Introduction
The Sons of Mithra have decided to do some investigating at Ghost Town.
Sikandar
Zach
Cassander
Zeljko Henchman
Men at Arms: 10 Light Infantry + Sgt Aulos
10 Heavy Infantry
10 Crossbowmen
Downtime (Pre-session)
Cassander Downtime Swaggering for information on the Ghost Town
History of the Ghost Town
A Sorcerer named Neurem, a Voran from an old family, set out to build his own tower for research and build a town to support his researches, after a terrible falling out with the Council of Ancients.
The rumor is that he was forced out due to immoral practices and for attempting to summon creatures from the Outer Darkness.
Whatever the reason, he was able to construct a tall tower and extensive earthworks with a magical device he discovered in the Gateway Fortress.
One day, in the summer of (August?) 979 IC, a merchant caravan returned from making a trip to the town and reported that all were dead and the town in ruins. Baron Opatiza sent an expedition to discern what had happened, but even his own Court Wizard was unable to discover the cause.
One thing is known for sure, the Goblins of the Serpentine are frequently found lurking nearby, and have been for years. The young Bravos that seek adventure and glory report the ruins of the tower and town are overrun with Goblins.
The Ghost Town is widely regarded as being haunted by the spirits of those who died there.
23 May
After 10 hours of travel, they made camp on the shoulder of a hill, two miles from Ghost Town.
DM NOTE: In good weather the trip to Opatiza from Sojenka is two hours on foot. Three more hours to Samichi, then five hours across the grasslands.
24 May
First thing in the morning they travel down into the vale, with the light infantry providing a screen
They check on the “holes” they had covered with rubble the last time they were here, finding them untouched.
The absence of the Stirges in the various underground nests was commented on, but there is no consensus as to what may have happened to them.
They uncover the largest pit, in the ruined tower, and two Heavy Infantry are tasked with descending. One almost falls, but they manage to get to the bottom in one piece. Their lantern shows the floor of the chamber is littered with dead goblins. A Brief examination shows they have been drained of blood! Each has a single, large puncture wound in their chest or abdomen.
While the Infantry are checking the goblin corpses, five light infantry and 5 crossbowmen descend, followed by the party members. The stream flowing through the chamber looks unchanged, however the portcullis at the south end is partially blocked by a dead goblin, and it is shaking in the current.
The bodies of the goblins yield 16 SP, many beetle claws and large, thick fish scales.
The group goes up the staircase to the west, and into the large, dark chamber. They turn left, and stop at the door in the east wall. They listen, and hear nothing. Opening the door reveals a chamber dripping with Green Slime. The door is closed.
Continuing around the perimeter of the room they come to the double doors in the center of the south wall. Carefully opening the door they see a large room, set like a great hall with tables and benches for dining. At the far end, to the south, there is a raised dais with an ornamental table and four elaborate chairs.
As they enter the room and begin to peer about, they hear the most wonderful music! Singing voices like angels captivate the explorers. Virtually all of them fail their saves against the songs of the Harpies in the rafters! The *Charmed* party members are commanded to flee, running out of the chamber and back toward the exit shaft.
The two infantry closest to the Harpies are killed and eaten, while the remaining PC and six ov the infantry begin to press an attack.
Everyone fleeing winds up charging into the stream and get an additional save. Two of the infantry and the PCs snap out of it.
The infantry and Sikandar, who were not affected, attacked and killed the Harpies. The Sons collected the antique dishware on the tables and sideboards, and found two pieces of jewelry.
Searching the walls reveals a secret door to the kitchen, where they find a great deal of moldy supplies and spoiled wine. (Zach tries some of the wine, later gets food poisoning)
THe kitchen then leads to a larger pantry room, with two internal storage areas. And a giant centipede that they actually manage to capture and stuff into a leather sack! One storage room is filled with excavation equipment and the other is wine storage, and home to a ghostly apparition. Those who see the apparition and fail their save flee back into the large chamber, for a turn.
Zach slams the door shut, and they chalk it with a danger symbol. They will come back and deal with that later. They find a corpse in odd livery, searching it reveals a ring of keys (three of them, all different), a signet ring with an “N” and a slender golden necklace with semi-precious stones..
