Walls of Linwe Part 2 - Solo Dungeoneering Continued

Over the past week I slowly continued to unfold the story of our intrepid party. I started with some downtime activities. For prices of various items I'm using the Basic Fantasy Equipment Emporium. I got to do couple combats and I'm quite pleased with how dynamic they feel while only using a series of coin flips (e.g. will the attack land, coin flip, will the injury be substantial, coin flip). I also got to use ChatGPT for the first time, specifically to generate a short little poem. Nothing groundbreaking but it saved me some time.

Intermission

Rechthorst, a town of 5 000 straddling the river Ganz. Once an important trade centre, now a shadow of its former self after the resources of the Keferhals Forest have been depleted. It remains a cosmopolitan town and a temporary home to many explorers, opportunists and swashbucklers. Other than that, it is known for its beer brewing, with some breweries exporting their products as far as the Coast of Smiles. Town is led by a daring bravo by the name of Grizzyla Mellereih. She herself ventured into the Walls Linwe on many occasions.

Among the various establishments of Recthhorst, the Plucked Goose Inn is probably the most well known and one with the most storied past. Now under the patronage of Margreta Carver, who inherited the inn from her late uncle just a few months ago.It is here, where most adventuring folk spend their nights, when they’re not out braving the dangers of a deep wode or an ancient ruin.

Day 2 - 7

Party entered the town just as the wind was picking up and the sun was setting. They retreated into their rented rooms at the Plucked Goose Inn. During the next three days Iratz’s injured leg healed considerably and he was able to use it again. In the meantime Theodor pulled on his merchant contacts and sold the necklace they found. He got 750 gold pieces upfront with the promise of receiving 750 more, once the merchant liquidates some of his assets.

Mydred visited her mage friend Cerenia with the chest they recovered. While Cerenia was able to identify the runes as a protective sleep spell enchantment, she wasn’t able to dispel it. While they talked, Cerenia asked Mydred for a favour. Lord Persval, the third son of Baron Emberraft, ventured into the Walls of Linwe with an armed retinue last week and have not returned yet. Cerenia owes the old Baron a favour or two and so wanted the party to look for Persval, if they’re returning to Walls of Linwe anyway.

Party was unable to find a locksmith willing to risk opening the chest, so Iratz took it upon himself to attempt unlocking it.

“I always wanted to learn how to pick locks. Seems like a useful skill for an adventurer.”

He bought a set of lockpicks and got to it. It took him a good three days of fumbling around with the lock but he eventually got it open. And just as predicted, he got a sleep spell cast on him just as he opened the lid. Thankfully it either wasn’t a potent enchantment or its strength faded over time. He was easily roused from sleep by Mydred. Inside they found flasks of valuable liquor and a single crystalline flask containing a swirling silvery fluid. Liquor they sold for 600 gold pieces.

Ogva knew of an alchemist, who might be able to identify the potion. Carnrite Mejir, quite possibly the oldest person in Rechthorst yet still practising his craft. None of the party knew him personally but he quite happily agreed to identify the potion, if they promise to do some business at his shop in the future. The potion turned out to be a potion of levitation, allowing one person to soar through the air for up to two hours.

Theodor bought fresh sterile bandages. Iratz decided to splurge and bought a shiny new set of banded mail armour for himself. Cyril bought himself some cooking gear and supplies for the road, not willing to stomach the dry rations anymore. Ogva bought a foldable bear trap, just in case. She also hired a locksmith to create a key for the chest they recovered from the dungeon. Mydred bought a mule to hopefully allow them to easier carry treasure out of the dungeon.

Day 8

Armed with their new equipment, they set out to the Walls of Linwe once more. It was a particularly foggy morning and while it made navigation harder, they knew their way and did not get lost.

As they were about halfway to the dungeon, they came upon a small field of grass with pink crystalline dew clinging to it. Mydred scooped a little with the tip of her dagger. Crystalline dew got immediately absorbed into the metal blade and covered the tip with a mirror like sheen. Next she tried to scoop some of it into a glass vial but the dew covered the glass as well, turning it into a pinkish mirror. Group spent some time pondering the strange phenomenon but ultimately decided to move on.

Suspecting the southern gatehouse is inhabited, they gave it a wide berth and headed straight for the eastern gatehouse. Portcullises at the gatehouse were still active, being ratcheted up and then slamming down against the floor. Party had some trouble convincing Charles, the mule, to enter but eventually Cyril lured him in with some food.

Once inside the complex, they decided to finish exploring the gatehouse itself. Charles was left outside and Mydred opened the hidden doorway using the method they learned on their last expedition here. They passed along all the rooms they already explored and found stairs leading up. They found a stuck door which had marks of charring in the middle. Suspecting a trap, they pass the door for the time being.

