AD&D Solo Adventures - The Village of Hommlet Part 10

Day 123

The pair awaken to the sound of ferocious eating as the freed people of the quarry tearing into the larder and rations of the garrison. Dounil and Celest partake only of a small meal, even though they are quite hungry. Dounil stands up to a respectful silence. He announces that to fund the prisoners’ safe return and compensation, they will have to be methodical in stripping the keep of its valuables. Using the ponies and carts, they can load up the goods and sell them in Darkshelf. Or elsewhere on their journey back home. But to salvage the metal goods, the weapons and armor will need to be stripped from the dead and piled together to prevent them from rusting from their former owner’s putrefaction.

He explains to Celest as they move to the armory to gather than supplies there this is to ensure he can cast Detect Magic on the whole pile at once. It takes from 8 in the morning to noon to fully strip the keep. The pile being made in the Great Hall and everyone having to hold their noses as the pile of corpses in Room 8 renders that adjoining area too foul to stand.

Each Guest Room had a carpet and four tapestries that looked valuable for 4 x 50 pounds and 16 x 30 pounds. For 2000 and 4800 coin weight respectively. The locked chests in Room 6, the Barrack require finding keys, which they suspect are on the bodies.

The barrel of lamp oil is reserved to dump on the bodies and burn them, in case they rise as undead. The pair don’t even try to account for the armory weapons as that’s for the survivors. Some of the people from the kitchens find rare bottles of wine in the buttery, the heroic decision has cost the pair 1500gp from this alone.

After seeing nothing but serviceable furniture in the armory, where the sergeant slept, Dounil and Celest make a beeline for the upper levels to access the sleeping champers of the leaders. Kicking the door to Room 18 open, they find a nice apartment that probably belonged to Glyrthiel the elf by the pleasant woodland décor. The metallic and glowing chandelier attracts the pair’s attention, and they conspire to bring it down. Dounil wants to use Levitate but Celest said to stand on the desk. The reason for taking the chandelier is that it is a magic item that might be part of a treasure hoard otherwise. It’s a poor excuse. The desk is searched in two turns out of the morning, finding 10sp, 15gp, 5pp a silver and bloodstone ring (75gp), and three jade figures (100gp each). Most importantly is Glyrthiel’s spellbook, which Dounil and Celest paw at in a most undignified manner.

Brubgrok’s chamber in Room 19 is gross and orcish and therefore predictable. The heap of furs turns out a box but no key. The furs might be worth something but it’s not the pair’s problem so they get dragged out into the corridor (5 x 200gp). The fireplace is dug into with not results. The last room that wasn’t the holding cell (which they assume to have nothing of value) is Room 20. Here the room is foul and goblinoid, so the furs are searched for treasure, finding two leather pouches of 100gp each and the braziers are turned over and the ashes sifted through, finding nothing.

Bags of treasure and a chandelier glowing through the fabric, they come down into the charnel house that is room 8. Some of the more robust freed prisoners have begun pulling off the armor and pulling the weapons from the death grip of the dead.

Ddounil tell them they will search the material for magic, so he piles up the metal while the bodies are searched. With various keys being found, Celest goes into the barracks in Room 6 and tries them on the lockers they are told about. She finds 3000sp and 7 x 100gp of gems but one key won’t fit any lock. When a pile has formed, Dounil tosses the chandelier onto the top and casts Detect Magic while facing the pile against the wall.

Detect Magic tells Dounil what enchantments present and one which item. He understands the candelabra has a Continual Light spell placed on it and Brubgrok’s sword is a +1 Longsword, exactly what Celest needs. He unveils the chandelier and passes it into the dining hall. He tells the assembled people this is a Continual Light spell and it will light their way home. He said there was a dimmer upstairs in the fancy bedroom and Celest would like to trade this and her own sword for the unused sword in the pile. On ne hand, the deal is all the non-monetary treasure to the freed prisoners. On the other hand, the pair were their rescuers and if they wanted to give up a silvery glowing magical item for a sword swap, they weren’t going to fight them over it.

As the goods are taken down the outside to the stables to be loaded onto mine pies and wagons, Dounil and Celest are binging the treasure they dumped last night at the start of the assault. On the dining table, as the people make the next stage of their escape to Darkshelf, they sort the loot into more convenient bags.

After they were done, Celest said the missing key might belong to the sergeant, so they have to search the Armoury in Room 10 again. They turn over the brazier and empty the coal bucket. They turn over the empty dresser from where the people looted it for secret panels. The search under the bed and Celest rolls Detect Secret Door. They find a box which the key opens for 5000sp more.

