With one of our original members moved away 4 odd months ago, we thought it would have been pretty easy to replace him at the table, after all - we never had an issue before finding someone, and not just a body - quality people.
This was naivete on our part or perhaps just our good fortune earlier, but it has been an uphill struggle to even get people to sit and talk at length about the game. Lots of maybes, and plenty of static. Went with the friends of friends route as well and had no bites. We all were asking people at work, nothing doing.
Finally I went back to Meetup and scoured the boards, but after 57 reachings out, I had less than half reply to my emails, and only 10 show any interest in taking it further. 16% return or there abouts.
I was pleased to have an interview with 2 people this last week and although one of them was sort of what you'd expect from people who play this hobby in a negative light, the other was a ray of sunshine and both myself and the player who came with me to check out the interviewees were happy to offer her a place at the table.
So she came, rolled up her half-orc barbarian, and by the end of the night fit in with the rest of the table.
Write up follows:
Watches were split up and about the only thing of note was the sound of falling rocks far in the distance along with the strange high pitched bleating of some animal. It didn’t continue nor repeat so the watchers noted it but we moved on.
The caravan awoke the next day, broke their fast, then loaded up the carts, lashed the ponies, and we set off. Trentis informed us that we would have to lift and force the carts again uphill and over irregular terrain again as we were planning to get past an area referred to as Three Rock Falls.
By 9:30, we had come upon the location as expected. The Enderlyn River sped up here and cascaded down a series of small 2’-5’ drops, punctuated in three places by large boulders that acted as breakwaters, forcing the river to roil around them. The foothills were much closer here and Trentis led us some distance from the falls, taking the group up a series of slopes and switchbacks – the ponies complaining bitterly along the way as we trudged our way uphill.
During this time we noted that Einar was growing weaker, coughing open, blowing snot, and wheezing. He complained that his chest hurt but the half-orc was doggedly continuing on.
Once past the area of Three Falls, the Enderlyn River flowed south and then gently turned back north, widening out and shallowing. Trentis let us know that we would be fording the river here. Each cart and pony was to have 1 teamster and two others to help out. We would cross the river one at a time and do all we could to keep the ponies moving forward and the carts as steady as possible. Avulstein went across with the first cart and then stood watch at Trentis’ request, keen eyes peeled for any problems.
He did note that once again the party had attracted the attention of wolves. Some 250 yards or so down river, another three were standing there, thick furred, healthy, fat even. The necromancer suspected at least one of them was similar to one that had watched us before but couldn’t be sure. The carts all crossed and by 10ish we were on our way. Ahead of us was a larger mountain, some 7,000 ft in height, and its peak was split in the middle making the mountain appear like it had two ears. Trentis informed us that this was Furtham’s Peak, and the Illytch Base Camp was at the eastern base in the foothills near the river. The distinctive mountain between its height and its summit characteristic would help us should we find ourselves out in the wilderness and needed to find our way back to the Base Camp.
Meanwhile, in Base Camp, one of the members of the Randari Rangers hired by House Illytch 6 months earlier had been growing increasingly frustrated with the uneven and chaotic leadership style of the alpha male, Hornes. His seemingly distancing from reality coupled with the other members of the ranging group feeding in to his wildly inaccurate statements had been wearing Barb down so much so that she was seriously contemplating vacating her employment contract with House Illytch.
Instead, she went and spoke with the Reeve Donna Duncarian and gotten tacit approval that if the promised K’Morat hunters were truly on their way from Sorton as promised earlier last month, that she could transfer her contract from the ranging group to the hunter group assuming there was room for her. For now, Barb has been anxiously waiting for the caravan to arrive, something that Hornes has noted but isn’t sure what is going on.
The party came up river and at 11:30, arrived at the House Illytch Base Camp. It’s pretty sizeable and it’s obvious they have done much to prepare for the longer stay here.
Base Camp is at the foothills of Furtham’s Peak. The outer area is cut away forest, then a breastwork of 8’ dug earth and a lattice of wood palisade. Beyond that is a stout stone wall 14’ tall that encompasses the camp itself. Two ballista’s and three mule-kicker style catapults cover the 4 corners and entrance of the camp. The building are squat, tightly made, and in great repair. The entire camp is on the slope of the foothill so there is line of sight for the back of the camp to target and defend the front as well.
A call goes out and Trentis announces our arrival and desire to enter. The sound of hammers and saws come to a stop as the people of the Base Camp gather near the entrance to greet the caravan, the party, and the tradesmen who have made the trip.
The group looks around as we roll in through the heavy stone gate. Entering the camp, to the right is the cart house and beyond that, a paddock for the ponies. To the left are the kennels and dogs, followed by a sty for the pigs. Following clockwise from there is the alchemy labs and the stoneworking shops. Then along the back of the enclosure are 3 barracks, each capable of sleeping 20. In front of them is the mess lodge that would seat 70; with the bakery, the kitchen, and pantry stores situated adjoining. A privy and showers is in the back of camp where water is brought up from the Enderlyn River and situated in two 50 gallon tanks on top of the building. A similar tank is on top of the kitchen as well.
Continuing along, the back of the camp has the rep house for House Illytch where the Bailiff and Reeve stay and beyond that is the smithy. Then we have the cobbler and weaver sharing a squat wooden structure and behind are the carpenters and the camp stores with a final open sided aired barn building for hay and animal feed.
Trentis bids his hello to a soft looking early middle aged dwarf with a forked braided beard tucked into his waist identified as Bailiff Youngston Illytch who is standing next to a 6’ 5” imposing woman who is the Reeve Donna Duncarian. The group is introduced which gets an excited smattering from the 40 plus gathered people here. We have about ½ dwarves, 1/3 orcs and half orcs, 1/3 human, and the rest is a smattering of other races. About 1 in 4 is female and everyone seems in good spirits and capable.
We are told to go drop our gear off at Barracks Three and then to meet the Bailiff and Reeve at the Rep Building. As we head off we note that an orcish woman is talking quickly and excitedly with the Reeve who after listening for a bit nods her head. The other orcs and half orcs then approach the woman and argue with her. We catch something about “Bears don’t HAVE horns!” in an almost frustrated screech but are whisked away towards the rear of the camp.
Once our gear is stored away we make our way over to the Illytch Rep House and are let in. The main room is set up with a U shaped table where Bailiff Youngston and Reeve Donna are seated; to their left is the orcish woman we had seen earlier, although now that we were closer, her body type belied some human ancestry in her past. The Bailiff let us know that Trentis spoke of the trip and our efforts, picking up on 3 members of the party who did not perform to the caravan master’s wants: Dizzy, Einar, and Bobkins.
Dizzy was argumentative and lazy, but he did have a keen eye and warned the group twice of the Rock Drake attack so he was forgiven. Einar has come down with Reorx’ Bane – a type of poison the Gorokian Mountain Dwarves had concocted during the Randari War some century and a half ago. Mostly gone, sometimes it can be found settled in crevices and older pools of water. If an orcish person imbibes the tainted water, it can make them sick and dehydrated for at 3 days, and maybe as much as a week or so. So he was going to be of no use to the party and ergo, the Base Camp.
As for Bobkins, Trentis let the Bailiff and Reeve know that Bobkin was big on talk, and almost non-existent on help or skill. Smacking his jo sticks together and going “clang clang” was not the same as aiding the teamsters in moving the carts and ponies across the rugged terrain. Because of this the Bailiff felt very uncomfortable sending Bobkins out and would like him to re relegated to the kitchens for now.
This left the party down two on the contract, although the case could be made for 1 since Bobkins could show himself to be capable. This is where the Reeve came in. Donna motioned to the half-orc on her left and introduced her as Barb, a member of the Randari Rangers who was looking to transfer her employment contract to something else in the Illytch purview. Since we were down Einar, they wanted us to take her on. She presented herself as no nonsense, straight shooting, and capable with all manner of weaponry. After discussing the contract with her, she agreed to its terms and the Reeve had her sign it right there and she was welcomed aboard.
They then talked about the fungi that were being harvested out here far from Sorton. The fungus spores have sprung up all over the upper reaches of Furtham’s Peak, at least 4,000 feet in altitude and spread over a wide area that has encompassed over 12 square miles. The fungus, A large fibrous mushroom almost 2’ in height, pale yellow in color and flecked with green and blue spots near the crown, is called “Firvin’s Cap” and is rare at best. The entire mushroom must be harvested since plucking the cap will dislodge the spores and waste the usefulness of the mushroom. So small bladed saws and knives are used, the mushrooms lifted and cut free near the ground and then dropped in sealed clay jars.
