Hardcore Heroes: Episode 16

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== Synopsis ==
After a five-week hiatus, the party reconvenes in Shirebrook. Little Jimmy, now cured, studies as a priest, while Van uses his downtime to heal townsfolk. Malakai acquires new spells and equipment but struggles with some from Rohana and Aldric's spellbooks. They notice a group of adventurers led by Darf, seeking Venlen, whom Malakai warns them about. The Baroness tasks them with investigating the Stonehill dwarven mining camp near the Shadow Mountains. After gathering information and a brief skirmish with Lizardfolk, they discover the camp abandoned except for smoke mephits and a troll, which they defeat. They find no clues about the dwarves' disappearance, only a faint magical residue. Returning to Shirebrook, they consult with Rohana and Aldric, learning about a witch in a hidden valley and an up-and-coming village that vanished 40 years ago. They also visit Adriana in the dungeon, who provides cryptic information about Venlen.
==Rule Changes==
*Switch to the modified rule set. Bonus to hit instead of THACO. AC goes up, not down.
*Roll + skill level = over 20, instead of trying to roll under the skill level.
*Allowed to use spells from 'Tome of Magic' and 'Player's Option: Spells and Magic'.
==Recap==
=== Monday, 1509-06-05* ===
Party begins in Shirebrook once more after 5 weeks of downtime. Little Jimmy, now cured, is a student priest at a temple in Shirebrook. Van in his downtime is helping around town, casting healing spells on those in need. Malakai learns Wizard lock, Malakai gets Chainmail Barding for his dogs. Locate object and fails Mending from Rohana's spellbook. He fails Fly, Dispel magic and learns Scare from Aldric spellbook.
They also notice a party of adventurers going through the town, whom they later encounter in the tavern asking about Venlen, the apparent fighter and leader being Darf. Malakai warns them about how dangerous of a task finding wizard like him might be.
Shortly after a guard comes to inform them Baroness Valmont is looking for them, she informs them that a dwarven mining camp called Stonehill, near the Shadow Mountains, south of Shirebrook forest,  has gone silent and she would like them to go investigate. 
They gather information about the local monsters and that Stonehill is a couple years old camp, then Malakai goes to speak to a totally smashed Jeeves in the Dewdrop Inn.
=== Tuesday, 1509-06-06* ===
The following day they make their way over the river and into the forest, however shortly after they encounter 7 Lizardfolk that prove to be a only a brief fight. They continue to trek for the rest of the day until they find a nice cave with a creak to sleep. 
=== Wednesday, 1509-06-07* ===
Night passes without problems and the party continues its journey southwards, after 3 hours they hit the edge of the forest and enter a more hilly region. After a few more hours they find the mining camp, however it's devoid of any dwarves. A short search finds them a gang of smoke mephits camping in one of the houses. Malakai gets hit in the face with a soot ball and is blinded for a few minutes, then after it wears off he scares the mephits out of the house at which they blind the party again this time ending with an all out fight, which however doesn't last long. After momentarily retreating to the border of the town the party hears rumbling sound which lures an invisible Malakai to check back and find a troll standing at the cave entrance. Some planning and fire magic later the troll is deceased and both go on to explore the mining cave, finding some dead animal bones, some silver veins, but no dwarves or dwarven remains, or even any signs of battle. Malakai finds a journal that describes the dwarven life around the camp which describes no problems, but abruptly ends 3 months ago. Without any more clues the party rests in the abandoned encampment and then head back towards Shirebrook.
Just before Malakai departs however he casts a Detect magic and discovers a faint magical 500 ft wide residue all over the camp. Miffed they both head back. 
=== Thursday, 1509-06-08* ===
Sleep once in the forest and get to Shirebrook without an incident. Malakai seeks counsel with Rohana, but gains nothing, but more questions and a story about a up and coming village of 150 that disappeared entirely about 40 years ago.
Next they inform the Baroness and Aldric, the latter which tells of the witch of the wilds that lives in the hidden valley. They make a note of that and then decide to check out Adriana, whose in the dungeon for purchasing/using the potion that disfigured Lady Twintower. She speaks of Venlen as being cryptic, stern man who came from the north via the Waveskipper and as a thanks Van asks Baroness to take pity on her.
*Dates are extrapolated from a previous mention of an exact date.
Category:Hardcore Heroes Episodes