With the gibbering mouther vanquished, the party is able to closely inspect the colossal set of bones. Achmed can confirm that the bone structure on the head is that of a black dragon — judging by its size, one that had reached the great wyrm stage of life before it was felled. The skull contains a sizable hole in it where some violent weapon made an impact.
To the immediate south of the dragon's remains is a stone door set into the side of the mound. It bears a single, rough keyhole, but no other markings.
Endar sets to work trying to open it, but even taking his time he cannot seem to open the incredibly complex lock. Valgrim and Mordenaar both determine that the door has not been used in many, many years; indeed, your bootprints seem the only traffic that has passed this way in a long time.
Valgrim touches Endar and heals him with divine faith...
and then again
The party spends some down time in Belhaim for the next couple of days running up to the auction. Mordenaar's CON damage heals naturally and he is feeling more himself.
You note that there's a bit of a buzz as you move about town — your work at the kobold caves and in cleaning out the manor has gained you a bit of localized celebrity. Children stare at you before being dragged away by their parents, while Talia at the Wise Piper has offered accommodations without charge on an extended basis provided, of course, we can put up this plaque here— she holds a painted sign proclaiming the kobold-slayers of Belhaim in residence at the Wise Piper Inn —and you're amenable to a few, er, events as guests of honor.
The day of the auction arrives, scheduled to take place in the afternoon on Oathday at the open-air amphitheater known as the Belhaim Commons. Despite the large number of invitations sent out by the baroness, only a handful of prospective buyers 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. Several parties represent wealthy, out-of-town interests: 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 each are are given a place of honor with front-row seats. Serious bidders, including locals such as the Adras family, Sir Pelle Benhovy, the Belhaim historian Bassy, and the rough-and-tumble tavern owner Swerlo Grayhands, are seated within the first two tiers closest to the stage. Spectators fill whatever other seats are available. The baroness herself is also present and seated next to her son Arnholde, scowling as usual.
|
Mordenaar seeks out his compatriots, "Friends, I noticed a visibly-flustered Clausyre arguing with Chosk Grellen, the auctioneer, just a minute ago. The man in the felt hat insisted that the baroness hasn't put all of Hunclay's estate up for auction, and repeatedly demanded to speak to her personally about the items he claimed are missing. It took a couple of minutes, but in the end Chosk managed to calm Clausyre down enough, by promising him a meeting with the baroness after the auction."
The slayer's tone turns conspiratorial, "I think he was expecting something. I wonder what it was. Worth asking?"
|
"I think you'll find that these items are of more martial character than youthful, if Achmed is to be believed," Kinn replies to Bassy. "I'll make a deal with you, learned friend: leave the lot to me, and I'll give you one of the potions to look after for free."
Kinn nods his interest to Mordenaar. "That is curious indeed. Let us speak with him."
Bassy grins broadly. So you spend your coin and I get sometime new to study? Sounds like a plan to me!
When the potions lot goes up, the opening bid is 660 gp, and Bassy looks at Kinn with a slight smile. There are no other bidders, so Kinn wins the lot for 660 gp!
As the auction proceeds, the party notices Clausyre bidding on each lot containing books as they come up, but gets outbid each time on them. He becomes more and more agitated as he loses a bid.
As auctioneer Chosk announces the final items lot (before bids are taken on the manor home and land itself) is on the table, Clausyre stands up dramatically and loudly announces, Very well! I must deliver this bad news to my employer immediately, particularly since it is apparent that Lady Devy and your town have not made the entirety of Master Hunclay's possessions available to buy!
Clausyre then storms out of the amphitheater, leaving an awkward silence in his wake. After a pause, Bassy says, I suspect he didn't mean that last bit. Laughter erupts from the crowd, breaking the tension.
As it's nearing dusk, Chosk steps offstage for several minutes while lanterns are lit throughout the amphitheater. Eventually the estate comes up for bid with an opening bid of 2500 gp.
As the party debates Clausyre's departure and what he hoped to see at the auction, only Mordenaar notices the four bat-like humanoids who descend from the sky, attacking the townsfolk! One (Black) has grabbed a townsperson as part of its move ! The crowd panics and runs for the exits, screaming
Surprise round
Round 1
Endar
baddies
Mordenaar
Valgrim
Kinn
Achmed
"BLAST!" Mordenaar eyes the movement pattern and anatomy of the demon before him, studying his enemy.
Round 1
Endar
baddies
Mordenaar
Valgrim
Kinn
Achmed
Valgrim yells out a warning to the others...
I believe these creatures are monstrous humanoids called grioths, which typically inhabit rogue planets that have been cast away from the stars. They often travel via portals to other worlds via that are undergoing eclipses to pillage resources that are rare on their frozen home-worlds. They are very very resistant or immune to cold. Try fire!"
Endar jumps on top of the nearby piano and Compy enlarges.
Endar catches his foot as he tries to spryly leap atop the piano, as he misjudged the precariousness of the open top. His resultant off-balance attack does not strike the grioth!
Black does not, in fact, unhand that man, and instead guts him like a fish with an oddly-shaped crystalline kukri!
Blue flies down into the front row, grabbing a hapless woman and making her a headless one!
Green soars in to attack Endar (provokes)!
Red looks at Compy with its weird, sinister eyes! Compy needs to make a DC 12 Will save!
Valgrim nocks an arrow and sends it at the black grioths...
...
And then he moves out of the rows of seats...
[dice=Compy's confusion]1d100[/dice]
Compy babbles incoherently this round.
Endar's attack of opportunity slams into Green, while Mordenaar finishes the job with Dexter!
Kinn and Valgrim put down Black with similar alacrity!
Achmed's magic missiles slam into Red unerringly!
"Compy! Snap out of it, ya scaly moron!"
Endar attempts to leap to the stage from the piano.
And is just as clumsy as before. He then circles around behind the creature on stage, and yells at Compy to flank.
... but Compy bites himself instead.
Red five-foots up to full attack Endar!
And Blue charges Kinn!
Kinn feels a surge of violent psychic energy surge through the blade into him!
Valgrim takes a step to his left and sends an arrow at the last foe..
...
Working in tandem, the party finishes off the last two grioths.
As you collect themselves, the local priests of Abadar return to the amphitheater, tending to injured townsfolk and healing any wounds the party has received, while thanking you profusely. You spend a moment prodding the dead grioths to note that they are all quite dead.
Not more than two minutes pass when a bystander yells out, pointing.
Looking in that direction, you see a ferocious red-and-yellow scaled creature with two legs. It flies in and perches atop a storage building at the side of the amphitheater, screeching at the party!
Round 1
Mordenaar
Endar
baddie
Valgrim
Achmed
Kinn
Mordenaar studies and moves!
Endar double-moves over toward the dragon, readying to fight it, and Compy then leaps off his back and sizes up for battle.