Journal of Rollo Lavius 2

Entry #445 - Blackthorn

(G445 13/03/2021 via Roll20 - AP, KT, JF(GM)) WA82

[Meanwhile, in Cedarsproke, Fenrir, Ren, Raz and Veddic are assaulting the Druidic Manor House of Blackthorn, Druid of Silvanus and member of the Night Masks (the Thieves' and Assassins' Guild of Westgate).]

DAY 498(13th Flamerule)(july) ...

Before the intrepid heroes descended into the depths of whatever lay below the Manor they decided to put out the fires that were spreading smoke throughout its halls.

Fenrir's Eldritch Blasts are not fire based, they are an ability unique to Warlocks, a bit like Magic Missiles that kill people with a magical 'force'. If you've ever seen someone hit by either of these spells though, they leave scorch marks, but not actual burns.

So, Fenrir may not have directly started the fires, but all that 'force' flying about had knocked over torches and braziers and the predominately wooden building was now properly on fire.

They did their best to put out the blaze, using expendable skeletons to go into the main room and smash up all the water barrels. This helped, and with the nearest fires at least, under control, they took the sloping tunnel, that Fenrir had found, down.

It was a low ceiling, narrow and steep passageway, that lead down for several hundred feet and switched back on itself several times. Once they got to the bottom they were maybe three hundred feet below the ground.

The first dangers they came to were two rooms full of traps. The first was a big pit of spikes with a narrow walk way around its sides.

'On you go then lad,' said Fenrir, pushing young Ren forward.

I think perhaps that Ren was not totally aware that in an adventure party it is the rogue's job to check doors and chest, look for traps, and disable them when he finds them. Ren was more used to cheating old ladies out of their pension, but none the less he went to look at the walkways and found that they were indeed trapped, set to fall away when someone stepped on them.

He disabled a trap and went forward, until he was around at the rooms exit. Three skeletons were sent first, but they fell into the trap when Ren, I assume accidentally, stepped back into the room and hit another pressure plate.

And on they went. The next job for Ren was a trapped door. He tried to disable it, but failed and was hit by a big splash of acid. His hair still sizzling he was then sent into the next room that contained four big pillars that stabbed out with spears whenever someone got too close.
After losing another skeleton, Ren tried the simple expedient of climbing over the pillars. This seemed to work, and while Veddic was a little clumsy in his full plate armour they all managed to make it across.

The corridor they followed swung around to the east and led into a store room where four vampire spawn were waiting. In a knee-jerk reaction Veddic instantly raised his Holy Symbol and turned them. All four spawn crumbled to dust.

There was a low-walled pool of water in the west corner of the room. The water was an illusion though and it hid a set of steps. Fenrir went down them into a corridor, invisible, that had six alcoves, three on each side, in it.
All was quiet until he spoke into his magical crystal to inform the others of what he saw. At that point, six vampires all leapt out of their coffins in the alcoves and came to get him.

Veddic charged in and managed to Turn a couple of them. The others attacked Raz as he stepped forward to meet them. He held them off long enough for Fenrir to start doing them some serious damage, but he was badly drained by their blows, and weakening with every strike.

Ren was Dominated by one of the vampires, but before he could do anything naughty, the vampire was slain in the melee. Two vampires were slain in total, while the last two turned into gas and wafted away as fast as they could.
The heroes did not pursue them, they were badly mauled and needed to heal.

Fenrir threw some garlic bombs in the corridor and they went back into the store room to rest and heal. Veddic cast Greater Restoration on Raz, and after less than half an hour they were ready to go back in.

Moving through the corridors, they caught glimpses of more spawn, but they fled before them.
Eventually they entered a large chamber where an elf maid was chained up on a raised area. Channels for blood were cut into the stone, that led down into stone pools. At the north end of the chamber was a massive ram's head carved out of the living rock.

The maid begged to be released, but the heroes had to fight two more vampires first. The vampires rushed in, but were soon beaten back, not being able to withstand the magical axe of Raz or the blasts from Fenrir.

They left the maid for later and moved on. A corridor led off to the east and a door on its east wall led to a room where a massive blood golem was being tended to by a vampire spawn.
'Oh, I wouldn't wake it up if I were you!' warned the spawn. The heroes thought this wise counsel and quietly shut the door.

The corridor ended at a door that opened into a large and richly appointed study. Here stood three vampires. From what I have been able to deduce later, one was a former paladin called
Lara and the other was an infamous vampire troublemaker called Lord Bloodwurst.
'You have done well to get this far,' he said drolly.
There was a little bit of further banter, then combat was joined.

It was swiftly over though, as again the combined might and magic of the heroes was too much for the undead. Well, I say that, but imagine Ren would have to admit he was perhaps the least effective of the four.

The biggest alarm of the battle was when Raz was Dominated. At that point things could have gone really badly for them, but Fenrir and Veddic wisely focused their attacks on the vampire that had managed to do it, and when it was slain Raz was released.

Vampires are cowardly by nature, and seeing their comrade reduced to ash, Bloodwurst and then Lara turned into gas and fled through a crack in the wall.

After looting this room they headed back to the large chamber, released the maid, who ran off, then went to the door in the western wall beside the giant ram's head.
Down a corridor they found a room where, after fighting past more vampires and spawn, they found Blackthorn, Tormstar (a Ranger and also a member of the Night Masks,
Fenrir had met him once before when he had first come to Westgate) and a vampire that I have since learned was called Hynel 'The Cramps' J'yelosea.

Hynel was slain in the ensuring combat, Tormstar teleported out and Blackthorn stopped fighting and backed off into the corner of the room. Raz sundered the druid's shield and then his weapon. When Blackthorn drew a knife, Raz grabbed his arms, then held him as the others battered him into unconsciousness.

Fenrir put manacles on their prisoners wrists and shoved a dirty sock in his mouth.
They had their man.