Hello
In this thread I will be posting my (hopefully) weekly journals of my characters journey through The Shackled City Adventure Path.
Character Background – Coda Tyburn
Born to unknown parents, a small child was found in wrapped rough cloth on the steps of the Temple of Lordly Might in Cauldron. The priest that found the child was reading The Tyburn Codex at the time and so named him after the book. “You shall be called ‘Coda Tyburn’ little one,” he said.
Coda grew tall, taller than most of the priest by the age of twelve. His Orc blood was obvious to all the brothers in the temple. They showed Coda great patience and taught in their ways. He grew up strong and healthy, performing all the chores set to him and mimicking the clerics in their daily exercise.
The clerics taught him to read and write and he studied scriptures everyday but the subtleties of divine wisdom always escaped him. Coda always felt more at home in the exercise yard, especially when visitors would leave their horses in his care. Coda developed a knack with animals and showed great promise with the large horses ridden by visiting knights.
As Coda neared maturity he intended to take vows and spend his life in service to Kord. He spent days studying and meditating ready for the Testing. The day of Testing, however, was one of failure for Coda. Kord obviously had another path in mind for the half-orc orphan. Coda accepted his god’s judgment and renewed his practice with the sword and martial prowess as a way to continue his worship.
Now Coda Tyburn is a devoted follower of Kord, using the Greatsword as his weapon of choice and using his massive strength to great effect in combat.
Journal of Coda Tyburn (week 1)
PC’s in “The Shackled City”
Coda Tyburn (half-orc fighter)
Valas (elf paladin),
Leea (elf ranger),
Badvok Rockmincer (dwarf “scholar”/rogue)
Tycho (human mage)
* * *
I headed down to The Drunken Morkoth. I had been looking forward to a nice quite drink alone when a drunken Dwarf rolls in. He bothers a few other drinkers before nearly passing out at my feet. He did buy me a drink; it did not taste very nice though. I introduced myself and the Dwarf told me his name was Badvok Rockmincer, a scholar down on his luck, at least I think that was what he said, he was slurring his words.
Badvok continued to talk loudly mentioning his run of bad luck, which he blames on The Last Laughs, a group of thieves and criminals recently infesting this city. The barman at point raised his club and motioned to Badvok, which I took as a cue to escort him outside. Also leaving ahead of us were a group of people in heavy cloaks, I caught a glimpse of black and white face paint. Badvok became quite agitated saying that they were members of The Last Laughs and probably meant someone ill.
Outside Badvok seemed to sober up slightly. Enough to hear a commotion coming from down a nearby ally. As I came round the corner to investigate I saw the group of three setting about a defenseless priest. Badvok recklessly charged at one and swung at him with his rapier. Despite being drunk he did manage an excellent thrust, incapacitating his foe. I tried to persuade the others to leave peacefully but they continued to assault the priest. At this point I became aware of others from the pub had wandered outside to see what the ruckus was. One of them had attacked another of the ruffians that had circled around to get behind me while I was talking to the last one. I turned and the footpad’s knife scored against my side. I punched him in return and he fell to the ground. By the time I had turned back to the third and final bandit she had fled, but as a parting shot had injured Badvok with a thrown dagger.
The priest got to his feet and introduced himself as Rufus. I humbly asked if he would aid Badvok who seem much the worse after the encounter. He thanked us all for the rescue. Drawn to the sounds of combat a patrol of Town Watch arrived. Rufus explained to them what had happened and they took the two Last Laughs into custody though the one struck by Badvok did not look like he was breathing. If he did not survive then may the god of Lordly Might judge his soul and send it to it’s deserved afterlife.
It was lucky for us that the others came out of the pub when they did. I am not sure that I could have handled all three, especially as I was unarmed and unarmored and they all had knives and shortswords. I thanked them for their assistance and learned that two of them were not from Cauldron. Valas and Leea are both Elves. Tycho, a Human, is a resident though (never met him before). Rufus asks us one further boon, to escort him back to the Temple of St Cuthbert, which I was happy to do. Though I would have preferred to be armed whilst doing so, however, nothing else happened on the way around the city.
We arrived at the Temple of St Cuthbert and met the temporary High Priestess Jenya. She thanked us for helping Rufus. I stated that no thanks were necessary and that we had been happy to help someone in need. High Priestess Jenya then asked if might be interested in helping her with another problem. It seems that some children disappeared from the Lantern Street Orphanage three nights ago. A divine ritual had uncovered a strange passage that seems to point us in a particular direction;
"The locks are key to finding them, look beyond the curtain, below the cauldron. Beware the doors with teeth. Descend into the malachite hold, where precious life is bought with gold. Half a dwarf binds them, but not for long."
We agreed to help, Badvok seems hopeful that this will help him turn over a new leaf in his life. I think Valas can be trusted; he did speak much of honour and duty. Tycho and Leea seem to be good folk and quickly agreed to join us.
