G90: The Lighthouse of Umberlee

Date: 14 July 2011
DM: Quendalon
PCs: Amaranth, Charlie Darrowkin, Fossa, Ja'tubis, Martin le Noir, Richard Loubeau, Robert Hazart, Wolfgang Zanzibar, Augustine the Trader, and Evita the Elf.

Summary

After a brief and uneventful journey South of Darokin on the river, the Darokin Mercantile Company, LLC1 arrived at the port city of Athenos. Recognizing the limited utility of a lone riverboat on the long, upstream return journey, the Company resolved to sell the Hollyhock, and use the proceeds to find a seaworthy vessel.

While looking for potential marks buyers on the docks, they encountered a fast-talking merchant by the name of Augustine, and his quartet of miscreant bodyguards. The Company, feeling an immediate kinship of spirit with this near-criminal rabble, agreed to take them on as crew-mates for their sea journey.

Augustine's boldly amoral business calculus quickly located a buyer for the Hollyhock, and a more-than-fair price for her. Turning to the next order of business, the motley crew sought out rumors of ships for hire and treasures for reclamation, finding both. One Captain Tendra, of the Silver Tuna, agreed to take the Company out to the Isles for a fee- and a share of the mercantile goods brought back to Darokin. While Augustine negotiated the finer points of this arrangement, several company members turned up rumors of nearby treasure and adventure:

  • Umberlee's Haunted Lighthouse - ghostly lights swirl around this island on the way to the Isles of Pearl
  • Ulmarish's Swamp Temple - a local priest seeks a discrete courier.
  • A ruby in the hills the size of a dragon's heart! A DRAGON'S HEART!!!

As it seemed both en route to the Isles and a field-test of the Silver Tuna, the Company agreed to a quick investigation of the reportedly haunted Lighthouse of Umberlee. Like most lighthouses, Umberlee's was a tower built on a small, rocky islet. A narrow, winding staircase snaked up the outer walls, with small landings allowing entry to what appeared to be 4 floors. The first of these, on the ground level, housed a statue of the goddess set into a reflecting pool. A naked chain swung above the statue, suggesting the past presence of a chandelier (or, as they say in Darokin, a holdscandles). The circular chamber was lined with the collapsed remains of rotting and mouldering tapestries. Upon closer inspection, these remnants housed two dozen giant rats. A melee ensued: Spells were flung, swords were swung, and finally the beasts were routed. The Company was relieved to discover no major casualties, but disappointed to discover no more treasure than is typical of a bunch of rats.

A closer inspection revealed that the lighthouse was ringed on its exterior with a rickety, spiraling stairway,with only a rusty iron railing. Undaunted, the Company took to the stairs. After a perilous ascent of the first flight, a small door was discovered. Upon entry, Martin and Charlie quickly ascertained the room to be a storage nook , with various dry goods stored in cubbys set into the high chamber's walls. They also spied a pile of nefariously innocuous driftwood in the center. Martin attemped to hook the pile to disturb what might lie beneath, but succeeded only in pulling a vicious driftwood golem into his lap! Fortunatly, the wood used had drifted long enough to sap the puissance from the golem, and it was dispatched easily with two deft swipes from Silverstrike.

Ascending the tower, the Company grew increasingly wary of the sheer drop off the towers side, and the dicey foooting. Several members resolved to tie themselves together in groups of three. After some near plummets, the party acheived the next floor, where they discovered a shipwrecked hermit, Gonzalo, and his five pet rats (Maria, Enrique, Julio, and others). The fevered castaway raved of beautiful winged angels, whose song would steal away your heart.

Now, the party isn't stupid, they know from harpies. Several members blocked their ears as they attempted a further exploration up the tower. Sure enough… harpies. This was a big and bloody battle. While the vulturous sirens were ultimately defeated, several of Jaques Agustine's menagerie would pummet to the their death on the rocks below. While some of the party retreated to the safety of the lower floors, daunted by their fellows demises, the bravest, most agile and Ja Tubis (with help from The Dandelion Armor, reached the highest floor. At the top, the bravest climbers were disappointed to discovered only four dangling chains, concluding that some mystic light source must have been snatched away from it's perch.

Beaten and battered, the company decided that cowardice was the better part of valor, and barred themselves in the storage room, ignoring rumors of ghostly lights in the nighttime seas, and soggy undead lurking beneath the island.

After a sleepless night, the party picked their way along the rocks exposed by the low tid, shame-faced back to the ship. After a teahry goodbye to his rats, Gonzalo resolved to accompany the DMLLC on to the Isles of Pearl. Optimistically, Charlie characterized the mission as a "victorious strategic withdrawal with a heroically rescued castaway in tow".

Losses and Loot

Amaranth, Fossa and Evita met their fates in the lighthouse. The party defeated twenty-five giant rats, one driftwood golem and two harpies. They found clerical scrolls of continual light and cure disease, and some sea charts, but no monetary treasure.

Some equipment was looted from the storeroom:

  • Laterns
  • Oil
  • Soap
  • Buckets
  • Rope
  • Chain
  • Hammers

For monsters defeated, each PC received 41xp.

Moneys Spent

From what I can glean from my notes, these were the transactions around the boats…

  • An Emerald ring was traded to get the Hollyhock out of hock.
  • The Hollyhock was sold for 2200 gp
  • 500 gp of this goes towards ship fare/rations
  • 200gp each to Martin, Richard, Bob Hazaart, Ja Tubis, Charlie, and Hanna
  • An additional 50gp was returned to each player present as a result of Jaques' clever negotiations.
  • Captain Tendra of the Silver Tuna will take 10% of the parties haul as her partnership fee
  • Martin took a silver belt buckle in exchange for cash spent towards (something party related)
  • The fee for the ri

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