Session 1 - Death of a Taxman

General Summary

After the adventure against the Blackadder Company, the previous three adventurers (Org, Thimbleswipe, and Terra) tried to leave the town of Dert. However, they were stopped by the sound of a trumpet entering the city with a few horses. The crier proclaimed:

“Hear ye! Hear, ye! On this September 2nd of the year 4282, the local Duke of Manneruck ordered a collection of Harvest Taxes upon the people. Come around the town square, for we shall be accounting of every man’s taxes within the land. No man or woman may leave until all the citizens are accounted for!”

The adventurers were disallowed to try and leave the city, so Terra and Thimbleswipe snuck toward the Fat Maiden Inn to keep away from paying their taxes. Unfortunately for Org, he was not so stealthy and had to go through the grueling process of tax payment. He attempted to stay in an outhouse to prolong and perhaps avoid the conflict, but the guards had none of that. Thus Org was forced to depart with one gold piece. Meanwhile, the travelling dwarf pilgrim Sunjar came into the town, and was also nearly apprehended. The guard told him to sign up for tax payments, and ordered that his beard was to be shortened (by Queen Percivia's old law). Sunjar was angered, and threatened the guard, who backed up.
Sunjar asked around the town for the location of a runestone he was to find. He was told by the local shopkeep Tyron that he did spot an elf ranger in the town who could perhaps help him track it. Sunjar then went to the Fat Maiden Inn to talk with Terra. Terra agreed to guide him to the runestone, and also assembled Thimbleswipe and Org to join him. They quietly departed from the town and went travelling into the hilly fields outside of Dert.
It started to rain outside of town, but Terra was not distracted by this offset. What did catch them off guard was five goblins scouting the area. Org tried to get on the good side of the goblins, but they attacked anyways and so the party defended themselves. They then continued to follow old dwarf statues (ones Sunjar recognized as statues of old heroes and dukes from time's past). The Old Fort is where the party was led, but they were nearly ambushed by a falling stone if it was not for Thimbleswipe's thinking in attacking the goblins holding their trap with floor tacks. The party defeated these goblins as well, though Org spared one and managed to convince him to lead them to the safe path.
The adventurers went further into the old fort, going down a hallway and coming across a couple of hungry bugbears who were getting impatient. The bugbears wondered where the "five hunters" had gone to. As they were talking, Thimbleswipe scouted into the room silently. He watched the bugbears talk. Then, Org let his goblin friend go as a distraction. The bugbears asked the Goblin Friend where the hunters were. When he could not convince them, the bugbears then decided they'd eat the goblin. Here, the thief Thimbleswipe ambushed the bugbears, laying into one of them two sneak attacks. Then, Org Orgenson sliced into a few of them with his waraxe. The Goblin Friend then led the party down a hallway where he said the Goblin King and the Runestone laid. Org thanked the goblin, and let him out of his service.

Nilbog by Cory Trego-Erdner

Thimbleswipe disabled a spike trap, and the party barged into where the Goblin King was sitting. The Goblin King was not thrilled, telling the adventurers to get off his property. He counted down. Before he could finish counting down, he was shot with an arrow and slammed by Sunjar's warhammer. One of his guards hurried into another room and grabbed the Nilbog in their service. A fight commenced, with some goblins attacking the party while the Nilbog danced and was overall a nuisance, using his magic powers to avoid getting injured. When the final goblin was slain, the Nilbog was on his last wit of insults, and was killed by an arrow to the mouth by Thimbleswipe, to silence the annoying creature forever. Then, the adventurers looted the place, taking the treasure, and Org gained a fancy new Waraxe.
They then returned to the town of Dert to recollect themselves. In the midst of the crowd, however, they suddenly heard a cry. A man standing in the distance with a bow began to run, and Thimbleswipe and Terra chased him, while Sunjar went to go check on the victim. Yet it was too late: the victim, the taxman named Illu Jacques, was killed. Sunjar investigated and found it was a crude arrow tipped in poison dart frog venom that was his undoing. Meanwhile, Terra and Thimbleswipe were outran by the murderer, who jumped into the sewers to make his escape. Terra wanted to proceed, but Thimbleswipe felt it would be a bad idea to go into a dark sewer alone.
The adventurers recollected themselves at the Fat Maiden Inn. There Org and Sunjar had a drinking contest, and then an arm-wrestling contest. Org, slightly intoxicated, then proceeded to buy everyone's drinks. He garnered the attention of a shady looking fellow named Sournat. Sournat warned the party that the killer of the taxman was likely part of a gang, under the leadership of a Zachary LaVaud. Org decided to hang out with Sournat (much to Sournat's annoyance), but eventually Sournat escaped Org's attention, and the party rested.
The next morning the party departed back to the "sewers". There they delved and found that the well-water was sourced into the ducts built into the sewers. The adventurers found a point of loosened brick wall, which Sunjar brought down with his warhammer. Then they ventured inside, finding on the walls the words written in common, "RATS RATS RATS EW SPIDERS RATS RATS". Before they knew it, Thimbleswipe and Org got caught in a giant web, with three giant spiders attacking them. Thimbleswipe burned the web to escape, and Org sliced through some of the spiders (which he was deathly afraid of). Then, they looted the room, and Org was attacked by a dastardly Mimic, but they killed it easily and took some of the gold from it's body. That is where the party rested for an hour, and knew not what else awaited in these thief tunnels...

Date (in world)

September 2nd - 3rd, 4282

Report Date

23 May 2021

Primary Location

Dert

Player Characters

Org Orgenson, righteous Half-Orc Paladin. He seeks equality between monster and men and is willing to crusade for his cause. Though he appears to be a dumb brute, he has a heart and soul of gold, and a great sense of right.

Terra, fair and kind Wood Elf Ranger. She seeks to find her long-lost love in the lands of Larian, a knight whom she once met but knows not the name and face to.

Thimbleswipe, mischievous Fairy Rogue. Long ago chased out of the fey lands, he now seeks a new life of mischief within the lands of men. But look beyond his heart of guile and greed and one will find a hero fitting of the fey.

Sunjar, proud Dwarf Paladin. He has come from the lands of Bolderun to uncover more about the mysterious Vivian and uncover more truth about dwarf religion.

The Runestone

Sunjar studied the following Runestone when entering the Old Fort, coming to an end with his pilgrimage. On the runestone was the following texts in Dwarvish.

Boldur’s hammer swung here,

The stars of the west,

When the sun first rose east,

And ended it’s quest.

Father and daughter

Creation and Time

Father and daughter

Creation and Time

Now arise, incarnate warrior.

Rise up to thy accord.

Drive away the evils in Eiren,

Vanquished by your sword.