Session 14: The Trial? Report

General Summary

Session 14 – Wednesday October 12th, 2022 – The Trial

4.5 Hour Battle Play session 5:30 PM to 10:00PM

The Stone Bearers. Party of 5:

It is the 21st 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
• 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)

Lunch for the judge

The party heard the judge ask for a sandwich and they watched as one of the guards left the prison and headed to the market. Abrash, Ajani and Isabella ran to the market to buy a sandwich. The line at the Boar’s head deli was rather long. Abrash casually talked to the guard and found out that he was buying a roast beef sandwich. Meanwhile, Isabella purchased a ham and cheese sandwich from the person at the front of the line and excitedly told the group she got one! They all left and ran back to the courthouse.

They went to the judge’s private entrance were both Gazlowe and Ajani convinced the judge they were bringing him lunch. The Judge, Arelldormo Tahromus, a high elf from Silvery moon, invited them in. The party (mostly Gazlowe) questioned the judge and was convinced that he’s an honorable and upright judge. Gazlowe tried to tell the judge of new evidence in the case of Zoreene, but the judge deferred them to talk to the detective assigned to the case, Lt. Frank Lumboco.

Lt. Lumboco

The party then went to talk to Lt. Lumboco. Gazlowe grilled him on his competence and then tried to convince the detective that Zoreene killed Lord Blackmoor. Thomas pointed out the evidence is all circumstantial and relayed the entire story from the poisoning to the Owl Bear munching on Lord Blackmoor’s body. The Detective gazed quizzically at them after their strange story and suggested they don’t move bodies next time and contact the town’s guard to properly report such crimes so they can be properly investigated. However, Lt. Lumboco promised to look into the matter.

Gazlowe wanted to persuade the prosecution to go for death sentence and Thomas wanted the judgement to be exile. Abrash told everyone that they should let go of this and let the law settle it. Abrash reminded them they have more important matters to deal with. Thomas confessed that if he had been deceived and Zoreene is actually guilty then he would personally show her the wrath of god. They party decided to move on to the family home of the previous judge who asked them to tell his daughter that he loved her.

123 Wharhall Drive

The party went to the address that the former Judge (Abbington Whellam) had given them to deliver the message to his daughter Anastasia. A large burly man answered the door. The party quickly put together that he didn’t belong there and they forced themselves into the house. The thug called out to his associates saying, “We’ve got people here!” Thomas went around back and broke in through the back door. From upstairs they heard a muffled cry of help. Abrash quickly turned into a wolf and charged up the stairs where he confronted 2 men. Abrash the wolf jumped on the first man and ripped his throat out. He then dashed down the hall to a room with a closed door.

In the front room Ajani shot a chromatic orb at the thug by the front door. Isabella charged in with a rage (She hadn’t had lunch yet.) She grabbed her great axe and slammed it into the thug’s crotch and then charged upstairs. Bitey shot a bolt of energy at the thug and Gazlowe knocked him prone leaving the thug (Barty Crotch) a bloody mess and moaning on the floor.

Thomas broke into the back kitchen and rushed into the dining room where he saw a bandit holding a woman hostage with a knife to her throat. Thomas shot a bolt at the thug but missed. In response, the man slit the woman’s throat. Thomas blinded the man causing the knife to only lightly cut the neck. Ajani burst into the dining room and shot a chromatic orb obliterating the thug’s head. The woman looked panicked and said, “The CHILDREN!”

The children and the bad guy.

Thomas ran out of the dining room, through the front room and up the stairs. Gazlowe checked on Barty and made sure he wasn’t going to leave and then headed upstairs. Abrash attacked the 2nd thug in the hallway. Thomas cursed the thug, causing his attacks to miss. Isabella attacked from behind and cleaved the thug a 3rd cheek. Abrash the wolf ripped at the thug’s shoulder, knocking him prone. Thomas walked over them all and entered the room at the end of the hall.

In the room, by the front window to the street, stood another thug. He held a child by the neck in each hand and said, “Their necks are so fragile.” Thomas held his shot, staring at the thug. The Thug moved with his back to the front window and said, “Tell your friends to stay in the hall or their necks will be snapped.” Isabella in the hall, put the blade of her axe on the neck of the thug in the hall and said, “Shhhh” as she slowly pushed the blade into his neck, severing his head.

Gazlowe and Ajani went out into the street and saw the thug’s back to the window. Gazlowe fired a magic missile at the window breaking it and then fired two more into the back of the Thug followed up by a shot from Bitey. Ajani critically hit the thug with his Ray of Frost. The thug’s form changed to that of a Doppelganger as he snapped the necks of one of the children. Immediately Thomas shot him and Abrash attacked him. Badly bloodied, the Doppelganger jumped out the window and landed poorly in the street knocking himself unconscious.

Stabilizing

Gazlowe dragged the doppelganger inside, bound his arms and stabilized him. Thomas stabilized the boy Rafferty upstairs and Gazlowe made sure the thug Barty Crotch was stabilized in the front room downstairs. The magistrate’s wife, Ophelia, rushed to her son’s side. She brought a satchel and pulled out a healing potion, quickly feeding it to her son. She looked at Thomas and handed him 2 potions saying, “Go, take care of the others.” Thomas went downstairs and gave a potion to Gazlowe thinking he was going to heal Barty, but Gazlowe simply pocketed the potion. Abrash the wolf sniffed at the thug he had killed and reflected upon his first murder.

Gazlowe began questioning Barty and looked to Ajani to help. They put him on the couch. Thomas asked them what they’re doing and Gazlowe said, “Barty here is going to be a big help, isn’t that right Barty?” Barty replied, “You don’t have much time.” Thomas said, “Excuse me?” as the bells in the center of town started to ring over and over. Gazlowe looked out the window and saw people running away from the center of town. He asked, “What’s going on Barty?” Barty replied, “The Jail!” With a stern threating look, Gazlowe asked, “Did Zoreene hire you?” Unable to resist Gazlowe’s persuasion he replied, “Yes.” Thomas twitched.