* * *
(Morning)
We met this morning on the steps of the Temple of St Cuthbert and briefly discuss a course of action. I have returned and asked the brothers here for their wisdom on what the passage means. While Badvok, Tycho, Valas and Leea all went to speak to the staff at Lantern Street. Hopefully they have uncovered something useful that we can hurry to rescue the children
High Priestess Jenya has offered us as a group a substantial reward if we can locate and retrieve the missing children, though I would gladly help if no reward had been offered.
I write this journal as I wait for the High Priest to let me know if he has any knowledge on the passage.
Journal of Coda Tyburn (week 2)
PC’s in “The Shackled City”
Coda Tyburn (half-orc fighter)
Valas (elf paladin),
Leea (elf ranger),
Badvok Rockmincer (dwarf “scholar”/rogue)
Tycho (human mage)
* * *
The High Priest told me that they must consider the cryptic verse more. I gave him my thanks and headed back out into the city. After a brief stop to buy a new Morningstar I met up with the others. We decided that we needed to head down to the Slippery Eel tavern to investigate; it is known to be a haven for Last Laughs. Badvok did not want to come. He said they would kill him if he showed his face in there. Valas said he would take Badvok with him and visit the shop of the Locksmith Ghelv. The Lantern Street orphanage used locks made by him. So we arranged to meet later at Tycho’s house (which is actually a tower).
At the Slippery Eel it cost a gold to get in and we had to check our weapons at the door. A quick look around the bar showed that not everyone had to give up their weapons. The barman was most unfriendly to begin with, the silver coin I put down on the bar was ignored until I followed it with a gold. The beer he served was a foul, sick-making brew. After I had recovered I asked him who I could I get some work from. I was hoping to make contact with someone from the Last Laughs but he was very evasive. He would not reveal anything to me. Finally he asked what reason I could give for him not to just throw me out there and then. I said, “Because I am so handsome.”
He laughed hard at that and gave me a decent beer but made it clear I should leave soon.
While I was talking to the barman Leea and Tycho were talking to a man that had been drinking in the bar. After a short time insults were exchanged and they stalked outside. I followed picking up my weapon along the way. The bouncer standing at the door watched with interest “Ten gold on Akvar” which I took to be the man with the rapier facing Leea, I also took the bet. He stood outside with two thugs beside him. He leveled his rapier at Leea and said “your move”.
She moved to attack but his was too quick and managed to strike her hand forcing her to drop her longsword. Leea drew her shortsword and changed to a more defensive stance. Tycho and I moved to make sure that the thugs would not interfere with the fight. One however got passed me and when he saw Leea strike Akvar and draw blood he struck. Tycho reacted immediately, a spell let loose from his fingers blasted the first thug to the ground unconscious. I charged at the second and struck with my Greatsword using all my strength (thanks be to Kord) he did not survive. The bouncer advised us that Akvar was husband to a woman named Jill and that she was someone to be feared. “Here, take your gold and leave before someone comes looking for any of you.”
We carried off the unconscious thug and returned to Tycho’s tower. While we waited for him to return to consciousness Valas and Badvok returned from speaking to Ghelv. Valas told us that Ghelv seemed to know more than he was saying about the locks from the orphanage but was too scared. He surmised that Ghelv was being coerced by the last laughs into working for them or with them. They had arranged for an appointment this afternoon to speak further.
The thug awoke and we asked him about the last laughs and about Akvar. It seems that Akvar is a face for the last laughs and an extortionist. His wife, Jill, was someone of some note in the last laughs. The thug was convinced that he would not survive in the city. He did not know of any other locations that we might find the last laughs other than the Slippery Eel. We kept him tied up in Tycho’s tower while all of us return to speak to Ghelv.
We arrived a little early for the appointment and the Locksmiths shop was closed. As we waited he arrived from up the street, he looked very tall for a gnome (almost as tall as me). He whispered something to Valas before he stepped into the shop. Once inside he stepped behind his counter and removed his stilts (he doesn’t like people looking down on him apparently). He spoke mostly to Valas of some locks that Valas wanted to buy. Behind the counter were two thick curtains. Ghelv seemed to be quite agitated and shuffled around behind his counter and in front of the curtains. Tycho made notes of the various locks on the counter, which he showed to Ghelv. Ghelv also wrote on the note, Tycho showed it to Valas.
Valas used the pretence of needing to use a privy to barge past Ghelv and through the curtains. After a short pause the sound of fighting came from behind the curtains. Tycho and Myself rushed through to see Valas stood, seemingly stood over his opponent but I could see nothing. “Do you not see it man?” I confessed that I could not. Tycho threw his cloak over something. Its form was revealed by the cloak, a human shaped figure but with amazing powers of disguise. It seems that it can blend itself into any colour to vanish from sight.
Ghelv was panicky about us having killed the creature, although Valas had actually only knocked it unconscious. He explained that they had kidnapped his familiar (starbrow, a brown rat) and forced him to create a skeleton for all his locks do they could kidnap the children and others. We persuaded him to help us, in return we would try to find starbrow. He said that his shop was an entrance point to Jzadirune, a Gnome city built prior to the human city of Cauldron. And that in turn lead to the Malachite Fortress. It seems that the passage from the Star of Justice would be leading us to this Malachite Fortress. We decide that time is very much a factor and that we should prepare quickly before venturing down into Jzadirune.
