Adventures in the Green

Thursday, October 28, 2021

Biggz Troop – Session 25 – Part 1

[Maius 22nd to Junius 19th – Porkins On Trial! Bedrest for The Injured!]

[This game uses Adventures in the Green, a RPG based on the original rules for the world’s most popular roleplaying game. These rules are under development with Draft C available here. Game sessions happen an average of once a month. This is Part 1 of the session that happened October 9, 2021.]

Biggz’z Troop, CAC (Chartered Adventuring Company):

Biggz Bigguns of the Big’uns Clan – gender neutral goblin Temple Priest (7th level Cleric)

Tiny – male minotaur Champion (7th level Fighter)

Porkins – male human Enchanter (6th level Magic-User)

Pio Vento of Piccolo – male human Veteran (1st level Fighter)

Mannin Darkshield – male dwarf Burglar (4th level Thief)

Kunigunde Gruber – NPC female goblin Cutpurse/Acolyte (5th level Thief/4th level Cleric)

Hirelings:

Larn the Linkboy – male human hireling linkboy

Isidoros of Delphis – male Tolk hireling translator [specifically, German to Mü]

Deniska – female human hireling Warrior bodyguard (2nd level Fighter) [for Larn]

Ivan – male human hireling bodyguard [for Larn]

Bernagi – male human hireling bodyguard [for Isidoros]

Hardkira – male human hireling bodyguard [for Isidoros]

Spring

Moonday, Maius 22, 524th year of the Empire

Morning

Biggz’ Troop was in Grossestadt having spent the last two days scrounging enough scrolls of Restore Life and Limb to bring Pio back from the dead and fix the shattered knees and legs of Isidoros and Bernagi, respectively. All three plus Hardkira and Larn needed bedrest to finish recovering from their injuries with Pio needing a full month after his harrowing return from the afterlife. The Troop sat around “their” table at the Two Mules Inn and discussed their options over the remains of breakfast.

For a variety of reasons, Porkins need to leave Grossestadt soonest [there were wanted posters for his arrest all over the city for book theft]. The Troop and their hirelings also needed to spend some time not adventuring, which would allow Porkins to scribe a spell or two – at task easier done in a place without wanted posters for him. As a result, the group decided that their best course of action would be to quietly slip out of the city and return to Smolberg.

While Biggz was settling their bill with the innkeep, a patrol of Grossestadt guards entered the inn’s common room, led by Gierstein the Saber. He pointed directly at Porkins and said, “There! That’s Porkins the Wizard!” The guards moved over to the Troop’s table and the head guard announced, “Porkins the Wizard, I have a warrant for your arrest for theft of property. Please come along.” Porkins immediately corrected the man, stating he was an Enchanter and not a Wizard [yet], but the guard sergeant really didn’t care.

After some back and forth, the sergeant agreed that Porkins could turn his valuables over to Biggz. The sergeant insisted on searching Porkins’ backpack for the stolen book first. Not finding the book in question, he was no longer interested in the contents, except for the vial of grey ooze, which was confiscated as a potential threat to the city. Porkins went with the guards, with Mannin following to verify Porkins was taken to the city jail and not somewhere more nefarious. Once in his cell [which was not wretched due to his status as a “wizard”], Porkins cast Porkins’ Mystical Missive to inform Mannin where his cell was located. Just in case.

Back at the inn, Biggz informed the innkeeper that the Troop would need their rooms for a while longer and asked if he could recommend a lawyer willing to work for adventurers. The innkeep recommended Herbert Ludger Fenstermacher as a lawyer known to represent adventurers in court. The innkeep also provided directions to the part of Grossestadt where the lawyers offices would be, but he did not know the exact location. Biggz thanked him for the information and headed off with Tiny and Isidoros to find the lawyer.

[There was some recordkeeping done here and Isidoros’ fees were paid up until the end of Quintillis (July).]

Fenstermacher’s office was across the river from the Two Mules Inn, in the Beerarch district, near the court building and jail. Once in that district, Biggz asked passersby who looked like lawyers and some shopkeeps for directions to Fenstermacher’s office and was directed there without too much difficulty.

H.L. Fenstermacher happened to be in his office and listened to Biggz describe the situation. He asked some questions, but stopped asking about the book when Biggz mentioned it had been delivered to Ogmund the Dragon. He agreed to advocate for Porkins and requested a deposit of 15 gold coins, which Biggz promptly paid.

10:00

Mannin spent some time purchasing food to send to Porkins in jail so he would not starve. [Jails at the time did not feed prisoners in general, requiring the imprisoned to arrange for their own food and drink.] Mannin put together enough food for two people, correctly assuming the prison guards would take some of the food before it got to Porkins.

Once Mannin had the food and a basket to hold it, he took it to the jail for delivery to Porkins.

Noon

Porkins received a mostly empty basket of food from Mannin, containing roughly a fourth of the food it started with. Porkins took the opportunity to successfully cast Charm Person on the guard, Udo, and now Porkins and Udo were best friends. Subsequent food deliveries were brought through by Udo and contained most of the food sent plus clean water.

Magusday and Cromsday, Maius 24 and 25, 524th year of the Empire

Porkins’ trial lasted two days, with the first day being the reading of the charges [theft of a Libram of Gainful Conjurations from a resident spellcaster, Soin the Middle Sorcerer] and the presentation of events by the prosecutor. The second day was for the presentation of evidence, and here is where the case against Porkins fell apart. Gierstein had to admit that he had not witnessed the theft and Porkins was identified to him by his employer. The prosecutor then had to admit that the accuser, Soin the Middle Sorcerer, had not seen Porkins steal the book, nor had any member of his household. In fact, Soin had only identified Porkins by casting a Contact Higher Plane spell and could not compel the power contacted to appear as a witness. At this point the judge was giving the prosecutor serious side-eye. H.L. presented evidence and actual eyewitnesses that Porkins had been in the common room at Two Mules Inn the night of the theft.

The judge ruled Porkins innocent of the charges against him and scheduled him for release from jail the following morning, once all the appropriate paperwork was filed and approved. H.L. said Porkins should be fine at this point, but he should not linger in town very long as there was likely to be some unofficial consequences. H.L. also presented Biggz with a final invoice for another 5 gold coin. Biggz promptly paid it.

Freysday, Maius 26, 524th year of the Empire

Porkins was freed from the jail in the morning with Mannin there to greet him. The two made their way back to the Two Mules Inn where the rest of the Troop were packing to leave. In his room, Porkins found a note that read, “I do not expect to see you again before the end of Junius. -O.” Porkins understood this to mean he should stay out of Grossestadt for at least a month.

Porkins used Porkins’ Mystical Missive to contact Matthias, Count Eberstein-Smolberg, to see if there was anything the Count desired from Grossestadt. The Count requested some expensive spices and Porkins had the spices purchased, wisely staying indoors.

Afternoon

Biggz arranged transportation for the Troop on a luxury riverboat heading to Smolberg. This would allow the injured members of the party to get good rest on the trip [and have the travel time count towards their needed bedrest]. During the trip, Porkins started scribing a scroll of Dispel Magic.

Freysday, Junius 9, 524th year of the Empire

The Troop arrived in Smolberg. Those still recovering were transferred from the docks across the town to the Petty Footman, the inn the adventurers more or less live in just outside the southern town gate.

Biggz started scribing a scroll of Remove Curse for emergency use by the Troop if she was unavailable. Porkins delivered the requested spices to the Count [who was favorably impressed] and then continued scribing Dispel Magic.

