Wading into the creatures, axes whirling Damian strikes at 2 of the rats
Hodd will step forward, drawing his massive blade and engage the closest vermin.
Sha saa! and I cast color spray
does glitterdust blind people in this edition?
With no new injuries to treat, Silvio pokes around in the rat nests to see if they conceal anything interesting.
I cast detect magic on the pearl
Poking through the filth with the others, Damian checks for any other creatures
"Huzzah more magical treasures! Hmm that tiny tunnel looks too small for the likes of us. Let's backtrack and see where that passage leads."
I have one defensive spell left so lets be careful
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The group cautiously moves forward, entering another cavern. This cavern shows signs of having been enlarged: there are chips of stone scattered throughout the room, and the walls have a jagged, uneven appearance, quite unlike the worn stone of the previous chambers.
The animal smell grows stronger this direction.
Suddenly, four bizarre creatures emerge, hidden underneath the chips of stone. Large rats, but with pale yellow fur and enormous teeth, giving them an oddly comic look. The animal fury in their eyes lessens the comedy somewhat.
Moving up to the closest creature, Damian slices with his main hand and follows with his off hand
Silvio follows behind the ranger, and attempts to hurl a javelin at the nearest rat.
Hodd will advance towards creature that Silvio hit and attack with his sword.
I'll shoot my crossbow at the rat in the back
I take out the wand we found and cast magic towards the rat that bit Damien.
"Ouch! That's a nasty wound. Let me do what I can."
Reeling from the teeth, Damian strikes back at the rat
Hodd will unleash his two attacks this round concentrating on one of the creatures engaged with him, unless he fells them in the first blow, then he will move to the second one engaged with him.
Arrrgh.. Foul beast!
Hodd reals back and swings his sword down on the creature.
"Hmm, I think that I am just putting bandages on top of bandages at this point. Sorry I'm not much help, Damian. Let's see what I can do for you, Hodd."
Moving up and cornering the final beast Damian swings both of his axes at the same time
What bizarre rats
"You can say that again."
"Alright, as my herbal remedies seem to be failing me, let's see what some magic can do for your wounds, boys."
"Let's see if these rats have anything interesting tucked away in their nests."
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While Silvio isn't sure, Damian is able to identify the rats as Osquips, a naturally occurring sister-species to the giant rat. While sometimes domesticated by fey or wizards, the creatures are flighty and dangerous, with their oversized teeth capable of inflicting grievous wounds and even burrowing through stone given sufficient time.
Searching the room, you spot a ring hidden among the nests.
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Hodd (-5)
Walrus
Damian (-12)
Silvio
The final cavern of the rat warren contains the largest nest you've seen so far, although it doesn't appear to contain any rats. A search of the room reveals 31 gold pieces, 18 silver pieces, and a filthy but undamaged brooch.
A cramped but passable tunnel leads a short distance out, and emerges in a weed-choked, well-hidden hole behind some bushes near the river. Copious rat tracks here show that the remaining rats have fled the warrens.
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"Well done, friends! This feels like quite the accomplishment! We should go back and explore the more obvious path at some point, but I believe that is best saved for tomorrow after a good night's rest. But first, let us celebrate with a drink and spread the word that the rats have been driven from the city!"
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Returning to the surface, the adventurer's find a group of concerned looking locals huddled outside.
"We heard ye were heading in." a fisherman says. "Tha' place is cursed, since the fire, ye see. They say it's haunted."
"But they return, all the same." says the man whose son Silvio saved. "Looking a bit worse for the wear, though..."
"Well, then out with it. Wha' manner of haunts or beasties lay within?" the first asks.
Mostly rats, a three skeletons and a ghoul - all taken care of so nothing to worry.
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"My friend here is being modest. Allow me to tell you all the tale of the expedition into the depths of the ruined tower!" he announces as he helps himself to a mug of ale and stands atop the bar.
As the patrons gather round he spins his yarn, "My fellow adventurers and I, having seen first hand the dangerous illness that befell the poor boy, set out at once to uncover the malignant source: the fallen tower that lies to the north. Carefully we crept over fallen timbers and stone, at first finding only burnt wreckage. However! The eagle-eyed ranger to my left, here, spotted something amiss in one chamber and discovered a hidden passage leading into the darkness below. But I warn you friends! Such a journey is not for the faint of heart! The path was fraught with cunning traps and deadly hazards! Soon I found myself jabbed with a poisoned dart! Acting fast, I sucked the venom out of my bloodstream. I spat the filth on the ground, grateful that I had averted certain doom. But such was not enough to dissuade my brave compatriots!"
"Deeper we ventured, discovering hidden rooms--and hidden threats! A piercing screech was our only warning as the living dead rose up to combat our intrusion into their domain! The hungry dead sank its teeth into Damian, and a sickening cold wracked his muscles stiff! But fear not, the half-elf was not alone. Charging to his friend's side, the mighty saurial was on them at once. The skeletal remains were no match for the mighty Hodd's blade! With one swing, he split the wretched cohort in twain! I stitched our wounds and the blood and vigor returned to Damian's limbs."
