Although they do not usually carry alchemists fire, the traders do have two uses of it. However it is priced higher than you have seen in the past - 25 sails per use.
_________________
Let me know if there is anything else that you all want to do, otherwise we can head back to the moathouse.
Tybek enjoys hiding and slinking about with his new cloak. He looks for as many opportunities to use it as he can. For example, if he is scouting ahead, he will hide, let the party pass, and then sneak up behind them.
You inquiries do not reveal any information regarding villagers worshipping Apsu. However, you do pick up on a certain religious theme in the town. There seems to be two distinct groups in the town. Those who follow the old faith, druidic and nature beliefs, and those who follow the teachings of Iomedae, who seem to be newer arrivals in town. You don't detect any real antipathy amongst the two groups, but don't think that you would see many small gathering of friends which are likely to incude large numbers of both groups.
Ok - assuming that there is nothing else to be done, lets move forward. Regarding the mithral chain, you have not seen anything of that quality in the shop to this point. This does not mean it is not available, but clearly it is not something the traders have out in the open.
After a days rest, the party again begins the trek back to the moathouse through the partially dried marshy land. On this unseasonably hot day, the marsh smells even worse than usual as though the water has dropped revealing much recently decayed animal or plant materials. Finally, mostly drenched in sweat, you arrive at the drawbridge to the moathouse, which is still hanging askew as it has been on the prior few trips to the evil fortress.
They know we attacked and retreated...could be a trap this time.
Arindale looks at some of the others then looks around trying to see if anything appears out of place that he can point out to one of his more sharp eyed companions...
"Ahh'm a specialist at findin traps. Step back and lemmae dae it!"
Tybek searches for traps.
"Trapped or not, it is nice coming here of my own free will this time!"
Berashel will have his sword ready. Feeling confident in his fellow party members, Berashel feels no need for caution beyond that.
Arindale has his shield out but not his weapon...in case he needs to cast of course...
Braden pulls out a two meat pies and hands one to Maegge as he watches the dwarf work.
Maegge keeps an eye out for trouble in the environment while Tybek looks for traps.
"Oh, thanks Braden," he thanks his elder companion while keeping his eyes on the trees and hills.
The bridge over the stagnant moat appears to be unchanged from the last time you entered the moathouse. Upon crossing the bridge, you also find the courtyard unchanged.
Tybek carefully moves to the walls and peaks into the arrow slits. He does manage to startle two bats that had taken refuge in one of the narrow openings, but otherwise does not find anything of note. Likewise, the sharp eyed halfling druid looks carefully at the courtyard. He spots the tracks of several small birds, likely sparrows (african, not european), one of which appears to have been caught and dragged off by a small snake. However, he does not see anything that looks like the tracks of any humans or other creatures larger than he or Braden.
Arindale rumages through his backpack and pulls out the evil-eyed cloak and puts it on.
It can't hurt, maybe it will confuse the enemy to give us the jump on them, what do you think? Everyone should put them on... He then leads the way into the keep.
"What enemy? There's no sign of anyone being here at all since we left," Maegge asks. "I think anyone still here will be in the dungeon. We still have to find whoever made those zombies, and if they were up here we would've found them by now."
"Ach! Whae put this damn bat in the crack o' the wall?!! These beasties gie mae the willies!"
"It can't hurt, maybe it will confuse the enemy to give us the jump on them, what do you think? Everyone should put them on..."
"Dannae be daft! Ahh'm nae gonnae put one o' those cloaks on! The last thing Ahh want is somebody tae call me three eyes! Besides, Ahh really doubt that any cultist wid hae a big handsome beard like maeself!"
"What enemy? There's no sign of anyone being here at all since we left," Maegge asks. "I think anyone still here will be in the dungeon. We still have to find whoever made those zombies, and if they were up here we would've found them by now."
"Aye, the deeper we delve intae this moathoose, the mair nastier the beasties will be. Let's gae and tak care of the next bunch!"
