Lucky Monkey, Taxes and Riots

Send raven to the Lucky Monkey to see if either the Cuthbertians or Kordites can do a speak with dead for Gracie and Alistar. Also check here in Longspear for two more clerics of Kord. Find a way to do the SWD here in longspear but the raven brings word we can do it in Cauldron from the Cuthberts. Leena sends word that the taxes have been raised 300%. She wants to know what she should do about it. We do the SWD here and learn that Gracie wants to come back but that Alistar does not. The druid we rescued near here agrees to gather a circle and reincarnate Gracie. This will take seven days. While the druid circle performs the ceremony, I gather trade goods based on what Shensen says is needed at the Monkey. Meet with the Coaster guild about combining with a caravan they have going to Saseren, on the coast north of Cauldron. Work out the details and agree to travel together that far. Gracie comes back as a high elf and somewhat changed on skills.

Head out. Travel mostly quiet. We must look rather well armed. Six days after passing thru Kusnir, while along ocean side cliff, spot a group of Dwarves, heavily armed. Parlay. Part of the Gearcutter clan. They want to purchase supplies. Agree to trade and work out with the Coaster’s about which supplies each of us can provide. The dwarves pay 150% base rate. Swap stories. They heard rumor of rebellion in Sarasin. Also that city folk in Cauldron are speaking out against the government. They heard the Splinter Shield clan had brothers reunited. Maybe the Kuatoan temple raid wasn’t such a failure after all. Continue on to Sarasin. Get taxed 22 Au. Higher then normal. Run into Jill. She asks about Aerreon. Tell her the news. Query if she wants to join us in Cauldron but she prefers to stay here. Comments that she likes what we have done with our inn. Humm. Find two other caravans traveling to Cauldron. Uneventful travel to the Lucky Monkey.

Weird paint jobs. Bright clashing colors. Work still in progress. Across the road is new still growing well built shanty town. Notice Leena arguing with a group of men wearing city colors. Leena is happy to see us. City contingent is a mixed lot of human, orc and ½ orc. Lead by a human. Posing as a tax collection group. Want to collect taxes in the name of Cauldron. “On every person and building, to provide payroll for the expanded patrols from the city.” Sounds like a protection racket. As owners, we persuade the group that we will deliver the taxes to Cauldron in a few days. After they leave, get caught up on goings on from Leena. She has contacted Jenya who reports the “Situation is bad.” A paladin of Cuthber, one Alec Tursival, has challenged the city Captain of the Guard to a duel for the title. An old but still valid tradition. A group from Red Gorge called Chisel is planning a demonstration against the current city government. I want to research our grant of deed on the Monkey to see if it allows the taxes as stated. Probably little more then a delaying tactic but it might buy a little time to plan. Also decide to burn three wagons between the Monkey and Cauldron and claim a bandit raid as the culprit with the loss of our trade goods. Will serve as affront to the claim of protection provide by the patrols.

Enter Cauldron separately with plans on meeting at the Cuthbert temple. Many of the city guard are orc/half orc. Guards no longer friendly toward citizenry. I notice a guard acknowledge a teenage alley lurker by name. Odd behavior. Gracie and Jian also spot weirdness. Temple gate are closed and maned by four temple guards. Three buildings down is a new city guard shack, manned and watching the Cuthbert temple. Enter the temple and when we are all three there, meet with Jenya. She is escorted by two guards. Another oddity, especially inside the temple. Brief discussion on Aerrion’s recovery. The Cuthberts will work in Mikel on details. Discuss Alec and his challenge. Jenya wants to get a message to Alec to come and meet with Jenya about the challenge to Skellerang, the guard captain. Jenya is not happy with the challenge, considers it rash behavior. Hopes to meet with him during the demonstration.

