G100: The Unlucky Thirteen

Date: 9/22/11
DM: Quendalon
PCs: Roland, Martin Le Noir, Richard Loubeau, Robert Hazart, Hanna Darrowkin, Jorge Fits, Janus Stradivarian, The Ridiculossus, Bethea Redvest, Gael ur-boss, Zolobachai of the Nine Visions, Pritchard Hood, and Bucktooth Glasseye. Later joined by both Snickwick and Cut Coutelain.

Summary

"Evangelista de Sylaire?! Speak to me not of Evangelista de Sylaire!" thundered Roland, already three-deep in cups of wine. He shooed the man away and returned to his brooding. He had seen good men die due to the whims of the sorceress, and was in no mood to bandy words regarding her merit. A conniving, manipulative harlot, he thought. Deserving more of a blade to the heart than the effects of her mother, Phoebe d'Ambreville. He cursed her and silently recalled the details…

Pritchard Hood, the de facto chaperone of the Company of Crossed Swords' 'Success Team' had laid a lavish (by Company standards) feast for the returning members of the 'A-Team', after many months abroad. Along with welcoming home the prodigal heroes, he made a sheepish request. Apparently, Pritchard had come into a bit of debt, oh say…50,000 gold or so — incurred from destroying the scrying golem of one Evangelista de Sylaire. The name tasted like poison on Roland's lips…poison.

Roland had never seen such hardy and experienced adventurers as the likes of Richard Loubeau, Robert Hazart, and Martin Le Noir, et al., but he strangely did not feel out of place. Roland had seen his share of battle, vanquishing abominations at the point of Yakutz, and seeing companions old and new suffer pitiable and violent deaths. He had fought for the greater glory and prosperity of the Company of Crossed Swords as well as any and felt among peers, so he welcomed these men and women home as new brothers and sisters.

The grand feast had attracted many old friends as comrades as well as new, and the Company struck out with a heretofore unapproached number of adventurers — thirteen! Undoubtably an unlucky number. They set off to House Sylaire with the intention of informing Evngelista that they would perform her task, and the sorceress geas'ed Pritchard, Robert, and Richard to ensure the Company would stay true to their end of the bargain. With the halfling Jorge Fits and Martin in the front line, the Company delved into the Chateau, following Evangelista's directions to Phoebe d'Ambreville's apartments. Descending the Grand Stair, they reached depths previously unplumbed, the fifth level.

Encountering a web-filled corridor, our heroes were assailed by ghostly phase spiders, one of which sunk it's deadly fangs into Martin Le Noir, it's poison sending him to an early grave. Shocked by this turn of events, Robert Hazart unleashed a fireball into the heart of the spiders and their webs, burning most to a crisp and leaving the remainder scurrying, teleporting away in panic. Richard Loubeau tried in vain to suck the deadly poison from Martin's wound, but to no avail. Deeply affected, he left the adventuring party to rush back Martin to Glantri City with the faint hope of having the Church of Trianomma revive his friend.

Grimmer now, the Company continued its' march into the dungeon. They shortly achieved the baths, and encountered a hybrid water elemental / green slime abomination the nature of which left even Robert Hazart, lettered scholar on Glantrian elementals, speechless. The fighting men and living statues of the Swords immediately set to hacking at thing thing, while the back ranks lit torches to dispatch the flecks of green slime that went hurtling in every direction on every strike. Eventually, the monster was laid low, but Ridiculossus, Gael ur-Boss, and Zolobachai were covered in slime as the creature exploded in death. Taking up torches, the party gleefully singed their companions almost to the point of death…but not quite. Ridiculossus, unfazed, scraped the goo from between his fingers and toes with a dagger then took a lick. Apricotty, he remarked.

Through the baths, and the Company's directions became nebulous. Was it through the baths…forward? To the left? Right? Where exactly was this "door on the left" they were supposed to find? How many yards is a few? The stress of the venture started to reveal the cracks in the party and an argument broke out. As if the Chateau itself could sense the Company's resolve had begun to waver, a group of giant scorpions appeared silently behind the party and swiftly dug into the Swords' soft underbelly. A stinger found the neck of Robert Hazart, and if not for Gael ur-Boss' quick actions, he too would have followed Martin to the beyond. Ridiculossus, knowing he was immune to poison, strode into the front ranks, followed closely by Roland himself and they made quick work of the scorpions, but not before their claws had torn the living statue to shreds. In his last moments however, he gained an epiphany. "Ridiculossus remember!" he shouted. "Ridiculossus was…" and then he was silent. The mystery of who or what he was shall never be revealed, it seems.

Finally resolving the quit the place, with companions dead and incapacitated, the Company of Crossed Swords turned to follow their chalk marks back to the surface, only to find that the devious night goblins had made a mess of their markings, and they were now hopelessly lost in the Chateau. Screwing up their courage for their friends, Roland and Jorge pored over their notes from Evangelista's directions and after a few wrong turns, were able to lead the battered, despondent party back to the surface.

"Landlord! Another flagon of wine! I've troubles I wish to forget, and this watered-down swill can scarce do the job!"

Evangelista de Sylaire. Now Pritchard Hood spoke of remanding himself into her custody for a year as an indentured servant. Martin Le Noir lay in state at the Temple of Trianomma, Robert Hazart, feverish and weak, recovered at his family's estate, and the Ridiculossus lay dead. A dear price for some…golem she had lost almost a year ago. Roland gulped at his wine and tried to keep his mind off these worries. He knew only how to take up arms against seas of troubles, and it seemed the Company would need more than that in the days to come.

Losses and Loot

Martin the Black, killed by phase spider poison. Ridiculossus, killed by giant scorpion pincers.

Some crude gold and silver jewelry. Some small gems of moderate worth. A sword in perfect condition with gold inlay on the blade (presumed magical) from the phase spider cocoons. Brass scroll tube with "For Castle Defense Only" inscribed upon it — all scrolls within charred by a fireball. 10 small gemstones.

Total gp value:1530. Total xp: 5380xp.
Each character receives 127gp, 448xp.


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