Tiny, Mannin, Kunigunde, and Deniska spent the rest of the day sparing while wearing the unidentified magical armors and magic ring to evaluate their level of protection. [Both plate mail armors were +1 and the ring was a +1 Ring of Protection.] Kunigunde was given one of the suits of magic plate and Mannin was given the magic ring [providing both with an Armor Class of 2].

[Previously, Kunigunde had worn leather armor, mostly out of habit. As she was more about being a cleric of Hermes rather than her previous profession, she decided to switch to the plate armor. Her reasoning was, “The best way to not be taken for a thief is to not dress like one.”]

Freysday, Junius 16, 524th year of the Empire

Porkins finished scribing Dispel Magic.

Yggsday, Junius 17, 524th year of the Empire

Porkins went to speak with the Count. Porkins broached the subject of purchasing the Watchtower and attendant property. The Count stated he was not against the sale of the property, but at the moment he was engaged in a legal dispute with the Mayor of Smolberg who claimed the Watchtower was property of the town, based on the fact that the town had paid a bounty to have the goblins removed from it. The Count strongly disagreed but the matter was currently locked up.

The Count and Porkins discussed the possibility of Porkins filing a Letter of Intent to Purchase the Watchtower from the Count. The Count felt that the Mayor would probably relinquish the town’s claim to the Watchtower if it looked like the town could start charging taxes on the property. The Count made several recommendations on the legal language Porkins should use in his Letter of Intent.

Moonday, Junius 19, 524th year of the Empire

Pio was finally recovered enough to travel. Biggz immediately started preparations to head back to Stralbruck.

Porkins commissioned a scribe to write up the Letter of Intent to Purchase the Watchtower. At the end of the day, Porkins submitted the Letter to the Town Clerk.

End of Part 1

Behind the Green

[Note: I realized that how I was pronouncing Gierstein (gear-steen) was different than how I was spelling his name, which should be pronounced “ger-stine”. I’ve decided that I’m not going to correct the spelling, but please be aware of the way he pronounces it. He is a gun for hire after all.]

[Porkins finally faced legal consequences for the book theft he performed on Ogmund’s behalf in exchange for his +1 Ring of Protection. Will Soin the Middle Sorcerer let things go here? Probably not, but he’ll now have to contend with Porkins being legally cleared of the crime.]

Biggz’z Troop, CAC

…

Thursday, October 21, 2021

Biggz Troop – Session 24 – Part 2

[Maius 12th to 21st – Exploration continues – Rocks Fall! and aftermath]

Biggz’z Troop, CAC (Chartered Adventuring Company):

Biggz Bigguns of the Big’uns Clan – gender neutral goblin Temple Priest (7th level Cleric)

Tiny – male minotaur Champion (7th level Fighter)

Porkins – male human Enchanter (6th level Magic-User)

Mannin Darkshield – male dwarf Robber (4th level Thief)

Kunigunde Gruber – NPC female goblin Cutpurse/Acolyte (5th level Thief/4th level Cleric)

Pio Vento of Piccolo – male human Veteran (1st level Fighter)

Hirelings:

Larn the Linkboy – male human hireling linkboy

Isidoros of Delphis – male Tolk hireling translator [specifically, German to Mü]

Deniska – female human hireling Warrior bodyguard (2nd level Fighter) [for Larn]

Ivan – male human hireling bodyguard [for Larn]

Bernagi – male human hireling bodyguard [for Isidoros]

Hardkira – male human hireling bodyguard [for Isidoros]

Spring

Freysday, Maius 12, 524th year of the Empire

Morning

Biggz sent a message to Grimbold von Virreburg, the noticeably wealthy local merchant, asking if he would be interested in purchasing a magic shield the adventurers had for sale. While waiting for a reply, a message came in from Father Solomon. He stated he had not been able to identify the symbol on the dead elf, but his resources were limited. He asked for permission to inquire further with others. Biggz responded that asking others was OK, but would Father Solomon please not send the amulet elsewhere. By way of reply, Biggz received the amulet back.

The reply from Grimbold arrived. Grimbold indicated he was interested in discussing other items and would Biggz be available to meet. Biggz sent a reply stating they would be willing to meet at the Brass Dog after dinner this day to discuss. Grimbold replied this would be acceptable.

Once Pio came down and all had a late morning meal, the adventurers gathered up their gear and left town for the ruins.

Noon

The adventurers arrived at the ruins and then discussed which parts of the catacombs they wanted to investigate. They decided to investigate the secret door in the octagon room.

The group entered the gnole barracks and descended the stairs there to the dungeon. Porkins cast Detect Invisible [duration 6 Turns (1 hour)] to avoid being ambushed by the other adventurers again. The Troop cautiously advanced to the octagon room and found it largely how they left it the previous day. Porkins retrieved his two scroll tubes [one empty, one trapped with Explosive Runes] and carefully stashed them [he marked the trapped one with a red ribbon].

Satisfied that they were not about to be attacked, the group turned their attention to the secret door. As a dwarf, Mannin could sense that the door was trapped, so he set to disarming the trap. Unfortunately, he was not successful and triggered a Glyph of Warding, which electrically discharged. Biggz and Kunigunde healed Mannin with a combination of spells and staves of healing.

Not wanting to take another try at the still trapped secret door, the group decided to explore the corridor past where the mummies had attacked them. They backed up to the last intersection and then headed east, past the copper door to the intersection before the mural room. There they turned left and followed that corridor. The corridor was moderately long and ended at a room containing broken and decayed furniture. The walls were covered with complex geometric patterns. When Tiny entered the room, a grey ooze descended from the ceiling to attack, but the adventurers cut it down quickly with a Magic Missile spell from Porkins and a crossbow bolt from Mannin.

Tiny started searching the walls for secret door while Biggz and Kunigunde searched the broken furniture for hidden loot. Mannin assisted Tiny by using Whisperminder’s ability to locate secret doors. In the meantime, Porkins used a spare vial to scoop up a sample of the grey ooze as deliquesced. Tiny and Mannin located not one but FOUR secret doors in this room: two on the north wall, one on the east wall, and one on the south wall. The group took a rest and discussed options.

1:00 PM

After their rest, the group decided to open the western secret door on the north wall. They first had Pio check the door with Ologbane [which has Detect Trap as an ability] and the sword indicated the door was safe. Behind this secret door was a short corridor to a set of stairs leading down. The air here was noticeably moist, indicating water nearby. Not wanting to descend yet, they closed the secret door and went to the next door on the north wall.

Once Ologbane indicated northeast secret door was safe, they opened the secret door, releasing a putrid carrion stench and a ghast, which lurched to attack. Biggz pulled out its symbol of the Many-King and turned the ghast, obliterating it in a burst of holy energy. [This was the first time Biggz’ player had attempted a turning because she was mis-reading the table. Once we explained it to her, she was much pleased.] With the secret door still open, the smell emanating from the small room beyond continued to spread, causing Mannin to retch. Porkins quickly cast a Detect Magic spell and verified there was nothing magical in the small smelly room. He promptly closed the door, cutting off the smell. [Mostly.]

Pio consulted Ologbane about the secret door on the east wall and Ologbane indicated it was trapped. Not wanting to mess with a trap just yet, the group checked the secret door on the southern wall. Ologbane indicated this door was safe, so it was opened. The room beyond was once a pottery storage area, but all the pottery was now shattered and shoved up against the walls. There was a door out on the south end of the east wall. Porkins located a Glyph of Warding on the south wall [due to me missing that Detect Invisible had expired by now] and the group avoided it. Ologbane was consulted about the regular door and declared it safe.

