DM Ninox's Roost

[DM Ninox]

The rustle of the of the gentle zephyr through the grass greets your ears. There is not much to be seen upon the meadow during the dead of night. Crickets chirrup, silencing their call as your footsteps press upon the soil beside them. You sniff the air, but catch only the scent of the evening dew mingled with the aroma of the wildflowers. You resume munching upon the grass seeds, thinking that everything is going to be fine...




Welcome, players, to the Ninox's roost.





Like many of my colleagues, I would like to set forth my expectations as a (newbie) ADM.

1. Roleplay! This is why we play D&D! If you are doing it, I'll find you. If you hit one of my events, this is what I want more than anything else. Be creative. Expect things to happen! Search that dungeon for treasure! Persuade the peasants to join your cause! Flee when you are outmatched! Bar the door when you're wanting to take a rest and recuperate. The limitations are only your own imagination and your roll of the dice.

2. Rollplay! I am not adverse to you utilising your skills in my events. Just keep in mind I do not want you spamming the chat log with random rolls. If you want to make a roll, emote such. I will tell you what roll to make, and what the result is. Some rolls I will make secretly and you will only be informed of the result. Don't forget to emote again so the rest of your party know what you're doing with your result! And please please emote when you're in stealth, even if via Tell! It helps a lot! And please inform me in advance of your character's Lore skill breakdown if you intend on making a Knowledge check. I will not accept blanket Lore rolls so as to emulate omniscience. If your character does not, or should not, know something, please RP that! I will also honour Initiative and turn-based RPed combat for smaller encounters! Just ask me!

For more information about Knowledge skill checks, click below!

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Knowledge (Int; Trained Only)

Like the Craft and Profession skills, Knowledge actually encompasses a number of unrelated skills. Knowledge represents a study of some body of lore, possibly an academic or even scientific discipline.

Below are listed typical fields of study.

• Arcana (ancient mysteries, magic traditions, arcane symbols, cryptic phrases, constructs, dragons, magical beasts)
• Architecture and engineering (buildings, aqueducts, bridges, fortifications)
• Dungeoneering (aberrations, caverns, oozes, spelunking)
• Geography (lands, terrain, climate, people)
• History (royalty, wars, colonies, migrations, founding of cities)
• Local (legends, personalities, inhabitants, laws, customs, traditions, humanoids)
• Nature (animals, fey, giants, monstrous humanoids, plants, seasons and cycles, weather, vermin)
• Nobility and royalty (lineages, heraldry, family trees, mottoes, personalities)
• Religion (gods and goddesses, mythic history, ecclesiastic tradition, holy symbols, undead)
• The planes (the Inner Planes, the Outer Planes, the Astral Plane, the Ethereal Plane, outsiders, elementals, magic related to the planes)

Check
Answering a question within your field of study has a DC of 10 (for really easy questions), 15 (for basic questions), or 20 to 30 (for really tough questions).

In many cases, you can use this skill to identify monsters and their special powers or vulnerabilities. In general, the DC of such a check equals 10 + the monster’s HD. A successful check allows you to remember a bit of useful information about that monster.

For every 5 points by which your check result exceeds the DC, you recall another piece of useful information.


Action
Usually none. In most cases, making a Knowledge check doesn’t take an action—you simply know the answer or you don’t.


Try Again
No. The check represents what you know, and thinking about a topic a second time doesn’t let you know something that you never learned in the first place.


Synergy

• If you have 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (arcana), you get a +2 bonus on Spellcraft checks.
• If you have 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (architecture and engineering), you get a +2 bonus on Search checks made to find secret doors or hidden compartments.
• If you have 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (geography), you get a +2 bonus on Survival checks made to keep from getting lost or to avoid natural hazards.
• If you have 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (history), you get a +2 bonus on bardic knowledge checks.
• If you have 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (local), you get a +2 bonus on Gather Information checks.
• If you have 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (nature), you get a +2 bonus on Survival checks made in aboveground natural environments (aquatic, desert, forest, hill, marsh, mountains, or plains).
• If you have 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (nobility and royalty), you get a +2 bonus on Diplomacy checks.
• If you have 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (religion), you get a +2 bonus on turning checks against undead.
• If you have 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (the planes), you get a +2 bonus on Survival checks made while on other planes.
• If you have 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (dungeoneering), you get a +2 bonus on Survival checks made while underground.
• If you have 5 or more ranks in Survival, you get a +2 bonus on Knowledge (nature) checks.

