Shades of Gray: Session 3
Raiders of the Lost Monastery
General Summary
With the evening drawing near the party decided to visit the growing camp of refugees that lay on the western outskirts of the city. At least a hundred families had taken root there and the party hoped to learn anything they could about the plague. Though they found a hospitable family to discuss matters with, nothing useful was gathered in their conversation. As the sun set beyond the western horizon the band made their way back to the Golden Goose for meals, baths and a good night's sleep.
After breakfast the group visited the market district and shopped for goods and gear to help them continue with their investigation. Recalling that Karn and Wicarbon travel in the guise of a merchant and his assistant, everyone scanned the throng of people looking for anyone suspicious but nothing out of the ordinary could be seen. Having spent what little coin they had on provisions, they decided to make their way to the north gate planning to stop at the public gardens on the way. Someone pointed out they should also stop by the House of Secrets, all agreed.
At the House of Secrets they met with Mara and asked if they knew anything about the fate of Markham. No verdict had been given by the guardsmen yet. She expected within a day or two it would be announced. She confided in them a secret, she had once been a member of the thieves guild in the Mayfurrow Plains and knew where the local area hideout was located. She noted that if anyone could pull of a breaking and entering of the House of Secrets, they would be the ones. Whoever wanted the books stolen very likely employed the guild to help. If Wicarbon was one of the two men who stole the tomes, the monastery ruins a few hours north of town would be the most likely place to go to ground. Since the band was planning to head north to look into the rumor of the guild being hidden in a ruined mill, it would be easy to stop at the monastery on the way. Before they could leave Mara confided one last secret, before the sun set she planned to infiltrate the city's dungeon and break out Markham. Having been a thief in her younger years, she felt confident this would be within her capabilities. She urged them go to the guild hideout and find anything that could help prove the innocence of Markham as well as anything related to the book theft. She felt certain that the two were closely connected mysteries.
At the public garden it was easy to find the place where the body of Surovy the bard must have been slain, the recent activity of the town guard's retrieval and clean up being quite evident. The party searched the area for clues, anything that could be useful, but nothing was found. Satisfied with their search, they made their way on horseback out through the north gate to Mill Road. The 'road' was little more than cart trails carved from the constant traffic of loggers moving to and from the mills.
All morning the conversation among the group was concerned with the events that had transpired over the last week between Agnes and the rest of the party, Brandt in particular. Both tried to explain to the other how they felt about the situation. Everleigh intervened working to keep both calm. Though tempers remained low, suspicions between the two were quite evident. Tunde maintained his innocence adding he was kind in his actions and had only the best of intentions for all involved.
After a few hours riding along the Mill Road, passing only the occasional group of loggers, they came upon a side path as described by Mara. For two hours they followed this meandering path weaving between hillocks and rocky shelves. The ruins came into view as they crested a steep hill. At least three hundred yards of open terrain lay between the party and the monastery. From their vantage point they could see the front gates and sections of collapsed walls on almost all sides. Assuming they had likely been spotted by any sentries watching the front approach, they decided to continue north to investigate the abandoned mill first.
The mills were bustling with activity. Workers who weren't busy were settling down to enjoy lunch. As the party entered the area of the outer campsites, all eyes were upon them. The appearance of non-workers, an adventuring party no less, was a unique experience. Scanning the area the only abandoned mill found was the burnt frames of a barely standing building. Looking it over, no signs of a thieves guild could be found. Realizing the rumor heard must have been false they returned to the monastery.
Though they discussed it at length on the ride, they could not come to an agreement on a plan to infiltrate the guild. Could they just walk in, it was a ruins after all, they could play naive about stumbling upon the guild. If Wicarbon was indeed working with them they would likely know what the party looked like and not buy such a flimsy excuse. Everleigh wanted to disguise herself and try to seek an audience with the guild, but with very little time to save Markham that plan was far from optimal. Tunde suggested that maybe Agnes could find a way in, you know, her being kind of like a thief. This sentiment insulted Agnes.
