Dates: 1492 - 1ST DAY OF FROSTMOOT - MOONDAY
Mission: Return to the Tomb of Moving Stones - In search for the missing children
Campaign: Elemental Cult Campaign
Location(s): Blackstaff Tower - Waterdeep, Red Larch
Present: Anor, Aramil, Bandur, Fabien, Fenn, Grog, Karion, Zindra
Leaving Field: Aerie and Garet
1492, 1st Day of Frostmoot, Moonday: Continued (Again)
Garet ensured that everything was ready, Fabien would carry Fenn in his arms. Garet knew the stable should be clear of people as the animals were fed well before their planned arrival. Garet and Aerie said goodbye as Zindra, now in possession of the central pendent, disappeared.
She arrived in the stables a scant 5 seconds before the remainder of the group appeared, long enough to quickly climb the ladder into the hay loft and hide. The rest of the group arrived.
Aramil: "Bet she's in the last place on earth, a bar where she has no bar bill!".
Anor: "She's probably already in the bar, lets go see".
They checked their horses were still there and made their way to the inn. The owner was really surprised and pleased they were back. When asked if she had seen their friend, the ginger haired, ranger Kaylessa quickly stated that they were the first people he had seen that morning. The group split into two, Aramil, Anor and Karion left to check the inn over the road, the other three the stables in case Zindra had doubled back.
Aramil, Anor and Karion had no luck at the Helm at Highsun across the road. The owner, Garlen Harlathurl told them rather brusquely that he had just opened and no-one had entered before them. They retraced their steps to the stables, Anor checked the hay loft and confirmed that it looked like someone had been up their. No Zindra, no sign of the other half of the group, spells were cast but nothing was apparent. They returned to the bar, where the others awaited their return, Zindra had played a joke hiding in the hay loft. Dinks had bene ordered, breakfast paid for, as Kaylessa told them, again, that a group had passed through not 4 days ago looking for Garet. Grog told her of what had happened in the tunnels under the collapsed road. He ended by saying that they were badly injured by the necromancer and his deadly minions and they had to journey to Waterdeep to seek healing that desperately required. Kaylessa told them that the group, a tall ranger, an elf High born, a Gnomish female and a Dwarf and Goliath had dealt with the necromancer before they left heading north.
Kaylessa sent one of her lads to fetch the constable.
Shortly the constable arrived and began to fill them in, constantly having to stop as the inn owner added detail and pieces the constable forgot. The constable recounted that after a day he had led a volunteer party down the hole to find out what had happened. They had found 4 dead bodies in a small room off a side passage, one the group hadn't scouted. They also found Baragustas Harbuckler, he denied everything to do with the bodies blaming other Believers, the constable had rounded them all up and one by one they denounced each other for the murders and the person called Larrakh. He was awaiting a troop of soldiers from Amphail to arrive and transport them to Waterdeep for trial.
He confirmed the arrival of Mavrithan the ranger and his group, who had indeed dealt with the necromancer.
They thanked the constable and asked how much they owed for 10 days stabling and feed. They were again pleasantly surprised when they were told the payment was covered. Mavrithan's group had left ample money to cover the costs. They had left payment for the horses and a hearty breakfast, they also left a message and a package for Garet.
The constable then asked the group for assistance, a farmer and his wife had come into Red Larch that morning. Their children had disappeared in the night. The farm was about 2 miles north east of Red Larch, hilly country and in the conditions not suitable for horses.
Aramil: "What's the names and ages of the children?"
Constable: "Bjorn, Agnetha, Benni and Alfrida, 8, 7, and twins of 5".
Fabien: "Money, money, money.....?"
Constable: "Mama Mia........knowing me, knowing you...it's all.......Gimme, Gimme, Gimme!"
Grog: "I have a dream......take a chance on me?"
Aramil: "Don't shut me down........"
Fabien: "I was only asking?"
Anor: "The winner takes it all........I suppose".
Bandur: " 'cause I'm a ......super trooper....polished and shiney......Fernando!"
Constable: "Steady on Bandur, I never use my middle name you know"
Zindra: "Chiquitita.....what a....dancing queen!"
Fabien took out his lute and began to strum away.
Karion: "I still have faith in you...... Thank you for the music".
Anor: Just a notion......does your mother know.....you know....the way old friends do"
Fernando: "I do, I do, I do, I do, I do!"
They met the two parents who guided the group to their farm, farm! More like a wooden shack with some animal pens. The mother described how she found the window of the children's room wide open when she went to get them up that morning.
On arrival Zindra could find no discernible tracks but Fenn was soon on the scent of something. A scant hour later and the group neared an old worn cobble path leading over a small stream past two weather worn statues and to a set of double doors set into a cliff a face.
Two small figures could be seen walking towards the doors, opened them and went inside.
Fabien went invisible, the others formed a battle line as he stealthily approached the doors, leaving Fenn with Aramil.
Zindra and Karion covered the advance with bows.
Fabien thought it a good idea to knock on the doors and make ghostly noises. Grog, who had cast see invisibility, kept everyone informed as to where Fabien was.
