"YOU FIRST B+%~~!" Ghirrak growls driving a massive fist into the woman's face.
Dgrim turns his attention to the lotus woman.
Attack:
Damage:
The oversized Bryson continues to slash at the Felldrake.
Scimitar: to hit
Scimitar: damage
(if she goes down first, Annie will be sure to stabilize any down friends she is able to reach without provoking. If no one is down, Annie will draw her light crossbow and load it.)
Round 6:
Enemy-----24
Went.
Dgrim-----20
Dgrim turns his attention to the lotus woman, and powers a mighty blow that punches through her web of steel and staggers her.
Bryson----19
The oversized Bryson continues to slash at the Felldrake, but misses.
Ravtahl---18
Uses Hand of the apprentice to hurl his greataxe at #5.
Ranged touch attack:
Bindlplotz--14
Stumbles in pain as he tries to bayonet the woman again.
Bayonet attack:
Ghirrak---11
"YOU FIRST b@#~&!" Ghirrak growls driving a massive fist through the web of steel she defends with and into the woman's face.
Her head bounces off the wall and she collapses like a puppet with her strings cut.
Spinnaker Jon--7
Points a finger at #5 and a lightning spark drops the undead felldrake.
Annie-----3
Annie will draw her light crossbow and load it.
And under the combined attacks of the party, the last felldrake falls.
You have won.
********************************************************************
Congratulations!
Make your experience point level 5,200 and advance to Level 3!
You may rework your characters in light of the Advanced Players Guide if you wish.
Her fingers trembling, Annie raised her loaded cross bow as she saw Jon fell the creature with a spark of lightning. The crossbow sagged in her arms as she relaxed in relief, then she hurried over to Jon. "The wand, do you mind if I use it, poor Bindlplotz looks fair hurt, and I'll own I'm not feeling so great myself." She carefully unloaded the cross bow again and put it away to allow Jon time to retrieve the wand from his pack.
When her friends were patched up, Annie handed the want back to Jon. "Thank you. I only wish I'd used my blessings from Cayden Cailean better to protect us. But I'm glad you had the foresight to suggest we get it!"
Annie looked with hard eyes down at the woman's body, then snapped her fingers and stepped over to the felldrake who had fallen without rising again. Her lips pursed angrily, Annie searched for a collar on the creature, and a way to remove it.
"Now we know what that kobold was brewing that poison for, maybe we should go get it and bring it with us...I'll bet the guard would be interested in seeing the mayor's all right, and the creature might know more."
Bryson has a cure light still. So reduce the wand's usage by 1.
Bindlplotz pulls the bayonet from the woman's chest, admiring the stunned look on her face, then promptly takes the firearms from her; and any powder/balls.
"I don' think y'ell be need'n these where you be goin missy. Good show lass, y'put up a struggle t'th'very end."
He then goes to the corner and retches.
"'Mr. Brudere' should also probably come along, though I'm sure he's not wakened yet," Annie continued as she began to search the room for anything interesting, such a papers that would provide identification of the woman, notes on her plans or information on where Lavinia's brother might be.
"but our real goal is finding Miss Lavinia's brother. Are there any rooms we've not looked in? What's she wearing, anyway? Anything...interesting?" Annie remembered abruptly her own ill fitting bandit's clothing and stood up suddenly. Maybe she had decent clothing Annie could wear!
"You think she has a wardrobe here?" She began to look determinedly for the woman's room and possibly a change of clothing.
"I'd be willing to bet the woman has more than clothes stored down here."
Dgrim tries to open the south door.
Examining the woman, you see
The woman is... was Rowyn Kellani! Dutchess Heldrath Kellani's eldest daughter and heir apparent to the noble family buisiness!
That she had a rapier, leather armor and buckler, all enchanted; an expended pistole; an unused hand crossbow of masterwork quality and a half dozen bolts poisoned with something nasty; two potions; two wands; gold earrings; a bejewelled necklace and a skeleton key.