The room beyond was full of broken furniture with a smell of rancid meat in the air, which caused Biggz and Mannin to nearly retch again. Pio wanted to properly measure the room, so the group let him and then took a rest.

2:00 PM

After the rest, Porkins searched the broken furniture and found several small caches of gold coins [totaling 2000gc] and a scroll of Protection: Undead. Mannin used Whisperminder to see if there were any secret doors in this room and found two!

Both secret doors were on the south wall, so after having Ologbane verify the doors were not trapped, Tiny opened one. Beyond the secret door was a long corridor with a side passage on the left and four levels of sepulchers along the right wall as far as Tiny could see. Curious, the other secret door was opened and behind it was a damp chamber full of decayed furniture. A quick casting of Detect Magic found none. Believing that room to be a dead end, the adventurers decided to investigate the corridor instead.

As the group approached the intersection with the side passage, a number of burnt-looking skeletons animated from sepultures on the left wall, they eye sockets glowing bright blue. Biggz easily turned them, shattering them to dust with a burst of holy power. This corridor led to another set of stairs. These seemed to descend much deeper than the other stairs the adventurers had seen so far.

Again, not ready to descend, the group turned back and returned to the room of secret doors. Mannin attempted to disarm the trap but triggered it instead. The entire ceiling collapsed into the room, heavily injuring the entire party!

Once the stone ceiling stopped falling, Pio, Deniska, Isidoros, Hardkira, Larn, and Bergani were all unconscious with rubble on them. Biggz and Kunigunde immediately started healing the fallen. Pio was dead due to a heavy stone that crushed his legs. Deniska was able to shake off the effects once given some healing. One of Isidoros’ knees was smashed. Hardkira lost an eye while Larn only lost a few [4] teeth. Bernagi’s legs were lamed, making even walking a struggle for the mercenary.

Those adventurers still functional helped the wounded with Tiny once again bundling up the body of a member of the Vento family and carrying it to the surface. The group slowly made their way back to Stralbruck.

On the way back, Bernagi and Hardkira quietly discuss retiring and opening an inn in Waldrand and naming it the Avalanche Inn.

4:00 PM

Dust-covered and injured, the adventuring party arrived back at Stralbruck. The wounded were taken to the church for additional healing. Biggz sent a message to Grimbold, letting the merchant know they had to defer the meeting as the adventuring party had to leave for Grossestadt immediately.

A cart with horses and a driver was rented to speed up the trip and everyone was loaded into it as soon as they were available. The adventurers raced east on the road to Wittingen.

Well After Sunset

The Troop arrived at the first travel inn. They were eventually let in but had to stay in the common room for the night as all the rooms were already occupied.

Yggsday, Maius 13, 524th year of the Empire

The troop arrived at the next travel in on the road to Wittingen. This time they were able to get rooms.

Sunday, Maius 14, 524th year of the Empire

Afternoon

The Troop arrived in Wittingen and booked passage on a boat leaving for Grossestadt as soon as they got aboard.

Yggsday, Maius 20, 524th year of the Empire

Evening

The boat the Troop took arrived in Grossestadt shortly before the port chain was raised. Due to the general hustle going on as ships unloaded last minute arrivals, Porkins was able to exit the docks area without being recognized. He saw several wanted posters with his image on them. It was the same image Gierstein used to identify Porkins in Smolberg.

Biggz sent messages to the cathedral, requesting urgent access to the rite of Restore Life and Limb. The return messages apologized, explaining that the High Priest was out of town for another three weeks and no one at the cathedral could perform the rite.

One safely at the Two Mules Inn, Porkins used Porkins’ Mystical Missive to contact Ogden the Dragon, asking if he had a scroll of Restore Life and Limb for sale. The response was, “I will have it by Noon or not at all. Come to my shop tomorrow.”

Sunday, Maius 21, 524th year of the Empire

Morning

After breakfast, Biggz started looking for scrolls of Restore Life and Limb for sale. Biggz first went to the cathedral to ask. They had scrolls as part of their emergency plans, but they were reserved for specific people important to the defense or function of the city and were not available for sale. Biggz next tried the booksellers she knew in the city and lucked out. Two of the shops each had one scroll and Biggz purchased both for 900gc each.

Noon

Porkins and Biggz went to Ogden’s shop. Ogden admitted he had been able to locate a scroll, but due to the rush order, the cost was increased. Porkins had to pay 2000gc for the scroll. Porkins turned the scroll over to Biggz who left the shop. Porkins then asked if Ogden had any interest in purchasing some spare magic items Porkins had for sale. Ogden stated he was willing to look at what Porkins had to offer.

Ogden was not interested in the +2 shield Porkins offered. He raised an eyebrow at the potion of dragon control [“It takes a gutsy person to offer a potion of dragon control to someone known as Ogden the Dragon.”] but bought it and the wand of paralysis for gold coin. The scroll of Smite Undead they traded for a scroll of Dispel Magic that Porkins highly desired, both pleased with the trade.

Evening

Biggz cast Restore Life and Limb from the scrolls on Pio, Bernagi, and Isidoros. Pio returned from the dead, alive but with the pallor of death around him [Charisma drop of 4, +2 on reactions from non-intelligent undead]. He would need a month of bed rest to fully recover from the ordeal. Bernagi’s legs were mended with no side effects other than needing two further weeks of bedrest. Isidoros’ knee was easily repaired and the Tolk revitalized, only needing another 10 days of bed rest to recover.

End of Part 1

Behind the Green

[Here the Tampering with Mortality table was used from the Adventurer, Conqueror, King System after each casting of Restore Life and Limb. It is entirely possible to play Adventures in the Green without using the Mortality Table and the Tampering with Mortality Table from ACKS but I think they introduce some verisimilitude that would otherwise be missing.]

[Now that Biggz’ player understands how the Turning table works, I need to review the undead I’m placing in front of the PCs. Biggz destroys anything from a Wight down and auto-turns Wraiths and Mummies. Only Specters and Vampires have a chance to stand against the Temple Priest now. Luckily, the dungeon they are currently exploring is a more dangerous one with the surface levels counting as a 4th level dungeon layer and the catacombs as a 5th level dungeon layer. I have several more levels planned but not mapped out yet.]

Biggz’z Troop, CAC

…

Thursday, October 14, 2021

Biggz Troop – Session 24 – Part 1

[Maius 11th and 12th – Exploration starts with a Big Fight!]

Biggz’z Troop, CAC (Chartered Adventuring Company):

Biggz Bigguns of the Big’uns Clan – gender neutral goblin Family Priest (6th level Cleric)

Tiny – male minotaur Swashbuckler (6th level Fighter)

Porkins – male human Conjuror (6th level Magic-User)

Mannin Darkshield – male dwarf Robber (4th level Thief)

Kunigunde Gruber – NPC female goblin Footpad/Petitioner (5th level Thief/4th level Cleric)

Pio Vento of Piccolo – male human Veteran (1st level Fighter)

Hirelings:

Larn the Linkboy – male human hireling linkboy

Isidoros of Delphis – male Tolk hireling translator [specifically, German to Mü]

Deniska – female human hireling Veteran bodyguard (1st level Fighter) [for Larn]

Ivan – male human hireling bodyguard [for Larn]

Bernagi – male human hireling bodyguard [for Isidoros]

Hardkira – male human hireling bodyguard [for Isidoros]

Spring

Cromsday, Maius 11, 524th year of the Empire

Morning

Ready to explore the area under the ruins, the adventuring group formed up after an early breakfast and left Stralbruck.

