Tickleberry's continuing adventures or "Killer Kobalds, from Where?"

[Tickleberry]

Back in Business

We have made it to Hartford, put up at Happy Hobbit, and have BOTH members back! Ember and Mender are now comparing notes. I don't know if both or either will be staying with us. Being brought back from the dead is a bit life changing. During this time, Red has come back. He helped us out before at EmpteyKeg. We talked, and he decided to journey with us a while.
The gnome, seeing that his actions were less than appreciated, decided to move on to greener pastures. Billen, however, and continued in the torture business. I'll deal with him in my own time, and in my own fashion. I don't know about the gnome, but the dwarf found the itchy rash most uncomfortable, riding in the sun, in armor. It may have colored his decision.

Upon hearing several interesting rumors regarding thieves turning up with missing left hands, dead town counselmen, and other ondits, I decided it was time to make use of the less savory side of my occupation. It was time to make contact.

A young, very obvious runner, slips me a scroll, telling me to show up at this particularly rough dwarven bar. I show, and am approached by an obviously disguised gentleman. I'll be watching to see who he really is. He calls himself Tucker. In his line of work, even a birth name becomes just another alias after a while.

Now get this: in the middle of our conversation, I am asked about a necromancer halfling. He can't remember the name. A ghost had showed up here calling this name he can't remember. Billen takes this moment to make his move. "Tickleberry! There you are!
Why don't you introduce me to your friend?"
Another idiot, who goes by Ibn, shoves in. "You mean YOU'RE the
famous widow Tickleberry?!" Now, I'll make allowances for a newbie, especially one as deficient as he must be, but REALLY! The help was unappreciated. It also scared off the contact.

Another scroll is delivered by another obvious runner. Huh, the guild must really be on hard times. It's to take place at this very fancy, very expensive restaurant. Hey, I'm always up for a free meal. Besides, I make Ibn pay for some of the rigging. He scotched the first, he pays for the second. He is also going to play coachman. Red kindly pays for the rest of the rigging.

Okay, imagine a pretty young halfling girl, not out of her thirties yet, curly red hair, bright green eyes, and dressed to kill. I make quite a vision, when I clean up.

We have a rented rig, not as grand as one's own, but it will do. Ibn is slow getting down to let us out. Billen, very impressive in his role as body guard, hands me down properly. The majordomo does his best to impress (his snobbery, anyway). I do a credible snob when need be.

"Tickleberry Brandybuck, I do believe I'm expected?"

"This way, M'dame." I'm shown to a fairly impressive table, close to the fire, and bards, who are particularly familiar, but I don't dare show it. It would give me away, and it would give them away, which wouldn't be good.

"M'dame care for wine, while she waits?"

"Hmm, your best, day wine, if you please."

"Of course M'dame."

Their wine ain't bad, not bad a'tall. However, I will pay for it, I'm sure.

After keeping me waiting entirely too long, Tucker shows. He now believes me to be a necromancer on top of everything else. I am to buy my way in. I'm to produce two rings of invisibility, or a carpet of flying, expansion into the mining town, or kill off my hostess. Like I'd get rid of her! It seems by staying there, my reputation has also garnered some awe, like how I managed it in the first place. Like I'd tell them (like I knew there was anything to it? Hmmm.). At first he gave me the impression I was to turn up with all of them. Ha! It would be easier to take out the guild all together. Then he explains that, if I want in, I 'd produce one of the things asked. That's a little more reasonable.

Now, during all this double talk (No, really, my reputation is much exaggerated, I murmur), the bards (Red and Celwyn), decide to try and fascinate one of the patrons into tipping generously. They do this, because they are being shook down (so much to house, so much to the majordomo, etc). A butler is asked to call Celwyn over, Celwyn notices this guy has THREE wands in his belt. He is gently advised he'd better stick to normal fare, and leave the magic to the mages. Duly chastised, Celwyn takes the gold, pays off the others, and goes back to normal music.

While he's talking to his gentle advisor, a pretty maid slips a scroll to Red. He has a date after the meeting with her. She fills him in on the contradicting policies around this guild affair.

What to do, what to do?


Player aside, this game has been on hiatus for a long time, and we may be going to an every other week scenario. I'm hoping for a lightening strike, and a weekly meeting. Hey, miracles happen.

 

[jasper]

tucker speaks

Greetings fellow tavern members.
I have heard rumors for a couple months about a freelancer staying at the Happy Hobbit. A nice looking piece of Halfling flesh called Tickle berry. However due to being in mourning for the head of our home shopping club Harry of Underhill, I did not check it out. So I ask one of the junior members to drop her an invitation.