* * *
Journal of Coda Tyburn (week 3)
PC’s in “The Shackled City”
Coda Tyburn (half-orc fighter)
Valas (elf paladin),
Leea (elf ranger),
Badvok Rockmincer (dwarf “scholar”/rogue)
Tycho (human mage)
* * *
We quickly return to Ghelv’s shop after buying some items that could be useful to us down below. Tycho purchased some torches and Badvok bought some iron spikes and a small hammer (for what purpose I was not sure at the time). Ghelv told us some more information that might help us rescue the children and his familiar Starbrow. The tall creatures that are able to disguise themselves also work with a smaller creature. Ghelv described them as small gnome-like creatures with the hooved feet. The enclave of Jzadirune was abandoned 75 years ago due to a magical plague called the Vanishing. It would infect and make people just vanish. I hope that it does not linger in the city still.
The door in the back of Ghelv’s shop led to a set of stairs going down. They turned two corners before opening out into a large chamber. Badvok insisted on going first “to check it out”. We waited quietly for him to return. After a few minutes we heard the sounds of a struggle. I a small room that adjoined the main chamber Badvok was fighting two of the skulking creatures. We all rushed into the main chamber. One of them attacked Valas but both are quickly killed. Tycho lit a torch. They are very difficult to see or hit (especially in the dark) but they are very fragile creatures.
Badvok came back into the main chamber. The walls each had a number of masks mounted at about four feet up. Badvok seemed fascinated by them and went around the room inspecting them. On of them was enchanted to speak words when Badvok stood in front of them though I did not hear the words. As he was looking at another mask Badvok noticed a small crack the wall and after a moment the false section of the wall slid aside revealing a corridor.
He ventured down the corridor and disappeared. He had fallen down a pit. A trap designed to catch intruders and squash them against spikes. With some help from us Badvok managed to climb out.
Tycho spotted some markings on the doors and figured out that they were letters that spelled out the name of Jzadirune. This might mean the doors need to be opened in a particular order or that there would be a “lettered” key for each door with that letter. In the small chamber where the two “skulks” ambushed Badvok there was a small tunnel that had recently been dug. It led off to other parts of Jzadirune.
Further into the complex Badvok was attacked by a room full of rags. The rags gathered together by some magical means and attacked him. Together we were able to dispatch it but it was a much stronger creature than the “skulks”.
Valas and Leea seem to be able to see secret doors (must be some kind of Elf thing) as well as Badvok (and does a scholar who is trying to reform learn how to spot false doors?). In one room uncovered by Valas we discover many bottles that are marked as healing potions but Tycho could detect no magic from them. We put some in a bag and head back up to ask Ghelv about them. He said that during the Vanishing magic items were the means of the plague spreading and that many potions and items were subject to mass dispellings.
We decide to head back down (after Badvok trades in one potion in his possession for 4 healing potions.) On the stairs back down Leea spots another false wall section.
We investigate.
* * *
Journal of Coda Tyburn (week 4)
PC’s in “The Shackled City”
Coda Tyburn (half-orc fighter)
Valas (elf paladin),
Leea (elf ranger),
Badvok Rockmincer (dwarf “scholar”/rogue)
Tycho (human mage)
* * *
The secret door leads to a small corridor. Badvok ties a rope to himself and I hold on just in case he falls. Which he did. Into some horrid slime. The rope gets stuck as I try to pull him out, Valas helps me hold the rope steady as Badvok climbed out. A voice comes from behind a second secret door and the pit trap makes a lot of noise but sounds like it is being deactivated. The door opened and revealed two Hobgoblins in a octagonal room. Valas charged in and the fight was joined. Leea fired her bow and Tycho cast Magic Missile. Badvok tumbled into the melee and dropped one of the Hobgoblins. Valas an I struggle to hit the second but Badvok has better luck. Eventually though it dies under my sword. Tycho tended to the first Hobgoblin so that we could question it. The octagonal room has chains running from holes in the ceiling to holes in the floor in four of the corners, a lever is on the north wall.
We revive the Hobgoblin. Tycho used magic to talk to it. He learnt that the boss is called Kasmodian. The room we are in is actually an elevator that descends 200ft to the Malachite Fortress below. More Hobgoblins and a skinny Ogre now guard it. Kasmodian is half-Dwarf, with long arms ending in claws. He can also regenerate any damage done to him. He also learned that Kasmodian is selling the people he abducts in auction, to various other Underdark villains. He warns us of the Darkcreepers (small creatures with hooves), he said they use shadows to sneak up and attack with wicked curved knives. He also, helpfully, gave us direction to where Starbrow was being held. We keep him tied up and venture onwards.
Down the tunnels indicated it turns upward into a small room. We need to climb up to get into the room. Valas goes first and gets attacked by a skulk. He defeats it easily. Another secret door leads into a slightly larger room where Starbrow is held in a cage, which is sat upon a chest. I enter the room first. The chest grins at me and says “Mmm. Food”. I decide that is some kind of disguised or shapeshifted creature that is holding Starbrow hostage and attack. Its skin is very sticky and the first two weapons I attack it with become stuck to its side. It strikes out and I remember no more.
