AD&D Session 3: Requiem for a Ferret

We started the session by making characters for three new adventurers: Temalkel the Illusionist, Oscar the Thief, and Q the Magic-User. They roll up in the inn tavern of Trilo and meet Sir Goldborn and Zelda, who fill them in on who's who and what has been happening recently.

As for these two's downtime updates, Sir Goldborn has gained some reputation among the common soldiers in Ristoro A for his healing services. Zelda has done some limning, gaining some silver pieces and now some of Trilo's soldiers have very nicely painted shields.

As for Giorno's soldiers from last time, they may go into the Ashes Island dungeon but will have to do so on their time off and the party will have to pay insurance money to Giorno in case their equipment gets lost or destroyed.

Oscar the Thief helpfully claims to have thousands of gold pieces stashed away he or she can fetch. It's not really clear whether it should be he or she, as Oscar sounds like someone with a naturally high-pitched voice trying to talk in a really low pitch. We'll just say she for convenience.

Anyway, most suspect that Oscar's way of fetching the gold will be to take it from someone else. She targets two village people talking at a table, Melissa the Shipwright and Xenia the woman in a blue robe. The paladin turns away and faces a wall. Oscar attempts to pickpocket Xenia while talking to the pair to distract them. She is discovered! She runs to the exit before anyone can really react, jumps over her pet goat that was stationed just behind the door, and climbs the wall of the inn. The few soldiers who come out of the inn to look for her don't find her and she waits on the roof until it's safe to come down again.

In the meantime, the newly-formed party decides to visit Ashes Island again. It is Dec. 8. Zelda goes to fetch Frank the Ferryman to boat them over. Zelda and S. Golborn are able to get 2 spearmen to follow the party, paying equipment insurance to Giorno thanks to Zelda's and Q's funds.

Everyone meets at the port, including the thief, and they sail away to Ashes Island. Upon arriving there, they decide to explore a bit before going into the dungeon.

The entrance is a wide downwards passage with roughly hewn steps, carved into a strange mound of grey-blackish stone. Oscar climbs the mound and is able to see the rest of the island below, with three other similar strange mounds, some folding into themselves to create caverns that go right through. There's also a depression in the center of the island and a person-sized hole a bit to the right of the other side of the mound Oscar stands in.

The party decides not to enter the hole and to go in the dungeon by the normal entrance. They hear squeaking noises. Q sends her pet ferret forward to see what's there. Now the squeaking noises intensify and fighting noises occur. The party runs forward to see the situation, and they find the lone ferret fighting against 10 giant rats in a large circular room. The ferret is quickly overwhelmed and does not make it. But the party has gained surprise on the enemy and everyone makes attacks against the rats at +4 (+2 for rear attack, +2 for stunned opponent). The thief does double damage on a hit. The rats quickly start to flee, which allows another round of attacks from the party. 6 rats in total are killed, the rest fleeing in the narrow passage in the east.

The room is full with little stone containers, which are promptly looted, and 1500 electrum pieces are recovered.

The party decides to open the door in the northern wall. They come into a large rectangular room with a door on the other side and 15 hooks affixed to the wall. After some horsing around, the door is opened to reveal a large chasm beyond it, but a bridge is fixed to the wall adjacent to the door. Sir Goldborn lights an arrow on fire and shoots it to see where the bridge brings. The arrow bumps on another wall and lands on the bridge! At this point, I consult the item saving throw rules to see whether the bridge is lit on fire by the arrow. It says that it takes some time for fire to catch on, so Sir Goldborn has time to rush onto the bridge, run toward the flaming arrow, and kick it down many feet below.

After this, the party decides to retreat with the treasure. The wandering monster check comes up negative, so they make it safely out of the dungeon and back to the safe Trilo shore, with a total of 750 XP for their accomplishments. The spearmen get a prize too: 50 electrum pieces each.

Next session will be on Dec 14 and the characters have opportunity to act until then. Oscar will disguise as a beggar and panhandle, while also attempting some pickpocketing. Q will bury her fallen ferret in the village church cemetary and pay it due respects. Sir Goldborn will explore the hills on the east for two days, then travel to Borgogazze to find out its military organization and leaders (DM's note: time to generate those details...). Zelda will countinue her limning work and take one day of rest to do some fishing at the lake in the northern hills, selling what she catches at the village.