SESSION 33: DAY 14 – BURG
LIECHENSTEIN TO CRAGMAW CAVES
Per agrees that to confront a dragon whilst the group is
still relatively inexperienced would be foolish. He is happy to bide his time
until he and the others have gained more levels. In the meantime, he would like
to spend a bit of time honing his combat skills, perhaps by training with the
town guard if that is permitted.
Talmark claps Per on the shoulder "Per, my friend, I
have found the burg's knights to be somewhat reticent in sparing with new
comers, though they do occasionally indulge. If you can find no partner I would
be happy to train with you.”
“I’d be honoured” Per responds.
"As for a next target”, Talmark adds, “We have already
clashed with the hobgoblins, and they can be a tough bunch. Orcs will be much
more difficult. As I recall, the two species hate each other, so perhaps we can
enlist the hobgoblins help? They did try to talk first both times we
encountered them.
Though, since we butchered the last four and took their ears
they may be less willing to converse...
I'd be willing to take on the gnolls before the orcs if we
have no help from the other denizens of the caves. I doubt anyone has any love
for them, and their hides may fetch a bounty as well, from those with no
aversion to having rugs made from 'intelligent' creatures!”
The mighty warrior turns to Kord and asks, "Say, Kord,
when you say, 'manage a gang', would that be us or do you suppose we should
capture some slaves? Perhaps we should have kept some of those goblins alive
after all!"
Kord responds, "Talmark, I meant that I could manage a
small team of men from the Burg or some artisans that we hire to help. Perhaps
some local labour that I could instruct. We should be able to build a much
stronger structure with a little time and investment in raw materials."
Kord’s head rocks back as he reflects on keeping some of the
goblins alive. "Those dead goblins have already served us. Giving us their
ears for reward, weapons for loot and lives for experience. I'm sure that they
might yet again serve us."
After reflecting for a while Kord returns to the subject of
the Caves of Chaos and Talmarks remark about the gnolls. "Perhaps you are
right. Gnolls are filthy beasts, more animal than humanoid. They are pack
hunters as well. Very dangerous in open ground and they cannot be bargained
with. I support the idea of an attack on them."
Thinking of the task of defeating a group of gnolls Talmark
adds, "Another thought: fire. Being furred, I would bet that, like most
creatures, gnolls would be massively afraid of fire. Perhaps some breakable
flasks of oil that could be lit might come in handy as area denial or even
missile weapons. Flaming arrows too. Hmm, where is a no-good-untrustworthy
Flame-Seer when you want one..."
Lucien weights into the conversation, “A lit flask of oil,
while cheap, is also rather undependable on its own. Burning Hands, Spark,
other fire-spells, Alchemist's Fire and bombs, will cause an eruption in flames
every time on a doused opponent - tossing oil soon before or after such
eruption extends the conflagration, definitely a tactic to give weight to.
I vote we tackle the gnolls as well. I also vote we cash in
the other loot, I've been working out the crafting costs for what I am thinking
the party could use (party funds, so to speak) and we need gold.
I am thinking 4 lots of Cure Light Wounds potions (over and
above what I make for private use) and Kord crafting 4 more Cure Light Wound scrolls
(using party funds since it is for the party) so we have some staying power.
That is 200gp in just party funds we need for those eight
things, if someone wants to buy upgraded weapons/armor... well, we NEED to sell
the other loot”.
Talmark agrees, “At some point I’d like to upgrade my
armour. Being in the front line, this armour is already showing signs of being
damaged”.
Malandir has been considering the conversation carefully and
adds, “The hobgoblins may not be certain that we killed the goblins ...
although of course they have seen us once in the goblin caves, seen the
slaughter we did there, and then lost a group of their own warriors in the
goblin caves so will probably make the assumption it was us.
Either way, they are weakened by their losses, but will be
on guard and wary, so perhaps it is right to find another fight with an enemy who
is not prepared for us, let the vigilance of the hobgoblins wane over days of
inactivity. I feel on the cusp of discovering new talents, but I need the
opportunity to practice my skills further to hone my emerging abilities.
Getting out into the wilderness and killing goblinoids sounds like the perfect
environment in which I, indeed we, may develop. I’m eager to quit the Burg and
go killing once more.”
The party are agreed to sell their remaining loot and to go
back to the Caves. They set out to see if the vendor in Valor Trading will take
the statutte, silver cup and tapestry for a fair price.
