Recap 20180713 - Weeding Out the Thieves Guild - A Side Trek Adv in the SL World

20180713 Recap – This and That – Weeding Out the Thieves Guild
An 11th Level Side Trek Adventure in the Post Slave Lord’s World
An impromptu adventure to try out new PC builds in preparation for the Dark Nights series.

Gird (Human Monk – Art)
Stark (Human, wants to be a Deva, Artificer / Warlord - Ken)
Silk (Human Female Hexblade – Ross)
Kirell (Human Slayer – Arthur)
Alyce (Human Female Bard/ Warlock – Steve)


While resting in Tyr Amar at one of the larger casinos, two couples of travelers; Stark, Silk, Kirell and Alyce, meet a local hero, the monk Gird, defeater of the Slave Lords and famed martial artist.  While listening to Gird’s adventures infiltrating numerous Slave Lord strongholds, Selzen, an agent of the Barons that hired Gird to defeat the Slave Lords, approaches the group’s dinner table and proposes that the group snatch an important shipment of medicine from a renegade branch of the local thieves guild and then deliver the shipment to a village.  The thieves intend to use the shipment to bribe potential allies that are behind the increased giant raids, bandit raids, and lizardman incursions in the west, while the village actually needs the medicine.  Selzen confirms that the local Reeve will reward the party for their efforts.  Being up for the challenge as well as helping the villagers and getting paid, the heroes take on the task.

Selzen gives Alyce a tortoise shell ring and directs the party to a contact who can guide them inside the guild house.  Possible entrances are through the sewers, through the basement of the casino they are in (which is run by the guild and carefully watched), through a nearby museum, and through a nearby Chapel of Vulcan.  The group chooses the chapel and after defeating the magical wards, summon the chapel’s guardian, a large fire demon!  The majority of the group charges into combat with Alyce positioning herself near the forge to cast magic at a distance and heal burned allies.  It is not long before Gird is very badly burned and the bard heals the monk just in time and sings “Great Balls of Fire” to distract the demon for a moment, reducing the damage the monk is taking.  Taking advantage of the distraction, Silk strikes a extremely powerful blow, dealing the demon a very serious wound.  After exchanging several more blows with the heroes, Kirell finally toasts the fiery hell spawn.

After a short rest, the group moves down the tunnel behind the chapel and after a time, arrives at the loading dock of the Terra Dagger Guild.  There are eight thugs loading cargo and standing guard.  The heroes charge in, surprising the thieves.  Kirell downs one right away, but four more run in from a nearby common area, giving the thieves more than a two to one advantage.   Gird downs a thug with an impressive spinning hook kick while Silk moves along the north side of the room, taking a large number of arrow hits that are softened somewhat by Stark’s magic.  Alyce downs a thug, and Kirell downs his second one as does Gird, but five more thieves arrive from the common room, including one of the guild commanders who orders one of their number to fetch reinforcements.  Still maintaining more than a two to one advantage and fighting in pairs the thugs score a number of serious wounds on the heroes, while the heroes are taking hits, they are also dishing them out.  Silk downs a senior rogue, as does Kirell who makes an impressive jump from a row boat to the landing.  Gird finds himself hard pressed by four thieves but with help from Alyce, Gird finds the strength to push up on one arm and spin all the way around, kicking and knocking out three thugs in a single move!  Gird then throws the body of an addition rogue he has knocked out into some of his fellows, driving the rest of the thieves back toward the eastern doors.  Stark and Alyce each down their second thugs and Kirell and Silk each down their second (90 hit point) senior rogue.  The guild commander dives into the water and swims away, letting the heroes quickly load the crates onto the magic turtle Alyce brings into existence with the ring.  The party quickly make their escape, just before the first wave of additional thugs arrive.

Making their way back outside, the group is met by three people who are there to guide the group to the cargo ship.  The group follows the crewmen quickly through the city, recovering energy for another fight as they go.  After securing the cargo, the Captain Lazette makes sail to the village to the north.  As the “Gale Rider” heads into a minor rain squall, a group of flying devil men assault the small ship, thinking it an easy target.  Six heavy soldiers move in close in an attempt to board.  The party disperses to throw them back.  Gird positions himself atop the pile of crates.  After exchanging initial blows, the devil soldiers are reinforced  by four light javelin throwers as well as an Abysmal Shaman, throwing powerful bolts of water.  One bolt dazes Gird and then the Shaman tricks Kirell into thinking a shark is biting him – Kirell panics in fear!  Kirell runs away from the Shaman, slicing devil soldiers along the way, downing one.  Silk wounds one, but it flies off toward Stark.  The devil men strike down a crewman near mid-ship.  Silk wounds another and it flies up to fight the wounded monk.  Silk wounds a third just in time for Kirell to finish it off from behind as Kirell yells that the shark swam away.  Alyce heals Gird as he is still dazed and is doing his best to fight off the soldier nearest the cargo but taking hits from the javelin throwers.  The rest of the heroes spread out, and take cover, making it harder for the javelin throwers to hit.  The Shaman summons a second shark on Kirell and Kirell panics again, striking down a third soldier even while the shark crushes him.  Gird seriously wounds a soldier, driving it back.  Silk downs a soldier with a well placed blow and blast of magic.  Although uninjured, the javelin throwers and shaman retreat, along with the remaining soldiers.  The heroes catch their breath after the tough fight.

Just before dark, Captain Lazette puts into shore.  Alyce re-summons the cargo turtle and the group leaves the ship and heads down the road to the village.  The group meets a TA scout who warns of marauding lizard men.  Then the group meets a crazy old man who seems confused and gives the little old man a wide berth.  A short distance later the heroes arrive at the village and deliver the much needed shipment.  They stay overnight and return to the ship the next morning and then to Tyr Amar where the TA Reeve richly rewards them!

Well done!