Home Setting The Cast Rules Archives

  1. The Swallowtail Festival
  2. Local Heroes, part 1: The Goblin Hunt
  3. Local Heroes, part 2: The Boar Hunt
  4. Local Heroes, part 3: The Shopkeeper's Daughter
  5. Local Heroes, part 4: The Missing Bartender
  6. Interrogations and Rumors
  1. The Catacombs
  2. Thistletop: Preparation
  3. Thistletop: The Warren
  4. Thistletop: The Fort
  5. Thistletop: The Dungeon
  6. Thistletop: The Lair
  1. Murder Most Foul
  2. Walking scarecrows
  3. Misgivings, pt.1
  4. The Thing in the Attic
  5. Misgivings, pt.2
  1. Mad moon rising in Magnimar

The story so far:

The Swallowtail Festival

Sunday, Rova 1, 4707 AR

            The party gathers in Sandpoint for the Swallowtail Festival, enjoying the food and games... but during the evening consecration of the new cathedral, goblins attack! The party manages to fight them off and even capture a few.

Local heroes part 1: The goblin hunt

Moonday (Farmer's Market Day in Sandpoint), Rova 2, 4707 AR

            The party interrogates the captive goblins and discover that a "longshanks" might have been part of, or even leading, the raid on Sandpoint. Amismara manages to get Sheriff Hemlock to agree to spare one goblin from hanging so that they can use it to find the nest. Amismara and Andok go to the final consecration of the new cathedral, after which Andok finds the body of Father Ezakien Tobyn missing from the graveyard. The others put off going after the goblin nest in order to rest, and they go to the hanging. Andok visits Sabyl Sorn at the House of Blue Stones.

Toilday, Rova 3, 4707 AR

            The party rents a mule (Fencechewer) from the Goblin Squash Stables to smuggle the goblin Rottooth out of town. In return for a promise to let him go, Rottooth leads them to the Birdcruncher lair. They tie him up and leave him with Fencechewer the mule, taking a path through tangled undergrowth towards the lair. Evan is slain by a constrictor snake, and Cael and Todd take him home.
            The rest of the party continues to the lair, where they take out the guards and burst in on the goblins deep in their lair, where the goblins have been holding Nacklewocket the gnome and Fangess the halfling captive. After routing the goblins, the party retreated (losing Fangess to goblin sniping on the way).
            On the way back to Sandpoint, the party questions Rottooth, who reveals that "a bigfolk boss" took some goblins on a secret mission to the graveyard in Sandpoint. Bergi joins the party at the Rusty Dragon.

Local heroes part 2: The boar hunt

Wealday, Rova 4, 4707 AR

            Andok meets his clanmate Gronk at the White Deer. Lord Foxglove invites the party on a boar hunt. Lord Foxglove is thrown from his horse and menaced by a boar, but Nacklewocket convinces the animal to run off instead of attacking. The party returns to Sandpoint without any further hunting.

Local heroes part 3: The shopkeeper's daughter

            Hrolfr is pulled away from the party by a young woman who needs his help with a rat problem - Shayliss Vinder. Bergi realizes that Shayliss probably isn't being honest about her motives, but doesn't warn Hrolfr, who goes with Shayliss to the basement of the general store. There Shayliss attempts to have a romantic interlude with him, but the two are caught by her father Ven Vinder before Hrolfr can extricate himself. Hrolfr ends up in a fistfight with Vinder, which the ranger loses. The town watch drag him back to the Rusty Dragon.

Local heroes part 4: The missing bartender

Oathday, Rova 5, 4707 AR

            At dawn the party is approached by Bethana Corwin, a halfling maid (and Bergi's grandmother), for help. After going to fetch Andok and Gronk, the party is sidetracked by the Mayor and the Sheriff, who tell them of grim news from Mosswood and introduce them to Shalelu Andosana. The Sheriff asks the party to stay in town for a few days while he fetches reinforcements, and Andosana offers to exchange knowledge on the local goblins with them at dinner.
            Mrs. Corwin asks the party to look for Ameiko Kaijitsu at the Glassworks, fearing that her brother Tsuto is up to no good. The party heads to the Glassworks to look for Ameiko, but find it full of goblins!
            Andok is killed by the goblins and taken back to his tribe by Gronk; while the party is joined by Aeric, Calvio, Quickfoot and Meklok. The party tracks down Tsuto Kaijitsu and his goblin gang, who have kidnapped Ameiko.

Interrogations and rumors

            They capture Tsuto and free Ameiko, and interrogate Tsuto at the town jail. Tsuto is unforthcoming, but the party also recovered his journal, in which there is information about a second, larger goblin raid on Sandpoint - and information on Nualia, a woman thought killed during the Sandpoint Fire.
            The party shops and rests at the Rusty Dragon, where they now have free room and board. The rumor mill has gone wild, and the townsfolk are in a state of near-panic.

