Session 11: Cleaning out the Keep Report

General Summary

Session 11 – Wednesday September 14th, 2022 – Clean Out

4 Hour Battle session 5:30 PM to 10:00 PM

The Stone Bearers. Party of 4:

It is the 20th day of the month of Marpenoth (Leaffall) in the 50th year of the Age of Enialis (Mid October.)

• Abrash – Wood (Dessert) Elf L3 Druid – Jacob Munson
• Ajani– High Elf L3 Wizard – Nathan Gioconda (Work)
• Gazlowe – Goblin L3 Artificer – Josh Pozsonyi
• Thomas – Human L3 Blood hunter – Ryan Armstrong (Remote)
• Isabella – Forest Gnome L3 Barbarian – Jackie Armstrong
• Gurthen – Dwarf L3 Paladin – Spencer Armstrong (School)

Goals:

• Can join the Adventurer’s guild
• Find out about the Red and White Ladies and report back to The Lord’s Alliance.
• Find out about mysterious slave trade in the High Forest.
• Locate the Shield of Niptu and find where they’re hiding Niptu’s Body
• Disintegrate Niptu’s Body and let Revalor Miadi know. Revalor is hiding with family at cottage along the Delimbiyr River between Zelbross and Loudwater.
• Go to Niptu Shrine #1 to learn about Niptu’s magic
• Train the Hellhound Johny Cash
• Clean out and purchase the Firestone Keep
• Zoreene’s Trial on the 23rd of Marpenoth
• Gazlowe not happy with helm purchase
• Gazlowe and Abby build Armor
• Party to utilize the herbs Abrash and Ajani found.

The party reunites.

Abrash and Isabella ate some honey for breakfast and Gazlowe joined them. Gazlowe produced even more honey from his jug that he claimed to be just as good. As they argued over the benefits of natural honey with the comb, Thomas and his Hell Hound, Johnny Cash arrived at the Blackmoor estate and rang the doorbell. Abrash ran past Mr. Holm and Greeted Thomas. Thomas immediately told Abrash, “The Keep is haunted, and where are my crossbow bolts?” Hearing “Crossbow Bolts,” Gazlowe realized what he had forgotten to do and snuck out of the Dining room window to run to town.

After getting some food for the Hell hound and waiting in the dining room for a while, Gazlowe came back and gave Thomas a set of 20 Crossbow Bolts. They discussed the option to try to expedite the trial, but Thomas didn’t want to upset the new magistrate. Gazlowe wanted to spend the day working with Abby on his armor, but Thomas wanted to get help to finish clearing out the keep. As they went back and forth, there was a knock on the door…

The Sword Coast Adventuring Guild

One of the security guards, Frodrik, handed the party a pamphlet from the “Sword Coast Adventuring guild.” Frodrik explained that all the postings for “Adventure wanted” at the local pub have been taken down and a bulletin posted telling people they can go to the Adventuring guild to get an adventurer. Gazlowe looked over the pamphlet while Abrash dismissed it outright. The party discussed at length, but Abrash simply said that he didn’t trust them. Gazlowe was puzzled because they had never had any discussions with anyone from the Adventuring guild. In the end, Gazlowe said he’d talk to them and didn’t see any point in arguing further until they have more information. Frodrik told them that his friend Carl is a member of the guild and wanted to be sure that the Stone Bearers were extended an invitation. Gazlowe bid the party farewell as he said, “I’ve got to go work with Abby, we’ll clean out the keep tomorrow.”

Thomas explained how he had just killed the kobolds in the hatchery, and they may be upset, and it would be advisable to go sooner. Thomas showed them the one red egg he collected. Gazlowe said he knows of some traders that would buy them. Abrash expressed his disapproval of selling the eggs into slavery. Gazlowe suggested they sell them to the Dame of dirt. They discussed that their relationship with her is on Shakey ground. Thomas brought them back around again to the desire to clean out the keep. The party (some reluctantly) agreed to go finish this task. Thomas woke up Johnny Cash and Johnny got up angrily but followed Thomas. Ajani decided to stay behind as he had some studying to do.

The Firestone keep.

Thomas lead the party to the keep and into the tunnels underneath to the door that he had blocked with a chair. The party discussed opening the door or coming back later. Abrash looked through the keyhole and saw that there was a large creature right in front of the door. They continued to debate for a little bit and then Gazlowe cast fire bolt at the door, lighting it on fire. As smoke started to fill the hall, the party heard the noises of a hoard of kobolds approaching from down the hall.

A Horde of kobolds.

Thomas fired blindly down the hall into the darkness but didn’t hit anyone. He told the Hell Hound, “Fetch me their souls.” Abrash summoned a flying spirit who swooped down and killed one of the approaching kobolds. One of the kobolds hit Gazlowe with a sling shot. Gazlowe cast grease right in front of the kobolds causing one of the kobolds to slip and fall down. Bitey shot a beam of force at one of the kobolds. Another kobold moved up and fell in the grease. The hell hound was hit with a sling shot. Johnny Cash leaped at the kobold that struck him but slipped at the edge of the grease and missed. Isabela walked up and put her axe into one of the kobolds. The hound was again hit by a slingshot.

