OLD SKOOL CAMPAIGN DIARY: BACK TO THE MOAT HOUSE

The Heroes:

• ·         Anton Loyalar: Oeridian Paladin of Heironeous
• ·         Coppyr: Halfing Monk
• ·         Eli Pendar: Flannish Cleric of Pholtus
• ·         Tharn: Dwarf barbarian of the Fireforge clan

Our heroes return to Hommlet and are told by Ostler that Burne is back in town and is interested in their offer to clean up the bandit issue.  The heroes then head over to Burne’s tower and meet with him.  Burne agrees to pay them a sum of 500gp to find the bandit’s nest and end the threat, provided they bring back proof that their leader has been captured or killed and if they will look for any signs of a missing collegue of his, Prince Thrommel.  The heroes agree and mention that they learned the leader is a Lolth worshipper named Lareth.  Although Burne did not know of Lareth, he was interested that a Lolth worshipper was leading the bandits and seemed concerned about the demoness’ ambitions and plans for the region.

After meeting with Burne, the heroes head back to the Welcome Wench behind a number of villagers that had just finished their militia training for the day.  Eli takes advantage of the crowd and begins touting the virtues of Photus.  He garners great interest and spends a couple of hours answering questions.  The heroes eventually go up to their rooms (convincing Ostler to let them use the missing Spugnois’ room) and settle down for the night.

At around midnight, after tossing and turning several times, unable to sleep due to Tharn’s incessant snoring, Eli hears someone walking around in the hall.  The movements sound suspicious enough for him to get out of bed to investigate, but he finds the hall empty.  He proceeds to walk the hall to see if Anton’s door was locked when he hears a creaking sound from inside.  He knocks on the door and Anton sleepily opens it.  That’s when a shadowing assailant attacks them from the darkness of the paladin’s room!  The would-be assassin presses his advantage against the two unarmed and unarmored heroes and manages to cut Anton with a poisoned blade.  Eli blasts the attacker with his holy power and drives him back, jumping out the window and escaping.  He wakes Coppyr and Tharn and they tend to Anton’s wounds, healing him with prayers.  The four decide to lock themselves in Spugnois’ room for the rest of the night.

The following day, the group heads out to the moat house to finish what they started before.  They take a different route, approaching the structure from another angle.  They find that the bodies they’d left behind have been removed and the place appears to be abandoned.  They head down the main stairs and into the dungeons below.

At the bottom of the stairs, Coppyr discovers a batch of green slime and warns the others.  Eli burns it with a spell.  This alerts the zombies, who begin attacking from the chamber beyond the stairs.  The heroes fight through the shambling corpses, destroying them all, then begin to explore the dungeon.

End of session.