RC: No. America - The Haunted House

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Eleint 6 (The Afternoon) - An extra session was played on Saturday, and finished on Monday.

Pimm had discovered a cache of gems in the “Safe House” and had decided to share his find with the others. He met with Kitiara, Red as he called her, and the two proceeded to the Market Place. There, Japheth Marvel offered 450 gp for the 5 gems that Pimm produced., the deal was made. While they were waiting for Japheth to return with the money, they were approached by a woman, she was hysterical. She called herself Juliana Mysterra and told the two that her son has gone off to avenge his father, who had been killed by undead at an abandoned house outside of town. They agreed to aid the woman. She had a wagon waiting, and they sped off. Mathetais seeing Kitiara leaving town with Pimm and a stranger, decided to follow them.

Upon arrival at the house, there was a wizard already there, Pheldas, who had seen the boy enter the house earlier. During the introductions, Mathetais arrived and the four proceeded to enter the house. In the living room, they discovered a journal in a desk, but not before Pimm was pricked by a poisoned needle located in the handle. Luckily he was resistant to this poison. The first page of the journal read as follows:

“To the fools who would dare challenge my sister, You will die. signed Juliana Novamyst”

The front door slammed shut during the discovery of the journal, and while the group was pondering their next move, three zombies came through the door located on the north wall. The Zombies were no match for the battle hardened group. The hallway beyond the door led to two possibilities, a door to the left and stairs to the right., the door was chosen. Pimm tried the handle after hearing nothing beyond the door, but it was locked. It would be up to Mathetais to force open the door.

Just on the other side, unknown to the party, a halfling thief named Phineous Fingers had herd the door rattle and moved over to investigate. He was just crouching to listen at the door, when Mathetais burst the door open, knocking the halfling out and sending him sprawling into the center of the room. After securing the halfling, the four, roused him and proceeded to grill him for information. They found out that a woman named Juliana Novamyst had hired him to carry a long sword into the house, he was offered 100 gp. After entering the House he had also become trapped so he locked himself into the dining room. The group decided to bring the rogue along, he could prove to be useful.

The door on the north wall led into the kitchen. There the party was attacked by several dire rats, who were cut down easily. three more were discovered inside a store room on the north wall, they too were cut down. At this point, the group heard one of the doors along the north wall rattling. The door in the upper west corner was opened revealing a broom closet and a woman tied up inside. The gag was removed and the woman proceeded to tell the group about how she was on her way to see Lord Jullian about an expedition he wanted her to join, one going to some castle, when she was clubbed from behind. That was the last thing she could remember.

Pressing onward, the group opened the door in the center of the north wall, revealing a stairway leading downward. They decided to wait on this and proceeded to the door on the east wall. It opened up to a sun filled room containing many plants. Pimm noticed the unmistakable look of bleached bone through the leaves, skeletons were moving in there. He let loose with a sling bullet, and alerted the skeletons to their presence. The battle was on. Pimm was in the doorway, and save for Jager who was able to leap over the entire group, he was on his own for now. Kitiara was able to strike one with a magic missile, and then Pimm and Jager proceeded to crumble the four skeletons. Jager received a slight gash in the shoulder. A door leading out to the south, revealed a creature crouched in the room munching on an arm, its back to the door. Pimm motioned to Mathetais to come and have a look. Mathetais proceeded to charge in on the ghoul, not wanting to leave such an evil creature alive. He sliced through the ghoul’s neck with one blow from his long sword.

Double doors on the east wall opened to a study. Kitiara discovered a box hidden behind a picture, while Pimm had Phineous check out the desk. He could detect no traps on the desk, but was able to disarm the one on the box. Phineous opened the desk drawer and was struck in the face by a poison needle. He fell unconscious. Pimm, through some miracle, was able to neutralize the poison with some herbs contained in his healers kit. The Box contained a dagger which radiated magic, and a scroll of Cure Moderate Wounds, which Pimm kept. The desk contained a purse with three gems in it.

