Conquering the Barbarian Altanis: Session 142
Adventurers
| Character | Race | Class | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ambros | Human | Cleric level 6 | Follower of Aniu, Lord of Time. |
| Ignaeus | Elf | fighter level 5 / Magic-User level 4 | A slightly weathered looking elf with dull blonde hair and chiseled features. Seeks wealth and knowledge. |
| Tikatu | Human | Druid level 1 | A dirty little ma with dark and dirty skin, wearing loincloth with no back. “What will be, will be” is his favourite aphorism. |
| Kho Rimbo | Human | Magic-User level 1 | A knife throwing wizard extraordinaire. Covered in ritual knife scars. Cuts himself whilst casting. Prone to being sarcastic. |
| Rogar | Human | Fighter level 1 | A simple down to earth mercenary. After a few well paid odd jobs from adventurers he decided to take up the traveler's mantle himself to cut out the middle man. |
| Tobias Lindflags | Hobbit | Thief level 1 | A sixth-born son standing to gain nothing from inheritance, so he set out to make his own fortune in the world. |
Sweetrain 9th–19th
Adventurers rested and plotted their further course of action in a camp next to the Cedarwade Keep. Dalkanarion, the freshly appointed castellan of the ruined keep, was hard at work to survey the fort and take stock of what is necessary for repairs and stocking. His reputation took a blow when he took fireball to the face and lost all his hairs. His ornamental plate melted, as did all his other equipment, sans the massive two-handed sword imbued with spirits of three paladins.
Dalk's Devils, as he came to call them, halved in number due to desertion. Captured brigands fled, as did several of forced recruits from Hara. Those that remained spent their time stealing, hustling, pickpocketing, and swindling from the soldiers, keep, anyone they meet and see. Further they demanded their share of loot and booty. By their humble estimates, each should receive several hundred coins at least.
Marlon, the leader of Ambros's holy army, was unhappy with such lack of discipline and that he had to increase guards and patrols inside the camp. He would much rather have these men patrolling the surroundings instead. He suggest to Dalkanarion to hang them all, ideally from the parapets.
“Time to hang the bastards. I’ve been very lenient, forgiving, and generous thus far, but these guys refuse to turn the corner and redeem themselves. No more mister nice guy.” the mighty hairless warrior agreed.
Ludd Nuck and Drokh were escorted to Midway by two lances of mounted crossbowmen. They were accommodated in guest chambers of Lord Kyle. His manor is a three-story estate surrounded by several hundred acres of farmland, private hunting grounds, and an orange grove. Lord Kyle, being a young and curious man, held a dinner in their honour every evening, asking many questions about their adventures, how are Ambros and Dalkanarion doing, how is securing his lands progressing, so on and so forth. Ludd and Drokh were on their road to recovery, and in a months time both should be well enough to adventure again.
Ambros sent a messenger to Hara, with instructions which supplies to bring to the camp. He cast Continual Light on half a dozen copper coins during down time and healed everyone bestowing Cure Light Wounds and Cure Serious Wounds liberally. He also spent an hour every day meditating, praying and communing with nature.
His commands were executed down to a T. Marlon val Brookwood manages the troops efficiently, taking care of everything. A letter from Vicar Arlon indicated that Temple affairs are improving as well. He has imprisoned three older clerics that have conspired with merchant families for their own benefit. One of them tried to escape so they broke his legs and chained him in one of the underground chambers. His fate will be determined by Ambros upon his return.
Altanian twins showed up, as per agreed signal—splayed game carcass near the keep. They “subtly” complained and wailed about how thirsty they were. So thirsty one would think they haven't had a sip of water for weeks. Of course, it was not water they were thirsting for. They reported seeing no “pointy hat” loitering around the redoubt, and witnessing three dozen armed and armoured beastmen climbing out of the well, crossing the river and heading off north.
Everything adventurers ordered has arrived, neatly packed and sorted. Moreover, Ambros's soldier reported of latest rumours they had heard in Hara. A few days ago, approximately Sweetrain 16th, two large patrols were sent westwards. Nobody knows why or what for. The rumour on the street is that Tsamar sent them on a mission of her own. She hasn't been seen for some days.
Caravan from Hara was joined by two new adventurers, eager to find their glory. One was edgy, scar-covered, knife juggling magic-user Kho Rimbo. Another was Rogar, a promising mercenary. Both were welcomed.
Foxglove and Ignaeus nosed around Cedarwade and its various denizens in case there were spies in the camp, seeking to root them out. They found none.
All equipped and rested, adventurers assembled a new expeditionary force to head off to Racoba's Redoubt. These were Ambros, Ignaeus, Tikatu, Kho Rimbo, Rogar, and Tobias Lindflags, backed by Marlon val Brookwood, six squads of heavy footmen, and two lances of heavy horsemen. Dalkanarion and others were left in charge of Cedarwade Keep.
