Torzzag has become a fixture at the Pale Pony when they don't have their "open mic" nights for local talent. Taking a break during his performance, he meets a future patron in the street by the name of Antonius Bailer. They exchange a quick chat and then head inside where Torzzag introduces Antonius to the barkeep - Lyanna. Torzzag notes that his robes are covered in dirt - but he writes it off that he probably has been traveling for the better part of the day on dusty roads.
During the performance a half-orc patron leaves with great fanfare (because no one wants to tangle with his drunken self) and in the bustle drops a sheet of parchment near the table where a human and an elf share a meal and drinks. The human picks up the paper and holds it quietly. The half-orc drops a tip in Torzzag's cup and heads on out.
After the performance, Torzzag performs his usual ritual of chatting with the customers and in particular with the elf and human (as they are new to Quall and haven't heard his stories yet and because the elf indicated to Lyanna that she wanted to have a word with him). The human reveals the sheet of parchment which reveals an odd bit of information:
It is with great risk that I place this message in unsure hands - but it is theThe letter bears the wizard mark of Frantigolus - though none present have heard of such an individual. Looking through his tips - Torzzag indeed finds a gold piece among the coppers.
only method I could find to reach you. I pray that it reaches you in good health
and high spirits.
To the north of Quall - at the base of Mount Thornspire -
you should find a door that is not a door just as the essence of Karan breeches
the western horizon. This is the entrance which you seek and within is your
prize. I do not know what else might be within - but to be sure - caution should
rule your priorities.
Be safe and travel light. Oh and before you leave that
blasted bar - drop a gold piece in Torzzag's tips.
May Gruntamere bless you
with great fortune in your search.
Just after finishing the reading of the note, a local farmer's son bursts in through the door. He proclaims, "Lyanna - come quick. Someone's dead out here! I'm off to fetch the sheriff." and leaves as suddenly as he arrives. Everyone still in the bar area - Torzzag, the elf and human, Antonius and Lyanna all go outside to investigate. The half-orc patron, the one with the note, is dead on the ground not far from the inn - blood-drained and welts covering his exposed skin.
Antonius, discreetly, makes his way towards the body to get a closer look, but is shoved mercilessly away as the sheriff and his 2 deputies arrive. "Break it up people - there's nothing to be done here - go and get yourselves some sleep." The sheriff looks over at the unfamiliar faces of the patrons that are not townsfolk and adds, "Just in case though - no one leaves town without talking to me first." He directs one of his deputies to get the names of the strangers and then directs his attention to the body itself.
The deputy keeps the players grouped up until the sheriff is ready to talk with them - and other then brief introductions to the others - they keep relatively silent. The sheriff brings them back to the prison but lets them go after Lyanna and Torzzag speak up (though more on accord of Lyanna than of Torzzag).
Discussing the letter with Lyanna, they are all still unsure of the half-orc's origins or of the mystery of Frantigolus. Intent on finding out more about the matter, Torzzag suggests they go after whatever is alluded to in the message in the hopes of finding out more. The elf (Vestele Siannodel) and the human (a druid - Zelos Wilder) both agree to come along and Antonius is happy to go along - since he knows no one, is short on cash and hoping to find new friends. He does warn them that he has to "do something" before they get too far out of town, but assures them that it is necessary and will be helpful.
In the morning, there's a bit of a buzz about the town for the half-orc's death, but otherwise, things seem to have returned to normal for the small farming hamlet. Torzzag and the others follow Antonius to a spot outside of town marked with a simple shovel. As Antonius shovels away the loose dirt, he explains to the others that he has a helper - a bone golem as it were - to help him out with carrying things and to keep him safe. Wary of the skeleton as it emerges, Zelos and his dog, Nanook, both take a step back at the sight of it. Antonius, good with words, convinces them that he is a good soul - but his helper is not always met with like goodness - so he tends to keep him hidden when possible.