On the bodies of the felldrakes, you find enchanted bracers and one still has a magic collar with an enchanted onyx stone (the others are shattered and non magical now).
The bookshelf to the north holds several minor objects of value. The books themselves are novels, mostly adventure stories or erotica, none of particularly high value. Some of the statuettes are valueable though, including:
An alabaster statuette of a succubus
An onyx statuette of a displacer beast
and a silver statuette of a rearing unicorn.
The stuffed animals consist of small but dangerous creatures like stirges, cobras, small monstrous spiders, and even what looks to be a giant shrew the sice of a cat. None of these are worth much more than a few gold coins.
The two coffers on the shelves are jewelry boxes.
The darkwood coffer contains seven silver and gold chain necklaces and bracelets.
The iron box contains a dozen rings and earrings.
The wooden cupboard contains several different articles of clothing sized for a human woman, including three complete courtier's outfits, a complete noble's outfit, and a flowing (and scandalous) robe of shimmering lavender silk.
When you open the south door, you find a luxurious bedroom.
The floor is thickly carpeted, ant the walls have been smoothed with plaster and painted a soothing light green.
A delicate crystalline chandelier hangs from the center of the ceiling. To the south, a dressing table sits next to a padded stool, and a large canopied bed with silk sheets looms to the southeast. Between these two objects sits a heap of oversized cushons.
A search of the dressing table turns up a large collection of exotic and expensive perfumes.
24 vials in all.
Four are truly exotic imports from places like Mur, Alfheim, and Sigil.
The last one is a very expensive one from Shendilavri, reputed to have mystic properties to influence others when worn.
A search of the bed finds two things.
First, an oak case with a velvet lining made to hold an engraved pistole (the impression is just like the one she used on Bindlplotz), a flask of black powder about half full, a dozen lead bullets, and three frosty white bullets that are freezing to the touch.
Second, you find a cache of letters hidden between the mattress. A brief glance through them reveals that these letters are from none other than Vanthus Vanderboren! They are exceptionally racy love letters written to Rowyn and dating back a couple months. It will take a couple hours to read through and analyze them.
Several excerpts stand out.
*Excerpt 1 from Vanthus’s Letters to Rowyn Kellani
(Dated 2 days before the fi re that slew the elder Vanderborens)
“...My parents have grown soft. I’m not worried in the slightest
that they suspect anything, my delicate flower. The funds you’ve
trusted me with have been more than enough to pay off the
local guards, the harbor watch, and the ship’s crew to say
nothing about the new cargo. Hell… they even offered to help
load the barrels! Of course, I didn’t tell them what was inside—
I’m sure they’d sing a different song if they knew just how much
alchemist’s fire we loaded into the hold of my father’s new
plaything. I’ll be following the ship’s progress for a few days to
make sure the fire does the trick, so you’ll not be seeing me for
at least half a week. Keep your bed warm for me!”
*Excerpt 2 from Vanthus’s Letters to Rowyn Kellani
(Dated 3 days after the fire)
“…It’s unbelievable! Sure, she’s the eldest sibling, but she knows
nothing of life! She spent the last half of her childhood in
Thenalar learning how to fold napkins and play the violin,
for Hell’s sake! It just goes to show you how insane my parents
really were… leaving everything in her care like that! Whatever.
She’ll need the house to live off of, I suppose. Lavinia’s not a
bad lass, really… I kind of miss our time together, to tell the
truth. Think she’d be interested in joining the Lotus? I doubt
it. And anyway, a second Vanderboren tragedy might get too
many people curious. No, for now, whatever’s in the vault will
have to do…”
*Excerpt 3 from Vanthus’s Letters to Rowyn Kellani
(Dated two days ago)
“…I really wish you could have been there, my little dragon, to
see their faces before I closed the door! Lavinia’s never going
to get anywhere hiring fools like them. I wonder if they’ve
found Penkus yet? I hope they didn’t die too quickly.”
