20040228 Brighton04

<H1> Brighton County: Treasure at Last! </H1>
<H2> Roll Call </H2>
<TABLE>
<TR>
 <TD> Mirto </TD>
 <TD> 9th Human Wizard (Evoker) </TD>
 <TD> Mark Whisler </TD>
</TR>
<TR>
 <TD> Elverie </TD>
 <TD> 7th/2nd Half-Elf Druid/? </TD>
 <TD> Robert Giedt </TD>
</TR>
<TR>
 <TD> Colin </TD>
 <TD> 16th/6rd Human Fighter/Hospitaler </TD>
 <TD> Jim Yonemura </TD>
</TR>
<TR>
 <TD> Paxus </TD>
 <TD> 9th Human Cleric </TD>
 <TD> Ray Chiang </TD>
</TR>
<TR>
 <TD> Bimblefin Candytuft </TD>
 <TD> 4th Pixie Rogue </TD>
 <TD> John Speck </TD>
</TR>
<TR>
 <TD> Kha'Narek </TD>
 <TD> 5th Githzerai Monk (7th CL) </TD>
 <TD> Matt Miller </TD>
</TR>
<TR>
 <TD> Foradun </TD>
 <TD> 4th/2nd Githzerai Psionic Warrior/Soul Knife (8th CL) </TD>
 <TD> Rick DiRicco </TD>
</TR>
<TR>
 <TD> Kristoff </TD>
 <TD> 9th Elf Druid </TD>
 <TD> Keith Farrar </TD>
</TR>
</TABLE>
<H2> Session Summary </H2>
The party is outside the caves deciding what to do. They decide to move away from the cave as much as possible. They find a place to hunker down in Mirto's Leomund's Secure Shelter and rest for the night. Paxus rememorizes at dusk.
Party Status
<UL>
<LI> Kha: 17/31 HP, 1 Negative Level, -3 CON
<LI> Mirto: -3/46 HP, -4 CON
<LI> Kristoff: 22/59 HP
<LI> Paxus: 23/65 HP, -3 CON
<LI> Bimblefin: 22/30ish HP
<LI> Farendil: Wounded
<LI> Ox: Wounded
</UL>
Paxus casts Speak with Dead on Colin's corpse.
<BLOCKQUOTE>
<B>Paxus:</B> Given that we're broke, where can we take your corpse and those of your companions? <BR><B>Colin:</B> For me Home. For elves, Rillithar.
<B>Paxus:</B> Do you have any items that can be useful in the healing of the party? <BR><B>Colin:</B> No.
<B>Paxus:</B> Are there people in Aquitaine who would be willing to help you? <BR><B>Colin:</B> Father Joseph
</BLOCKQUOTE>
Paxus does a Sending to Father Cullaim: "This is Paxus. Colin and three companions are dead. Most dead due to life draining. Will Teleport in with Colin and two companions tomorrow morning." He replies: "Will do what we can for them. Be careful and watchful." Paxus heals up the party with what few spells he has left (27 to Mirto).
On Vandar's person, was a Leomund's Secure Chest. Mirto summons the chest. They group uses Colin's helm to analyze the chest.
<UL>
<LI> In the chest
 <UL>
 <LI> Roughly 50k coins
 <LI> Lots of gems (2 dozen of various sizes)
 <LI> More jewelry in the chest
 </UL>
<LI> On Vandar's body
 <UL>
 <LI> Magical bag (stack of shiny ingots and a strongbox)
 <LI> Magical cloak
 <LI> Two magical rings
 <LI> A gold medal set with emeralds hung from black silk (Black Lions award).
 <LI> Magic amulet
 <LI> Gold pin
 <LI> Silver and gold brooch
 <LI> Silver clasp with emeralds
 <LI> Silver bracelet with jade inlays
 <LI> Silver crown set with black pearls (each with tiny platinum outline of flaming sword)
 <LI> Wrought silver pin in flaming sword shape
 </UL>
</UL>
Bimblefin summons a weasel from his Bag of Tricks and sends it into the magical bag. A few seconds later he exclaims: "Ah! It ate my weasel!" Approximate value of all jewelry that Vandar is carrying is 20k, with half the value in the crown. Kristoff sends in an Air Elemental to get from the bag, and it carries out an ingot. He sends it in again to get the strongbox, but it opens up and attempts to "eat" the elemental, killing it.
