Of Kings and Commoners - Kingmaker AP

Game Master RPGGGM

"Bah! I'll find her myself." the wizard says in a rage disappearing in a flash of black light.

"Well I for one am glad to see that braggart gone."

"We should go back upstairs as a group to gather Mother Voorst, Kozen, and Zokon. I recommend we get everyone in one place to rest, with no enore exploring."

I think that is it for people we have found?

Well, there's Jewel too.

The party goes back upstairs trying to ignore the skeletal monster staring down at them from the third floor. There they are greeted by Lady Stroon's growling little dog. "Grrr. Yap! Yap! Yap!"

In all, the NPCs currently present include: Mother Vorst (of the Church of Pharasma), Kozen (merchant representative, wizard{?}), Alak Dool (wizard, land investor), Sandralane (Cleric of Sarenrae, land investor), Longtooth (folk hero, land investor), Lord Varn (Swordlord and fellow domain explorer/ruler), Matheus (one of Varn's men), Samuel Renault (Nobleman squatting on your lands), and of course Jewel (Lady Stroon's pet dog). And there's Zokon of course, still in a stupor.
The annoying imp follows along upstairs only if there seems to be hope of someone taking his survey.
You have it on good authority that: Balthur Mistbreather (merchant ambassador of Glimmerhold), Allisa Patrician (plain's warrior, land investor), and Ser Richard Iannuchi (your Swordlord host) are all deceased, and several important guests are still missing (the heads of the various other local religions, the Lord Mayor of Restov, other investors, etc...).

Where would you like to fall back to or was this hallway it?

"I'm starting to think we *do* think alike Dool." Brr. Not quite sure how she felt about that development. This was extraordinary circumstances though! Speaking of ... "What did happen to you? It's been quite some while since the strange spell scattered us all." Maybe there were some clues that could help them piece things together. Or just because she was curious.

I think this place was it yeah. Keep our rescues all in one place. See if we can justify to our consciousness to get some rest in. Or perhaps tap into the NPC powers and let them do the job ...

"We just appeared inside the vault and quickly realized there was very little breathable air inside. And you?"

"Before we do that perhaps we should figure out if we want to stay in a house with a grinning ghoul the next floor up."

"Has anyone seen the Ser Richard, Lord Mayor Sellenius, or Lord Orlovsky?"

"The grinning ghoul is an illusion. I will not be driven out of this place and into the next ambush by a mere phantasm.
Ser Richard, I believe, is long since dead. Fergus and I slew an undead being that wore his corpse. A mummy or a zombie, perhaps.

I am nearly out of spells and healing ability, but there is no doubt that the other worthies here can contribute."

Don't really like pressing on, but Sandralane should be near full spells and channels, and Maegar is probably a capable fighter.

Don't really like pressing on, but Sandralane should be near full spells and channels, and Maegar is probably a capable fighter.

True on both counts. On the other side of things, while Longtooth doesn't have spells he's used a fair amount of his expendables. Matheus has lost his primary weapon. Mother Vorst, Kozen and Dool have spent most of their useful spells (Kozen and Vorst in particular--Dool is being cagey about his reserves--like he doesn't trust the rest of the group. Meanwhile Kozen again takes the opportunity to mention the 'grand merchant consortium' he belongs too), and it looks like someone might need to take the dog outside.

{Pace, pace, pace, whine. Pace, pace, pace, whine. Pace, pace, pace, whine....}

Durgan would like to rescue the Archbanker, but OOC, this day has gone on for a year IRL with a ton of really challenging battles.

So I will defer to whatever the rest of the party wants.

"I really think that we need a rest," Serena says, nearly at the point of exhaustion herself.

Illthir grimaces. Thinking about the day wasn't exactly roses, but she had asked. "Stable's on fire and a darned hedge maze. But at least we had air. And... Did that darn wizard not bring his precious sisters pooch?" So she *could* think less of him. Blerp.

"Also, he decided not to vanish in a puff of smoke previously and preferred to pass out due to no breathable air instead." Alia responds to Illthir, then turns to Dool: "Why would he DO that. You think he is somehow involved? I mean, he is a braggart, but not a retard, to remain in a potentially lethal environment when he has means to leave and look for his sister..."

Afterwards, she turns to Durgan and Serena:"We faced quite a few dangers, and most of us are spent...if her is insistence to move forward, let those who feel up to it take point, but I have little left to contribute save a few arrows from Zokons bow. As I said before, by now, sufficient time has passed that people are either dead, or safely in hiding, awaiting rescue - or for this nightmare to pass. Taking a few hours to rest before resuming our search seems the wiser option, but we should definitely not split up again...", she points towards where Stroon vanished.

As the poodles yapping becomes increasingly desperate, Alia sighs. She looks for a potted plant nearby to sit the poodle in, otherwise using Prestidigitation to generate a crude replica of a tree trunk in a corner of the room they fought the guardian golem in. She clearly had no intent to let the poodle lead them back outside when it failed to do it's business in the hedge maze, earlier.

Rest it is and by the sounds of it in your rooms on the second floor. With that in mind...

