Treasure List from Zorah's House

Item weight is given in brackets, "[2]" and an item with no weight worth noting is "[*]."

Goblin warriors: 32gp 16sp, 2 leather armors (small)[7.5 each], short sword[1], short bow[1], morningstar[3], 2 lt. wooden shields[2.5 each], quiver of 19 arrows[3]. All small weapons.

Zorah's Possessions:

• Masterwork Short Sword (small) [1]
• Masterwork Scale Mail (small) [15]
• Masterwork Light Steel Shield [3] -Sojan


• Gold chain necklace [*]
• Rainbow obsidian gold ring [*] -Emberclaw
• Pink Keystone [1]

In Chests:

• carved ivory scroll case with tiger's eye caps [3] -Aezra


• marble statuette, 10 inches tall, of an elven warrior
[5] -Indaril

• old masterpiece painting, (a mythical tale) (very large & cumbersome to be carried around)
[25]
• silver flask etched with designs [1]
• small ivory music box
[2] -Aezra

• carved bone statuette [3]
• intricately beaded headdress [1]
• 10 ornate silver arrowheads [*] (2 to Aezra)


• brass mug with jade inlays [1]
• carved ivory scroll case with tourmaline caps [3] -Emberclaw


• large, well-done wool tapestry, depicting a battle (very large & cumbersome to be carried around)
[40]
• silver brooch with small clear, sapphire stones [*] -Sojan


• well-wrought bizarre idol [1]

Pouch of gemstones

• coral [*]
• black garnet [*]
• star rose quartz [*] -Aezra
  
• bat cave jasper (chocolate brown to tan) [*]
• bloodstone (deep green with red flecks) [*] -Emberclaw
  
• orange tourmaline [*]
• zoiste (pink) [*]
• dark brown to green tourmaline [*] -Indaril
  
• frost agate [*] -Indaril
  
• pink topaz [*]
• zoiste (gray) [*]

Sept 19: Ghost Town

This is going to be a short summary.

You carefully searched the various buildings of the village, steering away from the two stone buildings that Indaril pointed out being occupied. The houses and small shops have been completely looted of any valuables, supplies, furniture, and anything else. Heavy layers of dust, dirt, and cobwebs, fill every building, making it quite obvious that these places haven't been occupied in a while. Probably since the "catastrophe," when apparently everyone who was living here, humanoid, animal or plant, strangely disappeared.

Eventually you made your way to the smaller of the two stone houses. Indaril decided to act as lookout at the other building, in case you drew the attention of those inside.

This 30 x 15 foot small house is remarkably well kept compared to any other place in the village. To your left are several barrels, and 3 large chests in the upper left corner. In the right corner is a small bed with linen bedding, and a small wooden table along the right wall.

This place is also currently occupied. A larger, muscled goblin snarls in your direction. Hes dressed in a fine suit of scale mail, underneath which is a blue silk shirt, and a glint of gold around his neck. His bottom teeth are longer than normal for a goblin, and these tusks appear to be gold. Hes armed and ready with a well-maintained short sword and small wooden shield. Standing near him is another goblin warrior bearing a morningstar and shield.

Another goblin was taking cover behind the barrels, firing his bow. Aezra quickly took him out of the fight with a Cause Fear spell. She attempted to daze Zorah, the golden tusked goblin, but was unsuccessful. The battle was quickly over, and all three goblins lay dead on the floor.

Tybris searched the bodies and the rest of the house, piling up the various items that he found. (See above post, "Treasure List from Zorah's House.")

Based on the items gathered here, Zorah was likely either a merchant, or a very good bandit.

Amusing quote of the session (now that I know the backstory):

Sojan: (this search idea went over about as well as The Spinning Fork)

Sept 12: Planning Ahead

Tybris informs the party that the goblins carry nothing of value except some gold, clearly Empire coin. (Empire coin is the only form of legally accepted tender in the Empire. Spending it would not attract notice, unless you're making a large or unusual purchase.) Tybris offers to hold onto the money for now, and they can divide it up later.

Indaril climbs the rocks to scout ahead, and sees the goblin bowmen moving ahead towards the village. They elect to follow after, arriving at the village about 10 minutes after the goblins. Indaril sneaks ahead to find the 2 bowmen arguing with 2 goblin warriors stationed outside a small house. Sending Sojan, Aezra, and Emberclaw down the road to draw their attention, Indaril and Tybris sneak up to surprise the goblins. The goblins quickly fall to their deaths, drawing no blood from the party. One goblin, named Fred, is pinned to the house by Sojan's javalin. Quick questioning reveals that there are more than 20 goblins in the area, not counting those that the party have killed, including one named Goldtusk. Fred says his job was to guard the prisoner inside the house. Before he can reveal any more information, Sojan pulls his javalin free, inadvertantly ending the goblin's life.

