The Brinewall Legacy
Fires over Brinestump
It started with happiness. A jovial, cheery evening in Sandpoint, within The Rusty Dragon, Ameiko and Tsumi serving food and drink to the tired, the young, the old of Sandpoint, to all who sought to while away some of the chill evening within the tavern's glow. The flickering lights, the heat of the crackling fire, the tales and joyous laughter . . . heroes will recall that night, that place, as a time of warmth.
It was the needs of Sheriff Belor Hemlock that forged the party, for Licktoad Goblins once again troubled his community. Seeking out those he knows has battled the goblins successfully, those who have aided Sandpoint in the past, he asked of them to venture deep within the Brinestump Marsh to defeat the Licktoad Goblins and their leader, Chief Gutwad. Restoring the old "goblin bounty" he generously offered the sum of 10 GP for each goblin slain, proof through presenting their left ear, with 300 GP for the head of Chief Gutwad, but in truth Tsumi and Kankai were keen battle the bold goblins, bringing harm and pain to the people of Sandpoint, 'fore any bounty or claim of reward was made.
Morvius and Avarizia sensibly planned what might be needed for such a venture, packing food and water (and plenty of fine wine, in Avarizia's case), warm clothes and lantern oil before readying themselves through meditation and prayer, setting off along the Lost Coast Road to the swamps . . .
The swamp was a frightful place. Tsumi and Kankai scouted ahead through the relentless drizzling rain, the cold brackish waters lapping around their ankles (or shins, for Kankai), the dense mists concealing all as spectres bleached of colour, swirling from the sea breeze of Sog's Bay, the insects and animals skulking through, unseen, set against the eerie silence. Uneasy, Kankai sought aid from the local Ranger of the swamp, Walthus Proudstump, but on finding him within his weathered shack he seemed preoccupied and evasive. Avarizia's keen eyes glimpsed a glamour upon him, Kankai then noticing the illusion rippling over him, but on challenging him he showed his true hidous form and, snarling, sought to rip and rend the brave heroes! Magic and mettle swiftly defeated the creature, bolts of magic ripping into it from Morvius' fingers. Kankai carefully searched the shack, finding Walthus hidden away. After a decent meal from fare gathered from the swamps (or Avarizia's own fine rations and wine), a night's rest and the wisdom Walthus shared, at dawn the party advanced 'pon the Licktoad Goblin village.
The village was silent, the but not through gifts of peace and tranquility. Kankai sneaked cautiously up onto the raised walkways then along into the goblin huts, with Tsumi creeping along too, but found it quiet because, mostly, the whole village was now but an open grave . . .
The party searched through the village, finding Chief Gutwad who fought bravely, but briefly, with fireworks being recovered from him. Although these explosives were the cause of the goblins' newfound recent confidence, Avarizia was concerned where they and come from and questioned the goblins on what had unfolded. They spoke freely with Kankai, who has an uncanny knack to pick up languages and dialects and chatter with folk, explaining how skeletons had ruthlessly reclaimed the treasures they had found.
Tsumi tracked the skeletons, their unsual tracks to the goblin village then heavier tracks back leaving a trail she could follow, past the ruined ships Kaijitsu Star and Kaijitsu's Blossom and on to the Brinestump caverns. Avarizia's lantern flickered and glowed, throwing hints of shadows moving worryingly as she advanced, finding deep within the caves the restless dead. Old Minkai arms and armour clad the skeletons, testimony to some once proud lineage they served, with one battling with ferocious skill, his magial blade glowing softly as he fought the heroes. Morvius blasted him with endless magical bolts and orbs of electricity, Avarizia called down magics and healing as Kankai and Tsumi battled the mighty skeletal champion. His defeat unearthed treasures worth far more than crude coin, with Kankai reading of valuable tales of the past, tales of a legacy, long lost.
Returning to Sandpoint, the victorious heroes had much to share with Ameiko.
It was a tough decision...engorge myself with another bottle of that exquisite Varisian wine, or listen to the Sheriff who was looking all serious and boring. However, the others seemed to be listening so I thought it best to concentrate on the Sheriff for at least a brief moment. A goblin bounty, ten gold for each goblin left ear, and more for the leader's head. Sigh...okay not the most exciting sounding of quests, but at least it was a good excuse to get out of Sandpoint and do something more interesting, and I could certainly do with the gold...Varisian wine isn't cheap!
ReplyDeleteTsumi and Kankai were keen to leave immediately, but I had more wine left to drink that night, and wasn't going anywhere without being properly prepared! We left in the morning, once I had plenty of food and full wine-skins ready for the trip.
Tsumi is fascinating, full of blood-lust and vengeance...my kind of girl! I adore the passion she has for the kill, I remember feeling it as I killed my drunk of a father...ah, happy days! She can be a bit serious though and whilst sating your blood lust on those who sorely deserve can be fun, there are other ways to enjoy yourself! I worry sometimes that lust for vengeance clouds her brain more than wine does mine!
The swamps where the goblins hung out were wet and smelly...and not in a good way. It really is hard for a girl to look her best trudging through slime. I even got myself covered in leeches at one point, and cried out to Urgathoa to kill everyone one of the horrible slimy things in that swamp. Whilst my faith wasn't enough for that, at least the leeches and slimy things within a few yards of me were destroyed.
Kankai led us to a ranger friend of his, Walthus, who better knew the swamp. However when we entered Walthus's shack, we found him injured. I could sense there was something suspicious about him, and worked out it wasn't the real Walthus, but I got too close and the creature got the jump on me, grabbing me, drinking my blood, and knocking me unconscious. He didn't even buy me dinner first!
I awoke to find that the others had dealt with the creature - a horrible shapechanger that has no actual face in it's natural form. Walthus was hidden in the shack, and now rescued, pointed us in the right direction of the goblin village.
The village was a surprise however, goblin corpses lined the walkways, someone had laid waste to this village before us. Fortunately, most of the corpses still had ears - so we were going to be able to claim the bounty for this unusual turn of events. I was intrigued though, as to what had happened, a force capable of this, obviously not just in it for the bounty, could be a threat to Sandpoint or to us.
We finally managed to find some goblins left alive, and managed to keep Tsumi from killing them long enough to find out what happened. Apparently skeletons had come and re-claimed treasures that the goblins had stolen from them.
Tsumi tracked the skeletons back to some caverns, where we encountered them. The first skeletons we met were little threat, as I called upon Urgathoa to gain control over some of them, whilst the Tsumi, Kankai and Morvius made short work of the others. However one more powerful skeleton warrior, was a real threat, destroying the skeletons I controlled, and even dispatching bobo, my skeletal ape companion. Fortunately my undead minions slowed the creature down enough for the rest of us to defeat it.
In the cave we found interesting texts relating to Ameiko, my friend that runs the Rusty Dragon. It was a tale finally might convince her to leave Sandpoint, and seek her adventures again.
We returned to the Rusty dragon to show Ameiko what we had found. That evening, we relaxed from our adventure, and I drank my fill of wine, having run out partway through our quest... note to self, you can never bring enough wine!
Surprisingly that evening, a skeleton walked into the Rusty Dragon...it walked right up to the bar and asked for two pints of the finest ale, and a mop.