Session 3 – Webs in the Dark
Campaign I, session 3. Previous: Session 2. Next: Session 4.
During the week of downtime and rest:
Pashlateen and Val (mostly Val) come up with a scheme to install Meathead as the new kobold “king”. Pash buys him fine clothing and some shiny-looking jewelry, while Val questions him about the Dome. Meathead’s knowledge is limited, but he stoically shares what he can - as far as Meathead is concerned, it’s perfectly normal for kobold leadership to be dictated by bigger outsiders. As long as Urza is removed from the picture and Meathead has visible support from someone of strength, they anticipate the change to go smoothly.
Singil spends the time restocking on herbs and swapping remedies at the local hospital and shrine (7/60 days of training towards her third rank of healing proficiency). Travain spends most of time with Ana, slowly learning how to read and write (7/60 days towards the language proficiency)
Alwyn snoops around Teryk looking for signs of a local thieves’ guild and looking for some poor sod to rob safely. He stays hidden at first, but the leader of the local gang notices Alwyn sneaking away from a failed burglary, and warns Alwyn of some rules: “In my town, we limit our targets to those who’ve done something wrong. And if you steal anything here, you owe me a cut.” The mysterious thief asks a bit about the PCs’ motivations and progress in dealing with the banditry, and shows Alwyn a symbol to display should there be further business to discuss.
Alwyn uses the remaining time trying to case the town for someone to steal from without qualms, and notices Lieutenant Peleos (the ugly mug from the dinner party with the Contessa) engaging in some light racketeering and smuggling what appears to be stolen goods from out-of-town bandits. Alwyn contact’s the thiefmaster
“I’m impressed you managed to find this out without being seen! Indeed, we allow Peleos to operate for the moment. We have been hoping for an opportunity to prove that he’s working with the raiders and bandits that threaten the caravans and fields - after all, how will any of us profit if the fields dry up and trade stops? We think that Peleos has been working with a man named Drusus to smuggle these goods in. If you can find evidence that Peleos is in cahoots with these brigands, there could be some reward money in reporting it to me, or to the Count directly. We want this flow to be shut down.”
And finally, a new adventurer arrives! A reforged soldier, its body carved in runes, calling itself “Casino”, signs up with the party seeking adventure and fortune. This “spellcarved soldier” has a slightly malfunctioning translation module (knows ~7 languages, has CHA 4, things often come out garbled) The party also hires two men-at-arms to guard the cart while they tromp around in the dungeon. Also, somewhere in there, Alwyn stumbles across an orcblooded warlock in training, Nevu, and hires her as a hench.
This time, on approach, the party notices that two hobgoblins are guarding the entrance, instead of kobolds. With a solid diplomacy roll (and 12-2 odds!) the party is able to enter the dungeon without a fight.
However, as Meathead leads them through the complex, they see that several of the corpses of kobolds slain in the previous session had been left to rot, and they see evidence of spider webbing on them. The party cautiously continues on.
The kobold guards seem to have abandoned their post. Meathead points “this way to sleeping area, or that way to throne room?” The party decides to check out the sleeping area first, but it is also abandoned. Forewarned by the detection of webbing earlier, Pash looks up at the ceiling to see two giant crab spiders! Combat begins.
The party gets a few shots off with ranged weapons before these 5’ long spiders drop down and begin biting. The first one drops Val in a single bite, and the second scores a bite on Kund’arashta, who can feel its venom burning in the wound.
The party is able to dispatch the spiders without further injury, and Singil attempts to treat the poison. Sadly, she has to report that while Val’s injuries could be stabilized, both he and Kund’arashta are likely to die in less than an hour. The party briefly considers leaving them here while they search for an antidote, but Kund’arashta says, “If we don’t find something in time, I’d prefer to die a warrior’s death.”
Meathead is able to guide the party to the kobold’s treasure room (through the empty throne room, with all its torches burned out). They find a few bulky tapestries and rolls of cloth, along with some moldy food, water, and vinegar. Unfortunately, no antidotes.
(Meathead is also able to tell them that they did sometimes “feed” the spiders who lived behind the “guest room” that triggered the fight last time)
On their way out of the throne room, they encounter a hobgoblin patrol. Pash is not in a conversing mood, so Travain uses his silver tongue to charm the hobgoblins. “Our friends are poisoned, they need help!”
“Of course! Come with us to see the witch-doctor!” The hobgoblins bring them hastily deeper into the cave and summon their witch-doctor. Travain once again turns on the charm and convinces the witch-doctor to help. Unfortunately, he is unable to save either of them. However, he does pull Travain aside and explain that he could use some outside help.
“Our chief is badly wounded, and we need to replace him with a strong leader. However, his guards are too loyal and refuse to help me. You say you are to be consort to the Lady Below - ” Travain tries to interrupt and explain that this is a misunderstanding, but the witch-doctor barrels on ” - so perhaps you and your crew could take him to see Her, so that he may be… recycled.”
The witch-doctor calls the other hobgoblins away to let the party discuss.
Ultimately the party thinks that train is too risky for the moment, and decides to retreat, bringing their dead and the tapestries back to the cart.
Singil wants blood, and the rest of the party wants a score, so the plan for next session is to head back in and confront the humans section. They got out to the cart with a meager haul and two corpses, to find that their two guards had somehow managed to fight off a dire wolf. So, they will sell the wolf’s teeth back in town to the mage (assuming they are still fresh enough).