Members:
Paul - Parmelk, the Kalashtar ClericSeth - Seahand, the Half-Elf Fighter
Tim - Gnome Wizard
Skyler - Elf Rogue
Emmett - Thokk, the Goliath Barbarian
Reggie - Dragonborn Sorcerer
We started our adventure today just outside of the Kobold Hall. The sun was setting, and the adventurers chose to camp out for the night instead of heading back to town to arrive in the middle of the night to closed gates. The night was uneventful, and the party woke fully rested and ready for a day of adventure.
As the party was breaking down camp, they noticed a pack of giant rats near the forest on the opposite side of the road. They ignored them and started back towards town, but were attacked from behind an outcropping of rocks on the edge of the trees. Two dire rats also joined the melee. Thokk and Parmelk were bitten and immediately came down with Filth Fever, a plague carried by rats.
Towards the end of the fight, Seahand destroyed a giant rat right in front of Parmelk, spraying him with rat guts. Thokk smashed another giant rat right behind Parmelk to spray his other side with more rat bits and blood. Even after a good cleaning in a nearby river, there were still some stains in his robe (if you knew what to look for).
Seeing his rat companions slaughtered, Ulmo, a Halfling escaped convict jumped out from hiding to join in the fight at close range. He was quickly defeated and Seahand was very happy to find he was carrying a magic long sword. He was also wearing a cursed manacle.
Further down the road Parmelk finally managed to cure himself of Filth Fever, and the party ran into a group of Halfling huntsmen actively looking for a Halfling. (The dead one who had attacked them earlier in the morning). They began talking, but were quickly surprised by an attack from the side of the road. The party of Halflings and Drakes was quickly wiped out. They left behind a Staff of Ruin and a Soup Bowl of Heating.
The rest of the trip back to town was uneventful, and the party cashed in the remains of the kobolds from Kobold Hall. The local warden was true to his word and carefully counted out the 350gp reward he had offered. He also mentioned that Teldorthan, a local Dwarven armorer, had recently lost a green dragon hide to a raid. The party headed to his armory where he offered a 100gp reward that they grudgingly accepted, even though Thokk wanted new green dragonhide armor. During the conversation, magic items came up, and Teldorthan recommended Naerumar's Imports.
The party left the wizard behind and headed off to the shop. Orest, the proprietor, knew he had a sale as soon as they walked in. He demonstrated his newest magic item, a Thunderburst Crossbow. Setting up practice dummies in his courtyard, he showed that it was a normal hand crossbow, but then showed off its magical properties. He arraigned 9 dummies in a group, fired off another bolt, and as soon as it hit exploded in a thunder clap that blew the dummies to smithereens. The rogue and rest of the party voted to buy the weapon.
They walked out with a new crossbow and 2 potions of healing. After paying their tab at the Nentir Inn, they lamented at their reduced savings, a meager 10gp and 6sp. Then went in search of the warden to find gainful employment. He could offer no help, but send them off to Harkenwold, a small barony in the southeast reach of the Nentir Vale. There had been no contact from Harkenwold during the past month, and many believed that it was a sign that something bad had happened in the region.
After debating on renting horses (the goliath was too big for a horse, and the party only had 10gp) they decided to walk the 85 miles. On the morning of the 4th day of travel, as they rounded a bend in the road, they spotted a pillar of smoke climbing into the clear blue sky, and turned off the King's Road down a dirt track to investigate.
The party surprised a group of brigands and their wolves who were threatening a small farmhouse. After making quick work of the brigands, a half-elf woman came out of the house and introduced herself as Ilyana. In a show of thanks she allowed the party to stay for the evening and fed them a modest (but filling) dinner of gruel. Over dinner, Ilyana described how the Iron Circle had moved in about a month ago and were milking the area in the name of collecting taxes.
The baron is being held by the Iron Circle while they plunder his lands. No one in the area is strong enough to stand up to the Iron Circle, but everyone is looking for a spark to set things off. The two people she mentions are Reithann, an old Druid, and Dar Gremath, the stablemaster in the nearest town of Albridge.
The party headed to the Druid Grove to speak with Reithann. In a humble cottage, they found an 80 year old woman dressed in earth tones and carrying a gnarled staff. Her slow speech was interspersed with analogies.
"Don't startle your prey. On a cloudy day, the mouse doesn't see the hawk's shadow"Reithann encouraged the group to head towards the Toadwallow Caverns and deal with the tribe of bullywugs who have taken up residence there. By dealing with this menace, the nearby town of Tor's Hold can send the two score of stout fighters who are currently defending the town to aid in the resistance movement.
Loot
45gp
+1 Staff of Ruin
+1 Thunderburst Hand Crossbow
+1 Lifedrinker Longsword
+1 Manacle of Handle Animal/Cursed (arm slot)
Amulet of Protection (Level 1)Soup Bowl of Heating
Spidersilk Rope
2 Potions of Healing
XP Breakdown
600xp = Encounter 1 - Ulgo the halfling escaped convict and his rats750xp = Encounter 2 - Halfling Huntsmen700xp = Encounter 3 - Ilyana's Plight
Quest xp: 400xp
Total: 2450
490xp each
Magic Item Overview
+1 Staff of Ruin (Level 3)This gnarled, jagged staff fits the hand of any wizard seeking to devastate his opponent.
Implement (Staff)
Enhancement: Attack rolls and damage rolls
Critical: +1d10 damage
Property: In addition to the normal enhancement bonus,
add the staff ’s enhancement bonus to damage rolls as an
item bonus.
+1 Thunderburst Hand Crossbow (Level 4)
Suddenly, the bolt explodes in a burst of violent sound ...
Enhancement: Attack rolls and damage rolls
Critical: +1d6 thunder damage
Power (Daily ✦ Thunder): Minor Action. The next ranged basic attack you make with this weapon before the end of your turn becomes a burst 1 centered on the target. Use your normal attack bonus for the basic attack, but against Fortitude. Each target hit takes thunder damage equal to the normal damage you would deal with a ranged basic attack with the weapon.
This sword transfers an enemy’s vitality to you.
Enhancement: Attack rolls and damage rolls
Critical: +1d6 necrotic damage
Property: When you drop an enemy to 0 hit points or fewer with a melee attack made with this weapon, gain 5 temporary hit points.
Strange Manacle (Level ?)
You aren't quite sure what this does. The only thing you found after careful observation is that it is cursed, and might offer a bonus to some aspect of your Nature skill.
This light blue amulet increases your defenses.
Item Slot: Neck
Enhancement: +1 to Fortitude, Reflex, and Will
Soup Bowl of Heating (Level 1)Bowls like this are favored by armies and travelers wishing to avoid the detection that the use of campfires for cooking might bring about. They are also great for use in harsh cold environments. This bowl magically heats at the will of the user. It has a temperature range up to about 95° C . It takes about a minute to heat up a bowl of soup (two minutes if you are watching it).
Spider-silk Rope (Level 1)This 50 foot coil of rope is made by drow weavers. They must wear gloves woven of the same spider silk and treated with Universal Solvent to remove the stickiness in order to handle it properly. It maintains some stickiness and grants a +2 material bonus to Climb and Use Rope checks. It weighs only 8 lbs per 50 feet.