9:00 AM

After a one-hour hike, the adventuring party arrived at the ruins. They entered the gnole barracks and climbed down the stairs to the lower area. Once down in the first corridor, Porkins cast Infravision on himself.

The adventurers decided to explore further south this trip. The went through the two intersections to the room with the very large statue. Tiny and Pio advanced into the room to look around and were attacked by invisible foes!

One of the foes dropped her sword during the initial rush to attack Tiny, appearing in front of the surprised Tiny with no weapon in hand. Another foe appeared behind Tiny to backstab the minotaur, landing a glancing blow [x4 backstab damage doesn’t help much when you roll a 1 for the damage]. A third attacker hit Pio solidly, dropping him to the floor.

Biggz cast Create Water to make puddles that might expose any additional invisible attackers. Porkins cast Charm Person on the foe that dropped Pio, but the fighter resisted the spell [made their save]. Deniska and Kunigunde advanced from deeper in the party to get up to the fighting but Kunigunde bumped into a fourth opponent who was still invisible, forcing Kunigunde to share a space with Biggz. The attacker who dropped her sword retrieved it. The fighter that dropped Pio attempted to do the same to Deniska but shattered her shield instead. Sword back in hand, the woman next to Tiny attacked him, shattering Tiny’s shield. Tiny attacked the elf who backstabbed him, landing a strong hit. Deniska swung at her attacker but missed.

Porkins started casting Lightning Bolt, his first time using the complicated spell. Biggz slung a bullet at the invisible attacker in front of them and hit! Mannin attempted to attack with his sling, but dropped his sling in his rush. Kunigunde backed up to stop crowding Biggz while Deniska and Tiny readied new shields. Mannin picked up his dropped sling, looking around to see if anyone noticed. Porkins finished his casting, unleashing a lightning bolt that ricocheted around the octagonal room, missing Tiny but hitting three of the attackers: the human threatening Biggz, the elven thief who backstabbed Tiny, and [after three ricochets] the human woman leading the attackers. The woman called out for assistance from someone the adventurers could not see, but they heard a side door [on the northwestern wall, where they could not see it] open in response. Tiny hit the elven backstabber again and Deniska missed her foe again. The woman leader hit Tiny for a solid blow from behind [Tiny was facing the Thief on his opposite side]. Deniska’s foe shattered her new shield and the last invisible foe appeared when he attacked Biggz but missed.

The unknown person could be heard starting to cast a complicated spell. Porkins cast Magic Missile, splitting his three missiles between the backstabbing thief and the female fighter who was attacking Tiny from behind. The two missiles at the elven thief killed him and the third wounded the leader. Biggz cast Command on their attacker, telling the human to “Flee!” The attacker recoiled in horror and immediately fled to a door on the west wall. Kunigunde slung a bullet at Deniska’s foe and hit. Deniska readied her third and final shield. The thief dead, Tiny turned to face the leader of the attackers. The unseen caster finished his spell, conjuring a Wall of Iron between the attackers and the adventurers, with the exception of Tiny, who was trapped in the room with the attackers. The fleeing attacker went through the west door and could be heard running away. The attacker Deniska had fought stepped to Tiny and hit the minotaur a very solid blow, but his leader missed on her attack. Tiny hit her, shattering her shield.

In the now sealed off room, the attackers backed away from Tiny, speaking German at him. Tiny had no idea what they were saying [he only understands Mü], but he was very injured and willing to let them back away. When Tiny let them disengage, the group, including a Magic-User peeking through the door on the northwest wall, exited the octagon room through the west door, the Magic-User closing the northwestern door behind him as they left. On the other side of the iron wall, Porkins pulled out a scroll and cast Summon Monster IV, summoning two rust monsters and ordering them to eat the iron wall. The rust monsters were only too happy to comply.

Two minutes later, the rust monsters finished eating the iron wall and Porkins dismissed them. Biggz moved forward to attend to Pio, casting Cure Light Wounds on the downed fighter. Pio revived, but had gruesome scarring from the attack and was weak from the experience, needing a day of bedrest. Then Biggz and Kunigunde used their staves of healing on Tiny and both cast Cure Light Wounds on him, restoring most of his health.

Porkins closed the western door and cast Wizard Lock on it. It would keep the attackers from returning that way [unless that enemy Magic-User was 9th level or higher…]. Porkins then set out two scroll tubes where Pio fell. One was empty, the other contained an otherwise blank scroll with Explosive Runes cast on it.

The adventurers then searched the body of the dead elven thief, locating a non-magical amulet with an inverted triangle on it in black. They wrapped up the body and took it with them back to Stralbruck. Along the way the group discussed what to do with the body and decided to turn it over to the church in Stralbruck.

11:00 AM

Back at Stralbruck, the gate guards were surprised to see the Troop returning so soon.

The adventurers took the body to the church and turned it over to Father Solomon, explaining the circumstances. Father Solomon asked if they knew the elf’s faith and the adventurers showed him the amulet. Father Solomon did not recognize the symbol and asked to borrow the amulet so he could do research on it. The adventurers handed the amulet over.

After the group left the church, Deniska requested replacement shields for the two she lost in the fight. She was given two shield from the stack the adventurers travel with for this exact reason.

Noon

Back at the Brass Dog, Pio went up to his room to rest for the day [I allowed this to count as the day of rest he was required to take]. Porkins spent time with the magic shield taken from the giant phase spider victims and identified it properly [it was a +2 shield].

The adventurers spent the rest of the day in town discussing the fight and resting.

End of Part 1

Behind the Green

[So the fight in the octagon room was an encounter with other adventurers. I can’t say much about them yet as they will appear again in time. I will say the players felt the heat and were very concerned about how the fight was going.]

[I use the Mortality Table from the Adventurer, Conqueror, King System. Characters that go below 0 hit points roll on the table once their friends can attend to them. The results range from “you’re dead” to “Give me a minute to catch my breath” and usually falls somewhere in between. There are several modifiers to the roll, the most significant being how negative did they go compared to their total hit points and how much time passed between going down and getting any healing. Pio’s player rolled well, even with the modifiers he faced, but needed the bedrest and others will have a -4 on reaction rolls to him.]

[This part might be a little short, but I’m not certain. I’m placing the break here as it is about the midpoint of my notes for the session. We’ll see how accurate I was when I finish typing up Part 2.]

Biggz’z Troop, CAC

…

Thursday, September 23, 2021

Biggz Troop – Session 23 – Part 2

[Maius 8th to the 10th – Exploration of the areas under the ruins gets started.]

Biggz’z Troop, CAC (Chartered Adventuring Company):

Biggz Bigguns of the Big’uns Clan – gender neutral goblin Family Priest (6th level Cleric)

Tiny – male minotaur Swashbuckler (6th level Fighter)

Porkins – male human Conjuror (6th level Magic-User)

Pio Vento of Piccolo – male human Veteran (1st level Fighter)

Mannin Darkshield – male dwarf Robber (4th level Thief)

Kunigunde Gruber – NPC female goblin Footpad/Petitioner (4th level Thief/3rd level Cleric)

Hirelings:

Larn the Linkboy – male human hireling linkboy

Isidoros of Delphis – male Tolk hireling translator [specifically, German to Mü]

Deniska – female human hireling Veteran bodyguard (1st level Fighter) [for Larn]

Ivan – male human hireling bodyguard [for Larn]

Bernagi – male human hireling bodyguard [for Isidoros]

Hardkira – male human hireling bodyguard [for Isidoros]

Spring

Moonday, Maius 8, 524th year of the Empire

Morning

Biggz went by the local office of the Guild of Condotierre, Linkboys, Roustabouts, and Stevedores [a very small place as Stralbruck does minimal business] and hired 6 roustabouts to act as diggers for the day. The pay was 1 silver coin each with the standard 5 gold coin deposit for death benefits [they were being hired by adventurers after all]. Porkins stopped by the general store to pick up some additional digging tools and buckets for moving dirt and rocks. By 8:00 AM, the expedition left Stralbruck on foot.