Shensen wants me to meet with Meerthan Elathorn. A ranger type. I have met him before. He wants Shensen to go with me to the demonstration. Thinks a group called the “Case Wrights” are plotting something to happen during the demonstration. May have ties to the plane of Carceri. Meerthan thinks the Case Wrights are trying to make something and Cauldron is the center of their efforts. Our efforts and Meerthan’s are often the same. Offers an alliance and wants Shensen as our go-between. I accept the proposal.

On the day of the demonstration, we disguise ourselves. Jian goes as a man and I as a merchant. Gracie goes as herself since her new form is very different from her previous incarnation. Many folks are out and angry. Area around city hall is packed. Most are protesting against the recent tax hikes. A group of tax collectors are booed. Situation is dangerous. Some of the more vocal rabble rousers are bearing Jester markings. A man climbs a dias. Maavu, a local merchant. He had to relocate to Red Gorge. Addresses the crowd. Speaks about Alec’s challenge and the city’s failure to announce it. As he speaks, a watch sergeant yells to Maavu that he is under arrest. The sergeant is named Skyler, a decent sort. I know him. Suddenly, a youth pulls a dagger, yells “Attack the Orcs” and stabs one of the orcs in Skyler’s detachment. Wearing Jester markings. A riot starts. Almost everyone has a weapon of somekind and are ready for a fight. A group of Jesters attack the orcish guards, dropping four before melting back into the mob. While moving toward Skyler, I notice arrow slits on top of city hall. Fire from there is directed at Maavu. A westerly wind passes over, it seems not natural. Tumble thru the mob, getting near Maavu, Skyler and Gracie. I cast an Obscuring Mist to shield against arrow fire and to discourage the mob. Skyler is trying to control the orcs and defend against the crowd without hurting them. I notice an invisible critter. Air elemental. While Maavu drinks a potion, the critter clears part of the mist, then attacks Maavu. I am afraid of the critter for some reason. Gracie and Jian manage to drop the elemental. Maavu thanks us then invites us to visit him in Red Gorge. Go to Red Head Miners Inn and answer “Mortar” to the question to meet Alec. Skyler also thanks us before heading off to help with crowd control elsewhere. Escape the riot. I go to our old house at the gem cutter’s to wait out the riot before heading back to the Cuthbert temple. Don’t know where the others go.

Oosana

XP: Story - 1500 for Gracie, Jian and Oosana.

Dwarf Rescue 4 - Heavy Price

A Kuatoan steps out and casts a blade barrier around the second level of the temple. Gracie and Alistar are cut to ribbons. I evade the spell and jump down to the floor. Jian falls but is revived by Brak after he also leaps to the floor. Nugi leaps from the third floor to just short of the water. After Jian fireballs the Kuatoa, Sky breathes on him and Dubious and I hit him. The Kuatoa retreats into a back room. Nugi closes the door rather then charging in, surprising the Kuatoa. It latches from our side. Wait for the blade barrier to fall. Discuss how to disrupt the temple. Elwin and Jian check out the exit doors while Brak consecrates the area. The others and I recover equipment. As we retreat out the lower doors, a portal opens and a winged critter steps out. It is interested in Aerrion’s body. I challenge it in Celestial and it responds that it is here to tend to a “servant of their god”, Aerrion. Elwin yells about pulling a lever. Go into the lower hallway. A four way with doors each way. Listen at the doors. The winged one starts healing the injured. Open doors to the south. Dark temple lined with dead kuatoa. Several female’s body’s are blown open from the inside. An altar to the south has a crustation claw on in. Close that door. Open door th east. A large room with five alcoves. Several workshops. Elwin investigates. Red curtains partially cover the areas. Mostly empty. Check out and open west door. Octagonal room. Stairs up. Water in room. Portcullis to south covered with netting. Jian and Dubious re-check the work shop room. A kuatoa attaches Dubious when he gets near some water in the south end. A dark something oozes out under the door to the south while Elwin is guarding it. It forms into an incorporeal being that attacks. I hear what sounds like a portcullis opening to the west. I move to lock or jam the western door. It starts steaming from acid on the other side. The north door is being forced open by the armored kuatoa we fought earlier. The west door is forced open and Mikeal (the winged thing) fireballs them. When the kuatoa on the north door pushes, Brak and I pull on the door at the same time. The kuatoa falls in and I tumble past into the temple area as a darkness fills the area. About twenty feet into the temple. I clear the darkness and the temple appears clear. Elwin runs up next to me. Sounds of fighting from the darkness. Move up the stairs toward the second level exit doors. Elwin follows but slower. Short legs and all. Stay at the top of entrance to cover the other’s retreat. The acid thing was a large dragon that was impregnating the female kuatoa. We collect the remains of our companions as best we can. Retreat to a cave and debate what to do. Back to Cauldron. Try to find the dwarf again? Get replacements?

