Having defeated Glasstaff, apparent-leader of the Redbrand mercenaries (and perhaps a bit worse for wear), the group made the short trip through the remainder of the woods, before stepping back into the town.

You've made it back to the town, now it's up to you to figure out what to do from here.

Keep in mind, you're carrying a recognizable staff into a town that's semi-taken over by Redbrands.

"I'm telling you," Betty continues as they arrive on the outskirts of town. "We should carry that bastard's staff into town on display. Look the Redbrand-remainders dead in the eye and say 'I'm the Captain, now.' That'll show those fuckers who's boss, I suppose."

Morgan tosses her hair behind her shoulder. "Another fight? Bring it on. The sooner we get rid of these red bastards, the better. Are you sure you don't want to stop by that Luck Sister's temple first?"

I agree, let's show them their boss is dead and we are not afraid of them Talin looks tired and looking forward to a warm meal and comfy bed

Maric, the voice of reason.

"Look, it was a good run for us, but I'd just as soon not have our throats slit in the dead of night because we showed out. If none of us gets full value for the staff, I say let's sell it at a discount to 'Our Lady of Luck.' If she won't take it, we'll hold onto it until we can find a fair buyer."

Betty grimaced. It wasn't like she was exactly itching for another fight. But ... well ... she was itchy... Healing magic had strange after effects, it seemed.

She growled. "Rrrr... Maric may be right, I suppose. Betty would certainly like to heal up and get her clothing repaired before taking on the rest of these bastards. Let's stop by the temple. Maybe they can help with one, if not both. And maybe give us some direction for what steps to take, next, I suppose."

As the group strolls into town, heading for the temple, the streets seem fairly empty. A good sign, considering some of our heroes were still rather battered and bruised from their previous encounter. Alas, it was a false relief as just moments later a group of five Redbrands rounded a corner from a building ahead. They looked to be in good spirits, likely having just roughed someone up or the like, when suddenly the one in the middle stopped and called the others to do the same with his outstretched hands. His face was a mix of shock and perhaps anger. The others caught on after a moment, with a mix of emotions ranging from similar to the first's down to fear.

One of the smaller men turned and ran back the way they'd come, while the other four approached with caution, "Oy! You know Glasstaff ain't gonna take too kindly to some little shits stealing his staff. How about you hand that over, and we won't turn your intrails into your extrails."

Now that it's too late to hide, Morgan finally has a useful thought. "Should have covered that staff with a cloak or something."

She draws her sword, raises her shield, and is prepared to fight. To the brigands, she calls back, "Spoils of war belong to the victors. That's us. Think you can take it from us? You're welcome to try. But I just got all of Glasstaff's blood cleaned off my sword. It'd be a shame if I had to get it all bloody again."

OOC: Trying to intimidate them into backing off. Not so good.
10:27, Today: Morgan Ironwolf rolled 10 using 1d20+3.  Intimidation.

Also, just in case...and crap

10:26, Today: Morgan Ironwolf rolled 6 using 1d20+2.  Initiative.

"Hmph!" Betty declares at the offending Redbrand. Little shits!?!

"Judge Betty by her size, do you?" She plucks the staff from where it's been stored protruding from Maric's backpack. It is, of course, taller than she is, so it's a bit unwieldy for her, but she manages with the proficiency of one skilled in handling weapons. She marches up to the Redbrand leader, and, true-to-her-word, looks up at him, staring him dead in the eye and speaks. "I'm the captain, now."

[OOC: Today: Beatrice Thornhall rolled 21 using 1d20+3 - Intimidation (Hell yeah!)

And, to follow Morgan's lead, just in case: Today: Beatrice Thornhall rolled 13 using 1d20+3 - Initiative]
This message was last edited by the player at 06:15, Thu 18 Feb 2021.

Maric offers a quiet sigh to the Lords of Nature, then casts Thunderwave at the four Red Brands, careful to steer clear of his companions.

The mercenaries seemed to be considering the words of Morgan and Beatrice, when suddenly the earth shook and a thunderous, rolling BOOM! burst forth from Maric. Windows and doors rattled in nearby buildings, and one window in the building directly behind the Redbrands shattered as shards flew inward from the impact.

And with that, it's time for the rest of you to roll initiative as well.

Maric, roll your Thunderwave damage. Three of them passed their saves, one failed

15' cube.

I did not declare that I was using another spell slot. Stupid me.

