Arabelle Adventurers Quest Notes 2011-06-18
From Last Game
Nora was asleep in her room at the inn when she heard Waldthear scream. Her vision circlet glows & she gets a vision of the entire prologue. She knows precisely what has happened to Waldthear because of the vision.
She runs into the room & sees him in the exact same state she expected. She hears Waldthear speak to his wife, Landa.
Nora panics & tries to heal Waldthear but it fails. She cries out in frustration.
Book was asleep in another room in the inn (having a nightmare). He comes out to see what is going on and enters the room to see what the screaming is about in the next room.
Questing
Day One
Characters involved: 
Ugly, 
Mahina, Nora, Book, 
Merry, 
Tempest, Erkenbald, H. Trick, Peekh Zerl, Pokh Zerl, Jux
Waldthear's Room in the Squeaky Door Inn
Book and Nora are in an upstairs room of the inn. There is a dead, elderly mage on the floor (Waldthear) and a comotose, elderly woman in the bed (Landa).
Book says he will call the authorities on the murdering lady, addressing Nora. Nora replies that Waldthear was missing, and she has been caring for the lady. She says she doesn't know what has happened and asks for Book's name.
Book comments that this is why you should know your neighbors. Footsteps come up the stairs. There is a burly man at the end of the hallway.
As Book leaves, Nora closes & locks the door. Book approaches the man and it turns out to be the innkeeper. He angrily asks Book why he is disturbing the inn's customers.
Book tells the innkeeper, Erkenbald, that he believes Nora has killed the people in the room where she is.
Nora stops praying over Waldthear body to address the innkeeper knocking at the door. She explains that someone has died and Book is disturbing her. She invites the innkeeper to come in but informs him about the dead man inside. She also tells the innkeeper that there is something going on but she was merely saying prayers for the dead.
The room has papers scattered throughout; Waldthear is bloody and burnt. The room looks as though it has been burgled.
Innkeeper is not surprised at Landa's condition in bed recognizes that Nora is one of her caretakers. He asks what happened to Waldthear.
Nora replies again that she is not sure what happened but that she was not able to heal him.
The innkeeper states he is calling the town guard because he believes Waldthear was murdered.
Book climbs over Waldthear to examine Landa.
Nora cries over Waldthear and becomes angry at Book's inquisitiveness. She insists that Book should leave, and repeatedly asks what the matter is with him as Book accuses Nora.
The innkeeper booms that he's going to call the town guard in the morning.
Nora becomes angry at Book as he continues to accuse Nora, asking for her name.
Nora replies in a yell, "NORA! Get the heck out of here, you insensitive prick!"
Book ignores Nora and kneels down next to Waldthear.
Book says he's trying to help, but this does not mollify the furious Nora who is continuing to usher Book out of the room.
Nora drags Book out the door and as she does so, Book notices Gelthien's cane. He yells, "THAT CANE!"
Nora insists she has never met anyone as rude as Book and finally gets him out of the room. Book yells at her through the door.
Nora resists being gently probed by Book mentally. Book returns to his room.
Book then tries to probe Landa's mind and fails.
Book tries to probe Nora again and fails, then yells at Nora to let him mindlink with her.
The innkeeper comes up and asks what is going on, Nora insists Book is violating her. The innkeeper reiterates that he's calling the guard in the morning and to keep it down.
Book informs Nora that he couldn't mindlink with Landa because there was no mind to mindlink with.
Book goes to sleep.
Nora searches the room for something interesting. She finds a piece of paper- a started letter to Pohk Zerl that reveals that they have tried everything on Landa but ends before revealing further action.
Nora finds a cane- the same one Book was yelling about as he was leaving. She casts detect magic and it has a faint magical glow. Nora recognizes it as one being held by the handsome gnome that left with Waldthear. Nora also recognizes the gnome from the vision.
Nora finds another letter. It says to please bring Landa by the church and the date is the next day.
Nora respectfully wraps up Waldthear's corpse. She notices that Waldthear's spellbooks are all missing, as well as his personal backpack.
Nora heads downstairs to tell the innkeeper of the missing items.
Downstairs in the Squeaky Door's Bar
Nora comes downstairs and sees a large, ugly barbarian ( Ugly) talking to the innkeeper.
Ugly tells the innkeeper he's looking for a "Temptress". The innkeeper jokingly points to Nora as she approaches.
Nora ignores this and tells the innkeeper about the missing items and insists the guard be called immediately.