Feeling around camp is good, everyone is working and each time the harvesters come in with a Firvin’s Cap, it’s a win for everyone since it means continued pay and work. But the continued and increasing K’Morat assault and attacks have reduced the gathering from 5-8/day of premium specimens to 1-2/day of lesser ones. They have had some people “guarding” the harvesters but it is a waste of resources since each person that is brought to camp reduces profit for the entire operation and reduces everyone’s bonus and pay, which in turn reduced morale and means others things that need to get done aren’t getting done. So the consensus is the Base Camp is thrilled the party is here and is expecting an almost immediate improvement from their presence.
We were given a heads up of the camp’s 60+ composition: The Bailiff, The Reeve, the 10 (now 11) party members, 10 Harvesters, 2 Alchemy Dept Reps, 13 (now 12) Randari Orc Rangers, 8 Giant Killers, 3 Miners/Masons, 2 Carpenters, 1 Hayswain, 2 Tinsmiths, 1 Blacksmith, 1 Cobbler, 1 Weaver, 4 Teamsters/Wheelwrights, 3 Cooks, 3 Pages/Camp Aides, 1 Baker, 6 Guards, and the Kennelmaster
When Trentis leaves, he will cycle 4 of the teamsters he brought with him here, taking the others with him. It’s 6 days round trip without issue for the caravans to return.
We wanted some information about the area and where the K’Morat are situated from. For that we were told that the Randari Ranger’s leader, the bruiser Half-orc known as Hornes, was the best bet. Barb had recently worked with him and let us know that a steady litany of praise and commenting about his “bear” horned helmet should be enough to grease the wheels for the group.
Avulstein went with Einar to the Alchemy Department Reps, meeting with the two here: a dwarf named Thebides Ironbeard and his gnomish compatriot “Thimbles” Yuntin Wentworthington. They were assisted by a young dwarven female named Pips who seemed to beyond weary dealing with the two eccentric alchemists. They identified Einar’s issue and gave him some medication, advising him that bed rest was the best solution for our ailing half-orc.
As for Avulstein, he had hinted if there was something the alchemist’s could supply to him to make killing K’Morat warriors easier. Thebides didn’t get it, but Thimbles did. Thimbles was also working on an oil of explosion recipe and has it about 80% working. The two alchemists had no problem coming up with a poison to kill K’Morat, and would happily put one together but they would need about 4-8 gallons of kobold blood in Avulstein could procure it.
4-8…gallons?
When Avulstein tried to explain the difficulty in getting that much as well as carrying it back, also asking if there was something in it for him (cough cough, pay me?) they were non-plussed and said that we all worked for House Illytch and that should be good enough. Avulstein left frustrated and rejoined the party at the Rep house.
Darius meanwhile had gone to the dwarven blacksmith, a stout woman named Daversi, and had an antlered handled knife swapped out for a horned handled knife. He brought it back to the Rep house and rejoined the crew just before the Randari Ranger Hornes came in along with his druid subaltern, Spunifer Shaggycoat.
Hornes was half-orc and favored his human side except for the deep green pigmentation and Spunifer was a full orc decked out in ritual scarification and fetishes dangling from her hair, ears, and clothes. Hornes started off with animosity but after he was praised for his bear horned helmet (See?!?! I TOLD you it was Bear Horn!) and then presented the knife, he broke down a bit in tears, happy that someone notices the work he’s doing and the effort he makes in promoting what is best for his rangers.
They talked to us at length about the K’Morat in the area and eventually gave us a map of the ranges and notable points upon it. K’Morat look on us as food. Period. Anything that moves is food. They are brave and hardy, and have a different outlook on death than we do, so seemingly dying isn’t a problem for them. Thankfully even though they are fecund, they are also small and weak and their numbers aren’t overwhelming. They don’t speak any language but their own and outside of magical means, no one can understand the K’Morat language since they don’t reply to anything except from other K’Morat’s. They are pretty close to the ebbs of Yggdrasil and make potent shamans. They make a foodstuff, like a runny cheese, that acts as a mutagen to whatever animal they feed it to. K’Morat’s have been known to range as far as 30 miles in their hunts in an area they call their territory. Signs you are near their lair is a lack of huntable game and some signs of mutagenic animals. No stranger to the sun, they are more comfortable hunting in the twilight and pre-dawn hours.
We thanked Hornes for his efforts and he and Spunifer left. We then discussed with the Reeve what our plan was which was to follow the Harvesters and see if we could pick up and K’Morat while they watched the party and maybe track them back to their lair.
Wednesday, September 27, 2017
Monday, September 25, 2017
Meet 13, Adv B4, 9/22/17 - Youth Group
With the start of school, the youth’s game had been fallow for a month but they had a great session to make up for it. The larger adventure and world is coming along and they are damned close to more to the ancient weapons of Cyndicia which they will hope to use against the demonic Zargon at some point.
They’ve been talking about what happens after this adventure is finished – and the consensus is to continue – but make the leap from B/X to Advanced. Going to get them all a PDF of the 1st edition player’s handbook in the near future and that’ll be the go to in about 5-7 more meetings from where I’m sitting.
Write up follows:
With the Crawler rearing back for another wave of tentacle infused assaults, Mark took a daring chance and lunged forward; Mace of Gorm upraised, and brought it crashing down on the beast. There was a flash of light and a concussive blast and when it was over, the Crawler’s head had been stove in and a line of smoke was curling up from the mace’s surface.
The situation now well in hand, there was the question of whether the Crawler’s paralytic goo was still effective. Mark dared to touch a tentacle and on feeling the numbing buzz; backed away and swiftly wiped his hand clean – yeah, still works.
So the group whacked one of the tentacle ends off and Safir lifted it with the hem of his cloak, positioning the tube like end into a cautiously held flask Vulcan was gripping – and squeezed. We were rewarded with the sound of the fluid tinkling into the flask. It took time, but we hacked off the other 7 tentacle pods and duplicated our efforts until we had about half a flask of this paralytic ichor.
It was time to open the coffin and a look inside showed us three pouches along with the mummified remains of a body. The first held a set of superior thieves tools which Safir happily took charge of, the second had 20 sapphires of good quality that we split evenly, and the last was a document declaring that the mummified individual had a deal to follow King Alexander and Queen Zenobia into the afterlife as the royal thief. We kept the treasures – and left the contract, shutting the coffin lid and then leaving the room.
Our internal map had now wrapped up every possible passage or room on the 4th level except or the central portion of the map that we had not been able to find our way to as of yet. There was the long corridor that led down to the 5th level still to investigate – it had continued beyond our original egress. So the group left the master thief’s room and began the long trek west through the dark passages, eyes peels and ears perked for anything to be found in the gloom.
As we were coming back around near where the shadows had been slain, we could hear a voice from a growing glow ahead hail us as aske who we were. They drew closer and we saw 7 silver masked robed members of the Cult of Usimagarus. The leader, Krantis, was rude and abrupt, identified us as followers of Gorm, and were on their up to the 3rd level to find out why Auriga was a few days late in checking in. Vulkan made the mistake of saying they knew of Auriga but then deflected it, saying that Pandora of the Madurans had mentioned him.
Krantis and his goons then charged the party 1 silver noble each to walk past and we paid it, to avoid an issue, being out numbered, and to save our fights for something else further on. After they had gone past, Mark bared down as hard as he could and blew wind in Krantis’ direction – but 5 days of rations had his digestive track not working right and sadly his passing of gas came out more liquid that he expected.
We waited while the cleric took off his armor, then his pants, then his underwear, wiped himself clean, put on a new set of hose and got dressed all over again. As he came back to the group with his underwear held in a ball, the party was yelling at him to “leave it, are you crazy?” Not like they’ve found the laundromat down here yet. So he dumped it in the hall, and then Vulkan used one of his graphite sticks to write an expletive to Usimagarus around the underwear and the party continued on their way, chuckling.
We came to the long hall and walked up until we arrived at the hole in the floor that would lead to the 5th level…and then kept going north. The passage ended a dozen or so paces later abruptly which had the group then search the wall…finding what was apparently a poorly designed secret door. We pressed shoulder to the door, slid it in some 3 inches, and then lifted it up and out of the way.