The expeditionary force set out from the Keep in the morning of Sweetrain 20th, Spiritday. They arrived by evening of the same day, finding no opposition. They camped for the night. They descended into the dungeon with first ray of light.
Meadowlark 1st, Airday
Ambros and Ignaeus took the front; Rogar was right behind them, spear in hand; Kho Rimbo, Tikatu and Tobias took the rear; a squad of heavy footmen followed from behind.
The party observed that most of the corpses are gone. What little remained of them was gnawed and chewed upon. Dried blood led southward, through the large chambers the brigands used as improvised sleeping quarters.
The oil doused barricade adventurers had made was dismantled. Stairs leading to the faceless black obelisk were open to passage. Commanding the squad to watch their back, adventurers went up the stairs. Obelisk stood at the center of junction, with stairs leading down in all four directions.
To the north was a steep descent terminating with a pair of doors. To the south was long descent terminating with barricaded doors. Short stairs to the west terminated with an archway opening up in a large chamber.
Lower half of a human rested by the stairs. Boots and pants were covered with a thin layer of something shimmering. Blood trail led down the west stairs, past the shimmering corpse, into the dark chamber. Throwing a coin confirmed that the chamber was indeed spacious.
Inspecting the archway revealed a hunk of green slime in the northwest corner. Adventurers melted it with fire. Then they descended.
The chamber was sixty feet wide, shaped like a fat letter C. Right side had two egresses, namely doors to northwest and stairs leading down to the west. Left side of the chamber was adjoined by an octagonally shaped chamber, roughly thirty feet in diameter.
Blood trail split threeway, one leading through the doors, one down the stairs, and one in the octagonal chamber. Investigating the room revealed little but an alcove on the south side. Rogar inspected the alcove more closely and found an inset at about eye level height. He dared to look down it, and his bravery was rewarded by four vials filled with liquid. Two were clear, one was milky and teal, and one was brown and chunky. He took all four.
Ignaeus led the investigation of the octagonal chamber. As he stepped towards the western exit he vanished in thin air.
“Oh no, not again.”
After some contemplation, others followed, and were soon in the diamond shaped chamber. Luckily for them, a deceased dwarf named Nandos, now nothing but charred remains, jammed the secret doors open by ingenious use of corpses. He also left chalk marks—and instructions!—beneath two sconces that operate the secret passageways.
Adventurers surprised the heavy footmen as they approached them from a different direction. Once they returned to the octagonal chamber they set out to determine which part of the floor is safe to walk on. Ignaeus managed to take a wrong step again so he had another long walk of shame. They eventually discovered they could pass into the corridor by hugging the south wall.
Alas, their reward was nothing but sturdy, locked, white doors. Tikatu could confirm they were made of birch tree. There was certain divinity to them. His attempt at defiling them with lockpicking failed miserably. Tobias did no better. Ambros knocked with his holy gavel several times. The doors remained locked. Reasoning that locked doors mean safety from behind, the party moved on.
Exploring the doors to the northwest led them down a twenty feet wide corridor. There they found remains of four brigands, mostly chewed, broken bones. The corridor itself was unfinished, terminating with rubble and naked rock and soil. A skeleton rested next to the rubble, leaning on a rotted leather backpack. Touching him turned the skeleton into dust, and backpack tore open, spilling hundreds of silver pieces.
The party backtracked to the obelisk, intent on checking the north and south stairs. They went north first.
Steeps stairs led to a small landing, with doors to north and east. Both opened with ease, revealing a dusty chamber filled to the brim with dust covered broken furniture, tables, closets, boxes, and barrels. The walls were adorned with murals depicting torture, murder, and sadistic acts best left unspoken of. Just as Ignaeus was about to step in, Ambros heard a voice in the back of his mind. It said, without a question of doubt, “death of a dozen cuts.”
This was enough for the party to close the doors and head south. There they judged that brigands must have barricaded and nailed the doors shut for a good reason. Probably because there is something beyond that is dangerous. So better leave it just like that.
Satisfied with their findings, the adventurers returned to the oddly shaped chamber. This time they followed the blood trail heading down the stairs to the west. The trail went on for some thirty feet and the suddenly stopped just before a T-shaped junction.
Adventurers carefully descended, watching out for traps and an sign of trouble. Ignaeus the Elf sensed there was something amiss—and then he found secret doors just next to where the trail ended. There were no sconces to pull on. Just a heavy slab of stone to push forward. Beyond it the trail continued, leading down yet another stairs.
Ahead was an X shaped chamber, with raised alcoves on four sides. In each alcove was a plinth, and upon the northwestern and southeastern were statues. Archway to the west led out of the chamber.
Northwest statue stood with legs shoulder width apart, spear standing upright in its right hand and a shield in its left. It looked straight, with stern look on its marble face. Southeast statue had a similar pose, but it held its spear across the chest. Both statues were naked but without exposed genitalia.
Adventurers entered the chamber to investigate it further.
Where will the trail lead them to?
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Illustration by Brulligrum.