Damage to the Red Brand that failed his saving through: 11pts of damage. The other Redbrands that saved are half that (5pts dmg).
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
sorry for the confusion. Tired. Work a bit much this week.

Maric's surprising spell gave Beatrice and Talin an opportunity to react before the Redbrands recovered. Morgan, was equally surprised and slow to react.

Beatrice, go ahead and give me an action now.

Everyone else, just hold off until I recap the results of Beatrice, then you'll all be able to post together again.

Beatrice lashes out with her rapier, attempting to strike the mouthy Redbrand. Unfortunately, the unwieldy nature of the Staff in her off-hand, coupled with the thunderous wave of sound from Maric, throws off her aim and she just misses her target.

[OOC: Today: Beatrice Thornhall rolled 12,12 using 1d20+5,1d8+4 - Attack, Damage

Damnit, only just. Unless I get advantage or some sort of bonus to the roll due to him being staggered or stunned? -Ken]
This message was last edited by the player at 05:30, Thu 25 Feb 2021.

Beatrice takes a wild stab at the lead Redbrand, but thrown off by the large staff, her aim fails her. (miss)

Moments later a blast of eldritch energy flies over her head toward the mercenary, but it gets not nearer to hitting him than Betty's blade. (miss)

The Redbrand retaliates against Beatrice, and sinks his shortsword into Betty's shoulder. (Betty takes a crit, but only for 5 damage)
23:53, Today: Psynister rolled 2 using 1d6.  Crit Damage.
23:53, Today: Psynister rolled 24,3 using d20+4,d6+2.  Redbrand attack.

The second Redbrand attacks her as well, and he too finds purchase with the blade. (Betty takes another 8 damage)
23:53, Today: Psynister rolled 18,8 using d20+4,d6+2.  Redbrand attack.

Redbrand 3 also takes on the little bundle of fury, but his blade is turned aside by a quick parry. (miss)
23:53, Today: Psynister rolled 11,6 using d20+4,d6+2.

The final redbrand rushes over to engage Morgan, landing a solid blow on the warrior. (Morgan takes 5 damage)
23:53, Today: Psynister rolled 20,5 using d20+4,d6+2.

And now everyone gets to take a turn



This message was last edited by the GM at 18:32, Sat 27 Feb 2021.

Initiative: 13 Initiative

Maric uses a free action to turn into a brown bear and attack the nearest RedBrand.

Rolled attack: 17 & 25

Rolled Damage: 5 & 12

ooc: it occurs to me after the fact that I haven't gotten my short rest in. If that's the case, then I need to reroll using my spear.

Let me know what you want me to do. Sorry for my continued confusion.

:(

Had a bit of internet connection trouble (hiccup) while die rolling. The label got cut off for my Superiority die roll. Using my disarming strike, but I think RB4 will be dead so no need to roll to save.

Morgan growls in anger as the redbrand's sword gets through a chink in her armor. She batters the man's sword with her own, following it up with a strike to the man's torso.

Action: Attack Redbrand 4, using 1 Superiority Die for a Disarming Strike.
Hits for 10 damage total. DC 13 Strength save to avoid being disarmed, if he's not dead.

06:57, Today: Morgan Ironwolf rolled 3 using 1d8.  Superiority .

06:57, Today: Morgan Ironwolf rolled 7 using 1d8+5.  damage.

06:56, Today: Morgan Ironwolf rolled 17 using 1d20+5.  attack redbrand.

Taking two slashes to her already ruined dress (and newly less-ruined body), and narrowly missing a third, the crimson Rage glows quickly in Betty's eyes. This time, the bright red color almost glows as an unnatural Frenzy also seems to grip her body and mind. The new sensation overwhelms her, driving her towards Reckless attacks against her foes. A guttural scream is torn from her throat as she lashes out. She drops the staff to the ground with a clatter, allowing her to more effectively fight and defend herself - though the latter two benefits barely register in her clouded mind.

Her first strike sees the moonbeam thin rapier lash out, killing the First Redbrand as it pierces cleanly through his eye and into what passed for his brain. Without missing a step, she spins and turns to slash at the Third Redbrand. The animal brain that is in charge, currently, manages to suss out that he's the weaker of her two remaining targets. However, her ferocity seems to take her by surprise - the speed at which she attacks is new to her, and her follow up misses wildly.

[OOC: Rage (which should have been dealing +2 add'l damage all along). Frenzy. Reckless Attack. Rage should have triggered end of last round after her attack as that round's Bonus Action, but I didn't realize it took a Bonus Action.

