• Sapphira - PAL1, AC 3/3, large shield, MV 9“, 1-2 Doors, 1-2 Listen, 15,13,13,12,16,17 hp 12, LG Rook.
• Adaeril - FTR5/MAG4 - Magical Sword.
• Fothas - Dwarf FTR2
• Greta Ironhand - Dwarf FTR1, AC 4/4, MV 9”, 1-2 Doors, 1-2 Listen, 15,10,10,9,15,12 hp 11, LG Rook.

• THE PALADIN'S QUEST. Sapphira arrived in Mombafra and learned from an Acolyte of Aneara that Ghouls have attacked nearby vagabonds. A recent discovery in old Mombafra has created an enticing feast for these creatures. There must be a Ghoul lair in the area. If we can find and purge the lair, they will pay for Saphira's training. They warn her that evils may lie within and if we can find evil altars that can be purged, they will provide additional reward. Ghoul Lairs are a big deal and a challenge so Sapphira requests additional options.

• The Acolyte has also heard about a particular inn along the north road to Starling from Mombafra. We have traveled that way before, which is east of the ford by the location of the Crimson Galleon. This little known inn is nestled in the hills and is not visible until you crest the hills. It is known as the INN OF THE BLUE GOAT and it is meant for merchant caravans. It is off the road a ways and not advertised. It typically serves the silk caravan when they pass through the region and when they leave this area or return. The inn was attacked some months ago by an unknown force and the Merchant Caravans changed routes and plans away from the inn since. There are reports from some of the merchants that the inn is now haunted. The Temple of Rook is interested in someone going there to investigate since the inn hampers trade routes. The Inn was previously well defended and yet it was still attacked. Since the attack, it was completely abandoned. There are some people that have traveled nearby that had not heard about the attack on the inn but upon their approach, they heard a disembodied voices and saw a piles of corpses. There was also an entire tree that had fallen through the stable. The Merchants decided that it was haunted and no longer want to be there since the attack.

• Fothas needs to find the Dwarven rods for his quest by today.

• Adaeril donates 160 gp to Saphira and Greta so they can purchase Banded Mail, the People's Armor.

We are going back under Mombafra.

Fothas is looking for some Men-at-arms.

• 9 Longbow Archers.
• 6 Shortbow Archers. Under the employ of Sapphira. They cost 24 gp/day. They are hired.
• 7 Light Crossbowmen.

Sapphira's Order is dedicated to Rook and she is the only character in the group that knows the details of the Icon of Sleal. This was the Icon that had become stolen or missing and it is considered dangerous. If she finds any sort of powerful monuments to Sleal, Sapphira will destroy them and purge them of evil. If she does this, her Order will reward her.

The Temple is also keenly interested in destroying the Icon itself. It has immense power and the local Thieves' guild has a big interest in it as well.

There have been a number of expeditions to the well and several days since Galeria's girdle was stolen! It was a girdle of many pockets.

We descend into the well.

Adaeril casts Strength on himself and it goes up to 17. He now has an Open Doors 1-3.

Adaeril, Fothas and Greta are on door duty.

We make it through five doors without any trouble. No traps have been reset but the barrels that were previously set up are now toppled to the ground. They have not otherwise been moved much.

We go through the blown out wall, which was made of a gray stone and had been obliterated. It left a wide opening of about 4' x 4'. The bigger blocks had fallen to the ground and some were still hanging there where the wall was blown away. Some of them were of a different stone, a tannish brown stone. A wall was constructed over the old wall at some point in the past. Embossed on the more ancient wall is a smirking face with black holes for eyes. There is also dried blood on it. The eyes appear to be angled down as if with mischief. The teeth bite a stone coin and there is an indication of seared black soot on the statue's face, mostly around the circumference of the faces mouth.

There are some words written in Dwarvish.

Adaeril concentrates on the Rod of Alertness and finds that there is magic emanating from the face. We write down the writing on the statue. The writing was engraved carefully and made around the time the face itself was carved. We look for anything shifting or sliding on the face but there is nothing where the face would shift or move.

Thanks to Adaeril's invisible black cat, we are NOT surprised.