Leaving the tavern they pass Randel’s Well, a few residences
and the Bright Horizon Bank before coming to the large double doors of Valor
Trading. As they enter they see that it deals in all manner of armour, weapons
and large quantities of goods such as salt, spices, cloth, rare woods etc. A
half elf, Dearg, sits behind a large table. He is busily working through a log book
and has two younger half elves, probably his sons, running around the shop
shouting out quantities of various goods back to him. As he hears the party
enter the trading hall he looks up and exclaims, “Well look at these girly,
lily-livered tunnel worms my sons.” Straightening up he turns and addresses the
party, “Err what can I do for you good sirs?”
Lucien opens the negotiations and asks about selling the
three valuable items. Dearg considers each of the items in turn and offers to
buy them for 765gp (ie 75% of their true value) or, if they’d like, to take
store credit of 1,020gp (ie 100% of their true value).
Lucien stares at the half elf for a minute and considers the
offer. He is wondering if the half elf is trying collect a high profit or if he
is being honest. Using Sense Motive (skill + 10) he rolls a 15 = 25 against a
motive roll of 0 bluff skill + 12 roll = 12. Dearg isn’t bluffing or trying to
be dishonest. He is operating a trading hall and provision house in a remote
area and this is his normal profit margin to trade for rare goods as it’ll take
him a while to move them on. If the party had been in a bigger city the profit
margin would be less (ie they would get closer to 100% of the total value).
Lucien asks about the goods that Dearg stocks and if he is
able to modify them at all. Dearg responds in the negative. All he does is to
buy and sell. If they need specialist goods that he doesn’t have then he can
get them for them but apart from that they’d be better off seeing Berowalt at
the Minotaur Blacksmithery.
Dearg does add though that he is very keen on procuring any
furs that the party would come across and would pay full clip for them (100% of
value). “What about the firs of a gnolls?” Malandir asks.
“Ohh yes” Dearg responds. He looks up a little journal and
adds “I’d pay 10gp for a male and 5gp for a female pelt. More perhaps if a
particularly nice pelt came in.” DM’s
note to party – this would be on top of the normal 10gp bounty for combatant
monster ears. I might just also add that I didn’t DM fiat that Dearg would be
interested in pelts, this was party of the random table economic system that I
use. Better lucky than good.
Lucien confers briefly with the party and they agree that
it’ll be better to have the gold rather than store credit and they sell the
loot for 765gp and distribute it evenly amongst Lucien, Kord, Talmark and
Malandir.
Talmark notes that he now has a little over 300gp but that
probably isn’t enough to buy a new set of master worked armour. Kord notes the
same. He had been wanting to get a master worked heavy mace but if he did he
wouldn’t be able to contribute to developing more scrolls and potions as per
the parties recent conversations.
Updated NPC register below.
Updated character wealth register below.
Current consumables register below.
They decide to get moving. They need to generate some more
wealth and Malandir and Per need to gain more experience.
As they leave the Burg they fall into formation. Talmark and
Per lead the way, talking tactics, offensive moves and defensive counter moves.
They are followed by Lucien and Kord who discuss politics and theological
matters. Malandir is in the middle and the three men at arms bring up the rear.
They plan to go to Cragmaw Caves to make their final
preparations before going to the Caves of Chaos.
A few hours into their journey they hear some growls.
The lions, with their high perception, have automatically
detected the party (ie I didn’t roll a 1 on a d20).
The party rolls for surprise and get 12 + 6 for Malandir’s
Perception = 18 against a DC of 0 (to notice a visible creature) + 8 (+1 for
every 10ft away) = 8. Malandir stops dead and, mouth agape, points out two
massive lions, a male and a female, feasting upon some poor unfortunate
creatures upon the side of the road.
The
beasts stare at the party and set to attack.
Lion initiative: Roll 16 + 7 = 23
Party initiative: Roll 18 + 0 = 18.
ROUND 1A
·
The female lion is 80ft away and can charge
either Per or Talmark. She charges 1-3 Per, 4-6 Talmark, roll d6 = 3 = Per. As
she charges, Per gets an Attack of Opportunity with his reach weapon. He stabs
at the beast as it moves in on him and hits it in the face with the deadly
glaive for 17pts of damage. The massive blow would have easily felled a normal
man but Per is horrified as the beast keeps advancing upon him. It opens its
jaws to bit him and immediately grabs the fighter on the right shoulder and
delivers 6pts of damage. It then goes to strike at him with its front claws and
hits him twice, once in the right shoulder and the second blow to the right
leg. He is dealt 6pts and 6pts of damage respectively from the blows. Per
slumps to the ground and begins to bleed out. The lion roars and begins to salivate
at the thought of fresh blood.
·
The second lion is too far away to charge
Talmark and it double moves up to get ready for next round.
DEW
