GM Endless Forms' Dragon's Demand (Inactive)

Game Master Mike Tuholski

"Gods, that Hunclay was a sick bastard. At least this one ain't little," Kurth says, drawing his cold-iron longsword and advancing on the decaying creature.

Power Attack!: 1d20 + 8 - 1 ⇒ (16) + 8 - 1 = 231d8 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 3 + 2 = 9

Round 1

Knowledge (dungeoneering): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (13) + 7 = 20 "An undead Neh-thalggu! It's poisonous and casts powerful spells - or at least it used to! Probably a little weaker now."

Because I didn't see you move Kurth's icon yet, I took the liberty of moving Kurth on the map to set up a flank with Harsk. Feel free to change if you disapprove.

Alice fires some arrows at the beast!
Sneak Attack!: 1d20 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 4 + 1 = 10; Damage: 1d6 + 1 + 1 + 2d6 ⇒ (4) + 1 + 1 + (5, 3) = 14
Sneak Attack!: 1d20 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 4 + 1 = 8; Damage: 1d6 + 1 + 1 + 2d6 ⇒ (5) + 1 + 1 + (1, 5) = 13
"Drat!" They sail wide.

Because I didn't see you move Kurth's icon yet, I took the liberty of moving Kurth on the map to set up a flank with Harsk. Feel free to change if you disapprove.

Thanks, forgot to do that!

Milloy will cast Flaming Sphere in an attempt to burn the foul creature!

DC 17 Reflex to negate fire damage of: 3d6 ⇒ (2, 4, 3) = 9

Kurth slices into the creature! Alice tries to put some arrows in it but its hide, although decaying somewhat, still seems tough. Besides, don't forget about the DR/slashing.

Ref: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 6 = 21

Milloy summons a flaming sphere but the beast leaps out of the way!

Initiative:

1. Alice, Milloy, Kurth, and Harsk
2. Creature

9 dmg

Harsk is up!

Unable to access the map, but it sounds like I am flanking.

Harsk draws his cold iron hammer and swings at the undead thing.

Attack: 1d20 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 6 + 2 = 28
Damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9

Crit?: 1d20 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 6 + 2 = 12
Crit Damage: 2d8 + 6 ⇒ (1, 6) + 6 = 13

Moved you on the map Harsk. Hopefully you'll hit its flat-footed AC!

Harsk moves in and gives the creature a devastating blow, although his hammer does not do as much as usual, finding that broken bones don't seem to hamper the creature as much.

---

The neh-thalggu zombie rears up and brings its many-toothed maw down on Harsk!

bite: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (3) + 16 = 19
damage: 1d8 + 12 ⇒ (4) + 12 = 16

Initiative:

1. Alice, Milloy, Kurth, and Harsk
2. Creature

26 dmg

You guys are up!

Kurth attacks the rotting monster again while its attention is on Harsk.

Power Attack!: 1d20 + 8 - 1 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 8 - 1 + 2 = 101d8 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 3 + 2 = 7

Doh!

Harsk winces at the bite taken from the strange creature.

He takes a moment to carefully channel healing energy to try and keep himself healthy.

Channel Positive Energy to Heal: 2d6 ⇒ (3, 5) = 8

I'm pretty sure that the zombie, being undead, won't be healed by the positive energy, correct?

Round 2

Quite correct - it won't heal.
Please have this action happen before Harsk's channel, so that when Alice is hit (because she will get hit), she will benefit from healing.

"That thing hits like a truck!" She knows she's going to regret this, but Alice tries desperately to tumble through the creature's claws to get in position. Acrobatics: 1d20 + 9 - 10 ⇒ (13) + 9 - 10 = 12. Presumably fails, so the beastie can take an AOO.

When she's in position, she drops her bow, pulls out the good old mithral dagger and tries to slash one of the zombie's many brain appendages! Sneak Attack: 1d20 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 5 + 2 = 22; Slashing Damage: 1d4 + 1 + 1d6 ⇒ (3) + 1 + (3) = 7.

Alice, doesn't your sneak attack deal 2d6 damage?

