"Spider! Why'd it have to be a spider? Jon grumbles as he draws◇ his whip and pistol and dodges the spider's fangs.
Feeling too close to the oily arachnid, Jon Steps back◆ behind Mac, then fires at the spider◆.
(This is added to the total crit damage but not doubled.)
Then he flicks his whip at the spider in a reloading strike◆.
Round 2: Monster
The creature first attacks Mac.
Sensing the fire from Pen's flame sword that missed, the creature then turns to bite Pen with its jaws, as the elf screams and collapses to the ground!
As Pen collapses, the monster turns its attention back to Mac, but the wounded dwarf's armor prevents damage.
Garidan's eyes widen in shock, when he sees Pen go down once again. Such a brave man...
He shakes himself and carefully ◆steps behind Pen's body using it as a barrier between him and the spider.
He then thrusts his spear forward, but not before elegantly moving his spear's tip through the small flame of his lantern.
◆
"Hang on, Pen..." Garidan whispers.
Remembering his own wounds, Garidan moves further away.
Jon grits his teeth at his crewmate's fall and levels his pistol once more at the spider◆.
Feeling that both barrels are empty, he flicks his whip twice◆ in reloading strikes◆, replenishing both barrels with fresh black powder and bullets.
Round 2: Mac
Mac grunts harshly at the bite and the poison burning him on the inside as his skin becomes oily, like the monster's. Seeing Pen get viciously bit, Mac continues raging with anger, as he lets instinct guide his blows!
Hagrym grunts, hearing his cousin’s request and seeing the spider tearing through the group. He knew this was time for his most powerful presentation of divine energy. He holds his symbol high and gleaming energy arcs toward all creatures in the 30’ area of effect.
Healing
Garidan's spear burns the creature and both of Mac's attacks land (would have been a critical with the flank and killed him in the first blow). In Mac's last attack, the greatpick pierces the creature's brain and the monster falls dead to the ground.
While the party heals the nearly dead Pen, the party receives applause and praise for saving the town, as the blue light that covered the graveyard has disappeared and the dead go back to their eternal rest. Lardus Longsaddle, Captain of the Otari Garrison, shows up 5 minutes late to the party, after the party has dealt with the threat. He thanks the party for their timely involvement. Even the Mayor, Ioseph Menhemes, approaches the party to thank them. "You have done a great deed. However, this danger troubles me. Please appear for breakfast at my manor. I want to discuss a matter in private with you. With regard to your wounded, if you cannot cure them, please let Vandy. The town will cover all of your your healing expenses - you are all great heores for sacrificing your necks against the undead and insane spider! I expect you all tomorrow morning, say around 7:00 AM. Do not be late."
At the Dawnflower Library, Pen and Mac are cured of the poison, if they cannot overcome the potency on their own. Vandy herself treats wounds on the hurt party members. The party is fully healed with no wounded or dying conditions. You can rest for the night or go back to your dinners or something else. Let me know when we can move to the mayor's house the next day for breakfast.
Hagrym made sure the others were patched up and were good to go, before excusing himself to dinner. After all breakfast was several hours away, so he decided to fill up before bedtime. ”You lot are welcome to come join me, if you feel up to eating after those nasty spider bites. You’ll feel 100% after a good night’s rest…”
"I think I'm passing on food the rest of the night. Maybe forever. All that rotting flesh soured my appetite. Anyone know how to get zombie juice out of leather?" Jon says, looking a bit green and frowning down at the splotch of undeath on his armor from the zombie who bashed him.
"I pass. I need to rest, I think..." This event clearly marked Garidan.
"By the way, Mac, sorry for leaving you alone in the midst of it. I...I was pretty scared. But you did well."
Garidan excuses himself and will be seen at 7 AM sharp at the mayor's.
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Penflower wakes up with Hagrym looking over him. After getting up and thanking the dwarf, he looks a bit gloomy. His training had no use and he couldn't evade the spider's bite. He goes over to Sarenrae's temple to get healed of the poison, but has otherwise nothing else to it.
He tries to meet with the others. Without talking about the battle itself, he says "What do you make of what happened? I am positive I saw Belcorra's face in the light just before the spider appeared. Could this mean she's still... you know... around?" He didn't want to say alive, especially witnessing so many undead.
”Now that you mention it, Pen, I thought I saw that lady for a brief second as well! I thought I might have been seeing things, but if you saw it too, then I’m clearly not going nuts.”
Mac pumps his fist as the spider-like creature dies, as he ends his rage. ”What the heck was that?”
Mac is full hit points but poisoned. ”Will be glad to have breakfast with you, Mayor.” He accompanies Pen to see Vandy to get cured of the poison. Afterwards, he steps in to see his cousin. ”You all are not crazy. I saw Belcorra’s face too, for an instant. It looks like she’s behind the Gauntlight attack tonight. That means bad news for the town, so close to her lair.”
