Session 61: Exploring the Former Home of Abraham Harker. Report

General Summary

Late evening of the 18th of Ares.    The companions of Shining Eclipse arrive near the Harker's Keep around the 20th hour of the 18th of Ares. The storm that was cast by Zayrdi has grown covering the island and the Sea of Azure. The night is pitch black now except the occasional lighting strikes that seem to hit in three strikes where ever it hits. Scouting reports by Dagwyn and Conan have determined that due to the storm there are no guards on the walls or towers of the massive star shaped fortress. The small village located outside of the keep is busy as slaves run about preparing for this approaching storm. Three task master can be seen in the village as well. A wood Elf can be seen in a stock aid in the middle of the village. A slave task master approaches the Wood Elf ask some questions which the wood elf responded, but then she was whipped by the task master. Dagon disguised himself as a dragon chosen, Dagwyn disguised herself as her mother, Marik and Dimmir were going in as new Crimson Brotherhood recruits. Conan and Arceven were going to blend in with crowd and hide in the shadows of the village. Magwyn was going in has herself with self-determination. Jasmal and Karrin stayed outside of the village. As the companions entered the village a patrol of ten men were forming to go out on a patrol. Lilly Harker asked the troops why a slave was on the stockade and not working. One of the guards responded that she was caught stealing food. Lilly responded to get her out of the stockade and her back to her duties. Magwyn stepped up and offered to her mother to take the slave and the new recruit Dimmir to the kitchen where she worked. Lilly said that was a good idea. Magwyn took the wood elf who name is Zandi and Dimmir to the armory and told the young wood elf to arm herself. Magwyn could use her skill set if needed. This of course confused Zandi knowing that Magwyn had treated her so bad for the past five years. Then the three proceeded to the kitchen to meet a halfling by the name of Hilda Bronzebottom.   Zayrdi changed into coon cat and walked around the village seeking information. She found her way to the pantry were a halfling was outside smoking some pipe weed. The halfling spotting the cat thought a big rat catcher and picked up the medium cat and took her into the pantry and got milk and fresh tuna for the cat to eat hoping to tame the cat. Zayrdi looking around the pantry and kitchen saw a well-organized operation going on with a crew of 12 working with the halfling. She left the kitchen and ran into Dimmir and Zandi who were approaching the kitchen from the great hall. There a conversation went on between Zandi, Dimmir, Hilda, and Magwyn. Dimmir was asking Hilda to make her specialty for the remaining troops while Zandi had to correct Dimmir and tell Hilda to am the special tea.   The patrol began question Lilly as some of her answers were not making sense and no had seen Al. Lilly then proceeded to take control again as she ordered one of the guards asking questions to the stockade and the whipped with 50 slashes. The minotaur who had been seen earlier by Dagywn feeding Zandi took great pleasure in whipping the man to death. This of course shut up the rest of the patrol and they double timed out of the village only to be struck down by a spell by Arceven who cooked their brains. One of the guards came back in blood running out every hole in his head claiming the keep is cursed. A minotaur headed to the guard to access the situation only to be slain by Dagon while Marik took out the Crimson Brotherhood claiming the curse needed to be stopped. This did not set well with the slaves in the village. The remaining minotaur remained at the northern part of the village preventing anyone from coming into the village. Conan sneaking around assassinated a crimson guard who was hiding behind some building observing the whole situation.   Hilda, Dimmir, Zayrdi, and Zandi takes some tea to the remaining guards at the keep who were seen playing three dragon Ante. As Hilda went around giving everyone a cup of tea Dimmir proceeded to have a conversation with the Brotherhood bring up the fact the Lilly Harker was back. This put the fear into the men as each one tried putting the cards and coins away before she caught them not working. Unfortuanlly the tea was laced with arsenic and they all died within minutes. Zandi collected 58 drachma from the table. These were the last of the skeleton force that was left on the island. The companions met at the great hall where Hilda was hired by Arceven to run his kitchen at the keep. She took the job and excused herself as she had meals to prepare for the newly freed slaves that had been freed by the new arrivals.   Then the companions went to the west wing an began exploring the private quarters of the Harker's. The master bedroom was explored by Magwyn and Dagwyn. A room set aside for Dagwyn that had never been occupied was explored by Karrin. Conan explored Zindoves room. The rest of the party explored the room of Fargus Harker room which was locked. After some investigating they learned that room was trapped with a magical trap. Then the party contemplated on what kind of trap it was and what could disarm it. The rouges of the party could not disarm the trap. As the party members continued to talk they decided that a member who had the mark of the dragon would attempt to open the door. Marik carefully touching the door knob with his left hand where the dragon mark was opened the door. Inside this room was a wizards dream. As the party searched through this room they found a bunch of mundane magic items. Zandi found a loose letter mixed in with the scrolls giving a clue as to the wear abouts of the secret entrance to the massive cave system that Order of the Phoenix kept there dragons and possibly lived. A couple of Memoirs were also found talking about how Fargus tricked his mother with a potion of fertility which brought about the birth of Dagwyn and Magwyn. He also talked about the 12 clans that betrayed the Harker's. Fargus also wrote of a secret location where he hid six dragon eggs in the drowned forest. He warned the reader of this letter that his mother Lilly was looking for the 12 legendary weapons of the 12 guardians. Powerful weapons that could turn the tide of any conflict. Marik, Karrin, and Arceven then started talking about the key found and if it was indeed the key talked about the letter. The other clue talked about something called the Sword and the Stone. Then Marik touched a memory crystal that was in the room hinting towards the library. Then Marik and Karrin went to the library and found a very colorful tome with a teenage boy with blond hair a large stone with a sword in it. Behind the stone was a picture of Merlin. Opening the book they found a slot in which the key would fit. Marik put the key in the book then closed it. Karrin suggested to put the book back into its place. Upon doing so a click was heard. Then they pulled the book back out and another click was heard. They put the book back and pushed the shelf opening to a narrow hallway with a set of stairs leading down. Then the Marik ran back to the Fargus room requesting that all the Dovahkiin follow him to the library where they followed the stairs to a large massive cave where 100 stalls were placed. Five of the Stalls had plaques on them. Some had names on them including Thorn, Saphira ,Felgolos, Sivas, and Ramoth. These stalls had been well maintained and kept clean. Each stall had a saddle, reins, and equipment for upkeep of the dragons. Jasmal while looking at here stall felt a romantic draw to the next stall Ramoth. She cast detect magic where she found a hammer in the next stall with ancient halfling ruins written on it. She then took the hammer up to the Fargus room where it proceeded to float out of her hands and into the hands of Arceven. In the stalls a 6th plaque had a name magically engraved with the name of Puff.