Untrained
An untrained Knowledge check is simply an Intelligence check. Without actual training, you know only common knowledge (DC 10 or lower).

(((formatting courtesy of Grymhild)))

3. Courteousy. Try to avoid ooc banter, or at least keep it to tells. Be civil with me, our other players and our other DMs. Remember, its a hard slog keeping track of conversations on this side! Be patient. Don't be that lone ranger unless I'm running an event where you're the lone ranger. RP using a typed medium is slow. Be patient, be respectful!

4. Death. It happens, but it is not the goal of my events to see PCs killed and inflicting TPKs. That said, if you give up the ghost in one of my events you are dead unless I tell you otherwise (which will be more often than not, probably). There will be no cheese raises or resurrections. If you don't have 5,000-10,000 gp or 1-2 diamonds for your resurrection, as well as 10 minutes spare casting time, you don't get raised! If you cannot afford a raise in this manner, then your PC will remain out of action until the event is completed. After an event is finished you are free to RP your character's death as you please (incl. being taken to NPC priests and paying their substantially lower fee).

5. Feedback. Let me know how I'm doing. Follow up your IG RP on the forums with a few rumour posts, and I will do my best to do so as well. Did I make a cheese move that irked you? Let me know, so I do not repeat my errors with others! Most of all, I want to hear how you enjoyed your experience on BGTSCC.

And remember, most of all:




Listen for the silence. For it shall swoop upon you without warning!

[DM Ninox]

Plight of the Refugees, Part I

Plot:
A rather exhausted family and their limping, burdened pack horse had made their way down the Trade Way from Baldur's Gate, managing to keep themselves safe from bandits along the way. As they came close to the famous rest stop of the Friendly Arm Inn they were approached by several people who had spotted them from the campfire outside the walls.

When asked if they required assistance, the tired farmer John replied that all he wanted was a rest and perhaps some food for his horse. One of the women, an elf, noticed the horse was limping and offered to heal it, but as it turned out her understanding of the veterinary sciences was rather lacking. A local paladin of Helm, named Vaughn, then offered to buy provender for the beast, much to John's gratitude, and to try to cure the beast-of-burden's injury.

However, during the discussion of provender a loud-mouthed man asked if he could buy the horse from the refugee, a proposal which severely irked John and his wife Sarah, turning them all offside from the commotion they seemed to be causing. Angered at accusations of animal abuse, farmer John pushed his way past those gathered and headed directly for the Inn with his wife and exhausted 3 year old son Igor in tow.

The loud-mouth man followed him and continued to pester them to obtain the horse for his own purposes. Severely annoyed by this despite his flat and repeated refusals, farmer John called for the guards. One of the Friendly Arm guards demanded that this man leave farmer John alone since it was quite clear the horse was not for sale. In a voice of protest, the man lay down in front of the horse and began to throw a tantrum. The guard did not hesitate to lay his hands upon the unruly fellow and manhandle him out of the in and turf him out on the grass across from the drawbridge.

John retained an unfriendly attitude towards all the attention from then on until he was approached by William Ayleford, who announced himself as a knight of the Order of the Radiant Heart. Upon hearing this, John breathed a sigh of relief and became far more amicable towards offers of help.

In the end, Vaughn cured the horse's injury and received a playful, appreciative bite on the arm in return. William supplied the family's provender and inn fees for the evening, much to their sincere appreciation. It would be some time yet before they would reach Beregost, however.

Participants & Rewards:
Isio the Elf - 100xp
Vigil the Loud-mouth - 100xp
Paladin Vaughn of Helm - 100xp and 1 point towards Good.
William Ayleford, ORH - 100xp and 1 point towards Good.
Other minor participants thanked for their participation!

