Post by Yeti on Oct 19, 2013 20:59:03 GMT -5
The view as you come over a small hill on the overgrown road. The moathouse sitting in a swamp.
Making short work of the giant frogs that attempted to ambush the party with Kobert getting a minor wound, they gingerly tested the boards of the rotted drawbridge.
Finding it supported all their weight, it was decided that they would check the tower to the left first to clear it before going further into the moathouse.
The sunlight flickering in glinting off obivious coins laying in the dust, she greedily moved in to take stock of the of what they have found, smiling as she found herself just reaching for the first coin when flick of a shadow over her shoulder cause her to turn with her blade in full swing catching the lurking spider before it could inject it's paralysising poison into her.
Alinor had journeyed to village from Verbobonc to meet with some acquaintances at the Inn for some gambling that evening. While he was playing he noticed an usual pair of travelers enter; a half-orc dressed in robes, which in itself seemed odd, and a tall, strong, savage-looking human. Alinor continued to play Liar's Dice throughout the evening, a game he is quite good at, winning much more than losing. As he is playing he over-hears conversations among the patrons at the bar about people going missing when traveling to east of he town, and this causes him some concern. A friend of his, Taldir, had left from Verbobonc in that direction a fort night ago to fence some items the two of them had stolen from wealthy nobles. The conversations about the disappearances consistently mentioned there is an old castle in that direction that once harbored evil, and some of the more superstitions patrons made religious warding signs with their hands when they heard that. At the end of the night Alinor purchased a room at the inn and decided to venture that direction early in the morning before the sun rose to scout this castle.
Before anyone else at the inn, or in the town awoke, Alinor gathered his gear and set out; being cautious not to let the few town guards spot him as he left. He moved quietly through the woods and found some brush that would keep him hidden from any prying eyes, and set down to watch the castle and road. Some time after the sun had risen Alinor spotted the orc and the human he had seen the other night walking down the road towards the castle, and it seems they had hired on some help from the town.
Alinor watched the group easily dispatch some frogs, and then move towards a ruined tower. He heard a small commotion inside, and wondered if his friend Taldir was inside. He decided it might be worth joining this party to investigate the ruins for his friend, and, the possibility of finding something valuable had his eyes shining with interest.
Alinor left the bushes and strode out onto the road, making his way towards the bridge. He would wait until they exited the tower before asking to them join them as they explored this place.
The new Elf joining them, the party now an even six begins the exploration of the upper level of the Moathouse.
Following the left hand rule, the party checks the Western corridor first, checking the two left hand doors finding nothing in them. In the old barracks room at the end a giant lizard jumped out to attack the group. Making short work of it the group finds it had swallowed a high quality Light Steel Shield as well as a chest of items. In the right hand room of the corridor Imzel was jumped on by a giant tick of all things that was engorged with blood. Her giant sword splattered the creature everywhere, she than reached down and painted the blood on her cheeks letting out a war cry.
Checking a small corridor off the main audience chamber to the Northwest, the group was besieged by rats over a dozen of them. More of a nuisance than anything to them, they were easily dispatched. Finding a few gallons of oil in two jugs on a shelf the party seeing the stairs leading down, decides to continue clearing the upper portions.
To the Northeast of the chamber, they decide to try the locked door. The elf easily dispatching the lock, Imzel doing her classic door opening method, the room filled with men in short swords and leather armor. The battle won using the door to funnel the attackers, most were dispatched with five running out another entrance. Alinor was able to pick off two of the runners from an arrow slit in the wall near him as Ugh spotted them.
Within the room, Alinor was able to find a secret passage leading down that was undiscovered by the Bandits (and their foul Bandit Tree Masters) as well as their hidden loot under a loose flagstone.
Checking the Southern corridor next, the first left door lead to the crumbling remains of a staircase leading to the upper floors. Not trusting the sturdiness of the stairs or the room in general the group left it alone, to check the next left door. Just as Alinor started to check the door , he let out a scream of shock as the huge viper struck at him. Imzel rushed forward along with Elmo to beat back the beast even as it left it's fang marks on them. Both of them shaking off the effects of the bites as they killed it.