Further down the hallway, a wooden door led them into a small study room. Walls were lined with bookcases filled to the brim with books. There was an ornately carved table in front of an arrow slit, providing some light. Inside a table drawer, Theodor found a handful of valuable looking crystals. Going over the books, they found most of them to be manuals on various weapons and fighting styles. None of them looked particularly valuable but Iratz found one of the manuals interesting and decided to take it with him for later study.

Moving on, they came upon a door open ajar. From inside they could hear some grinding and scraping noises. They decided to wait at the door for a while, listening carefully to see if whoever or whatever is inside won’t speak up. Even after ten minutes or so, no voices came and so the group decided to peek in carefully. Beyond a door was some kind of workshop used to maintain weapons and armour. Tools were moving on their own, flying through the air, performing the tasks they were presumably designed for. Theodor decided to step in carefully, avoiding the tools as they work. At the opposite end of the workshop an ornate metal helmet caught his attention. As he focused his gaze on it for a moment, small blue flames appeared inside the helmet, around where the eyes should be.

“WHO STANDS BEFORE UTRECH THE BROKEN?”, boomed a voice from the helmet.

All the tools stopped what they were doing immediately and held in attention.

“Theodor of House Markhar.”, said Theodor confidently, facing the challenge of the sentient helmet with a straight back.

“I KNOW NOT A FAMILY BY YOUR NAME. ARE YOU A PRETENDER OR DOES NOBLE BLOOD TRULY COURSE THROUGH YOUR VEINS? SHOW ME!”

At this point Theodor stepped forward and the rest of the group entered the room. Theodor asked Mydred for her dagger. He approached the helmet, cut his palm and let a few drips fall onto the helmet.

“I FIND YOU WORTHY, THOUGH IT APPEARS MANY GENERATIONS PASSED SINCE I WAS LAST WORN. SWEAR DUTY TO PROTECT THE LAND OF REZLAV, ITS ROYAL FAMILY AND ITS PEOPLE AND I’LL BESTOW UPON YOU MY POWERS.”

“I swear.”, said Theodor as he was taking the helmet. As he put it on, the rest of the group could see his hazel brown eyes turning into a cold blue colour.

“Well, that was… different.”, remarked Cyril.

“YES. Ehm, yes. Excuse me.”

“So… A noble eh? When were you going to tell us?”, asked Iratz.

“I did not think it important.”

“Wait! Can you hear that?”, Iratz flinched and looked towards the door.

Tapping and scraping of dozens of little feet and treacherous rat squeaks.

“Throw me the dagger, quick!”, ordered Mydred.

Theodor sent the dagger, still covered in his blood, across the room. Mydred caught it, sharpened her mind and in one fluid motion flicked the blood from the dagger at the emerging tide of ravenous rats. Blood multiplied in volume as it was moving through the air and fell upon the rats as a rain of acid, burning their flesh to the bone where it touched them.

Iratz pulled Ogva back and stepped in her place. He swung his great sword and bisected around a dozen rats. They pulled back a little. Ogva lifted her crossbow and let a bolt loose into the teeming mass. She couldn’t really miss but the crossbow was a wholly unsuitable weapon against them.

Cyril took one look at his hand axes and decided to kick down one of the tables instead, creating a little bit of a barrier between himself and the rat swarm.

“ENOUGH!”, Theodor’s eyes were glowing with flickering blue flames. Various tools and bits of armour and jerked and floated up in the air. After a moment they shot forward, hurtling at a staggering velocity towards the rats.

The hail of objects was indiscriminate and though it made the rats retreat, it also caused some minor cuts and bruises to Mydred and Iratz.

“Ouch. Hey, be more careful with that, please.”, said Iratz, pulling a small fill from his left leg.

“APOLOGIES. I HAVEN’T USED MY OFFENSIVE POWERS FOR A FEW GENERATIONS.”, Theodor shook his head and his eyes turned back to dull blue colour.

“Not sure about you, but I’d rather not be here when the rats decide to return.”, urged Cyril.

As the party was beating a hasty retreat from the gatehouse, Theodor’s foot fell perhaps too heavily on a rotten floorboard and his right foot plunged beneath. Fortunately, the rest of the boards were sound and Theodor sustained no injuries. Taking a quick look at what’s floor below, the party saw a deep shaft 10’ wide, disappearing into the darkness their torchlight could not reach. Somewhat concerningly spoken words said near the hole returned back as a distorted whispery echo.

Once outside the gatehouse, the party started following the outer wall south. The path narrowed. Thick stone walls loomed on either side. They came upon a skeleton of a hapless adventurer nailed to the wall by several daggers. They must’ve been shot with tremendous force to penetrate the stone. Upon the corpse, Cyril found a leather pouch containing 30 gold pieces. Opposite of the skeleton there was an opening leading deeper under the fortress complex. It was once blocked by a set of thick metal bars, those were however melted. Looking inside, Iratz pointed out the pressure plate that no doubt activated the dagger trap. Mydred noted the entrance on the map she was making but the party ultimately decided to continue moving west.

