The Golden Tooth Tavern

[Marullus]

Morning, 30 July 2021

On the afternoon of 26 July, Foxy O'Hare returned through the south gate. Where she departed with three riders with her, she returns with one, grievously wounded, who leads a pair of horses bearing a sling-litter between them which contains a second, clinging at the edge of death. All their horses are likewise bloody and covered with grime. They head directly to the infirmary, not emerging until a few days later when they've had a chance to recover.

Enter play at current stamp, 30 July.

[Marullus]

Morning, 30 July 2021
Late on the 24th, Willow and Clay Weatherwax passed through on their way from Frogmorton Ford to Beith's Watch. Word is Amistad and Achaedany remained in the lumber yard. They return on the 30th (enter current time stamp)

Expedition end: viewtopic.php?f=353&t=7075&start=60#p350164

[Marullus]

Morning, 03 August 2021
Winnie, Bianca, Willow, The Grizzly Woman, Clint Brockhammet, and their companions head north into the forest by way of Beith's Watch.

Expedition: Winnie to the North Woods - 03 Aug 2021

[Marullus]

11 August 2021
Amistad is pleased to announce that construction of the Lion and Axe Lumberyard is complete and they've begun milling operations.

A farming homestead is complete at Beith's Watch and breaking ground to get some crops ready before harvest.

[Alethan]

During the week of July 24 - Aug 03, Willow pays for good food and lodging.

1 week of good meals - 3g 5s
1 week of private room lodging - 7sp

[Enoch]

Gundri Gundrudson pauses in front of a new announcement on the town bulletin, shifting his shoulders to settle his mail into a more comfortable position as he sounds out the unfamiliar words. "Soo-ee...so-ek...a-tus Arr...arsa...ah, well. Some tender Mannish art, as like as not."

He turns and watches a laborer trudging into The Golden Tooth, weary from a long day's work. "That looks a more promising place." Patting his hammer to ensure it rides at its familiar place on his belt, he heads toward the inn.

[Marullus]

Ooops... this was supposed to be over here:

Ablesforth's expedition from the Demon Hole(formerly known as the Goblin Burrow) returns on 23 July, the same day on which they set out. Exhausted, they rest until August 11 (current datestamp).

August 11
The last three weeks have been one of whisper and worry... though the authorities are not speaking of it, the rumors spread from the Guardsmen that demonic figures and strange sightings now roam the landscape. More frequent in the night than the day, outlying farms are more strictly observing curfew than they were before.

Tales tell of gaunt humanoid figures with their tops of their heads cleaved off, empty cavities without brains within, running as packs and savaging what they come across. They also tell of swarms of flying eyeballs, at first taking them for large bugs, which appear and watch the shepherds... several whole flocks of sheep have been lost on the east side of town as the savage half-headed creatures arrived and slaughtered them after the eyeball swarms arrived, dragging the dead lambs and ewes away into the night.

There have been no instances of these creatures within the walls of Gaul, however. There is growing discontent among the townsfolk towards the Templars, however, some muttering about them not doing their job to eliminate it, others sharing rumors that the guards say they're responsible...

[Marullus]

August 19
The cool northern summers continue, the days rising to the mid 50s and now (pleasantly) without incessant rain, though the heavy clouds above look like they might sprinkle tonight. The moon wanes, the full moon passing on 13 August and the half-moon coming shortly.

Welcome to Gundri Gundrudson, new dwarf!

[Rusty Tincanne]

Ablesforth the Wayfarer, Cleric of Erruana, enters the tavern in search of alcohol and stories. His gregarious nature leads him to easy conversation with the smallfolk of the town. He reveals what he saw the last time he entered, and reassures them that he and several others plan to re-enter the Demon Hole and rid it of infernal taint in the morning. He is open to others joining the expedition, but warns them about the seemingly endless supply of sniffers that are only kept at bay by a godly warding. If harassed by followers of Baudh, he politely reminds them that the Duke chose to leave the caves prior to fully cleansing them; that it was only a matter of time before this evil emerged.

To anyone interested in joining, he offers 5-10 flasks of holy water.

Please consider this post an intent to go on an expedition.

Edit: Personally, I feel that, as long as we outnumber the sniffers, we should kill them with silver weapons and holy water. Otherwise we just avoid contact and continue down the rabbit hole, as it were. Able can dispel magic and cast PfE on party members that have lost their warding and are unconscious due to a fight going badly. He can also use his mail to cast Knock 1x/week to allow us to hole up at some point if needed.

[Dram]

Neegan enters the tavern. I be wantin the the biggest mug of Ale ya got barkeep! Them sniffers almost had me fer dinner a few times, but I am standin thanks to the clerics. They be needing more clerics and and fighters with silver weapons.Neegan sees Ablesforth. If I myself a Silver Battle axe I would rejoin you. As for now I will be leaving the the group. Looking for a new adventure.