“In any case, on to the purpose of this letter. Brissa’s in the
other room, getting ready for a night out on the town, so I’ll
have to be quick. Remember that thing she hinted about to
me? About the pirates who were supposedly using Kraken’s Cove
as a base for their smuggling operation? Turns out she wasn’t
spinning tales—I’ve heard that they’ll be arriving within the
week with a particularly rich cargo. I’ll bring her with me on
the pretext of joining up with them, get their guard down, and
when they’re not expecting it my men’ll light the ships on fire!
It’ll be a simple task to pluck the treasure from the water once
all those fools are dead. Should be more than enough to make
up for what we lost when Lavinia inherited rather than me.”
“I tell you… burning people to death on their own boats?
It’s the best way to make money yet. Wish I’d thought of it
years ago!”
The secret treasury room behind the east wall is opened by the skeleton key (and some nast traps also disarmed as well).
Inside is a plain stone room, empty except for three large chests made of wood and iron.
The northeast chest was little more than a decoy to lure less well equipped thieves to their doom; now easily disarmed by the skeleton key.
The northwest chest holds a fantastic amount of stolen wealth. These items represent the work of countless minor burglaries and thefts perpetrated upon Port Sasserine over the past several months.
The southwest chest is locked. When opened, you find a fantastic amount of gold and gemstones-- all of which are neatly collected in silk bags marked with the Vanderboren family crest. The contents of this chest represent all that remains of the wealth that Vanthus stole from the Vanderboren vault.
"Well, there you go Annie take your pick. She won't be wearing any of it anytime soon."
Bindlplotz looks almost manic when he sees the other pistol...
"y'know...this place would make a nice base o'operations for our little group...course...that's if'n we stay in the area...
Annies hands can't seem to help running over the rich fabrics and intricately embroidered clothing, fit for court or attending a noble's ball, but she swallows with difficulty and picks the most practical clothing she can find - a well made pair of pants - the toughest of those here - and a practical but sinfully soft linen shirt with only a bit of embroidery on the collar and cuffs. She fingered the jewelry as she walked by it on the vanity, but continued and ducked into the closet to change quickly.
After a few moments she came out, still working on gettng her chain shirt on over her clothing. It was kind enough to be visible as what it was while she attempted to get it settled, but the illusion magic on it would allow her to appear as if she weren't in armor at all once she finished fiddling with it. As she settled it over her clothing, she thought about what they'd found.
"We should probably go to Miss Lavinia first, let her decide what she'd like us to do. I don't know if she wants the theft of her inheritance or these letters from her brother to go public - which would probably happen if the guard is brought here first. That map is important - and I think it means the guard is infiltrated with this lady's people. It'd be good to do what we can to protect Miss Lavinia from unwanted public scrutiny with a possibly bought off guard. What do you all think?"
Bindlplotz arranges the pistols on his body,
"HAH! Now All me be need'n is a cutlass and Oi'll be look'n a-pirate!"
He practices drawing the weapons, he seems to have mastered the Quickdraw
Bindlplotz, remember the pistoles you found on Rowyn are normal sized, so you will be -2 to hit with them.
Bindlplotz, remember the pistoles you found on Rowyn are normal sized, so you will be -2 to hit with them.
I know...little hand cannons! I'll modify the grips on them later.
Nobility:
"Hmmm...this woman, she looks familiar. I know! This is the Dutchess Kellani's daughter, Rowyn. It looks like she followed in her mother's footsteps. I don't think the dutchess will like to hear that the apple didn't fall very far."
"Indeed. Let's return Lady Lavinia's property to her and let her decide what to do with these letters."
"Let's get back to Lavinia!"
When you return to the Vanderboren Manor, Lavinia is overjoyed to learn of the recovery of the bulk of her family fortune. She is however shocked and horrified to learn of Vanthus' responsibility in their parents deaths. She recovers quickly though; visibly steeling herself now that she is truly without family.
She thanks the party truly and gives a 1000 gp bonus for your service, and asks you to continue investigating Vanthus' whereabouts. Thoughts of rehabilitation have left her mind now though-- all she wants is to see her brother face justice for his crimes.
