2 Arodus

Having made a number of areas in the Keep safer, and having killed at least one animal that we thought might serve as food,  we decided to bring in the Bumblebrashers.  They went to town on the turtle creature.  Helba asked if this meant they had their home back, and we replied no, not yet, but they would eventually.  They all seemed pleased with that answer.

The goblin dogs were not theirs, but they were intrigued by the idea of having mounts.  They said they’d take them under their Bumblebrasher wings.  We mentioned they might have use for the worg puppies and the conversation turned somber.  “Big Bumble” said Helba sadly and the other goblins turned their eyes to the ground. “That did not go as planned.”

Apparently they’d had the same idea in the past, and lured an animal to raise as their pet/mascot.  Unfortunayely, they selected a grizzly bear and, well … it is now kept in one of the rooms downstairs until they can figure out what to do with it.  They feel responsible for it, even though it sounds like it now considers them just food.

I’m not sure we can fix that but we can keep it in mind.

One of our group asked if the secret way in she’d spoke of earlier was goblin sized or human sized.  “Oh, it’s suitable for you big people. We discovered it but we didn’t create it.”  Helba then drew us a crude map of the area beneath the Keep, with some areas clearly marked as dangerous.  (Of course, what’s dangerous for a goblin may not be dangerous to larger people like ourselves.)

Wait, did I just call them people?  All I knew of goblins before were some uncivilized animals with sharp weapons, spilling out of the Chitterwood and trying to lay waste to my home town.  These goblins, well, they speak Common, and they wear normal .. ish .. clothes and at times are actually polite and deferential.  This is so weird.

We asked about the cultists and Helba said they were both big and small.  Some were small ape-like creatures that apparently were intelligent.  Trip later remembered something like “charuka”.  And yes, these big and small people did use weapons, not just claw and bite.

Bored, Trip opened a door. (This could get old fast) It was a library, I think; it definitely had books .. a law library maybe?  It was a hot mess though.  To the north was another library room, but much less disheveled.

Nearby was what seemed to be a prisoner intake, or maybe holding cells before a trial?  Several still had decomposed bodies in them.  A storage cabinet nearby was radiating magic, but as Gath went to inspect the bodies, they unexpectedly rose up and attacked.  I quickly came up with a plan to make them walk thru a kill box, but one hit from the longsword one of the skeletons picked up convinced me that staying to fight would kill me; maybe kill all of us except maybe Alak.  We hastily withdrew from the room and I swallowed a healing potion.

We explored a bit more of the first floor and found what appeared to be a barracks.  Unfortunately, what was nesting there was a bugbear, not any soldiers.  Unlike the skeletons, it thoughtfully died when we returned its attack, and quickly too.  We found some things in the room that might have a minor resale value, and moved on.

At this point we heard a call from outside, and there we found a messenger from the Council.  They brought the good news that the Council will indeed pay us to further cleanse the Keep of illegally residing creatures.

At this point, Helba took us to the secret entrance and showed us how to operate it.  She thern hastily beat a retreat to the now-cleared ground floor.  As we were entering it, Alak was telling us of a legend that the deed for the Keep still resided within, and anyone brave enough and strong enough to gain access to it became the new owner of the Keep.  That is a fun story, but it also sounds like a story children would tell each other before daring them to enter.  If it’s real, I’ll be very surprised.

Anyway, we entered a wide corridor that was easily identifiable on Herba’s map.  But much to our surprise, there were two iridescent birds waiting in the darkness.   They started squawking most unpleasantly. And when our light shone upon them, one of them apparently dazzled both Gath and Alak with their irridescent feathers, and they became confused and disoriented.  Gath tried to shoot me but missed (lucky for him).  Their confusion was fairly brief, and we proceeded.

At the end of the hall lie 3 doors, and Gath quickly listened at each one to hastily triage which we might want to enter first.  One we gently peeked into and there was a doll insisting whoever its current companion was should TAKE IT WITH THEM.  We found this a bit creepy and observed for maybe five minutes before concluding that the last thing we wanted was for this doll to join us.  Gath quietly closed the door.