Travel back to Longspear. Shensen(druid from the Lucky Monkey) has brought a group of priests of the “One God”. They will take the bodies back to the Lucky Monkey and keep them preserved while we research how to raise our dead.

Oosana

XP:
Kills - 1800, Story - 200

Dwarf Rescue 3 - Into the Temple

We come upon the KuaToan’ stronghold. We are looking at the stronghold setting across a river. A ferry boat is setting on our side and leads across to a path that approaches the fortress. We proceed and speak to the oarsman. He invites us into the ferry and we cross to the other side. We arrive, unload, move down the path and cautiously climb a staircase toward the entrance. As we climb, crossbow bolts begin raining from two towers on each side of the staircase entrance. We respond – Aereon and sky charge up to an opening spotted in the tower – Alister magically fires missles from his finger tips. Elwin shoots his crossbow and Jian and Oosana charge in through the opening. Suddenly a thick mist ‘surrounds the stairwell. We all charge up the stairs toward the entrance, led by Aereon, the Dwarves and Sky. This appears to be a jail area and when we charge into a lower room we find it filled with Kuatoa. We engage the group and the Dwarves and Sky quickly eliminate them. Elwin and Jian locate a lever on the wall. It opens the portcullis into the jail area. Brak moves Elwin out of the way and grabs the heavy lever and pushes it up. The portcullis rises slowly. Elwin, Jian, and Brak check the cells. A human and a halfling occupy the cells. They both ‘detect’ of an evil magic when checked by Brak. Aereon moves into the cell and immediately attacks the halfling. Sky chases into the room also, and a fireball explodes within. Gracie and Alister charge into the cell corridor. Nugi comes when the fireball flashes. Jian and Brak come out of the cooridor and as Brak returns to examine, the evil halfling appears and runs out of the corridor and into the room. Elwin chases and tackles him as he runs by. Brak comes to help and Nugi knocks him unconscious. Nugi and Brak bind him. We hear a chanting of some type coming from the door on the W. wall. There is a glyph on the door and Brak detects a sonic ward. Elwin disables the rune and opens it. The chanting KuaToa within are now visible. They are standing in a pool on either side of a raised pathway leading to a dais that stands above the path. A large statue dominates the room standing from dais floor to ceiling. There is a raised walkway around the room with stairs leading to a balcony. Columns are arranged around the platform with what seems to be a portal. The KuoToans are guarding the statue. As we move into the room Nugi is hit with 2 lightning bolts from the balcony. Aereon runs around the platform and jumps onto the dais. As we try to enter the room some are affected by a ward that prohibits entrance. Those who are not affected enter and definitely spot the portal. It sets above the 2 central dais columns. A mist quickly envelopes us and covers the entrance. Dubious charges around the platform and causes smoke to block all vision on the dais. Brak casts and blocks the unholy spell that has prevented some of the party from entering. The rest of the group now charges in. We see that something is emerging from the portal. Elwin moves around the outer walkway to the stairs leading to the balcony above. As the smoke rises from the platform we see a figure standing atop the statue. (A woman or a demon?) It sends 3 speeding arrows down to Brak. Elwin ascends the stairs and picks up two scrolls from two Kuatoan bodies at the top of the balcony. Aereon has somehow mounted the statue to battle the evil figure and when Elwin peeks over the balcony wall, he sees Aereon falling from the top of the statue. Nugi moves to the other side of the walkway and up the stairs to the balcony and engages the 3 KuaToans who are attacking the party from above. The party continues to battle the demon. Our party is suffering greatly and when it seems that we may fall, part of the party led by Jian and Brak attack. Our magicians manage to dissipate the evil creature, but not before critical damage to our group. As we gather to assess our injuries a KuoToan priest step from the south side of the statue and…...
…..To Be Continued….