Bimblefin and Kristoff send in an earth elemental and multiple animals from the bag of tricks. The strongbox eats two of the creatures and the ingots take out the earth elemental. Afterwards, the strongboxes sit open--it appears to be full of books and papers.
<BLOCKQUOTE>
<B>Bag:</B> Which item do you want?
<B>Bimblefin:</B> The shiny things!
</BLOCKQUOTE>
The stack goes out and the box closes. An ingot just barely sticks out of the bag. The pixie grabs it.
<BLOCKQUOTE>
<B>Bimblefin:</B> Hey, don't I get any more?
<B>Bag:</B> One feeding, one item.
<B>Bimblefin:</B> But you ate like four animals.
<B>Bag:</B> One feeding.
</BLOCKQUOTE>
In the morning, Paxus teleports with the corpses to the inn. It's early in the morning, so the town is just waking up. There is one person in very nice clothes smoking a narrow pipe standing outside the Inn.
<BLOCKQUOTE>
<B>Stranger:</B> Good morning. (Speaks with a strange accent)
<B>Paxus:</B> Uh, good morning. Can you tell me where the temple of Diancecht is?
<B>Stranger:</B> Yes, see that building over there with a spire? It's that building over there. (Pauses) I think I recognize that body there. (Looks at Paxus) I believe I know you as well.
<B>Paxus:</B> Yes, I suppose you might. My name is Paxus.
<B>Stranger:</B> Greetings--I am Vindorto. Listen, I may have need of your services, let me know when you're available.
<B>Paxus:</B> Well, for general missions, you're probably best off contacting my superiors in the temple at Aquitaine.
<B>Vindorto:</B> Oh, no. I prefer to work with individuals. Temples have various restrictions that I can't work with.
<B>Paxus:</B> I see.
<B>Paxus:</B> (Sighs) I see. Well, I guess I'll have to get some help.
</BLOCKQUOTE>
After about 30 minutes, they take the corpses in a hay cart to the Temple of Diancecht. After a bit of waiting, Paxus describes the situation to Father Cullaim.
<BLOCKQUOTE>
<B>Father Cullaim:</B> If they died yesterday, they still have until this evening. They haven't been destroyed by the sunlight, so they haven't changed much.
<B>Paxus:</B> Well, we were thinking that you would have the items needed to bring the dead back to life.
<B>Father Cullaim:</B> Certainly, we do, but it's not necessarily to spare. If we are to use our resources to help, we cannot serve ourselves until those have been replenished.
<B>Paxus:</B> I see the problem. Well, I was under the impression that Donner would be the first person to talk to about this. Perhaps a sending is in order?
<B>Father Cullaim:</B> We can have George do a Sending to Donner.
</BLOCKQUOTE>
George performs the Sending to Donner: "Colin's here, he's dead. He could be raised or resurrected. What can you cover?" Donner response: "Raise Dead unless there are extenuating circumstances."
<BLOCKQUOTE>
<B>Paxus:</B> Well, we do have two bars of mithril that we can use as payment or collateral.
<B>Philip:</B> Two bars? We could be square right now. That is if they're solid.
<B>Paxus:</B> You could use Colin's helm.
<B>Philip:</B> (Uses X-Ray Vision from Colin's helm) That's solid.
<B>Philip:</B> I can tell you what they charge me. I'd say that they charge you 50k gold worth.
<B>Paxus:</B> Well, given the limited resource situation, what other places can we go to in order to get the bodies brought back to life.
<B>George:</B> I was going to make a trip to Rillithar for this. I need to recover my apprentice. I leant her to someone who was irresponsible.
