Evil Eye hex, -2 on AC
Ghun and somehow Engwarth combine to slay the half-orc.
Search the area, search the half orc and then go back and search the giant. Avoid the bear traps.
Help with the search.
A thorough search of the remaining areas/corpses reveal:
Potion of CLW
Potion of pass w/o trace
Wand CLW 6 charges
leather armor
5 daggers
MW morningstar
Short sword
Belt of DEX +2
800 GP
Engwarth believes the giant creature to be a flood troll, a lesser variant of a regular troll that lives around rivers and ponds. No one can ever remember seeing the half-orc in Trunau before.
If we are done clearing the structure/area head back to town to sell loot and recover.
Done. Any other actions?
Buy some stuff at the market. Ghûn needs a bow. Maybe some other items. 3rd level and just getting a bow!
Orett will pick up some more shurikens.
I'll pick up some flint&steel.
Update Katrezra and Kurst on the investigation. Tell them of the half-orc and giant. Show them the recovered hope knife.
Kurst receives the news with sober happiness-I knew he would not have taken his own life. His knife is all the proof I need to believe he was murdered; but why and why in town of all places. Do you folks have any thoughts?
“Rodrik was investigating some type of plot or threat and believed he would find answers at the Plague House. We killed a half-orc and flood troll there and released a captured young man claiming to be from a nearby pig farm. The fact that they were at the Plague House as well as Rodrik’s murder prove something is afoot, but exactly what is still murky. I think we should all remain wary and view anything out of the ordinary with suspicion.”
Kurst tries to soak in all the information you provide-This will take some time to process. I thank you for helping bring clarity and closure to our family's grief; at least as much as anyone could. We would be honored if you would join us this afternoon for Rodrik's funeral. It will be at the Flame of the Fallen just before sunset.
“We’ll be there.”
"We would be honored to attend."
The party makes their way to the Flame of the Fallen a little before sunset. In addition to Kurst and his father Jagrin, assembled are Brinya, Omast, and Katrezra.
The High Priestess Tyari Varvatos officiates the ceremony. After consecrating thte Flame with sacred herbs, Tyari performs a traditional requenching of the deceased's hopeknife using the hero's true blade. Heating the hopeknife in the alchemically infused flames causes the blade to turn pure black. As the ritual ends, Tyari hands the dagger to a tear drenched Brinya.
The elder father Jagrin Grath releases a long breath and then speaks-I thank you all for helping to clear suicide from my son's name. I honor you for that gift, something that I may never be able to repay. He walks away, overcome with emotion.
Kurst approaches the party-I can't help but think that Rodrik was not just murdered, but assassinated. I found this note in a secret drawer in the Ramblehouse where Cham's mystery guest was staying. Between it, Rodrik's journal, and what you found in the Plague House, I'm wondering if these half-orc infiltrators have not been scouting out Trunau in advance of an attack. What do you think?
Melira,
I shouldn’t be away for much longer. We still haven’t found what we’re looking for, but it’s only a matter of time, and the other preparations are proceeding as planned. A meddling militia patrol captain has been poking around, but I don’t foresee him being a threat for much longer. Once our work is done, it won’t matter anyway, and I can return to you. I marvel that I found you in the midst of all this, and think of you constantly. Soon, my beloved.
"An attack on Trunau is as good a theory as any Kurst. Does the name Melira mean anything to anyone?"
Kurst-It doesn't sound like a Trunau name. Maybe someone was writing the note to send to a lover out of town? I'll come see you tomorrow. Maybe something will come to you during the night. Even if it doesn't you can help me check the town's defenses just in case an attack is coming. Trunau is a tough nut to crack if we know trouble is coming.
As the sun sinks below the horizon, the peaceful evening is shattered by the brazen calls of signal horns. Shouts and screams from the town’s lower quarter join the clamor, followed by a crash as an airborne boulder smashes into one of the guard towers. Trunau is under attack!
Kurst exclaims-Desna's teats; looks like I spoke too soon! Of course they would attack as night falls. Their eyes can see perfectly fine while most of ours can not. I need you to light the beacons. There is one at the Commons, one at the inner gates, and the Hopespring beacon.
If we are to have a chance in this fight the beacons must be lit to dispel the dark and give our people hope.
“We’re on our way Kurst!”
Head to whichever beacon is closest.
Cast Mage Armor on Orett and myself.
The closest beacon is at the Commons. It's also the most important beacon in upper Trunau, besides the Flame of the Fallen, because it is visible from nearly all sides.
You arrive and find that a large mob has formed around a familiar face-Brinya Kelver. An enraged man screaming racial epithets appears to be leading mass of people. Man-It's her kind that have brought war to our walls. They skulk about in times of peace, waiting for the day that their orc masters come to sell us into slavery. We need to deal with the filth within if we are to have a chance to fight off the bastards outside!
If the party does not intervene, things will end...badly... for Birnya.
“Good people of Trunau, you know me and you know Brinya is not our enemy. We are wasting time here we need to light the beacons and be ready for the threat from outside the walls. Prepare yourselves!”
