Chapter 4: Inn of the Damned

[Grognardsw]

Grey Mouser, thief

Nodding to his comrades, the wounded Mouser finishes straping his armor on.

"We should get out of here now."

[Fulci]

Ingrid Esthof, cleric

He scans Elden, then turns him to examine his back, checking for wounds. He looks to Ingrid. "What can we do?... Can you help him with your healing magic?"

"My powers are limited... And I can only heal the living." She closes the ranger's eyes with her palm.

The usual brightness of Ingrid's voice is gone. Her words are cold and empty. Elden Vodarte was a friend, they traveled and fought alongside each other. And now he's dead, lying in the dirt. With the aid of one of her companions, she lifts Vodarte's body onto her horse. He deserves a proper burial - later on.

"We have to leave immediately. We need to regain our strength, then return and get to the bottom of this business.

Any ideas? We can't go to the wilderness. I'm afraid another encounter with the goblin people would be too much. You explored the village a bit - any places we can hide in?"

Her head is spinning, must be the effect of the poison in her body.

[DadsAngry]

Hoom Feethos:

Hoom standing near Mouser fastens a stray leather strap on the back of rogues chest armor. He secures it tight and pats Mouser on the back. "You missed a strap." Hoom says as he moves around to Mouser's front with his other hand out stretch like a beggar. "I trust my tools were useful and that you kept them safe."

[Zhym]

Grothnak starts awake, then grimaces as he tries to ignore the pain from each of his wounds. He reaches for his halberd and unsteadily moves to a defensive position, looking around for any attackers. Seeing only dead and defeated villagers, he relaxes and leans on his weapon for support.

"Felled by a few villagers," he grunts. "The other Uruks would laugh."

The half orc turns to Pelias. "You revived me?" he asks. "Then I owe you a debt. What is our situation? Have Ingrid, Vodarte, and the Mouser been found? What of Hoom, Telkis, and Bo? I do not see their bodies. How did they fare? Are Felicity and Killian safe?"

[Fulci]

Ingrid Esthof, cleric

Ingrid, mourning the dead, now turns her attention to the sort-of-living. She lays her hands on the unconscious druid. For a second a glowing light appears around her palm, and healing energy flows into Long Bo's body.

Cure Light Wounds [1d8] = 5

[Inferno]

DM:

The holy magic of Ingrid Esthof heals Long Bo, and the druid awakens on the cold, earthen floor of the dark stable.

Bo now has 3 hit points.

[OGRE MAGE]

Bo sits up and rubs his sore head.

Well, Happy Birthday!

He looks around and sees that somehow the group is all back together.

Thank you for the revival my dear. Now, what in the nine hells just happened? And where are we? This place stinks of horse. Are we back at the nice young couples farm? I really hope they are ok, I think we may have involved them in this horror and I feel as though we are responsible to protect them now.

[AleBelly]

Grothnak starts awake, then grimaces as he tries to ignore the pain from each of his wounds. He reaches for his halberd and unsteadily moves to a defensive position, looking around for any attackers. Seeing only dead and defeated villagers, he relaxes and leans on his weapon for support.

"Felled by a few villagers," he grunts. "The other Uruks would laugh."

The half orc turns to Pelias. "You revived me?" he asks. "Then I owe you a debt. What is our situation? Have Ingrid, Vodarte, and the Mouser been found? What of Hoom, Telkis, and Bo? I do not see their bodies. How did they fare? Are Felicity and Killian safe?"

Pelias responds only to Grothnak's later statements, helping him to his feet. "You owe me nothing - your debt is to Heironeus, who grants me those powers."

"The others are alive, as far as I know. But I'll give Ingrid, Vodarte and Mouser a piece of my mind. We come to free them and they hide away as cowards. Yes, we must look after Felicity and Killian, but what to do with the villagers? Shall we retain one for questioning? Find out who they serve?"

The paladin will search Bertram for any information, not being shy to pocket any coins or gems he finds.

[ChubbyPixie]

Telkis Brassfang

"We have to leave immediately. We need to regain our strength, then return and get to the bottom of this business.