Rewards Granted

• 833 EXP Awarded for the encounter to : Arceven, Jasmal, Dagwyn, Dagon, Dimmir, Karrin, Zayrdi, Conan, Zandi, and Marik. 
• 600 EXP Awarded for Encounter to Raz' Thrak. 
• 300 EXP Awarded for freeing 60 Slaves to Arceven, Jasmal, Dagwyn, Dagon, Dimmir, Karrin, Zayrdi, Conan, Zandi, and Marik. 
• 75 Bonus Points to Areven
• 50 Bonus Points to Karrin
• 25 Bonus Points  to Jasmal, Dagon, and Marik. 
• Two Large great axes. 
• 1 Heavy Cross bow
• 1 Vicious lance
• 100 javlins
• 20 longswords 
• 20 Sets of Scale Male. 
• 20 Shields.
• 58 Drachma (Zandi)

Missions/Quests Completed

Clearing Harkers Keep

Character(s) interacted with

Gornak Ironhoof (Minotaur, Male)

•  Role: Enforcer and Captain of the Minotaur Guards
•  Background: Gornak leads a small group of minotaur guards who serve as the primary enforcers of the Crimson Brotherhood's will on the island. He is brutal and enjoys instilling fear among the slaves, seeing them as beneath him.
•  Personality: Ruthless, sadistic, and fiercely loyal to the Brotherhood.
•  Skills: Intimidation, Athletics, Combat Tactics

Hilda Bronzebottom (Halfling, Female)

• Role: Slave cook, smuggler of supplies to other slaves
• Background: Hilda manages the kitchen for the Brotherhood but uses her position to smuggle extra food and supplies to the slaves, often risking punishment to help others.
• Personality: Kind, resourceful, and fearless.
• Skills: Cooking, Sleight of Hand, Survival

Private Tarek Stonewall (Human, Male)

• Role: Dragon Soldier, patrol leader
• Background: One of the more experienced soldiers, Tarek leads a patrol unit that regularly sweeps the island for any signs of trouble. He is known for his loyalty to Captain Draven and his disdain for the slaves.
• Personality: Arrogant, dutiful, and aggressive.
• Skills: Perception, Combat, Tracking