Ultimately Agnes decided to scout the perimeter of the ruins. The main road into the compound looked unused in ages, whatever entrance members of the guild used it was not the front gate. As stealthily as she could considering the open terrain. Making her way around ruins she found several openings created by the collapsed sections, each obstructed by piles of rubble four feet or more in height. She decided to climb one section to get a better look inside. Near the top of her short climb she stumbled, knocking loose a large rock and almost losing her footing. This disrupted a pack of dire rats living in the debris who quickly emerged to defend their nest. Agnes found herself surrounded atop the pile, dire rats on every side. First she put two of them to sleep with her innate magic. Then she leapt from the mound to the ground below clearing the rats in her way but landing awkwardly on the hard gravel, but not before several of the vermin were able to sink their teeth into her. From their vantage point on the hill, Tunde spied Agnes as she fell away from the ruins. The party still on horseback rode in to help. Agnes was able to flee the rats and meet up with them. Brandt tended to her wounds, noting she had definitely been infected with filth fever. Fortunately they still had a potion to remove the disease. As they sat there recovering, they could still see the rats scurrying on the pile of rubble to the north. Suddenly a monstrous spider emerged from beyond the pile and began to gather the sleeping rats and poisoning a few more with its venomous fangs.
Having exhausted most of the day on this endeavor they decided to approach the front gate, do what they can to seek an audience. Surely if they were able to tell the guild what Wicarbon was truly up to, spreading the plague, they would turn to the party's side. After all, if a plague destroys all the people of the plains and beyond, there will be no thieves guild. After tying their horses to a tree, together they approached the front gate. Agnes studied the gates finding both locks and traps. The outer gate triggered a sliding blade designed to sever the wrists of any failed lock-picking. Fortunately her reflexes saved her from just such an incident. Easily picking the rusted lock she made her way to the inner gate, again both locked and trapped. Above her cracks spread like spiderwebs across the stones of the archway. Failing to open the door properly would almost certainly cause a fatal amount of crushing stone to come falling down upon her. Fate smiled as Agnes successfully bypassed both devices. She stepped into the inner courtyard, Tunde right behind her. As they both stood there for a moment, the sounds of crossbows firing caused them to leap back into the archway. Multiple bolts crossed the path where they had just stood.
Several minutes passed. The party had no idea whether or not the bolts were fired by traps triggered by pressure plates in the stone path beyond the gate, or by guards watching from behind the many cloth doors they could see within the outer walls. Tunde and Brandt began to yell out to any guards within the ruins. They explained they were here to discuss the plague and Wicarbon, they only wanted a meeting. Nothing came in return, only the frantic calls from birds in the nearby trees. Tunde and Agnes decided to hell with it and dashed into the courtyard, they would split up, Tunde going to the north around the temple building in the center, Agnes to the south. Again bolts were fired from behind two of the cloth doors. Agnes deftly dodged the attack and reaching the cover of the central temple. Tunde was not so fortunate. As soon as he emerged from the arched gate a bolt slammed into his abdomen bringing him down instantly. To everyone's horror the rest of the group watched as he lay unmoving in a quickly spreading pool of his own blood.
Four guards emerged two of the cloth doorways and quickly spread to subdue the invaders. Two made their way for Agnes, the other pair ran outside the gate to dispatch Brandt and Everleigh. Agnes charmed the guard in front of her and then proceeded to stall him. As she did a second guard was making his way around the back of the central temple hoping to catch her by surprise from behind. Outside Brandt lured one guard into the open where Everleigh waited in the shadows of the crumbling walls. The plan worked and she was able to sink her dagger into his back while Brandt fired arrows from afar. With a bolt of shadow Everleigh subdued the guard leaving him unconscious on the ground. The second guard to emerge from the gate was more successful and quickly bypassed Everleigh. He made a straight path for Brandt who still fired arrows from a distance. The guard struck him down with a single blow. Satisfied with his kill the guard moved on to take care of Everleigh next.
When Agnes realized she was being ambushed from behind she slid past her new 'friend' (Billy as she affectionately called him), she entered the courtyard and summoned a mist to obscure everything within. In the distance from where she had come came a confused argument between Billy and the other guard. She grabbed the unconscious body of Tunde and dragged him out of the ruins where Everleigh was currently dispatching the guard that was charging her. Again bolts of shadow stuff fired from her hands slamming into him and knocking him out cold. She then picked up Brandt. Together Agnes and Everleigh managed their unconscious companion's limp bodies onto their horses. Defeated, the party traveled a mile back up the main road. Agnes found a secured overhang far enough off the trail and out of sight. There they would camp for the night while they nursed their friends back to life. Thank the gods it was a warm night as a fire would give their location away.