[DM Ninox]

Plight of the Refugees, Part II

Plot:
A badly wounded man hobbled along his way along the Coast Way until he finally collapsed of exhaustion outside the under-construction Phoenix Company HQ. Isi the elf was first to hear his calls for help and came to see what was the matter. The man was bleeding badly from his feet, all of his toes having been cut off. It was not long before an assortment of adventurers and guards from nearby Wyrm's crossing came to determine the cause of the man's injuries.

After being stabilised with curative magic it was discovered that the man was a refugee, part of a caravan travelling south in the hope of finding a better future in Nashkel. He spoke of how they were assaulted on the road by horse-riding bandits. All the men (and two of the protective women) were slain, and approximately four women and nine children were taken away. The man claimed to have been tortured by a rather burly man with dark auburn hair and a thick, northern accent. When asked how he survived the encounter, the man said he had been struck over the head and awoke some time later with all of his toes having been cut off.

One of the Flaming Fist guards decided to investigate the matter himself so that he might write an appropriate report. The scene was a macabre one. The four men had been slain with bladed and bludgeoning weapons and all their toes had been cut off. Two women also lay dead but their toes had not been cut off. One of the wagon horses was dead; it is presumed the other was captured. The goods in their wagons had been rifled through and everything of value had been taken away.

Isi the elf was able to trace the gang's tracks towards the east to an abandoned ruin. There an enterprising and attentive dwarf named Cragnus managed to uncover a clue hidden in a crack between the stones of the well: a cryptic puzzle which spoke of thirteen clinks of a horse's hoof and another five beside. The dwarf first attempted to emulate the sound of metal upon stone using his axe, but nothing happened. One of the adventurers, Martin, decided to return to the scene of the massacre and remove one of the horseshoes from the slain horse that was there. After a period of negotiation with the Flaming Fist investigator, he was permitted to take it and the both of them returned to the group.

Again, Martin's powers of persuasion were put to the test when the dwarf demanded payment by the Fist because he had uncovered the clue. The Fist investigator refused to hand over the horseshoe until he was satisfied the clue was genuine. The dwarf refused to reveal what he had uncovered until he was given the horseshoe. Martin suggested that they had best work quickly because the lives of the women and children were at stake! The Fist investigator relented and handed over the horseshoe.

Cragnus took it and struck it eighteen times, but noting seems to have happened? Then all of a sudden a secret stash opened from the ruined tower, revealing a stash of treasure and, more importantly, paper correspondence. The Fist investigator gave the treasures to the group as a token of thanks while he carried away the more important clue: the slaves were being sold. To the Underdark!

Later, the ranger Isi joined up with a druidess, Eva, and the two of them buried the dead. They then decided to see what else they could uncover by making a more intensive effort tracking the gang towards the Forest of Sharp Teeth. For now, the Toecutters are still on the loose.

Participants & Rewards
Isioviel - 750xp, 300gp, 1 point towards good for burying the dead.
Cragnus - 750xp, 300gp
Angry - 750xp, 300gp
Pebble - 750xp, 300gp
Severine - 750xp, 300gp
Martin - 750xp, 300gp
Xela - 750xp, 300gp
Pendak - 750xp, 300gp
Eva - 250xp and 1 point towards good for burying the dead.

[DM Ninox]

Plight of the Refugees, Part III

Plot:
The clanging bell of the town crier broke the silence in the East Gate District. The announcement came loud and clear: the Flaming Fist Lieutenant Sardeph Armstrong was looking for no more than 6 adventurers to partake in a dangerous mission. A few brave soul began to gather around the town crier as the Lieutenant watched on. When four or five had gathered he announced the nature of the mission to them: the Flaming Fist were laying a trap for the Toecutter gang by pretending to travel south dressed as a refugee caravan. Pay would be two thousand gold in total. Half up front and half again to the survivors of the mission, a fact which was not guaranteed.

Of the six that ended up being present there, four accepted the Lieutenants terms and dressed accordingly. The caravan then made its way south at dusk. Lieutenant Armstrong made sure to inform the adventurers when they arrived at the stretch of road where many of the previous raids had been made. And sure enough, as they made their way through the darkness the caravan was met with a sudden barrage of crossbow quarrels. They were under attack!

