Two entries, so close together! Your eyes do not deceive you. Read on for the excitement!
Carlos: Half-Elf LG Storm Sorcerer (Anderson)
Andraste: Wood Elf CG Monk (Jenny)
Thro’Viloanna Hlaendeth AKA Vilya: High Elf NG Wizard (of the Divination School) and her snake, Astraeya (Maddy)
Brynja of the Shadowaxe Clan: Dwarf CG Twilight Cleric (Heather)
Thack: Dwarf NG Barbarian (Brent)
When last we left off, there was a dead priest (Father Derigor) on the floor, and Werewolf Girl (Erin) asleep on the floor. Father Derigor looked like the big bad wolf and Erin was back in her normal humanoid form.
And from here, I, Heather, am going to hand the scribe reins over to our Guest Scribe, Brent. His telling begins here:
Thack, oblivious to everything around him, decides he is going to search the room. Oooh, he sees a big wheel. The temptation is too much and he turns it. He hears some cable chains moving that presumably opens some big treasure vault somewhere, but alas, nobody can figure it out.
A big debate ensues about what to do with Erin. Suggestions range from trying to cure her somehow to just outright killing her. But, the goodness in our fellow party wins out, and they decide to take her to Candlekeep in hopes of a cure.
What is most important to Andraste (and Carlos) is that there is payment. They did a job and now she wants someone to show them the money.
Erin awakens and is quite distraught. She doesn’t remember killing anyone, but has been convinced (brainwashed?) that she killed the other villagers. While our noble party is discussing with her how Father Derigor is the treacherous one, the discussion is interrupted by the arrival of Sagh coming into the basement. This conversation ensues:
“What’s the problem?” Sagh asks.
Someone replies, “Well, I hate to break this to you, but Father Derigor was a werewolf.”
“Oh, I wondered. I thought something was amiss,” Sagh says.
The group rolls their eyes at that news – sure would have been nice if someone would have let them in on that sooner. Instead of complaining to Sagh about it, they instead take the high road by informing her that Erin is afflicted with the Lycanthropy curse.
“Yeah, she’s ill,” Andraste says. “We could sure use some money to help us on our journey to cure Erin. We’re planning to take her to Candlekeep.”
“Well, seeing as how Father Derigor won’t be needing the tithes, you could have that,” Sagh accedes.
The group heads upstairs with the young girl, where about 20 people are milling about the chapel. They are oblivious to everything, except the food in front of them. Finally, someone notices our fearless fighters.
“Where is Father Derigor?” someone asks. Apparently, nobody notices the claw marks in Thack’s side or that the group is probably sweating profusely from battling a werewolf. Par for the course, it would seem.
Thack takes this opportunity to make an impromptu speech, now that the dead Father Derigor won’t be giving one.
And it went something like this…
You see that door?
So, I went through that and found Father Derigor.
It turns out he was bad to the core!
And then suddenly he turned into a werewolf and into my robes he tore.
And that kind of made me sore.
So, then I struck him down and now he’s dead on the floor.
At this point I need to go to the store.
Money, we need more.
The crowd responds with a stunned kind of awe. There is a few seconds’ pause before Sagh says, “We owe you thanks. It’s the least we can do,” before she hands them the offering. The group resists the temptation to count the money, but as soon as they’ve left the chapel they do the tally and realize the haul is 70 gp and 900 sp.
The group heads back to the Inn to see what is in their tax collector/coroner friend’s room. The dearly departed Oswald’s room is quite disgusting and rotten food has flies buzzing around the room. They find lots of gaudy costumes and a note that has names of dead people crossed off of it. Apparently, this is a list of those he had collected taxes from.
A letter is also found that reads, “It is in your best interest to spread these spores on fields, as they will increase your collections. You will be doing us a service.” It is unclear who wrote this, but nobody spends too much time pondering this.
Everyone is anxious for money, and the group locates the purse of Oswald. There’s another 40 gp to add to the cause.
The group finally realizes that Thack is one bad hit away from dying and decides to rest. Erin rests fitfully under the eye of the group, and everyone heals back up to full health. The group is now at 2nd level and the team regales everyone of their new skills. The group decides that Oswald has no use for his garments anymore so they’ll just take those too. Everything is piled into the cart brought with them days ago.
Sagh welcomes them in the morning with an all-you-can-eat buffet, and informs them there is no charge for them staying, but Carlos decides that they least they can do is pay for Oswald’s room. Our heroes depart the village of Greymoor with some gentle reminders to the populace to be aware, be safe, and starting hiring new sheriffs, blacksmiths, etc.
The group sets out for Candlekeep shortly after their meal. It takes most of the day to get back and the weather appears to change from snowy to sunny during the course of the travel. At the gates, they talk with the merchants and guards. The guards ask them for a book and there is a debate about which one to give them. Ultimately, the group donates the lycanthropy book to the cause. Hopefully someone in the group read it as they still have a werewolf among them (Erin).
The group starts to move through the gates before noticing an odd shrill sound coming from their packs. Out of one of the packs, crawls one of the books. Picture the book of monsters from Harry Potter, if that helps. But then, the book sort of bursts open into an illuminating sphere of ectoplasm…much like Slimer from the movie Ghostbusters.
“Feed me, need life,” the ectobook shrieks.
Brynja disagrees. She’s going to take life instead and slices the book with her new sword, dealing 6 damage. The ectoplasm book attacks back and attempts to slime Brnyja. The dwarf cleric dodges the big slimy kiss.
Carlos resorts to his bread and butter and fires off a Witchbolt in a fancy Dr. Strange maneuver that deals 12 damage.
Andraste draws a short sword, swings, hits, and get 5 damage. A bonus punch action deals another 2 damage.
The head guard, Kallan, decides that instead of helping the party against this ferocious book, he is going to take this opportunity to protect himself. He mumbles something and a shimmering light engulfs him. Nice.
Thack takes out his magical chain with a book on the end and whacks the ectoplasm book for another 13 damage. Battle of the books! Vilya puts the Ectoplasm book out of its misery with a chill touch attack of 2 damage. Freezing flecks of book scatter all over the ground.
Andraste, feeling a bit put out from the lack of help from the guards, inquires, “What exactly is it that you guys do?”
The guards don’t provide the courtesy of a reply.
Vilya does an Arcana check. She rolls well and is informed by the guards about how other books have been acting strangely as of late and there is some ethereal plane shapeshifter creature that seems to be animating inanimate objects. Useful information and the high elf tucks that in her back pocket (that is not a bag of holding).
Kallan says he will donate to your cause.
Androste hits up the guards for money to resurrect Matreous. Kallan the Shimmery Coward says he’ll donate to the cause – the very least he can do, if you ask Andraste.
The monk must be doing a good job of persuading as Azequen, one of the head sages that worked with Matreous, is there and informs them that he’ll cover half of the costs for the resurrection. The group talks a bit more with them about the letters they’ve seen, but ultimately everyone is tired from the long journey and heads to the Hearth for a rest.
Because it’s been one heck of a day.
Ever your faithful scribe…at least for today,
Brent
Battle of the books. Nice!