After breakfast the group visited the market district and shopped for goods and gear to help them continue with their investigation. Recalling that Karn and Wicarbon travel in the guise of a merchant and his assistant, everyone scanned the throng of people looking for anyone suspicious but nothing out of the ordinary could be seen. Having spent what little coin they had on provisions, they decided to make their way to the north gate planning to stop at the public gardens on the way. Someone pointed out they should also stop by the House of Secrets, all agreed.
At the House of Secrets they met with Mara and asked if they knew anything about the fate of Markham. No verdict had been given by the guardsmen yet. She expected within a day or two it would be announced. She confided in them a secret, she had once been a member of the thieves guild in the Mayfurrow Plains and knew where the local area hideout was located. She noted that if anyone could pull of a breaking and entering of the House of Secrets, they would be the ones. Whoever wanted the books stolen very likely employed the guild to help. If Wicarbon was one of the two men who stole the tomes, the monastery ruins a few hours north of town would be the most likely place to go to ground. Since the band was planning to head north to look into the rumor of the guild being hidden in a ruined mill, it would be easy to stop at the monastery on the way. Before they could leave Mara confided one last secret, before the sun set she planned to infiltrate the city's dungeon and break out Markham. Having been a thief in her younger years, she felt confident this would be within her capabilities. She urged them go to the guild hideout and find anything that could help prove the innocence of Markham as well as anything related to the book theft. She felt certain that the two were closely connected mysteries.
At the public garden it was easy to find the place where the body of Surovy the bard must have been slain, the recent activity of the town guard's retrieval and clean up being quite evident. The party searched the area for clues, anything that could be useful, but nothing was found. Satisfied with their search, they made their way on horseback out through the north gate to Mill Road. The 'road' was little more than cart trails carved from the constant traffic of loggers moving to and from the mills.
All morning the conversation among the group was concerned with the events that had transpired over the last week between Agnes and the rest of the party, Brandt in particular. Both tried to explain to the other how they felt about the situation. Everleigh intervened working to keep both calm. Though tempers remained low, suspicions between the two were quite evident. Tunde maintained his innocence adding he was kind in his actions and had only the best of intentions for all involved.
After a few hours riding along the Mill Road, passing only the occasional group of loggers, they came upon a side path as described by Mara. For two hours they followed this meandering path weaving between hillocks and rocky shelves. The ruins came into view as they crested a steep hill. At least three hundred yards of open terrain lay between the party and the monastery. From their vantage point they could see the front gates and sections of collapsed walls on almost all sides. Assuming they had likely been spotted by any sentries watching the front approach, they decided to continue north to investigate the abandoned mill first.
The mills were bustling with activity. Workers who weren't busy were settling down to enjoy lunch. As the party entered the area of the outer campsites, all eyes were upon them. The appearance of non-workers, an adventuring party no less, was a unique experience. Scanning the area the only abandoned mill found was the burnt frames of a barely standing building. Looking it over, no signs of a thieves guild could be found. Realizing the rumor heard must have been false they returned to the monastery.
Though they discussed it at length on the ride, they could not come to an agreement on a plan to infiltrate the guild. Could they just walk in, it was a ruins after all, they could play naive about stumbling upon the guild. If Wicarbon was indeed working with them they would likely know what the party looked like and not buy such a flimsy excuse. Everleigh wanted to disguise herself and try to seek an audience with the guild, but with very little time to save Markham that plan was far from optimal. Tunde suggested that maybe Agnes could find a way in, you know, her being kind of like a thief. This sentiment insulted Agnes.
Ultimately Agnes decided to scout the perimeter of the ruins. The main road into the compound looked unused in ages, whatever entrance members of the guild used it was not the front gate. As stealthily as she could considering the open terrain. Making her way around ruins she found several openings created by the collapsed sections, each obstructed by piles of rubble four feet or more in height. She decided to climb one section to get a better look inside. Near the top of her short climb she stumbled, knocking loose a large rock and almost losing her footing. This disrupted a pack of dire rats living in the debris who quickly emerged to defend their nest. Agnes found herself surrounded atop the pile, dire rats on every side. First she put two of them to sleep with her innate magic. Then she leapt from the mound to the ground below clearing the rats in her way but landing awkwardly on the hard gravel, but not before several of the vermin were able to sink their teeth into her. From their vantage point on the hill, Tunde spied Agnes as she fell away from the ruins. The party still on horseback rode in to help. Agnes was able to flee the rats and meet up with them. Brandt tended to her wounds, noting she had definitely been infected with filth fever. Fortunately they still had a potion to remove the disease. As they sat there recovering, they could still see the rats scurrying on the pile of rubble to the north. Suddenly a monstrous spider emerged from beyond the pile and began to gather the sleeping rats and poisoning a few more with its venomous fangs.
