More than Nothing: Back to Partopia

[Part of the Party Time journal]

Soon a messenger bird arrives with orders that splits the team. Ughh and Aah stay with the dig team who uncover a giant hand behind a stone door that squishes 12 of the miners before it is defeated, while Mamita and Jerghonson along with half the soldiers go to the mining town of Jellyroll which is in threat of being overrun by Bhir'Beli forces. They are to hold the line until reinforcements arrive.

Upon arriving the mine leader tricks them and locks them in one of the mine shafts though, saying they've already made a deal with the Bhir'Belians and handing them over to the invaders (due to arrive soon) will do much to foster relations with them. Leaving them there Jerghonson prays to his moon goddess Luna (chosen upon character creation) who hears his call, appearing as a giant wolf that occupies most of the tunnels. She mauls a lone guard and opens the gate before wandering off. 

Rather than escape, the team digs pit traps in the mine and waits in hiding along side passages. The ambush is successful when the mine leader and Bhir'Beli advance party arrive, and only one Bhir'Beli soldier manages to escape to his horse and flee with incredible speed. Jerghonson then takes the mine leaders head and threatens the remaining Jellyroll citizens who then all scatter and flee, knowing the punishment for treason. 

Soon enough a new regiment from Partopia arrives and after ascertaining the situation decides its not worth dying over a dead town. They torch it and collapse the mine, sending the PC party back to Partopia where they regroup with the expedition team who have also returned with a good haul of artifacts. It is at this time that Captain Tamir informs all of them that Emperor Julian has been assassinated, and the previously allied lords of Aeternea are now making claims for the throne. They will back their patron, Praetor Artorias, and their new duty is to collect funding and support from as many people as they can. Aah easily convinces her stepfather Governor Quintus to help.

On their way out of the city they defend a young girl being pursued by stake wielding assailants and the last attacker, a man named I'lbakstabyo who works for Numero Uno ("god" of the very oppressed Numerologist religion) claims the "girl" is a vampire who has taken the form of the child which it killed. A house guard of the girl recognizes her and takes her back to her family though, and while the team try to warn the guard of potential vampy-ness he remains unmoved and they are unwilling to do more - apart from take I'lbakstabyo to jail.

They're also approached by a woman who claims to be the widow of thief King Autolycus who asks them to get the gem of the Crocagator located in his vault, be returned to her. She's afraid she'll be killed if she goes after it herself and gives the team instructions how to get there via a secret door in the sewers. Beyond they are surprised to find a Crocagator temple with worshipers that Jerghonson manages to befriend with tales he heard about their predecessor Testikles of the fisher people. They opt out of the mission deciding the widow is too shady for their liking.

More than Nothing: Black Vale Expedition

[Part of the Party Time journal]

After more weeks of police work the team save a pregnant woman being chased by some idiotic thugs that keep yelling "Pale-dogs!" (their gang name). The woman thanks them for the save and continues on her way to the temple of Koochikoo while the others track down the Paledog leader in a run down house in the city. He reveals they were paid to slay the woman with the still moist offertory box from the temple itself, so they quickly rush there to find the very lecherous priest Carpef organizing some "friends" to take care of her. All the bad guys are arrested and Carpef admits that he needs the woman killed because he had a vision her baby (his child) would bring about the end of the world. But he couldn't kill her himself because he's devout!?

They are then joined by new recruits (all the survivors from the prison) to join caravaner Jhonen's archeological expedition to find treasure for Praetor Artorias. They first stop at Thorsen, a filthy pig farm, where a young woman named Jalla asks to join the mission - because she hates it there. Her father Rorke is against this but Ughh makes him back off. 

While traveling alongside a river Aah goes to save a drowning person only to find its a trap by a quartet of great river cats with hands for tails and human voices! Unfortunately the cats didn't count on there being so many soldiers and Jerghonson leads the militia to bash them to death before they can do anything.

Upon entering the Black Vale, bitterworm has spoiled over 70% of the caravan rations and the dark mountain men that live here move their flocks away but send a scout to keep tabs on them. It is a temple of theirs to their god Popeta that Jhonen wants to uncover, and sure enough near a mountain summit the 30 extra miners uncover a belfry they can descend (which saves a lot of digging)!

Jhonen, 5 soldiers, Ughh and Aah rappel down with the miners where they find an odd looking altar - a humanoid form above what seems to be a hand, and sudden movement in the surrounding ash reveals many "hands" / handspiders that come to attack them - with one managing to climb up a miner and puppeteer him! The hands are of little threat with the organized defenders though.

The defense upstairs is good too, led by Mamita and Jerghonson the mountain men's pincer attack raid is easily foiled (despite losing four men) when they kill over half the attackers in one combat round, routing the enemy immediately!