However, for the first time in a long time (like 15-20 years), we had a person at the table that just didn't fit in with the rest of the group and I had to let him go. He was an earnest player who really wanted to fit in, but his play and conversation didn't mesh with the rest of the table. It sucks, but it does happen, and a good DM and Player recognizes this and without rancor or hard feelings, move on - because as we've all known, there will be other games and other tables and other adventures and the sweet spot will come around at another time. He was decent in his acceptance and we both parted as men without problems.
So I am going to NOT look for someone for a few months to give the party a break and just play - maybe July we'll look for the 6th player again although I have been told by a former player that he strongly anticipates returning to us before the year is up - so we shall have to wait and see.
Write up follows:
The Delving group emerged from the Terror Dungeon exhausted and low on hit points and spells, making their way wearily out of the antechamber and through Bork Keep to the Visitor’s Hall. Once there they removed what armor and filthy clothes they had and then made their way to see if Lord Corface Bork would be willing to meet with them. We were granted a short audience with the aged lord and caught the nobleman up with our exploits in the dungeon.
The larger reason for our conversation was to comment on the issue we had spied in our travels. There was a section of the ceiling that showed a crack in it, 60’ below the ground, in which a small but constant single drip of water was coming through and into the place. Since the Dungeon was not able to be entered anywhere else but the one entrance, this made the group concerned that there might be another way in or out.
Pacing estimated the crack to be north of the keep in the fields beyond, and although there were some wells there, nowhere was there a way in. In fact over the last 15 years, samples of digging and driving of long shafts showed no possible way to breach the dungeon itself – except for the place here within the keep. Lord Bork did inform us that there were at least 3 other small defacements to the dungeon that had appeared over the last year: one that had a bit of smoke coming through, one that had a faint movement of air as if from a breeze, and another ceiling crack that smelled faintly of soil and tilled earth.
By 4 we were done, checked in with Percy and Hjalgrim, and decided that on the morrow, Spiritmonth the 11th, we were going to have out walk back at long last to Erylond.
As for the Surface grouping, when they left Bork Keep on Spiritmonth the 8th, it was with Avulstein, Darius, Barb, Thalin, Merica, and Shim – with the necromancer keeping up a long litany of his anger at the situation, and his constant harping that going into the dungeon was foolhardy and stupid and we shouldn’t do it. What gain? Where is it? We’ve been bleeding health and equipment left and right with nothing to show for it except possibly dying at an inopportune time.
He was rude and condescending to most everyone save Thalin and Barb. The jibes were going back and forth and it was getting heated until at one point he was isolated and hit with a sleep spell while near Thalin (who was immune to it) and knocked out. Picking the half-orc up, we walked with him some time slung across Barb’s shoulders while Darius and Shim had a long conversation with Salarahadra about the fire mephit and her current ties to Avulstein.
She was not happy and wanted Avulstein to change his ways back to the way he used to be some months ago or get out of the bonding between the two of them. After the necromancer woke up, befuddled as to why he fell asleep and accepting of the fact that he was exhausted and worn out from being so emotionally charged, we continued on our way, the conversation not picked up again until we were near the walls of Erylond. Avulstein announced that he was going back to Sorton to train under Speaker for the Dead Payrlis and was contemplating what would occur after that.
We wanted him to reconsider, there is the Arcane Academy here AND 6 different Wizard Towers not to mention other untowered wizards who might want someone to apprentice under them. He was belligerent and suggested strongly we do the same. In the interest of keeping the peace we let the conversation linger and agreed to getting a room at the Flying Pegasus and discussing it tomorrow.
Once in the town we let Avulstein go while we took a circuitous route away from him and around the city to get to the Greater Rand Sellsword and Adventuring Guild. Once there we had audience with Pha-iyr Carom and presented him with the signed Letter of Credit from King Seljack. We discussed with the elven fixer what had happened, why we were delayed, and Seljack’s demeanor during the exchanges we had with him.
We did touch upon the issue that the “blow up” in the warehouse was possibly a plant and executed by one of Seljack’s people for the purpose of embarrassing the GRSAG, getting them to pay Seljack a large stipend (which we did), and more importantly – show a bit of strength and back and forth between the GRSAG and Canaslan’s newly formed adventuring group. In further discussion Pha-iyr conceded there was no clear path to winning for him no matter what tack he tried, and any solution would give King Seljack some sort of leg up over him.
We discussed sleeping here in the common room, and what the cost of a flat would be or a house that the GRSAG might own somewhere in Erylond. We were informed of a place on the south end of town that would most likely suffice for us – and at 45 nobles for the month rent – seemed cheap enough all things considered.
We opted to stay here tonight, avoiding the Flying Pegasus and Avulstein, and just relaxing after a week plus of back and forth non-stop frantic moving. At the end of our conversation Pha-iyr did want to know what our thoughts were concerning Peris and how he performed for the party. The group was…mixed. The grey elven wizard has been difficult to meld with the group and many times his statements and action were seen as grating and at odds with what we would have expected of the potential applicant. We decided to hold off on our final decision until the Delving Group returned from the Dungeon and gave a field report on his last actions down there and with them.We rested and the next day, split up with Thalin standing online outside the Adventuring Guild to possibly buy some healing potions from Nythil, and the rest of the group heading to Julian the Sage to get some information from him. We learned a few things – Nythil’s potions always heal the same amount every time they are drunk and he was ANXIOUS to sell a case of TWENTY to Thalin for only 150 nobles. Excuse me?
Turns out they were addictive – and if hurt – you would want to drink one to feel better. The first case is really cheap – but after that the price does go up.
Ugh.
And Julian shared some information with the group about possibly a silvered steel weapon – and they can be found in the Terror Dungeon behind one of the Glyph Gates near Entrance 1 – and it has something to do with Lathandar, the elven god of the dawn and champion against undead. Nice – we want to do that.
He was a bit secretive and had locked up his house and on conversation learned that he was visited by an Ambassador from Emberia and Lord Emberwine who was searching for some relic and Siggurd’s father had been mentioned. Julian realized the being was a powerful psychic and got some information out of the sage before his own personal defenses and ward had kicked in and protected him from further prying. Since then he’s been keeping himself ensconced in his home for now and avoiding outside meetings if at all possible.
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