Vanderhoff rushes into the room and swings his hammer at the rat near Torgan.
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Kraygan and Vanderhoff slam their axe and hammer into the creature though it passes clean through it.
The Rats also have a Shadow Blend. Rat can disappear into the Shadows giving it total concealment (50% miss chance)
(13/22 hp)
Jorgan (12/19 hp)(Hops 20/21 hp;-1 str)
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Rats
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Kraygan (21/22 hp; -1 str)
Vanderhoff
Wren
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Round 1, Part b
"You'll need magic...or holy water...no, not beer, lads, *true* holy water if you're going to kill that undead rat," Wren notes. "In the meantime, you might want to stand back."
Wren twists the cold iron band on his left ring finger, using it to recall things he might have forgotten over time. Arcane words comes to his lips and says them without memory.
Magic Missile @ left rat
"Argh!!" Kraygan looks at his axe in disbelief. Once Wren gives his advice he calls back to him. "What about Dwarven fire!"
Hearing Wren's description, Jorgan backs up and crouches down. Uhhhh, I don't have any o' those things!
Dancing back from the rat and fumbling out his alchemist fire, Kraygan spares a glance at Wren. "My specialty is giants! If you know how to defeat these things, then I'll stand on me head if ye like!"
Something suddenly occurs to Kraygan. "Wait.. didn't we find some holy water up above? Who's got that!"
Torgan backs away from the beasts, standing between the remaining shadow rat and Wren. "Little biters!"
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Torgan backs away as Jorgan crouches into a defensive ball.
The remaining rat once again leaps at Kraygan biting at the dwarf.
The rats sharp teeth are not able to penetrate his armor though.
Kraygan hurls an alchemist fire at the rat.
The alchemists fire slams into the rat, igniting it in flames. The undead abomination screeches and shrieks in the small room. The flames erupt from the bottle striking Kraygan also.
Torgan (13/22 hp)
Jorgan (12/19 hp)(Hops 20/21 hp;-1 str)
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Rats (-2 hp)
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Kraygan (21/22 hp; -1 str)
Vanderhoff
Wren
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Round 2
Equally frustrated by the dwarves in his way (despite is warnings) and want another chance to practice his old tumbles without the pain in his knees (thanks new belt!), Wren acrobatics across to the far side of the room, avoiding the rat.
Acrobatics
When Wren gets there, he will delay for Kraygan to get gone so he can do what he needs to unhindered.
"Get gone, Kraygan. Didn't you hear me?"
Wren takes his mind for an old elve trick that just might work...shooting a jet of acid at the spectral rat.
touch to hit; (PBS)
acid damage.
Jorgan stays at the ready to see how Wren handles the rat.
Torgan just tries to put himself between harm and the elf. "I think you are th' only one with magic, elf!"
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Wren moves into position as Kraygan hurls the fire. Once Kraygan is out of the way Wren conjurs a small jet of acid at the rat. The acid sprays just north of the rat barely missing it.
Torgan moves into a better position as Jorgan continues to stay defensive trying to figure out what to do.
Torgan (13/22 hp)
Jorgan (12/19 hp)(Hops 20/21 hp;-1 str)
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Rats (-2 hp)
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Kraygan (20/22 hp; -1 str)
Vanderhoff
Wren
Cursing as Wren misses, Vanderhoff utters a prayer to Angraad as he rubs his hands together vigorously, charging them with positive energy. Stepping toward the rat, he reaches out to touch it.
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Vanderhoff attempts to damage the undead creature with holy energy but misses it as his hand grasps the shadowy tendrils. The rat bites at the dwarves fingers but he pulls them back just in time.
The rat darts at Wren, biting at his legs
Wren is able to nimbly dance out of the rats path
Torgan (13/22 hp)
Jorgan (12/19 hp)(Hops 20/21 hp;-1 str)
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Rats (-2 hp)
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Kraygan (20/22 hp; -1 str)
Vanderhoff
Wren
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Round 3
Wren grumbles as he shot misses, but rejoices as the rat snaps at him...it will leave him a clean shot when the dwarves back off.
Wren 5' steps (up and left).
"Get back, dwarves, let me work!"
Wren tricks reality again into releasing another jet of magic acid at the rat.
touch to hit;
acid damage.
"Get him Wren!" Kraygan calls as he withdraws from the rat.
Vanderhoff steps foward in a half stoop, like one trying to catch a runaway cat, trying to touch the shadow rat.
"Torag's armored balls! Who keeps rats like that as pets?" Kraygan resists the urge to kick one of the creepy rodents. Patting off the last couple licks of flame inflicted upon himself with his own dwarven fire, the boisterous dwarf steps around it to recover the wand he noticed on the corpse just prior to being attacked.
"Hoff? Wren? What do you two make of this?" He holds up the prize.
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Wren gives the rest of the dwarfking a stern glare, not unlike a spinster might give a bunch of children who were interrupting her important work with their reindeer games.