The corridor beyond went to the east in the dimly lit chamber, the floor covered in 2’x2’ checker boarded white and red tiles. From the dim recesses to the east, we could see the chamber ended at a passage that kept going, but was only 2’ in height.
We had Safir look for traps and the group came in after the scout. We decided to walk only on the white tiles and made our way east. After about 1/3rd the distance, there was a loud crackling sound and a weighted pendulum lurched out of the ceiling and arced across the floor, the edge sharpened like a massive axe and honed to a scintilling edge. He managed to jump back barely in time and we watched it arc across about half the width of the chamber twice before locking back into the ceiling and we presume, resetting.
Safir then went south and using Vulkan’s staff as a prodding rod, further checked out the area, noting it clear, and we kept going…until another pendulum arced down and across. This time the edge of the staff took the impact and 3” of it was cleanly sliced off. Vulkan grew furious but Safir ignored him as we waited for the 2nd pendulum to return to its resting position. Safir then led us to the northern part of the room again as we serpentine our way along and eventually to the end of the chamber.
It looked like a block of stone had been designed to fall here and seal off the passage but got hung up, leaving a 2’ tall gap, 10’ wide and 10’ deep. 6 tons of rock just hanging there. And we had to get under it. Vulkan volunteered and three times tried to crawl under the stone and three times had to back away terrified as the rock groaned and seemed to shudder as he was making his way beneath it. Finally, backpack off and shoved ahead, Vulkan shimmied his way beneath frantic and was safely through. Safir went next, also raining rock dust down, but no issue.
While Mark and Delsin were deciding who would go next, we heard angry voices coming down the long corridor and Krantis was berating the other Usimagarians that they “wanted to talk to those bastards and see what REALLY happened to Auriga!” Time to fly.
Mark dove under the stone and was hunching his way beneath, scraping the stone top and bottom with his platemail, the cleric panting in his efforts to get through, grit falling in his hair, down his collar, and getting in his face. As soon as the way was clear and Delsin was able to see the glow from the approaching wandering troupe, he kicked the candle he had been using for light under the stone and dove beneath; crab crawling and dragging himself along as quick as he could, ignoring the almost quivering rock over his head. Once on the other side he was helped up, pulled to the side, and Safir lowered the flame of the lantern and we waited.
Krantis was dimly heard cursing and others asking where we were. Thought was we went down to the 5th level or maybe Cyndicia and he was going to find us. Did they go to the tombs? Doubted it, but to be safe they pulled the secret door closed and were then gone from our hearing.
Whew.
We looked about the room we were in. There was a 7’ mound of rubbled rock ahead of us, testament that more of the stones that were to seal off this area failed on some level. We made our way slowly and methodically over the rubble until safely on the other side. Once there we beheld the last issue – more fallen stones to bar our way – but these 10’ blocks did not fall square, and now had 2’ gaps running between them. Safir went first with Delsin following.
But after half way through, even with packs off and dragged behind us, Delsin was stuck and had to go back and take his armor off as well. Safir kept going and would wait for us in what he said was “a clear area”.
So the party took off armor and then dragging packs and armor behind, inched their way through the stones until they arrived at a clear area, 20’ x 10’. A double set of ornate doors was ahead and there was Safir’s lantern on the ground. No Safir.
We grabbed the lantern and put our ear to the door. There was some sort of grunting coming from the other side, so we readied weapons and burst the door opened. It was a huge crypt – two golden sarcophagi, tons of chest, broken chariots, thrones, bones, and ruined art. And in the middle were two 400 lb albino apes, one of them holding up an unconscious Safir whose face and head was covered in bruises and bleeding.
The two apes hooted at us and Mark and Delsin ran in to do battle. The first ape lifted up Safir and HURLED him at the party, the scout hitting the ground with a bone jarring snap and then rolling towards us the rest of the way, his left arm flopping wildly and against the normal bend of his elbow.
Ouch!
As the battle was joined, Vulkan finished yelling out his own spells and a wave of black energy flowed out and hit the two apes – putting one to sleep. Delsin fired up Heatstroke and went toe to toe with Mark against the still awake ape while Vulkan charged to sleeping one and slit its throat with a single stroke of his dagger.
Delsin’s shield rang on the ape’s blows while his burning sword tore into and through the apes back and then again its chest. The primate would have taken enough damage to drop anyone in the group, and still it railed against the group until finally Delsin’s last blow drove 2’ of Heatstroke into its left lung and the albino ape fell over dead, right next to its companion.
We healed Safir and then helped him back to his feet once he regained consciousness. He was woozy but getting stronger. We felt pretty good at achieving our goal and decided to split up to open each sarcophagus at the same time. Safir was assured that neither was trapped and we took our knives and proceeded to slit the thin clay seals on each coffin.
That’s when Safir noticed we had a problem. His knife had slit the top of the golden coffin – but if it was gold, it wouldn’t have cut as cleanly or as deeply as the blade did. He and Vulkan tested it out and were sure the coffin was in fact gold painted wood. A quick check of the second one showed the same.
We opened them anyway – seeing a skeletal form, no mummy wrappings, and no ancient weapons of Cyndicia. Nothing. The party was not convinced these were the king and queen. We then opened one of the chests and took out a handful of golden coins, but Safir once more proved they were fake by scratching the pain off the lead slugs. All the chests were the same.
OK…what now? Vulkan suggested we look for secret doors in here and try to uncover the true lair.
It took 20 minutes to search two of the very long walls but the group did discover a secret door on the north wall near the west corner, and then a second secret door on the exact opposite wall – south wall, west corner.
On the count of three, both doors were opened and we looked. Each showed a dusty unused passage that went 20 paces off the main room and then turned west. The only decision now was do we head north or south?
They’ve been talking about what happens after this adventure is finished – and the consensus is to continue – but make the leap from B/X to Advanced. Going to get them all a PDF of the 1st edition player’s handbook in the near future and that’ll be the go to in about 5-7 more meetings from where I’m sitting.
Write up follows:
With the Crawler rearing back for another wave of tentacle infused assaults, Mark took a daring chance and lunged forward; Mace of Gorm upraised, and brought it crashing down on the beast. There was a flash of light and a concussive blast and when it was over, the Crawler’s head had been stove in and a line of smoke was curling up from the mace’s surface.
The situation now well in hand, there was the question of whether the Crawler’s paralytic goo was still effective. Mark dared to touch a tentacle and on feeling the numbing buzz; backed away and swiftly wiped his hand clean – yeah, still works.
So the group whacked one of the tentacle ends off and Safir lifted it with the hem of his cloak, positioning the tube like end into a cautiously held flask Vulcan was gripping – and squeezed. We were rewarded with the sound of the fluid tinkling into the flask. It took time, but we hacked off the other 7 tentacle pods and duplicated our efforts until we had about half a flask of this paralytic ichor.
It was time to open the coffin and a look inside showed us three pouches along with the mummified remains of a body. The first held a set of superior thieves tools which Safir happily took charge of, the second had 20 sapphires of good quality that we split evenly, and the last was a document declaring that the mummified individual had a deal to follow King Alexander and Queen Zenobia into the afterlife as the royal thief. We kept the treasures – and left the contract, shutting the coffin lid and then leaving the room.
Our internal map had now wrapped up every possible passage or room on the 4th level except or the central portion of the map that we had not been able to find our way to as of yet. There was the long corridor that led down to the 5th level still to investigate – it had continued beyond our original egress. So the group left the master thief’s room and began the long trek west through the dark passages, eyes peels and ears perked for anything to be found in the gloom.
As we were coming back around near where the shadows had been slain, we could hear a voice from a growing glow ahead hail us as aske who we were. They drew closer and we saw 7 silver masked robed members of the Cult of Usimagarus. The leader, Krantis, was rude and abrupt, identified us as followers of Gorm, and were on their up to the 3rd level to find out why Auriga was a few days late in checking in. Vulkan made the mistake of saying they knew of Auriga but then deflected it, saying that Pandora of the Madurans had mentioned him.
Krantis and his goons then charged the party 1 silver noble each to walk past and we paid it, to avoid an issue, being out numbered, and to save our fights for something else further on. After they had gone past, Mark bared down as hard as he could and blew wind in Krantis’ direction – but 5 days of rations had his digestive track not working right and sadly his passing of gas came out more liquid that he expected.
