Revival of the Runelords (Inactive)

Game Master Cellion

"One moment, Guiness," Rig says. He approaches the goblin on the floor. "Alright, creep. What's behind these doors? And how many more goblins are in this place?"
using my fiery glare, I'll take 10 to intimidate, +10 for skill, +4 for size =24

Rig will make sure to take the keys. most of this gear we can probably leave here til we're ready to go. Just grab the valuables

Before Flo gets into position, she does untie the collar form around the gecko's neck and adds it to her pack. A stick and goblin foot? Collars normally have names, but maybe this was more of a brand?

"What family history you both have!" she says to Kargas and Guiness. "My family has just been traveling for as long as anyone can remember. Mostly along the rivers of Varisia," she explains.

"We'll have to go through them all and it seems like the bulk of their force was right here, so it's all the same to me!" she admits.
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Agreed, we can lug the rest out later.

Some lizards can climb along walls and such, so I can see one being named “Stick-Foot”.

Agree with Guiness, geckos are climbers so I bet it was called "Stickyfoot" or something close.

Also, we should check out all the doors!

"Yeah, tell us!" Kargas looms over the goblin, backing up Rig.
Intimidate Aid: 1d20 + 10 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 10 + 4 = 25

Did anyone check to see if it had four peg-legs?

Kellek waits silently for the others to finish talking, glad no one is asking about his family.

The red goblin cowers at the incredibly menacing half-orc and ifrit. His attempts to wriggle free cease and he stammers "T-th-this way to armory, good mercing-ful longshanks! A-and this way..." The goblin points to the northern door. "-is w-way to Ripnugget room." He shakes his head at the question about goblin numbers, just saying "Not know, not know at all! Mercing-ful longshanks already kill most of f-friends. They probably ki-kill all gobs across bridge too..."

You notice that the door northward is solidly built and locked shut. The other doors leaving the room are fairly rough and rickety affairs.

"Well, that's what keys are for," Rig says as he walks over to unlock the northern door.

"Yup, definitely killed all the ones that were across the bridge. How many were over there anyway? I didn't even bother to count!" Kargas' tone is overly casual.

Bluff?: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 2 = 13

While Rig deals with the lock, Guiness maintains position, shield up and hammer out, ready for any unpleasant surprises waiting behind the door.

"Yup, definitely killed all the ones that were across the bridge. How many were over there anyway? I didn't even bother to count!" Kargas' tone is overly casual.

sense motive: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (7) + 6 = 13

"Not enough obviously."

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (13) + 5 = 18

Guiness smiles to himself at Kargas' words and Kellek's response, but keeps his mirth hidden from the goblin.

Rig uses Ripnugget's ring of keys and opens the way to the northern room. Inside, he sees a surprisingly grand (for a goblin) abode. Several rugs made from dog or horse hide lie strewn over the dirt floor of this room. Against the north wall stands an impressive collection of horseshoes, each nailed to the wall. To the east sits a ragged padded chair next to a rickety desk that may have once been an expensive antique. In the northwest corner sits a canopied bed covered with silk sheets and sporting an elaborately carved headboard that features nymphs and satyrs cavorting in a forest. The bed’s sheets are stained with dirt, while the headboard is bashed and battered.

Meanwhile, the red goblin squeaks at Kargas' question, then raises his fingers to begin counting. "Uh, I know! I know! One is the first." He starts with one hand "Then is coming two. Then four is after two. And eleven is best number. But it come later..." The goblin quickly loses track, though a bit of extra encouragement from Kargas has him yelping again. "Uh, is many many goblins that die. At least twenty! You big and scary and kill everyone!" He starts whimpering.

Guiness quickly scans the room for active threats, and, assuming he sees none, calls, "Looks clear to me. Who is good at searching for things?"

Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 25

...and apparently I am, at least with that roll...

Guiness takes the lead in searching the ex-chieftain's chambers and finds little in the way of treasure. Underneath the ratty-looking pillow on the bed he finds a silver holy symbol of a three-eyed jackal head - the eyes in the symbol appear to be tiny garnets. (Worth 40 gp total) Additionally, while checking over the chair, he finds a large iron key wedged in a gap underneath the seat. The handle of the key has been slightly melted and it looks rather beaten up, but it doesn't look like goblin craftsmanship.