The four adventurers fought bravely alongside Lieutenant Armstrong and his two Fist mercenary guards. There were some injuries, but they managed to close ranks with the crossbow snipers and run through them. However, another band of horse-riding aiders attacked from the direction of the bear cave and began assaulting the caravan directly. To their intense dismay, it was more-or-less empty and by the time they have realised the adventurers had turned upon them also. All but one of them was slain.

Lieutenant Armstrong seemed very pleased with the outcome of the mission and ordered the group to search for any more horses. Most of the horses had been killed but three remained behind the old ruins and were seized by the Flaming Fist. The bodies of the dead bandits were loaded into the caravan wagon and taken back to Baldur's Gate where they were searched, stripped of their belongings and then handed over to the priests of Jergal for a funeral pyre.

Lieutenant Armstrong told the adventurers he was impressed by their efforts and when more intelligence came in regarding the location of the Toecutter lair he would be sure to recruit their help again. For the moment, he would be interrogating the prisoner.

Participants & Rewards
Isioviel - 750xp, 500gp.
Angry - 750xp, 500gp
Kalidorian- 750xp, 500gp
Marquis - 750xp, 500gp
Boris - 750xp, gold reward declined IC and given to Marquis.

[DM Ninox]

Beetle Bomb!

Plot:
Vaszyne called out to a new faern to the city, Xhtul, asking him to run an errand for her. He was tasked to fetch her a fire beetle from the Gloura's brawlhouse in return for a word of favour with the Magthere of Necromancy. Pleased by the opportunity, Xhtul agreed and went to the Darkwoods ghetto.

After needing to 'persuade' the Gloura to show him where the shadier activities of the bar were taking place, Xhtul was able to bargain with a duergar to purchase his fire beetle pet for 50gp. With beetle in tow, Xhtul returned to Vaszyne to collect his reward.

Upon his return, however, Vaszyne cast some kind of spell upon the creature and tasked him further to deliver it to Zarmoon, renowned Sshamath entomologist. Zarmoon was incredibly pleased with the 'gift' and inspected its fine pincers. However, as soon as he touched it the bug exploded in a burst of fire and entrails!

Vaszyne cackled raucously in the background at her devious prank, knowing that for now she had one up on him. Vaszyne promised to pass on word about Xhtul to the school of necromancy.

Participants & Rewards
Xthul 1000xp and -50 gp to pay for the beetle.

[DM Ninox]

Plight of the Refugees, Part IV

Plot:
Lieutenant Armstrong has been seen passing on another message to the Town Crier. Soon the clang of bells announces that the Fist are again looking to hire a group of no more than eight specialist adventurers with experience in hostage negotiation and rescue. The party will prepare to depart to an undisclosed location at daybreak on the 13th of Alturiak.

At daybreak on the 13th of Alturiak, a band of adventurers gathered in the Eastern Gate square to receive their orders and briefing from Lieutenant Armstrong. They were to undergo a rescue mission to emancipate the abducted refugees from the recent coast raids. The safety of the refugees was paramount, moreso than defeating the Toecutter Gang.

However, unbeknownst to Lieutenant Armstrong, another group had been tipped off about the Fist mission by an unknown instigator. Their job was to deliver a letter to the Gang. Having set off several hours before the Fist did, ranger Michael Dunn and his dog Rain were able to successfully track the bandits to their hideout. Once there the noisier members of the group alerted the Toecutter lookouts and a confrontation ensued. The Toecutter lookout blew a warning horn and demanded to know who the people were and why they had come there. The masked Edward Drath spoke for the group and offered over the letter. The bandit took it, exclaimed some profanity and ran off. He returned later to thank them and told them to leave immediately, which they did so with teleportation magic. The bandits, having been thus tipped off about the impending Fist mission to emancipate the slaves and bring and end to the gang activity, abandoned their camp and forced the abductees to march east towards the Forest of Sharp Teeth.

