Yoshi's notes

Date

7/20/2004

17th year of the reign of King Kevin.

First day of "July". Late morning.

Weather is bright and sunny.

Characters

Carric Dendreu - Male Aasimar Druid 1

Caelesti - Female Feytouched Rogue 1

Lady Lyonessey "Nessy" Lavena Rowane - Female Aasimar Aristocrat 1

Yoshi - Male Human Monk 2

Introduction

Carric goes to Nessy's house at dawn. Nessy is awake; they wake Caelesti. They proceed to the monastery. We go to Master Galen.

"We've questioned the women you brought back, and have pondered the situation, and have come to the following conclusions. This Meaghan woman is clearly guilty of the transgression of attempting to kidnap Lady Lyonnessey. Fiona's guilt is less clear: it is not unlawful to be a worshiper of Cerridwen. On the other hand, aiding and abetting a kidnapping is certainly a crime. We would like you to deliver these two to the Temple of Núadu in town,taking this letter to the priest there. They will continue to question them there. Regarding the matter of their belongings, we deem that they are forfeit.I also collected this key from Fiona. I'd like you to take this key and secure the crypt again. And, I would like you to remove the altar trappings from the altar."

"Master," Yoshi says, "should we also clear the rest of the complex of undead?"

"You should."

"Can we continue to use the services of that wonderful priest, Brother Carmac?" Caelesti asks.

"Yes, we can spare him for one more day."

We proceed to the monastery gate. Brother Yoshi is given the key to the crypt. The prisoners are brought forth with manacles on their hands.Their belongings are brought forth as well.

We tie the manacles to each other, and Yoshi holds the rope.

On the way to the temple, Meaghan stops. "Let me go, and I'll tell you who was going to pick up the money."

Caelesti and Nessy are interested in this, but Carric and Yoshi say we should keep moving.

We deliver the prisoners, the letter, and the original ransom note to the temple of Núadu.

We go through the treasure and value it. We are recommended to a sorcerer named Conner near the north gate to help us value it.

We divide the treasure and they proceed to the crypt. The door is open.

We return to the temple to desanctify it. While there, we notice a scrap of parchment, which says "Old Nell at Oakrill". Nessy wants to throw a pebble at the portal. Caelesti gives her a stone to throw; it bounces off the wall. Carric searches the altar (again), finding nothing.

We carry the cloth and the cauldron and the tapestries to the original intersection.

We go back to the right-hand room, and listen at its next door, hearing nothing. Yoshi pushes on it hard. He tries again, then Carmac helps and the door flies open.

The next room is 20'x20', extending to the right. We search it and find nothing interesting.

We leave, locking the crypt door behind us.

We bring the cloth, cauldron, and tapestries to the Temple of Núadu. We hand them over, as well as the key.

We show the priest the parchment. Oakrill is a village in this kingdom up the north road, somewhat to the east, a few days journey.

We purchase equipment, including a mule.

Then we figure out where Oakrill is. After two days along the north road will be a path going off to the northwest. About two days after that we will come to this village.

We set out along the road on the second day of the month.It's a fairly well traveled road. It parallels the river for a while, veers east, veers west; it's the main trade road to the city. We pass carts traveling the other direction. Near sundown, we come to a town with an inn.

Nothing untoward happens over night.

Towards the end of the next day, we see a path to the right.

As the sun sets, Carric looks for a suitable place to camp.Watch order is: Nessy, Caelesti, Carric, Yoshi.

Encounters

During the third watch, Carric spots a couple wolves taking an interest in our mule.

Carric says, "Wake up! Wolves!" Everyone wakes.

Round 1: Carric "charms" the wolves. He tells us to go to sleep.

Next day, we pack up and proceed along this trail.

We find a cart heading the other way. We learn that this is the road to Oakrill, and that Old Nell is a woman who sells herbs.

We move on.

Shortly after lunch, we come to a small town. Caelesti says,"Excuse me, what town is this?" "This is Tallelm. Oakrill is about a day and a half further."

We continue. The sun begins to set. We find a new camp.

During Yoshi's watch, Yoshi is attacked by an 8'-long furry creature, low and sleek, with a wedge-shaped head crowned with short horns: a dire weasel.

Round 1: The animal approaches.

Round 2: Yoshi shouts, "Wake up!" Yoshi moves forward and misses. The animal bites for 7 points of damage; its jaws lock on to me.

Round 3: Yoshi hits for 5 points of non-lethal damage. Carric stands and fails a wild empathy check.. Caelesti finally wakes. The weasel bites Yoshi further for 2 points of Con damage. Nessy stands, exits the tent, and draws her weapon. Yoshi stuns the weasel for 3 points of non-lethal damage, then hits for 6 points of non-lethal damage.

Caelesti grabs her dagger and runs out completely naked. We decide to kill this creature; Yoshi does so with a coup de grace.

We discuss skinning the weasel. Carric does so, very well.

Carric cures Yoshi for 7 points. Yoshi still feels poorly because of his blood loss.

It is now the fifth day of "July". We move on.

During the mid-afternoon, some of us see some "Rodents of Unusual Size" (Dire Rats), in the trees off to one side. The whole batch - six of them - come chittering towards us.

Round 1: RUS 1 skitters down the tree and is now 30' ahead of us. Carric moves forwards 5' and draws his weapon. RUS 6 and RUS 3 climb down the tree. Caelesti draws her shortsword. RUS 5 runs down the tree. Yoshi steps forward. Nessy steps 5' and draws her weapon. RUS 2 and RUS 4 run down the tree.