Using the information you captured, Lavinia uses her contacts in the city council to clean out the corrupted city guards and roll up the fragmented remains of the Lotus Dragon gang. While there are clues that the Kellani family was involved through the daughter Rowyn, nothing is done due to a lack of evidence. Rowyn's body was missing when the guards went down to clean out the hideout.
A week after the Lotus Dragons are defeated, a representative of the Dawn Council invites you all to a banquet and ballroom dance at Castle Teraknian so that the members of the council can thank them in person for the services they provided to Port Sasserine. At the end of the banquet, Lord Drac presents you all with the Spire of Sasserine, a medal awarded to those who perform great services to the city.
Arms and Armor: Masterwork and alchemical items are available to anyone with the cash. There are two master smiths who can be commisioned to create a +1 item; it will take 2-3 days to complete.
Potions: There are Witches and Alchemists who will brew potions for you.
Scrolls: There are Witchwarden apprentices who will scribe scrolls for extra cash.
Misc. magic items: There is a store called Tygotts Old Things, various antiquities often appear there that could be magic; no telling what may be there at any given time.
After recovering the money stolen from the Vanderboren vault and heroically defeating the Lotus Dragon thieves, the Kellani family is reeling from the discovery that their heir apparent Rowyn was running an ambitious organized crime ring.
The fortunes they reaped with their connections is in dispute as the Dawn Council, headed by Lord Drac, sets their eyes on recovering what they can of the losses inflicted by the criminals from them.
The clan counterattacks, claiming it is simple robbery to pay for Lord Drac's outrageous boondoggle of a lighthouse project.
Also, coming up soon is the one year anniversary of the defeat of the Wormlord and his undead minions; a huge festival is planned. Criers loudly announce the coming festival on the city streets and canals, posters go up on tavern walls, and everywhere the citizens are abuzz with excitement.
All this forms the latest news and gossip as you relax after your very hard job well done.
Still, as you lean back in your chaise lounge and sip your fine elven wine, recall you still haven't succeeded in the primary mission assigned by your patron Lavinia.
Her brother is still at large, but with the discovery of the true extent of Vanthus's involvement in the death of her parents,
Lavinia no longer hopes to find and redeem him.
Instead, she wants him returned to Port Sasserine so he can answer for his crimes.
According to documents discovered in the Lotus Dragon guildhall, Vanthus and a woman named Brissa recently left the city to travel to a location known as Kraken's Cove to mount a robbery of several pirate ships supposedly moored nearby.
Dgrim takes his large steel shield to be customized with the engraving of his family's crest, and then enchanted with magical protection.
Despite spending practically all of his life in a port city, Dgrim had never put a decent amount of effort in learning how to swim. His venture at Parrot Island has brought to the fore, in his own mind, the importance of such a skill, if he were to thrive as an adventurer. While his shield is left in the hands of one of Sasserine's master smiths, the scholar-warrior puts aside his combat training, as well as his engineering interests, and puts a concentrated effort into learning swimming techniques. Even after receiving his newly-enchanted shield, the dwarf continues to put some time into being able to survive off of firm land and in water.
For the most part, though, after Dgrim retrieves his shield, he partakes in the fighting arts. Through sparring and an exhibition at the arena, he sharpens his ability to wield axe and shield and other arms. Most especially, he betters his use of the shield, working towards making its use an impregnable defense in combat.
With the rest of his time, Dgrim takes pleasure in food and ale, until the others are ready to continue in the search of Lady Lavinia's brother.
Spinnaker Jon will wander down to Lubbers Loop and pal around with his old sailing shipmates. He'll show off his new wealth and status and talk about gossip, rumors and politics; like he had never left.
The next day he will commission a new sword and chain shirt from a master smith.
Later, timing the tides right, he will take a longboat to the secret under Parrot island complex and recover the body of his old pal Penkus. He'll wrap the body in sailcloth, weight it down and then sail beyond the mouth of the harbor and commit his body to the deep. He will play the Sailors lament in his honor.