Until I am revived by Valas. The creature has me in a stone grip and for once my great strength is useless. It released me only after we had given it some gold and provisions and a magical healing potion. It warns us that another of its kind (called Mimics) is down in the Malachite Fortress and it will not be so nice when dealing with us. With Starbrow safe with us we head back to the stairs to go back upstairs to Ghelv. He is very excited to see Starbrow safe. He gives us our promised 100 gp each.
Journal of Coda Tyburn (week 5)
PC’s in “The Shackled City”
Coda Tyburn (half-orc fighter)
Valas (elf paladin),
Leea (elf ranger),
Badvok Rockmincer (dwarf “scholar”/rogue)
Tycho (human mage)
* * *
We discussed plans to go back down. I favored getting extra men (more swords) to help defeat Kasmodian and his minions. The others wanted to head straight back, time is of the essence. While we were talking in the shop the two Elves that had been questioning Ghelv were snooping around outside. Tycho went outside to talk to them. They asked to join us on our quest to rescue the kidnapped children and townsfolk. Their friend, a half-Elven wizard, was taken three weeks ago. We all went to the Temple of St Cuthbert and received healing prayers. Ghelv asked us to turn him to the authorities but put in a good word. I thought he should stay at home out of the way but Valas insisted that he should go to the Town Watch. He has been placed under house arrest while we finish the investigation, we must find further evidence to back Ghelv’s story or he will be charged with all the kidnappings.
The seven of us headed back down to the elevator room and pulled the lever. It took a few minutes to descend to the bottom. At the bottom was a large iron door that was closed. A hidden door led to a control room with another lever to send the elevator back up. Beyond the iron door was a room of dark stone walls. Two cages were suspended from the ceiling. A short, badly carved stone pillar sat in the centre of the room. It had spikes coming from each side that shot out and attacked us as we walked past. We all hit it until it stops attacking. A large creature, an ogre, burst through a door at the other end of the room. It swings a huge falchion with deadly accuracy.
Leea healed me back to consciousness. Together we manage to defeat it but it severely wounded not just me but one of new companions. In its room was an awful mess; it must have been living its own filth for some time. A chest is buried under some of the muck. It contained some gold and two expensive looking gems. We moved the chest to the lever room and pocket the gems. Another hidden door led to a large chamber guarded by four Hobgoblins. They were quickly dispatched. In the room is a large statue of a Dwarven warrior. Badvok addressed the statue, telling it that he will cleanse the Malachite Fortress of the evil infecting it. Leea saw another hidden door in the statue room. This led to a small barrack with four more Hobgoblins, two of which were asleep. None of them survived. Beyond this room we discovered a treasure room. It has three chests as well as many items worth a fortune in gold. Also hidden in the room was the second mimic. It attacked Badvok as he entered to move one of the chests.
Journal of Coda Tyburn (week 6)
PC’s in “The Shackled City”
Coda Tyburn (half-orc fighter)
Valas (elf paladin),
Leea (elf ranger),
Badvok Rockmincer (dwarf “scholar”/rogue)
Tycho (human mage)
NPC’s
Fellian (half-elf ranger/cleric)
Fario (half-elf ranger/rogue)
* * *
The Mimic held Badvok in a death grip. He let a howl with blood on his lips, and fell limp. The Mimic dropped his body to the floor. Valas charged in and wounded it but it grabbed him as well. Fellian and Fario moved into the room to help Valas. I went into the room but looked around for something else to attack the Mimic with. I knew that if I attacked it straight away I would get one, maybe two good hits before it grabbed my sword and me. Tycho used a vial he found up in Jzadirune to free Valas from the Mimic’s grip. It shuffled toward Leea and me and attacked with its sticky appendages but we both managed to dodge aside. I attacked back and my sword though wounding it got stuck. Valas uses the contents of the vial that was left on his armor to coat his blade and attacked again. It hit out at Fario and Tycho wounding them severely. It was then that I noticed that Badvok was up and moving. He was only play possum before and was not dead. He had found a Greatsword in the piles of treasure and threw it to me. I caught it and it felt lighter in my hands. With a final swing of the blade the Mimic dies.
We had barely caught our breath when Leea steps back and shouts that Hobgoblins are moving into the room we had just come from. Four came charging into the room but we deal with them quickly. Badvok shot the first; Valas and I strike the other three down before they can do any damage. The treasure room was full of many items of interest; the Greatsword is of excellent craftsmanship and balanced perfectly. Of the three chests in the room Badvok sets of a trap on the second. A magical dagger appeared and attacked him. Whatever we did we could not affect it in any way. Tycho told us that it is most likely a spell woven into the trap that will only last a short time. Sure enough it disappeared after only a few more attacks that connect with Badvok wounding him.
The contents of the room amounted to thousands of golds worth of treasure and coin. We moved it back up to the city to purchase more healing before we went back to face Kasmodian. We also shuffled some equipment around the group from the items recovered. I got to keep the master quality Greatsword, Leea picked up a composite longbow that seemed very finely made (she donate her old longbow to me as I had not previously had a ranged weapon). Of the two suits of armor we found one, a fine shirt of chain went to Leea and Badvok took the studded leather and a Darkwood shield.
