Return of the Runelords, Book 1: Secrets of Roderic's Cove [IC]

[Blackhawk101]

“Excellent! Let’s eat and then head over there and see what we can discover!”says Alandra. She will eat light; ordering only milk and fresh bread if they have them. She will munch on a fresh carrot and offer some to Ziggy.

[lostsole31]

Ranghen will take the carrot, and feed it to carefully to Ziggy.

Led by the young armiger, the party travels a little bit before getting to what he identifies as Roderic's Wreck ...

Approaching the house, it is immediately apparent that Roderic’s Wreck is indeed a wreck. The house slumps visibly toward the water, one corner edging dangerously into the river. Boards in the house’s walls have warped and popped free from their nails, peeling back like bark from an old tree. The front door hangs slightly ajar. The sound of buzzing insects, creaking tree branches, and the river flowing by hangs in the moist air.

[Blackhawk101]

Alandra will draw her bow and cast a spell so that it glows with a bright white light.
“Anyone good with finding traps or hidden dangers? If so, you’re up!”

Spoiler: crunch

Show

cast light

[lostsole31]

"Allow me to try my hand," says Feiya in her strange dialect and cadence of Taldane. "My adopted mother-sisters enjoyed setting traps for me when I would escape, and in time I became quite good at looking out for dangers - hag-made and natural. Though I don't know what traps you expect if the young come here to try their bravery. Daji, come."

Daji gives a yip of surprise, obviously smelling something off!

Surprise Round ...

S14: Something flies out from under the eaves over the porch and with a long nose/ beak/ something attacks Daji but misses.

S13: Daji bites at the flying thing, and viciously nips for 4.

S10: Another flying thing comes out and attacks Feiya and also misses.

End Surprise Round, Begin Round One ..

R1T28: Feiya calls out, "Stirges! Magical, mosquito-like monsters. Be defensive in your tactics that they don't attach to you and suck your blood! Daji, back!"

She moves to the back line and casts a spell on herself, using a cured square of leather hide. A close magical force field appears briefly around her before disappearing.

R1T21: Bořek takes Feiya's advice and attacks carefully and knocks one of the stirges out of the air for 11, but keeps his position to block as many allies from being on the front line if the last stirge comes forward.

R1T19: "I help the fox-puppy, Mama!" cries Ziggy enthusiastically and leaps forward into the air towards the stirge and bites hard, doing the opposite of Feiya's recommendation, but landing on the ground with the bleeding stirge in its mouth.

The stirges are finished off for sure, and tossed into the water.

Combat Ends!

[Blackhawk101]

"Well done, everyone!" beams Alandra. "It does seem that we will need to be on our guard in this place."
Alandra moves to the center of the group with a dainty swirl of her skirts.
"I have additional protection magic I can give you to mitigate wounds you would take. It only lasts several hours but it might be helpful. Does anyone want my protection?"
If any accept, she will grasp their faces in her hands and stare deeply into their eyes for several seconds before pronouncing "DONE! in a loud voice.

Spoiler: crunch

Show

give each false healing 1d8+5 THP for three hours if they accept, including herself.
(1d8+5)[11]
Alandra will trigger the tricks if or when the subject takes damage .

[lostsole31]

Everyone is fine taking what protections may be granted all.

People start to take a bit of a "formation" at this point as Feiya and Daji step up. The moss-covered planks that make up the front porch are swollen and half rotten. The front door hangs slightly open.

Daji does a yipping bark at the porch and Feiya waves everyone away. She takes a look, and says, "Big Man, can you break the porch right here," she says pointing to part of the porch.

Bořek obliges and sets down his guisarme and taking out his flail and easily shattering part of the rotten wood. Feiya nods and he puts his flail away, picking up his guisarme again.

"It is fine now, the pressure is relieved from the rest of the porch, and it is safe now."

Feiya checks the door and opens it to reveal a dank smell pervading a five-foot wide hallway. A set of stairs rises to the next floor, and the hallway turns sharply to the north past the staircase.

[Blackhawk101]

“Let’s clear this level first.” whispers Alandra.

[lostsole31]

Alandra, for the very tight passageways (5' wide), what do you suggest for a marching order? Note that Daji can share Feiya's space, and that Ziggy can likewise share Ranghen's space.

