Dark Paths 15

Dark Paths of Riddleport
Session 15
September 30, 2012

A Helping Hand

Map Tool Chat Log

Session Summary

The Gold Goblin Crew headed south, around the infamous Riddleport Light, said to be inhabited by a crazy old Chelish diabolist who was in the habit of summoning and consorting with devils and demons. He always kept the light tended to, so the city saw no reason to pry into private business. Past the light, the terrain would get a little rockier, but Saul assured everyone there were several paths that would lead down to the shore and the edge of the Boneyard. Once in the swamp that comprised the Boneyard, Saul’s crude directions should be enough to lead the way to the Spar and the not so clandestine meeting of their enemies.

After some time of slogging through the wet and muck of the swamp, Shayla returns from scouting ahead to alert the group that she had spied a light up ahead. A little more scouting reveals that they have arrived at the Spar and that several cloaked individuals are huddled on the deck of the wrecked ship, clearly making secret plans.

They plan to send Shayla around to cover them from behind and then send Bodi in in an attempt to converse with them, to see who is present and if he can convince them to change their plans. If that doesn't work, then plan B will be to attack. Shayla's rear approach is thwarted by deep water so she chooses a more narrow flanking approach.

As she gets closer, Shayla is ambushed by an unseen archer as an arrow pierces her back. Arrows begin to fly at Aragon and Bodi as well. One strikes Bodi in the neck and he drops the torch and goes for a healing potion. Aragon charges the figures on the Spar but quickly realizes that they are not moving at all, probably decoys, and that the arrows are coming in from the surrounding swamp. He turns and looks for the unseen assailants. Aethel, in Body of Air form, floats up to try to get a better idea of the forces assailed against them.

Aragon spies to humanoid rat creatures crouching nearby, holding bows and charges them. Shayla taps into her infernal heritage and summons a could of darkness that surrounds her and she drops into a defensive position. Snargash also takes an arrow to the neck from some unseen archer. He calls out a challenge to the ambushers and starts to move into a tactical position.

Flesh Eating Cockroaches

The battle rages on between the Gold Goblin Crew and what appears to be a troupe of Human sized rats armed with bows. One of the ratlings is apparently some type of sorcerer and flings a glob of acid at Aragon, which begins to eat away at his ornate armor. Aethel throws lightning and Guy flings psionically propelled rocks, slowly taking out ratlings. Several swarms of flesh eating cockroaches also descend upon the fighters in the water, mostly covering Bodi and trying to tear the flesh from his bones. Some of the beetles also go after Aragon, which is a problems, seeing as he is afraid of bugs. In his attempt to flee the bugs, Aragon inadvertently ran into a much deeper part of the swamp and ended up going under. Though Bodi was struggling to stay conscious, he dove into the deep water, knowing that the Elf did not know how to swim. The swashbuckler managed to pull the Elf to safety.

Things are beginning to look bad for the Crew, but then, help arrives from an unexpected direction- the sky. A large bird swoops down and drops what looks like a healing potion into Bodi's hands and then arrows start flying from the opposite side of the Spar, striking the remaining ratling attackers. Within a few moments, the remaining ratlings turn to flee. Some pursue for a moment, but it is obvious that the Crew had taken enough damage that full pursuit would be a bad idea.

Continuing Story Doc

Continuing Story Summary

After the remaining foes fled, it was quickly determined that these were Were-Rats, as those that had been killed were now in Human form. A shiver courses through everyone at the thought of these Lycanthropes attacking them. 

Kwava and Ganmeed

The source of the new arrows could now be seen. Crouching behind a broken piece of hull, a strange looking Elf stood, holding his bow at the ready, the moonlight glinting off the silver tipped arrow he had nocked. A piercing cry of a hawk echoed softly in the misty swamp as the potion delivering bird swooped down and landed next to him.

Speaking only in Elvish, he introduced himself as Kwava and the bird as his companion, Ganmeed. He says he was tracking a renegade Elf in the area and believed that the Crew had stumbled into the middle of his investigation. He invites them to come to his camp nearby.

At the camp, Kwava reveals that he thinks Saul is working with this renegade Elf and that he sent the Crew to into an ambush knowlingly. He says he had followed Saul to a meeting with Zirphas, a known Riddleport Wererat and minor Crimelord. He says he saw Saul give the Wererat a pouch of coins. Kwava then said he followed the Wererats, who came to the Spar earlier in the evening and baited the water with rancid meat to draw the flesh eating cockroaches. They then set up the false figures on the Spar and took up hiding spots and waited for the Crew to arrive. Guy then produces a note that he had found on the sorcererous Wererat. It was written in some sort of code.

My Trusty Trout Old Stumpy’s sending provender up Boneyard. They’ll be dunny lie at tomorrow’s darkman. Give them all the crash. Don’t try to grab any for your birds. Keep the dummees. The rest of the iron on earnest of the hush and ye’ll hie the ken. (signed) -Z

A brief examination of the note makes it seem that what Kwava says is true: Saul set them up!

Players Present: 

Aethelarian "Aethel" Flitterseed, Noble Elf wizard - played by +Daniel White
Aragon Whisperwind, Elven Bladedancer - played by +Arne Jamtgaard
Bodi Jantzen, Human swashbuckler and ladies man - played by +Mike Biancone 
Guy Greystone, Gnome telekinetic - played by +Gren Drake
Shayla, Tiefling archer - played by +Stephen Kolmetz
Snargash Windblown, Half-Orc monk - played by +Amergin O'Kai  
and The Dungeon Master - played by +Jason Woollard