With regard to Belcorra's face, Religion skill would be more appropriate, but yes, you surmise it was her ghostly visage that you saw in the blue light.
Know. Religion on the ghostly visage
Hagrym recognizes that the visage of Belcorra was ghostly and this is what he knows about ghosts:
When some mortals die through tragic circumstances or without closure, their souls can linger and haunt a locale significant to them in life. They become incorporeal, can fly, have darkvision, and they can be permanently destroyed only if someone sets right whatever prevents the spirit from resting. Some ghosts can possess people, while others have a corrupting touch or frightening moan.
3rd day of Lamashan
4721 AR
The next morning, the party gathers at the Menhemes manor, per the mayor's request. The mayor, Oseph, personally greets you and introduces his wife, Emnala, and his oldest daughter, age 15, named Dorianna. She seems shy but excited to hear your stories of adventure. The mayor tells you his other 4 younger children are scattered about the manor playing.
After the family introduction, the mayor takes to his personal dining room, where various breakfast pastries have been placed on the table. In the room are also some familiar faces: Wrin, Morlibint, Vandy, and Captain Longsaddle. As the party eats breakfast with juice and cider, the mayor speaks, "We, on behalf of the people of Otari, wish to thank you for your intervention in last night's undead attack. We were definitely not equipped to deal with an attack of that magnitude, so thank you. However, we now wish to implore your help. Wrin here has vouched for you and has convinced me that the Gauntlight is an imminent danger to this town. Therefore, I am authorized to offer you a reward of 50 gp per person to return to Gauntlight Keep and see to it that Gauntlight never shines on Otari again. I understand that you were investigating the site anyway at Wrin's request, so this is a financial incentive to continue your work. We would be forever in your debt, brave heroes, if you could end the threat of the Gauntlight."
Garidan sits straight and listens with a very sincere face. After a quick thought for collecting his words, he answers very formally.
"Thank you for your kind words and for recognizing the efforts made during last night's undead attack. It was a harrowing experience, and I am grateful that I could assist in protecting our beloved town of Otari. The safety of our community is paramount, and I will always stand vigilant against any threats that may arise. Your acknowledgment of my actions not only reinforces my commitment but also strengthens the bond between the watch and the townsfolk we serve.
Regarding your request for assistance with the Gauntlight, I appreciate the trust you and Wrin have placed in me. The Gauntlight's ominous presence is indeed a cause for concern, and I fully understand the urgency of addressing this threat. The reward of 50 gp per person is generous and I was already prepared to join these brave men in returning there. However, my primary motivation lies in ensuring the safety of Otari and its people. I believe that together, we can uncover the mysteries surrounding Gauntlight Keep and eliminate the danger it poses once and for all.
With careful planning and determination, I am confident that we can confront whatever darkness lies within the Gauntlight. The people of Otari deserve peace and security, and I will do everything in my power to ensure that the light of Gauntlight never casts its shadow upon us again. Thank you for your support, and we will certainly keep you updated on our progress."
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Penflower doesn't sleep that night. He keeps getting woken up by the visage of the scalathrax viciously attacking him. He almost forgets about the mayor's invitation. It is only the shame of letting his guard down that gets him sharp in his senses. He dresses in full gear and goes to the mayor's house.
In there, there is vast exchange of pleasantries that the elf has trouble keeping up. He simply says "I will help, of course." He tries keeping an eye on Wrin to see how she is handling the conversation.
Mac seems a little uncomfortable with the praise. "I second everything Garidan said. There was danger and we acted because it was the right thing to do. Thank you for the reward. We will continue exploring the Gauntlight. We found 2 staircases leading down, so it is clear the place has lower levels. We will keep Wrin and you informed."
The sleep seems to have been all Jon needed to settle his stomach, and he eats with the same gusto as everyone else. "Thank you, mayor. I don't have thick roots in the community, but I'd never forgive myself if I didn't step in when the innocent are in danger when I could've done something about it. And I've never been able to turn down investigating a mystery as momentous as the Gauntlight, so I'd be on board even if no one was in danger. We'll do what we can to keep Otari safe and let the dead have their rest."
Hagrym dove into the pastries as the meeting began. He stayed mostly quiet while the mission was laid out for the group. Other than licking his fingers to get the glaze off the apple fritters, of course.
”These things are delicious! I’m going to take a few of them for the road! Like the others said, I’ll help the town. I’ve got friends here and there is obviously something bad in the Gauntlight. I’ll do my best to help keep the town safe. But I’m not about to turn down a fat sack of gold, of course.”
The mayor thanks you again and after Doarianne pesters you about the monsters you have faced so far and some chit chat, the VIP guests leave to tend to their daily duties. Unless there's something else you wish to do in town, you head to the Gauntlight, which takes you 30 minutes.