Fee fie! Another foe.

The party walked out the front door as they heard thunderous footsteps. Gazlowe caught a glimpse of a massive club moving above the rooftops and saw it swing down with a might crash into a nearby building. He turned, “Bad news guys. Giants!” Gazlowe, knowing that there were several giants considered the odds. Then they saw several of the town’s guards and other men running towards the center of town. He asked the party, “Are we going to help? We need to act as one on this one.” Abrash, as the wolf, said “Bark, Bark” and with his front paw raised, his tail perfectly straight back and his nose pointed directly to the center of town. Thomas said, I’m out for revenge now. Gazlowe quickly bound Barty and said, “Love you honey, but going to need to tie you up.” The party then ran to the center of town.

As they approached the center of town they saw 3 giants, each surrounded by a small horde of goblins and led by an armored hobgoblin marching towards the jail/courthouse and smashing anything in their path. They saw a tall man with an official city watch robe giving directions to the town’s guard and other adventures who were coming to help. He pointed at the Stone Bearers and said, “You! Focus on the nearest giant, we’ve got the others covered.” Thomas and Abrash were a bit more concerned with Zoreene’s possible attempt to escape. Abrash and Thomas dashed to the prison.

First the goblins.

Gazlowe walked into the central park and catapulted a small shrubbery directly onto the hobgoblin’s head, instantly killing him. Thomas put a bolt directly into the Giant’s stomach as he went towards the jail. Abrash reached the jail door, but as a wolf, he couldn’t open the door. Isabella took one of her spears and skewered two goblins with one hit. Gazlowe took out another goblin with a firebolt. Ajani walked to the fountain and with his fancy hand motions pulled water from the fountain and shot a ray of Frost at the Giant. Thomas hit the giant with another bolt.

Several large boulders from the giants smashed into the prison. The prison door opened, and a guard ran away screaming. With the door open, Abrash (still a wolf) ran into the prison and found Zoreene waiting comfortably in her cell. The two remaining goblins ran to Isabella who cleaved through them both with her great axe.

Distracting the Giant

Gazlowe, seeing the goblins were all dead said to Isabella, “Remember me.” He then shouted at the Giant, “Hey over here!” as he catapulted another bush that simply bounced off the Giant. Ajani again pulled water from the fountain and hit the Giant with another ray of Frost. The Giant, slightly slowed, turned and saw the armored goblin taunting him. His club glanced off Gazlowe’s armor, but it knocked him prone. With Gazlowe on the ground the Giant’ 2nd attack pummeled him to unconsciousness. Turning to go back to the jail the Giant yelled, “Gufta!” The raging Isabella ran up to the Giant and recklessly struck him in the legs. The Giant clubbed Isabella, but she resisted much of the damage and stood firmly.

Thomas saw the jail being battered by rocks and the clubs of the other giants. He took a covered position and readied his crossbow awaiting Zoreene’s escape. Abrash dropped his wild shape and cast spike growth just outside Zoreene’s window. The spikes grew and covered the outside of her prison to prevent an easy escape. Abrash ran up to Gazlowe, found his healing potion and fed it to him saying, “Gazlowe we need you back in the fight.” Gazlowe heard the voice of Abby saying, “I can’t see!”

Zoreene

Zoreene fought through the vines and removed one of the damaged bars from here cell window. Another Giant smashed into the building yelling, “Gufta!” Isabella kept chopping at the Giant. Gazlowe couldn’t fix Abby’s vision so he took a greater healing potion. He then shouted again at the Giant and ran to get out of reach of the Giant’s club. The Giant struck the 20 foot tall obelisk in the center of town and took a chunk of it and threw it at Gazlowe striking him.

Another Giant, surrounded by the towns guard smashed into the jailhouse yelling “Gufta!” Isabella taunted the Giant they’ve been trying to kill and hit it with a spear. Gazlowe punched the Giant with his gauntlets and Ajani hit him again with a ray of frost. Being taunted by Isabella, the Giant smashed Isabella to unconsciousness and turned to the Jail again yelling, “Gufta!”

Seeing Zoreene trying to squeeze out of her window, Thomas shot her and knocked her unconscious. He then grabbed the rope from the gallows. Abrash exited the jail house. From a distance, he taunted the giant that knocked down Isabella and hit him with a guiding bolt. Ajani hit the Giant with another ray of frost, but the Giant picked up a rock and hit Abrash with it. Abrash entangled the Giant with vines and restrained him.

Killing the Giants

Gazlowe took a potion of healing and healed Isabella. Ajani saw the Giant restrained within 20 feet of the Obelisk in the center of the square. He cast Chromatic Orb directly at the weak spot in the Obelisk knocking it onto the restrained Giant and squished him. The town’s guard moved in on the Giant in the Jail house and killed him.

One of the town’s guards asked the Stone Bearer’s if they know who Gufta is? He explained that he spoke Giant and that “Gufta” is a name they were screaming out. Gazlowe suggested that Zoreene was behind it all. Thomas went over to Zoreene intent on finding the answers…

What’s Next:

• Question and kill Zoreene and the doppelganger.
• Meet Victor Rathmore at Blackmoor’s on 23rd to return gem and hand over Revalor
• Abrash: Go into high forest, find the Tribe of the Bear and pickup his hide armor.
• Gazlowe to find out about 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
• Purchase the Firestone Keep and rebuild it.
• Gazlowe not happy with helm purchase
• Party to utilize the herbs Abrash and Ajani found.
• Gazlowe to make a permanent mayonnaiser for Flicktongue