[Zhym]

How about a slightly bloodthirsty +2 bastard sword? It's only a little cursed.

[Dram]

Nah it them dam things would probably be able to control it and kill half of us in the party.

[Rusty Tincanne]

If I didn't have 4 characters already - two clerics, a thief with a +3 Warhammer, and a magic user that really needs to stay out of combat - I would make one for the express purpose of buying that item. Night vision and +2 bonus vs alopecia and the need to bloody it if it is drawn seems fine to me.

Glad to hear Neegan will take on the Orb. I can't wait to read the adventure!

[Thebadgamer98]

Erien Laganthe enters, seeking out Neegan to discuss the details of his notice board entry.

[Dram]

Neegan-Hears Erien asking for him. I am Neegan. Lets have a Ale.

[Thebadgamer98]

Erien makes his way to Neegan, A pleasure to meet you, I am Erien, Cleric of Baudh. I saw you had a job posted on the notice board, would you still be looking for assistance with that?

[Rusty Tincanne]

Clay locates Neegan in the Tavern and relates all he knows: please consider all the following said IC. I've just summarized it for ease of reading.

- A bunch of artifacts were recovered by Fingers, et al. in May 2021 after a battle with a bunch of ghouls
- Caspar the White later identified it as The Orb of Endless Suffering, an ancient artifact created by the Dreadlord Zhint, a necromancing willworker
- The Orb is banned from entering the walls of Gaul
- Pierpont laid out some of its powers:

"The Dreadlord Zhint succeeded in sealing a pocket dimension of the negative material in the orb; something that should never exist on this plane...
- It causes an exponential increase in the effectiveness of a warlock's necromantic spells.
- It also will infect the land around it, causing any corpses to spontaneously rise.
- It ... siphons the life from any too long in it's presence, like a wight, ghost, or vampire. In fact, it can replace the life force of anyone with... Well, death force, turning the living into progenitor undead of higher types. A warlock's could cause this intentionally and on command..."

When you ask how to destroy it, he shakes his head. "Any attempt to destroy the orb would release the negative material plane into the word, which is catastrophic. Destroy the energy within is catastrophic. Letting it fall into the wrong hands is catastrophic. Pray that none know it has resurfaced... The safest... would be to wish it away, magically of course, by altering reality such that it doesn't exist anymore. Otherwise, and with what is known? That volcanic mountain could destroy it, but the consequences would be severe and unknown. Or, lock it away where it cannot be found or retrieved and hope for the best?
That, at least, was the dwarves plan."

- Caspar the White (here and here) describes the way to the Spiral Vault:

"Finding the Spiral Vault is difficult, as they intentionally do not write details of it. I can surmise that it is east of the river from here, on a jut of the southern mountain range halfway from the river to the dwarven citadel from which Jarkul ruled. They placed the vault so that they could deposit the dangerous magical items there without bringing them into their main holdings further east. It appears that Jarkul's citadel should be about 25 miles east of the river, so that is a guide to finding this hidden vault."

"Of course, the entrance to the vault will be hidden. But it will also have an 'ancestral lock' upon it. You best bring dwarves with you to help you in your duties, as it will try to recognize its own before it yields and opens.

...The spiral vault is... hazardous. As I said, it is meant to be secure from all but righteous dwarves, by whatever 'ancestral locks' are. By building its subteranean vaults along a corkscrew passage, it can ensure that so much bedrock lies between each chamber and the next that magic is of no avail, and they've done their work to contain whatever enchanted items they placed within. Though he doesn't speak of what they entombed, he just couldn't resist bragging a little bit about their dwarven ingenuity in this.

[Dram]

Neegan greets Eriens hand. Yes you are the first to answer the call. When Clays enters he introduces Erien. Lets move to a private table. He then listens to the details concerning the Orb. I will spend one more day here then go to Idmi'd'dum to request support from my cousins.

[Thebadgamer98]

Erien listens to this information and says "Well, I'm in need of adventure. I would gladly accompany you, if you would have me."

[Zhym]

August 19

Fingers saunters into the tavern and sits at the bar. The free pint of the dark brown every time he returns to Gaul has turned from a negotiating chip early into his career into a tradition—a celebratory ritual of venturing into the wilds and returning alive. "It's good to see your ugly face again, Hyde," he says as he sits down. When the dark brown arrives—likely unbidden—Fingers tips the half-orc an electrum piece and asks if Hyde has any meaty scraps for Sprinkles.

"What's new in what passes for civilization around here?" he asks.

Fingers will bunk in his shop. He arranges 24 days of good meals (5 sp/day = 12 gp) and stabling (1 sp/night = 2 gp 4 sp). Total deducted, including tip: 14 gp, 1 ep, 4sp.

ETA: I forgot Sprinkles! Sprinkles eats like a king these three weeks: half portions of good meals comes to another 6 gp. Deducted.