General Summary
21 M'Jehr 3992:
The midsummer festivities in Redstone were well underway and many were gathered in The Bleeding Blade, a raucous hub for adventurers. A celebrity treasure hunter, Theoric Wyrmcloak had gathered many others together to announce his latest expedition and hire the best people for the job. He and his friend Rygar started an old fashioned brawl to test the courage and pain tolerance of their potential associates. It was interrupted by a cadre of knights with an official decree for Rygar's arrest. Rygar declared his innocence and challenged the lead night to a duel to defend his honor. The knight slew him gruesomely, putting an end to the festival.
A morning gathering of heroes, 'survivors' from the brawl, talked about the previous night's events. Theoric and his piles of platinum were long gone, and the heroes' hopes for fame and fortune were dashed for now. A local guard captain, Eira Bloodmane, had a dirty job for them and the pay was good: 'find my missing guards and deal with whatever got them'.
She directed them to a deep, uncharted portion of the city's ancient sewer system. They waded through vile muck and battled horse sized spiders. They discovered the fate of a previous search party in the spider lair and salvaged some of their gear (identified below). In a treacherous passage, in a waist-high river of waste, the guards, or more specifically, the mostly eaten remains of the guards, ambushed the heroes. Some were wounded in the attack, but bloody claw marks in the stone walls beckoned them deeper into the passage.
In a large natural cavern beneath the city, they discovered a monumental pile of bones and humanoid remains. Ghouls and giant bugs feasted on the rotting flesh. The heroes dealt with the creatures, who hissed about 'the
others' who were responsible for feeding them. A guard lieutenant floated facedown nearby. Turning him over, it was clear he was transforming into a ghoul. They beheaded the creature, took its cloak, maps, and medals, and set the rotting materials amidst the bones ablaze.
May the spirits in this cursed place find their way to the stars.
Epilogue:
Eira narrowed her eyes and set her jaw as the heroes explained all they had discovered. She was grateful and promised a timely delivery of their reward.
"Your help here is valuable, but it only raises more questions." She brooded over the horribly stained maps. "I want your help in the future if you're available, but for now... go take a bath."
Everyone:
Each character should have 45pp and 50gp from Eira's reward. Plus an additional 20gp (from the spider lair reluctantly divied up by Illianna.) Each character will get a magic item. Some got additional items/enchantments with utility for anyone they travel with.
Emory: Vigil, a Longsword of Warning +1; attunement; this weapon emits bright light in a 20ft radius and dim light for an additional 20ft. Refer to DMG pg 213 for Weapons of Warning.
Dinma: Gloves of Missile Snaring; attunement; reduce incoming ranged atk dmg by 1d10+dex bonus
Crow: Wand of Webs (attunement; 7 charges; Web spell DC15; recharge 1d6+1 at dawn)
Mella: Ring of Warmth (attunement; cold dmg resistance; survive in -50 degrees F)
Illianna: Bag of holding; Cloak of Billowing; Rapier +1
(This incredibly lavish magical rapier bears a family seal)
Rain: Quiver of Ehlonna; Arrows +1 (7) ; +20gp from ransoming sewer map
Eira Bloodmane,
Karina Osmond (Barhand he/they/she)
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