Attack 1: Beatrice Thornhall rolled 18,5,8 using d20+4,d20+4,1d8+7 - Attack w/ advantage, damage.

Bonus Attack: Beatrice Thornhall rolled 10,8,8 using d20+4,d20+4,1d8+7.  Attack w/ Advantage, Damage. (Crap.)

I realized my math was off on the damage after rolling, but Redbrand 1 should still be dead. ]

You have lovely prose, dear. I, on the other hand, write with a certain amount of economy. I wonder, would it be more fun to write as if I were Hemingway? There'd probably be a fifth of Jack in it for me, anyway.

LoL

If my dice rolling were only as good as my prose!

-Ken

Morgan growled in response to the man's blade biting into her flesh. She knocked his blade aside and countered with a strike to the man's torso. The leather armor he would did not protect him well enough to stop his stomach from opening and he fell along with the its contents. (R4 is dead)

Meric is so eager to enter the fray that he can bearly contain himself. His body erupts in a burst of muscle and fur, leaving behind a brown bear who rears up to strike with a swiping paw. The swipe turns him off center, allowing the bite to land on the neck and shoulder. The mercenary still lives, but only just, as blood covers his neck and shoulder, soaking into the surrounding clothing. (17 damage to R2)

Beatrice becomes a stabby flurry of fury, a glint of light striking forward at multiple opponents. It's hard to track the precise movements or exactly what just happened, until you see the first Redbrand crumble, his right eye missing from its socket. Beatrice pauses for a moment, looking at the remaining targets. The missing eye sat on the tip of her rapier, until with a blurred flick of the blade, it was sent flying off to the side of the square. (R1 is dead)

Talin connects with his eldritch blast this time, finishing off Meric's bloodied opponent. (R2 is dead))
13:18, Today: Psynister, on behalf of Talin, rolled 24,5 using d20+5,d10+3.  Eldritch Blast.

R1 is dead.

R2 is dead.

The final Redbrand in the group drops his weapon and holds up his hands in surrender.

R4 is dead.

Combat is over for the time being. You can choose what happens to R3

"Is there a constable in this town, or are we the law now? I'm not squeamish, but nor would I kill in cold blood."

I think we can let him & spread they word that Redbrands are no more

Morgan pats down the surrendering Redbrand, to make sure he doesn't have any concealed weapons. "Alright, you, come with us."

As Morgan pats down the remaining Redbrand and the group decides on his fate, a commotion is heard behind you to the east. As the group turns to take in the sight, you see the fifth Redbrand, the younger one who ran upon seeing you to start with, has returned with seven more of the mercenaries. From the way they're clustered together, you get the idea that this is probably all of the rest of them.

The one who went to get the rest seemed to be urging the group to attack, speaking mostly to one man in particular; a human male with shoulder length brown hair and slightly better armor than the rest. This man backhanded the younger one, which only caused the young one to protest more and turn his appeal to the rest of the group. As he did, the long haired man pivoted and landed a right hook against the other's face, knocking him out. There seemed to be no objections to that even from the rest of the group.

The man then walked toward your group, removing his chain gauntlets and tucking them into his belt as he drew near. "Please excuse that incident; the young ones are always a bit fiery, and rarely any good at using their heads." As he gets about 20 feet away, he gets a clear sight of the glass staff lying at Betty's feet. "At least he was telling the truth, it seems. You did kill the wizard, I assume?"

Maric said, "We need to get our more excitable folk under control. Retreat some 20 paces until I get things settled. Then just you and I can talk."

The druid approaches Morgan and Betty, speaking softly. "Time to wind down, ladies. It's over.

As the two warrior women let go of their ferocity, Maric suggested to Talin, "Keep them occupied, if you would while I talk this fellow, please. Oh, and stay alert."

Once things are settled a bit, Maric approaches the apparent leader and said, "What do you have to say?"

Morgan assents to Maric's wise words. She keeps her blade and shield in hand, but does retreat as asked.

Keep them occupied! Talin shrugs not sure how you expect me to do that! and rather cautiously positions himself between the ladies and the redbrands  just cool your heels for moment you two please, let Maric talk to them

The battle was over nearly as quickly as it began. Betty whirled at the newcomers as her animal-brain readied for another fight, but Maric - whom she swore she'd seen turn into a giant brown bear ... a Bearic...? - had already reverted back to his Elven form and was approaching the Redbrand remainders, apparently to see if they were interested in discourse over dismemberment.