The catacombs

Fireday (Town Market Day in Sandpoint), Rova 6, 4707 AR


            After calming a mob ready to storm the Glassworks, the party heads down into the tunnels they found below. They are soon set upon by twisted monsters in the dark, but they also find new companions, I'Daiin the Shoanti and Sheorin. However, Hrolfr leaves their company.
            Sheorin is kissed by a vargouille, and the party finds a quasit they are unable to slay. Leaving I'Daiin to guard the door to its chamber, the rest of the party returns to Sandpoint to rest, trade and gather information.

Starday, Rova 7, 4707 AR


            Descending back into the catacombs, the party destroys the invisible winged quasit through good planning and good luck, though Amismara is nearly killed by the hellhound the creature summoned to protect itself.
            The party explored the rest of the underground complex, discovering a strange, spherical room with objects floating in it and black lightning coursing over the red metal walls. They gather the floating items with a little ingenuity, and head back to Sandpoint, where the Heroes are greeted with relief and cheering.

Thistletop: Preparations

            The group decides to talk to Daviren Hosk, legendary in Sandpoint for his hatred of goblins, for clues as to how to reach Thistletop, where Tsuto's journal has indicated a new raid is being planned.
            Quickfoot patches things up with Venn Vinder while the rest of the party discusses blocking off the catacombs with Father Zantus and later the Mayor.

Sunday, Rova 8, 4707 AR


            The party attends the funeral service for the Glassworks workers. Bergi does her best to ease the town's worries. At the cathedral they meet Durriken, a Pharasman cleric who joins the party.
            Quickfoot discovers a ring in the spellbook left to him by his mother, and is astonished to discover that he can see magic with it on.

Moonday (Farmer's Market Day in Sandpoint), Rova 9, 4707 AR


            Quickfoot visits Venn Vinder, giving him the bottle of wine the party found in the catacombs. He then visits the orphanage with sweets for the children, Daviren Hosk with the gift of a flask of liquor, and a number of shops to buy and sell items. He spends the remainder of the day copying spells from scrolls at the Curious Goblin in return for letting old Chask Haladan read the terrible book of beasts the party found in the catacombs. Haladan offers to buy the book.
            At the end of the day, a discouraged Sheriff returns from Magnimar with only a handful of green soldiers to protect Sandpoint.

Thistletop: The Warren

Toilday, Rova 10, 4707 AR


            The party sets out for Thistletop in the foggy, rainy morning. After a brief but hair-raising encounter with a creature that bore resemblance to the legendary Sandpoint Devil, they reached the Thistle River and turned north, into the Nettlewood.
            It isn't long before they come upon a goblin patrol tormenting a gnome. They dispatch all but one of the goblins (Grubtug) and gain the company of the gnome (Squib) and a lurking paladin (Rhaina).
            At I'Daiin's insistence, Grubtug leads the party to a huge briar warren, and shows them the way inside. They tie him outside and go in, where they make short work of over a dozen goblins in a muddy "cave" under the thorns - as well as Gogmurt, the Thistletop tribe's shaman.

Thistletop: The Fort

            The party runs into a goblin ambush on their way over the rickety rope bridge to the Thistletop island. After dealing with it, they cut the bridge and return to Sandpoint to recover and resupply, leading a string of goblin prisoners (including Grubtug).

Oathday, Rova 12, 4707 AR


            After interrogating her, they gain the aid of the vengeful Birdcruncher goblin, Yuga, with Quickfoot's magic (and Ameiko's food and drink). They return to Thistletop by sea, but Yuga is too hung over to aid them, and hides while they infiltrate the goblin fort by climbing over the wall into the open yard, where a pack of goblin dogs guard something in a shed nailed shut.
            After dispatching the goblin dogs and hiding the bodies before the guards on the watchtower noticed, they entered the fort and assaulted the very heart of the goblin nest: Warchief Ripnugget's throne room.
            They defeated Ripnugget after a tough fight, but found themselves trapped in his throne room, with a horde of goblins, Bruthazmus the bugbear and other allies of the goblins waiting outside for them. The party prepared themselves, and then the goblins broke in.
            After another vicious fight, Bruthazmus and his allies retreated, and the party escaped from Thistletop with Yuga, having lost Quickfoot to Bruthazmus' enchanted arrows.
            The party rowed their jollyboat back to Sandpoint, where Yuga escaped. They took Quickfoot's body to the cathedral, where Father Zantus offered to bury it - only for Amrynn the elf to voice her objections. After some discussion it was decided that Quickfoot would be burned in the elven manner, and Amrynn (who knew Devin) joined the party.

