Aubrey's Rise of the Runelords campaign (Inactive)

Game Master Aubrey the Malformed

Yeah, 'fraid so - you got xp for the townhouse, and then it was really just a couple of minor encounters with low-level NPCs before the fight down at the bottom of the prison, with what were mostly more low-level NPCs. Only Ironbriar and the demon were any real threat, and you managed to off them fairly convincingly and quickly with some lucky crits. Judging by your xp levels you proboably levelled fairly recently (game time) - after the haunted house - and you are roughly the level you should be for the next bit.

By the way, waiting for someone to find out where the Old Lighthouse is.

Yeah, 'fraid so - you got xp for the townhouse, and then it was really just a couple of minor encounters with low-level NPCs before the fight down at the bottom of the prison, with what were mostly more low-level NPCs. Only Ironbriar and the demon were any real threat, and you managed to off them fairly convincingly and quickly with some lucky crits. Judging by your xp levels you proboably levelled fairly recently (game time) - after the haunted house - and you are roughly the level you should be for the next bit.

By the way, waiting for someone to find out where the Old Lighthouse is.

No worries, and yes, we levelled just after the haunted house.

Yup, I think Illes is the one with the skillz there, though if its a well known landmark we'll probably find it through a few untrained Gather Infos. I just rolled a 5, so that won't help...

Illes does his best asking around about the old Lighthouse in the Marketplace, but something is off. Maybe he just doesn't realize how rough he is looking after a long ride from Sandpoint and one fight to the death after another. It's hard to come off casual when you are dirty, stinking, and your clothes are stained and blood splattered.

I rolled extremely poorly
Gather Info 3+10 = 13
We can get to 15 with an Aid. 4 Aids will break 20.
Sorry to leave you hanging. Wiped out the last few days.

If that doesn't work, I'm fairly sure you can try again with gather information. It just requires another 1d4 hours or whatever it is.

After yet another person suddenly too busy to talk Illes sighs and heads to a tavern. Two ales and one shot later, he wanders through the market on a different mission. It takes nearly an hour, but he manages to find a loose fitting open white shirt, a new pair of leather pants, a long Varisian patterned scarf, and some fresh stockings. From there he invites any of the rest of the party to join him and stops off at a bath house. He pays an attendant to rinse out and polish up his chain shirt while he goes in for a scrub and soak.

Illes manages to leave renewed in spirit and appearance, ready to make another go of it.

Gather info: 16+10 = 26
Illes uses a rapier too, but has almost never actually used it. Elisile has a better chance to hit as well. It's yours as far as I'm concerned.

The newly scrubbed Illes has much better fortune. In a dockside tavern he finds out what he needs to know.

The Old Lighthouse is an abandoned tower about four miles south of Magnimar, just around the coast and on the fringes of the Mushfens. Originally intended to signal the presence of treacherous sandbars in the estuary, it obtained a bad reputation as the lighthouse keepers had an unfortunate habit of disappearing, never to be seen again. In the end the government of Magnimar couldn't find anyone to man the place and gave up trying to maintain it, and the place fell to wrack and ruin. No one goes there, both because of its ill reputation and the sheer inconvenience due to its isolation.

It sits on an island close to the marsh, with no other settlements nearby. Superstitious sailors and boatmen by and large avoid the place and most refuse to take anyone there on a trip. However, Illes is able to track down a ferryman who, for an extortionate fee of 50 gold, is willing to row the party out there and wait for them. His name is Barthus and he's a dour half-orc, but judging by his shoulder and arm muscles rowing a party of six several miles should be no problem for him. Even his boat looks reasonably seaworthy.

Elisile heads out with Illes to buy some clean clothes, then luxuriates in the bath, taking time to lather off the grime and blood of the last several days more thoroughly than a quick scrub with a bucket of cold water in a cramped inn room can manage.

“If we can discover the whereabouts of the Old Lighthouse today, it may well be worth going there as soon as we can. No doubt Xanesha will learn soon enough that Ironbriar and his cult have been destroyed or disabled, and may seek to flee or strike against us. There is also the possibility that the authorities in this place will link us to Ironbriar’s disappearance. While I would hope that the contents of the journal should be enough to convince them that we have done nothing wrong, that may take some time.”

Afterwards, while Illes is asking around again, Elisile will look for a temple or shrine to Desna or Callistra, and also a shop selling magical items, hoping to restock on a few minor magics.

Anywhere I can pick up some cure potions and a couple of low level scrolls?

Yes - near the Golemworks.

"We might want to stick together...travel in pairs at least."
I'll follow Elly to the Majik Market.

Is that all? ;-)

That should put everyone somewhere around the 11,600 mark, if I have been keeping track properly. Does that sound right to everyone else?