Move Action : Milloy has the Flaming Sphere try again! DC 17 to negate: 3d6 ⇒ (5, 2, 2) = 9

Standard Action : My faithful Magic Missile!: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

AoO bite on Alice: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (9) + 16 = 25
damage: 1d8 + 12 ⇒ (5) + 12 = 17

Alice's sneak: 1d6 ⇒ 2

Alice moves around the beast, getting bitten in the process, but her dagger slashes a chunk off nonetheless.

Ref: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (11) + 6 = 17

The neh-thalggu zombie once again leaps away from Milloy's sphere but is unable to dodge his missiles. Kurth swings but nearly hits his own foot. Harsk channels the energy of his god to heal himself and his companions.

---

Deciding that dwarf is less sweet than human, the monster tries to bite Kurth!

bite: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (16) + 16 = 32
damage: 1d8 + 12 ⇒ (6) + 12 = 18

Initiative:

1. Alice, Milloy, Kurth, and Harsk
2. Creature

38 dmg

You guys are up!

Milloy tries for the third and final time! Fire!: 3d6 ⇒ (6, 6, 5) = 17

And then Boink!: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

Minor Action : Curses the wand.

Alice strikes again! Attack: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (16) + 7 = 23; Damage: 1d4 + 2d6 + 1 ⇒ (3) + (3, 5) + 1 = 12

-Posted with Wayfinder

Remember, Kurth, I take half of your damage per shield other.

Harsk winces as he takes more damage from the zombie's attack on Kurth. In an effort to keep himself steady, he sacrifices one of his prepared spells to heal himself.

Cast Defensively: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (18) + 6 = 24

cure moderate wounds: 2d8 + 3 ⇒ (5, 1) + 3 = 9

Ok, so I was healed to full, then took 9 damage.

"Oof" Kurth grunts, before snarling and hacking again at the undead monstrosity.

Power Attack!: 1d20 + 8 - 1 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 8 - 1 + 2 = 241d8 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 3 + 2 = 10

Ref: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (7) + 6 = 13

The combined attacks of the party bring down the undead behemoth!

Out of combat!

Four iron chests rest on the eastern side of the cavern. They are opened with the keys you found earlier in the manor. Within the first three chests are a total of 11 300 cp, 7 200 sp, 1 800 gp, and 60 pp.

The fourth chest is twice the wize and is of very fine manufacture. Inside seem to be some of Hunclay's greatest treasures: four packets of enhanced dust of darkness (capable of extinguishing the wall of light), a scroll of permanency (CL 12) in a mithral scroll tube, itself worth 300 gp. There is a darkwood case (worth 250 gp) which contains five books: four of these are rare antique tomes on astonomy written in Ancient Osiriani (each worth 1000 gp) and the fifth is a tattered volume called Secrets of the Dreaming Dark (worth 11 000 gp).

Secrets of the Dreaming Dark is a very old and massive tome, several hundred pages long and bound in black leather. It claims to be a translation of a much older book, but the book's original author is unknown. The pages are scribed in Aklo in cramped handwriting and include complex star charts and maps of strange, distant worlds. There are numerous breathtaking illustrations of eerie monsters and alien gods as well. Unfortunately, pages or even entire chunks of the ancient text are loose or missing here and there throughout.

Being able to read Aklo or making a DC 30 Linguistics check and spending 48 hours studying the book allows you a +6 bonus on Knowledge checks relating to the Dark Tapestry. There is more which I will tell if someone is able to translate it.

And most importantly: LEVEL UP! Congrats!

Don't forget to go back and free Maffei and also to visit Lady Origena for payment for your services.

Harsk lets out a huff as the undead thing is brought down by his allies' attacks. "Har, that thing was nasty bugger." His eyes fall upon the chests being opened and the treasures held within.

"I s'pose all this is off limits as well? Ah well... We ought to go back and help out Maffei with this here dust."

I am trained in Linguistics and if I level that feat up I can take a new language. If I do so and take Aklo could I then read the book?

Yes, we should. Free Maffei and then we can visit the Lady and reveal all that we have found.

I'll see about leveling up to 4 sometime today as I might be a bit out of touch during the weekend due to this blasted wedding I have to attend.

