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13:01, 28th March 2024 (GMT+0)

Under Hillsfar...  and beyond.

Posted by HarticusFor group 0
Harticus
GM, 60 posts
Vermonter
Realms
Wed 20 May 2020
at 01:57
  • msg #1

Under Hillsfar...  and beyond.

The party arises late in the morning, closer to noon.  Quilro, Gondal, and Kailute collapsed in a pile around the table in the wagon, emptying the skin of Evereskan Firewine.

The men-at-arms are about, and Kimmo reports nothing untoward during the evening.  In the moring, several caravans came and went, and from the wagon yard one can observe about twenty humanoids being marched up the ramp in chains, en route to the entrance plaza and gates.

Already surly, Gondal only states flatly "Slaves."  He spits red stained phlegm into the fire, long since out but still smoking.

"Right then," Fyrnlocke says appearing refreshed and poking his head into the wagon common area.  "Anything to be done in the docks before we meet Quilro's fancy this eve?"  It's not clear if that is a barb, or just a statement.


This message was last edited by the GM at 02:09, Wed 20 May 2020.
Harticus
GM, 61 posts
Vermonter
Realms
Thu 21 May 2020
at 12:58
  • msg #2

Under Hillsfar...  and beyond.



The party makes sure the caravan guards are well looked after;  all are happy and morale is high given DonBrapp’s largesse.

Shuos remains behind with the caravan’s guards.

Fyrnlocke leads the party on a technical climb…

The party has seven hours until the trading house above the redoubts will be open.  Gimino owns the counting house.

This faction of the guild is aligned with Malthiir, focused on intelligence collection, and the only healer.  The redoubt is one of many the guild uses for temporarily housing gear.  Rowan agrees to meet you either down at the docks, or should you make your way into the city, she can meet you at the Dung Diamond, an inn catering to adventurers.  The inn is to the west of the merchant’s quarter, it is the largest structure.  A large sign of a diamond resting on the ass of an ox.

After Quilro fails to pull the grate off, Kailute rips the rusted grill off the sewer entrance, and the group crawls into the hole, observing movement in the sludge ahead.

The party immediately moves into combat with two carrion crawlers and a bloodworm who have made their home beneath the city.  The tight spaces of the sewer limit the party’s ability to surround the creatures.  The bloodworm leaps up from the muck, and fastens itself to Quilro’s forearm.

Eventually, the party fells the foul sewer dwelling worms, and locates the grate in the ceiling Rowan told the party would be there.
Harticus
GM, 62 posts
Vermonter
Realms
Fri 22 May 2020
at 23:15
  • msg #3

Into the Redoubt



Into the Redoubt

The party makes sure the caravan guards are well looked after;  all are happy and morale is high given DonBrapp’s largesse.

Shuos remains behind with the caravan’s guards.

Fyrnlocke leads the party on a technical climb…

The party has seven hours until the trading house above the redoubts will be open.  Gimino owns the counting house.

This faction of the guild is aligned with Malthiir, focused on intelligence collection, and the only healer.  The redoubt is one of many the guild uses for temporarily housing gear.  Rowan agrees to meet you either down at the docks, or should you make your way into the city, she can meet you at the Dung Diamond, an inn catering to adventurers.  The inn is to the west of the merchant’s quarter, it is the largest structure.  A large sign of a diamond resting on the ass of an ox.

After Quilro fails to pull the grate off, Kailute rips the rusted grill off the sewer entrance, and the group crawls into the hole, observing movement in the sludge ahead.

The party immediately moves into combat with two carrion crawlers and a bloodworm who have made their home beneath the city.  The tight spaces of the sewer limit the party’s ability to surround the creatures.  The bloodworm leaps up from the muck, and fastens itself to Quilro’s forearm.

Fyrnlocke slays one.

Eventually, the party fells the foul sewer dwelling worms, and locates the grate in the ceiling Rowan told the party would be there.  Quilro sustains a large wound, that DonBrapp cleans and treats it, and the party attempts to enter the thieves redoubt from below.

Quilro worries that the guild is setting them up to kill the bank.

