Session 2
Session 2
Ilnar of the hill people
Sir Treskan, paladin of the Chatelaine of Storms
Dozar the Corpulent, cleric of the slumbering god MANA YOOD SUSHAI
Bryce Randall, merchant priest of the spider god Nephtlys
Apuleus the magician
And two hirelines: a simpering youth named Selwin, and a brassy prostitute Magdelena
Upon arriving at his shop, the party found Ultan’s attitude changed since their last visit. Prices had gone up to 15 gp a head, which Ultan justified in terms of the great cost of upkeep and the serious risk he has assumed by opening this door to the public. Having seen on past occasions that Ultan was perfectly willing to admit multiple persons in to the door at the same time, Sir Tresken naturally asked about whether other people had gone on in to the door, and perhaps were still inside at present. After forking over a very substantial bribe to loosen his tongue, Ultan told Ilnar that the door had been used twice since the party last visited. Two days prior a man wearing a blue caftan woven with astrological symbols went through the door but never returned. One day ago, a group of four tough looking characters entered. They were lead by a man Ultan recognized as Agemar, a bald slave handler from the auction-block. He had with him a diminutive woman who pranced and capered like a circus performer, and two thick-necked men. They returned laden with goods, including a pair of massive gilded puppets.
Passing through the door, the party decided to make its way back to the statue in the room with the massive stage. Passing through the large circular room on the way, they noted that the bodies they had cut down had since been removed. The large stage had been incinerated, along with the blind sow queen. Poking around in the ashes, the party did not find any anything other than a lot of grease and the bones of a giant pig. Unfortunately, the statue was stripped of the remaining gems. A pair of previously hidden doors in the ground were throne open leading to a secret room beneath. The room also appeared to have been stripped of goods, all that remained being some hooded robes and vests that were faded and antique, and three pairs of stilts.
Following a passage off the secret room, the party came upon a door that was jammed shut. Pushing on it they knocked over the piece of furniture that had been barricading it from the other side. The floor of the corridor here was covered in straw. At this point Apuleus and the simpering hireling Selwin heard muttering coming from behind. They were greeted by a strange figure carrying a lantern. Dangling from chains around the figure, many faces were wedged into small iron frames. The central head addressed the party, “Welcome most esteemed visitors” while the dangling heads hurled epithets, “Sons of whores”, “Vermin filth”, etc. The party, although apprehensive, tried to milk it for information. It told them that it would exchange secrets, but that “It hungered always for news of miracles and prodigies.” It seemed to see through the lies that Ilnar instinctively began to weave, and the boring affairs that the cleric of the slumbering god began to enunciate. When frustrated, the heads all began to mutter incantations simultaneously. The party reacted quickly, surrounding the thing and cutting it down before many spells could go off.
Proceeding east, the party set of a bear trap hidden in the straw, which hobbled the paladin, until he received aid. Exploring the eastern wing of the current map, the party uncovered many signs of active use, but happened not to stumble onto any denizens—at first. They found old latrines, and a room of bathes, which was apparently being used as a source of water. They also found a shrine to a scarecrow like figure, laden with fetishes who they noted was not wearing a mask. Proceeding south they looted a couple of small sleeping rooms, until heading into a large natural cavern. The cavern was bisected by a yawning chasm, across which stretched a rickety wooden bridge. Lanterns dangled from poles at either side, and on the far side, they could see a small cloth pavilion, providing covern from the voluminous guano that blanketed the cavern floor. A strange figure quickly emerged, thin as a rail, dressed in a shabby patchwork of clothes, with a blackened mouth and tongue, and a set of pipes dangling from his neck. He began to ring a bell, and was quickly joined by more of these pale, gaunt figures, and one unnerving hound, with a snuffling head that looked like a horses skull.
The party parlayed with the strange group who turned out to be mute, attempting at first to communicate with the party by playing a piping language on their flutes. Eventually, they fetched an old feeble man who could read and write. The party communicated painstakingly by writing with charcoal on the floor. The group identified themselves as “the guildless”. Noting that the party was not wearing masks, they wished to know where they were from. The party informed them that they had come through a door from another world. They also told them that they were the ones responsible for slaying the blind sow queen and her white swine. The guildless were pleased by this news and seemed receptive to an exchange of information. When asked how their mouths had become blackened and mute they replied that they had “taken the wash”. When asked who was responsible, they said that “the guilded had done this to them”. The party pressed them for information about the complex of rooms they are in. The guilded asked in exchange that the party tell them the location of the door to their world, “for reasons of defense”. Reasoning that with the swine things gone, they would find it soon enough anyway, the party gave them the location, in exchange for a promise that the guildless would not go through the door, and that they would permit the party to travel through it unimpeded.
