Defenders Summary #66: Bow to the Emperor, and His Dog, Sput
Party Roster:
Felix, 6th level fighter, 59 hp, played by Alex
Balinor, 6th level fighter, 56 hp, played by Joel
Cassian, 7th level cleric, 45 hp, played by Katherine
Kain, 6th level cleric, 43 hp, played by Jeff
Donald, 7th level mage, 37 hp, NPC
Morgan, 6th level fighter, 35 hp, played by Alan
Bogomel, 3rd level fighter, 31 hp, henchman
Nakumanu, 4th level fighter, 30 hp, henchman
Chiaro, 3rd level illusionist, 6 hp, played by Aaron
When we last left our valiant party, it had split up. Donald was stuck training with Wicker on the mainland, and the rest of the party was in rainy Restenford. Donald learned the spells Minor Globe, Charm Monster, and Polymorph Self over the winter.
Meanwhile, in November 2181, the party was asked by the Baron to take on a mission. A group of bandits were harassing Garroten, and had slain a patrol, and needed to be taken out. They called themselves “The Fabulous” and were led by a woman in banded mail.
We disguised ourselves as a caravan traveling from Restenford to Garroten. Signs such as “Sale on Fist-Sized Diamonds” or “Year End Blowout on Platinum” were considered, but dismissed. Cassian rode as the caravan drover, with Albee, Morgan, and Bogomel on top, while Balinor, Felix, Nakumanu, and Chiaro rode inside.
While this would normally be easy, our options were rather limited since we were lacking the party wizard, the party’s main source of area of effect spells. We were essentially limited to Entangle and Hold Person.
Nothing happened, and we arrived in Garroten, where we discovered that a group had been attacked only half a day ahead of us the day before. We set back out, and then turned around at the halfway point.
This turned out to be quite sufficient. The woman appeared in front of the caravan and demanded 20 for safe passage. Cassian asked who she was, and she said, “The Fabulous?” Cassian echoed incredulously, “The Fabulous?” The woman responded, “Are you being cheeky with me, drover?”
Cassian responded, “Die.”
And so she did. The woman collapsed to the ground. The tarp flew off the caravan and Balinor and Felix dashed out to grab the five men spotted on the right side of the road. Kain dropped an Entangle and caught all but one, which Albee indicated vigorously.
Bogomel began tying up the woman, when Cassian noticed five hobgoblins on the other side of the road carrying halberds and just watching. Cassian Held 3 of them, which they began to drag away. Then Cassian Held the other two, and the battle was rapidly over, as the final man surrendered to Felix and Balinor.
With the help of a Detect Lie spell, we interrogated the woman. They turned out to be a bunch of 1st and 2nd level bandits, a moderately powerful group actually. But the hobgoblins turned out to be acting, rather than actually being warriors. We had caught all of them.
As a reward, we kept the longbow +1/+1 of quality, and the longbow +1 to hit of quality. The money was returned to the people it had been stolen from, and the remainder of the gear was paid in salvage tax.
We returned to Restenford.
Winter began, and on December 18, 2181, something weird happened. After breakfast, Gaston and Brillman, two of the Baron’s guards, came to see us. A group of families on the northern outskirts of town had been found slaughtered in their houses. They had been killed by sword strikes of some sort, and the places had been searched. There was nothing of value anywhere, but pepper had been spilled to confuse the dogs. They were able to figure out that there was a wolf and a tall humanoid, probably furry, around. Speak with Dead revealed that the humanoid had a glowing blue sword and huge bug eyes. In addition, the “wolf” had Commanded one person to sleep. It appeared that we were fighting a bugbear and a worg. We searched along the river bank and found a cleaved raccoon, but little else.
We decided to guard the most isolated house and wait for an attack. The other two nearby houses were evacuated.
