Returning triumphantly to Hemmelmark the following day with a fine collection of ancient crypt treasures, the party quickly realized that the whole city of Hemmemark was in a state of disarray. Guards had left their posts, and the crowds that had previous lined the streets to gawk at the adventurers were instead hurrying along in a state of anxious panic. Accosting a random passerby revealed that the central keep had been invaded by assassins making an attempt on Duke Johann's life!
The party arrived in the bailey courtyard to find a ring of guards surrounding the keep. The assassins were holed up inside with hostages, after blowing their cover. Scrying on the visitor's hall revealed several ruffians threatening a group of captured keep staff, including a young girl at knifepoint. Duke Johann, arriving in animated conference with the court magician, revealed that his own daughter was a prisoner of the invaders, and implored the party to do whatever they could to spare her life. Meanwhile, Sir Robin and Viserion peaked through the upper windows to try to identify the location of other assassins.
Zelmar and Thorvald teleported directly into the chamber to catch the hostage-takers by surprise. The rest of the party flew up to the roof and battered down the access door to the upper floor. Fortunately the guards by the hostages were weaker, allowing the room to be secured before the leaders could return from patrolling the hall outside.
The actual fight itself ended quickly once reinforcements arrived to support the initial strike team -- though just in the nick of time, as Zelmar had been paralyzed and Thorvald was surrounded. Fighting went man-to-man, and then vicious dragon attacks from Viserion cleaned out the survivors.
The Duke expressed his gratitude, and gave the party full permission to seek out the source of the assassins -- he suspect the Burrgrave of Hochgrube, Ristovarius of House Wittigis, one of his longtime rivals. He warned the party that Hochgrube was a slaver city that had taken prisoner many of the citizens of the northern Timberlands, so that it would not do to merely burn the place to the ground.
After that, the party continued preparations for an assault on the frost giant fortress in the high saddle glaciers of Mount Isigbar to the southwest. A few party members traveled to neighboring Hainburg to look for magical items, but with little success beyond a few minor trinkets. They did hire a single mage, Adoniram Hewer, a graduate of the nearby Hedgecliff, a tower of high sorcery several leagues southwest along the coast. The tower is tall enough to be visible from Hainburg, shining in the seeing sun; here, many wizards have pooled their apprentices to create an enhanced educational environment. (Adoniram describes himself as "Grifflepaw prefect three-year nonconsecutive with honors", which sounds like it's probably a good thing to be, at least so far as anyone can tell.)
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| "A tower of high sorcery several leagues southwest along the coast" (Art by Andreas Rocha) |
Roster
- Zelmar Krackiss, 5th level fright knight
- Anatolia, 4th level bladedancer
- Frigodria, 5th level paladin
- Viserion, 4th level white dragon
- Oin "Dirtface" Orinson, 5th level dwarven sapper
- Sir Robin Silverfall, 5th level spellsword
- Herrohnin, 5th level summoner, and his scads of spooky scary skeletons
- Sir Rock Boulder Fist, dwarven 5th level summoner
- Thorvald, 5th level spy
Not appearing in this adventure:
- Tu'a'than, 5th level spriggan
- The very young white dragon, Namazu, who is off monitoring the frost giants
Lots of skeletons and spirit dwarves
Treasure
Coins: 12,400 gp
Magical items:
- cloak of protection +1
- 9 bolts +1
- 3 arrows +1
- Nightblade spellbook: read magic, choking grip, stinking cloud
Experience
Killed: 8th level nightblade [1600 xp], 8th level witch [1100 xp], 8th level thief [1100 xp], 7th level gladiator [790 xp], 5th level thief [350 xp], 5th level ruinguard [350 xp], 4th level thief [135 xp], 2nd level barbarian [29 xp], 1st level antipaladin [13 xp]
Total: 5467 xp
Total experience from treasure: 12,400 xp
Total experience from kills: 5467 xp
Total experience from exploration: 0 xp
Total experience: 17867 xp
Total experience per member: 2233 xp
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