"Yeah, we should hurry back to free the shadow-lady. But about all this stuff ... I know I was pretty stubborn earlier about not taking anything from the manor. But I don't remember the old lady mayor saying nothing about stuff we found outside it. I mean, I want to do what's right ... and don't following the law mean following the specifics of an agreement?" Kurth's brow furrows as seldom-used brain cells churn, trying to find a reason to rationalize keeping the loot from the cave.

For reference, here's what the mayor said (I assume similar language is in the contract:
"Though you won't be allowed to loot what you find in the manor, I can promise you a flat 5000 gp fee for performing the service and you'll be welcome to participate in the auction to follow." We all signed "a contract outlining your fee and the expectation that you exercise every possible caution to leave items inside intact and undamaged."

Alice has a wide grin on her face as Kurth explains his reasoning. "That's the best thing I've heard all day, Kurth!" Suddenly forgetting about her wounds, Alice can be seen simply admiring the chests of gold. "After everything that's happened today, we earned this, and then some."

@Milloy: that's fine with me.

@Kurth: I was hoping someone would notice that. We surely didn't when I played :) Feel free to keep the stuff in the cave. As you'll see, this module becomes very generous with handing out loot/treasure as it goes on.

The party heads back to the Manor and uses the magical dust to put out the wall of light, allowing Maffei to move down the hallway and exit Hunclay's Manor with you. She thanks you graciously and finds some of her old gear stashed away in the room outside her cell. She spends a moment donning her leather armor and strapping on a magical scimitar and magical short sword. Her smoky, shadowy form gets some strange looks as you walk through the countryside and she tells you that it might be best for her to wait for you outside of town. "I'd just rather not interact with the townsfolk right not; they would understand me no better than I do them. Come find me if you travel beyond town though and I will offer an extra sword. . . or two. Of course, if you find a way to restore me from my weakness, I would again be grateful for your help."

---

When you return to town and report your findings to the baroness, Lady Origena thanks you for your services and pays you your 5 000 gp as promised. In fact, she's so pleased that she also tells you that if you wish to attend the auction and bid on some of Hunclay's belongings, she'll cover half the price of anything you win (up to a limit of 7 500 gp.

At this point, a small army of cleks goes through the manor to catalog its contents further and organize lots for the upcoming auction. The auction is scheduled for just over a month later than the current day. In that time, the baroness sends word of the auction to merchants, wizards, and scholars throughout Taldor, and word spreads through specialized channels to other nations quickly.

With a month before the auction, feel free to take time and do anything you desire. Nobody has any crafting feats but Milloy has a month to use Scribe Scroll to his heart's desire (you can make one scroll/day). If you have nothing better to do and have ranks in a Craft, Profession, or Perform skill, you can make a little pocket change: for one week of work you earn half your roll in gold pieces. You would have four weeks to work.

I'll get info up about the auction soon, probably this weekend when I get back from travelling Friday-Saturday morning. Take some time to shop and do whatever else you want.

Excellent. I will learn Aklo and learn what I can. Share the info when you get time.

As far as gold, we get 5000 gp from the lady. We also get the equivalent of 3232 gp in coin. If the rest is sold at half-value the scroll case, books, etc will fetch 7775 gp. All told thats 4001.75 gp each. If someone wants to double check all that plesse feel free.

About the book: A person who does this (studies it for 48 hours) can use the book as a reference when answering any Knowledge check relating to the Dark Tapestry to gain a +6 bonus on the check, and can attempt such Knowledge checks untrained by using the book in this way. In addition, numerous strange spells and occult rituals are doubtless hidden away in the text, such as the complex one Hunclay used to conjure a Dominion of the Black neh-thalggu. Deciphering these spells and rituals would take many months at best (beyond the scope of this adventure).

So you need to have it to reference if you want the bonus on the checks.

----

One month later. . . .

----

Despite the large number of invitations sent out by the baroness, only a handful of prospective buys arrive in town the day of the auction-the remoteness of Belhaim and Hunclay's limited fame in arcanist circles makes the auction less of a draw than hoped. The following parties represent wealthy, out-of-town interests that have arrived in the past week: a trio of white-clad Kalistocrats from Kerse; two black-robed individuals of indeterminate gender representing the Mercantile Consortium of Maheto; a snarling half-orc named Mr. Pickets representing Duchess Selphine Telegonus of Cassomir; and a brown-haired man in a red felt hat with a large blue feather stuck in its side, who calls himself Clausyre and represents an unnamed interest from the north.