The Fist group arrived at the bandit hideout approximately two hours later. Much to their ranger-tracker Isioviel's dismay, the camp looked recently abandoned! She traced that a second group had come this way not long before them and, with the sluggish refugees being force marched and leaving noticeable tracks, they were easy to follow. It was not long before they encountered the bandits trapped at the bottom of a ridge with nowhere to go.

A plan was hatched to rescue the refugees, but ultimately proved mostly unnecessary. The Gang abandoned the refugees in the forest to make good their escape, feeling that they were being slowed down by them, intending to utilise the teleportation powers of a magical ring their wizardess had in her possession. Isioviel and a wizard, Melvor, cloaked in invisibility, coaxed the refugees far enough away for the rest of the group to launch an assault on the gang, lead by Lieutenant Armstrong.

The fighting was furious but short. The adventurers cut down the gang including their leader, Toecutter Reagan. Two of the number, Agathion and Laurio, took some injuries but survived the fighting. Lieutenant Armstrong was also wounded in the battle but shrugged it off as just another war trophy to prove his competence. After speaking to the refugees it was decided that they had best depart the area, and quickly, before the drow showed up, to whom they had been sold by the Gang.

After returning to Baldur's Gate, Lieutenant Armstrong was slated for promotion to Captain for his acts of gallantry on the battlefield. Medals of Honour would also be given to the five adventurers who risked their lives for the refugees. The refugees hoped to find compassion from the various temples, now unsure what they could do with themselves.

Participants & Rewards
Group 1:
Michael Dunn 500xp and 1 point towards evil.
Alexandra Keenan 500xp and 1 point towards evil (restored at player's request)
Edward Drath 500xp and 1 point towards evil.
Tarina Mazir 500xp and 1 point towards evil.

• Unnamed Instigator 500 xp and 5 points towards evil

Hidden: show

I am happy enough to restore alignment shifts in light of the final outcomes produced by group 2. PM me with your RP reaction to news of what -really- happened if you would like this to be your case!

Group 2
Dalmetta Wolfhide 3000xp
Agathion Benedictus 3000xp
Isioviel Fereyn 3000xp, Breath of the Maiden Shortsword +2, Assassin's Ring (taken after searching Toecutter Reagan)
Laurio Joriin 3000xp
Melvor Whitewater 3000xp

NPC Lieutenant Armstrong Promoted to Captain!

[DM Ninox]

Plight of the Refugees, Epilogue

Plot:
The rumour of remaining treasure was just too much for the unnamed instigator of the attempt to tip-off the Toecutter Gang. Acquiring a map of the location from the party that was sent, this individual made the journey south and east towards the Forest of Sharp Teeth. One there, it was a simple task to descend the escarpment overlooking the secret hideout.

Once inside, the female figure quickly discovered what manner of clandestine operation this Gang were running. At the entrance to the cave network were several wagons laden with stolen goods. Two hamstrung horses lay dead alongside the water trough. An undead minion was created to do the bidding of its mistress, namely to set off the dangerous traps that were no doubt to be found within the raider's lair. She moved further inside and accidentally stood on an unseen pressure plate: a metal gong beside the door boomed with sound. She cursed at the misfortune, but there were none to respond. The caves were deathly quiet.

Into another room she crept quietly and carefully. It was the makeshift kitchen. A rotten, roasted boar sat where it had been left by the gang. A nearby crate was filled with mouldy or rotting foodstuffs. She approached a locked chest. Unable to coax the lock open with nimble fingerwork, the undead minion was commanded to break it asunder. Too bad, because its contents of rare wine and ales intermingling their amber and crimson hues were soon leaking onto the cold, stone floor of the cave. Another exclamation of profanity followed.

Leaving the kitchen, the figure went down a passageway into a larger, central chamber filled with weapons an armour. It was no doubt situated here for ease of access in the case of the hideout being discovered. Swords, spears, maces, leathers, not to mention all the stolen clothing from the refugee caravans. Little of it was of value to this looter, however, and that is where most of it remains still.