We quickly headed over to Sky’s Magic Emporium; it is always fascinating to watch her sign with its floating items chinking off each other. She seemed very helpful and we came away with many items that will be of help against Kasmodian (a wand of healing, another potion of healing each, a wand of Acid Arrow).
We heal up the wounds suffer when we fought the Mimic and go back down. As we walked back into the treasure room Leea spotted another hidden door. Beyond is a small chamber. Badvok steps into have a look and falls down a pit trap. He has the most amazing bad fortune.
* * *
Journal of Coda Tyburn (week 7)
PC’s in “The Shackled City”
Coda Tyburn (half-orc fighter)
Valas (elf paladin),
Leea (elf ranger),
Badvok Rockmincer (dwarf “scholar”/rogue)
Tycho (human mage)
NPC’s
Fellian (half-elf ranger/cleric)
Fario (half-elf ranger/rogue)
* * *
We lowered a rope to help Badvok get out of the pit, this one was much deeper than the others. A hidden door was on the other side of the pit. Fellian uses the wand to heal Badvok while he secures the cover of the pit trap. The room beyond contained a steel automaton with a large hammer on one arm and a wicked looking pincer on the other. It moves to pull a lever and we all hear a distant thud. I charge in to attack before it can attack anyone else. Its hammer lands a massive blow and next thing I remember is being tended to by Fellian. I switched to my longbow but had no better luck than before. Fario ran into the room and disappeared. Leea, Valas, Fellian and Tycho all enter the room. Valas fights the automaton and managed to damage it somewhat. Two of the back walls of the room turned out to be illusions (Fario had simply collided with the illusion and fallen through).
Between us all we managed to wear down the automaton but another had been summoned and approached. We retreated back across the pit trap to the treasure room but it did not follow. We all shot at the second one till it too stopped moving. Two more illusionary walls were beyond where the automatons were fighting. We searched the room and found two more doors, one normal and one hidden. On the other side of the normal door was a deep chasm crossed by a stone bridge. Water could be heard flowing deep beneath us. A stone shelf formed a kind of corridor leading us left and right. To the left lead us back to the room that the last lot of Hobgoblins had come from.
To the right is another door that lead to another guard post. The two Hobgoblins inside were lounging on their cots but did not have time to stand as Badvok and I charged in. In that rooms east corner was a door. We could hear screams coming from beyond and the sound of whips. We charge into the room that looked very much like a torture chamber. A Halfling woman is bound in an iron device. Three Hobgoblins were in the room, one of which had much darker skin and was missing an arm. Tycho helped the woman out of the device while the rest of us attacked the Hobgoblins. Leea was the one to finish off the dark-skinned one.
The woman said her name is Koryston Pyke and was part of an adventuring band that had been wiped out leaving her captive. She also told us that other captives were in a nearby cellblock. We found the keys on one of the dead Hobgoblins and freed four people in the cells. One of them was a warrior and he, after some persuasion, led the others and Koryston to the elevator. She offered to stay and help but I told her that she should return to the surface and be out of harms way. He told us that the children were there till only recently and that Kasmodian had taken them to the Auction room. Others were taken too, to work in the Forge and the Kitchen. He indicated that the Auction room was over the bridge. We crossed the bridge and entered directly into the Auction room.
Kasmodian, half a Dwarf and half Troll, was holding onto one of the children, a boy, and was talking to a Gnome. The other three children were shackled to a stone pillar. A large dog-like creature (a Howler I am told) stood guard. Badvok throws a bag of caltrops in front of the Howler and we charge in to attack Kasmodian. Valas, Fario and I all ran across the room to deal with Kasmodian, the Gnome fled under the cover of a Darkness spell. Tycho used the Wand of Acid Arrows.
We had barely landed the first blow when a loud crack filled the room along with a searing light. A large floating creature appeared from the light, one huge eye stared out of its ball-like body. Many tentacles ending in eyeballs sprouted from the top of its (head?) body. It spoke to everyone, the boy is not to be harmed and was taken from Cauldron too early. Kasmodian protested screaming the deal is done. I challenged the abomination; we will take the boy back to the city. It pays no heed to any of us and simply took the boy and disappeared.
Kasmodian was very angry at his deal being interrupted and turned his anger toward me. His Dwarf half obviously recognized my Orcish side. We traded blows. Fellian and Leea tried to deal with the howler but it was a very dangerous foe. Tycho tried to chase down the gnome but he had gone. He then turned to help Leea and Fellian by catching the Howler in a Tanglefoot bag. Kasmodian fought well, his wounds healing before my eyes. But we managed to strike him down. Valas moved to attack the Howler by himself and saw that it had seriously wounded both Leea and Fellian.
It leapt and attacked Valas in return. Its massive jaws locked onto his neck and before I could do anything to help him it bit down all the way through. The beast was killed shortly after but it was too late. Valas is dead.
