now at...
-31 hp
G should be back at full and O is at -1.
Search the trolls and area.
The top of the tower is bare outside of 2 troll corpses and the gnawed bones of what you determine passed as 'snacks'. Fortunately for the party they tandem trolls appeared to be watching the northern approaches, and that none to diligently.
Try going down.
The stairwell descends two floors before a barricade of furniture and rocks blocks further progress to the oaken door beyond. Something is written in bright red letters on the door in 2 different languages.
“Hmmm, might be vengeful spirit inside, be ready.”
Ghûn begins to clear way to door.
After a few rounds of hard labor Ghun has cleared access to the door. After listening at the door and hearing nothing he opens it.
Faded white paint peels from the dust-coated walls of this grand, vaulted chamber. Several sturdy pews sit in perfect rows facing west, where a simple altar sits upon a marble dais. Opposite the altar, a statue of a stern woman clad in full plate armor, brandishing a longsword and shield, stands vigil against the eastern wall of the room.
area clearly represents the goddess Iomedae.
“That is a depiction of my blessed patron Iomedae! This chapel must be dedicated to her.”
Eng excitedly moves to the altar to say a brief prayer of thanks and then loooks about the room.
As Eng prays, the glowing ghostly form or a priest of Iomedae appears nearby. The look on the apparition's face is clearly one of joy-Welcome my son. It is good to see a fellow believer after all these years, even if he is accompanied by strange companions. I don't know your reasons for coming to this accursed place, but I beg your aid in righting an ancient wrong.
"What wrong would you have us right? I would be honored to serve any cause of Iomedae's."
Sadness washes over the apparition's face-During the siege that finally broke this fortress we ran low on food. The fort's castellan, Tamand Varias was determined to hold out against the sea of orcs besieging us and decided to keep his troops supplied through cannibalism. When Tamand consulted with me on his plans, asking for Iomedae's blessing, I told him in no uncertain terms that the goddess would not condone his actions and that we should surrender the Fort to the orcs in return for safe passage of the garrison and their families. In a rage, Tamand slew me and I became the first meal of 'found meat' that he fed the garrison. Tamand claimed that I had been hoarding food in the chapel and he then placed the garrison's families here in the chapel for 'protection', slowly murdering them and feeding them to his soldiers. Eventually the troops found out about Tamand's dammnable secret and the Fort fell.
To cleanse this place of Tamand's evil taint and allow my soul to rest his remains must be brought here and destroyed on the altar. Sadly, my spirit is bound here and I can't do it myself. Will you help me?
“Do you know where Tamand’s remains are located and how we can positively identify them?”
Unfortunately with my spirit bound here I am unable to find the exact location of Tamand's mortal essence but I can still feel their presences somewhere in the Fort. The Commander's uniform that he wore was fairly distinctive, but I'm not sure if it would have survived his death.
“The fort is now filled with orcs, trolls, giants and other foul beings, we seek to end the threat they represent to Trunau and other settlements. We will look for the remains as we try to fulfill our other duties, you have my word as a Paladin of Iomedae.”
I have felt their presence as well, and as of late I feel as if there is some antagonism between the orcs and giantkin. Given their evil and chaotic natures, they seem to me like dry grass awaiting a spark. The one that leads them, Grenseldek, was amassing a dowry to try and marry someone called the Storm Tyrant, but apparently there was a failed series of attacks recently by her forces and the chances of a wedding now appear slim. I have not much else of use, but look in the neck of our fair Lady's statue and you will find a compartment holding a glory medallion. It may help you with your efforts.
This miniature sword emblazoned with a sunburst functions as a holy symbol of Iomedae. If Iomedae is the bearer’s patron, when channeling
positive energy, the bearer can treat one die roll of a 1 as a 6 when
determining the amount of damage healed by living creatures or dealt to
undead creatures. In addition, once per day, the bearer can expend uses of his channel energy ability to dispel a darkness spell of lower than 9th level within a 30-foot-radius burst. One use of channel energy is consumed for every level of darkness spell dispelled this way. If the bearer doesn’t have enough uses of channel energy to match the level of the spell, the spell is not dispelled.
Eng will retrieve the item.
“Thank you sir, this should come in useful. Do you mind my asking your name?”
To group.
“Do we need to rest?”
My name is Fabian Blix, once resident priest of Red Fort and it's troops. You are welcome to rest in this place. I can assure you that the new inhabitants of the Fort know better than to enter my domain directly.
“Let us rest here then and regain our strength. I have some news for you Fabian, we are aquatinted with one of your descendants, you will be happy to hear she serves Iomedae as a Knight of Ozem, her name is Calrianne Blix.”
Rest the night.
You see a huge smile on Fabian's face as his spirit fades from sight.
Your rest is undisturbed.
Any other exits from the chapel?
If not back to the main level, where we would have to continue on the rampart?
“Daardra, any ideas on how to set the orcs and trolls against one another?”
Not with what I have memorized now. Maybe if I rested and learned a ventriloquism spell. Even that might be a longshot.
Daardra thinks for a bit.
[b]We could take the head of a troll, bloody Ghun up a bit. Have him stand up in a tower brandishing the head of the troll and yelling 'stupid trolls think they can boss us orcs around. Ha ha, here's what I think of your stupid orders!'
...or something like that.
There are double doors to the South, but they appear to be barricaded from the outside.
From our map do we know what is beyond the double doors? Do we think we could force them open or break them down?
Eng will keep the medallion since he can use it.
With the way the doors open it is impossible to open them from this side. Plus you know the noise of trying would alert everyone on the other side in the inner ward.
"Looks like we have to go back to the causeway or back into the sewer."
Does Eng have that right, are there any options he missed?
You have to go back to the causeway regardless. Either S back the way you came where you have additional options besides the sewer or E to an unexplored seciton.
Go back to where we came out of sewer and check options there.
Will need stealth rolls to cross the rampart
The party's luck continues to hold, and even the stumbly Eng makes it safely and stealthily across.
In addition to the door of the latrine, there are a set of double doors to the East that should lead into the main keep structure.
Listen at the double doors if nothing heard then open.
Not hearing anything, Ghun opens the door. Unfortunately, luck appears to have run out as somehow the usually reliable half-orc was unable to hear the conversation of the 2 hill giants in the room. They attack!
On Ghun:
On Orett:
-14
Cast Evil Eye Hex on Orett's giant, and Cackle TEE, HEE-HEE
-2 to hit for giant
Attack!
With a mighty smash, Ghun lays low a giant; Eng misses; Daardra hexes; Orett hits once.
Attack
Try a Slumber Hex on giant.
Attack!
The party is able to swarm the remaining giant with a series of massive blows from Ghun and Orett.
This large, open chamber has been thoroughly gutted. Where smaller rooms once divided this hall, only the remnants of former walls remain, leaving exposed joists jutting from the stone walls like branches.
A lowered drawbridge to the NE leads to a flight of stairs that descends into the inner ward. There are double doors on the S and on the SW.
Search the giants.
Any sign of response to giant calls for help?
Is there a mechanism to raise bridge?
Are doors on current level or down?
Check out S door next.
Ghûn would like to finger paint “Orc power!” In orcish on a giant forehead using giant blood.
Does Orett need any healing from the fight?
Help look around.
Orett is good on hp