Investigation into Justine
General Summary
On their way past Kryptgarden woods, the party camps near a gorge that happens to have a zombie in it. The zombie lurches around, occasionally murmering the name 'Justine'. The next day, they send a passing cleric back to sort the zombie out, and continue on towards Westbridge.
In Westbridge, the party asks around, and investigates the identity of a girl called 'Justine'. They learn she is likely from the human-run farms north of the town. Investigating on the way out of town, they discover that Justine was a young pretty human girl from one of the farms, but had been kidnapped and taken to join an unwilling harem of pretty female servants gathered by the self-styled 'don' of Westbridge, Rhoban Longstocking. Justine's betrothed, a young man named Jostein, went to plead for her return. It seems to be Jostein's corpse that the party found in the wilderness walking as a zombie.
Rhoban had gathered a bunch of thugs and guard around him, including ex-members of the Redbrand mercenary group, and the PCs met individuals who had encountered the party in Phandalin and been let go in exchange for information. These individuals were once again useful in getting locations and details so that the party could infiltrate Rhoban's compound.
Weirdness - During their infiltration of the warehouse, the party encountered more of the odd magic trickery that featured backwards writing on suspicious crates. Even odder was the fact that this time the writing seemed to change in response to what the party did and said, with a deep purple glimmer of magic.
In the warehouse, PCs distracted the majority of the guards with song and strong liquor. Once things were quiet, they infiltrated Rhoban's hideout. The women were kept prisoner in an adoining room, and seem to have come under the leadership of a gnomish woman called Claribelle Gurdyfor. While PCs distracted the guards and drugged Gloom, Claribelle helped get most of the women away from the compound. Meanwhile, Justine decided to attack Rhoban, overpowering him and taking the circlet for herself.
With intimidation and some quick spellwork, the Party stopped things from escalating, and restrained Rhoban. Justine used the circlet and began synchronising with Gloom, and the PCs came up with a plan to leave Claribelle in charge. She left to organise things with Hawken. After informing Justine about finding Jostein's body, the group leave with Gloom to take Justine home.
Some time the next morning, the priestess Wirena Mericant caught up to the party and described the successful intervention, with Joss being resurrected, and Gloom being reincarnated, now as a halfling with giant blood, being effectively the same size as a human child.
In Westbridge, the party asks around, and investigates the identity of a girl called 'Justine'. They learn she is likely from the human-run farms north of the town. Investigating on the way out of town, they discover that Justine was a young pretty human girl from one of the farms, but had been kidnapped and taken to join an unwilling harem of pretty female servants gathered by the self-styled 'don' of Westbridge, Rhoban Longstocking. Justine's betrothed, a young man named Jostein, went to plead for her return. It seems to be Jostein's corpse that the party found in the wilderness walking as a zombie.
Rhoban had gathered a bunch of thugs and guard around him, including ex-members of the Redbrand mercenary group, and the PCs met individuals who had encountered the party in Phandalin and been let go in exchange for information. These individuals were once again useful in getting locations and details so that the party could infiltrate Rhoban's compound.
The Warehouse
Rhoban was living in a tacky-looking pleasure palace in one of his warehouse properties. He is accompanied by a very young looking Hill Giant called Gloom, who seems to be controlled somewhat by Rhoban, probably using the glowing crystal set in a circlet that Rhoban never took off. Both he and the giant child seem to be behaving out of character, with the halfling acting gluttonous and child-like, while the giant child seems to have the happy-go-lucky attitude more common in a halfling.Weirdness - During their infiltration of the warehouse, the party encountered more of the odd magic trickery that featured backwards writing on suspicious crates. Even odder was the fact that this time the writing seemed to change in response to what the party did and said, with a deep purple glimmer of magic.
In the warehouse, PCs distracted the majority of the guards with song and strong liquor. Once things were quiet, they infiltrated Rhoban's hideout. The women were kept prisoner in an adoining room, and seem to have come under the leadership of a gnomish woman called Claribelle Gurdyfor. While PCs distracted the guards and drugged Gloom, Claribelle helped get most of the women away from the compound. Meanwhile, Justine decided to attack Rhoban, overpowering him and taking the circlet for herself.
With intimidation and some quick spellwork, the Party stopped things from escalating, and restrained Rhoban. Justine used the circlet and began synchronising with Gloom, and the PCs came up with a plan to leave Claribelle in charge. She left to organise things with Hawken. After informing Justine about finding Jostein's body, the group leave with Gloom to take Justine home.
Homestead
At the farm, Joss's body had been found, de-zombied and brought back. A priestess of Sheela Peryroyl had helped and was waiting for the resources to try ressurecting his body. The party provided diamonds from Rhoban's hoard. The priestess asked for divine intervention from her goddess and, although it was unanswered, it recieved the attention of the spirit of an ex-cleric of Sheela Peryroyl's that the PCs had been hold the holy symbol of. Genedoc Mericant, now incarnated as a celestial servant (think angel), and the Priestess realised they were distant relatives and planned to intercede with Sheela Peryroyl the next day. The party, considering everything sorted, left in the direction of Triboar.Some time the next morning, the priestess Wirena Mericant caught up to the party and described the successful intervention, with Joss being resurrected, and Gloom being reincarnated, now as a halfling with giant blood, being effectively the same size as a human child.
Report Date
17 Feb 2023
