And the second one. when I wrote it, I had no idea if the party, or any of them, would manage to survive. Dungeon is a bit stacked against them and no real healing (a few potions here and there, not nearly enough). Plus when any door out is opened, it allows the Grues to come in (there are 2 of them, mated pair). So I truly did not know if there was actually a survivor that knew what exactly happened to Eoghan's wife and child.
Happy that we have one, and the least pre-supposing of them all! Very cool. And for those who wonder about the stats for my Grue's (those who played Zork in the day...) they are:
Grue: AC: 15, HD: 4+3, HP: 35, Att @ +6(/+6), Dam: 2d6+3, Morale: 11 / 6 in Light, Speed: 30', Skills: Listen +10, Move Silent +10, Hide +10, Jump +10, Climb +10. Special: In pure darkness, Grues can get a second attack. They have superior Infravision and can see 120' in the dark. They also have Tremorsense to 60' as well and can feel movements. Standing a bit over 9 and a half feet tall, they are covered with thick dark wiry hair all over their bodies and weigh in at over 1,250 lbs.
Follows:
Closing the secret door, we listened to the two doors on the north hall, Jesse commenting that the western one had some faint goblinoid voices behind it, and Starhawk letting the group know the easterly one was silent. There was the comment that he had some melted ears and might not have heard correctly, so Jesse and he swapped and listened to the opposite doors. And this time neither person heard anything.
Right.
The group decided to open the easterly door first and avoid any problem with more goblins. A look inside showed that it was at one point a chapel to Frigga based upon the older painting on the wall. Most of the accoutrements had been pilfered but the main altar was still there. There was a statue of an orcish looking muscular person, but the head had been removed, and a misshapen round black marble looking stone was in its place. A bed had been set up near the altar and there were 4 pews still in here.
Deimos, Liam, and Rona opted to go in and look around. Rona really wanted the stone. Not the statue, just the stone head. Liam was looking over the pews, and Deimos was flipping the bed…and revealed a dead Halfling. Ew. It had been rotting for a few weeks now, putrefying here. It was also evident that someone had cut its throat. While they were looking it over, Rona managed to get the stone free and showed it to Jesse – the two of them exclaiming, “Stone Bros.”
It was pointed out they were girls and Stone Sisters might be more appropriate.
Whatever treasure the Halfling had had been cut free. So Deimos then jammed his trident into its chest and “scooped” it up, letting the juices run free and making it easier(?) for Liam to check it out. As usual though, the Half-orc barbarian got to joking around and bounced the Halfling a bit, treating it like a marionette. A rotted 3 week dead marionette. The boots fell off, one with the foot still inside. An inside pocket was discovered there, so Liam dumped out the…foot and…the juices, before going to open the pocket within. Deimos slipped up though and dropped the rotting Halfling on Liam’s back before offering, “I’m sorry. I’m sorry. That was me!” and scooping it back up.
Inside the boot was a long wooden pipe and a packet of halfling’s weed – the scent of which had Jesse lift her head and look around with interest.
We left the room and then decided we were going to try the goblin room. Opening the secret door, Deimos trident stabbed a dead goblin within and told Jesse, “Talk like a goblin!” after we had opened the door and he shoved the marionetted greenskin within. The goblin’s within didn’t buy it, and a fight occurred. The goblin on the stick was hit, saving one attack for the rest of us, but there were 3 other goblins there. Crossbow bolts were fired and the one on the stair was hit. Deimos, Hawk, and Rona were the heavy front hitters, taking the fight to the goblins. One tried to escape but a hastily thrown sword, and then axe, finished it up.
Once the fight was done, we could see two orcs were here. They were badly hurt (down to 1 hp each), crippled, and thirsty and hungry. We got them up and they identified themselves as Artor and Dermus of Clan Thorfeld. They were captured maybe 3 days ago here but the goblins and their hobgoblin boss, a nasty fellow named Billy Discourage. Normally this is a good place for wandering orcs to hide out in when travelling at night, but goblins have never been here before. Seems they were hunting something big at night, assumption was that it was a wendigo.
We asked them if they wanted to come with us, but in their current shape, they opted to stay here for now. They moved to the chapel and braced the door from the other side, hoping to make it to morning. Deimos moved the dead into the secret room and we all drew up again, moving to the stairs and heading up.
We climbed, lantern held high, and looked at the main room on the 2nd floor. Originally an office, there were 2 roll top desks, long unused, and chairs on the west wall, and a large sturdy 2 seater bench on the south wall. A door was east, a door south, and 2 doors on the west wall (one at the north and south ends of that wall), fleshed out the chamber. Liam and Starhawk checked out the desks. Hawk looked at the north west door, Jesse the east door…and Deimos drew out his weapon and proceeded to beat the ever loving crap out of the bench.
Lovely.