We hear skittering on the ground and notice another source of dim red light as something is approaching. There are more Fire Beetles and they are charging. They have AC 6 (5).

One of the Fire Beetles take 1 damage from the first round of archers then we all pepper the beetles with arrows. All the Fire Beetles are dead!

We collect the Fire Beetles glands.

• 6 Fire Beetle glands.

Greta tries to put in a coin into the face but this does nothing. We do the stone coin has a salamander on one side. He then puts a torch to the face and it does not respond.

We decide to go find Jek in an attempt to get this open.

On the way back from the well as we get into New Mombafra. we find 6 Clerics of Foresi. They wish us well on our adventure and ask if we would care to make a donation to the temple. When we decline, we see them turn back around toward the city.

2 new characters join us:

• Urist - Dwarf FTR/THF, AL CN
• Reichgard - MAG2, AL CN

Adaeril pays for another day for the 7 Archers that have proven valuable to our group.

With our new party members, we return back down the well and arrive successfully at the door.

Urist, the Dwarf, can read the inscription on the door. It says the following:

In shadows we danced, with whispers we roamed. Through centuries secrets find their homes, silent steps stone to stone, in ancient whispers speak with words of yore, the wise foretold.

This appears to be a riddle of some kind, like a “speak friend” type of riddle.

Adaeril casts Strength on himself.

In shadows we danced, with whispers, we roamed. Through centuries, secrets find their homes. With silent steps, 
from stone to stone, In ancient whispers, truths are known. Speak words of yore, the wise foretold, And the 
stone guard's secrets too are shown.

All three of the Dwarves agree that the carving on the mouth was manufactured in the same age as the face. BOTH of them are very, very old, though not as old as the original Dwarven settlement. It was made about half a millennia ago. They believe that the carving of the mouth was created around the same time. Urist notices that there is a nearly imperceptible crack that is about 2' to either side of the face. The crease is in the wall but it is hard to see because it is in between the new wall and the old wall. The explosion that occurred some time ago only revealed the face and not the crease, though there is some space between the walls.

We all confirm that there does seem to be a crease in the wall, though maybe it is part of an etching.

Urist looks for traps, specifically checking the fire blast source. He has a 35% to find traps. Meanwhile, Adaeril agrees that there is a Secret Door here but does not see any obvious means to open it. He believes this to be the most secret of doors that he has seen yet.

Urist does not see any trap or mechanism on the door or around here but thinks that the explosion came from the outside, a blast which damaged the face.

We are breaking apart the new wall. We hear a swarm of giant rats. 20' there are 12 giant rats.

Adaeril casts Mirror Image. He has 4 images!

3 hits on the first volley 5 total hits. Archers kill 4 of the giant rats. AC 7 (8 for charge) Urist does 3 damage, kills one!

Reichgard flees Giant rats are evil so we get a +2 AC due to Paladin!

Adaeril charges into battle.

Rats flee in panic! 3 characters can get parting attacks. Fothas does 11 damage and kills one. They scurry off into the darkness. COMBAT OVER

We reveal more of the wall, well crafted secret door. The secret door is Extremely thick. Fothas starts braying like a goat at the face. Only result is goat noises.

Adaeril opens the door to the “hideout” area. This was a complex of squatters, nothing has changed in here. Floor is covered old bedrolls. Underground encampment. None of the dwarves notice any sliding or shifting, nor any traps.

I open the other door to the south. This was where Befin was staying, they killed him. Furs, messkit.

They do not find any traps or sliding parts.

ROLL SURPRISE

We hear a door close through the door. We push open the northern door, bedrolls were removed from this other room. Nice furniture has been arranged for a small person. Bed made with rope and string, Mattress of foliage falling out of abandoned sack. Brass candle holder with no candle.

This is the same furniture used by the rat thing. We are standing in the hallway. We do not hear anything.

We find nothing of value, nothing on the brass candle but fur.

The water in the well looks brackish and opaque. There are feces around the well. Fothas and Greta feel is slopes upward but Urist sees no elevation change.

Pickaxes. 10 gp (5 each).

Adaeril purchases 4 pick axes. 20 gp (5 gp each).

We head back, travel is uneventful.

First shift digs 4' deep.

Everyone gets water.