"Lead the way. You've been here before."
"I think we should to take care of the outside and then top of the lighthouse before we go down. I'd prefer we do what we can to make sure nothing is sneaking behind us as we go down, blocking our retreat," Jon says.
"Agreed, let's go to the top of the lighthouse before going down."
The party returns to the base of the Gauntlight. I will provide the same description as last time as you have been in this room before.
The smooth walls of this circular room are painted a light gray with no indication of seams between the blocks of stone. A door with a small barred window leading outside is visible to the east. A set of iron stairs, notably in far better condition than would be expected, winds upward along the curved walls before terminating at a trap door in the ceiling nearly a hundred feet above. A red bloodstain glistens on the floor at the room’s center, as though a human‑sized creature bled to death on the floor very recently, despite there being no body in sight.
You investigate, if you wish, the red blood. It ripples occasionally; its slick, red surface appears like the top of a deep pool, but it’s harmless. With nothing else to investigate, you head up.
The iron stairs creak and sway alarmingly but are quite sound. The stairs wind up 90 feet to a locked bronze trap door in the ceiling, leading to cupola you believe.
We try the Bronze Lighthouse Key that we previously found (it's on the Google document) and see if that unlocks the trapdoor.
No magic is detected on the stairs nor on the key. You insert the key and the door opens. You see the following:
Rows of black metal bars encase this circular chamber like a cage. Shimmering waves of force flicker between the bars and gives the illusion that softly glowing glass encases this entire area. This room appears empty save for a human-sized encasement of glass and iron that flickers and glows with an unsettling, almost nauseating pale blue shimmer — Gauntlight’s lantern!
The light's intensity is much lower than the first day that you visited the ruins. Your arcane knowledge and analysis allows you to deduce that the light is slowly building up, as if somehow charging...
There is nothing else to see up here other than the nice view of Otari and the grand city of Absalom way in the distance.
"I wonder, if we could somehow disable this lantern." Garidan thinks loud, but he has no idea.
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Penflower hears Garidan's comment and starts to think aloud. He says "It seems this is what activated the attack in town yesterday. And it seems to be charging up for another such attacks."
He makes a few experiments, like such as throwing something between the bars to see if it's damaged or simply repelled. Or something else entirely... Afterwards he analyzes the magical energy in the room carefully.
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Pen realizes that the magic of this structure, a lighthouse that has been around for 500 years, yet the base has no cracks or imperfections in its structural integrity, is beyond any he has ever seen. The most logical deduction that he can make to deactivate it would be to cut off its power source, which is must logically have, since it appears to be charging. What that power source could be, he has no idea. However, logically, it follows that it must come from down below, since the structure does not appear to be powered by the sun or any external force. With regard to his experiments, all the objects Pen throws harmlessly bounce off with no damage whatsoever to the structure.
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Penflower shares his thoughts to the others. He adds "I hope the power source is not too deep. In any case, we need to keep an eye on this. If it powers up again before we find the power source, we may need to help the town from another attack."
He also tries to remember how the Roseguard dealt with this light.
The Roseguard dealt with the threat of the lighthouse by killing Belcorra. The light went out when she died.
You take the stairs down in the office you found on the top level of the ruins. The stairs lead down and end at a door, where you do the usual: check for traps and listen for enemies on the other side. Finding none, you enter the room.
Three plain wooden chairs sit along the east wall of this otherwise empty room. There is a door in the west side of the room.
Mac's dwarven senses (Stone Mason's Eye feature) allow him to detect a secret door in the eastern wall. After some investigating, you determine you can open the secret door by moving the middle chair.
”I think I’d rather sneak up on whatever through the secret door. Gotta be a reason they hid it, right?”
"Let's check out the secret door. There must be something important behind it. Maybe even the power source," Jon says.
"The swamp dragon's lair is west, according to Boss' map, but everyone wants to head east, so we'll head to that lair after."
The party goes through the secret door into a long 10' wide hallway, with three doors leading east, one door leading north, and one door leading NW. The corridor is completely dark, which is not an issue for the dwarves, but is for everyone else. The hallway has a vaulted ceiling arching to a dozen feet high. The floor is strewn with pieces of rotten wood and twisted metal. The door to the far north (#4) would normally not be visible, but there is a pale green light shimmering around the closed door's frame. The passageway to the south turns west. The whole place smells of mold and unpleasant dampness.
Garidan's lantern shines bright in the dark hallway.
Garidan's lantern shines bright in the dark hallway.
"Let's check the door on the right there. Then we can move north checking all the others as we go," he says in a low voice and gestures toward .
As Pen and the party reach the SE door, you hear on the other side the sound of metal clanging and wood splintering coming from inside.
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