"With all traces of their ghoulish taint extricated, onward we pressed. Soon, we came upon the very den of evil. Rats, numbering in the thousands, and led by massive specimens--larger than the cats that prey on the typical rat--swarmed the massive warren, threatening to devour us with a million tiny bites. But we came prepared. We brought a wizard." he says gesturing with his mug down to the mage mid-eyeroll.
"Uttering a few ancient words of sorcery long since forgotten by man, Walrus the Magnificent invoked a shimmering spray of pure light from outstretched finger tips! Now as you know, rats are creatures long since attuned to the pitch dark of dank tunnels, so as they were bathed in the dazzling display of bright colors, they could do naught but shriek in pain and collapse at our feet."
"Now powerless to resist, these two skilled warriors," he says placing he hands on Damian's and Hodd's shoulders, "worked in tandem to quickly and efficiently dispatch the disabled horde. When the dust settled, the nests were empty and your heroes emerged victorious!"
He raises his mug in a toast and downs its contents.
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The crowd is enraptured by Silvio's story, and cheers at the end. The heroes drink for free that night, and likely many nights to come.
The following morning, after breakfast, the heroes are approached in the Inn house by a member of the guard. Wearing chainmail, and the blue and white livery of the Baron of Restenford.
"Good morning, gentlemen. I am Gelpas, captain of the guard. Your presence is requested at Castle Restenford, to better thank you for your service to the town."
Cleaning himself as best he can, Damian readies himself for presentation at the Castle
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Walrus scrapes the bird s#&# off the shoulder
"Well met, Gelpas! The baron has taken notice of our merry band, eh? Wonderful! We will make ourselves presentable and be on our way! Five minutes tops."
After well over an hour bathing, shaving, coifing his hair, powdering his face, applying perfume, and trying on half a dozen different outfits, the priest emerges finally satisfied with his appearance.
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Gelpas nods and turns to leave the tavern, heroes in tow.
Castle Restenford sits atop a hill on the northern edge of the town. You are lead to a large, square keep, and through a gatehouse, where a bored looking pair of guards snap to attention when they spot Gelpas approaching.
"Amos. Fraunk." Gelpas says through gritted teeth as he passes.
The two men snap off an attempt at a salute.
"Evening, sir. I mean, good morning, sir." Amos (or is it Fraunk?) says.
Through the gatehouse, is a broad courtyard, where a couple of gardens sit, although they have largely been picked over by this point in the season.
The keep itself is unguarded, and he enters a door that leads to a small, sparsely decorated hall with two chairs, a table, and a mirror. Another rather impressive looking door leads to the throne room.
A broad dais of three steps dominates the far side of the room, atop which two wooden chairs, perhaps not majestic enough to rate the word 'thrones', sit. A man and woman sit in these chairs, speaking quietly among themselves. The man is tall but thin, in his forties, and wears fine tailored clothing. The woman wears a resplendent green robe, bearing a necklace depicting a hand holding a silver lightning bolt.
The step below also has two chairs, although only one is occupied, by an imperious looking man in his fifties, wearing a deep red robe and with a staff leaning against his chair.
Gelpas clears his throat.
"Your grace, I present to you the...heroes...that rescued the fisherman's son, and are said to have battled the dead beneath Restenford last night."
The tall man on the throne titters.
"Oh, quite a sight, indeed. Heroes in Restenford, my, yes. Welcome, welcome, be most welcome indeed. I am Grellus, Baron Restenford, and this is my wife, Lady Fairwind. Here you see Pelltar, my court sorcerer and advisor."
Lady Fairwind nods at you, but Pelltar barely acknowledges your presence.
"Now," says the Baron, "I'm told you had quite the tale to share at the Falco's Tavern last night, yes? A tale of derring-do, with buckles swashed and foes vanquished. Perhaps you might share it in this august company?"
"With pleasure, your grace," Silvio says with a curtsy.
Walrus doesn't like bragging but is too self conscious to say anything so they just stand there blushing and trying not to shrink into themselves.
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That is the holy symbol of Heironeous, the Oerdian god of Chivalry, nobility, honor, justice, and war.
The baron applauds at the end of the story.
"Ah, wonderful, wonderful. Quite heroic. Thank you, for saving the young one. Do you see that, dear? Willing to come to the aid of a child, without payment? An inspiration!"
"Quite, quite." the Queen says quietly, carefully arranging some bit of clothing.
The baron claps. "Now, a most wonderful tale you've shared with us, and we do so appreciate your assistance in this matter. Who could have known about a secret complex beneath that filthy old guardhouse?
"But! It's been some time since we've had adventurers in Restenford. What brings you here, my friends? What called you to little old Restenford?"