In exchange, the guildless drew up a map of the current complex of rooms, which they call "The Ruins of the Inquisitor's Theater". (See the Current Map post in this community.) Steering the party from areas further to the south, which they claimed as their own, they represented on the map several further avenues of exploration, including a sewer river leading to further sites. When questioned, here is what they indicated about the possible routes (other than the one through their holding) and hazards involved in these options for exploration.
(1) Down the chasm under the bridge that leads into their territory. "Something terrible hunts there."
(2) Downstream of the sewer river from this area lie "the catacombs of the Fleischguild". "Those whom the butchers sacrifice never rest quietly".
(3) Across the sewer river lies "the churning gate of the Horoscops" and stairs up towards Zyan. They refuse to speak about Zyan. They do not know how to enter the gate.
Casualties: NONE
Creatures Slain: 1 Mutterer 150 XP
Loot: One pair of stilts, one bag of Iridescent Powder (If you wish to identify this, and/or the dream sludge from last time, you will need to consult with one of the Chatelaine’s apprentices who, other than Apuleus of the floating disk and the Chatelaine herself, are the only known magic-users in the city.)
Total XP per player: 30
Eric Boyd Chris Kutalik Joshua Blackketter Michael Wentzloff
Ilnar of the hill people
Sir Treskan, paladin of the Chatelaine of Storms
Dozar the Corpulent, cleric of the slumbering god MANA YOOD SUSHAI
Bryce Randall, merchant priest of the spider god Nephtlys
Apuleus the magician
And two hirelines: a simpering youth named Selwin, and a brassy prostitute Magdelena
Upon arriving at his shop, the party found Ultan’s attitude changed since their last visit. Prices had gone up to 15 gp a head, which Ultan justified in terms of the great cost of upkeep and the serious risk he has assumed by opening this door to the public. Having seen on past occasions that Ultan was perfectly willing to admit multiple persons in to the door at the same time, Sir Tresken naturally asked about whether other people had gone on in to the door, and perhaps were still inside at present. After forking over a very substantial bribe to loosen his tongue, Ultan told Ilnar that the door had been used twice since the party last visited. Two days prior a man wearing a blue caftan woven with astrological symbols went through the door but never returned. One day ago, a group of four tough looking characters entered. They were lead by a man Ultan recognized as Agemar, a bald slave handler from the auction-block. He had with him a diminutive woman who pranced and capered like a circus performer, and two thick-necked men. They returned laden with goods, including a pair of massive gilded puppets.
Passing through the door, the party decided to make its way back to the statue in the room with the massive stage. Passing through the large circular room on the way, they noted that the bodies they had cut down had since been removed. The large stage had been incinerated, along with the blind sow queen. Poking around in the ashes, the party did not find any anything other than a lot of grease and the bones of a giant pig. Unfortunately, the statue was stripped of the remaining gems. A pair of previously hidden doors in the ground were throne open leading to a secret room beneath. The room also appeared to have been stripped of goods, all that remained being some hooded robes and vests that were faded and antique, and three pairs of stilts.
Following a passage off the secret room, the party came upon a door that was jammed shut. Pushing on it they knocked over the piece of furniture that had been barricading it from the other side. The floor of the corridor here was covered in straw. At this point Apuleus and the simpering hireling Selwin heard muttering coming from behind. They were greeted by a strange figure carrying a lantern. Dangling from chains around the figure, many faces were wedged into small iron frames. The central head addressed the party, “Welcome most esteemed visitors” while the dangling heads hurled epithets, “Sons of whores”, “Vermin filth”, etc. The party, although apprehensive, tried to milk it for information. It told them that it would exchange secrets, but that “It hungered always for news of miracles and prodigies.” It seemed to see through the lies that Ilnar instinctively began to weave, and the boring affairs that the cleric of the slumbering god began to enunciate. When frustrated, the heads all began to mutter incantations simultaneously. The party reacted quickly, surrounding the thing and cutting it down before many spells could go off.
