Things to do in Brastor when you're Dead
THE CHRONICLES OF THE ADVENTURES OF THE OSGOOD PARTY
Guild Security notes that due to that strain placed on the cartographical resources of the Guild by the war forcing some slightly archaic maps to distributed and Gavin's Hill own linguistic ideosyncracies that some place names in this document may be spelt unusually. For example: Raygar's Keep (Regar's Keep) and Rakashears Crossing (Ramshead Crossing). We apologise for any confusion.
The Cast of Characters
Leader: "Shiraz Camona" Human Female Earth Mage. Played by Christine.
Military Scientist: "Cayenne" Human Male Warrior Played by Stuart
Scribe: "Elwin" Human Female Plainsperson. Played by Claire.
Scribe: "Gavin's Hill" Human Male Shadow Mage. Played by Brendan.
Party Members: "Ruby" Halfling Female Fighter. Played by Janita.
"Rock" Dwarven Male Earth Mage. Played by Kevin.
The Mission
Standard Guild contract initiated by a one Pyter Osgood. Mr Osgood, a merchant originally from Brastor, wished to return home now that the duchy was free from undead. To that end he required that a party of brave adventurers travel to his manor, north of Emmitsburg, and remove any undesirables found therein. In addition Pyter wished to know the fate of his uncle Oscar Osgood who had disappeared in the chaos of the exodus from Brastor.
The Journal of Events
Fruit the 1st to 4th: It was decided to purchase trading goods and acquire paying passengers to supplement our travelling expenses. To this end we borrowed a wagon from Pyter and advertised for travellers.
Fruit the 5th: Acquired the journal of Oscar Osgood which was taken to the guild library for further study ( see Appendix 1 ).
Fruit the 6th: Meet Aran and Ilsa, a cooper and wife, who joined us for the journey. Started the travel to Raygar's Keep.
Fruit the 7th: Arrived at Raygar's Keep. Presented a letter of introduction to Lt. Forress.
Fruit the 8th: Started the journey across the plains. Ventured South off the trail to avoid trouble...
Fruit the 9th: Wagon wheel broke. Attacked by 15 bandits while repairing. Killed bandits and took their stuff.
Fruit the 10th: On the night of the 10th we were betrayed by Aran and Ilsa who drugged us and took our wagon and horses.
Fruit the 11th: Pursued Ilsa and Aran. Backtracked to previous camp site while Cayenne and Ruby tracked the wagon to the North.
Fruit the 12th: Gavin's returned to Raygar's Keep. Cayenne and Ruby encountered a convoy where a merchant called Hubert had traded wine and guild horses for fresh horses. Recovered the guild horses and followed the trail to the North.
Fruit the 13th: Cayenne and Ruby followed the trail into the woods to the North where they encountered a number of set traps. Found Aran's body and signs of departure at Rakashears Crossing. Main party arrived at Raygar's Keep.
Fruit the 14th: Cayenne and Ruby continued across the plains.
Fruit the 15th: Cayenne and Ruby found their way to Raygar's Keep. We discovered that an 'Aness' was involved in similar robberies.
Fruit the 16th: Decided to pursue Ilsa further and hoped to intercept them at Arn's Ferry. Enquired after the 'Foolsbane' herb found at Rakashears Crossing at Slippery Rock and found that it had been alchemically treated. Found evidence that the thieves had moved on to Seagate.
Fruit the 17th: Cointinued through the night to Seagate. Arrived by morning and staked out the ferry crossings. Elwin checked out horse markets looking for her steed. The name Toby Shank was mentioned as a shady horse trader. Inquired at "The Spitted Cockerel" about Alan and his dealings. Were given a lead to the dog fights. Followed up on the clues found at Rakashears Crossing with Lord Grendal. After an impressive display of power he provided many helpful insights pointing to a larger conspiracy.
Fruit the 18th: Visited the harbour master to follow up on Lord Grendal's insights. Found that a boat owned by a Ive Calador had been looted a while back after visiting a pleasure barge. Party found Elwins horse at Toby Shank's horse market where it was retrieved. Gavin's followed up on the Iva lead by enquiring at establishments that he frequented. Rumours that Iva was aware of a rear alchemical process and that he ventured from 'Aquila'. He may have eloped with an Alice before disappearing. That evening the party went to the dog fights with Cayenne's own dog entering as part of our cover. While there we were slipped a note regarding the fate of our goods.