We waited while the cleric took off his armor, then his pants, then his underwear, wiped himself clean, put on a new set of hose and got dressed all over again. As he came back to the group with his underwear held in a ball, the party was yelling at him to “leave it, are you crazy?” Not like they’ve found the laundromat down here yet. So he dumped it in the hall, and then Vulkan used one of his graphite sticks to write an expletive to Usimagarus around the underwear and the party continued on their way, chuckling.
We came to the long hall and walked up until we arrived at the hole in the floor that would lead to the 5th level…and then kept going north. The passage ended a dozen or so paces later abruptly which had the group then search the wall…finding what was apparently a poorly designed secret door. We pressed shoulder to the door, slid it in some 3 inches, and then lifted it up and out of the way.
The corridor beyond went to the east in the dimly lit chamber, the floor covered in 2’x2’ checker boarded white and red tiles. From the dim recesses to the east, we could see the chamber ended at a passage that kept going, but was only 2’ in height.
We had Safir look for traps and the group came in after the scout. We decided to walk only on the white tiles and made our way east. After about 1/3rd the distance, there was a loud crackling sound and a weighted pendulum lurched out of the ceiling and arced across the floor, the edge sharpened like a massive axe and honed to a scintilling edge. He managed to jump back barely in time and we watched it arc across about half the width of the chamber twice before locking back into the ceiling and we presume, resetting.
Safir then went south and using Vulkan’s staff as a prodding rod, further checked out the area, noting it clear, and we kept going…until another pendulum arced down and across. This time the edge of the staff took the impact and 3” of it was cleanly sliced off. Vulkan grew furious but Safir ignored him as we waited for the 2nd pendulum to return to its resting position. Safir then led us to the northern part of the room again as we serpentine our way along and eventually to the end of the chamber.
It looked like a block of stone had been designed to fall here and seal off the passage but got hung up, leaving a 2’ tall gap, 10’ wide and 10’ deep. 6 tons of rock just hanging there. And we had to get under it. Vulkan volunteered and three times tried to crawl under the stone and three times had to back away terrified as the rock groaned and seemed to shudder as he was making his way beneath it. Finally, backpack off and shoved ahead, Vulkan shimmied his way beneath frantic and was safely through. Safir went next, also raining rock dust down, but no issue.
While Mark and Delsin were deciding who would go next, we heard angry voices coming down the long corridor and Krantis was berating the other Usimagarians that they “wanted to talk to those bastards and see what REALLY happened to Auriga!” Time to fly.
Mark dove under the stone and was hunching his way beneath, scraping the stone top and bottom with his platemail, the cleric panting in his efforts to get through, grit falling in his hair, down his collar, and getting in his face. As soon as the way was clear and Delsin was able to see the glow from the approaching wandering troupe, he kicked the candle he had been using for light under the stone and dove beneath; crab crawling and dragging himself along as quick as he could, ignoring the almost quivering rock over his head. Once on the other side he was helped up, pulled to the side, and Safir lowered the flame of the lantern and we waited.
Krantis was dimly heard cursing and others asking where we were. Thought was we went down to the 5th level or maybe Cyndicia and he was going to find us. Did they go to the tombs? Doubted it, but to be safe they pulled the secret door closed and were then gone from our hearing.
Whew.
We looked about the room we were in. There was a 7’ mound of rubbled rock ahead of us, testament that more of the stones that were to seal off this area failed on some level. We made our way slowly and methodically over the rubble until safely on the other side. Once there we beheld the last issue – more fallen stones to bar our way – but these 10’ blocks did not fall square, and now had 2’ gaps running between them. Safir went first with Delsin following.
But after half way through, even with packs off and dragged behind us, Delsin was stuck and had to go back and take his armor off as well. Safir kept going and would wait for us in what he said was “a clear area”.
So the party took off armor and then dragging packs and armor behind, inched their way through the stones until they arrived at a clear area, 20’ x 10’. A double set of ornate doors was ahead and there was Safir’s lantern on the ground. No Safir.
We grabbed the lantern and put our ear to the door. There was some sort of grunting coming from the other side, so we readied weapons and burst the door opened. It was a huge crypt – two golden sarcophagi, tons of chest, broken chariots, thrones, bones, and ruined art. And in the middle were two 400 lb albino apes, one of them holding up an unconscious Safir whose face and head was covered in bruises and bleeding.
The two apes hooted at us and Mark and Delsin ran in to do battle. The first ape lifted up Safir and HURLED him at the party, the scout hitting the ground with a bone jarring snap and then rolling towards us the rest of the way, his left arm flopping wildly and against the normal bend of his elbow.
Ouch!
As the battle was joined, Vulkan finished yelling out his own spells and a wave of black energy flowed out and hit the two apes – putting one to sleep. Delsin fired up Heatstroke and went toe to toe with Mark against the still awake ape while Vulkan charged to sleeping one and slit its throat with a single stroke of his dagger.
Delsin’s shield rang on the ape’s blows while his burning sword tore into and through the apes back and then again its chest. The primate would have taken enough damage to drop anyone in the group, and still it railed against the group until finally Delsin’s last blow drove 2’ of Heatstroke into its left lung and the albino ape fell over dead, right next to its companion.
We healed Safir and then helped him back to his feet once he regained consciousness. He was woozy but getting stronger. We felt pretty good at achieving our goal and decided to split up to open each sarcophagus at the same time. Safir was assured that neither was trapped and we took our knives and proceeded to slit the thin clay seals on each coffin.
That’s when Safir noticed we had a problem. His knife had slit the top of the golden coffin – but if it was gold, it wouldn’t have cut as cleanly or as deeply as the blade did. He and Vulkan tested it out and were sure the coffin was in fact gold painted wood. A quick check of the second one showed the same.
We opened them anyway – seeing a skeletal form, no mummy wrappings, and no ancient weapons of Cyndicia. Nothing. The party was not convinced these were the king and queen. We then opened one of the chests and took out a handful of golden coins, but Safir once more proved they were fake by scratching the pain off the lead slugs. All the chests were the same.
OK…what now? Vulkan suggested we look for secret doors in here and try to uncover the true lair.
It took 20 minutes to search two of the very long walls but the group did discover a secret door on the north wall near the west corner, and then a second secret door on the exact opposite wall – south wall, west corner.
On the count of three, both doors were opened and we looked. Each showed a dusty unused passage that went 20 paces off the main room and then turned west. The only decision now was do we head north or south?
Friday, September 22, 2017
Meet 25, Adv 4, 9/16/17
Guilds
I like the idea of multiple guilds. Many times though I have hand waved and said "Fighter's Guild" or "Wizard's Guild" and let it fly like that - as if there was a 1 size fits all guild repository of information doling it out for anyone with a pocket full of nobles and crowns.
So for this campaign I made sure to map out some guilds and give them a framework and reason behind them so that the group can have some choices. Also, it does help out since certain guilds would have issues with other ones. This meeting had some fleshing out forthe characters about the fighter's guilds open to them in this area.
Write up follows:
The next morning after eating in the House Illytch Barracks, we wandered over to the Grim Gauntlet’s Fighter’s guild and waited along with a half dozen or so other applicants to the guild. Eventually we were all welcomed in, friends and family as well, and sat in the stands of the coliseum along with a number of other members of the Sifian Order. The fighting floor was 70’ diameter packed sand, and the stands could seat 1,500 if need be. At the 4 cardinal points at the edge of the theatre were 4 towers where which a member of the guild was perched with a light crossbow.
In accordance with our agreement, Negan, Darius, Connal, and Einar were going to apply to the guild, and at some point, the pact with Loki with adjust some of the weapons from practice and wood to edged and dangerous.
Optio Strugi, a dwarven female, spoke with the gathered 60 or so people about what the Grim Gauntlets fighter’s guild was in relation to the other 2 guilds. The Grim Gauntlets is the smallest and most exacting of the fighter’s guilds here in Sorton and other places. Unlike the League of Odin who has a tremendous budget, support of the Church of Odin, Thor, Baldur, and Heimdall or the Storm Ravens who is sponsored by the Church of Odin and Heimdall, the Grim Gauntlets has only the Sifian Temple and Tyr as its benefactors.
The League is big on showy contest and tournaments. Their members are taught the spear and sword, hammer and bow, relying on armor and shield and take comfort in the fact that a quick and brutal assault is often all that is needed to ensure victory in combat. One of their biggest selling points is that, “anyone can be a member of the League.”