<B>Paxus:</B> If you could take us along, that would be great, since I have no further ability to teleport today.
<B>George:</B> We can certainly do that.
</BLOCKQUOTE>
George teleports Paxus and the bodies to the temple at Rillithar. Paxus offers the bars of mithril to be used as collateral. Knowing Colin's reputation, they agree that a single bar is worth about 50k in sacrifice. They agree to hold on to the bar for one week. Colin is brought back to life with True Resurrection. After Colin is brought back, he considers how valuable the mithril bars will be to the elves.
<BLOCKQUOTE>
<B>Colin:</B> How much will this item help you?
<B>Priest:</B> We're not at war anymore. It can be had in other locations. However, that being said, it can always be made useful.
<B>Colin:</B> Well, I think that I'd be happy to get everyone a True Resurrection and we can leave the two mithril bars.
</BLOCKQUOTE>
Just before they leave, Paxus exchanges the gold pin for 1000 GP of diamond dust. They hitch a ride back to the camp from George. After some catching up and organizing, the group decides to go after the goblins.
<B>Kha'Narek:</B> I would send someone (an invisible flyer say) to scout out the goblins.
The group decides to have Bimblefin fly ahead of the party and scout out the last known goblin camp. The group will follow, lugging the chest around. As they make their way, the group has a sense that they're being watched. Elverie spots a figure trailing the group about 60 feet behind the trailing member of the group. It looks like a big wolf, but it is behaving more like a feline creature. Elverie lets Kristoff know. The pixie returns to the party and describes the location of the camp.
Elverie wildshapes into a bird and spies out the area. She flies above and sees a disturbance several hundred feet across moving through the forest. As she inspects closer, she sees that there is a front row of warg riders followed by a bunch of goblins on foot. The front line splits into two groups and flanks the players' position while the second line continues in a straight line towards the party.
<B>Round 1:</B> Zed fires two arrows at two goblins, killing them (2 crits!). Paxus readies to attack anything nearby. Kristoff puts a Wall of Thorns around much of the party's position. Elverie casts Entangle on the front line of the goblins. Colin positions himself near the edge of one of the Wall of Thorns. Mirto casts Fox's Cunning on himself. Three of the warg riders charge Foradun (one critting him for 31 pts). Three of the warg riders circle around and hit Colin with their lances. Foradun attacks the rider for 18 pts. Farendil shoots at a warg rider and Ox gets into position.
<B>Round 2:</B> Colin spots four invisible figures spring up from the small rock (spriggan). One attacks Foradun and one attacks Mirto. Elverie casts Flame Strike on the four spriggan, doing 20 pts. Kristoff starts a Summoning Spell. Colin moves himself towards the spriggan. Bimblefin fires twice at one of the spriggan and does 16 pts. Mirto Fireballs the group of wargs that Colin fled from, doing 36 pts--killing three wargs and riders and injuring two others. Foradun is hit by one warg rider and one goblin. Kristoff's wolf is hit by two attacks. Paxus steps up and attacks one of the warg riders and kills him. Foradun attempts to tumble past the warg, but fails. He swings and hits one for 11 points. Farendil casts Prayer on the group. Ox attacks a nearby warg for 10 pts.
<B>Round 3:</B> One spriggan attacks Foradun, hitting once for 14 pts. Another steps up on Mirto and hits him for 21 pts. The remaining two swing at Colin but miss. A giant goblin appears next to Zed. Various party members identify it as a barghest. It appears to be armed with six different weapons. On its belt are several packaged, ready-to-go throwing nets. It hits him twice for 19 points total. Zed steps back and fires two arrows, hitting once for 6 pts. Kha'Narek moves through the wargs with several tumbles. He hits one of the four on Foradun. Elverie casts another Flame Strike on three spriggan for 27 pts. Elverie's wolf attacks a warg, but misses. Kristoff summons an raptor next to the wargs. The creature flails about (missing 5 times). Kristoff casts a Flame Strike on the same group of 3 spriggan for 30 pts. Colin steps over to help Mirto and attacks the spriggan on him, hitting for 27 pts. Bimblefin turns visible and shoots the spriggan on Mirto and hits him for 21 pts. Mirto steps 5 feet back from the spriggan and casts two empowered Scorching Rays and hits for 18 and 18. Two of the wargs turn to Kha'Narek and miss, while the other two miss Foradun. Another warg attacks Paxus, missing twice. Ox is slightly wounded. Paxus heals Mirto for 22 pts. Foradun tumbles through and does a psychic blast (DC30), stunning everything that in its area of effect. Farendil shoots at the really wounded spriggan, killing it. Ox attacks a warg, killing it and cleaves to a spriggan. 
