GM Woran's Rise of the Runelords

Game Master Woran

"I can scurry, too!"

Dayo zig-zags over Oskar's oversized feet and does his best impression of "scurrying" as he flanks the Sin Spawn.

Acrobatics, Reduced: 1d20 + 8 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 8 + 1 = 25

Nine-Ring Broadsword, Flank, Reduced, Blessed: 1d20 + 6 + 2 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 6 + 2 + 2 + 1 = 17
Slashing Damage, Reduced: 1d6 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 4 + 1 = 6

For Oskar's kick, in my head I'm picturing Charlie Murphy's kick of Rick James. I'm half expecting the sinspawn to tell us he's bleeding inside his chest.

longsword Ilosari power attack: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (5) + 10 = 15
damage: 1d8 + 10 ⇒ (2) + 10 = 12

scorching ray 1 Vorvashali: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (10) + 7 = 17
scorching ray 2 Vorvashali: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12

damage ray 1: 4d6 ⇒ (1, 2, 1, 6) = 10
damage ray 2: 4d6 ⇒ (6, 6, 4, 6) = 22

Ilosari makes a deep cut across the sinspawns back.

Ilosari's first ray leaves the creature staggered, but the second blows a massive hole in the spanw's chest.

Ilosari looks immensely pleased with himself.

"Ah. I've missed the fire in my blood."

Sinspawn down, the triangly pool is now empty of 'water'.

Vy stands so, that his shadow falls across Justin
"Tell me, please, that this is the end of it? No more further testing? No more, " let's see what happens if we drop holy water or blood from a paladin in it"?. Are we satisfied that we did our Duty to the community? My Community?"

"Ooooo. Paladin blood. There's an..i...d...ea.? " he starts to fidget with his tail...."That probably isn't neccesary?. "

"Is this the only well down here?"

"On the level we explored, yes. Below the rubble, there might be more I suppose?"

"We MAY want to fill it in, or install a drain, just so that an attacking goblin army doesn't die upstairs and refill it. Like mom always said, "why make sure they're dead once when you have the time to do it twice " ..."

Checking out the well, its magical Aura is slowly fading. It might take a day or two, but it looks like its will continue to fade until dormant.

Oskar holds up the last sinspawn by the neck. "Okay, is there a preferred method for gettin' rid o'these bodies? I can't imagine we're just gonna chain 'em to a rock an'drop 'em in the bay like they owed us money or somethin'."

Casually tossing the body into the corner with the others, Oskar continues. "And where are all those goblins what's-his-face's journal said were so hot to wipe out Sandpoint? We ain't seen crap signs of them, y'know?"

"That sounds counter productive. You can't get money out of a corpse...that you throw away. "

"The quasit had the freaks... i'll assume that life as a businessman didn't lead him to reading many arcanarcheology texts to know they were sin spawn. The Goblins are probably spread out all over the countryside. Without any other targets going on the offensive may be our best bet. "

"The rubble down here looked like it's been there for a while. I think it's unlikely there's any more members of this particular conspiracy down there. We should probably brick up this room for now so that nobody can sneak in there and fiddle with it." Looking significantly at Justin. "And then see if we can figure out where the other leading figures in the cabal are hiding."

Ilosari shoots a look at Vorvashali (who still looks like he's the cat that got the mouse)

"We'll dispose of the bodies. Vorv and Brodert still want to study them for a bit. We'll take them to the basement of the acedamy after dark."

"Oh THATS not going to fuel the rumor mill... "

Ilosari shrugs. "This town runs on rumors as much as it does on fish. There are all kinds of tales about my cellar, most of them stemming from the fact I dont let the kids in there. I keep most of my old adventuring stuff down there. Cant have the kids hurting themselves. But if you ask them, I must have a next of crystal spiders in there or something."

"Cant have the kids hurting themselves. But if you ask them, I must have a next of crystal spiders in there or something."

Oskar perks up. "Yeah, I heard that one. Do they only eat like, gems, or will they eat any kind of rocks?"

"Don't be silly. If they ate rocks they wouldn't be GEM spiders. "

Ilosari grins. "I've never heard of an actual crystal spider existing, so I commend the kids on their imagination."

