[DFRPG] Crawl! IC

[Hide]

Originally Posted by ajardoor

(...)(OC: Back in Town, more or less. Anyone who wants to spend money, declare it and what you want before you cross off the cash. I have some bad news for all of you. Also, roll a D100 please?)

The d100 returns a 18:
Hide: D100 → 18

I think we'll take the money to a priest to remove the curse.

[ajardoor]

The local church is in the middle bailey of the Keep. It is later in the morning, where the residents are almost finishing their usual chores. The elder cleric running the church is named Stosh Fortron, a cheerful, kind and humble man with an amazing reputation. Even amongst the rogues of Quarry Town, he is respected and seen as straight-up heroic.

The party has to wait a small while for the priest to finish some work, then they see him about examining the coins they found.

The first distressing thing they discover is that their stash of money is smaller than what they left the Caves with! Yes, a good chunk of gold coins they looted from the secret room of the highwaymen is missing - 300 gold coins in all, worth $120,000, has been stolen between then and now.

The second painful discovery is that some of the remaining gold coins looted from the secret room have been replaced by copper coins merely painted gold! About 20% of the gold cash they got from the secret room is really just $1 copper farthings. The party must scratch off the gold paint, to avoid accidentally committing counterfeiting.

The third and final problem with the money is that the copper coins in the small sack they got from Lionel had a few coins that had a nasty demonic curse placed on them! The curse attracts monsters, makes the cursed very easy to track with magic, and inflicts an increased mortality malefice upon those who claim the money.

The party can discard the $5 of copper coins (in the church's holy smelter) or ask the priest to exorcise the curse in exchange for a favour, to cleanse themselves of the curse.

[ajardoor]

Suddenly, everyone in the party jerks themselves awake.
Looking around, they realise they are still camping outside, at the day's start. They did not go into the Keep, they did not see the elder cleric, they did not discuss the money...

The money!

Checking the party's cash stores, they breath a sigh of relief. Nobody has stolen coins from it. It is the same fat load of gold, silver and copper that they found in the secret room. Of course, checking the gold coins confirms that 1 in 5 of them have been replaced with painted coppers, more's the pity. Still, that is only 83 coins that are not gold.

The adventurers spend the next three hours travelling back to the Keep. Silently, each adventurer ponders what that nightmare they had was about.
Vic shrugs it off as simple brain damage, he did get poisoned recently after all.
Bain wonders if it was a message straight from the other side he once glimpsed.
Gathika is sure that it was a gift from the elders.
Telrith thinks it was a punishment from Blessed Earth itself, an angry reaction to their sins.

By midday, the party is back in civilisation.

[Hide]

There's a serious look in Bain's face, but a sense of joy and peace can be felt as he speaks to the party...

Friends, keep your eyes open to your mercies, those who forget to be thankful fall asleep in life.

He talks in private with them, and suggests to stick together until they sell what they have to sell, spend what they have to spend, and save what they have to save*.

Later in the day, Bain maps the journey, goes to the barracks. He presents his contact with the intel gathered during the trip. He includes the information from the bandits in the caves...

Cartography (12+1) 8.
Soldier (12) 11.

* Regardless of Gathika’s merchant rolls, I think everybody can already make use of their 1/4 loot.

[ajardoor]

The soldiers are happy to see Bain - the usual grind has really worn on them.

They pay Bain $100 for the stuff he helpfully provides.

They invite him and his friends for lunch. They can swap stories and discuss the local region.

[Hide]

(At least*) Bain accepts the invitation; he is attentive to the questions and intel that might arise during the lunch. He explains there is an organized power in The Caves, and that these "people" have unnatural control over their pawns; he lets them know about their prowess with curses and "black" magic.

*No problems if others "decide to join later".

[ajardoor]

The soldiers enjoy Bain's company and stories.

One of the patrol captains gossips about what he learned about the region when he was studying some recently unearthed maps and history books.

To the north, deeper in Hell's Throat than most patrols ever go, there is an old ruined stronghold, built back when the Orc tribes were first pushed back into the wastelands and deep forests.

It's original purpose was protecting a trade road. There was an underground stream below the castle. The last lord of the stronghold became deathly ill, the lord before him was killed in a mutiny. The stronghold inhabitants operated a silver mine. The captain has pinpointed the location of the stronghold, but comments that seasonal weather (mostly huge rain storms) will make the terrain impassable in two weeks. He found out the stronghold has a tunnel from outside dug into the cellars, probably an emergency exit.

[Hide]

Bain looks interested in the fallen castle:

The location you are talking about sounds interesting for delving; however, is there something of importance for you? Is there a reason you would like the Riddle of the Steel to take a look at the place? How far is it from here, if we travel by horse?

Also, what happened to the silver mines (and mining in general)? Is the place connected to The Caves?

Mutiny is a serious thing; it implies a major offense against the state.
What happened? And what happened to the offenders (what did the state decide about them)?

How much time elapsed between the mutiny and the death of the second master of the castle?

Along the lines of these questions, Bain also asks about the soldiers thoughts on the organized forces that dwell in The Caves, also, why would cultist find a liking in the place?

[ajardoor]

Originally Posted by Hide

Bain looks interested in the fallen castle:

The location you are talking about sounds interesting for delving; however, is there something of importance for you? Is there a reason you would like the Riddle of the Steel to take a look at the place? How far is it from here, if we travel by horse?

Also, what happened to the silver mines (and mining in general)? Is the place connected to The Caves?

Mutiny is a serious thing; it implies a major offense against the state.
What happened? And what happened to the offenders (what did the state decide about them)?

How much time elapsed between the mutiny and the death of the second master of the castle?

Along the lines of these questions, Bain also asks about the soldiers thoughts on the organized forces that dwell in The Caves, also, why would cultist find a liking in the place?

The captain shrugs, "As far as we know, the stronghold is not a priority. We are too busy right now securing this part of the region to journey further in and build back what we lost decades ago. You guys can travel to the stronghold, if you want. It is five days on foot to the place from the Keep. Horse can shave off two days from that journey."

The silver mine is still there, maybe it ran out. It is not recorded what happened. They do not think the Caves are connected to it.

The attempted mutiny killed the lord of the stronghold, but everyone who took part also died, either during the mutiny or by execution afterward. Rumours from the day claim the wandering ghosts of the lord and the mutineers still haunt the stronghold.

8 years passed after the mutiny, before the new and last lord died.

The soldiers know little of the Caves, but they have heard the region is cursed by the forces of Hell.

[Hide]

Bain decides to pay a visit to the sage (savoir-faire HS (10) 10*), in search for more information or interesting details about the recent findings in the caves and also about the fallen castle.

He will also ask:

• Advice in order to survive and succeed as the Riddle of Steel goes deeper into the caves or even the fallen castle.
• What can he acquire to protect himself from curses?
• If he has interesting items for sell (that can be useful for Bain).

* I spent one of my CP in learning the skill.