Malta Session 4: 09/07/2017: The Thing in the Crypts, the Black Druid’s Wolves, and Return to Paola

Lete Cordasco

We begin this week’s session with Marco, Carlo and Lete moving out to bring the unconscious tiefling, Voximore’s body inside the farmhouse when Marco sees something amiss. Investigating he sees a bear trap had been set but no further evidence of passage in the rough terrain. Lete restrains the tiefling- hands, mouth and eyes while Lex descends to the lower level to investigate the ice room as a possible cell. Our characters bring in the bear trap so no one accidentally injures themselves setting it up along the crooked passage below to cover our backs.

Recovered are two master work daggers, a light cross bow and fifteen bolts-10 regular and 5 masterwork; master work thieves tools (Lex), a tanglefoot bag, a alchemist bag and a vial of acid; a potion of CLW (imbibed by Lex later after falling to wolves) and a pass without a trace potion; leather armor (Lete) and wand of sleep CL4 (15 charges); a platinum piece and two silver (later returned to Voximore); and eventually (when we leave for Paola ) we find a wand of unseen servant (49 charges).

Meanwhile, in the ice room  two coldstones radiate faint coolness and after checking for secret doors its decided the room looks near perfect for a impromptu cell. Lex does notice inconsistencies in the layout of the farmhouse basement eventually focusing his attention on the crypts where he believes a secret room might be found behind the caskets. Eventually Lex finds a casket worked into the wall and concealed with rough masonry.  

Above, Lete begins lookout watching through the slats of boarded up windows and the attic watching for besiegers, Jabari has the prisoners on lock down with his 'magical' crossbow and provides rations as well as a pot to piss in.

Marco Andrezi

Marco has questions for the tiefling Voximore, separating Osso and Evagara. Voximore states there was no deal yet and seems perturbed at his current situation; however, he is willing to overlook the recent events if he were to be set free. Voximore had word of a workbook (journal) of a magical process that was at stake. When asked about Zabbar Voximore states he’s the pirate king. Marco assures Voximore  we will let him go in due time and when we meet again it will be for the ‘first’ time. While Voximore says the deal seems fair, he was not alone and doesn’t want anything to happen to these other sailors that may try to rescue him.  

In the next room Jabari asks Voximore which church Osso would answer for his crimes- Voximore answered he didn't know but assumed it would be the seventh church.

Eventually Marco runs the same questions by Osso and wants information on the tiefling Voximore. Starting with the teiflings name and who he works for; Osso’s answers align with Voximore’s statements and testifies Zabbar is capable of granting ships and rules Sala rock.

**Sala Rock (Zabbar):  Locals call it Sala Rock but not in the presence of the Tiefling pirate king Zabbar. Sala Rock has a watchtower, dock, house and barn since it was claimed by the Pirate King.  He has re-christened the island with his own moniker, Zabbar Island.  The Pirate King has anywhere from ten to two dozen ships at his disposal and is famous among pirates due to the two Thri-Kreen guardians that serve him.  Zabbar himself refers to the two Thri-Kreen as "The Roman and The Greek" and frequently chuckles after saying it. 

Osso was attempting to trade the journal for a ship and admits his plans to show the masterwork badge to others should current deals fall through. Under pressure Osso says he paid a debt with Unger and Davos and hopes to buy back the funds to hire a crew. Jabari asks him where he would take this ship? Eventually the scoundrel Osso says ‘north’ where he has heard of countries not under the direct control of dragons. He has heard of the city Gibraltar where gemstones hold their value and he could hopefully own land. He had hoped to escape in the night to negotiate with Voximore at a neutral sight. When pressed as to how many people he told of the deal: Fessaj, the pirate king Zabbar, and finally Unger and Davos who have uneasy working relationships.

Meanwhile Russ finds strange markings on a casket that he believes are claw marks, the grooves appearing as if someone were trying to get out of the casket. Muffled sounds, monstrous screams, and scratching escapes from the embedded casket spooking Lex.  Retreating upstairs to inquire with Evagara how she left her estate before her studies abroad, the young woman indicates the house was boarded up when she left and she improved the security when she returned.  She also identifies the casket in question as her aunt's casket that was entombed 25 years ago.

After a brief meeting our characters agree to free Voximore.  We leave with Osso and Evagara for Paola post haste leaving the unknown dangers behind. Before he leaves Voximore says to mention him for a ‘pirates chance’ should the need arise.  We leave in the quiet of the night overhearing Voximore calling out a humorous warning to ‘Laz’ and his bear traps. Lex marks the house door as unsafe. We hope to eventually pass the potential danger to the druid centaur Nogamon when the should the opportunity arise.