Having exhausted most of the day on this endeavor they decided to approach the front gate, do what they can to seek an audience. Surely if they were able to tell the guild what Wicarbon was truly up to, spreading the plague, they would turn to the party's side. After all, if a plague destroys all the people of the plains and beyond, there will be no thieves guild. After tying their horses to a tree, together they approached the front gate. Agnes studied the gates finding both locks and traps. The outer gate triggered a sliding blade designed to sever the wrists of any failed lock-picking. Fortunately her reflexes saved her from just such an incident. Easily picking the rusted lock she made her way to the inner gate, again both locked and trapped. Above her cracks spread like spiderwebs across the stones of the archway. Failing to open the door properly would almost certainly cause a fatal amount of crushing stone to come falling down upon her. Fate smiled as Agnes successfully bypassed both devices. She stepped into the inner courtyard, Tunde right behind her. As they both stood there for a moment, the sounds of crossbows firing caused them to leap back into the archway. Multiple bolts crossed the path where they had just stood.
Several minutes passed. The party had no idea whether or not the bolts were fired by traps triggered by pressure plates in the stone path beyond the gate, or by guards watching from behind the many cloth doors they could see within the outer walls. Tunde and Brandt began to yell out to any guards within the ruins. They explained they were here to discuss the plague and Wicarbon, they only wanted a meeting. Nothing came in return, only the frantic calls from birds in the nearby trees. Tunde and Agnes decided to hell with it and dashed into the courtyard, they would split up, Tunde going to the north around the temple building in the center, Agnes to the south. Again bolts were fired from behind two of the cloth doors. Agnes deftly dodged the attack and reaching the cover of the central temple. Tunde was not so fortunate. As soon as he emerged from the arched gate a bolt slammed into his abdomen bringing him down instantly. To everyone's horror the rest of the group watched as he lay unmoving in a quickly spreading pool of his own blood.
Four guards emerged two of the cloth doorways and quickly spread to subdue the invaders. Two made their way for Agnes, the other pair ran outside the gate to dispatch Brandt and Everleigh. Agnes charmed the guard in front of her and then proceeded to stall him. As she did a second guard was making his way around the back of the central temple hoping to catch her by surprise from behind. Outside Brandt lured one guard into the open where Everleigh waited in the shadows of the crumbling walls. The plan worked and she was able to sink her dagger into his back while Brandt fired arrows from afar. With a bolt of shadow Everleigh subdued the guard leaving him unconscious on the ground. The second guard to emerge from the gate was more successful and quickly bypassed Everleigh. He made a straight path for Brandt who still fired arrows from a distance. The guard struck him down with a single blow. Satisfied with his kill the guard moved on to take care of Everleigh next.
When Agnes realized she was being ambushed from behind she slid past her new 'friend' (Billy as she affectionately called him), she entered the courtyard and summoned a mist to obscure everything within. In the distance from where she had come came a confused argument between Billy and the other guard. She grabbed the unconscious body of Tunde and dragged him out of the ruins where Everleigh was currently dispatching the guard that was charging her. Again bolts of shadow stuff fired from her hands slamming into him and knocking him out cold. She then picked up Brandt. Together Agnes and Everleigh managed their unconscious companion's limp bodies onto their horses. Defeated, the party traveled a mile back up the main road. Agnes found a secured overhang far enough off the trail and out of sight. There they would camp for the night while they nursed their friends back to life. Thank the gods it was a warm night as a fire would give their location away.
Character(s) interacted with
Alaric Tambarrow, head priest at the House of Secrets, human
Mara Goldentress, assistant to the head priest at the House of Secrets, half-elf
Mara Goldentress, assistant to the head priest at the House of Secrets, half-elf
"I always sit down to write the previous night's summary thinking "this will take an hour, not too much happened." It's then 3-4 hours later."
DM Khan
Characters
PC: Agnes Dalleren
PC: Brandt Carter
PC: Everleigh Daigenheart
PC: Tunde
PC: Agnes Dalleren
PC: Brandt Carter
PC: Everleigh Daigenheart
PC: Tunde
Report Date
29 Sep 2018
Primary Location
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