Yup, I've got 11,610. I'm assuming that I've got the time for it since I haven't heard otherwise, so I'll scratch 100gp for the inks and add identify to my book.

Elisile Starbrow wrote:

Is that all? ;-)

That should put everyone somewhere around the 11,600 mark, if I have been keeping track properly. Does that sound right to everyone else?

Yup, I've got 11,610.

Me too. We seem to track our xp better here than in Aubrey's other game. ;P

BTW, could we ID and sell off the loot before heading off to the Old Lighthouse?

You have time, the issue is money. Though I think 770gp quoted above looks incorrect to me.

Our magical treasure consists of:

3 cultist masks
Rapier
Ironbriar’s mask
Ironbriar’s wand
Ironbriar’s war razor
Ironbriar’s mithral shirt
Bracers

That's a total of 9 items. If two masks are identical, we'll need 8 Identify spells, setting us back 800 gp.

OK, maybe not so far out, then.

Here's what we have, then. Aubrey:

Ooo, cool, Rapier of Spell-storing! Have to look up how that works… yeah, I usually say an identify spell costs 110gp (10gp for a first level spell + 100 gp for the material component) which is how I arrived at 770 (I may have added up the number of items incorrectly).
The bracers were from the Bar-Lgura.

So, are we going to the lighthouse this afternoon (game time)?

Yeah, forgot how many culists there were - it was kind of improvised. The bracers are +1 of defence.

Alright, I looked up spell storing weapons – I’ve never really used them before. They’re probably a bit more useful for someone who uses evocations, which Elisile doesn’t, but maybe I can get Vethran to cast a spell into it sometime. It can store any spell that can be targeted … I assume this would include ones that normally need an attack roll to hit, such as Acid Arrow?

Yes, that's my take.

Yeah, forgot how many cultists there were - it was kind of improvised. The bracers are +1 of defence.

OK. In that case, we get 125 more gold each, and Vethran gets a shiny pair of nice new bracers.

As for the spell storing weapon, Alwyn could put a cause wounds spell, or, once he gains a level, blindness - that one's a classic.

"We might want to stick together...travel in pairs at least."

I'll follow Elly to the Majik Market.

"A good idea. Let us do any shopping we wish to do, then return to this ferryman that Illes found, and head across to the lighthouse tonight, unless anyone has a pressing reason to wait till morning."

So the treasure split comes to about 2000gp each. If there's something that someone really wants to buy but can't quite afford, Elisile might be able to throw in some cash, considering she just gained up a pretty expensive magic weapon.

As for the spell storing weapon, Alwyn could put a cause wounds spell, or, once he gains a level, blindness - that one's a classic.

Blindness, interesting...

If anyone wants to get stuff with their haul, they have time. You will be setting out to the Old Lighthouse at sundown.

The party find Barthus down by the dockside, waiting for them. He is an imposing figure, his head shaved and with tattoos on his arms, and he is dressed in simple homespun trousers and a leather jerkin. He nods down towards his boat, a flat-bottomed rowboat tied up at a jetty at the bottom of a flight of seaweed-encrusted steps. "Tide'll turn soon," he grunts without any preamble, "Best be going. You got the money?"

The party settle down into the gently-rocking boat and Barthus pushes off from the side of the dock and starts rowing at a steady, rhythmic pace. Barthus deftly steers around merchantmen tied up at the wharves and anchored in the harbour before he sets off, slanting south-west, for the Old Lighthouse. Magnimar gradually diminishes into the distance, the setting sun glinting off the waters of the Yondabakari River as it sets further out in the ocean beyond. The regular dip of the oars in the brackish water becomes soporific, and Barthus generally resists attempts to engage him in conversation with monsyllabic replies.

On the other side of the river the thin strip of habitated land slumps after a while into the estuarine mudflats and, beyond those, the Mushfens proper begin. The sunset paints the sky behind the lowering swamp trees, draped in moss and creepers, blue turning to red and, as the twilight deepens, purple. Stars begin to emerge and, as Barthus skirts the cold bayous, the calls of night creatures can be heard - strange whoops, clicks, chitters and the odd gutteral roar. Night eventually falls and the clear sky is soon a twinkling riot of constellations, but it is cold and a chill, uncomfortable breeze comes in off the sea. All the while, Barthus' metronomic pull on the oars never wavers.

The journey is seemingly endless but, after about three hours, the Old Lighthouse comes into view. It sits on a low, muddy islet a few hundred yards from shore, and has clearly seen better days. While it is hard to see clearly in the dark, small bushes can be seen emerging from the stonework at various heights and it seems to list slightly as it is starkly silhouetted against the looming, nearly full face of the moon. However, the glass of the light on top looks more or less intact, and a sagging jetty pokes out into the estuary. Barthus hauls up next to it and ties up to a rotting support.