Along the next corridor, this plunderer of caves again trod unawares upon a pressure plate trap. Noxious gas filtered out of a nearby crevice and filled the area with its choking fumes. It was quite effective; the unwary pilferer fell to the floor gasping for air, and even after the gas dispersed remained in a very sick state. Fortunately (or unfortunately?) up ahead sat an alchemical workbench. This part of the cave was well fitted out with a forge, anvil and a bookcase filled with various tomes and scrolls on the crafting of poisons and potions. Many potions and poisons were left abandoned on the table and were quickly added to the figure's bag of loot. Unfortunately, there was nothing to help cure the choking, burning sensation felt in her throat from the noxious gas. A locked chest was left alone lest it, too, be trapped with something worse than poison gas.

The figure was wary now, but in a stroke of stupidity decided to try to coat her weapons with the flame from a nearby brazier that was still burning hot. As anyone skilled in weaponsmithing would realise, a weapon must first be coated in oil or alchemist fire to catch asunder, and even then it would not last very long. Another expletive and a singed hand later, she decided to see what was down the next passageway.

As she came down the tunnel and around the corner, the space opened up into a wide, open vacuole in the cavern's interior. It was filled with stuff: carpets, vases, crate upon crate of gold, gems, jewellery. Her eyes lit up at the sight! But she knew it could not be so simple a task to acquire; already her laxidaisical foot had bumbled over two traps. How many more would there be in here? So the undead minion was sent forth, bearing the brunt of a large burst of flame and being struck down by a net snare. That seemed to be all, however. The treasure was free for the taking!

However, unbeknownst to the would-be-pillager, she was not alone. For the silent steps of a stalker had also made their way into the cave. With keener eyes than those possessed by her forerunner, she saw the pressure plate by the gong and silently jumped over it. Her attentive eyes watched for the fresh tracks she had followed from outside. She, too, took in the sights, sounds and smells of the clandestine operation the Toecutters had been running. Her mission, however, was not one of plunder. No, it was something far more important to the people of Baldur's Gate.

Her footsteps padded softly upon the hard stone floor, but her elven ears pricked up when she heard a shriek of pain followed by a loudly-chained sequence of swear words. She was not alone. She whisked as quickly and quietly as her feet would carry her through the armoury, and pauses briefly to examine the set-up of forges and workbenches. There was still no sign of the living voice, however.

Making her way down the corridor and around into the tunnel, there it was! A room full of stolen goods, and a thief helping herself to them! The robber was so absorbed by her haul of valuables that she did not hear the silent approach of elven feet. Two arrows were dipped into sleeping poison, nocked, and drawn. When the pilferer turned at the sound of a bow being loosed, it was already too late. They found their mark in her neck and the poison quickly seeped into her already weakened blood. She fell, unconscious, two expertly placed shots penetrating her neck and beginning to bleed. Two more arrows quickly felled the ghoul companion as it turned to violently defend its mistress from attack.

The elf quickly moved in and used a nearby rope to bind her. She could not be certain how effective the poison would be, so she had to make sure. She pushed away the two blades being carried by the woman, followed by a brief search for anything that might identify her. There was nothing to be found, except what had been stolen from the lair, and that in itself was not of great interest to the elf. No, her eyes were trained on something else. She began to look around the stash for anything that might help her in her mission, but it seemed it would not be found here.

Despite being so terribly weakened, the lair-looter began to stir after a little while. The elf noticed this and came over to speak with her in the most diplomatic way she knew: a blade was put to her throat. They conversed for some time; it was discovered that the looter was the one who had tipped off the Toecutters and hoped to use them to her own ends. The elf was not very impressed and also confessed that she was the one who tracked them down, rescued the captives and made sure the Toecutters received their own in kind.

The elf left the woman bound and began to search for more clues of the Toecutter's true employer. While her back was turned, faint jiggled of movement helped the bound-one to escape her bonds and she immediately went for her blades. The elf turned at the noise, but only noticed too late what had happened. Nevertheless, two more arrows were immediately nocked and trained on her former captive.