Kailute pokes up through the grate with his polearm, alerting the guild members in the kitchen.  Gondal climbs atop Kailute shoulders, and mantles up into the room.  And promptly takes several crossbow bolts to his upper body as he clears the edge of the floor.  DonBrapp invokes Prayer; Four leather armored humans are awaiting as the party pops up into the kitchen area of the kitchen.  Kailute tosses the dwarf who somersaults with a flourish, hammer in hand.

With the power of Brapp, two of the thieves are held, and the others quickly dispatched.  The remaining live thief assesses there are between 8-20 others, and a cleric of Umberlee.  Swipe remains the leader of the guild, and elements of the guild are specialized.  This location is mostly where weapons and healing;  Henway the cleric provides most of the guild’s healing.  After all four were dead, DonBrapp promptly raised them as undead fighters.  All glory to The Brapp.

Fyrnlocke scouts to the north, triggering an electricity trap.  Observing Fyrnlocke suffer, the dwarf heals himself.  Kailute bull rushes into a room that appears to be set up as an enclosed murder room, with suspended panels with slits into an interior space.  DonBrapp and his army of dead thieves follow.

Four thieves, two along the north wall and two along the western wall move toward the party.  Kailute springs forward and fells one in a fell slice of his axe.  His bulk and movement triggers a pressure plate, releasing a flight of darts from the south.  DonBrapp invokes his deity for additional healing.  Again.

Two more thieves approach, from the west and north respectively. Newly dead thieves shuffle into the melee to the west, only seeking to feed on living flesh.  The dwarf commands “SLEEP!” and one of the footpads advancing from the west falls to the floor, snoring.

Quilro unleashes another bolt of magical lightning down the hall, dropping another guildsman, and alerting others out of sight of the attack.  Kailute nearly cleaves the arm of another approaching thief.  Again, the dwarf calls forth the power of the Mighty Brapp to heal.  Himself.

The elf suggests withdrawing to set up an ambush.  Commotion to the northwest indicates other guildmembers have been alerted to the intrusion of outsiders, and the glory of Brapp.  It becomes clear the center of this room beyond the panels is a training facility, filled with statues and a trapdoor in the ceiling.  Quilro recognizes a typical guild entry room, allowing for unseen ambush by individuals outside the panels.

There are two openings to the east along the hallway running north.  Kailute heaves a corpse through the barriers, collapsing a statue and opening the view to the interior of the kill room.  Moving west, Kailute triggers a magical lightning bolt out of the southern west.  “Eh, wots that then?”  voices from the northwest clamor.  Fyrnlocke scouts the floor ahead, declaring the floor clear while also taking a crossbow bolt to the neck.  “There they are!”  shouts voices to the north.

Kailute pulls the half-elf fighting thief from around the corner to the north, while feigning despair.  Quilro aims the staff of the wolf to the north, and shouts of fright and concern as two carrion crawlers magically appear behind them.  Brapp urges the undead thieves toward the sound of pending conflict, and then blesses the party with the power of the dwarven deity.

Distracted by the monsters, Quilro sneaks around and successfully backstabs one of the thieves attempting to defend themselves.  Staff and lantern in hand, the elf shoos the centipede like scavengers ahead to the north.  The dwarf and undead follow along.

Quilro hears Kailute fighting behind him, and spins and releases a dagger into the back of another thief.  Moving north along the western wall, the party notices two living spaces along the wall.  Ten by ten rooms with a bed and small locking chest.

Kailute reaches up to the ringed trapdoor, and a collapsing stair fell down from above.

DonBrapp meditates as Quilro gives him a sidelong look.  The party searches the sleeping quarters, harvesting 20sp, 8gp, and three sets of thieves tools.
Moving south back through the kitchen areas, Quilro scoops up three pouches of salt, while Kailute sniffs the air unsuccessfully looking for saffron.

The party descends the rock hewn stairs to the south, and enters a chapel area, by all observation to Umberlee Bitch Queen of the Sea.  Quilro shines the bullseye looking for unseen thieves in the shadows.  The summoned crawlers and lifeless thieves shamble along the outer walls of the space, and there are two exits to the east. A couple of shrine totems occupy the altar to the south.