It was now time to move onto the cellar, as Serena pointed out that this was their best chance to locate an exit. The stairwell leading down was filled with cobwebs, and a small spider dropped onto the shoulder of Serena. Kitiara brushed it off and Serena crushed it with her boot. This was just the prelude to the two larger spiders in the cellar. The spiders proved to be no match for Mathetais and Pimm, who proceeded to kill them with single blows from each. Kitiara noticed a secret door on the southern wall of the cellar, while Pimm discovered the mechanism to open it. The wall slid open quietly. Just beyond was the secret chamber of Juliana, who was located at a table fiddling with some of her alchemist equipment.

She did not notice the group, until Kitiara spoke aloud, “Well, if you could get in here so easily!” Juliana called on her two Zombie guards to attack while she proceeded to cast a spell. Pimm cast sanctuary on himself, Juliana cast silence on Kitiara. Mathetais and Pheldas moves toward the zombies. Phineous hit Juliana with an arrow, and Jager leapt to the attack striking her with a claw. After being repulsed by Pimm’s Sanctuary and getting struck by another of Phineous’ arrows, Juliana tried to flee, only to have her head crushed by the force of Pimm’s morning star. Mathetais and Pheldas, in the meantime made short work of the Zombies. The following items were retrieved from the body of Juliana: MW Banded Armor, MW Large Steel Shield, MW Morning Star. On the table were 7 potions which were taken by Pimm. Mathetais decided to take the Alchemist Lab. During the loading of the wagon, Phineous quietly picked Pimm's pocket of the purse with the gems, and snuck away.

The group returned to town in Juliana’s Wagon and returned to the Market Place, where a mage identified the two magical items for them. The ring was a Ring of Counter Spell, able to store up to 6 spell levels, three magic missiles are currently stored. The dagger was simply a +1 weapon. Pheldas received the dagger, and Kitiara kept the ring. The potions and lab were sold to the local alchemist for a total of 2350 GP, giving Mathetais, Pimm, and Serena each 503 gp, while Kitiara and Pheldas each received 420 gp (they each paid for the identification of their magic item). Mathetais, Pimm, Kitiara, and Pheldas each received 900 Exp and Serena received 600 Exp.

So ended the day of 6 Eleint


[This message has been edited by Baldak Oakfist (edited September 04, 2001).]

[This message has been edited by Baldak Oakfist (edited September 04, 2001).]

 

After the little affair with the haunted house, the wizard took a deep breath and muttered a curse. Then he refocused on a group he had aided in cleansing the place.

"Feh, I'd never fare good without you here... My great thanks, I can only say this much..." The wizard looked around again and seeing no immenent danger, continued -

"As you've seen, I practise magic. Friends call me Pheldas, locals call me a crazy man, goblins call me... wait, they do not call me, I come for them myself! Heh, You may call me Pheldas." He looked around the house in amazement again. "You know, I've been walking around this house for three days. People say there was undead here, I've met a zombie like that yestereve. Spelled him down, but the damned thing bit off a chunk of my crossbow, it did! Beyond any reparation, where do they get this strenght, by Thauglor's scales? Strange enough that undead just dwelled here with whoever created them... Locals say the town have not had a murder in a score of years... So, either they are completely safe, or they are, so to say, due. Second is more likely, considering the murder attempt on the Lord... People speak of a band of adventurers saving him. And this is a calm town. That all seems very strange to me. But, enough of that. Will you be so kind to tell me what you have with that Novamyst woman and her mysterious sister mentioned in the journal? It cannot be coincidental that you've met somebody familiar in this house. Nothing is ever coincedental..."

 

"Well met Pheldas! Your courage and magic were of great help. All being said, I thank my Lord that your crossbow was the only fatality in this excursion. It could have been much worse."

He wiped the black blood and icor off his sword on the grass outside of the house, and let the sunlight soak into his sore muscles.

After loading the lab and his companions, Mathetais drove the wagon home looking at the world through new eyes. It had been his first battle with the undead, and he didn't hesitate. All the training, devotion and prayer had paid off.

Now he had a chance to put the plunder to good use. Of course 10% would go to his church to help take care of the poor. With the rest, he would outfit himself with some better armor and other necessary equipment.

The upcoming journey to the Hidden Castle still made the hair on the back of his neck stand on end . . . but he felt more confident now. He would miss Pimm's mighty Morning Star, but his other companions seemed valient enough!



[This message has been edited by Mathetais (edited September 04, 2001).]