Tybek leads the company onward inside the moathouse and then proceeds downstairs to where they last encountered the zombies. He checks for traps along the way.
Berashel also declines, "I cannot in good conscious wear something that represent evil. My faith, my training, and my sword shall be good enough."
Berashel touches his Apsu brooch for good luck and preceeds on, itching for some vengeance.
The party returns into the main room of the moathouse and almost immediately the sound of footsteps can be heard. Tybek jumps at the sound and Berashel begins to draw his sword before Maegge reminds both that these same footsteps have been heard several times before without anything being seen or found.
Perception:
The party then moves to the stairway and heads downstairs. As Tybek comes around the corner heading to where the zombies were before, he is surprised as he suddenly hears a gurgling roar followed seconds later by the large form of the ogre slain two days earlier.
The partially decomposed ogre launches itself at Tybek swinging with both arms.
Attack:
Damage:
Party up - skipping init, you all go and then it will go at the end of round 1.
Berashel jumps at the sight of the creature and wonders what this thing could be
Knowing it is an evil and wrong, Berashel calls out, "Apsu grant me the will to strike down this creature!"
Berashel will move to H8 taking any attack the creature may have for him.
Once there he brings his Greatsword down on the creature using all of his strength.
Oooff! Tybek moans as he is struck by the ogre for a deadly thrash.
"Whoah! We've got a beastie that once was deid and is noo back fer mair! Let's tak em doon boys! Ranim, yae wantae gie us a song?!"
Round 1
Tybek takes both of his axes and stabs the once living ogre.
He will also start maneuvering around the ogre using five foot moves until he is around the back and able to flank the creature. Five foot move to G8.
Braden rides Dworkin into the fray. From his mounted position he takes a totally defensive stance.
Arindale speaks out of turn, Wait for it! Berashel, you are new so when we fight big creatures I draw their attacks and the rest of you move in!
Full defense, move to I7 to draw the AOO and provide the flank.
Round 1
HP 17/17
AC 15 T11 FF13 CMD15
F/R/W 1/4/2
Bardic Music 9/10
Elemental Assault 1/1
Spells
1st - 3/3
Effects
Inspire Courage
"Sure thing, Tybek!" Ranim moves about, drawing her whip as she does and inspires her allies on with a song.
Round 1
"The necromancer got to it already? He must be close!" deduced Maegge by the presnce of the ogre they'd "just" killed two days ago.
Wary of stepping within its reach of attacks, Maegge instead called to mind the purity of flame - forming a glowing ball of fire above his hand while the others moved to attack.
"That fire thing is handy. Maybe I should try something like it."
Arindale speaks out of turn, Wait for it! Berashel, you are new so when we fight big creatures I draw their attacks and the rest of you move in!
"Well I guess that does make sense. I tend to leap before I look!"
Round 1
Arindale:
Berashel:
Braden:
Maegge:
Ranim:
Tybek:
After the not as dead as you recall ogre solidly whacks Tybek, the party once again falls into its usual regime.
Maegge begins to babble like a sparrow causing a ball of flame to suddenly appear in his hand. A moment later, the usually slow cleric sprints forward drawing a swing from the ogre zombie.
AoO:
Damage:
While the swing is accurate, the brave, if fool hearty, cleric manages to just brush aside the blow with his raised shield as he rushes past attempting to avoid the undeads brutal strike.
A moment later, Tybek slides over and swings his axes at the giant creature. Unfortunately, while the strikes are well aimed, the creature's tough rubbery flesh manages to deflect the swings.
The newest member of the party then charges around the pillar holding up the roof with his shining sword raised. As he rounds the corner, he swings is sword which almost glows with his holy faith. Berashel then swings his sword managing to easily get under the slow dead creatures arm while removing a huge chunk from the former ogre's chest.