Otherwise, the rest of the room yields nothing useful or valuable, just a collection of oddities - more horseshoes in a drawer, preserved dog's paws, and a large pile of glass shards that must've originated in Sandpoint's Glassworks.

"Well this looked like it might have been a nice place to stay, once upon a time," Flo remarks. "I can help you take a look around! Not much going on while they talk to that goblin." While she helps Guiness search the room, she makes a point to check under the bed for any lurking goblins. Wouldn't be the first time one of those deranged things thought to hideaway in the furniture.
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Perception (Aid Another) vs Guinness: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (9) + 11 = 20

”Hmm...Another key for your collection,” Guiness says as he pulls out the large iron key and hands it to Rig. To Floredana, he says ”Finding that key in the chair gives me an idea—I wonder if he hid anything in or near the ‘throne’ area in this main room...I can help you look if you like.”

Guiness Perception Aid Another: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8

If we don’t find anything, I suggest we set up on the east door to the armory next...

Guiness takes a quick look around the throne in Ripnugget's main chamber, but doesn't spot anything unusual. Certainly nothing like the other chair. While the rest of the party has a chance to look around as well, he proceeds to the eastern door.

The door easily swings open and the dwarf sees a room that contains a small armory of crudely made weapons (mostly dogslicers and shortbows) and several small goblin-sized suits of studded leather armor and dented shields. To the south stand a pair of workbenches. In total, 23 dogslicers, 11 shortbows, 80 arrows, 11 suits of studded leather, 6 light wooden shields, and two whips. All small, and all of poor quality (rather than normal).

Amidst all the typical crude goblin weaponry, Guiness also spots a lone dogslicer affixed to the wall with sinew cord. This weapon seems far better crafted than the rest (masterwork).

Guiness will bring out the masterwork dogslicer and put it with the other masterwork weapons looted from the goblin guards. Setting it down, he states flatly, "The rest of the items in there are not worth our time."

Looking around, he waits for the others to state their preference for the next location to search. Guiness stands near the door that the last 2 goblin guards came in while he waits, just in case.

"Let's take this door next," Flo suggests, pointing to the door Guiness is guarding. Seems like we flushed most of them out!

Shrugging, Guiness says,”Sounds good to me,” and heads into the door. There is a door in his left, so he will open that first unless it looks like one of those more well-made doors. Plan will be, at least for these remaining eastern sections, to open doors, clear for active threats, then help search each room (probably with Floredana as primary given her high Perception bonus).

”Oh, I almost forgot,” says Guiness, stopping and pulling out the decorative water-themed dagger from the entry room. Handing it to Floredana, he remarks, ”This looks like your style.”

"Oh! Thank you Guiness, I didn't give it much thought when it was found, but it does look quite beautiful," Flo admits, taking the dagger with a beautiful pearl handle inscribed with undulating ocean waves and placing it in a sheath on her belt. This is remarkably well made, maybe I'll even get it enchanted!
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I'll gladly chip in gold for it if anyone wants me to for any reason.

The door on the northern side of the hallway does prove to be a more solid affair, and when Guiness gives it a try he finds it locked. It doesn't take long for Rig to find which key on Ripnugget's keyring matches the door and you're able to get it opened up.

The moment you crack the door open even a hair, a foul-smelling scent of rotting meat assaults your nostrils. The room inside is a cross between butchery and larder, with a stomach turning goblin flair. Haunches of poorly smoked meat hang from hooks along the ceiling or lie heaped in and atop crates. In some cases, the meat seems to be dog or horse, but in many other cases, the meat has all-too-recognizable features.

Even Guiness’s strong stomach is turned by this butchery. He steps forward with the rest of the group to the southern door, resolved to exterminate those responsible for this latest atrocity.

Ranseur at the ready, Kargas stands behind Guiness to back him up. When the larder is opened the half-orc takes a small step back as the smell washes over him. His jaw tightening, he leans the spear against the doorway and grimly steps inside.

Looking about that hideous larder and trying to only breathe through his mouth, Kargas grabs a sack and begins to deliberately sort through the carnage for humanoid parts. Each time he comes across remains that might be from a different person than the one before, he murmurs a prayer in Orcish to beg the spirits' mercy for the departed.

When this grisly task is done Kargas steps outside and lays the sack gently on the ground. "Flor," he asks, his usual booming voice absent. "How do your people send off their dead?"

Guiness stays alert for any goblin activity, but maintains a respectful silence while Kargas shows honor to the dead. He will not chime in unless he sees Dwarven “parts” present...