9:00 AM

The expedition arrived at the ruins [and future mill site]. The adventurers did a quick walkaround to verify the site was still safe and then had the diggers start excavating the stairwell down in the gnole barracks.

This job took most of the day. The debris in the stairwell was hardpacked in, clearly having been there for a long period of time. As things progressed, the diggers were instructed to only clear a five-foot width on the right side of the stairs. This allowed the diggers to make more progress quicker.

4:00 PM

The diggers breached the twenty-foot-thick debris plug in the stairs. The air from the opened stairwell was damp and cool. The diggers quickly returned to the surface as facing subterranean horrors is what adventurers do, not roustabouts.

Tiny went down and inspected the opened-up area. He told the rest that the stairs went down another twenty feet before ending at the beginning of a corridor.

After a short discussion, the adventurers decided to start actual exploration the next day. Everything was packed up and the expedition returned to Stralbruck. The roustabouts were paid and the deposits returned to the adventurers, everyone pleased with the day’s efforts.

Hernesday, Maius 9, 524th year of the Empire

8:00 AM

The adventurers left Stralbruck, heading to the ruins.

9:00 AM

The adventurers arrived at the ruins and decided to do a thorough sweep of the above ground ruins to verify they were actually empty. They also checked and mapped the handful of places they had not either checked or mapped on earlier expeditions. This entire process took five hours to accomplish.

[NOTE: There is an area they have repeatedly not searched behind the gnole barracks building. It is full of phase spider webs and they either decided a while back to leave it alone or have forgotten the webs are there.]

2:00 PM

Confident the above ground area was secure, Biggz’ Troop descended the stairs to explore. The corridor at the bottom of the stairs went a short distance before becoming a four-way intersection. Ahead [to the south] at the limit of their torchlight they can see another four-way intersection. To their right the corridor ended in a door but to their left was an open doorway and a room. For several reasons, the adventurers went left [east].

The short corridor opened on a square room that had long ago been stripped bare. There was a door on the far wall, which proved to be locked when they checked it. The room was carefully searched and Tiny and Mannin both noticed a secret door on the same wall as the locked door, just to the locked door’s left.

The secret door led to the next room, which is where the locked door also went. The adventurers found this confusing. This room was also square, with a door in the middle of the south wall and torch holders along the east wall. It was otherwise damp, moldy, and empty. Porkins cast Infravision on himself so he could keep a watch behind the group. The adventurers messed with the torch holders for a bit to no effect. They lit a torch off the one Larn was holding and set it in the middle torch holder. Nothing happened. Shrugging, Tiny opened the door on the south wall and was attacked by a shadow!

Luckily for Tiny, the shadow failed to land an attack. Biggz cast Bless, catching all but Tiny in the spell. Porkins, cast Magic Missile and hit the shadow three times. Kunigunde used her sling and landed a solid hid, killing the shadow.

The area beyond the south door was a large closet. Inside the adventurers found a suit of armor with two potions and two scrolls in a belt pouch. The party took a rest here.

3:00

After the ten minute rest, Porkins took a sip of each potion to identify them. One was Oil of Slipperiness [with an awful taste] and the other a Potion of Heroism. He chose to hold off identifying the other items and they were packed away.

The group backtracked to the first intersection. With his improved range of visibility [Infravision spell sees to 60 feet], Porkins looked south. He could see past the next intersection and into a room with a large statue on a pedestal in the center of it. Slightly unnerved by the statue, the group went west to investigate the door at the end of the corridor that way.

The door was rotten and easy to push open. Beyond it was a large circular chamber with a pool full of water in the center. The walls were once covered in murals but were heavily defaced long ago. Initially ignoring the pool of water, the adventurers spent 40 minutes searching this room, finding nothing beyond what they saw when they entered. Porkins went back to the stairs, picked up a piece of stone from the debris there, and returned to this room with the chunk of stone. He dropped the chunk of stone into the pool of water. Once the waves from the stone being dropped in calmed, Poring could see the stone sitting on the bottom, two feet under water. It looked much cleaner than when he dropped it in. He dropped a silver coin into the pool and when he retrieved the coin, it was like new.

The party needed a rest, so they took one and discussed their options. Porkins wanted to change up his spell selection and they were in no hurry to keep exploring, so the group decided to return to town once their rest was over.

4:00 PM

On the way back to town, Porkins took a moment to cast Detect Magic on the armor and scrolls. All three were magical. Porkins checked the scrolls to see what spell or spells they contained. The first one turned out to be a Cursed Scroll and Porkins was struck blind by it. Biggz sighed and cast Remove Curse, curing Porkins. The second scroll held the spell Smite Undead.

While in town, Tiny purchased an extra water skin.

Magusday, Maius 10, 524th year of the Empire

9:00 AM

The adventurers returned to the ruins and descended into the dungeon. They returned to the room with the pool of water. Tiny pulled out his new water skin and filled it from the pool. Once he was done, Porkins cast Detect Magic. The water in the pool detected as magical, but the water in the water skin did not, meaning the water was only magical in the pool, not of itself.

Not certain what to do next, the adventurers left the room and went south to the second intersection. The air to the west was noticeably damper and they could see stairs descending an unknown distance. To the south they could see the room with the large statue. To the east they could see a corroded copper door.

After a short discussion the adventurers went left [east] to copper door. Pio forced the door open. Beyond the door the was a long corridor of rough masonry walls and uneven flagstones [as opposed to the stone walls they had seen so far]. The adventurers carefully moved down this corridor until they reached an intersection with another corridor on the left.

While the adventures discussed their options, two partially burned mummies loomed out around the corner from the corridor to the left and attacked. The first mummy failed to land a blow on Tiny, but the second shattered Pio’s shield.

Porkins responded to this surprise attack by starting to cast Lightning Bolt [3rd to 6th level spells take an extra spell phase to cast]. While Porkins was casting, Biggz compelled both mummies to flee by the power of the Many-King! Pio readied a new shield and both mummies fled Biggz, retreating further east and not back the way they came. Porkins finished casting and threw the lightning bolt down the corridor, electrifying both mummies. Tiny pursued the still fleeing mummies and hacked at one when they all ran into a dead-end room.

Biggz cast Bless at this point, not affecting Porkins, Tiny, Pio, or herself as all were already “in combat”. The adventurers pursued the fleeing mummies [leaving behind Biggz and Porkins, who had cast and therefore could not move], catching up to them and Tiny in the dead-end room. Biggz cast a sling bullet at the one mummy Biggz could still see and dropped it. It started leaking some form of liquid. Tiny and Pio both attacked the remaining mummy and destroyed it.

The room the adventurers were now in had complete frescos decorating the walls. The frescos showed ancient armies fighting, one side Porkins identified as Roman Legionnaires but the other side were wearing black robes and could not be identified. The black-robed figures held banners showing a black sun. The Romans were shown winning the battle and putting all of their foes to death.

Biggz investigated the mummies. The leaking mummy had two potion vials inside it, both were shattered and the source of the leaking liquids. The other mummy had a rolled up map stuffed inside it that was in multiple pieces but could still be read. The map was in Latin, which Porkins translated. There was a location marked with the words “General Euclid Appius Bruttius Mallus buried collected tribute here before leaving to put down an uprising in Raetia.” It was a treasure map!