When he returns to the manor, he will be carrying a surprisingly intelligent (and housebroken) parrot on his shoulder.
Being a water rat, he can help those who want to train for swimming.
"Here's to swimmin' with bowlegged wimmen!"
"Ah, I still don't like being in the water so much," Dgrim complains.
Bryson spilts his time between the Vanderboren estates where he functions as the groundskeeper, hanging around Annie, and exploring the Lotus Dragon guildhall (if the city will let him).
He takes the time to get both his armor and scimitar enchanted.
Annie will join Jon on his trip to lay poor Penkus to rest, and say a few words as they commit his body to the deep. Figuring he'd appreciate the gesture, she'll use Create Water to fill Spinnaker Jon and her mugs with ale and offer a toast.
Catapulted again into a position to rub shoulders with the high and mighty in town, albiet only temporarily and not as an equal, Annie spends much of her time at their banquet sharpening her ability to interact with people. While lying isn't necessarily really a nice thing to do, it can be handy when used to avoid a fight or keep back information that others really shouldn't be privy to - such as those few people around town who she thinks she might recognize from her childhood. She's sure she's changed a lot from the small child she was when her mother moved in such circles, and is only mildly concerned someone might be suspicious, but she does her best to throw off such suspicions with the pleasing demeanor of a humble folk hero.
While she's always been a worshipper of Cayden Cailean, she hasn't always been a regular attendee at services. With her newfound fame, she feels required to go ahead and learn a little more about the (thankfully sparse) rules of worship in the church. Not given overmuch to studying, Annie only absorbs a few basics, but makes many fast friends.
Annie can't resist stopping at Tygotts, her coin burning a hole in her pockets, as she peruses the musty and cluttered old shop for anything of interest on the seas.
Tygott's Old Things is a wonderful establisment for antiquarians and artistic types. Rich dark wood, the smell of dust and ancient empires...
It is part museum, part pawn shop; artifacts, relics and useless (but intriguing) mathoms from peoples attics are on display here. Prices listed in laborious handwriting. Those with a nose for such things have made astounding discoveries here.
Old Tygott greets you warmly, his joints creeking audibly as he ushers you into the maze of crowded shelves. You briefly have a nightmarish flashback to the Taxidermist's guildhall as you come across a stuffed Pteranodon strung up on wires.
Poking about you find:
A strand of pearls around a clothes dummy's neck.
1,500 gp
A fancy set of pan pipes.
1,750 gp
A small glass jar of fine dust.
2,250 gp
Tygott's Old Things is a wonderful establisment for antiquarians and artistic types. Rich dark wood, the smell of dust and ancient empires...
It is part museum, part pawn shop; artifacts, relics and useless (but intriguing) mathoms from peoples attics are on display here. Prices listed in laborious handwriting. Those with a nose for such things have made astounding discoveries here.Old Tygott greets you warmly, his joints creeking audibly as he ushers you into the maze of crowded shelves. You briefly have a nightmarish flashback to the Taxidermist's guildhall as you come across a stuffed Pteranodon strung up on wires.
Poking about you find:
A strand of pearls around a clothes dummy's neck.
1,500 gpA fancy set of pan pipes.
1,750 gpA small glass jar of fine dust.
2,250 gp
What be that manner o'creature up there? Seems t'be a overgrown bat!"
Old Tygott peers through his glasses.
"That would be a Pteranodon, young sir. Very rare. Very exclusive item."
Later, Spinnaker Jon rolls into Vanderboren Manor with an armfull of maps.
"Found it!"
Seeing his intent, Kora clears a dining room table just before he unrolls a regional map of Port Sasserine all over it.
"There." He points to one side of Blood Bay.
"Kraken's Cove."
Old Tygott peers through his glasses.
"That would be a Pteranodon, young sir. Very rare. Very exclusive item."
