Date: ?
PCs: ?
Summary
Perhaps not feeling confident due to a lack of some of their stronger members, the Company agreed to explore the Chateau's towers again rather than going back to the dungeons. However, after retrieving and burying some bones found atop the Gallows Tower to placate a wraith, the party fell under the hypnotic spell of the enigmatic plane-traveller Arnold Littleworth, who persuaded them to enter the lair of Marsile d'Ambreville.
Breaking the spells warding the firebreathing iron door leading to the lich's abode, the party destroyed an iron automaton by stabbing it repeatedly in the back, then when confronted by Marsile, claimed they had acted in self-defense. Littleworth gave the lich pause by invoking a number of puissant names of extraplanar powers and offering to trade certain artifacts of power. Marsile found the latter notion appealing, but first demanded compensation for the destroyed automaton.
The Company offered either to take the automaton away to repair it or to hang around within the lich's lair and repair it themselves. Perhaps sensing that neither option was to his advantage, Marsile agreed that the party could repair the automaton elsewhere on condition of a geas ensuring its return. The priest Ja'Tubis countered with a spell of silence, and the battle was on.
Unfortunately for the party, the lich's retaliatory spell of confusion left them unable to function effectively. Martin managed one sword-strike against Marsile before being paralyzed. The lich allowed the confused party to leave the premises unmolested, a courtesy the party repaid by stealing all of the weapons and other items hanging on the walls in the iron automaton's chamber as they fled.
On the way back to Malinbois, a sack was thrown to the ground at the Company's feet as a bodiless voice from out of the night air demanded the return of the stolen items. The party complied. Later, it occurred to them that the voice was not that of the lich Marsile; this aggravated them.
Returning later to the Chateau, the party set the matter of Marsile aside and descended to the dungeon's fourth level, where they spent some time conversing with the ghost of Sandrine de Sylaire. Eventually they consented to knock down the brickwork blocking the doorway to her room. This freed her soul to pass on to the next life, but also attracted the attention of four phase spiders! Fortunately, Sandrine had not yet moved on, and she aided the party in repelling the arachnoid threat. She also gave her jewelry to the Company as a reward.
Losses and Loot
The party defeated a wraith, an iron automaton, a specter and four phase spiders. Treasures retrieved included a wall mirror, an ornate folding screen, a jewelry box and nine pieces of jewelry.
Participants in the first half of the adventure received 78xp each. Participants in the second half of the adventure received 260xp and 2220gp each.