5th of Eleasis (Highsun) – Summer 1486
Location: “Nightstone” – Farming Village South of Waterdeep.
Deciding to save further consideration of Kella’s offer until later, the group began exploring the town and quickly dispatched several small groups of the looting goblins they encountered. Two particularly pesky greenskins were hiding within the town windmill up quite high and were proving difficult to dislodge. Rather than risk bodily harm by entering the windmill, Pinko the pragmatist set the whole building ablaze with a quick Produce Flame spell and soon the wood and thatch building was collapsing bringing the annoying gobs down with it. Fortunately, the fire didn’t spread as the Mill was the only convenient water pump in the whole town…
Image Element Credit: Gabriel Cassata, edited by Zalgariath
The glistening but damaged Keep shone in the midday sun and called out like a siren in the South of town. One of the Cloud Giant's boulders had smashed the only access bridge however. Heroically leaping the gap in the bridge, Smacky assisted his colleagues across with a rope, but not before making an ass of himself by misjudging the landing and crashing face-first on the planks. The Keep was in a bad way after the Cloud Giant attack, the North West Tower almost completely collapsed and affording the party easy access to its interior. There they met one of the four guards who survived the pummelling stone barrage. The guard explained the onslaught also claimed the life of Lady Nandar, ruler of Nightstone who even now lay dead on the banquet table. The rich furnishings of the Keep were all the motivation Seepage needed to try to sweet talk the guards into covering their "expenses" ridding the town of the Goblin menace. When that failed, a quick dagger to the chest served to expedite the inevitable. Screaming for reinforcements the Guard roused his fellows and in a long and bitter battle, the party were lucky to survive the onslaught from the heavily armoured defenders of Nightstone. Though reticent to be associated with Seep's brash actions, Smacky and Pinko valued their lives enough to dispatch the guards who were not looking to take prisoners.
Exploring the now defenceless castle and its departed former occupants yielded a well fancy gold and gemstone ring on the deceased Lady’s finger and a decent trove of silver and gems in her private chest in the master bedroom. The theft was temporarily hampered by a magical sword triggered by the unauthorised container access, but fortunately Seepage was well familiar with such arcane animations from her time in Torment and the knowledge helped disarm the armless armoury. A quick visit to the roof liberated the purple and gold-trimmed flag of the Nandars which Seepage used to clean the lingering soil from her nether regions left by a partially successful attempt at defecating on the dead Lady of the Keep. Smacky then tied the flag around his neck as a cape. He smelt no worse.
Returning to town after Smacky misjudged the bridge jump a second time, tripping on his new cape and hilariously knocking himself out tumbling all the way to the bottom, Pinko finally discovered the Nightstone Alchemy shop. The door was engraved with magical runes in Infernal which Cockseepage translated to be a spookily familiar promise of an extended time in one of the less pleasant Hells for anyone who dared intrusion. Naturally, Smacky kicked the door in. No retribution manifested and Pinko found enough herbs to stock up on. The alchemist was not however there, so no light could be shed on the dozens of varieties of Shrooms that may assist with the Transformation Lock Curse.
Back at the Inn, Smacky, Pinko and Seepage found some time to reflect on the lessons of the past few days. (The party levelled up! Seeps added Agonizing Blast and Eldritch Spear to her Hexblade abilities, Pinko revealed himself as a follower of the Circle of the Moon and finally mastered his Wildshape ability. Smacky gained Dangersense and decided that defending himself while attacking was only holding him back.) While they rested Kella Darkhope was delighted to hear the crew regale their antics at the Keep. She had been planning to send them up there anyway to eliminate any threats as an induction test. Seeing how they achieved this feat of their own initiative she had no hesitation welcoming the adventurers into the Zhentarim, giving them the rank of Fang.
The sound of horses drew everyone outside and a dashing young half-elf introduced himself as Xoltin, Leader of the Seven Snakes. At Kella’s message via flying snake he and his 6 Mercenary’s had arrived to secure Nightstone for the Black Network. He too was pleased to hear of the ‘good work’ already conducted by the party and rewarded them well, promising more for continued service to the Zhents. The first order of business would be to double-check for any remaining goblins inside the walls, but no sooner than his men began to spread out to secure the town a War Horn blast had everyone scrambling.
