Session 4: The Desecrated Vault and the Footsteps of Goblins Report

General Summary

Oathday, 25th of Rova, 4707AR
3rd day of the Rise of the Runelords Campaign

The party joins Sheriff Belor Hemlock , Mayor Kendra Deverin and two other nobles: Titus Scarnetti¹ and Ethram Valdemar² for a meeting at the mayors office. They discuss their findings from the various investigations that were going on yesterday.
During the discussion a suspicion is raised that the goblin attack was only a distraction to keep the town guards from noticing something else that was going on. The party suggested checking important buildings like the barracks, museum and cathedral for missing items or missing people.
The party volunteers to check the cathedral, while guards are sent to the other buildings. In the cathedral itself nothing suspicious was found. Remi and Ionus then left to do their own thing, while the rest of the party moved to inspect the boneyard.
The boneyard is very well tended, with well laid paths, trimmed trees and bushes and clean tombstones. Besides tombstones of simple folks, the boneyard has 5 small mausoleums - one for each noble family (Deverin, Scarnetti, Valdemar and Kaijitsu), and a vault for the cathedral priests. The later currently holds only the burnt bones of Father Ezakien Tobyn who died in the Sandpoint Fire of 4702AR. A metal plaque next to the vault's door has a sketch of an angel incised on it and mentions his adopted daughter, Nualia Tobyn, who's remains were never found.

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If your character has +5 or more on Knowledge(local) or (religion) you know that Father Tobyn and Nualia perished during the Late Unpleasantness . Much to Hanna's and Father Abstalar Zantus dismay, Varisian women still come here to kiss the plaque and beg Nualia's spirit to bless them with pregnancy.

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The party finds the stone doors to the vault slightly open, and one of them hanging ajar. Many goblin footprints can be seen around the entrance to the vault. As Mazuro pulls the doors open, two skeletons attack. The party dispatches the skeletons quickly and inspects the vault, finding the sarcophagus of father Tobyn empty, and a Robe of Bones, its magic exhusted, in the corner.
Outside the vault, the party follows the footprints of the goblins - it includes a group of 5-6 goblins and a single medium sized humanoid, probably human or elf. The trail leads to a bush nearby the city wall, where the party locates a ladder hidden in the foliage. When they climb the ladder to the top of the wall they can see the goblin trail continuing into the grove of trees north of the town. A rope that was probably used to ascend the walls on the night of the raid was left on the ground nearby. It appears that the medium sized humanoid did not leave with the goblins, but stayed in town and hid the ladder. The party begins to suspect the goblins had help from the inside!

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In the meantime, Ionus and Remi make their way through the streets towards the theater and the museum. They suddenly hear a girl screaming for help and the cackling of a goblin. Running a round the corner they see a goblin and a goblin dog trying to catch a young girl. They quickly incapacitate the goblin and the dog and rescue the girl. A crowed of citizens gather to see the heroes save the day once again. By the time the Sheriff arrives the street is packed with people coming to see the heroes of Sandpoint in action. Sheriff Belor tells Ionus and Remi that something was going on at the cathedral and together they head back.

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Discussing with Father Zantus, he can only think of two reasons for someone to steal the bones: 1. Someone is preparing for a ritual of sacrifice where he needs bones of a holy man, or bones of someone who was killed by fire or something of the like. 2. Someone who knows how important Father Tobyn and his memory are to the citizens of Sandpoint, has stolen the bones to spread panic and lower the morale of the locals.
The Sheriff asks the group to keep the stealing of the bones a secret. Indeed, he does not want panic in town. The locals had enough distress already for one week.
The party decides not to mention their suspicion that the goblins had help from the inside.

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After the discussion with Belor and Zantus at the Cathedral the party decides to spend the remaining hours of daylight to follow the tracks of the goblins. They find the tracks leading through the hilly wilderness towards the east sort of parallel to the Lost Coast Road. On that direction live several of the local goblin tribes - the Seven-tooth, Thisteltop and mosswood tribes. The Birdcrunchers live just to the south on the cliffs of the Devil's Platter. As night begins to fall, the party makes its way back to the Rusty Dragon.

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1. You have met Titus Scarnetti before. During the first goblin attack, there was a kid wounded right next to Kikelback and Mazuro. Father Zanthus healed the boy, and Titus Scarnetti got him out of there.
2. You have not seen Ethram Valdemar before. He is a very old man, at least 75 years old. Of the four founding members of Sandpoint, he is the only one still alive. He seems very sick.

Character(s) interacted with

Improved Relations:
Mayor Kendra Deverin +++
Cyrdak Drokkus ++
Sheriff Belor Hemlock +++
Father Abstalar Zanthus +++
Aldren Foxglove +++++
General public +++

Report Date

09 May 2020