Stonehell: The Gatehouse! (finally)

Session 19 was played on 9/9.

Wilhelm, drunk Dwarf 4 (Julia)
-Hamlet, war dog
2 torch bearers/linkmen
7 men at arms
Nilbog Dracon, Wizard 1 (Matt)

Stayed in town
Tink, a pretentious Elf (but I repeat myself) and former barkeep (Hanna)
Shelly, a vegetarian recovering alcoholic halfling Thief 3 (Nadia)
Frank, halfling 1 (Emily)
Yaqen, elf 1 (Shaun)
Leroy, human fighter 2 (Mike)
Tobias, Human-Cat, Cleric 2 of Persephone (Mollie)

As Wilhelm searched the town for his friends to go adventuring, he stumbled upon a human wizard who was himself on his way to Stonehell in hopes of finding a rumored wizards school that was once housed in the dungeon. As the rest of his friends were nowhere to be found, he let the wizard tag along. Together they head down the old king's road to the box canyon, and Wilhelm directs everyone around the gatehouse, as per usual. Nilbog stops the group, and asks why. With no good answer, they find the back door and check it out.

The southside lower level was mostly empty save for random animal droppings, twigs, leaves, and some random bones. Old graffiti covered the walls in a variety of languages. In the chamber looking out into the passage of the gatehouse, while looking through the arrow slits, and checking out the old weapons rack, a cold dead firepit flamed to life, and 5 ghosts materialized around it. The seemed shocked to be sharing the room with the adventurers, and grabbed for their weapons. The party ran, taking the stairs to the upper floor.

The arrow slits let in some light as the party rushed up. Once safe, seeing that the ghosts hadn't followed, they looked around. A large papery mound had been built in and around one of the arrow slits, and some multifaceted eyes looked out from a hole in the nest. They kept as far away from the nest as possible, and made for the door. A giant flying thing emerged, and they ran! The next room over had stairs leading to the roof and large hole in the ceiling. They took the stairs, bursting out into the sunshine. Unfortunately the flying things, looking like some sort of demonic wasps, came up around the side of the building. The party charges across the roof toward a hatch on the far side of the building. One of the henchman goes down under the swarm.

Once "safely" off the roof, the party takes stock. Down one already. They'll have to go back for the body at some point. The next room over, a lone goblin lays asleep, using a small log as a pillow. The party isn't quiet, and it startles, and falls down the ladder trying to get away. Rushing over to the open hatch, they look down to see the goblin unconscious on the ground, a pool of blood forming around his head.

Wilhelm, in an undwarven-like moment has the goblin bandaged, and lifted back up to his "bed" with the log gently placed under his head. Returning to the northside lower level, they're first drawn to a door from which the noise of several goblins talking can be heard. They knock, as is polite, and then exchange insults with the goblins... at least, that's what the party thinks, as none of them speak goblin. However, they do hear the distinct sounds of furniture being pushed up against the door. Checking the other rooms, one is empty, while the other has a bunch of old bedroom furniture. A false panel is spotted in the room by the bed, and it's checked out, but as they check it out, giant centipedes attack! Wilhelm tossed in a lit torch, and the room caught fire. The centipedes cooked, and the secret chamber was searched, and out of the smoking room was retrieved a fancy lace parasol, a well worn travel cloak, and a potion. The party fled the gatehouse as the ceiling caught fire, and headed right for the dungeon entrance. Several hours later, the gatehouse was a smoldering shell of a building... but the party was nowhere to be found...

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Yes, I'm 2 months behind, and this was only the first half of the night's session... I've been busy! And no, the players still haven't gotten out of the dungeon yet.