Inside the house, Emberclaw is overwhelmed with concern for the prisoner lying in the corner. She finds a newly dead Githyanki male, a young adult, with bandages on his head and chest. He was manacled to the wall, which Sojan severed using his longsword, notching it badly on one side. Tybris objects to the need for this action, but Emberclaw and Sojan see some sort of symbolism in the act. Tybris busies himself by examining the objects on the table, quite interested in what he finds.

Meanwhile, Indaril keeps a lookout, and eventually scouts the area ahead of the party, determined to learn more about the smoke rising from the chimney down the road.

Sept 5: Caught by Surprise!

Sojan Brule, Indaril, and Emberclaw made their way into the Shadowwood. They made progress during the night, choosing to sleep during the day, taking watches to be alert. They were relieved to find their night and day uneventful. As night fell, Tybris and Aezra snuck up on them, causing some irritation among the three, who didn't like the trick. Tybris and Aezra inform them that the coast is clear to the portal, and if they hurried, they could make it before sunrise.

The party pushes through the night, stopping only for short breaks, and arrived at the portal shortly before dawn. After some confusion, they step onto the dais, and Sojan activates the portal. They are sent to a strange plane, the Astral plane Aezra suspected, and from there emerged on Hestine.

They were shocked at the lifeless state of Hestine, for all but Aezra remember a beautiful, thriving world. Following the road, they see a village in the distance. As they pass through some large rocky outcroppings, the five explorers are ambushed by a group of six goblins.

The party was unsettled at first, as four armed goblins attacked and two unseen bowmen loosed arrows into their midst. The party soon took the upper hand, eliminating their melee opponents. Tybris especially showed his skill with his bow, brutally injuring one and slaying another with a well-placed arrow to the skull. The bowmen fled, and the party decided to pause for a moment before continuing on.

Tybris was nicked by an arrow, and Indaril took a bit more damage (down 35%), but for the most part, they survived their first encounter with the goblin bandits relatively unscathed.

Tynna's Fortune

Tynna pours a handful of several aromatic herbs into a small bowl, and sets fire to the bowl’s contents. The small house is quickly fills with a strong, calming blend of smells.

Making sure you’re seated on the fur rugs on the floor around a low wooden table, the elderly woman kneels and spreads a thin piece of supple hide on the table. Tynna flips her long, white braid over her shoulder and tugs a worn, leather pouch from her belt. She raps her knuckles on the table, the sharp sound startling.

“You will be silent, while I cast my bones. No words while I hear the spirits and interpret the bones. When I am done, you will go. Now, silence.”

She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath, holding it before releasing it. She repeats this several times, in out, in out, as she enters a meditative state. Smoke seems to coalesce around Tynna, forming a hazy shroud.

She murmurs, chanting in a strange tongue, her small body swaying back and forth. Tynna holds the pouch in both hands, bony fingers clutching the leather.

With a sudden, sweeping gesture, she upends the pouch onto the table. Polished white knucklebones fall to the table. The bones do not bounce or roll, simply immediately stop where they land. Tynna opens her eyes.

Where once had been sharp, black eyes, they now lack either pupil or iris, being stark white. The change is frightening, eliciting startled gasps. She looks down at the bones, her head tilting one way, then another, as she carefully examines the position and placement of the bones.

Her petite frame snaps upright, the eerie white eyes regarding you sitting at the table.

“Life and death,” she begins, but the voice is not Tynna’s, being soft, raspy, and patient, as if carefully choosing each word.

Life and death.

United in one,

separate in another.

You are the link.

Your past has no bearing on your future,

But the past will determine the future.

The lost will be found,

And myths made true.

You are hope,

But for you there will be none.

The key to rebirth lies in ruins long forgotten.

Tynna’s body shudders and slumps, but she quickly recovers. Her eyes have returned to normal, and she gathers her bones back into her bag. She rubs her temples and in a grouchy tone says, “Why they always gotta leave me with a headache? Well, a tisane will take care of that sure enough.”

“Well? You heard my words, now get out of here. Make your way into the ‘Wood and take care of yourselves. Joel has a lot of faith in you, and now’s your time to prove you’re worth all the trouble he had in haulin’ your asses off that world.” Tynna rises, shooing you out of the door and on your way.