The Sons decide this is as far as they can delve tonight, so they collect their treasures and head back to the surface. The sun is going down behind the Serpentine. They travel back to the ring of hills and make camp.
On returning to Sojenka they sell their loot and go visit Varga the Horse Trader to liquidate the jewelry.
Davorin the Apothecary is delighted with the live centipede, and pays the group 200 GP for it.
XP LOG 23 May Session
Loot/Liquid 1,050 GP
Combat 105 XP
Total 1,155 XP Total
Sikander - 1
Cassander - 1
Zach - 1
Zeljko (Hench) -1
PC 330 XP Each, NPC 165 XP
Downtime
Castile will inquire about flashbang type items
Castile is able to find that at least two alchemists in Sojenka make "phoenix flowers", small clay pots filled with a magical liquid. These pots are fitted with a wick and launched into the air with small catapults, where they burst into bright, sparkling flower-shapes. They are often used for celebrations, and you know the army sometimes uses modified versions for night-time signaling.
Depending on the size of the 'flower', these pots cost 8-20 GP each. They are dangerous, misuse can cause a premature "blossom" which can burn your hand off.
Castile: Sounds perfect for this group. Castile will discuss application in small quarters and attempt to get a mock up product. Aiming at maybe 30-40 ft diameter area of effect, something portable, preferably impact triggered but a fuse will do in a pinch. Will offer a contracted deal with the Sons of Mithra for exclusive production and training partnership. Keep it private as possible.
The Dungeon Master — FYI, mechanically, it is a Pyrotechnics spell in potion form…
Downtime Event:
29 May 1023 Two young Kordu Bravos come to the Sons of Mithra camp, asking to speak to Cassander. The younger one (named Krunoslav) says he spoke to Cassander earlier in the week about Ghost Town, and now his cousin (named Zvonomir) would like to share something with Cassander.
Castile, Mithra's Bastard
Are guest rites a thing in this setting? Share a drink, split bread, salt, tea, etc? Feel like we ran into that with Varga yeah?
The Dungeon Master
Yes, but you can just say things like
We welcome him as a stranger, or as a guest, or honored guest or family
Castile, Mithra's Bastard
Ok. Cassander will meet with them with Zeljko and the sgts, obviously any PCs that might want to be nearby. Make an effort to welcome them as guests and share the appropriate etiquette. If Ima be assassinated they're going to SojenkaHell to do it.
The Dungeon Master
Zvonomir claims to be an Apprentice mage from the The Brethren of the Order of the All-Seeing Eye. He says he was asked to leave after he started going to gatherings of the Prophets of the Chosen and asking questions about the new goddess EELATHOH, the goddess of Evasion and Escape, "who will lead all who believe to safety from the coming apocalypse."
The Masters told him there was no such Apocalypse, that the Chosen were deluded and good riddance to them.
Zvonomir had offered his services to the Prophets, as a Diviner. The Prophets were excited to have him, and asked that he use their Seeing Crystal to determine the location of the Mycelium Path.
The Chosen believe the Mycelium Path will bring them to safety from the apocalyptic horror of what is to come from the mountains.
Zvonomir says he saw nightmarish visions in the Crystal:
a ruined city with gargantuan statues, wreathed in silver fog;
a small woman, seated in meditation, with mushrooms growing on her body, and a flower for a head;
a broken tower with a hole under it that goes down to a slime-filled hellscape...
The Prophets told Zvonomir they found this Crystal in the ruins of the Ghost Town and the flower woman told them how to escape the apocalypse.
The visions confirm what she told them, that the Necropolis was the road to safety.
The two young men look at you earnestly, they seem to believe what they are saying, and appear to be looking for a reward for the information.
Castile, Mithra's Bastard
Gonna sketch the general likenesses of Tonisborg and Ghost Town, see if Zvonomir can identify either as the one from his vision. The tower with slime infested hole underneath (edited)
The Dungeon Master
He recognizes the mill wheel in Ghost Town
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