In attendance were;
Kumak Morudall: Half-Orc Bloodrager
Tiberius Lionheart: Human Paladin of Sarenrae
Susan: Human Universalist Wizard
Thaddeus Whisperheart: Gnome Trickster
Cooking up a large portion of crab into a crab stew the party eats what they hope to be their final meal in Thistletop. Come the morning Shalelu elects to remain for a few days to pick off any goblins that return. Kumak leaves all the goblin arrows and his 5 days of trail rations with her to tide her over until they can return. Shalelu casts a spell transforming one end of the 200ft of rope into an arrow and shoots it across the gap. The arrow strikes true reforming itself into a rope and securing one end to the tree. Kumak lashes the large golden helmet to himself and prepares to swing across with the idea that he and Thaddeus would ensure the rope remains tied to the far end allowing the rest to corss safely. The swing to the base of the cliff goes well with Kumak casting a feather fall to ensure his descent is gentle enough but his weight, the 300 pound golden helmet strapped to his back and Thaddeus on his shoulders proves too much weight for the rope which snaps 30 feet from the top. Kumak climbs the cliff face with the reminder of rope around his waist and holding on to his end allows the rest of the party to cross before they secure the mainland end for Shalelu.
Moving through the burnt carnage of the remains of the brier patch Kumak looks down into the hole they had seen before, seeing many tracks leading into the pit he surmises that many goblins leapt into the pit to try and escape a fiery death from Susan's flaming sphere. Tiberius asks if he would like to go down there and fight whatever beast they heard roaring days ago to which Kumak raises an eye brow, hands off the rope still tied to him to Orik and jumps in. Descending about 60 feet down he stops himself and looking in the dark spies a large pool of water about 10 feet deep below him and to one side a shelf mad from the cliff on which a creature later identified as a Bunyip dozing. Tiberius grabs the rope to join him but slips at the lip of the hole and plummets into the water below waking the Bunyip. Kumak swings over to the ledge and thrusts his now repaired Ranseur into the Bunyip drawing significant blood and an ear piercing roar which threatens the resolve of the party but only Thaddeus's courage falters as the gnome moves away from the hole. The bunyip moves towards the water, either to make an escape or to attack Tiberius but Kumak gives it a parting stab which finishes off the creature. Searching the grotto finds a wand, some coins and gems and a few magical arrows, not a bad haul for few minutes work.
With that the party soon find themselves returning to Sandpoint, Kumak says he wishes to sell all the excess items he has been carrying around for the last few days and Tiberius announces he will be taking the religious iconography to the temple to be turned in for a bounty and destroyed. On their way to the market square the remainder find a crowd gathered and the Orc from before Gris is at the center of a celebration recounting his recent heroics single-handedly vanquishing the Licktoad Goblin tribe. Susan and Thaddeus wish to stay and listen, the event doesn't hold Kumak's attention long but the sticks of meat and cups of ale convince him to stay a while and listen. Soon some townsfolk's attention drifts to the newcomers and the large golden helmet, Gris noticing this yells out that this is his celebration and they need to leave. Kumak talking around a mouthful of meat calls back that Gris is welcome to the glory, he is in it for the challenge, and with that and a few magically generated heckling calls from Thaddeus, Gris jumps down and strides up the group challenging them all to a contest, that the winner is the true hero and the losers must slink away back to their rooms. Thaddeus and Susan are game, Kumak announces that he will gladly compete but since he doesn't care about the glory asks if Gris would like to make the competition interesting and wagers 150 gold to which Gris agrees. Calling out for a drinking, archery and running contest the party confer to see who will compete in which. Kumak allows the others to decide as he will take which ever they do not wish.
Thaddeus steps up to drink against the Orc but proposes a change. In one hand they will drink while the other will hold the burning end of a torch, stop drinking or remove your hand from the torch and you forfeit. Gris agrees and snatching a burning brand from a nearby fire pit does not seem to notice that the torch that Thaddeus presents does not seem to give off heat. Each grasping their torch they begin to drink, downing their first, second and third cups. Gris has a moment of weakness on his forth cup but powers through to the fifth and sixth, the crackle and smell of cooking meat coming from the Orc's torch. Thaddeus feels a touch woozy on the seventh cup but pushes through until finally on the ninth cup of ale Gris finishes consuming it, takes a moment, then heaves into the nearby fire pit. The crowd erupts in cheers and sighs depending on who they had backed, Gris angrily wipes his mouth and slurring only slightly points to Kumak "Double or Nothing!" and grabs a nearby bow. Looking around Gris declares that closest shot to the eye of the Dragon figure on the Rusty Dragon Inn wins, then fires a shot that goes wide but still in the direction of the inn. Remembering Susan's hunting prowess from earlier Kumak looks to her to see if she wishes to compete, while chanting quietly Susan grabs the bow and expertly puts an arrow just shy of the eye to the cheers of the crowd. Snapping his bow in half Gris calls out "Double Double or nothing" to which Kumak asks if he can even cover the now 600 gold bet. Gris throws a pouch filled with platinum down and a cursory inspection shows he can, so Kumak removes his armor and stretches while Gris drunkenly casts some magic on himself which Susan identifies as Longstrider. The course is determined and with a call Kumak rockets off at a startling speed, whether it is the drink, his own temper at being bested twice, or he was not expecting his half-orc opponent to be that fast Gris stumbles out the gate and lands face first just past the starting line. The race is swift and while Gris does make up significant ground that first few seconds tells the tale and Kumak wins. Collecting the money pouch Kumak pulls out 60 platinum then hands the remainder to Gris who angrily stalks out while the crowd cheers asking what to call the group. Looking around none seem to have an idea before Thaddeus steps up and introduces them as The Redeemers which the crowd eagerly takes up and begins chanting.
