TOPIC: R5: D&D5E Princes of the Apocalypse

Oh and Viggi arrived back with a Manticore spike and a giant vulture tail feather.
Where is the ale here?...

Definitely set up operations here, travelling to red larch as needed

Session Five

Day Ten, 10 Mirtul 1491 DR

The Journey South
After a few days of much needed rest and a bit of spring cleaning the party has set about making Feathergale Spire their own. The party then decides upon a visit to Womford to enquire about the dwarven books that are known to have shown up in the little river port. After a short detour and overnight stay at Red Larch (to post an advertisement for household staff needed for the Spire), the party turns to take the road south. Passing the Bargewright Inn on the morning of 16 Mirtul and crossing the Ironford Bridge the party arrives in Womford.

Womford
Womford is a small town with a mill. It exports grain via the river. Many of the town’s residents have little workshops at the rear of their homes where they craft goods and sell their wares. Asking around about dwarven tomes, the party is pointed in the direction of Jeff, a dealer in antiquities. Antiquities in Womford usually means stolen goods smuggled along the river and traded for between dealers and keelboat crews on Womford’s jetty. Jeff showed the party one of his tomes of lore, but before he could begin to barter he felt strangely compelled to point out who he got the books from – a water genasi named Shaolar, the captain of a keelboat that happened to be currently moored up at Womford jetty.

With the letter found in Merosska’s apartment in mind, and the names Black Earth Cult and Sacred Stone Monastery. The party asked around Womford about the monastery, but nobody had ever heard of it.

Shaolar
Shaolar was a plump and jolly character who was more than happy to talk; as long as talking meant doing business. He knew nothing about any dwarven books (a lie) and was an honest trader (another lie). When Burlap showed no signs of letting up on his line of questioning Shaolar bid Burlap good day and beckoned to his first mate: “Pike! See our little friend off the jetty will you”. A halfling with a bad attitude stepped forward. *Roll initiative*.

Combat took place along the jetty and across the deck of the keelboat. Shaolar and his crew were despatched, except for Pike who was kept alive as a captive. Pike proved uncooperative but nothing that careful questioning in conjunction with a detect thoughts spell couldn’t deal with.

Sailing up River
With information taken from Pike and the discovery of a map with the location of Rivergaurd Keep (marked with an elemental symbol of water). It took three days on the river to reach the keep, a once imposing structure showing signs of some recent restoration.

Burlap’s kestrel familiar reconnoitred the keep from the air, revealing possibly two dozen guards and other inhabitants. When the kestrel settled, an arrow from one of the keep’s towers pierced the familiar, killing it instantly. Burlap mourned for a second or two before picking up his Player’s Handbook to choose a new one.

Meanwhile, Alfalas focused his mind and honed his senses: “Ah crap. Undead!”


Treasure
40gp
Potion of Healing

Experience
900XP

Farewell Alfalas , left to bleed out , by an uncaring party , Lol .

Session Six

19 Mirtul 1491 DR

Approaching the Keep
Mooring up down river of the keep the party disembarks from the Rivermaid and awaits nightfall before approaching Riverguard from the land side. Burlap’s new friend Ratty sneaked under the barred double gate and the portcullis beyond to enter the courtyard. With a basic reccy around the gatehouse complete Alfalas snuck across open ground to reach the keep’s west wall. Burlap too moved up and cast mage hand to help fix Alfalas’ grappling hook and rope to the ramparts above. The party climbed the rope one by one until all (including Ratty) assembled outside the door to the upper floor of the gate tower. They were considering their options when the door unexpectedly opened. The guard was startled to find a party of armed adventurers on his doorstep and was quickly sliced and diced.


The Two Towers
Combat in the gate tower was swift and silent. No alarm could be given. The party moved across the wall to enter the opposite tower. The garrison in the largest tower of the keep proved a tougher task that the gate guards. They wielded swords lined with a double serrated edges of ‘teeth’ and copper shields beaten into the shape of horseshoe crabs. Bort decided that any hope of further exploration by stealth was over and cast a thunderous shatter spell. When the small garrison lay dead it was obvious that the rest of the keep was stirring.

Jollivar and his Bitch
The far door in the small garrison door opened –seemingly on itself. A moment later 300lbs of snot and tusks burst into the room. Alfalas was pinned by the beast against one of the bunks. Alfalas had moments before been heroically slashing an unarmed and defenceless opponent to death who was trying to rise from the bunk, orphaning the man’s children in the process.

Meanwhile Bort became aware of another presence in the room, an unseen presence that whispered close to his ear and next caught a glimpse of an ethereal black mist reach towards him. With her clumsy attack, her invisibility spell wore off, revealing herself to Bort. She was a stunningly beautiful young woman. Her hand was wreathed in darkness. When her touch landed true, Bort was left in pain. She smiled at him. In turn, Bort’s own attempt to touch the woman (critical fail) was slightly off the mark and was entirely (though accidentally) inappropriate. If the young woman gets away she’ll surely report him to HR for sexual harassment in the work place.

Back across the other side of the room: As the hairy-tusked maul-wielding beast in the room was lit up by Burlap’s magical fire (for a serious amount of damage), the woman cried out his name: “Jollivar!”. Soon after the woman fled from the tower.


The Last Stand of Alfalas the Elf
Smouldering with flame and smelling like a hog roast the fearsome Jollivar ripped Alfalas open with a wild thrash of his tusks. Soon Alfalas lay slumped on the garrison room floor bleeding out from a terrible wound. The hulking hog roast fell too, and in death resumed its human form. Alfalas’ eyes stared blankly into space. And so it was, left to die on the floor by his companions, the world witnessed the sad passing of a hero – Alfalas the Eleven Ranger. His sword ‘Orphanmaker’ will no doubt become a holy relic to be revered down the centuries by elven folk across all of Faerûn. That is if his former companions don’t trade it in first for a few copper pieces and a flagon of black flap.

The Stirring of the Keep
Whilst combat in the tower drew to a close, Burlap single-handedly defended the wall against the approach of enemies across the courtyard. But now he stands on the ramparts facing the female magic-user who has fled from combat in the tower, and a cloaked enemy ascending the stairs from the courtyard wielding a staff. “A what?”, cried some of the party. “A staff”, the GM repeated solemnly.

“A staff?!?”



Combat is on-going. XP award will be at the first break in combat,


Interlude
Meanwhile, back on the Rivermaid, Viggi had volunteered to stay behind and babysit their captive - Pike the Halfling. Otherwise known as Viggi’s new toy. The depravations he is subjected to cannot be described here. Pike muttered, “no amount of XP is worth this!”.

On a keelboat, no one can hear you scream.

What's this bo****ks about being left to die....

Has it been forgotten that Stew made a Critical failure on his Death Save?
Has it also been been forgotten that we are still in the middle of combat and may not have had the opportunity to go to help ( seeing has he died so quickly) ?
Has it escaped Stew that the DM directly targeted him following his killing of an unarmed foe (which Bort applauded by the way)?
Has it been forgotten that the DM Critically hit Alfalas so doing large amounts of damage in one go?
Lastly, has it also been forgotten that the DM offered to save Alfalas but Stew declined to do so?

Not so black and white me thinks....