Stonehell: Blindly Wandering

Session 34(b) was played on 4/28

Eiric, wizard 3 (Kat)
Orpheus, Human Fighter 2 (Henchman)
- torch bearers (A A Ron, JJ Swats)
- men at arms (C, D)
- Namish (dog)
Matthias, Dwarf 4 (Julia)
- men at arms (M&M, Nnnn)
- Herrick (dog)
Daryll (NPC Cleric 1, Prisoner)

Stayed in town
Bisimwa, Human Fighter 1 (Jordan)
Sarin the Ugly, Human Fighter 1 (Josh)
Menchi, Human Cleric 1 (Laural)
Kili, Dwarf Cleric (Matt)
Leroy, human fighter 3 (Mike)
Unnamed, Elf 1 (Nicole)
Karlaih, Human Thief 5 (Mollie)
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)

After nearly a week of rest and recovery the party is ready to head back into Stonehell! Matthias hires two men at arms (M&M and Nnnnn) and buys a wardog Herrick.

Returning to the baboon’s room, they double check it for anything they missed the first time, but find nothing… not even the bodies. Further along the hall they avoid the broken spear trap, though it looks like the kobolds haven’t gotten around to fixing it yet. The next door open into a room covered in patches of grey mold. Being careful not to disturb the mold, the party moves to the door at the far end of the room. Matthias opens the door, and there’s a bright flash of light! With a critical fumble on his saving throw, he’s blind! Beyond the mold room is an old kitchen, and then a wash room. The only thing of value found is an old corpse of a priest.

Back into the hall, they pause at the old pharmacy, then check out the short hallway that has “Secret Room” written in chalk at the end of it. Matthias, still blind, decides to go at the wall with his pickaxe when yet again no door is found. This draws the attention of a hobgoblin scouting party that just watches from the shadows. After a solid 10 minutes the party stops Matthias, and they move on, yet again failing to find the secret room.

Moving on, they pass through some previously explored rooms, fill in some hallway on the maps they’d missed before, find a pile of shoes and boots, all in perfect condition, but only the left of the pair. They head back to fill in more of the map, and catch sight of the hobgoblins lurking behind them. No one seems to want to fight or talk.

Passing by an old store room, the party heads into the Reptile House and turn north. Thre first chamber is hexagonal with a 4 headed snake statue on it. The pedestal the statue rests on has 2 holes on it about an inch in diameter. Carefully avoiding the statute, the party continues along the hall, finding a pair of old bed chambers. The second chamber had the bloated body of a hobgoblin on the bed being eaten by a pair of giant flies.

Matthias charges in blindly swinging with his battle axe, cleaving one in half. The other lands on his back and bites him, but it is smashed moments later. Searching the hobgoblin they find a pair of gems. Deciding they’ve had enough, the party heads back to the stairs and up to the Antechamber, passing some Ghost Beggars and then a troop of kobolds on their way out.

Back in town, Eiric pays 400gp and turns over the holy symbol from the dead priest to cure Matthias’ blindness.

Gains: 3gp, 2 gems (25 & 50gp value)
Kills: 2 giant flies
Losses: 400gp for healing

Per the book, the blindness was only supposed to last 2d6 rounds, but a critical fumble, followed by 2 more failed saving throws, and I decided the spell had been boosted by the Nixthisis.