Even at her position ten paces back, the wretched smell hits Flo like a ton of bricks. Please, no more, I can't bear entering another horror filled dungeon... While her initial fear is eased when it becomes clear that it is just the single room, it is quickly replaced with the revulsion that only rotting cannibalism can bring.

She remains rooted to the spot, anchored by her tumultuous thoughts, until Kargas snaps her out of her stupor. "W-we bury them after praying for their soul to have a safe transition to the Boneyard..." she practically whispers. After a long pause, she continues. "How many are there?"

"How could one live next to this smell?" When the human remains are found, Colvyn face goes from one of disgust to one of anger. "I knew those little creatures were evil, but this is a whole new level." Staying clear of that room, colvyn looks around. "Any other doors left to open?"

'Well, the floor of this place is dirt...'

Guiness pulls a strange-looking tool from his pack, pushes a few buttons, and it transforms into a serviceable shovel (Traveler's Anytool). Grimly, he speaks to Kargas and Floredana, "Where would you like me to dig?"

Is there much dirt here, enough for a grave? We're on a gigantic carved head right?

There's some hard-packed dirt atop the head, but it'd be a shallow grave.

Kargas begins the grisly task he's set for himself, but quickly finds that the majority of body parts are impossible to match against one another - there might be a dozen different murder victims here, or there might be a hundred - it defies a simple count. Similarly, Guiness can't be sure that any of the parts aren't from a dwarf, though none are obviously from one either.

And to keep you guys moving:
While most of the party busies itself with ensuring that the dead here are given a more respectful treatment, Colvyn pushes on to the southern door. After opening a rickety door made of sticks and mud, Colvyn finds a wide and empty room with a staircase leading up to one of the fort's lookout towers. The staircase leads up to a trap door in the ceiling 15ft above - a trap door that is currently open.

Upstairs, Colvyn finds a cozy lookout nook with some crude stools and a low table. On the table is a mismatched assortment of badly damaged playing cards - signs of a game in progress that had been hastily interrupted when the goblins here were summoned by their chieftain. The tower looks out to the east and south, though it has fairly poor visibility of the area directly next to the tower itself (ie. the area you guys smartly climbed up). (The upper floor of the tower doesn't have a dedicated map, but its just a small 10x10ft area.)

Well, there is a dirt floor here and bushes growing outside the palisade, so it should work somewhere...

Edit: I just saw Cellion's post...a shallow grave it is.

"Colvyn, did you find anything?" calls Guiness up the stairs.

Guiness is ready to check the next door when we are done with this room...

Okay, shallow grave may be the best we can do right now.

Brushing the dirt from his hand, Kargas lightly knocks his fist against Guiness's breastplate in solemn camaraderie and rejoins the others, taking up his ranseur again. "Let's finish checking these damned rooms then." he growls.

Kellek remains silent on the subject. He would have recommended cremation once they task was done. This just seems a distraction from the job at hand.

Having completed a lengthy prayer for the uncountable remains being put to a better rest, Flo solemnly falls back into position. The church has always said that killing doesn't stop killing, but did they consider this? How could killing these goblins and their leaders not end the killing?
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Ready for the next door too!

Brushing the dirt from his hand, Kargas lightly knocks his fist against Guiness's breastplate in solemn camaraderie and rejoins the others, taking up his ranseur again. "Let's finish checking these damned rooms then." he growls.

As Kargas approaches, Guiness tenses up, unsure of his intent. Guiness has heard tales of orc savagery, though nothing like the mutilation of corpses like he sees here from the goblins. Impressed by this half-orc’s reverence for the dead, Guiness does not flinch from Kargas’ gesture of camaraderie, offering a nod of his own as he heads to the next door.

Once the remains have been placed in a slightly more dignified resting place, the group proceeds onward.
Guiness opens the door he's next to on the map and finds a low ceilinged room with six poorly constructed bunk beds, little more than hammocks slung from rickety frames. Each is heaped with a vermin-infested blanket and a lump of straw that serves as a frustrating pillow. Even for goblins, this doesn't look like the height of comfort.

From the way the beds are still warm, it seems there were goblins resting and relaxing here until just recently - probably around the time the action started going down in Ripnugget's throne room.
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And as a two-for-one combo:
Meanwhile, Rig checks the following door and finds a dark set of steps heading down. While the first few steps are musty wood, the remaining ones are stone, matching a transition to stone construction as the steps head around the bend. The air from the stairway is noticeably cooler.

