9 - The Last Survivors!

Date
The 28th of Reaping through the 30th of Reaping

Players
Karen - Fighter - Level 3
Ardic - Cleric - Level 1
Elric - Cleric - Level 1


Hirelings
Ratik, the Bowman
Flitglass the eager
Frywe
Og the torchbearer
Ephil (twitchy)
Tisius
Bakium (in old platemail)
Matha (and his pit bull Gif)
Kekrevius
Myni (wears a dress over his chainmail)
Grupa

Adventure Log
Karen was left above, on the first floor of the pit, while everyone else had slid down to level 2. Several of the hirelings were impaled on the spiked wall at the bottom. Some dead, some very wounded. There was a figure tied up at the bottom, Elric, a cleric. Father Ardic, showing up, worked with Karen to string up a rope and get everyone out.

Elric related that he had been captured by outlaws, Fat Mamma Cass' boys. They kidnapped him outside of town, blindfolded him, brought him over the lake and down the stairs, and then lowered him down a great distance, 30 or 40 feet. While they were talking he ran off, over a bridge and through some water, before collapsing in the room they found him in. They returned to town to heal up, noting that there were great marks in the sand near their boats, pulled up on shore, as if something had pulled itself out of the water trying to reach them ...

The next day, the 28th, was storming bad with high winds. Unusual for this time of year, said the locals. The party regrouped and hired criers and had flyers printed. "The Last Survivors! Looking for good men!" with a big wolf symbol under it. This caused a bunch of new people to show up at the Heifer, and many were hired, bringing the group up to  fourteen for the next expedition. The decided to return to the Black Maw, based on Elric saying that the outlaws were talking about hitting a tax shipment ... and news that a tax shipment had been hit.

Out they went, west, over the plains, in to the foothills, up in to the mountains on the mountain track, to the lake. Loading in to the two rowboats there they left Ratik with the donkey cart and began rowing. Ephil thought he saw something in the water, but they made it to the cave without issue, pulling the boat up. Down they went. Exploring the north hallway from the main room they went through a door to find a group of Mr Toads, including the certain Mr Lucas they had met before. They were setting up a net trap, and inquired as to the whereabouts of the short white-robed figures? It was ascertained that they were looking for the heretical dwarf cult of Arvid, who believes that the elves created the dwarves instead of the other way around. They also related that the outlaws, when they come in, head south, to the torture chamber. The party headed that way, and lowered themselves down the pit on the other side of the iron maiden secret door.

At the bottom they found a smithy, with a glowing hot forge, steam coming from it. They also found blood on the door threshold, which caused them to fidn a spear trap at the doorway, which they disabled. They left in place their rope, and found 100' of rope and a grapnel at the bottom.

Heading south they passed a hallway on their left and came to a curious room. A low black alter say on a black dias, The alter was covered in cracks, glowing vermilion, and releasing steam. The steam coalesced above in to the form of the Wraith King wearing an iron crown. The floor was worn in front of it, showing veneration, and Father Ardic roped it up to pull the alter down, causing it to stop glowing and the steam to dissipate. They headed south, out of the room.

The found a door and heard a lot of men behind it. Cussing, arguing, shouting. They decided this was the gang. They rushed in, seeing a gang of men gathered around a large chest, who slammed it shut. "Royal tax me! What are you doing here!" they shouted. They were in bad shape. Wounded, legs and arm gut off, the stench of gangrene. Karen was having none of it and started hacking! The party moved in, and hacked them down easily, only Elric getting wounded, along with Fllitgas, near death from a gut wound. The chest had the kings tax seal on it ... and 5000 freshly minted never circulated gold coins! The party dithered about what to do, melt them down, take them, turn them in for a reward. Finally, Flitglas grabbed Elric and mentioned that he worked for the government and that they would be rewarded if they turned them in ... after begging the party to record his death at the records office so his family would be compensated.

They returned to town, declaring their gold at the gates. Questioned by the guards, the lieutenant of the guards, the gates taxman, a captain of the guards, and finally a mysterious senior tax official, they were rewarded: 1000gp in reward money plus a cash bounty on the outlaw Crapgame and his men! They were directed to seek the man out at The Guardhouse, a local inn frequented by guards and other officials.







Deaths & Loot
Bakien - Death by soul sucking

5000gp in newly minted coins
17 ears and Crapgames head

Crapgame & his boys