Rollohi-ep18-script

18.1 But can we take a level break?

Eryn now uses a Sword+1. She puts aside the polearm. 

[How does a +1 work? It permits a 1-pip movement of either penetration or damage, but not both. If you max off you max off, UNLESS you are attacking something with the same or worse AC such as AC8 for a sword, or AC6 for a shortsword.] 

 

NOTE if the party ever does get to the dungeon of the bugbear regent, his best weapon is +2 and has no powers beyond the poison. He has only one other magic weapon among all his followers, a +1 with no extra ability. 

It is still morning of 1st waxing halfmoon. The party uses two more torches leaving, just in case things have changed. 

Burdened to some degree they return by the exact same path (veering wide of possible mink) to the manor. Other than lawful field hands and minor traders, are there any encounters? No but progress is slow as various humble folk ask for a favor. 

 

18.2 Sidequest:  The Case of the Missing Flour 

Elara, a baker with flour on her cheeks and a worry etched into the lines around her eyes, approaches the adventurers' table at the manor's taproom. She's not a noble or a quest-giver from a guild; she's simply Elara, whose family has baked bread in this manor for generations. She clutches a small, worn coin purse. 

"Pardon me, sirs and madams," she begins, her voice quiet but firm. "I know you're busy with, well, with heroic things. But I was hoping you might spare a moment for a small problem." 

She explains that her flour mill, the heart of her family's business, has been plagued by strange occurrences. It's not bandits, she insists. The millstones turn on their own in the dead of night, and bags of freshly milled flour have gone missing, not all at once, but one or two at a time, leaving no tracks. The other millers in town have started to whisper about a curse, and her business is on the verge of ruin. 

"I can't offer you gold like the baron," she says, her gaze falling to the coin purse in her hand. "But I can offer you a warm meal every day you're in town and all the bread you can eat. I just need to know what's happening to my mill. I need to be able to tell my family we're not cursed." She looks at the group, a flicker of hope in her eyes. "My grandfather always said a person's reputation is their most valuable asset. I'd hate for his legacy to be lost over a few bags of missing flour and a ghost story." 

 

"You know we're waiting for good news from channels" Eryn says 

"Yes indeed, this seems  good. We can shake out a bit. And Pod, it could be a chance to feel as though you can cope with this life: ingle  

"Sorry, not tonight, ixegenia particularly wanted to speak to me" 

Ah jack  please forget about this. She's the baron's. Umbert 

"Man... woman... human life is brief. Mingle, glow, bear fruit" Kylie 

ARRIGHTTT jack! Ya dog! Pod 

Heehee oi think ye got th wrong end a th stick pet, but tis a hoot that - Cied 

BAH we can watch a mill without a thief... even if yer th expert - Xantu 

Contra to this, it's also best to return to hidden springs, counters Eryn after a short time to think. 

Yes that was in my mind because i feel the primitives in the swamp will see the vulnerability and strike. Agrees ingle 

( 

Something like brownies might be the cause. They used to be paid in flour or small cookies. Recently they complained about the lack of payment to a similar but ill-natured creature, perhaps a boggart.  

An enraged brownie becomes Chaotic in alignment, and is called a boggart. A boggart will use its invisibility and great strength to punish the family. It will break items, set loose or attack livestock,  

torment children and pets, steal and hide needed tools and implements, and in some cases assault and injure those responsible,  

until finally fleeing to another habitation where it feels its help is more welcome. 

ACKSII 

1HD attck 1d4+2 

) 

Just the one night then. 

18.3 Staking out the mill 

Night Watch 2  the boggart begins moving the mill wheel and grinding grist. They can hear its evil chuckling 

Umbert uses the wand of paralyzation but it is a magical being and such wand attacks have no effect. 

Round 1 characters 4 boggart 2 

With a huge puff each halfling sends flour into the mill room and the fey creature is a white shape. Kylie and Eryn toss a net. But the creature makes its SV with an 05! Umbert yells and swings with his staff. He hits Pod a sharp blow. Ingle swings his baton. Yes! It can be hit! Encouraged Xantu whacks it with his shield  and pins it.  

"That was so easy, Pod groans rubbing the back of his head. 

"Dunt ee jist stand, hop up an help!!" Screams Cied, wrestling the creature. It is unbelievably strong! Cied makes 06 STR and the boggart makes 09. But that gives Xantu advantage and he makes 06. 

Piece by piece, although Kylie is only marginally interested (but why would you care? Just leave) they learn about the broken pledge. 

Peacemaking with the mill family takes them through breakfast. 

The following day is waxing half, day 2 

18.4 Jack's special sidequest - the party split

It is day 2 of waxing half. 

"If we trek straight back the way we came, we might get lucky in New Jhay. And, if you don't mind waiting there a few extra days I got a sidequest from Ixegenia." 

Anger curbed, Ingle asks politely if the sidequest is for the good of the group. To everyone's surprise Kylie interjects: "the scent of a woman, the deadly flower, the antidote... Jack is at work" 

This is absolutely true. Kylie has somehow put together the poison they took from the treasury with Ixegenia. 

Jack takes heart: "yes if we all work together it can be a quick few hours" and explains, as weve learned in the flashback. 

