
Date: 4 August 2011
DM: quendalon
PCs: Cut Coutelain, Henri, Jasmine, Jorge Fitz, Murdriirin, Pritchard Hood, Stradivarian
Summary
"Knees high, builds the stamina," Cut barked. His protege reluctantly complied. "There's no breaks for odds-making in the Chateau, Billyup. You can't stop until you've found your treasure- or you're dead. Hit the floor!" Both halflings slam themselves into the ground. "What did you find on Pritchard's expedition, Cut?" The younger halfling was winded, but his curiosity was indomitable.
"I'll tell you what we found. A hedge-wizard that aspires to Pritchard's power. An elf that… well, I wouldn't try tempting him onto the ropes, you know? I thought they were a little to eager for action, but Pritchard knows best. Jumping jacques!"
"Yes, and that southern elf, and the acrobat, and Jorge. But what did you find?"
"Oh, I'll tell you what we found!" Cut increased the pace, much to Billyup's dismay. "We found the mindless, walking dead I warned you about. And these goblins…"
"Never fight a goblin!" Billyup interjected, with the rote tone of a credo. Cut sighed. "Never fight a goblin in the ring. You must fight these goblins- they eat halflings." Blondie's eyes widened, and Cut continued: "This young wizards, Jasmine, she magicked one of them. We killed the rest. Sprints to the hedges!"
"We were attacked in one chamber by enormous, man-eating beetles. You've never seen! What they did to that goblin… it could have been you, Billyup!" "And that's why we bring bows, right, Cut?" "That's why you must never be charmed by a wizard, Blondie. Shadow fights: left right combination, two ducks, go!" The halflings halt and begin throwing vigorous punches at the air, so nearly synchronized that a passing farmer stops to gawk. "There was a great, hideous monkey. White like death, and fists the size of my head! It smelled…" Billyup pipes in, "I saw a dancing monkey in Glantri once, and it smelled awful!" "This was no dancing monkey, Blondie! It was dead, but not dead."
"Did you find nothing but dead monsters, Cut?"
"You'll hear what we found!" Cut thundered. "Sit ups at the fence! Now!"
"We found an impossible hallway, with murder holes, and traps, and, " Cut paused, "this is why you must have a wizard, Billyup. The floor was magicked to burn a man to ashes. Bones and ashes! And as we tried to figure a way across, a burning man threatened us! He was telling some sermons like Hamish, but instead of those crazies at the watch-tower, he had man-birds. With wicked beaks, and talons as long as your arm! Pritchard chased them off, but sacre charme!"
"Cut, this sounds dangerous and exciting! But you found nothing?"
"Billyup, we found new stairways, and corrected our map. Hop-Frog's map! Does that sound like nothing?"
"No, but Cut, did you find anything?"
"Race to the lodge, the hard way!" The halflings began running back to the Company of Crossed Swords lodge, tripping and punching each other along the way. In the home stretch, Cut violently knocks Billyup to the ground, and walks the rest of the way. Cut walks to the loose boards behind the stairs where he and Billyup stash their valuables possessions. Working a board loose, Cut reveals a new short bow, a short sword, a shield, and a dagger. Cut's voice lowered: "We found three or four dock-fights worth of jewels, Billyup. Now let's go get you measured for some armor."
- 2 elves, 2 mages, 2 halflings… and 1 thief delve beneath the Chateau! To the first level!
- Henri and Cut piece together a map from Hop-Frog's papers
- Night goblins in the halls: 5 killed; 1 charmed
- Zombies: 5 goblins turned and killed; 1 spider killed
- Armored skeletons: 4 turned and ignored
- Giant Beetles: 5 killed, 1 charmed goblin casualty (cameo brooch and silver/gemstone necklace on chewed corpse)
- Zombie White Ape: killed (black leather, gold and gemstone collar)
- Room with trap levers; ominous sigils in the floor
- A burning figure preaching of the Boss, with Moar Bird companions (turned, not pursued)
Losses and Loot
For treasures looted and enemies defeated, each party member received 214g and 345xp.