Clearing the original door they were checking Imzel opens it seeing nothing but bat guano covering everything in here. Putting her head in, she looks up and sees hundreds of bats lining the ceiling sleeping. Closing it quietly she simply looks at the group, "I hate bats."
Quickly clearing the next two rooms they find a quality bastard sword tucked into the space between the wall and a book case in one. The next few minutes was decided to check which stairway down. Moving down the secret passage they find it ends in a small room with obvious secret doors on opposite walls (West & East).
Alinor spends a second to listen at each door hearing something to the West they decide to burst in on it.
Their surprise was to find the two ogres there ready to pounce on them. Raining blows on each other, the ogres were pummeling the barbarian woman. She managed to fell one of them, and Ugh moved to rush in to help heal her but was met by a mighty blow of the remaining ogre in his head dropping him to the ground. Imzel knew she was a goner as she started to begin her next swing of the sword seeing she wasn't going to beat the ogre to the punch this time around. Just as she thought it was going to be over Elmo's blade came in just right catching the ogre in the soft tissue under the arm piercing it's heart killing it.
Searching the room produced some coins and a fine Elven Cloak that Alinor claimed right away. That was all celebrations till they realized there were four sleeping mats here. Seeing one of the two doors leading out of here was barred from this side, the curiousity got the better of them as they removed the bar looking into the room. Seeing three prisoners here shackled to the wall, two humans and a gnome.
Talking with them, they learn this served as the ogre's pantry and that they were among the captured merchants that had been reported. Alinor having spotted a set of keys with some unused shackles in the ogres room quickly used the keys to open the manacles. All three asked to be escorted to Verbobnoc, the group readily agreed to return them to the Church of Torm in Homlett. The gnome handed Alinor an iron ring calling him 'gnome friend'.
Returning to Homlett proved uneventful for the trip, getting them back just as the sun was setting.
Making short work of the giant frogs that attempted to ambush the party with Kobert getting a minor wound, they gingerly tested the boards of the rotted drawbridge.
Finding it supported all their weight, it was decided that they would check the tower to the left first to clear it before going further into the moathouse.
The sunlight flickering in glinting off obivious coins laying in the dust, she greedily moved in to take stock of the of what they have found, smiling as she found herself just reaching for the first coin when flick of a shadow over her shoulder cause her to turn with her blade in full swing catching the lurking spider before it could inject it's paralysising poison into her.
Alinor had journeyed to village from Verbobonc to meet with some acquaintances at the Inn for some gambling that evening. While he was playing he noticed an usual pair of travelers enter; a half-orc dressed in robes, which in itself seemed odd, and a tall, strong, savage-looking human. Alinor continued to play Liar's Dice throughout the evening, a game he is quite good at, winning much more than losing. As he is playing he over-hears conversations among the patrons at the bar about people going missing when traveling to east of he town, and this causes him some concern. A friend of his, Taldir, had left from Verbobonc in that direction a fort night ago to fence some items the two of them had stolen from wealthy nobles. The conversations about the disappearances consistently mentioned there is an old castle in that direction that once harbored evil, and some of the more superstitions patrons made religious warding signs with their hands when they heard that. At the end of the night Alinor purchased a room at the inn and decided to venture that direction early in the morning before the sun rose to scout this castle.
Before anyone else at the inn, or in the town awoke, Alinor gathered his gear and set out; being cautious not to let the few town guards spot him as he left. He moved quietly through the woods and found some brush that would keep him hidden from any prying eyes, and set down to watch the castle and road. Some time after the sun had risen Alinor spotted the orc and the human he had seen the other night walking down the road towards the castle, and it seems they had hired on some help from the town.
