Songs, Spectres, and Strangers

Deug the 18th - 24th (only 5 days 'til Wintermas!)

The Party:

• Rig Bigny, Gnomish Beastmaster
  • Flit, the bat familiar
  • Clench, the Wardog War-Badger
  • Midnight, the Panther
  • Faufe Yitaw, Dogwere (Badgerwere?)
    • Rawf, Wardog familiar
    • Aroof, Wardog familiar
• Caranthir, Human Leader of Men
  • Rhea Trueheart, Elvish Nightblade
  • Lucille "Luce" Burwood, Fighter
  • Elenora Garrard, White Mage
• Gróin of Norston, Dwarven Sapper
  • Laurita Gomez, Priestess
• Llarm Paphyra, Elvish Polydoctorate
  • The Metal Man, construct
• Quetgar, Thrassian Assassin
  • Zarc, Thrassian Gladiator
• Gottes Segen, Cleric

Picking up from last time, Quetgar read through the golem's book; he reasoned that the golem was looking for its control stone in the well, and decided that he would try to retrieve it. Moving quickly, he dove in before the stone golem could catch him, and dug through the fine silt at the bottom of the pool. He found a small chalice, and buried under the silk, a large ruby! Leaping out of the water, he turned, pointed the ruby at the golem, and commanded "Stop!"... and the golem kept moving. Realizing that the commands in the book were written in Nobrian, he again commanded "Stop!", but this time in the ancient language. The golem creaked to a stop.

After interacting with the three gargoyles and the librarian mummy, attempting to figure out the password, the adventurers eventually gave up, leaving for the city of Crabaille. Gróin considered purchasing parts to repair the telescope apparatus. Until he realized that the parts would cost upwards of 6,000 gp, and may take some time to ship, that is. Incidentally, Zarc the Thrassian Gladiator realized that he was the same level as Gróin, and left his service. However, before he was on his way, Quetgar offered him a position, which he accepted with élan, happy to work for another Thrassian.

Their attempts at the monastery/observatory temporarily halted, the party turned its attention once again to the Tower, this time to attempt level 7. A gentle snow was falling as they once again entered the tower...

Inside, they met and defeated 4 zombies with ease; at this point, normal zombies are little more than annoyances. Further in, they found four strange, disgusting creatures, once humanoid, but with their bodies twisted into a canine appearance before being resurrected as undead - Blood Hounds! The four creatures were easily dealt with, though the party was attacked from behind. The found a strange, warped spear; it didn't appear to be magical, but wasn't exactly a great weapon, either. The shaft was made of a dark, twisted wood, and the head was a two-pronged spear that looked too frail to be any use as a weapon.

Turning a corner, Caranthir caught sight of a ghostly form - a spectre! And then more... and more... and more! Twelve spectres in all! With Luce and Caranthir in front, Laurita cast Protection from Evil, trapping the spectres on the other side of the portcullis. After a few attempts at firing arrows at the incorporeal threats, and the lizards making a carefully planned escape to the other end of the room, Gróin once again took charge. First, he destroyed a handful of spectres with various magical attacks; then, as the spectres milled about the other room, he cast a greater trap on the portcullis, backed up, then the moment Luce dived out of the way, cast Earthquake. Between the trap and the quake, all but one of the spectres were destroyed. Caranthir slashed through the final creature, ending it's existence.

Though the spectres were recognizable, none had any current markings; most seemed to be commoners, or unmarked military. It was likely the beings were ancient creatures, and had not seem humans or demi-humans for centuries.

Tired and nearly out of spells, the group retired to the upper level, but had hardly time to rest before they were interrupted by three intruders! A human thief, a dwarven machinist, and an incredibly egotistical Zaharan ruinguard. After briefly brandishing their egos at each other, Caranthir and the ruinguard attacked. The ruinguard immediately cast a darkness spell; in that darkness, something rumbled out of the passage beyond - an automaton! It was a large shield, with mounted axes. Even so, the party's superior strength (and armor) tore through the shield, and quickly ended the Zaharan and the dwarf. The thief crept away under cover of darkness, and was not seen again.

The two deceased combatants were carrying:

• On the dwarf (Vauldra Trollriver; her name was marked on her armor):
  • 1370 gp
  • Chain Mail
  • Shield +1
  • Flamesword +1
  • Hand Axe
  • Craftsman's Tools
  • Machinist's Tools
  • Birthwort (1 lb)
  • Comfrey (1 lb)
  • Flask of Oil (military, 1 pint)
  • Grappling Hook
  • 2x Rations (Iron)
  • Sack (large)
  • Water Skin
• On the Zaharan (Görkem Ebrahimi, as noted in his journal):
  • 4230 gp, in a purse
  • Plate +2
  • Whip
  • 2-handed Sword
  • Comfrey (1 lb)
  • Goldenrod (1 lb)
  • Journal
  • Mirror(thieves', glass)
  • Wooden Stakes (4) and Mallet
  • A ring (on his left hand)
  • A wand

• XP from Treasure
  • 5600 gp
  • Chalice (100 gp, unsold)
  • control ruby (15,000 gp, unsold)
• XP from Encounters
  • 4 zombies (29 xp each)
  • 4 blood hounds (47 xp each)
  • 12 specters (820 xp each)
  • 1 level ?? Thief (escaped, no XP)
  • 1 level 7 Dwarven Machinist (1140 XP)
  • 2 level 8 Zaharan Ruinguard (1600 XP)
• Total XP: 18484
• XP per PC: 3361
• XP per Hench: 1680
• Gold per PC: 1866