The innkeeper leaves to get the town guard.
Ugly approaches Nora and asks if she has scimitars. Nora replies she does not. Ugly responds, "Temptress got skimitarz is what Darly told me."
Nora responds firmly again that she does not have scimitars, "I'm sorry to be so rude ....sir... but I am very busy and clearly don't have scimitars."
Ugly asks if she knows where the girl is. Nora, realizing he's just looking for a girl, softens and replies she doesn't. She hurries up to her room & gathers her things.
Ugly starts asking around about the girl.
Erkenbald Needs Help
Tempest is staying in a private cottage next to the guardhouse and hears Erkenbald raising a commotion about a wizard who died in his inn, crazy customers who won't shut up, and a bizarre barbarian who showed up suddenly for no reason. He seems quite flustered by the night's events.
Erkenbald runs off with some town guards. Tempest gets up and follows the group to see what is happening.
Back At the Squeaky Door Inn
Book hears someone trying to hastily retreat and wakes up from it.
Nora attempts to leave the inn hastily but quietly.
Ugly sees Nora come down with her things and asks her if she saw Temptress up there.
Nora replies she did not and continues her hasty exit.
Book is ineffectively hiding.
The innkeeper sees Nora just as she's leaving and yells to her that he got the guard. The guard tells Nora he wants to ask her some questions.
Upstairs at the Squeaky Door Inn
The guard asks Nora what happened. Nora tells about the scream, and goes in to find the room in a burgled state.
The guard asks if she knows what happened and she maintains she does not. Book is listening to all of this.
The guard asks if she heard anyone come in, and Nora points to Book, and says he's the only one she saw that night.
Erkenbald tells the guard that Walthear was very powerful so anyone who killed him must be moreso and Book agrees. Nora says Waldthear wasn't there before and hasn't been there for weeks.
The guard continues his questioning. Nora insists Waldthear was dead after he came in and the guard insinuates that he and Nora were having an affair.
Book replies that the guy was too old and Nora replies, insulted, that he was married and she is his intern.
The guard is clearly suspicious of Nora, asks if she's staying in the inn, and tells her not to leave town- that his boss will have more questions. Nora mentions that she was planning on going to the Seeker Church to pray and meditate given the harrowing events of the night.
Book pushes past the guard.
The guard asks if Nora knows Peekh & Pokh Zerl.
Book says no because they aren't real. Nora replies no but she hasn't been in town for very long.
The guardsman says he'll send someone to check on Nora later.
Book replies he knows them, and the guard responds that he was talking to the girl, then turns his attention on questioning Book.
Book says he is doing the same thing the guard is, wasting Nora's time. The guard appears insulted and mentions throwing the gnome.
Nora has a flashback to her vision upon the guard mentioning throwing the gnome and has a sharp intake of breath.
Book says what's going is way over both of their pay grades, and the guard agrees but tells Book also not to leave town. He then gets Waldthear's body.
Book tells Nora that they might as well talk because he isn't leaving.
Book and Nora talk about Gelthien in Waldthear's room.
Nora discusses Landa's plight and Book insists Landa's mind is gone.
Nora recalls a spell called Mindfire and shares this information with Book.
Simultaneously, at Squeaky Door Inn's Bar
Ugly notices Tempest and approaches her.
Tempest asks if he can help her.
Ugly addresses Tempest as "Temptress Darkbreeze" and Tempest says if he means Tempest Darkwind, that is her.
Ugly and Tempest become acquainted and Tempest discovers Ugly is from the same tribe as Darly, whom she has been searching. Tempest questions him about Darly.
Ugly gives Tempest a letter. She reads it!
Mahina bursts into the bar and asks if there's undead there.
Tempest asks where the church is, Ugly tries to convert Mahina, and Mahina dismisses them, still looking for undead.
Mahina looks more frantically for some sort of entrance, under tables. She begins yelling about undead & someone named Allonia.
Nora and Book come downstairs and Nora asks Ugly to help carry Landa before they make their way to the church.
Everyone else agrees to go to the church for various reasons as well.
The Seeker Church
Ugly goes with Nora in order to carry Landa to the church.
Everyone goes to the Seeker church. There they encounter Peekh & Pokh as well as a handsome gnome with three dogs.
Nora reacts. (+5 xp Sarah)
The handsome gnome, Merry, tells Peekh that he is looking for Sulevi and must find her for some strange things may befall the Pinch.
The party converses regarding people they may know, and attempts to put together what may have occurred.