Once again proving that brilliant wizards are not known for their good judgment, Braden rides his faithful hound into the fray. As it has done previously, the faithful dog manages to get a mouthful of the putrid rotting flesh of the former ogre.
One of these days, I am going to just bite my owner, he has to taste better than this.
Finally, the every cheerful bard runs over by the piles of refuse which had been hiding the weapon storage and begins to since a jaunty about picking flowers with a warm spring blowing through ones hair. As usual, you have no clue what this song has to do with your present predicament, but, nonetheless, it does raise your spirits.
___________
Round 2
Despite the pounding it took, mostly from that annoying elfish type creature, the mindless undead continues its assault attacking Tybek again.
Attack-slam: **HIT**
Damage: **unconscious I think**
As before, the huge creature's attack is simply too much for the dwarf to avoid and the creature lands another vicious blow which drops the dwarf to the ground.
Maegge
Arindale
Tybek
Berashel
Braden
Ranim
Round 2
Tybek takes a bad hit and crumbles to the ground, swearing as he goes.
"Yae mindless, boggin beasie ba' heid! . . . . . "
Tybek delays until he is healed.
Someone help Ty, Berashel and I will take care of this thing...again!
Arindale pulls out his scythe and attacks then shifting 5' to H9 in case I need to heal Ty.
But his attack goes wide...
Round 2
Maegge pats Gimpy's shoulder to tell him to move, and throws a glob of fire at the undead creature.
Bypass DR
Round 2
HP 17/17
AC 15 T11 FF13 CMD15
F/R/W 1/4/2
Bardic Music 9/10
Elemental Assault 1/1
Spells
1st - 3/3
Effects
Inspire Courage
"Don't die, Tybek!" Ranim calls out though she know's it's futile as she moves back around to get to the dying dwarf.
Braden just pats his dog and lets him do the work. He shuffles the dog to try to flank the undead.
Rather than cast a spell, the wizard stays defensive in the saddle.
After the gigantic undead clocks Tybek dropping him like a stone, Maegge springs forward on his faithful steed and swings at the large beast with his flaming hand. The blade of flame leaves a deep scorch mark on the former ogre and the smell of burned and rotting flesh in the air.
The not quite an elf follows his deep wound from the former round with another massive swing of his blade. And while the blow looks as though it is about to decapitate the monstrosity, the ogre ducks at the last possible moment in response to Maegge's low blow causing the sword to harmlessly pass just above the ogre's head.
Ranim quickly moves around the giant creature avoiding attacks while Braden moves in hoping to drop the creature. Dworkin follows his instructions, but balks at the last moment, probably from his realization that undead taste really bad. Arindale's swing simply rebounds off the creature not being strong enough to get through the tough undead hide.
Despite looking as though he is about to fall apart, the zombie ogre continues its assault, this time swinging at the fire fisted halfling.
Attack-slam:
Damage:
Party up.
bypass DR
Berashel brings his great sword down to finish off the monstrosity.
Tybek lies quietly and does not talk or complain about anything.
With another great swing of his blade, Berashel lops the head off of the formerly dead ogre causing it to once again collapse to the ground unmoving.
Combat over
With the combat finished, you look around the room and see that it appears generally undisturbed since you were last here. Pieces of the zombies you fought two days earlier lie strewn about the southern part of the room and a slowly bleeding dwarf lies next to the now redead ogre. You are pretty sure that it is Tybek, although the quiet that you have not experienced in several weeks is so refreshing, that you treasure the moment.
Ranim finished moving to Tybek and places her hands upon the dwarf, uttering her healing song for the noisy dwarf.
As Tybek is healed, he immediately begins ranting.