Eryn Cied and Pod are against a whole-party effort. Eryn, because of the political situation. One or maybe a few might slip through but eight will be arrested. And not even the favor of the vicomte will save them. CiedPod are against it because the scheme sounds like Jack thinking with the wrong head. 

Umbert, Kylie and Xantu insist on going with Jack. 

 

Im now going to jump ahead. The half party that stay back, stop in New Jhay ostensibly to follow up any chance of purchasing magic weapons or the like.  

 

Meanwhile, using their least memorable mounts, Jack's party rides across foggy stream, and to the whispering woods without any attention being paid them. There's no reason for the guards at the border tollbooth to remember them, except that a dwarf and an elf together are memorable.  

The guards remark on them but that's as far as it goes. 

 

18.5  a grudge remembered

Time of day – this occupies the rest of 2nd waxing half 

 

From there, it's a short ride. The weather is chill. As the tree cover increases, their pace slows. 

Now they do have an encounter. But it belongs to this semi-settled area, and not to the Whisperwood. 6_3, dryad. Attitude, 8. She is neutral. But curious. She does not recognize the party of four. But she has a feeling they had something to do with removing the feral dryad? 

Yes, and she is grateful. "It was ill-wishing of the gold" she explains.  

"I shall sing to you of my travels, while my human there plucks the Silent Orchid" Kylie tells her in Elvish.  

With Umbert's assistance and Xantu on watch Jack harvests the Orchid! They collect Kylie on the way back. 

Night is on them.  Tomorrow will be final day of waxing half. 

At the border, an encounter. 

Disgraced guards stripped of their livery and weapons are now outlaws. And the gossip about an elf and human with elven gear convinces them these four need a good killing. 

Let's find out how many vengeful wretches there are. I set no number for the traitor baron's guard, so I'll roll on the bandit wilderness count. 22.  

Given the situation I'll also need to make an account of the tollstation. 

Is there a level 2 fighter yes and 

Are they level 3 no 

So more than one yes but just two. 

Number remaining, 1d6, six 

I ask several framing questions, and discover that the tenegades are inside the tollstation and hostelry and are fighting the lawful guards. 

Time to find out time of night and sources of light, and figure out where the outlaws are. 

The tollstation is "on" the bridge, and 15 of the outlaws are in the act of seizing it. This was not part of their plan! 

170' further back on the settled side, the comined ostlery inn range spreads out. Four outlaws are holding the inn, two the ostlery. There is one lookout on the wild side of the river. 

18.6 Killing zone

 Notice check for the lookout with advantage* assuming WIS 13 

*neutral because the returning party does not need a light 

05, easy spot. They sound the signal. 

Hear noise? Well everyone can hear it  the question is what they make of it. 4 WIS checks I guess. In order they are Jack Umbert Kylie and Xantu  

Jack and kylie def make it with 03 and 04 resp while umbert fails with 13 and xantu rolls 11. Which is 2 under his wis 13. 

So all of them are able to take action and i think the obvious step is for them to find the lookout and for Umbert to use charm person. 

Is the lookout going to be routine to find no 

Can the party hear the fighting yes and yells for help. 

Do they all dismount yes but they bring the horses with them. 

Using a d3+1 I find the tollstation has just the two levels: the bridge gate, and the batlemnt/admin/bunk qtrs above 

In effect there are 4 fight zones, and the guards will fall back higher to the gate windlass. 

losing yes: 

 not on the actual ground but 

Part in the monetary  

Not fully in the barrack 

 

So what we know is that friendly and hostile reinforcement can enter from the ground   

 

Round 1 

Distance 100ft 

Inits outlaws win then guards then PCs  

There are 10 unwounded and 1 wounded outlaw still fighting. Three guards are retreating as best they can, flipping obstacles into the way and trying to bar doors as they falk back up to the monetary, the strong room  

Outlaws 1-5 are in the front rank. Three sxore minor wounds. 

Outkaw 6 is looting barracks.  

Outlaw 7 hears lookouts whistle. He leans out to take a shot along the bridge: it's a good shot! But Xantu has a good shield these days and the bolt is deflected. 

Outlaws 8 9 10 and the wounded 11 are looting dead guards down around the Bridge gate. They move to readiness. 

Guard 3 has 1 hp left. Snr 1 has 5hp left. Snr 2 has 7hp left. They are making 1 in 6 checks to form up with shield: no. 

Guard 3 kills outlaw 1, Snr 1 and 2 kill outlaw 2. 

Pcs quickly realize they could ride and leap in, or advance at Xantu pace (20) and be too late.  

"Ill ride if someone rides with me" -Jack 

"Me hammer wants to ring out but I'm no rider" - Xantu  

"Ill hold the reins" - umbert 

"Blood in the river, mothers weep, ride in! Rude in!" - Kylie  

Kylie and Jack close the distance 80' making adequate (14,13) dex checks. They are both inside the 20' light circle so Jack throws his dagger up at the crossbowman - hit! The outlaw is wounded for 2. 

Kylie makes a dismount instead. This allows her to have shield and sword ready for next round, using the bridge gate as cover. 

Meanwhike the other two jog the mounts in 40'