Torzzag diffuses the situation with an anecdote about his goblin tribe and soon the unlikely group are heading north towards Mount Thornspire.
The two day trip to Mount Thornspire proved uneventful and when they reached the base of the mountain - they didn't have to wait long for Karan to show the "door" - actually an open pit hidden with a clever illusion. Nanook and Zelos ended up taking a tumble inside - a chute that dumped them into a strange foyer complete with an illusionary butler who seemed mistaken about the intruders' identities: "Welcome home Lord Dewista. I hope your journey was well spent. You should find your bed made and dinner will be along shortly."
After Zelos is sure he isn't going to be attacked by the statue on which the illusion appeared, the others looked for a method to get him out. Despite their efforts and resources, they didn't find a route - but Torzzag offered that perhaps another exit would be found - as the location was clearly a home to this Lord Dewista - and no self-respecting lord would not have a second route of escape from his own home. Forging on - everyone took their turn down the slide.
The home itself was simply kept but in obvious misuse after many years of neglect. Doors appeared heavily worn and battered (as if by claws or teeth), the sparse furniture left in tatters. Soon, the smell of food was on the way - and while exploring - a small troupe of spiders came in for the feeding. Zelos and Nanook proved their worth quickly as they each stomped a spider down; even Antonius's companion squashed a spider handily.
Following the route from which the spiders came - the group found a veritable nest of them - including a couple of larger spiders that proved very difficult to take down. Here, Torzagg and Vestele were able to shine and when things even started to look grim, Nanook was there to quell the anxiety. All told - they managed to best a pair of the larger spiders and 8 of the smaller ones. They quickly burned out any of the remaining eggsacks to ensure that the spider threat would stay away.
The spiders had actually taken residence in the bedroom - and while the furniture was oppulent - it also betrayed a sense of simplicity and function over form. Like the sitting room though, the bed and furniture were in bad repair.
Following their nose, the party came across a pair of hobgoblins - and by came across - Antonius's skeleton nearly met a mace to the ribs! Torzzag, seeing fellow goblinoids - worked his words to diffuse the situation and the pair revealed that they were outcasts of their hometribe and had fallen down the chute as the others had. They had decided to live on in the home until such a time that the spiders were a true threat - which the party had so conveniently dispatched for them. They agreed to show the others the way out if the party were so kind as to remove the last guardian in the home - a pair of statuelike creatures located in a storage room. The party, looking to regain the freedom of the outdoors, agreed and walked on over.
The storage room was preceded by another hobgoblin - though this one was long dead and rotting. Inside, they watched the pair of wooden statues go about their business of "tidying" the room. Something about them wasn't right however, for all their cleaning - they only jumbled things even more. At the first threat though, the statues attacked the party fiercely! After a minute though, with the swinging staff at the hands of Antonius's skeleton enhanced by Zelos's magic - the two statues crumbled to pieces.
Within the storage room, the party discovered a bit of treasure and a strange, polished bone key. They took it all and started on their way out - only to be waylaid by the pair of hobgoblins. Apparently enboldened by the party's recent scuffles, they had decided they might be able to take them down and walk away rich with their possessions. A burning hands spell covered the lead members of the party - but didn't deal enough to take anyone down. Before the hobgoblins could do anything else though, Nanook and the skeleton had taken them to the ground.
After the hobgoblins' defeat, Torzzag lamented about the goblinoid races - he cursed these two for proving once again that goblinoids cannot be trusted to the rest of the world - a fact he hated his own tribe for. The others busied themselves over the key but it betrayed nothing of its purpose.
Party Composition:
Torzzag (Dennis) - Goblin Bard 1
Antonius Bailer (Tim) - Human Necromancer (UA variant) 1
-- Skeletal Minion
Zelos Wilder (Dewey) - Human Druid 1
-- Nanook, Riding Dog Animal Companion
Vestele Siannodel (Jesy) - Elf Battle Sorcerer 1