"Whair is that once killed beastie o' an ogre?! Ahh want tae kill em again! Oh, Ahh see that the elf has already taken care o' business. Well, mae lass, thanks fer healin a few o' me wounds. Ahh dannae ken why the priest didnae jump in and dae his job richt awa." Turning to Arindale he asks, "Why are yae makin the lass dae all o' the work that yae're suppose tae be daein?! If yae see me get hit bya beastie and blood starts tae flow oot a me like a leakin cask, then yae've got tae use that divine power given tae yae by that drunken hero and patch up yer gud friend Tybek! Noo let's nae let that happen again; Priest! Ahh'm countin on yae!" Turning to Berashel, ye continues, "And Ahh suppose yae think yae're the big hero fer takin soon the ogre that Ahh already killed the first time. Well, jist count yerself lucky that Ahh stabbed it a bunch o' times before yae swung that skinny little blade o' yers. Jist dannae let yer heid inflate frae thinkin tae highly o yerself! Noo what are we all daein jist lollygaggin around here?! Let's search this place and see if we can find sae treasure tae buy us mair beer back at the unwelcome wench!"
Tybek begins to search for any treasure left by the ogre zombie.
Ranim laughs as Tybek begins another of his tirades, "Tybek, I'm glad that near dying doesn't do a thing for you."
So, what do you all do now. You found the small tunnel hidden in one of the pillars in the torture room. However, while you all can squeeze down, it is unlikely that Gimpy can make it and you will have to talk to Dworkin to get him to follow you into the hole.
Would you rather I heal you while a massive dead Ogre stands over you or wait until he is down and then have a moment? At least you are now up and almost ready.
Let's go kill this necromancer!
Ranim laughs as Tybek begins another of his tirades, "Tybek, I'm glad that near dying doesn't do a thing for you."
"Well, Ahh cannae say that Ahh'm pleased tae be near deid! Ahh certainly dannae like gae'n tae lala land and approachin the Father o' creation. Noo way! Ahh much prefer tae stay far awa frae death's door! Let's jist mak sure this daesnae happen again! This also maks clear why Ahh need tae get a mithral chain shirt. Ahh need mair protection than Ahh'm given. If yae folks want me tae dae all the scoutin and trap finding, then we're gonnae need tae find the richt equipment fer the job!"
With Arin's wave of channeled healing and touch of a wand, Tybek replies, "Ahhhhh! That's much better. It's aboot time Ahh got fixed up! Ahh dannae care what Berashel says aboot yae, yer a gud fella, priest!
Tybek pulls out his pocketwatch and checks the time."Aye, well at least auld faithful keeps on tickin. Well, enough bletherin! Let's gae folks! Ahh'll check fer traps as we gae, but Ahh trust yae folks will dae yer part and keep the noise level doon tae a dull roar!"
Tybek pulls up the hood to his cloak, enters stealth mode, steps into the narrow pillar and begins to search for traps as he silently descends into the depths of the dungeon.
Berashel lets out a long breath as the creature "dies" once again. Ok, the first fight needed to be like this. And I have gotten some revenge for what it had done to my friends. He goes over with Arindale to check on the dwarf, but in a moment Tybek is up and back to his old self.
As the dwarf pushes on hopefully towards the necromancer that has been making all these undead.
The passage has a rank nauseating smell as though there is rotting meat somewhere about combined with a damp musty smell. The passage descends about five feet where it heads east before curving to the south, the tunnel sort of twists and turns and is only tall enough for a dwarf to walk in a low crouch. The hobbits will be able to walk, but the taller folk in the party will have to crawl.
After about 80 feet, the tunnel reaches a stone wall which you can clearly see is another poorly constructed pile of stones blocking an entrance, or exit, to something.
Tybek returns back up and explains to the others what he sees.
"Whoever is doon here isnae makin it easy fer us tae find em, but Ahh think they're behind a rock wall at the end of this wee dark tunnel. Noo, jist b'cause Ahh'm a dwarf daesnae mean Ahh'm the richt one fer the job, but if yae want tae gae further, we're gonnae hae tae dae a wee bit o' minin! Ahh think the hobbits are the best fer the job b'cause o' thair wee size. As fer me, this crouchin isnae gud fer mae back."