We quietly checked as many passages and doors as we could. One, we found, was a tomb and the dead rose, again as skeletons, so we voted to leave.  We did learn that by wearing certain Order of the Nail patches,  the skeletons ignored us, so we conjectured that they may simply be protecting the tomb against robbers.  However, even in bones and no flesh, they appeared stronger than us and besides, there was over a dozen, which made staying particularly dangerous.  Something is wrong in that room, but I’m not sure it is anything we can fix (yet).

Behind another door we found two highly annoying kobolds, who insisted they were dragons.  I was ready to slay the “dragons”, but others in the group thought it better to throw them a dead bird as “tribute” and keep them alive.

In another northern room we found two boggards, and although one croaked loud enough to startle Gath, we managed to kill them both without too much difficulty.

The boggards had a “cinder claw” marking on their clothes, but it wasn’t clear if they’d stolen clothing or they belonged to the cult.  Either way, this was the first sign we were getting closer to the cultists.  Perhaps we can make these guys leave now.

1 Arodus

Now duly appointed by the council, the group reconvened outside the council chambers.  Aemi sent her bird ahead to look over the keep, while we went to the bookstore where Calmont is (was?) employed, to see what we could learn there about our little arsonist.  The owner, Voz Lirayne, seemed a little reluctant to talk about her assistant and yet openly disagreeable at the same time.   While the others talked, I went around the shop quietly utilizing detect magic to see how many of these books were more than mundane. It turns out that there were a surprising number, but Voz noticed and took offense at my learning that.  I was quietly unsympathetic; after all, her assistant had clearly used magic and it was not out of line to see if that magic may have come from the store.  In fact, Aemi said as much out loud and suggested if he had an area of his own, we should learn what we can from looking over his space.

Really, while not outright hostile, Ms Lirayne was the most disagreeable citizen we had met.

Liberté suggested in a manner of politely requesting but with overtones of menace that it was not unreasonable for us to see Calmont’s space, and Ms Lirayne unexpectedly agreed.  But in his very small space, the halfling had left only a confused journal or notebook of sorts from which we could only discern he’d concluded he needed to end something and “find the ring”.

After the surprise inspection, Ms Lorayne returned to her frosty tones and suggested we could now move along.

Aemi’s bird had returned and chittered (or sang or spoke or whatever it does) that in addition to the expected dilapidated door at the entrance, there were 4 or 5 places where the walls of the keep had crumbled in disrepair and could also be used to gain entry.  It was suggested that the only people who entered through the front door were those who wanted to get hurt.  After all, that’s where there would normally be a doorman or even a guard who might object to our presence.  I have to admit, I never thought of it that way, but where we are suspecting something is amiss, that does seem like a sound observation.

So we approached an opening on the south wall and after moving a stone here and there, gained entry.

This breach opened into what appeared to be a training room, with dusty training dummies strewn about.  Some of them, we discovered, had a few silver coins in them (for luck).  We collected the luck, since we’d probably be needing it.

Gath found a secret door that led to a secret room that – oops – had a secret pressure plate that shot a secret spear at Gath, secretly making him bleed a bunch of secret blood. Aemi was able to cast cure light wounds to patch him up (surprising, since she’s not a cleric, hmm).  In that secret room we found a lockbox, a silver longsword, and a training manual for Hellknights (as well as a lot of other deteriorating things).  Nobody could open the lockbox, which makes it all the more attractive, of course.  Gath took the sword for now.

Returning to the training room, Gath listened at the western door and behind it, he seemed to hear the sounds of battle and/or talking.  We burst in to find a person dressed as a Hellknight fighting an imp.  We jumped in to help, and Kyira took some poison from its tail but we finished it off.  Then another appeared and the battle was on again.  Liberté called to Gath to use the silver sword, and it seemed to inflict much more damage.  Silver and imps.  Have to remember that.

24 Erastus

I’ve decided that as part of chronicling Nethys’ work here on earth, I should create a record of my adventures and deeds, going forward.