The situation has been going down hill since the first of August. The town guards have been cashing in and refunding the memberships of some of the junior and younger members of our club. Now my contacts with the town guard lead me to believe this is a high level conspiracy.

First let me describe Hartsford. It is a small town with a population of just over 6000. Most of people are humans with us halflings making up about twenty percent of population. The town has five districts. High town, which is up on hilly side of town. Templeton is the center where most of major temples are. Also it is the only district with walls. It was the original part of town but we out grew it. However it does make a good fall back position during bad times. The west side of town is called dockside. The east side of town is Sunset. This where most people live and it is the most scattered. And the rest of town is called Half Town. Half town covers most of the south side from the river till it merges with Sunset. Just outside of town are the temples of Obad-Hai and Ehlonna.

The mayor and nine other council members run the town. I know the mayor is chosen from the council but I don’t follow the coming and goings of the council so how it runs I don’t know.

Most of the judging is done by Judge Rory Bean hill. He is not much of problem to our shopping club. But occasionally when Cleo of Beerhouse is sitting in, some of our members have been treated to a vacation. Uppity innkeeper clerics are a bother.

I generally meet new prospective members at the Drunken Dwarf. Most of guys know me since I tip generously. And the town guards know it is a rough place so they don’t crash the brawls too frequently. Most of the regulars keep to the regular punch up but will scream for the guards if swords come out. I arrive on time. Tickle berry and one of her friends are sitting at table. I slide up and start talking about the benefits of joining the home discount shopping club. When one of her bodyguards drops into the conversation and let drops she was the necromancer who cursed that poor teenager Charlie. Turn him into a ghost. Right away I am nervous. I notice the bard she hangs out with is across the way providing entertainment. Also I know he will provide fair witness if a punch starts.
Just as I about to continue about the advantages to the shopping club, another minion drops into the conversation. I was forced to break off the meeting and reschedule.
Hey being out numbered is not my thing plus the fact she is practicing the dark arts.
So I leave and check her out.

Since the four or five months of her first arrival in town, a magic sword was chasing her. She and her band were responsible for cleaning out the forge of fury taking out a huge black dragon in the process.
A really weird magic rapier with the soul of a person named Darryl has seen with her companion who goes by the name of Floppy. Who heard of an elf with ears whose points are half feet above his head? Must have been one of her early experiments.
Her group has killed George of Beer House a cleric who was toasted at the forge.
Ralph the Rotten of Beer House a former member of the shopping club according to the rolls.
Larry who owns a fighting school took his trainees with her to Briniford. Only Larry returned with her.
Now most people would say these were accidents but I don’t know. That ghost had people shook up. And her bard was carrying a moldy thumb around his neck to recently.

The Beer House family has been in the inn business for over a hundred years. Steward a retired paladin is the current owner and he married Cleo. Now he owns 3 inns, one in Empty keg, one in Briniford and the one in town. The good thing about Steward is he dislikes tall folk. Only the first four tables in the inn are set up for dwarves, elves and humans. The bad thing is will detect evil on his customers in a heartbeat. When he starts sniffing through that huge nose of his he smelling out evil. Most of time he just asks the patron to leave. However some not so nice folk have been given the long vacation. So I generally stay away.

The next morning I send a junior member with invitation to meet for coffee at Macy’s the second most expensive restaurant inn in town. I thought this at least eliminate some of her force. I arrive on time and find a good look out place.

She has arrived in rented coach. I nearly missed the dwarf minion but he was slow getting down and opening the door. He drives around back and I wait. After about twenty minutes I present my self to the door and shown the table. She wearing brand new clothes and so is her bodyguard. I glad Macy’s restricts the number of protectors one can bring in. I start discussing the various services and signs of good neighbors.

That when I notice the bard and his light finger flutiest. I know Macy’s hire spot entertainers occasionally but I amazed she was able to move so quickly. I also know the poor smucks are going lose sixty to seventy percent of the tips to house.

We talk the buying in options.
A ring or two of invisibility.
A carpet of flying.
Checking out the new mining town for expansion purposes.

And finally to see if she reacts, I dropped that Cleo of Beerhouse were to have an accident; the home shopping club would breath a little easier. She agrees to think on.

I leave her and retreat. Yes I know I left her to pay the bill but if she can outfit her minions well enough to get into Macy’s in under twenty four hours, she can afford it.

 

[Argent Silvermage]

Hey People! Where's the story hour?

 

[jasper]

YOU MAY CALL ME MR. FRED!

You delicious lunch able you.

Tickle burr Hair foot mention me a few posts ago. Her and her busy bodies muscled in on my nice harmless startup business venture. I just want to open a nice gourmet chain of restaurants, which would serve elves, dwarfs, halflings, humans and even gnomes for a night of fine dining.

But Killwind, Tickle foot, and gang decide to crash and destroy my hard earned company. After destroying my business associates and burning down a temple or two, they attack me in my friend’s home randomly killing some of servants. After a quick and legal defense Killwind and me stepped out for a business lunch.
He blew me off and went elsewhere.

Now here I on Abyss with no one to talk to and my hopes of being a worldwide restaurateur have been dashed. But I did learn some things. One people hate just because you are different. Second brainpower is great but not much help when you are being mugged. So I took some classes and learn how to use a rapier and scratch that spell-casting itch I had.

I then tried to make contact with Kill wind, the nerve of that boy attack me again for no reason. But he nearly peed in his pants when I whipped out my rapier and was beating him on points before he broke the connection. The next night I tried contacting Tickle wolf, she hung up on me. The nerve they destroyed my business and wouldn’t return my calls.

The final straw was last night when talking with Kill wind, the boy summons a gold dragon who wants to turn me into toe jam. The nerve. Well no more Mr. Nice Guy. The kids gloves are off and this means war!

 

[jasper]

spooky voice

Spooky voice speaks.

I was sleeping peacefully until I hear these noises. Adventurers! Again! I giggle as the halfling tells the human plate guy to look out. Crash! Bang! Clatter! Fighter falls into the trap. I also hear some choking in the background. They found the dust of sneezing. Ha! Ha! Goldie would be please.
Just after they haul the fighter out of the pit, the gremlins attack. Stupid gremlins. The party takes out two in seconds. The other two beat feet and slide across the chasm. The fighter and halfling run smack dab into the fishhook trap as they give chase. Boy does the halfling have a mouth on her.

The party wizard reminds them they have a few minutes left on his fly spell. So they anchor two ropes and fly across paying out rope as the go. Then they start hammering at the walls and blocking the gremlins spider trap and one of my side tunnels. Goldie is not going to be happy with their redecorating. They get to the door with its riddle. And halfling starts humming to herself and feeling up and down the wall. Oh, she’s a thief. Goldie will deal with her. She spends a half hour or so on the door before the bard “Cut Wind” announces he has solved the clue and dials in the code. The door opens.

The party freaks when Rusty and Rosy come out to play. The fighter panics and flees the dungeon. Almost! He forgot one small thing. The chasm. One small step for man. One giant splash for mankind. Ha! Ha! Ha! He belly flops into the water at the bottom of the chasm. Tickle berry tumbles pass Rusty and Rosy. Then starts plugging them with her bow. One of spell casters casts levitate on both of them and the party starts playing baseball with Goldie’s monsters. Well they hack the poor creatures up. The good thing I don’t have to feed them any more. The bad thing Goldie is going to make them pay for the damages.

I look down at the water and notice the bubbles are fewer. Well the party remembers the splash and comes to investigate. They are starting to climb down when the fighter bobs up to surface with one sword between his teeth. And he is screaming about his plate armour being at the bottom of lake. I wonder if he will scream when the creature at the bottom of lake comes up to introduce himself.

You know he screams very well. Now at the top of chasm we have a mixture of hobbits, elves and half elf. At the bottom we have nearly nakkin fighter who can’t see because it dark down there. And the halflings torches don’t reach enough to be able see. I think Cut Wind suggests dropping the bodies of Rosy and Rusty down on top of the fighter and creature. The fighter vetoes this most adamantly! He gets lucky and kills the creature. There goes play time, now I have no one to throw rocks at. The priest casts a spell and retrieves the plate armour.

The party continues to the trapped hallway. Show time. I disguise my voice and tell them rules. Most of party trips a couple of traps before making across. They wait to recover. Then hop skip and jump the stairs missing all the nice traps. Rats. I must tell Goldie to upgrade.

The halfling jumps out of her skin when the door speaks to her. She flubs the password and its Kill win to the rescue. They get into the first grand hall and halfling starts drooling over the treasure in the mirror. They did not fall for the three traps and activate the mirror.

As they get into the treasure room the mage, naked priest, and wet fighter rush to the spell books. Kill win is shuffling through the knee-deep treasure pile and drooling. Goldie’s last surprise is activated. Pshaw! They took out with no damage. I’m going have to talk to the old girl when I see her next. They loot the treasure room.

Since they have won the treasure and Goldie still hasn’t returned. I guess I will leave her a note. Then follow this party. They have to be more interesting than the gremlins. And I wanted to check out the noises from the valley.

 

[jasper]

dm notes

Well it is Sept 7, 10,017. The party is in Goldie's valley. So are a couple of hundred miners. It appears that gold was discover here and it turning into a boon town.
The party arrive with convoy of a super secret wagon, a bunch of dancer hall girls, and lots of supplies. All the miners are afraid of the cliffside with the dungeon.

I hope the players will place their notes here soon.

Mr. Fred did not put in appearance during the night. But he still out there.

More after the next game.

 

[Tickleberry]

Once again connected to the great net.


Well, now that the magic is back, I can let everyone know what's what. Yee haaaa! Mr. Fred annoyed us for a couple of nights, that's true. Annoyed us bad enough to make the bard's puncture wounds bleed. Luckily, we now have a REAL wizard. A post hypnotic suggestion cleared Mr. Fred out quick enough.

On the way down, there were some closely guarded wagons. A little judicious snooping (so judicious that we didn't get clobbered) turned up tantalizing clues. The dancing girls, if you can believe it, were in the most heavily guarded. Some type of giants were in the others. I suspected dancing girls on the way down, but it wasn't born out until they were dropped off. The giants? Ummm, remember, wizard I ain't, and I think it would take Elminster to solve that particular knot.

We set up outside the boom town. They thought entirely too much of their little town by the prices they were charging. We set up in the part of the valley that still had some trees in it. Turns out we were camping on Goldie's doorstep.
Strange things kept happening to people who entered her cave.
Stories abound of naked adventurers who didn't know what had happened to put them there. The last memory is consistently that of them entering. Of course we had to investigate.

Well, we entered, and the burly fighter found the first trap. We laughed at him, and then pulled him out. I started checking traps fairly often, though. Gremlins are much sneakier than you might expect. Unfortunately, I had a big burly fighter to deal with. He would not stay back. Thanks to him, I got a face full of fish hooks. Darned Fighter. If he didn't make such a handy shield, I 'd kick him in the shins. I might anyway.

We finally got past all the gremlins' folderol, and found, RUST MONSTERS. They sent Burly flying. Literally. Then he remembered he didn't have wings. As the mouthy python's saying goes "Notice how he doesn't fly so much as plummet."

Right, gotta kill the monsters, and then fish him out (if there is anything to fish out). I decide to tumble right on through them, and shoot them full of holes from behind. Worked beautifully right up to the mage batting them back at me. As long as the things stayed levitated, I was alright. Heaven help my short self (2'9") if they fell.

We peeked over the edge of the chasm we crossed, and saw naked fighter floating, with company. I'm not sure what that thing was, but Burly took care of it, and then we had to take care of him. Whatever it was chewed him up to a fair thee well.

The Bard was a pure blessing on this trip. A couple of the riddle solvings were all his doing. However, I solved the first one. Quite simple really, especially since I use a bow. Clues to finding the word draw and ward were used as a riddle. Then there were these dials with letters on them. Turn the dials, spell the word. Door opens, rust monsters come out. Kill rust monsters, and continue through their room.

The strangest trap I ever encountered happened next. I still don't know how it was set up. Paralysis spells that reset, and to avoid them, a voice tells you how many are near the spot you occupy. (player note: minesweeper as a trap! EEEEEEK!) What a bunch of help. The priest called in a couple of ethereal badgers to help, they fried right off. Fried so badly, they left. so the priest, bard, and fighter decided to play hopscotch with a vengeance. At one point I had to help search them out. I was verrry lucky. I was also smart. Before I let anyone play, I handed out chalk to mark the safe path, and before I offered myself up as a guinea pig, I fished the frozen ones out. I think the only one to survive unscathed was the wizard. I don't think he played.

