NIGHTWICK ABBEY: The Purple Eater of People, Session 13

...is there a doctor in the house? Our's is dead...

Previously in Nightwick... 

And if you want to catch up on *all* the previous fun? "Weeknights in Nightwick" archive here.

The Party

Blossom (Rogue 2)
Mayfly (Magic-User 2)
Sumac (Changling 1)
Sotar (Cleric 1)
Hirelings: Pavel, Tizche, Elgast, Grolmes, Ernko (MU 0), Gotchalcus (Doctor 0)

At the Medusa's Head...

It is the 24th of Primes, 1391 and Mayfly finds himself back in Nightwick Village's famous (and only) pub. The group is discussing what to do with the two doctors who have approached them with their services. Since 15 sp per week is a stiff price, the group decided to choose the battle-harded Gotchalcus. But before testing this battle-hardened doc in Nightwich, the group needs to drop by Halfdan's place to get some information on the 15 black stones they have.

...at Halfdan's Tower...

Let in by the very human-mannered black bear, the party proceeds to describe to Halfdan the black stones and their curious property of making the hireling that touched one see their dead mother and aging them slightly.

Halfdan's suprising response is that the party is in posession of the "wages of sin". The stones are the infernal currency of the Nightwick denizens. And very valuable to wizards outside of Nightwick.

Mayfly confers with the Blossom, Sumac, and Sotar about seeking mentorship with Halfdan. The party agrees agumenting Mayfly's...um...meager scholarship... with a professional would be wise. Halfdan agrees with "tuition" being 5 of the black stones. Deal done!

...on to Nightwick Abbey...

THE EAST TOWER: The party is always avoiding the West Tower due to Blossom's chilling recounting of deermen, beytral, and buchering right at the exit. Plus, in last delve, the Abbey, like an irritated animal, has shifted and resettled after clerical and divine actions in its walls. The party is curious to see what has changed and find other entrances back to the second level.

They choose the north east door in the entrance and listen. Hearing nothing. Sumac calls out to the goblins who respond with threats.

VULTURE STATUES: The party proceeds anyway through the door to a familar sight- two goblins behind a make-shift barricade. What is puzzling is that the wall behind them is covered now in a purple scar-tissue like surface. Not the entrance to the "Great Goblin Kingdom". So what are they guarding?

THE CHAPEL: Cautiously passing under the vulture statues, the party emerges into a large collumned room, not the den of deermen as before. In the ceiling is set a worn and weathered spherical representation of god. Sotar notes this is a heterical depiction, as the true form of god is a cube.

Speaking of depictions, the party notices that many of the alcoves contains altered depections of known saints of law. One alcove contained a mural depicting St. Toad, The Lady, St. Gax, and St. Simon. Everyone is turned away from The Lady in revulsion dispite her being a central figure in the proliferation of the Word of Law. But what is not repulsive is the very fancy silver candel holder on the alter-- bulky and expensive ( 500 sp ).

Moving westward, a second mural is one of St. Gax delivering a sermon and contained a locked tithing box. Blossom examined the lock and figured out it was both trapped and would require further working. Into the bag it goes for later experimenting ( ??? sp ).

A third interesting mural contained a depiction of St. Toad preaching to the froglings. However, red toads were pouring from his mouth and squished dead on the ground. An allusion to spoken lies and heresies.

Once the survey of the room was completed the party assisted other exits. The door to the south would lead to the "sweet-leaf" scented room but a hallway to the west holds promise...save for the little bit of movement Sumac saw.

F*%^&KING DEERMEN: Moving west the party is met by a hail of arrows! And in a hideous display of irony, the good barber/surgeon Gotchalcus is the first to fall (PC NOTE: hit on an 18 and damage roll of 8!). The party retreats south. Another flight of arrows and Elgast is the next to fall!

Once most of the party is through the door, brave Sumac attempts to hold back the deermen with a flaming oil flask. But in another cruel turn of events, it is Sumac who is set afire by a leaking flask! (PC NOTE: Sumac only had 2 HP and took 4 damage). With the smell of charred changling corpse lingering in the air, the party beats a hasty retreat. Damn those deermen!!

...and back to town!

The depleted group is able to sell off the silver alter piece and break open the lock-box without incident or being harmed by the spray of acid for a total of 1000 sp recovered. Mayfly and Blossom decide to go out drinking to celebrate life and the lives of their fallen friends- the caurousing pass with little incident. 

Mayfly- MU level 2- 3264/5000 xp