Session 12: Claws of the Lioness - Roast Duck

Dramatis Personae:

• The Paladin of St. Faruin - Alsuna of Vlamesht, Bulwark and Vanguard - Played by Sophia
• The Henchman and Dwarven Delver - Noravras of Beasthold - Dwarven Caver and Pest Controller - Played by Sophia
• The Thief - Kiz of Aesta Suvash - Footpad and Failed Apprentice - Played by Chris
• The Dwarven Craftpriest - Moriana of Beasthold, Dwarven Craft-catechist and Reliquary Guardian - Played by Andrea
• The Mage - Timlaras "Tim" of Aesta-Suvash, Thaumaturge and Necromancer - Played by Scott
• The Henchman and Fighter - Džim of Aesta-Suvash, Warrior - Played by Scott
• The Henchman and Thief - Arana of Aesta-Suvash, Hood - Played by Scott
• The Mage - Mixebram "Mix" of Aesta-Suvash, Arcanist and Magical Scholar - Played by George
• The Mystic - Ali Abbas the Immaculate - Played by Paul
• The Cleric - Guinevere the Curate - Played by PJ
• The Cleric of St. Faruin - Kumbar of Aesta-Suvash, Catechist and Undead Slayer - Played by Jonathan
• The Fighter - Vunika, Man-at-arms and Mercenary - Played by Christiana

When last we left our heroes...

The party managed to avoid the giant weasels (as the party referred to them: "54 Feet of Weasel" which I swear was not a metaphor for anything). After trying to put them to sleep (turns out they were too big to be affected by the spell), Vunika made a distraction that sent the weasels bounding off into the mist, and the party was able to continue on their way without a fight.

They arrived at the village of Vlamanishiki. As they crossed the stream to get into the village, they noticed that it was absolutely choked with old, rusted sword blades. They found an inn (with a painted Jester's cap out front; the Sign of the Fool) and bought soup and a round of ale and spoke with some of the locals. It turns out there are duck-headed beastmen raiding in the area, selling weapons to the kobold and goblin tribes in the Ettinmarsh, and so on. The littler of rusted sword blades come from them and it appears to just be getting worse.

The party decided to wait until the cover of darkness to head upstream, and found a waterfall flowing out of the ettinmarsh. Behind the waterfall they found a cave entrance. The pool at the base of the waterfall was completely choked with swords. Some of the party searched through them and while most people didn't find anything interesting, Kumbar (who is a cleric and can't use swords) did find a ceramic sword.

Tim used the Ring of Tixelzintran to peer into the cave and locate a trap set by the duck-men, which the party was able to avoid. The passage led to a large vestibule of an underground temple to the old Saftash god of war in his aspect of Anyshĩk-Tǎngkĩ, god of swords.

There was a huge statue with a big diamond in its forehead in the vestibule, and 3 duck-men guards, who Tim promptly fireballed (with a normal fireball, not the wand). There was a big pile of fine swords at the base of the statue, apparently laid there as an offering. Two of them were glowing faintly in the dark and are labeled with old Saftash numerals 2 and 9. They appear to be magical, but also incomplete, as though they are part of a puzzle or a key. Mix is holding onto them now. 

Mix has also been up to secret secret things again, but also, Tim has been having strange visions of a floating mass of eyes watching him and the party. Gwen, the party's newest cleric, found a secret door at the base of the statue...

Monsters killed:

• 3 duck men

Treasure found:

• Diamond (1000 GP)
• Ceramic sword
• 2 of Swords
• 9 of Swords