The next two were a little trickier. There were the stairs, with a riddle on them. The bard solved it so quick my head spun. Then there was the door to the magic chamber. Pa's gauntlet, Pa's shield, and Pa's sword. Riiiight. Bard knew that the sword's name had to be the clue. However. My sneaky little hobbit brain figured that is wasn't lets laughter, but let slaughter. I did that. Okay, get into the room

A mirror with two skeletal stone statues. HHMMMMMMMMM, can we say, TRAPPED? So, search for others, besides the obvious. Riiiight. Approach, look in mirror, and see gold and jewels. (Player's note: I try to play my halfling thieves as adventuresome, not greedy. DM disagrees, or maybe there was supposed to be soooo much, it even affects those not in it strictly for the treasure. Anyway, I failed my save, so it had to be explained SOMEHOW) lots of gold and jewels. So many, I'm nearly drowning in them. I'm not really, but in the mirror...... Oh well, what's that inscription? T I R I A I N I S I P I O I R I T I U I S
Oh, transport us. Only way left to go is through, so we gather, and go.
There's the Gold! Wow, why is it moving? Uh oh. It is a golem, but the Bard has to check. It swipes at him, even as he speaks to it. Time to kill it. I leap up behind its head, but that does no good, no soft spot. The mage yells "Move" so I move, and one lightening bolt later, we're gathering pennies from heaven, and silver, and gold.

 

[Dungannon]

Interesting story so far. When can we expect the next installment? Side note, I like the fact that you have certain situations told by multiple points of view (player on one post, DM on another). It was confusing, especially at first, but once I got used to it I started to enjoy the contrast.

 

[jasper]

DM speaking

real life kill Friday's game and next weekend is my anniveresy so if I game I will be posting as a spirit.
So Either after Oct 25 or first of November.
I am trying to get the other players to post their characters POV.
For a sum up of enemies
Mr. Fred. A mind flayer from speaker in the dreams module who has been modified.
The Killer Kobolds. However they lost their leader and mage.

Neutral
Thieves Guild of Hartsford.
Spooky (I ain't telling)
Thieves Guild of Brinford


Allies
The beerhause halflings. Just the parents since their kids had died adventuring with party.
Town of Brinford since the party save the town.

 

[jasper]

spook speaks

the following takes place between Sept 19, 10,017 and Sept 24, 10,017 in not so real time.


Well, I was following the party that just raided Goldie’s Lair. Now the old girl has not been around for twenty years so it has been boring keep people out. Kill win and Tickle berry start breaking down the camp. Ackmed keeps a watch out and notices a Paladin walking up. How do I know he Paladin? He does not have mud all over his pearly whites.

Bucky the Wonder Paladin is amazed that Goldie is a dragon. By Thor he was sore, that his superiors did NOT tell this. His quest is to find out what happen to the old girl. I wish she reported in. Or least send a Christmas card. Or remember my birthday.

Camp is broke and paladin is not happy about attending the annual biweekly fights. The party settles down on the front row. To our left is Garfield, Garflan Mac Duff, and a dwarf who thinks soap is for dopes. To our right. Oh oh ah laa that man looks fine! Joe a simple fighter with the most gorgeous eyes and a cute butt.

The fight starts and Garflan choose the curtain. Out comes a local hero, who is a dwarf, and they start trading axe blows. Garflan wins his match.

Pride goes before a fall. Bucky the Wonder Paladin decides he will go next. Bucky should have wondered why they waived the burial fee when he chose the box. He later commented he did not have a choice. The choices were the box and the curtain. He did not let the announcer even get to the second choice. Bets were laid against. Oh the rule for fights was begining and stop at the gong. In case of the box once the fight began last thing standing. NOTE THE HOST SAID LAST THING. Thor’s paladins are awfully slow. They bring more crossbow men down to the first rows. Some mages and clerics also move down. And what was in the box?

A Minotaur!

Bucky is knocked across the arena in the first charge. He wasn’t killed; he must of eaten his Purple Paladin Prune Crunchies that morning. A lot of mayhem happens and just as Bucky is about to become Minotaur Mush. Bucky sinks up to his chin in the mud. The Minotaur misses him does a bootleggers turn off one of poles and starts his charge again. The Minotaur also disappears into the muck of the arena. Then the north side stands disappear. Then the east side stands starts sinking. The party, Joe, and the dwarf team up immediately and save the wonder boy. They escape as No Name City sinks into the mud and most falls in the little stream in the valley.

So a mass exodus is heading for Hartsford. On the way to Hartsford, Tickle berry starts making eyes at Joe. So I leave her a couple of presents.

Speaking of presents one night during her watch, she gets smack with a one-inch ruby carved like the Maltese Falcon. It has the initials “GT” and note I could not read!

We arrive at Hartsford and all pile into one room. Tickle berry has business with the local mob. I don’t know how it went down. But last night I found out that Joe’s has nice lips.