Fruit the 19th: The note mentioned a merchant called "Ottomer Kroner" who when visited was most cooperative. Here we recovered Pyters wagon and some of our goods. Pyter explained the connection between Ilsa and himself and Ottoimer's agents gave us directions to a tallow works / hideout. That night we quietly crossed the river and assaulted the den of thieves and ner-do-well's. Ilsa fled as did most of the other low lives. At the site we recovered the last of our equipment.
Fruit the 20th: Reported Ilsa escape to Pyter.
Fruit the 21st: Prepared to head out once more.
Fruit the 22nd: Travelled to Raygar's Keep again.
Fruit the 23rd to 25th: Travelled across the plains to the edge of the forest.
Fruit the 26th Travelled through the forest.
Fruit the 27th to 28th : Travelled through the pass to Brastor. Encountered a group of wounded soldiers commanded by Lt. Bosworth.
Fruit the 29th : Travelled to Tobintown. Along the way we found on of the guardian stones as described in Oscars journal.
Fruit the 30th : Travelled to Charity.
Harvest the 1st: Travelled to Emmitsburg. Meet Marshal von Strak the commander there.
Harvest the 2nd: Travelled to Osgood Manor. Found the ruined manor on a hill burnt out surrounded by ewe trees. The rangers in the party found unshod horse tracks and signs of habitation in the area. Gavin's Hill and Ruby scouted ahead and saw blurry shapes in the ruins. As we reported back to the party arrows were fired at as from the hill. The warriors charged!
After a vicious battle we defeated the barbarian guards above ground. Found a trap door in the rubble and ventured down. Discovered a cellar that had been used by refuges during the destruction of Brastor.
Postulated that the area was somehow protected from the undead. We found a concealed way further down. Venturing further into the underground we discovered a room containing three guardian stones. In the centre was a frail old man chanting some unholy incantation while a barbarian companion looked on. The warriors charged!
During the battle a skeletal knight rose from his sleep and focused instinctively on Cayenne while the rest of the party except Gavin's cleared the guardian stones of desecrations. Just as Cayenne was to be turned into a mindless husk the stones were cleared and the ancient magic was released to vanquish the undead knight.
It was clear that the stones were protecting the area from undead in a way beyond the powers of the so called Churches of Light to do so.
Recovered from the epic battle the rest of the day.
Harvest the 3rd to 11th : Rested at the Manor Site.
Harvest the 12th : Travelled to Emmitsburg and picked up supplies.
Harvest the 13th to 28th : Built a lean-to and shelters on the Manor site while waiting for Pyter.
Harvest the 29th to Vintage the 2nd : The Michealmas Storm.
Vintage the 3rd Travelled to Emmitsburg where the town was awash with the rumours of chaos.
Vintage the 4th to 23rd : Travelled back across the plains with a fair percentage of the Brastor population to Seagate. Reported to the fine members of Guild Security who were only to happy with our exploits. Especially when we told them of the undead free zone in Brastor. Attempted to track down Pyter and learnt that he had left for Brastor on time. Achieved mission objectives anyway and so was duly paid.
APPENDIX 1 - THE JOURNAL OF OSCAR OSGOOOD
Oscar Osgood was the head of the Osgood family at the time of the troubles in Brastor. While his family managed to escape Oscar stayed behind for reasons unknown. However his journal fell into the hand of refuges who forwarded it to a Brastor reclamation committee where it was returned, via the party, to Pyter.
After diligent study by the fine librarians of the Guild it was found to be an account of Oscars examinations of ancient stone faces found in the Brastor region.
Called 'Grandfather stones' they were said to predate the penjari culture.
Each is 4' to 6' high with a face carved into one side.
While they may be boundary stones Osgood did some crude yet accurate esoteric experiments that showed that the stones had some sort of protecting quality.
He found that the stones worked best if placed in pairs facing both ways on a threshold.
He also noted that they seemed to ward off undead while letting the living through.
A trio of these stones may be found in Osgoods manor to the north of Emmitsburg where they protect the hill from the undead hordes to this very day.
APPENDIX 2 - Party Loot and Treasure
Items
Horse Charm
2 Charms
This small carved figurine of a running horse is made of a reddish soap-stone and imbued with magic to create a link between a horse and it's rider. If secured to the bridle of a horse for a week while the owner is riding it, for at least a two hours a day on average, it can then be carried by the owner and used by them in the following ways.
The owner and horse are aware of the direction they should travel to reach the other, up to a range of 100 miles.