The party is startled to see Engwarth's words shame the ringleader of the mob, who skulks off into the darkness. Without the loudmouthed fire brand to lead them, the masses realize Engwarth is entirely correct and quickly disperse back to their homes to prepare for the worst.
Brinya looks greatfully at the party and hands Engwarth Rodrik's consecrated hopeknife-Thank you Eng. Your words certainly saved me from a beating at best. Take Rod's knife; when the time is right, his spirit will help protect those who laid his sould to rest. She makes off towards her house.
With the mob dispersed the party easily lights the Commons beacon and heads towards the inner gates and the beacon that lies beyond them.
The guards at the inner gates raise the portcullis at your request and allow you to enter the inner quarter, shutting it after you. Conditions on the other side of the gate contrast starkly with those in upper Trunau. In the short time since the start of the raid, orcs have already wrecked much of the inner quarter, utterly destroying the wood pile readied for the beacon, setting fire to multiple buildings, toppling fortifications, and based on the bodies laying about, slaying quite a few townsfolk.
As you survey the destruction and get your bearings, Kurst appears leading a squad of stalwart Trunauan militia members. Kurst-Looks like the orc bastards have already done for the Beacon here. I need you to move forward and secure as much of the inner quarter as you can. Make your way to the final unlit beacon near the Hopespring. If you don't restore some sort of order here, the inner quarter may fall to the raiders before all is said and done. I'm going to take this squad and sortie against whatever that thing is that's throwing bobulders at the town. See if I can't lure it closer to our walls so archers have a shot at it. Strength with you!
Ghûn gestures towards Orett. "You ready? We lead the way."
Move forward towards the final beacon.
"Ready!"
"Let's go!"
The party advances to a makeshift barricade that has been hastily constructed before the inner quarter’s southern gate. The barricade is already covered in the spilled blood of raiders and innocents alike, and several victims of the bloody fight are strewn about the ground north of
the barricade.
The 3' high and 5' wide barricade is manned by a handful of militia members that stand guard over a group of acolytes from Sanctuary and the Countinghouse, who busily tend to injured soliders and townsfolk of the inner quarter alike. The senior acolyte watches you move up to the barrier-If you find any injured Trunauans bring them back here for attention. Once we triage them, guards garrisoned in the gate towers will escort any wounded who are fit back to the Longhouse in uptown. Good luck friends!
+1 dagger; Once per day on command, the wielder can grant the weapon the ghost touch weapon special ability for 1 minute. During this time, 'Brinya’s Love sheds light equivalent to a daylight spell and the wielder gains a +3 sacred bonus to his CMD against disarm and sunder attempts directed at the hopeknife.
Note on light conditions-Unless the PCs have darkvision or other means to see in darkness, the creatures they face in areas of dim light have concealment (20% miss chance).
You make your way to the first structure-Long flames lick the walls of this sizeable house, and burning beams crumble to the ground beneath the weight of the sagging roof. Though the front entrance remains accessible for now, the conflagration rages beyond control, threatening the lives of any residents that might be trapped inside.
You can hear a female voice within screaming-Help! Help please! She's trapped beneath a beam and the fire is getting closer!
Rush in and help
Cast Message on us all so we can communicate easily.
Ghûn will enter and try to help as well.
Engwarth will enter but stay by the entrance.
I will keep an eye on the outside, stand by the door.
Those entering the blazing abode find Agrit Staginsdar desperately trying to free Sara Morninghawk, who is trapped beneath a fallen beam. She appears to be badly crushed, with a steady flow of blood oozing from her mouth, and is clearly dying as the flames lick closer and the blazing heat batters her body.
Sara must be stabilized to prevent her from dying and it will take at least one PC to help Agrit hold the beam while another pulls Sara out from underneath. Getting Sara out from under the beam and away from the fire takes 2 full rounds and PCs will take some heat/fire damage as they do so.
To make matters worse, Daardra informs the party that a group of orc raiders (3 orcs) is arriving at the scene looking to further the mayhem.
Party action.
Daardra will cast Web on the raiders, hopefully snaring all three. dc 17 ref save.
Orett will help hold the beam.
Ghûn will pull Sara out from under the beam while Orett and Agrit hold it.
Engwarth will summon a celestial eagle to attack the orcs. It will use smite evil on first orc it attacks giving it +1 damage if it ever hits.
Round 1 outside
One of the orcs nimbly scoots away from the mass of sticky webs that ensnares the other two. One of the caught orcs appears to see Daardra and barks something at the one that is free. The un-snared orc breaks into a charge towards Daardra, avoiding the swooping attack of Engwarth's eagle, while the other two struggle to extricate themselves.
Round 1 inside
Ghun and Orett fight their way through smoke and flame to help free Sara from her pinned position as her lifeblood continues to ooze out.
"Ungghhh! Eng! She needs to be stabilized!! Now!!!"
"Go Eng. I got this."
I hope I got this.
Slumber hex on the free one, dc 17 Will or sleep for 3 rounds.
Get within 30' of Sara, Agrit, Orett, and Ghûn and channel energy.
If slumber hex doesn't work on the attacking orc:
Pull Sara free.