This was an exciting session, where I had hoped to tempt the Group into doing foolish things. They didn't fall for it, though, and instead mostly survived. It was a good time, though, and that is what's important.
I still dislike 5e's cantrips, but love exploding dice and the d30 house rules.
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29 June 20 - Yelrah, Albrecht, Klayton, Svetlo, and Kirsten
NPCs - Bluejay, Fineach, Avalon, Ulster the man-at-arms
The session picked up where we left off - in the courtyard of the keep. The screeching and cawing turned to beautiful music as the harpies’ charms took effect. Several of the party were struck dumb - a case of music soothing the savage beasts that the PCs are. The harpies took advantage of this state by attacking Albrecht and Fineach!
Albrecht barely survived, but alas, poor Fineach was shredded by the filthy talons of the hideous beasts! Reeling from the blows, the Group was in dire straits when an arrow flew from behind the PCs, burying itself in one of the foul beasts - Kirsten the Elf had joined them (having been following them since leaving the Keep, we later learn)!
The fighting swung back and forth, with Klayton and Albrecht’s spells dealing the most damage (as the d30s were used for the session). In the end, the harpies were routed, retreating back to their nests among the teetering battlements, leaving a trail of blood, burnt feathers, and a pair of their wicked sisters behind them.
The Group took shelter inside the keep, plunging through the broken down door and finding themselves in a cold, dark room. As their eyes adjusted to the darkness and torches were lit, a translucent figure materialized - a ghostly butler. When asked their business, the Group said they were there to make a delivery and pick up, then showed the letter Mario had given them. Their papers in order, the butler agreed to fetch its master and disappeared, it's sepulchral voice telling the Group to make themselves at home.
Kirsten, Yelrah, and Albrecht interpreted this as permission to explore (and hopefully loot) the keep. The trio hadn’t gotten far before encountering the master of the keep approaching them from the opposite end of the corridor. Pleading ignorance, the trio hastily retreated before the Lord Magus.
Once back together, the Lord Magus addressed the Group, with Klayton functioning as the party face. The Lord Magus seemed, not so much distracted, as lost in time (or senile). He realized that his guests needed light, so clapped his hands (it was noticed that these hands were skeletal), and waves of magic rippled across the room, lighting the fire in the hearth, repairing the rotted tapestries and generally making the room look new and inviting. In this light, the PCs all noticed that the Lord Magus was a robed skeleton. A skeleton who asked about his grandson, Giovanni Favarro, and was amazed to learn that the small village of Kingsbridge had blossomed into a full town that was subsequently already a ruin itself.
Reminded of the official business, the Lord Magus again clapped his hands, and a formerly empty table now had several items upon it: a pair of sheathed longswords, three rings, an amulet, and a staff.* After watching Klayton retrieve the chest, the Lord Magus offered to buy the rug-cabin, noting that it was something he had never created and now felt inspired. Klayton politely declined to sell it.
Yelrah stepped up, however, asking about the strange tattoo (which is still bitchin’) and the strange ring. As the Lord Magus took Yelrah’s hand to examine the ring, Yelrah felt a wave of freezing nausea pass over him, but it seemingly had no effect (made his save).
The Lord Magus said he would need time to examine them both. Yelrah declined the offer to enjoy his hospitality. So the Group bade the Lord Magus farewell and left with a different chest containing the items to be delivered. Exiting the keep, they found that the bodies of the slain harpies and Fineach were gone, with only pools of dried blood and loose feathers to show they were there.
They quickly began the trek back downriver.
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*Specifically, the items picked up for delivery are:
Longsword – Green and red and gold colorings. Named Mocker.
Longsword – Blue and white and silver colorings. Cool to the touch. Named Rimefang .
Ring – bluish metal, cool to the touch.
Ring – verdigrised copper.
Ring - Two golden snakes intertwined.
Staff – 5.5 feet long, whitish wood (ash) and bound with iron. Head carved to suggest a dragon with gemstone eyes.
Amulet - Oval cloudstone on a gold chain.
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The session ended so the DM could do family things. Among other things, this session resulted in my writing up this post on Grandfather Favarro, the suspected lich. The items are detailed at the link.
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