[Blackhawk101]

“Humm…I think a good marching order would be Freiya and Daji first to scout for danger. Then Borek second, to pummel anything trying a frontal attack.” she gives the young man a grin.
“I would put myself next followed by Ziggy and her Mom and then Rodrigo last. Any objections?”

[lostsole31]

As the line moves to the first doorway on the east (ignoring the stairs for now), the warrior turns around and corrects Alandra, "It's not Borek. It's pronounced Bořek."

[Blackhawk101]

"My apologies, Bor^ek. Your name is difficult for me to pronounce." Alandra smiles embarrassed.

Spoiler

Show

even using my laptop, I cannot get the special character correct.

[lostsole31]

This happens over the next two minutes, but substitute "Bořek" for "Nikolaj" ...

[lostsole31]

After that interlude has ended, Bořek moves to the north of Feiya while she's at the door, so as to protect the party from anything deeper in.

Feiya opens the door, and says, "It appears to be an old living room."

Daji starts yapping angrily, but nothing is seen by Feiya. "Daji senses something. I am in front for my senses and ability to detect traps. Not to be your canary. Someone else can go in first."

Alandra, what do you recommend?

[Blackhawk101]

Alandra motions to Bořek to proceed into the room. She gives the brave knight a bright smile with a fanatical gleam in her eye (*).

Spoiler: crunch

Show

* Uses fanatical stare on Bořek; suppressing negative effects and providing +1 attack and damage and +2 will saves.

Spoiler: crunch

Show

[lostsole31]

The young knight passes by Feiya and Daji to start moving carefully into the room, and Alandra's stare just barely seeing enough of him to help him.

There's a skittering sound heard from within, and Bořek's gauntlets grip his polearm tightly in response to a perceived threat.

Begin Round One ...

R1T24: Ziggy instantly is off the chain and goes rushing into the next room. "Big rockamotches!" she calls from the other room, followed by "Ptooey!" and a faint sizzling sound.

R1T20: The shadows around Feiya become slightly lessened as she then moves into the room.

R1T19: Rodrigo moves in and a loud report is heard from his Alkenstar weapon that makes Alandra's teeth rattle. "Got one!" he calls jubilantly. Then less excitedly, "Oh, wait, it's still moving."

R1T11: "She meant cockroaches," Ranghen explains matter-of-factly as she passes Alandra and makes her way in, and the sound of her sickle carving through something resistant and wet is heard.

R1T10: Alandra, what do you do?

[Blackhawk101]

Alandra readies her bow and after entering a martial stance she moves 5 feet to the North. She will fire her bow at a likely target.

Spoiler: crunch

Show

She will quickly analyze her opponent and shoot at the closest target; prioritizing easy shots over more difficult ones.
Sw: enter combat mantra stance: attack bonus
FA:5 ft step North
SA: attack closest “rockamotch” , no special sauce
to hit - (1d20+6)[24]to dam - (1d8+1)[3] with psychic shot
She will trigger any Cult trick Psychosomatic Surges if party members or herself take damage.
She activates her aura of fear ability even though it mostly likely won’t work on nearly mindless creatures (vermin).
She readies her counters Body of Delusion and Inner Sense should she need them.

[Blackhawk101]

Alandra will move in the check out the room to the East.

[lostsole31]

Doors along the northern and eastern sides of this moldy room provide exits. The floor droops toward the south so the lowest corner of the room brushes the river as it flows by. The ceiling in the northern and eastern sides of the room is torn. The remains of a small desk lean into the northwestern corner of the room, its slim drawer hanging out.


The party does a quick search in here. The drawer hanging out of the slumped over desk is empty aside from a dried-out jar of ink and a few split pen nibs. However, a piece of paper is stuck to the bottom of the drawer by a film of mold. It’s jagged around the edges, as if the rest of the sheet was ripped from the remnants. The stuck and moldering page shows an “X” in the middle of some woods, and the letters “St. Hs.,” shorthand for “Stonehouse.”

Feiya - with Ranghen's help, recognizes the woods as the nearby Churlwood.

What now?

[Blackhawk101]

“Feiya, would you be so kind as to check the door to the North for danger?”
Alandra smiles.
“Borek, proceed into the room if Freiya says it is okay to proceed.”

[lostsole31]

Feiya stands back, and her curious double instead listens at the door. Meanwhile, real-Feiya says, "No. My occultation will shield the man since something up close will stymy him with his big stick."

