Banewarrens d20 (Angelsboi's party)

[diaglo]

All good things come to an end

Down, down he fell, his arms flailing around trying to find something, anything to stop his plunge. Maybe it was a silent prayer or plea on his behalf by Bernedette or maybe it was Torm’s blessing. But Bartol was lucky. His gauntlet grabbed a rope, his rope, dangling over the edge. The full force of the halt nearly pulled the grapnel free, not to mention Bartol’s shoulder. But at least he was alive for the meantime. His life’s blood was still flowing freely from the gash the Ogre had delivered.

Thane stepped to Bernedette’s aid. He planted a solid blow on the side of Grekk’s head. Bartol saw Grekk’s threat finally ended. Erik had his hands full. He decapitated one guard, only to find two more taking his place. Bernedette began another summoning. Another fiendish creature answered her first summons. It attacked the Ogre. The guards and the Ogre made short work of the bladeling. With his other axe the Ogre chopped one of the ropes on the bridge. Another figure looked over the edge at Bartol. It was one of the human clerics Jozam had with him back at Peldan’s Helm. He cast a spell calling on the doom of all those not loyal to his deity.

“You owe me 30gp.” Bartol yelled up.

“Crap.” Bartol looked up and saw his rope in line with the Ogre’s axe. He summoned what strength and courage he had left. He let his anger have what was left of his sanity. The idea was to pull the Ogre into the chasm. He swallowed his last potion.

Thane launched another vial of oil at the Ogre. This one unlit. Erik finished another guard. The last guard closed the door and locked it. Three small creatures answered Bernedette. She tried to weaken the Ogre with a spell. Nothing she did seemed to work. Perhaps the human cleric’s god was stronger here. The guards and the Ogre made short work of one of the summoned creatures. Bartol climbed. Too close. The Ogre reached out and struck him.

Thane launched a magical ball of fire at the Ogre. He ignited. Erik fired his bow at the Ogre, but couldn’t penetrate. Bernedette fired a crossbow bolt. The Ogre and the guards dispatched the last of the summoned creatures. Bartol lunged for the Ogre. The Ogre connected and that was the last Bartol knew of the party’s fate.

 

[diaglo]

Don't worry, be Happy

Fear not there is still more to the story.

 

[diaglo]

To the Rescue

Timmay and Alrissian set off from Peldan’s Helm days behind the rest of the party. Timmay had a few new spells in his spell book. And Alrissian had delivered a letter to the elven community before returning for Timmay. With Sabine’s instructions they quickly covered ground. Alrissian’s warhorse was very spirited and had to constantly be reminded to wait for Timmay.

“Do you think we will reach them in time?” Alrissian asked.

“Of course,” Timmay replied, “don’t you worry.”

Three days later, the two travelers stood beside a small funeral pyre.

“Animal remains,” Alrissian said. “I would guess those of a small bear or bear like creature.”

“Wolverine,” Timmay surmised, “I’m guessing. Maybe we should be worried.”

Alrissian took point. They traveled another couple days uneventfully. As they climbed a small hill they discovered signs of battle. The remains of 4 very large wolves and 2 hobgoblins were mostly eaten and ravaged.

“I think we are on the right trail,” Alrissian chortled.

“I hope they saved some fun for us,” Timmay added.

They crossed the stretch between Mug’s Teeth and the party’s ambush hill. It was getting very late.

“Maybe we should set up camp,” Alrissian commented.

“A little bit further,” Timmay piped in. “You lead.”

At the base of the rise they found Bob, Bartol’s horse. Most of his supplies were still on board. Timmay and Alrissian stripped Bob and hobbled their own mounts with him. They gorged themselves on Bartol’s tack. Timmay pocketed 8 sunrods.

“I don’t see the other mounts,” Timmay noticed. “Maybe Bob got loose. Alrissian why don’t you scout ahead.”

The ranger jogged ahead checking the trail. Timmay pulled out his crossbow and loaded it. As they started on the next switchback, they saw the entrance to the Clan hold. Three horses and the rest of the party’s odds and ends were being watched by a hobgoblin, a rather burnt and beat up specimen.

Timmay and Alrissian shot the creature before it could raise its voice. Timmay lit a lantern. It was very dark now. And Alrissian checked out the horses and supplies and looted the corpse.

 

[diaglo]

Dead pussy

“Here have a swig of this,” Alrissian offered a bottle to Timmay.

“Okay,” Timmay thanked him, “I do have a powerful thirst.”

CRRRUUUUNNNCCCHHHHH

“What the?” Alrissian guessed.

Timmay ran silently ahead. As he rounded a corner he saw Amy darting thru a set of broken doors. His lantern light illuminated the doorway. In the light he saw Erik run passed. Alrissian rounded the corner behind Timmay and started to the doorway.

CCCLLLLIIIIICCCCKKKKK

Thane and Bernedette also ran to the now once door. The hobgoblin had closed and locked it.

“NooooOOOooooo,” Bernedette sobbed. “Amy, come back.”

Moments later Bernedette swooned. Alrissian caught her.

“Where’s Bartol?” Timmay asked.