Proceeding east, the party set of a bear trap hidden in the straw, which hobbled the paladin, until he received aid. Exploring the eastern wing of the current map, the party uncovered many signs of active use, but happened not to stumble onto any denizens—at first. They found old latrines, and a room of bathes, which was apparently being used as a source of water. They also found a shrine to a scarecrow like figure, laden with fetishes who they noted was not wearing a mask. Proceeding south they looted a couple of small sleeping rooms, until heading into a large natural cavern. The cavern was bisected by a yawning chasm, across which stretched a rickety wooden bridge. Lanterns dangled from poles at either side, and on the far side, they could see a small cloth pavilion, providing covern from the voluminous guano that blanketed the cavern floor. A strange figure quickly emerged, thin as a rail, dressed in a shabby patchwork of clothes, with a blackened mouth and tongue, and a set of pipes dangling from his neck. He began to ring a bell, and was quickly joined by more of these pale, gaunt figures, and one unnerving hound, with a snuffling head that looked like a horses skull.
The party parlayed with the strange group who turned out to be mute, attempting at first to communicate with the party by playing a piping language on their flutes. Eventually, they fetched an old feeble man who could read and write. The party communicated painstakingly by writing with charcoal on the floor. The group identified themselves as “the guildless”. Noting that the party was not wearing masks, they wished to know where they were from. The party informed them that they had come through a door from another world. They also told them that they were the ones responsible for slaying the blind sow queen and her white swine. The guildless were pleased by this news and seemed receptive to an exchange of information. When asked how their mouths had become blackened and mute they replied that they had “taken the wash”. When asked who was responsible, they said that “the guilded had done this to them”. The party pressed them for information about the complex of rooms they are in. The guilded asked in exchange that the party tell them the location of the door to their world, “for reasons of defense”. Reasoning that with the swine things gone, they would find it soon enough anyway, the party gave them the location, in exchange for a promise that the guildless would not go through the door, and that they would permit the party to travel through it unimpeded.
In exchange, the guildless drew up a map of the current complex of rooms, which they call "The Ruins of the Inquisitor's Theater". (See the Current Map post in this community.) Steering the party from areas further to the south, which they claimed as their own, they represented on the map several further avenues of exploration, including a sewer river leading to further sites. When questioned, here is what they indicated about the possible routes (other than the one through their holding) and hazards involved in these options for exploration.
(1) Down the chasm under the bridge that leads into their territory. "Something terrible hunts there."
(2) Downstream of the sewer river from this area lie "the catacombs of the Fleischguild". "Those whom the butchers sacrifice never rest quietly".
(3) Across the sewer river lies "the churning gate of the Horoscops" and stairs up towards Zyan. They refuse to speak about Zyan. They do not know how to enter the gate.
Casualties: NONE
Creatures Slain: 1 Mutterer 150 XP
Loot: One pair of stilts, one bag of Iridescent Powder (If you wish to identify this, and/or the dream sludge from last time, you will need to consult with one of the Chatelaine’s apprentices who, other than Apuleus of the floating disk and the Chatelaine herself, are the only known magic-users in the city.)
Total XP per player: 30
Eric Boyd Chris Kutalik Joshua Blackketter Michael Wentzloff
Drovo (was Dozar, but I like Drovo better) will inquire about what hazards and possible rewards lay down the various paths on the Guildless' map. Do I read it correctly that Sir Treskan and Apuleus are the only citizens of the town? I think if an outsider showed the dream stuff to an apprentice, it might just get confiscated.
ReplyDeleteYou are right about who is a resident of the town.
ReplyDeleteHere's what they say about the hazards. There are, essentially three avenues of exploration they indicate on the map and in conversation.
(1) Down the chasm under the bridge. "Something terrible hunts there."
(2) Downstream of the sewer river from this area (which they call "the theater of the inquisitors") lie the catacombs of "the Fleischguild". "Those whom the butchers sacrifice never rest quietly".
(3) Across the sewer river lies the "churning gate" of the "horoscops" and stairs up towards Zyan. They refuse to speak about Zyan. They do not know how to enter the gate.