"I don't make nothing of it, dwarf....but give it here," Wren says, holding out his hand, looking about. "Let's finish up here before something else jumps out at us. We got this room and that chest in the next."
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Wren picks up the holy symbol, scanning his old memory for things best left forgotten.
Know (Religion)
Wren frowns, but isn't surprised as he recognizes the holy symbol.
"Nulgreth. Known as the the Blood God is the orc deity of bloodlust and fighting. He believes in slaughter as its own end, and loves seeing his followers drench themselves in the blood of their enemies."
Wren tosses the holy symbol to Vanderhoff.
"Keep as a memento of your time as a gelatin salad."
Kraygan helps strips the corpse, whistling at the fine dagger and precious gems. "This poor guy was rich! Where's Hops?" Once he's tracked down the errant yak, Kraygan adds the newest batch of loot to his saddlebags, stopping suddenly when he notices something within.
"Hey! We had holy water in here?! Damnation! We should keep these handy in case more of those rats show up."
Offering the holy waters to anyone interested, he heads back to check the central room. "Let's see what was in that other room."
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Kraygan heads into the central room. Embedded into the floor of this chamber is a ten-foot-diameter granite emblem of a faded gold and white longsword. Four passages lead out of the chamber in different directions. A portcullis blocks the southern exit, and a sturdy wooden door leads west. A ladder in the southern corner of the room leads upward, and a small chest and decrepit bookshelf face one another from opposite walls.
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As Kraygan scans the room, his eyes immediately snap to the chest.
"Hoff! Hammer!"
Vanderhoff comes over as Kraygan call. "What is it, cousin?" Looking over Kraygen, he says. "You could use some healing, Wren as well. Are we heading back anytime soon? I have three prayers of healing left."
"I'm good. Torgan and Jorgan look a little roughed up though."
"Oh, riiigght." Kraygan checks the chest. "Suppose I should ask if someone found a key on one of the bodies?"
His hands still charged with positive energy, Vanderhoff moves over and palaces his hands on Torgan.
He repeats the prayer, the places his hands on Jorgan.
"I'm good. Naught but a'scratch." states Torgan as he winces, touching the dried wound on the back of his head. "Good ol' beer wash will clean it."
As Vanderhoff still heals him, he thanks his cousin. "Guess it can't hurt. Thanks Van."
Torgan investigates the chest and the bookcase.
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Vanderhoff heals his cousins while Torgan investigates the bookshelf. He finds little of value-only the destroyed pages of Iomedae's holy text, Acts of Iomedae, and several other weathered scriptures.
Kraygan is ready to smash the chest open as Wren mentions to check the lock first. Upon looking he smiles bashfully as the chest is actually unlocked.
Opening the lid he finds a few items that must have belonged to the half-orc lying in the other room.
- 1 ounce of sovereign glue
- 2 doses of universal solvent
- 50 feet of silk rope
- A disguise kit (6 uses)
- A set of thieves tools
- A noble's outfit
- A signet ring
- 238 gp (47.6 gp ea)
Jorgan grunts a thanks to Vanderhoff for the healing.
"I feel the same way," Jorgan adds to Wren. "We haven't found the culprit or even any clues as to who it coulda been. Just a crazy orc n' a pet troll. Not sure what t'make of it all. Let's head back to town and dump off some o' this stuff and maybe pick up a few supplies. I could use a nap."
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The group gathers the items from the chest and hastily leaves the Plague House from where the came.
Outside stands Othdan next to the other Yak. He looks about nervously and is noticeably shaking. When he finally sees the group exit his shoulders slump and his eyes show a bit of relief. Oh Good. You are back.
On the route back there is little change as the sun sets in the distance. The group enters from the main gate upon hailing the guards within the towers to open the gate. Once inside Othdan graciously thanks the party. Hold here a moment. I have something for you.
The man runs off leaving a small cloud of dust in his wake. In a matter of moments he returns carrying a small cloth. He unfurls the cloth handing the group a small bead. This is all I have to give I am afraid. Please take for saving me. My Pa told me it was a campfire bead
Vanderhoff bows ceremoniously to Othdan. "Thank you Othdan, though are help came without an expectation of reward...."
Turning to the others, he raises his shaggy eyebrows. "Now what?"
Before the group heads back Kraygan takes the time to drag out the half-orc's body and throw it over Haggis, then take a trophy from the troll - its fugly head.
Back in town, Kraygan offers his thanks to Othdan and gives the customary "Nah, it ain't needed" reply to the man's offer, followed by the also customary "Ok, if you insist."
Kraygan then suggests the group, along with Othdan, talk in private at the brewery. Once there, and after filling a few mugs of beer, he goes over what he learned in the Plague House.
"Right before the troll and orc jumped us, I heard them talkin a bit in giantish. They mentioned a tribe hidin out in Trunau. Probably why they got that disguise kit, and I'm guessin they were diggin that passage as a way to get inside the walls - good thing they ain't dwarves 'cause it looks to have fallen down in their dumb heads, Har!"
