Alert: May contain spoilers for the adventure “The Village of Homlette”

Ezekiel talked with the rescued prisoners some more on our way back to town. He figured out that the tiny elven cloak we found in the ogre’s bedding must belong to the gnome, so he returned it to him.

Apparently gnolls have been bothering the gnomes, so Mr. Prettypebbles went to spy on them…but they caught him. He couldn’t give us any hints about other hide-outs the gnolls might have, and he says the gnolls weren’t wearing the “burning eye”…so they might not even be directly related to the cult we’re hunting.

We put them up in rooms at the Welcome Wench, which is only fair since Mr. Osler is still holding rooms for us “on the house” thanks to Lydia scaring off Fernok of Ferd. Continue reading →

Alert: May contain spoilers for the adventure “The Village of Homlette”

After a rest, we decided the day was still young, and we had a fair amount of the fortress to still explore.

We started with the passages at the south end of the great hall. There’s a staircase to the upper floors, but it’s so coated with dust and crushed stone I doubt anyone’s been up there for a long time – even if they could. Ezekiel made it to a landing partway up, but he said it was so full of debris and rubble there was no going further.

We investigated several rooms along the corridor there – Raven checking the doors for traps as we went. The first room had arrow slits facing the entrance-courtyard and lots of broken furniture.

Ezekiel was determined to find something, and dug behind a cabinet against the wall until he found a broadsword of good manufacture. It’s not really my speed, so we wrapped it in some of the cloth lying around and stuck it in the bag of holding. Continue reading →

Alert: May contain spoilers for the adventure “The Village of Homlette”

By the time we roused in the morning, Kobort had had breakfast and left on his horse. I wish him well.

As we headed back to the Moat-House, we saw the workers toiling away on the fortress construction…and among them were the two bandits we captured yesterday.

I was worried about them, so I’m glad the knight and all figured something out. Better than being dead.

We made good time again, taking only about two hours to get to our destination. Continue reading →

Alert: May contain spoilers for the adventure “The Village of Homlette”

After lunch, Ezekiel searched the dead bodies for weapons. There were some clubs and cross-bows, and a halberd, but nothing that looked extra special.

As we were preparing to head back into town, we heard scraping above the ceiling. We all took a look, but couldn’t see anything through the beams and debris poking through.

Some of us thought it might be the guy who got away, but that didn’t make any sense to me. I expect he’s long gone by now. All the same, I wasn’t anxious to have the ceiling collapse in on me, so I was glad when we finally got moving – Kobort and Raven carrying the chest, and Mikael “encouraging” the prisoners (who were tied around the arms and hobbled at the knees).

Once we reached Kobort’s horse at the entrance, we secured the chest to the saddle…awkwardly, but at least then Kobort and Raven didn’t have to haul it themselves. Continue reading →

Alert: May contain spoilers for the adventure “The Village of Homlette”

The bunkhouse provided bread for breakfast, so we got a good start.

Kobort has all kinds of weapons, including a battle ax, splint mail, and a war horse! On the one hand, it makes him seem like the real deal…on the other hand, horses need a lot to eat.

Once we came to the fork off the main road, our pace really slowed down. It’s all overgrown, with creepers, boggy patches, and straight-up mud puddles…not to mention the trees and undergrowth.

It took us probably four hours to go three miles. Continue reading →

ALERT: May contain spoilers for the adventure: “The Village of Homlette”

With a little more internal direction, we headed back to Homlette.

They’re building some kind of fort at the east end of town. The walls aren’t too imposing yet, and the gatehouse is barely started, but the tower in the center looks sturdy and well-made.

Elmo split off from us near the edge of town…off to do his own secret mission stuff, no doubt.

Ezekiel wouldn’t stop dancing down the road. I guess he likes having a definite direction to move in.

As we passed the house of the village elder, a warrior in blue armor led a horse out the gate, mounted, and rode off. The elder stuck his head out and waved to us as we passed. It’s nice to know now that he’s on our side…and that he hasn’t been murdered. Continue reading →

Alert: May contain spoilers for the adventure: “The Village of Hommlet”

What. A. Day.

On the plus side, no one is dead…

After investigating the rock pile memorial by Emridy Meadows, we headed for Nulb.

Four bugbears attacked us, but Elmo noticed them (and I smelled them) and we killed them pretty easily.

We did get hurt badly enough that Mikael took time to properly cast both his Cure Light Wounds spells (on Ezekiel and Elmo), which meant he’d used them up for the day.

Lydia did something cool, too, where she turned herself invisible when the bugbears attacked. I’ll have to ask her about that some time… Continue reading →

Alert: May contain spoilers for the module “The Village of Hommlet”

Well…we know what we’re good at, now.

Over dinner, Mikael told Raven about how Elmo’s armor is nicer than expected, and some of the suspicions he and Ezekiel had about that. (Elmo was too busy drinking to notice, I think.)

Ezekiel excused himself and went to visit the chapel of St. Cuthbert to ask the rector about the habits of bugbears (wish I could find the manual my Ranger Master gave me), while Raven and I decided that it wouldn’t hurt to have another member of the party, and we’d feel out some of the other potential adventurers in the inn. Continue reading →

Alert: May contain spoilers for the module “The Village of Hommlet”

And people wonder why my nerves are like this.

I hadn’t been on watch for very long when a weapon came out of nowhere and just missed my head. I “roused” my party (with a yelp) and we jumped up to fight six bugbears – huge, lumbering, and almost silent! (So you see, it wasn’t my fault…they kept to the shadows and made about as much noise as Kelsier or Raven does.)

Lydia cast a spell on herself (I think she said it was Protection from Evil) while Mikael charged a bugbear and tackled it to the ground (I assume he meant to do that).

Elmo yelled, “Die, Bugbear!” and chopped one in two with his axe. Continue reading →