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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Zad" data-source="post: 2937893" data-attributes="member: 90">Drakthar's Way - Chapter 2Drakthar’s Way – Chapter 2OOC Notes:Exp from last session was 500xp.Exp this session is 750xp.Note for the interested: Some readers had asked about this module, not recalling it from the magazine article series. This is indeed the “lost module” and was not published in the magazine. One of the (few apparently) complaints from folks who used the series was that there needed to be a short adventure between the first and second adventures to get the party to the appropriate level, and when they published the book, this was provided for. And here it is.On another note, Tzaddik likely won’t be joining us for the near future due to real-life commitments.This Week’s Adventure:At first, they were just going to leave the crazed dwarf tied up in the bath house, but eventually they realized this was probably an unkind choice. Tzaddik volunteered to escort him to the city watch to be taken into custody and he would return as soon as he was able. This would also serve to let Captain Skellerang know the source of the goblin infestation.They spent some time securing the bath house and searching it carefully before heading downward – they wanted to give the returning goblins some time to clear the area. I was still worried about more wererats and went outside to take a quick look around and see if there were any more coming.I watched for some time, hidden in a shadow in the alley only vaguely aware of the crashing and thumping sounds inside the bath house. After some minutes, I saw a figure coming down the street, doing a clumsy impersonation of “casual”. My suspicions were triggered by the sheer amount of noise the person was making and confirmed when I caught the glint of full plate armor in the thin street light – it was Astrid. She was walking slowly down the street scanning the buildings. I stepped out of the alleyway and slid up to her. “Over here,” I called. “Oh it’s you,” she said. “I was expecting to find a trail of bodies to lead the way.”“You’re not far off,” I said. “The trail starts at that bath house over there.” And we rejoined the others.The rest of the group was about ready to head down the stairs. They twisted around and opened into a hallway. To the east there was a great deal of shouting and barking. The walls were covered with graffiti – “Drakthar is dead, long live Drakthar” and so on. It was written in charcoal, chalk, blood, slime, excrement, and other less identifiable substances. The group veered away from the noise, wanting to avoid attacking the entire place at once.Nearby was a dormitory of some kind, filled with neatly made cots and sparse furniture. It was a sharp contrast to the rest of the place in that it was clean and orderly. Beyond it was a small storeroom with crates piled up. The crates were marked with the sign of a bird cage, but before the contents could be checked, goblins swarmed out and attacked.The goblins were… unusual. They were very quick, and ducked among the party before they could react. They were also highly disciplined. Both of these were noteworthy, but it’s not to say they weren’t goblins. They still got cut down quickly. One of them put a small wound on Astrid before she smashed its head open. Elizabeth took the head clean off another one. Then a goblin riding a wolf charged up the hallway on the other side of the store room. It drew two blades and leapt, dare I say it, gracefully off the wolf. The goblin must have thought he would destroy the invaders, and to be fair he gave the group pause. Elizabeth fell back and there was a chime of perfect pitch that marked the activation of her shield. Glyphandar moved behind Astrid and touched her halberd and the shaft sprang to life with small streaks of lightning. The girls moved up, Astrid thrusting into the neck of the wolf while Elizabeth used a sweeping circular feint and then brought her blade into the goblin’s neck. The two of them fell together with a wet thump and that was the end of it. The goblins were quickly searched and their ears were removed (something which repulsed Glyph).The whole area was worked stone and masonry, but there were areas that opened into lava tubes. The group avoided those and moved through the worked areas. One room was some kind of larder – skinned carcasses hung from chains. There were two baboons, two wild boars and some long smelly fish. These goblins must somehow have access to the wilderness outside the city.While the group was sharing a moment of revulsion, a goblin appeared out of a side room and with a word, a fan of flame erupted from his hands. Elizabeth was watching the hallway and so was the only one not singed. This was, however, to be the last thing the goblin would ever do. Astrid swung at the creature, but went high. Elizabeth moved next to her and cut the goblin deeply. The wound however glowed with magical energy, and the goblin did not fall. Bellsin frowned, and his blade thrust at the goblin. As it hit, the magic was pulled from the goblin and into Bellsin. Deprived of his magical support, the goblin squeaked and collapsed on the floor.Behind the goblin was an alchemical work room, complete with bubbling stone cauldron. Another goblin was hidden behind a table but he also met with a quick end. The arcanists were more fascinated by the cauldron however – it was clearly of dwarven make and heated its contents without any fire or heat source. Glyph was positively drooling over it and was convinced it was valuable, if they could find a way to remove it. Maris was more interested in the contents, which seemed to be a potion-in-progress and would be done in another hour or so by her guess.Down the hall was a door that opened on a temple. A large statue of a dwarf, minus the head, dominated the room, and even the copious amounts of goblin graffiti and desecration couldn’t hide the fact that it was once a temple to Moradin. Beyond defiling it, the goblins seemed to have little interest in this room so the Blue Tygers moved on.As they exited, they all started to hear… something. It was almost like wailing or screeching like a swarm of bats. It was getting louder and closer, and the group braced for something to hit.Then around the corners from two directions there came a writhing mass of fur and tails and teeth.Rats.“Glyph,” Elizabeth said quietly. “If you have any of that alchemist fire, now would be a good time.”Loot:Masterwork leather armor, small sizeSmall masterwork longsword Small masterwork shortswordLight crossbow (small)2 potions (Silent Wolf)3 sets small leather armor3 small shortswords3 small light crossbows32gp38sp4 sets ears3 sets small leather armor3 small shortswords3 small light crossbows3 sets ears18gp24spSmall short spear2 sets earsTwo vials (goblin adepts, one each)Stone cauldron (later)Potion of see invisibility</blockquote>

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