They could see the central gatehouse in front of them now. Party found themselves in a small courtyard. In the centre of it, there was a dried out fountain. Atop of it was a statue of a lion. Its mouth was agape, no doubt once the source of water. Its eyes were gleaming crystals. Its hide had patches of tarnished metal, presumably the statue was at some point fully coated in silver. Mydred clambered up the fountain and plucked the eyes from the statue. She also found a crumpled piece of paper inside the lion's mouth.

“Beneath the chasm's deadly drop, Lies a treasure trove that will not stop. Protected by the fire eternal's heat, And the feet of gold that won't retreat.”

Sneaking towards the central gatehouse, they found out similarly to the eastern gatehouse it did not have any apparent entrances. Mydred attempted to replicate the way to open the secret entrance but to no avail. Theodor heard faint shouts and clang of metal against metal from behind them but before he could voice this to the rest of the party, there was a big explosion in that direction.

Moving towards what they could now identify as sounds of a battle, they hugged the walls, using buildings for cover. They emerged on a wide courtyard. On it, they could see two cavalry forces struggling against each other. One, humans in gleaming armour riding atop grey warhorses. The other, a band of half-devils half-hell horses wielding vicious two handed hammers made of brass and obsidian. Theodor recognised one of the knights’ livery as that of Lord Persval. It appeared the devils were triumphing over the knights.

Ogva peeked out from the alleyway and shot her crossbow, however she missed her mark.

“Cruds! Cyril, take the trap off my backpack and set it up at the end of the alleyway!”

While Cyril obliged, Mydred stepped out, threw the lion eye crystals she just recovered in the air and attempted to sharpen her mind once more. As the crystals were caught in the sunlight, they seemed to drink it up hungrily and then two piercing rays of energy shot against the hellish centaurs. Two of them crumpled to the ground immediately.

Devils looked back to see where the attacks came from and two of them split off from the band and started heading towards the party. Iratz set aside his great sword and threw a javelin against the approaching enemies. Ogva reloaded her crossbow and let loose another bolt. Both attacks injured the centaurs grievously and slowed them down but weren’t enough to fell them.

As the party began to retreat into the alleyway, they could see the fight between the knights and the devil centaurs became more even. The two injured devils were still hurtling after them and gaining rapidly. They could hear a loud snap as one of them got caught in the bear trap. The other cried out madly and continued to pursue the party.

“I’ll slow him down.”, said Theodor as he turned around to face the charging centaur.

Mydred was about to protest but Ogva pulled her forward. Theodor hefted his shield and sword, a bead of sweat trickling down his forehead. Devil made ready to swing his heavy two handed hammer.

“NOW!”

Theodor’s eyes glowed bright blue and a small cloud of dust shot up in front of the centaur, blinding him temporarily. Theodor stepped aside while slicing sideways but inflicted only superficial injuries on the centaur’s abdomen. Their skin appeared to be quite tough. Between the dust in his eyes and the new injury, he stopped, turned around and prepared to face Theodor. Theodor deflected the first blow with his shield but was unable to find an opening. Centaur reared up and attempted to kick Theodor but he jumped back just in time. Centaur and Theodor charged against each other simultaneously. Their weapons met but the centaur had simply too much momentum over Theodor. He was sent flying and crumpled against the wall.

Centaur was going in for a killing blow but as he lifted his hammer, a crossbow bolt pierced his skull. Ogva was standing about fifty feet down the alleyway, breathing heavily. Party sprinted to the unmoving body of Theodor. He was still breathing, barely.

As the party was devising a way to fashion improvised stretchers to carry unconscious Theodor, they heard the sound of hooves beating against the pavement. Fearing the worst they braced to be swept away by a band of marauding devil centaurs but instead a host of human knights emerged. They carried many injuries themselves, their once gleaming armour tarnished with blood. They stopped some way ahead of the party.

“Hail, good people! I believe we owe you a life or two.”, spoke out one of them.

Party confirmed them to be the host of lost Lord Persval. Two groups joined their forces, tended to their wounds to the best of their abilities and set out back to Rechthorst. They passed through the central gate unimpeded as it turned out, whoever was manning it was on good terms with Lord Persval. He called them Watchers of the Gate but did not elaborate on who they are.

As they were returning, they spotted a giant flying reptile in the distance. A dragon. Lord Persval excused himself and his most trusted knight and they raced ahead, to warn Baron Emberraft.

At last the party made it back to the Plucked Goose Inn. Theodor was however still unconscious and showed no signs of waking up.