Tucking away the treasure map, the adventurers backtracked to where the mummies originally appeared. Looking north, down the side passage the mummies came from, they saw a corridor that went twenty to twenty-five feet and then angled off to the right. The group advanced to where the corridor angled right and found a miniature skull, painted green, facing them. The corridor beyond went as far as they could see. Mannin picked up the green skull and took it with him when the group decided to return to the surface and head back to town.

Back in town the group celebrated defeating the undead and finding the treasure map.

End of Part 1

Behind the Green

[So I didn’t keep good time records on the last day they were in the dungeon, but they did return to town much earlier. This was mostly a function of what time it was in the real world. Once back in town, Kunigunde leveled again due to being only one experience point away from leveling in both of her classes. That was due to the huge amounts of experience the party got the previous session – it technically was enough for Kunigunde to level twice in one session, so she stopped one point short and lost all the excess. Again.]

[The player characters are at the point where leveling starts taking much longer, especially Magic-Users now that I corrected their experience track to use the same pattern as the other classes. Kunigunde is just under the lead characters in level, but ahead of Mannin and Pio as she started accumulating XP before they did. As an NPC she gets half the experience actual player characters get, so they should catch up and pass her relatively quickly.]

[I should also note that Deniska is also gaining experience points. Anyone wielding a magic sword should be leveling, even if they are NPC and only get half experience.]

Biggz’z Troop, CAC

…

Thursday, September 9, 2021

Biggz Troop – Session 23 – Part 1

[Winter, then Aprilis 11 to Maius 7 – Winter downtime activities and then back to the ruins.]

Biggz’z Troop, CAC (Chartered Adventuring Company):

Biggz Bigguns of the Big’uns Clan – gender neutral goblin Family Priest (6th level Cleric)

Tiny – male minotaur Swashbuckler (6th level Fighter)

Porkins – male human Conjuror (6th level Magic-User)

Pio Vento of Piccolo – male human Veteran (1st level Fighter)

Mannin Darkshield – male dwarf Robber (4th level Thief)

Kunigunde Gruber – NPC female goblin Footpad/Petitioner (4th level Thief/3rd level Cleric)

Hirelings:

Larn the Linkboy – male human hireling linkboy

Isidoros of Delphis – male Tolk hireling translator [specifically, German to Mü]

Deniska – female human hireling Veteran bodyguard (1st level Fighter) [for Larn]

Ivan – male human hireling bodyguard [for Larn]

Bernagi – male human hireling bodyguard [for Isidoros]

Hardkira – male human hireling bodyguard [for Isidoros]

Winter

Freysday, Januarius 6, 523rd year of the Empire

Winter storms arrived. For the next 13 weeks winter storms regularly blow through the Empire, restricting travel. Rivers freeze over, deep snow makes land travel difficult, and only stored foods are available. Everyone settled in to wait until the spring thaw.

Mannin gave his monthly tithe to the Syndicate he belongs to at a local office in Grossestadt.

[Entire party pays 1% of Experience Point total for monthly support and upkeep per the rules.]

Week of Januarius 9, 523rd year of the Empire

Porkins finished learning Lightning Bolt from his spellbook. He purchased scrolls of Infravision and Explosive Runes from Isen’s shop in Smolberg.

Week of Januarius 16, 523rd year of the Empire

Porkins copied Infravision from a scroll to his spellbook and started learning Infravision from his spell book.

Week of Januarius 30, 523rd year of the Empire

Porkins finished learning Infravision from his spell book.

Mannin gave his monthly tithe to the Syndicate he belongs to at a local office in Grossestadt.

[Entire party pays 1% of Experience Point total for monthly support and upkeep per the rules.]

Week of Februarius 6, 523rd year of the Empire

Porkins copied Explosive Runes from a scroll to his spellbook and started learning Explosive Runes from his spell book.

Week of Februarius 20, 523rd year of the Empire

Porkins finished learning Explosive Runes from his spell book.

Tiny, after drinking heavily with some templars the previous night, awakened to find that Demonthumper is no longer in his possession. He has no memory of where it went and spent a couple days looking for it before learning he gifted it to a templar who has since left the city. [The +5 Holy Avenger sword chose a new owner and manipulated Tiny into giving it to a “more worthy person” once he was blackout drunk.]

Week of Februarius 27, 523rd year of the Empire

Porkins started researching a new spell.

Mannin gave his monthly tithe to the Syndicate he belongs to at a local office in Grossestadt.

[Entire party pays 1% of Experience Point total for monthly support and upkeep per the rules.]

Magusday, Martius 1, 524th year of the Empire

Start of the new year in the Empire.

Week of Martius 6, 524th year of the Empire

Porkins finishes research of Porkins’ Mystical Missive. This spell is 2nd level and allows him to send a short [25 word] message to a person up to miles away [10 miles +1 mile per caster level] and receive a similarly short response.

Freysday, Martius 10, 524th year of the Empire

Porkins visited with Isen at Isen’s shop in Smolberg. Porkins explained the spell he had created and discussed options to sell it through Isen’s contacts with profits split between them. Porkins also sold off one of the cultist spellbooks and two scrolls [Read Languages and Shield] to Isen, getting 700 gc and the supplies to scribe some scrolls for Isen to sell and a copy of the new spell for Isen to evaluate.

Week of Martius 13, 524th year of the Empire

Porkins scribed a scroll of [a first level spell] for Isen.

Week of Martius 20, 524th year of the Empire

Porkins scribed a scroll of [a different first level spell] for Isen.

Week of Martius 27, 524th year of the Empire

Porkins started scribing a scroll of Porkins’ Mystical Missive for Isen.

Week of Aprilis 3, 524th year of the Empire

Porkins finished scribing a scroll of Porkins’ Mystical Missive for Isen.

Pio Vento of Piccolo arrived in Grossestadt. He tracked down Biggz Bigguns, who wrote the letter to his family announcing the death of the youngest son, Torino Vento [Tor Wind’s actual name, before he Germanized it], due to misadventure. Pio was there to claim Torino’s property [and valuables] and to learn the details of his younger brother’s death.

Once he heard the tale, Pio was satisfied - it sounded exactly like something his brother would die from. Pio fit in well with the other members of the group, at one point challenging Tiny to arm wrestling. When Biggz asked if he was interested, Pio signed on with the Troop.

The next day Biggz and Pio went to the appropriate government offices to register Pio’s inheritance [and pay the appropriate taxes] and update the charter information on Biggz’z Troop. A celebration was held that night, honoring Tor’s passing and Pio joining the Troop.

[Entire party pays 1% of Experience Point total for monthly support and upkeep per the rules.]

Week of Aprilis 10, 524th year of the Empire

Using an introduction provided by Isen, Porkins started a correspondence with Matthias, Count Eberstein-Smolberg. Count Mattias is interested in having a court wizard of his own, but cannot afford much [which was typical of the majority of gentry in the Holy Roman Empire], so discussions were polite and social, allowing Porkins to pursue this further. Porkins reset his expectations of research funding to a regular but modest stipend and political access.

Hernesday, Aprilis 11, 524th year of the Empire

The Wasser was clear enough of ice for river traffic to resume. Biggz arranged for transport for the troop back to Smolberg to pick up Porkins before returning to Stralbruck. Larn and his bodyguards, Deniska and Ivan, are put back on the payroll.