The door opened, a small green goblin stood there, looking right passed Fabien,,,,,Bandur waved. Anor charged forward shield to the fore and ran smack into Fabien, who rapier drawn, was hurled full into the goblin, impaling the goblin with his blade as Anor jumped over them and into the corridor beyond. The group rallied round and moved into the opening. From hidden slits in the side walls arrows started to fly. Damage was taken. Anor ran round the corner and kicked the door in so hard the goblin on the other side was killed outright when the door burst off its hinges.
Grog and Aramil cast spells into the two right hand slits, Fabien rushed in, Zindra covered outside, Bandur pushed round the corner to join Anor. Doors burst open along the corridor and 3 hobgoblins and 4 goblins spewed out and charged into Anor, Bandur and Fabien. Grog turned and cast a spell that backfired and blew him back into the wall, causing a great deal of damage to him. Aramil finished off the goblins in the right hand room, Anor, Bandur, Fabien and well placed arrows from Zindra felled the 3 hobgoblins and 3 of the 4 goblins, the fourth turned tail and disappeared into a room.
(To be continued):
Dates: 1492 - 2ND DAY OF FROSTMOOT - MOONDAY
Mission: In search for the missing children
Campaign: Elemental Cult Campaign
Location(s): North East of Red Larch
Present: Anor, Aramil, Bandur, Grog, Karion
Present but not active: Zindra, Fabien & Fenn
Waterdeep: Aerie and Garet
Grog picked himself up gingerly, knowing how close he had come to disaster. The group searched the corridor room by room, some doors were kicked in others were just, well, opened. Inside each room were stone sarcophagi, each one defaced. The first, checked by Bandur, had a royal inscription, that of Torvild Flametongue, long dead King of Tyr-Besir at the hand of the hill giant on Stone Bridge. The effigy that should have adorned the top was smashed to pieces and lay on the floor, recently done he surmised and informed the group. One by one each door revealed a stone sarcophagi, the others with the heads smashed off.
Karion had found a door, which he opened and Anor explored to find a cave in with a small opening, too small for him to crawl through, faint noises....possibly talking could be heard in the far distance. He returned and let the others know
Bandur had entered another room this time the tomb/grave was on a small raised platform, no sarcophagus just a half defaced oblong slab with a curiously familiar design upon it. He remembered back to his visits to his Grandfather, his ring that adorned a gnarled finger, it had the same design on it.....surely not Bandur thought to himself. "I remember you".
Grog seeing the pained look on his friends face offered to say a general prayer to ease his pain, for which Bandur was grateful. "I remember you.....Stairway to heaven......there are 3 steps to heaven"
Aramil started humming and singing a song he had heard Fabien singing one night: "Walking back to happiness woh, oh, oh oh, o-oh"
Aramil back tracked down the corridor when........
5 Goblins charged down the stairs, they halted unsure, short of Aramil. Aramil cast Colour Spray and blinded the Goblins. Aramil shouted: "Well I ask you.........."
Anor managed to push past Aramil as a second group of Goblins joined the attack. Arrow began to fly from the arrow slits on the eastern wall, Aramil cast Colour Spray again and blinded more Goblins but these were only temporary effects, the first group blinded were now free to act and attacked Anor before dashing away out of harms way.
Aramil had shouted for everyone to stay where they were but Grog and Bandur responded after hearing the sounds of combat. Bandur cried in rage: "Well I ask you....walk right back......Come outside.....!"
Anor now beset by Goblins on all sides hit out as Grog and Aramil attacked too. Aramil switched to burning hands and killed at least 3 Goblins, Grog a 4th. Bandur found it hard to push through as he couldn't find a gap between Aramil and Grog to exploit.
Anor put his back to the wall and took up a defensive stance, surrounded as he was. Blow after blow just bounced off shield and armour.
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Bandur took advantage of the chaos amongst the Goblins and pushed forward, like a 'Running Bear'. Beacon of Hope was cast and healing for all was maximised, greatly helping those badly injured.
Goblin threat in the corridor cleared, Anor ducked below the arrow slits as arrow after arrow poured out towards the others, and moved up the stairs. Bandur moved to join him. Grog rushed forward shouted: "You got what it takes? It's now or never...." , and cast fireball through the arrow slit............WOOMPH......
The fireball exploded in the small room on the other side of the arrow slit, instantly frying the 4 Goblin archers within and setting the door alight. The fireball rebounded off the wall not 15ft inside the room and flames shot out of both arrow slits filling the corridor junction with flames. Grog and Bandur were engulfed by the magical flames, Aramil stood still as the flames nearly reached him.
Grog was on the floor again, not moving, badly burned. Bandur still standing had taken a lot of fire damage turned and said to the prone Grog "Well I ask you.....What in the worlds come over you?". Anor just stated, "Good timing...?" and shrugged, Aramil turned to Bandur who was squirming a little, you "Twisting the night away?" and Karion just looked on.....stunned and said "Everybody's somebody's fool.....".