Journal of Coda Tyburn (week 8)
PC’s in “The Shackled City”
Coda Tyburn (half-orc fighter)
Valas (elf paladin),
Leea (elf ranger),
Badvok Rockmincer (dwarf “scholar”/rogue)
Tycho (human mage)
NPC’s
Fellian (half-elf ranger/cleric)
Fario (half-elf ranger/rogue)
* * *
We moved quickly, taking the remaining children and Valas’s body back through the Malachite Fortress and left them with Koryston. I asked her to look after them and to watch over our fallen comrade. Upon returning to the Auction room I opened double doors in the north wall. Four Hobgoblins were waiting in ambush and I was hit with three arrows. They were all stood on the other side of an open pit, which stretched across the whole width of the wide corridor beyond the door.
Fario bounded down the corridor and leapt over the pit to engage them. The rest of us stayed on this side to shoot them. They were quickly dispatched but another group emerged from another door further the corridor. Badvok located two levers that raised the bottoms of the pits, which enabled us to charge over and help Fario. The second group injured Fario but we fought them off. One got away, and fled through a door into the Forge. The fight then moved into the Forge, more Hobgoblins were standing guard over three captives and three Goblins were also in the room. After a brief fight we managed to free the captives (a Dwarf woman and two Halflings, one male one female). I explored a little beyond the Forge and find the Kitchen. Two goblins guarded one more prisoner. I freed him from them and his manacles. None of the freed slaves was the friend that Fario and Fellian were looking for. It is possible that he was already sold into slavery in the Underdark.
At this time we realized that we had explored nearly the whole complex and had vanquished all of the guards and killed the evil leader Kasmodian. The cost was too high.
Back in the large room with the towering statue we noticed that the doors that were barred were not any longer. We assumed that the Hobgoblin we had set free had chosen to come this way instead of upward. Beyond the door was another chasm spanned by a stone bridge. It lead to a natural looking cave the sloped steeply down. We bar the doors again. We did find one more room hidden behind a secret door. It contained many weapons and pieces of armor. We carried it all back up to Ghelv’s shop. We regrouped with Koryston and escorted them all back up to the surface and on to the Temple of St Cuthbert.
Rufus greeted us at the doors to the temple. He was glad to see and especially glad to see the children. He told us that the boy Terrum, the one taken by the eye-creature, which I am told now is called a Beholder (very evil and very powerful), had not an hour since been returned to the orphanage by a silent woman in a veil. He took us to see High Priestess Jenya. The returned citizens were tended to by the clerics in the temple. We had brought the head of Kasmodian in a bag. We knew that powerful clerics can speak with dead and would like to question him if possible. Jenya said that she could perform the necessary magic to do so but could only ask two questions. We asked Jenya to ask the head of Kasmodian ~Who was the Beholder~ and ~Who was the Gnome buyer~. The head replied with the names (Orbius) and one I could not pronounce let only write here now).
Jenya offered to inter the body of Valas in the Tomb of Heroes until his own clergy can be contacted. We agreed that it would be fitting for him to rest there, even if only for a while. The funeral rites will be held tomorrow morning. Fario and Fellian bid us farewell and thanked us for helping them, even though we did not find their friend. They said that they would be in touch from time to time.
The last two days have been such a swirl of events. I record them here in my journal so that I can always remember what has happened and to recall the deeds of a fallen companion. To this end we have decided to form a permanent company of myself, Tycho the Master Wizard, Leea the Pious Archer and Badvok Trapspringer. We shall all henceforth be known as The Valas Avengers.
Journal of Coda Tyburn (week 9)
PC’s in “The Shackled City”
Founding members of The Valas Avengers:
Coda Tyburn (half-orc fighter)
Leea (elf ranger),
Badvok Rockmincer (dwarf “scholar”/rogue)
Tycho (human mage)
Kaile Stormfall (Human Cleric)
* * *
The body of our good friend and comrade in arms Valas was today interned in the Tomb of Heroes under the Temple of St Cuthbert. It was very moving with stirring words from all of the founding members of our new company The Valas Avengers.
We decide that to continue to good works here in Cauldron we need to recruit a new member to our company. It must be some one capable of healing magic. Now that Fario and Fellian have moved on and left us we need the help. Though I also felt that some one of Valas’s martial prowesses would also be of benefit.
This evening Badvok bumped into someone that fit the bill. A cleric of Hieronious was in the Drunken Morkoth sermonizing to the patrons there. I think that form the descriptions of who he was talking to it was the rival group that we have seen around. Badvok managed to get him to come talk to us and he introduced himself as Kaile Stormfall. He seems eager to help us in our endeavors.
* * *
This morning we were summoned to see the Captain of the Guard. He told us that the rival group from the Drunken Morkoth had been given the job of sweeping the Malachite Fortress. He then offered us a new job. Over the last month or so several attacks by Goblins have been reported around the city in various sectors. Some vandalism has been seen as well, generally scrawls written on walls in Goblin.
We agreed to look in to the attacks; the captain gave us a warrant to show to any guards if needed. We visit the sites of two bits of graffiti with Koryston Pyke who offered to translate for us. The first read “Drakthar is Fog” and the other was “Hail Drakthar, Lord of Rats.” We conclude that Drakthar is a Vampire who is leading the Goblins in some plot against the city. We then gather supplies to hopefully combat a vampire (Holy Water, weapons were silvered).