"Enough, enough," she cried, sheathing her blades as a sign of peaceful intent. "Can't you see I have two arrows sticking out of my neck? What am I going to do to you?" she claimed, or words to that effect. The two negotiated an uneasy truce, for in the corner of the room was a magically warded lockbox which had resisted all attempts at opening it. They hoped to find a key elsewhere in the cavern so as to pry into its contents, but neither of them were terribly focused in their search effort. The locked chest that was next to the alchemical workbench was smashed open, scattering books and now-torn paper everywhere. Deep within the pile, hidden in a secret opening of one of the books, the key remained hidden and untouched. It remains there still.

Dismayed at being wholly unable to open the magically warded chest, the elf decided to try to launch a magical arrow at it. A fireball erupted from her imbued arrow, but the ward upon the chest remained! The fire caught on the crates and fabrics behind it, and an immense blaze ensued. The two now had to flee and, with the eyes of a hawk, the elf spotted a secret doorway leading to a deeper cavern. The two fled that way to escape the flames and choking, acrid smoke.

The deeper tunnels were pitch black with darkness, and without any natural light source the elf's tracking prowess was stalled. The other woman decided to cast a light spell upon her and the two tried to discover the true power behind the bandit attacks on the trade way. After wandering the dark caves for hours, they eventually caught some humanoid tracks and followed them. Drow! A fight ensued, and the drow were slain. It seems they had a clandestine outpost set up although initially it was not quite clear where they came from or how they got here. A further inspection of the tunnels revealed a dark crevasse which descended down far beyond what they could see. The two tried to find another way down and they wandered through the caves for some time.

Eventually they found a passage that gave them an easier way down than the dark crevasse. However as they got deeper, the air around them got colder and colder. The woman began to shiver, being wholly unprepared for such conditions. A sound of dripping and slushing could be heard in the distance and they moved towards it. Alas, it was a giant slurping cube of goo, heading straight for them! A few flame arrows were punched into it from range by the elf and the goo dissipated. Unfortunately, the bright light which was emanating from the elf was attracting more and more off the deep cave jellies. A particularly viscous black pudding dropped from the ceiling and attacked them. They managed to slice at it, only for it to split in half! They decided it was finally time to flee and returned back where they had come from.

Making their way carefully back through the caves, the elf stopped by the crevasse they saw before. As she lent over to peer inside she felt a sudden shove into her back, followed by the gut-wrenching feeling of empty air as she fell inside. It could have been as sudden and tragic turn of fate as she had put on the woman earlier as she frantically flayed her arms to catch hold of something, anything! A small crag became her new friend as her hands grasped hold of it and her arms flung her lithe form around into a standing position. The woman peered over the side and was alarmed she was still alive, and produced a musical lute which released a burst of magic. Whatever the effect was meant to be, it failed and the elf summoned a badger at the edge of the crevasse to attack her assailant and then quickly scaled the side of the crevasse in a manner that only elves can do.

Fighting erupted and the two came to blows. Between the angry hisses of the badger and the flashing blades of the woman, it was the elf who would prevail. Quickly loosing arrow after arrow, the woman took a few too many hits and tried to flee. As she did so, one final, explosive burst crashed into her and she died immediately. The elf inspected the traitorous remains and decided not to leave the corpse for the cave monsters. She dragged it back to the escarpment leading out of the Toecutter lair, using her pet bear to haul the corpse to the top of the cliff.

It was here that the final twist of fate turned. A dark and brooding figure, cloaked in the veil of invisibility was searching the area he had come to before when he delivered the message on behalf of the unnamed instigator. He had been told to search for her if she did not return, and it had already been -many- hours since she had left. When he saw the activity of the bear and the elf, he wondered what it could mean. Then all of a sudden the battered and bloodied corpse was dragged up from over the edge and onto the ridge. It was her.

The bear sniffed the air and growled. It has detected his scent. He had to act quickly, and he did. Grabbing hold of the woman by the arm with one hand, with the other he took out a scroll of teleport and whisked her away to an undisclosed location. The elf scowled in disappointment at the way things had finally turned out, but there was nothing she could do about that now. Her mission was a partial success, and she had to return to the one who sent her and make a report.

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((Thanks to the players for a slow-paced, epic and exhausting event! I hope you had fun and please PM me and feedback for improvements etc in my future events!))

