Session 164 - Lost Treasures
General Summary
7th and 30th of Ilvin (Third Month of Autumn) 722TR
The story so far
Jolanta and her trusty bodyguard Blaine are agents of the mysterious Order of the White Hand, hunting down unscrupulous mages and covering up magical mishaps.
Continuation of the Session 161 - The Key.
Location - City of Tashal in the Kingdom of Kaldor.
Part 1 - Mission 9 - Strange Meat
Jolanta and Blaine visit his Butchery. It is a busy establishment, cuts of meat are on display, and apprentices are busy making sausages. Hemeri Woole is a huge, fat, boisterous man with an impressive meat cleaver. He is persuaded to let Jolanta examine the dead dogs. They are rather strange, a breed of dog Jolanta has no seen before. Large and slightly bizarre in shape, they have long legs and necks and oddly shaped teeth. Their hide is thick, and Jolanta notes each dog is branded with a symbol she associates with transformation magic. The butcher Hemeri comments that the meat tastes strong, so it is seasoned or ground into sausages. He says the meat was brought from Ethylis Kempt, a cook, and housekeeper of some lord who lives nearby and gives directions.
Jolanta visits the lord's townhouse, noting the door has recently been repaired; someone has previously forced their way in. They are met by the housekeeper Ethylis, an unassuming middle-aged woman. She acknowledges that she sold the dead dogs to the butcher; however, she will not answer any other questions and tells Jolanta she should talk to his lordship. Ethylis heads upstairs to check with this noble and returns, saying, "Sir Jirex Mallaber will happily meet with you, Mistress Jolanta, and asks you to bring your staff." Jolanta is puzzled. He can't possibly be referring to her magical staff?
But first, Jolanta wants answers regarding the strange animals, and Sir Jirex is happy to provide answers but promises that he may not always tell the truth depending on the question.
The dogs were imported from another world branded with magical runes that made them act and appear as regular hounds. However, recently his townhouse was attacked, and he was forced to transform the dogs back into their true form to aid in its defense. They were all killed by the intruders. Sir Jirex was able to come to an accommodation with the would-be assassins, and they left peacefully. He ordered the dead dogs to be sold to the butcher, the most efficient way to dispose of the creatures. Jolanta surmises that this man is a very powerful arcanist. As he has successfully appeared to have kept his magical dealings secret from the common folk, the Order of the White Hand has no reason to take action against him. Nevertheless, she can't help but think she is being toyed with.
Returning to the subject of the staff Sir Jirex has considerable knowledge of this obscure ancient Wizard-King Cryptan Seaweave. Examining the staff, he concludes that its power has diminished over the centuries and believes it may be possible to restore it to its former glory. He will happily tell her how but would like a favor in return.
Jugs of the very rare Hepekerian Sunfire Brandy may be hidden residing in the ruined manor of Chelena. This manor was used as a base of King Torastra Elendsa during his ill-fated campaign to subjugate the Kath Barbarians. The Kath overran the manor around 20 years, murdered its occupants, and raising. Sir Jerix would like any remaining jugs of the brandy recovered. King Torastra was reportedly fond of that brandy.
Jolanta agrees to help, and Sir Jirex asks her to join in this afternoon's service at the cities Temple of Larani. There is someone she should speak to.
Part 2 - Attending a Service
Immediately after this meeting, Jolanta updates Lady Bresyn with her discoveries. The pair agree that this Sir Jirex definitely will need to be watched.
Part 3 - The Spirit Guardian
The next day Jolanta, Blaine, and Otho make their way to the ruins, and the short trip is uneventful except for Blaine nearly stumbling into a cunningly concealed spiked pit trap.
The ruins are occupied, nesting on the remains of the roof are a flock of Yélgri, although Jolanta's disintegration magic quickly deals with the vicious flying pests. Aware that this building is considered sacred by the local Kath Barbarians, she endeavors to keep the damage to the structure to a minimum. Even so, when they explore the insides, debris from the roof occasionally falls on the characters.
In a small courtyard, the characters find a primitive shrine. A preserved boar hide hangs from some broken stonework, the remains of a statue of Larani, surrounded by human skeletal remains. The characters start to hear a beating heart sound. Suddenly, a huge angry boar materializes. It is covered in blood, and although it appears solid, it seems to pass through the walls of the ruins like a ghost. The boar breaths out hot fumes, scalding Blaine and the charges forward. It knocks Jolanta to the ground, nearly killing her. She escapes and blasts it with her Corrosive Rays; Otho hits it with his Shattered Staff while Blaine finishes it off with his sword. The Boar fades away. Otho believes that this was some Spiritual Guardian concocted by the loathsome Kath Shamans. The Party is on the lookout for the barbarians.
The floor collapses from under Blaine, and he falls to an underground cellar. Not at all worried, he looks around and spots a large keg, and rolls it aside, revealing a concealed compartment. Hidden inside finds three jugs of Hepekerian Sunfire Brandy.
Part 4 - The Guardian of Spirits
Jolanta and Otho find a safer way down and start investigating. In the last of the underground chambers, Blaine spots another large keg. He grabs it, but this time his hands stick to the object. The keg begins to contort and move, sprouting stumpy legs and a large fanged mouth. The keg is actually a Llewedarrig or the feared Hârnic Mimic, a shape-changing Ivashu. The creature bites him, spits acid at Otho, scrambles forward, then catching Jolanta with one of its sticky Puesdopods. Blaine strikes back only to find his sword sticking to the creature. It slams him against the wall knocking him out. Jolanta and Otho are worried and retreat. Eventually, the badly Jolantas magically shrinks the large Ivashu to a more manageable size and kills it. It is a very near-run fight.
Part 5 - On the Roof.
The explorers rest a bit and continue searching. They find more jugs of sunfire brandy but no signs of the holy book. So the team moves upstairs onto the ruined tower, taking care not to fall through the floor. They find a copious amount of webbing and spiders but easily dispose of these nuisances. Concealed under the webbing and fallen rocks is a strongbox, and to Otho delight, it contains a book wrapped in an oilskin blanket. One of the precious copies of the Beauty of the Warrior, the Perfect Knight Edition.
Blaine spots movement below, three Kath barbarians have arrived, two women and one man, all appear dangerous and likely more than a match for the exhausted and injured heroes. Attempting to avoid a fight, Jolanta crafts a magical distraction, aided by Otho. They make the boar shrine seems to move and give rise to menacing sounds. The superstitious savages are fooled and make a quick escape. Otho would very much like to destroy this pagan shrine and restore the broken statue of Larani but thinks that it would better be a task for another time, with the support of a dozen knights. The Party carefully makes its way back to civilization.
To be continued.NPC Interactions
Lady Bresyn Risai - White Hand Agent.
Hemeri Woole - Butcher.
Ethylis Kempt - Houskeeper and cook for Sir Jirex Mallaber.
Matakea Otho Natteres - Priest of Larani.
Challenges Overcome
Discovered Jirex Mallaber.
7 Yélgri - the Hârnic Harpy.
1 Spirit Boar.
1 Llewedarrig or Greater Mimic.
1 Spider Swarm.
Fooled 3 Kath Barbarians.
Recovered Jugs of Brandy and a Holy book.
Created Content
Larani Religious ranks - Matakea(Priest), Serekela (Arch Bishop) and Serolan (High Priest)
Related Reports
City of Tashal - Updated.
Session 106 - Storming the Peaceful Townhouse.
Kath Barbarians - Updated.
Temple of Larani - Basilica of King Aidrik IV
Order of the Spear of Shattered Sorrow.
Player Character Status
Jolanta - Human - Level 7 Evoker.