Talley So Far

Coins: 8910sp, 1125gp, 23pp

Non-monetary: 6 Bloodstones (90gp), 23 quartz crystals (230gp) 7 silver and ornamental stone rings/one with bloodstone (770gp), 3 jade figures (300gp), 3 to be melted down unholy symbols (unknown), 3 nice-looking urns (75gp) and Glyrthiel’s spellbook which requires magic to read (Friends, Read Magic, Shield, Sleep and Unseen Servant).

Magic: +1 Longsword (to Celest), 3 potions that Dounil says look like his Potion of Healing and three vials of something herbal.

This is way too much for them to carry or indeed load onto a horse. Each of them drag the non-magic treasure into the front bedroom and turn the bed over the top of it and leave the chest open so it looks looted. They ignore the pile of bodies in Room 8 + the bodies from the floor above and walk out. The quarry has not been made safe and there is a worrying fear they might of left people further down on level 3.

It is [12:00] and the pair make their way down at 3 times speed as they have explored everything. Fourn turns of brisk walking takes them past the putrefying remains of their previous day’s handiwork (smell is revolting) and to the edge of the slope to level 3. Another descending turn at the slower pace of 60 feet exploring means they stop in Room 55, beside the pool to rest [13:00].

This was a bad idea as the Water Weird emerges to attack them about 1 round into their rest, causing them to fight at -1. It surprises.

Surprise round, it attacks Dounil and thankfully misses.

R1, the heroes go first. Dounil cannot connect, but the flurry of his Fray does 2 HD, HD3->HD1. Celest goes too, testing her new +1 Longsword. She hits only that’s to the magic bonus and her 5 damage + 5 damage bonus takes the total to 10, or 4 HD of damage. Sending the weird cascading back into the pool. However, the water weird reforms. The blades having only done 2 damage to its HD 3+3. Not even enough to make it a 2 HD foe. The pair are ambushed 2 rounds into their new rest.

But luckily it fails to surprise and fails to win initiative. R1, Dounil cuts in half again with 4 HD of damage. Now they spend the two rounds searching the doors, trying to bust them down or open them. Dounil to the north and Celest to the east. Remembering the keys they found of the priests above (that didn’t match anything in the garrison). Each tries two holes from the top down before the WW reforms again. That triggers two chimes, one for each door, but the middle locks open both doors.

Celest can see a corridor and another watery surface ahead, Dounil can see a tunnel four-way intersection. Not wanting to face more water monsters, Celest makes a run for Dounil’s door as he slips out. The water weird decides to target her on the way passed. Celest’s -2 AC saves her from being grabbed, Dounil slams the door behind her. They finally rest against the door [13:15]. They can see a beach to the west and eastwards bends in the tunnels to the north and east.

Advancing toward the beach triggers the trap in Room 57 though. Dounil steps on the one to the south of the pillar. A natural 20 means he does not disturb the snare and neither does Celest. She does trigger the western snare though. She takes 1 HP damage, HP 8->7 as she is slammed against the pillar, to prevent her falling, Dounil casts Levitate to rise up and hold her, as he cuts the rope. The combine weigh is too much though and they sink. Which is fine.

They resolve to find another way than go through the last two rooms again. They complete their second turn walking onto the beach in Room 56, standing on the coarse sand and looking at the rowboat, a distance away. Mindful of what Kwan said about the salvers bringing people in by boat, the see it has no oars and is held by a rope taut in the water. This could be a way out but first they need to get the bot. Dounil pulls the rope, wincing at the coldness of the water through the metal and cloth of his gauntlets. This was a bad move as the Mudtigers sense the boat is moving. They wait to sense if killer frogs will be dropped in the water to keep them satisfied. When none are forthcoming, they attack, just as Dounil and Celest finishes hauling the bot against the slight current onto the beach. As they are busy, the mudtigers get automatic surprise.

They use this to rush the pair and get two shocks off. As Dounil and Celesta re together, both are very magitised to both each other and their own equipment. Two shock attacks mean two chances to pass Breath Weapon saves. And they both do for the second shock. Maybe the polarity was in their favour with two opposing charges. They take half damage, and a roll of 1 and 2 becomes less than 1 and 1 (or double 0 HP loss). The first attack though does 3 HP damage to both characters.

Dounil HP 17 (he healed overnight)->14

Celest HP 7->4

Round 1, the Mudtigers go first, one mudtiger’s teeth fail to catch Celest. The other does 1 HP of damage to Dounil, HP 15->14. Celest hits with her sword while the magical Frays go off. 5HD kills 1 mudtiger HD4->0 and hurts the other HD4->3.

