Stonehell Session Report 5

This is part 5 of the ongoing campaign I am running of Stonehell, written by Michael Curtis, using Necrotic Gnome's Old School Essentials. 

You can start at the beginning of the campaign at this link: Part One

 The Town of Absolution

The party returned to Absolution. For this session we were joined by Viegar, Runnum, Novice Initiate Muclu, and Fayanna. 

After spending a few days in the canyon above Stonehell proper and facing the dangers therein, the party returned to the home base where the proprietor of the Lost and Found Inn was a bit surprised to see them. Marly Stoneford, a pretty woman in her mid 40s runs a tight ship. If you leave things in her rooms and don't come back for them past what you've paid for, those goods end up in the stocks of her other business, the Quarry's Bounty general store.

The party appraised their gems and other sellable goods, slept, then set about the business of gathering information in town.

The first stop was the Abbey of the Tranquil Morning. The abbey is a large building that acts as a sanitartium for the mentally ill *and* a health spa for the wealthy of the kingdom. The two are tightly separated, obviously, but the nuns of the Lady of Peace take both jobs equally seriously. The building is the largest single establishment in the town of Absolution, comprised of a single structure with two wings, several large outbuildings, and gardens and yards in the front and back.

The party had business of another kind, however. They had found a body in the Gatehouse that was wearing a bracelet marking her as a Ward of the abbey. Once ushered into the offices of Mother Corraline, the high priestess, they learned that Lady Lisa Marniar Nicale left their care 2 weeks prior. She was proceeded by two others in the last month. One of whom, one Haniel, likewise disappeared under the cover of night. However to say that either 'escaped' is not correct. The wards of the Abbey are allowed to come and go as they please so long as they are not a danger to others. But normally their departures are done during daytime hours. 

What called Haniel and Lisa to depart under such mysterious circumstances remains a mystery.

Next, the party found the Alchemist at Balms and Banes, one Albin Moorcastle. The menu of delights available to the adventurers includes things like potions that provide a +1 HP instantly with a drawback if taken 3 times, a tea the provides +1 hp over 4 hours, or a powder that identifies magic items on contact. They haggled a bit and learned that Moorcastle is keenly interested in rumors of a red ichor that seeps from the walls of a cave on the first level. If the party brings back a cup of the stuff, they will be rewarded.

Next, the party visited Quarry's Bounty and resupplied a bit - including a shovel (which as we all know is a very important bit of adventuring equipment but which is oddly missing from the OSE equipment lists). 

The House of Telios

Finally, the Magic User Viegar was very interested in meeting with Vishty Telios, a local elf sage with a somewhat sinister reputation. The home is a stately manor, encircled with a wrought iron fence. Large ibis statues are mounted on plinths around the perimeter of the fence. Dark trees stand about the yard, providing deep pools of shadow around the space. 

A halfling butler shows the party in, and after waiting for an hour or so they are shown into the office of Vishty Telios, a tall blond elf in a black suit with a silver cane. Fayanna asks if he knows anything about a powerful mage in Stonehell. He considers it, and verifies that he has heard those stories as well. Then, he ultimately shares that he wants to know the location of The Plated Mage's Laboratory. And that he is willing to pay for that information. 3000 gold pieces, in fact. The party happily accepts that commission. 

Before departing, however, Veigar had one more bit of business to attend to. His spellbook had a hole in it that needed filling. Seeing that Telios was a wise sage, he asked if perhaps the elf had knowledge of the spell Read Languages. Telios did, and was in fact willing to offer that knowledge, but for a cost. In the end, Veigar agreed to work in Telios's laboratory for two weeks in exchange for a chance to copy the spell. 

After some deliberations, the party agreed to take two weeks of downtime in Absolution while Veigar toiled in the lab.

Hiring Bonuses

Without much else to do, Runnum decided he would like to have a lackey. So they posted letters of recruitment about the town and got to work interviewing potiential porters and torchbearers. Their posting attracted the notice of four individuals. 

- Guzey Bruno, an 18 year old farmer's son looking for excitement

- Matthias Griscti, a 24 year old miner

- Tumas Faure, a 20 year old 2nd son of a noble,

- Lucae Naici, a 17 year old shop girl.

Runnum offered a meager 5 silver per day for the work, and played it up as an investment opportunity - not unlike a modern-day multi-level-marketing scheme. Guzey, the first to be interviewed, saw through it immediately and was rather upset about the offering. He departed and made things a bit harder by soiling their reputation. Matthias, however, was interested but drove a very tough bargain. Ultimately it took three rounds of negotiation but in the end, he agreed but for a 100cp and 5ep hiring bonus. 

At the end of two weeks, the party met back up with Veigar, summoned Matthias, and set out for Stonehell, once more.

Thank you for reading! If you have questions or comments, please feel free to leave them here. You can also find me on bluesky or Twitter (X) to have conversations there.