Pohk says they need to get Landa to a back room.
Pohk brings Landa to a back room with Nora and Book, while the rest of the party chats in the church.
Ugly finds an altar to pray at, while Merry goes back to the chamber with Landa, et. al.
Merry suggests that maybe she has some cursed item on her since the disease came right back. (+25 xp)
All but Pokh and Nora leave the room with Landa. The others converse in the church.
Book and Merry discuss Gelthien's books and money, or lack of need of it.
Inside the chamber, Nora suggests shaving Landa's head. They are still not able to cure Landa's disease.
Mahina suddenly gets up and bolts after a churchgoer who left.
Mahina starts to question the churchgoer but Merry & Tempest lead her away. Mahina thinks the churchgoer looked nervous.
Tempest inquires about Darla and Ryx Hunt. They note that Ryx Hunt was uniting local Ulan tribes, and has disappeared. There is also talk of a monastery being burnt to the ground and survivors being hunted.
Merry continues to question about Sulevi.
Nora reacts. (+5 xp sarah)
Mahina questions the churchgoer again, this time trying to intimidate her but lets her go as she is unable to get information.
Mahina talks to Merry's dogs while the rest talk amongst themselves.
Attack Outside the Church
The party leaves the church to be besought upon by dogs. The dogs are told to attack by the churchgoer, who Mahina recognized as the "churchgoer" H. Trick.
Book calls forth a rat; the dogs attack Ugly & Tempest and they attack back.
One of the dogs withdraws, the other bites Book.
Barrel runs off to find the spellcaster.
The unknown spellcaster puts Ugly to sleep- Book's rat bites him to wake him.
Tempest charges off to find the spellcaster, Mahina runs behind Book.
Lock attacks the enemy dog and knocks it unconscious.
Ugly stands up and runs in the direction Tempest and Barrel ran.
Merry gets hit hard by Jux, a foe who rushes into the fray.
The unknown spellcaster casts sleep again. 
Stock goes to sleep but Tempest stays awake.
Mahina rushes behind Merry and heals him fully.
Tempest tells Ugly to attack Jux and then runs after the spellcaster, who is H. Trick the "churchgoer"
The rat rushes Jux but Jux kills the rat before getting bitten by the dog.
Jux yells, "Get out of here, H. Trick! They don't even have the old lady!"
Ugly flies into a rage but misses Jux.
Nora runs to Tempest and H. Trick.
Merry steps backward and holds his hands up in a non-threatening manner. He says, "Hey now, hey now, this is not something we need to get upset over" as he casts Charm Person on Jux.
Jux is charmed and Merry yells to everyone to stay calm, not attack, etc.
Lock attacks Jux. Jux tried to push Lock out of the way to attack Book but Lock pushed him back.
H. Trick falls to her knees and begs for mercy.
Mahina hides behind Merry and holds her action, heeding what Merry had said earlier about not attacking.
Tempest tries to knock out H. Trick but misses her, so she pins her against the wall.
Lock responds to Merry's down command and sits.
Merry convinces Ugly to stand down on Jux so he runs over to H. Trick and punches her unconscious.
(Combat drops.)
Merry questions Jux about why he attacked. Jux says Merry's friends were harassing H. Trick and both he and H. Trick were just trying to bring Landa in for questioning but that he really can't say more.
Merry continues to converse cordially with Jux. Jux apologizes for causing trouble and says he was just following orders.
Jux says H. Trick is a good magic user, his favorite.
Tempest whispers, "If he doesn't answer our questions under your spell, then we will need to force it out of him. Neither can leave without us knowing who they work for and why."
GAME ADJOURNED
Final GM message
Post-battle status:
- XP: You guys got 200XP for the encounter and 40XP for delivering Landa.
- It ended up being a party combined sum of 1745xp in awards and bonuses.
- Items recovered: (Book found them all first. Suggestion: Arm wrestle him for dibs.)
- Inn: Gelthien's cane (Minor Transmutation, black & smooth, but has a checkmark and the numerals 1-3 written on the side.)
- H. Trick: Backpack, Potion of Blur, Potion of Cure Light Wounds, 25gp, 3sp
- Status of prisoners
- Jux requires some interrogation!
- H. Trick was beaten unconscious and her pockets were raided. She lies bleeding slowly on the cobblestones.
- Dying dog is dying. 24 seconds left to live!
- Slumbering canine. Let sleeping dogs lie?
XP Award Details
As listed on the spreadsheet.
In-Character Awards