An Orc Warband was approaching at speed from the North. Smacky climbed a watchtower and tried to hail them but was ignored. He spied the Leader, a Huge Warboss, and noticed blood seeping from several white fletched arrows of the kind used by Wood Elves. It was obvious the Orc wanted into Nightstone. The Zhents feverishly began raising the drawbridge.
The Orcs rushed the swiftly closing entrance and two managed to grab a hold and swing themselves over before it slammed shut. They quickly found themselves outnumbered and were cut down by the defenders on the far side. On the towers, the Snakes opened fire on the hoard with crossbows however the barrage of orc javelins assisted by a “Bless” spell from the Eye of Gruumsh who travelled with them began whittling down the Zhent guards. Half the orcs ignored the gate and continued south around the moat looking for another way in. Unwilling to be denied and desperate, Gurrash, the injured War Chief and two minions hurled themselves at the old drawbridge. Though solid, it had seen enough winters to be showing its age. A tense standoff ensued as the Orcs pounded the raised planks, splintering wood with massive war axes.
Forgotten in the assault and drawn to the sounds of battle, all the remaining goblins in the village suddenly appeared rushing out from the various buildings they had been looting. They didn’t last long, falling to Zhent bolts and Seepage’s Thunderclap barrage… but it was enough time for the War Boss to force the gate and his forces rushed the village as the wooden barricade gave way, clattering to the ground.
Smacky mounted one of the Snake's horses while Pinko grit his teeth and transformed for the first time since his initial experiment back in the Grove that saw him trapped as “Binky” the dash hound, except this time he found he was in total control and manifested as a huge brown bear. Roaring he bound towards the War Boss as Smacky recklessly charged into the fray. Xoltin, Kella and the few remaining Zhent guards threw their weight in against the invaders, but the Eye caught Kella devastating blow knocking her to the ground unconscious. Enraged, Xoltin rushed to her defence, cutting a swathe through the attackers with dancing blades and refusing to leave her side.
Fur and blood flew in a vicious battle. Seepage pulled out every spell in her arsenal, her Hexed whip lashing out viciously but separated from her companions eventually fell to the savage great axes blows. Smacky seeing her fall recklessly charged his horse into War Boss who ducked and swiped the beasts leg off from underneath the barbarian. Smacky leapt from the stricken beast, repeatedly wailing against the larger opponent. As the battle raged on, the second half of the Hoard found a weakness in Nightstone’s defences, the bridge to the keep, undefended and leaving a gap in the unscalable palisade to exploit. As they poured through the breach, a clear single note from a silver horn rang out from the North.
"Oi Gurrash! You aint getten far, come back and finish what ya started ya gutless excuse for an overgrown Goblin!” Blowinbogan, leading a band of Ardeep elves finally caught up to his fleeing quarry. “Need some assistance folks?” the cocky Ranger called as a rain of arrows from their longbows pounded into the surviving orcs. Gurrash turned for a moment as an arrow pierced his armour for the fourth time that day giving Smacky the chance to land a clean blow with his battle-axe, removing the War Boss’s head in a clean sweep. Norgra, the Eye, refused to quit and recalled his wavering band to fight on. The massive ursine form of Pinko bore down on him in response, and just as the fresh half of the war party came into view, the great bear eviscerated the cleric and battered the screaming figure aside like a pile yesterday’s souvlaki roaring in victory. Seeing their spiritual leader's insides laid bare made the rest of the war-band promptly soil their collective daks, turn tail and flee. Before they could thank them, the Ardeep elves had melted back into the wood without a trace. The town was secured and set for a Zhentarim takeover.
Xoltin knelt over the prone form of Kella, treating her wounds while Pinko rushed to aide Cockseepage. Though immensely thankful for the assistance, Xoltin begged one more favour of the trio. While he called for more reinforcements, Nightstone would be worthless to the Black Network without the townsfolk to get the village restored, working and productive again. He implored the party to seek out the missing residents and return them safely. The next morning after an uneasy sleep in the Inn, an expedition to the “Dripping Caves” that Beedo had indicated was planned...
Comments