Participants & Rewards
Unnamed Instigator 3000 xp and gathered treasures.
Stealthy Elf 3000xp and gathered treasures.
Impromptu Rescuer 500xp.

[DM Ninox]

Kraak Helzak Reconstruction Efforts, Part I

Plot
An expected dwarven caravan arrived from the north and passed slowly through the farmlands. The official delegation met with one Trenton Leichhardt, Baldur's chief structural engineer. They were welcomed hospitably with a feast of ale, bread and roasted meats in the Helm & Cloak while the party engaged in private discussions. After some time the group emerged from the Inn and took a tour of the city, whereby Trenton showed the dwarven ambassage the various damages to the city's walls, towers and gatehouses that were in need for repair. Copious notes were taken and they dwarves departed to their private negotiations in amicable spirits, filling themselves with the best of the local amber swills.

Participants & Rewards
Revenark Stonehold 2500gp (level 30)
Maxwell 2500xp
Thibbledwarf Thunderbeard 2500xp

[DM Ninox]

Radiant Justice!

Plot
A peasant-monk was busy bringing justice to the secret bandit hideout in the northern farmlands. The bandits decided to regroup and lay an ambush for him by the cave exit, which he stumbled into unawares and was promptly knocked unconscious. Dismayed by his distinct lack of possessions they left him for dead and fled.

Soon after a local member of the Order of the Radiant Heart happened by the hideout and found the unconscious man by the entrance. After transferring the divine blessing of his god by laying-on-of-hands, he asked the fellow what had happened. The two decided to pursue the bandits. They were in fact not far away, trying to salvage an old stash of loot. The bandits fled through the farmlands but became trapped between the officer guarding the path to the north and the lingering camp of Lord's Alliance soldiers. The bandits were just about to throw their arms down in surrender when the Radiant Heart squire came upon them and meted out immediate justice, executing all three of them immediately.

A Flaming Fist patrolman quickly came to survey the scene and, congratulating the Radiant Heart squire for his deeds, returned to the Fist Barracks to make a report. He mentioned in passing that it was about time the fragmented group started doing some good again for the populace of Baldur's Gate.

Participants & Rewards
A Peasant Monk 100xp
A Knight of the Radiant Heart 250xp

[DM Ninox]

Retribution

Plot
Angered that one of their tribe had been captured, the Black Orcs of Urruk Lurra went on a raid on the Northern Trade Way. After destroying a merchant caravan the worg-riding orcs took three captives and returned to their lands.

Rumours began to drift around the settlement of Soubar and eventually a Paladin from the Order of the Radiant Heart happened upon the place. She had to work hard to convince a survivor who had been left behind to tell her what happened and eventually found out it was an attack of retribution.

The paladin was joined by a shaman whose wolf pet utterly terrified the survivor and she had to send it away. She was able to communicate with some fire spirits that had been summoned to the place to burn the caravan and found out some truths of what had happened. The two were eventually joined by an elven ranger who helped track the raiding party to the east.

The group was being followed, however, and although the follower was cloaked in invisibility he made no attempt to conceal his noisy footsteps and eventually gave away his location. He eventually 'revealed' himself using an illusory double and communicated with the group of adventurers/

They tracked the orcs to the east where they were drawn into a negotiation. The orcs demanded a trade: their human captives for the orc captive who had been taken by force from their tribe. The group announced that the elves had taken the captive, much to the dismay of the group's elven tracker. This provoked the orcs into a frenzy of taunting and they immediately changed their negotiation demands, instead calling for the elf's blood.

The man with the illusory double failed to heed to some of the orcs' instructions and this resulted in the execution of one of the three captives. The second was released as a token of good will if the elf would meet her fate and duel the orcish champion. The two came to blows and in a fight to the death; the elf prevailed, but only just. With the defeat of their champion, the orcs retreated back to their hideout, but not without first giving the group a stern warning to get off their land.

Participants & Rewards
Isioviel Fereyn 3000xp and several injuries
Tarina Mazir 3000xp and 1 point towards Chaotic
Erza Aldren 3000xp and 1 point towards Good
Jand Auren, Sr. 1000xp [[came late]]