Talin stepped in front of her, hesitatingly of course, and attempted to calm her and Morgan down. It worked, but only because Betty's rage-fueled (or rage fueling?) adrenaline wore off from lack of continued combat. She managed to sheath her blade and stow her shield before a wave of fatigue washed over her petite body, and she felt herself leaning into Morgan's powerful form for support. "Betty needs coffee, I suppose.", she manages, meekly.

"The old man wouldn't have given that staff up without a fight, so he's either dead or a prisoner. I'd like to know which, purely so I know whether or not to expect my next payment. Now look, we've seen you around, we know you've been fighting against the reds, and that's fine. There were some bad people mixed in with this lot, no mistake, but most of us are just mercenaries who were hired to do a job. That's it, nothing more. If you've taken out the man with the money, then there's no reason at all for me and and the rest of these to bother hanging around here any more. Those who enjoyed doing what they were doing were at the hideout under the abandoned mansion up there on the hill. Gold to mold says that's where you found the old man, so you know where I mean."

"The rest of us, just here to do a job of keeping the peace and protecting shipments and such, we're the one that hung out at the tavern, The Sleeping Giant. If you want information, I'm happy to share everything I know about whatever you've got questions for. If you killed the man, that's fine with all of us. It means we're missing out on a week's pay, but that's a small price to pay for getting to keep on breathing. If you didn't kill him, then I have to ask what did happened so I know whether or not it's worth the risk of trying to save the old man. I'm much more inclined to put this shit job behind me so I can get back to my wife and kid; so I'm hoping you tell me he's dead." The man waited for a reply.

Everyone paying attention to body language and such gets the feeling that this man is telling the truth. The other Redbrands look nervous, unsure of which step you're going to take next. They would not be slow to take up a fight if you brought one, but they all look like they're ready to walk right out of town.

Maric said, "He's dead. We did the deed. I would prefer no more bloodshed. From the sound of it, that's your intention as well. You have the next 24 hours to get your stuff together and get out of town. If I see you or any of your men after that time, I'll put out a bounty on all of you, and we'll chase you down one at a time if need be. That's as fair as I, um, as we can be, savvy?"

The nodded with a relieved smile. His face showed some regret, perhaps shame, but he was glad the bloodshed had ended. "We won't need 24 hours, we'll be out of here in less than one. Thank you for serving these people. There's more going on here than either of us are aware of. If you're looking for the dwarf, I don't know where he is specifically, but I heard something about a ruined castle. Crag...something. Never been there myself, and they weren't paying me to listen closely to details that had nothing to do with me."

"The wizard wasn't the one who hired us to start with, he's just the one in charge locally, and handed out the pay. The one who's really calling the shots is known as 'The Black Spider'. Our orders were to keep adventurers away and keep the locals intimidated. Never told us why, just that it was the job."

He turned to walk away with the others, but stopped and turned back real quick, "Oh, and you did rescue the family they were holding down there near the one-eyed monster freak, right? The skeletons guarding them shouldn't have been too hard to clear. Safe travels."

Maric says nothing to the last comment, just watches as the mercenaries take their leave. When they are gone, he turns to the others. "Do you know anything about a family?"

His face expresses concern that borders on dismay.

"Family? Shit." Betty says, struggling to stay awake. She grimaces as the words of the departing Redbrand wash through her memory again, replaying the end of the conversation. "We're going to have to go back, I suppose." She leans away from Morgan's form, standing up on her own, but swaying in the process.

"Betty definitely needs coffee."

You do remember hearing rumors about the Redbrands murdering a man in town and then his family disappearing not too long after.

Maric offers a heavy sigh.

"Yeah, we sure are. I screwed that one up. Should've dug deeper when the merc's were still here."

Shaking his head, he said, "Nothing for it, we're gonna have to go back. Can't leave them with that freakish thing down there. Betty, Morgan, can you swing it? Or do both need a rest?"

You can still interact with the mercs if you want.

Morgan, slightly surprised that Betty would lean on her for support, gives a smile to the smaller warrior. "Yes, we'll go back, but you need to see that luck priestess first to tend to your wounds. And coffee, if you prefer, yes. Maric, while Better gets her coffee, we could go have a chat with the bandits while they're clearing out their things from that bar they hang out in."

Maric offers a sheepish grin. "I have no recollection of the bar, but I'd like to talk to their leader. Thank you for coming with me."