The Storm Ravens was originally the special combat division of the League but there was a conflict between the Order of Thor and Heimdall so the progenitor (Molvag Stormcloud) of the division broke away from the League and established a separate guild called the Storm Ravens in honor of Odin who still supported the guild leader. The Storm Ravens have a larger universe of weapons that they teach their students, and replaces caution and defense against the League’s more brutal front facing assaults.
The Grim Gauntlets believes the besides the body, it is the mind and skill that defines a decent fighter. Not everyone is blessed with the strength of Thor or the size of Heimdall. A skilled fighter can be he or she who fights with knives and kicks, or someone who can thread a noose at 100 paces, or someone who spends months or years trying to perfect their skill with the bearded axe. Armor counts, weapons count – but it is the person who helps define their path towards excellence. The guild is just the covering over the person to help ward and define them – the guild is the grim gauntlet encasing the hand of the warrior in whatever guise he or she may be.
The gathered 10 applicants all sounded happy at this and we were allowed to put on a set of padded armor, take a practice shield if we wanted, and were entitled to take 1 practice weapon that mirrored something we were familiar with. So we had Negan’s wooden two handed sword and Einar’s practice broad sword, and everyone else was taking a weapon and or shield from the rack and giving them a few practice swings.
We were also informed that during the combat the towers would fire random bolts into the melee to reflect the chaos then surrounds most battles. The bolts were blunted and light, but could still knock someone off their feet if given a direct hit.
Which then led us to scoring. We would be scored on intent, impact, and incapacitance – anyone who was knocked down would be considered out of the fight – they might still have enough points to make it into the guild, but not enough to continuing competing. Top 6 out of 10 would be given admittance.
The 10 of us were randomly split up into 3 matches where the theatre was divided up for the combat into thirds. Group 1 was a half-orc bruiser with a sword named Vult, a human female with a couple of wooden knives named Phrenna, and finally a middle aged stout dwarven fighter with a flatbow and practice bolts named Ducat. Group 2 was Einar, Darius, Connal, and a young dwarven fighter with a warhammer named Norag. And finally Group 3 was Negan, a teenaged human with 2 light spears named Felton, and young dwarven fighter also armed with a couple of spears named Golarin.
The horn was blown and the groups all jumped to the assault. Norag ran closer to try and take of Darius and Ducat ran backwards in an attempt to shoot Vult down, successfully hitting the half orc who missed a step and slipped, falling. Negan decided that Golarin was the more serious threat and positioned himself with Felton on his shielded side.
Crossbows twanged from above slapping into the combat and ringing off. Einer was struck twice, enraging the barbarian who charged across the battlefield – and into the 2nd ring! Strugi called out for the tower’s to “drop him!” as Einar wasn’t listening, Golarin and Negan taking and treading blows as the druid ran by, Felton was down.
Phrenna hurled a knife at Einar’s face and he was struck again, falling on Phrenna and disqualifying her. Some of the blows being delivered to and against the party were actually full damaging blows as the perversion of Loki flowed around the arena. The combatants were withering as the groups began falling away. Darius was wrestling with Norag, Negan was hitting Golarin, Connal was holding his own, Ducat was keeping himself out of the mess.
Eventually the last of the combats ended and the scores ran down from highest to lowest with Negan, Ducat, Connal, Golarin, Vult, Darius as the top 6 – Darius pulled himself out, thankful for just to opportunity, Einar was dragged to the lot and dumped in the alley, and even those who didn’t get in were ok with the findings. We drank and partied, the Grim Gauntlets supplying the food and drink.
Darius went his way to the Storm Ravens guild later and made his introductions there. Trying out, he showed his skill with the sling, even firing multiple times and at distance – always hitting the center or bullseye of the targets. He was given a green light to come back when it was time to go up and would be welcomed then.
The next day was a bit rainy on Firemonth the 3rd as we left House Illytch and Sorton to head our way up the Enderlyn River and make it to the Base Camp some 2-3 days away. The Teamster leader Trentis along with 7 other teamsters and stablehands, our group of 10, a hayswain, carpenter, mason, tinsmith, and 2 giantslayers with pikes made up our caravan of 6 carts and ponies.
We offered our help when and where able to, guiding the carts up and over the steeper parts of the not quite there trail, keeping the river in sight and on our left. We did notice that the party was being shadowed at great distance by 2 or three wolves but none of them dared get closer and they only watched for now. The trees were tall, the scent of pine was heady, and we threaded our way through the valleys of the mountains that made up the Morat range, heading ever west, northwest. A group of timberers asked for news of Sorton and after exchanging with them, let us know that Rock Drakes were getting busy in the area and we should be on the lookout.
Trentis had a problem with Dizzy, thinking the dwarf was not holding his own during the march – always slacking off. So he had him dig the two slit trenches with which Dizzy did a poor and ineffective job – earning a rebuke. Some of the teamsters were fascinated with Avulstein and when it was noted he was a necromancer, Trentis didn’t care but a few of the followers gave the wolverine a wider berth and sideways glance.
We rested during the night – at which time a bobcat had come to the edge of our camp and was rotting in the trash. Darius woke up Avulstein and with the wizard’s help, quickly slayed the bobcat. Then he performed a ritual and raised the animal from the dead and brought it back to camp.
The next day Einar and Avulstein had some glances about the reanimated bobcat, flat out asking why HE wasn’t woken up, but the matter was left to die. Dizzy voiced his dislike of Einar to Avulstein which was funny because Dizzy had also made known of his dislike of Avulstein to Einar not 2 days earlier.
While pushing the carts past Welthan’s Falls, one of the cart’s wheels snapped off 3 of the spokes and had to wait a bit for the repair to happen. We lost only a little time but Trentis wanted us to make it up so we double timed it for a while. The country was beautiful and the peaks majestic around us. There was a lake here referred to as Broken Tower Lake. 4 miles by 1, some 200 yards or so off the eastern shore was a 70’ stone tower sitting quietly in the lake, stretching up to the broken crown.
Stories were that this entire land was part of the Himaya of Rand – the great orcish empire that was destroyed some 150 years or so ago. Might have been an outpost, astrologer’s tower, shaman’s tower – who knows.
We moved on a bit longer until we were called to rest at the north end of the lake. Trentis let us know we would make base camp by midday tomorrow, had once more set of falls we had to lift the carts over so to eat well and get some rest. Again, Dizzy was singled out to do some grunt work, given a 1 gallon bucket and told to go back and forth to the lake and fill the water casks on the 4th cart – each of which was 20 gallons alone.
While he was going back and forth, he did spot a disturbed outline in the wood line – 30’ long, 6’ at the shoulder, and watching the group. Rock Drake – and camouflaged. He came back and informed Trentis and the group was paying so much attention to the Drake that it went back into the woods and faded from sight.
Still being eagle eyed, Dizzy went back to loading up the casks with water, seeing the drake was hiding on the river bank now and inching closer. We were all once again made away and Dizzy made believe to fall as the drake launched itself into the air to attack. Throughout the group and the camp, missile weapons fired – all of them hitting the hide and bouncing away. The hide was just as tough as suspected.
Magic missiles fired and the giant slayed raised pikes as the drake made to dive the group and was hit enough that it was deterred, winging over and flying further up mountain and away from the party. We waited to make sure it was driven away and then set off to finish making camp for tonight.
I like the idea of multiple guilds. Many times though I have hand waved and said "Fighter's Guild" or "Wizard's Guild" and let it fly like that - as if there was a 1 size fits all guild repository of information doling it out for anyone with a pocket full of nobles and crowns.
So for this campaign I made sure to map out some guilds and give them a framework and reason behind them so that the group can have some choices. Also, it does help out since certain guilds would have issues with other ones. This meeting had some fleshing out forthe characters about the fighter's guilds open to them in this area.
Write up follows:
The next morning after eating in the House Illytch Barracks, we wandered over to the Grim Gauntlet’s Fighter’s guild and waited along with a half dozen or so other applicants to the guild. Eventually we were all welcomed in, friends and family as well, and sat in the stands of the coliseum along with a number of other members of the Sifian Order. The fighting floor was 70’ diameter packed sand, and the stands could seat 1,500 if need be. At the 4 cardinal points at the edge of the theatre were 4 towers where which a member of the guild was perched with a light crossbow.