Vorvashali snorts. "Yeah, the only real dangerous thing down there is Ilosari's attempt to brew booze. Stuff is real nasty."

Oskar turns to Ilosari, suddenly very earnest. "Hold on. Are you brewin' or distillin'? You keepin' everything clean?" He holds up his hands in a placating manner. "Not sayin' nothin' t'be difficult, but if workin' with Nisk's taught me anything, it's that 'looks clean' and 'is clean' can be two REALLY different things."

He turns to Justin. "Well obviously, Justin, they eat the rocks, then metabolize the minerals into their carapace as a gem-like material." He shakes his head. "I'll show ya when we see the ones in Ilosari's basement."

Sheesh, do I have to think of everything around here?

"I remember some of my classmates tried a dwarven fungal recipe. I'm pretty sure we got rather close. After one drink Willard started showing us some new spells, I'm pretty sure thats where the colors came from anyway. Then he suggested we try the masters scroll collection and i managed to get off the alter self and... huh. Things got really blurry after that. " he fidgets with his tail a little.

"You are what you eat. If you ate rocks you'd look like rocks. Unlike reality conspiracy theories need to make sense. "

Oskar is a bit more animated now, talking with his hands. "Rocks is rocks is rocks, Justin. It's just a matter'o what happens to 'em underground when they're becomin' rocks, that makes some gems and some just, y'know, rocks. Creatures like that, they take in rocks, and change 'em."

"Did Willard grow a beard after drinking it?"

Ilosari shoots a dirty look at Vorvashali. "I've been trying to get some beer going. Just as a hobby. *I* think it tastes just fine. A nice dark beer with a bitter aftertase. Vorv is just being a pain, because he likes it sweeter. He's a wine guy."

Vorvashali makes a face at Ilosari. "Your beer is just gross and you have no taste in wine."

You're pretty s ure Vorvashali was pretty close to sticking his tongue out.

"Did Willard grow a beard after drinking it?"

"Well he definitely had hair on his face.. "

Anything else you want to do in underpoint? Besides making puns ;)

Explore! Report! Cooperate?

We're writing a report. And we already have credit for it.

Over the course of the next two days, you visit the well at several points in the day. Its magical aura is quickly subsiding, from overwhelming to almost negligible.
Brodert assures you all that now the well is dormant, it wont easily activate again. All the texts he could find mention an activation ritual. But what that ritual is... nobody seems to know for sure. Which he is perfectly fine with. In the meantime he will continue searching for a way to properly destroy the well.

Another two days pass uneventfully. Shayliss is now fully trained for working at the bar, and she seems to have taken to bar-tending with gusto.
The kids at the orphanage are liking their new teachers. Altough occasionally you do get asked stories about smashing goblins.
The town grieves for the killed glassworkers. A large ceremony is held in the temple. Ameiko makes a speach and promises she'll try and get the glassworks into good hands.
Another such tragic event, close to the goblin attacks leaves Sandpoint dazed.

Then early in the morning, Shalelu arrives back in town. Her appearence gets the gossip going quickly. She looks harried. When she comes to visit the dragon, she has a long, private talk with Ameiko. After she leaves, you're pretty sure that if Tsuto hadnt hanged himself, Shalelu would have done it for him.

When you return from teaching at the academy, a summons from the mayor is waiting for you.

I'm pushing the story forward a bit. If there is anything you would like to do in those four days time, let me know. If you like, you can describe what your character would do with some free time.

Justin doesn't like the words "almost" "negligible" or "difficult" there, especially knowing that the rest time on the cauldron is 6 seconds, and we're planning on having a Goblin slaughter and grille 20 feet above this thing. Even less so after hearing "reactivation ritual". He's pretty intent on wheel barreling a bunch of gravel in there and rolling a rock on top*: Not difficult to remove just time consuming. And noisy. One of the variables not tested (paladins are detrimental to the scientific method...) was if more powerful demon blood would summon a more powerful creature.

To that end he's also going to poke the mayor about underpoint. Collecting rent from ratfolk is going to net more for the town than keeping guards on that tunnel.

If a house to house search for more goblin tunnels is out of the question, at least try to get the humans to look for themselves...