Elwin

Dwarf Rescue 2 - Another big Lizard

Moving farther into the tunnels using the light from Sky’s helm to see with. Path of travel is worked stone and it seems to follow the map. Dubious thinks it will take seven or so days to reach our destination. Elwin spots a group of bugbears as he rounds a corner. Two groups of five plus a cloaked figure. Warn the party. More debate. Attack now? Wait? Negotiate? Decide to wait and see if they will sleep after finishing their meal. The cloaked figure takes some of the food. A Drow male. They start packing up to move out after eating. Towards us. We set a hasty ambush. As the lead bugbears enter our chambers, they snort out a warning as they smell us. We attack. A convoluted melee starts. We drop two of them before they retreat. A brief attempt at negotiations is screwed up by Gracie. We move into the first chamber and attack them. A couple of fireballs go off and Sky breathes once. We drop all of the bugbears where they are but have to chase the drow down. Aerrion and Jian skin him after noting that his spellbook is tattooed on his skin. Gonna make one weird spell book. Hope the Cuthbertians don’t find out. Loot the bodies and move on. Burnt bugbear. Ugh! Later on, Elwin hears something odd. I move up and hear multiple bipeds moving away. Elwin tries to sneak closer but a loose stone almost gets him spotted. He retreats back to us and we have a brief strategy session. Dubious notes that a party of Drow would be a tough fight. While we debate, Elwin moves back forward and finds the Drow have gone. Scout about. Find tracks leading to the right. Our map directs us straight which is where we go. Travel on until we get tired and camp. Move on into another chamber. Elwin misses that LARGE dragon type multi-legged critter that breaths lightning at me. I also see a beholder type critter floating in the chamber. Elwin runs away. Damn halfling! Combat starts. I move away to drink a cure potion. The others manage to drop the beholder kin. The behire swallows Sky but we manage to kill it before Sky dies. Loot and recover. Another half day travel gets us to the Kuatoa temple.

Oosana

XP:
Kills - 900, Story - 300

Dwarf Rescue 1 - Big Lizards

Debate, our favorite pastime, either following some giants or returning to the Gnomes with what we have learned so far. Decide to report back since the prisoners are likely Orcs. Orc Friend or not, doesn’t seem quite worthwhile. Five days travel back. When we get there it is about 17 days since we left. The raids into giant territory have happened and were successful. Kemp Consum wants to meet quickly. We give our report. He says he might have another task in a few days after he meets with his advisors. A few days later, Kemp gets back with us. He thinks the giant’s move into the southern half of Geoff is a ruse to expose other areas to attacks from the west. He wants us to scout to the SW and find the location of K Yarl’s staging area. There is another gnome enclave(led by Shar Sung) south from here. He also suggests we stay out of Istaven and other small holdings. Reports of Drow raiders. Kemp suggests we wait until spring to move into the mountains. It is now fall. Brak speaks one evening. Business is good at the Lucky Monkey. Situation is bad in Cauldron. Info is from the druid Shamnon. Mayor has hired a bunch of half-orc mercenaries. They are tossing out refugees. Other adventuring groups are also terrorizing the town. One, Storm-Blades collapsed our underground chambers. Many in town would like us to return. Davek Splintershield wants us to rescue his son Zenith. Davek thinks Zenith might be near Snorri’s clan in the underdark. Why can’t anyone get lost outside anymore? Zenith was raiding a Kuatoa shrine. Davek has a map. See Crazy Jared. He is offering 4000Au per person. Golkern clan is twelve days away and it is another two to the shrine. Decide to go and take our time scouting as we go. The freed dwarves are going with us. We stop at Fatella. Then cross the river and stay at Lillie’s again. There seems to be more wealth in town. Refugees from Istavin. Aerrion goes missing after a visit to Sherman’s Last Stand. Two days later, we get an note via urchin express that Aerrion is in guard shack #7. A 30Au fee. Another five days gets us to the Golkern clan. Rest and supply. Find clues to Crazy Jared’s location. Find a comment, “Beware of Gottrad, he claims ownership of that territory.” Also references to stone orders of various types.