"Where might one find a living one o' thems?"
Tygott merely arches an eye.
"I fear I would have no idea sir. Perhaps a Ranger or one of those Druid fellows could help you there."
Later, Spinnaker Jon rolls into Vanderboren Manor with an armfull of maps.
"Found it!"
Seeing his intent, Kora clears a dining room table just before he unrolls a regional map of Port Sasserine all over it.
"There." He points to one side of Blood Bay.
"Kraken's Cove."
"Looks like the fastest way is on a ship."
Tygott merely arches an eye.
"I fear I would have no idea sir. Perhaps a Ranger or one of those Druid fellows could help you there."
"Whar'dja get this'n? If'n I find where y'kin git more, I'll be let'n y'know..."
Meanwhile back at the house...
"Aye, looks like a ship be 'n order..." Bindlplotz says with a slight shudder...
"What you think, Jon...you think we could pay someone to take us over there? I don't think I could swim all that way."
"Already asked. Blood Bay has a bad rep fer dissappearances; we'd have to overpay by 250 gold at least. I can sail us there a lot cheaper in a pinnace or sailing ketch! I can do it in a rowboat if y'd like, real cheap; if'n ye don't mind rowing forty miles."
He peers out the Library windows at the sky while idly feeding his parrot a nut.
"The weather ain't a factor, overcast and rainy mostly."
"Not a rowboat mu'friend, thems be too easy to tip the gnome int't'water!"
Ghirrak spends the time training, and interacting with Zelrune's horn, solidifying connections that could lead to valuable information. He enters a few exhibition contests simply to maintain his profile in the arena.
"How much do you need for a ketch or a pinnace?"
"No, no, save yer money. I c'n go rent one for a week fer 20 crowns. I'll go arrange that now and you all pack for a one week trip."
He puts his arm around Bindlplotz.
"Bindlplotz! Yer job is to talk Cora outta a weeks worth of food. Yer the only one who c'n do it 'cause she's sweet on yer."
He grins, salutes and ambles out the front door.
The Vanderboren colors are green and gold, insignia a ship with sails flying.
When you are ready, Spinnaker Jon takes you down to the docks where a small ship is moored.
The pinnace is a small, two-masted sailing vessel.
It’s sturdy enough to undertake long open-water voyages and handy enough to use close to shore.
A pinnace is fully decked, but its sterncastle is hardly worthy of the name; it’s little more than a cramped cabin.
It can be sailed by as few as three, or as many as 8 with all oars manned. Max complement is 15.
It can carry up to 30 tons of cargo fully laden, but you won't be carrying near that much.
This particular one is elderly, but all shipshape. The bowplate reads "The Plunderers Sword".
The name of the ship has been painted over an earlier name; it looks like "The Unsinkable Whore"
Spinnaker Jon stands at the base of the gangplank.
"She's a beauty ain't she! All aboard then and we'll be catchin' the late tide out."
He introduces the two hands he brought aboard to help Parrotless Booker and No-eyes Bellamy.
Parrotless Booker is a tall black man with a melancholy streak to him.
His shiphandling is superb though, and might be even better at navigation than Spinnaker Jon.
No-eyes Bellamy is a short middle aged man with eye patches over both eyes.
He has an infectious laugh and is a very good cook. He seems to get around the ship without a problem,
but ashore he needs a stick or a guide.
"No, no, save yer money. I c'n go rent one for a week fer 20 crowns. I'll go arrange that now and you all pack for a one week trip."
He puts his arm around Bindlplotz.
"Bindlplotz! Yer job is to talk Cora outta a weeks worth of food. Yer the only one who c'n do it 'cause she's sweet on yer."
He grins, salutes and ambles out the front door.
"Be she??? Oi 'adn't noticed, been so busy fix'n me newly 'quired guns that oi just 'adn't noticed!"
Bindlplotz goes to get some food and make sweet at Cora.
After a while, Bindlplotz comes back staggering under a large basket of food and with lipstick smudges on his collar.
DM