Quilro checks the northern door on the eastern wall and finding no traps, he coerces his summoned death centipedes ahead.  The two carrion crawlers move forward, and one of them is zapped and killed by electrical energy.

Deliberately approaching, the north and eastern walls of the room are marked by overturned tables and furniture.  The elf heaves a lit torch beyond the table, and the second crawler is electrocuted by magical lightning along the southern wall.  Quilro deftly moves beyond the scorched centipedes and takes a position behind the upturned furniture.

One of the undead thieves moves into the center of the room, and is immediately immolated by electricity.  Kailute moves toward the northern portion of the room, tapping the butt end of his polearm to attempt to trigger traps.  He is also accosted as the glyph set in the floor erupts another bolt of magical electricity.  DonBrapp observes the floor, but cannot discern any obvious magical traps, but the area has a magical aura that is unmistakeable.

DonBrapp dispels magic in the direction of the north, negating any wards in the area of effect of his spell.  Quilro darts the perimeter of the room, searching for secret doors.  “Look over here!” yells Fyrnlocke, indicating a five foot trapdoor in the floor of the northeastern corner of the room.  The trapdoor leads to another room below, full of weapons, chests, and two more thieves.

The group dispatches the first thief, and upon submission the second informs them that Henway the Cleric is usually found in the chapel.

Under the direction of the barbarian, the remaining live thief opens some of the chests to reveal 50pp, 6 potions of disguise self, and a silver dinner set.  Kailute drives his dagger in to the thief’s skull.
El DonBrappo Bartholomew McJurgin
player, 33 posts
Dwarven
Cleric of Brap
Sat 23 May 2020
at 12:44
  • msg #4

Into the Redoubt

El DonBrappo mourns the loss of his zombie skeleton thief assassin, lamenting, rather scolding himself for not having rendered the magical traps inert before or at least after both of the leaflicker's bugs had been used. THE LEAFLICKER! That pointy eared beardless wonder of the chinfolk had talked him into the relinquishing of 2 rubies. Such small things in the eyes of the buttercup but containing an amount of coin that nancy twigger could never understand or properly value.

He commits himself to another treasure, vowing to study further the 2 vials of quicksilvering elemental chaos he collected from the portal in the elf dungeon. Quickly he turns his ruminations to the potions of disguise, his ticket into the city, to the shop of magical wonders. Twirling his beard he mutters:

"Rope of climbing, rings, armor and shields..."
Harticus
GM, 63 posts
Vermonter
Realms
Mon 25 May 2020
at 12:56
  • msg #5

Hillsfar Heist

The party backtracks back through the chapel to finish exploring the rooms to the north.  The northwest corner is collapsed into the sewer, and the altar to the south has two figurines honoring the deity Umberlee.

The sounds of dogs barking emanates from the passage along the eastern wall, and Kailute observes a pattern of high traffic to and from that exit.  Quilro advances down the passage, and flags the location of a magic trap.  The passage opens to a 20’ X 25’ room, clearly a living space occupied by Henway and her two blink dogs.  “I don’t remember inviting anyone to dinner” she says.

I’m here for the rug Swipe owes me.” DonBrapp asserts, and miraculously the leather clad priestess of the sea bitch appears to buy it.  The dwarf directs his zombies to roll up the carpet.  Backing into the corner, she observes that it is odd that demi-humans should be in the employ of another faction of the Hillsfar guild.

Seeing the recently raised thieves, Henway casts a defensive protection spell, and directs her blink hounds to attack the party. Quilro invokes the command work of the Staff of the Wolves, and immediately magically controls the two blink dogs, and melee begins.  The two blink hounds teleport behind her and attack, and the priestess attempts to hold the party, and everyone is momentarily magically frozen except the barbarian.

What arrangement could we come to in order to prevent a permanent outcome for this engagement?” Henway asks the half-orc, offering to leave Hillsfar quietly in exchange for her life.

