Session 2: The Death of Odym
While the party still reeled from the little drake's breath attack, a healing wave washed over the group and healed everyone back up to full! A voice came from the darkness, proclaiming its relief at arriving when it did. Unable to take the time to acknowledge it, Rutana lit her torch and leapt at the kobold mage! Only to drop the torch upon reaching the mage. Again the room plunged into darkness.The mage then launched magic missiles at the group, each missile hitting its mark. The Sprite flicked his light back on--briefly freezing in panic at the sight of their newly-visible spider friend--and retaliated by lobbing fire straight past Rutana, broiling the mage just a little more. Sartorii then stabbied the drake a bit, and the drake responds with a flurry of bites and tail bashes. The spider friend scurries forward then and heals Sartorii back up to full.
The kobold mage performed some silly little spell, but otherwise did nothing. Rutana in kind relit her torch, stepped back, and elected to survey the mage instead.
The Sprite was not so cautious. He moved closer and lobbed more fire, only for the kobold mage to vanish on impact.
Sartorii took to stabbying, but missed. The drake rushed passed her, taking some damage from Sartorii's attack of opportunity, and descended upon the scary friendly spider! The spider went down, grievously wounded. Before anyone could react, the kobold mage reappeared with a laugh and shot a bolt of lightning at the Sprite! ...which bounced off the tip of his staff and hit Rutana instead. Rutana rushed over and stabilized the spider.
Finally with some breathing room, the Sprite fires three magic missiles at the drake. The first shot knocks it off balance, the second knocks it to its back, and the third slams straight into its solar plexus.
Seeing its master dying on the floor, the kobold mage turns and flees.
The party is suddenly bereft of enemies. They take a moment to compose themselves.
Sartorii steps over to the drake and plunges her rapier into its neck. Odym is no more.
In the sudden peace, Rutana searches the drake's hoard and finds the following:
4 small sapphires
28 silver
300 copper
Everburning Torch
Scrollcase covered in gold leaf
The spider staggers to her feet, then staggers to her hind legs and morphs into a human form.
Friendly banter ensues. Her name is Naiala! She heals everyone again, and states she's a servant of the Grandmother Spider. Naiala explains that shortly after the party entered the tunnels, a kobold covered in ketchup and cheese came screaming out of the sewer and was promptly captured. It babbled about a giant dragon in the sewer. While the guards debated whether or not to send anyone in after the adventurers, Naiala decided they were taking too long and charged in herself.
Naiala leads the party down an exit tunnel, through a false wall that had been knocked down by the kobold mage. They leave the sewer, stepping out into the blinding daylight. Naiala says the party can meet her at her barbershop, which Bry totally named right this very moment, Silken Shaves and Sutures. The party parts ways with Naiala, then heads for the guard's post.
Sartorii slaps the drake's corpse on Astro Phil's table! All over his table...
The party hands over their kobold teeth, and get handed a chest of 100 gold plus an extra 12 for the teeth. The captain agrees to send some scales to the Sprite, and returns to his work.
Sartorii asks for a spare shortbow, the captain shrugs and getsures toward the weapon cabinet.
The party then returns to the food truck to divvy up the spoils.
117.8 gold in total! 29 gold, 4 silver, 5 copper apiece!
While the party rested, a mysterious godly force stuffed a bunch of equipment in their bags!
(Bry spent this time filling out the Inventory tabs on our character sheets for us.)
Rutana bought a short sword! Sartorii got a short bow! Short things all around!
After the shopping trip, the party turns their attention to the scroll case. It's not booby trapped, and Sartorii recognizes the Seal of the Unsaint on the case. Within is a map, also bearing the Seal of the Unsaint. It depicts the surrounding kingdoms, and is bordered by Celestial writing.
No one can read it, so the party stows the map.
They head to Silken Shaves and Sutures on a twofold quest; first to see if Naiala knows anyone that can read Celestial, and also to pass her some of the reward money.
Sartorii's first move is to immediately rub her face on the silken banner outside Naiala's shop. Naiala comes out to greet them, and Rutana passes her 10 gold for her assistance.
Party goes into Naiala's shop and lays out the map. Naiala runs finger over the text on the border, says it's gibberish. Might be a cipher. Naiala will look for more information, for up to a silver a day, capped at 5g. The party agrees, and moves on to the apothecary's guild to inquire about that guy with the herbs. Near the garden which was near the food truck. The smell of flowers that normally pervades the area is gone, the garden in shambles. A priest can be seen blessing the corpse of a garden.
The guild is not very busy, everything getting repainted and maintained. A very bored dwarven woman with a very long ponytail and a goatee mans the reception desk. A nametag on the desk identifies her as Thistle.
The party asks if they can help, and Thistle cautions that she wouldn't be able to pay the party ahead of time considering what happened to the last guy.
Sartorii asks what the blight was. Thistle describes it as a mold that would create yellow pods that burst and spread.
Thistle asks to see the party's map to show where to get the supplies. Rutana pulls out a basic bitch map:
Thistle says not to rush too much, hoping the party returns by the end of the month. It is currently day 19 of 31.
Sartorii asks about an apothecary book, Thistle states the apothecary books are for public use but can't be taken out. The library might have some, though.
The party leaves with a list in hand, then heads off to investigate the remaining rumors.
A nobleman who lives a mile or two outside of town put up posters asking for someone to escort them through some ruins. The party collects a sign and heads to the nobleman's villa. They show the poster to a guard, who sends a runner to ring the doorbell. The guard welcomes the party to the First Villa.
At the center of the villa is the manor of Lord First. Rutana recognizes the name "First" as that of the most powerful warlord in Brevoy, before it became one country, before his named was changed to Aldori.
Sartorii swings the knocker, and the door opens to reveal Lord First immediately within. He is soft; clad in soft silks and furs, bald and bearing a long salt-and-pepper beard, and he looks as if he's never picked a sword up in his life. He orders servants to retrieve hors d'vors and welcomes the party inside.
In recent years, Lord Segrid First has sent three people to investigate this fort previously owned by his family, but none returned. One had escaped with a hand cutoff, and left with the money he'd first been paid. The fort is rumored to be haunted. Lord First is asking the party to investigate what might be haunting the fort, and to retrieve any items that might be there.
Fort First is the only fort in the area to historically bear his forefather's name. It was abandoned when Brevoy was combined into one kingdom, but it might have been the last place Syria and Aldori stayed together.
Payment is 75% of any gold coin found in the fort, plus 75g on top. Any heirlooms must be brought to Lord Segrid First. First circles the destination on Rutana's map. The Sprite asks for a napkin and descends on a cake.