"I heard earlier that they hang out in a bar. Didn't he mention the Sleeping Ogre or something like that? It's a small village, shouldn't be hard to find them."

"I need coffee to just stay awake at this point." Betty laments. "You want me to fight, that'll have to come tomorrow, I suppose. I can go now, but Betty will be more of a liability than an asset." she frowns.

[OOC: I've got a level of exhaustion, and am all out of Barbarian things 'til after a long rest. :( -Ken]
This message was last edited by the player at 01:51, Wed 03 Mar 2021.

Finding the tavern was quite easy, about 35 yards east of where they were currently standing.

Maric is at a loss. "Can you make tracks, Betty, or do you need downtime. I can't tell you what to do. You have to make this choice. Same with all of you. I'm still in good to go, however. I believe Talin is as well, though I would not assume such."

Family or no family, we all need some rest and food. Talin starts to make his way over to the tavernC’mon you guys, lets treat ourselves and then decide what to do next

"Well, I am hungry..." Maric said. He follows behind, a worried look writ upon his face.

"If you all are going to get food and rest, I am going to find the mercenaries. Morgan and Betty need to rest, so they'll be ready tonight or tomorrow. And Talin's hungry. I'll be back in awhile."

While not happy with having no backup, Maric still has a shapechange in his pocket. He goes in search of the merc captain.

Once he finds him, he hails the captain: "Captain," he shouted from a distance. "I would parlay again."
This message was last edited by the player at 15:18, Thu 04 Mar 2021.

"They've kept this long." Betty says, a slight twinge upon her conscience. She hated having to wait, but, likewise, she wouldn't be any help to a rescue party now. And, let's face it, this party certainly needed her help. She was too invaluable to leave behind, simple. "Hopefully they'll survive until we can come and get them, I suppose." She stifles a yawn, but her stomach rumbles, much to her surprise and chagrin.

"Betty needs a dressmaker, room service and a four-poster bed. In that order."
This message was last edited by the player at 06:44, Fri 05 Mar 2021.

Maric and Morgan return to the inn, to rejoin with the others.

The group enjoys dinner at the inn. News of the Redbrand's expulsion from the town had reached the inn even before you all did. The atmosphere of the inn changes almost immediately into one of relief and some bits of celebration. Some request a warm bath to help loosen up their muscles and remove the buildup of dust, dirt, and various other debris from chasing the wizard through the forest. With things that needed tended to that night taken care of, the group all turn in for the night. The rooms, the meal, and the baths were all covered by the innkeeper by way of thanks.

Morning arrives and you all feel much refreshed. Beatrice has some stiffness that still lingers in her muscles, but she is no stranger to this feeling and knows that the only cure for it is to get up and keep on moving, pushing through the pain until she worked it out of the muscles themselves. Breakfast is also covered, for those who wish to have a meal before heading back out.

Today's objective? Rescuing the woodcarver's family.

Betty rises, well-rested and mostly recovered. Her newly repaired dress and accoutrements are awaiting her in a packaged bundle outside of her door. They're in fairly good condition, given the rush order she'd placed on them, and she reminded herself that she'd need to tip the tailor - then look to see how his services could be improved for future work, should she decide to stay in this town much longer.

She dressed and prepared herself for the day. Her body was stiff from yesterday's battles, not only from the wounds, but the physical exercise that came along with them. More of the same - albeit with hopefully less of the wounds - would be the order of the day to work the remaining kinks out of her tiny body.

She had to admit, it felt nice being so appreciated by the townsfolk. It was something of a new feeling for her, and she hated that it made her a teeny bit giddy. She felt like a Real Hero^(tm), and that was something rather new, too. Should she stick around, she'd have to figure out how to manage all this adoration.

She headed downstairs where she was also offered a complimentary breakfast! Despite her small frame and demure demeanor, her appetite was as ferocious as she in combat. She was in the middle of the third full plate of food when one of her companions finally came down the stairs to join her ...

"Mpshffhs fmshms mshhfds mphsheses." She says around a mouthful of sausage and potatoes, then gestures to the bench beside her.
This message was last edited by the player at 12:31, Thu 11 Mar 2021.

"It seems you had a good night," Maric said.

For his part, red eyes and shadows lay think on him indicating a certain dearth of sleep.

"So used to sleeping out of doors. The mattress was too soft; I finally had to sleep on the floor to get any rest."