In accordance with our agreement, Negan, Darius, Connal, and Einar were going to apply to the guild, and at some point, the pact with Loki with adjust some of the weapons from practice and wood to edged and dangerous.
Optio Strugi, a dwarven female, spoke with the gathered 60 or so people about what the Grim Gauntlets fighter’s guild was in relation to the other 2 guilds. The Grim Gauntlets is the smallest and most exacting of the fighter’s guilds here in Sorton and other places. Unlike the League of Odin who has a tremendous budget, support of the Church of Odin, Thor, Baldur, and Heimdall or the Storm Ravens who is sponsored by the Church of Odin and Heimdall, the Grim Gauntlets has only the Sifian Temple and Tyr as its benefactors.
The League is big on showy contest and tournaments. Their members are taught the spear and sword, hammer and bow, relying on armor and shield and take comfort in the fact that a quick and brutal assault is often all that is needed to ensure victory in combat. One of their biggest selling points is that, “anyone can be a member of the League.”
The Storm Ravens was originally the special combat division of the League but there was a conflict between the Order of Thor and Heimdall so the progenitor (Molvag Stormcloud) of the division broke away from the League and established a separate guild called the Storm Ravens in honor of Odin who still supported the guild leader. The Storm Ravens have a larger universe of weapons that they teach their students, and replaces caution and defense against the League’s more brutal front facing assaults.
The Grim Gauntlets believes the besides the body, it is the mind and skill that defines a decent fighter. Not everyone is blessed with the strength of Thor or the size of Heimdall. A skilled fighter can be he or she who fights with knives and kicks, or someone who can thread a noose at 100 paces, or someone who spends months or years trying to perfect their skill with the bearded axe. Armor counts, weapons count – but it is the person who helps define their path towards excellence. The guild is just the covering over the person to help ward and define them – the guild is the grim gauntlet encasing the hand of the warrior in whatever guise he or she may be.
The gathered 10 applicants all sounded happy at this and we were allowed to put on a set of padded armor, take a practice shield if we wanted, and were entitled to take 1 practice weapon that mirrored something we were familiar with. So we had Negan’s wooden two handed sword and Einar’s practice broad sword, and everyone else was taking a weapon and or shield from the rack and giving them a few practice swings.
We were also informed that during the combat the towers would fire random bolts into the melee to reflect the chaos then surrounds most battles. The bolts were blunted and light, but could still knock someone off their feet if given a direct hit.
Which then led us to scoring. We would be scored on intent, impact, and incapacitance – anyone who was knocked down would be considered out of the fight – they might still have enough points to make it into the guild, but not enough to continuing competing. Top 6 out of 10 would be given admittance.
The 10 of us were randomly split up into 3 matches where the theatre was divided up for the combat into thirds. Group 1 was a half-orc bruiser with a sword named Vult, a human female with a couple of wooden knives named Phrenna, and finally a middle aged stout dwarven fighter with a flatbow and practice bolts named Ducat. Group 2 was Einar, Darius, Connal, and a young dwarven fighter with a warhammer named Norag. And finally Group 3 was Negan, a teenaged human with 2 light spears named Felton, and young dwarven fighter also armed with a couple of spears named Golarin.
The horn was blown and the groups all jumped to the assault. Norag ran closer to try and take of Darius and Ducat ran backwards in an attempt to shoot Vult down, successfully hitting the half orc who missed a step and slipped, falling. Negan decided that Golarin was the more serious threat and positioned himself with Felton on his shielded side.
Crossbows twanged from above slapping into the combat and ringing off. Einer was struck twice, enraging the barbarian who charged across the battlefield – and into the 2nd ring! Strugi called out for the tower’s to “drop him!” as Einar wasn’t listening, Golarin and Negan taking and treading blows as the druid ran by, Felton was down.
Phrenna hurled a knife at Einar’s face and he was struck again, falling on Phrenna and disqualifying her. Some of the blows being delivered to and against the party were actually full damaging blows as the perversion of Loki flowed around the arena. The combatants were withering as the groups began falling away. Darius was wrestling with Norag, Negan was hitting Golarin, Connal was holding his own, Ducat was keeping himself out of the mess.
Eventually the last of the combats ended and the scores ran down from highest to lowest with Negan, Ducat, Connal, Golarin, Vult, Darius as the top 6 – Darius pulled himself out, thankful for just to opportunity, Einar was dragged to the lot and dumped in the alley, and even those who didn’t get in were ok with the findings. We drank and partied, the Grim Gauntlets supplying the food and drink.
Darius went his way to the Storm Ravens guild later and made his introductions there. Trying out, he showed his skill with the sling, even firing multiple times and at distance – always hitting the center or bullseye of the targets. He was given a green light to come back when it was time to go up and would be welcomed then.
The next day was a bit rainy on Firemonth the 3rd as we left House Illytch and Sorton to head our way up the Enderlyn River and make it to the Base Camp some 2-3 days away. The Teamster leader Trentis along with 7 other teamsters and stablehands, our group of 10, a hayswain, carpenter, mason, tinsmith, and 2 giantslayers with pikes made up our caravan of 6 carts and ponies.
We offered our help when and where able to, guiding the carts up and over the steeper parts of the not quite there trail, keeping the river in sight and on our left. We did notice that the party was being shadowed at great distance by 2 or three wolves but none of them dared get closer and they only watched for now. The trees were tall, the scent of pine was heady, and we threaded our way through the valleys of the mountains that made up the Morat range, heading ever west, northwest. A group of timberers asked for news of Sorton and after exchanging with them, let us know that Rock Drakes were getting busy in the area and we should be on the lookout.
Trentis had a problem with Dizzy, thinking the dwarf was not holding his own during the march – always slacking off. So he had him dig the two slit trenches with which Dizzy did a poor and ineffective job – earning a rebuke. Some of the teamsters were fascinated with Avulstein and when it was noted he was a necromancer, Trentis didn’t care but a few of the followers gave the wolverine a wider berth and sideways glance.
We rested during the night – at which time a bobcat had come to the edge of our camp and was rotting in the trash. Darius woke up Avulstein and with the wizard’s help, quickly slayed the bobcat. Then he performed a ritual and raised the animal from the dead and brought it back to camp.
The next day Einar and Avulstein had some glances about the reanimated bobcat, flat out asking why HE wasn’t woken up, but the matter was left to die. Dizzy voiced his dislike of Einar to Avulstein which was funny because Dizzy had also made known of his dislike of Avulstein to Einar not 2 days earlier.
While pushing the carts past Welthan’s Falls, one of the cart’s wheels snapped off 3 of the spokes and had to wait a bit for the repair to happen. We lost only a little time but Trentis wanted us to make it up so we double timed it for a while. The country was beautiful and the peaks majestic around us. There was a lake here referred to as Broken Tower Lake. 4 miles by 1, some 200 yards or so off the eastern shore was a 70’ stone tower sitting quietly in the lake, stretching up to the broken crown.
Stories were that this entire land was part of the Himaya of Rand – the great orcish empire that was destroyed some 150 years or so ago. Might have been an outpost, astrologer’s tower, shaman’s tower – who knows.
We moved on a bit longer until we were called to rest at the north end of the lake. Trentis let us know we would make base camp by midday tomorrow, had once more set of falls we had to lift the carts over so to eat well and get some rest. Again, Dizzy was singled out to do some grunt work, given a 1 gallon bucket and told to go back and forth to the lake and fill the water casks on the 4th cart – each of which was 20 gallons alone.
While he was going back and forth, he did spot a disturbed outline in the wood line – 30’ long, 6’ at the shoulder, and watching the group. Rock Drake – and camouflaged. He came back and informed Trentis and the group was paying so much attention to the Drake that it went back into the woods and faded from sight.
Still being eagle eyed, Dizzy went back to loading up the casks with water, seeing the drake was hiding on the river bank now and inching closer. We were all once again made away and Dizzy made believe to fall as the drake launched itself into the air to attack. Throughout the group and the camp, missile weapons fired – all of them hitting the hide and bouncing away. The hide was just as tough as suspected.
Magic missiles fired and the giant slayed raised pikes as the drake made to dive the group and was hit enough that it was deterred, winging over and flying further up mountain and away from the party. We waited to make sure it was driven away and then set off to finish making camp for tonight.
Thursday, September 14, 2017
Meet 24, Adv 4, 9/9/17
Here it is, 10 years to date since this group had first gotten together. I know there are longer lasting groups but I am very happy with my friends and our camraderie.