Having arrived in Breachill today, I intend to walk around the city and familiarize myself with some of the people and businesses.  First and foremost, I need to find a place to put up my feet.

The city looks to be about a quarter the size of Logas, so this shouldn’t be too challenging.

26 Erastus

This is a lot more charming town than Saringallow was.  Everyone has been pleasant and helpful.  True, humans make up about 80% of the residents so maybe I shouldn’t read too much into how easy it is to blend, but it is a pleasant change.

There are three pubs in town: the Pickled Ear, Cayden’s Keg. and the Wizard’s Grace.  The first is something of a dive, the second is a near-constant party, and the last is the most genteel of the three … although it is still a pub   Prices seem to match that order too, although even Wizard’s Grace is not outrageous for a person with both gold and silver in their purse.

There are several nice shops and businesses as well.  Considering what I passed through on the way here, I am happily surprised.  Even Rogar and Hemmer would feel welcome here I think.

I still haven’t nailed down exactly what I am to do here, but I’m sure Nethys will not leave me in the dark.

30 Erastus

Ah, the date on the harrow card.  The date when I meet destiny.  The date when I fulfill Nethys’ wishes.

But instead of meeting destiny, today I learned where to meet destiny.  What actually happened today was I learned of the Call to Heroes, which technically happens the 1st of every month, at noon.  It is a call by the city council for “adventurers” to help solve city-level problems.  Given that it happens twelve times a year, I suspect something fairly recent will be brought up (or else previous “heroes” would have resolved it already.)

I’ve no idea what may come up.  Local residents I talked to were vague about past Calls so I’m not sure if this will involve simple manual labor or require specific skills.  I have to believe Nethys wouldn’t send a warpriest to do a wainwright’s job, though.  I did learn that it is traditional to meet at the Wizard’s Grace before the Call for informally meeting with council members and other candidate adventurers.  So, on 1 Arodus, I will start the day at Wizard’s Grace, and then proceed to council chambers to officially accept whatever task they have.

1 Arodus

Well!  No, they did not need a wainwright.  Nor were they looking for me all by my lonesome, either.  But let me explain.

When I got to the Wizard’s Grace, it was already looking busy. I thought several people might well have been “adventurers” but I say that only because their dress made them stand out.  I myself left my armor back in the room but still had my bow, quiver, and sword, so as to better look the part.  There could have been council members there, I don’t know.  I learned names beforehand, but there’s no way I could have tied them to faces.  In fact, one of my goals was to try to do a little of that in the pub before noon.

However, while walking past a patron, I heard him say to his companion, “I was sent, but I don’t know why.”  That definitely caught my ear, and I paused him and said, “Excuse me, but did I hear you say you were sent?”  He looked a little surprised.

“Well, see I -“

“I was sent too, by Nethys,” I interrupted him.  And then I noticed he was holding a card.  A harrow card.  I pulled mine out and held it up.  He stared a moment and then said, “There are others.”

He was not mistaken. We all sat at the same table, and learned little tidbits about each other in that cautious way two travellers might share light anecdotes about themselves during a trip.  But it was certainly a strange mix.  There was

• Aemi, a human musician, armed with no more than an instrument
• Gath, probably a half orc if I guess right, armed
• Kyira, an elf or half elf, I can’t tell them apart, armed
• Marcus, a human who apparently works at the local mill
• Trip, a tobacco-spitting goblin, armed only with bad habits
• Liberté, a, I guess, religious scholar?  Seems like a bookworm but also seemed to be dressed like a priest or cleric.  He was the one who said he didn’t know why he was  here, which sounds like a story waiting to be told more fully.

I’m not sure why Aemi, Trip, or Marcus were interested in the Call, as none of them appeared to be the sort of person who might consider themselves an “adventurer”.

We talked among ourselves, saying little.  Everybody seemed a little guarded because apparently none of them knew the others until this last week.  Certainly I didn’t. And more to the point, as I looked around the pub, there didn’t seem to be any other adventurers – or at least nobody else dressed like one.