With a nod to Talin and Morgan as they approach, he added, "I am glad you are well rested, lass. Both of you as well. Shall we plan to search out this family once we break our fast?"

Sleeping on the floor? Betty scoffs at Maric's admission. "And they call me the Barbarian, I suppose."

Morgan finally makes her way downstairs and orders a hearty breakfast. She wears her chain mail armor, but her shield and sword are dropped behind her chair as if they don't really matter. Her hair flows down her back, brushed and cared for well -- probably the reason she's late to breakfast.

As she digs into her trencher of sausage and biscuits, she says, "So we're gonna face that eyeball weirdo? Didn't like that thing one bit, and no use letting it live if it's gonna prey on the townsfolk."

"Is that who grabbed the townsfolk?" Betty asks, not entirely sure that's how she remembered the conversation with the de facto Redbrand leader. Still, she was pretty rage-hazy at the time. She tsks. "Pity, Betty kinda liked the little guy, I suppose."

Bite. "'Cordin' to the leader, [bite] they were gonna feed the family [bite] to that eye-thing."

"All the more reason for us to make haste," Maric said around a mouthful of bran and fruit. Taking a sip of herbal tea, he added, "I would save them, if we can."

Morgan shovels a final sausage into her mouth and wipes the corners of her mouth with a napkin. She nods at Maric, gets up and picks up her sword, cinching it to her belt, and then readying her shield. "I'm ready to go."
This message was last edited by the player at 13:04, Sun 14 Mar 2021.

With the Redbrands cleared out, a solid night's sleep obtained, and a hearty breakfast to fuel them along, the party gathered up their things and set out once more to the basement of the abandoned manor in hopes of rescuing the woodworker's family.

You can take the same entrance you did last time, using the hidden door out in the woods and then following the tunnel in (takes an extra 15'ish minutes, or you can use the actual entrance, which is how you left when you chased after Glasstaff.

"If no one objects, I would take the hidden door," Maric suggested.

"I agree." Betty says, nodding sagely. "While the front door is often the best entrance to use, and certainly my preference, there is a certain appeal - not to mention an element of surprise - when unexpectedly using the back door, I suppose." Without skipping a beat, she loosens her rapier in its scabbard, and secures her buckler to her forearm. "Shall we begin?"

For the time being, Maric is content to remain in his native elven form, at least until they draw near to the monster.

Morgan readies her sword and shield. "The eye-weirdo is by the secret entrance. Best to confront it right away."

"Let Betty try to talk to it first." Betty suggests. "We'd established something of a rapport, and he was quite useful, I suppose. Plus, I have plenty of tasty snacks, thanks to the innkeepers generosity."

The party gathered their things and made their way back to the hidden entrance to the Redbrand's hideout. Finding it was easy enough as it was not really all that well hidden, it just happened to be a place that few people were ever likely to stumble onto it. They found the cellar-like doors open, which seemed somewhat odd on one hand, but on the other they couldn't actually remember if they had bothered closing it when last they used it.

Regardless, they proceeded down into the long tunnel, extra cautious to start with (just in case) before relaxing a bit for the sake of saving time since they'd seen no definitive signs that others had been here. It was pitch black in this tunnel, so Morgan lit a torch and held it aloft for all to see as best they could.

When they arrived at the cellar, things immediately looked different. To start, all of the wall sconces had burned out, leaving even this in pitch darkness. Shadows danced about all around you in the light of the torch. You heard no sounds and neither saw nor hear hears any sign of life.

The Redbrand captain's instructions had been pretty clear. If you were to find the family in their cell, you would need to cross to the western side of the chasm and then go to the northeast corner to find them. There were traps if you came at it from the south east, but there was a hidden door if you went up the chasm and came in from the northwest.

As the group set out to follow their instructions, preparing to cross the chasm, they were struck by a surprising sight - the one eyed creature laid dead just inside the lip of the chasm, deep cuts and punctures into his torso, and a slice the clove through his jaw and up into the lower part of his brain.

There was no memory to have mixed up with that bit - the group certainly had not killed this creature before they left.

Someone else had been here since last you left!

"Well..." Betty said, somewhat sadly, "More snacks for Betty, I suppose." The sight tugged at her small heartstrings, though she couldn't say why she felt anything for the dead creature. He was a small, unusual sort.

Her eyes narrowed as she surveyed the room. There was no need to stat the obvious, but she did take blade into hand. "We should, perhaps, hurry. The assailants could be friend ... or foe."
This message was last edited by the player at 06:33, Thu 18 Mar 2021.

