2E Rise of the Runelords - Session 9

This adventure was played on February 4, 2010 and featured:
- Toran Stargazer, human thief
- Vicoren Brightshield, human priest of Desna
- Arug, Alaghi pitfighter
- Gabriel Solomon, Chelaxian swashbuckler
- Sephara 'Na, half-elven magic-user

Summary: They quickly regroup in Sandpoint and return to Thistletop finding the dungeon beneath the fort.

1. The Cathedral: As the party returned to Sandpoint from the previous sessions adventure, they stopped at the Cathedral for some healing from Father Zantus and to check in with Vicoren on the progress of exhuming Nualia's grave. They learn that Nualia's grave was empty.

2. Mixed News: Sheriff Hemlock finds the party and informs them that Justice Ironbriar and the guardsmen from Magnimar have departed citing that there was "no apparent need" for them to remain in Sandpoint.

3. The Rusty Dragon: The party then returned to the Rust Dragon to rest before returning to Thistletop. At the Rusty Dragon they meet three dark cloaked travellers. The leader is Vale Temros and the three are part of a group called the Black Arrows. They hold Fort Rannick to the northeast of Sandpoint and guard the lowlands from incursions of Ogres and Giants from Hook Mountain and the Storval Plateau. They had pursued a group of half-ogres and stopped at the inn prior to returning to Fort Rannick.

4. Thistletop: Returning to Thistletop, the party continued to explore the goblin fort. They find various storage rooms, the chief's quarters and Shadowmist the warhorse (which they later return to the merchants in Sandpoint for the reward), and two stairways down to the dungeon below. However, they do not find any real treasure.

5. Dungeon: Descending the steps they find a conference room with evidence of planning the goblin raid on Sandpoint. In the next room they find a female magic-user who is studying some ancient scrolls, stone tablets, etc. They quickly jump her and take her prisoner.

Proceeding further into the dungeon, the party battles, a tentacled beast, a large bugbear who they find committing various carnal acts upon a group of female goblins, and Orik the mercenary who quickly surrenders and decides to thrown his lot in with the party. In a torture chamber the party finds Shalelu and a badly burned Asreal (a former PC). Rescuing the prisoners the party then returns to Sandpoint.

Body Count: A Tentamort, a large bugbear and four female goblins.

Treasure: The party recovered the bugbear's equipment, a wand and potion from the captured magic-user and the 300 gp reward for returning Shadowmist.