It was at this point I was reminded that OSE does Initiative roll very round and not just once at the beginning. So now that will take precedence. This lapse probably saved the characters more than once.

Round 2, the mudtiger wins initiative again, rerolls its electric shock attack and hits the pair again for 3 HP damage each. Dounil HP 14->11, Celest HP4->1. Only 1 magical Fray hits, doing 1 HD, HD 3->2.

Round 3, The mudtigr wins again and bites Dounil, for 1 damage. HP 11->10. In retaliation, he slays it with a blow from his sword.

The pair really need to bandage [13:35], Dounil HP 11-> 13, Celest HP 1->3 and 3/6. Celest asks if the Detect Magic spell yesterday included the various mysterious liquids. Dounil (and I) say yes, 3 potions of healing and three vials of non-magical liquid.

Celest drinks a Potion of Healing, as does Dounil. Celest rolls a 6, HP3->5 and Dounil HP 13->14. They wander north, scouting along the beach after finding the rowboat empty of oars. Two more turns of exploratory walking put them in Room 58, where, thematically supported by the thousands of spine-like and deceptively small stalactites, the alert and camouflaged troglodytes attempt to ambush them. They surprise them from the beds of seaweed, skin turning the familiar spotted grey as it rises.

Two miss Dounil with the javelins, one hits Celest but does no damage. But the screech of the impact on the wall tells them it is metal.

R1, the party in Initiative and pass the Poison save vs the repulsive odour. Dounil’s Fray takes off 1 HD and Celest’s sword kills it, another and wounding the last. Who survives with 1 HD as Celest’s Fray did no damage. That troglodyte has two attacks with it’s claws and battle axe (metal); the claws miss Dounil and the axe misses Celest.

R2, the party wins initiative and so the troglodyte dies.

They are forced to rest as it’s the 6^th turn, trying to breathe shallowly to avoid the combined stench of troglodyte, seaweed and innards [14:35].

They spend two turns prodding at the seaweed bedding before realising there is no treasure here 2/6 [14:55]. Two more turns passing through Room 59 (empty now) and to the edge of a stinking rubbish pit (Room 60). Dounil checks his map (his secondary skill being cartography) and realises they came to the top of this hole yesterday. Celest interrupts him as 4 zombies begin to shuffle forward. Dounil remembers almost dying to them below the moat house, he tells Celest to shoot her bow and he will hold them off. Trusting his armour will deflect arrows if she misses.

Rushing forward to meet the undead, the zombies always strike last. R1, Swords swinging, 2 zombies are destroyed. Celest changes to a bow. Both zombies miss.

R2, Dounil destroys the rest and Celest wonders why he asked her to do anything. Dounil said they are dangerously strong when they swing. They stare at the rubbish pit and gingerly start prodding about the junk, worried there might be a corpse, moving or not.

They spend a turn searching and now must rest, Celest bitterly accuses Dounil of trying to deaden her sense of smell. They did find a sinister looking pyramid, like a smaller version of what they saw above in the shrine. Looks vaguely valuable so they wrap in in a sack and keep going [15:57].

Another turn going single file down a narrowing tunnel reaches a guano strewn cave that smells like a crypt and dust. Dounil knows this smell, he smelt it beneath the moat house when the ghouls had broken into the tombs and tunnelled out their warren. He activates the Ring of Invisibility and Celest pulls the Cloak of Elvenkind over her head. Unfortunately, the text said the ghouls can hear combat in Room 60 with the zombies. So, they are waiting, but they weren’t expecting invisible, so as they attempt to ambush them the next turn, they will be affected by the penalty to hit invisible foes for the first round (-4 to hit). They also fail to see Celest.

Next turn, despite the best efforts of the party, they are surprised. Surprise round, the ghouls miss all their attacks, but in doing so, the Invisibility wears off. New initiative.

The heroes win 6 to 5. Dounil rolls well but his magic and strength bonuses carry his attack to 4 HD, enough to kill both 2 HD ghouls. The pair don’t stay in case there are more and move to the west, to the central chamber [16:18]. But they do decide to investigate a side tunnel first, as they are wary of weirds and mudtigers in the water. They stop just at the edge of Room 61, 3/6 [16:28].

They can see this is another rubbish dump, like the one in Room 60 and Dounil takes a little satisfaction in his crude map starting to connect. The rubbish is covered in fungi, especially fist-sized puffballs. Wanting to search for treasure, they fire an arrow from Dounil’s quiver into the mass, causing multiple 5-foot diameter pollen clouds. They decide not to search though Celest wants more treasure. The return and other branch takes them into Room 64, activating their invisibility while doing so, a large oblong chamber with a large pool in the centre and smoky oil lamps [16:39].