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FR - 5E - Chase

Page history last edited by Jon Goranson 5 years, 1 month ago

Chase

 

February 6, 2019

 

Before going to meet up with Brianna, Jinn wants to see if someone at the temple of Lathandar can cleanse the robe.  They go and meet Liam Sunmist.  They speak of the robe and ask if Liam can cleanse it.  Liam says that he can but he knows that if he does with mere gems, the magic of the twelve robes of the arch magi, all that exist across Faerun, will cause another robe to revert.  Liam can make it permanent but it would take an object of purity freely given, like unicorn hair or an angel feather.  Hang then asks about the skull and Liam can tell she is connected to Durgha and that eventually he might use it to drain or influence her.  The group decides that needs removed.  Liam prepares a ritual.  He gathers some components, including a movable table with a marble top and a platinum plate for the top of that where he places the skull.  Liam then places people in specific spots to help with the ritual.  With all in place, he chants to Lathandar to bring purity and sever the connection.  The wraith appears again and attacks!  It psychically attacks them all but they resist.  It makes one last big effort to get free but fails and is forced back into the skull.  The connection is broken.  With that, and having headaches and more, the group decides to head to dinner.  

 

They meet Brianna there and only Brianna.  They were expecting more of the Steel Eagles but Brianna says she didn't want Jander there as she was embarrassed that Jander got them thrown out of the tower.  The others didn't know the group and didn't come.  She talks about how they have found employment with the city and eventually says that they have had a lot of attacks from the lizardfolk of the marsh, including on a boat.  Not wanting trade disrupted, the Duke has ordered more forces to Cromm's Hold and for the Baroness to (re)fortify the other forts near the marsh and the tower where the river Delimbyr enters the Sword Coast.  The group finds this interesting and talks a bit about what they knew, including the dragon.  Brianna did not know about that!  As they are talking, Matrim, a guard that Jinn had played in darts before, challenges Jinn to a dart rematch.  He loses, badly, but keeps Jinn there for two rounds of three throws, and then some lessons afterward.  

 

It was all a ruse.  

 

"Matrim" managed to drug several rounds of drinks that he sent to the tables.  Maldar wasn't drinking and Dorn resisted it.  Then, Matrim snagged the amulet from Jinn and left after the lessons.  When Jinn returns to the table, Dorn realizes something is off, as Brianna stands up and throws up in the corner and then passes out.  Jinn, Dorn, and Maldar question the wench about Matrim, who says he has a room in Bjorn's, same as them.  They remember and head there.  Hang and Tyrel stay and keep drinking.  They might have drank more, poisoned or not, but a lady dressed in blue with a snowflake necklace shows up.  Her touch chills Tyrel to the bone but it is comforting to Hang.  "They need you," she whispers and through her touch, the poison and alcohol leaves their system, as quick as a dunk in cold water.  The two of them realize something is up for Auril herself and run after their friends.  

 

The group storms on Matrim's room and finds him there.  Long dead but still moving and attacking!  Several more undead are there, including a more powerful undead that none of them recognize.  Most of them want to chew on the group and the group resists.  At one point, seeing a body take what should have been fatal damage, Jinn nearly loses it and it's all he can do not to run away.  As he sees the thing finally hacked up, he gains his nerve again and is able to join his friends in the attack.  They cut down the creatures and start looking around.  The last one was looking into a chest where they see bones.  As they are taking a closer look at it, one of the undead rises up again and tries to leave!  They chase after it but it gets out into the night!  The chase is on!  

 

It scampers over some potholes that are being repaired and the logs for the road before climbing up onto some houses to try and flee.  It doesn't work, though, as Dorn is able to keep up and engage it on the roof.  That allows the rest to join him and soon it is down again.  They wonder what to do when someone gets the idea to throw holy water on it and that causes the body to turn to ash.  Even beheaded, it might have come back!  Jinn shivers again and they head back to the room, gather stuff up and decided to go to the temple.  

 

This time, it is Luc Sunbright there, and he gladly speaks to them about what has happened as well as filling them in on the creature they fought, a lesser vampire.  Realizing who they are, he offers a huge discount if he can be the one to cleanse the robe instead of Liam.  Jinn agrees.  Luc gathers several gems, while Maldar retrieves the staff.  Once again, they take part in a ritual of cleansing.  Luc sets up several gems on an altar, along with the robe and staff.  The gems eventually crack into dust and fly about the robe, while the evil within exits as purple and black lightning bolts, which go into the staff.  The remaning gem dust then turns the grey robes white.  Jinn happily starts putting the robe on once the ritual is done.  Luc gives them a bigger discount for letting him do it, which makes Dorn happy, but it's still a lot of gold.  

 

They finally go back to their rooms and rest.  

 

The next morning, they send word to Brianna to come to the Lady Luck for breakfast and she responds she will.  When they come around the front of the tavern, the carriage stands out.  Dorn recognizes the emblem as a place from Waterdeep that rents them out and it's pulled by six horses.  Two half orcs, one in front and one in back, stand guard.  They are pleasant enough and talk about how their mistress, Nisha the Red Wizard, arrived from Waterdeep just this morning.  Wary, they enter the tavern to find she is eating at a table.  No one else is inside.  It's eerily quiet.  Nisha introduces herself and invites them to have breakfast with her.  She's pleasant enough and talks about how she is looking to claim Arakus' body and asks them what they think of the duke.  They don't have much to add on it but give them what they know.  She then makes pleasant conversation, including complementing Jinn on the cut of his robe and its style.  Realizing it's going to be longer than she thought, she invites her guards inside and they eat at another table.  Finally, others arrive but seeing the two tables, they take a third and quietly watch.  

 

Maldar tries to make himself as small as possible as Paine enters, scans the room, smiles, and takes a seat at a fourth table.  

 

A bit more conversation happens and then Liam storms into the tavern.  "Do you fools not know what you have done?"  Jinn moves to intercept him before more can be said.  

 

1000 xp

 

GM Notes

  • For a long time, I have had rituals be more than just "I cast this and X happens."  The first time was when someone tried to cast Speak with Dead and then just ask questions.  I turned it into quite the ritual involving the whole party and having the shade resist the attempts.  I think it worked well.
  • Further, I think that having multiple damage types, even if, in the end, it's still only abstract hit points, is nice as the wraith did psychic damage as it tried to get away from being imprisoned back in the skull.  I enjoyed it!   
  • I love the dichotomy of the group!  As I said to them, the most honest dishonest group!  They will try and charm or trick someone to give them what they want and then will turn around and completely trust the next NPC, telling them nearly everything!  It's fascinating to watch! 
  • None of the characters recognized the vampire for what it was, and therefore that it regenerated, due to poor rolls.  The characters won't forget now!
    • I had the movement of the vampire at times be it turning into bats and flying to a square before joining back together.  Probably not allowed by the rules but I thought it was fun flavor. 
  • After hearing about the Steel Eagles and that they were getting a reputation, and were known under the name, the group came up with Danger Magnets.  Probably one of the most accurate names for a group!  
  • I do like the silver standard.  Gold means something!  Sure, it always does, but I feel like this fits more and finding gold means more, which is what I wanted.   
  • Having a lot of fun and I hope the players are as well! 

 

 

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