As the sun was setting on the 12th night of the month of Clover (3/12), Urgesh, half-orc barbarian, arrived at the river camp. He pulled a crumpled paper from his boot and explained that he’d thought they needed a map of Tosasth. It was a rough drawing prepared by Ghevont in years past that showed the locations of buildings they explored. In the fading light, they puzzled over it. Tienarth believed he understood the markings.
In the early hours before dawn, rats crawled up from the river and into the camp. Jerker was hollered to wake the others. Over the span of several minutes, they busied themselves squashing rats and suffering a few bites. Urgesh’s horse, Clompy, joined in and Urgesh attempted to skewer rats at the end of his long lance. He caught the last rat as it attempted to escape.
Over roasted rat, they considered the idea that the rats were summoned by the Ithusar, the vampire they’d met the day before. Tienarth produced his crystal ball, peering deeply into it to see the vampire lying motionless on a slab. Water dripped from the ceiling of the chamber and ran across the floor. It seemed like the vampire was resting in the sewers of Tosasth.
As they began the 13th day, they walked back towards Tosasth, heading for the Morwenys estate. They recalled the oppressive heat of the mansion, now gone since they removed the burning gem once held by the statue of Molok. They looked over most of the rooms, including the library where Urgesh took a book. Behind one door was an unexplored room filled with squirming black tentacles. Urgesh tossed burning oil into the center of the room, then he invented a plan to enter the room covered in oil. The tentacles grasped him and pulled him in. He lit the oil and was unharmed due to his magical ring. A walking torch, he passed his arms over the tentacles, burning them away. After some time, he cleared away room around an old bed. Underneath, the found an iron coffer containing 2,500 gp.
They tired of walking the halls of the Morwenys Estate and began following the alleyways toward the manor of Imra Herrel, the black knight with which they collaborated two years before. Before they could reach their destination, a wraith appeared before them and rushed forward. It slashed at Hocuspo who deftly twisted away. Jerker and Urgesh stabbed at the wraith with magical blades and it was dispelled.
The ghouls that once lingered at the gates of Imra’s manor were gone, but the fountain on the veranda still gurgled. They returned to the well outside the kitchen and once again heard soft music. Jerker lowered Aderian down the well by a chain. The well was dry but opened to a large chamber in which a giant skeleton reclined. Bony fingers plucked the strings of lyre.
“It’s a giant skeleton playing the music,” called Aderian.
“Is it any good?” asked Urgesh.
“I’ve heard better” was the reply.
Jerker and Urgesh descended to join Aderian. The skeleton could not speak but could understand them. Jerker asked why the giant remained down here. It was as if the idea of escape had never occurred to him, and the skeleton stood up and grabbed the lip of the well. He pulled down a huge section of the ceiling which rained down rubble on the three fighters. The giant then began climbing up to the surface. Jerker wrapped his arms around the giant’s bony leg. The giant gently attempted to dislodge Jerker who let go when they were up at the surface.
The skeleton walked around the wall and out the gate into the city.
Meanwhile, Ferris walked around the inspect the garden. He found the black lotus still thriving in tiled pool. He gently gathered pollen into a bottle. He figured it was enough to prepare one potion of human control. He rejoined the party as they relaxed in the dusty kitchen, enjoying beer from a keg carried by Urgesh.
End Notes
- Treasure: 2,500 gp
- Combat
- 50 Rats 360 xp
- Wraith 320 xp
- Characters 97 xp
- Aderian (fight) 108 xp
- Ferris 107 xp
- Jerker (fight) 108 xp
- Morana 97 xp
- Nate (fight) 108 xp
- Tienarth 97 xp
- Urgesh (drink, fight) 99 xp