Clan has a route that will get us close to Crazy Jared. Also has a reference about Babutumigan. A Kuatoan shrine led by a dwarf? Humm! Two days travel. Find a bunch of mountain rams in pieces, some burned. Late afternoon. See a thatch hut sitting on a stone table. Pieces of wall are around the hut. While we watch, a crimson winged critter flies toward the hut and an old man runs from the hut, carrying a silver rod. A vicious but short fight. Drive the dragon off after it almost drops Jian, Sky and Brak. Jared draws us a map that he claims is the way in. We decide to camp elsewhere in case the dragon returns. I find a safe looking place a few miles away. Camp the night. Next morning, we find the place Crazy Jared marked. Start down into the “Pit of Jaws.” I see some movement. Elwin thinks he sees a bunch of snakes. We see enough to think it might be a hydra. Such fun. Briefly plan then attack. All seven heads breath but we put it down. This was its lair.

Oosana


Loot:
+1 Mithral shirt “Heardspar”
+1 Scimitar of Defending “Cresent Moon”
2 masterwork scimitars
Mighty Composite Longbow +3
3 quivers with 20 arrows each
3 rubies @ 150Au each
3 potions of CLW
25 uses of cryo hydra blood

XP:
Kills - 500, Story - 200

Giants - Pt 2

Debate what to do about the bear thing that broke Elwin’s mirror. Decide to try to trap the bear in a unoccupied room. Brak and Sky will open the door. Plan goes well except the bare dies before we get him trapped. Brak gets clawed. Elwin sneaks into the bear’s room. He finds a large pouch with several crude gems. Move on to unexplored areas. Find a private dinning area. Elwin listens and looks with his backup mirror. A manticore hide partially conceals a secret door. Plans on walls and table. Dubious and I copy the map and plans. Elwin checks out a nearby door to adjacent room. Another Trophy room. Armor, spears, club and rune engraved javelins. Runes read “Striker”. Large but well lit room. Otter and Bear fur cloaks. Giant sized of course. Look at secret door. It contains scroll and firewood. More info on maps and plans. Also a stairway down into the basement. Go down the stairs. Find a secret door at corner but it is bared from other side. No way to open. Also an open portcullis. Glittery things in room. We move in cautiously. I think I hear something in the next room. A pile of gems has spilled from a chest across the room. Elwin and Dubious signal about sensing something. As I move around the room, I think I see a hidden door. Jian is trying to wedge the portcullis open with some of the giant spears. Three manticores charge into the room. Dubious charges one starting combat. Another manticore shows up. All four quickly dispatched. Gracie hurt the worst. Gems turn out to be glass beads. Bait for the trap. Check out the secret door. Elwin unlocks it. Hallway. Spy holes allow watching the manticore room. I lift Elwin up so he can look thru spyhole at end of hallway. A large room. He spots two stone giants leading six chained dwarves. They bang on door, which another giant opens. An evil looking one. One dwarf is fed to a pair of carnivorous apes which rip him apart before eating him. The stone giants lead the remaining five dwarves out a different door and away. Elwin checks out treasure room but we find little real treasure. Back at big room, check out door and passages. See two bugbears and prison cells and another twelve or so bugbears. Kill the two guard bugbears and talk with prisoners. One is a member of the previous adventuring group. Others are Orcs. Free the adventurer.