<B>Round 4:</B> The barghest barks out some orders and two of the spriggan go after Colin with one hitting for 24 pts. The barghest hits Zed four times, doing 45 points, killing him. Kha'Narek shouts "Excellent work my brother!" and attacks a nearby warg rider. Elverie starts casting. Elverie's wolf attacks a warg for 5 pts. Kristoff's raptor attacks a warg, hitting 3 times for 13 points. Kristoff's wolf attacks the same warg for 5 pts. Colin steps towards the two spriggan, hitting for 19, 14, and (cleave) (crit) 38 (miss last two). Bimblefin turns invisible and shoots at the spriggan for 16 pts, killing it and then fires at the remaining spriggan for 14 pts, killing it as well. Mirto casts Vampiric Touch on a warg for 28 points, killing it. Some goblins come around both ends of the Wall of Thorns and a hail of arrows hit the raptor, wounding it. The other group fire at Foradun and hit him once for 2 pts (makes DC18 poison save) and Kha'Narek for 3 pts then falls unconscious. The wolves bit at Kha'Narek for 9 pts. Paxus swings at the nearby warg, killing it. Foradun runs and hides from the goblins. Farendil steps over and casts Bless Weapon on Colin's weapon. Ox swings twice at a warg, doing 26 pts.
<B>Round 5:</B> The barghest takes a 5 foot step towards Paxus and hits him twice for 31 points. Elverie finishes casting Call Lightning. Elverie casts Entangle and captures a bunch of the goblin archers. Colin steps up and casts a Scorching Ray on the barghest. Bimblefin flies over to Kha'Narek's body and shoots arrows at the warg, killing it. Mirto casts two Scorching Rays on the barghest, doing 30 points. Two of the goblins move out of the Entangle, but the rest are stuck. The other goblins shoot at the raptor, wounding it badly. The wargs attack Ox. Foradun hits two goblins, killing them. Ox kills one warg, then cleaves and kills the rider. Farendil moves next to Colin and draws his sword and shield.
<B>Round 6:</B> The barghest steps up to Colin and swings once for 17 pts. Elverie releases a lightning bolt on the barghest for 10 pts. Elverie's wolf attacks the warg and kills it. Kristoff summons 3 small fire elementals and the raptor attacks the barghest, they all miss. Kristoff's wolf attacks the warg, hitting for 5 pts. Colin swings at the barghest, hitting for 23 and (crit) 45 and missing twice (it appears to be AC28). Bimblefin pokes at Kha'Narek with an arrow, hoping to wake him, but it doesn't work. Mirto casts Evard's Black Tentacles on the remaining group of goblins. Bimblefin goads the remaining goblin to attack him, but he fails. Kristoff's wolf is criticaled by the warg for 13 pts. Foradun hits the warg rider once, wounding it. Ox attacks the nearby warg rider, killing it. Farendil attacks the barghest, but misses.
<B>Round 7:</B> The barghest hits Colin twice for 35 pts. He appears stunned that Colin is still standing. Elverie calls more lightning on the barghest. Elverie's wolf attacks the warg on Kristoff's wolf. The four creatures attack and one of the fire elementals hit. Kristoff summons a Flaming Sphere on the barghest for 3 pts. Colin swings at the barghest for 19, (crit) and 50 pts, killing it. The last goblin runs, but Bimblefin shoots it.