If the Charm is bathed in the owners blood (at least one FT points worth) the horse will immediately attempt to reach the owner. The compulsion is powerful and the horse become distressed and unruly if it prevented from doing so.
In battle and under the direction of the charms owner, the horse will behave with marked ferocity and savagery for it's breed. Any penalties for controlling a mount (including the base breed modifiers) in this sort of situation are halved, and the horse will kick, bite, and trample with enthusiasm.
This charm has no effect on fantastical, sentient, or non-equine mounts. The connection ends if the rider and mount are separated by 100 miles for more than a day, three weeks without direct contact, or either's death. The link can also be dispelled by leaving it in the light of the moon for two consecutive nights.
Weight: 1/10th lbs
Valuation: 3000sp
Ossuary of the Restful Dead
A black wooden box, carved with images of spirits and undead, conceals any necromantic presence within it from the outside world. If the presence is a functioning Undead entity it undergoes a period of quiescence within the container and are protected from outside influences. They will immediately become active upon the box's opening and may reassemble themselves in one pulse, if they had to be taken apart to fit into the 40" x 12"x 12" box (may contain one 8ft skeleton (dissembled), one 6ft corpse (likewise), or one incorporeal spirit). It may never contain more than entity and be closed.
Weight: 10 lbs
Valuation: 3000sp
Bronze Ritual Circle
Made of four arcs of beaten bronze, this can be assembled into a 3 foot diameter ritual circle in two pulses, with the symbols marked on the surface in advance. It provides the practitioner of a ritual a +5 to base chance, rising to a +10 for an object or entity that may the placed in the circle (or have the circle assembled around them) and an extra +20 if the ritual is an attempt to desecrate, subvert, or despoil the target of the ritual.
Weight: 5 lbs
Valuation: 2000sp
Biting Charm
Fashioned from the skull of the legendarily savage Plains Weasel, the Sea of Grass's smallest and most fearless predator, the charm can be fastened to a melee weapon and once a quarter, allows the wielder to change a failed, unmodified roll produced by that weaponon on the Potential Spec. Grev. table into a successful one, regardless of the result and type of weapon used. Hence a C class weapon may do a A class Specific Grievous wound or vice versa. When this occurs the charm emits the piercing and shrill hunting cry of the Plains Weasel, and the weapons wielder is compelled to eat raw, fresh meat for the majority of their next meal.
Weight: 1/10th lbs
Valuation: 5,000sp
Entrancing Candles
24 Candles
These gaudily decorated (white and purple entwined waxes with gold leaf highlights) candles provide light and a magical effect that entrances those nearby, though the effect may be useful or harmful. One will cast enough light to read for ten feet and burn for 1 hour, however two placed together and lit within a minute of one another will burn twice as long, and shed strong light a further 5 feet, and three lit together will illuminate 20 feet for three hours and so on. Eerily, such candles flicker in perfect unison.
Within the immediate lighting radius, entities that are not actively engaged in a inwardly focused activity (studying, ritualizing, meditating) must make a 2x WP check after a minute or become entranced by the candles light for the next 10 minutes. At the end of this time they can check again to shake off the effects, but each consecutive time the fail they gain -1 penalty to this resistance. Three consecutive successful resistance will render an individual immune to the good and bad effects of this set of candles. Individuals that remain inwardly focused do not need to make the WP check, and in fact are drawn more deeply into their work and may increase their WP by one for each candle they fall under the effect of, and may be gifted with leaps of intuition or insight regarding their work.
Entranced individuals are not without will or consciousness, but appear dreamy and half-awake. If things they consider relaxing pleasures (food, drink, music, dancing, conversation, what-have-you) are on offer, they will partake with less than their usual concern for propriety or consequences. Most events that do take place under the effect of the light of the candles will seem like harmless fun and memories of them will seem extremely enticing, however things that clearly dangerous and threatening will bring the affected ones out of their reverie.
Weight: 1/5 lb per candle; 5 lbs with a box containing 24.
Valuation: 50sp @ (1,200sp total)
Mundane Things
Barbarian Heroes gear: Rank 8 Weaponsmithed Smith Spear - +1DM, +3% SC - worth 80sp Rank 8 Weaponsmithed Large Round Shield - +1DM, +3% SC - worth 80sp
Barbarians gear: Standard Spears (x3) - worth 10sp Large Round shields (x3) - worth 10sp
A small pouch of tainted Foolsbane, and other "evidence" - worth neglible
Loot
Items worth 17,480sp divided amongst 6 part members (2,913) + payment of 7,200 each = each party member received 10,113sp.
