Date: October 25, 2012
PCs: Arnold Littleworth, Audrey Carcassone, Cut Coutelain, Ja'Tubis, Roland, Snickwick
NPCs: Brandore
DM: Quendalon
Summary
The Company returned to the Chateau with the intent of battling any remaining Sablestone forces. When a search of the donjon revealed no remaining troops, the party proceeded to sort through a few remaining possessions left behind by the Sablestoners, then went on to investigate a pair of secret rooms marked on the maps they'd found on the body of a Sablestone war-leader. This turned up a number of treasures — including some minor magical trinkets — and a poison needle trap that nearly did Snickwick in.
The party swiftly eradicated one group of orcish zombies that came upon them during their looting. A second such group of undead proved more of a distraction, led as it was by the shambling remains of Chagahn, the orcish fire-priest who had aided them so many times over the years. Sensing an opportunity to parlay, various members of the Company importuned Chagahn in various ways. Roland advised the wight to perish gracefully; Ja'Tubis proposed that Chagahn devote himself to the worship of the storm-goddess Umberlee. But most persuasive was Arnold Littleworth, who — in the guise of the illustrious sage Zolobachai of the Nine Visions — encouraged Chagahn to take up the ways of the Boss, that peculiar thug-turned-demideity who many Company members had once claimed as their patron.
Intrigued by Arnold's proselytizing, the undead Chagahn inquired as to what such devotion would entail. Arnold opined that Bossism encouraged thoughtless action and the pursuit of one's urges and instincts without regard to ideals or consequences. Sadly, as an undead being, Chagahn's urges and instincts drew him to drink the life-essence of mortals. He thanked Arnold for the advice and, in taking the advice, he proceeded to siphon off a measure of Arnold's soul. The Company retaliated immediately, destroying Chagahn and his undead retinue. As his body crumbled away, Chagahn thanked the company for releasing him from the curse of unlife.
Shaken, the Company decided to explore the so-called Flame Tower, whose flickering lights had allured them for years now. Its upper floors proved to contain a gigantic fire elemental! Calling upon the power of a scroll of protection from elementals, they held the thing at bay for a time, eventually fleeing its power as Arnold — guarded by protection from evil — stole onto the upmost floor, only to discover that the level's thaumaturgical apparatus had succumbed to the elemental's heat.
The Company then entered the dungeons beneath the Chateau to do a bit of mapping and exploration. They investigated a few rooms on the west side of the third dungeon level, only to be ambushed and repeatedly attacked from the darkness by a party of night goblins. Our heroes withdrew from the fray and returned to civilization, vowing to return the next week for further adventures.
Losses and Loot
The party destroyed ten zombies and the wight of the orcish fire-priest Chagahn. Treasure obtained included several hundred assorted coins, a fine gold and silver ring, various baubles and trinkets, a heavy chest with a lock, and four minor magical devices — a blanket of warmth, a mug that can heat or chill its contents, a tuning fork and an inch-wide black stone cube which chimed when the fork is struck.
For enemies defeated, each PC received 263gp and 75xp.