After a brief chuckle he turns serious again. "The point is, I heard them plannin a raid! Not sure when it'll happen - seems they're lookin for somethin first, waitin for someone to report back. Someone named Skeed, or wassit Skreetch? Skr-Somethin. Might have learned more, but it was at that point that the elf started dancing and hollarin." Kraygan narrows his eyes at Wren, his beard hiding the rest of his scowl. "I think their leader was down there, but escaped during the fight. Still, I heard em say one last thing. He mentioned a human, someone named Ghaer? Think they was talkin about Othdan? Seemed worried we were there lookin for him. He also said he would return on the new moon."
Kraygan looks up, trying to gauge how much time that might be from now.
"My guess is Rodrik was killed for gettin too close to discoverin this raid, though I'm not sure how the Hopeknife relates. Maybe he just dropped it in the Plague House and the raiders used it to track him down?"
Apparently Kraygan doesn't realize half the mysteries he lists have already been solved.
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Wren nods Othdan away, happy to have saved a Trunauan and makes a mental note to check on the man in a few days.
* * *
Wren has a long mental debate with himself on whether to join the dwarves for drinks or to report to Kurst. He stands motionless while he debates, as if the weight of the (in)decision was stopping him from moving. Eventually, his old legs work again and he follows to the brewery. (The deciding matter was the chance to rest his old legs, so unused to so much toil and turmoil.)
I am old. Soon I should die in battle. Then I will have my forgiveness and my release, Wren puts his legs up on a stool. He sips his drink, listening to the dwarfrabble.
"Raid, huh? But why? The orcs have tried before and failed. The city has always held," Wren agrees and disagrees, his own mind going over the 'facts'.
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Wren takes to a table, breaking out scrollcase and unrolling his notes. Taking out a quill and ink, he begins to update his notes based on recent events.
Wren's Sekrit Notes:
1. Scene of the Ramblehouse
a. Cham
-feels guilty about strangely leased room
-seems genuinely sorry
-rented room to tall white human, see Room 320 below
b. Room 232:
-Window
-Receipt note
c. Room 132 & 332:
-room destroyed
-holes in walls
-holy symbols of Iomedae?
d. Room 320
-overpaid with cold hard gold. 'tall' human male.
-why overpay with gold? stands out...weird for an assassin
-note - Melira
Questions:
Why did Rodrik rent here rather than stay at home? Moved in one week ago.
2. Brinya Kelvar, half orc weaver
a. Affair? - Is Brinya married to another?
i. Were the half-orcs at the Ramblehouse known to her or her husband?
ii. "We actually just got engaged as he gave me his mother's ring."
iii. "Rodrik became preoccupied in some sort of investigation, what he called his 'greatest work'- "
iv. " We were engaged. We exchanged hopeknives."
v. Rodrik has a journal...used to write notes and poems. Where is it? Sanctuary?
3. Omast Frum, good friend and patrol partner.
4. Sanctuary
a. Where is Katreza? Disappeared. Rodrik's muse. "You know he used to visit here quite often with Katreza." - Found at Smithy.
b. "Occasionally I would overhear those two muttering about ghosts, half-orcs, hopeknives and white swords."
c. Katreza: "Flood trolls are native to Belkzen."
5.Rabid dogs or Drunk, Berserk Dwarves?
a.Who attacked who? - This is no longer an open question as it doesn't matter which rabid animal attacked which.
7. Plague House
a. Who is Skreed?
b. Who is the human that the flood troll warned Ghaer about?
c. Who will meet back at new moon? (17 days or so from now)
d. What was that mystery ooze?
e. Where were they digging? Why?
f.
Questions:
0. Who killed Kurst and why?
1. Where is Brinya's gifted hopeknife? 'For Rodrik, My Love' Lost yesterday at hopeknife ceremony. - Found at Plague House.
2. Why is there unwashable symbols to Iomadea in the Ramblehouse? How to clean? Who did it?
2a. "As Wren looks out the window he notices that there is a large white sword painted on the cliff face behind the Sanctuary."
3. Where is Katreza? Disappeared. Rodrik's muse. "You know he used to visit here quite often with Katreza." - Found at Smithy.
4. Where is Rodrik's new hopeknife? "I am betting that Kurst took the hopeknife for the funeral arrangements."
5. Kraygan: "Crap, I'm nekkid." May not be sane. May fear own armor/clothing. Does *not* fear own armor. Sanity TBD.
6. Who is Melira?
7. Rodrik has a journal...used to write notes and poems. Where is it? Sanctuary? - Found at smithy. Revealed little.
8.
Wren looks at his notes, his eyes scanning the clues and notes for answers or things he might have missed. His mind searches for answers he does not have.
Every once in a while he takes a small slurp of his drink.