion, got Taryyn to stand behind him with his back to the chains while Ailel grasped one of the chains. The Druid felt the blades on the chain slash into the palm of his hand and, looking at his hand, saw some nasty cuts. Taryyn noticed the Druid staring at his hand, but could see no sign of injury.
Ailel and Aradec then turned to the chains and Ailel, making full use of his latest copy of "Woodworkers' Monthly" provided two branches which were used to part the chains.
Behind the chains was revealed a very cosy looking room with a large table, four well-stuffed and very comfy looking leather chairs and a pair of cabinets. An ornate door was visible across the room. The room was lit by odd looking glass shards hanging off a steel rim. Party members were seized by a sudden desire to recline in the chairs and take it easy.
Vincenzo saw the chains blur then turn into a strange kind of foggy image, beyond he could see into the room. He commented that a powerful illusion was at work. Staring intently at the room he suddenly noticed that the entire back wall of the room seemed to be composed of a huge bubbling black ooze filled with body parts and bones. The ooze surged forward.
With Vincenzo calling out his observations to the other party members, they gradually discerned that the chains were a phantasm and got a good look at the repulsive jelly bearing down on them.
The party staged a fighting withdrawal as the ooze advanced, showering it with missiles. Alaricus summoned a construct which proceeded to "whup" the jelly.
Events took an interesting turn when the ooze suddenly vomited forth five skeletons that attacked the party.
After a protracted battle the party vanquished the ooze which disintegrated after emitting a revolting belching noise. A nauseating stench ensued causing Aradec and Taryyn to lose their lunch.
After searching the noisome remains of the ooze (nothing but body parts), Aradec examined the door.
It had an ornate lock. While trying to pick it, Aradec heard a buzzing sound and, without warning, a tiny winged creature flashed out of the lock and stung the thief on his left cheek, then flew back into the lock before anyone could react.
The Rogue felt a wave of nausea overcome him and experienced pins and needles in his extremities. His dexterity took a serious hit and he fell back. Ailel and Taryyn stepped up to the lock and, using a piece of wire and an empty flask, managed to provoke the winged creature to come out of the lock whereupon the canny adventurers trapped it inside the bottle.
Ailel attempted to heal the stricken Rogue but he suffered a second attack of nerve damage. Feeling decidely clumsy and woozy, the plucky burglar nonetheless managed to pick the lock on the door.
Flinging the door open, the party beheld a small semi-circular room with a stone in the centre with a hole on the top. Thrust into the hole was a pale wood staff. Hovering above the staff was a 4' diameter dark basalt orb which crackled with energy. On its surface were strange glowing arcane signs (which proved to contain information that the orb was a treasure guardian and was called "Vasco's Ward - 3141"). Vincenzo later recalled that Vasco is a famous Spanish mage renowned for building constructs.
The party attacked the orb. It proved to be hard to hit and delivered a series of lightning attacks though with little effect.
Vincenzo blasted the orb with Magic Missile. Taryyn managed a few hits with his sword, but the orb was tough and shrugged off much of the damage.
Assessing that the fight seemed to be dragging, Ailel summoned an Air Elemental and instructed it to snatch the staff.
The plucky elemental managed to grab the staff despite being blasted by an electric attack from the orb.
Having attained their objective, the party bravely fled to the forest.
26 June 1030
ENDS