Any ideas? We can't go to the wilderness. I'm afraid another encounter with the goblin people would be too much. You explored the village a bit - any places we can hide in?"

"A friendly couple with children the other side of the village helped us earlier - indeed they warned us of the danger of the Inn, which led to your rescue. They were as yet unaffected by the malady of this place. We must go to them and help as soon as Pelias and Grothnak join us. Under cover of this storm we may very well arrive there undetected. If the rest of the village is unaware of our presence there, it may prove a safe place to heal up a bit," replies Telkis. "Now what's taking them so long?"

[Zhym]

"The gods work through men," Grothnak replies to the paladin. "My debt is to you."

Still leaning on his halberd, he looks around again at the inn full of defeated villagers. "Yes," he agrees, "we should take prisoners. The innkeeper, of course, and another villager who might be more talkative. What of the rest? Tie them up? Is there a place in this inn that would serve as a prison cell?"

"It may not matter what we do unless we stay here to guard them," he adds with a look at the front door. "Most of this town seems bewitched. Whatever state we leave these people in, short of death, others will come to release them. We have three choices. One: kill the disabled villagers—a deeply dishonorable act. Two: Leave them as they are. If they will be freed anyway, any attempt to restrain them would only waste our time. Three: remain here and use the inn as a base of operations. We have taken an enemy position. Why abandon it?"

Grothnak stands upright, groaning with the effort. "We must reunite with the others. We must also ensure that Felicity and Killian are still safe. Whether we do that here or elsewhere makes little difference. But it would be wise to investigate this place before we abandon it. We may not have the opportunity again. Could the others be brought back inside?"

[Grognardsw]

Grey Mouser listens to Telkis, and gets directions to the couple's home should he find himself separated from the others.

He turns to Hoom. "Your tools were most helpful. They lend an almost magic touch. Unfortunately in the rush I seemed to have lost them."

Mouser pauses then smiles."A jest among rogues." He hands them back.

[Inferno]

Day Four
Village of Briarsgate
Evening. Wednesday, October 19th, 576 CY
Cold, Thunderstorms





Vodarte is dead.

R.I.P.

Hiding in the dark stable behind the Golden Grain Inn (6*), Ingrid, wracked with grief, closes the ranger's eyes for the final time. Then, with help, she secures his corpse atop her steed.

Mouser finishes strapping his armor on when the little thief realizes he's been robbed. All his possessions are accounted for except half his coin. (please subtract 30 gp from your sheet.)

Ingrid heals the fallen druid. A glowing light appears around her palm, and healing energy flows into Long Bo's body and the druid awakens on the cold, earthen floor of the dark stable.

Bo, Hoom, Ingrid, Mouser and Telkis share information, confer, and lay plans to flee the area.

KRAKOOM!

Actions?





Grothnak and Pelias are grievously wounded and alone in the suddenly hushed inn, surrounded by the broken bodies of villagers, beneath the swirling storm.

The paladin searches Bertram Beswill's bloody corpse for information and finds only a ring of keys and five pieces of silver.

Grothnak and Pelias share information, confer, and lay plans to remain at the inn.

KRAKOOM!

Actions?





Status:
The Grey Mouser, Half-Elf Magic-User/Thief 1/2: AC 4, HP 1/10, Spells: 1/1 1st lvl. Groggy
Grothnak Uthglukh, Half-Orc Fighter 2: AC 4, HP 1/17
Hoom Feethos, Elven Magic-User/Thief 1/2: AC 3, HP 6/8, Spells: 0/1 1st lvl
Ingrid Esthof, Human Cleric 3: AC 3(1), HP 14/16, Spells: 1/4 1st lvl and 2/3 2nd lvl. Very groggy, unarmored
Long Bo, Human Druid 2: AC 6, HP 3/15, Spells: 3/4 1st lvl and 1/2 2nd lvl
Pelias Blanchflower, Human Paladin 2: AC 2, HP 2/19, Laying Hands: 0/1
Telkis Brassfang, Gnome Fighter 2: AC 0, HP 15/19 Groggy


Magic:
Protection from Evil (Pelias): -2 to AC and +2 to saving throws against evil, in a 10 foot radius around Pelias.


