(September 2, 2002) Chronicler: Isaku
Month 7, Day 5, Year 1561 (continued) --
Moved all the silver and loot from the other towers into the first tower, except for the copper pieces, which Zenako suggests we give to the slaves once we free them. We can't carry that much copper, and it would seem like a fortune to them.
We then gathered in the courtyard to plan our next moves. Guessed that there were at least 2 ogres per building, so we'd take each building separately. Chose the building with the korobokuru slaves first, hoping that some of them might hate their present masters enough to help us fight them. Planned tactics were to surround each ogre with for 4 or more, flanking when possible.
Saru checked the doors to the first building, and didn't find any bars or locks. Zazu opened the doors, hearing nothing inside. He went in and opened the second set of doors, hoping they wouldn't squeak, and still didn't hear anything. Hatori cast Light on his bow, and we went in. We found two ogres and engaged in battle.
Zenako suddenly burst into a frenzy of action during the battle, much like the Sohei who trained at my temple can do. She must have had some instruction in that technique herself.
Zenako managed to stay on her feet this time, but Zazu, Mulan and Hatori went down. Saru got to Hatori first, and fed him a healing potion to bring him around. Ashi and I healed everyone as best we could. We took a quick look around the building the didn't find any more ogres.
We freed the korobokuru prisoners first. The oldest one, named Gorvak, was eager to help us fight the ogres in the other building. The younger ones were not so eager to fight, so Zenako promised them some of the copper pieces if they wait for us outside the keep until the end of the battle.
Gorvak said he's a barbarian/ranger, and a giant hunter. He also said the hengeyokai prisoners have not caused any trouble. They're gruff, but worked hard and stayed in hybrid form. We helped him find his equipment in the other room, Ashigaru armor, yumi bow & arrows, and some potions.
Gorvak also provided some information on the mine. There are 4 tunnels just inside the entrance. The slaves had to clear out the tunnels and brace the walls, and had to carry rocks out. Gorvak wasn't sure what the rocks were and never saw what was done with them.
Gorvak also described the creatures living in the mine. The boss is a big human barbarian/shaman with a pet wolverine. He wears bone dust paint, and his main activity seemed to be animating dead things, creating many zombies and skeletons. There's also a skinny witch-lady (wu-jen). The barbarian always stays in the mine, but the witch wasn't there last night. Both are usually awake when the prisoners go in and out of the mine.
There were some other things the equipment room: a gem, 330 gold coins, 2 bone armor breast plates, 2 large wooden shields, some whips, and a feather (magic item).
We prepared to move on to the next building. Ashi used her Sense Elements skill to detect sources of fire and water in the building, and guessed there was one ogre in the first half of the building.
We caught one ogre by surprise while he was sharpening his sword. Zenako knocked him down with help from Ashi's flaming humanoid, and Noku's ray of frost. Hatori got hit, but stayed on his feet. Ashi healed him a bit before we moved on. We found the second ogre in the room at the bottom of the stairwell. Gorvak knocked him down, but not before Zazu fell. Ashi used a healing potion to bring Zazu around.
Found more loot: 2 large no-dachi (great sword), 2 wooden shields and bone armor, whips, a potion of resist elements (fire), a pouch of drying dust, and whips.
We freed the peasant and barbarian slaves, who were very grateful. The barbarians agreed to escort the peasants to Marike. Zenako distributed the copper coins to all the slaves, including the korobokuru we freed earlier. Gorvak chose to stay with us.
It was only noon at this point, so we discussed what to do about the mine. I guessed the barbarian/shaman must be about 5th level if he could cast Animate Dead. Between that and the bone dust paint, he sounds like a shaman of the grave domain.
We healed everyone up as best as we could, but most were still wounded. Zazu investigated the locks on the gate to the mine. After some debate, we decided to clear out the undead scum in the mine rather than leave it for later. Very risky, since we were still not in good shape and most of our healing scrolls had been used up.
Rested until dusk, and posted guards on the walls facing the mine gate, assuming someone would come out to investigate when the slaves don't arrive. No one entered or left the mine, that we could see.
Month 7, Day 6 --
More healing of the wounded, but most still aren't back to normal. I cast Weapon Bless on weapons for Hatori, Zenako and Mulan, targeting the barbarian/shaman in the mine.
Zazu opened the lock on the mine gate, and we entered. There was a line of hanging furs near the entrance. Zazu went through, right into some skeletons which knocked him down. I stabilized him with a Cure Minor Wounds spell, and Zenako cut down the furs.
We battled the skeletons and zombies, then the barbarian/shaman ran out yelling (Castigate spell) which knocked down everyone except Zenako, Gorvak, Ashi, Saru, and Raji. Raji had stayed outside the mine, but ran in after I went down. Zenako, Gorvak, Ashi, and Raji took out the barbarian/shaman and his wolverine.
Saru fed a healing potion to Hatori, and Ashi fed him the unknown potion, which turned out to be another healing potion. Ashi, Gorvak, and Hatori used more healing potions to bring Mulan and me around. Sadly, Noku and Zazu were already dead, and beyond our help, so we made preparations to bring their bodies back to Marike.
Discovered more loot: a battle axe, lamellar armor, a wand of Magic Missile, a spell book, and a chest of rocks from the mine. Hatori appraised the rocks, and said they were unpolished/uncut gems, worth about 1500 gp.
Stopped in the village for the night, on the way back to Marike.
Month 7, Day 7 --
Arrived in Marike late in the day. Lord Moshi Isaka saw us immediately, and rewarded us with 425 gp for the bakemono and ogres, and 600 gp for clearing out Brightstone Keep. We told him how Noku and Zazu died bravely in battle. He said to leave their bodies with him and return to court in three days.
Month 7, Day 10 --
Returned to court, and found Zazu and Noku alive and relatively well. (Not zombies!) Lord Moshi Isaka told us they need about a week of rest to regain their strength. We were very glad to have our friends back.