Watches are drawn up by Lord Varn and Matheus and the night passes under a cloud of dread.

10 hours pass allowing everyone to get 8 hours of rest even if they stood guard in dark watches of the night. I'll assume your standard rotation with NPCs accompanying any lone/reduced watchers. 1st watch = Fergus, Sandralane, Matheus; 2nd watch = Serena, Renault, Longtooth; 3rd watch = Alia, Illthir, Kozen; 4th watch = Fergus, Lord Varn, Mother Vorst.

I just tossed people into rooms at semi random. people will have to double up in beds, or sleep in chairs or on the floor.

About 3 hours in, Serena and Longtooth hear a loud thump on the floor from the far hallway were Baron Drelev's people were being billetted.

"We should go have a look." Longtooth says to Serena before turning to Lord Renault and saying "You stay here Sammy and wake the others if there's any trouble."

For his part Samuel Renault does not balk at the over-familiarity.

Serena stands and follows Longtooth into the hall.

"Follow me." says Longtooth pulling his glowing sword out of his sheath just enough to light the way a bit.

More after work tonight.

He heads slowly stealthily off to the other hall. He gets to the corner and looks down the hallway before turning back and waving Serena forward.

"A backdoor?" Serena whispers.

"Maybe. But we're on the second floor and I don't remember seeing anything on outside while taking the tour. Plus, look at it. It looks more like the sort of door you would see in a dungeon rather than in a manor."

Longtooth stealthily approaches the errant door.

Serena, painfully aware that she is far from stealthy in her armor, creeps forward as quietly as possible.

I am assuming that she would have donned her armor for guard duty.

Stealth: 1d20 - 8 ⇒ (16) - 8 = 8

Perception: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (5) + 12 = 17

Longtooth approached the door when it suddenly opens, and behind it is no portal or room just a hulking figure some seven-feet tall and armed with a hooked halberd. The figure is swaddled in rags like a mummy with patched of hair sticking out. It is also covered in a long, hooded cloak making identification hard.

"Who goes there?" it practically growls, in a low dangerous tone.

"Um. Longtooth." says Longtooth looking over to Serena and shrugging. He looks back at the cloaked giant holding the door now like a tower shield. "Nice trick. An illusion?"

"Serena," she replies to the door's query, giving Longtooth a nervous glance.

The door busts open behind Serena, but Longtooth seemingly prepared brings his sword up to the throat of the nearest of the two would-be ambushers.

"You're Drelev's man, Terrion, aren't you? And the other is one of Varn's bodyguards."

"Aye." says a nervous Terrion. "We retreated here to tend our wounds before heading off again to find our lords."

"And who's this one with the door?" Longtooth asks nodding to the monstrous figure standing opposite.

The two men indicate they haven't seen the hulk before.

Then the brute says in a low growl "I am one of Lord Dool's Door Guard."

Serena spins on her heel, drawing her scimitar in one smooth motion.

After a long night of in-depth debate and planning the party gathers the next morning prepared to face new day's challenges.

The night's passing was far calmer then it had any right to be. But Illthir was kinda glad it lacked symmetry. Waking well rested, yesterday already seemed a little less terrible. At least until her mind started racing again. There were so many more missing! And what shape would they find them in - if at all? And how much had the passing time changed things? They couldn't have done much more yesterday, but maybe just a *little* thing could have been the difference. Or their doom. Bleh. "Delightful morning." she grumps, no longer agreeing with her words. "...sigh. Let's grab some food and see if we can't finish this puzzle of horror."

Durgan prays to Abadar for the power to kill any living (or unliving) thing that dares cross the party.

And for the power to counter as many kinds of threats as possible.

1 (4+1): Liberating Command, Divine Favor, Protection from Evil, Air Bubble, Shield (D)
2 (3+1): Instant Weapon, Resist Energy, Lesser Restoration, Barkskin (D)
3 (2+1): Deadly Juggernaut, Invisibility Purge, Fly (D)

"I do not have access to magic that could unravel the mystery of who is behind this. But I can hopefully be of some use if we have to fight again.

What do you suggest, Illthir? I will follow."

"Maybe we should first take a look and see if that Ghoul is still there. Illusion it may be, but if something sustains it's magic, still, then a source must be close by. Plus we don't know what else is up there, and we're already here...finishing combing the building - for survivors or clues - before we search elsewhere would seem opportune.", Alia responds, after having spend most of her morning checking on Zokon, and noting that his status was unchanged.
As such, she keeps his bow, for the time being, and also prepares her spells for the day.
I'll try and update them in the profile within 48 hours, don't really have time to think right now.
Also, I didn't catch it but was there any healing left before we went to rest? As in, did anybody have CLW's or channels left? Otherwise I'd love some healing now...

"Yeah. Let's deal with that *thing* first." Illthir agrees that the illusion needs to go. Either it should be easy - because it's an illusion - or it is not. And then it's probably important.

"I did not regard a mere figment as important enough to bother preparing Dispel Magic. Perhaps one of the mages with us can attend to that."