The auction is open to the public, and many of Belhaim's citizens attend out of curiosity, even though few have the means to compete for the big-ticket items. You are given a place of honor with front-row seats. Serious bidders, including locals such as the Adras family, Sir Pelle Benhovy, Arnholde Devy, the Belhaim historian Bassy, and Swerlo Grayhands (who loudly wants only the stuffed grizzly), are seated within the first two tiers closest to the stage. Spectators fill whatever other seats are available.

The baroness is present and seated next to her son Arnholde, but will not be bidding today.

Remember that as a token of her gratitude the baroness has offered to pay half the cost of anything you bid on and win in the auction, to a maximum of 7 500 gp.

I'll get the lots and rules for the auction up tomorrow and we'll start the bidding!

OK sounds good. I'm still out of town for this wedding but I'll try to figure out what scrolls I might want to scribe. Also I'll hang on to the book since it sounds too important to sell so our shares will be lower.

Before the auction begins, you notice a flustered Clausyre arguing with Chosk Grellen, the auctioneer, before the auction begins. Clausyre keeps claiming that the baroness clearly hasn't put all of Hunclay's estate up for auction, and repeatedly demands to speak to her personally about the missing items, seeming to be interested mainly in rare tomes. In the end, Chosk manages to calm Clausyre down enough that he can proceed, by promising him a meeting with the baroness after the auction.

Totally fine that you kept it though; it's written that you have that choice.

The lots are as follows:

Lot 1: Exotic birds Opening Bid: 50 gp
Lot 2: Kitchen lot Opening Bid 100 gp
Lot 3: Parlor lot Opening bid 300 gp
Lot 4: Dining room lot Opening bid 200 gp
Lot 5: Library lot Opening bid 400 gp
Lot 6: Stuffed grizzly bear Opening bid 60 gp
Lot 7: Book of extended summoning Opening bid 550 gp
Lot 8: Glesh golem manual Opening bid 2000 gp
Lot 9: Manual of war Opening bid 1500 gp
Lot 10: Assorted potions (two oils of keen edge, a potion of undetectable alignment, a potion of protection from acid, and a potion of protection from fire) Opening bid 660 gp
Lot 11: Assorted scrolls (scroll of campfire wall, scroll of excruciating deformation, scroll of haunting mists, scroll of magic circle against chaos) Opening bid 225 gp
Lot 12: Hunclay's spellbooks Opening bid 40000 gp
Lot 13: Bedroom lot Opening bid 440 gp
Lot 14: Observatory lot Opening bid 1000 gp
Lot 15: Storage lot Opening bid 500 gp
Lot 16: Clockwork lab lot Opening bid 1000 gp
Lot 17: Summoning journal Opening bid 1000 gp

Procedure: If you are interested in a bid, you make a Bluff or Intimidate check. You can only bid in multiples of the opening bid (for example, Lot 3 would have to be bid at 600 gp (300 x 2), then 900 gp (300 x 3). Assume that someone else will start the bidding with the opening bid, so jump to multiples. You receive a +2 for each multiple that you bid (bidding 600 gp on Lot 3 gives you a +2, bidding 900 gp on Lot 3 gives you a +4, etc). If you make the DC for that particular lot, you win! If not, the NPCs may counter back (at least until the max bid is exceeded or you pass the DC). (No aids are allowed on these checks.)

Ok, go ahead and place your bids on anything you are interested in!

Milloy will bid on:

Lot 10: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (19) - 1 = 18
Lot 11: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (20) - 1 = 19

Although you can't aid each other, you can appoint one person to bid for the whole group if you want. Although Milloy did roll well by chance this time.

Chosk Grellen, the auctioneer, starts the bidding on Lot 10, the potions. The Belhaim historian Bassy opens up the bidding at 660 gp, but Milloy doubles the bid and Bassy steps down. "Sold to the traveling scholar Milloy for 1320 gp!"