Sure enough, a dagger slipped through the door and lifted the latch. The door swung open, revealing… a bugbear and a worg. The bugbear was dropped by a command spell from Kain, and the worg was running. Balinor stepped into the door to attack, and it Commanded Balinor to “Freeze!” Balinor shivered uncontrollably and ducked out of the way to allow Albee to get through. Albee, Felix, and the wolf gave chase. “Toad Master” Chiaro created illusionary woodsmen who appeared in front of the worg. The worg banked sharply for the barns, but Albee had a chance to attack. He cracked the worg on its skull, and shattered its back, killing it instantly. I love monks.
The illusionary woodsmen bowed to Albee, and then sank into the grass.
The farmers were assured that we had defeated the monsters. We discovered that the bugbear was completely delusional. He assumed that he was the ruler of the world and was killing disloyal subjects. The bugbear collected the pinkies of the people he had killed (he had a dozen or so pinkies of humans and bugbears on his necklace). The worg proved singularly obnoxious and less helpful than one would think possible when questioned via Speak with Dead. We figured out that the bugbear’s lair was in bugbear territory. He had spent the last night in a cave near the riverbank, but nothing was found there.
This was odd, but it was resolved, so we dismissed the incident.
For New Years 2182, we made some donations, about 1500 gp to each church.
In February, Alduin finally unlocked the puzzle box! Inside was a very strange assortment of items—silver full plate, a silver table setting, a crossbow and quarrels, and a book—all about an inch tall.
This was explained to us by Peltar. The stuff was from Smallsville, where the Sphere of Diminution had shrunk everyone to the size of a paper clip. They had created items for themselves so that they could survive.
So we had found some odd curiosities.
On March 2, 2182, the most bizarre event of all occurred. The party was sitting at the docks near Falco’s Tavern in Restenford, when the general invasion alarm sounded. Morgan, Kain, Cassian, Nakumanu, and Bogomel ran to the house to get our gear. Balinor, Felix, Chiaro, and Albee went to see what they could do to help.
Atop the wall of the castle, Gelpus yelled that a dozen ogres were frontally attacking the town! We could see them advancing menacingly, but couldn’t help but wonder what they thought they were doing. Twelve ogres would be slaughtered by the town of Restenford.
Felix asked what they wanted. The lead ogre said that he was the emperor of the world, and that he demanded the town’s surrender. Felix began retreating his men to regroup with the townsfolk and give people time to arrive. Balinor, who had gone into the scout tower to get a pair of spears, was hit by a thrown boulder on his way out, but he sprinted to rejoin the group.
The ogres charged at the group, full speed. Peltar threw a Suggestion spell, hoping to convince the lead ogre to retreat from the attack. Nothing happened, and the melee began. Narahn, Brillman, and the other archers were firing from the wall. Gaston, Balinor, Felix, the Baron, Gelpus, and a number of others (including Marcus, the half-aquatic elf) were fighting the ogres in melee. One of the guards nearly went down, and the ogre shaman (who was not the “emperor”) began a Hold Person (recognized by Chiaro). This might have been annoying but he was finally disrupted by Gap, the dart thrower from Falco’s. Felix sliced him up in close combat. Balinor accidentally threw his first spear and hit one of his allies, missed, and fumbled again. He got clocked repeatedly.
Everyone got their chops in. The leader was quite durable and had taken over 50 points of damage when he was abruptly Polymorphed into a sea bass.
Amazingly, the remaining 2 ogres held their ground and easily slaughtered. No one was seriously hurt, and one ogre was questioned. Apparently the ogre had possessed unnatural combat abilities. The ogre had claimed that the powers were god-granted, and they believed him.
Very odd, two people having the same delusion. The party could only wonder if something was going on.
Two is a coincidence. If it happens a third time…
Experience ranged from 1000-1500 for this and the Bone Hill debacle. Nakumanu and Bogomel got 250.
Chiaro will train to 4th level next game. Also close is Albee, followed by Morgan and Felix, and then Balinor.
Next game, we reunite with Donald and find new missions. Perhaps we can return to Koralgesh and look for more naval missions….
Joel/Balinor