Round 2: RUS 1 runs forward and bites at Carric, hitting for 4 points of damage. Carric strikes and misses. RUS 6 runs up and bites at Yoshi, missing. RUS 3 runs forward and attacks Nessy, missing. Caelesti moves forward and stabs at RUS 3: a critical hit for 9 points. It falls. RUS 5 runs past Carric, who misses, and misses Caelesti. Yoshi takes a 5' step, hits for 3 points then misses. Nessy takes a 5' step and attacks RUS 5, missing. RUS 2 moves forward, trying to pass Yoshi, who drops it with 8 points of damage. RUS 4 gets by Yoshi.

Round 3: RUS 1 hits Carric for 4 points. Carric strikes back and misses. RUS 6 strikes at Yoshi, and misses. Caelesti takes a 5' step and strikes RUS 5, missing. RUS 5 misses Caelesti. Yoshi takes a 5' step, and misses RUS 1 twice. Nessy strikes at RUS 5 and misses. RUS 4 attacks Nessy but misses.

Round 4: RUS 1 strikes at Carric and misses. Carric nearly drops his weapon then move 5' out of combat. RUS 6 misses Yoshi. Caelesti takes a 5' step and strikes at RUS 5, missing. RUS 5 bits at Caelesti, hitting for 4points. Yoshi attacks RUS 1, missing then hitting for 6 points; it falls. Nessy strikes at RUS 5, missing. RUS 4 strikes at Nessy and misses.

Round 5: Carric cures himself for 5 points. RUS 6 strikes at Yoshi, missing. Caelesti strikes at RUS 5 and misses. RUS 5 strikes at Caelesti and misses. Yoshi hits RUS 6 twice for 11 points, who falls. Nessy missed RUS5. RUS 4 missed Nessy.

Round 6: Carric takes a 5' step, attacks RUS 5 and misses.Caelesti misses RUS 5. RUS 5 hits Caelesti for 4 points and drops her. Yoshi takes a 5' step and strikes at RUS 4, missing then hitting for 6 points,dropping it. Nessy takes a 5' step to flank RUS 5, and hits for 4 points.

Round 7: Carric hits RUS 5 for 7 points and drops it.Caelesti bleeds.

Round 8: Carric casts cure minor wounds on Caelesti.

We feed Caelesti her cure light wounds potion, for 6 points. She awakens.

Both Carric and Caelesti contract "filth fever", although they don't know about this for a few days.

Carric says, "We might be diseased."

We move on.

It is now early afternoon.

Soon, Carric and Nessy notice a dire rat following along through the trees.

Carric stops and tries to catch its gaze to influence its attitude. It ignores him.

Carric casts speak with animals, and says, "Hello there! What are you doing up there?" The rat skitters behind a tree. Carric spots it again: "I see you up there. Come talk with me!"

Carric says, "That was a strange rat. That was not normal behavior for a rat."

We proceed along the path, and a short man steps out from behind a tree. He has a thin ragged mustache. "You killed my friends!"

Carric says, "You mean, the dire rats? They attacked us!"

"But these were my friends!"

Caelesti says, "Do you leave here in the village?" "What village?" "Oakrill." The man does not answer.

Yoshi says, "My name is Brother Yoshi. What is yours?"

"I am Kieran."

Carric says, "Kieran, it's good to meet you. I hope we can be friends."

"But you killed my friends! You could have given them the mule."

Caelesti says, "But they attacked us, not the mule!"

Nessy says, "Do you need some food or water?"

Kieran says, "You kill all my friends! You pay me and I let you go."

"What would you like in payment?"

"Hmmm. 50 gold for each rat. 300 gold."

"We don't have that kind of money. That's a lot of money."

Caelesti says, "How about 300 gold less the cost of my outfit? That would be worth 200 gold!" Kieran seems convinced. "Can we come up with 100 gp?"

Yoshi says, "We should not pay for being attacked by his friends!"

Caelesti says, "How 'bout if I throw in another outfit, also worth 200 gold!" Kieran accepts. "I will sell these and find new friends."

During late afternoon, we walk into a small village. We see a villager. "Excuse us, what village is this?" "It is Oakrill." "Is there an herbalist here?" "Yes. Old Nell is at the other end of the village and about100 yards past is a cottage on the left."

We go to Old Nell's. Carric knocks on her door.

"Hello?" An old woman opens the door. Quite wrinkled, 5'4";looms over Nessy. Gray shawl over a black dress, piercing black eyes.

"Hi! I am Carric. We are looking for an herbalist."

Brother Yoshi introduces himself and the others.

Nessy says, "My friends and I were attacked by some awful big rats, and we are concerned they might have caught a disease!"

Carric says, "In particular, we are concerned about filth fever."

Caelesti says, "And lycanthropy!"

"Lycanthropy?"

Carric says, "Please, let me talk. Our immediate concern is filth fever. May we come in?"

"Please do come in. Would you like tea?"

"Yes please."

We notice a white pig on the mantle.

Nessy chastises Yoshi for using her full name. "What if she's in on it?" Yoshi apologizes.

Old Nell comes back with a pot of tea and five cups and pours the tea and passes it out.

"I can help you for 5 gp each."

Carric says, "This is a small village. Do you get many customers up here? For your herbal business?"

"It's not really a business as such. It's just what I do.

"I'll work on your potions tonight; come back tomorrow."

Nessy says, "By the way I couldn't help but admire your white pig on the mantle!"

"Yes. Yes. Well, I'll see you in the morning. Payment in advance, please."

Carric pays her.

"Lady Nessy," Yoshi says, "were you planning on having an alias? After all, if she recognizes your full name, she will recognize the name 'Nessy'."

"Yes, I should come up with an alias!"

- to be continued -