Releasing the hold, Henway skirts the undead thieves rolling up the Calishite carpet.

Where are the files?” Quilro challenges, and Henway indicates the extensive piles of writing and scrolls in her working area.  “All the information we collect in the service of Malthiir may be found in my desk”  Eyeing the door to the south, and making eye contact with DonBrapp, she states “We have similar skills, Dwarf.” Indicating the scratching and shuffling noises beyond the southern door.

Pivoting to Quilro, she inquires “Would it be possible to request the return of my hounds.  There are the closest things to loyal companions I have in this world.

Quilro releases the blink dogs, and the party allows her to depart without any further melee.  She turns to look to her small personal wealth.

The party harvests potions, poison, and a moderate amount of gold. 150sp, 48gp.

Fyrnlocke flips her 5gp, and in leaving she states “May the tides be moving in your direction.  Be wary of the factions in this guild, and don’t touch either of the idols on the altar.  Mordak has his fingers in this operation, and may be working against the interests of the First Lord.

The dwarf inspects the papers, and sees:  Information about the halflings, the Dwarf separates the clerical documents from the intelligence information, and Quilro examines the various clandestine communication tools.  All the information is put on the rug, and the undead thieves under DonBrapp’s control roll the contents in the carpet, and prepare to carry it.

Quilro grabs 3 X potions of invisibility, and the potions are clearly marked.  Quilro drinks one in order to scout ahead, and Fyrnlocke quaffs one of the cure light potions.
Harticus
GM, 65 posts
Vermonter
Realms
Mon 25 May 2020
at 16:29
  • msg #6

Getaway

Doubling back to the barricaded room to the east, Quilro hears humans speaking and moving furniture.  The two thieves are discussion the carnage and evidence intruders strong enough to defeat the garrison, and how it had to be an inside job.  Sneaking behind, Quilro makes a successful backstab sticking his short sword through the neck of one them, horrifying the remaining elf as the rest of the party enters the room.  “Guys, more up here!” cries the thief, as his last remaining act in the realm of the living.

Gondal makes a sidelong swing with his bastard sword, and Kailute delivers the killing blow as the thieve’s head is cut from his body, and Quilro is covered in the bloodspray.

Kailute leaps into the trap door in the corner of the floor, landing effortlessly in the room below.  Quilro quaffs another cure light.  Three more thieves observe in stunned silence, as the barbarian launches his battleaxe and the elf and dwarf follow behind him.  Kailute delivers a brutal dagger thrust to one of the shoulders of the three remaining thieves.

Seeing the battle not going their way, one of them throws down his sword, and his compatriot follows suit.  They agree to assist the party with carrying away loot for their lives.  They explain the remaining areas are locations of last refuge under attack, and the space below the coin house is an initial training area.

Quilro pulls the trap door leading up in to Gimino’s Coin House of Trading.  Quilro and Fyrnlocke explore the area above, which is a series of holding stalls within a vault, holding a variety of coin, strong boxes, and a variety of weapons and equipment.  In the farthest cell, there is an incredibly rare vintage of elvish wine from Myth Drannor, as well as a set of adamantium chain mail for made for an elf.

Additionally, each of the cells has numerous holding spaces for documents, and Quilro and Fyrnlocke grab as many as they can.  Ancient elvish longsword.  The group grabs 11 lock boxes.

Fyrnlocke scavenges a series of backpacks from the living areas to enable everyone to carry maximum loot.
Four bags of coins, 11 strongboxes.  All the paperwork.  Kailute grabs the adamantine chainmail.  “The world abounds in coin; you only have one life, Dwarf.

The two thief-prisoners have two stuffed backpacks each.  Quilro shucks his equipment to scale the wall, and rope in hand he attempts to scramble up the ledge.  He dangerously loses his footing and falls 10 feet before righting himself.  Kailute scrambles up to the trail landing to assist pulling folks up.  One of the pack-thieves freezes on the rock wall, loses his grip and falls 60’ to the breakers below.