An Orc Joins the fight

The door that was on fire was slammed open into the wall (extinguishing the flames.) An orc stood in the doorway holding a massive axe. Thomas threw a splash potion of healing on his hell hound. One of the kobolds hit Johnny with a scorpion on a stick. Abrash cast poison spray and killed one of the kobolds. The spirt bird flew down and killed another kobold. Johnny was stabbed again and wasn’t looking good. Gazlowe walked over to the Orc and punched him with a thunderous fist. The Orc responded with his massive axe and immediately cut Gazlowe’s hp in ½. The Orc Smiled and stepped back a step but then died from the booming blade effect. The Hell Hound was hit again and was very badly bloodied. Isabella was hit. Horribly wounded Johnny tried to flee and jump over the grease, but he slipped in it. Gazlowe saw a kobold Acolyte walk into view as he was hit by a ray of sickness. He fought off the poison effect but was very badly hurt. His armor started making beeping and warning sounds. Isabella downed a potion of fire breath and breathed on a 2nd Orc in the room. Abrash was hit by a kobold.

Thomas used his whip to light the grease on fire keeping the remaining kobolds in the hall at bay. Abrash wild shaped into a giant lizard and the orc sliced into his new form with his great axe. The kobold in the grease fire screamed as he burned to death. Gazlowe threw a caustic brew at the orc and kobold in the room, but they didn’t get covered with it. Thomas was struck with a rock from a sling and Johnny Cash fled the scene. The kobold Acolyte slammed a glass vial onto the floor filling the entire room with smoke, heavily obscuring all in the area.

Fighting while blind

The smoke was thick as Isabella felt along the wall to the burned door and she shut it. Thomas heard the door close and walked up to it, opened the door, walked in and hit the Orc with his Whip, extracting the Orc’s heart. Abrash’s flying spirt took out another kobold. Gazlowe cast grease again just beyond the existing grease spill. Three more kobolds fell in the flaming grease. Bitey hit one of them and killed it. A kobold succumbed to the flaming grease while another trudged through the flames barely alive. Isabella felt her way along the wall again and felt Abrash the giant lizard. She found his satchel of Goodberrys and grabbed a handful.

Thomas, able to see the Acolyte, struck him with his whip. Abrash’s flying spirit took out one more kobold in the hall. Gazlowe, hurting badly, ate one berry from Isabella. The kobold inventor in the room released a swarm of bees. The kobold in the grease fire withstood the flames and emerged on fire in front of Gazlowe. He attempted to hit Gazlowe but missed. The Acolyte walked to the alter, placed his hands on it and murmured something in draconic. Thomas saw all the wounds on the Acolyte close as he became completely healed. Isabella breathed fire on one of the last remaining kobolds and then ate a Goodberry. Thomas killed the Acolyte with a crossbow bolt

Abrash killed the last kobold in the room. Gazlowe heard the swarm of bees and punched them with his thundering fists, reducing their number by ½. The Bees stung the Giant lizard while Isabella ate another berry. Thomas whipped into the bees and killed several and Gazlowe punched them. Isabella heard the bees and used her flail, finishing them off!

The leader’s room

The smoke dissipated and the party searched the room. They saw an alter and a chest in the room amongst other accoutrements. Thomas read some runes on the alter and recognized symbol of the god Kurtulmak. He was almost shocked and warned the others to stay away from the alter as he went to find the Hell hound. Gazlowe examined the chest and discovered a trap inside it. He disabled the trap and picked the lock. He found the trap was a vial of poison gas (DC12 CON or take 1d12 poison + be poisoned for 1 hour [1/2 damage on successful save.]) Inside the chest he also found:

• 1700cp, 1000sp, 70gp
• A pewter belt (25gp)
• Several gems—3 x azurites, 2 x blue quartz, 1 x malachite (each worth 10gp)
• A spell scroll (guiding bolt)
• A potion of greater healing and 3 potions of healing
• A Ceremonial dagger from the belt of the Acolyte worth 20gp.

They found a key around the neck of the Acolyte that fit into his treasure and a similar key around the neck of the Orc. They surmised the that the key from the Orc probably went to his chest. Thomas found Johnny Cash in the next room sleeping atop a pile of kobold bodies. Gazlowe destroyed the alter with his thunder gauntlets, risking the wrath of Kurtulmak (whoever that is.)

The Alchemist Lab

The party walked down the hall and found a room with a draconic label next to it. They went into the room and found it to be an alchemical laboratory. There was a kobold inside who looked annoyed at the party when he said, “What is it? What do you want?” The party asked who he was and what he did. He told them his name was Vumkaxxu and that he makes alchemist fire and acid and such and he asked to be left alone. The Stone Bearers informed him that they’ve killed the other kobold and they’re taking over the place. He gave them 3 flasks of alchemist fire and asked if he could stay here to continue his experiments. A little perplexed, the party shrugged and agreed and left him be.

What’s Next:

• Gazlowe to find out about Adventurer’s guild
• Gazlowe and Abby to complete the armor.
• Find out about the Red and White Ladies and report back to The Lord’s Alliance.
• Find out about mysterious slave trade in the High Forest.
• Locate the Shield of Niptu and find where they’re hiding Niptu’s Body
• Disintegrate Niptu’s Body and let Revalor Miadi know. Revalor is hiding with family at cottage along the Delimbiyr River between Zelbross and Loudwater.
• Go to Niptu Shrine #1 to learn about Niptu’s magic
• Train the Hellhound Johny Cash
• Purchase the Firestone Keep and rebuild it.
• Zoreene’s Trial on the 23rd of Marpenoth
• Gazlowe not happy with helm purchase
• Party to utilize the herbs Abrash and Ajani found.