Endur's Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil

[Endur]

Round 7

28: Neshi (ghoul fever, -21)
23: Belaver (-10) moves and tries to calm the horses in wagon #1 (8+)
18: Kerwyn (ghoul fever, -12) shoots his crossbow at Festrath and hits (20+/12+5-1 bane -10 range = does not confirm, dmg 1)
13: Elmo Wolfman continues to run in a straight line towards Hommlet
12: Lenya (-2 str, -15)
12: Goatee (-38) does not stabilize. Armored warrior (-8, -10 con) does not stabilize. Orc warrior (-22) does not stabilize. Vesta hides in the back of wagon #2. Female cultist (-16) does not stabilize. Festrath crosses the ridgeline towards the Moathouse and can no longer be seen by the PCs. Horses in wagon #1 are panicking and no longer blind, so they are slowly pulling the wagon away from the combat and blood. Horses in wagon #2 are panicking and are slowly pulling the wagon away from the melee combat.
10: Toriah (ghoul fever) shoots his crossbow at Elmo Wolfman and misses (12+5-1 bane -12 range= 4, miss)
9: Raner (-34)
8: Black Cat (-3, ghoul fever) climbs down out of the tree.
4: Lylamwyn (not wounded anymore) climbs into out of control wagon #1 and attempts to stabilize Goatee (heal check 12+0=12 failed)
1: Craven (-17) runs towards out of control wagon #2

Festrath and Elmo Wolfman are about 500' from the fight.

 

[Endur]

Aftermath

The party manages to get both wagons under control.

Lylamwyn manages to stablize and stop the bleeding of the warrior with the black goatee, but the man dies of snake venom a few seconds later. The other man in the first wagon also dies of snake venom.

The female cultist still lives, but barely (-9). The Half-Orc warrior is dead.

Craven does not find Vesta in the back of the second wagon. He does, however, find Old Del stuffed into a bag. His bones had been broken in many places and he looked like he had been tortured to death.

Elmo, Vesta, and Festrath got away. From the minimal pursuit you did, you saw Festrath (with hands still tied behind his back) heading back to the Moathouse via Spugnoir's secret passage. Elmo was clearly heading towards town at a fast pace. You have no idea where Vesta went.

In wagon #1, you found a locked trunk. Kerwyn finds more magical writing around the lock of this trunk.

Equipment from the cultists
Female Cultist
Half Plate
large wooden shield
masterwork morning star
Scroll of Protection from Energy (fire)
3 Scrolls of Cure Light Wounds
1 Magical Necklace (minor magic)
evil cultist unholy symbol

Slain Warrior
Breastplate
Masterwork Bastard Sword
Large wooden shield
Mighty Composite Longbow (str 14)
18 arrows
3 potions of Cure Light Wounds

Slain Goatee
Another moderate magical ball that looks ideal for throwing
another magical brooch (minor magic)
Evil Cultist unholy Symbol
dagger
Heavy Crossbow
masterwork breastplate

Slain Orc Warrior
Masterwork Full Plate
Masterwork Great Axe
Mighty Composite Long Bow (str 16)
2 potions of cure light wounds

(and two wagons and four draft horses)

 

[Xael]

Lylamwyn curses slightly when the Goatee-man dies, but is happy that at least the female cultist is still alive. "Right, we should load everything on the wagons and start heading towards the Hommlet as fast as we can. I don't know why "Elmo" was heading that way, but I doubt it means anything good for us. We can look into the trunk later, and Festrath hopefully doesn't to anything stupid like opening the portal."

*Yeah, right.*

 

[Pyrex]

Raner, -34hp (of 40)

"We should definately be getting back to town, but we're in no condition to tangle with Elmo if he's lookin for a fight."

After stripping them of their goods Raner tosses the bodies (the cultists, Spuignoir and Redithdoor) into the back of one of the wagons clearly happy at not having to walk back to Homlett after being thrashed by the orc.

 

[Thanee]

Lenya

Once the fighting opponents were down, Lenya pondered for a moment to pursuit Festrath, who was still in sight by then, but she decided against it, being heavily wounded like the rest of her companions, they needed to stay togehter now, should any of the fugitives decide to ambush them once again.

“Lets head back... I'm fearing the worst. Vesta was one of them, as well, but I doubt that this was really Vesta, she was always nice to me, and she had some illusion majicks on her, which could easily provide some sort of disguise. Can we follow her tracks?”

 

[Endur]

Using Spugnoir's glasses, Kerwyn can point out the tracks of Festrath and Elmo. Kerwyn does not show you any tracks for Vesta.

 

[Endur]

The party makes it back to Hommlet without further incidents, arriving around 4pm.

Nobody seems to pay any special attention to your return.

Where are you going and who are you going to see and are you going in a group or alone?

Possible destinations:

The Inn of the Welcome Wench (Food, Drink, and a return to labor for Craven, Lenya, Kerwyn, and poor Redithidoor)

Terrigans (Food, Drink, and a return to labor for Toriah)

The Church of St. Cuthbert (and a possible report by Craven or prayers by others)

The Grove of the Old Faith (prayers and a return to work for Belaver)

The Temples of Ehlonna and Pelor (for those who wish to pray)

The Old Trading Post (to convert loot into cash or to say hello to Belaver's Uncle Joman or to investigate Joman for Zerosh)

The Stables (selling wagons and horses? or just stabling the horses until your next trip out of town?)

The Smithy (for armor and weapons, Craven & Raner need to get the MW Full Plate adjusted for them)

The Stonemasonry (return to labor for Raner)

The Potions and Elixirs store (returning Spugnoir and Sebbekai the Black Cat)

Lord Burne and Lord Rufus's Castle (saying hello and Lylamwyn returns to work)

Elmo's house (saying hello)

Marli's house (saying hello)

 

[Xael]

"I think our first priority should be finding somebody to remove that disease that some of us are afflicted with. Then we should report what we know to Lord Burne and Rufus, and leave the living cultist for them. Then we should start returning the bodies and borrowed items to relatives, and finally start thinking about selling all this stuff. How does that sound?"

OOC: I'd be more interested in investigating Zerosh than Joman...

 

[Thanee]

Lenya

“I want to know what's up with Vesta, I'll be at the Wench,” Lenya says before turning towards the big tavern.

 

[Endur]

On the trip back, Belaver uses the three scrolls of Cure Light Wounds, using two on Neshi (heal for 10) and one on Raner (heal for 5). Negative effects for ghoul fever begin to set in.
Current Party Status
Neshi (ghoul fever, -11, -1 con, -1 dex)
Belaver (-10)
Kerwyn (ghoul fever, -12, -1 con, -2 dex)
Lenya (-2 str, -15)
Toriah (ghoul fever, -3 con, -3 dex)
Raner (-29)
Black Cat (-3, ghoul fever, -2 con, -1 dex)
Lylamwyn
Craven (-17)