“Gone,” Thane answered. “Maybe dead. We had an awful battle. An Ogre, one of the priests with Jozam, and what is left of the Wolf clan took Bartol and fled.”

“They just tried to seal us inside that room,” Erik said as he pointed back to the other guardroom. “I’m guessing Bartol is dead. But who knows, uh, he is lucky.”

“Dead,” Bernedette wailed. “Amy is dead.”

Alrissian tried to console Bernedette, “Just be thankful they won’t eat your pussy.”

 

[Angelsboi]

Yupp. Amy died trying to save Bartol and it was no such luck.

 

[diaglo]

Filling in the gaps

Thane, Erik and Bernedette filled in the gaps. They told Timmay and Alrissian of the death of K'shar at the hands of the Hill giant, their encounter with the elves, their ambushes on the hill, and the eventual entrance to the Clanhold.

Thane continued the story," Bartol was knocked down by the Ogre. Try and recall the start of this whole thing, Jozam had 2 acolytes, Tweedle dum and Tweedle dumber. One of them grabbed Bartol and dragged him thru that door across the chasm. The Ogre fled with his two guards. But not before we hurt him. He had to drink a potion to restore some of his health before he could finish the task of chopping down the bridge. I restrung one ropes. And Bernedette almost fell trying to cross. Erik went across and recovered a wand and some items from the female hobgoblin spellcaster before returning. We tried to wait it out inside this other guard room. But they didn't give us enough time. With the two of you here now maybe we can regain some spells, restore some of our strength, and free Bartol."

"We found the horses and I have some of the sunrods," Timmay interrupted.

"I'll take those," Bernedette said.

The group figured out watches and setup a new barrier. Erik drank one of Alrissian's potions. Thane also strung another rope across the chasm using his magic. They rested.

 

[diaglo]

A little help...

In the morning, there was new activity. Some time in the night someone had cut the ropes again. Thane quickly went about the task of tieing them back together. Bernedette flung 2 sunrods into the chasm. She wasn't strong enough to get them across. Her third attempt succeeded. Alrissian scampered across. Bernedette tried to follow. Halfway across she ran out of steam. She screamed and held on for dear life. Thane leaned out and grabbed her hand just as she started to slip.

Whether it was the scream or just the movement, two hobgoblin archers appeared at the doorway. They fired a volley of arrows at the nearest party members. Alrissian sent to arrows into one of them. And Timmay tossed some sand up into the air.

"Sleep and bother me no more," Timmay muttered. The last archer slumbered.

Thane pulled Bernedette back up to the second rope. She scooted across. Thane followed. Erik also had a little trouble. He wobbled on the brink of falling but redoubled his effort. He made it. That left only Timmay.

"Uh, Bernedette," Timmay called. "May I borrow your spell book?"

"My book," Bernedette wondered. "Whatever for?"

"Well you do have an Servant spell cast on it, right?" Timmay stated. "I want to use it to help boost me across. I am not a muscle bound gnome. And I would prefer to use my brains and bottom to overcome this obstacle."

"Oh," Bernedette said. "I see. Why, of course. Book, Fetch Timmay."

With the book firmly planted under him, Timmay half rode and half pulled himself across the chasm with the ropes.

Bernedette pulled her Elven crafted longsword. She stepped upto the sleeping hobgoblin.

"This is for Amy." She plunged the sword into the victim's neck.

"So much for questioning the prisoner," Erik chided. "Well, Timmay would have ended up doing the same I guess."

Alrissian, Erik, Thane, Bernedette, and Timmay strode thru the doors into the next part of the Clan hold.

 

[diaglo]

SPOILER ALERT

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This warning is for the party.

Bartol had terrible dreams. He awoke with a start. A strange figure; a dwarf, or what could have been one, was shaking him. The fellow was too thin and bald. He had been shaven, and not in a kind fashion. He had many bumps, bruises, and scrapes.

Another short prisoner, and indeed it was a prison in which Bartol found himself, was nearby. He was much worse off than the dwarf or even Bartol.

“You’re awake,” the dwarf said. “I think you’ll live. At least for a little while longer.”

Bartol examined himself. They had stripped him of everything. And someone had closed his wounds. He was sore from head to toe, not unusual for a night of drinking, but he hadn’t touched a drop. He then remembered the battle.

“Did anyone else survive?” Bartol hurriedly asked.

“Anyone else?” the dwarf replied. “I don’t know. They only brought you.”

Bartol began to worry.

 

[diaglo]

update this Sunday.

a first, i think, in a very long time; the entire group will be there.

Alrissian

Timmay

Erik

Bernedette

Thane

and

Bartol

characters we have lost due to players moving on:

Marcus of Tyr

Valgrim

edit: and Pepto's guest appearance.

although they may have fallen victim to the hobgoblins or the DM may have further use for them as NPCs.

i will only be posting the first part of Sunday's session. i'm hosting a Super Bowl party and have to cut out early. the rest of the die hards are gaming long after i leave. maybe we can convince Angelsboi or Olgar to finish the story hour where i leave.

 

[Angelsboi]

Bernedette will post her prays to Corellion Larthithian if you want =)