After the sun had set we stake out one of the streets near a previous incident near the Lakeside Pavilion. We settle down to watch for any Goblins I hid near the boats moored at the lake. After a short while I heard a noise from just behind me. A short plump woman wearing leather armor was sat behind me; she must have moved incredibly quietly to get there. I noticed that she was carrying a shortsword and a whip and that her armor was studded with dull metal bosses.
She asked me what I was doing and I stated that I was looking out for Goblins. She said that we should look near Orak’s Bathhouse. She then moves into a shadow and disappeared. I decided that any tip was better than nothing and told everyone else what had happened. We moved around to Orak’s Bathhouse with caution however. We did encounter something there but not Goblins (at least not at first). Four creatures, were-rats, attacked us from the shadowed alleyways. The fight attracted attention though but not guards. Six Goblins attacked us using spears. Together we fought them but one managed to escape.
We could not track it across the wet cobbled streets. We question Orak (a retired Dwarven adventurer), through his door, as he was very reluctant to open it fully. He seemed very unconcerned that a fellow Dwarf was outside his house fighting Goblins.
* * *
Journal of Coda Tyburn (week 10)
PC’s in “The Shackled City”
Founding members of The Valas Avengers:
Coda Tyburn (half-orc fighter)
Leea (elf ranger),
Badvok Rockmincer (dwarf “scholar”/rogue)
Tycho (human mage)
New companion:
Kaile Stormfall (Human Cleric)
* * *
We cleared up the were-rat and goblin bodies into a pile, round the corner of the bath-house, and tried to find their tracks, but it was too wet, and the cobbles too hard. A patrol came along, and they accepted our story after seeing the dead goblins and our warrant from Skellerang. Tycho was not satisfied by the response from the bath-owner, Orak, as Tycho felt any true dwarf should have helped his fellow dwarf, especially when it involved a fight with goblins, yet he seemed not to care. This wasn't enough to prove his guilt, though, so Tycho assumed the form of a hybrid man-rat, and banged on the door demanding to be let in, while the rest of the group hid in a blind spot and readied themselves to force their way through the door if he welcomed him in. He opened the eye-slit, and told him to sling his hook, which wasn't quite what Tycho was hoping, but on the other hand, he didn't seem to betray any surprise at seeing this bizarre creature on his doorstep, or raise any alarm, but just kept telling him the baths were closed, and that he wanted to go to bed. Since we knew we couldn't break the door down without a lot of noise and time, we abandoned this area and went to bed.
The next morning we went to the Church of St Cuthbert, where Jenya told us she believed the mysterious woman from the night before to be Jill, the enforcer for The Last Laugh, which would make sense, since we humiliated her 'husband', killed his bodyguards, and Badvok thinks it could have been her on the roof, directing the muggers to beat Brother Rufus. Jenya agreed to unlock the Star of Justice (which turned out not to be a gem, as Tycho had assumed, but a heavy mace). This is the relic that allows them to commune with their demigod (once a week, Tycho thought). We discussed the questions we wanted to ask, and got some typically obscure replies (the goblin lair has entrances from above and below, Orak is not to be trusted, and Jill has no permanent hiding-place for her valuables). None of this was particularly useful, but at least we could now smash Orak's face in with a clear conscience.
Leea, Kaile and Tycho went to the bathhouse as customers, leaving Badvok and Me outside, in case Orak recognised them. We spent roughly half an hour in our 3 private bathrooms, searching every surface for a hidden door or switch, and Tycho also detected magic from a back room, which could only be accessed with a key round Orak's neck. Orak himself radiated no magic, which was encouraging. Eventually, we could not delay any longer, and called the other 2 in, hoping this would prompt some recognition in him, and kick something off. If he recalled Badvok, or myself he gave no indication, just pottering about filling pools, handing out soap etc. Only after spotting Badvok examining the lock to the back room did he show any emotion, drawing his axe, but he dropped in 2 swipes of my Greatsword. His attitude (until the end) was that of a man going through the motions, and we suspected he was being controlled from afar. Tycho checked his eye patch, which did indeed cover an injured socket, and tied him up with a bag on his head. We found an endlessly full flask of water in the back room, and a second door led to a stairway to the cellar.
We went down the stairs and found a long corridor that must have run under several houses on this street. Badvok 'found' a tripwire that set off an alarm bell, sending about a dozen goblins barrelling towards us. There was a short fight that was in their favour, since we could not bring our full numbers to bear. While waiting for an opening, Kaile and I opened 2 side doors and found a desecrated dwarf temple, but did not enter. Leea eventually had enough, and managed to get back into cover, after which I slaughtered several of the goblins. Badvok & Tycho were mopping up a pair of goblins in a side room when a boss came in and tried to assassinate him, but his forcefield saved him. He was soon backed into a corner and dispatched with a tricky dummy move from Badvok. We had a few seconds to distribute some essential healing whilst waiting for a second wave.