"Well, it looks like we found the way down. We were going to clear the goblins on this level first, though, right?" Guiness thinks for a moment, then asks, "Colvyn, did you see any goblins on the mainland from the lookout?"

Guiness suits actions to words and heads over to the entry hall, where the unexplored doors are.

Rig thinks fire would have been quicker than burial but it might have spread. In the meantime he checked the other doors with Colvyn. If there are more goblins up here, he thought they would be here by now. Either option is fine with him.

The goblin prisoner suggested there were a bunch of goblins on the mainland side of the bridge. Might be trouble later but we can cut/burn the bridge if it becomes a problem.

Let's finish clearing all the rooms and then rest. We'll delve The Noggin once the casters are ready?

While Colvyn was up in the watchtower, he could see the mainland was covered in dense thornbushes that obscured the sight of any possible goblins waiting on that side.

Guiness continues spearheading the exploration, having taken a leading role despite being a new member to the group. He passes through a set of rickety double-doors to the west of the entry hall and into a short passageway with more large doors to the west and a single door to the north. A clear scent of pickling brine wafts in the corridor. The dwarf opens up the obvious source to the north and you see a storeroom half-filled with crates, barrels, and large sacks of grain. A small hole has been chopped into the lower side of one of the barrels, allowing pickles and brine to drain out and give the room a strong aroma.

Guiness will help search the room for anything valuable. He’ll keep an eye out for vermin, too, that might be big enough to chew through a barrel...

Guiness is not one for sitting around when there is vengeance to be had against goblin butchers, and he is kind of used to charging in shield first...sometimes good, sometimes bad...

Perception Aid Another: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (14) + 5 = 19

If nothing is found, then on to the next room!

"Nah, couldn't see anything, just the thorn bushes." Following the group inspection of the place, Colvyn makes sure that there aren't any traps on the doors before they are opened.

Still not quite over what they've found in here, Flo follows mostly in silence. Her nose curls a little at the scent. "Never been one for pickles..." she mutters, although the scent of brine is a welcome reprieve from the cloying smell of rotting flesh she couldn't seem to shake until just now.
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As for the goblins on the other side, I say if we are about to rest we pull the rope that undoes the bridge. Fighting goblins at night sounds like suicide! We even have our own alternative way out of here.

As for the goblins on the other side, I say if we are about to rest we pull the rope that undoes the bridge. Fighting goblins at night sounds like suicide! We even have our own alternative way out of here.

Totally agree. Clear this level, drop the bridge slats and close the front door, then rest. If they somehow get across and start banging on the outside door, we can go up to the sentry towers and shoot them or just open the front door and wade in...

Guiness will continue his part of opening the doors and aiding in searching the rooms...

As for the goblins on the other side, I say if we are about to rest we pull the rope that undoes the bridge. Fighting goblins at night sounds like suicide! We even have our own alternative way out of here.

They can still climb across the rigging. The release only drops one side of the bridge tipping everyone into the water. It doesn't sever the connection to the other side. Kellek has a scroll of alarm available if that makes folks feel any better.

I'd just as soon keep a lookout on the bridge to send goblins tumbling to their deaths if they try something during the night. With out without an Alarm.

Kargas silently follows Guiness to the next door, ranseur poised above the dwarf's head.

@Colvyn: If you're looking for traps, make sure to roll a perception check. I'll do so for you this time.
Perception Colvyn: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (16) + 13 = 29

Guiness inspects the pantry, but after digging through barrels and baskets of half decaying and musty foodstuffs, he concludes there isn't much of worth or interest inside (barring *maybe* the pickles). Meanwhile Colvyn checks the door to the west and concludes that there are no traps anywhere on it or near it.

Guiness and Kargas open the door the west and you all see two goblins lying unconscious in a puddle of pickle brine. From the look of their distended bellies and expressions of satisfaction plastered across their faces, they must have recently had quite the feast. Unfortunately, their feast also managed to totally knock them out. Enough that even the sounds of combat from two doors away wasn't enough to rouse them.

If you step around them and head up the wooden stairs, you arrive at the second of two lookout nests. This one has a large empty jar sitting on its side on a table, smelling of brine. There's no sign of any remaining pickles. Two dogslicers sit abandoned next to the table.