I drink a Potion of Treasure Finding.

detects within 24“ No treasure detection.

At the end of the second shift, we break into an open area. We broke into some kind of ceiling, 10' below. Staircase going down. We could clear out a hole in another hour.

Reichgard, Adaeril, and the Paladin are going for water.

ROLL SURPRISE

When we step outside to a hallway, there is a party illuminated by lanterns. 3 have light crossbows.

We have +2 AC ALL SHOTS ON ADAERIL! Must roll 20's to hit me. They all ricochet off the wall.

6 men in platemail, They bear holy symbols of Sleal.

2 Clerics cast spells Adaeril SAVES vs spells!

3 damage on Reichgard from a crossbow bolt.

Plate wearers charge us.

20 is needed for attacks against Adaeril.

AC 3/2

Reichgard causes 1 damage

Reichgard casts Charm Person Adaeril casts Mirror Image

2 clerics casts spells on themselves.

2 on Reichgard 2 on Adaeril MISS ADAERIL

Reichgard takes 3 damage and is DOWN!

Reichgard is at 0. Adaeril has 3 images.

There is 1 skilled fighter, 0/2

Adaeril attacks the skilled fighter

One cleric of Sleal grins and disappears! They tell us to surrender or die.

One hit on Sefira for 2 damage. Another 5 points of damage on Sefira.

Adaeril misses but Sefira does 6 damage to one.

Cleric is charging while invisibility. Appears out of nowhere with a footmans mace but MISSES ADAERIL! Does not hit Sefira

two on mirror images, ONE HIT SEFIRA, 4 damage to Sefira. HAS 1 HP!

6 damage against one fighter, I KILL ONE!

GRETA HEARS ELF SCREAMING and is in Combat.

Adaeril is attacking. Sefira lays on hands.

One cleric goes invisible. Fighter attacks Adaeril, MISSES!

2 on Sefira. DEFENDS!

Sefira heals for 2 hp.

Adaeril misses.

Reichgard at -4 hp. Adaeril Attacking the leader guy.

One attack on Sapphira, misses

Fothas Opens the door. Greta moves to engage. Adaeril and Sapphira misses.

Adaeril attacks a Cleric

AC 2/2 Clr, Ftr 2/2, 0/2

I did 6 damage to a Cleric, not dead.

8 damage to a fighter. Killed a FIGHTER!

One cleric goes invisible.

Urist takes 4 damage. Cleric MISSES Adaeril.

Adaeril attacks a Cleric. Hits for 6 damage! STILL NOT SLAIN!

DESTROYS ONE MIRROR IMAGE (a Cleric) 2 images left.

Adaeril attacks the Cleric. Fothas did 9 damage and KILLS one of the Clerics.

Cleric attacks Fothas, misses. Urist is attacked, 8 damage. URIST IS KILLED!

I will tend to Reichgard. Reichgard stops bleeding out at -9. Fothas hits for 7 damage to the Classed Fighter!

Cleric is falling back, it attacks Greta, MISSES! Man at arms misses Fothas.

Adaeril attacks the Cleric, does 10 damage and it DIES!

We pursue the Crossbowmen.

Adaeril hits once for 3 damage.

COMBAT IS OVER, they Surrender. WE Loot their stuff.

We get back to Mombafra in the late afternoon with all the stuff.

6 platemail 400/200 = 1200 gp 4 longswords 15/ 7.5 = 30 gp 3 daggers 3 short swords 8 gp / 4 gp = 12 gp 3 chain mail 75/ - 112.5 Gold Ring detect magic RING OF INVISIBILITY Jeweled Brooch on other cleric detect magic 10,000 gp

650 gp

12004.5 2400 gp 2404.1 for Reichgard

Reichgard takes the ring.

2500 xp for Everyone Reichgard gets 4,004 xp

— Ending on the 25th —

Guys were hired by the FORCES OF SLEAL

Level 5 for Adaeril Magic User

URIST WAS SLAIN

Reichgard is going up to level 3 Sefira pays her tithes to Rook

Adaeril takes a loan for 1000 gp, owes on the 26th. last day of training is 5th. Haste ages by 1 year.

100 gp / level

Gruhl Oakbarrel's corpse.