The rolltop desks were not locked but were water logged and swelled over time, so might make noise when opened. Liam was looking at Deimos smashing the bench with his Morningstar and muttering, “I’ll risk it.” The desk was hard to open, but Liam got a part of it opened, and then forced it the rest of the way up with a clattering rattle. At some point a sandwich had been in here, but it had partially rotten before mummifying, and a cloud of fungal spores blew out, settling around the thief. Who spent the rest of the night and adventure, coughing, snotting, and clearing his throat (-1 on all rolls). Deimos tired himself out and conceded that the bench was not “going to break, so we can all feel safe to sit on it.” Good job, man!
Jesse faintly heard some goblin voices far from the eastern door, but nothing nearby. From the western door on the south, we smelled some pungent urine. And from the north west door, Hawk found the cleaning closet. He took the feather duster immediately, and there was a scramble for the bucket as well. We opted to open the second desk, Deimos doing the honors with trident and lots of rattling and banging. Inside was a silver flask with a swallow of aged whiskey, a carved turtle with a reverse design on the back shell, and a small smattering of silver and copper coins. We thought about what to do next and decided to try the door that smelled like urine.
On opening it, we could hear the pad and whine of an approaching wolf. Deciding to back up, we shut it and let the animal bark and howl, which attracted other goblins from beyond it, to come out and berate the wolf to be silent. We waited until the goblins returned and we suspected that they were eating and resting for now, south and west.
Ok, we then went to the South door and listened and looked in. Hallway with 2 doors at the end on the east and west walls. West door had to lead back to the goblins and we snuck down and listened…sure enough, at least 4 goblin voices within. Alright. East door? Nothing heard.
Group gathered up and went down, checking out the east door. It was a guard room. The cistern on the ceiling had broken, leaking into this chamber. There was a section of the floor south and east, that had dropped and was leaking to the floor below. Alright! Figured that out. Two sets of double bunk beds and a 4 count of footlockers were in here. Decision was to avoid the weak floor and check out the lockers. There was another door on the north wall of this room. Listening to it revealed at least a half dozen goblin voices discussing with someone with a deeper voice named Bill. The Hobgoblin.
The footlockers ended up giving us assorted old orcish clothing, poor shape and threadbare. A bit over 2 dozen brass bits (as Rona said, “What the Hell is that?!”) and two small flasks with a blue liquid. Jesse and Liam helped let us know it was a Healing Draught. One was given to Starhawk, making the dwarven locksmith feel much better (healed 2), the other we saved for now. Deimos and Rona had some wounds on them, but we opted to wait and see.
This then had us in a quandary. Two rooms with goblins, ready and prepared. And the wild card of the goblin-wolf in the hall. We wanted to lure one group, hopefully Bill and his, down the stairs and used Dermus and Artor to help us out. So we went down, closing all the doors behind us, and spoke to the two orcs in the Chapel. We explained the plan was to have them lie on the floor ready and waiting, weapons (that we would supply them with) under them. Some of us would attack from behind, and the rest of us would hit them from the front. To make it more attractive, we gave them the healing draught we had found, Dermus drank it (winning with Rock smashing through Paper of course).
We went through a few plans but ended up with Jesse and Liam in the closet at the top of the stairs, the orcs in the same place as before, and the rest of us in the hall, weapons out and hot. Everyone got in position and we waited, door cracked ever so slightly from the hall to the room with the orcs.
It was a bit over 10 minutes that Bill Discourage and his troupe of three goblins came out of the east door, and went to the stairs, heading down. About half way down they stopped and were unhappy that the goblins were NOT here guarding. Bill warned the goblins to be ready and there was talk about going back up. Not wanting to miss out, we attacked, and almost immediately, Hawk got a crossbow bolt to the head! Stopped by his helmet, sticking right between his eyes. Jesse fired off a “push” spell at the gob at the top of the stairs, knocking it forward and making it stumble down the stairs to the next set. Liam was next, inching forward to ram his sword into the goblin’s back. We fired our own weapons and there was charging into the chamber. Axes went flying, more bolts were shot. Artor went down screaming and Dermus got shot – but lived!!! (Wicked scar!) Bill Discourage was beset on both flanks and the hobgoblin tried his damndest but was swiftly overrun and the battle came to an end a few scant minutes after it began.
We had some more damage and were not too happy with things. While looking them over, Bill had a key on him, and a note!. We read it:
Bill Discourage
Use the crate to capture both of them. Don’t give a Loki infested shit about anything else except cleaning up this fucking mess. Should never have trusted that orcish prick. Trank them, box them, and send them back to Paxian Shippers and Exporters as soon as fucking able. Let’s fucking hope they don’t kill anyone. Don’t fuck around, 2 teams. Cost is worth it.
Loring
Loring was the guy working for the guild that was against your guild at the Arena in Stivil. As for something to capture and trank, we hadn’t seen it yet. Mayhap that was what the wendigo’s were? They had gotten out and killed Eoghan’s family, and then chased us here. And were outside the Falcon’s Watch Keep. (To the players at the table – it explained some gaping holes in an earlier adventure we had where something didn’t make sense regarding the Paxian Shippers. But now it does!)