You guys only pay 660 gp; the baroness pays the other 660 gp.

Next up, the auctioneer begins the bidding for the scrolls. Again Bassy opens the bidding at 225 gp but Milloy again outbids the historian. "Sold!" the auctioneer calls as it becomes apparent that no one else is willing to go above Milloy. "Sold for 510 gp, again to our newcomer wizard!"

You guys only pay 225 gp; the baroness pays the other 225 gp.

You still have 6615 gp of the baroness' money to use in the auction.

"Mostly books, isn't it? Meh," Kurth says, uninterested in the items up for auction. "That one fella seems awful interested in the nasty dream book, though. "

I'm about out of my share of the gold now. I don't know what else would be useful in those other lots but the manual of war could be something.

OK, these two oils of keen edge, who wants them? Kurth can take one I'd say, who wants the other (or should Kurth get both)?

I'm the only one that could use the manual and it doesn't seem very useful, would just let me temporarily swap out a feat. Not worth the coin.

Alice wants that ring she almost pilfered. Not sure if she's allowed to bid on that alone, but she'll give it a go.

Ring?: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12

"Well, if you all don't want any more of this stuff, let me have a chat with that fella. Maybe we can strike a deal."

Without explaining more, Alice leaves the group and approaches Claysure. "Hey, mister. I see you've got an eye for those rare books. I've got a deal for you. I'm betting in this auction with house money. So if you want, I can buy the books and sell em back to you for just 80% of what I paid. That way, we both win. Whaddya say?"

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (19) + 4 = 23

Harsk gives Alice a nudge. "Say, can you bid for me on the storage lot? I'm afraid I'd be no good at this."

Alice bids on the bedroom lot, which includes the ring she was interested in, although she is outbid by the Mercantile Consortium of Maheto.

Clausyre responds to Alice, "I'm afraid they aren't offering any books I am truly interested in today. It's a pity; I was hoping for more. I suppose I'll bid on the other books being offered but I'm not attached to any of them enough to enter a scheme over, to be honest."

1d20 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 = 16

Although Arnholde Devy bids on the storage lot, Alice is able to outbid them, winning the lot for Harsk.

Sold for 1000 gp; you guys pay 500 gp, the baroness pays the other 500 gp.

Storage Lot: The contents are worth 2500 gp, so you come away with a net gain!

Woohoo! I was hoping watching dumb reality tv shows like 'Storage Wars' would pay off!

"Wait a second. Did the dwarf just buy up all of the booze?" Kurth says, confused but starting to think he missed an opportunity somewhere ...

Well done. Do you see anything else that might net a profit?

So is the next bid 1320 on the bedroom lot?

"You're not taking that ring from me!" mutters Alice. Bluff: 1d20 + 7 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 7 + 6 = 15 (Bah!)

Alice raises the price of the bedroom lot to 1320 gp but is again outbid by the Mercantile Consortium of Maheto.

"Make it 1760!" Alice seems to be getting carried away in the moment.

Bluff: 1d20 + 7 + 8 ⇒ (6) + 7 + 8 = 21

Alice is getting caught up in the moment but her opponents seem relentless. The Mercantile Consortium of Maheto again outbids the rogue.

"2200 even," replies the rogue, hoping that she was not squandering all of her wealth. Bluff: 1d20 + 7 + 10 ⇒ (17) + 7 + 10 = 34

Finally the Mercantile Consortium of Maheto backs down and Alice wins the bedroom lot!

You guys pay 1100; the baroness pays 1100. That leaves you with 5015 if you want to bid on anything more.

The bedroom lot contains: armoires and wardrobes storing rich clothing worth a total of 850 gp, as well as the gold ring with a fat black pearl that Alice was interested in, which is worth 1350. So if you sell it all you make a profit unless Alice wants to keep the ring for herself.

If you guys are done with the auction I'll move into the next scene. But feel free to keep bidding if you want to keep it up.

My biggest issue is figuring out how much gold we end up with and what our shares will be. With all the travelling I've done this week I can't keep up. This is a mess, LOL.

Do we actually get to sell all of this to someone? That's the thing that troubles me..