Feiya checks the door, and then opens it. As the line begins moving forward, hundreds of swarming spider emerge from the broken floorboards and attack!

As soon as they swarm over the occultation, it disappears, and in doing so, shadows form and cling around Feiya.

Begin Round One ...

R1T24: Alandra, you have your bow in hand (emitting light). What do you do?

[Blackhawk101]

“Eeeeek!” screams Alandra in a high pitched shriek.
She turns and runs from the room’s Western door and then South outside to the extent of her single move.
“Nope. No thank you. Nope…no…nope!”

Spoiler: crunch

Show

MA: move 5’ NW, 5’ W, 20’ S
FA: enter stance Battle Mantra (+1 AC)
SA: full defense
she will activate Psychosomatic Surge and False Healing if anyone takes damage. If she needs to make a saving throw, she will use the Inner Sense counter.

[lostsole31]

R1T24: “Eeeeek!” screams Alandra in a high pitched shriek. She turns and runs from the room’s western door and then south outside to the extent of her single move, all while frantically jabbering, “Nope. No thank you. Nope…no…nope!”

R1T23: With pistol in hand, Rodrigo hustles outside and onto the porch stairs with Alandra.

R1T21: Ranghen's voice can be heard saying something inside just before there is the sound of glass breaking and the indirect flash of orange-yellow from within! Though a brief flash, that light and flickering of active flames within then builds.

At the realization there is now a raging fire inside, Rodrigo mutters, "Ay, dios mio!"

R1T19: Lots of guttering flame inside now, and that light seems to be advancing, or getting brighter, or something ...

R1T18: More sounds of glass breaking, but this time there is an awful smell that wafts down, and the lights of a fire slowly gutter out.

R1T15: Ziggy comes to the hallway and says, "Spiders gone!"

R1T10: Despite that, calls out, "I've been poisoned!"

End Round One, Begin Round 2 ...

R2T24: Alandra, what do you do?

[Blackhawk101]

At Borek’s call, Alandra moves back to him to see if she can help.

Spoiler: crunch

Show

MA: 20’ N, 5’ E, 5’ NE.
she has no healing knowledge to offer but will trigger the Cult Trick and False Healing if he takes damage.

[lostsole31]

R2T24: At Bořek’s call, Alandra moves back to him to see if she can help.

R2T23: Rodrigo follows her...

R2T21: Ranghen moves over to give Bořek first aid.

Daji, Feiya, and Ziggy delay ...

R2T10: After some deep breaths, Bořek finally nods gratitude to Ranghen as the poison has run its course.

Combat Ends!

[Blackhawk101]

“Is everyone well? asks Alandra with genuine concern. “I will not loose another group so fast!”, she thinks to herself.
“Sorry I ran away but I have no weapons against a swarm like that!”

”If everyone is recovered, let’s search this room also,”

[lostsole31]

Ranghen answers. "The young warrior has been weakened by poison, and that weakness likewise affects how well he bears the weight of his armor. Mind you, my medical skills and his hardiness fought off the poison quickly, so it's not too bad, but I recommend that he now cycle to the back of the group as backup."

[Blackhawk101]

“Agreed. Borek, please keep to the back for the time being.”
She gives him a fierce grin. Alandra searches the room.

Spoiler: crunch

Show

use fanatical stare at Borek.

[lostsole31]

Two doors stand along the north wall of the room, and one stands along the western wall. A masterfully built table stands against the mold-covered windows in the room’s southeastern wall. Aside from a layer of mold and a few patches of moss, the dining set looks to be in immaculate condition compared to the rest of the house’s furnishings.

Most of the eathenware and porcelain dishes inside the cabinet shattered when it tipped over, but inspecting the interior of the cabinet you find the following:

• Silver serving set
• Silver decanter
• Set of (6) Copper Mugs

Nobody in the group is skilled at appraisal. People can guess, but that might give the wrong idea.

The items are collected. What now?

[Blackhawk101]

“Interesting find! Bodes well for our luck on this adventure.” Alandra smiles as the silver is collected.
“Freiya, would you examine the doors to the West please? With Borek poisoned, who will volunteer to be our point person?”

[lostsole31]

"I and Ziggy will be in front with Feiya and her fox," says Ranghen.

The two women check both doors and determine them to be safe.

Which door (or both simultaneous) do you recommend opening first?