Session 14: Argus Defeated! Report

General Summary

As Mi'tsuru'gi crossed the threshold the druid Argus spun around and an insane laugh escaped his lips. “You are too late”, he croaked. “Soon I will stand by the Old One’s side!” At this Mitsu loosed his arrows and Argus lunged forward.   A great battle ensued as Argus cast enchanted hydra teeth to the floor that erupted into skeletal warriors. These skeletons attacked the party as they rushed into the kitchen-cum-laboratory, while at the same time Argus began to read a spell from a black tome. As Argus finished his spell, he let out a unearthly wail, his eyes sucked into his skull, and as his mortal form caved in upon itself, a misty essence billowed from his skull and into the book. With a final scream Argus’s robes fell to the floor, as did the book, landing closed and clasped.   The battle continued as the skeletons pressed the attack and the dryad Iana on the table behind former-Argus slipped from her perch. She was a dryad no more. Her grossly long claws, fangs, and translucent form attested to this. During the battle Daktarin Stren was brought to ground by the Iana-Gaunt and her skeletal allies, but the powerful undead continued past and moved down the hall.   While Qira took the battle to the skeletons, Brimble Knackles fired multiple magic missle blasts into the Iana-Gaunt and brought Dak back from the darkness. Brim’s healing skill proved their worth again. At the same time, Mitsu and the Gaunt joined battle in the corridor. They traded feints and attempted-escapes, but the Gaunt's claws and fangs took the life (almost) from Mitsu as he fell in the corridor. His comrades arrived at the last moment, dealt the death blow to the undead and brought Mitsu back from the brink (a Death Save critical fail!).   Back in the laboratory the heroes approached the black book warily. It emanated evil, a silver pentagram on its cover and the clasp across its pages closed. Unsure what to do, Qira bundled the book into a cloth sack, secured with manacles and the symbol of Kelanen. Dak shouldered the burden of the book in his pack. Meanwhile, Brimble examined the adjoining pantry and root cellar (drygoods, hardtack, most gone off) and Mitsu prodded Argus’s robes. Nothing remained save for dust and a letter. Examining the letter Mitsu read “Delay my cousin Whastle and get news from him of goings on in the Barriers. What of the troublesome adventurers?” The letter was signed S.A.   Leaving this troubling place, the party moved anti-clockwise around the lower level to a sitting room of sorts. A layer of dust suggested the room had been unused for weeks. A beautiful scimitar hung over the fireplace and a series of papers and books were scattered across a table. Brim examining the papers noticed mostly notes and lists about the last few months of purchases in Steigs Stand, including an admonishment against “that miser Wogan Nettlebat .” A recent history of the Everwood was also on the table, assumedly penned by Argus. The most recent entries spoke of a war in the Fey realm and of Mistlebark's continued good stewardship of the forest. Finally, a personal diary described the black book in the last entries. The writer had perused the book and felt immediate pain. The diary ended there.   Undeterred the party moved back to the upper level and investigated the library and a guest room. In the former were many books, but most torn and thrown to the floor. Brim cast Detect Magic and found a slim spell book containing charm person, magic missile, disguise self, continual flame, flaming sphere, and Mordekainen’s faithful hound. A wonderous find! The guest room housed several more skeletons, including a medallion wearing leader and sentry focused only on banging upon the bedside mirror. The skeletons were destroyed in course and the room did seem to house a recent guest. A signet ring on the bedside table was of House Marcormir, Barony of Davonia, a southern barony of Bissel. Dak could tell this was the ring of lesser noble in the Barony. On the writing desk was a series of notes describing a journey south from Thornward headed towards Thwar. The one statement that caught Qira’s eye was “Is there a spy in the Knights of the Watch?”
  A entertainment room was adjacent to the bed chamber. The walls were lined with trophy heads, a basilisk, two hydra, a gorgon and a hell hound pelt. The eyes of the creatures seemed to follow the heroes and the head emanated a faint magic. Qira took a basilisk tooth.
  Before resting for the night downstairs in the sitting room, the heroes visited the storage chabmber found earlier and helped themselves to supplies and ammunition, bolts, silver arrows and the like. As they settled in for the night, Kapen the satyr asked in a trembling voice "but who will now protect the Everwood? Who will you choose to be the next Druid?"

Rewards Granted

9 x skeletons: 450 xp
1 x Gaunt: 1800 xp
  562 xp per PC

Character(s) interacted with

Daktarin Stren's maximum HP is 15 from the gaunt attack until he takes a week rest.

Notes

The crate in the guest bed chamber contained 400 cp and 200 gp in a leather sack.
  Mi'tsuru'gi took the scimitar in the sitting room.
Qira took a basilsk tooth and 5 hydra-skeleton teeth.
Brimble Knackles gained a spellbook.
Daktarin Stren has the evil book.
Kapen has a stress ulcer.