Write up follows:
The group walked slowly up to Base Camp while the denizens within emerged looking at the laden and travel worn party with ill-disguised surprise. We were ushered inside where the crowd of 50 stopped to welcome us back, including the other half of our adventuring party that had returned from Sorton a few days ago.
We were led to the messhall where it was standing room at the end for those who came late. Food was doles out, beer was poured, and for an hour and a half, the party shared their story over what happened to them for the last 15 days. From our travels, Dinka and Narnul, the Eskerton Tunnel, finding the Warren, luring out the K’Morat with Joan the undead deer, the crow swarms, the shaman, sneaking in, Cashandra the Dryad, the giant boar, pit traps, Shassismyr the troll lord, the fight, the ogre running and resting, Lysil, saving Dizzy, meeting the cyclops and ogres, Yuntwyn and Slowfeet, returning to the Warren, poisoned bread, locking the gate, fighting the last of the kobolds, Lord Gurunts, finding the basement, our first encounter with the immature kobold swarm, fleeing to the roof, setting the courtyard on fire, holing up to rest, blowing up the Causeway, Jurius the gnoll, readying for another encounter, trying it a second time and running away, the armoire down the stairs twice, looting the keep, the ogres and cyclops again, and finally the long trip back.
Voices were strained, jaws were agape, and there was surprise everywhere. Some people didn’t believe all we said, some believed everything. It was now past 6:30 and Bailiff Youngston Illytch wanted to further meet with the group. The Reeve Donna Duncarian was invited back to the Meeting House where the party was given some better ale and a toast was made to their return.
It was learned that the group was declared dead about a week ago, a matter the Bailiff was going to rectify with a letter back to House Illytch. He asked a few other points about what they did or learned. We talked about the sheer number of kobolds we faced and the Warren. When it came time to discuss all we returned with, the Bailiff flat out said that he was a manager – not a merchant. It was not to him to decide what an item is worth or not, and was best done back at the House and Sorton with any of the 3 Consuls.
What he did do was allow the party to itemize all they had brought back and declared with the Reeve Donna, pulling himself out of it so he would not taint the operation. At the end of it all, the group bid the Base Camp a farewell on Workmonth the 2nd and took the 3 day trip back to Sorton with the caravan.
Sorton was a sight for sore eyes. Situated on a full 1/3rd of the slope of the Jarl’s Tooth Mountain, the Enderlyn River roared past the water wheels and docks with a giddy spray. Stout dwarven made walls 25’ tall and braced every 40 paces with a defensive tower and either trebuchet of catapult, surrounded the entire city. We made our way through the Main Gate and walked Main Street as the wide Boulevard made its way between Slagbottom to the west and the Randari Quarter to the east. Main Street Ended at Central Gate and the Iron Stallion Inn and Tavern where we waited in queue for a short time before being passed through by keen eyed guards.
Sorton was roughly 55% dwarven, 20% Human, 15% Orc, Half-orc, and Half-Ogre, and the other races made up the remaining 10%. Once through we were in Central Quarter with its wide open ground for caravans, open markets, and bazaars. Every temple and Guild hall was in Central Quarter. To the west was Undercliff, the industrial section of town, to the east was Cobble Hill, the Middle Classed section of town and where the 6 Merchant Houses were located. We made our way there without issue and came to House Illytch’s Compound.
We were assigned barracks to rest in and then we dropped our packs, unloaded our cart, and changed our clothes after cleaning up. After dinner we were invited to sit with the 1st Consul who had been given a manifest of everything we had brought back from the Reeve as well as the Bailiff’s report on our actions.
There was some touching on the listing but the big piece was the 28 Platinum Bars we returned. They were stamped, sealed, and valid – and historically or serious interest. This actually gives the House greater clout since the Bars are used to act as place holding for influence at the Council of Lords Meetings or anything to do with real estate. The group was stunned to learn that the value of the 28 platinum bars, ramped up for their rarity and uniqueness, as defined by the Thane Ufrecta’s of Exquesher was in excess of 18,000 nobles – over 4,000 more nobles than just the value of the bars alone.
The party was entitled to half of that right off the top.
From there we went through every magical item and dickered back and forth on whether we were going to keep them, having their value removed from our now overflowing coffers. From there there were some personal wants and then we commissioned to have House Illytch sell off whatever was left. We knew we had a few weeks of training ahead of us, but our efforts have already given the group more than enough coin to fund the trip to Erylond and then Bork Keep – followed by the acquiring of the amulets we would need to enter the Terror Dungeon.
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