Teaching is going better, he's learned he has to liven up his lectures a little bit. He really doesn't care if the word problems involve gem spiders and severed goblin heads, as long as the kids are learning math. He'll even start using silent image for demonstrations. (reminds me, borrow Vitros book copy over silent image crafter's fortune, and shield. See if Vorvashali has comprehend languages.

At the end of four days a very tired Justin and 1d6 ⇒ 3 ribbons are ready to meet the mayor again.

* or well having oskar roll the rock on top. He's deperate enough to do the wheel barreling himself though

Vitro's going to spend time thoroughly mapping Underpoint, studying the decorative style and stuff, out of historical interest as much as for opposition research. Being an earth mage, he's more comfortable underground than most elves are.

Magical research - I'd like to try to get comprehend languages.

He's also badgering Justin to teach him Undercommon, for some reason.

With the kids he's going to try to teach them healthy elven attitudes - like a detached attitude towards dead goblins (they grow back so fast, it's no good fussing over one particular one), the health advantages of archery (not letting monsters get close) and of course intellectual curiosity.

For Oskar, the return to normalcy means turning his attention back to Bottled Solutions. Keeping Nisk from turning that side of town into an enormous blast crater makes for an interestng challenge to the half-orc.

Like his friends, Oskar is starting to get a bit more involved with the kids at the orphanage. He considers trying to organize a children's militia, but after some consideration, decides to focus on teaching the kids to hide from future attacks.

I think Oskar would take this surprisingly seriously, in his own Oskarish way, like Gym class with the "fun teacher on whom they should have done a better background check." "Last kid I find, gets a pack of jitter-goblins. First kid I find, has to run laps until I find everyone else." And I fully expect him to be explicitly told after the first day that he cannot give the kids fireworks as rewards.

Fortunately, all this has kept Oskar a bit too busy to go hauling big-ass rocks around at Justin's request.

Shalelu's demeanor on her return troubles Oskar, and as they all assemble at the mayor's office, Oskar asks, "Anyone want to bet this isn't tied to Tall-Pointy-and-Spooky's reappearance?"

"Now the first thing you need to know about undercommon is that it's not so much a set of rules as a pattern that gets tantalizingly close to being a rule but is violated with such frequency and randomness that it almost descends into arbitrariness. I mean i could teach you but i have so. many. Rocks. to wheel barrel... "

In response to Oskar's question, Justin fingers his holy symbol of Abadar and shakes his head.

At Justin's silent reply, Oskar checks over his shoulder, just in case Shalelu somehow got right behind him as he made that comment.

And oh, I almost forgot. Oskar will absolutely want to inspect Ilosari's brewing equipment. And, you know, see if he can't figure out where he's really keeping the crystal spiders.

"Children! Can I help?? I could teach them balance... And art! And yog... Nevermind. I've seen their attention spa... Oh and singing!"

"Children! Can I help?? I could teach them balance... And art! And yog... Nevermind. I've seen their attention spa... Oh and singing!"

Oskar shrugs. "They let me help out, they'll prolly say yes to ya."

Sense Motive: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (14) - 1 = 13

"Sure, I'll take the hint. I can lug some rocks along every time I go down there. And I'm not afraid of quirky languages. You know we invented elven grammar mostly to annoy the dwarves? They've been trying to pin down the rules for a thousand years now, it drives them hopping mad."

"Sure, I'll take the hint. I can lug some rocks along every time I go down there."

"Yeah, and I will too. Just as soon as, y'know, I stop not wantin' to."

"Sure, I'll take the hint. I can lug some rocks along every time I go down there. And I'm not afraid of quirky languages. You know we invented elven grammar mostly to annoy the dwarves? They've been trying to pin down the rules for a thousand years now, it drives them hopping mad."

"Were they permanently grumpy before you did that to them? "

"The face fungus probably has something to do with that, too."

Vorvashali and Brodert definitely keep Justin from throwing rocks in the now empty well.
They continue to study it a few hours a day, trying to find away to destroy it.