Week of Aprilis 17, 524th year of the Empire

Porkins learns Charm Person from the remaining cultist spellbook, copying the spell to his own spellbook in the process.

Cromsday, Aprilis 20, 524th year of the Empire

Biggz and the Troop arrived in Smolberg. Porkins joined them and they returned to the river, travelling to Stralbruck.

Week of Aprilis 24, 524th year of the Empire

While traveling by boat, Porkins learned Detect Invisible from a scroll, copying the spell to his own spellbook in the process.

Cromsday, Maius 4, 524th year of the Empire

Biggz and the Troop arrived in Wittingen, the tiny village on the Wasser that is the nearest dock to Stralbruck. Biggz arranged for sleeping space for the Troop.

[Entire party pays 1% of Experience Point total for monthly support and upkeep per the rules.]

Freysday, Maius 5, 524th year of the Empire

Biggz and the Troop started walking to Stralbruk, stopping at the end of the day at the travel inn.

Yggsday, Maius 6, 524th year of the Empire

Biggz and the Troop continued walking to Stralbruk, stopping at the end of the day at the travel inn.

Sunday, Maius 7, 524th year of the Empire

Noon

Biggz and the Troop arrived at Stralbruk. Biggz quickly checked in with Lord Helmar, who was clearly pleased to see the adventurers had returned. He informed Biggz that no further disappearances had happened since the adventurers left before the winter storms. Biggz explained the troop would finish clearing the ruins next and report back once that was done. Lord Helmar told Biggz the promised payment would await their return.

Porkins bought some torches while Biggz talked to Lord Helmar. Shortly after, the adventurers headed out of the village to the ruins.

Shortly after 1:00

The Troop arrived at the ruins. They spent the first hour verifying the buildings were still empty [they were].

2:00

Satisfied the site was clear, the Troop investigated the debris-filled stairs down they had discovered in the gnole barracks building. They started digging and clearing debris with what tools they had at hand.

4:00

After two hours of hard work and little to show for it, they learned they needed proper tools and professional diggers. They gathered up their stuff and walked back to Stralbruck to look for both.

End of Part 1

Behind the Green

[Biggz sent a letter to Tor’s family early in Januarius via Griffin Mail as it was the only mail moving during the winter storms. It arrived in the tiny village of Piccolo two weeks later, the Italian peninsula having better weather than the parts of the Holy Roman Empire north of the Alps. Once Tor’s family realized the letter was about Torino, they mourned his death. Pio, now the youngest of the three brothers was nominated to go north and claim whatever Torino had bequeathed to the family. Pio booked passage on ships sailing around Europe to the North Sea and then took whatever means of travel he could find to get to Grossestadt 9 weeks after setting out.]

[I’ve also changed the spelling of Ianuarius to Januarius to make things easier for me. Otherwise I’m still using the Roman calendar for the campaign, hence the new year starting Martius 1.]

Biggz’z Troop, CAC

…

[UPDATE: Added day names where a single date is listed (as opposed to a week).]

Thursday, August 26, 2021

Biggz Troop – Session 22 – Part 2

[December 26 through Januarius 6 – What went wrong.]

Biggz’z Troop, CAC (Chartered Adventuring Company):

Biggz Bigguns of the Big’uns Clan – gender neutral goblin Family Priest (6th level Cleric)

Porkins – male human Conjuror (6th level Magic-User)

Tiny – male minotaur Swashbuckler (6th level Fighter)

Tor Wind – male human Swashbuckler (6th level Fighter)

Mannin Darkshield – male dwarf Robber (4th level Thief)

Kunigunde Gruber – NPC female goblin Footpad/Petitioner (3rd level Thief/2nd level Cleric)

Hirelings:

Larn the Linkboy – male human hireling linkboy

Isidoros of Delphis – male Tolk hireling translator [specifically, German to Mü]

Deniska – female human hireling bodyguard [for Larn]

Ivan – male human hireling bodyguard [for Larn]

Bernagi – male human hireling bodyguard [for Isidoros]

Hardkira – male human hireling bodyguard [for Isidoros]

Moonday, December 26, 523rd year of the Empire

3:30 PM

The adventurers paused to catch their breaths after the hectic fight with the wererats and running around of the last several minutes. Tor was dead and partly eaten by the wererats that had killed him. Kunigunde used her staff of healing on Biggz to heal up her boss. Biggz cast Cure Light Wounds twice on Tiny to heal him up. No one else was going to die on this job! Biggz also treated their wounds with wolfsbane to avoid another case of lycanthropy in the party.

Tiny took a blanket from Tor’s pack and wrapped up the dead human in it for easier carrying of the corpse. Tiny then tied the [slightly sticky] body to his backpack. While he was doing this, Kunigunde and Mannin searched the nest of the wererats for valuables. Surprisingly, they found a small strongbox containing a couple thousand silver coins along with 4 pieces of gold jewelry.

Feeling somewhat exposed and alone two rooms away across unstable floor, Porkins called out, asking for someone to join him. Tiny attempted to jump across the unstable floor to join Porkins, but he landed short and fell through to the ground floor. Knowing how to get back to where Porkins was waiting, Tiny ran to the nearby stairs and then up a floor, rejoining Porkins quickly.

Biggz dithered a bit as to what to do next. If the adventurers left the ruins now without clearing the last building and more villagers disappeared, not only would the group not get paid by the local lord, but the villagers might riot against the adventurers. Porkins called out that he and Tiny had run off the huge phase spider and the only other people they had found in ground floor were some chained up villagers. With a slight trace of exasperation, Biggz suggested that Porkins could have started with sharing that information. Biggz ordered Tiny and Porkins to finish searching that area for loot and then rescue the villagers. The rest of the group would retreat to the breezeway and climb down to the ground via rope.

Tiny and Porkins went back the way Tiny had arrived from. They paused in the lair of the huge phase spider. It had not returned [still bloodied from its initial encounter with the adventurers, see Part 1] and so Tiny and Porkins took a look around. They found two human-sized lumps in the webbing. Thinking they might be villagers, they cut the lumps down and carefully opened them. Inside each was the dried husk of a dead adventurer. Porkins cast Detect Magic to see if anything on the corpses was magical and much was. The armor and shield of the fighting man were magical, as were a ring and a scroll on the second corpse, obviously a spellcaster. Each also had a sack of coins and the fighter’s sword was very ornate if not magical. Due to weight, it took Tiny and Porkins two trips to haul the loot down to the ground floor at the foot of the stairs.

Meanwhile, the rest of the adventurers backtracked out of the second floor to the breezeway that connected two of the ruined buildings. They hammered in a spike and tied a knotted rope to it for a safer way down to the ground. It took a short while, but eventually the entire group was on the ground again and they waited there for Porkins and Tiny to join them.

Back inside, Tiny and Porkins went to the room deep in the building that held the chained villagers. They were awake now and seemingly in possession of their reason, but all showed signs the wererats had clawed or bit them. Porkins explained Lord Helmar had sent them to rescue the villagers. This cheered up the villagers who clearly had been concerned about Tiny, the minotaur. Tiny broke their chains, freeing them. Tiny and Porkins needed to rest at that point, so Porkins chatted with the villagers to see what they knew. [Very little.] He also performed some first aid and realized all five villagers were likely infected with lycanthrope.

After the rest, the duo led the group to the doorway out of the building, pausing only to explain that the villagers needed to help carry back the loot the adventurers had found. The villagers were less cheerful at this, but at least they weren’t going to be eaten?