Elisile pays him the fifty gold pieces.

Prior to that she will have bought a potion of cure moderate wounds, two flasks of holy water, a scroll of glitterdust and of summon monster 2, and, if she can get one, a 1st level pearl of power.

When they get to the island she'll cast mage armour on herself.

You can lay your hands on anything you can afford with your loot - Magnimar is a big city.

Did the 50gp price pay for Barthus to wait for us, or to come back and pick us up in the morning or anything?

He'll wait.

cool...Hudak's got a wee bit o shopping to do here.

Elisile gazes up at the tower, her elven vision seeking details in the starlight.

“Is there benefit in a stealthy approach I wonder, or shall we simply approach and see if we are greeted?” she murmurs.

You can lay your hands on anything you can afford with your loot - Magnimar is a big city.

I'll sell my mwk banded mail. With that money, his share of the loot and some of his loose change, Alwyn goes off and buys a set of [i]Full plate +1[/i9. Now we're in business!

Blindness, interesting...

Before resting and refreshing his spells that night, Vethran will offer to cast blindness/deafness, lightning bolt, fireball, or fireburst into the sword. Those were all the useful spells I had prepared at the end of our adventure. I have since updated my list for the new day.

Bear in the mind that area effect spells like fireball and lightning bolt are not eligible because they don't target individuals.

Bear in the mind that area effect spells like fireball and lightning bolt are not eligible because they don't target individuals.

Ah, right. I was thinking ring of spell storing. Well... looks like blindness/deafness is it, then! Now, does the spell use MY save DC since I'm the caster? Or would it be based on Elisile's INT? I should think it's based off the caster (me). In which case, the person Elisile unleashes it on will be up against a DC 16 Fort save to avoid blindness or deafness (Elisile's choosing).

I guess the DCs are based on the caster. After all, you don't have to be a caster to use a weapon of spell storing.

Aubrey the Demented/Malformed wrote:

Bear in the mind that area effect spells like fireball and lightning bolt are not eligible because they don't target individuals.

Ah, right. I was thinking ring of spell storing. Well... looks like blindness/deafness is it, then! Now, does the spell use MY save DC since I'm the caster? Or would it be based on Elisile's INT? I should think it's based off the caster (me). In which case, the person Elisile unleashes it on will be up against a DC 16 Fort save to avoid blindness or deafness (Elisile's choosing).

Thanks. Elisile will loan Vethran her pearl of power, so that he may regain the spell he just cast for her.

Has everybody else completed their purchases before we continue? Also, not heard from Fakey for a few days.

I will in the next hour or two. Funny thing, I meant to last night, but took a nap around 7 and ended up sleeping until the next morning. I guess I was tired or something.

Bought a +1 chain shirt and a +1 ring of protection; ready to roll.

Sold:
MW Chain shirt 200

Bought:
Badge of Valor 1,400 (+1 on Inspire Courage 3/day)
Mithral shirt 1,100

I also have 240 g.p. left over, in case that might help somebody buy something extra special.

Since Vethran didn't want the Bracers each individual share with everything added together (as gold) was: 2117.97

EDIT: I just saw where Vattnisse added in another 125 each so- make that: 2243.3

Also- Am I carrying the wand of CMW so I know to mark it down?

I grabbed a scroll of Eagle's Splendor as well.

Take the CMW wand. It spreads some healing punch across the party.

Elisile looks about for any signs of danger or anything of interest on the island and at the lighthouse. Spot: 14+6 = 20. Listen: 4+6 = 10

The island is at most a hundred yards across, with the lighthouse sitting at its highest point a few yards above high tide. The stink of the Mushfens wafts across water from the south. There is a doorway at the base of the tower which yawns open and an overgrown path leading up to it.

Elisile:

“Signs of recent passage,” says Elisile quietly, pointing to the trail. “Humanoid footprints, and something else, larger, I cannot tell what.” She kneels to examine the tracks more closely.

Rolled a 2 on a Survival check to better identify the tracks, I don’t think that’s going to give anything away…

Thanks. Elisile will loan Vethran her pearl of power, so that he may regain the spell he just cast for her.

Well, it's a 2nd-level spell, not a first, but thanks anyway. :) Besides, I was casting it the day that we acquired it and have since rested. It's all good.

"Head for the lighthouse? I pull Nualia's tongue,..." and Hudak unsheathes that bastard sword.
"Got some death to do."

OK, I guess you are heading on up. Any attempt at stealth, or just striding over and ready to take what comes?

I'm down with the direct approach; up to youse guys. Somebody with skilz wanna lead the way?