Fireday (Town Market Day in Sandpoint), Rova 13, 4707 AR


            In the morning, the party explained their position to the Mayor, and asked for extra funds, which they received. Ameiko also saw to it that what items they sold garnered a bit more coin. Once re-outfitted, they headed back up the coast on foot, returning to Thistletop. In the nettle warren, they found horridly quick goblin zombies to greet them, and a newly repaired and well-defended rope bridge.
            After some consideration (and a few tricks to keep the goblins and their allies busy), the party cut the bridge in the middle and retreated to Sandpoint once more.

Starday, Rova 14, 4707 AR


            In the morning, the party resupplied for a water assault and siege on Thistletop.
            After successfully taking down Bruthazmus and Lyrie, and turning Orik against his former employers...

Thistletop: The Dungeon

            ...they confronted Nualia and destroyed her and her hellish dog, Yarmash. They spent the remainder of the day resting, and planning.
            In the evening, the party cleared the rest of the dungeon, killing a tentamort and nearly losing Orik as he fled from the terrifying howl of the hell-dogs in the chapel of Lamashtu. He was saved by Bergi, who kept him from a watery death.

Thistletop: The Lair


            They delved into the layer of Thistletop below the dungeon, finding a strange pillar of oversized coins with Thassilonian runes imprinted on the sides.

Sunday, Rova 15, 4707 AR


            After resting, half the party decided to return to Sandpoint, while Bergi, I'Daiin and Orik remained on the island.
            Those on the island released the trapped horse, then went hunting for food. They also buried Lyrie, at Orik's request.
            That night, Amrynn read Nualia's notes and journals, revealing her past and her plans - including notes about a "Skinsaw Cult," and a barghest called Malfeshnikor.

Moonday (Farmer's Market Day in Sandpoint), Rova 16, 4707 AR


            Those who had ventured to the town met with the Mayor and Sheriff and asked for help in taming Thistletop. The Mayor promised to try to get the nobles and carpenters' Guildmaster to aid them. She suggested that speaking to Vin Vinder might be of aid to them, at least with the Guildmaster.
            Rhaina went to see about getting another boat, while Amrynn went to the Feathered Serpent, Devin took their excess weapons to Savah's Armory, and Durriken went to discover what he could about barghests.
            Rushing the boat captain, the party left that afternoon, returning to Thistletop in the evening, where Bergi had tried to convince a goblin to jump down the privy for treasure.
            After giving the goblins the greater part of the goblin "treasure hoard," they blocked them up in the nursery once more and set Orik to guard them while they ventured down to Nualia's lair.
            There, they encountered a creature that named itself Jhorhesh, though the party believed it to be Malfeshnekor. After some questioning, Devin locked it back in its prison, promising to return.
            Around the bend in the hall, they opened a crypt lined with sarcophagi in alcoves, with a statue standing among them. The shadows began to stretch unnaturally as Devin explored the room, and the party fled back into the hall.
            Deciding that their focus in coming to Thistletop had been dealt with, they planned a combination assault on the goblins in the thistle maze and bridge-building venture to get the goblin women and children off the island. A bunyip surprised them on the first leg of their assault, but in the end their plans succeeded. Orik, however, vanished in the tumult.

The following week, Rova 17-21, 4707 AR


            The party had a bridge constructed and departed Thistletop for Sandpoint with Raz.

Murder most foul

Starday, Rova 28, 4707 AR

            The Sheriff asked the party to discover and stop a serial murderer who calls himself "Your Lordship." A note from this murderer was left at the most recent crime scene (Katrine Vinder and Banny Harker mutilated at the Sandpoint Sawmill), addressed to I'Daiin. Also, Harker's body bore the Sihedron star.
            Sheriff Hemlock deputizes the party, and explains that three other men were murdered recently, mutilated like the others, found in a barn near Cougar Creek, with their bodyguard Grayst Sevilla tied up and insane beside them. The bodies were brought to town, Sevilla was sent to a sanitorium, and the first note from "Your Lordship," found at the scene of the murders, was shown to the party.
            After examining the scene at the sawmill, the party determined that the murders had been perpetrated by at least one creature, and likely the undead. They then traveled to Habe's Sanatorium to interrogate the madman, Sevilla. Sevilla had a message for I'Daiin from "Your Lordship," whom Sevilla called The Skinsaw Man, and mentioned the Misgivings, a local name for Foxglove Manor.
            The party returned to Sandpoint, intending to report to the Sheriff, but arrived so late that they decided to eat and rest instead.