Alinor watched the group easily dispatch some frogs, and then move towards a ruined tower. He heard a small commotion inside, and wondered if his friend Taldir was inside. He decided it might be worth joining this party to investigate the ruins for his friend, and, the possibility of finding something valuable had his eyes shining with interest.
Alinor left the bushes and strode out onto the road, making his way towards the bridge. He would wait until they exited the tower before asking to them join them as they explored this place.
The new Elf joining them, the party now an even six begins the exploration of the upper level of the Moathouse.
Following the left hand rule, the party checks the Western corridor first, checking the two left hand doors finding nothing in them. In the old barracks room at the end a giant lizard jumped out to attack the group. Making short work of it the group finds it had swallowed a high quality Light Steel Shield as well as a chest of items. In the right hand room of the corridor Imzel was jumped on by a giant tick of all things that was engorged with blood. Her giant sword splattered the creature everywhere, she than reached down and painted the blood on her cheeks letting out a war cry.
Checking a small corridor off the main audience chamber to the Northwest, the group was besieged by rats over a dozen of them. More of a nuisance than anything to them, they were easily dispatched. Finding a few gallons of oil in two jugs on a shelf the party seeing the stairs leading down, decides to continue clearing the upper portions.
To the Northeast of the chamber, they decide to try the locked door. The elf easily dispatching the lock, Imzel doing her classic door opening method, the room filled with men in short swords and leather armor. The battle won using the door to funnel the attackers, most were dispatched with five running out another entrance. Alinor was able to pick off two of the runners from an arrow slit in the wall near him as Ugh spotted them.
Within the room, Alinor was able to find a secret passage leading down that was undiscovered by the Bandits (and their foul Bandit Tree Masters) as well as their hidden loot under a loose flagstone.
Checking the Southern corridor next, the first left door lead to the crumbling remains of a staircase leading to the upper floors. Not trusting the sturdiness of the stairs or the room in general the group left it alone, to check the next left door. Just as Alinor started to check the door , he let out a scream of shock as the huge viper struck at him. Imzel rushed forward along with Elmo to beat back the beast even as it left it's fang marks on them. Both of them shaking off the effects of the bites as they killed it.
Clearing the original door they were checking Imzel opens it seeing nothing but bat guano covering everything in here. Putting her head in, she looks up and sees hundreds of bats lining the ceiling sleeping. Closing it quietly she simply looks at the group, "I hate bats."
Quickly clearing the next two rooms they find a quality bastard sword tucked into the space between the wall and a book case in one. The next few minutes was decided to check which stairway down. Moving down the secret passage they find it ends in a small room with obvious secret doors on opposite walls (West & East).
Alinor spends a second to listen at each door hearing something to the West they decide to burst in on it.
Their surprise was to find the two ogres there ready to pounce on them. Raining blows on each other, the ogres were pummeling the barbarian woman. She managed to fell one of them, and Ugh moved to rush in to help heal her but was met by a mighty blow of the remaining ogre in his head dropping him to the ground. Imzel knew she was a goner as she started to begin her next swing of the sword seeing she wasn't going to beat the ogre to the punch this time around. Just as she thought it was going to be over Elmo's blade came in just right catching the ogre in the soft tissue under the arm piercing it's heart killing it.
Searching the room produced some coins and a fine Elven Cloak that Alinor claimed right away. That was all celebrations till they realized there were four sleeping mats here. Seeing one of the two doors leading out of here was barred from this side, the curiousity got the better of them as they removed the bar looking into the room. Seeing three prisoners here shackled to the wall, two humans and a gnome.
Talking with them, they learn this served as the ogre's pantry and that they were among the captured merchants that had been reported. Alinor having spotted a set of keys with some unused shackles in the ogres room quickly used the keys to open the manacles. All three asked to be escorted to Verbobnoc, the group readily agreed to return them to the Church of Torm in Homlett. The gnome handed Alinor an iron ring calling him 'gnome friend'.
Returning to Homlett proved uneventful for the trip, getting them back just as the sun was setting.