Decide to take out the giant shaman the two apes. Prep and open the door. Dubious charges in. Brief fight with several heroic blows landed. I find a small concealed cubby hole. Gems and Au. Elwin finds a second with a jug of liquid. I make a deal with the orc prisoners. We will free them if they go out another way. They agree, happy to be able to extract some revenge on the giants. They name us ‘Orc Friends.’ We proceed toward the cistern while looking for the five dwarves and their keepers. We find dwarves. Dubious recognizes one of them as his kin. The dwarves see us. We see one giant. As I try to sneak across t Elwin and Dwarvs, the giants spots me. He shouts a warning to the dwarves to stay put and attacks. We quickly put him down. The dwarves confirm the way out is thru the cistern using the water breathing potion in the large jug Elwin found. We make our escape. We watch the fun from our cave on the valley wall as the Orcs and Giants fight it out. By morning it is obvious the giants have won but the Orcs did extract a price. Two groups of hill giants head out. One toward the west with the cloud giant body. The second toward the south.

Oosana

XP:
Kills - 2800, Story - 800, RP - 200
Action points +2, Rep points +2
Loot:
1087.5Au value each.

Giants

Look over the valley. There is a wide spot in the river channel with a double layered mound in the middle. On top is a walled fort. Watch for a couple of days. Most of the activity is during the day. River water is very cold. Discuss trying to use the river as a way to sneak in but there is little air space and we would need some way to breath underwater. Elwin sneaks up and look things over while I back him up. A lot of noise from inside. At the gates are 8x17ft doors. Thirty foot high walls. Sneak inside. A large area. Two sleeping giants and three doors. Party sounds behind second door. Sneak upstairs to tower. Alarm bell manned by a drowsy giant. Elwin and I discuss. I go back to get Dubious and the rest. When we get back to the gates, Brak casts a silence spell Dubious. Sneak up to the tower. Dubious and Elwin eliminate the alarm guard. We then go back down and kill the two sleeping ones. Cover the bodies with cloaks hanging from the wall. Check out the far door. Elwin uses his mirror. Looks like a hallway. Brak and Dubious push the door open. Elwin says something. Down and turn. Another door, behind which is a armory. A long hallway. Orcs at the end are carrying food and such to the Party Hall. Sneak past. Another door. Elwin hears heavy foot steps. Go back to the Armory and enter. A 2nd door. More weapon racks. Better weapons. Find a great hammer bearing Dubious’s family mark. Go back to door with foot steps. Jian gives Elwin a gaseous form potion just in case. Push door open. Elwin sneaks in. One long hall ending in a kitchen. Door with sleeping ogres. Another larger room with what looks to me to be a Cloud Giant. Decide what to do. First kill the other four sleeping giants. Then move to the Cloud Giant room. Sneak in and surprise him. Short but vicious fight. Jian enfeebles him. Dubious charges in with a good hit. Several of us contribute before he goes down.

Find papers and personal effects. Collect loot. No one seems to have noticed the fight. Cover him with blankets and move back to the entry hall. Check other quiet door. Short hallway. Well appointed room. Sneak in. One sleeping female. Kill her. Search room. Some jewelry items and a lot of coins. Find a large room full of children giants. Bypass it. A smaller room with four female giants primping for the party. Bypass. Door at the end of the hallway. Elwin checks with his mirror. Large hallways. One door leads to the party room. Another might lead to the wolves compound. See what looks like a trophy room. Investigate. Larger room with a fireplace and eight shields on opposite wall. Heraldry from Geoff. One fine shield. Check out adjacent room. Fine room. Find a large gem worth about 1000Au. Jian finds a secret door.

Oosana


(Session halted due to time)

Loot:
“Dutchhaf” Large steel shield +2
“Silverstar” 2 handed hammer.