The party does some remaining cleanup. Paxus examines Kha'Narek and he appears to be temporarily paralyzed from the poison. Kristoff says that paralyzing poisons are pretty rare. There are some subterranean creatures which may have it.
Kristoff sticks a goblin body in the bag and asks for a scroll case. A little arm reaches out from the chest and pulls out a scroll case. He repeats the process and pulls out a mithril bar. By the third goblin, they say "starting to get a little full". They search the body of the creatures.
They revive the last spriggan and Bimblefin starts interviewing him.
<BLOCKQUOTE>
<B>Bimblefin:</B> Can you be trusted?
<B>Spriggan:</B> You've pretty much got me outnumbered.
<B>Bimblefin:</B> What if someone hired you to carry a chest?
<B>Spriggan:</B> Does it mean I get to live?
<B>Bimblefin:</B> Yeah.
<B>Spriggan:</B> Okay
<B>Bimblefin:</B> How many of you are there? The types of you that can get big.
<B>Spriggan:</B> Who's askin?
<B>Bimblefin:</B> It's me.
<B>Spriggan:</B> I don't know. Probably not.
<B>Bimblefin:</B> How many of you are there?
<B>Spriggan:</B> There were twelve.
<B>Bimblefin:</B> Do you ahve to kill? Do you enjoy it?
<B>Spriggan:</B> Some of those?
<B>Bimblefin:</B> So, you just kill for fun? (Thinks about shooting down goblins) I guess I do too.
<B>Spriggan:</B> We've lived here forever.
<B>Bimblefin:</B> So, who are the bosses here?
<B>Bimblefin:</B> Who's the next boss?
<B>Spriggan:</B> I dunno. (Looks over at Colin) Looks like you.
<B>Bimblefin:</B> Was this guy your king?
<B>Spriggan:</B> That's what he said.
<B>Spriggan:</B> We've said that time to time. It makes the goblins follow us.
<B>Bimblefin:</B> Hey, what do you know about that big village full of werewolves.
<B>Spriggan:</B> We didn't need any of that, but he insisted.
<B>Bimblefin:</B> Your king?
<B>Spriggan:</B> Yeah. You killed him too?
<B>Colin:</B> Oh yeah.
<B>Spriggan:</B> If you killed him at least, that's at least one good thing.
<B>Kristoff:</B> So, was this your full encampment?
<B>Spriggan:</B> Most of them.
<B>Bimblefin:</B> Are there still more spriggan left?
<B>Spriggan:</B> I figure with him gone and most of us dead, they'll scatter and lay low. That's what I'd do. If you let me go, then you'd never hear from me again.
<B>Bimblefin:</B> You've been here forever. You've been for how long?
<B>Spriggan:</B> My people have been in this valley for centuries.
<B>Bimblefin:</B> How much would I have to pay you to carry the chest? And would you do it for a week? And would you promise not to kill anyone first?
<B>Spriggan:</B> If you let me live, then I'll do it.
<B>Bimblefin:</B> Is there any way we can get your people from working with the goblins?
<B>Spriggan:</B> They're servants for us. They carry, cook and clean stuff, sometimes...
<B>Bimblefin:</B> They can be a pain, but only if their leader is a pain.
<B>Colin:</B> How many warg riders left?
<B>Spriggan:</B> They don't like the werewolves at all. They resent them. They came when the army came. That's good because we left
Spriggan: Are you Colin?
<B>Colin:</B> Yes, I am.
<B>Spriggan:</B> Well, if you're the new man here, you can take out the goblin king you can tell us what to do. If you tell us to stay away, we'll stay away.
<B>Colin:</B> Maybe if you tell people to stay out of the western part, we can just live there.
<B>Bimblefin:</B> Can you make troglodytes dig?
<B>Spriggan:</B> (Sarcastically) How do you stop them digging?
<B>Colin:</B>
<B>Spriggan:</B> Troglodytes are hard to intimidate, because they've got this entire "lizards are better than us" thing.
<B>Colin:</B> We're sorry we had to kill your friends.
