Session 315 - Dwarven Bounty
General Summary
10th to 15th of Savor (Autumn) 726TR
The Story So Far
Cassius, the rugged bounty hunter, and Salvador, a wandering priest of Ilvir, are staying as guests in the underground City of Kondasgel in the distant dwarven Kingdom of Kuzjera. They are accompanied by Tharac, their translator and guide.
This is the continuation of Session 309 - The Kingdom of Kuzjera.
Location - City of Kondasgel in the Kingdom of Kuzjera.
Part 1 – A Haunted Warehouse
It's been weeks since Cassius has seen any action. He is bored and keen to take on some work. Fortunately, Tharac’s Uncle Kopar Garzak has a problem. He recently purchased a small warehouse along one of the city's underground rivers at a discount price. This has not been used for forty years because it is allegedly haunted. The heroes, accompanied by Tharac, investigate.
The warehouse is covered with cobwebs and damp, and after searching thoroughly, weird things begin to happen; old crates and barrels begin to move, and blood-infused cobblestones start flying about. The building is indeed haunted. Battering off the grim Cobblebones, a semi-transparent, glowing ghostly figure of a dead Dwarf appears. The horrifying Poltergeist induces fear and bombards the heroes with flying debris, disappearing and reappearing, only to inflict more harm. Cassius's elven Short Bow Whispering Wind proves very effective, and eventually, the enraged spirit is destroyed, at least temporarily.
Part 2 - The Poltergeist is Put to Rest
Salvador, being a priest, understands that a poltergeist will reform within a few days. It can be permanently put to rest only if someone determines the reason for its existence and sets right whatever wrong prevents the spirit from passing on to an afterlife. The characters search the warehouse. The bones among the flying cobblestones are dwarven, and they find a note under a chest. This is a Will written by a former part-owner of the warehouse, bequeathing his share of the business to his son. Tharac’s uncle bought the business from Kyten Kassgal, unaware that there was another part owner Churg Elvek, and checking legal records, they later learn that he had gone missing decades ago. Tharac suspects that Churg Elvek may have been murdered and quickly contacts his Uncle Kopar. Uncle Kopar gingerly enters the warehouse and declares loudly that justice will prevail. Churg Elvek's son, if alive, or his descendants, if not, will be will be given justice and receive fair payment for the building. He is true to his word, and it appears to work, and the spirit is never seen again.
However, paying off Churg Elvek's children leaves Uncle Kopar out of pocket, and he hires Cassius for another job, recovering the money he paid from the scoundrel who sold him the haunted building in the first place. The nefarious Kyten Kassgal has recently fled the city, and any coin in excess Cassius gets from him, he can keep, provided Kyten is captured and faces justice.
Location - In the North of the City of Kondasgel in the Kingdom of Kuzjera.
Part 3 - Cold Wilderness
Cassius, Salvador, and Tharac leave the city on the trail of Kyten Kassgal, making excellent time. After a couple of days, they almost catch up with the rogue. Unfortunately, he travels through a particularly dangerous part of the Kuzjeran hills, and predators lie in wait. A Frost Drake hides in a steep snowbank; its freezing breath weapon is a nasty surprise. The little dragon very nearly kills the whole party, but Cassius drives his flaming short sword, Molten Fury, through its heart and skins it. It will make a fine cloak. Cassius is tempted to track it back to its lair, but as his prey is so close, he returns to the primary mission.
Not long after, in a narrow rocky valley, another dangerous hazard appears Earth Elementals, the first in a series of magical rune traps set by the pursued. Two Xorns, squat, round earth elementals with three legs, three arms, three eyes, and one massive maw attack. They prove skilled ambushers and deadly, nearly killing Cassius and his Bear; only Salvador’s Spirit Link shares the damage with Cassius and keeps him during the fight. Tharac, a Geokineticist, was also able to drain much of the elemental essences, weakening and killing the elementals.
Part 4 - The Well
Kyten Kassgal tracks lead to an ancient dwraven structure, a shaft leading down with internal stairs bisected by a waterfall. This leads to a small cold complex. The descent is guarded by large birds whose wings are charged with electricity, another of Kyten's magical rune traps. They are slain, and the Zepyr Hawk's feathers are collected; Cassius thinks he will be able to make an impressive arrow out of them.
Sneaking into the cold chamber below Cassius and Slavador overhears Kyten speaking to someone in a small cage. From the fragments overheard, the dwarf wants to fake his death. Creating a distraction with Kyten's campfire, Tharac draws him out, and Cassius strikes from behind. The cunning dwarf fights with a collection of dirty tricks but is eventually knocked out and shackled.
Who is in the cage? Cassius approaches finding a malleable blob that takes humanoid form with no district features. A Doppelganger is a rare type of Ivashu. Conversing in Ivashi with Salvador, the party learns the caged shapeshifter works for Kyten Kassgal to accomplish various underhanded deeds. Cassius releases it, and it flees without even a thank you in return. After a brief adventure in the caverns below, Cassius returns to the City of Kondasgel and delivers Kyten Kassgal to the Crown for justice.
To be continued.NPC Interactions
Uncle Kopar Garzak.
Kyten Kassgal - Rogue.
Unnamed Doppelganger.
Challenges Overcome
3 x Cobblebone Swarms. and 1 x Poltergeist.
1 x Frost Drake and 2 x Xorns.
3 x Zephur hawks.
Kyten Kassgal
Rewards
Nothing this week.
Created Content
Nothing this week.
Related Reports
Nothing this week.
Player Characters
Cassius - Human - L6 to L7 Ranger - Background Bounty Hunter - Archetype Fighter.
Salvador - Human - L6 to L7 Cloistered Cleric of Ilvir (Change) - Background Artist - Archetype Eldritch Researcher.
NPC Character Status
Tharac - Dwarf - L6 Kineticist (Earth) - Background Magical Misfit - Archetype Wizard.