By the light of the quarter moon

We head off into the evening leaving Zebbug, passing isolated travelers along the way. Osso and Evagara are unsettled about the unknown danger in the basement, Evagara expresses the desire to be looked at by the Finnish church unsure if her close proximity to such a creature had infected her somehow, which was an answer that surprised Osso. When Osso is asked about his temple of choice he replies Otherwhere.  When Lex and Jabari press him further, he smirks and replies that he left his offering at the golden idol. 

It is dark, partly cloudy with a quarter moon and our travel through the night is swift as Marco talks about his past to ease Evagara’s mind.  His conversation reveals that she eventually wants to go to Italy. Their conversation is interrupted when we come to a small thorp, the horrific sounds of a crying horse and a surprise attack from wolves with red ringed eyes. Something seems amiss with these creatures as elsewhere wolves are attacking other things in the night.

Defeating the wolves we notice a brand on each, likening it to a barren tree. We retreat to a recently abandoned hovel which looks to have been inhabited by animals at one time or another. Wolves can be heard further into the thorp; Jabari and Lete sees a faint light at a neighboring hovel; Lex is certain the wolves are gathered around the thorp’s central well. Lete and Marco check out the light and hear sounds from inside. Moving closer Lete hears “it’s a trick’ as well as‘it’s the black one’.  Eventually we identify six Halflings (two women Misha & Navara) a couple of human women (Yesha & Gorsha) and a solitary gnome Idicorus hiding inside. Marco pleads with them to open the door but when they do four additional wolves attack.

When the combat ends everyone moves to the main hovel where the halfling woman Navara offers to tend to Lete who fell to a wolf. We make introductions asking about the wolves and it is indicated as the work of the Black Druid.

The Black Druid seems to have arrived eight months ago when the inhabitants of the thorp started seeing barren tree symbol burned in to the hovels and livestock.  Soon the crops began to wither and to their horror their dead livestock was used against them. We are also told of a half-elf who came here recently killing a Halfling Bawabi in the garden during day light hours.  Further questioning reveals most believe it was a random occurrence however the halfling women believe Bawabi was killed by the half-elf because he was in the garden. The two human women don’t seem to have an opinion. The Gnome Idicorus says there had to have been some reason Bawabi was killed three weeks ago.  

Barren Tree Brand

The group claims that normally after a night of attacks there is a few days of down time; hearing this we decide to stay and rest through the night. We invite them to join us back to town, and it is clear they wish to talk among themselves.

During the night Tony asks Evagara what she went abroad to study: she indicates that she is a novice wizard. She had a very good teacher Naxxar who she served for several years in repayment for her training.  She is now free to pursue her own path  and expresses a distaste for Egyptians. Why? She explains Naxxar’s favorite targets are Egyptian ships and she fears retaliation due to her association with Naxxar.

The human women Yersha and Gorsha agree to accompany us in the morning. Tony pays the Halfling healer a gold piece and gravely indicates she has saved our lives before we leave.

We arrive early in the morning at the Seven churches where Evagara believes she sees signs of ships being in dock, much relief to Osso. Our characters intuit Garamaldi will be busy today.

Arriving to Ukko’s church, we see the Greeks are manning the church. We watch Gorsha enter the Norse temple while Yersha waits outside and by time we are finished at Ukko’s they are gone. We find an adept who expects a new high priest as well as a merchant who will come to claim a new carriage where we temporarily place Osso after assurances from Marco that Evagara will be well taken care of.  The adept Horgh claims a Greek education and reveals he has agreed to be the new assistant to the new Finnish High Priest.

We tithe at our temple and arrange healing as well as CLW for 40 gold each. Meanwhile some of us agree to work for the church while Carlo waits to speak to Garamaldi. We inquire about messenger services to warn the druid about the plague house in Zebbug as well as the thorp suffering the dark druid.

Lex keeps Osso company while Jabari and Lete work for the church easing the minds of the new arrivals, Lete identifying potential threats such as evidence of the EYE, as well as offering our skills with languages should it be needed with the new High Priest. Jabari's knowledge of King's Tongue appears to be the most coveted language.  Meanwhile Lex guards Osso, keeping him company, trying to get him to confide in him. Osso warns him to be careful with Unger and Davos who he identifies as crime lords operating in Hagar Qim.  Osso claims they control sections of the docks and often come into conflict with each other.

Marco and Carlo travel to Paola, taking Evagara, to go armor shopping and encounter the first wave of new comers.  They encounter ancient archways at the entrance to the city which the locals considered good luck to pass through.  The threesome pass through the archways into the overpopulated Paola. Tall apartment buildings are common and eventually the two find a working forge where Rob acquires a chain shirt. After their armor purchase they meander about, to window shop and eventually find a tall glass sculpture of a beautiful woman in a park where artists (bard college students) have gathered to render the statue. The bard college (the Candle) is famous for their glass works and sculptures. In their wanderings the three come across two walled estates and a bank.