Aderian stepped into the upstairs hallway where he found a sleeping orc, bottle in hand. He slit the orc’s throat and dragged the body into a bathroom. As he did, Jerker entered a bedroom where he found a letter on a desk. It documented a plan to make a jailbreak of the royal prison near Slateholm. He tucked it into a pocket.
At the opposite end of the hallway and around a corner, Aderian kicked open a door to empty bedroom (#21). Windows on the north wall allowed view over the estate walls to the small river. A great maul lay over a bed. Lumps under the covers were merely pillows, curious but not the threat first imagined. Aderian did his best to strap the maul to his back. Next, he looked into the bedroom across the hallways (#22). Names and crude figures were painted on the walls over a large bed. Across the room, a door opened to a filthy bathroom (#24).
Jerker kicked in the door to another bedroom on the west side of the house (#20). A mage in a purple robe sat in a stuffed chair. He shouted at the young fighter then produced a wand which he pointed at Jerker, muttering “freeze”. Instantly, Jerker froze in place, his arm still in position to hurl a boulder. Hearing the commotion, Tienarth stepped up to caste haste upon the party. Aderian ran out of the large bedroom, pushed Jerker aside as he barreled towards the mage, then threw himself at the figure in the chair. Garph, recently hired by Jerker, rushed into the room and snatched the wand from the grappled mage.
The next moment, the mage wriggled free of Aderian’s grasp and jump back. As Aderian rose to attack anew, the mage let loose a magical web that covered most of the room. Aderian and Garph were trapped, but not for long. Aderian ripped through the webbing as Tienarth cast a hold person spell upon the mage.
They found a silver locket on the bedside table. Inside was a delicate painting of a red-haired lass. In the closet they found a backpack holding a spellbook. Meanwhile, an orc from the last unexplored room (#19) burst out, grabbed Jerker’s sword and held it to his throat. “Back off or your friend gets it!” Aderian paid this threat no heed. He threw himself against the orc, knocking him out with the force of his tackle. They bound the orc and waited for magic holding Jerker and the mage to fade.
Kreego and Hocusbo
“What do you know about this letter,” Jerker demanded of the mage. He didn’t know much about the jailbreak. “I’m just a hired mercenary for this gang. I guess they plan to rescue members who were taken by Red Jacket Rangers.”
Just then, a burly orc bolted up the stairs, demanding an explanation, “who’s invading my house?” His attitude changed when he realized he faced Tienarth’s Raiders. “What fortune! I guess the sacrifices to Molok have paid off if the the mighty Tienarth has come to aid us.” At this comment snarled an oath to kill the orc under his breath.
The orc introduced himself as Kreego, the leader of the Purple Gang. Each member wore a purple bandanna. He admitted they planned a jailbreak. Aside from gang members, they also lost several slaves meant for the market. They were slavers, which Nate did not approve of, but the rest of the gang seemed to want to aid in the jailbreak, feeling animosity towards the empire’s agents who were slavers in their own right.
They considered how they might make an attack on the prison without the deed being tied the group who had now gained much notoriety. A plan was hatched to wear different armor and the purple bandannas. Tienarth found the idea of recruiting the mage Hocusbo intriguing. But before they left the estate, they could not resist digging up the six graves in the former garden.
Of the size graves, four held ordinary corpses. Two held zombies which were quickly dispatched. One of corpses held a wand, which the old elf took up. Another held a sack of 80 pp, which Aderian poured into his pouch. That business concluded, they left the estate due south, hoping to make it back to the old road before dark.
Werewolves at the Creek
Near the end of the day, they came upon a group of ruined tents set up near a small creek. Eight people in furs emerged from the brush to greet them with hostile words. The conversation disintegrated into violence as the figures transformed into snarling wolves. Jerker threw a boulder at a werewolf which the monster easily dodged. Then, Tienarth brought forth a wall of file that engulfed most of the werewolves. A short battle lead to the destruction of the evil beasts. Hocusbo joined in with a handy casting of a light spell upon the eyes of a werewolf attacking Garph. The three orcs of the Purple Gang ran away with all speed.
Among the effects of the ruined camp were found 1600 cp, 600 ep, a fine golden comb worth 1,000 gp and a jeweled flagon worth 900 gp. They also noted the previously-unknown creek, valuable information that would be welcome back in St. Orlan. They camped there overnight, were undisturbed and headed for home in the morning (10/27).
Heading Home
As they neared Dacha’s Cabin, they spotted goblins emerge from a cave near a large oak. Jerker hurled a boulder over the great distance. The goblins gave a bloodcurdling cry and scattered.
Back at the homestead, they consulted with Benabil about the items recovered. The great maul bore a name across its side: Thundermaster. The hobbit explained that once a day, the giant hammer could call forth a lightning bolt if the hammer was struck on the ground and its name was shouted. The wand taken from the grave produced fireballs. Hocusbo was given his wand and spellbook back. Although the orcs fled, he chose to remain with the group.
End Notes
- Treasure
- Thundermaster (Great Maul +1, 3d6 lightning bolt 1/day)
- Silver Locket worth 230 gp
- Wand of Fireballs (20 charges)
- 80 pp
- Discovery of small creek in hex 1306 worth 1,000 xp
- 1600 cp
- 600 ep
- Comb 1,000 gp
- Flagon 900 gp
- Combat
- Hocusbo the Mage 405 xp
- Orc Sergeant 75 xp
- Werewolves 2,240 xp
- Characters 3,720 xp
- Aderian (fight, lead) 694 xp
- Ferris 682 xp
- Garph
- Jerker (fight, lead) 694 xp
- Nate (fight) 688 xp
- Tienarth (wilderness, collects magic, avoid combat) 639 xp
Coins and jewels were split 5 ways for 569 gp each.