We loaded the dead bodies into the secret hall, Dermus taking the hobgoblin’s armor and sword (gearing up nicely dude!). We then went up the stairs to the office again and through the east door. Short hall with a door right there on the south wall, and another one north that lead to an office. We checked the south door, it was locked. So we used the new key and opened it up.
And a long armed hairy figure reached out, grabbed one of us by the head, and then smashed us in the chest, driving us back. Followed up by the same howling cry that we had run from earlier!
We looked around and some of us ran, Jesse and Dermus heading for the water room, Starhawk ran for the closet to hide. Liam backed up and that left Deimos who was getting VERY angry, Hawk, and Rona with the stalking figure. And it was strong. So very strong. Its blows were like hammer bolts (2d6+3!) and it took out strikes with wailing cries – but kept on. With Liam gone with the lantern, it was only dim light with us and infravision. Figure was a good 10’ tall, 4 and a half feet at the shoulder wide, and walked stooped over, long armed, and its eyes were brilliant, indicating it must have infravision – but the superior kind. Briefly, the word Grue was tossed around, but it did not matter as it proceeded to assault the party still standing before it.
Jesse knocked on the goblin door to the south, screaming that we were under attack and it was here. They locked the doors and barred them. Then it was hide in the bed chamber and Liam was listening and waiting. Hawk went down first and Deimos and Rona backed up into the office, the monster following. Deimos ran to the door with the wolf and ripped it open, hoping to get the animal to attack the monster! Instead, it attacked Deimos and the barbarian was howling at it, “Not me! Not me you idiot!”
The wendigo charged over and tore the wolf apart, Rona hitting it from behind and Deimos striking it from the front. Liam snuck into the office that Bill was in, and looked around, hoping to find something to “trank” it with – but nothing! This left only the roof. He waited, hoping to time his run just right.
Deimos was slain, his chest caved in, and then the monster turned its fury on Rona, beating and smashing the dwarven fighter to death. Liam took the chance and ran to the stairs and then up them to the roof. Where he found two very large crates (6’x6’x8’), double wall reinforced, a heavy crossbow mounted on a swivel (no Str penalty), a quiver of bolts with a wrapping on each one (tranked and ready), and a mound of rotting fruit – to attract them!. Hearing the monster below stalking closer on seeing the human thief run, Liam loaded up a bolt, swung the weapon around, took aim, and got ready.
It stalked closer and closer. Jesse left the room, Dermus stayed, the Halfling heading to the main room, seeing his friends dead, walked by the closet (Starhawk was still in there, hiding), and went down stairs. Was going to head out, but instead went to the secret room with the many dead bodies and reek of fecal matter, entered and shut the door, hunkering down in the dark and waited.
When Liam saw the monster storm out, charging toward him, he took aim…and fired!! And his bolt hit…but failed to penetrate! (Missed by ONE!!) The monster smashed out at him, hoping to throw him off the side, but Liam was buffeted and managed to roll a bit away, grabbing another bolt where he hoped to stab the Grue…but failed. And then he too was slain!
Dermus took the chance while all this was going on to run down the stairs, weave through the corridors, head to the front door, drag the statue aside, and then open it up, hoping to get away. And the second Grue that had been patiently waiting there most of the night, tore the orc to shreds, killing him gruesomely. (Lol)
Time passed and Starhawk was able to hear the stalking grue grow closer and closer. And then ripped the closet door open like tissue paper. He fired at it and it ignored the bolt in its chest, beating the dwarven locksmith to death. The two grue’s then stalked through the keep a bit, tried the goblin doors but failed to open them, ate some parts of the dead party members, and left long before sun rose to find whatever den that had been using to escape the day light.
The goblins fled the Falcon’s Watch in the early morning. And that left Jesse. The Halfling wizard/thief. She emerged hungry, thirsty, tired, and wired. She walked around, seeing everyone dead. In her own self interests, she did take the other half of the treasure that Liam still had on him (15 more silver and 200 more copper), added it to her half, and picked up the odd bit of treasure the rest of the party had on them (including a ring that Starhawk had taken from Eoghan’s murdered wife) and then left the orcish keep. She looked down the foothills of the Passian Hills to the Bowman homestead, then a number of others, and the distant walls some 3 miles away of Stivil. Where she was still responsible for the guilds’ loss and even after everything that had happened from Ripjack to now, she would be forced into slavery if she returned. Shaking her head she squared her shoulders and looked north instead. “Tradelands,” she muttered. “I wonder if some orcish clan could use my skills?”
And there we go! Jesse survived. And we now know as players that Eoghan’s family were killed by grues. Someone has been sneaking monsters OUT of the Terror Dungeon and selling them to the highest bidder out here. But somehow, Paxian Exporters fucked up and two were shipped to somewhere else and then escaped. And in their brief time out, took out Eoghan’s family.
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