DonBrapp releases the zombie-thieves to the jump into the ocean, and as the party moves from the cover of the ravine, Hillsfar and the docks begin to stir to early morning life.  Quilro slurps down another potion of invisibility and observes a patrol of Red Plumes marching from the garrison down in the docks up to the approach ramp to the entrance plaza.

The Party waits for them to pass, while Quilro offsets to provide a distraction if required.  Taking advantage of his invisibility, the elf shadows ahead.
Harticus
GM, 66 posts
Vermonter
Realms
Mon 25 May 2020
at 16:32
  • msg #7

Off to sea

Fyrnlocke moves toward the docks in order to search for strong stimulants.

The last living thief from the redoubt pledges to move as far from Hillsfar as is possible as the party argues his fate in the harsh tongues of the orcs. Quilro directs him to take one backpack full of two strongboxes and one sack of coins, get to the docks and board the first and fastest ship he can locate.  He cheerfully agrees.

Gondal grabs a blanket and makes a field bed underneath the wagon.

Inspecting the documents, the team separates them from financial records, intelligence collected by the guild, and clerical magic.  There is significant record of recent military purchases for both Zhentil Keep and Hillsfar in their continued competition for supreme influence over the southern Moonsea and beyond. There are accounts indicating some royal families within Sembia and Cormyr are invested in slaving operations out of Hillsfar as a cover. There are 25 deeds of sale to property along the Moonsea coast.

It is clear from the documents that Malthiir’s deputy Mordak has been making entreaties to Zhentil Keep to end the enmity between the two city-states, and combine forces.

Fyrnlocke returns from the docks with a pouch full of Skeev.

5 X diamonds (750-1500), 18 emeralds (20-50), 120pp, 150gp, 310sp, onyx dagger imbued with magic; 3 rubies (30-80), 2 agates, elvish sword, adamantine chain mail.

Fyrnlocke & Quilro head to the docks.  Fyrnlocke hides his ears behind his hair, and Quilro ingests one of the change self potions.  Back at the Rusty Nail, they spy a member of Polyard’s crew.  Fyrnlocke sports 6sp to feed the group.  Heading down to the waterfront, they hail Polyard on the Vespeer.  He notices the slight change in appearance, and they head to his cabin and the party pitches his boat and crew for three months.  They settle on a price of 3000gp, and Fyrn and Quil return to the wagon.

As they’re discussing with DonBrapp, Rowan knocks on the door highly anxious.  “What exactly in the nine hells did you guys do last night?

Who’s Mordak, exactly” Queries the dwarf.

Rowan explains that Mordak is Malthiir’s deputy, and asks if his name is in many of those documents.  Quilro asks about his scrolls.  Rowan pulls out her satchel and presents eight scrolls. Rowan is impressed by the trove of documents the party recovered.  “You all have eliminated the eyes and ears of Malthiir.  His business acumen is blinded by his hatred of demi-humans.  However, raiding the coin house will certainly raise scrutiny of nefarious activities in the city.

Did everyone die in the Rogue’s Redoubt?”  The more wagons that come through Hillsfar, the better opportunity for everyone.  Maniacal hatred for the fey races is costing my guild money.

The cost of the weapons will need to be assessed, and then a letter of credit from a reputable coin house issued to trade on the weapons.  The plan is to put the wagon to sea as soon as possible.

Rowan is happy about the progress, but worried about the scrutiny the coin house attack will raise in Hillsfar.  The Rusty Nail is established as the contact point, but Rowan offers to ensure the stolen gear can be loaded and put aboard without a tax inspection for 1000gp.

Gondal and DonBrapp head into the city to visit the Magic Shop, and see the sights of the Arena.

Laris approaches the magically disguised dwarf, and invites the two into his upstairs solar.   DonBrapp solicits for a rope of climbing (3500gp), and an upgrade to his armor.  A ring of protection blackened finish, emerald (3000gp), bag of holding (12,500gp).  Laris calls for Nesmith, who inspects the dwarf’s rubies, says he carries 8000gp.  DonBrapp gets a loaner set of armor.  3000gp to get his enchanted +2 armor back.

Nobody is excited about the sights at the arena.
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