Chapter 6: Assault on Bloodstone Tower

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About the Saga

After a harrowing trip to and from the Caverns of Quasqueton, the former hidden headquarters of the near-legendary adventurers Roghan the Fearless and Zelligar the Unknown, our heroes spend a few days of downtime in Obsidian Bay. While there they learn of new, potentially less dangerous, endeavors for them to undertake.

Timeframe

Cast of Characters

Notable Quotes

"Your mother never loved you" -- Burgell, to the orog captain of the Bloodstone orcs. The orog died from heartbreak immediately after.

What Has Come Before

Finn and Kor return to Obsidian Bay to recruit help for their assault on Bloodstone Tower. He find Carac de Cudgel and together they headed back to the hidden cave not far from the tower. On the way they were attacked by pirates-turned-bandits led by Captain Treland Silvertooth. The pirates were formerly of the *Sea Lion*, a vessel operating out of the Hold of the Sea Princess that wrecked off the southern coast of the Pomarj. After evading Purple Squid hobgoblins hunting along the coast, the clueless pirates headed inland intent on taking up piracy. They attempted to ambush the heroes who nearly beat Silvertooth sensless. He yieleded, and agreed to join their assault on Blood stone Tower.

The Saga

Readying 25, CY 515

Finn, Burgell Nackle, Kor continued their journey north, managing to avoid the many monstrous threats of the Pomarj. They arrive at the cave they had secured earlier and rendezvoused with Tänévir Calywyn.

Finn, despondent over the loss of his raven, sought solace with the birds' brothers. The ravens landed on his shoulders and arms, covering him like a cloak as he explained how his friend had died heroically fighting the pirates.

Meanwhile, Tänévir drew a crude map of Bloodstone Tower and explained the strategic lay of the land. The 50' tower was intact, with 2-4 orcs watching the countryside at all times. The walls that had once made up the larger fortification had collapse, but indicated Bloodstone was more a keep, and less a free-standing tower. The stone of the tower appeared to be ironstone, a kind of sandstone fused with iron. The exposed iron had rusted, and left the tower looking blood stained.

It's most striking aspect was the ironwood tree that grew in the keep's courtyard. It had silver-black bark and rose nearly as the nearby tower. It's roots dug into the fortifications walls and had already torn down several of them. The roots also penetrated the tower, but had not yet damaged it enough to cause it to collapse as well. The courtyard was littered with bones as well as several fresh corpses. The roots dug into these, cracking the bones and tearing the flesh of those sacrificed to it. The heroes quickly pulled together a battle plan. They'd wait for one of the orc patrols to leave then sneak to the lee of a neighboring hill. There Tanevir would set slow fire timed to erupt into smoke and spectacle in an hours time. The fire would hopefully draw off a few more orcs, and the heroes would attack. Their numbers would be augmented by a dozen pirates as well as their captain, Trelan Silvertooth

The plan partially worked. the fire went off, but went off early. Fortunately the orcs dispatched two of their number to investigate, leaving the total number guarding Bloodstone Tower at 12, plus their orog leader. The heroes charged the fortress, killing two of the bandits on their way in, but losing two of their pirate allies as well. They quickly scrambled over the tower's crumbling outer walls, keeping clear of the great ironwood tree in the courtyard. A quick, brutal fight followed in which all of the orcs were killed, but two more of the pirates died as well. The orog fell last but not from a weapon blow. The gnome Burgell Nackle drew upon his great reserves of wit and insulted the man to death by disparaging his bloodline. The mental anguish killed the orog outright.

The ironwood tree, sensing fresh corpses, ensnared the fallen orcs and sent its roots deep into their bodies seeking substance. The heroes quickly looted the bodies of the orcs and found one item of particular note: a rusty iron gauntlet that the orog had been wearing. Done with their obligatory task they once against skirted the tree and broke into the tower. There they found a small treasure horde of coins and fine artwork, which they promptly looted They found a case of lantern oil among the supplies in the tower, and decided to put it to good use. They ignited flasks of oil and threw it at tree hoping it would ignite. The tree smoldered, but failed to ignite. The flames instead enraged the tree and it began to lash out at the area around it. The heroes dove from the walls and the tower just as the ironwood tore the stones out from beneath them.

The heroes and the surviving pirates fled the ruins of Bloodstone Tower and took refuge on a nearby hill to watch the tree finish its destructive temper tantrum.

The tower was no more.

Experience

Player Characters

  • Burgill: 275 xp
  • Tanevir: 275 xp

Non-Player Characters

  • Kor: 275 xp
  • Captain Silvertooth: 275 xp
  • Nameless Pirates: 275 xp

Loot

Coins

  • Given to Captain Silvertooth and the surviving pirates, per the party's earlier agreement.*
  • * 2000 copper pieces
  • 1300 silver pieces
  • 50 gold pieces

Art objects

  • Cloth of gold vestments (25 gp). Intelligence (Religion) reveals they belong to the church of Heironeous)
  • Two silver ewers (25 gp)
  • Carved bone statue of Luthic, orc goddess of Female Orcs, Fertility, Medicine, Healing, Servitude, Caves, and Homes. (25 gp)
  • A pair of bone dice (25 gp)
  • Small gold bracelet (25 gp)

Magic items

  • Rusted iron gauntlet
  • Potion of Healing

Resources

  • Silver ewer: Image of a fine silver ewer.
  • Ironstone: "Ironstone is a sedimentary rock, either deposited directly as a ferruginous sediment or created by chemical replacement, that contains a substantial proportion of an iron compound from which iron either can be or once was smelted commercially."
  • Orc pantheon in Greyhawk: A list of the orcish deities in the World of Greyhawk, including Luthic, goddess of Female Orcs, Fertility, Medicine, Healing, Servitude, Caves, and Homes.
  • Rusted iron gauntlet
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