Shortly after their victory a shrill trumpet is heard and upon a carpet laden palanquin pulled by burly shirtless men a flamboyant stranger approaches. Calling himself Captain Creesy he takes in the newly minted Redeemers and invites them to his ship for dinner, drinks and tales of adventure. Thaddeus steps up and identifies himself as the leader of the group and accepts on their behalf, Creesy stands up on his carpet which now begins to move on its own towards the gnome and extends his hand out to Thaddeus who steps on and the 2 fly off towards the ship. Left with the now vacant palanquin Susan and Kumak look to each other, shrug and say OK. Kumak addresses Orik to find Tiberius and let him know then to wait for them at the Rusty Dragon. Susan finds the most dashing looking of Creesy's burly men and has him carry her in his arms to the ship while the strongest of the bunch approaches Kumak and after a short wrestle to see who ends up carrying whom Kumak finds himself slung over the mans shoulder eating the remainder of his meat on a stick. Creesy and Thaddeus discuss their respective exploits while they wait for the rest of the party and Creesy asks Thaddeus to choose what kind of fare they should have, to which he asks for some far off delicacy that he had barely even heard of. Creesy laughs in approval and claps his hands as more burly men move about the ship and swiftly construct a sizable table with chairs and place some aperitifs out for the now arriving Susan and Kumak. The 4 are seated and begin with conversation and feasting while Tiberius joins them by the second course. Kumak and Tiberius soon find themselves well into their cups and while Tiberius demands he be returned to the Rusty Dragon, Kumak accepts the offer to sleep the night aboard the ship. Susan and Thaddeus nurse their drinks as such keep a level head when suddenly Creesy turns the subject to business. A collector of antiquities and merchant Creesy declares himself willing to purchase their plunder and sell them whatever they desire but first wishes to hear the tale of the daring adventure. Thaddeus deftly cleans the rough edges of the journey and leaving out the discovery of the Barghest Malfeshkenor suitably impresses the Captain enough that Creesy claps his hands and declares that in celebration of this grand new arrangement he will provide a one time 5% discount to them. In the morning the accounts are settled and the Redeemers find themselves with just over 11 thousand gold. Setting aside a share for the group expenses each member makes their purchase requests known. Kumak reasonably happy with his weapons, armor, ring and amulet hands his share plus winnings from Gris to Susan to help outfit herself. Susan purchases 500 gold of inks for scribing spells into her book while the remainder of the 5,500 is put towards reagents she can use to craft magical items. Tiberius requests a suit of Full-Plate, and a Masterwork shield. The remainder of his money he had pledged to Orik and Lyrie to repay the items they had lost. Thaddeus buys some magical reagents and asks Susan to make him a headband and enchant his well made cloak.
In the morning the Redeemers look ahead to their tasks,
Susan has 10 days of crafting ahead of herself. While Shalelu was left with at least 5 days food Tiberius wishes to return to her soon and after comparing notes the Redeemers feel they have a solid plan to finish Malfeshnekor off and finally close the chapter on Thistletop. Ameiko wishing to see her friend also asks to check out Thistletop as she feels the real estate could be put to use.
Kumak introduces Sheriff Hemlock to Orik and Lyrie and ensures he understands how they came to be with the Redeemers. Kumak recommends that Orik be taken on as a deputy for a while and Hemlock see if the man is a good fit. Kumak also reccomends that Lyrie function under a sort of house arrest for a while, which spells she prepares each day is monitored and that her book remains in a secure place when not in use.
Thoughts:
A better session, there was considerably less biting back and forth though a few still did happen, the paladins player complained a bit about not having much money but I pointed out again that he was the one who wanted to pay back the people for the scrolls and wands we took. That giving them their lives was mercy enough and the loss of items would be the tax they pay for siding with Nualia and the goblins.
At the end of this Susan has crafting for 10 days and 3.5 of which she will also be scribing spells into her book. At the end she will have;
Headband of Int +2
2x Pearl of Power level 1
Pearl of Power level 2
Cloak of Resistance +1 for Kumak
Cloak of Resistance +1 for Thaddeus
Headband of Cha +2 for Thaddeus
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