Journal of Coda Tyburn (week 11)
PC’s in “The Shackled City”
Founding members of The Valas Avengers:
Coda Tyburn (half-orc fighter)
Leea (elf ranger),
Badvok Rockmincer (dwarf “scholar”/rogue)
Tycho (human mage)
New companion:
Kaile Stormfall (Human Cleric)
* * *
We waited for the second wave of goblins but they seemed reluctant to engage while we are in the open. Leea heard a noise from behind a door. I opened the door and started to explore the completely dark storeroom. At first I did not find anything but when Tycho and Leea came into the room and shined a lantern they spotted a hiding Goblin. They attacked that one whilst another jumped from round a corner to attack me. This seemed to be a signal to others as six more rushed us from behind. Tycho burned several with magic; Badvok and Kaile engaged the rest. They all died fairly quickly and we harvest the ears.
After a little further exploration we found a rubble-strewn room with a trapdoor made of stone. It contained several items including; four flasks, four rune-covered stones, a bag of squidgy stuff, a healers kit, a selection of artist brushes and a set of high quality locksmith tools. We also encountered four more Goblins.
Beyond the desecrated temple of Morradin we fought a Goblin Shaman. A second Shaman caught Badvok off guard with a ray of fire. He was a tenacious foe and it took all our combined efforts to vanquish him. In his room was a cauldron and lots of flasks and equipment for making potions.
* * *
Journal of Coda Tyburn (week 12)
PC’s in “The Shackled City”
Founding members of The Valas Avengers:
Coda Tyburn (half-orc fighter)
Leea (elf ranger),
Badvok Rockmincer (dwarf “scholar”/rogue)
Tycho (human mage)
New companion:
Kaile Stormfall (Human Cleric)
* * *
We finished exploring the rooms under Orak’s bathhouse. We heard a howling coming from further under the complex. It seemed to be coming from a connecting cave that led to a lava tube. The darkness meant that the others had to take it slowly. We came across sleeping of filthy Goblins; Tycho activated his Sunrod to see more clearly. A goblin Worgrider tried to ambush us at this point but we quickly dispatched both rider and beast. Three more goblins attacked us during the fight managed to knife Tycho in the back but we were victorious.
A dire wolf charged out of the darkness, Tycho had a magical attack ready but missed the beast. Its attacks were fast and ferocious. Its claws raked past my armor and wounded me. Kaile’s prayers healed me and I strode back into the fight. Tycho once again missed with his magical ray. It seemed to be taking no damage from Badvok’s attacks so we changed tactics.
We figured that this was either Drakthar or one of its minions. We switched to using Silvered weapons. This did the trick and it fell beneath our blows. Tycho told us not to use the Holy Water on the remains, which turned into a cloud of gas, but to find the coffin where the helpless body would be resting.
The vaporous minion led us down many caves, backtracking on itself a few times to try and throw us off the scent but we kept pace with it, Tycho shouted many insults after the floating undead. At one point it seeped under a door, which we had to break down to get through. Beyond lay a tunnel of stalactites. We chased the gas but we found ourselves plunged into total darkness. This was very unsettling for me as I can normally see in the dark. Small creatures attacked us in the dark and I lost all sense of direction. Luckily my companions were fairing better and we managed to dispatch them. Tycho identified them as Darkmantles.
* * *
Journal of Coda Tyburn (week 13)
PC’s in “The Shackled City”
Founding members of The Valas Avengers:
Coda Tyburn (half-orc fighter)
Leea (elf ranger),
Badvok Rockmincer (dwarf “scholar”/rogue)
Tycho (human mage)
New companion:
Kaile Stormfall (Human Cleric)
* * *
After another short chase we encountered more Goblins. Another Worgrider, who named himself Silent Wolf, led this group. Both Silent Wolf and his mount were dispatched but he received some back up in the form of sneaking Goblins and another Shaman on a ledge above our position. All but the Shaman are killed; he managed to escape before we could get the ledge. I took the tail of the Worg as a trophy. (I am not sure why I did this; it is not normal behaviour for a follower of Kord. I am worried that my Orcish blood may be asserting itself).
Before Silent Wolf was killed he was about to drink a potion. Tycho managed to catch it before it smashed on the floor. Another potion was found on his body (which was a potion of Bulls Strength).
Leea spotted tracks some tracks leading off the main trail. We decide to take the side trail and then double back to try and find the remains of Drakthar (or his minion). We follow the tracks to a room at the bottom of some steps. Badvok sneaks up to the door and sees that in the room are two people, a man and a woman. The man was dressed in robes and the woman wore leather armour.
We storm the room but again darkness so complete that I cannot see engulfs us all. The man I could hear chanting in the darkness. Small creatures start attacking us in the dark, obviously summoned by the mage. The female warrior had a demonic look to her before I could see nothing more. I could hear the chanting of the mage in the dark and attacked him or at least swung in his direction. Everyone else tackled the female warrior and managed to find and kill her in the darkened room. The mage proved more elusive and I had difficulty finding him.
Eventually he his cornered and we drag his unconscious body out of the room and into the light. He had asked to surrender before he was knocked out so Kaile healed his wounds so that he would not die of his injuries. We decide to question him.