The waitress was surprised when not everyone wanted stew – apparently that is also a tradition here.  So many unwritten rules. Most of the table declined, with the hope that any councillors overhearing that would not take offense.  Aemi, in particular, pled poverty and I’m not surprised.  I can’t imagine musicians earning a lot unless they are “discovered” by royalty, or at least by wealthy benefactors.  Actually I wonder if that’s why she was here – trying to earn some coin as an adventurer?

About 15 or 20 minutes before noon, people were beginning to leave to get to the council chambers on time.  We did likewise.  Most of the hallow-card-bearers sat up front, but a couple sat near the back.  The council had just introduced Warbal Bumblebrasher, liaison to the Bumblebrasher goblin clan that lived at the citadel.  She  had started to describe some apparent problem at the citadel (“The Keep“!) regarding unexpected red smoke and lack of communication when the guard burst in from the western door and announced there was fire outside the chambers.  And indeed, behind him through the doorway could be seen flames, and smoke was starting to enter the room.

We and the councillors quickly started to herd the startled citizens out the door they’d entered before they could panic.  But then there was a most impish cackle and a little burning man appeared in the flames. He wasn’t in danger — he was intentionally spreading the flames!

I knew now why I was here.  I quickly pulled an arrow from my quiver, brought it to the bow, and let fly a shot straight and true.

And missed. The wretched firebug was small and fast.

Around me, people were moving other people to the door.  Liberté yelled at the folks in Draconic, which I found odd – was that a common language here?  Smoke was beginning to fill the room, and Aemi was organizing a bucket brigade.  And the cursed little target said in a nasally Common, “Nyah, nyah, you missed me!”

The goblin named Trip said loudly, “Kill it now while it’s asleep,” and gestured in its direction. I looked again and sure enough, now it was lying on the ground as if asleep. Kyira and I both moved towards it, just as a second of these creatures appeared through the north door.  With the one asleep now, I swung and aimed at #2 instead. This time I had a solid hit, although it seemed to only slow it a little.  It might be time to switch to the sword. Hurriedly I dropped my bow and pulled out my sword, moving towards the first fiery bastard, which had apparently already ended its slumber.  I heard Marcus yelling some gibberish.

And then practically in mid cackle, they both faded from view.  I realized they must have been summoned, which saved the building from burning down but left us without the satisfaction of ending their existence personally.  And sure enough, the momentary silence was broken by one of the guards, who blurted out, “It was Calmont!  He made them appear!”

The bucket brigade was starting to prove effective, and without the nasty little animated embers walking around, no more spots were bursting into flame.  It took several minutes, and the thinning smoke still noticeably hung in the air, but finally the council reconvened in the chambers.  The aforenamed Calmont was apparently just an assistant at a local shop …  an odd choice of fire bug.  Did he really do this?

Warbal finished her nervous, stuttering plea for help, and we came to understand that the goblins that lived up the way, in the hideyholes of the old keep, had not been heard from for three weeks now.  There’d been red smoke seen, which Warbal took as a warning, or maybe a distress signal.  In either case, could maybe the council see their way to hire some adventurers to resolve or rescue, as they saw fit?

One of the council observed that while there were several individuals here this day, they seemed to represent one group. (I suppose I can understand why it might seem that way, given how we all leapt to action at roughly the same time!)  There were really two issues to resolve: one was safely retrieving Calmont, and the other was to check out the keep.  To that end, the council would provide

• 50 silver pieces for the help provided just now
• 10gp for resolving the problem at the keep
• 10gp more for dragging Calmont’s sorry butt back here

The councilman almost apologetically added we would each be gifted a potion of giant spider venom, and another of anti-plague, because, well, you know, just in case. That admission certainly suggested they were understating the conditions at the keep.  Call for Victims maybe, eh?  But Nethys had brought me here, so there was really no declining the opportunity.  The group as a whole would also be given 4 healing potions. 

We huddled briefly and decided to retreat to our lodgings to get anything we needed for this mission (like, I definitely wanted my armor!) and return within a half hour.