Maric transforms again to his dire wolf state. He leads the way slowly, sniffing as he goes.

Perception check: 19

Maric lead the group with his canine nose searching for signs of danger. The place smelled of men, of sweat and stale air.

It also smells of death, and rotting flesh. Something down in the crevasse seems to have died a while ago and been left to rot. The bodies of the men you killed on your previous trip would be stinking as well, but not quite as bad as that. (Should have noted that the wolf's nose is the one that picked up the smell of the longer rot. The rest of the group will just smell the normal death smell that the other men have left behind.)

Ahead was a storage area with barrels lining the walls. The far right wall is where you were told you could find the secret entrance.
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:19, Sat 20 Mar 2021.

"I can't say I'm sad to see that thing dead. Let's make sure the smell isn't coming from the family we're here to rescue. If it's not, then we move on to try and find where they're being held."

"I wonder why we didn't smell it before?" Betty notes, wrinkling her nose. "Perhaps we were too occupied with the Redbrands?"

'Woof' said Maric.

Taking a look down into the chasm, you see a body, face-down, dressed in common clothing. A broken bridge spans the chasm nearby, with part of the body beneath it on the far side. Getting down there, and back up, seems easy enough to do.

Maric rolls his eyes as if to say, I transformed for this?

Morgan looks into the chasm to see how far down the drop is, and if there is any easy path down, or at least hand/foot holds in the wall for climbing.

Morgan made the short descent down into the chasm to have a closer look. She noticed immediately that it was distinctly colder down here. Unnaturally so. As she stood there for a moment, she felt no effects from the magical source of cold, so one she went to have a look. She discovered the body matched the description of Thel Dendrar, the murdered woodcarver. He'd been dead for more than a week, but whatever this cold was down here, it had preserved the corpse somewhat, slowing the process of its decay. There were pieces of his flesh missing, with obvious signs of large teeth that matched up quite well with those of the one-eyed creature.

Human eyes were not well suited to shifting shadows and darkness, but those a trained warrior were a bit better than the average. Not far off, hidden beneath the broken bridge, was a small chest. The chest drew Morgan's attention on its own, but the hilt of a sword behind it drew her even more.
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:44, Sat 20 Mar 2021.

Betty watches on with interest, but can tell wolf-Maric is frustrated by the situation. She stands tippy-toe and reaches up to scratch under his jaw. Even stretched fully, he has to lower his head for her to reach him.

Thrilled with the affection, Maric let's out a high pitched whine of contentment as his tail nearly knocks Betty over.

"Hey, there's something down here. I'm gonna check it out."

Morgan moves cautiously up to the chest. She gives it a cursory inspection before moving to the sword behind it. She takes up the blade from its resting place and examines it with keen interest.

"Don't touch it!" Betty calls, too late. "It's probably trapped!"

[OOC: Sorry, couldn't help myself! :D -Ken]
This message was last edited by the player at 03:28, Wed 24 Mar 2021.

Hearing Betty's warning shout as Morgan approaches the chest, Talin distances himself as quickly as possible and hopes for the best.

Morgan takes a look at things while the other await anxiously for her report.

Morgan hears Betty's warning, but too late. She has already used the chest as a prop to lean over and grab the sword. The top of the chest was open a crack before. Now it shifts and a few coins spill out, as she takes up the sword and examines it.

She draws the blade and gives it an inspection. "This is a well made blade, and someone named it Talon. I like it! Oh, and there are some coins in the box, too."

As the chest opens more fully, you see a couple of potions, a handful of green gems, and a scroll reside within it as well.

A quick taste will reveal the potions to be Potion of Healing (2d4+2). The scroll is one of the augury spell. The gems are 15g each, and the total value of just the coins works out to 136 GP.

"Woof!"

Maric approves.

I guess it's not trapped then! not hearing any explosions or screams of pain when the box is opened. Talin heads back to look at the contents

"Lucky human, I suppose." Betty says, scoffing teasingly. "Come back up here so we can keep going! Otherwise I'm going to have to take Maric outside for walkies, soon, I suppose!"

Morgan keeps the sword, but leaves the coin for now. "We can come back for this later. Let's go see if we can find the prisoners."

She'll climb back up out of the pit and join the others.

If anyone wants to take the potions or scroll, claim them in the OOC thread and then add them to your character sheet.