Once Tiny, Porkins, and the villagers joined up with the rest of the adventurers, the entire group returned to the first building the adventurers had raided that morning. There they freed the gnole captives [two foremen from the original work detail from the village] and picked up their stashed captives and other loot. They rested long enough to feed all the captives from the gnole larder [which was quality food - gnoles eat well]. This heartened all the villagers greatly. Porkins then paid them each a gold coin to help carry the loot and as much of the food as possible back to the inn in Stralbruck. A gold coin was very good pay, especially after being fed for free, so the villagers agreed.

5:00 PM

The entourage of adventurers and villagers, all laden with boxes, bags, and sacks of loot arrived back at Stralbruck. Biggz displayed the contract with Lord Helmar to get past the gate guards. The group made good time to the inn, but it was clear that word was spreading in the village that the adventurers were back with rescued villagers in tow.

At the inn, Biggz offered to feed the villager/porters all warm food and drink if they would just carry their loads up to one of the adventurers room. Happy to be home and fed again, the villagers easily agreed, depositing all the wealth into Biggz’ room. Porkins then cast Wizard Lock on the door to seal it up. Biggz paid the innkeep for whatever food and drink the villagers wanted and to have hot baths drawn for the adventurers.

By the time the adventurers were bathed, dressed, and all were fed [and maybe now a little tipsy], families of the missing villagers were showing up in numbers at the inn. Lord Helmar eventually arrived and took control of the situation.

Biggz stood on the front porch of the inn told the story of what the adventurers had found and done. This drew enough attention that Porkins and Tiny were able to sneak the five infected villagers out the back of the inn and through the village alleys to the church. At the church they meet with Father Solomon and Porkins explained, in Latin, that these five were likely infected with lycanthrope. Father Solomon looked at the villagers and recognized all of them. He was of the opinion that, since the full moon has just passed, they could safely let these villagers go home to their families that night. They would all return the next day at Father Solomon’s request so Biggz could cure them of their curse.

Back at the inn, Biggz wrapped up the recounting of the adventure. Displaying the still wrapped body of Tor, Biggz explained to Lord Helmar that the adventurers needed to go to Grossestadt immediately to see if they could have their friend brought back to life. Biggz anticipated the trip would take a month, but the adventurers would return to verify the ruins were completely empty and now safe. Lord Helmar agreed to this, stating they remainder of their payment would be waiting here in the village for their return. In the meantime, it would be best for the adventurers to hold onto the gnole prisoners until morning as trying to take them to the jail now would cause a riot and a lynching.

The ruckus of the returned villagers lasted long into the night as those whose family members were back celebrated and those who now knew their loses were permanent grieved.

Hernesday, December 27, 523rd year of the Empire

Morning

Isidoros and Tiny took the gnole prisoners over to the village jail and turned them in. At the same time, Biggz headed over to the church to work on the five potentially infected villagers.

Biggz first cast Detect Supernatural and all five registered as supernatural creatures, meaning they had all been infected and were now wererats in the same way Porkins had been just three days ago. Biggz cast Remove Curse on two of them successfully, curing both villagers. That left three cursed and Biggz without the ability to lift the curses. Biggz explained to Father Solomon that the adventurers had to leave Stralbruck that day to get their dead companion to Grossestadt in time to have any chance of bring him back. Father Solomon asked if Biggz would take the infected villagers as far as Wittingen, two and a half days away. This would give Biggz another two days with them to finish curing them before getting on a boat at the Wasser to sail down to Grossestadt. Biggz was concerned how the villagers would make it back safely. Father Solomon offered to write a letter of introduction and explanation for the priest in Wittingen. That priest would be able to get the cured villagers back safely. Biggz agreed to this, asking the Father Solomon have the letter ready by Noon.

Noon

The adventurers hired a horse and cart for the trip to Wittingen and loaded it up with their loot [both valuables and the remaining food from the gnole larder]. The three villagers still needing treatment arrived and room was made for them and their luggage. Father Solomon delivered the letter of introduction and explanation to Biggz so the villagers would be able to return safely. To some small fanfare, the adventurers left Stralbruck.

Evening

The laden horse and cart arrived at a travel inn on the road to Wittingen.

Magusday, December 28, 523rd year of the Empire

Morning

In the morning before leaving the travel inn, Biggz cast Remove Curse on two of the remaining villagers, curing them of lycanthrope.

Evening

The laden horse and cart arrived at a travel inn on the road to Wittingen.

Cromsday, December 29, 523rd year of the Empire

Morning

In the morning before leaving the travel inn, Biggz cast Remove Curse on the last villager, curing them of lycanthrope.

Evening

The group arrived at Wittingen. While Porkins and the rest got rooms for the night and inquired about boats heading downstream to Grossestadt the next morning, Biggz took the three cured villagers to the local church and presented the letter from Father Solomon. The priest verified the villagers were cured and then accepted responsibility for them, thanking Biggz for their assistance and circumspection.

Freysday, December 30, 523rd year of the Empire

The adventurers started their river trip to Grossestadt.

Sunday, Januarius 1, 523rd year of the Empire

The river boat arrived at the confluence of the Jeetzel and Wasser. Porkins changed boats here with his share of the loot to take a separate boat up the Jeetzel River to Smolberg. As the matter of the bounty on his head had not been settled yet, he felt it unwise to continue with the rest of the group to Grossestadt.

Hernesday, Januarius 3, 523rd year of the Empire

Porkins arrived in Smolberg. He immediately set in supplies for a bout of study and learning new spells.

Magusday, Januarius 4, 523rd year of the Empire

The rest of the adventuring party arrived at Grossestadt. Tor has been dead for seven days at this point, but due to the cold winter air had not deteriorated too much. While the group was having their goods unloaded from the river boat, Biggz hired a runner to take a message up to the cathedral, expressing an emergency need for a casting of Restore Life and Limb.

Biggz recieves a reply that no one at the cathedral that day could cast the rite requested, but one was being sent for.

Cromsday, Januarius 5, 523rd year of the Empire

Biggz and party carried Tor’s body to the cathedral. A caster was available [on the last possible day for the spell to be useful] and Biggz made the donation to the cathedral for the rite. Tor’s body was laid out and the rite enacted.

[At this point Tor’s player needed to roll 90 or less on percentile dice to survive the system shock. He rolled a 91.]

Once the rite completed, Tor stirred for a moment and then fell back into the arms of Death. His mortal coil was not able to sustain the energies of the rite and withered away, leaving only a skeleton. Shocked at this unexpected outcome, Biggz collected Tor’s bones into an ossuary provided by the cathedral and broke the news to the rest of the party.

Freysday, Januarius 6, 523rd year of the Empire

A strong winter storm arrived and closed all travel in the region.

End of Session

Behind the Green

[I really should have named the villagers and the priest in Wittingen, but we were trying to wrap up and get the party to Grossestadt in time. As it turned out, we didn’t need to hurry. When I had Tor’s player roll to survive resurrection, it was perfunctory as we all expected him to make a 90% chance of success. His dice had other plans.]

[The winter storms finally arrived, forcing a break in adventuring and allowing that player to create a new character and me time to work out how to introduce the new character. I had several options, but the player chose to create the brother of his dead character. We discussed it some and I worked out an idea about how things would go. In the following session we introduced Pio Vento of Piccolo, slightly elder brother of Tor Wind, or more properly, Torino Vento.]

[You might notice that the year did not change when the date went from December to Januarius. The calendar here still has the first day f the year as Marius 1 (March 1), something that changed some time in the Roman Republic (exactly when is not certain due to loss of records, but seems to be around 153 BCE).]

Biggz’z Troop, CAC

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