Walking scarecrows

Sunday, Rova 29, 4707 AR

            In the morning, a guard fetched them to speak with the Sheriff. He introduced them to a farmer, Maester Grump, who had a horrible tale to tell of walking scarecrows that ate the living. The Sheriff asked the party to investigate the Hambley farm, sending four of the town watch with them for backup. In the seemingly endless maze of paths through the cornfields, they found people strung up like scarecrows in the baking autumn sun, no longer human.
            Finding one survivor, they finally received instructions on how to find the Hambley farmhouse, and sent two guards and Rhaina back to town with the poor woman. But just as they reached the end of the dark tunnel-like paths through the corn and saw the farmhouse and barn, something ambushed their rear guard and dragged her off into the corn! The party pursued.
            In the fight that ensued, the party met Cosmin Strofa and Bid'ja. With their aid, they recovered their rear guard, cleared the barn and house despite the machinations and deceit of the ghouls and ghast there, and took the farmboy they found sick with ghoul fever back to Sandpoint. However, the ghast and a few ghouls got away.
            Reporting to Mayor Deverin, the party was introduced to Bardek Marczak. The party planned to pay a visit to Foxglove Manor, known locally as The Misgivings. Cosmin and Bid'ja decided to join the militia, leaving the Heroes.

Moonday, Rova 30, 4707 AR

            The party left Sandpoint for Foxglove Manor in the morning, and though they were ambushed on the way by Mr. Craesby and his ghouls, they swiftly ended the ghast's ill-planned ambush and reached the Misgivings.

Misgivings, pt.1


            Leaving Rip Charg outside with the mounts, the party entered Foxglove Manor, known locally by the ominous name, "The Misgivings," as the wind and rain picked up outside.
            Within, they encountered hauntings and horrors, eventually climbing to the attic in pursuit of distant crying. There, they found a woman cowering near a mirror - but once they moved the mirror, she rose, the ligature marks on her death-pale skin showing how she had died, and began shrieking for vengeance against Aldern as she stomped back down into the manor. The party let her pass, following her until she smashed a hole in the floor and jumped down into the basement. They lost track of her as they made their way down after her, but after encountering a horrifying number of ghouls and ghasts, they came upon Aldern, badly hurt, and kneeling by the woman - Iesha Foxglove's - remains.
            They quickly put an end to the wounded Aldern, stripped him of his valuables, and attempted to find a way to destroy the fungus they believed was responsible for his state. Alas, the religiously inclined among them believed it was beyond their power to hallow that unholy place, and so they ventured back to Sandpoint.

Toilday, Lamashan 1, 4707 AR

            I'Daiin left the party behind, while Amrynn fell ill with ghoul fever - but was quickly cured with a prayer from Bardek. At noon, the party headed back out into the Sandpoint hinterlands, heading for Habe's Sanatorium.

The Thing in the Attic


            They found the Sanatorium unkept and overrun by ghouls, who seemed to answer to a Varisian necromancer by the name of Caizarlu. Though it was a close thing (and Amrynn was blinded by magic), they soon overcame the ghouls and their master, and searched the building, finding the Doctor, Erin Habe, and a wererat named Pidgit after defeating Grayst Sevilla, once a patient, now a fully insane ghast.
            They left Cosmin behind to look after Pidgit while they took Doctor Habe and Caizarlu back to Sandpoint to answer for their crimes.

Misgivings, pt.2

Wealday, Lamashan 2, 4707 AR


            The party headed back to the Misgivings, aka. Foxglove Manor. They briefly searched the ground floor and the attic, but soon tired of the constant hauntings they encountered. Gathering what spoils they had found, they returned to Sandpoint, to prepare to travel to Magnimar.

Fireday, Lamashan 4, 4707 AR


            Entering the catacombs beneath Sandpoint, they destroyed the altar to Lamashtu, and emptied the runewell of power (as much as they were able).
            In recounting their tale to Bergi, they discovered that the kapenia they had found at Foxglove Manor was, in fact, still haunted, as it attempted to strangle Bergi.
            Devin gave Father Zantus the evil-looking tome the Heroes had recovered from beneath the town, to be destroyed. He was rewarded with a pouch of coin taken from the temple's tithes, in gratitude for delivering such a horrible thing to its destruction at the hands of the church.

Mad moon rising in Magnimar

Starday, Lamashan 5, 4707 AR


            Bardek made an inspiring speech to boost the morale of the townsfolk. Then the party, together with corporal Jaren Basvear of the Sandpoint militia, took their prisoners to Magnimar.

Moonday-Toilday, Lamashan 7-8, 4707 AR


            Once they had handed off the criminals to the local authorities, and Jaren had bidden them goodbye, they were faced with the issue of what to do with Pidget. They decided to follow Father Zantus' advice, and go to the temple of Abadar to see Proctor Jyronn Imikar, who agreed to help Pidget - for a tithe to Abadar.
            Cured of lycanthropy, the mad, giggling Pidget was set loose with Devin's dagger, and an admonition to stay out of the city.

The Second Cycle