<B>Spriggan:</B> (Shrugs) It happens. We would have killed you if won.
<B>Bimblefin:</B> He's a knight. He's got all that mercy stuff going on. Do you know of any safe place we can stay?
<B>Spriggan:</B> You can stay back at our camp. Our place is pretty nice.
<B>Paxus:</B> Do you have a name?
<B>Spriggan:</B> Clyde.
</BLOCKQUOTE>
The party makes their way to the goblin camp.
<BLOCKQUOTE>
<B>Clyde:</B> There may be some goblins left behind. But if they see me with you, they won't do anything. In fact, they may get us some food.
<B>Clyde:</B> They're good servants. They don't even hate it when you beat them up.
<B>Bimblefin:</B> Hey, how did you make that poison?
<B>Clyde:</B> Yeah, he showed us where there are some cave crawlers and how to distill their poison.
</BLOCKQUOTE>
Along the way to the goblin camp, a couple of goblins start to run and shouts.
<BLOCKQUOTE>
<B>Clyde:</B> All right, you two. Why are you hiding out?
<B>Goblin:</B> We thought it would be a good idea to protect the base...
<B>Bimblefin:</B> Tell, them to listen to me (Turns visible)
<B>Clyde:</B> You've got to listen to this guy!
<B>Goblin:</B> Ah! A pixie!
<B>Clyde:</B> You've got to do what the little wingy guy says.
<B>Bimblefin:</B> You've got to clean where we're staying?
<B>Goblin</B> Where are you staying?
<B>Clyde:</B> They're staying with us. Do I have to eat one of you?
<B>Goblin</B> No!
</BLOCKQUOTE>
There appear to be 10 or so goblins left. Clyde shrinks down to a small size.
<BLOCKQUOTE>
<B>Bimblefin:</B> What do you do about the vampires?
<B>Clyde:</B> That's going to be a problem with the boss gone. Well, this is it, home sweet pit. The werewolves don't usually come around. I guess we'll be safe as long as word doesn't get out. Don't know how long that will be.
</BLOCKQUOTE>
Clyde basically tells the story that the goblins came with the orcs. The spriggan during this time kept stealing goblins by making promises. Once the army was broken and the vampire goblins and troglodytes started showing up in Brighton County. When the army showed up, the barghest also showed up. He caught on to the spriggan's game and took over them. He had enough power at the time to browbeat the spriggan. Finally, word had reached them that a band of adventurers had shown up (evidenced by the death of the Terror). They had tracked the party movements and attacked. When the scout had reported back that they were laden with loot and moving slowly, the word to attack was given.
The werewolves just kept the goblins out of town. They are the ones who chased most of the organized army out of the area. The people of the village were not always werewolves. There had been a couple of werewolves in the area, but they only picked off stragglers. At some point, a number of the villagers became werewolves in a hurry. Clyde is unfamiliar with how the entire village ended up getting turned into werewolves. It makes sense since it was the only way that the village could turn back the orcish occupation. Werewolves naturally wander, so the leader must be keeping the village together. Some of the people in the village are not werewolves, but other types of lycanthropes.
<BLOCKQUOTE>
<B>Colin:</B> What can you tell me about the villagers?
<B>Clyde:</B> It seems like they're sort of civilized for werecritters. They might be manageable if you make friends with their leader. You know who's leading them now.
<B>Colin:</B> It appears to be this guy, Caleb.
<B>Clyde:</B> Caleb wasn't always a werewolf. I know that guy. He was one of those guys who would wander out there without any aid. We always gave him a wide berth.
<B>Colin:</B> Do you think he'd be willing to get changed back?
<B>Clyde:</B> I don't know. If he's leading the pack now, it's possible he doesn't need to be a werewolf to lead them.
</BLOCKQUOTE>
The party decides to rest up. Bimblefin dispels the spell on the chest (20). He takes 20 and opens the chest.
<H2> Foes Fought </H2>
Barghest<BR />Four spriggan<BR />30+ goblins<BR />12+ wargs and riders