The group reformed and carried on toward the hidden door. They found it with little trouble, thanks to knowledge of where they should look for it. It lead to a short hallway that went fifteen feet to the south. Directly across from this secret door, only 5 feet away, was a broken door that had looked to have only recently been kicked in. Splinters of the wooden door and frame littered the floor.

Glancing inside the room, you can see that this was the Redbrands' armory. Several red cloaks hung from pegs along one wall while weapons sat in racks along the other walls: spears, shortswords, longswords, and light crossbows. There were some empty spots that looked like someone may have come and removed some of the crossbows and spears, and one of the longswords.

At the southern end of the hallway, you see another open door, this one intact. You don't hear any sounds, but you do see what looks like the sole of a boot lying a few feet into the room, on the eastern side.

Maric growls. He seems a bit annoyed.

ooc: LOL!

"We may be getting close to our uninvited guests." Betty warns, cautiously. She again checks her sword and shield, then climbs aboard her new perch atop wolf-Maric. "There's a good boy. Who wants a treato, I suppose?"

Morgan will cautiously move forward at an angle, trying to see if there's more than just a boot beyond the doorway.

Moving into the next room, you see that the boot belongs to a now-dead bugbear dressed in the Redbrand's garb. Around him are three dispatched skeletons in rusted chain armor and rusted swords nearby. Three large stone sarcophagi stand within this dusty crypt. False columns along
the walls are carved in the image of spreading oak trees. The double doors in the southeast corner are sheathed in tarnished copper plating. In the northeast corner you see another open door. On the far end of that room you see a pile of filthy straw and next to it there seems to be a pile of rags or clothing.

"Dibs on the throw rug." Betty calls from her mount. Not that she has anywhere to put it ... or anyway to get the dead beast back to town ...

Morgan is visibly confused. "Who did this? Who came in here and killed everyone before we could?" There may be a hint of disappointment in her voice, as well.

"The people we're about to kill, I suppose." Betty says with a confident shrug.

Obligatory 'Woof"

With no other signs of anything there in the crypt, the party pushed on to the next room. As you reach the doorway, the smell of recent death hits you once more.

Stepping inside, you see that this long room is partitioned into three areas, with iron bars
walling off the north and south. Filthy straw lines the floors of those cells, the hinged doors of which are secured by chains and padlocks. In the southern cell, you see the corpses of two disheveled human women impaled with 2-3 crossbow bolts and stab wounds likely from spears. In the north cell is a human boy with similar wounds. All are dressed in plain gray tunics, and have iron collars fitted around their necks. The pile of clothing seems likely to have been the clothing they were wearing when they were first captured.

There are no other doors, besides the those to the cells themselves.

Maric howls in frustration and hurt. The sound echoes through the chamber. Releasing Betty from his back, he transforms into his normal state. Picking the boy up, he said, "We need to take them home and put them to rest."

There's a genuine sadness to his demeanor as he added, "Put them on my back and don't let them fall."

Then he turns into a great bear and waits for the others to get the bodies situated.

PM

OOC: An addendum to my earlier post.

Before turning into the great bear, Maric added this somber thought, "The victims were slain sometime between the last 3-6 Hours. We dallied too long."

"Nothing to be done for it." Beatrice says, frowning. "Had we come yesterday, we would've likely ended up dead as well." She attempts to help with the bodies, but it is a struggle for her small form.

Maric growls, a deep resonant series of sounds that come from deep inside his chest that speaks to a certain level of sadness and aggravation. Still, he waits patiently for the others to put the bodies carefully on his back. Once his companions are done, he begins a slow walk back to the town.

Morgan gets the bodies on Maric's bearish back. She curses while she does it, a lot.

Once the remains are secured, she grimaces. "Someone will pay for this."

Having found their hopeful rescues dead on arrival, the group made their sad, angry, or determined way back toward the city with the bodies. Giving the other rooms a quick once-over, they found the wizard's rooms void of all the books and similar items of information or value completely removed.

At the door between the now-empty alchemy lap and the wizard's quarters, another dead bugbear body was found, and a large image of a spider had been painted onto the door.

The party assumed it was in reference to The Black Spider, the real brains behind the Redbrand operation.

The rest of the area was similarly cleaned out of both valuables and life. Some of the corpses here and there had been chewed on since your last visit, with bitemarks matching those of the dead one-eyed freak as well.

The bodies of a mother and her two children did not prove much of a physical burden to Bear-Maric, and the group made decent time back to the town itself.