This was the start of the 4th adventure, Three Little Pigs, and we are still down 1 at the table as finding a suitable replacement has been a nightmare so far. Lots of feelers and bites, no one to sit and commit. Hopefully very soon.
Write up follows:
The party has convened at the Third Reeve’s Office on Firemonth the 1st to meet with Theros and go over the contract that he has worked on with and for the party in regards to their employment with House Illytch. The dwarven Reeve was warm to the group and we met with Chancellor Casmier from House Illytch to go over the contract.
The party took their time reading the document, asking questions about it and getting clarification as need be. The contract was as follows:
THIS Agreement made as of the 1st day of Firemonth, of the year 190 in the 30th age, between House Illytch operating under the laws of Thane Ufrecta Jarlborrin in the Thanedom of Sorton, in the collective former Himaya of Rand; and the congregated assemblage of personages designated by the Third Reeve Theros of Sorton heretofore identified as “the Party”, currently residing in the Thanedom of Sorton, in the collective former Himaya of Rand.
WHEREAS House Illytch desires to obtain the benefit of the services of the Party, and the Party desires to render such services on the terms and conditions set forth for a period to last until the final days of the Autumnal months of the year 190 in the 30th age. This Agreement may be extended should the work of House Illytch require and both the House and The Party agree to extending this contract to the final days of the next season as well.
IN consideration of the promises the House and the Party agree as follows:
1. Employment. The Party agrees that they will at all times faithfully, industriously, and to the best of their skill, ability, experience and talents, perform all of the duties required of his position. In carrying out these duties and responsibilities, the Party shall comply with all House policies, procedures, rules and regulations, both written and oral, as are announced by the House from time to time. It is also understood and agreed to by the Party that their assignment, duties and responsibilities and reporting arrangements may be changed by the House in its sole discretion without causing termination of this agreement.
2. Position Title. As a collective mercenary assemblage, the Party is required to perform the following duties and undertake the following responsibilities in a professional manner.
(a) Defend all property and staff of House Illytch should it come under assault by all manner of the Five M’s (melee, missile, magical, martial, and miraculous) means at the Party’s abilities.
(b) Keep the secrets and doings of House Illytch’s operations private and unshared while employed by House Illytch.
(c) Dispatch with all prejudice any members of the K’Morat kobold tribes or warriors of the same if they prove to be a threat to House Illytch’s operations, property, or people whether by deed, action, or proximity.
(d) Aid and answer any missions as deemed required by Ordinates or Subordinates of House Illytch while on duty away from Sorton.
(e) Other duties as may arise from time to time and as may be assigned to the Party.
3. Compensation
(a) As full compensation for all services provided the Party shall be paid at the rate of 41 nobles/day. Such payments shall be subject to such normal statutory deductions by the House should the Party find themselves de-manned and unable to function at full capacity due to injury or death. Actual payment of coins may be impossible to dispense while the party is in the field. A running tally of credit may be established for the Party until such time they are able to return to Sorton for payment.
(b) There will be a bonus of 37 crowns for any K’Morat warren that has been routed should the warren number under 60, and 58 crowns should the warren number over 59.
(c) Any treasure, coinage, goods, or property of value found while under the employ of House Illytch shall be divided evenly between the House and the Party with the exceptions of food stuffs or drink which will be the Party’s to keep. Should any eldritch items be found, the Party has first rights to them if they want with the House taking compensation equal to 120% of field appraisal value in trade. Otherwise the House may either take possession of the eldritch item at 85% field appraisal value if it is desired, or the eldritch item may be sold on open market and the proceeds divided evenly.
(d) All reasonable expenses arising out of employment shall be reimbursed assuming authorized on their incurring.
4. Benefits. The House shall at its expense provide the Party with the equivalent of 1 Healing Draught per personage every 4 days.
5. Performance Review. The House will be provided with a written performance appraisal after 18 days and again after 45 days and said appraisal will be reviewed at which time all aspects of the assessment can be fully discussed.
6. Termination.
(a) The Party may terminate this agreement and their employment should the House fail to abide their contractual agreements. A written notice must be given to House Illytch, Third Reeve Theros, and Thane Jarlborrin within five days of the Party abandoning this contract. A review board and Zone of Truth will determine the veracity of this decision.
(b) The House may terminate this agreement and the Party’s employment at any time, without notice or payment in lieu of notice, only for sufficient cause (see section 2 above).
7. Entire Agreement. This agreement contains the entire agreement between the House and the Party, superseding in all respects any and all prior oral or written agreements or understandings pertaining to the employment of the Party by the House and shall be amended or modified only by written instrument signed by both of the parties hereto.
IN witness whereof, House Illytch has caused this agreement to be executed by its duly authorized officers and ratified below by all parties.
Yeah, it was an eyeful.
However, the group felt it was a good contract and although questions and clarifications were asked, the only material change they made was in section 3c. The decision was that after 45 days, assuming the group has received a good review from House Illytch, the percentage valued for magical items would be changed from 120% and 85% for calculation to 110% and 95% for calculation – still giving the House the greater value for magical item exchange, but bringing the difference from a 35% swing to a 15% swing.
The party then signed off on the contract, their signatures witnessed by the Reeve and the Chancellor, tying the party to House Illytch for the remainder of this season and the next – with the option to extend to the winter months should the need arise.
We then talked to Chancellor about our mission. There is a camp that has been established across the Morat border, about 2-3 days up the Enderlyn River. The denizens are in the process of gathering a type of quick growing fungus that was spotted in the area some time ago, for which House Illytch will use in its own apothecary and alchemy labs here in Sorton, selling the extras to other merchants that are searching for the reagents and are willing to pay.
However, K’Morat kobolds have become brazen and aggressive and over the last few months have gone from ones and twos, to 10’s and more assaulting harvesters in the area.
The Base Camp has walls and guards, but it doesn’t have a strike team capable of going out and routing these warrens of K’Morat kobolds. That is what the group has been hired for. There are 2 other mercenary groups at the Base Camp in House Illytch’s employ – a 10-20 contingent of Randari rangers and scouts who originally discovered the precious fungi, and a 6-8 count of professional giant killers who patrol the Base Camp and their job is pretty much self-explanatory.
We were invited back to House Illytch to set up a temporary home for the time being while the caravan is being set up and should be leaving on either the 2nd or the 3rd. The House stores would be made available to us to equip ourselves before leaving Sorton, with the understanding that although there will be some stores at Base Camp, anything else we would need might take as much as 6 days to replenish us away from Sorton.
During this time Darius was invited/instructed by his father to attend a mandatory family dinner. So our slinger/fighter with a heavy heart arrived at the Diamondcutter home and went to the awkward dinner with his father Gordon, mother Ovira, eldest brother Gordson, eldest living sister Ana, and his next oldest brother Dorthak. Twilaine was working at the family shoppe and not expected to be at this dinner.
It went about as poorly as Darius expected. There was more entreaties to stop being a mercenary, join the family business, and discussion about the raid on the Temple of Loki. Shock at what occurred, but it was also some dismay on how it would look to the family. As the meal went on Darius was morose and resigned to the fact that his father had 2 things at the core of all his complaints and requests: control of his family and their doings, and how anyone’s actions make him and the family appear.
When it came time to get to the crux of the matter, he offered Darius a 5% controlling stake in the company at 4th owner of the Diamondcutter Gem and Jewelsmiths. This had Gordson shocked and the others at the table clamoring for Darius to avoid the deal and to make his escape. Darius asked for a notary and Gordon, feeling smug, had one summoned and the deal written up – giving Darius a part of the family business – as long as he recanted any other signed contracts and gives up his mercenary career.
Reading the page Darius nodded his head, tore the paper in half, crumpled it up, and burned it on the candelabra while Gordon screamed at him to get out and he was cut off and Darius left after getting quiet support from Dorthak and Ovira.
Back at House Illytch, he tried to explain his problems to the rest of the party who looked at Darius bemusedly. So, getting a part of the family business and set up for life was getting you upset? He didn’t get much sympathy but the group did welcome him with open arms.
We filled up at the stores and then after making sure that all our packs were set and any gear we needed was in place, the party was going to get some sleep. The next day would see some of the party members heading to the Grim Gauntlets and try out for the Fighter’s Guild – knowing that some trickery of Loki would nullify some of the padded and safety weapons that the group would be fighting with. After that we should be then headed for Base Camp on the 3rd.