*Map of Briarsgate
NPC List for Briarsgate

[OGRE MAGE]

Bo

Where are the others? Shouldn't they have been out here by now?

Perhaps we should go to check on them?

He musters up the strength to stand and begins to head back towards the inn.

We shouldn't all be scattered about at a time like this.

[DadsAngry]

Hoom Feethos:

"Ha, Ha, Ha. Good one Mouser. You had me going for a second."
Hoom takes his tools back and secures them into his pack. He then moves to the edge of the barn entrance and looks out towards the Inn. He feels the same as his comrades. Pelias should have returned by now.
"Pelias is a strong human but Grothnak is a big creature. Perhaps he needs help lifting the him? I'll give him another lightning strike before I will go and see what is keeping him."

[Fulci]

Ingrid Esthof, cleric

"We shouldn't all be scattered about at a time like this."

"Well maybe you shouldn't go off alone, then," she snaps at the druid. "Take Hoom with you, then, at least."

She listens to Telkis' story about the couple. "I don't think we have the right to pay back for their friendliness by bringing danger straight into their home. On the other hand, if they aren't part of this mad conspiracy, we can protect them... Let's reunite with the others and decide on our course of actions."

[OGRE MAGE]

While Hoom waits for the next lightning strike, Bo uses the time to further increase his own health.

CLW [1d8] = 2 Thats what I get for being selfish.

If Hoom agrees to go along, Bo sprints back to the inn as quickly as he can in his weakened condition, to see what is keeping the others.

Stay here for now until we find out what is happening. Come back to the inn if you're molested out here so we can all regroup and fight together.

[AleBelly]

"The gods work through men," Grothnak replies to the paladin. "My debt is to you."

Still leaning on his halberd, he looks around again at the inn full of defeated villagers. "Yes," he agrees, "we should take prisoners. The innkeeper, of course, and another villager who might be more talkative. What of the rest? Tie them up? Is there a place in this inn that would serve as a prison cell?"

"It may not matter what we do unless we stay here to guard them," he adds with a look at the front door. "Most of this town seems bewitched. Whatever state we leave these people in, short of death, others will come to release them. We have three choices. One: kill the disabled villagers—a deeply dishonorable act. Two: Leave them as they are. If they will be freed anyway, any attempt to restrain them would only waste our time. Three: remain here and use the inn as a base of operations. We have taken an enemy position. Why abandon it?"

Grothnak stands upright, groaning with the effort. "We must reunite with the others. We must also ensure that Felicity and Killian are still safe. Whether we do that here or elsewhere makes little difference. But it would be wise to investigate this place before we abandon it. We may not have the opportunity again. Could the others be brought back inside?"

Pelias frowns deeply at the suggestion of the first thought, but says nothing. He is cheered by the third. "I like your manner of thought, Grothnak. Let us fetch the others. You and I are ill suited for further battle. We should divide the able-bodied among two groups. One stays, one calls to Killian and Felicity. But it is imperative to search these premises, as you suggest. I will fetch the others. Remain vigilant, friend."

With that, Pelias will exit the tavern, looking for signs of where his companions went.

[ChubbyPixie]

Telkis will stay put in the stable for now, to defend the others who remain, if necessary, waiting for Bo and Hoom to return with Grothnak and Pelias.

I thought Pelias knew where we went - didn't Hoom say the others were in the stables before we left? Maybe not.

"I agree, Ingrid, we may be bringing danger on the couple, but I fear they are in even greater danger if we fail to protect them. At least if we go there by cover of the storm the evil here may not realize we're there. Let's see what the others have to say when they return." he replies. He's not sure why, but he gets the feeling Ingrid likes and respects him.

Telkis Brassfang. Wisdom: 8

[Grognardsw]

"Ingrid was your gold stolen also?" asks Grey Mouser.

[Zhym]

Pelias frowns deeply at the suggestion of the first thought

Which thought was that?