When you ask Vorvashali about comprehend languages, he turns red and stammers for a moment that he is not *that* kind of magician, before rushing off, clearly embarrassed. You dont see him untill the next day.
Ilosari explains that Vorvashali's magic comes from the blood. Hence the copper skin. The red curls are just a coincidence. Vorvashali got a lot of flack from his family in the past, for being a sorcerer, not a wizard. For Ilosari it doesnt matter, 'Vorv', is his friend, but Vorvashali can still be emberrased at times about his magic.
The next day, Vorvashali gives Justin a scroll of comprehend languages, saying its a gift for helping them all out.

Mapping the catacombs let you calculate where the stairs upwards would have once emerged. They end in an alley in the cluster of buildings between Tower Street and Junker’s Way. Narrow fissures remain in the stone, helping to keep (relatively) fresh air in the catacombs.
Looking at the fissures from up top, they seems just harmless cracks in the bedrock.

Vitro would not have guessed there is a thing as too much curiosity, but the Sandpoint kids know how to overdo it. Ilosari is happy that there with more teachers, there is some time for academic persuits, but out of the earshot of the kids he cautions Vitro that most of these kids wont leave sandpoint, unless they suddenly develop a talent for the divine or the arcane. Learning how to read, do math, and know some history is sadly more then most of them will ever need. And there is not enough time to teach more to those few real bright kids. Most of the kids either already have a job they need to get to in the afternoon, or go back home to watch their siblings so their parents can both work. Its the reality of living in a town like sandpoint.

Ilosari is happy that Oskar can spare some time away from Nisk to help teach the kids. Sandpoint is still a frontier town, and while things like the recent Goblin attack are increadably rare, its good to know some defence.
He does caution not to get the kids too tired, as most of them have a job to get to after school. Also. No fireworks. Potions that turn your hair purple for an hour or so are fine.
When most of the kids are gone for today, Ilosari opens up the basement. Its quite large, and divided in sevral rooms. You dont go further then the first room however. It contains several old training dummies wearing bits and pieces of leftover armor, a few stuffed animals, spare furniture of the academy and a small brewing setup.
There are several barrels and tubs and a modestly sized brew kettle. Everything is cool at the moment. Ilosari explains that he's trying his hand at cool fermentation to make his own lager. So far its coming up a bit on the bitter side, but he doesnt mind. And it hasnt gotten him blind so far...

Dayo volunteering too is welcomed with open arms. Kids of several ages with differing levels of aptitude, competence and experience means there is always help needed with writing and reading lessons.
Being a *strange* man is not a downside in this, as the kids seem to love their strange teachers. Especially with braids you can put more ribbons in.

"This is very pleasant! Justin rations the ribbons he gives me," which Dayo says in the most bitter tone you've ever heard from him, yet.

"Oh! I never thought about braiding ribbons into my top knot. I could switch them out every few days to match my sword!"

Fine, we get attacked by a sinspawn army I'm covering you in tartar sauce and letting you deal with it...how any of you are alive.... he'll take his comprehend languages bribe and leave over though.

Craft stonework on the manhole cover: 1d20 + 1 + 4 + 3 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 1 + 4 + 3 + 5 = 21

"Not his fault for being a sorcerer I suppose. It just seems a little unfair some of us have to work so hard and others just get it handed to them by the world. It's a strange place. "

Ilosari looks at Justin, an odd look on his face. "Yeah. But you can build on the work of others to learn new things." He points at the scroll. "I've seen Vorv do some serious... things... to improve his magics."

Dayo's silken hair is much envy of the girls, who are also greatly enamored with his scales. When they learn he's already married, they all seem a bit sad, but quickly come with more questions about dragons and marriage and liking someone and taking care of your hair and ribbons and...

"Marriage?"

"Marriage?"

"It's where you merge your life with another person to raise children and co mingingle your funds. I thought you said you had children? "

"I most likely do. I was paired with a mate on two different occasions. But children are raised by the entire community. We love every one as though they were our own! Only Mengkare, blessings be upon him, really knows who was birthed from who."

".. and i thought my warren was big on sharing... "

"I think it's refreshing to see not all humans are so obsessed with marriage. There's a whole world out there, why would you want to settle down so fast?" Apparently the realities of the Hermean situation have quite gone over Vitro's head.

"We don't all get 100 years to get to just wander into a compatable relationship "

"Exactly, so why do you make it so hard on yourself? Try hard and try often!"