This was the start of the 4th adventure, Three Little Pigs, and we are still down 1 at the table as finding a suitable replacement has been a nightmare so far. Lots of feelers and bites, no one to sit and commit. Hopefully very soon.
Write up follows:
The party has convened at the Third Reeve’s Office on Firemonth the 1st to meet with Theros and go over the contract that he has worked on with and for the party in regards to their employment with House Illytch. The dwarven Reeve was warm to the group and we met with Chancellor Casmier from House Illytch to go over the contract.
The party took their time reading the document, asking questions about it and getting clarification as need be. The contract was as follows:
THIS Agreement made as of the 1st day of Firemonth, of the year 190 in the 30th age, between House Illytch operating under the laws of Thane Ufrecta Jarlborrin in the Thanedom of Sorton, in the collective former Himaya of Rand; and the congregated assemblage of personages designated by the Third Reeve Theros of Sorton heretofore identified as “the Party”, currently residing in the Thanedom of Sorton, in the collective former Himaya of Rand.
WHEREAS House Illytch desires to obtain the benefit of the services of the Party, and the Party desires to render such services on the terms and conditions set forth for a period to last until the final days of the Autumnal months of the year 190 in the 30th age. This Agreement may be extended should the work of House Illytch require and both the House and The Party agree to extending this contract to the final days of the next season as well.
IN consideration of the promises the House and the Party agree as follows:
1. Employment. The Party agrees that they will at all times faithfully, industriously, and to the best of their skill, ability, experience and talents, perform all of the duties required of his position. In carrying out these duties and responsibilities, the Party shall comply with all House policies, procedures, rules and regulations, both written and oral, as are announced by the House from time to time. It is also understood and agreed to by the Party that their assignment, duties and responsibilities and reporting arrangements may be changed by the House in its sole discretion without causing termination of this agreement.
2. Position Title. As a collective mercenary assemblage, the Party is required to perform the following duties and undertake the following responsibilities in a professional manner.
(a) Defend all property and staff of House Illytch should it come under assault by all manner of the Five M’s (melee, missile, magical, martial, and miraculous) means at the Party’s abilities.
(b) Keep the secrets and doings of House Illytch’s operations private and unshared while employed by House Illytch.
(c) Dispatch with all prejudice any members of the K’Morat kobold tribes or warriors of the same if they prove to be a threat to House Illytch’s operations, property, or people whether by deed, action, or proximity.
(d) Aid and answer any missions as deemed required by Ordinates or Subordinates of House Illytch while on duty away from Sorton.
(e) Other duties as may arise from time to time and as may be assigned to the Party.
3. Compensation
(a) As full compensation for all services provided the Party shall be paid at the rate of 41 nobles/day. Such payments shall be subject to such normal statutory deductions by the House should the Party find themselves de-manned and unable to function at full capacity due to injury or death. Actual payment of coins may be impossible to dispense while the party is in the field. A running tally of credit may be established for the Party until such time they are able to return to Sorton for payment.
(b) There will be a bonus of 37 crowns for any K’Morat warren that has been routed should the warren number under 60, and 58 crowns should the warren number over 59.
(c) Any treasure, coinage, goods, or property of value found while under the employ of House Illytch shall be divided evenly between the House and the Party with the exceptions of food stuffs or drink which will be the Party’s to keep. Should any eldritch items be found, the Party has first rights to them if they want with the House taking compensation equal to 120% of field appraisal value in trade. Otherwise the House may either take possession of the eldritch item at 85% field appraisal value if it is desired, or the eldritch item may be sold on open market and the proceeds divided evenly.
(d) All reasonable expenses arising out of employment shall be reimbursed assuming authorized on their incurring.
4. Benefits. The House shall at its expense provide the Party with the equivalent of 1 Healing Draught per personage every 4 days.
5. Performance Review. The House will be provided with a written performance appraisal after 18 days and again after 45 days and said appraisal will be reviewed at which time all aspects of the assessment can be fully discussed.
6. Termination.
(a) The Party may terminate this agreement and their employment should the House fail to abide their contractual agreements. A written notice must be given to House Illytch, Third Reeve Theros, and Thane Jarlborrin within five days of the Party abandoning this contract. A review board and Zone of Truth will determine the veracity of this decision.
(b) The House may terminate this agreement and the Party’s employment at any time, without notice or payment in lieu of notice, only for sufficient cause (see section 2 above).
7. Entire Agreement. This agreement contains the entire agreement between the House and the Party, superseding in all respects any and all prior oral or written agreements or understandings pertaining to the employment of the Party by the House and shall be amended or modified only by written instrument signed by both of the parties hereto.
IN witness whereof, House Illytch has caused this agreement to be executed by its duly authorized officers and ratified below by all parties.
However, the group felt it was a good contract and although questions and clarifications were asked, the only material change they made was in section 3c. The decision was that after 45 days, assuming the group has received a good review from House Illytch, the percentage valued for magical items would be changed from 120% and 85% for calculation to 110% and 95% for calculation – still giving the House the greater value for magical item exchange, but bringing the difference from a 35% swing to a 15% swing.
The party then signed off on the contract, their signatures witnessed by the Reeve and the Chancellor, tying the party to House Illytch for the remainder of this season and the next – with the option to extend to the winter months should the need arise.
We then talked to Chancellor about our mission. There is a camp that has been established across the Morat border, about 2-3 days up the Enderlyn River. The denizens are in the process of gathering a type of quick growing fungus that was spotted in the area some time ago, for which House Illytch will use in its own apothecary and alchemy labs here in Sorton, selling the extras to other merchants that are searching for the reagents and are willing to pay.
However, K’Morat kobolds have become brazen and aggressive and over the last few months have gone from ones and twos, to 10’s and more assaulting harvesters in the area.
The Base Camp has walls and guards, but it doesn’t have a strike team capable of going out and routing these warrens of K’Morat kobolds. That is what the group has been hired for. There are 2 other mercenary groups at the Base Camp in House Illytch’s employ – a 10-20 contingent of Randari rangers and scouts who originally discovered the precious fungi, and a 6-8 count of professional giant killers who patrol the Base Camp and their job is pretty much self-explanatory.
We were invited back to House Illytch to set up a temporary home for the time being while the caravan is being set up and should be leaving on either the 2nd or the 3rd. The House stores would be made available to us to equip ourselves before leaving Sorton, with the understanding that although there will be some stores at Base Camp, anything else we would need might take as much as 6 days to replenish us away from Sorton.
During this time Darius was invited/instructed by his father to attend a mandatory family dinner. So our slinger/fighter with a heavy heart arrived at the Diamondcutter home and went to the awkward dinner with his father Gordon, mother Ovira, eldest brother Gordson, eldest living sister Ana, and his next oldest brother Dorthak. Twilaine was working at the family shoppe and not expected to be at this dinner.
It went about as poorly as Darius expected. There was more entreaties to stop being a mercenary, join the family business, and discussion about the raid on the Temple of Loki. Shock at what occurred, but it was also some dismay on how it would look to the family. As the meal went on Darius was morose and resigned to the fact that his father had 2 things at the core of all his complaints and requests: control of his family and their doings, and how anyone’s actions make him and the family appear.
When it came time to get to the crux of the matter, he offered Darius a 5% controlling stake in the company at 4th owner of the Diamondcutter Gem and Jewelsmiths. This had Gordson shocked and the others at the table clamoring for Darius to avoid the deal and to make his escape. Darius asked for a notary and Gordon, feeling smug, had one summoned and the deal written up – giving Darius a part of the family business – as long as he recanted any other signed contracts and gives up his mercenary career.
Reading the page Darius nodded his head, tore the paper in half, crumpled it up, and burned it on the candelabra while Gordon screamed at him to get out and he was cut off and Darius left after getting quiet support from Dorthak and Ovira.
Back at House Illytch, he tried to explain his problems to the rest of the party who looked at Darius bemusedly. So, getting a part of the family business and set up for life was getting you upset? He didn’t get much sympathy but the group did welcome him with open arms.
We filled up at the stores and then after making sure that all our packs were set and any gear we needed was in place, the party was going to get some sleep. The next day would see some of the party members heading to the Grim Gauntlets and try out for the Fighter’s Guild – knowing that some trickery of Loki would nullify some of the padded and safety weapons that the group would be fighting with. After that we should be then headed for Base Camp on the 3rd.
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