Timberlands Campaign, Session 4: Pandemonium

January 1, Caudex Annales, 71 AUP

The arrival of guards from the ducal palace presented the option of simply sitting back and letting the two sides fight one another, or picking one side. Rather less reasonably, it opened up the option of fighting both sides at once. Naturally, the party picked the least reasonable option.

Sir Winsley, caught in a botched negotiation attempt, ended up with facing down the entire detachment of guards, and opened by punching out the mage as the guards watched with horror. Meanwhile, John-Paul began performing on the flute in an attempt to enthrall the conspirators inside while the situation outside could be resolved, with nearly uniform success. Virtually all the attendees -- local conspirators, visiting pirate traders, and saurian tribesmen -- seemed totally absorbed by the music to the neglect of the battle outside. The leaders of the factions watched in bafflement, and Dominator Korax raged helplessly at his distracted troops.

Basically Vrancx, but with more lizard guys.

Outside, Sir Winsley was getting a little help. One of the bar patrons decided to get in on the action, and began knocking out the rear ranks of the guard with backhand blows (and the occasional headbutt). In short order, pretty much the entire guard was scattered on the ground like bowling pins. (Herrobin's shrouded skeletons politely carried out each guard to safety as they hit the floor.)

Back inside, the conspiracy's leadership were struggling to regain control. Korax raised his staff to accomplish a successful command human spell on the performing priest, and drive him out of the room. Unfortunately, the entire crowd reacted quite negatively to the interruption of the performance, starting a general melee between members of all three factions.

Taking advantage of the temporary confusion, Jeeves, Merda Strega, Frigodria, and Aureon pushed toward the back of the room, angling for the leaders. Damien Whelk, his diplomatic facade discarded, came after them with a greatsword, trading blows with Frigodria along the wall.

When the dust cleared, the party had defeated the entire room of conspirators, as well as incapacitating a full contingent of city guards. The guard slowly recovered from their concussions, and Jeeves convinced them that the apparent treachery had all turned out for the best, given the trap that was waiting them.

The captain recommended interrogating on the the (deceased) leaders via speak with dead, and the answers came back in predictably cryptic form.

Who do you work for? "Rictovarius"
Who are your leaders? "Dead, mostly"
Where are you located? "Everywhere"

Roster

• Edward Sir Winsley, 5th-level dandy mystic (Andrew)
• Jeeves, 1st-level paladin
• Frigodria Dawnbringer, 5th-level paladin (Reba)
• Herrobin, 6th-level summoner, and his scads of spooky scary skeletons (Kyle)
• John-Paul Satre, 5th-level priest of... nihilist existentialism? (Lucas)
• Aureon Thallanir, 4th-level nightblade (Sion)
• Merda Strega, 6th-level witch (Will)
• Mysterious Lizard-y Stranger

Waiting outside the tavern to abandon and/or devour any survivors:

• Viserion, 5th-level young white dragon (Zac)
• Thorvald, 6th-level spy (Zac's Mom's PC, not a henchman)
• Adonirim, 3rd-level mage
• Shayna, 6th-level shaman (Kim)
• Togast, 6th-level skinscribe (Juston... was he here? I don't remember him there.)

Not appearing in this adventure:

• The very young white dragon, Namazu, reporting back on the frost giants
• Jarrus Velt, 5th-level thief
• Zelmar (injured, retiring maybe?)
• Anatolia (at chapel with Zelmar)
• Sir Robin (badly injured)
• Zalgesh
• Sir Rock Boulder Fist, dwarven 5th-level summoner
• Tu'a'than, 5th level spriggan

Casualties

Jeeves
Aureon
Merda Strega

Magical Items (to be identified)

All of the following checks out as magical and not cursed, based on detect magic/evil spells:

Korax' staff (presumably a staff of command, based on recent use)
rod, also owned by Korax
chain mail, worn by Korax
two-handed sword, used to great effect by Damien
sword, Reynard Tuck's
dagger, also Tuck's

Most of the gear looks fancy in terms of ornamentation, but not exceptionally powerful.

Valuables

8000 electrum pieces [4000 gp]
3 barrels of fine spirits and 4 crates of glassware [1400 gp]
assorted gems, jewelry, perfume, incense, engraved teeth, etc [6699 gp]

Total treasure value: 12099 gp

Total gold share per member: 1274 gp

I'm assuming that you include Shayna and Viserion in receiving shares, even though they didn't appear in the battle.

Experience

Killed: Reynard Tuck, 5th-level assassin [350], Damien Whelk, 7th-level fighter [790], Captain Brusticle of the Lonesome Flail-Snail, 8th-level fighter [1100], Dominator Korax [1100], 2 hoods [80], 12 foodpads [120], 4 pirate heroes [320], 30 pirates [300], 4 Thrassians [560], 16 lizardman champions [880], 18 velociraptors (deinonychus) [630]
Incapacitated: Captain Tanny [350], Heronymous, 5th-level mage [500], 2 swordmasters [110], 20 guards [100]
Total: 7290 xp

Total experience from treasure: 12,099 xp
Total experience from kills: 7290 xp
Total experience from exploration: 0 xp
Total experience: 19389 xp
Total experience per member: 2041 xp

I'm including everyone in the experience shares also, rather than punishing Viserion further for being too large and dragonish to get into the tavern.