Rappan Athuk: Owning Castle Calaelen

 Session played on 6/13

Nick the Pike, Fighter 6 (Me)
Lada the Thief (Robby)
Gimbal, Magic User 1 (Scott)
Darryl, Cleric (NPC)
Biffin, Fighter (NPC)
Cassandra, Sellsword
6 Kobolds

After the party makes a circuit of the 2nd floor, checking all the doors, they’re back around to the door with the blood runes scribbled on them. There’s some chanting coming from within, and the smell of rancid smoke…

Kicking the door open, they see a once beautiful temple of healing desecrated with blood and filth. On the altar is the body of a human, and standing near the door are a pair of skeletons. Behind the altar, with the foul book they were told of… is a short fat goblin in an ill fitting black robe.  

She pauses her chanting, and Nick exclaims with disbelief “it’s just a goblin?” Her eyes harden, and she finishes her spell, the body jerking and begins to rise. Darryl destroys the skeletons, and Nick charges in lancing the necromancer goblin with his spear. Biffin follows in landing a killing blow with his sword. Darryl destroyed the zombie before it could cause any mischief. The room was searched, the crude idol to Orcus destroyed, and the book safely packed away.

Further exploration revealed some goblin sleeping areas, the necromancer’s chamber (full of skulls), and some treasure.

With only the basement (dungeon?) left to explore, they headed down, finding a guard room before a series of cells. Only one was occupied by a trader named Mortimer who was the last surviving member of a caravan.

Back to the first level and the locked chamber, Nick and Biffin use a crowbar to snap the chain, and push their way in. The magical shock hurt, but was brief. Within was a study, the contents of which included a signet ring and the deed to the castle (Nick grabbed those) and a set of magic scrolls (Gimble grabbed them).

Heading back to the courtyard, the door to the smithy was open, and within the goblins were slaughtered. Probably the gnoll leader… They douse the fire, and head out.

Camping along the riverbank, waiting for the barge to bring them back to Zelkor’s, Nick is awoken in the middle of the night, wrapped in magical darkness, and a voice asking what his intentions are with the castle.

“To restore it to some semblance of civilization.”

The creature, from the tower, wanted a promise that it’s tower would be left alone, and the inhabitants would be unmolested.

Nick agreed, but asked to know who, and what he was making the agreement with. The magical darkness fell, and in the dying light of the campfire he viewed a 6’ tall humanoid raven. It identified itself as “Afrit”

Nick informed Afrit that he’d be away from the castle for a bit, but if something happened to let him know. They worked out a plan to have the kobolds check the ruined cottage for the signet ring regularly, and if the ring was found, they’d get Nick and he’d come running. Afrit took the ring, and flew off into the night.

Back in ‘town’ the necromancer offered 200gp for the book. Nick passed on the offer.

They also heard some rumors of another set of ruins to the north across the river. A keep with a dwarven tomb… but a warning about the frogs…

Gains: gold and silver, necromantic tome, magic (arcane and divine) scrolls, deed to castle calaelen
Kills: skeletons, zombie, goblin necromancer.
Losses: