#13 – Somewhere in the ruin

Ellison Beringer

Ellison walks down the stairs, and enters Randal’s study, where he is at his table writing in his book.
Next to Randal is the stack of books that Ellison had brought back from Hluthvar.

“They got Kells Sir. They have a sharpshooter in the party, and he got him.

Randal slowly turns from his work and looks at Ellison.

“It doesn’t matter, he can be replaced and he knew too much, but make sure to move his body into the runs in the corner, and then I will deal with it later. We have the books – that is what is important, and I think you should prepare to leave so she can have them.
And where are they now?”

“Somewhere out there – I have sent the hunters to track them, and have ordered them to wake Juxl. He alone will kill a couple of them, and the rest we can deal with.”

“Beware my dear friend – the most important task, is that you get going with the books, and then quell your pride, and let me handle the adventurers.

Randal Greycastle

Ellison nods, bows, and turns and leaves.

Randal turns his attention back to his, lifts his shoulders and prepares to let the words flow again, his pen inches over the paper.
He hesitates, he simply sits there – nothing happens. Then he smashes the pen in to the book, breaking the the pen.
His face darkens, almosts cramps, he is frothing, and is almost choking on the anger he tries to contain.

“Rot in the Hells, Carandini – you put me here, you took my life away, you left me with nothing.”

#12 – Kells the traitor

Safe in Leomund’s Tiny Hut

The first night is spent in the relative safety of Gus‘ Leomund’s Tiny hut. It can however only hold the people and Kells‘ mastiffs, so your horses are left outsiden, and when the wolves summoned by the vampire arrive, it it the horses that are targeted and are lost.

There is also a large group of Lizardfolk, led by a giant specimen with a grim looking falchion sword, who try to hack their way into your safety bubble – but with no luck.

The next morning when the first rays of the Sun reach over the mountain tops, you take a closer look at it all, and find that there are two alternative routes into the ruin. The main route is guarded by the Lizardfolk who lie in wait in the swamp.

The alternatives are either through the narrow sewer tunnel that emerges on the far side of the hill, but it is so narrow that Urog is only just going to be able squeez through, and who knows what awaits in the cold, damp, slimy, tunnels? The other alternative is to take a detour and approach from the North or the South and climb over the collapsed walls.
The southern route is chosen, and the heroes circle around and start to climb the South bank.

#11 – and so it begins…

Kells guides you safely through the marshes to the ruin, and as the sun starts to set, and while the last rays of the sun still protects you, you spot the top of tower of the ruin.
You make halt about half a mile from the ruin, and discuss what the best approach is?

While you are talking and drawing in the dirt, Ventric and a guy you haven’t seen before, comes riding down the same paths that you have travelled and joins you.

Aya – what are you doing here?

Together with Ventric is a half-elf with a lute strapped to his back, and he obviously knows Aya, as the first he says when he spots your group, is “Aya, what are you doing here? It is not safe out here!”

Aya looks with surprise on the newcomer, and asks with a smirk “I could ask you the same Gus, what are you doing here?”

Ventric and Gus

Back in Hluthvar Ventric had started to investigate a little deeper into what was actually going on, and who was doing what. He had made his way over to Pearl to have a closer look at Randal’s hideout, and to make sure she was safe in her shop/her home.

Soon after Ventric had arrived, a good-looking blond guy knocks, and Pearl lights up in a big smile when she sees it is Gus – one of Aya and Pearl’s good friends, who is passing through town and is heading for home in Waterdeep.

Ventric and Pearl explain the situaiton to Gus, and when he hears that Aya has gone with the others to find Randal, he looses all colour and shakes his head worrying – “she’s no adventurer”, Gus says.

Gus wants to head after Aya together with Ventric, and with an experienced Ranger and some relatively fresh tracks to follow they quickly gain on the others and almost catch up with them near the ruin.

Tired from the journey

You are all very tired after some 12 hours on horseback, and you are at a minimum ‘exhausted’ (level 1), if you fail a ‘Constitution saving throw DC 12’ you gain another level of exhaustion.

1	Disadvantage on Ability Checks
2	Speed halved
3	Disadvantage on Attack rolls and Saving Throws
4	Hit point maximum halved
5	Speed reduced to 0