Durgan is on edge, and his Clr3 spell choices for today were shaped by paranoia. Deadly Juggernaut in case he has to fight an unending horde of foes, and Invisibility Purge in case there are sneaky assassins about. His Dispel Magic isn't reliable enough, anyway.

He will use his Wand of CLW to heal Alia.
How far are you down after resting? Feel free to roll. Wand has 30 charges left.

"I did not regard a mere figment as important enough to bother preparing Dispel Magic. Perhaps one of the mages with us can attend to that."

Durgan is on edge, and his Clr3 spell choices for today were shaped by paranoia. Deadly Juggernaut in case he has to fight an unending horde of foes, and Invisibility Purge in case there are sneaky assassins about. His Dispel Magic isn't reliable enough, anyway.

He will use his Wand of CLW to heal Alia.
How far are you down after resting? Feel free to roll. Wand has 30 charges left.

You can, if you like, assume that Mother Vorst and Sandralane can heal the overall group to full after the rest period. Both are a bit more focused on healing.

"And I would not suggest dispelling it - but as it were, even such glamours usually have a duration limited by either the focus of the caster, or time. If it remains, it may be of the rare persistant variants, and there would be a reason for such - such as to scare away people coming here later - which makes what it 'guards' all the more interesting to me - but lets first take a look if it's even there at all..."
She prepares her spells as well, expecting more combat to happen before the day is over.

I'm down at 20 currently(after the nights healing) - it seems 2 charges top me off - if Durgan does not mind I'd still take them from the Wand, so that Vorst and Sandra are still fully available if needed later(as they are more "dynamically" available if sudden in-combat healing is a necessity, over a wand)
CLW: 2d8 + 2 ⇒ (6, 8) + 2 = 16

"Maybe we should first take a look and see if that Ghoul is still there. Illusion it may be, but if something sustains it's magic, still, then a source must be close by. Plus we don't know what else is up there, and we're already here...finishing combing the building - for survivors or clues - before we search elsewhere would seem opportune."

"It's still there. I've been keeping an eye off and on on it"

"That's not great. Err... Hmm. We could try throwing a sheet over it?" Just in case.

"I say we look for any other survivors and flee this cursed place. As I said last night, I do not know what has happened to Lord Mayor Sellenius, nor Lord Orlovsky. Nor Archbanker Barasav, Max, Ser Daye, Rutgar Dag, Shepherd Keegh, nor Baron Drelev. Those are the ones I believe to be unaccounted for. I would most hope to find the Archbanker and Ser Daye both alive, but I know the odds are slim."

"We did find this other group before. Out cold, but alive. That said, I am not sure if fleeing will work in our favor. I understand the notion, but resolving this situation may vastly strenghten our political position - where leaving it unresolved may lead to all of this being considered a failed experiment and support may be withdrawn - which may be exactly what whoever orchestrated this may have planned. I do think there could be other options for our future, but i'm not sure you'd prefer them."

I do know you did suggest to look for survivors, not run immediately. What I mean is that at that point we may as well go for the "clean-up" and score extra points with any leaders or potential backers.

That said, if everybody from Brevoy dies and they call it quits, we can still try and get Kyonin to back our Expedition :D I'll put in a good word for you, promise!

I think taking a peek for more survivors seems good. After we give this illusion a good poke!

Anyone seen if Stroon returned?

"Have we searched all of this floor for survivors? I know we checked all of the ones in this hallway. Terrion, did you check all of the rooms in the other?
If not, let's finish the job.
But if so, let's go up to the third floor."

"Third floor then. Carefully. And ready to throw a sheet over that darn skull." Illthir agrees. It seemed unlikely the host of the house would object to some minor vandalism at this point, so she borrows some curtains for the deed.

"Have we searched all of this floor for survivors? I know we checked all of the ones in this hallway. Terrion, did you check all of the rooms in the other?

If not, let's finish the job.
But if so, let's go up to the third floor."

"Well, we had thought that we were alone...." Terrion says his eyes slowly glancing at the door that is not a door but rather a seven-foot tall shadowy figure standing behind a door attached to his arm like a tower shield.

"Do not fear. I surmise by the door's exterior that this Kurget, one of my guards. If you find any other odd doors about that will be the others."

Dool walks over to the door and raps upon the door in a very deliberate manner. For it's part the door seems to open for him though its bulk still obscures the view of the being beyond from the rest of the party. The two seem to be whispering to one another.

[Rolls eyes.]

"I judge we have enough strength present to take whatever it is that awaits us on the topmost floor. Many more and we would only be in each other's way, and present to great a target for sorcery." interjects the Swordlord. "For all we know the others might be being held directly above us."

"Third floor then. Carefully. And ready to throw a sheet over that darn skull." Illthir agrees. It seemed unlikely the host of the house would object to some minor vandalism at this point, so she borrows some curtains for the deed.

"If I can manage the angle I might be able to hit it from our landing with a dagger."

"Perhaps we should take stock and form some sort of plan of attack."

"The Reverend Mother is correct. We have been dancing to our host's music thus far. We need to change the tune."